(Image Credit: Jennifer Zdon for The New York Times)
New Orleans has undergone a Renaissance over the past seven years since the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. There's still much work to be done, but the city has blossomed anew, with plenty to offer the high-spirited traveler.
The city is a wonderful mixture of old and new, well-known for its distinct French Creole architecture, as well as its cross cultural and multilingual geritage. New Orleans is also famous for its (amazing!) cuisine, music (jazz!) and its annual celebrations and festivals.
If you're thinking about taking a long, festive weekend in New Orleans, check out this article by Campbell Robertson, "36 Hours in New Orleans." From craft-cocktail bars, Southern-flavored bistros, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, to the incredibly beautiful cemeteries, church choirs and dancing - there is so much to do!
The food, especially, is absolutely amazing, and very diverse. As Robertson writes,
"A tally of good restaurants in this city is endless - just about anyone's favorites are worth trying - but the list has mostly left out the bohemian Bywater neighborhood, a part of town appreciated more for art collectives and corner bars where you can happily kill an afternoon."
