New Orleans Magazine October 2026 by Renaissance Publishing

60TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

TATTOOS

FALL FESTIVALS

HALLOWEEN FUN

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NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2026

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Contents

OCTOBER 2026 | VOLUME 61 | NUMBER 1

Features

Standards

From the Editor

MyNewOrleans.com

Book Club

Marquee

Bar Tab

The Dish

Style

Persona

Modine

Home Inspiration

Growing Pains

Travel

The Beat

Table Talk

Nosh

Cheers

Vintage

Insincerely Yours

Inked

New Orleans tattoo artists JEREMY MARSHALL

Something Wicked(ly) Good Halloween fun ASHLEY MCLELLAN

Local Color

2026 Fall Festivals FRITZ ESKER

Still Going Strong

Six Decades of New Orleans Magazine

New Orleans Magazine Celebrates

More Ways to Connect Best Reads, Events and More Top Things to Do Best Bars, Drinks and More News from NOLA Kitchens Dolly by Design Nick Black Cat and Mouse Game An American in Paris The City that Got Away Blue Ridge Beauty For the Record Modern Italian Fall Flavor A New Beat 1920

Oh, La La!

New Orleans Magazine, (ISSN 0897 8174) is published monthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC., 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380. Subscription rate: one year $24; no foreign subscriptions. An associate subscription to New Orleans Magazine is available by a contribution to WYES-TV/Channel 12. Periodicals postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New Orleans Magazine, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright © 2026 New Orleans Magazine, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark New Orleans and New Orleans Magazine are registered. New Orleans Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos, and artwork even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in New Orleans Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the magazine managers or owners. Official digital reprint and framed content is only available from Renaissance Publishing, LLC by calling (504) 828-1380. myneworleans.com/frames 4 | OCTOBER 2026 | MYNEWORLEANS.COM

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FROM THE EDITOR

Associate Publisher Kate Henry Editorial

Editor Ashley McLellan Creative Director Tiffani Reding Amedeo Digital Media Editor Kelly Massicot

ew Orleans Magazine is turning 60! And we are in good company. Jazz artist “Lady Louis” D oreen Ketchens, New Orleans native and actress Katherine LaNasa (star of TV’s “The Pitt”), former Gov. John Bel Edwards, the New Orleans Saints and the Historic New Orleans Collection all celebrate 60 years in 2026, as well. Throughout the history of the magazine, from its origin story in a tiny dining room in Antoine’s to its transition and rebirth to Renaissance Publishing in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, through the dark days of the pandemic to now, we have seen countless writers, artists, familiar faces, politicians, supporters (and sometimes scoundrels,) like the ones mentioned above, come and go as we covered the city. Each time an issue to goes to press, after weeks of planning and work, I feel so fortunate to be a part of the New Orleans Magazine team of writers, photographers, illustrators, our creative director (my super-talented right-hand woman), publisher and the entire staff that help make it happen each month. Growing up, I always wanted to be in publishing. I read everything from Nancy Drew to the Brontë sisters growing up. Each weekend we would gather as a family and read the Sunday newspaper while listening to my dad’s favorite Linda Ronstadt record. Magazines took everything I love — good writing, art, design and people — to the next level, all wrapped up in glossy pages each month. I would marvel at newsstands, trying to

Send us a line! Have something you want to share with us? Email ashley@myneworleans.com.

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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

pick the next issue I would read cover to cover, or feel that special excitement that came with the latest issue being delivered in the mail. This is where readers (like little me) come in. We owe our readers, subscribers and supporters a big “thank you” and “cheers” on our birthday. The lasting legacy of publications like New Orleans Magazine — small local magazines that tell the stories of a place, a home and community — is why supporting real people, real writers, real photographers and illustrators is so important right now. No one else can truly the tell the stories — your stories — from a unique hometown point of view. This issue is no different from the past. We’ve got everything you need for a great October, from the best fests, how to Halloween, a look at the artistry of tattoos, plus restaurant news, recipes, style guides and some great hometown writing. So, thank you for reading! We hope to keep bringing you the flavor, the personalities, the community spirit of New Orleans for another 60 years. Happy birthday to us…and to you.

Jeremy Marshall Marketing

Marketing Manager Haley Nash

Renaissance Publishing Production

Manager Rosa Balaguer Arostegui Senior Designer Ashley Bravata Administration

O!ce Manager Emily Ruiz Chief Executive O!cer Todd Matherne

New Orleans Magazine

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Canal Street Scavenger Hunt The Great New Orleans Scavenger Hunt, Canal Street Edition, begins October 1st. Get ready to grab your camera phone and start exploring Canal Street this October! myneworleans.com/scavenger-hunt/

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Playlist - From Grammyaward winners to who's playing and where, we highlight local music news and those that help to keep the beat alive in New Orleans.

5@4 - Stay in-the-know with the top 5 stories delivered fresh to your inbox each weekday at 4 p.m. From Carnival happenings, festival season news, New Orleans Magazine highlights and more, you won't miss a thing.

Playbook - Whether you follow college sports, everything Saints-related, Pelican updates or all of the above, we keep you up to date on all the latest top scores, news and more.

Giveaways Broadway Bound Enter to win 2 tickets to the Broadway Production of Disney’s The Lion King at the Saenger Theatre on October 21. myneworleans.com/ sweepstakes

Ballet Performances Enter to win a pair of tickets to two performances by the New Orleans Ballet Association, Pilobolus on October 17 and Alonzo King LINES on November 14. myneworleans.com/ sweepstakes

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Showcase your magazine feature Did you know we offer framed articles and commemorative plaques for purchase in our online shop?myneworleans. com/shop

Saints Tickets Enter to win 2 tickets to the Saints vs. Vikings game on October 11, during which Drew Brees will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor. myneworleans. com/sweepstakes

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Book Club

BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN

Food, Folklore and Fiction

Events

New Orleans fall selections Garden Grows

New Orleanian Timothy Pakron, aka the “Mississippi Vegan” brings together a collection of recipes inspired by his own home garden in the city. Plant-based, simple and classic, Garden Variety has a full menu of more than 125 ideas for seasonal family meals, friendly gatherings and elegant entertaining, with a southern, New Orleans-inspired twist. Highlights include “Crispy Okra and Turmeric Rice,” black-eyed pea hummus and roasted corn with miso chive butter. He also gives tips on growing your garden, harvesting at the right time and using homegrown herbs and veggies to brighten your dishes.

Oct. 3 Blue Cypress Books is hosting the release of author Michelle Awad’s latest collection of poetry, “Sudden Seances,” 7 to 10 p.m. The book gathers poems centered on “women learning to turn their ghosts into power.” In this case, those ghosts can be both real, imagined and spiritual. bluecypressbooks. com Oct. 13 Writer and mythology expert Kayla Hardy discusses her debut novel “Quarter Queen” (see synopsis above) at Baldwin & Company books, 6 to 8 p.m. The conversation “Black Women’s Power Has Always Been Called Dangerous” will cover the novel’s main characters, Marie Laveau and daughter Ree, as well as its historical references and roots. baldwinandcobooks. com Oct. 14 The New Orleans Public Library Milton H. Latter Memorial branch hosts “The Craft of Fear: Generating Scares in Fiction,” 5 to 6:30 p.m. Author Adrian Van Young guides this writing workshop for all levels of adult writers and covers a how-to incorporate scares into your fiction. nolalibrary.org

Love to Eat New Orleanians love to eat. And it’s always about what’s next. We are thinking about (and talking about) what and where we are going to eat dinner while we are enjoying our lunch. Louisiana native and journalist Chelsea Brasted’s new book “New Orleans Food Story” embraces the love of dining in the city. The book is a bright exploration of food, both in and out of the kitchen, across the area, with history, deep dives and conversation around the preservation of classic dishes and innovative, new ways to enjoy the area’s culinary culture. Dive in but be sure to have your dinner plans ready! You will be hungry for more.

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Witches Tale

Black folklore scholar Kayla Hardy sets her debut novel in 1800s New Orleans, exploring the world of the mysterious Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. Told both through the eyes of Laveau and her daughter, Ree, the novel uncovers friends and enemies, opens up a world of mystery, magic and betrayal, and provides a vivid portrayal of life in and around the French Quarter. The book was named a “Most Anticipated Book of 2026” by “Essence” magazine and might be summed up best by writer Sarah Penner (“The Lost Apothecary”) when she described it as, “’Sinners’ meets ‘The Witcher’ in this debut fantasy novel of two witches battling for the soul of New Orleans — an ‘intoxicating’ mix of magic, love, and intrigue.”

Oct. 20 Get your silliest, scariest and craziest outfits ready for a family-friendly meet-andgreet at Octavia Books, 4:30 to 6 p.m. Writers Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, along with illustrator Leuyen Pham, will read and celebrate their book “Princess in Black: Trick-or-Treating Trouble.” Costumes are encouraged! octaviabooks.com Oct. 21 The classic horror novel “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson is the topic of this month’s The Book Easy community book club at Blue Cypress Books, 6:30 p.m. Tickets include a catered dinner and drinks, plus plenty of lively discussion. RSVP in advance. bluecypressbooks.com

Marquee

BY FRITZ ESKER

Tricks, Treats and Fun

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

Top things to do in October

Oct. 10

The Hayley Williams Show Paramore vocalist Hayley Williams comes to Champions Square on her solo tour with special guests Magdalena Bay and Rico Nasty. caesarssuperdome.com

Oct. 10

WWE’s “Money in the Bank” WWE’s biggest superstars meet at the Smoothie King Center to battle for a briefcase with a contract for a championship match. smoothiekingcenter.com

Sept. 25-Oct. 11

“My Fair Lady” The classic musical tale of a Cockney flower girl transformed into an elegant lady comes to the Westwego Performing Arts Theatre. jpas.org

Oct. 1-18

“Laughter on the 23rd Floor” Le Petit Theatre will host performances of Neil Simon’s play inspired by his own experiences working with talents like Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Larry Gelbart on Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows.” lepetittheatre.com

Oct. 2

Double Dealer: George Porter Trio George Porter Trio performs a free show in the Double Dealer, the speakeasy-style cocktail bar in the basement of the Orpheum Theater. orpheumnola.com

Oct. 8-24

“The Curse of the Mummy” The NOLA Project presents a comic take on the classic tale of the Mummy at the Lafitte Greenway. nolaproject.com

Oct. 2

LPO: Tank and the Bangas with Dawn Richard Tank and the Bangas return to the Orpheum Theater for their third collaboration with the LPO. They will be joined by Dawn Richard. orpheumnola. com

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Oct. 8

LPO: Concierto en Tango Cellist Roman Mekinulov will perform Concierto en Tango at the Orpheum Theater with the LPO, along with performances of Falla’s El sombrero de tres picos and Ginastera’s Pampeana No. 3. orpheumnola.com

LPO: Shostakovich No. 5 with Prieto Return Carlos Miguel Prieto returns to the Orpheum Theater to perform Shostakovich No. 5 with the LPO. orpheumnola.com

Oct. 23-31

The Rocky Horror Show Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts in Kenner hosts an adaptation of Richard O’Brien’s cult classic film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” rivertowntheaters. com

Oct. 10

Parcels Parcels brings their discotinged funk and electronic sound to the Saenger Theatre with special guests the booyah! kids. saengernola. com

Oct. 24

Oct. 2-11

Ken Ludwig’s “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” Playwright Ken Ludwig tells the heartwarming tale of his parents’ courtship when they met by letter during World War II, on stage at BB’s Stage Door Canteen in the National World War II Museum. nationalww2museum.org

Oct. 22

Oct. 12

Tom Jones Legendary singer Tom Jones is still dazzling audiences at age 85 and performs for one night only at the Saenger Theatre. saengernola.com

Oct. 21-Nov. 8

Disney’s “The Lion King” The stage adaptation of Disney’s classic 1994 film “The Lion King” returns to the Saenger Theatre. saengernola.com

Cece Winans Cece Winans performs at the Smoothie King Center for one night only on her Come Worship! tour with special guests Charity Gayle, Terrian and Red Worship. smoothiekingcenter. com

Oct. 29-31

NOBT Presents: “Dracula” The New Orleans Ballet Theater comes to the Orpheum Theater with their take on Bram Stoker’s classic tale of vampirism. orpheumnola.com

Oct. 30-31

Widespread Panic Jam band legends Widespread Panic hits the stage at LSU New Orleans Lakefront Arena for a two-night show. arena.uno.edu

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BY ELIZABETH PEARCE

Game On! Now that football season is upon us, many local spots are offering a bounty of tasty fare to fuel your fandom. On home-game Sunday, Saints ticket holders should make a beeline for the Commons Club inside Virgin Hotels New Orleans, before heading to the Dome. There, guests can enjoy a brunch buffet featuring breakfast favorites and bottomless mimosas or pitchers of beer. Local brass band Jeremy Phipps and Friends adds a funky New Orleans sound to the morning. 550 Baronne St., 833-7917700, virginhotels.com/new-orleans Another downtown spot, Charles & Julia at Hotel Perle, offers a swanky rooftop game-watching experience. When the weather is nice, head to the open-air rooftop terrace to catch the game on the big screen. Their cocktail menu includes creative concoctions like the “Peachy Keen, Jelly Bean” featuring Larceny bourbon, peach, pistachio, lemon and thyme and “Sage Advice” with London dry gin, sugar snap pea, sage, lime, Boomsma Cloosterbitter and velvet falernum. A curated wine list and local beers are also on tap. Daily happy hour, 4 to 6 p.m., makes it an easy option for a pregame drink or a post-game wind-down. 757 St. Charles Ave., 504-577-0716, charlesandjulia.com.

