TRAVEL DIARY: New Orleans

If you ever get the chance to visit New Orleans, take it! New Orleans has always been on my travel list for events like Mardi Gras and Essence Fest and now I can finally cross this marvelous place off my to-do list.

My favorite part of the trip was experiencing all of the native food. The seafood was so fresh and I couldn’t get enough of the beignets! I have to say I had beignets at a courtyard bar on Bourbon Street and they were good too. BUT the ones from Cafe Du Monde were absolutely delightful. I feel because the original Cafe DuMonde was a doughnut shop the recipe for the breading of the beignet is much fluffier and filling than the ones you find anywhere else.

Another favorite part of my trip was experiencing it with my best friend/Boo. It’s always a fun adventure with him and always feel like the people you travel with can make or break your experience. We wanted to fully embrace the culture and connect with the locals and I feel they too helped guide us through our Borboun Bourbon and hospitality was sweet.

We attending the Essence Festival which was a one of a kind experiences. (Click here to read the full Essence Fest Scoop)

Our trip was cut a day and a half short due to Tropical/Hurricane Barry. We were supposed to try more brunch spots and take a swamp tour that was going to be thrilling but that experience will be saved until Part 2 because I plan to return to New Orleans, there’s so much more to discover.

During our visit, we were exploring the streets and getting these photoshoots off when we came across a photographer by the name Louis Mendes. He saw my Boo taking photos of me and had one of his friends approach us telling us he’s a famous photographer and that we needed our picture taken by him. The friend continued by saying “Google Him, you won’t regret it!” So we did and realized that we should probably get this photo too, because hey, I’m always down for having my picture taking. Louis was very chill and had an amazing piece of equipment around his neck. 79-year-old, Louis explained he uses a 1940s Speed Graphic press camera that has been updated for modern usage for shooting video, digital, and peel-apart instant film such as Fujifilm’s FP-100C (which, unfortunately, was discontinued in 2016.) Don’t fret, Louis has a couple of these cameras on-hand that he sells himself and he encouraged us to invest in. I was impressed by his camera because I knew it was vintage. We took our couple pic together in ONE shot and that opened him up to share why his hustle has remained the same for over 50 years. He got into photography by his older sister who recently passed away at 93. He’s based out of New York and took a 30-hour train ride down to New Orleans to take pictures for the Essence Fest. He never once went to the Super Dome he explained and that everyone comes to him. He propped himself up in different spots taking polaroid pictures for $20 apiece. You do the math, a 30 -hour train ride, plus $20 pictures, Plus Essence Fest; that hustle is unheard of in millennial times. With our mouths opened we just listened to him talk about what he would do a little different in the age we live in now. He said he probably would invest in some real estate on Bourbon Street and wouldn’t spend all his money on women (LOL.) He also explained he met all of his kids (3) mothers through his camera and that one of them is the reason he still comes to New Orleans today. I listened with ears wide open because there is always something you can learn from your elders and I left with mad respect for him, his story and his hustle. I looked around and realized that it’s nothing but unique hustles as you wander the streets of New Orleans. From kids tap dancing to kids rapping for you, there is a little piece of NOLA that you take with you and inspiration to last your entire lifetime.

I received so many suggestions of places to go and see and food to try and let me tell you, friends did not disappoint with their recommendations.

Check out the places and eatery spots I crashed below:

Slim Goodies- American-Creole style breakfast, brunch, and lunch

Daisy Dukes
Johnnie White (Girls Trip zip-lining bar)
Cafe Du Monde- Best Beignets in NOLA

Food:
I tried a lot of seafood and a couple of brunch spots.
Oceana Grill-Creole and Louisiana cuisine
Morrows-Classic New Orleans cuisine and authentic Korean dishes. (Black Owned)

Mulates-recognized throughout the world as the King of Cajun Dine and Dance halls.

Drinks:
Hand Grenades (Tropical Isle)

Hurricanes from Pat O’briens (PLUS a Piano Bar)

Places & Things-To-Do:
Bourbon Street

Swamp Tour (Was postponed until ‘Part 2’ due to Tropical Storm/ Hurricane Barry)

I have a full list of places to go and places to eat available upon request for anyone traveling to NOLA soon.

Have you ever been to New Orleans? What did you do and where did you go? List below in comments.