00:01Every year, my siblings and I take a trip to a new city.
00:04And this one time in New Orleans, let me tell you, we brought back some amazing memories.
00:09New Orleans has some serious character, quirk, and charm.
00:12And don't mind the insanely cool vintage shopping, the gram-worthy foodie scene,
00:17and the colorful French-inspired neighborhoods.
00:19Are you ready?
00:21Let's start with the basics.
00:22Where to drop my bags and fall into my bed after an epic New Orleans day.
00:26The Henry Howard Hotel is located in the historic Garden District and dates all the way back to 1867.
00:33It was originally built as a double-parlored mansion by architect Henry Howard, who is our namesake.
00:40It was built for a millionaire, but since then, it's been renovated into this beautiful luxury hotel.
00:46We all really want to make the Henry Howard a story experience for our guests and for our visitors
00:52and for them to feel kind of the history and to imagine what it might have been like.
00:56Every detail here is flawless.
00:58From the furniture to the custom-made wallpaper, this hotel is perfect for a weekend getaway.
01:04The staff is friendly and welcoming, and the beds, I could say, wrapped in these pillows and sheets all day.
01:09But I just got here, and it's time to explore.
01:12One of my favorite things to do is take a step back in time and hop on the St. Charles
01:16streetcar to get around town.
01:17You pass through all the old architecture and gorgeous oak tree-lined streets.
01:22New Orleans is probably best known for its beignets and bourbon street.
01:25And don't get me wrong, that's a great time.
01:27But let's take a look at the NOLA outside of the tourist scene.
01:30I'm looking for a few great meals and stories to take back to New York with me.
01:35Katie's is a neighborhood restaurant for the entire city.
01:38It's a gumbo of culture.
01:41This neighborhood establishment is still serving traditional New Orleans cuisine up to all its loyal customers.
01:47We work as a family here. It's a really close-knit restaurant.
01:50And I met my wife here.
01:52I hired her as a waitress back in the 90s, and we're living the dream today.
01:56Okay, now that I'm nice and full, it's time to work off that lunch the best way I know how.
02:01Shopping!
02:01This is my favorite part of any trip.
02:04I love finding new treasures that I can take back home with me.
02:07Every time I wear them, it reminds me of my trip and my fun memories there.
02:10This trip, I'm hitting up St. Claude Social Club for some serious hunting.
02:14This unique spot was created by two women, four women, to create an artistic space while making a statement about
02:20the city's style.
02:22Bold, colorful, eclectic.
02:23Which is honestly wardrobe goals.
02:25We wanted to make a store that kind of embodied what we thought New Orleans fashion was.
02:32That is, like, colorful and fun.
02:35We want anyone to walk in here and find something that they can connect with.
02:40The Social Club aspect is a big thing in New Orleans.
02:43It's not that men are not allowed here.
02:45We just really want to celebrate women here.
02:47That's why we have this, like, women's parlor aspect,
02:49so that women can come in and do creative things together.
02:55New Orleans is one of the best places for food.
02:57And this is coming from a current New Yorker.
03:00Right now, we're at Palladar 511.
03:01Their massive open kitchen and industrial vibe is a far cry from Bourbon Street.
03:06The San Francisco native team who opened this place wanted to highlight amazing New Orleans ingredients,
03:11but in a way that was new.
03:13And let me tell you, they nailed it.
03:15From the boozy classic cocktails to the fresh tuna crudo, this meal was fantastic.
03:19But you better leave some room for dessert, because I'm checking out a special place
03:23where you can have your cake and your bourbon, too.
03:27Bakery Bar is my dream spot tucked away in the Lower Garden District.
03:31Here you can sample some of New Orleans' traditional Dauberge eight-layer cake,
03:34along with a delicious cocktail.
03:36Sign me up, please.
03:37Bakery Bar is the storefront of Debbie de Stauberge,
03:40which is a bakery company that's been in operation for about six years.
03:43It's a brainchild out of Charlotte P. Yankee and her partner, Charles Mary.
03:47They were operating as a pop-out, doing different things.
03:50You need a storefront.
03:51Charlotte has worked in bakeries, worked in bars.
03:53And she's like, working in bakeries is not great.
03:55Let's open a bar.
03:57So we have a bakery bar.
04:00Dauberge, Dauberge, Dauberge.
04:01You see it, have your grandma's it.
04:03Several thin layers of cake.
04:05There's some icing between the layers.
04:07It's pudding.
04:08So you stack up the layers, and then a port-a-founded icing on the outside,
04:11and you've got Dauberge.
04:19The best part of the New Orleans nightlife is that every night is a party.
04:22You can't come here without a walk down Frenchman Street.
04:25On weeknights, you can pop by the art market
04:27and see what local artists are creating in this inspiring city.
04:30Take a picture in front of the old historic walks
04:32and catch a jazz band playing late into the night.
04:34Now this party is just getting started, but don't take it from me.
04:38You've got to explore this place for yourself.
04:40From the people to the food to the art and to the music,
04:45New Orleans is a city you can't just visit once.
