New Orleans, Part 2.
—or—
Noms & Dranks, of course.

A preface:

New Orleans is a touristy place. As someone who is from a touristy place (Asheville) I understand just how miserable it can be to deal with tourists. I try to never act like a tourist even when I am one.

It is also worth noting that I pretty much ALWAYS look like I’m on vacation. I wear bright, bold, tropical colors, lots of beads, big earrrings, boho bag bedecked in dangling key chains, and I carry a fan. I’ve been at this as long as I can remember. {Also, since when did tourists start carrying fans? Dang jerks have copped my doom-hippie style. I digress.} It’s okay to be a tourist. It’s NOT okay to go to place that is not yours and expect it to cater to your needs. If you want “normal food” just go to Applebee’s. Don’t get wasted-face and act like you’ve never been to a bar before. Over-tip your servers, even if they seem distant–they’ve likely been dealing with jerk tourists.

There are like one millions great places to eat and drink in New Orleans. Just ask someone–they will tell you their favorites.  Ain’t nobody got time for Pat O’Briens. You ARE allowed to go to Cafe DuMonde. It really is worth it. (FYI just grab a table–DO NOT stand in the stupid line!!!) Unless you’re going to LaFitte’s Blacksmith Shop you can pretty much bypass Bourbon Street. Or you can walk down it to gawk at those 8 blocks of horror. Anyway… I’m going to tell you about some places that I love. If you go there, you better not act like a jerk. Okay? Okay. Now take notes because you’re gonna want to remember these.

[Don’t forget, all text in BOLD ITALICS is a clickable link to more info!!!}

❤

LaFITTE’S BLACKSMITH SHOP:

It’s the oldest bar in America. You should go there.

Get a margarita or a Purple Drink. Don’t ask, just do it.

BUD RIP’S

Located in the Bywater.

Kinda hipster but welcomed my mom and people with dogs.

Great daily drink specials ($3-$5) and fresh flowers on the bar.

Free oysters {and set ups!} on Saturday afternoons.

HANSEN’S:

{photo credit, MOM <3}

Here is what my mom posted on Facebook after her first Sno-Bliz:

“There Are No Shortcuts to Quality” is the motto of Hansen’s Sno-Bliz. Today was the day I had my first sno-ball ever. It was fluffy. It was pink. The softest shaved ice ever. Cream of nectar syrup, crushed pineapple, vanilla ice cream buried in the shaved ice, marshmallow fluff. The “Jr Atomic” looks like a mushroom cloud and is perhaps an immature thing for a woman my age to order, but I will do it again…and again…given the chance! Oh, and a cherry on top. (This was a recommendation from The Book.)

I would wax poetic about this but really just go to their website and read their story. Then at your very next convenient moment, you should go there. Like, drive from Texas or North Carolina or Oregon and don’t even stop at your hotel, just go immediately there. Get the Junior Atomic with Nectar. If you tell them it’s your first you *might* get a tiny American flag tooth pick and sprinkles on your. Or maybe I just looked like such a tourist fangirl that I got those things.

Southern Food & Beverage Museum 
also home of the Museum of the American Cocktail

This museum has a little section on food from all southern states.
You can get a drink at the bar and drink it while you browse.
You encouraged to TOUCH a lot of the gadgets/items on display.

There were even DOLLS, y’all.

You may (probably not, LOL) remember the doll on the left from this post. I tried to buy a doll just like this and had drama (click to read about if ya wanna). At least now I know “who she is” and can try to buy one someday! The doll on the right is a Chiquita banana promotion. Aren’t they both just dreamy?

There is also a pretty major cocktail napkin collection (way more than what you see here) and y’all know how much I love paper napkins.

 

CENTRAL GROCERY
Muffulettas y’all.
HOT TIP: you can get them without meat–hooray!

Now let’s talk about Po-boy’s.

There are two places that I have had magical po-boys. It is possible that I was spoiled/warped by having the sandwich at these two places early on in my NO tenure. I’m sure there are other great places out there, but after several very mediocre experiences I would rather just get to the source and bypass sadfaces.

If you want to take the sandwich to eat on the grass by the river:
VERTI MART
{FUN FACT: I love this sandwich so much I have considered naming a child Verti}
The fried oyster seems a bit pricey but you will not regret it.

