NOLA 2014

Sorry for the radio silence around here lately. For both good and bad reasons, the last couple weeks have been overwhelming and busy, but things are finally starting to settle down. So, I'm ready to share the awesome trip I took to New Orleans while Wheat covered NBA All-Star Weekend.

Since Wheat and I flew separately, this was my very first solo flight. After a short layover in Houston, I landed in New Orleans, took a cab to our hotel, and waited for his arrival. When he got there, we walked with two of his co-workers to the Superdome to pick up his credentials for the weekend. Next, the two of us headed to Bourbon Street for dinner and fun on his only free night. We had dinner at Bayou Burger, listened to live music and shared a Hand Grenade at Tropical Isle, enjoyed the patio and some Hurricanes at Pat O'Briens, and soaked in the atmosphere of Bourbon Street before the weekend rush.

The next morning, I decided to spend my Valentine's Day at the National World War II Museum. It was worth every penny. The museum itself, which is housed in several buildings, was incredible. You could truly spend a week in there and not read, watch, or hear everything. The amount of information is staggering and they are currently in various stages of opening two new buildings for even more exhibits.

One building serves as an airplane hangar of sorts, displaying many of the planes, tanks, and other ground vehicles used during combat. I even got to see a B-17, the plane my Grandad flew during the war.

The museum is incredibly interactive with several opportunities to watch movies, pose for pictures, and even talk to a WWII veteran in person. The highlight of the museum for me was the 4-D movie, Beyond All Boundaries. The short film, which details the events of the war, is narrated by Tom Hanks and features readings from Brad Pitt, Tobey Maguire, Gary Sinise, Wendell Pierce, and more. Over the course of the movie, various props rise from the stage, the seats shake, and it even snows on the audience in an attempt to put you in the soldiers' shoes.

When I finished checking out the museum, I headed to one of the two restaurants on campus, The American Sector, for some Olympic hockey and Chef John Besh's 75 cent BBQ sliders. Perfect.

Oh yeah - and because I mentioned I was spending my Valentine's Day at the museum, they sent me some love on Twitter. Excellent.

@blettany You can always be our Valentine! http://t.co/VgzAKRIESP pic.twitter.com/Y1AJhPhYiQ
— National WWII Museum (@WWIImuseum) February 14, 2014

Next, I walked back to the hotel for a daytime stroll through the French Quarter. I stopped in Jackson Square to watch a magic show, then some guy cleaned my shoes without permission as I watched barges float by on the Mississippi River. As the sun was setting, I headed over to Treme for a relaxing walk through Armstrong Park. On my way back to the hotel, I spotted Jacoby Jones (of the Baltimore Ravens) on Bourbon Street, but ultimately decided not to approach him for a picture when I saw the mob of girls surrounding him.

Wheat came back fairly early that night, so we ventured out for some beignets at Cafe du Monde. On our way, we walked past a small crowd on the sidewalk only to see James Harden and Kevin Durant leaving a party. Somehow, I resisted the urge to touch Harden's beard and we closed out our Valentine's Day with happy tummies and powdered sugar stains on our shirts.

The next day, I went to check out Harrah's and randomly saw Anthony Davis handing out Red Bull on the street. New Orleans is a strange, but magical place.

Wheat had a couple hours of downtime, so we met up with his cousin Newman for lunch. Based on the line out the door (usually a good sign), we decided on Felix's. The boys had oysters, but I wussed out and ordered chicken. Typical.

Wheat had the Skills Challenge that night, so I decided to stake out a place in the French Quarter to watch Krewe du Vieux's satirical, adult-themed Mardi Gras parade. This year's theme was 'Where the Vile Things Are,' so you can imagine. Due in part to the raucous crowd and the two-hour wait, I wasn't all that impressed by the parade. The music was great and the floats were entertaining, but I'm not sure I'd fight the crowds to do it again, especially not by myself. I am happy, however, that I can check 'Watch a parade in the French Quarter' off my bucket list.

Sunday was absolutely gorgeous, so I figured it was the perfect opportunity to explore the Garden District. I took the St. Charles streetcar to the area and hopped off with a map in hand. My first stop was Lafayette Cemetery. I highly suggest visiting at least one cemetery if you travel to New Orleans. They are beautiful, peaceful, and absolutely mesmerizing.

Next, I admired the gorgeous houses, making special note of those owned by Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, and Anne Rice. I also found the house where Jefferson Davis died, the house where the Manning brothers grew up, and the house (Buckner Mansion) used as Miss Robichaux's Academy in this season of American Horror Story.

I made my way back to the hotel to meet Wheat for dinner. We stopped at Johnny's Po-Boys for my favorite meal of the trip before strolling hand-in-hand through Woldenberg Park. During our walk, we saw Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever and danced to an awesome brass band.

When Wheat headed off for the All-Star Game, I ventured out to Frenchmen Street for some live music. I also stumbled upon an entrancing outdoor art sale with vendors peddling handmade jewelry and paintings. To me, Frenchmen Street seemed like the locals' Bourbon Street, a place for good food and music without the crowds, sleaziness, and drunken stupidity.

On my way home, I walked slowly through the French Quarter, taking in the gorgeous architecture and weather for the last time. There is nothing quite like watching the lamps flicker in the dark of an empty street in the French Quarter.

The next morning, I took a cab to the Greyhound station for my bus ride to Mobile. Aside from seeing TWO people arrested in separate incidents, the ride was smooth and luckily for me, my parents actually showed up to pick me up for our brief trip to Gulf Shores.

Lastly, I need to brag for a second about my awesome boyfriend. I know you're tired of hearing it, but it bears repeating: I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have someone like him. I'm so proud of all the hard work he did in New Orleans and I still can't believe he's mine.