Tales Of The Crescent City

New Orleans is an amazing city.

Outstanding food, some of the best cocktails in the States, great live music, beautiful architecture, friendly people — these are just a handful of its many perks.

I first visited the Crescent City in May 2004, more than a year before Hurricane Katrina hit it in August 2005. On that inaugural trip, I did all the touristy things: beignets at Cafe Du Monde, watching a jazz show in the French Quarter, eating a roast beef po’ boy at Mother’s, dinner at K-Paul’s. Although most of what I did was cliche, the Big Easy still managed to capture my heart. And so ever since Katrina, I’ve been going back as often as I can, at least once a year, exploring new areas each time.

During my many visits to New Orleans — with hopefully my third visit of 2014 coming in October — I’ve been fortunate to interview an interesting cast of locals. From a voodoo priestess to the host of a daily three-hour radio show devoted to the city’s cuisine, they’ve all had great stories to tell (including their memories of Katrina).

In tribute to the city, here are links to the strangers I’ve met there:

It’s impossible to pick a favorite, but I’m happy to say I’ve kept in touch with a couple of the interviewees. And each stranger I’ve had dinner with down there has just made me fall further in love with the city.

Here’s to New Orleans having a long and wonderful future.

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