SALES Lauren Cunningham, Alyssa Hauptmann, Bennett Geston, Abigail Bordelon, Kelly Sonnier, Charlie Thomas
CONTRIBUTOR Sarah Ravits
TRAFFIC MANAGER Jason Whittaker
SENIOR CONTRIBUTING CREATIVE Emma Da Via
CONTRIBUTING CREATIVES Maria Boue, Gavin Donaldson, Scott Forsythe, Jasmyne White
Clare Brierre sports the DESTREE Terry Stripe Crop Top ($305) and Irving Stripe Skirt ($548) from Sosusu in the iconic lobby of the Prytania Theatre.
PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER
PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER
SWEET Summertime
Like most of the country, I consider Memorial Day weekend the official start of summer. It’s when things wind up and down simultaneously — everything feels a little easier, yet life seems busier, in the best way! I’m hopeful our recent bout of rain doesn’t last all summer, and if it does, we have plenty of great ideas on how to spend it in New Orleans.
Our annual Summer Guide features events, new products, and exciting promotions including Prytania Theatre’s new subscription service (see up to 3 movies a week for just $29.99 a month). This new offering even inspired our cover! We recruited our colleagues Clare and Jason to dress up (thank you Sosusu and Alice & Amelia!) and model at the Uptown historic theater. The photos by Maddie Spinner are fun, nostalgic, and will make you want to go straight to the lobby.
Currently reading:
Into the Blue by Emma Brodie and June Baby by Shannon Garvey
Consider consignment:
One of my favorite boutiques is now offering consignment!
REwear by Wildflower Nola (2700 Metairie Road, Suite C) carries current boutique styles at deep discounts. I needed a dress for a wedding and found the perfect one for a fraction of the price!
Taste the beach:
While an island vacation sounds beyond dreamy, it’s not happening for me this summer. Instead, I’ll be trying the tiki-themed drinks at Soon Enough (1312 Milan Street). The high dive bar has been transformed into a tropical oasis through July.
If you’ve been with The Pearl since it was Adore, you’ll remember that I usually include a summer bucket list in my letter. We decided to step it up this year and are hosting a contest that you can participate in all season long! Take the Bucket List out and about with you while you dine, experience new activities, and support your favorite and new-to-you local businesses. At the end of the summer, participants will submit their lists for a chance to win several prizes! More information can be found on bestofneworleans.com/bucketlist.
This month's New + Now features unique businesses and an exciting exhibition. Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21, and we’ve sourced both fun and practical gifts in Man of the Hour . In honor of the country’s 250th anniversary, we rounded up a fun assortment of patriotic gear in Star-Spangled Style , and if you’re looking for summer accessories, head straight to Sun Soaked . From vintage cookie jars from Avis Aldine to great poolside finds, you’re set for a great season ahead. And for adorable puppy content, flip to Shop Dog . It might inspire you to upgrade your socks!
— Michaela Bechler
Now Ne w +
BY MICHAELA BECHLER
Dealer’s CHOICE
Adam Wolf Lambert, President of Crescent City Auction Gallery, is reimagining how New Orleans engages with pieces from the past through The B ellflower, an “antiques collective” designed to bring dealers back into a shared, physical space. “Since the late 1990s, we have been watching the price of antiques decline and dealers adjust,” he explains. As rising rents pushed many off Magazine and Royal Streets and into storage units or selling exclusively online, Adam saw an opportunity. “This was my way of being able to bring antique dealers back to a brick and mortar and combine it with their social media selling.”
The Bellflower is in a former early 20th-century car dealership that was thoughtfully restored. Modeled after shared dealer concepts in cities like New York and Paris, it is the first of its kind in New Orleans (and possibly the region), bringing top-tier dealers and designers under one roof. While Crescent City Auction Gallery continues to operate internationally and Consign Consign has consistently been a local favorite, Adam’s goal for The Bellflower is to shift the focus back to the dealers and their curated collections while furthering the antiques industry in New Orleans.
It’s a deeply personal mission which traces back to his childhood living above his father’s Magazine Street antique store, “running the sheets” at auctions by age five, and working across multiple auction houses in high school. After graduate school, he went on to run the largest auction company in Hawaii before returning to New Orleans post-Katrina to help rebuild. Recent rent increases across the city have forced many dealers to pivot, which prompted a close to $2 million investment in the collective.
