Girls Trip - New Orleans and Boarding the Norwegian Breakaway
We met up at the Salt Lake airport at 5:30 in the morning and got on our first flight to Houston, and then flew again to New Orleans. Upon arrival Missy handed us our sweatshirts that she had made for the trip. They were so cute!! It was fun to be matching on our travel day (and several cruise evenings). Geneva and I chatted the whole first flight and then I got a window seat to myself on the second flight and took a nap. As soon as we landed, we picked up our luggage - commenting on how we actually had to look at signs and figure out where we were going without the boys to follow - and then headed out to get an Uber. Missy is our uber app girl and it’s been so easy to navigate. When she pays she splits it with us all on Venmo and it’s been great to keep track of everything immediately.
We stayed at the Marriott downtown New Orleans- which Brian arranged for us for a great deal. Great location right on Canal street walking distance to a lot of the streets and areas we wanted to see.
We checked in, got freshened up and then headed out to see some streets. I had heard that New Orleans (or Nola) as it’s lovingly referred to, is crazy during Marti Gras which ended the Tuesday before we got here, but some of that crazy has definitely lingered and we’re learning that a lot of the streets are quite the party scene all the time. We stood on a corner of Bourbon Street to take in the crazy for a minute but mostly we tried to find quieter streets to take in the cute colorful architecture and classic ornate rod iron balconies with flowers.
Checking out some New Orleans shops in the French Quarter. Missy bought some caramels to share as we wandered the area.
Beignets at Café Du Monde
After walking around for awhile we tried beignets at Café du Monde - THE place to get them. This original Café du Monde has been in business on Decatur Street in the French Quarter since 1862!! and is open 24-7! We waited in a long line for the take-out beignets and ordered a bag each, which came with three beignets and a half cup of powdered sugar. Yum!
Around the corner were these cute turquoise windows right into the bakery where the beignets were being made. See that white stuff all over the floor? Powdered sugar leaking from cracks! The perfect place to take a few pictures of our New Orleans treat!
Jackson Square with the prominent St. Louis Cathedral
We found Jackson Square and then wandered around trying to avoid crazy people and sketchy areas. It was a fun few hours.
Away from the touristy crowded streets we found some darling houses on quiet streets. So cute!
Dinner at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant
At 5:30 we took an Uber to a restaurant that Terri had found. One of the most popular restaurants in New Orleans, which is the first fancy African-American owned restaurant in the United States - called Dooky Chase’s Restaurant - in business since 1941. It was a busy restaurant and had a great southern menu. Terri and I shared a delicious beet salad, mashed sweet potatoes and the fried chicken, which was so good.
The airport uber driver earlier that day had warned us to take an uber to the restaurant, and then an Uber from the restaurant door to our hotel and not to wander one step past the restaurant in that area of town. He made us nervous so we asked if we should even go to the restaurant and he assured us that we should, but to make sure we didn’t walk around. After we finished our meal the sun had set and we noticed a security guard standing just outside the restaurant.
We were back at the Marriott by 8:30pm, which surprised our last Uber driver. We got in our comfy clothes and out matching ‘Love, Live and Travel sweatshirts’ that Missy made us and met up in Terri and Missy‘s room to talk, laugh, and play Quixxs. It was fun. Terri was dying of thirst and I went with her to go try and find some water, but the vending machine was broken. Back at the hotel room, Geneva called the front desk, asking for water and added the phrase. ‘We’re pretty thirsty up here’ which made us laugh and laugh. When the water was finally brought up it was four little baby waters. It’s going to be a fun week!
Another morning in New Orleans
We got up and had our bags ready to go by 8:30am. We grabbed some food from the hotel shop - a banana for me - and headed out the door to find some fun places to take pictures of. To start we tracked down this adorable ‘With love from nola’ sign in a nearby shopping area.
NOLA = New Orleans Louisiana
Love the shutters, the semi-circle transom windows and the baskets of flowers.
Orleans Street and Bourbon Street
We spent forever in this darling shop. We could NOT stop picking up all the cute jelly cat stuffed things. They had quite the collection and it was so fun. Terri bought little stuffed fruit and a few beautifully illustrated books and Mis picked out the tiniest little pink Lobster.
One more stop at Café Du Monde
Brennan’s Restaurant
Standing outside of Brennan’s - a cute PINK restaurant. If we had more time it would have been fun to eat here too!
The Trolley on Canal Street
We wandered a few more streets, went into some stores, found some really delicious chocolate salted ice cream in a waffle cone and then rode the trolley. We heard a suggestion to go visit the cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in the United States, which is all above ground so we headed in that direction and soon realized it wasn’t the best area of town. Back to the trolley, over to the hotel and then an Uber to the Norwegian Port.
On the Ship
We boarded the ship and waited in the lounge as Terri and Geneva upgraded their drink packages. We were laughing at how much Missy’s kids were texting her asking her questions even though Doug is there in the house and just then Chris called and asked me how to turn on the oven. Haha. When I told him we might not have good Wi-Fi until I get to Mexico then he joked ‘maybe we husbands need to pitch in for some Wi-Fi access for the girls otherwise it might be a long week.’ Haha. Made me laugh.
We headed to the rooms. They are right beside each other with adjoining doors which is so fun! Tiny little dorm rooms. We joked about wishing we would have brought posters and string lights. Terri and MIs decorated their room with their new jellycat purchases - which are so cute!! Mis bought a mini lobster which will be our mascot all week. And we named her Nola. Adorable.
We walked all around the ship to get our bearings and then headed to the Garden Cafe for a late lunch. We had the best fried rice and ginger beef. It’s going to be a great week!!
Later our bags were delivered and we completely unpacked and got organized and then got ready for dinner at the Manhattan House — the biggest dining room with a band playing in the background. I ordered Crab Wontons, Caesar Salad and Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo. All good. We were pleasantly surprised with delicious molten lava chocolate cake with ice cream. (Lots of memories of our 13 Day Mediterranean Cruise when we had amazing Molten lava chocolate cake EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.)
After dinner we went to the magic show - always so impressive, and then found the game room and played a game of Stained Glass and then a game of the original Azul. It was my lucky night. I won both. Great talks about kids and everything. Bed by midnight!