By Laura James

This past May, I went to New Orleans to join friends who were there for the full two weeks of the first Post-Katrina Jazz Fest. I was there for just two nights and curious to see first-hand how this amazing city is recovering. This was my first post-Katrina visit, although I have been to New Orleans many times before. I have a special place in my heart for this city with its rich culture and music, warm people and sensational food. I have to admit, it was a bitter-sweet experience, but I am so glad that I went. The French Quarter and the Garden District were relatively untouched by the storm. Still you can feel the energy of the people and enjoy the music and cuisine that New Orleans is so famous for. I believe that everyone who knows New Orleans loves it because it is the most down to earth place in the country.

The Place de Armes is one of the many charming smaller hotels in the French Quarter and includes a very nice continental breakfast in their room rate. The flower-filled courtyard with swimming pool was a peaceful place to regroup and refresh and the location right near Jackson Square was extremely convenient. A friend suggested renting bicycles. We found a shop on Frenchman Street and for $20.00/day we were off. We rode through the French Quarter, and through the Garden District with its lovely homes, stopping for lunch at a small diner and later in a park. We rode through some of the surrounding area where the homes and businesses were destroyed by Katrina and are still uninhabitable.

Dinner the first night in Jackson Square was red beans and rice and Creole shrimp, just wonderful. The second night we had a great Italian dinner at Adolfo's on Frenchman Street. Most of the hotels and restaurants in the Quarter are now back in business. The service everywhere we went was excellent.

There is no question that the city still has a long way to go, but it's still a fun destination with so many things to enjoy--Beignets at the Café DuMonde, Jackson Square, river boat rides, plenty of art and so much more.

The following is what I believe an important quote from the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau web-site - www.neworleanscvb.com:

"The cultural hospitality of the city is world-renowned, and we feel that the visitor and meeting industry will be one of the leading drivers of the future economy of the city. By helping to preserve this vital area of the economy, you are in a very real way contributing to the future of the city through the rebuilding of food and beverage outlets, accommodation facilities and attractions throughout the Crescent City."

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