Travel can be transformative- particularly when the destination's tag line is, "you're different here". Reflecting on our recent trip to New Orleans, the experience was just that. My first trip to the Big Easy renewed my love of travel; it was the perfect combination of history, food, culture and friends. As we celebrated the wedding our friends Jason and Emily, Nola became a treasured destination.

Beyond Bourbon Street, I was captivated by the city's vibrant, bohemian energy and endless charm.

I managed to have my first po' boy at Acme Oyster House and my first hurricane at Pat O'Brien's all in one day. This is what I learned:

And any trip worth taking, in my book, involves some real estate ogling. A trolley ride over to the Garden District didn't disappoint, my friends. This one was a favorite. I won't lie, I took a picture in front of it. LOVE.

But perhaps my fondest memory of this trip was "second lining" in our friends wedding parade through the streets of the French Quarter. Nothing beats the celebratory feel of a brass band and some beads.