Hey gang! It just dawned on me that I have been living in New Orleans for awful long time. Maybe it was the fact that I just met with the Tulane reunion officer to plan my ten year reunion (yikes) or maybe it's the fact that I am about to embark on my fourteenth Mardi Gras. Regardless, I am not the best person to write a blog about being a NOLA Newbie. But you know who is? My amazing colleague Sarah. Take it away, Sarah!
Alright, I’ll confess: before I moved to New Orleans this summer, I didn't know very much about this city. Sure, I knew about Mardi Gras and the infamous Bourbon Street (I owe this knowledge to the highly educational television program, The Real World: New Orleans). Other buzzwords that came to mind included jazz music, hot weather, and po’boys.
Now that I've lived in New Orleans for six months, I am constantly surprised at the fact that I am learning something new about this city nearly every day. I've been lucky to live in some pretty cool places thus far in my life, but I have to admit that none of them surprised me as continuously as New Orleans does.
So, in the spirit of sharing (and in the style of the ubiquitous BuzzFeed listicle), I have put together a list of the six things that I've most enjoyed learning about New Orleans. This list will come to you in a two-part series, so here goes the first three:
1. The restaurant scene
I remember it clearly: the day that I was offered the admission counselor position at Tulane, the first thing I did (after accepting the job, of course!) was hop on Google and immediately search for “best restaurants in New Orleans.” Since moving here, I have been slowly working my way through the eclectic and vast array of great places to eat in the city.
I've had delicious pho at small Vietnamese cafes, New York bagels and lox at Stein’s Market and Deli, tasty Caribbean dishes at the ever-popular Rum House, amazing falafel at Lebanon’s Café…the list goes on and on. Whether it’s traditional French cuisine served at some of the city’s finest restaurants, or soul food served on a paper plate at a hole-in-the-wall just off the beaten path, you won’t have a problem eating well in New Orleans.
2. History behind the local cuisine
Because I like food so much, I felt like it was deserving of two spots on this list. However, now I’m going to focus more specifically on the two unique cuisines that New Orleans is known for: Creole and Cajun. Historically speaking (but without giving you a history lesson), New Orleans is a cultural melting pot that has been shaped by French, Spanish, African, and Afro-Caribbean influences, just to name a few.
Although Creole and Cajun are often used interchangeably, the difference between the two cuisines speaks to the people behind them. Cajun cuisine comes from the French colonists who settled in the more rural part of Louisiana known as “Acadiana.” Creole cuisine, on the other hand, is considered to be a product of the mixing of Spanish, French, and African influence in New Orleans specifically.
However, no matter whether it’s Creole or Cajun, it’s guaranteed to be delicious. Some of the most famous (and tastiest) Creole dishes I’ve had in New Orleans are crawfish étouffée, red beans and rice (served all over the city on Mondays), jambalaya, and irresistible, fluffy beignets. One of the most fun times you’ll ever have is attending a crawfish boil (and Tulane’s own Crawfest!), considered a great celebration in Cajun culture.
3. Festivals and fun things to do
We like to joke in our office that Louisiana has more festivals than there are days in the academic school year, but the thing is – it might actually be true! New Orleanians are always looking for a reason to celebrate, and there are an endless amount of fun things to do in this city. I often spend part of my week crafting a schedule for all of the activities I want to do over the weekend (we Type A folks always love a good to-do list).
From the Po’boy Fest in the fall to the iconic Jazz and Heritage Festival in the spring, there are festivals celebrating every aspect of the rich culture of New Orleans. Yes, there’s even a festival celebrating a local variety of squash known as mirliton, hence the aptly-named Mirliton Festival. But attending a festival isn’t the only way to experience the city’s unique culture. Whether you’re going for a bike ride in City Park, visiting an art gallery or history museum in the French Quarter, or going to a Saints game in the Superdome with some of the most passionate football fans you’ll ever meet, you’re going to have a hard time being bored in New Orleans.
Check back in to the blog next week to see what else made my list!
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| That's me on the right at White Linen Night! |
Now that I've lived in New Orleans for six months, I am constantly surprised at the fact that I am learning something new about this city nearly every day. I've been lucky to live in some pretty cool places thus far in my life, but I have to admit that none of them surprised me as continuously as New Orleans does.
So, in the spirit of sharing (and in the style of the ubiquitous BuzzFeed listicle), I have put together a list of the six things that I've most enjoyed learning about New Orleans. This list will come to you in a two-part series, so here goes the first three:
1. The restaurant scene
I remember it clearly: the day that I was offered the admission counselor position at Tulane, the first thing I did (after accepting the job, of course!) was hop on Google and immediately search for “best restaurants in New Orleans.” Since moving here, I have been slowly working my way through the eclectic and vast array of great places to eat in the city.
I've had delicious pho at small Vietnamese cafes, New York bagels and lox at Stein’s Market and Deli, tasty Caribbean dishes at the ever-popular Rum House, amazing falafel at Lebanon’s Café…the list goes on and on. Whether it’s traditional French cuisine served at some of the city’s finest restaurants, or soul food served on a paper plate at a hole-in-the-wall just off the beaten path, you won’t have a problem eating well in New Orleans.
 |
| A traditional French macaron at Sucré |
2. History behind the local cuisine
Because I like food so much, I felt like it was deserving of two spots on this list. However, now I’m going to focus more specifically on the two unique cuisines that New Orleans is known for: Creole and Cajun. Historically speaking (but without giving you a history lesson), New Orleans is a cultural melting pot that has been shaped by French, Spanish, African, and Afro-Caribbean influences, just to name a few.
Although Creole and Cajun are often used interchangeably, the difference between the two cuisines speaks to the people behind them. Cajun cuisine comes from the French colonists who settled in the more rural part of Louisiana known as “Acadiana.” Creole cuisine, on the other hand, is considered to be a product of the mixing of Spanish, French, and African influence in New Orleans specifically.
However, no matter whether it’s Creole or Cajun, it’s guaranteed to be delicious. Some of the most famous (and tastiest) Creole dishes I’ve had in New Orleans are crawfish étouffée, red beans and rice (served all over the city on Mondays), jambalaya, and irresistible, fluffy beignets. One of the most fun times you’ll ever have is attending a crawfish boil (and Tulane’s own Crawfest!), considered a great celebration in Cajun culture.
 |
| Cafe du Monde's famous beignets |
3. Festivals and fun things to do
We like to joke in our office that Louisiana has more festivals than there are days in the academic school year, but the thing is – it might actually be true! New Orleanians are always looking for a reason to celebrate, and there are an endless amount of fun things to do in this city. I often spend part of my week crafting a schedule for all of the activities I want to do over the weekend (we Type A folks always love a good to-do list).
From the Po’boy Fest in the fall to the iconic Jazz and Heritage Festival in the spring, there are festivals celebrating every aspect of the rich culture of New Orleans. Yes, there’s even a festival celebrating a local variety of squash known as mirliton, hence the aptly-named Mirliton Festival. But attending a festival isn’t the only way to experience the city’s unique culture. Whether you’re going for a bike ride in City Park, visiting an art gallery or history museum in the French Quarter, or going to a Saints game in the Superdome with some of the most passionate football fans you’ll ever meet, you’re going to have a hard time being bored in New Orleans.
 |
| My first Saints game – Who Dat? |
Check back in to the blog next week to see what else made my list!
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