A NOLA Anniversary - Part 4

For our last morning in New Orleans, we decided to pack in a few more quick sights as we walked around the corner. But the day would not have been complete had we not started it in Big Easy style -- a patio serving of beignets and iced chicory cafe au lait. This time, however, we went to the New Orleans Musical Legends Park off Bourbon (where we watched live musicians on our first night) for Cafe Beignet. There wasn't nearly the same size line and the beignets were practically twice the size as Cafe du Monde, so we were happy.



This is the Cornstalk Hotel. It is supposedly the place where Harriet Beecher Stowe stayed when she witnessed the slave markets in the city and decided to write Uncle Tom's Cabin. The reason it got its name was because of the cornstalk wrought iron work. (If you click on the picture, you might be able to see the detail better.) One of the early owners built it because his new bride was homesick for her corn fields back in Iowa and he wanted to give her a little bit of her home in New Orleans. It's now a super cute bed and breakfast.

New Orleans had pirate lore long before it was cool. This block-long alley next to the cathedral is named Pirates Alley, though it's questionable why. Legends have all sorts of stories of pirate hideouts along the route and of Jean Lafitte meeting with Andrew Jackson to plan the Battle of New Orleans against the British in 1815. But pirates or no, Pirates Alley is still well known for the Faulkner House, where William Faulkner lived and wrote. His house is now a bookstore, which I'm sure has plenty of copies of As I Lay Dying.

Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, now a famous bar.

Our last meal in New Orleans was at the Gumbo Shop off St. Peter Street. My family would always eat lunch here when we were in the French Quarter. We split a platter with jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish etoufee, shrimp creole, and maque choux, but we decided to order our own strawberry and strawberry-banana daiquiris. :)

There was a woman who set up shop just outside our window during dinner. We watched her sing and play her keyboard all during lunch.

But before we left to go back home, she urged Shaun to grab a tambourine and play right along with her! After all, when in New Orleans...
Laissez les bons temps rouler!