New Orleans Magazine July 2026

FROM THE EDITOR

S

ummer is here and the heat (and humidity) is on! Weather advisories warn to stay inside during the hottest part of the day, if possible. Ice is the hottest commodity in town. You break a sweat just checking your mailbox. In our search for ways to escape the heat we’ve come up with some creative and flavorful ways to stay cool.

Our cover story focuses on frozen treats, or A/C for your insides. Whether you love a soft serve cone, a cup of something sinful, seasonal sorbet or snocones, we have the tastiest ways to refresh your palate.

Refill your creative palette with our feature on crafty ways to have fun inside (emphasis again on A/C). Warm up your hot glue guns and gather your supplies! From sewing, costume making, and ceramics to culinary concoctions and community events, we have classes and workshops to scratch your creative itch. Plus it’s a great way to get together with friends, or make new ones, while learning a new skill.

The United States makes 250 this Fourth of July. We challenged columnist Mike Scott to New Orleans’ role in the Revolution, and we learn all about a bang-up adventure across the Gulf, through a hurricane and into the history book.

As always, we have plenty more fun ways to fill your summer, with fresh warm weather menus and recipes, travel escapes, style and décor and more.

Crank up the air conditioner. The summer is here for a spell. Stay cool out there!

Send us a line!

Have something you want to share with us? Email ashley@myneworleans.com.

Associate Publisher Kate Henry

Editorial

Editor Ashley McLellan

Creative Director Tiffani Reding Amedeo

Digital Media Editor Kelly Massicot

Style Editor Andy Myer

Contributing Writers Jyl Benson, Cheré Coen, Lee Cutrone, Fritz Esker, Scott Gold, John Kemp, Misty Milioto, Liz Scott Monaghan, Elizabeth Pearce, Eve Crawford Peyton, Mike Scott, Melanie Warner Spencer

Advertising

Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Kate Henry, Kate@MyNewOrleans.com

Account Director Meggie Schmidt

Senior Account Executives Erin Chiartano, Brooke Genusa, Lisa Picone Love

Sponsored Content Coordinator

Jeremy Marshall

Marketing

Marketing Manager Haley Nash

Renaissance Publishing

Production

Manager Rosa Balaguer Arostegui

Senior Designer Ashley Bravata

Administration

Office Manager Emily Ruiz

Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne

New Orleans Magazine

Book Club

Pride and Place

Louisiana love affair

Writer Stephanie Soileau embraces a rich, watery world in her debut novel “Should the Waters Take Us.” The story follows the people of Pelerin Parish as they face a natural disaster that shakes the close-knit community that relies on the Gulf waters for their work and culture. The book spans generations of Acadian families, from France to south Louisiana, to examine the meaning of home, family and the bonds that tie them all together despite hardship and adversity. Booklist noted in a starred review “Soileau deftly balances the fragility and desperation of Gulf Coast life with the resilience and pride of its people.” The Garden District Book Shop celebrates the book’s release with Soileau on July 20 at 6 p.m. gardendistrictbookshop.com/events

New Orleans Character

“Quarter Time” by James H. Dormon is a celebration and exploration of a rowdy group of characters living in late 1950s and early 1960s French Quarter. Loosely based on Dormon’s own life and experiences, the collection of short stories follows main character Jake Devlin’s encounters with “petty thieves, barflies, and artists,” according to the book’s description. Gloria K. Fiero, retired University of Lafayette professor emeritus and Dorman’s spouse, edited the collection, which was left behind after his death in 2021. The stories evoke notable authors such as William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams, with former Louisiana Poet Laureate Darrell Bourque noting, “The novel’s drift and repetition motif carries echoes of Joyce, Debussy, and Maeterlinck too as it anticipates the Quarter narratives of the likes of James Nolan and Maurice Carlos Ruffin. A gem truly worthy of the place and its stories.”

Slow Burn

Fans of paranormal romance will love the latest book by author Kristen H. Casey. “The Hands That Treat” combines murder, mystery and heartbreak and love. Set in 1930s New Orleans, Ophelia Oubre takes readers on an adventure through the supernatural and explores the world of the Louisiana traiteur, or healer in Louisiana French, as she tries to uncover the killer that is haunting her loved ones. This spicy read makes for a great July beach read. The Garden District Book Shop hosts Casey in celebration of her book on July 10 at 6 p.m., gardendistrictbookshop.com.

Events

July 1

Jefferson Parish Library’s Old Metairie Branch hosts “A Perfect Cup of Tea Book Club,” for a discussion of “The Vaster Wilds” by Lauren Groff, 2 to 4 p.m. The event is free and BYOM (bring your own mug). calendar.jplibrary. net/event/perfect-cup-teabook-club-18319

July 14

The New Orleans Public Library hosts a virtual author talk with New York Times bestselling writer Karin Slaughter. Slaughter will discuss her popular North Fall series. Register in advance to submit questions and for the virtual link. nolalibary.org

July 16

Baldwin & Co. hosts authors Ocean Vuong and E.M. Tran to discuss Vuong’s latest work, “The Emperor of Gladness.” A TIME Magazine must-read book of the year, the book is, “A sprawling tale of self-discovery and chosen family, The Emperor of Gladness is a deeply sympathetic look at a disenfranchised young man learning how to care for himself and others.” The event will be held in Georges Auditorium at Dillard University, 6 to 8 p.m. For more information and for tickets, visit baldwinandcobooks.com.

July 20

Blue Cypress’ HEA Book Club meets to discuss the romance novel “Scandal of the Summer” at 6:30 p.m. The event includes lively discussion, crafts and activities and is free to attend. Book club books are 10% off in store and online with code HappilyEverAfter. To RSVP and get more information, register online in advance. bluecypressbooks. com/bookclubs/heaclub/ july2026

July 23-26

Black Lit Weekend returns for its fifth year, featuring a celebration of Black independent booksellers, publishers, storytellers, literature and more. Visit blklitwknd.com for tickets, a calendar of events and more information.

Summer Stages, Fests and More

Top things to do in July

Now through Oct. 31

Afropolitan: Contemporary African Arts at NOMA

The New Orleans Museum of Art highlights pioneering works of 20th and 21st century African artists in this vibrant exhibition. noma.org

June 26-July 12

“Macbeth”

The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane stages a production of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy about an ambitious Scottish lord’s lust for power. neworleansshakespeare.org

July 3

Uncle Sam Jam

Lafreniere Park hosts a celebration of America’s birth with Uncle Sam Jam, featuring live music, food and fun for the whole family. unclesamjamjefferson.com

July 3-5

ESSENCE Festival

Cardi B, George Clinton, Patti Labelle and Brandy & Monica highlight this year’s ESSENCE Festival of Culture. As always, there’s more to the event than the music, with authors, films, a community impact hub and much more. essence.com

July 9-19

“Legally Blonde”

This musical adaptation of the hit film sees bubbly blonde Elle Woods take Harvard Law School by storm. rivertowntheaters.com

July 10

Bastille Day Fête Alliance Francaise de La Nouvelle-Orleans will host its annual Bastille Day Fête. Enjoy festive food, live music and family-friendly activities. af-neworleans.org

July 10-12

San Fermin in Nueva Orleans New Orleans once again hosts its less dangerous version of the Running of the Bulls with San Fermin in Nueva Orleans at Gallier Hall, along with a slate of social events as part of the weekend’s festivities. nolabulls.com

July 11

New Orleans Beatles Fest 2026

Local, regional and national talent perform the music of the Fab Four at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center as part of New Orleans Beatles Fest 2026. jpas.org

July 12

Spillway Classic Trail Run

Get ready to get dirty with the Spillway Classic Trail Run as participants go off-road on a three-mile course winding through the natural trails of the Bonnet Carre Spillway. runnotc.org

July 12

Tori Amos

Multiplatinum singer-songwriter Tori Amos comes to the Saenger Theater in support of her new album, “In Times of Dragons.” saengernola.com

July 18-19

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks

Live brings fan-favorite trucks like Mega Wrex and Tiger Shark to the Smoothie King Center, along with a firebreathing, car-crushing robot dinosaur. smoothiekingcenter. com

Check all event websites for the most up-to-date information.

July 19-24

Tales of the Cocktail

Various venues in the French Quarter host Tales of the Cocktail, the drinks industry’s annual event exchanging ideas, techniques and products, as well as tasting and in-person education events. talesofthecocktail.org

July 24-25

XGames

Caesars Superdome hosts the first championship event of the new MoonPay X Games League Summer Season, with clubs and individual athletes competing for championships. caesarssuperdome.com

July 25

Lord Huron

Indie folk band Lord Huron performs at the Saenger Theater for one night only. saengernola.com

July 31

Bryan Adams

Eighties and ‘90s pop superstar Bryan Adams performs at the Smoothie King Center on his Roll with the Punches Tour, featuring special guests Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo. smoothiekingcenter.com

Bar Tab

BY ELIZABETH PEARCE

National Pimm’s Cup Day!

Most locals don’t need an excuse to visit the storied Napoleon House, but if you are looking for a reason to stop by, celebrating National Pimm’s Cup Day on July 1 is a good one. While the Napoleon House did not create the Pimm’s Cup, it has been pouring it for their customers since Prohibition ended. The revelry begins at 11 a.m. with Champagne sabering and a special guest appearance of Napoleon himself. Pimm’s recipe cards will be available throughout the day, as well as a limited edition “Pimm’s Cup Day” cup. The first 50 guests will also receive an enamel Pimm’s pin. A pop-up Pimm’s Bar, 4 to 6 p.m., in the iconic courtyard, features a “buy-one-get-one” cups. 500 Chartres St., 504-524-9752, napoleonhouse.com.

Tales of the Cocktail

From July 19 to 24, guests from around the world will convene at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans to celebrate the Tales of the Cocktail. Charlotte Voisey, executive director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) notes, “We are excited to welcome the world back to New Orleans for another unforgettable year.” The agenda includes more than 60 seminars, featuring over 100 presenters representing 20 countries. Additionally, 300 brand events will occur across the city, including tasting rooms, happy hours and guest bartenders. For non-industry cocktail enthusiasts, “Meet the Distillers,” features samples and makers from more than 20 distilleries from across the globe. The New Orleans Cocktail Tours include “The Big Gay Bar Tour,” “Bourbon Street and How It Got That Way,” “Brandy/ Bourbon/Bitters/ Ice” and “Louche: The French Quarter Absinthe Tour.” “Speed Rack” is an all-femme speed bartending competition that raises funds in support of the fight against breast cancer. Complete details about TOTC2026 ticket options can be accessed on at talesofthecocktail.org.

Junebug Music Club

Warehouse District hotspot Junebug has launched the Junebug Music Club, rooted in a deep appreciation of vinyl records. Each month, the club’s calendar spotlights what’s spinning behind the bar, highlights local artists and record stores, and keeps members plugged into special events. Check out their “Disco Brunch” on Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., where diners are encouraged to “Bust out the bell bottoms” and hit the dancefloor. On “Wax Wednesdays” guests can listen to vinyl spinning on the patio and enjoy an all-night happy hour, with $5 beers like St. Bernardus’ Wit and Great Raft’s Reasonably Corrupt, and $7 wines, including a fizzy Lini 910 Labrusca lambrusco. 744 Camp St, 504-3261599, junebugnola.com.

Award-winning Spirits

Traiteur Amaro, a Louisiana-made botanical amaro produced by Mamou Spirits Company, won top honors at the American Distilling Institute 2026 International Spirits Competition, including Double Gold, Best of Class and Best of Category. Traiteur Amaro takes its name from the Louisiana French word traiteur, a traditional healer in south Louisiana, and its creation was inspired by our region’s respect for plant knowledge and folk traditions. Traiteur has flavors of spiced-tea, sassafras, chicory and mint, offset by a gentian bitterness. It can be enjoyed neat, over ice, or in cocktails. Traiteur Amaro is on the shelves of local retailers including Keife & Co., Martin’s and Dorignac’s, as well as behind the bar at Acamaya, Emeril’s, Mosquito Supper Club, Zasu, Cure, Vaughan’s Lounge and Voodoo Lounge. mamouspirits.com

Vive La France!

This Bastille Day (July 14), Superior Seafood and Oyster Bar celebrates artisanal traditions in America and France with a curated cheese plate with selections from St. James Cheese Shop, and wine pairing. The cheese plates ($18) include a baguette, seasonal fruits and house-made preserves and can be paired with a French La Garenne Sancerre ($20, by the glass, $76 by the bottle) or California wines from Brewer Clifton ($18, by the glass, $65 by the bottle). 4338 St. Charles Ave., 504-2933474, superiorseafoodnola.com.

CHRIS GRANGER PHOTO

Matcha Dreams

In the April issue, we reported that Evolve Coffee + Matcha founded in 2020 by New Orleans native Yvonne Pichoff, was expanding to the Northshore. The new location officially opened in June at 2891 Highway 190 in The Village Shopping Center, bringing its elevated matcha drinks, locally roasted Mojo Coffee, and a calm, open aesthetic to the area’s growing corridor. Standouts include the Rose Matcha Latte and The Frozen Evolution — a matcha-espresso blend. evolvecoffeenola.com

The Best Eats in North America

In May, New Orleans (naturally) made a strong showing on the latest installment of North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list. The event was hosted right here in the Crescent City and brought with it a convergence of rock star chefs and restaurateurs from across the country. Dakar NOLA nabbed the No. 4 spot and earned the additional distinction of Best Restaurant in the South USA; Emeril’s came in at No. 20; and Acamaya claimed No. 30. Emeril Lagasse also received the Icon Award at the gala ceremony. Note: Dakar NOLA is now operating from a new location at 937 Leonides St., with an official opening slated for June 2 (as of press) and a patio a la carte concept slated for July. theworlds50best.com

Say It Ain’t So, Casamento’s!

