The Playbook
IntelFrench Quarter Festival
Night One — Thursday“The Explorer”
ThursdayFull Timeline
ThursdayDress Code
ThursdayRoles & Missions
Night Two — Saturday“The Big Night”
SaturdayFull Timeline
SaturdayDress Code
SaturdayRoles & Missions
Both NightsThe Cool Guys Code
Both NightsScoreboard
SaturdayRooftop Playlist
French Quarter Festival
French Quarter Festival runs April 16–19. Thursday through Sunday — overlapping almost our entire trip. 20+ music stages, 70+ food vendors, 300+ performances across the French Quarter. PJ Morton, Irma Thomas, Big Freedia, and hundreds more. Free entry. 11 AM–8 PM daily.
Two curated nights below. Thursday is the exploration day — streetcar, ferry, festival, fine dining, Frenchmen. Saturday is the big night — peak festival, rooftop golden hour, the dinner, and the best Frenchmen Street night of the trip.
Night One
Thursday, April 16
“THE EXPLORER”
Streetcar → Ferry → Festival → Fine Dining → Frenchmen
Route
Airbnb→Ayu Bakery→Canal St→St. Charles Streetcar→Garden District→Magazine St Lunch→Canal St Ferry→Algiers Point→Ferry Back→FQF Stages→Jewel of the South→Compère Lapin→Frenchmen St→Home
~12 miles across 5 neighborhoods. Walking, streetcar, ferry, and 2 Uber rides.
Timeline
- 10:00aSlow Start at the AirbnbFirst full morning. Coffee in the kitchen, explore the house — former artist studio with original art everywhere. Patio hangout.
- 10:30aAyu BakeryAround the corner on Frenchmen. Coffee, pastries, light breakfast. Roles and missions get announced here.
- 11:15aWalk to Canal StreetDown Chartres through the French Quarter. Pass Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the river. FQF setting up around you.
Walk — 18 min - 11:35aSt. Charles StreetcarBoard at Canal & Carondelet. Oldest continuously operating streetcar in the world. Ride uptown through the Garden District under live oaks. $1.25 cash or Jazzy Pass.
The Streetcar Rule is in effect — no talking about work, home, or anything outside the trip.
Streetcar — ~40 min - 12:15pGarden District WalkOff at Washington Ave. Prytania St past the mansions. Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 through the fence. Walk to Magazine Street.
- 12:45pLunch on Magazine StreetCoquette (2800 Magazine) — refined Southern. Backup: Stein’s Deli (2207 Magazine) — legendary sandwiches.
- 2:00pUber to Canal Street FerryMagazine St to foot of Canal. Terminal next to the Aquarium.
Uber — ~12 min - 2:30pFerry to Algiers Point$2/person each way. Ferries every 30 min. Upper deck for the skyline view.
Ferry — 10 min - 2:45pAlgiers Point — Old Point BarHistoric neighborhood on the West Bank. Old Point Bar (545 Patterson) — legendary dive, live music, cheap drinks, real locals. The “make friends” stop. Spend 45 min.
- 3:45pFerry BackSame $2, same great view.
Ferry — 10 min - 4:15pFrench Quarter FestivalWalk from ferry into FQF. Jackson Square, Woldenberg Park, Royal St. Late afternoon sweet spot.
Eat from the vendors — Willie Mae’s, Yakamein Lady, Fritai, Addis NOLA. Graze standing in front of a stage.
FQF — Free Entry - 6:30pCocktails — Jewel of the South1026 St. Louis St. James Beard-nominated cocktail bar. One of the best in the country. Order something you’ve never had.
- 7:45pDinner — Compère Lapin535 Tchoupitoulas St, Warehouse District. Chef Nina Compton — James Beard Best Chef: South, Top Chef runner-up. Caribbean-Creole. Conch croquettes are non-negotiable.
Reservation Booked - 10:00pUber to FrenchmenBack to home turf.
Uber — 10 min - 10:30pFrenchmen Street Music Crawl1. Spotted Cat (623) — Tiny, raucous, cash only.
2. d.b.a. (618) — Great sound, good whiskey.
3. The Maison (508) — Three floors, rooftop, brass bands.
4. Blue Nile (532) — Upstairs intimate. Late sets past 2 AM. - 1:00aHome — 2 min walkWe live on this street. Nightcap on the patio.
