New Orleans: 30th birthday destination party
Last year I turned 30 years old and I decided to do a destination party to celebrate. We recently relocated from Seattle to Augusta, Georgia for my husband’s dental residency so I figured it was a great opportunity to explore some of the cities in the southeast we haven’t visited before. Although my birthday is in August, in the thick of southern heat and humidity, an amazing group of friends and family came to conquer New Orleans with us!
We stayed in the French Quarter at the Royal Sonesta hotel, which is a neighborhood I’d highly recommend since it’s walking distance to a bunch of tourist attractions. To start the weekend off I made welcome bags for guests to receive at the hotel.
As a planner, I tried to map out some activities ahead of time. I would say we followed most of it! Trying New Orleans style food was the primary goal of the trip, and it did not disappoint. I also loved hearing live jazz music and I picked up one beautiful art piece from Jackson square.
Itinerary (for the most part)
The best part of the trip was that my mom surprised me and flew in on Saturday!! It was really thoughtful of her to come as she had a hectic work schedule right during that weekend.
Seafood Highlights
Felix- poboys and jambalaya
We had a great experience at Felix’s in the French Quarter, pictured below are the raw oysters there. And they are HUGE compared to west coast raw oysters. I can’t say I’m 100% on board with them although my brother and husband loved them. My favorites at Felix’s were the shrimp poboy and jambalaya. The poboy was super crispy shrimp combined with a tart pickle on a crusty bread. Never thought I’d love them, but I did. And the spice in the jambalaya was awesome. We got tons of dishes and split among our table. Great casual spot for seafood.
R’evolution- lobster tail and fancy things
R’evolution was a restaurant in our hotel, and my friends raved about it so we ate dinner there. I recommend going on the kitchen tour if you can, they explain the theme for each room in the restaurant. There is beautiful artwork throughout the restaurant and they take you back to the kitchen, which is pretty cool. This was our fanciest meal of the trip- I loved the lobster tail dish.
Desire- Oysters + Crabcakes
A more casual spot, Desire is a great place to stop in for oysters. Here we are straight off of our flight getting a bite to eat and a drink before we went up to our room. Food first, then rest. 🙂
Scenic Highlights
Garden District- for a stroll
When you want to take a short break from endlessly eating, the garden district is a beautiful area to roam around. There are historic roads and mansions to see. I highly recommend walking around this area, it’s a different vibe than the French Quarter.
Jackson Square- Sunday artwalk
I didn’t get a picture but Jackson Square has an artwalk on Sundays. I got a beautiful piece of artwork to take home, and I’d recommend just browsing if you don’t want to purchase.
More food- casual spots
Cafe du Monde- you already know though
St. Roch Food Market- modern and more healthy options
I’m pictured here with my Mom at St. Roch Food Market. I can’t encourage stopping in here enough! There are lots of small vendors, like a farmers market and I found healthier options than most traditional New Orleans restaurants like avocado toast or spring rolls. As always we got a ton of food and shared.
Music
Preservation Hall- concert
We found great music in tons of places but my favorite experience was at Preservation Hall. It’s an old school band, and we all sat on the floor in what felt like a heat box but they were so GOOD! A performance you really have to see in person. It was sweaty times, and the best of times.
