For my birthday the last few years Ryan has surprised me with a trip to somewhere I have never been. So I wasn't surprised when Ryan told me that we were going to New Orleans for my birthday. Little did he know I had an idea of where we were going before he told me. It's hard to keep secrets when you share a credit card. Tuesday night, the night before we left, Reid came into our room crying saying he didn't want us to get on the plane because he is afraid we are going to crash into the Bermuda Triangle and never see us again. Oh, that kid!
Wednesday we drove on down to Nashville to stay in a hotel close to the airport because our flight left out super early Thursday morning. We make it to a Country Inn & Suites and try to check in and come to find out we are at the wrong one. The one we were supposed to be at was just a few miles down the road. When we got there I wanted to quickly go back to the previous one because when I looked out the window of our room we find out it backs up to a homeless camp.
Ryan also surprised me with dinner at one of the first places we ever had dinner together, Ruth Chris. They had a card with confetti on the table. It was super sweet.
Celebratory drinks ...
.... and amazing food!!!!
The wait staff were sweet and got a picture of us
After dinner we decided to take an Uber to Broadway because I have never been to Tootsie's before. I have spent my whole life in Tennessee and been to Broadway more times than I can count but had never been to Tootsies. We found a good 80's-90's cover band, Virginia Rose, at one of the stages. There was an available table and we sat there for a couple hours before we decided to make it back to the hotel and get some rest before it was time to get up and get to the airport.
Thursday morning we woke up, got ready and packed up our things. Took our car to a place for long term parking and they shuttled us to the airport all before 630. We grabbed some Burger King breakfast sandwiches for breakfast while face timing the boys before they went to school. We boarded the plane at 730 and by 750 we were in the air!!!
Once we landed we called an Uber to take us to the hotel to check in. We stayed at the Hotel Monteleone. They are most famous for the Carousel bar. The bell hop that helped us get checked in gave us an insider tip on the best times to get a seat. We had an hour or two before it opened up which was just enough time to get to our room and unpack our things and get settled before we made our way down to the bar.
We were the first ones in the bar!!! The Carousel bar has been around since 1949 and seats 25 people at a time. It makes one complete revolution every 15 minutes.
Before our trip I made a bucket list of things I wanted to make sure we did and drinks I wanted to make sure we tried. The moment we got there we were checking things off left and right!! Hotel Monteleone- check!, Carousel bar - check!, Sazarec- check!, Pimm's cup - check!
"The famed Sazerac Coffee House was founded in New Orleans in 1850 and soon became known as the home of "America's First Cocktail," the Sazerac. Using rye whiskey (in place of French brandy), a dash of Peychaud's Bitters, and Herbsaint, what eventually became the official cocktail of New Orleans was created.
The gin based liqueur, Pimm's No. 1, was originated in London in 1823 and marketed as a tonic to aid in digestion. Later adopted in New Orleans, the Pimm's No. 1 Cup became popular in New Orleans at the Napoleon house in 1940. Lemonade, Ginger ale or Sprite, Pimm's No. 1 and cucumber make the ingredients for this popular drink.
Ryan was shocked to see some Pappy on the shelf ... for $75 a shot!
After that we decided to just start walking down the street and stop at whatever we wanted to see or do. First place we come across, Cafe Beignet - check!
Yummy beignets!!!!!
After that we decided to get back to the hotel and take a nap because we figured we would have a long night ahead of us!
Every street corner of New Orleans is labeled by these letter tiles. Such a cool photo opportunity!
Tropical Isle hand grenade- check!
Ryan had the Tropical Itch. Both very sugary and too cold for the 40 degree weather that time of year.
We had a couple friends flying in the next day to celebrate with us. They have been to New Orleans many times so we knew they probably didn't care about any of the touristy things. So we booked a ghost tour for that afternoon. Our meeting spot was at the Armstrong Arch. This is the entrance to the public park in honor of jazz musician Louis Armstrong.
We got there early and it was so cold that we decided to check out this place right across the street called Rampart Treehouse. Located on the corner of Rampart Street this pizza and craft beer restaurant made to look like we were sitting in a treehouse gave us big time Bonnaroo vibes! We were practically the only ones there. We grabbed a bite of pizza and made friends with the waitress, Haley.
Then it was time to meet up with our ghost tour guide. There weren't many in our group. I want to say maybe 10 of us. This wasn't the kind of ghost tour most think of. This was more of a history lesson of the culture of New Orleans voodoo.
First stop, House of Marie Laveau - check!
Born in 1801, Marie Laveau was a practitioner of Voodoo, herbalist and midwife. Named the Queen of Voodoo, Marie Laveau is a cherished figure in New Orleans voodoo culture.