“A woman came into The Bellflower yesterday and bought a bronze goose. She said to me with open eyes, ‘I have been looking for this my whole life.’ I brought an antiques industry leader [here] the other day and she showed me her arm and said, ‘I have goosebumps!’ These are the reasons I do what I do, and I want to share this with the world. Life is too short to not own beautiful things, and that in a nutshell is The Bellflower.”
1400 ST. CHARLES AVENUE
Meet CUTE
Settle in and stay awhile at Latter Hospitality Group’s latest concept Charles & Julia , a chic mood-driven lounge spanning inside and atop Hotel Perle. Inspired by a fictional romance of a couple meeting on the streetcar, the intimate cocktail bar and breezy open-air rooftop are designed to evolve with your visit.
“Charles & Julia is more than just a bar; it’s an experience built around storytelling and hospitality,” said Mark Latter, founder and CEO of Latter Hospitality, in a statement. “We wanted to create two distinct experiences within one space, something that could shift depending on the time of day or how you want to spend your evening.”
Downstairs, guests can expect refined bites that are designed to share alongside thoughtful cocktails. Up on the roof, the drinks match the energy: relaxed, bright, and garden-inspired. Located in the heart of the Central Business District, Charles & Julia is where you’ll want to start or end your night — or simply stay the entire time.
BACK IN Action
After 23 years, Jonathan Ferrara returns to his artistic practice with Offerings . The New Orleans-based artist and co-owner of Ferrara Showman Gallery is showing over thirty new wall-mounted sculptures consisting of anywhere from five to 80 sets of the artist’s hands.
With co-owner Matthew Weldon Showman now overseeing daily operations, Jonathan has fully reengaged with his art. He developed a multi-step process that started with casting his hands in plaster then collaborated with the 3D printing lab at Tulane’s School of Architecture to render them in polylactate. The hands returned to the studio and were meticulously transformed back to the texture of actual hands through epoxy, paint, and varnish. Then, Jonathan arranged and mounted the hands into intricate mandala formations and floral “Blooms.”
Offerings is on view through Saturday, July 11, with a public opening reception on Saturday, June 6, from 5-8 p.m. as part of the Arts District New Orleans’ First Saturday Gallery Openings.
400A JULIA STREET
757 ST. CHARLES AVENUE
PHOTO BY SAM HANNA
JONATHAN FERRARA
PHOTO BY MIKE SMITH, COURTESY OF FERRARA SHOWMAN GALLERY NEW ORLEANS
TREASURE Hunt
If you’ve ever been thrilled by a piece of furniture sitting on the street, GoodTrash might just be your new favorite app! “Last May, after hauling furniture off curbs, sorting clothes, and rehoming thousands of items students left behind, I realized there had to be a better way,” Gaby Spangenberg Hazelhoff, the app’s creator and founder of Little Miss Thrift, says. The result is a live, crowdsourced map where users can drop pins for discarded finds, so neighbors can rescue items before they’re ruined or sent to the landfill.
Launched just in time for school move-out season, the platform is already gaining traction across New Orleans. “Watching the map light up with real pins from real neighborhoods is so fun!” Designed to function as a self-sustaining network, users can confirm whether items are still sitting or have been taken. The app is free to browse and post, but serious treasure hunters can subscribe for $4.99 a month to receive instant push notifications when something drops, complete with the address and distance from the user.
A seasoned curbside scout herself, Gaby has unearthed everything from a nearly $3,000 rattan sideboard to rugs, artwork, outdoor furniture, and a wooden play kitchen for her kids. But beyond the thrill of the find, she hopes to shift how people see “trash.” GoodTrash uses AI to identify items, estimate resale value, and generate cleaning guides, making it easier than ever to salvage and reuse. Gaby is also building a feature where nonprofits will be alerted to items that have been sitting too long to ensure that nothing gets left behind. She recently partnered with SOUL NOLA, and a portion of each membership helps fund native tree planting in the city. “Rescue a chair, help plant a tree!”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOODTRASH
1 Dorothee Schumacher All Time Favorites Shirt $240, Sosusu sosusuboutique.com
2 Rattan Globe Lamp $485, Eclectic Home eclectichome.net
3 Starfish Earrings
$47.42, Golden Quality Jewelry gq.jewelershowcase.com
$19.99, Nola Gifts & Decor nolagiftsanddecoronline.com
6 The Mistinator Water Fan $19.99, Nola Boo nolaboo.com
Bucket Lis t
Get out and about in New Orleans this season! From unique events to choose-your-own-adventure prompts, use this bucket list to curate a fun-filled summer without leaving town. Check off as many items as you can from June 1 through August 31 for a chance to win prizes!
