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My name is Melody M. Nuñez - I’m an artist, a writer, and an art teacher. To learn more about me and the book I published - An Altered Existence: Fictitious Stories About Faces from the Past - please view the “About” & "Book" pages…-
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Category Archives: travel
Galleries & Published Works
Hi y’all! Happy Tuesday!
Just wanted to take a moment and invite you to check out some of the pages here at my website. For example, my Galleries page and my Published Works page.
You’ll find images of my artwork in the GALLERIES, including photography, collage, and mixed-media. Here are a few examples of images that live there – won’t you visit the rest?
This photo of the Rock of Cashel (in Ireland) is in the Travel collection.

This pink water lily image is in the Nature collection.
This glass bottle image is in the Man-Made collection.
This piece, made in memory of my Aunt Bobby, is in the Collage collection.
This up-cycled metal can project is in the Mixed-Media collection.
If you visit my PUBLISHED WORKS page you can see where I’ve had my art and writings published – and in many cases you can click on the work’s title to see a scan of the tear sheet (magazines) or can link over to the website my work appears on. Projects range from collages and cards to Memory Jars (love that one!) and more! So please take a peek.
Here are a few projects/articles you might particularly like – I hope you’ll also take a peek at the others:
Sowing the Seeds of Inspiration
Time in a Bottle (Memory Jars)
You may also visit my About page to learn more about my background, my Art Program page to learn how you can help me provide art education and supplies to at-risk public school children, and my Contact page if you’d like to email me with any questions or comments.
Oh, and Happy Valentine’s Day! Don’t forget to save your chocolate boxes so you can make your own version of my Heart’s Desire project!
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, art supplies, crafts, DIY, inspiration, life in general, nature, photography, vintage, writing
Tagged collage, Galleries, mixed media, Published Works
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Santa Ana Artists Village
Southern California is full of wonderful cultural and culinary opportunities, and the creative spirit and great eats boldly collide in the Santa Ana Artists Village. Located in Downtown Santa Ana, the Artists Village is home to galleries, “make and take” studios geared towards paper arts and mixed-media, street corner food carts, and fabulous restaurants.
A bit grungy, bohemian and decidedly urban, the Artists Village also has beauty and charm galore. From the distinctive architecture of structures like the Santora Building, to the “slice of life” peek at locals going about their business, the Artists Village is a sight to see. With its varied eateries, you’ll definitely want to take a bite out of the Artists Village!
Artistic Endeavors
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The Santa Ana Artist Village is home to many galleries, ranging in size from very small to very large, and the most common mediums shown are paint and sculpture. Some studios offer hands-on experiences and classes, and two of my favorites are Studio Crescendoh and The Art Bar. Geared towards those of us who love paper arts and mixed-media, Studio Crescendoh and the Art Bar offer a wide variety of classes – from lettering and art journaling to painting. I recommend these venues if you’d like to make art – not just look at it!
Grand Central is one of the anchors in the Santa Ana Artists Village.
Colorful paintings grace the walls of Studio Crescendoh, but they offer classes in a variety of artistic mediums…
Restaurants
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I certainly haven’t been to all the eateries in the Artists Village, but I’ve really enjoyed those I have visited. Two of my favorites are the Gypsy Den and Memphis.
Gypsy Den: Budget-friendly, this is the most artsy and bohemian of my three picks. Their baked goods are delicious, and the coffee house feel takes me back to the Beatnik scene in the 60’s – though I hadn’t even been born yet!
I love the decor at the Gypsy Den – so eclectic and colorful!
It’s only right that some artwork should grace the walls…
There’s plenty of seating to enjoy a bite. I took this photo just after they’d closed on New Year’s Eve day, so it’s customer-free.
Memphis: A bit pricier than the Gypsy Den, Memphis has fab food and a great, modern interior. I love that the afternoon sun creates wrought-iron-shaped shadows in the restaurant’s interior windows, and having breakfast for lunch was a treat!
