“COOLinary is an opportunity to live it up for less in New Orleans, offering guests the renowned, delectable cuisine that is part of the reason so many visitors choose to travel here,” said Kim Priez, vice president of tourism sales for the New Orleans CVB. “The promotion gives everyone a chance to experience some of the finest dining in the world, while also driving locals to sample classic New Orleans dishes that were often invented within their own neighborhoods.”

Here is a sample dinner menu from Bayona.
They are offering appetizers of Cream of Garlic Soup, Soup of the Day, Bayona Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, or Eggplant Caviar with Tapenade. Dinner offerings are the Vegetarian Dish of the Day, Fish of the Day, or Grilled Duck Breast with Pepper Jelly Glaze. Desserts are homemade sorbets or ice creams.

Here is a sample lunch menu from Galatoire’s
On Tuesdays – Thursdays, Avocado Vichyssoise, Creole Tomato and Watermelon Salad, or Smoked Salmon. Entrees include a choice of Grilled Gulf Fish, Mussels St. Pierre, Ratatouille, or Paneed Pork Chop. Dessert is a choice of Banana Bread Pudding or Caramel Cup Custard.

There are more restaurants to be added to the list of participating locations. New Orleans has just recently opened its 1,000 restaurant and more are coming. This is a new record for the city.

Contest Rules: Over the course of your stay during Tales, we’re challenging you to a Twitter contest to see how many clues you can answer successfully about the Hotel Monteleone. The contest will end at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 25. To answer a clue successfully, you need to Tweet the answer and a picture to @hotelmonteleone with the hash tags #TOTC and the appropriate clue number ex. #clue1 or #clue2, etc. A first, second and third place winner will be chosen at random from the pool of contestants who have completed all 10 questions successfully.

First place: Two nights from your stay at the Hotel Monteleone during Tales of the Cocktail will be complimentary. Value: $600
Second place: One night from your stay at the Hotel Monteleone during Tales of the Cocktail will be complimentary. Value: $300
Third place: 4 cocktail coupons for the Carousel Bar and a gift certificate to The
Logo Shop. Value $100

*Note – If you aren’t staying at the Hotel Monteleone for Tales of the Cocktail, you will
receive a voucher for the room to be used within one year.

Sample clue: This Pulitzer Prize winning author, who claimed that the Hotel Monteleone was his favorite place to stay, mentioned the hotel in his play, “The Rose Tattoo.” He lived at the hotel for a period of time while he worked on Camino Real. What was his name? Please take a picture of the display case dedicated to this author. To find the case, turn left upon entering the lobby from the main entrance.

Sample Answer: @hotelmonteleone #TOTC #clue1 Tennessee Williams

• Clue 1: Before founding the Hotel Monteleone in 1886, this man arrived in New Orleans from Sicily in 1880 and started a successful cobbler shop on Royal Street. What was his name? Include a picture of his portrait located above the lobby elevator to the left.
• Clue 2: This majestic piece of furniture stands in the center of the lobby and has helped countless guests keep track of the time. What is it? Include a picture with your answer.
• Clue 3: A number of cocktails have been created at the Hotel Monteleone. Can you name one? You will get an extra point if you can name the cocktail favorite of Tennessee Williams. Please include a picture of a cocktail from the bar.
• Clue 4: Installed in 1949, this is the only bar in New Orleans that revolves around the room. A favorite of locals, guests and celebrities, many famous musicians have performed here over the years including Liberace. Additionally, it has been immortalized in the works of several famous authors. What is the name of the bar and how many people can take a spin at one time? Include a picture with your answer.
• Clue 5: This famous author immortalized the Hotel Monteleone in his short story about the Spanish Civil War, “The Night Before Battle,” which takes place during the war. What was his name? Travel up to the rooftop and take a picture of the plaque outside of his penthouse suite, which is located in the section of the hotel that once housed Union Troops.

62 Miles from the Hotel Monteleone

Hours of Operation:
Drive by Only

Directions:
Head southwest on Royal St toward Iberville St | Continue onto St Charles Ave | Turn right at Poydras St | Merge onto I-10 W via the ramp on the left to Baton Rouge | Take exit 182 for LA-22 W toward Donaldsonville | Turn left at LA-22 W | Turn left at LA-44 S | Take the 1st right onto LA-44 S/LA-942 W/River Rd | Continue to follow LA-942 W/River Rd | Destination will be on the right
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Parking:
On site

“l’Hermitage,” as it is called in French, was originally a wedding present to the son of the prominent French Louisiana family of Emmanuel Marius Pons Bringier. The family gave a plantation, complete with manor house, as a wedding present to each child. Michel Doradou Bringier was the son who excepted this amazing gift when he married his fourteen year old wife Louise Elizabeth Aglae duBourg de Saint-Colombe in 1812. She wasn’t just a teenage girl but the niece of the Bishop of New Orleans.

