The Lifeblood of the Big Easy
NEW ORLEANS’S MUSIC SCENE
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.
The music we know as jazz was born in late-19th-century New Orleans, derived from a confluence of European marching-band music and African rhythms. It evolved thanks to musicians such as cornetist Buddy Bolden, drummer Papa Jack Laine, and pianist Jelly Roll Morton, and was given a clear voice in the 1920s and ’30s by hometown hero Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. Then, in the late 1980s, another group of local virtuosos, including trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and his family, helped repopularize the New Orleans sound by nurturing their own version of modern jazz.
The Big Easy’s annual Jazz and Heritage Festival (aka Jazz Fest) is one of America’s great music parties. For ten days in late April and early May, hundreds of musicians perform on 12 stages at the Fair Grounds Race Course, offering a rich gumbo of jazz, Cajun, Latin, zydeco, R&B, rock, gospel, and African-Caribbean music. Recent years have drawn Bob Dylan, Etta James, Pearl Jam, and B.B. King. The best of Louisiana’s culinary offerings (from crawfish Monica to alligator tail meat in a red pepper sauce piquante) share the spotlight at nearly 100 stalls. Sweet tooths should save room for shaved-ice Sno-balls, pralines (pecan, chocolate, or coconut), or Angelo Brocato’s celebrated gelato.
Whether you’re here at Fest time or not, be sure to visit the dark and spartan Preservation Hall, showcasing traditional New Orleans jazz and a world-famous institution since it opened in 1961. The musical pilgrimage continues at Tipitina’s, an uptown club that once hosted legends like Dr. John and Allen Toussaint, and where jazz, Cajun, funk, and R&B continue to keep the dance floor hopping.
Bourbon Street is the home of what may be the world’s most notorious traveling party, but it also offers a chance to hear a performance by one of New Orleans’s rising stars, trumpeter Irvin Mayfield, at the plush Royal Sonesta Hotel. Or head to Frenchman Street, where Snug Harbor, a storefront jazz bistro in the hip Faubourg Marigny, headlines big names like Ellis Marsalis and Charmaine Neville. You can even bowl to zydeco, swing, blues, and jazz at Mid-City Lanes Rock ’n’ Bowl. And then there are those days when it seems that the solitary sax player in front of the cathedral in Jackson Square is the best thing you’ve heard all week—and it’s free.
VISITOR INFO: www.neworleansonline.com. JAZZ AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL: Tel 504-410-4100; www.nojazzfest.com. When: Apr–early May. PRESERVATION HALL: Tel 504-522-2841; www.preservationhall.com. TIPITINA’S: Tel 504-895-8477; www.tipitinas.com. ROYAL SONESTA: Tel 504-586-0300; www.royalsonesta-neworleans.com. SNUG HARBOR: Tel 504-949-0696; www.snugjazz.com. MID-CITY LANES: Tel 504-861-1700; www.rockandbowl.com. BEST TIMES: early Jul for Essence Music Festival; late Jul–early Aug for Satchmo Summerfest.
From Dives to Palaces of Haute Creole
THE NEW ORLEANS RESTAURANT SCENE
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.
Crescent City is a place where food is religion and the funkiest neighborhood joint is as beloved as the grandest restaurant. Its unique blend of influences—French, Spanish, Caribbean, and African—has no peers.
The French Quarter has many inviting options, starting with Galatoire’s Restaurant, a New Orleans tradition for more than a century—even though its egalitarian no-reservations policy (for the main dining room) means that the line can stretch a long way down Bourbon Street. Tuxedoed waiters bear plates of chicken clemenceau and shrimp rémoulade; the food is surpassed only by the floor show, which peaks at the famously boozy Friday lunch that goes on till dinnertime. Antoine’s first opened in 1840: Its walls are lined with old photographs and memorabilia, while its Hermes Bar has a modern flair. Emeril’s, the high-energy Lagasse flagship, was a Warehouse District pioneer when it opened in 1990, and its barbecued shrimp and roasted rack of lamb are still getting raves. You’re also in good hands at Bayona, where local darling Susan Spicer serves her pan-global fare in a Creole cottage setting.
If a white-linen locale is not your thing, consider the faux-dive Acme Oyster House where off-the-boat oysters and excellent fried-oyster-filled po’boys explain the line out the door. The weathered Napoleon House has been a favorite lunch spot since it opened in 1797 and is famed for its hot muffuletta sandwiches and local Abita beer. Or pair their spicy jambalaya with a Pimm’s cup, a local tradition.
At his haute-Creole/New American restaurant Herbsaint, local celebrity chef/owner Donald Link wows patrons with crab meat and watermelon gazpacho and smothered pork belly. Cochon, which Link opened with Stephen Stryjewski, showcases their sophisticated take on down-home Cajun cooking.