How to Enter:
ACTIVITY
Attend Gambit Movie night at Prytania Theatre (Check @gambitneworleans on Instagram for the date!)
Visit The Sazerac House
Attend a Nola Gifts & Decor workshop
Celebrate Prince’s birthday and attend a Purple Takeover event (June 4-7)
Attend the New Orleans Pride Parade (Saturday, June 13)
Take a pottery class at Artsy Edge
Attend an Alice & Amelia puzzle night (The first one is Thursday, June 11. More dates to come!)
Sign up for a New Orleans Public Library Card
Attend Essence Festival (July 3-5)
Download the GoodTrash App and go on a treasure hunt
Take a photo of each prompt and/or have it signed by the business/event.
Submit a photo or scan of your completed bucket list and accompanying photos by Tuesday, September 1
5 completed prompts = 1 entry; Bonus entries will be given for sharing on Instagram and tagging @thepearlneworleans and @gambitneworleans.
For the full list of rules and to submit your final list/photos, visit bestofneworleans.com/ bucketlist . 1 2 3
Attend a NOLA Speed Dating event
Drop off your glass recyclables to Glass Half Full
Attend White Linen Night (Saturday, August 1)
Host a game night at home Attend Satchmo SummerFest (August 1-2)
Sign up for NOLA Dogs “Race to the Rescue 5k” and enjoy early bird pricing (The race will take place on Sunday, October 11. Start training now!)
Attend a “Dog Days of Summer” event at The Garden District Book Shop
Visit a new-to-you museum during New Orleans Museum Month (August 1-31)
Attend a Tipitina’s Free Fridays concert
Visit Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park
FOOD & DRINK
Enjoy a drink on the roof of Charles & Julia
Try a new-to-you snoball flavor
Visit a new-to-you restaurant during Restaurant Week (June 8-14)
Try a summer latte from BATTER a bakery
Enjoy Avegno’s All Day Happy Hour (every Tuesday-Thursday)
Attend Steak Night at Katie’s (every Wednesday starting at 5 p.m.)
Make a recipe using watermelon
Try the Summertime Frozen Matcha from Lamara Coffee & Kitchen
Host a happy hour at home
Visit Lagniappe Bakehouse for Bread Service (every Saturday starting at 4 p.m.)
Try a tiki-themed drink from Soon Enough (through July)
Make a meal using seasonal ingredients from a farmers market
Tip your barista 100% of your coffee order
Try frozen orange wine from Really Really Nice Wines
Visit a new-to-you restaurant during COOLinary (August 1-31)
Try a viral “dot cake”
Visit Ralph’s on the Park for “3 Appetizers + a Glass of Wine” (available at dinner through September 6)
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Attend a NOLA Vibe Yoga Class
Get a full-body skin check at your dermatologist
Attend a Splash Society water aerobics class
Play pickleball at The Exchange
Attend a $15 class at barre3
Replace your expired sunscreen
SHOPPING
Replace your holey socks with a new pair from Bonfolk
Attend the Phina & The Basketry Warehouse Sale (Saturday, June 6)
Shop consignment at REwear by Wildflower Nola
Visit a new farmers market and treat yourself to something fun!
Shop ricRACK Nola’s Summertime Atrium Sale (Saturday, June 20)
Attend Louisiana Vintage Festival (August 22-23)
Refresh your space with a new summer accessory (door hanger, throw pillows, glassware, etc.)
Attend a trunk show at Sosusu
SUMMER Guid e
BY MICHAELA BECHLER & SARAH RAVITS
BY MADDIE SPINNER
Let’s All Go to The Lobby
If your ideal summer involves blasting the AC and watching a movie, look to Prytania Theatre’s new insider program. After years in the making, Prytania Cinema Club is a subscription that lets members catch up to three movies a week for $29.99 a month. Use it at either location, skip the booking fees, and enjoy perks like special offers, event access, and a free small popcorn during your birthday month. From new releases to classic films to special anniversary screenings (Ocean’s Eleven is celebrating 25 years with showings on Sunday, June 21, and Wednesday, June 24), there is truly something for every movie lover to enjoy. Save money, support local, and stay cool all season long.
