New Orleans Magazine September 2016

SEPTEMBER 2016

wyes-TV presents Masterpiece “Poldark” returns!

SEPTEMBER 2016 / VOLUME 50 / NUMBER 11 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

People to watch

16

INSIDE

Our class of 2016 Profiles by Sarah Ravits

“September a Decade Ago: The man on the cover”

86

Fall festivals

11 to try

By Jessica DeBold

22 speaking out

Editorial, plus a Mike Luckovich cartoon

Each year New Orleans Magazine scours the city for people who are doing something new and interesting. Most often they’re new faces; sometimes they’re old faces doing something different. Check out 39 newly notables starting on pg. 60.

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JULIA STREET Questions and answers about our city

175 Try This

“Shimmy ’Til Ya Make It”

176 STREETCAR

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“Saints In the Sun”

Photographed by Jeffrey Johnston

contents

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56

100

THE BEAT

LOCAL COLOR

THE MENU

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MARQUEE

44

me again

98

table talk

Entertainment calendar

“Ahead to the Past”

30

PERSONA

46

MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS

“Bywater and Marigny Neighborhood Dining”

Tulane University Head Football Coach Willie Fritz

“Tarmac Blues”

32

Biz

48

Joie d’Eve

“A Reluctant Optimist”

“Vacation Nation”

34

education

50

IN TUNE

“Roll Call”

“A Legendary Month”

52

Read & Spin

36

HEALTHBEAT

“A Rose By Any Other Name”

38

Crime Fighting

“Kids at a Demonstration”

40

CHRONICLES

“New Orleans Music On the Road”

A look at the latest albums and books

54

JAZZ LIFE

“Nadja’s World”

56

HOME

“Henry Howard Classic”

100 restaurant insider

News From the Kitchens: Part & Parcel, Vessel & Seaworthy

102 Food

“Secrets of Jambalaya”

104 LAST CALL

Black & Gold Mojito

106 DINING GUIDE

DIAL 12 D1 “Steppin’ Out” Special: 30 Years and Counting reflects on three decades of our city’s vibrant local arts and entertainment scene as viewed on WYES. Watch it Fri., Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m. on WYES-TV/Channel 12. Masterpiece “Poldark” returns for nine gripping new episodes, premiering Sun., Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. Neither pestilence, starvation, nor betrayal can stop Ross Poldark from fighting for justice in his native Cornwall.

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inside

September a Decade Ago The man on the cover

O

ur cover guy on the September “People to Watch” issue 10 years ago was “what’s his name?” I say it that way because I recall having posed the question to myself back in 2006. Usually whenever the Saints have gotten a new head coach, his name is branded in the community discussion at a level perhaps higher than that of the mayor or governor. But, if you’ll recall, in 2006 as we drifted toward autumn, many of us were still preoccupied with the business of recovery, not sure where Katrina had left our lives or future. The Saints head coach was important, but so, too, was the clerk at the FEMA office.

There was not much to excite us about Sean Payton, who had been an assistant coach at Dallas. In those days of misplaced priorities, I remember thinking that – just as we had seen Archie Manning’s son, Peyton, grow up locally, matriculate through Newman High School and have a successful college career – with the new Saints head coach we would face a new era of headlines saying “Payton’s Place” or other variations of the movie title.

Nor was there much excitement about the Saints new quarterback, who had left San Diego with a shoulder problem.

While we scraped the mold from our walls, the Saints seemed like a new habitat for the nameless and the have-nots.

September 2006 turned out to be the stage for one of the greatest Saints games ever. Over 70,000 people packed the Dome as though to add thunder to the Monday Night Football TV audience. A miracle blocked punt by a little-known Saint named Steve Gleason set up the touchdown that began the Saints near-perfect win over Atlanta. The team would go on to make it to the playoffs. There they lost in the first round, but the fans who had suffered through the previous years were thrilled. Everyone would remember the names of Sean Payton, Drew Brees and Gleason.

“Payton is working methodically to rebuild a team,” the accompanying article by staffer Sue Strachan said. “One could say he’s rebuilding the city’s confidence as well.” That he did, and may there be others in this year’s class who will do the same.

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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.

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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

The Saints at 50 A Civic Backstory

A

ll Saints Day is supposed to be an occasion for remembering the dead.

Not so on that day in 1966, when the afternoon was one of celebrating the newly arrived. It was on that day that Pete Rozelle, the commissioner of the National Football League, announced to the anxious, powerpacked crowd that had gathered in the Pontchartain Hotel that New Orleans had been awarded a franchise in the league.

Still to be announced in the weeks ahead was Rozelle’s selection of a team owner (Texas millionaire John Mecom). It would not be until January that the team’s nickname would be made official (though the decision to announce the franchise on All Saints Day must have been an indication of which direction the thinking was heading).