At the atmospheric August, where diners sit beneath elegant chandeliers in a refurbished four-story French-Creole warehouse, award-winning chef John Besh serves up dishes such as gnocchi tossed with blue crab and truffles and whole suckling pig. And finally, no visit to the Big Easy is complete without a po’boy at the working-class Mother’s, in the Central Business District.
GALATOIRE’S: Tel 504-525-2021; www.galatoires.com. Cost: dinner $45. ANTOINE’S: Tel 504-581-4422; www.antoines.com. Cost: dinner $50. EMERIL’S: Tel 504-528-9393; www.emerils.com. Cost: dinner $45. BAYONA: Tel 504-525-4455; www.bayona.com. Cost: dinner $45. ACME OYSTER HOUSE: Tel 504-522-5973; www.acmeoyster.com. Cost: lunch $20. NAPOLEON HOUSE: Tel 504-524-9752; www.napoleonhouse.com. Cost: lunch $15. HERBSAINT: Tel 504-524-4114; www.herbsaint.com. Cost: dinner $45. COCHON: Tel 504-588-2123; www.cochonrestaurant.com. Cost: dinner $35. AUGUST: Tel 504-299-9777; www.restaurantaugust.com. Cost: dinner $55. MOTHER’S: Tel 504-523-9656; www.mothersrestaurant.net. Cost: lunch $12. BEST TIME: late May for New Orleans Wine & Food Experience.
Rusticating Amid Nature’s Glory
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK
Maine, U.S.A.
Mount Desert Island is Maine’s national treasure, a 12-by-14-mile domain of fir and spruce forests, lakes, and inns. It is all as captivating today as when the Rockefellers, Astors, Fords, Vanderbilts, and their fellow “rusticators” founded a summer colony here in the early 20th century. The government set aside 60 percent of the island as Acadia National Park in 1929, throwing a few neighboring islands in to create a 35,000-acre park of craggy grandeur. It’s got extraordinary oceanside drives, surf-battered bluffs, off-island whale-watching, and lobster shacks with a view.
The timeless serenity of Mount Desert Island is tested by the ever-increasing traffic on the 27-mile Park Loop Road. Some of the nation’s loveliest walking and bicycling paths (they become cross-country ski trails offseason) join 120 miles of moderate hiking trails, all offering great views. Most people will need a car to observe the park tradition of catching America’s first rays of sun from Cadillac Mountain, the highest peak on the U.S. Atlantic coast at 1,530 feet.
Plan to arrive at the 100-year-old Jordan Pond House on the Park Loop Road in time for late-afternoon tea and popovers on the restaurant’s front lawn, another island tradition. Then overnight at the family-run 1884 Claremont Hotel and Cottages, sitting quietly on 6 shorefront acres. Enjoy inspiring vistas of the Somes Sound from rockers on the porch or from window-side tables in the welcoming, unpretentious dining room.
Otter Cliff juts dramatically into the Atlantic Ocean.
WHERE: 36 miles southeast of Bangor, connected to the mainland by causeway. Tel 207-288-3338; www.nps.gov/acad. When: Park Loop Rd. closed Dec–mid-Apr. JORDAN POND HOUSE: Tel 207-276-3316; www.jordanpond.com. CLAREMONT HOTEL: Tel 800-244-5036 or 207-244-5036; www.theclaremonthotel.com. Cost: from $155 (off-peak), from $225 (peak). When: late May–mid-Oct. BEST TIMES: Jul–Aug for finest weather and whale-watching; May–Jun are also lovely; Oct for fall foliage.
George Bush Slept Here
THE KENNEBUNKS
Maine, U.S.A.
The Kennebunks are the quintessence of seaside Maine, brimming with magnificent architecture, rocky beaches, and top-notch dining. First settled in the early 17th century, the Kennebunks—Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Kennebunk Beach—prospered two centuries later as shipbuilding towns. That boom went bust,
but its legacy—a profusion of grand Colonial- and Federal-style houses amid a picture-perfect landscape—helped transform the area into one of Maine’s most popular destinations. President George H.W. Bush and his family have vacationed here for generations.
Kennebunk Beach’s White Barn Inn is one of New England’s greatest, with 29 meticulously appointed European-style guest rooms in several 1820s-era buildings that are within walking distance of sandy Gooch’s Beach. The inn’s outstanding candlelit restaurant is widely considered the best dining north of Boston, seamlessly blending the rustic and refined. As a cozy, romantic alternative, the Federal-style Captain Lord Mansion has 16 guest rooms and a rooftop cupola with Kennebunk River views.
But the Kennebunks aren’t all about luxury. Everyone eventually winds up at the Clam Shack, one of America’s great seafood dives. Or tuck into a lobster roll at nearby Mabel’s Lobster Claw—but save room for the peanut butter ice cream.
The Kennebunks are all about the sea.
