Landmarks

Jackson Square: Don’t Just Pass Through It !

by Christine Achille on March 27, 2012

There's a lot more than just St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square

There's a lot more than just St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square

When you see a picture of New Orleans, chances are good that you are looking at a photograph of St. Louis Cathedral. It is the iconic representation of New Orleans, and the oldest continuously operating cathedral in America, and the centerpiece of the centerpiece of New Orleans’ French Quarter: Jackson Square.

While the St. Louis Cathedral is certainly beautiful, especially at night, there is so much more to Jackson Square.

A Great Place to People Watch

The first thing you will notice at any time, day or night, are the artists and musicians, tarot card readers and other performers.

Painters vie for a spot “on the fence” where they can display their artwork to passersby. It is well worth your time to stroll along the fence and see what is available. With so many different types of art displayed, you are sure to find a unique and original piece for your home.

Scattered in among the painters are musicians of every type and style. Take a moment to stop and listen and enjoy this very New Orleanian entertainment but remember: these are working musicians. They depend on your appreciation for their livelihood. In other words, they work for tips. If you stop to listen, even for just a few moments, it is expected that you toss a dollar or two into the box. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it will likely be the best dollar you ever spent.

Have you ever had your cards read? Or your palm? Why not try it, just for fun, here in Jackson Square, where card readers have been telling fortunes for years. Each one is different, and offers a different method of divining the secrets of the universe. What a fun way to pass the time, and regardless of what you learn, you will definitely go away with an interesting anecdote about your experience!

The Shops Hold Many Treasures

Many shops line the perimeter of Jackson Square, from toyshops to gift shops to dress shops. Window shopping here among the shade from the oaks in the park is a fine way to pass the time, but finding something in one of these shops to remind you of your trip to New Orleans is even better!

Just across Decatur Street from Jackson Square is the world-famous Cafe Du Monde. No one should ever come to New Orleans without going to Cafe Du Monde at least once. Order yourself a cup of Cafe au Lait and some beignets and listen to one of the many street musicians who set up shop during the day near the Cafe’s green-and-white canopied patio. Word to the Wise: Don’t wear black! Beignets are piled high with confectioner’s sugar — that’s part of the fun!

If you are in Jackson Square at lunchtime or dinnertime, try a sandwich or a milkshake from Stanley, located at the corner of the Square to the right as you face the Cathedral, or you can go a little fancier and head across the street to Muriel’s for some delicious classic Creole cuisine.

A Walk in the Park Shouldn’t Be Missed

Beautiful flowers fill the park at Jackson Square

Beautiful flowers fill the park at Jackson Square

Don’t forget to take a walk through the park located right in the middle of the Square. It is arranged around the statue of — you guessed it — Andrew Jackson and is a perfect spot for photographs. Try to get one of your family with the Cathedral in the background and you will surely have a fine memory of your trip. It is also a lovely place to rest in the shade and spend a little time people-watching. You might even see a wedding right there in the park!

So many visitors cut through Jackson Square on their way to somewhere else without taking the time to stop and enjoy what the Square itself has to offer. You never know what you might see there!

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Take The Ferry To New Orleans’ Algiers Point

by Christine Achille on March 20, 2012

Algiers Point Ferry

Algiers Point Ferry

Try a Different Point of View

If you’re looking for a pleasant way to spend the day and would like something a little different, try taking the ferry across the Mississippi to Algiers Point.

New Orleans’ second oldest neighborhood, Algiers Point was founded in 1719, making it just one year younger than the French Quarter. The area has a quaint 19th century small-town flavor that is in sharp contrast to the bustling French Quarter located directly across the Mississippi River. Many of the same churches, schools, shops and restaurants there have been a part of the neighborhood for years. Many people who live there enjoy an easy and leisurely commute in to work in both the French Quarter and the Central Business District. It is truly a little village within the city.

