The Inter-Continental is a very nice hotel, and I'm glad you got a single night, and at such a decent rate. Mulate's is a good idea, and it's in borderline walking distance.

I'm sure we'll come up with some arragement whereby I can pick you up for an excursion outside the tourist-trap zone ~ maybe for a state-of-the-art po-boy at a reasonable "neighborhood" price at, say, the Parkway Bakery or Domilise's or Parasol's or R&O's in Bucktown, etc., and/or a late-evening excursion to one of the uptown or midcity night spots like Tip's, the Maple Leaf, Rock 'n' Bowl...

Not to denigrate the French Quarter, where there are plenty of absolutely worthwhile sights and attractions as well as others of more dubious quality. But other parts of town have a lot to offer, too, so much so that plenty of locals enjoy as much sublime food and music as anywone would want without ever having to search for parking places in the Quarter.

Time is limited, I know, but we might be able to squeeze in a condensed "disaster tour," too ~ if nothing else, a quick trip across my neighborhood. You wouldn't want to visit New Orleans in the first decade of the 21st century without at least a brief peek at the incredibly widespread destruction, would you? What kind of stories will you have to bring back to the folks at home?