[Beat the Heat offers interesting and entertaining--and tasty!--ways to cool off in New Orleans this summer.]

Well, I think the article in the Crescent City Farmers Market weekly news bulletin says it all, but don't take my word for it. Check out the Farmers Market this week and sample one of local juicer Amanda's fruity concoctions. In fact, you'll have to--I'm stuck here in NYC. At least I have air conditioning.

This Tuesday I also have word that the Farmer's Market will offer FREE WATERMELON to folks who stop by. Now, if there is anything more refreshing that sums up summer than watermelon I haven't seen it. Or tasted it. Or basked in its cool refreshment.

The only thing left to do is get the free watermelon people with Amanda to make some sort of watermelon juice creation. Talk about tasty and refreshing. And sticky, but that's to be expected in these parts this time of year, no?

So get yourself on over to the Farmer's Market this Tuesday or Saturday. Yes, it may be hot--or perhaps raining--during your visit, but it will be well worth it when you enjoy Amanda's special papaya lime juice. You'll cool down AND help the local economy, as well as the environment, all at the same time.

Remember, the Tuesday market runs from 9:00AM (when it shouldn't be too hot and you could enjoy a nice cool juice for breakfast) until 1:00 PM (when you can enjoy one for lunch) at 200 Broadway, the Uptown parking lot. The Saturday market runs from early-bird 8:00AM to high noon at 700 Magazine Street.

Photo of lime juice with orange juice, another fabulous treat, by gigijin.

Can someone please try this juice and let me know how delicious it is? After all, I have to live vicariously through you.

Why flock to just ANY movie theater for a frigid blast of air conditioning? The Entergy IMAX Theatre is currently playing two coooool 3D underwater adventures; Ocean Wonderland and Sharks. Ocean Wonderland, directed by Jean-Jacques Mantello, features coral reefs found in Australia and the Bahamas. The movie focuses on the beauty and importance of the underwater reefs as well as the current threats to their survival. Sharks 3D, also directed by Mantello, features, yep, sharks! Each film is less than an hour long so why not double up with a discount or combine with a trip to the aquarium?

IMAX tickets are $8 for adults with a $2 discount for Audubon members. Children's tickets are $5 each.

[Beat the heat offers interesting and exciting ways to cool off in New Orleans this summer.]

If there is one thing New Orleans is known for it's their love of cocktails. Depending on who you hear it from, some of the most famous cocktails actually got their start in the Crescent City. Both the Sazarec and the Pimms Cup made their debut here in Nola, so why not take a break from the heat and kick back with one of these delicious summery cocktails?

To get started:

1. Check out nola.com's series on summer cocktails in the Entertainment section. There you'll find not only a different cocktail featured each week--history and how to make it--but also comments from locals on where you'll find the best version of each drink.

The cocktails listed here are not necessarily limited to those concoctions created in New Orleans, either. One of the first weeks the discussion was around the perfect martini. I don't necessarily find a martini to be a refreshing summer drink, but to each his or her own.

More tips after the jump!

[Beat the heat offers interesting and entertaining ways to cool off in New Orleans this summer.]

One of my favorite things to do whenever I'm in New Orleans is get an iced coffee. I know I could do that practically anywhere, given the prevalence of Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts, but for some reason the coffee in New Orleans just tastes different to me. And it tastes better.

Nola is an import town after all, sitting on the river as it does. One of the main things it imports is coffee. So, it should be no surprise that folks around here know their stuff when it comes to the bean. Despite setbacks from the Big K, coffee is indeed still a brewing business for both local mom and pop shops and chains.

So, this tip to beat the heat in New Orleans this summer is:

1. Enjoy an iced coffee from a local cafe.

To me, there is simply nothing better than kicking back with an iced coffee (or iced cappuccino, if you want me to be specific) from Royal Blend Coffee in the French Quarter. While some prefer to sit indoors munching on breakfast pastries and reading the free local papers, I prefer to sit in the beautiful and well-maintained courtyard pretending to be in a different era.

More tips on how to Beat the Beat after the jump!

[Beat the Heat offers interesting and entertaining ways to cool off and get the most out of New Orleans this summer.]

So my colleagues and I normally start to write about how darned hot it is in New Orleans this time of year. Actually, we're really a tad behind this year since it's already mid-July. Perhaps the heat hasn't been as unbearable. Or, perhaps, the heat has been so bad we've lost sight of everything.

And let's not forget the humidity! If there is one thing Nola knows best, it's humidity. How much there is of it (too much of it), what it does to us (wilts us) and when it will end (never...or maybe December!). I think it is safe to say that everyone in New Orleans, from the loyal citizen to the seasoned tourist to the dude who came down to check out the Katrina damage to the people who wouldn't dream of setting foot here know just how frickin' hot it gets in the Crescent City after the vernal equinox.

So let's not bother talking about that. Instead, let's talk about ways to beat the heat. After all, New Orleans is always going to be hot and humid and, at times, stickier than the floor at Cate du Monde. And truth be told we need tourism here in the hot summer months more than perhaps at any other time of year.

I wrote a few days ago about sno-balls and New Orleans. The inexpensive desert is contrived of shaved ice and topped with a sweet syrup. Other ingredients including condensed milk and soft serve ice cream vary from stand to stand as does the quality of the ice, sharpness of the blades and number of flavors (you can get a local to talk about who has the best ingredients for at least five minutes straight).

If there is still any confusion about the topic, you can always check in a sno-ball sommelier. Yep, you read that right. The Ritz-Carlton is offering a new treat for their guests every Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.; a custom crafted sno-ball made of nectar cream and condensed milk. There will also be a crawfish concierge on hand to demonstrate the proper way to peel the little buggers. All activities take place in the hotel courtyard and they probably won't ask to see a room key ... you know, in case you've misplaced it.

*After much too much contemplation over the matter, I have chosen to spell "sno-ball" with a hyphen just as it is spelled over at Gumbo Pages -- otherwise I am reminded of the projectiles that my brother throws at my head every Christmas in VT. Other spelling variations include "sno ball", "snowball" and "snow ball."