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Award of Excellence Uptown gem Gautreau’s has received the 2026 Wine Spectator “Best of Award of Excellence,” a step up from the “Award of Excellence” it previously held. Their collection, exceeding 1,000 bottles and 365 labels, is stored in a dedicated Vinotheque wine room. Co-proprietor William Kearney IV is himself a serious collector. He and Wine Director Ross Barrilleaux describe their wine list as “French in soul and eccentric in character,” with more than 100 white Burgundies, verticals from Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé and Domaine des Comtes Lafon, and both the 2005 and 2007 vintages of Château de Beaucastel ‘Hommage à Jacques Perrin’ Châteauneuf-duPape. R. López de Heredia anchors the Spanish program. The list also includes Emile Beyer in Alsace, which they carry exclusively in New Orleans and they are the first New Orleans restaurant to carry William Hines Wine. A special dinner featuring Château Grangey will be held Oct. 21. 1728 Soniat St., (504) 8997397, gautreausrestaurant.com.

Pop Some Bubbly The Champagne aficionados at Brennan’s are celebrating International Champagne Day, Friday, Oct. 23, in sparkling style. Brennan’s “Master of Sabrage” is offering two lessons (9 a.m. and 12 p.m.) on the art of sabering, the tradition of removing the cork from the bottle with a deft saber blow. Attendees are encouraged to master this new party trick and earn admiration with each artfully removed cork. Following the sabering lessons, guests are welcome to stay and dine on a limited menu available following both classes. 417 Royal St., 504-525-9711, brennansneworleans.com.

WESLEY FAUST PHOTO

SAM HANNA PHOTO

TODD COLEMAN PHOTO

Bar Tab

Oktoberfest on the Bayou This month, Deutsches Haus hosts its annual Oktoberfest along Bayou St. John. The “Bavaria on the Bayou” features authentic German foods, live music and dancing. Visitors willing to test their strength can join the Bavarian sport of Masskrugstemmen, which translates loosely into “lifting a mug of beer.” Each competitor holds the “Masskrug” stein (about 5 lb.) with one arm stretched out and parallel to the floor for as long as possible. Less athletic attendees can (literally) shake their tailfeathers with the ever-popular “Chicken Dance.” Last year more than 30,000 festivalgoers consumed 800 kegs of beer (a number second only to that quaffed at Jazz Fest and French Quarter Fest, ) 600 bottles of wine, and 5,000 shots of Schnapps, which helped to wash down two tons of German sausage and over 10,000 pretzels topped with 35 gallons of mustard. This year, visitors can sample 22 different German beers. Oct. 9-10, 16-17, 23-24. 1700 Moss St., 504-5228014, deutscheshaus.org.

Fall Flavor Locals who want a Southern-flavored Oktoberfest can head to Skeeta Hawk Brewery, where a lagercentric portfolio of beers are perfect for an autumnal festival held when our temperatures remain those of summer. Their signature large mugs not only enhance the beer’s flavor but also allow imbibers to get an Oktoberfest “stein fix.” The brewery has several German inspired brews on tap, including their seasonal Kottbuser, a complex multi grain brew with honey and molasses. Their Shank Bier translates as a “tap beer,” and is a low ABV perfect for sipping for all four quarters of the football games throughout the weekend. Enjoy Saints game watching, Thursday trivia nights and Friday Singer Songwriter showcase. 455 N. Dorgenois St., skeetahawkbrewing.com

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BY MELANIE WARNER SPENCER

SAM HANNA PHOTO

The Dish

Award Winning Food & Wine “Best New Chef” Yoshi Okai, known for building a cult following at Otoko in Austin, makes his New Orleans debut with Kira Omakase inside Kira (601 Tchoupitoulas St.) in the Warehouse District. The six-seat experience unfolds over 20 courses, with seafood from Japanese fish markets alongside Gulf ingredients such as shrimp and okra. Okai adjusts his rice daily, sources fresh wasabi from Japan and cures his fish by feel — adjusting according to fat content and season. Seatings run Thursday through Sunday beginning at 5:30 p.m., with the final seating at 8:30 p.m. The experience is $175 per person. instagram.com/kira__nola

Taste of Italy Former TV news anchor Carla Pesono brings an all-inclusive Italian food and wine event to Fulton Street on Oct. 8. Dishes from more than a dozen local Italian restaurants — including TANA, Pascal’s Manale, Venezia and DiMartino’s — plus desserts from Angelo Brocato and cannoli from Bae’s Bakery. The marquee attraction: a 30-plus-foot, nearly 200-pound antipasti board by Dorignac’s representing all 20 regions of Italy. VIP entry at 6 p.m., general admission at 7 p.m. Benefits the Italian American St. Joseph Society. Tickets at eventbrite.com. instagram.com/tasteofitalynola

SnoWizard’s Second Act The long-vacant SnoWizard sno-ball stand at the corner of Magazine and Constantinople streets is getting new life. According to Nola.com, boutique hospitality developer Jayson Seidman (including the Columns Hotel and Hotel Henrietta) plans to convert the1,500-square-foot property into a café with indoor seating for about 30 and open-air dining on the former parking area. The iconic sno-ball-shaped neon ornamentation stays. The concept aims for upscale but unfussy, with a focus on fresh, local ingredients.

Chi-Chi’s Chicken & Beer

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Game Day Grub It’s tailgating season! Do it in style or fuel up fast before kickoff with a few choice spots to get your pre-game on. At Virgin Hotels New Orleans (550 Baronne St.), Commons Club’s homegame Sunday brunch buffet runs 9 a.m. to noon, with live brass band music by Jeremy Phipps and Friends to get hyped. In the Warehouse District, Charles & Julia at Hotel Perle (757 St. Charles Ave.) is showing the games on its open-air rooftop terrace, with shareable small plates — lobster roll, carbonara crab gnocchi, crispy softshell crab — and daily happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. For a more casual uptown hang, Chi-Chi’s Chicken & Beer (4714 Freret St.) brings Korean chimaek culture to the game-day table: wings in soy garlic or gochujang, kimchi fried rice and group packages for when you are rollin’ with your posse.

Sweet Spots, New Addresses Two frozen treats are staking new claims around town. Stelly’s Frozen Yogurt is set to open this fall on Freret Street — details are still unspooling on their Instagram, so follow along at instagram.com/ stellysfroyo for updates. And Imperial Woodpecker, the New Orleans sno-ball stand founded by native New Orleanian Neesa Peterson, has opened its a new location at City Putt Plaza in City Park (33 Dreyfous Dr.), open Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The limited-edition City Park Bloom Ball — hibiscus, lemon, and ginger — is available while supplies last. City Park vendors are cashless. neworleanscitypark.org

Style

BY ANDY MYER

Reformation’s sequin wildflower Frankie Dress was made for an entrance. With a fitted silhouette, straight neckline, adjustable straps and back slit, it strikes the perfect balance between sophisticated and showstopping. Add heels and a little confidence, and you’re ready for your close-up. Available at Reformation, thereformation.com.

Give your favorite blazer, denim jacket or handbag a little Western wink with Em’s Boutique’s Cowgirl Brooch, adorned with turquoiseand-amber enamel charms featuring a cowboy boot, horseshoe and sheriff’s boot. Small but spirited, it’s the perfect accessory for channeling your inner country queen. Available at Em’s, shop-ems.com.

Bring a bit of country glamour to the Crescent City with FEBE’s Duke embroidered shirt. Rich rust-colored fabric, intricate embroidery, contrast piping and snap buttons give this Westerninspired piece plenty of personality. Pair it with denim or dress it up. Available at FEBE, febeclothing.com.

Dolly by Design

Dolly’s legacy shines through every facet of life, from humor and selflessness to strength and talent. But perhaps her greatest lesson was this: in a rhinestone world, we should all dare to shine like diamonds.

Rich brown cashmere wool gives this structured hat a luxe, timeless appeal. A firm brim, delicate silk tie trim, and embroidered back detail add polish, while a hidden Velcro adjuster provides a comfortable, customized fit. It’s an effortless finishing touch for crisp fall layers. Available at Hemline, shophemline.com.

Aquazzura’s Papillon Sandal is proof that shoes can steal the show. Crafted in shimmering soft-gold metallic leather, the Italian-made design features delicate butterfly details, ankle-wrap straps and a dramatic heel. These are made for fluttering into any room with maximum sparkle. Available at Joseph, josephstores.com.

Angelique’s striking silver clutch by Simitri brings the drama with metallic fringe, a magnetic closure and velvet-lined interior. Compact enough for evening essentials yet bold enough to command attention, it’s the finishing touch your night-out look didn’t know it needed. Available at Angelique, shopangeliqueboutique.com.

MYNEWORLEANS.COM | OCTOBER 2026 | 19

Persona

BY KELLY MASSICOT | PHOTO BY THERESA CASSAGNE

day, the sexton would bury the people, and he sometimes even lived on site, and he would build the tombs. It was like an all-in-one shop, whereas nowadays it’s really not like that. It’s more that we have crews and, and whatnot. But they asked me to be sexton and I was like, sure, yeah. A few years before that, I was restoring a tomb in in an Uptown cemetery and I became friends with the municipal cemeteries grave digger, Mr. Daniel Jackson. He had been the grave digger for 50 years, and we became friends, and I was helping him. He would watch me restore the tombs. We just hit it off. One weekend [he asked] if I didn’t mind lending him a hand with a burial, and I was curious, so I said yes. And then one weekend led to another weekend and he kept asking me. He enjoyed it. He called it his art. I liked how he took pride in it. One day I received a call from the city that said Mr. Jackson had an emergency, and he wasn’t able to return, but he gave them my number if anything ever happened to him. The city expected me to step up, and I couldn’t [say ‘No.’] Since [then] I’ve technically also been the contract grave digger for the City of New Orleans.

Q: What does a typical day for you look like?

Nick Black

NOLA Cemetery Renewal and Cemetery Sexton

ew Orleans is often called one of the most haunted cities in America. The ghostly stories of vampires, magic and spooky mayhem are part of the fabric of the city itself. So, how does one become a professional in the middle of it all? Nick Black unexpectedly found himself at the center of the artistry and preservation of some of the city’s ground-zero (literally) for spooky stories, our famous cemeteries, through his business NOLA Cemetery Renewal, as well as acting as the current sexton of the Cypress Grove and Greenwood Cemeteries. We found out more about his unearthly profession, historic preservation and what working among the dead is really like.

Q: How did you get into the world of preservation and cemeteries? [After] I was in school [at Nicholls State University] for marine 20 | OCTOBER 2026 | MYNEWORLEANS.COM

surveying, me and my dad we were restoring an old wooden sailboat. One weekend we decided we’d go and fix up my great grandparents’ plot in Cypress Grove Cemetery. We went and we’re just working on it together and he made the comment on how there’s a whole lot of work that needs to be done out there. I enjoyed doing the work. I’ve always gone to the cemetery, and I thought, I could do this. Never thinking it would become a full-time job. I honestly thought it would be something I would do on the side just because it felt rewarding. But it turned into a full-time career and it really blew up.

Q: Describe the job of sexton and how you got the job at Greenwood Cemetery? I have my business [NOLA Cemetery Renewal], and then I [also] have where I’m a contractor. About six years ago I was asked by Greenwood Cemetery if I’d like to be sexton. It’s the last cemetery to have actual sexton. Back in the

The majority of my days I get into my office in Cypress Grove around 5 a.m. each morning. That’s the time when I do all my office work and the sexton office work. Around 8 or 9 a.m., I leave to go and start projects in the cemetery. I try to always have one big project going, whether it’s building a tomb or restoring a large tomb. Within the week I’ll always have smaller projects to complete. I’m outside until 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

Q: What does the process of restoring a tomb in New Orleans actually look like? We have individual family tombs, and then what they call ‘society tombs.’ Back in the early 1900’s and late 1800’s, you would be part of a club. Every Italian society had their own, the French society, and then the boil makers or the carriage riders. It was usually [a] profession or religion or something like that, but they had very large tombs. It’ll be like 3 or 4 family-size tombs basically in one. I go, check it out, survey it, give the family or the society a detailed proposal of what needs to be done. Like everything, it comes down to money and how long it’ll take me to do the job. I’ve gotten pretty good where I can look at [a tomb] and I can pretty much tell what I’m going to end up finding when I get down into it, but there are surprises sometimes. When

MYNEWORLEANS.COM | OCTOBER 2026 | 21

you start taking things off you realize like it’s much worse than you possibly thought. Everything was brick back then, so, the bricks are falling apart; the roof’s caving in; sometimes I have to deal with moving the remains.

