New Orleans

Many, many, MANY moons ago, I sojourned to New Orleans with a suitcase and a dream to get on "American Idol". Sadly, I did not make it. I was immediately cut and by the time I'd gotten through the audition process, I was deliriously tired. After I cried my only-been-asleep-for-about-forty-five-minutes-the-night-before eyes out over breakfast at a local restaurant, I was slightly consoled (and intrigued) by the restaurant patrons bellied up to the bar eating oysters.

After breakfast, I slept.

After I slept, I hung out on Bourbon Street where I slipped into a bar and happened upon a singer with a blue wig on and a whole lotta blues to sang. That is not a typo, she was SANGin', from the belly of her soul. I drowned my sorrows in every note she belted out. I skipped from live music bars to top 40 bars and as the magic of New Orleans melted into me, the sadness of the auditions began to slip away. 

The last bar I went into that night was The Funky Pirate where Big Al Carson was rocking the place. Not only could he sing his butt off, he was funny, entertaining and engaged the crowd in a way that made a roomful of strangers turn into an intimate Friday night jam session with newfound friends.

When I returned to New Orleans many years later, I realized I'd only seen a fraction of even the historical section of the city and I'd seen it through very sleep-deprived and soul-crushed eyes. I had more time to see the sights the second time around and when I really saw New Orleans, I fell in love with it. New Orleans is one of my favorite U.S. cities. This is why I was beyond excited to travel there this past spring with my husband. 

Here is our trip in pictures. (A small sample of them, anyway.) Enjoy!

Beautiful local art in the hotel rooms

Our view from dinner just a street or two away from Bourbon Street on the night of our arrival. Note the beads hanging from the wires.

The scene on the table in our hotel room the morning after the first night on Bourbon Street

Absolutely perfect lunch by the water

You cannot leave New Orleans without patronizing Cafe dú Monde. Often, musicians will be playing just outside the cafe. It is truly a divine experience.

Thomas and I joked that you couldn't get away with ditching your bill here. You would clearly leave a trail!

I always go on a tour via mule ride when in New Orleans. Each tour guide has something different and unique from the last tour guide to point out to you.

But first, let us take a selfie

I'd never been to any of the plantations in Louisiana and was determined to get out to the Oak Alley plantation this visit. I'd seen the plantation in brochures and of course, it is an awe-inspiring sight with the huge oak trees (all around 300 years old), but the history behind the plantation is what really drew me in.

We toured cabins that were recreated to look like the original slave cabins on the plantation and they all included historical displays inside.

On the walls of the recreated cabins were names of slaves drawn from inventory records.

Inside the plantation house

The front of the plantation house. The trees are so large that the house almost disappears. See it way down at the end of the line of trees?

We spent a few nights on Bourbon Street

Bourbon Street is more than just drinking and partying. The architecture and history of the buildings that line Bourbon Street and nearby streets are beautiful and fascinating. So much art, history, music and culture makes this city unique and full of color.

Even the outside of hotels have beautiful structures! 

And of course, you have to eat at Mother's. Wonderful hospitality, delicious food and a style all its own.

We were in New Orleans for my birthday. The tour guide from the mule ride recommended  Irene's, an Italian restaurant, and said it was one of his favorite restaurants. For my birthday, we decided to dine at Irene's!

Thomas checks out the menu

Inside the restaurant

Good wine menu advice

I don't even care that I took a picture of my food. Totally. Worth. It.

For dessert, the wait staff came out and sang me one of the heartiest renditions of "Happy Birthday" I ever remember and a complimentary piece of cheesecake with Grand Marnier sauce drizzled over it. Absolutely delectable.

No trip to New Orleans (or birthday in New Orleans) is complete without a haunted historical tour. Ours began here around dusk on my birthday.

Our tour guide

Lots of spooky stops and stories

Looking inside a haunted ballroom 

My birthday in New Orleans was spectacular. I should mention that it began the night before in a bar on top of a mechanical bull. You'd think with as many bachelorette parties as I'd been to, I would have rode one of these things before, but no--first time! 

