Frog Hollow Tavern

Last night, my maternal grandmother (Reece) and her husband (Don) came to visit us in Augusta! It was really nice to spend time with them, and we shared a lovely meal at a restaurant downtown... in fact, the parent restaurant of Farmhaus Burger. So, of course it was good!

Frog Hollow Tavern was fabulous in nearly every way. My only complaint would be the noise level. This restaurant was jamming! Every single table was filled the entire time we were there. Awesome for them, but occasionally frustrating when trying to chat with those whose hearing isn't quite as sharp as it once was ;)

Our meal was delish.  So delish in fact, that all I managed to get a photo of was this bottle of pinot grigio... which was one of the best I have ever had!

I had seared grouper with a fantastic okra, black eyed pea, tomato and corn succotash, while my husband had the most decadent looking shrimp and grits. We also shared a bowl of mussels, which were spectacular.

The concept of the restaurant is very farm-to-table. The freshness of the ingredients was evident in everything we tasted (including the homemade bread... wow!). We will definitely be returning!

PS- I realize that this blog is becoming somewhat of a running restaurant review... my apologies! Between my husband's schedule and my classes, activities more exciting than a nice meal are a rarity these days. Never fear, as soon as more blog-worthy events take place, y'all will be the first to know!

Farmhaus Burger

We've discussed previously my quest for veggie burger perfection. While in Seattle, I found a strong contestant at Lunchbox Laboratory... I might have even said that it was the best!

 However, my husband and I went on a date to Farmhaus Burger in Augusta, GA this past weekend, and their "Organic Sea Island Red Pea Veggie Patty" might have moved into first place.

 Before you call me a fair-weather fan, let me explain. Lunchbox Lab was retro-tastic and Farmhaus was farm-to-table with all the southern fixin's. Guess which one stole the heart of this Carolina/Virginia/Florida girl? I can't help myself. Any place that lets me put pimento cheese on a veggie burger has to be #1 in my book. If you don't understand that... well, bless your heart ;) 

This is it... organic whole wheat bun, veggie burger, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapenos, and pimento cheese. 

So fresh and so perfect! 

We shared the french fries with a feta dip. Yummy.

This was my husband's burger, called the Farmstyle: beef burger topped with smoked gouda, bacon, and a fried egg. He thought it was fantastic!

We ate at the bar so we could watch some NCAA football :)

After dinner, we shared a 'boozy' shake. They had several choices, but we picked the Farmhaus Cherry: vanilla ice cream, bourbon, amaretto, and brandied cherries. Woah... just when I thought our date couldn't get any better! The amaretto was the cherry on top of this cherry shake. Yum!!

I won't be able to live with myself if we don't support this local business a couple more times before our stay in GA ends!

A Wonderful Yoga-Date

When I was in Jacksonville, FL, this past week, I was able to spend some time catching up with my favorite yoga instructor and sweet friend, Lisa! What did we do? Yoga, of course!

We went to a BEAUTIFUL practice at Lotus Yoga (thanks Bethany!)... This 'moving meditation' was so fabulous in fact that even the instructor lost track of time, and we ended class a little late. Obviously, there were no complaints coming from me. This was my first time going to Lotus, and I can't wait to go back!

After class, we headed over to The Bold Bean for a chai tea with steamed soymilk. Maybe a little stereotypical yogi of us, but it was fantastic. The perfect end to a perfect morning.

I will be repeating this scenario ASAP... good for the soul! 

Where the Heck Am I?

This thought pops up in my head rather frequently these days... I think it might have to do with the fact that we've stayed at least one night (usually many more) in 13 hotels this year.  That doesn't include any of the homes or the 5 more hotels we will add to the list before 2013 comes to a close. Needless to say, it is occasionally difficult for me to quickly remember that we are currently living in Augusta, Georgia.

We arrived less than a week ago for my husband to begin his general surgery rotation here at Eisenhower Medical Center on Fort Gordon.  It is very hot here. Our hotel room has many pros and cons... so far, the cons have the upper hand. However, the air conditioning is working beautifully! Hallelujah!

While my husband was busy settling in at the hospital, I went down to Florida for a couple of days to visit with my in-laws. I got my cooking, wine and yoga fixes before coming back north to GA.

Although there isn't much going on in this area (so it seems to me), I am trying out a new yoga studio this week and will keep you posted :)

Redwood

DC Restaurant Week happens twice a year in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia, for those not from these parts), and as a bit of a foodie, it is one of my favorite things about late August.  We always try out a new restaurant and splurge a little on the $35 prix-fixe three course dinner. Some restaurants also participate in a $20 prix-fixe lunch, which is equally as fun.