PHOTOS
Jason Whittaker in the Sky Crinkle Stretch Shirt ($92) from Alice & Amelia.
Clare Brierre in Caroline Constas Augusta Midi Dress ($460) from Sosusu.
Make a Splash
Terah Kelley is redefining aqua aerobics and bringing it to younger generations this summer at the Garden District Hotel (1525 Prytania Street). As the creative director and founder of Splash Society, Terah curates upbeat, rhythm-based playlists and teaches aquatic fitness classes every other weekend. These sessions are geared toward all levels and ages, particularly Gen Z and millennials, and attendees can expect a blend of cardio, balancing activities, and even some weightlifting.
“This isn’t your grandmother’s water aerobics; I’m really trying to shake it up,” Terah says.
“I think this is such a fun opportunity to bring multiple generations together."
Splash Society launched last year, and Terah, a New Orleans native, has also been hosting similar pop-up events at hip hotels in Houston and Austin, often featuring DJs. Her goal is not only to help people get a fun workout, but also to help participants deepen friendships, meet new people, and boost their confidence. A major perk is that each 50-minute class comes with a day pass to the pool, so participants can stick around for a pool party afterward.
Terah encourages guests to get there a little early and mingle before the classes start. She wants people to feel comfortable in their bathing suits and foster a sense of body positivity.
“We’re bringing everyone into this community-based experience the freedom of movement, freedom of judgment, and really just giving people the license to move their bodies,” she says.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPLASH SOCIETY
Stay Hydrated
PHOTO BY CARMEN APPLEGATE
Founded by longtime beauty industry insider Andi Eaton Alleman, Casa Noon is rooted in a simple but overlooked idea: skincare should meet you where you actually live. After years split between New Orleans and California paired with constant travel, Andi found that even diligent SPF use couldn’t fully address the visible effects of daily exposure. That gap between protection and skin resilience became the foundation for the brand’s debut product, Sabbatical Serum.
After three years in the making, the serum launched in February. It is powered by RetinART™, a marine bio-retinoid derived from Mediterranean microalgae that delivers retinol-like results without irritation or sun sensitivity. Paired with the brand’s Casa Complex™ (a blend of sea moss, sea fennel, and additional microalgae) along with bakuchiol, hyaluronic acid, and neroli distillate, Sabbatical Serum puts hydration at the forefront and is designed to be used morning and night. “I use it at home in California, on planes, on the road,” Andi explains. “It was built for a life that doesn't pause for a skincare routine.”
The serum should be applied after cleansing and before moisturizer (and followed by SPF if it’s daytime). Andi says it plays well with other products and layers nicely under makeup, all while working overtime to address sun damage. “In clinical studies, the serum reduced wrinkle depth by up to 21% in eight weeks, decreased hyperpigmentation by nearly 30% in 56 days, and boosted firmness and elasticity by 8% in four weeks.”
New Orleans is Andi’s “soul home,” where she spent 15 years of her life living between the French Quarter and Lower Garden District. “When we started thinking about where to bring the brand in person — events, community, real conversations — New Orleans was the first call. It made complete sense. It's one of the hottest, most humid cities in the country, full of people who are unapologetically outside. The city is a natural proof point for what Sabbatical was made to do. And the response here has been exactly what I hoped for.”
Cut a Rug
Musician and educator Marie-Isabelle Evangeline, better known as T-Marie, is all about sharing her Cajun heritage with others, whether it's in schools, cultural centers, or dive bars. On Saturday, June 6, at 2 p.m., she’ll teach an hour-long dance lesson at the New Marigny Theater (2301 Marais Street), which will include tutorials on a traditional Cajun two-step dance, as well as a Cajun waltz and more, with plenty of storytelling in between.
T-Marie is a part of an organization called Louisiana Cultures Camp, which celebrates diverse influences on Louisiana dance, including from African, Caribbean, Latin, Creole, and Cajun cultures, and a big part of her mission as a dance teacher is to explore these ties. The dance lesson is part of a three-day event hosted by Tamalyn Dallal, a professional belly dancer rooted in Middle Eastern traditions, who is also leading several workshops.
