The Big Easy

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However, the parking lots along Decatur are not too bad in price. For about six hours being parked at the Moonwalk lot, it was about fifteen dollars. For twenty-four hours, it's still under 20.00. Plus, if you plan on visiting the Audubon or Insectarium, there's a parking lot at the end of Decatur (closest to Canal Street) that will take 5.00 off parking if you show them your tickets from the institutions. By the way, the Moonwalk parking lot is now taking credit cards if you don't have any cash on you.

AAA members can get a discount at some of the hotels, so be sure to ask about that. If you decide to stay at the Westin Hotel on Canal, it has a shopping center, food court, and movie theater attached to the hotel. In addition, if you're planning to visit New Orleans in February, book your hotel as far in advance as possible.

Best Way To Get Around:

There's a white shop with stone steps on the corner of Decatur Street past the golden Joan of Arc statue that is a great tourism center that recently opened back up. Before 2005, this place was a great location to find information about festivals, shops, tours, and other facts about the city. Now, the store still has the brochures, maps, and information about the city. If you're not sure about what you want to do while in New Orleans, this is the best place to get ideas (and find some valuable coupons attached to free brochures). The staff is very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. This is a must-see for anyone new to the city.

1. Take a tour of the cemteries, or the Cites of the Dead. My favorite tour is the Save Our Cemeteries Tour.

2. Enjoy sugary beignets and coffee at the Cafe du Monde. On Decatur Street, across from the Jackson Square. For the non-coffee lovers, there's milk and soft drinks.

3. Try a Central Grocery muffalatta. At the Central Grocery on Decatur Street, this Italian sandwich has been enjoyed by Bob Hope and Henry Winkler.

4. Mardi Gras! Grab your copy of the Arthur Hardy's "Mardi Gras Guide" (Walgreens/bookstores/convenience stores) to see where the routes are, what the krewes will be throwing.

5. Tour Blaine Kern's "Mardi Gras World" to see how the floats are made.

6. Try a Randazzo's king cake. Usually more popular to try in February, some of the bakeries are open all year long and have seasonal cakes.

7. Walk along the Moonwalk and possibly take a ride aboard the Steamboat Natchez or Creole Queen.

8. St Joseph Day Altars (March 19). An Italian tradition in which they decorate their altars with food, lucky beans (put in your coinpurses - you'll always have money), and small round peas that are for good eyesight. You can find one at the Jackson Square on this day.

9. New Orleans Museum of Art and their Where Y'Art Fridays. On Fridays from 5-9pm, the Museum stays open later and has an array of live performances, open exhibits, and guest speakers. Plus, for 2011, NOMA turns 100 as well. Besides Fridays, the art museum has many art exhibits and a sculpture garden.

10. The Audubon Zoo. So many animals, a free parking spot, and a waterfall to cool down in those hot summers - what's not to love?

11. The Audubon Aquarium. Lots of animals, but a validated parking spot here. Come walk in the tunnel where fish and sharks swim above you, and play in the Amazonian tree house.

12. Take your picture outside the St. Louis Cathedral. For the best photo shot of all, go to the Moonwalk where the Civil War Cannon is and take your picture from there. You'll have the St. Louis Cathedral, Presbytere, and Cabildo all in the picture.

13. COOLinary New Orleans (July-September). Want to enjoy expensive restaurant meals without draining your wallet? During the COOLinary, some restaurants offer three course lunches under 20 dollars, and three course dinners for 34.00. The restaurants that participated last year were Bayona's, Antonie's, Dickie Brennan's, and many more. Check out http://nomcvb.com/restaurants/index.cfm or call 1-800-672-6124 for more details and who's participating this year.

14. The Tennessee Williams Literary Festival (mid-March). Williams will be celebrating his 100th birthday in this festival where you can take classes, tours of literary places, and see his plays acted by local universities. Plus, the yelling "Stella" competitions.

15. Jazz and Heritage Festival - Jazz Fest is late April-early May. The 2011 Fest will be extra special as singer Mahalia Jackson also turns 100, in which there will be jazz tributes and a birthday celebration presented by Irma Thomas.

16. Running of the Bulls (July). Twelve blocks of the French Quarter become filled with the all-female derby team, the Big Easy Rollergirls, dressed as bulls with horns(and soft foam bats) to chase and "gore" participants. Anyone can participate in the fun by showing up at the Three Legged Dog bar on Conti and Burgundy Streets. For 2011, it will be on July 9 and participants show up at 7am.

17. Christmas in the Oaks (City Park, Mid-City) and Miracle on Fulton Street (Fulton Street, edge of the French Quarter). Christmas in the Oaks has thousands of lights and gardens. Storyland, a magical place for the kids, is open. Meanwhile, Fulton has shops and a large Christmas tree.

18. Champion Square at the Super Dome!

From personal experience, it is quite easy to get lost. The heart of the city is the French Quarter. An easy way to remember the streets is to look at its history. Scotsman John Law proposed an idea to the Duc d'Orleans in France during a card game: the city of New Orleans. He said to honor the Duc, the longest running and main street would be named Orleans. Since Toulouse and Dumaine (the Duc's family members whom he despised) had also put in money to build the city, these two were named after streets. So, to "protect" Orleans from his family, Law used St. Ann and St. Peter to serve as a buffer between these streets. To add extra buffers, then came St. Louis Street and St. Philip Street. Next, a royal and powerful family of France was named the Bourbons, where Bourbon Street got its name from. The Duc d'Orleans' son's title was the Duc of Chartres. Decatur was known as Levee Street since it was close to the River. The street bordering the French Quarter like a castle's ramparts is Rampart Street. Esplanade Street was where the settlement's soldiers would march and drill. Finally, Canal Street was where a canal was going to be placed, but the plan was never carried out.

The Central Business District, or CBD, is to the left across Canal Street. The CDB has the Crescent City Connection, the Superdome, and its major buildings. Canal Street is where new bright-red streetcars run up and down. By going down St. Charles Avenue, a street to the left of Canal, you are in the Garden District.

Back in the early days of foundation, the mighty Creoles lived in luxurious homes in the lush Garden District. The Creoles believed they were from the thigh of Jupiter, and were gods on earth who danced at masquerades all night, and slept all day. Overall, the Garden District is where you'll find many illustrious mansions with names like Camp, Catholic-related names, Magazine, Barone, and even the hard-to-pronounce Tchopitoulas (chop-it-too-las). Also, you can tell you're close to the river when you run into names of the Nine Muses like Euterpe, Terpsichore, Melpomene, Erato, and so on.

By taking Esplanade Street (on the right side of the French Quarter), you'll travel into Mid-City and find City Park. Across from City Park is Delgado Community College and (the best burger joint) Bud's Broiler. Farther west would bring you to the Faubourg Treme. In City Park is the New Orleans Museum of Art and Sculpture Garden, which is a must-see.

If you go south from Mid-City towards Bywater and Chalmette, you'll be in the Faubourg Marigny. Named after Bernard Marigny, he began a "suburb" of French gentlemen and their mistresses to live with in their children during the French tradition of placage, taking on a woman of color as a mistress. Now, the Marigny is a colorful place with a bohemian flare. Further south, you'll enter into the small town of Chalmette.

It's festival season once again in New Orleans! Here are some you don't want to miss:

The Tennessee Williams Literary Festival (Mar. 23-27)- a festival dedicated to the New Orleans writer himself with theater shows, music, guided literary walking tours ($25), writing lectures and panel discussions, Stella and Stanley shouting contests. Events take place all over the French Quarter like Muriel's Restaurant, Jackson Square, St. Peter Street. Not all the events are free. See tennesseewilliams.net for more information.

Louisiana Iris Rainbow Festival (April 2) - the grand opening of the Louisiana Iris Display at the New Orleans Museum of Artand the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden in City Park. This free festival has presentations from master gradeners, music, food, and activities for children to make art.

French Quarter Festival (April 7-10) - Sixteen stages of live musical fun, the world's largest jazz brunch, patio tours, and art shows are the highlight of the festival.

