Finishing Up a Weekend in NOLA

Part 2 (Saturday night - Sunday) of my NOLA post.

St. Louis Cathedral by night

After Cafe du Monde, we did a little more walking around and then headed back to freshen up for, you guessed it, more eating. Earlier in the week, I snagged the last Saturday night reservation for K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen, one of NOLA's most famous restaurants. I found out about K-Paul's from one of my coworkers, who insisted I must go. When he said he looked at the dessert he ordered there like a (I quote) "heroin-addicted puppy," I was sold. Later talking with my dad, it was cool to learn that he had previously dined at K-Paul's as well.

K-Paul's was opened in 1979 by the famous Chef Paul Prudhomme. Chef Paul invented the blackening process. Tyler and I ordered their two most popular dishes. I had the blackened twin Filet Mignon served with Debris Sauce, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Amazing!  Tyler's dish once again (this has been happening too often!) outdid mine. He opted for the surf and turf special, which included one blackened beef tender along with a blackened Louisiana Drum.  

Although we were stuffed beyond belief, I wasn't leaving without trying the "heroin puppy" dessert, which was called the Chocolate Hill. This bad boy was a homemade, rich chocolate bundt cake with a chocolate ganache underneath and white and dark chocolate drizzled on top. OMG! One of the best desserts I've ever had.

While K-Paul's is up there on my list of great restaurants, I must say the filet from the Back Creek Bistro (my dad's restaurant) takes the cake for best steak in my book (and Tyler agrees). He doesn't pay me for advertising, either! Now, the Chocolate Hill is a different story. :)

We got changed after dinner (K-Paul's is definitely business casual attire), swung by Pat O'Briens on Bourbon Street for a famous Hurricane, and then walked to Frenchman Street. Frenchman Street is a two-block-long area packed with about a dozen music clubs and some of the best live music we heard all weekend. We found out about the hidden gem of Frenchman Street from some locals that Tyler knew from work. It doesn't have all of the neon lights and madness that you'll see on Bourbon Street, and that was A-ok with me.

Tyler's coworkers recommended that we go see Little Freddie King at d.b.a., a live music club that features nightly local acts. Little Freddie King is a blues guitarist who based his style off of the original Freddie King. The show was fantastic. I kept wishing my dad was with us because he would've loved the show. And a special bonus - d.b.a. had my new favorite Abita Grapefruit IPA on tap!

Sunday

Brunch is a popular Sunday activity in New Orleans, and since I missed it yesterday (whoops), we had to go today. After doing a little research, we settled on Stanley, a restaurant right by St. Louis Cathedral that was inspired by Tennesse Williams's "A Streetcar Named Desire." There was about a 20-30 minute wait, but Stanley is one of those restaurants that texts you when your table is ready, so I used that time to pick up some of the famous NOLA pralines for my coworkers.



Tyler and I both ordered Stanley's Omelet sandwich, complete with eggs, cheese, bacon, ham, grilled sweet onions, and spicy chipotle mayo. We shared an order of Creole breakfast potatoes. Another great meal.

    After brunch, we spent 2-3 hours roaming the city. We walked Frenchman and Bourbon Street (both look much different during the day, haha), explored art galleries, and enjoyed the great weather. After seeing many people with their to-go cups, we stopped and shared a Bloody Mary with okra.

Loved the streetcars

Frenchmen Street

Before taking me to the airport, we stopped in St. James Cheese Company for a snack. Such a cool place. We had a cheese and meat board served with bread and accompaniments. I couldn't tell you what everything was called, but I do know that it was all very tasty, with the aged Gouda and prosciutto being our favorites.



I had a wonderful time during my first trip to New Orleans...I just wish it had been longer! This city is bursting with culture-from the eclectic people, to the authentic music, and I can't forget the delicious food. I'm hoping for another go-around with Bourbon Street someday, hopefully with my college friends, who would without-a-doubt love it.

Impromptu Trip to New Orleans

I was suffering from cabin fever due to the winter storm that hit the Southeastern United States last week and kept me working from home for four days. Thankfully, I booked a last-minute, weekend trip to New Orleans to hang out with Tyler, who is at a job site in Mississippi. I'll give you guys a brief breakdown of the weekend, and also share some of the pictures I took.

It was a short Friday-Sunday weekend trip, but I was definitely going to make the most of it. I solicited friends and family for recommendations of how to spend my weekend...everyone's consensus was that NOLA revolves around eating and drinking. So that's what most of this post is about. And it started all on the flight. I sat next to an older man who travels the world as a consultant. We chatted all things NOLA and Taiwan, and he even gave me some free Delta drink tickets.

Friday

Arrived at a quaint, rustic hotel in the French Quarter area. While waiting to meet up with Tyler, I enjoyed a few drinks at the hotel bar, where there was a great bartender and even better company. I chatted with cruise-goers, marathon runners (the Rock 'N Roll marathon was going on), and a bartender who loved IPAs. He introduced me to Abita's Grapefruit IPA - definitely a new favorite of mine!

