New Orleans: Don’t be shy!

A love letter from New Orleans.  Here's some of what I love:

The food is phenomenal - more than you can imagine - not only in our fancy restaurants (which are known for atmosphere and welcoming service, as well), but also in the neighborhood groceries that sell po-boys and have a pot of roast beef and gravy on the side. The music is legendary - it's all around you, everywhere, and like nowhere else.  There’s so much good entertainment, creativity, and outdoor festivals – it’s sometimes hard to choose!

The people are expressive, opinionated, political, and accepting of differences.  If you come in with an attitude, looking down on them or demanding, they may let you know this doesn’t work for them.  But mostly there is friendliness, kindness, and helpfulness.   Every day I am called "darling", “babe”, "honey", "cher", "sweetie" – from the janitor of an office building to the cook at a deli, from the woman in some line with me, to the man giving me directions at the local dry cleaner. (Like:  “Have a nice day” followed by: “You too, babe.”)  It doesn't matter if it's from black or white, man or woman -- it all feels good.

People often come in groups to the JazzFest, but if you’re close-by, you’re part of their group!   Often the same at bars and restaurants.  New Orleans is where strangers talk like they’re family with each other.  It's a place to relax. And people in New Orleans are always ready to celebrate - anything!

There's an old world feeling and distinctiveness about every neighborhood -- and it makes New Orleans a gumbo of its own. There is beauty not only in the grand homes down St. Charles Avenue, but also where the houses are small and narrow, some of them brightly colored in turquoise, fuchsia, purple or yellow. Everywhere it’s green and alive -- with lush gardens and front porches with potted plants, fruit trees in the backyards, everything overgrown because it's a semi-tropical weather here.

Yes, we flooded after Hurricane Katrina -  and the suffering was unimaginable.  We thought we were prepared, but weren’t, and there's some serious finger-pointing over that. But would anyone say Amsterdam or Venice should be abandoned? We love our water - the Lake, the River, the industrial waterways, the bayous. We love seafood and boating and the scenery and smell of waterside living, and we’re proud to provide high-quality seafood to the rest of the country.  The City seemed emptied from Hurricane Katrina, but most of the people who evacuated have tried to come back - or they’ve reconstructed their own “little-New Orleans” in the other places.  We can say today that everyone who lives here "wants" to be here. How many cities can say that? It's a living movie set, and many actors and national personalities have homes here. And they can be who they are, here - they can bicycle in the Quarter or go the shopping centers with their children, and no one bothers them.

The crime is mostly committed by a few young thugs taking advantage of easy opportunities or aiming for vengeance on someone else in their age group - and we are actively working on the issue. This week alone the Archdiocese is distributing 5,000 yard signs that say "Thou shalt not kill."  Most people in New Orleans are religious, and the signs may speak to the offenders. There really is a sense of community here. The people who live here love it - as home.   

Vince....who the hell builds and lives in a state on top of an active fault line....specifically​...San Adreas fault.  The answer to your question of taxpayer support in New Orleans would be similar if a quake ripped  open So. Cal.....TOUCHE'!!

I am from Louisiana but not New Orleans... I enjoy visiting N.O. however would never consider living there...However, I dont critique or condemn the fine citizens of N.O for living there.  Obviously, the rewards of living there outweigh the random risk of loosing it all.

I have been to So. Cal...and only partially agree with you.....So. Cal is the land of fruits...I am not sure if anyone there has nuts.

Yep, ".... bring plenty of cash" is definitely the theme. Overpriced everything. And friendly people -- not what I experienced.

Seemed to be an attitude of spend your damn money and go back where you came from!

Also, seriously -- who the hell builds and lives in a city that is BELOW sea level on the coast????

Wonder how much the taxpayers of the entire USA pay every year just to maintain flood controls and keep this city from being reclaimed by mother nature.

And they say southern CA is the "land of fruits and nuts"! Ha.

New Orleans and Las Vegas are the two biggist **** s in amerika