We can finally say farewell to the heat of the summer and welcome cooler temps, lower humidity and clear blue skies. It’s good to be outside and enjoying all the local festivals that November has to offer.




 The line up is big on food in November. New Orleans festivals are celebrating the Po-boy, the Mirleton, and Coffee.  

 This is a great time to enjoy your New Orleans bed and breakfast’s complimentary bicycles and mosey over and join in the festivities. 

Nov. 5th – New Orleans Coffee Festival

Head over to Freret St and wake up with a great cup of coffee. 

 Nov. 5th - Mirleton Festival 2011

You most likely don’t even know what a mirleton is, so you must head over to Markey Park, at Royal and Piety Streets in the Bywater and try some. How does shrimp stuffed mirleton sound. 

 Nov. 5-6th - Swamp Festival at the Zoo 2011

 Time for some Cajun and Zydeco dancing, live music and good food. The Swamp Festival is included with regular admission to the Audubon Zoo on Magazine Street in Uptown New Orleans. 

 Nov. & Dec. dates - Louisiana Renaissance Fest 2011

Only a short road trip across Lake Pontchatrain to Hammond. The Louisiana Renaissance Fest is filled with entertainment like period music, jousts, sword & fire swallowers, archery, ax throwing, village idiots, comedy, bawdy plays, hawks, royal processions, wooden non-electric rides and more.

 Nov. 9-13 th- Words & Music: A Literary Feast 2011

The Faulkner Society's big literary fall festival in New Orleans. 

 Nov. 20 th- Oak Street Po-Boy Fest - The Po-Boy Preservation Festival 2011

 This Festival gets bigger each year. The preservation of New Orleans iconic sandwich is a great reason for a festival. You’ll find traditional, exotic, and very creative versions of the po-boy. Live music. 

 Nov. 16-21th - Fringe Festival 2011

The Fringe Fest includes art and other stuff from the fringe at locations across New Orleans. 

 Nov. 26th - Bayou Classic 2011

 Fans celebrate the entire weekend in the Superdome. This  is the annual college football rivalry between  Grambling and Southern.  

Southern Comfort, your Garden District bed and breakfast would be happy to point you in the direction of each festival.

Times Picayune's Top 10 Restaurant Picks

New Orleanian's are passionate about eating out. At present there are 1220 restaurants in the city and the competition is steep. As any chef knows, you are only as good as your last meal and  the quality of restaurants in New Orleans is at a historic high.

The top ten winners this year in alphabetical order.

Bayona
Native Susan Spicer and Bayona have passed their 20th birthday. Each year she has never ceases to delight her customers and remains one of the most respected New Orleans restaurants. The menu changes monthly, the ingredients are always fresh, excellent wine list, great service in a Creole cottage the the French Quarter.
Clancy's
Owner Brad Hollingsworth refuses to have a website. That mentality defines the essence of this Uptown  restaurant, they are steeped  between tradition and individualism.  Classic creole dishes , heavy on the seafood and solid grilled items with an impressive wine list. Bartenders are very generous pourers.
Cochon
Recently the recipient of the James Beard Award. The only restaurant that cures and smokes all of their meat and sausages. The cuisine is somewhere between Cajun and Southern. They do serve a deal of pork but do just as well with seafood. They have recently opened a retail butcher shop and deli behind the restaurant.
Domenica
Chef John Besh's latest addition to his family of restaurants. He hit all the back roads of Italy to learn the regional cuisines and has brought back the best to make this the best Italian restaurant in New Orleans.  Located in the Roosevelt  Hotel.
Emeril's
It's good to know that Emeril's is still putting out distinguished food. With his notoriety this could have  easily become a tourist destination.. They insist on the finest ingredients, employees who regard their job as a career and an amazing wine selection.
Gautreau's
Tucked away in a quiet Uptown neighborhood, Gautreau's remains one of New Orleans premier restaurants for more than a decade. Upon entering, you'll feel as though you in someones lovely dining room. Service is wonderfully proper making for an elegant meal. Food is creative and inspiring.
Herbsaint
Donald Links first New Orleans restaurant., cozy and elegant but not stuffy. You'll find a superb Sazerac. Menu is a unique pairing of gourmet Creole French bistro main items with country style favorites...so you get duck confit with dirty rice.
La Petite Grocery
Reliable, comfortable, sophisticated bistro. Menu full of unusual ingredients- even the cheeseburger- which seems out of place, given the rest of the dinner selection- is worth eating and very tasty! Start at the bar, they make the classic absinthe.
Patois
Hidden in an Uptown neighborhood on the corner of Webster and Laurel. The food covers alot of ground, from the local farms and waters to the inspirations of far away places like Lisbon and Latin America.. This is a smart contemporary eating establishment.
Restuarant August
Chef John Besh's first restaurant which is coming up on its 10th birthday. Request a table in the wine room and you'll have the best seat in the house with a wonderful view of the 2nd floor wine rack. The wait staff is courteous and formal without being pretentious. Sugar and Spice Duckling is outstanding.

