5 More Reasons to Visit New Orleans, #Kplus5
5 Reasons — By Chris on August 29, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the failure of the levee system that occurred in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Note the way that I’m phrasing that: It’s a deliberate reminder that the floodwaters that swept through huge swaths of the city came from a breakdown of man-made levees, rather than natural causes. It’s a distinction that’s become more important as time has worn on.
Regular readers here know that I love New Orleans and return every year for at least a weekend, not only to see old friends, but to reacquaint myself with a place that played a big role in my personal development. You can’t change New Orleans, the saying goes, but the city sure can do a number on you, for better or worse. My six years there taught me much about le bon temps roule philosophy, which goes something like this: life’s too short not to eat well, always follow the music, and if an old Cajun man asks you to dance, for God’s sake, go with it.
I’ve kept a post on 5 Reasons to Visit New Orleans up on my home page for more than six months now, primarily because I think everyone should visit at least once and I always appreciate comments from people who are either going there or who have just returned. The post is looking a little out of date now, though (turns out Angelina did stay with Brad after all), so I’m replacing it with 5 MORE reasons to travel to the Crescent City. Even though my next trip isn’t slated until next March (Mardi Gras, y’all!), I always know what it means to miss New Orleans, and I hope that you do too.
1. No other city faces down a threat with such creativity and elan. I visited New Orleans in June, at the height of the British Petroleum crisis in the Gulf and people could talk of little else. What’s interesting about New Orleans in the post-Katrina era is that there’s a new spirit of activism that gets into gear when outside threats arise. City leaders, the local media and countless citizen activists kept the spill at the forefront, demanding attention at a national level. And I can’t think of another place other than possibly San Francisco that would organize such a creative protest as the second line that the Krewe of Dead Pelicans put forth.
2. Despite the issues with BP and seafood, there are still amazing places to eat. One of the best things about NOLA is that good food can be found almost anywhere. Yes, that photo is of my husband enjoying a full-out jazz brunch splurge at Commander’s Palace.
But we had equally amazing po-boys at Parasol’s, a bar in the Irish Channel , and gumbo at Frankie & Johnny’s. Both places look like they’re about ready to fall over, which is one thing I love about the city – it challenges your preconceptions.
3.If there’s a more pleasant way to while away a humid evening than drinking cocktails on a balcony overlooking the French Quarter or St. Charles Avenue, I have yet to find it.What people don’t understand about New Orleans’ drinking culture is that it’s NOT about how many hurricanes you can down on Bourbon Street. It’s about taking the time to kick back with friends both old and new, smelling the night jasmine on a warm breeze as you sip your cocktail or Abita.
4.Music still informs the patterns of everyday life.One of the best things about the HBO series Treme is that it really shows the gig economy of New Orleans musicians. Even though many musicians left after the storm, there’s still an incredible number of people who play because their creative and professional lives depend upon it. New Orleans still moves to the beat of a different drummer, so thank goodness there’s still a fair number of them out there.
5. Because a Katrina tour these days is as much about rebirth as it is about tragedy. On my June trip, I rented a car and took my husband through the places that had suffered the most during the flood: the Lakeview, parts of New Orleans East as well as the Lower 9th Ward. While the empty lots show evidence of where the waters were, what’s more impressive are the new homes that have sprung up, despite everything. It’s an inspiring testimonial to the lure of home, and to the tenacity that the people who remain in New Orleans have shown during the past five years. Respect.
As always, I’d love to hear your New Orleans travel experiences…feel free to leave them in the comments.
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15 Comments
I totally agree with you, New Orleans is one of those places everyone should visit at least once. I loved it. I have many places remaining on my travel list, but the temptation to return to New Orleans is a strong one.
All of southern Louisiana shares an attitude that I wish we could bottle up and ship out. Regardless of how bad things are, they will find a way to smile. I spent 6 months in Lafayette and found a culture that has a lot that the rest of us need to imitate.
I can’t believe at my age I’ve never been to NOLA. Now I’d like to go more than ever before. I am sad that I missed the city pre-Katrina though. Thank you for writing this article, it takes me there and tides me over till I can visit.
Kirsten,
New Orleans has come back, and while some of the neighborhoods have an abandoned house here and there, I was surprised to see how many people have fixed up their homes and put on beautiful new coats of of paint. Most tourists might not notice a difference unless they take the time to take a Katrina tour – you won’t see the effect in most of the areas frequented by visitors.
I was also surprised to learn that last year’s Mardi Gras had the most visitors in the last 30 years or something like that. And as always, the food is phenomenal and the culture is unlike anything else in the US.
That is because the Saint’s won the Superbowl and it fell during Mardi Gras. Everyone wanted a piece of the Saints or Drew Brees who was the King in one of the major parades.
It looks like it’s going to be another big Mardi Gras this year, even with the Saints not making it to the Big Show
We’re heading down and I had a lot of trouble finding a place in the city, both hotels and vacation rentals. I ride in Muses so I’m excited….I think the crowds will be huge! (I better start decorating shoes soon though….)
This post is just beautiful (and I’ll admit – brought a tear to my eye).
I went to NOLA for the first time this year, in February, for a friend’s wedding (she was born and raised in New Orleans). And I adored it – possibly more than any other city. I fell in love for some many of the reasons you’ve listed above (you can check out my take on the city here: http://www.everywhereist.com/24-hours-in-new-orleans/).
Thank you for reminding me of the wonderful time I had there – and that I need to go back, very, very soon.
Oops – take the last three characters off that link I included. It should be this:
http://www.everywhereist.com/24-hours-in-new-orleans
Thanks, everyone, for your nice words about New Orleans. I’ve found myself thinking about the city quite a bit in the last few days. A lot can happen in five years. I’m glad that New Orleans and its residents have rallied to continue making the city a true American original.
New Orleans is one of my favorite places to visit. The energy of the city and the soulful music gets me every time! If you ever have the chance to go, take it. There are a bunch of great hotels right near the downtown area, which makes getting around very convenient.
HI there.
I’m the founder creator and admin for the Krewe of Dead Pelicans. Thanks for your excellent comments. Just wanted to say hi. Friend me on Facebook and join Krewe of Dead Pelicans II. Next time I go off half cocked and do some insane project, I can invite you directly. I am am artist, too and an involved with art spill protest projects all the way to London. Me and my friends ar not afraid to talk about the Gulf Oil Spill Aftermath.
RM
Ro – Thanks for stopping by and saying hello! I admire the Krewe of Dead Pelicans and would love to know about your next project. I’ll be back down to New Orleans in March to ride with Krewe of Muses (I still belong, even though I left NOLA in 2001).
Love N.O. Jazzfest just around the corner!
Chris, I love that you included the about-to-fall-over places. One of my favorite things about New Orleans is the unexpected treasures you find. I’ve tended to be a fancy pants myself, but running around New Orleans with a native (my husband), I completely changed my perspective. One of the best things we ate was a gigantic shrimp po-boy we picked up at a gas station!
Oh. The shrimp above looks very interesting on it. It looks delicious. Nice post.