Saturday AM I had a scheduled client call so we walked over to Drip Affogato Bar for our am caffeine. It’s a quaint little spot on Carondolet that offers 2 of the best things in the world: espresso & ice cream. While traditionally I would opt for a latte, I couldn’t resist an 8am affogato so I opted for the “classique” which had the traditional vanilla scoop with espresso but with the addition of crushed pistchios, maldon sea salt and a stroopwaffel. I ordered it to go so I could make it back in time for my call and they gave me the very cold ice cream & toppings in a biodegradable to go container and a hot shot of espresso so I could DIY. I'll admit, not the best portable food but I somehow managed to finish the whole thing the couple block walk back to our apartment without spilling any on the very bright white outfit I had chosen that morning.
After my call and Adrians quick trip to Nesbits for more supplies. We decided on breakfast and what turned out to be my absolute favorite meal on the trip thus far! Willa Jean was on my list of places to go but closed at 3pm everyday for limited covid hours and I missed it the first 2 days. Today however, was a fateful day.
Have you ever had a meal so good you go from dancing in your seat to crying actual tears of joy? It’s a rare occasion for me but it does happen and when it goes it’s because of a complete standout meal better than the rest. This was absolutely Willa Jean. If you’re stopping in just for coffee, I highly recommend the milk money latte, at $6 it’s the most expensive coffee drink on their menu and just only rivals that of a traditional Starbucks drink price but it’s sweet simplicity makes it all worth it. Think: what you expect a great vanilla latte to taste like in your dreams. That’s the milk money latte. No frills, just a great quality and not too sweet latte.
On our first trip (I say first trip because we went back the next day it was so good) I got the Big Easy Bucha in “jazz juice tea” flavor. Basically New Orleans local kombucha with beautiful branding that made it hard to let go of the bottle. We then proceeded to order 3 things from the breakfast menu. Between 2 people this is the perfect amount to split! We got the shrimp & Grits bowl (with the freshest, tastiest shrimp I’ve come across. A fried chicken biscuit with tobasco honey (perfectly fried chicken) and veggies and grains bowl (hello crispy toasted garlic). It was hard to pick a favorite between the three so definitely just order a medley from their menu and eat your way through the morning. You won’t regret it.
In fact, it was so great. that we went back the next morning when our alternate option was closed due to Covid. We got the fried chicken sandwich, the hangover bowl and the loaded avocado toast. It was all just as satisfying as our first trip1
After breakfast, we headed down on the streetcar to the french market and walked along the water. We wanted to go to the spanish plaza for a visit to see the Pontevedra tile and see the fountains but it was closed due to Covid. We did end up strolling back through the riverwalk outlets for it’s refreshing AC and popped into a couple stores that were open, including a cute little pet store where I got Bear a lobster tug toy. If you find yourself needing to walk back west of the city towards the lower garden district or warehouse district, it’s actually a way to keep cool and pace yourself out of the heat. The outlet mall ends at the convention center at Julia st which is conveniently located on the street our apartment is just a few blocks down.
As became our ritual, we walked back to the apartment to rest for a bit during the peak heat hours of the city, shower, take a quick nap and regroup. I’m telling you that heat and humidity will wear you out if you’re not careful so this routine saved us from possible heat stroke on many a day!
I booked us a ghost tour that night that was history-based. Meaning no cheesy gimmicks and it was actually guided by someone who has their degree in history and/or teaches history at a local school. It was much more fascinating to me to learn a bit more about the folklore and it’s origins than a cheap scare that you might get from some guy dressed up like a pirate (although to each their own!!)
On the way the way there we actually caught up with a “Take Em Down New Orleans” march against police brutality and for the removal of confederate statues and joined for as many blocks as we could.
When we reached our location across from Jackson Square, we had a few minutes to kill so we ran next door to Kilwins for ice cream. Although I’m always a fan of local, there is a certain comfort in the reliability of the chain of Kilwins! This time I mixed it up a bit and got Kilwins mud & my traditional mint chocolate chip.
Our tour guide took us along the french quarter to talk about haunted bars & superstitions, to a practicing voodoo temple and discussed the history and origin, one of the original structures in New Orleans that hosted nuns and what townspeople thought were vampires. We also saw the Lalaurie Mansion as seen on American Horror Story as well as another building the show was actually filmed in.
After the ghost tour we headed off to Bourbon St, we snagged a hurricane and an Abita Amber ale at Lafittes and made our way to a little outdoor courtyard bar/club that was playing raggaeton. We danced for a bit until it started to get crowded. We stopped into Willys fried chicken on Canal and rode the trolley home, half in the bag and full of chicken. It was a great night!
Since you might find yourself out drinking late on Bourbon St, you’ll probably want some hearty breakfast options to take the edge off the next day or perhaps a little hair of the dog to keep things going. While there are a ton of fabulous spots, here are a few favorites and/or places we didn’t get to check out due to Covid that might be open when you come to visit!
The Vintage - Garden District
One of the cutest, most instagrammable spots for a quick spot of espresso is The Vintage. Set right on Magazine St (where a ton of cute boutiques & restaurants are in the garden district- more on that in next weeks blog) and is only 5 blocks away from the St Charles & 8th street stop on the green line trolley. I urge you to take the trolley and then walk down 8th st to see the beautiful homes (protip, I won’t give you the address but if you go one block up to Harmony, you’ll walk by one of Beyonces houses!!!) The Vintage has all the traditional bar & cafe favorites including beignets and “fancy” beignets that I didn’t get but from the looks in the case appear to have some fun topping options other than powdered sugar. As you can see the below their traditional beignets are pretty large so you’ll have to share or opt for the beignet bites which are the same serving but feel smaller and therefore like you’re eating less. Memorable mentions - iced chai latte for those hot days and if you can bear the heat sitting out front under their pergola where the hanging plants create a little oasis against the sizzle of the pavement surrounding.
Brennans - French Quarter
Brennans is a cajun classic, opened in New Orleans in 1946 and the original home of the bananas foster (with kind of a fun back story)! Brennans is a fabulous spot for not only breakfast/brunch/lunch but also lunch and dinner on the weekends. It’s a slightly more elevated spot providing a white tablecloth service in a Wes Anderson-esque atmosphere.
The Cafe Du Monde - French Quarter
A classic spot that some may consider a tourist trap, Cafe Du Monde is the quintessential chicory coffee & beignet spot. Similar to the Eiffel Tower, even though it’s basically the most touristy thing you can do in New Orleans it’s a must-see at least for the sake of saying you’ve gone. The OG location is on Decatur street across from Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Be prepared to wait in line for a bit before you enter and make sure you bring cash (it’s cash only!!) If you aren’t prepared or the line is too long, you can stroll and peruse the french market shops nearby (or pop up the street to visit some of the more eclectic voodoo/vintage/wiccan shops and grab some cash at an atm. If you still don’t care to wait in the hot summer sun, consider visiting the location at city park, they have another lovely outdoor covered terrace and is a great place to stop after a surrey ride around the park.
Stanley
Just down the street from Cafe Du Monde, is Stanley, a fabulous little lunch spot with a great hurricane and an even better chicken sandwich & breaux bridge benedict with seared boudin patties. Sit outside if it’s not too hot so you can get some epic people watching in and enjoy music from one of the multiple street performers out on a sunny day.
District | Donuts | Sliders | Brew
If you find yourself craving a donut, as I oftentimes find myself doing, District is the place to be. It’s located in the garden district smack dab on Magazine street. I highly recommend one of their hot, fluffy donuts or if you’re looking for something a bit more filling, the Hot Chicken & Honey Butter French Toast Biscuit will NOT disappoint.
