Gambit's Cue Magazine - The Winter Issue

CUE MAGAZINE A M O N T H LY

LIFE + STYLE + DESIGN

GUIDE TO NEW ORLEANS

THE

DECEMB ER 2018

WINTER ISSUE

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CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2018

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SHOPPING

CUE Magazine’s holiday gift guide

Fashion

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Hats and fascinators to top off your winter look

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Real estate

Home improvement projects you can finish before holiday guests arrive

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Health & wellness Stave off the holi-craze with these self-care tips

ON THE COVER Ornaments, clockwise from top left: Blown glass bulb ornament by New Orleans-based RidgeWalker Glass, $25 at RHINO Contemporary Crafts Co.; papier-mache carousel horse ornament, $20 at Perch; black and gold art deco glass ornament, $19.95 at Dunn and Sonnier Antiques, Florals, Gifts; shuttered shotgun porch ornament, $7.99 at MJ’s; hand-painted globe glass ornament (available in a variety of colors), $14 at Two Sprouts; paper flower by local artist Brian Bush (magnet hung as an ornament), $20 at Miette; wool circus Dalmatian ornament, $12 at Estella’s Home; glass cherry-ontop cake ornament, $9.50 at Perch; red Canal Street streetcar and green St. Charles Avenue streetcar ornaments, $7.99 each at MJ’s. For store information, see Resources.

Let the experts at Terminix deck the halls

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#Following

Madeline Ellis lets her jewelry designs do the talking

7 Editor’s Letter 19 Resources

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HOME

REGULAR FEATURES:

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COVER CONCEPT

BY KATHERINE M. JOHNSON AND DORA SISON

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Locally Made: Door Hangers Tea Towels Potter y Folk Ar t

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Candles

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Stationer y Apparel

Marty’s newest designs for the season are here. Featuring South Sea, Tahitian, Fresh Water pearls and Fine Jewelry.

Wine Glasses Wrapping Paper

FOUND EXCLUSIVELY AT:

AT D U N N

ARTY ’S

AND SONNIER

3433 MAGAZINE ST. > 251.377.3831

[ FROM THE EDITOR ]

I TOOK THIS SELFIE on the way to a New Orleans Saints home game a few Decembers ago. I was excited-yet-terrified because there were 11 of us in a car designed to seat seven, and I (as the youngest) had to ride atop the center console.

We were running late, hurtling downtown at full tilt, and there was little between me and a sudden close-up view of the windshield save my cousin Janem’s grip on the back of my shirt.

I don’t know about y’all, but this time of year leaves me feeling … frazzled (see above). I’m excited about gathering with family and friends and the smorgasbord of food and the gift-giving (and receiving — who am I kidding), but also terrified by those things.

What do I get for my mom?

When will I find time to cook the mirliton stuffing? Will I look as harried as I feel when I see my ex at that holiday party?

The stories in this month’s issue are a rousing roundup of winter wonder. The fashion column is full of hats and fascinators to complete your holiday brunch outfit; the real estate column offers time-conscious tips to get your home ready to receive guests before Dec. 25; and our #Following subject, Madeline Ellis, explains the mission of connectivity and creativity behind her Louisiana-made jewelry (and gives me a great gift idea for Mom).

But I’m partial to our health and

ON

Editor KATHERINE M. JOHNSON Creative Services Director DORA SISON

Unique Gifts for Every Budget

ADVERTISING

Advertising Inquiries (504) 483-3150 Advertising Director SANDY STEIN BRONDUM (504) 483-3150

[sandys@gambitweekly.com]

Sales Coordinator | MICHELE SLONSKI Sales Assistant | KAYLA FLETCHER

C UE M AG A Z I N E •

CUE

Publisher JEANNE EXNICIOS FOSTER

wellness column. It’s about slowing down, enjoying the season and lightening the pressure we put on ourselves. Psychologist Laurie Z. Darling offers a lot of advice for navigating the holiday craze, but the simplest is to remember to breathe, slowly and intentionally. Inhale … and exhale. We’ve got this. (And so do the Saints — Who Dat!) Yours in peace, love and deeeeep breaths,

