Amtrakking it to the Big Easy

Hotel St. Marie is a sister hotel to the Prince Conti and the Place d'Armes. We booked a room at this hotel on their website. The rate was $79 a night for a room overlooking either the French Quarter or the interior courtyard. The website stated that requests for either view would be considered, but not guaranteed.

On the day of check-in, we asked for a view of the French Quarter. A man behind the counter tried keying in different combinations, but was having no luck. Just as he started to apologize, a woman, named Jeri, came up beside him and made suggestions. This went on for so long, that we began to feel guilty - taking up their time the way we were. We interrupted to tell them it was okay, we'd be happy with a courtyard balcony, but they waved off our concerns and continued their search. They were now clearly on a mission!

For our first night, we were put in the original courtyard room; but Jeri said to pack our bags in the morning, leave them in the room when we go out, and housekeeping will transfer them to a new room. After 12 non, we were to return to the desk for a new key. She smiled and said, "You're going to love this room we picked out for you."

And she was right! What she picked out for us was a huge suite. There was a living room with a fireplace, a king-size bedroom with a fireplace, a full kitchen, bath and even a small foyer! The floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room opened up high enough to walk out to an extended balcony that offered a view of Bourbon Street. And we were charged the same rate of $79 a night! This suite was in an adjacent building, separated from the main hotel by the parking garage.

This was the only time we ever drove to New Orleans so our car was parked in that garage. And that's where it stayed until the minute we checked out. (The parking fee was $25 a day.)

Hotel St. Marie is old with lots of quaint touches; crown moulding, high baseboards, transoms, etc., and is right in the heart of the French Quarter, midway between Canal Street and Jackson Square, and a half block off Bourbon. Being so close to Bourbon, we could hear the revelers partying throughout the night, but whenever they woke us we'd just fall back asleep.

Before and after pictures are attached to this review. The first being the courtyard room, which at $79 a night was a good deal. The elevator that took us to that room was slow and small, and the hallways were narrow and maze-like, but that's not a complaint. It was all part of this hotel's enchanting character. The second picture is of the suite, which at $79 a night was an incredible deal. And, obviously, the customer service can't be beat.

Let us say right off the bat - this place is beautiful and the staff were very friendly and helpful. We would stay here again in a heartbeat. The lobby is huge and tastefully decorated and has lots of old-world charm.

When we decided to take the Amtrak to spend Labor Day weekend in New Orleans, we checked the Internet for good deals. As it turned out, New Orleans was the "Featured Destination" at La Quinta's website. We needed two rooms since our daughter invited a friend to join us, and with the great special La Quinta was running at the time, we were able to get two king suites for $79 a night each.

And they were most definitely suites - spacious, luxurious and very, very clean. Free high speed Internet was also included in the price as was a free breakfast each morning. The breakfast was more than just continental. In addition to the usual cereals, fruits, muffins and yogurt, they had Belgium waffles, scrambled eggs, and sausage links.

My only real concern about this hotel (before we arrived) was its location. It's on the west side of Canal Street, further away from Bourbon than we've ever stayed. We wondered how safe we would be walking to and from our hotel late at night. As it turned out, from Bourbon Street to the hotel, or really from any of the streets in the heart of the French Quarter to the hotel were well-lighted and crowded with other pedestrians. Plus the whole area had a huge police presence - even late into the night.

Whenever we think about getting away a few days to New Orleans, I always check La Quinta's website first. They have something called Weekend Deals where the rooms run between $69 and $79 a night -- but that price is just for the weekend (Friday through Monday morning), and you can't book too far in advance. Maybe three weeks. And, unfortunately, suites are not part of the selection for the Weekend Deals.

We have noticed, however, that the suites can be had sometimes for $99 a night, and that's a very fair price for so much space.

On the surface, The Iberville Suites has an upscale feel to it. It's not "old world," like so many other historical hotels in the French Quarter. It's much more contemporary than that. And when one first enters, there is a luxurious feel to the place. The lobby is spacious and well-appointed, and the staff are professional and courteous. The doorman/bellhop, for example, will summon taxis for you.

