New Orleans Part Two

Day two of New orleans begins with breakfast, at a rather unique restaurant called Louie and the Redhead Lady. Located at: 1851 Florida St. Mandeville, LA, there is a bit of a drive to this restaurant however, I feel pretty confident it is a place worth the drive. Directions from the hotel Here. Louie and the Redhead lady was a place that immediately excited me when I first saw it on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Owned by a man named Louie Finnan and a woman named Ginger (who, as you guessed it, is a redhead) not only do they own and operate the restaurant they are also married; nothing warms the heart more than good food from a place owned by a husband and wife duo. To me a placed that is family run, creates a familiar and welcoming atmosphere which is always a treat when your traveling. Louie and the Redhead Lady serves traditional New Orleans eats. Louie, a culinary enthusiast, learned most of what he knows from his grandmother and mother (the original redheaded lady). They serve what appears to be thoughtfully made breakfast foods, that are riddled with New Orleans style. Such as the fried green tomatoes, topped with shrimp and a remoulade sauce; or the grits and grillades or even their oysters luzianne. Of course they also serve more traditional breakfast foods like eggs, omelets and pancakes each one is still prepared with a distinct flair. Menu items range from about 8 USD to around 17 USD, so day two in New Orleans will cost an estimated 25 Dollars excluding gas and hotel. 

Perhaps after getting back to the french quarter Madison and myself will walk around for a bit embrace the beautiful surroundings of old New Orleans. If we are lucky enough we might stumble upon a Jazz bar (the classic Music of New Orleans). Jazz is another thing that is close to my heart, as a young child my father a jazz enthusiast constantly played Wynton Marsalis, his Peanuts album in particular. Jazz is like food, were it comes from and who is making it changes the experience entirely. Both the food and the music reflect the rich history of New Orleans and the people who live there, and draw connections between people. Day Two: Good food and hopefully some good music. 


Day three: Day three includes two stops, the first Casamento's a New Orleans institution.  Directions are as follows: Directions to Casamento's. Opened in 1919, by Italian transplant Joe Casamento and serves fresh seafood in various forms. Acclaimed for their oyster loaf sandwich, fried soft shell crabs and even a few Italian staples like meatballs. New Orleans is located in prime seafood territory, surrounded by three fresh water lakes. Myself and Madison happen to be HUGE fans of seafood, as well as anything fried. So I can only assume that we will be doing a taste test of most things on this menu from the fresh oysters to the fried seafood sandwiches (or Loafs). What is different about Casamento's is that  while they do offer local seafood with a New Orleans panache they have Italian staples as well. Casamento's shows the diverse background of New Orleans. The Soups are about 5 USD, "Loafs"are about 7-12 USD and seafood platters are 6-15 USD. 

Our Next stop on day three in New Orleans is Creole Creamery. While I am not one that is particularly drawn to sweets, sometimes a nice cold bowl of ice cream on a hot day is well deserved.The Creole Creamery has two locations in New Orleans, one of which is within walking distance from our hotel, located at Jefferson and St. Charles. The Creole Creamery also offers some VERY unique flavors like Avocado and Cream, Balsamic and Strawberry and Gorgonzola  and Walnut. Apart from their unique flavors they also offer tradition ones. The Creole creamery has fountain treats and unique sundae creations. They have offer a monstrous sundae called the Tchoupitoulas, which is comprised of eight scoops of ice cream, eight topping, whipped cream and cherries. Not only will this enormous sundae instill fear in anyone who faces it, it will also set you back about 25 USD. Otherwise the Creole Creamery has reasonable pricing, at about 2 USD per scoop.
Estimated Total Cost for Day three: 45-50 USD per-person, excluding hotel and gas.


New Orleans offers food, drink and culture that is entirely unique. New Orleans has the kind of food invites you in, makes you feel welcome in a place you may have never been before and somehow also teaches you about your surroundings. You don't always need to experience a new place by going to museums or taking historical walking tours, sometimes the best way to get to know a new place is by eating their food and embracing the culture.
Next stop Memphis for some good BBQ.
See you soon
-Rebecca