During the War of 1812 Louise was to watch the plantation on her own as her husband joined with General Andrew Jackson to fight in the War. He returned in 1815. This was also the same time that the construction on the manor house was being finished. Michel named the house The Hermitage after General Jackson’s home in Tennessee. He did this in honor of his General.

Louise survived her husband by thirty years. She managed the plantation on her own even through the Civil War years. During the Civil War the house took a direct hit from a cannonball fired by the Federal troops. After the War Louise’s son, a Confederate army colonel, took over the plantation and with the help of some of the former slaves, who worked as free people, produced sugarcane on the land.

Today the Plantation is owned by the Judice family and is open by appointment only.

121 Miles from the Hotel Monteleone

Hours of Operation:
March 1 – October 31 (Memorial Day – Labor Day)
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
November 1 – February 28 (Labor Day – Memorial Day)
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Directions:
Head southwest on Royal St toward Iberville St | Continue onto St Charles Ave | Turn right at Poydras St | Merge onto I-10 W via the ramp on the left to Baton Rouge | Slight right at I-110 N (signs for Downtown/Metro Airport) | Take exit 8C to merge onto US-61 N toward Natchez | Turn left at LA-66/Tunica Trce | Turn left at Cr-157/Highland Rd
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Parking:
On site

The Greenwood Plantation is the largest plantation house in the Felicianas. It was built in 1830 by William Ruffin Barrow who’s family may have built more large plantations in Louisiana than any other single family.

The plantation is known for its amazing Doric columns that surround the outside of the home. The columns are supporting a large roof entablature unusually decorated with triglyphs and other designs. Before the Civil War Barrow was advised to sell the house which he did to the Reed family for a great loss. During the Civil War the Federal troops took over the land and destroyed everything outside of the home. They used the home as a hospital. The Reed family was able to keep the property after the war. They sold Greenwood in 1906  to the Percy’s who restored the Plantation and opened its doors to the public.

In 1960 lightening struck the house and started a fire that burned the home to the ground. The only thing standing was the twenty-eight Doric columns. It wasn’t until 1968 when Walton Barnes purchased the ruin that the 300 acres of the Plantation were slowly put back together and open to the public again.

In front of the house is a pond that was dug for the use of the clay to build the amazing columns. The inside of the home is decorated in the original style from the 1830′s. The home has been used in several movies. The most famous movie was the notable “North and South,” a television miniseries about a family during the Civil War.

23 Miles from the Hotel Monteleone

Hours of Operation:
Open for tours 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, except on major holidays.

Directions:
Head southwest on Royal St toward Iberville St | Continue onto St Charles Ave | Turn right at Poydras St | Merge onto I-10 W via the ramp on the left to Baton Rouge | Take exit 220 to merge onto I-310 S toward Boutte/Houma | Take exit 6 to merge onto LA-48 W/River Rd | Destination will be on the right
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Parking:
On site

The Plantation was built in 1790 for the price of one brute Negro, a cow and her calf . . . fifty quarts of rice in chaff, fifty quarts of corn in husks and one hundred piastres, which means dollars. The original owner died after only living in the home for less than two years. His son-in-law acquired the house in 1802. Jean Noel Destrehan was his name and he was a wealthy Creole who helped write the state constitution while serving in the Louisiana Legislature.

After the discovery of an inexpensive method of granulating sugar the Destrehan plantation began producing sugarcane. Also known as Americas “White Gold.” The plantation began to boom and the Destrehan family grew with it. The two additional units called garconnieres where added to the sides of the plantation to accommodate the new family members.

In 1823 Stephen Henderson, a wealthy Scotsman, took Destrehan Plantation over. He married Leslie Destrehan who died before him and was half his age. In 1838 Henderson passed away leaving the family with a very complicated will. He had requested after his death that all his slaves be emancipated and given an acre of land, a mule and a cow, or if they chose, they could be given passage to Liberia. This caused major tension in the family.

Along with the beautiful sites of the plantation, in the house today is a large marble bathtub said to have been a gift from the Emperor Napoleon I to Jean Noel Destrehan.

This special occasion highlighted Louisiana through the sights, music, smells and incredible taste of Louisiana’s world-class cuisine as prepared by renowned celebrity Chef John Folse and his team. All Louisiana seafood producers, both salt and fresh water, are under siege with folks turning away from products because of the oil spill without fully understanding the situation; a terrible added challenge for the people of Louisiana.

