ROAD TRIP
{photos by One Part Gypsy}
Day 9, Part 2
During our one and only full evening out on the town in New Orleans, Rachel and I wanted to make sure we experienced two things-
1. an authentic French Creole style meal
and
2. authentic New Orleans Jazz
After a bit of research, we decided that we would dine at Galatoires and see a show at Preservation Hall.
Between the surprise snow in New Mexico (when all we had were summer dresses) and the extreme heat in Texas (I really wanted to walk around naked which wasn’t an option), we hadn’t done much “dressing up” in the first 8 days of the trip. So we decided to get dressed up a bit for our night out on the town.
I was starting to resent the two large bags filled with dress clothes that I was lugging around America.
We left our hotel a little after 6 to walk to Galatoires which was located near our hotel on Bourbon Street. This was my first real look at the mayhem of New Orleans. Bourbon street was packed with people, most of whom were drinking booze from tall fluorescent colored glasses and in faaaabulous moods already.
The streets were filled with energy, laughter and music. It was quite the street party! I still can’t get over the fact that you can roam the streets drinking liquor- what a novelty!
After weeding our way through the crowds, we arrived at Galatoires just in time for our reservation. When we walked through the doors of the restaurant, I felt like I had been transported back in time. It was like a different world and we were suddenly in what I imagine old New Orleans felt like. The restaurant was founded in 1905 and not much has changed since then. It was so fancy!
We were brought to our table by a lovely gentleman who we ended up learning was a Galatoire-such a treat to meet him!
I glanced around the restaurant taking in the scene. Suits everywhere- even the little kids were dressed in their very best attire. Champagne flutes lined the tables. Waitstaff moved gracefully across the room. The restaurant was abuzz and it smelled delicious.
Then there was this happy pink shirt wearing man and it was his birthday. If you can’t tell from the pic below, he highly enjoyed it when the restaurant sang Happy Birthday to him.
After singing to the pink shirt wearing man, we ordered dinner- I chose the avocado and crabmeat salad to start and the sautéed shrimp as my main course- it was delicious. I finally got my authentic creole style meal!
After dinner we entered back into the mayhem of Bourbon street in search of Preservation Hall and after a few wrong turns, we finally found it. The place was PACKED!! I guess everyone else was in on the fact that this was the place to hear New Orleans jazz when in town. Preservation Hall opened its doors in 1961 as a sanctuary to protect and honor New Orleans Jazz and 50 years later it is still going strong. We were led into a tiny little room with a tiny little stage. I wasn’t expecting it to be so intimate. When the music started it filled the room.
It was exactly what I wanted to hear in New Orleans…
New Orleans, you are a magical, soulful and delicious place.
I think I love you.
…
For Rachel’s take and more pictures click here!
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