I Let the Locals Show Me the Vibe of New Orleans (Just Steps away from Bourbon Street)

Exploring New Orleans

Craig Lou looks beyond Bourbon Street’s party scene to explore how New Orleans’ food, music, neighborhoods, and history are intertwined.

Food and Drink

• Bearcat Cafe: Craig tries the Cat Daddy—a biscuit topped with fried chicken, crawfish gravy, and a sunny-side-up egg—and a crab scramble. He enjoys the rich food and generous portions, though he finds brunch moderately expensive.
• Café du Monde: He samples powdered-sugar beignets and café au lait made with roasted chicory. The line moves quickly, and he recommends the classic experience, while noting that the beignets are heavy.
• Pat O’Brien’s: Craig tries a Hurricane, describing it as strong, sweet, and cherry-forward. Neenie, a local employee, says it’s a famous New Orleans drink, though not one she personally likes.
• Cajun Seafood: In the Seventh Ward, Craig picks up crawfish, shrimp, crab, corn, and potatoes. He praises the seasoning, friendly service, and value, and rates the food highly.

A local recommends Loretta’s for stuffed beignets.

Places and Atmosphere

Craig stays at the International House, where he sees two Banksy artworks in person. On Bourbon Street, he takes in the bars, oversized drinks, balconies, and tourist-party atmosphere.

At the riverfront, he reflects on how the Mississippi River has shaped New Orleans’ trade and culture. Jackson Square is lively with artists and music, and Craig describes it as a historic center surrounded by notable landmarks.

He ends the evening in the French Quarter listening to live music, including Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers at the Blue Nile.

History and Culture

In Louis Armstrong Park and Congo Square, local storyteller Mandela the Storyteller explains the area’s connections to African, Creole, blues, jazz, gospel, and rock-and-roll traditions. He describes Congo Square as a historic gathering and communication place for enslaved and free people of color, and discusses the role of maroon communities.

Craig visits Tremé, learning about its importance to Black New Orleans culture, and stops at St. Augustine Church, one of the country’s oldest Black Catholic churches.

Local Mardi Gras Indian Brandon (B.), a Spy Boy with Black Feather Young Generation, explains Super Sunday as a neighborhood celebration bringing together Mardi Gras Indians, social aid and pleasure clubs, baby dolls, brass bands, and other traditions. He describes the suits’ beadwork and feathers as expressions of identity, ancestral connection, resistance, and cultural history.

Craig’s takeaway is that New Orleans’ music is more than entertainment: it carries generations of history and cultural meaning.

Notable Locations and People

Locations: International House; Bearcat Cafe; Bourbon Street; Mississippi River; Café du Monde; Jackson Square; Louis Armstrong Park and Congo Square; Tremé; St. Augustine Church; Pat O’Brien’s; Cajun Seafood; Bayou St. John; Blue Nile.

People and groups: Mandela the Storyteller; Brandon (B.); Neenie at Pat O’Brien’s; Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers; Black Feather Young Generation.