New Orleans here I come.....!

[Yve]

I can't wait ...its becoming an annual trip for me as my best friend lives there now. Anyhow....when I visit, I mostly stay in the city...mainly in the quarter....what I'd like to do is venture out into the country and find some good herping places...whether its with a group or rent a boat and do it on you own...I was on a 'swamp tour' the last time and was kind of dissapointed...a little too touristy and safe for my liking:) more like a 'swamp CRUISE'!lol Anyhow if anyone can direct me to a good spot or group of herpers that would be awesome....unfortunately my friend there hates snakes so I'm alone on this one(in terms of herpin)!

[sketchy4]

Id love to go to New Orleans. seems like my kind of place. especially during mardi gras lol ;)

[Dani33]

Me too. I am sooo jealous that your going there. I have wanted to fo for a long time. Sorry, I don't know anything about herping there. Do take lots of pics though!

[Yve]

I swear....save your pennies and go...its an incredible city, unlike any other.
Sketchy...you don't need to go during Mardi Gras for a wild time...I have a picture (unfortunately not digital) of Bourbon St. on a Monday night in May (no longer tourist season and a lot cheaper) and it was ROCKING!

[AshleyL]

that's AMAZING that you're going again!
have a great trip and you'll have to show us the pics afterwards! ;)
ashley

[TonyL]

Yvonne, the trip sounds like alot of fun!

I am heading to New Orleans for the first time on a business trip later this year. Hoping to add a couple of days so do let me know where you ventured to :)

Though it will be tough to leave the quarter!

[JonD]

Just remember you arn't responsible once you cross that border!!:D And make sure Paul has enough food and water!!!! ;) Have fun girl!!!!

[Lisa]

Sounds like a fun place to be.

[Yve]

thanks guys:)...Jon...I'm bringing Paul with this time...we're driving down....and it won't be water he'll be needing...lol
Ash...I'll take tonnes of pics...damn..the last time I took 6 rolls...lol
um...this thread is leading me straight to the 'quata' not the swamps...lol

[JonD]

Have fun U2!!;)

[nolagurl]

Yve are you the one who had the Morgue shirt showing in your tattoo showoff?

If you want any info on swamp tours just ask me since I grew up with Jean Lafitte Natl. Park in my backyard.


And of course...haha I live in New Orleans year round! ;-P

[Yve]

ya..thats me....:)...tell me what you know in terms of good places to go. As I mentioned before, the tour I went on with my last visit was very touristy. It was a boat ride through a swamp but mostly through a very wide manmade channel. It was a conservation area called "Sugar swamp" or something like that...I saw some alligators and a couple of water snakes. Send me an email with info. if you'd like. I don't mind if its way out of town either because I'll have a car.

[nolagurl]

Well all of the swamp tours will be *out of town* as in not in New Orleans proper. You probably already know that though. ;-P I recommend Cypress Swamp tours. The man who runs it, Cypress, was a good friend of my dads.

Many of the channels are man made so they are inevitable. Most of the tours will seem *touristy* since that's mainly the people that go on them. The tourism industry has really picked up for the swamp tours in recent years, which is good for the economy of that area.

Is "Sugar Swamp" in New Orleans East? There are two conservation areas. One is Jean Lafitte Park (on the westbank) and the other is Bayou Sauvage in New Orleans East. I've never been to BS since I grew up practically inside JL.


When is your trip? I can send you tons of information.

[Yve]

i was kinda hoping to find a group of herpers or even conservationalist group looking for volunteers for a couple of days...kinda going out on their own...anyhow...I might check out the Cypress tour since you recommend it.:) any other info. would be great..we'll be down May 14 -24.
The sugar swamp was east....about 1/2 hour past Lake ponchartrain

[nolagurl]

We do have a local herp club, which I'm a member of. You might want to e-mail the president or vice president (a friend of mine) to find a group. You can get contact info at the website: www.lgchs.org

[Yve]

thanks alot Nolagurl....I just rather not do the 'touristy' thing...with ladies all dressed up in the latest safari fashion, squeeling when they see a gator!lol...its cute one time around...lol

[Optimus Prime]

Right on YVE have a 24 for me wile your out there :) enjoy your tirp

[Yve]

thanks...I'll try to fit it into my drinking schedule.....lol...you know I have to sleep sometimes too...;)

[nolagurl]

So what else are you doing besides the swamp stuff?

