Beignets, BBQ, and O'Brien's in NOLA

I'm finallyyyy back on the blog to post about a trip we took to the "Big Easy" right after Christmas!  We stayed in New Orleans for three nights, although this city can easily be seen in just two.  By day three, we ran out of things to do and see, so I recommend planning a trip for two days max, unless you're planning to occupy Bourbon Street for your whole visit.

During our visit we enjoyed amazing food, saw a handful of popular attractions, and took in the unique culture of NOLA.  I'll cover our top tips and lessons learned for visiting this intriguing and lively city, starting with the FOOD!  (It's the first thing I plan when we go on a trip anyways, so why not start with the most important part? ;) )

Biscuits and gravy with andouille sausage from the Cake Cafe & Bakery

I have to admit that one of my favorite things about this city is its soul food and hidden "whole-in-the-wall" gems.  During our visit, we sought restaurants and cafes with reasonable price points for delicious cooking, and I'm happy to say that New Orleans did not disappoint.  For breakfast, we ate at the Cake Cafe and Cafe Du Monde on the days that we passed on our hotel's continental breakfast.  I have to say that my meal at the Cake Cafe was my favorite in New Orleans, and it's all thanks to their amazing biscuits and gravy with andouille sausage.  Harrison also enjoyed his breakfast panini with bacon, eggs, cheddar, and roasted tomato on ciabatta.  Located in the Marigny neighborhood, the Cake Cafe is a quaint cafe just outside the tourist bustle of the French Quarter.  I would definitely recommend a stop here for an affordable and delicious breakfast or brunch when visiting the French Quarter for the day.

When in NOLA, everyone says that you have to visit Cafe Du Monde for their famous beignets and coffee,  but I have to say that the beignets at this popular tourist spot won't be the best beignets you have in your life.  Although delicious, they aren't mind blowing, but don't let that stop you from visiting this historic cafe.  Harrison and I agreed that enjoying the piping hot donuts loaded with powdered sugar at our little table in the bustling and almost hectic cafe was worth it for the memories.  Who doesn't love fried dough and people watching?  I have to caution you on one item on the menu though, and it's the hot chocolate.  I was expecting a gourmet drink, but instead was served a watery cup of Nestle hot chocolate.  If that's your thing, go for it, but otherwise, stick to their coffee or order some water.  You'll need it to get through that mountain of powdered sugar!

For lunch and dinner, we visited the famous NOLA pub, Pat O'Brien's, as well as two lesser known local spots, the Parkway Bakery and Tavern, and The Joint.  Definitely visit Pat O'Brien's when you're on Bourbon Street and order their Hurricane.  It's really delicious, served in a huge glass, and will give you a nice buzz as you tour the shops and streets in the French Quarter.

The food at Pat O'Brien's is surprisingly delicious as well! I ordered their shrimp étouffée and it had the perfect amount of cajun flavor and spice.  For yummy po-boys, visit the Parkway Bakery and Tavern.  We enjoyed our dinner here, although it wasn't our favorite meal during our visit.  If you're a BBQ fan, definitely stop by The Joint.  It's a whole-in-the-wall joint in a residential neighborhood on Mazant Street in New Orleans that is slow smoking delicious ribs, chicken, brisket, pulled pork, and sausage.  Our favorite dish was definitely the pulled pork, which surprised us, because we usually gravitate towards brisket and ribs.  But let's face it.  Nothing beats Texas brisket ;).   Anyways, GET THE PULLED PORK, and let us know how their mac is!  They were out when we visited, and we want to know if we missed out on this.

What's a trip without enjoying some treats?  We definitely indulged in some of NOLA's best sweet shops and creameries and I'm so excited to share them so you can try the sinful sweets too!  Our favorite stop for a sweet treat was definitely, hands-down, the Creole Creamery.  We loved their homemade ice cream so much, that we went all three nights we were there!  Maybe a little excessive, but hey, we were on vacation and their ice cream is AMAZING!

 They have so many outrageous and unique flavors to count, and every scoop is delicious!  My favorite flavor was the molasses and oatmeal cookie.  Check out their website to see their endless list of flavors.

