Up and at it for a 7:00 AM breakfast buffet at the Sheraton. It was a continental style affair… we were thinking maybe something offsite tomorrow as we kind of enjoy a solid breakfast while travelling to set up the day! The location of the Sheraton has proven perfect. We have been privy to several strolls into the nearby French Quarter (as well as the Business District), easy access to any needs via Canal St. businesses, and all the while managing the aesthetic of a partial view from our window of the Mississippi River as it winds to the gulf.
Then off to a pretty full day of “IB learning”… we’re staying in the same hotel that is hosting the conference so the logistics are very easy. Fun to have work and my passion for travel overlapping. Our presenter held very close to actual timelines and we were busy from start to finish. I’m very quickly coming to know how much I don’t know!
For supper we went exploring again. We scoped out a few potential evening meal options on foot, as we were in dire need of a walk to stretch the legs and clear the brain. Eventually, we came to rest on Frenchman Street. Our choice was the quiet, more relaxed Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro. I enjoyed the gumbo, while Janie went full on with a Shrimp dinner. I sensed that many of the patrons were locals… always a good sign!
Then all one needed to do was follow their ears in search of music, which wasn’t hard (it oozed out of the many doors of bars in the Faubourg Marigny District). Ken Burns says, “Jazz grew up in a thousand places, but it was born in New Orleans”. We found a corner in the Spotted Cat Music Club and grooved to the klezmer / New Orleans vibe of the Panorama Jazz Band. Super cool musically and the patrons were fans… Very respectful of the performers and on site to pay homage to the music, rather than party. Fortunate find on our part!
Entirely walkable, we sauntered back past the wrought iron balconies/galleries and Spanish colonial architecture that pervade this part of the city. Janie wondered out loud how much of this area had been impacted by flooding after Katrina and the displacement that must have occurred. That question had Google search written all over it! It proved a perfect evening for getting around, with none of the rain highlighted in the forecast and our walk timed before the late night revelers, who were just hitting the streets.