Doin' HR in the Big Easy

In a post Katrina New Orleans, it is good to know that most of what the city is known for appears unchanged. I say "appears" because after what happened to this city and her people, there had to be changes after the disaster of August 2005. I had been here in June/July 2004 and enjoyed my time in this friendly city. And while much of the media focuses on the continued plight of the city, I can tell you that during our stay, there was no time that we felt threatened or unsafe. Like any other big city that has poverty and crime, you have to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings, but do not allow the media reports to keep you away from this wonderful city!

As for our visit, we did a lot that one is expected to do. The French Quarter and Bourbon Street are about the same as I remember it. Plenty of places to buy a "to go" hurricane or a $5.00 "Big Ass Beer" . . . also enough cabarets and "sex shows" to provide entertainment for those who seek the other (non-family) side of the tourism trade of this city. We enjoyed our dining experiences in the French Quarter and generally steered clear of those people who seemed to be looking to prey on tourists (panhandlers and such).

As we walked from the timeshare resort over to the French Quarter, we had to cross Canal Street. It was there that we saw the famous streetcars. While we didn't see the one named "Desire" we did see them running frequently throughout the day and night, always filled with people going somewhere.

On our return trip from the Mississippi River Road sugar plantations, we stopped at the Metairie Cemetery. OK, I realize that is a bit on the macabre side of tourism but who hasn't seen the movie Double Jeopardy and wondered about the vault that Ashley Judd was stashed in by her schmuck of a husband? The marble statues, crypts and grave markers were very ornate and beautiful. And just so you don't think I'm totally weird, there are tours of New Orleans cemeteries available. Even Frommers includes this cemetery in their "attractions" section of their New Orleans tour guide.

Who hasn't been to New Orleans and enjoyed a "po-boy" sandwich? We enjoyed ours at Mother's, located at 401 Poydras. I had the roast beef, while David enjoyed the Ferdi which is pretty much a "kitchen sink" sandwich with roast beef, turkey and ham. All of their po-boys are "dressed" with shredded cabbage, pickles, mayo, creole and yellow mustard. Oh, I shouldn't forget the "debris" which is the meat drippings that fall into the gravy as the roast beef is cooking. All po-boys come with a healthy serving of that over the sandwich, which is served on a sliced loaf of french bread.

While in the French Quarter, you owe it to yourself to walk up Dauphine Street to the Saint Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. The Saint Louis Cathedral is remarkable in that it is the oldest cathedral in North America, founded in 1720.

Generally a hangout area for artists and musicians, the area still feels like the original area known for its French and Spanish ancestry. It was in this area that we saw the horse and buggy tours providing local stories and folklore to visitors from out of town.

For those who enjoy the high stakes action of Las Vegas, you can find that here too. Harrah's has a casino right in the heart of the business district at the corner of Convention Center Blvd and Poydras. David enjoyed his time in the poker room, while I took in some 3 Card Poker. They have a full gaming area including all of the standard table games you'd expect including blackjack and roulette. They also have rows and rows and rows of slot machines from penny slots to high stakes machines.

There is much to see and do in New Orleans. This serves to highlight just a few of the things we got to experience during our time in this wonderful city.

If you've read any of my other journals, you know that David and I enjoy touring local distilleries. We've done them in the Kentucky bourbon country and over in Scotland where they make Scotch whisky. Here they make rum . . . GOOD rum . . . Old New Orleans Rum. Perhaps the most remarkable for me, was this little 6,000 case per year New Orleans home grown operation just outside of the French Quarter.

Founded in 1995 by local artist James Michalopoulos (http://www.michalopoulos.com/) and some of his artist & musician friends, this small treasure is producing some outstanding Louisiana rum using only locally grown products and keeping the "American Made" spirit alive in New Orleans.

