Bloggers on Bourbon: Welcome to NOLA!

I have been fortunate enough to attend a few blogging conferences and meetups, but nothing EVER comes to my hometown, New Orleans….until NOW!  I was so excited that Bloggers on Bourbon chose to support my City and bring some tourism to the Gulf Coast.

On Friday, we began with dinner at Besh Steakhouse in Harrah’s Casino here in New Orleans.  Two words:  OH. MY.  The barbeque shrimp were to die for, the beef was incredibly tender and the cheesecake was divine!  Seriously one of the best meals I have ever eaten.  After dinner, we were given $10 of free play which I unfortunately did not turn into a million.  Following a short walk to Jackson Square, we began a Ghost Tour provided by LingerieDOTcom.  It is no secret that I am not a fan of the supernatural, but the tour was full of history and fun.  I guess if I live in one of the most haunted cities in the United States, I better learn to coexist, right? After the tour, we headed back to the suite for some cheesecake and laughs.

Saturday started with a little bus trip to the Houmas House, a sugar cane plantation located on the Mississippi River.  When we arrived, Shannon Lane, a travel blogger, greeted us with Mimosas.  The plantation was gorgeous and we had a great time learning the history of the home and it’s belongings (did you know that the furniture and decor is worth over $7 million alone?!?).  After lunch at the plantation, provided by Global Resort Homes, we had some free time to explore.  A few of us headed to the French Market for some shopping, but not before we got to check out a few street performers on Royal Street and a wedding at St. Louis Cathedral.

Dinner on Saturday was at Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, a five star restaurant.  This is one of my favorite places to eat in the City, so I couldn’t wait to see what everyone else thought of it.  We listened to presentations by Open Sky and Collective Bias (who both sponsored the fabulous dinner).  My steak was GINORMOUS (is that a word?) but was incredibly yummy.  My table companions were a freakin’ riot!  I don’t think I have laughed that hard in a long time (by the way, it’s pah-cawn…not pee-can)! The evening ended with a little rain (thanks to tropical depression Bonnie), but it did not dampen our spirits as we walked to Cat’s Meow in the French Quarter for some karaoke.

Thanks to MomDot and BookieBoo for putting on such a fun event!  I appreciate the hard work you put in and the great press it will bring to New Orleans!  I had a great time meeting up with old friends and making new ones!