Asian Heritage Festival (April 16)- Asian foods, music, martial arts demos, children's activities, and a show of wedding dresses and wedding processions at the Audubon Zoo.

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Presented by Shell (April 29-May 8) - Music, food, and fun awaits you at the New Orleans Fair Grounds Racetrack on Gentilly Blvd.

Saints and Sinners Glbt Literary Festival (May 12-15) - writing workshops and panel discussions are the highlight of this French Quarter festival. Felice Picano and Aaron Hamburger are two noted authors who will be there.

Steamfest 2011 (May 14-15) - The Louisiana Steam Train Association presents tours of locomotives and rail cars, children's train rides, and music at the Audubon Park Riverview. Admission is $10.00.

New Orleans Oyster Festival (June 4-5) - This is the largest Oyster event on the 500 block of Decatur Street. Oyster shucking contests, dishes from several restaurants, and music.

French Market Creole Tomato Festival (June 11-12) - The French Market has cooking demos, tomato tastings, food and music, and held in conjunction with the Louisiana Seafood Festival (US Old Mint - Esplanade St.) and Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival (US Old Mint).

San Fermin: Running of the Bulls in New Orleans (June 8-10) - Three days of music, food, and fun take place in various locations throughout the French Quarter. The highlight is the Running of the Bulls on July 9th with the Big Easy RollerGirls with plastic bats and horns, ready to "gore" people.

Satchmo Summerfest (Aug. 4-7) - The Old US Mint on Esplanade Avenue hosts the musical celebration of Louie Armstrong. There will be kids' activities, seminars, and a second-line parade.

White Linen Night (Aug 6) - Street parties, performances, food, and music await you in the Contemporary Arts Center and Warehouse District.

Southern Decadence (Sept 1-5) - dances, street parties, talent shows, and costume contests are the highlights of this French Quarter festival.

New Orleans Burlesque Festival (Sept 15-17) - this festival takes place at Harrah's Casino and House of Blues (HOB), and offers an admission of $25-$45.00. Performances, workshops, panel discussions, a competition for Queen of the Burlesque, and legendary stars are the highlights.

Mardi Gras is New Orleans’ hometown celebration, where locals dress up in colorful, humorous, and intriguing costumes; drink and be merry all hours of the night; go to parades; and some attend carnival balls. For 2011, Mardi Gras is later than expected this year, and not until March 8th. There are few things you have to do during Mardi Gras to make your visit perfrect:

1. Participate in a parade--any parade. It doesn't matter which one. Catch beads or go to the Endymion Extraganza and see its illuminating floats. Some grocery stores/gas stations sell Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras Guide, a good-to-have book that lists all the parades, locations, and what they'll be throwing for that year.
2. See a Mardi Gras Indian.
3. Taste a Randazzo's king cake. A hint of caution: check underneath your slice of king cake to make sure you don't have the baby (a plastic baby doll).
4. Go to Royal Sonesta's "Greasing of the Poles" at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Royal Street. It's a Mardi Gras tradition.
5. Look for the celebrity guest in the uptown Bacchus Parade (last year it was Saints Quarterback Drew Brees), or see famous musician Harry Connick, Jr. in Orpheus (the New Orleans one - be careful there's two krewes named Orpheus).
6. Get a Krewe of Zulu coconut. They're cute! It's a coconut decorated with glitter and a mask of its own around owlish eyes.
7. See the King of Carnival toast to the Mayor of New Orleans at Gallier Hall.
8. Have fun! Let the good times roll.

During Mardi Gras, it's good to bring some ladders for little kids who want to see the parade, chairs, an ice chest full of cold drinks, some snacks, and at least two or three bags to put your beads in. People believed those wearing masks were spirits who wanted to party until Ash Wednesday. This is the only time you'll be pushing little old ladies out the way, see a teenager and a drag queen fight over a strand of plastic beads, and debutantes get all the more beads from the men krewes.

The official end of Mardi Gras isn't when water trucks spray powerful amounts of water to clean the street. It's just prior to midnight of Mardi Gras when Rex's officers and royalty join Comus and his queen at their ball. Rex and Comus escort each other's queen in a lavish ballroom. When the clock strikes the twelfth hour, Rex waves his scepter, and officially brings Mardi Gras to an end.

The Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival celebrated the author’s hundredth birthday weekend in style. He was born on Mar. 26, 1911. Although the celebration started on Wednesday Mar. 23 with a Poetry Slam at One Eyed Jack’s on Toulouse, Sunday was filled with special panel discussions, a literary walking tour, musical tributes, special events like mixing Sazerac cocktails, theatrical performances, and the Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest. To purchase tickets, you can go online or go to the Royal Sonesta Hotel and buy them there. Tickets sell out fast, so the earlier you buy them, the better.

In 1986, four people met for lunch on Halloween at Mandina’s Restaurant to discuss the idea of the New Orleans Literary Festival. Fast forward to March of 2011, the Founders of the Festival, William and Maureen Detweiler, Errol and Peggy Laborde, and Clare Beth Pierson hosted a panel discussion to share their favorite moments and tribulations in the Royal Sonesta Hotel Grand Ballroom on Bourbon Street.

The Literary Walking Tours was offered twice daily throughout the Festival, and I highly reccomend it. Dr. Kenneth Holditch, a retired literature professor at the University of New Orleans, started offering literary tours of the French Quarter in 1974. The tour group met at the Royal Sonesta Hotel‘s Irvin Mayfield Jazz Playhouse where Dr. Holditch talked briefly about Williams and his work. I never knew Williams was known as "the Fabulous Bird", according to Dr. Holditch, to his friends. However, it was a good friend of his, Ms. Inez, that led the tour through the French Quarter. Among the tour highlights was the 1014 Dumaine apartment where Williams would swim laps in the courtyard, the Le Petit Theater where "A Streetcar Named Desire" was performed during a poker night because character Stanley Kowalski loved poker, the 616 St. Peter home where he finished "Streetcar", and the Hotel Monteleone that has several displays of Williams and his memorabilia, and the amazing Carousel Bar at the Monteleone with a real, spinning carousel.

On Decatur Street at the Palm Court Jazz Café, musician and UNO professor, Irvin Mayfield, discussed his new book and CD "A Love Letter to New Orleans", and played some of his music. In the festival guidebook, his performance was quoted as a "love letter to the city that strikes the right note."

The Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest is a local favorite in New Orleans, and was sponsored by Regions Bank. This year, Janet Daley Duval, a law clerk and president of the festival board, played Stella on the Pontabla Building balcony that potential Stanleys called out to. The "Stanley" was played by Matt Payne.

Two special events were hosted on Sunday: the Tales of the Cocktail Presents Sazerac Cocktail Academy at the Chateau Bourbon Hotel on Iberville Street, and the Tea With Tennessee at the Le Petit Theater Courtyard. The Tales of the Cocktail was a thirty-five dollar lesson about hands-on mixology about the famous New Orleans drink. However, the Tea With Tennessee was a free event that followed the Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest Final Judging where patrons mingled, ate chocolate cake, and drank sweet tea to end the Festival.

The Audubon Zoo has been getting better and better with age. It's open on Tuesdays through Sundays from 10am to 5pm, and closed on Mondays. There's plenty of parking spaces, and the parking is free. New additions to the Zoo are: the Swamp Train that brings passengers around the Zoo for a fee, and gives educational facts about the animals along the way; the Simulator Ride is a ride that takes you through the Bermuda Triangle, under the sea, or through a haunted (it wasn't scary) mine for a fee; and the Dinosaur Adventure that shows different types of dinosaurs and lets you dig for fossils for a fee. Even if you didn't go in the Dinosaur Adventure, check out its gift shop. It can become a blessing on a hot summer day because it's always cold in there, and you might find something unique that you wouldn't in the other gift shops.

