New Orleans, better known as NOLA, is fantasized by many college students in the same sense as Las Vegas, “What happens there, stays there.” Widely thought of as a place to drink all day to then feast on amazing food, there’s so much more to this whimsical city than its wild party scene. There’s the people, the fashion, the culture, the art, the music and, of course, the food and the drinks.
FOOD
If you take a right off Bourbon Street, towards the Mississippi River Levee, in three blocks down you’ll find yourself on Decatur Street face-to-face with Café du Monde, a must to all New Orleans tourists or locals. When you’re not chugging down your Hurricane from Pat O’Brien’s, Café du Monde is the perfect place to cure your hangover with the best coffee in the south (you have to try their frozen café au lait) and delicious beignets.
When you’re ready for some real, delicious food, head to Freret Street in uptown. Less than a mile from Tulane, Freret is a hip place to be. With coffee shops and plenty of brunch stops, there’s no going wrong when looking for a meal here. I stopped by two great places here: Mojo Coffee House and Wayfare. Mojo Coffee has amazing brews of coffee and espresso, and they even have iced coffee on tap! Wayfare was probably one of the best brunch places I’ve ever been (yes, it’s got a leg up to Civilization). I ordered a margherita sandwich, which came with fresh tomato, spinach provolone and (homemade!) mozzarella on it. Talk about heaven! Washed down with one of the best mimosas I’ve ever had, I couldn’t complain. Not far, there’s a popular place called District Donuts, gaining attention for their massive, tasty and beautifully decorated donuts. Though the line can get long, it moves quickly and would be a tragedy to miss because these donuts are too delectable for you to not wait.
ART AND MUSIC
Take a break from listening to Chance the Rapper and Lil Yachty and venture into the Quarter to Jackson Square. Bask in the culture of New Orleans here with the street artists. Listen to some of the best jazz in the world, while you walk and see the most interesting art and shops. This square is the perfect place to really learn and appreciate what New Orleans is really all about. If the art and music doesn’t teach you enough about the culture, the people here will. Whether they’re street performers or locals messing around, the people here are some of the most interesting and nice people in the south. It’s all about the southern hospitality down here, y’all.
FASHION
New Orleans may feel like such a magical and curious place to me, but for my mom, it’s the place that she calls home. Growing up in this enchanted town made her proud to call NOLA home. What brought us back this trip was my cousin’s wedding. Choosing what to wear to the wedding was a bit of a discussion beforehand, though. While my immediate thought was to wear my usual favorite flowy sundress outfit, my mom informed me that this was not the style in New Orleans. Much more preppy and conservative, she advised I wear something more classic and with stockings (say what?). Eventually I opted for a two-piece dress with black stockings and black-wedged booties. This was for sure the way to go because everyone was dressed similarly in classic, preppy attire. Even walking the streets, you saw more jeans and flats then shorts and flip-flops, definitely southern style as opposed to the beachier style in Florida.
Let’s remind people why everything that happens in NOLA shouldn’t just stay in NOLA. See and share the wonder that makes this city so timeless.
Photo credit: Maxine Grossman