Senior Sales Representative JILL GIEGER (504) 483-3131

EDITORIAL

[ jillg@gambitweekly.com] Sales Representatives

Managing Editor KANDACE POWER GRAVES

BRANDIN DUBOS (504) 483-3152

Contributing Writers SARAH RAVITS, SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TAFUR

PRODUCTION JASON WHITTAKER

Graphic Designers WINNFIELD JEANSONNE, MARIA BOUÉ, SHERIE DELACROIX-ALFARO

SAMANTHA FLEMING (504) 483-3141

[samf@gambitweekly.com]

ABBY SCORSONE (504) 483-3145

[abigails@gambitweekly.com] TAYLOR SPECTORSKY

(504) 483-3143 [taylors@gambitweekly.com]

823 C A M P S T REE T | N E W O R L E A N S, L A 70130 504. 4 8 6 . 5 9 0 0 | cue@gambitweekly.com

4529 Magazine Street • 891-1333

D e c e m b e r 2 01 8

Pre-Press Coordinator

[brandind@gambitweekly.com]

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[ SHOPPING ]

Seasons

TREATINGS

Connection collection bridge ornament, $35 at Mignon Faget.

From foodies to bookworms to homebodies, find a gift they’ll love

BY SAR AH R AVITS

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Tea towel by Simon, $13.99 at Dorignac’s.

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“A Topsy-Turvy History of New Orleans & Ten Tiny Turtles,” $16.95 at Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group.

Italian olio novello extra virgin olive oil, $14.99 at Rouses.

Puppy throw pillow, $80 at Perch.

[ SHOPPING ] “Miss Ella of Commander’s Palace,” $27.99 at Commander’s Palace.

Antiqued cross medallion, $60 at Lucy Rose.

Black Label “Lecce” dress, $1,631 at Claudia Croazzo.

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Zodax Apothecary Guild Siberian fir-scented candles, from $29 at Le Visage Day Spa.

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[ H E A LT H + W E L L N E S S ]

AVOIDING THE

HOLI-CRAZE

B Y S U Z A N N E P F E F F ER L E T A F U R

Stave off holiday stress with these sanity-saving tips

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ALTHOUGH THE HOLIDAYS CAN BE “THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR,”

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they also can be the most stressful.

Frequent parties are emotionally taxing for introverts; family events bring us faceto-face with relatives who share different political views; we’re rushing to buy and wrap gifts and breaking our budgets in the process; and we miss our loved ones who are not here to share the merriment with us.

“We stress about lack of time and lack of money,” says Laurie Z. Darling, a clinical psychologist at Jefferson Neurobehavioral Group. “All that can lead to mental, emotional and physical fatigue, which puts us at higher risk of feeling the effects of stress.”

Stress can cause irritability, trouble concentrating, headaches and feeling run down, along with an increased susceptibility to colds or respiratory infections.

Darling says women are especially prone to those symptoms, citing a 2006 survey from the American Psychological Association (APA) which showed almost half of women in the United States report greater stress during the holidays, compared to 31 percent of men.

“Women may be more stressed than men [because of] social, cultural and physiological differences,” Darling says.

Traditionally, women are nurturers and caregivers and, in turn, less mindful of self-care.

“Women also may feel guilty if they perceive they haven’t done enough or if they end up saying ‘no’ to someone,” Darling adds. “Physically, women may be more susceptible to stress reactions, in part related to hormonal fluctuations which can directly and indirectly impact other stress-mediators in the body.”

The APA survey also found women turn to unhealthy behaviors to cope with stress, such as overeating or drinking alcohol, rather than using positive stress management strategies. Darling suggests a few techniques for the frazzled to try.

