Nerw Orleans after Christmas
 

Daughter has a week off. Thinking of New Orleans. Any advice on which neighborhood is best. Of course I want to meet up w my NO quilting pals!

Metairie, right outside of New Orleans is nice and cheaper than the French Quarter.

I love new orleans. I always spend the bucks and stay in the french quarters. if this is your first time, go for it. everytime I, we, go, I always find new things. I am lucky and have some really great friends there who always take us to Dennies for dinner in the french quarter. great food. I would take a carridge ride and get a little history while riding. ther are many that gather in front of Jackson Square. I don't make too many plans and do things on impulse. always have the most fun that way. I would also recommend one of the cemetary tours. they are also rich in history.
wilburness

How would you be coming, Dotty? Car, plane, train? Or do you plan to rent a car? I'm not to familiar with quilt shops in New Orleans, but there is one in Baton Rouge I've been to. There are two local shops in Lafayette though, and I've been to both. Then we have Hobby Lobby, Joann's, and Hancock Fabrics.

What are you interested in? Night life? a tour of the swamps? Tremendous jazz music? New Orleans has a small but first rate art museum with one of the countries best collections of Faberge eggs. Antiques? Royal street is famous for first class antiques and Magazine Street has more afforable shops.History? Battle fields? Voodoo? The best restaurants in the US? A first class zoo.

Do some research before you go. A week isn't time enough to scratch the surface.

Google Gulf States Quilting Assn there. It is a very large quilting group (my mother founded it, so I'm aware of it) and I'm still a member, even though I no longer live in the general area. Anyway, the information from there will give you names of members you can contact AND there is a listing of all the quilt stores in that general area that recognize the association. While Metairie is a wonderful suburb and pretty central to most of the outlying area, it is not close to New Orleans, the city. There are, as TanyaL said many, many, many wonderful things to do. There is a great aquarium, a river walk (great shops), take a river boat ride, you name it - good food, good fun. Laissez les bon temps rollez! Makes me want to go home!

Thanks all! Look me up when you come to NYC!

They have plantations on the outskirts.

The zoo in New Orleans is FANTASTIC. There is also an old cemetery in Meterie that used to provide an audio tour. You simply checked in the front office and they provided a CD with points of interest through out the cemetery. Sounds strange, but it is so full of history and it was free. We had young children that even enjoyed it. Visit Oak Alley plantation also. It is beautiful. Plan on eating beignets at Cafe Deaumond, definitely take a carriage ride and check out the farmers market. I love New Orleans. My husband grew up a little west of New Orleans. He would move back in a minute if he could take the entire family with him.

The last time I was in New Orleans there were only two quilt shops that I know of. One is on the west side of town The Owl's Nest. At that time they had a wonderful supply of Civil War fabrics and a good amount of other themes of fabric. The staff was very accomodating and we had a good time there and bought FABRIC!!! The other shop is on the east side of town near the Park. Small shop but had a lot of different materials. Had a good amount of Mardi Gras fabric. I spent the rest of my money there. Some other shops may have opened since then, but I am not aware of them. Have a good time.