Another sweet shop to visit while in New Orleans is Sucre!  This artisanal confectioner makes adorable and tasty macarons, chocolates, and gelato.  While there, we sampled fudgy truffles and ordered frozen hot chocolate and a cappuccino.  Everything was delicious and the shop is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a little treat!

Moving from food to French Quarter tips, I have to share my tips on parking.  It. is. the. worst.  Parking in the French Quarter is limited and you basically have two choices: park in a public lot or on the street.  Parking is expensive in the public parking lots, but it's worth it to park in a paid lot over a spot on the street.  There are so many restrictions on parking in the streets of the French Quarter, and in this case, possibly saving a few bucks isn't worth getting your car towed while on vacation.  Want to save some money on parking in the public lots?  Many lots offer early bird hours at lower rates!

I've already covered food in the French Quarter, but what about the sights?  There's so much to see including the vibrant art displays, unique shops, and landmark buildings, such as St. Louis' Cathedral.  We loved exploring it all, and also enjoyed mass at St. Louis' during the Christmas season.  It's really a beautiful cathedral, and I recommend going inside to see the beautiful ceiling.

The last place I'm going to recommend to add to your itinerary is The National World War II Museum.  Harrison and I loved it, and it's a great way to spend a rainy day in New Orleans.  You could easily spend all day here, and we almost did!  The museum is sizable and has many engaging exhibits that will have you engrossed in the war's history.  Trust me, there isn't anything boring about this museum and it's a must see!

We had a great trip to New Orleans and definitely made many memories in this historic and vibrant city.  Hopefully our experiences and lessons learned can help you plan your own trip!

Triple D: Disney Do's and Dont's

So this month, Harrison and I were lucky enough to go on a Disney Vacation!!! We had both been to Disney before: Harrison had gone when he was in high school for a band trip, and I had been with friends and family on two separate vacations.  But this was our first Disney trip together!

The decision to go was actually a funny one.  Usually, when people decide to go to Disney, they plan at least months, to a year in advance.  They book their dream accommodations, reservations, and iron out all the details to ensure a magical visit.  Well, we found out that Harrison's flight school schedule left just enough time for us to squeeze a week of leave in.  Cue the Disney planning--a week before we planned on visiting the happiest place on earth.  Not to mention, I was still in New York on another trip, and didn't have my laptop with me to do any hardcore planning.  We somehow made decent plans though, and surprisingly, our trip could not have been more fun, or better planned!

So because our Disney experience was so enjoyable, and because we also learned some valuable lessons on tackling the parks, I thought I would share them on the blog, so that future Disney-goers could find some helpful advice in this post!

Do: Know Your Stuff

There are some general park tips and tricks that can make your time at Disney much more enjoyable, and keep you from feeling "out-of-the-Disney-magic-loop" when it comes to planning your park experiences.  Here are a few quick tips and tricks you should know before heading off to the parks:

The Disney App:

Get it. Now. This app is literally the only tool you'll need to plan your show times, dinner reservations, FastPasses...everything.  On the app, you can schedule your entire day at Disney.  OCD trip planners rejoice!  Seriously, though, this app is pretty ridiculous with how much it enables you to plan for your days in the parks.  I would recommend doing FastPass scheduling before you go to the parks, and making dinner reservations as soon as you know your vacation dates.  It's too stressful to try to plan your FastPasses, show times, and whatever else you want to see the day you get to the park.  You want your trip to be as stress free as possible, so plan head and get the app!

FastPass:

The Disney FastPass has long been a favorite of park-goers, because it allows guests to cut wait times by scheduling a designated hour in which they can take the FastPass line; the FastPass line often cuts wait times down to 10 minutes or less, even for your most popular rides.

Since my last trip to Disney, however, the resort has changed a few things with FastPasses.  You now use your Disney park admission card, and schedule your FastPass experiences with the Disney App, online, or at a FastPass Kiosk in the parks.  This means you no longer have to waste time walking to the rides you want FastPasses for to print out paper tickets, which is a plus.  However, there are some downsides to the new FastPass system.  For one, you have to sign up for three FastPass experiences in a day, and they categorize the rides and shows by most popular to least popular.  This means that you can usually select only one popular ride, and two less popular rides or shows at a time. We found this annoying, because every park has at least two or three rides you absolutely need FastPasses for if you don't want to wait for over an hour.  On the new system, you only get one FastPass and have to decide which ride you would most want to ride without an obscene wait.

