Garden, Lower Garden & Central City
Garden, Lower Garden & Central City
Neighborhood Top Five
1 Lafayette Cemetery No 1 Learning about the past at this cemetery, where above-ground crypts hold tragic tales draped with vines and spreading tree roots.
2 Southern Food & Beverage Museum Studying BBQ, hot sauce and absinthe in this temple to Southern gastronomy.
3 McKenna Museum of African American Art Wandering past paintings of local musicians, political icons and Mardi Gras festivities.
4 Magazine Street Popping into the fashion and clothing boutiques as well as the art galleries, music shops and day spas that line the city’s largest shopping street.
5 Bar Crawls Wandering and imbibing at spots such as Bulldog along Magazine St and St Charles Ave, which are both perfect for a nightlife expedition.
Explore Garden, Lower Garden & Central City
The Garden District, Lower Garden District and Central City are three distinct neighborhoods, each offering a different experience. Two days is enough to explore all three.
The Garden District exudes Old Southern excess with its historic mansions, lush greenery, chichi bistros and upscale boutiques. Your first morning, soak up the mixture of fecund tropical beauty and white-columned old-money elegance on a walking tour, where stately homes and colorful gardens shimmer beside sidewalks bursting with roots. The Garden District is a rectangular grid bounded by St Charles Ave, Jackson Ave, Magazine St and Louisiana Ave. Magazine St and St Charles Ave are the main commercial thoroughfares; Prytania St is the most scenic (and the quickest).
Between the CBD and the Garden District, the Lower Garden District is somewhat like the Garden District but not quite as posh. Here the houses are pleasant, not palatial. There’s a studenty vibe, and plenty of bars and restaurants for those with university-stunted wallets and university-sized appetites for fun. The Lower Garden District is upriver (in this case, south) from the CBD. Magazine St is the main thoroughfare.
Central City, which lies between the CBD and Lower Garden District, is very much in transition. While there are large stretches of urban blight here, there is also a wonderful concentration of community activist organizations rebuilding what was once one of the city’s most important African American neighborhoods. It is also home to the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, found on the area’s main thoroughfare, Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.
Local Life
Breakfast joints At Surrey’s Juice Bar, everything’s seriously good, from the boudin (spicy sausage) to the shrimp and grits. The vibe is rock and roll at Slim Goodie’s, but the crowd is all ages.
Commander’s Palace Every New Orleanian has a story about celebrating a big occasion at this Creole restaurant. And they know ‘dressing up’ adds to the fun.
Neighborhood bars Some call ’em dive bars, others call ’em home. These scruffy joints typically offer TV, pool tables, dartboards and cheap beer.
Getting There & Away
Bus Bus 11 runs along Magazine St from Canal St to Audubon Park.
Streetcar The St Charles Avenue Streetcar travels through the CBD, the Garden District and Uptown.
TOP SIGHT
LAFAYETTE CEMETERY NO 1
A thick wall surrounds a battalion of gray crypts at this moody place, a tiny bastion of history, tragedy and Southern Gothic charm in the heart of the Garden District.
Established in 1833 by the former City of Lafayette, the cemetery is divided by two intersecting footpaths that form a cross. Look out for the structures built by fraternal organizations such as the Jefferson Fire Company No 22, which took care of its members and their families in large shared crypts. Some of the wealthier family tombs were built of marble, with elaborate detail rivaling the finest architecture in the district, but most tombs were constructed simply of inexpensive plastered brick. You’ll notice many German and Irish names on the above-ground graves, testifying that immigrants were devastated by 19th-century yellow-fever epidemics.
In July 1995, author Anne Rice staged her own funeral here. She hired a horse-drawn hearse and a brass band to play dirges, and wore an antique wedding dress as she laid down in a coffin. The event coincided with the release of one of Rice’s novels.
On your visit, you might find that the spell cast by the cemetery is broken the moment a black-and-white-clad waiter strides past its grated gates, hurrying to his shift at the neighboring Commander’s Palace restaurant. He’s a vivid reminder that time marches on and that, yes, perhaps you are ready for lunch and a 25¢ martini. This is New Orleans after all.
DON’T MISS
ASocial society crypts
ASave Our Cemeteries tour
Practicalities
A(MAP GOOGLE MAP)
A
%504-658-3781
AWashington Ave, at Prytania St
Aadmission free
A
h7am-3pm
1Sights
There’s joy to be had just wandering around the Garden and Lower Garden Districts. In the former neighborhood, you’ll find grand homes and palatial villas. The Lower Garden District also has its share of attractive architecture – look out for the area’s signature double-story townhouses. In both areas, sights are concentrated near Magazine St and St Charles Ave. Central City was once a magnet for African American businesses and social clubs. This neighborhood underwent degradation following desegregation, but its main thoroughfare, Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, is undergoing a steady renaissance.