[Yve]

We might take a trip to Baton Rouge for the day. As well, my friend that lives there says there's barn dances with live zydeco bands that happen during the day..might check that out...and perhaps go and see a plantation. I'll be visiting the cemeteries too....there's one up Canal near Metarie Cememtery called Odd Fellows Rest....looks like its 'out of service' lol but very charming...in a creepy way...:)
mostly I'll be in the quarter...My friend there works in the bar scene so she knows the good local places to hang out away from the chaos of Bourbon:)....gotta say though my fav. touristy bar is Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop (love the piano bar). Clubwise I looooove the Dungeon. I'm always worried those places will get turned into a margarita bar with flourescent lights.:( sorta what happened to the Old Absinthe Bar..and a few other cool places too...
Anything else worthy of checking out that I haven't mentioned?:)

[nolagurl]

I'll just list a few of my favorite places to chill as it seems we have similar tastes.


~La Fee Verte http://www.lafeevertecafe.com/

~The Whirling Dervish
It's a *goth* bar by default although all types of people hang out there. They do a particulary good industrial night on Sundays.

~Z'otz
Very cool coffeehouse in the Marigny, on Touro and Royal. It's open 24 hours too.

If you need restaurant recommendations I'd gladly help. I work in the service industry.

Check out nolagoth.com, nola.com, bestofneworleans.com as well.

Check out nolagoth.com as well for club listings.

[Yve]

thanks Nolagurl:)....I hung out at the Whirling Dirvish a few times during my last visit..Molly's was another place that we'd usually start our night at. I'll check out the posted sites and bars you recommended...as far as food goes...I liked the Gumbo shop...the food was great and Seaports had a good 'happy hour'. Up here people will pay as much as $4 per raw oyster...they were 25c a piece at Seaports...I think I downed two dozen! there was another place in the quarter that did a few crawfish boils during the day...that was yummy! yet another place that was interesting was a soul food restaurant on Frenchmen, where the waiter's were dressed very classy..Pralines Connection....anyhow recommendations are always welcome for restaurants:)....there is one place that I ate at during my first visit but I couldn't remember what it was called or exactly where it was...maybe you could help...it was in the Garden District.....fine dining....from what I recall it was an old house converted into a restaurant on a corner....ring a bell?

[Yve]

after looking at la Fee Verte website I realized I was at a wine tasting there my last night in New Orleans.....cozy little place.

[nolagurl]

Originally posted by Yve
it was in the Garden District.....fine dining....from what I recall it was an old house converted into a restaurant on a corner....ring a bell?

That could be quite a few places :p

Here's a list of some of my fav eateries:

Cheap eats:

Angeli, on Decatur and Gov. Nicholls

Winnie's- Magazine St. I forget the address but you can always look it up. It's a really cute sandwich shop/art gallery. They're only open for breakfast and lunch.

Basil Leaf- Thai food on Carrollton and Jeannette in the Riverbend area

Expensive places:

Peristyle- rated best food in the city by Zagat. It's fairly hard to get a reservation. On the corner of Dumaine and N. Rampart in the quarter

Rene Bistrot- in the CBD. The food is divine

Cuvee- also in the CBD, on Magazine St. The food is uber expensive but orgasmic. I'd suggest sitting at the bar for appetizers and dessert. Did I mention how expensive it is?

Lee Circle Restaurant- in Lee Circle in the Le Cirque Hotel

Martinique Bistro- 5908 Magazine St., in between Nashville and State St. uptown. French food plus they have outdoor dining

Mango House- on Jeannette St. (next to Basil Leaf) It's carribean food. Nice quaint little place!

I don't really eat at *traditional* New Orleans places so I can't really help you on those.
:(

[Yve]

thanks...I've made note of your recommendations....i'm kinda bummed though my trip has been postponed till the first week of June.......those two extra weeks of waiting might kill me...lol..oh well...anyhow, thanks for your help, I appreciate it!you've given me more information than I could imagine!:)