One more FastPass tip: don't use your FastPasses on shows, especially Fantasmic!  We learned this the hard way.  A FastPass does not get you into a show faster than the stand-by line, and can actually result in worse seats.  When it comes to shows, just go as early as you can, if its a show you want prime seating for.

Don't: Let the Rain Scare You

It rained every single day of our trip to Disney.  At first, we were a little bummed, but we had come prepared with ponchos that kept us dry.  This is a MUST, especially if you are at Disney in the summer when scattered thunderstorms are the norm.  Go to Walmart and buy some decent ponchos.  They will be your smartest investment of the trip.  

After doing our first park in the rain, we realized that we could use this bad weather to our advantage!  We noticed that most people got sick of tramping through the rain around 4 o'clock, which is when the crowds would start to thin out.  So this is the schedule we developed for rainy days: we got to the parks first thing in the morning, stayed until 3 or  4 o'clock in the afternoon, went back to our hotel to take a nap, and returned to the parks around 6:00 pm when so many people were leaving, exhausted from fighting the rain all day.  Meanwhile, we were refreshed from our nap, and enjoyed many popular rides with absolutely no wait, including Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain Railroad.  

A little blurry, but those are two happy goons in the back who didn't have to wait in line!

This scheduling plan worked so well, and I highly recommend it!  It's easy to get burnt out at Disney, and escaping during the most crowded times of the day to take a break is a lifesaver...well maybe it didn't save my life, but at least it saved my feet.

Do: Get Good Grub 

Before we left for Orlando, I did some research on the best eats at the parks, as well as Downtown Disney.  Countless blogs rave about their #1 picks for places to eat, and treats to indulge on.  After some searching, I found a few favorites that we tried out on our visit.  Some lived up to the hype, but a few were disappointing.  I hope this review helps to weed out the good from the bad, so you get to enjoy the best of Disney dining!

Thumbs Up: Earl of Sandwich, 50's Prime Time Cafe, Writer's Stop for the Carrot Cake Cookie

• Earl of Sandwich: Located in Downtown Disney, this is the perfect sandwich shop to grab a budget-friendly and delicious lunch or dinner between shopping.  The sandwiches range from $6-10, which is a steal when you're dining at Disney.  I had the Full Montagu, and Harrison had their version of the Reuben.  Both sandwiches were delicious.  The bread especially was perfectly toasted and buttery.  Do yourself, your belly, and your budget a favor by checking out Earl of Sandwich!
• 50's Prime Time Cafe: This little themed restaurant in Hollywood Studios was the best restaurant we dined at during our vacation.  The food is great, but it's the atmosphere and the service that really takes the cake in this little cafe.  The wait staff makes you feel like you're back at home with your mom; you're told to mind your manners, and to KEEP YOUR ELBOWS OFF THE TABLE! I can't tell you how many times I was caught...Anyways, the prices are a little steep, but the experience is worth it! Try the Red Velvet Cupcake Milkshake...so good!

The milkshake isn't this small, I promise!
Harrison and I had to split it since it was so rich and there was so much of it!

• Carrot Cake Cookie: This scrumptious treat was my favorite of all the snacks we tried at Disney.  Do not pass this up!  The hype is real!  I say that, because this treat is one of the most blogged about Disney desserts, and I can confirm that it really is that good.  The cookie is more like a carrot cake whoopie pie.  It's a slather of delicious cream cheese frosting sandwiched between two moist and fluffy carrot cake cookies.  Yeah...it tastes just like carrot cake, and it's absolutely amazing.  I just wish I had a picture.  Please take my word for it, and go get this cookie at the Writer's Stop in Hollywood Studios!

