"Only at Tulane, sometimes in New York" was the hashtag that kicked off a day of crawfish, live music, and booze at the 9th Annual Tulane Club of New York Crawfish Boil. Tulane alumni of all ages gathered at The Boat Basin to indulge in some classic New Orleans grub and reminisce of the glory days. The event quite literally brought the spirit and food of NOLA right to NYC, and here's a recap of the stars of the show.
1. Crawfish
No New Orleans party is complete without crawfish, and the Tulane Club of New York served up buckets on buckets for everyone to enjoy. Whether it was their first time trying crawfish or their 30th crawfish boil, alums were peeling the mudbugs from morning till night. I personally only made it to 2 trays, but I heard real fans downed 6 to 8 by the end of the event.
2. Buzz Boxes
In true New Orleans style, the booze was flowing. To cool off from the heat, alumni at the Crawfish boil sipped on Buzz boxes– adult juice boxes that childhood dreams are made of. The pre-made cocktails are prepared with premium alcohol and all natural mix-ins, with flavors like Long Island iced tea, Cosmo, coconut, and margarita.
3. The Real Grub
If Crawfish isn’t your thing, they were also serving up classic New Orleans favorites like red beans and rice, jambalaya, and fried catfish. With just the perfect amount of spice and smoke flavor from the sausage, this jambalaya was no joke– my brother claims to have had a life-changing experience while eating it.
4. Snoballs
Any true Tulane grad knows there's nothing better in the summer than a snoball. Although we can’t have Hansen's or Plum Street in New York, these snoballs did the trick. With flavors like wedding cake, nectar, and chocolate (topped with condensed milk of course), the alumni were feeling nostalgic for hot days at Tulane.
5. Abita Beer
Entry to the crawfish boil included unlimited Abita beer, and they were serving NOLA favorites like Purple Haze, Big Easy IPA, and Strawberry Lager. In the spirit of the Big Easy, pitchers of Abita were going faster than the water on tap. I even spotted some alum playing beer pong and flip cup at a table nearby.
6. Rebirth Brass Band
It wouldn’t be a true crawfish boil without a live band. Rebirth Brass Band, from the city of New Orleans itself, got the crowd moving and shaking throughout the day. The horns and drums could be heard from blocks away, spreading the NOLA spirit all the way across New York.
7. The Views
The food, the music, the unlimited beer– you're probably wondering how this event could get any better. The answer is the views– the Boat Basin Cafe hosts breathtaking views of the Hudson River and boats passing by. Even if you're trying to imagine yourself back in New Orleans, it sure doesn’t hurt to take in a little New York beauty.
This event is one not to be missed, so make sure you buy tickets to next year’s 10th Annual Crawfish Boil. If you can’t go to New Orleans, let New Orleans come to you.