New Orleans Magazine October 2016

WYES PRESENTS CHEF PAUL PRUDHOMME: LOUISIANA LEGEND

OCTOBER 2016 / VOLUME 50 / NUMBER 12 Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde Managing Editor Morgan Packard Art Director Tiffani Reding Amedeo Contributing Editor Liz Scott Monaghan Food Edit­or Dale Curry Dining Edit­or Jay Forman Wine and Spirits Edit­or Tim McNally Restaurant Reporter Robert Peyton Home Editor Bonnie Warren web Editor Kelly Massicot Staff Writers Jessica DeBold, Melanie Warner Spencer Intern Marie Simoneaux Vice President of Sales Colleen Monaghan SALES MANAGER Kate Sanders (504) 830-7216 / Kate@MyNewOrleans.com Senior Account Executive Lisa Picone Love Account Executives Claire Cummings, Jessica Marasco, Veronica Ridgley

Production Manager Staci McCarty Senior Production Designer Ali Sullivan Production Designers Monique DiPietro traffic Coordinator Terra Durio Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive VICE PRESIDENT Errol Laborde DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND EVENTS Cheryl Lemoine Event Coordinator Margaret Strahan Distribution Manager John Holzer Administrative Assistant Denise Dean Subscriptions Manager Sara Kelemencky SUBSCRIPTIONS Assistant Mallary Matherne WYES DIAL 12 STAFF (504) 486-5511 Executive Editor Beth Arroyo Utterback Managing Editor Aislinn Hinyup Associate Editor Robin Cooper Art Director Jenny Hronek NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE Printed in USA A Publication of Renaissance Publishing 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 Subscriptions: (504) 830-7231

MyNewOrleans.com

New Orleans Magazine (ISSN 0897 8174) is published monthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC., 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380.

Subscription rates: one year $19.95; Mexico, South America and Canada $48; Europe, Asia and Australia $75. An associate subscription to New Orleans Magazine is available by a contribution of $40 or more to WYES-TV/Channel 12, $10.00 of which is used to offset the cost of publication. Also available electronically, on CD-ROM and on-line. Periodicals postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New Orleans Magazine, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2016 New Orleans Magazine. 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.

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contents

86 FEATURES

IN EVERY ISSUE

ON THE COVER

60

50 Things Every New Orleanian Should do

16

INSIDE

“Peter Max and Our 50th”

By David Lee Simmons

76

WRiters Remembering

Paging through the decades

By Carolyn Kolb

80

The Man Behind the Saints and the superdome

Family members recall the vision of Dave Dixon

By Kathy Finn

We are excited to celebrate and share our 50th Anniversary Issue with you!

Look for the celebratory logo on the top left of each column and feature that adds to the theme –all your favorites are here. We hope you enjoy it and look forward with us to our next 50 years.

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Top It Off

The season’s standout outerwear makes a statement

By Lisa Tudor

200 STREETCAR

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Ralph Brennan Winner, NOWFE’s Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award

By Jay Forman

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22 speaking out

Editorial, plus a

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Mike Luckovich cartoon

JULIA STREET Questions and answers about our city

199 Try This

“Flying High: Crescent City Aerial Arts”

“Joan and Us”

Painted by Peter Max

contents

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58

128

THE BEAT

LOCAL COLOR

THE MENU

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MARQUEE

46

me again

126 table talk

Entertainment calendar

“Swinging for the Fences”

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PERSONA

48

MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS

128 restaurant insider

Langston Galloway, Guard for the New Orleans Pelicans

“Getting Carded”

32

Biz

50

Joie d’Eve

“Long Days, Short Years”

“Cornerstones of Economy”

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education

52

IN TUNE

“Reading and Longevity”

“Reaping the Benefits”

54

Read & Spin

36

HEALTH

“Healthful Hints”

38

HEALTHBEAT

“Going for Gold”

40

Crime Fighting

“Drug-Rape: Proving and stopping the pattern”

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CHRONICLES

“Paging Through History”

A look at the latest albums and books

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JAZZ LIFE

“Echoes From the Past”

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HOME

“Historically Collected: John and Priscilla Lawrence’s Bouligny home was restored to its original elegance”

“Resurrected, Renewed, Revered”

News From the Kitchens: Tryst, Altamura & Killer PoBoys

130 Food

“Your Inner Octoberfest”

132 LAST CALL

Cavan’s Espresso Milk Punch

134 DINING GUIDE

DIAL 12 D1 WYES-TV/Channel 12 presents Chef Paul Prudhomme: A Louisiana Legend (page D2), a celebration of the life of the restaurateur, author, entrepreneur and public television star. The new documentary will air Oct. 8 – the first anniversary of the passing of this renowned Cajun chef. It is almost time for the 25th anniversary of WYES Season of Good Tastes (page D7). This seasonal event invites guests to dine at some of New Orleans’ best restaurants with set menus created by the chef, which are paired with wine and spirits. For a complete restaurant list and menus, visit WYES.org

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inside

Peter Max and Our 50th

F

or two decennial anniversaries in a row, Peter Max has designed our cover. One of the major figures in contemporary American art, Max first made his splash in the late 1960s. His pop art was daring, with bold colors that found their own space. His work fit in with the psychedelic movement of the ’70s.

In September ’69 he was featured on the cover of Life Magazine under the heading, “Peter Max, Portrait of the Artist as A Very Rich Man.” Ten years ago, a stylized image of the Joan of Arc statue, based on our Katrina recovery issue cover, appeared on our 40th anniversary edition. With this the 50th anniversary, Max’s mind runs free, embellishing a cover conceptualized by our magazine’s art director, Tiffani Amedo. (Last month she produced a work of art of her own; baby Ava and mom are doing fine.)

Besides this being our anniversary issue, there are two other special activities for celebration. We published over first-ever hardcover book entitled Essential New Orleans: 15 Places We Love. We think it’s rich in both writing and photography. And, we have mounted a plaque in the small dining room in the back of Antoine’s restaurant next to the wine cellar; it was over dinner there that, in April 1966, the magazine was founded. (We tell this story in the book.)

Thank you for being a part of our anniversary celebration. We hope the energy in Max’s work speaks for the magazine and its future.

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on the web

New Orleans Magazine is on the web, are you?

Follow New Orleans Magazine on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest for all of the latest in New Orleans cuisine, music and more.

Make sure to sign up for the daily MyNewOrleans.com newsletter, too. Be the first to read our blogs, get the 411 on top events around the city and see the features and columns from all seven of our publications all in one place.

Follow us:

Facebook: Facebook.com/NewOrleansMagazine Twitter: @NewOrleansMag Instagram: @NewOrleansMag Pinterest: Pinterest.com/NewOrleansMag Sign up for our newsletters at MyNewOrleans.com/Newsletter

facebook.com/NewOrleansMagazine | twitter.com/neworleansmag | pinterest.com/neworleansmag

2016 Press Club of new orleans winners Lifetime Achievement Award: Errol Laborde Cartoon: Mike Luckovich Column: “Me Again,” Chris Rose Special Section – Writing: “People to Watch,” Tiffani Reding Amedeo and Morgan Packard 18

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meet our sales team

Kate Sanders Sales Manager (504) 830-7216 Kate@MyNewOrleans.com

Lisa Picone Love Senior Account Executive (504) 830-7263 Lisa@MyNewOrleans.com

Jessica Marasco Account Executive (504) 830-7220 JessicaM@MyNewOrleans.com

claire cummings Account Executive (504) 830-7250 Claire@MyNewOrleans.com

Veronica Ridgley Account Executive (504) 830-7257 Veronica@MyNewOrleans.com

Colleen Monaghan Vice President of Sales (504) 830-7215 Colleen@MyNewOrleans.com

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SPEAKING OUT

Survival

The first half-century

W

e are still here. What is more, we have no plans to leave. A business reaching its 50th anniversary should be taken as a sign of strength and survival, but in these web-based days, print’s endurance is being questioned. Are we a relic whose destiny is to be squished into iPhone-sized pixels and dismissed forever with the flick of a thumb? The answer is no.

Print, words on paper, is challenged by the internet in different ways. That beeping sound in our pockets is often a news story breaking, as reported by some alert system. Print cannot compete with that, and that’s why newspapers have had to rethink themselves. But the internet isn’t good

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with the details. It can tell us that a certain intersection is accident prone, but analysis by numbers and discussion of cause and solutions is unbearable for the small screen. Nothing spells out stories better than the broad pages of a newspaper.

News magazines have had a hard time competing in the new age, but city magazines, such as New Orleans, are something different. We aren’t often first responders to the big story, but maybe fourth or fifth responders reporting on what services are available in the neighborhood, who the best doctors are and where to get a good burger.

We are of the genre known as “lifestyle” magazines, and the internet really isn’t

capable of messing around with us – at least not to the discriminating reader. We can present photography more colorfully and give more space for articles. No one can do fashion spreads and home articles better than magazines. We are also better able to provide something that’s disappearing in the medium: a sense of history and community.

We regard the internet as an accomplice rather than an enemy.

Blogs, e-mail and social media allow for instant communication unparalleled in word history, but this is language written in short blurbs and too often with what looks like code. A magazine, at least, respects the written word. Good writing is an elusive mustang, but we try hard to lasso it.

Our own website, MyNewOrleans. com, provides a second wind for our editorial pages to be discovered by global search engines looking for relevant topics. Magazines provide the content; the internet can give the reach.

For magazines to survive they need the support of advertisers and the interest of readers. We have been blessed with both, while at the same time knowing that to do our job correctly we shouldn’t be subservient to either. Nevertheless, on this special occasion we thank both groups for their support – financially and in spirit.

There are city magazines throughout the country. We are the only one blessed with a city like New Orleans, where lifestyle isn’t just a newsbeat but an obsession.

The city thrives and gets better. We hope to do the same. n

AN ORIGINAL ©MIKE LUCKOVICH CARTOON FOR NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE

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JULIA STREET /

WITH POYDRAS THE PARROT

TH E PUR S UIT TO AN S W E R E T E RNAL Q U E S TION S

Dear Julia, I am interested to know if you may have information about a place of business that was located at 510 Poydras St. in New Orleans in about 1929 to about ’35 called the Poydras Garage, operated by A. J. Gumina Sr. If you have any information or pictures of that, I’d greatly appreciate it. I’m a relative and I live in Hendersonville, North Carolina by virtue of the Katrina storm.

Thank you, Angelo J. Gumina Hendersonville, NC

Angelo Joseph Gumina, the New Orleans-born son of Italian immigrants Felix Gumina and Lucy Nicota, was a successful automobile mechanic and entrepreneur. Born in 1893, he entered the automotive service trade as a young man and, by 1917, was operating a successful garage at 4319 Dryades St. between Berlin Street and Napoleon Avenue. As automobiles became increasingly more affordable and popular, Gumina carved a niche for himself by styling his shop as a one-stop destination catering to the needs of the motoring public.

By early 1922, Gumina moved downtown to 600 Carondelet St. at the corner of Lafayette Street, where he established the City Hall Service Station. The new shop offered more than fuel, maintenance and repairs. The garage charged 25 cents for daily parking and $1 for a car wash.

Within four years, Gumina was seeking larger quarters and purchased from grocers Schmidt & Ziegler a threestory building at 510-518 Poydras, Schmidt & Ziegler had, in 1913, obtained the building at auction following the bankruptcy of Smith Bros. & Co., which had for many years operated a wholesale grocery at that location, the former street address of which was Old No. 102-106 Poydras St. Angelo Joseph Gumina quickly renovated the former grocery, adapting it for use as an automotive garage and storage facility. The Poydras Garage opened in mid-February 1926 and for the next decade was a motorist’s one-stop shop, offering a wide array of services including parking and storage to washing, maintenance, accessories, repairs, towing and painting. Boasting a capacity in excess of 300 cars, the fireproof facility had a sprinkler system and elevators to transfer vehicles from one floor to another.

In 1936, Gumina left the Poydras Garage and set up shop at 1049 Carondelet St. The Poydras Garage building later housed United Distributors, Inc., but has since been demolished. The site was cleared in the early ’70s for construction of the Hale Boggs Federal Building.

Angelo Joseph Gumina Sr., passed away in April 1986 at the age of 93.

Win a restaurant gift certificate

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Here is a chance to eat, drink and have your curiosity satiated all at once. Send Julia a question. If we use it, you’ll be eligible for a monthly drawing for a tour and Creole breakfast for two at Degas House or a Jazz Brunch for two at The Court of Two Sisters. To take part, send your question to: Julia Street, c/o New Orleans Magazine, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 or email: Errol@MyNewOrleans.com. This month’s winners are Angelo J. Gumina, Hendersonville, North Carolina; and Thomas J. Roberts, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.

OCTOBER 2016 / myneworleans.com

photo courtesy of The Charles L. Franck Studio Collection at The Historic New Orleans Collection

Dear Julia In the 1940s, during the Second World War, I was King of the May Festival at McDonogh #23 Public School.

In order to be King, I had to raise the most money for the program advertisements.

It was such an honor to be King during this stressful time. I was dressed in an allwhite military uniform with gold buttons and wore a white officer’s hat trimmed in gold braiding. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of my reign as King with which to remember this event. My question is: Could Poydras fly around to see if May Festivals are still celebrated in New Orleans, or is this a lost tradition?

Thomas J. Roberts Fairfield Glade, TN McDonogh #23’s Parents’ Association sponsored the Uptown school’s Spring Fest over which you ruled. Yes, local schools do continue to hold May festivals of various sorts – both secular celebrations of springtime and the ending school year along with religious traditions, such as Roman Catholic schools’ May Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Shortly after it opened, McDonogh #23, which from 1889 to 1950 operated in the old Carrollton Courthouse, was at the forefront for another celebratory tradition when it reputedly became the first Louisiana school to celebrate Arbor Day. On Feb. 11, 1890, children attending McDonogh #23 planted oak trees and umbrella china trees on the school grounds. Seldom seen these days, umbrella china trees are also known as chinaberry or china ball trees.

Dear Julia, I was in your city in December 2014 (second week). I was at a street performance across from Jackson Square on Decatur Street, the large set of stairs by the Café Du Monde. The performers were about half a dozen young black men. They were a combination of tumblers, dancers and just all-around great performers! My question is: Do you know their names; are they local; and will I get a chance to see them again? I’ve never seen anything like them.

Sincerely, Mrs. Robert Furlong Oak Creek, WI I am reasonably sure the group you saw performing at the Moon Walk facing Jackson Square was the Calypso Tumblers. I know they were working in the area in early 2015, not long after your December ’14 visit. I don’t know, however, which members of this internationally famous group may have been working on the day you saw them. Since John “Dr. Juice” Allicock founded the acrobatic dance troupe in New York City in the early 1980s, the Calypso Tumblers have performed from coast to coast and around the world. Over the years, the troupe has added and changed members.

Occasional New Orleans visitors, the Calypso Tumblers were finalists in the second season of the “America’s Got Talent” television series. Thanks to the magic of the internet, you can see the Calypso Tumblers any time you like through the many performances – some of them in New Orleans – that have been uploaded to YouTube. The group also has its own Facebook page. n myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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the beat MARQUEE / PERSONA / BIZ / EDUCATION / HEALTH / CRIME FIGHTING / CHRONICLES

SPOTLIGHT pg. 29

“I’m always creative.

Twenty-four hours a day it’s creativity. It’s a doodle, it’s a drawing, it’s a sketch, it’s something.

Always being creative.”

– artist Peter Max, who painted this month’s cover

Brad Trent PHOTOGRAPH

THE BEAT / MARQUEE

OUR TOP PICKS FOR OCTOBER EVENTS

BY LAUREN LABORDE

Curtains Up

Now Screening

Hell Yes!

October signals the official end of the summertime lull in New Orleans arts offerings, with many of the city’s performance groups opening their seasons. Specifically, it’s curtains up for New Orleans’ ballet and opera groups.

The New Orleans Opera Association opens its season Oct. 7 and 9 with Mozart’s Don Giovanni (NewOrleansOpera.org).

Later on in the macabre season, catch Macbeth, Sweeney Todd and Faust. Very timely with the recent Olympics, the New Orleans Ballet Association’s season opens Oct. 15 with Brazil’s Grupo Corpo, a company fusing ballet, modern and “hip-swiveling Brazilian” dance styles. The rest of the season includes Ronald K. Brown’s “EVIDENCE,” the return of Stars of American Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Jessica Lang Dance (NobaDance.com).

The New Orleans Film Festival (Oct. 12-20) continues to expand with offerings and venues. Last year, the festival added the restored Orpheum Theater as screening venue. This year, the new Ace Hotel has been added to the mix. The usual slate of national features, documentaries and shorts, plus an unprecedented number of Louisiana films, will be screened. Information, NewOrleansFilmFestival.org

Always reliable in showing off the local comedy scene, Hell Yes Fest (Oct. 6-16) has a lot of big national names on the lineup: 2016 headliners include Sarah Silverman, Nick Swardson and Cameron Esposito. Catch standup, sketch, improv and everything in between in the St. Claude corridor and in bigger venues on Canal Street and Uptown.

Information, HellYesFest.com

CALENDAR Fridays and Saturdays through October. House of Shock haunted house. Information, HouseOfShock.com

Oct. 8. Beignet Fest, Lafayette Square. Information, Facebook.com/BeignetFest

Oct. 1. Art for Art’s Sake, Warehouse Arts District and Magazine Street. Information, NewOrleansArtsDistrict.com

Oct. 8. Kenny Rogers in concert, Saenger Theater. Information, SaengerNOLA.com

Oct. 7-9. Gentilly Fest, Pontchartrain Park. Information, GentillyFest.com

Oct. 10-11. Carnaval Latino, various locations. Information, CarnavaLatinoLa.com

Oct. 7-8, 14-15 & 21-22. Oktoberfest, Rivertown. Information, OktoberfestNola.com

Oct. 14-16. Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, Lafayette Square Park. Information, JazzAndHeritage.org/Blues-Fest

Oct. 8. Japan Fest, New Orleans Museum of Art. Information, NOMA.org

Oct. 15. Keith Urban in concert, Smoothie King Center.

Information, SmoothieKingCenter.com

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King Gallery, and he’ll be presenting a show there opening Nov. 11, 5-8 p.m.

What’s your connection to New Orleans? I’ve been to New

Orleans many, many times; I have a gallery there, Angela King Gallery. I got to know her and we’ve been good friends – Angela King is a great art dealer, and I’ve had gallery shows with her. It’s been a very wonderful history for me.

What’s the show called and what’s the theme of it? It’s a Peter

SPOTLIGHT

Color to the Max

New Orleans Magazine cover artist returns to New Orleans in November for a gallery show.

A

rtist Peter Max has been working since the 1960s, when he gained world renown for his psychedelic, counter culture-infused pop art that was reflective of the era.

Since then he’s created the official posters for many international events, including the 1994 World Cup and multiple Grammy Awards and Super Bowls. He co-owns the Angela

Max show, it’s a gallery show of my work. It’s many, many, pieces.

Dozens and dozens – maybe over 100 pieces in the show.

Can you tell me about some of the specific pieces that will be in the show? It’s hard to think of

which pieces go in, but overall it’s pieces of my creativity, it’s things I do every day. I draw and paint. These are the kinds of things that are going to wind up over there for them to see, and that’s it. It’s a very rich thing to be in the gallery show and to be in the room where I’ve created all the things, and I’m there being with 100 people or more and this stuff is all over the walls, it’s just unbelievable to me.

What are the things that are inspiring your work recently?

I draw and paint every single day so I’m just filled with ideas,

inventions, concepts – all categories. Every day I create new things I never knew I could do and I’m doing them and it’s just like, day after day it just fills up my mind, the beautiful things I’ve done. I do creativity all day long – that’s what I do, it’s amazing.

Is there anything that’s happening in the world right now that’s inspired your art? Well, the

world itself is a very inspirational place. Whether it’s China, whether it’s global this, global that. So much going on, I just love it all. Just turns me on left and right, every which way.

From the morning I get up, ’til the night I go to sleep.

You paint every single day. Ever just not feel like it? Hardly. I’m al-

ways creative. Twenty-four hours a day it’s creativity. It’s a doodle, it’s a drawing, it’s a sketch, it’s something. Always being creative.

You’re creating the cover of this month’s issue of New Orleans Magazine. Can you tell me about that? Joan of Arc, Canal Street

streetcar, editor-in-chief of the magazine, fleur-de-lis – When I do these things, I still don’t know what I’m doing until it’s done and I go “Oh, wow, look what I just did.” I follow what creativity does to me, then I can’t believe I did it.

For more information about the show, visit AngelaKingGallery.com. n

Oct. 15. O What a Night! Gala, Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Information, OgdenMuseum.org

Oct. 22. Krewe of Boo Halloween parade, Marigny, French Quarter and CBD. Information, KreweOfBoo.com

Oct. 15. Elvis Costello in concert, Saenger Theater. Information, SaengerNOLA.com

Oct. 23. Oak Street Po-Boy Festival, Oak Street. Information, PoBoyFest.com

Oct. 15. Anba Dlo Halloween Festival, New Orleans Healing Center. Information, AnbaDloFestival.org

Oct. 25. David Sedaris, Orpheum Theater. Information, OrpheumNola.com

Oct. 16. Celebración Latina, Audubon Zoo. Information, AudubonInstitute.org

Oct. 27-30. Halloween New Orleans: A benefit for Project Lazarus, various locations. Information, HalloweenNewOrleans.com

Oct. 21-23. Ghosts in the Oaks, City Park. Information, FriendsOfCityPark.com

Oct. 28-30. Voodoo Music + Arts Experience, City Park.

Information, VoodooFestival.com

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THE BEAT / PERSONA

Langston Galloway Guard for the New Orleans Pelicans

BY LAUREN LABORDE

B

aton Rouge native Langston Galloway is currently adjusting to being back in Louisiana. He spent two seasons with the New York Knicks, the second of which he played in every game and averaged 7.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Before that, he played at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where as a freshman he earned Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team and Philadelphia Big 5 Rookie of the Year honors, and finished his time there as the second all-time leading scorer in the program’s history. But when the Pelicans offered Galloway a two-year contract with the team, valued just under $10 million and including a player option for the second year, he headed back to his home state. He has already had to adjust to the hazards of Louisiana life: Just a month before training camp, catastrophic flooding hit his home city damaging his wife’s family home. But just like he is on the court, an expert ballhandler who shows versatility by being able to play both point and shooting guard, he seems to be juggling dealing with the aftermath and preparing for the upcoming season with aplomb – even making time to help others.

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Q: You’re from Baton Rouge. How

did your family do in the flooding?

How did it affect you? My wife’s parents’ house was pretty much completely wiped out. We’re just trying to salvage what we can and rebuild.

We’re starting from the ground up. A few of my family and friends were affected, but hey – we’re still strong and we’ll continue to come back from this.

Q: You’ve worked with kids there, too, right? [Before the floods] over the summer I had an event with the

Q: What things about Occupation: Guard, New Orleans Pelicans Age: 24 Born/raised: Baton Rouge Education: Christian Life Academy, St. Joseph’s University Resides: CBD Family: Wife, Sabrina Galloway Favorite movie: “My favorite movie of all time is Space Jam, and my wife and I love Love & Basketball.” Favorite book: The Alchemist, poetry books (Langston Hughes) Favorite TV show: “Ballers,” “Survivor’s Remorse,” “Power” Favorite food: Catfish étouffée Favorite vacation spot: St. Lucia

kids, a camp – my first camp – in Baton Rouge. It was a free clinic for 100 kids. It was a great turnout; so many parents came out, it was just amazing. Also, between myself and the NBPA (National Basketball Players Association), we donated $2,500 to the Foundation for the East Baton Rouge School System, just to help out the schools with technology, uniforms, school supplies – anything they need.

Q: Besides all of that,

what’s it like being able to come back to Louisiana to play? I’m loving it. I’m pretty much just getting adjusted back to that Louisiana life. I hadn’t been here in about six years, so it’s pretty cool being back in the state I was born and raised in. I’m pretty much an hour drive from back home. It’s pretty cool, but I know at the same time I’m in this adventure to help the cause in any way I can by going out there and playing hard.

Louisiana life have you had to readjust to? Just knowing the areas again. I rarely came down to New Orleans when I was younger. Me and my wife are just venturing out and enjoying the pretty cool areas in New Orleans.

We live in the CBD. We’re pretty adventurous. We like to go bowling, we like to go watch movies and occasionally go and check out some of the jazz spots around town. We’ve checked out Domenica, that’s was pretty cool; and my wife loves charbroiled oysters, so we go to Drago’s.

Q: What role do you see

yourself playing on the team this season? I mean, really just trying to find my niche and just go out there and play hard. Wherever coach wants me, wherever he puts me on the floor, I’m going to go out there and play my heart out and just try to leave it all out there so we end up winning at the end of the day. That’s what it comes down to.

Q: What’s it like getting to

know the other players? It’s a great group of guys, real personable. The professional level of the roster is definitely raised up. We’re definitely excited for training camp to start up and get going. n

True confession I’m not a scratch golfer, but I’m under 100. I’m a pretty good golfer.

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THE BEAT / BIZ

Cornerstones of Economy

How 50 years changed a street and New Orleans business

By Kathy Finn

F

or decades it was a downtown roadway without much of a profile. Stretching two miles northwest from the Mississippi River, Poydras Street during the first half of the 20th century ran past the aging storefronts of small

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marine transportation companies and other cargorelated businesses.

Poydras Street played second fiddle in those days to New Orleans’ primary business artery, Canal Street, which not only was home to some of the city’s biggest companies,

but also was the city’s primary shopping corridor.

In the years to come, however, changes that would occur on Poydras Street would reflect a shifting economic landscape. Much of the action began in 1966.

In that year, then-Louisiana Gov. John McKeithen joined National Football League commissioner Pete Rozelle to announce the startup of the New Orleans Saints. Also at McKeithen’s urging, the Legislature in 1966 approved a bond issue for construction of the Louisiana Superdome at the upper end of Poydras Street.

Those events occurred around the same time that the city was wrapping up a revamp of the street itself.

Spurred on by the construction of the International Trade Mart (later World Trade Center) at the river end of Poydras Street, the city in 1966 finished widening the street from four driving lanes to six, adding a parking lane on either side and a 16-foot-wide neutral ground down the middle. The new boulevard was built to handle the heavy traffic that was sure to come.

In 1972, One Shell Square was completed at Poydras Street and St. Charles Avenue, becoming the city’s tallest building and a new center for the all-important oil industry.

Though construction of the

Superdome had been delayed several years by litigation over the bond issue, the Dome finally opened in 1975 and welcomed the Saints, who had played up until then in Tulane Stadium.

By that time, local tourism businesses had awakened to the possibilities presented by the Saints, the Superdome and Poydras Street. The 1970s brought the opening of two large new hotels.

The 1,200-room Hilton New Orleans Riverside would anchor the river end of Poydras Street, and the 1,100-room Hyatt Regency New Orleans would stand at the other end, next door to the Dome.

Tourism was becoming an increasingly viable industry at the same time that the oil and gas sector was on a track toward record-high commodity prices. It was a heady time for business in New Orleans.

The parallel surge in tourism and the oil business sparked a wave of hotel and office building construction, and while some of the inns rose on Canal Street and other nearby streets, most of the new towers would line Poydras Street. The construction of at least 15 high-rise office buildings along the street during 1970s and early ’80s confirmed its new status as New Orleans’ most important business corridor.

What the 1980s also brought to the city, however,

Power of the port Even as local economic tides have shifted, the city’s oldest industry continues to play a critical role in New Orleans’ growth. River commerce sparked the city’s founding 300 years ago, and today the Port of New Orleans competes in the global marketplace by continually expanding facilities, particularly container-cargo capacity, and employing new cargo-handling technology. The port has also helped to nurture tourism growth by adding and expanding cruise ship terminals that now remain busy year-round.

was a severe downturn in the oil patch. As commodity prices plunged, corporate layoffs slashed occupancies in downtown office buildings.

Still, as the core plank of the local economy languished in a funk, the tourism industry gained steam. The growth in hotel and restaurant jobs that came with rising numbers of visitors couldn’t offset the white-collar losses sustained in the oil business, but tourism promoters wouldn’t be deterred.

A pivotal year for local tourism was 1984, the year a World’s Fair came to New Orleans. The city had laid the groundwork for the Louisiana World Exposition by building an entertainment marketplace that stretched along the riverfront from the Hilton Hotel to the downtown Mississippi River bridge.

Though the hoped-for throngs of fairgoers never material-

ized and New Orleans had to acknowledge that the fair was a flop, the event left the city with opportunities, including a huge pavilion that tourism promoters would convert into a convention center.

The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center quickly became one of the largest such facilities in the country, and with national corporations devoting more and more resources to conferences and trade shows, the local convention business took off. As the meeting business grew, so did the number of leisure travelers to the city.

New Orleans was fast becoming a top visitor destination at a time when oil and gas jobs – despite a moderate recovery in the industry – couldn’t fill all the downtown office buildings.

That situation eventually led to some of the city’s older office buildings, including a few on Poydras Street, being converted into hotels.

The explosion of service jobs in tourism, and a recognition that New Orleans couldn’t rely heavily on the volatile oil industry for higher-paying jobs, led to a belief, still much espoused, that the city should make economic diversity a priority.

So far in the 21st century, New Orleans has made progress in growing jobs in sectors such as health care, software development and digital media. The city has also become known for nurturing entrepreneurial activity.

Nevertheless, through the ups, downs and shifting trends of the last half century, the three-legged stool that has long defined local business has continued to serve as the foundation for growth. Oil, the maritime industry and tourism remain cornerstones of New Orleans’ current and future economy. n

myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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THE BEAT / EDUCATION

Reading and Longevity Are magazines good for your health?

by Dawn ruth Wilson

H

ere is a factoid to consider in celebration of New Orleans Magazine’s 50th year: Magazine readers live longer.

It is true; at least that’s what Yale University’s School of Public Health says. It is also true that I’m stretching the truth a bit. Yale researchers discovered in a 2016 study of reading habits that readers in general live longer. In fact, the greatest benefits came from reading books, but that’s a small detail. The study found that anyone who reads books for more than 3.5 hours a week will live an average of two years longer than someone who doesn’t. Those results were reported in many publications for obvious reasons.

In short, if magazine readers throw in a few books, they’ll have more time to enjoy all their favorite things, such as reading more magazines, novels, newspapers and cereal boxes – they all count to some degree.

And even though some believe that print publications will eventually follow typewriters to dusty shelves in the basements of oddity

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museums, print magazines were read by 91 percent of the 215.7 million magazine consumers in 2014. A fact book published by The Association of Magazine Media (Magazine.org), says that 95 percent of magazine readers under age 25 read print, a comforting statistic for all lovers of the inked versions.

Clearly lots of people love magazines. Coming home to a mailbox stuffed with a favorite magazine is like hearing the call of your winning bingo number. All day long, stress and more stress. And then, at the end of the day, you see a glossy spread of rainbow-hued petunias to escape to in Country Gardens or the possibility of laughing out loud to one of Modine Gunch’s escapades. Do you remember the New Orleans Magazine issue where Modine gets locked in the garage with no clicker?

Modine’s life makes reading emails from students professing to have pink eye feel like a lark in the park. If these wayward students would just say, “I missed my mid-term exam because I was engrossed in the latest Marilynne Robinson

novel or Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, I’d leave campus smiling each day.

Alas, an obsessive reading excuse has yet to cross my computer screen.

Reading is a habit that should start early. A number of studies underline the importance of early reading skills for success in school and in life. Savvy parents encourage reading. Even comic books can create life-long reading habits.

My own first reading material for pleasure were Archie comic books. I read them along with titles such as Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. That reading list may sound an odd combo, but the latter titles, leather-bound and oh so deep, were the only novels in the house. A newspaper came each day, but as is true of most children meeting puberty, news of the

latest train wreck wasn’t yet interesting, We acquired a set of Encyclopaedia Britannica ostensibly for the occasional school book report, but was, in fact, my working class father’s excuse for shelling out the money.

My mother probably didn’t need convincing; after all, she brought in Dickens and Bronte, but it did turn out that he was the only one to read those fact-filled pages – from the beginning of A to the end of Z. About the time my parents were paying off the encyclopedias, city magazines as a publication genre were just emerging. Los Angeles Magazine claims to have been one of the first in the early 1960s, but it didn’t take long for others to follow. Filled with community trivia, such as where to get the best hamburgers to important civic matters, just about every urban center sports one today, from Charlotte to Honolulu.

Why do people read magazines? That question, posed by Publishing Executive, an online newsletter analyzing the magazine industry, was followed by this succinct answer: “to learn and to enjoy.”

Magazines are good fillers for those awkward waiting times in doctors’ offices. Just a couple of months ago, I visited one of those reception rooms – boring beige floors, walls and picture frames.

Fortunately, a National Geographic rested nearby and within seconds I was engrossed in an article about DNA research that informed me scientists can alter the DNA of pigs to eradicate viruses that prevent using their organs

for human transplants.

Who knew?

One industry article says there are over 2,000 magazines published today, and even obscure ones have devoted readers, many who still prefer print.

For magazine lovers – and hoarders – physicality is important. Consider the Heavy Duty Truck reader who used the pen name “Alamo” when he left an online comment about the enduring nature of print. He says that he has “a stash of HDT from the (19)70s and ’80s, which I reread from time to time, a short literary ‘vacation’ back in time!” Another HDT reader says he uses the magazine’s articles as instruction materials for his tractor-trailer school.

Magazines are educational and life-enhancing.

The aforementioned Yale researchers discovered the life-lengthening properties of reading by separating 3,500 people over age 50 into three groups: non-readers, those who read up to 3.5 hours a week and more frequent readers, says an August posting on ScienceAlert.com. After 12 years, the researchers discovered that the avid book readers “were found 23 percent less likely to die” and the up to 3.5 hours a week reading group was 17 percent less likely to die. The results held true, the report says, even after data adjustments for age and income.

There could be another reason why the frequent readers lived longer, though. Maybe they actually read and heeded the health warnings on their packages of Marlboros. n

myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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THE BEAT / HEALTH

Healthful Hints Fifty tips to care for your next 50 years

By Brobson Lutz M.D.

1. Start the day with a cup or two of dark roast coffee; without sweeteners or cream it’s all natural with no calories.

2. Do not leave home without some food in your tummy. If you’re in a hurry, try a large Tablespoon of peanut butter.

3. New Orleans produces about the best municipal water on the planet; drink it from the tap.

4. If you have a bottled water fetish, know its provenance. Long-term storage and high temperatures release trace chemicals from plastic bottles, such as synthetic estrogens.

5. Exercise age appropriately. Transition to more walking, swimming, bicycling, tennis and yoga after age 40.

6. Time spent in the library is more important than time spent in some gym. For bodily exercise, take the stairs and walk when possible.

7. A varied and balanced diet and a little sun exposure supply all the vitamins and minerals needed to reach age 100 and beyond; obviously medical exceptions exist.

8. The best medical care comes with

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an identifiable lead physician.

9. Two glasses of wine a day is OK for most folks. If you consume daily or weekend alcoholic beverages, cut back each decade – most people in their 60s can’t handle two martinis a day like they could in their 30s.

10. Avoid cigarette smoke like it’s a Zika vector, but smoke an occasional cigar. (Bet you didn’t think you would get that advice from a physician.)

11. Keep your caloric intake in check.

Healthy obesity is a myth; adipose tissue serves as an in vivo chemical factory fueling diabetes, heart disease and diabetes.

12. Cut back on simple sugars. If you acquired a taste for sweetened coffee and tea, give it up. Pralines and beignets are tourist food; OK, maybe once or twice a year for natives.

13. For fresher and more wholesome foods, be a regular at a local farmers’ market.

14. Shop on the periphery of every grocery store where you typically find fresh produce, dairy products, and meats.

15. Drink a glass of water before every meal; stomach distention just might decrease caloric cravings.

16. Make your dinner plate a rainbow of brightly colored foods. A truly balanced diet includes a range of fruits, vegetables and proteins.

17. Look at yourself naked in the mirror once per week. If there’s too much there, downsize to a nine-inch dinner plate and pack your lunch for work.

18. Plant a celeste fig tree in your back yard. No July breakfast is better than fresh figs right off the tree followed by the lagniappe “system cleanout” that follows.

19. Raise chickens in your backyard and enjoy fresh eggs; you’ll never again want an anemic store bought egg. Plus, chickens love roosting in fig trees.

20. Read something you disagree with every day and you’ll find that you’ll be less disagreeable and better informed.

21. Avoid soda drinks, including the diet ones. The extinction of soda drinks would be a true “one giant leap for mankind.”

22. Replace soda drinks with unsweetened beverages such as iced teas or plain water. Chemical sweeteners may not contain calories, but they trigger brain centers that stimulate unneeded caloric intake.

23. Put down your electronic devices at mealtime.

24. The best equipped home has a round dining room table, a rocking chair and two dogs.

25. Taking decongestants or vasoconstrictive nose sprays daily all year long is a mistake.

26. Most sinus infections are really allergies, so antibiotics don’t help. To prevent and treat recurrent sinus congestion problems, use a Nettie Pot to wash out all that inhaled dirt, pollen, roach parts and the like; make certain to follow manufacturer instructions.

27. It is OK to pee in the shower as healthy urine is sterile, but don’t pee in the swimming pool or hot tub as odors can linger.

28. For run of the mill lower back pain, start with a good chiropractor or physical therapy; most lower back pain resolves with tincture of time.

29. A diet high in garlic and raw onions

can be good protection against sexually transmitted diseases.

30. Boycott fast food establishments after age 25.

31. Take an 81 milligram aspirin every day after age 30.

32. Travel: Exposure to new foods and culture is good for the soul.

33. In the absence of a positive family history, benefits versus false alarms for mammograms are harder to prove for women before age 50 and older than 75 (ScreeningForBreastCancer.org).

