re: Last minute trip to New Orleans this weekend

We were there last weekend and were pleasantly surprised at how crowded it was. It felt like there was life back in the city. There's a Tsunami in New Orleans. The one in BR is pretty solid and has a good steak but I've never eaten at the one in Nola. To be honest, with all options in Nola, I probably won't. If you want to be a little more adventurous, look at Costera. It's Spanish with plenty of seafood, raw and cooked, and they have a steak.

Not sure what type of art you're looking for or how much you want to spend but if you're looking for New Orleans street art, that's set up around Jackson Square in the French Quarter.

If you like trying different beers, there're some good local breweries that are always fun to check out. I'd look at Urban South, Miel, Parleaux, or Zony Mash.