N.O. coffeehouses

An overcast and rainy day turned into a tour of New Orlean's wealth of interesting cafes and coffeehouses. Oak Street was particularly rich. We considered Zotz and Oak Street Cafe, but then opted for Rue De La Course Coffeehouse. This branch was originally a bank and later a Kinkos. In fact, it was this very Kinkos that I used while passing through the city in 1995, and this particular street corner -- Oak and Carrollton -- had already been seared upon my memory.

Later in the French Quarter it began raining, and we tried to take refuge in the superb Cafe Amelie, but sadly it was closed. Instead we discovered the Royal Blend Coffee & Tea House (seen below), which has a similar courtyard and a fine selection of black and smoky teas. It was hot tea weather for sure.
Then, after a stroll along the river, we decided to revisit Cafe du Monde, which we had been to last January... Not for coffee, but the famously messy beignets. Maybe it was the rain, but in the photos we look like a coupla' crazed beignet chompers...