This week we went to Redwood, and I am SO glad that we did. We've been meaning to try this spot for a very long time, so restaurant week was the perfect excuse. Also, we were celebrating my husband finishing up his psychiatry clerkship. Hallelujah! 6 down, 3 to go!

A few things stood out:

1) The happy hour. We arrived a little early for our reservation, so we went to the bar for a drink. The happy hour menu was very well priced and pretty extensive. We will definitely be going back for this.

2) Good service. We were seated outside (by choice), but never felt forgotten. The water glasses were never less than half full.

3) Unique and yummy food.  The menu was a mix of classics as well as more inventive dishes. Everything was delish.

4) Food allergies were labeled. Whether you are vegetarian, gluten-free or have a nut allergy, this restaurant had everything nicely labeled as such. Makes for easy ordering, and definitely a place I would take my in-laws.

The finale of the prix-fixe meal- chocolate peanut butter cake and chocolate mousse with strawberries.

Just lovely...  

Sour Cream Pancakes

Alrighty, y'all... as promised, here is my recipe for the best ever sour cream pancakes! Seriously, since I started making these a few years ago, my husband won't ever order pancakes when we go out to breakfast because they are never this good.

However, don't be shocked out of your britches by how ridiculously thick these pancakes are... we aren't making crepes here, people!!

Side note: I really hope this recipe converts some of those Bisquick or other mix users out there. It really is SO easy to make pancakes from scratch, and this way, you have total control of sodium, sugar and fat content! Also, I haven't tried it yet, but I bet this recipe would work wonderfully with gluten-free flour!

Ingredients:

1 Cup of all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbs sugar

2-4 Tbs flaxseed meal (optional, just to add a little more nutritional value/fiber)

1 large egg (or two egg whites)

1/2 Cup sour cream (fat free, low fat and regular all work)

1/3 Cup skim milk (plus a splash or two)

2 Tbs oil

Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk vigorously for about 15 seconds, until everything is combined.  The batter should be very thick, but not doughy. If the batter seems doughy or tough, add a splash of milk or two.

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium low heat. Coat pan with a little butter or cooking spray. Add about 1/3 of the batter to the pan, and spread into a 4 inch circle with the back of your spoon.  These pancakes take a little while to cook, so be patient. Keep the heat on low/medium low and wait until bubble start to form and the edges begin to look dry before flipping.

This recipe makes 3 hearty, yet light and fluffy, pancakes... you REALLY don't need more than one! Each should end up being a 5 inch circle that is about 1/2-3/4 of an inch thick.  Serve with real maple syrup! 

Nationals Baseball

I guess I will start at the end of the story for this post: THEY WON!! The game we went to, at least... which, lets face it, is just about all I care about when it comes to baseball.  I'm very invested that way.

In all honesty, though, I really do love Nationals baseball. I have never been one to enjoy baseball on TV, but I get immense enjoyment out of going to a real live game! Because going to a game means that you have to enjoy all aspects: the junk food, the beer, and the entertainment.

This was the scoreboard after the game... Jayson Werth (who most of the time looks more akin to a mountain man/homeless person than a MLB player) made his 1,000th hit, which just happened to be a home run. It made it even more fun to be there! Side note- the woman interviewing him there is about to get the residuals of a Gatorade/ice bath that Werth received from his teammates. Poor thing... she looked like she was ready to spruce up her resume after that...

Our view from section 222... not the best, but we could see the entire field as well as the massive jumbo-tron for all of the cool replays and instructions about when to display 'natitude' (I take this very seriously). Also, we were near section 136, which is where all of the gluten-free food for the stadium is kept.  Since going to this game was part of my father-in-law's birthday celebration, this was important!

Overall, what made this game the best was that my parents...

My mother-in-law (and me)...

My husband and his dad...

and I think you know who these people are...

all were able to spend time together! It was fabulous :) Go NATS!!!

Coping...

This list will probably evolve as the weeks keep passing, but as of right now, this is my list of best ways to cope with true loss and sadness (you can read about the loss of my cat here).

