Bigmighty
Greenville
A question about this place:
Answers:
lunachick
New Orleans
If it’s a place you love, then simply go.
I was a NOLA resident from 1991-1997. My last pre-K visit was for JazzFest 2000. To date, I have visited three times this year (mid-February, May for the 2nd weekend of Jazzfest, and just a few weeks ago in August); I will be visiting again during the end of October/early November, as well.
What to expect is a big question with lots of variables. If you are thinking of visiting before January 2007 (when a fair portion of the convention business will be back again, due to the major hotels having completed repairs), then you will likely enjoy the benefit of fewer tourists being present, but also the likelihood of fewer open and fully-staffed businesses/restaurants. The key is to be patient (service at a restaurant can range from your food arriving in as little as 15 minutes’ time after ordering or as much as an hour’s time). After the new year begins, the visitor presence is likely to begin building up again.
My visit during Mardi Gras this year was for the Krewe du Vieux parade (the “locals’ parade” with a route through the French Quarter). Back then, the city was still very visibly damaged; no residential mail service in effect, 70% of the streetlights and traffic signals not operating, only about 25% of the visitor-related businesses up and running, etc. JazzFest was significantly better - much more clean-up had occurred, more businesses were open (albeit with reduced staffing), etc. In August (just before the anniversary), things were pretty quiet – but that’s typical. The sad news was that 50+ businesses in the French Quarter had closed since my last visit in May - the lack of convention business is really hurting the sole proprietors and family-owned businesses/restaurants.
Will it be “just like you remember”? No. Will it be a war zone or a ghost town? No. Has most of the worst damage at least been cleared away? Yes. Is there still great music and food? Yes. The best comparison I can offer at this time is that it’s an area that has experienced a significant economic depression that hasn’t yet abated. Everyone you encounter will be happy and grateful to see you there.
When to visit? My strategy is to visit as often as possible (as evidenced by four trips during eight months’ time).
If you want to go for an event, I always recommend JazzFest over Mardi Gras.
Best regards—xok.
lunachick
New Orleans
My response was, in general, regarding “New Orleans”—not specific neighborhoods (as was also true of the question asked). My point was that neither extreme is accurate (everything being just as remembered vs. the city in its entirety being ghost town).
‘Tis true that several neighborhoods were (and still are) dramatically and visibly impacted; some of NOLA will likely never be just as it once was. I’ve helped one friend gut his 9th Ward home that he’s presently rebuilding, and helped another friend with a home in Lakeview replace sheetrock, replaster and repaint (his home was affected by less than one foot of standing water). Granted, these folks were the exceptions—not the rule. My sister was the first resident of her Midcity block to return on 10/30/05. In 02/06, she was celebrating the return of her first neighbor; as of 08/06, a total of three houses on her block were occupied (including her own residence); eleven other homes on that block remain unoccupied.
‘Tis also true that the Camilla Grill appears to be forever closed at this point; we can choose to either dwell on that fact, or we can be grateful that the Praline Connection and other wonderful venues have reopened and support their efforts to bring the city back to life. I will probably always miss many people, places and things that won’t be returning—but that hasn’t and won’t keep me away.
