NOLA BABY! What a perfect EAT, for my EAT, LOVE, PRAY journey. The last time I was in this beautiful, rich, and delicious city, I wasn’t old enough to truly comprehend its magic or understand how culturally diverse this city is. I’m also happy I never came here in my 20’s because, Heather in her 20’s would of had a neck full of beads and a morning full of confusion. New Orleans is most definitely a party city, but I’m so grateful to have had a surprisingly different experience.
BOURBON STREET vs FRENCHMEN STREET
I have always been a free spirit , down for a good time, and the first one to stand in the middle of a crowd shaking what my mama gave me. However, as a single mama in her 30s, my version of a good time has evolved. Bourbon street was quite the experience and one that does not need to be revisited. It was extremely dirty, plagued with scammers ready to pounce on their first drunk victim, and a playground for young college kids looking to get drunk as fast as possible. A vibe that no longer intrigues me.
However, there were some really cool moments on our Bourbon Street visit. There were a lot of live bands playing as they walk through the Quarter and bucket drummers who showcase there talents. Do not be alarmed as most of these street performers where children, NOLA is still recovering from Katrina , and so the community capitalizes off street hustle. Just show your support by dropping a few dollars in the bucket and keep it moving.
My best friend Emily and I were starving after our plane ride so we decided to stop at the first restaurant we saw on Bourbon St., Le Bayou Restaurant and Oyster bar. I ordered the Taste Of The Bayou which was a trio platter of some of NOLAS most famous dishes. It came with red beans with rice, seafood gumbo and crawfish etouffe! ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! 10/10 would Highly recommend. One of my favorite things about the trip was that there were OYSTER ON EVERY CORNER. We didn’t eat any oyster at Le Bayou, and I wish I did . There was not one place where the oysters weren’t fresh or offered a variety of choices.
Frenchmen street however was more our speed. Its where the locals hang out, it was a lot cleaner, the restaurants were super cute and aesthetically pleasing to dine in , all the clubs and bars were playing live music and there is a small courtyard where people were selling art, books, jewelry and other products. Way less “ratchet” then the Bourbon street madness with a much more mature crowd. We ate at restaurant call Snug Harbor Jazz Bar and Bistro. The aesthetic was very dark and moody on the inside , with beautiful art adorned on the walls. We ordered the Red Beans and Rice (which was good but not as good as Le Bayou’s), the Broiled Shrimp, the Oysters Italiano and Seafood Gumbo. 10 / 10 MUST GO! The service was on point, the food was flavorful and beautifully platted, and there is a Piano bar in the back.
After a beautiful dinner , it was time to explore and enjoy another NOLA staple, the music scene. Frenchman St. is an entire strip of bars, restaurants , and small businesses. We stopped at a few bars, enjoyed the set being played and hopped to the next bar. When we finally got to a bar called BMC and were instantly HOOKED, and spent the remainder of our evening jamming to a band called Andre Lovetts Band. Once I heard them sing a cover to Daniel Cesar’s song “Best Part”, I was instantly hooked and dancing and singing along the entire night during their set. The drinks at the bar were inexpensive and there was plenty of seating.
Another night we were getting ready to walk back to our Airbnb, when passing by a Hotel called the Frenchmen Hotel. In Louisiana the homes and most small businesses have shutters that completely open up the outside of the home. There shutters were completely open and we were stopped in our tracks by some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard in my life, by a band called Chris Christy’s Sextet. We eventually made our way inside and snagged the first seat we found and made ourselves very comfortable. It had been a long time since music made me cry , laugh, dance , and become completely disconnected from the world around me and connect within myself. There was a bar, so we ordered ourselves a few glasses of wine and made ourselves right at home for the next 3 hours. We explored the hotel a bit, it was designed to feel like your in someone’s home, with a living room , dining room, and then the rooms for the hotel guest. Although we didn’t stay here, if we were ever to come back to NOLA we both agreed we would love to rent a room as the hotel itself was beautiful , the staff was very personable and friendly, they host musicians every night and was perfectly located.
Magazine Street.
Magazine St. was also a VIBE. If you know me you know I live for thrifting and great Vintage finds. We stopped at a vintage store called Trashy Diva Vintage. It was a thrift girls HEAVEN! As soon as you walk in there was a variety of beautiful vintage from the early 20s- to the early Y2K days. I started a brand called TravelerCo that focuses on both sustainable fashion as well as Vintage pieces. After seeing the Variety of beautiful vintage clothing this boutique had , I had so many questions. The woman working the front was so kind , and friendly and answered all of my fleeting questions with a smile on her face. I purchased a beautiful dress from the early 90s for my self , and a pleated children’s dress from the 70s and a denim children’s skirt for my daughter from the 90s. My friends Emily purchased a beautiful red sequined dress I believe from the 80s.
Another really good Vintage boutique I found on Magazine street was called FUNKY MONKEY. They were a-lot less expensive then Trashy Diva , but also had an amazing selection of gently used items and Vintage gems. I ended up finding a vintage men’s denim jacket, and a vintage sheer Victoria’s Secret slip dress. They definitely gave more of a consignment store feel where as Trashy Diva was only geared toward authentic Vintage.
BRUNCH ON BRUNCH ON BRUNCH
Now as I previously mentioned, NOLA is a party city. The bars are opened all night, all morning, and all day. They close for a split of a second! Needless to say the brunch scene is NOLA is absolutely LIT! My first suggestion is to definitely go to WHO DAT COFFE CAFE. There was a bit of a wait when we arrived , and I can see why! Its located in a cute neighborhood about 8 min or less away from Magazine St. and from the outside looks like some ones cute little home turned to café. When we were finally seated , we ordered our first round of mimosas. For 6 bucks , you can get a full cup of champagne with a splash of orange juice and can take the cup with you to go. That one Mimosa had me feeling nice. I ordered the WHO DAT cat fish eggs Bennie and Emily ordered the WHO DAT crawfish scramble. FIRE! Each plate came with fresh fruit , and we cleaned our plates. Here are a list of places you MUST check out while your in NOLA that I have not mentioned in this article.
- Surreys(Brunch) 10/10 order the craw fish Etoufe omlette.
- French Truck Coffe
- Morning Call Coffee Stand (City park)
- LaBougalangerie
- Studio B art museum
- Dooky Chases
- Shamrock Game room
- Neyows
- The ruby slipper (breakfast/brunch)
- The Vintage Coffee shop (you can get mini beignets and a coffee for $3)
AIRBNB
We chose to stay in a Airbnb while visiting NOLA. We chose a place outside the Quarter , and was a bit nervous because I also chose a Airbnb that was set up like a Hostel. It was a shared Space, with our own private room and bathroom. It was a duplex, our Host lived in the second home and was very accommodating. On arrival I was very happy to see it was located in a very quiet neighborhood, with not much activity. When we entered our Airbnb it was absolutely stunning. You can tell it was an older model home and the décor fit the New Orleans vibe. It had Jazz décor and art all around the home and there were signs in every room with clear directions on how to respectfully use the entire home to your leisure. In the kitchen the Host also provided a map of the city, a list of suggested places to eat and visit, and directions of how to use transportation safely. There is a curfew for noise, and one night Emily and I came in a bit to giggly and she was kind enough to nicely remind us of the 10pm quiet hours, and moving forward we were on our best behavior. I highly recommend this Airbnb to those who are traveling on a budget and are seeking to meet like minded travelers.
