Last month I had the pleasure of traveling to New Orleans for the Essence Festival for an annual girls’ trip. This was my second time traveling to NOLA and I was once again remined why I absolutely love the city. From the vibrant music that touches your soul to the colorful architecture NOLA is a city that radiates an irresistible energy and I find this captivating given the adversity the city has endured.
My weekend began with me pulling up to a magenta duplex coated in Christmas lights showcasing “Welcome to New Orleans”. After a seven-hour drive, I was beyond excited to have finally reached my destination. I quickly grabbed my luggage and made my way up to the front door anticipating the weekend adventures soon to come. Immediately, as I walked through the front door, I was graced with the usual greeting ritual from my friends including celebratory shouts and friends dancing as I entered the unit. Laughter filled the air as team certified baddies was back in action. With no time to spare I quickly claimed my corner side of the bed and my number in line for the shower. Let the festivities begin!
Day 1 – Thursday Trap Soul at Après Lounge
The first night out my friends and I went to an event at Après Lounge titled Trap Soul. Yes you guessed it, the DJ was playing a mix of trap music and slow jams. Sadly, the event title was misleading because the event wasn\’t what we expected for a plethora of reasons. One, the men to women ratio was uneven, there were far too many men. Two, the men that were present were much much older. Three, the DJ was playing old tracks. However, the night made a turn for the best as some of us caught a ride with a local to a well-known native soul food restaurant where we met some cool people and had some delicious food.
Day 2 – Friday Swamp Tour and Trap Karaoke at the House of Blues
Day two started early with all of us conjugating outside a Walgreens in the French Quarter awaiting our tour bus. When the bus finally arrived we boarded. Given we were the only ones on the bus at the time we figured it be a perfect opportunity to partake in a photoshoot haha. Once people started piling in we simmered down and on we went to our destination. During the tour we saw plenty of alligators, grasshoppers the size of hands, and other swamp critters. In addition to experiencing natures beauties, it was nice mingling with tourist. One of the things I found exciting during the tour was the opportunity to hold a baby alligator. After getting back from the tour we headed back to the Airbnb and began getting ready for the night festivities, Trap Karaoke.
Trap Karaoke took place at the House of Blues on Decatur Street. As we exited our uber I recall feeling a rush of excitement from seeing all the people that were out roaming the area, the smiles and laughter filling the nights air. Before entering the venue the girls and I partook in a red-carpet photoshoot. After the photoshoot, which felt as if it went on for an hour lol, we entered the venue. “This is my type of event” is what I thought as I gazed the room. The stage was at the front of the room and from the stage to the back the place was packed. The only places that had space for you to freely walk was the bar area, which was at the back. I was amazed at how many people were present.
We were vibing throughout the night when we suddenly received a email informing us we had been selected to participate and would be called onstage in 10 minutes😱. Quickly the pressure was on to select a song we all knew and was trap enough. After some back and forth we decide on Gorilla Zoe and as our name was called, onto the stage we went. I must say I was solely there to serve as the hype girl because I had zero knowledge of the lyrics outside of the chorus. Anyway we pulled it off, the crowd loved us and the night was a success!
Day 3 – Natural Hair Expo, Trenasse birthday dinner
On day three we attended the natural hair expo which quickly turned out to be one of my favorite trip festivities. The event had various sponsored hair product brands including Jane Carter Solutions, Honey Baby Naturals, Aunt Jackie’s Curls and Coils, and more. I expo provided each person with a pink bag of products and throughout the expo vendors gave out samples. Additionally, you could purchase products 50% less than their retail price. The event was topped off with a live jazz band. This was one of my favorite events because I loved seeing so many black owned venders and enjoyed conversing with them. I also loved seeing the creative natural hair styles women were confidently rocking. Plus, there’s nothing like free samples. Later that evening we went to the restaurant Trenasse for a friend’s birthday.
The following day we continued to explore the Essence festival festivities and after said our goodbyes and headed home. Overall, I enjoyed the time I got to spend with my friends and the beautiful souls I met that weekend.
Stay blessed. Remember, you are loved ❤️