CUE September 2014

SMALL SPACES

SNUG LOFT LIVING

CAMPUS

LOOKS

UNDER $100 HIGH-TECH COFFEE

A GAMBIT PUBLICATION | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4

BREWERS

A+ STUDENT

CASSIE

FROM ZEN PET

HOME FASHION BEAUTY

Discounted parking available with a minimum $20 purchase RiverwalkNewOrleans.com

500 Port of New Orleans Place / Downtown NOLA

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CONTENTS

10 23

SEPTEMBER 2014

FASHION

What guys want Style blogger Dalton Primeaux’s key pieces

Back-toschool cool

Back-to-school looks for less than $100

13 16

HOME

The perfect cup Hi- and low-tech coffee brewers

Small spaces Tips for maximizing a minimal floor plan

SHOPPING

29

CUE Kids

30

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33 09 35

Gear for tiny dancers Robin Barnes’ new workout line and a local online boutique

BEAUTY

Lusterphile

Scent of a NOLA neighborhood

PERSPECTIVES

From the editor Make size matter

Shop dogs

Cassie of M. Zen Pet Retail and Grooming

COVE R PHOTO BY CH E RY L G E RBE R

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INVI

T

S ION T A with

NEW OR LEANS

5423 magazine street {504.897.1555}

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www.scriptura.com

corner of severn & 17th street {504.219.1113}

F R OM T H E EDI TOR PHOTO BY JANINE JOFFE | MAKEUP BY MARIA BARREDA

T

hese days, it’s hard to scroll through a Facebook or Pinterest feed without coming across a tiny house project: cottages of petite proportions whose owners espouse minimalist, mortgage-free lifestyles.

I once lived in a tiny Gentilly house (well, a tiny apartment) due more to a tiny budget than a less-is-more ethos. The shoebox-like space was just wide enough to accommodate a twin bed at one end and a curtained-off shower and toilet at the other, with a dorm refrigerator and armoire sandwiched between. Rent at the “gnome home” was $390 a month, utilities included.

At approximately 1,000 square feet, the spaces highlighted in this issue (p.16) are grandiose by comparison ... yet still bigger than the average house built in 1950 (983 square feet, according to reporting by National Public Radio) and less than half the size of a house built in 2004.

When working with a limited space, the William Morris quote “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful” becomes less a maxim and more a necessity.

Interior designers Chet Pourciau and John Chrestia employed standard tricks when expanding the feel of these two homes (strategically placed mirrors, monochromatic walls) but included big, bold art collections.

That’s another plus of a small space: beautiful things take center stage, because there is no room to keep them waiting in the wings.

ON CUE

MARGO DUBOS |

MISSY WILKINSON |

EDITOR

EDITORIAL K ANDACE P OWER GR AVE S

M A N A G IN G ED I TO R

CO N T R IB U T IN G W R I T ER S

K ATHLEEN ALL AIN, LEE CUTRONE, NICOLE KOS TER, K AT S TROMQUIS T

IN T ER N S

PUBLISHER

DORA SISON |

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

CHRIS TIN GREEN

A DV ER T I S IN G CO O R D IN ATO R

483-3138 christing@gambitweekly.com ACCOU N T E X ECU T I V ES JILL GIEGER

S ENI O R A CCO U N T E X EC U T I V E

NIA P OR TER

483-3131 jillg@gambitweekly.com

PRODUCTION

JEFFRE Y PIZ ZO 483-3145 jeffp@gambitweekly.com

G R A P HI C D E S I G NER S

LY N V I C K N A I R , P A I G E H I N R I C H S , JULIE T MEEK S, DAVID K ROLL, J A S O N W H I T TA K E R

P R E- P R E S S CO O R D IN ATO R

K AT H R Y N B R A D Y

DISPL AY A DV ERT ISI NG S ANDY S TEIN BRONDUM

A DV ER T I S IN G D IR EC TO R

483-3150 sandys@gambitweekly.com MICHELE SLONSKI

A DV ER T I S IN G A D M INI S T R ATO R 483-3140 micheles@gambitweekly.com

LINDA L ACHIN 483-3142 lindal@gambitweekly.com KRIS TIN HARTENS TEIN PELLEGRIN 483-3141 kristinh@gambitweekly.com BR ANDIN DUBOS 483-3152 brandind@gambitweekly.com S AVA NN A A R M S TRONG 483-3144 savannaa@gambitweekly.com

