Photo via Marla Meridith.
Hello from New Orleans!
Photo via Jenny.
I’ve been here since Friday for a 6-day seafood retreat with the Louisiana Seafood Board. I’m not leaving until Thursday, but I couldn’t wait until I got home to share a sneak peek of New Orleans with you!
Photo via Jenny.
These are a few Instagram snapshots of our weekend from my sweet friends Jenny and Marla. I raided their phones and grabbed these gorgeous photos. I have to admit, I have a serious case of Instagram envy right now! Some of these look better than photos I’ve taken with my big camera. Too bad Instagram is not available on my Android phone!
I’ve been staying here, in the French Quarter, with delicious beds and dreamy all-encompassing showers.
Photo via Jenny.
I’ve been rooming with this sweet girl.
Jenny makes the best roommate. She lets me spread out and be me.
Right side of the sink = mine.
Left side of the sink = Jenny’s.
Photo via Marla Meridith.
We had treats waiting for us in the room when we checked in from the darling Sucré bakery. A dream come true.
Left photo via Jenny. Right photo via Marla.
Our first stop upon arrival was absolutely beignets from Cafe du Monde. We finished them off pretty quickly!
Photo via Jenny.
Our waiters lined up to greet us for Sunday brunch at Commander’s Palace.
Photo via Jenny.
How fun were these balloons!
Photo via Jenny.
The dining room was on the second floor and had a lovely view of the oak covered patio.
Photo via Marla Meridith.
This was such a fun and lively brunch. A jazz band came out to entertain us while we waited for our meal.
Photos via Jenny.
Get a load of these gorgeous plates! Stunning.
Photos via Jenny.
We also learned how to make pralines from a very sweet southern grandma at the New Orleans School of Cooking.
Photo via Jenny.
We saw the beautiful waters of the gulf.
Photo via Gaby.
And even spent a morning on a boat with Jenny and Gaby.
Photo via Jenny.
We met this particularly feisty little crab! Guess I know where the term “crabby” comes from.
Photo via Marla Meridith.
Kevin would be totally jealous of the incredible crab claw spread.
Photo via Jenny.
We’ve been eating tons of outstanding seafood, like these crawfish at a traditional crawfish boil…
Photo via Jenny.
And oysters on the half shell as fresh as you can get ’em.
With Maggy and Jenny. Photo via Jenny.
Can’t wait to share more from Louisiana when I get back home. In the meantime, keep in touch with me on Twitter and Facebook as I post live updates and photos throughout the day. But more importantly, keep in touch with Jenny and Marla for more eye candy like the photos above.
Jenny on Twitter and Facebook.
Marla on Twitter and Facebook.
Thanks for giving NOLA a great shout out! I wish more people knew about this AMAZING city! You captured it so, so beautifully! :) Glad you enjoyed yourselves!
i have instagram envy too! but i do have retro camera which comes in second :)
Love me some Retro Camera on my Evo… but Instagram would be my 1 & only iPhone envy. ;)
Amanda,
Your photos are great. What a wonderful time you and your friends captured. I love the effect on all the photos. I have a Droid phone as well, and also have Instagram envy… I downloaded photoshop express and another app called picplz on my phone, they have some similar effects..
Glad you had fun!
Glad you had a fun time.
It looks as though you had a fabulous trip! What a fantastic experience and a wonderful group of people.
I was looking at the picture of the bathrooom and I noticed a little container that you have your jewerly stored in. What is it? I am looking for a good jewerly travel container! Thanks!
So… seriously… HOW do you stay so stinking thin :) Must be in your genes? And the Instagram thing is freaking awesome. It’s only for Iphones? I’m about to get a droid type phone. Don’t know much about either. I’m from Slidell, LA. Hope you had a blast!
What is Instagram and how do I get one?! Those photos look stunning!
Madly jealous of your trip by the way, looks like heaps of fun.
Looks like such a fun trip Amanda, you guys are truly blessed!
I am totally downloading Instagram on my iPhone – looks really neat!
Hope you’re having as much fun in New Orleans as it looks like you gals are! :) Welcome to Louisiana!
I can tell it was a fabulous trip by the big smiles on your faces! Everything looks fabulous. I’m so jealous!
Have so much fun eating your way around New Orleans…it has some yummy food. If you get a chance to shop…check out a jewelry store called Sabai
924 Royal St, New Orleans, LA It has such fun pieces and all ranges of prices the last time I was there!
We just moved to Arkansas and I’ve been dying to go to New Orleans since we decided we were moving here. These pictures are perfect to convince my husband – he loves loves loves seafood and will definitely want to go once he sees all this! :o)
Ahhhh, such fun times we had in NOLA. My 4 days went way too fast. I would have love to hit up Camillia’s Grill with you one more time :) Have so much fun the rest of your time. Talk soon! xoox
I LOVE my Android phone…but I lament the lack of instagram all the time. Mytubo is a similar app for Android, but not quite as wonderful as instagram.
