The day after Christmas* my boyfriend and I took off on a road trip! The destination was New Orleans, but we made a few stops on the way. We drove to Lousiville, Nashville, Memphis and then New Orleans. And then we flew home, making this road trip a little bit more NBD because you don’t have to spend a bunch of hours in the car after everything.
*Most fashionably late post EVER. But I hope you love it anyhow!
Can you believe we’re actually going back to Louisville this weekend?! Get ready for another travel post with wigwams and tattoos. Anyhow, this last time we went we had tasty cocktails, super good crepes, awesome coffee and perused a super fun vintage shop.
LOUISVILLE:
EAT + DRINK //
Proof on Main | Quills Coffee | Four Sisters (crepes!)
SHOP //
The Nitty Gritty Vintage Shop
We drove to Nashville next where we bought embroidered western shirts and ate the best ribs ever. That dry rub, tho. (Thanks to Lindsay for the suggestion!) I might’ve sang a duet karaoke style of a song I’d never heard before… I might’ve made a New Year’s resolution to sing a karaoke song alone some time this year. I’ll keep you guys updated.
NASHVILLE:
EAT + DRINK //
Martin’s BBQ Joint (best ribs!) | Loveless Cafe | Paradise Park (Photo Booth!)
Dive Bar that we loved: Santa’s Pub
SHOP //
Katy K Designs
STAY //
This AirBNB of Charming Flat Variety
We ate Loveless biscuits for breakfast in the car so we’d have enough time to make it to Memphis to hit up Stax and Sun Records, and I’m so glad we did! We made it to Stax just in time for the last tour and then made it for the last tour at Sun also! It was a musical miracle. I asked the folks working there where we should eat so we took their advice and ate lobster rolls and falafel sliders that might’ve inspired this recipe.
MEMPHIS:
EAT + DRINK //
Slider Inn (lobster roll + falafel slider!)
MUSICAL ADVENTURES //
Stax Museum | Sun Records
Can you believe I turned 30 in Louisiana?! We drove in to New Orleans and headed straight to Cafe Du Monde for beignets. The day was full of po boy sandwiches, sidewalk Stella beers, and candles in my ice cream. Pretty magical, if you ask me.
We ate more donuts (I also ate pie) and even had fancy grilled cheeses. (Maybe not all in the same day.) We popped around town to some dive bars that night. My bf found a bunch of cool ones! (The links are below.)
New Year’s Eve was full of fun music, sidewalk pizza, fireworks, confetti, and a pedi-cab.
NEW ORLEANS:
EAT + DRINK //
Cafe Du Monde | St. James Cheese Company | District Donuts Sliders Brew | District Hand Pie & Coffee Bar | Pirate Pizza | Cane & Table
Dive Bars: Siberia | Snake and Jake’s Christmas Club | The Voodoo Lounge | Saturn Bar
MUSIC // The Spotted Cat Music Club | Preservation Hall (& everywhere tho!)
P.S. Check out more travel posts below:
San Francisco 1, San Francisco 2, Pittsburgh, New York, Florida, Cleveland, Chicago
Love all these fun and colorful pics! I want to eat everything in your photos, please.
Thanks, Nicole! XOXO
Snake and Jake’s Christmas Club is maybe the best dive bar name ever.
haha right?! And dogs just roamed free in there! I think one of them was the manager… He seemed real busy.
My bf and I are headed to New Orleans in October and I can’t wait! Thanks for the suggestions Megan 🙂 We are dive bar fans, and I can’t wait for some fancy grilled cheeses and pie (maybe all in the same day…).
Yes! Let me know what you try! XOXO
Omg, I love Memphis and New Orleans! Cafe Du Monde is to die for. Did you get to see Joy while you were there?
Better late than never! It looks like you had a blast on your trip. 🙂 I didn’t realize how popular the Spotted Cat was, but every post or article I read about NOLA, there it is. We just went on a whim. I’m surprised you didn’t end up at Lafitte’s, the oldest bar in NOLA and the very definition of a dive since it is mostly lit by candlelight. Maybe next time?
Happy very Belated birthday!! Can’t think of a better place to spend it. I’ve never been to New Orleans now I’m dying to go!