After Tyler arrived, we headed straight to Coop's Place, a dive bar with authentic, local food. Come as you are - this place is laid back and fun. Example: the bartenders stopped what they were doing to belt out Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody (the whole song). I had their signature Taste Plate, which included a cup of seafood gumbo, shrimp creole, cajun friend chicken, red beans & rice, and jambalaya with sausage and rabbit. Everything was spicy and flavorful. The jambalaya was my favorite. Who knew rabbit was so good?

We ended the night on Bourbon St. While Mardi Gras season technically doesn't start until 2/15, this place was still rockin'. The streets were packed and everyone had a to-go cup in hand (no open container laws - woo!). What a party! So many bars, eclectic (and some strange) people, and sights to see. A legendary hand grenade from Tropical Isle sent me over the edge. We turned in much earlier than those who partied til 5-6 am.

Saturday

I spent the first half of the day hugging the porcelain throne. Bourbon St. got the best of me.

Whoops...


Later in the afternoon we got lunch in the Warehouse District at Cochon Butcher. This place was super hip, with a NYC vibe. The food was fantastic (I really needed something in my stomach at this point...). Tyler and I shared a sandwich with house meats and herb vinaigrette, and a side of spicy pancetta mac n' cheese. Just what I needed! They also had a surprisingly good Sweet Potato Habanero Sauce at each table. I'll be back at Cochon next time I'm in town for sure.

Quirky Prince-themed table number

After lunch, we tool a stroll through the Garden District to 'ooh' and 'aah' at all of the elegant, intricate homes. This area was designated a National Historic Landmark - it's worth taking a walk or drive through the neighborhoods.




We ran right into Layfayette Cemetery #1, a cemetery from the 1800s, which was on my list of must-sees. Seems weird, but it was cool. Due to NOLA's high water table, people are buried in above-ground vaults. If you buried them in the ground, coffins would begin to float. I guess you can't keep some people down! ;) Anyway, these vaults looked like small houses, some with fences, lined up like streets. Hence why NOLA cemeteries are often called 'cities of the dead.'



So, my first question was, isn't it expensive to bury someone in a huge vault? Nope. That's because a whole family can be buried in one. How can that be? This is creepy, but here goes...

-Someone dies. You put them in a coffin inside the vault.
-When the next person dies, as long as the previous person has been dead for ~1 year, their remains are moved to the back of the vault, and the new person is loaded in.
-As the body in the back decomposes, it falls off a ledge into a pile of family bones.
-If a family has to bury more than one person in a year's time, they must rent a temporary vault to let one of the bodies decompose.
Weird, right?


We then headed to the French Market, where we enjoyed views of the Mississippi River while browsing local artists and merchants. After, we took a walk to Historic Jackson Square, named in honor of Andrew Jackson. Jackson Square was a beautiful park in the heart of the French Quarter, surrounded by the St. Louis Cathedral and other historic buildings.

St. Louis Cathedral - Jackson Square

Then it was time for the world famous cafe' au lait and beignets from Cafe du Monde. A beignet is a French donut and is similar to a funnel cake (but better!). We waited in line for bit, while listening to street musicians playing "When the Saints Go Marching In" - how appropriate! The coffee and beignets were perfect. You must visit Cafe du Monde if you haven't already!

I think I'm still recovering from Friday night, so I'll finish up with a Part 2 post soon.

Top 10 Recommendations for a Trip to Taipei

My recommendations for planning a trip to Taipei...

1. Stop studying Mandarin
...In other words, you don't need to speak Mandarin to get around in Taipei. Almost everything you need is written in English: MRT stops, maps, etc. And if you get stuck, ask. Most younger people know some English, and using hand motions will usually help get your point across. Out of politeness, I would recommend learning how to say 'hello' and 'thank you' in Mandarin. 'Hello' is Nǐ hǎo (pronounced knee-how), and 'thank you' is Xièxiè (prounced shay-shay). Get ready for some laughs from locals hearing you attempt their language.

2. Bring your rain coat and umbrella
It rains a lot, especially in December. But it's not the "ruin your day kind of rain"... more like on-and-off drizzling. Another tip - do not bring a wet umbrella inside. Either A) use an umbrella bag (provided at most hotels and museums) or B) leave it on an umbrella rack outside. No one will steal it. My cute one was safe all week!

3. Pack some TP
So you know those little "Charmin-to-go" toilet paper rolls in the travel toiletry aisle at Target? The ones you look at and think "Who would buy this stuff?" Well, YOU will buy this stuff...on your next trip to Taipei. Oddly enough, a lot of public restrooms don't have toilet paper. And it's not like they were just out of it...sometimes there wouldn't even be a place for a roll to go. I started bringing some from the hotel, but that Charmin-to-go sure would've been nice.

