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UPDATE: JOHNNY JET TOUR
The emails are in and surprisingly, a large number of readers want to go on a weeklong trip avec moi. I never would have imagined that there'd be such a positive response! The winning destination is ... Australia! I will have our travel agent run the numbers and work out the logistics for a weeklong tour next February. Once we have all the details, we'll start promoting it and then, it's first come, first served.
WHAT'S UP WITH WIKI?
One of our editors here at JohnnyJet.com created a Wikipedia entry in order to promote JohnnyJet.com. Are any of you regular Wiki contributors or do any of you have the knowledge and patience to make this entry stick? If so, could you please spend a few minutes contributing to it? I would greatly appreciate it! Here's the direct URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Jet.
NEW ORLEANS, HERE I COME!
Greetings from The Big Easy! That's right ... I'm in New Orleans to see how things are since Katrina. I am ashamed that it has taken me this long to make the trip and since I was recently in Phuket, I realized how important it was to visit one of our own natural disaster zones. I'm here with TourismCares.org, an organization dedicated to showing (as its name suggests) that the tourism industry cares and with me, are close to 350 white-collar workers from various North American travel companies. We've all come down and volunteered our time to do some good old-fashioned blue-collar work as we help restore one of New Orleans' landmarks. Even these days though, no trip to New Orleans is really all work so of course, I paid a visit to the French Quarter and visited some of New Orleans' famous eateries. Can you say Po' Boy? If you're looking for something altogether different and decidedly more exotic, then join either or both of this week's featured writers. Georgie-Jet and Chuck Taylor both visit Fiji this week.
DELTA
I flew to New Orleans on Delta and I have to tell you, it really couldn't have been any easier. If I could be guaranteed this same experience every time I fly, I wouldn't want to fly any other airline. I'm a lowly Silver Elite member on Delta (I only flew between 25,000 and 49,999 miles with them last year). But my status pays big dividends. First of all, they offer a separate check-in and boarding lines. I don't check bags and I check in online 24 hours in advance, so that's not really any help to me. But what does help is the separate line for security. It took me just one minute to go from the curb to the gate. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for non-elite members. They might actually still be waiting in line. Elite membership also allows members to snag the coveted exit row seats and board early so that there's space in the overhead bins. But guess what? I received an automated email from Delta 48 hours in advance of my flight, informing me that I'd been upgraded. I didn't even request an upgrade but they're given out to elite members if space is available on domestic flights (no miles deducted, no coupons or cash needed). If there's still space left over, they sell the last-minute upgrades to the general public at the gate for $150. A great deal, compared to the advance purchase price.
LOS ANGELES TO NEW ORLEANS
Okay, so Delta doesn't have the plushest first class seats I've ever seen. There's no leg stand and the seats don't go very far back. But on flights that are only a few hours, who really cares? All I want is enough space to work. And they have power ports and live satellite TV with movies, HBO specials, video games, music ... Heck, I was watching the New Orleans Hornets play the Dallas Mavericks on ESPN while I was flying over the sports arena. Now how cool is that? There was also plenty of bottled water available and the food was awesome ... Okay, the salad needed some help but the pasta dish I had on the way down was delicious! The flight attendants on both flights were as friendly and attentive as on any airline I have ever flown. Granted, flight time was a super fast two hours and 59 minutes (how do you like them tailwinds?) and we arrived 19 minutes early! Why can't that happen when I'm sitting in coach?
DELTA MILES
On top of all of that, when I logged on to my Delta account not even an hour after touching down, I saw that my mileage for the flight had already been posted. Isn't that amazing? I know, I'm a frequent flier nerd. Anyways, with other airlines, it usually takes days, sometimes even weeks for them to post newly accrued mileage. NOTE: Delta did not give me a free ticket, either. Actually, they've never given me a darned thing! But that's okay -- with an experience like the one I just had, it's impossible not to love 'em anyways.
NEW ORLEANS
Everyone knows about the devastation that Hurricane Katrina left in her wake in the summer of 2005. What I didn't realize, or had perhaps forgotten, was that the storm didn't hit the city directly but rather, the Gulf Coast in Mississippi. The real impact took place about six hours after the storm passed by and the city's main levee broke, leaving 80% of the city flooded. Arguably, Ward 9 (about a 10-minute drive from downtown) was the hardest hit. I spent some time there and even though more than two years have passed, the shadows of broken dreams still haunt the area. Most of the houses and trees are gone. The homes that are still standing are shacks and there are new homes being built but still, there's a definite feeling of sadness and emptiness. If I hadn't visited the outskirts of the city, I'd never truly have known and felt how hard this place was hit. In the heart of the city, everything appears to be just as it was the last time I was here, which was back in 2002.
