NEW ORLEANS, AGAIN!

SHUT UP AND EAT

ecstasy

Janet has planned a birthday trip for me for us to revisit New Orleans. We’ve been to the Crescent City several times before, but I certainly don’t mind returning. IT IS a great foodie destination.

Ever since she told me about this impending trip I’ve dreamt of chargrilled oysters and etouffee and gumbo and red beans and rice and crawfish boil and jambalaya … and well… you get the idea.

We were last in New Orleans in 2011 to ostensibly to visit my daughter who was living there at the time.

It’s been too long and I’m hungry to return.

As a couple Janet and I first visited New Orleans in 2008 and we used the city as a homebase to explore southwest Louisiana. Between excursions to Avery Island and the Tabasco headquarters, and taking a boat through the Tiger Bayou and the Atchafalaya water basin, or attempting to dance at the Cajun French Music Festival at the Burton Arena in Lake Charles, or tossing biscuits at alligators in the Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge which is a major flyover spot for migratory birds, and driving through the “Cajun Riviera” that was devastated by Hurricane Rita which had hit this extreme western edge of the state just a month after Katrina, we ate our way through towns like Thibodaux, Lafayette, Breaux Bridge (which is the hometown of former NFL QB Jake Delhomme) and the barrier island of Grand Isle, just to name a few. 

I kept a pre-Vacations From Home blog during that trip and if interested you can revisit it here: CAJUN COUNTRY TRAVELS BLOG

FOOD TOURISM

I know, the old adage is “eat to live, not live to eat,” but in New Orleans it’s hard to make that adjustment, and for a travel blog that preaches that this is a big world and we are loathe to return to a place, it’s really easy to make an exception for the Big Easy.

Even before I met Janet, I personally traveled to New Orleans a couple of times… JUST TO EAT, and between those soirees there were several work-related trips to the city for entertainment and television jobs. Yeah, I am hungry for New Orleans.

WHERE YOU EATING?

It’s a question you are liable to get as you eat your way through the city. Wait staff and chefs and conversations in bars will undoubtably ask you this question, not because you’re taking your business elsewhere, but because the whole town is wrapped up in the food. It’s a pride thing; they know you’re traveling to New Orleans to eat. Yeah, sure, there’s jazz and cajun music and zydeco to go hear, but only after we eat….

When we first traveled to New Orleans in 2008, just three years after the devasting Hurricane Katrina, which was just one of several massive hurricanes in 2005, the people of the city and the surrounding area were genuinely happy tourists were back to support Louisiana. The chef Jacques Imo even came out to personally thank us for coming back and graciously posed for pictures with him holding our entrees.

In Athens we went on a food tour with Culinary Backstreets. We briefly considered the tour they offer in New Orleans called, The Creole Connection: Gumbo and Beyond in New Orleans, but opted instead to rely on our past experiences (and to save the somewhat hefty price of $175pp). The Culinary Backstreets tour in Athens was spectacular, and a LOT of food. Knowing the food culture of New Orleans I would expect that and much much more.

I once went to a restaurant whose tag line was: “We’re gonna make you hurt yourself.” If you book a tour with Culinary Backstreets, expect nothing less.

CULINARY BACKSTREETS NEW ORLEANS

RESERVATIONS 

MUFFALETTA

We are traveling to New Orleans with two other couples so there’s been a bit of give and take about where to eat. Of course, there will be stops at both the Acme Oyster House and Felix’s, just across the street. Maybe there’ll be a quick stop for Po’boys or a Muffaletta or the best hamburgers at Port of Call and we’re sure to bounce around Bourbon Street or hit a great dive bar like the Maple Leaf Bar (next door to Jacques Imo’s), but we’ve got our dinners all arranged.

The thing about eating in New Orleans you can go extremely fancy or very funky and every meal will be great. Places like Galatoire’s requires a suit jacket for dining in the downstairs restaurant. Thankfully they have a rack of suit jackets to borrow in order to properly dress for their establishment. Others, like Jacques Imo’s, you have to walk through their kitchen and sit in a dining room that looks like someone’s back porch.  

