Cities of the Dead

Hello, here's a short welcome to my world…      About four years ago, I retired from a long and varied career in advertising and publishing, my last stop as communications director for the Louisiana State Museum. It was a dream job for an amateur historian like me. There I was in daily contact with literally thousands of objects that embody the incredibly rich heritage and unique culture of New Orleans. So when I shut my office door at the Cabildo for the last time, I knew I would have to keep on sharing stories about this wonderful city… out on the streets this time, walking and talking with curious folks like you and having a grand time together. That's how I became your ToursByLocals guide. A few personal details. I'm a native New Yorker and Tulane University graduate who fell in love with New Orleans and never left. I live in the French Quarter these days, on a quiet street in an 1832 townhouse I share with two teenage sons. When not on tour, you might find me out in the marshes fishing for speckled trout or rowing up cypress-shaded bayou in my beloved hand-built dory, "Peapod. " On holidays and Saints game days, I'll be in the kitchen "perfecting" my recipe for homemade gumbo for family and friends. Over many years of trial and error, this surefire formula has evolved: "The sea + the barnyard + the pasture = Arthur's As-Good-As-It-Gets Gumbo. " You'll want to try gumbo-making back home, so don't forget to ask what it all means. Here's something else you're likely to hear on tour or before we meet. "My guests are my guides, " I always say. The streets we explore together are two-way streets. And you may not notice, but I do as much listening as talking. So tell me about about your work, your personal passions and enthusiasms, and we'll head off from there for a fabulous day in New Orleans! City of New Orleans Professional Tour Guide License #14LTG-06256 No restrictions.