One of New Orleans’ most beloved institutions may be serving its last season and we’re not ready to say goodbye. Third-generation owner C.J. Gerdes, who turns 70 next year and has worked at the Magazine Street oyster house since age 14, confirmed he is weighing a permanent closure after this fall. Gerdes hasn’t ruled out a sale or transitioning to catering and private dining, but the future remains uncertain for the legendary tile-lined dining room his grandfather built just after World War I. casamentosrestaurant.com

Stock the Bread Box

Attention bread-lovers: Bellegarde Bakery has launched a subscription box. Bellegarde’s new, monthly subscription brings members a rotating selection of naturally leavened sourdough, whole-grain breads, seasonal pastries and hand-made provisions. (You’ll still have to go to the bakery for your pizza dough, sorry.) Everything is crafted with stone-milled flour from the James Beard-nominated team’s bakery. Three tiers are available: the Bakery Box ($55), the Bakery Box + Provisions ($75) and a Flour Kit Add-On ($12) for home bakers. Pickup is at The Commissary Market + Kitchen in the Lower Garden District. bellegardebakery.com

Fresh Catch

Gulf Coast seafood is the star of the show at the Crustacean Club, a new upscale concept from married chefs Brenna Sanders and Evan Ingram, who previously helmed the kitchen at the late Effervescence. The latter of which is a loss the champagne-loving community is still mourning. According to NOLA.com, the duo is reviving the beloved wine bar’s former home at 1036 N. Rampart St. with refined preparations showcasing local catch. Think elegant, locally-rooted dishes with a heavy dose of the festive fun we all came to know and love from Effervescence, brought to us by two talents who clearly know the region. thecrustaceanclub.com

Splish Splash

There’s a party going on, and you’re going to want to bring these fun, water-friendly finds from local shops to get things started on a high note.

Is it hot in here? Left On Friday has launched an exclusive capsule swim collection with Hotel Saint Vincent, channeling the property’s hip and soulful aesthetic. The campaign features fashion icon Jenna Lyons. Available at ByGeorge in the hotel and leftonfriday.com.

Folks, Mahjong has officially landed not only poolside, but in the water. Invite your friends over for a cool-off sesh with the Aqua Jong floating pool mat. Good times await! Available at Judy, judyattherink.com.

The perfect summer shorts have arrived! You’ll be pretty in pink in this boucle tweed pair featuring a flattering high rise cut, frayed hem and adorable patch pockets for a timeless look. Available at Elle Boutique, shopelle.com.

Elevate your serving game with this chic striped resin cheese board. Durable and outdoor-friendly, it makes a great addition to any table whether you’re using at home or bringing to another’s al fresco soiree. Available at Hazelnut, hazelnutneworleans.com.

Toadfish’s Coastal Kitchen Collection combines all the seafood tools you’ll need into one set. Handmade from recycled plastic bottles, the set includes a Put ‘Em Back oyster knife, Frogmore shrimp cleaner and crab cutter. Available at Phina, phinashop. com.

Serigne Mbaye

Chef and Restaurateur

Food culture in New Orleans has never been about what national lists our restaurants can make, it’s about community and spices and the flavor of those who have come before us. But while we don’t strive for national or international attention, it’s nice when one we have claimed as our own makes a splash and puts the city even more at the forefront of the food conversation. Serigne Mbaye’s Dakar NOLA has been a culinary darling since its opening a few years ago. After opening a brick and mortar location in 2022, Mbaye was nominated for a James Beard Award for Best Emerging Chef, the restaurant appeared on Bon Appetite’s 24 Best New Restaurants in 2023, and in 2024 won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. The Senegalese standout was named No. 4 on the North America 50 Best Restaurant list, as well as being named the Best Restaurant in the South. This June, Mbaye garnered his second James Beard Award, naming him Best Chef: South 2026.

Q: You’re not from New Orleans, but you’re now one of our culinary titans. What was it about the city that made you want to invest in this community? The people of New Orleans are wonderful. They are the ones who won me over. They are kind and really embrace culture and art. Without those curious diners who supported me when I was a young cook doing pop-ups, I would not be where I am today.

Q: What keeps you passionate about your craft and putting food on the table for people that may have never had the opportunity to eat Senegalese food? Human interaction. I love seeing people dining at my restaurant, especially at the communal table sharing a meal together. There are also private tables, but the room is a shared space. Food has a lot of power. It connects people and brings them together. Witnessing that connection happening nightly at Dakar NOLA keeps me motivated. I want to continue to nurture people through food. That is my motivation, to constantly wow their hearts.

Q: If you could have the ultimate food day in New Orleans, where would you go and what would you eat? My mood for the day would determine where I go! I like to tell people that New Orleans is a city of moods. If I am in the mood for a poboy, I’d go to Guys or Parkway Tavern. If I was craving doubles, I would go to Queen Trini Lisa’s restaurant. She makes amazing comfort food. For a snoball, I would go to Chance in Hell Snowballs. For dinner I would go to Miss Shirley’s. That is one of my favorite restaurants. I love the vibe. The

team there works so hard and Miss Shirley works the hardest of them all!

Q: If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?  I would be a lawyer. I loved Model Congress in high school, and I think I am a pretty good negotiator. That or something that involves working with my hands like running some sort of maintenance business like construction or an electrical company.

Q: What do you like to cook at home? These days I don’t cook much but, I love to cook rice, and a simple breakfast of eggs, lots of vegetables.

Q: You’ve won the awards, had massive recognition throughout the culinary community (and beyond), what’s next? Building a legacy. I want Dakar NOLA to be an institution here in the South. I want to continue to be the solid foundation for chef’s who leave my establishment thinking that the sky is the limit for them. I want to continue to challenge myself with local ingredients and see the menus at Dakar evolve in creativity and execution. Of course, I also want to grow the Dakar brand. I want to have a restaurant in Senegal. West Africa should be on everyone’s bucket list. My restaurant can be the catalyst that gets them there.

Modine Gunch

Ihate July.

I hate it with the fury of a thousand mosquitoes. It’s nothing but hot. Especially if you don’t have the money to sneak out of town this year to somewhere cool. If there is anywhere cool.

We can barely afford to sneak out to Lake Pontchartrain.

And then I hear on the news that experts say that New Orleans will become an island by 2100. I might still be alive then, what with modern medicine and all.

It sounds great. I never been to Hawaii, but we could do what they do — plant palm trees everywhere and wear hula skirts around. Get sun tans and enjoy ocean breezes. Throw our own luaus, whatever they are. Eat coconuts and pineapples. Lots of pineapples.

Attic Attack

Stuck in the summer

But it ain’t happened yet.

Now I am a tour guide, and usually I can get tourists to take a tour in the heat by offering my air-conditioned tour, going from air-conditioned place to airconditioned place and gawking at the sights through the windows. And there are plenty of sights, I can tell you that.

One miserable day in the heat, I decide to make the best of bad, and finally put the Christmas decorations back in the attic. They been cluttering up the hall for six months now. Also a couple suitcases, which we ain’t going

to be using this year.

So I climb up to the attic door — which is inconveniently situated over the couch, with the ladder running to one side of it — with one box of decorations. Then another. Then another. Then the manger set. Then my stuffed Grinch.

And finally the two suitcases, one at a time. I got to slide them to the back of the attic, so they won’t interfere with getting out the Christmas stuff, hard as it is to imagine Christmas in this heat.

That’s where I am when I hear, “CLONK!” Somebody downstairs has closed the attic door. Great. They are going to find me roasted like a chicken if I don’t get out of there fast.

It’s dark in there with the door closed, but I scuttle over to the trap door as fast as I can, keeping my eye on the light cracks around the edge of it. By the time I get to the trap door, I am frantic, and I just heave myself up and jump on it.

It opens right away, thank God, and I tumble right out and land

on the couch. Unfortunately, the couch is occupied by two people who don’t want to be disturbed — my son Gargoyle and his girlfriend, Lavania.

Gargoyle is not happy that his mother would fall from the ceiling on top of him and Lavania when they were “busy.” Lavania ain’t too happy either.

I am not happy that they would close the attic door without checking to see if there was somebody up there who could die of heat, and their skeletal remains not be found until it was time to take down the Christmas decorations. (“Ohhhh. THAT’S what happened to Mom.”)

Nobody’s happy.

But I am too breathless to say anything.

When finally I can talk again, I just point to the front door and say, “Out!”

And they slink out.

Well, as of today, Gargoyle is still mad.

Lavinia broke up with him. She says she is too traumatized by his mother appearing —“appearing,” not falling — from the ceiling, to continue the relationship.

However, Gargoyle is not too mad to eat the suppers I fix, although he and his sister do want to know why we have pineapple every day. I tell them to get used to it.

And that’s it for July.

Home Inspiration

BY AMY MARIE GABRIEL

Movement captured, a vintage brass ballerina figurine reminiscent of Degas’ infamous ballerinas makes a lovely accent for those with a penchant for pirouettes. chairish.com/shop/ perrierdesigns

A checkmate in the realm of high design, a chess set hand-carved from natural onyx adds a sculptural aesthetic, making it equal parts art object and game. Arhaus, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-581-6684, arhaus.com.

Leisure Pursuits

Surrounds yourself with objects and visuals that inspire play.

Made in Spain and named after Don Quixote’s famous horse, Rosinante, a polyethylene resin horseshaped rocking chair from Vondom is suited for kids and child-like adults alike. This design rocks back and forth as well as spins full circle for added appeal. Villa Vici, 4112 Magazine St., 504-899-2931, villavici.com.

Let your décor make a racket with The Game wallpaper from MINDTHEGAP. The mix of vintage racquets is a nostalgic way to inspire play. thepatterncollective.com.

The crest of cool, make stylish waves with a rich dark blue paint with green undertones. Dubbed Surf Camp, this was the very first color developed by the Backdrop design studio. backdrophome.com.

The Chalamet of play, a sleek table tennis top suited for a standard pool table comes with all the accoutrement for a match. Pottery Barn, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-219-0168, potterybarn.com.

A subtle nod to strategy, block off a space for geometric artwork with a contrasting color palette by way of the framed Jenga Series 1. 52” W x 44” H. Eclectic Home, 8211 Oak St., 504-866-6654, eclectichome.net.

Growing Pains

On His Time

Caring for someone with dementia can shake up the best-kept plans.

In general, my life runs on a carefully set clock, a well-kept day planner, a neatly annotated calendar.  I wake up at a certain time and play Wordle every single day. I eat lunch early. I walk the dogs after dark when it’s cooler. I take a bath before my consistent bedtime, and I go to sleep with my pillows stacked in a particular way.

I have staff meetings on Tuesdays. I have neighborhood gatherings on Fridays. On Sundays, I meal prep and cook for the community fridges.

I see my doctor every August for bloodwork and get a mammogram every October. The dogs go to the vet in April for their shots. We go to Amite for the holidays, and in January, my husband and I will have been married for 15 years.  I like the routine. I like knowing what to expect. I’ve always been like this, even as a little kid, eager for structure and predictability.  But because I now am the

primary caregiver to my 88-yearold father, who was recently diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, so much of my life is now running on a different timetable, parallel to the other one.

Some of that world is routine, for sure. My dad’s other caretakers come at predictable times: the occupational therapist, the home health aides, the lovely neighbors from next door who put his trash at the curb once a week. We have doctor’s appointments – so many doctor’s appointments – that we have to keep: the orthopedist, the neurologist, the ENT. I go every week for his groceries, the few things he will still eat: grapefruit, tomato soup, Blue Bell strawberry ice cream.

But some of it is, in its most clinical sense, completely insane. He calls me at 3 a.m., thinking I’m just getting off of work. He insists the year is 1988. He tells me the newspaper said it was four different days. He asks why I sent an entire theatre troupe to his

house in the middle of the night to act out a Shakespeare play.

It’s impossible to make sense of that, and often lately, I have the eerie sense of straddling two time zones.

In one, things are humming along, carefully calibrated. July gives way to August, as it always does; school starts again; the weather starts to cool (if we’re lucky). I know the birthdays, the anniversaries, the school holidays. I know when my older daughter will be home from college, when my younger one has to go to the orthodontist.

In the other zone, nothing can be predicted. Sometimes my dad will think I am someone else or that I am 20 years younger or that it is 40 years ago. Sometimes he will think I am his second wife; sometimes he will ask me where my mother is, even though she died more than five years ago and they had been divorced for decades before that. Sometimes the neighbors will call because my

dad is on their porch, disoriented in a neighborhood he has lived in since 1992. And sometimes he has an afternoon so normal, so rational, so achingly lucid that I wonder if maybe he might be OK after all, even though I know better.

Dementia does not care about my calendar. It does not care about my Wordle streak. It does not care about my carefully constructed routines or my mutual aid work. It is cruel and relentless and frustrating. And yet, I have no choice but to navigate it, imperfectly but the best I can.

My father and I no longer live on the same timetable, but our lives still overlap – we have a shared past and a confusing present and an uncertain future, and I know that caring for him is a gift to us both in many ways. In those overlapping moments, I am trying to be less concerned with keeping everything on schedule and more concerned with simply keeping him company, no matter who he thinks I am.

We Scr e rcSuoY,ma eam

15 places for f r ozen , frosty, fre s h staert ot peek t h i sgn looc

BY BETH D’ADDONO PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESS KEARNEY

* List in no specific order

lucY boone 3918 Baronne St., 504-766-0571, lucybooneicecream.com

Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Minneapolis, Abby Boone made desserts in restaurant kitchens including Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago and Blackberry Farm in Tennessee. She was working in New Orleans when she met her husband, Aaron Schnell. The couple have a six-year-old daughter named Lucy, which seemed like the perfect name for what started as a pop-up source of income during the pandemic. Lucy Boone opened its storefront location on Barrone Street in 2023, conveniently next door to Zee’s Pizzeria. Boone and her husband make every small batch from scratch, using local honey and fruits whenever possible. All the toppings are homemade too, from the cookies to the caramel. There’s scratch marshmallow fluff and a chocolate and a graham cracker crumble. Signature flavors range from salted butter caramel to key lime pie and dairyfree sorbet. The chef makes a king cake

flavor during Carnival season. “I like doing nostalgic flavors and things that are similar to desserts.” Like her strawberry pavlova ice cream in a salted vanilla base. S’mores is another winner. she said. Currently the couple makes about 150 gallons a week along with ice cream cakes and pies in a grab and go case in the shop.

“Consistency is everything,” said the pastry chef. “When I first moved here there weren’t that many ice cream shops. There’s a fun little ice cream community now. The more small-batch ice cream the better.”

2.

The SWeeT TooTh FairY 9301 Lake Forest Boulevard, @nola.sweettoothfairy

When pastry chef Shakairione Johnson was looking for a new location for her whimsical dessert shop, The Sweet Tooth Fairy, she decided to move from Mid-City to New Orleans East. “I did my research,” she said. “We have plenty of bakeries and ice cream shops in New Orleans. But if you want to celebrate something in the East, options are limited. I wanted to give people the opportunity to get something homemade, something special.” When local

beauty influencer Supa Cent (@supa_ cent) discovered her sweets, the viral post drove business like crazy and let her old customers know how to find her. “She really raised my profile,” said Johnson. “It was a big help.”

Johnson taught herself the basics of baking, then got a job at Angelo Brocato, where she learned high production in a commercial kitchen. At The Sweet Tooth Fairy, her style is southern comfort, making old school traditional desserts that remind her of her grandparents. “A bite of real pound cake can really bring back memories,” said the Uptown native. For her homemade ice cream, which she makes by hand with whipping cream, she channels those same desserts, offered in pints, cones and ice cream cakes made to order. Ice cream flavors like ooey gooey, cookie butter and banana pudding takes the classics to a new chill.

3.

angelo brocaTo 214 N Carrollton Ave., 504-486-1465, angelobrocatoicecream.com

Angelo Brocato, a family business that has dished silky gelato and traditional Italian sweets since the turn of the last

century, is a Mid-City icon. Steeped in old-world charm, this is the place for anise biscotti, espressolaced tiramisu, or house-made cassata cake. And the gelato, well it is the stuff of dreams, studded with pistachio, shot through with caramel, oozing dark chocolate. Then there’s the granita — Italian ice bright with such fruit as local satsumas and watermelon, the perfect way to chill on a hot summer’s day. Shop workers smile behind the counter, expertly piping ricotta to order into cannoli shells. Pair with a dark espresso from the shiny copper machine and all is right with the world. Travelers will be happy to know there’s a pint-sized Brocato’s at MSY.

4.

gail’S Fine ice cream 789 Harrison Ave., 504-766-6902, gailsfineicecream.com

The enticing dessert menu at Junior’s on Harrison in Lakeview isn’t the only option for tempting your sweet tooth. Walk around outside towards the back of the restaurant and you can spy the Gail’s walk-up ice cream window, also from the Hufft Marchand Hospitality Group. Opened in late 2019,

with a second location in Baton Rouge, Gail’s offers a mix of traditional and specialty flavors, including vanilla bean, milk and cookies and ube matcha.

Weighing in at 14% milk fat, Gail’s is a rich, dreamy frozen treat, prepared with ingredients like fresh strawberries and single origin coffee beans in small batches at the company’s commissary on Pink Street in Metairie. While a single scoop runs around $5, Gail’s gives kids in their school uniforms a break between 3 and 4 p.m. on school days and charges just $1 for a one-scoop cone. Since St. Dominic is a minute’s walk away, no wonder gaggles of high schoolers descend for the afterschool treat.

5.

creole creamerY 4924 Prytania St.; 6260 Vicksburg St.; 2565 Metairie Road, Metairie; 209 Main St., Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; creolecreamery.com

The go-to New Orleans ice cream

shop since 2004, Creole Creamery remains a gold standard since opening in an old McKenzie’s Bakery on Prytania Street. Owned by David Bergeron, chef Bryan Gilmore is the alchemist behind the iconic brand. The pair went to high school together and worked at Swenson’s after school dipping ice cream. In a stroke of cool irony, when the last of the chain shops closed locally, Bergeron bought the equipment and called Gilmore to ask if he’d set up shop with him. They went for the traditional American ice cream parlor aesthetic. Gilmore switched careers from tech to join forces with his friend. He’d taught himself how to make ice cream at home. as a hobby. But he upped his game by R&D and reading books by Malcolm Stogo, who runs Ice Cream University at Penn State. Gilmore is a natural, his talent helping to drive the business from one location to four, including a franchise in Bay St. Louis.

The ice cream

chef offers seasonal and holiday flavors, like Christmas cookie in December and July and black and gold crunch during Saints season. His pumpkin praline ice cream is Autumn on a cone. But his best seller is always Cookie Monster, made with cookie dough base, Oreos, chocolate chips and chocolate chip cookies.

A foodie at heart, he comes up with some wacky flavors that work, like pasta water flavored with saffron and pureed angel hair pasta, and some that don’t catch on, like roasted beets with goat cheese and orange zest. “I loved it, but the public wins the argument,” he said.

6.

Piccola

gelaTeria 4500 Magazine St., 504-493-5999, piccolagelateria. com

Chef Ross Turnbull ran big hotel kitchens for decades. He met his wife Ria, who worked in convention and banquet sales and management when

7.

PariSh Parlor 1912 Magazine St., 504-302-2244, parishparlor.com

Vanilla remains the world's most popular ice cream flavor, followed closely by chocolate and cookies & cream.

While the United States is the largest overall producer of frozen dairy desserts, New Zealanders consume the most ice cream per capita (about 20-22 liters per person annually).

The largest ice cream cone ever recorded was over 10 feet tall, built in Norway in 2015.

The aroma of butter and vanilla wafts through the air at Parish Parlor, a sign that owner Mason Romain’s homemade waffle cones just came out of the oven. Romain and his business partner Kelsey Fisher opened the funky Garden District ice creamery on Magazine Street in October of 2020. “We didn’t need tables and chairs in the beginning because people weren’t coming in,” he recalled. Pre-pandemic, the partners bartended at the Ace Hotel, crafting specialty cocktails featuring locally sourced ingredients. Romain’s ice cream flavors reflect those local connections. Inspired by the patisseries of Paris, they opened a French-style ice cream shop, complete with art deco lighting, graphic pop art

and a turntable for a collection of Parisian jazz. Romain started making ice cream for friends, which turned into selling and delivering ice cream during lockdown. While walking the neighborhood, he saw what would become the shop’s bricks and mortar location, once Sophie’s Ice Cream Parlor until a dozen years ago. Parish Parlor offers at least 18 scratch flavors, with the ice cream chef favoring elevated classics —think espresso brownie, bananas foster and brown butter cookie dough. He highlights flavors for each season, like spring’s cardamom saffron and lemon ricotta. Vegan options, made with either oat milk or coconut crème, might be Irish coffee or peanut butter mud pie. This isn’t the place to get a sundae or a bunch of candy mixed into your treat. “I like to focus on the ice cream, not the toppings,” he said.

PariSh Parlor

they were both at the Westin Copley in Boston back in 2000.

A life of travel, adventure and lots of hard work commenced.

“One day we flipped a coin and decided to leave the hotel industry,” Ria recalled. “We had passion for hospitality, but we needed a change.”

A few days after Ross left his job at a large convention hotel in the Quarter, he made dinner for his wife.

“He made me Nutella gelato for dessert. He’d been making it at work for years, but this was the first time I tasted his gelato. We eat gelato wherever we go, we both love it. His was the best. I knew what we were going to do next - open a gelato shop.”

Piccola Gelateria opened in late 2016, first on Freret Street and in 2021, it moved to its current location Uptown on Magazine Street.

Ross makes all of the gelato himself, including the base of what Ria calls, the healthiest frozen dessert. “Gelato

is made with milk, not cream,” she said. “It has 50 percent less sugar. It’s denser and creamier to the palate.”

It is a chef’s gelato, mindfully made, painstakingly consistent, bursting with local flavors. “We follow the Italian rules not to exceed nine percent fat,” said Ria, who is the front of the house face of the business while her husband happily toils in solitude in the back.

Hazelnut, pistachio and stracciatella are a few popular options. Lavender infuses vanilla with flowers from Provence. Local strawberry is popular, same for caramelized fig and lemon meringue.

The gelateria serves more than small batch gelato. Plant based sorbetto offers an even lighter, dairy free sorbetto in flavors like peach, mango and passion fruit. There are crepes, plain or filled with the likes of pistachio and Nutella. There is a coffee program too, with the espresso machine

providing the perfect affogato brew.

8.

PoeTic JuST*ice cream 504-407-5837, poeticjusticecream.com

New Orleansborn chef, actress and poet Toya Boudy definitely has a way with words. She just released her third book of cooking stories and recipes, Cooking from Scratch, inspired by Louisiana foodways and historic Black kitchens. Boudy grew up on the West Bank and cooked at her first job at 15, making plates at a corner store hear her house. She studied culinary arts at Nunez Community College in Chalmette.

When she started making ice cream, of course she had a story to tell. She calls her treat Poetic Just•ice Cream, plantbased, dairy free and intentionally flavored. Her “Melanated Vanilla” is actually butter pecan, a reference to the fact that during the Jim Crow-era, Southern Black

Waffle cones were popularized—and made a fair staple—at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. Legend says a vendor who ran out of paper bowls rolled up waffles to hold the scoops. Chocolate ice cream was actually invented before vanilla. In the late 1700s, vanilla was an extremely rare and exotic ingredient.

George Washington was a massive fan of the dessert. During a single summer in 1790, he spent about $200 on ice cream (roughly $5,800 today).

SWeeT SainT

710 St. Louis St., 504-345-8085, sweetsaintnola.com

This familyowned handcrafted ice cream shop opened at across the street from Antoine’s in the French Quarter in 2022. Ken Chauvin, a New Orleans native and retired high school teacher, makes the ice cream in small batches, while his wife Florecita is usually found in the front of the small shop taking care of customers.

“I’ve always loved ice cream,” said Chauvin, who grew up in Bayou St. John and Old Jefferson. He takes his inspiration from Southern desserts, using homemade brownies, caramel sauce and local pecans in flavors like bayou mud. His chicory and coffee ice cream combines local roaster French Truck’s Guatemalan

medium dark roast and CC’s Coffee’s roasted chicory. For something on the lighter side, plant-based sorbets include the Marigny — a flavor-packed cucumber sorbet with a burst of lemon and sweet basil and the Ponchatoula made with fresh Louisiana strawberries, lime juice and a whiff of basil. Although he wasn’t always an ice cream maker, this former educator knew how to do his research. Besides doing plenty of parlor visits when he was on the road, Chauvin used pastry chef Dana Cree’s cookbook, “Hello My Name is Ice Cream: The Art and Science of the Scoop,” to master his craft. “It’s all about understanding how ingredients interact with each other and how to create flavor combinations. That’s the fun part.”

SWeeT Sai n T

people weren’t allowed to eat vanilla ice cream in public except on the 4th of July, one of the reasons that butter pecan became popular.

“Watch what your elders eat and you learn about your history,” she said. Her “Sweet Orleans” is made with local strawberries, and “Poetically Correct” is a dark, decadent chocolate flavor. Follow Boudy on Instagram @poeticjusticecream to know when she’s dropping flavors at Port Orleans Brewing Company, usually on weekends. “I love to teach Black history through food,” said the chef.

Orleans, immersing students in food science and garden to table thinking. Broady was at Jazz Fest this year overseeing the Stinky Science program that included worms in the Interactive Technology kid’s tent. He’s also a father of three daughters. “When we moved to New Orleans, my two oldest daughters needed a summer job,” said Broady. “I love frozen custard, so we started making and selling that.” The 7th Ward Ice Cream Speakeasy was born, an if you know you know thing that ranges from picking up pints at Broady’s home to weekend pop ups at Bywater Bakery. Although he now lives in the 9th ward, the name will always speak to its origin story.

7Th Ward ice cream SPeakeaSY @7thwardicecream, Bywater Bakery, 3624 Dauphine St.

To call Rahn Broady a renaissance man isn’t the half of it. He’s a career educator who teaches biology and horticulture at Sci High just off the Greenway. The St. Louis native is a chef and a writer. He supports plant-based and sustainable throws for Mardi Gras. Broady worked with the Edible Schoolyard program for a decade in New

you somewhere. I try to be daring.”

11.

old ToWn Slidell Soda ShoP

301 Cousin St., Slidell, 985649-4806, @oldtownslidellsoda

Downtown’s Slidell’s homespun charm doesn’t get any sweeter than a visit to the, Old Town Slidell Soda Shop, a fixture at 301 Cousin Street since 1988. Owners Joshua Roques and Angela Morant Roques took over from the founders Frank and Carla Jackson a few years back, committed to preserving the shop’s timeless appeal.

scoops and familiar brands of penny candy setting the scene, the Old Town Slidell Soda Shop brings life’s simpler pleasures sharply into focus.

ice Zine

When Alix Jason was trying to quit smoking, she took up ice cream.

Broady despises factory farming, and makes sure all ingredients are fair trade and sourced ethically. His flavor palate is profound. His deep vanilla has saffron and two kinds of vanilla, sourced from Madagascar and Mexico. He might add black pepper, or chocolate covered salty potato chips or fresh herbs. He makes a roasted garlic ice cream, which is surprisingly nutty, not a bit pungent. “I never do things twice. I want interesting. Flavors and food can take

The Roques are a team — Joshua retired early from AT&T to take care of the building, including restoring the outside garden and fountain for seating. He also handles making the ice cream, all 28 homemade flavors. Angela, an entrepreneur with multiple businesses, was Queen of Pops as one of her jobs, creating cake pops and laying out sweets for kids’ birthdays parties — “before cake pops were a thing!” she said. With its line of vintage Schylling toys, 200 of Mr. Frank’s collection of antique ice cream

hoodoo ice cream

.

405 N. Columbia St., Covington, 985900-2353, @hoodoo. icecream

Every morning Jamie Mauthe and her daughters Sarah and Katie milk their herd of Jersey and Holstein cows in Progress, Mississippi. That Mauthe Dairy milk is what powers Hoodoo Ice Cream, Billy Sussky and George Schenck’s handmade and thoughtfully sourced dairy parlor in downtown Covington.

Yes, you can get vanilla in a homemade waffle cone, but why would you with choices like Creole cream cheese, local blueberry, satsuma and blood orange. Or how about scoops that channel a complex flavor profile, like the peach bourbon habanero, made with Rockin’ Robin’s Pepper Jelly out of Slidell, a sweet spicy, little salty party in your mouth that’s positively addicting. Fans of bananas Foster will find Hoodoo’s version

Jason is a writer and book binder with her own business, Bad Dog Books, named for her grumpy chihuahua. She used the summer of 2022 to bike to ice cream shops all over town as an alternative to lighting up.

“I was trying to distract myself from smoking by going on ice cream adventures,” she recalled. “It became an obsession project.”

That project resulted in her own Cream Zine ice cream booklet, now in its third edition, written and bound by Jason and available through her Instagram account @baddogbooks. She visited more than 20 places, all locally owned where ice cream was the main attraction. Jason always gets her ice cream in a cone, never a cup, which explains her rating system, with five cones the highest compliment, awarded to local faves Parish Parlor, Piccola Gelateria and Sweet Saint. Two is the lowest bar. “The French Quarter is teeming with mostly mediocre ice cream, but there are a few gems tucked away amidst the drunk tourists,” she declares.

A few of her personal favorites? The goat cheese flavored jelly cone morten at Sweet Saint and the blackberry cheesecake, best enjoyed in a still-warm waffle cone. And even though it’s not technically an ice cream place, she adores the seasonal soft serve, drizzled with olive oil and salt at Bar Pomona in the Marigny.