A bit of the interior at Memphis, including the wrought iron work up top…
I opted for breakfast, though it was after 2 p.m.
Eggs over easy, French Toast, and chicken-apple sausage. Yum!
I’ve also heard great things about Lola Gaspar, but haven’t made it there to taste their food for myself yet and hope to change that very soon. Located just down the way from Memphis, and across the courtyard from the Grand Central Building, this restaurant is right in the center of the action…
Art Walk
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The Artist Village really comes alive on the first Saturday of each month, when many of the galleries throw open their doors and welcome in the public. From larger galleries with special shows to single-artist studios displaying their on-going work, the Art Walk is a great way to see a variety of artwork. You can also sip some wine and nosh on the snacks folks often lay out, if you’re just looking for a nibble.
Architecture & Ambiance
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One of my favorite things about the Santa Ana Artists Village is the look of it – all the the little details that give it a unique flavor. Naturally, architecture and some historic buildings play a big part in that. In my mind, the gorgeous Santora Building is the grand dame of the village, and the center of it all. Built in 1929, it’s Spanish Ultra Baroque Design delights me.
The ornate stone work combined with wrought iron (seen elsewhere on/in the building) is lovely…
An interior photograph of the Santora Building.
A clock tower in Santa Ana…
Bare branches reach out to the Grand Central Building.
It’s more than the big structures, though. It’s the old street lamps, the trees, and even the streets themselves. These are some of my favorite things about the Santa Ana Artists Village, and if you’re a fan of details like this, it’s best that you visit during daylight hours to take in all the lovely visual details that make this area unique.
The base of an old lamp post beckoned to me.
Gritty, yet still beautiful – near the Santora Building.
Hope to See You There…
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I hope you’ve enjoyed this little peek at the Santa Ana Artists Village. If you live in Southern California – or if you’re planning a trip to Orange County – I hope you’ll stop in for a visit!
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, ethnic food, inspiration, life in general, photography, restaurants
Tagged Santa Ana Art Walk, Santa Ana Artist Village, Santa Ana CA
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A Photographic Tour: New York City
New York City – what a wild ride! I joined hubby partway through one of his business trips in New York in 2005, and had a blast. Though I was only there for four days it was long enough for me to take a bite of the Big Apple and know that it tasted very sweet.
Not that it was perfect, mind you. It was hot that July, and so humid that the air seemed to both surround and smother me. Traffic lanes are mere suggestions, and though most of my taxi drivers seemed to have a death wish, I survived unscathed. Some of the smells were less than charming as well, but the few drawbacks were eclipsed by the city’s charms.
From the white-knuckle taxi rides to the incredible variety of people, cuisines, and things to do, New York City is a thrilling destination. And for this California girl, a trip there was a chance to see and do things I’d only read about or seen on a T.V. or movie screen: hailing a cab, ambling around Central Park, getting a hot dog from a street vendor, and visiting mind-blowing museums like MoMA and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was a thrill, and a pleasure, and my trip was all too brief. I hope to see you again soon, NYC – I’d love for us to get better acquainted!
Chinatown, New York style. I did some shopping, and was treated to the sight of some silvery, scaly beauty.

Riding the subway for the first time was a treat, and as we came out from underground, and rode along the tracks in the sunlight, I spied the iconic brick buildings and fire escapes I’d seen so many times before on T.V. or in a movie.
The Empire State Building was incredible. It was amazing to see the city from above – the taxis and cars looked like little ants down below.
Hubby and I – 102 stories up on the observation deck of the Empire State Building.
Our trip to MoMA touched my heart. An art major in college, and a big fan of van Gogh, I was thrilled to see Starry Night in person.
We just took in a fraction of the work at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The collection is so vast, it would take days – maybe weeks- to enjoy it all properly. It was surreal, and a joy, to see works of art I’d only seen in textbooks and in slideshows in person! This photo was taken on the second story of the museum, looking across Central Park.
