Monday, June 20, 2011

Destination Mondays #7

(Gold links = more great websites!)

Photographed 2011: 55 Hwy through what I would assume is "The Bayou."


A few weeks ago while heading to Gulf Shores, Alabama for a family vacation (check out this Destination Mondays post for more info on that), Stephen and I made a "pit stop" in New Orleans, Louisiana to visit my long time bestie, Josh and his girlfriend Kali! And that, my folks, is your "Destination Mondays Location Number Seven!"


New Orleans, Louisiana

Now, we were only there for a day and a half so I don't have a ton of info...but you can always get loads more from Josh! He's lived on Frenchmen Street near the French Quarter for almost a year now, after residing just North of New Orleans for about thirteen years so he knows what he's talking about!

His building (the left one) was built in the 1840's and used to be a candy factory.


Josh's Apartment Entrance. 

Photographed 2011: View of Frenchman St. from Josh's Apartment

View from Josh's Balcony.


One of the coolest things is the National WW2 Museum, where Josh has worked since he was fifteen on restoring artifacts, like the Pt-305 boat the guys are working on now. (Which is now residing in the new Restoration Pavilion that opened just a couple weeks ago). The guys are restoring the boat to it's original awesomeness - it'll run and everything when they're finished!

We were lucky enough to have a "behind-scenes-tour" in the annex where the museum guys (and Kali) currently work on restoring WW2 artifacts. It was seriously cool.


Photographed 2011: WW2 Museum Annex

Josh and Stephen with a tank.

Stephen inside said tank. 


Phtographed 2011: Inside the WW2 Museum.


One place you definitely have to visit while in New Orleans is Melt Down - Michelle, the chick who owns it, makes the best organic and vegan popsicles. Her flavors include Strawberry Basil, Blueberry Lemonade, Sweet Corn and Blackberry, Salted Caramel, Peach Orange Blossom, and Lime Basil. They're ridiculously fantastic, and so perfectly cold after walking around in the heat!

Meltdown: New Orleans, LA


Naturally, you have to get beignets at Cafe du Monde,
the original beignet and coffee shop. It just can't be beat.


Another place we visited was The Mayfair Lounge - an awesome, (and cheap!) low-key-hole-in-the-wall bar where you ring the bell to get in and the ceiling is covered in a multitude of decorations (from barbies, Happy Meal toys, beads, glitter, glitz, lights, etc.) hanging on old bed springs. Definitely a great place for a late-afternoon drink. Josh and Kali call it the old man bar, since they frequently go out to drink with the guys that work on the boat.

The Mayfair Lounge: 1505 Amelia Street New Orleans, LA 70115

The Saturday afternoon we were there, we tried a new-to-Josh-and-Kali restaurant called Franky and Johnny's...a super cute, and majorly delicious restaurant. I had a shrimp po'boy, Kali had two pounds of crawfish (one of the many reasons I like her so much), and Stephen had gator nuggets. Yes, you read that right, ALLIGATOR nuggets. And Josh had a gator po'boy. It seriously did taste like dark-meat chicken. It's a bit of a drive from the Quarter, but totally worth it.

Josh also recommends The Joint...a great BBQ place (although I can't vouch for it - he did live in KC for five years so he does know what good BBQ is), The Spotted Cat, a music club on Frenchmen (which we could hear into the wee hours of the morn - great music.), and Cochon - a "crazy popular restaurant right now." Of course those are just a few of the places you can find great food, great music, and entertainment in the real city that never sleeps. Unless you can sleep to a trumpet player belting out jazz next to your window at 4am, in which case you're all set!

Photographed 2011: New Orleans, Louisiana

There is so much character all around this city. 

The buildings are so neat. 



So, if you like jazz music, a laid back social scene, plenty of history and character, and some of the most delicious food you can find - head down to New Orleans! I know Josh would love to show you around :)

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