G AM B I T | 3 9 23 B I E N V I L L E S T R E E T | N E W O R L E AN S, L A 7 0119 5 04. 48 6. 590 0 | response@gambitweekly.com

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FASHION

W H AT G U Y S WAN T

Style

(RIGHT) Sunglasses are a staple for every season.

Primeaux is a fan of KREWE du Optic, a New Orleans-based sunglasses company.

profile

FASHION BLOGGER DALTON PRIMEAUX MOVED FROM THE BIG EASY TO THE BIG APPLE, BUT KEPT HIS LOVE FOR NEW ORLEANS DESIGNERS. B Y

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Straight-leg jeans by Joe’s Jeans, $48.50 at Funky Monkey (3127 Magazine St., 504-899-5587; www. facebook.com/funkymonkeyneworleans).

Bow-tie set from Sir Vincent Designs, $125 at Sir Vincent Designs (www.sirvincentdesigns.com).

PHOTO COURTESY THE WEARHOUSE DISTRICT

hree years after launching his style blog, The WearHouse District (www.thewearhousedistrict.com), New Orleans native Dalton Primeaux followed his love of fashion from the Big Easy to the Big Apple.

“I would have loved to have played a part in developing the fashion community in New Orleans, but I thought it would be best to go to New York where the fashion industry is already thriving,” says Primeaux, who moved last summer to pursue a career in fashion public relations. “What better place to learn from the pros?”

Primeaux is influenced by modern art, especially when it comes to prints — or mixed prints. His style gurus are Jeremy Scott and Nick Wooster; an avant-garde innovator and a pristine, suit-wearing dandy, respectively, their influences combine in Primeaux’s wardrobe for a look that’s both edgy and classic.

Primeaux recommends building a menswear wardrobe with some staples — classic blue jeans, a fun bow tie and a neutral-toned cardigan for transitioning from summer to fall. He says New Orleans is the place to be if you’re looking for a more relaxing experience while shopping for these pieces.

“Shopping in New Orleans is very laid-back and therapeutic, whereas in New York, it’s like a sport,” Primeaux says.

A shopping trip down Magazine Street isn’t the only thing Primeaux misses about his hometown.

“I miss the food so much,” Primeaux says. “Every time my parents come to visit I ask them to bring along some Tony’s.”

FASHION

Calliope midnight tortoise sunglasses by KREWE du Optic, $145 at KREWE du Optic (www.kreweduoptic.com)

PHOTO COURTESY THE WEARHOUSE DISTRICT

Printed shirt by Saturdays Surf NYC, $85 at Friend (2115 Magazine St., 504-218-4214; www.facebook.com/ friendneworleans.com).

PHOTO COURTESY THE WEARHOUSE DISTRICT

Modern art influences Primeauxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taste in prints.

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Kitchenware &

Bath Accessories

FREE PARKING 504-529-4465

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BUILT IN STYLE

HOME

The Wolf coffee system brews coffee from whole beans.

Home

BREW

HIGH- AND LOW-TECH WAYS TO BREW THE PERFECT CUP OF JOE. B Y

S

N I A

P O R T E R

tanding in line for 10 minutes for a caffeine fix in a bustling neighborhood coffee shop can be a rough start to a Monday morning. However, the perfect cup can be made at home quickly using brewers both high- (a smartphone-enabled espresso machine) and low-tech (a Mason jar cold brew).