First, I would like to note that I have never been especially skilled at coping. Growing up in a Navy family, I kind of developed a "just get over it/let go/move on" philosophy to emotionally draining circumstances. Not the most healthy way of dealing with tough stuff, but it worked for the most part. In recent years, however, I've developed other techniques.  Hallelujah! (that is my husband rejoicing... he wasn't a big fan of the 'if I don't talk about it, I'm fine' method :)

1) Prayer. Anytime, anywhere! A short (or long) conversation with God really gets me moving in a positive direction with my thoughts, no matter what.

2) Yoga. For those of you that think #1 conflicts with this, think again. My yoga practice keeps me centered, positive and grateful. Not a single session goes by that I don't send up a little thank-you prayer for the gift of yoga in my life.

Lately, I have been keeping an especially consistent practice by purchasing a membership to Thrive Yoga. Getting on my mat daily allows me to work through whatever emotions I'm dealing with while I focus on breathing through poses. Oh, and it's a pretty awesome workout too... I have the bakasana and pincha mayurasana to prove it!

3) A little retail-therapy. This one isn't quite as wholesome as my first two, but it is helpful all the same. Something fun and frivolous to focus on can be a good way to get out of your own head for a bit and think about something very un-serious. Not to mention pretty :)

4) Help others. This is my FAVORITE one, and something I have trouble balancing sometimes because I thrive on it. You can help others through a tough or stressful time even though you're dealing with some tough stuff, too. Sending a card or making them a meal are my two favorite ways to help. It doesn't have to be a huge gesture to offer a huge amount of support. And once again, you're putting yourself out there in a positive way.

5) This last one is kind of a reward for doing #1-4...not that they aren't rewarding enough themselves! 

Wine... specifically Sauvignon Blanc, right now. I think that good wine can be the perfect catalyst for relaxing and reminiscing, which is what one really needs to do in order to cope with a loss. It might not be the right choice for everyone, but Kim Crawford will always have a fond place in my memory for making an absolutely awful day a little bit better for my mom and me!

Side note- During all of this coping craziness, my husband and I forgot one of our most favorite anniversaries: August 6, 2008! This was the day we met for the second time after being apart for 10 years! Here is a throwback picture of us from about 3 years ago that pretty well shows what we think about forgetting to celebrate such an important occasion...

Life happens... don't take it too seriously!

More Than A Little Sad

I've been simultaneously dreading and yearning to write this part of the post since last Monday.

One week ago today, I made a spur of the moment trip down to Norfolk, VA so that I could be with my sweet childhood cat, Kookie, as he passed away. He was 17 years old, which means that he has been part of my life pretty much as far back as I can remember.

Here is how Kookie and I became best friends for 17 years:

At the end of March 1996, I broke my right femur. My dad was deployed to Bosnia with the Seabees, so my mom was by herself as my 6-year-old self was wheeled off into the first of two surgeries to repair the complete fracture. When I woke up in the pediatric ward of Keesler Medical Center, my mom told me two things: that I would be in the hospital for about two weeks, and that I could have anything in the world that I wanted.  In that moment, I said I wanted a cat. Specifically, I wanted a white cat.

Flash forward 4 months. My parents decided that the fulfillment of my desire would come after I healed and we had completed our next move to Springfield, VA. Of course, as soon as the boxes hit the pavement at our new home I was pestering my parents to take me to PetSmart to go adopt my kitty. When we finally made it to the promised land of "The Lucky Ones" cat adoption center in PetSmart, however, there were no white kitties to be found. But I was not deterred. I had found my forever friend: the stark black kitten with big greenish yellow eyes.

My parents kept asking me if I was sure because he was exactly the opposite of what I wanted. I was positive in my decision, and I named him "Soot". As in fireplace soot... I was 7-years-old, and that was the only thing black-colored I could think of at the time.  Looking back on it, someone should have advised me otherwise because his name evolved oh-so-very-much over his lifetime before settling on Kookie (which I believe was a variant from 'kitty-koo'... what can I say, I am a freakazoid animal person) when he was probably close to 10-years-old. 

We went through a lot together, the Kook (as my husband and many others referred to him) and me. He was the most friendly, loyal, sweet, fun, and loving cat you have ever met. He was the best snuggler. He loved to hang out in the kitchen... especially if someone was cooking salmon or chicken (his faves).  He was my big boy... usually weighing around 17-19 lbs. 

This is (I think) the last picture of the two of us together from May 2013. 

Having never lost such a beloved pet and friend before, I am learning how to be sad and how to cope.  I'll post later about the techniques that are working well for me. I just know I will never forget about the best cat in the whole entire world.

