Critique my Vacation (New Orleans)

[gellar]

Saturday, we leave for NOLA for five days.  Here's the itinerary so far, but things are very flexible so if someone has a killer suggestion or warning, please let me know.

Based on what you see below, obviously the girlfriend and I are very big into food.  I'm pretty stoked about the WW2 museum and the Aquarium.

Saturday (arrive at 6:30)
Dinner - Galatoires
After Dinner - Drinks around the area / Gambling at Harrah's.

Sunday
Brunch - Commander's Palace
Afternoon - Cemetery Tours
Dinner - Luke
After Dinner - Drinks around the area / Gambling at Harrah's

Monday
Breakfast - Cafe du Monde
Morning - ??
Lunch - Willie Mae's Scotch House
Afternoon - River Cruise / Tour
Dinner - Herbsaint

Tuesday
Breakfast - @ Hotel
Morning - City Park
Lunch - Liuzza's By The Track
Afternoon - National WW2 Museum
Dinner - Arnaud's

Wednesday
Breakfast - Cafe du Monde
Morning - Aquarium of the Americas
Lunch - Central Grocery
Afternoon - Tea @ Windsor Court
Dinner - Restaurant August

Thurs (leave @ 4PM)
Breakfast - Hotel
Morning - ??
Lunch - Dooky Chase - provided it's reopened by now.

gellar

[Teggy]

The food down there is so good, enjoy! Make sure to have a hand grenade. Just to be able to say you had one.

[The Grue]

I grew up in New Orleans and I must say this looks pretty good.  I would recommend going to the Audubon Zoo, if you have some time ( I see some blanks, but not sure a morning would cover the zoo).  Also, if you can work any visits to plantations, those are pretty nice as well.

[The Grue]

Sorry, Carnival has started, but the meat isn't until February.  I had posted to go to a parade, thinking about the first official parade yesterday, but it is pretty dry after that. Do get a King Cake, though, if you can find one.  Preferably one from Haydel's bakery.

[kratz]

The aquarium there was great!

I wish the WWII museum had been open when I went.

Looks fun.

[Unagi]

Seriously - you simply  MUST hit up Mother's Restaurant for lunch one of your days.

Debris Po'Boy


It's a total New Orleans scene - you simply must check this place out.   (the line outside will tell you you're in the right place)

[Blackjack]

I'm a big WWII history buff, if you take any photos, please do share.  At some point, I should share some of my own from when I got to play around inside and outside of a B-17 in Virginia. There's a company that renovates and flies famous WWII aircraft. I didn't get to fly in it (the cost was exorbitant), but to sit in it and walk around in it was a real treat.

I got to go to New Orleans in early 1991 for a friend's wedding (her parents lived there). She has a whole nightmarish Katrina story in that she was in New Orleans then for a family reunion and it turned into a week long nightmare trying to get back home to Ohio.

But 1991 was a happier event - I stayed with a couple friends in a hotel right on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. We were only there a couple of days. We had a great steamboat ride on the river, though we ended up on one that was mostly senior citizens on a tour trip. My friends danced with seniors, while I just enjoyed the evening river view and generally drank too much coffee and ate too many baguettes. 

[The Grue]

Seriously - you simply  MUST hit up Mother's Restaurant for lunch one of your days.

Debris Po'Boy


It's a total New Orleans scene - you simply must check this place out.   (the line outside will tell you you're in the right place)

Yes, Mother's is really good.

[gellar]

Mother's... will check it out.

Plantation trip is something we're going to try and squeeze in, and we've heard good things about the zoo as well.  Lastly, we purposely booked this trip just before true Mardi Gras, since we aren't much into the partying scene.

And I plan on taking my camera, but I have a bit of a knack for forgetting it when I actually use it (or taking it out on low batteries).  Provided I can escape my usual dimwittedness, I will bring pictures .

gellar

[Silky]

Mothers is not what it used to be after they changed ownership.  It's still good but not fantastic. (the best po-boy shop now is probably Parkway Bakery)  IMHO you can get by with food just as good and a lot cheaper by going to places like Upperline and Jacque Imo's but you can't go wrong with the big ticket ones you picked.  You would be better off going to Audobon park instead of City Park.  It was beat up pretty badly by Katrina.  Also, I haven't been there since the storm but I am pretty sure Dooky Chase is open. 

[Kev199]

I went to college in New Orleans.  If time permits, you need to go to Jacquesimo's.  It's in uptown.

http://www.jacquesimoscafe.com/


I really miss the Big Easy and I'm trying to figure out how to get down there for Mardi Gras, but I may have to settle with a later trip.

[gellar]

Jacque Imo's was high on the list but everywhere I read says it's a pretty long wait there.

gellar

[Unagi]

Mothers is not what it used to be after they changed ownership.  It's still good but not fantastic.

That's a bummer to hear, I've not been in the city for years now. 

[McNutt]

Cafe du Monde is good, but I wouldn't go their twice.  Too many other places to eat.

Definitely see Audobon Zoo.

Plan to spend many hours at the WWII Museum. 

[SkyLander]

Mothers is not what it used to be after they changed ownership.  It's still good but not fantastic.

That's a bummer to hear, I've not been in the city for years now. 

That is to bad to hear. The atmosphere and food was great the last time we went.

[Biyobi]

Mothers is not what it used to be after they changed ownership.  It's still good but not fantastic.

