Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Vacation Slideshow: Halloween in New Orleans, Part 4

Hello Kittens!


Well here is my last post on Vacation Slideshow: Halloween in New Orleans. I hope you've enjoyed the read and the pictures!


Day 6 (Monday):

The Monday after Halloween was our last full day in New Orleans. We had planned on spending the day doing a bike tour of the city followed by a kayaking tour on the Bayou St. John, though, like I had mentioned in my last post, Tim and I were both sick with colds by the time Sunday and Monday rolled around so I cancelled our bike and kayak tour and instead we spent the morning wandering around the Garden District.

The Garden District has always held a lot of mystery to me after years and years of reading Anne Rice's books set in this neighborhood so it was a nice treat to actually spend some time here wandering around and getting oriented on some of the more noteworthy houses.

Our first stop in the Garden District was the Lafayette cemetery which is right within the Garden District, located between houses and right across the street from the restaurant, Commander's Palace. Tim in particular wanted to check out at least one of the cemeteries in New Orleans since they are so different from the ones we get back home. Because New Orleans stand below the water table the deceased are buried above ground in crypts and mausoleums.









After the cemetery we made our own walking tour of the Garden District stopping at all the famous houses which interested us.

The first house we came to was the Benjamin Button house. This house was in the film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It's been a few years since I've seen the move so I didn't recognize it myself. I may have to watch the movie again to see if I notice it in the film!


The second house we came upon was Sandra Bullock's house!


I didn't really knock but I was curious to know if she was home. ;)


Along our walk, we ran into these cute animal foot prints in the sidewalk.


The next stop was Trent Rezor's (of Nine Inch Nails) old house. I heard this was where he had his studios for Nothing Records too. It is said to now be John Goodman's current house.



And just right around the corner....
Anne Rice's old house on First Street! <3

It is said that this house was the inspiration for the Garden District Mayfair house in her Mayfair witches' series.





We took a bit of a detour here. I'm not sure if these houses are considered within the Garden District but very nearby on St. Charles' street is this house which is said to be the home Anne Rice lived in when she was 14 years old


And across and down the street a bit is this house which is said to be Anne Rice's childhood home!


The last house we went to was this house featured in the third season of the TV series, American Horror Story. If you know the show you may recognize this house as Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies.




After touring through the Garden District we headed over to nearby Magazine street where we made a quick stop at Trashy Diva on Magazine St., had lunch a Juan's Flying burrito a couple shops down, and enjoyed the afternoon walking along the street and doing a little bit of window shopping.

Trashy Diva, Magazine St


We then took the streetcar to the French Quarter. For our final night, we had dinner at K-Paul's (the late chef Paul Prudhomme's restaurant). The food was exceptional, especially the buffalo frogs' legs. After dinner we went on a ghost tour and then stopped by the Carousel bar at the haunted Hotel Monteleone. 













One of the houses used in the film Interview With A Vampire

Through the windows of a gas lamp store

Hotel Monteleone


In side the main lobby of the Hotel Monteleone


The Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone... it really does turn as you're sitting around it!

Final look back at our Bed and Breakfast at the Garden District


Outfit of the Day:
(pictured above) For this day, our final day in New Orleans, I had to go with my Trashy Diva Annette dress in French Quarter print. I figured that would be the perfect dress for our send off to this beautiful city. 











Monday, November 16, 2015

Vacation Slideshow: Halloween in New Orleans, Part 3

Hello Kittens! 


Day 5 (Sunday):

The day after Halloween was a grey and rainy one. Tim and I were supposed to start the morning off with a visit to a friend's house across the river. I was really looking forward to visiting with my friend at her house, taking the ferry over there to see her, and having a bite of her homemade treats and a cup of tea over good conversation! Unfortunately Tim and I were both sick with colds by this time and we all decided it was for the best not to go over there and make everyone else sick. So instead we spent the morning walking around nearby Magazine St. When life gives you lemons you make lemonade.. so while it was a drizzly gray day, Magazine St was still an awfully cute street full of boutique shops and nice restaurants and bars. It was a nice relaxing morning just walking around and popping into some shops along the way.









For the afternoon Tim and I had tickets to ride the Steamboat Natchez down the Mississippi River! The Steamboat Natchez is the only fully steam powered boat operating in New Orleans. It was a lot of fun running around the boat, getting a tour of the sites along the river, peeking into the engine room, and watching the huge paddlewheel in the back go! As an added bonus, they had a musician playing the calliope on top of the boat while we were waiting to board and a jazz band playing during the ride!

The Steamboat Natchez

Calliope player on top of the boat

The engine room!

The two broilers, Thelma and Louise!

The steamboat making steam

Huge paddlewheel keeps on turning

Jazz band playing on the Steamboat Natchez

View of Jackson Square from the Steamboat Natchez

View of Jax Brewery and the Saint Louis Cathedral


Downtown New Orleans

Another steamboat, the Creole Queen, in front of the Central Business District

After our steamboat ride, walking through the French quarter we walked past the Andrew Jackson Memorial and saw some other sights along the way!

Andrew Jackson Memorial at Jackson Square

Local cat

Halloween decorations in the French Quarter

Walking through the French Quarter that night we even happen to catch sight of a second line parade, a wedding parade! It was super fun watching the musicians and wedding party marching through the streets dancing and having a great time!

Second line parade in the French Quarter!




We ended the night going out to a fancy dance dinner at Commander's Palace. The food was amazing. I loved the turtle soup and bead pudding souffle! And the service was superb. We have never been so pampered out to dinner before. This is a must go to restaurant if you are ever in the area, and a must return to spot if we ever make it back!

Out to dinner at Commander's Palace



Outfit of the Day
Sunday (day):
For the day I opted to wear my Trashy Diva Circle Skirt and Lena Top in Grand Fleur print. After all it was game day for the Saints and I was hoping to get some "Who Dat!" calls which is the Saints' football fan rally calls. Alas, no one did not mistake me for a tourist that day!

Trashy Diva Circle Skirt and Lena Top in Grand Fleur- Front View

Sunday (night): 
(pictured above) At night I changed into one of my most fanciest and most special dresses, my Trashy Diva Trixie dress in Hurricane Ladies print, and paired it with my nicest pearl necklace for our special fancy dress dinner. It was such a dream getting to wear this dress out in New Orleans! I just wish my picture turned out better though.






...Stay tuned for the last concluding segment of Vacation Slideshow: Halloween in New Orleans where we tour the Garden District!