The Zoo is divided into different sections. The Asian Domain has the white tiger, elephants, a tiger, and camels. Near the Asian Domain is Discovery Walk, which is great for the little kids. There's different stations to see animals up and close, and a petting zoo in the back. If you walk around the Elephant Fountain, you can go look at the different types of money in the Primate park. Be sure to check out Menari, she's the newest addition of Sumatran orangutans since June of 2009. If you head left, pass the Roman Candy cart and a sign with a Komodo Dragon on it, you'll head toward the Reptiles. You'll see crocodiles, a variety of snakes and other reptiles, the komodo dragon, and a blue iguana. Inside the Reptile House you can see a turtle swimming inside one of the tanks. It's also cold in there as well -- if you're willing to enjoy looking at slimy company. The Dinosaur Adventure is near here. Next, the sea lions have their own tank before you get to the African Savanna, and be sure to go down the stone steps to see the bottom of the tank. Sometimes the sea lions like to pass by the window. The African Savanna has pelicans, rhinos, zebras, large turtles, and other animals. The best part about the Savanna is Monkey Hill. Not only can children play in the waterfall, but there's a small pool at the bottom where parents can dip their feet in the water. Still continuing along the path, you'll find the Louisiana Swamp area where you can see black bears and alligators. One of the best eating places, the Cypress Knee Cafe is here, and is a bit pricey. The white alligator and its gift shop is past here.

The last two parts of the Zoo are Jaguar Jungle and South American Pampas. Jaguar Jungle is a unique place because of the Mayan architecture. You can also dig for Mayan artifacts in the shade near the jaguars, and see a temple that says not to climb it. The South American Pampas is where you'll find ostriches, odd birds, and other creatures found in this region. Beyond here is the large bird house and a section devoted to frogs and amphibians. Following down the trail will find the Zoo's amusement park area with a carousel and the Simulator, then you'll be by the food court and near the Elephant Fountain.

If you visit the Zoo very often, I would recommend a season pass. It might be a bit pricey now, but it pays for itself after a few visits, 10 percent off of all purchases, and special invites to all-year events. Also, I found that the main gift shop didn't have as much as I thought. If you get the chance, visit all the gift shops around the Zoo. Even if you didn't pay to board the Swamp Train, the Swamp Train stations have fans that blow nice cool mist. Recently, the poet-in-residence took different quotes from poetry and made signs around the Zoo. Be sure to see how many you can find, and recognize.

Also, on select Saturdays called Endangered Species Day, you can learn more about endangered species. Children collect a bookmark and visit different tables around the Zoo, and they get a stamp. After so many stamps, the table at the front gives a temporary tatoo of a black bear, or a button pin that says "Audubon Zoo Endangered Species Day".

The Aquarium of the Americas has changed since it opened after Katrina, but with changes comes some new attractions. For the most part, the Aquarium looks just as it has for years. The same large, two-story fountain with metal scale that look like fish scales greets visitors as they enter through the front door. The gift shop to the right has a new appearance like being under the sea with more of a grotto and bright coral design. The Aquarium is open from 10am to 6pm Tuesday through Sunday. I think that they are closed on Mondays. Also, if you park in the parking lot that has a huge "Whale Wall" (off of Poydras, in the view of Harrah's), you can go to Information and get it stamped, so when you return to your car, you have $5 taken off the parking fee. Sure it's a good way to walk, but you're saving $5 on parking -- which is a good deal. Especially when you need to save money.

Some of the great views are the tunnel where fish and stingrays swim above your head and around you. The kiddies always seem to like this part, and pose for pictures. Further is more tanks of fish and eels, jarfish (yellow fishies), and a circular tank where a school of fish swims in one firection. By proceeding up the staircase beyond that is the Amazon Forest. A fun representation of the Amazon (along with a huge anaconda) and a kids treehouse to get a bird's eye view of the tanks, lush greenery, and a small grotto that makes for a great picture. Through a sliding glass doorway, penguins and tropical sharks are the next encounters of the deep. Next to the tanks is a huge mouth with big, sharp teeth that kids love to climb on and take pictures with.

Beyond this, seahorses and frogs are the next on the list. The frogs have their own chamber and a frog king to take pictures with behind Kermit the Frog (in a collage of Favorite and Famous Frogs). On the other side of the frogs are Ursula's eels, playful otters, and a glass cover that looks down on a huge tank of Carribean creatures (sharks, fish, stingrays). There is also a food court with ice cream, pizza, and Burger King. Further is a new playplace for kids where they can touch a shark, play on a pirate ship, take a picture as a mermaid, seal, or starfish. You can do this or continue to the Mississippi River section. A white alligator is the first creature you'll encounter below a Cajun cottage. Owls and hawks fly through the air as you look at the small tanks of fish. After this, you can take an elevator or walk down two flights of stairs into the Carribean waters section.

The Carribean water section has jellyfish, and the large tank that you viewed from the glass near the Otters. Now there's a larger view at all kinds of creatures existing in one tank. At 1pm, there's a show where brave divers go into this tank (with the sharks).

The Audubon Insectarium is located in the old Custom House building; it's this incredibly huge white federal building that is on the corner of Canal Street. There's a parking lot about a block a way that is the cheapest of all parking lots on Decatur Street, and if you bring your parking ticket in with you, they will validate your parking. I don't remember how much I paid for admission, but it was probably the same as what you would pay for the Audubon Zoo. However, if you're a season pass member, you get $5 tickets to this museum.

The ambiance is really focused on bugs. If you look at the chandeliers in the lobby, they have bug creations in them. The Museum is about thirteen rooms with more than 70 live animal enclosures. One room is where you'll find a blue crawfish (no kidding), and the next room is this underground cavern. The cavern is pretty dark, and is supposed to look like you are underground with worms and spiders. Parents with young children are cautioned about the big spider that jumps out on the right side in the dark. Some kids were terrified about going on, but it really wasn't scary when you enter from the left side first. Kids can also take a picture with a huge roundworm. Across from this room is a pantry closet. It's a typical closet with groceries --- and cockroaches! Kids can stick their heads through this plastic tube and take pictures in the pantry. There's also a history of cockroaches next to the pantry. Next to this is a French Quarter scene with a Volkswagon beetle that you can take pictures in. Continuing on you'll find a house that is being eaten away by termites, a swamp with baby alligators, and a interesting interactive computer that lets you create a bug. What you really need to see is the Awards Night, a theater where you learn about different bugs while on a ride that bounces you, and sprays a light mist. And the best for last: the Asian Garden. The butterflies that were once situated at the Audubon Zoo (where the Dinosaur Adventure is) now calls this room home. This is a pretty garden with butterflies floating all around, coi fish in a fountain, and a wooden Japanese house and deck.

If you're getting pretty hungry, then you can grab a bite (bugs are optional) at the Termidor Tiny Termite Cafe. It's very moderate in price, and located across from the French Quarter scene. They serve snacks for the kids and other meals in the front. In the back, you can try to sample some chocolate crickets or other bugs. I stuck with the bug-free food and sat down at a unique table. The tables each have some bug inside them. I sat at a silkworm table that showed the history of silk in Asia to today, and watched as a little silkworm was nibbling on a leaf.

Since you are in a federal building, it is actually against the law for you to take a butterfly out of the Garden. So, the Museum has designed special doors that open after five minutes and have special mirrors to see if you have any butterflies that wanted to see what the rest of the Big Easy is like. Luckily, there were no hitch hikers. You then enter the "Flea Market", the gift shop in the front of the Museum. Still keeping with the bug theme, you can find t-shirts, puzzles, games, picture frames, candy, and any bug-tastic souvenir imaginable. I bought a cute ladybug picture frame. Another place for a souvenir is near the Awards Night ride where you can make a picture of your name spelled in different kids of bugs for less than two dollars.

The St. Louis Cathedral has Masson Sunday at 10am and earlier. Once you enter the doors, you see a small area where candles can be lit for special occasions. Past this, a statue of an angel holds out the bowl of holy water, where you can see a gilded and spectacular altar. The ceiling is breathtaking. Designed in colorful scenes and Latin writing, you can see "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus: Dominous Deus Saboath." Or else, I think that's the last word. If you sit in the front pew on the left side, you can be on TV!

