New Orleans, Louisiana Getaway | Travel Diary
One of my favorite places to visit, hands down, is New Orleans, LA. Not only is it a short, cheap flight, but one of my best friends, Bam, recently moved there!
Funny story: July of last year was our first time visiting New Orleans together and was supposed to be a quick day trip just for lunch… and after posting a picture on Instagram, we found out Bam was moving there from Texas that same day! Of course, we had to stop by before our flight, helped her move, then ended up attending a wedding on her front lawn, breaking into a time capsule — the shape of a MF SPACESHIP — during the wedding reception with champagne bottles, and almost getting married by a shaman on a whim. 🤷🏻♀️After such a spontaneous day/night, we (obviously) had to change our flight and stay an extra day with her at her new home.
Couldn’t wait to visit again!
This year we planned more time in NOLA, and thanks to Bam, we saw the best of the city, plus a few more ‘hidden’ gems. She’s the BEST host, ya’ll! 💖
New Orleans: Day 1
Our first stop this time was Elizabeth’s Restaurant for brunch and mimosas (two of my fav things). What I liked about this place was that they give you the bottle of champagne and some orange juice so you can make your own mimosas. As you may have picked up on, I like/prefer strong drinks, so being able to make every mimosa 90% champagne was just awesome. As for Jeff, his favorite thing at Elizabeth’s was (of course) their praline bacon!
After brunch, we walked over to the newly opened Crescent Park for the views. Even though it had been raining, it was so beautiful. It’s along the Mississippi River and has THE best view of New Orleans. Definitely worth checking out!
Jeff even found a little friend out there...
After a couple hours of some downtime, we headed back out — this time, Jeff and Bam had sticks in hand (don’t ask). Everything is pretty much walking distance from her place, which is awesome because you end up stumbling upon hidden gems and adventures you could have missed out on just driving from place to place in the city. Example: They sword-fought with sticks in a garden, and then enjoyed live music and drinks from a jazz club (sticks still in hand), all before we got to the St. Louis Cathedral.
Next stop, Bourbon Street! I missed out on getting the famed Hand Grenade cocktail from Tropical Isle our last trip there, so I was on a mission! I also finally got to check out Channing Tatum’s bar: Saints & Sinners. (BTW: still, sticks in hand)
Okay so, honestly, after all this and finishing the Hand Grenade, the rest is blurry... 😔 I know we got a tour of a local radio station, then met up with another friend from Texas who happened to be in town as well. All had dinner, drank some more and then — 🤔. Hey, I was on vacation... Plus, we made it back to Bam’s safe, and I felt fine the next morning so that’s a win in my book, haha!
*please drink responsibly*
New Orleans: Day 2
The next day, Bam took us to The Country Club for brunch. This place was so cute. They had a bit of a wait, so we left our number and went to a nearby bar to kill the time. Really, the wait wasn’t even that bad — I ended up bringing in my drink from that bar in a To-Go cup with no problem. (LOVE New Orleans for this 😁)
The Country Club’s breakfast was DELICIOUS!! It did start pouring rain, so we missed out on the pool/hot tub out back, but I will note they offer happy hour when it rains! 😉 Oh, yeah, Jeff’s favorite thing? The bacon. He actually ordered a side of it since his meal didn't come with it, and they gave him a small bowl. 👍And he took most of mine lol.
Despite the rain, but we explored the neighborhood, visited antique shops, etc. They’re so many creepy/cool things in NOLA. I love it!
Afterwards, Jeff and I wandered off on our own and ended up at Cafe Du Monde for coffee and beignets. *DROOL* We got lucky this time too, because there was NO WAIT. 🙌
Then, as we do, just went around: bar-hopping, enjoying live music, and following some random guy in a suit and bouquet of flowers through the crowded streets. . . LOL (Okay so, #1: I mentioned the day drinking; #2: We were curious about where he was going in such a hurry… in a suit… on Bourbon Street… with flowers. Obvious answer — it was a date)
We then found one of our favorite bars we checked out during our last trip to NOLA: The Old Absinthe House. It’s located on the corner of Bourbon and Bienville (great for people-watching) and super chill. The Old Absinthe House has vintage football helmets hanging from the ceiling, business cards and football jerseys covering the walls, and ABSINTHE.
Fun fact about this place: it's one of the oldest bars in New Orleans (over 200 years old) ...and it's said to be "haunted." 😱
My first time there, the bartender shared a few "spooky" stories with me. And I later learned (because the internet) that people have seen chairs, glasses, and bottles move around the bar, as well as the doors open/close on their own. I haven't witnessed anything creepy during any of my visits (yet), but if you stop by and do — please let me know! 👻
Anyway, it was getting late and we had dinner plans, so we got a Lyft back to Bam’s for a quick nap before getting ready for our night out at the wine shop/restaurant Bacchanal Wine.
There, we ordered drinks before walking out to their courtyard, and y'all — it was so pretty! Surrounding mismatched patio furniture, there's lush trees draped with Christmas lights and a jazz band! 😄
OK, so I am a sucker for places with this kind of setting… and WINE, so yeah, I loved it. 🙃 Besides their great a selection of vino, Bacchanal Wine also offers cheeses and small plates to share.
It was a great way to end our trip. I, again, can’t wait to go back!
To see more from this trip, follow me on Instagram @nancytaguirre!
