The first town I visited when I ventured outside New Orleans was Mandeville, and it was love at first bite. My feelings for this magical town haven’t changed. I recently had a few extra hours one day, so I headed over to one of my favorite spots.

First-Place Food

lizs-where-yat-dinner

When you see this artwork on the outside, you just know it’s going to have good food on the inside!

I am not a big breakfast fan (bring on the cheeseburger), however whenever I do eat in the a.m., I like to indulge in a delicious meal at a real diner. Liz’s Where Y’at Diner is more than a diner; it is an experience. Lucky for my hunger pangs, the line to get in was short that day. I have eaten at Liz’s place many times, so I have become pretty familiar with the menu. While I was tempted to try the roast beef “debris” gravy, I chose to dive into the Nawlins’ Benedict, with fried green tomatoes, crabmeat, asparagus and all kinds of deliciousness. Like all my meals before, this one did not disappoint. Are your taste buds calling yet?

On Second Thought

After that whammy of a breakfast, I had to walk off some of those calories. I thought about hitting the quaint downtown shops. However, the weather was just perfect, so I immediately headed for the lakefront to Fontainebleau State Park. The park is known for its vast size and variety of activity options (did someone say Glamping?). While I have done the five-mile hike before, this time I opted for the nature trail, which is a little over one mile. One of the park guides mentioned the 90-minute hikes they hold every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. The hike is hosted by an Interpretive Guide (that sounds fancy), and hikers are even provided binoculars to enhance the experience. I am planning a return visit on a Sunday very soon. Perhaps I am more of a nature lover than originally thought!

Honorable Mention

Speaking of Mandeville, the Old Mandeville Historic Association is hosting a virtual tour of homes, beginning May 9 and running until the end of June. On your online tour, you will experience four magnificent homes, each with amazing architecture, art collections, furnishings and landscaping. It’s a celebration of the cultural and architectural heritage of Mandeville and its historic preservation. The cost is $25, with proceeds benefitting schools and ongoing rehabilitation of the Jean Baptiste Lang House.

Check back in next time to read about how I spent the rest of my day. Let’s just say more food was involved!