34. Unless there are symptoms “down there,” most women don’t need routine pelvic examinations after menopause.

35. The need for a routine yearly Pap test exists primarily in the minds of oldfashioned gynecologists. Low risk women only need testing every three years at the most and can stop at age 65.

36. The best 50th birthday present both sexes can give themselves is a colonoscopy at age 50.

37. Get a pedicure; let a professional cut your toenails after age 55.

38. Sleep with a pair of loose fitting socks on your feet all year long after age 60. Cool blood in the lower extremities aggravates circulation problems.

39. If you snore or don’t dream, see a good sleep specialist; restorative sleep is essential for optimal health.

Sleep disorders are likely the greatest undiagnosed adult disease today in which effective treatments make a difference.

40. Treat sleeping pills like insurance. Better to have and not use than to need. Anyone taking sleeping pills on a regular basis needs to see a physician with skills beyond writing prescriptions.

41. Decrease stress. For some folks this means retire

early. For others, it means never retire. Hang out with people you enjoy.

42. Routine PSA screening for prostate cancer belongs on that shelf with the leech jars. To paraphrase a mentor, I’m not anti-PSA, I’m just propatient.

43. If a physician says immunizations might cause autism, find another doctor.

44. Challenge yourself mentally every day with a crossword puzzle or such – and read books.

45. Get outside and get some sun; it reduces depression and creates increased levels of Vitamin D. 46. Lift heavy objects correctly by bending your knees, not your back.

47. Meditate 10 minutes per day. It makes for a nice calming start to the morning.

48. Skin cancer is the easiest cancer to spot; get your skin checked regularly.

49. For optimal medical care, pick a good primary care physician and see the specialists on his or her team.

“Patients and their families need one doctor, not a committee … not an institution or a building.”

50. All life comes to an end.

The best way to go is to die fast and at home. Until then. check out the health news each month in New Orleans Magazine. n

Stephanie Hughes, MD Urology & Urologic Surgery

A Louisiana native, Dr. Stephanie Hughes is a board certified, General Urologist who specializes in all urologic problems, including enlarged prostate, incontinence, erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, kidney stones, recurrent urinary tract infections, and cancers of the prostate, bladder, kidney, and other urologic organs. Dr. Hughes offers same- and next-day appointments and a number of in-office procedures, including the new Urolift procedure for enlarged prostate.

4224 Houma Blvd., Ste. 260, Metairie 504-887-5555 UrologyNola.com

Complied by Dr. Brobson Lutz, an internist in New Orleans, with inspiration and quotes from Dr. George Burch.

Dr. Burch may not have been the greatest medical school department head in the world, but he was the best Lutz ever knew. In addition, Lutz acknowledges and appreciates input from multiple members of the Tulane Medical School Class of 1974 and from Dr. Charles Ochello, East Jefferson General Hospital. myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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THE BEAT / HEALTHBEAT

Going for Gold

M

ost people watching Olympic legend Michael Phelps compete in Rio wondered: What are those weird dots all over his body? Phelps, and many athletes, received a cupping massage as part of their preparation. But what could possibly be helpful about a treatment that leaves bruises on someone’s body for (potentially) weeks? I had to find out for myself.

I experienced my own cupping massage at the Metairie location of Earthsavers. My first clues came from the initial form I had to sign, which asked for some background information and outlined the procedure and potential side effects. I learned that cupping is an ancient form of Chinese medicine. “It’s a myofascial tissue (the tissue that surrounds and supports your muscles) massage that involves small cups being placed on the skin to create suction. This mobilizes blood flow, which promotes healing and provides relief from countless ailments.”

My massage therapist, Tiffany, was fantastic and let me ask a multitude of questions for each part of the process. First, she explained to me that there are two types of cups. Glass cups are what have been used since the massage’s inception. There are also plastic cups that attach to a device allowing for a stronger suction than glass. This gives the option for elevated suction, which allows for increased blood flow and stretch. Tiffany explained to me that she, along with many in the sports field, enjoys cupping more than a regular massage. It also gives the opportunity to move the cups around the body, lifting and stretching the muscles as they move along the skin. This is where the pain comes in, for me at least. As Tiffany moved the cups across my back, she knew exactly which muscles were tighter than the others by how the cups stopped – and by which area made me a little more vocal throughout the process.

Once completed, I definitely felt more relaxed and lose in different areas of my back. I can see why athletes like Phelps add this practice into their regimen before a competition. It increases blood flow, loosens up muscles and lessens the pressure and tightness that’s put on the muscles during intense workouts.

Obviously I won’t have to use it to prepare for my upcoming gold medal competition, but it will definitely make an appearance in my relaxation training.

– Kelly Massicot

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myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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THE BEAT / CRIME FIGHTING

Worth, Texas, later told the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo that he was skeptical of the Saintsation’s allegations at first. “It’s kind of something you hear a lot about in the bar industry, that some girl claims that she got drugged or dosed when she’s embarrassed about who she slept with or how drunk she got, so I do recall when I first viewed it, to see if she was out stumbling around or drinking at the bar.”

According to a transcript of the federal court hearing, when Blatty arrived at Ohm he began watching the video with other managers. Edited excerpts follow:

Drug-Rape Proving and stopping the pattern

By Allen Johnson Jr.

O

n the morning of Nov. 18, 2013 – long before Darren Sharper and two friends confessed to drug-raping New Orleans women – William Peter Blatty Jr., owner of the Ohm Lounge, received a disturbing email.

It came from Derrick Townsend, then-general manager of the popular bar in the Warehouse District.

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A New Orleans Saints’ cheerleader was making allegations of drug-rape following a party at the bar with Saints players only hours earlier.

Townsend wanted Blatty to come down to the club and take a look at tape from the Ohm’s 24-hour video surveillance system.

Blatty, who also owns bars in Baton Rouge and Dallas and Fort

Q. And when you started watching the video what was your focus?

Blatty: The bar.

Q. What types of activities were you focused on?

Blatty: Basically, guys putting their hands in girls’ drinks …

Q. …. What did you see in the video?

Blatty: … It looked like somebody put their hand up in their hat and then put something in a drink.

Q. So that caught your attention, right?

Blatty: Yeah, I was pretty surprised. I didn’t expect to see it.

Q. That was consistent with the [drug-rape] allegation that had been raised [by the Saintsation], right?

Blatty: Yes. Blatty said he saw the cheerleader at the bar. He also identified the man who allegedly put something in her drink as Brandon J. Licciardi, a St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputy and friend of former New Orleans Saints star Darren Sharper.

Blatty said he turned the videotape over to Butch Wilson, a friend and investigator with the office of then-Louisiana Attorney General “Buddy” Caldwell. He later cooperated with an FBI investigation of Sharper, Licciardi and the third coconspirator in the trio’s drug-rape schemes, Erik J. Nunez, a Morton’s The Steakhouse waiter.

Under questioning from Licciardi defense attorney Ralph Capitelli, Blatty acknowledged telling Capitelli that he gave the video to the Attorney General’s office, adding: “Basically, New

brian hubble illustration

Orleans has a shit record when it comes to investigating anything, and I just didn’t feel comfortable giving it to anybody in the NOPD.” Well, not everybody.

Blatty also testified he turned to then-NOPD Major Bruce Little, “a trusted confidant” to determine the veracity of earlier reports of other people “getting dosed at Ohm.” Three years ago, Blatty’s doubts about the NOPD’s capacity for investigation were shared by many. The city Inspector General later issued a report criticizing case handling by NOPD’s Special Victims Unit, including complaints of sex crimes and domestic violence.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu appointed a task force to reform the department’s Special Victims Unit, chaired by Tania Tetlow, a widely respected Tulane Law School professor and criminal law expert.

Darren Sharper is now serving an 18-year-plus federal prison sentence for drugraping as many as 16 women in four states: Louisiana, Arizona, Florida and California. He will receive credit for time served, beginning Feb. 22, 2014.

This Oct. 13, Brandon J. Licciardi is scheduled to be sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for admittedly doping unsuspecting women with the intent to commit rape. One victim was a friend who Licciardi turned over to Sharper at club Ohm on Sept. 22, 2013 – two months before the club videotaping of Licciardi and the Saints cheerleader. The third man, Erik J. Nunez, has agreed to a 10-year prison sentence for drug rape. The trio’s arsenal of drugs included MDMA (ecstasy), Alprozalam (Xanax) and Diazepam (Valium) and Zolpidem (Ambien).

Today, Professor Tetlow

trains NOPD officers on how to respond to complaints of rape – including drug rape. “It’s a huge problem,” Tetlow says of drug-rape. “It requires that we catch and punish perpetrators. At the moment, we almost never do. The evil genius of (drugrape) is that the victim often wakes up with no memory of what happened.”

Tetlow says the limited research available shows that most rapists are serial predators, who commit the vast majority of rapes.

“Often the most effective tool of a rapist is alcohol, for three reasons: 1) alcohol enables the rape; 2) it guts the victim’s credibility; 3) it can deprive the victim of her memory.” In the case of drug-rapes, hospitaladministered rape kits are less effective as evidence “because the defense is usually a claim of consent.”

The Sharper case illustrates how the public is skeptical of one rape victim’s allegations – until more victims come forward. Public opinion puts a burden on police and prosecutors to prove a pattern of rapes. “Until you can find the pattern of rapes, juries often refuse to believe the first victim who came forward,” Tetlow says. “The majority of rapes are committed against the rapist’s spouse or partner, and those are least likely to be reported.

Getting over rape is a lifetime struggle. Rates of suicide, alcoholism, drug abuse and PTSD go through the roof.”

As for the Sharper case, director of education and prevention for the Louisiana Foundation and Sexual Assault Jessie Nieblas adds, “Our first priority is always for the survivors. They need to be believed. Most survivors do not come forward. We stand with the survivors.” n

myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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THE BEAT / Chronicles

Paging Through History

Magazines from the past

BY CAROLYN KOLB

“I

remember Gypsy Lou Webb standing on a corner in the French Quarter with her art hung on a window – and Sister Gertrude Morgan on the other corner singing and preaching!” Jo Ann Clevenger smiles at that mental image of Webb, often seen hawking her artworks and selling copies of the magazine she and husband Jon Webb produced in the 1960s: The Outsider.

Although it only lasted four issues, The Outsider was important in New Orleans literary life in the beat era. Webb had served prison time for an unsuccessful robbery; Louise, otherwise known as Gypsy Lou, was a free-spirited artist. She handset the type for the publication, printed on their own press and filled with contem-

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porary poetry including the first published work of Californian Charles Bukowski. Appropriately, Bukowski was later the subject of a movie titled Bar Fly. Through the years, New Orleans has been home to a collection of interesting magazines that have long been gone from city newsstands.

Dixie Roto, the Sunday magazine of The Times-Picayune 1946-’94, was folded into the Sunday paper.

The pages were filled with local history, features, recipes and lots of color photos. Betsy Petersen, now on the faculty at Metairie Park Country Day School, had worked at The Boston Globe. She applied and was accepted for a writer’s position at Dixie Roto and was there 1965-’70.

Petersen recalled a favorite Dixie Roto story: “They tore down the Dauphine Theater, took out a wall and found a place where an earlier generation of actors had signed their names.”

One signee was Dottie Fay, a dancer billed as “The Golden Girl” for her body paint. “I found a relative of hers who remembered going to that theater,” Petersen recalls. “I think my lead was ‘It took Ricca Demolition Company to bring down the house at the Dauphine Theater.’”

Another long-gone New Orleans-based magazine was titled simply Southern Insurance. For 39 years. Alvin J. Davis was editor and publisher.

Davis had come here from Louisville, Kentucky where he worked on The Courier-Journal. His daughter, Maria Davis Baisier, now chair of the Drama Department at Holy Cross School, says her father had been hired by the magazine when it was titled Risk, bought it in 1947, renamed it and published it until ’86. “In its day it was considered one of the premier insurance

journals in the country,” she says.

While insurance is a serious topic, jazz might be considered a bit frivolous. But, the New Orleans Jazz Club had its own magazine filled with material about New Orleans musicians and music. The Second Line began in 1950 and ran through 53 volumes (the last in 2009 – there was a hiatus after ’02.) Jazz researcher Jack Stewart still consults The Second Line: “It always has some tidbits that other publications don’t have,” Stewart insists.

Perhaps the best known defunct New Orleans magazine was a literary comet that blazed through four years of the 1920s: The Double Dealer. Joe Friend’s father, Julius Friend, was a World War I veteran and loyal New Orleanian.

He and some fellow local vets decided to prove northern writer H. L. Mencken wrong in his description of the South as, “almost as sterile culturally as the Sahara Desert.” That was the impetus for The Double Dealer’s founding.

“My father was the editor.

He loved what he did. He hung around writers and interesting people all his life. He was friends with Sherwood Anderson. Not many of us started a little magazine that became famous,” Friend proudly describes his father’s accomplishments.

“The Double Dealer was the first journal to publish Ernest Hemingway, and the first to publish William Faulkner.” Friend says. “There was a submission by Hemingway of a poem they published, and they took a poem by Faulkner with the comment ‘this is a poem by a writer in France who shows promise.’”

The Double Dealer finally faced reality. “It only lasted four years and it never made any money, so they had to quit doing it.” Friend says.

But, as with all remembered magazines, it sure was fun while it lasted! n

photo courtesy of The William Russell Jazz Collection at The Historic New Orleans Collection, acquisition made possible by the Clarisse Claiborne Grima Fund

myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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LOCAL COLOR ME AGAIN / MODINE GUNCH / JOIE D’EVE / in tune / READ+SPIN / JAZZ LIFE / HOME

On Oct. 28, the Jayhawks will be at Tipitina’s with Folk Uke. The Jayhawks released Paging Mr. Proust earlier this year; this record sees them playing with their sound.

in tune pg. 52

Heidi Ehalt photograph

LOCAL COLOR / ME AGAIN

Swinging for the Fences Changing dreams and anniversaries

BY CHRIS ROSE

F

ifty years ago, I was a 6-year-old kid growing up in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

The house my dad bought for $50,000 two years earlier is probably worth close to $3 million now. Most of the neighborhood looks the same now as it did then – except the houses are bigger, the cars are bigger and the trees are taller.

I was a precocious but well-mannered boy and had only one dream in life: To be a Major League Baseball player, preferably for the Washington Senators. But that dream vanished when the team packed up when I was 11 and moved to Arlington, Texas, where they became the Rangers.

Then I grew up (a little). Attended high school (a little). Attended college (even less). I got a journalism degree there but still had just one big dream: To play Major League Baseball.

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, I parlayed that journalism degree into a job as a night clerk at the Washington Post, my

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hometown paper. My job was to cull through the late night news and PR wires and send anything promising to the news editors.

One night I saw this announcement: The Pittsburgh Pirates were holding a tryout for young men in the Washington area who were interested in pursuing a professional baseball career.

Then and there I made the decision that would shape the rest of my life: I would try out for the Pirates. If I did well, I would become a professional baseball player. If I didn’t do well, I would write about the experience become a professional writer.

Obviously, you know how the tryout went.

Over the next several decades, my career arc took me from the Washington Post to the TimesPicayune daily to the Gambit Weekly to New Orleans Magazine, which is monthly. If you take my resume and turn it upside down, it’s one of the great up-from-the-bootstraps stories!

But I love being with an institution of such history and commitment. Fifty years later, my

dream merges with the magazine. Writing is my baseball now and New Orleans is my field of dreams.

And this magazine, the team I play for, had its own dreams when it began, when I was that little kid in Maryland so long ago.

JFK had been assassinated three years earlier. The Beatles had played at City Park two years earlier. The New Orleans Saints had just been born. The Summer of Love was just over the horizon. New Orleans was readying to blossom into one of the great cities of the world.

And, of course, New Orleans Magazine published its first edition.

They were heady times indeed. The world would flip, change, riot, recharge, reshape itself and become a place that anyone who was alive in 1966 would scarcely recognize today.

It is funny: I didn’t choose the title for my first column in the magazine: “Still Here.”

My editor did, and I thought it fitting enough with my own changing, checkered past with this city. But I’m the new kid in this magazine; a rookie all over again, in this ever-changing checkered business and city.

It is comforting to know that some things really are still here, still on point, still on a mission, still doing what they did 50 years ago – and mostly better. The Saints, for one; New Orleans Magazine for another.

And me. Still taking cuts and swinging for the fences. n jason raish illustration

myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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LOCAL COLOR / MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS

Getting Carded In search of Mickey Mantle

BY MODINE GUNCH

M

y mother-in-law, Ms. Larda, was talking about the old days. She is real glad that the rules for ladies’ underclothes have changed.

They used to be called “foundations,” she says. Whenever you dressed up, you wore a mandatory girdle that squeezed you three sizes smaller and also held up your stockings. If you wanted to breathe, you had to stay home in your nightgown.

She also remembers that the entire city of New Orleans didn’t used to get either ecstatic or gloomy every week depending on how the Saints played, because there weren’t no Saints except the ones the Pope canonized.

There wasn’t no Pokemon or Minecraft, but kids still found plenty to do instead of homework. One thing they did, especially the boys, they collected cards with Major League baseball players on them. They came in packs of Topps bubble gum. The gum must have tasted terrible, because the kids either threw it away or chewed it just long enough to spit in their sisters’ hair. They don’t make that gum no more, but she heard some of them cards sell online for big money, if they’re unblemished.

She remembers one year when she took her kids trick-or-

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treating for Halloween.

Leech, Lurch and Lout were ghosts of dead baseball players. They had old pillow cases with eyeholes over their faces and baseball caps on their heads. The girls, Larva and Gladiola, both were Cinderella. Gladiola was just 1 year old and Ms. Larda decorated her stroller like a pumpkin.

They had gone maybe a block when Ms. Larda noticed Lurch wasn’t swiping his sisters’ candy or nothing.

She wondered if he was sick. Maybe a chill? Mothers believed chills were deadly.

But no. He finally told her, all choked up, what happened that day at school recess.

There was this game they played with their baseball cards. They propped the cards against the playground fence and flung other cards at them. If you hit somebody’s card, you got to keep it. That day, Lurch had, without thinking, played with his precious, one-and-only Mickey Mantle card. And a bigger kid won it. He was devastated.

It was spoiling his Halloween. After they trick-ortreated a few houses, he said he just wanted to go home and give out the candy, and she said OK. He curled up on the couch and had ate half the Tootsie Rolls he was supposed to give out before anybody come to the door. Then, when they held out their bags, he spotted packs of Topps gum in them. Turns out the Dalhousies, the people down the street, were giving it out.

He threw on his dead baseball player disguise, rushed over there ... and got a Willie Mays. He put on his Lone Ranger mask and went back.

He got a Hank Aaron. Finally,

he went back wearing Ms. Larda’s church hat, but they were on to him.

So he started offering every trick-or-treater who came by three Tootsie rolls for each pack of Topps they collected from the Dalhousies. He got Ted Williams, Rusty Staub, Bill Henry. He ran out of Tootsie Rolls.

He had to open the McKenzie’s box of doughnuts in the kitchen. (The next day was All Saints’ Day, and in those days Catholics went to Mass before breakfast, then proceeded to the cemetery and tidied up the family tomb. The doughnuts were to scoff between Mass and the cemetery.)

The doughnuts were gone when Ms. Larda and the kids got home – and still no Mickey Mantle.

Then Lurch noticed baby Gladiola had a pack of Topps gum. She had chewed it open and was nibbling the card.

And it was Mickey Mantle.

But Gladiola was a strongwilled child, and she wasn’t giving up that card. He tried dipping a pacifier in ketchup, which she usually loved, but she wouldn’t turn it over.

Ms. Larda said she felt sorry for him (she didn’t know about the doughnuts yet) and she dug out a shoe box of old baseball cards from a garage sale, and between the two of them they managed to distract Gladiola long enough to switch out Mickey Mantle for an old Tookie Gilbert card.

Of course, Mickey Mantle had a few tooth marks, but Ms. Larda didn’t give Lurch no sympathy about that. It ain’t as if it was worth good money, she told him.

And that, says Lurch, is why they ain’t rich. n

LORI OSIECKI ILLUSTRATION

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LOCAL COLOR / JOIE D’EVE

Long Days, Short Years When time goes so fast

BY EVE CRAWFORD PEYTON

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he was a well-meaning woman, pretty, slim, early 50s. She was dressed in sensible muted colors and buying Activia yogurt, broccoli and white wine.

“I’m so jealous of you with that sweet baby,” she said as I waited behind her in line at Gerbes Supermarket in mid-Missouri. “Mine are in high school now. It just goes so fast.”

It was February 2007, freezing cold and gray with about eight hours of thin, weak daylight each day. Ruby was 5 weeks old. I had slept probably two hours the night before. I hadn’t washed my hair in a day or so, and I had breast milk stains all over my shirt. I was wearing a pair of blue sweatpants (because nothing else fit), and I honestly wasn’t sure when they’d last been through the wash. Ruby was in her car seat in the basket of the grocery cart, screaming her tiny lungs out surrounded by frozen waffles, peanut butter, cheese sticks and other foods I thought I could probably eat one-handed while holding the crying baby.

Because she was always crying.

I don’t think I was even able to articulate a response to the nice woman who was inexplicably jealous of me – me! – while her life seemed together enough, her children old enough, that she was able to eat a balanced diet and dress in matching clean clothes and relax with a glass of

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chilled wine. I probably just gave her the same strained smile and blank stare that I gave everyone I interacted with in 2007.

I truly believed it would never get better. I thought that woman was insane, or maybe just a far better person than I, the kind of person who could spend hours in the company of a colicky baby and never once completely lose her shit and scream, “OH MY GOD STOP CRYING, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?” at an infant who obviously cannot understand.

But then it did get better. It not only got better; it got great! It got so great that I went and had a second baby, and even though I was tired and covered in stretch marks, I was used to the mom thing by then, and Georgia didn’t have colic, and it

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wasn’t winter, and I wasn’t in Missouri and everything was pretty terrific.

Now even my baby isn’t a baby anymore. Georgia started pre-K last month, and she tells me about evaporation and the solar system and politely orders food in restaurants.

Ruby started fourth grade and has a whole sphere of her social life that is a mystery to me – secrets and sleepovers and rivalries and rituals, friendship bracelets and puff-ball headbands. She and I discussed transgender rights and gay marriage on the car ride to school, and then “Purple Rain” came on and she said, “I love this song. I think it’s my favorite Prince song, unless you count ‘Manic Monday,’ which he wrote but didn’t sing.”

That day in Gerbes in February 2007, I never could have imagined my red-faced angry bald-headed baby would one day have a gorgeous head of blonde curls and the ability to discuss Prince songs with me. I also never could have imagined that the lady was right about just how fast it goes. Ruby is more than halfway to technical legal adulthood, and although sometimes I actually count the time until bedtime out into six-minute increments to keep from going insane, I’m also not sure where those nine years went, nor do I know how Georgia is already in real big-kid school.

And yesterday, I found myself in line at Rouses behind a frazzled-looking woman wearing yoga pants and a screaming 2-week-old baby in a sling rocking gently back and forth with a tight smile and a blank stare.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she patted the baby on the back. “I’m almost done paying, and I’ll take her outside.”

“Please don’t worry about it,” I told her. “It doesn’t bother me. My baby just started pre-K, so I’m actually kind of jealous of you right now. It just … it really just goes so fast.” n

Excerpted from Eve Crawford Peyton’s blog, Joie d’Eve, which appears each Friday on MyNewOrleans.com.

jane sanders ILLUSTRATION

A lifelong resident of New Orleans, Dr. Greer Cieutat Reisig is a graduate of LSU School of Dentistry, Texas Christian University and Benjamin Franklin Sr. High School. With a sincere passion for creating beautiful smiles, Dr. Cieutat Reisig has nearly 30 years of practice experience treating patients of all ages.

She offers a variety of cosmetic services including teeth bleaching, Invisalign, bonding, porcelain veneers, tooth-colored fillings, crowns, and implant restoration. Dr. Cieutat Reisig’s work is truly transformative, as it uses modern aesthetic techniques to make improvements whether subtle or dramatic. The practice is patient-focused with a goal of treating patients as family.

DR. GREER CIEUTAT REISIG 337 Metairie Road 504-832-2043

Dr. Cieutat Reisig offers high quality dentistry in a relaxed atmosphere in a state-of-the-art facility located in Old Metairie. She has immense experience with both children, the elderly, and the medically compromised having spent 10 years affiliated with Children’s Hospital and many years working with Woldenberg Village.

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LOCAL COLOR / IN TUNE

Young The Giant

October Festivals

Reaping the Benefits From Americana to Voodoo BY mike griffith

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nce again in early October we reap the benefits of the Austin City Limits Festival’s expanded format. Several of the excellent acts that they’ve booked take the opportunity to hop over to New Orleans for a quick show either between weekends of the festival or immediately after. California rockers Young The Giant will be at the House of Blues with indie pop darlings Ra Ra Riot Oct. 5. The electropop ensemble The Naked and Famous will be at the Joy Theater on the 6th. Indie rock group The Local Natives will be at the Civic with Charlotte Day Wilson on the 7th. And, folk pop singer Brett Dennen will be at the House of Blues Parish with the outstanding Lily and Madeleine opening on the 10th. With a little work, you can see many of the exciting acts from ACL without leaving town.

On Oct. 7, Doom Boogie outfit Death Valley Girls will be at Siberia. They are touring on their excellent new record Glow In The Dark. There is a driving intensity to their music that perfectly matches the vibe at Siberia.

If you’re looking for something a bit

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lighter, Andrew Bird will be at the Civic with Sinkane on Oct. 3. This is a really interesting pairing of two excellent, diverse and experimental artists. One can hope that there will be some moments of collaboration between the two.

Two heavyweights from the hip-hop scene are joining us this month as well.

On Oct. 13, Chance the Rapper will be at the Mardi Gras Ballroom. Chance released the critically acclaimed mixtape Coloring Book in May. His fusion of hip-hop and gospel is stunning. On the 25th, Danny Brown will play Republic with Maxo Kream. Danny Brown’s excellent new record Atrocity Exhibition was released last month, so look for him to draw heavily from those tracks.

If that weren’t enough, October also has Americana covered. On the 22nd and 23rd, Jason Isbell is doing a two night stand at the Joy Theater. Isbell performed at the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience last year and at Jazz Fest in 2014, but this is an opportunity to see him in a much more intimate environment. Then on the 28th, the Jayhawks will be at Tipitina’s with Folk Uke. The

Of course the highlight of the October music scene remains the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience. This year the festival has tapped Tool, Arcade Fire and The Weeknd as their primary headliners. This will make two Tool shows in New Orleans this year, which is rare for just about any place. In addition to the headliners, the excellent collaboration of Les Claypool and Sean Lennon will be playing. Look for standout performances from Bully, Sir the Baptist and Gramatik. Keep an eye on my blog for updates, interviews and coverage before and after the festival.

The weekend before Voodoo, on Sat., Oct. 22, the ninth annual Community Records Fest will take place at One Eyed Jacks. This year you can see Gland, Slingshot Dakota, Dowsing and more.

Find out more at CommunityRecords.org.

Jayhawks released Paging Mr. Proust earlier this year; this record sees them playing with their sound a bit more than in the past. Folk Uke is the fantastic duo of Cathy Guthrie and Amy Nelson (yes, daughters of that Guthrie and that Nelson). Their songs are playful and pure of joy, not to mention often hilarious.

On Oct. 23, Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox will be performing at the Orpheum.

This group does arrangements of modern pop songs in the style of jazz and ragtime from the 1920s-’50s. They are quite famous on YouTube as well. The old-world style of the Orpheum is a great match for this show.

Do not forget to hit Tip’s on Halloween night for the Funky Meters show. It will be a good way to wind down after the weekend at Voodoo.

Note: Dates are subject to change. Playlist of mentioned bands available at: bit.ly/ InTune10-16 n

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To contact Mike about music news, upcoming performances and recordings, email Mike@MyNewOrleans.com or contact him through Twitter @Minima.

Lauren Dukoff photograph

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LOCAL COLOR / READ+SPIN

NON-FICTION: Published in celebration of New Orleans Magazine’s 50th anniversary, Essential New Orleans is a delectable coffee table read for those lazy Sunday mornings before a boozy brunch.

Written in a short essay style format, more than a dozen contributing writers, photographers and designers collaborated to create this over 100-page hardcover comprised of deeply moving stories set in our favorite city spots, including St. Roch Cemetery, Molly’s at the Market, the Fair Grounds, Tipitina’s and more. Featuring 15 spots total, each writer offers a glimpse into the life of these inimitable places – some romantic, others historical and all stories of recovery and resilience. Essential New Orleans captures the heart and soul of the Big Easy and does so with love and care. Order your copy online at EssentialNewOrleans.com. Attend the publisher’s book signing at Octavia Books in Uptown, Wed., Oct. 5 at 6 p.m.

FUNK: A band of multi-talented misfits, New Orleans Suspects have been playing in and around the Crescent City since 2009, and their highly anticipated mid-September release of Kaleidoscoped is everything we could’ve hoped for. Similar to the energy one would find in a classic Grateful Dead album, mixed with some R&B rhythms and jazzy rhumbas, Kaleidoscoped is a jam best set for an evening of dancing and merriment. Attend the album release parties at the Maple Leaf Bar, the band’s first local home, on Fri., Oct. 14 and Sat., Oct. 15.

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CHILDREN’S: Award-winning and internationally recognized children’s musician Johnette Downing has authored a new colorful children’s book featuring the Louisiana state bird, the brown pelican. Petit Pierre is a sweet story of a baby pelican trying to find a fitting home in the wetland marshes.

Downing’s book highlights the importance of coastal restoration for the various denizens, feathered, scaled and covered in mud, who call it home.

Between the vivid illustrations and important educational message, this is great to read with the little ones.

BLUES: Robin Barnes’ soulful EP, Songbird Sessions, is sexy, soulful and warm to the aural touch. The only thing I wanted after listening to Barnes’ gorgeous compilation of jazz piano, upright bass and smooth guitar riffs, was more. (Pair this gem with a glass of red wine and Essential New Orleans for one classy, evening in true New Orleanian-style.) Barnes performs weekly at the Windsor Court Hotel and has performances throughout the month at the Maple Leaf Bar. You can also catch her at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome where she’s singing during the New Orleans Saints contest against the Carolina Panthers on Sun., Oct. 16.

by jessica debold Please send submissions for consideration, attention: Jessica DeBold, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005.

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LOCAL COLOR / JAZZ LIFE

Echoes From the Past Musical moments in a magazine’s life span

BY JASON BERRY

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began writing this music column in 1994 and now present personal episodes for the anniversary issue. My fossil record in these pages actually began the year before Nixon resigned as president. On that fateful night in August ’74, I was living in the Irish Channel. Went to Parasol’s after the speech.

Fats Domino on the jukebox. At the bar a grizzled sophist declared: “So, he’s a crook!

How come he didn’t burn the [expletive] tapes? Because a smart crook – ya hear what I’m saying? – don’t leave no trail!” No one spoke. “Ain’t that a shame!” ran Fats’s honeyed baritone. “My tears fell like rain!”

Music is memory, an anchor to moments great and small.

One thick summer night in 1975, James Rivers on a sizzling flute, “Fever,” getting everybody up on their feet in a little club called Mel’s Lounge in Marigny. Like a pied piper Rivers marches outside, trailed by dancing people waving handkerchiefs – his private second-line. Back in Mel’s, mopping his brow, Rivers smiles: “Always cool at Mel’s Lounge.”

Carnival 1979. Mayor Dutch Morial in pugilist mode with a Teamsters-led NOPD

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union. The cops go on strike. The National Guard arrives. The Rex parade cancels. Fat Tuesday 8 a.m. Wild Tchoupitoulas braves, who don’t like cops, march happily into a hole-in-the-wall – Dot’s Bar. I watch an anchorman of past vintage (charity bestirs me to omit his name) stick a microphone under the jaw of a Trail Chief in royal blue feathers: “Chief, with the police out, can you keep your people in line?” In line. Ouch! A Pall Mall dangling from his lips, Trail Chief says: “We try.”

A freezing February day, 1980, 5,000 people are densely packed outside Majestic Mortuary on Dryades Street for the funeral of Professor Longhair, aka Henry Roeland Byrd.

Two brass bands go in opposite directions to part the crowd so pallbearers can get the coffin into the hearse. Aaron Neville was serene: “The body is dead, but Byrd’s still here.”

December 1981, on the Steamboat Natchez. A lavish party hosted by the Rolling Stones, their gal-pals in Southern Belle dresses. Entertainment by a line-up of Crescent City stars. Thanks to a Neville Brothers’ promoter, I’m seated with Frogman Henry.

He just sang “You Always Hurt the One You

Love” and is happy with a plate of étouffée. I say, “That looks pretty good.” Frogman: “Baby, you can’t beat this alligator!”

Early 1990s. A rain-soaked Jazz Fest. Ben E. King on the Gentilly Stage. Standing with my daughter, Simonette, then 9. Sun slicing through dark clouds, words floating from King’s voice of pure magic: “When the night has come, And the land is dark, And the moon is the only light we’ll see, No I won’t be afraid ... Just as long as you stand – stand by me.”

A mild night in 2002. Gatemouth Brown, the swinging vocalist-and-string-man, outside Tipitina’s telling a sideman: “His problem – maybe no one spoke into his ear – is that no song should go more than three minutes long! You think Elvis padded the fat like he does? Puh!” September 2005. Evacuated in Lafayette to the home of friends with several other dazed-inKatrina exiles. Glued to a Wynton Marsalis telethon with local musicians. Will we have a city again?

Mardi Gras morning, 2006, in Tremé. Skeleton leader Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes raises a cry to Congo Nation Big Chief Donald Harrison Jr. A life force is returning.

July 5, 2015. City Park. The reception hall above Morning Call. Festive people at tables, others dancing to the James Rivers Movement. Rivers, burning away on “Fever.” The dancing bride, who stood next to me as a girl watching Ben E. King at Jazz Fest all those years ago, wasn’t yet born when Rivers rocked the fans at Mel’s Lounge. He is still rocking, a prince of the city. Has it really been that long? The groom, Dave Whatley, is smiling. So is everybody else. n Joseph Daniel Fiedler illustration

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LOCAL COLOR / HOME

Historically Collected

John and Priscilla Lawrence’s Bouligny home was restored to its original elegance

BY BONNIE WARREN PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHERYL GERBER

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he stately 1866 raised center hall cottage on a quiet street in the Faubourg Bouligny was purchased by Priscilla and John Lawrence in 2000. Positioned behind an old iron fence with huge magnolia trees gracing the front yard, it’s a handsome house with immediate street appeal. “We loved the design of the house and the fact it was on very high ground close to the Mississippi River,” says Priscilla, Executive Director of The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC). “We could see past the fact that it had been turned into four apartments,” adds John, THNOC’S Director of Museum Programs.

Undaunted by the task of bringing the house back to its original beauty, the couple hired New Orleans architect Peter Trapolin (Trapolin Peer Architects) and contractor

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Barry Siegel (Bywater Woodworks Inc.) and embarked on a year-long restoration that included getting rid of the existing four kitchens and bathrooms and completely redesigning the interior spaces. “We enjoyed working with Peter and Barry because they’re both sensitive to the restoration of historic New Orleans homes,” John says.

Today the house is a showplace with a broad center hall adjoined by four large rooms, an all new kitchen and modern bathrooms. “I like the way the hall separates the living areas and how the natural light from the windows surrounds both the front and back doors,” Priscilla says.

According to John, the new plan permits discrete public and private areas but can also accommodate a wider pattern of circulation. And like the hall in many center hall

Facing page: The completely redesigned 15-by-20-foot kitchen was done by architect Peter Trapolin; three pairs of French doors and large window over the sink capture maximum natural light in the space. Top: Built in 1866, the raised center hall cottage located on a quiet street in the Faubourg Bouligny area of New Orleans was purchased by Priscilla and John Lawrence in 2000; architect Peter Trapolin was in charge of the renovation design of the home and Barry Siegel served as the contractor. Bottom: Priscilla and John Lawrence

houses, the area becomes more than a passageway. It really functions as another room.

Both offer quick answers to the query: What do you like about the house? “I enjoy the proportions of the spaces and simple character of the architecture,” John says. “I have a painting studio in the guest bedroom upstairs and I am a happy camper when I have time to spend there,” Priscilla adds, “I also enjoy spending time in the living room because of the view of the neighborhood and the magnolia trees in the yard.”

Priscilla and John stress that their home isn’t furnished in grand antiques. “Our furniture consists of a combination of family pieces and things we’ve purchased here and there,” Priscilla says. “I love that we have a room to display John’s photographs and other artwork, and we both enjoy having a place for souvenirs of places we’ve been fortunate to visit in our travels.”

Top, left: John’s library of photography and art, and photographic history books, fill the bookcase in the center hall; his collection also includes titles relating to Louisiana’s history, as well as some contemporary fiction and reference works. Top, right: A 20th century cypress kitchen hutch fits neatly in what was once the back porch before it was reconfigured as an interior space between the dining room and kitchen. Bottom: The narrow space between the dining room and kitchen was once a back porch; the couple kept the floorboards and weatherboards to convey the feeling of its once outdoor space.

Facing page: Right: Both the living and dining rooms are 18-feet square, with 14-foot high ceilings and the original pine floors; furnishings are a mix of old and new pieces in keeping with the comfortable feeling the couple wanted to achieve. Top, right: Priscilla, an accomplished artist, displays one of her paintings between the two large windows in the living room; the small paintings on either side of the windows are of places the couple has visited over their 27 years of marriage. Bottom: The dining room table and chairs were discovered at a New Orleans estate sale by Irma Stiegler, John’s aunt, and the chandelier was purchased at Royal Antiques in the French Quarter.