“I try not to think about how much I’ve spent on ice cream,” said the pint-sized cutie. “But at least I’m not smoking.”

TWo more WaYS To geT brain FreeZe

Chance in Hell Snoballs

805 Louisa St., @chanceinhell_snoballs

The devilishly named Chance in Hell Snoballs is another neighborhood phenom, this one at in Bywater. Kitten

LaRue and Lou Henry Hoover started the front porch project during the pandemic when their neo-burlesque act was shuttered by COVID. It’s a runaway success with flavors like dragonfruit lime, mango tamarind chili and elote, with or without booze. Follow them on Instagram for flavor drops six days a week, Wed.-Mon, noon to 7.

Hansens’s Sno-Bliz 4801 Tchoupitoulas St., @snobliz

There’s no snoball like The Original Hansen’s Sno-Bliz Uptown. It was Ernest and Mary Hansen who pioneered the treat with Ernest’s patented Sno-Bliz ice machine back in 1939. Mary dreamed up endless flavors made from simple syrups, fruit, and condensed milk or whipped cream. Now in the hands of granddaughter Ashley, the stand is a hallmark of imaginative combinations and superior quality perfected by three generations. The snoballs at Hansen’s drip with handmade syrups in such flavors as ginger and cardamom or the popular Brown Pelican, a cream of root beer that will chill you to the bone. The James Beard Foundation named Hansen’s an America’s Classic in 2014.

on a cone downright perfect, a caramel, cinnamon banana concoction that is spot on – the only thing missing is the fire.

13.

FrancoFanTe gelaTo @gelatoatjazzfest

Jazz festers in need of a pick me up head to the gelato booth from Francofante Catering for the caffeine fueled affogato, a potent mix of strong espresso poured over Katie Pedroza’s spectacular spicy Azteca gelato. And while the festival is over until next year, fans can still satisfy their craving year-round at Piety & Desire, the gourmet chocolate shop and café on Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District.

Pedroza is a Cincinnati native and trained chef who worked locally at Coquette and Emeril’s Delmonica before becoming an educator at the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine. She started producing gelato for La Divina, which was the original gelato purveyor at the Fest even after they closed their French Quarter store front. She took it over from them a few years ago. While all of her chef-driven flavors are delish and locally sourced from places like Corona Farms, where she gets her strawberries, it’s the Azteca that’s the

bomb. With its back beat of chile heat and deepest, darkest chocolate flavor, it inspires a crave that isn’t going anywhere.

14

.

PieTY & deSire

2032 Magazine St., 504-799-1709, pietyanddesirechocolate. com.

Piety & Desire on Magazine Street meanwhile has perfected the art of chocolate making and offers bon bone, chocolate bars, hand crafted drinking chocolate and more, all inspired by New Orleans. The shop’s “Choco Cafe” is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

15.

SuPer WiTch

5640 Jefferson Hwy, Harahan (ice cream); 619 Pink St., Metairie (soft serve)

Don’t show up in Harahan looking for a pint of the wildly popular Super Witch ice cream. Owner/maker Briggs Barrios batches all his ice cream strictly prepaid to order in pints, a system that his customers happily follow. “I don’t want to disappoint folks because we don’t make extra,” said the former stock trader.

iP e TY d eSire

S uPer WiTc h

His homemade soft serve, made in a Carpigiani Italian machine from Bologna, is a different story. Super Witch soft serve shares space and hours with Il Suprema pizza in Metairie and all comers are welcome.

Fueled by a work ethic he credits to athletics — he played baseball when he was at Tulane — Barrios started his small batch ice cream business in 2023. His signature flavors play riffs on nostalgia, he said. Flavors change with the season, but might include small batches of glazed donut, blueberry cobbler, brown sugar cinnamon and fancy fudge stripe.

on the week, fans can taste French Truck coffee, cookie buttah or Valrhona chocolate.

Barrios named his brand for his grandmother’s nickname, a name that also identified his grandfather’s fleet of commercial fishing boats down the bayou. “He used to say she always knew everything he was doing, like a super witch.”

Barrios, who grew up in Metairie, started making ice cream out of his house during the pandemic, and fell in love with the process.

Roughly 50% of the volume of traditional ice cream is actually air, which gives it that light, scoopable texture.

It takes about 12 pounds of whole milk to produce just 1 gallon of finished ice cream.

It takes an average of 50 licks to finish a single scoop of ice cream on a cone.

As for his foray into soft serve, it was personal. “I’m one of those weird New Orleanians who doesn’t like snoballs. Every time we’d go to the stand near our house, I’d always get a twist.” His soft serve mix is handmade from scratch every weekend. With its eight to nine percent fat content — the chain stuff is below five percent — Super Witch soft serve has a silky mouth feel. And there are more options than vanilla. Depending

He’d gotten addicted to the treat when he took a job managing the MLB jersey division of a sports merch company in Tampa. “I started reviewing ice cream on social media in Tampa, he said. “I ate 1,000 pints of ice cream the four years I lived there.” Now Barrios and his team are making 1,000 pints of Super Witch ice cream a week. Just remember to order first @superwitchicecream on Instagram.

R ES X YOURSELFP

STAY INSIDE AND GET CRAFTY OR LEARN A NEW

SKILL

BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN

(WHILE AVOIDING THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY)

Why should kids have all the fun at summer camp? You’re never too old to learn a new craft or skill. These adult summer craft workshops, lessons and grown-up creative gatherings will inspire and engage budding artists of all backgrounds (and even better, will keep crafters busy in the A/C while the summer swelters) outside. ¶ The lagniappe? Adults who engage in crafts report feeling less stress and anxiety. According to a 2023 report from the American Psychiatric Association, “Americans who rate their mental health as very good or excellent tend to engage in creative activities more frequently than those who rate their mental health as fair or poor.” ¶ “We live in stressful times, and sometimes our jobs and responsibilities can drain our energy and our mental health,” said APA President Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A. according to the report. “Creative activities aren’t just for fun, they can help us take a step back from the daily grind, use our brains differently, and relax. Picking up that paintbrush or solving a tricky puzzle can truly move us to a different mindset.” ¶ Whether you pick up a paint brush, knitting needles or glue stick, getting crafty this summer has never been easier and more fun. Here are just some of the best places to gather with friends or make new ones while expressing yourself through craft.

Culinary Skills

Bread Making

Bellegarde Bakery

Bellegarde Bakery is known for its menu of craveable breads, pizza dough and specialty flours, but it also hosts a limited series of bread making workshops, most of which sell out quickly. Classes include instruction on croissant making, bread 101 and more. Participants will learn instructions on bread and pastry making, techniques, tips and will bring home dough to continue to practice after the class. Stay tuned to the bakery’s website and social media for updates on any upcoming classes, and in the meantime, enjoy some tasty baked goodies. 634 Orange St., belleguardbakery.com.

Cocktail Concocting

Sazerac House

The Sazerac House offers two workshops for those looking to learn, imbibe and create their own cocktails at home. For adults 21+, the Tropical Cocktail Tasting Experience and the Sazerac Cocktail Tasting Experience guide cocktail lovers through the history of classic cocktails and their ingredients, along with tasting, instructions and secrets on making your own creations at home. Whisky tasting and a full museum tour are also available for those looking for additional experiences, as well. 101 Magazine St. 504910-0100, sazerachouse.com.

Revel Café and Bar

Mixologist Chris McMillian teaches the art of cocktail making with a three-hour workshop at Revel Café and Bar in Mid-City for those looking to shake things up. McMillian, along with his wife Laura, is the founder of The Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans and brings more than 30 years of bartending and cocktail creation to each class. All materials are provided, along with light snacks. 133

N. Carrollton Ave., 504-309-6122, revelcafeandbar.com/ mixology-class.

Wine Tasting and Pairings

The Independent Caveau

More than a wine shop, The Independent Caveau offers wine tastings and courses for those with no experience, intermediate and beyond. Advanced classes focus on vineyards, grape varietals, wines from around the world and more. Beginners can enjoy learning the basics about red, white and sparkling wines. The shop also is adding charcuterie and pantry selections to complete the experience. 1226 South White St., 504-7028033, theindependentnola.com.

Kitchen Gardening (and Cooking)

Barcelo Gardens

Coffee Roasting

Current Crop Roasting Shop

Use your bean and learn how to roast your own coffee, the art of coffee pairing, tasting and more at Current Crop Roasting Shop on Magazine Street. This one-stop shop for all things coffee related has expert guidance on roasting beans with a selection of offerings from around the world, as well as equipment, green coffee beans and more. Coffee lovers can also enjoy caffeinated cocktail combinations, dessert pairings and a cup of joe to enjoy onsite (or to go) as well. 3931 Magazine St., 504-571-5129, currentcroproasting. com.

Community garden and cooking classes are one of the many highlights of Barcelo Gardens. While class takes place outside of the A/C, the garden’s free classes are a great option for those looking to expand their garden and seasonal cooking skills are worth venturing out on a summer day. Every second Saturday, enjoy the garden’s seedling starter class at 11 a.m. Additional summer instruction is in the works, so stay tuned for cooking lessons and more at 2301 Gallier St. Follow @barcelogardens for more information and updates.

Jewelry Making

The Bead Shop NOLA Shoppers along Magazine Street may be familiar with The Bead Shop, a onestop spot for jewelry making supplies, charms, beads, stones

and, of course, lots of workshops. Classes include instructions on making your own jewelry, consultation on charms and a bead stringing station for small groups and friends. Stop by to browse the store’s colorful array of materials or book a class in advance. The store also has a selection of DIY kits to bring home for makers of all ages. 4612 Magazine St., 504-330-7476, beadshopneworleans.com.

NOLA Metalworks

Make your own totally unique, hand forged rings, pins, brooches, accessories and more at NOLA Metalworks. Workshops range from one day classes to eight-week metalsmithing courses, with something for all levels of interest. Metalsmithing skills include sawing, filing, embossing, soldering and more. 2712 Royal St., 504-4816273, nolametalworks.com

Costume/ headdress Making

Nola Craft Culture

Tucked away in Mid-City, Nola Craft Culture has become a mecca for the glitterati, costume makers, headdress crafters, Carnival throw creators and anyone looking to add a little pizzaz to their life. The shop sells all the supplies needed to be fabulous, as well as offers a dedicated workshop space for crafting and classes. Recent events have included a “giant magnolia headdress” class, beaded flower making, a Princethemed candle making class, Pride beading and design, and much more. Be sure to follow the shop’s social media and website for the latest calendar of classes and special events. 127 S. Solomon St., 504-454-8837, nolacraftculture.com.

Fiber arts

Needle Arts Studio

Needle Arts Studio hosts a weekly “Stitch Social” on Tuesdays, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Bring your current knitting, crochet, embroidery or needlework project to work on with

plenty of advice to go around. The Studio also sells beginner kits for knitting and needlepoint projects. Be sure to check out the shop’s social media for all updates and future classes.

5301 Canal Boulevard, 504-832-3050, needlenola.com.

Sewing

RicRack NOLA

RicRack is a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching beginner and experienced sewers and crafters while promoting sustainability. Classes range from totally beginner machine sewing to embroidery, quilting, crochet, kite making and more. There truly is something for anyone interested in learning or sharing a skill. Workshops are added continuously, so be sure to consult the class calendar for the latest information, dates, times and more, plus information on

how to support the group’s efforts “to provide economic opportunities through skill sharing and creative re-use while reducing waste in the textile industry” across the community. 321 Burgundy St., 504-218-5205, ricracknola.com.

Chateau Sew

This St. Charles Avenue sewing shop and workshop sells supplies, patterns, notions, kits and fabric, as well as offers a variety of classes and get-togethers for sewers of all levels of experience. Join a monthly quilt club, learn the basics of sewing and patterns, or take a class to make finished projects such as aprons, totes, caftans and more. 1512 St. Charles Ave., 504-5339221, chateausew.com.

Painting and Visual Arts

New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts

Since 1980, the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts Uptown on Magazine Street has provided classes that fit almost all artistic endeavors year-round. Recent classes have included intensive workshops on watercolor painting, intro into color and design, collage creation, drawing, photography and more. Explore the academy’s deep catalog of classes online for more information and schedules. 5256 Magazine St., 504-899-8111, noafa. org.

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art

Adult art fans can get in on the fun this summer with The Ogden Museum of Southern Art’s rotating schedule of workshops, classes and community events. Recent events included a printmaking craft happy hour, plant based abstract painting, photography, design and more. Check in with the museum’s

calendar for the latest information on upcoming classes in July and August. 925 Camp St., 504-5399600, ogdenmuseum. org.

Object Making

Ceramics and pottery

Wrenworks

Art Studio

Belly Fire NOLA

Located in historic Rivertown in Kenner, Wrenworks has something for all levels of budding artists, from walk-in pottery painting to private parties, date nights, regular open studio memberships and four-week pottery classes. Potential potters can also opt for a “Try It” class to get a full experience before committing to a longer workshop class. Adult classes are BYOB friendly. 2120 Fourth St., Rivertown, Kenner, 504-667-5530, wrenworksartstudio. com.

BellyFire on Oak Street offers pottery wheel classes and pottery painting events for those looking to get creative and messy in the best way. “Walk-in and paint” experiences are offered, as well as date night and friend group classes, all BYOB, and private wheel classes. Check out the studio’s social media and website for the latest pottery inspiration and classes. 8212 Oak St., 504-208-2023, oak. bellyfirestudios.com.

Crescent City Clayworks

Learn the basics of pottery and ceramics or continue your practice at Crescent City Clayworks. The studio offers fun classes for all ranges of experience, such as “salt & pepper shaker making,” “make your own chia pets” and “ceramic garden gnome making,” as

well as “Laissez-Faire Fridays” each week at 7 p.m. Register in advance for all classes, which are BYOB, with all supplies provided. 1925 Conti St., 419-575-9536, crescentcityclayworks. com.

Glass blowing and sculpting

New Orleans Glassworks

New Orleans Glassworks offers rolling workshops for those interested in learning glass blowing and sculpting skills. Classes are offered for both adults and teens, individually or as a group, with a variety of levels and learning. For those looking for a cooler alternative, the studio also offers screen printing, ceramic design, papier mache making and much more. Be sure to check the studio’s full calendar for the latest information and upcoming workshops. neworleansglassworks. com

Craft (and more) events,

people and places:

Trumpet and Drum Coffee House

Trumpet and Drum might be your new favorite place to grab a caffeinated beverage, but it also hosts community craft nights each month. Enjoy floral arranging, paper crafts, holiday and seasonal fun, plus wine

and beer. 3642 Magazine St., @trumpetanddrum.