“Built-in coffee makers are definitely growing in popularity, especially with all of the remodeling and construction going on in New

PHOTO COURTESY NORDIC K TCHENS AND BATHS

Orleans,” says Antoinette Theriot-Heim at Nordic Kitchens and Baths (1818 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-888-2300; www.nordickitchens.com). “Oftentimes, the coffeemaker is the treat homeowners give themselves after that long process.”

The TopBrewer ($7,999-$10,999), one of the newest additions at Nordic Kitchens and Baths, features a smartphone app that provides a tailor-made cup of coffee for each member of the household.

“With the TopBrewer app, you can truly control how much coffee you’re using and how much water is used,” Theriot-Heim says.

The TopBrewer is a stainless steel spout that can be installed in your countertop. It brews a piping hot cup of espresso in 25 seconds, and also offers cold water and juices.

For those looking to spend a little less in the built-in brewing market, Theriot-Heim recommends the Miele ($2,999-$3,699), a popular German-made unit sold at Nordic Kitchens and Baths.

“With the exception of the TopBrewer, they’re the only machines at Nordic Kitchens and Baths with its own water source, so you’re not constantly refilling it,” Theriot-Heim says.

Theriot-Heim recommends the Wolf coffe maker ($3,149)for its sleek, stainless steel design.

Much like the TopBrewer and the Miele, the Wolf can serve a variety of drinks, including espressos, lattes and macchiatos, and its design coor-

dinates perfectly with the other Wolf products sold at Nordic Kitchens and Baths.

“They’ve done a good job with this product in that it requires very little cleanup, just the touch of a button to steam-clean its nozzle,” Theriot-Heim says.

The Bodum Chambord Coffeemaker sold at Whole Foods Market (5600 Magazine St., 504-899-9119; www.wholefoodsmarket.com) offers coffee drinkers an affordable and mobile alternative.

At $49.95, the 96 oz. Chambord is a classic French press coffee maker. The only difference between the updated version and the 1950s original is the new, environmentally friendly methods used to produce it.

When it comes to simplicity, some prefer an even more affordable way to enjoy coffee at home. Brady Booney, a barista at Fair Grinds Coffeehouse (3133 Ponce De Leon St., 504-9139072; www.fairgrinds.com), begins his at-home coffee making process with something that can be found in almost any pantry.

“I make a cold brew at home, and I actually do it in a Mason jar,” Booney says.

He recommends filling a half-gallon Mason jar with two cups of coarsely ground, dark French roast coffee, and filling the rest of the jar with cold water. After mixing the ingredients together, let it sit for 12 to 14 hours overnight and strain out the beans. You’ll have a smooth, flavorful coffee drink.

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SMALL SPACES TWO NEW ORLEANS HOMES THAT LIVE LARGER THAN THEIR SQUARE FOOTAGE B Y

L E E

C U T R O N E

P H O T O S B Y T H E R E S A C A S S A G N E

I

n recent years, small spaces requiring less energy, expense and furnishings have come into vogue. In New Orleans, where carriage houses, slave quarters and shotguns abound, the idea of maximizing diminutive digs has long been understood as a necessary art. The two downtown residences featured here are prime examples of how to make the most of form and function where space is at a premium.

Brian Oliver

DESIGN BY CHET POURCIAU 1,062 SQUARE FEET

A metal dining table from Restoration Hardware paired with a banquette and chairs

by Mitchell Gold anchors the dining area. Pourciau covered the dining chairs with solid vinyl on one side and a patterned fabric on the other. Painting by Alex Beard.

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Last year, when Baton Rouge businessman Brian Oliver purchased the Warehouse District condo that serves as his New Orleans home-away-from-home, he wanted to hire a designer who would respect its history and make the most of its limited footprint. “I tried to learn as much of the original history as was available,” says Oliver, who grew up in Baton Rouge but spent time in New Orleans visiting family. “Having said that, I did want to make it my own. It’s small but it’s laid out well. I wanted to open the space and make it seem larger.”

