REMINDER: NEW BLOG

A reminder that I have started a new blog since my New Orleans chapter has come to an end. You can keep up with all of my latest antics at www.KatiesAdventureContinues.blogspot.com. Follow or bookmark to continue the adventure!

Packing Up & Parkway

Once we had everything in the back of my car, back of dad's truck, or in the U-haul trailer my room looked pretty empty (everything seen below was left for the next tenant). I think I downsized some since I moved to New Orleans, but packing up all of my belongings (as well as reading the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up) has made me realize that I could easily get rid of more items! 

The U-haul ready to roll.

On our way out of town we stopped at Parkway for poboys. Nothing beats a good ol' fried shrimp poboy! Perfect "last meal" so to speak.

Panoramic Parkway

YUM!!!!

Willie Mae's

You may have heard about Willie Mae's Scotch House on The Food Network, on a "What to Eat in New Orleans" list, or maybe even a local has recommended the famous fried chicken joint to you. I knew about the Treme restaurant for the majority of my time in New Orleans but for whatever reason I never made it through the doors. 

Front & back of the menu

Standing outside waiting in line. We went at a semi-off time so the line was only a few people deep. 

An order of fried chicken with macaroni and cheese comes with a mound of peas as well!

I liked the chicken and mac & cheese (not a big pea fan), but I still stand by Kenney's fried chicken. Willie Mae's had a little kick to it, but a lot of food in the south does-they love their hot sauce in those parts! I certainly did not dislike the chicken and I am glad we went, but it is nothing that I will be craving in the future. 

Another NOLA Bucket List item checked off with the parents!

China Lights: Round 2

I enjoyed China Lights at City Park so much the first time I went with Brie and Sara that I decided to take my parents back to marvel at the craftsmanship and witness the live show. There were a lot more people wandering around the exhibit this time and the show was packed! 

I described the show as a circus without the animals! Here are a few videos I shot:

Pharmacy Museum

Yet another item on my NOLA Bucket List was to visit the Pharmacy Museum located in the French Quarter. They offer a "tour" on the days they are opened so we made a point to be there in time for that. The guy spoke and showed us different drugs and contraptions for over an hour! He was very knowledgeable about 19th century pharmaceutical practices in New Orleans. After hearing everything he had to say I honestly do not know how anyone survived their first year of life in that disease infested swamp town! It is absolutely mind blowing how far medicine has progressed in the last few decades compared to the non-sense they thought they knew two hundred years ago.

There were lots of displays for interesting "medicines".

Hundreds of jars filled with herbs, leaves, minerals, dead animals (beetles, butterfly wings, etc.), and more were displayed on tall shelves. These ingredients were combined and ground up with a mortar and pestle then administered various ways. Because the concoctions didn't taste very yummy, pharmacists were constantly coming up with new ways to make their medicines palatable. The affluent could afford to have their prescriptions encased in gold or silver. There was just one problem with that method: the human body cannot break down gold or silver so the pills passed right through folks! We were told that these pills were often procured once passed and re-taken numerous times. Nasty. Less well-off people could get their remedies wrapped in chocolate, a much tastier option and one that actually allowed the medicine to be absorbed. They eventually began using thin rice paper to create little packets for the doses: this too could be absorbed.

A cool poster you could purchase.

A soda fountain that was used to mask the bitter and unpleasant tastes of the concoctions the pharmacists created. It was also seen as more acceptable for women to partake in drug use when in the form of a flavorful beverage!

I cannot begin to remember everything we heard while listening to the man talk, but the overall gist was that mosquitoes were bad, sanitation was next to non-existent, and if people couldn't figure out how to get better they just made the symptoms "in style". I highly recommend anyone visiting NOLA who has an interest in history or medicine to check this place out. $5 was a steal!

Ferry to Algiers

The Monday evening that mom and dad got to New Orleans was a pretty one so we set out to check another item off of my NOLA Bucket List: ride the ferry to Algiers. Its a quick glide across the Mississippi River to the western shore where Algiers is located. We walked up and down a bike/jogging path along the river and snapped some pictures before riding back across.

Waves created by the ferry.

A statue of Louis Armstrong greets folks as they exit the boat. Crescent City Connection seen in the background.

Houses and buildings along the river.

The Smiths :)

A time lapse of a barge going up river. We had to wait for it to get far enough away to cross back over.

The sun setting behind the New Orleans skyline.

A panoramic picture from the front of the ferry showing the river and eastern shores of downtown New Orleans.

I'm glad we were able to make the trip over. $4 a person well spent ($2 each way).

CHANGE OF PLANS: NEW BLOG

I changed my mind about how I am going to proceed with my blog since I no longer live in New Orleans! I am going to leave www.KatiesLifeInTheBigEasy.blogspot.com up/active and begin a NEW blog for my next chapter in life. The NEW blog will be:

www.KatiesAdventureContinues.blogspot.com

Be sure to follow that link or bookmark it to keep up with all of my new stories. I have a few more NOLA based posts to add to this blog before switching over, so you have a few days.

