New Orleans: A Travel Wrap-Up

I returned home yesterday from New Orleans and must admit I am exhausted! It was such a fantastic four days. I have known this group of girls since freshman year of college and each time we get together it’s as if no time has passed. New Orleans is like no other place I have been. I must say that every person we came in contact with was so nice and welcoming. Aside from rain on the first day, we lucked out with blue skies and sunshine. Here are a few photos I pulled off of our phones. Just a great time with great people. ………….. new orleans highlights … We grabbed coffee and walked around Jackson Square – great local artists, street performers, and lovely sights right near the river.   We were determined to enjoy a beverage on one of the balconies so we wasted away a few hours up here! I was enamored with all of the doors. My friends were good sports and let me snap away. In fact they made sure I didn’t get hit by cars when talking the photos from the middle of the street. Too bad I didn’t watch where I was walking {let’s just say horses go through here . . uh hem} On the recommendation of one of our favorite clients, we hit up Nola {one of Emeril’s restaurants}. It was delicious and I would definitely go back. Downstairs at Nola.   One of the highlights was taking a rickshaw ride to Café du Monde after a late night at a Jazz Club. I had to try one of the beignets everyone talks about. Okay, maybe I had three or four. I may have lost count. Coffee + beignets = true love. This was snapped at The Bombay Club. We were enamored by the live jazz music. This place had an old school feel with comfy wingback chairs and scrumptious wine. We settled in for quite some time. I had to include this photo as my girl Tina hooked us all up with monogrammed koozies! That’s right! We each had our own pattern with our monograms on them. They made for quite the conversation piece with all nine of us. Too cute. Thanks, Tina {I’ll have to ask her which Etsy shop she used}. Walking around Magazine street was also a treat. Such cute spots. I love this pink door.   Sucre was darling. I treated myself to a coffee and dark double chocolate gelato. Hmm. Maybe someone needed some caffeine! Lilette is located on Magazine street as well. This was a recommendation of another college friend who lives in town. He joined the nine of us for lunch and it was great to reminisce about old times and catch up. I highly recommend this spot for lunch. It was delicious. We couldn’t let the days go by without popping into the tourist spot, Pat O’Briens. It’s a dueling piano bar and it also boasts a great outdoor patio area. We spent part of Sunday cruising around the French Market. Neat spot to people watch and pick up little trinkets. Of course Riley and Grady benefited from this. I just loved the architecture and cute signs that were on every store front. So much charm. Trying out the masks that were bought for the kiddos! …………….. Such a fun trip. And crazy appreciation for my hubby who had a blast with the kids four four days. I even came home to a clean house. Hoping to go back to New Orleans with him so we can explore more and get lost in the Jazz Clubs and yummy restaurants. Thank you to my sweet readers who took the time to pass along their recommendations and knowledge of New Orleans. I may have to go a few times to eventually hit it all!