A business partner recommended Oliver call designer Chet Pourciau of Chet Pourciau Design to bring the condo to life. After their first consultation, Oliver knew that Pourciau was the man for the job. While Pourciau asked Oliver for his ideas, Pourciau was also quick to interject when something wouldn’t work and to find solutions.

“He never really said no to something I wanted,” Oliver says. ”He was always able in some way or fashion to make it work.”

Client and designer agreed to highlight rather than hide the industrial bones of the building, which dates from the 19th century

and was used as a coffee roasting facility for Cafe Du Monde.

They left the brick walls, copper pipes (cleverly used to hide wiring and cable) and water and electric meters exposed. They also retained a heavy, steel fire door as a decorative component in the guest bedroom.

For Pourciau, the challenge was aligning the client’s desire for dark colors with his imperative for an open, airy environment. “One of the main things designers do to make a space seem larger is to lighten it with fabrics, paint colors and rugs,” Pourciau says.

Instead, Pourciau satisfied the client’s wishes by applying rich gray paint to the walls and drawing out lighter undertones of blues and grays for the furniture and accessories.

He designed a floor plan that delineates areas with furniture, lighting, rugs and art, and used computer renderings to ensure that every carefully selected piece would fit.

The rectangular living room is divided into two zones — a seating area with a television and a dining area centered around a circular metal table, 1950s-inspired banquette and a pair of curved-back chairs. Pourciau visually magnified the master bedroom (which has no win-

dows) by painting the bare brick wall the same color as the others. In the two bathrooms, he took a less-is-more approach, creating a single focal point with a custom shower curtain.

“Restraint was important,” Pourciau says.

Accent tables with petite proportions (such as the console in the dining area and the gilt end table to one side of the sofa) are functional without competing with the larger items for attention. Mirrored surfaces help the condo appear larger by adding a source of light (there are only three windows in the entire residence). To provide privacy and insulation while maintaining an open feel, Pourciau covered the floor-toceiling windows with subtly striped linen sheers and added lightweight drapes between the living room and guest room.

Artworks by David Halliday, Cass Roth-Retz, Alex Beard and Mike Fennelly — all former or current New Orleans residents — bring polish to the condo and a New Orleans connection the client wanted to celebrate.

“This is a small space so it all had to flow and complement each other really well,” Pourciau says. “You have to consider how it’s going to look all together and not just piece by piece.”

Furnishings, rugs, art and lighting delineate the rectangular living space into living and dining areas. Several small mirrored tables provide functional surfaces and light sources. The armchair is covered with a metallic burnout fabric by Cassaro. Media cabinet by Worlds Away, coffee table by Global Views.

Pourciau painted the brick wall the same color as the other walls to make the master bedroom look larger and chose furnishings to fit the dimensions. A tall, vinyl-covered headboard and slender lamps balance the king bed’s width. Custom bedding includes pillows covered with a cut silk velvet by Cassaro; velvet-top nickel-plated bench from Worlds Away and Flor carpet squares in “Something Concrete.”

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Dining table from Jon Vaccari Design, photograph above the table by Robert Polidori, kinetic metal sculpture by Lin Emery, African American Hurricane Katrina portrait by David Bates.

Arthur Roger

DESIGN BY JOHN CHRESTIA 1,000 SQUARE FEET

The Creole architectural style and unusual shape were key cues to the origins of the building now used as a guesthouse by French Quarter residents Arthur Roger and Daniel Weeks. Roger believes the building was originally an outbuilding for the house and was later subdivided as a separate property.

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When gallery owner Arthur Roger bought and renovated the deteriorating structure behind his French Quarter home to reunite two buildings that were originally part of the same property, it became a cause celebre among French Quarter preservationists. There are indications that the guest house was built as an ancillary building — possibly a garconniere — for Roger’s residence: clipped corners that align in perfect parallel with those of the main house, the placement of the smaller house so that the main house has direct views of it, what Roger describes as “dollhouse-like proportions” and historic documents.

