Last year Nashville, this year New Orleans! - Page 3

TAPPY · 04-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercy

Well, our trip is all booked. We had to move our trip to June 1-5 due to the airfare going sky-high (no pun intended). I tried for a hotel on Priceline, but had no luck, and I wanted to get everything squared away... so I booked a room at the Royal Sonesta, which is right on Bourbon St. Spend more than I would like for a room, but what the heck, it's vacation!!!

We are super excited to go!!

That is a beautiful hotel...and in a great spot to.

Seakony · 04-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercy

Well, our trip is all booked. We had to move our trip to June 1-5 due to the airfare going sky-high (no pun intended). I tried for a hotel on Priceline, but had no luck, and I wanted to get everything squared away... so I booked a room at the Royal Sonesta, which is right on Bourbon St. Spent more than I would like for a room, but what the heck, it's vacation!!!

We are super excited to go!!

Cool.. Great Hotel...A room with a balcony on Bourbon is fun..you can throw beads, and please don't make women show you their boobs to get them...(I know you wouldn't)..I always feel sorry for those girls that will flash for a cheap pair of chinese beads. (is that all their boobs are worth?) A room on Bourbon can also be noisy in till about 10 am...after all the partying and then the street cleaners and beer trucks come thru.

Luv2Dance · 04-24-2012

Royal Sonesta is beautiful.

Mercy · 04-25-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAPPY

That is a beautiful hotel...and in a great spot to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seakony

Cool.. Great Hotel...A room with a balcony on Bourbon is fun..you can throw beads, and please don't make women show you their boobs to get them...(I know you wouldn't)..I always feel sorry for those girls that will flash for a cheap pair of chinese beads. (is that all their boobs are worth?) A room on Bourbon can also be noisy in till about 10 am...after all the partying and then the street cleaners and beer trucks come thru.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luv2Dance

Royal Sonesta is beautiful.

Yes it looks really nice... excited!! Rita from the reviews, most say get a room on the courtyard side to avoid the noise from Bourbon. But a balcony on the street would be fun to people watch!

Mercy · 05-24-2012

Well my frugal side got the best of me.... I tried again for a room on Priceline and won this time. So we will now be staying at the Marriott New Orleans instead of the Royal Sonesta.... but I saved
.
.
.
Wait for it.....
.
.
.
$800.00 on our four night stay!!!

As much as I would like to stay at the RS, the cost was stressing me out!! PLUS, I went and check our airfare again and that went down.... so I saved another $160 there also

All those saving will be able to buy a lot of great food and drink in NOLA!!!

Luv2Dance · 05-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercy

Well my frugal side got the best of me.... I tried again for a room on Priceline and won this time. So we will now be staying at the Marriott New Orleans instead of the Royal Sonesta.... but I saved
.
.
.
Wait for it.....
.
.
.
$800.00 on our four night stay!!!

As much as I would like to stay at the RS, the cost was stressing me out!! PLUS, I went and check our airfare again and that went down.... so I saved another $160 there also

All those saving will be able to buy a lot of great food and drink in NOLA!!!

Great savings!

Mo' money for the booze bus. Boom Boom Boom!

TAPPY · 05-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercy

Well my frugal side got the best of me.... I tried again for a room on Priceline and won this time. So we will now be staying at the Marriott New Orleans instead of the Royal Sonesta.... but I saved
.
.
.
Wait for it.....
.
.
.
$800.00 on our four night stay!!!

As much as I would like to stay at the RS, the cost was stressing me out!! PLUS, I went and check our airfare again and that went down.... so I saved another $160 there also

All those saving will be able to buy a lot of great food and drink in NOLA!!!

AWESOME savings...I dont blame you at all. I have stayed at two Marriots (one being the "W" - which I love) - both are nice.

Friday · 05-24-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercy

.... but I saved

Wait for it.....

$800.00 on our four night stay!!!

PLUS...I saved another $160 there also

All those saving will be able to buy a lot of great food and drink in NOLA!!!

Holy cow, Mercy. You did well. Enjoy yourselves. Good shopping on your part !

Mercy · 05-25-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luv2Dance

Great savings!

Mo' money for the booze bus. Boom Boom Boom!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAPPY

AWESOME savings...I dont blame you at all. I have stayed at two Marriots (one being the "W" - which I love) - both are nice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Friday

Holy cow, Mercy. You did well. Enjoy yourselves. Good shopping on your part !

Thanks everyone.... I love getting a great deal!

tbay13 · 05-25-2012

Take a few of those dollars to Joey K's on Magazine, we ate lunch there recently, good food -- ddn't get it ourselves, but the fried chicken plate was HUGE, will order it next time --- FoodNetwork did a special on them a short while back -- good job w/ the hotel, have fun on your trip !