Q: What are some surprises about you’ve learned through your job? I’ve said this to somebody before, and I say it respectfully, but we are so much dumber now than we were 100, 200 years ago. We have lost all sense of how things operate, how things work. I’d say with cemeteries, local New Orleanians, they really don’t know how tombs work. There’s nothing pretty about somebody dying and being put in a tomb. It’s not a process that’s clean. It’s not a process that’s glamorous. They are strictly functional structures. I think the biggest misconception is somebody who’s put into a tomb, that they’ll rest at peace, but you’re never really fully at rest in New Orleans. If you’re in a tomb, chances are you’re going to be moved. You’re going from the top to the bottom; you’re going to be taken out; you’re going to be transferred. In the ground, you’re in the ground. However, in our graves here, we reuse graves, so you’re being dug up, your remains are being collected and they’re going somewhere else in the grave.

Q: What are some of the biggest threats facing our historic cemeteries? I would honestly say it’s a combination of families moving away, not using their property anymore, and [being] abandoned. The majority of the tombs in most cemeteries are abandoned. I can tell you in Greenwood alone, which is the biggest cemetery, a quarter to almost 50 percent are probably abandoned. We’re also past the 50 percent mark with cremations. Each year it’s getting more and more. At Greenwood we’re at 65 to 70 percent cremations, versus people who are being put in caskets, so I think that it’s less people that are using the 22 | OCTOBER 2026 | MYNEWORLEANS.COM

cemetery because we have less and less burials each year. And that’s every cemetery.

Q: What happens to a tomb when there is no family left to take care of it? It sits there. There is the Louisiana Cemetery Board and state laws. We do have rules and regulations for what we can do with property since it’s all personal property. There’s only so much that the cemetery authority can actually step in and do. So if it becomes public danger, the cemetery can step in and do something, but in terms of fixing up a tomb to basically start using [it] again, to sell [or] to have another family, it’s [a] lengthy process of having to try to find the owners or the descendants. Sometimes it’s difficult because the tomb could be 150 or 180 years old and finding people who are still around is not easy.

Q: What is the best part of your job? Honestly, I would say being able to express myself, creatively. I think a lot of people would think it would be more about the dead and showing respect and honoring them, and it is. But I mean, to be perfectly honest, if I’m not doing something with my hands and I’m not making something, I’m not happy. I like being able to put people’s loved ones away and they feel comforted, that does make me feel good, but what really makes me happy is just being able to work with my hands and do something creative.

Q: What would you say is the most interesting thing to happen to you while you were on the job? I had an eel fall from the sky when I was on top of a tomb and I have no idea where it came from. There was no bird in the air. There was nothing. It was just a bloody eel that dropped from the sky.

MYNEWORLEANS.COM | OCTOBER 2026 | 23

Modine Gunch

ART BY LORI OSIECKI

Cat and Mouse Games A rodent emergency

et me set this scene. I am right in the middle of leading a French Quarter walking tour, which is what I do for a living. And the weather is finally decent, so it’s going good. My sister-in-law Gloriosa, who lives Uptown, is out in Lakeview across speaking at a very important plant-lovers meeting — the Phenomenal Floral Fanciers — which she is hoping to be president of. This is what rich stay-at-home mothers do these days. They raise chickens, play mahjong, and join gardening clubs. Anyway, she asked me to take phone calls from her kids in case there’s an emergency. Well, I am pretty sure their emergencies will be things they don’t want me to know about, like they broke a vase or something, so I say OK. It don’t work out that way. Just as I am leading my group past Lafayette Square, I get

this hysterical phone call from Gloriosa’s 12-year-old daughter, Muses. “Aunt Modine, there’s a MOUSE in this bathroom,” Muses screeches. “And nobody’s home but me and Flambeau!” (Flambeau is too little to care.) And their big brother Rex, who was supposed to be in charge, has went off to play baseball. “Are you standing on top of the toilet?” I ask. “Yes, ma’am!” Muses screams politely. “Jump off it, run out of the bathroom, slam the door, calm down, and call me back.” In two seconds, she calls me back. She is out of the bathroom. “Go get the cat,” I say. “Put him in there. Let him earn his keep.” She hangs up and puts the cat in there, and a few minutes later he comes out, looking satisfied with himself. And the mouse is lying on its back with all four feet in the air. So she calls me to report this

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— my tour group is now in the cathedral gift shop — and I am thinking “problem solved,” when she starts to screech again. “It was FAKING! It’s running around in the bathroom again!” I say, “Find the dog.” I hate to say this, because the dog is a pit bull, and will probably tear the mouse to bloody shreds. But she goes and finds him, and she shoves him in the bathroom, and the pit bull does a dog version of “EEEK! A MOUSE!” and runs out of there. By now, thank God, my tour is about to end. So I tell Muses to put a bowl over the mouse, and I’ll be right over. So I rush off — without even waiting for my tips from the tour group — and when I get there, Muses has slapped one of those transparent microwave covers over this mouse. I can see it sitting in there, probably wondering what’s coming next. Now, I got a healthy respect for mice, ever since one of the men in

the family — I won’t say who — had a mouse run up the inside of one leg and down the other. This anonymous family member got so hysterical, he broke a broom chasing the mouse around the house. He never caught it. So I steady myself. I get a platesized piece of cardboard and slip it under the cover and the mouse, pick it up, and run out the front door. Muses follows me, taking pictures with her phone, to commemorate this event — or maybe to rat out her brother, who was supposed to be babysitting. “I’m just going to dump this mouse in the sewer,” I say. “Nooo!” says Muses. “It’ll drown! Dump it in the grass!” So I do, and it scurries away, and we both scream. A lady walking past on the sidewalk sees it and screams too. But the mouse is gone. Gloriosa owes me big time.

MYNEWORLEANS.COM | OCTOBER 2026 | 25

Home Inspiration

BY AMY MARIE GABRIEL

Add a coquettish sensibility to your walls with “Écriture” wallpaper from Lelièvre Paris, featuring handwriting and artistic motifs inspired by French artist Jean Cocteau’s 1959 artwork. Sourced locally by appointment at Spruce, 504-2650946, spruceshowroom.com.

Paint that conjures up cravings, Behr’s Fresh Croissant is a versatile golden brown that will have you hankering for a café au lait to pair with its presence in your home. behr.com.

Fanciful fringe on an elegant drumshaped light will add romance to any enclave. The combination of threaded silken gold and gray fringe, bound by shimmering antique brass hardware, makes a swoon-worthy statement. Eclectic Home, 8211 Oak St., 504866-6654, eclectichome.net.

An American in Paris

Outfit an al fresco patio brunch spot with a cheerful yellow and white striped Biarritz rattan bistro chair. Crafted to the same standards as those found in the streets of Paris, the weatherresistant stackable chairs make a stylish statement. bonnecaze. com.

Embrace Parisian-inspired style with chic French décor.

The picture-perfect art to place atop a mantle or prop amongst your collection of French literature, the graphite pencil silhouette of Ingenue VI is timelessly chic. Eclectic Home, 8211 Oak St., 504-866-6654, eclectichome.net. Invoking images of Saint-Germain-des-Prés café seating, creates a charming focal point in your breakfast nook with the Sofie Bench. The all-natural rattan frame will patina to a light gray finish over time. sundayshop.co. 26 | OCTOBER 2026 | MYNEWORLEANS.COM

Add a pretty pop of color with a Garden District Napoleon rectangle mirror, shown in red earth. The contrast of the square frame with the classic lotus details on the edges gives this frame a lovely appearance. fleurhome.com.

MYNEWORLEANS.COM | OCTOBER 2026 | 27

Growing Pains

BY EVE CRAWFORD PEYTON | ART BY JANE SANDERS

The City That Got Away

Katrina changed my plans for New York forever – but now my daughter lives there.

he first time I went to New York City, I was 9 and wanted to see all of the things I’d read about in books: Times Square, where Chester the Cricket performed; the Dakota, where Laine Cummings from "The Baby-Sitters Club" lived; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Claudia and Jamie hid out in "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler;" and of course the Upper West Side, which the Hatcher family from "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" called home. But it was 1989, and our host, who lived in Albany, was certain we would get robbed and morally corrupted and murdered if we explored at all, so mostly I think we took the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, ate a hot dog from a street cart, and took a cab around the city. My overall impression was that there was a lot of neon and nothing was safe. When I next visited, it was on my own terms. My best friend from middle school, Kate, got

her first real job in New York in 2002, and I was old enough to drink but young enough to leave my normal life for a month after college graduation, so it seemed like the perfect time to go visit the Big Apple. And this time, I explored. I caught a bus from LaGuardia, transferred to the subway, and dragged my luggage to Midtown Manhattan on public transit – and never stopped doing shit like that. Kate worked all day, and while she was in the office, I wandered everywhere. I did not want to do touristy things. I did not want to take cabs. I did not want to eat in fancy restaurants. I ate rice pudding in Greek diners in Queens and spicy noodles in restaurants with no English on the menu. I

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discovered weird bookstores and quirky coffeeshops and bodegas that sold everything from clove cigarettes to a pink polyester tank top I still own. I took public transit, constantly getting lost – if you can even get lost when you aren’t necessarily trying to go anywhere in particular – and I walked for miles. And at night, after she got off work, Kate and I were … just young in New York City, which is maybe the best feeling in the world. We went to jazz clubs and art galleries and dark bars where we ordered cosmos because it was the "Sex and the City" drink and we didn’t know what else to order. In the morning, I’d wake up without a hangover because I was 21, grab a bagel sandwich without worrying about carbs

because I was 21, and do it all over again with boundless energy because I was 21. I fell in love with the city in a way that felt not unlike falling in love with a person, and I resolved that I would move there as soon as I was done with graduate school in Missouri. I visited several more times over the next few years, never for as long as that magical month, but enough that I felt like I could almost call the city mine (as much as it can be anyone’s). In July 2005, I booked a trip to the city as a 25th birthday celebration for myself – and in between buying the flight and turning 25, Katrina happened and all my plans changed. Even before the floodwaters receded, I knew I was coming home. I finally made it back in January 2008, with my 1-year-old daughter in tow, and I’ve been here ever since with no plans to leave. The plot twist, though, is that now that 1-year-old is 19 and thriving in college in New York, even wearing my old pink tank top as she confidently navigates the subway system with a slice of pizza in one hand and her phone in the other. She fell in love with New York just as hard as I did, but it’s her own version of it: She has her own favorite bodega, her own diner order, her own friends, and her own stories. And I have an excuse to visit New York three times a year. And as much as I loved my time there, I think I love this part even more.

