JWR Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 Have you ever been to New Orleans?by Darren Olagues (Tulane Class of 1992)New Orleans. How wonderful those words sound when said with no quirky emphasis on odd syllables. They always seem to elicit some response. Have you been there?Have you ever been to Caf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stolitx Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 Have you ever been to New Orleans?by Darren Olagues (Tulane Class of 1992)New Orleans. How wonderful those words sound when said with no quirky emphasis on odd syllables. They always seem to elicit some response. Have you been there?Have you ever been to Caf頄u Monde for beignets and caf頡u lait and gone back every morning of your visit?Have you ever sat for hours in the piano bar at Pat O'Brien's sipping hurricanes?Have you ever been to Mardi Gras - Bacchus? Endymion? Rex?Have you ever had oysters at the Acme House?Have you ever sat out on the "fly" eating crawfish and drinking Dixie beer?Have you ever taken a walking tour of the Garden District?Have you ever sung karaoke at Cat's Meow?Do you know who John Folse is?Have you ever risen at 6 am to roam the streets of a "quiet" French Quarter?Have you ever been to Galatoire's? K-Paul's? Emeril's?Can you remember when Zulu threw gold-painted coconuts?Have you ever ridden the streetcar down St. Charles Avenue secretly sipping your strawberry daiquiri?Have you ever had a mint julep on the porch of The Columns Hotel?Have you ever been to Audubon Park? City Park?Have you ever been to mass at the St. Louis Cathedral?Do you know who Harry Connick, Sr. is?Have you ever had breakfast at Brennan's? Have you ever been to the original Tipitina's? Have you ever been to the Superdome? Saint's game? Sugar Bowl? Super Bowl? Final Four? Have you ever had cheese fries at Fat Harry's? Thrown peanuts on the floor at O'Henry's? Have you ever been to the Rendon Inn?Can you remember the New Orleans World's Fair?Have you ever been to the campuses of Tulane and Loyola?Have you been to a crawfish boil? Sucked the heads? Have you ever been "on the lake"? "Across the lake"? To the "westbank"? Have you had a Ferdi from Mother's and wondered what "debris" was?Have you ever been an unexpected invitee to a jazz funeral?Have you ever been to Jazzfest - first or second weekend?Had you ever been to Pontchatrain Beach?Have you ever stood in line at the Camellia Grill? Had a po-boy at Uglesich's? Oyster and artichoke soup at Mandina's? BBQ shrimp at Pascal Manale's? Gumbo at Dookie Chase?Have you ever been to a plantation home?Have you ever been to the French Quarter festival?Can you pronounce Tchoupitoulas? Thibodaux? Boutte?Have you ever been to Clancy's? The Upperline? Brightsen's?Have you ever been to the Biloxi beaches?Have you ever ridden the Canal Street ferry back from Algiers looking back at the city?Have you ever had a monsoon at Port of Call? Breakfast at the Blue Bird?Have you ever seen the Neville Brothers? Cowboy Mouth? The Radiators?Have you ever been to New Orleans?If you've been there, undoubtedly one of these things found its way into your itinerary.You probably also saw the dirty streets, the tired shotgun houses, and cracked sidewalks. You've heard about the high crime, poor public schools, poverty, and racism. And yes, there are many housing projects, it is very hot in the summer, people are generally overweight, and the city is always a hurricane away from being flooded.Each visitor chooses to see the New Orleans they want to. Luckily, New Orleans has the amazing ability to win over many more than it loses. It can cause one to see the big oaks hovering over St. Charles and not the trash on the sidewalks. It can cause one to focus on the street musician and not the street beggar. It can cause one to see the wrought iron balcony rather than the dilapidated building. What is it about the Big Easy that makes most see the positive and not the negative?I have a unique perspective to this question. I've seen New Orleans from both sides. Growing up in South Louisiana in a family of 7, my father was from Gentilly and my mother from Lakeview. My dad is a graduate of St. Aloysius (now Brother Martin) and an Entergy employee for nearly 40 years. My mother is a graduate of Mount Carmel and a 40-year member of the "gutter Buddies" - a collection of grade-school girl friends that are truly like family. My wife and I are graduates of Tulane, my brother a graduate of Loyola, and my sisters graduates of LSU and USL. Our family and friends are from all walks of life and live in all areas of the city. We all call New Orleans home. Since leaving New Orleans over 10 years ago, I have taken friends there and seen how they absorb the city. I don't have to do much except let the city work its magic. Occasionally, the city misses one but it isn't often. I always smile when a friend is asked "Have you ever been to New Orleans?"The answer to New Orleans' allure may, on the surface, seem different for locals and tourists but I suspect that there is a common thread - the people, the heart and soul of New Orleans.There is a culture and tradition in New Orleans that is sweet and simple. No need to overanalyze this. It recognizes that the enjoyment of family and life is as attainable for the poor as it is for the rich. A hand on a shoulder and touch on the arm is just the way we say hello. We know that good music, food, and drink is made all the better when surrounded by friends who share the same outlook. When it is your way of life, when it is woven into your circle of friends, social gatherings aren't seen as excesses but as something you just do.New Orleanians don't believe they've cornered the market on this way of life. They recognize it when they see it elsewhere and they applaud it. What makes New Orleans special is that they have a concentration of people who have it and foster it. It's generational. It's hereditary. The challenge to New Orleans, to the New Orleanian, is as great as ever. Her reputation temporarily tarnished by the things that occurred in the aftermath of Katrina, it is up to those that lived there, have been there, and adopted this city to not let these terrible scenes replace the ones they have of the Big Easy. While money is needed to rebuild, preserving that feeling and attitude that New Orleans gave you on that last visit is just as important. Did the flood waters wash away the New Orleans way of life? Not a chance. Not a chance that New Orleanians would deprive future generations of this breeding ground of the good life.With the vast destruction of parts of New Orleans now clear, the question is being asked repeatedly, "Is New Orleans worth rebuilding?"To that, I can only reply, "Have you ever been to New Orleans?"thanks for posting this. Literally brought a tear to my eye. You can guess that yes indeed, I have been to New Orleans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiDTOWNeR Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 New Orleans reminded me of Downtown Newark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarthaG Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Thank you for the post. I have some of the most wonderful memories of NO. I am looking forward to going back soon and making even more memories. Laissez les bons temps rouler! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condo Eric Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Gee, I live in the New Orleans and enjoy it. it has problems and everyone knows it. They may have a better chance getting solved now. It is only for the people that want to work and try to bring things back. I went to Nicholls High which is really a blue collar area of the city near the industrial canal. all the families from that area that were there in the 1960s are long gone. I am in residential real estate so know a good bit about the area. It will be different, it will be smaller,new peoplw will move in. There will be less welfare, crime,ect.It is an exciting time along with being very stressful. Many people dont have to worry about stuff, what to wear,ect. They can start fresh,its like being fired from a long time job. You strike out for something new and something scarey. You have an intense desire to succeed, a more honest approach,its up to you. We are the type of people staying. it not what you do its how you do it. Meet a guy last week that likes to get the #7 at Buds Broiler, we had a blast talking about it. He is about 30 years younger and we were on the same page. The simple things here are now rewarding. its like circling the wagons and there is passion in the air. Too bad the Saints and Bensen can't buy it. You cannot buyit. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted December 6, 2005 Share Posted December 6, 2005 I love the quote, "People see New Orleans the way they want to."That's so true, what some bash others romanticize and vice versa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted December 19, 2005 Share Posted December 19, 2005 I could probably say yes to most of that list. Expecially since I still have family in that special city. Yes it was a dirty place but it did have it's own charm that not many other places could ever have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominax Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 No but my other people have and we have a video tape just a year ago before it happened. But ill miss of how things where before it happened. :closedeyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97saturn Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Have you been to New Orleans lately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N Judah Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 No, but that post makes me wish I grew up in San Francisco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Never have but am just dying to visit the historical cathedrals/basilica's and convent's. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...l%3Den%26sa%3DN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDeb Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Have you ever smelt the Bourbon Street "gutter slime?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Oy vey, this thread.N.O. and that entire sorry excuse for a state will never get another penny from me. Enough is enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgriff Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Oy vey, this thread.N.O. and that entire sorry excuse for a state will never get another penny from me. Enough is enough.I wish I could say the same. I have to go there next month and I'm not looking forward to it. It sure makes you appreciate Houston when you get back though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 N.O. and that entire sorry excuse for a state will never get another penny from me.That's what you get for wasting your whole trip at Harrah's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Have you ever smelt the Bourbon Street "gutter slime?"Yes. But at 5:00 a.m., when it was quiet in the French Quarter, stumbling back to my hotel, after a visit... to another hotel... Intoxicated, of course. They actually hose down the streets at that hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 When you talk trash about NOLA it's more a reflection of yourself than the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Low rent casinos. Redneck Rivera has it beat from what I hear. I've been to three Sugar Bowls, Tulane vs. UH games, and many NOLA road trips.The Mayor and Gov. are on my bad side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 The Mayor and Gov. are on my bad side.I hear they lose sleep over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Let's play nice, people. The same rules apply here as in the Dallas section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 who got Soul?charles moore? NOLA witnessed the high water mark of both pomo & natural disasters both of which I consider exchangeable terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDeb Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 The Mayor and Gov. are on my bad side.Jindal has been in office for three months and he's already on your bad side? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 NOLA witnessed the high water mark of both pomo & natural disasters both of which I consider exchangeable terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 and to ride a street car named... and beat the crap out of Stanley Kowalski! Stella! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 OK, so I meant the old Gov. Jinda seems better than Babble-On Blank-0. That state needs a Rep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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