[NFBNJ] FW: Re: [NFBofSC] Welcome to New Orleans

[Linda Melendez]

-------- Original message --------
From: Vickie Robins via NFBofSC <nfbofsc at nfbnet.org>
Date: 6/10/22 7:37 AM (GMT-05:00)

Hello fellow federationist.  I am a New Oreans native. I would just like to
also mention that if you use paratransit service in South Carolina you may
also use it here in New Orleans.  You may have your information faxed to
New Orleans RTA . Our paratransit service runs 24 hours a day seven day a
week even on holidays.  It well pick up from the airport for a fifteen
dollar fee per person per trip. They also pick up from the greyhound and
union passenger terminal for  five dollars per person per trip.  The normal
fee to ride is two dollars per trip.  To have your information faxed to RTA
the number is (504)827-8428.  The number to check the status of you
paperwork is (504)827-8345. The number you need to call to make a
reservation is (504)827-7434. Reservations can be made as far as seven days
in advance however,  you may also call the day before to make a
reservation.   If there is any questions about any of this please feel free
to email me at vrobins at cox.net or call (504)345-9375


Vickie Robins

Secretary Greater New Orleans Chapter NFB

On June 8, 2022 at 7:53 PM Steve Cook via NFBofSC <nfbofsc at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

The article is pasted below the link:
https://nfb.org//images/nfb/publications/bm/bm22/bm2206/bm220602.htm
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm22/bm2206/bm220602.htm>



Welcome to New Orleans

We are delighted to welcome you to New Orleans for the eighty-second Annual
Convention of the National Federation of the Blind. No matter your
interests, our city has something to entertain and inspire you. We are the
home of delicious food, rich and diverse culture, famous attractions,
unparalleled music, and so much more. We hope you will take a little time
to enjoy all there is to offer.

There are several ways to travel from the Louis Armstrong International
Airport (MSY) to the Marriott or Sheraton. The approximately fourteen-mile
trip takes twenty-five to forty minutes depending on traffic. Taxis are
readily available and have a thirty-six-dollar minimum fee for two people.
For three or more passengers, the cost is fifteen dollars per person.
Rideshare options are a convenient choice. The airport shuttle is another
popular way to get from the airport to hotels in New Orleans. It costs
forty-four dollars per person round-trip or twenty-four dollars each way.
You can reserve a spot on a shuttle online in advance or in person at the
baggage claim area. Children under six ride free with their parents.

The shuttle stops at multiple hotels, so if you choose that option, make
sure to plan accordingly. For reservations, call (504) 522-3500 or (866)
596-2699 at least twenty-four hours before your flight. Wheelchair
accessible vehicles are available but require you to book a week ahead.

Once you have arrived and unpacked, it is time to experience our amazing
city! New Orleans was founded in 1718, so we have more than 304 years of
rich history and culture to share with you. New Orleans goes by many
nicknames. We are The Big Easy, because of our laid back and easy-going
attitude. We are the Crescent City because New Orleans was originally built
on a bend in the Mississippi River that looks like a crescent. We go by
NOLA, short for New Orleans, Louisiana. We are the City of Yes because of
our positive attitudes. We have been dubbed Hollywood South because of the
vast entertainment opportunities and the movie boom in recent years. Our
nicknames give you a flavor of who we are and what you will experience when
you visit.

You may be familiar with some of our famous festivals. We celebrate Mardi
Gras to kick off Lent, and we definitely know how to have fun! The colorful
and vibrant floats, the Mardi Gras beads, the energetic music, and the
costumes are unparalleled. We also host the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage
Festival, often called Jazz Fest, which celebrates the unique culture and
heritage of New Orleans. Jazz originated in NOLA in the 1800s. Each year,
Southern Decadence happens over Labor Day weekend and is filled with a host
of parties, parades, brunches, and events in celebration of the city’s
LGBTQ+ community. For more than forty years, this French Quarter-wide fest
has been the perfect way to close out summer in the Big Easy. We are also
home to the Essence Music Festival, which is the “party with a purpose.”
This is the largest African American culture and music event in America.
Essence Fest will take place June 30 through July 3, 2022, so if you get to
town early, please check it out. These are just a few of our festivals.
There’s always something fun and interesting happening in New Orleans.

