A first-timer’s guide to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

by Gadling Staff on

The annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, or simply Jazz Fest, is a massive springtime music and cultural festival that takes place over two consecutive weekends in late April and early May. Many music lovers of all ilk consider it the country’s premier music festival and return year after year. Others have called it the best party in America.

The name Jazz Fest is somewhat misleading, as jazz is only one component of the festival’s musical offerings. Performers represent a wide range of genres including jazz, rock, blues, gospel, R & B, Cajun, zydeco, folk, bluegrass, African, Caribbean and Latin. Non-stop performances take place on a dozen stages scattered around the festival site. In addition to music, there’s a huge selection of regional cuisine, arts and crafts booths, second line parades and numerous other attractions.

Over its seven-day run, the festival typically attracts around 400,000 visitors. Jazz Fest is really big and big-time fun.

When and Where
Most people attend Jazz Fest for only one of two weekends, though some stay for the duration. The first weekend begins on the last Friday of April and runs through Sunday. After a three-day hiatus, festivities begin again on Thursday and conclude on Sunday. The dates for Jazz Fest 2011 are April 29-May 1 and May 5-8. The festival takes place at the Fair Grounds Race Course in the Mid-City section of New Orleans, about three miles from Downtown and the French Quarter. Daily hours are from 11am to 7pm which leaves fest-goers time in the evening to explore the city’s famous restaurants, bars and clubs.

%Gallery-121740%Jazz Fest through the Years
The first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival took place in 1970 in Congo Square, at the edge of the French Quarter. The single-day event attracted 350 people. It was produced by George Wein, founder of the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island. The lineup for the first Jazz Fest included Mahalia Jackson, Duke Ellington, Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Clifton Chenier, Fats Domino, The Meters and others. It quickly outgrew its original location and moved to its current site at the race track.

In 1975, the first limited-edition silkscreen festival poster was produced. Today, the Jazzfest poster collection is considered the world’s most popular poster series (you can view and purchase posters at www.art4now.com). In 2001, the year of Louis Armstrong’s centennial celebration, Jazz Fest set an all-time attendance record with 650,000 attendees.

Getting to New Orleans
Unless a springtime road trip is on your agenda, you’ll probably be arriving in New Orleans by plane. Discounted flights for Jazz Fest travelers are offered by American Airlines (discount code 2341BT) and United Airlines (discount code 584EZ). Delta Vacations offers combination air/hotel packages. If you’re having trouble finding suitable last-minute flights, consider flying into Houston’s Hobby airport then connecting with Southwest Airlines. Southwest offers numerous daily flights to New Orleans.

Where to Stay
With hotel rooms in high demand during the festival, don’t expect to find a great deal on lodging. Some hotels do offer slightly-discounted Jazz Fest rates. Priceline or Hotwire sometimes have affordable last-minute deals. Most visitors opt to stay in Downtown New Orleans or the adjacent French Quarter where much of the city’s dining and entertainment venues are concentrated. Another option is to stay in the quieter leafy Garden District which connects by streetcar to Downtown and the Fair Grounds.

From the Airport into Town
A rental car will be an unnecessary and expensive burden unless you’re staying in an out-of-the-way location. From the airport, you can get to your Downtown or French Quarter hotel by taxi, airport shuttle or city bus. Taxi fare is $33 for up to two people and $14 per person for three or four people. The shuttle costs $20 one-way ($38 RT). For $2, the Airport-Downtown Express bus (E-2) takes riders to the intersection of Tulane and Loyola in Downtown New Orleans (weekdays only). Board the bus at Entrance #7 in the airport’s upper level.

Tickets
It’s more convenient to purchase tickets in advance than when you arrive at the fairgrounds. Single-day tickets are $45 in advance and $60 at the gate. Tickets for children age 2-10 are $5. Kids under 2 are free. A limited number of VIP tickets are sold which include perks such as parking privileges, access to private viewing areas at some stages, private restrooms and private beverage concessions.
Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster, by phone (800-745-3000) or in person at the New Orleans Arena Box Office. Service and handling fees are extra. Children’s tickets are not available in advance. You can also purchase a ticket when you book the Jazz Fest Express shuttle (see below).

Getting to the Fest
Even if you have a car, driving to the festival is not recommended. On-site parking is only available for those with disabilities or those who bought a VIP ticket with a parking option. Parking in the surrounding residential neighborhoods is not advisable. There are a variety of other transportation options to get to the fairgrounds.

