New Orleans

My best friend and I took a long weekend to visit New Orleans, a city both of us had on our list but never had the chance to visit. The food and music met the incredibly high reputation, and pleasantly surprised by the shopping and charming beauty of the city.

We flew from opposite coasts on Friday, arriving at MSY late afternoon. The line for the $36 cab was horrendously long (better off for two people than the $24 shuttle, also with a line), and grabbed a black car for $60 to the Westin New Orleans, right on the water on Canal Street and adjacent to the old French Quarter.

DAY 1

French Market - meet the bartender Doug

Shrimp and crabmeat stuffed avocado

Garlic and herb grilled oysters

Maque croux w andouille sausage

Sweet potato fries

Beer - Andygator and Purple Haze mix

Cafe du Monde

Three beignets 

Hot chocolate and cafe at lait

Copper monkey - meet the bartender  Laurna

Bourbon w ginger beer and lemon

St Lawrence 

Hush puppies w pickled okra and jalapeños

Buffalo wing of NCIS Nola guy

Mac and cheese

Redemption - bourbon cocktail 

DAY 2

Atchaflaya

Duck hash w blackberries

Boudin (rice and pork sausage patties)

Eggs atchaflata w crab meat

Grits

Bloody Mary bar w green tomato juice

Milk punch - brandy, cream half and half, simple syrup, egg nog, nutmeg/cinnamon

Shopping on Magazine Street

Loft43 with owner Kevin

Buffalo Exchange

Basin Seafood and Spirits

Crab and Crawfish beignets 

Garlic herbed butter oysters

Parish Canebrake American wheat from LO

Julia St Art Walk happens on first Saturday's of the month. Check out their site online

Cochon

Grilled broccoli salad

Cucumber pickled w herbs

Louisiana cochon

Shrimp and eggplant dressing

Roasted pumpkin arugula salad

Cote du Rhone

Bourbon vanilla brown sugar satsuma cocktail 

Eggnog cocktail

On to music on Frenchmen Street!

Dba

Three Muses

Eff white drink

Mac and cheese 

DAY 3

Coops Place

Coops combo - gumbo, jambalaya, creole shrimp, fried chicken, beans

Take the $2 ferry across the Mississippi to Algiers Point - worth it for the view of New Orleans

Dry dock cafe - right off the ferry stop, time to get a beer and get the next ferry back

Abita Christmas Ale

St Lawrence

Baked sweet potato Fall spice daiquiri

Shrimp and grits

Brussel sprouts

Spinach dip