Central Park was the place to be – it was full of people enjoying the summer’s day, and it’s truly a haven in the midst of all the concrete, glass and steel.
Times Square – talk about sensory overload! All the people, the lights, signs, and traffic! Oh, and all the horses – pulling tourists in carriages, that is.
We visited Carnegie Deli in Times Square, and shared a mammoth, delectable piece of cheesecake. Yuuuuumy!
Our trip to Ground Zero was solemn, and it didn’t surprise me that it started raining as we left the site – it was as if Mother Nature was trying to cleanse the wound that had been opened nearly four years before.
French restaurant Les Sans Culottes was scrumptious! I had the Shrimp Provencal…
One of my favorite meals and experiences from the whole trip was a meal at Dominick’s out in the Bronx. There was no set menu, and it was a delicious, authentic, charming experience. We were with a group of locals – a very friendly group – and were so busy eating the food that hit the table (antipasto salad, stuffed mushrooms, and much more!) that I failed to take any photos. Dessert? The most fabulous strawberry gelato from a place a few doors down. The experience was deeply satisfying on every level.
We also had great meals at PJ Clarke’s (where I had the best corn on the cob I’d had in decades!) and Little Johnnies – a pizza place (we dined on a white bean salad and a scrumptious thin crust pizza).
Though I crammed a lot of wonderful experiences and meals into my short stay, what I fit in barely scratched the surface of all that New York City has to offer. The city is so diverse and so densely packed, there are literally wonderful things to do, see, and taste around every corner. It’s like they say in the musical On the Town: “New York, New York! It’s a helluva town!” I hope I’m able to entrust my life to one of those fearless taxi drivers and make my way onto the island of Manhattan again soon…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, ethnic markets, life in general, photography
Tagged New York City, NYC
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A Quick Trip to “Persia”
One of my favorite cheap ways to “travel” is to visit ethnic markets and restaurants. Real travel isn’t in the budget this year, so hubby and I decided to take in some Persian markets and cuisine last Sunday and had a great time! We’re lucky enough to live in a very diverse area, and enjoy the exposure we get to different lands and peoples even while staying close to home. I hope you enjoy this peek into our recent adventure, and hope you’re inspired to visit an ethnic market in your area.
Our first stop was Wholesome Choice market, and while the store is more of a multi-ethnic international market, it had a lot of Persian food items – Indian as well. We began in the produce department, and I drank in the gorgeous and unusual sights. Discovering a new (to me) fruit or veggie is always fun!
Such pretty colors!
Can you tell what this is?
Yep – melon!
Beautiful – and unfamiliar. This is the fruit from a Rambutan tree, and I was relieved to read on Wikipedia that the fruit is peeled before it’s eaten!
As we made our way through the store we found some more interesting things. I fell in love with an unusual jar of honey – it was filled with nuts, and was called Ari’s Aligned Nuts. Gorgeous! I didn’t purchase it, though I wanted to, because the jar was nearly $8 and I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy eating the contents. I may head back for it at some point. So pretty…
Ari’s Aligned Nuts (in honey)
Naturally there was a large selection of rice, spices, and grains. Though the store features many “standard American” brands and products, there were some decidedly more exotic items in the store as well. For example, they sell hookahs and the related hoses. You won’t see that at Albertsons!
Hubby shopping in the rice section…
Hookah hoses on the household goods aisle.
We ended up purchasing an assortment of goodies, including some Persian sweets, and a yogurt/soda drink.
We also got some olives, lentils, and unusually-colored tomatoes.
Our next stop was Caspian, a nearby Persian restaurant, and the food was delicious! I ordered the Chicken Soltana, while hubby ate an assortment of goodies from their buffet. My meal portion was huge, and we both had the leftovers for dinner!
Chicken Soltana at Caspian – my lunch and our dinner!
Tummies full, we proceeded to Super Irvine, a market that’s a stone’s throw from Caspian. I oohed and aahed over the bags of rice near the door – they zipped open and closed, had handles, and featured appealing graphics! I reluctantly walked away though – it was just too much rice for two people to use in a reasonable amount of time.
