If you’ve ever wondered what a never-ending night feels like, I highly recommend taking a trip to the French Quarter of New Orleans. Walking past modern bars and clubs of vibrant Bourbon Street lively with pop music and culture provides a fun and wild experience of music, haunted activities, and alcohol, if you continue down past the bright lights and loud noise of Bourbon Street, you will stumble across a small brick building on the corner of Bourbon and St. Philip Street. With open doors and windows, the sounds of a piano echoes through the street, inviting visitors to take a step into the past.
In 1772, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop opened its doors at the end of Bourbon Street (in the French-owned territory). Very few things have changed since. The bricks are the same as they were in 1772. The bar is the same bar with some new shelving to hold the liquors that have been added to the bartender’s tool kit. The bathrooms–I am sure–have been updated to include modern plumbing and running water has been added. Besides those few additions, the small bar remains in a similar state to what it was in 1772. The low ceilings and the candlelight transport visitors back to the late 18th Century. Yes, that is correct, the bar is still lit by candlelight. The dim lighting encourages conversation and song throughout the room. This, I believe, is the biggest contributor to the charm and allure of the bar; it has kept the essential and defining features of the bar from 1772 intact.
And the best part of Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop? The piano. In the back room, a large grand piano fills the room. The pianist plays with such a force, bar-goers are drawn in and encouraged to sing along to popular songs My personal favorite was Billy Joel’s Piano Man.” In the mystical atmosphere of the French Quarter, singing along to “Piano Man” brought warmth to the “spook.” Meeting and learning about the tourists and locals who were also frequenting the bar also added to the excitement.
The magic of New Orleans is astounding. The city is brimming with a rich history unlike any other. While the whole city, and each individual neighborhood, has something different to offer. Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop offers teleportation to a different time and place by simply stepping through the front door.