WHERE: 20 miles south of Portland. WHITE BARN INN: Tel 207-967-2321; www.whitebarninn.com. Cost: from $310 (off-peak), from $465 (peak); dinner $95. CAPTAIN LORD MANSION: Tel 800-522-3141 or 207-967-3141; www.captainlord.com. Cost: from $200 (off-peak), from $240 (peak). THE CLAM SHACK: Tel 207-967-2560; www.theclamshack.net. Cost: $15. When: May–Oct. MABEL’S LOBSTER CLAW: Tel 207-967-2562. Cost: $20. BEST TIMES: May–Oct for lovely weather; early Dec for Christmas Prelude.
Of Wind, Waves, and Lobster
PENOBSCOT BAY
Maine, U.S.A.
Cutting a 35-by-27-mile gash in the center of the Maine coast, Penobscot Bay is a scenic wonder, circled by some of the state’s prettiest towns and dotted with dozens of islands. Renowned for its craggy, pine-covered coastline, it has standout sunsets and lighthouses right out of an Andrew Wyeth painting.
Camden is the archetypal coastal village, its gorgeous old houses converted into B&Bs, and antiques and craft shops lining its Main Street. Linger a moment in Harbor Park, laid out in the early 1900s by Central Park–designer Frederick Law Olmsted, and take in the stunning waterfront in all its glory.
Castine, first settled in 1613, is full of beautiful Federalist, Georgian, and Victorian architecture, and more than 100 historic sites, including Fort George, built by the British in 1779. Check into the Pentagöet Inn, a turreted 1894 Queen Anne Victorian and Castine’s original summer hotel, or at the cozy 19th-century Castine Inn, just a block from the harbor.
The village of Deer Isle, on the island by the same name (accessible by bridge), maintains an active fishing and lobstering fleet and is home to many artists and artisans. Here you’ll find the charming waterfront Pilgrim’s Inn, built in 1793. There’s superb sea kayaking along Merchant’s Row, a string of islands and islets between the nearby village of Stonington and Isle au Haut, whose southern half is part of Acadia National Park (see p. 800).
The towns of Rockland, Rockport, and Camden are home to the bay’s historic schooner fleet, including 12 of the Maine Windjammer Association’s vessels, most of which are from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They offer rustic 3- to 6-day sailing adventures during which passengers can help tack and jibe or just relax, enjoying lobster bakes and stargazing before bedding down in tiny, simple cabins. The Farnsworth Museum, in Rockland, is one of the country’s finest regional museums, with works by artists such as Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth. Time your visit in early August for days of all-American fun at the Maine Lobster Festival, also in Rockland, the capital of the lobster universe in a state where the average annual catch generally exceeds 36 million pounds (festivalgoers devour an impressive 10 tons). There’s music, homemade blueberry ice cream, lobster-eating contests, and even the coronation of a Sea Goddess.
WHERE: Camden is 86 miles northeast of Portland. VISITOR INFO: www.therealmaine.com. PENTAGÖET INN: Tel 800-845-1701 or 207-326-8616; www.pentagoet.com. Cost: from $140. When: May–Oct. CASTINE INN: Tel 207-326-4365; www.castineinn.com. Cost: from $110. When: early May–mid-Oct. PILGRIM’S INN: Tel 888-778-7505 or 207-348-6615; www.pilgrimsinn.com. Cost: from $119. When: mid-May–mid-Oct. MAINE WINDJAMMERS: Tel 800-807-9463 or 207-832-0810; www.sailmainecoast.com. Cost: 3 nights from $425, all-inclusive (longer cruises available). When: late May–mid-Oct. FARNSWORTH MUSEUM: Tel 207-596-6457; www.farnsworthmuseum.org. BEST TIMES: Jun and Sep for fewer people; late Jul–early Aug for Maine Lobster Festival; Oct for fall foliage.
Crab Town’s Gold Standard
OBRYCKI’S AND FAIDLEY’S
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.
Seldom is a city more associated with a specific food than Baltimore is with the Callinectes sapidus, or blue crab. More than 2 million pounds of these spindly-legged side-crawlers are hauled in from nearby Chesapeake Bay (see next page) every year, and a sizable chunk of the catch is merrily consumed at Obrycki’s, a family-run place in the historic Fells Point neighborhood that’s been drawing crowds since 1944. Menu highlights include the broiled seafood combination, piled with enough fruits of the deep to sink a trawler. Kick it up a notch with the piquant Old Bay Seasoning, invented in Baltimore in 1939, or the secret, more peppery house blend.
For another take on no-frills epicurean delights, head to Baltimore’s venerable Lexington Market. Started in 1782, the city’s beloved grazing ground houses more than 140 merchants, of which Faidley’s is its anchor and uncontested favorite. A seafood shop and raw bar, it is famed for its oversize, jumbo-lump crab cakes, which have been called the best in the Chesapeake (some say the best on the planet). This egalitarian, stand-and-eat hole-in-the-wall also serves scrumptious codfish cakes and shrimp. But save those for your next visit.
