Uptown
Establishment
neighborhood
Romney
5619 Magazine St., Uptown
At this gorgeous, whitewashed and light-filled mini-gym and wellness center, you'll find plenty of pilates reformers, along with spin, gyrotonics, barre classes, yoga, cardio classes, and even meditation. You can pay by the class, though Romney offers memberships as well.
Streetcar Ride
For more than 150 years (the longest to continually operate in the world), the New Orleans streetcars have shuttled people around the city. The cars are beautiful—mahogany seats, brass fittings—and slow-moving, making them perfect for seeing a larger swathe of the city with kids. Meanwhile, if you take the Charles Street line, make a pit stop for lunch at Superior Seafood. We've been told that it has a great kids menu (as well as gluten-free options).
Hansen’s Sno-Bliz
4801 Tchoupitoulas St., Uptown
Snow balls are a big deal in New Orleans, and there are a handful that stand-out as rightful heirs to the throne. One of these is Hansen's Sno-Bliz, which is still owned and operated by the Hansen family. In fact, Ernest Hansen invented the first ice shaving machine back in 1939, while his wife Mary got busy concocting flavors (it's a complicated dance of ice, syrup, ice, syrup, etc.).
Audubon Nature Institute
Zoo: 6500 Magazine St. | Aquarium: 1 Canal St. | Insectarium: 423 Canal St., Uptown
Within the Audubon umbrella there's an aquarium (fish galore, plus a hurricane simulator and dive experience), a zoo (all the standard fare plus a petting zoo, a dinosaur adventure, and a water park), and a butterfly garden and insectarium (Louisiana bugs are stuff of legend). In addition, you'll find an IMAX and a park with tennis, stables, golf, and running paths.
Marion Cage
3719 Magazine St., Uptown
Architect and New Orleans resident Marion Cage McCollam started making jewelry more than a decade ago, and has quietly built up a following. It makes sense, because her whisper thin rings and quietly gorgeous studs cast in the shape of talons stand-out in a city known for its devotion to all things ornate. She also does really beautiful and streamlined hardware, including knob pulls and hooks.
Leontine Linens
3806 Magazine St., Uptown
In 1996 Jane Scott Hodges founded Leontine Linens, and in 2002, she picked up the mantle established by Eleanor Beard, who built a legendary needlepoint and embroidery business in the 20th century thanks to an army of wonderfully skilled artisans. Post-acquisition you can find the same level of service at Leontine: Cut and sewn to order duvets, sheeting, toweling, and table linens which are then hand-embroidered and appliqued. It's really beautiful stuff, turned out by some of the best needleworkers in the country. (The baby goods are instant-heirlooms and perfect gifts.)
Victoria’s
4858 Magazine St., Uptown
Situated in a cheery yellow townhouse—and dotted with mid-century modern furniture—shopping at Victoria's feels like a trip through a good friend's closet. The edit is specific and spare, with pieces from Gary Graham, Dusica Dusica, and Autumn Cashmere lining the racks.
Weinstein
4011 Magazine St., Uptown
It's funny, but when Weinstein's opened back in the '70s, it was expressly devoted to menswear—these days, it's known for dressing the fairer sex, and in forward-thinking lines, too. You'll find many labels exclusive to the store, including Dries van Noten, Rick Owens, and Sacai.
Billy Reid
3927 Magazine St., Uptown
Sure, Billy Reid is quickly carpeting the country with really, really well-done boutiques, but Reid is actually a Louisiana boy. He grew up in the tiny town of Amite, where is mother operated a women's clothing boutique. While Billy Reid got its start as a menswear brand, they're now doing women's as well, which has the same American sportswear sensibility. Tasseled loafers, patterned shorts, and leather dresses round out the mix.
Mimi (Closed)
5500 Magazine St., Uptown
Offering a department store's worth of lines, this long-standing staple—helmed by mother/daughter team, Mimi Robinson and CeCe Colhoun—is the sort of place where you roll in looking for something specific, and emerge with a closet-full of staples. 3.1 Phillip Lim, Theia, and Michael Kors dot the racks, while the in-store shoe salon (CeCe) focuses on Charlotte Olympia, Sophia Webster, and Ancient Greek Sandals.