You can take the Crescent City Connection Bridge over to the Point, but by far the easiest and most pleasant way to get there is by ferry.

Taking The Ferry

 

Algiers Point is New Orleans' Second Oldest Neighborhood

Algiers Point is New Orleans' Second Oldest Neighborhood

The Algiers Point Ferry has been in operation since 1827 and is free for pedestrians. There is a $1 fee for cars, and you pay on the Algiers side, on your way back. The trip from Canal Street to Algiers Point lasts about fifteen minutes. The boat leaves Canal Street every thirty minutes on the quarter-hour, and leaves Algiers Point every thirty minutes on the hour and half hour. The first boat of the day will leave Algiers at 6am and the last boat leaves Canal Street at 12:15am.

There is a seating area on the upper deck, but pedestrians are also permitted to stay on the lower deck, which many find is better for taking pictures.

While it is certainly a lovely neighborhood for strolling and taking in the various styles of architecture found in the charming homes, you will surely want to stop somewhere and have a bite to eat.

Fortunately, Algiers Point is happy to oblige, with several neighborhood spots to choose from.

Great Neighborhood Spots

The Dry Dock Cafe, located at 133 Delaronde is open seven days a week from 11am-10pm, except for Sundays when they close at 9pm. Their menu consists of salads and sandwiches for lunch, and mostly seafood for dinner. They always have specials for both lunch and dinner, the most notable being Tuesday Prime Rib Night for $9.95. They also serve Sunday Brunch from 11am-2pm.

Just steps from the ferry landing, you will also find Vine And Dine, a wine bar and bistro. Located at 141 Delaronde, this charming little place is the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy a glass of wine in a quiet atmosphere. It is a small place, with only a few tables and a small bar, so it is a nice place for a romantic evening. The bistro menu features a wide variety of cheeses, foccaccia, and house specialities such as Brie & Crab Au Gratin, a triple creme brie and lump crabmeat blended with garlic and herbs and topped with melted mozzerella.

One of the Point’s most interesting establishments is the Crown and Anchor Pub, New Orleans’ only authentic English Pub. The Pub is at 200 Pelican Avenue, and opens at 4pm Monday through Friday and 11am on Saturdays and Sundays. They are reknowned for their Thursday Night Pub Quiz, as well as their Darts Tournaments — and of course, their beer! Pints are $1 off during Happy Hour from 4-7pm Monday through Friday, and they serve Abita Amber as well as traditional English pub brews like Bass, Boddingtons, Guinness, Harp, Newcastle and Smithwicks.

A pleasant neighborhood, so close yet a world away from the French Quarter, Algiers Point is well-worth taking the time to visit!

 

 

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Getting Around In New Orleans: How To Spot A Local

by Christine Achille on March 15, 2012

Don’t Look Like a Typical Tourist

Try Not to Look Like a Typical Tourist

Try Not to Look Like a Typical Tourist

There are plenty of times when I am walking around the French Quarter and I see people looking at maps and trying to figure out where they are and where they are going, or walking down the sidewalk while looking at the Google Maps on their phone. They may as well be wearing a sign that says “Hey! I’m from out-of-town! I’m vulnerable!”

New Orleans isn’t much different from any city in that you need to have a little street-smarts in order to get around. As much fun as it is, you don’t want to fall into the mindset that it is a grownup version of Disney World. It’s a city, and the French Quarter is a neighborhood where people live and work.