For those who don't know, the St. Louis Cathedral is a cemetery! It contains the remains of the only colonial governor buried in Louisiana. I'm not sure if that's who's under the small table, before the altar, where the priest says Mass, but there is somebody under there. Religious men and women, as well as the wealthy, were buried in this place. The first person to be buried was a French engineer by the name of Adrien de Pauger. The last person to be buried in these walls was the Archbishop Rummel in 1964.

I found out who was the Louisiana governor buried in the cathedral! Manuel Luis Gayoso, one of Spain's best diplomats. He had a short office from 1797 to 1799. He died at the age of 48 from yellow fever.

The Riverwalk is a great place to shop when you want to be near the Imax Theater, the Aquarium of the Americas, Harrah's Casino, and the Spanish Plaza and Moonwalk (the street that lines up near the Mississippi and stretches to the other side of the French Quarter). However, it is a tourist trap and some of the items are a bit pricy. Yet, you can find great bargains like a pack of peppermint gum that gives a person a shock when they reach for a piece from the toy store. There are many specialty stores like Louisiana items, clothes, shoes, food, coffees and beignets from Cafe Du Monde, and some restaurants.

Spanish Plaza is one of my favorite plazas because it always so lively and bustling. Dixieland jazz can be heard in the air. Kids love to play in the circular fountain that is the focal point of the square. The sidewalk (when coming from the Riverwalk to the Aquarium) is another one of my favorite things about the Plaza because it has black and red squares that creates a festive look. Although the square is busy, you can move closer to the Aquarium and Moonwalk and enjoy a peaceful afternoon watching the barges, the Carnival cruise line, and the steamboats coast by. Spanish Plaza is where you can sign up for many tours and boat rides. There is also a new tour with the Creole Queen that goes to Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World for $36 an adult, $21 for kids. During this trip, you get an hour tour of the Mardi Gras floats factory.

Nestled on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, you can find the Lafitte Blacksmith Shop. It's a small, one-story building that belonged to the infamous privateer, Jean Lafitte, and his brother Pierre. He's not a pirate as some might love to call him. This local haunt is on the haunted history tours as a magical bar where you can see Jean's eyes stare back at you. Also, it was one of Tennessee Williams's favorite places to hear the piano music of Miss Lillian. When I went they were remodeling the place, but this is absolutely a must-see stop, especially if you're on Bourbon. Who knows? You might see Jean staring back at you.

On the corner of Toulouse and Decatur Streets is Cafe Maspero, where Andrew Jackson discussed plans for the Battle of New Orleans with Privateer Jean Lafitte. I arrived just when the restaurant opened at 10 or 11am. It's always better to get there when it opens, because lines tend to wrap around the building until 1pm. The restaurant is surrounded by French doors that can open on humid days and a bar with a variety of drinks. Brick columns stand in the middle of the room with paintings, and there is even a wall portrait of the city on the back wall. The restaurant served Creole, New Orleans-style dishes.

The Court of Two Sisters is surrounded by the antique shops and boutiques of Royal Street in the French Quarter. If you want to have an enjoyable dining experience and be surrounded by New Orleans culture, this is the place to be. I recommend that you make reservations before you go because this restaurant is made popular because of its World Famous Jazz Brunch. You have the option of sitting outside in the cobblestone courtyard (under multi-colored umbrellas) as you listen to a lively jazz band, or eating inside and looking out from the windows surrounding the courtyard. There's also a stone fountain in the middle of the courtyard that sounds almost like a tranquil rain. This brunch is from 9am to 3pm.

You can find such foods like omlets, eggs benedict, sausage, bacon, grits, jambalaya, and crawfish or shrimp pasta. There's a carving station, bakery, and an incredibly huge dessert table. I want to say that the price for the brunch is about $25 per person, but it is worth every penny. They also give you souvenir paper fans with the restaurant's logo and history to remember your dining experience. In addition, there is an old-time bar, a dining room, and a special gate that if you touch it it brings you good luck or something. It's the first gate you come to.

There are many things to do on St. Charles Street like dining at the fabulous restaurants, check out the Visitors Center (or take a picture in front of the largest fleur-de-lis on the block), shop at the boutiques, and even take a ride on the streetcar. But nothing is more common than seeing the Uptown mansions and buildings. These are somewhat similar to the buildings of the French Quarter; however, they are copied after many European and antebellum styles. In the past, these were the extravagant homes of the wealthy Creoles of New Orleans, the upper crust of society.

You can see St. Charles in two ways, in my opinion. The first is to eat at either the Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro or Cannon's that have their own on-site parking so after a meal you can explore the street. The second way is to catch a ride on the streetcar from Canal, or at any stop along St. Charles Avenue. I don't think to ride the streetcar is too expensive; perhaps less than three dollars or so.

If you decide to visit New Orleans in October, you'll find that there's a lot to do, and in so little of time. Throughout the month of October, I recommend going to the French Market along Decatur Street and South Peters. The Market is a whirlwind of colors during this time, and you can easily find cute little and huge pumpkins as souvenirs of your excursion. Also, from October 8th to October 24th, 2010, The Historic New Orleans Collection at 533 Royal Street is hosting a Halloween-inspired tour called "Historic Haunts: The Myths and Legends of Vieux Carre" that costs $5.00 a person. The tour starts at 2pm. You can get more information on the tour by calling (504) 523-4662. For most tour prices in the city, this is a great price, and I would highly recommend taking advantage of this.

If you find yourself in the city the weekend of October 16th - 17th, 2010, there's two interesting events going on. The Botanical Gardens in City Park (Mid-City) has their Fall and Garden Show that costs $6 for adults, $3 for kids ages 5-12, and kids under 5 and Friends of City Park are free. From 10am to 4pm, you'll find plant sales and exhibits, educational programs, plant health clinics, kids discovery center, and a Scarecrow Garden Trail. The Botanical Gardens is a must-see attraction in October, and in Christmas (Christmas in the Oaks Celebration). Also, in the French Quarter, the Patio Planters is having a "Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carre Tour" where you'll be able to see private courtyard gardens that aren't open to the public. This tour costs $20.00 per person, and children under 12 are free. One of the many things that makes the French Quarter unique is its courtyard gardens.

If you're not interested in seeing plants and courtyards, and looking for a spooky experience, then you might want to test your courage at the Haunted Mortuary in New Orleans. I went a year ago before Halloween. The Blood Center was there offering visitors the option of skipping ahead of the line for donating blood, and the line wasn't that long around 5pm. The group that I went with spent about $20.00 a person, and was disappointed because we had discounted coupons from the website that we couldn't use. Another thing I wished the Mortuary had done differently was not rush everyone in and out. There's three floors to this actual mortuary, so you're constantly going up stairs, around long and dark corridors, and back downstairs. You really didn't get to enjoy the artwork and spooky decorations that were throughout the House. What I didn't see, the person behind me saw, and vice versa. According to my relatives, the scariest moment was seeing a white monster coming out a dirty toilet and bathroom in the basement. She told the poor janitor who worked there that she didn't want his job, and she felt sorry for him. If we were in the House ten minutes, it was long enough.

If you're looking for something to do Halloween weekend, you have two options. The Voodoo Music Experience is Halloween weekend in City Park, where you'll find many bands, food, and music. Ozzy Osborne, Kermit Ruffins, Macy Gray, and Weezer are some of the bands lined up for this year. There's also many booths and a beautifully designed stage. And finally, Saints fans get your Who Dat shirts, and get your tailgating items together because there's a Saints game on Halloween night at the Superdome.

During the last weekend in October, City Park becomes home to the Voodoo Experience. Half of the park is transformed into six stages of non-stop music; a unique craft, merchandise, and art market; and a row of New Orleans' famous foods. When you go to buy your tickets, I would buy them online rather than get them at the front gate because they're cheaper online. A day ticket is about $60, a three-day pass is $150, and tickets to the Loa Lounge is about $500 (not sure if this is per day or the weekend price).

The two most popular stages are in the Le Ritual Section: Sony's Make Believe Stage and the Voodoo Main Stage. Major headliners like Weezer, Muse, My Morning Jacket, and Ozzy Osborne performed here. If you're willing to spend a lot of money and want the best seats to see these two stages, then you might want to get a weekend or day pass to the Loa Lounge. It's a V.I.P lounge that has a second story balcony view, a place to get a free hair makeover from Garnier Frutis, and any drink you want. If you travel south to these stages, you'll come to the next stage, Le Plur, the electronica/DJ music stage. Some artists this weekend were The Crystal Method DJ Set, Afrojack, Paul Oakenfold, and Deadmau5.