4. Pack light
You are going to want to buy things. Especially clothes and shoes. Don't make the same mistake I did and over pack. Thankfully, I had Tyler, who brought some things home for me. The clothes you intend on bringing probably aren't in style over in Taiwan anyway (unless you wear a lot of Hello Kitty), so don't worry about looking super cute. And while clothes and shoes are plentiful and cheap, don't get your hopes up for inexpensive designer purses. You're not in China (completely).

On a slightly related note, to condense my electronics, I left my computer at home and blogged from my iPad. To transfer pictures from my camera, I picked up a Wi-Fi SD card from Amazon (here). It creates a Wi-Fi hotspot (so you don't need internet) from your camera to your computer or tablet, and immediately transfers pictures when you're in close range. It is a faster and cord-free substitute to the traditional method, and would also be cool for photographers wanting to show off their pictures right away. (They're not paying me for advertising, I promise.)

5. Get a phone
Another way of fighting the language barrier in Taiwan is having access to a phone with data. This can get a little complicated. Hopefully, you are lucky and your phone takes a SIM card and can operate globally. If you're not lucky like me (thank you Verizon iPhone...), find a cheap phone that does. Tyler bought one for me off a girl in Taiwan for $30. You could also try borrowing an old phone from a friend. Anyway, once you have your phone, grab your passport and U.S. driver's license (you will need both) and find a mobile phone store along the street (they are plentiful and easy to identify). You'll be able to communicate in broken English to explain that you would like a SIM card and data for your phone. A SIM card costs about $10 (and you can reuse it for your next trip!) and 10-days of data and some phone minutes costs another $10. So, $20 and you're all set. Now, you'll have 3G data wherever you go.

6. Exchange money at the airport
Unlike Mexico, the airport in Taipei has one of the best exchange rates, about 30NT per $1. You'll need your passport to exchange money. Although I spent all of my money and didn't need to exchange any back, the return rate to USD isn't bad either.

7. Always carry your hotel's business card
...and make sure it's in Mandarin. Why? How else do you tell your cab driver where to drop you off? How do you get directions from someone who doesn't speak much English if you get lost? It's always safe to carry multiple business cards with you. The alternative is learning Mandarin.

8. Get yourself an Easy Card and the MRT app
Hopefully you've read my previous post about how much I love the MRT and Taipei public transportation. To make getting around even easier, buy yourself an Easy Card, which is a pre-paid card that you wave across a reader device when you travel. This will save you the hassle of waiting in line for tickets and rummaging through your purse for change. You can use it at the MRT and Maokong Gondola, and also for train and bus fares, parking, boat rides, bicycle rentals, and even at 7-11.

It gets better. The Easy Card gives users a 20% discount on MRT fares. Also, if you use your Easy Card on the MRT and then again on a bus within two hours (or vice versa), the bus ride is 50% off. You can purchase an Easy Card from machines at MRT stations for a preset amount. I think mine had $25 on it (750 NT) which was more than enough for the week. The reader will tell you how much value you have left after each scan, and you can always add money to it, too.

Finally, download the MRT map. It's free and will help you determine where the closest station is located, as well as what lines to transfer to and from to get to your destination.

9. Skip the theme restaurants
BuzzFeed and Huffington Post are going to tell you about all of the amazing themed restaurants in Taipei. My advice: they are worth a picture and nothing more. From talking with locals to looking up reviews, all of these restaurants are overpriced and have awful food. Pop in for a picture of the Hello Kitty Sweet Cafe, the Barbie Restaurant, and maybe even Modern Toilet (your food comes in mini toilets), but save your time and money and eat elsewhere.

10. Taipei is safe
I spent a lot of time by myself during the trip, and never once did I feel in danger or uncomfortable. Not to say that the city is crime-free, but don't be afraid to venture off alone and soak up the culture. It's exhilarating, stress-free, and will really teach you a lot about yourself.

Enjoy!

Zàijiàn Taiwan!

...That means goodbye :(

My trip home was uneventful. Actually, too uneventful. On the 12-hour flight from Tokyo to Minneapolis, I happened to be sitting in the only seat (on a full flight!) with a broken video screen and reading light. Sorry - no movie reviews this time! It was a rather boring flight with no movies and no light...at least Delta gave me 10k miles for the inconvenience.

I'll leave you with some of my final cultural observations:

-Everyone drives scooters. And scooters stop for no one. Be careful of them when you cross the street...

-Taiwanese people remember everything! The hotel staff remembered every guest's face, full name, and room number...and this was at a large high-rise hotel. And they are so hospitable. If you leave your room for even 30 minutes, your pillow will be fluffed, slippers and robe laid by your bed, etc. One time they knocked on my door asking if I'd like any chocolate. Freaky...they almost knew me too well! 