Lafayette Cemetery No 1CEMETERY
See here.
Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras WorldMUSEUM
(%504-475-2057; www.mardigrasworld.com; 1380 Port of New Orleans Pl; adult/senior/child 2-11yr $22/17/14; htours 9am-5:30pm, last tour 4pm; 
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We dare say Mardi Gras World is one of the happiest places in New Orleans by day – but at night it must turn into a terrifying fun-house. It’s all those faces: the dragons, clowns, kings and fairies, leering and dead-eyed. That said, we love touring Mardi Gras World – the studio-warehouse of Blaine Kern (Mr Mardi Gras) and family, who have been making jaw-dropping parade floats since 1947. Tours last about 90 minutes, and are given by a crew of knowledgeable, personable docents.
There are never less than 2000 props in the inventory, and the company builds about 50 or 60 new ones each year. Kern learned the trade from his father and passed it down to his sons.
If you’re staying at a nearby hotel, you may be able to catch the company’s free shuttle. Otherwise, parking costs $10 in the lot beside the entrance.
Southern Food & Beverage MuseumMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-569-0405; www.natfab.org/southern-food-and-beverage; 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd; adult/child under 12yr $10.50/free; h11am-5:30pm Wed-Mon)
You don’t have to be a gourmet or mixologist to enjoy this made-from-scratch museum, which celebrates Southern cooking and cocktails with exhibits – some fascinating, others less so – sourced from every state south of the Mason-Dixon line. The well-stocked Museum of the American Cocktail displays old elixir bottles, cocktail-making tools, tiki glasses and old pictures of impressively mustachioed bartenders. Check the website for details about cooking classes in the demo kitchen.
Ashé Cultural Arts CenterARTS CENTER
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-603-6394; www.ashecac.org; 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat)
An important anchor for the local African American community, Ashé (from a Yoruba word that could loosely be translated as ‘Amen’) regularly showcases performances, art and photography exhibitions, movie screenings and lectures with an African, African American or Caribbean focus, and beyond. Check the online calendar for upcoming events.
The on-site Diaspora Boutique, which stocks clothing, earrings and crafts, is also worth a look.
Irish ChannelAREA
The name Irish Channel is a bit of a misnomer. Although this historic neighborhood, which borders the Garden Districts, was settled by poor Irish immigrants fleeing the 1840s potato famine, many German and African American residents coexisted here in a multicultural gumbo. This is a rapidly gentrifying cluster of shotgun houses, and in general it’s pleasant for ambling, although you should exercise caution at night.
The area runs between Magazine St to the north, the Mississippi River to the south, Toledano St to the west and, depending on who you ask, First or Jackson St to the east. Come St Patrick’s Day, a big block party takes over Constance St in front of Parasol’s.
Coliseum SquarePARK
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 1708 Coliseum St; h24hr)
Much of the Lower Garden District was designed as a settlement zone for those Americans who began arriving in New Orleans after the Louisiana Purchase. Coliseum Square was envisaged as a sort of triangular village green for these residents and, to be fair, the space still serves as a center of gravity and recreational area for locals looking for fresh air. The park does attract the occasional shady hanger-on come nightfall.
McKenna Museum of African American ArtMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-323-5074; www.themckennamuseum.com; 2003 Carondelet St; adult/student $5/3; hby appointment)
Although the displayed work at this beautiful two-story institution comes from all over the African diaspora, most of it was created by local New Orleans artists. Images of Mardi Gras and the New Orleans music scene are highlights. The artwork is part of a collection amassed over some 30 years by Dr Dwight McKenna, a local physician, politician and the first black coroner in the city’s history. Visiting is by appointment only – call well ahead.
St Vincent’s Infant AsylumHISTORIC BUILDING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-666-8300; www.frenchquarterphantoms.com; 1507 Magazine St; tour $50; htours 7pm & 10pm Wed-Sun)
This large red-brick orphanage was built in 1864 with assistance from federal troops occupying the city. It helped relieve the overcrowded orphanages filled with youngsters of all races who had lost their parents to epidemics and the Civil War. The orphanage is a guesthouse these days (not recommended), and can be visited on a two-hour tour with the tour company French Quarter Phantoms.
2Neighborhood Walk
Green, Green New Orleans
START THE RINK
FINISH TRACEY’S
LENGTH 1 MILE; TWO TO THREE HOURS
Soak up the ‘green’ of New Orleans, from the historic, magnolia-shaded streets of the Garden District to the Emerald Isle heritage of the Irish Channel.
From the CBD, take the St Charles Avenue Streetcar to Washington Ave. Walk one block south to 1The Rink, an 1880s skating rink turned 21st-century mini-mall. 2Lafayette Cemetery No 1, one of the city’s oldest cemeteries, stands across Prytania St, as does the dapper 3Commander’s Palace, the elegant crown jewel of the Brennan restaurant empire. Around the corner at 1448 Fourth St is 4Colonel Robert Short’s House, designed by architect Henry Howard. Once the home of a Confederate officer, it’s an exemplary double-gallery home with fine cast-iron details.