Working with architect/interior designer John Chrestia of Chrestia Staub Pierce, Roger restored the exterior of the circa 1860s Creole-style construction to its original appearance, creating a new second-floor balcony to replace the existing one and eliminating a makeshift series of steel poles used as supports. The balcony and French doors that open to the courtyard expand the living space by merging indoor and outdoor settings.

Roger and Chrestia reconsidered the interior, bringing in brick floors like those in the main house, clever, space-enhancing ideas

Sparse furnishings keep the bedroom unencumbered. Beams left striped by plaster that seeped through the ceiling slats are now a valued design element. Pencil bed, chest of drawers and mirror by Christopher Maier. Painting by Nicole Charbonnet, vinyl wings by Stephanie Patton.

and a mix of old and new.

Downstairs, Chrestia placed a circular stairwell unobtrusively to one side of the house.

It occupies a minimal amount of space while being user friendly and calling to mind the sculptural beauty of the Old World curved staircases found in the French Quarter — including the one in Roger’s home. Near the stairs, a galley-style kitchen provides compact convenience. (Roger notes that a close friend, who intended to stay in the guesthouse for a month, was so comfortable he stayed four years.)

In the rectangular living area, Chrestia designed a built-in banquette as a natural place for a dining area, a niche for art and a way to disguise air ducts. Upstairs, he peeled away dilapidated ceilings to reveal the rustic architectural skeleton. Wooden beams, left handsomely striped by the plaster that seeped through the ceiling slats, are now a valued design element. In the bathroom, where the ceiling was raised to the vaulted roofline, his attention to detail keeps an already pocket-size room from feeling partitioned into even tinier segments: rectangular shower tiles continue the shape of

the horizontal wall boards so the visual flow is uninterrupted. White tile steps double as shelving space.

Roger furnished the house with antiques, modern pieces and the kind of impressive art collection one would expect from an art dealer. There are works by Ida Kohlmeyer, Elemore Morgan Jr., Nicole Charbonnet, Lin Emery, Robert Polidori, Bradley Sabin and Dawn DeDeaux to name a few. Roger is inspired by the interplay between contemporary aesthetic and historic context.

“There’s a vocabulary and a dynamic [in a French Quarter house],” Roger says. “You’re always looking for interesting pieces. It’s part of the commitment to the house. I’m always trying to marry the architecture with the artwork. The placement, scale of artwork can change things, for better or worse. It’s a struggle and sometimes a puzzle but rewarding when it works.”

Spiral stairs, designed to occupy minimal space, were crafted with Old-World mortise and tenon joints. Antique American chair from Didier Antiques.

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DRESS STORES 537 ROYAL ST. 2048 MAGAZINE ST.

SHOE STORES 829 CHARTRES ST. 2050 MAGAZINE ST.

LINGERIE STORES

SHOP ONLINE

831 CHARTRES ST. 2044 MAGAZINE ST.

504.299.3939 WWW.TRASHYDIVA.COM

FOLLOW US

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Back-to-school

LOOKS

100

$

FOR UNDER

With a few key pieces in a classic color palette, you can’t go wrong.

These budget-friendly essentials can mix-and-match throughout the school year … or at least the first semester.

B Y K AT H L E E N A L L A I N PHOTO S BY COR D M C PH A IL M O D E L E D B Y N I A P O R T E R

Polka dot crop top, $12.80 at Forever 21.

Denim skirt, $42 at gae-tana’s.

Faux alligator boots, $45 at Buffalo Exchange.

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Gray shirt, $16.19 at Gap Factory Store.

Bib neclace, $5.80 at Forever 21.

Overall dress $15 at Blink.

Sunglasses, $5.80 at Forever 21.

Nike tennis shoes, $22.24 at Buffalo Exchange.

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Charles and Keith tote, $25 at Buffalo Exchange.

White blouse, $34 at gae-tanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

Studded blazer, $20 at Buffalo Exchange.

Metallic oxford shoes, $26.24 at Gap Factory Store.

Plaid pants, $17.80 at Forever 21.

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Leopard print tank, $44 at C. Collection.