Across the way from Le Plur, you can hear more recognizable New Orleans-style music at the Preservation Hall. The actual Preservation Hall band performed this weekend, as well as the Treme Brass Band, Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show, and the Honey Island Swamp Band. Next to Preservation Hall in the Le Flambeau area is the SOCO (Southern Comfort)/ WWOZ stage. The music here is a variety of rock, some soul, Louisiana music, and jazz. I was able to see Macy Gray and the Voice of the Wetlands All Stars (with Dr. John, a famous New Orleans musician)here.

If you go north from the SOCO/WWOZ stage, you'll get distracted by Sony's Bloggie Borrow Bar, where you can borrow a Bloggie touch camera for free and upload your Voodoo Experience pictures online. Next to it is also the PlayStation Headquarters where you can play the new Move motion controller with the latest 3D action. Sign in and you could win several prizes. If you're not interested in video games, or uploading photos to the web, you head into Le Carnival where there's the Bingo! stage, the Miller Lite Rock N' Roll Karaoke and Sports Bar, and Nola Foods Experience. Nola Foods has specialties from Cafe Navarre, Rebirth Foods, the Mellow Mushroom, the Hard Rock Cafe, and some other restaurants. The Bingo! Stage had acts like The Vettes, and the Fleur de Tease Burlesque Revue.

Although most of the festival-goers were mostly adults, Voodoo also welcomes children of any age. Children under ten years old get in free. On Saturday and Sunday from 4pm, VooBoo is open to children and invites them to get their face painted, play with hula hoops, get a new hairdo at the Rock N' Roll Hair Salon, and make plenty of crafts. VooBoo is next to Le Plur. And for older children, at the Toyota Prius Playground, you can generate enough energy on a see-saw to power an ice machine to make a snowball, and ride a bike to charge a cell phone.

Everyone in New Orleans isn't buried in the ground. Early settlers to the city found that out the hard way. Since the French aboveground tomb was popular in France, New Orleans decided to build aboveground tombs. The aboveground tombs were built together with the narrow alleys between them (almost like a city). Also, when France gave New Orleans to the Spanish, the Spanish built wall ovens since it was a growing custom in Spain. The wall ovens make up the 9-foot walls. The aboveground tombs are decaying, but organizations such as the Save Our Cemeteries are making efforts to save them.

St. Louis Cemeteries One and Two is not the only ones in the city. There is also Greenwood Cemetery that has a monument dedicated to the firefighters of the city, and just a few miles away is the Lakelawn Cemetery. Lakelawn Cemetery is unique because you can find the infamous Josie Arlington's "red tomb" that supposedly turns red at night, and the Hymes-Chapman tomb with the Weeping Angel. The Weeping Angel is a marble statue of an angel inside the tomb, and has a blue stained glass window above her. You can also find two other interesting tombs here. The first is the Egyptian-style pyramid tomb that is interesting to look at, and the second is the David Hennessey's tomb. David Hennessey was the police chief who was allegedly gunned down by the Italian mafia in the 1900s. No one knows for sure, and most New Orleanians still ask "Who killed da chief?" Anyway, he has a statue on a raised hill of earth, and unfortunately not only did Hennessey loose his life, he [the statue] lost his head.

When I was walking down Royal Street, closer to the Mississippi River side, I saw this curious black post that had the Haunted History Tour sticker on it. I had bought their book a few weeks ago, and went and looked up the gray house on the corner of Royal and Governor Nicholls. The LaLaurie House is one of the infamous haunted houses in the city.

Delphine LaLaurie had a bad childhood as she watched as her parents were murdered by slaves. Later in life, her and her physician husband came to own several slaves, and many of them of them were victims of cruel medical experiments, brutally beaten, and tortured in the attic. What led to her dirty secret being revealed was her desire for extravagant things -- throwing cocktail parties and inviting many guests. The night of April 10, 1834, a fire breaks out in the house. The slaves could have possibly started it while Madame LaLaurie was entertaining her guests. Screams and cries came from the attic. Firemen came and broke down the door to discover numerous slaves chained to the wall, and the smell of death was overwhelming. One woman was able to break free of her shackles, but ran in fear when she saw the firemen come in. She thought they were coming to hurt her, so she jumped out of the window and plunged to her death.

When the survivors were being removed from the house, her guests grew angry and began to ransack the house. LaLaurie and her husband and children escaped from the mob, disappearing from New Orleans entirely. It is said that on Halloween night, those who gather in front of the house can still see a ghostly woman who screams as she falls to her death.

One of the architectural wonders of the city is the Cities of the Dead. When the city was first built, the St. Louis Cemetery was positioned on the outskirts of town. New Orleanians quickly found they couldn't bury their dead because, being below sea level, water would fill in their holes and push coffins and dearly departed loved ones out of the cemetery, and into the city streets. Not the best sight to see in the morning, the Catholic Church advised that a nine foot wall be built along with French and Spanish-style tombs. If you look above the cemetery, it almost looks like an intricate little city with its buildings, walls, and statues. Thus, being nicknamed the Cities of the Dead.

St. Louis Number One is located on Basin Street, a block above Rampart Street. There are three must-see tombs here. The first is the marble and largest in the cemetery, "Hex Tomb", or the Italian Mutual Benevolent Society Tomb. The story behind the Hex Tomb is the man who designed it, architect Pietro Gualdi, was the first to "test out" the mausoleum, and the Italian Society president's son was the second buried here. The second must-see is Marie Laveau's tomb. Although her tomb says her name, she's not resting here, but most people seem to think she is. Her tomb is easily recognizable with a bunch of "X's" on it. The third sight is chest champion, Paul Morphy's, tomb who was born at the Beauregard-Keyes house in the French Quarter.

St. Louis Number Two is located on Esplanade Avenue. This cemetery is much bigger, and has paved roads in between than the dirt trails of the St. Louis Number One.

Christmas in the Oaks is a locally popular holiday attraction, and a must-see for any visitor who arrives during the holiday season. It is a perfect event to see with a special someone, with their kids, or with family. School choirs and bands come to perform at City Park (exactly in the same spot where the Voodoo Festival takes place), and also allows schools to decorate their own themed Christmas tree. The driving tour was canceled, so now visitors can walk around the Botanical Gardens and Storyland for $7 a person. Christmas in the Oaks is open during the week from 6pm-10pm, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm-11pm. I also suggest buying your tickets online that way you won't have to wait in the extremely long line to get in.

Carousel Gardens, or the Botanical Gardens, is the first section of the park to see. The gardens has fountains, a pond with incredibly large lilly pads, and large oak trees. All are illuminated by millions of lights. There are also conservatories where a 20-foot christmas tree is made out of pointsettias, more indoor plants can be seen, and is very warm when you're freezing. You can also find Pere Noel in the Gardens telling his story of A Cajun's Night Before Christmas. In addition to botanical gardens and snack booths, there's also an artists village, a section for toy trains and historic buildings, an amusement park with rides and ice skating (by Mr. Bingle, the white snowman - for an extra fee), and new for 2010 is the Dripping Tree, a historic oak with 40,000 lights on it. The Tree is dripping with lights that make it look like it's snowing. Near the Dripping Tree is a special show that has Harry Connick, Jr's music and a laser light show. My mom loves Harry Connick, Jr., and wouldn't let us leave this section until we saw the show about three times.

Near the Botanical Gardens is Storyland, a kids place where stories come to life. You can go inside Pinnochio's whale's mouth and see all of his teeth, play on a pirate ship with Wendy and Peter Pan, find the wolf who was trying to eat Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother, see the castle, take a picture inside a pumpkin-shaped carriage, three houses that were built by Three Little Pigs, and find Ariel sitting in the middle of a wishing fountain. There is also a fire truck and a large dragon that has a back and tongue that function like a slide.