We have many cultural venues in our beautiful city. These include the
National WWII Museum, which honors those who courageously served and
showcases America’s contribution to World War II. We are also home of the
Audubon Zoo, which houses alligators, bears, and other rare animals and
plant life right in the heart of New Orleans. The Audubon Aquarium of the
Americas is the home to 15,000 sea life creatures including a shark you can
pet and Zion the Penguin.

New Orleans boasts a number of tours, including walking tours to celebrate
the city’s Black history, haunted history, music history, and all of the
histories that form its culture. Visitors may want to tour one of our
cemeteries, which solved the problem of how to bury the dead in a place
that is below sea level by creating elaborate marble chambers above ground.

Those interested in transportation may want to ride one of our historic
street cars. In fact, the Canal line runs right in front of the convention
hotels. For information about the public transportation and paratransit
services, please visit
https://www.norta.com/ride-with-us/know-before-you-go/transit-accessibility/paratransit-service
or call 504-248-3900 for general info or 504-827-7433 paratransit
reservations. We also have ferry boats and riverboats for those who want to
cruise the mighty Mississippi.

The Marriott sits on the edge of the French Quarter or Vieux Carré, the
heart and soul of New Orleans history and culture. Frequently called the
“crown jewel,” you will love the charm and welcoming vibe of one of New
Orleans’ oldest neighborhoods and most iconic areas. We have something for
everyone and much to explore! It is the heart of the city, and it is
renowned for its French and Spanish Creole architecture, delicious food
from traditional Creole cuisine to contemporary American, and vibrant
nightlife along Bourbon Street. Tour the iconic St. Louis Cathedral, spend
some time people watching or communing with the artists in Jackson Square,
visit the many galleries and antique shops on Royal Street, or enjoy some
shopping at the French Market. Be sure to grab some beignets (pronounced
ben yays) and café au lait at the world-famous Café Du Monde just blocks
from the Marriott. For music lovers, you will frequently hear live music
and street performers wherever you are.

Speaking of food, New Orleans is the home of outstanding Creole and other
cuisines. Try a po’ boy, muffuletta, gumbo, turtle soup, red beans,
crawfish étouffée, oysters—fried, raw, or char-grilled, and so much more.
And don’t forget to enjoy a cocktail, like a Hurricane if you are inclined.
In case you are wondering, a po’ boy is a sandwich on flaky French bread
stuffed with shrimp, oysters, catfish, roast beef, or whatever you choose,
“dressed” with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo. A peacemaker po’ boy is
half fried shrimp and half fried oysters. There are many twists on the
classic, but you will enjoy whichever combo you choose. And, beignets are
square pieces of deep-fried dough topped with tons of powdered sugar or a
little piece of paradise as we like to say!

New Orleans is the home of many important individuals. These include the
ornithologist John James Audubon, writer/author Truman Capote, artist Edgar
Degas, authors William Faulkner and Anne Rice, and returning to the theme
of food, the founder of Popeye’s Chicken, Al Copeland. New Orleans is the
home of Benjamin Button and Benjamin Sisko from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Famous entertainers from New Orleans include Sandra Bullock, Donna Douglas
(played Ellie Mae on Beverly Hillbillies), Tyler Perry, Richard Simmons,
Mahalia Jackson, Reese Witherspoon, Louis Armstrong, Harry Connick, Jr., DJ
Khalid, Aaron Neville, Lil Wayne, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Randy
Newman, Frank Ocean, Irma Thomas, and Fats Domino to name a few. Prominent
journalists include Hoda Kotb and Cokie Roberts. Prominent political
figures from New Orleans include Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett
and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich. Famous
sports figures include NFL quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning, and Audrey
Patterson, the first African American woman to win an Olympic medal. Both
from New Orleans, Ruth Benerito invented wrinkle-free cotton, and Levi
Spear Parmley invented dental floss. Ruby Bridges, at six years old, was
the first African American child to racially integrate the New Orleans
public school system, which gained national attention. Betty DeGeneres was
a prominent LGBTQ+ civil rights activist. Chef Leah Chase, the “Queen of
Creole Cuisine,” served as the inspiration for Disney’s princess Tiana.
These are just some of the people who hail from New Orleans, but they give
you a flavor of our diverse and rich history and culture.

Regardless of your interests, we are sure you will find something to enjoy
and make many happy memories! Your Louisiana family can’t wait to welcome
you! Laissez les bon temps rouler; let the good times roll!




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-- 

Warmly,
Linda Melendez, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
732-421-7063
president at nfbnj.org
www.nfbnj.org
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238
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