Continue to the 5Women’s Guild of the New Orleans Opera Association at 2504 Prytania, a Greek Revival home designed by William Freret in the late 1850s. Turn right onto First St where you’ll find 6Joseph Carroll House at No 1315, a beautiful center-hall house with double galleries laced with cast iron. At the back there’s a similarly impressive carriage house.
The grand home at 1239 First St is the former residence of author Anne Rice. The spinner of vampire tales lived in the 1857 home, known as the 7Brevard-Rice House, for many years, and regularly invited fans to tour inside. Which, by the way, is beautiful but disappointingly free of bats, organ music and Tom Cruise mooning about in a frilly jacket. It’s no longer open to the public.
As you move upriver from First St, homes quickly become shotgun shacks. This is the Irish Channel, home to working-class Irish, German and African American communities. Head down First St, turn right into Constance and wander along until you come to 8 Parasol’s on the corner of Third St and 9Tracey’s on the corner of Third and Magazine Sts. These are two quintessential New Orleans neighborhood bars with dueling roast-beef po’boy sandwiches. Dig in.
5Eating
Foodies can pick and choose from Vietnamese soup shops, old-line Creole cafes, great sandwich shops and some truly excellent breakfast joints. With a high student population, there’s a decidedly young, hip and economical bent to the food on offer in the Lower Garden. There’s not as much variety in the Garden District – just some of the most storied restaurants in the country. Central City’s renaissance is evident in the form of new restaurants – ranging from old-school cheap spots to fancier new food-court-style options – arrayed along Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.
oSurrey’s Juice BarAMERICAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-524-3828; www.surreysnola.com; 1418 Magazine St; mains $6.50-13; h8am-3pm; 
v)
Surrey’s makes a simple bacon-and-egg sandwich taste – and look – like the most delicious breakfast you’ve ever been served. And you know what? It probably is the best. Boudin biscuits; eggs scrambled with salmon; biscuits swimming in salty sausage gravy; and a shrimp, grits and bacon dish that should be illegal. And the juice, as you might guess, is blessedly fresh.
Surrey’s has an Uptown branch with the same menu and hours at 4807 Magazine St.
oStein’s DeliDELI$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-527-0771; www.steinsdeli.net; 2207 Magazine St; sandwiches $7-13; h7am-7pm Tue-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun)
You may get a no-nonsense ‘what?’ when you step up to the counter, but it’s just part of the schtick at this scruffy deli. For quality sandwiches, cheese and cold cuts, this is as good as the city gets. Owner Dan Stein is fanatical about keeping his deli stocked with great Italian and Jewish meats and cheeses, and fine boutique beers.
Dryades Public MarketMARKET$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-644-4841; http://dryadespublicmarket.com; 1307 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd; hot plates $8-13; h8am-8pm Mon-Thu, to 9pm Fri & Sat, to 6pm Sun; v)
This enormous market is stocked with fresh groceries representing a good range of local vendors, and there are several hot-food bars – the menu varies, but it’s invariably good (and good value). On some days we’ve had great oysters and fried chicken here, on others, excellent teriyaki. Grab some groceries for a picnic too.
Poke LoaHAWAIIAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-309-9993; www.eatpokeloa.com; 3341 Magazine St; mains $11.50-15; h11am-9pm; v)
A welcome and popular addition to the New Orleans dining firmament, Poke Loa brings Hawaiian-style poke bowls (raw fish mixed with vegetables, spices, sauces and other bits of goodness) to Magazine St. There are over 15 toppings and tons of protein and green options to round out your bowl, but the end result is invariably tasty.
Parasol’sSANDWICHES$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-302-1533; 2533 Constance St; po’boys $7-16; h11am-9pm)
Parasol’s isn’t just in the Irish Channel neighborhood; it sort of is the Irish Channel, serving as community center, nexus of gossip and watering hole. It’s first and foremost a bar, but you can order some of the best po’boy sandwiches in town from the seating area in the back. That big ol’ roast beef is a messy, juice-filled conduit of deliciousness.
There’s a mad cast of characters both behind and at the bar, but don’t feel threatened; all in all this is one of the friendliest neighborhood spots in New Orleans. This place is also St Paddy’s Day headquarters, when a huge block party happens on the street.
Mais ArepasCOLOMBIAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-523-6247; 1200 Carondelet St; mains $8-20; h11:30am-2:30pm & 6-9:45pm Tue-Sat, 6-9:15pm Sun)
If the cuisine of the Southern US isn’t far enough south for you, head to South America via Mais Arepas. Their specialty is, unsurprisingly, arepas (corn cakes) topped with all sorts of goodies: chicken, avocado and lime juice; fried oysters and salsa; and grilled steak, onions and black beans – to name a few examples.
