Mardi Gras and New Orleans

Truth is, it doesn't take much for me to love a place. If they have good food, nice people, and a little city where walking is the best means of transportation... it has already stolen my heart. New Orleans currently has my heart right now, and it was the quick little trip that made me come back on Monday saying, "I want to go back!"

It has been on my bucket list to visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras and these beignets for quite some time now (those beignets have been mentioned on my blog one too many times). I consider it a blessing and tons of luck that this Jan MLK weekend allowed me and my two close friends to visit this lovely city. My time there was too short, but very sweet... and I am already itching to go back.

1++ the food. Poboys, beignets, jambalaya, gumbo, oysters... the list goes on. I never realized that I could like seafood so much, but oysters at Acme. You killed it. Share with me your recipe, pretty please.

2++ what a great city with so much history and culture preserved. We took a city tour on our last full day and saw the Hurricane Katrina devastation and a cemetery (that I was surprisingly incredibly intrigued and fascinated with... there were 200 people in one tomb!). We had countless visits to the French Market (the oldest in the country! thank you, city tour for that one), and I experienced my first pre-Mardi Gras parade. Gosh, I can't imagine how crazy it is when it's the day of Mardi Gras, but I want to experience that... one day.

3++ the people. Southern hospitality does exist. I met a Vietnam vet who also happened to be an alumni of my school. We had fun bonding over our extreme contrasting tuition price and his life stories. To all those people who laughed, smiled, and was just so kind to us - you made our trip there so worthwhile.

If you ever have a chance to visit New Orleans, do it and eat for me please! I'd like to go back and sit in a jazz club, visit the WWII museum, and try a muffuletta. You are too cool, New Orleans.

places to eat//
po boys at Johnny's PoBoys

beignets at Cafe du Monde

oysters at Acme

alligator sausage at Market Cafe

oysters egg benedict at Stanley Restaurant