Today I had a reading with Miss Raven! The shop was able to schedule me in and before I knew it,…read moreRaven was whisking me away for our read! It was amazing! I laughed, almost cried, felt seen!!! Thank you so much for your wisdom, insight, and time with me!

This shop is recommended by NOLA famous High Priest Robi Gilmore as authentic. They have tons of…read moreherbs and ingredients to practice vodou (which is the actual way to spell and say it if you're talking Haitian Creole, like voh-doo). They have alters and figurines. Candles and protective charms. There are educational explanations pinned up around the shop for many of the items on display so you can learn about the practice while perusing. They also have voodoo dolls, which Robi has mentioned are NOT an authentic part of the religion. While the shop has a lot of interesting inventory, it was super crowded in here and very touristy, so you really couldn't enjoy the wares or talk to the employees (who I'm told are knowledgeable and interesting, but alas I'll never know for myself). That's the main reason for four stars instead of five.

Definitely worth it to stop by if you're in the area for a photo with your group of friends. I've…read moregone here twice now for a photo. I actually just really love the artwork from Greetings Tour, so whenever I see a mural similar to this, I always take a photo in front it.

Super cute and colorful mural! Perfect for a shot to take back home from NOLA. Located on Magazine…read moreStreet away from the craziness in the French Quarter. There are many shops around. Perfect area to stroll around. It was not very busy. We went on a Sunday at 4:30 PM.

This piece just jumps and grabs you. it is amazing. I dare you not to look. You can't do it. It is…read morethe masterful work of Brazilian painter Carlos Eduardo Fernandes Leo, AKA (artistically known as) Eduardo Kobra. The mural was painted in 2019 and is 45 feet tall. It depicts a close up of a wide eyed Louis Armstrong blowing into his trumpet. The artist had to work around 10 windows on the building to paint the mural and keep the flow going. In order to do so, he just blended them into the mural's colorful translucent geometric pattern. It is very realistic and looks like a photograph. However, the mural is divided into different color filtered squares. Those geometric patterns are a trademark of Kobra's style. Kobra said, the rainbow colors "symbolize that people are all the same." It really looks like he is looking at you. This is one of my favorite pieces, not only in the CBD, but in the entire city. The mural is on the side of The Rampart Hotel and overlooks a paid parking lot. The building is over 100 tears old and fittingly is located in a part of the city that what was known for jazz-era nightclubs. There is metered street parking and paid lots available nearby to park and get out to take a closer look. You could also get a good look from the windshield of your car doing a slow rolling drive by. Anyway, as with most murals I have reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You should consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals and attractions in the area, such as the SuperDome, to maximize your time and trip. Fu Fact: The mural was dedicated on the 118th anniversary of the Satchmo's birth.

This small market was a gem, and a great place to support local artists! It's open thursday-sunday…read morefrom 7pm-12am, and you can follow them on Instagram @artgardennola It's a small rectangular area with booths on the sides and the center. When we went on a Thursday evening, it wasn't too busy. The lights throughout the market during the night added a great touch, and all of the artists are nice and friendly. There's a moderate selection of art; there's about maybe 12 booths throughout the market. Some of the booths had great deals too of you bought more than one item!

Unexpected find! We…read morewere on Frenchman when we noticed this area. It's essentially a mini art walk of sorts as many vendors sell their crafts there. Don't be fooled though. The pieces are pricey. You can tell a lot of work has been put into these pieces and let me tell you all those pieces range in diversity. Paintings, sculptures, jewelry, even toilet seats. The creativity knows no bounds. A good thing to sightsee. Vendors are generally friendly.

