What Will You Miss Most About New Orleans?

[editor]

With Louisiana's governor talking about evacuating (sound like temporarily abandoning) the entire city of New Orleans, it made me think of some of the things I really liked about it.

- The peacocks at the Audubon Zoo.

- The W hotel (the little one, not the one on Canal).

- Cafe du Monde

- That open air restaurant near Cafe du Monde to the east that I never got the name of, but always bought a CD from whatever jazz band was playing there.

[Lowbrow]

- Jackson Square and the church there by the square.

- Breakfast served by crossdressers in the quarter (in a restaurant har har)

- Cafe du Monde as well.

- Jazz Fest and all the associated jazz gigs around town.

- Ryan's Pub near the House of Blues

[J.A.S.O.N.]

I don't think New Orleans is "finished" guys.

[MidtownCoog]

Me, either, Jason.

This topic is useless.

[editor]

The governor of Louisiana seems to disagree. She's trying to get everyone out of the city, including those people at the shelters. I'm not saying it's gone forever, but certainly the city will be changed forever, and there are some parts that will never be the same.

[kjb434]

The mayor is expecting a three month time frame to prepare the city for people to really start entering and getting lives back to normal. The three months is to get the levees fixed an power to the pumps to get the city dried out. Then to get the electrictiy restored. After all that, restoration and rebuilding can really get moving.

How long did take Homestead, Florida to recover?

[RedScare]

Because Homestead dried out within days, they were in full rebuilding mode within weeks. That's the problem New Orleans has. Most evacuees thought they would be going back to clean up by today or tomorrow. To see the governor considering a complete evacuation on the day that you thought you would return must be heartbreaking. And the blow to the economy will be staggering.

[citykid09]

Honestly, I have never been to New Orleans and have never had the desire to. To me it seems like a scary place with all of the old history, highest murder and suicide rate per capita, the city being below see level. It just seems to be a very dark gritty place.

[YakuzaIce]

What is so scary about history. Personally I am going to miss alot of the old buildings that were probably destroyed or completely flooded.

[beetlemania]

Honestly, I have never been to New Orleans and have never had the desire to. To me it seems like a scary place with all of the old history, highest murder and suicide rate per capita, the city being below see level. It just seems to be a very dark gritty place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So you're saying they got what they deserved?

What's wrong with you people? Where's the sympathy for the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives are now drastically altered? This is not about you, or your fond memories of New Orleans...geez.

[tomv]

What is so scary about history. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was wondering the same thing.

The title of this topic is too doom and gloom. It should be what do you like most about New Orleans, and hope gets rebuilt or reopened soon.

[YakuzaIce]

This is not about you, or your fond memories of New Orleans...geez.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well this thread is. We already have five topics on New Orleans and Katrina. I am not saying we should not have sympathy, it is just that what is wrong with reminiscing about what could be lost.

Also I don't think he was saying they got what they deserved. He was just saying he was never to fond of the city. I am sure that New Orleans will be rebuilt, but there are some things that can never be replaced so what is wrong with this?

[RedScare]

Honestly, I have never been to New Orleans and have never had the desire to. To me it seems like a scary place with all of the old history, highest murder and suicide rate per capita, the city being below see level. It just seems to be a very dark gritty place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

citykid, you say that about downtown Houston, too. Sounds like you should run on home to momma while us big kids have some fun.

I'll start LAISSEZ LE BON TEMPS ROULEZ! I'll never forget my first Mardi Gras...and I'll never forget my next one!

The Garden District. The food. The music. I look forward to spreading a little bit of my economy on the Crescent City as soon as possible.

[beetlemania]

Well this thread is.  We already have five topics on New Orleans and Katrina.  I am not saying we should not have sympathy, it is just that what is wrong with reminiscing about what could be lost. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK, so there are other threads here about this, fine. What seems to be missing here is any "reminiscing" about the people affected here. New Orleans is not a theme park created simply for your vacation pleasure. Your remarks at this hour show a tremendous insensivity, in my opinion to the real city with real people whose lives have simply been decimated in the last couple of days. Today it is getting worse. After 9/11 were you "reminiscing" about fond memories of downtown New York? I hope not.

My heart goes out to the residents of New Orleans, Louisiana.

[UrbaNerd]

You know what? Its about the city, not the crime. I visited NO when iIwas a child, and I just loved the place- the architecture, the tourist attractions, etc. Sure, almost everything outside the historical district is dismal, and somewhat scary, but, hey, that didn't spoil my visit , even at that young age.

[YakuzaIce]

"OK, so there are other threads here about this, fine."

I am just saying why must every thread be about doom and gloom. Why can we not think back to happier times. And are you saying I am insensitive because I say I will miss historic buildings that have been destroyed? And when I try to defend citykid when he merely expresses his dislike of the city and you accuse him of saying they deserved this storm? This seems pretty rude jumping on people when they don't mention how they hope everyone in New Orleans got away or is ok.

I have relatives in NO and the first thing I did when I heard about Katrina heading toward them was to call them and make sure they had a way to get out of the city. Just because someone doesn't express sympathy on an internet forum does not mean you need to attack them.

"seems to be missing here is any "reminiscing" about the people affected here."

