New Years 12 at the Sugar Bowl

Submitted by Rutherford Foxtrot on
Anyone here in NoLa hear of any exceptional New Year's festivities?

I figure wandering Bourbon Street is a solid party decision.

Any ideas?

Jacoby

December 30th, 2011 at 10:49 PM ^

You can watch the fireworks by walking to the riverside for a good view. Other options:
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<br>*Galactic at Tipitina's (not the French qtr tips, rather the one uptown)
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<br>* there will be live music at Jackson Square
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<br>* you might want to check out OffBeat and the Gambit Weekly for other options. OffBeat has a good, free iPhone app with all the event and music listings.
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<br>* Frenchmen Street is (IMHO) better alternative to Bourbon Street, both in terms of good bars and good music. Halloween and NYE aren't great for Bourbon St because for some reason there are always a ton of shootings. Just this yr at Halloween there were 11 people shot within a block of Bourbon St. Frenchmen St is like a bourbon st for locals. The Soul Rebels Brass Band is playing there at the Blue Nile, and Dirty Dozen Brass Band is at DBA. Spotted Cat will have great music with no cover too. All the bars are close on Frenchmen, so you can sort of wander the bar scene.
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<br>* in the Marigny (neighborhood) just a bit farther from the French qtr than Frenchmen st, j Soul Sister will be spinning at Mimi's in the Marigny. She spins amazing old school funk in the James brown tradition. Great dancing.
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<br>* Funky Meters and the Stooges Brass Band play at Tipitina's in the French qtr.
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<br>* my fave traditional jazz club is Fritzels at the 700 block of Bourbon st. No cover; amazing music. stop in if you're on bourbon.

Jacoby

December 30th, 2011 at 11:24 PM ^

Also, for those of you who are staying in or near the French Qtr, I have a few suggestions for sports bars, which might come in handy for Monday's big bowl day. If you're like me, you want to watch all the games, not just one or two. I live a block from the Quarter, and these are the sports bars I rely on:



1. Ryan's Irish Pub (241 Decatur). Lots of TVs, and they are flexible about changing channels to appease the drinkers. Generally if you can find a place to sit, you can bring your own food to this bar and they're fine with it.



2. Checkered Parrot (Royal St.). Also has a lot of TVs and also cheap bar food. Generally you can get a seat pretty easily. I spend most of my fall Saturdays and Sundays here because I can pretty reliably get a spot even when the city has a lot of visitors. On the other hand, it lacks French Qtr charm and the food isn't great.



3. Some Bourbon St bars will have the games, but these bars aren't the sort with a ton of TVs, and you probably won't get to listen to the commentary (which, I guess, might be a bonus if Spielman is calling the game). Also, there are several "sports bars" in the city that barely muster a small TV with no sound and no cable. Not sure what that's all about, but beware.



CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT: There's a new bar called Walk-Ons at the 1000 block of Poydras. It's kind of between the Quarter and the Superdome, and it's a great spot.



UPTOWN: If you want to take a streetcar ride of 30 minutes, hop on the St. Charles Streetcar line (not the Canal St. line) and take it all the way through the neighborhoods of manions until you reach Carrolton Ave. (which is the point where the streetcar makes its a 90 degree right turn). Cooter Browns is just a few steps away, and that is probably the closest thing Nola's got to a Michigan sports bar—it's dark, lots of kinds of beer, cheap bar food, and a shit ton of TVs. Also, Cooters always has a lot of Michigan fans.



Also, if you want to hang out with the Tulane/Loyola students, the big student sports bar is Bruno's on Maple Street, which is also just off the St. Charles streetcar line and just a short walk from Cooter Browns.



GARDEN DISTRICT: On Magazine St., Michigan fans sometimes congregate at Tracey's Irish Bar and Restaurant.



Some other spots with lots of TVs: Ugly Dog Saloon (Warehouse District; also has cheap grub); The Bulldog (cheap grub; two bars - one on Magazine in the Uptown neighborhood, one in MidCity a short walk from the end of the Canal Street streetcar line)

B-Nut-GoBlue

December 31st, 2011 at 12:51 AM ^

Thanks for all the last minute info. Found out today I'll be able to drive down early tomorrow and get into town for NYE. I can't wait but really don't have much of an itinerary to go off of; the information and help from you guys is huge! Much appreciated (from me at least)!

Jacoby

December 31st, 2011 at 1:33 PM ^

In addition to Turtle Bay, and the two French Quarter sports bars I listed above (which are just a stone's throw from Canal), another good sports bar that is right down here is Jimani (141 Chartres St.). Jimani has a lot of TVs and the sports packages, including hockey (which is tough to find in these parts). I'm not sure which bars have the B10 network, except that I'm pretty sure that Checkered Parrot has it.

MGoSoftball

December 31st, 2011 at 10:32 AM ^

going to be tonight?  Weather is looking good.  Flight down is full of M fans.  Im trying the gogo inflight, almost in nawlin's.  Gogo is having a special on internet access today...FREE.

mGrowOld

December 31st, 2011 at 10:34 AM ^

The wife and I arrive tomorrow morning.  Based solely on recommendations from fellow posters I have planned out the following itinerary for us:

Sunday: Brunch at Dante's Kitchen, Dinner at Atchafalya, Jazz at Fritzels

Monday: Game watching at Cooter Browns, Dinner at Dragos

Tuesday: Lunch at Central Grocery

The only thing I need to know is what bars would people recommend for the pre-game on Tuesday that are near the Superdome.  We are staying at the Ritz on Canal so it looks like a short walk to the game.

SO PUMPED!!!!!

Jacoby

December 31st, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^

You've made all the right restaurant decisions, IMHO.

As for pre-game on Tuesday, now may be a good time to suggest an pre-game MGoHappyHour. I'm a local, so I'll chime in one idea: Pat O's at 624 Bourbon Street on Tuesday at about 1pm at the bar a few feet from the bar's courtyard fountain. That gives plenty of time before the game, and Bourbon St is kind of the default pre-game party spot, so it is probably would work for many MGoReaders. Also, Pat O's is big and can absorb a crowd, plus it has a beautiful courtyard.

Another option would be Walk-Ons on 1000 block of Poydras between the French Quarter and Superdome (two blocks from the Superdome), which would put the party closer to the game.

I'm a longtime MGoReader, but only recently have posted a few things. If an MGoHappyHour is to get off the ground, I think we would need some of the longtime posters who are down here to say that they are interested in making this happen.

YabbaDabbaBlue

January 1st, 2012 at 2:07 AM ^

On gameday I plan to meet up with a bunch of alumni (graduated mid 2000s). If you do coordinate something - I don't know who else is qualified since you seem to know the area better than most, but I also understand you need at least 100 points to start a thread - then I'll tell my friends to descend upon your destination of choice.

That said, my friends and I will keep our eyes peeled for an original thread regarding a place to pre-game on January 3 - who wants to step up and create the thread? Like Denard and crew, we fans need to arrive hungry <cue "time to eat" arm crank motion>. Let's do this!