The room itself, however, was of average quality, but we can't complain because, for the price, it fit our needs perfectly. It consisted of one large room cut in half by a bathroom so that there was a bedroom on one side and and a small living room on the other. The living room sofa folded out for an extra bed. It was good set up for two adults and a teen. And surprisingly, we had a decent view of the entire French Quarter.

The free breakfast offered plenty of good choices, but was crowded with not enough seating. As in most of these situations, the earlier one goes, the better. They never seemed to run low on offerings, but they did run low on free newspapers.

We were able to get this room for $79 a night which we felt was a great deal. Its location was very safe, especially since it is adjacent to the much more expensive Ritz Carlton. In fact, there are certain Ritz Carlton amenities that are offered to guests of the Iberville Suites, such as use of the exercise room.

We came into town on the AmTrak and took a cab to the hotel. Never having been to New Orleans before, we weren't sure how close the hotel was to the station. Now we know it was close enough to walk it. Without a car, we walked everywhere, but we would've done so even with a car.

The Iberville Suites website accurately reflects what the place looks like and the $79 a night rate is offered on a regular basis so one shouldn't have too much trouble securing that price.

It is located in the north-western part of the heart of the French Quarter, a block from Canal Street and two blocks from Bourbon. Jackson Square and the French Market are on the opposite corner of the French Quarter grid, but if you enjoy walking, like we do, that shouldn't be a problem. If this is your first trip to New Orleans, you will quickly learn that, at night, Bourbon Street is packed with revelers, but amazingly enough, one can walk only a block off Bourbon to find it surprisingly quiet in comparison. Two blocks from Bourbon, such as where the Iberville Suites is located, is even more so.

If you've never been to New Orleans before, this would be a great place to stay as you learn your way around and get a feel for the area.

This is not really a restaurant, it's a grocery store that is home of the original muffuletta sandwich. The thinly sliced lunch meats and cheeses are topped with a marinated olive spread, with generous amounts of green olives. We've taken three trips to New Orleans in the past three years and this store is always our first stop for lunch. It is located on Decatur Street, between Cafe du Monde and the French Market, on the opposite side of the street.

Around noon, go into Central Grocer and get in line. It may be long, but it moves quickly and there's lots to look at while you wait. We noticed, for example, hanging over the counter a variety of shopping bags. We ended up purchasing two of the large ones - they're very well constructed; a sturdy canvas material with wooden handles. We were told each one would hold up to 50 lbs. We've had them for years and they still look and feel new. We ALWAYS take them to our supermarket and have the bag boys use them to load our groceries instead of the plastic bags. So grab a couple while you're there. It will help you "go green" AND have a great souvenir from New Orleans.

Anyway, back to the sandwiches - You can purchase a half a muffuletta (see attached picture); or an entire muffuetta that can feed four. It's wrapped and ready to take out the door.

You can stay and eat at the lunch counter in the back, but we either take ours down the street to Jackson Square or across the street to the Mississippi River and have an impromptu picnic. Central Grocer sells their homemade olive spread and we did buy a jar once. As good as it is, though, we could never come up with that perfect combination to recreate their muffulettas when we were back at home.

If we had only one afternoon in New Orleans and only time to purchase one meal, this is what it would be. Yes, this sandwich is THAT good.

The three of us (mom, dad, teen) ordered two seafood platters and split them. They were excellent, with a great variety. Each item was seasoned and fried, but not too heavy.

There is a dance floor in the center of the room, so ask the hostess to seat you close to it. There are Cajun dancers who pull people up to learn the dance steps. No one was made to go or embarrassed if they didn't want to go. It was entertaining to watch. It was a lot like the Texas two-step.