Next stop on the tour, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop. Lafitte's is a historic structure at the corner of Bourbon Street and St. Philip Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Most likely built as a house in the 1770s during the Spanish colonial period, it is one of the oldest surviving structures in New Orleans. Some believe to be the oldest bar in the United States.
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Voodoo Daiquiri - check! This grape flavored daiquiri was difficult to get down in the cold!
The story of Jean Lafitte
Not part of the ghost tour, but many streets were blocked off with film crew for the making of another Vampire Diaries movie. We saw multiple scenes being filmed during our few days there. While the ghost tour was interesting I wasn't as spooked as I wanted to be. But I love learning about the history of each place we visit.
We made it back to the hotel to sit down and warm up while we figured out where we were going to eat dinner.
Dubbed the oldest hotel in the French Quarter, The Hotel Monteleone has been operated by five generations of the Monteleone family, ever since Antonio Monteleone debuted the business back in 1886. There are portrait paintings of each Monteleone that has run this family-owned hotel.
It remains one of the few longstanding family-owned hotels in the U.S.
Trying to get this Voodoo daiquiri down so I could warm up!!!
For dinner we decided to go to Bourbon House Seafood. I had the crab and corn soup and Boudin balls while Ryan ate the shrimp & grits. It was some of the best shrimp & grits I have ever had!!!!
Pineapple upside down cake for dessert! A perfect end to the first day in New Orleans!
Friday morning we woke up and took an Uber to the French Toast.
I indulged in a Bloody Mary and ham and cheese omelet ...
... while Ryan had the most amazing coconut cream stuffed French toast with lemon curd and candied macadamia nuts. TO DIE FOR!!! I still dream about that french toast!
We were right across the street from the French Market-check!. It was early and too cold for most shops to be open but we made our way through the ones that were open and ended at Cafe du Monde.
We had just eaten breakfast but I would be mad at myself if I didn't at least try a Cafe du Monde beignet and a Cafe au Lait - check, check!
Across the street from Cafe du Monde is Jackson Square - check! There houses the St Louis Cathedral. The Saint Louis Cathedral is the oldest Cathedral in North America, founded as a Catholic Parish in 1720 along the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans.
This picture was probably one of the funniest moments from the whole trip. We were walking down one of the streets and I was going into all the little touristy shops looking for things to bring back home and I come out to this. The homeless population is pretty high in New Orleans and if you aren't careful you can get sucked into a scam.... and Ryan got sucked into a scam. The man really didn't even give Ryan the chance to say no. He made some comment to Ryan about where his shoes were which ended up in Ryan getting his TENNIS SHOES "shined" with shampoo. Scammed by the homeless on the streets of New Orleans-check!
Trying Absinthe at the Old Absinthe House - check! Absinthe has a long and interesting history that I'm not going to get into on here. But it was for sure one thing we wanted to check off our list. First a sugar cube sits on top of the strainer. They pour the absinthe over the sugar cube.
Then light the sugar cube on fire
They then pour water over it and it changes colors - like a light lime green color initially. Then to this this cloudy color. If you like licorice then you will love it. The anise flavor was too much for us and it took everything for us to get it down but we can now say we have tried it!
We were told by some good friends to find this place called Erin Rose and get a frozen Irish coffee.
And OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This was the best drink of the week!
We made our way back to the to hotel to warm up and by this time our friends, Mike & Sandy were getting on the plane to head to New Orleans. We decided to find a bar and have them meet us there when they got in. Ryan found this bar called 21st Amendment la Louisane bar. This is so Ryan's style. He loves the old school, prohibition style bars with good craft cocktails. I had a Frenchy and a "real" hurricane while Ryan had an old fashion and a Vieux Carre. Vieux Carré, which was first stirred to life during the 1930s by Walter Bergeron, a bartender at New Orleans’ legendary Carousel Bar inside the Hotel Monteleone. Vieux Carré means “old square” in French and refers to the city’s French Quarter neighborhood. We listened to a small jazz band and waited on Mike & Sandy to get there.
The bartender said that this was what a"real" hurricane was supposed to taste like and not like all the other places that market those bright red sugary drinks. I assumed he was talking about Pat O'Brien's.
So Mike & Sandy get there and we figure out where we are going to go for dinner. Ryan ate at this place called Drago's the last time he was in New Orleans and said they had good chargrilled oysters so we called an Uber to go eat there. I had this shrimp and lobster linguine and it was AMAZING!!!!!
