It is well worth dealing with the heat and humidity to visit New Orleans in August. This city with a huge soul spills music from every pore. August has the bonus of the Louis Armstrong festival, with venues everywhere including a jazz band-led church service culminating in a "second-line" (dancers') parade through the streets. Cram in a swamp and plantation tours, the Mardi Gras float warehouse and above ground cemeteries and you think you've covered it all until you turn a corner to the bizarre sight of a street thronging with people, old and young, all dressed head to toe in white: white suits, hats, jeans, shorts, dresses, shoes. On White Linen Night, art galleries are open all evening, bars and food stalls line the streets and a mass of white dances to live bands. An amazing and slightly surreal experience.
lynnemc

Julia Street, New Orleans
www.neworleans.com/festivals

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The cheaper places still have shanty towns around them - the fall out from Katrina.

All part of the ultimate road trip: writeronthestorm.wordpress.com

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I ate the most delicious ice cream I have ever eaten in my life at Angelo Brocato's ice cream parlour in Mid-City.

The experience of eating ice cream there lived up to every expectation I ever had of America. It was truly heavenly - I kept going back.

I tried blood orange, praline, hazlenut, chocolate and chestnut - completely incomparable!

This place is legendary. It's going to be a few months before the place is up and running again though post Katrina.

www.angelobrocatoicecream.com

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Big brand American chocolate is a pratical joke I am sure - positively revolting and doesn't even taste like chocolate.

There are some beautiful old-fashioned candy stores and praline kitchens however in New Orleans.

My favourite and I think the most popular with the locals, is Southern Candymakers. They have a website from which you can order their incredible pralines, chocolate alligators, tortues and what not, but walking into one of their shops where they are normally pouring caramel over some pecans induces instant drooling.

There are branches of Southern Candymakers sprinkled throughout the French Quarter.

www.southerncandymakers.com

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