MARIEISABELLE.ORG | TAMALYNDALLAL.NET
Stay Awhile
The NOPSI hotel is hosting events all summer long, including live music, brunch, and other special events, so consider a staycation or a daytime hangout with friends to get out of the typical routine. Public Service, the hotel’s restaurant, is hosting jazz brunches on the weekends from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Additionally, at the Above the Grid rooftop bar there will be a rotating lineup of DJs who instigate dance parties with curated, themed setlists — like disco, yacht rock, boy bands, ‘90s, and of course, Taylor Swift. Day passes for the rooftop pool can also be booked through resortpass.com
317 BARONNE STREET
Break BREAD
Enjoy Lagniappe Bakehouse after hours this summer during Bread Service. Beginning Saturdays from 4-8 p.m., enjoy fresh bread prepared by Kaitlin Guerin and her team alongside snack food and natural wine. Each weekend might bring something new like a visiting chef friend or music. Bread types include an African seeded grain loaf, sweet potato brioche, and bunny milk bread, all made without preservatives. The fresh loaves are meant to carry home for dinner, eat during Sunday breakfast, or to enjoy al fresco with new friends in the bakery’s outdoor space. Lagniappe Bakehouse plans to offer Bread Service Friday through Sunday in the fall.
1825 EUTERPE STREET
Just a Spritz
Inspired by the city’s allure, humidity, and late nights, Smoke Perfume’s latest fragrance is the scent you’ll be reaching for all summer. Each spritz of “Invoke” promises sultry notes of smoked wood, smoked ember, and cinnamon bark with orris butter bridging the jasmine sambac and spiced accord. The new scent draws inspiration from the sacred and primal nature of the environment as well as the mystery and seduction of a New Orleans evening. Made exclusively by hand with natural materials in New Orleans, “Invoke” will debut during the summer solstice on Sunday, June 21. A launch party will be held the night before on Saturday, June 20 (1317 N Roman Street).
PHOTO COURTESY OF SMOKE PERFUME
—Angela DiSimone | OWNER, AV IS
Peter Millar, GenTeal, Tom Beckbe,Martin Dingman, Cole Haan, Maui Jim, Smathers&Branson &More!
ShopDog
BY MICHAELA BECHLER
Biscuit
Age: 6 months old | Breed: Cavapoo Store: Bonfolk
If you’ve ever spotted a pair of cheeky, New Orleans-themed socks, chances are that they are from Bonfolk, the city’s first official sock brand. Co-owned by Janna Hart Black and Tim Black, Bonfolk was founded on its give back mission: Buy Socks, Give Socks. For every pair purchased, another is donated to nonprofits across the country. “We’ve now donated over 1 million pairs of socks,” they share. “We are so grateful to be loved by our community and to be able to give back to those in need, one pair at a time.”
Since launching in 2015, Bonfolk has become a staple in boutiques around New Orleans and frequently collaborates with iconic institutions like Commander’s Palace, Preservation Hall, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and Prytania Theatre — each partnership continuing the onefor-one donation model. The sock designs are dreamed up in-house by Janna and her team with original artwork and the customer in mind. Tim is the visionary and photographer behind the lens. “He is brilliant behind the camera,” Janna says. “We like to keep things fun and simple and let the socks do the talking.”
In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, the Blacks opened a flagship store in a historic Magazine Street building, where customers can shop current collections, get a preview of what’s next, and attend fun events. They may also meet Biscuit, their very friendly Cavapoo. Currently a part-time employee due to her age, Biscuit is training for a full-time role by spending her shifts cuddling on laps and supervising from nearby desks. When she’s OOO, she can be found strolling Magazine Street and Audubon Park or playing in the backyard with her sister Eloise. While Bonfolk doesn’t make socks for dogs, the team agrees Biscuit would opt for the Snoball Flavors design, since she is “bright, happy, and sweet, just like a New Orleans snoball.”
Bonfolk offers styles for both kids and adults, with exciting collaborations and women-focused designs on the horizon. Stop in to find your new favorite pair — Biscuit would be delighted to assist.
Story behind her name: Eloise, Janna and Tim’s six-year-old daughter, named the puppy Biscuit because it reminded her of both New Orleans and Australia. “Biscuits are loved in both places, just in very different forms. Fitting for Eloise, who’s American and Australian.”
the
Favorite activities: Taking walks around Uptown and soaking up all