In the months to follow, New Orleanians would devour all scraps of information as a head coach and eventually players were announced in preparation for the Sept. 17 opening of the 1967 season.

That season would have as incredible of a beginning as possible when on the kickoff of the first regular season home game, played against the Los Angeles Rams

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before a capacity crowd of 80,879, Saints rookie John Gilliam ran the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. In its first minute of regular play the new Saints were already ahead 7-0. The franchise seemed invincible. Unfortunately that invincibility didn’t last until the end of the game, which the Saints lost 27-13. Ahead would be many dismal seasons.

That was the beginning of the on-field segment of the franchise’s existence, and there will be many moments to be relived in the years ahead. This year, though, what should be remembered – and honored – was the toughest contest of all: the struggle to get a franchise.

By 1966, New Orleans, like many southern cities, was trying to re-invent itself. Segregation had kept many national corporations away from the South, including professional sports leagues. With the passage of the Civil Rights Act in ’64, the South began to open up. Throughout the region there were progressive elements that wanted to bring their communities into the national mainstream. Having a professional sports franchise would make

a statement. It would also justify economic development as new stadiums would be built and hotels, now part of national chains, would be built near them. New Orleans was so enthusiastic about redefining the future that it even promised a domed stadium that would be bigger and more functional than the one being awed in Houston.

Atlanta had economic power, a burgeoning population base and a geographic base in the center of the South, so it was generally understood that it would be the first city to get a new franchise. New Orleans had charm, lovability, an established tourist economy and, oh yes, politically powerful members of congress – the latter who were of special interest to the NFL as it faced anti-trust issues.

Politics was the game that Louisiana played best.

For whatever the reason, New Orleans was awarded the franchise.

Businessman Dave Dixon (with backing from Governor John McKeithen and Mayor-to-be Moon Landrieu) was that day’s star, having done the playmaking to secure both the Superdome and the franchise.

Getting the franchise was a victory of Super Bowl proportions, an experience that fans would not be able to relate to until 44 years later.

Here, too, there would be some rocky seasons, though another businessman, Tom Benson, would secure the team’s future.

Curiously the Pontchartrain Hotel, where the announcement was made, has also had some tough times. This year, however, it has come back restored and ready. As the year is celebrated, it isn’t the boys in uniforms who are to be honored as much as the men in suits. Sometimes the most vital of game plans are drawn in corporate boardrooms. n

AN ORIGINAL ©MIKE LUCKOVICH CARTOON FOR NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE

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

327-333 Bourbon St.

Dear Julia, In 1946 my dad, Jimmy King Anselmo, bought a building at 339 Bourbon St. He named the club Jimmy King’s Mardi Gras Lounge. As a little boy, I can remember playing with the drums on stage. He had live music for the entertainment. I think he sold the business and the building around ’53, and the name of the club stayed the same for several years. Could you tell me the history of the building?

Jimmy Anselmo New Orleans You have the right name and the right block but the wrong address, Jimmy. The Famous Door is at 339 Bourbon St., but your dad’s

Mardi Gras Lounge was located just down the block at 333 Bourbon St. According to the Vieux Carré Commission, the three-story townhouse building at 333-335 Bourbon St. is believed to have been built about 1838 as a two-story structure. On March 27, 1837, Jane Holden Hagan purchased unimproved lots facing Bourbon Street from Celeste Euphemie Labranche.

It is likely the townhouse was built for Hagan. Unfortunately, neither its architect nor exact dates of its construction or modification appear to be known. The building was still two stories at the time of its 1855 sale from Jane Holden [Ed. note: name as it appears in record] to James Grimshaw; the third story was added at an undetermined later date.

Your father’s Mardi Gras Lounge building was better known for the talent who played there than for the history of its location or previous owners. Musicians who performed there included George Louis, Papa Celestin and Percy Humphrey as well as clarinetist Sid Davilla, who later owned the club. During the time your father owned the Mardi Gras Lounge, the club featured not only musical acts but some visual entertainment as well (as you can tell from the accompanying photograph from Tulane’s Special Collections).

When Walter Cook Keenan photographed the club exterior on Jan. 8, 1949, Baby Dumplin’ was the featured attraction. Like the better-known Alouette LeBlanc, the nationally renowned Ms. Dumplin’, whose real name was Rosa Mack Chagnon, was a sort of “spin doctor” who mesmerized audiences with hands-off demonstrations of the laws of physics. In other words, she was a tassel dancer who could control and even counter-rotate the long tassels that adorned both her top and bottom. Thanks to her proportional but Rubenesque heft, Baby Dumplin’ did not, in fact, bear an unfortunate resemblance to an actual dumpling, but she had the mass and muscle to generate considerable centrifugal force to drive her pectoral and posterior propellers. Rosa Mack Chagnon passed away in ’86 at the age of 64 and was laid to rest in Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa. Engraved comedy and tragedy masks adorn her headstone, discreetly alluding to her entertainment career in a way that would not offend Midwestern mores.

