A New Orleans Adventure

New Orleans is a city that after going once, you've seen it all, or most of it at least. That's how it was on my recent trip there and I don't mean that in a bad way at all! We planned on going to New Orleans a few months ago (before we found out I was pregnant) because it's a place we had never been to together and one I had never been to at all for that matter. I did some light research and gathered a handful of recommendations of things to do and places to eat at, but besides that, I was excited to just get out and explore.

One of the first things I noticed about the city is that everyone was super friendly. It reminded me a lot of the South. I also noticed that a lot of the things that were recommended to-do were within walking distance from the hotel we stayed at, or a short UBER ride away. This was super helpful in terms of us accomplishing all we wanted to do! With that, I thought it would be fun to share the places we went that I thoroughly enjoyed.
  Activities and To-Do's  

Magazine Street and Royal Street - You can stroll these two streets for as little or as long as you want as there is plenty of shopping you can do. Be sure to check out the many antique shops and art galleries. 

Esplanade Avenue - A fun street to venture down via bike if possible to see the beautiful Victorian and Queen Ann homes. 

St. Charles Avenue - Described as "The Jewel of America's Grand Avenue" and was one of my favorite things was walking around this are.

WW2 Museum - If your a fan of history, GO! It helps if you can go on a weekday when it's less crowded.

Rent bikes - We rented bikes at American Bicycle and had a fun experience. I can't go without noting that it was a great workout and exploring on a bike brings forth a totally different experience then when your walking or driving so defiantly do it if you can.

Audubon Zoo - We decided to go on a whim and I'm so glad we did! This zoo is now one of my all-time favorites. The way they had every section laid out was really well done.

The day we went to Jackson Square and saw the Saint Louis Cathedral there were not as many people as I was expecting and it made the whole experience much more enjoyable. If you can, try to go earlier in the morning because it truly does make all the difference.

Do you recognize the house above? You may remember it as the house Benjamin Button grew up in! Will and I were exploring an area nearby when Will remembered that the move was filmed in New Orleans and we just so happened to be a street or two away from this house so we decided it would be fun to see if we could find it. The house is on Coliseum Street if you were wondering!

   Restaurants  

Willa Jean - If you go for breakfast, make sure to get the griddled banana bread (it comes with two large slices). The sausage gravy biscuit is just as good! The great thing about Willa Jean, besides the food and awesome location, is they take reservations and are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

The Ruby Slipper -They have multiple spots around the city and the one we went to was the Central Business Distract location.

Atchafalaya - We didn't have the opportunity to try this place but I've heard only great things about the brunch.

Cochon Butcher -We went here for lunch on our first day in the city. If you go, it's located right next door to Cochon so don't get the two confused! This was Will's favorite lunch spot.

Acme Oyster House - If you don't arrive early, expect there to be a line out of the door. We didn't plan on going here (we went for lunch) but we were starving and it was close by and we lucked up with only a 20 minute wait.

Mona Lisa - Given that it was Memorial weekend, a bunch of the places we wanted to try were already booked for dinner so we did a quick Yelp search one night and came across this Italian restaurant. The atmosphere was quaint and cozy and the food very good.

Kenton's - The environment was right up our alley and the service great! I'm kind of craving their Salted Caramel Croissant now that I think about it...

District Donuts - This place was recommended by several people and I'm SO glad we made the time to stop by for a mid-morning coffee and snack.

Cafe Du Monde - Most likely you've heard of this place as they are famous for their beignets and cafe au lait. I'm not a huge fan of crowds so it wasn't my favorite experience but I'm glad I can say that I went.

Drip Affogato Bar - On our last full day in Nola, it was extremely hot and humid. That evening Will and I were both craving something sweet and right around the corner was this one-of-a-kind spot. Highly recommend the Tiramisu and Cookie Monster affogato!

Other places we had on our list but didn't have time to try this go-around include Central Grocery for their Muffuletta's, Le Petite Grocery, Appoline, Parkway Bakery (I heard you should take your order across the street to eat on the banks of the Bayou St. John), Josephine Estelle in the Ace Hotel, and Jacques-Imos.

