New Orleans Band Better Than Ezra Welcomes us to Mardi Gras

by Gadling Staff on

Ever thought about going to Mardi Gras, only to quickly reconsider? Daunted by the idea of drunken crowds and inadvertently turning up on an episode of Cops? Well New Orleans-based rock band Better Than Ezra is inviting newbies and veterans alike to a Mardi Gras experience that promises much more than the balcony-hanging, bead-throwing debauchery one might expect.

The event is called Krewe of Rocckus – a play on the name of the legendary Krewe of Bacchus – and offers visitors a weekend chock-full of New Orleans food, drink, and music, all seeped in Mardi Gras tradition.

Better Than Ezra bassist Tom Drummond took some time to introduce us to the Krewe:

Gadling: So you’ve just finished up the Road to Mardi Gras tour, and in early March you’ll kick off the Krewe of Rocckus. We have to admit, Mardi Gras is a bit new to us…

TD:…you see, this is exactly who we are trying to reach! Through our travels we’ve seen that there are a lot of people – probably like yourself – who considered going to Mardi Gras in the past, but were kind of on the bubble and just never committed. I think it is definitely something that everyone should do, at least once in their life. A lot of people think it’s like, “Oh, I did that in high school, or college,” well it’s really not. Sure, there’s a lot of that going on, but it’s also a great time to come to New Orleans and have a great time, get some good food, and hang out with a lot of people. It’s just a lot of fun.

Gadling: Ok, but what exactly is a krewe?

TD: Well a krewe is basically a group of individuals who have organized themselves to put on the Mardi Gras parades, and then typically those same krewes have balls that either follow the event or the night before. Most of the older parades are krewes. Those are social groups, and typically you have to be invited into those groups. I’m involved in one, we have a ball every year, it’s actually a secret society you’re not supposed to know you’re in. We have to wear a mask when we parade on the floats. They have video cameras set up along the routes to know whether or not everybody wore their masks.

Gadling: And this is the first year for the Krewe of Rocckus?

TD: Yeah, you know the band has played Mardi Gras every year for twenty something years. We’ve had the idea for a while, and we finally decided to commit and get on with it. We have a lot of people who fly in from out of town for these shows, because these shows are very unique for Better Than Ezra, because the atmosphere is so great. There’s a lot of debauchery going on, you just get a different take on the band from one of these shows.

Gadling: So the Krewe of Rocckus is born of your Mardi Gras shows, and now you’ve built it into an event.

TD: That’s exactly right. You get a hotel – you get three nights at the Hilton Riverside – we’ve planned everything to be within walking distance, which is one of the great things about New Orleans, that if you stay downtown, you’re within walking distance of the French Quarter, the Warehouse District, and just about anything you want to do. Not a lot of cities are set up that way, which is why it’s great to have big events here.

We did a few of these Rock Boat cruises, where you go, hang out on the boat for three or four days, and all you do is see bands the whole time you’re there. Well that kind of gave us the inspiration – how can we use the city if New Orleans as a giant ship, imagine it as a giant Rock Boat. So we have all the venues, all the restaurants, all the bars, everything that we’re going to send people to, all within walking distance during Mardi Gras.

We’re trying to offer things that you can’t just walk up and get when you come to Mardi Gras. It’s going to start off with a very unique event, which is brunch with award-winning chef John Besh, who owns a number of restaurants in town. We’ve got private viewing stands for the Friday night parades, all you can eat and drink, we’ve got a very large private balcony on Bourbon Street.

You obviously get the two Better Than Ezra shows Friday and Saturday night, and then Friday night we have Pat Greene performing, who’s a big country artist from Texas. We’ve got Big Sam’s Funky Nation, who was also on the Road to Mardi Gras tour, he’s playing with us on Saturday night. And at each party and event, we have local bands playing as well. You’re definitely going to get your music fix out of this trip for sure. Which I think is one of the biggest attractions in New Orleans.

Gadling: Is the band actively participating in the whole weekend?

TD: Oh yeah, we’ll be at every event. We’ll literally be holding your hand, walking you from one event to the next. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

Gadling: What’s this about a Bloody Mary contest?

TD: Yeah, apparently I’m involved in it! Everybody that comes down is going to be the beneficiaries of free Bloody Marys that morning. It’s going to be me and some other celebrities, and everyone is going to taste them and decide who’s the best.

