The Sally List of things to do in New Orleans ... I hope you get inspired!
IN PROGRESS – MORE TO COME
See/Stroll: Prospect.1 New Orleans (City-wide) the largest biennial of international contemporary art ever organized in the United States opens on 1 November. To be held in museums, historic buildings, and found sites throughout New Orleans, Prospect.1 aims to reinvigorate the city following the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina.
Watch: The Prytania Theatre – Movies (Uptown) 90-year old cinema is Louisiana's sole single-screen movie theatre and New Orleans' oldest operating theatre. The Prytania is host to numerous events, including the Animation, New Orleans, and French Film festivals, as well as their very own Academy Awards party, where guests dress up, walk the red carpet, and watch the Oscars projected onto its new huge screen. Recently renovated, The Prytania's new seating and state-of-the-art sound and projection systems keep moviegoers happy. Skip the corporate multiplex at Canal Place across the street; there's no better way to watch whatever's playing (“Zack and Miri make a porno” is showing the week of the 'con) whilst supporting 88 year-old owner Rene Brunet's dream and heeding the call of the retro preview flick “Let’s All Go to the Lobby” for loopy snacks (such as pickles!) at the concession stand.
Got Kids? Check this out:
See: Aquarium of the Americas (Central Business District) check out the million+ gallons of exhibits, such as the world's largest collection of jellyfish, a rain forest, and special Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico installations. Be sure to see the white alligator! Aquarium life was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, where most of the 10,000 fish were killed as a result of days'-long power outages. The Aquarium's ongoing Adopt-an-Animal program continues to solicit funds for rebuilding. Please contribute generously!
See/Float: Natchez Paddleboat (French Quarter) Embark on a historic sternwheel steamboat for a two-hour cruise up and down the Mississippi River. The Natchez is the only steamboat still operating from New Orleans. Board behind the Jackson Brewery to the tunes of traditional calliope music, and sit outside on one of the Natchez' many decks (I prefer the top!). Walk around, check out the engine room, paddle wheel, and grab a cocktail and enjoy the live jazz band; do skip the buffet. Lots of history about New Orleans, the Mississippi, the paddleboat. You'll get to see the river in action – cargo ships and barges – as well as some of the city's attractions – Jackson Square, the Riverwalk and Aquarium, St. Louis Cathedral, Chalmette Battle Field, and more – whilst learning the history of the Crescent City from a unique angle.
Hear:
Checkpoint Charlie's – Blues/Rock (Fauberg Marigny) film location scouts' favorite, this dive-y 24-hour bar-cum-laundromat is filled with biker-rocker-eclectic-student-type patrons who listen to live music (usually rock, with occasional jazz/blues/R&B/acoustic performances, and Sundays open mic blues jam), eat, drink, shoot pool, read from their library and, naturally, launder. Casual, cheap, and kooky.
Mulate's – Cajun Music/Dancing/Restaurant (Warehouse District) the bayou comes alive at the city's most authentic Cajun experience. Live zydeco music, Cajun accents, and dancing nightly starting at 7PM in a casual, fun environment. Don't be shy: get up and join the fun – pick up an instrument or go for a whirl on the dance floor and dance the two-step. Performances during ApacheCon include Bayou Deville, Lee Benoit and the Bayou Stompers, and La Touché. Excellent, down-home spicy Cajun fare includes alligator, frog legs, boudin, catfish, crawfish etouffee, blackened oysters, plantation tea, and zydeco tornadoes. Super-friendly staff. No reservations.
Preservation Hall – Traditional Jazz (French Quarter) enthusiasts fill this tiny 260 year-old landmark to capacity 7 nights a week to watch spellbinding performances by budding musicians and veterans in their 70s and 80s. Environment is bare-bones, with no seats, no air-conditioning/ventilation system, no food, no drink, and no smoking. This snapshot of history is a must-see, even if merely strolling by on your way to Pat O'Brien's. Shows taking place during ApacheCon include performances by the Preservation Hall Band, Brass Band Thursdays, Carl LeBlanc & the Essential N.O. Jazz Band, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Masters.
Rock'N'Bowl-Mid City Lanes – Rock and Bowl(ing) (Mid-City) zany mix of live music, drinking, dancing, and bowling still going strong after 60 years. Loud, raucous and fun, featuring local performances from old-school swing to swamp rock to zydeco; both visitors and staff are known to kick it up in a Cajun two-step or hopping on the bar late into the night. Retro-crazy, cool digs.
Snug Harbor – Jazz (Fauberg Marigny) loyalists are fervent about this bar/club/restaurant whose performers include emerging local talent and international powerhouses such as Ellis Marsalis and Charmaine Neville. Live shows nightly (8PM and 10PM), with jazz trumpet Wednesdays, and occasional midnight jam sessions on Friday and Saturday. Seating is grouped into restaurant, bar, and show sections, so if you want to watch the performers, you'll need to purchase tickets specifically for that area – keep in mind, however, that the seating is first come-first served; arrive early to minimize disappointment. Owned by same folks who run Port of Call, the restaurant features many of the same menu items, with seriously strong Monsoons and Huma-Humas, what's considered to be the best burgers in town (hold the artificial bacon bits!) and huge, super-loaded baked potatoes. Service is notoriously slow, so sit back and relax.
Tipitina's – Jazz (Uptown – original; also a French Quarter outpost) one of New Orleans' most popular clubs supports all sorts of local musicians, primarily jazz, but also funk, rock, country, and hip-hop. Always packed, Tipitina's draws emerging and established artists, with performances by Dr. John, James Brown, Bonnie Raitt, the Neville Brothers, Lenny Kravitz, Nine Inch Nails, Better Than Ezra, Pearl Jam, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tim McGraw, Goo Goo Dolls, Robert Cray and more. Through the Tipitina's Foundation, the club's owners have furthered their commitment to Louisiana's music legacy by donating over $2M in instruments to area school music programs, to helping revitalize Fats Domino's Lower 9th Ward neighborhood. In addition, the Foundation has been instrumental in making Fats the quintessential face of New Orleans’ rebirth. Charel and I attended the sold-out fundraiser for Fats Dominoes' birthday in February – catch the 5 November world premiere of the documentary “Fats Domino: Walkin' Back To New Orleans”. Playing in the French Quarter location during ApacheCon is brass/funk band Hill Country Review Featuring members of North Mississippi Allstars with Special Guests Rotary Downs.