OBRYCKI’S: Tel 410-732-6399; www.obryckis.com. Cost: dinner $40. When: Mar–Nov. LEXINGTON MARKET: Tel 410-685-6169; www.lexingtonmarket.com. FAIDLEY’S: Tel 410-727-4898; www.faidleyscrabcakes.com. Cost: lunch $15. BEST TIMES: May–Jun for soft-shell crabs, Sep–early Oct for hard-shell.
American Charm and the Ubiquitous Blue Crab
CHESAPEAKE BAY
Maryland, U.S.A.
Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary on the continent, and its Eastern Shore owes its renown to miles of wetlands, coves, and quaint waterfront towns. The triangle formed by Easton, Oxford, and St. Michaels is the area’s most popular destination, a charming enclave of pre-Revolutionary and Federalist houses. Browse the antiques stores in Easton, the unofficial capital of the region, before traveling to Oxford, one of the best-preserved colonial settlements in the country. Check in at the Robert Morris Inn, which dates to 1710 and is where James Michener wrote parts of Chesapeake.
A ferry links Oxford to the Victorian shipping village of St. Michaels, where the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse stands vigil. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, at Navy Point, has a working boatyard, where you’ll find expert builders restoring historic vessels. Head next door to the Crab Claw for hot, spiced Maryland blue crabs (Michener declared them “the best food under the sun”).
St. Michaels is also known for the bay’s most special getaway, the romantic Inn at Perry Cabin, an 1816 manor on the banks of the Miles River. At once elegant and relaxed, its bayside restaurant serves fish and seafood fresh from the local waters. Or head to any of the bay islands, particularly Tilghman, a working watermen’s village first charted by Captain John Smith in the early 1600s. Home to the last commercial sailing fleet in North America, its pace is unhurried and its surroundings unspoiled. Bunk down at the Lazyjack Inn, an 1850s waterfront home with views of the boats bobbing in the sleepy harbor.
It’s 40 minutes by boat from the hamlet of Crisfield to Smith Island and its small fishing communities. Here, the old-fashioned Inn of Silent Music is surrounded by water on three sides. Tuck into a slice of the island’s namesake multilayered cake with chocolate icing, the official state dessert.
Complete your Chesapeake experience in Annapolis. Settled in 1649, the state capital has an enjoyably walkable historic district and is home to the U.S. Naval Academy. Take a class at the Annapolis Sailing S
chool, then enjoy terra firma again at the Annapolis Inn, a 1770s Georgian and Greek Revival town house with just three sumptuous suites.
St. Michaels’s 19th-century Hooper Strait Lighthouse today serves as a museum exhibit.
WHERE: Easton is 63 miles southeast of Baltimore. Annapolis is 30 miles south of Baltimore on the Western Shore. VISITOR INFO: www.baygateways.net. ROBERT MORRIS INN: Tel 888-823-4012 or 410-226-5111; www.robertmorrisinn.com. Cost: from $150. MARITIME MUSEUM: Tel 410-745-2916; www.cbmm.org. THE CRAB CLAW: Tel 410-745-2900; www.thecrabclaw.com. Cost: lunch $15. INN AT PERRY CABIN: Tel 800-237-1236 or 410-745-2200; www.perrycabin.com. Cost: from $390; dinner $50. LAZYJACK INN: Tel 800-690-5080 or 410-886-2215; www.lazyjackinn.com. Cost: from $160. INN OF SILENT MUSIC: Tel 410-425-3541; www.innofsilentmusic.com. Cost: from $110. When: Apr–mid-Nov. ANNAPOLIS SAILING SCHOOL: Tel 800-638-9192 or 410-267-7205; www.annapolissailing.com. When: Apr–Oct. ANNAPOLIS INN: Tel 410-295-5200; www.annapolisinn.com. Cost: from $260. BEST TIMES: May–Jun for soft-shell crabs; 3rd Wed in Jul for Crab and Clam Bake in Crisfield; last Sat in Jul for Chesapeake Folk Festival in St. Michaels; Sep–early Oct for hard-shell crabs; Oct in Annapolis for U.S. Sailboat Show and Powerboat Show; mid-Oct for Tilghman Island Day.
“And this is good old Boston / The home of the bean and the cod / Where the Lowells talk only to the Cabots / And the Cabots talk only to God.”—JOHN COLLINS BOSSIDY
BOSTON
Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Don’t assume that because Boston is chock-full of history its personality is stodgy. Yes, it looks back proudly on its role in the American revolution, but it also strides youthfully forward, courtesy of the area’s many elite universities (Boston is the biggest college town in the world) and the city’s thriving art and culture scene.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die Page 126