We arrived a bit early for the published 2:00pm tour and frankly, wasn't sure we wanted to stay. Located in what from the outside appears to be an old run down warehouse, I was skeptical. I was also hot and a bit sweaty from our morning out on the airboat, so a nice shower and change of clothes seemed a better option. Thankfully "we are here, we may as well stay" became the prevailing opinion (OK, David said we should stay) as we had a simply marvelous time during our experience at Celebration Distillation.

At around 1:30pm a young man made his way down to the reception area that also serves as the tasting room. He was very friendly and offered us a cup of iced tea "celebration style" (my term for it, not his). It was a refreshing concoction of sweet tea and their red labeled Cajun Spiced Rum. Mmmm good. Not only refreshing, but also with a small kick to it. (Later David watched him fix up another batch which included what appeared to be two gallons of tea with two 750ml bottles of the good stuff.)

This was very good, and a nice way to start our tour experience. As our host, he poured himself a glass as well. That glass would be with him for the rest of time there . . . including refills (which were also unlimited for guests). He was a very friendly sort, asked a lot about where we were from and the brewery business back in Milwaukee.

At around 1:45p some more guests arrived and by 2:00p there were some 12 or 15 people here to take the tour. As each arrived, he welcomed them to Celebration Distillation and offered up a cool drink. Some folks seemed a bit anxious to pay their $10 tour fee and get started, but this local was in no particular hurry. You see, we were there on Friday, July 3rd which was a holiday for most with the Fourth of July falling over the weekend. He was the only one working today and was enjoying doing it at his own pace! Oh, the adult beverages were probably helping that along some too.

Once everyone was assembled, refreshed and offered a refill, we were ready to head out into the production area. I cannot express just how amazed I was at what they do in such a small area and with limited staff (a total of 15 full-time employees). He walked us through each of the areas of production: acquiring the Louisiana cane sugar molasses, the wash (mixing the molasses with water and yeast), fermentation, distillation (their product is distilled three times), aging (in white oak barrels), blending, bottling and packaging. He also took us into the "creative room" where employees are encouraged to experiment with new concoction blends of rum.

Everything they do is on a very small scale. As I said, they only produce around 6,000 cases per year. In the bottling area, the label machine glues the labels on, one bottle at a time. The fillers can only fill six at a time. One person works each of these stations at this point in the production.

Right now they are taking to market four rums all under the brand name of Old New Orleans Rum: crystal (a white, light rum good for blending), three year amber, ten year premium (only 700 bottles/year) and my favorite, the Cajun Spiced Rum. Their spice rum just won an international award as the "best spiced rum" for the third year in a row. I must admit, I thought it was much better than my now former personal fave, Capt. Morgans.

Back in the tasting room, everyone was invited for another refill of their tea. Mmmmm and again refreshing as the warehouse floor had to be close to 95 degrees! With a fresh cup of tea, our guide proceeded to pour out tasting samples of each of the four rums they produce. The crystal had a bit of a bite to it, but the three year and ten year were very smooth. Both David and I enjoyed the three year a bit better especially as a sipping rum. Of course, the Cajun spiced was very good with the hint of nutmeg and cinnamon adding to the tasting experience. (The other spices used are cayenne, ginger and cloves.)

After this part of the tasting was completed, he offered guests more tea (it was then that he had to make up another batch). For those who wanted to make a purchase, the tour fee of $10 was waived. We of course took them up on that offer and bought two bottles, one of the three year amber and a spiced. At $53 (including tax) for two 750ml bottles, it certainly wasn't the cheapest rum we've ever bought, but it is one with a great story behind it.

As an aside about their pricing. Mr. Michalopoulos is also a great benefactor to the community. He donates a portion of their proceeds to support education and music for children of New Orleans. In a post Katrina era that type of philanthropy is essential in the city's rebuilding efforts.

Speaking of Katrina, we learned during our tour that the warehouse in which we stood was under some eight feet of water after Katrina. They lost everything on their first level, including the tasting room. They reopened with a retooling of their product and a rebranding in 2005. They are one of the many success stories that survived Katrina!

