KATIE KENNEDY - Page 182 of 266 -

Seasons Greetings in NOLA

November 27, 2019

Seasons Greetings in NOLA

holiday, seasons greetings, Nola, New Orleans, Christmas, French Quarter

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Living in NYC, I have been spoiled by out-of-this-world Christmas decorations, but New Orleans is no slouch either! This entire week, I’ve been able to see the city transform into a holiday lover’s paradise. Just like everything else, they have their own spin on doing things. There may be a zero percent chance of snow, but today I’m sharing my seasons greetings in NOLA. If you get to visit the city before the new year, here’s what should be on the top of your to-do list!

Find a Pop-Up Christmas Bar:

When chatting with a local the other night, we learned that Christmas themed pop-up bars are starting to come to New Orleans. There are a few options to choose from, but my personal recommendation would be Barrel Proof. Located on Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District, it was a great find when David and I visited a few years ago. An incredible cozy sport, I can only imagine how festive it looks now. For a French Quarter destination, that would have to be the transformed tiki-bar, Latitude 29.

Have a Réveillon Dinner:

This Creole tradition and a must if you’re in the city during the holidays. It comes from the French word for “awakening” and is meant to be eaten after Midnight Mass on Christmas. After all, New Orleans is an incredibly Catholic city. Now, the term can be applied to most meals during the holidays. My family and I had Révellion on New Years years ago. To get a true Creole meal, I recommend eating at the historic restaurants in the French Quarter. Bayona, Arnaud, Galatorie ‘s, and Tujague would be my restaurants of choice.

Hotel Hop:

Similar to the luxury spots in New York, which I talk about here, New Orleans hotels take on a whole new persona during the holidays. Although the outside decor are subtle, it’s what on the inside that counts. Words can’t even begin to describe how beautifully the lobbies are decorated. Before I walked through the Roosevelt Hotel lobby yesterday, I wasn’t particularly in the Christmas season yet. Now, I’m ready to start decorating and blast all of the classics! You also need to visit the Royal Sonesta, and Hotel Monteleone. Don’t forget to visit the more residential neighborhoods for truly inspirational Christmas decor.

There is just so much going on in New Orleans during the holidays. From Saints games to Christmas Caroling in Jackson Square and celebrations at Audubon Park, the list in virtually endless! Next year, David and I will have to do some serious soul-searching to decide if we want to celebrate in our hometowns or in our home-away-from-home.

Love from New Orleans,
Katie

If you are more interested in travel than style, be sure to visit my exclusive travel page, here.

An Ode to New Orleans

November 26, 2019

An Ode to New Orleans

New Orleans, NOLA, Thanksgiving, trip, southern style, Tuckernuck

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It feels so good to back in the city that I love for a week of Thanksgiving. Typically, this is a time for homecoming, but my family decided that meant going to New Orleans, a place that means so much to all of us. My first visit to the Crescent City was on a birthday trip with my mom. That was already eight years ago and I’ve made about two trips a year since then. There is something about this city that I just can’t shake. Like a siren song, it calls me back. Like Bob Dylan once said, “There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better.” This is my ode to New Orleans.

A huge part of that love, I have to thank my dad for. I always look to him as a world class cook and I inherited my love of food from him. If you want to see an example of pure bliss, then you need to see him enjoy a bowl of jambalaya in the French Quarter. On this trip, we’ve yet to have a mediocre meal. Although the crown jewel of dining won’t be until Thanksgiving at Brennan’s, we are eating our way around the city. On this trip, I’ve made it my personal goal to focus on new-to-me places. In all of my visits, I’ve only scratched the surface. I can’t wait to share a Version 2 of my New Orleans City Guide. To see the original rendition, be sure to read up here. It honestly may be one of my favorite posts I’ve ever written.

Even though New Orleans is another major U.S. city, my time in NYC has helped me see it in a different light. Compared to the constant speed and volume of people, I can better appreciate the laidback and down-to-earth quality of NOLA. The people here are sincere and extreme friendly. I’ve never met a local that I didn’t enjoy talking to. Besides, I find it easy to get along with anyone who values good food and good music.

