New Orleans | Wander Woman

Posts Tagged With: New Orleans

Don’t Take Your Library Book to New Orleans

Posted on October 15, 2014 by queenbookworm

I can’t fall asleep without a book and was in the middle of my 4th Walt Longmire mystery borrowed from my local library, so I took it along on my road trip to New Orleans & Biloxi. After all, my roommate was my 87 year old cousin who I thought would go to bed early, so how much company would she be? Not much as it turned out since she was still out partying each night when I collapsed in bed. Our hotel was located in the French Quarter in New Orleans so there was plenty of non-stop action. It was hard enough to keep track of myself much less Sheriff Walt Longmire, as much fun as he is.

The French Quarter appearing just like Truman Capote described

The French Quarter appearing just as Truman Capote described

In two days we:

Went to the Carousel Lounge at the Hotel Monteleone – rotated/revolved and had “Death by Sex” – champagne and absinthe
Took a two-hour tour of the entire city with Cajun Encounter; showed us everything we didn’t have time to see on our own
Started each morning with a Mimosa or Bloody Mary at the lobby bar in the Bourbon Orleans Hotel where we were staying smack dab in the center of the French Quarter – only $5 each!
Walked from Orleans Street to the Cafe Dumonde on Jackson Square to sample the beignets and Cafe Au Lait
Admired the art and artists displaying their work around Jackson Square and the St. Louis Cathedral
Spent a couple of hours at the Famous Door Bar dancing with some beautiful young people to a great live band

St. Louis Cathedral anchors Jackson Square located across from our hotel

The “girls” in front of St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square

. Walked to the French Market and had lunch at The Gazebo Cafe an outdoor cafe with live music (of course) and cold beer

. Missed the Ghost Tour due to rain – but, next time for sure!

. Had one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever experienced at Muriel’s at Jackson Square – a little pricey but impeccable service and unbelievable food. We were treated like royalty and enjoyed every bite/sip/minute

Muriel’s Restaurant Vegetarian Meal

Muriel’s flank steak

Listened to the jazz (everywhere) but especially at the Bourbon O Bar – totally smoke free
Had dinner at Emeril Lagasse’s flagship restaurant
Laughed and joked with a bunch of cute young guys participating in the Red Dress Run. Southern boys are so polite – they invited us to go with them wherever they were going but they’d been drinking all day & had no idea where they were going
New Orleans is a non-stop party. Besides Mardi Gras; Dirty Linen Night, Swinging at the Canteen, Gospel Brunch, Wednesdays at the Point, etc., etc.
Had our farewell brunch at The Court of the Two Sisters. It was an opportunity to sample all the New Orleans flavors we may have missed.

So what if I had to pay $33 to my library to replace “The Serpent’s Tooth” that I lost somewhere in New Orleans. Anyone know whodunit? Sorry, Walt but it was worth it.

I was 2/3 through the Walt Longmire mystery.

Categories: Travel, Uncategorized | Tags: A Serpent's Tooth, beignets, Bourbon O Bar, Bourbon Orleans Hotel, cafe au lait, Cafe Du Monde, Cajun Encounter, Carousel Lounge, Craig Johnson, Emeril Lagasse, French Quarter, Gazebo Cafe, Hotel Monteleone, Jackson Square, Muriel's at Jackson Square, New Orleans, Red Dress Run, road trip, St. Louis Cathedral, Walt Longmire | Leave a comment

Thelma and Louise ²

Posted on October 13, 2014 by queenbookworm

Instead of just Thelma & Louise there were four of us ranging in age from 60 to 87 (more like The Golden Girls). Instead of the green 1966 Thunderbird convertible, we leased a red Jeep Cherokee to drive from south Florida to New Orleans, then to Biloxi. Instead of Brad Pitt and Harvey Keitel, we played with hundreds of young men in red dresses. We didn’t kill anyone and we weren’t chased by the police but we laughed and joked about children, men and sex across three states until we arrived at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel in the middle of the French Quarter. The hotel was the epitome of southern graciousness and charm.

New Orleans was more than what I imagined – I loved every sight, smell, sound and taste of it. We had Death by Sex (champagne and Absinthe) at the Hotel Monteleone’s famous revolving Carousel Bar. The bar was spinning so fast I thought I’d be thrown off my stool by the centrifugal force or it could’ve been the Absinthe.

We wandered the streets listening to the street musicians and enjoying the myriad galleries and eventually made our way to iconic Bourbon Street where we heard a blues band playing in a little corner bar. We were the only customers but were drinking and laughing and dancing and must have provided the entertainment because quite soon the bar was crowded with beautiful young people. The girls wanted to dance and talk and kept telling us they wanted to be like us (when they were our age). What a hoot! We made so many new best friends – don’t know anyone’s name, but it was fun. The young men were good looking and great dancers. Sorry I can’t provide a link to the bar but it had “window” or “door” in its name and was on a corner of Bourbon Street. Know which one I mean?

Our new best friends at the “window” or “door” bar on Bourbon Street

I saw, drank and ate almost everything on my list and loved it all. I got rained out of the walking ghost tour the first night and I was too tired(?) the second night. I will definitely return to New Orleans. Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon – eat your hearts out. You drove off a cliff and can’t come.