We are sick and tired of the cold weather here in the Northeast! At one point the temperature was -11F (that's MINUS eleven) and it's been snowing since “Snowvember” (November.) It can be depressing, draining, and frustrating. The sky is always gray, you have to bundle up like you're taking a trek across the mighty tundra, you think your arms might fall off from all the shoveling, cars won't start, furnaces break, and there's no respite. The cold and snow just keep coming. As a result, we decided to escape from the cold and go south to New Orleans! Here's a quick wrap-up of our trip, spread across a few posts...
When planning the trip we asked NOLA aficionados and customers--now long distance friends-- TJ and Christina what to do when in the Quarter. (Note, If you are ever in Wisconsin check them out! http://www.oshkoshtattoo.com & http://beauty-parlour.net)
DAY 1- Warm weather, hurricanes, & VooDoo!
The first thing I noticed was the humidity. Why did I bother curling my hair? I have no idea. I gave up on it and was just happy to bask in the 75 degrees and sunshine!
Our hotel was in the middle of the French Quarter and within walking distance to nearly everything. (That was really the only nice thing about it. Beware staying here--there was a laundry list of maintenance issues that made the stay uncomfortable and weird.)
Po-Boys
What the heck is a po-boy anyway? Well us northerners refer to this classic sandwich as a “sub” or “hoagie”... a po-boy is the same thing. Since we were starving the first thing we did was indulge in a crab cake po-boy and sweet potato fries from Johnny's Po-Boys. I can honestly say it was the best crab cake I have ever had and I'll be having dreams about it until I can go back for another. I'm sort of a sweet potato fry snob and these were like heaven. They weren't greasy, but crunchy and lightly coated in cinnamon. So far so good....
Now that we are charged up and ready to take on NOLA, my first stop had to be Trashy Diva. We have been selling TD since Cats Like Us first opened and I was excited to see their headquarters and where the magic happens. (We carry Trashy Diva atCats Like Us!) The shop is lovely, the workers are helpful and I recommend stopping in. I came home with a Fleur de Lis dress because I thought, “what better souvenir to take home from New Orleans?!”
We continued our walking tour taking in the exquisite architecture and metal work and I was on the hunt for some vintage shops. I asked around and only heard about The Bakelite Lady, and we found our way over...
The most bakelite I have ever seen in one place, however I didn't see any prices, so I knew if I had to ask... I couldn't afford it. Ho-hum, well if I'm not spending money on clothes, that means more money to eat!
Home of the Hurricane
We went to a very unassuming bar called Pat O-Brien's, home of the hurricane (the drink.) Coming in from the sidewalk you walk down an alley and to the left is a traditional bar, to the right is a piano bar, and to the back is a huge outdoor seating area with a bar. Bars galore! Take your pick! (On a side note we were there the day of the Superbowl, so everyone was inside the bar watching the game.) We opted for the piano bar because there was no one there and it was nice to hear live music. We ordered our hurricanes and sat at the corner of the bar, eventually singing along and swaying to the music.
Good thing we only had one hurricane (each) because we had to keep track of time... We were right across the street from where a walking VooDoo Tour would begin. I had never been to New Orleans, so of course I wanted to do all the touristy things imaginable!
The VooDoo tour was run by Haunted History tours and met at Rev. Zombie's House of VooDoo. (http://www.hauntedhistorytours.com) It was informative and I learned a lot about history, architecture, and really just stories about the town.
Read about day 2 of our trip here
~Julie Ann