MYNEWORLEANS.COM | OCTOBER 2026 | 29

BY JEREMY MARSHALL / SELECT PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESS KEARNEY

INKED

WORK BY SARITA ARISTIZÁBAL

The

beauty of tattoos can be found in the same thing that scares people about them: their permanence, the commitment to choose a particular piece of art and be its keeper for the rest of your life. Every design is a one-of-one; even if it is based on some pre-existing image or quote, its transfer is singular to this body, this moment. Even the finest line work quivers in its own idiosyncratic way; every color reacts to the unique permutations of the skin itself into a particular hue that can never be fully replicated. Over enough time, even the ink will begin to seep and spread, elongating and reforming into not so much an addition to the body but a part of it, as elemental to the self as the flesh it wears. For these subjects, the willing canvas who are eager for reinvention, every tattoo is one step down a winding path to some intangible ultimate form; a choosing to carve bespoke rivets and shades into a body we did not choose to inhabit but must, reclaiming some piece of ownership of a life we were thrust into. It’s intimate, borderline spiritual, and inherently revolutionary; inked metamorphosis on the dermal level. It’s also just plain cool. But for the artists themselves, the craftspeople who diligently mark and transform person after person, day after day, the work may be a calling; it is most certainly a job.

alaika “Mecca” Burke knows well the value of being embraced by a community of artists, as she has helped foster the Greater New Orleans tattoo and arts scene for over a decade. After several summer volunteer trips that took her from New Jersey to the Lower Ninth Ward in the aftermath of Hurricane Katina, Burke fell in love with the intangibles of New Orleans and decided to stay, with only $80 and a duffel bag to her name. “I always knew that I was going to be an artist,” Burke said. “I didn’t necessarily know that I was going to be a tattoo artist, but it’s the only job I’ve ever held down for more than six months. So God bless it.” A gifted artist as a child, Burke’s assumptions that she would be a quick study with a tattoo gun were soon dashed, but she persisted all

the same. Citing thick skin as a prerequisite to a lasting career in the tattoo trade, Burke still feels as if she should write an apology letter to anyone she tattooed in her first year. Still, through each mistake, and by her own admission, she made every one that she possibly could; she grew not only in her own skill but into her own lush style of watercolor tranquility that looks like paint spilled by a mind of its own. “I would often joke that I started doing watercolor tattoos because I was bad at everything else,” she joked. “Oh, is your line work kind of shaky? Do it on purpose. Go outside the lines. What does it matter? So in my brain, it was like easier to translate that than other things. I make my tattoos look like my paintings, and my paintings like

COMMUNITY + PASSION my tattoo. It’s all just one type of art.” Burke never intended to become the owner of Hell or High Water Tattoo, not to mention its new location on Frenchmen Street in the same building as the famed Electric Ladyland tattoo parlor, but things just turn out that way in New Orleans sometimes. Now part artist, part proprietor, Burke’s work has found herself a central cog in the New Orleans tattoo scene, creating the NOLA Black Tattoo Expo, a de-facto summer camp for black tattoo artists from across the country that she essentially was forced to create after telling the idea to too many people. As a force for change in an industry that is still predominantly white and male, creating spaces for the sharing of art, experience, and good vibes are as much a reflection of Burke’s lasting influence on her chosen city as the tattoos themselves. The tattoo artists of New Orleans, much like any art scene worth its reputation, place a symbiotic importance not

only on caring for themselves but for their neighbors, visitors, and aspiring creatives. From Lucky Dagger Tattoo’s NOLA Cans 4 Food organization, which collects aluminum cans for cash to purchase food for unhoused people in the city, to Burke’s insistence on habitually leasing gallery space for young unrepresented artists of despite the crippling overhead, the tattooers of New Orleans are as intrinsically linked to the city as ink in flesh; spreading outward as a spirit of collective care for all things good and lasting in art. The beauty of tattooing, it seems, can be most acutely found in the commitment demanded of the artists who are truly one-of-one craftspeople. Their work may pay the bills, but for their subjects these artisans are something far beyond the mundane, offering a path past the drudgery of our standard-issue bodies; pigment poets offering an opportunity to touch something that reaches far deeper than the skin into the very stuff of the soul.

t wasn’t until well into his career that Sean Harrington discovered the style that he would come to be known for. As a fine line artist, Harrington’s work is precise and delicate, providing a black-rimmed, etching-type image where the skin itself provides the background,

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A FINE LINE

allowing the artist to build definition with layer after layer that are distinct and clean. Tattooing always felt like the proper medium for Harrington, who broke into the industry at a time when being an “artist” was not a prerequisite to be a tattooer. A Virginia native, he sought out the technical

expertise of tattooing in the traditional, if often gatekept, path of apprenticeship; a method that has become somewhat more democratized nearly three decades later via YouTube and social media, providing an accessibility that couldn’t exist in earlier generations. Paying a couple thousand dollars to a guy he knew for insight and guidance, Harrington’s instincts sparked almost immediately as he speed-ran the traditional timeline of progress and was tattooing customers within a month of his first initiation, a prodigiousness he attributes as much to his innate ability as to a misplaced, if effective, confidence. “It was different back then. There weren’t a lot of people with a really good art background, so it was easier to stand out,” he said. “Many tattoo artists just didn’t draw well. So you could be a decent drawer and stand out. Today, there are so many good tattooers online that it blows me away.” It was only after coming to New Orleans that Harrington, whose first tattoo was a flower on his thigh that he gave himself, found his niche, working in a style other artists seemed uninterested in or downright dismissive of that he sensed an aptitude for. What was once a manner of tattooing relegated to “prison style,” “fine line” tattooing gained prominence around 2020, becoming a look that was more distinct, more feminine, and, ultimately, more accessible to a growing population of curious people who might never have otherwise considered being “a person with a tattoo.” “None of the other tattooers that I worked with wanted to bother with it,” Harrington said. “I loved doing little things and thin lines, so it just took off from there and snowballed. Suddenly I was booked up for like six months doing that type of stuff.” Working from the cozy confines of his own studio on Magazine Street, Sean’s output can be found adorning the bodies of the extravagantly illustrated amongst us, certainly, but also folks who one might never suspect of having tattoos: neurosurgeons, nurses and even pastors. The thinness of the line art is part of the appeal, sometimes with enough subtlety to be almost not noticeable; but so is the simplicity, the cheek of a tiny rebellion whose aesthetic fits any look, style, or life path. “The types of tattoos I do are a way more relaxed,” Harrington said. “It’s not as much of a commitment, not quite as jarring. That’s really the appeal for some people. It’s so thin and light that it won’t mess up your wedding dress.”

SIGNS + SYMBOLS

OCTOBER 2026 MYNEWORLEANS.COM

or Sarita Aristizábal, aesthetics are only one piece of the puzzle. For her, tattoos themselves are less an outward expression than a deeply intimate and internal one, a manifestation of the soul through the secret language of history. A Colombian native who trained as a fashion designer before becoming a tattooer, Aristizábal’s tattoos are not translations of established imagery but hyper-personalized representations of an identity made real. Through the use of symbols that feel ornamental and tribal, Aristizábal sidesteps the pitfalls of appropriation in favor of something that seeps into the pores and exudes a fascination with everything that was, is, and will be. “Being from South America, you learn the traditional styles, but nothing was closely related to my own upbringing,” Aristizábal said. “Growing up, we would hear that our roots were not very well appreciated. I always found that very strange because I really have always loved folklore and symbols. And coming from a design school, part of my references have always gone back to the crafts of ancestral peoples. And so I feel like that has blended into my tattooing view.” Love ultimately brought Aristizábal to New Orleans after meeting and falling for tattoo artist David Noellert. It was there that she established a style at Secret Symbol Tattoo that does not exactly conform to the usual practices of impersonal tattooing. Whereas most tattoo artists create a template, a temporary tattoo that goes on the body first as a tracing element, Aristizábal freedraws her designs directly onto the subject’s skin with markers, forming a direct connection between artist and subject. This process precedes a rigorous process of interview, conversation, research and study between Aristizábal and each subject as they, together, discover what this particular tattoo is meant to represent. Some clients wish to represent their ancestry, prompting Aristizábal to dive into that culture to understand what she can take from what is known and studied. While the reinterpretation of symbols is central to her work, Aristizábal takes special care to stay away from very sacred images from any culture that is not the subject’s own. The goal is the significance of the symbols created and of the process of manifesting them into flesh. Context matters when dealing not only with a living canvas, but a culture as well, when the stakes are meant to last a lifetime. “I love this idea of symbolism because this has been present with humanity throughout our history,” she said. “It’s like a transformation that they’re going through. Throughout all these years, I’ve seen the power of owning yourself, changing your look, and feeling empowered by that. I was lucky enough that tattooing embraced me and allowed me the chance to make not only something useful and beautiful for someone, but something that mattered.”

earing tattoos as a further accentuation of the body, you wish to present is part and parcel of the work that Jacqui Rose offers clients; parlaying a more “traditional” art style for which subtlety could never be attributed. Born in San Diego, Rose found herself wandering from an early age, making port in San Francisco, where she saw the existing tattoo scene as something worth aspiring to join but gave

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up for fear of not being “cool enough.” After a shortlived ambition to join the burgeoning tech bubble was remolded into a humanitarian’s desire to see the world, she found herself in Vietnam, teaching English while learning the finer points of tattooing from a mentor figure, though a language barrier was a hurdle to her education. Little did she know that the tattoos that she brought with her to Vietnam, and later Cambodia, would not only be what set her apart from her peers,

but also be a testament to her intuitive understanding of what great tattooing looks and feels like. “I got tattooed at Spider Murphy’s, which is like a really famous shop in the tattoo world, and I didn’t even like realize how well known it was at the time,” Rose said. “When I went to a shop that I worked at in Cambodia, I remember they had, like, Spider Murphy’s flash on the wall, and I said that I had gotten tattooed there. They were like, ‘Whoa! Like, you got that tattoo of Spider Murphy’s?’ I feel like that gave me some street credit.” As a subset of the traditionalist school of tattooing, Rose prefers to think of her work as “bold” or “classic,” a style she picked up working in Cambodia, where “American Traditional” was a common specialty. Not one to go through any process in the presupposed order, it was there that Rose began painting flash, ready-made designs that customers can choose from; a discipline that often predates any attempt to actually tattoo a person. But it was here, by translating her

preferred style from paper to skin, that she found and synthesized a cross-pollination of styles that felt somehow classic and modern; a best-of-both-worlds approach that she brought with her when settling in New Orleans at Lucky Dagger Tattoo. “Sometimes people have this idea that they like want their tattoo to be unique, and so they’re like, ‘Oh, everybody has a spider web. That means it’s cliché,’ And I’m like, ‘Well, if you want to be unique, you should probably just not get a tattoo because everybody has tattoos,’” Rose said. Beyond her devotion to tradition, Rose is more prominently known for innovation, remixing the gendered

TRADITION + ARTISTRY bias of tattooers long past into something that feels equitable and enriching, allowing a client to feel empowered by their tattoo, more realized and true to themselves. Once, after tattooing a woman’s rear end with a lush spiderweb design, she received several requests to do the same for friends and friends of friends. Soon she realized that there was an opportunity here to do something new, to allow the tattoo itself to be an accentuation agent for femmebodied people; a compliment to curviness. While not an uncommon practice, many back pieces of this ilk effectively flatten the topography of their bodies or even make it disappear entirely. Rose decided to work with the body, casting circular designs that swirl and loop around the hips and buttocks, creating a fuller and more flattering look. Though, as with all commissioned art, the artist is in many ways merely a conduit for the client’s vision for themselves. “What I like about this type of tattoo is that I haven’t seen much like it on the internet,” Rose said. “When the first person asked me, she was like, ‘I wanna make sure that my butt looks really good;’ and I thought that was interesting because sometimes I see butt tattoos and they’re always designed by men. Our job is to make sure that they have an idea of what they want their body to look like when they’re wearing these tattoos. It’s really about how you want your body to look.” MYNEWORLEANS.COM | OCTOBER 2026 | 39

SPIRITS IN THE PARK

SOMETHING

Wicked(ly Good) Tricks and treats for a New Orleans HaLlowEen that is frightfuLly fun by Ashley McLellan

COSTUME COUTURE NOLA Craft Culture

NOLA Craft Culture in Mid-City has built a reputation for being one of the best resources for costuming and craft construction in the city, with an outstanding selection of glitter (and its accompanying adhesives), feathers, makeup and eyelashes, headdress and glittershoe making supplies, classes and much more. Each October the shop transforms a small plot into a dazzling glitter pumpkin patch with an array of fabulous faux squashes, along with Halloween celebrations and costume making items. This year’s “Big Top Circus” theme includes creepy clowns, carnival craziness and lots of fun (Oct. 10-11, 17-18, 12 to 5 p.m.). 127 S. Solomon St., 504-454-8837, nolacraftculture.com. Miss Claudia’s Vintage and Costumes MISS CLAUDIA’S VINTAGE AND COSTUMES; NOLA CRAFT CULTURE; FIFI MAHONEY’S

Miss Claudia may be the newest diva/icon on social media, but her namesake vintage clothing and costume shop on Magazine Street has had New Orleanians covered (literally) in glitz and glam for decades. Dig through racks of new and old items to create the scary, spooky, vampish Halloween look of your nightmares...er…dreams. But beware many items are one-of-a-kind so get in fast (and in person) to see the latest and greatest on offer. 4204 Magazine St., 504-897-6310, @ missclaudiasvintage. Fifi Mahoney’s

Top off your spooky look with a fabulous wig from Fifi Mahoney’s in the French Quarter. Carefully designed coifs range from scary to vampy and can be adorned with sparkly spiders, jack o’ lanterns, skulls and other Halloween-y items. While there pick up some finishing touches like eyelashes, jewelry, makeup and more. 934 Royal St., 504-525-4343, fifisfq.com. Jefferson Variety

From feathers to fabric, glitter, sequins, beads, headdress bases and all-around supply madness (in the best way), Jefferson Variety is the not-so-secret source for costume makers across the city. Stop by, browse, take a number and stock up on the basics for a Halloween look, or plan ahead for Carnival. 239 Iris Ave., Jefferson, 504-834-5222, jeffersonvarietystore.com.

