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New Orleans: The Food, The Drinks, The Cleavage Cupcakes

Well--that was some vacation to New Orleans!
Total length of vacation = 60 hours
Time spent sleeping = 16 hours
Time spent driving = 18 hours

Posing in the French Quarter

So....time ACTUALLY spent on vacation = 36 hours. But we managed to fit in so many sights, eats, drinks, and fun times! Here are some of the best food and drink highlights:

The first night at Pierre Maspero's we started with some fried alligator for an appetizer. Nothing special, but it had to be done! I followed with an appetizer of crab cakes as my main, and a glass of sauvignon blanc.

An order of--what else in Louisiana? Fried alligator for the table!

Crab cakes with parsley and red pepper remoulade

A glass of sauvignon blanc with dinner.
After dinner it was inevitable that the three of us end up on Bourbon Street. I'm not a big drinker anymore, but I wanted to have a hurricane at Pat O'Brien's just to say that I had! So I shared one with the hubs--and I'll be honest, that was plenty. Those babies are STRONG!


The next day's adventures will be detailed another time, but I had a rather mediocre lunch (gryo at a little cafe in the French Market) that was redeemed by the amazing dessert: Bread Pudding served piping hot with a warm caramel whiskey sauce. We split this three ways and I was calculating EXACTLY how much was one third--I wanted every bit I was allotted! The night's dinner was a seared ahi tuna salad--light and delicious. 

Bread Pudding--Heaven!

Lightly seared tuna Caesar salad

And of course, no trip would have been complete without a trip to Cafe Du Monde. It was the very last thing we managed to do, and I ordered the beignets for breakfast before we left New Orleans. They were every bit as crispy, sugary, and delicious as I imagined. I ordered a chocolate milk on the side--I figured if I was having donuts for breakfast why not go ahead and have a kid's drink with it?



I know you're all dying to know about the cleavage cupcakes. Since you all know by now, I'm just a handful gal. (Check out my current bra giveaway if you're curious!) So this product in a shop window intrigued me:


I love their slogan: "Just like homemade"--that cracked me up so much, I just had to take a photo!

What would you prefer--one weekend getaway each month, or a 2-week holiday once each year?
Hmm---obviously I would pick a 2-week holiday each month if it were possible! I am really enjoying our quick little trips recently though. It's nice to relax and visit a new place, especially since I don't know this area of the US very well yet. 

What is the best food you've ever had on vacation?
The beignets are fresh in my mind--it might be them! I went to the Philippines for a girl's holiday once with a couple of friends, and we ate some really amazing food--duck gyoza dumplings that still stand out in my mind, I'd love to have them again!

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Comments

  1. MeganAugust 9, 2011 at 9:43 PM

    Woo Hoo!! I love me some New Orleans! We live about an hour away, and we visit often. In fact, that's where we honeymooned. I remember the time I got the most drunk ever in my life.. and it was on Bourbon St. with my MOM, DAD, and GRANDPARENTS! (Their treat $$) Needless to say, the next day was the WORST hangover of my life. Have you ever tried King Cake?

    By the way, that is a beautiful picture of you in the quarter.

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  2. ElleAugust 9, 2011 at 10:15 PM

    Lovely pics of you. Glad to read you had such a fun time. Sometimes these impromptu getaways are just the best!

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  3. ShortSkirtsAugust 9, 2011 at 10:15 PM

    oh my gosh all that food is making me drool looks super yum!

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  4. LisaAugust 9, 2011 at 10:20 PM

    I love that you savored every minute (err, bite) of your mini vacay! Fun - food looks yummy and I'm jealous!

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  5. Mrs. JMAugust 9, 2011 at 10:37 PM

    bread pudding is my favorite. yum.

    with three kids, i would choose one weekend away per month. for now.

    p.s. i love whatever it is you're wearing in the first photo (is a dress? i'm sorta hoping so).

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  6. AlisaAugust 9, 2011 at 10:41 PM

    Looks like a delicious vacation. Alligator is a big let down. I remember the first time I had it, I was convinced it was chicken and everybody was playing a joke on me!

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  7. GracieAugust 9, 2011 at 11:37 PM

    Next time you're in town let me know and I'll tell you all the places to go! Glad our weather was kind of cool while you were here!

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  8. LindseyAugust 10, 2011 at 12:59 AM

    That salad looks amazing, and so do the beignets!!

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  9. CaitlinAugust 10, 2011 at 1:03 AM

    haha...you had me at the title! ;) i think it's always fun to see companies that have that little shock value in their goods...but it all comes down to the question of: does it taste good and is their cleavage all it's cracked up to be?? ;)

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  10. AnonymousAugust 10, 2011 at 1:14 AM

    I'd pick a 2 day holiday per month as well! And you are one brave girl to eat that alligator... I'd probably run screaming from the restaurant!

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  11. sammyAugust 10, 2011 at 1:50 AM

    Would be great to do both ... mini get away every couple of months and then a big 2 week vacation (not that I'm counting but my two week trip to indonesia is just six weeks away ... woooo hoooo)

    Best food away ... everything - I'm not cooking it or cleaning it up what could be better!