There are a lot of those little things we have planned. On Friday we’re going to meet at one, and we’re going to second line with the Mardi Gras Indians to a restaurant called Michaul’s where we have a private viewing stand on Saint Charles Avenue. We’re going to literally walk 400 people through the Warehouse District to the viewing stands, with the Mardi Gras Indians, and a brass band leading the way.

We got Krewe of Rocckus beads made, really nice big beads, the kind you want to hang onto after Mardi Gras. We also have a poster that the artist Jamie Hayes has designed for us. He’s a really well known New Orleans artist.

We think it’s going to be a really great event – it seems like no brainer, really – to have the biggest band from New Orleans walk you through Mardi Gras. This will be fun!

Gadling: Speaking as a New Orleans native, what would you recommend first-time visitors to do, aside from Mardi Gras?

TD: I think one of the great things about New Orleans is the food. There are so many great restaurants here, so many great places to have a great time, even if Mardi Gras weren’t going on.

Gadling: Oh? Are you a fan of crayfish?

TD: What, crawfish?

Gadling: Ok, I’m from the north.

TD: Yeah, they’re awesome here.

Gadling: And you suck the heads?

TD: Of course! You have to!

You can sign up for Krewe of Rocckus here. Note that the all-inclusive package is only available until February 4. After that, the locals-only package will remain available without hotel reservation. Hotels may still be available, but the prices will have increased after February 4.

The ultimate pre-wedding party: Off & Away offers $22,500 bachelor / bachelorette auction

by McLean Robbins on

Ever wonder what happens to the palatial pads used in MTV’s “The Real World” after the season is over? In at least a few instances, they’ve been turned back into their original hotel suites, available for show devotees or high-rollers to rent by the night.

Luxury hotel deal purveyor Off & Away is offering their highest-priced acution to date with the ME Cancun suite apartment that housed The Real World: Cancun‘s housemates during the 22nd season.

The three-night package includes accommodations in the Real World suite for up to ten people.

The suite features four bedrooms, all with ocean views, two Jacuzzis, three private balconies, a full kitchen, six showers and six bathrooms, a private laundry room, computer, iPod docking stations, Wii and Rock Band equipment, massage chairs, pool table, and a jellyfish acquarium.

Suite amenities include:

  • Round-trip airport transfers
  • Champagne on arrival
  • Personalized en-suite check-in
  • Tropical fruit upon arrival
  • Buffet breakfast is included for all registered Suite ME guests
  • Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages throughout the stay
  • Twenty-four hour room service
  • One complimentary international newspaper each day
  • Personal staff of Aura-Experience manager, housekeeper and chef* (chef available upon request for additional cost)

Valued at $22,500, the auction package is part of their romance themed “Whole Lotta Love” series, combining romantic wedding, engagement, honeymoon and bachelor/bachelorette packages. The auction series will begin on February 11 and run through February 14.

Off & Away operates on a different model than most flash-sale sites. Members buy bids ($1 each) and increase the price of a given room, suite or experience in small increments, 10 to 15 cents at a time. Each bid also adds a few seconds to the countdown clock. The top bidder when the clock reaches zero wins the prize, and unused bids can be applied as a credit towards Off & Away’s preferred network of partner hotels. We’re big fans of this model, which, while time consuming, can allow users to win luxury hotel experiences at upwards of 90% off, a significantly larger discount than many other flash sale sites.

To join Off & Away, click here.

Free: 250 American Airlines AAdvantage miles for joining Best Western Rewards

by Scott Carmichael on

Looking for a quick and painless way to top off your American Airlines mileage account? Sign up for a Best Western Rewards card (free) and provide them with your AAdvantage number.

You’ll earn an instant 250 miles, and bonus miles each time you stay in a Best Western property between February 6 and April 11, 2011. On your first stay, you’ll get another 500 miles, followed by 750 on your second, and 1000 on each following stay.

Even if you don’t have any Best Western stays planned, the 250 miles may be all it takes to keep an otherwise dormant account alive, or to get your account to the point where you can actually use your miles for something worthwhile.

The promotion page is here – which is where you’ll find more details on the stay-to-earn deal.

Need another 150 miles? Check out this American Airlines Bose promotion!

Daily Pampering: Mandarin Oriental Miami offers private beach experience

by McLean Robbins on

Life’s a beach at the Mandarin Oriental Miami. Their new Oasis Beach Club combines South Beach‘s already spectacular white sand beaches with a private cabana offering. Whether you’re looking for fun in the sun relaxation for the whole family, spa serenity or a total techie retreat, there’s a package just for you.

