Travel To New Orleans – A Day In Bywater

live seasoned new orleans bywater travel

One day in Bywater, you say? Great! Grab your camera and your purse (or pack) and let’s go…

First stop in at Satsuma for fresh juice, coffee and a bite to eat. Each morning I ordered a shot of celery and lime juice with lots of cayenne. After you’re fueled up, sift through the antiques, oddities and treasures in the shops on the same block.

Mosey around the neighborhood snapping photographs and marveling at the restored shotgun houses, murals and community gardens.

When hunger and heat strike, stop at the neighborhood bar, Mimi’s in the Marigny, for some tapas and cold brews. Always, always, always order the ‘Trust Me’ tapas. There’s a pool table and upstairs lounge as well if you’re looking to hang out for awhile.

After lunch, relax near the water in the lovely gardens of Crescent Park. I recommend entering the park at the Mandeville Crossing entrance at Marigny and N Peters Street and walking east until you see the rusty rainbow foot bridge.

For dinner you can keep it quick at Pizza Delicious or you can treat yourself at The Franklin. If you don’t make it to The Franklin for dinner though, you must stop in for cocktails. Try the Pompila or the G.N.T. Peel.

That’s that my friends. Hopefully you have enough energy to go listen to some live music after a full day of Bywater bliss.

*This post was inspired by a single film photo taken on my first evening in Bywater at the corner of Mimi’s in the Marigny. Take a seat on the balcony for sunset and watch Flora Gallery & Coffee Shop light up during the golden hour.

 

The Upside of Quitting

This post was inspired by this podcast, which I listened to a long time ago and tried my hardest to ignore until I couldn’t anymore.

sarah schu by saleem ahmed

We all do it. Nope, not quit, I mean we all hang on too long. We grasp at various things in our lives as if we can’t go on without them when really those things may not be serving us anymore. Jobs, projects, relationships, material items..

This year has been really strange. To be honest, I feel like I’ve been in a fog since January. Lost. Confused. Paralyzed by options and decisions. Unable to move forward yet unable to stand still. Unsure of my path. Constantly telling myself that change is inevitable and good (I truly believe it) yet still uncertain about where the fuck I’m going. I know that’s okay. I tell myself that every damn day. I’m telling myself that at this very instant. I’ll tell myself that first thing when I wake up tomorrow and right before I close my eyes to sleep.

Over the course of the last seven months, I’ve shed most things. I’ve quit multiple jobs. Jobs that I once loved. Jobs that used to feel fulfilling, but suddenly seemed hollow. I basically quit this blog, a project I was dedicated to for over two years straight.. until one day I just wasn’t anymore. My boyfriend (and best friend) and I decided to break up after more than three years together. I moved out of the best apartment I’ve ever lived in. I gave or tossed away most of my things. I downsized.

I sheltered myself from the outside world and focused on making it through the weeks and weeks and weeks. Quitting, giving up, abandoning areas of my life that I once valued highly and dedicated myself to felt a lot like failure. It didn’t feel good, but deep down it did feel right.

It’s hard to manage when it feels like everything is churning, but eventually the sea will settle and everything will stop. Even then the calm is terrifying. Maybe more so than the churning. It’s like the silence after an enormous crash. Something, everything, has just happened, but now it is still and where do I go from here? I’m not sure, but I know there’s an upside of quitting. I can’t say for certain that I’ve found it yet, but I’m trusting in the process. I’m going with my gut and I’m pushing the fear of uncertainty aside each day until opportunity presents itself.

sarah schu by katherine albin

I hope when you are dealing with enormous change you will allow yourself the same space to heal and grow. I also hope you will take long walks in the woods with friends and allow others in so they can encourage you to come out once more.

These images were shot by Saleem Ahmed & Katherine Albin. Two wonderfully talented photographers and friends.