We didn't have much of a plan for Saturday. By the time we were up and running it was already lunch time, so we relied on yelp for a lunch option near the hotel. We went to Red Gravy, and it fit the bill. I'm sure we could have found someplace a little better, but it was 1) close, 2) no wait, and 3) both breakfast and lunch on the menu.
After brunch, we made our way over to the Riverwalk. It runs along the Mississippi River. There is an open plaza area, the Steamboat ports, and a shopping center. Maybe we missed something, but unless you are taking one of the steamboat cruises, I see no reason to check out the Riverwalk. We walked around for awhile, but we not very entertained.
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| Steamboat |
We had read about a food festival going on near the French Market, so we thought we would check that out. Big regret not waiting to eat lunch until we got to the food festival. There were a bunch of vendors with 2 to 3 items on their menus, mostly all local cuisine.
With the lack of a real plan, and not much else to see in the area, we decided some day-drinking was in order. We stopped in a few antique shops along Royal Street on route to Tropical Isle. We had been waiting for the right opportunity to try a Hand Grenade drink, which they are known for and claim to be "New Orleans most powerful drink". They are a bright green, melon flavored drink served in a small yard-style cup with plenty of alcohol. A little too sweet for my liking, but still a must-do while in New Orleans. While there, we got involved in another bet-- being able to shoot the small plastic grenade that comes into your drink into a net they have hanging from the ceiling. Danielle easily made the shot and won us both beers! yay! A much needed change in flavor after the Hand Grenade.
We were having a great time day-drinking, but we had to go back to the hotel to get ready for some night-drinking on Frenchmen Street. Danielle's college friend Bree was picking us up to show us the more local scene, since she's been living in New Orleans for a few years.
First she took us to The Bulldog, in Uptown/Garden District. It was a great bar with a huge beer selection and a great patio. I was able to watch some of the Duck game (NCAA tournament second round game verse St. Louis) while we were there. By half time we were ready for dinner.
We headed off for a traditional New Orleans meal Uptown, but the wait was too long and we opted for the new BBQ place next door, Squeal. Bree had heard from some friends that it was good, and it did not disappoint. I was excited to try some southern bbq!
With our bellies full we were ready to check out the much-anticipated Frenchmen Street. I had heard that it was more of a locals scene where every bar had live music. And it was amazing! Every bar had a calendar outside listing all their musical entertainment. We bar hopped down the street and heard a wide variety of music. It was one of the highlights of the trip!
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| Debauche- very unique music |
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| Huge calendars of entertainment outside every bar |
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| Enjoying some crazy music |
The night came to a close with a late-night visit to Cafe du Monde, because beingets really should be eaten daily (at least on vacation).
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