While John is the cook in the family, both of them like the 15-by-20-foot kitchen that was completely redesigned. It features three pairs of French doors and a large window above the sink to capture maximum natural light. “I like to begin my day sitting in the kitchen with coffee and newspapers while enjoying the activity of birds and butterflies in the yard,” he says. “I always find it very relaxing.”

Summing it all up, John says: “Priscilla and I see ourselves as the present custodians of a special building that has evolved over time to suit the needs of its occupants. We hope our tenancy will serve as a positive model for the next people who call this place ‘home.’” n

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To live in New Orleans is to give in to tradition, to ritual, to ceremony, to routine and, sometimes, to cliché. This is a city built on a unique history and the culture that pours from it, and one by extension that helped make it one of the most popular destination cities in the world. And so we’ve had guidebooks written about us; we’ve had campaigns compelling us to “be a tourist in your own hometown.”

We know the obvious rituals of living in a city we’re forced to share with others. We know about Mardi Gras. We know about Jazz Fest. We know about the French Quarter and we certainly know about Bourbon Street. But over the past decade, which coincides not by accident with the much-chronicled post-Katrina era, New Orleans has established new traditions, new rituals, new ceremonies and new routines. As New Orleans Magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary, it does so by trying to capture those things that are sometimes a little out of the ordinary, but invaluable nevertheless.

Find serenity at The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden 1 Diboll Circle, 658-4100, NOMA.org/sculpture-garden/ As City Park has become what amounts to an increasingly bustling green space, peace still reigns inside this sculpture garden that’s only 13 years old. But under the spread of 64 soothing works dotted among the live oak, pine and magnolia trees, history reigns. No wonder they like to host free yoga here.

Dance to Geno Delafose on Cajun, Zydeco & Swamp Pop Night at Rock ‘n’ Bowl (monthly) GenoDelafoseMusic.com; Rock ‘n’ Bowl, 3016 S. Carrollton Ave., 861-1700, RockNBowl.com John Blancher’s shrine to Louisiana music has no better preacher than Zydeco fireball Geno Delafose, son of the legendary John Delafose and his backing band French Rockin’ Boogie.

And that’s what fans do. They boogie, when they’re not bowling, at one of Delafose’s monthly appearances, usually on the third Thursday of the month.

Enter a Duck in the Rubber Duck Derby DuckRace.com/nola More than 20,000 rubber ducks make their way into the Big Lake of City Park in the summer (late May or early June) to participate in a race for a cause: supporting the Second Harvest Food Bank. Fans can support the cause by “backing” or “adopting” a duck for a $5 donation. (The fact that they’re all wearing shades makes it all the more endearing, especially given the actual speed at which these ducks are “cruising.”)

Watch the “Greasing of the Poles” before Carnival at the Royal Sonesta 300 Bourbon St., 586-0300, Sonesta.com/us/louisiana/ new-orleans/royal-sonestanew-orleans This nearly five-decade-old tradition began innocently enough – by greasing balconies and other poles in the French Quarter on the Friday of the second weekend of Carnival, revelers were prevented from getting too rowdy on Mardi Gras Day by scampering up to Vieux Carré balconies.

Now it’s an “event,” complete with celebrity judges and contestants (often represented by some of the burlesque community’s brightest stars) turning the greasing into a pretty hot activity.

Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo (May) TheBayouBoogaloo. com A festival so popular it threatens to become a victim of its success, the Bayou Boogaloo rose from the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina to help celebrate a previously underappreciated area of the city – with stages and vendors set up along a bayou filled with revelers squatting in kayaks, canoes, inner tubes, inflatable rafts and other floatables.

The 2016 version became controversial as organizers and neighbors battled over a fence organizers argued would help keep the festival free; regardless the event still drew nearly 40,000 fans.

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Line up for a beignet and café au lait at Morning Call in City Park City Park, 300-1157, NewOrleansCityPark.com/in-the-park/Morning-Call Sometimes it feels like every visitor asks their host for directions to Café du Monde for a beignet and a café au lait – even if it means waiting in line for a half hour in the blazing morning heat. Which is totally fine; it’s a tradition. But ever since Morning Call opened in City Park, locals have made it their go-to spot – whether to take their order with them to watch their kids feed the ducks in the nearby Great Lake or sit in the cool shade.

Compete in the Stella and Stanley Shouting Contest at the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival TennesseeWilliams.net/stanley-and-stella-shouting-contest It has become the stuff of almost annual national TV news coverage: On the upriver side of Jackson Square, down on the pavement, aspiring Stanleys and Stellas tear at their T-shirts and scream at the top of their lungs to the judges perched on the balcony above, the iconic scream from Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. (Take it from someone who’s been there; it can cause serious vocal-chord damage if done improperly.) But it remains one of the greatest capstones to the annual tradition of the literary festival that celebrates one of the world's greatest playwrights.

Get spanked by a Big Easy Rollergirl while joining The Running of the Bulls (July) NolaBulls.com This event, held throughout the Warehouse District, comes directly inspired by The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. The festival has a distinctly New Orleans flavor to it, led by the Big Easy Rollergirls roller-derby squad and hundreds of others wielding plastic bats used to thwack runners in front of a crowd of as many as 20,000.

Organized by the group San Fermin in Nueva Orleans, the festival serves as a fundraiser for local charities.

Run and Revel in the Running of the Santas RunningOfTheSantas. com/new-orleans Perhaps New Orleans always has been a drinking city with a running problem, so to speak.

But the Running of the Santas – one of a few plays on the Running of the Bulls tradition in Pamplona, Spain – has solidified the silly notion of tippling in motion. Each holiday season – usually in December throughout the CBD – hundreds of male and female Santas help create a festival mob of thousands in the downtown area for a seven-block pub crawl and festival.

See Trixie Minx and the Fleur de Tease burlesque show at One Eyed Jacks (Monthly) FleurDeTease.com; One Eyed Jacks, 615 Toulouse St., 569-8361, OneEyedJacks.net In a city that has transcended its traditional striptease roots, burlesque producer and performer Trixie Minx has created a burlesque vaudeville review, a show that includes dancers, comics, magicians, aerialists and more, all working together to create a new and elaborately themed show each month. The twin sets invariably sell out yet always remain intimate, hilarious and ornate affairs.

Ride a boat in the Krewe of Kolossos “Bayou Flotilla” (Fourth of July) Kolossos.org/july-4th-parade One of the myriad Mardi Gras sub-krewes that has sprung up since Hurricane Katrina, the Krewe of Kolossos – “A Conscientious Collection of the Carnivalesque” – always loves to shine on the bayou. Every Fourth of July, floating creations make their way down Bayou St. John, sporting such crafted riders as giraffes and creatively redesigned U.S. flags. It has become the bohemian answer to the more outsized gathering for the annual fireworks display along the Mississippi River.

Go see the Rebirth Brass Band at the Maple Leaf (Tuesdays) RebirthBrassBand.com; Maple Leaf, 8316 Oak St., 866-9359, MapleLeafBar.com/calendar Sooner or later, just about every college student in New Orleans goes through the rite of passage that has become the most famous night for brass band music in the city of New Orleans. The Grammy Award-winning Rebirth has held down this spot since 1990, debuting such classics as “Do Whatcha Wanna,” “Let Me Do My Thing” and “Casanova.”

Enjoy burlesque, circus arts and sideshow at the annual Snake Oil Festival (June) SnakeOilFestival.com New Orleans’ cabaret culture has expanded beyond drag and burlesque and into the circus arts and circus sideshow acts that once made vaudeville and carnivals the definition of Americana, co-producers Ben Wisdom and Little Luna have created the Biggest Top in New Orleans with this three-ring – well, three-night – circus affair featuring local and touring performers. More than 1,000 attendees showed for the 2015 premiere, and the crowd grew in ’16, promising to make this sideshow an annual tradition.

Dance on the pool table after midnight at F&M Patio Bar 4841 Tchoupitoulas St., 895-6784, FandMPatioBar.com During an interview about her post-Mardi Gras ball plans, a recent debutante let slip she and her friends were going to unwind at F&M Patio Bar that evening – a testament to how legendary a late-night hang the Tchoupitoulas Street dive has become for college students (and die-hard alumni) over the decades. It is almost mandatory to wind up dancing atop a pool table to seal the tradition.

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Dance to Kermit Ruffins at Bullet’s Sports Bar (Thursdays) 2441 A P Tureaud Ave., 669-4464 Even though one of New Orleans’ most popular entertainers likes to start performing a little earlier than he used to, locals and in-the-know visitors are happy to hit the 7th Ward for a post-sunset show if it means squeezing in next to one another to watch the trumpeter and vocalist hold court on Thursdays at this mainstay.

Plus, you never know who might join him on stage, including the lovely and talented vocalist Nayo Jones.

March with a legend in the Chris Owens French Quarter Easter Parade (April) FrenchQuarterEasterParade.com We chose the Easter Parade because everyone is wearing their Sunday best for this seasonal parade featuring the legendary New Orleans entertainer, but who are we kidding? It is also fun to pop in and catch (and often dance with) Chris Owens inside her famous Bourbon Street nightclub.

Disrobe and ride in the World Naked Bike Ride in the French Quarter (June) WorldNakedBikeRide.org We aren’t sure which is more fun: the idea of dressing down and hopping on a bicycle to ride au natural through the French Quarter with hundreds of others, or watching local newspaper and magazine photographers shoot and select photos appropriate enough for publication. (It often takes some strategically placed handlebars, believe us.) Needless to say, it’s also a spectator sport.

Pedal your way around the Big Lake in City Park Big Lake Trail, City Park, 300-1289, WheelFunRentals.com/ Locations/New-Orleans-2 It is a little more difficult than it looks, at least at first, but there are few more romantic ways to enjoy City Park at sunset than to tool around in a Double Pedal Boat with a loved one, taking in the entire expanse of the Big Lake.

Sip on a Sazerac at the Sazerac Bar inside the Roosevelt Hotel 130 Roosevelt Way, 648-1200, TheRooseveltNewOrleans.com/ dining/the-sazerac-bar.html If the Sazerac is New Orleans' most iconic drink for cocktail connoisseurs, then maybe the Sazerac Bar inside the Roosevelt Hotel is the most appropriate place to give it that deliberately slow sip. (Others could make a strong case for the Carousel Bar; see below.) There is something warm and inviting about that room, with its Paul Ninas mural and formally attired bartenders, pouring cocktails using the signature Sazerac Rye.

Play Drag Bingo at Oz New Orleans or AllWays Lounge 800 Bourbon St., 593-9491, OzNewOrleans.com; 2240 St. Claude Ave., 218-5778, TheAllWaysLounge.net There are few goofier New Orleans nightlife traditions than “Drag Bingo,� popularized over a decade ago by the now-nationally known queen, Bianca Del Rio, and currently plied by such spitfires as Persana Shoulders on Sundays at Oz New Orleans in the French Quarter and Hannibelle Spector on Thursdays at the AllWays Lounge down on St. Claude Avenue. There is nothing like trying to hit the jackpot with these two cracking wise.

Look for Mardi Gras Indians at Second and Dryades streets on Mardi Gras Day On the greatest morning for the city of New Orleans, hundreds of thousands or residents and tourists flock to streets such as St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, hoping to catch beads from Rex or a coconut from Zulu. For some Carnival die-hards, the true Mardi Gras morning ritual is looking out for Mardi Gras Indians from tribes across the city – but most notably at that historic Central City intersection of Second and Dryades streets. It is a chance to see the latest “new suit” from the Big Chiefs and soak in a tradition that up until recently was an underappreciated gem.

Take a NOLA Brewery tour 3001 Tchoupitoulas St., 896-9996, NolaBrewing.com Louisiana has joined the rest of the world’s obsession with craft beer and, with New Orleans leading the way, NOLA Brewery has become a major player in the local industry. NOLA Brewery’s tours not only show beer drinkers how it’s done, but guests also can enjoy food from the recently relocated McClure’s Barbecue.

Cool off with a frozen Irish coffee at Molly’s at the Market on Decatur Street 1107 Decatur St., 525-5169, MollysAtTheMarket.net It is served as the tippling spot for artists, writers and journalists – the latter of whom often serve as “celebrity bartenders” and, in more recent years, supportive wakes after being laid off by The Times-Picayune. (It has been a tough decade for the ink-stained wretches.) But whether you’re part of The Creative Class, a stumbling, fumbling tourist or a gutter punk, there’s nothing quite so satisfying as the frozen Irish coffee that oozes out from that dispenser at the back end of the bar. Especially in the summer.

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Revisit the golden era of Bourbon Street burlesque with Bustout Burlesque (Monthly) BustoutBurlesque.com Nearly 20 years ago, historian and filmmaker Rick Delaup seized on the need to honor the heyday of New Orleans burlesque that dominated the French Quarter back in the 1940s and ’50s, documenting the burlesque revival that began in the late ’90s and has since blossomed. Delaup, who also produces the popular New Orleans Burlesque Festival, is a stickler for traditional detail.

“HUSTLE” to the deep funk spun by DJ Soul Sister at the Hi-Ho Lounge (Saturdays) DJSoulSister.com: Hi-Ho Lounge, 2239 St. Claude Ave., 945-4446, HiHoLounge.net For years Melissa Weber, aka DJ Soul Sister, toiled in relative obscurity spinning almost as obscure funk and soul music on her Saturday-night “Soul Power” radio show on WWOZ, followed by a live version later that night at Mimi’s in the Marigny. Now she’s a bona fide New Orleans funk star without touching an instrument – unless the needle counts. Her show at the Hi-Ho Lounge has drawn no less a star as part-time New Orleanian Solange Knowles (on her wedding weekend, no less) as fans sweat the night away to rare grooves and familiar tunes.

Take on the chess king in the red beret, Jude Acers, in the French Quarter He once duked it out with Bobby Fischer. Now Jude Acers, one of the greatest chess players in the world, can be found down on Decatur Street taking on all comers for $5 a game or $200 for a two-hour lesson if you have the passion and the patience.

Acers has held records in the Guinness Book of World Records for handling the most simultaneous chess games, and in a city filled with idiosyncratic characters he’s easily one of its most accomplished.

Learn the art of the tease from Bella Blue at the New Orleans School of Burlesque New Orleans Healing Center, 2372 St. Claude Ave., Suite 256, 912-1734, NolaSchoolOfBurlesque.com Whether it’s to become the next Blaze Starr, enjoy a lark with a bachelorette party or simply enjoy some female empowerment, burlesque producer and performer Bella Blue has transformed the New Orleans School of Burlesque into one-part incubator, one-part party stop and one-part source of education.

Workshops include everything from working with a chair and ballet (that’s right, ballet) to hulahooping and bounce dancing.

Pose as a model at Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School (monthly) Facebook.com/groups/DrSketchysNOLA; United Bakery Gallery, 1337 St. Bernard Ave., (802) 310-3719, UnitedBakeryGallery.com Part of a now-international syndicate, Dr. Sketchy is one-part art workshop and one-part performance art as models pose for aspiring artists in what’s often referred to as “life draw” and includes performers from the burlesque community. The current home, United Bakery Gallery, features a fair amount of cocktails and can be quite interactive, with some artists becoming the canvas.

Enjoy a cocktail with a view at the La Riviera rooftop bar at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel 621 St. Louis St., 529-5333, OmniHotels. com/hotels/new-orleans-royal-orleans/ dining/la-riviera Increasingly, New Orleanians have found creative ways to beat the heat as early as March and as late as October with a visit to La Riviera – and, gratefully, they have to be tourists to do so. La Riviera boasts of being a “delightful oasis” with beverages and light meals available at its rooftop bar. No one’s complaining.

Parade with the Mardi Gras Indians on Super Sunday (March) TheMardiGrasIndianCouncil.com If Mardi Gras Day is too loaded down with the amazing and historic parades

by Rex and Zulu, fans of Mardi Gras Indians are fine to be patient and wait for the historic Super Sunday gathering of Mardi Gras Indian tribes traditionally scheduled on the third Sunday of March, around St. Joseph’s Day. A.L. Davis Park, at the intersection of Washington and LaSalle streets in Central City, serves as the gathering spot for tribes under the auspices of the Mardi Gras Indian Council to show off those pretty suits.

Relax with weekly yoga in the Besthoff Sculpture Garden at City Park 1 Diboll Circle, 658-4100, NOMA.org/event/ yoga-in-the-sculpture-garden Yoga should be, at its best, a meditative affair, and while there has been a proliferation of quality yoga studios across the Crescent City, there are few more soothing (and meditative) spaces than the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden off to the side of the New Orleans Museum of Art. (Note: Sometime pilates is also offered and, in keeping with its partnership with the East Jefferson Wellness Center, NOMA offers tai chi courses at 6 p.m. Mondays in select art galleries.)

Enjoy some of the finest brown liquor with the New Orleans Bourbon Society at the Bourbon House 144 Bourbon St., 522-0111, BourbonHouse. com/new_orleans_bourbon_society Yes, you can find some of the best of the best in brown liquor at The Avenue Pub and also at hotshot newcomer Barrel Proof. But why not join the club and make it a regular habit with the New Orleans Bourbon Society that meets (appropriately enough) at the Bourbon House at the corner of Bourbon and Iberville streets.

Membership has its privileges, including the inside scoop on bourbon-related events, such seminars with master distillers, dinners, cocktail parties and more. myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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Laugh and be confused all at once at Cecile Monteyne’s “You Don’t Know the Half of It” sketch comedy show (Quarterly) Facebook.com/TheHalfOfIt New Orleans has quietly (OK, riotously) become one of the most popular cities in the United States for improv comedy, due in large part to the talent being churned out by The New Movement. From this well sprang Cecile Monteyne’s clever conceit: recruiting New Orleans writers to supply scripts for skits and giving half of them to one set of partners and nothing but guesswork to their respective improv partners. This quarterly show’s become so popular it’s graduated from Café Istanbul to Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré.

Learn about our drinking and eating culture at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (including the Museum of the American Cocktail) 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 569-0405, NATFAB.org/southern-food-and-beverage Under the watchful eye of Liz Williams, the Southern Food and Beverage Museum has grown for its humble beginnings at the Riverwalk Marketplace to (in just two years) a bona fide destination location in Central City and a national title. Visitors come to learn about the Southern food and drink culture and its African-American, French, Caribbean and even German roots. Special events insure that many of those history lessons are interactive.

Play hooky from work for an entire Friday afternoon with lunch at Dooky Chase’s 2301 Orleans Ave., 821-0600, DookyChaseRestaurant.com While the bluebloods enjoy life in the upper crust at Galatoire’s, over in the Tremé folks line up around the block for the doors of Dooky Chase’s to swing open at 11 a.m., ready to pounce on an old-fashioned buffet line featuring Leah Chase’s worldfamous Creole cuisine. But it’s almost impossible to escape without sampling a piece or two of the award-winning fried chicken, and, if folks are patient enough, the 93-year-old Chase often comes out from the kitchen to greet diners.

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Find a slice of Eden at the Longue Vue House & Gardens 7 Bamboo Road, 488-5488, LongueVue.com Tucked away in a patch of land just off Metairie Road, Longue Vue has become a kind of mini-getaway for New Orleanians, with something for everyone – whether it’s a “Taste & Pair” wine dinner for adults or the interactive “Kinder Garden” activity for kids.

Line up for a snowball at Hansen’s Sno-Bliz 4801 Tchoupitoulas St., 891-9788, SnoBliz.com Waiting in line for Hansen’s Sno-Bliz isn’t just a tradition; over the summer months it’s almost a badge of honor. But then there’s the payoff for enduring that overbearing heat: Keeping up the family tradition, Ashley Hansen Springgate uses many of the same recipes handed down by her late grandmother and former founding co-owner, Mary Hansen. Hansen’s was named an “American Classic” in 2014 by the James Beard Foundation. (We think it’s because of the Satsuma.)

Take a kayak trip down Bayou St. John Once just a sliver of water that sliced through a quiet edge of Mid-City and Gentilly, Bayou St. John arguably has evolved into the epicenter for casual New Orleans recreation – certainly away from Lake Pontchartrain.

Kayaking (and stand-up paddling) has become almost ubiquitous on the bayou, even in cooler months, and it’s harder to beat the vistas, especially the quieter trips on the backside of Demourelles Island.

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Study the history of perfumes and cosmetics at the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum 514 Chartres St., 565-8027, PharmacyMuseum.org New Orleans’ reputation as a haunted city has accelerated mightily in recent years. You literally can run into a ghost tour on any given evening in the French Quarter. But the hauntings come with a potion at the New Orleans Pharmacy, one of the last of the French Quarter’s great oddities as business. Dating back to the early 1800s, this apothecary features exhibits, special features (leeches, anyone?) and more. It is a must-see for locals who treasure what used to make the French Quarter quirky but historic – or, at least more so.

Get up to speed on Hollywood South and old Hollywood in New Orleans with a movie tour (225) 240-8648, NolaMovies.com Although the recent decision to cut back on tax incentives for the industry might herald a slowdown, Louisiana has become one of the home bases for what is referred to as Hollywood South, which is one generational reason to take a movie tour around the city and learn about key filmmaking sites for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes as well as classics such as A Streetcar Named Desire and King Creole.

Take a tour of the Old Ursuline Convent in the French Quarter 1112 Chartres St., 503-0361, StLouisCathedral.org/ convent-museum There is probably no more cliché tourist activity in New Orleans than taking a tour in the French Quarter – they’re so ubiquitous these days that tours literally run into one another on busy nights. But a tour of the Old Ursuline Convent – housed in a building erected in 1752 – is like airconditioned historical eye candy. There is the cypress staircase, the manicured garden, the oil paintings of past church leaders and other Catholic artifacts.

Relax by the pool at the Country Club 634 Louisa St., 945-0742, TheCountryClubNewOrleans.com In a city that knows how to relax, there are two places that allow residents (and some visitors) to lay about around the pool in style. While the Country Club no longer offers a clothingoptional setting at its Bywater location, locals still flock to the pool area behind the 18th century Creole cottage house, where they can receive pool-side cocktail service while working on their tan.

Sing karaoke at Kajun’s Pub 2256 St. Claude Ave., 947-3735, KajunPub.com There is no question that Cat’s Meow offers the most famous karaoke moments in the French Quarter – heck, even Miley Cyrus joined in the fun on stage while on tour – but further downriver on St. Claude Avenue, Kajun’s Pub has become the hip spot for locals to belt one out. (Pro tip: The hammier your performance, the better.)

Enjoy at least one spin around at the Carousel Bar & Lounge inside the Hotel Monteleone 214 Royal St., 523-3341, HotelMonteleone. com/entertainment/carousel-bar The expansion and renovation a few years ago has robbed the Carousel Bar of part of its dank and dark intimacy, but it remains one of the iconic drinking spots in the French Quarter. That is only one small reason why the Hotel Monteleone is the epicenter of Tales of the Cocktail. (Pro tip: If you’re dizzy after one Sazerac, maybe it’s best to step off.)

Soak in the jazz and good food with the Jazz Brunch at Commander’s Palace 1403 Washington Ave., 899-8221, CommandersPalace.com Maybe it’s the Creole Crawfish Chile Relleno; or the Cochon de Lait Eggs Benedict; or the Caramel Roasted Banana & Cookie Dough Cobbler. Oh, Tory McPhail, you know how to make a Sunday brunch a New Orleans classic. And, we can't forget to mention the jazz music that makes Sunday brunch a classic.

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Listen to the street musicians on Jackson Square There are those who might say that Jackson Square is the place for tourists – the tarot card readers, the street performers, the magicians and the hustlers. They might be right. But it’s easy to forget where New Orleans music began, and that’s in the streets, and Jackson Square is the most reliable, familiar spot to see where many of these musicians get their start — playing for tips, love and experience.

Learn about Celebration Distillation at Old New Orleans Rum 2815 Frenchmen St., 945-9400, OldNewOrleansRum.com While Old New Orleans Rum has been on the scene for a while now, the recent craft cocktail craze has gotten more people interested in the distillery process, and Celebration Distillation is ready to educate. Housed in an 18th century cotton warehouse, the distillery tour kicks off with a taste of one of the three main rum flavors: the Crystal white rum, the Amber dark rum (aged for up to three years in charred whiskey barrels) and the unique Cajun Spice rum.

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Get in touch with wildlife at Insta-Gator Alligator Ranch & Hatchery 74645 Allen Road, Covington, (985) 892-3669, Insta-GatorRanch.com Louisiana is known for its vast wildlife, including alligators, and this hatchery in Covington allows visitors to get an up-close-andpersonal look at about 2,000 of them lounging in clear waters in a climatecontrolled environment.

Learn about voodoo culture from Sallie Ann Glassman at Island of Salvation Botanica 2372 St. Claude Ave., Suite 100, 948-9961, IslandOfSalvationBotanica.com Too often New Orleans’ voodoo culture is celebrated as minstrelsy; Glassman has become one of the more serious and dedicated practitioners and ambassadors of this complicated culture. Her Faubourg Marigny spot features voodoo art, literature, readings and a variety of services, all in the name of voodoo awareness.

Get loaded on the Dump Truck Fries at The Avenue Pub 1732 St. Charles Ave., 586-9243, TheAvenuePub.com Truth be told, Polly Watts’ taking over the family business after Hurricane Katrina is one of the great success stories of New Orleans drinking.

That is especially true when you consider The Avenue Pub features one of the best beer and bourbon selections in the city – not bad for a 24-hour bar some used to call a dive.

But something’s gotta soak up that liquor, and the pub’s most prominent sponge are those Dump Truck Fries that come loaded down with roasted pork drenched in béchamel, grilled onions and a port wine au jus.

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ow many television programs are celebrating 50th anniversaries?”

The answer, of course,

is “hardly any.”

But, a magazine celebrating a 50th anniversary isn’t unusual, according to Dr. Samir Husni, Director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi’s Meek School of Journalism.

Husni – known as “Mr. Magazine” – is decidedly bullish on printed publications.

Magazines not only can be long-lived (the oldest American one is The Old Farmer’s Almanac at 225 years), but as Husni says, “once you print something, it’s permanent. People like the sense that it’s permanent.”

As for the future of magazines today?

“I think they are doing very well; I hear from almost everywhere. There is a big surge in city and regional magazines,” Husni says. “The entire print industry isn’t disappearing.”

New Orleans Magazine has certainly proved its staying power in the last 50 years. Changes in ownership, new faces

in the editor’s chair, even the complex systems disaster named Hurricane Katrina: New Orleans Magazine has been through it all and thrives!

A major factor in the magazine’s longevity would be the writers, whose work and whose care with words spin the stories the readers look forward to each month.

One contributor to the very first issue – October 1966 – who’s still around is Michael Ledet.

Ledet was never primarily a writer.

He is an artist. As he explains, “I only wrote something for the first two issues. The first was an article on art galleries in New Orleans, and the second was on artists.”

While a student at Jesuit High School he became a volunteer at the Orleans Gallery, which is run cooperatively by artists. Ledet had found his niche; he soon began making art himself.

He was Promotions Director at WVUETV when station executive Perry Brown urged him to write the art column for New Orleans Magazine.

After that, Ledet quit television, moved to the French Quarter and had his first art show at the Glade Gallery in 1968.

He worked for Ida Kohlmeier as a studio assistant, sold typography for Harvey Printing and for Forstall Typography.

Throughout, he practiced his art, and today he has paintings in the collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art. “I paint, mostly in acrylic and mixed media, with hand-made paper and penciled drawings,” Ledet says. He taught at Loyola University for 10 years – only later did he get a degree in History at Holy Cross College.

“My life has always revolved around some kind of creativity, whether graphic arts or fine arts,” Ledet admits. He recently retired from book design, but he’ll probably be working on a second book for Oak Alley Plantation, “twice as big” as the first.

When New Orleans Magazine started, the first editor was James Townsend, who had come from a city magazine in Atlanta. (My own first article for the magazine was in December 1966, a feamyneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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ture piece on the Irish Channel.)

Succeeding Townsend in New Orleans in April 1967, was James “Jim” Autry.

Autry’s writers especially liked the fact that he called editorial meetings at Antoine’s – where the magazine’s founding meeting had taken place. Bonnie Warren was president of the New Orleans Artists’ Association and was asked to do a piece on artist Leonard Flettrich (husband of WDSU-TV personality Terry Flettrich).

“He was the most charming, fabulous person!” Warren says. "They lived in the house in the bend of Bourbon Street and the back building was his studio – I spent almost the whole day with him.”

After she turned in the story, Autry

editorship a mixed review: “You work so hard. You’re invited to the best parties but you’re too tired to go!”

In all, Warren’s experience was positive: “New Orleans Magazine opened up New Orleans to me like nothing ever could.”

Rosemary James was a star political reporter for the New Orleans States-Item; as a Picayune corporate employee, she couldn’t write for local magazines. When she moved to WWL-TV, New Orleans Magazine sought her out. “I write long and they liked that,” James says with a throaty laugh.

She first appeared in the magazine in December 1968, and fondly remembered the Aubry style and the Antoine’s

After the sniper shootings at the Howard Johnson’s, she interviewed black City Councilman Johnny Jackson.

“The interview with Johnny Jackson was pretty emotional. It took a lot of guts for the magazine to print that story, I think,” James says. “It was long, and it was even on special paper. It was a time when things were different in terms of race relations. I think it was worthwhile.”

“There’s a great deal of satisfaction in being able to tell the whole story instead of just giving a couple of headlines,” she says.

Liz Scott has had a Modine Gunch story in New Orleans Magazine every month since 1986. A Loyola University Journalism graduate, she later taught there for

called and invited her to lunch. “He told me, ‘you have a lot of talent but I’m going to make you into a writer.’” Asked what she would like, Warren suggested “a column like ‘Talk of the Town’ in The New Yorker.” The column was named “Around the Belt.” Warren took her own photos and reported on events. “It was good just to get dressed up and go to everything,” she says.

Over the years Warren thrived, turning out features on “call girls, one of the first kidney transplants, swingers, one on a divorce lawyer. I interviewed veterans who had lost limbs – I cried when I wrote that story.” In the meantime, she began writing for national publications and gained an interest in writing on architecture, which she still follows today.

About 10 years after its founding, the magazine was sold to Ben Turner, best remembered for the number of editors hired in his tenure. “I was the editor – and then Don Lee Keith was the editor,” Warren says. “I think he coined the phrase ‘editor du jour.’” She gave her

meetings. Dave Kleck, in advertising and an advisor to the first owner, Joe David of Franklin Printing, had persuaded James to write for the publication. Kleck, however, wanted a little more editorial control than James was willing to give.

“One of the big stories they asked me to write was a profile of Hale Boggs, and they wanted me to go to Washington and spend some time with him. But, when Dave Kleck saw the story, he wanted to edit it and I pushed back,” James says.

Kleck had Boggs as a political client, James was a journalist and she held out against changes. “It was a good story and it turned out fine,” she adds.

She took particular pride in her profiles. “Tommy Lupo, I was interviewing him and he started talking about being a Naval aviator and I realized I had already heard of him: ‘Lucky Lupe.’”

James had been at the forefront of reporting on Jim Garrison’s futile investigation of the assassination of President Jack Kennedy and wrote extensively on it for the magazine.

15 years and was advisor to the school newspaper The Maroon.

Modine Gunch is a name that has long been part of college folklore locally, and, according to Scott, is more widely known.

“Sort of like Mrs. McGillicuddy – not a real person.”

Scott had been working at The TimesPicayune. While covering the 1984 World’s Fair she began writing Modine stories and saving them.

Then she was asked to do an article on the Riverwalk by New Orleans Magazine editor Sandy Shilstone. She followed with other features, and one on Sister Helen Prejean that won an award. “They decided I was good,” she admits. She became a staff writer and brought the Modine stories with her.

The Modine column was always freelance, and she had the name Modine Gunch copyrighted. “I kept worrying I’d get sued by the real Modine,” she admits.

It never happened, and the rest is history (three decades of columns and three books, available at ModineG.com).

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These days, Scott has moved across the lake to a house “on a hill. Every piece of property I owned before was below sea level or on a beach.”

Besides the Modine stories, Scott also wrote the Chronicles of Modern History column for years (the same column I eventually took over). Modine, however, is her longest running creation.

“I have had her age slower than me – she started at 35,” Scott says.

“I have six children and the youngest is getting married in California.

I have a batch of grandchildren – I guess that’s why I’m beginning to identify with Ms. Larda now.

“I have the perspective of age, but not the talent with sewing – Ms. Larda could sew muumuus for garbage cans – or the weight.” Scott says. “And she’s a little slower with technology than I am.”

Another one-time staff writer, Faith Dawson, was freelancing for CityBusiness when New Orleans Magazine was part of the same company. “When the magazine needed an editorial assistant, Errol Laborde gave me the job,” Dawson says.

A New Orleans native, Dawson’s first assignment was, appropriately, a story on New Orleans neighborhoods. Her most memorable story was also on a local topic. “I did a story about an author who wrote a book about being Creole: what does it mean for people, food, race,” Dawson recalls. “I won a national award for that story, it caused a lot of comment. I had hit on a contentious issue and I had done a good piece of writing.”

Dawson also wrote the Arts and Letters column, and she served as managing editor of New Orleans Magazine for nearly a decade.

After Katrina, she relocated to Atlanta and married New Orleans journalist David Lee Simmons.

They adopted son Elijah and moved home. Dawson is now Tulane University’s Editorial Director in the Editorial and Creative Services Department, the former publications office. Of New Orleans Magazine, she says, “I’m so pleased to have been a part of it. It’s a great publication.”

Jason Berry’s first story in New Orleans Magazine was in 1973.

“Jenny Derbes was editor and asked me to do a piece on local photographers – she called them ‘art orphans.’ I got to spend time with Clarence John Loughlin, Mike Smith, David Richmond,” he says. “I wrote an art column a while, a book column; it was always freelance.”

Berry was already a published author. Amazing Grace: With Charles Evers in Mississippi, came out in 1973. “That book was the dividing line of my life – white boy goes out in Mississippi with a black candidate,” he says.

Berry’s later investigative work resulted in several volumes on Catholic Church topics. But, he also wrote Up From the Cradle of Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II in ’86, and in ’94 he began doing a music column for New Orleans Magazine.

“I had started doing a lot of cultural writing in New Orleans, interviewing musicians. James Rivers was one of the first I did – we’ve stayed close: he gave me the ‘brother-in-law’ rate for my daughter’s wedding,” Berry laughs.

“In a column, you have to focus like a laser beam: it’s a way of spotlighting those artists who deserve the attention,” Berry says.

“When you interview people, and you go back and hang with them, sit with them at a club, you get a rounded experience with them,” Berry continues. “I’m fortunate to get to know these artists who carry an idea of the city in their music as I try to do in my writing.

“That’s a dimension of this town.

People who move here are awed that it’s so easy to make contacts.

We are receptive, we’re a Caribbean city, and I think the social patterns and the old ways promote a kind of intimacy with a great many people,” Berry says.

And, it’s just that kind of intimate storytelling and artfully transmitted knowledge of the city that readers have found in New Orleans Magazine over 50 years.

Here is to the second half of our first century! n myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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Man The

Behind the

Saints a n d

t h e

Superdome Family members recall the vision of Dave Dixon

By Kathy Finn

photographed by Craig Mulcahy

T

he date Nov. 1, 1966 sticks in Frank Dixon’s mind like it was yesterday. He was 16 at the time, and after some debate his parents had agreed to let him miss school so that he could witness local history in the making.

At mid-morning he joined his mother, Mary, in a meeting room at the Pontchartrain Hotel, and they watched as his father, David F. “Dave” Dixon, stood at the front of the room among Louisiana’s highest dignitaries.

The timing of the press conference had been Dave’s idea. There couldn’t be a better time than All Saints Day to announce the startup of a football team that would be called the Saints, he had told National Football League Commissioner Pete Rozelle.

And so it was that Rozelle, surrounded by Gov. John McKeithen, U.S. Sen. Russell Long and House Majority Whip Hale Boggs, announced the launch of the New Orleans Saints, the NFL’s newest expansion team.

The saga that culminated in that November 1966 press conference had begun taking shape years earlier in the restless and ever-hopeful mind of Dave Dixon, a New Orleans native and Tulane University graduate who badly wanted to bring professional football to the city and in ’61 had begun talking up his ideas to anyone who would listen.

A born marketer and promoter, Dixon was so convinced that New Orleans deserved a professional football team that he was sure he could sell the NFL or the American Football League on the idea.

It helped that he had recently sold his company, Dixon Plywood, and as a result could afford to pursue his mission full-time. As Frank Dixon remembers those years, there was rarely a time when his dad wasn’t immersed in lobbying for a team.

“I would come home and find Dad sitting in a chair, with a yellow pad and pen, and he was furiously writing letters to Pete Rozelle and (AFL commissioner) Joe Foss – handwritten letters,” Frank Dixon remembers.

Dave Dixon followed the letters with visits to the league offices.

“He would come back from New York and say, ‘I think we’ve got a chance!’” Frank recalls. “He was sure that in

just a couple of years, New Orleans would be in the NFL. My father was the ultimate optimist.”

But Dave Dixon knew it would take more than letters to get the job done. He saw that New Orleans would have to demonstrate strong interest in football, and he felt the best way to do that was to arrange exhibition games in the city. If he could put enough fans in the seats, the leagues were sure to take note.

Dixon successfully lobbied friends on the board of Tulane University for permission to use Tulane’s 83,000seat stadium for a Sunday exhibition game. A factor he saw as an advantage was that the stadium stood on privately owned property.

