Fleur de Aleta

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. Z is for ~ Zydeco. It’s bluesy Creole Music. It’s… unique. First couple of songs you’ll enjoy because it’s so different…. But then, by the third zydeco song, you’ll start to think it all sounds the same. If you have the chance, enjoy some of it, just because it is so different. ~ Zoo – I think I might have already mentioned the Audobon Zoo, and they “all asked for you.” They have white tigers there, two beautiful white tigers. I think those are the prettiest cats there. But lots to see and do at the zoo. ~ Zea’s Restaurant in New Orleans – everything is good off the menu and I think we tried just about all of it over the years of living here. ~ and last but not least… after going on all the tours, walking through ...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. Y is for ~ YAT. Hehe, you didn’t think I’d find a “Y” did you. If you visit New Orleans for a period of time, you will become a “yat”. A Yat is a native who talks like this: “Where ya at” only “ya at” tends to get slurred together, “where yat”. To get a better taste of it, listen to the “12 Yats of Christmas”… here are the lyrics (kind of neat that I thought of this right before Christmas.. lol) The Twelve Yats Of Christmas 1. On'da foist day'a Christmas mah Mawmaw gave'to me a Crawfish'dey Caught in Arabi 2. In'da Christmas Picayune I seen it Dere'n Section E, Tujaque's Recipe 3. On'da thoid day' a Christmas we Stopped at McKenzie for Three French Breads 4. On the fourt...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. X is for ~ Xavier University of Louisiana. It’s a private institution that was founded in 1914. Ummm, any other natives know any other “X”’s out there. I’m stretching on a limb…. I'm determined to see this through the end of the alphabet! I can do it!!!

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. W is for ~ Waterpark – Blue Bayou Waterpark is located in Baton Rouge. This is the place you want to visit if you come here during the summer. There’s also a new waterpark at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. ~ Warehouse District – it’s the artsy side of New Orleans. Walk down Julia Street for the art galleries. I love the exposed brick that you’ll find in the condos and various buildings. Emeril’s Restaurant is located in the Warehouse District and a “must do” if you don’t mind the fine dining and fine price. We were fortunate that one of Greg’s best friend, Danny, took us there to eat. It was a treat!

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. V is for ~ VOODOO “I put a spell on you.” There are all sorts of Voodoo shops in the French Quarter. There’s also the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum. I have to share this weird snippet. I have a second cousin who used to own a Voodoo shop. His shop was in the paper… he had ordered a coffin for his shop… when the coffin was delivered…. Inside it was a dead body! And no, he didn’t order any dead bodies! Yuck… ~ Vermilionville Tours are located in Lafayette, Louisiana. There are demonstrations of life during the early Acadian settlement.

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. U is for ~ U-boat. You thought I'd have to skip "U" didn't you? I thought I might too. I had to do some digging for this. I found an article in "The Gambit" - a local newspaper that Greg loves to read. Click here to find out the information about a German U-Boat sunk in the Gulf right outside of Louisiana. ~ Ursuline Convent – It’s one of the oldest buildings in the city. There’s a tour of the ground floor and garden. This is one tour I haven’t been on but would like to do.

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. T is for ~ Tours. There are tours out the yazoo. I've mentioned quite a few already: swamp tours, plantation tours, French Quarter tours, Cemetery Tours, Southern Comfort Cocktail Tours. You name it, it's here. ~ Trolley Stop Café. I haven’t been here yet, but it’s one of my “wish list” items. The casual dining restaurant has received good ratings for their breakfast. ~ Tipitina’s. If you don’t want jazz but you want to enjoy more New Orleans night life, stop by Tipitina’s for live music. The couple of times that I went, they actually had two-step dancing. They play a variety of music there.

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. S is for ~ Swamp Tours, but I already mentioned this ~ St Luis Cathedral, I covered this with the French Quarter ~ Segway Tours in New Orleans -oohhhhhh, we're going to do this soon! I got a great deal on Groupon for 2 Segway tours. They are pricey, but if you keep up with Groupon, sometimes you get a great bargain. Greg and I have been on segways before when we went to Disney and thought they were fun. Hopefully I'll have a blog post about this experience in the near future. ~ Street Pronunciation. "Burgundy" Street - don't pronounce it like the color. It's pronounced: "bur GUN dee." City of "LaPlace" - it's not La Place, it's "LaPlass" Want to gi...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. R is for ~ Rivertown. It's located in Kenner, not far from the airport. Every now and then I like to go there. It's a small, quaint section of the town. There are a couple of museums, some nice restaurants and a few shops. ~ Ralph's On the Park Restaurant. Some bloggy friends from Philly went to this restaurant, located in City Park and said it was yummy. It's Creole cuisine in the City Park setting (a little pricey though). I asked Greg to take me here for our next anniversary (HUBBY REMINDER ALERT :) ~ Rig Museum. I haven't been to this museum, but would like to one day. It's supposed to be the only place where the general public can walk on an offshore drilling rig. The museum is located ...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Q is for... ~ "Queen of the South".... I've read that New Orleans is called this and I'm really stretching, because I just can't think of any other "Q".... errrrr.... any native Louisianian's come with up any other "Q's"? Oh Oh! I know another Q!!! ~ Quarter View Restaurant, in Metairie. The food is always great, good Creole items to pick from and I've never been disappointed. AND... I love the paintings on the wall - makes you feel as though you're in the French Quarter.