IS NEW ORLEANS SAFE?
Is New Orleans safe? The short answer is yes. Everyone I spoke with said that a storm of Katrina's power and magnitude passes through once every 60 years or so and that, for the most part, the levees are fixed. (I read somewhere that they won't all be completed until 2011.) Some say that New Orleans has been getting some unfair negative press lately because of crime rates. According to Forbes.com, the city has the dubious honor of being ranked number 3 on the list of America's Most Murderous Cities. In 2006, there were 162 murders. According to officials, the problem is mostly gang-related violence and takes place on the outskirts of the city. I met with the New Orleans FBI (see video below) and their spokesperson is quoted as saying that the tourism corridor of the city, "is as safe as any city in America. Bottom line." I believe it. During my visit, I wasn't scared at all and I saw a lot of police all around the city, especially in the French Quarter.
THE NUMBERS
The good news is that the number of visitors to New Orleans surged in 2007. According to a survey conducted by the University of New Orleans' Hospitality Research Center for the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau and New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, there were 3.7 million visitors to the city in 2006 compared to 7.1 million in 2007. Now that's a significant jump! And all indications point to the numbers being up this year as well since the city was host to the 2008 NBA All-Star Game, college bowl games and major conventions.
DID YOU KNOW? The population of New Orleans pre-Katrina was 426,000. Now, it's 320,000.
AIRPORT TO HOTEL
There was no line to wait in at the taxi stand and it took roughly 22 minutes to get to downtown, where I was staying, just on the edge of the French Quarter. Taxis charge a flat rate of $29 and I gave my Somali driver a $6 tip. FYI: When I asked if there are a lot of Somali taxi drivers in New Orleans he said, No – most are from Haiti.
ASTOR CROWNE PLAZA
I stayed at The Astor Crowne Plaza, which is located on the corner of Canal and Bourbon Streets. Yes, that does indeed mean it's at the start of the world famous French Quarter. Initially, I was a little worried about the noise and I grew even more concerned when I reached my room and found, lying on the bed, a cute little red sachet with a pair of earplugs and a music CD (each room has a CD player/alarm clock). But surprisingly, I didn't use either of them and the only outside noise I heard was the maids yapping to each other in Spanish in the hallway. Oh, I almost forgot: Also in the bag was a night's supply of lavender sheet spray – I take it a lot of action goes on in the rooms. No wonder my bed was lumpy. Just kidding! The bed was actually comfortable, though it doesn't compare to the plush bedding at major chains like Marriott, Hilton and the Four Seasons.
MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS PRIVILEGES
The hotel is old, which is part of its charm but the bathroom needed some work ... the toilet and tub had scratches and it wasn't sparkling clean. Other annoyances were the windows were filthy and I could hear the water pipes from other rooms but it was nothing significant enough to deter me from staying here again. The main reason besides the prices (rates begin at $125 but if you use sites like Priceline or Hotwire you can get if for cheaper) is that the rooms are spacious and if you are a priority club member (sign up here for free), you get free Internet (normally $9.98) and free breakfast in the clubroom. Unfortunately, I never made it to breakfast, the rooftop swimming pool or the fitness center. What a slacker! The Astor Crowne Plaza, 739 Canal Street at Bourbon, New Orleans, Tel: 504-962-0500.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
The hotel's location is ideal. It's just blocks away (an eight-minute walk, actually) to Harrah's Casino, The Aquarium Of The Americas, Riverwalk Shopping Center and it's maybe a 20-minute walk to the New Orleans Sports Arena and the Superdome. Just across Canal Street is a trolley stop that will take you to St. Charles for a mere $1.25. If you're a party animal, you can go out the back door and you'll be right at the start of Bourbon Street. Woo hoo!
BOURBON STREET
Historic Bourbon Street runs the length of the French Quarter and is probably one of the most famous streets in the world ... and one of my least favorite. I don't drink (never have and most likely never will) so hanging out with a bunch of drunks is just not my idea of a good time. Besides, this has to be one of the biggest tourist traps in America. It's home to a countless number of bars, Lucky Dog stands, restaurants and has a gaggle of strip clubs. If you've never been before, it's fun to walk down the street and people watch for the very first time but after that, it gets old and quick. Every time I have been, the streets are filled with stumbling drunks. This begins in the early afternoon and gets progressively worse with each passing hour. Most are college students, or too-young bachelor/bachelorettes, or even worse, adults trying to recapture their college days. What was even more of trip is that there was a pirate convention going on so tons of people were dressed up just like Jack Sparrow. The last time I was here was for Mardi Gras/Super Bowl so it wasn't as crazy packed as then and the streets this time weren't as dirty. But it still smelled of puke and rambunctious adolescents were still trying to get women to lift their tops in exchange for beads.