CHARGRILLED OYSTERS

So, our reservations for this trip to New Orleans run the gamut, from posh to coon ass fun.

Here they are:

MURIEL’S JACKSON SQUARE

Muriel's New Orleans

Unfinished business

They call themselves a contemporary Creole restaurant located on a prominent corner right on Jackson Square and the St. Louis Cathedral in the heart of the French Quarter. Serving dinner 7 nights and brunch on Sundays Muriel’s is considered one of the best restaurants in New Orleans and they even boast several resident ghosts in this historic building that Muriel’s claims are “harmless” as they linger in the ether over unfinished business in this world.

Business casual dress.

MURIEL'S NEW ORLEANS

PALADAR 511

Paladar 511

Outside the Creole formula

Deviating from what I consider standard New Orleans fare we are taking our next meal at Paladar 511.  Their menu has lots of items like pizza and pastas and fresh seafood, Paladar 511 is not satisfied with simply serving entrees awash in hollandaise or béchamel sauces and evidently diners in New Orleans are willing to look beyond the same ole Po’Boy for Squid Ink Spaghetti or Eggplant Paccheri. They must be doing something right and have been open since 2015. They are located in the Faubourg Marigny section of New Orleans, just a few steps from the quarter.

Casual dress.

PALADAR 511

JACQUES IMO’S

Yes, Chef

Real N’awlins Food

If ever you would actually hear the tagline on this article “shut up and eat”, it would be here at Jacques Imo’s in Uptown at 8324 Oak Street, but you won’t because this unpretentious fun, funky restaurant has a pleasant staff and great food. When Janet announced this trip, I immediately requested a reservation.

You need to walk through their kitchen to be seated in the dining room that’s made to look like someone’s back porch. The restaurant’s tag line is “Real N’awlins Food.”

To get to Jacques Imo’s take the St. Charles streetcar line, the oldest continuously operating streetcar in the world.

St Charles Streetcar

Now, if the food and the streetcar aren’t enough of an experience you can also eat at a table set on the back of flatbed truck parked partially on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant ...if you can get a reservation for it!

Definitely casual dress. Jacques will come out to greet patrons wearing a chef’s jacket and shorts.

Go, but be prepared to wait even with reservations at this extremely popular joint.

JACQUES IMO'S

Interested in after dinner drinks? Go next door to Jacques Imo’s to the Maple Leaf Bar, perhaps the best dive bar (at least on Oak Street)

MAPLE LEAF BAR NEW ORLEANS

MULATE’S

Get up and dance

Located in the Warehouse District this is a true Cajun restaurant. Live Cajun music and dancing every night and “overflowing” dishes of food. It’s not fancy, but Mulate’s  is a lot of fun and a lot of food coming at you! If you have never heard Cajun music, with accordions and a guy playing a washboard draped over his shoulders with spoons, you should come to Mulate’s.

MULATE'S

OUR HOTEL

Past visits to New Orleans had us at the Four Points Sheraton on Bourbon Street. The revelry of that party street disappears once the glass doors are closed. The hotel is a serene oasis with a pool!

Monteleone New Orleans

This visit we are staying at the Hotel Monteleone on Royal Street. This Beaux-Arts building is a historical and literary landmark. Ernest Hemingway, William Falkner and Tennessee Williams all made a point of staying at the Monteleone when visiting New Orleans, and Truman Capote’s mother lived at the hotel while pregnant with the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” author. Not sure what will help with my writer’s block more, breathing the rarified air of this place, or taking a spin while having a drink at the revolving Carousel Bar in the lobby.

The Carousel Bar at the Monteleone

There’s a pool on the roof top. With all this eating I’m sure I’ll make a lot of water go elsewhere when I jump in.

HOTEL MONTELEONE

So little time so many restaurants!

Here’s a couple of more places.

GALATOIRES

PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS

ACME OYSTER HOUSE

FELIX'S NEW ORLEANS 

Thanks for reading and wish me a happy birthday!

Love Janet and greg

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj

HYDRA

WHEN YOU DON’T WANNA GO HOME

Hydra Greece Uber

After three days in Athens and 8 days aboard the Panorama visiting several small islands, we had not yet tired of Greece and wanted more. So, rather than rushing to catch a plane after we disembarked in Piraeus, we stayed for another 5 days on the island of Hydra.