• “In the middle of a stressful situation or season, I often remind my patients to remember it is temporary,” she says. “We can get through it one party, one activity, one difficult family member at a time.”

• “Watch your thoughts,” she says. “Make sure they aren’t snowballing from the current situation to all the other 10,000 to-dos you have left to accomplish over the next several days or weeks. Bring your mind back to the here and now. To help you do that, engage in a technique called present-centeredness. Focusing your five senses on the moment — what you hear, see, smell, feel, touch — can reset your mind and calm the racing thoughts.”

• “Breathe,” Darling says. “Not as an involuntary activity but as a purposeful strategy to slow your racing heart and mind. The best way to do this is to practice diaphragmatic breathing (using your diaphragm to bring air down into your lungs instead of breathing mostly in your chest). I recommend this activity to all my patients who are anxious, nervous or stressed in general.”

• “Plan ahead as much as possible,” she advises. “If hosting, solicit input from family [and] close friends

on their ‘can’t do without’ foods or activities, which will take some of the pressure off of the planning process. Also, divvy up those tasks. We are so quick to take it all on ourselves — either accept an offer of help and/or go out on a limb and ask for help.”

• “Do less, but make it count,” she says. “We all tend to spread ourselves a bit thinner during the holidays, between multiple family and friend groups, work gatherings and community activities and … our own decorating and in-home celebrating. Many people are getting away from traditional holiday cards and are going digital. If it gives you joy to address those 150 envelopes, maybe [scale back] the holiday parties and gatherings [you attend] or increase online shopping from the comfort of your home, rather than in-store with stressful crowds and parking.”

• “Know your limits … and say ‘no’ to anything that is not absolutely critical, holiday-related or otherwise,” she warns. “Ultimately, your family and friends won’t hinge their love for you on your holiday performance, and if they do, maybe you need to re-evaluate that relationship.”

[ H E A LT H + W E L L N E S S ]

• “Take care of yourself,” Darling says. “Make sure you have time set aside for rest, relaxation and exercise for your mind and body.

Intentionally choose to enjoy the time that you have, whether it’s down time to recharge or being around family and friends. Keep as much of your normal routine as possible.”

Visit our shop throughout the holidays for seasonal decor and inspiration for all tastes

• “Most importantly, remember the reason for the season,” she says. “It’s cliche, but it’s true.

Holidays are about spending time with loved ones and connecting with your community of friends, neighbors and co-workers as well as your fellow man (or woman) at large. In fact, one of the best ways to combat a depressed mood is to do something nice for others — whether you volunteer at a local mission, be there for a friend who’s hurting, or even just let someone go in front of you in line.”

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• “If you think you are doing these things but still struggling, go talk to a psychologist,” Darling advises. “Sometimes we need help taking stock of areas where we can improve or ways to implement positive change.”

HAPPY HOUR Tuesday—Sunday: 5pm-7pm DINNER Tuesday—Sunday: 5pm-10pm CLOSED MONDAY

SAY ‘SPAAAAH’ If your definition of self-care involves a day at the spa, then consider indulging in one of these treatments.

• Earthsavers’ de-stress package is designed to relieve tension from head to toe. It includes a full body massage, foot reflexology and a scalp massage. The 95-minute service costs $150. Earthsavers also offers decadent products such as soothing bath salts, eye masks and calming essential oils.

holiday macarons + chocolates available in stores and online

LAST MINUTE GIFT GUIDE

ISSUE DATE: DEC 18 AD DEADLINE: DEC 7

CALL TODAY

To advertise: Sandy Stein 504.483.3150 or sandys@gambitweekly.com

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PHOTO COURTESY E ARTHSAVERS

• The Waldorf Astoria Spa in The Roosevelt New Orleans hotel pampers clients with a 50-minute winter hydrating facial by emerginC Rawceuticals. The $165 treatment works to counter the effects of winter weather, late nights and adult libations, which can cause dry skin and acne breakouts.