FRENCH QUARTER
One early afternoon, I walked around the French Quarter by myself, which was so peaceful. Obviously, I stayed away from Bourbon Street as long as I could and admired the architecture, the stores and spent time watching the locals go on with their every day lives (though I don't think any of them are French). There are plenty of artists, street performers and horse and buggies filling the streets. I then walked down to the Riverwalk and decided to see what was going on at Mother's, a few blocks away.
MOTHER'S
Mother's is a New Orleans landmark that's been around since 1938. It's a hole in the wall that serves good ol' New Orleans home cooking. Just like the last time I came here, the line was a good 50 people deep but this time, I was truly happy to see it thriving. This was a great sign that in some regards, the city had bounced back. I waited in line for 30 minutes, which moved quickly, and the food came out even faster. A quirky guy named Elvis passes out menus so by the time you reach the cash register, you know exactly what you want and are ready to order. It moves so quick, I almost felt like I was going to Seinfeld's Soup Nazi.
PO' BOY
I passed on Elvis' recommendation of the "John G" po' boy with debris (debris is the roast beef that falls into the gravy while baking in the oven). Instead I had the Firdie special; a po' boy packed with baked ham, roast beef, debris and gravy, served dressed (cabbage, pickles, mayo, Creole and yellow mustard). It cost $9.75 and came out within a minute but it was just okay. Waiting in line, I got to talking to two women who were also traveling alone so we all ate together. They raved about their sandwiches and that's saying something since they both work in the food industry (a culinary convention was in town). Mother's claims their ham is the best-baked ham on earth but it was sold out so the ham I got wasn't anything special. Mother's, 401 Poydras Street, New Orleans, Tel: 504-523-9656.
DINNER WITH THE JUDGE
I was in town for just two nights so I didn't have a lot of time to dine at all of the city's fabulous restaurants. However, I did get to go to dinner with my good pal Louis Di Rosa (The Judge). When The Judge found out I was in town, he gave me a call, then picked me up for a last-minute late-night meal. We went to Tony Angello's Ristorante, which is about 15 minutes from the hotel. It's near where the main levee broke so the quiet neighborhood became even quieter. It wasn't the same as I remembered; it was missing a lot of houses and those beautiful southern Cypress trees.
TONY ANGELLO'S RISTORANTE
Tony Angello's was closed for a year as it too got hammered but it's back up and running and the place is as busy as ever. Tony doesn't advertise so it's popular with the locals and a few savvy tourists who hear about it from sharp hotel concierges. I warned The Judge that I wasn't dressed up since I hadn't planned on going anywhere fancy. I should've known better. The good people of New Orleans dress up to go out to dinner. When Louis saw my jeans and sneakers, he suggested we go through the back door. The back door meant the kitchen, which was uncomfortable at first. The moment he opened the door the banging of pans and clinking of glasses that I heard from outside all came to a stop. All the chefs, waiters and washers just looked up and then when they saw Louis they smiled and said, "The Judge!" We walked right through the place like we owned it, then Tony came out to greet us. He couldn't have been any nicer.
TEN-COURSE MEAL
Tony asked me what I wanted to eat and I said anything but seafood, lamb, goat cheese, eggplant, mushrooms … He looked at me like I was from Mars and his sidekick Dale, the maître d', asked in a Tony Soprano-esque, snarky voice: "You don't like seafood or you're allergic to it?" I explained that I just wasn't a fan. Wrong answer! The Judge is obviously a regular and the two times he's taken me, I've never even seen a menu. But I do know they have a tasting menu, which consists of 10-12 small plates and costs between $38 and $42. Their specialties are shrimp with horseradish sauce and sliced mushrooms with olive oil. But Tony and Dale started us off with a steamed artichoke. Then came artichoke soup. After I told Dale it was delicious he told me there were oysters at the bottom and he was introducing me to seafood. Great. NOT! But I kept my mouth shut for fear of being a statistic in next year's Forbes survey.
MIRLITON?
