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Old 07-21-2008, 04:22 PM
 
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From everything I have read it seems Louisville has alot in common with New Orleans in terms of being provincial, (in a good way) and some architectural similarities.

Does this extend to the general attitude of citizens being pretty laid back and would anyone describe Louisville as "New Orleans Lite"?
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Old 07-21-2008, 05:55 PM
 
7,064 posts, read 16,643,283 times
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Originally Posted by traveler3 View Post
From everything I have read it seems Louisville has alot in common with New Orleans in terms of being provincial, (in a good way) and some architectural similarities.

Does this extend to the general attitude of citizens being pretty laid back and would anyone describe Louisville as "New Orleans Lite"?
In some ways yes. Both have "the laissez faire bon tempe" vibe and attitude. They are similar in size, with New Orleans being historically bigger and denser, but Louisville is now larger in both city and metro populations after Katrina. Both are well know for large hoods of shotgun houses, and dense, walkable, urban areas with a funky, artistic renewal going on in both. Both are happening cities with great soul and culture, and very ingrained local pastimes. However, Louisville is not nearly as well known (and its residents enjoy that). Each city is well known nationally for a yearly festival that literally makes everything in town stop (Kentucky Derby Festival in Louisville and Mardi Gras in New Orleans). New Orleans sees quite a bit more tourists, so they have some of the upscale shopping amenities and pro sports Louisville lacks. Sports in Louisville revolve around the college scene, and a reinvigorating downtown will be 180 degrees different and better in five years.

Restuarant wise, both are among the best places to find great food in the country IMO. In fact, for metro areas under 2 million, my experience is that Las Vegas is number one, followed by New Orleans, Charleston, SC, and Louisville.


So they are very similar yet so different. I personally find Louisville to be more similar to what Austin, TX was around 1990, before the yuppies overran the place and ruined it.
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Old 07-21-2008, 08:21 PM
 
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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I think once people get over the Midwest or Southern debate over Louisville there is a ton of similarities between LOUKY & NOLA.

--> Both have some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the US just minutes from some of the most cultured and lively neighborhoods in the US.
--> Both have a reputation for decadence (ei interracial dating/ marriage & large gay populations)
--> Both have have an incredible variety of residential architecture. They rank 1 & 2 for the number of Shotgun Houses
--> Both have historically had major flooding problems. Everyone knows about Katrina, but 70% of Louisville was flooded in 1937 and hundreds were killed - sound familiar?

Most of Louisville was originally swamplands that had to be drained.
Many of the area's road names still bare this out - Poplar Level Road originally was paved with poplar logs to cross the swamps near present day Jefferson Mall; 3rd Street was named Central Plank Road as it was also paved with logs over swamps near what is now the airport. Crittenden Drive used to be Ashbottom Road, as it went through swamps laden with Ash Trees near the airport

--> Both have reputation for having a high crime rate. Interestingly, Louisville actually has a low violent crime, although you wouldn't guess that walking around Downtown, northern Old Louisville, or the West End. Maybe our thugs don't have as good of aim as thugs in NOLA
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Old 07-22-2008, 08:40 PM
 
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The comparisons of Louisville to New Orleans are limited to non-existent, and only in the most surface sort of ways. New Orleans is like another country compared to the rest of the USA, much less Louisville, with its own unique culture, food, music, etc. Louisville does more varied restaurants. New Orleans is a port city, with intense heat/humidity, and always has had bad crime. Louisville's crime is non-existent by comparison. New Orleans has the French Quarter right near an easily accessible river. Louisville is still trying to get beyond all the surface level parking lots, etc. to get people living back downtown again. Louisville has great architecture, but the sense of architectural (and historical) pride is not as pervasive as in New Orleans. Sure, there are many shotgun houses in Louisville, but the majority of them have siding and the architectural touches were stripped off years ago. In New Orleans, rich or poor, people almost never have siding and typically paint houses in Caribbean-style colors. Also, New Orleans is a Catholic city and Louisville is a Protestant city. Generally, the two cities feel totally different. Louisvillians are mostly pretty steady/don't rock the boat kind of people and New Orleanians are pretty polar (up or down but not in the middle). The Derby is better compared to Jazz Fest since both involve going to the fairgrounds and paying admission, (Mardi Gras around the world is the best free festival one can imagine.) but Jazz Fest is arguably a much better event. New Orleans (though also Latino, Vietnamese, Italian, etc) has a strong African-American population and it reflects in a strong culture. African-American culture in Louisville is largely non-existent. New Orleans feels obviously decadent and Louisville just doesn't. It's pretty apparent with all the forum's Oldham county swooning, not to mention general suburb queries, that Louisville's suburban mindset makes for a certain kind of person not akin to a New Orleanian.

Better comparisons are probably Louisville to Cincinnati/Covington/Newport, Nashville, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh; and New Orleans to San Francisco, New York, Havana, and Amsterdam.
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Old 07-22-2008, 10:30 PM
 
Location: North Side of Chicago, Illinois
92 posts, read 498,661 times
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You know, I don't think that Louisville and New Orleans have tons in common, although there are some areas where they do seem to be at least cousins.

But Alon's response about Louisville is factually incorrect in several regards. And NOLA being being compared to New York? Amsterdam? San Francisco? Really?!? I find that laughable, but whatever makes you sleep better.
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Old 07-23-2008, 09:59 AM
 
34 posts, read 76,251 times
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Originally Posted by LouisvilleJake View Post
You know, I don't think that Louisville and New Orleans have tons in common, although there are some areas where they do seem to be at least cousins.

But Alon's response about Louisville is factually incorrect in several regards. And NOLA being being compared to New York? Amsterdam? San Francisco? Really?!? I find that laughable, but whatever makes you sleep better.