As a private institution, Tulane wasn’t subject to the racial segregation laws then still in effect in Louisiana and other Deep South states. In a public stadium at the time, black ticket-buyers would have to sit in “colored only” sections, but at Tulane’s stadium they would be able to choose any seat.

The prospects seemed so promising that Dixon began planning a double header. He worked his contacts for help in lining up teams, and soon arranged for the Detroit Lions to meet the Dallas Cowboys in game No. 1. For the second game, he had his eye on the Chicago Bears, and for this target he enlisted his wife’s help.

As Frank Dixon tells it, his dad had learned that Bears owner George Halas was easily charmed by attractive ladies, and Mary Dixon fit the bill. As lovely and engaging as her husband was enthusiastic, she agreed to fly to Chicago with Dave.

“Mom did a really good job on Mr. Halas, and at the end of an hour he agreed to an exhibition game in New Orleans,” Frank says.

Not only did Halas commit the Bears for the event, he also lined up an opposing team. “He picked up the phone and arranged for the Baltimore Colts, and (quarterback) Johnny Unitas, to play the game,” Frank says.

The 1963 double header drew some 50,000 fans and NFL big-wigs, and in Dave Dixon’s mind, his goal was within reach – though he was starting to realize that Tulane Stadium might not be the best venue over the long term.

During game No. 1 of his double header, rain had begun to fall in New Orleans and Tulane’s playing field quickly flooded, causing a two-hour delay of the second game.

Dixon began looking into the cost of building a domed stadium. He hired an architect friend to build a simple model of a covered arena, and he carried the prop around the state as he drummed up support not only

Top: Start of construction of the Superdome.

Bottom: Principals at the first purchase of land for the domed stadium proudly display a sign marking the spot, which was the property of F. Strauss and Son Inc. at 1300 Poydras St. It passed to the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District at an act of sale.

From left are Gerald Fedoroff, stadium general counsel; Mayor Victor H Schiro; Simon Silencer III, representing the sellers; Dave Dixon, stadium executive director; and Moon Landrieu, Democratic nominee for mayor.

Top, left: Frank Dixon looking through old photos.

Top, right: Frank Dixon and his mother Mrs. Dixon.

Bottom: New Orleans mayor Moon Landrieu (left) and Domed Stadium Executive Dave Dixon (center) are still smiles as they complete the last major land purchase for construction of the Louisiana Superdome.

Kansas City Railroad VP James Fitzmorris (right) holds a $3,375,00 check for the 13.7 acre tract of land in downtown New Orleans.

for professional football in Louisiana, but for construction of a stadium in New Orleans.

“He could sell anything,” Mary Dixon says, recalling her husband’s zeal for the project. Certainly, he met little resistance in the governor’s mansion.

John McKeithen had taken office in 1964, and when Dixon came calling with his dome model, the two immediately hit it off. As Frank recalls the story, once his dad finished pitching the governor on the dome idea, McKeithen stood up and declared, “By God, we’re going to build that sucker.”

As McKeithen laid the groundwork for a bond issue to fund the construction, Dixon continued to press the leagues for an expansion, but as Rozelle and Foss dragged their feet he grew frustrated, which led to a new plan.

Building on the investor support he had already developed, Dixon lined up financial heavyweights around the country to back the startup of a new football league.

In the spring of 1966, he wrote letters to Rozelle and Foss, notifying them that he had garnered financial commitments to launch the United States Football League.

Exactly three days later, as Frank Dixon tells it, Rozelle showed up in Atlanta to announce a new NFL franchise in that city. “People in Atlanta were stunned,” Frank says, speculating that Rozelle’s surprise announcement was aimed at quashing his dad’s startup of a new league.

But Dave Dixon saw that he could use the turn of events to advantage.

“Dad called Rozelle and said, ‘OK, now that you’ve got a 15th franchise, you will have to have a 16th, and it needs to be New Orleans. What can we do?’”

It was fortuitous that Rozelle, at that point, needed help. The NFL and AFL had decided to merge, but they could do it only if Congress would exempt the deal from federal antitrust laws.

When Rozelle admitted to Dave Dixon that he was worried about getting the exemption, Dixon asked a crucial question: “Have you talked to Hale Boggs?”

Dixon’s offer to intercede with the powerful congressman from Louisiana led to a deal with Rozelle: If the leagues succeeded in getting an exemption from Congress, New Orleans would get an NFL franchise.

In the hands of Boggs and Russell Long, the exemption won approval. And just a few weeks later Rozelle was announcing the launch of the New Orleans Saints – whose name Dixon had chosen years earlier.

Dixon had already launched a search for a prospective owner who could come up with more than $4 million nec-

essary to buy at least 51 percent of the team, and it led him to John Mecom Jr., the son of a wealthy Texas oil man.

Dixon and Mecom soon concluded a handshake deal in which Mecom would become the majority owner of the Saints, and Dixon would get a 20 percent interest in the team and become its general manager.

But according to Frank Dixon, when all was said and done, Mecom reneged on the agreement. He allowed Dave Dixon only a five percent interest, and he hired a former NFL front-office employee to manage the team.

The announcement of Mecom as owner of the Saints came around the same time that the Legislature, spurred on by McKeithen and New Orleans Mayor Vic Schiro, approved a bond sale that would enable construction of the Louisiana Superdome.

McKeithen wanted Dixon to become executive director of the Dome, though accepting the position would mean Dixon would have to give up his stake in the Saints.

Dixon agreed to take the job.

The next several years brought repeated delays of the Superdome as state lawmaker John Schwegmann Sr. filed more than two dozen lawsuits charging that the stadium bond bill was ill-advised and taxpayers should have been allowed to vote on it.

Schwegmann’s effort ultimately failed, but in 1972, three years before the Dome opened, Dixon resigned his position and returned to running his family’s art and antiques business, Dixon and Dixon.

For years after he relinquished his interest in the Saints, Mary Dixon lamented her husband’s decision.

“He should never have left the Saints,” she says today.

“We worked so hard on it.”

Though Dave Dixon didn’t get to own a piece of the team or preside over a finished Superdome, he won lasting recognition as a driving force behind the startup of professional football in New Orleans.

When he died in 2010 at the age of 87, news and sports media around the country noted the passing of a man often lauded as the father of the New Orleans Saints and the Louisiana Superdome.

In his lifetime, Dixon not only got to see the Dome host six Super Bowls but also enjoyed the thrill of the Saints winning a championship of their own.

Health issues had prevented him from attending Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, but he later told a New York Times reporter that he “watched every second” of the game on television. “It was just a great, great experience,” Dixon said. n

The season’s standout trends in outerwear experiment with shapes and unexpected proportions to make a statement all their own.

By Lisa Tudor Photographed by Theresa Cassagne Hair by Niki Walker Makeup by Meggan Ory Model Shelby Griffin

Megan Park embroidered wool “Cacoon” coat and “Mishra Charm” earrings at Pied Nu; Max Mara sleeveless white tartan plaid dress at Saks Fifth Avenue; Bettye Muller “Madison” pumps at Angelique Boutique

The Kooples Waxed Lace jacket and laceand-silk bow shirt at Saks Fifth Avenue; lamĂŠ flare skirt at Angelique Boutique

Intropia doublebuttoned elephant-motif jacquard long coat and Pom Pom drop earrings at Angelique Boutique; L’Agence cutaway little black dress at Clover Boutique

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Coat by Anne Vest, Aeron Studio knit tunic, Schumacher “Hole it Up” sleeveless turtleneck top, Jamin Puech “Jackson’s Handbag” and Flamingos “Deltona” suede boots at Pied Nu; drop earrings at Clover Boutique; socks

by Erica Tanov

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Alice + Olivia “Jade” faux fur vest and Helmut Lang stretch pants at Saks Fifth Avenue; Achro ribbed sweater at Angelique Boutique; earrings

by Deepa Gurnani at Peony

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Fringed camel snap-closure jacket and leopard-print pullover at Yvonne LaFleur; Liberty Garden striped polo sweater at Peony; “Riverdale” jeans by Frame Denim and gold chain earrings by Chan Luu at Clover Boutique; Dee Keller “Kelly” Camel suede shoes at Angelique Boutique; brass dome ring at Peony

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Ralph

T

hat talent often runs in families is no secret. In entertainment, names like Coppola and Fonda come to mind. The same can be said of the hospitality business, and New Orleans is home to one of the industry’s most celebrated dynasties: The Brennans. This year, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience is proud to bestow the Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award to Ralph Brennan, a nephew of the award’s namesake and a leading figure in hospitality both locally and nationwide.

Ralph Brennan’s accolades are many. He is the past president of the National Restaurant Association and the Louisiana Restaurant Association. He testified before Congress regarding the BP oil spill that threatened the Gulf seafood industry. He is an active presence on numerous boards and author of a regionally definitive seafood cookbook. Then there’s the small matter of his restaurant group, which employs almost 800 people across multiple states. His long history of advocacy, mentorship and philanthropic efforts make this decision an easy one. “If you look at the criteria for this award, there’s nobody more perfect to receive it than Ralph,” says NOWFE Board Member and Event Chair Cameron Perry.

Ralph Brennan is reserved, with a quiet demeanor. He is admittedly shy, but possesses a personable warmth that draws in people. He is an introvert in an industry of extroverts, and his achievements in a landscape of bombastic, outsized personalities have a lot to do with his Aunt Ella. One incident in particular stands out.

In 1968, when he was still in his teens, Ella dispatched Ralph to help open an expansion Brennan’s in Houston. “It was a disaster,” Ralph recalls. “We didn’t anticipate the different dining patterns – guests stayed at the table longer and it totally messed up the reservation book. Ella had put me on the front door. Everything ran late and people were mad.” Ralph told his aunt afterwards that he’d never work the door again. But when he asked for a job the next summer, Ella remembered what he’d said and plunked him down on the front door at Brennan’s in New Orleans. “Typical Ella,” Ralph says smiling. “She sensed a weakness and forced me to overcome it. I was a shy kid, and both Ella and Adelaide always tried to push me out of my comfort zone.”

Ralph was attending Tulane University when the family famously split in the early 1970s. It was an uncertain time and there was no opportunity for him in the immediate aftermath of the schism. Commander’s Palace wasn’t the juggernaut it is today. “Ella and I struck a deal,” Ralph says. “If she saw an opportunity she would call me.” Ralph went on to earn his MBA and got a job as a CPA with Price Waterhouse for several years, an experience which paid unexpected dividends down the line. The

New Orleans office was small, and it put Ralph in a position to learn a lot more, a lot faster than he would have in a larger office elsewhere. He worked with a wide range of clients and learned the particulars of management. But underlying it all was the understanding he had with Ella.

The call came in the early 1980s. By then his side of the family’s restaurant group had found its legs, and Ella summoned him back into the fold. It was off to New York and France for an immersion in hospitality and fine dining, and upon his return he was dispatched to a struggling Mr. B’s. Ella told him to “straighten it out.” It was there that the pieces came together. Outside of his comfort zone but with his professional background and newfound management skills to lean on, he got Mr. B’s back on track. He went on to become General Manager, and the rest is history that’s still being made today.

As Ralph’s accomplishments grew, he became deeply involved in advocacy. Ralph became a voice, not just for Louisiana but for hospitality nationwide. He is the only Louisiana resident to have served as president of the National Restaurant Association and as chairman of its educational foundation, a component in which Ralph takes particular pride. He helped to initiate a program called ProStart, which gives high schoolers an opportunity to include restaurant and food service management courses in their curriculum. “When they graduate there are scholarships available if they want to continue,” Ralph says. “I want career paths for restaurant employees – both in the kitchen and in the front of house.”

To this day, the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group makes a point of celebrating tenure – a notable achievement in an industry marked by high rates of turnover. All these priorities fit the profile of a man who puts people first. “In this business you work through your staff,” he says. “Success is all about your people.”

Cameron Perry couldn’t agree more. “Hospitality casts a wide net,” she says. “Ralph Brennan doesn’t want to just run his restaurants; he wants the community that his restaurants are in to thrive. Ralph’s true passion is the city of New Orleans.”

Winner, NOWFE’s Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award

By Jay Forman Photograph by Greg Miles

Brennan

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new orleans steel magnolias promotional section

new orleans steel magnolias promotional section

Jennifer Weishaupt Owner/Chief Operating Officer of Ruby Slipper Café Jennifer Fenton Weishaupt brings what might seem like unexpected experience to her new role as COO of Ruby Slipper Café. A chemical engineer by education, Jennifer “pre-tired” from Shell Oil Company in 2015 with 16 years of service, most recently serving as Operations Manager for three oil and gas production platforms in the Gulf. Now, she brings those impressive management skills to a whole new context, as co-owner and co-operator alongside her husband Erich, of what has grown from a single neighborhood café in 2008 into six unique locations in three states. Erich serves as CEO covering Finances and Growth, while as COO, Jennifer handles Operations, Human Resources and Marketing.

Aside from Jennifers’s long list of philanthropic endeavors (not to mention business and personal awards), she makes sure Ruby Slipper stays committed to community involvement through fundraising events and support of local businesses.

clothing from saks fifth avenue: St. John Top and Armani Collezione Pant

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Ingrid Rinck Owner/CEO Sensible Portions Meals As Owner and CEO of the largest meal preparation program in the country, Ingrid Rinck knows what it means to be a successful businesswoman. But for her, success has always meant something more. Aside from her sizable philanthropic contributions to organizations like March of Dimes and the Red Cross, Rinck says her biggest accomplishment “is helping women see their strengths.” 98% of Sensible Portions employees are female, and 95% of those female employees are mothers. Rinck insists on a work environment that allows for financial security as well as flexible hours so her employees can balance their work and family lives. She’s been told she has a gift “for showing women what they can achieve, and helping them get there.”

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Adele P. Faust Attorney at Law, The Law Firm of Adele P. Faust Adele Faust opened her now thriving law practice after graduating from Newcomb College and Loyola School of Law at 25, and she remains a solo practitioner focusing on personal injury and family law. Her soothing, endearing enthusiasm often masks her unflinching and aggressive determination to win.

“I understand and relate to my clients’ concerns, and attempt to make them feel secure in a legal system they usually fear.” Undaunted by flood and mud, she personally resurrected her first office after Katrina.

Adele is driven by the idea that “this is a day we will never get to live again.”

Her passion for getting the most out of every day carries from her professional to personal life. She enjoys traveling, cooking, and gardening at the home she designed and built, which is also the site of several charitable fundraisers she has hosted. Adele attributes her success to the character instilled by her parents, who still inspire her, and who take understandable pride in her gratification in giving more than she receives.

clothing from saks fifth avenue: Sue Wong

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Brandy Smith CPA, CGAP, Director at Postlethwaite & Netterville Accounting

As a director in the largest accounting and business advisory firm in the state and a native New Orleanian, Brandy Smith understands the importance of working hard and giving back to the community. In her role at Postlethwaite & Netterville Accounting and Assurance Services Group, she focuses on providing audit and accounting services for governmental and nonprofit entities.

But her hard work doesn’t stop there: She volunteers with nonprofits through her work and also in her personal time. Smith is on the board of both Morris Jefferson Community School and Raintree Children and Family Services, which provides foster care and other services to youth.

Always striving to grow and learn, Smith is also a 2015 graduate of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute.

clothing from saks fifth avenue: Lafayette 148 N.Y. Ensemble

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LuAnn Pappas CEO of Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort As one of just two female casino operators on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, LuAnn Pappas is often the only woman in the room. But instead of accepting this fact, Pappas directs her over 30 years of experience in the gaming industry toward diversifying its workforce, by identifying, mentoring and developing talented women for leadership opportunities in her role as CEO of Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort. Since more gaming revenue is derived from more female consumers than male, Pappas wonders how much more successful the industry could be if its workforce reflected these demographics. Pappas’ father instilled in her the philosophy, “Be fair, be firm, be disciplined and never ever quit what you start.” She adds, “We cannot afford for another century to go by without recognizing the value of more female leaders in gaming.”

clothing from saks fifth avenue: St. John

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Dr. Kelly Burkenstock M.D., M.B.A., Founder of Skin • Body • Health Kelly Gilthorpe Burkenstock, M.D., M.B.A., is the founder of Skin • Body • Health, the Age Gracefully Institute. As a medical specialist with extensive international training in anti-aging, skin rejuvenation and hormone medicine, her passion is to empower clients to look fabulous and feel phenomenal at any age. Her work encompasses cutting-edge DNA-derived solutions for skin, weight, mood and aging issues.

Her New Orleans style shines through – charisma, spice and genuine charm offered to friends and clients alike. Dr. Burkenstock is also drawn to serving those who are less fortunate or overburdened: She supports the Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Foundation, the American Heart Association’s Go Red movement and breast cancer research, and delivers lectures in the local community. She lives by Robert Ingersoll’s truism, “We rise by lifting others.”

CLOTHING FROM saks fifth avenue: Talbot Runhof

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Belinda Belk Costanzo

Owner, Blue Gardenia Events

Belinda Belk Costanzo, owner of Blue Gardenia Events, sums up beautifully what makes her unique in her field: “As a former attorney and wedding planner, I am no stranger to delicate and demanding situations. Situations that call for a graceful strength that only

a Southern woman, born and bred, can bring to the table. I owe this strength to a long line of Southern women – all of the women in my family who have taught me to be resilient, to be kind, to listen and to take action.� Event planning definitely requires action, as

well as organization and hard work. But what sets Belinda apart is her passion and dedication to creating celebrations filled with moments designed to leave long-lasting impressions, for creating memories to last a lifetime. clothing from saks fifth avenue: Dolce Gabbana

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Karen Sepko

MBA, founder and CEO of Red Bean Realty Sepko believes “anything is possible if you have desire and passion, and stick to ethical principles as your guiding path.” Red Bean Realty has been #1 in leasing transactions in downtown New Orleans since 2011. She is a chemical engineer and owner of Bee Green, LLC, distributor of autonomous smart energy saving appliances for energy management of vacation properties, hotels, residences and offices. She won a Republican Delegate seat for her district in 2016, was awarded Best Public Safety Partner in 2013 by the Downtown Development District and prepared an extensive report to help abolish the Residency Rule for police, EMS and firemen in 2014. As her many accomplishments would illustrate, Sepko defines herself as a go-getter, “the white water before the wave.”

CLOTHING FROM saks fifth avenue: Etro Ensemble

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Keely C. Thibodeaux Principal-in-Charge Landmark Consulting LLC

Keely C. Thibodeaux is the proud wife of Attorney Albert Thibodeaux, mother of two handsome boys and Principal-in-Charge at Landmark Consulting LLC. She is a licensed architect and certified Project Management Professional with a Masters of Architecture from Tulane University, and is recognized nationally as a disaster recovery expert. Under her leadership, Landmark can claim an outstanding performance history of managing recovery projects and educational facilities, developing mitigation strategies and FEMA direct administrative cost experience. Landmark retains a portfolio of clients that include ports, cities, schools, universities and airports, to name a few.

CLOTHING FROM saks fifth avenue: Armani Collezione

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Darlene Cusanza President/CEO of Crimestoppers

In middle school, Darlene Cusanza landed the role of “peer mediator” through her reputation as a peacemaker, and learned the importance of giving back to the community. She connects this early experience to her lifelong passion for service and her current role as President/CEO of Crimestoppers GNO. “Working with law enforcement, victims and their families has been rewarding and challenging. Knowing that strength comes from your integrity and belief in yourself has helped me to appreciate my role. I have been privileged to share in people’s lives and to be their voice when needed, and remain grateful for their trust and respect.”

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Dr. Kristi Soileau DDS, MEd

Dr. Kristi Soileau pairs career excellence with community impact every day. As head of a periodontal private practice for 28 years – as well as serving on national level committees for both the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Periodontology, among many other honors, past and present – Soileau knows what it means to achieve one’s goals. And yet, she still finds time to give back. Soileau volunteers in many local organizations, including the Louisiana Mission of Mercy, Donated Dental Services and Ladies Leukemia League, as well as serves as a pro bono dental provider for the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic. Its no wonder she’s been named the 2016 LSU School of Dentistry Alumna of the Year!

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Debra Hirsch Wood Artist & Philanthropist

Debby Hirsch Wood, artist, philanthropist, and native New Orleanian, believes in dreaming big and achieving even bigger.

Trained as a classical concert pianist at Tulane University, she strives to share her love of music with her community. As a board member of the New Orleans Opera Association and Chair of the Education Committee, she recently collaborated with Loyola and Tulane universities and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts in creating the Donald W. Wood, Sr. Vocal Competition, to promote artistic excellence in Louisiana high school students while providing financial assistance and encouragement. Debby Wood’s philosophy is to live in the moment, “loving what is, and dreaming big.” But, she adds, you can’t be just a dreamer. “You must also be a doer to achieve great things.”

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Evelyne Clinton Owner of Source Interior Designs

Evelyne Clinton, owner of Source Interior Designs on Magazine Street, has been transforming New Orleans from the inside out for more than 12 years. From iconic French Quarter properties to luxurious medical offices, Clinton’s artful gaze has brought interiors to life from New Orleans to Aspen to New York City.

But Clinton’s artistic offerings go beyond the expected: she has lent her talent and perspective to many nonprofit organizations over the years, including serving on the board of KID smART and leading two Women Build events for Habitat for Humanity. “I owe my inspiration to the incredible community of New Orleans,” she says, “and to the support of my husband Philip and my three daughters.”

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ADVERTISING SECTION

Celebrating

New orleans!

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PROMOTION

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the MENU TABLE TALK

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RESTAURANT INSIDER

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FOOD

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LAST CALL

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DINING LISTINGS

“The original Caribbean Room dates to 1948, though it closed, seemingly for good, in ’94. It took a group of outside investors paired with a certain local partner, Cooper Manning, to bring it back.

The result is both transformative and familiar, and strikes a particularly reverent local chord for those that remember it back in its heyday as a place to celebrate special occasions. ... And it’s executive chef Chris Lusk who makes it work.”

table talk pg. 126

jeffery johnston PHOTOGRAPH

THE MENU / TABLE TALK

Grouper Pontchartrain at Caribbean Room

Resurrected, Renewed, Revered Memories old and new

By Jay Forman

F

or our 50th anniversary issue I decided to focus on a fine dining triptych with deep local roots. Even with my main criteria being a history of more than 50 years, the cup still runneth over given our local bounty of historic restaurants. So I winnowed it down to hit three points: resurrected, renewed and revered. So here’s to old memories and the anticipation of making new ones in the 50 years ahead.

Resurrected: Caribbean Room The original Caribbean Room in The Pontchartrain Hotel dates to 1948, though it closed, seemingly for good, in ’94. It took a group of outside investors paired with a certain local partner, Cooper Manning, to bring it back. The result is both transformative and familiar, and strikes a particularly reverent local chord for those that remember celebrating special occasions there.

Clearly Classics The Caribbean Room 2013 St. Charles Ave. (800) 708-6652 ThePontchartrainHotel.com/ food-drink/caribbean-room Dinner nightly 126

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Broussard’s 819 Conti St. 581-3866 Broussards.com Dinner nightly, lunch Fridays, brunch Sundays

Arnaud’s 813 Bienville St. 523-5433 ArnaudsRestaurant.com Dinner nightly, brunch Sundays

The décor, in particular the parlor, is Uptown Dowager Chic, cheekily juked with a statement portrait by artist Ashley Longshore of Lil’ Wayne digging into a slice of Mile High Pie. Jackets are required, but if a gentleman forgets, they have loaners by southern tastemaker Billy Reid. The dining rooms themselves – a Shangri-La of floral prints, original murals and smoked mirrors – tread such a fine line between retro and original that one awkwardly placed fern might cause the whole effect to collapse.

This is line a that John Besh, whose company overseas food service operations at the hotel, must carefully tread.

And it’s executive chef Chris Lusk who makes it work. With a pedigree that includes Restaurant R’evolution, another place that mined the past to cook for the present, he’s a great fit. “Part of the research was going back through the old menus,” Lusk says. “Dishes were just very rooted in New Orleans and used lots of French technique.” Some dishes were resurrected, like the Grouper Pontchartrain, a thick portion of flaky, slightly sweet Gulf fish topped with a sautéed medley of lump crabmeat and wild mushrooms plated atop hollandaise sauce. Another classic, Crab Remick, is back as well. Lusk’s version incorporates bacon fat aioli and egg whites into the mix, which helps to both deepen the flavor and lighten the texture after it emerges hot from the broiler. Both dishes are recommended.

Oddly enough for a fine dining restaurant, it’s a dessert – the Mile High Pie – whose return had been most eagerly anticipated. The updated version, a neatly layered, towering wedge finished tableside with chocolate sauce, is composed of higher-quality ice cream than before. Like a Billy Reid jacket, the classic is back with a little somejeffery johnston PHOTOGRAPH

thing contemporary to say.

Renewed: Broussard’s Broussard’s opened in 1920 and is one of the Grande Dames of Creole New Orleans fine dining establishments, but until recently it was showing its wear and tear. When Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts took it over in 2013, they embarked on a multimillion-dollar renovation. The result is an elegant restaurant sumptuously upholstered and decorated with all manner of Napoleonic homages.

Creole Concepts also brought on a new chef, Neal Swidler, to modernize the menu. As a former executive chef in Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant group, Swidler’s management skills, as well as his chops in the kitchen, made him a good fit.

“When I got here everything was in a French and Creole framework, but I felt like it needed a little more creativity to make it come alive,” Swidler recalls. He decided upon Caribbean influences to reinvigorate many of the dishes, while leaving some legacy items in place.

For a Caribbean spin, consider the Broiled Drum Rosalie. The filet is crusted in rosemary and mustard and hit with a spiced apple glaze. “I use allspice and ginger for that – Caribbean influence without the heat,” Swidler says. Lemon beurre blanc and sautéed green beans nudge it back toward the traditional.

Southern influences appear as well, particularly on their popular Jazz Brunch menu. Here you can try fried chicken and waffles served up with whipped sage butter and candied pecans, or a twist on barbecue shrimp that uses a panko-crusted Anson Mills grit cake in lieu of French bread for the starch.

Swidler is also trying to shift the perception of Broussard’s as a special occasion place to a destination people can afford to visit more regularly with

a rotating prix fixe menu at a lower price point. To get a three-course meal at Broussard’s, sometimes for under $20, is an amazing deal.

Revered: Arnaud’s If any one restaurant crystallizes the classic Creole Grande Dame dining experience, it’s Arnaud’s. And with the clock ticking down to its centennial in 2018, it’s still going strong under the stewardship of Archie and Katy Casbarian, the children of the late Archie Sr., who was responsible for restoring the restaurant to its present glory following his acquisition of it in the late 1970s.

“Both my brother and I understand keenly the roots of the restaurant,” proprietor Katy Casbarian says. “And we understand that the success of the last 100 years has been predicated upon staying true to those roots.” It can be a tight rope to walk. While you don’t want to change much, you still have to stay on top of the experience. “While people might want to come and eat in a 100-year-old restaurant, they don’t want to eat in a dining room that hasn’t been touched in 100 years,” she points out.

For the quintessential Arnaud’s experience, start with a French 75 cocktail paired with an order of airy soufflé potatoes. Next go with the Shrimp Arnaud’s, whose mustardbased remoulade sauce creates a deeper, more complex flavor.

Turtle soup with a splash of aged sherry follows, and then Trout Meuniere for the main course (the Creole version here uses veal stock in the sauce, rather than the more common brown butter preparation).

Strawberries Arnaud, spooned over with French vanilla ice cream, is one dessert component. The other is café brûlot, with its dramatic flamed tableside preparation making for the perfect finale. n myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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THE MENU / RESTAURANT INSIDER

News From the Kitchens Tryst, Altamura & Killer PoBoys

BY ROBERT PEYTON

Tryst

Altamura

Killer PoBoys

In spring 2013, 4128 Magazine St. was Baie Rouge, a relatively casual joint best known for cheese fries made with brie and an excellent brunch. Two years later it closed briefly to re-open as Saveur, with star chef Dominique Macquet at the helm. A couple of months ago Macquet left, and the space is now Tryst.

One thing that’s remained consistent is owner Kimble Donnington-Smith, a British ex-pat who came to New Orleans to tend bar and never left. When I spoke to him recently, he told me his goal was to bring Tryst closer to what folks in the neighborhood want.

In practice that means Tryst is more casual than Saveur; current chef, Son Tran, is an alum of La Crepe Nanou. He has brought savory crêpes with fillings like duck confit with a red wine reduction, while keeping a couple of items from his time as sous chef under Macquet, as well as a vegetarian “burger” that makes a return from the Baie Rouge days. Overall the food is a cross between sophisticated bar food and French bistro fare.

It is a comfortable space with orange-red walls, a lounge area near the open kitchen and a long bar running almost the length of the dining room. As I write, the restaurant is open for dinner only 5-9:30 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays-Thursdays, and until 10:30 p.m.

Fridays-Saturdays. Lunch hours are in the works. There is also a happy hour 4:30-7 p.m. with $4 craft beers, $6 wines by the glass and cocktail specials. Call 304-3667 to learn more.

Some years back, when I covered ManhattanJack – the bakery and coffee shop at 4930 Prytania St. – co-owner Jack Petronella mentioned that he was looking into opening an Italian restaurant of the sort he experienced in New York and New Jersey.

The restaurant Petronella and his partner chef Coleman Jernigan recently opened in the Magnolia Mansion has taken longer than anticipated, but that’s at least in part because of the extensive renovations.

Altamura has a clubby, steakhouse look, but with Sinatra coming up about every third song while I was there, it felt ItalianAmerican. There are 80 or so seats spread through a few rooms and, when the weather cools down, outside dining on a patio.

The broad menu includes a dozen or so appetizers and salads, half as many pastas and a baker’s dozen entrées. Items that caught my eye included clams Casino, minestrone, linguine with clam sauce, red snapper oreganata and several different preparations of veal or chicken scaloppine. Of note: Sides include Hassellback potatoes, in which spuds are thinly sliced crosswise, almost all the way through, basted with fat and then baked.

Altamura is located at 2127 Prytania St., and is open Mondays and Wednesdays-Fridays, 5-10 p.m., until 11 p.m. on Saturdays and on Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 2658101 for a reservation (for six or more).

It seems like every month I catalog another restaurant that’s gone from “pop-up” to brick-and-mortar. Killer PoBoys sort of counts, I guess, as the operation started in the Erin Rose Bar on Conti Street in the French Quarter. Recently the folks behind Killer PoBoys (chef Cam Boudreaux, his wife April Bellow and partner Eric Beaucom) expanded to their own space at 219 Dauphine St., while maintaining their original corner at Erin Rose.

The menu at the new place is somewhat larger, but there are some holdovers: The Vietnamese-inspired seared shrimp with pickled carrot, cucumber and daikon, and the vegetarian sweet potato with black-eyed pea-pecan spread and greens are both available. The new items are as inventive as you’d expect: smoked salmon with remoulade “schmear,” red onion, hard-boiled egg and salad greens; barbecue chicken confit with slaw and coffee barbecue sauce; and ham and pimento cheese with caramelized onions and peppers with Creole mustard.

Non-poor boy sandwiches include roasted cauliflower with romesco, radish and kale on whole grain bread, and another holdover from the Erin Rose: grilled cheese with aged English cheddar and Jameson whiskey. The new joint (which the kids behind it call “Big Killer Poboys”) is open Wednesdays-Mondays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and you can call 462-2731 to find out what’s going on at the moment.

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shawn fink photographs

THE MENU / FOOD

Your Inner Octoberfest Foods for oom-pahing

by Dale Curry

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PHOTOGRAPHed and styled EUGENIA UHL

O Bavarian Potato Salad 6 medium potatoes

4 gherkins, chopped 4 slices bacon 1 large onion, chopped 3/4 cup beef broth 2 Tablespoons brown mustard 3 Tablespoons white vinegar Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 teaspoon sugar 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley plus more for garnish Lettuce for serving Boil potatoes with skin on in salty water until done. Cool briefly, peel and slice. Mix gherkins with potatoes.

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. In bacon fat, sauté the onions until transparent. Add beef broth, bring to a boil and add mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Simmer briefly and pour mixture over potatoes, mix and let rest for 1 hour. Do not refrigerate.

After an hour, taste and adjust seasonings. Mix in parsley and crumbled bacon.

Serve at room temperature on lettuce leaves. Garnish with parsley. Serves 6 to 8

n my recent and first trip to Berlin, I was surprised to learn that the most popular fast food shares my name: currywurst. Not exactly new, it was invented by Herta Heuwer in Berlin after she obtained ketchup and curry powder from British soldiers in 1949.

One of many sausages made by Germans, it’s simply steamed and fried pork sausage served with a sauce of ketchup, curry powder and other spices.

I hate to say my first experience with it reminded me of canned weenies in tomato sauce, but two other encounters proved enjoyable. It is popular as a street food and takeout favorite, and is served whole or sliced.

German-style sausages are available in grocery stores and butcher shops, which are growing in number in New

German Potato and Leek Soup

Orleans and elsewhere. Hopefully, some will feature German sausages in October since, German or not, we all love a party. One of the best is hosted by Deutsches Haus in Rivertown in Kenner on three weekends in October, featuring German food, music and beers.

To have your own Oktoberfest, purchase some sausages and sauerkraut and cook up one of the following potato dishes. Wiener Schnitzel, originally Austrian but just as popular in Germany, is an easy, tasty choice. And if you want to make currywurst, buy some German-style sausages, keeping them whole or in slices and brown them first, then simmer them in a sauce of ketchup, curry powder and other seasonings such as chili powder, onion salt, mustard, sugar, paprika, Worcestershire, salt and pepper.

Wiener Schnitzel 2 pounds veal or pork cutlets

3 Tablespoons canola oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cups bread crumbs

1 large or 2 small leeks, white and light green part only, chopped

3 eggs, beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced 6 cups water 2 teaspoons beef base, such as Better Than Bouillon 5 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg Garnish: 3 pieces smoked bacon, fried and crumbled ¼ cup chopped chives or green onion tops Heat oil in a large, heavy pot. Sauté onion, celery and leeks until transparent.

Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add water and bring to a boil. Add beef base, stirring rapidly to mix well. Add potatoes and seasonings and simmer, covered, until potatoes are done. Using a hand blender, purée potato mixture (or purée in batches in an upright blender). Adjust seasonings to taste.

To serve, sprinkle bowls of soup with bacon crumbles and chives or onion tops.

Serves 8

½ cup vegetable oil Lemon slices Pound cutlets until thin. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Set up flour, bread crumbs and eggs in three bowls or plates.

Heat oil in a large skillet to hot.

Cooking 3 to 4 at a time, dip cutlets on both sides in flour and shake off excess. Dip in beaten eggs and then in bread crumbs. Shake off excess breading and place in skillet. Brown well on one side, moving cutlets around carefully so they won’t stick, then turn and brown other side. Cook until just done but well-browned, a few minutes on each side.

Drain on a rack and serve immediately with lemon slices. Serves 6

myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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THE MENU / LAST CALL

Almost Ours

Cavan’s Espresso Milk Punch BY tim mcnally

T

here is an array of famous adult beverages that were birthed in New Orleans, such as the Sazerac, the Ramos Gin Fizz, the Vieux Carré and the Grasshopper. Then there are cocktails that weren’t born here but are almost ours because they’re closely associated with New Orleans, such as the Pimm’s Cup, the French 75, and the Brandy Milk Punch.

While each of these internationally famous drinks has a defined recipe, those parameters don’t preclude creative expressions from our cocktail community.

Some think the changes to be blasphemy, yet most consumers welcome new constructions and are willing to give full consideration to something new.

Such is the case with the ultimate eyeopener, the Brandy Milk Punch. What a grand drink for those mornings when the eyelids don’t want to flap open or for the stomach that only wants to complain about excesses committed the previous evening.

Been there. Done that. Paid the price.

So if one of the desired effects of a Brandy Milk Punch is a jump-start, why not put the whole deal into overdrive, take in more caffeine and truly get on with the day? Espresso ought to do the trick, and it indeed does just that.

The folks at Cavan, that new restaurant on Magazine Street that shows grand respect for what came before, have developed a punch that puts all other versions into the slow lane.

Cavan’s Espresso Milk Punch 1 ounce Evan Williams Bonded Bourbon 1 ounce Varnelli Caffè Moka 1/8 ounce Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur (optional) 11/2 ounces heavy cream Fresh finely ground espresso for garnish

In a rocks glass filled with ice, pour in bourbon, Caffè Moka and Chicory Liqueur. Add cream to fill glass. Stir once and sprinkle with fresh finely ground espresso to garnish.

As created and served at Cavan Restaurant, 3607 Magazine St., 509-7655, CavanNola.com 132

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sara essex bradley PHOTOGRAPH

THE MENU / DINING GUIDE H= New Orleans Magazine award winner / $ = Average entrée price. $ = $5-10 / $$ = $11-15 / $$$ = $16-20 / $$$$ = $21-25 / $$$$$ = $25 and up.

