NOLA Christmas

Christmas is a special time of year no mater where you spend it.  If you are looking for a magical space, New Orleans fits the bill.  So many options to spend your holiday.  The city is full of life and colorful decorations.

For things to do this holiday season check out the 2 sites here.

http://gonola.com/2015/12/01/new-orleans-christmas-a-to-z.html

http://www.nola.com/holidays/index.ssf/2015/11/christmas_holidays_new_orleans.html#incart_story_package

B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well! Debbi & Tim Keepers of the Inn and Concierge to your perfect getaway!

The Great Migration - Birdfest - Things to do

 I've been a little slack on posting, the weather has had me yearning for the outdoors and it makes it so difficult to be inside when the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming and the sun is shining!  Well if you are reading this, it is due to the sun, or lack there of.  Today the birds are getting their bath, and the plants are getting a much needed drink! 

Now's the time for all you birders out there to migrate to our area for the 2013 Louisiana Birdfest as the migration of many species from Mexico and South America make their way to Louisiana as a resting spot.  If you can't make it to the Birdfest, many of the areas they tour are just minutes from Woodridge.  Bring your bird-guides, binoculars, walking shoes and your cameras and come for a visit.  Many of these visitors also visit Woodridge, just prop your feet up on the balcony and the bird song will keep you in awww. 


B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well! Debbi & Tim Keepers of the Inn and Concierge to your perfect getaway!

Happy Beer Day!

Did you know April 7th is National Beer Day? 
For some of us EVERY day is Beer Day... for those that love the taste, here is a list of  Microbreweries to enjoy while visiting the South Louisiana:

ABITA SPRINGS Abita Brewpub - Map 72011 Holly Street Abita Springs LA 70420 Ph 504.892.5837www.abita.com	ARABI Lagniappe Brewing - Micro  Map 6930 Saint Claude Ave. Arabi LA 70032 Ph 504.276.2337
BATON ROUGE Bon Temps Brewing - Micro  Map 9027H Castille Road Baton Rouge LA 70809 Ph 504.334.0690	COVINGTON Downtown Microbrewery & Museum - Map 226 Lockwood St. Covington LA 70434 Ph 985.893.2884
LAKE CHARLES Rikenjaks Brewery - Brewpub  Map 333 Broad Street Lake Charles LA 70601 Ph 337.433.4881	LAFAYETTE Hops - Brewpub  Map Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette LA 70508 Ph 318.988.4677www.hopsonline.com
MARRERO Day Brewing - Micro  Map 5200 Taravella Road Marrero LA 70072 Ph 504.340.2739	METAIRIE Zea Brewery - Brewpub  Map 4450 Veterans Boulevard Metairie LA 70006 Ph 504.780.9090www.zearotisserieandbrewery.com
NEW ORLEANS Crescent City Brewhouse - Brewpub  Map 527 Decatur Street New Orleans LA 70130 Ph 504.522.0571www.crescentcitybrewhouse.com Gordon Biersch - Map 501 Convention Center Blvd. New Orleans LA 70130

B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well! Debbi & Tim Keepers of the Inn and Concierge to your perfect getaway!

May the Luck of the Irish be with you!

  March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, the day we all become Irish and celebrate with green beer, cabbage with corned beef or a fond Irish Stew.  It's the day we all wear green, look for 4 leaf clovers, green leprechauns and the pot of gold.  One of the many cultures that make our nation what it is, the Irish worked hard to become Americans.  Building our railroads and working the coal mines, like many of our forefathers earned their right to be called American. 

New Orleans is rich with Irish heritage as well, as it historically has had the largest Irish population in the south and attributed to 25% of the New Orleans population in 1861.  It is then not surprising that areas such as the Irish Channel have been adorned with the name.  To learn more about the history and culture the Irish brought to the city of New Orleans, visit The Irish Cultural Museum located in the French Quarter. 

 May you always have...Walls for the winds; A roof for the rain...Tea beside the fire ...Laughter to cheer you ...Those you love near you...And all your heart might desire.   An Irish blessing

 

Today New Orleans celebrates the day in our own tradition - parades! Irish walk the streets with white and green beads, green carnations and dishing out kisses to the fillies as they pass by.   The larger parades of floats loaded with revelers and sacks of cabbage, carrots, onions and potatoes... if you're lucky you will go home with a good start to your Irish stew. 

Make your plans now to be here next Paddies Day, and celebrate like the Irishmen. 


B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well! Debbi & Tim Keepers of the Inn and Concierge to your perfect getaway!

Slidell Mardi Gras Museum - Part of the 100+ things to do

B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well! Debbi & Tim Keepers of the Inn and Concierge to your perfect getaway!

A new spotlight just opened in Slidell, Louisiana.  Yes, Slidell does host Mardi Gras parades and they are family friendly too, but since we are not known for our events, most of those lining our streets for the parades are locals.  This provides visitors a real unique view of what Mardi Gras really means.

But now visitors and locals alike can capture the spirit and take in the beautiful details of what our Krewes (aka clubs) spend much of the year doing.  Slidell has just opened their own Mardi Gras Museum which is filled with costumes, throws, pictures and other memorabilia.  

Jeannine Adam, Our dear friend, posing with her Queen's gown and mantle.

The museum is open FREE to the public Wednesdays -Saturdays.  
For more information see:  http://www.nola.com/community/st-tammany/index.ssf/2013/02/slidell_mardi_gras_museum_make.html


B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well! Debbi & Tim Keepers of the Inn and Concierge to your perfect getaway!

