New Orleans Mini Vacation with Friends, Food & Fun

We haven't gotten away since February's Valentine quick vacation. A lot has happened that we needed to recharge. Our best friends haven't seen much of us and what better way to spend time with them, than New Orleans! Who doesn't love NOLA? Exactly! Beautiful architecture, amazing restaurants, fun night life and great outlet shopping...

Due to work schedules this is the only weekend that worked for everyone. Yet it is was not the best weekend for $$$. It was Pride weekend and the catfish festival. Even though we had to look hard for a hotel we did and we know with all that's going on it will be a lot fun times in NOLA!We decided on the Chateau Dupre Hotel in the French Quarters it was a good deal through bookit.com. We wanted to be close to everything that we could walk and get back to hotel to rest or change so staying in the Quarters was a must. I will write later about our "wonderful" hotel experience. 

In front of our hotel but first let us take a SELFIE
More pictures visit Life with Salsa on Instagram

Being that the Hubby and I are becoming known as foodies we were in charge of the places we went to eat. Although the big foodie in this marriage is the husband, I did all the research. Typical men! If you know me you know how anal I am about everything. So my research consisted of reading reviews, blogs, word of mouth, then checking out websites and Instagram. I need a visual! And I ended up with 6 must have places to eat. I know not that many or too many depends on how you look at it. 

We made a stop in Baton Rouge. One of the men on our group trip wanted to make a pit stop to Red Jacket Firearms. This was an impromptu stop, if I would have known there are plenty of places that we needed to stop to take a bite at there.This will just have to be another trip.

Our friend in front of Red Jacket Firearms

We arrived to the French Quarters a bit later in the day and starving. So we dumped everything in our rooms and then hit the streets. Our hotel was on Decatur street so it was a straight shot to soooo much. Our first stop was food and my list came out. We decided it was a must to try Coops Place since the reviews made them sound awesome. This was a place I had written about and someone recommended. Everyone says its a dive, but guess what those are the best! It is a tiny place, you feel crowded as soon as you come in but you are sure to find a spot even if you share a table. I asked the waitress what she would recommend and she said Fried Chicken. So we all ordered a main plate and then added a piece of chicken. Pretty tasty and they are known for their drink as well. 

They are part of the top places to get 
fried chicken in NOLA

To wash that down my friend who was in charge of attractions took us to Lafitte's Black Smith Smith Bar/Shop. Don't let the crowded dark bar keep you away. There is usually tables in the back by the piano lit with romantic candle lights. The drink to get here was the Voodoo Daiquiri. 

Can you tell I'm excited to
try this place?

Having a good and much needed down time!
Follow us on @Lifewithsalsa

As you can tell from the last picture there was still light out. So on a Friday night in New Orleans it goes on way past dark. I think I mentioned that it was Pride weekend in New Orleans. It was separated so it was not all over, part of Bourbon street had things going on for Pride and the rest was crowded with a mixture of different people. We had a burlesque show to go see but that was until midnight, so we had to keep busy in the mean time. So grenades it was!
*Tip: For the burlesque show get there about 11 if you want a table. By midnight there will be a line out the door.

Next stop getting grenades
at Tropical Isle

We had fun and ended our night with the Burlesque show at The Royal Sonesta on Bourbon street. This was such a beautiful hotel, I'm staying there next time. Not to mention that their courtyard looks like all the pictures I have on my Pinterest board for my future home! It was a perfect way to end our first night. It was a very tasteful show, nothing vulgar accompanied with live jazz music. For the other types of shows there are plenty on Bourbon street.

Day Two in New Orleans:

If you know us, you know that because of me the Wifey on vacation we get up early. I cant help it, my body just knows that we are in a beautiful place and I may  miss something if I'm not up at the crack of dawn. So I wake up hubby super early get ready and we are out the door. Since our night ended late, half our group didn't wake up.

Cafe Du Monde

©Leslie Guzmán
Yummy Beignets

First stop that early, Cafe Du Monde of course! We needed a wake me up and a beignet fix, mmmm good.I have been many times but had no idea they had iced coffee. I guess because every time we go we are rushing to get a table and you are just excited to get beignets that I never look at the menu. I did this time!

Yup the child in me comes out!

Now to be complete tourists even though we have all shopped and strolled through French Market. Its still a must do. It was still early that a lot of the vendors were setting up. I was there for pictures so it didn't matter to me.

