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Eatin’, Drinkin’, Music Playin’New OrleansBy Valerie Summers
There is downtown New Orleans and there is the French Quarter. Crossing over Canal Street which bounds one side of the 100 square block Quarter, the scene dramatically changes from skyscrapers and department stores to one , two and three- story old brick , frame and stucco buildings, many painted in bright pinks, yellow and blues and many fronted by the famous fanciful black wrought iron grill-work balconies and gates. The Quarter stretches from the Mississippi River to the infamous old Red Light district known as Storeyville to Esplanade. Although named the French Quarter and with most of the street names, of French derivation, the area has a distinctly Caribbean flavor and temperature…. sultry and steamy. Sophisticated small hotels and B&Bs, formerly elegant manor homes, fronted by spacious verandahs, stand in close proximity to souvenir shops, fine jewelry and antique shops, burlesque houses, jazz clubs, museums and restaurants, restaurants, restaurants. Street musicians blare their horns day and night and the streets bustle with tourists speaking every language imaginable. During my visit , I had the good fortune of attending the opening of the extraordinary Degas exhibit at the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park. It featured 40 of the works which the artist produced during his 1872-73 visit to New Orleans. The world renowned “The Portrait of Estelle” and “Portrait in an Office: The Cotton Exchange, New Orleans” drew special attention from the delighted viewers. The Degas show ends August 29, 1999. At the same time as the exhibit opening, the 30th edition of the Jazz Festival was in full swing all over the city. I visited the Fair Grounds one afternoon and toured the scene from one tent to the next, each featuring it own special sounds of big band, gospel, zydeco, Dixieland and blues. The temperature was warm but the music was hot and the crowd showed their appreciation with spontaneous dancing and applause. The Jazz Festival spilled over into the French Quarter where it filled the streets and night clubs with music.
The Old U. S. Mint, 400 Esplanade Ave., adjacent to the French Market, housed two exceptional exhibits. The story of Jazz unfolds in vintage photographs, authentic recordings and the instruments of legendary performers such as Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino. Entering the Mardi Gras exhibit, I was enthralled by the fantasy-like costumes and opulent gowns and crowns of past queens The once private resident of architect James Gallier, Jr., constructed in 1857, is now a historic museum (1118-1132 Royal Street). The docent led me through this authentically furnished Victorian home and spun a tale of privileged life in the last century in New Orleans. The Historic New Orleans Collection (533 Royal Street) is a museum and research center for state and local history. History buffs, rejoice. This is for you. The galleries display period furnishings, original maps, documents, prints, photographs and rare books, revealing Louisiana’s history and culture from the earliest explorers to the 20th century. I popped into The Cabildo on Jackson Square to get out of a sudden rainstorm. It proved to be a worthwhile detour. The flagship building of the Louisiana State Museum, The Cabildo showcases exhibits tracing the State’s history from European settlement through Reconstruction. I wandered from display to display, stopping to view a video on the diverse cultural mix of New Orleans. One of the museum’s most famous pieces is featured on the second floor – Napoleon’s Death Mask. The exhibit continues with other Napoleonic memorabilia symbolizing the waning influence of France . Further along, Antebellum Life is depicted. The third floor houses an exhibit on a very dark part of our history – slavery. In contrast, I next found myself immersed in the prosperity and gentility of landowners .
Continuing along Decatur Street, I passed lots of souvenir shops and candy stores specializing in those yummy pecan pralines and on to the farmers market. This enclosed area was filled not only with fresh produce, but meats and fish and further along with colorful Mardi Gras dolls, unusual hand-made jewelry, leather goods and mullet-colored glass Egyptian perfume bottles. Walking in the opposite direction on Decatur Street towards Canal, I came upon the Woldenberg Riverfront Park and The Aquarium of the Americas and the IMAX Theater. The modern two-story aquarium includes a n Amazon rainforest, a Caribbean Reef walk-through tunnel and features more than 7,50 specimens of marine life. The most fascinating to me was a display on the lower floor of ethereal looking jellyfish , almost like butterflies, gently circling the tank in unison. New Orleans has some oddities – like directions. There isn’t north, south, east and west. It’s more likely to be downriver, upriver, lakeside or riverside. They also have unique pronunciation. Although the streets have French names, they don’t come out sounding like French at all such as Chartres which is pronounced “charters.” Louisiana does not have counties. Instead it has parishes. And New Orleaners bury their dead above ground since it is the only major American city that lies below sea level.
