Archive for March, 2006

Cruise Like A Millionaire

Ever since Jackie O graced the deck of the Christina, yachting has been synonymous with class and filthy riches. Donald Trump does it, so do Larry Ellison and Tom Cruise — all those beautiful people frolicking aboard some fabulous yacht off Crete, Bimini or Cancun. How often have you dreamed of leading the nautical life of a Sybarite? Well, wake up! A vacation like this is not out of the question — even for the average guy or gal. Heaven knows there’s nothing wrong with cruising on a mega-cruise ship.…

Rising Like The Phoenix–New Orleans Part 2

Doom-and-gloom seems to be the popular take on the future of New Orleans post-Katrina. I discussed it the other day. But, I see it otherwise. New Orleans has always been a friendly, party city. This was the call that first beckoned me to “The Big Easy” 15 years ago and it is the call that brought me back to New Orleans two weeks ago. I love this city, and I needed to know: Can New Orleans, after all the adversity it has faced, still show a visitor a good time?…

Rising Like The Phoenix–New Orleans, Part 2

Doom-and-gloom seems to be the popular take on the future of New Orleans post-Katrina. I discussed it the other day. But, I see it otherwise. New Orleans has always been a friendly, party city. This was the call that first beckoned me to “The Big Easy” 15 years ago and it is the call that brought me back to New Orleans two weeks ago. I love this city, and I needed to know: Can New Orleans, after all the adversity it has faced, still show a visitor a good time?…

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly–New Orleans Part 1

“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” That pretty much sums up New Orleans six months after Hurricane Katrina. I visited New Orleans two weeks ago, so I speak from firsthand experience. The good news is that there is a lot more good than bad — or ugly. The bad news is that there is a lot of work to be done. There is a lot to be said about the future of my favorite American city — so much that I am writing this column in two parts. Today,…