New Orleans: Visiting a Southern Plantation

When Laura asked me if I wanted to visit a local Southern Plantation, I smiled real big. You see, visiting a plantation has been on my bucket list for quite some time. I'm fascinated by the grandeur of plantations, as well as the achingly sad history. We visited Houmas House, about a 45 minute drive from New Orleans. This place had over 1,000 slaves and grew sugar cane. 

 The land was surrounded by 300-year old oaks and Spanish Moss. 

The outside was magnificent, and the inside had so many trinkets and antiques original to the home--I was in history heaven!! 

 This map was found rolled up in the attic and plots out all of the plantations in the area.

 And yes, the inside looked like something out of Gone with the Wind, or Interview with the Vampire. Just as I imagined!

 This clock, once owned by Marie Antoinette, passed down ownership to this plantation. 

 The man who made the statue above also designed Mt. Rushmore!

Dueling pistols. 

 Above: Typical "medicines" of the 1800s. Below, the designer of the Confederate Flag once lived here.

 A vampire killing kit (what did I tell you about Interview with the Vampire???). 

 Above: A famous spiral staircase rumoured to be quite haunted. Below: An example of a bedroom.

 Above: A bathtub...we're spoiled now, right? Below: an old horse-hair wig. 

 Scenes from the kitchen...

And this...and old coffee roaster!! Can I have one?!? 

If you're in the New Orleans area, I highly recommend this tour. Houmas House is not the only plantation to choose from; Oak Alley, among others, are also close by. A tour will run you about $25, but if you're a history lover, it's soooooooooo worth it. 

***

And with a last splash of history, thus concludes my New Orleans posts--in my opinion, a must-see city in the United States with some of the best food and music you could ever enjoy! "Geaux" to New Orleans! 

New Orleans: Venturing Outside the French Quarter

Painted map of New Orleans by Laura's friend Mary. Find her website here: MCRomaguera.com

When visiting New Orleans, it would be easy to get trapped inside the myriad of alleys in the French Quarter and just stay there; however, there's a lot more to see in this historic, gorgeous city. I was lucky to have a "tour guide" native to the area, who took me to family dinners and backyard hangouts. Here I'm showcasing three other areas of New Orleans that you might wanna see: Lakeview, St. Charles Ave., and Frenchmen. 

In Lakeview, a cute family area lined with trees, I got to see a tiny house in person (I'm totally fascinated with this!).

 Can I just live in one of these things?!?

 Derek, who built the house, had us stay for a few beers by the fire. He also made this fire pit, crafted out of a washing machine drum--gotta love the South and their crafty ways! 

Lakeview is clearly more residential, but gave me a good feel for how people in New Orleans live. When traveling, I love getting a sense of the real city, including taking a stroll in the local supermarket (Rouse's, in case you're curious). For this kind of traveling, Lakeview is a good spot to stop at. 

Moving on...I didn't take enough pictures of the "Uptown" area because I was too busy gawking out the window. Old money is apparent here, where houses got grander the longer you cruise down St. Charles Ave (seriously, just google St. Charles Ave and you'll see what I mean). We did grab brunch in East Riverside, which looked like this:

I was particularly fond of the Frenchmen area, complete with even more color and art than the French Quarter could provide. We went on Sunday night and there was an outdoor art market taking place:

Laura and I caught a spectacular free jazz concert at d.b.a., which I highly recommend. One of my most favorite things about New Orleans was the amount of good music played on every corner. In fact, If I were to pinpoint the feeling of New Orleans, I would say it's all about expression. The sheer amount of music, art, attitude, and flair this fair city has is admirable. Below, I thought I'd showcase a couple more of Mary's paintings to further prove my point: 

New Orleans has style! Hope you venture outside the French Quarter to see it (wink). 

A Three-Sentence Movie Review

(Thought I would sneak in a movie review post before I continue with MORE New Orleans stuff)


Happy Christmas

Some of you will hate this; I, on the other hand, found it refreshing. Don't go into this movie expecting to a) be wildly entertained or b) see a well-defined plot. Emulates real life with the same frustration you experience in your everyday, including the push and pull between being responsible and refusing to grow up.
















The Hunger Games: Mokingjay Part 1

Oh yeah, the fire is catching! Out of all the franchise films, this still remains one of my favorites for its grittier/darker material and good acting, even though I tend to not like "Part 1" movies. J-Law really is the star here, and it's safe to say I'd follow her into the revolution.

















Thanks for Sharing

Interesting movie on addiction, mainly focusing on sexual addiction. The plot was okay, but nothing life changing (and Pink really doesn't need to be acting--stick to singing, lady!). I'm pretty sure the point was to validate sexual addiction as an actual disease; for that goal, it succeeds.

















Le Weekend

This is NOT a rom com; this is meant to portray a 30+ year marriage, complete with bipolar ups and downs. After being together so long, there is a battle between love and hate that is the poignant theme of the story. The question at the end is if love can indeed win; you'll want to watch to find out.



















Image credits: 1/2/3/4

New Orleans: Some of the Best Food You Will Ever Have

I can confidently say that food in New Orleans is some of the best grub I have had in this country. I knew I had to showcase the real star of the city, the damn good food!! Here I've listed my favorite spots (really picked by Laura). 

1. Napoleon House

Get your ass here immediately. This was the best food I had all trip. Order the red beans & rice, get a Pimms cup, and sit in the courtyard. If you're extra hungry, also get the muffaletta. YUMMMM. I DEVOURED this meal! 

2. PJ's Coffee

Great coffee chain in New Orleans. They get that foam just right (I'm picky about foam!). 

3. Po-Boys (Multiple Spots in the City) 

I didn't really understand what a po boy was until I had one in New Orleans. Oh my gosh! Such warm, gooey, roast-beefy goodness!! You can also go for shrimp, among other options. I went to a place far out of the city center, called Chateau Market, which looked like a gas station pit-stop. It was fantastic. I'm sure you can get plenty of po boys closer to the center!

4. Atchafalaya 

I'm showcasing this place for it's cute ambiance and Bloody Mary bar (genius!). I also tried alligator sausage here--yeah, you heard right. This restaurant is located uptown and good for brunch (expect a wait, though).

5. Port of Call

Delicious, amazing, HUGE burgers with a baked potato on the side. Ha! I thought to myself, "there's no way I can finish all that!" I did. I will not feel shame for it. This restaurant is located in the Frenchmen area.

6. Homemade Grits

 Get any Southerner to make you grits. Thanks, Laura!

7. Dooky Chase

I was running out of time and knew there was a Dooky Chase located in the airpot--it was the perfect "last meal." I got red beans & rice (again) and fried chicken. Verdict: Napoleon House's red beans is better, but the fried chicken at Dooky is so worth it. And how perfect that you can grab a piece right before catching your plane! 

I ate at other places too, but these places you just can't miss. And yeah, I'm pretty sure I had to be rolled through security onto my plane. Currently back to detoxing my body with California food!! Forgot to mention that I picked up a drive-thru daiquiri one of the nights, but we won't discuss that debauchery...

What New Orleans food/restaurant do you love?