well, better late than never, right? about a month ago i went to new orleans for a few days on work travel and had a wonderful time. it was my first time there, so for the weeks leading up to my trip i heard others’ opinions of the city ranging from how dirty it was to it being one of the most fun places to visit. i can now report back that…both are true. the city is dirty, but in that gritty, romantic, almost european way, and although i wouldn’t want to live there, it didn’t bother me much. it’s also quite fun – for as small as it is (smaller than omaha, so, basically tiny), NOLA had a big-city feel and there’s tons to do. i obliged to many of the predictable activities – beignets at cafe du monde (amazing), gumbo, drinking on the street (very amazing), and the like. i loved all the adorable balconies, the brightly-colored houses, and the tiled street signs. i definitely did not go hungry and ate tons of great food and possibly the best fish dish of my life at one of john besh’s restaurants. there’s jazz music everywhere you turn and the city generally just feels so alive in a way distinct from other places i’ve been. NOLA has a culture all its own and at times i almost felt like i was in another world. i liked it a whole lot. a few photos from the trip…

a few restaurant recommendations:
cochon butcher | luke | peche | cafe du monde | mariza | spitfire coffee