Thumbs Down: Kringla Bakeri Og Cafe for the School Bread

• School Bread: So I hate to write a bad review of anything that has to do with Disney, but sadly, I was disappointed with the School Bread at the bakery in Norway, Epcot.  I was really excited to try this pastry, since I had read such highly-rated reviews.  To save you some disappointment, this treat is more like a cardamom-flavored, hotel dinner roll topped with a dollop of vanilla custard and coconut flakes.  I was expecting a moist, fluffy pastry filled with vanilla custard, but instead, I had to work through a dry bread that almost made me throw it away.  The hype is not real for this one people.  

Do: Take Advantage of Money-Savers

Since this was a last-minute vacation, which just barely fit into our budget (Disney is wonderful, but it ain't cheap), we had to find ways to keep our vacation spending in check, while still enjoying all the parks had to offer.  Here are a few of our tips:

Fountain Water: 

I cannot stress how important this frugal tip is.  Every cafe, food kiosk, and restaurant at Disney and Downtown Disney, that has fountain drinks, will serve ice cold water...for free! All you have to do is ask!  This saved us not only extra cash, but also from having to carry water bottles around with us all day.  Less weight in the backpack and more money in your pocket is always a great thing.  We didn't pay for drinks the entire time we were on vacation!  

Packing Meals: 

This is also a perk of Disney that we took advantage of.  The parks let you bring your own food in!  This means you can pack snacks, and even your lunch or dinner if you really want to save money.  We carried a bag of almonds with us everyday, and also packed sandwiches on some days.  What worked with our food budget was eating one meal in the park, and either packing or eating the other two meals back at our hotel.  This really saved us a lot in total spending.

Hotel Accommodations: 

We saved the most money with the choice of our hotel.  We decided that the Disney Resorts, although nice, were out of our budget, and looked off the resort to find a better deal.  We found it at the Galleria Palms Hotel in Kissimmee.  At $65/night, this hotel was an absolute steal, and we didn't trade comfort, cleanliness, or service for price at all!  The hotel staff was very accommodating, there was a free breakfast every morning with a small, hot buffet, and the hotel was only a 7-10 minute drive from the Disney resorts.  We also took advantage of their military discount.  The takeaway from this tip is to research nearby hotels to Disney and find the best deal for you.  We would absolutely recommend the Galleria, though, for those looking for a budget-conscious, but still cleanly and friendly hotel.  

Tickets: 

Military friends, Disney has a great deal for a 4-day park hopper that you can't beat!  For those who aren't in the military, there are plenty of deals out there for saving some money on Disney park tickets.  A little research is totally worth saving some extra cash!

Do: Check Out These Rides

Favorite Rides: Toy Story Midway Mania, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Test Track, Rockin' Roller Coaster, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Expedition Everest, Soaring, Hollywood Tower of Terror

Selfie taken right after riding The Rockin' Roller Coaster

Another selfie...this time, for riding the Tower of Terror

Favorite Shows: Fantasmic, Wishes Fireworks Spectacular, Illuminations, Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show

Enjoying some ice cream while waiting for Wishes to start.

There is one ride I want to share some tips on and that is Kilimanjaro Safaris.  

It is a safari ride on a truck that takes you on a tour to find exotic animals living there on the resort.  To take full advantage of this ride, and to get the chance to see the animals up close, be among the first ones at the park in the morning.  I'm not kidding.  This is the only park that Harrison and I planned to visit where we wanted to beat everyone to the front of the line.  Why? Because being one of the first guests at Kilimanjaro Safaris when the park first opens is simply the best way to not only beat the horrendous line that forms for this ride, but also to see the animals when they are most active.  

A shot of a beautiful Masai Giraffe on Kilimanjaro Safaris

These tips really payed off for us, and we came face to face with more than one giraffe, and had the opportunity to see all the animals being active, instead of sleeping.

We made a friend on our safari ride!

Getting a shot of some rhinos before they shuffled out of sight

So those are my top Disney Do's and Dont's!  I hope that they can be of help to future Disney-vacationers!  I learned some of my tips from blogs online, and they made such a difference in time, money, and headaches saved.  Thanks for reading, but now it's time for you to plan your trip to the happiest place on earth!