SeedHEALTH FOOD$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-302-2599; www.seedyourhealth.com; 1330 Prytania St; mains $7-14; h11am-10pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat & Sun; v) 
S
Vegetarians and vegans can now nosh with abandon in New Orleans, just like their more carnivorous friends. This spare and boxy addition to the Lower Garden District calls its menu ‘garden-based’ and whips up delicious salads and sandwiches plus a few heartier mains, such as vegetarian spaghetti and pad Thai. Blended juices and cocktails, all made with fresh juice, add to the fun.
Café ReconcileDINER$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-568-1157; http://reconcileneworleans.org; 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd; mains $6-15; h11am-2:30pm Mon-Fri) S
Café Reconcile fights the good fight by recruiting and training at-risk youth to work as kitchen and floor staff. The food is simple and, frankly, really good. It’s very much of the humble New Orleans school of home cookery: red beans and rice, fried chicken, shrimp Creole and the like, with the spotlight on daily specials.
SucréSWEETS$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-520-8311; www.shopsucre.com; 3025 Magazine St; confectionary $2-9; h9am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory has put away its top-hat and purple suede coat and gone decidedly upscale. Artisanal chocolates, chocolate bars, toffee, marshmallows, gelato and other confections beckon from behind the glass counter. One macaroon will set you back $2 – but you can gain comfort from the fact that Sucré is widely considered the best chocolate in town.
DistrictPASTRIES$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-570-6945; www.donutsandsliders.com; 2209 Magazine St; donuts & pastries $3-6, sliders $4-11; h7am-9pm)
District makes us feel naughty – and we like it. In the morning, truly decadent donuts lure customers to the counter – we enjoyed the piled-high cookies and cream. After 11am, fancy sliders step onto the scene; fortunately they are also small, so the guilt is not overwhelming. Note that the ‘brew’ here is coffee, not beer.
If the fried-oyster slider is available, get it.
SlicePIZZA$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-525-7437; www.slicepizzeria.com; 1513 St Charles Ave; pizzas $13-23; h11am-11pm Mon-Sat, to 10pm Sun)
One of those places you’ll find yourself returning to again and again if you’re staying in the Lower Garden District for more than a few days. Highlights? Nice staff, happy-hour specials and damn good pizza. Toppings for the thin-crust pies can be as artisanal or run-of-the-mill as you like. Slices start at at $3.
Tracey’sSANDWICHES$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-897-5413; www.traceysnola.com; 2604 Magazine St; mains $9-15; h11am-10pm Sun-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat, bar 11am-late)
This neighborhood bar, known for its roast-beef po’boys, is where you go to watch the Saints play on a lazy Sunday afternoon – the joint’s got 20 TVs. Order your pub grub at the window, grab a buzzer, then settle in until you’re buzzed (in both senses of the word).
The crowd sitting outside can look kind of scruffy, but c’mon in – it’s a welcoming place. The trendy exposed-brick wall will give urban hipsters a modicum of comfort, and parasols hang from the ceiling.
Big Fisherman SeafoodSEAFOOD$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-897-9907; 3301 Magazine St; crawfish from $4; h11am-6pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat, 10am-5pm Sun)
If you’re here in the spring during crawfish season, you may develop a taste for the little mudbugs. But you haven’t had the full-on crawfish experience unless you’ve been invited to a crawfish boil in someone’s backyard. This busy little shop will pack some up for you so you can carry ’em back to your own bungalow or someone else’s.
Prices fluctuate, so call ahead – depending on the time of year and the harvest, a pound of cooked crawfish goes for around $4 to $6.
Juan’s Flying BurritoMEXICAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-569-0000; www.juansflyingburrito.com; 2018 Magazine St; mains $7-15; h11am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
The answer to that perennial question, ‘What happens when you cross a bunch of skinny-jeans-clad hipsters with a tortilla?’, is (ta da) Juan’s. The food is about as authentically Mexican as Ontario, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good; the hefty burritos pack a satisfying punch. The margaritas are tasty and the quesadilla comes with ground beef, bacon and blue cheese – yes, please.
Slim Goodie’s DinerDINER$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-891-3447; 3322 Magazine St; mains $5.50-16; h6am-3pm)
The grease is as prevalent as the ’70s rock in this laid-back place, where hipsters in dirty tennis shoes serve hipsters in wool caps. Burgers, shakes, American breakfasts and other short-order standards anchor the menu. It’s good, if not exactly awe-inspiring. And we jest about the hipsters – they’re just the most eye-catching folks in the all-ages, all-fashion crowd.
oCoquetteFRENCH$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-265-0421; www.coquettenola.com; 2800 Magazine St; brunch mains $13-23, dinner mains $20-30; h5:30-10pm Mon-Fri, 10:30am-2pm & 5:30-10pm Sat & Sun)
Coquette mixes wine-bar ambience with friendly service and a bit of white linen; the result is a candlelit place where you don’t feel bad getting tipsy. Explore beyond the respectable wine menu, though – there’s some great Louisiana-sourced food here, often with an innovative global spin. Choices may include charred broccoli and kohlrabi, or speckled trout with shrimp and sausage dressing.