Mercy · 05-25-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbay13

Take a few of those dollars to Joey K's on Magazine, we ate lunch there recently, good food -- ddn't get it ourselves, but the fried chicken plate was HUGE, will order it next time --- FoodNetwork did a special on them a short while back -- good job w/ the hotel, have fun on your trip !

Thanks Tbay... I'll put it on our list!

Mercy · 05-31-2012

Well my bags are packed, and I'm ready to go....

Leaving early tomorrow morning for NOLA!!

bearcat · 05-31-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercy

Well my bags are packed, and I'm ready to go....

Leaving early tomorrow morning for NOLA!!

Enjoy! I will be there myself on business in November.

JimmyMN · 06-01-2012

Think you'll really like the Marriott French Quarter... I've ended up there on a few occasions via Priceline. There are quite a few good restaurants in the immediate area, some budget, some expensive. The Brennan family has two really nice ones within a block of your hotel; Mr Bs Bistro at 201 Royal and Palace Cafe at 605 Canal. Here's a full LIST of all the Brennan restaurant in New Orleans.

Didn't make it to Cafe du Monde for beignets or Acme Oyster House for poboys when I was there a few weeks back due to extrememly long wait times during JazzFest. Acme at 724 Iberville is only a few blocks from your hotel and always a worth a visit.

There's a place in the French Quarter called Central Market (923 Decatur) that's always recommended in the guide books for their supposedly fabulous muffulettas... I find them sort of ho-hum. If you want to try the best sandwich/poboy in the Quarter, head to Verti Marte at 1201 Royal... I had an Ernie's Special (it's listed on the big board menu) and it's primary ingredients are pulled pork & shrimp. Ordered mine on french bread (foot long) and it was basically dinner for two. It was so good, it'll probably be one of my first food stops when I return to the Crescent City. I was talking to a guy who said he lost over 75lbs after he quit eating there. Here's a LINK to some reviews.

Another institution on Royal that wreaks of old New Orleans charm is the Court of Two Sisters (613 Royal). They have a fabulous (somewhat expensive) jazz brunch that's at least worth checking out. If nothing else, have a drink in their romantic courtyard. Here are some so-so PHOTOS that don't do it justice.

Another reknowned courtyard is the one with the flaming fountain at Pat O'Briens Bar (718 St Peter). Although they're famous for their drink called the Hurricane, I'd skip that sickeningly sweet concoction for a Pete's Special which is rainbow colored. The best thing there is the dueling piano bar and the best time to enjoy it is 10pm or later after you've had a few drinks. There are also a number of small bars across the street from Pat O'Briens that pour a striong drink... Johnny Whites would be one of those. Less than a block away on the corner of Boubon & St Peter is the Cat's Meow... a fun karaoke bar that takes it to another level. While you're in that neighborhood, swing over to Tropical Isle (721 Bourbon) for a Hand Grenade... they're the original creator of that signature drink which is tasty and powerful. Due to it's popularity, there are now lots of copycats in town selling that drink. Almost next door at 731 Bourbon is Fretzels which bills itself as a European Jazz Pub. They have live jazz bands that normally play til 2am on weekends.

On my most recent trip, I discovered a relatively new Jamaican bar called Cafe Negril located at 606 Frenchmen. They claim to have live reggae music 363 days a year. Keep in mind this is just outside of the French Quarter in what's called Marigny. To get there from your hotel, walk down Decatur past the French Market. When you cross Esplanade Street, you are technically leaving the Quarter. Decatur Street becomes Frenchman Street when you cross Esplanade, sort of curving left and a few blocks later you'll be in the thick of things. Culturally and musically you'll find a much different world in this funky musical neighborhood. Other nightclub attractions in the Marigny are the Spotted Cat and Snug Harbor, but here's a complete LIST.

Keep in mind that on Sunday, the crawfish pots are typically boiling in New Orleans. It's also the perfect day to find bands playing in late afternoon, especially on Frenchmen Street and on Decatur near Esplanade. Turtle Bay Bar at 1119 Decatur (no music) was one that I liked because they had a complete selection of Abita Beer on tap. On Sunday, they had a fabulous crawfish boil in their humongous back courtyard. There are some great little dive bars in this neighborhood that cater to locals, like Coops Place or Molly's at the Market. A few blocks away at BMC (Balcony Music Club) 1331 Decatur, I caught an 8 piece band on Sunday playing a funky jazz beat. There was no cover and in their rear courtyard, they were also serving crawfish.

