New Orleans

Last week Mike had a conference to attend in New Orleans and I got to be his plus one. I was so excited. I had never been to New Orleans before, and I was really looking forward to the trip. We arrived on Tuesday afternoon, and it looked just like I thought it would - like adorable New Orleans Square at Disneyland. . . only a dirtier, trashier, and more humid version. Oh man. It was sort of shocking, actually. Looking back, I suppose my expectations were a little off. On our first night there, excited to explore the city, Mike and I took a walk around the French Quarter after dinner and ended up on Bourbon Street. I know, big mistake! Honestly, half a block in was enough for us before we turned around and high tailed it out of there. And it was a Tuesday night at 8:00! I can't imagine what it must be like on the weekend, let alone during Mardi Gras. Goodness.

But it wasn't all bad. We actually had a really good time. The people were all so nice and everything we ate was completely delicious. Here are the highlights:

After we checked into our hotel on Tuesday, our first stop was Cafe du Monde for pre-dinner beignets. I thought they'd be overrated, but I was wrong. They were delicious and cheap and our whole experience there was great. We even went back late the next night for more. It is a fun place to sit and observe some of the craziness on the streets.

My favorite day of the trip was spent at the National World War II Museum and in the Garden District. I walked to the museum from my hotel and spent about two hours going through the exhibits. I could have easily spent two more. There was so much to read and experience there. I think it'd be terribly boring for children, but I really loved it. If you go, pay a few dollars more to see the movie Beyond All Boundaries. I didn't, and I am still kicking myself about it. I left the museum feeling so grateful for the sacrifice of those men and women. What they did and accomplished was really amazing.

The Garden District was probably within walking distance of the museum, but I didn't like the looks of the part of town separating the two, so I hopped on a tour bus. You can also take the trolly. This section of New Orleans is full of beautiful, grand homes. It is quiet and peaceful and feels like it is a world away from Bourbon Street (but like all of New Orleans, it is sort of falling apart).

The stretch of Magazine Street here is full of fun shops. I particularly liked Pippen Lane (expensive but adorable children's clothes, and if you are lucky you might score something from the clearance rack like I did) and the Antique market. I picked up the perfect vintage hat for Stella's halloween costume there.

I stepped into Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 for a few minutes. I didn't take a tour, but I browsed by myself for a bit. So interesting.

On Thursday afternoon, Mike's conference set up a swamp tour for us. I was less interested in the little alligators than I was in the scenery. It was so unlike the dry desert of Arizona! It was beautiful, in a swampy sort of way. I especially loved the green stuff carpeting the surface of the water. And the breeze from the boat as we sped down the river felt so good in the midst of all of the humidity.

I took one last walk around the French Quarter on Friday morning to admire the architecture and buy some final souvenirs. It turns out that the French Quarter at 10am isn't such a bad place. The revelers must still be in bed then and the streets have been hosed down, cleared of the previous night's debris. It was quiet and pretty. I skipped the tourist shops on Decatur and went to the French Market instead. It is sort of like a swap meet, and I found some good things for my kids there.

I don't want to give New Orleans such a bad rap, but I was genuinely surprised by the level of filth (physical and spiritual - and by spiritual I mean things that would offend a person's spirit, regardless of their religion) that I saw. But, having said that, it is unlike any other place I've ever been, too. The culture and history are completely unique and the people there are happy and kind and helpful. I'm glad I was able to visit.

A couple more notes:

Whatever you do, eat at Butcher. Mike only had two meals not provided by his conference and we spent both of them here. Super hipster, but so delicious. Mike loved the Buckboard Bacon Melt. I really liked the BBQ Pork Sandwich.

A friend cautioned me on my instagram feed to be careful while I was there, as it is an easy place to be robbed. She told me to stay to the beaten path. I wholeheartedly agree. I definitely felt unsafe, but I was never scared. Does that make sense? I learned long ago to walk with confidence in a big city. Since I was by myself most of the time, I walked fast and acted like I knew where I was going. Because of this, I was never approached like some of the other tourists I saw were. I kept my sunglasses on and didn't look anyone in the eye.

Some final advice: avoid Bourbon Street. And maybe Canal Street, too.

Have you ever been to New Orleans? Was your experience similar to mine? I'd love to hear about it.