Mulates is a little off the beaten track; a good distance from Bourbon St., heading southwest. We were told to go early as it fills up fast, and by the time we were leaving, it was getting crowded. I don't think we'd have gotten a table near the dance floor if we'd come in later.

We usually eat late in the evening, but for those who prefer to dine earlier, Mulates is definitely worth trying.

2008 UPDATE
Just returned from Memorial Day weekend trip to New Orleans. This time just mom and dad - no pesky kid. We called Mulates on Sunday afternoon for dinner reservations at 7:00 pm that night. We requested a table by the dance floor and that's exactly what we got. We split a blackened tilapia meal. See picture - large serving of delicious tilapia, perfectly seasoned and seared. It came with mixed vegetables, jambalaya and a twice-baked potato. We also ordered grilled mushroom and onions to go with it, and split a hot-out-of-the-oven bread pudding for dessert.

When we left the restaurant, we walked across the street and straight towards the river to a streetcar station. It took awhile for the traincar to come since it's the next to last stop on that route, but when it picked us up, we paid $1.25 each and it took us all the way to Jackson Square.

Located on Iberville, near Bourbon St., just look for the line outside around dinnertime. The atmosphere inside is very casual; crowded and loud, like any other busy restaurant.

It is with divided interests that we recommend Acme Oyster House. The food is very good and worth the wait to get in. We ordered a couple of seafood platters to split among the three of us. Everything was lightly fried, and downright succulent. The platters came with catfish strips that were especially good! And we also treated ourselves to a cup of very tasty gumbo.

What we didn't like about this place is when we were seated, we were led past lots of tables to a back room where there were long, bench type, tables. We were seated at one end and then a larger family was brought in to share the rest of the table with us, literally right next to us, shoulder to shoulder. It was socially uncomfortable because there was no privacy at all and we were totally not expecting it.

So if you don't mind dining with strangers, and love good seafood, you will enjoy this meal. If you prefer to dine with just your companions, you could request a private table. There is a line to get in so such requests may not be honored.

NOLA is Emeril LaGasse's restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Two years ago we went there just for dessert. We didn't have reservations and they could not accommodate us when we arrived. They did, however, ask us to come back in half an hour and they promised to have a table for us. Upon our return, we were seated and then doted upon as if we were the only customers in the place. Never have we received so much attention from a team of waiters!

On that night, the four of us ordered four different desserts and then had fun tasting them all. Peanut butter pie, creme brulee, banana bread pudding and chocolate buzz bombe - which contained brandied apricots. The waiter joked that due to the brandy in the buzz bombe, he needed to check our IDs and, afterwards, when we were done, he asked if he needed to call us a cab. (Well, it was funny at the time.) All of the desserts we sampled were as delicious as one would imagine, with the exception of the bread pudding. It was just too banana-ey.

After all the attention we received that night, and the delectable desserts, we made a pact to return to NOLAs one day for a full meal.

THAT DAY ARRIVED last month when we returned to New Orleans for what has become our bi-annual trip. We made reservations months in advance through opentable.com (and THAT worked very well, by the way.) We were seated within five minutes of our arrival and licked our lips in anticipation of what was to come. I started things out by ordering a frozen margarita with no salt and was quicky informed that NOLAs doesn't make frozen drinks. I was urged to try one of their Cosmopolitans, instead, but you know what? If I'm going to waste calories on a cocktail, I want MY choice of cocktail. So I just stuck with ice water while my dining companions ordered their drinks - a beer and rum & Cokes.

For dinner, the two men at the table ordered Shrimp & Grits. When the meals arrived, I had a taste off my husband's plate. The shrimp were seasoned and sautéed and rested on a healthy serving of creamy cheesy grits. Also mixed into the grits were green onions, smoked bacon and mushrooms.

I ordered the Seasonal Grilled Fish (which turned out to be Amberjack.) It was served with vegetable capellini and a tomato vinaigrette. I wasn't sure what the capellini was, but it turned out to be vegetables, such as zucchini and squash, sliced into spaghetti -thin strips and sautéed. This meal was very good, but nothing extraordinary. Certainly nothing "out of this world: or "to die for." It did, however, make me feel like a very healthy, very mature grown up - like I feel when I eat brussel sprouts.