Taxi: Expect to pay around $5 per person for a taxi from the French Quarter or Downtown. The queue for taxis leaving the fairgrounds at the end of the day can be quite long.

Express Bus: The Jazz Fest Express provides round-trip bus service from Downtown and City Park for $62-$77 with a festival ticket or $14-$17 without. It’s cheaper to book in advance, but not required.

Streetcar or City Bus: For cheap transportation, a streetcar or city bus costs $1.25 each way. Board the 47-48 Canal Street Streetcar marked City Park/Museum either along the river in the French Quarter or at any stop along the route and take it to the end of the line. From there, the festival entrance is eight blocks away. For bus transport, take the 91 Jackson/Esplanade line.

Bicycle: A great option, popular with many locals, is to bike to the Fest. Bike racks are available in a secure guarded location near the Gentilly entrance. Biking is also a convenient way to get around the French Quarter. Bicycle Michael’s, located on Frenchman Street, rents bikes for around $25-$35 per day depending on the length of rental.

What to Bring
Travel light but travel smart. Be prepared for hot weather. Shorts and short sleeves are de rigueur. So are sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen. Wear comfortable shoes or sandals as you’ll be doing a lot of walking. Walkways get muddy after rain showers so leave your sparkling white tennies at home. Carry a pocket-size disposable rain poncho. You can pick one up in the French Quarter for a buck or two. Earplugs are at your own discretion. Don’t forget cash and a camera.

You can bring in one sealed plastic water bottle and refill it throughout the day. Neighborhood entrepreneurs sell them for a dollar on the street near the entrance on Gentilly Boulevard or you can pay more inside. Bringing alcohol into the fairgrounds is not allowed. Packs and handbags are searched at the entrance. For a list of other prohibited items, see this pdf.

The Layout
There are a dozen stages scattered throughout the 145-acre festival site. Five of these are inside tents and offer seating and protection from the elements. At the other stages, be prepared to sit, stand or dance on grass, dirt or on a blanket if you have one. The Acura and Gentilly stages are the largest and are located at opposite ends of the infield. This is where the big-name headliners usually perform.

There are two main food areas and a smattering of other food and beverage concessions scattered around the grounds. There are also two main areas to purchase arts, crafts and souvenirs. Elsewhere, you’ll find a CD store, bookstore, T-Shirt booth, poster shop and a variety of other concessions.

If you need a break from the heat or crowds, head to the air-conditioned grandstand where you can get a refill of cold water, view a fascinating museum exhibit, take in a cooking demonstration and partake of indoor plumbing. The Lagniappe (Lan’-yap) stage, in the inner courtyard, is seldom crowded.

The Music
The quantity and variety of high-caliber musical performances that run continuously throughout the day is, quite simply, mind-boggling. It’s helpful to begin each day with a general plan, but keep in mind that flexibility and spontaneity are often rewarded.

Start by printing out a copy of “the cubes,” a graphic depiction of the musical line-up for each day from www.nojazzfest.com. Undoubtedly, you’ll discover that several of your “can’t-miss” bands are playing at the same time in different locations. Ah, life can be tough.

As you put together your daily Jazz Fest itinerary, be aware that good viewing real estate is in high demand for the big-name headliners, especially on Saturdays and Sundays at the Acura and Gentilly stages. Unless you’re willing to stake out a spot far in advance, you’ll likely end up viewing these high-profile bands from a different zip code.

No worries. Seasoned Jazz Fest aficionados will often tell you that their most memorable experiences took place seeing local, obscure or up-and-coming bands steps from the stage at the less populous venues.

With that in mind, the Fais Do-Do (Fay’ Dough-Dough) stage seldom has large crowds and often features foot-stomping, homegrown Cajun and zydeco music. In addition, the venue has a small grandstand where you can rest your feet or chow down on a po’boy in relative comfort.

For a unique Jazz Fest experience, take in a performance of Mardi Gras Indians at the Jazz & Heritage Stage. Make sure your camera battery is charged up. You haven’t really done Jazz Fest until you’ve experienced a set in the Gospel Tent. The vibe is otherworldly.

If the music isn’t doing it for you at one stage, don’t hesitate to move on. Another band is rockin’ it just a few minutes away.