Overnight Spice-Nut Coffee Cake

This is one of those yummy recipes that you can mix and refrigerate over night. Nice to sleep in a few extra minutes in the morning !  I recently had 2 Australians cou[ples visiting and Michelle asked for the recipe. Whenever I am asked for one of Southern Comfort Bed and Breakfast's recipe I always publish it.






This is a very simple throw it all together, the only thing you might not have in your frig is the buttermilk but you can remedy that by adding vinegar to milk.

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar, divided
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon, divided
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine soften butter, sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and eggs. Beat till smooth. Add flour, baking soda , baking powder, salt , 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg and buttermilk. Beat until blended. Stir in nuts.
Combine remaining brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bring to room temperature before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Your Garden District B&B loves sharing recipes. .

Crescent Blues and BBQ Festival October 14 - 16th.

Another free event this weekend at Lafayette  Square Park., the 6th annual Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival.  A great line up of local artist as well as visiting Southern and international blues musicians.

Bring a chair and come celebrate the blues and eat some homestyle BBQ! 


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
St. Charles Ave. Stage
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Henry Butler
6:45 pm to 8:00 pm Walter "Wolfman" Washington

SATURDAY, OCT. 15
Camp Street Stage
11:00 am to 12:00 pm Washboard Chaz Blues Trio
1:15 pm to 2:15 pm Jimmie Duck Holmes
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm South Memphis String Band
5:45 pm to 6:45 pm Mel Waiters
St. Charles Ave. Stage
12:00 pm to 1:15 pm King James & the Special Men
2:15 pm to 3:30 pm Little Freddie King
4:30 pm to 5:45 pm Tab Benoit
6:45 pm to 8:00 pm Kenny Wayne Shepherd

SUNDAY, OCT. 16
Camp Street Stage
11:00 am to 12:00 pm Voodoo Blues Challenge Winner Ed Wills & Blues 4 Sale with guest Chance Casteel
1:15 pm to 2:15 pm Homemade Jamz
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Super Chikan & Watermelon Slim
5:45 pm to 6:45 pm Marcia Ball
St. Charles Ave. Stage
12:00 pm to 1:15 pm Eric Lindell
2:15 pm to 3:30 pm Luther Kent & Trick Bag
4:30 pm to 5:45 pm The Campbell Brothers
6:45 pm to 8:00 pm Bettye LaVette 

Who Dat....GEAUX Saints!

Many cities in the U.S. are crazy about their football teams, but the Saints are extra special to New Orleanians.    

Most everyone in the region considers football another religion and they accept the Saints as their saviors.  In fact, so much so, that the Archbishop wore a Drew Brees Saints jersey under his robe while performing a "black & gold mass” the day after the Saints won the Super Bowl in 2009.  The Archbishop was so moved by the Saints’ victory, that he even got the Vatican’s approval to fly the Saints Super Bowl championship flag from St. Louis Cathedral in place of the papal flag that day!  Since then, flying the Saints flag from St. Louis Cathedral, in the heart of the French Quarter, for one day, has become an annual tradition. 

The 2009 Super Bowl game  brought all New Orleanians together as they watched a history making event….for the first time in 44 years the Saints claimed the Super Bowl! The Saint’s organization used that momentum & national recognition in countless charitable ways to support the city of New Orleans’ continued struggle to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina.  All recognize & appreciate how much our home team has done for our city & that gratitude will always remain.   

So, it’s that time of the year again and everyone’s got Saint fever!   I have to admit that I am a newly recruited football fan……I honestly never knew that it could be so much fun. It’s so bad that I am actually reading the sports section of the paper!  I think the turning point was when I entered the Superdome for the first and only game I have ever attended. You see it on TV and you hear people talk about it………but, you just have to experience it!  There’s black and gold EVERYWHERE and the dome is rockin’ .  The fans chant “Who dat  say dey gonna beat dem Saints?!” ; once the crowd gets going, there’s no stopping them.  The crowd’s energy  is infectious, even for those of us that  are clueless when it comes to the intricate plays of football.  Only minutes in, I found myself  jumping up & down while chanting & yelling along with the rest of the crowd, “Who dat?!”, rocking out to “The Saints are Coming”…and LOVING every second of it!  At that moment I knew I was hooked! 

The Saints aren’t just a football team, they are part of the soul of the city.  They have helped to restore our hope & remind us to enjoy life each day, because that’s what being a New Orleanian is all about.  So, why not come join the Saints’ fans while staying at your Garden District Bed & Breakfast & see what all the fuss is about?!  Although the tickets are sold out for the entire 2011 season, if you want to experience a game firsthand in the Superdome, you can visit the NFL Ticket Exchange online & buy spare tickets from season ticket holders.  Or, we’re happy to point you in the direction of numerous local bars & restaurants where locals congregate on Sundays to watch the games together.  Just make sure to wear your black & gold!  Soon, you’ll be saying it with us… “Who dat, who dat, who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?!”.  