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 Lee Bergman, New Iberia; and Hal Berrigan, New Orleans.

SEPTEMBER 2016 / myneworleans.com

photograph provided by Walter Cook Keenan Photographic Prints and Negatives, Southeastern Architectural Archive, Special Collections Division, Tulane University Libraries

Dear Julia, I seek information about the history of a building on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard in New Orleans. It is across the street from St. John the Baptist Church and was formerly Levitan’s Furniture Store. It is now a remodeled mission.

There is a stone marker on top with a large “G.” What is that significance? And what was at the location before Levitan’s?

Thank you for your service on your always interesting column.

Hal Berrigan New Orleans When the Levitan Building was built in 1924 its address was 1140 Dryades St.; the street was later renamed Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. (For purposes of historic accuracy, street names and addresses in this column are those which were in use during the era I’m referencing.)

In 1904, Polish immigrant Abraham Levitan (d. 1912) founded with his son, Isidore, a small furnishing store at the corner of Dryades and Clio streets. The successful business soon outgrew its original home, which measured only 15-by45 feet (675 square feet) and moved across the street for a while before expanding once again and returning in ’24 to its original location at the corner of Dryades and Clio. Abraham Levitan’s heirs, which included sons Isidore and Morris as well as daughter Esther (Mrs. Jacob) Gordon, built at the site of the New Orleans Auto Supply Company the 30,000 square foot building that’s currently undergoing renovation and restoration at the intersection of Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard and Clio Street.

Media coverage of the store’s 1924 opening shows that the mysterious “G” has always adorned the building but failed to explain its significance. I suspect the “G” may

mean “Gordon.” When Mina Grodsky (widow Abraham) Levitan’s will was probated in ’16, the document specified that the couple’s children would inherit equal interests in the family business, although daughter Esther (Mrs. Jacob) Gordon would be in charge.

Dear Julia.

While growing up in the late 1950s, myself, my three close friends and our girlfriends would go on Saturday afternoons to WWL-TV and be on John Pela’s “Saturday Hop” program. After the show, we would get on the Canal Street streetcar and ride almost down to the river. We would get off and go to the Royal Castle Hamburger restaurant. We would order maybe 20 burgers – they were only about a nickel back then.

My question is: Exactly where was that Royal Castle on Canal and what’s there now?

Lee Bergman New Iberia “Saturday Hop” debuted on WWL-TV in 1961. By that time, New Orleans had no fewer than seven Royal Castle restaurants, including the one you and your friends frequented at the corner of Canal Street and Exchange Place. It is now home to a Popeyes.

Burger prices at the 24hour Miami-based Royal Castle chain then cost about 15 cents, but your memory is partially correct. In the early 1960s, when you and your friends made regular stops at Royal Castle on your way home from appearing on “Saturday Hop,” the chain sometimes ran “Nickel Days” specials. During these special promotions, patrons could, with each 35-cent purchase, buy for five cents their choice of an extra hamburger, order of bacon or slice of pie. n

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

“It’s very difficult for me to change 18 years – if a guy wasn’t raised right, I’m going to have a hard time changing that. There are so many positive things to do in New Orleans; you have to find guys that are mature enough to find the positive things to do.”

– Tulane University Head Football Coach Willie Fritz

persona pg. 30

Craig Mulcahy PHOTOGRAPH

THE BEAT / MARQUEE

OUR TOP PICKS FOR SEPTEMBER EVENTS

derek jackson photo

BY LAUREN LABORDE

(Live) Music to Your Ears

Strip, Strip, Hooray!

Hair of the Dog

During this time of the year, New Orleans sees many stops from national concert tours. Some notable calendar items? Pop-country girl group Dixie Chicks, German electro visionaries Kraftwerk, harpist Joanna Newsom and singersongwriter Beck all perform shows here in September. One of your best bets, though, is to see Alabama Shakes (Sept.

22) in a location befitting front woman Brittany Howard – a football fan-sized amphitheater: Champions Square. Howard is an explosive leader for the blues rock band, her voice moving from soulful lower registers to husky falsetto with equal aplomb. The band released Sound & Color to great acclaim in 2015. Corinne Bailey Rae, the singer of “Put Your Records On” fame who recently released The Heart Speaks in Whispers, opens. Information, Champions-Square.com.