MORE PLACES TO PERFECT YOUR LOOK She Comes in Peace

Costume pieces, accessories, makeup and more. 2025 St. Claude Ave., 504-766-7841, shecomesinpeace.com. Miette

Headdresses, handmade items, jewelry and more creative fun. 2038 Magazine St., 504-522-2883, iheartmiette.com. Broadway Bound

Classic glitz and glamour craft shop with a huge selection of sequins, feathers, fabric and costume making accessories. 2737 Canal St., 504-821-1000. broadwayboundcostumes.com. Funky Monkey

Vintage clothing, wigs, jewelry and accessories to complete your look are on the rack at this Magazine Street costume (and more) stop. 3102 Magazine St., 504-899-5587, funkymonkeynola. com.

PICK A PUMPKIN St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

You know something special is about to happen when you see strings of lights and truckloads of pumpkins arriving at St. Andrew’s on Carrollton Avenue. Choose from a variety of sizes and shapes, a fall-themed maze, kids’ activities, photo ops and more. 1031 S. Carrollton Ave.

ST. MARTIN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH PUMPKIN PATCH

St. Augustine Episcopal Church

St. Augustine Episcopal Church’s “The Great Pumpkin Patch” is festive enough to delight even the ever-vexed Charlie Brown and his autumnal quest for pumpkin magic. Browse rows of pumpkins and gourds, as well as arts and crafts vendors, home-baked goods and more. 3412 Haring Road, Metairie, staugustinesmet.com/ pumpkin-patch.

pumpkin patch all month long, with pumpkins big and small, plus fall backdrops for family and friend photos. 2216 Metairie Road, Metairie.

DOWN THE ROAD

St. Martin’s Episcopal Church

First United Methodist Church

St. Martin’s Episcopal Church on Metairie Road hosts its annual

First United Methodist Church in Slidell hosts its annual pumpkin

patch and 13th annual Olde Towne Pumpkin Festival (Oct. 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with plenty of pumpkins, gourds, face painting, kids’ activities, live music and food. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit Rainbow Child Care Center. 433 Erlanger St., Slidell. rainbowccc.org/ olde-towne-pumpkin-festival Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch

Pick your own pumpkin right off the vine, explore a corn maze, experience a hayride, enjoy fall food and take fun photos at Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch in Hammond. Admission is cash only and includes activities and one pumpkin. thfarms. com/pumpkin-patch

Liuzza Land

Ghosts in the Oaks

Liuzza Land celebrates with its annual fall festival, Oct. 3 through Nov. 21 in Amite with a farmer’s market, pumpkin patch, veggie and flower picking, wagon rides and a corn maze. 56453 Holden Circle, Amite, liuzzalandllc.com.

Things get a little creepy (in a fun way) in City Park’s Carousel Gardens (Oct. 15-18) with the family friendly Ghosts in the Oaks. This year’s theme combines Halloween fun with an “out of this world celebration.” Tickets include trick-or-treating, amusement park rides, live entertainment and more. Costumes are encouraged for even more fun for all. 7 Victory Ave., neworleanscitypark.org/event/ ghosts-in-the-oaks-2/2026-10-15.

Jim’s Pumpkins (aka Jim’s Trees)

Browse rows of pumpkins, hay and fall-related harvest fun in Old Mandeville. Fill up a basket or wagon with your picks and then stop for a fun fall photo. 2123 Florida St., Mandeville, @jimstrees. Banting’s

Banting’s Nursery in Lacome and Bridge City transforms each fall into a pumpkin and autumnal flower wonderland. Shop for gourds, pumpkin packages and more, with fun for all. 3425 River Road, Bridge City; 26300 Highway 190, Lacombe, bantingsnursery.com.

Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo, benefitting Manning Family Childrens and Audubon Zoo, scares up good family fun (Oct. 16-18) under the oaks. The event includes trick-or-treating for kids under 12, a not-so-scary haunted house and zoo animal interactions. Be sure to wear your creepiest, coolest, funniest costume. 6500 Magazine St., audubonnatureinstitute.org/boo.

THE MORTUARY; THE SKELETON HOUSE

Screamfest

FRIGHTFULLY FUN Krewe of Boo!

The Krewe of Boo! rolls down Esplanade Avenue (Oct. 24) and into the French Quarter with some of New Orleans’ favorite marching krewes decked out in spooky costumes, floats featuring frightful sights, bands and plenty of parade fun. Additional events include a “Royal Luncheon,” happy hour, zombie run, VIP packages and more throughout the weekend. kreweofboo.com.

Horror movie fans, grab some popcorn and get ready for big thrills at the 9th annual Screamfest at The Broad Theater (Oct. 16-18). Enjoy indie films, celebrate original writing and screenplays and participate in the audience choice award selection. 636 N. Broad St., screamfestnola. com. The Mortuary

The Mortuary on Canal Street in Mid-City presents this season’s scare, “Through the Looking Glass,” all October long. The haunt features classic stories and fairy tales come to life, from witches to werewolves, ghosts and ghouls. 4800 Canal St., themortuary.net.

Spirits in the Park

The Skeleton House

Spirits in the Park free concert series and family fest haunts Coquille Park in Covington Oct. 30, 31 and Nov. 1. Enjoy all-ages live music, a kids’ zone, food and cocktails for purchase and The Sawmill haunted house experience (a ticketed event) hosted by The Mortuary haunted house in New Orleans. 13505 LA-1085, Covington, spiritsinthepark.com

Enjoy some punny fun on St. Charles Avenue where the Berger family has conjured up an army of costumed skeleton characters on display for decades in their front yard. Stop by and find out who gets skewered this year. 6000 St. Charles Ave. @skeletonhousenola

Jack of ALl Shades

Orange Traditional Halloween jack o’ lanterns celebrating spooky season, fall fun and pumpkinspiced themes.

GHOST MANOR; SPIRITS IN THE PARK

Teal Bright teal pumpkin buckets signify a food allergy for many trickor-treaters on the hunt for festive alternatives to candy, such as stickers, temporary tattoos, bubble wands and glo-sticks.

Blue Shades of blue buckets indicate a trick-ortreater may be on the autism spectrum or have sensory processing challenges and therefore may communicate differently or need more time when stopping by for candy or treats.

Ghost Manor

Stroll by Ghost Manor on Magazine Street for a dazzling display of spooky light and sound. The haunted house showcases dancing skeletons, glowing skulls and more, all coordinated with a creepy soundtrack. Suitable for all ages, the Manor is back after taking a year off due to road construction, with opening night Thursday, Oct. 15, and running Thursday through Sunday nights (7 to 10 p.m.) until Halloween

night. 2502 Magazine St. (corner of Magazine and Second Streets), ghostmanor.org. Prytania Movie Theater

The Prytania Theater Uptown hosts its annual "Kill-O-Rama" with scary and (not-so scary) films for all, with screenings Oct. 23-31, culminating with the classic "Halloween." Visit the theater's website for the full line up of movies, times and tickets. 5339 Prytania St., 504-891-2787, theprytania.com.

Purple Displays of purple pumpkins or those carrying purple buckets can indicate support for the Purple Pumpkin Project, raising awareness of those with epilepsy and possible sensitivity to flashing lights.

BOO AT THE ZOO

Oct. 16-18 Where: Audubon Zoo Notes: Costumes and daytime trick-ortreating in the zoo for kids (grown-ups can wear costumes but no masks) with proceeds benefitting Manning Family Children’s and the Audubon Zoo. audubonnatureinstitute.org

LOCAL COLOR CRESCENT CITY BLUES & BBQ FESTIVAL

Oct. 9-11 Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday Where: Lafayette Square Park Notes: Enjoy the very best in local BBQ while listening to a variety of blues acts including Samantha Fish, Mia Borders, Little Freddie King, Johnny Sansone and more. jazzandheritage.org

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TREME FALL FEST

Oct. 16 & 24 Where: St. Augustine Catholic Church Notes: Celebrate historic Treme with musical acts, parades and arts and crafts vendors. tremefest.org

NOLA FUNK FEST

Oct. 16-18 Where: Audubon Aquarium Riverfront Park Notes: One of the city’s fastest growing festivals raises awareness of the Louisiana Music & Heritage Experience with an exciting lineup including Galactic, George Porter Jr. and more. nolafunkfest.com

ENJOY FOOD, FUN AND CULTURE IN NEW ORLEANS AND DOWN THE ROAD WITH OUR 2026 GUIDE TO THE BEST OF THE FALL FESTS. BY FRITZ ESKER

GENTILLY FEST

Oct. 9-11 Time: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday Where: Pontchartrain Park Notes: Celebrate all things Gentilly with local food, snoballs, a kid’s village, crafts, pottery making and more to benefit first responders. gentillyfestival.com

NATIONAL FRIED CHICKEN FESTIVAL

Oct. 2-4 Time: 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday Where: New Orleans Lakefront Notes: More than 40 vendors serving mouthwatering fried chicken as well as vegan/vegetarian options, plus local and national musical acts and a 5K run/walk. friedchickenfestival.com

BEIGNET FEST

Nov. 7 Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Where: City Park Festival Grounds Notes: More than 50 different beignet-related dishes, including crawfish beignets and strawberry shortcake beignets, plus family-friendly live entertainment from bands like the Imagination Movers as well as a new interactive area called The Porch where local chefs and food personalities will have intimate conversations. beignetfest.com

ART FOR ART’S SAKE

Oct. 3 Time: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Where: Magazine Street Notes: Wine, shopping, strolling, music, light bites, and more in Magazine Street’s art galleries. magazinestreet.com

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CELEBRATION IN THE OAKS

Nov. 27-Jan. 1 Where: City Park Notes: More than one million twinkling lights, walking and driving tours, amusement park rides and hot chocolate and other food options. celebrationintheoaks.com

TREME CREOLE GUMBO FESTIVAL

Nov. 14-15 Where: Louis Armstrong Park Notes: A diverse, unique collection of gumbo offerings mixed with all-day live music performances and a cooking tent highlights this celebration of Treme’s culinary and musical legacy. jazzandheritage.org

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DEUTSCHES HAUS OKTOBERFEST

Oct. 9-10, 16-17, 23-24 Time: 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays, 1 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays Where: Deutsches Haus Notes: Three weekends of German dinners, desserts, oompah music, dancing and the beer stein holding contest. deutscheshaus.org

GHOSTS IN THE OAKS

Oct. 15-18 Time: 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Where: City Park Notes: Four nights of spooktacular fun with a trick-or-treat path, unlimited amusement park rides and live entertainment. neworleanscitypark.org

ROAD TRIP Tejas Fest

Oct. 2-3 Where: Victoria, Texas Notes: Tejano and country music stars, shopping, the Cornhole Throwdown, and the Bikes, Trikes and Power Wheels Car Show. discovervictoriatexas.com Dauphin Street Beer Festival

Oct. 3 Time: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Where: Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama Notes: 40 beer tastings in 10 venues. beerfestmobile.com Tales of the Beach Festival

OAK STREET PO-BOY FESTIVAL Nov. 8 Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Where: Oak Street Notes: Over 100 variations of New Orleans’ signature sandwich will be available alongside live music, an arts market, a kid’s zone and a Saints-watching area. poboyfest.com

NEW ORLEANS FILM FESTIVAL

Oct. 22-27 Where: Various locations Notes: Film buffs can enjoy a selection of features and shorts from filmmakers around the world in a festival that has given local audiences an advanced look at future Oscar winners. The festival will also feature a virtual component that will continue until November 1. neworleansfilmsociety.org

Oct. 8-10 Where: Casino Beach, Pensacola Beach, Florida Notes: A free concert, a cooking demonstration, a beer tasting, a frozen zone and signature dishes from local restaurants. visitpensacola.com Market Shops Bloody Mary Festival

Oct. 10 Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Miramar Beach, Florida (near the entrance to Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort) Notes: Hand-crafted bloody Marys, sushi, grilled cheese sandwiches, Champagne, mocktails, live music, a cigar bar and more. themarketshops.com Baytowne Beer Festival

Oct. 16-17 Where: Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin, Florida Notes: Over 100 domestic and international craft beers, bourbon tastings, live music, bonfires and football watch parties. baytownebeerfestival.com

Wooden Boat Festival

Oct. 17-18 Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Where: Maritime Museum Louisiana in Madisonville, Louisiana Notes: More than 100 classic boats and hundreds of spectator boats. maritimemuseumlouisiana.org/ woodenboatfestival Pensacola Foo Foo Festival

Oct. 29-Nov. 9 Where: Downtown Pensacola, Florida Notes: Live music, art installations (including a cascade of disco balls going down Artel Gallery) and fun interactive events. foofoofest.com 30A BBQ Fest

Nov. 6 Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Grand Blvd., Miramar Beach, Florida Notes: Award-winning barbecue, live music, craft beer, wine, shopping, raffles and a silent auction. thesonderproject.org/bbqfest Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival

Nov. 6-8 Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday Where: Seville Square in Pensacola, Florida Notes: Live musicians, dance schools, a food court with global cuisine options, an art show and a Children’s Arts Festival. ggaf.org Louisiana Renaissance Festival

Weekends from Nov. 7-Dec. 13 Time: 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Where: 46468 River Rd., Hammond, Louisiana Notes: Six themed celebrating the Renaissance period featuring over 600 artists, educators and educational demonstrations. renfest.net

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60 STILL GOING S T RO N G TURNING A NEW PAGE THEN AND NOW, SIX DECADES OF NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE

THIS OCTOBER, NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE CELEBRATES ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY. WE’VE PUT TOGETHER SOME OF THE ICONIC, NOTEWORTHY, SOMETIMES SCANDALOUS, SOMETIMES SILLY, BUT ALWAYS INTERESTING, MOMENTS THAT HAVE MADE OUR PAGES. IT’S A TIME CAPSULE OF FACES, PERSONALITIES, COMMUNITY AND CHARACTERS THAT CAPTURE OUR MINDS AND MAGAZINES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

First issue of New Orleans Magazine published in October 1966

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THROUGHOUT THE YEARS

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We can't think of a better, and more delicious, origin story: a small dining room in Antoine’s, where the idea was hatched over (what we assume) was a festive meal highlighted by (we hope) the iconic Baked Alaska.

