Some cities are just filled with magic. London has magic. St.Louis has spooky magic. I think my Venice home has a good amount of sparkle magic. But New Orleans… New Orleans is aalll magic.
I was lucky enough to visit this special city last week. Because it was my first visit to New Orleans, I.. a) melted in the humidity. b) was horrified by my frizzy hair. c) drank daiquiris in the streets. d) ate beignets several… SEVERAL times.
Want a peek? Here we go!
In every new city visit, it’s really nice to start with a map.
Two big streets and a curve in the grid.
Evening hours in the French Quarter.
Horse heads everywhere.
Evening hours outside of Saint Louis Cathedral.
Dark and romantic.
Evening hours inside this smokey, candlelit bar.
There was piano music, people huddled in conversation, and a really smelly drunk dude that danced me into a corner.
Tell me you’ve been danced into a corner… that’s real.
Ham, butter, and brie on a baguette is one of the best lunches EVER. Thank you St. James Cheese Company!
Louisiana beer is also as fine as could be. I’ve come to appreciate the wonders of the Strawberry Abita.
There’s a salad in that Bloody Mary… and I’m totally drinking this pineapple daquiri in the street!
It’s like a party everyday!
Any menu that serves Champagne and Fries is a menu I want to be reading.
I mean… come on!
Late night beignets at Cafe du Monde.
Yes… these were the second round of beignets I had eaten on this day.
Yes.. I ate a whole order myself.
Sometimes I have trouble sharing.
I spent a day at Jazzfest!
Crawfish bread. Cold beer. Gospel tent. And Ne-yo singing R&B Jamzzzzz!
Is this magic JR and the Inside Out Project!?
I think it is!
Look how rad humanity looks!
We ate big trays of crawfish!
It was awesome… but I’m still not sure how I feel about this.
Back to the beignets… clearly.
I was on a strict beignet diet.
In New Orleans I got to meet my oldest blog friend, Evan!
Evan and I have been chatting for the past four years. She knows about various boy and cake disasters. It was so nice to meet her and squeeze her pregnant belly. Love!
The cemeteries in New Orleans. So old and worn.
This particular cemetery had damaged headstones. These piled up pieces feel beautiful and unfortunate.
The cemeteries are beautiful… and also put just a tinge of fear in my heart. I don’t know what that is…
New Orleans is magic. The food. The sites. The people. The energy… you can feel it in the air.
Pro tips:
There is no need to lift your top for beads… you can get those anywhere. They’re even hanging from trees… no joke.
Order more beignets than you think you’ll need… because you’ll need them.
Stand in line for fried chicken at Coop’s Place.
Don’t share your crawfish bread at Jazzfest.
Thank the people that make New Orleans magic.
Leisa
Wow, the city looks like amazing fun–and anywhere you can go and have beignets as an acceptable meal substitute is definitely on my ‘must-visit’ list!!! Thanks so much for sharing your visit!
Vicki Bensinger
Ive never been to New Orleans but it definitely sounds like fun. I feel like so much of the food is high in fat and cholesterol, would that be a fair assumption?
How fun it must have been to meet your oldest blogging friend. I always find it amazing how we make great friends with bloggers we’ve never even met. I suppose it’s finding others that share the same passion that builds that friendship.
Glad you had fun. So tell me what’s spooky about St Louis, the haunted houses? Just curious since that’s where I’m from.
Alicia @ Treble Tart
Aww, what a sweet post. I miss New Orleans. It’s been about 8 years since I’ve been there (wow, has it really been that long??) and I can’t wait to go back again! It has so much culture and character that it’s almost like visiting another country, except… not! :)
Trey @ Dudes Cook Too
My wife and I used to live a couple hours away From New Orleans. We used to drive there JUST for the beignets. It’s an amazing city.
Lucia
I’m Italian, but if I believed in past lives I would feel like I had lived in New Orleans during one of them. Longing for beignets.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
So fun! I’ve always wanted to go there!
Shirley@bells-bakery
New orleans has been on my list of places to go FOREVER and now i want to go even more!!
Karen
Looks like you had a great time! I like the tip about getting beads lol
Karen
Crayfish is awesome. I didn’t know it was this big in the US as well. I went to my first crayfish party last summer while I was visiting my Swedish dad. It was quite the experience… Hehe.
Roxana
You lucky lady! Your travels looked like they were so much fun. New Orleans looks so exotic, and the food…! Oh those beignets. I’d eat an order to myself too ;)
I love your you site design too! :)
Vanessa
New Orleans has so much going for it in terms of culture and food and nice people. I’d love to go sometime and stuff my face on their delicious food. I am certain I would enjoy all of it.
(Btw, tiny mention: The new font on your page looks uneven on my screen. The strokes are very faint and I am struggling to read your lovely recipes and trip stories. Don’t mind me, I’m going to the back of the room now.)
Brittany @ Brittany Cooks
I miss New Orleans so much! I lived 1-2 hours away most of my life! There’s really no other place like it in the states.
Meagan
I love NOLA!!! I went for the first time back in march, and your post reminded me of how much I miss the beignet diet. I wish café du monde existed here in LA… haha
Averie @ Averie Cooks
What an awesome trip…a meetup with your oldest blog friend, beignets, NOLA itself, and a restaurant with champagne & fries on the menu.
Love the pic of you in the white dress!
bedlamsbard
New Orleans! I’m glad that you enjoyed NOLA; I’ve been going to school here for four years and I’m actually graduating this week (and terrified/depressed to leave). It’s quite a city, isn’t it?