Hoda Kotb in Southern Living.Photo: Cedric Angeles/Southern Living
Hoda Kotbis looking back on some memorable moments from her family trip to New Orleans.
The Emmy-winning journalist, 58, opened up about the nostalgic getaway she took with her two daughters,Haley, 6, andHope, 4, in the new South’s Best issue ofSouthern Living— including the unexpected item that rained down from parade floats on Saint Patricks’s Day last year.
“My children caught underwear. Underwear!” Hoda revealed. While Hope caught a string of festive beads, Haley was thrilled to end up with a “giant pair of green satin underwear,” she says.
Hoda Kotb in Southern Living.Cedric Angeles/Southern Living
“Everything is light in New Orleans,” she explains. “‘Normal’ is being free, dressing the way you want, and dancing in the street even if you’re the only one. New Orleans celebrates the individual. It’s full of characters, and I want my kids to meet them.”
She adds that it’s important for her children to love the city just as much as she did. “I want them to see what it’s like to be front and center at the parade,” she says.
The city is always celebrating something, Hoda explains, whether it’s one of their many festivals or their famous Mardis Gras parties.
“It was the perfect corner of New Orleans — all the fun of the Quarter with the charm of a quiet neighborhood,” she remembers. “It was within walking distance of some of the world’s greatest coffeehouses, a stone’s throw from the Mississippi River, and perfectly located so that we would hear live music out our windows every now and then.”
She continued: “There were no strangers. It was a real community.”
One of her favorite outings in the city is the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival — a two-weekend event that celebrates the city’s music, food and culture.
During her trip back to the city last March, Hoda enjoyed showing her daughters the signature oak trees with Spanish moss hanging above, and introducing them to gumbo, barbecue shrimp, beignets, and frozen sno-balls.
ReadHoda Kotb’s full cover story inSouthern Living’sApril issue, available on newsstands March 17 or onsouthernliving.com.
source: people.com