When David and I first started dating, I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that he loved New Orleans just as much as I did. I don’t want to say it made me know he was the one, but it definitely helped! Our first solo trip as a couple was to New Orleans for their annual Jazz Fest. We had booked the trip after only been dating for a few months. In hindsight, it may have been a little risky, but it’s one of the best memories with him.

This week in New Orleans is just flying by. On each trip, David and I think long and hard about what a life for us would look like here. Although I’m not sure if we’ll ever fully take the plunge, I will love the city as if it were my own. It may be too early to tell, but I think this trip could be the most fulfilling one yet!

Love from New Orleans,
Katie

If you are more interested in travel than style, be sure to visit my exclusive travel page, here.

Traveling to New Orleans

November 23, 2019

Traveling to New Orleans

New Orleans, travel, dress, packing, style

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I’ve been back in NYC for less than 48 hours, but now I’m getting ready to go on my next adventure. On Sunday, we’re traveling to New Orleans to celebrate Thanksgiving with my parents and brother. I’ve been to this city several times over the past few years, I even shared a lot of the details from my last trip to May for Jazz Fest, here. This city means the absolute world to me. The culture, the food, the music, and the people have all taken a deep hold of me. I may not have any family ties to the Crescent City, but I consider it my second home. This will actually be my first time visiting in the fall. I cannot wait to explore more of the city I love in the cooler weather. I’m treating this like a little vacation from the chaos that is holiday content. With my suitcase full of new (non-holiday) outfits, I ready to go! Here’s a quick look at what I’m packing.

Classic Black Shift Dress

Like I said before, this entire trip is revolving around Thanksgiving with my family. We have dinner reservations at one of my favorite restaurants and a city institution, Brennan’s. Since after dinner will mostly likely be filled with holiday celebration, I want to wear that dress that is equal parts formal and functional. I originally posted about this classic black shift dress from H&M in October, here. It’s extremely simple, but the horse bit detail gives it a more elegant touch. With this garb on, I know I can confidently walk into any spot in the French Quarter or Garden District.

Light Blue Floral Blouse

New Orleans is a surprisingly laid-back city. You can come as you are and be perfectly welcome. I like to keep that in mind, but dress just a little bit more upscale. I have been coveting this floral blouse from Tuckernuck since the late summer when it originally debuted. It will perfectly compliment the flora and fauna that you find all over the city. Although it would look stellar with a basic pair of jeans, I’m itching to tuck it into my favorite pair of navy pants. You can think Ashley Brooke for the inspiration.

‘Champagne’ Graphic Tee

New Orleans has a long and winding history with cocktail culture. If you have the right strategy, you can sample all of the classics without losing yourself. The secret is to pace yourself, drink lots of water, and wash it down with a bowl of gumbo. My goal for the trip is to make it through my mental list. Since I have about a week, and the help of my husband, this shouldn’t be an issue. This champagne tee from J. Crew is a sweet and under $45 way of having some fun with what I wear.

Saints Game Day Outfit

When we land in New Orleans, it will be smack in the middle of NFL game day. I’m a huge Saints fan. I’m tuned in every Sunday and have become a regular at the Upper East Side watch parties. Sadly, our flight lands after kick off and we won’t be able to make the game. The good news is that the entire city will be celebrating with me before, during, and after the game. I have a super straight forward game day outfit, mostly from Vineyard Vines, lined up that will work no matter the team you’re rooting for.

New Orleans has a pretty solid reputation for being a huge party town. If you’ve been reading my blog for a bit, I hope you get a sense that is not my scene. While I love the occasional late night out, I would much rather something quiet and more intimate. If that sounds more your speed, New Orleans has something to offer you too. The city is truly what you make it. All next week, I’ll be sharing my adventures on Instagram and have two weeks of NOLA content planned for the blog. If you’re curious about what New Orleans can be for you, be sure to check back often and reach out to me with any questions. I hope I can spark some wanderlust to get you to visit my favorite city.

Love from NYC,
Katie

If you are more interested in travel than style, be sure to visit my exclusive travel page, here.