Sustenance
While great music will feed your spirit throughout the weekend, you won’t be lacking for physical sustenance either. If the music was removed from Jazz Fest, it would still be a pretty damn good food festival. The plethora of food options are largely Southern-inspired with some international flavors thrown in the mix. You won’t find a corn dog at Jazz Fest, but you’ll find jambalaya, gumbo, po’ boys, crawfish, alligator pie, boudin balls and bread pudding.

There is very little turnover of food vendors from year to year, meaning the available choices are proven crowd-pleasers. While everyone has their favorites, dishes with especially large and vocal devotees include the pheasant, quail & andouille gumbo, soft shell crab po’ boy, cochon de lait po’ boy and crawfish Monica. In general, food is portioned and priced to allow you to do copious sampling throughout the weekend. Leave your diet at the gate. Indulge and enjoy.

A limited variety of alcoholic beverages is available. Beers of the standard light lager variety are sold throughout the site. For more discerning tastes, Pilsner Urquell and Blue Moon can be found near the Blues Tent and Gentilly Stage. Several booths sell wine and champagne. A few stands sell daiquiri-type drinks that come in colors that don’t occur in nature. Consume at your own risk.

The Post-Fest Party
If you intend to sample one of New Orleans’ well-known restaurants – and you should – make a reservation in advance. When Jazz Fest ends each day, the clubs fill up as festival performers descend on the city’s abundant music venues for evening gigs that continue well into the wee hours. If you have the stamina, you’ll have amazing options for an evening on the town. Some shows require you to purchase tickets in advance. The Jazz Fest Grids is a great resource for club listings.

The most exclusive hamburger in the United States

by Tom Johansmeyer on

New York is home to some amazing burger joints. The Burger Joint in the Parker Meridien hotel, a handful of Shake Shack locations and Burger Burger down on Stone Street topped the list for me … until I found some incredible sliders in an unusual place.

Skip all the city’s hottest dining destinations, and march yourself down to Wall Street. No, I’m not joking. There’s an amazing hamburger at 11 Wall Street, just in from the corner of Broadway and Wall. Those of you who work in the neighborhood are probably feeling a bit confused right now. That’s the address for the New York Stock Exchange!

Yep, exactly.

One of the most recognized and important financial centers in the world is also where you’ll find some incredible eats.

Though you’re probably most familiar with the bustling exchange floor that you’ve seen on CNBC, there’s a lot more going on inside that building, which is closed to the general public. To get into the NYSE, you need a reason, and to sample the fare, it has to be an important one.

I found myself at the NYSE a few weeks ago for a closing bell ceremony with IR magazine. After the bell announced the end of the trading day, I joined the other guests at a cocktail reception in an elegant space clearly designed to exude the gravity of both the building and the reasons people have for being in it. The hors d’oeuvres passed by carefully clad waiters was of a caliber you’d expect to find only at the most prestigious restaurants in the city, and nothing disappointed.

But, those burgers …

Despite the fact that I find myself at some upscale eateries, I have a penchant for pedestrian grub that I’ll never overcome. I can’t resist a great hot dog, and a carefully crafted hamburger, for me, is heavenly.

A waiter walked by me with a tray of sliders, and it never occurred to me to decline. Confession: passing on these tasty treats didn’t occur to me after this scenario was repeated several times.

The burgers were tiny (duh – sliders), taking a mere two bites to consume. The fact that they disappeared so quickly is probably part of the reason why I had so many, though both taste and my absurd appetite doubtless contributed. Perfectly prepared, they were somewhere a tad south of medium, leaving them juicy but not dripping … perfect for eating with nothing more than a cocktail napkin between the burger and your hand.

The meat itself came just short of the edge of the bun. At first thought, this may seem meager, but experience proves otherwise. When I chomp into a big burger, I want the flesh to pass the bun and hang over the side, reinforcing the feeling that I’m biting into something that’s undeniably substantial. With sliders, however, this doesn’t work well. Passed hors d’oeuvres mean eating while standing, and a higher risk of spilling something on yourself. The lack of overhang reduces this risk, allowing you to eat and enjoy worry-free. While this is a plus for the average person, it’s incredibly important to me (I tend to spill).

Nothing, frankly, compares to sinking your teeth into one of these sliders. The burst of flavor is powerful. The outside of the burger is slightly crisp, though the inside is soft and moist. In two bites – three or four if you’re a normal person – it disappears, and you’re left hunting for a waiter. After all, you don’t want to wait for everyone else to take one!

