New Orleans Spring Break 2019

This year, the boys had two different spring breaks. Sigh. It won't happen again next year.
We decided to split the difference and go on vacation on a Wednesday. Michael didn't have any days off and Taos was booked and we cancelled our trip to Mexico because of safety concerns and I wanted to go somewhere warm and so we picked- New Orleans!!! Mom agreed to come with us and enjoy five days of perfect Spring New Orleans weather with the kids. Davis and Sam have not been to New Orleans often. They only came once when they were babies (still in strollers!), once for one day before a cruise and once for Mardi Gras, so this was a great chance to show them why we love it so much.
The boys and I flew in on a Wednesday and met mama at the condo. We unpacked and checked out her new condo next door and then headed for Lafayette Park on the street car. It was really crowded, but we got there fine and even got seats for the boys. There was a free concert in the park with food booths. We got gumbo and snow-balls and listened to the band and shopped the booths, but the music wasn't our style so we didn't stay long. We walked a bit and then went home where the boys played video games and mom and I opened a bottle of wine and played dominoes.
Thursday morning, mom had some business at the condo, finishing up rental preparations for her new condo next door, so the kids and I walked down to Fresh Market for groceries and then we all took the street car back to the quarter. We had a perfect spring day again! We bought shoes for Davis on Canal and then walked into the quarter. We ate lunch at Johnny's Po'boy which had a huge line, but was totally worth it. As mom says, "I never have a half there!" We loved our po'boys and Davis said he was finally full for the first time ever! After lunch we walked down to the Mississippi and checked out the river boat and the park there. Then we slowly walked down Chartres until we got to the French Market where the kids spent forever choosing a custom minifig. We ended up back on Chartres at a Tarot place called "Bottom of the Cup" where mom and I got our tarot cards read. It was fun! We went back to the condo and Michael was there! He had flown in from Dallas and would spend the rest of our weekend with us. That evening we tried to eat at Superior, but it was packed. We got food from New Orleans Hamburger instead and it was adequate. We came back to the condo to try and play some more dominoes, but Michael was so tired, so we all went to bed early.
Friday morning, Mom and the boys and I left Michael to work and took the street car back to Canal to go to the Aquarium. This was Sam's "Must-do" for the trip and we were all LOVED it. The aquarium was great and we especially loved the otters and the penguins. After the aquarium we went next door and watched an IMAX movie called "Hurricanes in the Bayou" which was incredible. We all learned about wetlands and hurricanes and the history of New Orleans. I think it also really helped give the kids some context on New Orleans.
We we walked back from the Aquarium to the street car, we stopped in Sucre, my favorite chocolate shop, to buy chocolates for neighbor who was helping with the dogs, and the kids got some gelato. It was was an excellent stop. Then we headed back to the condo to rest and freshen up before our big dinner at John Besh's restaurant Domenica. We had the most incredible meal of pizza, squid ink pasta with crab meat, gorgeous red wine and lovely roasted cauliflower and fried brussel sprouts. The kids loved their food and Davis got a birthday dessert!
Saturday was another gorgeous spring day! Michael and Mom and I walked over to Martin's to buy a picnic lunch. Then we met my newly found brother Kurt and my niece, Anna at the condo and we all took the streetcar uptown to Audubon Park to have a picnic and go to the zoo. The picnic was lots of fun and the weather was perfect. When we finished our lunch, we walked through the park to the zoo. We enjoyed seeing the animals and Sam and Davis and I got to feed the giraffes! (report: giraffe tongues feel like wet sandpaper). We also got to walk through the swamp exhibit which was especially meaningful after the IMAX movie. Then Kurt and Anna had to leave and the boys were tired, so we all headed back to the condo.
That evening we went to a restaurant Uptown called DTB which was incredible. I loved my food so much and I also loved my cocktail. It was vodka mixed with pepper mash and pepper jelly served with a beer on the side. Winning! While the food, wine and service was excellent, my kids were in bad behavior and that made Michael irritable so the meal was not a total win. I would totally go back there again though. I LOVED the food. The fun thing about that night was that we were the only ones on our streetcar ride home! That had never happened before and we enjoyed it so much, especially with the spring-scented night air wafting in through the open windows and the gorgeous view of of the lit mansions outside.
Sunday was our last full day in New Orleans. Mom stayed at the condo and Michael and I took the boys to the Mardi Gras World to see the floats. I had been with mom the year before, but M and the boys had never seen it and I thought they would enjoy it. They did! It's a really neat place to go and the tour is great! I was also happy for the kids to watch this video about the history of Mardi Gras. I think it will help them appreciate the parades so much more when we go to Mardi Gras next year.
We took the free shuttle from Mardi Gras World to the quarter (bad jokes from the driver the whole way)and met mom in the quarter. We had lunch at Acme Oyster which was EXCELLENT. I loved my po'boy, the oysters and the hushpuppies as well as my extra spicy bloody mary. Then we walked back through the quarter down Royale this time, to Jackson Square where we got to watch the buskers. Then Michael took the kids back to the lego stand in the French Market and mom and I stopped in dress shops and hot sauce shops. ( we were looking for pepper mash and pepper jelly to recreate my excellent cocktail).
Eventually we ended up back at the streetcar to head back to the condo. We had reservations at Superior, but we were all tired, so we ordered our food to be picked up. We played some hands of dominoes, then went to get our food and ended our night in the living room, watching Bernie, a very funny Jack Black movie about the town Kurt grew up in! It was a lovely ending to a family spring break.
I have never been in New Orleans in more gorgeous weather. It was a great spring break and I loved being with my mama! It was such a treat for Michael and I to show the kids one of our favorite cities.
We flew home on Monday morning and Davis even made it to school in time for algebra. (He was thrilled). The rest of this week, Sam is on spring break and we are blessed with more lovely spring weather in Denver.