Our hearts go out to the people and city of New Orleans, one of the great treasures of this country, and for this author, one of the greatest joys of her life.
At this time, there is no predicting precisely what will happen or when. However, we remain cautiously optimistic that New Orleans will recover, albeit slowly and in unpredictable ways. To this end, when the time seems suitable and appropriate, we will encourage you to return. Supporting the local economy helps a city get back on its feet, and there will still be more than enough reason for you to go there. While it is true that the hurricane has altered the landscape and skyline of New Orleans, and the city's visual impact will change accordingly, the French Quarter and much of the Garden District and uptown remain intact. But there is more to New Orleans than just the visual, and that is not going to go away. The river wind will remain. As long as people who love food are there, they will want to make it, and while it's likely some restaurants won't be back, others will open in their place. And so the food will be as good as ever. And as long as people are there, there will be music that will be as good as ever, perhaps better thanks to an extra layer of sorrow and celebration, which will give it a resonance like never before. The people of the town remain storytellers, and now they have more stories than ever, of tragedy and horror, of survival and feats of derring-do, and likely even some humor -- and you are, as always, their chosen listener. It is all of that, and a few more ineffable things, that make up what is described as the "spirit" of New Orleans, and that has not been destroyed forever.
As we get information about the city and reopened businesses, we will post it here. We will do our best to get accurate information, but in the meantime we will leave old reviews accessible, so if you do go to New Orleans, treat these reviews as vague guidelines. Service may be slow, because staff may not have fully returned. Menus may be different, because chefs may not yet be able to return themselves. Your hotel room may be even mustier than usual. It's going to be a city in flux for some time to come, and we will watch its regeneration with deep pleasure and love. We hope you join us.