Girls Go Gambling

Sara, Amy & I did a girl's trip to Island View Casino (courtesy of Sara's mom) for my last weekend in the deep south. Somehow we managed to not take a single picture of the three of us?! You may remember that Sara and I stayed at this hotel last summer, this go round we did a bit more game playing and tried out the buffet! Sara's parents were staying at the Beau Rivage this time so we met up with them on Saturday. All you can eat crab legs...yes please! 

The sunset Friday night from our 14th floor room.

 Video poker is my game of choice since I get to have a bit of control over which cards I hold and how I play them (as opposed to the slot machine where you push a button and the computer generates the icons that are shown). I know that video poker is a computer game too, but it makes me feel better to have some "power". Any way... it paid off at both Island View and the Beau Rivage! The vouchers you see below are right after I won $120 on a hand. I immediately cashed out both times this happened. The additional money is what I had left to play on before winning the $120. Unfortunately I did not have this luck continuously; however, I was up a little over $200 for the weekend so I was thrilled!

We saw a man win $3,240 on a Willy Wonka themed slot machine! He chatted with us a bit as he could tell we were interested in the process. In that case you can't simply print a cashout voucher, a casino employee comes and fills out paperwork, resets the machine and then gives you the cash. Sara's mom said that if you win over $1,000 that is the process because you have to report it on your taxes. None of us won anything close to that amount!

It was a really fun weekend and I am so thankful that we were able to go and make such fun memories!!

Commander's Palace

A New Orleans institution for well over 100 years, Commander's Palace has been on my list of places to go before departing the city. Sara's mom made the bucket list item a treat of hers this past week with lunch reservations! 

I did not snap any photos of my lunch (this was a fancy place!) but I can assure you everything was delicious! 

I had been strongly advised to try the Turtle Soup so I gave it a go. It wasn't anything that I will be dreaming of in the future, but it was not bad at all either. My best description would be that it was more watery than chili but has a similar profile of tomatoes, onions, and herbs. The turtle meat was white and ground up like turkey or beef would be. I can't say that it had a distinct flavor that made it stand out from the other ingredients. The waiter tops the dish with a swirl of aged sherry at the table.

For my main course I had the red fish with "a warm salad of roasted cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, local tomatoes, baby roots, and grilled kale with herb vinaigrette and compound chili oil". Very good! Light yet filling. 

Dessert was Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake. OMG...I could have licked the plate if 1) I wasn't already super full and 2) I wasn't in a public place. "Local strawberries marinated in Louisiana sugarcane with a fluffy buttermilk biscuit, powdered sugar and Chantilly cream" Wow! Everyone raves about the Creole Bread Pudding Souffle, which I tried a bite of since Susan & Sara both got that, but I couldn't resist the sweet strawberries knowing that they are in season now in southern LA!

A picture of the ladies :)

 Sara & me | Sara & her mom

Another thing they are known for, besides the Turtle Soup and Creole Bread Pudding Souffle, is their 25 cent martinis! I had a Cosmopolitan and the Commander's which was a blue citrus concoction. Can't beat that price!!

I am so thankful that I was able to experience this famous restaurant, it was most certainly a lovely treat!

All The Food

As I meet up with people to say "see ya later" I have been integrating my farewells with some of my favorite places to eat too! Two birds, one stone sort of thing. Behold my most recent outings:

Sara, Kenneth and I ate at District Donut where I savored their cheeseburger slider...so good! We caught up on the Serial podcast, Apple v. FBI, and other worldly matters.

Pi Day (3.14) brought Sara and I to Noodle & Pie where I enjoyed a slice of lemongrass buttermilk pie! 

Dale Cooper (Twin Peaks) ordering some of his favorite Cherry Pie.

Bacos from Ba Chi Canteen are so very yummy! Sara, Jackie & I had lunch one day and enjoyed many slider-meets-taco-meets-Vietnamese-flavor style treats. 

Happy Hour at Superior Grill with Sucre ladies means half priced frozen strawberry margaritas & Mexican food! 

My fellow cheeseburger fanatic, Laura Theriot and I met at Company Burger to catch up over greasy food. So many tots!

I made the drive out to the East to Dong Phuong for the best banh mi in the Greater New Orleans area! #4 will always be my favorite :)

There are still a few more places to go before I hit the road. New Orleans does not lack for good food!

Katie's Chocolate Club: March

Sara discovered Chocolatier Blue for me after I told her that I realized most of my monthly indulgences were coming from the east coast. Based out of Berkley, California, this chocolate shop rotates its flavors seasonally. The selection available to me featured a lot of breakfast inspired bon bons as well as some more classic pairings. 

The UPS guy left the box at the side door of the house without any notification, so I was unaware the package arrived and it sat outside in the rain over night. Despite the outside box being soaked, the inside, chocolate-filled box was not harmed at all: thank goodness!