We then had a Sicilian pasta dish with a sweet sauce. Again, after I proclaimed it "bellissimo!", I was informed that it too had anchovies and sardines – two of my most dreaded foods. I'm sitting there thinking that if this guy serves me any more of the fishy stuff, there's a good chance that the next case The Judge presides over, will be mine. Then, out came some southern veggie with a fried egg on top. When they told me it was called "Mirliton" (a West African veggie), I looked at them like they were crazy. They laughed and said with their thick Louisiana accents: "Folks from outside the state know it as chayote." Chayote? You mean the stuff you smoke? No, they said. That's peyote. Well, whatever the heck it was, it was darn good as well as the salad with shredded beef and the pork cacciatore. Then Dale decided to make us (himself) a special pasta dish with sausage, finely chopped broccoli and other ingredients that he wouldn't reveal to me (maybe because he was starting to read my insane mind). Whatever was in it, sardines, peyote … it was incredible, just like the entire three-hour meal. Maybe Dale did broaden my horizons and isn't that what travel is supposed to do you anyways? Tony Angello's Ristorante, 6262 Fleur de Lis Drive, Tel: 504-488-0888.
TOURISM CARES
I was in New Orleans because of a Tourism Cares event. The nonprofit organization brings the tourism industry together to 'give back'. It's a volunteer program to help preserve, conserve and protect tourism-related sites in America that need care and rejuvenation. In addition, they make grants to restore the world's natural, cultural and historic treasures. It was formed in 1999 by combining the National Tourism Foundation and the Travelers Conservation Foundation. Those in the travel industry can volunteer for their annual projects and travel corporations can become sponsors by donating a minimum of $5,000. The general public can help out buy purchasing $5 wristbands or donating cash. But the real reason for the organization is to show that the tourism industry really does care.
CAFÉ DU MONDE
Our day began at 7:30am when the almost 350 volunteers met at Café Du Monde for free coffee and beignets (French-style doughnuts covered with powdered sugar). The owner was one of the many sponsors of the weekend. Café Du Monde is another New Orleans landmark. It was established in 1862 and it's open 24/7 (closed just December 24 at 6pm to Dec 26 at 6am). What surprised me is that every single person working there was Vietnamese. They say it's been like that for a while but I don't recall – at all. I do know the beignets are good and with each bite, I could just feel my belly grow. Café Du Monde, 800 Decatur Street, New Orleans, Tel: 504-525-4544.
PARADE TO ARMSTRONG PARK
After filling our bellies and gaining our strength for the day ahead, we all gathered for instructions a few feet away at the Washington Artillery Park on Decatur Street, opposite St. Louis Cathedral at Jackson Square. Then, with a police escort, a swing band led us across the French Quarter to Louis Armstrong Park and Congo Square. It was the highlight of the trip! Even cooler was when, the next day, I saw a similar parade but much smaller. Turns out it was a wedding procession and as I snapped a few pictures, I heard someone yell, "Johnny Jet!" It was a Southwest Airlines spokesperson. What a small world.
ARMSTRONG PARK AND CONGO SQUARE
This year, Tourism Cares chose the city of New Orleans to help resurrect its famous Louis Armstrong Park because Hurricane Katrina devastated it. The 32-acre park is located in the Treme neighborhood, just across Rampart Street, and is so important because it has a significant social impact on the community. Many of the jazz greats honed their skills here and inside the park is Congo Square, which in the 18th century, was where the slaves would gather on their one day off a week (Sundays) and set up a market, sing, dance and play music. Some say it represents the single most important location of African-American heritage in our country so it's truly hallowed ground. Later, in 1970, it became the site of the first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
MANUAL LABOR
I have to be honest: I haven't done much manual labor in the past few years but I grew up doing it every week. The almost 350 volunteers were broken into groups of about 20. Unfortunately, our team leader wasn't given the proper instructions so our team made the best of it and we restored a gate on the far side, away from all the others. However, the others made a significant difference and though we didn't complete the job (they really need to expand the work days to at least two), the project did kick start a major restoration project that would have taken the park staff several months to complete. For me, the most gratifying part of it was parading down the street and having the locals dance and wave to us. Some stopped to say, "Thank you. We are so glad you are here." I was too and I hope to be at next year's project (April 16-18, 2009) in Gettysburg, VA.
VIDEO
Here's a three-minute Johnny Jet video of my trip to New Orleans. We also have all the Johnny Jet videos ever made on YouTube, including my South Africa safari, Fraser Island adventure, Chiang Mai elephant ride, Cannes soiree and Abu Dhabi desert barbecue.
NEXT WEEK
Next week, we will be in the general vicinity of Louisiana. I think!
Note:
This trip was sponsored in part by Edelman PR and
Tourism Cares.
Copyright 2008 JohnnyJet, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.