So, how do you get the chance to dine on these delicacies?

While it helps to know somebody who knows somebody, your best bet is to have a friend (a) whose company is going public and (b) who is important enough at that company to be able to score an invitation for a guest who doesn’t work for that company at all. Good luck with that

Of course, you could always come up with a great idea, start company, make it fabulously successful and go public on the NYSE.

Until then, however, you’ll have to be content to drool.

[Photo courtesy of IR magazine]

Three Cups of Tea author under scrutiny

by Kraig Becker on

His books have inspired millions with their tales of generosity, both given and received, but following a scathing 60 Minutes segment that aired this past weekend, author and philanthropist Greg Mortenson finds himself at the center of a controversy. The investigative piece put together by the staff at CBS alleges that Mortenson has fabricated key parts of his stories and profited from his charitable organization, the Central Asia Institute.

For those not familiar with Mortenson’s story, back in 1993 he was climbing in the Karakoram mountain range of Pakistan. After a failed attempt to climb K2, he found himself lost, and wandering in a remote region of the country. Mortenson says that at one point he stumbled into the village of Korphe, where the villagers welcomed him warmly, sharing their food and water, and helping him to regain his bearings so he could find his way home. The mountaineer was so moved by their generosity that he vowed to repay their kindness by building them a school.

Fast forward a decade and Mortenson would write his bestselling book Three Cups of Tea, which shared the details of his story with the world. He would follow it up with another bestseller, Stones into Schools, and then building CAI into a $20 million a year non-profit organization. The charity is credited with building a number of schools throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan, enriching the lives many children in both countries. Mortenson has been lauded for his work the world over, and many people donate to his organization based on the stories they are told in his books.

But what if those stories weren’t exactly true? What if elements of them were exaggerated to enhance their dramatic value? What if the author too major liberties with his own exploits?That’s exactly what 60 Minutes alleges in their story. So does bestselling author, Jon Krakauer of Into Thin Air fame, who says of Mortenson’s tale “It’s a beautiful story. And it’s a lie.” Krakauer says that at first he supported Mortenson and bought into his amazing story, even donating some of his own money to CAI. But the more he got to know him, the more he began to question Mortenson’s recollection of events. Krakauer would later speak to other mountaineers who were with Mortenson on his 1993 expedition, and they say that much of what is described in Three Cups of Tea never took place, and that Mortenson didn’t even visit Korphe until several years later.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg however, as the 60 Minutes story goes on to say that other elements of Mortenson’s tale don’t add up either. For instance, the author says that he was once kidnapped by the Taliban, and even offered up a photograph of himself with gun toting men as evidence. But the investigative reporters at CBS discovered that that wasn’t true at all. In fact, the armed men who were seen in the photograph, were actually his security detail charged with protecting him while traveling in Pakistan.

Worse yet, there are lingering questions about how the Central Asia Institute spends the funds that are donated by fans of Mortenson and his books. The organization isn’t very fourthcoming with details on their operations, but it seems that they spent more money last year on promoting Mortenson than they did on building schools. 60 Minutes had a look at the financials and found hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on travel on private jets alone.

The laundry list of charges doesn’t end there however. There are some indications that the charitable organization has built far fewer schools than it claims, and that Mortenson uses it as vehicle for making money for himself.

Krakauer does say that Mortenson has done a lot of great work in Pakistan, and it is undeniable that he has helped hundreds, if not thousands, of children get an education there. But the fear is that all of that philanthropic work could come tumbling down because the author has been less than honest about his own story and has taken liberties with the funding of his organization. Krakauer seems baffled as to why Mortenson would feel the need to enhance his stories when he has done so much good in the public eye.

While Mortenson has enjoyed a lot of mainstream success and garnered a lot of fans from his inspiring tales, the questions about his background have been a not-so-well-kept secret in the mountaineering community for some time. While he is respected for the work he does in the Himalaya, his tall tales about his own exploits are taken with a large grain of salt. The question is, should the fact that Mortenson has taken liberties with his story over shadow the great things he has done for people in Pakistan and Afghanistan? The man has dedicated a good portion of his life to building schools and medical facilities for the poor mountain villages in the land he loves. A noble pursuit indeed.

Personally, I still respect Mortenson for those wonderful charitable acts and I hope these allegations to over shadow those deeds. But I also can’t help but wonder about some of his other motivations. Motivations that have brought him a great deal of fame and money.