The island is a popular day and weekend destination for Athenians. From Piraeus it’s a 90-minute ferry. Some drive to Metochi on the Peloponnese coast, park their car in a secure lot there and take a 20-minute ferry ride to Hydra.

The horseshoe shaped port in the main town is charming despite the busy weekends. It brims with shops and tavernas and souvenir shops catering to the tourists that descend on this island.

The port itself is chock full of yachts and fishing boats and the comparatively massive ferries are constantly gliding effortlessly in and out with their passengers. Adding to this controlled chaos are the water taxis that flit into port expertly backing into their slips with passengers coming or going to some of the area beaches.

TIME TO EXPLORE

Unlike our limited stays at the islands that we visited with Variety Cruises, which always left us hankering for more time, we got to leisurely explore the town and visit several beaches without a schedule. Even the “to do” list of Athens was too much in the short amount of time we had there. On Hydra we did it right. Just being able to linger over coffees like locals and allow the day to pass for a bit without having to worry about the time was a great joy and even though Hydra was extremely busy on the weekend, it was noticeably quieter during the week. Both extremes were fine, though sometimes it was difficult to get a table for dinner. Make a point of calling for reservations, especially if you are traveling to Hydra during the high season.     

DONKEY UBERS

Adding to the charm of Hydra is the complete ban on motor vehicles. Donkeys and horses and water taxis are the main means of transportation. At the port colorfully decorated donkeys are for hire for rides or to tote your luggage. We were easily able to roll our bags along the narrow cobblestoned streets and alleys to our hotel, although we did hire a fellow with a hand cart to transport our bags back to the ferry when we left.

During our stay on Hydra, we did see luggage strapped to the back of donkeys and we saw laborers riding a donkey to work, with other beasts of burden tethered behind them carrying their tools. We also saw at least one family with two young kids riding one donkey through the town.

WHERE WE STAYED

There are no shortage of hotels and pensions on Hydra, both near the town and further out. We opted for the Phaedra Hotel which was far enough from the antics of the port and after a reasonably short walk rather quiet. Hilda the owner spoke excellent English and gave great recommendations for dinners and made reservations. We stayed on the ground floor in the spacious and comfortable “Aphrodite” Room. Windows opened to the street and we could hear the clattering of horses and donkeys as they passed by. An ample breakfast was served on the upstairs balcony at this reasonably priced charming hotel. Our five night stay cost 950 Euros.

PHAEDRA HOTEL

The Aphrodite Room 

Phaedra Hotel exterior
our windows on the lower right

view from the breakfast balcony

HARRIET’S HYDRA HORSES

Instead of a donkey ride we opted for a guided horse ride with Harriet’s Hydra Horses. Her stables were just a quick walk from the Phaedra and we opted for a trek into the hills of Hydra where we were afforded excellent views of the port and stopping at the St. Konstantinos Monastery to look around before heading back through the narrow streets of Hydra town and passing the Phaedra Hotel on our way back.

Harriet runs several other treks including one where you get to ride the horses bareback as they wade through the waters.

Her place is efficient with a priority on safety. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and we even learned that “Yeee” is the Greek version for “giddyup”.

HARRIET'S HYDRA HORSES 

riding through Hydra town

WHERE WE SWAM      

Don’t expect wide sandy beaches on Hydra. Most are pebbly, some are rocks, okay small boulders, and a few are just low cliffs perfect for diving into the water.  Spilia is a short walk from the port and they’ve poured concrete on the cliffs to create smooth areas to lounge on between dips. It gets crowded. We didn’t go there, although we went next door to the Sunset Beach Bar one evening for drinks and to ahem catch the sunset, joining hordes of revelers celebrating the end of a glorious day.

Sunset Beach Bar Hydra

We went to three separate beaches during our time on Hydra. All were accessible by walking paths or roads or via water taxis. Water taxis are 10 Euros round trip, but you pay the full 10 Euros if you just take it one way, as we did after waking to Vlychos one day and to the small beach at the Lefteraki Taverna another day. The walk proved to be too tiring after all. When we went to Plakes we indulged in the water taxi both ways.

