Returning to New Orleans: A Sentimental Journey

Canal Street hit me the same way. As a teenager, it was Nirvana—THE place to shop, take in a flick, and flirt with the cute guys who flocked to all the Mardi Gras parades. Today, the two majestic theaters where my dates snuck timid arms around my shoulders now stand vacant. Many of the retail shops and restaurants remain tightly boarded. Hopefully, the recent re-opening of the Ritz-Carlton will jump start the return of other establishments.

The Upper and Lower Ninth Wards, where residents were trapped atop their roofs for days as TV cameras rolled were heartbreakers. Large “Xs” with dates and initials around the perimeter signified that rescuers had searched the ruins. Squares around the “Xs” meant an occupant had died before help came.

To jumpstart regrowth, Habitat for Humanity is constructing a Musicians’ Village in the upper Ninth Ward. The idea was conceived by Harry Connick, Jr., and Branford and Ellis Marsalis to provide brightly painted homes for displaced New Orleans musicians and preserve the city’s rich jazz heritage.

There are other positive signs. The elegant new Harrah’s Hotel opened late last year amid grumbles from preservationists. But even die-hards admit that the hotel and block-wide casino across the street are drawing visitors from all over the country willing to spend some bucks in the cash-strapped city. Admittedly, we dropped a few quarters in the slots, too.

Once we stepped into the French Quarter, the New Orleans I knew reappeared. Most of the signature restaurants have re-opened and Brennan’s chef continues to work his magic. The eclectic antique shops along Royal still lure me inside, and famous New Orleans jazz clubs like Preservation Hall and the House of Blues are in full swing. We feasted on café au lait and beinets (French puff pastries dripping with powdered sugar) at the famous Café Du Monde and strolled in and out of shops on the streets I once trod.

My sentimental journey was filled with pathos. But despite the ghost towns and lagging reconstruction, the spirit of the New Orleanians “set my heart at ease.” The city once called “America’s Paris” may never return to its former glory, but it WILL make a comeback. From service personnel to executives, everyone was upbeat, looking ahead—not backward.