When I think of New Orleans I think of food, culture, jazz, and the people. My church here in Memphis hosted a shelter for folks from New Orleans who had come to us after Hurricane Katrina, and I will say that the people I met were some of the most friendly, resilient, and grateful people ever. Recently my husband and I spent some time there on our way to a cruise, and we had a fabulous visit. The city of New Orleans has been called many nicknames: The Big Easy, The Crescent City, Most Interesting City in America, and several more. It sits right in a crescent of the Mississippi River, and even though we could feel the humidity in the air there was always a slight breeze to offset it. We did find it indeed a very interesting city full of art, music, culture, and delicious cuisine.

Folks here in Memphis like to think of our city as the real music city (even though Nashville tries to claim that), but New Orleans has it’s fair share of a variety of American music. Whether you’re into jazz, rock, or even classical, there is something for everybody. We enjoyed live Cajun music and food at a family style place called Mulato’s.

New Orleans has evidence of French, Spanish, Haitian, and Cuban influence. There is a lot of tradition, such as their famous Creole cuisine served in restaurants made of century-old architecture and in its wild and crazy, traffic-stopping parades where I am told marchers scale rooftops to dance. I have never seen this, but Mardi Gras is a big deal in this city. New Orleans people are strong. This city has endured tremendous tragedy, yet it still celebrates with style and flair.

Next time you are craving some Cajun cooking, drop on by the Bayou in NOLA, and see why New Orleans truly is a most interesting city. Have you been to New Orleans? Drop me a comment and tell me what your favorite part of your visit was.