Mikel Marketing Newsletter

the big easy
By: Mimi Dinh

“Stop & smell the roses” has been my New Years Resolution for the past couple of years. I must admit, my old mantra “all work and no play” was getting old. So before I start following the footstep of many CEOs of feeling burnt out, I have been making an effort to schedule a trip every month. Whether a quick weekend get-away or a short trip, the monthly prescription is just a chance to get out of the city, unwind, rejuvenate and spend quality time with family and friends.

After my girl-bonding trip last month in Miami, this month I set-off East with my hubby! The destination? Creole culture, cuisine, cuddling and a little business (of course!). Bubbling over with mystical allure, old world ambiance, whimsical essence, vibrant music and an abundance of spice, New Orleans is a one-of-a-kind melting pot that warms the spirit.

The last time I was in New Orleans, I thought my stay at the W was the coolest... I wish being wrong could always be this fabulous! The International House, the town’s first boutique hotel, is about “the convergence of timeless personalized style, intriguing design, and individualized experiences infused with a rock and roll tinge reminiscent of London at the time of the Stones,” explains General Manager Ricky Gomez. Originally built in 1906 as the Louisiana Bank & Trust Co., the restoration was designed around the idea of time and space, remains an “urban artifact” in the city of New Orleans. Just two blocks from the French Quarter, the hotel is adorned with black and white photos of Louis Armstrong and jazz music playing in the background. Simply gorgeous and eclectic at the same time, like the city itself! But you don’t have to take my word for it! Ask Travel & Leisure, Cosmopolitan, Maxim. Conde Naste Traveller, Southern Woman, Playboy, Food & Wine, the Washington Post, New York Magazine, and USA Today.

The first thing I did after waking up was to check out the hotel gym, which was well equipped for everyone’s inner-health nut. Despite being away from home, I was able to get a full work out everyday by using the elliptical machine and free weights, so I can enjoy all the gastronomical delights this city has to offer.

After my work out, it was off to my business consultation. Since this was my main reason for being here, I made the consultation my focus for its duration. But once it was over, I stopped by the hotel bar, Loa, to celebrate my goal of getting the biz side of my trip out of the way in only half a day. Making friends with the bartender Star, she gave me the 411 on “to-dos” in NO. Then, after asking for a “healthy but tasty martini,” she whipped up a cocktail using a plethora of different fresh fruits, which after she cut, mixed, carefully strained, gave a shot of this & that and a quick shake, the rosy-orange liquid made it to my frosty glass. Yum! But since Star made this drink especially for me, it’s not on the menu. According to GM Ricky, “there is always a stock of various fresh fruits at Loa that we can use to create great cocktails”. If you are in this crescent city and want to taste for yourself the “best martini in New Orleans”, ask Star for a “Mimi-tini”. She’ll know what you’re talking about. Maybe if enough people are asking for this drink, it may make itself officially on the menu! Star lived up to her name in my book.

“With Loa being at the heart of the hotel, it is our goal to literally bring the amazing space to life with cocktail programming, music, and energy that will quicken the pulse of the hotel,” says Ricky. Feeling relaxed, we kept social hour alive. Hanging out with me at Loa were Ricky - hotel Manager, Mike - hotel publicist, and Robert - Managing Partner and Founder of LRG (Lifestyle Revolution Group), a conglomerate that includes the International House hotel, Loft 524 (1/2 block away) and Republic Night Club, one of NO’s hottest night spots. Everyone was extremely nice and made me feel so welcomed as we had a good time unwinding and chatting about life in the Big Easy after Katrina.

I was impressed by everyone’s professionalism and entrepreneur spirit, especially Robert for his belief in bringing progressive cultural and technological influences to New Orleans while also maintaining the city's own distinct character and vibrancy. Robert was a recipient of Gambit Weekly’s “40Under40”, a list of remarkable young adults under 40 who excel in a multitude of areas “through innovative thinking and inspired actions.” He formed Lifestyle Revolution Group to assist the city in rebuilding by creating opportunities for residents to develop strong professional and social networks through entertainment.

Having dinner at one of our New Orleans’ fave spots, The Gumbo Shop, my husband and I indulged in a comfort food feast including blackened fish, crawfish etoufee, grilled boudin, and red beans and rice with smoked sausage. For a sweet ending, we strolled to Café du Monde for beignets and café au lait, a must in NO. With a full stomach, my husband was beat and called it a night. So Star, Ricky, and I decided to walk over to Le Phare, inside the Loft 524 hotel, a cool spot where we had a great time chatting while sampling cocktails made by its charming bartender Jonathan. Described by Maxim’s Magazine as “chic digs”, Le Phare encourages guest to enjoy the “art of the cocktail”, which pairs classic New Orleans drinks with contemporary, seasonal cocktails prepared with a healthy blend of fresh ingredients from local farmers' markets, a new twist on the city's traditional social style. Since I’m a typical Asian light-weight drinker, it’s not about the cocktails that interest me about a place, but more about the people and the ambiance. And Le Phare had it all!

