NOLA Day Two

We began our day with an early start. The hotel we stayed at had a great breakfast served every morning. Continental buffet selection, eggs and waffles to order. The kids ate very well. It was the perfect way to begin our days in New Orleans.

Day two was spent in the Garden District/Uptown area. We rode the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar to Audubon Park then took the shuttle to the Audubon Zoo. I would love to share loads of photos taken during the trip but I completely messed up and left the camera back at the hotel! Fortunately Matt managed to snap a few photos with camera phone.

Onto the Audubon Zoo. From the minute you get there one thing you notice right away is open the zoo is. Beautifully landscaped. I loved how the zoo was laid out. The animal exhibits were well done. Very hands on approach for children at all points in the zoo.

Pink Flamingo exhibit by the front entrance.


We got there in time for the elephants special playtime. Children and adults all enjoyed learning about the elephants, watching them being bathed and then they got to pet them. The elephants really seemed to enjoy the attention and affection from the public.


The Asian Domain is also home to white tigers and Amur leopards. They were sleeping but out for us to see.

The Jaguar Jungle exhibit up close and personal.



There was a tortoise that Leah would not part with. The zoo volunteer was talking about it and she stood there for at least 10 minutes listening to him. She proceeded to pet it and then it peed on her feet. Didn't stop her from continuing to pet the tortoise.


There is a great part of the zoo called the Discovery Walk. It alone could've been worth the trip to the zoo. Leah learned about a skink and pet it (of course). A little boy next to her asked the educator if the skink bites and the guy said "Yes if you touch his head" and of course Leah went and touched the skink's head but all was good. It just kind of wiggled away. She loves reptiles. Having grown up around reptiles I cannot argue with her love of them. I am also a fan.

Afterward we checked out some great parrots and then headed to the petting zoo called the Embraceable Zoo . Leah said it was the best petting zoo she's ever been to. She imagined it was kind of like being on a farm. They had brushes for the children to use on the goats and sheep. Very friendly animals. Leah and Louis absolutely loved it. Could not get enough.






One of the things I loved best about our trip to New Orleans was how laid back it all was. At first I reserved/scheduled some tours and such but then canceled them because I didn't want us to be held to the clock. We had a general idea of what we were doing and where we had to be but no rushing around. Made traveling with children (and also while pregnant) so much easier.

The sea lion exhibit is large and well laid out. There weren't any shows going on but the sea lions were still playing the water doing their tricks.



One area of the zoo that was one of the highlights for Leah was Monkey Hill. Perfect place to run around and explore AND cool down on a hot day.


There are huge beautiful oak trees throughout the zoo. This one tree is about 200 years old. Open for the kids to climb up on. Leah didn't think twice about it. Off she went. I am always amused when other people (bystanders, strangers, nosy people etc.) comment on Leah when she does things like this...usually in the vein of her being a 'girl'. As if that matters!




The Audubon zoo is home to many primates. The World of Primates had many monkeys and other primates to see. The gorillas were hanging out sleeping in the shade.

We were able to sit and watch the newest addition to the Sumatran Orangutan family play with its father up on the ropes. The affection between the two of them hugging and swinging along together was great to see.



We stopped for some lunch at the Cypress Knee Cafe in the Louisiana Swamp Exhibit. It was a nice open space with air conditioning. The Louisiana Swamp Exhibit was my favorite one at the zoo. It is beautifully done. You really feel like you are in the swamps.


Leah loved the white alligators.




There was so much more that we were able to see. It was a great visit.

After visiting the zoo we took the shuttle back to the other side of Audubon Park. I took a rest and laid down in the grass while Matt took Leah and Louis to play in the playground there. The park is located across from Tulane and Loyola Universities so there were families everywhere.

We then took the St. Charles streetcar downtown to its last stop and found a great spot not far from bathrooms, a food concession stand and lots of families to watch our very first Mardi Gras parade as a family. Leah could not wait for the parade to get started. Our first parade was being done by the Krewe of Oshun. Their theme for this year was the 'Best of Broadway'. Everything from the floats to beads and other thrown gifts to the marching bands were wonderful. We all had a great time.

Leah got a silly hat. I think it helped her get extra beads. Louis was great for bead, plushie getting. He loved the music being played and clapped & danced.


We left with a TON of beads. We decided to walk back the 3+ miles to our hotel. Louis fell asleep at one point while in his carrier on my back. That carrier of ours is worth every single penny and then some that I paid for it. We walked through the Garden District and saw all the beautiful houses decked out for Mardi Gras. Stopped off at McDonalds to grab a quick bite to eat and so Leah could use their portable potty.

When we got back to the hotel Leah and Matt went through them.




Someone loves her beads :)




These aren't even all the beads from our first parade.

NOLA Visit - Day One

We spent a few days in New Orleans during Leah's Mid-Winter Recess thanks to a very generous wedding gift from Aunt Lindsay :)We were originally going to go, just the two of us, but I have issues with leaving the kids for a night, let alone many nights. I have so much more fun on trips with them than without them so its win-win.

The timing of our trip allowed us to visit during Mardi Gras season. I spent many months during my late teens, early 20s in New Orleans. I worked for Red Bull and Jägermeister promoting their products in various bars and clubs. During my free time I traveled the city with newly made friends from the streets of the French Quarter. It was always a great experience. The music, food, people in New Orleans are all wonderful. New Orleans is VERY family friendly with a lot to offer.

It is a city that I love. Probably the only place outside of Puerto Rico and New York City that comes close to being my favorite place. It was so much fun to show Leah, Matt and Louis around. It also felt good to be part of the post-Katrina tourism. Every little bit helps.