Having asked the question initially, I think Alon's response was also great.

I really have to disagree with you though because NOLA is very comparible to NYC San Fran. and Amsterdam in terms of density, walkability, energy, and the overall feeling that when you in each city, the architecture and uniqueness are overwhelming.
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Old 07-23-2008, 10:03 AM
 
7,064 posts, read 16,643,283 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alon View Post
The comparisons of Louisville to New Orleans are limited to non-existent, and only in the most surface sort of ways. New Orleans is like another country compared to the rest of the USA, much less Louisville, with its own unique culture, food, music, etc. Louisville does more varied restaurants. New Orleans is a port city, with intense heat/humidity, and always has had bad crime. Louisville's crime is non-existent by comparison. New Orleans has the French Quarter right near an easily accessible river. Louisville is still trying to get beyond all the surface level parking lots, etc. to get people living back downtown again. Louisville has great architecture, but the sense of architectural (and historical) pride is not as pervasive as in New Orleans. Sure, there are many shotgun houses in Louisville, but the majority of them have siding and the architectural touches were stripped off years ago. In New Orleans, rich or poor, people almost never have siding and typically paint houses in Caribbean-style colors. Also, New Orleans is a Catholic city and Louisville is a Protestant city. Generally, the two cities feel totally different. Louisvillians are mostly pretty steady/don't rock the boat kind of people and New Orleanians are pretty polar (up or down but not in the middle). The Derby is better compared to Jazz Fest since both involve going to the fairgrounds and paying admission, (Mardi Gras around the world is the best free festival one can imagine.) but Jazz Fest is arguably a much better event. New Orleans (though also Latino, Vietnamese, Italian, etc) has a strong African-American population and it reflects in a strong culture. African-American culture in Louisville is largely non-existent. New Orleans feels obviously decadent and Louisville just doesn't. It's pretty apparent with all the forum's Oldham county swooning, not to mention general suburb queries, that Louisville's suburban mindset makes for a certain kind of person not akin to a New Orleanian.

Better comparisons are probably Louisville to Cincinnati/Covington/Newport, Nashville, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh; and New Orleans to San Francisco, New York, Havana, and Amsterdam.
From your post, it shows you know very little and next to nothing about Louisville, execpt for browsing a few online posts on here. And I do agree with LouisvilleJake. Putting New Orleans in the same sentence as New York or Amsterdam is beyond laughable. In fact, Louisville is actually bigger than New Orleans!
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Old 07-23-2008, 10:25 AM
 
34 posts, read 76,251 times
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Originally Posted by stx12499 View Post
From your post, it shows you know very little and next to nothing about Louisville, execpt for browsing a few online posts on here. And I do agree with LouisvilleJake. Putting New Orleans in the same sentence as New York or Amsterdam is beyond laughable. In fact, Louisville is actually bigger than New Orleans!
styx12499,

having never been to louisville, i have found your posts very helpful in researching the city.

however, i think you are way off on not comparing NOLA to NYC, Amsterdam and San Fran. Having been to all 4, the cities are similar in terms of density, walkability, architectural uniqueness and the overall sense of place feeling. I don't think they are exactly alike (ie size, geography), but it is certainly not "laughable" to compare them to each other.

after reading your last post, my question is that do you think your love and passion for louisville clouds some of your views on the city as a whole? are any of the statements made by Alon correct?

Or do you really think Alon is completely wrong?
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Old 07-23-2008, 10:54 AM
 
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Louisville is nothing like Cincinnati, which to me makes it very much more like New Orleans. Cincinnati is very clean cut, conservative, safe, and boring (in both good and bad ways). Louisville has some of the nastiest neighborhoods anywhere just minutes from some of the most cultured neighborhoods anywhere outside a very large city. People in Cincinnati are very reluctant to brag about their sports teams, while Louisvillians are absolutely bonkers over their local teams. You see more cars with U of L flags here on gameday than in places like Knoxville or Columbus OH, not to mention the psycho UK fans who live here

Let me also state I have no idea how Louisville ranks as one of America's safest cities. Drive around Downtown, Old Louisville, the West End and all you see a homeless people and vagaboms everywhere. Just biking from my apartment in Old Louisville up 4th Street to Downtown I have experience verbal assults and petty attempted robberies dozens of times. Unfortunatly for the criminals, I always carry a taser and pepper spray with me.

You may love or hate Louisville, but you will never be bored.
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Old 07-23-2008, 10:59 AM
 
34 posts, read 76,251 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by censusdata View Post
Louisville is nothing like Cincinnati, which to me makes it very much more like New Orleans. Cincinnati is very clean cut, conservative, safe, and boring (in both good and bad ways). Louisville has some of the nastiest neighborhoods anywhere just minutes from some of the most cultured neighborhoods anywhere outside a very large city. People in Cincinnati are very reluctant to brag about their sports teams, while Louisvillians are absolutely bonkers over their local teams. You see more cars with U of L flags here on gameday than in places like Knoxville or Columbus OH, not to mention the psycho UK fans who live here

Let me also state I have no idea how Louisville ranks as one of America's safest cities. Drive around Downtown, Old Louisville, the West End and all you see a homeless people and vagaboms everywhere. Just biking from my apartment in Old Louisville up 4th Street to Downtown I have experience verbal assults and petty attempted robberies dozens of times. Unfortunatly for the criminals, I always carry a taser and pepper spray with me.

You may love or hate Louisville, but you will never be bored.

Once again, having never been to Louisville I don't know the correct answer, but it seems to me that you are one of the few people who post alot that consistantly mentions how unsafe Louisville is.

Why do most of the other posters state that the older neighborhoods are very safe. Is it a perception issue?
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