My husband and I were on a mission on night two - crawfish. After all, they are in season and we were in NO, right? After asking natives around, we were told Deanie’s was the best place to go in the French Quarter. It’s a seafood restaurant with an extensive menu, but we were disappointed with their crawfish, which were overcooked and a bit too salty. We returned to the Gumbo Shop for some desserts, and afterwards, walked around Jackson Square and Bourbon Street, which we found vastly improved from our last trip. I remember last year at the Jazz Fest, Bourbon Street was barely happening and many shops were still closed from Katrina. This time, people were partying on the streets, the restaurants and bars were jamming with live music, the racy shops were welcoming customers and the scene was as lively as pre-Katrina. Another favorite spot, LaFitte’s Blacksmith, a well-known, dark hole-in-the-wall that has been around for ages, was a comfortable, familiar scene that we were glad to revisit.

The next day, I met up with my husband for lunch at our fave diner, Mother’s, where authentic Cajun dishes are generously served and is packed consistently with locals and visitors alike. After a full stomach, I walked it off all over Jackson Square and my favorite street, St. Charles, while my husband returned to his conference. My favorite store is definitely UAL (United Apparel Liquidation). Specializing in one-of-a-kind designer clothes left over from fashion shows around the world, these threads are couture quality at a fraction of the price. I found a white, floor length cocktail halter dress from an Italian designer that’s to-die-for! With an original price tag of $1,200, my sexy splurge was about a tenth of the cost! Also at the top of my list is Trashy Diva, but don’t let the name fool you… there is nothing trashy about this store. Known for impeccably selected Victorian-inspired accoutrements and specializing in beautiful, vamp-glam lingerie including retro-styled underpinnings, bustiers and corsets, everything is handmade with the finest materials.

While waking around, I stopped at almost every praline shop for a taste. Hands down, Southern CandyMakers gets my vote fore best pralines… They melt in your mouth! I even grabbed a bunch of gift boxes for friends and family. No matter how many times I revisited my favorite gallery, George Rodrigue, looking at his “blue dog” paintings always gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling and put a smile on my face. Finally, after rediscovering a taste for blues music on my excursion, I bought some kick-ass CDs from Joe Bonamasse and Tab Benoit, “cut-to-the-bones” blues music recommended by locals.

On our last night there, we decided to try a more exotic restaurant, Cochon. Chefs Donald Link and Steven Stryjewski put an haute twist on simple standards such as hot sausage with grits, wood-fired oyster roast and more adventurous dishes such as fried rabbit livers with pepper jelly toast, pork cheeks with a cornbread bean cake, and rabbit and dumplings. Everything we ordered was delicious, each with its own distinctive flavors. No wonder this new restaurant ranked # 3 in the New York Times’ recent round up of “15 Coast to Coast Restaurants That Count”. We were going to stop by Sucre afterwards for some sweets but we were so stuffed that we had to skip desserts - a rare thing for us!

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped by Lucy’s, a popular local hang out with an eclectic mix of college kids, yuppies and even more mature folks in their late 40s. The scene was upbeat and full of energy, and the friendly hellos and gestures amongst the crowd showed Texas-challenging hospitality! We met a couple of fun local girls who took us to the next stop just a few blocks away, the Whiskey Bar inside the W hotel. Though not as packed as Lucy’s, Whiskey Bar had its own groove. With a more low-key vibe, guests enjoyed cocktails in their own corners with leisure.

Since it was our last evening, we decided to go back to our hotel bar Loa and try the infamous drink, absynth, an extraordinarily strong liquor which was very popular in the 1800’s, and has been reborn around the U.S. with its legalization for on-premise (bar) sales. So why the hype? The growing Internet craze for this intoxicating drink derives mostly from the liquor's rich history, driving online pundits to build a cult around the drink and even concoct their own home-made recipes. Also called the Green Fairy, La Fée Verte....no other drink has the same romantic history – dated back in the time of the French Impressionist: From Toulouse Lautrec, Degas, Monet, and Van Gogh, to the muse of writers from Verlaine, Rimbaud and Hemingway… in the cafes of Montmartre. Star wasn’t around, but Lauren brought out the absynth glass pitcher with its tiny faucets and poured the liquid over a cube of sugar. My husband and I shared a glass just for a taste so didn’t actually feel any “real” effect of the drink. It reminded me of an extra-strength Ouzo, the official drink of Greece. We thoroughly enjoyed our own personal ritual of “La Louche” while given a brief history lesson by Lauren.

Having lived in NO for 5 years when my family first arrived to the US, the city has always had a special meaning to me, and I never cease to discover new places on every visit. To me, New Orleans is full of lovely contradictions. It’s an old soul yet with a young spirit, modern but with deep-rooted traditions, a familiar place yet mysterious at the same time. Maybe the voodoo magic has cast a spell on the city, keeping it forever exhilarating and full of surprises!