Mardi Gras is just around the corner and soon all will be merry in the Crescent City again. In the meantime, take a little breather and check out some low-key weekend happenings in New Orleans or book a New Orleans tour of the swamps, plantations, cemeteries and other only-in-Louisiana attractions.
A round at the new Carousel Bar
Check out the newly renovated digs at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone. Towering windows overlook the streets of the French Quarter, jazzy new (but still temporary) lounge seating in the expanded bar and the usual dizzying array of great cocktails await at the famous revolving bar. Local trad jazz canary Ingrid Lucia brings her abstract renditions of classic standards to the new Carousel Bar. Details: Daily, 11 a.m. - 1 a.m., Carousel Bar, Hotel Monteleone (214 Royal St. (504) 523-3341)
Manning's New Orleans opens January 17
- Manning's New Orleans opens January 17 with Gris Gris hot wings and other tailgate classics on tap.
We're still recovering from the shock that our Saints aren't in the NFC Championships, but hometown football hero Archie Manning will be – at least in the form of his new downtown restaurant. The new uber-sports bar/restaurant Manning's is a 210-seat eatery featuring 30 flat screen TVs, the reservations-only End Zone with 17 leather recliners set in front of a 13x7-foot megascreen, and plenty of sports memorabilia from New Orleans' first football family. The menu features creative twists on tailgate classics by New Orleans-born executive chef Anthony Spizale. Details: Sunday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Manning's New Orleans (Fulton Street, (504) 593-8118)
Harvard LowKeys at NOMA
Check out the a capella stylings of these fresh-faced undergrads arranging and performing pop songs by hip acts like Gorillaz, Coldplay, Justin Timberlake and The Fray. Think: Glee meets Ivy League. The group's upbeat repertoire should prove an interesting addition to the backdrop of the New Orleans Museum of Art's collection. Details: Free with museum admission ($10 adults, $6 kids), 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Friday, January, 2 at the New Orleans Museum of Art (1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park, (504) 658-4100)
Harlem Globetrotters at the Arena
Can't you just hear the trademark whistling? The Harlem Globetrotters bring their own special brand of basketball to the New Orleans Arena on Friday. Meadowlark Lemon may be long gone but check out TNT, Jet, Too Tall and Tiny as they put on an exhibition showcasing monster dunks, crazy antics on the court and amazing basketball skills against the forever hapless Washington Generals. Details: Tickets start at $42, 7 p.m. Friday, January 20 at the New Orleans Arena
Treme Life
- Catch John Boutee at d.b.a. on Frenchmen Street.
Down on Frenchmen St. you can find John Boutee and his baby going crazy, buckjumping and having fun at his standing gig at d.b.a. on Saturday. Now famous for his effervescent HBO Treme theme song, Boutee has long been one of the smoothest crooners in town and the great selection of beers and spirits at d.b.a. will kick your Saturday night off right. Stick around to hear the Grammy-nominated Pine Leaf Boys' unique brand of Cajun music. Details: $5, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday, February 21, d.b.a. (618 Frenchmen St. (504) 942-3731)
Johnny Sketch and the Dirtynotes
- See Johnny Sketch and the Dirtynotes
Funk rockers Johnny Sketch and the Dirtynotes will be pumping out their horn-driven funk if you want to see why this group is the top bar band in the city. (These guys graduated from Loyola long before Facebook and Twitter.) Johnny Sketch, Dirty Johnny, Busta Gnut and the Boys will pound out plenty of slamming selections from their four albums. Details: Tickets $10. Show starts at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, January 21, Blue Nile (532 Frenchmen St. (504) 948-2583)