SEASON WITH

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• Embodyment Salon & Spa offers skin brightening therapy, which includes a deep exfoliation, a relaxing massage and a conditioning mask that focuses on brightening and lightening, creating a luminous glow. The 50-minute session is $100.

SWEETEN THE

11

GAMBIT’S PET ADOPT-A-THON

HELP A

Homeless

Animal New FIND A

Home SPONSORED BY

HOW IT WORKS ROWDY

Takepawsrescue.org 504-914-4803

Sponsored By:

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DEADLINE TO DONATE:

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1

Mail a check for $25 with the form below, or visit bestofneworleans.com/ petadoption or call (504) 483-3150 to sponsor a pet from a local shelter.

2

A photo of a local adoptable pet will run in the DECEMBER 11 PETS section of Gambit with your name credited as the pet’s sponsor.

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A Gambit reader will see the adorable animal and rush to the participating shelter to give featured pet a forever home all thanks to you!

DEC 5

ISSUE DATE:

DEC 11

MAIL FORMS TO:

Attn: Pet Adopt-A-Thon Gambit 823 Camp Street New Orleans, LA 70130

SPONSOR FORM:

$25 TO SPONSOR ONE PET Dollar Amount: Name(s) of Sponsor(s):

Optional Message: Pay with Credit Card: You can also pay by check made payable to Gambit Weekly or Call 483-3150.

[ HOME ]

GETTING A

(HOLIDAY)

BY K ANDACE POWER GR AVES

WANT YOUR HOUSE TO LOOK LIKE A WINTER WONDERLAND this holiday season but don’t have the time or know-how to pull it off?

Christmas Decor by Terminix (yes, the same company that eradicates bugs and pests from homes and offices) provides decorating services for the outside of your home, including lights, installation, maintenance, disassembly and storage.

“We focus on the exterior,” says Tony Gugliuzza, business development director at Terminix. “What we focus on is the gutter lines, the fascia lines on the roof and the roof ridges. … Then we come down to the ground level

and use LED mini lights for shrubs, bushes (and) trees. We also do stake lighting … and line your walkways and driveways with that.”

Gugliuzza says his company uses only LED lightbulbs for safety, longevity and economy, and customers lease the lights from Terminix. Homeowners can choose from a range of light colors and sizes and can change their choices from holiday to holiday. The decoration package starts at $449 and includes installation, maintenance, taking down the decorations and storing them in the company’s warehouse. The decorating scheme can be as simple or elaborate as a

homeowner desires.

When a customer calls, Gugliuzza says, an employee takes a photo of the house and downloads it into an app that allows the company to decorate the house virtually. Christmas Decor by Terminix then meets with the homeowner and adds or deletes items on a computer screen and changes colors to complete the decorating scheme.

“It’s definitely a white-glove service we do,” he says. “There are only so many days in the season that we can get this done.” Because the installers’ calendars fill up quickly, he recommends homeowners call for

A home decorated by Christmas Decor by Terminix.

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PHOTO COURTESY CHRISTMA S DECOR BY TERMINIX

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service before Dec. 15.

It usually takes about 3 1/2 hours to complete decorations on a 4,000-square-foot house. It may take longer for a house covered in lights (re: Clark Griswold). In addition to leasing lights to customers, the company also sells wreaths, trees, illuminated figures, large bows and other decor, even when there is no contract to decorate a house.

“As far as the homeowners getting on ladders, fighting with strings of lights, trying to find out what bulbs are burned out,” Gugliuzza says Christmas Decor by Terminix takes care of that. “One big thing is lots of people don’t want to store (Christmas decorations).”

The company’s service doesn’t end when it flips on the lights. “If there are any problems throughout the season, we get out there within 24 hours,” he says. It also does spot checks to make sure the installation and equipment are in working order.