Available by rent for the whole or half-day ($150 and up), the cabanas include a personal beach butler, welcome oshibori towels, Evian bottled water and exotic fruit platter. Cabanas are stocked with amenities including a flat-screen TV, mini refrigerator, sunblock, iPad and Powermat electric charger usable on most electronic devices.

We’d suggest you upgrade to the Spa Serenity package ($600), which adds on two 50-minute aromatherapy massages, green iced tea, a spa lunch bento box for two and cool mist sevices throughout the day.

We just have one more question – where are our peeled grapes?

Get more luxury travel ideas from daily pampering.

NHL All-Star Game travel advice: what to do in Raleigh, NC

by Dana Murph on

It’s shaping up to be a busy, busy weekend for sports. The NFL’s Pro Bowl is set to take place Sunday night, and a few hours prior, the NHL’s All-Star Game will kick off in North Carolina’s capital city. This weekend will be the first that Raleigh has hosted the All-Star Game, with the Carolina Hurricanes being the host team and their RBC Center being the host facility. Those living here (like me!) will be quick to point out that Raleigh brought home a major national championship before the more populated Charlotte, with the Stanley Cup coming to NC during the 2005 – 2006 season.

The city has been doing an awful lot of planning since it found out it would be this year’s host in April of 2010, including the finalization of RDU’s sophisticated Terminal 2 this past week. We’re still no closer to having a legitimate public transportation system (outside of a few sporadic bus routes), but there’s plenty of southern hospitality to go around for those coming to town. If you’re planning a trip down below the Mason–Dixon Line in order to attend this year’s NHL All-Star Game, read on to discover five can’t-miss places to visit (and eat at) while in Raleigh.

The Pit. Yes, this is the same Pit featured on Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food,” and if you’re looking for a real taste of the south, you’ll need to grab a reservation here. The vibe is authentic, the “y’alls” are easy to come by, and the food is simply delicious. Don’t be scared to try a few local favorites: fried catfish, cheesy bacon grits, sweet potato fries and fried okra.

Cook-Out. Don’t bother searching for an official website — there isn’t one. Cook-Out is a mysterious fast food eatery that only has stores in the state of North Carolina, and while the grub itself is delightful, it’s the expansive milkshake menu that’ll have you returning nightly. You’ll find well over 30 options, with each shake costing just $2.19. Feel free to mix and match flavors (Oreo Cheesecake is a popular custom flavor), and grab a “Huge” sweet tea if you want to really know what a southern beverage tastes like. Here’s a secret: order a Cook-Out tray at the Cook-Out on Western Blvd. near NC State’s campus, and you can take home a Cook-Out visor or t-shirt for just $1.99!

Wolfpack vs. Tar Heels basketball. UNC alums will swear up and down that Duke is their only rival in The Triangle, but if NC State pulls the upset at the Dean Dome this weekend, you’ll never find a more sour group of fans. NC State vs. UNC games are always rowdy, and if you can score a ticket for this Saturday’s matchup (1/29) in Chapel Hill, it’s most certainly worth going to. Just getting inside of the Smith Center is a magical experience for devout college basketball fans.

Velocity VeloCAB ride. Downtown Raleigh may not be the biggest downtown you’ve ever seen, but it’s still full of life, parks and history. It’ll be chilly in late January, but if you’ve got a beefy coat and a significant other to cuddle up with, a ride in a rickshaw (dubbed a VeloCAB) is a great way to learn about Raleigh from an expert that lives here. And hey, you may just pass by somewhere you’ll want to return to afterwards.

Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern. If you leave Raleigh without dining here, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. This restaurant is a Four Diamond award winner, and their menu changes on a regular basis. They go out of their way to procure ingredients from right here in North Carolina, and every single dish is a winner. Head to the tavern if you aren’t looking to dress up, or reserve a table in the main dining room if you bring your formal wear to town.

Raleigh — along with all of North Carolina — is a fine place to visit, and while there are quite a few hotels to choose from, the out-of-the-box travelers would do themselves a favor by heading up to Durham. There, you’ll find The Arrowhead B&B, a gorgeous inn (circa 1775) ran by two of the nicest, sweetest individuals (Phil and Gloria Teber) you’ll ever meet. The breakfasts you’ll find here are to die for, and if you’re into splurging, the Carolina Log Cabin or Garden Cottage are the ones to book.

If you’re a local, feel free to add your own must-do suggestions in comments below. For the full schedule of events during the 2011 NHL All-Star weekend, click here. Enjoy NC, y’all!