That's the motto in New Orleans and, though, you have to get used to the slower pace and the laid-back Southern mentality, it's a fantastic, very distinct and unique U.S. city, comparably only to New York or Las Vegas. Tennessee Williams, who was living in N.O. for a long time, also gave a good description (pic above) and included San Francisco. On monday and tuesday we explored the city by streetcar and on foot, focusing on the neighborhoods apart from the touristic center, the French Quarter or Vieux Carré.
Monday morning - hot and sunny - we first met "Big Tiny" at the streetcar stop: a big tattooed guy, who was operating one of many Lucky Dog hotdog stands in the French Quarter, and, who was pretty talkative while we all were waiting for the bus to Magazine Street. Magazine Street runs through the "American" (always wealthy) Garden District (pic below) and this axle has picked up considerably in the last couple of years. There are highly interesting and unique shops (one of them on the pic below) and recommendable restaurants lined up. Central City, our next stop, with the new Jazz Market (a concert venue), the Southern Food & Beverage Center and the Dryades Market (a local supermarket in a historic building) hasn't changed much since our last visit in 2016.
The Warehouse District - which we passed on the way back downtown - is dominated by the constantly expanding, huge complex of the WW2 Museum (wondering where the money for all these expansions come from,,,?), the Contemporary Arts Museum and a couple of fancy restaurants, bars and galeries. Interesting, but there is still potential for more.
Faubourg Marigny and famous Frenchmen Street is - where most of N.O.'s real nightlife is taking place. Latest "attraction" there is the new "Brieux Carré Brewing Company", where we had good conversation with a guy from Michigan on Monday evening. It's a tiny brewery, no food, just the "basics": great beer. The brewery is located beside our favorite music store: The New Orleans Music Factory. The closeby Marigny neighborhood seems to be getting gentrified and apparently there are lots of Airbnb's and other rentals located.
The French Quarter,,, another story. For sure there is not only Bourbon Street, the street where the "adult" bars are situated and most people are carrying (cheap) drinks and get drunk. This street is sort of a "myth" (like the "Strip" for Las Vegas), but, just one little part of the French Quarter, where (mostly) Americans go wild while on vacation. There are much more quaint streets with historic little shotgun houses, little mom-and-pop stores and diners and other hidden secrets.
Around Jackson Square:
On the photos below: the French Market - not so much about grocery, as originally, anymore, but about souvenirs - and some crazy shops in the French Quarter, like a unique shoe store. The FQ was only under French government from the city founding in 1718 until 1763, then turned Spanish until 1800, back to France until the "Louisiana Purchase" was signed by President Thomas Jefferson and it became U.S. Territory.
There is Royal Street with great galeries and antique shops, and, there is the Riverwalk (right now under construction) with Washington Artillery Park (pic with canon and mockingbird) and Jackson Square, where all the artists, psychics, musicians and other crazy people (and tourists) meet, and the French Market with famous Café du Monde. On Tuesday we were lucky and stopped by at the New Orleans Jazz NHP closeby French Market right in time for one of their educational programs: a superb piano player was talking about different kinds of music in New Orleans, from jazz and blues to ragtime and marches (pic below). But,,, there is always music on the streets, too.
Also on Tuesday (it rained in the morning!) we had the usual Jazz Brunch at the Court of Two Sisters - a reliable place in N.O. - one of the few restaurants which always sponsored meals for journalists. And, as before, it's been an abundant buffet, and, this time, even the waiters were very friendly.
On Tuesday evening, our last eve in town, we were invited to the official Grand Opening of the Jung Hotel, with a band in the huge ballroom, hotel tours (including the pool area and the rooftop event space where the pic on the left was taken) and a buffet and bar. Still have to check where Peter Jung, the obviously German founder of the hotel in the late 19th century, came from. Also, we got our photo taken during the event,,,
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