Pike Place Market

On our very last day in the Pacific Northwest, we were able to actually spend some time in Seattle! 

We hung out at Pike Place Market and went to all of the quintessential places... I even tricked my husband into checking out the gum wall in Post Alley. In case you've never seen it, the gum wall is more disgusting than you'd expect.  My favorite memory from viewing this spectacle was a mom lecturing her child who was posing in front of the wall: "Stand away from the wall... NO! Don't touch it! Just stand still near the wall.... Don't lean on it!!" This seemed like a traumatic photo-op, so we just kept walking without documenting our disgust.

Obviously, watching the fish mongers throw around HUGE halibut and salmon was a must. What made it even better is that we had a pint of fresh raspberries from one of the farmer's market vendors to munch on while we took in the show. Yummy!

Those lobster tails were as big as my arm!!

I loved walking through all of the flower vendors. The dahlias, sunflowers and peonys were my favorites.

As we walked, we munched on a delicious amandine (the best almond croissant ever) from Le Painier. 

Holy cow... I could eat those every day and still marvel at how perfect they are.

Our view from a rooftop bar.

We also went to Beecher's for some of their "world's best" macaroni and cheese.  We took it to-go and ate outside in a park. We also shared a dungeness crab grilled cheese sandwich. Everything was superb! I only wish that we'd had room in our suitcases to take some of their homemade cheese with us.  Our favorite was the Raw Flagship cheese.

When we needed a break from walking around in the blazing summer heat (just kidding, it was in the 70s), we ducked into the Frontier Room for some local beer. We both had an IPA from Diamond Knot.

I guess we really ate and drank our way through Seattle!

One thing we did that didn't involve eating (or drinking) was our visit to Seattle Glassblowing Studio.  I imagine that I forgot to take a picture in the gallery because I was too busy trying to take it all in.  The vases, figurines, bowls, and sculptures were spectacular.  We bought a little evergreen tree to remember our foray in the Pacific Northwest :)

Last, but not least, we saw the first Starbucks shop. It was swarmed with people, of course, so we didn't stop in, but it was fun to see where the coffee magnate originated.

Detox Tea

 I've mentioned a few times now that juicing has found its way back in to my life. Hallelujah! However, I felt as though I wasn't very 'clean' when I started drinking juices again (maybe the abundance of Lean Cuisine in my life has something to do with this...) and wanted to kick start my detox.  By detox I mean getting rid of the bad stuff accumulated in my body so it can absorb all of the awesome nutrients in these juices.

That's where this tea comes in:






















 At one point in time, I went to a detox workshop and learned how to make a homemade detox tea blend.  However, this tastes remarkably similar, and it is SO much easier to just grab a tea bag rather than grinding up your own. Its yummy and dandelion (among other ingredients) is supposed to be very cleansing. Combine that with the natural diuretics that come along with juicing and some yoga, and I feel well on my way to being in tip top shape! A glass of wine here or a chai latte there doesn't hurt, right?

Oh, for those of you not on the juicing train (you're missing out!) or if you're simply bored of reading about liquids, you're in luck! My next post will definitely not be about juice.  I think.

Breaking Promises

Ok, y'all. I have a confession to make. I know I said I would never do this, but I really wasn't given a choice (thanks mom!)! I am juicing in our little hotel room!

Obviously, I'm not actually upset at this new development... juicing is in my soul!!

The little juicer that showed up in the mail from my mom gets the job done, even if the cleaning process is slightly excruciating without access to a disposal.

So there you have it... never say never! New juicing recipes coming soon!

Side note- looking back, I used way too many exclamation points in this post... I guess you can tell that I'm excited!! ;) just a couple more for emphasis...

4th of July

 Just in case you were wondering, we had a perfect little 4th of July here in the northwest. Although my husband had to spend most of the day working at the hospital, we were able to spend a couple of hours together in the evening.

I spent most of the day in Silverdale, WA, with some family friends that I've known for over a decade. It was really lovely catching up with them, and we definitely had some good laughs. They were so thoughtful to pack up some of their cookout fare for me to bring back to Fort Lewis for Michael (whom they have yet to meet!) to enjoy.

Just as Michael and I were about to climb into bed, the base fireworks show began.  We watched the impressive half-hour show from our little hotel window. I can't remember a sweeter July 4th! Happy Birthday America!

Washington Things: Part 2

As far as I can tell, the Northwest takes beer pretty seriously.  For example, this was just part of the beer section at Whole Foods:

Holy cow, right??

