Tag Archives: Louisiana

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

story and photos by Kayte Deioma

The Aquarium of the Americas and Entergy IMAX TheatreThe Audubon Institute’s Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans has been known as one of the top aquariums in the country since it first opened in 1990. The cylindrical glass building with its sharply angled roof managed to escape major harm from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and avoided being flooded due to its position on the high banks of the Mississippi. But the power outage that followed the disaster and the failure of the backup generators caused heavy losses to the Aquarium’s sea life. After millions of dollars in repairs and restocking, the Aquarium reopened to the public at the end of May, 2006.

Sea otter at the Aquarium of the Americas in New OrleansThey were able to evacuate a few of the animals to other aquariums, so some familiar faces are back. The colony of African black-footed penguins and Rockhopper penguins survived, as well as the playful sea otters, Emma and Buck, and Mydas the giant green sea turtle.

Some of the new animals, including large sharks, giant rays and a school of blue runner, were donated by aquariums and zoos around the country. They now make their home in the Gulf of Mexico exhibit.

The Caribbean Reef TunnelOther new additions were collected by the staff off the Florida Keys for the Caribbean Reef exhibit. TheCaribbean Reef Tunnel puts you under the sea amid intricate coral reefs teaming with life. Schools of fish and kite-shaped stingrays swim over and around you.

The ever-popular jelly fish exhibit includes varieties from the miniature comb jellies that look like little light bulbs to the larger crown jellies. Other favorites are the sea horses and the fantastical leafy seadragons.

Spots, the white alligator is not a true albino because he has blue eyes.Spots, the famous white alligator, still reigns over theMississippi River Gallery. He may lie so still that he looks stuffed, but the staff assures me that he starts getting active when he’s hungry. If you’re lucky, you might witness feeding time, but it only happens once or twice a week. The Mississippi River exhibit is also home to catfish, turtles, a red-tailed hawk, and an owl.

Another river environment represented is the Amazon and its surrounding rainforest. A boa constrictor, piranhas, spotted rays and a group of turquoise and red macaws are a few of the exotic species found here.

Adventure Island at the Aquarium of the AmericasBrand new to the Aquarium in March 2007 is Adventure Island, with a touch pond of cownose rays and a children’s play area where kids can stick their head up in the middle of a fish tank, or climb inside a clam shell with a giant pearl.

Up above it all you’ll find the food court featuring Burger King, Papa Jon’s Pizza and Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream. Next door is the repaired and updated Entergy IMAX Theatre, which requires a separate ticket. Several IMAX movies alternate throughout the day.

Spotted Rays at the Aquarium of the AmericasAudubon Aquarium of the Americas
Canal Street at the River
#1 Canal Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
1-800-774-7394
www.auduboninstitute.org

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is included in the discount New Orleans  Pass

Read reviews of Audubon Aquarium of the Americas on TripAdvisor

National World War II Museum: the New Orleans Connection

story and photos by Kayte Deioma

A Higgins Boat at the National WWII MuseumHiggins boats, also known as LCVPs (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personel), are credited with allowing the allies to win World War II. They’re also the reason that you’ll find theNational World War II Museum in New Orleans. These amphibious vessels were modeled after the Eureka, a flat-bottomed boat designed by New Orleanian Andrew Jackson Higgins to navigate the swamps and bayous of Louisiana by reversing off land banks when they ran aground. The modified version, with a ramp to offload its cargo of one jeep and 12 soldiers, was one of half a dozen military vessels designed and built by Higgins Industries in New Orleans.

By the end of the war, the company had produced over 20,000 amphibious troop and equipment transporters that allowed the rapid deployment of personnel from the beaches of Normandy to islands in the South Pacific. President Eisenhower later proclaimed: “Andrew Jackson Higgins is the man who won the war for us.”

