I LOVE New Orleans, but . . . (Baton Rouge: high school, college, living)

[BradfromNO]

My mother reminded me this morning that for the same reason I hated Jackson, MS and
Memphis, TN, I would not want to go back to NO. This comes up because I was browsing
houses in my price range yesterday. I saw a few that I could certainly play one-man
neighborhood revitalization with, but I thought, How could I insure it? And is the house even
above the new standard level or will I have to raise it? You see the piece of commercial real
estate for sale at a great price and in the ad, they don't mention that in order to do anything
to it, you have to first dig up the old gasoline storage tanks under the parking lot. That is
what I am sure lurks behind some of these houses. But give Guugle credit, you also see
this house and you think, hmmm. Then you street level check it and you click further and
further down the street and you see all these hoodlums that the roto-photo car captured,
or all these houses covered in vines. Granted alot of that stuff has been cleared since the
car went by and shot these places, but it IS funny to see. Especially the dudes with their
"pants on the ground" Sorry neighbor, I have a dress code on my block.

[eskimopie]

New Orleans is interesting, but no more interesting than other American cities. Minneapolis, Austin, Portland: these are places with huge art, music and cuisine scenes and good public schools, public transit and roads that won't destroy your car. What New Orleans lacks in infrastructure and progress, it does not make up for in po' boys and brass bands. If you have no problem living in a city where part of the culture is a general acceptance of the fact that city officials steal from you, you'll love New Orleans. If not, it can be a very frustrating and disappointing place to live. And unless you like traditional jazz, brass bands and funk, this place is a musical desert. My friends from Minneapolis who visited me here described it as "All music, All the time, All the same." Hippies and pseudo-hippies abound. I don't know if it's the heat or the "laid-back" attitude, but there aren't too many big-thinking movers and shakers in this city. Check out Northeast Minneapolis. Those cold winters seem to fuel the creative fire. Or else there's somethin' in the water upriver.

[bustaduke]

Originally Posted by Innotech

Move to the north bank. The area west of SLidell and north of the lake. It isnt nearly so flood prone

This is not true. A lot of areas on the north shore flood one or two days after a hard rain. These areas act as a collecting area and hold water for a few days to several weeks. Do your homework and do not trust what the sellers tell you about flooding in the area.

My wife and I looked for land for a few years before finally purchasing. I can't tell you how many sellers said they never saw the land they had for sale flood but after talking to neighbors we would find out that it did flood. And not just a few inches I'm talking sometimes up to 10 feet or more of water.

Also we looked at a lot of land that was high and dry that had pitcher plants and cypress trees. This is a sure sign that this land has flooding during part of the year.

Rivers and creaks here overflow all the time after heavy rains and if you are close enough to them you will also flood.

busta

[Minnehahapolitan]

Originally Posted by eskimopie

New Orleans is interesting, but no more interesting than other American cities. Minneapolis, Austin, Portland: these are places with huge art, music and cuisine scenes and good public schools, public transit and roads that won't destroy your car. What New Orleans lacks in infrastructure and progress, it does not make up for in po' boys and brass bands. If you have no problem living in a city where part of the culture is a general acceptance of the fact that city officials steal from you, you'll love New Orleans. If not, it can be a very frustrating and disappointing place to live. And unless you like traditional jazz, brass bands and funk, this place is a musical desert. My friends from Minneapolis who visited me here described it as "All music, All the time, All the same." Hippies and pseudo-hippies abound. I don't know if it's the heat or the "laid-back" attitude, but there aren't too many big-thinking movers and shakers in this city. Check out Northeast Minneapolis. Those cold winters seem to fuel the creative fire. Or else there's somethin' in the water upriver.

I will be from Mpls. to N.O. this month. I feel well suited, then, to rebut these statements.
The public schools in Mpls. are just as hit and miss as those in New Orleans. We have the same concoction of charter schools, public schools and private schools found in every other city these days. Most of them don't work that well. Some do. Any New Orleanian in the Mpls. school system is just par for the course.
Winter here is six months long (snow parking November to April). While it may "fire a creative spirit", it also rusts your car out in ten years flat and creates potholes the size of Kalamazoo. The roads in N.O may buckle for a different reason, but one is left with the same damn street.
Public transit in Mpls. is pretty lousy. Sure, there is a light rail line. It's great. It goes from Downtown, to the mall, to the airport. As any New Orleanian is aware, the St. Charles streetcar doesn't make a viable transit system, and neither does a single light rail line. The buses here are just as old and generally just as late -- at least in N.O it isn't 12* outside while you wait for them.
You think Northeast Mpls. isn't filled with the grungiest, dirtiest hipsters west of Chicago? They form mediocre rock bands and drink PBRs at what used to be the city's dive bars. Thanks to our overresponsive government, you can no longer smoke in a bar, be in it past two or have the patio seating encroach more than 3 feet into the sidewalk. Also, they want to ban 18+ shows -- that will be great for the music scene. At least New Orleans maintains some sort of authenticity. Unlike Mpls., it doesn't have to tell you how great it is, or how it rates so high on quality of life lists in vain attempt to find some sort of self-validation.
Minneapolis is filled with Fortune 500 companies and more movers and shakers than you can count, it doesn't make it a greater city.
Also, it is two days' drive from the sea here. On account of Cargill and Supervalu, though, our culinary scene is none the lesser for it. How would you like your steak?

