First I want to apologize to those of you who have read Our Perfect Day in New Orleans already. I am in the process of transforming this site into my dream website with the help of branding specialist Zephora Haddon of Namami Inc. and just changed web hosts. In doing that 5 of my most recent posts were lost, this being one of them, so I am recreating them and republishing. Thanks for your understanding. The new design will be coming soon so stay tuned!
After visiting New Orleans about 20 times over the years, Steve and I thought it would be fun to outline our perfect day in New Orleans for you. Would you like that? Honestly that is a really tall order because there are so many unbelievably great restaurants and attractions. So perfection may have multiple choices for meals! But here goes…
Beignet and Chicory Coffee at Café du Monde
Photo Credit: Website
The Welcoming Sandwich Board Outside Molly’s Rise and Shine
The Grand Slam McMuffin at Molly’s Rise and Shine
Photo Credit: Website
We would start our morning relatively early with coffee and beignet at Café du Monde in the French Quarter because coffee is a must and their beignet are the very best anywhere. Now that we are wide awake we would take a stroll through the French Market to see what’s interesting there and maybe do a little shopping on Rue Royale for antiques or art. Which of course would make us hungry so we would head over to Molly’s Rise and Shine on Magazine for a real breakfast. Nothing can beat their fabulous Grand Slam McMuffin. It really puts Mickey D’s to shame!
We found this shotgun house in this print that looks just like our friend’s home in Black Pearl in a boutique across the street from Molly’s!
Cochon is ready for Mardi Gras at Cochon Butcher!
Grilled Pastrami and Swiss with Sauerkraut at Cochon Butcher
Then because – who doesn’t love to shop? – we would check out the cool boutiques all up and down Magazine Street. This would naturally work up an appetite so we’d beeline it Cochon Butcher to try and beat the lunch rush. And whaddoyaknow, we make it just a second before the line forms out the door. What will we order there? Well it has to be the Grilled Pastrami with Swiss Cheese and Saurkraut on Rye with sweet and spicy bread and butter pickles for me. But for Steve, it would be the Cajun Pork Dog on a Pretzel Bun. In fact, he just told me he could go for one right NOW. So yummy! OR. Maybe we’d have muffulettas at Central Grocery. OR. Maybe we’d just might have to go to Domilise’s for the very best Po’ Boys anywhere in the world. OR. It might have to be Turkey and the Wolf to share a Fried Baloney Sandwich and a Wedge Salad. You can see the dilemma her, can’t you?
Jonah Tobias with his Kora and The Traveling Locavores
By now our bellies are full so we need to walk off some of the calories, Back to the French Quarter we go for a stroll around Jackson Square to check out all of the craziness there. You see just about everything there. From living statues to artwork, from acrobats to musicians. As we turn a corner of Jackson Square we hear the unmistakable and exotic sounds of our friend Jonah Tobias’ kora and stop to listen to him perform with his band Buku Broux. The instrument he plays is a cross between a lute and a harp and the sound is just extraordinary. Thanks goodness we have all three of their albums so we can listen even when we are not in New Orleans. At this point we decide we should head back to our hotel to relax before dinner. Well truth be told, if this is really our perfect day we would be heading back to our RV not a hotel.)
Robin Barnes singing has everyone dancing in the Park!
Even the four-legged fans have a good time!
While driving back to our hotel or RV we pass a park that is having a concert and art show. So of course we must stop and check it out. We meander through this park and dance to the dulcet sound of Robin Barnes in concert. The rhythm of her music is so wonderful that there is just no way to stand still. But alas, we realize we need to freshen up and change for our dinner.
Luscious Pumpkin Soup with Buttermilk Sorbet and Tuna Toast with Garlic, Tomatoes and Avocado at Bywater American Bistro
The incomparable Chef Nina Compton with The Traveling Locavores
Now dinner is where perfection has more choices than you can imagine. We have sooooo many favorites. Bayona, Brigtsen’s, Zasu, Cochon, August, Emeril’s NOLA; our list keeps growing. But on this day of perfection we choose Nina Compton’s newish place Bywater American Bistro, or BABS as it is affectionately called by locals. We choose BABS because we know we will be treated like old friends and enjoy the fabulous, creative, Caribbean influenced food that Chef Compton is known for.
At this point we could just go to bed but it’s New Orleans people! So we head over to Snug Harbor on Frenchman’s Street to listen to some awesome Jazz. Laissez le bon temps rouler – let the good times roll.