 

Random and Miscellaneous  

Magnolia Sugar & Spice Praline Kitchen (Hot Sauce Bar) - My sister-in-law told me about this store and it was defiantly one of Will's favorites because of their hot sauce bar. In the very back of the store they also have an area filled with little nick-nacks and New Orleans souvenirs that were fun to look at while Will was trying all the different sauces!


Crescent Park - After a long day of exploring the city, we would go here since it was right behind the hotel we stayed at. It was a great way to unwind and watch boats and people pass by.


The Roosevelt Hotel Sazerac Bar - Since I'm pregnant, I wasn't able to drink which made going to New Orleans a little bit more of a challenge but we checked out this spot where the Sazerac cocktail was born and know Will had a really great experience and said the cocktail he got was delicious.

Things To-Do In and Around Charleston, SC

Charleston has become one of my favorite places to visit. It was "love at first site" when Will and I went for the first time a few years ago and I'll never get enough of this beautiful city filled with cobblestone streets, gas lanterns, plantation homes, and the best waterfront views. Recently, I went back and spent time at Folly Beach for my friend Allison's bachelorette getaway. I had never been to Folly before and had such a great time so I thought it would be fun, and also helpful, to make a list of some of my favorite spots and recommendations in Charleston, Folly Beach, and Isle of Palms (where I celebrated my bachelorette that you can see here and here)!

Charleston:

Places to Stay: Historic Renaissance Hotel for it's top-notch southern hospitality, The Mills House, Planters Inn, The Restoration, Zero George for a great for a romantic getaway, or even the Holiday Inn which is good for a short or last minute stay.

Shopping: King Street is a MUST! V2V, Sassy Shortcake, Copper Penny (I found the most amazing smelling candles here), Luna, and Carolina Girls are a few worth checking out. I honestly haven't done much shopping in Charleston, minus picking up souvenirs for family and friends because I'm always snapping photos and wandering the streets which is probably a good thing since the shopping is endless!

Food: Virginia's On King, Poogan's Porch (they have really cute t-shirts you can purchase here) Toast, Blossom, High Cotton, King Street Grill (get the mac & cheese egg rolls), and Peninsula Grill at Planters Inn (ask to sit in the courtyard if it's available and order the coconut cake for dessert!).

Drinks & Nightlife: The Rooftop at The Vendue has tasty appetizers, amazing views and was my favorite in overall atmosphere. The Gin Joint, Pavilion Rooftop Bar, Prohibition, and Stars Rooftop Bar are a few others. Stars comes in second place for best atmosphere in my opinion.

Activities: Stroll down Rainbow Row (make sure to take a photo), snag one of the wooden swings and watch the sunset at Waterfront Park, take a sunset cocktail cruise with Adventure Harbor Tours (by far my favorite activity we did for my friends bachelorette getaway and will be doing this again), visit the Charleston Aquarium, and ride a horse-drawn carriage to tour the city.

Isle of Palms:

Places to Stay: Wild Dunes Resort, or you can easily find something that will fit your needs by checking out VRBO or Airbnb. 

Food: The Boathouse, Coconut Joe's Beach Bar, Island Joe's (perfect place for when you have a sweet tooth), Sea Biscuit Cafe, Coda Del Pesce, The Windjammer, and Banana Cabana.

Drinks & Nightlife: Coconut Joe's, The Windjammer and Banana Cabana all have live music at night with laid-back atmospheres.

Activities: This one isn't exactly IN Isle of Palms but it is close by and if you like live music then it's worth checking out Party At The Point which my girls took me to on my bachelorette!

Folly Beach:

Food: Lost Dog Cafe, Rita's (have gone here for breakfast and lunch and both were good), The Grill and Island Bar, Taco Boy, BLU, Black Magic Cafe, and Locklears.

Drinks & Nightlife: Snapper Jacks, Surf Bar, Loggerhead's, and the Sand Dollar (cash only).

