re: Nola recommendations for friend’s first time there

This is not night-life stuff, but go have some seafood at one of the West End restaurants by the lake during the day and watch the sailboats come and go.
If it's a sunny day and there is a regatta going on, it's a pretty nice experience.
Also go to City Park sculpture garden by the museum, then go to Cafe Du Monde in the park and have some beignets, maybe rent a bike and cruise around the park. Get away from the quarter...