"Where y'at?" is a universal greeting for New Orleanians; it is shorthand for "How are you?" So much of New Orleans' culture is shorthand, a fusion of the city's rich immigrant culture that defines the community by its music, food, and traditions. From the city's inception, the Catholic faith has influenced this evolution, with education and devotion being the cornerstones.
Modern secular lite-the way New Orleanians celebrate the joys and sorrows of living-also has its roots in Catholicism. From street and civil parish names to Mardi Gras, from the high school a New Orleanian attended to what he eats on Fridays, the joie de vivre spirit of faith shines through. Higgins, a proud Y'at Catholic, humorously shares the quirky shorthand of this aspect of New Orleans life.