Dress Code — Thursday
“Smart Explorer”
Chinos or clean shorts. Good button-up or linen shirt. Clean sneakers or loafers. No tanks, no gym shorts, no ratty tees.
Required: Sunglasses. Non-negotiable.
Palette: Earthy tones, whites, light blues. Dress for 85°F.
Conor: Wear something that stands out — a hat, a fun shirt. You’re The Guy.
Roles — Thursday
The Navigator
Elias
Holds the route. Knows the next stop. Keeps the group moving without phones.
The Mayor
Conor
Introduces the crew to at least one stranger at every stop. Sets the social energy.
The Documentarian
Jon
ONLY person allowed to use a phone — for photos/video only. Must capture 5+ “Cool Guys” moments.
The Treasurer
Isaac
Group payments, running tab, tips. Carries cash for spots that need it.
The Hype Man
Sammy
At every stop, gets the group to try one thing nobody would normally order. “We’re getting that.” No arguments.
Missions — Thursday
Completed missions earn bonus Scoreboard points.
Elias: Get a local to write a rec on a bar napkin. Group follows it.+5 pts if the group goes there
Conor: Learn every bartender’s first name. Greet them by name when you order.+2 pts per bartender
Jon: 5 candid photos — each person having a genuine, unposed moment.+2 per great candid (group votes)
Isaac: Keep a Stranger Tally on a napkin. Name + one fact. Goal: 10.+1 per stranger, +5 bonus at 10
Sammy: Get a local to join the group for a drink. They have to want to hang.+5 pts, +3 if they show you a spot
Night Two
Saturday, April 18
“THE BIG NIGHT”
Festival Peak → Rooftop Golden Hour → The Dinner → Frenchmen After Dark
Night 4 of 5. FQF at Saturday peak. The rooftop golden hour. The dinner where we say what needs to be said before he gets married. Everything about this night is designed to land.
Route
Airbnb→FQF Stages→Airbnb Rooftop→Commander’s Palace→Frenchmen Street→Home
Simpler route. Festival, rooftop, one legendary dinner, best night on Frenchmen.
Timeline
- 10:30aRecovery MorningFriday went late. Slow start. Coffee, eggs, hydrate.
- 11:30aWalk to FQF15 min to Jackson Square. Saturday is peak FQF.
Walk — 15 min - 12:00pFQF — Peak Day4 hours. 20 stages. No rigid plan — the festival IS the plan.
Stages: Abita Beer Stage (headliners), Jack Daniel’s Stage at Woldenberg (river views + music), Governor Nicholls Wharf.
Eat: Willie Mae’s, Yakamein Lady, Fritai, Addis NOLA, Dickie Brennan’s. This IS lunch.
FQF — Free, 11a–8p - 4:00pHead BackWalk back. Leaving early on purpose.
Walk — 15 min - 4:30pROOFTOP GOLDEN HOURThis is the moment. Rooftop overlooking Frenchmen. Bluetooth speaker. Playlist locked: 90s rap + summer vibes.
Cooler of beer and ice. Sammy on the speaker. Everyone showers and gets dressed — rotate through. By 6:30, dressed, buzzed (not drunk), feeling it.
Chirp at people on Frenchmen below. Saturday afternoon, the street is alive.
~2 hours. Do not rush this. - 6:45p“Cool Guys” PhotoEveryone dressed. Sunglasses. Golden hour light. Group photo on the rooftop.
- 7:00pUber to Commander’s Palace5 guys dressed to kill.
Uber — ~12 min - 7:30pDinner — Commander’s Palace1403 Washington Ave, Garden District. Seven James Beard Awards. Most storied restaurant in New Orleans.
Order: Turtle soup (tableside sherry pour). Pecan-crusted Gulf fish. Bread pudding soufflé.
Between the main course and dessert — we say what needs to be said. What Conor means to us. Keep it real. No phones.
Reservation Booked - 10:00pUber Back to FrenchmenSaturday night. Best music night of the week.
Uber — ~12 min - 10:30pFrenchmen — The Full Send1. Spotted Cat — Band in your face. Dance.
2. d.b.a. — Whiskey round.