First editor and co-founder for New Orleans Magazine, James Townsend

Longest standing editor at New Orleans Magazine, Errol Laborde

Current editor of New Orleans Magazine, Ashley McLellan

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the magazine reorganizated, rebuilding and renewing like the city itself. Renaissance Publishing's first issue of New Orleans Magazine featured our a new look and an inspiring plan of action for our hometown.

The evolution of the New Orleans Magazine logo

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Clothing from SOSUSU Boutique: Sarah Fisher Constantine in Edeline Lee; Ashley Porter in her own gown; Mariel Campbell in La Fuori; Cassie Gailmor in Costarellos; Allison Shapiro in Costarellos; Gretchen Trauth in Rachel Gilbert; Estelle De Leon Alfortish in Reem Acra; Carmen Randolph in Dorothee Schumacher; and Stephanie Kaston in Simkhai.

NEW ORLEANS STEEL MAGNOLIAS PROMOTIONAL SECTION

A special thank you to SOSUSU, The Cannery, Toulouse Gourmet, and H2O Salon & Spa. Photography by Theresa Cassagne / Styled by Julia Stall

NEW ORLEANS STEEL MAGNOLIAS PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Stephanie Kaston Reve Reatlors

uilding a reputation on a referral basis might not be the easiest way to make yourself known in the real estate world, but for Stephanie Kaston it has certainly proved the most rewarding. A New Orleans local, Stephanie knows that real estate is all about transitions, and the heart of her job is to help people through some of the hardest - and often most exciting - times in their lives. By prioritizing compassionate service and personalized care, Stephanie utilizes her unique knowledge to help first-time homebuyers and those sizing up secure the home of their dreams while also helping sellers navigate downsizing, succession, and relocations. A devoted and communityminded neighbor who sits on several boards, Stephanie is proof positive that a life of service above self can be the most enriching of all.

Clothing provided by SOSUSU Boutique: Frame The Hosiery top.

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Sarah Fisher Constantine Partner and Co-Founder of Capitelli Law

n Acadiana native, Sarah Fisher Constantine is one of the proud partners and founders at Capitelli Law Firm on the Northshore. An award-winning attorney from the earliest days of her career, Sarah has been honored as one of the Best Lawyers in America (Ones to Watch in 2025-2027), Super Lawyers Magazine’s Louisiana Rising Star Attorney (2023-2026), and is a contributing author of “Representing Physicians Handbook, American Health Law Association”. Today, Sarah’s work on business transactions and healthcare compliance exemplifies the focus of Capitelli Law Firm, prioritizing long-standing client partnerships through personalized client focus, collaboration, and modern strategies for problem-solving. Clothing provided by SOSUSU Boutique: Leo Lin Ali embroidered boat neck mini.

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Ashley Porter Founder of Porter Lyons

or Ashley Porter, founding Porter Lyons was a way to honor her family lineage while exploring the beauty, history, and unmistakable hauntedness of New Orleans. Her creative instincts live between opulence and strangeness, refinement and wildness. Drawn to ancient symbols, imperfect natural forms, and objects that feel as though they have lived another life, Ashley creates pieces destined to become the future heirlooms of another family. Ashley will soon debut Chronomare, a jewelry collection inspired by the ocean as our oldest timekeeper, alongside her first sculpture—a work centered on the preservation of Louisiana’s natural world. Together, they form another verse of the same lifelong song: one of transcendence, disappearance, and what we choose to carry forward.

NEW ORLEANS STEEL MAGNOLIAS PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Carmen Randolph Founding President & CEO of Women’s Foundation of the South

here’s a unique strength of those born in the South, a resilience rooted in tradition, community, and hospitality, which Carmen James Randolph proudly embodies. As Founding President and CEO of Women’s Foundation of the South, founded in 2020 and recently celebrating its fifth anniversary, Carmen is changing who is funded, trusted, and positioned to thrive. Across seven Southern states, she moves capital toward Southern women and girls whose leadership strengthens communities. Carmen believes women should inherit resources, ownership, opportunity, and influence. A true Steel Magnolia, Carmen’s leadership is forging a fresh vision for the South, one that is stronger than she found it and more equitable for all. Clothing provided by SOSUSU Boutique: Edeline Lee Emmeline knit dress.

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Gretchen Trauth CEO of ERG Enterprises

or Gretchen Trauth, beautifying New Orleans is an all-encompassing passion and, including her philanthropic work with the Orpheum and Louisiana Philanthropic Orchestra, a 24/7 job. As CEO of Metairie-based ERG Enterprises, Gretchen’s work has led to key investments throughout the city, improving the lives not only of the millions of visitors but also of those who have always called it home. As their latest project, ERG Enterprises has transformed an 1850’s Garden District Greek Revival mansion into “The Whit”, a luxury boutique hotel and salon that is truly the first of its kind. Inspired by the works of Walt Whitman and the lasting impression New Orleans had on his work, the hotel stands as a testament to ERG Enterprises and Gretchen’s passion for making New Orleans a better place. Clothing from SOSUSU Boutique: Prabal Gurung Satin V-neck halter.

NEW ORLEANS ORLEANS STEEL STEEL MAGNOLIAS MAGNOLIAS PROMOTIONAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION SECTION NEW

Allie Shapiro Dandry Executive Director and Founder of Shapiro Family Foundation

s Founder and Executive Director of the Shapiro Family Foundation, Allie Shapiro Dandry has built a hands-on approach to philanthropy centered on listening to New Orleans nonprofits and responding to what they actually need. Since launching in 2025, the Foundation has invested more than $70,000 in local organizations and is on pace to give more than $100,000 in 2026. Its work focuses on fighting hunger, expanding educational access, and supporting New Orleans children and families through grants, emergency assistance, food and equipment donations, and direct community partnerships. For Allie, meaningful philanthropy is about more than writing a check. It is about showing up, building relationships, and turning resources into tangible impact for the community she calls home.

Clothing provided by SOSUSU Boutique: Paisley Wave Top & Susan Bender Jacket.

NEW NEW ORLEANS ORLEANS STEEL STEEL MAGNOLIAS MAGNOLIAS PROMOTIONAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION SECTION

Cassie Gailmor Gailmor Law

assie Preston Gailmor, personal injury attorney and founder of Gailmor Law Group, knows that New Orleans families and individuals deserve a passionate advocate to guide them through the complexities of high-stakes injury cases. Priding herself on an unimpeachable commitment to her clients, Cassie’s practice is built to enrich her New Orleans community through lasting results that change lives for the better. A key leader in the local legal community, where she sits on the Executive Board of the New Orleans Bar Association, the Executive Board for the Louisiana Association of Justice, and co-chairs the Women’s Caucus of the Louisiana Association for Justice, Cassie spends time beyond her practice with her husband, Aaron, and two children, Farrah and Cooper, who are her greatest source of joy and inspiration. Clothing provided by SOSUSU Boutique: Destree Terry Top & Irving Skirt.

NEW ORLEANS STEEL MAGNOLIAS PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Estelle De León Alfortish New York Life Insurance

ffering effective financial solutions is invaluable, and for Estelle “Stella” De León Alfortish, it is as much a service as it is a calling. Through New York Life, Stella provides financial guidance and insurance services for clients eager to understand their options and find a clear path toward their ultimate goals; a calling that is profoundly rewarding. A passionate philanthropist, Stella serves as a board member for Access Health Louisiana, a non-profit organization, and has volunteered her time speaking as an advocate for healthcare in Washington, D.C. Backed by the surety of New York Life, Stella is able to help clients not only protect and prepare for the future but also plan for it with an expert partner by their side, meeting today's needs and tomorrow's as well.

Clothing provided by SOSUSU Boutique: Alberta Ferretti Floral Mikado Column Dress with Cape.

NEW NEW ORLEANS ORLEANS STEEL STEEL MAGNOLIAS MAGNOLIAS PROMOTIONAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION SECTION

Mariel Campbell EFFECT CO.

ariel Campbell was raised from a young age to know that she was here for a purpose: to give back to others. From the first time she walked into a home, post-Hurricane Ida, and saw sky where a roof should be, Mariel began refocusing her life toward doing just that. “It’s difficult to sleep knowing people are facing traumatic situations alone,” says Mariel. “I endured many horrible situations alone for years that often left me feeling scared, voiceless, and hopeless, which is why I have worked so hard to help others in their greatest time of need. Parlaying her experience in business into a career in catastrophe management and emergency response, Mariel founded EFFECT CO., an organization that drives change at scale, ensuring no story disappears and no voice is lost in the face of tragedy.

Clothing provided by SOSUSU Boutique: Greta Constatine Levkoy dress.

Travel

BY CHERÉ COEN

Blue Ridge Beauty Lexington, Virginia

or many Louisianans, a trip to Lexington, Virginia, may involve students attending the Virginia Military Institute, the oldest staterun military college in the nation, or the equally historic Washington & Lee University, founded in 1749. But this pre-American Revolution hamlet nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia offers a glimpse back in time complemented by a vibrant culinary and arts scene, making it an ideal destination. Take a tour You’ll get to know the horses driving the carriage tours through downtown Lexington with Lexington Carriage Company. Tour guides introduce their equines like friends as they explain the unique history of this 19th century college town that includes the house where

Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson lived and the Oak Grove Cemetery that contains two Virginia governors and American poet Margaret Junkin Preston. Stay Naturally, Lexington accommodations veer toward the historic, from The Georges luxury guest rooms in renovated downtown buildings to Hampton Inn on seven acres that features an historic mansion with 10 restored manor rooms. A short drive from downtown Lexington is the Inn at Brierley Hill with its stunning views and Herring Hall Bed and Breakfast that’s a feast for the senses, from owner Anne Herring’s love of cows and Virginia history, art and plants to her delicious breakfasts and treats. Dine A love of sustainable farming and providing nutritious foods

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for their kids led Daniel and Fawn Shear to start Seasons’ Yield Farm outside Lexington. Visitors may enjoy their fresh-baked breads, seasonal dishes and locally roasted coffee at their new restaurant in town, Seasons Bakery & Café. For dessert, don’t miss a stop at Sweet Things Ice Cream Shoppe, a Lexington landmark serving homemade gourmet — and unique flavored — ice cream in their hand-rolled waffle cones for more than 30 years. Drink Heliotrope brews small-batch, artisan ales and lagers with Virginia and North Carolina malt and in-house culture of locally foraged, native microflora. We loved those tasty craft brews that made an excellent complement to Heliotrope’s wood-fired pizzas, which also utilized in-season local ingredients. Hike Nearby Natural Bridge State Park naturally showcases the incredible rock formation twice the size of

Niagara Falls but what makes the 215-foot-tall bridge equally fascinating is the fact it was once owned by Thomas Jefferson. The limestone gorge carved out by Cedar Creek is also home to rare north white cedars and six miles of hiking trails, including Cedar Creek Trail from the bridge to Lace Falls with its 30-foot cascade. Don’t Miss Take a short road trip through the countryside to pause at the oasis that’s Tantivy Lavender Farm. Peruse the 54-acre lavender farm with its hiking trails and peaceful places to enjoy lavender ice cream among the blooms or bring some home from the Lavender Gift Shop. If you’re feeling creative, The Workshop at Timber Ridge in Raphine is home to artists Judd Jarvis and Cary Olivia, who offer classes and workshops in a variety of art styles, including spinning your own pottery. We were amazed at how well our amateur bowls came out, perfect for our lavender blossoms.