The company, which began decorating houses in New Orleans six years ago, gets calls asking them to decorate the inside of houses, but currently it only deals with exteriors, Gugliuzza says. The service does, however, decorate for other holidays, including Halloween and Mardi Gras. Customers also can have their home decorated for a one-time event.

The company also does custom lighting and decor packages for businesses, including an installation at the Audubon Zoo in which it wrapped the trunks and limbs of two oak trees near the entrance with mini LED lights as part of Audubon Zoo Lights, a display of animal-themed lights, live entertainment and more on select dates through December.

Every year, Christmas Decor by Terminix also decorates the Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing to children receiving medical treatment and their families, pro bono. “To put a smile on those kids’ faces, it’s the least we can do for them,” Gugliuzza says.

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[ FASHION ]

TOP IT OFF B Y

K A T H ER I N E

M .

J O H N S O N

Put the exclamation point on your winter outfit with classic and contemporary hats and fascinators that combine form, function and fun, no matter the occasion.

Teal sinamay button-sized “Bebe Twirl” fascinator with goose nagoire feathers and Swiss Starbright black braid-wrapped ostrich quill, $250 at Maria Etkind Millinery.

Fur felt “Del Mar” widebrimmed fedora in dark pink with grosgrain trim and feather accent, $395 at Halo Mimi.

PHOTO BY JASON KRUPPA

Customizable red felt cloche hat with silk flower and feather detail, from $189 at Yvonne LaFleur.

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“Martha” hat by Colby Hebert in camel with rust-colored grosgrain binding and trim at crown, $475 exclusively at Saint Claude Social Club.

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Vintage black felt hat with iridescent feather detail, $75 at Miss Claudia’s Vintage Clothing & Costumes.

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[ R E A L E S TAT E ]

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Easy ways to update your decor before your holiday guests arrive.

BY K ANDACE POWER GR AVES

Washing the exterior of your house and painting your front door in a contrasting color give visitors a good first impression.

YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY IS COMING TO NEW ORLEANS to visit during the holidays and you’re delighted but want to spruce up the house for the occasion. There’s only about three weeks left before company arrives, so what are your options?

“You have to look at it in terms of small items,” especially those that can have a big impact, says Doug Matthews, owner of Matthews Construction and Renovation.

A good cleaning always brightens a space — and washing the exterior of your house presents a glowing first impression. “The obvious things are just doing some basic cleaning on the outside of the house,” he says. “A lot of people want to paint, but you can actually get some trisodium phosphate and a garden hose, and in half a day or less you can wash the front of your house and it looks like a completely different home.

Everybody’s got road grime, dirt and everything else that generally washes off very nicely.”

Another small task that makes a big impact is painting your front door an accent color, he says.

Kathleen Allain, design assistant at Perch, an interior design studio and home decor store, says small additions can make a big difference in a room. “Instead of chang-

ing everything, just accessorize,” she says. That can include decorative pillows and throws to add color, patterns and texture, a new piece of art, lamps and plants. For live plants, she suggests paperwhites, a bulb narcissus plant with fragrant clusters of flowers, which at Perch are planted in vintage tableware. “They’re really low-maintenance,” she says. “They require an ice cube once a week.

They’re very versatile. They can make a lovely table setting or a hostess gift.”

Wallpaper can transform a room, but homeowners could run into issues getting it installed in a short timeframe, Allain says. New curtains and valances, however, are more realistic.

“Curtains are something we make pretty quickly,” she says, adding “the possibilities are endless” when it comes to what they can do for a room. “They can dramatize the height of the ceiling. They also make a home feel cozier. They can soften things up or create drama if you go with a bold pattern, or it can create elegance if you go with silk.”

Valances come in different shapes and can complete the space. “It adds a finishing tailored look to the space and an architectural feel,” Allain says. “That can

[ R E A L E S TAT E ]

Installing a backsplash in a kitchen can brighten the space and add a splash of contrast or color.

