I absolutely LOVED Jeff's place. Such an authentic feel with its swings on the front porch and the shotgun style. Jeff made us feel very welcomed and gave us loads of tips and suggestions for restaurants and music venues and many other places. His home is immaculate and full of collected "treasures", making it so unique and pleasant to live inside. As a partially disabled guest in a wheelchair, it was spacious enough to move around everywhere in the house. I was so comfortable there I felt like being in my second home. Jeff provided everything to make it a real enjoyable stay.
The location is ideal, away from town but close enough to get there in no time. Close to Magazine street and the Garden district. Our first "southern" breakfast was at Toast and the people there were so warm and welcoming. Toast is a 10-minute walk from Jeff's place.
I very highly recommend the "Two Chicks walking tours" (recommended by Jeff), specialising in more intimate groups. If you ever get Loki as a guide, he is a mine of stories and anecdotes. We did the Garden district and Lafayette combo tour with them as well as the St Louis cemetery number 1.
Also a must: the Whitney plantation, west of New Orleans, a really emotional tribute to the enslave with a perspective you will not find on any other plantations around here.
The highlight of my stay: the Last Wilderness Swamp tour, an intimate 2 hr swamp tour with a true eco-friendly ethos, in high respect of nature and working towards preserving the environement - they will not feed the alligators with marshamallows!!!! :((( Well worth the 1.5 hour drive. We did Whitney - Oak Alley and Last Wilderness in the one day as all in the same direction.
The Ruby Slipper on Magazine street is a great place for breakfast with scrumptious local specialities. It is also close to Jeff's home.
If I ever go back to New Orleans, I will not look anywhere else and will surely knock on Jeff's door again!