The Beat

BY JEREMY MARSHALL

For the Record

Waxwork Records’ unique take on horror

t’s shocking that more people don’t know that Waxwork Records was founded in New Orleans. What has become one of the most prolific record labels for horror and genre film, Waxwork Records began humbly and scrappily, through the passion and tenacity of New Orleans natives Kevin Bergeron and Sue Ellen Soto. It’s not as if there was a demand in 2013 for lovingly pressed vinyl records of “Chopping Mall,” “C.H.U.D.,” or “Re-Animator,” but Bergeron and Soto wanted to make it happen, so they found a way. Today, and 200 releases later, Waxwork Records finds itself at a new crossroads of its own manifestation: to sit still or innovate. Unsurprisingly, they have chosen the latter, boldly evolving the industry they helped innovate; searching for that elusive artistic equilibrium found most often in New Orleans, where music and the macabre harmonize as one. “In the early days, we did flirt with moving to L.A. or Austin when we realized that Waxwork was taking off,” Soto said. “But we like it out here. We have family here; it’s where we grew up. And I’ve noticed that licensors and studios think it’s cool that we’re out here as well.” “They think it’s fascinating,” Bergeron said. “If we hop on a Zoom call with a producer or filmmaker, when they find out we’re in New Orleans, they want to talk about New Orleans. The

company started here, and we’ve set down roots with our pressing plant. I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with it being from here, but when we travel it’s clear that this is a different, cooler planet than anywhere else.” Bergeron and Soto had to get creative when securing the first releases of what would become the independently owned Waxwork Records. Their main form of outreach was simply cold calling and emailing rights holders to secure permissions to print film scores like “Friday the 13th” or “The Haunting of Hill House,” striking up collaborations not only with major film studios but also filmmakers like John Carpenter and Rob Zombie. As they grew, they continued pushing the bounds of what could, or even should, be pressed into the permanence of vinyl; like the Giallo-classic, Goblin scored, “Phenomena,” an album with the entire story and song of Rob Zombie’s “House of 1000 Corpses,” the stop-motion Halloween spook-tacular “Mad Monster Party,” or even a never-released film score for the Lon Chaney Jr. curiosity “Spider Baby.” But their white whale, came in the form of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” whose landmark soundscape of horrific shrieks and scrapes had been a treasured benchmark in the history experimental cinematic scores — a holy grail for cinephiles and audiophiles alike. It was Waxwork, partnering with Wayne Bell, who co-scored the film with director Tobe Hooper,

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Must-see performances this month Oct. 3 Maggie Koerner + Gina Leslie, 9 p.m. at Tipitina’s, tipitinas.com. Oct. 13 Modest Mouse, 7 p.m., at The Fillmore New Orleans, thefillmorenola.com. Oct. 14 $uicideboy$ with Destroy Lonely, $lim Gucci, Black Kray & More, 6:30 p.m. at the Smoothie King Center, smoothiekingcenter.com. Oct. 24 Sorry Ghost, 7 p.m. at Gasa Gasa, gasagasanola.com. Oct. 25 Harlan Steed Halloween Tour, 7 p.m. at The Crypt New Orleans, thecryptnola.com. Oct. 30 All Hallows Eve Spooktacular! with The Soul Rebels, 9 p.m. at Tipitina’s, tipitinas.com.

that provided the means, over the course of 10 years, to resurrect the score on a lush vinyl record, allowing it to be treasured by anyone with an ear for something uniquely savage and strange. “The score was in no shape to be released. It was literally on several tapes that had to be all transferred,” Bergeron said. “Luckily, Wayne Bell still works in Austin, and we were able to give him studio time to edit, mix and create a cohesive listening experience from those master tapes. Essentially piecing together something he created in his early 20s. It’s crazy how good it sounds for the time and the condition the tapes were originally found in.” Waxwork Records has come a long way, but Bergeron and Soto are always keeping their ears to the ground for anything coming down the production pipeline that feels novel or exciting. This instinct is how Waxwork Records snagged the licensing for “Obsession,” long before the film became a phenomenon, based purely on Bergeron vibing off of the initial trailer. Now, with a pair of fully functioning record presses in-house, and as many as two more planned for the near future, Waxwork Records is eager to expand beyond the comfy confines of their horror movie dominion and into the wider realm of music, beginning partnerships with fellow labels to print their records, as well as representing independent artists like Lia Braswell and the Icelandic electro-pop duo Scam. “Everyone is pressing records now, which wasn’t the case when we started,” Soto said. “I don’t see it slowing down because it goes hand in hand with the film and movie theater industry. I feel like people are going to the movies more. People want experiences. They want to go to movies, they want to listen to records, and it makes me so happy.”

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Table Talk

BY SCOTT GOLD | PHOTOS BY JEFFERY JOHNSTON

Modern Italian Procida in the Marigny

t’s no big secret that New Orleans has a long history of Italian culture and cuisine, and you don’t have to look particularly far to find it. Some of our most cherished local bakeries, cafés and restaurants have been operated by the same Italian families for generations, and our particular brand of “Creole Italian,” from muffalettas at the Central Grocery to Gendusa’s po-boy loaves, garlicky spaghetti bordelaise at Mosca’s, or classic veal parmigiana at Vincent’s. That said, the Italian specialties we know and love can be largely traced to immigrant families from Sicily and Naples who’ve passed down their traditions and recipes from one generation to the next, and they don’t always account for how cuisine from southern Italy has evolved into more refined tastes of the 21st century. What, we might wonder,

would “New Orleans Italian” look like if it shared its evolution with its European progenitor? Fortunately for Crescent City diners, Chef Valeriano “Vale” Chiella decided to deliver modern southern Italian specialties with his recently opened restaurant Procida. Chiella is no stranger to either the local Italian food scene nor the Italian food scene in Italy, and as such seems the perfect ambassador to introduce New Orleans to the delights of more contemporary Southern Italian cooking, with a Gulf Coast twist. “We wanted to create a southern Italian restaurant, first because of my background,” he said. “I was born over there and raised in Florence, my parents are from there, and I’ve always been eating and cooking with them. So, coming to New Orleans, you think about its history, and there is a deep connection to the southern Italian

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people, all the people from Sicily and Naples. They dedicate their cuisine to the way their grandparents cooked when they came here a long time ago. So there is that gap between how Italy has changed and has transformed from then to now. It was our goal to celebrate the people that came a long time ago and that helped shape New Orleans into what it is, but give it a more fresh, modern look, maybe an reintroduction to what the south of Italy is like right now.” With Procida, the young chef’s talents and passions are on full display. The menu is deep and varied, chockablock with dishes that span the palate from crisp and light to more hearty fare that will easily satisfy a larger party dining “family-style,” which Chiella recommends. Start by sampling one of the raw fish options available, like the signature Procida crudo, which features delicately sliced fresh bluefin tuna, amberjack, and cobia served with colatura and a chili lemon vinaigrette. There’s also a unique and splendidly satisfying smoked swordfish carpaccio,

served with cherry tomatoes, arugula, lemon and salted olive tapenade, a direct reflection of Amalfi coastal cuisine. “It’s something that I always enjoyed growing up,” said Chiella. “That was one of the dishes that when I created this concept, I was like, ‘It’s gotta be there,’ because that’s what represents us the most and makes us stand apart from the others.” Another savory starter is the Sicilian arancina, which will feel immediately familiar to fans of southern Italian cuisine, although Chiella’s twist is that the crispy fried cone stuffed with risotto and cheese also incorporates seafood instead of the traditional pork or beef ragu. “I wanted to give a new look to that beautiful cone of Sicilian arancini that you can find in every fresh market in Palermo,” he said. “They’ll sell you the arancina filled up with peas and pork ragu, cheese and saffron risotto into it, and we did the same thing, but with the seafood.” Another option for antipasti is a roasted delicata squash festooned with seasonal mushrooms and a luscious pecorino romano fonduta, a dish that’s both hearty and fall-forward as well as artful and elegant. Of course, it wouldn’t be genuine Italian cooking without a pasta course. Some pastas are deceptively simple but bursting with flavor and depth, like the spaghetti limone and parmigiano with capers, colatura di acciughe and fennel pollen. “That’s another iconic dish that I love and I think is a good representation,” said the chef. “A little lemon in Parmigiano is the umami, the acidity, and the saltiness, and we add a little collatura into it to raise the bar a little more.” Similarly, the bucatini aglio e olio is an instantly recognizable and iconic dish, although

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About the Chef

Chef Valeriano Chiella was born in a small town in Salerno, Italy, on the Amalfi coast, and at the age of 11 moved north with his family to Empoli, just outside of Florence. “I never went to culinary school,” he said, noting that his kitchen education came largely from working in his family’s restaurant. After running a small restaurant with his brother in Italy for a few years, Chiella moved to New Orleans in 2014, following the woman who would become his wife, a Crescent City native. The chef landed initially at Ancora Pizzeria, after which he worked his way up the kitchen hierarchy at Domenica, Pizza Domenica, Shaya, Restaurant August, and then back to Domenica as executive chef before leaving in 2025 to start a roaming Italian pop-up called “Fico Cucina,” which eventually led to the opening of Procida this past August. “We’ve had a fantastic experience, honestly,” he said, noting how much he’s enjoyed embracing the charms and people of the Marigny. “We have neighbors that live by us coming in twice or three times a week just to say hi, or just to chat to get a drink or a snack. We are very grateful, for sure!”

Chiella adds a Louisianaian flare with the addition of blue crab, lemon and chili pangrattato and calabrian chili. Pasta and crab dishes are nothing new to many New Orleans diners, but somehow Procida’s version feels gratifyingly unique. Other pasta options include gnocchi with vodka sauce, lobster tagliolini, a hearty ziti alla genovese with a Neapolitan-style ragu of braised beef and onions, and of course a seafood risotto brimming with clams, saffron, local shrimp and mussels. Again, with this many outstanding options, you’re going to want to bring friends to sample everything or at least plan repeated visits. But the show doesn’t begin and end with antipasti and pasta. “Secondi” of note include a classic chicken a la diavola with calabrian chili agrodolce, as well as a sixteenounce bone-in short rib spezzatino with arrabiata sauce. If forced to choose, however, you’ll want to set your eyes on the whole roasted branzino with a vibrant lemon gremolata. It’s a showstopper of a dish, served head-on, with the tender, flaky fish awakened by the bright, herby sauce. Similarly, the grilled pistachio and herbcrusted pork chop is a quintes-

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sential Southern Italian dish that Chiella puts his unique stamp upon, much to the delight of lucky guests. Chiella developed the dish in Italy working with his brother and a cook from Sicily. Said the chef, “It’s brilliant and delicious. In Sicily, they use either panéed chicken, veal or beef. I wanted to bring in the same idea, and I thought about the pork chop to be the best vessel for it, since we don’t really have a big steak on the menu.” Chef Chiella and his team had some natural trepidation about opening a new restaurant in August, the most difficult month for any New Orleans restaurant due to the punishing heat and lull in tourism, but things appear to be working out well right out of the gate at Procida. “It seems to be the scariest thing ever,” the chef admits. “But to be honest, the response from the guests and the locals, has been great. We’ve been pretty much booked every night since reopened, and I think we found a good team that, um, have been executing our thoughts and intentions pretty well. All in all, I have nothing but positive vibes from this so far!”

Gianna Since opening in the Warehouse district in 2019, Gianna quickly became one of our favorite modern Italian restaurants in town, with its refined approach to rustic Italian dishes spiked with an ample helping of Creole influences. Chef Justin Koslowsky took the helm last year, and his dedication to local fishermen and farmers is easy to see on the menu, with plenty of enticing crudos, pastas and small Italian bites. You’ll definitely need to start with the woodfired puccia bread with chili butter for the table, followed by the ricotta gnocchi with spicy peperonata, sweet peppers, pork sausage, as well as the seared shrimp campanelle flavored with fennel pollen, lemon and a basil-almond pesto. Save room for our favorite, the outstanding lamb lasagna with mushrooms, béchamel and Grana Padano. And if you’re having a hard time choosing, let the kitchen do it for you with their fourcourse “Feed Me” menu, which never fails to satisfy. San Lorenzo San Lorenzo doesn’t seem so much like an elegant neighborhood spot so much as an upscale coastal Italian restaurant dropped directly into the Lower Garden District. As the signature restaurant in the Hotel St. Vincent, you’ll find a lush, romantic room that feels both luxurious and approachable. A sample from the raw bar will get your motor running, whether you’re in the mood for oysters, bluefin carpaccio with caramelized pistachio and creole spices, or the full-on caviar service, featuring sturgeon roe served with taleggio fonduta and beignets. For pastas, head directly for the sa!ron orecchiette topped with blue crab and fermented chili butter. For crowd-pleasing entrees try the monkfish schnitzel, Milanese risotto heaped with Gulf shrimp, or any of the wood-fired o!erings. We adore the cider-brined pork chop with black garlic, date purée, grilled radicchio, and grapefruit, but you’d be just as well served with the massive dry-aged porterhouse prepared in the Florentine fashion. Whatever you choose, make sure to pair it with a few glasses of the house made limoncello to make the experience fully festive. We know we always do!

