Mid-City is north of the Central Business District and the French Quarter and is actually a collection of smaller neighborhoods. It is home to some of New Orleans' best restaurants and bars. Shaded by ancient moss-draped oak trees, City Park, twice the size of New York's Central Park takes up a large portion of Mid-City. The main attraction of City Park is the New Orleans Museum of Art.
Neighborhoods
Many of the neighborhoods in New Orleans were at one time French or Creole enclaves or vast plantations that grew sugar cane, cotton, rice, beans, or corn. Over time, the plantations were sold off and developed and the distinct lines separating the ethnic groups became blurred. Even today, each neighborhood has a distinct personality based on its roots.
New Orleans
The Big Easy is a city of celebration. Everybody knows about Mardi Gras, the largest pre-Lent carnival in the United States, held in February. But for those who love music, April 26 - May 5 is the time to make the pilgrimage to New Awlins for The Jazz and Heritage Fesitval, when the city embraces the music that was born here. From the open spaces of Congo Square came the African and Caribbean drumbeats and dance rhythms, which were adapted by brass parade bands. Creole musicians (of Spanish, French and African descent) took these raw sounds and refined them. Other genres of music were born in New Orleans as well: the plaintive, violin-laced dance strains of Cajun music and the raucous R&B of Zydeco. Everything about New Orleans speaks of its mixed cultural heritage of African, European and Native America influences; the music, the food, the patois, the sites and the neighborhoods are all distillations of these ethnicities. Happily, the combination is one that results in a joyous spirit captured by the city's unofficial motto, lassiez les bon temps rouler or ""let the good times roll"".
The Central Business District
The Central Business District is home to the Warehouse District, which in the last ten years has seen a renaissance from the once-tired commercial district filled with deserted warehouses to the center of the city's art scene. Beside the galleries on Julia Street, The Contemporary Arts Center is located in this area. It is also home to some very hip restaurants - Emeril's opened here over ten years ago, and recently underwent a architectural renovation to keep the atmosphere as fresh and exciting as the food.
The French Quarter, (and Vieux Carré)
sidles up to the Mississippi and, although it is predominantly residential, is Tourism Central, thanks to Bourbon Street and its raunchy bars, nightclubs and funky little shops. Preservation Hall, the world-famous jazz venue is located in the French Quarter. It's centerpiece is magnificent Jackson Square, home of the St. Louis Cathedral, The Cabildo (site of the Louisiana Purchase) and the Cafe Du Monde in the French Market, a must for the traditional New Orleans breakfast of cafe au lait and beignets. there are also quite a few psychics, street performers, toe-ring and incense vendors and the like.
The Garden District
The Garden District is an old, monied residential neighborhood with carefully landscaped antebellum homes, which makes for a great walk on a beautiful spring day. The streetcars still run in this section of town, and the St. Charles car takes you through the heart of the district. Take it down to Magazine Street to window shop at the many galleries and antique shops there, or visit the National D-Day Museum. Nature/critter lovers should check out the Audubon Zoo, considered one of the country's best. It is also accessible from the St. Charles streetcar (go to Audubon Park and take the zoo shuttle.
this historic district filled with homes built in the 19th and early 20th centuries is located close to the French Quarter, the Central Business District, Canal Street and the Superdome.
one of the most historic areas in New Orleans, the French Quarter is one of the most popular neighborhoods for travelers to visit. The French Quarter is known for its unique architecture with balconies featuring scrolled ironwork; its proximity to Jackson Square; the lusty, and somewhat tacky, jazz clubs of Bourbon Street; the many unique and interesting shops on the narrow streets selling everything from hand-made perfumes to voodoo spells and the great restaurants serving up Cajun and Creole foods like crawfish etouffee, Oysters Bienville, jambalaya, beignets, pralines, and shrimp creole.
the heart of the French Quarter, this park has the Mississippi at one end and the historic buildings of the Cabildo, the Presbytere and St. Louis Cathedral on the other. In the center is a statue of Andrew Jackson, commemorating his victory in the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812.
The city plans to hold its first bond sale in two years next month though the outcome of three high-stakes meetings with rating agencies could push it back again.
New Orleans is seeing a surge of new rental units, but some people wonder if the massive new complexes are really solving the affordable housing crisis in the city.
CaliforniaGovernor Arnold Schwarzenegger attends the 57th NBA All-Star Game, part of 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend at the New Orleans Arena on February 17, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
A Louisiana businessman was arrested Thursday on charges he engaged in a Ponzi scheme that cost at least 200 investors more than $11 million, money he allegedly used to finance a lavish lifestyle.
BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's regional universities might have been stretching the guidelines that control what level courses they teach, says an advisory panel that recommends a review and scaling back of course offerings.
After four of the seven candidates for New Orleans mayor discussed the Youth Study Center as if it were an after-school haven, candidate James Perry, right, said, 'I think some folks misunderstood this issue.
A federal judge has ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers' failure to properly maintain a navigation channel led to massive flooding in Hurricane Katrina.
The travel company president who has arranged Mayor Ray Nagin's upcoming trip to Merida Mesico which was reported in the Times Picayune has responded angrily to the TP story.
A federal review has found the city of New Orleans and its main redevelopment agency could not prove $11.6 million was properly spent on property and other work over the past five years, and it considers another $38 million for post-Hurricane Katrina work at risk.
Actor Nicolas Cage attends the 'Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans' premiere at the Sala Grande during the 66th Venice Film Festival on September 4, 2009 in Venice, Italy.
A federal judge from Louisiana was falling deeply into gambling debt as he routinely solicited money and gifts from attorneys with cases before his court, congressional investigators said Tuesday as the House opened impeachment hearings against the judge.
