I never had a desire to visit NOLA. In my mind, I just pictured a smelly, dirty city (I thought that even before Katrina). I was so pleasantly surprised though. We had so. much. fun. And ya know...there is SO much more to New Orleans than Bourbon Street, which we took a stroll down once: and may I just say: GROSS. I will give a little side note about Bourbon Street before continuing onto the loveliness of New Orleans. While passing one strip club, and the bouncers guarding the entrance...I was tempted to punch one of them in the face. Such chauvinism. What are you guarding, anyway? Protecting the girls you put up on your tables to dance? Guarding their virtue? I just HATE that whole business. It's just perpetuating the objectification of women, who are daughters of God, and it really angers me. Of course, it's those girls' decisions to get up there...but they wouldn't be up there if men didn't want them to be. ANYWAY. I didn't punch said bouncer. Oh well. Maybe next time.
Now back to the city. I found it enchanting. I loved the culture. I loved the accents. I loved the architecture. I loved the horse drawn carriages and that it felt so quintessentially Southern. Most of all, I loved the food. When we got home and people asked me how it was, I'd say with tons of enthusiasm: "it was SO much fun!" and then I'd think back to provide reasons for why it was so fun...what was it that we did that was so fun? Well, the answer to that question is.....WE ATE. A LOT. It was awesome. :) Also, it was just so fun to be together. To be with Ella Grace. To be in the carefree state of knowing that for a few days we did not have any obligations, any appointments, any meetings, any school. To just be! And be together. It was bomb.
So our first night we went to the prettiest restaurant I've ever seen!
I had the best dinner of my life there. No really, it was the best. dinner. of. my. life. It was grouper atop a concoction of corn, shrimp, andoiulle sausage and red potatoes.
The first day I strolled around the city and walked downtown to the WW2 Museum while Stace was presenting his paper and listening to other presentations. I didn't end up going into the Museum because one ticket was $25. I still had a nice walk though:) When Stace finished, we were both so hungry because we hadn't eaten yet. Our hotel was really neat, but there was no breakfast! Lame. So we were staaarvin, Marvin. Thus, we went to a place featured on Man vs. Food: Mother's, to get our very first Po'Boys. Honestly, neither of us were that impressed with the Po' Boys! We must be crazy because the line is constantly way out the door. I don't know. But it was still pretty good! And a Po'Boy was something we had to do!
Next we went and put on some workout clothes to go running and explore more of the town. We meant to go running, but instead we ate beignets...(like a donut mixed with a funnel cake). Oops.
That night we went to another place featured on Man vs. Food: ACME Oyster House. Neither of us wanted oysters, but we knew they'd have good seafood so we went there. The line was crazy there, too!
When the waiter approached our table, he totally sold us on a plate of grilled oysters. Man. I'm glad he did! They were SO good. I can't believe I just said oysters were good. In my mind, I think "gross!" while I say that. But, I cannot tell a lie. They were divine.
The next morning we went to a resturant called Brennan's that my dad mandated we go to, while he said he'd foot the bill. It was a good thing because the bill for breakfast was over $100. For breakfast?! Well, breakfast wassss a 3-course meal. I got the turtle soup (I threw up a little bit in my mouth then and also now reliving it), also mandated by my dad. He said it was just something you had to do. So I did. I can now say I've eaten a little bit of Michelangelo. Or Rafael. (The color of the soup was orangey-red). Stace got strawberries in cream. The next courses were both some form of poached eggs. Stace said his Brennan's meal was his favorite of the whole trip. Here was his main course:
And here is the waiter making his dessert: bananas foster...he loved it!
So, I said the first night that I had the best dinner of my life. At Brennan's, I ate the very best thing I've ever eaten in my entire life, overall. Chocolate pecan pie. It was over-the-top ah-mazing.
Needless to say, we weren't hungry for lunch that day! So around 3:30 we headed back to Cafe Dumond to get more beignets.
I know what you're thinking. "Kim. Stace. You guys are a couple of gluttons." Maybe you're right. But my response is "at least we walked a bajillion miles every day!"
That night we went to a reception for Stace's conference. It was fun (for me) to get all dressed up! We made an appearance, hobbed nobbed, and then hauled tail to get some jambalaya at Mother's! Now. That's what you get at Mother's! Don't get the Po'Boy. Get the jambalaya:) Ask me how I felt walking into Mother's (see the picture of the sign above for an idea of what it's like inside) wearing this getup (see below). Go ahead, ask.
Answer: I felt awesome.
That night we snuggled close with the sweetest baby girl I've ever seen.
The next morning was our last day! We went to the cutest little breakfast restaurant called The Ruby Slipper. Another thing I loved about NOLA was the sense of hope and optimism that seemed to be everywhere. Read that sign in the middle to see what I'm talking about.
Stace had French Toast Bananas Foster.
I ordered BBQ shrimp and grits, but I was soooo torn because I also wanted pancakes.
So about 5 minutes after I ordered the grits, I asked it was too late to change my order. The waitress laughed and said "yes! But do you want me to just bring you a short stack?" and I was like heck yes! Wow. You all think I am so fat right now! bahahaha.
After breakfast, and before we had to check out and head back home, we walked a bit more to Southern Candymakers and picked up "the best pralines in the USA" for Stace's family. They watched our little man while we were gone. We missed him so much!
We'll see you next time NOLA...if you can handle us!
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