That’s right – a new feature! Believe it or not there is a world outside the walls of the Holy City and as much as I love our home, I enjoy exploring the rest of the country. I decided to share some quick reviews about the different cities I visit in case ya’ll end up venturing outside the Lowcountry too.
I took a trip with my lady friend outside of the Holy City and decided I should share some of the highlights with my faithful followers. For a few days in late November we were temporary residents of the Crescent City!!
New Orleans is a great American city with plenty to do. In some ways I was reminded of good ole Charleston. NOLA had plenty of huge southern mansions, lots of brick buildings, delicious food and a prideful group of residents. Sound familiar? If you are looking for a new city to visit but don’t want to go somewhere TOO different, New Orleans is the place for you.
Highlights
– Just an incredible site. It’s an iconic part of the Crescent City and has been repaired and vastly improved from its pre-Hurricane Katrina days. On Saints’ game days the whole area around the dome becomes a huge outdoor party. It’s quite the site to see.
Mother’s – Really tasty and filling Southern Food (is there any other kind?). The restaurant has been on Poydras Street since 1938 and has been striving ever since. It may not look like much from the outside – old, worn-out red brick – but the food inside is delicious. You order cafeteria-style and wait at one of the many tables for your food to arrive. I opted for a roast beef Po-Boy with “Debris,” which many people recommended on Foursquare. It was well worth the try! Everything looked great though, so I doubt you could go wrong with anything!
Creole Creamery – A fairly nondescript building is anything but once you order their ice cream. There’s the standard fare (chocolate, vanilla, etc), but also plenty of unique flavors rotating throughout the year. Some samples include: avocado & cream, cake batter, butterscotch rum, plum walnut, and sweet beet.
Garden District – Beautiful neighborhood in NOLA. Lots of gigantic, Southern-styled mansions, trolleys, restaurants,and huge oak trees.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas – Very similar to our own aquarium here in Charleston. There’s a huge tank full of fish, eels, sharks, and more. Also on display – penguins, sea otters, jellyfish, sea horses, and turtles.
Riverwalk – Not only can you walk along the waterway, but there are plenty of shops and restaurants to enjoy.
Bourbon Street – The be-all, end-all of New Orleans. The most visited and talk-about place in the city is certainly a sight to see. Plenty of bars, eateries, adult establishments, live jazz, street performers and debauchery are found all along this historic street. A popular stop on the street is Tropical Isle, which is home to the famous Hand Grenade.
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop – It may be on Bourbon Street, but it’s a decent distance from the craziness. It’s a much more relaxing venue to visit. It’s believed to be the oldest bar in America and it looks it. The old house has no (well very little) electricity and is entirely lit by candlelight. They leave the doors open to
make it “open-air” but there is a fireplace in the center of the bar for those chilly nights.
Clover Grill – A 24/7 diner on Bourbon Street is the perfect stop after a night of partying. The small joint serves up typical diner fare, but they are known for cooking their hamburgers under a hubcap.
Cafe Du Monde – A New Orleans institution. They are well known for their beignets (French doughnuts) and cafe au lait (coffee and chicory with cream). The beignets are sort of like mini versions of fried dough. The sweet treats provide a nice balance to the bitter coffee and chicory.