Really Really Nice Wines

Located in the heart of Magazine Street, Really Really Nice Wines has more than your favorite sipper. The shop regularly hosts fun events, such as a “photography workshop wine walk,” flower arranging, headdress and costume construction, terrarium building and more. For wine lovers, there is also an active wine club with a monthly goodie box. 3500 Magazine St., 504-309-8744, reallyreallynicewines.com.

Urban South

This Tchoupitoulas Street brewery powerhouse has become much more than a place to hang and grab a brew. Urban South hosts a wide variety of crafty meetups and workshops

throughout the month. Recent events have included a door hanger paint night, flowerpot painting, medieval dance class, paint and sip, puzzle nights and more. There’s something for everyone to enjoy. 1645 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-267-4852, urbansouth.com.

Queer Craft Night

This crafty popup hosts LGBTQ+ friendly bimonthly get-togethers at the Domino Lounge (second Wednesday) and 12 Mile Limit (fourth Tuesday) each month, 7 to 9 p.m. BYO and craft supply events (think: carabiner crafts, custom buttons, costumes, cards) focus on fun, community and creativity and are free. @queercraftnola

Patron Saint

A neighborhood wine shop and bar, Patron Saint hosts a monthly craft night every first Monday of the month. Bring your projects to work on, get advice, trade supplies and enjoy wine specials. 1152 Magazine St., 504-321-7771, patronsaintwine.com.

New Orleans Public Library

The New Orleans Public Library has an array of craft events for adults throughout the summer. Learn a new skill or practice one you already have with these summer sessions:

The “Sip and Paint” class at the Cita Dennis Hubbell Library branch on July 11. Painters will learn tips on creating s still life painting while enjoying non-alcoholic beverages.

Learn how to sew a handy pie carrier with the New Orleans Public Library, July 9 at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. branch. Beginner and experienced sewers are both welcome, and participants will leave with a completed project.

New Orleans Public Library’s Milton H. Latter branch regularly hosts a “Yarn Arts Circle,” welcoming new and experienced knitters, crocheters and more to share their work while enjoying tea, cookies and community.

Check the library’s website for more events, dates and times. Registration is required through the library’s event calendar. nolalibrary.org

BY MIKE SCOTT ILLUSTRATION BY AMBER DAY

¡Viva la Revolución!

THE UNLIKELY SPANISH HERO IN NEW ORLEANS THAT HELPED WIN THE WAR

Two-hundred-and-fifty years ago this month, in July 1776, representatives of 13 American colonies gathered in Philadelphia to declare independence from Great Britain, setting in motion a war that would change the course of human history.

What followed is often told through familiar names and places: Washington, Jefferson, Adams. Boston, Lexington, Saratoga.

But the revolution that the Declaration set loose did not stay contained within those borders. It spread across oceans, down the Mississippi and along the Gulf Coast, where a 30-year-old governor of Spanish Louisiana would play a decisive role, if an often overlooked one, in securing American independence. It wouldn’t be easy. It would require him to win the hearts and minds of a largely French (and largely suspicious) New

Orleans, to endure the wrath of multiple hurricanes, and to lead a nearly two-year military campaign to dislodge the British from the banks of the lower Mississippi and the Gulf Coast.

In a joint resolution, Congress described his victories as “a deciding factor in the outcome of the Revolutionary War,” noting they had been recognized as such by none other than George Washington. That same resolution also made him one of only eight people ever granted honorary U.S. citizenship, alongside the likes of Winston Churchill, the Marquis de Lafayette and Mother Teresa.

The name of this unlikely Spanish hero of the American Revolution? Bernardo de Gálvez. And although his story often gets skipped in the retelling, it is worth remembering now as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American experiment.

“The life story of Bernardo de Gálvez could be cast as an adventure novel,” historian Quintero Saravia observes in the introduction to his exhaustively researched 2018 biography, “Bernardo de Gálvez: Spanish Hero of the American Revolution.”

But in setting the scene for that would-be blockbuster, it is important to establish his motivations. First and foremost: Gálvez was not a closet American patriot moved, as so many were, by the Spirit of ’76.

As Saravia writes, Gálvez’s allegiance lay squarely with the Spanish crown — and the wearer of that crown, King Carlos III, was very much interested in hamstringing the hemispherical aspirations of Britain, a rival for resources in the Americas.

So, upon his 1777 appointment as Louisiana’s governor, Gálvez was ordered to prepare for the inevitable war with Britain — an imperative that colored nearly every decision he made as governor — while also doing everything possible to undercut its expansionist urges.

Regarding the latter, Gálvez worked closely with Oliver Pollack, a New Orleans merchant and American agent through whom he quietly offered whatever assistance he could to the revolutionary cause. That included direct aid of money and materiel. It also included covertly facilitating the movement of goods through New Orleans to supply the colonies and its Continental Army.

At the same time, Gálvez also had to win over New Orleans’ Creole elite, whose sons he hoped to recruit to help rebuild Spain’s then-threadbare military forces in the city.

His gentlemanly demeanor went a long way in that regard, especially when compared to that of his two gubernatorial predecessors. Antonio de Ulloa had been chased out of town in 1768 after enraging the population with strict trade policies — including a predictably unpopular ban on importation of French wine. His replacement, Alejandro O’Reilly, crushed the so-called Creole Revolt with such zeal as to earn him the nickname “Bloody” O’Reilly.

Hoping to smooth things over, Gálvez struck a more conciliatory posture. For starters, he adopted trade policies benefitting local merchants and planters. Equally important, he married a local girl: the widow Marie-Félicité de Saint-Maxent d’Estrehan, a member of one of the city’s most well-placed families.

None of that quite made him one of them but, in time, it would do.

That was one thing he had: time. Spain knew war with Britain was coming, but its military leaders were happy letting Britain and France (which had by then entered the fight on the Americans’ side) grind each other down first. In the meantime, from his perch in New Orleans — then a teeming spy hub — Gálvez quietly gathered intelligence on British forces in the region, including at forts in Mobile, Pensacola and Baton Rouge. By June 1779, a year and a half after Gálvez’s arrival, war was no longer avoidable. By virtue of its alliance with France, Spain declared war on Britain.

Soon after, according to Charles Gayerre’s 1867 “History of Louisiana,” Gálvez “discovered through intercepted letters that the British intended to surprise New Orleans” with an all-out attack.

It was time to fight.

The sensible thing to do probably would have been to dig in and defend New Orleans.

After all, Gálvez knew Britain planned to attack, and his work to rebuild his own forces was still in progress. Complicating things, a hurricane slammed New Orleans in August 1779, destroying many of the boats built to defend it, “along with my resources, supplies and hopes,” Gálvez journaled.

But, as a career military man, he knew the sensible thing to do is often also the predictable thing to do. So, tired of waiting for reinforcements from Havana — a recurring theme in his Gulf campaign — he did the unexpected: He went on offense.

Mustering a force of nearly 700 men — Spanish regulars, Creoles, free men of color, Native Americans and, notably, a small band of American volunteers led by Pollack — he marched. He did not, however, head for Mobile, as some might have expected, but toward Fort Bute, a small British garrison at Manchac, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Over the course of the difficult 11-day march through the swamps, he recruited another 600 fighters from those living along the German Coast and nearby Acadian settlements.

Fort Bute wasn’t much of a fort, and it wouldn’t require much to win it — which was precisely the point. Gálvez needed a quick victory to give his army both experience and confidence. After a brief, mostly uneventful skirmish, the fort fell and its force of 27 taken prisoner.

After several days’ rest at Manchac, Gálvez moved next on the British-held Fort New Richmond at present-day Baton Rouge. The fortified town he found there was far better defended than Fort Bute, with 900 men garrisoned there. That said, Gálvez enjoyed superior manpower and firepower. He ordered his men to dig in, and, on Sept. 21, 1779, began pummeling the fort with cannon fire.

Some four hours later, they surrendered — but Gálvez refused to accept it unless the British also surrendered Fort Panmure, upriver in Natchez, Mississippi, and its 80-man garrison. Cut off from Mobile and the hope of reinforcements, the British agreed. Natchez fell without a shot.

Improbably, Gálvez was 3-0. What’s more, one of King Carlos’ stated goals — scrubbing the British from the lower Mississippi — had been accomplished.

Victorious, Gálvez led his men back to New Orleans, as he wrote, “for lack of anything else to conquer.”

Except, there was, of course.

Gálvez had lost the element of surprise with his lightning campaign against the British outposts at Manchac, Baton Rouge and Natchez, but he had gained valuable momentum — and he was determined to use it.

Back in New Orleans, he immediately set about planning his assault on Mobile and Pensacola. They were much more heavily defended, but they were the keys to unseating the British from West Florida, which then stretched across the Gulf Coasts of present-day Mississippi and Alabama, through the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain and all the way to the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge.

Although he was fighting the British, Gálvez also found himself fighting the old guard in the Spanish Navy back in Havana who dismissed the young Gálvez as an ambitious young aristocrat elevated by family connections. (His uncle, José de Gálvez, was the Spanish minister of the Indies, making him one of the most powerful men in Spain not named King Carlos.)

When they could, the Navy command’s default was to refuse his requests for reinforcements. When they couldn’t — that is, when his uncle intervened — they slow-walked any aid.

Eager to finish what he started, and with the threat of an attack on New Orleans extinguished, Gálvez set sail for Mobile a month later, on Jan. 14, 1780.

That’s when Mother Nature reared her head again, hammering Gálvez’s modest flotilla with a weeklong tempest. When the weather cleared, overzealous pursuit of an armed British merchant frigate near Mobile Bay resulted in most of Gálvez’ ships running aground. Two would remain so, with the crews stranded, exposed and unsupplied, on a stretch of deserted beach.

Luckily, reinforcements from Havana arrived before the British could do anything about it; the push to Mobile was on.

Unsurprisingly, the British commander of Mobile’s Fort Charlotte refused to surrender. So, on March 2, Gálvez decided to starve them out. Ten days later, after learning British reinforcements were en route, he opted to hurry things along with a bombardment of the fort.

After two days of cannon fire, the British again cried uncle. Gálvez could add Mobile to his list of conquests.

By booting the redcoats from Baton Rouge and Mobile, Gálvez had dealt a blow to Britain’s colonial plans while also significantly diluting their capabilities to fight the American revolutionaries. But they still had a major foothold at Pensacola’s Fort George.

Before he could regroup and move on it, however, Mother Nature intervened once more.

Even today, the Great Hurricane of 1780 remains the deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record, having claimed some 20,000 lives as it shredded the Caribbean before curling into the Gulf — and smack into a flotilla of Spanish reinforcements heading to help Gálvez’ cause. Among the dead were 2,000 of the men aboard those 64 Spanish vessels. Those ships that remained afloat were scattered hopelessly, ending the effort to take Pensacola before it started.

Although many today don’t know Gálvez’s name, they certainly did then. From New Orleans to Washington to Havana and Madrid, he was hailed a hero.

Undeterred, Gálvez packed for Cuba to lobby — even beg — for more reinforcements. After much cajoling, the reluctant naval command begrudgingly granted him five warships and 27 transports carrying more than 1,500 additional souls.

On Feb. 28, 1781, Gálvez led them out of Havana Bay and set a course for Pensacola. There, he ordered his men to prepare to lay siege to Fort George and the 1,800 to 1,900 men stationed there. Over the next 51 days of fighting, he would endure a musket wound to one of his fingers, as well as a bout of malaria — and another damn hurricane. But the British would endure more.

On May 8, after nearly two months of cannon fire, interrupted occasionally for a series of tit-for-tat skirmishes, the decisive blow came: Spanish artillery set off a massive explosion in a part of the outer fortifications known as the Queen’s Redoubt. Gálvez’s men swooped in, took it and positioned their howitzers to rain hellfire directly onto Fort George.

Six hours later, a white flag was hoisted. Against all odds, the redcoats had been ousted from the Gulf Coast. Two months later, the weakened British Army surrendered at Yorktown, effectively ending hostilities in the Revolutionary War.

New Orleans poet Juilien Poydras wrote a poem about him. King Carlos granted him titles and medals. George Washington is said to have invited Gálvez to march in a Philadelphia victory parade on July 4, 1783.

Gálvez’s name would be enshrined in any number of place names: Gálvez Street. Galveston. St. Bernard Parish. East and West Feliciana parishes were named for his wife.

It took a couple hundred years, but in 2014, Congress bestowed that honorary U.S. citizenship upon him, noting that he “played an integral role in the Revolutionary War and helped secure the independence of the United States.”

In New Orleans, an equestrian statue of Gálvez — a gift of Spain to New Orleans — today nobly guards the foot of Canal Street, just outside the former World Trade Center building.

If there’s any justice in the world, it will be draped in no shortage of red, white and blue bunting this July 4th.

Additional reading: “Bernardo de Gálvez: Spanish Hero of the American Revolution,” by Quintero Saravia (2018); “History of Louisiana,” by Charles Gayarré (1867); “An Underappreciated Victory: Bernardo de Gálvez’s Mississippi River Campaign Against the British in 1779,” by Stephen L Kling Jr. and Kristine L. Sjostrom (2026).

OAK STREET EDITION

Check

List take a photo....

Alongside both Oak Street Historic District Markers

Sipping coffee, kava or a cocktail

Under the famous Whitney Bank clock

___ Enjoying an Oak Street shop’s sweet treat

___ With an Oak Street artist (tattoo, painting, dancing)

___ Eating a classic New Orleans dish

In a class or workshop (yoga, dance, pottery, art)

Getting your hair cut or styled

With a lady’s dress or hat

___ With vintage items or antiques

With a unique piece of artwork (painting, pottery, jewelry)

In front of a wellness provider: chiropractor, acupuncture, pharmacy

Shopping at one of the specialty boutiques for gifts, clothing, furniture, hardware, etc.

___ Next to a colossal bunny figurehead (hint: in a showroom)

___ Listening to music or other street sounds

___ Next to the iconic Jacques-Imo’s truck

___ With a Haase at the third generation Haase Shoe Store

___ With a fun costume

Celebrate our city with a hometown scavenger hunt on Oak Street!

Oak Street has mapped out fun experiences, sites, bites, and drinks to cool you down this July. Grab your camera phone and head down to Oak Street!

The Rules

1. Complete at least 5 tasks from July 1 to 31.

2. Snap a photo & submit it on New Orleans Magazine’s public website gallery. See below for the QR code to submit your photos.

3. Participants who complete 5 or more tasks will be entered to win a Grand Prize!

4. One lucky participant will also be chosen to have their photo featured in the September issue of New Orleans Magazine

Grand Prize Package

One lucky winner will take home our Grand Prize Package!

One FREE night stay at The Whitney on Carrollton Hotel

Jacques-Imo’s Café dinner for two Southern Rhoades $100 “Treat Yourself” Basket with a mix of plants and apothecary goods

Oak St. Brewery $100 gift card

Breads On Oak lunch for two Eclectic Home gift

Plus, More Chances to Win

Four additional winners will each receive a unique Oak Street prize package.

Prize Package #1

Paulie’s $100 gift card

Old Alker Distillery Private Distiller’s tour and tasting for up to 8 people

Prize Package #2

Silhouette Women’s Boutique $25 gift card

Monique Munoz Creative Hair, $200 gift certificate for color and cut service

Prize Package #3

Donovan Ceramics summer weekend workshop spot

Z’otz Café $25 gift card

Vino Wine & Spirits wine tasting for two

Prize Package #4

Aguasanta private group cooking class

Oak & Ale summer wine and beer basket

Z’otz Café $25 gift card

Celebrating the Slugburger

A Southern favorite

Southerners know how to stretch a meal. While in Louisiana we may use rice to make a meal go farther and in Corinth, Mississippi they add potato flakes and flour to their ground meat to form the unique “slugburger.” The name may not sound appetizing, or win a place on “Master Chef,” but these burgers have become a sensation in the northeast Mississippi town. It all began in 1917 when Corinthian John Weeks sold these flour and potato-enhanced burgers from a cart for only a nickel. The five-cent piece was considered a “slug” back then and the name took hold.

This month, the small town known for its Civil War history

celebrates its flour and potato burger with the annual Slugburger Festival.

Get Festive

The annual Slugburger Festival takes place July 9-11 in Corinth and includes live music, a carnival, Magnolia Car Club’s Cruise-In Car Show, Miss Slugburger Pageant and Slug-Idol, a singing competition featuring local talent. Naturally, slugburgers will be served from various vendors; Corinth sells about 4,000 slugburgers during festival weekend, impressive considering the city only has a population of 14,500 people. Trip Advisor named the festival as one of America’s “Wackiest Summer Events.”

Dine

Enjoy a slugburger at the festival or choose one from popular spots like the Slugburger Café, White Trolley Cafe and Borroum’s Drug Store, the oldest drugstore in Mississippi. These dining establishments sell them year-round so don’t worry if you visit during non-festival weeks. Today’s slugburger ingredients may include pork or beef for the patty with added soy, potato flakes and flour that’s deep-fried and topped with mustard, dill pickles and onions on a small bun.

Stay

Corinth offers several fascinating accommodations in addition to chain motels located just outside of town on the major highways. Sleep inside a former church in the elegant Sanctuary, visit Civil War history at the Generals’ Quarters Boutique Hotel or enjoy group accommodations at the Carriage House that sleeps eight and includes a gourmet kitchen. For something truly unique and circular, owners converted a silo

into accommodations known as The Farmhouse.

Civil War History

Corinth served as a major railroad crossroads since before the Civil War, but became a vital transportation hub for the Confederates and a target for the Union Army. Learn about the battles fought here at the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center and visit the crossroads and depot in town. Don’t miss the unique Corinth Contraband Camp which housed formerly enslaved people during the Union occupation and travel over to nearby Tennessee to view Shiloh National Military Park, where a decisive battle happened in April 1862 with New Orleans Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard.

Don’t Miss

One of the town’s best attractions (and it’s free!) is the downtown Corinth Coca-Cola Museum, created by the family that has owned the Corinth bottling works for more than 100 years. Inside visitors will find hundreds of Coke memorabilia and as well as an old soda fountain that serves up ice cold Coca-Cola. The museum hosts a popular Corinth Coca-Cola Classic 10k Run every spring, the largest consecutively run 10k foot race in Mississippi. Running Times magazine called the Coca-Cola Classic “One of the Great 100 Short Races.”

Walking the Tightrope

Fantastic French Quarter inspiration

For Tasche de la Rocha, whose personal brand of swinging soul and psychedelic doo wop has been a staple in New Orleans for 15 years, it was the city itself that triggered her artistic coming of age. Born to a family of circus performers in Oregon, more vaudeville than P.T. Barnum, de la Rocha’s first experience with New Orleans was as a volunteer in the aftermath of Katrina. Walking the streets of the French Quarter, it wasn’t music that transfixed her but the city, beckoning that she might one day return. At the time, music was not a source of expression for De la Rocha; in fact, nothing was. As the only member of her eclectic and talented family without an act, De la Rocha’s attempts at several circus adjacent skills, including ladder dancing and trapeze, were short-lived, leaving her to consider that perhaps the art in her heart might never be fully expressed.

“It was a bummer,” said De la Rocha. “I kept thinking, I don’t know what the heck I’m doing here. Then music fell on me unexpectedly. There was this family friend who was also a member of the circus I grew up in, who wrote an album just before she passed away. There was a song called ‘Moon Lullaby’

that I kept singing over and over. Finally recorded myself on a crusty tape recorder, just to kill time. Then I listened back and actually liked how I sounded.”

Bolstered by the iridescent assurance of a new artist finding her footing, De la Rocha returned to the French Quarter and dedicated herself to the chaotic life of a street busker. Her tutelage in how to be a performer was swift and merciless as she honed her trade for an endless stream of strangers and tourists. Through this laborious process, she was able to not only discover her own style but tap into the rhythm inherent to New Orleans, a foundational stepping stone toward becoming the performer she aspired to.

“I started by offering Jello shots and playing music, thinking that maybe if the audience didn’t want one, they’d want the other,” De la Rocha said. “Back then, I was singing ‘sad girl blues’ and didn’t believe in my music very much. It was the other buskers who helped me understand what people wanted: a beat and an excuse to celebrate sadness. They’d stomp their feet in the street, showing me the rhythm, and that’s how I first learned to find the groove.”

De la Rocha’s inherent “Portland” sound transfigured itself on those French Quarter

streets into something as soulful as it is mournful and as ecstatic as it is explosive, a big band battle cry. Her debut album from 2022, “Tasche and the Psychedelic Roses,” gives life to the inherent madness of a post-pandemic world, a collective insanity we have yet to awake from. As a screed against a modern world mid-collapse with a throwback flair, De la Rocha, alongside her bandmates and background singers known affectionately as “The Angels” cackle, swoon, and ride the waves of dynamic surf rock, wailing with an echoey transcendence that feels somehow both transgressive and comforting. Today, De la Rocha is as sure of her artistry as ever and means to translate that purpose toward more eclectic and dynamic projects in the

very near future. While she can be found performing around New Orleans and is priming a new album for a 2027 release, De la Rocha is also composing the soundtrack for a theoretical film about Harpo Marx. That the opening track for this album, telling the story of space-bound Harpo in the throes of mad love, came to her in the twilight zone between sleep and waking is only appropriate. That crosssection of tranquil dreams and waking nightmares, both real and imagined, is where Tasche de la Rocha feels most at home, spinning a primal phantasmagoria that beats with the sound of sadness, rage, and grace; a siren song of New Orleans beckoning us all back home where we belong.

Must-see performances this month

July 5

Kevin Gates, 8 p.m. at The Fillmore, thefillmorenola. com.

July 9

Hatebreed + Devourment + Snuffed on Sight + Balmora + Face Yourself, 6 p.m. at Tipitina’s, tipitinas.com.

July 23

Tomahawk, 7 p.m. at the House of Blues, neworleans. houseofblues. com.

July 25

Lord Huron, 8 p.m. at the Saenger Theatre, saengernola.com.

Basque in the Glory

Dolfy’s on Freret Street

Here’s a New Orleans culinary conundrum: In a city with such rich and important Spanish history, architecture and art, why aren’t there more Spanish restaurants? We have a bounty of riches when it comes to French, Creole, Vietnamese, Italian and Japanese eateries, and one of our most lauded fine dining spots is Senegalese. So why are we not swimming in the delights of the Iberian peninsula? That’s a question Chef Adolfo Garcia Jr. sought to answer with the opening of Dolfy’s on Freret Street, which celebrates traditional

Basque cuisine. “It just kind of blows me away how little Spanish representation you see in food here,” he said. “You go to the French Quarter, and it’s all Spanish architecture. New Orleans deserves a top-tier Spanish restaurant, and I want to give Spanish cuisine the amount of respect that French restaurants and Creole restaurants get in the city. I just knew it was time we had a Spanish restaurant that we can be proud of.”

If Garcia’s name sounds familiar, it’s likely because you might recognize his father, Chef Adolfo Garcia Sr., who helmed the beloved local restaurant Rio Mar. However,

it’s clear that the younger Garcia isn’t just following in the family footsteps, but coming into his own as a professional with his own sense of style, creativity and technique. His first spot, Chi Chi’s Chicken and Beer, opened further down Freret in 2024 and has been delighting local diners with its savory takes on Korean fried chicken. Its kitchen continues to deliver one of the best chicken sandwiches in the city. But Garcia Jr.’s true goal, after moving back to New Orleans following his culinary training and years working in kitchens as far afield as Paris, New York and Panama, was to open an eatery celebrating the kind of food and dining experience found in the Basque region of Spain. Then, after Ancora sadly closed up shop and its space became available, the young chef knew it was the ideal location for Dolfy’s. “It was the perfect space, with the wood fired oven here,” he said. “I didn’t think I was going to have a Stefano Ferrara oven from Naples, which is one of the best ovens in the world. So I knew I had to center the restaurant around that oven.”

For those uninitiated to the joys of Basque food, you’ll find that there are some distinct differences from more familiar southern Spanish fare. Don’t expect a wagon wheel-sized bowl of paella. Instead, Dolphy’s offers pintxos, numerous small dishes intended for snaking and sharing, preferably over

a cool cocktail or a juicy Rioja. “Not to say that I would ever never do a paella,” admits Garcia Jr., “but I like to focus more on Basque cuisine. We make a dish called Arroz Meloso, which is eaten pretty much throughout. Spain, but more in northern Spain. It’s mellow rice, so it’s a little soupy, almost like risotto or like congee, and it’s more of a regional dish that I like to highlight. But here we do it with Louisiana crawfish tails, Gulf shrimp, and mussels. It’s absolutely incredible.”

Should you head over to Dolfy’s, the experience is best enjoyed with a group of friends and a willingness to share numerous plates both small and large. Fortunately, there are plenty of winners on the menu to sample. The smaller pintxos include fried olives with cider mornay, spicy mussels with chorizo and smoked paprika, potato chips with delicately shaved jamon ibérico, and earthy, wood fired button mushrooms with garlic, chorizo and lemon, which is a pure umami bomb. According to the chef, “That’s actually a really famous pintxo from Spain. We went to this one bar that did that specifically, and we were blown away. It’s just such a great snack.” But the real show-stopper of these is the “matrimonio,” which features a marriage of olive oil-marinated Calabrian brown anchovies and boquerones, brightened by pickled ajillo peppers and served atop sourdough toast. If you’re the type of

About the Chef

A New Orleans native, Chef Adolfo Garcia Jr. grew up learning to cook with his father, Adolfo Garcia Sr., spending his formative years as a teen in the kitchen at Rio Mar, where the younger Garcia developed a passion for the culinary arts. After working with local chefs Michael Stoltzflus at Coquette and Aaron Burgau at Patois, Garcia attended culinary school at the CIA in New York. He developed his talents under the tutelage of David Chang at Momofuku Ma Peche. A spot in the kitchen at the Michelin-starred restaurant NoMad came next, and following that, the young chef worked with Chef Jose Carlos in Panama as well at the lauded Paris restaurant Frenchie. Like many New Orleanians before him, Garcia eventually felt the pull to bring his talents and passion back to his hometown. Garcia opened Chi Chi’s Chicken and Beer on Freret in 2024, and earlier this year finally realized his dream spot, the Basque eatery Dolfy’s, just up the street.

gastronome who favors tinned fish, this is definitely a marriage you’ll approve of.

Further down the menu come the slightly larger appetizers, like charred leeks with romesco, a delicate crudo of hamachi spiked with horseradish, and fried calamari with green peppercorn aioli and salsa bizkaina. You’ll also find a simple dish of bread and butter, in this case the lovingly house-baked sourdough that incorporates the very same bread starter Garcia adopted from Ancora, giving Dolfy’s a respectful continuity to the space. Served with a piquant espelette butter, its simple joy is difficult to deny. Another knock-out app, which tends to come and go on the menu, is the luscious oxtail croquettas with horseradish cream, which is rich, crunchy, and thoroughly gratifying. And don’t miss the grilled carrots with sunflower granola, white beans and crumbly goat cheese, an inventive dish so good, it might make you rethink your opinion of carrots.

There are, of course, larger plates at Dolfy’s, though these, too, are meant for sharing. From the dry aging case, you’ll find a bone-in, black angus ribeye with blistered peppers and mushroom conserva, as well as a dry-aged yellowfin tuna

Baru Bistro & Tapas

Baru might not serve traditional Spanish fare from the Iberian peninsula, but “tapas” is right there in the name, and we enjoy snacking and sipping, so it’s always been a fun choice for those dining on Magazine Street.

served with saffron beurre blanc and mojo verde, both of which should pique your attention. However, one conspicuous standout is the massive grilled, acorn-fed ibérico pluma. If you’ve only experienced ibérico pork cured and shaved as jamon, you’ll be more than pleased to experience a larger cut from the shoulder of those same pampered pigs. Served medium rare like a traditional steak, it’s both a crowd pleaser and a jaw-dropper of a dish. “We don’t treat pork here the way we treat our beef, where beef is so prized. And in Spain, obviously, pork is a really big deal. So we’re starting to import pork from Spain and serving it, and I think it’s opened up people’s minds, which makes me really happy to see, and it makes me feel like we’re having some sort of impact,” the chef said.

As for how his vision for Dolfy’s is playing out, Chef Garcia appears both pleased and humble. “We couldn’t be happier,” he said.” We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback from the neighborhood, and we have such a diverse demographic, from young Tulane kids to 30 year olds, professionals, the older Uptown crowd that comes at five o’clock…I’m like, ‘Man, this is so cool.’ I never thought we were going to reach all these people.”