New Orleans notables. The list is endless, but includes: Terrence Blanchard, Zeke Bonusa, Truman Capote, Harry Conneck, Jr., Ellen Degeneres, Pete Fountain, Bryant Gumbel, Al Hirt, Mahalia Jackson, John Larroquette, Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Louis Prima and Ann Rice. Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner were inspired by the characters and atmosphere that is New Orleans and Ray Charles refined his sound in this city of jazz. New Orleans cuisine notables. This list is also endless, but includes: andouille (a spicy sausage), crawfish and shrimp, etouffee (a succulent, tomato-based sauce), jambalaya (a cousin of Spanish paella), oysters, crab, gumbo (robust soup) and pralines (a candy patty). Among New Orelans locals, one of the most popular dining spots remains Galatoire’s, (209 Bourbon St.) the St. Andrews of restaurants. Why that comparison? At Scotland’s St. Andrews, the birthplace of golf, everyone waits their turn on the course, no matter what their station in life And at Galatoire’s, everyone waits their turn for a table. No favorites. Celebrities, government officials and politicians stand in line, hoping for their favorite table. Friday lunch often turns into an all day affair, with lunch guests departing at sundown. Specialties include Shrimp remoulade, Creole Gumbo and Oysters Rockefeller. Galatoire’s food is superb and its special drinks, including the flaming Café Brulot (the fumes of which nearly knocked me out) are legendary, but what makes this favorite haunt unique is the colorful cast of characters who dine there. The Taste of New Orleans, a featured dinner which I chose when I dined at the Upperline Restaurant (1413 Upperline St.) proved to be an excellent choice. Included were samplings of duck etouffee, corn cakes and Louisiana Pepper Jelly, shrimp gumbo and the best darned crispy roasted duck with ginger peach sauce I have ever tasted. Upperline is a favorite with locals and it isn’t just the food they come for. Owner JoAnn Cleverger, formerly into flowers, costumes and theater, visits with her customers and makes them feel as though they were dining in her home.
At the intimate, romantic Bistro at Maison de Ville, (733 Toulouse St.) Executive Chef Greg Picolo presents a Nouvelle Creole cuisine which includes traditional French bistro selections and New Orleans culinary favorites. The smoked duck bisque laced with leeks and dried cherries is a favorite dish. The Bistro’s exquisite Faberge egg, filled with a pool of expresso chocolate mousse, created for a show at the New Orleans Museum of Art, remains a permanent offering on the dessert menu and was too tempting to resist. Signed photographs of celebrities line the walls, paying tribute the extraordinary cuisine served here. The adjoining hotel’s room number nine was home away from home for Tennessee Williams who penned the finale to Streetcar Named Desire in the courtyard bordering the restaurant. The glamour of Paris has been literally transported to New Orleans via the Red Room, (2040 St. Charles Ave.) the restaurant formerly situated in the Eiffel Tower. Today, it is the city’s trendiest supper club where couples can dine and dance to big bands sounds in a sophisticated, sexy, lipstick red decorated room. Generally I don’t expect high quality food in such a setting, but was more than pleasantly surprised with the food, service and wine list. The dance floor featured quite a show with a number of couples whirling around like professional dancers. The Red Room provided a evening of excellent dining in a stunning, upbeat setting and a great opportunity to test my dancing skills. Days and nights of shopping, listening to some of the country’s best music and partaking of its special cuisine were often wrapped up at the Bombay Club (830 Conti St.). Unlike my home town of Los Angeles, drinking establishments never seem to close. As long as patrons want to drink, visit and or dance, the establishment stays open. The Bombay Club, a locals hangout, is a friendly place – like an upscale Cheers, with comfortable booths, great music and a welcoming atmosphere. It was the perfect place to close a wonderful day and a memorable stay in New Orleans. James Kilpatrick describes New Orleans as “blessed with an aura that is indefinable and probably indescribable. It is, once senses, that of a woman of a certain mature age, experienced, bemused, her youthful blush slightly faded, but her sensuality, her attraction, undiminished.” I concur. For further information: New
Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau Bienville House In the midst of the French Quarter, this charming, small hotel features comfortable, individually decorated rooms and a lush courtyard with inviting swimming pool. Buffet breakfast included. You can’t get any closer to where the action is. 320
Decatur St. International House A classic, timelessly beautiful Beaux-Art style building and the city’s first boutique hotel. The special custom lighting, including flickering candles, creates a romantic setting especially in the Loa bar. The ever changing lobby decor reflects the season and special events. Soothing spaces in which to relax, sleep and work, each guest room celebrates contemporary New Orleans style. 221
Camp Street Omni Royal Crescent Hotel Situated in the city’s Business Corridor, just steps away from the legendary French Quarter, this hotel offers an exquisite haven of serenity. Each guest room is tastefully appointed in the European tradition. Facilities include a Roman-style rooftop pool, library, fitness center and dining room. 535
Gravier St. Continental Airlines Recently ranked the nation’s #1 major airline in customer satisfaction for long distance travel in an independent study conducted by Frequent Flyer magazine. Numerous daily flights from major cities to New Orleans. (800) 523-3273 |
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“There
is no love sincerer than the love of food.” George Bernard’s quote is a thought shared by many and for those who
truly love food, there is no place in this country that surpasses the cuisine
of New Orleans. It is an eatin’,
drinkin’, partyin’, music playin’ metropolis.