Enjoy holiday treats, such as hot chocolate offered at the concession stand. The CDM Coffee Christmas Cafe can warm you up with their cafe-au-laits or buttered rum. They also serve jumbalaya, gumbo, crawfish pasta, and bread pudding. The Broken Egg Cafe has freshly baked cinnamin roles, gourmet muffins, and biscuits with gravy. This is located in the Botanical Gardens, near the Conservatory of the Two Sisters. The botanical gardens (the official name is Carousel Gardens) are filled with thousands of lights streaming from trees and fountains.

For the Christmas season 2010, The Walking Tour (which includes the beautiful botanical gardens, Storyland (kids theme park), and Carousel Gardens amuseument park will be $7.00 a ticket for adults. Children under 3 get in free. If you're in New Orleans during the holiday season, this is a must-see!

"Who Dat". It's the two words since 2009 that united and inspired everyone within the city of New Orleans and those on the Gulf Coast to believe in the Saints Football Team.

The Saints are the Champions of Super Bowl XLIV 2010, and have more than a dozen songs to encourage "the Boys". They made the artists of the Times Picayune sketch historic New Orleans radio host who passed away in 2005, Buddy DeLiberto, in a dress (like he promised if the Saints ever won). This is much different attire from the brown lunch bag he encouraged fans to wear when the Saints lost their games. Of course, some Louisiana historians believe the real reason why the Saints never won was because the Superdome and the New Orleans Shopping Arena was built over the Girod Street Cemetery, and some of the bodies were never moved. But New Orleans' prayers were answered: the Saints are World Champions. They gave the city hope for the better when Katrina tried her best to destroy that, and they gave us (or Tom Benson) the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

New Orleanians love to celebrate any occassion - and this was one of them. During the Super Bowl weekend in February, massive crowds gathered in the French Quarter to celebrate in the city (since we party much differently than those Floridians). Mardi Gras parades and their "Who Dat" theme was commonplace. The streets were bathed with black and gold. And after the Super Bowl on a Tuesday February 9th, there was another parade that was given (even if the Saints hadn't won) in the deep winter cold. Even now in the beginning of pre-season games, New Orleans is proud of their "Boys" and is excited about another season. So, if you're in New Orleans and someone tells you "Who Dat" with a toothy smile, they're not asking the name of the person you're with.

Gelato Pazzo Cafe is a family-owned and operated restaurant and Italian ice cream parlor on Oak Street, not too far from the Stop N' Whistle store. It has paninis, salads, Italian coffee, and gelato. The gelato flavors are written in Italian, but, luckily for those who aren't fluent in Italian, you can tell what the flavors are by the pictures. For a large cup of gelato, it's under five dollars. The other gelato sizes are medium and baby. The shop is decorated in a bright and colorful atmosphere with a red silk canopy above the seating area, and large windows where the sunlight pours through. Pictures of Italian scenery decorate the wall, and chess trophys are above the counter. I'm not sure why they have chess trophies displayed, but I assume that they are very proud of this accomplishment.

Oak Street is a quaint echo of Magazine Street with its bustling little shops and cafe life, except more north from the Mississippi River. There's not many parking options; you can park on the sides of the street or on the side streets. Some parking spots are pay by the hour, but if you go further down the street, you can find free parking spots. Skip N' Whistle is, in my opinion, one of the best off-the-beaten-path souvenir clothing stores because their unique apparel that captures bits and pieces of New Orleans heritage. They are open on Tuesday through Friday from 11am to 6pm, and Saturday from 10am to 7pm.

With pre-season beginning for the Saints, New Orleans' football team, fans have been scouring the streets for new Saints shirts. I went to Stop N' Whistle for the most unique Saints shirt: the 1825 Tulane girl that says "Who Dat" on the front. The little girl once sang 1825 Tulane to advertise a New Orleans business is popular among the locals, and you can even find another t-shirt of her here. Besides this "girly" shirt, you can find other humorous shirts supporting the boys in black and gold.

Other shirts can be found here. You can find a Jax Brewery shirt (the symbol for the Jackson Brewery on Decatur Street), shirts that say NOLA, McKenzie Bakery and K&B Drug Store shirts, fleur de lis, and much more. Ask to look at different binders if you don't see what you like in the store. Also, if you like the print on the shirt but not the color, the staff can make you a brand new shirt in that color in five minutes! For souvenir shopping where you want to take a bit of New Orleans culture home, this is the place to be!

The Degas House is the home of Edgar Degas' uncle Michele Musson. Degas came to New Orleans around 1872-1873. During this time, he was redefining himself as a painter and was having eye problems. In New Orleans, the city was recovering from the Civil War. During his stay in New Orleans, he did family portraits of his cousins. Estelle was his great model. Edgar's brother Renee married Musson's Estelle, who was blind and had children with her. Unfortunately, the neighbor on Tonti Street caught his attention and he abandoned Estelle and her children for the neighbor woman who would read to his wife. Musson was so upset at Renee that he legally adopted Estelle's children and changed their name to Musson, never mentioning Degas again.

The bed and breakfast room is in the second building that leads upstairs. The rooms are very cozy and luxurious. The Estelle Room is done in a deep burgundy with a Jacuzzi tub. Another room is like a little girl's room in cream and white. The best was this one bedroom that had a large window where you could look out on Esplanade from the balcony where Degas once painted his cousin Mathilde. The balcony is slanted so you do have to be careful.

There are tours that can be conducted through both houses that are both educational and exciting. Since Estelle was blind, schoolchildren were blindfolded and had to find their way to the other parlor or the hall. Plus, since Degas was nearly blind, we also got to make a sculpture blindfolded. There was a theory that said it was a family defect since Estelle and Edgar were blind, but Degas was into art and the oils and chemicals was the cause of his eye problems. If you're into art and New Orleans history, this is a place not to miss.

Elevators and moving stairs decorate the walls along with the beautiful carnival paintings between sofas and capitols. You can pick from several restaurants, and there's also a new John Besh Italian cusine restaurant. They also opened up the Sazerac Bar where you can try several drinks from the early days of the Roosevelt. Two new features to this hotel are Teddy's, a sweets and pastry shop, and the rooftop pool and bar. Christmas time is always a great sight because the halls are lined with trees, ice, snowflakes, and gives the appearance of a winter wonderland.

Towards the back of the long hall was a restaurant. The breakfast is cheap, but lunch and dinner are more expensive. A gift shop is near the back doors, which leads down a street. By moving up the street, you'll find yourself on busy Canal Street and near a Walgreens. A great spot during Mardi Gras season when you can catch a parade, and get an icepack for the incredibly large bead that was hummed at your head. Plus, you're in walking distance of Deanie's Seafood, another great New Orleans restaurant.

When I was younger, my grandmother made me listen to the oldies. Eventually, as I got older, I started to like the oldies and Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville was one of them. My French Club and I found the place wasn't crowded, so we went in.

We were really going to Cafe Maspero, but the colorful place caught my teacher's eye. There are brilliant colors with all of his songs. There is a beach house (Creole cottage is what it looks like) on the moon, a plane with spinning wings, and a margarita glass above pirates and sharks.

The menu ranges from $10 to at least $20 to cover one's meal. They offer hamburgers, the Cajun Pasta Alfredo, "Come Monday" Red Beans and Rice, quesadillas, a Caesar Salad, Volcano nachos, and huge po-boys to name a few. The portions are quite small, except for the po-boy and plate of gumbo.

The best spot was near the window, where you could see the French Market area. Also, the chairs and tables were beautiful. The tables had maps with pictures of him, and the chairs had sayings and songs. I sat in the "Treat Her Like A Lady" while across from me someone sat in the "Big Rig". Near my right was "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes".

Every night at 5 and later there is always some musician playing. If you want to waste away in Margaritaville, this is the place.

Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro is one of my favorite restaurants on St. Charles Avenue. It also has free valet parking, and has really interesting booths that are shaped like a croissant. There are many things to eat from here. Appetizers are spinach and artichoke dip and creamy crabcakes. Entrees are several varieties of brick-oven pizzas, salads, soups, California wraps, burgers, steaks, seafood platters, and sandwiches. Then, of course, for dessert, comes the cheesecake! My favorite is the Signature Cheesecake, which has white chocolate strawberries and strawberry sauce. Other deserts include white chocolate bread pudding, fudge brownies, German chocolate cake, banana split, and carrot cake. Coffee and expresso drinks are also served. Not as pricy as other restaurants, but perhaps it would cost about $20.00-$30.00 a person.

Antoine's had been family-owned ever since it opened. I knew the Queen of Shangri-La 31st, so she was hosting a party in one of its dining rooms. Antoine's is known for its superior service. There are six dining rooms. My favorites are the Japan Room, the Mystery Room, and Roy Alciatore Room. The gumbo the waiters served was great! The food was New Orleans-style, with gumbo and seafood dishes. And the staff is more than happy to give a free tour of the restaurant, which I highly recommend is a must to-do in New Orleans.

To get to the Roy Alciatore and Japan Room, you enter from the front room. The room is bright and has reflecting mirrors on both walls. A slit on the right-side wall is a staircase where you walk up to go to the dining rooms. The Japan Room had lanterns and was decorated in an Oriental flair. Roy Alciatore hadn't been used, since it was December of 2004, so it contained a large picture of one of the family members and views of the street where the Kesto Club was. Downstairs, if you go straight back and take a right, there's a ladies' restroom and the Mystery Room behind it.

Ladies, during prohibition, would go into the restroom, go through a secret tunnel to "the Mystery Room", and get drunk. The men never knew what was going on, thus the Mystery Room. Sadly, the tunnel is boarded up, but the Mystery Room is there.

Other dining rooms like the 1840 Room (where the family ate on Sunday), the Comus Room (of the Krewe of Comus), and other rooms are near it. Despite having to pay very much, the food and service is excellent, and so is exploring this restaurant.

Established in 1906, the Central Grocery Co. is a blast from the past. The Italian delicatessen has world-famous muffalettas. When you enter through the small, old-world store's doors and stand in a line, wrapping around a variety of items,you gaze around the charming grocery. Posters written in Italian display Italian cities. Toward the back is a row of bars and stools with drink machines, decorated with pictures of celebrities who have tried a muffaletta. One famous star is Henry Winkler, and his picture is near the counter on the right side. Next to him is Bob Hope and his wife Dolores. A muffaletta is a sandwich made with ham, olives, and cheese, which creates a mouth-watering taste. The guy who first made these made them in his house. The bread was mulutto bread or something like that. In one newspaper article, it was said these sandwiches were as important as the St. Louis Cathedral and the Super Bowl. This is absolutely a highlight of any French Quarter tour.

I have to have my muffaletta! Locals and few tourists know this secret place exists. It looks like a grocery store in front, and some people pass it up without ever knowing what's inside. Whenever I go to the French Quarter, I always take the time to visit this place. My favorite spot is near Henry Winkler's picture. Who doesn't like the Fonz? A half of the sandwich is $5 or 6, and the whole is either $10 or $12 dollars. It has a drink machine to fight the heat, a Tv to watch sports on, and a restroom.

Since 1862, this French coffee stand has been serving cafe au laits and beignets, French powdered doughnuts. The Cafe is near the Jackson Square. I went to mass at the St. Louis Cathedral around eleven o'clock one Sunday evening and ate beignets afterwards. Coffee with chicory and half hot milk is also served. It is open 24 hours daily. Early morning crowds flood the place until after 11am or so. I recommend coming early or try to fight the crowds. The waiters move around quickly and the outdoor section has its tables close together, so watch out that you don't collide into them. When trying a beignet, don't wear any fancy clothing or anything that could get stained unless plenty of napkins are at hand. The beignets are covered with sugar and can be pretty messy. I know this from personal experience.

Of all the streets in the French Quarter, Decatur Street is one that you cannot miss. Once called Levee Street until 1870, the street was named after Commodore Stephen Decatur in the US Navy who became a hero because of his tactics against Algerian pirates at Tripoli on the notthern coast of Africa. There are many things to see and do on this street:

1. At the heart of New Orleans, you'll find the Jackson Square, a bronze statue of Andrew Jackson, the hero of the Battle of New Orleans/ War of 1912, and the St. Louis Cathedral.

2. Even if you're not Catholic, the Cathedral is an amazing sight to see with its art and architecture.

3. On the sides of the St. Louis Cathedral are Pirate's Alley, a once black market to the pirates of New Orleans, the Cabildo, and the Presbytere.

4. The orange and white buildings on the sides of the Jackson Square are the Pontabla Buildings named after the Baroness Pontabla who survived being shot by her father-in-law. If you look closely, in the wrought-iron lacework, you can see the initials "AP". Her maiden name, Almonaster, and her married name, Pontabla. A little lagniappe: the Baroness had a crush on Andrew Jackson, and it was said that he wouldn't return her affections, or even tip his hat to her. The Baroness got the last laugh because the Jackson Statue now forever tips his hat at her (buildings).

5. Restaurants are plentiful on Decatur Street! Central Grocery Co. has your muffalattas and other Italian items. The Hard Rock Cafe has your typical American meal with hamburgers, steaks, salads, and cheesecake. Cafe Maspero is a New Orleans favorite for its red beans and rice, and other creole dishes. Cafe du Monde has your powdered sugar doughnuts called beignets, hot chocolate, and coffees.

6. There is plenty of shopping opportunities on Decatur. The Jax Brewery has a large shopping mall with restaurants. Some souvenir stores coexist on Decatur, but my two favorites are Jazz Funeral and House of Voodoo because of the selection and great prices.

7. House of Voodoo is a must-see store. As a shop for the paranormal enthusiasts with t-shirts, cups, and everything else as a souvenir from love and voodoo kits to Mardi Gras beads, the back of the shop is what you need to see. The back wall has a scene of a New Orleans' cemetery. The shop has a restroom, but I doubt you'd want to you use since a skeleton (who wasn't a customer) eternally occupies it. The shop Jazz Funeral, further down from the Brewery, has its own eerie carriage with a skeletal driver. And he makes a great postcard to send home to friends.

8. If you follow Decatur Street, it will turn into North Peters, and you begin to see the French Market. Another interesting place to buy souvenirs, but some may be pricey than others. Also, keep your purses and wallets where you can see them.

The Italians of New Orleans used to sell their goods in the French Market. Why it was called French instead of Italian is possibly because New Orleans was founded by the French.

The French Market has much to offer. The market sells food products such as pralines (you have to try it), city books, and other things as you progress through the lanes. A praline is a type of candy that makes your mouth water. Once you try one, it has you addicted, like chocolate. Aunt Loretta's Praline Shop, where you can buy chocolate, regular, and other kinds of pralines, is in the French Market. The prices at the French Market and Flea Market are determined by the vendors. Oriental souvenirs, purses, wallets, sunglasses, clothes, and anything else that would be a perfect souvenir can be found here, but some of the items can be pricy. A major suggestion would be to keep purses near you and watch out for pickpockets because of the narrow squeeze when you first enter.

The Shops at Canal Place is located across the street from the Audubon Insectarium, and Harrah's Casino. It is actually attached to the Westin Hotel, and has three floors of upscale shopping boutiques, a food court, and a movie theater. The shops included are Saks Fifth Avenue, Mignon Faget, New Orleans Knots, Mrs. Field's Cookie Company, and so much more.

The Theaters at Canal Place has been revamped since May of 2010. With comfortable high back red leather seats, digital surround sound projectors, and a personal waiter to bring guests anything from a cosmopolitan to a full-course Mediterranean meal when you press a magical button on the seat. Situated on the third floor for guests‘ convenience is a small kiosk that is waiting for patrons of the Theaters to buy their tickets to see either Hollywood‘s latest flick, an independent movie, a tribute to an artist, or several foreign films. Tickets can also be purchased online, and usually ranges from ten to twelve dollars for a movie.

