New Orleans for Dummies (ISBN - 0470069341)

362 Pages·2021·6.73 MB·English

by Julia Kamysz Lane

New Orleans

FOR

DUMmIES

‰

4TH EDITION

s

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by Julia Kamysz Lane

New Orleans

FOR

DUMmIES

‰

4TH EDITION

s

01_069349 ffirs.qxp 12/20/06 11:23 PM Page iii

New Orleans For Dummies®, 4th Edition
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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About the Author

Julia Kamysz Lane is a freelance writer and book reviewer whose
work has appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines. She
and her husband are dividing their time between Chicago and
New Orleans while they restore their 1940s bungalow after severe
flooding from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. They care for a small zoo
of pets, comprised of four dogs — Catahoula Desoto, Dalmatians
Darby and Jolie, and All-American Shelby — and two cats, Cricket
and Bruiser Bear.

Dedication

This book is again dedicated to my parents, Rich and Ellen Kamysz,
for hosting us and our many pets in their home for eight months
after the storm. Mom and Dad, we can never repay you for your
love, patience, and generosity during that difficult time.

Author’s Acknowledgments

I would first and foremost like to thank my editor, Stephen
Bassman, for his enthusiasm, guidance, and excellent listening
skills when I was eager to share my New Orleans experiences.

And grateful thanks to the following for factual and emotional sup-
port during the revision of this book: my wonderful New Orleans
friends Becky Anderson; Esther Carlisle; Victoria Cooke; Mark and
Bonnie Suckow (congrats on twins William and Robin!); Angela
Portera and Dayna Dufrene, for hosting us countless times while
we salvaged flooded possessions and gutted our house; and
Michael Depp and Darleen Mipro, for initiating a long overdue
reunion and hosting at the very last minute (congrats on baby
Jude!).

Thank you WWOZ (www.wwoz.org) for playing such awesome,
funky music over the Web so I could be inspired by New Orleans
culture and attitude no matter where I was, and especially while
working on this book.

I also want to thank my new Illinois friends Dave and Shasta
Newton; Ralph and Barb Scalise; and Grant and Whitney Rupp
(aka “Whant”).

Of course, I must thank my family, especially my parents Rich and
Ellen Kamysz, my father- and mother-in-law Rich and Barb Lane,

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and my brother Marty Kamysz and sister-in-law Renee Kamysz, all
of whom helped us get back on our feet again. I am grateful to my
young nieces, toddler Lauren and baby Megan Kamysz, for making
me laugh, smile, and look forward to the future.

Many compassionate people offered us money, clothes, and a
shoulder to cry on in the months after the storm, plus food, crates,
toys, and more for our pets. I will never forget your kindness.

Lastly, thank you to my husband and best friend, Brian Lane, who
never gave up looking for those antique salters among the wreck-
age of our New Orleans home. Ultimately, the salters didn’t matter
as much as having you by my side as we rebuild our life together.
TBIL!

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Editorial

Editors: Stephen Bassman,

Development Editor;
Lindsay Conner, Production Editor

Copy Editor: Melissa S. Bennett
Cartographer: Tim Lohnes
Editorial Assistant: Melinda Quintero
Senior Photo Editor: Richard Fox
Cover Photos

Front: © Cosmo Condina/
Getty Images
Back: © Richard Cummins/Corbis

Photo Credits: “Portrait of a Katrina

survivor” © Thomas Neff

Cartoons: Rich Tennant,

www.the5thwave.com

Composition

Project Coordinator: Kristie Rees
Layout and Graphics:

Stephanie D. Jumper,
Amanda Spagnuolo

Proofreaders: David Faust, Techbooks
Indexer: Techbooks

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies
Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies
Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies
Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel
Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel

Publishing for Technology Dummies

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/

General User

Composition Services

Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies
online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

01_069349 ffirs.qxp 12/20/06 11:23 PM Page vii

Contents at a Glance

Introduction.......................................................1
Part I: Introducing New Orleans ..........................7

Chapter 1: Discovering the Best of Post-Katrina

New Orleans ................................................................................9

Chapter 2: Examining Hurricane Katrina and

Its Aftermath..............................................................................12

Chapter 3: Digging Deeper into Local

Traditions and History ............................................................39

Chapter 4: Deciding When to Go ..................................................48

Part II: Planning Your Trip to New Orleans.........57

Chapter 5: Managing Your Money ................................................59
Chapter 6: Getting to New Orleans ..............................................67
Chapter 7: Catering to Special Travel Needs or Interests..........75
Chapter 8: Taking Care of the Remaining Details ........................85

Part III: Settling into New Orleans.....................95

Chapter 9: Arriving and Getting Oriented ....................................97
Chapter 10: Checking in at New Orleans’s Best Hotels ............115
Chapter 11: Dining and Snacking in New Orleans ....................147

Part IV: Exploring New Orleans........................195

Chapter 12: Discovering New Orleans’s Best Attractions........197
Chapter 13: Shopping the Local Stores ......................................234
Chapter 14: Following an Itinerary: Four Great Options ..........250
Chapter 15: Going Beyond New Orleans: Three Daytrips ........262

Part V: Living It Up After Dark:

New Orleans Nightlife ................................277

Chapter 16: Applauding the Cultural Scene ..............................279
Chapter 17: Hitting the Clubs and Bars ......................................284

Part VI: The Part of Tens.................................309

Chapter 18: Ten Classic Experiences You Can Still

Have in Post-Katrina New Orleans........................................311

Chapter 19: Ten Things We Lost in the Hurricane ....................316
Chapter 20: Ten Issues Facing New Orleans Right Now ..........320
Appendix: Quick Concierge..........................................................324

Index.............................................................331

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