American

nightly. Jazz Brunch on Sunday. $$$$$

Zea’s Rotisserie and Grill Multiple Locations, ZeaRestaurants.com. L, D daily. Drawing from a wide range of worldly influences, this popular restaurant serves a variety of grilled items as well as appetizers, salads, side dishes, seafood, pasta and other entrées. Also offers catering services. $$$

Manning’s 519 Fulton St., 593-8118. L, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Born of a partnership between New Orleans’ First Family of Football and Harrah’s Casino, Manning’s offers sports bar fans a step up in terms of comfort and quality. With a menu that draws on both New Orleans and the Deep South, traditional dishes get punched up with inspired but accessible twists in surroundings accented by both memorabilia and local art. $$$

Bywater Elizabeth’s 601 Gallier St., 944-9272, ElizabethsRestaurantNola.com. B, L MonFri, D Mon-Sat, Br Sat-Sun. This eclectic local restaurant draws rave reviews for its praline bacon and distinctive Southern-inspired brunch specials. $$$

H Maurepas 3200 Burgundy St., 2670072, MaurepasFoods.com. D Thu-Tue, Br Sat-Sun. Pioneering farm-to-table restaurant with an ingredient-driven menu that changes daily. Clever cocktails a plus as well. $$ Satsuma Café 3218 Dauphine St., 3045962, SatsumaCafe.com. B, L daily (until 5 p.m.). Offers healthy, inspired breakfast and lunch fare, along with freshly squeezed juices. $

carrollton Bourré 1510 S. Carrollton Ave., 5104040. L, D Tue-Sun. “Elevated” street food along with quality daiquiris and reconsidered wings are the draw at this newcomer from the team behind Boucherie. $$

CITY PARK Café NOMA 1 Collins Diboll Circle, NO Museum of Art, City Park, 482-1264, CafeNoma.com. L, (snacks) Tue-Sun. Sleek bar and café in the ground floor of museum offers a thoughtful array of snacks, sandwiches and small plates that are sure to enchant, with a kids’ menu to boot. $$

CBD/Warehouse District The Grill Room Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier St., 522-1992, GrillRoomNewOrleans.com. B, L, D daily, Br Sun. Featuring modern American cuisine with a distinctive New Orleans flair, the adjacent Polo Club Lounge offers live music

Pete’s Pub Intercontinental Hotel, 444 St. Charles Ave., 585-5401, IcNewOrleans.com/dining/petes_pub. D Mon-Fri. Casual fare and adult beverages are served in this pub on the ground floor. $$ Q&C Hotel/Bar 344 Camp St., (866) 247-7936, QandC.com. B, D daily. Newly renovated boutique hotel offering a small plates menu with tempting choices such as a Short Rib Poor Boy and Lobster Mac and Cheese to complement their sophisticated craft cocktails. $$

H Root 200 Julia St., 252-9480, RootNola.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily. Chef Philip Lopez opened Root in November 2011 and has garnered a loyal following for his modernist, eclectic cuisine. Try the country fried chicken wings and the Cohiba-smoked scallops crusted with chorizo. $$$$

H Restaurant August 301 Tchoupitoulas St., 299-9777, RestaurantAugust.com. L Fri, D daily. James Beard Award-winning chef John Besh’s menu is based on classical techniques of Louisiana cuisine and produce with a splash of European flavor set in an historic carriage warehouse. $$$$$ Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar 1009 Poydras St., 309-6530, Walk-Ons.com. L, D, daily. Burger, sandwiches, wraps and more made distinctive with a Louisiana twist are served at this sports bar near the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. $$ Warehouse Grille, 869 Magazine St., 322-2188, WarehouseGrille.com. L, D daily, Br Fri-Sun. Creative fare served in

an art-filled environment. Try the duck crêpes or the lamb spring rolls. $$ Wolfe’s in the Warehouse 859 Convention Center Blvd., 613-2882. B, L, D daily.

Chef Tom Wolfe brings his refined cuisine to the booming Fulton Street corridor.

His Smoked Kobe Short Ribs are a good choice. $$$

Downtown The Grill 540 Chartres St., 522-1800. B, L, D daily. A diner with local character staffed by local characters. $

Faubourg Marigny Langlois 1710 Pauger St., 934-1010, LangloisNola.com. L Fri-Sat, D Wed-Sun. *Reservations only Supper club and boutique cooking school in the Marigny serves up culturally informed, farmto-table fare with the added bonus of instruction. Dishes include Spiced Quail and Lemongrass Meatballs with Smoked broth. Open kitchen and convivial atmosphere add up to a good time. $$$

in the tourist Ground Zero of the French Market. Sandwiches, breads, cheeses and more. $$ Hard Rock Café 125 Bourbon St., 5295617, HardRock.com. L, D daily. Local outpost of this global brand serves burgers, café fare and drinks in their rock memorabilia-themed environs. $$ The Pelican Club 312 Exchange Place, 523-1504, PelicanClub.com. D daily.

Serves an eclectic mix of hip food, from the seafood “martini” to clay-pot barbecued shrimp and a trio of duck. Three dining rooms available. $$$$$ Rib Room Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, 621 St. Louis St., 529-7046, RibRoomNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Old World elegance and high ceilings, house classic cocktails and Anthony Spizale’s broad menu of prime rib, stunning seafood and on weekends a champagne brunch. $$$

GARDEN DISTRICT

The Marigny Brasserie 640 Frenchmen St., 945-4472, MarignyBrasserie.com. L, D daily. Chic neighborhood bistro with traditional dishes like the Wedge of Lettuce salad and innovative cocktails such as the cucumber Cosmo. $$$

Cheesecake Bistro by Copeland’s, 2001 St. Charles Ave., 593-9955, CopelandsCheesecakeBistro.com. L, D daily. Shiny, contemporary bistro serves Cajun-fusion fare along with its signature decadent desserts. Good lunch value to boot. $$

Snug Harbor 626 Frenchman St., 949-0696, SnugJazz.com. D daily. This jazz club serves cocktails and a dining menu loaded with steaks, seafood and meaty burgers served with loaded baked potatoes. $$$$

District Donuts Sliders Brew, 2209 Magazine Street, 570-6945, DonutsAndSliders.com. B, L, D daily. Creative sliders (hello, pork belly) and super-creative donuts (think root beer float) are the hallmarks of this next-generation café. $

French Quarter

lakeview

Angeline 1032 Chartres St., 308-3106, AngelineNola.com. B Mon-Fri, Br Sat & Sun, D nightly. Modern southern with a fine dining focus is the hallmark of this bistro tucked away in a quiet end of the French Quarter. Southern Fried Quail and Braised Lamb Necks with ricotta agnolotti represent the style. $$$

District Donuts Sliders Brew, 525 Harrison Ave., 827-1152, DonutsAndSliders. com. B, L, D daily. Creative sliders (hello, pork belly) and super-creative donuts (think root beer float) are the hallmarks of this next-generation café. $

Continental Provisions 110 N Peters St., Stall 23, 407-3437. Open daily.

Artisan purveyors including Bellegarde Bakery and Cleaver & Company team up to reclaim a foothold for quality food

Metairie Boulevard American Bistro 4241 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 889-2301. L, D daily. Classic American cuisine including steaks, chops and more is augmented by regional favorites like Boulevard Oysters at this Metairie bistro. $$$

Seaworthy Opens Next Door to Ace Hotel Seaworthy, 630 Carondelet St., SeaworthyNola.com Ace Hotel and the team behind Grand Banks – NYC’s popular seafood bar and restaurant aboard a historic schooner – have opened Seaworthy, an all-American cocktail and oyster bar next door to Ace Hotel New Orleans.

Housed in an 1832 Creole cottage, the new eatery showcases bivalves from the Gulf Coast and East and West coasts, along with seasonal sustainable seafood. The bar program highlights handcrafted cocktails.

– Mirella Cameran.

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cheryl gerber photograph

café B 2700 Metairie Road, 934-4700, cafeB.com. D daily, L Mon-Sat. Br Sun. Ralph Brennan offers New American bistro fare with a Louisiana twist at this family-friendly neighborhood spot. $$$ Caffe! Caffe! 3547 N. Hullen St., 2679190. B, L Mon-Sat. & 4301 Clearview Parkway, 885-4845. B, L daily; D MonSat. CaffeCaffe.com Healthy, refreshing meal options combine with gourmet coffee and espresso drinks to create a tasteful retreat for Metairie diners at a reasonable price. Try the egg white spinach wrap. $ Heritage Grill 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 934-4900, HeritageGrillMetairie. com. L Mon-Fri. This lunch-only destination caters to the office crowd and offers a freshly squeezed juice menu to go along with its regular menu and express two-course lunch. $$ Martin Wine Cellar 714 Elmeer Ave., 896-7300, MartinWine.com. Wine by the glass or bottle to go with daily lunch specials, towering burgers, hearty soups and salads and giant, deli-style sandwiches. $ Vega Tapas Café 2051 Metairie Road, 836-2007, VegaTapasCafe.com. D Mon-Sat. Innovative establishment offers fresh seafood, grilled meats and vegetarian dishes in a chic environment.

Daily chef specials showcase unique ingredients and make this place a popular destination for dates as well as groups of

friends. $$

Mid-City Parkway Bakery and Tavern 538 Hagan Ave., 482-3047, ParkwayPoorBoys.com. L, D Wed-Mon. Featured on national TV and having served poor boys to presidents, it stakes a claim to some of the best sandwiches in town. Their french fry version with gravy and cheese is a classic at a great price. $

NORTHSHORE Dakota 629 N. Highway 190, (985) 892-3712, TheDakotaRestaurant.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. A sophisticated dining experience with generous portions. $$$$$

Riverbend Carrollton Market 8132 Hampson St., 252-9928, CarrolltonMarket.com. D TueSat. Modern Southern cuisine manages to be both fun and refined at this tasteful boîte. $$$

Uptown Audubon Clubhouse 6500 Magazine St., 212-5282, AudubonInstitute.org. B, L Tue-Sat, Br Sun. A kid-friendly menu with local tweaks and a casually upscale sandwich and salad menu. $$ Camellia Grill 626 S. Carrollton Ave., 309-2679. B, L, D daily. A venerable diner whose essential character has remained intact and many of the original waiters have returned. Credit cards are now accepted. $

GG’s Dine-O-Rama 3100 Magazine St., 373-6579, GGsNewOrleans.com. B Sat, L, Tue-Sun, D Tue-Fri, Br Sun. Upscalecasual restaurant serves a variety of specialty sandwiches, salads and wraps, like the Chicago-style hot dog and the St. Paddy’s Day Massacre, chef Gotter’s take on the Rueben. $$ Martin Wine Cellar 3827 Baronne St., 899-7411, MartinWine.com. Wine by the glass or bottle with cheeses and snacks to-go. $ Slim Goodies 3322 Magazine St., 891 EGGS (3447), SlimGoodiesDiner.com. B, L daily. This diner offers an exhaustive menu heavily influenced by local cuisine.

Try the Creole Slammer, a breakfast platter rounded out by crawfish étouffée.

The laid-back vibe is best enjoyed on the patio out back. $ Stein’s Market and Deli 2207 Magazine St., 527-0771, SteinsDeli.net. B, L, D TueSun. New York City meets New Orleans.

The Reuben and Rachel sandwiches are the real deal and the half-sours and pickled tomatoes complete the deli experience. $ Surrey’s Café and Juice Bar 1418 Magazine St., 524-3828; 4807 Magazine St., 895-5757, SurreysCafeAndJuiceBar.com.

B, L daily. Laid-back café focuses on breakfast and brunch dishes to accompany freshly squeezed juice offerings.

Health-food lovers will like it here, along with fans of favorites such as peanut but-

ter and banana pancakes. $$ Tracey’s Irish Restaurant & Bar 2604 Magazine St., 897-5413, TraceysNola. com. L, D daily. A neighborhood bar with one of the best messy roast beef poor boys in town. The gumbo, cheeseburger poor boy and other sandwiches are also winners. Grab a local Abita beer to wash it all down. Also a great location to watch the game. $

H Upperline 1413 Upperline St., 891-9822, Upperline.com. D Wed-Sun. Consummate hostess JoAnn Clevenger and talented chef Dave Bridges make for a winning combination at this nationally heralded favorite. The oft-copied fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade originated here. $$$$

H Wayfare 4510 Freret St., 309-0069, WayfareNola.com. L, D daily. Creative sandwiches and southern-inspired small plates. $$ Ye Olde College Inn 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-3683, CollegeInn1933.com. D Tue-Sat. Serves up classic fare, albeit with a few upscale dishes peppering the menu. $$$

Asian Fusion/Pan Asian Little Tokyo Multiple locations, LittleTokyoNola.com. L, D daily. Multiple locations of this popular Japanese sushi and hibachi chain make sure that there’s always a specialty roll within easy reach. $$

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DINING GUIDE Bywater Red’s Chinese 3048 St. Claude Ave., 304-6030, RedsChinese.com. D Wed-Mon. Assertive, in-your-face Chinese fare by chef Tobias Womack, an alum of Danny Bowien’s Mission Chinese. The Kung Pao Pastrami and Delta Broccoli are good options. $$

CBD/Warehouse District Rock-N-Sake 823 Fulton St., 581-7253, RockNSake.com. L Fri, D Tue-Sun, late night. Fresh sushi and contemporary takes on Japanese favorites in an upbeat, casual setting. $$$

Faubourg Marigny Bao and Noodle 2700 Charters St., 272-0004, BaoAndNoodle.com. L, D daily. Housemade noodles and a more authentic take on Chinese fare sets this neighborhood startup apart. Try the soup dumplings if available $$

French Quarter V Sushi 821 Iberville St., 609-2291, VSushiMartini.com. D daily, late-night.

Creative rolls and a huge list of fusion dishes keep party-lovers going late into the night at this combination sushi and martini bar. $$$

Garden District Hoshun Restaurant 1601 St. Charles Ave., 302-9716, HoshunRestaurant.com.

L, D daily. Offers a wide variety of Asian cuisines, primarily dishes culled from

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China, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.

Five-pepper calamari is a tasty way to begin the meal, and their creative sushi rolls are good. Private dining rooms available. $$

H Tan Dinh 1705 Lafayette St., 3618008. B, L, D daily. Roasted quail and the beef pho rule at this Vietnamese outpost. $$

Kenner Little Chinatown 3800 Williams Blvd., 305-0580, LittleChinatown.net. L, D daily.

One of the city’s best Chinese restaurants is secreted away on William’s Boulevard in Kenner. Try the roast duck or roast pork, either one is terrific, as well as their short menu of authentic dishes that (for the most part) avoid Americanized Chinese fare. $$

Lakeview Lakeview Pearl 6300 Canal St., 3095711, LakeviewPearl.com. L, D Mon-Sat. A long list of specialty rolls rounds out the offerings of this Asian-Fusion restaurant. $$

Metairie CoNola Grill & Sushi 619 Pink St., 8370055, CoNolaGrillSushi.com. L, D TueSun. Eclectic cafe with DNA from both Sun Ray Grill and Aloha Sushi Bar puts out southern-inspired fare backed by an Americanized sushi menu, a kids menu and more. Along with a Sunday brunch,

there’s something for everyone at this independent restaurant. $$$

H Royal China 600 Veterans Blvd., 831-9633. L daily, D Tue-Sun. Popular and family-friendly Chinese restaurant is one of the few places around that serves dim sum. $$

MARRERO Daiwa, 5033 Lapalco Blvd., 875-4203, DaiwaSushi.com. L, D daily. Japanese destination on the Westbank serves an impressive and far-ranging array of creative fusion fare. $$$

Mid-City H Café Minh 4139 Canal St., 482-6266, CafeMinh.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Chef Minh Bui and Cynthia Vutran bring a fusion touch to Vietnamese cuisine with French accents and a contemporary flair. $$ Five Happiness 3605 S. Carrollton Ave., 482-3935, FiveHappiness.com. L, D daily.

This longtime Chinese favorite offers up an extensive menu including its beloved mu shu pork and house-baked duck. $$

H MoPho 514 City Park Ave., 482-6845, MoPhoMidCity.com. L, D Wed-Mon. Vietnamese cuisine meets southern Louisiana in this upscale casual hybrid by chef Michael Gulotta. Mix-and-match pho and an interesting poor boy menu rounds out the appeal. $$$

Riverbend H Ba Chi Canteen 7900 Maple St., 3735628. L, D Mon-Sat. The kitchen plays fast and loose with Vietnamese fare at this eclectic outpost on Maple Street. Try the caramelized pork “Baco”. $

H Chill Out Café 729 Burdette St., 8729628. B, L daily, D Mon-Sat. Thai food and breakfast favorites like waffles and pancakes can both be had at this affordable college-friendly hangout. $

Uptown Chiba 8312 Oak St., 826-9119, Chiba-Nola.com. L Wed-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Contemporary restaurant features fresh, exotic fish from all over the world and fusion fare to go along with typical Japanese options. Extensive sake list and late night happy hours are a plus. $$$

H Jung’s Golden Dragon 3009 Magazine St., 891-8280, JungsChinese.com. L, D daily. This Chinese destination is a real find. Along with the usual, you’ll find spicy cold noodle dishes and dumplings.

One of the few local Chinese places that breaks the Americanized mold. $

H Magasin 4201 Magazine St., 8967611, MagasinCafe.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Pho, banh mi and vegetarian options are offered at this attractive and budgetfriendly Vietnamese restaurant. Café sua da is available as well. $

Kyoto 4920 Prytania St., 891-3644, KyotoNola.com. L, D Mon-Sat. A neighborhood sushi restaurant where the regulars order off-the-menu rolls. $$

WEST BANK Nine Roses 1100 Stephen St., 366-7665, NineRosesResturant.com. L, D Sun-Tue, Thu-Sat. The extensive Vietnamese menu specializes in hot pots, noodles and dishes big enough for everyone to share. $$

Bakery/Breakfast Café du Monde Multiple Locations, CafeDuMonde.com. This New Orleans institution has been serving fresh café au lait, rich hot chocolate and positively addictive beignets since 1862 in the French Market 24/7. $ CC’s Coffee House Multiple locations in New Orleans, Metairie and Northshore, CCsCoffee.com. Coffeehouse specializing in coffee, espresso drinks and pastries. $

BROADMOOR Gracious to Go 7220 Earhart Blvd., 301-3709, GraciousBakery.com. B MonFri. Quick-service outpost of Gracious Bakery + Café serves artisan pastries, locally roasted coffee and grab-and-go sandwiches to meet the needs of commuters. Onsite parking a plus. $

CBD/Warehouse District H Merchant 800 Common St., 571-9580, MerchantNewOrleans.com. B, L daily. Illy coffee and creative crêpes, sandwiches

and more are served at this sleek and contemporary café on the ground floor of the Merchant Building. $ Red Gravy 4125 Camp St., 561-8844, RedGravy.com. B, Br, L, Wed-Mon. Farm-to-table Italian restaurant offers a creative array of breakfast items such as Cannoli Pancakes as well as delectable sandwiches and more for lunch.

Homemade pastas and authentic Tuscan specialties like Cacciucco round out the menu. $$

H Ruby Slipper Café 200 Magazine St., 525-9355; 1005 Canal St., 525-9355, TheRubySlipperCafe.net. B, L daily, Br Sun. Homegrown chain specializes in breakfast, lunch and brunch dishes with unique local twists such as bananas Foster French toast and barbecue shrimp and grits. $$

CARROLLTON Breads on Oak, 8640 Oak St., 324-8271, BreadsOnOak.com. B, L Wed-Sun. Artisan bakeshop tucked away near the levee on Oak Street serves breads, sandwiches, gluten-free and vegan-friendly options. $

City Park Morning Call 56 Dreyfous Drive, City Park, 885-4068, NewOrleansCityPark. com/in-the-park/morning-call. 24 hours a day; cash-only. Chicory coffee and beignets coated with powdered sugar make this the quintessential New Orleans coffee shop. $

Faubourg Marigny H Ruby Slipper Café 2001 Burgundy St., 525-9355, TheRubySlipperCafe.net.

B, L daily, Br Sun. Homegrown chain specializes in breakfast, lunch and brunch dishes with unique local twists such as bananas Foster French toast and barbecue shrimp and grits. $$

Mid-City Gracious Bakery + Café 1000 S. Jeff Davis Parkway, Suite 100, 301-3709, GraciousBakery.com. B, L daily. Boutique bakery on the ground floor of the Woodward Building offers small-batch coffee, baked goods, individual desserts and sandwiches on breads made in-house.

Catering options available. $

H Ruby Slipper Café 139 S. Cortez St., 525-9355, TheRubySlipperCafe.net.

B, L daily, Br Sun. Homegrown chain specializes in breakfast, lunch and brunch dishes with unique local twists such as bananas Foster French toast and barbecue shrimp and grits. $$

Barbecue Bywater The Joint 701 Mazant St., 949-3232, AlwaysSmokin.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Some of the city’s best barbecue can be had at this locally owned and operated favorite. $

French Quarter BB King’s Blues Club 1104 Decatur St., 934-5464, BBKings.com/new-orleans. L, D daily. New Orleans outpost of music

club named for the famed blues musician features a menu loaded with BBQ and southern-inspired specialties. Live music and late hours are a big part of the fun. $$$

Lower Garden District Voodoo BBQ 1501 St. Charles Ave., 5224647, VoodooBBQAndGrill.com. L, D daily.

Diners are never too far from this homegrown barbecue chain that features an array of specialty sauces to accompany its smoked meats and seafood. $$

Metairie Voodoo BBQ 2740 Severn Ave., 3534227, VoodooBBQAndGrill.com. L, D daily.

Diners are never too far from this homegrown barbecue chain that features an array of specialty sauces to accompany its smoked meats and seafood. $$

Burgers French Quarter Bayou Burger, 503 Bourbon St., 5294256, SportsBarNewOrleans.com. L, D daily. Sports bar in the thick of Bourbon Street scene distinguishes its fare with choices like Crawfish Beignets and Zydeco Bites. $$ Port of Call 838 Esplanade Ave., 5230120, PortOfCallNola.com. L, D daily. It is all about the big, meaty burgers and giant baked potatoes in this popular bar/ restaurant – unless you’re cocktailing only, then it’s all about the Monsoons. $$

Lakeview

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DINING GUIDE Lakeview Harbor 911 Harrison Ave., 486-4887, NewOrleansBestBurger.com.

L, D daily. Burgers are the name of the game at this restaurant. Daily specials, pizza and steaks are offered as well. $

Riverbend H Cowbell 8801 Oak St., 298-8689, Cowbell-Nola.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Burgers and homemade sauces on potato rolls are the specialty here, along with other favorites like skirt steak. $$

Uptown H The Company Burger 4600 Freret St., 267-0320, TheCompanyBurger.com.

L, D Wed-Mon. Custom-baked butterbrushed buns and fresh-ground beef patties make all the difference at this excellent burger hotspot. Draft beer and craft cocktails round out the appeal. $

French CBD/Warehouse District Chateau du Lac 857 Fulton St., 3010235, ChateauduLacWarehouse.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. This casual French bistro, run by chef-owner Jacques Saleun, offers up classic dishes such as escargot, coq au vin and blanquette de veau. $$$$ Le Foret 129 Camp St., 553-6738, LeForetNewOrleans.com. D Mon-Sat. Sophisticated fine dining melds southern cuisine and classic French with modernist influences in an elegant setting. $$$$

(985) 626-7662, LaProvenceRestaurant. com. D Wed-Sun, Br Sun. Chef John Besh upholds time-honored Provençal cuisine and rewards his guests with a true farm-life experience, from housemade preserves, charcuterie, herbs, kitchen gardens and eggs cultivated on the property. $$$$$

Metairie Chateau du Lac 2037 Metairie Road, 831-3773, ChateauduLacBistro.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. This casual French bistro, run by chef-owner Jacques Saleun, offers up classic dishes such as escargot, coq au vin and blanquette de veau. $$$$

Uptown Bistro Daisy 5831 Magazine St., 8996987, BistroDaisy.com. D Tue-Sat. Chef Anton Schulte and his wife Diane’s bistro serves creative and contemporary bistro fare in a romantic setting. The signature Daisy Salad is a favorite. $$$$

H Coquette 2800 Magazine St., 2650421, CoquetteNola.com. L Wed-Sat, D Wed-Mon, Br Sun. The food is French in inspiration and technique, with added imagination from chef Michael and his partner Lillian Hubbard. $$$ Flaming Torch 737 Octavia St., 8950900, FlamingTorchNola.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. French classics including a tasty onion soup and often a sought-after coq-au-vin. $$

Faubourg St. John H Café Degas 3127 Esplanade Ave.,

H La Crêpe Nanou 1410 Robert St.,

945-5635, CafeDegas.com. L, D Wed-Sat, Br Sun. Salad Niçoise, Hanger steak and frites are served in a lovely enclosed courtyard at this jewel of a French bistro. $$

899-2670, LaCrepeNanou.com. D daily, Br Sun. Classic French bistro fare, including terrific moules and decadent dessert crêpes, are served nightly at this neighborhood institution. $$$

French Quarter

La Petite Grocery 4238 Magazine St., 891-3377, LaPetiteGrocery.com. L TueSat, D daily, Br Sun. Elegant dining in a convivial atmosphere. The menu is heavily French-inspired with an emphasis on technique. $$$

Broussard’s, 819 Conti St., 581-3866, Broussards.com. D daily, L Fri, Br Sun. Creole-French institution also offers beautiful courtyard seating. $$$$

H Marti’s 1041 Dumaine St., 522-5478, MartisNola.com. D daily. Classic French cuisine, small plates and chilled seafood platters like Grand Plateau Fruits De Mer are the calling cards for this restaurant with an elegant “Old World” feel. $$$

Lacombe H La Provence 25020 Highway 190,

Lilette 3637 Magazine St., 895-1636, LiletteRestaurant.com. L Tue-Sat, D MonSat. Chef John Harris’ innovative menu draws discerning diners to this highly regarded bistro. Desserts are wonderful as well. $$$$$

Gastropub

Abita Springs Abita Brew Pub 72011 Holly St., (985) 892-5837, AbitaBrewPub.com. L, D TueSun. Better-than-expected pub food in its namesake eatery. “Tasteful” tours available for visitors. $$

CBD/Warehouse District Gordon Biersch 200 Poydras St., 5522739, GordonBiersch.com. L, D daily. Local outpost of this popular chain serves specialty brews made on-site and crowdpleasing lunch and dinner fare. $$ Victory 339 Baronne St., 522-8664, VictoryNola.com. D Tue-Sat. Craft cocktails served by owner and acclaimed bartender Daniel Victory, as well as refined small plates and gourmet pizza. $$

French Quarter H Cane & Table 1113 Decatur St., 5811112, CaneAndTableNola.com. L Sat-Sun, D daily. Open late, this chef-driven rustic colonial cuisine and rum and “protoTiki” cocktails make this a fun place to gather. $$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar and Bistro 720 Orleans Ave., 523-1930, OrleansGrapevine.com. D daily. Wine is the muse at this beautifully renovated bistro, which offers vino by the flight, glass and bottle.

A classic menu with an emphasis on local cuisine. $$$

H Patrick’s Bar Vin 730 Bienville St., 200-3180, PatricksBarVin.com. D daily.

This oasis of a wine bar offers terrific selections by the bottle and glass. Small plates are served as well. $$

Lower Garden District The Tasting Room 1926 Magazine St., 581-3880, TTRNewOrleans.com. D WedSun. Flights of wine and sophisticated small plates are the calling cards for this wine bar near Coliseum Square. $$

Mid-City Trèo 3835 Tulane Ave., 304-4878, TreoNola.com. L Wed-Sat, D Tue-Sat. Craft cocktail bar also serves a short but excellent small plates menu to accompany its artfully composed libations. $$

Uptown The Avenue Pub 1732 St. Charles Ave., 586-9243, TheAvenuePub.com. Kitchen open 24/7. With more than 43 rotating

draft beers, this pub also offers food, including a cheese plate from St. James Cheese Co. and the “Pub Burger.” Counter service only. $ Bouligny Tavern 3641 Magazine St., 891-1810, BoulignyTavern.com. D MonSat. Carefully curated small plates, inventive cocktails and select wines are the focus of this stylish offshoot of John Harris’s nationally acclaimed Lilette. $$ The Delachaise 3442 St. Charles Ave., 895-0858, TheDelaichaise.com. L SatSun, D daily. Cuisine elevated to the standards of the libations is the draw at this lively wine bar and gastropub. Food is grounded in French bistro fare with eclectic twists. $$

Italian Avondale H Mosca’s 4137 Highway 90 West, 4638950, MoscasRestaurant.com. D Tue-Sat. Italian institution dishes out massive portions of great food, family-style. Good bets are the shrimp Mosca and chicken à la grande. Cash only. $$$

Bywater H Mariza 2900 Charters St., 598-5700, MarizaNewOrleans.com. D Tue-Sat. An Italian-inspired restaurant by chef Ian Schnoebelen features a terrific raw bar, house-cured charcuterie and an array of refined adult beverages served in the industrial/contemporary setting on the ground floor of the Rice Mills lofts. $$$

CBD/Warehouse District H Domenica The Roosevelt Hotel, 123 Baronne St., 648-6020, DomenicaRestaurant.com. L, D daily. Chef Alon Shaya serves authentic, regional Italian cuisine.

The menu of thin, lightly topped pizzas, artisanal salumi and cheese, and a carefully chosen selection of antipasti, pasta and entrées features locally raised products, some from chef John Besh’s Northshore farm. $$$$ Tommy’s Cuisine 746 Tchoupitoulas St., 581-1103, TommysNewOrleans.com. D daily. Classic Creole-Italian cuisine is the name of the game at this upscale eatery.

Appetizers include the namesake oysters Tommy, baked in the shell with Romano cheese, pancetta and roasted red pepper. $$$$$

Award-Winning Dining at The Foundation Room at House of Blues House of Blues New Orleans, 225 Decatur St., 310-4999, HouseOfBlues.com In a city famous for its music, The House of Blues sits front and center when it comes to enjoying favorite bands and fun nights out. However, the talent of the James Beard-nominated chef Nathan Winowich is still yet to be discovered by many. An Ohio native, Nathan and his wife Erika (who were married on the top of the venue) are the chef team behind the seasonal menu that is featured along with nightly entertainment and drink specials. Even though The Foundation Room is a private club, the dining room at The House of Blues is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays. – M.C.

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cheryl gerber photograph

French Quarter Café Giovanni 117 Decatur St., 529-2154, CafeGiovanni.com. D daily. Live opera singers three nights a week. A selection of Italian specialties tweaked with a Creole influence and their Belli Baci happy hour adds to the atmosphere. $$$$ Chartres House, 601 Chartres St., 5868383, ChartresHouse.com. L, D daily. This iconic French Quarter bar serves terrific Mint Juleps and Gin Fizzes in its picturesque courtyard and balcony settings.

Also famous for its fried green tomatoes and other local favorite dishes. $$$ Irene’s Cuisine 539 St. Philip St., 529881. D Mon-Sat. Long waits at the lively piano bar are part of the appeal of this Creole-Italian favorite beloved by locals.

Try the oysters Irene and crabmeat gratin appetizers. $$$$

H Italian Barrel 430 Barracks St., 569-0198, ItalianBarrel.com. L, D daily.

Northern Italian dishes like Braciola di Maiale as well as an exhaustive pasta menu tempt here at this local favorite that also offers al fresco seating. $$$

524522-4152, NapoleonHouse.com. L Mon-Sat, D Tue-Sat. Originally built in 1797 as a respite for Napoleon, this family-owned European-style café serves local favorites gumbo, jambalaya and muffulettas, and for sipping, a Sazerac or lemony Pimm’s Cup are perfect accompaniments. $$ Ralph Brennan’s Red Fish Grill 115 Bourbon St., 598-1200, RedFishGrill.com.

L, D daily. Chef Austin Kirzner cooks up a broad menu peppered with local favorites such as barbecue oysters, blackened redfish and double-chocolate bread pudding. $$$$$ Arnaud’s Remoulade 309 Bourbon St., 523-0377, Remoulade.com. L, D daily.

Granite-topped tables and an antique mahogany bar are home to the eclectic menu of famous shrimp Arnaud, red beans and rice and poor boys as well as specialty burgers, grilled all-beef hot dogs and thin-crust pizza. $$

H R’evolution 777 Bienville St., 553-

Muriel’s Jackson Square 801 Chartres St., 568-1885, Muriels.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Enjoy pecan-crusted drum and other local classics while dining in the courtyard bar or any other room in this labyrinthine, rumored-to-be-haunted establishment. $$$$

2277, RevolutionNola.com. L Wed-Fri, D daily, Br Sun. An opulent place that combines the local flavors of chef John Folse with the more cosmopolitan influence of chef Rick Tramonto. Chef de cuisine Chris Lusk and executive sous chef Erik Veney are in charge of day-to-day operations, which include house-made charcuterie, pastries, pastas and more. $$$$$

Napoleon House 500 Chartres St.,

harahan

Oak Oven 6625 Jefferson Highway, Harahan, 305-4039, OakOvenRestaurant. com. L, D Mon-Sat. Wood-fired pizza and seasonal Italian cuisine with a locavore philosophy brings respite to the burbs.

Family friendly with patio seating to boot. $$

Lakeview H Tony Angello’s 6262 Fleur de Lis Drive, 488-0888, TonyAngellos.com. D Tue-Sat. Creole-Italian favorite serves up fare. Ask Tony to “Feed Me” if you want a real multi-course dining experience. $$$$

Metairie H Andrea’s Restaurant 3100 19th St., 834-8583, AndreasRestaurant.com. L Mon-Sat, D daily, Br Sun. Osso buco and homemade pastas in a setting that’s both elegant and intimate; off-premise catering. $$$ Semolina 4436 Veterans Blvd., Suite 37, 454-7930, Semolina.com. L, D daily. This casual, contemporary pasta restaurant takes a bold approach to cooking Italian food, emphasizing flavors, texture and color. Many of the dishes feature a signature Louisiana twist, such as the muffuletta pasta and pasta jambalaya. $$ Vincent’s Italian Cuisine 4411 Chastant St., 885-2984, Metairie, VicentsItalianCuisine.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Snug Italian boîte packs them in, yet manages to remain intimate at the same time. The cannelloni is a house specialty. $$$

Mid-City H Liuzza’s 3636 Bienville St., 482-9120, Liuzzas.com. L, D daily. Classic neighborhood joint serves favorites like the “Frenchuletta,” stuffed artichokes and andouille gumbo. Kid’s menu offered. $$ Ralph’s On The Park 900 City Park Ave., 488-1000, RalphsOnThePark.com. Br Sun, L Tue-Fri, D daily. A modern interior and contemporary Creole dishes such as City Park salad, turtle soup, barbecue Gulf shrimp and good cocktails. $$$$

NORTHSHORE H Del Porto Ristorante 501 E. Boston St., (985) 875-1006, DelPortoRistorante. com. L, D Tue-Sat. One of the Northshore’s premier fine dining destinations serving Italian food that makes use of locally sourced meats and produce. $$$

Uptown Amici 3218 Magazine St., 300-1250, AmiciNola.com. L, D daily. Coal-fired pizza is the calling card for this destination, but the menu offers an impressive list of authentic and Creole Italian specialties as well. $$ Pascal’s Manale 1838 Napoleon Ave., 895-4877, PascalsManale.com. L MonFri, D Mon-Sat. Vintage neighborhood restaurant since 1913 and the place to go for the creation of barbecued shrimp.

Its oyster bar serves icy cold, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters and the Italian specialties and steaks are also solid. $$$$

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DINING GUIDE Vincent’s Italian Cuisine 7839 St. Charles Ave., 866-9313, VicentsItalianCuisine.com. L Tue-Fri, D Tue-Sun. Snug Italian boîte packs them in yet manages to remain intimate at the same time. The cannelloni is a house specialty. $$$

Adelaide.com. B, D daily, L Mon-Fri. This offering from the Commander’s Palace family of restaurants has become a power-lunch favorite for business-people and politicos. Also features the Swizzle Stick Bar. $$$$

Louisianian Fare

H Cochon 930 Tchoupitoulas St.,

CBD/Warehouse District H Annunciation 1016 Annunciation

588-2123, CochonRestaurant.com. L, D, Mon-Sat. Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski showcase Cajun and Southern cuisine at this hot spot. Boudin and other pork dishes reign supreme here, along with Louisiana seafood and real moonshine from the bar. Reservations strongly recommended. $$

St., 568-0245, AnnunciationRestaurant. com. D Mon-Sat. Chef Steven Manning brings a refined sensibility to this refined Warehouse District oasis along with his famous fried oysters with melted brie. $$$ Balise 640 Carondelet St., 459-4449, BaliseNola.com. L Mon-Fri, D nightly.

Chef Justin Devillier turns back the clock at this turn-of-the-century inspired bistro in the CBD. Decidedly masculine fare – think venison tartare with horseradish and pumpernickel – is carefully crafted and fits well alongside the excellent cocktail and beer list. $$$ Bon Ton Cafe 401 Magazine St., 5243386, TheBonTonCafe.com. L, D Mon-Fri. A local favorite for the old-school business lunch crowd specializing in local seafood and Cajun dishes. $$$$ Café Adelaide Loews New Orleans Hotel, 300 Poydras St., 595-3305, Cafe-

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Drago’s Hilton Riverside Hotel, 2 Poydras St., 584-3911, DragosRestaurant. com. L, D daily. This famous seafooder specializes in charbroiled oysters, a dish they invented. Great deals on fresh lobster as well. $$$$ Emeril’s 800 Tchoupitoulas St., 5289393, EmerilsRestaurants.com. L MonFri, D daily. The flagship of superstar chef Emeril Lagasse’s culinary empire, this landmark attracts pilgrims from all over the world. $$$$$

H Herbsaint 701 St. Charles Ave., 524-4114, Herbsaint.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Enjoy a sophisticated cocktail before sampling chef Donald Link’s

menu that melds contemporary bistro fare with classic Louisiana cuisine. The banana brown butter tart is a favorite dessert. $$$$$ Mother’s 401 Poydras St., 523-9656, MothersRestaurant.net. B, L, D daily.

Locals and tourists alike endure long queues and a confounding ordering system to enjoy iconic dishes such as the Ferdi poor boy and Jerry’s jambalaya.

