The Curbed Cup 2014, our second annual award to the New Orleans Neighborhood of the Year, is kicking off with eight 'hoods battling it out for the honor of a prestigious fake trophy and obviously, bragging rights. Voting for each match-up ends 24 hours after it begins. We'll showcase a neighborhood face-off per day through the week with results and the full tourney bracket reviewed on Friday. Let the eliminations begin!
It's the middle of round one and the Marigny and Uptown are set to face off. Hyper-artistic, the Marigny has been consistently featured in our maps of galleries and events for both Prospect.3 and PhotoNOLA. The neighborhood and its buildings have an incredible history and is a renters' paradise. The Marigny may very well become a safe haven for tourists looking to escape the Bourbon St chaos and Convention Center humdrum as Nathalie Jordi and co move ever-closer to opening a boutique hotel at the former St Peter and Paul Church.
On the edible Eater side of things, the Marigny is a hotbed for change and culinary diversity. Newcomers Bao & Noodle, Kebab, and Arabella Casa di Pasta all make a case for their respective cuisines and do it in a relatively affordable manner.
Conversely, Uptown is its own mixed bag of largest homes, most expensive homes, and a smattering of rentals that range from mildly affordable to "aw hell no." On the home-buying front, Uptown's got their history game on lock, having some of the most regal estates up for grabs.
Its food options are just as delectable. There's a bevy of high-end restaurants to go with your high-end homes, as are there impeccable dive bars thanks in small part to the nearby college scene.