Working seamlessly with the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board and world-class logistical assistance from FedEx, Embassy Helsinki demonstrated that Louisiana is open for business and still has some of the best seafood found anywhere. Louisiana is also a truly remarkable destination for Finnish travelers and also home to many exciting food and non-food products and services. Several Louisiana companies and organizations provided materials to showcase the state. The Embassy presented 1,000 swag bags to guests filled with goodies from great Louisiana entities such as Louisiana Fish Fry Products; Community Coffee; Planet Beach; Tabasco Sauce from the McIlhenny Company; John Folse & Company; Red Fish Grill; Hotel Monteleone; Ralph Brennan’s Bacco; Ralph’s on the Park; and the Arts and Antiques of Royal Street; plus Mardi Gras beads, masks, boas, cups and maps from the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Louisiana State Office of Tourism.

Guests included Finland’s Prime Minister along with senior national and regional government officials, the Diplomatic Corps and business leaders, such as key seafood importers, restaurateurs, leading retailers plus food, entertainment and travel journalists; a guest list crafted to amplify Louisiana’s wonderful story.

Chef Folse enthusiastically shared his passion for Louisiana gastronomy through several cooking demonstrations for restaurateurs, importers and prominent retailers plus interviews with influential food journalists. With his charm, Chef Folse embodies the very spirit and vitality that is Louisiana. He will be featured mid-August on the top Finnish cooking TV show demonstrating Louisiana cuisine. Chef Folse also gathered leading Finnish chefs to join him in the Ambassador’s kitchen to share his passion for Louisiana cuisine as they cooked together. That episode was filmed for a Finnish web-based cooking site.

Initial results are impressive. One trendy restaurant announced a mid-August Mardi Gras celebration with Louisiana cuisine. The leading department store and food retailer requested assistance in sourcing U.S. seafood products. Raves are still coming; multifaceted opportunities are sure to follow.

148 Miles from the Hotel Monteleone

Hours of Operation:
Tours daily, 10 A.M. – 5 P.M. Last tour begins at 4 P.M. Admission

Directions:
Head southwest on Royal St toward Iberville St | Continue onto St Charles Ave | Turn right at Poydras St | Merge onto I-10 W via the ramp on the left to Baton Rouge | Take exit 97 for LA-93 toward Scott/Cankton | Turn right at LA-93 | Turn left at LA-356 | Take the 1st right onto Chretien Point Rd | Destination will be on the left
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Parking:
On site

Chretien Plantation is linked to Jean Lafitte, the Battle of New Orleans and the Civil War. There are also claims today that it is haunted by the legendary lady of the house Felicite and the Civil War battle of “Little Crow Bayou.”

Hippolyte Chretien purchased the property in about 1800 to raise cotton, the popular crop of the area. He was close friends with Jean Lafitte and his brother Pierre who would use the plantation to conceal and smuggle cargo and slaves. Hippolyte benefited from this relationship because he always had hundreds of slaves working his plantation.

During the Battle of New Orleans, Hippolyte joined with several planters in the area to meet with Jean Lafitte and General Andrew Jackson to defeat the British. Hippolyte married the daughter of one of the men that he fought with during the battle. Her name was Felicite and she became one of Louisiana’s first “liberated” women. She took control of the estate and ran it like a man. She would ride around the plantation on a horse controlling the workers, she would play cards and smoke cigeretts which made her very powerful in business. This behavior was very unconventional of women during this time. She even protected the house one night when it was being robbed by pirates. She shot and killed one of the pirates on the front door step to prevent the house from being robbed. It is said that this pirated that was murdered, haunts the plantation today.

The grandson Hippolyte Chretien III inherited the plantation and during the Civil War he protected it from being destroyed by a battle on the lands. He saved the home by giving a Masonic sign that was honored by the Yankee General who was a fellow Mason. They spared the home but destroyed everything else on the plantation lands. Hippolyte Chretein III may have been a brave man but he was not good at business. He eventually lost the Plantation to the mortgage holders.

The house was restored to its original self in the 1970′s. The Plantation is open to tours and it also functions as a bed and breakfast.

Deemed a national literary landmark by the Friends of the Library Association in 1999, the historic walls of the Hotel Monteleone have embraced countless distinguished Southern authors, many of which celebrated the Grand Dame into their literary works using her as the setting in over 173 stories and novels. William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemingway, Eudora Welty, Anne Rice and Rebecca Wells (Ya-Yas!) were all guests of the Monteleone.

While in the Carousel Bar, Truman Capote used to boast that he was born in the Monteleone. (He wasn’t. Though his mother lived at the historic hotel during her pregnancy, she safely made it to the hospital in time for Truman’s debut.)

