Google Gulf States Quilting Assn there. It is a very large quilting group (my mother founded it, so I'm aware of it) and I'm still a member, even though I no longer live in the general area. Anyway, the information from there will give you names of members you can contact AND there is a listing of all the quilt stores in that general area that recognize the association. While Metairie is a wonderful suburb and pretty central to most of the outlying area, it is not close to New Orleans, the city. There are, as TanyaL said many, many, many wonderful things to do. There is a great aquarium, a river walk (great shops), take a river boat ride, you name it - good food, good fun. Laissez les bon temps rollez! Makes me want to go home!