Anything is possible in NOLA

New Orleans is a stage, literally.  New Orleans has gained several nicknames through the years due to the films shot on our streets, like the BIG EASY but recently it has gained a new name that resembles the true picture: Hollywood South.  On any given day there will be something being filmed, and given it's desire many celebrities have decided to call New Orleans home, or at least part time home so you may catch a famous celebrity walking the streets or even a great artist singing on the corner.Caught on film is one such performance - an impromptu by Lenny Kravitz who happened to hear a school choir singing one of his songs while he was sitting in his courtyard...  Enjoy! 

B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well! Debbi & Tim Keepers of the Inn and Concierge to your perfect getaway!

January, the new Spring?

Is it Spring yet?  You would think so given the following pictures from this weekend.  It was BeaU Teee ful out there!

 Plan your getaway soon!  Enjoy what life is all about.

B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well! Debbi & Tim Keepers of the Inn and Concierge to your perfect getaway!

Looking ahead -

 What inspires you on a dreary winter's day?  Need help?  Look at the beauty of our gardens come March! 

Woodridge Gardens in the Spring - Relax and Unwind!

 Book now and you will have something to look forward to real soon! 

B and B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well!

Ghosts and Goblins

Welcome to New Orleans home of some of the most haunted homes in the US.

LaLaurie House - Royal St.  New Orleans

 Come take a tour and find out all about these homes and many more hear their stories and about who may be 'living' inside.No better time than now to visit. 

Gardette-LaPrete House - Dauphine St. New Orleans

The Myrtles Plantation - St. Francisville Louisiana

B and B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well!

Ride, Ride, Ride - Hitchin' a Ride!

 In New Orleans, choosing a form of getting here or there is just as diverse as the music.  And picking your ride may all depend on whether it is all about the ride, what you may see or if you want to know what you are seeing.

New Orleans is famous for their street car line which are the oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world, and have been operating since the mid 1900's.  At $1.25 ($.40 for over 65) per ride or $3 for a full day, they are the cheapest and provide a nice view of great parts of the city.

Another famous ride would be our mule driven carriage rides through the French Quarter.  The carriages will take you on a leisure ride down some of the small streets of the quarter while the guide provides you with historical and architectural facts as you stroll.  Tours are individually priced depending on length of tour chosen.

http://www.neworleansbiketaxi.com/index.html

 






Some of the recent additions to the ride are the new pedi taxi.  Like the mule carriages, they are a great way to get about down the narrow city blocks while saving the environment.  These taxi drivers or chauffeurs are well informed and share highlights of the city along their route.

Another recent addition is as much of an amusement ride as well as a tour.  Segway tours have take the city by storm.  Each tour group is lead by a trained guide and will provide details of the sites you see along the way.

http://www.segwaynola.com/

And the newest addition just hitting the streets last week are the Double Decker Hop on/Hop off buses.  These buses have stops through out the city, from the French Quarter, CBD, and Convention Center.  A great way not only as a tour, but also to save your tootsies when needing to travel to different parts of the city during the day.  These tours are very popular especially for international visitors as information is available in 7 languages, just plug your earphones in for the proper language and sit back for the view.  A great new addition. 


B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well!

Music to the ears -

Fun for the soul -
Jazz in the Vines - Pontchartrain vineyards - Sept. 29, October 13, October 27 & Nov 10

 Bayou Jam Concerts in the Park - Slidell - Sundays Sept. 30, October 14 & 28



B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well!

Let the Fall Festivities begin -

Louisiana Gator Fest - Slidell

September marks the beginning of Alligator hunting season and as things get into high gear, there are a couple of great festivals to let those specialty hunters share their catch.  The first is this weekend at the Mandeville Trail head - Louisiana Gator Fest is in its 4th year and growing.  Come pass a good time with great food, try some gator balls,( no pun intended y'all) and gator sausage and dance the time away. 

Already have plans for this weekend?  Well the papa of gator festivals is held down by the banks of the Mighty Mississip under the Luling Bridge.  The Boutte Alligator Fest is the best!  The first taste of alligator was at this festival and I still drool over the memory of that first bite of gator burger. 

Stay tuned as the list of October festivals is not far behind and the list will have you rearranging the calendar for a trip! 

B&B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well!

Celebrating another GREAT year!

Happy Anniversary to Woodridge Bed and Breakfast!  

WOW we are starting our 14th year - 14!!   What started as a pipe dream many years ago, with lots and lots of work, the building once known as Woodridge Academy was transformed into our home and Bed and Breakfast.  Since that time we have welcomed so many wonderful faces, shared some great stories, been a part of many fond reunions and celebrating many unions. We have been blessed.
 
We've come a long way baby!  From class rooms to 5 spacious suites, from office space to kitchen space and a place to create gourmet breakfasts for your guests.  From a basket ball court to a pavilion for parties and a pool to refresh.  So many things have changed here at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast over the years, but one thing still is the same - our Southern Hospitality.   We look forward to the year ahead and seeing many of our return guests and welcoming new friends. 

THEN  -  1994

Woodridge B&B NOW - 2012

 Here you see the view of before we purchased. 
The yard was baron from the romping of 300 kids at recess, but now is lush and green and even a secret garden to wander through under the canopy of Live Oaks.  I hear them calling you to come relax. 

Thanks to the many who have brightened up our place with your wonderful smiles.  We hope to see you again in the near future. 

Debbi & Tim, Keepers of the Inn

B and B's are a better way to stay, so while visiting Southeastern Louisiana, stay at Woodridge Bed and Breakfast - play hard, sleep well!