New Orleans can play tricks on the conscience.

In the classic best-of-times, worst-of-times, two different cities sit here, though visitors can explore one city without ever touching the other.

One New Orleans contains the residential areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and they are mere skeletons of their days before August 2005, though in some neighborhoods, volunteers are among the workers rebuilding houses.

The other city is New Orleans’ playpen, including the French Quarter, which is party headquarters. The Quarter, left, looks as if the rains of 2005 never happened, except in a good way, because the streets and buildings are fitter and cleaner than ever.

As a conscience soother, local officials say that New Orleans will gain no matter which city you choose to visit: Houses need rebuilding and could use more volunteers, but the revelry of the French Quarter and outlying hotels, restaurants and music places fuels the local economy and employs 80,000 people, paying the mortgage.

Jazz  Fest begins April 25

This weekend is a special party in New Orleans when most folks will lay down the hammers and saws for Jazz Fest, the annual spring celebration of music and food. The Jazz & Heritage Festival, held at the Fair Grounds about 3 miles from the French Quarter, is a mix of rhythm & blues, rock, jazz, country, blues and gospel. It begins with the weekend of April 25-27 and continues May 1-4. Last year, some 350,000 people crammed into the fair grounds oval. This year may be the biggest ever, says producer Quint Davis.

Admission: $40-$50 at the gate, cheaper on line, for food, crafts and 11 stages of simultaneous music from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., including such stars as Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Tim McGraw, Sheryl Crow, Keyshia Cole, the Neville Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, Santana, Widespread Panic, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, and Diana Krall.

Click for Jazz Fest information and tickets.

Click for New Orleans info or call 800-543-6652.

At night, fest guests head for the French Quarter for more music, food and laughter.

"Don’t feel guilty about having fun in New Orleans," says Sandra Shilstone, who leads the city’s efforts to appeal to tourists. "Even the folks in New Orleans dance and sing. It’s part of their heritage." Local folks need your vacation money, she says, and your fun is serious business to the people who are trying to get their lives back in order.

Eating well, feeding the economy

I dropped a few bucks into the local economy earlier this month, mostly for seafood, and I recommend four of my best eating experiences:

Perfectly sauteed redfish with a heaping pile of fresh spinach ($25) and jalapeno grilled shrimp ($8) at Grand Isle (504-520-8530)  at 575 Convention Center Blvd., across the street from Harrah’s Casino.

Cochon de Lait, which is a spicy pulled pork sandwich on ciabatta ($12), at lunch under an umbrella on a brick courtyard at Café Amelie, right, in the French Quarter at 912 Royal St. (504-412-8965)

A wonderfully messy shrimp Po Boy ($16) in the Swizzle Stick bar of Café Adelaide in the Loews New Orleans Hotel at 300 Poydras St. (504-595-3300)

Louisiana Drum piquant, a local fish served with crabmeat ($33.50), and a plate of spicy crispy oysters ($8.75) at Upperline, below, one of the best restaurants in New Orleans — a pricey neighborhood joint full of charm, history and a homey atmosphere that includes an amazing collection of regional art covering the walls.

Upperline owner JoAnn Clevenger compares the New Orleans of today to a famous old house being restored after a serious storm. Of the 9 rooms in the house, 6 are finished and dazzling, but 3 are still a mess.

Now, she says, is a good time to come for the party in the city’s 6 best rooms.

After the party, though, you may want to pick up a hammer and take a look at the other 3 rooms, joining volunteers from all over the world who are helping to restore  neighborhoods flooded after Hurricane Katrina. Later this week, I will tell you about my experience, when a few visitors helped build a fence for Mr. Stripling.

BTW, the name of the dog in the top two pictures is Spirit, visiting from Beachwood, Ohio.

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Molyneaux is editor of TravelMavens.net. CLICK for articles on cruising, Florida, Europe, adventure and travel gear and gadgets.