Closer to your hotel on Decatur there were a couple of good music venues, like Bootleggers Bar & Grille at 209 Decatur which has some of the tastiest hamburgers around. There were some great blues bands playing just about every night. Although I don't find it "New Orleans", the House of Blues is only a few doors down from Bootleggers. At the other end of the block, 241 Decatur is Ryan's Irish Pub, another bar that dished up great Irish music just about every night. This area seems to be expanding with nightlife, so you wont have to go far to find an alternative to Bourbon Street.

No visit to New Orleans is complete without a ride on the St Charles Avenue Streetcar. You can catch it across from your hotel by crossing Canal Street at Royal. Similar to the backside of the French Quarter when you cross Canal Street, the streets change names. For Example, Bourbon Street becomes Carondolet, Royal Street becomes St Charles Avenue... etc.. I'd take the streetcar through the Garden District all the way up to RiversBend. The driver will usually announce it and you can get off there and try any number of eateries that are located there.

If you get an early start, you can probably include Magazine Street by getting off the streetcar at Napolean and taking a taxi to Magazine. As someone already mentioned, JoeyK at 3001 Magazine is a good choice but if you're up for Mexican, Juan's Flying Burrito at 2018 Magazine is a great MX choice in New Orleans. There are lots of interesting things in the 10 block span that separates these two food venues, so you might find a walk between them a fun venture. I could go on and on other places in the near neighborhood, like Tipitinas, Upperline Restaurant, Les Bon Temp Roule (bar/club), Casamentos, etc.. Keep in mind that most stores on Magazine Street are shuttered by 6pm, so get an early start if you venture up that way.

Anyway, it's Friday night and I need to go out and party but I hope you find this last minute info useful for your New Orleans adventure. Had hoped to cover things more extensively or do a trip report, but even without extensive suggestions you'll have no problem finding a great time. It's definitely one of my favorite cities in the US.

Jimmy

caramba · 06-02-2012

Great tips there, Jimmy!

It's one of my favorite US cities, too. Really hope to get back to Jazzfest next year.

Mercy, have a great time and watch out for those Hand Grenades!!