In its eighth year, the New Orleans Burlesque Festival (Sept. 15-18) celebrates one of the city’s most ubiquitous, homegrown art forms by bringing together local talent and performers from all over the world. There is the annual crowning of the “Queen of Burlesque,” plus workshops, panel discussions and parties. Rita Alexander the Champagne Girl, who headlined the Sho-Bar on Bourbon Street in the 1960s, is a special guest. Information, NewOrleansBurlesqueFest.com.

The annual NOLA on Tap Beer Fest celebrates two popular interests: beer and dogs. The Bulldog and the Louisiana SPCA produce the beer festival at City Park’s festival grounds (Sept. 24) that features more than 400 local, national and homebrewed beers; the Homebrewers Beer Judge Certification Program competition and People’s Choice Awards; food; games; dog-friendly fare and more. Information, NolaOnTap.org.

CALENDAR Month of September. Daiquiri Season, More than 40 bars and restaurants across the city, TalesOfTheCocktail.com/events/daiquiriseason Sept. 2-4. Louisiana Seafood Festival, City Park Festival Grounds.

Information, LouisianaSeafoodFestival.com Sept. 5. Maroon 5 in concert, Smoothie King Center. Information, SmoothieKingCenter.com Sept. 9. Kraftwerk in concert, Orpheum Theater. Information, OrpheumNOLA.com

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Sept. 9. Le Petit Théâter Curtain Call Ball, Le Petit Théâter and Tableau. Information, LePetitTheatre.com Sept. 9. Sturgill Simpson in concert, Saenger Theater.

Information, SaengerNOLA.com Sept. 9. Joanna Newsom in concert, Civic Theater. Information, CivicNOLA.com Sept. 10. Dixie Chicks, Smoothie King Center. Information, SmoothieKingCenter.com Sept. 9-25. “Let the Good Times Roll,” Rivertown Theaters for the

we’re donating $1 from each General Admission ticket and $3 from each VIP ticket to them. We’re hoping we can get them involved in a parade. We’re hoping to get some food trucks. There’s so much incredible food in New Orleans, and we’re hoping the people who can come will get a taste of some gems of New Orleans, places they can visit on the next trip back. We’re also going to have an art garden area with visual artists building something unique in Mardi Gras World.

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Lettuce, a Bear Creek favorite. Williams spoke to us about the event, which he says is more like a post-festival show than a festival.

What’s your connection to New Orleans? I started com-

SPOTLIGHT

Downtown Funk

A Florida-born funk and jam-band festival heads to the New Orleans Riverfront.

F

or eight years, Bear Creek Music Festival was based in Live Oak, Florida, but the event was a New Orleans festival in spirit. The festival was inspired by Jazz Fest, but is more jam-band-centric, and the New Orleans band Dumpstaphunk is a festival fixture. While the festival is moving to New Orleans because of finances – and festival founder Lyle Williams lives in the city – in many ways it feels like Bear Creek is coming home. The inaugural New Orleans version, Bear Creek Bayou, happens Sept.

30-Oct. 1 at Mardi Gras World. Headliners include Flaming Lips,

ing down to New Orleans with my family – my dad is a big Florida State fan, so we’d come down for the Sugar Bowl, stuff like that. I think maybe the Voodoo got to me when I was young. I ended up moving here in 2011 and bought a house here.

With so many other music festivals in New Orleans, what sets Bear Creek Bayou apart? It’s always been a

What aspect of the festival are you most excited about?

true funk festival with a lot of New Orleans bands, or influenced by that kind of music, but it’s different than Jazz Fest. With Jazz Fest, you’re seeing shows with 100,000 people. Here you can see some decently large acts with 5,000 to 10,000 people. It’s not a huge event.

In the history of Bear Creek, supergroups form from the collaboration between the artists. It’s more like the Jazz Fest after-shows.

What else can people expect at the festival? We’re work-

ing with Roots of Music;

It’s seeing everyone come together. I’ve been in the music business for almost a decade and I’ve made a lot of great friends from around the world. That’s one of the things I enjoy about putting on a festival: seeing groups of friends, not just mine, and seeing other people they’ve met through the music community. It’s like a family reunion. And I love seeing the creativity of the musicians – who’s going to sit in with who? I don’t script any of this; it’s all a surprise to me, what the musicians are going to bring to the crowd.

For more information, visit BearCreekBayou.com n

Performing Arts. Information, RivertownTheaters.com

Information, JPAS.org

Sept. 12-18. We Live to Eat Restaurant Week. Information, CoolinaryNewOrleans.com

Sept. 20-25. The Sound of Music, Saenger Theater. Information, SaengerNOLA.com

Sept. 14. Dinosaur Jr. in concert, Tipitina’s. Information, Tipitinas.com

Sept. 23. LOVE in the Garden, New Orleans Museum of Art’s Sydney & Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Information, NOMA.org

Sept. 15. Beck in concert, Saenger Theater. Information, SaengerNOLA.com Sept. 16. Martini Madness, New Orleans City Park. Information, FriendsOfCityPark.com Sept. 23-Oct. 2. West Side Story, Jefferson Performing Arts Center.

cheryl gerber photograph

Sept. 27. James Blake in concert, Orpheum Theater. Information, OrpheumNOLA.com Sept. 30. Scales & Ales, Aquarium of the Americas. Information, AudubonNatureInstitute.org/Scales-And-Ales

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THE BEAT / PERSONA

State, he boasts the title of “winningest” coach in Central Missouri’s history. Fritz took time to talk to us about the Tulane players and what surprised him about New Orleans.

