Family & Friends,
My apologies for dropping the ball on the blog for awhile there. I'm back! Here's my two-cents about New Orleans...
I was very, very excited to go to New Orleans because I had heard so many great things about it. Not only that, but my horror-obsessed self was drawn to the city because its history is flush with all things macabre and the streets are a playground of urban legends. After all, one of the first horror films that I saw as a kid, Interview with the Vampire, takes place in New Orleans. And I also wanted to experience true Dixieland jazz (see video below)!
I got to ride on a streetcar, but not the one named Desire. However, I did indeed yell "Hey Stellaaaaa!" on the sidewalk one drunken night. I know, real original.
Of all the cities I visited on this trip, New Orleans was probably the most relatable to a New Yorker (besides Chicago) because of its nightlife, curious character, and general insanity.
When I arrived in the evening, the first thing I did was walk from my hostel in the Lower Garden District to Bourbon Street. Many people told me to skip it, that it's a tourist trap, but I wanted to see it for myself. Well, I ended up indulging in a jester of strawberry daiquiri and somehow receiving Mardi Gras beads...
On Day 2, I did a lot of walking. First, I walked along St. Charles and looked at all of the pretty homes. Then, I hit up Lafayette Cemetery and Audobon Park. Other sites included:
- The Fly (on the Mississippi River)
- The French Quarter (where I tried all kinds of interesting sauces)
- The Riverwalk
- Jackson Square (where I ate some delicious beignets from New Orleans Famous Coffee & Beignets)
- Louis Armstrong Park (where I listened to some African music in Congo Square)
- Frenchmen Street (where I stumbled upon a cool art garden)
- Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro (where I ate some gumbo and listened to Jason Marsalis, brother of Wynton Marsalis, perform)
Shoutout to the exquisite Ms. Moira for all of the NOLA tips.
On Day 3, I went on a swamp tour with Cajun Encounters in Slidell, LA. On the way, we passed the Ninth Ward, where the devastation from Hurricane Katrina is still very visible. I wanted to go on an airboat tour, but it would have been ridiculously more expensive. The whole experience was a blast and reminded me of my favorite episode of Archer (my favorite for many reasons). In fact, in the episode, Archer keeps referencing the Burt Reynolds' movie, Gator, which was partially shot in this very swamp! I got to see the "whiskey tree" that is featured in the film (see photo below). I also saw plenty of alligators, herons, a pig, and a turtle! I cut together the video footage I shot on the tour and it's posted below.
After the swamp tour and stuffing my mouth with more beignets from Café DuMonde, I went on a ghost tour. If you know me, you know that I LOVE ghost tours and try to experience them in most of the places I travel. New Orleans is rich with stories, although I did not capture anything supernatural with my cameras, unfortunately. I got to see the LaLaurie house, where they shot some episodes of American Horror Story: Coven (the Kathy Bates character is based on the real Delphine LaLaurie). I also visited Villa Convento, the hotel that is rumored to be the original "House of the Rising Sun." Although made famous by The Animals, the song about a depraved brothel in New Orleans can actually be traced back to a 1933 recording by Clarence "Tom" Ashley & Gwen Foster.
After the ghost tour, I went to a gay bar called, Café Lafitte in Exile. It was alright, but I enjoyed the atmosphere of Tubby's Golden Lantern better (another gay bar).
Overall, I had a ton of fun in New Orleans and it was one of my favorite stops on the road. I hope to go back someday for Jazz Fest. See photos of the craziness below!
Onward,
Chris
My apologies for dropping the ball on the blog for awhile there. I'm back! Here's my two-cents about New Orleans...
I was very, very excited to go to New Orleans because I had heard so many great things about it. Not only that, but my horror-obsessed self was drawn to the city because its history is flush with all things macabre and the streets are a playground of urban legends. After all, one of the first horror films that I saw as a kid, Interview with the Vampire, takes place in New Orleans. And I also wanted to experience true Dixieland jazz (see video below)!
I got to ride on a streetcar, but not the one named Desire. However, I did indeed yell "Hey Stellaaaaa!" on the sidewalk one drunken night. I know, real original.
Of all the cities I visited on this trip, New Orleans was probably the most relatable to a New Yorker (besides Chicago) because of its nightlife, curious character, and general insanity.
When I arrived in the evening, the first thing I did was walk from my hostel in the Lower Garden District to Bourbon Street. Many people told me to skip it, that it's a tourist trap, but I wanted to see it for myself. Well, I ended up indulging in a jester of strawberry daiquiri and somehow receiving Mardi Gras beads...
On Day 2, I did a lot of walking. First, I walked along St. Charles and looked at all of the pretty homes. Then, I hit up Lafayette Cemetery and Audobon Park. Other sites included:
- The Fly (on the Mississippi River)
- The French Quarter (where I tried all kinds of interesting sauces)
- The Riverwalk
- Jackson Square (where I ate some delicious beignets from New Orleans Famous Coffee & Beignets)
- Louis Armstrong Park (where I listened to some African music in Congo Square)
- Frenchmen Street (where I stumbled upon a cool art garden)
- Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro (where I ate some gumbo and listened to Jason Marsalis, brother of Wynton Marsalis, perform)
Shoutout to the exquisite Ms. Moira for all of the NOLA tips.
On Day 3, I went on a swamp tour with Cajun Encounters in Slidell, LA. On the way, we passed the Ninth Ward, where the devastation from Hurricane Katrina is still very visible. I wanted to go on an airboat tour, but it would have been ridiculously more expensive. The whole experience was a blast and reminded me of my favorite episode of Archer (my favorite for many reasons). In fact, in the episode, Archer keeps referencing the Burt Reynolds' movie, Gator, which was partially shot in this very swamp! I got to see the "whiskey tree" that is featured in the film (see photo below). I also saw plenty of alligators, herons, a pig, and a turtle! I cut together the video footage I shot on the tour and it's posted below.
After the swamp tour and stuffing my mouth with more beignets from Café DuMonde, I went on a ghost tour. If you know me, you know that I LOVE ghost tours and try to experience them in most of the places I travel. New Orleans is rich with stories, although I did not capture anything supernatural with my cameras, unfortunately. I got to see the LaLaurie house, where they shot some episodes of American Horror Story: Coven (the Kathy Bates character is based on the real Delphine LaLaurie). I also visited Villa Convento, the hotel that is rumored to be the original "House of the Rising Sun." Although made famous by The Animals, the song about a depraved brothel in New Orleans can actually be traced back to a 1933 recording by Clarence "Tom" Ashley & Gwen Foster.
After the ghost tour, I went to a gay bar called, Café Lafitte in Exile. It was alright, but I enjoyed the atmosphere of Tubby's Golden Lantern better (another gay bar).
Overall, I had a ton of fun in New Orleans and it was one of my favorite stops on the road. I hope to go back someday for Jazz Fest. See photos of the craziness below!
Onward,
Chris