New Orleans is ALL about the culture and NOLA is one of the few remaining cities left with a real, pervasive personality but being a culture vampire only gets you (and the city) so far. Most of the jobs are service sector jobs and this is one of the few places where people just move here, without jobs, just because they want to be here -- they’re drawn to it, they want the adventure. There’s a lot of moving here on a whim going on. Nevertheless, that’s not everybody. Tulane is a major draw as is The Gulf. Although not a wealthy city, it is pulling itself together post Katrina. Some of those people moving here on a whim are professionals and people doing non-profit work.

NOLA is not a city in which to be anonymous or to be left alone with your imagination. There will be good mornings, goodnights, how y’all doings, and head nods and smiles and eye contact. Neighbors will walk out on their front porch to give treats to your dog. There is polite chit-chat. Prepare yourself.

Bright Lights, Small City.

The Good, the Bad and The Ugly

You can walk out of a bar with your go cup. Also, food and music are seriously good here. (Not to mention the King Cakes which are a Friday ritual.) 

**Here's a note from a local about this culture thing:** 
*I like living in a funky neighborhood, and I can’t really speak about daily life in other parts of town, but I can say that there is more weirdness here than other cities. As an example, I was walking down the street with my friend Eric one time and we met a guy coming the other way in full clown regalia, red nose, big shoes, etc. We spoke a greeting as we passed. My friend said “That guy would attract a lot of attention most places but here he’s just a man going to work.”
Real neighborhood bars where you socialize with people who live near you, parades for any reason or no reason, and neighbors who watch out for each other. I have missed lots of things, come on down and check it out. Just be yourself, unless you’re no fun.*

For more reviews of New Orleans from locals check out: [**The Buzz**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/new-orleans?page=buzz)

The culture.

The Best Thing About New Orleans?

There are big bugs and roadwork (the city is sinking) and traffic cameras.

**Local advice about the bugs:** 
*The big tree roaches live outside, under your house, in your pipes and in your walls. There is nothing you can do to get rid of them. No amount of cleanliness will keep them from finding their way into your house when it's raining. A good tomcat is your best method of defense, but you can help by sprinkling diatomaceous earth in all cracks around pipes and doorways and then use steel wool and spackle to cover any holes in the walls.*


The Bugs

The Worst Thing About New Orleans?

As is noted in “The best thing about New Orleans” this city is all about the Lifestyle. Live music plays 24/7 - Jazz, Blues, Brass and Rock, take your pick. Combine that with amazing food, Cajun and Creole in particular, rocking bars and nightclubs, and seemingly nonstop festivals, Mardi Gras among them. While there is also plenty to do outside the city, fishing, hunting and beaches an hour or two away, it’s fair to say that if you’re looking for peace and quiet perhaps pick another city. 

Check out the New Orleans calendar of events to see what happens here year-round: https://www.neworleans.com/events/

Lifestyle Of New Orleans

New Orleans and the surrounding areas are working hard to attract new businesses and jobs to the area. Economic incentives for Film, Music, Tech and Healthcare are available for new businesses, new hires and investments. All that said, many people simply move here for the culture and end up working in the service and tourism sectors, that remains New Orleans #1 industry. The costs are lower than you’d think, for a city so popular to visit, so if you’re a long-haul wfh’er looking for a cool city to call home this could be it. 


Worklife Of New Orleans

You can actually make a difference in New Orleans. The smallest gestures reverberate here. 


You can make a difference

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**The Good, the Bad and The Ugly**

Bright Lights, Small City.

New Orleans is ALL about the culture and NOLA is one of the few remaining cities left with a real, pervasive personality but being a culture vampire only gets you (and the city) so far. Most of the jobs are service sector jobs and this is one of the few places where people just move here, without jobs, just because they want to be here -- they’re drawn to it, they want the adventure. There’s a lot of moving here on a whim going on. Nevertheless, that’s not everybody. Tulane is a major draw as is The Gulf.  Although not a wealthy city, it is pulling itself together post Katrina. Some of those people moving here on a whim are professionals and people doing non-profit work. 

NOLA is not a city in which to be anonymous or to be left alone with your imagination. There will be good mornings, goodnights, how y’all doings, and head nods and smiles and eye contact. Neighbors will walk out on their front porch to give treats to your dog. There is polite chit-chat. Prepare yourself. 