If a patron wants to really live it up like a millionaire, the Theaters has an attached restaurant that will prepare a culinary meal or snack, and will serve the traditional movie foodies like popcorn and candy too. The attached restaurant is Chef Adolfo Garcia’s Gusto. The Chef has three other restaurants that was has received many high remarks from New Orleans Magazine, and the Times Picayune. Interestingly enough, Chef Garcia holds the record to be named Best New Chef and later became the Chef of the Year by New Orleans Magazine.

For those who come for dinner and a movie, the Theaters ask that they arrive thirty minutes before their show. Besides being a restaurant, Gusto has a bar as well. Some of the specialty drinks include the Pumpkin Alexander, a concoction of brandy, cream, pumpkin, and praline liqueur; as well as the Gusto Café, a blend of Dutch chocolate liqueur, crème de menthe, Irish whiskey, and can be served as hot or cold. For those who prefer a virgin drink, there is Italian sodas, house-brewed teas, café au lait, and expresso.

A quick way to get to Royal Street is by walking to the St. Louis Cathedral, moving through one of its narrow alleys. I'd suggest Pirate's Alley, the alley near the Cabildo, because of its historical value. Pirate's Alley was named after Jean Lafitte, the pirate (privateer) who assisted Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans. The alley has the William Faulkner bookstore and a look at the Pere Antoine's Gardens. When dueling for gambling dets or a pretty woman, Frenchmen of high class would duel with swords to the death in this garden. The Americans were in City Park. Royal Street is called Antique Row, and Rue Royale (Royal Street in French).

The gate surrounding the Garden is where local artists sell their paintings. The street has so much to offer. The charming, quaint antiques shops are in a variety. Scriptura is for invitations and fancy paper. Rodriguez's Studio is where you can see paintings of the legendary Blue Dog on posters. T-shirts and souvenirs can also be bought here. Madam LaLaurie's House and the mansion on Royal and Ursulines are two of my favorite houses. The woman Delphine LaLaurie beat her slaves, which was a big scandal for this elite woman. One of the slaves she starved and tortured in the attic lit the house on fire, letting firemen and cocktail party guests reveal her secret. The LaLauries escaped out of New Orleans.

The house on the corners of Royal and Ursulines is the house of Count de St. Germain. The story goes, the man who was a descendant of an 18th-century alchemist. Two girls were lured to his house. The older young lady was charmed by him, and the younger girl didn't know what he was doing to her sister, so she went home to tell their parents. When the parents came, it was too late. The girl was bitten, and St. Germain was nowhere to be found. She died in Charity Hospital and was one of many victims, by the blood types kept in his mixed wine and blood collections.

New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is an exciting place to see different styles of art from all around the globe. Many of the traveling exhibits often showcase food, dancing, paintings, photographs, sculptures, movies, and even a celebration day of a heritage from around the world. One culture I remember was a Japanese Heritage Day that had drummers in front of the steps, the Kaminiari Taiko (I think), that played ceremonial drums. Inside was anime cartoons in one corner, a Bonsai display, Ikebana (flower arrangements), a place where they wrote your name in Japanese, and dancers called the Kozakura Japan (classical Japanese dancing).

Anyway, recently in March 2010, NOMA welcomed a new exhibit that everyone from all ages could enjoy. The Dreams Come True: The Art of the Classic Fairy Tales from the Walt Disney Studio had come to New Orleans. I loved seeing the early sketches of what beloved characters we grew up with would later become. The exhibit also showed what went into making the movies of Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, and even Princess and the Frog. What was equally interesting was the names behind the characters in Princess and the Frog. Tianna, the main character, also happens to be the name of former New Orleans mayor's, Ray Nagin, daughter. And there's a fire fly who lives in the Louisiana bayous named Ray. Coincidence?

Throughout the year, you can find other treasures at NOMA. There are three floors all together. The first floor has Italian art from the 15th to 18th century and Dutch and Flemish art of the 17th century. The second floor has French art, decorative glass, photographs and prints and drawings, European art, American art, Louisiana art, contemporary art, and American furniture, and Faberge eggs! The third floor has Asian art, oceanic art, African art, and Native American art. The Courtyard Cafe has a great view, looking out at a lake near the museum.

NOMA is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Thursday is 12:30am to 8:30pm. The museum is closed all legal holidays and Mondays. Children (3-17) are $4, students (full-time) are $7, senior citizens (65+) are $7, and adults are $8.

Pirate's Alley is the quaint little alley between the St. Louis Cathedral and Cabildo that has some interesting history about it. The alley was where pirates and privateers sold their goods here. A famous privateer (not pirate) would be Jean Lafitte. Some people find it very interesting how the black market was in between the Governor's Mansion, and the St. Louis Cathedral. Today, you can stroll down the quaint, narrow cobblestone alley.

A cafe where a tour meets is next to William Faulkner Book House. The Book House is very small. I'm not kidding when I mean small. An adult elephant could fit inside the room. The books there are pricy. This is the place where I first bought my first Anne Rice novel. Behind the Cathedral is the Pere Antoine's Garden where a garden is surrounded by an iron gate. The garden was where the Frenchmen dueled. Early in the mornings, it is said you can still hear the metal clanging--swords clashing for a gambling debt or a woman. This little alley, which was once a black market area, is a shortcut to get from Decatur Street to Royal. And at night, you can sometimes see ghosts of men walking down the alley. Until they walk past you, you'd never think you have just seen a ghost.

After cutting through Pirate's Alley to get to Royal Street, you see a picture of a blue dog. Don't be frightened. The Blue Dog is known throughout New Orleans as a creation of George Rodrigue.

George Rodrigue, a Cajun painter, began painting the landscapes of beautiful Arcadia and followed with the cultural scenes of Cajuns and their way of life. Then, he had an idea. Based on his beloved pet Tiffany, Rodrigue wanted to paint a picture of a scary loup garou (a Cajun werewolf) that inhabited the marshes of Arcadia. In the first picture, the artist painted a grayish-blue dog at night that many people said was actually blue, hence the Blue Dog was born. A series of many paintings featuring the Blue Dog is here.

Rodrigue's other pictures included the Arcadian culture as well as a few portraits of Pete Fountain and other famous people. Since he painted everything Arcadian, he even has an Arcadian Ambulance in one of his many pictures.

The office is very small, with posters hanging from the wall and in a rack. You can browse and see the dog almost anywhere: on a dollar bill, the Venus painting when she's in the middle of a clam, and in a picture with Louis Armstrong. The gallery offers signed and numbered silkscreen prints, as well as original works throughout the artist's career.

In 1788, New Orleans was a prospering city. This story takes place on Good Friday, or March 21st. For Vincent Jose Nunez, the military treasurer for New Orleans, he was really having a bad day. In his home on Chartres Street, a block away from the St. Louis Cathedral, a fire broke out when the wind blew a lace curtain over a candle on his private altar. In only a short time the entire house was ablaze, and a strong wind caused the fire to spread rapidly. So rapidly that it spread to the entire city block was quickly engulfed in flames.

Explosions caused storage of gun powder and ammunition in private homes caused the fire to leap across the city streets from one place to another. By nightfall, four-fifths of New Orleans (865 structures) lay in smoldering ashes. When Pere Antoine, pastor of the St. Louis Cathedral (who has his own garden in the back of the Cathedral that is named after him), was advised of the fire asked to ring the bell in the church tower, which also served as a fire bell, he stated that church regulations ruling Good Friday services did not allow for the ringing of the bell on the anniversary of the day that Christ died.

It was a perfect time to ring the bell, but they didn't. Instead of citizens running out to put out the fire (no professional fire departments were at that time) upon hearing the fire bell, the flames moved from square to square. The only structure that was spared and is still standing today is the Ursuline Convent. This was in thanks to the quick action of Pere Antoine. He directed a bucket brigade of about a dozen men on the roof of the convent. They were able to keep the roof of the convent wet and extinguish any stray embers from the fire that landed thereon. The St. Louis Cathedral was not so lucky; it burned to the ground.

After the fire of 1788, the Spanish, who owned Louisiana at the time, rebuilt the city. They of course used their own Spanish style of architecture; thus, the French Quarter is more Spanish than French, architecturally.