Soul Survivor

Although Hurricane Katrina did its best to devastate New Orleans, there's a lot of life left in the old town—or as locals have dubbed our surviving historic section, the “Sliver by the River.” Some of the oldest parts of the city, built on the highest ground, were mercifully spared by the floodwaters. And many restaurants, music clubs, theaters, art galleries and museums, and shops are back in business—and their numbers are increasing with every new sunrise.

What can you expect if you're planning to attend the American Library Association's annual conference from June 22–28? Our downtown area is functioning, but not surprisingly, its amenities aren't up to snuff. For example, although gasoline is available in the suburbs, few of the city's stations have reopened—a pain in the neck if you're planning to rent a car. On the other hand, some buses are running, and the streetcars are slowly coming back on line. Even though public transportation won't be at full strength when you arrive, you can still ride the Canal Street car all the way to City Park, where the New Orleans Museum of Art is located. If you hop on board, you'll notice miles of flood-ravaged neighborhoods, which locals are beginning to rebuild on their own in lieu of unfulfilled governmental promises.

Of course, homeowners weren't the only ones hard hit. Chefs are complaining that they still can't get certain specialty items, and restaurateurs are bemoaning the lack of experienced, topflight cooks and waiters. As for the local seafood industry (which features some of the best catches in the country), it took a major body blow from which it has yet to recover.

Never mind. The city still has plenty to offer. For starters, the French Quarter has retained much of its Old World charm, including its Spanish-influenced architecture, gracious old houses (some of which you can tour), renowned restaurants, and clubs. And the Quarter has two of the city's finest restaurants—Galatoire's and Bayona. Galatoire's, which was named the outstanding restaurant of 2005 by the James Beard Foundation, is known for its classic Creole cooking and its attentive wait staff—and following Hurricane Katrina, the owners worked hard to keep that group intact. Bayona's chef-owner Susan Spicer (a former James Beard Award–winner) puts a new twist on using indigenous ingredients (try the shrimp-and-grits appetizer) and her restaurant remains a must-visit for serious foodies.

The French Quarter doesn't always get the cultural recognition it deserves (especially from those TV sports producers who constantly tout Bourbon Street), but there are several attractions that feature wonderful demonstrations and exhibits of living history. The Historic New Orleans Collection, a private research archive, features insightful public exhibits about Louisiana's history. The museum occupies a classic building on Royal Street, and its gorgeous archive building is in the old municipal court building (where Tennessee Williams was once arraigned in night court) on Chartres. The State Museum and the Cabildo are on Jackson Square, and you'll be able to see wonderful exhibits about our state's past, as well as one of Napoleon Bonaparte's death masks. Just around the corner in Pirate's Alley is Faulkner House Books, specializing in rare editions, housed in a venerable building once inhabited by an aspiring young novelist named William Faulkner.

Culinary enthusiasts can sample a taste of old-style, open-hearth cooking at the 1830s Hermann-Grima House on St. Louis Street. Its demonstrations of historic techniques seem timelier today than ever before… in case another storm knocks out our electricity. Another example of antebellum architecture, the Gallier House on Royal Street also features top-notch historical demonstrations, including one on woodworking. Along the way, you're bound to pass by the elegantly restored Beauregard-Keyes House on Chartres, where author Frances Parkinson Keyes wrote Dinner at Antoine's and many of her other novels. By the way, across the street is the oldest surviving example of French architecture in the entire Mississippi Valley, the Old Ursuline Convent, which was built in 1745 and survived a devastating fire in 1788 that destroyed more than 850 homes.

Just outside the French Quarter, across Rampart Street in the Treme neighborhood, is an important repository of the city's African-American heritage. Sylvester Francis's Backstreet Cultural Museum features examples of the street culture that gave birth to (and still nurtures) New Orleans' music. You'll see Mardi Gras Indian costumes and suits and gear from the Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs, whose roots can be traced back to the New Orleans Freedmen's Aid Association, which provided loans and assistance to emancipated slaves.

Frenchmen Street is just across Esplanade Avenue. It's only about three blocks long, but it features some of the best small, moderate-priced restaurants in the city, like Mona's Middle Eastern food, the Praline Connection's New Orleans–style soul fixings, and Marigny Brasserie's slightly upscale bistro food. The Spotted Cat music tavern draws a young, hip crowd who occasionally wander across the street to Snug Harbor, where older jazz aficionados gather to hear contemporary jazz tunes (as opposed to classic or Dixieland jazz at Preservation Hall in the Quarter) or the regular gig of pianist extraordinaire Ellis Marsalis, father of Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason.