P H OTO C O U R T E S Y P E R C H

Paperwhite bulbs in vintage serving dishes at Perch.

FIT WITH

New Year Fitness Giveaway RUNNING THROUGH JANUARY FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL SANDY STEIN AT 504-483-3150 OR EMAIL SANDYS@GAMBITWEEKLY.COM

D e c e m b e r 2 01 8

a little bit of help and a little bit of guidance, somebody can do those kinds of things very quickly and embellish a room quite a bit.”

Updating light fixtures in one room or throughout the house is a relatively simple task that can significantly change the way a space looks. “You’re talking about two screws, three wires and a couple of wire nuts,” Matthews says.

Those less mechanically inclined could just add a set of lamps, which come in a range of sizes colors and shapes, Allain says.

“That’s a simple fix and can really freshen up a home but requires no installation,” she says.

Working on a short timeline during the holiday season doesn’t mean you can’t find professionals to help. “A lot of contractors get a little slow this time of year,” Matthews says. His best advice for DIYers as well as those who hire professionals to help: “Be realistic about what people can and will do.”

GET C UE M AG A Z I N E •

dramatically change the look of a room.”

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to get a fresh look in the kitchen and bath. Instead, Matthews recommends installing new drawer pulls and handles on cabinets and new towel bars in the bathroom. For a little more effort, homeowners can put up a backsplash in the kitchen, which can add color or patterns to the room.

“Backsplashes are great because they really can pick up other finishes in the home and they’re very useful,” Matthews says. “You can paint or do details on your cabinets.” Refrigerators and dishwashers sometimes have interchangeable panels on the front, and homeowners can change out scratched or worn panels with more pristine versions.

Replacing cabinets may be a major ordeal in a kitchen but could be manageable in a short time in a bathroom, Matthews says.

“Oftentimes the countertops (in bathrooms) are a lot smaller and the (design) is based on one piece of furniture or a small vanity, so … you can replace them in a modular fashion where the sink and the top are all molded into one.”

Instead of totally redesigning a room, paint an accent wall or add an architectural element, Matthews suggests. “(It can) do an awful lot for the [whole room] just by doing one wall that’s contrasting to the other walls,” he says.

“It’s very quick and it really makes a big difference.”

Or use a wall to display colorful sculptures of flowers. “We have wall mounts, which are ceramic flowers you just stick on the wall with a nail, so it’s more a sculptural element,” Allain says. “Just a nail and a hammer are all you need for that.”

Applying crown molding around the ceiling of a room is an easy way to give the space a dramatic facelift, Matthews says. “It’s very, very simple to run in rooms. With

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[ #FOLLOWING ]

#FOLLOWING:

MADELINE ELLIS Jewelry maker and founder of MIMOSA Handcrafted; mimosahandcrafted B Y K A T H ER I N E M . J O H N S O N

C UE M AG A Z I N E •

D e c e m b e r 2 01 8

PHOTOS BY K ARL A PHOTOGR APHY

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MADELINE ELLIS IS A MAKER. She’s always had the urge to create things — if she couldn’t find the exact thing she wanted (an article of clothing, a purse, a piece of jewelry), she made it herself. The first thing she created from scratch was a purple-and-white striped sundress in third grade. She still remembers the exhilaration she felt when she wore it to school.

“It was this freedom,” Ellis says. “I can make what I want!”

Born in Thibodaux, Louisiana, Ellis identifies as a “South Louisianan” — her “hometown” jumped from one major regional city to the next: Houma, New Orleans, Denham Springs and finally Baton Rouge, where she settled during college to study landscape architecture at Louisiana State University (LSU).

As a high school graduation gift, her mother sent her on a trip to England and France, sparking a love of international travel. She made bracelets and necklaces strung with beads she collected while abroad visiting friends or participating in internships. Costa Rica, Thailand, Cambodia, India, China — Ellis would thread beads purchased from each country into wearable mementos of her time spent abroad and give them to her friends, with a story to accompany each bead. This was her first inkling of the deeper conversation that jewelry can inspire. After LSU, she landed a job at a landscape firm and found herself with free time. A self-described busybody, she returned to jewelry making.