-Step aside U.S. "duck face." In Taiwan, it's all about the "sparrow face." For the perfect sparrow, open your eyes wide and purse your lips slightly (think like a bird waiting for food). For added effect, add a peace sign.

Sparrow face via kokatu.com

Sparrow face via Kat and Tyler (dressed as a banana)

Be on the lookout for my recommendations post soon!

Last Full Day: Gondola Take 2 & (Finally) Taipei 101

I almost shed a tear as I had my last meal at the hotel restaurant. As with my Mexico trip, it will be difficult coming home and eating...less.  Fun fact: George Lucas dined at this restaurant. To prove it, there was a signed picture of him with some waitresses that said "the force is with you."

Not wanting a repeat of Thursday, I made sure to get an early start and head straight to the gondola station. No Crystal Cabin for me this time, the line was insane! But no worries, I enjoyed a beautiful and rain-free ride along with a lady and her two, cute kids. That was until the gondola broke. And by broke I mean completely stopped. So there I hung (not literally, Mom!), freaking out. An announcement in Mandarin came over a speaker in the cable car, and judging by the worried look on the lady's face, things didn't seem good. For the next 15-20 minutes, we didn't move, and I sat there envisioning myself falling/jumping/dying. Finally, after another announcement, the lady and her kids gave me a thumbs up (the universal language for "we're cool") and we started moving again. Whew!

Hello Kitty Themed Cable Cars

I rode the gondola all the way to the last stop, Maokong Station. Maokong is a mountainous area on the edge of Taipei that became famous for its tea plantations. While most of the tea is now grown in other parts of the country, Maokong is still home to small plantations and many tea houses for tastings. I'm a daily green tea drinker, so I was excited to taste and explore.

Coffee with a view!

I ventured off on foot and walked for about 45 minutes, taking in the sights of the beautiful mountains and the Taipei 101 in the distance. I've heard of this area being compared to Jurassic Park, and I could certainly see why. The land was lush, green, and mostly uninhabited. I continued walking past the  Tainen Temple and finally arrived at the Taipei Tea Promotion Center. There I got to learn a bit about the history of tea making, like how to brew teas to bring out their optimal flavors. More importantly, I was able to sample some delicious tea! On the way back to the gondola station, I stopped at one of the many tea houses overlooking the mountains. I enjoyed more tea, a Jasmin Oolong mix, while soaking in the beautiful scenery. I also learned how to brew tea leaves, and took a package home with me.

 

I hopped back on the gondola and rode it down to the Zhinan Station, home to the magnificent Chi Nan temple, one of the oldest temples in Taipei. The pictures explain themselves. This place was massive, with four main halls, five secondary halls, and many walkways. Chi Nan is sometimes called "the temple of a thousand steps" - there are literally 1,200 stone steps that lead up to it. Apparently you live an extra 20 seconds for each step you climb. Some people were doing rituals and kissing each step as they went. Me? I was sweating my butt off, stopping for a breather every so often. :)

Next up on the agenda was to meet up with Tyler and finally go see the Taipei 101, one of the most famous landmarks in Taiwan. The 101 is one of the tallest buildings in the world and considered to be the country's engineering masterpiece. As you've seen from my pictures this past week, the 101 is visible from most of Taipei, helping all directionally challenged people (me) navigate through the city. Unlike the Empire State Building, it's worth the ~$15 to go to the top.



You start by riding the world's fastest passenger elevator. Warning - your ears will pop! Once at the top, there is a free audio tour that takes you around different viewpoints and shares facts about the building. We passed on the tour, but had a great time wondering around. Tyler has been 3 or 4 times, so he knew the ropes and I just followed along. Highlights for me were the outside observatory deck (it was so windy up there!) as well as the huge damper that stabilizes the building. There was a video of the damper swaying during a typhoon...ugh, I couldn't imagine. Before taking the elevator back down, we passed through a display of various red coral statues for sale, some costing upwards of $6 million USD. I couldn't help but think, who actually buys this stuff?!

On the Observatory Deck

Yours for $6M

Now starving, we stopped by the ATT 4 Fun building (a large building with indoor and outdoor shops and restaurants) for dinner. You could spend days shopping in Taiwan. It was hard to resist. Anyway, Tyler wanted to eat at the Diner, a restaurant he'd dined at during his 2012 visit. The Diner is an Westernized restaurant specializing in burgers and brunch. It had a modern and rustic vibe. Tyler ate banana bread french toast and Eggs Benedict (did I mention we were hungry?). I got a huge chili jalapeno burger, and I am too ashamed to post a picture of it (lol). Everything was delicious!



After dinner, we took a quick stop by Shilin Night Market so that I could pick up a few souvenirs. Then it was back to the hotel to pack up for my journey back West.