Our fourth companion ordered the garlic-crusted redfish. It was served with brabant potatoes and a buerre rouge sauce. She gave me a taste and I instantly realized THAT WAS IT! The "out of this world" dish; the one "to die for." I immediately regretted not ordering it for myself. Really, in hindsight, what I should have done was thrown down my fork and called the waitress over -- and insisted on being served the same meal. After all, it would be a whole lot cheaper to pay for a second meal rather than go all the way back to New Orleans just to get that redfish. (Because that is EXACTLY what I'm going to do!) The fish was not fishy; in fact, it was quite mild, but seasoned and grilled like a perfect steak, and bursting with garlicky goodness. And that sauce. The buerre rouge sauce. I've never heard of it, but I believe you could pour it on a pile of rocks and it would make them taste good. Oh yeah, that redfish is most definitely in my future.

For dessert, my husband and I split a chocolate-covered peanut butter pie. Two of my all-time favorite foods. It was like a really, really, really dreamy Reese's peanut butter cup, each taste a little bite of heaven.

The atmosphere of NOLAs was loud and hectic and the tables were a little too close for comfort. The wait staff was not the most attentive; certainly nothing like we encountered two years ago when we stopped in for dessert. For example, after we were seated, a small dish of butter was placed on our table. I had read reviews on the internet about NOLA's homemade breads, but even after placing our drink orders, and meal orders, nothing was ever brought to our table. I finally asked our waitress if we could have some bread. She said, "Certainly!" and then never returned. I asked a passing waiter and he came back with a large basket filled with three different kinds of bread: dinner rolls, corn bread muffins and foccacia rolls. (I went with the latter and it was superb!) I was hoping he, or our waitress, would come back with a second serving, but that didn't happen.

Before leaving the restaurant, we asked if we could take a peek upstairs. Yes, we were told - feel free to look around. So we took the elevator up to the second and to the third floors. It was much quieter up there, more private and romantic. If you're planning a visit to NOLA's Restaurant, you may want to keep those upper floors in mind when making your reservations.

Oh, and here's a tip for the ladies. Don't ask where the restroom is because it is the restaurant's policy for you to be ESCORTED there. "Escorted" -- as in the waiter puts out his arm for you to take and then walks alongside you to the restroom door. (So if you have to go, just get up and find it yourself! LOL)

And in case you're curious, the tab for my husband and I, two dinners and one beer, with a 20% tip, came to $82.50.

A trip to New Orleans isn't complete without wandering through the French Market, browsing its abundance of wares.
It's a glorified flea market with lots of style and international flavor. Fake designer sunglasses, handbags, and clothing items will greet you at every turn. There are hardback books, CDs, DVDs, belts, scarves, ball caps, watches, lighters, throws, glassware, t-shirts, Mardi Gras beads and masks, every kind of jewelry imaginable and lots more.

The French Market is very crowded and the different storefront spaces are so close together it may be hard to tell where one ends and another begins. There's occasional tight squeezes, especially when shoppers stop to inspect merchandise without moving out of the way.

Don't buy anything until you've walked the entire marketplace because there are lots of duplicate items, and you could very well find the exact same thing at an even better price on further down. And don't be surprised if the booth owners haggle down the price without you even saying a word!

It's a great place to buy souvenirs for friends back home. We purchased Mardi Gras masks 3 for $5 - the cheapest price we saw anywhere, and they were really nice masks, too! Our friends loved them, especially knowing they came from the French Market.

If you enjoy shopping and browsing, you could easily spend a couple of hours here. There's just so much to look at!

Jackson Square is an entire city block, resting directly south of St. Louis Cathedral. The block is gated with an interior park that features sprawling, leafy trees, manicured sidewalks, and the greenest, lushest grass we've ever seen. A statue of Andrew Jackson atop his horse is the central focus of the park.

