Where in New Orleans can you bathe in Napoleon s bathtub, step through a time machine, or eat dinner with a ghost? Why should you take your laundry to the birthplace of rock n roll? And what is the one (delicious!) drink that makes every bartender cringe? Secret New Orleans peels back the layers on the Crescent City to reveal her most enigmatic characteristics. Experience firsthand the way struggle in this city gives way to decadence and revelry, moss-dripped southern oaks whisper tales of dueling and murder, and long-held traditions baffle and even appall outsiders. Seek out Calas at Elizabeth s Restaurant, and learn how this simple sweet enabled enslaved women to buy their freedom. See how Hurricane Katrina ravaged a typical home at the Flooded House Museum, or bask in the beauty of some of the ornate tombs in Metairie Cemetery. Three local historians, Mark Aspiazu, James Corbyn, and Angela Papke Aspiazu, expertly weave together their experiences in this intriguing collection of obscure people, artifacts, places, and menu items. In this fascinating guide, they lift the hazy veil of the Big Easy, unmasking some of its most amazingly true stories for visitors and locals alike. For the better part of a decade, New Orleans historians and storytellers James Corbyn, Mark Aspiazu, and Angela Papke Aspiazu have been told by countless people, "you know so much...you should write a book!" Finally, they did. This book is a collaboration of the three authors to share those fascinating but obscure facts and history notes that few people would ever have the chance to learn otherwise. From culinary to Civil Rights to sports to religion and so much more, the range of topics included provide the reader with a treasure trove of New Orleans esoterica. Secret New Orleans…A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure is a fast-paced, “arm chair” travel guide, meaning it can be enjoyed just as much from a favorite reading chair at home as it could while in New Orleans itself. While it does provide ideas for activities for those who visit the city, the book is comprised of 90 short vignettes that offer an entertaining glimpse into the uniqueness of New Orleans and the culture and people who live(d) here. Where in New Orleans can you bathe in Napoleon's bathtub, step through a time machine, or eat dinner with a ghost? Why should you take your laundry to the birthplace of rock 'n' roll? And what is the one (delicious!) drink that makes every bartender cringe? Secret New Orleans peels back the layers on the Crescent City to reveal her most enigmatic characteristics. Experience firsthand the way struggle in this city gives way to decadence and revelry, moss-dripped southern oaks whisper tales of dueling and murder, and long-held traditions baffle"š€š"and even appall"š€š"outsiders. Seek out Calas at Elizabeth's Restaurant, and learn how this simple sweet enabled enslaved women to buy their freedom. See how Hurricane Katrina ravaged a typical home at the Flooded House Museum, or bask in the beauty of some of the ornate tombs in Metairie Cemetery. Three local historians, Mark Aspiazu, James Corbyn, and Angela Monroe, expertly weave together their experiences in this intriguing collection of obscure people, artifacts, places, and menu items. In this fascinating guide they lift the hazy veil of The Big Easy, unmasking some of its most amazingly true stories for visitors and locals alike. Authors Angela Papke Aspiazu, Mark Aspiazu, and James Corbyn are all local historians who have dedicated their lives to providing tours and adventures that unlock the secrets of this rich and complex culture through their tour company, New Orleans Secrets Tours.