February 2015 - 11

ood food, good drink, great bridge: New Orleans is the place to be March 12-22 when the
Spring North American Bridge Championships come to town. Tournament players rank
The City That Care Forgot among their all-time favorite NABC destinations, and given the
richness and magic that is New Orleans, it's not hard to understand why.
For those who have never experienced the excitement and bridge comradery of an NABC, get out
your travel planner, because this is the perfect tournament to see and feel firsthand what all the buzz
is about.
NABCs provide fun, lively competition and learning opportunities for bridge players of every level. Newcomers can look
forward to presentations by celebrity bridge speakers. There are free lessons by well-known teachers, followed by minigames. Meanwhile, the best players from all over the world compete for coveted titles, including the prestigious Vanderbilt
Trophy.
A full schedule of events appears in the December and January issues of this magazine on pgs. 12-13. More information
can be found under "Tournaments" at www.acbl.org.

Site/hotel

The NABC will be held at the New
Orleans Marriott and the Sheraton
New Orleans. The hotels are located
across the street from each other on
Canal Street in the Upper French
Quarter, not too far from Bourbon
Street, not too far from Harrah's Casino - not too far from anything!

 New Orleans Marriott
555 Canal St. * $160 per night
(includes wireless Internet)
 Sheraton New Orleans
500 Canal St. * $179 per night
(complimentary Internet)

Air Travel

Omega World
Travel is the official
travel agency for the ACBL. For air
assistance, call 800-969-4152, fax
866-445-6705 or email info@owt.net.

Child care

The NABC child care program offers
flexible hours for parents plus dozens
of fun and educational activities for
the kids, including field trips and, of
course, learning to play cards. Because
it's affordable, the child care program
makes NABCs vacation destinations
for the entire family.
To be added to the mail list for this
and future NABCs, please call Donna
Compton at 214-373-7055 or email
cdmra@mindspring.com.

Around and about the French Quarter

The Presbytere * 751 Chartres St.
The Presbytere showcases an elaborate collection of Mardi Gras memorabilia.
An interactive exhibit, "Mardi Gras: It's Carnival Time in Louisiana," traces the
celebration from its ancient origins to the 19th-century emergence of parades and
balls to the present-day celebration that attracts millions of visitors each year.
The Historic New Orleans Collection * 533 Royal St.
Founded in 1966, the Historic New Orleans Collection is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. Clustered in
several historic buildings, exhibits displaying more than a million items from
across three centuries depict the multicultural stories of the region and showcase
Louisiana's history and fine art.
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar * 941 Bourbon St.
Built during the 1720s, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar is regarded as the oldest
structure to be used as a bar in the United States. Legend claims that the Lafitte
brothers - Jean and Pierre - originally used the shop as a base for their smuggling
operations. The tavern, located on the corner of Bourbon and St. Philip streets, is
listed on www.hauntedhouses.com. Eyewitnesses report having seen the entity of
Jean Lafitte in and around the first-floor fireplace, looking annoyed, glowering at
the living from dark corners, and sitting with a drink at a table at the back of the
piano bar surrounded by the strong aroma of cigar smoke.

2015 Spring NABC

March 12-22, 2015
Call Travel Planners now for reservations

855-742-9185
or book online at

acbl.org/neworleanshousing

February 2015 Bridge Bulletin

http://www.acbl.org http://www.hauntedhouses.com http://www.acbl.org/neworleanshousing

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2015