That's a bummer to hear, I've not been in the city for years now. 

That is to bad to hear. The atmosphere and food was great the last time we went.

When did they change ownership?  I usually go to New Orleans once a year and gorge myself.  Mother's is always a stop since I need my Ferdi Special po'boy.  The only change I've really noticed is that it isn't packed the way it used to consistently be before Katrina.

Oh, and gellar:  The only thing I see wrong with your trip is that I'm not there.  You're gonna have a great time!

[whiteboyskim]

Regarding Cafe du Monde, I recall it being packed to the gills every time we wanted to eat there. We went there the week before Katrina hit and that spot was filled. Not sure what it's like now. If you're in the French Quarter, I would highly recommend Acme Oyster Bar (if it's still there) because everything on the menu rules pretty hard. Also, be prepared in the WWII museum to be knocked out in the Pacific section. As brutal as I knew it to be, there are pictures and stories there that left me stunned. As in I almost started crying and I'm never to that point. Doesn't matter what you know about WWII, the stuff in that section of the museum is among the very worst things you will ever see in your life.

[Tebunker]

Since I don't normally go to place like New Orleans, with so many famous restaurants for example, for vacation I am amazed at the amount of planning involved. When we go on vacation we generally don't plan a thing because I just want to relax, but I guess if we went to places like N.O. I would copy you to a T that's a pretty slick schedule.

[pr0ner]

I see no plans to see boobies, gellar.

I am disappointed.

[Silky]

Mothers is not what it used to be after they changed ownership.  It's still good but not fantastic.

That's a bummer to hear, I've not been in the city for years now. 

That is to bad to hear. The atmosphere and food was great the last time we went.

When did they change ownership?  I usually go to New Orleans once a year and gorge myself.  Mother's is always a stop since I need my Ferdi Special po'boy.  The only change I've really noticed is that it isn't packed the way it used to consistently be before Katrina.

They changed ownership in 1986    I didn't mean to alarm the faithful fans of the joint.  I used to hit it up for lunch occasionally but increasingly found it wasn't worth the hassle.  I suppose if I was down on vacation I would have a different outlook.

Jacque Imo's was high on the list but everywhere I read says it's a pretty long wait there.

gellar

I wouldn't go there past 6:00 PM.  If you can fit it in with your plans you can show up between 5:00 - 5:30 and get seated right away.

[whiteboyskim]

The Early Bird Special, you mean.

[Tazman]

If you're in the French Quarter, I would highly recommend Acme Oyster Bar (if it's still there) because everything on the menu rules pretty hard.

Acme is still there and still pretty good (was there in the fall).  City Park sufferred a lot of damage from Katrina, but the Museum has reopened;  you can take the streetcar to get to the museum in City Park.

[gellar]

Also, be prepared in the WWII museum to be knocked out in the Pacific section. As brutal as I knew it to be, there are pictures and stories there that left me stunned. As in I almost started crying and I'm never to that point. Doesn't matter what you know about WWII, the stuff in that section of the museum is among the very worst things you will ever see in your life.

Yeah I had a very similar reaction when I visited Pearl Harbor.  I'm expecting the same here.

Since I don't normally go to place like New Orleans, with so many famous restaurants for example, for vacation I am amazed at the amount of planning involved. When we go on vacation we generally don't plan a thing because I just want to relax, but I guess if we went to places like N.O. I would copy you to a T that's a pretty slick schedule.

Generally I'm the same as well if I'm going somewhere tropical.  With New Orleans though, we knew there would be more restaurants than we could possibly go to and that some would require reservations, so we decided to plan parts of the trip out.  Plan this week, relax next week

I see no plans to see boobies, gellar.

I am disappointed.

I (generally) don't go to strip clubs.  Paying for something I can get for free seems a bit odd in my head.

I wouldn't go there past 6:00 PM.  If you can fit it in with your plans you can show up between 5:00 - 5:30 and get seated right away.

I'll definitely keep it under consideration.  Do they have an appetizers or bar menu of some sort?

If you're in the French Quarter, I would highly recommend Acme Oyster Bar (if it's still there) because everything on the menu rules pretty hard.

Acme is still there and still pretty good (was there in the fall).  City Park sufferred a lot of damage from Katrina, but the Museum has reopened;  you can take the streetcar to get to the museum in City Park.

Cool.  Thanks.

gellar

[pr0ner]

gellar, you are going to be in New Orleans.  Who said anything about paying for it?

[gellar]

gellar, you are going to be in New Orleans.  Who said anything about paying for it?

Well I am going with my girlfriend, so picking up chicks in bars is prob not gonna go so good

gellar

[The Grue]

I (generally) don't go to strip clubs.  Paying for something I can get for free seems a bit odd in my head.

I think he meant postponing to go to Mardi Gras where you don't have to pay at all.

[gellar]

I (generally) don't go to strip clubs.  Paying for something I can get for free seems a bit odd in my head.

I think he meant postponing to go to Mardi Gras where you don't have to pay at all.

Ah well yeah... like I said, not my scene really.

gellar

[kratz]

gellar, you are going to be in New Orleans.  Who said anything about paying for it?

Well I am going with my girlfriend, so picking up chicks in bars is prob not gonna go so good

gellar

Or it could be a whole new sexual awakening for both of you.