A Douglas C-47 at the National WWII MuseumA replica of an LCVP, built according to the original plans, is on display in the Louisiana Memorial Pavilion at the National WWII Museum. The relatively small craft is overshadowed by the Douglas C-47 hanging overhead in the cavernous space. Other military vehicles on display in the Pavilion include a US tank, and jeeps, a German motorcycle and Howitzer, and a Supermarine Spitfire airplane from the British Royal Air Force.

This is just the big stuff that wouldn’t fit inside the museum galleries. You could spend all your time admiring the transport vehicles and the temporary exhibits above them and completely miss the fact that the real exhibits are through a doorway to the right of the cashier, past the restrooms, gift shop and coffee shop, and up the stairs or elevator.

As someone who never did very well in history and can never remember the dates of important historical events, I have to say that they’ve done a good job organizing a very complex time into logical chunks with clear timelines. Personal stories, oral histories and artifacts, both rare and common, help bring the period to life.

Toy soldiers against national flags demonstrate the imbalance of military power before the US entered WWII.There’s a clear progression through the galleries. You begin with the build up to war and the imbalance of military forces. A graphic display using miniature soldiers against national flags shows how under-armed the American military was compared to the massive build up of forces in Germany and Japan. Even Italy had three times the military might of the U.S before the United States was forced into the war.

Military bunksAmerica Goes to War shows how the military buildup in America affected the people at home, from the implementation of the draft to women and minorities landing higher paying jobs in factories. Stacks of tires and piles of artillery shells demonstrate how sacrifices at home supplied the war effort. You can see the 1943 pennies made of steel so that the copper could be used for communication wire on the battle fields.

Comparison of German and US uniformas and weaponsIn the War in Europe section you can compare the uniforms of American and German soldiers as well as the weapons with which they were armed. You can also take a look inside a GI’s pockets to see what he would have been carrying, from his toothbrush and extra socks to shaving cream and toilet paper.

Operation Overlord was the strategy that landed D-Day Exhibit150,000 troops on the shores of Normandy in France on June 6, 1944 in what is now known as D-Day. This military reference to the undisclosed day an operation is to be implemented actually applies to every operation, but in common parlance, it refers to the execution of Operation Overlord. A tableau shows the density of ships and aircraft crossing the English Channel.

Gliders carrying jeeps were used to help deliver allied troops behind enemy lines during Operation Overlord.The strategy is laid out in personal stories of the assault by American, British and Canadian troops on five different French beaches. The stories of Omaha Beach, where American soldiers met the greatest German resistance, are accompanied by the compelling photos of the onslaught by the famous war photographer Robert Capa.

The Pacific War similarly shows the equipment and weapons used by U.S. GIs compared to their Japanese counterparts. Examples of war propaganda show the racism on both Racism exhibit shows how Japanese and Americans depicted each other during the war.sides of the battle. Photos and stories illustrate the challenging physical conditions faced by soldiers and the heavy losses due to disease. A series of D-Day panels shows a timeline of D-Days for major operations in the Pacific theatre. TheAtom Bomb display is located at the bend in the hallway leading to Victory in the Pacific around the corner.

Audio oral histories are scattered throughout the museum. There are also several short films playing in small theaters near the relevant exhibits. The Road to War sets up the background.Decision to Go and Normandy to Berlin give glimpses of the European front. The Battle of Midwayand the Battle of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf show the war in the Pacific. There are also two 45 minute films that alternate in the Malcolm Forbes Theater, D-Day Remembered ( Normandy) and Price for Peace (the Pacific).

The museum also hosts interesting temporary exhibits upstairs in the Louisiana Memorial Pavilion above the airplanes. Some are traveling exhibits and some are thematic exhibits from their own collection.

The National WWII Museum in New OrleansIf you read everything and watch the videos, you could spend all day. There are plenty of exhibits that are relatively self-explanatory without reading all the informational panels if you’re pressed for time, or not a big museum reader. If you want to do the reading at home before you go, check out the history section of the museum’s website. It provides much of the information on the extensive exhibit panels. Then you can spend your museum time studying the artifacts and photos.

