Whether you’re inhaling roll-your-own tobacco, fruity e-juice flavors, or a fine cigar, these are some of our favorite things to do as a smoker on any given Sunday.
Lazy Sundays are the best, especially in New Orleans, which embraces leisure like no place else. Maybe it's because our French-Spanish heritage saved us from the pesky Protestant work ethic so prevalent in the rest of the U.S.; maybe it's because it's just too hot to work hard; or maybe it's because the city's famous drinking culture helps us slow down, cocktail and smoke in hand.
Tobacco enthusiasts know that the ritual of selecting a smoke, rolling a cig, or inhaling some vapor is the perfect adjunct to a lazy day. With that in mind, we've rounded up four ways for smokers to decompress in New Orleans -- from shopping local to lounging in a park. Read on, and prepare to chill!
Catch a jazz brunch
A jazz brunch is the quintessential New Orleans dining activity. Where else can you enjoy the live music, amazing cuisine, and free-flowing booze the city is known for, all under one roof? Unfortunately, it has been illegal to smoke in bars and restaurants since 2015, but a number of venues have beautiful courtyards where smoking is permitted. The Country Club's smoker-friendly courtyard is one of our favorites. Make a reservation for drag brunch on Saturday or Sunday, when you can hit the bottomless mimosa bar and be entertained by gorgeous drag queens -- then head to the backyard saltwater pool to relax. The smoker-friendly pool area includes a hot tub, fire pit, and plenty of lounge chairs.
Enjoy the great outdoors
If you're looking to spend a beautiful spring day in a public park, you have plenty of options at your disposal. New Orleans City Park has the sculpture garden; Audubon Park has the zoo; Crescent Park has amazing Mississippi River views. Or you could head to Lake Pontchartrain, sit on the concrete steps by the shore, and enjoy the peaceful sight of a watery horizon. Grab a vape pen and a guitar, or a paperback and sketchbook, and make an afternoon of it. We promise you'll head home feeling restored. (Just be sure to properly dispose of your butts if you're a cigarette smoker.)
Swing dance at the AllWays Lounge
Lower St. Claude Avenue has become what Frenchmen used to be -- a quirky, gritty collection of small clubs where you can catch everything from avant-garde jazz to heavy metal shows. On Sundays from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., the AllWays Lounge (2240 St. Claude Ave.) hosts free swing dance lessons, which are followed by a live band. It's the perfect opportunity to slip into some Keds, red lipstick and a full skirt, pack of smokes in tow, and make like your favorite 1940s film star.
Shop local at Mushroom New Orleans
You can't smoke within our walls -- but you can find all the smokeware includeing water pipes, vaporizers, rolling papers, etc., that your heart could desire. Once you've stocked up, why not head to The Fly, enjoy a smoke, and watch cargo ships drift lazily down the Mississippi River? It's a great way to enjoy all that the city has to offer.
We hope this list has inspired you to maximize your downtime...and we also hope to see you soon at your local New Orleans smoke shop. It’s worth the trip!
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