Stevie Jewel

I’m on a River Boat Cruise!

River boat River boatI love boating, I think it’s so relaxing to be out on the water.  Especially on a river boat cruise!

I love boating on the lake, taking a ferry, or crossing the English Channel.  It’s so peaceful out on the water and the view as you depart and arrive is just so beautiful, especially if you’re talking about a big boat or a city with a skyline like New York City.  I’ve been on dinner cruises before, but this river boat cruise in New Orleans was such a great time!
 River boat River boat

It was so much fun, and while the food was decent, it was really the experience that made it worthwhile.

Actually, the gumbo on the cruise was DELICIOUS, the rest of the food was pretty typical.  However, the stories from the captain, the views, the history of the city, it was all such a beautiful way to take in another side of New Orleans. The cruise is a couple hours long and you boat out on the Natchez River and then dinner commences in two sessions.
River boat River boat
There is a Dixieland Jazz band that plays great music (as one would expect in New Orleans) while your out on the water.  The captain also gives all sorts of educational information about landmarks and sites, one being the Domino sugar factory.  The boat has lots of historic older elements that the captain talks about as well.  However, the real gem of these tourist attraction is watching the sunset over the city of New Orleans. We were there in May and so the sun was setting behind the French Quarter which made for some stunning views of the city.

River boat

Once we were docked back at shore we were in the perfect location to talk the nightlife of the French Quarter; specifically Jackson Square and Bourbon Street.  While the nightlife of the French Quarter isn’t my typical cup of tea, it’s still an experience that most should see when visiting New Orleans.
Have you been on a boat cruise? What was your favorite part?

Donut District Me!

I read about District Donuts from a New Orleans guide and then discovered I was only about a five minute walk from the location while I was in the Garden District!

The Donut District was very unassuming from the outside.  But inside it was such a cool, funky, and vibey little spot.  It’s the first time I’ve been to a donut shop that was also a bar!  They didn’t have a ton of donuts, but like Five Daughters Bakery in Nashville, they seem to specialize in seasonal really unique and delicious flavors!
District Donut District Donut
I had been told that certain parts of Magazine Street were a cool spot to wonder around, and this little corner did not disappoint.  As a musician I found so many little nods to the musical heritage of the city.  Not just in the typical spots; the restaurants, the bars of Bourbon Street, but also in little places like District Donuts where they had a deconstructed piano as a light fixture!
District Donut District Donut District Donut
We chose four and brought them with us, because it was still a little early for consuming THAT much sugar.  As I’ve mentioned before I’ve developed a sensitivity to gluten, which as someone who could eat all sorts of baked sweets before can be VERY hard in moments like these.
District Donut District Donut
So I had to just try a bite of one of the donuts because anytime I have regular flour it can cause a reaction.  I’m working at trying to cut it out completely, but it can be a challenge when it comes to DONUTS.  However, I am able to report that the other donuts were delicious because I was fortunate enough to have people who are not sensitive to gluten with me!
So while you’re exploring the Garden District do yourself a favor and find your way to District Donuts!

Oak Alley Plantation

I just got back from a trip to New Orleans.  I’ve been once before, and this time there were two things I really wanted to see, one being a beautiful old plantation home, and our morning at Oak Alley Plantation was born.Oak AlleyOak AlleyOak Alley

We drove about an hour outside of New Orleans into what just looked like farms.  Until all of sudden the architecture began to change.  There were two extreme juxtapositions of architecture; very big beautiful grand homes, and then little shacks that you could practically see through.  As we came around a turn we found the driveway of Oak Alley. It actually runs along side the famous Oak Alley, and I was so busy looking for the turn I missed the view from the road!
Oak Alley Oak Alley

Once we passed the ticket gates I could see why so many people visit here, the “big house” as the call it, is beautiful even from a distance.

But just on the other side of the view is where the slaves lived. It really tugs at your heart when you think about the conditions of the people living on this land and how there were totally opposites lives existing in the same space at the same time.
Oak Alley
The “big house” is what is called an Antebellum style home, and you can just picture women in big ball gowns walking through the home.  It has undergone several renovations, but the original beauty of the home is preserved.
Oak Alley Oak Alley
The most beautiful part of the entire Oak Alley Plantation experience would have to be the magnificent oak trees that line the iconic front drive.  It’s just unbelievable how grand, and healthy, those trees are.  There was also a little armadillo who lived in the massive root system of the trees! He came out to see us for just a moment.
Oak Alley
All in all I absolutely recommend the trip out to Oak Alley Plantation.  The team that runs the plantation does an excellent job of allowing you to appreciate the beauty.  They also educating you on what life was like for both the groups that lived on Oak Alley.   The white slave owners of the time and the slaves who lived vastly different experiences from the slave owners.

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