We're SUPER excited to be kicking off a new "city guide" series here on Inspirations Daily! Our debut tour guide is lifestyle and NOLA based blogger, Kristi Bucksbarg, from Lucky Girl Finds. From dishing on where Jay-Z and Beyonce eat macaroons to clearing up common NOLA misconceptions - Kristi has got your next trip to the creole capital covered. And when you're done reading about where in NOLA Kristi ran into LENA DUNHAM (ahhh!!! so jel!) make sure to check out her blog!
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Favorite Restaurants:
Atchafalaya: The best jazz brunch and DIY bloody mary bar in town.
Baru: My neighborhood go to, get the Mazorca and a fresh fruit spritzer, you will love it!
Clancy’s:An old New Orleans favorite with classic dishes. Get the fried oysters with
brie, they are amazing!
Domenica: The fancy pizza and cheese plate is must! This restaurant is located within
the Roosevelt Hotel (one of my favs) and you may even see a celeb or two! I recently
sat next to Lena Dunham (MAJOR girl crush)! When you finish with dinner head to the
SazeracBar for a drink or two! Try the Ramos Gin Fizz or a Sidecar on the rocks.
Favorite Shopping:
UAL: My favorite place to dig, hunt and uncover amazing designer deals for WAY less. Most recent find, a $200 pair of jeans for $60!
LangfordMarket: Perfect place to pick up a fun dress for a night out or a gift for a girlfriends birthday. I’ve picked up some pretty great pieces recently.
OrientExpressed: My go to gift shop. From baby showers, to wedding gifts they have something for everyone, as well as, great home items and accessories too! Best part, free gift wrapping!
LiliVintage Boutique: Great vintage pieces, for reasonable prices.
Favorite Attractions:
Well besides the obvious, Mardi Gras, here are a few of my favorite things to see and do down here: MagazineSt: I am extremely fortunate enough to live on this amazing street. I love walking out my front door and just wondering around. The bars, restaurants and shops could keep you entertained for days.
JazzFest: Every year Jazz Fest draws hundreds of thousands of people here, and there is nothing better then these two weekends in my opinion. It is the perfect mix of music, food and culture. Some of my most memorable music moments have been at Jazz Fest; Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, John Mayer, Rod Stewart, Jimmy Buffet, and Earth Wind & Fire to name a few!
Hoppingon the Street Car: Taking the street car down St. Charles Avenue is a great way to see all the stately New Orleans homes. I have fond memories of doing this as a child with my entire family.
RoyalStreet: I love strolling down Royal Street in and out of all the galleries and shops. We have so many wonderful artist represented here in New Orleans. One day I will make a big art purchase, and I know it will come from a shop on Royal St.
Favorite Nola Based Blogs:
Super Touristy Place you Visit:
I absolutely love Jackson Square. Just a few minutes walking around here and you really get a feel for the energy in this city. From the artists, to the musicians and the street performers, we really are a unique bunch down here.
Ideal day in Nola:
New Orleans by bike, is the best way to see the city. A few close friends and I organize all day bike trips quite often. My ideal bike day would include:
• Start with coffee and donuts at District on Magazine St.
• Biking down through the Bywater and the Marigny
• Stopping on Frenchman St., at Three Muses for a little live music, a cheese plate and a cocktail
• Biking into the French Quarter, heading up to the rooftop at the Omni Royal Orleans to catch the sunset
• Heading back towards home with a stop at Sucre in the Garden District for a latte and macaroons (the BEST sweet shop in the city, Beyonce and Jay Z have even been known to stop in)
Misconception of Nola:
Bourbon St!! The one thing people always think is that we all hang out on Bourbon St. In actuality, we locals, rarely go on Bourbon St. and when we do it’s normally only to get from one place to the next within the French Quarter.
**Planning a trip to New Orleans? Feel free to email me for more info! I would love to help you with your trip. - Kristi