06-01-2012	#44 (permalink)
JimmyMN party machine Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Minneapolis-St. Paul Posts: 3,561	Think you'll really like the Marriott French Quarter... I've ended up there on a few occasions via Priceline. There are quite a few good restaurants in the immediate area, some budget, some expensive. The Brennan family has two really nice ones within a block of your hotel; Mr Bs Bistro at 201 Royal and Palace Cafe at 605 Canal. Here's a full LIST of all the Brennan restaurant in New Orleans. Didn't make it to Cafe du Monde for beignets or Acme Oyster House for poboys when I was there a few weeks back due to extrememly long wait times during JazzFest. Acme at 724 Iberville is only a few blocks from your hotel and always a worth a visit. There's a place in the French Quarter called Central Market (923 Decatur) that's always recommended in the guide books for their supposedly fabulous muffulettas... I find them sort of ho-hum. If you want to try the best sandwich/poboy in the Quarter, head to Verti Marte at 1201 Royal... I had an Ernie's Special (it's listed on the big board menu) and it's primary ingredients are pulled pork & shrimp. Ordered mine on french bread (foot long) and it was basically dinner for two. It was so good, it'll probably be one of my first food stops when I return to the Crescent City. I was talking to a guy who said he lost over 75lbs after he quit eating there. Here's a LINK to some reviews. Another institution on Royal that wreaks of old New Orleans charm is the Court of Two Sisters (613 Royal). They have a fabulous (somewhat expensive) jazz brunch that's at least worth checking out. If nothing else, have a drink in their romantic courtyard. Here are some so-so PHOTOS that don't do it justice. Another reknowned courtyard is the one with the flaming fountain at Pat O'Briens Bar (718 St Peter). Although they're famous for their drink called the Hurricane, I'd skip that sickeningly sweet concoction for a Pete's Special which is rainbow colored. The best thing there is the dueling piano bar and the best time to enjoy it is 10pm or later after you've had a few drinks. There are also a number of small bars across the street from Pat O'Briens that pour a striong drink... Johnny Whites would be one of those. Less than a block away on the corner of Boubon & St Peter is the Cat's Meow... a fun karaoke bar that takes it to another level. While you're in that neighborhood, swing over to Tropical Isle (721 Bourbon) for a Hand Grenade... they're the original creator of that signature drink which is tasty and powerful. Due to it's popularity, there are now lots of copycats in town selling that drink. Almost next door at 731 Bourbon is Fretzels which bills itself as a European Jazz Pub. They have live jazz bands that normally play til 2am on weekends. On my most recent trip, I discovered a relatively new Jamaican bar called Cafe Negril located at 606 Frenchmen. They claim to have live reggae music 363 days a year. Keep in mind this is just outside of the French Quarter in what's called Marigny. To get there from your hotel, walk down Decatur past the French Market. When you cross Esplanade Street, you are technically leaving the Quarter. Decatur Street becomes Frenchman Street when you cross Esplanade, sort of curving left and a few blocks later you'll be in the thick of things. Culturally and musically you'll find a much different world in this funky musical neighborhood. Other nightclub attractions in the Marigny are the Spotted Cat and Snug Harbor, but here's a complete LIST. Keep in mind that on Sunday, the crawfish pots are typically boiling in New Orleans. It's also the perfect day to find bands playing in late afternoon, especially on Frenchmen Street and on Decatur near Esplanade. Turtle Bay Bar at 1119 Decatur (no music) was one that I liked because they had a complete selection of Abita Beer on tap. On Sunday, they had a fabulous crawfish boil in their humongous back courtyard. There are some great little dive bars in this neighborhood that cater to locals, like Coops Place or Molly's at the Market. A few blocks away at BMC (Balcony Music Club) 1331 Decatur, I caught an 8 piece band on Sunday playing a funky jazz beat. There was no cover and in their rear courtyard, they were also serving crawfish. Closer to your hotel on Decatur there were a couple of good music venues, like Bootleggers Bar & Grille at 209 Decatur which has some of the tastiest hamburgers around. There were some great blues bands playing just about every night. Although I don't find it "New Orleans", the House of Blues is only a few doors down from Bootleggers. At the other end of the block, 241 Decatur is Ryan's Irish Pub, another bar that dished up great Irish music just about every night. This area seems to be expanding with nightlife, so you wont have to go far to find an alternative to Bourbon Street. No visit to New Orleans is complete without a ride on the St Charles Avenue Streetcar. You can catch it across from your hotel by crossing Canal Street at Royal. Similar to the backside of the French Quarter when you cross Canal Street, the streets change names. For Example, Bourbon Street becomes Carondolet, Royal Street becomes St Charles Avenue... etc.. I'd take the streetcar through the Garden District all the way up to RiversBend. The driver will usually announce it and you can get off there and try any number of eateries that are located there. If you get an early start, you can probably include Magazine Street by getting off the streetcar at Napolean and taking a taxi to Magazine. As someone already mentioned, JoeyK at 3001 Magazine is a good choice but if you're up for Mexican, Juan's Flying Burrito at 2018 Magazine is a great MX choice in New Orleans. There are lots of interesting things in the 10 block span that separates these two food venues, so you might find a walk between them a fun venture. I could go on and on other places in the near neighborhood, like Tipitinas, Upperline Restaurant, Les Bon Temp Roule (bar/club), Casamentos, etc.. Keep in mind that most stores on Magazine Street are shuttered by 6pm, so get an early start if you venture up that way. Anyway, it's Friday night and I need to go out and party but I hope you find this last minute info useful for your New Orleans adventure. Had hoped to cover things more extensively or do a trip report, but even without extensive suggestions you'll have no problem finding a great time. It's definitely one of my favorite cities in the US. Jimmy Last edited by JimmyMN; 06-02-2012 at 12:30 PM..

04-24-2012	#33 (permalink)
Luv2Dance añejo Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 25,603	Royal Sonesta is beautiful.

05-24-2012	#35 (permalink)
Mercy añejo Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: MD Posts: 8,030	Well my frugal side got the best of me.... I tried again for a room on Priceline and won this time. So we will now be staying at the Marriott New Orleans instead of the Royal Sonesta.... but I saved . . . Wait for it..... . . . $800.00 on our four night stay!!! As much as I would like to stay at the RS, the cost was stressing me out!! PLUS, I went and check our airfare again and that went down.... so I saved another $160 there also All those saving will be able to buy a lot of great food and drink in NOLA!!!

05-25-2012	#40 (permalink)
tbay13 life=playa Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Southern Alabama Posts: 734	Take a few of those dollars to Joey K's on Magazine, we ate lunch there recently, good food -- ddn't get it ourselves, but the fried chicken plate was HUGE, will order it next time --- FoodNetwork did a special on them a short while back -- good job w/ the hotel, have fun on your trip !

05-31-2012	#42 (permalink)
Mercy añejo Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: MD Posts: 8,030	Well my bags are packed, and I'm ready to go.... Leaving early tomorrow morning for NOLA!!

06-02-2012	#45 (permalink)
caramba añejo Join Date: May 2002 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 6,644	Great tips there, Jimmy! It's one of my favorite US cities, too. Really hope to get back to Jazzfest next year. Mercy, have a great time and watch out for those Hand Grenades!!

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