I'm intrigued by all things spooky, murder, true crime, death, etc. and had been wanting to go to…read moresome sort of murder museum for a LONG TIME. But it seems they're always in tourist-y towns, never close to where I live. But of course while planning the New Orleans trip, we had to add this to the itinerary. Right when you walk in, there is a little gift shop we perused at first. There was lots of really cool little knick knacks, and looking back on it, I regret not getting anything. The other three girls were extremely intrigued by all the posters and art lining the wall, and Rachel went back and forth on getting this one piece of art so many times. (Side note, she decided to not get it, but a couple days later on the trip, she was so distraught about her choice to not get it, that she requested we go back to the museum simply so she didn't have to leave New Orleans without it). I saw a t-shirt or baseball cap or something that said something to the effect of "I Came to the Museum of Death and puked" or passed out or something, and I saw it before we even went in! I have an extremely high tolerance for blood, and murder & death related things, so I wasn't necessarily worried at that point, but I was extremely curious what us 4 girls were about to get ourselves into. It's disappointing I have no pictures to attach because they didn't allow photography of any sort inside. I really wish I did, because this museum was packed with things right up my alley. There was a huge serial killer artifacts, including letters written by serial killers, artwork by serial killers, and memorbilia from murder scenes, like O.J. Simpson and the Manson Family. I didn't know this until later, but I guess the New Orleans Museum of Death has the biggest collection of Serial Killer artwork anywhere. There was lots of explicit and graphic photos of famous deaths and car crashes, taxidermy, and autopsy tools. It's funny because I already knew I was going to like that stuff. But I didn't know how the other girls would do. Even if they seemed intrigued, I knew at least Ashley struggled to look at real crime scene photos. But all the girls seemed to do really well; even if it was hard to look at it, they had a hard time looking away. I was unbelievably amazed that I was looking at the actual handwriting of notorious serial killers on paper, and I could barely believe my eyes that I was looking at actual artifacts and memorbilia, like the bra and panties of Aileen Wurnos. Around 3/4ths through the museum, I started feeling kinda nauseous. That had been a somewhat recurring theme during my New Orleans trip, and I truly think it was just because I was away from home in an unfamiliar territory (so I was anxious constantly, although I was having SO much fun), it was UNBELIEVABLY hot and humid being below sea level, so I was always sweaty and uncomfortable. And we were drinking alcohol every couple hours every single day, so my stomach just wasn't happy with me. And although I know for a fact I wasn't ill because of the material in the museum, but I'm sure it didn't help. I was *mostly* done with looking at what I wanted to anyway, so I asked Ashley if she'd sit down with me while we wait for the others to be done. We were hoping there would be some sort of seating toward the end, and sure enough, there was the perfect place for us to relax and wait. The end of the museum has a Theater of Death, it is literally just a room with maybe about 6-8 church pews in front of a movie theater screen TV, that just plays an endless stream of gore. We were seeing heads get chopped off, violent executions, police finding dead bodies inside attics, and just the most gory scenes. It was such a funny and ironic moment, that we went to find solace and somewhere to relax, and that was where we wound up. Even though I can handle A LOT of gore, even sitting watching that for 20-25 minutes straight was quite the sickening experience. I feel like we spent ample time at the Museum of Death, and I don't feel like we rushed ourselves or missed anything. But I do hope I get the opportunity to go back another time, so I can get more time viewing and appreciating the artifacts collected to make such an interesting museum. I'd also love to see the other location(s?) of Museum of Death.

I walked out after 5 minutes. Tourist trap that profits off glorifying serial killers and…read morecommodifying murder through shock value. I didn't leave feeling thought-provoked, enlightened or creeped out. I left feeling heavy, confused and physically sickened. Some people may like that, like that one website from millennial times where they would show you shocking pictures of death to get clicks, but not me! Misleading signage in front makes it look educational. $20 basically helped to pay off this "museum's" investment in serial killer prison art, photos of dead/murdered people, including children, displayed like a quirky tchotchke. I identify as being dark and macabre, majorly Scorpio, super fascinated by medical history, psychology, shadow side of humans and support normalizing death, but my god, these are people's family members that were murdered or died by tragic accident being consumed for fun. The tone was to shock. It seemed to normalize the consumption of shocking acts, objectification of people and disruption of empathy. It also smelled really bad. I'm not trying to be vindictive (as someone who works at a science museum, could be improperly preserved specimens) but it smelled so bad I had to put my mask on. The back of the ticket says their exhibits may fall on you and they're not responsible. They don't explain this when they take your money and hand your admission card, didn't realize until I got back to my stay.

This is a great little street fair that people can sell their products. I think it's in a good…read morelocation, right smack dab in the middle of Frenchmen. There are some interesting products and one might find something unique, especially if they're having a really good time, since it's open late. If in the area, you should check it out!

This open air art market is located in The Marigny entertainment district on Frenchmen Street. It's…read moreright next to The Spotted Cat music club. It is two sections of many local artists selling their wares. At night it is well lit and has a festive feel to it. Browse by, look at the art and talk to the artists most of which are there selling New Orleans/Louisiana centric work. Paintings, jewelry, posters, souvenirs, etc. Not cheap Bourbon Street types of things. Frenchmen Street has a great music scene and this Bazaar is a pleasant way to spend a little time between clubs. It is a nice place to visit.