One of two signs on the Super Irvine storefront.
Moving on, I had to take a picture with the lavash bread (huge!) before meandering through the rest of the store. Our purchases at Super Irvine included a bottle of pomegranate juice, and some feta cheese.
Big slabs of bread!
The last stop on our Persian adventure was a sweet shop called Assal Pastry, which was just down the way from Super Irvine. Hubby was quick to pick out four cake-like pastries, and I selected something called Bamieh, which is likely deep fried dough drizzled in a sweet syrup. Yum!
Bamieh
Some of the sweets we purchased – almond tarts, bamieh, and pistachio nougat.
Though our outing was brief, and was a mere glimpse into the Persian food experience, I’m really glad we went. Trips like these give my senses a little jolt, and I cherish the new sights, sounds, tastes, and smells. Exploring new things energizes my artistic and creative spirit, and though I still want to travel much farther afield, you can’t beat getting a dash of a “foreign” experience without having to pack a thing or experience jet lag!
Have you visited any ethic markets lately? If not, are you hoping to? I’d love to hear about it and welcome you to comment. I also invite you to take a peek at my blog posts on Little India, a Korean market and Chinatown if you haven’t seen them already…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in ethnic food, ethnic markets, life in general, restaurants
Tagged Caspian Restaurant, Persian food, Super Irvine, Wholesome Choice Market
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From the Archives: some blogtastic posts you may have missed the first time around…
I’ve been a very busy girl! I’ve published over 135 posts in the last year, and since you may have missed a few – especially if you’re a newer reader – I thought I’d mention the ARCHIVES feature that resides along the right side of this page – just below RECENT POSTS. Simply select a month and go! You may start at the very beginning (August 2010) and read forward, or just skip around.
In addition, here’s a compilation of links, by category, to some of the more popular posts I’ve published in the last year. I hope you’ll all find something interesting (and possibly “new to you”) to enjoy!*
Photography
The Joys of iPhone Photography
Harvesting Bounty at the Farmers Market
Life in General
Letting My Inner Child Out to Play: Roller Skating
Art
Making the Most of a Travel Journal
Drawing a Blank? Prompts for Writers & Artists
Recipes
Something Sweet: Triple Chocolate Cake Recipe
Something Sweet: Blueberry-Lemon Muffins Recipe
Something Sweet: Almond Brittle Recipe
Crafts
Green Craft Project: Upcycled & Embellished Metal Cans
A Helpful Hint for My Fellow Paper Addicts: Making a Paper Swatch Ring
Paper, Glass & Wire Butterflies
Travel
A Photographic Tour: New Orleans, Louisiana
Haiku
Ethnic Markets
Little India: So Near, Yet So Far Away
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Friendly Giveaway Reminder
My blog birthday giveaway winners will be announced on August 30, 2011 so please enter today. You could win a $15 iTunes gift card, a pack of my handmade photo notecards, or a $25 Visa gift card! (Giveaway details/entry HERE) I hope you join the fun…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, art journaling, art supplies, baking, crafts, ethnic food, ethnic markets, family, giveaway, haiku, inner child, inspiration, life in general, movies, nature, photography, poetry, recipes, restaurants, vintage, writing
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A Photographic Tour: Kansas
I had the pleasure of traveling to Kansas two years ago, and really enjoyed my trip. Three Southern California friends and I converged on Lincoln, Kansas in August of 2008, and we met up with three other friends there – including a friend who actually lives in Lincoln. We were there to attend an art show that many of us had artwork in, and to see some of the local sights. Lincoln, Kansas may be a small town, but they’ve got a great art center, and an active arts community.
What a great trip! We visited, laughed endlessly, saw the sights, shopped, tromped through sunflower fields, and ate some yummy food. Oh, and attended the art show! It was a wonderful trip for me – one I’ll always look back on with fondness and a big smile. Thanks to my two friends who live in Kansas and hosted, we had lovely breakfasts – including a printed menu of what we’d be dining on each day. Many other special touches – like a surprise guest, scrumptious desserts, and handmade souvenir books – added to the “they thought of everything” glow the weekend took on.
We did a fair amount of rambling around the countryside and surrounding areas in a vehicular caravan, and did some sightseeing in Lincoln proper as well. Here are some of the photos I took – I hope you enjoy them.
Oh, and I found out well after my trip that my beloved maternal grandmother, Neva, was born in Lincoln. I was flabbergasted! Of all the places in Kansas, I ended up staying in the town she was born in?! I may share more on that in a later post, but in the meantime I’ll say that I think the six degrees of separation just shrank to about three degrees…
On our first morning of sightseeing we came across this field of “spent” sunflowers.
The blooms were dried, but the sunflowers were still beautiful.

And yep, the field was out in the middle of nowhere…
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Our next stop was the town of Hunter, where I photographed a lovely, worn building.
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This window was “compromised”, but was still beautiful to me…
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We continued on to Cawker City, and saw the World’s Largest Ball of Sisal Twine!
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They let folks add twine to the ball, so here I am – tying some on!
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While on our way back to Lincoln, we hit the motherlode – a blooming field of sunflowers!
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We jumped out of the cars and started wading into the field of flowers, armed with our cameras.
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This experience was heavenly – pure bliss – for an adventuresome photographer and nature lover like me. And how wonderful to share it with friends!
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The art show was fantastic, and the Lincoln Art Center is a jewel in Lincoln.
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My submission was a series of collages that combined autobiographical sentiments with vintage images and ephemera. You can see five of the nine collages here, in my gallery.
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Our second day of sightseeing started in Lincoln proper. I found some great bargains at the local thrift store, as well as some other goodies at one of the stores there on the main strip.
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Another town we visited was Minneapolis, Kansas.
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I found this gorgeous, rusted car in between a few buildings when I was roaming around and taking photos.
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Proof that the post of a simple street sign can be beautiful…
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After lunch and some more shopping in Concordia, we stopped at this INCREDIBLE brick mural. Look at the surface texture, and the movement of the brick. It undulates – undulates, for God’s sake!
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A detail shot of the custom mural, that was painstakingly created – brick by brick. AMAZING.
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I only had two days to sightsee in Kansas, and it wasn’t nearly enough. I know there are many things yet to see and do there. However, I’ll always be thankful for all that I did see and do on this first trip. Hopefully it won’t be my last. I hope to visit the state and town that my sweet grandmother was born in again, and soon.
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Warm regards,
Melody
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p.s. Have you entered this month’s giveaway yet?
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Also posted in art, life in general, nature, photography
Tagged art show, Cawker City, Kansas, Lincoln Art Center, Lincoln-Kansas, sunflower fields, World's Largest Ball of Sisal Twine
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A Photographic Tour: New Orleans, Louisiana
I traveled to New Orleans in Feburary 2010 to participate in the inaugural Mardi Gras Half Marathon (which took place a few weeks after the actual Mardi Gras), and am SO glad I did. What a city! New Orleans is truly a feast for the senses. There’s plenty to see and do, and good God – the food is incredible! I can’t wait to return, and hope to make it back to the Big Easy soon – very soon!
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See & Do
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Though New Orleans at large still shows some residual effects of the havoc wreaked by Katrina, it’s business as usual where tourism is concerned and I saw very little evidence of the hurricane in the areas I visited. I was happy to support the city and its inhabitants with my tourism dollars.
I read someplace that New Orleans is the “most foreign” city on U.S. soil, and I agree – it’s certainly unique. I was utterly charmed by the architecture – from large, stately homes in the Garden District, to the ornate railings lining the balconies in the French Quarter. A sense of history saturates New Orleans – and visual reminders of days past are plentiful. The streetcars rumbling through the city were particularly pleasing, as were the plastic Mardi Gras beads dripping off many of the city’s trees – a reminder of their famous yearly party.
Historic Final Resting Places
Somber but beautiful, New Orleans cemeteries are worth a visit – particularly the older ones. Instead of being buried underground, the deceased in New Orleans are interred in above ground crypts. Why? The water level in the area is so high that coffins often float if buried. These stone resting places are an interesting glimpse into the past and are yet another reminder of how New Orleans is undeniably unique.
Go Wild!
If you want to get out of the city, try the swamps – there are a number of tours you can take. I took a swamp tour, and really enjoyed the scenery – including beautiful moss-laden trees. We even saw an alligator or two, though it was a bit cold/early in the season. Folks that go on swamp tours during the warmer months are sure to see many more gators!
Sightseeing By Foot
If you’re a distance walker or runner, please consider doing the marathon or half marathon – it’s a great time! With bands dotting the course, and incredible sights to see all along the 13.1 or 26.2 miles, this race is a winner!
OMG – the food!
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My mouth is watering just remembering some of the scrumptious things I ate in New Orleans. I was lucky enough to eat at a wide range of eateries during my stay – from Emeril’s restaurant (great food and service!) to a place with a decidedly more “dive bar & grill ” kind of feel (had a shrimp Po’ Boy sandwich), and I enjoyed them all. I’ll share five of my eating experiences in pictures below. I hope to eat at all these places again next time – yum!
If you want a light breakfast to start off your day, don’t go to the Fleur de Lis Café in the French Quarter. My breakfast was beyond hearty and massive, but it was perfect for my last meal in New Orleans, since I’d be eating little and sporadically while flying home. The ladies working at the Fleur de Lis charmed me with their southern accents – and I fondly remember being called “baby” in a way that wasn’t demeaning or condescending – just friendly and kind.
New Orleans is known for their muffalettas – Italian sandwiches with marinated olive salad, salami, ham, and cheese on a round sesame loaf – so I visited Central Grocery, where the sandwiches originated. I bought half of a muffaletta and some iced tea, and had a picnic outside. Though the olive salad mixture was a bit strong for my palate, I enjoyed the sandwich once I’d taken most of it off. (I know that’s probably sacrilege – sorry!) I was happy to have tried a true New Orleans original. Oh, and I love the bag I bought at Central Grocery!
The Acme Oyster House was recommended to me, and my meal there was what I ate right after walking the half marathon. I had grilled oysters, hush puppies, jumbalaya, and pecan cobbler. Ravenous and eager to eat just about anything, I was thrilled when the food turned out to be truly delicious. Acme tends to have a line, so be prepared.
Another edible treat that New Orleans is known for is the beignets. A pastry made from deep-fried dough, and liberally coated in Confectioner’s sugar, beignets are both messy and delicious. Perhaps the best-known place to get these goodies is Café Du Monde, and their French Quarter location is open 24 hours a day!
Willie Mae’s Scotch House has been an institution in New Orleans for decades and with good reason. The fried chicken is amazing! It’s so good that when the restaurant was damaged by hurricane Katrina, and was in danger of not re-opening, volunteers banded together to help rebuild and restore the restaurant. Having seen the restaurant on one of the food channels, I planned much of my trip’s sightseeing schedule around when I could go to Willie Mae’s.
Suggestion: Do some research on Willie Mae’s before arriving in New Orleans. Long lines and a long food wait can be avoided by getting there right when the restaurant opens, and I seem to recall them only accepting cash and having somewhat limited business hours.
That said, all my Willie Mae’s Scotch House planning and preparation was worth it. I usually only eat chicken breast (without bone or skin) and I ate everything they brought me, including the skin. It was fantastically good fried chicken!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into my trip to New Orleans. I wholeheartedly recommend that you visit and explore this incredible city if you have the means. A trip to New Orleans will feed both your body and soul…
Warm regards,
Melody