As much as I’d like to believe I’ll never eat chocolate again, or that I’ll wake up at 6:00am every morning, I just can’t. Granted, I’ve heard extraordinarily less realistic goals than these from others since the start of the New Year. But whether you believe in New Year’s resolutions or not, it’s always nice to have at least a few (fun!) realistic goals for the year.

This year, I pledge to further explore all that New Orleans, the city I’ve come to know and love, has to offer. At the risk of becoming a tourist in my own town (which there is absolutely nothing wrong with, by the way!), I’ve categorized a list of things I’d like to do before the end of 2012:

1. Travel:

Go on a day trip down the Mississippi River on the Steamboat Natchez. This historic steamboat offers mini cruises featuring live jazz and notoriously delicious Louisiana-style food.

2. Carnival Season:

Visit “Mardi Gras World,” where a group of artists creates some of the most beautifully ornate Mardi Gras floats that the Carnival season has to offer. Going to Mardi Gras parades is of course essential, but I’d love to see all the work that goes into making them special- these artists spend the entire year creating Mardi Gras floats!

3. Sporting Events:

Get tickets to a game for one of New Orleans’ professional sports teams, the New Orleans Saints (NFL) or the New Orleans Hornets (NBA). There is so much pride in this city for all of our sports teams (including the Wolf pack of course!), so going to an actual game is a must!

4. Music:

See a live jazz show on New Orleans’ famous Frenchmen Street- an area of town full of live music venues just a few blocks from the French Quarter.

5. Sightseeing:

Spend the day riding around the city on the streetcar- it’s only a $1.25 per ride and you can travel around some of the most interesting parts of the city!