Semi Wild Weekending
So pre warning that this one is a little longer than normal because, well, New Orleans is New Orleans, and there was a ton of stuff happening this weekend in a lot of areas. This was Pride weekend in New Orleans as well as the Tomato Festival as well as a couple cruise boats in town as well as well as friends in town visiting ......you know the rest. In NOLA we party for just about anything all the time and we never regret. Though, there is a little regret on Monday mornings if we party too late on Sundays!
Pride Fest has moved into the Marigny/Bywater area of the city in the past few years and centers around Mag's and the Phoenix. The new Robert's Grocery graciously provided their parking lot as a centerpoint next to the bars showing how wonderful it is to be inclusive and part of the NOLA Structure. We missed the rain which cooled things off for about ten minutes(that is pretty important in summer in NOLA for all you out of towners) and then we baked in the sun supporting the bars and the main stage. Thank goodness for "geeks" because the drone flying over our head was a very cooling encounter in the hot sun.
The Phoenix was kind enough to have inexpensive bar pricing on the streets with premium brands and Beefeater Gin was everywhere. A perky new beer sponsor was Bell's Brewery and they did a great job promoting their brands for the weekend and even creating a special prink brew for the fesitival. The local Mardi Gras Krewe King Arthur provided the floats for the parade which was the biggest pride parade we have ever seen in this city.
And then, the Naked Bike ride began and whooooooooah, there was some nakedness. We cannot post nakedness because this is a family site....sort of...but we do try to behave as much as we can. The World Naked Bike Rode promotes bike safety throughout the world and encourages everyone to always buy new bike seats.
We hung out in the Marigny and discovered a new favorite bar in the Royal Frenchman Hotel which is a renovated apartment building in the middle of the district. The bartenders are fun and they have craft cocktails and wonderful modern space.
The Quarter was next and Molly's at the Market was hopping as usual as the Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown illuminated the television. The Frozen Irish Coffee machine was in full tilt and we actually got to see the mixing process as they refilled the contents. As is the norm in NOLA, a Brass Band popped up and began to entertain crowds on the sidewalk.
A quick pit stop to get some much needed AC occurred at Orleans Grapevine where red wine and cheese plates were flowing. Orleans Grapevine is the fancy restaurant for the owners of Tropical Isle and always has great food and now new seating and tables.
As darkness fell throughout the city, the parade arrived right on time which translates in NOLA speak to two hours late. Crowds were incredibly large on the whole route and the friendliness and enthusiasm on the street closed the weekend on a high note.
Molly's At the Market
1107 Decatur Street
504-525-5169
https://www.mollysatthemarket.net/
The Phoenix
941 Elysian Fields
504-945-9264
http://www.phoenixbarnola.com/
The Royal Frenchman Hotel and Bar
700 Frenchman Street
504-619-9660
http://www.royalfrenchmenhotel.com/