If you want to eat at a table with a plate:
COOP’S
I’d advise to go early or for lunch (they get slammed and there’s a line).
It’s worth noting that you gotta be 21 to enter, even to just eat.

 

A couple of more places you might want to check out for drinks:
In the Quarter:
Molly’s at the Market: cold AC, cheap drinks, across from the market (obvs)
Erin Rose : cheap drinks, superior juke box, po-boys (heard they’re good)
SoBou : fancy but great happy hour, sometimes pool is open to public

In the Bywater:
Mimi’s: restaurant with bar menu & “trust me” order option, great happy hour
Marie’s: cold AC, CHEAP drinks, old bar flies

And if you need some PIZZA—->Pizza Delicious…lawdy.

AND 2 MOARRRR THINGS:

There are two places I went on this trip that were pretty random but SUPER fun. One was a gourmet soft drink store and the other was a giant mardi gras bead warehouse. The soft drink store is called Rocket Fizz and is a chain that sells weird drinks and candies. My doll club likes to get strange soft drinks to sample so this was a gold mine of delight. Once we drink the ones I bought I will report back on the flavors I got–they included: Churro Burro, Faygo Rock & Rye, Peanut Butter, Grass, Ranch, and Fog. Yup. You read those right. I took some suggestions from a little boy who was about 8 years old who had come in several different times with his family. He seemed like an expert.

The other place was called The Mardi Gras Spot which is a GIANT warehouse of all kinds of beads and stuff to throw in parades. If you love beads and parasols you gotta get there. A lot of store warehouses like this charge admission just to go shop (like $15 >:P ) so this one is a great place that you can go for free. The prices are very reasonable and CHEAP when compared to out of town shopping. They also carry glass beads!

WHEW!
That’s a LOT of info but I hope you enjoyed it!

Be sure to check out New Orleans, Part 1. and my YouTube Amtrak video!

See you soon with the last post about the trip:
New Orleans, Part 3: For Mr Smith

New Orleans, Part 1.
The train, “The Book”, and the Trinity.

As you know from THIS post, I recently took the Amtrak to New Orleans to vacation with my mother. The last time I took a long train ride like this was in 2004 when I went with my mom from PA to NYC after I graduated from college. So it had been a minute since I traveled this way.

The picture below doesn’t really do justice to JUST HOW WEIRD IT WAS to go at 2:30am to what seems like an abandoned train track and feel like it was either a murder in the making or an episode of candid camera. Big props to Mr. Smith for taking me there, staying with me, and not being too weirded out! After the boarding time came and went with NO TRAIN, I checked the Amtrak website and discovered the train was delayed by an hour. And sure enough, pretty much right at 4:15am, a GIANT train with at least ten cars stopped in Gastonia for just little ol me.

It felt straight up like the Knight Bus in Harry Potter.

The train trip was AWESOME. I absolutely recommend traveling this way if you have some flexibility in your travel time (ie, don’t need to get somewhere in a short amount of time). The trip took about 17 hours (that went SO FAST) but would have taken at least 11 by plane (with the tickets that I could afford–one way tickets were over $400). The coach seats were VERY big and reclined way more than the 1.5 inches on a plane. The staff was really helpful and friendly. The bathrooms were a little gross, but so are most public bathrooms, right? I’m calling it $135 very well spent. When I travel this way again the only thing I will do differently is to pack some sneaky beverages of my own and more food from home. As long as you eat in your seat and not the dining car, they don’t mind you bringing your own noms. I’ll also check for delays before I leave home.

Let’s talk briefly about what has become known as “The Book.” This is not to be confused with “The Good Book”– it is a delightful love letter to the food and drink of New Orleans and the people who make it possible. I stumbled upon The Book on an end cap at the public library in Gastonia. The cover caught my eye and the book flap blurb sounded like it might be worth a read.

In all honesty, I get nervous about books that have to do with New Orleans, and really, Louisiana in general. Cliches abound and are both powerful and painful. The Book, Gumbo Tales ended up pleasing me in a way that only James Lee Burke has in recent years. My nerves quickly melted in to relief as I read and knew that author Sara Roahen “got it”. That’s all I will say about The Book besides that if you are a n00b or a native, Roahen is likely to show you some places that will make your face, taste-buds, and tummy smile.

Carrying on!

Besides the obvious food & drinks, my favorite parts of New Orleans can be described as The Trinity. Graffiti, cats, and people are probably my other favorite things about New Orleans. They are everywhere and they are like no where else. Here are some pictures and snippets of The Trinity from this trip.

