Jill and I were back in New Orleans last week for Breakthrough T1D‘s One Conference. The word I carried home from the conference is audacity. It takes audacity to have huge goals and do great things, and Breakthrough T1D is doing them. There was a lot of energy among the 600 volunteers and staff who were there.

We tacked on a couple of extra days because…New Orleans. We got our fill of the French Quarter when we met up with a group of friends at Pat O’Brien’s and watched a guy casually take a beating from his female friend? Companion? Who knows–they may have been strangers. The photos give you an idea of what we were up to during our free time, which we mostly spent roaming around the Garden District, enjoying the perfect weather.

Of course, food was a focus. Here are the highlights:

Coquette, in the Garden District. I’d been anticipating this one for a while and it didn’t disappoint. The vibe, service, and food were delightful. For me, the two standout dishes were the marinated beets with strawberries, chili, yogurt, and pistachios, and a flounder dish that defied my expectations and was a thousand times better than I expected. My wallet would be in danger if I lived in New Orleans. I’d eat there every week.

Paladar 511, in Marigny. We got the roast pork with a biscuit, and lemon ricotta pancakes for brunch. And I had a white port-based cocktail that surprised me in the best way. Everything was delicious. I’d go back. Our only minor criticism was that service was a bit rushed.

Dat Dog, in the Garden District. They have “Get Drunk With Your Dog Night.” Sadly we missed that. We’ve eaten at Dat Dog before, and we made good on our pledge to go back. The duck sausage dog is a beautiful thing.