Find Yourself a Local

Locals, especially French Quarter locals, are generally friendly and willing to help out visitors find their way. Here are a few ways to spot a local:

  1. It may need to go without saying, but your server or your bartender are surely locals. Ask them for directions, or recommendations and you will learn some things that the guide books won’t tell you. Hotel concierges, while very helpful, are often college students on a Hospitality Degree internship, and many are not “from here.”
  2. The check-out girls at Rouses’ are all locals, and are very familiar with the French Quarter. Rouses is the Quarter’s supermarket and it is small and often very crowded. If the checkout lines are long, then obviously don’t ask questions. Find someone who is shopping for things like toilet paper, cat food, and Windex. That person is surely headed back to their apartment in the Quarter and will often help you find your way.
  3. Locals walk down the sidewalk with purpose. They don’t tend to stroll much. They might be carrying a newspaper, or a Rouses bag, or walking a dog. They won’t be carrying a bag full of beignet mix from Cafe Du Monde.
  4. Street musicians and performers are working. They may be local, but they tend not to give out information. They survive on tips, however, so a well-placed dollar bill will often go a long way toward getting the information you need. Same goes for cab drivers, buggy drivers and pedicab drivers.
  5. While the hotel concierges are often college students on an internship, Doormen are almost always local and have typically held their jobs for a good long while, often for many years. They are a wealth of information but again, will usually share more with you once you slip them a buck.

New Orleanians are known as a quirky but friendly bunch, and most will go out of their way to help you as long as you ask respectfully and politely. We tend to be very proud and protective of our town, so make sure when you ask a local for directions or advice that you do so with that in mind. Take the time to talk to the locals — you won’t be sorry. We have the information you are looking for, and more as well!

 

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New Orleans Original Movie Tours Offer A Glimpse At Hollywood South

by Christine Achille on February 17, 2012

The Original New Orleans Movie Tours

The Original New Orleans Movie Tours

With so many movies and television shows being filmed in New Orleans lately, the city has been dubbed “Hollywood South.”

While I am reluctant to advocate canned driving tours in any city, and would much rather just walk around and see what there is to see, The Original New Orleans Movie Tour is one tour that is worth taking.

In their comfortable ten-passenger van, you are taken through the Garden District, the Warehouse District, the French Quarter, the CBD, Treme and more, visiting over thirty different locations where famous scenes from well-known films had been shot.

[click to read more…]

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St. Louis Cathedral: The Oldest Active Cathedral in the U.S.

by New Orleans Pirate Girl on July 14, 2010

St. Louis Cathedral

St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter of New Orleans

One of the treasured jewels of New Orleans sits just outside of Jackson Square, in the heart of Old City and it’s likely one of the most photographed landmarks in all of New Orleans.  Saint Louis Cathedral located on Chartres Street on Jackson Square is the oldest continuously active cathedral in operation in the United States.  It derives its name from the 13th Century French King who led two crusades.

St. Louis Cathedral History

The present cathedral is actually the third on the present site of the church.  The first two were destroyed and rebuilt.  This first building was destroyed by a hurricane in 1722 while the second building burned in a fire in 1788.

The current cathedral was started in 1789 and completed in 1794 and then enlarged in 1851 with the central tower being added.  That tower was designed by Henry S. Boneval Latrobe, the first professional architect in America.

[click to read more…]

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Jackson Square: The Heart of New Orleans

by New Orleans Pirate Girl July 12, 2010

The Heart of City Life   From the beginnings of New Orleans the general area of what is now known as Jackson Square was the center of New Orleans life.  It’s closeness to the Mississippi River Port, the church and the government buildings made it the hub of local shipping and commerce. Jackson Square area [...]

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The Satchmo SummerFest – A Celebration of Louis Armstrong

by New Orleans Pirate Girl July 10, 2010

For ten years running New Orleans celebrates one of it’s own in style!  Every year to coincide with the greatest of jazz icons,  Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong’s birthday (August 4th) one of the best summer festivals around is held on the grounds of the Old U.S. Mint at the very edge of New Orleans famous French [...]

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Welcome to Fun in New Orleans (NOLA)

by New Orleans Pirate Girl June 28, 2010

Who Dat?! Well this is Fun in New Orleans a site all about the fun one can have when they visit the crescent city, the true city that never sleeps, New Orleans, Louisiana.  From the French Quarter to beautiful Garden District there’s a lot to see and a lot to experience that can please all [...]

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