See: http://www.mytubo.net/qQRz?ShortUrl=qQRz
How fun! Thanks for sharing your trips with us. I have an android as well, and there are a couple of “instagram” type apps on the Amazon android site. Just type instagram into the search and they will come up. My fave is picplz.
These are absolutely exquisite! The first one with the bubbles is my fave! You are truly an amazing photographer! Thank you for inspiring me!
Thanks for sharing Amanda. Looks like you all are having a blast. Cant wait to here more about learning to make pralines. You all look wonderful, safe travels: )
Hey Amanda it looks like you had a great time in NOLA. I loved it when I visited too. You may want to try the Vignette app for android phone. I love it. It’s free and really makes your pictures look cool. Eat a beignet for me.
Love Love Love this photo collection and have loved following all the tweets! It sounds like an amazing adventure. I can’t wait to read all the follow up posts from my favorite girls in one of my favorite places to visit! xxoo
Oh and those cookies look amazing!!! What a fabulous hotel!
This trip looks AMAZING!!! You lucky girl :) Now I want to visit New Orleans – it looks like such an amazing place!
Star Hughes Living
I second the recommendation for Vignette for Android! That should help cure Instagram envy! Check out Magic Hour too…tons of filters for phone photos! I’m still trying to decide which one I like best!
Thanks so much for recommending Magic Hour! Recommended it to the other Android girly on the trip, we both love it.
If you like oysters, you need to go to Drago’s over in Metarie. They have broiled oysters that are to die for. I lived in New Orleans for years and they were my all time favorite! Plus, there is a great catfish place in Belle Chase called Adams Catfish house. The catfish was amazingly crispy and they have fried pickles to die for! Try it!
Looks absolutely amazing! Oh man, I sure miss crawfish…
You know, you can take pictures that look just as good as Instagram photos using Vignette or Retro Camera, both for the Android.
agreed. i like messing with retro camera!
You’re staying at the Bourbon Orleans! We stay there every January for Pardi Gras (any excuse to throw a party in NOLA, right?) and we LOVE it. In the heart of it all!
Looks like you guys are having a great time!! Cheers!
P.S. Beware of the Hand Grenade across the street at the Tropical Isle. It’s deceptively strong. Ask me how I know. :)
I recently stumbled across your blog and I’m loving the pictures from New Orleans! That seafood is making me hungry. What a fun trip!
Looks like a wonderful trip…Wow!! Are you going to share how to make those yummy pralines? What a treat that would be! Love your blog…Thanks :>)
These images make my mouth water and my heart soar! I love New Orleans. We’ve only been two times but I really would love to do a tour like this sampling all the great food and learning a thing or two! I can’t wait for your full story!!! ox
Hey Amanda! I have a droid and had serious instagram envy for a long time too…until I discovered Vignette. It costs a few bucks, but it’s totally worth it, and makes everything look gorgeous! Definitely check it out :)
New Orleans is one of our favorite cities. Is this trip just for girls? My husband is a huge foodie. This looks like something that he would really enjoy. How did you hear about this? Whats the scoop?
Everything looks awesome! Thanks for giving us a sneak peek and something to drool over!
Oh man, I had beignets for the first time in San Fran at Brenda’s Soul Food (their beignet flight is highly recommended) so I can be envious of them with authority! Looks like you’re having a great time and being treated like the queens you guys are!
Ooh! I love NOLA!! You’ll have to tell us where you stayed when you get back because it looks absolutely gorgeous! =)
Oh! and Cafe Beignet on Royal has much better beignets than Cafe du Monde!
Great pics! It looks like ya’ll are having a ball! You must go to the Old Coffeepot on Saint Peters for breakfast! The vingette photo app gives you the same look for android! Try it out.
It looks like you’re having so much fun! I’ve never been to New Orleans (or really any of the South besides Florida). It seems like such a vibrant city.
Thanks for the amazing updates! Going to N.O SOOOON!! Hotel looks beautiful!! Can you share the name!!?? AND SOME of the MUST try seafood hotspots!!!!???
THANKS SO MUCH!!
They are staying at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel.
Is it possible to share your praline class recipe? Those look yummy!
What a beautiful post…the pictures bring out the life of the city for me. Love the food shots.
Amanda, what a great re-cap to the super FUN trip we are on. LOVE this post. You capture so much of all this greatness. Can’t wait to see more that they have in store for us….
I’m so glad you ladies are having a good time in my city!!!
While here make sure to try a Po-boy and a muffuletta sandwich, and visit Pat O’Briens for a Hurricane!
If you are going to Baton Rouge make sure to dinne at “The Little Village” downtown. OMG great food!!!
What a great girls trip!!!
Thanks for sharing
I LOVE your pink tank with flowers!! Wherever did you get it?? On another note the photos are beautiful and it looks like you are having a fabulous time. I love girls trips!!
Thank you! It’s from Francesca’s Collections.
I wish I was on that trip, so badly!!!!!
You, Jenny, Marla, Gaby, I think Matt is there too? Oh what I wouldnt give!
I love the shots you posted..and everyone looks amazing! And you and Jenny are roomies again right after BlogHer ATL…you two are old pros at the roomie thing lately :)
Have a blasty!