The small plates are eclectic and highly recommended. Menus change daily. At the low-key but inviting bar, you might just find yourself seated beside a recognizable TV actor, dining and relaxing after a day on set.
Central City BBQBARBECUE$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-558-4276; http://centralcitybbq.com; 1201 S Rampart St; mains $11-20; h11am-9pm)
‘Who does the best barbecue in town’ is a subject of low-intensity foodie debate in New Orleans, but Central City BBQ is a respectable answer. The spot is the love-child of two local chefs with a passion for barbecue and wood smoke. The interior is airy and modern by New Orleans standards, and the food is on point.
While you may find burnt ends (meat cut from the ‘point’ of the brisket that soaks up a ton of flavor) at other barbecue spots, Central City has a particular passion for these holy grails of the carnivore firmament.
Casa BorregaMEXICAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-427-0654; http://casaborrega.com; 1719 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd; lunch mains $7-12, dinner mains $11-24; h11am-9:30pm Tue-Thu, to 10:30pm Fri & Sat, to 3pm Sun)
Borrega is a good Mexican restaurant, yes. It’s also a concert venue and a gallery for Latin American art that ranges from striking contemporary to colorful folk. Beyond all of this, Casa Borrega has become a major center of community gravity for the Latino New Orleans community. Also, the shrimp in butter-garlic-tequila sauce is fantastic.
Sake Café UptownJAPANESE$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-894-0033; www.sakecafeonmagazine.com; 2830 Magazine St; sushi $3.75-18, mains $12-16.25; h11:30am-10:30pm Mon-Thu, to 11:30pm Fri & Sat, 12:30pm-10:30pm Sun)
Believe it or not, fish in this town doesn’t have to come fried, swimming in a thick sauce or stuffed with bacon, crawfish or crabmeat. Sake Uptown (the original is in Metairie) serves decent sushi that’s popular with the young types who populate the Lower Garden District and surrounds.
oCommander’s PalaceCREOLE$$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-899-8221; www.commanderspalace.com; 1403 Washington Ave; dinner mains $32-43; h11:30am-1pm & 6:30-10:30pm Mon-Fri, from 11am Sat, from 10am Sun)
Commander’s Palace is a dapper host, a seer-suckered bon vivant who wows with white-linen dining rooms, decadent dishes and attentive Southern hospitality. The nouveau Creole menu shifts, and can run from crispy oysters with brie-cauliflower fondue to pecan-crusted gulf fish. The dress code adds to the charm: no shorts or T-shirts, and jackets preferred at dinner. It’s a very nice place – and lots of fun.
Owner Ella Brennan takes pride in her ability to promote her chefs to stardom; Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse are among her alumni. And note that some of that stiff-upper-lip formality is put on; the lunch special, after all, is the 25¢ martini. Reservations are required.
2Neighborhood Walk
Garden District Stroll
START GOODRICH-STANLEY HOUSE
END WALTER GRINNAN ROBINSON HOUSE
LENGTH 1 MILE; 2½ HOURS
At 1729 Coliseum St, the historic double-gallery 1Goodrich-Stanley House (MAP GOOGLE MAP) was built in 1837 by jeweler William M Goodrich. Goodrich sold the house to the British-born merchant Henry Home Stanley, whose adopted son, Henry Morton Stanley, went on to win fame for finding the missing Scottish missionary, Dr David Livingstone.
At 1749 Coliseum St, behind a handsome wrought-iron fence, 2Grace King House (MAP GOOGLE MAP) was named for the Louisiana historian and author who lived here from 1905 to 1932. It was built in 1847 by banker Frederick Rodewald, and features Greek Ionic columns on the lower floor as well as Corinthian columns above. Like the Goodrich-Stanley House, it’s not open to the public.
The 3House of Broel, (MAP GOOGLE MAP) built in the 1850s, is a bit madcap. The entire two-story building was elevated in 1884 to allow for the construction of a new first floor; the owner wanted to throw elaborate parties for his three daughters. Today the house showcases gowns and an astounding collection of highly detailed dollhouses.
At 2343 Prytania St, the 4McGehee School for Girls, formerly the Bradish Johnson House, looks like a stately opera house that was dropped into the heart of the Garden District. The 1872 building was designed by James Freret in the Second Empire style, an architectural school not known for its subtlety.
If the home at 1239 First St looks like it could house an aristocratic vampire or a cabal of witches, you’ve either got a great imagination or have read Anne Rice. This home, known as the 5Brevard-Rice House, used to be the author’s residence. The 1857 Greek Revival masterpiece has two stories of columns and wrought-iron balconies.
