“What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in New Orleans, goes home with you.”

-Laurell K. Hamilton

 

 

Novel Blondes New Orleans LAGNIAPPE

 

Now for the LAGNIAPPE! If you’re not familiar, this term is associated with the Southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas regions, and means a little something extra. So when Novel Blondes digs a little deeper to entertain or inform, that’s our little lagniappe or gift to you. You might want to start with New Orleans Jazz Fest 2018 High Notes, Part 1.

 

Accommodations

 

We oh, so lucked out on this one! Our decision to attend Jazz Fest happened late in February, so the rooms with discounted festival rates were claimed for the most part. Those that were available were too far away for our taste. Location is key. Parking is sparse and costs in the 30-50 dollar range. If you get towed, it will cost 200.00 to reclaim your vehicle. (Guess how I know that?) Anyway, we just threw a dart at the map so to speak, booked an AIRBNB in midtown, and hoped for the best. The plan was to catch a ride with  Cousin Jenn and her hubby John, but just in case, we picked a spot close enough to schlep it to the streetcar line. Our dart throwing paid off with a nice little private suite on Carrollton Avenue, one block from a streetcar stop.

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Manuel’s Hot Tamales

 

When Jennifer and John pulled into the driveway of the AIRBNB the first morning, they leapt out of the car yelling like the house was on fire. “OMG, you’re staying at Manuel’s!!” Who the heck is Manuel?

Turns out,  our AIRBNB  house has a proud New Orleans history. Manuel’s Hot Tamales were served fresh out of the downstairs street front for more than 40 years. Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005. As the water rose, the staff cooked and served every last bit of food they had available, then shuttered the store. That was the end of Manuel’s.

Our hosts purchased at post Katrina prices  in 2008, with the intent, according to newspaper articles we found, to turn it into a sandwich shop. Instead, it is now a beautiful home with private AIRBNB space on the back side. What was the store front is now enclosed as part of the residence. How did Jennifer and John know the history? Turns out, their first little newlywed cottage was in the same block. Manuel’s Hot Tamales was a treat the locals indulged in regularly, and we heard several people reminisce fondly about the popular hangout when they found out where we were staying.

 

A Few More Tips

 

Go ahead and let your hair down!

 

Literally and/or figuratively, whichever you prefer. But not in a felony or even misdemeanor way, ok? For us, it was singing along, sipping along, and acting the fool when appropriately inappropriate. Yep, Cupid Shuffle, I jumped in. That cute boy band, we grabbed our photo opp. That was serious fangirling, and it went something like this:

Natalie: Are those guys in a band? They said they were in a band!

Me: Hang on I can’t see that far, let me squint….

Jenn: That is the band we heard this morning, OMG! Let’s go talk to them!!!

Natalie: Yeaasss! I want to talk to the boy band!

Me: NO. We don’t need to talk them!

Natalie and Jenn: YES WE DO!! You’re no fun, let your hair down a little!!

Me: OMG, ok……cue me sitting on lap for photo opp (Don’t tell my kids or my parents LOL!)

The point is, this is no place for stuffed shirts.

 

 

 

Wander around Bourbon Street or Frenchmen Street

 

If you want to see a celebrity in the wild, the weekends of New Orleans Jazz Fest are prime for celebrity spotting. Steven Tyler from Aerosmith was reported to be carousing down in the quarter and actually sang in a few of the bars. We opted to go down to Frenchmen Street Thursday night, not Bourbon Street. I was perfectly happy with that choice, and highly recommend The Three Muses, Bamboulas, and DBA for getting your Bourbon Street vibe in a much smaller scale setting, and a little more upscale to boot.

 

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I’m a collector of quotes, and I love to hear the gem in any occasion. Sometimes I hear what sums up an experience, a feeling, a moment. So the first morning, we set up our camp and we watched those around us set up. Guy walks up directly in front of us, stands a moment, then pulls a substantial flask out of the front of his pants. “Whew, there wasn’t enough room for the two of us down there!” Yep, it was one big party.