what the hell is a hetch hetchy?

A drowned canyon, currently serving as a reservoir.

Speaking of F2F 2005, I've got a bunch of proposals from hotels, most of which I need to follow-up on. Should I just discard any that are, say, over $150 a night (or some lower number) or do we want all possible information?

I think it would depend on the amount of services we get from them along with the location. Do you want me to make up a table or something organizing it all?

Unless a mystery Buffista is willing to pick up the tab for the entire get-together, I'd say that prices in excess of $150 a night are probably going to disqualify the hotels in question.

Reason 536 to have F2F 05 in NO - you can drink the water right out of the tap.

...unless there's been a recent kerosene spill upriver. (There were a couple during my years in NOLA.)

I'd always figured that first world water tasted better than third world water. But when your first world is Lacolle, PQ, and your third is Jamaica, NSM. And then there is, as mentioned upthread, LA. God, I'd be dehydrated without Brita. I wish that more restaurants would bother filter, though.

I cannot remember for the life of me what the tap water tastes like having spent too much time drinking other things.

Amen. I don't think tap water taste has ever been a consideration for anyone I've been to New Orleans with.

Now, whether it flows down the drain quickly enough to avoid drowning if one passes out in the shower is an entirely different matter.

Now, whether it flows down the drain quickly enough to avoid drowning if one passes out in the shower is an entirely different matter.

You've made it to the shower?

Actually, I haven't passed out in NO in a loooooong time. If the buzz feels like it's tipping over into bad territory- bottled water and dancing. Then, on to the next bar.

A table might be useful, Heather. What I'm really wondering is if I should call up the places who are offering the higher nightly rates to find out what's available in the way of hospitality suites or Prom Space or whatever info they haven't given me yet. I was reflexively writing them off in my head, but I can call them if we want the info.

There haven't been kerosene spills in years. It's very possible that whatever company was responsible has either gone out of business or moved overseas...

There haven't been kerosene spills in years. It's very possible that whatever company was responsible has either gone out of business or moved overseas...

Fair enough, since it's been years since I've lived in NOLA. 20, to be exact.