The House of Lounge ~ shopping on Magazine Street... what better way to spend a sunny afternoon. Not only is this store an absolute must for visiting, there are a million other joints to choose from. The House of Lounge caries fine lingerie, play clothes and stunning feather boas. Even if you can't spend the dough it is well worth spending your time.

Shim Sham's Burlesque Review ~ Sundays are indeed a day of worship at Shim Sham's. At the forefront of the Burlesque revival in north America, this club offers great, slightly naughty entertainment. The dancers are fab and the costuming even more spectacular spectacular.

The Funky Butt ~ This jazz club gives us a little of what is left of Rampart's once vital music district. Upon a time it was alive with some of the best jazz and dixieland in the world. Across the street are the gates to Louis Armstrong Park, formerly Congo Square, a nice place to visit in the day time but not a late night venture! In the front hallway of the Funky Butt stands a huge portrait of a round, voluptuous woman. Her smiling face and plumed hair invite you into a space where nightly live jazz is the standard. The bar and main wall in the lounge are reminicnet of a bygone era and the mural in the back room echo the same art deco trimmings that makes this place unique. The Funky Butt is the kind of place that locals get their jazz fix and is also the feature finale of the Magic Walking Tours's evening route. Go ahead, order something nummy to eat and wash it down with Rolling Rock...

Perfume... one of my favourite reasons to visit this fine city. On Royal St. there are two places well worth my time... Bourbon French Perfumes and right across the street stands the inspiration for Tom Robbins' Jitterbug Perfume joint~ Hove Parfumeur. Miss V'lu is almost tangible here. Both shops offer their own rendition of the scent of New Orleans- Bourbon French offers custom blending for about 80 US a pop and Hove offers a rich past with vetivert and magnolia wafting in the air.

Royal Street is actually the perfect place to not only pick up a custom blended perfume but to also hunt for that perfect perfume vessel. Royal spans the width of the French Quarter and beyond but all along this old street are antique shops galore. Some offer the best of the best in the antique world, others offer more affordable trinkets to take back home. Whether you're eyeballing fine silverware or the craftsmanship of the Remmington brass cast sculpture collection, there's something for everyone. One of these days I will find my perfect perfume bottle in one of these stores, until then I'm happy to window shop.
St. Louis Cemetery #1~ This is the last home of Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen of New Orleans. Although it is suspected that this voodoo priestess is not actually buried in her tomb here, millions still flock to her gravesite to make offerings in exchange for just a little drop her powerful mo-jo. It is best, so they say, to offer something edible or spendable- there are often bits of bread or cakes at her doorstep and of course there's loads of pennies, usually donated in three's. The number 3 is very powerful in voodoo lore as in magic so when you make your donation to Miss Marie, turn three times and make your wish. Other notables in this little city of the dead are many fine examples of burial tradition that remain unique to New Orleans. There are the 'oven' styled graves that wall the city. There are group tombs, most significantly the Italian Society's that displays a beheaded sculpture. No doubt an unfortunate victim of graverobbing for e-bay. St. Louis houses New Orleans first Protestant cemetery within its walls, a back quarter where those of the 'lesser religion' were still laid to rest in the ground. Check it out on a walking tour but don't venture in on your own- the posted sign at the main gate even warns visitors that it is an uguarded property. Of course you could hire a sexy cop for the afternoon and really take your time getting to know the unique and sometimes smelly rights of passage with the former inhabitants of this old city.