Let the good times roll! The city of New Orleans is celebrating its 300th anniversary, the tricentennial of the Crescent City. For Thanksgiving my family headed there to take in the unique architecture, blend of cultures and history, and of course, the incredible food. We split meals of crawfish etouffee, turtle soup, alligator, jambalaya, and muffaletta sandwiches, which were all the types of meals you remember years later. Plus, we took our joke of eating a beignet a day very seriously, with a highlight of trying bread pudding beignets. One of the best parts of travel is trying the local cuisine. Besides stuffing our faces, we took in a lot of history. I am in love with the wrought iron balconies that were prominent in the French Quarter. In the Garden District, stately homes and mansions of the rich and famous loomed with tourists wandering about in a Hollywood walk of fame manner. The Manning house, as in the football players Archie and his sons Eli and Peyton, Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, and the house that inspired the Haunted Mansion all occupy this neighborhood filled with extravagant houses.
A highlight was cramming into the historic Preservation Hall to sit on the floor and listen to a jazz band light up the room for 45 minutes. Our legs fell asleep, and frankly, we were not expecting to sit on the floor after an hour wait outside and $20/per person tickets. However, the experience was so connected. Everyone in that room, lost in their own thoughts and feelings, was there sharing in a moment. A moment led by a charismatic trumpet player and his
band, which captivated us with the music of
NOLA, jazz.
Jackson Square had a span of beautiful buildings, the green-colored town square complete with fountain and birds, and the hawkers trying to dazzle tourists with palm readings and tricks. The museum, The Cabildo, shared some of the history and spirit of New Orleans featuring musical instruments, fashion, and stories of famous restaurants.
Their sister museum, The Presbytère, focused on Hurricane Katrina and Mardi Gras. The Katrina exhibit explained the horrible conditions people suffered, shared some specific stories, and the geographic explanation of the storm. The Mardi Gras exhibit was more up-beat, focused on the lively festival’s evolution into a well-known event. The costumes were incredibly intricate and it was interesting
to read about the various groups or krewes that
come together to create different floats and costumes.
Across the street, Cafe du Monde did not disappoint. The tourist-filled shop is always crowded and is open almost 24/7 except for a few days like Christmas where they are only open for part of the day. The waitstaff knows how to move people quickly to fill open tables and can be seen carrying large trays filled with fresh beignets, water, and their well-known coffee. We enjoyed our beignet breakfast from the take-out line, but the next day sitting down to eat them fresh was definitely worth the powdered sugar getting everywhere. The energy of the city is vibrant; filled with delicious food and something to see around every corner.