Now, we've had the discussion (read- I talked, y'all listened) before about my thoughts on beer versus wine. We've also chatted (see above) about my husband's desire to explore local beers.  Given the fact that my husband would never see the sun shine except through hospital windows in the Pacific Northwest if it weren't for these freakishly long days (sun up at 5 am and down at 10 pm), I have made it one of my goals to find cool local beers for him.  I bring them back to our little abode, and he takes a few sips before passing out from exhaustion.  Sounds fun, right?! As fun as fun can be during inpatient internal medicine!

The Mens Room is a beer made by Elysian Brewing in Seattle, WA.  I bought it for two reasons: I generally like red beers (oh yeah, my husband does too :) and a portion of the sales from this particular beer is donated to the Fisher House on Fort Lewis (where we are located).

We both thought it was a pretty great beer.  Not too heavy (my criteria) and still really flavorful (his criteria). Sorry I don't have very much to say in the way of beer evaluation... I am far more versed in wine tasting adjectives! As we try more brews from WA, I'll try to hone my palate a bit more.

Washington Things: Part 1

Ok, y'all. By now you've probably started to see some patterns of things I like to do in a new place. Find good restaurants, do yoga, cook (if possible), and try almost anything and everything considered to be local. After being in Washington for a few days, I've realized that there are WAY too many great local things to just write one post about them, so I'm going to have a little series.

This first one is all about cherries!

When I went to Whole Foods yesterday (I happily ended up at Westlake, the one in downtown Seattle), I was on the hunt for local foods.  As commercialized as Whole Foods has become, I really like how every store tries to carry a unique selection of local items and labels them as such.

My husband loves cherry anything, especially the fresh ones, so when I saw local fresh cherries I had to pick some up.

Holy cow... these are the best cherries I've ever tasted! Like candy, but better! Stemilt gets four thumbs up from us!

Geez... all the exclamation points... you would think I'm trying to rub it in or something.  Basically, if y'all are going to visit Washington State, come during cherry season. Trust me.

I've had to stop myself from eating too many of these while my husband is at the hospital today... they were 'for him' after all!  On second thought....

We Made It: Seattle Edition

We arrived on the west coast this past Sunday.  I realize that this means a major event occurred two whole days ago, and I am just now getting around to blogging about it.  I realize that this makes me a bad blogger.  I'm trying to live with myself.

Now that that's settled, I can tell you all the things I love about this area so far. 

This:

This is everything.  Beautiful, tall, dark green trees everywhere. It makes me want to go hiking. 

Again with the big gorgeous foliage! Good gracious!

So basically, I can confirm that the Northwest is as picturesque as the Twilight movies, Grey's Anatomy and Sleepless in Seattle led you to believe.  Oh, and the temperature has been hovering around 60-70 degrees.  In June.  This southern girl is having a tough time comprehending that part.

Onto other things I love about being at Fort Lewis!

Our rental car:

Long story short, the Enterprise rental place was running really low on compact cars, so they upgraded us to this 

Volvo XC60. It is super easy to drive and comfortable and has AWD just in case I decide to do something outdoorsy (unlikely, but you never know... I'm in the northwest now!).

The gym, Jensen Family Health and Fitness Center, has free yoga classes 4 days a week! They also have TRX at another gym on post that I am looking forward to trying out!

Einstein Brothers Bagels has two locations on post... this is a major upgrade from the usual restaurant options on military installations (read: McDonalds and Burger King).

Our hotel room at the Rainier Inn is the best we've had thus far, for several reasons.

          - The building was built in 2007

          - There is a kitchenette with two burners, which means I can cook! And I did:

We had seared U10 scallops, risotto, and peas for dinner tonight.  A little fancy for paper plates and no dinner table, but that almost made it taste better... almost :)  Last night we had this pasta dish.

            - The shower maintains a reliable, appropriate temperature.

          - There is free WIFI

          - There is free breakfast downstairs every morning

I am sure there are more things that I love about this area, but right now, I am falling asleep.  Either due to jet lag or the early mornings. Probably both... I can't decide right now.

Enjoy!

Ok y'all, I'm going to keep this post short and sweet... I think!  I just took a shower, and now I feel this burning desire to tell you all about the shampoo I use.  Strange? Probably, yes.

Oh well... I'm still going to tell you all about it. Lucky you!

