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NOLA

Jan. 2, 2019 - Jan. 7, 2019

By Susan Densa

August 13^th, 2019

Taking it easy in The Big Easy

The first trip of 2019 was down in wonderful New Orleans. It was a much needed break from the Chicago winter and even though my partner and I both had pretty rough colds, we had an incredibly memorable trip. I can’t stress enough how much I loved the city’s uniquely beautiful architecture, mouthwatering and nap-inducing food, and the warm welcoming hospitality of the people of New Orleans.

NOLA Lore

If you have a fascination with other-worldly stories, you can definitely get your fix of spooky tales in New Orleans. From voodoo queens to vampires to bad celebrity mojo (did you really have to buy a cursed mansion, Nic Cage?), the cemeteries AND the streets are sure to give you the heebie-jeebies at at least one point during your visit. But don’t let that stop you from taking at least one cemetery tour and learning about NOLA’s fascinating burial traditions.

The feel of Southern Hospitality

Walking around The French Quarter, you feel at home. You know the feeling you get when you’re traveling – that feeling of looking like you’re an out-of-towner that’s trying to fit in? I never once got that feeling in NOLA. It’s almost as if everyone you struck up a convo with treated you like an old friend. We even met some folks that visit New Orleans at least twice a year who knew all the good spots to go to and somehow knew we’d like all the spots they told us to check out (we did).

Food and Drink

The food. My god the food. Everything I ate was delicious. I think about beignets and poboys weekly now. Some of the best naps I’ve ever had were a result of eating NOLA’s mouth-watering comfort food. Some highlights:

• The Surf & Turf Poboy from Parkway Tavern

• Fried Chicken from Willie Mae’s

• The Frozen Irish Coffee from Erin Rose (Seriously. Go everyday.)

• Any cocktail paired with the Pork Skins at Cane & Table

• Beignets and coffee at Cafe Du Monde

• The Shrimp Toast and the Pineapple Rum Cake from Peche

The Champagne Lady and Ramos Gin Fizz at Sazerac Bar

Home Away From Home: The Pontchartrain Hotel

A 3:30am arrival from Chicago required some much needed rest. After a super speedy and welcoming checkin at The Pontchartrain Hotel, we headed up to our spacious and quiet room with fluffy, comfortable bed (seriously I loved that bed). We got a late start on our first full day in NOLA but ended up okay with time thanks to the St. Charles Street Car right outside the hotel which made traveling to multiple sights on our trip super convenient.

Aside from being an incredible place to stay, the Pontchartrain is also brimming with New Orleans history. The artwork and decor is very reminiscent of its early years and the same elevator that operated when the building opened in 1927 is still in use today. The hotel once hosted the likes of Frank Sinatra, Truman Capote, Cole Porter, and Tennessee Williams - who penned “A Streetcar Named Desire” right from his hotel room. Downstairs, guests and visitors can enjoy a drink and some live entertainment at The Bayou Bar - where we enjoyed some pretty tasty cocktails and live music from Carl Leblanc & Ellen Smith.

The Pontchartrain Hotel will no doubt will be a stop on our next visit to New Orleans - if only just to spend a little more time in their rooftop bar.

View from Pontchartrain Hotel's rooftop bar - Hot Tin

Footnotes

All photos shot on my handy dandy iPhone. When you're super sick and you don't want to lug your equipment around but still want to photograph your adventures, the iPhone sure does the job.

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FootNotes

All photos shot on my handy dandy iPhone. When you're super sick and you don't want to lug your equipment around but still want to photograph your adventures, the iPhone sure does the job.

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