What do you think? Check out the 60 Minutes segment by clicking here, and post your thoughts below.

[Photo credit: Central Asia Institute]

Cruise ships on the move as traveler demand changes

by Chris Owen on

It was not all that long ago that cruise lines were boasting massive deployment to European waters for 2012 and into 2013. Now, it appears those waters across the pond might not be quite as attractive as at least one cruise line thought. Royal Caribbean is bringing one of their ships back to the U.S. On the other hand, some lines are expanding even beyond Europe as Celebrity Cruises heads to Australia and New Zealand and Carnival Cruise Lines hints at plans to court the UK cruise market. Let’s take a look.

The big news is that Royal Caribbean will redeploy Navigator of the Seas, scheduled to cruise in the Mediterranean, to the Caribbean for the 2011-2012 cruise season and sail out of Port Everglades, Florida.

“We are responding to vacationers’ demand for more Caribbean options this coming winter (and) spring,” Royal Caribbean spokesman Harry Liu told USA Today.

That’s good news for the U.S. cruise market as Navigator of the Seas will offer a unique series of five- to nine-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries between November 20, 2011 and April 14, 2012 when she goes back to Europe.Disney Cruise Line, who will complete the process of doubling it’s fleet soon, will move out of Vancouver after just one season. Sailing from Seattle next year, the line appears to be reacting to “the cost of flying” says the Regina Leader-Post who notes “Flying costs, especially with Disney’s high proportion of children, are important”.

Also, Celebrity Cruises plans to have six ships in the Caribbean during the winter of 2012-13, down from eight this coming winter. Celebrity is sending Celebrity Solstice to Australia and New Zealand and Celebrity Millennium will go to Asia for the first time calling in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Halong Bay.

Even All-American Carnival Cruise Lines which has had a minimal presence in Europe is looking to the UK market for new passenger sourcing.

“We have a desire to source more people from the UK because of the common language we share,” Carnival chief executive Gerry Cahill told TTGLive.

Indeed, with new Carnival Magic debuting on May 1, 2011 and next-up Carnival Breeze coming out next year, the line will have plenty of experience and hardware in the area. Still, no announcements have been made on exactly how the Funship line will go after UK passengers.

“The UK market is a key priority for us, but how we try to attract it will be decided at a later date,” Cahill said, adding “There are a lot of options, and basing a ship in the UK could be one of those options.”

Flickr photo by Heroiclife

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Taxi driver boycott of cruise ships a sign of the times

by Chris Owen on
In Victoria, B.C. Alaska cruise season has just begun but Victoria taxi companies did not exactly roll out the welcome mat for recently all-inclusive Crystal Symphony earlier this week. Seeking a reduction in the annual charge they pay to service the cruise lines, taxi drivers boycotted the ship, refusing to pick up passengers.

The Greater Victoria Taxi Association is at odds with the port authority over the $200 per cab annual fee and wants it reduced. The port authority says the fee is reasonable, every transportation company pays it and that collected fees go towards safety improvements. The taxi association says business is down and fewer ships coming this year means less income for them.

In a recovering, adjusting worldwide economy, things are changing from cruise lines re-deploying ships as demand changes right down on street-level and the taxi cab companies that service cruise ships.

While the $200 annual fee may seem reasonable, cab companies may be going after a reduction to make up for lost income elsewhere.

“In most markets, the average spending per passenger is probably down five to 10 per cent … from pre-recession levels. The recession has had the impact of reducing aggregate spending by cruise passengers” Andrew Moody, president of Pennsylvania-based Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA) told the Vancouver Sun.

Earlier this month, taxi drivers in Thailand blocked two busloads of passengers from Silversea’s Silver Spirit. Headed out for tours from the Phuket deep sea port, four hours passed before taxi drivers agreed on a 50/50 split between taxi and bus transportation.

This ongoing dispute here finds it’s root with government officials who have failed to find a solution. In an effort to avoid confrontation, high fares and almost no regulation have taken control.

Regardless of the reason, having a cab available to pick up passengers has always been something taken for granted. Passengers get off the ship. Cabs are waiting. Off they go.

Cruise lines have a lot of different elements that go into creating a good travel experience for passengers. Some they have control over, others not so much. It will be interesting to see how other economic factors affect the cruise experience as we watch the cruise industry mature.

Flickr photo by Guwashi999

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