As with a well-made article of clothing, someone viewing a quality website shouldn’t be aware of all the pieces that went into making it. They should just see and appreciate the whole.

Good web design doesn’t call attention to itself. In the early days of the web, when almost everyone was an amateur web designer, the more bells and whistles on a site, the more people were impressed. Every new thing was exciting and since everything was new, it all went on the site. Some of the resulting sites were truly hideous , but as the net aged, web designers learned and improved.

Yes, a good website should draw you in, but that’s not the same as being so amazing and astounding that you sit staring at it in awe. Websites should encourage you to interact, to go deeper and deeper into the content. Intuitive navigation, easy to absorb page design, and fast loading pages are all important elements in having a good experience with a website. Likewise having relevant, engaging content that isn’t overwritten, overproduced, or seems like yesterday’s news is key to keeping eyes on the site.

The next time you visit your favorite sites ask yourself if it’s your favorite because of it’s breathtaking graphics and stunning animation or because it gives you what you need in a seamless, easy to use design.

The city of New Orleans is one whose reputation always precedes it. Its remarkable, and often very troubled, history is one that can never be fully unfolded. Like the streets in the French Quarter, it is tightly packed and filled with details that spill into every corner of the human story. The nature of the place, with its rich cultural heritage and unique present moment, often means that it is ripe for ghost stories.

Most travelers who come through looking for the best New Orleans hotel do have a taste for the spooky, or at least the unusual. It certainly is one of the most unusual places on the planet, with a lively character that is rather unforgettable, and a draw that is more than a little alluring.

Although some of the ghost stories in the city are rather hair-raising, it’s fortunate that guests can’t stay at Griffin House . The house has a long history of strange events, from captive slaves who were nearly starved to death, to the story of two confederate soldiers who came to a very grim end.

The house on Constance Street doesn’t end here, however, as the ghosts of these two men have been seen for a number of generations now. It’s one of those legacies of the place, where the ghosts provide a spooky backdrop to a city that never stops revealing its remarkable character.