Free People flared jeans, $9 at Buffalo Exchange.

Mod sunglasses, $5.80 at Forever 21.

STORE INFORMATION Blink (5419 Magazine St., 504-899-4970; 3260 Severn Ave., Metairie, 504-883-8054; Lakeside Shopping Center, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-834-2820; www.shopblinkboutique.com) Buffalo Exchange (3312 Magazine St., 504-891-7443; www.buffaloexchange.com) C. Collection (8141 Maple St., 504-861-5002; www.ccollectionnola.com) Forever 21 (The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, 500 Port of New Orleans Place, 504-522-9655; www.forever21.com) gae-tanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (7732 Maple St., 504-865-9625; www.gaetanas.com) Gap Factory Store (The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, 500 Port of New Orleans Place, 504-558-9912; www.gap.com/outlet)

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Leather booties, $30 at Buffalo Exchange.

tomorrow exchange buy * sell*trade

3312 Magazine St. â&#x20AC;˘ 504-891-7443

BuffaloExchange.com

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CUE K I D S

SHOPPING

Keep all the after-school dance class essentials corralled with this bag, $28.99 at Humbug.

Dance the class time away in a leotard tutu, $33 at Uptown Costume and Dancewear (4326 Magazine St., 504-895-7969; www.uptowncostume.com).

Keep muscles warm and limber in leg warmers by Capezio, $24.99 at Humbug (2707 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 504-469-3339; www.ennieshumbug.com).

Tiny

Dancers

Classic ballet slippers bring twinkles to their toes, $18.50 at Uptown Costume and Dancewear.

DANCE CLASS ESSENTIALS FOR BUDDING BALLET STARS.

Add a hint of sparkle to a dance wardrobe with this leotard with a rhinestone peace sign, $9.99 at Swap for Kids.

B Y N I C O L E K O S T E R A N D N I A P O R T E R

The black scoop-neck leotard, $7.99, paired with a pink asymmetrical skirt, $9.99, is a fun twist on a dance school classic, both at Swap for Kids (7722 Maple St., 504-2185996; www.swapforkids.com).

These tap shoes have adjustable straps for a secure and comfortable fit, $14.99 at Swap for Kids.

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CUE T I P S

SHOPPING

FIT By You apparel is available for men and women and starts at $20 for a tank top.

PHOTO COURTESY FIT BY YOU.

Tank girl I

n one of the first offerings from Robin Barnes’ FIT By You collection (www. fitbyyou.co), a brass band swings its way across a black workout tank bearing the slogan “Move Ya Brass.”

Barnes, a local jazz singer, moved into fashion after a severe kidney infection led her to reevaluate her lifestyle. The “Move Ya Brass” top typifies her brand: comfortable, irreverent and upbeat. “[With our line] we want to promote positivity and health consciousness,” Barnes says. “[My story] can’t make people be healthy. I’ve learned that.”

Barnes and director of operations A. Hill brainstorm ideas for cheeky, locally inspired prints, which are executed by graphic designer Donkey Beatz. Garment fabrications vary from a spandex-Lycra blend to new moisture-wicking materials. The line includes screen-printed T-shirts, tanks and workout shorts, and

antique

EUROPEAN DOORS in ock st

Antique Cypress Doors Custom Doors Antique Bricks Shutters & Hardware Millwork Ironwork Stained Glass Knobs, Locks & Hinges

NEW ORLEANS

511 N. Solomon St. 504.488.5524 RiccasArchitecturalSales.com 30

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B Y K AT STROMQUIST

will expand into leggings and other loungewear for the fall collection.

“We have to be conscious that it’s always hot here,” Hill says. “To combat that, we’ll have mixed materials.”

Barnes and Hill’s vision is a high-end product with a manageable price. Currently, most of their sales are conducted online, but they hope to place the line in department stores and with local businesses soon.

Though Barnes has a busy schedule, she always carves out time for healthy activities. She wants FIT By You to encourage others to do the same. “[When I’m] singing music, I see it moves people,” Barnes says. “I want to motivate people by making them realize that life’s too short, and you need to be a little more conscious that we’re not invincible.”

