[Ohio-Talk] June Braille Monitor: Welcome to New Orleans

[Suzanne Turner]

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!