Last weekend I made a whirlwind trip to New Orleans. Like… a drive down on Friday, drive back on Sunday whirlwind trip. Two reasons: 1) Snarky Puppy was recording their second Family Dinner album. 2) It also happened to be Mardis Gras weekend.

I’ve only been to NOLA a few times while passing through, so this was my first time truly exploring the city. My bestie, Amanda, came with, and I have to say, I’d definitely go back. Of course, any time you’re around Snarky Puppy, there’s a magical air around a trip, but NOLA holds its own.

We managed to walk 8 miles in a single day, and the architecture in this city is just so dang beautiful. Such an eclectic mix of old and new, neutrals and vibrant color. I feel like you could do a whole study on the color of a single neighborhood. Amanda and I stayed in an Airbnb – my second experience with the service – and it was pretty much the cutest thing ever. A little “casita” in the backyard of the owner’s property, it had a bed, a washer/dryer, and a clawfoot tub. So basically, all you could ever need while on such a short trip. In a single day (Saturday, our only full day in the city) we managed to grab a delicious brunch at Pagoda Cafe, walk and shop through the French Quarter and see some of the stereotypical Mardis Gras crazy, sit on a parade route further out of the chaos and catch all of the beads, and listen to the last recording of Snarky Puppy Family Dinner Volume 2 from the control room (sadly, I didn’t take a single photo during this). It was magical. I’ll be back, NOLA.