New Orleans
For us, New Orleans was about the food. Full stop.
Leigh had never been to NOLA — Hurricane Katrina had seriously derailed those plans — and while I’d visited several times on business (pro tip: July and August absolutely suck), I’d already checked off the Superdome with Riley on our ongoing NFL stadium tour. This trip was really about Leigh finally getting her NOLA experience.
The French Quarter
Leigh loves the iron balconies and the character of Bourbon Street — every block has its own personality. We stayed at The Saint Hotel, a quirky boutique spot right on the main drag. It set the tone for the whole trip. You’re not going to NOLA for a quiet resort experience, and The Saint understood that assignment.
Eating Our Weight in Beignets
We ate our weight in beignets. That’s not an exaggeration. Café au lait pairing in the morning, powdered-sugar fix at midnight — beignets were non-negotiable at every opportunity. If you leave New Orleans without powdered sugar on something you didn’t intend, you didn’t do it right.
The Food Scene
Our meals did not disappoint. The Cajun food sampler alone — gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya, sausage — was worth the trip. Dinner at Mr. B’s Bistro lived up to every bit of the hype. We’re not a seafood-heavy family in general, but you can’t go to NOLA and not dive in.
Mardi Gras School of Cooking
One of the real highlights — we attended the Mardi Gras School of Cooking and learned to make BBQ Shrimp and Jambalaya from scratch. Not being a seafood-heavy family, Jambalaya (made “the right way”) has since become a regular feature in our household. It’s one of those trips where you come home with more than just photos.
While Leigh was off doing her normal wandering — she’s a born explorer — I made a solo trip through the Sazerac House museum. Different interests, same city. That’s how we travel.