There are plenty of interesting places in the Central Business, Warehouse, and Arts Districts, which parallel the many blocks-long Convention Center. Two of the best smoke-free hotel bars are Loa in the International House Hotel at Gravier and Camp Streets and Le Salon, in the multistar Windsor Court Hotel, which serves afternoon tea in a most civilized setting.

Emeril's, at Julia and Tchoupitoulas, is the anchor restaurant for the entire Warehouse District. But a half block toward Canal Street is another local favorite, Tommy's, which dishes out great daily specials and tasty Italian Creole cuisine. A few blocks further, look for La Côte Brasserie (tucked away in the Renaissance Arts Hotel), an excellent place to sample our local seafood. Across the street is a popular local hangout, Lucy's, a good choice for lunch or a late-afternoon beer. Other recommended insider lunch spots include Deanie's (you can't go wrong with a seafood po-boy) and Taqueria Corona, if you're craving Tex-Mex. Two downtown restaurants that you may not have heard about are Herbsaint and Horinoya. The former is a Susan Spicer and chef Donald Link concoction that serves updated New Orleans cuisine and offers an innovative selection of tempting small dishes. (Link opened Cochon, a new signature restaurant, in April, so be sure to keep an eye out for it.) The highly rated Horinoya, on Poydras Street, has the best sushi and Japanese cuisine around.

Many of New Orleans' artists have responded to the storm, and this is a great time to pick up a listing of galleries and see what's going on. Some premier galleries along Julia Street are open, and so is the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. While the Ogden suffered little damage, the Contemporary Arts Center sustained about $2 million worth of wind and roof damage to its historic building. But some of its galleries have opened, and it's once again offering live music on Thursday nights from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Speaking of performances, two of the most reliably entertaining establishments are both in the downtown/Arts District area. Le Chat Noir, a smoke-free cabaret/theater, often features comedy and musicals, and True Brew Theater is a good bet for stand-up comedy. (Little known fact: Lucy's also features comedy upstairs on Wednesdays.)

Over the last decade, Magazine Street has become the place for small, family-owned, quirky shops. The six-mile strip has everything from upscale-antique auction houses and bookstores to shops that sell used clothing, vintage 1950s furniture, and lingerie. You can easily spend an entire day there, but if you're pressed for time, make sure to at least duck into Thomas Mann's Gallery I/O for techno-romantic jewelry and Mignon Faget jewelers, whose original designs are taken from nature.

If you're a bookstore junkie like me, you'll be pleased to know that there are some important independents near Magazine Street. Octavia Books, on Octavia Street, was the first bookstore to reopen in October, and it's hosted a number of recent readings and book signings. Another notable bookseller, Garden District Bookstore, which specializes in autographed copies, opened its doors on Prytania Street a day or two later. When Mary Price Dunbar Robinson reopened Beaucoup Books, on Magazine Street, she reached out to another bookstore owner—Michelle Lewis of the Afro-American Bookstore, who had lost everything in the flood. Now the two book lovers work side by side in a shining example of racial harmony.

Are you ready to pamper yourself? Then book a couple hours at Belladonna Day Spa, one of the happiest places in town. If a first-class massage, pedicure, manicure, and makeup consultation aren't enough, there's also a great gift shop and a serene Zen garden where you can peacefully sip a perfect cup of tea. This place is a local favorite, where some of us come to divest ourselves of “Katrina Head”—that overwhelmed, confused state of mind that characterizes FEMA officials and Louisiana politicians.

It may surprise you to learn that New Orleans shows its French heritage best in its love of flavorful coffee, and there are several good places to choose from. If you miss ordering café brûlot (spiked with a liqueur) at a good restaurant, try the coffeehouses, including La Boucherie (which is spacious and inviting) and CC's (where you might spy a famous New Orleans author or two) in the French Quarter, and Café du Monde, with its addictive beignets (French fried doughnuts) smothered in confectioner's sugar. Whatever you decide to do, enjoy your stay—and remember, don't count the calories.