New Orleans Trip Part 1 of 3

March 17th, 2015 in Our Travels Worldwide

Tyler’s parents invited us to New Orleans, how fun is that? Wow is that a fun city. The different cultures shine through in the accents, architecture, food, and traditions. You can see it in the tile pieces and the stones on the sidewalk. That place you will want to walk and walk through, the same streets over and over. That is what we did, our last day there actually was spent 100% walking.

I was very ready for a trip without our kids, very ready. We also had/have a lot of high stress things going on in our life. That time, that February, was the highest of them all. The stress and problems I had to deal with didn’t go away as soon as we got on that plane. Actually I dealt with many of them every time our plane hit the ground and while walking onto the New Orleans streets for the first time. The New Orleans air met me a screaming, ranting, wound very tight, very hurt and stressed individual. Thankfully New Orleans did not reject me and gave me a free pass. I can say though that just showing up to a city not having to do one ounce of planning was perfect for me. My in laws are planners, I knew we were going to be taken very cared of. I remember one day clicking on the link of the hotel they sent us but that is it. I showed up and had a blast. My girls were well taken care of by aunts and grandma. And voxing me non stop through our cells. I was sad to say goodbye to them but not sad to say hello alone to New Orleans.

Screen Shot 2015-03-17 at 3.06.40 PM

Tyler and I dove headfirst into the city by sitting down to eat alligator.

Alligator. I grabbed a bite and thought it was very good, tasted just like fried fish. No one else thought it tasted like fried fish. My second bite did not taste like fried fish. I think a piece of fried fish accidentally made it into the basket.

Screen Shot 2015-03-17 at 3.06.59 PM

 

The hotel we stayed in was a true reflection of New Orleans, man I love this city.

Dauphine Orleans Hotel Dauphine Orleans Hotel POOL Dauphine Orleans Hotel LA

 

The next day we took care of some very important business first thing. Getting beignets. We did learn through the trip where you really need to go to get beignets. Of course we tried the three main places. Of course we were not sad to eat any of them from any of the places. You will be fine wherever you go but my vote is going to Cafe Beignet.

Screen Shot 2015-03-17 at 3.07.18 PM

Save all your birthday and holiday shopping for New Orleans. Bring empty suitcases. Know that you will find something charming and perfect for everyone on your list in all of the shops. You will, trust me. Window shopping in New Orleans is affordable, unique, and actually fun. Even for my husband. Yes he had fun doing it.

voodoodollsneworleans

It was so fun to see the Mississippi River, I ran right down to it to stick my finger in it. I am proud of Linda for following me. These things need to be done. I still have shells jiggling around in my purse from the Mississippi River.

woodstatuesneworleans

CHURCHINNEWORLEANS 3jazz
triptoneworleans

squareinneworleans

neworleanstripmomanddad

neworleanstatues

neworleansstreet

NEWORLEANSLEFTOVER

neworleanshouse

neworleansbuilding

NEWORLEANS2015

jazzstatues

jacksonsquareneworleans

Oh goodness the buildings, the building with depth. With history. With sadness, tiredness, hopefulness, family, and knowing. I could fly to New Orleans to just walk around and take pictures of buildings.

But listen if you take one little piece of travel advice from these New Orleans posts here it is: take the local food tour on your first day in town. The Tastedbud New Orleans Food Tour to be exactThis way you will know where to eat throughout the whole trip. Where the locals eat. Where the families from hundreds of years eat, work and own the joints. You will learn the history of the food, what groups of people brought it, or why the needed that food  & what it turned into.

I will give you a short list of where we went : Laura Candies for the pralines (6 different kinds of pralines) and Mississippi Mud. Johnnys Po Boys for a Roast Beef Po Boy. Serio’s Deli for a Muffaletta. Go back a second time for a Muffaletta. Then when waiting for your flight get ANOTHER Muffaletta to eat while waiting. I did all of those things. THEN try to make it at home, I am still waiting to do that thing. They also took us to get gumbo and jambalaya that somehow was so much better than the other places we had it. I am not sure how because the other places were delicious. I wish I could remember the name of the place. 

You will learn a lot of history, the cultures that are there, the people who settled there, everything. You will learn about some of the buildings and even signs. Do that, do it.

neworleanstastebudtour

Since I am on the food path let me give a shoutout to two other places we dined and has superb meals.

Felix, for Char Broiled Garlic Butter Oysters.

EAT, boy oh boy if that place was in Salt Lake I would take it over The Copper Onion and From Scratch. Which is saying a lot because those are my two go to, everything tastes so good, places. Everything everyone got. Boy that was a fantastic meal.

oldestsign oldestrstrnt

food charbroiledoysters

pssst this is the beignet place we liked the best:

cagebeniet

Food heaven my friends, absolute food heaven. A food heaven that thankfully only dipped into working with our nutrtionist 1 pound. Just 1 pound, we got lucky friends.

3 Responses to “New Orleans Trip Part 1 of 3”

  • Linda
    March 19th, 2015 at 2:39 am

    We loved our trip with you two. It was the best and will stay in our hearts for ever.

  • Emily
    March 21st, 2015 at 9:20 pm

    Can I do a food tour all the days? Because that’s what I’d most like to do. 😉

  • Rebecca
    March 22nd, 2015 at 1:00 am

    I’ve never had a beignet, and I’m jealous!