Come for a late lunch to avoid the rush. $$ Mulate’s 201 Julia St., 522-1492, Mulates.com. L, D daily. Live music and dancing add to the fun at this worldfamous Cajun destination. $$ Palette 700 Tchoupitoulas St., 613-2350, B, L, D daily. Creole, Cajun and French flavors all come together at this restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel near the Convention Center. $$

Central City Café Reconcile 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 568-1157, CafeReconcile.org. L Mon-Fri. Good food for a great cause, this nonprofit on the burgeoning OCH corridor helps train at-risk youth for careers in the food service industry. $$

Darrow Café Burnside Houmas House Plantation, 40136 Highway 942, (225) 473-9380,

HoumasHouse.com. L daily, Br Sun. Historic plantation’s casual dining option features dishes such as seafood pasta, fried catfish, crawfish and shrimp, gumbo and red beans and rice. $$ Latil’s Landing Houmas House Plantation, 40136 Highway 942, (225) 473-9380, HoumasHouse.com. D Wed-Sun. Nouvelle Louisiane, plantation-style cooking served in an opulent setting features dishes like rack of lamb and plume de veau. $$$$$

Faubourg Marigny Feelings Cafe 2600 Chartres St., 9452222, FeelingsCafe.com. D Wed-Sun, Br Sun. Romantic ambiance and skillfully created dishes, such as veal d’aunoy, make dining here on the patio a memorable experience. A piano bar on Fridays adds to the atmosphere. Vegan menu offered. $$$$ Horn’s 1940 Dauphine St., Marigny, 459-4676, HornsNola.com. B, L daily, D Thu-Mon. This casual, eclectic watering hole offers offbeat twists on classics (the Jewish Coonass features latkes to go with the crawfish etouffée) as well as the usual breakfast and lunch diner fare. $ Praline Connection 542 Frenchmen St., 943-3934, PralineConnection.com. L, D daily. Down-home dishes of smoth-

ered pork chops, greens, beans and cornbread are on the menu at this Creole soul restaurant. $$

French Quarter Acme Oyster House 724 Iberville St., 522-5973, AcmeOyster.com. L, D daily.

Known as one of the best places to eat oysters. $$

H Arnaud’s 813 Bienville St., 523-5433, ArnaudsRestaurant.com. D daily, Br Sun. Waiters in tuxedos prepare Café Brûlot tableside at this storied Creole grande dame; live jazz during Sun. brunch. $$$$$

menu includes items such as Bombay drum. $$$$ Café Maspero 601 Decatur St., 523-6250, CafeMaspero.com. L, D daily. Tourists line up for their generous portions of seafood and large deli sandwiches. $ Court of Two Sisters 613 Royal St., 522-7261, CourtOfTwoSisters.com. Br, D daily. The historic environs make for a memorable outdoor dining experience.

The famous daily Jazz Brunch buffet and classic Creole dishes sweeten the deal. $$$$$

and all day Sun. $$$$$ House of Blues 225 Decatur St., 3104999, HouseOfBlues.com/NewOrleans. L, D daily. Surprisingly good menu complements music in the main room. Worldfamous Gospel Brunch every Sunday.

Patio seating available. $$ Killer Poboys 811 Conti St., 252-6745, KillerPoboys.blogspot.com. L, D WedMon. This quasi-popup operating out of the Erin Rose Bar serves some of the city’s best poor boys, including one featuring glazed pork belly. $

Antoine’s 713 St. Louis St., 581-4422, Antoines.com. L, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. This pinnacle of haute cuisine and birthplace of oysters Rockefeller is New Orleans’ oldest restaurant. (Every item is á la carte, with an $11 minimum.) Private dining rooms available. $$$$$

Criollo Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St., 681-4444, CriolloNola.com. B, L, D daily. Next to the famous Carousel Bar in the historic Monteleone Hotel, Criollo represents an amalgam of the various cultures reflected in Louisiana cooking and cuisine, often with a slight contemporary twist. $$$

K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen 416 Chartres St., 596-2530, ChefPaul.com/KPaul. L Thu-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Paul Prudhomme’s landmark restaurant helped introduce Cajun food to a grateful nation. Lots of seasoning and bountiful offerings, along with reserved seating, make this a destination for locals and tourists alike. $$$$

H The Bistreaux New Orleans Maison

H Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House 144

H MiLa 817 Common St., 412-2580,

Dupuy Hotel, 1001 Toulouse St., 5868000, MaisonDupuy.com/dining.html. L, D daily. Dishes ranging from the casual (truffle mac and cheese) to the upscale (tuna tasting trio) are served in an elegant courtyard. $$

Bourbon St., 522-0111, BourbonHouse. com. B, L, D daily. Classic Creole dishes such as redfish on the halfshell and baked oysters served. Its extensive bourbon menu will please aficionados. $$$$

MiLaNewOrleans.com. L Mon-Fri, D MonSat. Focuses on the fusion of the cuisines of Miss. and La. $$$$

The Bombay Club Prince Conti Hotel, 830 Conti St., 586-0972, TheBombayClub. com. D daily. Popular martini bar with plush British décor features live music during the week and late dinner and drinks on weekends. Nouveau Creole

Galatoire’s 209 Bourbon St., 525-2021, Galatoires.com. L, D Tue-Sun. Friday lunches are a New Orleans tradition at this world-famous French-Creole grand dame. Tradition counts for everything here, and the crabmeat Sardou is delicious. Note: Jackets required for dinner

NOLA 534 St. Louis St., 522-6652, Emerils.com. L Thu-Mon, D daily. Emeril’s more affordable eatery, featuring cedarplank-roasted redfish; private dining. $$$$$ Richard Fiske’s Martini Bar & Restaurant, 301 Dauphine St., 586-0972, RichardFiskes.com. D nightly. Just a few steps off of Bourbon Street you can find

this relaxing bar featuring an innovative menu with dishes like Crawfish, Jalapeno-and-Bacon Mac and Cheese garnished with fried oysters. Live music a plus. $$$ Royal House, 441 Royal St., 528-2601, RoyalHouseRestaurant.com. L, D daily. B Sat and Sun. Poor boys, jambalaya and shrimp Creole are some of the favorites served here. Weekend breakfast and an oyster bar add to the crowd-pleasing appeal. $$$ SoBou 310 Chartres St., 552-4095, SoBouNola.com. B, L, D daily. There is something for everyone at this “Modern Creole Saloon.” Decidedly unstuffy with an emphasis on craft cocktails and wines by the glass. Everything from $1 pork cracklins to an extravagant foie gras burger on accomplished yet eclectic menus. $$

H Tableau 616 S. Peter St., 934-3463, TableauFrenchQuarter.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Gulf seafood such as trout amandine and classic Creole brunch dishes like eggs Sardou are the highlights of this Dickie Brennan restaurant that shares space with Le Petite Théâtre on the corner of Jackson Square. $$$

H Tujague’s 823 Decatur St., 525-8676, TujaguesRestaurant.com. L Sat-Sun, D daily. For more than 150 years this landmark restaurant has been offering Creole cuisine. Favorites include a nightly six-course table d’hôté menu fea-

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DINING GUIDE turing a unique beef brisket with Creole sauce. $$$$$

Kenner Copeland’s 1319 W. Esplanade Ave., 6179146, CopelandsofNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Al Copeland’s namesake chain includes favorites such as Shrimp Ducky. Popular for lunch. $$

Lakeview H Cava 789 Harrison Ave., 304-9034. D Mon-Sat. Fine dining (and excellent wine list) at this high-end Cajun and Creole restaurant that makes customer service a big part of the experience. $$$

Metairie/Jefferson Acme Oyster House 3000 Veterans Blvd., 309-4056, AcmeOyster.com. L, D daily.

Known as one of the best places to eat oysters. $$ Austin’s 5101 W. Esplanade Ave., 8885533, AustinsNo.com. D Mon-Sat. Mr. Ed’s upscale bistro serves contemporary Creole fare, including seafood and steaks. $$$ Copeland’s 1001 S. Clearview Parkway, 620-7800; 701 Veterans Blvd., 831-3437, CopelandsofNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Al Copeland’s namesake chain includes favorites such as Shrimp Ducky.

Popular for lunch. $$ Crabby Jack’s 428 Jefferson Highway, 833-2722, CrabbyJacksNola.com. L MonSat. Lunch outpost of Jacques-Imo’s.

Famous for its fried seafood and poor boys including fried green tomatoes and roasted duck. $ Drago’s 3232 N. Arnoult Road, 888-9254, DragosRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. This famous seafooder specializes in charbroiled oysters, a dish they invented.

Great deals on fresh lobster as well. $$$$

Mid-City H Katie’s Restaurant and Bar 3701 Iberville St., 488-6582, KatiesInMidCity. com. L, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. Creative poor boys, local dishes such as gumbo and Sunday brunch make this a neighborhood favorite. $$ Lil’ Dizzy’s Café 1500 Esplanade Ave., 569-8997, LilDizzysCafe.com. B, L daily,

Br Sun. Spot local and national politicos dining at this favored Creole soul restaurant known for homey classics like fried chicken and trout Baquet. $

H Mandina’s 3800 Canal St., 482-9179, MandinasRestaurant.com. L, D daily.

Though the ambiance is more upscale, the food and seafood dishes make dining here a New Orleans experience. $$

H Toups’ Meatery 845 N. Carrollton Ave., 252-4999, ToupsMeatery.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Charcuterie, specialty cocktails and an exhaustive list of excellent à la carte sides make this restaurant a carnivore’s delight. $$$

Upper 9th Ward St. Roch Market 2381 St. Claude Ave., 615-6541, StRochMarket.com. B, L, D daily. Beautiful restoration of historic St. Claude Marketplace with open dining space houses a broad collection of independent eateries including craft cocktails and more. $$

NORTHSHORE Acme Oyster House 1202 N. Highway 190, Covington, (985) 246-6155, AcmeOyster.com. L, D daily. Known as one of the best places to eat oysters. $$ Gallagher’s Grill 509 S. Tyler St., (985) 892-9992, GallaghersGrill.com. L, D TueFri, D Sat. Chef Pat Gallagher’s destination restaurant offers al fresco seating to accompany classically inspired New Orleans fare. Event catering offered. $$$

Riverbend H Boucherie 1506 S. Carrollton Ave., 862-5514, Boucherie-Nola.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Serving contemporary Southern food with an international angle, chef Nathaniel Zimet offers excellent ingredients presented simply. $$ Brigtsen’s 723 Dante St., 861-7610, Brigtsens.com. D Tue-Sat. Chef Frank Brigtsen’s nationally famous Creole cuisine makes this cozy cottage a true foodie destination. $$$$$

Uptown H Apolline 4729 Magazine St., 894-8881, ApollineRestaurant.com. D Tue-Sun, Br Sat-Sun. Cozy gem serves a refined menu of French and Creole clas-

sics peppered with Southern influences such as buttermilk fried quail with corn waffle. $$$ Casamento’s 4330 Magazine St., 8959761, CasamentosRestaurant.com. L Tue-Sat, D Thu-Sat. The family-owned restaurant has shucked oysters and fried seafood since 1919; closed during summer and for all major holidays. $$ Clancy’s 6100 Annunciation St., 8951111, ClancysNewOrleans.com. L Thu-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Their Creole-inspired menu has been a favorite of locals for years. $$$ Commander’s Palace 1403 Washington Ave., 899-8221, CommandersPalace. com. L Mon-Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. The grande dame is going strong under the auspices of James Beard Award-winner chef Tory McPhail. Jazz Brunch is a great deal. $$$$ Dick and Jenny’s 4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 894-9880, DickAndJennys.com. L Thu-Fri, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. A funky cottage serving Louisiana comfort food with flashes of innovation. $$$$ Domilise’s 5240 Annunciation St., 899-912. L, D Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat. Local institution and rite-of-passage for those wanting an initiation to the real New Orleans. Wonderful poor boys and a unique atmosphere make this a one-of-a-kind place. $

H Gautreau’s 1728 Soniat St., 899-7397, GautreausRestaurant.com. D Mon-Sat. Upscale destination serves refined interpretations of classics along with contemporary creations. $$$$$ Jacques-Imo’s Cafe 8324 Oak St., 8610886, Jacques-Imos.com. D Mon-Sat. Reinvented New Orleans cuisine served in a party atmosphere. The deep-fried roast beef poor boy is delicious. The lively bar scene offsets the long wait on weekends. $$$$ Joey K’s 3001 Magazine St., 891-0997, JoeyKsRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. A true neighborhood restaurant with daily lunch plates; red beans and rice are classic. $ Mahony’s 3454 Magazine St., 899-3374,

MahonysPoBoys.com. L, D daily. Along with the usual poor boys, this sandwich shop serves up a grilled shrimp and fried green tomato version dressed with remoulade sauce. Sandwich offerings are augmented by a full bar. $ Mat & Naddie’s 937 Leonidas St., 8619600, MatAndNaddies.com. D Mon-Tue, Thu-Sat. Cozy converted house serves up creative and eclectic regionally inspired fare. Shrimp and crawfish croquettes make for a good appetizer and when the weather is right the romantic patio is the place to sit. $$$$

WEST BANK Copeland’s 2333 Manhattan Blvd., 3641575, CopelandsofNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Al Copeland’s namesake chain includes favorites such as Shrimp Ducky. Popular for lunch. $$

Pizza Reginelli’s Pizzeria Multiple Locations, Reginellis.com. L, D daily. Pizzas, pastas, salads, fat calzones and lofty focaccia sandwiches are at locations all over town. $$ Theo’s Pizza Multiple Locations, TheosPizza.com. L, D daily. The crackercrisp crust pizzas are complemented by a broad assortment of toppings with a lot of local ingredients at cheap prices. $$

Bywater H Pizza Delicious 617 Piety St., 6768282, PizzaDelicious.com. Authentic New York-style thin crust pizza is the reason to come to this affordable restaurant that began as a pop-up, but they also offer excellent salads sourced from small farms and homemade pasta dishes as well. Outdoor seating a plus. $

Uptown H Ancora 4508 Freret St., 324-1636, AncoraPizza.com. D Mon-Sat. Authentic Neapolitan-style pizza fired in an oven imported from Naples. The housemade charcuterie makes it a double-winner. $$ Pizza Domenica 4933 Magazine St., 301-4978, PizzaDomenica.com. L Fri-Sun, D nightly. James Beard Award Winning Chef Alon Shaya’s pizza centric spinoff of his popular Restaurant Domenica brings Neapolitan-style pies to Uptown. Excel-

Antoine’s Restaurant Always in Style Antoine’s, 713 Saint Louis St., 581-4422, Antoines.com When Antoine’s restaurant celebrated its 176th anniversary in 2015, patrons and staff celebrated the role the venue has played in the life of the city and its inhabitants. The beauty about the oldest French-Creole fine dining restaurant in New Orleans, one of the oldest restaurants in the country, is that it’s still as relevant today as it was more than a century ago. The Hermes Bar offers handcrafted cocktails, and a small plate menu complements its 14 private dining rooms. Antoine’s Annex has become a go-to for coffee and pastries. – M.C.

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lent salads and charcuterie boards are offered as well. $$ Slice 1513 St. Charles Ave., 525-PIES (7437); 5538 Magazine St., 897-4800; SlicePizzeria.com. L, D daily. Order up slices or whole pizza pies done in several styles (thin- and thick-crust) as well as pastas, seafood, panini and salads. $

Seafood Akers Middendorf’s Interstate 55, Exit 15, 30160 Highway 51 South, (985) 3866666, MiddendorfsRestaurant.com. L, D Wed-Sun. Historic seafood destination along the shores of Lake Maurepas is world-famous for its thin-fried catfish fillets. Open since 1934, it’s more than a restaurant, it’s a Sun. drive tradition. $$

CBD/Warehouse District H Borgne 601 Loyola Ave., 613-3860, BorgneRestaurant.com. L, D daily.

Coastal Louisiana seafood with an emphasis on Isleños cuisine (descendants of Canary Islanders who settled in St. Bernard Parish) is the focus of this high-volume destination adjacent to the Superdome. $$$

H Pêche 800 Magazine St., 522-1744, PecheRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Award-winning southern-inspired seafood destination by chef Donald Link serves whole roasted Gulf fish from its massive, wood-burning oven. An excellent raw bar is offered as well. $$$

Sac-A-Lait 1051 Annunciation St., 324-3658, Sac-A-LaitRestaurant.com. D Tues-Sat, L Fri. Cody and Sam Carroll’s shrine to Gulf Coast and Louisiana culinary heritage melds seafood, game, artisan produce, and craft libations in an ambitious menu that celebrates local and southern cuisine. The striking buildout in the Cotton Mill lofts adds to the appeal. $$$$

French Quarter Bourbon House 144 Bourbon St., 5220111, BourbonHouse.com. B, L, D daily.

Local seafood, featured in both classic and contemporary dishes, is the focus of this New Orleans-centric destination.

And yes, bourbon is offered as well. $$$ Crazy Lobster 500 Port of New Orleans Place, Suite 83. L, D daily. Boiled seafood and festive atmosphere come together at this seafood-centric destination overlooking the Mississippi River. Outdoor seating a plus. $$$ Creole Cookery 508 Toulouse St., Suite C110, 524-9632, NewOrleansCreoleCookery.com. L, D daily. Crowd-pleasing destination in the French Quarter offers an expansive menu of Creole favorites and specialty cocktails served with New Orleans flair. $$$ Deanie’s Seafood 841 Iberville St., 5811316, Deanies.com. L, D daily. Louisiana seafood, baked, broiled, boiled and fried is the name of the game. Try the barbecue shrimp or towering seafood

platters. $$$

destination. $$

H GW Fins 808 Bienville St., 581-FINS

Pier 424, 424 Bourbon St., 309-1574, Pier424SeafoodMarket.com. L, D daily.

Seafood-centric restaurant offers long menu of traditional New Orleans fare augmented by unusual twists like “Cajun-Boiled” Lobster prepared crawfish-style in spicy crab boil. $$$

(3467), GWFins.com. D daily. Owners Gary Wollerman and twice chef of the year Tenney Flynn provide dishes at their seasonal peak. On a quest for unique variety, menu is printed daily. $$$$$

H Kingfish 337 Charters St., 598-5005, CocktailBarNewOrleans.com. L, D daily.

Regionally inspired seafood dishes with carefully sourced ingredients and southern influence is the focus at this chef-driven French Quarter establishment. $$$ Le Bayou 208 Bourbon St., 525-4755, LeBayouRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Blackened redfish and Shrimp Ya-Ya are a just a few of the choices at this seafood-centric destination on Bourbon Street. Fried alligator is available for the more daring diner. $$$ Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar & Fish House 512 Bienville St., 309-4848, MrEdsRestaurants.com/oyster-bar. L, D daily. A seafood lover’s paradise offering an array of favorites like Shrimp Creole, Crawfish Etouffee, Blackened Redfish and more.

An elaborate raw bar featuring gulf oysters both charbroiled and raw is part of the draw. $$$ Oceana Grill 739 Conti St., 525-6002, OceanaGrill.com. B, L, D daily. Gumbo, poor boys and barbecue shrimp are served at this kid-friendly seafood

Kenner Mr. Ed’s Seafood and Italian Restaurant 910 W. Esplanade Ave., Ste. A, 463-3030, AustinsNo.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Neighborhood restaurant specializes in seafood and Italian offerings such as stuffed eggplant and bell pepper. Fried seafood and sandwiches make it a good stop for lunch. $$

Metairie Austin’s Restaurant, 5101 W. Esplanade Ave., 888-5533, AustinsNo.com. D MonSat. Signature steak, seafood and Italian specialties reign at this dinner-only destination. Catering offered as well. $$$ Deanie’s Seafood 1713 Lake Ave., 8314141, Deanies.com. L, D daily. Louisiana seafood, baked, broiled, boiled and fried, is the name of the game. Try the barbecue shrimp or towering seafood platters. $$$ Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar & Fish House 3117 21st St., 833-6310, MrEdsRestaurants. com/oyster-bar. L, D Mon-Sat. Seafoodcentric eatery specializes in favorites like whole flounder, crabmeat au gratin

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DINING GUIDE and more. An oyster bar offering an array of raw and broiled bivalves adds to the appeal. $$$

in cuts of meat along with pastas and wines. Specials include the provoleta appetizer and the Vacio flank steak. $$$

Mr. Ed’s Seafood and Italian Restaurant 1001 Live Oak St., 838-0022, AustinsNo.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Neighborhood restaurant specializes in seafood and Italian offerings such as stuffed eggplant and bell pepper. Fried seafood and sandwiches make it a good stop for lunch. $$

Morton’s The Steakhouse 365 Canal St., One Canal Place, 566-0221, Mortons. com/NewOrleans. D daily. Private elevator leads to the plush, wood-paneled environs of this local outpost of the famed Chicago steakhouse popular with politicians and celebrities. $$$$

Mid-City

Ruth’s Chris Steak House Harrah’s Hotel, 525 Fulton St., 587-7099, RuthsChris. com. D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Filet mignon, creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin are the most popular dishes at this area steak institution, but there are also great seafood choices and top-notch desserts. $$$$$

Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar & Fish House 301. N. Carrollton Ave., (phone number coming soon), MrEdsRestaurants.com/oyster-bar.

L, D daily. Latest outpost of local seafood chain features char-broiled oysters, seafood poor boys and other favorites such fried chicken and red beans and rice in a casual setting in Mid-City Market. $$

Uptown

Garden District H Mr. John’s Steakhouse 2111 St.

Frankie & Johnny’s 321 Arabella St., 243-1234, FrankieAndJohnnys.net. L, D daily. Serves fried and boiled seafood along with poor boys and daily lunch specials. Kid-friendly with a game room to boot. $$

Charles Ave., 679-7697, MrJohnsSteakhouse.com. D Tue-Sat, L Friday. Wood paneling, white tile and USDA Prime Beef served sizzling in butter are the hallmarks of this classic New Orleans steakhouse. $$$

Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar & Fish House 1327 St. Charles Ave., 267-0169, MrEdsRestaurants.com/oyster-bar. L, D daily.

Outpost of local seafood chain serves Cajun and Creole classics in the Maison St. Charles Hotel. Favorites include Redfish Maison St. Charles, which features blackened redfish topped with crawfish étouffée. $$$

French Quarter

West End Landry’s Seafood 8000 Lakeshore Drive, West End, 283-1010, LandrysSeafood. com. Kid-friendly and popular seafood spot serves of heaping platters of fried shrimp, Gulf oysters, catfish and more. $$

Steakhouse CBD/Warehouse District H Besh Steak Harrah’s Casino, 8 Canal St., 533-6111, HarrahsNewOrleans. com. D daily. Acclaimed chef John Besh reinterprets the classic steakhouse with his signature contemporary Louisiana flair. $$$$$ Chophouse New Orleans 322 Magazine St., 522-7902, ChophouseNola.com. D daily. In addition to USDA prime grade aged steaks prepared under a broiler that reaches 1,700 degrees, Chophouse offers lobster, redfish and classic steakhouse sides. $$$

H Desi Vega’s Steakhouse 628 St. Charles Ave., 523-7600, DesiVegaSteaks. com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. USDA Prime steaks form the base of this Mr. John’s offshoot overlooking Lafayette Square, but Italian specialties and a smattering of locally inspired seafood dishes round out the appeal. $$$

Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse 716 Iberville St., 522-2467, DickieBrennansSteakhouse.com. L Fri, D daily. Nationally recognized steakhouse serves USDA Prime steaks and local seafood. $$$$$

H Doris Metropolitan 620 Chartres St., 267-3500, DorisMetropolitan.com. L SatSun, D daily. Innovative, genre-busting steakhouse plays with expectations and succeeds with modernist dishes like their Classified Cut and Beetroot Supreme. $$$$ Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak 215 Bourbon St., 335-3932, Galatoires33BarAndSteak. com. L Fri, D Sun-Thu. Steakhouse offshoot of the venerable Creole grande dame offers hand-crafted cocktails to accompany classic steakhouse fare as well as inspired dishes like the Gouté 33: horseradish-crusted bone marrow and deviled eggs with crab ravigote and smoked trout. Reservations accepted. $$$

Metairie Ruth’s Chris Steak House 3633 Veterans Blvd., 888-3600, RuthsChris.com. L Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Filet mignon, creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin are the most popular dishes at this area steak institution, but there are also great seafood choices and top-notch desserts. $$$$$

Mid-City H Crescent City Steaks 1001 N. Broad St., 821-3271, CrescentCitySteaks.com. L Tue-Fri & Sun, D daily. One of the classic New Orleans steakhouses. Steaks, sides and drinks are what you get. $$$$

H La Boca 870 Tchoupitoulas St., 525-

Uptown

8205, LaBocaSteaks.com. D Mon-Sat. This Argentine steakhouse specializes

Charlie’s Steak House 4510 Dryades St., 895-9323, CharliesSteakHouseNola.

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com. D Tues-Sat. This quintessential New Orleans neighborhood steak house serves up carnivorous delights including its 32-ounce T-Bone in a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere. An upstairs dining room accommodates larger parties with ease. $$$

Vegan/Vegetarian Lower Garden District H The Green Fork 1400 Prytania St., 267-7672, GreenForkNola.com. B, L Mon-Sat. Fresh juices, smoothies and vegetarian-friendly fare make The Green Fork a favorite for lovers of healthy food.

Catering is offered as well. $$

World Byblos Multiple Locations, ByblosRestaurants.com. L, D daily. Upscale Middle Eastern cuisine featuring traditional seafood, lamb and vegetarian options. $$

Bywater The Green Goddess 307 Exchange Place, 301-3347, GreenGoddessRestaurant.com.

L, D Wed-Sun. One of the most imaginative local restaurants. The menu is constantly changing, and chef Paul Artigues always has ample vegetarian options.

Combine all of that with a fantastic selection of drinks, wine and beer, and it’s the total (albeit small) package. $$

CBD/Warehouse District Johnny Sanchez 930 Poydras St., 304-6615, JohnnySanchezRestaurant. com. L, D daily. Contemporary Mexican mecca offering celebrity chef cachet to go along with the locally sourced produce accompanying the Bistec a la Parilla.

Popular happy hour and downtown locale next to South Market District add to the appeal. $$$

H Lüke 333 St. Charles Ave., 378-2840, LukeNewOrleans.com. B, L, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Chef John Besh and executive chef Matt Regan serve Germanic specialties and French bistro classics, housemade patés and abundant plateaux of cold, fresh seafood. $$$ Palace Café 605 Canal St., 523-1661, PalaceCafe.com. L Mon-Sat, D daily, Br Sun. Dickie Brennan-owned brasserie with French-style sidewalk seating and house-created specialties of chef Darrin Nesbit. Favorites here include crabmeat cheesecake, turtle soup, the Werlein salad with fried Louisiana oysters and pork “debris” studded Palace potato pie. $$$$$

Faubourg Marigny H Mona’s Café 504 Frenchmen St., 949-4115. L, D daily. Middle Eastern specialties such as baba ganuj, tender-tangy beef or chicken shawarma, falafel and gyros, stuffed into pillowy pita bread or on platters. The lentil soup with crunchy pita chips and desserts, such as sticky sweet baklava, round out the menu. $

Faubourg St. John H 1000 Figs 3141 Ponce De Leon St., 301-0848, 1000Figs.com. L, D Tue-Sat.

Vegetarian-friendly offshoot of the Fat Falafel Food Truck offers a healthy farm-to-table alternative to cookie-cutter Middle Eastern places. $$

French Quarter Bayona 430 Dauphine St., 525-4455, Bayona.com. L Wed-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Chef Susan Spicer’s nationally acclaimed cuisine is served in this 200-year-old cottage. Ask for a seat on the romantic patio, weather permitting. $$$$$ El Gato Negro 81 French Market Place, 525-9752, ElGatoNegroNola.com. Central Mexican cuisine along with handmuddled mojitos and margaritas made with freshly squeezed juice. A weekend breakfast menu is an additional plus. $$

Kenner H Fiesta Latina 1924 Airline Drive, 4682384, FiestaLatinaRestaurant.com. B, L, D daily. A big-screen TV normally shows a soccer match or MTV Latino at this home for authentic Central American food.

Tacos include a charred carne asada. $$

Lakewood H Mizado 5080 Pontchartrain Blvd., 885-5555, MizadoCocina.com. L daily, D Mon-Sat. Sleek restaurant offers modern Mexican cuisine featuring pan-Latin flavors and influences. Small batch tequila and a ceviche bar make it a party. $$

Lakeview H Mondo 900 Harrison Ave., 224-2633, MondoNewOrleans.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. Chef Susan Spicer’s take on world cuisine. Make sure to call ahead because the place has a deserved reputation for good food and good times. $$$

METAIRIE Vega Tapas Café 2051 Metairie Road, 836-2007, VegaTapasCafe.com. D MonSat. Fun, eclectic small plates destination offers creative fare keeps guests coming back with frequent regionally inspired specialty menus served with humor and whimsy. $$

Mid-City Juan’s Flying Burrito 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., 486-9950, JuansFlyingBurrito. com. L, D daily. Hard-core tacos and massive burritos are served in an edgy atmosphere. $ Lola’s 3312 Esplanade Ave., 488-6946, LolasNewOrleans.com. D daily. Garlicky Spanish dishes and great paella make this artsy boîte a hipster destination. $$$

H Mona’s Café 3901 Banks St., 4827743. L, D daily. Middle Eastern specialties such as baba ganuj, tender-tangy beef or chicken shawarma, falafel and gyros, stuffed into pillowy pita bread or on platters. The lentil soup with crunchy pita chips and desserts, such as sticky sweet baklava, round out the menu. $

H Taqueria Guerrero 208 N. Carrollton Ave., 484-6959. B, L, D, Tue-Sat. Friendly staff and authentic Mexican cuisine make

this affordable neighborhood restaurant a neighborhood favorite. $

Upper 9th Ward Kebab , 2315 Saint Claude Ave., 3834328, KebabNola.com. L, D Fri-Mon. The menu is short and tasty at this kebab outpost along the revitalized St. Claude Avenue corridor. $

Uptown H Café Abyssinia 3511 Magazine St., 894-6238. L, D daily. One of a just few authentic Ethiopian restaurants in the city, excellent injera and spicy vegetarian fare make this a local favorite. $$

H Irish House 1432 St. Charles Ave., 595-6755, TheIrishHouseNewOrleans. com. L Mon-Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Irish pub dishes such as shepherd’s pie and fish and chips are featured here, as well as creative cocktails like Irish iced coffee. Check the schedule of events for live music. $$ Jamila’s Mediterranean Tunisian Cuisine 7808 Maple St., 866-4366. D Tue-Sun. Intimate and exotic bistro serving Mediterranean and Tunisian cuisine. The Grilled Merguez is a Jazz Fest favorite and vegetarian options are offered. $$ Juan’s Flying Burrito 2018 Magazine St., 569-0000, JuansFlyingBurrito. com. L, D daily. Hard-core tacos and massive burritos are served in an edgy

atmosphere. $

H Mona’s Café 4126 Magazine St., 894-9800. L, D daily. Middle Eastern specialties such as baba ganuj, tendertangy beef or chicken shawarma, falafel and gyros, stuffed into pillowy pita bread or on platters. The lentil soup with crunchy pita chips and desserts, such as sticky sweet baklava, round out the menu. $

H Panchita’s 1434 S. Carrollton Ave., 281-4127. L, D daily. Authentic, budgetfriendly Mexican restaurant serves tamales, mole and offers free chips and salsa as well as sangria. $ H Patois 6078 Laurel St., 895-9441, PatoisNola.com. L Fri, D Wed-Sat, Br Sun. The food is French in technique, with influences from across the Mediterranean as well as the American South, all filtered through the talent of chef Aaron Burgau. Reservations recommended. $$$

H Shaya 4213 Magazine St., 891-4213, ShayaRestaurant.com. L, D daily. James Beard Award-winning chef Alon Shaya pays homage to his native Israel with this contemporary Israeli hotspot.

Fattoush Salad and Matzo Ball Soup made with slow-cooked duck are dishes to try. $$$

Specialty Foods CBD/Warehouse District

Calcasieu 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 5882188, CalcasieuRooms.com. For gatherings both large and small, the catering menus feature modern Louisiana cooking and the Cajun cuisine for which chef Donald Link is justifiably famous.

French Quarter Antoine’s Annex 513 Royal St., 5258045, Antoines.com/Antoines-Annex.

Open daily. Serves French pastries, including individual baked Alaskas, ice cream and gelato, as well as panini, salads and coffee. Delivery available.

Metairie Sucré 3301 Veterans Blvd., 834-2277, ShopSucre.com. Desserts daily. Open late weekends. Chocolates, pastry and gelato draw rave reviews at this dessert destination. Beautiful packaging makes this a great place to shop for gifts.

Catering available.

and Italian candy flowers make this a great place for gifts.

St. James Cheese Company 5004 Prytania St., 899-4737, StJamesCheese. com. Open daily. Specialty shop offers a selection of fine cheeses, wines, beers and related accouterments. Look for wine and cheese specials every Friday.

Sucré 3025 Magazine St., 520-8311, ShopSucre.com. Desserts daily & nightly. Open late weekends. Chocolates, pastry and gelato draw rave reviews at this dessert destination. Beautiful packaging makes this a great place to shop for gifts. Catering available. n

Mid-City H Blue Dot Donuts 4301 Canal St., 218-4866, BlueDotDonuts.com. B, L Tue-Sun. The Bacon Maple Long John gets all the press, but returning customers are happy with the classics as well as twists like peanut butter and jelly.

Uptown Blue Frog Chocolates 5707 Magazine St., 269-5707, BlueFrogChocolates.com.

Open daily, closed Sundays in summer.

French and Belgian chocolate truffles

If you feel that a restaurant has been misplaced, please email Managing Editor Morgan Packard at Morgan@MyNewOrleans.com.

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ADVERTISING SECTION

Louisiana Weekends Fall Festivals, Events, Food & More

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estivals and events are picking up all across Louisiana, as fall rolls in with great weather, competitive sports, booming arts and music and opportunities for learning while having a little fun. Whether you like to host family and friends for weekend football games or take the family out for a nearby day-trip adventure, there’s plenty to see and do near New Orleans in October and November. Cultural festivals bring specialty foods and music to the region while historic

landmarks open their doors for fascinating educational tours and reenactments. Local restaurants and bars are rolling out fall menus and happy hour specials while area hotels play host to fall wedding receptions and guests to the region.

Shopping is another fabulous fall pastime not to be missed.

Now is the time to choose next year’s school and open houses are going on now. Plan your weekend with help from the following guide of places to go, eat, shop, stay and learn.

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Festivals, Events, Activities & Attractions

The Fairhope Film Festival offers world-class, awardwinning films in a picturesque location Nov. 10-13. Films include features, shorts, documentaries and international films that have been finalists at national and international film competitions over the past year – truly the “best of the best” in cinema arts. Directors, actors, filmmakers and fans mingle at screenings, panels, workshops and festivities.

The fourth-annual festival takes place in Fairhope, Alabama, a quaint bayside town overlooking Mobile Bay. Festival venues are located in the flower-filled downtown, all within walking distance to locally owned restaurants, hotels, shopping and beautiful bluffs that offer spectacular views of Mobile Bay. Renowned as one of the country’s loveliest film festivals, the Fairhope Film Festival is among the Gulf Coast’s top cinematic experiences The film schedule, festival passes and additional information are available at FairhopeFilmFestival.org or by calling 251-990-7957.

Pensacola Foo Foo Festival offers 12 days of artistic shows and events including Naval air shows, ballets, operas, culinary events, songwriter showcases, concerts and many more unordinary and extraordinary cultural events in between.

It is a unique celebration of existing and new culturally creative happenings, events and moments under one banner, attracting visitors to beautiful Pensacola, Florida.

Foo Foo Fest is tremendously entertaining and original featuring events of high artistic and cultural caliber, delivered with a hefty dose of Southern sophistication. From food, visual arts and music, to sports and theater, the 12-day festival takes place Nov. 3 – 14 at various galleries, theaters and venues throughout Pensacola. A complete schedule of events can be found at foofoofest.com.

October is a jam-packed month at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center (JPAC) starting with the Miss Louisiana USA and Miss Louisiana Teen USA Pageants on Oct. 7-8. Directly following on Oct. 13, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra performing Beethoven and Blue Jeans: Tchaikovsky 148

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Piano Concerto No. 1. JPAC Artist-inResidence and Jefferson Performing Arts Society wrap up October and begin November with productions of Seussical JR and Funny Girl.

Centrally located in Metairie, JPAC is an SMG-managed facility and is the only professional theater of such magnitude in Jefferson Parish. With a seating capacity of 1,061, JPAC is able to accommodate all forms of entertainment from theater, concerts and dance, to lectures, meetings, graduations, private events and more. The expansive lobby and Hospitality Suite are suitable for hosting various functions with regional catering favorite Messina’s as the exclusive food and beverage provider of the facility. With floor-to-ceiling glass windows, an open floor plan and a spacious second-level and terrace, JPAC offers a unique and customizable space for your event.

For information on upcoming events, visit JeffersonPAC.com or follow JPAC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

French Quarter Phantoms Ghost & Vampire Tours are fun for visitors and locals alike. Listed as No. 5 in TripAdvisor’s Top Ten Ghost Tours in the World, their tours should be on everyone’s “Must Do” list. Grab a cocktail and walk along with their Master Story Tellers for a lot of great laughs and chills up your spine! Their fun, exuberant guides are passionate about entertaining guests. Year-round tours begin at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. nightly and are appropriate for all ages.

For daytime fun amidst shady live oaks and grand houses, don’t miss the company’s newest walking tour of the Garden District available at 10 a.m. daily. Also, Saints & Sinners, a dirty little French Quarter history tour (adults only) begins at 1 p.m. daily. French Quarter Phantoms offers a variety of tours throughout the day and evening. Pick your favorite, grab your friends and have some fun.