Q: What were your goals when

Willie Fritz Head Football Coach, Tulane University

BY LAUREN LABORDE

E

ven after the fanfare surrounding the opening of Yulman Stadium in 2014, Tulane University’s football team had a disappointing season. Soon after, Tulane fired the head coach who was brought on in ’13, Curtis Johnson, and hired Willie Fritz, who had been the head coach at Georgia Southern. Luckily, Fritz isn’t much for fanfare anyway. A self-described “pretty boring guy” with few interests outside of football, whose resume includes successful stints at smaller football programs such as Blinn Community College and Sam Houston State, he’s passionate about college football and singularly focused on the team. A former football player for Pittsburg

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you got hired on at Tulane? I got into this profession because I have a passion for teaching, and coaching is teaching and vice versa. I enjoy the interaction and relationships I have with the student athletes and my fellow coaches. I always tell people that all my friends are very, very interested in what I’m doing, and you never hear them talk about their jobs.

Here at Tulane, our goal is to bring a consistent, winning football program here to New Orleans. Not good one season, then down for a long period of time. Tulane’s had one winning season in the last 14 years. But there’s so many positives to sell here, with the bevy of talent in this area as far as football, the great academic reputation of the university and the iconic city of New Orleans. So we feel like the sky’s the limit.

Q: How would you describe the

typical Tulane player? What we’re looking for is someone who’s a model of a true student athlete. It’s a work in progress, but we’re always trying to find the right fit academically. I know the right fit character-wise. I’ve been doing this a long time; I don’t have a desire to bring in any kind of guy that’s going to have problems here academically, or have problems with being able to be on his own and Craig Mulcahy PHOTOGRAPH

Age: 56 Occupation: Head football coach, Tulane University Family: Wife, Susan; children, Wesley, Elaine, and Brooke Born/ raised: Shawnee Mission Kansas Resides: English Turn Education: Pittsburg State University Favorite movie: Remember the Titans Favorite TV show: “Ray Donovan” Favorite band: Tulane’s TUMBA Favorite food: Fried chicken Favorite New Orleans restaurant: “Too many to really pick, but I’ll go with Mr. John’s.” Favorite hobby: “Hanging with the family!”

Favorite vacation spot: Kansas City

make mature decisions. A Tulane guy, in my opinion, is someone who’s a good student, someone who’s a good football player, someone who’s got outstanding character. In this region of the country, we can find 25 of those guys every year.

cruited here. We’ve enjoyed it. There’s a lot more to New Orleans than people realize – than what I realized. Sometimes if you’re an outsider you hear about one street here in New Orleans. You know the name of that street.

Q: What about New Or-

leans surprised you? The great pride people have with the city. I haven’t met anyone yet who doesn’t love living in New Orleans. It’s also the first city I’ve lived in where I have people coming to visit me.

Q: Is it hard to keep play-

ers focused, being in a city like this? That’s why you do a good job of recruiting the right guys. It’s very difficult for me to change 18 years – if a guy wasn’t raised right, I’m going to have a hard time changing that. There are so many positive things to do in New Orleans; you have to find guys that are mature enough to find the positive things to do. n

Q: What appeals to you

about coaching on the collegiate level in general?

I coached high school for a little bit and I enjoyed it as well, but you don’t have as much interaction or influence on the student athletes.

What I like about college football is it’s a chance to represent the university, a city; the alums get behind you. A win can really help student athletes, coaches and managers, but I think it really helps the university. It gives great pride.

Q: Had you been to New

Orleans before moving here? I had been here a few times for conventions and things, but had never re-

True confession I’m a pretty boring guy, really. I learned a long time ago there’s people who try to do a whole lot of things, and they do a whole lot of things average. That’s one of the reasons I don’t have hobbies; I’m pulled a lot of different directions in my job, and when I do have free time I really enjoy just relaxing and hanging out with my family. I’m probably one of the few coaches that doesn’t fish, hunt or golf. myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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THE BEAT / BIZ

Vacation Nation Travel Slows but still Grows

By Kathy Finn

T

he ups and downs of the national economy are enough to put many people on edge about their personal financial well-being, but even during uncertain times, Americans tend to keep travel near the top of their spending priorities.