GRAFFITI:

There were a few tags that my eye kept seeing all over town. While I didn’t get pictures of any of them they’re still worth a mention so you can look for them if you’re around. DUKY (while I wish it was pronounced “Duckie” like my cat, I imagine it’s “dookie” like Green Day but whatevs), REZNOR (again with the 90’s ref), ACHOO and READ. I’m not sure if it’s by the same person as the READ around town but you gotta check this out—–>  This piece is freaking huge–seriously, click here to see it.

Now for some I saw and documented!

I kept seeing these wonderful clusters of koi all over the Bywater.

CATS!

Y’all all know how much I love puds, and to be totally honest, I thought I’d end up bringing a batch of swamp kittens home with me. Mr. Smith better be glad I didn’t find any! Unfortunately, the pictures I got of the Bywater cats are pretty far away. These are definitely feral cats that wouldn’t let me get ANY closer. I gave them plenty of space and they seemed to enjoy being talked to.

While feral cats give me little bit of a sad attack, I was glad to see that in most of the groups I saw at least a few had notched ears (a sign on spay/neuter). If you don’t know much about TNR (Trap/Neuter/Realease) and feral populations you really gotta check out The Kitten Lady. She is one of my s-heroes and her outreach has helped me feel better about ferals.

I circled all the cats in yellow so you could find them! If you don’t see them in the circle it’s because they were behind posts. The red circle is a pile of leaf trash and not a cat 🙂

I DID get to pet this cat! Doesn’t she look like she could be Patti Smith’s sister?

PEOPLE:

While I don’t take pictures of too many people, I do love the less obtrusive art of watching/hearing/seeing/smelling them. Not everyone is friendly all of the time, but most people are helpful, even the street car drivers. Once people can feel your affection for their city you are likely to be brought in to the fold–I won’t wax poetic about all that–if you know it, you know it. Speaking of, it was so good to see my old pal Hedges who is a transplant from Chicago but has been a tour guide down in the quarter for years.  Be sure to check him out here! He will let you in on lots of interesting facts AND the best places to eat and drink. You’ll want to put him on speed-dial…wait, is that even a thing anymore? Oh yeah, he also does plays.

Stay tuned for the next installment of my New Orleans adventuring. I’m trying to convince my mom to do a guest post or two telling about her nearly month long adventure down there. What do you think? Wanna hear from her? Comment down below!

If you CLICK HERE you can see my Instagram account where I posted a BUNCH of pictures from the trip. I’m trying not to re-post the same stuff across all these accounts, so definitely go check out the stuff I have posted there.  Also, I am WORKING HARD at trying to edit a little movie of video footage I took so stay tuned for that, too!

There are at least nineteen of them, the houses I have lived in. For a long time, I’ve wanted to go back to all of the places I have called home and take pictures of how they are today. On our most recent adventure, Mom and I visited one of our old towns, Robersonville, NC.

It was a good trip, and good to see our old stomping grounds, but it was also sort of sad. Like many places across the United States, it seems that the Great Recession hit Martin County pretty hard. The county used to be bustling with a strong agriculture based economy; tobacco and tomatoes were the big crops during our tenure there. From the pictures I am sharing you can tell that this was probably a very affluent community back in the early 1900s. During the time we lived there, the neighborhood was a well cared for, if blue-collar area.

Robersonville was the only “in town” place I lived as a kid. That is to say, we lived with neighbors right next door, sidewalks, and an icecream truck that drove through our neighborhood on blazing summer afternoons. I called my side walk “Hiccup Avenue” because the gigantic trees had roots that pushed up the sidewalks, causing my bike to jump up as rode, like hiccups! Those big beautiful trees are gone now, but the broken sidewalks still remain.

We brought our cats with us from Marshville, where we had last lived. Their names were Alamo (a striped orange-nosed Tom) and Eleanor (a small gray lady that had once been feral). I can remember my mom talking to them as we drove them to their new home. They were nervous and she sing-songed to them about their new lives as “Martin County cats”. Life felt like it would be so cosmopolitan there!

And it was, for me.

This first picture is from one of the houses on the corner where you turned to get to our old house. This house sat across the street from a similar house, but the other one had a veranda with a ceiling painted sky blue. Mom and I wondered if the paint job would still be blue…

…and it was.