For more information about Celebration Distillation, including tour hours and directions to find them, check out their web site at www.neworleansrum.com.

NOTE: Please check out the photos as they really tell the story of the process of making rum.

Airboat Adventures is one of several companies that offer an up close and personal view of the swamps of southern Louisiana. They are located about 30 minutes from the downtown and French Quarters areas of New Orleans. They have pick-up and return service for those who may be in town without a car. Add approximately $15 per person for this service.

The tour we booked was the two hour swamp tour by airboat - - the large airboat. They have two sizes, with the smaller ones (capacity six) costing more than the larger ones (that hold approximately 12-15 people). They say that the smaller boats can go into smaller, tighter places than the larger boats, but based on our tour experience, I'm not sure that the extra expense is worth it. The boat operator also serves as your tour guide.

On our particular trip out there were just eight of us and David & I had the top bench to ourselves, which was nice. Before heading out, they provided everyone with hearing protection headsets to muffle the sound of the huge air fan that propels the boat over the top of the water's surface. It is because of this design that airboats can go into areas with as little as an inch or two of water.

Our trip started out into one of the intercoastal waterways that is part of the Mississippi River system. On it, we saw a large barge being pushed by a tug boat. Pretty cool sight if you've never actually seen a tug boat. (There is a photo of it attached to this review.)

As we approached the swamp's entrance we were in a marsh area. Our tour would also conclude in another marsh. Marshes differ from swamps in that they are only grassy areas in the water. Swamps have trees (and shade!).

Our first stop brought us to an area that had some juvenile alligators in the area. As we approached, a couple could be seen swimming towards our boat. We later learned why . . . this particular company baits the gators with marshmallows to get them to come out and over to the boat for the photo op. Our tour guide justified it as "If we didn't use the marshmallows, you'd be out here in 90 degree heat trying to find nocturnal animals. Without the marshmallows, we'd have a pretty boring tour." By the time he was done feeding them, there were several young gators swimming around the boat.

I am a big supporter of the "do not feed wildlife" philosophy. It is not good for the animals as it creates an expectation of food from humans and it can create animals that become desensitized to people creating a no fear attitude that results in aggression towards humans. This was the biggest disappointment of the tour, the fact that they engaged in this type of bad eco-tourism.

From this point we headed for the deep dark swamp. I was relieved to be going somewhere that we'd have a least some shade as the sun was intense and hot out on the open water. We stopped alongside a row of cypress trees and learned more about the swamp and the vegetation here. Mostly the trees were cypress or oaks, much of it covered with Spanish moss. Some of the displaced plant life found here was the result of hurricanes that uproot bushes and shrubs, later dumping them into the swamp. Thankfully, there were no mosquitoes.

From here we headed out to the open waters again and to a marsh. It was there that we saw two alligator nesting areas. The first had the momma gator near her nest, that was out of sight. She was laying in about six inches of water. The guide said she would stay there in that area for up to a year from the time the eggs were laid until they hatched and her young were big enough to venture out on their own.

The second place we stopped was at an actual nest. Our guide drove the boat right up to the small grassy area. Assured that the momma wasn't nearby, he grounded the boat and went out! I couldn't believe my eyes. Eco-tour rule number two . . . do not mess with their nesting areas! He got out and went right up to the nest and uncovered the top layer of straw to expose the nest and the half a dozen or so eggs. He also invited tour guests out onto the nest to have their photo taken with the nest and eggs.

While I was shocked by this, David felt this was staged and probably not real. His thought was that there would have been too much danger and liability to take tour guests out if there was any chance that the momma would return to her eggs. After all, we had just been told that the momma's stay close for up to a year. So where was this momma??

I wasn't sure and am still conflicted about the experience. I understand what he was telling me, but would a tour company really stoop that low as to stage something like this?

After this stop, we headed back to the dock . . . a five or six mile trip back at a relatively open speed of 45-50 mph. It was nice to have the wind blowing through your hair to cool down after the heat from the sun was baking your skin. (Be sure to wear sunscreen!)