Her technique evolved from beading to jewelry made from polystyrene Shrinky Dink paper, to kiln-fired glazed ceramics (a method with which she fell in love in Costa Rica) and precious metal clay. These techniques were great starters, but some were expensive and most limited the size or durability of the piece she could make.

By 2008, piles of handmade jewelry began to obscure the kitchen table.

Her husband Dawson encouraged her to sell it.

“I’m not entrepreneurially minded that way,” she says. “I probably would have just been sitting at the table making jewelry forever. … Once I started interacting with customers and telling the stories behind my pieces and getting to know [shoppers], I actually really enjoyed it.”

She began her jewelry company, MIMOSA Handcrafted (www. mimosahandcrafted.com), with nothing more than an online Etsy store and a plan to sell at art markets. In 2009, Ellis quit her job and decided to try jewelry making as her full-time gig.

MIMOSA steadily grew from a side hustle to a bustling business, and in 2015 her husband sold his share of his landscaping business and joined the MIMOSA staff.

With new tools and an extra pair of hands, Ellis began lost wax casting, a many-millennia -old technique in which molten metal is poured into a mold made from a reusable template.

This method was a serious upgrade — she could create sturdier designs of all sizes faster and in larger quantities, since a mold didn’t need to be carved for each piece.

“I never looked back,” she says.

Production ramped up quickly.

Shop owners in Baton Rouge and New Orleans approached Ellis about selling her jewelry. Her collections are available at several local stores, including Home Malone in MidCity, both locations of Dirty Coast, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and Lee Michael’s Fine Jewelry.

Many of her pieces feature Louisiana iconography — shelled pecans, oysters, pelicans, magnolias and irises in bronze, sterling silver and gold — but her design aesthetic is taking on a more serious tone, too.

“I’m no longer just making things for a Louisiana-specific audience,” she says. “When I think of stories to tell, it includes a much bigger picture. …

[Jewelry] gives you a small, wearable platform for a bigger conversation.”

Those stories and conversations can include history, inspired by the River collection (a design based on maps of the Mississippi River drawn by cartographer Harold Fisk in the 1940s); mindfulness, inspired by the Breathe collection (based on four-count square or box breathing techniques); or relationships, inspired by the Soul Friend collection which features the words “soul friend” in Gaelic, written in Ogham, an ancient

Irish script. She’s currently planning a collection that addresses the stigmas surrounding mental health. “[Jewelry] creates an opportunity for connection between people,” she says.

“If I can make a piece of jewelry that helps facilitate connection and conversation, that really needs to happen. I know that seems like a big, audacious thing to say for a bracelet, but I’ve seen it happen and I know it can. … [I try] to make sure I’m doing my part in this world to create a space for that.”

RESOURCES A listing of the retailers and professionals featured in this issue of CUE Magazine.

LIKES

Favorite holiday song? “‘White Christmas.’ I love that movie.”

Favorite thing about New Orleans?

“This is going to sound cheesy, but … it would be Audubon Zoo. …

When I was living [in New Orleans, my dad would take me] to the zoo every other weekend. It felt like an extension of home.”

On the cover:

Rouses Citywide; www.rouses.com

Dunn and Sonnier Antiques, Florals, Gifts 3433 Magazine St., (504) 5243235; www.dunnandsonnier.com

Avoiding the holi-craze

Estella’s Home 601 Frisco Ave., Metairie, (504) 833-8884; www.facebook.com/ estellashome

What TV show are you currently binge watching?

Miette 2038 Magazine St., (504) 5222883; www.iheartmiette.com

What’s your favorite thing to cook?

