Vampires were wondering the streets of New Orleans long before Robert Pattinson was even a glimmer in his parents' eye. Today, vampire folklore is so deeply rooted in the city's history, from Anne Rice to stories of the undead walking the French Quarter, that is no surprise the movie Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant was filmed here too. The movie, in theaters now, is about Darren, a teenage boy who meets a mysterious man at a freak show and ends up leaving his normal life to become a vampire. Just in time for All Hallow's Eve, here's how to get in touch with your own inner-vampire in New Orleans.

Where to Stay:
The Dauphine Orleans Hotel in the French Quarter is exactly what most people think of when they think of New Orleans. The hotel features courtyards and balconies that overlook the quarter, luxurious accommodations and a history filled with ghosts and vampires. Best of all, even though the hotel is located in the French Quarter, they offer on-site parking and quiet rooms. There's no rowdy, bead-throwing here, just good 'ol southern hospitality. Rooms start at $106 a night. ]]> cmb 2009-10-30T14:11:59-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/6/123033/826

Our uncle always says, "Life is short, eat dessert first." But when a New Orleans restaurant started actually offering dessert first, with a discount, we were—what's the word?—suspicious.

There's got to be a catch in 5 Fifty 5's promotion in honor of National Dessert Month. (To begin with, where has this month been all our lives?) The restaurant inside the New Orleans Marriott, whose website boasts "New Orleans fare at its finest, if not freshest"—uh, okay then—has prepared a special menu of five $5.55 desserts, or a tasting menu of $25 for all of them. Order and eat dessert before your dinner, and you get 20 percent off your check. ]]> egw 2009-10-06T16:13:55-05:00 29.9523925 -90.067646 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/14/9463/66671

Even though Hurricane Katrina is no longer on the minds of most Americans, there is still a great need in New Orleans to help the needy and keep the rebuilding efforts alive. Relief Spark is a small grass-roots organization based in New Orleans that is made up of volunteers who provide first-response disaster relief services as well as much needed rebuilding services. Volunteers from around the world travel to New Orleans to lend a hand for a week, a month or a year.

These volunteers do a variety of jobs for Relief Spark like plant flowers, take care of animals, rebuild animal shelters, cook meals for the homeless and distribute supplies to the needy between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Relief Spark makes sure volunteers get to have some fun too--it is New Orleans after all! In the evenings and on weekends volunteers have a variety of entertainment options to choose from. Activities in the past have included visiting the French Quarter, rebuilding tours, local BBQs, concerts at the House of Blues, Ghost Tours, Mardi Gras parades and concerts in parks.]]> cmb 2009-07-14T16:54:17-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/9/82212/91477

If you’ve always wanted to join in Spain’s infamous Running of the Bulls event but are a little too scared of getting gored, New Orleans has a take on the festival that might be more up your alley.

This Saturday, July 11 at 8am, thousands of white-and-red-clad revelers will celebrate the festival of San Fermin in the French Quarter, but instead of being chased by angry bulls, they’ll be pursued by members of the Big Easy Rollegirls team, who will wield wiffle bats and be looking for weaklings. They may not have horns, but honestly, they are pretty ferocious.

The run starts at the Three Legged Dog bar on the corner of Conti and Burgandy Streets, where you can get into the Spanish spirit with some early morning sangria. The 12-minute event ends at—you guessed it—another bar, Latrobe Park’s Gazebo Café, where there will be an all-day DJ block party. The race is free; you’re just asked to bring your own white pants and shirts matched with a red cloth around the waist or neck, and additional red-and-white flair is highly encouraged.

Related Stories:
· Nola Bulls [Official Site]
· Running of the bulls leaves 5 injured in Pamplona [AP]
· Spain's Running of the Bulls Launches Feminist Debate [Jaunted]

[Photo: howieluvzus] ]]> BS 2009-07-09T09:11:21-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/9/73119/10011

Last week we filled you in on the current situation at Six Flags New Orleans, and now we have a little bit of news that may brighten the situation. Even though there’s all kinds of legal battles between the city and the suits at Six Flags, things may soon begin to move forward with a new project.

A member of city government recently flew out to Texas to check out a company called Big League Dreams. This developer is looking to transform the graveyard of roller coasters into an area filled with water rides and facilities for youth sports. We’re just hoping that the water park will be a good one, because the city’s residents definitely need a place to cool off in the summer. ]]> kjb 2009-06-09T12:32:08-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/8/134930/9091

You've heard of Christmas in July, but we're about to get all Halloween in June this week as we prepare for the debut of the second season of HBO's TrueBlood. Any juicy suggestions or questions? Let us know.

Having finally kicked the ghost of Anne Rice's vampires from Louisiana, the addictive HBO drama True Blood is picking up speed partially due to the vampire-fever brought by Twilight and because of the sweaty summer scenery of hot southern swamps. If the thought of perspiring necks gets you just as hot as the muggy temperatures, then you might want to start outfitting yourself for the show's second season.

Although most people relegate the wearing of fake fangs to Halloween, the serious fans are seeking out spots for custom fang creation, and why not get them done in the heart of creepy country? In New Orleans, at the Boutique du Vampyre, customers can get their own sets of pointed pearlies for between $100 and $800.

Crafted to match your teeth color, a pair of these babies shows that you mean business. Plus, you're in a store in a New Orleans filled with vampire-related crap; that's gotta be something for the photo album.

Related Stories:
· Boutique du Vampyre [Official Site]
· New Orleans Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Love Bites] ]]> JetSetCD 2009-06-08T15:22:08-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/2/73144/96009

Following Hurricane Katrina, there were much bigger crawdads to boil than worrying about the fate of roller coasters and Ferris wheels. However, years after the storm, Six Flags New Orleans continues to sit vacant, serving as a reminder of the devastation of the area.

Situated on the eastern side of the city, the park remains the biggest eyesore to locals who are trying their best to get things back to normal in this area. There may be other damaged buildings that also still wait for the bulldozer or the renovators, but clearly a deserted theme park is one of the largest and most tragic-looking. ]]> kjb 2009-06-02T09:17:04-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/