New Orleans 2014

We always try and get to New Orleans at least one time during the summer b/c the girls (and Mark and I ) really love visiting the city.  This summer we decided to do the French Market and the WWII museum.  Mark and I had been to the museum several times, but the girls had never been before.  It is an amazing place, and there were several new things there that Mark and I had never seen before.

Waiting for the street car down to the French Market:

On the streetcar:

Emma and her beer (root beer, of course) as we wait for our lunch:

Outside the French Market with our loot:

Me and my Bean in Canal Place:

The whole family, minus me, decided to get tatted up this trip with some airbrush tattoos.  Emma got the Chinese symbol for Brave, Katie for Dance and Mark got a Buzz:

We also walked through the new Riverwalk which has been completely redone as an outlet mall, and it is very nice.  We didn't do a lot of shopping ,but we did have to get some beignets for our afternoon snack.

Funny story about our room, we got to the hotel around lunch time on Monday, and so the room wasn't ready yet, so we stored our bags and headed out to the French Market.... when we headed back to the room around 4:30, the room still wasn't ready so they upgraded us to the 2 bedroom suite!  It was huge, and we all had a bed to ourselves - ha ha!  This never happens, so this picture shows how we had a kitchenette and everything for this one night stay.  Could have used all this space on a longer stay.

Cute little streetcar bench on our way to eat Monday night:

Standing outside Mannings getting ready to eat dinner:

We sat in the recliners at the front of Mannings.  It was so not busy on a Monday night, so we had our choice of seats.  It was crazy comfortable, but unfortunately they had the Tour de France on to watch - not exactly our cup of tea on a giant screen!

 Our view of the Warehouse district outside our hotel room:

Another view of our giant hotel room:

 The second day we headed to the D Day (WWII) museum.  Mark and I love this place, and I think the girls are getting old enough to appreciate some of these places.  We did get to meet a few veterans, and hear from a man who worked on making the Higgins boats used on D Day.

One exhibit that was new for Mark and I was the "train ride".  You sit in part of a train, and watch a short movie about people leaving for the War.  The train actually vibrates and shakes a little to simulate the ride.  Not exactly Disney, but pretty darn cool:

Katie posing for a War poster:

  Enjoying some of the exhibits:

After touring the museum, we ate a quick lunch at the Soda Shop on the museum grounds.  I had a great grilled pimento cheese sandwich.  Will have to visit again soon b/c they have many other exhibits opening in the next year or so.  Au revoir Nouvelle Orleans!