Activities: Walk the Folly Beach Fishing Pier, visit Morris Island Lighthouse or rent kayaks.

 

Chicago Travel Guide

Will and I love to travel and Chicago has been a city we have wanted to check out for quite some time now. Last week we had the opportunity to visit and although it was cold and rained the majority of the time, we defiantly enjoyed ourselves and did as much exploring as we could fit into our schedule! Below I've put together a small travel guide of things we did that I find worth noting and highly recommend. Since Chicago is a large city, I know I've likely missed a bunch of other great places, so feel free to leave a comment with any other recommendations!

TO SEE
1. Magnificent Mile - Known for it's dining and retail, this area has it all! We particularly love that it's surrounded by so much architecture and photo-worthy buildings.

2. Navy Pier - It rained most of our trip so we didn't get to check out this hot spot.

3. "The Bean" at Millennium Park - The park as a whole is really nice and the "Bean" is one of the most known Chicago tourist spots. I wish we had come later in the year though so we could have checked out their Summer Film and Music Series at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.

4. Chicago Riverwalk - Because well, the views of the waterway are great and the atmosphere surrounding are lively and fun.

TO DO

1. Zanies Comedy Club - This was a spur of the moment idea we decided on and so worth it! It was also our first time going to a standup comedy show and it won't be our last. Before the show began, they had two comedians; Calvin Evans and Denise Ramsden come out to "loosen up the crowd" as they told us before the main performer, Nick Vatterott, came out. He was HILARIOUS!

2. Shopping wasn't high on our list of things to-do but I did read a handful of reviews before our trip that said you can find unique shops for souvenirs and antiques on Oak Street, Armitage Avenue, and State Street.

3. Museum of Science and Industry - We went here on an afternoon when it was raining and probably spent about three or so hours there. Aside from exploring the museum as a whole, we also signed up to see the Coal Mine and U-505 Submarine exhibits. If we had to pick our favorite experience it was hands down the Submarine tour. I mean, who can say they've walked through a submarine? The ONLY German submarine in the United States on exhibit as a matter of fact. It truly was one of the coolest learning experiences. Oh, and the Yesterday's Main Street exhibit was also fun.

TO EAT

1. Kanela Breakfast Club - A Greek-infused American spot we went for brunch before heading back to North Carolina. We went to the Oldtown location and the atmosphere was cozy and the food very filling.

2. Kingsbury Street Cafe - This cafe was a recommendation and within walking distance to the Airbnb we stayed at. The service was quick and the menu options were perfect for what we were looking for. I got the lemon pancakes which were topped with fresh blueberries, creme anglaise and lemon sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

3. Lou Mitchell's - We didn't have the chance to eat here but it's been around since 1923 so it's obviously well established and is an affordable option for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

4. Pequod's Pizza - We went here for dinner one night and arrived before 6:00 PM and it was already filled with people! The deep dish pizza stole a PIZZA my heart. Sorry had to add a pizza pun!

5. Homeslice - It was between here and Pequod's but if we're ever in Chicago again, and the weather is nice and warm, we will defiantly try to enjoy their fun patio!

 

6. Nando Milano Trattoria - This Italian restaurant is located in the Wicker Park area and had really unique dinner options. For instance, I got the Nido Di Paglia E Fieno Con Gamberi (aka fettuccine) and Will got one of the specials; the wild boar. 

7. Copper Fox - After exploring Magnificent Mile and Michigan Avenue we had walked up an appetite and came across this gastropub. Let me just say that the fried avocado is to die for and the baked gouda mac and cheese is delicious.

8. Sweet Mandy B's - Lord have mercy...this bakery in the heart of Lincoln Park is a MUST! After dinner at Pequod's Pizza we were in the mood for something sweet and our waitress told us about this place and said we had to go. I highly recommend any of their cookies (I had the chocolate chip) or the red velvet cupcake which is what Will got.

Wine Hour at Hotel Palomar Chicago

Wine Hour at Hotel Palomar Chicago