I just got back from visiting my best friend in her new home in New Orleans! We had the best trip to celebrate Mardi Gras! New Orleans is definitely a place everyone should visit at least once. It’s kinda like Disney World for adults: lots of fun, lots of walking, lots of drinking, and for some adults, the happiest place on earth. Nola is a scene, that’s the best way to describe it.
Day 1: Friday
-We had a rough travel day Thursday night, which slowly turned into Friday morning because our flight got so delayed. We didn’t end up taking off until 2:40am EST Friday morning and we landed in New Orleans at 5:00am CST, Friday morning. Our hostess picked us up and we went back to her place to nap for a couple of hours before starting our day.
-First stop: Cafe du Monde in New Orleans City Park for beignets and coffee.
-We walked around City Park and saw the outdoor sculpture garden.
-Lunch: Po Boys at Parkway! You have to get a Po Boy sandwich when you are in Nola! I got the classic fried shrimp. It was delicious.
-Exploration: We walked past St. Louis Cathedral and around the French Quarter. I absolutely loved the architecture in the French Quarter. The houses are all so pretty. I love the pastel colors and flowers hanging from the balconies. We also walked to the river and watched the boats.
-Happy Hour: Carousel Bar inside Hotel Monteleone. An actual spinning bar that looks like a carousel. There was live jazz music and people dancing. It was a great time.
-Dinner: Irene’s . A delicious restaurant that all the locals know about. Not a touristy spot at all, so it’s perfect for the foodies that are traveling from out of town.
-Party: Bourbon Street! Duh! The infamous party street. We walked up and down the street and hit some fan favorites, such as, Pat O’s where the famous drink is the Hurricane. They have a piano bar where they do piano battles. Apparently, you also have to get the Hand Grenade drink at some bar that I don’t know the name of. There is also the famous daiquiris that were too sugary for us to drink. You should play a game with your friends and see how many beads they can catch from the balconies on Bourbon.
-We attempted to take the street cars uptown but we were unsuccessful because of all the parades blocking the streets. We made it to Magazine Street which has lots of boutiques, restaurants and thrift stores. We did some thrift shopping.
-Lunch: Poké bowls at LemonShark Poké on Magazine Street.
-Parades: After lunch we walked past all the pretty houses in the Garden District and stumbled upon some parades on St. Charles Street. There were lots of families and kids sitting on top of ladders watching the floats and marching bands go by. Lots of beads were thrown from the floats and Alex caught a lot of them. After dinner we got to see Krewe of Pygmalion.
-Snack: Creole Creamery for ice cream.
-Dinner: Superior Grill on St. Charles Street. This Tex-mex spot was great because it was right on the parade route, so we were then able to go back into the bathrooms after dinner while watching the parade. We also took our margaritas to go, because there are no open container laws in Nola.
-Dancing: There are lots of bars and live music all over the city. I couldn’t even tell you where we ended up. But one of the bars was definitely a Tulane or LSU college bar and the other one was another local spot. Barcadia was a super fun dancing spot with a good DJ and dance floor. We walked a total of 5 miles this day.
Day 3: Sunday
-Explore: French Market in the French Quarter. Lots of shops and artisan stands selling goods.
-Parade: Krewe de Barkus. That is exactly what it sounds like: puppies in a parade. It was chaotic with dogs in costumes running all around the streets. But it was very cute.
-Snack: Café du Monde again for beignets and coffee.
-Dinner: A home cooked meal at Kate’s boyfriend’s house. A staple Louisiana meal: red rice and beans. Yum! And King Cake for dessert.
And that was our trip! We flew back to New York early this morning, Monday morning, and am I enjoying the rest of my day off until class and work tomorrow.
It was a wonderful trip and we’re already planning the next one for next year. It was so fun. The food was delicious. We’re fat, exhausted and our feet hurt. But we are happy!
Thanks to Kate for being a wonderfully generous host and for the all the fun times!
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