Last day (morning) in New Orleans

Cheers to another great time in New Orleans!

The pictures here are just a fraction of the sights we saw and things we did. If you have not been to New Orleans, I highly recommend you add it to your bucket list! 

Cheers,

Samara

Seven on Saturday

To punish myself (because it's a teensy more work) and reward you for being so patient as I failed to deliver my Five on Friday, I am making up my missed deadline with a special edition of Five on Friday. I bring you....

Seven on Saturday

So, Seven on Saturday is my own spinoff of Five on Friday for when I do not get my Five on Friday up in time for you all. I don't plan on this regularly happening, but in the event that it does, this will be the alternative. It's all about creative solutions, right? ;-) 

OK, enough chit chat, here we go!!!

1. Closet Dividers

What else would a little world traveler have in his closet but world traveler closet  dividers?

Due to a lack of time, I did enlist an Etsy artist for these guys. However, this is something you could easily make on your own and there are tons of tutorials online.

2. Spice Racks to Bookrack

 Jackson's nursery is small, so dragging another piece of furniture (bookcase) into the mix was not an enticing idea. I was thinking instead of finding little cubby holes to hang from the wall. However, when I saw these IKEA spice racks being used as book holders on one of my favorite blogger's site (and then happily found this idea all over the internet, thus giving me several ideas on paint,etc.) I knew this was perfect for a small nursery!

Now to find the time to sand, paint and hang them. Purchasing them is half the battle, right? Right?!? :)

3. House Calculator

So, as we save for a home, with the possibility of building a home, my husband found this amazing website that walks you through several elements of home building--materials, number of bathrooms, bedrooms, etc. After you've answered all of the website's questions, you get a calculation as to what the cost of building your home would be, based on the information you've provided. It's a bit addictive and totally fun.

Here's the link:

http://www.costtobuild.net/calculator.html

4. Fighting the Good Fight For Positivity

One of the things I decided to work on this Lent was being positive. Let me tell you, giving up the bread was way easier. (And I looooove bread!) 

I am very blessed and am reminded of that each and every day. Those trigger things and people always exist, though, and they serve as a test. You can be so happy in your own life and when you're forced to deal with people who are determined to be negative about everything, or who are selectively negative to you for whatever reason (maybe just because you're happy), it can wear on you. Their negative demeanor can be cancerous and serves no good purpose. 

What is not productive, I will work (even after Lent) on not giving my attention or energy. We all say this, but you really have to think about this to act on it. 

Don't let negative people rule your day. Good always outweighs bad, 

we just have to let it.

5. Easter Basket

So, if you know me "in real life" (and even if you don't, and are only judging me from my blog), you know I enjoy the fact that I'm a little different, a little artsy, and a little bit of a perfectionist. This of course carried over into the selection of my little guy's Easter basket. 

I didn't want anything commercial or super common. I wanted something classic and/or rustic. I scoured the net for a bit and was overjoyed when I found these beautiful rustic baskets on Etsy. 

Jackson's basket arrived today in the mail, all the way from Fairbanks, Alaska.

I know this basket will be totally impractical for him in a couple of years (at least for Easter egg hunts), but I'll enjoy this beautifully impractical basket for now. When he outgrows it, it won't go to waste, either, as this is a perfect basket to place in his semi-vintage world traveler room.

6.  Thomas' Birthday Week

We've had plenty reason to eat naughty this week;it's Thomas' birthday week!

Tomorrow we are having a family birthday brunch and giving him presents. I can't wait!

7. Mad Men

Whip up an Old Fashioned, break out your 60's gear and get ready for some witty repartee.  The final season of "Madmen" commences tomorrow, April 13th, and will be spread out over two years. 

I, for one, cannot adequately express my joy in the return of this show. Finally, the void that was left by the end of the latest season of "Downton Abbey" is filled. Thank you, Hollywood.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, darlings!

Cheers,

Samara