The National WWII Museum
945 Magazine Street (Entrance on Andrew Higgins Drive)
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 527-6012
www.nationalww2museum.org

The National WWII Museum is included in the discount New Orleans Pass.

Harrah’s Casino New Orleans: Taking a Gamble on the Big Easy

story and photos by Kayte Deioma

Harrah's Casino New OrleansIn 1999, Harrah’s newly built 115,000 square foot gambling palace became the first land-based casino in New Orleans. Located at the edge of the business district, across from the French Quarter and the Harrah's Hotel in New Orleanswaterfront, the establishment weathered the hurricanes and flood of 2005 much better than its riverboat competition and was quick to reopen after the storm. They also got right back to work on the hotel tower which they had begun building on top of a historic building across the street from the Casino. Despite all the competition for labor and materials, the new luxury 450-room hotel was completed in record time and opened in September 2006, before some of the older hotels had completed repairs.

The Casino has already demonstrated its ability to stand up to the weather. With the variety of games, multiple restaurants, a theatre, night club and gift shop and an underground tunnel to the hotel, it’s the perfect place to hole up on a rainy day or night.

The Décor

The poker room at Harrah's CasinoThe inside of the Casino is decorated with a New Masquerade Nightclub at Harrah's Casino New OrleansOrleans theme. Mardi Gras jesters smile down from the top of columns. French Quarter balconies are suspended over the poker room. Streamers surround the Masquerade nightclub and bas-relief jazz allegories march around the top of the room.

The Games

A blackjack dealer at Harrah'sGambling opportunities at Harrah’s New Orleans include 2100 coinless slot machines with many Harrah's has 2100 slot machines.different themes such as the new Party Gras five-reel and multi-denominational machines, as well as video poker. There are 92 table games including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Big Six Wheel, Let It Ride, MiniBacc Dragon Bonus, and Baccarat by request. There are 23 tables in the French Quarter themed poker room. In addition to regular poker tournaments and tours, daily games include 3 and 4 Card Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Texas Hold ‘Em, Pot Limit Omaha, Caribbean Stud, and 7 Card Stud.

Harrah’s is not set up for regular beginner’s lessons, but the pit person will explain the basics if asked, and there are occasionally lessons scheduled and classes for dealers.

The Food

The Besh Steakhouse at Harrah's CasinoYou can get everything from Starbucks coffee to haute cuisine inside the Casino and Hotel. At the top end are the French-influenced restaurant Riche by celebrity chef Todd English inside the hotel, and in the Casino, the Besh Steakhouse by New Orleans’ own much-acclaimed chef John Besh of Restaurant August fame. In the mid-range you’ll find the popular Asian fusion restaurant Bambu Asian Grill and Sushi Bar, and Harrah’s Buffet, which is more like a food court with different counters offering different cuisines all for one price. For a quick bite, the Cafes on Canal include a Starbucks, Fudruckers (burgers) and McAlister’s. Harrah’s Buffet is the only thing open for hard core all-night gamblers.

Additional restaurants, including the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant are adjacent to the hotel across Fulton Street, a pedestrian area with sidewalk dining for both Riche and Gordon Biersch.

The Entertainment

The Ice Bar at Masquerade Nightclub, Harrah's CasinoWhether you want to watch, listen or get up and dance, there are plenty of evening entertainment options at Harrah’s. For the foreseeable future,Hats! The Musical is playing in the 500-seat Harrah’s Theatre. Hats! The Musical celebrates women over fifty through the story of a woman about to have a birthday and a groupHarrah's Jazz Band parades through the Casino. of older women giving her something to look forward to. The Ice Bar at Masquerade Nightclub features live bands on Wednesdays, happy hour specials and a unique video tower above the bar as well as more gaming right in the club. The 528 by Todd English jazz club is off of Riche Restaurant and Fulton Street in the hotel tower. The Harrah’s Mardi-Gras-style jazz band parades through the Casino concourse periodically to liven things up.

Harrah’s Casino
8 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 533-6000