Even when they’re feeling less than flush, people will often try to work a vacation into their game plans.

A “vacation confidence index” published

by Allianz Travel Insurance and based on surveys taken just ahead of the recent summer travel season indicated that while fewer Americans would vacation in 2016 than in the previous year, those who did make travel plans expected to spend at least 10 percent more than they spent in ’15. Summer vacation spending was headed for the $90 billion mark, according to the survey, up five percent from the previous year.

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In a similar vein, occupancy at U.S. hotels dipped slightly this past spring, according to industry reports, but room rates rose, as did total revenue per available room.

“On an absolute basis, the hotel industry is actually quite strong,” says Patrick Mayrock, senior research director at Tennessee-based Smith Travel Research.

A May 2016 analysis for the U.S. Travel Association showed that growth in overall travel volume, as measured by individual trips involving a hotel stay or air travel, has been growing at a slower pace than in the recent past, but has expanded nonetheless.

In fact, the association’s “index of current travel” showed that the travel industry has racked up more than six consecutive years of growth.

This has occurred despite the fact that inbound travel to the U.S. from other countries

slowed – a trend that the analyst predicts will continue in the near term, in part due to the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies.

Another factor that could have a dampening impact could be Great Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, analysts add.

Along with a decline in international travel to the United States, many corporations have cut back on business travel in recent years, and analysts say such travel likely will remain subdued at least through the end of 2016.

Despite the sluggish pace of business and international travel growth, “leading” indicators, which hint at future trends, point to short-term growth of about 1.5 percent in overall U.S. travel volume, supported by strength in the domestic leisure travel market.

“American leisure travelers, who account for 60 percent of travel spending in the U.S., will likely continue their role as engines of growth for the industry,” says David Huether, the travel association’s senior vice president of research. It’s a prediction that bodes well for the tourism industry in New Orleans.

Leisure travelers – meaning those who visit for recreational or other purposes unrelated to business, including conventions – are a crucial component of the local tourism market, constituting nearly half of all visitors to the city.

A recent analysis by the Hos-

Rooms at the ready The strength in local tourism has helped fuel growth in New Orleans’ hotel room inventory.

Along with a Four Seasons hotel planned for the former World Trade Center building, new local inns opened recently or slated for construction in the city include: AC Hotel by Marriott Ace Hotel Aloft Hotel Cambria Suites Hyatt House New Orleans/Downtown Jung Hotel Joie de Vivre Hotel Moxy by Marriott (2) The Pythian Spring Hill Suites Virgin Hotel pitality Research Center at the University of New Orleans showed that the total number of visitors to New Orleans hit 9.8 million in 2015, and the center predicts that the total will grow at a rate of about 4 percent during the next several years.

Total spending by visitors, which hit a record of $7.1 billion during 2015, will grow by about 5 percent annually as it climbs to $8.4 billion by ’19, the center projects.

By nearly every measure, total visits in the “leisure travel” category will continue to grow through the next three years, according to UNO’s research. But more palpable signs of strength in the hospitality sector are emanating from the local airport.

Officials at Louis Armstrong

New Orleans International Airport reported hitting a new traffic record by serving more than 1 million passengers in May 2016, recording a jump of more than 10 percent from a year earlier. Aviation Director Iftikhar Ahmad says the strength of the local market has caught the attention of airlines, and they’re looking to expand local service.

Ahmad says that increasing affordability of air travel, fueled by growth in discount carriers, is helping to boost air traffic. “This along with the addition of several new destinations this year, has contributed to the significant growth of travel at the airport,” he says.

Airlines that have announced new service in New Orleans recently include: • Spirit Airlines, which added daily flights to Atlanta and Los Angeles from New Orleans; • Allegiant Air, which began flights to Jacksonville, Florida, and new seasonal nonstops to Tulsa, Oklahoma; • Frontier Airlines, which added service to Philadelphia and Orlando; • Seasonal service by Branson AirExpress to Branson, Missouri; • Daily nonstop service to Fort Lauderdale by JetBlue; and • Twice weekly, seasonal nonstops between New Orleans and Frankfurt, Germany

by Condor, slated to begin in May 2017.

The airport now offers nonstop flights to 54 destinations on 15 airlines, Ahmad says.

The figures show that, even as potential business and international visitors keep a tighter grip on their travel budgets, those who like visiting New Orleans just for the fun of it are likely to keep the local hospitality sector percolating. n

myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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THE BEAT / EDUCATION

Roll Call Americans Do Poorly at Civics

by Dawn ruth Wilson

Y

ears before I started teaching an introductory college level course in American government, I overheard a conversation at a mall that was so disturbing I never forgot it.

A young woman shopping for a gown to attend a political function in Washington D.C. gushed about the event to a sales woman. The boasting included references to important people attending. At one point, the shopper posed this question to the attendant: “Does Louisiana have senators?”

The attendant shrugged her shoulders as if to say she didn’t know.

Sept. 17 marks the 229th anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution, the oldest written constitution still in use today, but many Americans don’t know what it says.

I assured myself at the time that the young women I overheard were anomalies, not a reflection of American civic knowledge as a whole. Now I know otherwise. National surveys show that most Americans can’t answer basic questions about government correctly.

Those two women’s lack of knowledge about

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the U.S. Senate is mirrored in a basic quiz I often give on the first day of class.

Without fail, only about half of a class of 18 or so knows that all 50 states elect two senators to the U.S. Senate. About the same number believe that a U.S. president has the authority to raise or lower taxes at will. And only one or two know the difference between conservativism and liberalism.

The students I teach at Nunez Community College aren’t statistically any different than other Americans. A 2014 survey conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center found that only 36 percent of adults answering a survey about government could name all three branches and 35 percent “could not name a single one.”

The Annenberg survey and others that have yielded similar results led to a national effort by the Joe Foss Institute, a nonprofit organization, to convince all 50 states to adopt legislation requiring high school students to take the test that citizenship-seeking immigrants must pass.

That test asks questions such as these: What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence? Before he was president, Dwight Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

Considering that several of my students one year didn’t know the difference between the Civil War and World War II, it’s unlikely that too many Americans under age 30 would know the answer to the Eisenhower question.

The Joe Foss Institute’s goal is for all 50 states to require the test for high school graduation by Sept.

17, 2017. As of July, reaching that goal seemed unlikely.

The institute’s website says only 13 have adopted it since the ’14 launch date.

Louisiana requires high school students to take the test in 2017. Students aren’t required to pass the test, however, so how much effect the requirement will have on their civic knowlJoseph Fiedler illustration

edge remains to be seen.

As is true in most states, Louisiana students have long been required to take a civics-related course in high school.

High schools too often turn civics courses over to coaches, a clear indication that the material isn’t taken very seriously. One student taught by a coach told me that he left his students to watch movies such as Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, which is about Scottish, not U.S. history. Another was surprised to learn that GOP means Grand Old Party, a nickname adopted by the Republican Party.

Her civics teacher said it meant the Greatest of Parties. So much for objective instruction.

In today’s political climate, with citizens and politicians more polarized than ever, discourse about the political process can be tricky. Many of the least knowledgeable become hostile when facts tread on their closely held opinions.

Classroom discussions can become minefields, so many teachers may avoid any instruction that goes beyond memorization.

But even that explanation for ineffective teaching doesn’t account for what the Intercollegiate Studies Institute called an “alarmingly uninformed” electorate in a 2008 report.

In that report, based on random surveys of 2,508 Americans, only 24 percent of college graduates knew that the first amendment of the Bill of Rights prohibits establishing an official religion.

AmericanCivicLiteracy. org, which summarizes the report, says “common citizens” scored an average

of 49 percent on the civic literacy test.

The 164 respondents who indicated that they had previously held an elective government position scored an average of 44 percent, five percent less than the average score of non-office holders.

Pew Research Center surveys also show that many Americans know little about current events.

The center’s website posts a current events quiz that asks 12 questions. The site says that only 52 percent of 3,147 adults could correctly identify the number of Democrats and Republicans recently elected to the U.S. Senate. Less than one-third knew there are three women on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ninety-one percent of quiz takers recognized a picture of Martin Luther King. Only about half, however, recognized U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, whose popularity among Democrats brought national attention during the 2016 presidential primaries.

The use of pictures in the questions reflects another reason why Americans are so illinformed: Most get their news by passively viewing TV. Fewer Americans read newspapers and news magazines today, and younger Americans don’t do much of either.

The Millennial Generation tends to get its news from social media sites and word of mouth.

These trends are bad news for the future of American democracy.

Civic knowledge could get worse instead of better, no matter how many laws are passed to improve it. n

myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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THE BEAT / HEALTHBEAT

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

A Rose By Any Other Name

A

s I’ve written about in earlier “Healthbeat” columns, I live daily with the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Because of my RA, I’m constantly discovering new reactions to the different medicines I consume daily, weekly and monthly. Recently, I had an unexpected skin reaction.

Usually, like most women, I endure the occasional makeup-related blemish and a few whiteheads here or there, but this reaction was definitely not typical. My skin in my T-zone area began to peel like I had just gotten over a sunburn – but I hadn’t. I burn very easily now and take the necessary precautions to ensure that doesn’t happen, especially on my face. I didn’t put makeup on for a few days and I began moisturizing more frequently, but nothing was working – it was actually getting worse and beginning to hurt.

