New Orleans Walking Tour

Love getting lost in New Orleans. The decor is so beautiful and odd at the same time. Everyone adds their own flare to the terraces. Have you ever been?

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Tone It Up - Bikini {One Piece} Series

I've joined the Tone It Up clan because dayum... I need to tone my $h1t UP! I always do this though: I join some group, start some diet, read some book, and all the sudden I know everything that I should be doing but do none of it and throw money down the drain. So, no, I'm not going to say that this time is different because that would be cliché. I'm not going to post my before picture/weight and my goals and get all excited. Because you know... I've done that before and those posts are just sad to look at right now. You know, the posts where your "starting weight' then is your goal weight now? Yeah... guilty on all charges.

All I'm going to say is that I'm going to take this one day at a time. Maybe this time is different. Maybe the fact that 30 is only 2 1/2 (ish) months away will light some magical fire under my Kardashian ass that sends me to the "happy weight" place. Or maybe this is just another sad post.

For now... I'm going to take my pictures of my heathy food on Instagram and post it proudly with the  appropriate TIU hashtags and see what comes of this. Maybe I'll grow a set and start posting pics of my rolls and any unleavening that happens. Time will tell on that one. I've always found taking pictures of food fun so I'm for it. It's a creative way to log your meals!

Here are some of my meals so far. I've been very satisfied but do need to figure out a way to prepare my dinner beforehand. I just get home too late sometimes and by the time it's ready I've eaten a ton of crap already.

Have you joined Tone It Up? 

I am beholdthemetatron on Instagram, let's follow each other for inspiration!

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New Orleans Grub - Jazzfest 2013

Contrary to what many may believe, New Orleans cuisine does not just offer up fried food and tasty sandwiches. It's not just gumbo and jambalaya either. How about perfectly seared scallops, grilled octopus, bone marrow, and gizzards? Ok, perhaps the gizzards seem par for the course. My point is that when you stray away from Nola's "Time Square" (Bourbon Street) you are in for a real treat: Fine French, Spanish and local cooking!

*Make reservations as soon as you possibly can (for the places that will take them).

We made all of ours months in advance.

Please note, I'm not saying Bourbon Street is a complete waste. There are some staple places to visit there, but don't limit yourself to that area! Get the Po-Boy, get the Gumbo... but imagine going to NYC and only staying in Time Square and eating pizza and bagels. Catch my drift? There's so much more out there. 

We usually stay in the French Quarter, but our favorite area for eating is on Magazine Street. You've got to get a cab, but it's worth it. On our first night, we had a great experience at Boucherie. Here you will find Southern cooking with a contemporary flare. We had amazing seared scallops, crawfish boudin, pan seared duck, and a pork t-bone. Dessert did not make the photo... it was a warm chocolate cake spiced with thai chili.  The setting is also so cozy- you are basically eating in someone's living room as the restaurant takes up the first floor of a house. 

Another place you must go is La Petite Grocery. Out of all the places we ate at, this was the most swank... don't roll up in your sweaty Jazzfest attire. We enjoyed the roasted sweetbreads, rabbit, oysters, grilled octopus, brussel sprouts,  and amazing cocktails.

ROOT is the place to go in New Orleans right now... inventive and a great break if you've just been eating fried food all day. Here we had amazing local vegetables, blood pasta with lamb, bone marrow, gizzards, and a fantastic carrot cake with amarula.

If you want a true New Orleans experience, you must go to Three Muses on Frenchmen street. You get the best of both worlds here: Live music and amazing food! They do not take reservations, so get there early, put your name down, and enjoy cocktails at the bar for 40-60 minutes. The live jazz will keep you entertained. The best bits on the menu: feta fries, crawfish pasta, duck pizza topped with a duck egg, and the grilled shrimp and polenta. It was really dark in there and we only realized later that the flash on our camera actually looked good (it never does)... so we only have the last dish. Next time!

Other staple visits for us:

Tujague's Bar... This place is an institution. Super classic cocktails and the best brisket sandwich. Great for people watching and chatting with the local bartender who's worked there for years! I had my first drink there after no drinking for 2 months. Put me right to sleep. ha

Cafe Envie... We pretty much go here every morning for coffee and breakfast. The coffee is strong and flavorful and the breakfast is simple and very satisfying after a late night out. 

Pere Antoine... Very touristy but we got caught in a downpour and decided to have some grilled oysters and oyster tacos. Hit the spot! 

Cafe Du Monde... Another tourist trap but... if you want beignets this is the place. Like going to John's Pizza in NYC!

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3 more days... and being grateful

Don't forget to enter the Magazine Giveaway! ENDING SOON!!

Words cannot describe my enthusiasm for this week. I am truly grateful for the excitement about to come my way. I can't wait to blog about it all: Food, music, traveling, chilling, just good happy shite! What else can I say?

Today also marks day 59 without any booze. I feel very good these days with having alcohol out of my system. My skin has honestly never looked better. I usually have bad rosacea until the weather gets warmer and my skin has never been this toned before. Less pores, less discoloration. And, I lost about 15 pounds in the process. Whoo! But... I am jonesing for a glass of vino. Big time. It'll be fun to let loose a little. Just 3 more days...

That leads me now to the point of this post: Being grateful. I'm reading the book The Magic right now, written by the author of The Secret. It may seem lame to some of you, but I've been living a world full of complaining and it's 90% my fault, and 10% the idiots around me. Just kidding... but in all honestly I really need to make sure that I understand that other people shortcomings, drama, idiosyncrasies, and whatever-the-hell-is-wrong-with-them is not my problem. It may seem like my problem but really... they need to live with themselves right? :o)

Let me know if you've ever read this book and put it into practice. I'm curious! And remember to be grateful for something everyday. It helps.

Please follow me on instagram and Facebook, I am trying to post more often there and will be doing so on my travels. Keep up with me! 

Don't forget to enter the Magazine Giveaway! ENDING SOON!!

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