MJ’s 1513 Metairie Road, Metairie, (504) 835-6099; www.mjsofmetairie.com

“Always and forever ‘The Office.’ ”

“Smoothies. [Laughs.] I’m not really into cooking.”

Is it “po-boy” or “poor-boy?”

“Po-boy, absolutely.”

MUSTHAVES

Perch 2844 Magazine St., (504) 8992122; www.perch-home.com RHINO Contemporary Crafts Co. 2028 Magazine St., (504) 5237945; www.rhinocrafts.com Two Sprouts 103 Focis St., Metairie, (504) 3223838; www.twosprouts.com

Seasons treatings PAGE 8 Claudia Croazzo 4214 Magazine St., (504) 6053005; www.claudiacroazzo.com Commander’s Palace 1403 Washington Ave., (504) 899-8221; www.commanderspalace.com Dorignac’s 710 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 834-8216; www. dorignacs.com Vintage Louisiana map — “This map hung in my grandparents’

house for as long as I can remember. … It’s wild to see how much the coastline has changed.”

Necklace made of staples — “When [my husband] Dawson and I

started dating in college, he made me this necklace out of staples.”

Wooden Fijian woman — “I got this on (my) honeymoon to Fiji.

She’s been watching us build our life together ever since.”

Grandmother’s wedding rings — “[After my grandmother died],

Baby blanket — “When my mom was pregnant with me, my

grandmother told my mom she needed her help to make a baby blanket for a friend. … At my mom’s baby shower, my grandmother surprised her and gave her the blanket they made together. It makes me choke up now, just telling that story!”

Mignon Faget The Shops at Canal Place, 333 Canal St., (504) 524-2973; Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, 500 Port of New Orleans Place, First floor, (504) 345-2679; Lakeside Shopping Center, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 835-2244; 3801 Magazine St., (504) 891-2005; www.mignonfaget.com Perch See On the cover Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group www.neworleans-food.com

Embodyment Salon & Spa 3701 Magazine St., (504) 8914440; www.embodymentsalon.com Jefferson Neurobehavioral Group Citywide, (504) 780-1702; www. jeffersonneuro.com The Waldorf Astoria Spa The Roosevelt New Orleans, 130 Roosevelt Way, (504) 3353190; www.therooseveltneworleans.com

Getting a (holiday) trim PAGE 13 Terminix New Orleans (504) 834-7330; www.holidaylightingservice.net

Top it off PAGE 15 Halo Mimi (833) 425-6428; www.halomimi.com Maria Etkind Millinery www.mariaetkindmillinery.com Miss Claudia’s Vintage Clothing & Costumes 4204 Magazine St., (504) 8976310; www.facebook.com/ missclaudiasvintage Saint Claude Social Club 1933 Sophie Wright Place, (504) 218-8987; www.saintclaudesocialclub.com Yvonne LaFleur 8131 Hampson St., (504) 8669666; www.yvonnelafleur.com

Matthews Construction and Renovation 4818 Banks St., (504) 453-0902; www.matthewsnola.com

D e c e m b e r 2 01 8

my dad and his three sisters (drew) straws to see who would get what. He … chose the rings because he didn’t want my aunts to fight over them, and they made him promise he’d give them to me.

He did, and I wear (them) every single day.”

Lucy Rose 534 Chartres St., (504) 267-0305; 600 Metairie Road, Suite A, Metairie, (504) 218-7368; 3318 Magazine St., (504) 895-0444; www.shoplucyrose.com

Earthsavers Lakeside Shopping Center Annex, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 835-0225; The Premier Centre, 3414 Highway 190, Mandeville, (985) 674-1133; 5501 Magazine St., (504) 899-8555; www.earthsaversonline.com

C UE M AG A Z I N E •

Colorful necklace — first piece of jewelry she made

Le Visage Day Spa 8110 Hampson St., (504) 2658018; www.levisagedayspanola.com

PAGE 10

Perch See On the cover

19

Quick fixes PAGE 16