"Cool Times" in the Big Easy

Nola.com carried a brief piece yesterday revealing that New Orleans has been named by MSN Travel as one of the "15 coolest North American Cities." (Note: glaringly NOT making the list are Atlanta, Dallas, and San Francisco, to name a few). The author of the piece invited the readership to post their opinions of why New Orleans is such a "cool" place -- not just a trendy tourist trap. I thought this one captured New Orleans' essence remarkably well, warts and all:

"Posted by unclesalty on 01/26/09 at 5:08PM
Im an outsider looking in, a Mississippian, a tourist... but not really, I visit frequently... but it dosent suprise me N.O. is considered "cool". It is one of the few major metropolitan places left in the U.S. that has maintained its own culture. I dont know of anywhere else you find the debauchery of Bourbon right next to the refinement of Royal. Some places accommodate both atmospheres but seldom do they sit side by side and blend together and that attitude stretches throughout the whole city. Its a blend, its diversity, which is what this country really is meant to be. N.O. has its own music, its own architecture, its on style of food... In a country that has become homogenized, that in many ways become a giant strip mall, New Orleans is, seemingly, one of the last places where individualism not only survives, but thrives. Artists of all kinds have found inspiration in that city for decades. Which is why the culture of violence that exist there is all the sadder. It creates an invitation to make New Orleans into another dumping ground for a generic society just to bring some stability in the middle of all the violence. Its a city with an old soul that has seen a lot of good times but also a lot of bad and evil. And with no easy answers in sight all I can say is God bless you people."


Here's the article: http://blog.nola.com/cest-la-nola/2009/01/new_orleans_named_one_of_15_co.html

Yep, our "culture of violence" does indeed beg God's blessing, and we'll take all the prayers we can get.

"A city with an old soul . . . ." Tres magnifique!