Looking for some Great Thai Food in New Orleans? Look No Further!

Being in the hospitality industry, I'm fortunate to know people in almost any city across the US. With New Orleans being such a huge convention town, I do know a lot of people there so coming out here for the Professional Convention Management Association Annual Meeting has been like Old Home Week. Last night a friend who use to live in DC and moved here to work at the Sonesta Hotel took me and another friend who's a planner to a restaurant in her neighborhood.


New Orleans is full of wonderful opportunities to get outside of the French Quarter and while you're here, you should. We went uptown to La Thai Restaurant at 4938 Prytania St (504) 899-8886. It's a block off Magazine St. which is another place worth exploring with all its little boutiques, antique stores, restaurants and eclectic people.


This restaurant is a neighborhood gathering place with families coming in after visiting the zoo, shoppers looking for good food at reasonable prices and visitors wanting to see more than just the French Quarter.

I had wonderful vegetarian drunken noodles while my friends shared sea bass, shrimp and oysters. We at every last morsel of food!

So if you want to get out of the Quarter - look nor further - La Thai Uptown is the place to go.

Check Out the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans

This morning I went across the street to the Marriott to meet with our Convention Services Manager who will be handling all the SSPC pre-convention training. Have you signed up yet for one of them? Click on this link to see what is being offered: http://www.pace2009.com/program.php?m=&d=&sort=2&da=

There is an interesting meeting going on at the Marriott right now - it's called a "social group" but it's basically a bunch of bikers from all over the South (Georgia, Tennessee, etc.) that meet once a year to attend sessions on bike safety, the latest in biker clothing, what to do in bad weather when your riding down a highway. They even have an exhibition going on in conjunction with their education sessions. Unfortunately they wouldn't let me in.

I must share with you that if you're staying at the Marriot - even if you're not, you should go over there- they have the best granola I've ever tasted. They make it them selves with fresh oats and fruit - it's fabulous and I hope to have more before I leave.

What's Happening in New Orleans? A room at the Sheraton

The association I belong to as a meeting planner, PCMA, is currently having their annual convention in New Orleans - so I flew out yesterday to attend. Leaving Dulles (DC Metro area) was a piece of cake, plus getting out of below 30 degree temps was fabulous!

We arrived in New Orleans and it was about 65 and it felt great. I'm staying at the Sheraton, one of the hotels in our PACE room block. There is a local artist, George Rodrique, who is very instrumental in raising money for Hurrican Relief here in New Orleans through his Blue Dog Relief organization. His blue dog artwork is all over the hotel. When you come into the car port, you are welcomed by his work. You walk into the lobby and it covers the columns. You'll love it when you get here. If you're not staying at this hotel, be sure to come by and see it. You can also visit his website to see his work: http://www.georgerodrigue.com/rodrigue/index2.htm

I'm sharing a room with another meeting planner and having two women in one room can be a disaster. However, the rooms are large so we're not tripping over one another. We went running at 6:00 am down St. Charles St. and all the bleachers are being set up for the Mardis Gras parades that will be taking place while we're here for PACE - it was extremely exciting to see. When you come out here, be sure to take in one of the parades we have listed a few blogs up.