Destination: New Orleans...

I thought long and hard about what city I would pick for the Traveling Tuesday debut destination. Originally I wanted to look at some global cities such as Shanghai or New Delhi, but then I thought that there is so much diversity and distinct flavor here in America until I decided to highlight my favorite city for the first Travel Tuesday destination. You may wonder what my favorite city is... Well it's the city that never sleeps, even when calamity hit and I thought we would never be able to return, it's coming back to life. New Orleans is the city I'm talking about. MMMM beignets from Cafe Du Monde. Getting your palm read in the French Quarter. Oyster and Shrimp Po'Boys. Exploring the mysterious graveyards above ground. Hearing great music and of course staying up dancing all night. I celebrated my 21st birthday there in a sea of debauchery I barely remember. It was my first trip to New Orleans and its the one I remember least. The second time I visited I embarked on three Grey Line tours, cruised the Mississippi river, hauntingly hearing about the faulty levee designs, and I toured several plantations. And on this trip I fell in love with the city. There is such depth of character and connection in N'awlins - the people, the food, the beauty, the history. It's as if time stood still for a moment when you go there, and you just can let go of everything holding you back from having the most splendid time in the world. I've never felt that way traveling anywhere else. I may have come close, but nowhere beat New Orleans in my book.



For singles looking to experience part of the magic that is New Orleans, I suggest you sign up to volunteer in the rebuilding efforts taking place there. There is so much work to be done and yet there is still so much life in the city post-Katrina. You don't want to miss the opportunity to discover all the wonderful magic of this city while also rebuilding it brick by brick. There is still so much injustice in America and the people of New Orleans were victims of some of the most deeply rooted, pervasive racism and classism in this country. Whether you can go for a weekend or a week or a month - get involved in bringing the magic back to this amazing city.

To volunteer, visit these websites for current projects:

New Orleans Habitat for Humanity - http://www.habitat-nola.org/projects/musicians_village.php

New Orleans Craigslist Volunteer List - http://neworleans.craigslist.org/vol/

And at 5p.m. when you finish serving your time each day, head out for great gumbo, jazz, and a night on the town, or two, or three... Make sure to pack some Visine for those late nights...!!