Local love

BY PA IG E R I TA NULT Y

A UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS STUDENT RUNS AN ONLINE BOUTIQUE OF GOODS MADE EXCLUSIVELY IN LOUISIANA.

I

t’s harder to find made-in-Louisiana goods than shoppers might think. “People don’t realize that buying something in a local shop doesn’t mean the item is locally made,” says Emily Brauninger, creator of the online boutique Mama Roux (504-717-7877; www.facebook.com/mamarouxnola) which celebrates its one-year anniversary this fall. “But I make sure that everything I’m selling is 100 percent from here.”

CUE T I P S Brauninger’s selection of home and fashion accessories is made by Louisiana artists including Ashley Celeste, Aaron Damon and Cassie Tarr. A history major at the University of New Orleans, Brauninger uses her knowledge to focus her inventory. “When I think about New Orleans, I’m not really thinking about fleurs-de-lis and footballs,” she says. “I’m more interested in the music and the history of New Orleans, and so my goal was to make a store about that.”

Brauninger’s passion for New Orleans culture comes from a love for its traditions. The name of her business refers to the Dr. John song of the same name. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” Brauninger says. “I’m 23 years old and I just went to my 23rd Jazz Fest.”

Her business is a one-woman operation: Brauninger sells and buys through her Facebook page. “It’s all me and it’s all right there for everyone,” she says. She hopes to open a storefront in the next five years.

“Hopefully ... somewhere like Magazine Street, so it would be an upscale area with funky items,” she says. “This is the greatest city on earth; there’s no need to shop at big-box or chain stores. If everyone bought things totally from here, I just think the [local] economy could skyrocket.”

SHOPPING

Artist Cassie Tarr created the business’ logo.

Marry Me, Mag pie!

Vintage & Antique Engagement Rings for Every Budget

Vintage & Estate Jewelry 4529 Magazine Street 891-1333 S E PTEM BER. 2 0 1 4 <<<

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LUSTERPHILE City Park

Bywater

Grandee by Hove, $55 for a 0.5 oz. bottle at Hove Parfumeur (434 Chartres St., 504-525-7827; www.hoveparfumeur.com).

Bywater has become one of the city’s most talked-about neighborhoods in recent years due to its colorful homes and residents. Hove’s Grandee captures the outgoing and vibrant spirit of Bywater with hints of tuberose.

Spanish Moss by Hove, $37 for a 2 oz. bottle at Hove Parfumeur (434 Chartres St., 504-525-7827; www.hoveparfumeur.com).

The warm, exotic scent of Spanish Moss perfume evokes the oak trees of New Orleans City Park. Dab a little behind your ears and you’ll feel like a kid again, climbing the sweeping branches of your favorite live oak.

CreScent

city

BEAUTY

LOCALLY MADE PERFUMES EVOKE THE ESSENCE OF NEW ORLEANS’ NEIGHBORHOODS.

BY NIA PORTER

F

rom the Spanish architecture of the French Quarter to the vibrant shotgun homes nestled throughout Bywater, New Orleans is known for its physical beauty…but its gorgeous botanical scents (sweet olive, honeysuckle, lemon verbena) often are overlooked. Inspired by the live oak trees of New Orleans City Park and the floral essences of the Garden District, these fragrances hit New Orleans neighborhoods on the nose.

French Quarter

Voodoo Love by Bourbon French Parfums, $20 for a 2 oz. bottle at New Orleans Perfume (805 Royal St., 504522-4480; www.neworleansperfume.com).

Bourbon French Parfums captures its French Quarter neighborhood’s rich past with this fragrance.

Inspired by voodoo queen Marie Laveau’s popular love potion, Voodoo Love is deep and earthy. The secret recipe includes notes of vetiver.

