It’s no secret that I don’t get out much. I’ve been in New Orleans for a conference the past few days. The conference itself (NRPA) has been great, but I’m not planning to talk shop on my personal weblog. What’s been revelatory to me is that I have room in my heart to love more cities than just Cleveland. I’ve roamed over the French Quarter, Marigny, Garden District, et al.; and, like Cleveland neighborhoods, they’ve all had distinct, unique personalities. They’re all people I want to get to know better.
The best restaurants in Cleveland would be middle of the pack in New Orleans and the music (as much as I love Cleveland’s music scene) is incomparably better. There is no road rage — cars don’t have nearly the market share.
I’ve been told that it’s a very different city since Hurricane Katrina, but what’s clear is that New Orleans is a city that’s never doubted itself and Cleveland remains a city that doesn’t know what it wants to be.
