In my humble opinion, New Orleans is a “must visit” location for all walks of life.  It’s not only reserved for intoxicated frat boys looking to consume as many hurricanes as they can whilst stumbling down Bourbon Street.  Oh, no…It’s so much more.  My time in New Orleans, over Memorial Day weekend, was eye-opening to say the least.  I was blown away by the diverse demographic of people both visiting and living there.  Young, old, black, white, men, women, children, etc.  It’s a delicious jambalaya melting pot of cultural goodness. 

People are exceeding kind there, not to mention extremely laid back.  I could not have thought up a better slogan for the city then the one they already have:  “The Big Easy”.  Absolutely spot on!  And what about the live performers on just about every other street corner?  Incredible.  The music-filled air in the French Quarter placed me into a state of enchantment.  Especially for those truly gifted musicians.  As I walked down Royal Street, I recall being mezmorized by a petite Asian women who was playing the violin in such a way that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.  It was sublime, and felt like it was being played just for me.  Architecture you ask?  Well, I adore the Creole townhouses that line the Quarter.  They’re notable for their large courtyards and intricate iron balconies.  Stunning. 

I was accompanied on my journey by my close friend and “best man”, Mike Pinto.  The trip exceeded his expectations as well, and he’s a pretty harsh critic of just about everything.  Here’s a list of most of the “must dos” and hotspots we fit into our visit: 

The French Quarter, Jackson Square, The French Market, The Garden District, Bourbon Street (we hit many, many clubs on that strip…good for people watching as well), The Mississippi River Boardwalk, The Riverwalk, World War II Museum, Oak Alley Plantation Tour (1 hour drive to get there, located in Vacherie – Awesome), St. Louis Cemetery #1 (Marie Laveu’s tomb is there) & #3, Lower 9th Ward to understand where the levees broke, Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Treme, Fulton Street Mall, Harrah’s Casino, Early Beignets at Café du Monde (a must), strolled down Royal and Chartres streets and window shopped the arts, antiques and boutiques (it was during their food and wine festival), St. Charles Streetcar, smoked freshly made cigars, met Anderson Cooper while he was interviewing James Carville, Oceana’s Restaurant (we hit many places to eat, but this was out favorite), did I mentioned we ate alot?

Below is a video montage I created to capture the essence of our trip.  I think it came out pretty well.  The reason I know this?  Because after I watch it, it makes me want to go back.  Enjoy!

Photos we took on our trip: