24 Hours in New Orleans

Just got back from the Big Easy, and it's the only place hotter than here. But good friends and good food make it all OK. All the places I ate were new for me which was fun. So here's the rundown.

Cochon Butcher Little sister of perennial Monkey favorite Cochon, Cochon Butcher serves sandwiches, small plates and wine, but the real meat is, well, the meat. Everything from head cheese to duck pastrami to salami and chorizo is made in house and delicious. The pickles were awesome too.

Hansen's Sno-Bliz A definite for summer in New Orleans, Hansen's has been around since 1939. Ernest Hansen actually patented his machine for shaving ice which makes a particularly delicate flake. I got the Banana flavor, and apparently, the locals can tell whether or not you're a local from the flavor you order. Banana was a dead giveaway. The line forms out the door quickly.

Perino's Boiling Pot Out in the West Bank but worth the drive, Perino's serves up tasty seafood. Because it's on the West Bank where the fishermen come in, the seafood is technically fresher than in New Orleans proper. We ate 15 pounds of crawfish, 3 dozen oysters, fried soft shell crab and alligator all for a price you'd never find in the Quarter.

Elizabeth's Elizabeth's features homey mugs (see slideshow above), a tasty brunch and enormous biscuits. Specialties such as Red Neck Eggs, Cajun Bubble & Squeak and a drink called the Corpse Reviver keep things interesting.

Some non-perishable items:

The Front Check out Seth Boonchai's work, "Between the Searching and the Need to Work it Out" showing at The Front through July 5. Or find out more about Seth's work here.

Riverfront Redevelopment A cool project is about to be underway at the Mandeville Wharf to turn it into a really great public space. It's part of the Reinventing the Crescent Master Plan. More information at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple.