Our Babymoon: April in New Orleans, Part 1/3

Yours Truly in NOLA @ 31 Weeks

*This post is a long one...so sit back and relax (maybe with a drink, maybe not...a mimosa sounds nice...) or just come back when you have time. It's okay! No pressure. This is a safe space.*

A babymoon is an opportunity for soon-to-be parents to spend quality time as a couple before the baby arrives. I'm 100% new to this but I know having kids is a life changing event for partners. You're about to go from a comfortable party of 2 to an all-night rager of 3. Babymoons give us a chance to recharge and reconnect with each other before the hard work begins- like summer camp before school starts! 

We chose to visit New Orleans, Louisiana for a number of reasons: 1) Music 2) Food 3) Culture 4) A short distance from NYC that allowed us to maximize a long weekend.

Anyway, going through TSA while pregnant was not as eventful as I thought it would be but definitely check with your medical provider before making any travel plans. 

The 2.5 hour flight to NOLA was seamless. Did I mention that this was my first time in Louisiana? The people are so kind. Our Lyft driver picked us up from the airport and took us on a quick pit stop to the Visitors Center where we met more friendly Southerners.

We arrived hours early for check-in at our charming Uptown Airbnb but our gracious host allowed us to drop off our bags and play with her 2 adorable pups before we headed out on an important mission: lunch.

Magasin Vietnamese Cafe on Magazine St. 

Pho is probably not the first thing tourists think about eating when visiting NOLA but pregnancy cravings are real! Also, I heard/maybe watched something on TV about the rich history of the Vietnamese culture in NOLA and figured, hey- this might actually be a great place to have Vietnamese cuisine! Good thing I was informed because our meal was fantastic. We started out with shiitake mushroom fresh spring rolls, an eggplant banh mi, and before I finish- let me just explain that my sweet husband is a vegetarian which I fully support but I have yet to join the team- a bright & delicious vegan pho for the him, the most satisfying grilled shrimp bun for me. Apologies for the lo-res pictures. This place did not disappoint. 10/10 would eat there again.

After lunch, we went on a leisurely stroll back to our place. Thankfully, we stayed within walking distance of Magazine Street- a great part of town full of restaurants, bars, and shops. Once we got back, I put my feet up and took a nap before *surprise*: dinner!

Saba on Magazine St.

The Love of My Life with our Delicious Starters

100% credit goes to my husband for getting us reservations at this amazing Israeli restaurant. Saba is Alon Shaya's first restaurant since leaving Shaya (that's a different story to unpack so Google if you must). The food was incredible, the ambience was calming, and the people watching was fun! I've never been so excited to get refills on pita in my life. This was definitely an experience that I spent less time documenting and more time being present. We had such a great time and it was a nice way to end our first day in NOLA.

Stay tuned for a few more posts about our babymoon!