How do you reminisce about a cities population? Also if anything you should be angry about how little coverage other cities have gotten on this forum. And all you have done is be hostile until your comment "My heart goes out to the residents of New Orleans, Louisiana."

"Today it is getting worse. After 9/11 were you "reminiscing" about fond memories of downtown New York? I hope not."

Yes I felt sympathy for those who lost their lives and for their families, but would it have been wrong to also think of how the world will never be the same. Perhaps you do not care about buildings as I do, but I do miss the twins. They were not the most beautiful buildings in the world, but it was awe inspiring to look straight up and see a wall stretching 1368 feet into the air.

But yes my heart does go out to New Orleans citizens and it saddens me that this is all that we should talk of about this great American city.

[nmainguy]

I will miss nothing about N.O. because it's not going anywhere. They got hit bad. We are all going to help them-well, most of us-it's what we do. So the only comment I have about a topic called "What Will You Miss Most About New Orleans" is this is a pointless topic. Let's take care of our neighbors-one day we may need them to be here for us.

[beetlemania]

I am just saying why must every thread be about doom and gloom.

[citykid09]

Sorry I affended so many of you! I never wish anything like that on any city. I have never been there and do not have the desire to but I am sure it is a nice city! I guess what I said sounded really bad and I hope I did not lose any friends on this board. My impression of New Orleans comes from old scary movies like Candy Man and shows like the Real World. Actually I would like to go there someday, and hopefully someday it will get back to normal.

[RedScare]

Don't sweat it, citykid. But, you shouldn't get your info from Hollywood movies.

BTW, the real Candy Man was from Houston. Are you scared?

[citykid09]

^Really Candy man was from Houston? Was that based on a true story? LOL I know its make believe! Isn't it

[Heights2Bastrop]

I will miss nothing because it has held absolutely nothing for me for quite some time. What some may call

[jmancuso]

I will miss nothing about N.O. because it's not going anywhere.

i agree.

^ naw'lins ain't goin' no where.

[dbigtex56]

Has anyone seen the 1947 movie New Orleans?

Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong do the best duet of this song:

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans

And miss it each night and day

I know I'm not wrong... this feeling's gettin' stronger

The longer, I stay away

Miss them moss covered vines...the tall sugar pines

Where mockin' birds used to sing

And I'd like to see that lazy Mississippi...hurryin' into spring

The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the air

I dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans

When that's where you left your heart

And there's one thing more...I miss the one I care for

More than I miss New Orleans

(instrumental break)

The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the air

I dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans

When that's where you left your heart

And there's one thing more...I miss the one I care for

More.....more than I miss.......New Orleans

(And it just keeps running through my mind....)

[nmainguy]

Has anyone seen the 1947 movie New Orleans?

Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong do the best duet of this song:

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans

And miss it each night and day

I know I'm not wrong... this feeling's gettin' stronger

The longer, I stay away

Miss them moss covered vines...the tall sugar pines

Where mockin' birds used to sing

And I'd like to see that lazy Mississippi...hurryin' into spring

The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the air

I dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans

When that's where you left your heart

And there's one thing more...I miss the one I care for

More than I miss New Orleans

(instrumental break)

The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the air

I dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans

When that's where you left your heart

And there's one thing more...I miss the one I care for

More.....more than I miss.......New Orleans

(And it just keeps running through my mind....)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

dbigtex: What a touching post. You gave me the chance to finally have a quiet cry.

Thank you.

[kjb434]

Also, remember, this is not the first time the city has flooded like this. It's happened several times in its existance. The last one being in 1965.

[citykid09]

^Yeah, but this is the worst. The water is still rising.

[The Great Hizzy!]

My own thoughts regarding New Orleans fall into two categories:

1) Lament

2) Optimism

The lament accepts truthfully that New Orleans has already lost a great deal of its history, history that can't be replicated through renovation or rebuilding. Historic homes desroyed. Flattened. Notable landmarks severed and carried away by water currents to who knows where. Neighborhoods left unrecognizable by not only flood water by crushed structures that can't simply be fixed. They are gone. So I lament the simple fact that, with so many tragedies, some things are indeed gone forever.

Optimism comes from the notion that rebuilding will take place. The soul of New Orleans hasn't been destroyed forever (just so long as there is a good number of natives who are willing to keep the stories going, to spread the word through song, poetry, dance and the unruly yet elegant practices that have given the city its charm for three centuries). There is also a chance to clean up what had been decades of neglect, because for all of the city's innate charm, there was also a dirty legacy of corruption, poverty and crime. Now, everyone starts anew, and maybe tragedy will breed a sense of social and economic togetherness for those residents that will choose to call the city home again.

Yet, I already miss the quaint reminders of what, for example, the 9th Ward and the lower East Bank carried. Those reminders will mostly be gone when the dark, polluted waters finally recede, and no amount of rebuilding will bring it back.

[Talbot]

I would miss the old architecture that didn't make it through the storm. But I do hope that they are very successful in rebuilding, and it would be just another reason for the city to boom once again.

Although, I wish they could somehow raise the land.

[editor]

From what I've seen of the French Quarter so far, it appears to have survived pretty well. Not much damage that I could see. It hasn't been flooded. The only odd thing I noticed is that all those horse-and-carriages are the main method of transportation now.