New Orleans, part 1

I was in New Orleans for work from Sunday-Thursday. In fact, this will be published as my plane lands back home. I was soooo excited about this trip, because I have friends in New Orleans. This post will cover the first half of my trip.

The weather was gorgeous in New Orleans and I loved just being out walking around.
I arrived in New Orleans on Sunday and almost immediately started working. Later that evening, my good friend Stefanie picked me up for dinner. We ate at Zea and I had a yummy shrimp pasta. Stef was way too good to me and picked up the tab. Then she drove me around the Garden District and showed me her apartment. She lives on a very popular street in an apt above a boutique. It is adorable!! It was an amazing location.

I had a few hours Monday morning to explore before heading to work.

Can you tell I am a tourist?

I have my trusty swingpack and topsiders on--my standard travelling outfit.

I rode the streetcar to the Garden District. I wanted to see it in the daylight.
Unfortunately, I am a major doof and left my camera card reader in my laptop at the hotel. I had to use my phone for all of the pictures.

I loved this row of pink houses.

I had printed off a walking tour from Frommer's and found a few key houses to see.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel (google image)

Women's Opera Guild House (google image)

I loved all the iron fences and gates around the houses.


The door at the opera guild house. I thought it was gorgeous!

I took a cemetary tour at the Lafayette Cemetary No. 1 in the Garden District.

The tour was only $10 and very informative.

I loved reading the names on the tombs to get inspiration for my future children.

Is that creepy??

I loved this tree outside the cemetary wall.

One of the many walls/fences bordering houses in the Garden District.

I worked Monday afternoon and evening. We had an alumni reception at Calcasieu. They had the best fried oysters I have ever eaten. I probably ate a dozen.

I had a couple of hours free Tuesday morning and I headed to the French Quarter.

I was in New Orleans a few years ago on a work trip with the Hornets. (I interned for them when they were in OKC. The 2nd year after Hurricane Katrina they got to play a few games back in their home city.) I got to see a lot of things in the city, including the 9th Ward. The destruction was still very prominent two years after Katrina. (That was a completely random side story.) The one thing we didn't have time for was to eat beignets at Cafe Du Monde. I was determined to do that this trip.

They were DELISH!!

I ate them on a bench outside of the St. Louis Cathedral.

Great artwork outside the cathedral fence

I love the historic feel of the French Quarter.

There were gas lamps all over the city and I loved the flickering light.

Stefanie picked me up for lunch and took me to this hole in the wall place right outside of New Orleans called Crabby Jack's. We both had a shrimp po boy. Oh my, this was yummy!

More to come...