NEW ORLEANS TODAY New Orleans’ tourism industry is off to a strong start in the first quarter of 2008. In the short span of eight weeks, New Orleans was ground zero for to-die-for events that pumped up its economy, generated publicity money can't buy and helped a hurricane weary city hold its head high. Hundreds of thousands of visitors poured in for the New Orleans Bowl, the Sugar Bowl and Bowl Championship Series football games, Mardi Gras and the NBA All-Star game. The city's tourism industry is bubbling over the economic injection, and salivating over the additional bounty on the horizon, including this years upcoming festival season (see It's Fest Time below). The time to visit is now!
IT'S FEST TIME Sing, dance, eat and laissez les bon temps rouler. Its Festival Time in New Orleans so come on down and enjoy some of the largest music and culinary festivals the world has to offer. Upcoming Festivals include French Quarter Festival, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, The New Orleans Food & Wine Experience and more. For dates and full details, click here.
NEW ORLEANS NAMED ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST RESTAURANT CITIES Forbes Traveler recently named New Orleans one of the worlds best restaurant cities. Though still recovering from the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina, the Crescent City's restaurants have come back strong. According to local food authority Tom Fitzmorris' New Orleans Menu newsletter, 891 restaurants are now open in the city--up from 809 before Katrina. That includes nearly all of the old favorites--Commander's Palace, Dooky Chase, Brennan's and Emeril's. This is a city that lives and breathes food, and lunch can last until cocktails start at six. The city's indigenous cuisine remains Creole, but over the past 25 years it's been imbued with Cajun, Italian and New American, giving this great restaurant city real strength in every culinary category. For more information on New Orleans' top restaurants, click here.
LEARN THE LINGO: NEW ORLEANS STYLE Muffuletta [muf-fuh-LEHT-tuh] A specialty of New Orleans, this sandwich originated in 1906 at the Central Grocery. For almost 100 years, they have served up the Muffuletta sandwich, which is right up next to the Roast Beef Po-Boy as a signature sandwich of New Orleans. The sandwich consists of a round loaf of crusty Italian bread, split and filled with layers of sliced Provolone cheese, Genoa salami and Cappicola ham, topped with Olive Salad: a chopped mixture of green, unstuffed olives, pimientos, celery, garlic, cocktail onions, capers, oregano, parsley, olive oil, red-wine vinegar, salt and pepper. While the Central Grocery was the originator, it is now a prime tourist stop, so you may find better ones elsewhere. On your next visit with us in New Orleans explore who you think makes the best muffuletta!
ENTER TO WIN A FREE NIGHT STAY AT MAISON DUBOIS Win a free night stay in New Orleans. Come see us and celebrate! Your visit will not only ensure you the unique cultural travel experience but you will also be a part of the REBIRTH of New Orleans. So here is hoping that we will see you soon and be able to say Bienvenue New Orleans.    Click here to enter. This month's winner: Allan Seale of Cypress, Texas!		Click here to enter.