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Monday, June 13, 2011

French Quarter Lust

Attention friends: this is my last NOLA post! It has been fun and exciting to recap the trip for you intermittently over the past few weeks. This final installment is a photo montage dedicated to the sites that make New Orleans, New Orleans. It is pretty much a compilation of miscellaneous photos that didn't make it into the previous posts. I hope you enjoy and thanks for letting me re-live this trip for as long as possible. Until the next adventure!The days spent soaking up the French Quarter on foot were truly memorable. This city is one of a kind.Prominent architecture includes fancy balconies where the delicate wrought iron weaves intricately over backdrops of richly colored pink buildings.Harsh weathered exteriors are a contrasting façade from those that are clean and polished. Where the balconies give off of a regal feel on one street corner, they are rough and worn down on the next.
The contrast between the two is ever so striking. The houses are often distinguished by wide paneling and painted shutters, I even spotted one with disco balls hanging from the roof! The Bourbon Street bars follow suit with weathered brick and balconies, adding flare with bright neon signs and lights, beads and bras, glitter and glitz.
Our hotel was an absolute gem. Below is the view from our 8th floor room at the Ritz Carlton, situated a block from Bourbon at 921 Canal Street. The courtyard was especially pleasant offering a serene atmosphere to relax. We didn't spend too much time here, just enough to order a bloody mary before venturing out one morning. We spent a little more time one evening in the Ritz's swanky Davenport Lounge where famous Jazz musician Jeremy Davenport performs on a regular basis. His show was a good time, the vibe is upbeat and everyone makes their way up to the dance floor sooner or later!Jackson Square is a charming section of the historic French Quarter. Be sure to wander over if and when you visit. A statue pays homage to our 7th President Andrew Jackson who (before his presidency) served as Major General leading a poorly equipped army to victory at The Battle of New Orleans
on January 8th, 1815 against British troops that far outnumbered ours. This poignant victory marked Andrew Jackson a hero.
The St. Louis Cathedral is another well known landmark of Jackson Square.
Fountains grace the square along with artists selling their wares and donkeys offering carriage rides. The Fleur de Lis is a notable French icon. This stylized symbol is played up in all the shops and stores and below in lively Jackson Square artwork. If you haven't already, make sure to check out Tricia's Guide to The Big Easy over at Not All Who Wander Are Lost. She manages to wrap up the trip nicely in one post while still hitting the major highlights and offering some more in depth travel advice. They say the world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page. I feel it is a privilege to travel at all, and especially with these ladies. I can only hope the future has in store for us many more girls vacations!

16 comments:

  1. I love girls vacations! And I have loved coming along with you to NOLA through yours posts!

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  2. You captured it all! My friend had her wedding photos taken in Jackson Square - it was so beautiful. I miss that crazy city already!

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  3. Daisy you have totally put NOLA on my list of places to go, and it wasn't before. I love all your photos depicting the architecture. It really is stunning.

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  4. I love all the pics!! The French Quarter looks so beautiful.

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  5. Love your New Orleans posts! I haven't been since 2000 (so pre-Katrina) but it's nice to see the city is just as fun and debaucherous as it ever was!

    Reading these posts is definitely giving me the itch to go back...

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  6. I've never been to NOLA, but my prior landlord was a native who moved back (after being a producer on Judge Judy--imagine my life THEN). He always raved about it and after seeing your posts I really understand why.

    Needs to visit there.

    xo,
    C

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  7. I can't believe how much you fit into this trip!

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  8. oh wow, i just went back and looked at some of the posts I missed, what a fabulous trip!! you've got me wanting a girls vaca :)

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  9. the courtyard is so beautiful! and are those a bunch of bras hanging from the ceiling? lol!

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  10. I am sad to have to bid New Orleans farewell but its been fun :)

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  11. Lovely end to your NOLA recap! I love looking at some of these and saying "I've been there!" although there have been some pics during these posts where I can't believe I've missed something so awesome. Just means I need to go back! :)

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  12. Daisy, the trip sounds wonderful and your place surely does sound like a real gem. Thanks for popping by on my blog, fellow Bostonian! :)

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  13. wow i have to get to NOLA ASAP. girls vacays are the best!!

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  14. What an awesome girls' trip - glad you had such an incredible time! I met a few friends down there for New Year's awhile ago now and we also went to Emeril's NOLA - so good!

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