Things I Miss about NOLA (already)
- Kris
- Jun 2, 2017
- 5 min read
I can count on one hand how many trips I've taken outside of my time zone - 3: Wyoming/Montana, Houston, and England/Ireland. I imagine myself as a world traveler, but the hard reality is that my bucket list is full of places I've never been.
But there's a lot that has changed since I added all my dream destinations to my bucket list: I am in supportive relationship, I have a steady job that supports me, I have the time to take off to where I want to go... why not start crossing these places off my list?
Once we sat down to discuss our plans for the summer and agreed on a place, we immediately got to planning. Our trip was booked by the end of January and the countdown started. The dates: May 10-13th, which felt so far away at the time. It's unbelievable to me that it already is over by a couple weeks. New Orleans was gone before I could even blink.
1. Our Balcony Room
We booked our stay with Chateau LeMoyne in the French Quarter. Situated on Dauphine Street, the hotel was removed enough from the busy streets that we could choose when to relax and when to party - exactly as we like it! It was just a walk around the block to Bourbon Street, and only 15 minutes to Jackson Square.
We do not like to overbook our schedules when traveling, so we do spend some down time in the hotel room. Our temporary home at Chateau LeMoyne was one my favorite places we've ever stayed. The Concierge was super helpful, and the staff was incredibly accommodating. Our room, though, was the absolute highlight.
The king bed was actually comfortable!
Boyfriend and I spent a lot of time out on the balcony enjoying the sunset and sounds of the New Orleans evening. During the day, we would come back to the room to lounge in preparation for the evening festivities and watch Food Network.
I just loved all the brick; it made me feel like I was fully immersed in the Vieux Carré life. Which leads perfectly into the next thing I miss...
2. The Architecture
Boyfriend could tell you much more about the architecture of the city's structures, but where my words fail me my Canon speaks. We both couldn't stop taking pictures of the city streets, the buildings, the balconies. I never expected that ironwork would be a thing that would strike me so strongly, and yet I spent hours walking around the French Quarter looking at the different designs.
An obvious point of interest was the St. Louis Cathedral, our first stop in New Orleans. The beauty of the stained glass inside the church and the statue-work were beyond their religious significances. It felt like stepping into history, not just a place for the devout. It was a place for anyone who appreciated New Orleans.
On Day two of our trip, we rode the trolley to the Garden District to visit Lafayette Cemetery where we roamed among the tombs. Some were weathered, some were more modern. We did not do a tour through the site, so we did not hear their stories, but it felt right to visit and somberly pay respects to those that came before us.
3. The Food
Food was actually what I was dreading, and in an ironic turn of events, it's the thing I miss the most about our trip. I was originally nervous because I do not eat any sort of seafood, which I assumed to be a good portion of NOLA cuisine. And while that is still true, NOLA isn't only known for seafood the way Maryland is known for blue crabs and Old Bay.
I am incredibly proud of myself for eating outside my comfort zone on this trip. Our first day, we landed around 10, and immediately went to a restaurant in Jackson Square where I tried gator for the first time. I loved it blackened, spicy and seasoned. Little did I know, the journey into spicy foods would only be just beginning.
I found non-seafood gumbo and jambalaya, which I never thought I'd try since I assumed they were always seafood-based. Boyfriend had ordered the gumbo, but I ate most of it. The jambalaya was my own choice, which I ordered at the House of Blues.
I was not at all hesitant to try beignets at Café du Monde. Who can say "no" to fried dough and powdered sugar, disguised as breakfast food?
4. Open Container Law
While this could make me sound like a party animal (I promise, I'm not) and is definitely a huge appeal to many when it comes to Mardi Gras and late night adventures, the French Quarter's open container laws were only ever a positive experience for us.
The businesses are accustomed to their guests coming and going, and bar-hopping was part of the adventure! The ease of it was so new for me, but it felt right to be able to walk outside, drink in hand.
Our ghost tour came with a deal of buy one get one hurricanes, which could be taken with us on the tour since they came in plastic cups. The beverages were refreshing while walking across town, and they enhanced our experience with the stories of New Orleans. Even so, drunk me still wouldn't approach the LaLaurie Mansion. Chris says the Pope couldn't convince him to get near it.
5. Color
It feels so vivid in comparison to the grey storms we've been having in Maryland, but thinking back on New Orleans, I keep reflecting back on the color. Every corner, splashes of red, blue, green and everything in between. Trees were adorned with Mardi Gras beads of every size. The plant-life was abundant at ground level and up high. And the homes themselves were painted in every color you can think of. Once it became dark, the lights of Bourbon Street illuminated the jubilation below.
6. Music
I bet you can imagine why New Orleans was on my bucket list; I had to visit the birthplace of much of music as we know it today. The traditions of jazz and blues are still relevant in this fast-paced world, and many of the classics will remain that way for as long as humanity continues to feel and listen and dance.
The music never stops in New Orleans, reverberating from the open doors of the nearest bar, or performed live on the city street. Percussion, brass, strings, piano. After our ghost tour, we listened to our rumbling stomachs but followed our ears to B.B. King's Blues Bar. The band was in the middle of a song, and as we ate our southern fried entrées, they erupted into "Soul Man."
The same night we walked back to the hotel via Bourbon Street where adjacent bars battled to draw the attention of those on the street. We followed the crowd-pleasers to a piano bar, instantly drawn into the dance. On our way back, we passed bass beat after bass beat.
It was the music that I wished I could bring back with me to Maryland over anything else, those constant notes which blanketed the city as day turned to night.
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