Interesting insight steve. One thing about the number- which is admittedly high- people don't cook anymore. I know here it's a twice a week event for the most part.
When we first moved to Wichita Falls, I was astounded to find out that our neighbors, a family of 4, when out to eat every single night.
That's a good point. The people in New Orleans eat out more...especially lunch and dinner. On the northshore, after the long commute, people get home and stay home with the thought of how much money in gas they just spent that day on their minds. They don't go out because they've been out all day. They want to change into their pajama pants and sit in front of the TV. Even with Black people, there's a different culture. On the Northshore, country people are thrifty. They're thinking, "We don't have much money, we can't afford to go out." (That's my line of thought too, by the way.) In New Orleans, the thought process is "We're poor. let's celebrate !" They eat out at lunch a lot , lot more.
I have another problem with the politicians of St Tammany besides a huge lack of foresight and planning. They can't see past their nose and don't think of even short term consequences because they're awash in cash and they spend it like drunken sailors. St Tammany probably leads the nation in dead end, unnecessary jobs and take home cars, and supervisor/employee ratios because they are drunk on tax money. Everything that the parish government is supposed to provide....they don't. and this governmental largesse is bad for business. Even my Democratic friends are sick to their stomachs about it...there's sooooo much unnecessary waste. Everything, but infrastructure is off their plate and out of their budget. Things that encumber every other parish's budget are paid for, out of pocket, by the property owners in the form of property tax. Education....property tax Police..........property tax Fire fighting..property tax Recreation...propert tax The people and businesses of St Tammany parish are the most taxed people in America. It's nice to know that your tax money is dedicated for a specific purpose and can't go into pork, but this allows the parish government to spend sales tax revenue like they please. they spend money like drunken tax-and -spend liberals. ....and the liberals can't stand it. St Tammany has 100% republican officials in office...but they're not Republicans, they're Transvesticans !! And the voters are happy as pigs in a sty because they're under anesthesia..."No blacks, no crime, good schools, this is God's country."
I also like street food. I remember my first trip to New York. I had expected New York streets to be crowded, dirty, impersonal, and unpleasant from the movies. But my overwhelming memory of the streets of New York was the smell of food. There were food stands plus storefront restaurants, delis, pizzerias, and take-away eateries everywhere. In Philadelphia it is hot fresh pretzel stands. If you have never had a hot fresh Pennsylvania Dutch pretzel you have not had a pretzel at all. And in Sante Fe, look for the Carnitas stands for a handful of awfully good eating.
