New Orleans vs. (...) (better, places, America, life)

[E.RR.Armoneaux]

Hello everyone, I'm St.Armoneaux ( my last name ) and I'm a New Orleans native born proud Louisiana boy who loves everything ethnically Louisiana. Recently I've debated with others on this City vs. City forum and just find that really New Orleans and much of South Louisiana just isn't comparable to anywhere else in the world on a social, ethic, historic etc. tone of topic.

Just moments ago I was on Boston vs. New Orleans and well with so much difference even the comparables are just unethical, at least in my mind.

So enough with that, my question is; Is there anywhere in the world that can truly go toe to toe with New Orleans without fading into a more opinionated decisions of preference e.g. : one deep historic root over the other ?

Allowable and relevant topics:

History
Culture ( central to the city )
Cuisine
Architecture and City appearance ( transit, parks, metro etc. )
Social Dynamics ( way of life )
Linguistics ( accents, dialects of separate languages e.g. LA Creole )

Is there anywhere comparable. *Keep it clean people* -don't over exhaust

[btownboss4]

Boston, Savannah, Anchorage.

[E.RR.Armoneaux]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

Boston, Savannah, Anchorage.

Explain why.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by E.RR.Armoneaux

Explain why.

Boston- Center of New England, unique cusine, and incorperation of french into Dielect, Frappe, pissa ect.
Anchorage- UNiquely Alaskan, no sizable city for almost a 1000 of miles so is unique in many ways.
Sanvannah- Unique to the south, even somewhat reministent of New Orleans only less french more British.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

On North American continent I'd say only Montreal or Quebec City could match New Orleans as far as distinctiveness. Though a bit smaller, most especially Quebec City has its own ambiaance about it that feels closer to Europe than North America. Though the food isn't as distinctive (but they do have their own culinary cuisine) pretty much any other category is, most especially architecture.

J'adore vieux-Québec, il est très romantique


Office du tourisme de Québec (Québec, Canada) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/authentikcanada/5595985554/ - broken link) by AuthentikCanada (http://www.flickr.com/people/authentikcanada/ - broken link), on Flickr


Office du tourisme de Québec (Québec, Canada) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/authentikcanada/5595401943/ - broken link) by AuthentikCanada (http://www.flickr.com/people/authentikcanada/ - broken link), on Flickr


Street in Vieux, Quebec (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ragingwire/4707153401/ - broken link) by ragingwire (http://www.flickr.com/people/ragingwire/ - broken link), on Flickr


Québec (http://www.flickr.com/photos/twiga_swala/6438763021/ - broken link) by twiga_swala (http://www.flickr.com/people/twiga_swala/ - broken link), on Flickr

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

Anchorage- UNiquely Alaskan, no sizable city for almost a 1000 of miles so is unique in many ways.

Actually Anchorage really isn't that unique, feels like any other sprawly suburb loaded up with chains and malls and a mediocre downtown. Some history on Anchorage; most of the city was destroyed including its downtown in a 9.2 earthquake in 1964. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Alaska_earthquake). Most of the city was rebuilt and went through a oil boom phase in the 1970's and it shows. You would find a lot more Alaskan character in one of the small towns like Homer, Skagway, or Ketchikan (better Alaskan food too).

Originally Posted by btownboss4

Boston- Center of New England, unique cusine, and incorperation of french into Dielect, Frappe, pissa ect.

French dialect, huh? Frappe is just a modified milkshake. I live outside of Boston and if I ever heard anyone say pissa I would slap them (fortunately I usually don't hear that attrociuous slang). C'mon man most people know Boston is unique but you gotta represent better than this.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by caphillsea77

Actually Anchorage really isn't that unique, feels like any other sprawly suburb loaded up with chains and malls and a mediocre downtown. You would find a lot more Alaskan character in one of the small towns like Homer, Skagway, or Ketchikan (better Alaskan food too).

Fairbanks?

[E.RR.Armoneaux]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

Boston- Center of New England, unique cusine, and incorperation of french into Dielect, Frappe, pissa ect.
Anchorage- UNiquely Alaskan, no sizable city for almost a 1000 of miles so is unique in many ways.
Sanvannah- Unique to the south, even somewhat reministent of New Orleans only less french more British.

I don't see it,

Savannah has similar architectural charm which draws a feel of New Orleans but the likeness ends there ( culturally, cuisine wise etc. it doesn't add up ), to me Savannah has a similar look and feel but no actual character.

Anchorage like someone else said isnt dynamic nor historically influenced to bank with New Orleans. Its fairly modern post 20th century and like Savannah falls flat in uniqueness of culture or cuisine or any other topic I listed.

Boston is typical New England, I'm going to try and avoid making this another Boston vs. New Orleans thread by just saying it doesn't make it for me.

New Orleans is unique to the globe, as you said these places are possibly unique regionally, not globally like New Orleans and South Louisiana which is whats being contrasted here. Of the three i would think Savannah is most viable being unique to a much greater differing surrounds than the others but still just isnt there for me, Its quintessentially U.S. Southern.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

Fairbanks?

not really, like I said the smaller towns, particularly on the coast (older settlements) Sitka, Skagway, Seward etc.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

You know what city is actually surprising for its rich cultural attributes and history is St. Louis. Toe to toe with New Orleans? No, but a lot of its settlement came by way of New Orleans up the Mississippi and it shows in certain neighborhoods like Lacledes Landing and Soulard. Some of its suburbs have French names, and like New Orleans had a lot more past prestige and commerce in past centuries than today, though much is still intact. The city has a blend of American cultures from North, South, East, and West (a little New Orleans, a little Chicago, a little Baltimore) There is also a very palpable musical ambiance there with the Blues and Jazz. I really enjoyed my stay in St. Louis, it definitely has nice character.