French Quarter Archives - There Goes Connie

Out and About in New Orleans’ French Quarter

09/26/2016 By: CCPearson2 Comments

Many of you are frequent visitors to this one-of-a-kind part of our country. I remember a veterinary conference that we went to the year the World’s Fair was in New Orleans. Could it REALLY have been 32 years ago??? We borrowed my parents’ motorhome and found what had to have been the noisiest campground ever built that was situated under the interstate somewhere. What WERE we thinking? We visited Matt and Katie several times when he was in school at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, but we had not been back since Hurricane Katrina. Now, we’ve been to NOLA twice in 2016, in mid-March and in mid-September.

Cathedral in Jackson Square — iconic symbol of New Orleans.

Typical architecture in the French Quarter.

Colorful store window in the French Quarter.

We LOVE the music on every street corner and the incredible food. Oh my, the food!! We’re not picky. Give us Cajun, Creole or a mixture of both. We like it all. However, the raunchy night life and the people who work hard to outdo others in crazy, outrageous behavior and dress? Well, those aren’t our favorite parts. And, truthfully, when it starts to get dark, I begin to feel a little bit uneasy. Yes, I know. I’m showing my age. But, anyway, I wanted to share some photos from our two recent visits.

Popular mode of transportation favored over driving your car — a bicycle taxi. With all of the narrow, one-way streets and scarce parking spaces, this is a great way to go.

The Court of Two Sisters has a very famous brunch. I’d love to read some reviews from you all. Is it worth the price?

Spices, spices. Gotta have ’em. Many restaurants tout their own secret blends.

Oh, and one suggestion when you’re wandering the streets. Carry a wad of $1-dollar bills with you to place in the jars/hats, etc. of the street musicians. After all, I am a BIG SUPPORTER of musicians, aren’t you? And, go by Krystal or McDonald’s near Canal Street and get a sackful of hamburgers. Pass those out to the homeless people you see. I suspect it will do more good than your money, at least temporarily. If you find a sober, homeless person, give him/her a hamburger and a prayer.

Musicians on every corner, and most of them are quite good.

Bourbon Street — a rowdy place that I can’t recommend.

Could they possibly be trying to sell pralines?

For more information, here is the link to my article in MilesGeek.com about Gumbo Shop, a WONDERFUL place to eat.

And here’s my article in Trip101.com about Hotel Mazarin in the French Quarter.

And, if you decide to venture north out of New Orleans and tour the amazing plantations between NOLA and Baton Rouge, here, here, here and here are 4 more Trip101 articles that can help with your planning. Plus, you will find plenty of blog posts published in www.conniewasthere.com in April and May about Plantation Country and Baton Rouge.

No, I don’t recommend Hard Rock Cafe when you’re in the midst of culinary heaven, but some folks just want a burger.

Outlandish outfits of rock stars at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Deuce McAllister actually played college football for Ole Miss but then was drafted by the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. This is one of his business ventures in the Quarter.

Hotel Monteleone lit up at night.

Getting ready for Easter.

Eating Creole in NOLA

04/06/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

There are so many world-class and world-famous restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana. Some are priced WAY out of my price range. Probably MOST of the famous ones fall into that category. Emeril Lagasse has made a fortune in that city. There are certainly times when you are in the Big Easy to celebrate a significant birthday or anniversary. By all means, GO to one of those ritzy places and enjoy every bite.

However, if you want to have some great food at reasonable prices along with the other normal people in town, then may I suggest Gumbo Shop on Saint Peter Street in the French Quarter?

Front exterior of Gumbo Shop

The building has been around for awhile. A restaurant has been in that spot since the 1940’s. It has something of a warehouse feel and look to it. The furnishings aren’t plush. They are serviceable. In other words, they “get the job done.” There were only a couple of unisex bathrooms with a long line of ladies waiting, but that’s not all that unusual, now is it?

Looking up from our table in the courtyard.

You can’t make a reservation, so expect to stand in line for awhile if you don’t go early for lunch or dinner. Gumbo Shop is open daily starting at 11:00 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays it closes at 10:00 p.m., but on Fridays and Saturdays it stays open until 11:00 p.m.

