Are you headed to New Orleans for this year’s Mardis Gras? Here are 5 experiences you can’t miss while you’re there:

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1. Dinner at Dooky Chase’s: I was last in New Orleans in 2019 for my 22nd Breast Cancerversary celebration. Let me tell you, NOLA has the BEST Komen celebration I’ve ever experienced! You should attend even if you’re not a survivor. Dooky Chase had been on my “to-eat” list for years and I finally made it for the lunch buffet. It was an excellent experience with superb food, beautiful art, and delightful patrons! The good digestive news was that I was able to easily find food that fit within my IBS diet and it wasn’t too spicy. Make reservations and get ready for a delicious dining experience.

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2. New Orleans Streetcars: There’s nothing like seeing the city by using its public transportation.  Also, parking in New Orleans is expensive and aggessive so the streetcars are a handy method of getting around. New Orleans began its Street Car service in 1835 with the St. Charles Avenue line which is still active today. A great benefit to riding the streetcars is the cost: $3.00 for a day pass with unlimited rides is a steal. Another benefit of riding the streetcars: watching wedding parties dance along the tracks!

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3. Cemeteries: Of course New Orleans has above-ground burial! The city itself is below sea level and has a high water table making under ground burials impractical and unsanitary. There are 6 municipal cemeteries in New Orleans, the oldest being Layfayette Cemetary No. 1 founded in 1833. The cripts are fascinating and tell stories of the families, lovers, bandits, and history of New Orleans. Most cemeteries will be closed from Saturday through Fat Tuesday so plan to stay in New Orleans after Mardi Gras or visit earlier in the week. 

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4. Street Art: New Orleans is a city filled with art from food (pralines, etouffee), to music (Big Freedia, the Neville families, Irma Thomas, etc.), to street art. You can find works by Banksy in New Orleans as well as local artist Brandon “BMIKE” Odums. Discovering beautiful street art is something I enjoy while traveling and I love that it is ever evolving, ever expanding, and often ever challenging. Pack comfortable shoes and sunblock and bring an open mind and heart.

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5. Museums: New Orleans is more than Bourbon Street, the Superdome, or Harras’s Casino. There are dozens of museums in the city from the Amistaad Research Center to the Voodoo Museum and all things in between. I visited to the New Orleans African American Museum and was completely enamored with the Afrofuture Ground Zero exhibit. I look forward to visiting again when I return, hopefully this year. 

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I have struggled to find a gluten-friendly King’s Cake this year. One of my health goals for 2023 is to ingest less sugar so my plan is buy a King’s cupcake. I’ve been advised to take an antihistamine first to see if that will help decrease my IBS symptoms but I’m undecided about that. I don’t want to add another drug to my pill box, although this would be a very occasional thing. Has anyone else tried this or have FODMAP-friendly King’s Cake ideas?

Be safe y’all, whether you’re in NOLA or Mobile, Alabama (HOME OF THE FIRST AMERICAN MARDI GRAS IN 1711 AND DON’T FIGHT ME ABOUT THIS), or your hometown.

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Laissez les bons temps rouler, y’all!!