Garden District

Downtown

Taking its name from the large gardens that surrounded most of these homes in the 19th century, this neighborhood is no stranger to the soft, floral aroma of Yvonne LaFleur’s signature fragrance. The notes of English lavender and bergamot make this the ideal daytime perfume. “You shouldn’t be smelling the perfume you’re wearing all day, but the people around you should,” Yvonne LaFleur says.

Sold in his downtown atelier, designer Harold Clarke’s signature fragrance is sophisticated and feminine. The blend of floral and fruity notes makes it light enough for the office and luxurious enough for a black-tie occasion worthy of a Harold Clarke evening gown. “This fragrance is for the woman who likes a little something extra,” Clarke says.

Yvonne LaFleur’s signature fragrance, $55 for a 2 oz. bottle at Yvonne LaFleur (8131 Hampson St., 504-866-9666; www. yvonnelafleur.com).

Harold Clarke’s inaugural fragrance, $89 for 3.3 oz. bottle at Harold Clarke (102 St. Charles Ave., 985-267-9770; www.harold-clarke.com).

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Cassie

SHOP DOGS

BY K ATHARINE CURR AULT PHOTOS BY CHERYL GERBER AND BELINDA WHARTON

I

t is not surprising that a pet store employs a pup. Cassie, a playful 2-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever, serves as the face of new neighborhood business, Zen Pet Retail and Grooming (4500 Magazine St., Suite 5, 504-301-4736; www.zenpetnola.com).

“I opened the business nine months, ago, and she’s come to work with me every day,” says Belinda Wharton, owner of Cassie and Zen Pet. A lifelong dog lover, Wharton spent years taking in rescue and foster dogs, as well as supporting the Humane Society of Louisiana. After a lengthy career in medicine, Wharton decided to pursue her passion.

She wanted to be a dog trainer but decided to go into the pet retail and grooming business when she saw the need for a shop that provided a holistic and natural diet for pets.

Wharton became an advocate for clean, healthy pet diets primarily because of her experience with her former Labrador retriever, who suffered from severe food allergies.

“I wanted to open something in the neighborhood that carried the type of quality food and treats that I would want for my pet,” Wharton says. “I believe in the Zen and the yin and yang of your health and your whole body, so I wanted to bring that to the pet world.”

In addition to providing healthy food for pets, Zen Pet offers grooming services that use all-natural products.

The store also carries an assortment of toys, including the Chuckit fetch games — among Cassie’s favorites — as well as collars, bowls and local art.

On cooler days when Wharton keeps the door propped open, Cassie works as Zen Pet’s official greeter. Her lively and energetic disposition entices

PERSPECTIVES

for 10 or 15 minutes playing soccer with her.”

Although she has a lively personality, Cassie is calm when other pets come to the store for grooming appointments or just to visit.

Wharton encourages customers to let their pets off the leash because Cassie’s nonthreatening temperament typically allows other pets to feel comfortable quickly.

Wharton says Cassie is a wonderful component to Zen Pet and that being able to play with her throughout the day enhances her passion for the business.

“My favorite thing has been just being able to have my dog with me all of the time,” Wharton says. “I mean, that’s fabulous. You can’t have anything better than that — having your pet with you all day long.”

Customers seem to agree.

“People come in just to see her and play with her,” Wharton says. “She greets people who come in, and she has lots of local dogs come in to visit.”

My

Favorite

Things ...

Soccer Tennis balls

passersby to come inside the light blue store adorned with bright local art.

“She sits in the front door sometimes and kind of looks around,” Wharton says. “If somebody comes along, she’ll walk out to greet them, and when they bend down to pet her, she turns around and runs into the shop to grab a toy and then they follow her in.”

When she’s not enchanting customers, Cassie spends her time in the store playing her favorite sport: soccer. With a relentlessly wagging tail, Cassie trots around the store dribbling her lime-green ball, ready to pass it to anyone willing to play.

“It’s her favorite activity of all time,” Wharton says. “I have customers that come in, and they are just fascinated with it. They’ll stand here

Playing fetch The Chuckit! toy Swimming Orijen dog food

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