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Nosh

BY JYL BENSON | PHOTOS BY SAM HANNA

Fall Flavor

Comfort food for all

his symphony of Autumn colors and flavors from Chef Chris Borges of Charmant is just the dish for welcoming the new season and cooler temperatures. The chef and his spouse and business partner, Bonnie Borges, opened the European-style bistro last November in Mid-City near City Park. He is in the kitchen. She runs the front of the house and the wine program. Kyle Godwin runs the cocktail program. The menu celebrates modern interpretations of European bistro fare infused with subtle New Orleans influences. Think Croque Madame layered with truffle salami, fontina, rapini, and soubise; and Vermont Goat Crottin paired with duck confit and spiced pecans; and an array of artisanal cheeses and charcuterie. Wine is also a defining element of the Charmant experience with General Manager and Sommelier Bonnie Borges. The list highlights carefully chosen wines, including small producers, grower Champagnes, and distinctive varietals that pair with Chef Borges’ menu. The cocktail list, developed by Lead Bartender Godwin, features a mix of house originals and reimagined classics.

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

1. Inexpensive chicken leg quarters can be substituted for the duck leg quarters in the confit. The flavor will not be as intense. 2. The best place to find duck legs locally is the Hong Kong Market in Gretna. 3. Jars of duck fat are available locally at Whole Foods and Fresh Market. If cooking chicken legs, just go with vegetable oil. 4. Confit the duck (or chicken) up to 1 month in advance and store, submerged in the rendered fat from cooking, in a covered glass vessel in the refrigerator. 5. Roasted pecan oil is available on Amazon or at local specialty markets.

PROP STYLING AND CULINARY IMPLEMENTS COURTESY OF ANGELA DISIMONE OF AVIS ALDINE @AVISALDINE

Kale, Duck Confit, and Squash Salad Chef Borges Shared this recipe he developed just for NOSH. Serves 6 3 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Confit: 4 duck legs (see NOTE) 6 tablespoons kosher salt

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 400°F

1/2 tablespoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf 2 to 4 cups rendered duck fat (or a combination of duck fat and olive oil or vegetable oil) 1. The day before cooking the confit: Grind spices to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Season duck legs evenly on all sides with spice mixture and place on a rack on a baking sheet to allow duck legs to drain. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. 2. When ready to cook: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 225°F. Melt duck fat. Rinse duck legs gently under cold water to remove all seasonings; discard the cure. Pat the duck legs dry with paper towels, then arrange them in a single layer in a saucepot with duck fat, making sure they are completely submerged. Cover a saucier or baking dish with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. 3. Cook until duck is completely tender and meat shows almost no resistance when pierced with a paring knife, and skin has begun to pull away from the bottom of the drumstick, 6-8 hours. Remove from the oven and cool the duck to room temperature in its cooking vessel, keeping it submerged in the fat and removing the lid. Once cool, cover the container tightly and refrigerate, where the confit can be stored for up to 1 month.

2. Toss the squash pieces with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 3. Arrange the squash in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until the squash is tender throughout and well-browned around the edges, 30-45 minutes. 4. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before attempting to remove from foil. Carefully remove the squash from the foil using a thin metal spatula, then transfer it to a large bowl. Set aside. 5. While squash is cooling, combine the kale, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl and massage with your hands for a few minutes. The leaves will turn bright green and begin to wilt. Then set aside. 6. Pick all meat from the duck confit, discarding all skin, fat, and bones. Try to leave the meat in as large chunks as possible. Pan-fry the shallots in the duck fat over low heat until translucent. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the duck confit, and cook until it is slightly crispy around the edges. While duck and shallots are still warm, toss with the wilted kale, butternut squash pieces, and pecan vinaigrette. 7. Divide the salad into portions. Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin slices of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese over each salad. Pecan Vinaigrette: 4 tablespoons Creole mustard

Salad: 2 1/2 pounds (about 1 large or 2 medium) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, quartered, and cut into ¾-inch chunks 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 bunches (approx. 12-16 oz.) lacinato kale, central rib removed 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons duck fat 1 large shallot, peeled and sliced thinly

6 tablespoons white wine vinegar 6 tablespoons canola oil 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ cup roasted pecan oil l 1 tablespoon honey ½ teaspoon black pepper Salt to taste 1. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, and honey together in a bowl. Drizzle in oils while whisking. Store in a glass jar.

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Cheers

BY ELIZABETH PEARCE | PHOTO BY EUGENIA UHL

A New Beat

An earthy riff on the classic margarita Beets Workin’! Looking to improve your home cocktail game? Restaurant Revolution’s Ricardo Flores recommends “The Flavor Bible.” “It’s been around for a while now,” he said, “and it still gives me inspiration for future cocktails.” His “Beets Workin’!” embodies the book’s principles with earthy beets, tart citrus and smoky mezcal coming together in a surprising riff on a Margarita. The drink embodies the ethos of Bar Revolution, where classics are made “revolutionary.” Ricardo’s martini, featuring a house made olive brine, made with pulverized olives and Maldon salt, is so popular that he has “martini regulars.” The bar gets quite a few locals. “Some come all the way from Metairie,” he said. A native of Miami, Ricardo has a soft spot for folks from Louisiana. “Louisiana people share — even overshare. They’re not going to hide what their favorite spots are.” In Miami, people ask “What do you want?” While in New Orleans it’s, “Oh, how can I help you?” Locals know to always help the bartender, as he will “help you” right back.

Courtesy, Ricardo Flores, Restaurant Revolution 3/4 ounce Union Mezcal 3/4 ounce Volcán Tequila 1/2 ounce Cointreau 1 ounce house made beet syrup (See recipe) 1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice Garnishes: Dill Salt (See recipe), fresh dill spring, dried lime wheel House-Made Beet Syrup 2 parts beet juice (from raw, peeled beets) 1 part granulated sugar Method: Combine in Vitamix blender until the sugar is fully dissolved. Dill Salt Rim 5 dehydrated dill sprigs 1 cup kosher salt Method: Blend together in a spice grinder until evenly incorporated. For the cocktail: Rub a lime on the edge of half of a rocks glass and coat in the dill salt. Combine all drink ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and dump into the garnished rocks glass with fresh ice. Finish with 3 to 4 spritzes of mezcal over the top of the cocktail and garnish with a fresh dill sprig and a dried lime wheel.

TIPS

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You may use an air fryer to dry your dill sprigs or dry them overnight in a low oven. Do not substitute dried dill from the grocery store. You can also just use a regular salt rim or Tajin, which will not be as aromatic,

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but still give the needed salinity. The color of beets you use will determine the color of the drink. Beets can range from deep purple to a bright berry color.

Ricardo encourages people to use the “Flavor Bible” to explore vegetables and herbs they might not normally use in cocktails. Consider a cucumber-cilantro margarita or a tomato-basil margarita.

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Vintage

BY JOHN R. KEMP

1920

New Orleans Jazz

lder New Orleanians may recall good times dancing aboard the old S.S. President riverboat docked at the foot of Canal Street from the 1940s to the 1980s. Before the President, however, there was the S.S. Capitol, the largest excursion boat in the Streckfus Steamboat line. For years, the Capitol, featuring some of the best-known New Orleans jazz musicians, delighted audiences in towns up and down the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Seen here aboard the Capitol in 1920 is Marable’s Capitol Review/ Marable’s Waltz Review Orchestra with band leader Fate Marable on piano and, from left to right, bass-player Henry Kimball, Boyd Atkins on violin, Johnny St. Cyr and his banjo, saxophonists David Jones and Norman Mason, Louis Armstrong on cornet, trombonist George Brahear, and Warren “Baby” Dobbs, often described as the greatest jazz drummers of all time. By 1920, the 19-year-old Armstrong, known around New Orleans as “Little Louis” by other

musicians, had become one of knew all this when he hired me, the city’s most popular cornetist. but he liked my tone and the way In 1918 he replaced King Oliver I could catch on…Within no time in Kid Ory’s band when Oliver at all I was reading everything moved up to Chicago. Then in he put before me.” 1920 along came Fate Marable Joining Marable meant who lured Armstrong away from Armstrong had to move to St. Kid Ory. Louis, the base port for the S.S. “When he (Marable) asked me Capitol and headquarters of the Streckfus line. to join his orchestra I jumped at the Though nervous about opportunity,” noted leaving his hometown, Marable’s Capitol Armstrong in his Armstrong welcomed Review-Marable’s 1954 autobiography the opportunity to Waltz Review, 1920. “Satchmo: My Life The William Russell broaden his career. Jazz Collection at in New Orleans.” In his autobiogthe Historic New “It meant a great Orleans Collection, raphy, Armstrong acquisition made advancement in reflected upon his first possible by the my musical career Clarisse Claiborne night in St. Louis. “I because he had his Grima Fund was amazed by Saint own way of dealing Louis and its tall with his musicians. If buildings,” he recalled. one of us made an error or played “There was nothing like that in part of a piece wrong he would my home town, and I could not imagine what they were all for. not say a thing about it until I wanted to ask someone badly, everyone thought it had been forgotten. When you came to work but I was afraid I would be kidded the next day with a bad hangover for being so dumb.” from the night before, he picked Armstrong also addressed a up the music you had failed with darker issue in his autobiography. and because his musicians had “Marable’s Band deserves credit to read music perfectly. Kid Ory’s for breaking down a few barriers men did not. Later on, I found Fate on the Mississippi — barriers set

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up by Jim Crow,” he wrote. “We were the first colored band to play most of the towns at which we stopped, particularly the smaller ones. The ofays were not used to seeing colored boys blowing horns and making fine music for them to dance by. At first. we ran into some ugly experiences while we were on the bandstand, and we had to listen to plenty of nasty remarks. But most of us were from the South anyway. We were used to that kind of jive, and we would just keep on swinging as though nothing had happened. Before the evening was over, they loved us. We couldn’t turn for them singing our praises and begging us to hurry back.” In 1922 Armstrong left Marable to join King Oliver’s band in Chicago. Satchmo was now on his way to becoming one of the most popular figures in American music and entertainment history. He died in 1971. As to the SS Capitol, once the queen riverboat in the Streckfus line, it made its last voyage in 1945 — to a salvage yard in St. Louis.

Halloween Fun

There’s a chill in the air and a spirits are rising. It’s almost time for some Halloween Fun, and there’s no better place to celebrate the spookiest time of the year than in New Orleans. Pal’s Lounge Looking for a late-night haunt this Halloween season? Pal’s Lounge has been consistently voted Best Neighborhood bar in Mid City, and for good reason. With an expansive cocktail and happy hour menu, Pal’s brings all the charm of a dive bar with the service and selection New Orleans is known for. They’ve even been featured on TV for their famous “Helen F*cking Mirren Martini”; the favorite cocktail of the immortal Dame’s time in New Orleans, featuring vodka, Darjeeling liqueur, Earl Grey tea, lemon, and habanero. With weekly event nights and vibes you can’t find anywhere else, Pal’s is the place to take and make friends, both undead and otherwise. Haunted History Tours These are the New Orleans tours you’ve heard about! The Travel Channel called Haunted History Tours “The #1 tour in New Orleans… a must-do!” Mildly theatrical, hugely historical, and thoroughly entertaining for 30 years, our tours will leave you spellbound! Book yours today at hauntedhistorytours.com. PERLIS Clothing Get ready to shine this spooky season with the ultimate Halloween collection in Perlis ladies’ and children’s department! You’ll find the ultra-fun, statement-making Halloween-themed sweaters by the beloved Queen of Sparkles. These dazzling pieces feature iconic, glittering sequin designs - from dancing multi-colored skeletons to festive pumpkin motifs - that bring the perfect blend of glamour and seasonal playfulness to your autumn wardrobe. Perlis doesn’t forget about the little ones, either! Complete the family’s festive look with spooky yet adorable youth skeleton tees. Crafted for everyday comfort and high-energy trick-or-treating, these t-shirts offer a fun, festive vibe that kids will love to wear all October long. Visit Perlis in New Orleans, Mandeville, and Baton Rouge. 800.725.6070. perlis.com •

PERLIS Clothing

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