Lauren’s house on Touro Street is a sanctuary — I’m so grateful to have gotten the chance to stay there for a week in New Orleans.
The space is amazing — a loving, warm, authentic home full of beautiful objects and art. It’s clean and comfortable with lots of natural light and a tranquil backyard. Besides, it’s the perfect distance from all sorts of great New Orleans spots: the bars/venues/galleries on St. Claude; the French Quarter; Frenchman Street; beautiful tree-lined Esplanade. The 7th Ward is my favourite neighborhood, centrally located and full of lively people who have been in the neighborhood for generations, but also fairly quiet and peaceful.
The beds are so comfortable (In fact I immediately bought the same mattress I slept on at Lauren’s), and the space is the perfect size for a family, small friend group, or 2 couples. The kitchen and bathroom are stocked with all the basics and amenities you could need while staying in town (including some basic cooking supplies, a washer and dryer, a first aid kit, etc). Lauren was a great communicator and I felt very well taken care of — i’ll definitely be back, and plan to recommend her place to all of my friends when they visit.
Some highlights from my trip: If you need groceries during your visit, take a walk to Circle Foods, the first African-American owned full service grocery store in New Orleans. I also highly recommend you eat at The Sneaky Pickle and Mariza. Neither are traditional New Orleans fare, but both have some of the best food i’ve ever had in my life. First Stop, Last Stop is the best bar for meeting locals and eating grilled oysters. And check out the Chime Tree in City Park!
My stay in Lauren’s place was nothing short of perfect! I highly recommend it! :)