It's finally Jazz Fest time again in New Orleans. It all starts tomorrow, goes thourgh this weekend and starts up again next Thursday for the second weekend. Most of us locals look forward to Jazz Fest all year. Our gang has the usual plan - work less, go to Jazz Fest more. If you've never been to Jazz Fest, put it at the top of your bucket list and make plans to get down here to have some fun with us and hear some of the best music in one place you'll ever hear. Oh, yeah, did I mention the food?

• About Jazz Fest
• The Full Jazz Fest Lineup
• Best Food at Jazz Fest
• FAQs About Jazz Fest
• Backbeat Jazz Fest Concert Schedule
• Get the Jazz Fest Bible

Well it seems that all the pundits and the sports talking heads, especially those who are supposed to be experts in the NBA, were simply wrong. All the predictions that the L.A. Lakers would demolish the New OrleansHornets in the first four games to move on to play a real team turned out to be incorrect. Now I don't like to see any expert in anything be so off base. After all it has to be embarrassing and I don't like to see anyone embarrassed. But, I must say, we here in new Orleans are enjoying the first round of the NBA playoffs a lot more than the experts said we would. If you're keeping up, the sixth game will be played in New Orleans on Thursday night. Tip off is at 7 p.m. If you're not lucky enough to get tickets for the game, there are a lot of great sports bars to watch the game. As we say in New Orleans, I'm in!

The Backbeat Foundation was started after Hurricane Katrina to make sure that New Orleans music remained strong. Backbeat has helped local musicians with many things, but most of all, gigs. One of the best things to come out of the Backbeat Foundation is the Backbeat Jazz Fest Concert Series. It has grown in the last few years and this hear has several venues and great performers. These concerts are at night, after Jazz Fest closes for the day, so you can contiure to party and hear great live, local entertainment. Here's the schedule for the 2011 Backbeat Jazz Fest Concert Series.

Here's good news about ESSENCE Festival. Comfort Inn is having a "Girlfriend Getaway" Sweepstakes. This is your chance to win a trip to New Orleans for the 2011 ESSENCE Music Festival.

The lucky winner gets:

• Round-trip airfare for four (4) to New Orleans
• Passes to the ESSENCE Music Festival
• 4 days and 3 nights at a Comfort Inn
• And much more!

Enter at comfortinngirlfriendgetaway.com