I usually try not to incorporate my personal life into my blog because I don't see it as something that is about me but more of what I appreciate from others. However this experience I found almost impossible not to share because it's abosuletly magical. I'm talking about New Orleans it is the epitome of beauty, culture, class, and soul I've been there many times before, but on my recent trip there it gave me an entirely different vibe and if there is a place in America you haven't been this is one I'd advise you visit. Coming from a multicultural background I can appreciate the extreme diversity of the people, the food, the architecture just everything about just has this richness and makes you wanna just let loose.Even a prolonged stay brings no easy recognition or familiarity. Someone from a northern city might see something familiar like a Saint Patrick's Day parade, Italian fresh produce dealers, or some century-old Lutheran, Greek Orthodox and Jewish congregations. They would also recognize soul food restaurants, African American store-front churches, and the lilt of Spanish spoken in the streets. A southern visitor would see familiar colonnaded houses, catch a whiff of jasmine blossoms, and even find cornbread on some menus. But still most residents of the United States will still be puzzled by what they observe in New Orleans — their usual explanation is that New Orleans is a foreign place, more a European than an American city.Even still that city makes me feel like I am at home.
It is an American city — just a very different place with a very peculiar history. New Orleans is a place where Africans, and American Indians shared their cultures and intermingled with European settlers. Encouraged by the French government, this strategy for producing a durable culture in a difficult place marked New Orleans as different and special from its inception and continues to distinguish New Orleans today. The largest waves of immigrants came from Ireland and Germany. In certain neighborhoods, their descendants' dialects would make visitors feel that they were back in the neighborhoods of Brooklyn or the southside of Chicago. From 1820 to 1870, the Irish and Germans made New Orleans one of the main immigrant ports in the nation, second only to New York and far ahead of Boston, Philadelphia or Baltimore. New Orleans also was the first city in America to host a significant settlement of Italians, Greeks, Croatians and Filipinos. Just before the opening of the 20th century, thousands of Sicilians came into New Orleans to add to the complexity of its population and enrich its culture. It's not just fun during Mardi GRAS New Orleans is great all of time from Gentily all the way to the Westbank, you will fall in love.
This is the restaurant in the Astor Crowne Plaza in the French Quarter and the food there is divine as well as the 5-star service and ambiance
Burbon St never sleeps don't leave without trying a Grenade
Being on Canal street is like Time Square with Palm Trees equipped with street vendors of all ethnic groups, I love the Jamaicans the best...lol
Take a stroll down Magazine street and stop at a sidewalk cafe and try a Binet
A couple blocks up is the river walk that has a beautiful park which is safe even at night which overlooks the Mississippi River and the bridge that connects the west bank which lights up at night
Take a ride on the Trolley over to the Garden district and see all the gorgeous French style homes.
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