**The Best Thing About New Orleans?** 

The culture. You can walk out of a bar with your go cup and food and music are king. (Not to mention the King Cakes which are a Friday ritual.) 

**The Worst Thing About New Orleans?** 

There are big bugs and roadwork (the city is sinking) and traffic cameras.

**How You Living?** 

Probably not in an old building in The French Quarter as you imagine.  The city is not the same to live in full-time as it seems on vacation. Life is not lived on Bourbon Street. There is abject poverty, crime and yes, corruption.  You can live in a decent house with a yard (and keep a store of emergency supplies) and there are about a half dozen good public schools though entrance is basically by lottery so nothing is guaranteed. 

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** 

You can actually make a difference. The smallest gestures reverberate here. 


New Orleans is surrounded by water but much of that water is the Mississippi River not the Gulf of Mexico. Homes “on the water” here are on the banks of the river not the Gulf. While much of life in New Orleans is celebrated for the nightlife,  you’re also surrounded by some of the most amazing outdoor opportunities within a short drive. National Forests, and beautiful Georgia and Florida beaches are available within a couple hours drive. Come for the music, parties, beignets, and gumbo but stay for what you can do outside the city. 


The Area 

The Central Business District is an obvious choice for young professionals to start their search for a home. Plenty of high-rise apartments, a short walk to Central Business District offices and the Warehouse District to the South, it also has tons of shops, restaurants and bars for nighttime. Bywater is an interesting alternative to the Business Districts. It’s the center of the city’s arts scene and is filled with clubs and eclectic restaurants. Most of the walkable jobs here are in the service sector, but you’re just 10 minutes to the Central Business District if a commute is required. 
- Central Business District
- Bywater
- Freret


Young Professionals

Central Business District

New Orleans is one of the most progressive cities for the LGBTQ+ community in the entire country. Festivals, Bars, LGBTQ-owned businesses,  and tons of local support and resources make the entire city feel friendly to all. Faubourg Marigny is one of the more famous gayborhoods in New Orleans. In the 80’s the neighborhood exploded with music venues and arts festivals and this pulled in the LGBTQ community. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and as a result one of the most beautiful and classical in terms of architecture in homes and buildings. 
- Faubourg Marigny
- The French Quarter
- Pigeon Town


LGBTQ+

Faubourg Marigny

Algiers Point is a good starting point for families looking for a NOLA neighborhood. The area is safe, quiet, and filled with affordable and beautiful Creole cottages and Raised Center Hall homes, along the West Bank of the Mississippi River. Another great option is Bayou St John. Just a 10 minute ride into downtown, and filled with parks, museums and some of the best public schools in the city. 
- Algiers Point
- Bayou St John
- East Carrollton
- Fillmore
- West End


Families

Algiers Point

New Orleans

**What's it like living in New Orleans?**

Its really subjective and your experience may not be the same as your cousin. New Orleans is equally amazing, terrible, fun, infuriating, happy, depressed, unsafe, falling apart, magical, historic, corrupt, inspiring, and abysmal.

Your experience will be determined by a combination of factors. Where you reside in the city, the type person you are, how easily you adapt, how open or closed you are.

In general people are very friendly here. Crime is not like any other city. per capita New Orleans sees a much larger murder rate when you look at the numbers against population. New Orleans isnt very big, its more like a big town than a small city. The city government is abhorrent. New Orleans barley functions by comparison to other areas of the country. Be ready for terrible roads, a barley functioning water system, convoluted electrical grid. It's almost like living in a third world country, but in the US. There are not "bad parts" of town. You can walk by mansions and then in three blocks or less a crack house. It can be totally safe and beautiful and extremely dangerous at the same time.

There are times when I get so infuriated living here dealing with the stupidity that is never ending, and then I leave and visit friends or family somewhere in the country and I cant wait to get home. I cant fucking get the fuck out of their homogenized, culture-less, everything looks the fucking same, side eye cause I want a bloody mary with breakfast... On a Monday.

New Orleans can be intoxicating and frighting. You will love it or hate it. I dont think there is much of an in-between. Sometimes I really want to leave but I have no idea where I would go. Life here can be hard, and it can also be addicting.

New Orleans can also eat you alive. I've seen it happen to a lot of friends. Vice is on display and encouraged here. Its a balance and some are not good at handling that balance.

It's also hot as fuck most of the year.