Vlychos

It is a lovely 40-minute walk which takes you past several other beaches, but we were intent on coming to Vlychos because we wanted to eat at the Taverna Marina which was highly recommended in our guide books. We sat at a table overlooking the ocean and had a meal. The beach at Vlychos though is red and black pebbles and giving the water a murky look. It wasn’t too inviting for us and it was too late in the day to rent a sunbed so we took a water taxi back.  

MARINA TAVERNA 

 

Plakes

Another day we took a water taxi to Plakes a bit further out from Vlychos. It is rocky there too, but the very classy Bellevalia Hotel is there as well. We had coffee on their lanai, hired sunbeds and wore water shoes. While lounging we ordered drinks from our attendant. I paid with a credit card, but gave him a cash tip and he was very appreciative.

Plakes Hydra

The water is clear and at least you can see where all the big rocks are underwater. We spent the large part of our day at Plakes. It was an enjoyable day. We got there early and eventually all the sunbeds were taken.

water nymph

Bellevalia at Plakes

BELLEVALIA HYDRA

Lefteraki Taverna Beach

Heading northeast away from Hydra Town we strolled along a proper road that had some cars on it. Ambulances and garbage trucks and utility vehicles are all that’s allowed on Hydra. The winding road took us past several beautiful homes and we found Lefteraki Taverna Beach which is a small pebbly family oriented beach. 

Lefteraki Taverna Beach

We found seats, thus avoiding hiring sunbeds, but ordered drinks from the roving waiter. There is a water taxi stand at one end of the small beach. Just beyond Lefteraki is Mantraki Beach which was is part of the Mantraki Resort. It is the only truly sandy beach on Hydra, but we were happy with where we landed that day. The beach here is pebbly, but the water was very inviting.  

LEFTERAKI TAVERNA 

MANTRAKI RESORT HYDRA 

If you would like to read more about Hydra beaches here is a good website:

HYDRA GREECE BEACH GUIDE 

WHERE WE ATE

Reservations are highly recommended for all restaurants. Remember Hydra gets very busy with day trippers and weekend visits. We decided on a nightcap at a restaurant we had eaten at earlier. We had reservations but it was fairly empty. When we returned though it was full and we were turned away. Of course, you could wind your way down to the port where there are countless establishments and flit about until you find a seat, but it is best to plan ahead.

Giasemi

This restaurant is a very short walk from our Phaedra Hotel. We shared a Greek salad…we had learned our lesson about overordering, and we had a whole grilled sea bass and greens as a side. Our waitress deftly deboned our fish and after cautioning us against feeding the cats that were gathered around our outdoor table we enjoyed our meal.

Giasemi

This is where our nightcap didn’t happen.

GIASEMI

Taverna Marina 

You don’t have to get reservations for this airy place in Vlykos, but if you want a table right at the ocean’s edge it’s best to call ahead. It was a light lunch of a shared Greek salad and fried eggplant and drinks.

TAVERNA MARINA

Annita’s Restaurant

In a quiet square not far from the Phaedra Hotel. Charming especially at night. When we had our horse trek earlier in our stay on Hydra we traipsed through the square.

ANNITA'S RESTAURANT HYDRA 

… and onions souvlaki

You can’t go to Greece without souvlaki and this very busy micro restaurant serves the best on Hydra. It’s right on Tompazi Street just up from the harbor. You’ll know this is the right place by all the people milling around waiting for tables to open. Great comfort food.

...and Onions Souvlaki

Veranda Restaurant

This was our favorite place. With a table overlooking the harbor the classy atmosphere at Veranda is unmatched. We had martinis, shared a bottle of wine from Crete and had specialty drinks to go with our appetizers and seafood mains.

Veranda entrance

It’s a climb up from the harbor, but worth the effort. Recommend highly. 

  

view from Veranda table

VERANDA RESTAURANT HYDRA

So, when you just don't want to go home quite yet, Hydra helps. 