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. P is for ~ Plantations Destrehan Plantation isn't that far from New Orleans. It's an antebellum home, established in 1787 and "remains the oldest documented plantation home in the lower Mississippi River Valley." Oak Alley Plantation. It's what movies are made of. Best time to go is during spring to see the oak foliage. It's stunning. I remember going there with my family as a little girl, I didn't even want to step inside the plantation home, I just wanted to wander in and out of the big oaks. It's called the "Grande Dame of the Great River Road" for a reason. Greg and I went there recently. He had a specific perspective shot of the picture he wanted to take (see below)...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. O is for Oy Vey! I'm surprised I made it this far and I better not stop now! Ok... seriously. ~ Oysters! Grill 'em, fry 'em, rockerfella 'em... even ... eat 'em raw. Yes, I tried that... once and never again. My brother loves them raw, but I can't handle that. But I do like them any other way. Best place to go to for Oysters? Hands down - Drago's in Metairie. (It's the section in Metairie called "Fat City.") When Greg has out of town business associates, he brings them to Drago's for the oysters. Yummmm... and don't forget to try the Fleur de Lis Shrimp - heaven!! ~Onion Soup. Not the soup, the restaurant. It's located in New Orleans. A litt...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. N is for ~ NOMA - New Orleans Museum of Art. I think it's free on Wednesdays, if I remember correctly. NOMA is located right in City Park, so after climbing the oak trees and having a picnic, this is a nice place to enjoy some air conditioning and see extensive art collections. It's not a museum dedicated to New Orleans; it has a diversity of appreciation. I believe the Faberage Gallery is there year round. You can check their site to see what exhibits they have throughout the year. I've gone there a number of times, but probably not as often as I should.

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. M is for ~Mighty Mississippi. While you're in the French Quarter, head over to the Riverwalk, where you'll find tickets to go on a boat ride - The Paddle Wheel Tour. I did this with my good friend, Kristen, not long ago. It's very relaxing. ~Mardi Gras. It's not just for New Orleans, it's in the neighboring cities as well, on the Westbank, Metairie, Chalmette, North Shore. The city shuts down for a day (and night) of partying! If you want wild - go to New Orleans. If you want family oriented, go to the neighboring cities. Either way, you'll have fun. Yell, "Throw me something, Mister" and catch beads, plastic cups, frisbees, stuffed animals, blinking necklaces. You'll come back w...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. L is for ~ Longue Vue House and Gardens. On the merging lines of New Orleans and Metairie, tucked away is a lovely home and beautiful gardens. The house reminded us of Biltmore, where we went for our honeymoon. I blogged about the house, if you’d like to read more, click here . ~Lafreniere Park. Want to get out of New Orleans and into more of the suburbs? Metairie is a great place to go. It’s as much of a restaurant meca as New Orleans. Lafreniere Park is one of the largest parks in Metairie and the drive goes around a lake. There are rabbits, roosters, chickens, ducks, geese, swans and all sorts of feathered friends living in the park. ~LPO. Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. If you’re lucky, you’ll be in t...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. K is for ~Katrina. I wish I could tell you that New Orleans is fully recovered, but that isn't the case. You can see the damage spread through out New Orleans, Chalmette and even here and there in Metairie. There are "Katrina tours" but I've never been on one and don't need to. I have the memories. I even have the magnet "My refrigerator survived Katrina" (which is a major accomplishment, believe me)... I can't say that I can recommend the tours, there's too much burned into my mind about that hurricane. It brought out the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Mother Nature is everywhere. Nobody on earth can escape her... On my Picasa site, I have pictures that I took s...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. P lease feel welcome to join in. J is for… ~ Jazz. The best place to go for Jazz music is Preservation Hall. It's along Bourbon Street, but not a "typical bar" type atmosphere. If you stop by there during the day, you can find out if there's a performance that night and who is playing. I don't recall the guy who was there when we went just recently, but he was fantastic with the horn! ~ Julia Street. For those who want to take a stroll down artsy lane, go to Julia Street. It's in the "Warehouse District" of New Orleans, close to the French Quarter. There are some nights where the art galleries will open all the doors and serve wine and appetizers. ~ Jean Lafitte Park. If you don't want to go on a swamp to...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. I is for… ~Insectariums. Ok, it's the only "i" I could think of! *shivers* I don't like bugs. Well, there is ONE thing I would like in the insectariums: butterflies in flight. There's a "free-flying" garden. I love butterflies! But... the other creepers, no thank you.. - anything from termites (we see the flying termites during the year, that's all I need), love bugs (those things cover the cars and smear on the windshield), mosquitoes (oh, no, don't even GO there), cockroaches (you're kidding right?)... AND... there's EVEN a cooking show... oh yes, you read that right... an "adventure in eating." Look here... if there's an adventure in eating at an i...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. P lease feel welcome to join in. H is for… ~Haunted Homes. There are a lot of haunted house tours. Click here for variety of tour s. If possible, take a night haunted home tour, because it’s cooler and adds to the haunting feeling :) A couple of homes to mention: Hermann-Grima – This mansion has a courtyard garden, horse stable and functional 1830’s outdoor kitchen in the Quarter. It’s said that the ghost in this home scatter scented rose and lavender around the rooms and light the fireplaces. Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop – The oldest pub in the country. Master Jean Lafitte was a buccaneer . It’s said that his ghost is seen in the building with his pirate hat. The story goes that when a pirate buries his treasure, he kills someone on the spot.. ...

(Grab the button on the right sidebar) Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. There should be a linky for you to post your website address at the bottom of this post. G is for… ~Garden District. After you tour through the French Quarter, consider taking a self guided tour of the Garden District. New Orleans will change before your eyes – the garden district is the most beautiful section of New Orleans, with elegant mansions. It’s a great way to relax after enjoying the busy Quarter. Greg found a great online “ walking tour ” about the area. We drove to each location to take pictures of the homes. One home no longer on the list is Anne Rice’s house, because it’s on the market.. The Greek Revival-style house is going for 3.75M.