The columned double-decker 6 Walter Grinnan Robinson House sticks out on a relatively modest block of Third St like an exceptionally ornate sore thumb. It was built in 1859 and designed by the famed Irish New Orleans architect Henry Howard.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Bars in this part of New Orleans tend to attract a youngish student and post-student crowd. Magazine St is, in its way, as much fun as Bourbon and Frenchmen Sts in the French Quarter and Faubourg Marigny neighborhoods. It’s wild without being ridiculous or idiotic and, while it lacks Frenchmen’s live-music scene, it makes up for that with a better variety of bars.
Avenue PubPUB
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-586-9243; www.theavenuepub.com; 1732 St Charles Ave; h24hr)
From the street, this scruffy pub looks like a nothing-special neighborhood dive. But with more than 40 beers on tap and another 135-odd in bottles, plus staff with serious dedication to the taste of their drafts, this two-story beer bar is earning national accolades. The upstairs patio is a fine place to watch the world go by.
BulldogBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-891-1516; http://bulldog.draftfreak.com; 3236 Magazine St; h11:30am-2am)
With 40 or so brews on tap and more than 100 by the bottle or can – from Louisiana and Mexico to Italy and points beyond – the Bulldog works hard to keep beer enthusiasts happy. The best place to sink a pint is the courtyard, which gets packed with the young and beautiful almost every evening when the weather is warm.
Verret’s LoungeBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-895-9640; 1738 Washington Ave; h3pm-3am Sun-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat)
This is the kind of old-school dive where you’d expect to find a bunch of retirees propping up the bar. Instead, the clientele is a younger (not student young) crowd, enjoying cheap, strong drinks and the strung up Christmas lights.
Barrel ProofBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-299-1888; www.barrelproofnola.com; 1201 Magazine St; h4pm-1am Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat)
Do you like whiskey? We sincerely hope so, because there are almost 300 to pick from here, including smoky, smooth and sublime. The crowd is young professional and dressed to impress, but the ties loosen up as the brown liquor flows. Plenty of other spirits and beers on tap as well.
Urban SouthMICROBREWERY
(MAP; %504-267-4852; http://urbansouthbrewery.com; 1645 Tchoupitoulas St; h4-9pm Mon-Wed, from noon Thu & Fri, from 11am Sat & Sun; c)
In an industrial dystopia of warehouses and concrete jungle, you’ll find a big, booming beer hall packed with happy folks and, yes, laughing kids. Urban South keeps a couple of things on tap, as it were – over a dozen award-winning beers, and a children’s play area with daycare, donated toys and an old arcade game.
They offer free brewery tours at 5pm and 7pm on Friday, 3pm, 5pm and 7pm on Saturday, and 2pm and 4pm on Sunday.
Courtyard BreweryMICROBREWERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.courtyardbrewing.com; 1020 Erato St; h4:30-9:30pm Mon-Wed, 11am-10:30pm Thu-Sat, 11am-9:30pm Sun; c)
Beyond their home-brewed products, Courtyard also carries a few dozen beers from around the world, and hosts a regular, rotating slate of food trucks. Pets and kids are welcome and have a great time running around, although not as much as their parents and owners.
NOLA BrewingBREWERY
(%504-301-1117; www.nolabrewing.com; 3001 Tchoupitoulas St; htaproom 11am-11pm, tours 2-3pm Fri, 2-4pm Sat & Sun)
This cavernous brewery welcomes guests throughout the weekend for a free brewery tour that kicks off with sloshy cups of craft brew and a food truck or two out front. The rest of the week? Stop by the taproom, which has plenty of beers on tap and a roof deck.
As for the brewery tour, it’s a high-energy gathering of youngish folks and beer enthusiasts who want to get gently buzzed and hang out in a festival-like setting – and maybe learn about beer. Beloved originals include the NOLA Blonde and the Hopitoulas.
HiVolt CoffeeCAFE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-324-8818; http://hivoltcoffee.com; 1829 Sophie Wright Pl; h7am-5pm; 
W)
Saint Bar & LoungeBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-523-0500; www.thesaintneworleans.com; 961 St Mary St; h7pm-late)
The Saint? Of what? How about a great backyard beer garden enclosed in duck blinds and filled with tattooed young professionals, Tulane students, good shots and a fair bit of attitude. It’s not the cleanest bar (nickname: the Taint), but it sure is a fun one.
As the bartender told us, the worst part of the city’s smoking ban may be that, ‘People are going to realize what this place really smells like.’
RendezvousBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-891-1777; www.therendezvoustavern.com; 3101 Magazine St; h3pm-late Mon-Fri, from 1pm Sat & Sun)
Dartboard, pool table, a long and dark bar, old-looking mirrors on the wall and a few video poker machines. And Billy Squier’s The Stroke on the speakers. Yup, Rendezvous meets all the requirements for a legitimate New Orleans dive bar. This locals’ hangout attracts a mixed bag of college students and yuppies, plus a few outliers to keep it real.