The house next to ours was a Sears & Roebuck kit house.  I don’t remember anyone living there during our time on that street. Although my mother denies it, I remember my parents bribing me to lean across the fence and use the pecan picker-upper to pick up the pecan crop that would have otherwise lay in waste. JC Penny’s (though not Sears) still printed a big Christmas catalog back then, and I remember being amazed that once upon a time, houses like the one next door could be ordered just like a Barbie doll or a pair of Keds sneakers!

Here is our old house.

 

Despite the age and changes, there were things that made me feel happy about the house; the dog in the back yard, the little lanterns hanging on the front porch, the patio table. I imagine the family sitting out there and having supper together. I imagine the kids sitting on the wide brick railings and reading Laura Ingalls Wilder books, like I did. I imagine that at Christmas you can see the tall-tall Christmas tree all aglow in the foyer. I imagine there is a kid who has the bedroom upstairs, left of the port-cochere, who believes in magic and loves the Beach Boys, but maybe doesn’t still have the hot pink shag carpet anymore.

 

 

❤ This is the guy that started it all! Mr. Bob Page! ❤

Replacements, ltd. is a seriously fun place for anyone who loves dishes, glassware, and silver. I was totally the weirdo kid who bought her first set of dishes (dessert plates with little purple violets with a silver rim–for $6 at an antique mall in Ybor City) at the ripe age of eight. For those like *us* Replacements is about like Disney World. From what I have read, Mr. Page was probably a kid like me. 🙂 You can read more about him and how his dish empire started here.

Apartment Therapy visits Replacements is a neat tour of the whole shebang. There are even a few little video clips to watch to whet your appetite. The article mentions hearing the “tinging” of china and glass as workers check pieces for cracks–mom and I immediately noticed this when we went in the warehouse. Such a lovely ringing sound!

The welcome staff on the showroom floor was super friendly, even to a weirdo like me. They even have a nice customer lounge (presumably for those suckers who got brought along for the ride against their will, teehee) with a teevee and a Keurig machine so there is literally something for everyone.

There is even a movie with parts filmed at Replacements called Junebug. It has a totally all star cast including Amy Adams, Scott Wilson (Hershel Greene from Walking Dead), Celia Weston (she plays the sweet southern Grandmother in like everything) and even Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy). I first saw it when I lived in Missouri and was like “OMG NC!”–it was a real treat to have a slice of North Carolina culture on the silver screen.

Replacements is about more than just plates, crystal, and silver. They sell all manner of tchotchkes. From commemorative plates for British Royalty to deviled egg candles, this place has you covered. Most of what you’ll see in this next photos is for sale, and the prices are really pretty reasonable for a little piece of history.

There are tons of Christmas and winter holiday decor to drool over. I sort of think these glass ornaments are weird, but I continue to be enamored of them. I especially love the placement of the heart, cigar, beers, and ice-cream in a row together. I’ve always thought the Pickle ornament traditions was a little weird, despite my true love of pickles. Anyway, I really like the cut tomato that is to the left of the pickle in the second picture below. I also like the fortune cookie!

The ornament I was most tempted by was the little turkey and ham. I think I’ve mentioned before my great love of Beatrix Potter and her delightful animal creatures. My all time favorite book of hers is The Tale of Two Bad Mice. It’s a story about a husband and wife mouse that happen upon a doll house and get super mad about the fake food they discover there. Below left is an illustration of Tom Thumb attempting to carve a porcelain ham…which is rather similar to the perfectly doll sized glittery ham ornament on the right! I couldn’t bring myself to shell out the $12 bucks for it, but I might have to make the trip another time and get a Christmas ham for my dollies!

I have a pretty extensive collection of Beatrix Potter figurines and so does Replacements. They has quite a few of the same ones that I own (and it was informative to know how much they are currently worth!) and a few that I don’t. Below is Alderman Ptolemy Tortoise from the Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher. Now he is officially on my to-buy list. In the story he brings a salad in a string bag to Jeremy’s house for dinner. That’s what the figurine is carrying. Isn’t he a dour sort of looking fellow?

But for real y’all, if you are running through Greensboro you gotta hit the frontage road and have a dish adventure! And buy me this little tortoise, why don’t ya? Or a little deviled egg candle would also do!  🙂

Have you been before? What was your favorite part? Did you buy a Christmas Ham for your dolls? Tell me all about it!