Another special literary feature of the Hotel Monteleone is her signature “Author Suites.” Due to the rich literary history of the hotel, she has dedicated six suites to the great southern writers, all of whom both frequented the hotel and wrote about the hotel. Each suite is decorated to the individual style of the literary icon they are dedicated to.

References to the Hotel Monteleone and her Carousel Bar are included in Tennessee Williams’ The Rose Tattoo and Orpheus Descending, Rebecca Wells’ Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Little Altars Everywhere, Stephen Ambrose’s Band of Brothers, Richard Ford’s A Piece of My Heart, Eudora Welty’s A Curtain of Green, Gerald Clarke’s Capote: A Biography; Erle Stanley Gardner’s Owls Don’t Blink (written under the pen name A.A. Fair), Ernest Hemingway’s “Night Before Battle” (published in The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway), and Harry Stephen Keeler’s The Voice of the Seven Sparrows. Just to name a few.

As the birthplace of many literary treasures, the Hotel Monteleone strives to continue to inspire literature enthusiasts from around the world by inviting book clubs to share their passion for reading with us. There is just something magical about sitting in a room where some of the best, most influential authors have sat as well.

Click here to make Reservations for your Book Club today.

116 Miles from the Hotel Monteleone

Hours of Operation:
Open for tours: By Appointment only
Contact Person: Mary Thompson

Directions:
Head southwest on Royal St toward Iberville St | Continue onto St Charles Ave | Turn right at Poydras St | Merge onto I-10 W via the ramp on the left to Baton Rouge | Slight right at I-110 N (signs for Downtown/Metro Airport) | Take exit 8C to merge onto US-61 N toward Natchez | Destination will be on the right
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Parking:
On site

Catalpa Plantation is one of the numerous late Victorian cottages found across Louisiana. It was built in 1885 by the ascendant of the current owners. William J. Fort raised both cotton and sugarcane on these beautiful plantation grounds. He was very successful business man and shared his wealth with family and friends by throwing parties and events on the estate.

The house was rebuilt after the Civil War when Union troops destroyed and burned it to the ground. The Fort’s hid many of their fine treasures in the adjacent pond to prevent their destruction by the union army. Some of these pieces are on display at Catalpa today.Visitors can view the fine portraits, antiques, old china, porcelain, and silver that the original family owned.

Outside of the home the true beauty of the Plantation is the park like atmosphere of the gardens including moss draped oaks, a pool, a deer park, shady sitting areas, peacocks, pigeons and other exotic animals.

Catalpa is located three miles outside of St. Francisville and is open for tours. Owner Mary Thompson gives delightful tours of her ancestral home. Catalpa is filled with exceptional antiques; rosewood Mallard parlor pieces, Sevres whale-oil lamp, crystal cranberry champagne glasses, antique silver, china and porcelain, but also brims over with warm and hospitality from gracoius hostess.

60 Miles from the Hotel Monteleone

Hours of Operation:
Wednesday through Sunday, 12 – 5 p.m.

Directions:
Head southwest on Royal St toward Iberville St | Continue onto St Charles Ave | Turn right at Poydras St | Merge onto I-10 W via the ramp on the left to Baton Rouge | Take exit 182 for LA-22 W toward Donaldsonville | Turn left at LA-22 W | Turn left at LA-44 S | Take the 1st right onto LA-44 S/LA-942 W/River Rd | Continue to follow LA-942 W/River Rd
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Parking:
On site

Bocage Plantation is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has also been used as a Hollywood film set. Dr. Marion Rundell, a native of Louisiana, is credited for restoring the Plantation to its original design. He is also credited for opening the landmark to the public. The plantation offers tours by appointment only along with group functions and it can also be enjoyed as a bed and breakfast.

The history of Bocage Plantation is link to the likes of Christopher Colombus and the colonization of America. It was built on 1801 by Marius Pons Bringier as a wedding gift to his daughter. It was used as the main stage to entertain many guests as it continues today hosting events like Weddings, Fundraisers, Bridal Showers, Holiday Parties, Cajun Parties, Christmas Parties, Birthday Parties, Receptions and more.

No expense has been spared to furnish the mansion in fine antiques and accessories, from the great furniture makers such as Mallard, Belter, Roux, Lee, Meeks and others, to grand Baccarat and Waterford chandeliers. “We have paintings by famous artists such as Rembrandt Peale and Thomas Sully, and even a fine clock signed by Tiffany. We are also proud of our fine collection of Old Paris porcelain vases,” Dr. Rundell explained.

The second-level grand rooms overlook the levee that fronts the Mississippi River. Handsome double parlors open onto the front gallery that provides a panoramic view of the 100-acre plantation.

For more information visit their website or contact them by phone to make an appointment.