Once back to the dock, they do have a very nice shelter area that is indoors and air conditioned. This is also the waiting area before your tour begins. Here they have a small exhibit area with baby alligators and a rather large albino one that looks very strange. Here there are restrooms and a concession area that sells soft drinks, water and some snack items.

All in all, we had an enjoyable airboat ride and tour of the Louisiana swamps and marshlands. At $30 per person (a "special rate") we felt we had a good adventure and learned some things about the area. If we had it to do over again, we may or may not use this company again if we knew what we did about their eco-tourism philosophies. There are plenty of other companies to choose from. I chose this one based on price, and it may have shown in the overall quality of the experience.

A bit about their pricing . . . there are no prices on their web site (www.airboatadventures.com) as they have you e-mail or call for information. When I called, that was when I learned of their $30 special. She did say it was a two hour tour on one of the larger boats, so what we expected is what we got . . . only without all of the people (our boat was only half full).

If you are planning a trip to New Orleans, include setting aside at least a half day to tour a couple of the plantations that this area of Louisiana is known for. They can be found along both sides of the Mississippi River about 45 to 60 minutes from New Orleans.

We started our morning with Oak Alley Plantation, a restored antebellum mansion located near Vacherie, LA. With the property opening to the public at 10:00am, we arrived a few minutes early so that we could pay our admission and go enjoy a leisurely breakfast in their cafe. For guests staying on the property in one of the cottages, the restaurant opens at 8:30am.

This particular mansion was built in 1839 although the 28 oak trees for which the property is known, were planted in the early 1700's. Along the walkway of the back side of the house, the oaks were planted sometime after the house was built, probably around 1850.

Like other plantations in the area, Oak Alley was a sugar plantation. The mansion was built by Jacques Roman, a Creole farmer, for his wife who came from an affluent New Orleans' family. She was apparently quite the party girl and socialite, hosting many events bringing friends and family out to the country.

The house is completely furnished with antiques of the era, although not many were original to this home. This was probably the most impressive aspect of this particular plantation home.

Oak Alley is open seven days a week, with a $15/person admission fee. (Look for $1.50 off coupons in local tourist publications and on the New Orleans CVB web site.) More information may be found on their web site:
http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/visiting/.

From here, you will drive past St. Joseph's Plantation. It was a smaller property and didn't seem that interesting. so we drove on by on our way to the "Top Louisiana Travel Attraction" . . . Laura Plantation.

Laura Plantation is more about the history of life on the Mississippi on a sugar plantation. Much of the history of the era has been preserved and the hour plus tour tells the story to visitors from around the world. Much of the focus here is on the lives of the slaves and their existence in Louisiana.

Because we wanted to make sure to get over to the San Francisco Plantation, we did not stop to take this tour. Laura Plantation is less than 15 minutes from Oak Alley and is often packaged together with Oak Alley by tour operators due to the close proximity and the significant difference between the two.

Laura Plantation is also open seven days a week and charges a $15 admission fee. They have a web site where more information may be found at www.lauraplantation.com.

From this point, we crossed the Mississippi River to the east bank and went out to the farthest point east in "plantation country" to see and tour the San Francisco Plantation. Described as "Steamboat Gothic" this plantation home was also built in the mid 1800's (1856 to be exact) and served as the main home on the sugar plantation. Unfortunately the man of the house died shortly after the home was finished. Several years later, his German wife returned to Munich and is said to have never spoken about her life in Louisiana again. Apparently, she did not care much for the climate or plantation life.

The mansion today has been completed restored by Marathon Oil, the company who owns all of the adjacent land surrounding the plantation grounds. The restoration was necessary after the floods of 1927 nearly destroyed this wonderful and unique mansion. One of the other results from the Great Flood of 1927 was the construction of the levee at the front of the home along with the road which largely took the entire front yard of the property.

