NOLA 2012.
We had an amazing time in New Orleans! A friend of Erin’s got us in touch with a lovely couple [Jonathan + Je t’aime] who let us stay in their apartment for the weekend. Their place was close to the city center which was really convenient. We all had a good time and I think everyone returned home happy and refreshed. Enjoy the photos!
The Duke of Uke and His Novelty Orchestra.
Old + new on Bourbon Street.
Classic New Orleans style.
There was a performer on practically every street corner in the French Quarter!
Courtyards are quite popular in New Orleans. Most of them are private but we were able to access some of them through bars, restaurants, and hotels. Since there are practically no trees on the street, it was nice to see these natural spaces.
The food was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Cafe du Monde was worth the wait.
It was recommended that we eat at Parkway Bakery and Tavern for some traditional New Orleans po’ boys and I’m glad we did. The homemade French bread was to die for. Maria felt the same way about their hot sauce as well.
Slim Goodies was yummy diner food. I had Ray’s Stack [chocolate chip pancakes + whipped cream]. If you are in New Orleans for more than a day, leave the French Quarter and visit the Garden District, specifically Magazine Street. It’s totally worth it for the food alone. It’s just a never-ending road with tons of restaurants, botiques, bars and more. We had Greek, Indian, Italian, and American food in the area and were not disappointed.
On Sunday, we did some non-tradition things including a drive through the Ninth Ward. The devastation that happened seven years ago is still visible, but good things are happening through Brad Pitt’s Make It Right project and local efforts. We spent the afternoon in City Park and watched the sunset off Lake Pontchartrain.
Maria almost slipped into the lake.
We spent Saturday night on Frenchmen Street, which was WAY more low-key than anything we saw on Bourbon Street. Really fun if you like to dance and drink and listen to good music.
Our final night we went to Irvin Mayfield’s located in the Royal Sonestra Hotel to hear live jazz. This may have been my favorite part of the whole trip. Germaine Bazzle [the lady in the photo above] had so much energy, as did the younger musicians on stage. I drank one of the best margaritas I’ve ever had - so sweet.
Overall, it was a wonderful trip with fun friends. Here’s to living it up in 2012!