Online discounts are available through FrenchQuarterPhantoms.com. For more information, call 504-666-8300.

Now through Nov. 3, historic St. Joseph Plantation offers its annual, sought-after “Mourning Tour,” which features the grieving and funeral customs and rituals of 18th- and 19thcentury Creole Louisiana. The house will be “dressed in full deep mourning,” according to the old prescribed protocol of mourning.

On the weekends of Oct. 8-9 and Oct. 29-30, St. Joseph Plantation features live actors portraying some of St. Joseph’s long-ago residents and the mourning customs they followed.

Both educational and entertaining, these live re-enactments include portrayals of Dr. Cazemir Bernard Mericq and Josephine Aime Ferry, who lived at St. Joseph on separate occasions.

Regular tours are offered six days a week (closed on Wednesdays) and the guided mansion tour is one hour followed by a self-guided grounds tour. Photography of the interior is welcomed. The ground floor and gift shop

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are handicap accessible.

For more information on St. Joseph Plantation, tours and private events, visit StJosephPlantation.com or call 225-265-4078.

Bellingrath Gardens and Home

The Kenner Food & Wine Event comes to Chateau Golf & Country Club this month, with a poolside soiree offering over 100 wines, local flavors from dozens of restaurants, live music and more.

Benefiting the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation, the event takes place 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Participating restaurants include Mr. Ed’s, Galatoire’s, Drago’s, Desi Vega’s Steakhouse, Brisbi’s, Copeland’s, Zea and many more to complement the samplings from wine makers such as Caymus, Meiomi, Jordan, Silver Oak, Franciscan, La Crema, Sonomoa Cutrer, Justin and more. Special discounts on wine will be offered at the event as well as enviable door prizes and a silent auction.

Tickets run $75 in advance at Chateau Golf & Country and Club and are also available online at ChateauGCC.com.

The Kenner Food & Wine Event is sponsored by First NBC Bank, Kippers Communications, Angel Wings Foundation,

CRC Global Solutions, Favrot & Shane Companies, Inc., HRI Properties, The Sisung Group and Mike Yenni.

Earlier this year, McIlhenny Company opened its doors to the new TABASCO® Pepper Sauce Visitors Center on Avery Island. Designed to feed the curiosity of TABASCO® fans near and far, the new Visitors Center brings to life the unique world of TABASCO® Sauce.

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Ashley Longshore Gucci Jesus: What Would Blue Ivy Do

years ago. The Visitors Center showcases how TABASCO® Sauce is made – from the peppers first budding in the greenhouse, to towering walls of oak barrels where mashed peppers are aged for three years, to a glimpse into the production facility where the sauce is blended, stirred and then bottled. Finally, visitors can snap and share pictures with life-size bottles of their favorite TABASCO® flavor before sampling treats that are only available at the TABASCO® Country Store.

For more information about visiting the home of Tabasco® Sauce on Avery Island, please visit Tabasco.com.

Mum’s the word at Bellingrath Gardens and Home in November, when it’s time for the 53rd annual Fall Outdoor Cascading Chrysanthemums show, the largest outdoor mum display in the nation. The gardens and the historic Bellingrath Home will be festooned with hundreds of colorful, four-footlong cascades of chrysanthemums on bridges and balconies, as well as the traditional displays of mums in baskets and containers.

The show represents nearly a year’s worth of work by Bellingrath’s greenhouse staff, which meticulously cultivates the chrysanthemums in greenhouses from January through October. The cascade mums are sheared every few weeks throughout the growing season in order to create fuller plants.

The chrysanthemums display is set out when the blooms are at their peak; the dates of the 2016 display are Nov. 5-19.

For hours, admission and more information, call 800-2478420 or check the “Mum Watch” page on Bellingrath’s website at Bellingrath.org.

A STUNNING COLLECTION OF 50 TRADITIONAL (AND SOME NON-TRADITIONAL) LOUISIANA RECIPES. AN ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE FOR YOUR KITCHEN,OR THE PERFECT GIFT FOR A LOUISIANA FOOD LOVER. TO ORDER VISIT LOUISIANACOOKBOOK.COM NOW IN ITS SECOND PRINTING!

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Ashley Longshore’s work is never shy of daring – her art makes noise. The globally recognized pop artist has been compared to Andy Warhol by both Town & Country Magazine and The New York Post, who have noted the similarity in the artists’ obsession with pop culture icons and current brands. Ashley’s vibrant personality and bold artwork has been featured in major publications in the United States and abroad including Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle, Travel + Leisure and InStyle among others.

Client, friend and collaborator Blake Lively describes her work as “elegant yet rebellious,” a testament to her vivacious spirit. Touted by Fast Company Magazine as one of their “Most Creative People” and recognized by Forbes as one of the “Leading Business Women in the South,” Ashley has collaborated with major fashion brands, such as Chloe, Net-APorter, Anthropologie and luxury cosmetics brand Cle de Peau in designing their holiday 2016 packaging. Ashley’s combined use of social media, collaborations and PR represents a new wave in marketing in an industry undergoing a digital revolution.

Visit the Ashley Longshore Gallery at 4537 Magazine St. and see works online at AshleyLongshore.com.

Vicksburg

Since 1928, the Deutsches Haus New Orleans has celebrated and fostered the rich culture, musical heritage, language and history of the German people. The Haus features organizations dedicated to German song, dance and language and for years the Haus has awarded

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30A 10K & 1 Mile Fun Run

numerous scholarships for German language and history students to study abroad. In the fall of each year, however, the Deutsches Haus New Orleans is known for one thing: Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest 2016 is here and will run for three consecutive weekends this month in the spacious Rivertown in Kenner. The festival runs Oct. 7-8, 14-15 and 21-22. These six days will be filled with live German music, traditional German food and, of course, dozens of unique German beers. This year’s event will also include Wiener dog races and Stein holding contests. Friday hours are 4-11 p.m.; Saturday hours are 1-11 p.m. Admission is $8 and children 12 and under attend for free. For more information about Oktoberfest 2016, visit OktoberfestNola. com or DeutschesHaus.org.

Located along the shore of the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast, Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort is “The New Way!” to spend your fall weekends. October means football and the PRL Bar is a great place to kick back and enjoy your favorite college and professional teams while enjoying a free, halftime buffet of hotdogs and nachos.

Comedy nights are also big in October as some of TV’s most popular comedians take the stage of the Strand Event

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Center. Tickets are only $10 and include one free drink with the show. October’s featured comedians are Bubba Bradley (Oct. 7), as seen on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and Mike Weldon (Oct. 21), as seen on Comedy Central and CMT. Exciting events in October suit a variety of tastes, including Canvas & Cocktails (Oct. 16) and the Rock the Pink Fashion Show benefiting breast cancer awareness on (Oct. 22). Competitions heat up as well with the Shootout Texas Hold’Em Poker Tournament, Big Slick’s $30K Guaranteed Poker Open and Cruise Giveaway, Oct. 7-9.

Discover the new way today! Visit ScarletPearlCasino.com or call 888-266-5772.

Situated high on the bluffs above the Mississippi River, Vicksburg serves as the “Key to the South” and prides itself on its perfect location as a midway point between Memphis and New Orleans.

If you are in search of the elusive sound of the Mississippi Delta Blues, you’ll find it in Vicksburg. Live Mississippi music from the Delta Blues to country and rock can be enjoyed at venues throughout the city. Learn American history by visiting the site of the defining battle of America’s defining war at the Vicksburg National Military Park.

Enjoy the southern charm of Vicksburg by strolling the

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brick-paved streets of its historic downtown. Visit eclectic boutiques, art galleries and various eateries featuring Southern specialties. Enjoy sweeping views of the mighty Mississippi River and some of the most beautiful sunsets imaginable.

Relax – it all runs on river time! For more to see and do in Vicksburg, go to VisitVicksburg.com or call 800-221-3536.

As leaves begin to turn and the air feels cooler, Natchitoches glows in harvest colors and celebrates with festivals and events. From the 10th annual Car Show and the award-winning Characters and Customs from the Crypt Tour, to the 62nd Fall Tour of Homes and “Turn on the Holidays,” there’s always something to enjoy!

Discover the Cane River National Heritage Trail and visit the plantations. Visit the Louisiana State Museum, filled with fascinating stories and photos, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the New Orleans Saints 50th Anniversary Exhibit. Explore Fort St. Jean Baptiste and travel back to the 1700s.

After satisfying your appetite for fun, satisfy your taste buds, too, with any of Natchitoches’ great eateries. Whether it’s a famous meat pie, fresh seafood, or down-home Creole, Italian or Southern cuisine, Natchitoches is full of flavor!

For more destinations, travel ideas and fall and winter events, visit Natchitoches online at Natchitoches.com.

The 30A 10K & 1 Mile Fun Run, Nov. 23-25, is one of the largest running races in South Walton, Florida, with an estimated 3,000 participants, spectators and volunteers, joining together for three days of events with the big race taking place on Thanksgiving Day in Rosemary Beach. The

race is ranked one of the Top 5 Thanksgiving Day races in America.

Events begin on Wed., Nov. 23 with a Fall Festival at 30Avenue in Inlet Beach. The public is invited to a celebration of games, music, carriage rides and special shopping deals. On Nov. 24, Thanksgiving Day, the 10K and 1 Mile Fun Run races kick off in downtown Rosemary Beach at 7:30 a.m. The fun continues on Nov. 25 with the inaugural 30A 10K Black Friday Shopping Spree Contest. Runners are eligible to win thousands of dollars of prizes from race sponsors by tagging on social media a photo of themselves, a South Walton retailer and the race on Black Friday.

The 30A 10K, Inc. is a 501c3 whose mission is to raise money for charities in South Walton County, Florida. For more information, please visit 30A10K.com.

Discover an unforgettable place soothing to the soul – visit St. Francisville, Louisiana, nationally recognized for its extensive historic district, surrounding plantation homes and 19th-century gardens. Founded in the early 1800s on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, this quaint town boasts numerous informative markers telling the stories of its gingerbread-trimmed townhouses, fine commercial structures and historic churches. Interpretive programs are regularly presented at the two state historic sites located in West Feliciana Parish: Rosedown Plantation and Oakley Plantation, where John James Audubon painted much of his Birds of America series in 1821.

The rolling Tunica hills, unspoiled woodlands and intown sports park provide opportunities for year-round recreation. Bed-and-breakfast inns and motels offer cozy

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accommodations for weekend getaways and local festivals celebrate everything from hummingbirds and homegrown art to an authentic country Christmas.

Cafés, restaurants, boutique shops, art and antiques galleries filled with the unexpected entice visitors to St. Francisville and West Feliciana year-round.

West Feliciana is the perfect setting for intimate weddings, romantic weekends, celebrations of special occasions, outdoor recreation or rest and relaxation. Plan your experience today by visiting StFrancisville.us.

Just 40 miles north of the Big Easy, the historic City of Covington lies enveloped by scenic rivers, live oak trees and fragrant long-leaf pines.

Covington’s charming downtown offers an abundance of world-class dining and entertainment options, as well as unique boutiques and art galleries where you can discover one-of-a kind treasures.

Every Thursday in April and October, the city hosts the Rockin’ the Rails free concerts at the Covington Trailhead.

The concerts take place 5-7:30 p.m. and feature some of the Greater New Orleans area’s most celebrated musicians. The October 2016 series will feature The Blenderz, King James & The Special Men, Tyler Kinchen & The Right Pieces and The New Orleans Mystics. After a concert, simply walk to one of Covington’s many popular restaurants in the historic district to enjoy delectable local fare. Then, blissfully end your evening with an overnight stay at one of many charming bed and breakfasts.

Come experience all that Covington has to offer! Visit CovLa.com for more information.

Degas House invites you to celebrate 100 years since the life and creative genius of Edgar Degas with an overnight stay or visit to the historic museum and former home of the world renowned Impressionist. The historic house museum and luxurious inn and courtyard plays host year-round to weddings, receptions, corporate events, overnight guests and guided tours.

Degas House is distinguished by the French Ministry of Culture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the only home or studio of Edgar Degas open to the public in the world. As an exceptional wedding venue, Degas House has been recognized time and again

by Frommers, The Knot and New Orleans Magazine.

Discover the story of the French Creoles, including Edgar Degas and his maternal family, hosted by the greatgrand nieces of the artist himself. The Edgar Degas House Creole Impressionist Tour explores both Degas houses and includes the award-winning documentary Degas in New Orleans, a Creole Sojourn. Additionally, the Creole Neighborhood of Edgar Degas Walking Tour explores references to the neighborhood included in Degas’ New Orleans letters.

For tour scheduling, reservations or wedding and event information, visit DegasHouse.com.

L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge spans across 575 acres of land in the heart of South Baton Rouge. This truly unique casino entertainment complex captures the feel of a Southern river lodge. Embracing local culture and cuisine, L’Auberge Baton Rouge offers a genuine 154

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Louisiana experience and exudes a laissez les bon temps rouler atmosphere of fun.

L’Auberge Baton Rouge features an expansive 74,000-square-foot casino with nearly 1,500 slot machines, 50 table games, a 12-story hotel with over 200 rooms and a rooftop pool, as well as three restaurants and a casino bar with breathtaking views of the Mississippi River. L’Auberge also features a multipurpose event center for concerts, banquets and other events and additionally, the complex includes outdoor festival grounds.

To find out more about L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge, visit MyLAuberge.com or find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Dining & Nightlife Located in the Lower Garden District and just blocks from Downtown New Orleans, Hoshun Restaurant delivers a flavorful punch of pan-Asian flavors with their own take on traditional dishes from China, Japan, Vietnam and other South-Asian countries.

Popular menu items include pho soup and Vietnamese spring rolls, pad Thai, sushi, General Tsao’s chicken, Hunan steak, Kung Pao shrimp and more. Enjoy familystyle dining in an elegant atmosphere while sharing your favorite appetizers, entrées, combination dinners and sushi specials. Open daily until 2 a.m., Hoshun is a favorite late-night spot for locals and visitors alike.

Whether you’re looking for seafood, steak or vegetarian fare, Hoshun’s extensive menu provides options for everyone. Salt & Pepper Shrimp and Ahi Tuna Seared are a couple of Hoshun’s seafood specialties, while Butter Pepper Mignon offers a meatier possibility.

For menu and information, visit HoshunRestaurant.com or call 504-302-9716. Located at 1601 St. Charles Ave., Hoshun offers a private party room overlooking the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line fitting between 25-70 people.

Experience New Orleans’ treasured cooking traditions this summer in the French Quarter at the New Orleans Creole Cookery, 510 Toulouse St. Chef John Trinh, formerly of Eleven79, offers a unique Creole-Italian style of cooking with dishes such as lobster Fra Diavolo and Creole braised pork shank. His expertise shines in new dishes he added to the menu: pecan crusted redfish, redfish almandine and the best oysters Rockefeller in New Orleans. Through the menu and service, chef Trinh delivers an authentic, Creole New Orleans dining experience.

New Orleans Creole Cookery is everything you love about New Orleans in a setting to fit every occasion. Enjoy casual fine dining at its very best in your choice of the charming Toulouse Lautrec dining room, romantic courtyard, or lively oyster bar. Each offers the Creole-inspired menu complemented by tempting handcrafted cocktails from the bar.

New Orleans Creole Cookery is open seven days a week 11 a.m.-10 p.m. for lunch and dinner. Learn more at NewOrleansCreoleCookery.com. Call 504-524-9632 for reservations.

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Enjoy riverside dining this summer along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River at The Crazy Lobster and feast on the freshest and best. Share a Steamed Seafood Bucket with your nearest and dearest, or satisfy your own appetite by keeping it all to yourself – a 2-pound lobster, snow crab, shrimp, crawfish, clams, mussels, corn on the cob, potatoes and sausage, all seasoned to pure perfection. Crazy Lobster also serves up all the New Orleans’ favorites – étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo and red beans – along with the best fried seafood in New Orleans.

Cool off from the summer heat with Crazy Lobster’s Poppy’s Voodoo Juice, a refreshing tropical cocktail. Live music keeps the restaurant hopping nightly with a variety of funky musicians straight from Frenchmen Street.

The Crazy Lobster is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. For more information and menu, visit TheCrazyLobster.com. Call 504-569-3380 for reservations.

Named the No. 1 brunch spot in New Orleans by OpenTable, Red Gravy welcomes fall with new ways to dine and new dishes to try. In October, Red Gravy will offer the “Green Plate Special” at all Tuesday Crescent City Farmers Markets, located in the Tulane parking lot on Broadway at the river from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Customers can expect Roseann’s famous meatballs each week, with lots of seasonal specials made from farmers market ingredients, salads, soups and always something sweet.

At the restaurant, the menu in October will feature

items inspired by Roseann’s summer in Liguria and Venice and naturally, the Jersey Shore. Her visiting parents will assuredly also make their mark in the kitchen this month – look for her mom’s delicious pumpkin bread and her dad’s authentic Pasta Al Oglio.

Experience New Orleans’ No. 1 brunch with pastas, sandwiches, omelets, egg platters and the best meatballs in New Orleans. Enjoy a truly farm-to-fork meal with everything from gluten-free pasta to handcrafted cocktails and live music on Saturdays and Sundays.

View the menu and make your reservations online at RedGravyCafe.com, or call 504-561-8844.

Cheer on your favorite team as you dine riverside at the hottest sports bar downtown! Poppy’s Time Out Sports Bar features 18 beers on tap, including loads of local brews. Poppy’s carries all of the DIRECTV sports packages and displays over 20 TVs for fans to keep up with all the excitement around the leagues. Poppy’s menu includes hand-crafted, juicy gourmet burgers made using brisket, short rib and ground chuck. Amazing wings, loaded nachos and seafood poor boys round out the menu’s top picks for game-winning appetizers and entrées. Bring your entire team to Poppy’s party pavilion to watch all the action.

Poppy’s Time Out Sports Bar is located in Spanish Plaza across from Harrah’s Casino at 500 Port of New Orleans, Suite 80. Happy Hour runs MondayFriday, 3-6 p.m., and features daily specials. For

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photos, menus, party reservations and more, visit PoppysTimeOutSportsBar.com or call 504-247-9265 for more information.

Westbank residents and visitors have a new option for exceptional New Orleans dining with Lafitte’s Landing Seafood House, located in Harvey at 1700 Lapalco Blvd.

“Our passion is creating delicious and dynamic dining experiences with unmatched service, quality and attention to every detail,” say owners AJ and Anna Tusa. “There is no other restaurant on the Westbank that compares to what we’ve created at Lafitte’s Landing Seafood House.”

From oysters and soft-shell crab to specialty dishes like duck Lafitte, redfish Pontchartrain and filet mignon, not to mention New Orleans classics like jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, shrimp Creole and shrimp and grits, the menu is full of local flavor and offers something for everyone.

The bar at Lafitte’s Landing offers a menu of handcrafted cocktails and signature drinks, including the refreshing Lafitte’s Landing Punch, the Big Easy, Southern Cooler, Cajun Bloody Mary and more. Happy hour runs Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m.

For menu and information, visit LafittesLandingSeafoodHouse.com, or like them on Facebook for updates and specials.

At the request of the U.S. Department of State, in

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2015, Executive Chef Chip Flanagan of Ralph’s on The Park, embarked on a culinary mission to Germany to strengthen cultural diplomacy and deepen their knowledge of American traditions and cuisine. Over two weeks, Chip visited Frankfurt, Berlin and Munich, sharing and promoting the cuisine of the South. Fueled by his trip and in an effort to bring back culinary knowledge he attained in Germany, chef Chip now annually celebrates Oktoberfest at the restaurant – this year, running through Oct. 29. Take a tasty virtual trip to Germany with a variety of appetizers, entrées and desserts inspired by his mission.

The Oktoberfest menu features appetizers such as pretzel and Obazta, Spaetzle, German lager and cheese soup and Kohlrouladen (stuffed cabbage rolls with veal reduction). Entrées include Schweinshaxe, braised pork shank, Sauerbraten, red wine marinated brisket and Schnitzel Holstein, chicken breast with fried egg, white anchovy, capers and lemon. Do not miss the German desserts as well.

For more information, visit RalphsOnThePark.com or call 504-488-1000. Guten appetit!

Nobody does live music better than New Orleans, and nowhere in New Orleans can you receive a VIP music, dining and entertainment experience better than that of Foundation Room at House of Blues.

Foundation Room is an upscale dining and nightlife experience that has a membership program with

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benefits. Members enjoy intimate fine dining, an exotic lounge and bar and secluded seating areas perfect for romantic dates or social gatherings.

Membership benefits include, but are not limited to: Bronze, Silver and Gold membership levels with local and national Foundation Room access (Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas and New Orleans); one touch personal Concierge service; advance concert notification and ticket purchasing privileges for House of Blues and Live Nation concerts; VIP shows access to Smoothie King Center and Champions Square; quarterly member appreciation events, outings and themed parties with premium hosted bar; complimentary access to live, nightly entertainment in the lounge and late-night DJ’s; and discounts on food and beverage.

Contact Sharon Sibley (504-310-4974 or sharonsibley@livenation.com) for a complete list of benefits and pricing.

Amazing history, elegant old-world ambiance and delectable Creole cuisine come together at The Court of Two Sisters in the French Quarter. Located at 613 Royal St., this old-line restaurant is where locals and visitors from around the world come to enjoy traditional Creole cuisine in the largest courtyard in the French Quarter. Dinner is a romantic, memorable occasion.

The expansive menu includes choices such as crawfish Napoleon, Louisiana crawfish tails in a Creole cream reduction with an Andouille grit cake and fried green

tomato and confit of duck leg with andouille butter beans, fried onions and a madeira reduction.

Daily, the Jazz Brunch Buffet provides a lavish display of hot and cold dishes served alongside live Dixieland music. Reservations are recommended. This winter, enjoy a Jazz Brunch with Santa in the Royal Court Room on Dec. 3, 10, 17 and 22 with seatings at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Advance reservations required. Each child will visit with Santa and receive a present. A special children’s buffet is set up in addition to the brunch buffet. For more information, visit CourtOfTwoSisters.com or call 504-5227261.

Taste the rich history of New Orleans this season by going to Pascal’s Manale, home of the original BBQ shrimp. Founded in 1913, this New Orleans tradition is now in its third, fourth and fifth generation of family involvement, and still serves the classic dishes for which it’s been famous for decades. A blend of Italian and Creole, Pascal’s Manale’s menu includes New Orleans and Italian favorites, steaks and seafood dishes.

Start your night with raw oysters from the oyster bar before indulging in the succulent BBQ shrimp. The veal Gambero and fish Pascal specials have flavors all their own, while also incorporating the richness of the BBQ shrimp and its sauce. Other Pascal’s Manale favorites include the oysters Bienville, baked oysters topped with a mushroom, shrimp and bacon dressing or the combination pan roast, which consists of shrimp,

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oysters and crabmeat chopped together with shallots and seasoning.

Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m., enjoy half-priced raw oysters at the oyster bar as well half-priced beer, wine and cocktails.

World-famous Pascal’s Manale is located at 1838 Napoleon Ave., off the St. Charles streetcar line. For reservations, call 504-895-4877 or visit them at PascalsManale.com.

This season, celebrate Thanksgiving with Arnaud’s for a truly memorable dining experience with family and friends. Reservations for Arnaud’s Thanksgiving Day dining are recommended.

Arnaud’s is open nightly for dinner and private dining and offers brunch every Sunday. For more information or to make reservations, call 504-523-5433 or visit ArnaudsRestaurant.com.

Five Happiness, New Orleans’s award-winning Chinese restaurant, offers a delicious menu of Sichuan and Hunan specialties in a sleek and elegant dining room.

Enjoy the succulent shrimp with honey-roasted pecans, General’s chicken or asparagus sautéed with garlic sauce in a comfortable and unique setting distinguished by its authentic Chinese décor of etched glass and Chinese paintings. The dining room, now split into three rooms, provides a more private dining experience for guests.

The well-known and affordable Imperial Room is available at Five Happiness for private parties, receptions or other functions and can hold up to 60 people. Serving options are customized for each party, ranging from sitdown dinners to buffets or cocktails with hors d’oeuvres and prices ranging from $20-$45 per person.

For more information, call 504-482-3935 or visit FiveHappiness.com.

Get the best steak house experience at the newly remodeled Ruth’s Chris Steak House in New Orleans, located at 525 Fulton St. at the Harrah’s Hotel. The restaurant’s signature 500-degree sizzling plates, handcrafted cocktails and award-winning wines are the perfect pairing for any occasion. Whether you’re seeking a romantic dinner, a business meeting, a private party or just a drink at the bar, Ruth’s Chris Steak House New Orleans will deliver superior service and an unforgettable dining experience.

Newly remodeled in time for cool fall weather and Saints and LSU games, Ruth’s Chris New Orleans features two exquisite bars and an expanded outdoor patio with all new furniture, TVs and a beautiful new fire pit. Ruth’s Chris’ New Orleans menu satisfies every craving, from the traditional, perfectly prepared filet with a loaded baked potato or one of their new signature cuts of beef like the 40-ounce bone-in tomahawk ribeye, to their signature BBQ shrimp sizzling in reduced white wine and butter.

View the menu online and make reservations at RuthsChris.com or call 504-587-7099.

Located just steps off Bourbon Street in the heart of the beloved French Quarter, Arnaud’s offers classic Creole cuisine and exemplary service in beautifully restored turn of the century dining rooms. Since its inception in 1918, Arnaud’s has remained true to its traditions and courtesies.

Enjoy live Dixieland Jazz in the Jazz Bistro, authentic New Orleans dining in the Main Dining Room, cocktails in the world renowned French 75 Bar and 14 private dining rooms perfect for any occasion. Arnaud’s delivers a quintessential New Orleans experience to locals and visitors alike.

Boulevard American Bistro, conveniently located at 4241 Veterans Memorial Blvd., invites you to “Social Hour” in its large, comfortable bar. Drinks and small plate specials are offered Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. Bartender Jay Teichmann pours $6 well drinks and $7 featured wines by the glass. Simple, well composed small plate menu items ($8) include house-made guacamole, No. 1 grade tuna

Ruth's Chris Steak House

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tartare, smoked salmon dip, crispy fried Louisiana oysters, “mini dip” (spinach and artichoke dip) and a petit ribeye steak sandwich.

“We are excited to offer a gathering place for locals to come and relax and meet up with friends,” says General Manager Robert Hardie. “Boulevard has a great social atmosphere, so what better way to celebrate summer with friends than with a social hour right in their own backyard.”

The all-day à la carte menu is available in the dining room 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday. For more information on Boulevard American Bistro, including full cocktail menu, wine list and lunch and dinner menus, please visit BoulevardBistro.com or call 504-889-2301 to make reservations.

Tropical Isle ®

Stop by any of the Tropical Isles®, home of the Hand Grenade®, New Orleans’ Most Powerful Drink® and the Hand Grenade® Martini. Experience Trop Rock, Cajun/Zydeco and the Blues with Tropical Isle’s nightly entertainment. State-of-the-art sound systems plus great live bands will keep you dancing the night away at Tropical Isle Bourbon, Tropical Isle Original, Little Tropical Isle, Funky Pirate and the Bayou Club. While there, ask about the Skinny Hand Grenade®! Watch the games on big screen TVs at Funky Pirate, Bayou Club, Tropical Isle Bourbon and Top of the Trop. For more on Tropical Isle, visit TropicalIsle.com.

For a quiet escape, visit local favorite The Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro right off of Bourbon at

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Trashy Diva

720 Orleans Ave., which has more than 200 varieties of wine by the bottle and plenty of wine by the glass, plus a Bacon Happy Hour! For sample menus and wine lists, visit OrleansGrapevine.com.

Shopping

While Trashy Diva is a distinctly New Orleans clothing company with five locations across the city, their vintageinspired designs are known and coveted worldwide. For 20 years, Trashy Diva has provided customers with retro flair and classic style. Original and vintage-inspired designs in dresses and separates by Candice Gwinn suit a modern sensibility with a focus on feminine styles that flatter a variety of body types, ranging from sizes 0-24.

Take a romantic stroll through The Floating City with the Venice Nights collection, the first in a new yearly series of vintage-inspired Tourist Prints. Visit the Shoe Boutique to find the perfect accents for this whimsical print with a plethora of accessories and shoes available in warm fall tones of mustard, red and black.

The Lingerie Boutiques have everything you need to build a variety of Halloween looks, including corsets, petticoats, jewels and more! Planning a fall wedding? Be sure to schedule your private lingerie shopping party with the divas to get everything you need for your big day! Email Erin at publicrelations@trashydiva.com to book.

Shop online and find more info at TrashyDiva.com.

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Canal Furniture Liquidators is New Orleans’ best kept secret to find quality preloved, affordable furniture.

At their Mid-City warehouse, you’ll find thousands of great treasures, from hotel and office liquidations to a well-curated selection of items from estate sales and consignments.

Featuring merchandise for every kind of furniture shopper – homeowners, renters, businesses and treasure hunters – the showroom is organized with small seating areas and categorically organized items.

With their new, in-house Makers Studio, Canal Furniture Liquidators furthers its mission of reducing the environmental impact of waste in the community by teaching customers the art of “upcycling” great finds.

They offer workshops, group and private lessons in chalk painting, gilding, gold leafing, mosaics, upholstery, fabric block printing and more. Email Canal Furniture Liquidators at cflmakerstudio@gmail.com or call 504-482-6851 for more information or to register.

Life is too short to live with bad furniture!

The French Market District is a scenic shopping, dining, recreational and entertainment area in the French Quarter, New Orleans, that spans from the Shops at the Upper Pontalba on Jackson Square to Crescent Park, a 1.4-mile, 20-acre urban linear park on the riverfront, just one block from the Open Air Market that lies between Ursulines Avenue and Barracks Street, across from the Old U.S. Mint.

Explore the Open-air Public Market with two sheds full of local food, local art and shopping of all sorts. The farmers market shed features 11 walk-up bistro style eateries as well as fresh daily food vendors and handmade local art.

The Flea Market shed is full of up to 200 local art, crafts and souvenir vendors.

The French Market District is open 365 days a year, approximately 9 a.m.-6 p.m., depending on the time of year. Visit FrenchMarket.org to learn about dining options, concerts, fitness classes, walking tours, family events and festivals.

An idea that began in a college dorm room is now a story of success, as The Basketry has blossomed into a nationwide gift delivery company and retail store based in Greater New Orleans. From extravagant gift combinations to simple yet colorful assemblages of necessities, gift baskets from The Basketry are fit for every occasion:

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graduations, holidays, corporate gifts, wedding gifts and much more. As The Basketry brand continues to grow, owner Kristi Brocato remains committed to the principles that began the company, “Provide beautiful gifts that make people smile and have a lot of fun in the process.”

At The Basketry, each team member sincerely values your gift giving experience and wants your colleagues and loved ones to love the gift they receive. From custom-designed gift baskets to unique gifts, Kristi and her team can help you put something together for any occasion. Shop online at TheBasketry.com, visit the retail store at 12337 Highway 90 in Luling, or call 504-3097935 to experience The Basketry magic!

Canal Furniture Liquidators

For some of the most iconic and traditional New Orleans designs in art, jewelry, accessories and gifts, be sure to visit the designers at Fleur d’ Orleans at 3701-A Magazine St. or 818 Chartres St. in the French Quarter. Fleur d’ Orleans has designed more than 150 different pieces of sterling silver jewelry, inspired by art and architectural designs found around the city, so you can celebrate and share the design heritage of New Orleans. Whether you need handmade sterling silver earrings, brooches or pendants, semi-precious jewels set in sterling, beautiful silk scarves or handmade paper notecards, you’ll find a rich array of designer accessories at Fleur d’ Orleans.

Fleur d’ Orleans designs are exclusive to their shops and can’t be found anywhere else. You can also view their

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exclusive designs online and order with free shipping from their website, FleurDOrleans.com. For more information and hours, call 504-899-5585 (Magazine St.) or 504-475-5254 (Chartres St.).

Beat the heat and step into fall with all the right trends this season. Shop Donald J Pliner’s full assortment of luxury footwear, handbags, jewelry and accessories at The Shops at Canal Place. From luxe velvets to tailored loafers, Victorian style booties and trendy new materials, the FW16 shoe collection from Donald J Pliner is the perfect “wear-now” style to get you looking and feeling your best this season.

Plus, join fellow fashion lovers to shop the latest Mizuki jewelry collection on Oct. 13 and 14. If you’re in the market for the perfect pair of shoes this season, stop in or call 504-522-1720 for a personal appointment.

Located at 3544 W. Esplanade Ave., close to Severn is an oasis of gifts and decorative housewares, as well as clothing, handbags and accessories. Chateau Drugs and Gifts has been in business for nearly 40 years and features all levels of gift giving from premiere lines such as Michael Aram, Beatrice Ball and Montes Doggett to tumbler water bottles from Swell, Corcicle and Tervis. Frasier Fir scented candles by Thymes are sure to prepare a home Chateau Drugs and Gifts

for fall and winter and Chateau Drugs & Gifts is also a great stop-in for holiday décor for both Halloween and Christmas, including tabletop and decorative trees as well as ornaments and pillows.

Other categories of gifts include wedding, baby and every day, covering almost every occasion. Kids love Chateau’s toy department with brands such as Manhattan and Alex as well as adorable stuffed animals from Squishable. Tabletop books with exquisite photography, both contemporary and historic, are also a favorite among shoppers.

For more information on Chateau Drugs & Gifts’ pharmacy or gift shop, visit ChateauDrugsRX.com or call 504-889-2300. The store is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m., MondayFriday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays.

A Renée Boutique is celebrating its first anniversary in October 2016, and owner April Posch would like to thank the wonderful clients who have made the first year so successful. A Renée Boutique’s mission was to create a store for women who love fashion and who want to create a style that is uniquely them. Mission accomplished!

Baby boomers, professionals, young women beginning careers and those out there making things happen – A Renée Boutique is for the women who want to make a statement through personal image. From the founders of the working woman force, who always wore heels and dressed to kill, to women reinventing themselves and making new impressions, women are at the core of everything in this world. Women’s impacts on the world are everywhere – we can take on the world because we have created it! Fashion is for us; we deserve to be seen, admired and revered.

A. Renée Boutique is definitely the new destination store in the French Quarter and is located at 824 Chartres St. Visit AReneeBoutiqueNOLA.com or call 504-2993965 for more information.

Accommodations Named the 2016 Hotel of the Year by the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association, the Southern Hotel has revived over 100 years of history in its return as a retreat for visitors and a gathering place for community. Located in quaint Covington, just across the lake from New Orleans, the Southern Hotel is committed to elevating the art of hospitality and providing guests with an experience that is rooted in the past, connected to the community around it and celebrating all of the elements of a good life – good food and drink, comfort and communion, creativity and culture. From the furniture in the guest rooms to the artwork in the common areas, the hotel honors Covington’s legacy as an artists’ community by showcasing the work of many local artists.

The family-owned hotel features 40 luxurious guest rooms with two lavish suites, meeting and event spaces to accommodate executive and social events of all kinds, the lively Cypress Bar and upscale southern bistro Oxlot 9, a relaxing Day Spa and a beautiful courtyard and outdoor pool. To book, visit SouthernHotel.com or call 844-8661907.

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Royal Sonesta New Orleans’ newly reimagined

The Basketry’s Festival Survival Gift Basket

Grand Ballroom is a feast for the eyes.

In keeping with the hotel’s prime and luxurious positioning in the heart of French Quarter, the 5,000-square-foot room’s design draws inspiration from a softer sophisticated side, using a glowingly light and subtle color palette and traditional patterns.

The feeling of the space is romantic, glamorous and updated, integrating seamlessly with the existing interior while complimenting the broader architectural elements of the landmark hotel. New updates also include a state-of-the-art banquet kitchen and upgraded audio technology system controls, plus other amenities.

Recently renovated throughout its 483 guest rooms and suites, Royal Sonesta New Orleans and its shining ballroom space aim to be the premier destination throughout the entire year for weddings, corporate events, seasonal occasions and full-scale holiday affairs. To learn more, schedule a visit or book an event reservation, call 504-553-2205 or email rsnosales@sonesta.com.

Open Houses & School Events

Archbishop Chapelle High School is a leading private Catholic high school for girls in grades eight-12 offering exceptional academics alongside

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spiritual formation and leadership development. Chapelle women excel in college and their future careers while always remembering “Deus Providebit – God Will Provide.”

Chapelle provides a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with increased AP and Dual Enrollment classes and a strong emphasis on STEM and Fine Arts. Chapelle’s 1:1 student technology initiative integrates technology into every subject through the use of individualized Google Chromebooks and a new STEM Center for interdisciplinary learning.

In addition to impressive academics, Chapelle’s competitive athletics and array of student activities ensure a well-rounded educational experience within a closeknit family environment. Over 90 percent of students join more than one extracurricular activity where they develop talents, cultivate school spirit and make lifelong friends.

At Chapelle, students are challenged to deepen their Catholic faith through religion classes, liturgies, class-level retreats and ministry programs. Service learning is also an integral part of the Chapelle experience, with students completing over 26,000 service hours each year.

Chapelle’s Open House is Thurs., Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. For more information, visit ArchbishopChapelle.org.

The Mount Carmel Academy experience is filled with opportunities for each student to pursue her passions, uncover new talents, grow spiritually and discover the person God created her to become. The challenging curriculum enables students to cultivate critical thinking skills, communicate effectively, weigh social and religious values and prepare for higher education. A 1:1 MacBook program enhances instruction and offers a collaborative learning environment. Small class sizes, averaging 15, ensure each student receives individualized attention while developing meaningful connections with her peers and teachers. As they navigate through a diverse selection of elective offerings and more than 50 extracurricular activities, students are encouraged to expand their interests and actively serve the community.

