Horn Tootin’

It’s never polite to toot your own horn. Those sorts of antics are frowned upon by Polite Society, and let’s face it: We all want to be members of that club.

Yet there are times when you are just so darned proud of something that you have to bring it up in a casual fashion, like maybe making a big banner and hanging it from the Dome’s upper deck. Such pronouncements came to us (New Orleans) last week, and I just can’t help myself from doing a bit of sharing and bragging.

I really enjoy many activities, but my Top 5 favorite things to do, in no particular order, are: drinking adult beverages; eating fine cuisines; socializing with interesting people; breaking loose at parties and festivals; and sharing the joys and attributes of my hometown with others, which  usually (almost always) involves the previous four topics.

I cannot state strongly enough the absolute pride I have in New Orleans. We have been through times that were trying, stressful, dangerous, even threatening to the very continued existence of our community. And yet here we are, rebuilding, loving, enjoying and desiring a better life for all of our neighbors. We’ve had a lot of support from all over the world, but none of it would have amounted to what we now have if we ourselves had not wanted to bring New Orleans back from the abyss.

We are not done with the project, but we are on a good path.

And when others recognize that, then it’s all the better. If there is one thing New Orleanians love, it’s talking about New Orleans. So let’s do just that. 

Travel & Leisure Magazine last week put our city in the No. 1 position in the U.S. for Urban Destination for New Year’s Eve; Neighborhood Joints and Cafés; People-Watching; Singles Bar Scene; Cocktail Hour; and honored us with the No. 1 ranking, King of the Hill, in the overall category of Nightlife.

Those are all very big deals.

We were in the Top 5 places listed in the categories Big Name Restaurants, Ethnic Foods, B&B’s/Inns, Stylish Boutique Hotels, Live Music/Concerts and Bands, Diverse and Noteworthy Neighborhoods, Antique Stores, Vintage Shops and Flea Markets and Wild Weekend Destination.

Whew! Plenty of points to ponder in those lists. And plenty of other quality destinations that were considered fully. But there we were, in the midst of excellent company as judged by knowledgeable travelers and compiled by the travelers themselves.

As they say in the infomercials, “But that’s not all.” Another important accolade was tossed our way by the Zagat Survey group. Zagat is America’s premier dining reporting service and actually is a compilation by diners themselves who fill out forms and report directly back to Zagat, which in turn publishes dining guides for most of the major cities in America.

New Orleans was recognized by Zagat survey participants as providing the most affordable restaurants of any city in the U.S. Average meal cost in a a restaurant in New Orleans is $28.36. In New York the average meal cost in a restaurant is $42, Chicago is $37,  and Los Angeles is $35.

The national average is $35.37. We were also named the nation’s most generous tippers, leaving an average of 19.7 percent, while the national average is 19.2 percent gratuity.

Such recognition from all of the surveying organizations does not just happen. You have to live it. You have to provide an interesting and unique product/service. You have to treat visitors and your neighbors with respect. You have to be inclusive, inviting everyone to the party. And you have to want everyone to have a good experience.

What you have in the end is New Orleans. You have a real (sometimes a little too much so) place, trying to claw our way out of a very deep, very wet hole.

Today especially, let’s be thankful we live in this place and that we are coming back strong. And let’s be thankful for all of our neighbors who are here with us. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. 

P.S. I promise to return to the Wine and Spirits beat next week. But I just could not resist giving each of us a little pat on the … backside. Tim

The Wine Show with Tim McNally can be heard every Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. on WIST-AM 690.

 

Get Our Email Newsletters

The best in New Orleans dining, shopping, events and more delivered to your inbox.

Digital Sponsors

Become a MyNewOrleans.com sponsor ...

Give the gift of a subscription ... exclusive 50% off

Limited time offer. New subscribers only.

Give the Gift!

Save 50% on all our publications for an exclusive holiday special!

Limited time offer. New subscribers only.