Ryan met Mike & Sandy through selling real estate and we have all built a friendship over the last couple years. Ryan knew how much they loved New Orleans so when he decided this was where we were going to go for my birthday he called them up to go with us and show us around. Their favorite bar was called Patrick's Bar Vin. It was like a quirky french art studio meets wine cellar. The owner, Patrick, hangs out in the bar and mingles with everyone. He's just as quirky as his bar. I had a French 75 which is also a very popular drink in New Orleans and on my bucket list - check! It was a nice little hole in the wall place. Leave it to Ryan to act up!
Next stop while continuing to check things off my bucket list was a hurricane at Pat O'Brien's - check! It was so crowded and we stood for a while before we found a couple chairs and it was definitely cutthroat for those chairs too! I don't think we were expecting to go in and want to stay but who doesn't love dueling pianos?!?! Plus, it was just so much fun when everyone knows all the words and the whole place is singing out loud. Such a fun atmosphere!
After we left there we stopped in another bar called 718 Local and quickly walked right back out. We weren't feeling the vibe in there. We decided it was probably best that we just call it a night and then we saw a Krystals! I mean .... who doesn't love a good gut bomb after a full night of drinking?!? Plus, Mike & Sandy had never had a Krystals burger before and it quickly became our mission to have them try one. We get back to the hotel and walk in to a bottle of champagne in our room from Mike & Sandy to celebrate my birthday. Nothing goes better than Krystal's & champagne, right? HAHA!
Saturday morning we got up and met Mike & Sandy in the lobby of the hotel and decided on the Ruby Slipper for breakfast - check!
After breakfast we were back and first in line again for the Carousel Bar. Staying at Hotel Monteleone and sitting at the Carousel Bar were 2 things on Mike & Sandy's bucket list. Of all the times they had been to New Orlean's they had never been able to get a seat at the carousel.
We spent the rest of the early part of the morning just walking around, going in and out of shops. Just taking in all the New Orlean's atmosphere! It quickly became our mission to find Ryan a sport coat. We hit up every European clothing store but obviously no one else on earth has as broad of shoulders as Ryan Barker. But I ended up with a hat!!!
Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo- check! Very interesting place and it seemed more like a shrine for her in there. Lot's of people have their own interoperation of who she was and what she did - some good and some bad. But I definitely felt a weird & uneasy feeling walking around in that place.
Kids of New Orleans playing their bucket drums!
For lunch we stopped in at La Bayou so that Ryan could get in his Louisiana staple meals - gumbo, jambalaya, etc. before we left.
Mardi Gras season was about to start soon and I expected to see more "parading" but this was the only one I remember seeing. The bartender at the restaurant said anyone can pay to have their own "parade" through the streets of New Orleans. Which it seemed like this was what that was. But it only takes one person because everyone is welcome to stop what they are doing and join in the "parading" if they so choose.
After lunch I talked everyone into going back to Erin Rose for another frozen Irish coffee because I had been dreaming about it ever since the first one and Mike & Sandy had never had one. During my research of all the things I wanted to do in New Orleans, Frenchman Street kept popping up in my search. Frenchman Street is said to be the Bourbon Street of the local's. We decided that was what we were going to do for our Saturday night. We took an Uber there and the Uber driver gave us some do's and don'ts. Some of which had us a little on edge. Once we started walking around we quickly decided that this was not the place for us. Maybe it was because we were early and the festivities don't start until very late. But either way there was a very unwelcoming feeling and nothing like they portrayed it in my research. I can say - Frenchman Street - check!
We Uber'd back to Bourbon Street and picked Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse for dinner...
... and had their table side banana's foster- check!
IT WAS SOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!! A perfect ending to our last night in New Orleans!
Sunday morning we packed up and met Mike & Sandy in the lobby to Uber back to the airport. When we got to the airport we had a Starbucks dilemma. Who puts 2 Starbucks so close together in an airport? I mean you are just asking for issues!! I say that because I ordered on my Starbucks app not expecting there to be more than one Starbucks in the airport. Well, it sent my order to the other one and we waited what seemed like forever for our order and then were told we probably ordered it at the other one. And low a behold it was sitting there waiting on us when we got there! We then hit up the souvenir area in the airport and picked up a King Cake to bring back to the kids. We boarded the plane at 10 and at 1035 we were in the air and on our way home to our babies!!!!
Interestingly, this is how Canadian's say hello. Super sweet gesture :)
One thing I remember seeing as we landed and and left New Orleans was the hurricane damage that still remains. The blue tarps on all the roofs just amazes me to see that. I couldn't imagine! Makes me thankful for all we have.
See you next time New Orleans you were good to us!!!!!!!
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