There were two main reasons we visited New Orleans. (1)Dan’s team was playing in the Super Bowl (go Birds) and (2) Mardi Gras! We stuck around the area for about a week and a half (our trifecta was in Slidell), so that we could have a romantic dinner cruise on Valentine’s Day. (Thanks, Dan, it was wonderful!) <3

I didn’t know much about New Orleans, since I had never been before. I learned is there is a lot of French culture in New Orleans because the French founded the city back in 1718. You may recall from your U.S. History classes that in 1803, Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States for $15 million in the Louisiana Purchase. (Don’t worry, I had forgotten about that, too–sorry, Mrs. Kriete!)

Another interesting fact we learned was the origin of “Cajun” culture in Louisiana. It seemed those French colonists who settled in Louisiana came from a place called Acadia (part of Canada) in the 17th century. The were called, “Acadians” or Les Cadiens, dropping the “A”. Fast forward a hundred or so years, and you have Americans who can’t pronounce “Acadian” or “Cadien”, so voila–a brand new word, “Cajun”.

New Orleans seems to have a lot of “blended” culture–it is a combination of French and American (and African and Spanish and Latino and Creole, too, but that is probably too many words for one blog!) One thing we learned for sure is that cajun food is not for us. It tends to be a bit too spicy! (Unless we make it ourselves, of course. I must say, I make a pretty decent Jambalaya–with a milder sausage and no cayenne pepper!) 😉

We saw lots of French street names (“rue” means “street” in French), ate some french-inspired foods, and saw some unique spellings of familiar words. (i.e. “geaux” instead of “go”.)

And, just for the cultural experience of course, we started our day with a beignet–a popular French pastry. 😉 (I love culture!) And, Cafe Beignet sure knows how to make ’em goooood!

And, even though we had powdered sugar on our clothes for the next twelve hours, it was totally worth it!

We also noticed a very unique-looking Walgreens store! I worked for the company for a couple of decades, so of course I noticed this one. I looked it up, and it opened in 1938–WOW–just one year prior to the start of World War 2. It is interesting to think about what kinds of notions and potions this store might have carried in its early years. Just one year later, in 1939, the founder of the company–Charles R. Walgreen Sr.– died, and turned the company over to his son Charles Walgreen Jr. So there you have it–some Walgreens history you probably didn’t expect to get in this blog post! 😉

Happy Mardi Gras!

We heard and saw that phrase so many times in New Orleans–and throughout Louisiana, for that matter. Before this trip, I thought Mardi Gras was just one day–Fat Tuesday. Now, I know that Mardi Gras lasts several weeks–from January 6th to the day before Ash Wednesday. And, Mardi Gras is a VERY BIG DEAL!

We got to see some really fun floats and decorations! And, everyone throws beads. (You don’t even have to do anything to earn them, unless you want to!) We only accepted the green ones, though–Go Birds!! 😉

Our first beads came from the Tostitos truck. I was worried that maybe we wouldn’t get any more, but by the end of the day, I must’ve said, “No thank you” a hundred times. Everyone tries to give you beads!

We stopped for a moment to see the memorial set up for the 14 people who died in the horrific attack on Bourbon Street just a few weeks ago. May they all rest in peace, and may those who are left grieving find comfort.

Bourbon Street

When we got to Bourbon Street, it was full of football fans. And, Fox Sports representatives were throwing beads from the balconies.

We stumbled upon Tom Brady giving an interview. To clarify, I didn’t know who Tom Brady was, but I was quickly informed by about a hundred energetic fans screaming out his name. And, obviously Dan knew.

Quiz for you now: Who can recognize this bald head? Who else can you name? (We’ll see who the true football fans are!)

Here’s a video Dan shot, if you’d like to see more!

There were so many people on Bourbon Street! Click on this next video to see for yourself.

We wanted to have the balcony experience like you see on tv, so we found a bar, ordered a couple of Sprites and hung out and watched the crowds for a while. It was fun to see all the red and green jerseys. We calculated that there were at least twice as many green as red.

As we made our way towards the Superdome, we noticed there was game day decor everywhere!

I laughed at this next sign, but I’m not sure how many others would!

We saw so many tailgate parties set up! We tried to go in this next one, but it was $375. And, it was sold out!

And, there it was–Caesar’s Superdome! Dan tried to get us tickets, but they were thousands of dollars, so we decided we’d just watch the game from a sports bar and grill nearby. But, he kept checking….and by half-time, they were down to $1,200 each. Still, higher than we wanted to pay!

We listened to some very talented drummers as we walked by. They were making lively music with only sticks and buckets! Click on the video to hear for yourself.

Walk-Ons

We got in line at Walk-Ons (a sports bar and grill only one block from the Superdome) around 3pm. They were having a private event inside (Martha Stewart was there!), and they didn’t open the doors to the public until 5pm.

So, we were packed in line like sardines for about two hours. It was hot and humid. A person next to us threw up. About twenty minutes later, a teenager next to us fainted. I was thinking, “These people are hard-core football fans!” (Honestly, I was just in it for the chicken wings. And, I like seeing Dan excited.)

At some point, things really got crazy, though, and there was pushing and shoving and screaming and a security guard from Walk-Ons came outside and screamed F-bombs at the line until he lost his voice and quit. What a crazy experience! I guess I learned from this that you shouldn’t stand between fans and their football (and food).

This was what the line looked like behind us. Spoiler alert–none of these people (even though they also waited a couple of hours) got in. Dan and I were just about the last two people that got inside.

We got in, though, and it was standing room only when we did. Dan and I stood at the bar for more than four hours (after standing in line for two hours and walking around before that for five or six hours! Ha Ha. This vanlife experience isn’t for the faint of heart (or feet)!

It was all worth it in the end, though, to see the joy on Dan’s face when his team won!

Here are a few videos I shot of the big game:

Creole Queen Dinner Cruise

On Friday night, February 14th, we left our Panera Bread workplace in Slidell, LA and made the 45 minute drive back to New Orleans. We had reservations to board our dinner cruise at 6pm.

We were seated in the Queen’s Room. How fun! Who told Lorde we could never be Royals?

This was the view from our table. It was fun watching the view change as we cruised along the Mississippi river!

They had a nice buffet set up for us, including some of my favorite things–shrimp and Brussel sprouts. The sauce on the shrimp was very unique–called Remoulade–and I looooved it!! I don’t think I have ever had it before. Yum!

When we finished eating, we took a walk around the ship–inside and outside.

The most eye-catching sight was this purple bridge. It’s called the Crescent City Connection, or “CCC” for short. It used to be one of the most traveled toll bridges in the US!

Legend has it that if a couple kisses under a bridge (especially a romantic one), they will enjoy eternal love. Sounds good to me!

The wind was blowing so hard that I threw my hair in a ponytail. Otherwise, I may have never been able to brush out the tangles that would have ensued. (And all long-haired people said, “Amen!”)

I was also fascinated with the big red paddlewheel–the Creole Queen’s signature feature. It is mesmerizing to watch in action! Click the video below if you’d like to see for yourself.

Paddlewheel selfie!

Dan got the silly idea to put on the lifebuoy–and was immediately reprimanded by a crew member. Man, I’ve always got to keep my eye on him!

As we got off the cruise ship, we talked about how wonderful #vanlife is and how much we enjoy getting to travel and have fun adventures like that. We can do so much more now that we don’t have a mortgage! But, I realize it’s not for everyone. 😉 We also have to poop in a plastic bag and sleep at Walmart sometimes. Jealous?

Jackson Square

The next day (Saturday), we spent sixteen more hours enjoying NOLA. First, we walked around Jackson Square–which reminded me of Montmartre, a village in Paris, France. There were artists setting up for their day–painting souvenir works of art before everyone’s eyes.

As we approached St. Louis Cathedral–the oldest Catholic cathedral in continuous use in the United States I might add–I was really fascinated with how fast the clouds were moving overhead. I stopped and stared in wonder for a while, and then I captured this time-lapse video. Isn’t it amazing?

These next few photos could be post-cards, right?! Trust me, it is not easy to get a clean shot of the basilica with so many tourists around. I was pretty proud! 🙂 It pays to get out early. As we like to say, “The early bird gets the worm…or in this case, the photograph!”

New Orleans Music Scene

I learned that New Orleans is said to be the birthplace of jazz music. Many legends came from New Orleans, like Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino. Even Mahalia Jackson, one of my earliest gospel music favorites, was a New Orleans native!

I think my son Branden–who is a very talented musician and music enthusiast–would love this place! Dan and I kept saying, “I wish Branden were here!”