On a good weather day, this is the place to spend an hour or so. It would be an ideal spot to take a blanket to spread out in the shade, but that's only a nice thought for us. (We don't really want to be toting a blanket around New Orleans!) There are plenty of park benches, but as a rule, by late afternoon the ones in the shade are always occupied. We usually just plop down directly on the ground in the coolest spot we can find.

On every trip we've taken to New Orleans, we head to Jackson Square the very first day. It's become our tradition to purchase muffalettas from Central Grocer and bring them here for a picnic. And there's plenty to keep us entertained while we enjoy our lunch.

Jackson Square is full of character and characters. We once met a Frenchman (if he wasn't French, he had a great fake accent!) who was taking his leashed pet rabbit for a walk. On another occasion, a man sat down across from us and removed his shirt. (He was about as in shape as we are so it created a sight to behold.) Within minutes, he was approached by two police officers who told him to put his shirt back on. He refused; wanting to know why? They didn't waste time debating the point, and in the blink of an eye, had him on his feet, escorting him - and his shirt - right out of the park.

At Jackson Square, one can totally relax, people-watch, read the local pamphlets you've been collecting or listen in as the surrounding business people work the tourists on the other side of the gates. The carriage rides are on the south end of the square, along Decatur Street, while the psychics, tarot card readers, sketch artists, street performers and musicians line the remaining sides. Together they create an interesting cacophony of entertaining sounds and offer an abundance of photo opportunities.

After a full day sightseeing, this is the perfect place to decompress while still absorbing so much of the colorful atmosphere that attracts everyone to New Orleans in the first place.

New Orleans is a 10-hour ride from our home in Alabama. We consider taking the AmTrak to be a trip within a trip, and is just as much a part of the vacation experience as the actual vacation itself.

We always book a bedroom even though it's a day trip. It's not that much more money and the benefits make it worthwhile, such as privacy (including your own bathroom) and free meals in the dining car. The two-person bedroom is two recliner-type seats that face each other with the door on one side and a full plate-glass window on the other. Next to one of the recliners is a sink and covered toilet. When one passenger has to go, the other can just step outside in the hallway.

If you've never eaten a meal on the AmTrak, you're in for a treat. They have everything from pizza to crab cakes to steak dinners. You can go to the AmTrak website and download sample menus. The free meals also include their delectable desserts. But don't delay. When you hear them announcing that the dining room is open for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, go right then. Sometimes they run out of things.

All seating in the dining car is four-person booths and with a limited number of those booths, it means you and your companion will be sharing a table with strangers. It could be good; it could be bad. But once the food arrives, who cares!

We always take plenty of reading materials on board, but inevitably end up staring out the window at the gorgeous scenery. It's very hypnotic. The surrounding countryside has a completely different look from a train window than a car window. When we pass a railroad street crossing and see cars lined up waiting for the train to pass, I look at those drivers and think "man, it sucks to be you."

Arriving in New Orleans at night, it's best to take a cab to your hotel, but when it's time for the return trip home, it's early in the morning and an easy walk from most any hotel in the French Quarter, especially those on the west side of Canal Street. At the train station, if you already have your tickets, and they are for bedrooms, not coach, there is a private VIP-type lounge to wait in for the "now boarding" call.

Not having a car in New Orleans is more a blessing than an inconvenience. The streets are so clogged with pedestrians, you may find yourself sitting at a stop sign, waiting for a break in the foot traffic, for much longer than you intended. Plus most every hotel charges $25 a day parking. New Orleans is such a great walking town, and if the place you want to go is really far away, there are plenty of buses and trolley cars.

AmTrak is my family's favorite mode of transportation and is a very addictive way to travel. Whenever I'm in my car and get stuck at a railroad crossing for the Amtrak, I stare at those bedroom cars with outright envy, and I think "man, it sucks to be me."