Half MoonBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-522-0599; www.halfmoongrillnola.com; 1125 St Mary St; h5pm-2am)
On an interesting corner, just half a block from Magazine St, the Half Moon beckons with a cool neighborhood vibe. This dive bar is good for a beer, short-order meal or an evening shooting stick. Look for the sweet neon sign. Hours can be fungible, but they try to keep the kitchen open as long as the bar is open.
Igor’s LoungeBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-568-9786; 2133 St Charles Ave; h24hr)
Play pool, tap your foot to the rock on the speakers and do your laundry? Yep, and you know it’s time to leave this dive if the sinuous bar counter starts looking straight. Igor’s constant rotation of characters makes it a good place to drop into, or make it your terminus if staying nearby.
Still Perkin’CAFE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-899-0335; 2727 Prytania St; h7am-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm Sat, to 5pm Sun; W)
Perched on the corner of Prytania St and Washington Ave, this bright coffee shop is a great place to start or finish a Garden District walking tour or a visit to Lafayette Cemetery No 1. In addition to lattes and iced coffees, there’s a decadent selection of scones and other treats plus a few sandwiches and wraps. It’s in the Rink mini-mall.
Balcony BarBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-894-8888; 3201 Magazine St; h4pm-2am Mon-Thu, noon-3am Fri & Sat, noon-2pm Sun)
This student-centric neighborhood bar is a good place for pizza, carousing and sitting on the eponymous balcony while watching the Magazine St parade march by on balmy nights. The kitchen is open late.
3Entertainment
ZeitgeistCINEMA
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-352-1150; www.zeitgeistnola.org; 1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd; tickets $8)
This old movie house has been around since the 1920s. It screens independent and art-house films – call or check the website for a schedule.
7 Shopping
Magazine St is by far New Orleans’ best shopping strip, and as a center for commercial activity it begins in the Lower Garden District, near its intersection with Felicity St. From here, you can follow Magazine west all the way to Audubon Park and shop or window browse in antiques stores and boutiques almost the entire way.
oTrashy DivaCLOTHING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-299-8777; www.trashydiva.com; 2048 Magazine St; hnoon-6pm Mon-Fri, from 11am Sat, 1-5pm Sun)
It isn’t really as scandalous as the name suggests, except by Victorian standards. Diva’s specialty is sassy 1940s- and ’50s-style cinched, hourglass dresses and Belle Époque undergarments – lots of corsets, lace and such. The shop also features Kabuki–inspired dresses with embroidered dragons, and retro tops, skirts and shawls reflecting styles plucked from just about every era.
Tchoup IndustriesSPORTS & OUTDOORS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-872-0726; www.tchoupindustries.com; 1115 St Mary St; h11am-6pm Mon & Tue, Thu-Sat, noon-5pm Sun)
A nice bag may turn heads, but it’ll drop jaws when your friends notice the canvas siding, vintage metal clasps, or exterior made from a repurposed rice bag. These are all locally sourced materials that go into these immensely popular bags ‘for city and swamp’, which are often produced from found or sustainable materials.
Disko ObscuraMUSIC
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.diskoobscura.com; 1113 Saint Mary St; hnoon-6pm Fri-Mon)
You’d think it was hard enough to be a record shop in this day and age, but along comes Disko Obscura, a record shop specializing in underground disco, techno, post-punk and synth-based LPs. That’s niche, but Obscura is also a small recording studio and has a dedicated international clientele.
Simon of New OrleansARTS & CRAFTS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-524-8201; 1028 Jackson Ave, Antiques on Jackson; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat)
Local artist Simon Hardeveld has made a name for himself by painting groovy signs that hang like artwork in restaurants all over New Orleans. You’ll probably recognize the distinctive stars, dots and sparkles that fill the spaces between letters on colorfully painted signs such as ‘Who Died & Made You Elvis?’
The gallery is part of Antiques on Jackson, an antiques shop that Hardeveld owns with his wife Maria.
Aidan Gill for MenFASHION & ACCESSORIES
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-587-9090; www.aidangillformen.com; 2026 Magazine St; h10am-6pm Mon-Wed & Fri, to 7pm Thu, 9am-6pm Sat, noon-6pm Sun)
Shave and a haircut: 40 bits. Or $40. Apiece. But who’s counting at this suave barbershop, where smartly dressed Prohibition–era mobsters would surely have felt comfortable? It’s all about looking neat and stylish, in a well-heeled, masculine sort of way. High-end shaving gear and smart men’s gifts are sold in front, and the barber shop is in back.