About a year ago my MIL gifted me with a little kit of 5 different travel size Enjoy products: the hydrating shampoo and conditioner, the luxury shampoo and conditioner, and some kind of spray that I used as a de-tangler (idk what I was supposed to do with it, but it worked well for that!).  My MIL had built-up Enjoy products to be hair care superpowers, so when I tried the shampoo and conditioners, they had a lot to live up to.  They were even BETTER than I expected! I love it when that happens...

For me, the biggest merits of these products are as follows:

1) You can use less product for better results.  A little goes a long way (even with my long, dried out hair).  I used to buy the JUMBO sized bottles of other shampoos and conditioners because I went through them so quickly... definitely not the case here. I've been working on these bottles for over two months, and there is plenty of product left for another month or so.  Note: it took me awhile to get the hang of how little product I needed to get the job done... practice makes perfect!

2) My soft, smooth, healthy hair. Enough said.

3) The scents. I don't like an overpowering fragrance to my shampoo or conditioner.  All of the scents are nice and mild, but I am nuts over the Hydrating scent. So relaxing and lovely... not too floral or fruity. Perfection.

The price is slightly discouraging (around $25 a bottle, I think), but well worth the money. 

*Warning: It is pretty typical that as soon as I declare my loyalty to a product, it becomes impossible to find or completely discontinued.  I sincerely hope that won't be the case for Enjoy.  It's a tough life being a product junkie ;) 

Lazy Magnolia

Alrighty, y'all... last throwback post, I promise.  At least for awhile. Or until tomorrow when I get a stray hair and decide to post about Salem Academy or something. You never know what I might get into!

Anyhow, when my husband and I were in Biloxi, Mississippi, a couple months ago, we randomly (again, you never know!) ended up driving 30 minutes away to Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company one Friday afternoon to take a tour.

We'd seen their beer at a couple of restaurants in the area, so we made our way to Kiln (known as "the Kill" to locals, apparently) to check it out.

We each got a pint glass as part of the tour. They are both filled with "Southern Pecan", which is their signature brew.

When we pulled up to the brewery, we were slightly skeptical of a few things:

1) They shared/split a warehouse with the Coast Guard?

2) The parking lot was not paved, and it was very muddy due to recent rains.

3) We did not see another living soul.

However, we had come this far, so we made our way through the mud, through the production area of the open-air brewery, and into the office to check in for the tour (we gathered these directions from a rain-streaked handwritten poster at the 'entrance).  I am very glad that we persevered. Neither of us had ever been on a brewery tour before, and our tour guide, Ginger, was as sweet as honey from start to finish.

We sampled and asked questions and walked around for about an hour before leaving the down home brewery, which was breaking ground on a massive expansion the following week.  I wholeheartedly recommend stopping by the brewery if you're ever in the vicinity, and keep a lookout for their beers that are distributed throughout the southeast!

The French Quarter

When my husband was assigned to Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi, for the month of April, he had every other Friday off. He was excited for an extra day of studying (woo hoo! right?), but I convinced him on one of those Fridays to go to New Orleans with me.  It's only an hour or so away from Biloxi, and I drove so he could study on the way there/back.  Have I mentioned lately that I am REALLY good at the whole medical-student's-wife thing ;)?

My first priority in NOLA was to go to Cafe Du Monde.  I don't care that it is always jam packed and touristy.  I could eat their beignets and drink their cafe au lait every day.  We grabbed ours to-go and sat overlooking the canal as we had the healthiest, most nutritious breakfast in the world.

Part of the joy of beignets is the powdered sugar that ends up everywhere- pants, shirts and hair included.

After getting loaded up on carbs and caffeine, we walked around the French Quarter shops. My favorite find was Santa's Quarters because I have an unhealthy obsession with rather expensive Christmas ornaments. Michael preferred the open air French Market where he purchased an actual alligator head. Yikes! His only reassurance to his freaked-out wife? "The eyes aren't real, they're black marbles." What a relief. 

These pictures were taken in Jackson Square Park which overlooks the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral. All of this is in stark contrast to the activities a few streets over on Bourbon. We walked through (briskly because of the smell) for the heck of it, but found to need to linger in a bar at 10 am to drink Hurricanes and Daiquiris.  We were saving our day drinking for lunch at Commander's Palace!

We also caught the St. Charles Streetcar to take us to lunch, and I don't think there is a better or more picturesque way to travel into the Garden District!

Our day in NOLA was absolutely lovely... everything from the weather (70's and sunny) to the food was perfection.  Except for the silver dollar sized blisters I got on the BOTTOM of my feet from all the walking. Worth it!