to a new city and this one time in New Orleans,

let me tell you:

we brought back some amazing memories.

New Orleans has some serious character,

quirk, and charm.

And don't mind the insanely cool vintage

shopping, the gram-worthy foodie scene, and

the colorful French-inspired neighborhoods.

Are you ready?

Let's start with the basics.

We're going to drop my bags and fall into

my bed after an epic New Orleans day.

The Henry Howard Hotel is located in the historic

Garden District and dates all the way back

to 1867.

It was originally built as a double-parlor

mansion by architect Henry Howard,

who is our namesake.

It was built for a millionaire but since then,

it's been renovated into this beautiful luxury hotel.

We all really want to make the Henry Howard

a story experience for our guests and for

our visitors and for them to feel kind of the

history and to imagine what it might have

been like.

Every detail here is flawless.

From the furniture to the custom made wallpaper,

this hotel is perfect for a weekend getaway.

The staff is friendly and welcoming and the beds—

I could stay wrapped in these pillows

and sheets all day.

But I just got here and it's time to explore.

One of my favorite things to do is take a

step back in time and hop on the

St. Charles Streetcar to get around town.

You pass through all the old architecture

and gorgeous oak tree-lined streets.

New Orleans is probably best known for its

beignets and Bourbon Street.

And don't get me wrong,

that's a great time,

but let's take a look at the NOLA

outside of the tourist scene.

I'm looking for a few great meals and stories

to take back to New York with me.

Katie's is a neighborhood restaurant for

the entire city.

It's a gumbo of culture.

This neighborhood establishment is still serving

traditional New Orleans cuisine up to all its

loyal customers.

We work as a family here.

It's a really close-knit restauraunt.

And I met my wife here.

I hired her as a waitress back in the '90s

and we're living the dream today.

Okay, now that I'm nice and full,

it's time to work off that lunch the best way

I know how: shopping!

This is my favorite part of any trip.

I love finding new treasures that I can take

back home with me.

Every time I wear them,

it reminds me of my trip and my fun memories there.

This trip, I'm hitting up Saint Claude's Social Club

for some serious hunting.

This unique spot was created by two women,

for women, to create an artistic space while

making a statement about the city's style.

Bold, colorful, eclectic

which is honestly wardrobe goals.

We wanted to make a store that kind of embodied

what we thought New Orleans fashion was,

that is colorful and fun.

We want anyone to walk in here

and find something that they can connect with.

The social club aspect is a big thing in New Orleans.

It's not that men are not allowed here,

we just really want to celebrate women here.

That's why we have this women's parlor aspect

so that women can come in and do creative

things together.

New Orleans is one of the best places for

food and this is coming from a current New Yorker.

Right now we're at Paladar 511.

They're massive open kitchen and industrial

vibe is a far cry from Bourbon Street.

The San Francisco native team who opened this

place wanted to highlight amazing New Orleans

ingredients

but in a way that was new.

And let me tell you: they nailed it.

From the boozy, classic cocktails to the fresh

tuna crudo, this meal was fantastic.

But you better leave some room for dessert

because I'm checking out a special place

where you can have your cake

and your bourbon too.

Bakery Bar is my dream spot tucked away in

the Lower Garden District.

Here you can sample some of New Orleans'

traditional doberge eight layer cake

along with a delicious cocktail.

Sign me up please!

Bakery Bar is the storefront of Debbie Does Doberge

which is a bakery company that's

been in operation for about six years.

It's the brainchild of Charlotte McGehee

and her partner Charles Mary.

They were operating as a pop-up,

doing different things, they needed a storefront.

Charlotte had worked in bakeries,

worked in bars, and she was like,

“Working in bakeries is not great.

Let's open a bar.”

So we have a bakery bar.

Dobage, Doberge, Dobiage — you can say it

however your grandma says it.

It's several thin layers of cake but then

there's icing between the layers; it's pudding.

So you stack up the layers and then pour a

fondant icing on the outside and you've got doberge.

The best part of the New Orleans nightlife is

that every night is a party.

You can't come here without a walk down

Frenchmen Street.

On weeknights, you can pop by the art market

and see what local artists are creating in

this inspiring city.

Take a picture in front of the old historic walks

and catch a jazz band playing late into the night.

Now this party is just getting started but

don't take it from me.

You gotta explore this place for yourself.

From the people to the food to the art and

to the music, New Orleans is a city you can't

just visit once!