We flew out of JFK on a late flight and got to our hotel room around midnight. Leah watched tv most of the flight. She handles traveling very well. The next morning we checked out what would be our place to rest for the next few days. We had a courtyard room with sliding doors that led out onto the pool area. It was nice to be away from the front of the building. There was plenty of room in the hotel room for us.

Leah made herself right at home. I brought my own pillowcase because my hair dye tends to come off on stuff if wet.

The kids and Matt checking out the whirlpool.

Palm trees everywhere - sure beats pine trees!

Leah could not wait to get into the pool.



The first day we spent in the French Quarter/Riverwalk area. We started off with walking through the Riverwalk Marketplace.

"Riverwalk Marketplace, an upscale mall stretching along the Mississippi River waterfront stretching from the base of Canal Street upriver to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, was constructed on the site of 1984 World's Fair. The area along the riverfront was long devoted to shipping. By the start of the 1980s, increased use of containers in shipping made some of the older riverfront wharfs less useful, so the Poydras Street Wharf and the Julia Street Wharf were demolished, and the land was used as part of the fair."

We shopped for hats for everyone. One five minute walk outside in the Louisiana sun and we were quickly reminded that it isn't New York during the Winter. Sun protection was needed. Good to keep cool too.

Oh the attitude

Overlooking the Mississippi River.


Our next stop was the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.

"The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, located along the banks of the Mississippi River, at the upper end of Woldenbeg Park, has been recognized as one of the leading aquariums in the United States since opening in 1990. Run by the Audubon Institute, the aquarium features 10,000 animals representing 530 species.

Noteworthy exhibits include a Caribbean reef featuring a clear 30-foot-long tunnel surrounded by a 132,000 gallon tank of sea life; an Amazon exhibit, encased in a glass cylinder that includes macaws, piranhas, and other specimens from the Amazon basin; a Mississippi River gallery, featuring catfish, paddlefish, and a leucistic white alligator; and Gulf of Mexico exhibit, featuring a 400,000 gallon, 17 foot tall tank of sharks, sea turtles, and stingrays from the Gulf. The Aquarium of the Americas also hosts an IMAX theater.

Though the structure survived Hurricane Katrina in 2005, electricity outages and backup power generators were unable to operate the sophisticated life support systems needed to keep the animals alive. Aquarium staffers were forced to evacuate the facility only to return four days later to discover that most of the 10,000 fish did not survive. The aquarium reopened on May 26, 2006."

There is a fantastic walk through glass tunnel where you are surrounded by fish on all sides, including above you.









The aquarium is set up in a very kid friendly layout with lots of room for children to run about and look. Lots of play areas set up for them to burn off some energy.



Following our trip the aquarium we walked down by the Mississippi River to Woldenberg Park.

"Woldenberg Park is 16 acres of sprawling green space stretching between the Mississippi River and the historic French Quarter. Begin or end your walk in the park with a visit to Audubon Aquarium of the Americas or Entergy IMAX Theatre, both adjacent to the park. The riverside jogging path is popular with city dwellers, as are the sculptures and artwork. Don't be surprised if the sights include a strolling band, impromptu second line or a bustling festival! Prime location makes Woldenberg Park a perfect setting to escape and unwind."

We bought tickets for the Steamboat Natchez cruise and stopped at the Shops at the Jax Brewery food court for a quick bite to eat. Then we headed over to the get on the steamboat.

The previous tour heading back to dock.


It is a 2 hour cruise which can be a lot with two kids with you but they were fine with it. Matt got us drinks. I had the best tasting Cajun Virgin Bloody Mary. It was absolutely delicious. Right amount of spice. Louis drank about half of it! The narration of the cruise was nice and informative. There was a wonderful breeze and it was an overall enjoyable experience.





Following the steamboat cruise we walked down to Jackson Square. I am glad we decided to come the night before and were able to enjoy the area during a slower period. It wasn't crowded and we were able to just walk around without the hustle and bustle of the weekends in the French Market district.

The historic Jackson Square, originally known in the 18th Century as 'Place d'Armes' and later renamed in honor of the Battle of New Orleans hero, Andrew Jackson, is a featured attraction in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans.

This famous landmark facing the Mississippi River is surrounded by historic buildings including the St. Louis Cathedral, the Presbytere and Cabildo (Louisiana State Museums), the Lower and Upper Pontalba Apartments (the oldest apartment buildings in the U.S.) with retail shops, museums, galleries and restaurants on the ground level and still used even today as prestigious apartments on the second floor.

For well over a half century, there has been an open-air artist colony at Jackson Square, with artists painting and displaying their work on the outside of the iron fence.

St. Louis Cathedral
Few cities in the world are so identified by a building as is New Orleans. The city is instantly recognized by our cathedral and its position overlooking Jackson Square. The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the United States.




We walked over to the French Market to check it out before it closed down for the night. It was getting to be near dinner time so we headed back to the hotel. We stopped at Huck Finn's Restaurant and Sports Bar for dinner. It is a very laid back, comfy restaurant with very nice staff. Very family friendly. The waitress recommended the bread pudding and both Leah and myself are very happy we ordered it.

Their bread pudding is sweet and savory, with a bit of cinnamon. It is served in a delicious whiskey cream sauce. It is cooked to order and well worth it. A meal on its own. I'm sorry we didn't stop by there at least one more time in our visit for another order of the bread pudding.

I've found a few recipes for bread pudding with whiskey sauce and I am hoping with some experimenting I'll be able to come up with something close to what we had. So good. Leah keeps asking me to try and make it so I'd better get on it.

Once we made it back to the hotel ALL Leah wanted to do was go swimming so off we went. Unfortunately the hose was left in the water and it was overflowing the pool which meant it was cold. Not that she or Louis cared.



Then it was off to a good night's sleep for everyone. Much to our surprise the kids slept through the night without a problem.