[lmcintyre1s]

Originally Posted by eskimopie

New Orleans is interesting, but no more interesting than other American cities. Minneapolis, Austin, Portland: these are places with huge art, music and cuisine scenes and good public schools, public transit and roads that won't destroy your car. What New Orleans lacks in infrastructure and progress, it does not make up for in po' boys and brass bands. If you have no problem living in a city where part of the culture is a general acceptance of the fact that city officials steal from you, you'll love New Orleans. If not, it can be a very frustrating and disappointing place to live. And unless you like traditional jazz, brass bands and funk, this place is a musical desert. My friends from Minneapolis who visited me here described it as "All music, All the time, All the same." Hippies and pseudo-hippies abound. I don't know if it's the heat or the "laid-back" attitude, but there aren't too many big-thinking movers and shakers in this city. Check out Northeast Minneapolis. Those cold winters seem to fuel the creative fire. Or else there's somethin' in the water upriver.

Unless you like the Twins, Minneapolis is a baseball desert. Unless you like a dense city that is running 24/7, New York is a desert. Unless you like the beach, Miami is a desert.

You take the all the things a city is known for, bash them, then say that if you don't like all of them, the city doesn't have anything for you. Um....fail. Stay in the Minnesota forum, Yankee.

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by eskimopie

New Orleans is interesting, but no more interesting than other American cities. Minneapolis, Austin, Portland.

So you're saying Minneapolis, Austin and Portland are also interesting but no more interesting than other American cities? Which is really the same as saying nothing?

Austin is no longer the "weird", hip place it used to be. Austin might just be the most over rated city in America. The traffic, the sprawl, the cost are all out of control. It has a huge music scene but only if your favorite band is Wilco. All the cool kids have moved up to Nashville (again).

Portland, again hugely over rated. You talk about the hippie wannabes in New orleans and then bring up Portland. That's got me shaking my head. Last time I was in Portland there were more dirty ass hippie panhandlers than tourists. The music scene didn't seem like a big deal. A bunch of leftover 90's teenage angst.

I've never been to Minneapolis, but then again who has? lol. And I grew up in Iowa, a few hours away from Minn.

New Orleans has a unique flavor. You either dig it or you don't. Simple as that. Anyone who goes to NOLA or tries to live there and then complains about the Brass band sound is a fool. What were you expecting? (Although NOLA has a very decent Metal and hip hop scene)

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Prytania

35/F single :P
It might have to do with being Uptown. And it may be that I'm not preppy enough and I certainly don't come from money (and I'm shy).
I'm one of those people who is very quiet...and I usually have 3-4 good friends that I'd do anything for...versus being a social butterfly

Originally Posted by Stephen Neil

I don't know what your idea of "preppy" is either. One word descriptors sometimes just confuse me. Are you saying Uptown is full of preppies (whatever that means)?

Uptown is preppy? That give's me a negative image. Would others confirm or deny that?

I would have thought educated, probably established money; but preppy kind of gives off a completely other image altogether. I can see it possible though.

Would others define Uptown as 'Preppy'?

[Chilly Gentilly]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Uptown is preppy? That give's me a negative image. Would others confirm or deny that?

I would have thought educated, probably established money; but preppy kind of gives off a completely other image altogether. I can see it possible though.

Would others define Uptown as 'Preppy'?

New Orleans' version of "preppy" isn't indicative of what "preppy" is in other cities

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Chilly Gentilly

New Orleans' version of "preppy" isn't indicative of what "preppy" is in other cities

What's the New Orleans version of 'preppy'?

[Chilly Gentilly]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

What's the New Orleans version of 'preppy'?

When people refer to Uptown "preppiness", its usually just a vague allusion to the area's income and educational attainment. But trust me, most people there are just as normal and down to earth as people everyone else. You won't see many polo sweaters tied around the neck and starched khaki shorts here...