The city is  abuzz with predictions and dreams of a “TWO DAT” season……now, wouldn’t that be something?   

Art for Art's Sake - October 1st, 2011

New Orleans has two major art nights a year; White Linen Night, aptly named, is held in the summer and Art for Art’s Sake occurs in the fall.  Many of the major local art galleries have opening receptions on the first Saturday evening of each month, but these two nights (occurring on the 1^st Saturday of August & the first Saturday of October, respectively) are extra special.   These events bring out the whole city to view the galleries’ new exhibitions, antique shops’ latest offerings, have a few drinks & schmooze.  Unlike the regular monthly opening receptions, this is when the galleries display their crème de la crème.  It is quite a grand affair; besides the art on display, in many areas, there are terrific live music performances for the crowds, wine and other cocktails are available at most of the venues…and all of this is FREE and open to the public!  As the Crescent City begins to take its first few baby steps into fall, our annual art night out, is just around the corner on Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 6-9pm.  

There are two main drags where Art for Arts’ Sake occurs; the Warehouse Arts District (primarily along Julia St.) & further uptown along the Garden District portion of Magazine You’ll find a wide variety of fine art within The Warehouse Arts Districts, from the stretch of galleries along Julia St. to Ogden Museum of Southern Art on Camp St.  Just opposite the Ogden, the Contemporary Arts Center, or as locals simply call it, the CAC, also hosts a happening  party from 6pm-midnight, however, the CAC’s party is $10 per person.  Meanwhile, uptown along Magazine St., visitors can stroll from one art gallery to the next, with stops in between at high-end boutiques, antique stores, and jewelry shops. There are plenty of options to delight your eyes and keep you entertained for the evening.   

The key is to decide ahead of time if you want to commit to just one area or attempt to fit both in between 6-9pm, which may seem like a good amount of time, but it goes by quickly once you get into the hustle and bustle.  Your Garden District Bed & Breakfast recommends you choose one area that you think you’d prefer.  Visiting everything can be done, but you won’t leave yourself much time to relax & just take in the atmosphere.  To help you make your decision, the general difference between the two areas is that the Warehouse Arts District is a bit more formal; whereas Magazine St. offers a somewhat more easygoing and intimate take on the evening.  

Dress is casual chic, but in New Orleans, that means different things to different people, so wear whatever you’d like, just make sure to choose comfortable shoes.  Also, it’s a good idea to have a light snack (or even an early dinner) before hitting the town.  There are plenty of restaurants in both areas, but they’ll all be busy, so you may want to consider making a reservation if you want to sit down for a late formal dinner after the gallery receptions have ended.  Or, simply make your way to another part of town where it isn’t so crowded and you won’t have to compete for a table.  We’re happy to offer suggestions on all sorts of wonderful places to eat in the Big Easy.  So, while settling in at your Garden District Bed and Breakfast, prepare to join thousands of New Orleanians for a great art night out on the town to kick off the city’s art season!

Freret Street Market

New Orleans has numerous monthly markets for our locals to escape their regular Saturday errands and instead, socialize with their neighbors, check out creative regional arts & crafts, pick up some fresh produce, all while listening to great local music! When staying at your Southern Comfort Bed & Breakfast, you are just a short walk away from Freret St., host to our neighborhood favorite, Freret Market on the first Saturday of every month from 12:00-5:00pm. 

Once a bustling commercial district, the stretch of Freret St. between Jefferson Ave. and Napoleon Ave., sat quiet and virtually abandoned by local businesses for years until its rebirth after Hurricane Katrina. In the past 6 years, wonderful new restaurants, bars, clubs, shops, and more have all popped up along this popular local drag. The resurgence of Freret St. has brought life back into this area of the city and Freret Market has become the perfect celebration of that renaissance! Each month, Freret Market takes over a large parking lot just off Napoleon Ave. providing a vibrant coalescence of culture for New Orleans Uptowners. Live local music greets the market’s visitors as they enter the maze of tents filled with fantastic crafts, fresh produce, homemade snacks, and much more. ARNO even frequents the market to introduce friendly doggies to potential adoptive parents; it’s hard to pass up petting a few of the adorable pups.

Freret Market is definitely a local favorite rather than a tourist attraction, so that makes it a great place to have a truly New Orleanian experience! If you want your pick of the fresh produce, make sure to arrive early, because it goes fast! Another local tip, it’s best to enjoy a snack from one of the many food vendors offering a wide variety of different tasty grub before downing that first Abita beer. Also, bring your own lightweight tote bag so that you can be green while purchasing a few unique items from the local arts and crafts vendors. And, finally, just enjoy mingling with the locals, we’d be surprised if you don’t make fast friends with at least a few before your day is done! 

 Freret Market took a break for the summer, but it’s finally back this October, so don’t miss the first market of the fall on Saturday, October 1, 2011! Remember , it's only a short walk or bike ride from your Uptown/Garden District Bed and Breakfast.