David, I second your opinion that Georgia is a wonderful country to go. The country is beautiful, full of historical sites, safe, well connected to major European cities, affordable, and the people are friendly and hospitable. Tbilisi is a romantic city with unique flavore and atmosphere, plenty of small cafes with delishious local cousine. I would also recommend to hire a local tour guide with a car and take a tour to Alazan Valley for wine testing. No doubts, that was a highlight of our trip. We both cannot wait to go back.
P.S. Sorry, can't compare Tbilisi to dirty, steamy, freaky, and dangerous NOLA. Tbilisi is superior 😉