3. Bamboula’s (514) — Brass bands, dance floor.
4. Blue Nile upstairs — Intimate. Past 2 AM.
5. Airbnb Patio — Nightcap. Speaker low. Wind down. - 2:00a+Home2-minute walk. Sleep like kings.
Dress Code — Saturday
“The Big Night” — Dress UP
Commander’s Palace dress code is real: Collared shirts required. Closed-toed shoes. Jackets preferred.
Button-down or sport shirt, tucked in. Good trousers. Leather shoes or dress boots. Blazer if you own one.
Conor: Blazer. Fun pocket square. Different palette than the group. Man of the hour.
Roles — Saturday
The Consigliere
Elias
Orchestrates the evening. Uber timing, dinner flow, keeps it on rails.
The Don
Conor
His night. First rooftop song. Walks into Commander’s first. Glass never empty.
The Enforcer
Isaac
No-phone rule. Caught checking? Owe a shot. No exceptions.
The Wingman
Jon
Conor’s wingman. Gets drinks before he asks. His night is never interrupted.
The DJ
Sammy
Rooftop playlist. 90s rap + summer vibes. Reads the room. No skipping without consensus.
Missions — Saturday
These are about the group, not the city.
Elias: Deliver a toast at Commander’s that makes someone feel something real. From memory.+10 pts (group votes)
Conor: Pull each guy aside 1-on-1 for 60 seconds during the Frenchmen crawl. Say something real.+3 per person
Jon: Do something for Conor that shows you’ve been paying attention all trip. Unprompted.+5 if noticed, +8 if genuinely surprised
Isaac: Get all 5 guys dancing for a full song at Frenchmen. No sideline standing.+5 for one song, +2 per additional
Sammy: Get the group to name 25 90s rap songs round-robin during golden hour. Hit 25 = cheers. Miss = shots.+5 if hit, -2 for everyone if not
The Cool Guys Code
Active both nights.
1. Phone Jail
Every sit-down stop: phones face-down center of table. First to reach pays the round. Exception: Documentarian (Jon, Thursday) gets 3 pulls per stop. Saturday: no exceptions.
2. The Stranger Tally
10 genuine connections per night. Name + one fact. Hit 10: Conor buys a round. Miss: everyone buys Conor a round.
3. Conor’s Court
“Court is in session.” Everyone stops. Listens. Max 3 per night. “Court adjourned” = resume.
4. First-Drink Ritual
First drink of each night: Conor served first. Nobody drinks until he has his glass. Short toast. Everyone drinks together.
5. Streetcar Rule (Thursday)
No work, no home talk. Present-moment only. $5 penalty.
6. 25 Song Challenge (Saturday)
Rooftop: name 25 90s rap songs round-robin. Hit 25 = cheers. Fail = shots.
Cool Guys Scoreboard
| Action | Pts |
|---|---|
| Genuine stranger connection | +2 |
| Local rec the group follows | +5 |
| Buy Conor a drink (unprompted) | +1 |
| Great toast | +3 |
| Make the group laugh | +1 |
| Complete Personal Mission | +5 to +10 |
| 5 guys dancing for a song | +5 |
| Caught checking phone | -3 |
| Work talk on streetcar | -5 |
| Chicken out on dare | -2 |
| Last one ready | -1 |
Stakes: Winner picks Sunday’s first bar. Loser buys beignets at Café Du Monde.
Rooftop Playlist — Saturday Golden Hour
First 30 min (Settling In): “Summertime” DJ Jazzy Jeff, “Electric Relaxation” Tribe, “Passin’ Me By” Pharcyde, “I Got 5 On It” Luniz, “Rebirth of Slick” Digable Planets.
Next 30 min (Building): “Gin and Juice” Snoop, “Juicy” Biggie, “93 ’til Infinity” Souls of Mischief, “Regulate” Warren G, “Shook Ones Pt. II” Mobb Deep.
Next 30 min (Peak): “Hypnotize” Biggie, “California Love” Tupac, “Jump Around” House of Pain, “It Was a Good Day” Ice Cube, “Nuthin’ But a ’G’ Thang” Dre.
Last 30 min (Pre-Dinner): “C.R.E.A.M.” Wu-Tang, “Ms. Jackson” OutKast, “Mind Playing Tricks” Geto Boys, “The World Is Yours” Nas. Walk out to “N.Y. State of Mind.”
Sammy: Build the Spotify playlist off this. Add your picks.