This weeks blog is extra special! Instead of a segment on a special recipe, I am devoting this blog to an entire trip to New Orleans this past week. My husband and I try to go a few times a year! We are usually accompanied by friends, but this time around, we decided to go alone and enjoy the city at our own pace, find a few new things to do, and just enjoy some time alone before the holiday hustle. Because we go so much, people always ask us what we do and we have even inspired some friends and family to plan their own trip. A lot of people are turned off because of Bourbon Street and they don’t want to be around a crowd of drunk people, and theives. Well, New Orleans has so much more to offer and I am here to tell you there is a whole other world out there! There is so much history, phenomenal food, and shopping. To start art off your virtual tour of New Orleans, I’m taking right to the best ( in my opinion,) Po’ Boy Shop in NOLA. Located in Mid-Cities, Parkway Bakery and Tavern has a unique charm about it and everyone is friendly! This is usually our first stop, and we have found it not as busy during the afternoon. They have many different varieties, but our favorite is the “Surf and Turf.” It is a fresh baked French baguette smothered in roast beef and fried shrimp and of course the usual trimmings! This is sure to get your trip started off right! Our next stop in the Ruby Slipper! There are several of these around NOLA, but the best one is tucked away under the Pelham hotel. Located on Magazine St. in the central business district the Ruby Slipper is famous for thier eye opening cocktails and amazing eggs Benedict! I always order the bacon infused vodka Bloody Mary, and The Peacmaker. With the Peacemaker, you get to mix and match two different eggs Benedict! I always get the Eggs Cochon and Chicken St. Charles! Also featured is the strawberry cream cheese stuffed pancake! So worth every bite! We love coming to this Mid- Cities gem as well. Katie’s was introduced to us by my husbands friend who lives in NOLA. Katie’s is actually featured on a famous show on The Food Network but when you walk in, you’d never know because everyone that works there is so down to earth. The food is amazing! Every time we come here I always get the Jalapeño BlackBerry ribs, and my husband gets some sort of pizza! He usually makes his own combination, and they always look tasty. You have to get there early or they will sell out of the ribs! This happened to me last week, but the waitress came in with save by offering my the Beef short ribs with seasonal veggies and a stuffed sweet potato! I was not dissapointed!! Across the lake are some not-so-busy towns! We usually try to visit the Abita brewery when we are feeling adventurous and want to step away from the city! The Abita brewery has great staff, brewery tours, special events, food trucks, and of course amazing beer! I’m pretty sure we tried all of them this time and really enjoyed the rainy afternoon cozied up in Abita Springs. Also the 25 mi Causeway is totally worth it!! When in NOLA, you have to go to Bourbon Street! But during happy hour in the quarter!! They always offer 3 for 1 and that is the only time we go! Featured are our favorite places to go! Be sure to visit one of the oldest bars in the USA, Lafitte’s. This bar was Jean Lafitte’s pirate bar. Still built around the original floors and hearth, get the frozen purple drink! Tropical Isle is also among the few places that we enjoy! Pat O’Brien’s and Razoo is also a must! We also like to hit the side street bars, and by that time we are usually a little hungry. We love going to 801 Royal and getting these morsels of goodness. They are a mixture of hush puppies and crawfish! So good and so worth it! We also love getting a few slices at Vieux Carre pizza before making our way into Jackson Square! It is the best pizza on Bourbon! When you hear Jackson square people think about the beautiful church, Cafe du Monde, and the French Market. There is also an awesome little bar called Molly’s in the Market! I love their frozen coffee!! The last place we visit in Mid-Cities is called The Vessel. This converted church is great to have a few drinks before or after dinner. We usually go here and then walk next door to Katie’s. We love their Old Fashioneds with the ice sphere. This is the best Creole- Italian cuisine on Frenchmen Street. With its cozy dining room and the live jazz music coming from the bar on the first floor, Aldolfo’s is one of the best kept secrets NOLA has to offer! They have seasonal specials, but our favorites are the stuffed flounder with ocean sauce and the New York strip smothered in ocean sauce! The next part of NOLA we love to visit is Magazine Street! Accompanied with it’s great shopping and atmosphere, this is where you will find the best spots the locals won’t tell you about! Featured here is the Rum House with their bar full of different rums and excellent Caribbean cuisine. We also stop at La Boulangerie with their exquisite pastries, Reginellis for their superb pizza and pasta, and District Donuts for their unique combinations! La Boulangerie Reginelli’s District Donuts Don’t worry, we usually lose weight when we come to town. There is so much walking and exploring to do! So be sure to bring your comfy shoes and pants!! Enjoy and Heaux Heaux Heaux!
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