©Leslie Guzmán

So we walked, took pictures and were complete tourists. Searching for trinkets to take back home. Hubby has become addicted to hot sauces and he tries to collect them from different places. He knew he wanted one from NOLA, but he kept seeing the same ones that looked that were geared for the typical tourist. Then we came across the Pepper Palace. I swear George was in Hot Sauce Heaven. I actually kept calling the store that for awhile. There was only one guy working and I did not get his name but he was very nice, hot sauce knowledgeable and good sales person. You can taste the sauces and they are labeled with the number of the hotness from 10-1. There is a challenge as well. HOT HOT CHALLENGE that you have to sign a waiver. Of course Hubby did it! 

©Leslie Guzmán
Like a kid in a candy store

©Leslie Guzmán
Signing the waiver

©Leslie Guzmán
Look at that confident face.
Of course before, jaja!

We have been to NOLA a couple of times on our own and together as a couple. Yet neither one of us had ever toured the St. Louis Cathedral. How is that possible? I mean we never miss a picture with it. We love churches and we love NOLA yet never seen the inside of it. Well we went this time. Its open on Saturdays 10-4. It's a gorgeous church. I know its French architecture but it reminded me so much of the churches in Italy.

©Leslie Guzmán

We then headed to Jackson Square because I wanted to sketch. I've been distracted lately and I make it a point to sketch while on vacation. Jackson Square is the perfect people watching place and you can admire the St. Louis Cathedral as well. 

©Leslie Guzmán
St. Louis Cathedral 

©Leslie Guzman
Follow my art gallery @ArteLeslieGuzman

By now the other 1/2 of our group had woken up and were looking for us. Hungry us were ready to eat, so we went to the 2nd place on my Must Eat List. You have to understand that my hubby LOVES food. Not like everyone loves food. This man is thinking of that he is going to eat for dinner while chewing on lunch. He could be completely stuffed and will still eat if someone cooked something. I think he loves food more than he loves me! When we go to NOLA he must have a Muffaletta or two. This time I wanted to make sure we went to the best Muffaletta place in NOLA. Successful I found out about Central Grocery. How have I never stumbled upon it before? I have no idea.

©Leslie Guzmán
Right on Decatur Street

We opened it and took picture and realized 
later that it was upside down.Oh well you get 
the point, its huge and yummy!

©Leslie Guzmán
He refused to share, after the HOT
challenge he NEEDED that bread

This is all that was left between friend 
and me sharing one Muffaleta

None of us had ventured on the ferry so we decided to go see what the reviews were all about. It is a very short ride accross the river but you do get to see a gorgeous skyline. We rode the ferry in the day but I have heard that the NOLA skyline looks beautiful late in the afternoon or night time. It is a $2 ride per person each way. It was cheap attraction and a small way to relax and get some AC on a hot summer day.

Forever Friends

©Leslie Guzmán
Let us take a selfie with the Mississippi River

©Leslie Guzmán
Relaxing little tour

After what was the longest day of the year we rested for a bit. Dealt with hotel room issues and then made our way out on the NOLA streets. Made a stop at Harrah's Casino and of course dinner. Next place on my list was Bayou Burger & Sports Company. I know burgers in NOLA? Yet everyone suggested it, read the reviews and blogs. Their pictures make you hungry. OK they did fool me on the size but the taste is omg good! The guys in our group thought they were small burgers, yet I shared one with my Senor Foodie and I was satisfied. There are so many places to eat and snack that you don't have to be overstuffed full in any one place. 

This picture is courtesy of
Bayou Burger & Sports Company

Saturday night did it for everyone on our group. Not for me who can go with little to no sleep on vacation. That means Hubby doesn't sleep either. So we packed our bags and were ready to check out. First we went in search of breakfast. I was told of several places that we could try but I had found another place that was high on a lot of foodies list. Especially on Senor Foodie's list. He wanted a creole breakfast, it was The Gumbo Shop. 

And it was worth waking up early for it. 

©Leslie Guzmán
This was my orange juice, tiny huh?

©Leslie Guzmán
Creole Breakfast from The Gumbo Shop

We ended our New Orleans trip with a little swap tour. I was hoping it was going to look more erie like the Hollywood portrays it in the Skeleton Key. But of course that is only Hollywood. It was actually very relaxing. Our friend who was in charge of attractions found this tour for 1/2 the price on Groupon. The tour was through Cajun Pride Tours in LaPlace, Louisiana. We were luck enough that the tour guide was so knowledgeable and had so much history to share with us. We got to see small and big alligators and other types of animals. 

©Leslie Guzmán

©Leslie Guzmán

To see all that New Orleans has to offer you would have to spend more than a 3 day weekend. Unfortunately sometimes schedules do not work out that way. In this case we wanted to spend time with our close friends, it was their 9th anniversary, we needed a mini getaway so this worked out perfect. We have made this trip many times and are always finding new things to do and explore.