Head Uptown after dinner for some live music and dancing at the Maple Leaf, one
of the longest-operating music clubs in New Orleans. This beloved spot was the
first live music venue to reopen after Katrina, with a triumphant,
generator-powered performance. Nightly acts include local and national blues,
funk, zydeco, and jazz. Come 11 PM, you’ll see how the locals like to party (think dancing in the streets).
Day Three
A recuperative brunch may be in order today, so choose to dine with the locals
over at Coop’s Place. This little watering hole in the Quarter is loved by residents for its
saucy rabbit and sausage jambalaya and seafood gumbo packed with shrimp, crab,
and oysters. From there, take the trolley down St. Charles to the Garden
District, ogling the lovely mansions along the way. Visit the Garden District
Book Shop, where popular local author Anne Rice does all her book signings. You’ll find a treasure trove of regional books on everything from Katrina to Creole
cooking, making this a great place for souvenirs.
The bright teal and white façade of the Brennan family’s beloved Commander’s Palace beckons from within a quiet residential neighborhood. No trip to New
Orleans is complete without dinner at this lavish bastion of old-world style
and service. Start with the traditional very tasty Turtle Soup au Sherry, and
top off your meal with the famous Bread Pudding Soufflé. Visit the lush gardens after your meal—you’ll walk through the immaculate kitchen and past numerous gracious staff members
to get there.
Tipitina’s is a well-respected yet unpretentious space in the Quarter offering everything
from national acts like George Clinton to local stars like the Soul Rebels
Brass Band. Tip’s sense of history is showcased on its New Orleans Music Walk of Fame,
commemorating past and present pillars of the local jazz and R&B scene. Visit on Sunday for the Cajun Fais Do Do, a weekly Cajun dance party
fourteen years and running.
The people of NOLA hold an unwavering dedication to the city they will always
call home, and everyone you meet will be happy to share his or her personal
Katrina story with you. On my trip back to the airport, I asked the cab driver
for his story; he was running a French restaurant Uptown before Katrina blew
into town, and the restaurant is still boarded up today due to the extensive—and expensive—damage. Not an uncommon story. Whereas increasing tourism is helping, he
continues driving a cab until he can make enough money to rebuild.
And rebuild he will. We all will. 
Day Two
Start your day with a hearty breakfast at Petunia’s, located in a townhouse erected in the 1830s. Petunia’s specializes in savory crepes, huge fluffy omelets, and Eggs Melanza—fried eggplant with shaved grilled ham and tomatoes, poached eggs, hollandaise
sauce, and Parmesan. Expect a long wait for a table; well worth it, as diners
happily departing the restaurant will assure you.
The Riverwalk offers family-friendly fun along the Mississippi River, featuring
a shopping mall, an aquarium, and an IMAX theater, all accessible by trolley.
At lunchtime, head over to Central Grocery, where you’ll find locals and tourists alike in a makeshift line, snaking through jars of
pickled green beans and hot sauce, hoping and praying they don’t run out of Muffuletta sandwiches before they make it to the front of the line.