I did some research on creole vs. cajun cuisine before our recent trip to Louisiana. I found that cajun is considered “country food” while creole is “city food.” Cajun cooks generally don’t use fancy ingredients, tomatoes or dairy products. Their ingredients come from the land. The “Holy Trinity” of cajun cuisine consists of onion, celery and bell pepper, and a cajun roux is made with oil and flour. On the other hand, creole cooks use many spices, prepare creamy soups and sauces, and their roux is made with butter and flour. Mark Falgoust, Executive Chef at Grand Isle Restaurant, said, “Cajun folks used 1 chicken to feed 3 families. Creoles used 3 chickens to feed 1 family.” Chef Isaac Toops at Mid-City Restaurant summed it all up by saying, “We have incredible ingredients here in Louisiana. Farm to table, gulf to table, swamp to table. We have it all.” Suffice it to say, that visitors to south Louisiana are in for some mighty good food.

But, back to Gumbo Shop. Under their name, they proudly say “Creole Cuisine.” Items you will find on their menu that you’ll rarely find in North Alabama: boudin (a type of sausage made with pork and rice), andouille (a sausage), crawfish (it might be in remoulade, in etouffee or over pasta), po-boys (big sandwiches made on French bread), and bread pudding. Oh my, the bread pudding.

Chicken espagnole with rice.

Warm bread pudding with whiskey sauce — naturally the whiskey had been cooked down. We did NOT have to stagger back to our hotel. 🙂

Steve and I both ordered Complete Creole Dinners and got 3 courses for just $26.99 each. Actually a bargain in the French quarter, we thought. Perfect loaves of French bread are brought to the table to start the meal, and the rest was equally delicious. Besides the chicken and bread pudding pictured above, we had red beans and rice, 2 kinds of gumbo, macque choux corn, smothered turnip greens, shrimp creole and jambalaya. If you are a frequent visitor to New Orleans or if you are about to make your first trip, I believe you’ll be glad if you fit Gumbo Shop into your itinerary.

Hotel Mazarin: A Boutique Hotel on the Edge of the French Quarter in New Orleans

03/28/2016 By: CCPearson2 Comments

Recently, Steve and I spent a very comfortable and luxurious night at Hotel Mazarin on Bienville Street in the French Quarter section of New Orleans. Once we turned our car over to the valet, we were able to walk to all of the sights we were interested in seeing, such as Jackson Square, and the shops on Royal Street. One of our main destinations was dinner at Gumbo Shop, but that is a post for another day.

Exterior of Hotel Mazarin

When you walk into the lobby of the Mazarin, you feel like you’ve stepped into a completely different world. It is so elegant, calm, peaceful and quiet — quite a contrast to all that goes on outside the door. The lobby is small but beautifully furnished, and the staff is eager to meet your every need.

Lobby of Hotel Mazarin

There is a large courtyard with several stories of rooms wrapped around it. The lush plants as well as the large, noisy fountain attract happy birds. It makes a great location for quiet conversations and for breakfast after a restful night. The hotel has a fitness room, an elevator, and another smaller courtyard near the back with even more privacy.

Looking down on the courtyard from the 2nd floor

Courtyard fountain in the center of Hotel Mazarin

Rooms provide every amenity you’ve come to expect in a hotel room, plus a large shower that is tiled with marble. Hotel Mazarin takes its offer of free wi-fi very seriously. Steve had some connection issues, and they sent a tech guy up immediately. The tech guy contacted the people responsible for the service, and in just a few minutes, Steve was up and running. From the reception desk personnel to the valet attendant to the porter to the breakfast servers, all were committed to providing a superior experience.

Breakfast, by the way, was exceptional. No plastic forks or styrofoam cups and plates. All of your breakfast favorites are offered, in addition to scones and great coffee.

Colorful fresh fruit in the breakfast buffet

Hotel Mazarin has a great website, so give it serious consideration for your next trip to NOLA.

And, by the way, the owners of Hotel Mazarin will offer you an exclusive discount if you reserve with them through this link — www.neworleanshotelcollection.com/big Enjoy the Big Easy!

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