Thanks for reading,

Love Janet and greg

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj

SERIFOS

IT’S COOL ON THE HILL

Serifos w/Silva far left

The last island that we stopped at on our recent trip with Variety Cruises was Serifos, though it was not on the original itinerary of their excursion they market as “Unexplored Greece”. An inclement weather forecast had the Captain of the Panorama steering us to other islands. All were worthy destinations. You cannot go wrong on a trip to the Greek islands.

Perhaps the main attraction of Serifos is its Chora rising high over the island. Brilliantly white sugar cube shaped houses trimmed in blue are impossibly stacked along the road leading to the summit.

Variety Cruises hired local artist Silvia Kramer as our tour guide and she led us up into the cobblestoned narrow alleys of the Chora where we finally reached the summit and the church there, Agios Konstantinos. Its sun-splashed balcony afforded us a panoramic view of the island, with the port of Livadi, where the Panorama was docked, far below. Thankfully a bus brought us near the summit, but the rest of the climb was still arduous, but worth the effort.

IF LOOKS COULD KILL 

Agios Konstantinos
Seriros

We stopped several times during the climb for Silvia to point out different things like the iron ore mines in the distance which operated from 1870 to 1965 and brought great wealth to the island, though evidently the working conditions were brutal for the miners. She also pointed out the church of Agios Iaonnis the Theologos where according to Greek mythology the head of the Medusa is entombed. Serifos Is also the island where Odysseus and his crew encountered the Cyclops Polyphemus. If one had the time and inclination to visit the cave of Polyphemus it is supposedly near the settlement of Mega Livadi.

We then lingered over drinks in the town square, with all the establishments trimmed in different colors to offset the ubiquitous white, before we headed over to Silvia’s store/workshop to see and purchase some of her art.

Silvia's shop, Serifos

WHICH WAY TO THE BEACH?

Serifos

Serifos was an all too brief stop for us as and the island is worthy of a longer visit. Depending on who you talk to Serifos boasts around 70 beaches from pebble to sandy. Sadly we had just an hour after our tour of the Chora before departing for Athens and the end of our excursion and we had to settle for drinks and a light lunch at one of the several tavernas that line the very inviting Livadakia beach which is ringed by picturesque Tamarisk trees. As it was still June and not the busiest time of the year, it felt like we had the place to ourselves.  

 

Here is the link to Silvia’s website: 100 Percent Greek

 

If interested in visiting Serifos here is a helpful link: 

SERIFOS INFORMATION

Our trip was too short, but it didn’t end when we made the port in Piraeus. Come back and we’ll tell your about our “side-trip” to Hydra.

 

Serifos

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

Remember to Live Travel and Love. 

Serifos

Serifos

Serifos

VARIETY CRUISES 

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj

MILOS, GREECE

TIMING IS EVERYTHING 

replica Venus de Milo

Had we visited the island of Milos first before all the others on our “Unexplored Greece” excursion with Variety Cruises, we would have been delighted. Afterall, the island has a lot to offer. From history; it was here the famous Venus de Milo statue was discovered; to the hill-top Plaka that is like a Disney-land version of Greek islands; to the lunar landscape beach of Sarakiniko that is carved from ancient lava flows; to a port burgeoning with yachts and cafes and tavernas all filled with tourists from across the world, with many of them having loud conversations where every other word is italicized.

It’s a very popular island and though we were happy to have visited it because of all the aforementioned sights, it was very busy…too busy… We had grown accustomed to relative solitude throughout our cruise and Milos was far from quiet and overwhelmingly touristed. Even Kalymnos, though busy, had a very working-man Greek feel to it and the tavernas at the port were all filled with locals, while Milos was hedging on more a party atmosphere.

We stopped at Milos because of inclement weather that altered our planned itinerary.

I GO SWIMMING

Provatas, Milos

As always, the day started with a chance to swim and Provatas Beach, on the south side of Milos, was perhaps the nicest on our trip so far. Long and sandy with placid refreshing water, there was even a lifeguard. There were little beach bungalows, looking more like garages (which would be explained later on during our tour of the island), that were for rent and there was a bar at one end and restaurant a short walk up a hill that had the owner  arranging the catch of the day on ice.