GoGo JewelryJEWELRY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-529-8868; www.ilovegogojewelry.com; 2036 Magazine St; h11am-5pm Mon-Sat, from noon Sun)
If you’re looking for stylish, one-of-a-kind jewelry – rings, necklaces and cuffs – with a bit of sass, GoGo is a good place to start.
Funky MonkeyVINTAGE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-899-5587; www.funkymonkeynola.com; 3127 Magazine St; h11am-6pm Sun-Wed, to 7pm Thu-Sat)
You’ll find wigs in every color at Funky Monkey, which sells vintage attire for club-hopping men and women. This fun-house of frippery is also a good spot for Mardi Gras costumes. It’s tiny, though, and can get jam-packed with customers. In addition to wigs, look for jeans, jewelry, tops, sunglasses, hats and boots.
Annoyingly, it has turned into one of those vintage shops where the secondhand stuff is as expensive as new clothes from a big brand name, but the clothes are admittedly very hip-to-trip. The welcoming staff is a bonus.
Thomas Mann Gallery I/OJEWELRY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %800-875-2113; www.thomasmann.com; 1810 Magazine St; h11am-5pm Mon-Sat)
A giant crawfish, a robot made of wood, jewelry, baskets and candle holders: if you need a funky but finely designed gift, pop in here. The ‘I/O’ in the name stands for ‘insight-full objects’. Local craftsman Thomas Mann specializes in jewelry and sculpture, and his gallery is a smorgasbord of glass and metal.
RHINOARTS & CRAFTS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Right Here In New Orleans; %504-523-7945; http://rhinocrafts.com; 2028 Magazine St; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, from noon Sun)
This cool gallery is run by a nonprofit that gathers some of the city’s most talented artists and craftspeople. The artists participate in arts education programs aimed at the public, conduct a ton of workshops, and display quirky work in all kinds of major media. A great spot for a local souvenir.
Diaspora BoutiqueJEWELRY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-569-9070; www.facebook.com/ashediasporaboutique; 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd; h9am-5:30pm Mon-Sat)
Sells clothing, jewelry and crafts from across the African diaspora. Some of the prints are stunning, and the shop also has books by small print publishers.
Anton Haardt GalleryART
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-891-9080; www.antonhaardtgallery.com; 2858 Magazine St; hnoon-4pm Tue-Sat)
The bold, expressive work of outsider and folk art (produced by those with no formal arts education) is an aesthetic that seems to particularly fit funky, idiosyncratic New Orleans. With work sourced from across the American South, this gallery represents an excellent repository of outsider artistic vision.
Garden District BookshopBOOKS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-895-2266; www.gardendistrictbookshop.com; 2727 Prytania St; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat, to 5pm Sun)
Want a book about New Orleans history or a coffee-table tome about Mardi Gras? Then stop by this well-stocked indie bookstore inside the Rink mini-mall. The store also sells travel guides, bestsellers, cookbooks, postcards and a select collection of 1st-edition works. Check the online calendar for book signings with local authors, who drop in every now and then.
Fleurty GirlCLOTHING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-301-2557; www.fleurtygirl.net; 3117 Magazine St; h11am-6pm Mon-Thu, 10am-7pm Fri & Sat, 11am-5pm Sun)
Fleurty Girl celebrates New Orleans and the city’s unofficial symbol – the fleur-de-lis – with a feminine, cheeky style. T-shirts sporting local and topical messages, often involving football, are its raison d’être.
Magazine Antique MallANTIQUES
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-896-9994; 3017 Magazine St; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, from 11:30am Sun)
Scary baby dolls, hats, chandeliers, old soda-brand memorabilia: inside this overstuffed emporium, rummagers are likely to score items of interest in the dozen or so stalls, where independent dealers peddle an intriguing and varied range of antique bric-a-brac. Bargain hunters aren’t likely to have much luck, though – some of this stuff is way overpriced.
2 Sports & Activities
Save Our CemeteriesHISTORY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-525-3377; www.saveourcemeteries.org; adult/child under 12yr $15/free; htours 10:30am & 1pm)
This nonprofit leads tours of Lafayette Cemetery No 1 daily, and the entire proceeds are used for cemetery restoration and documentation. Reservations are recommended because spots are limited, but tours need three people or more to depart. Tours meet at the Washington Ave entrance.
Belladonna Day SpaSPA
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %504-891-4393; www.belladonnadayspa.com; 2900 Magazine St; deep tissue massage 25/80 min $55/130; h9am-6pm Mon & Tue, Fri & Sat, to 8pm Wed & Thu, noon-5pm Sun)
After a few hard days of getting stuffed with rich Creole food and sloshed on pints of NOLA Blonde, it’s time to treat yourself to a little cleansing experience at the Belladonna Day Spa. When you’re done spoiling yourself, take home fragrant lotions and colorful cleansers for some homegrown renewal.
A full detox (aromatic bath, seaweed wrap and deep-tissue massage) runs $225.