Learn more at Mount Carmel’s Open House, Thurs., Oct. 13, 3-7 p.m. Other school events include a Middle School Math Competition (Oct. 8), a Middle School Dance Workshop (Oct. 22) and the Susie Anderson Angeron Golf Classic at English Turn Country Club (Oct. 24). In November, the school hosts the MCA Cheer Workshop open to girls in fifth-seventh grades (Nov. 5).

For more information, visit MCACubs.com, call 504-2887626, or email admissions@mcacubs.org.

Ursuline Academy is an all-girls Catholic school offering a diverse educational environment from early childhood (Toddler 2) through a college preparatory secondary program (Grade 12). Founded in 1727, Ursuline Academy enjoys the distinction of being both the oldest school for girls and the oldest Catholic school in the United States.

Combining tradition and innovation, the Ursuline experience empowers girls to become leaders of confidence and compassion. An Ursuline girl is strong and unique in all ways – spiritually, intellectually, physically.

High School Open House (grades eight-12) will be Thurs., Oct. 27 from 4-6 p.m. Elementary School Tours will be given Nov. 2, 9, 16 and 30. Private tours are also available by appointment. To join the Ursuline family, visit UANola.org or contact the Office of Admissions at 504-

866-5292 or admissions@uanola.org.

Founded in 1867, the Academy of the Sacred Heart is Catholic, independent, college prep school for girls, ages 1 through grade 12. The school is committed to values of faith, intellectual advancement, social awareness, the building of community and personal growth.

As part of a network of more than 150 Sacred Heart schools, its global exchange program allows students to visit other sister schools in the U.S. and abroad. With global exchange opportunities, STREAM, service learning activities, a tech-forward campus, design thinking and more, Sacred Heart girls are truly inspired to make change in the world.

Open House for grades five-12 is Wed., Oct. 19 from 5-7 p.m. Open House for ages 1-grade four is Wed., Nov. 2 from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday Tours for ages 1-grade 4 take place Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 8 and Jan. 10 from 8:30-11 a.m.

For more info, call 504-269-1213 or visit AshRosary.org.

Established in 1929, Metairie Park Country Day School is a co-educational, non-denominational, independent school where care and cultivation of each child, from pre-K through grade 12, come to life with exciting and innovative approaches to teaching. The use of advanced technology and expansive, rigorous curriculum opens the world to Country Day students and faculty teach them the importance of individual achievement through depth of inquiry rather than mere recitation of facts.

Visit an Admission Open House or email admissions@mpcds.com for a private tour. Upcoming Open Houses include: pre-K on Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m.; kindergarten-fifth Jan. 12 at 8:30 a.m.; sixth-12th grades on Nov.16 at 6:30 p.m. and Jan. 19 at 8:15 a.m.

Country Day’s Early Childhood Center provides children six weeks to four years a place to blossom with flexible enrollment options ranging from two to five days a week, with part or full-time availability. Attend the Early Childhood Center’s Open House on Oct. 28 at 8:30 a.m. or email cdecc@mpcds.com for a private tour.

For more information on Metairie Park Country Day School or Country Day’s Early Childhood Center, visit MPCDS.com.

Jesuit High School is a Catholic, college-preparatory school whose mission is to develop in its students the competence, conscience and compassion to be men of faith and men for others. Located in the heart of Mid-City at Carrollton and Banks, Jesuit provides a challenging curriculum and nurturing culture steeped in tradition, academic excellence, spiritual reflection and personal responsibility.

Interacting as a community is essential to the “Blue Jay experience.” Whether it is morning assemblies, student Masses, pep rallies, lunch periods, or involvement in any of the school’s 70 co-curricular organizations and 34 athletic teams, Blue Jays participate together. Jesuit High School is the school that will change a young man’s life.

Discover Jesuit at JesuitNola.org or email admissions@jesuitnola.org for more information. Open House is Wed., Nov. 9, with tours starting at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. • myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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1st Lake Properties

Living Well: Resources in Home, Health, Law & Finance Living well is all encompassing – it means more than just having a cushioned bank account or a clean bill of health. Living well means enjoying and having security and peace of mind in all aspects of your life, from your finances and health to your home and legal stability as well. Preparing oneself for changes in life is a great way to kick start the process of living well. Smart banking and investments can create a helpful safety net, while securing health and life insurance can provide support for overcoming obstacles your family could face. Seeking legal counsel can help ensure your contracts or business dealings are impenetrable and taking action now to research retirement living and end-of-life planning can save you a world of time down the road. Home plays a big part in living well, too, as the home offers respite from work and a place to enjoy the warmth of family and friends. Enjoy the benefits offered by the following community resources in home, health, law and finance.

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Home Design & Real Estate

Whether you’re moving to the Greater New Orleans area or visiting the city on business, 1st Lake Properties has an array of apartment communities to meet your needs. With properties in Kenner, Metairie, River Ridge, Mandeville, Covington, Slidell and even Mississippi, the perfect apartment is right around the corner.

As the leader in multi-family developments, 1st Lake offers an unrivaled living experience. Not only can residents rent fully furnished apartment – many of which are luxury – they can enjoy top-notch amenities like granite countertops, access gates, free off-street parking, pools, fitness centers, washers/dryers and flex space. Conciergestyle services like dry cleaning and bike sharing are also available.

With an emphasis on customer service, 1st Lake provides onsite management and service teams. Conveniently, residents may pay rent and submit service requests online,

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while taking advantage of the resident rewards program, which offers deals to local businesses.

For more information on any of their 70 communities, 9,500 apartments, corporate apartments and applications, visit 1stlake.com.

Exterior Designs, Inc. is a full-service design and build landscaping company offering construction, installation and project management for residential or commercial landscapes. Voted “Best of Houzz” in the Design category for 2016, Exterior Designs recent projects include St. George Episcopal School, Touro Synagogue and Bisso Towboat.

Imagine coming home after work and retiring to your own backyard to escape the stresses of your day. Exterior Designs

by Beverly Katz, New Orleans’ original courtyard designer, has been helping homeowners find solitude in creating unique meditation gardens that soothe the soul and rejuvenate the mind. By combining calming colors with neatly pruned plants and shrubs, Beverly Katz creates an outdoor haven where homeowners can relax and unwind.

An interior designer before realizing her talent for landscape architecture, Beverly Katz has a keen eye for detail combined with an affinity for perfection. Because of her background, her creations are an extension of her clients’ homes. When Beverly visits for the initial consultation, she takes note of the client’s design aesthetic, drawing inspiration from the home’s interior.

Visit ExteriorDesignsBev.com for design inspiration or call 504-866-0276 for a consultation.

New Orleans is by far one of the best places to live! Take it from John Schaff, fifth generation New Orleanian and renowned real estate agent. Although the real estate market has softened due to an election year, properties are still selling and inventories are still low in prime areas. New Orleans’ cost of living is lower than most big cities with half the offerings. New Orleans is still a big town with a smalltown mentality, where you can shop and eat at some of the finest restaurants in the world that reflect the unique flavor of the Big Easy!

John Schaff says New Orleans is as strong as it has been in 60 years and it’s getting stronger. Retail and commercial development are booming. The schools and economy are improving. More new restaurants have opened since the beginning of this year than the market has seen in years. Young professionals are flocking to the urban Warehouse District and renting in new apartment buildings as quickly as they are opened for business. As long as interest rates remain low, which isn’t predicted to change soon, New Orleans will remain on the rise with good value.

Call John Schaff at 504-343-6683 or go to NOLARealtor.com for more information.

Whether you’re across the globe or across town, you can check your phone and see that your home is safe. Louisiana Alarm Watch, a locally owned company, installs security and camera systems designed to give you access wherever you have an internet connection. Along with arming and disarming your system, you can unlock a door, check your thermostat or turn on your porch lights. You can also see your

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door from a single camera or your entire home from a high definition camera system.

Louisiana Alarm Watch can add an interactive communicator to your existing security system or install a new security system with increased functionality to meet your needs. For customers with an existing camera system, Louisiana Alarm Watch can upgrade the recorder and cameras to HD while using the wiring from your existing system.

For a free security consultation, call 504-780-8775 or visit LaAlarmWatch.com.

With over 70 years of experience in the metal refinishing and lighting trade, Zito’s Plating & Polishing Works, Inc. provides professional residential and commercial services in refinishing metals and lighting.

Zito’s handles everything from polishing and lacquering of door hardware, plumbing sets, decorative pieces, lighting and fireplace tools to rewiring of chandeliers, table lamps, floor lamps, wall sconces and exterior lighting. Zito’s can help find the right solution for every situation and is never deterred by a good challenge, whether antique or modern, indoor or outdoor, residential or commercial.

Zito’s has years of experience in repairing family heirlooms as well as renewing and changing finishes. Do you have items – cookware, silverware, tea service sets and other silver plated/sterling items – that could use a good machine cleaning? Need same-day service on your front door hardware? With an exceptional reputation that extends over 70 years in the business, Zito’s offers specialized, experienced employees qualified to handle the items that matter most to you.

To speak with a craftsman, call 504-482-5771. Visit Zito’s online to learn more at ZitosPlatingandPolishing.com.

LAS Enterprises is a household name in shutters and windows. Windows and shutters are designed and 168

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manufactured locally, guaranteeing maximum performance in the Gulf South’s extreme climate. LAS windows are best in class and second to none. Additionally, LAS shutters provide aesthetic appeal while also functioning to satisfy a customer’s individual need – whether it be shade, security, storm protection, or all three.

LAS has designed and developed a variety of styles of powder-coated aluminum shutters that mimic the look of wood without the maintenance or cost. LAS shutters can be decorative or functional and come in a variety of styles, such as Colonial, Board and Batten, Raised Panel, or Bahama. LAS also manufactures the premium RollGard shutter, for shade, security and storm protection. Additionally, the new Privacy Wall product is ideal for adding curb appeal, shade or privacy and Custom Projects are popular for enclosing porches, outdoor kitchens and living spaces.

Family owned and operated, LAS maintains a quality-first approach to its products and service. LAS custom measures, manufactures and installs every window, shutter and privacy wall. For estimates and information, call 1-800-264-1527 or visit LAShome.com.

Retirement Living

Poydras Home celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2017.

In 1817, Poydras Home began a legacy of care for the New Orleans community as a haven for orphaned female children from the Yellow Fever outbreaks. The organization has continued that generosity of spirit in its current-day mission of compassionate, cutting-edge eldercare. Poydras Home offers a full complement of gracious retirement living options for our residents, including Independent Living, Assisted Living and nursing care with state of the art memory support and an adult day program.

Located on three acres in Uptown New Orleans, Poydras Home is known nationally for its quality of care and innovative programs that allow residents to enjoy life to the fullest in a beautiful and historic setting. Offering highly individualized care, Poydras Home is the only full continuum of care community with dementia care and an adult day program in the Greater New Orleans Area. For more information, visit PoydrasHome.com or call 504-897-0535.

Legal Assistance

Blue Williams, LLP, has been providing high-quality representation to clients throughout the Gulf South in commercial litigation, healthcare and construction law and business matters since 1983. By recruiting motivated and experienced attorneys in diverse areas of law, Blue Williams is able to provide a full spectrum of services and create lasting solutions to the legal dilemmas faced by clients. The firm’s attorneys practice in seventeen areas of law, including Commercial Litigation, Estate and Tax Planning, Corporate Law, Healthcare Law, Construction Litigation, Insurance Law, Products and Professional Liability and more.

Blue Williams has a history of rising to the challenge and has defended clients in multi-million dollar exposure cases. The firm provides services to clients nationally, though primarily in Louisiana and these clients range from Fortune 500 companies to international corporations, local businesses and individuals. Attorneys spend a significant amount of time with each client to be certain of the client’s myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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individual needs and all available options. For more information on Blue Williams’s commitment to providing lasting solutions, visit BlueWilliams.com or call 800-326-4991.

Gasparian Immigration is the New Orleans-based boutique immigration law firm of Kathleen Gasparian, an attorney with nearly 15 years of experience in immigration law. Being a boutique firm, Gasparian Immigration can provide tailored personal service and undivided attention to clients in need of legal representation. As both an attorney and a teacher of immigration law at Tulane and Loyola universities, Gasparian remains up to date with the latest judicial decisions, regulations and procedures. A case that was hopeless yesterday may now have a solution. The firm’s experience and advocacy can provide a pathway for individuals and organizations through the changing landscape of immigration.

Gasparian Immigration assists clients all over the United States and the world. The firm strongly believes in communication with clients, which means being accessible, prompt in returning calls and emails, keeping clients informed and understanding clients’ overall immigration goals. The immigration process can be frustrating and lengthy; working with your attorney should be easy.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, visit GasparianImmigration.com or call 504-262-9878.

When a business contract is broken, it’s one thing to be able to comprehend its language and argue its interpretation.

It is another thing to know both the law and the businesses it governs. With both a Juris Doctor and a Masters in Business Administration, Robert B. Evans III of Evans Law is uniquely able to assist clients in a variety of areas including but not limited to contract negotiations, commercial and residential leases, corporate transactions and reorganizations, as well as business formation and management. In addition to the many businesses that seek Evans’ counsel, a number of individuals turn to him as well – many of which have been the victims of personal injury, car accidents, medical malpractice or wrongful death.

A member of numerous professional associations, including local, regional and national bar associations, Mr. Evans is AV Top Rated, a Martindale Top Lawyer in Louisiana and among the 1 percent of attorneys in the nation recognized by The National Institute of Trial Advocacy as a Designated Trial Advocate. For more information, visit RobertEvansLaw.com.

Banking & Financial Planning

New Orleans, Fidelity wants you to know it is “Here for Good.” That means helping families and businesses thrive in the communities served.

Fidelity Bank has been lending a helping hand for over 100 years. Its rich heritage includes helping build communities and making the dream of homeownership possible for countless clients across South Louisiana. Fidelity Bank’s mortgage division, NOLA Lending Group, continues this legacy and is one of the premier mortgage lenders in the community.

Fidelity is a full-service financial institution offering personal and business checking, savings and loan products.

The bank is committed to delivering world-class client service via 18 branch locations and a robust online and mobile banking experience.

For more information on Fidelity visit BankWithFidelity.com, call 800-220-2497 or visit your nearest Fidelity branch.

Healthcare & Insurance

As the state’s oldest and largest health insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to improving the

health and lives of Louisianians.

The company and its subsidiaries offer a full line of health insurance plans for people of every age – from birth through retirement – including supplemental coverage such as dental and senior plans, at affordable rates. The Blue Cross provider networks offer the peace of mind that comes with being covered by the Cross and Shield.

Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and headquartered in Baton Rouge. To better serve customers, Blue Cross operates regional offices in Alexandria, Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans and Shreveport.

Louisiana-owned and operated, Blue Cross is a private, fully taxed mutual company owned by policyholders – not shareholders. To learn more, call a Blue Cross agent or visit BCBSLa.com.

With a legacy dating back to 1987, St. Thomas Community Health Center has continued its mission of providing comprehensive primary care to the community regardless of ability to pay. As a Federally Qualified Health Center and Patient-Centered Medical Home, their robust teams of dedicated providers work to address individual health needs and ensure delivery of the highest quality of care.

Services at St. Thomas include primary care, pediatrics, OB-GYN, optometry, behavioral health and mammography.

They offer same day and next day appointment scheduling, as well as walk-ins to see the next available provider. Office hours are from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Call 504-529-5558 to schedule an appointment at any of their six locations: 1936 Magazine St., 1020 St. Andrew St., 3943 St. Bernard Ave., 2405 Jackson Ave. (inside Mahalia Jackson School facility), 1200 L.B. Landry Ave. (inside LandryWalker School facility) and 2108 Coliseum St. (counseling services only). For more information, visit StThomasCHC.org.

Pre-planning and Arrangements

Leitz-Eagan Funeral Homes are the oldest funeral providers in New Orleans. Whether your need is now or you are making end-of-life final arrangements in advance, you can count on Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home for professionalism, quality and service excellence that runs deep within the New Orleans community. As a Dignity Memorial provider, Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home offers access to exclusive benefits, including National Transferability of Prearranged Services, the Bereavement Travel Program, the Compassion Helpline® and an acclaimed grief management library.

The staff of the Metairie and Westside locations have been caring for and serving families of the Greater New Orleans area with compassion since 1854, maintaining an unrivaled service reputation of service. In 2014, LeitzEagan celebrated its 160th year of service, making it one of the oldest continuously operating funeral homes in the country. For more information on planning and services, visit LeitzEaganFuneralHome.com or call 504-888-8440. • myneworleans.com / OCTOBER 2016

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Cancer Care While no one ever wants to hear the word “cancer” in a diagnosis, one can take some comfort in knowing that world-class cancer care is available in and around New Orleans. The region boasts a number of specialists in the tops of their fields and healthcare centers with state-ofthe-art offerings able to assist you along your journey from diagnosis to healing. From new screening and detection tools to advanced, emerging procedures for removing tumors or reconstructing the body, there are professionals who have dedicated their careers and research to whatever stage of the process you may find yourself in. From hospitals and clinics to supportive resources like pharmacies and home or hospice-care specialists, the following professionals are ready to assist you or your family as you make the critical decisions necessary for fighting the battle against cancer.

Hospitals & Clinics

The LaNasa-Greco Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Hospital treats more than 1,100

children with cancer or blood disorders each year– more than all other facilities in Louisiana combined. The hospital provides treatment and transplantation for children with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia and other childhood cancers and blood disorders.

Children’s Hospital’s Cancer Program is accredited with an outstanding achievement award by the American College of Surgeons and is a member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a national study group of premier research institutes in the United States and Canada. The Bone Marrow Transplant Program is FACT-accredited since 2008. Hospital physicians have access to the most modern therapies for treatment of malignancies and blood disorders in children.

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Children’s Hospital also received accreditation from the Department of Health and Human Services as a federally recognized Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC), to provide state-of-the-art comprehensive multispecialty care to Louisiana children with all types of bleeding disorders.

For more information, contact Children’s Hospital’s Cancer Center at 504-896-9740 or CHNola.org/cancer.

New treatments for brain tumors, migraines, Parkinson’s Disease and paralysis are just some of the cutting-edge therapies at Culicchia Neurological Clinic, one of the largest neuro practices in the region. The clinic’s doctors use a team approach to diagnose and treat neurological disorders.

Culicchia Neurological Clinic’s affiliate, CNC Hearing and Balance Center, offers a medical staff trained to provide the latest in hearing healthcare. The Center offers a wide array of treatment options from assistive devices to microsurgical hearing restoration, surgically implantable hearing devices, digital hearing device fittings, cochlear implants, hearing tests and tinnitus treatment.

Their physicians are among the most highly trained in the Gulf South, respected for their expertise and high level of patient care. Clinics are located in Marrero, New Orleans (Uptown), Slidell and Mandeville. Call 504-340-6976 for an appointment or visit CulicchiaNeuro.com or CNCHearing.com.

As a pioneer in cancer care, Touro is proud to be the first hospital in the Gulf South to offer a new approach for removing breast cancer. Radioactive seed localized breast surgery allows a radiologist and surgeon to accurately target lesions in the breast through use of a 5-millimeter radioactive seed. Compared with wire localization, radioactive seed localization is a more positive experience

ADVERTISING SECTION

for patients because it removes less tissue, provides more comfort, decreases time of operation and leaves the breast with a more natural look.

During the surgery, the surgeon uses a handheld gamma probe to more precisely identify and remove the tumor by obtaining a 3D view of the tumor’s location. The seed acts as a marker for the surgeon because the iodine inside the seed can be detected by the gamma meter used during the lumpectomy and can be seen on ultrasound.

Learn more about Touro’s breast surgery program at Touro.com/cancer.

hospital in the region to offer a comprehensive program of this kind. Integrative medicine uses proven “softer” treatments such as massage, aroma therapy, Reiki, pet therapy, art and music therapy and other holistic offerings that complement traditional cancer treatments. These therapies enhance healing, reduce stress, relieve pain and improve recovery times. This personalized, innovative approach has been welcomed by physicians and patients alike.

For more news and services from EJGH, visit EJGH.org.

Westbank Plastic Sugery, L.L.C., recognizes October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Jonathan C. Boraski M.D., D.M.D., F.A.C.S. and Daniel J. Womac M.D. specialize in DIEP breast reconstruction and microsurgery. Both doctors trained at Louisiana State University, an institution integral in pioneering advanced breast reconstruction. Westbank Plastic Surgery leads with a patient-oriented philosophy, helping breast cancer patients regain confidence and restore their natural appearance.

Westbank Plastic Surgery offers additional services including breast augmentation, mastopexy, abdominoplasty, liposuction, fat injections, Brazilian butt lift, brachioplasty, body-contouring, face lift, brow lift, rhinoplasty, otoplasty, split earlobe repair and skin cancer treatment, and injectables including Botox, Juvederm, Voluma and Kybella. The practice also provides esthetic services including chemical peels, facials, massages, waxing, Fraxel and Clear + Brilliant laser therapy. Westbank Plastic Surgery accepts most health insurance plans and also offers financing for patient services.

For monthly specials or to schedule a consultation, call 504-349-6460 or visit WestbankPlasticSurgery.com.

Pharmacy & Medical Equipment

The Cancer Center of Thibodaux Regional, located in Lafourche Parish, provides a full range of cancer treatments and services, complemented by strong emotional, lifestyle and educational support. The Center is accredited with Gold Level Commendation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and is the only program in Louisiana to receive the College’s Outstanding Achievement Award four times.

The center utilizes the latest technology, allowing patients to experience many benefits, including earlier and more precise diagnosis, detection of small tumors, avoidance of invasive procedures, fewer side effects and better chances for a positive outcome. The Patient Care Coordinator helps ensure all patients with positive pathology receive information and assistance to help them obtain timely diagnosis, treatment (if necessary) and follow up. Patients also receive the best in support services, including consultation with a registered dietician, emotional support via individual or group counseling and Home Health Services when needed.

For more information about the Cancer Center of Thibodaux Regional, visit Thibodaux.com.

As Louisiana’s only member of the MD Anderson Cancer Network, East Jefferson General Hospital (EJGH) is already an innovator in cancer care. With the introduction of their Integrative Medicine Program, EJGH is the first

For over 55 years, people have turned to Patio Drugs for help in managing their healthcare needs. Patio Drugs has helped individuals and families understand their medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, since 1958, and provides free prescription delivery throughout East Jefferson.

In addition to being a full-service pharmacy and the oldest independent pharmacy in Jefferson Parish, Patio Drugs is also a leading provider of home medical equipment. For everything from a Band-Aid to a hospital bed, Patio Drugs is your one-stop source for all home medical equipment needs.

Patio Drugs has over 55 years of experience in specialized compounding services. No two people are the same. Their pharmacists work with physicians to customize medication doses and dosage forms to meet the individual needs of each patient. Some of their compounding services include: Hormone Replacement Therapy, Gluten Free Formulations, Medicated Troches, Sugar Free Preparations, Preservative Free Formulas, Transdermal Gels and Sterile Injections.

Whether you need prescriptions, medical equipment or specialized compounding services, PatioDrugs is located at 5208 Veterans Blvd. in Metairie, 504-889-7070. Patio Drugs: “Large Enough to Serve You, Yet, Small Enough to Know You.”

Hospice Care

Anyone seeking compassionate and dignified care for their terminally ill loved ones should consider the outstanding services offered by Canon Hospice. Canon Hospice is dedicated to helping patients and families accept terminal illness positively and resourcefully, to preserve dignity and to endure the challenges that accompany this critical time of life.

Their stated goal is to “allow our patients to live each day to the fullest and enjoy their time with family and friends.”

With special expertise in pain management and symptom control, Canon Hospice designs individualized plans of care for each patient based on their unique needs. Home Based Services provide doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, pastoral care, and volunteers.

For patients with more intensive symptom management needs, Canon has an Inpatient Hospice Unit located on the fourth floor of the Ochsner Elmwood Medical Center. This unit provides 24-hour care in a home-like environment where patients are permitted to receive visits at any hour.

Canon is excited to now offer private rooms. For more information, visit CanonHospice.com or call 504-818-2723. •

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Specialty Clinics

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ave an ailment you’ve been meaning to address? Some lower back pain or a sensitive tooth? Perhaps it’s time for a check-up or a recommended screening? Whether you’re looking to stay ahead of your health or treat a known a problem, the variety of specialists around the region make it easy to find a provider suited to your needs. Cosmetic surgery, fertility

and urology are just a few of the specialties featured here, and even if you’re feeling 100 percent today, knowing where care is available may come in handy for you or a loved one tomorrow. New technologies and treatments are always on the rise, and these experts may be able to guide you to the latest and greatest in their particular specialty.

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Aesthetics & Cosmetic Surgery

Southern Aesthetics is a private cosmetic surgery practice focused on comprehensive rejuvenation of the body and patients’ confidence. Board-certified surgeon Penelope Treece M.D., offers a vast array of surgical services including abdominoplasty, breast augmentation and reduction, liposuction and facelifts in addition to non-surgical procedures and treatments that include Botox, Xeomin, micro-blading, Radiesse, Belotero, Juvederm, Clear + Brilliant, EMatrix lasers, CoolSculpting body contouring, radiofrequency, laser hair removal, IPL, Lasergenesis and prescription skincare. Dr. Treece is proud to introduce Kybella to the practice, a non-invasive injection treatment for improving the appearance and profile of moderate to severe fat below the chin.

Southern Aesthetics is celebrating 21 years of making you look and feel your best. Dr. Treece and her staff are dedicated to providing the highest level of quality in Cosmetic Surgery in a comfortable, private environment. The practice is located in Metairie at 3815 Hessmer Ave. For information, including before and after photos, and to request a consultation at the site visit PenelopeTreece.com or call 504-779-7749.

Age Management Medicine

At the Center for Active Longevity, located in Slidell, Francisco J Candal M.D., AMMG, is at the forefront of Age Management Medicine, which incorporates protocols that optimize health, restore endocrine balance, delay the indicators of aging and prevent premature disability and death. According to the Age Management Medical Group purpose statement, this approach results in higher quality of life for patients and an enhanced sense of well-being in addition to a longer health span.

Dr. Candal has been in practice since 1984 and offers Age Management Medicine services as well as extensive Pulmonary services. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Candal, call 985-643-9704.

Cardiovascular Care

A world-leader in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease, Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) is the largest single specialty practice in Louisiana, with 15 locations in the state since its inception in 1983. CIS cardiologists are experts in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular, peripheral vascular and venous disease.

Do you experience leg pain or cramps, numbness, ulcers or discoloration? These are signs of peripheral vascular disease, or PAD. You could be more at risk if you are over 50, if you smoke or if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or a family history of vascular disease, heart attack or stroke.

A simple, painless test called an ankle-brachial index (ABI) can determine your risk of PAD. Contact your doctor if you think you may be at risk. To learn more

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about CIS, call 1-800-425-2565 or visit Cardio.com to find a list of CIS locations.

Dentistry

Are your teeth aging you? The first thing most people notice when they meet someone is their smile, which can offer a lot of youth power. With immense respect for the “Power of Smile,” Dr. Greer Cieutat Reisig and the Schwartz Dental Group are transforming lives with Esthetic Dentistry. Dr. Cieutat Reisig’s work is truly transformative, as it uses modern aesthetic techniques to make improvements whether subtle or dramatic.

As you age, changes to your teeth include yellowing and crowding. Yellowing can be treated with whitening techniques such as in-office power bleaching. Another treatment option is custom trays that can be worn at home and used for periodic touch-ups. Crowding can be addressed using Invisalign, a clear, removable and almost invisible system for straightening.

Porcelain veneers present another option for a glowing appearance. Custom-made from a thin layer of porcelain, they can improve the color, shape and alignment of teeth. Composite bonding, a tooth-clothed filling material bonded to teeth, is a common affordable option as well.

Results can be seen in just one visit. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 504-832-2043.

DeFelice Dental is committed to a conservative approach in patient care – focusing on preventative measures and maintenance as well as on patient education. They provide top quality care in a relaxed atmosphere. For patients who may require more complex treatment, the DeFelice Dental team provides comprehensive care with a gentle, caring touch.

Services provided at the practice include gentle cleanings, tooth-colored fillings, nonsurgical gum care, teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, natural looking crowns and implants. In addition to visual cancer screenings completed during appointments, Velscope oral cancer early detection technology is available for patients needing or requesting more advanced screening.

Prior to leading his team at DeFelice Dental, Dr. Tré DeFelice worked as the Clinical Director of a unique specialty practice in New Orleans, where he planned, delivered, and coordinated patient treatment along with a team of dental specialists, gaining tremendous experience and knowledge along the way. Dr. DeFelice spends many hours in continuing education to advance in areas of comprehensive patient care, esthetics and dental implants.

DeFelice Dental is conveniently located at 1900 N. Causeway Blvd. near I-10. For more information, visit Dentist-Metairie.com or call 504-833-4300.

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Fertility

Since 1977, New Orleans has been home to one of the nation’s leading, state-of-the-art clinics specializing in new infertility treatment. The Fertility Institute has over 30 years of successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) and continues to be recognized for its excellence by peers and health insurance companies providing benefits for infertility and in vitro fertilization. Employing traditional treatments and the latest advances in reproductive technology, including IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and cryopreservation of eggs, they offer hope for families who have trouble conceiving or who have genetic abnormalities that may cause a difficult quality of life for a child.

The Fertility Institute is a pioneer in the Gulf South and the first to perform IVF in the region and achieve a pregnancy with its first IVF. With a team of five physicians and additional staff, the Fertility Institute has accomplished over 16,000 pregnancies from all forms of fertility treatment, including those who have suffered from recurrent miscarriages. Offices are located in Mandeville, Metairie and New Orleans with the addition of a second state-of-the-art IVF laboratory in Baton Rouge.

Learn more and schedule appointments by calling 800375-0048 or by visiting FertilityInstitute.com.

Pain Management

At Louisiana Pain Specialists, improving quality of life is the No. 1 goal. The practice has helped thousands of patients get back to doing what’s important to them: working, having restful sleep, spending quality time with friends and family and participating in normal daily life and activities. Doctors Satvik Munshi, Tarun Jolly and Neil Jolly have been successful in caring for patients with challenging conditions and for whom other treatment plans have failed. With five locations in the New Orleans area, Louisiana Pain Specialists provide quick access to accurate diagnosis and comprehensive treatment for those who suffer from chronic and acute pain.

Louisiana Pain Specialists employ a variety of therapies including advanced procedures such as spinal cord stimulation, a minimally invasive therapy that provides patients with excellent relief of various pain conditions affecting the spine and extremities, as well as traditional methods such as injections and physical therapy.

For more information or scheduling, visit LouisianaPain.com or call 504-302-0359.

Urology

Patients of Urology & Urologic Surgery, the practice of Dr. Stephanie Hughes, enjoy friendly and caring staff, quickly accommodated appointments and a small, more personal office. As a general urologist, Dr. Hughes specializes in all urologic problems, including enlarged prostate, incontinence, erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, kidney stones, recurrent urinary tract infections and cancers of the prostate, bladder, kidney and other urologic organs. Board certified in Urology, Dr. Hughes focuses in large part on treating and preventing kidney stones as well as treating voiding dysfunction such as overactive bladder, incontinence, enlarged prostates 178

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and neurogenic bladders.

Urology & Urologic Surgery treats patients on both sides of Lake Pontchartrain and offers same-day and next-day appointments. The practice offers in-office procedures for enlarged prostates (BPH) and overactive bladder. Dr. Hughes is recently trained in the Urolift procedure for enlarged prostate.

For Metairie appointments, call 504-887-5555, and for Covington appointments, call 985-892-8088. For more information, visit UrologyNOLA.com.

Has someone you love been diagnosed with prostate cancer, kidney cancer or bladder cancer? The Department of Urology at Tulane University Medical Center, a national leader in providing minimally invasive surgical procedures for various urologic maladies, stands at the forefront of cancer treatment through state-of-theart robotic procedures, breakthrough treatments and research.

Tulane Urology is proud to be recognized as the first and most experienced robotic urologic surgical center in the entire Gulf South. Using the daVinci high-definition robot, Tulane Urology’s expertly trained surgeons offer patients a highly advanced therapeutic option for cancer treatment.

This cutting-edge, minimally invasive surgical technology, combined with the extensive experience of the Tulane Urology team, has made Tulane Urology the go-to center for the treatment of prostate, bladder and kidney cancers.

Visit MyProstateCancer.com and TulaneUrology. com for more information on the various treatments and procedures offered at Tulane Urology. Call 504-988-2536 to schedule an appointment or get a second opinion today. •

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Halloween Shopping at Chateau Drugs Chateau Drugs and Gifts, 3544 W. Esplanade Ave. S., Metairie, 889-7300, ChateauDrugsRX.com When Chateau Drugs opened its doors in Metairie in 1977, its mission was to deliver the best possible customer service with a personalized touch that included home delivery.

That personal service is harder to find today and more in demand than ever before. Chateau has expanded to include an expansive, upscale gift department with free gift wrap and a bridal registry service. Look for Halloween season items including candy corn scarves and Halloween motif headbands.

Sensible Portions Launches Nationally Sensible Portions, (985) 290-9757, SensiblePortionMeals.com Based in Mandeville, Sensible Portions offers a health food meal service, which is now available nationally. The company, started by personal trainer Ingrid Rinck in 2014, has changed peoples’ lives by helping them to lose up to 100 pounds in eight months. The service costs between $80-120 per week and offers chef-prepared portion-controlled meals using real food. Clean food is combined with comfort foods so the meal plan is sustainable. Favorite dishes include red beans and rice and jambalaya.

– Mirella Cameran

Flying High

Hanging Around with Crescent City Aerial Arts

By Jessica DeBold

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t least four feet from the soft, padded floor, a petite woman is pretzeled around a trapeze. We are all watching as Alexandria White, founder and teacher of Crescent City Aerial Arts, coaches the woman in mid-air to let go and hold on with her legs.

She hesitates; I hesitate. The class sitting on the floor around her offers words of encouragement, citing her bravery. She must’ve found the courage because she let go and her body twisted and twirled out of the pretzel and into a graceful pose, maybe two feet off the ground. Proud of her feat, she climbs down and says, “Wow. That was scary awesome.”

The next student mounts the trapeze to give it a try.

My editorial cohorts and I took a drive out to what seemed like a secret club location you go to by invite only. Tucked between red brick warehouses and lots, between Xavier University and the Pontchartrain Expressway, is a large open steel door with circus-like folk learning how to fly.

Crescent City Aerial Arts’ new location is on Euphrosine Street, and since their opening the studio space has held summer camps for children as young as 7, in addition to weekly class sessions for adults.

I can only imagine how fun that must be for a kid. The studio certainly brings me back to the days we could play all day and hang around on colorful jungle gyms and playgrounds. For adults, embrace your inner child and satiate your secret thrill-seeker.

When the trapeze class finishes up, White welcomes us to the floor. She puts aside the trapeze and releases four long silk ribbons from the ceiling. She ties a knot at the bottom of each silk and goes through basic moves while we are about a foot from the ground, standing on the knot. I can tell you for certain that this class helps you build muscles you wouldn’t know existed otherwise. Your fingers, shoulders and arms work to hold you up.

“I enjoyed it very much, but it’s definitely not as easy as it looks,” said web editor Kelly Massicot, “I have used muscles I didn’t even know I had. It’s beautiful, but challenging (at first).”

Within the hour White taught us how to hang upside down, twirl and even climb and sit in the silks several feet off the floor. I am eager to go back – the belly dancer and adventure lover in me enjoyed every ounce of the experience. An empowering skill to learn, I recommend bringing your friends so you can laugh at each other and shout that encouragement when you need to let go and fly.

For class packages, schedules and more information about the instructors, visit CrescentCityAerialarts.com. n cheryl gerber photo

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Joan and Us By errol laborde

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n the old town section of the French city of Rouen, there’s a shop called Chocolateria Auzo that masterfully prepares classic sweets. In addition to its macaroons, its most famous product is bolstered by legend as well as taste. These are chocolate covered almonds known as “Joan of Arc Teardrops.” The relevance is that the shop is near the site where Joan, to be known as the Maid of Orleans and later canonized

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as a saint, was burned at the stake in 1431.

For 10 of the 50 years of New Orleans Magazine’s existence, Joan has been the company symbol. A close-up of her statue that stands in the French Quarter was on the magazine’s first issue published after Katrina. It is a striking image; this young girl, an eternal symbol of youth, dressed as a knight, performing as a general in the face of adver-

sity, her extended right arm elevating a flag as though to charge into the future, We needed Joan to inspire us back in 2005 as we picked up the pieces from the storm and wondered about our lives. With her as our logo, a new company – Renaissance Publishing – was formed.

By coincidence, I spent a morning in Rouen during the time this anniversary issue was in production. It was in that town that the adventure of her life came to an end. According to legend, her being disguised as a boy gave prosecutors all the argument they needed to declare her to be a witch and to face the punishment.

Her fate was met at the Place du Vieux Marché, a town square where the stake was placed in the center. Today, there’s a garden on the fatal site with a small monument marking the spot. At the front is a church, Eglise Jeanne d’Arc, which in this old city of medieval buildings is surprisingly modern. The roof, instead of being guarded by gargoyles and marble saints, swoops up to represent flames angling toward heaven. Leave it to Joan, stirring things up again.

Old town Rouen is a busy area filled with quaint shops, cafes and omnipresent selfietaking tourists, just like in old town New Orleans named after the French city of Joan’s conquest.

Joan has been good for business. Historically she has also been good for inspiration.

When teardrops are chocolate almonds, the world must be a better place. n ARTHUR NEAD ILLUSTRATION