I visited New Orleans from April 22nd to April 24th and it was a very fascinating city. Even during the pandemic, the city was still lively. Although my stay was short, I still visited many different places.

First, I ate dinner at Galatoire’s: a restaurant that serves French-creole food. In order to dine in their main room, a jacket for men was necessary, but my dad and I were unaware of this, so we were forced to dine in their back room. Although we were underdressed, the staff was very kind to us and helpful in explaining their menu. I enjoyed sweet bread, duck, and some chocolate dessert there, and this restaurant definitely helped me expand my palate.

The next day, my dad and I attempted to eat some breakfast at Cafe Du Monde, which is an iconic spot in New Orleans. However, the line to dine in there and even to pick up was extremely long and we had plans to visit the city, so we unfortunately did not have the time to wait. 

Instead of Cafe Du Monde, we made our way to Cafe Beignet, and it was amazing. The line was pretty long as well, but it went by fast. Everything there looked so delicious, especially the beignets, so we knew we had to try them. These warm, powdery pieces of dough were definitely a little messy, but they were delicious. I also enjoyed their famous lemonade and some New Orleans Pralines. 

The real main reason I went to visit the city was to go see Tulane University. Considering the average class only contains 1800 students, the campus was large. The students and admissions counselors were very cordial and helpful, and they did a great job of giving me a glimpse of what Tulane is really like. They explained various programs they offered; for instance, students can foster dogs on campus until they find a real home. It was a great experience to tour this prestigious institution, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Since the bookstore on campus was closed, the university sent us to an alumni-owned store called “Campus Connection” to buy some Tulane merchandise. There was not a huge selection in the store, so they were kind enough to design a plain green hoodie with “Tulane” on the front and are going to ship it to my house. They were very helpful and flexible with what I wanted. 

For dinner the second night, I dined at Doris Metropolitan, which is a steakhouse located in the heart of New Orleans. The restaurant is Israeli-owned, so the menu reflects this. The staff was extremely helpful in picking out the best meals and they recommended their filet and truffle fries. For dessert, we ate a delicious chocolate mousse cake with some pistachio ice cream.

The hotel that we resided in was the Ritz Carlton, and it was very interesting to say the least. It was in a great location, right next to one of the most famous streets in the city, Bourbon Street. In order to get to our room, we had to take two separate elevators. This was a bit of a hassle, but definitely worth it. The staff was very friendly at this hotel, too. 

Overall, the city was different from what I would have expected. It was very lively, even considering the pandemic, and the people here were extremely cordial and just seemed genuinely happy to be there. This city is like no other, and it is definitely worth a visit.