frequently (or not so frequently) asked questions: NEW ORLEANS

[sofiaviolet]

Welcome to the post where you get to ask questions about New Orleans! Inspired by assorted other FONSFAQ projects, originating with dingsi, who is maintaining a masterlist.

Any topic is fair game, as long as it relates to New Orleans. I personally am qualified to say stuff about:

schools (I went to a Catholic school, a non-religious private school, and a public school)

history (especially free women of color before the Civil War, considering I just wrote 30 pages about that topic)

culture

food (although you may be getting my typescript of my mom or sister's answer)

And, as that last parenthetical aside suggests, I am willing to consult with my sister (another born-and-raised New Orleanian now living elsewhere) and my parents (who both live there now).

harpers_child has also volunteered to answer questions. Other people can volunteer, too! Volunteering can be as minimal as answering one question and you don't need to pre-register or anything. This post is happening in my journal because it needs to happen in somebody's journal; this is not my pet project that I am all possessive about. Feel free to link as widely as you desire and contribute however works best for you.

To ask a question: leave a top-level comment with PROMPT in the subject. One question per comment, please.

To provide an answer: post your answer to your own journal. Then reply to the question-comment with a link.

You may post questions starting now; I would encourage you to post answers during the three_weeks_for_dw period of April 25th through May 15th.

Comments

PROMPT: Has New Orleans recovered from Katrina?

[erika]

Mostly covered in the subject. I guess what I want to know is: did Katrina change NOLA totally, or is it still basically the same city? What major changes have there been / took place because of Katrina?

CLAIMED: Has New Orleans recovered from Katrina?

[sofiaviolet]

Kinda? It's complicated.

(Would welcome other responses, especially from people who've lived in New Orleans both before and after Katrina.)

PROMPT: common stereotypes/misconceptions about N.O. in fiction

[dingsi]

When it comes to depictions of New Orleans and its inhabitants in fiction, which are the really bad or annoying stereotypes? Or perhaps not stereotypes per se but common misconceptions as well that grate on the nerves.

Re: PROMPT: common stereotypes/misconceptions about N.O. in fiction

[harpers_child]

i talked about this sort of thing about a year ago. http://harpers-child.dreamwidth.org/21653.html

Prompt: Jazz music.

[lilmoka]

It's all Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" fault -3-

Re: Prompt: Jazz music.

[harpers_child]

are you asking for recommended artists? history? current things happening in jazz music?

Re: Prompt: Jazz music.

[lilmoka]

Mostly history, yup.

Re: Prompt: Jazz music.

[harpers_child]

my jazz history knowledge is really sparse. i think someone else should grab this one.

i know the Library of Congress sent out a bunch of field recorders in the thirties and forties to document both the music and the oral history. i don't know if those are available online, but you can obtain CDs. some of the pictures are on the LoC flickr. i'll try to find some for you when i get home.

prompt: tourists

[acari]

How do residents feel about the masses of tourists, foreign and domestic, coming to New Orleans?

Claim: tourists

[pinesandmaples]

I'll write about this, but I think this is a topic that multiple people should respond to because it's a multi-faceted issue.

Cred: I live in New Orleans now.

prompt: free women of color before the Civil War

[acari]

I'm just going with your suggested topic here. I'm always interested in history.

PROMPT: the Mardi Gras of your youth

[pinesandmaples]

This prompt is aimed at anyone who lived in New Orleans between the ages of birth and 12. Tell us about your childhood Mardi Gras memories. Explain it through your child eyes.

Taken

[harpers_child]

I'll do this in the next few days.

PROMPT: What do you love about New Orleans?

[heartequals]

This is a stupid question, but I always like to hear people talk about why their city is the best city in the whole wide wide world.

PROMPT: what is your favorite thing about NOLA?

[harpers_child]

what was your favorite place to go? your favorite thing you ate? the weirdest thing you saw?

i'm asking this as a local asking other locals and visitors.

Claim: what is your favorite thing about NOLA?

[pinesandmaples]

Hot damn, yes.