Chef Edgar Caro’s romantic, lively spot is a great place for inventive tapas like patatas bravas with smoked tomato butter, jamon croquettas, or arepas stuffed with orange pork, pickled onions and cotija cheese. And it’s also nice knowing that the rest of the menu ranges from lighter bites to more substantial plates, making it a great choice whether you’re in the mood for cocktails and ceviche, or a more robust dinner featuring a whole fried gulf fish and coconut rice. Either way, get the cornmeal crusted oysters with aioli verde and thank us in the morning.

Costera

When most of us think of Spanish cuisine, we picture massive platters of seafood paella, tasty tapas, delicately shaved jamon, and of course a bottle of Tempranillo to wash it down. And this is exactly what you’ll find at Costera, which serves up Spanish favorites that never fail to satisfy.

The menu boasts everything from steamed mussels with chorizo, fennel and garlic to boquerones on griddled sourdough, and an absolutely killer steak tartare. Make sure to pack an appetite, as Costera is the kind of place we love that never leaves you feeling peckish; the garlic stuffed porchetta, crispy duck pasta and 24oz. boneless ribeye will see promptly to that. And don’t forget the paella, in this case a version for two or more diners ready to tackle a heaping helping of Spanish rice stewed with shrimp, mussels, calamari, clams, crawfish and chorizo. Bring friends, because this kind of dinner deserves to be shared.

BY JYL BENSON | PHOTOS BY SAM HANNA

Take a Dip

Warm weather delight

In the 25 years it has been in business, first under Executive Chef Tenny Flynn and later under Executive Chef Michael Nelson, GW Fins has become legendary for its nose-to-tail approach to fish butchery (no scale goes to waste!) and for dry-aging fish with spectacular results. With belching ovens and roiling hot pots very much out of favor as we have settled into the steaming environs of our New Orleans summer, we turned to Chef Nelson for a versatile recipe that would impress while keeping us out of the kitchen.

Tuna is delicious, but you could do this with trout, too. Hell, you could even make this with 2 ½ pounds of peeled and deveined shrimp

This really works in a million ways – slathered on a toasted bagel; slathered on bread then dressed for a sandwich; piped into celery or endive boats; or heated and blended with pasta or rice (hot or cold) and additional herbs. Just keep it either fully hot or chilled because of the dairy and the fish

This makes a lot, so it is great for entertaining. Feel free to cut the volume in half for everyday use.

Cook With us!

Join us each third Tuesday of the month and cook along with New Orleans Magazine and our featured chef on Instagram.

@neworleansmagazine

GW Fins’ Smoked Tuna Dip

For the Tuna:

2 1/2 pounds thin-cut tuna scraps or steaks

1 cup gluten-free soy sauce

1 cup Worcestershire

Salt and Pepper

For the Dip:

1 red onion, diced small

4 stalks of celery, diced small

2 cups mayonnaise

2 cups Greek yogurt

2 cups cream cheese, cut into small chunks and heated in the microwave for 2 minutes

Zest and juice of 1 lemon plus additional juice to make 3 tablespoons if needed

4 dashes of Crystal hot sauce

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

2 teaspoons coarse, grainy mustard, such as Creole

1 tablespoons salt

1/2 tablespoon pepper

2 cloves of garlic, grated

3/4 cup fresh dill, rough chopped

2 tablespoons paprika

1/4 cups chives

For Serving: saltines, crudites, water crackers, or crostini,

1. Prepare an outdoor smoker

2. Add the tuna to a large bowl with the soy sauce and Worcestershire. Mix well.

3. Season with a light dusting of salt and pepper.

4. Smoke on LOW for 2 hours.

5. Cool, then break the tuna apart with your hands

6. After smoking, break apart with your hands. Set aside

7. Combine the onion, celery, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, hot sauce, Creole seasoning, mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, dill, paprika, and chives, and mix until smooth.

8. Add the reserved smoked tuna and blend thoroughly. Taste and correct seasoning as desired.

9. Serve with desired accompaniments.

BY ELIZABETH PEARCE | PHOTO BY EUGENIA UHL

Artistic Take

Summer poetry in a glass

Brittany Sienkwicz, beverage manager for Ralph’s on the Park, entered the restaurant business at 13 and never left. That broad experience has shaped her leadership style into something her boss calls “The Brittany Effect.” “I’m a staff first manager,” she said. “If I show through my leadership that they can achieve anything... they will in turn give our guests an exceptional experience.” Sienkwicz especially focuses on mentoring and supporting women in the company. She worked closely with Chelsea Bolds, Ralph’s bar lead, on a cocktail menu inspired by the restaurant’s proximity to City Park, with drinks like “The Carousel,” “Singing Oaks” and “Storyland.” “Rimbaud’s Dream #2” is a painting at NOMA, and Sienkwicz explains that the painting’s imagery evokes summer in New Orleans. “It’s dreamy, it’s hazy, it’s something that you don’t wake from until you’ve had enough, and you think ‘I can’t be hot anymore!’” In the midst of a long, hot, dreamy summer, a cool drink always helps.

Rimbaud’s Dream #2

1 ounce lime juice

¼ ounce agave syrup

4 cherry tomatoes

1 1/2 ounces Altos Olmeca Plata Tequila

1 ounce blueberry syrup (see recipe)

A pinch of salt

Garnish: A leaf of Cuban oregano or sprig of regular oregano

Place the lime and agave with the tomatoes in a shaker tin and muddle well. Add the remaining ingredients and ice, then shake vigorously. Double strain over fresh ice and serve in a short glass. Garnish with a leaf of Cuban oregano or regular oregano

Blueberry syrup

1 cup fresh blueberries

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 ounce vodka (optional)

Podcast

Listen to Elizabeth’s podcast “Drink & Learn;” visit elizabeth-pearce.com

Add baking soda to a bowl of water and submerge the berries for one minute to remove impurities. Rinse berries in fresh water and thoroughly dry. Place berries in a Ziplock bag and coat generously with sugar. Seal the bag and gently mash berries with a rolling pin. Open the bag. Remove all air before final seal by placing the bag in a pot of water and slowly submerging to let all the air out of the bag. Do not let water in. Seal bag and set on the counter for six to eight hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer into a glass jar, pressing the berries to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the remains. Syrup keeps in the refrigerator for one week. Adding one ounce of vodka per two cups of syrup will help it last about one month, chilled.

The pinch of salt is a small amount, but Sienkwicz says it is essential to balance the sweetness and sour of the drink. Using a normal strainer followed with a fine mesh strainer removes any remaining tomato pieces and makes a prettier drink.

The blueberry syrup makes a delicious sparkling blueberry lemonade. Brittany also recommends whisking it with maple syrup to pour over pancakes as a decadent treat.

TIPS

Gulf South Travel

Summer is here, and your next travel obsession is just around the corner.

Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort

Summer nights shine brighter at Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort. From the moment you arrive, every detail is designed to make your getaway feel unforgettable, from the sleek elegance of our all-glass, 300-room hotel tower to the excitement waiting just steps away on the casino floor.

As the sun sets on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the night comes alive with thrilling gaming, vibrant energy, and the perfect opportunity to indulge. Try your luck on the casino floor, then treat yourself to an elevated dining experience at Scarlet’s Steaks & Seafood, where exceptional flavors, premium steaks, fresh seafood, and warm hospitality come together for a night worth savoring.

Whether you’re planning a weekend escape, a romantic dinner, or a summer night out filled with excitement, Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort is your premier destination for gaming, dining, and unforgettable moments on the Gulf Coast.

For details and pricing, please call 888-752-9772.

Paradise Beach Homes

Paradise Beach Homes has spent more than 35 years setting the standard for upscale Gulf Coast vacation rentals on Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach, Florida. Their curated collection includes luxury Gulf-front homes, stylish condos, delightful townhomes, and classic beach cottages designed for travelers who value comfort, privacy, and exceptional care.

What sets Paradise Beach Homes apart is their hands-on, personalized service. The team understands that a seamless vacation depends on immediate attention, local expertise, and thoughtful details. From booking to check out, guests receive responsive support that ensures every stay feels effortless and well cared for.

With a loyal base of returning guests and a reputation built on trust, Paradise Beach Homes delivers more than a beautiful place to stay. They create elevated coastal experiences that inspire travelers to return year after year.

Learn more at paradisebeachhomes.com

Jackson CVB

It’s no mistake that they call Jackson, Mississippi, “The City With Soul”.

A nexus point for culture in the Gulf South, where southern charm meets new ideas in the place where music and museums share space with civil rights history, Jackson isn’t aging so much as seasoning; evolving with its population into a city that brings out the best in all those lucky enough to visit her.

Rooted in tradition spanning several decades, Walker’s Drive In has long been a gathering place where time slows, conversation flows, and every meal feels like a special occasion. Under the skilled guidance of their new chef, Joe, Walker’s Drive In honors the enduring spirit of fine dining by serving timeless favorites like classic Redfish Anna and signature prime filet, prepared with heart, precision, and a touch of Southern charm. At Walker’s Drive In, tradition isn’t just remembered; it’s relived.

Learn more about Walker’s Drive In, and all of the many attractions and charms of Jackson, MS, at visitjackson.com/jxnstable.

Canton

Tourism

Just a short drive from New Orleans, Canton invites visitors to slow down, wander a little farther, and discover something unexpected.

Centered around one of the South’s most picturesque courthouse squares, Canton blends small-town charm with a creative spirit all its own.

Browse locally owned boutiques, uncover hidden treasures in antique shops, and explore the thriving arts scene that brightens every corner. Film buffs may recognize Canton as Mississippi’s Movie Capital, having served as the backdrop for numerous productions over the years. The Canton Movie Museums offer the opportunity to fully immerse yourself and visit the actual sets from movies like A Time to Kill and My Dog Skip.

Throughout the year, signature events like the renowned Canton Flea Market and beloved Canton Christmas Festival draw visitors from across the region, but the true magic of Canton is found in the moments between the attractions. A leisurely stroll, a conversation with a local shopkeeper, or an unexpected find on the Square can turn an ordinary day into a memorable adventure.

Visit Canton. Go Off Script.

Learn more at visitcantonms.org •

Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort

BY JOHN R. KEMP

1906 Newcomb

College

In its day, H. Sophie Newcomb College, now the Newcomb Institute-Tulane University, was a major institution of higher learning for women. As to its name, in 1886 Josephine Louise Newcomb donated $100,000 to Tulane University to establish the college and name it for her 15-year-old daughter Sophie who died in 1870. By the time Josephine died in 1901, through her will, she had donated $3.6 million to the college.

Then comes the question, where was the college located? Most people only recall the Newcomb complex on the Tulane campus facing Broadway. But that wasn’t its original home.

When Newcomb opened in 1887, the Tulane Board chose a two-story mansion that once stood on the corner of Camp and what is now Howard Avenue with its backyard facing Lee Circle. The 1906 photograph seen here depicts Newcomb’s second home on Washington Ave.

According to a 1928 history of Newcomb by its first president, Brandt V.B. Dixon, the college quickly outgrew the Camp St. site. In 1890, Dixon lobbied the Tulane Board to purchase the

1854 Robb-Burnside Mansion at 1220 Washington Ave. in the Garden District. The board turned him down. Instead, it bought the property not for Newcomb but for Tulane’s prep high school for boys. Annoyed by the decision, Dixon worked behind-thescenes to persuade Mrs. Newcomb to send the board a letter, requesting the site be used for Newcomb College. She did and included a $25,000 check to pay for renovations. The board capitulated.

Sophie Newcomb College, 1906, Detroit Publishing Co., Library of Congress

Dixon describes the Garden District property:

“It was a large square three acres in extent, covered with a variety of beautiful trees — live oak, laurel, tulip, palm, camphor, and others — beside much shrubbery and flowers.... The place had been attractive to me from the time I first saw it, but possession made it a paradise, especially for the girls…

“The main building, a fine

example of Italian renaissance architecture, had been erected about 40 years before, and handsomely finished and decorated. The heavy mahogany doors still swung smoothly…and the decorations on walls and ceilings were, for the most part, undimmed. The ‘octagonal room’ was a hall of mirrors. Four of these had been so arranged that, by mutual reflection, one might look down a vista, which only ended when the light became too dim to excite the eye. This room was decorated in Pompeian fashion, and rumor had it that artists had been imported from Italy for the work…Another rumor about this building was to the effect that in the Civil War, General Butler, the Federal commander, had selected it as his headquarters, and ordered the owner to move out, but as he happened to be a British subject the order was not effective.”

By 1917 Newcomb and Tulane officials decided Newcomb needed

more up-to-date facilities to keep up with other prestigious colleges for women up East. In early 1918, Newcomb staff and students moved to its new Broadway location.

The Tulane board then sold the Washington Avenue campus to the Baptist Bible Institute, now the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, which remained there until 1953 when it moved to Gentilly Boulevard. When nobody stepped up to buy the complex, the buildings were demolished and the land sold and subdivided into building plots.

According to Tulane geographer Richard Campanella, writing for the Preservation Resource Center, only two remnants remain of “Robb’s mansion and the college that later occupied it: granite steps at 1230 Washington Ave., which were once the main gated entrance to the compound, and the circa-1902 Newcomb Pottery Building at Camp and Conery, now a residence.”

Southern Senior Living

Life is meant to be lived, no matter the age or season. Discover your next chapter of community, tranquility, and contentment with these Southern Senior Living specialists.

Louisiana Blue Expands MyLABlue Access to Medicare Advantage Members

Louisiana Blue has expanded access to MyLABlue, its digital member platform, to include Medicare Advantage members. With MyLABlue, Louisiana Blue commercial and Medicare Advantage members can now easily and securely access their health plan information – anytime, anywhere.

Use the MyLABlue platform to view and use your digital ID card, find in-network healthcare providers or clinics, securely message Customer Service representatives, check the status of certain prior authorization requests – and more! Blue Advantage members can access their Flex Card and Healthy Rewards through MyLABlue. Members also have the option to share health information with a family member, caretaker or authorized delegate through MyLABlue.

Sign up for MyLABlue at lablue.com, with the MyLABlue mobile app or link it through an existing MyChart account.

Visit lablue.com/welcome or call the Customer Service number on the back of your health plan ID card to get started or learn more.

Christwood

For almost thirty years, Christwood, a not-for-profit Life Plan Community, has long championed initiatives that bring the greater community together by adding value and amenities to the Northshore. Through the years, we’ve built a Community Center, a fitness center serving adults 55+ and open to the public, and now offering two indoor pickleball courts and an HD Sports Simulator, established the Atrium Gallery featuring local and regional artists, and periodic concerts open to the community. We are excited now to have our own public radio station, WCWD 89.5FM. In conjunction with the public radio station WWNO in New Orleans, we offer twenty-four hours a day of classical music to our area.

Located in Covington, LA, near shopping and major medical centers, Christwood offers 161 Independent Living residences with a multitude of floor plans to choose from, and all levels of personal care services are provided, if ever needed.

At Christwood, life is fun and purposeful. Our residents know that by leaving the chores to us, they can pursue their passions and explore new opportunities.

Learn more at christwoodrc.com.

Lambeth

House

For more than 25 years, Lambeth House has been a trusted presence in the heart of Uptown New Orleans. Since welcoming its first residents in 1998, it has built a reputation for stability, excellence, and deep community roots.

Lambeth House offers an energizing, wellness-focused lifestyle for adults 62 and older. Residents enjoy an unmatched array of amenities including a state-of-the-art Wellness Center, indoor saltwater pool, an art studio, and a vibrant calendar of activities and social events that foster connection and creativity. Every detail is thoughtfully curated to support a refined and fulfilling lifestyle.

To elevate the legacy even further, Lambeth House introduced its highly anticipated independent living expansion—an elegant new collection of residences featuring spacious, open-concept layouts, sophisticated finishes, and private balconies with views of the Mississippi River and Audubon Park. These homes offer a rare blend of beauty, comfort, and timeless design. Lambeth House also provides onsite support if ever needed.

Step into the next chapter of refined Uptown living.

Discover more at LambethHouse.com

A New Standard of Assisted Living

at The Carrollton

At The Carrollton, Assisted Living and Memory Care are designed to evolve with residents’ needs while honoring independence, dignity, and joy at every stage of life. Our philosophy centers on empowering residents to live fully, with personalized support available when needed.

Families take comfort knowing their loved ones are cared for by a compassionate, highly trained team in an environment that feels welcoming and refined. Residents enjoy chef-prepared dining, beautifully landscaped outdoor spaces, and social gatherings in signature settings like the Ben Franklin Bar & Bistro. An elevated calendar of live entertainment, wellness-focused programs, and curated experiences creates endless opportunities to connect, relax, and feel truly at home.

The Carrollton integrates advanced technology to support individualized care planning, ensuring the highest level of attention and service. Residents choose from spacious studio or one-bedroom apartments and enjoy thoughtfully designed amenity spaces that encourage connection and community.

Throughout the community, curated artwork from The Carrollton Collection highlights local New Orleans artists, celebrating the city’s rich culture and creative spirit.

The Carrollton is more than senior living—it’s a vibrant community where care, comfort, and connection come together. Discover the freedom to live life your way, with the confidence that support is always close by.

Jacob Schoen & Son

The team at Jacob Schoen & Son tries to offer you a home—a comforting and inviting place to gather in remembrance and celebration of lives lived well. Their experienced staff is committed to this vision and passionate about making your time with them as memorable and uplifting as possible. Compassion and consideration for New Orleans area families have been the guiding principles for the Schoen family and its many dedicated employees since 1874. Attentive personal concern and direct Schoen family involvement were a hallmark then and still are today. Bringing decades of experience caring for families of all cultural backgrounds and diverse walks of life, the Jacob Schoen & Son team pledges to treat you and your loved ones just like family, and we guarantee to offer services that meet all of your specifications while exceeding all of your expectations.

To learn more, please visit schoenfh.com. •

Skincare Specialists

A little skincare goes a long way. Just ask these Skincare Specialists who can keep you looking healthy and feeling luminous.

Sean R. Weiss, MD, Facial Plastic Surgery

By focusing exclusively on surgery of the face, head, and neck, Dr. Sean Weiss is one of the select few surgeons in the world who is double board certified as a Facial Plastic Surgeon.

One such procedure that Dr. Weiss recommends, to complement facial rejuvenation surgery, is SkinPen microneedling and Laser Genesis. SkinPen creates controlled microinjuries that trigger the skin’s natural healing response, boosting collagen and elastin production; effectively improving fine lines, wrinkles, texture, pore size, and acne scars. Meanwhile, Laser Genesis, a gentle non-ablative laser, heats the dermis to stimulate collagen remodeling, reduce redness and rosacea, shrink pores, even skin tone, and smooth texture.

This safe combination of procedures suits most skin types and provides noticeable, long-lasting improvement. Every face is different, and Dr. Weiss is ready to help you find your ideal look to last a lifetime. To see before and after photos of Facial plastic surgery performed by Dr Sean Weiss, visit seanweissmd.com.

Katie V Studio

Specializing in permanent makeup services designed to enhance natural beauty softly and effortlessly, Katie Vogtner with Katie V Studio ensures that every service is tailored to the individual with a focus on balance, artistry, and long-lasting results. By combining her artistic experience with a thoughtful, detailoriented approach, clients feel confident and comfortable throughout the process.

Permanent makeup, also known as cosmetic tattooing, allows for pigment to be implanted into the skin to enhance features such as eyebrows, eyeliner, and lips, creating natural-looking results that last for years, with periodic touch-ups. In the Kate V Studio, clients are welcomed into a warm, welcoming environment where beauty and creativity converge, making each appointment feel personal rather than procedural.

Whether clients seek to simplify their daily routine or subtly refine their look, Katie is dedicated to creating elevated results suited to each person.

To learn more, please visit katievstudio.com.

Summer Specials

Whether you’re looking to beat the heat or snag a bite to eat, these Summer Specials are ready to help your summer shine bright.

762 Lakeview Coffee + Cocktails

Mambo’s Restaurant and Rooftop Bar, founded by Morton Bader, is the only rooftop restaurant on Bourbon Street, offering panoramic views, balcony seating, fresh seafood, and savory Cajun Creole cuisine. With space for events up to 500 guests and front-row views of Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve fireworks, it’s a premier destination for dining and celebrations in the heart of New Orleans.

762 Coffee and Cocktails, founded by Raquel Zar, the owner of Lakeview Barbershop, blends the worlds of artisanal coffee and cocktail mixology in a warm, stylish setting. Featuring healthier menu options, gluten-free choices, a welcoming patio, and private event space, 762 offers the perfect atmosphere for everything from casual mornings to lively evenings.

Learn more at mambosnola.com/rooftop-bar/

Ralph’s on the Park

Escape the mid-summer heat and indulge in one of Mid-City’s most anticipated seasonal traditions. Ralph’s on the Park has officially welcomed back its popular summer promotion, offering guests a perfect pairing of culinary sophistication and exceptional value.

From now through September 6, diners can enjoy a curated selection of three gourmet appetizers alongside a perfectly paired glass of wine for just $39. Available exclusively during dinner service, this limited-time menu highlights the finest seasonal ingredients and locally sourced seafood. Delight your palate with innovative dishes like Crawfish & Summer Truffle Radiatori, Roasted Blue Crab Claws in garlic-herb butter, or the refreshing Golden Gazpacho with Louisiana crab. Balanced by classic favorites like their signature Turtle Soup, this interactive dining experience pairs beautifully with views of historic City Park.

Reservations are highly recommended for this quintessential New Orleans summer experience.

PERLIS Clothing

It’s the big annual Summer Sale at all PERLIS stores in Uptown New Orleans, the French Quarter, Mandeville, and Baton Rouge.

You’ll find 20% to 50% off quality clothing for men, ladies, and boys.

With Peter Millar, Johnnie-O, David Donahue, 34 Heritage, Tasc, Vuori, Southern Tide, Mizzen+Main, Joseph Ribkoff, Mestiza, Melissa Nepton, Julie Vos, Hammitt, Paige, and more top brands, PERLIS is a true family clothing store.

“PERLIS is known throughout the region for our vast selection of Spring and Summer clothing options. We invite you to visit our stores and receive excellent service from our team while taking advantage of opportunistic pricing this time of year,” says owner David W. Perlis. “Since my grandfather started the business in 1939, it has been our goal to help customers curate their wardrobe in a friendly environment filled with exciting merchandise.

While seersucker and linen foster Southern style clothing at PERLIS, you will always find something new in our iconic crawfish logo collection of clothing, accessories, and gifts for the entire family. The men’s formal wear rental and sales department is renowned for offering a wide selection of proper dress.

Visit perlis.com to learn more about this long-standing Louisiana brand and to shop online. •

EVENT! NEW SERIES!

Be among the first to get a look at WYES’ newest cooking series

DOOK CHASE: A CHEF’S JOURNEY

Join us for TASTING AND LAUNCH PARTY

Saturday, July 11 at 11am

WYES-TV, 916 Navarre Avenue, New Orleans

$45 per person Tickets: wyes.org/events

Celebrate the launch with an unforgettable event featuring:

• A highlights video from the 26-part series

• A tasting of dishes featured in the series

• A live cooking demonstration with Chef Dook

• Behind-the-scenes stories from chef and producer/director Terri Landry

• A special conversation about the companion cookbook and favorite moments from the production

Don’t miss this delicious first look at a series that celebrates food, culture and culinary storytelling.

DOOK CHASE: A CHEF’S JOURNEY, a new national cooking series from WYES-TV, follows Chef Edgar “Dook” Chase IV as he explores the people, places, traditions and flavors that make New Orleans one of the greatest food cities in the world. Then, back in the WYES kitchen, Chef Dook brings those experiences to life as he prepares his own take on iconic New Orleans dishes.

The 26-part series premieres on WYES-TV on Saturday, July 18 at 10 a.m., with an encore airing Sundays at 11 a.m.

Viewers throughout the WYES broadcast area can also stream the series on wyes.org, pbs.org and the PBS App. In addition to airing in the Greater New Orleans region and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the series will be broadcast on public television stations nationwide through distribution by American Public Television.

Some of the destinations and friends Chef Dook meets along the way in DOOK CHASE: A CHEF’S JOURNEY include Arthur Brocato of Angelo Brocato’s, Chef E. J. Lagasse of Emeril’s, Chef Justin Kennedy of Parkway Bakery and Tavern, Chef Serigne Mbaye of Dakar NOLA, Chef Arvinder Vilkhu of Saffron NOLA, CEO Kheri Billy and Chef Martha Wiggins of Café Reconcile among others.

Reservations on sale now. View wine pairing menus and book at wyes. org/events. All dinners include tax and gratuity and begin at 6:30pm.

Friday, July 10

Wednesday, July 15

Thank you to our sponsors:

Holland and Belgium

Springtime River Cruise

March 30 – April 7, 2027

9 Days • 20 Meals

Starting at $5,699: Round Trip Air from New Orleans and Hotel Transfers

Tuesday, November 17

By participating

To explore upcoming WYES events and to purchase tickets, visit wyes.org/events.

Tall Tales

Sorting the Stories

Dear Peoria,

Often, I have found, trying to explain New Orleans is akin to trying to explain the wind or labor pains to someone who has never felt such things. Words probably exist to convey the general feeling, but you won’t ever really get it right. A soul must experience some things in order to truly grasp them.

In the case of New Orleans, that dynamic is generally summed up by the word “mystique,” and it is rooted in the fact that history and folklore so generously overlap here that they can be nearly impossible to separate.

The tale I am about to relate might seem to fall in that category. Yet, fantastical though it is, I assure you it is absolutely, 100% true.

Most of it. Probably.

I was reminded of it recently when confronted with the movie trailer for the Louisiana-set film “Hungry,” freshly arrived in theaters. One could be forgiven for assuming a film with such a title might focus on our South Louisiana culinary scene — or perhaps termites (or nutria or mosquitoes). One, however, would be mistaken.

No, “Hungry” — which was shot largely in Malta, outside of a few scene-setting exteriors in the French Quarter — follows a group of Louisiana swamp tourists who find themselves on the run … from a hippopotamus.

A hungry, hungry hippopotamus.

Now, one need not be a hippopotomologist to detect a few immediate red flags in that scenario. Prime among them: Hippos do not inhabit Louisiana swamps.

But once upon a time, they very nearly did, thanks to the efforts of a larger-than-life, frontier-trained scout/ adventurer named Frederick Russell Burnham, with a legislative assist from U.S. Congressman Robert F. Broussard, a well-practiced gladhander and back-slapper from New Iberia known to all as “Cousin Bob.”

It was Burnham who got things started, attaching himself to an early 20th century scheme to import African hippopotamuses and loose them in the bayous of South Louisiana. It got a boost when Broussard filed a 1910 bill in the 61st Congress to study and fund Burnham’s hippo proposal.

“The American hippo bill,” as it became known,

would bring two distinct benefits, according Burnham, who argued in favor of it during an actual Capitol Hill hearing.

First and foremost for Louisianians, he posited, the imported hippos’ considerable appetites would be a once-and-for-all answer to the blankets of invasive water hyacinth clogging local waterways. Those plants, allegedly introduced as a souvenir from the Japanese pavilion at New Orleans’ 1884 World Cotton Expo, were then, as now, spreading unchecked like so much maritime kudzu

(One would be justified in questioning the old-lady-who-swallowed-a-fly wisdom of introducing an invasive species to dispose of a previously arrived invasive species. One might also remark on wild hippos’ documented aggressiveness toward humans. As Broussard did not dwell on them, we will leave those points for a future correspondence.)

The plan’s second and more crucial benefit, at least from a national perspective, was as a solution to the country’s “meat question,” a then-much-discussed concern that America had so recklessly depleted its natural resources, including meat sources (think: bison), that the survival of its growing population was very much dependent upon finding alternate meat sources.

“We need more critters in this country,” Broussard eloquently declared in The Daily Picayune of April 10, 1910. “Just plain critters.”

With support from the likes of Theodore Roosevelt, himself a fan of both big ideas

and big game, Broussard’s critter bill built improbable momentum. A New York Times editorial hailed it, going so far as to dub hippos “lake cow bacon,” according to a 2013 recounting in The Atavist magazine.

“Toughness is only skin deep,” another scribe mused.

To their credit, New Orleans newspapers of the day were more skeptical, even given the adventurousness of the local palate.

“This double-barreled scheme deserves to have originated in the mind of Poe, Mark Twain or Frank Stockton!” the Picayune wrote in May 1910.

In the end, Congress was unconvinced; it took no action on Broussard’s hippo bill. He hoped to marshal enough support to reintroduce it at some point, but that never happened. Broussard later became a senator and died in office in 1918. His hippotamic dreams died with him.

So hippos, thankfully, exist today not in our swamps or our kitchens, but only in our legislative record, in select theaters — and in those shadowier corners of New Orleans in which history and folklore dance together.

Insincerely yours, New Orleans

Ask Mike Have a question or a thought to share about New Orleans etiquette or tradition? I’d love to hear it. Email it to mike@ myneworleans.com