Many of the items in this plantation home are reproductions of the period. Additionally, much of the interior has had to be restored, including the lovely hand-painted ceilings that are in five of the 14 or 16 rooms included in the guided tour. The detail to accuracy is very precise. Of the hanging chandeliers, only one of the originals remained but it served as the guide for the recreation of the others throughout.

Unlike some of the other plantations of the period, this one was built with the service areas in the lower (ground) level and the living quarters and the part of the house that received guests were on the second floor. At the front of the home, there is a very unique feature allowing the large doors to be removed from two rooms (the men's sitting area and the ladies' sitting area). With these doors removed, the entire front of the house became a large ballroom for entertaining.

Photos of what the mansion and grounds looked like before 1927 may be found on their web site: www.sanfranciscoplantation.org. Tours are offered daily and are $15/person.

The last plantation that we stopped by during our drive was Houmas House, also known as "The Sugar Palace" . . . the self proclaimed "Crown Jewel of Louisiana's River Road." This particular plantation home has an interesting history in that it started out as a very modest two story brick house that was built in the 1770's. Later the property changed hands (actually several times) and each time the new owner added on changing the entire look of the home.

Today the plantation and gardens are well maintained and available to visitors year-round. On this particular day, we arrived rather late and decided to take a pass given the 95 degree temps in Southern Louisiana. They do provide all guests a 15 minute video that tells the history of Houmas House and her people dating back to the Native Americans for whom the house is named (Houmas).

Tours are available for $20 per person. There is a cafe on the premises for lunch and the fine dining restaurant is open for dinner most nights (closed Monday and Tuesday). NOTE: Reservations are required. More information on Houmas House may be found at: www.houmashouse.com.

As a recently new Wyndham Timeshare points owner, I felt lucky to be able to us my points contract (77k) plus 28,500 more I had to "rent" from a timeshare internet friend, we had enough to book a studio unit for six nights in New Orleans for what roughly was $700. Not bad, approximately $120/night as compared to conference hotels averaging over $175/night.

Our unit was on the third floor and wasn't in a particularly good or bad location. We were at the end of a hallway, and down a small half-flight of stairs. The studio unit was the side of a lock-off unit (a larger two bedroom unit) with another family in the other 1BR side. The "lock-off" door provides privacy, so no worries about being walked in on by the other guests.

For a city timeshare studio, this one was especially spacious! We had a king sized bed, nice sitting area with a queen sized sleeper sofa, a dinette area and a decent kitchenette. The kitchenette had a full sized refrigerator and microwave, along with a dinky half-sized dishwasher and a sink. The kitchen also had a full supply of dishes and silverware for up to four guests.

In the living area, there was a decent sized flat-screen television and music sound system (radio & cd player). All units also featured free WiFi internet, a real bonus for someone trying to mix business with pleasure while traveling.

The bathroom was equally nice with plenty of space including a very nice vanity counter top. The over the tub shower also featured the bowed rounded shower curtain rod making it nice to not have the curtain sucking in on you while showering.

The resort has been developed in what had formerly been a printing company. They have a fitness center complete with a sauna and indoor whirlpool hot tub. Outside is their "spa" area which is little more than a warm salt water pool that is probably no more than six by eight feet in size and three feet deep. It is in an outside courtyard area that receives very little direct sun light so there is no place to sun bathe. For those who want more of a "swimming" experience, they do have reciprocal use at another Wyndham Resort approximately 10 minutes away by trolley.

This resort does not have on-premises food or beverage service so you will have to be prepared to walk to a nearby restaurant or bar. Being just a few blocks from the French Quarter makes it very convenient for those who want to take in all that New Orleans is known for.

If you are driving in, there is valet parking available at $26/night with unlimited in/outs. For us, there was no need to have a car for the entire time we were in town, so we used taxis and the trolley system (which is just two blocks from the resort).

We were very comfortable with this timeshare resort and our unit, and would highly recommend it for anyone going to New Orleans wanting the convenience of being close to the French Quarter without all of the commotion and noise that the Quarter is known for.