Location: New Orleans, Louisiana 

Accommodations: Ritz Carlton New Orleans

Moolah Rating: ATM * GOLD * PLATINUM 

Scent Travel: Juicy Couture 

My friend was in New Orleans last week and sent me the following text message upon his return “(in a deep dramatic voice) My body has betrayed me!” I was instantly reminded of my trip to the Big Easy. A city with a rich history, foods that rival said richness and enough alcohol to do in an iron liver! 

The perfect destination for a quick, 4 day getaway (avoid the summer months), the biggest piece of advice I can offer is pace yourself. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to this city. Go in too hard and you will suffer the consequences - - FAST. But there are loads to see and do. Here are the definite musts…

Food: 

• Cafe du Monde - An absolute NoLa staple, their beignets are cooked to perfection and the coffee is infused with the warmth of hickory. It can get a little crazy since it’s so popular, but well worth the wait. 
• Oceana Grill - A hole in the wall (I almost always find amazing food in those spots) along a side street intersecting Bourbon with the savoriest alligator and oyster po’boys! Also, the yummiest - and biggest - raw oysters I’d ever had. 
• Pierre Maspero’s - I’m a HUGE fan of cold cuts (deli meat) and the Muffaletta here was beyond! A sandwich of epic proportions, come hungry. 
• Cafe Amelie - Nestled deep in the French Quarter, this picturesque spot has the most amazing jambalaya and Louisiana crabcakes.
• M Bistro @ the Ritz Carlton - Behind the Davenport Lounge, I enjoyed the most succulent rabbit lasagna along with great live jazz. Super tender meat and a sweet tomato sauce that had an inexplicable heat to it made it super memorable. 

Drinks: 

• Pat O’Briens - No trip to the Big Easy is complete without enjoying at least one hurricane. And where else should you go other than the place where it originated?!

Must See: 

• Preservation Hall - Quintessential jazz experience in the French Quarter. 
• Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo - For those of you interested in the occult.
• Muriel’s Seance Lounge - Located in Jackson Square, this lounge is said to be haunted by friendly spirits. 
• St. Louis Cathedral - A beautiful Roman Catholic Cathedral that boasts Renaissance and Spanish Colonial Architecture.
• New Orleans Streetcars - Get around town and lose yourself in the nostalgia. The St. Charles, Canal Street and Riverfront lines offer great sightseeing.

As they say in French Creole, JWI LAVI!!! 

—Miriam Beard

—Robert Louis Stevenson 

—Francis Bacon

You’ve got vacation on the mind. You would love nothing more than to spend that coveted time with your friends. Fast forward to thoughts of planning. You’re cringing. STOP! There are six things that I always keep in mind once I’ve locked in on a destination:

With my two loves - Tanya (l) and Aryanna (r) - in Plaza Mayor, Salamanca, Spain 

1. __ is the magic number - Every trip is unique, even when it comes down to the number of people you go with. For example, a shore house warrants a large group, where say a back packing trip is best shared among 2-4 friends.
2. Know thyself (and homie) - You know yourself and the folks you hang with better than anyone. Invite someone that shares your likes, personality and temperament. You wouldn’t want to travel with someone that you clash with. What up joy kill! 
3. Size DOES matter - When it comes to the wallet, that is. Some folks like to make it rain and others, well….don’t (or can’t, lest you forget my previous post Young, Fabulous & Broke). Money can cause tension, so discuss ahead of time.
4. Divide and conquer - You’re not joined at the hip. It’s okay to split up and venture separately. Everyone’s idea of a good time will vary from time to time. Just coordinate a time and place to meet. Dopplr (only for iPhone/iPad) and GroupMe (all phones) are great apps to either geolocate one another or engage in a group chat. 
5. Sharing is caring - Being a woman requires some serious maintenance! Enter the plethora of liquids, lotions and potions. Assign each person an item to share. If you’re flying, I like to designate a small luggage to check-in that contains all of the goodies you can’t carry on board. 
6. RELAX! - I’m not one to set an itinerary when I’m on vacation. So much can go awry that it defeats the purpose of not stressing. Have a general idea of the things you want to do/see and go with the flow. Keep that good JuJu in motion to guarantee a great time.   

Sometimes all you need is a weekend to enjoy a city. But what to do? This website eliminates the guess work and generates an itinerary for your chosen destination. 

—Lao Tse