Understandably, this thread has been sorta DEAD since Katrina, but... come one! The City is coing back and some of y'all have been there - what's happening? Where did you go? What did you do? Was it fun?

Where do we find it?

The headline of the Times Picayune (New Orleans newspaper) last Thursday was "Conventioners Surprised by New Orleans Great Recovery."

The whole article was interviews with the Healthcare and Education professionals who were in the city for their annual convention - 24,000 people who filled up the city and had a great time. Almost ALL of them were expecting to find devastation and despair and a sad city reeling from disaster, but... it just ain't SO!

They all said the same thing - they couldn't believe how great everything was. The restaurants - the sparkling clean streets (New Orleans has NEVER been this clean!) - the music - all the traditional old fun New Orleans stuff.

The National media has painted such a terrible picture that it's keeping people away - it's a shame because the city really is in wonderful shape - the outlying residential areas are a different story - the recovery there is slow and agonizing for some folks - but, it does not effect the heart of the city, and, to be honest, it's not that different than the pace of recovery in Gulf Shores after Ivan...

SO... spread the word - New Orleans is better than ever... all the city needs is a break from the media and more tourists!