**What is it like to live in New Orleans?**

I currently live in the Bywater neighborhood, but I’ve lived in the French Quarter and the Marigny (all close to the Quarter). Around here it’s lots of live music, artists and ‘hipsters’. It’s also a very gay neighborhood (great neighbors), with quite a few ‘mixed’ couples (like me and my darling wife). There are more people who were born and raised here, from families that have lived here for generations, than most any city.

As far as everyday life goes, there are neighborhoods that would be considered ‘food deserts’, where the nearest major name grocery store is two miles or more from you. It’s easy if you have a car, but once you learn your way around you’ll find that there are small independent stores that do a very good job filling that need. The suburbs have the big stores, but who cares?

I like living in a funky neighborhood, and I can’t really speak about daily life in other parts of town, but I can say that there is more weirdness here than other cities. As an example, I was walking down the street with my friend Eric one time and we met a guy coming the other way in full clown regalia, red nose, big shoes, etc. We spoke a greeting as we passed. My friend said “That guy would attract a lot of attention most places but here he’s just a man going to work.”

Real neighborhood bars where you socialize with people who live near you, parades for any reason or no reason, and neighbors who watch out for each other. I have missed lots of things, come on down and check it out. Just be yourself, unless you’re no fun.

**What is it like to live in New Orleans?**

I moved here in November.

I fucking love it. I haven’t lived a summer yet, so maybe in September my opinion will change some. But I think whatever inconvenience the summer brings will be the reckoning needed after such a good time so far.

Here’s the ugly:

Crime is an issue. It’s probably less of an issue than the news lets on but I definitely don’t enjoy walking alone in some places.

Gentrification - it’s creeping and may be on a lull right now because the movie industry stopped loving NOLA, but it’s there. Prices are going up and there are rumors and fears about starbucks or other terrible fucking things coming into the neighborhoods.

The weed ain’t great. I moved here from California, so I’m not enjoying having to find drug dealers instead of doing things the proper way with dispensaries and choice.

Driving on these streets is like driving on the moon. Don’t bring a low-profile vehicle, potholes will eat your bumper. Only the drunks drive straight lines in New Orleans. Everyone else is weaving around pot-holes.

The rest is good:

Music everywhere. People don’t move here for the peace and quiet. If you’re the kind of scumbag who calls the cops on a musician trying to make a dime or people celebrating…get the fuck out of New Orleans. Even the crickets and cicadas are in tune. Even on a Tuesday night at 3am you’ll find talented live music in New Orleans. The city is infected with music…and the music is infected with the city.

Nightlight. This is a 24hour party town. Things get kicking after midnight, not before. You can drink outside, unlike the rest of this god-forsaken-police-state where you fear government imposed violence and taxation over having a fucking beer outside, where God intended us to drink.

**What is it like to live in New Orleans?**

I have had the opportunity to live in many places in the US but New Orleans and south-Louisiana as a whole captured my heart. Why? Hard to explain. As a native NYer when I first moved to N’awlins it immediately felt like home. Some key things were “familiar” like real neighborhoods, local businesses that know you, local (as in non-franchise) bars and restaurants. Etc. It was far easier to settle in there than any other place. But that was just the beginning, the best parts were the differences. Things like cheap SHRIMP! Crabs, warm-welcoming people, festivals, weather, good public transportation, etc. all made the assimilation easy, for me at least.

This was pre-Katrina New Orleans, and as a single guy making a decent salary it was the greatest adventure of my life. Eating fresh baked french bread and drinking wine while reading the paper on Sunday mornings on the river, eating char grilled oysters at Acme, going to Record Ron’s on Decatur to look for rare vinyl, Mardi Gras, Lundi Gras, St. Josephs Day, late night beers at Igor’s on St. Charles, Zulu ball, fly fishing at Bayou St. John behind Mayor Morial’s house…..the list can go on and on.

If you can’t glean it from my words, in a nutshell New Orleans has a grit and gravitas all its own. A uniqueness, individuality and distinct identity that few cities in America have.

New Orleans is that bad girl that loves you in spite of yourself, and though your mama may not like her she makes every day fun. It’s that cheap, greasy burger you covet in the middle of the night that you know is bad for you, but tastes good enough to get you out of bed at 3:00am to get. It’s that cheap ass wine that tastes better than the expensive stuff but you are ashamed to admit it to your wine snob friends.

That’s New Orleans, and that’s why I will always love it. Enjoy!

New Orleans, Louisiana

Magic Between The Lines