Provatas, Milos

WALKING ON THE MOON

There are several notable beaches on Milos, but the most unique was Sarakiniko on the north side of the island. The white volcanic tuff of the area has been described as a lunar landscape.

Sarakiniko, Milos

Once the Panorama was docked at the busy Adamas port, situated on the north side of the large sheltered Ormos Miliou bay, we took an optional tour of Milos.

The first stop was to visit the very popular Sarakiniko Beach. Though blazingly hot with the unrelenting sun beating down, people climb all over the white tuff that has been carved into wild shapes by the wind and weather over time.

The azure blue Aegean was inviting and people would either jump into the water from the rocks or enter the sea by a long narrow niche in the tuff that ends in a small beach.

the "beach" at Sarakiniko, Milos

Descending from the parking lot the niche looks like Sarakiniko was cleaved in two. At the end of this finger of water there is a lifeguard stand and behind them there are caves that can be explored. They were carved into the tuff and used both by pirates as a hideout to ambush passing ships and later, Greeks to store provisions. 

Sarakiniko, Milos

cave at Sarakiniko, MIlos

There are no amenities at Sarakiniko once you leave the parking lot. It is a bit of a hike to reach the water. At the parking lot though there is a food truck. 

As we were on a tour, we did not have the opportunity to linger at Sarakiniko; we had less than an hour to explore; although other Panorama passengers took a taxi to reach the beach and spent the afternoon there. If you visit remember the sun heats the white tuff making it very hot and there is really no shade. Bring water.

Here is a Google Earth map of Sarakiniko and you can see the long narrow “beach” and surrounding terrain:.GOOGLE EARTH SARAKINIKO

 

cave at Sarakiniko, Milos

MIGHTY APHRODITE

In 1820 a farmer working his fields discovered the statue called Venus de Milo. Venus is the Roman name for the Greek god of love, Aphrodite. The statue was subsequently spirited off to Paris and has been on display at the Louvre ever since. Our tour of Milos next took us to the exact spot where the statue was found and a little further along was an amphitheater dating from Hellenistic times. Some scholars say the statue was part of a display on the side of the road leading to the amphitheater.

amphitheater with bay and
Klima in the background

From our vantage point we could see the stage, the vast expanse of the bay and a hint of Klima, a little fishing village whose colorful boat houses have been converted into accommodations. Never had the chance to explore Klima though because the tour was moving on to the next location, the Plaka.

Klima

TOO TOO

The Plaka is the capital of Milos and atop a hill overlooking the island and bay. The narrow streets with boutique shops and restaurants with waiters hawking passersby to stop seemed preternaturally too idealistic. It was everything one would expect on a visit to a Greek island, with tourists milling about and waiters scurrying with plates of food and drink, but it seemed “too perfect” if one could be so callous. 

It’s difficult to explain, but after flitting through several islands that were quieter and relaxed the Plaka on Milos seemed very aware of itself and this had more a façade than a place where people lived and drank. We were there just less than an hour, and it wasn’t until we were leaving that I finally saw a group of old men and women sitting around the corner from the Plaka kind of hoping no one saw them.

This is not to say we didn’t enjoy our time there. The Plaka is great for catching a sunset, but we didn’t even have time to visit the Sand Museum. The owner there has collected samples from all over the world (sounds like me) and visitors are invited to view some of the sand underneath a Microscope. Sadly, I found out about the Sand Museum only after we left. 

Avii, Plaka, Milos

At least we found the Avli Milos Taverna where they serve a beer brewed specifically for them.

AVLI-MILOS, PLAKA

bay view from the Plaka, Milos

ADAMAS / WE KNOW BETTER

In the main port there are countless shops and tavernas and restaurants. We had dinner in a crowded street-side taverna. Filled with everyone from everywhere we shared a Greek salad and Souvlaki. Tour buses rambled by, trust-fund kids chattered away as we ate in silence and soon thereafter made for the relative quiet of the Panorama. Adamas was too busy, and yet this was the “off-season” in June.

Again, if this were the first stop on our adventure, we would have been very happy. We knew better though. We were thankful to have visited Milos, but it was time to move on.

Maybe I’ll go back someday…just to go to the Sand Museum.

You should go too.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

Plaka, Milos

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj