New Orleans

I am a TV show addicted, one of the worst kind. I love all of those teenage shows, where everyone loves each other or is either a vampire, a werewolf or a weirdo. So of course I am obsessed with the Originals. Even though most of the episodes are shot inside the studios, some of the scenes are actually live shots of the city, and that’s how I got to know New Orleans a bit throughout the years.

I had been wanting to visit the city for a while, so I was pretty excited when I won a weekend trip for two, airfare included!

We traveled to New Orleans in November and we  spent two nights at the Avenue Plaza Resort which is conveniently located on St. Charles Ave, where one of three lines of the famous New Orleans Streetcars stops. It is about 20 minutes from downtown and the French Quarters, but I believe it is definitely worth the ride! The trolley stops every 10/15 minutes and costs $1.25 for a single ride or $3 for a day. You need to have exact change to pay for your ticket!

We were in town only for two days and we tried to see as much as we could in such a short period of time. I think we did a pretty good job as we were able to explore the city and its main landmarks, had a tasty afternoon break eating the famous beignets at Cafe du Monde and listened to some awesome Jazz!

Even though I am not a city girl, I enjoyed New Orleans and its vibe. The countless art galleries, the bars on Bourbon St and all those witchy shops definitely make it an interesting and cool place to visit!

 

YOU CAN’T MISS

If you’re planning a short trip to New Orleans make sure you check out:

• Jackson’s Square – maybe you’ll find someone getting married like we did, but if you’re not too romantic you can still walk all around the park and check out the street vendors and their amazing artworks!
• St Louis Cathedral – amazing 18th century masterpiece.
• French Quarter – Bourbon St (and all the streets nearby) offers a huge variety of bars. Drinks and Jazz enthusiast, this is the spot for you!
• Lafayette Cemetery N 1 – the groundskeeper will tell you all the story, and he might ask you to donate to help save the cemeteries!
• New Orleans Streetcars – you must go for at least one ride!
• French Market District – it’s open daily and it’s SO cute! Lots of souvenirs and gift ideas!
• Garden District – mansions, pristine gardens and enough southern charm to wow you! Take the St Charles Ave Streetcar from downtown and enjoy a walk throughout this amazing neighborhood.
• Magazine St. – Shopping, dining or relaxing? This is the place to be!

YOU MUST EAT

• Beignets – I think I’ve said that enough times already LOL;
• Muffuletta – here you can find the best top 5 places in New Orleans where you can taste this typical old, Sicilian food;
• Po’ Boys – yup, they love sandwiches in New Orleans. Here‘s the list of the best po’ boys places town.
• Jambalaya – of course I tried this too. How can you discover a new culture if you don’t try the food? Top 15, here for you.

If you are into museum:

• National WW2 Museum
• New Orleans Museum of Art
• Backstreet Cultural Museum

Last but not least, if you want to experience the City on one of the most fun times of the year, here‘s a list of 2018 Mardi Gras parades! And the best thing is, if you can’t make it in 2018 you can already find a schedule of all the future Mardi Gras celebrations up to 2027! How cool is that?!

 

PS:

If like me you are into witchcraft or voodoo, you CAN’T miss all the numerous stores where you can buy a love potion, a good luck talisman and that voodoo doll you can use to get revenge on your ex!