We walked around Frenchmen Street (thanks to my friend Stefannie for the suggestion), and listened to a wonderful jazz band playing on the street corner.

Hearing them play made me think about all those viral videos I’m sure we’ve all seen where a famous musician plays a beautiful piece in a subway or airport and goes completely unrecognized. I wonder if some of the bands we heard were actually incognito superstars. Regardless of who they were, they were incredibly talented, and I was very impressed!

We visited the French Market, which is a historic, open-air market in the French quarter. There were food and dessert stands, fresh fruits and veggies, and a variety of arts and crafts for sale. It was interesting to see that there were several vendors selling handmade items. We saw intricately carved wooden boxes and sculptures, handmade jewelry, and even some hand-stitched clothing and bags.

Nearby, we found a shop selling Pralines–which I learned are a very popular French-inspired treat in New Orleans. We got one to try, and unfortunately, I was not a big fan. It sort of reminded me of peanut brittle, only much chewier and sweeter. I think Dan liked it, though–at least enough to finish it for me.

More cute Mardi Gras decor everywhere!

We stopped at a bakery because I wanted a good French Baguette. We waited in line for about twenty minutes, only to learn that they didn’t have any baguettes, so we used google maps to find a different place and we left. They did have a gorgeous stained glass window, though! It was worth the twenty minute wait just to see it!

We walked a few blocks back to Frenchmen Street to a different bakery called, “Ayu Bakehouse.” There was a line out the door and around the building, which is always a good sign! So, we waited for about forty-five minutes in line. As I stood there, I kept seeing people walk out the door with this breadstick-looking thing in a bag, and I finally asked someone what it was. “Muffalata,” they said. So, I made a mental note to order two things: (1) French Baguette and (2) Muffalata. I ended up also getting a Chocolate Babka Knot because I couldn’t resist.

This is actually a Muffalata breadstick. It is basically a delicious, savory, cheesy bread with black and green olives. I shared it with Dan, and I ate the cheesy parts and gave him the olives.

The baguette was also delicious, and really hit the spot. We just passed it back and forth and took bites until it was all gone. (It didn’t take long.) It reminded me of all the times while we were in Paris that Dan just ordered a baguette for lunch and ate it plain.

I really enjoyed walking around NOLA and seeing its unique architecture!

New Orleans City Park

This was one of the prettiest city parks I have ever seen. Everywhere I looked, I saw something I wanted to photograph. These flowers kept me occupied for a while, though.

Did you know that viewing flowers can make you feel happier? It’s scientifically proven! And, here is a wonderful article you can read if you’d like to learn more. Click here to read the article.

I certainly felt happier after photographing these flowers! Can you name this type of flower without looking it up? Click here for the answer.

Doesn’t this duck look beautiful with the tulips in the foreground and water in the background? He’s so fluffy!! <3

And would you just look at these darling ducks?! It is an absolute cuteness overload!

As if that wasn’t enough cuteness, we walked around the pond only to see this amazing sight! Six little turtles climbing up a palm tree. We watched them for a while, and some of them actually jumped into the water below–or maybe they were pushed by another turtle! It could have been some sort of turtle-jousting game. Anyway, the little green guy was out first. He made a big splash in the water, and then the remaining turtles lunged towards each other. We were very entertained!

After a couple hours at the park, I was really hungry. Dan asked me what I had in mind for lunch, and I told him I wanted a hamburger. He did a little research, and found a historic hamburger place nearby called “Lees.” It was the perfect combination of cute and delicious. Thanks, Dan! But, for future reference, we could have split one hamburger–they were huge!

On Saturday evening, we went to a Mardi Gras parade. It was SO much fun! I would show you pictures, but they weren’t all rated PG, if you know what I mean–after all, its Mardi Gras! It was amazing, though, and you will just have to take my word for it. Or, go and see for yourself.

Until next time!

XOXO,

Joanna

P.S. I love a good window display, and I thought this one was pretty great! Who do you think is winning?

P.P.S.

This is a King Cake. Apparently, it is a big Mardi Gras tradition. They hide a plastic baby inside the cake, and whomever’s piece it turns up in is said to have good luck. We didn’t get one this time because we couldn’t find one small enough for just the two of us. Maybe next time–can we put together a group or something? Who wants to go? 😉