The culture of the city

There is a nice coffee klatch that's developed at the shop from about 2 to 4 in the afternoon. It seems to have been growing over the past few weeks and I'm glad to see it. This is in the European tradition of public life. In American suburbs, houses are set far apart and neighbors rarely mingle. Our civic roots are in cities with sidewalk cafes and coffee shops and, yes, coffee klatches. People come home after work and don't leave again in an American suburban lifestyle . When you move into a home in New Orleans, you get a unique lifestyle along with it. This is part of what New Orleans gives to the nation. Oh yes, we've given music and food and a grasp of how to party without burnout - but the greatest gift we've given is our embrace of diversity. We are an example to the nation of how to go beyond tolerance and how to celebrate diversity. American is not really a melting pot. People separate from each other and it is more like a patchwork quilt. In New Orleans, however; culture is more like a gumbo. Its rich and spicy and nurturing. Its affordable for most everyone. Every gumbo is recognizably alike and is as unique as a fingerprint. Neighborhood coffee shops support and nurture the culture of the city and you are a part of this people centered tradition.