There
is an air of delicious decadence and a glamour of years past in the French
Quarter. Hidden courtyards and
mysterious alleyways seem to beckon the bypasser. A sign announcing the Voodoo Museum of Marie Laveau caught my eye
on my venture into the quarter. Inside this tiny two-room museum were
portraits of the Great Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen who danced with an enormous
snake and reigned over Congo Square in the early 1800’s. Photographs of modern-day practitioners and
of ancient and modern voodoo rituals line the walls. It is definitely not your run-of-the-mill attraction.
When
I emerged from the museum two hours later, Jackson Square was cloaked in a
thick fog, adding an even more mysterious aura to the French Quarter. Jackson Square, a flower lined park centered
by a larger than life state of General Andrew Jackson on his rearing horse,
is the heart of the French
Quarter. Directly across is the French Market, fronted by the
serpentine Mississippi River. I stopped
for a traditional New Orleans repast at Café du Monde, a café au lait and a beignet (a freshly baked rectangularly
shaped sort of delicious warm powdered donut.) Nearby a saxophone wailed and the clippity clop of horses pulling
carriages through the French Quarter broke the quiet.
Shopping
in New Orleans is great sport. Canal Place is the Rodeo Drive of New
Orleans with fine boutiques and upscale shops like Saks Fifth Avenue and Brooks
Bros. Riverwalk and the Jackson Brewery
have their many specialty shops, but my personal favorites were the one of a
kind shops scattered along the
Quarter’s Royal Street. La Mina Sterling (840 Rue Royal) features unusual
silver jewelry, many pieces enhanced by semi precious stones. Hove Parfumeur Ltd (824 Royal St.) was
mentioned in a novel called Jitterbug Perfume which I read many years ago. Perfumes, colognes and other products are
mixed in the back lab. I enjoyed the
atmosphere of gentler years. The back
room of Hello Dolly (815 Royal Street) was filled with voodoo dolls. The
display of brightly colored and unusually designed one of a kind glassware
including lamps, vases and perfume bottles on display at Royal Cameo Glass (636
Royal Street) looked more like a gallery in the tasteful way in which each item
was exhibited, but they were all for sale. Further along, ( 730 Royal Street)
the colorful Bergen Galleries caught my eye and I popped inside for a look
around this virtual supermarket of limited edition graphics and fabulous
posters of every size and description. Included were the much coveted Jazz Festival posters dating back 30
years. Margarite Bergen, owner of the
gallery, one of New Orleans’s most colorful characters, was on hand, chattering
away in her charming Latin American accent while leading me through the
enormous collection.
Brennan,
one of the first families of food in New Orleans, established the tradition
of elegant breakfasting a half century ago. Breakfast at Brennan’s (417 Royal Street) is
one dining experience not to be missed. My breakfast feast began with a
brandy milk punch, followed by southern baked apple with double cream, then
eggs nouvelle Orleans (poached and served on a bed of lump crabmeat and finished
with a Brandy-cream sauce), a few crispy on the outside, succulent on the
inside fried oysters , and topping off this incredible meal, Bananas Foster,
flamed tableside. Brennan’s historic
twelve elegant dining rooms, surround a picturesque, romantic courtyard. Brennan’s also serves lunch and dinner.