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  12. Margot (fasterbunnyblog)August 10, 2011 at 1:54 AM

    Omgosh I really want you to send me some of those beignets!
    glad ya had fun girl.

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  13. kristenAugust 10, 2011 at 5:44 AM

    Can I have two days a month AND the two full weeks once a year? That seems reasonable no? :)

    I've had some pretty good food on vacation but one thing that sticks in my mind is my soup appetizer when I went to Morimoto in Philadelphia. I still think about that soup...

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  14. Christina @ The AthletarianAugust 10, 2011 at 6:00 AM

    I love long vacations because they give me a sense of belonging somewhere. I know it's weird but i feel like I live somewhere by the end of the second week. The only thing is...it sucks going home!

    I cannot believe you ate alligator!!! That sounds so crazy to me! I want some bread pudding! I've tried a lot of really amazing things. The pizza in Italy was to die for, the selection of macadamia nuts in Hawaii was unreal, and everything in NYC is ridiculously amazing!

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  15. Running RicigAugust 10, 2011 at 8:01 AM

    Even if it was only 36 hours, that looks like so much fun! And SOOO delicious!

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  16. Siobhan McCarthy.caAugust 10, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    The best food I had on vacation was seriously at Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano in Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. I had the Chicken Pipette pasta dish and no joke- I was hugging the bowl while eating it. I was in LOVE. I even packed up the leftovers, carried them aroudn with me, and ate the rest of my delicious pasta while watching the Fantasmic show. SOOOO GOOD!

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  17. MarleneAugust 10, 2011 at 9:19 AM

    You're brave to try the alligator! AND the hurricane. :)

    Love your dress!!

    I love weekend trips in the summer, but I always try to plan a week long trip to get me through the winter months. Preferably somewhere HOT!

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  18. JessicaAugust 10, 2011 at 10:04 AM

    We are weekend warriors! I think the longest trip we have taken since getting married is only 4 days! But we love to hit the road for the weekend :)

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  19. AnonymousAugust 10, 2011 at 11:47 AM

    I just forwarded your reviews ri my fiance. He's going for his bachelor party weekend. I think I'd prefer two weeks because there's nothing like not having to work for two whole weeks!!

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  20. Running GirlAugust 10, 2011 at 12:05 PM

    Looks like you made the most out of a short trip! I go back & forth. Generally, I use most of my vacation days for long weekends. But, I'm taking an entire week off next week, & I'm extremely excited just to get that mental relaxation that's hard to achieve when you just have a few days off.

    Cute pictures!

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  21. JuliaAugust 10, 2011 at 12:07 PM

    LOVE cafe du monde...LOVE those hurricanes. ahhhh i just LOVE new orleans. what a fun trip!!!

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  22. StephanieAugust 10, 2011 at 12:32 PM

    tell me more about these cupcakes please!!! yum!!! my favorite food on vacation was in vegas - white chocolate french toast. to die for.

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  23. HollyAugust 10, 2011 at 1:07 PM

    I've been to Cafe Du Monde! Loved it!

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  24. Rachelle WardleAugust 10, 2011 at 1:44 PM

    LOVE mini vacations! And all of this food is making me hungry. YUM!! That salad looks so good.

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  25. Sam W.August 10, 2011 at 2:08 PM

    mmm, i've never been, but i think i need a trip for all those yummy eats :)

    Sam @ fitness food & faith (giveaway today!)

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  26. ChristinaAugust 10, 2011 at 3:14 PM

    I'd love to go to New Orleans someday!! Glad you had fun!

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  27. savoryandsavageAugust 10, 2011 at 4:55 PM

    Glad you had a fun trip!

    My favorite dish was Colcannon I ate in a tiny pub in Waterford, Ireland.

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  28. ChelsAugust 10, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    Your trip looks like yo had a blast!! I love weekend getaways, sometimes they are hard though because you come back on Sunday tired and have to head to work the next day. Most amazing food I tried was when Craig and I went to San Fransico last summer, we had endless amounts of salmon, crab legs, and shrimp...and the sourdough bread!

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  29. AnonymousAugust 10, 2011 at 7:15 PM

    Looks like a fun time! I've done a couple of weekend trips this Summer, and I decided that they're good but feel a little rushed. Especially if they involve 8-9 hour car trips. So, essentially, I'm dying for a vacation.

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  30. UnknownAugust 11, 2011 at 10:27 AM

    I like the one weekend getaway a month - Tripp and I try to do that, whether it is close to Boston or not...

    BTW - YOu fit in a ton on this trip! Nice work!!! And those hurricanes? So strong and a bit sweet- did you go in the piano bar?

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  31. ChristinaAugust 11, 2011 at 9:37 PM

    Love bread pudding.
    I think I make some decent bread pudding. Need to work on the whiskey sauce though ...

    ReplyDelete
  32. Jess A @cajunrunnerjessAugust 16, 2011 at 7:19 AM

    Next time try a hand grenade on Bourbon. If you like green Hawaiian punch, you will like this drink. But one is the limit unless you are seasoned. LOL!

    ReplyDelete

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