I went with a simple note to myself this month since I am finally making the move from New Orleans back to Virginia. It serves as a nice little reminder...

Oooo! Aaaaa! Check out these bright beauties in their fun shapes!

ROW #1

Cookies & Cream: oreos are ground up and blended into Straus organic cream, organic butter, and white chocolate

Passion Fruit Caramel: fresh tangy New Zealand passion fruit juice is made into dark caramel with a Solstice dark chocolate shell

Tequila Sunrise: fresh squeezed orange juice is mixed with tequila and grenadine in a ganache filling

75% Dark Chocolate: single origin Solstice Madagascar dark chocolate is blended with Straus organic cream and butter

Chili: crushed red pepper flakes are steeped in Straus organic cream, organic butter, and Solstice Madagascar chocolate

Espresso: local Flying Goat Coffee is steeped in fresh-farm Straus cream with organic butter and Solstice Madagascar chocolate

ROW #2

Banana: ripe bananas are blended into a rich caramel with Straus cream and butter

Chai Tea: Mighty Leaf Bombay Chai tea with black tea and spicy aromatics is steeped in fresh-farm cream

Hazelnut: award-winning Ennis hazelnuts from Holmquist farm are freshly ground with fleur de sel salt

Maple Syrup: true Vermont grade A maple syrup is added to Straus cream and organic butter in a white chocolate filling

Fruit Loops: flavors of fruit loop cereal is made into a milky white chocolate filling with Straus organic cream

Grapefruit Mimosa: fresh local ruby red grapefruit juice is added to champagne in a white chocolate filling with Solstice dark chocolate

ROW #3

Grapefruit with Rosemary: fresh local rosemary sprigs are used in a caramel made with fresh-squeezed organic ruby red grapefruits

Vanilla Rum: fresh Madagascar vanilla beans are cut open then added to dark rum, Straus organic cream, organic butter, and white chocolate

Sage Honey: wild California sage honey from Gipson's Golden is blended with Straus organic cream and butter

Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jam: smoothly ground peanut butter with fleur de sel salt is layered with house-made organic strawberry jam

Pistachio: true Sicilian pistachios from Bronte are slowly roasted and mixed with organic Straus cream and butter

Lemon: fresh local lemon zest and juice is mixed with Straus organic cream and butter

ROW #4

Blueberry Muffin: a layer of fresh blueberry compote and vanilla muffin in a white chocolate filling

Mint: fresh market mint leaves are steeped in Straus organic cream and blended with organic butter and a touch of salt

Toast: a rich toasted flavor with Straus cream, organic butter, and white chocolate filling

Lemon Poppyseed Muffin: fresh lemon and poppyseed muffins are blended into a white chocolate filling

Coffee & Donuts: Flying Goat coffee is steeped in Straus cream and blended into a filling with fresh donuts

English Breakfast Tea: a malt smooth Mighty Leaf Breakfast Tea is steeped in fresh-farm Straus cream

ROW #5

Caramel: a dark rich caramel with a trace of fleur de sel salt from Camargue and Straus organic cream and butter

Tangerine: fresh local tangerines are juiced with Straus cream and organic butter, then blended with Solstice chocolate

75% Dark Chocolate: single origin Solstice Madagascar dark chocolate is blended with Straus organic cream and butter

Tequila Sunrise: fresh squeezed orange juice is mixed with tequila and grenadine in a ganache filling

Passion Fruit Caramel: fresh tangy New Zealand passion fruit juice is made into dark caramel with a Solstice dark chocolate shell

Cookies & Cream: oreos are ground up and blended into Straus organic cream, organic butter, and white chocolate

The winners for me were Vanilla Rum, Blueberry Muffin and Tequila Sunrise, though there were no real losers in this group. Those three had strong flavoring and I feel confident in stating that I like vanilla and chocolate together. Very sweet! I will keep their website handy to check back and see what other interesting combinations they roll out over the year!

*all names/descriptions were copied directly from the guides provided with the collection.

Tyler Turns 24

Last Saturday Brie threw Tyler a surprise 24th birthday party (after his original camping trip plans were rained out)!! It was a lot of fun tricking him into coming to his friend's house where we were all waiting! On a whim I made a bunch of Jell-O shots with things I had at the house. They turned out STRONG! But Butterscotch moonshine with King Cake soda is rather delightful! 

After blowing out the candles and socializing for a bit, we made our way to Mimi's in the Marigny for pool and darts, then ended the night at Kajun's Pub for karaoke!

Me, Sara & Brie waiting for the birthday boy to show up for his surprise party!

Tyler huffing and puffing to blow those candles out!

Jell-O shots!

 Candid moment: Brie & Tyler

 

Good ol' bathroom wall wisdom at Mimi's: people write some truly absurd things on the walls of bars!

Brie, me and Sara at Kajun's

Tyler squeezing in with the gals!