First trip to New Orleans!!

---

INFINITELY better than Vegas. Let's just get that out there right off the bat. :)

Saturday Ingrid and I drove to New Orleans to explore for the day. Lauren gave us directions and told us the general areas to go (and not to go) which was good.

We got there a little after noon. Walked immediately to Jackson Square. It was just like I remembered it from when I went there with band in high school. Went straight to Cafe Du Monde and got beneits, at the recommendation of practically everyone (including AC). O.M.G. It was heaven. Sooooo delicious. And cheap! They give you a lot of hot, powder sugar covered delicious doughiness for only around $2. Amazing. Ate them overlooking the square. Then watched a pretty entertaining group of street performers. Then just walked around. Ended up on Bourbon Street. Got awesome daiquiris and then walked around sipping them. Ended up on Royal street sitting on the sidewalk listening to an AMAZING street band play. LOVED them. bought their CD.

After listening for a while we walked down to the open market, stopping along the way to look at the artwork around Jackson Square. The market was pretty great, there was some neat stuff to look at. By that time we decided to go somewhere for lunch/dinner. Went to a nice restaurant and ate on the balcony, as Lauren had suggested we do. It was really great. I had a delicious salad and they had this amazing local strawberry lagger that Lauren had let us try at her house. It is soooo tasty. I think that if it is feasible I may try to bring some home so ya'll can taste the amazingess. It is only for a limited time so I have to get on that within the next month or two.

Following dinner we just walked around some more, listened to some more great music on royal street and walked down Bourbon Street once again. Its amazing how different it is at night. lol. (parents, don't worry, Lauren had told us what part of Bourbon street was safe to walk on at any time of night and where to avoid).

Left fairly early (7ish) cause we felt we had seen and done a lot and we were quite tired. But all in all it was a fantastic day. I hope to go back soon. There is a free music festival in the french quarter in early april so I think I may try to go for that.

---