Hey there, it’s a new year and I’m in denial that time seems to be flying by so quickly. Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? Mine seem to be the same every year, le sigh.
This months Feature will cover some highlights from my trip to NOLA. In Beauty, I’ll shoutout my new favorite new product, and in Food/Drink/Night, I’ll discuss Baltimore’s new classy evening spot .
Feature
So I finally visited New Orleans and I went for New Years. Sadly, it was much colder than normal, which put a damper on things but on the bright side, I definitely want to return. I’ll give you the quick and dirty of my trip.
One thing I’ll pass on is the food conversation. New Orleans has an overwhelming amount of food options and it really is a hit or miss. Some of the places I was recommended I didn’t like much and others that didn’t get the top billing I found really good. My best advice is to explore on your own and forget your diet!
I stayed at the Lowes hotel which is in walking distance to the French Quarters. It’s classy and the staff was super friendly. There is a gym, spa (which was closed when I was there), and the restaurant inside hosted some of my best meals. And they have a 25 cent (yes, you read that right) martini time during lunch.
If you are a shopping gal like me check out the Riverwalk, which has a ton of outlet shops; also walking distance to the hotel. For something more unique, the French Quarter has many boutiques in close proximity to each other. And when you need a break there are tons of places to eat and drink. For more shopping, go to the Garden District but be prepared to walk. The shops are spread out. You get a couple blocks of shopping and dining and then a few more blocks of housing and so forth.
If you are stuck on things to do I recommend doing the hop on/hop off bus tour to get you started and get a feel for the city. You get a garden district walking tour with it. The bus also takes you to the World War II museum which I think is worth checking out (and it has the cute clothing shop if vintage wear is your thing). Also try a ghost tour and a swamp boat ride. If drinks are your thing, a pub crawl might be worth it as well.
No trip to NOLA is complete without going out for drinks and music. There are tons. I stayed clear of the famous Bourbon Street and did my nightlife in the Frenchman St area. Just walk the block and go inside where you hear music you like. I heard everything from jazz, to soul, to blues to reggae. The Spotted Cat was the most popular place but there are tons of other places to stop in that I enjoyed. If you can get a seat, check out the Carousel Bar not to far from the Quarter. There is a super slow moving carousel bar inside and it’s a cool thing to try.
I really need to go back and finish eating my way around the town. Till then, detox!
Beauty
This months product is Lisa Frank x Glamour Dolls Matte Eyeshadow which I got as a part of my most recent Ipsy monthly makeup subscription. I cannot express how much I love the Heartthrob Matte 
Eyeshadow. It gives an instant natural, smokey eye. That and some mascara and my eyes pop!
Food/Drink/Night
I had the chance to check out Baltimore’s latest sophisticated night scene, The Bygone. Baltimore gets a lot of flack but it really has some nice places to check out. While I love the low-key atmosphere of this town, it’s nice to have the Harbor East area as another more sophisticated part. The Four Seasons already had Wit and Wisdom and the Lock Bar next to it. Now it brings us The Bygone on the top floor. It’s a spacious restaurant and bar surrounded by windows and a balcony with a great view of the city and a roaring 20s feel. It’s not cheap but if class is your thing its worth a visit.
If you haven’t checked it out lately, take a look at my new project : Free 2 Live. Free 2 Live Group is a site focused on the active 30 and up who lives life beyond expectations.
Finally if you haven’t checked out my ebook The Mission, it’s on sale on Amazon!
Stay tuned for next month’s letter!
Thanks again for your support and please spread the word!
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