I had the distinct pleasure of visiting this interactive cultural funhouse, highlighting the Joy /…read moreArt / Music of New Orleans. It was truly a love letter to the city, full of colorful, unique, and creative art exhibitions, all made out of recycled materials (which I found to be impressive and admirable)! There was a curated playlist of amazing jazz music playing throughout, which really set the tone delightfully! Upon entering, guests are welcomed into the space and there was a personable and helpful guide who described the space, then led us into the opening rooms. The first one was blue with neon pink, green, and glowing, with letters, symbols, and TV screens, comprising of one big puzzle. The next is a long hallway of hot pink with blue detailing and lights throughout, along with cool protruding, spongy shapes representing organs on the walls. Very psychedelic vibes! This led into a large space with sculptures of a larger than life alligator mouth open wide, creature atop a huge pot with the words "Stir the Pot," crawfish, tall lily pads, insect jazz band, peacock and more. There was also a cool, pretty flower wall, and upon closer inspection, I discovered they were made out of records. From there, I headed upstairs to see the blue, purple, and pink room holding the gorgeous Fountain of Youth glowing bright blue, filled with gold coins in them for wishes. The ceiling was lush and leafy with a lovely hanging light, as well as a pearly oyster shell inspired one. In addition, there was a shotgun style house with a balcony we could go in. Back downstairs, I explored a bar neon colored words related to New Orleans all over the walls, with upside down piano & drinks. Next, I checked out a decorative white a black room, featuring a glowing green stand. With the press of a button, it turned the room disco-y blue with a glow in the dark effect. After that, I went into the beautiful Desire themed room with humongous pearl structures hanging down, where you can write and release your true desires. Such a dreamy, ethereal feel to this one! There was a little sleek and sexy speakeasy space, called Candlelight Lounge. Then was one of my favorite exhibits: Feast Mode, displaying glittery New Orleans culinary delight classics in true indulgent style, as well as super funky, fun paintings and art pieces. Near this room was a window with full of shiny, delicately constructed objects of vibrant colors representing New Orleans. This was a glitzy video opp with props offered, with the phone going in the center, spinning around and capturing us dancing, shimmying, or whatever suits your fancy! The remaining few installations were music themed with drums and large silver circles, which could be played, emitting different sounds to create a symphony of song. At the end, there was a room showcasing larger than life sculptures of heads of musical greats, including Louis Armstrong, Lil Wayne, and Big Freedia. I really enjoyed my time here. Staff were super welcoming, accommodating, and helpful with photos throughout. The artistry, detail, and care was visible throughout each and every art piece and room. JAMNOLA was such a fun experience and I recommend you check it out for yourself!

I took my 12 year old daughter to JAMNOLA and we had a blast…read more Every room was something different, super colorful, interactive, and just fun. She was excited the whole time, and honestly so was I. It's one of those places where you can actually enjoy it as an adult and still let your kid have their moment too. We definitely got some really cute pictures, so if you're into that, you're going to love it. It's very "stop, pose, next room, do it again" in the best way. It's not a super long experience, but it's worth it. I'd say give yourself about an hour, maybe a little longer if you're taking your time with photos. Only tip is try to go when it's not too crowded, because some people really turn it into a full photoshoot and you'll be waiting a little. Overall, I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you have kids or just want something different to do in the city.

Picking up the pieces and turning it into art…read more This is literally how "The "Scrap House" Memorial to Hurricane Katrina was built. New Orleans artist Sally Heller created a house "uprooted" by the winds of Katrina and "hurled" onto an abstract tree. The piece was created from scrap metal that was salvaged from 55-gallon oil drums and other debris left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's destruction. The monumental sculpture was unveiled on August 29, 2009, the fourth anniversary of the storm. The piece stands across the street from the New Orleans Convention Center where many evacuees lived after their homes were destroyed. The piece is sad and beautiful simultaneously. The house is askew. The eaves and shutters are broken. The branches hold a house that doesn't belong there. The house reflects the damage that local residents saw in the aftermath of the storm with houses in trees, boats on top of cars and destruction everywhere. A haunting piece, indeed.

The National WWII Museum in New Orleans was absolutely great! The entire campus is incredibly well…read morelaid out, packed with tons of interactive exhibits that keep you fully engaged from start to finish. A massive highlight was the 4D theater movie narrated by Tom Hanks--it was awesome and is highly recommended if you visit. Make sure you give yourself definitely a few hours to go through everything so you can properly learn and take in as much as possible. If you are staying next door at the Higgins Hotel, there is a small ticket discount available, which is a nice perk. We didn't get to try the food inside the museum, choosing instead to go offsite to Magazine Pizza. It's located within steps of the museum and turned out to be a smarter choice cost-wise, I think!

Two of my cousins visit annually because they love this museum so much. When they told me that hat…read moreI knew we add it to our vacation itinerary! We decided to visit on a rainy Thursday morning. We got there right after they opened. All of the staff and volunteers were so friendly and helpful. We went through all of the exhibits at the museum. Learned a lot and am so glad we visited!

Many of the old warehouses have been converted to hotels, shops & residences. A lot of the old…read morewarehouse charm is still intact. A lot of the warehouses are near the docks where the ships would come in. Fortunately this area looks pretty cleaned up there aren't people passed out on the street here.

I stayed in the Warehouse District on two separate occasions while visiting New Orleans: to run the…read moreRock 'n' Roll Marathon New Orleans which just happened to have its starting line within the district, and to celebrate my birthday. On both occasions I picked out hotels within the district because of what attractions are within and nearby. The Warehouse District has a very trendy and artsy vibe. I absolutely adored how these warehouses are being utilized in the form of galleries, boutiques, studios, hotels, innovative restaurants, and coffee shops. After the 1984 World's Fair, the neighborhood was revitalized and transformed into what it is now. The city of New Orleans has certainly set a standard that other cities should follow rather than letting old warehouses go unused in my opinion. There are plentiful sights, activities, restaurants, and shopping centers within the district, or within a radius of it. Some that I took note of and experienced were Fulton Street, Julia Street, The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, The New Orleans Ernest N Morial Convention Center, Mississippi River Heritage Park, the World War II Museum, Harrah's, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Smoothie King Center, and Lafayette Square. And if you wish to visit the crown jewel of the city known as French Quarter, the Warehouse District sits just south of it within walking distance. ~Blessings~   Thomas G