Honeymoon in New Orleans
Russell and I got married back in October … and what’s the best part of getting married? Going on the honeymoon, of course!
After considering many tropical honeymoon locations and coming to the conclusion that we’re not “beach” people, we settled on the one city we both have wanted to visit for years … New Orleans. What could be better than amazing food, incredible history, candy-colored houses, and music in the streets?
Did I mention the food? OMG, the food. Charbroiled oysters, sazeracs, gumbo, grits, pulled-pork eggs benedict, sweet potato beignets with foie gras … I could go on. *Droooooools*
We arrived for our honeymoon in New Orleans on the first day of Mardi Gras season, January 6th (known as twelfth night), and stayed for a week.
And today is officially Mardi Gras! We thought it would be the perfect day to share our adventures in New Orleans. We can’t wait to go back.
Here are some images from our trip!
We arrived in New Orleans just in time to see the Joan of Arc Parade, the first parade of Mardi Gras season in honor of the unofficial patron saint’s birthday.
Before the parade start, this participant was getting used to making the dragon dance while fellow club members cheered her on.
Of course, we had to have beignets at Cafe Du Monde! Why yes, you may cover that fried bread in a whole cup of powdered sugar! Yum yum.
There’s a window in the back of the cafe where you can see the bakers cook the beignets.
The food in New Orleans is to die for! *more drooooooling*
We had a blast on Doctor Gumbo’s food and drink tour. We learned all about the history of cocktails, highballs, gumbo, po’ boys, and more.
We celebrated my birthday at Commander’s Palace, where we had rice pudding souffle with whiskey sauce.
Music is always in the air in the French Quarter.
We tracked down the Lady Jetsetters’ second line parade, which was so filled with energy!
The streets were filled with dancers at the second line parade. Some people even danced on storage bins.
Nearly every building in the French Quarter has a gas lantern flickering on its doorstep. These are the specialty of Bevolo Gas and Electric lantern makers.
We took a Free Tours By Foot tour of the mansions in the Garden District.
Homes around the French Quarter are painted in bright jewel colors of coral, canary, mint, robin’s egg blue, and more.
The cemeteries are called “cities of the dead” due to their road-like pathways and large above-ground mausoleums.
Some graves are decorated with Mardi Gras beads, oysters, and flowers.
New Orleans is one of the most haunted cities in the country, so of course we went on a ghost tour, too!
“Karma”, by South Korean artist Do Ho Suh, was one of my favorite sculptures in the Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art.
You’re never too old to have a purple balloon for your birthday!
We ventured out of the city to visit our friend Meghan, who showed us the bayou, swamps, and plantations in nearby towns.
Oak Alley Plantation was a spectacular location!
I fell in love with the moss growing all over the oak trees.
We had a blast on our Honeymoon in New Orleans!
