Destination Number Five: New Orleans

Our next destination is New Orleans, From Southern Soul BBQ, we have quite a drive before us. The chosen route is as follows: Route to New Orleans. After a nine hour drive, myself and Madison will need a place to stay. Unfortunately neither myself or Madison have family in New Orleans, therefore we will need to dole out some cash on a hotel. Through http://www.expedia.ca/ I have found a Hotel located in the french quarter of New Orleans. While I realize that this will cost a few more dollars, I figure it will be well worth it to stay in the heart of New Orleans. The Hotel I have found can be seen here: Chateau Burbon, costing an estimated 96 USD per night. Costing a total of 288 USD for three nights, which would then be divided by 2, parking is an amenity at the hotel.
New Orleans is a city fueled by culture, from the jazz music, Cajun cooking and the resilient people of New Orleans. Much of New Orleans was destroyed by hurricane Katrina in 2005, affecting many of the restaurants, bars and homes in New Orleans. Having said that, New Orleans is still a city filled with joie de vivre.
One of the defining characteristic of New Orleans is their food, offering low country favorites like: crawfish, oysters and po-boys. Diners, Drive-ins and Dives has covered many of New Orleans' finest food establishments which Madison and I have full intentions to visit.
New Orleans has many iconic foods, from notorious oysters beignets (deep fried sugar loaded dough) but perhaps the most iconic is the Po-Boy. The Po-Boy is derived from Louisiana's french past, combined with local flavors. The Po-Boy has three distinct characteristic, one it must be on a french baguette, the most desireable ones being made at  Leidenheimer Bakery; the second is that a Po-Boy must have pickles, and thirdly must have tomatoes. What ever else go inside a Po-Boy is up to the maker, however I am particularly drawn to an oyster Po-Boy. 

New Orleans has many great places to get a Po-Boy, some of the best can be found at Parasols; Parasols is infamous for their roast beef Po-Boy. Opened in 1952, by Louis Passauer, they are still keeping things traditional. Preparing their infamous roast beef the same way since 1952, despite the change in ownership. Along with the traditional menu of Po-Boys, the offer another local favorite Gumbo. Parasols also offers a wide range of cocktails, not unlike most other restaurants in New Orleans, so this might be the kind of place to cab to Directions here. Parasols keeps things the way they always have been, which speaks to the old-not to be confused with boring- style of New Orleans. Parasols offers a fairly affordable menu with the exception of the seafood, Sandwiches costing around 8 USD for a small and 11 USD for a large, while baskets and sides varry in price, nothing on the menu exceeds 17USD. So combined with cab fair both ways (to and from the hotel) food and drinks, and excluding the cost of the hotel, Day one in New Orleans cost around 45 USD per person (again pending alcohol consumption) 
If you want too see more check out this Video of Guy Fieri at Parasols.


Later: Days Two and Three of New Orleans 
See you Soon
-Rebecca