New Orleans—What a special place!

* Trips: Three (3) Essence Festivals; a short trip from Pensacola when I attended AIT; and an overnight driving from Texas to Florida.

Places to see & eat in NOLA! Share your thoughts and experiences in NOLA. Did you find good food? 👍🏽

White Dinner Party
We rented a house in New Orleans for a week and hired a Chef for our White Dinner Party. He’s very good and very affordable. We asked for Cajun and Creole menu and boy did he deliver. He’s cooked for the likes of Kim Kardashian, Reggie Bush, the Rock, and a few other celebrities. Google Chef Gason—- from NOLA, learned to cook in the U.S. Army.

Website: www.chefggason.com

Email: Chefgasonnelson@gmail.com

Felix – Local seafood platters, fresh-shucked oysters & Creole staples in a casual barroom setting. It’s just off Bourbon St. 739 Iberville St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Mother’s Restaurant – Jay Z  & Beyoncé’ dined here the night before we did and shut the joint down. The next evening the line was extra-long. Popular cafeteria-style joint drawing crowds with po’ boys & down-home Southern fare since 1938. 401 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70130

A must! Cafe Du Monde– For a French beignet (powdered sugar pastry) and delish coffee. It’s across from Jefferson Monument and on the river.  800 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Muffuletta Sandwich from Central Grocery & Deli-Within and around the French Quarter, the most acclaimed room temperature (traditional) muffuletta is served at Central Grocery (open Tue-Sat 9:00-4:00.  Although the sandwich is great (my favorite), this is not much of a place within which to eat; get your sandwich, chips and drink to go and picnic on the River bank. Walking distance from Café Du Monde.  923 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Late night fried chicken joint, Willie’s Chicken Shack. Closes at 1 AM.  Pipping hot and tasty (or maybe I was a bit intoxicated) 630 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130 AND 707 Canal St.

Things to Do!  (There’s a ton but I can only vouch for what we’ve done)

1. Hang out on Bourbon Street (Jazz, nightlife, music and drunk people) in the French Quarter

2. Harrah’s Casino

3. Riverwalk and Riverwalk Mall

4. City Tour – see glimpses of the 9th ward and the levees.  Explore a cemetery.  If lucky, you might catch a New Orleans style funeral—it’s a parade!

5. House of Blues for a concert & food.

6. BB King’s Blues Club- music & food.

7. Drink a Hand Grenade while on Bourbon St

8. Swamp Tour – If you want to see the real bayou and lots of gators.  It’s about 30-40 mins outside of the city.  We went on the one that Tiffany Haddish and Jada Smith toured -Cajun Encounter.

9. Steamboat Natchez Lunch Cruise (there’s dinner cruises too)

10. Ride a Streetcar

11. Gotta checkout a Voodoo Shop just to see one.  Famous Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo-739 Bourbon St.

12. Tour the City; see the 9th ward and the levees.