One day, a lifestyle blogger I follow mentioned a rose stem cell cream that she had just tried and loved. Since I was trying anything at this point, I ordered some for myself. Within two days of using the product my face completely cleared up. I was now a true believer in this miracle cream and began researching rosewater, rose stem cells and plant stem cells in relation to beauty products. Considering that human stem cells and research into their benefits has caused a lot of debate, scientists have moved on to extracting them from plants and fruits.

“Skin cells grow and die at a surprisingly fast rate, turning over about every month,” reports Women’s Health Magazine. “Supplying the skin with a fresh batch of stem cells could potentially allow for the creation of new, younger-looking skin.”

In addition to the rose stem cells, the cream I used also had rose extract and rosewater. Rosewater has myriad health benefits, including hydration and being high in antioxidants. It may work for you and your skin, or it may not. But it can’t hurt and will definitely have your skin smelling like a bouquet of roses.

Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Cream can be found at Sephora, Ulta or PeterThomasRoth.com.

– Kelly Massicot

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THE BEAT / CRIME FIGHTING

Kids at A Demonstration A mom confronts reality

By Allen Johnson Jr.

T

hey are the only children in an angry crowd.

Standing quietly under a searing sun, the four youngsters, two boys and two girls, hold up hand-scribbled signs during the first day of protests in Baton Rouge over the city police killing July 5 of Alton Sterling.

The kids’ placards bear a now-familiar message: “Black Lives Matter!”

Wire service pictures of the unidentified four children will appear nationwide.

They are named here for the first time: James Wilkerson Jr., 5, and his sister Jakayla Coates, 7, both hail from Baton Rouge. James is a self-described future firefighter; Jakayla is an aspiring ballerina.

Their visiting cousins are Desmond Tate Jr., 6, and his sister, Dashayla Tate, 8, both of Kansas City, Kansas.

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Desmond is already focused on a career as “an attorney.” Dashayla wants to be “an artist.”

Whatever your view of the Black Lives Matter slogan or the national movement to change American policing, these four kids are impressive representatives of their families, their peers and their respective communities.

Amid near-deafening chants of “No justice! No peace!” they’re quiet, disciplined and respectful of their elders – the kind of children you might want seated at the next table of your favorite restaurant.

“I brought the children to the demonstration because I wanted them to see for themselves what was going on – not just what I say is happening or what the police say is happening,” says Eshantra Coates, 28, the mother of James and Jakayla

and the aunt of Desmond and Dashayla.

“I didn’t go into a lot of detail with the children about what happened in the incident because I don’t want them to be scared of the police,” Coates says of Sterling’s death. “I tell them there are good police and there are bad police.”

At the moment, we – Ms. Coates, the four children, the protestors and the news media – are all standing in the parking lot of the Triple S Food Mart in impoverished, majority-black north Baton Rouge.

This is the same lot where, 36 hours earlier, two white city police officers fatally shot Sterling, a 37-year-old black, formerly incarcerated father of five children and a neighborhood CD vendor, who authorities say had a gun in his pocket when he scuffled with police.

Citizen camera-phone videos captured parts of the deadly police struggle. The videos have gone viral. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards calls the images “disturbing.”

Fearing the kind of riotous reaction that followed police killings in Ferguson and Baltimore, Governor Edwards quickly – and wisely – calls for a federal investigation of Sterling’s death, several hours before the first day of protests get underway outside the Triple S Food Mart.

There is no visible police presence on this busy stretch of North Foster Drive. The demonstration is spirited but peaceful – even with temperatures in the high 90s.

The four children hold up their signs for a battery of news cameras. Jakayla and her brother James remain stoic, clutching their sign.

The crowd grows; the excitement builds.

Passing motorists honk their horns to show support. The protestors chant, wave signs and clenched fists. “No justice! No peace!”

Towards dusk more teenagers appear. A few hop on the hoods of slow-moving cars. Other teens briefly block traffic; they’re obviously showing off. Kid stuff.

Ms. Coates and the four kids leave after

approximately three hours at the Triple S protest. They don’t return to attend any of the later more restive demonstrations near Baton Rouge police headquarters and elsewhere in the capitol city.

“People started getting ignorant,” Coates says. “I don’t want my children around ignorance.”

The protest at the Triple S was a “positive” experience for the children, she says. “To me, ‘Black Lives’ means we’re going to stand for something. People think just because we’re black, we’re not going to stand for anything. We’re going to be strong. Black lives matter.

Everybody’s lives matter.”

She says she’ll continue to raise her children to respect the law and to stay out of trouble. “I tell them, if you keep yourself out of certain situations, the police won’t be bothering you. If you obey the law, they will leave you alone.”

Like many black parents, Coates also worries her son James will be unfairly stigmatized and mistreated simply because he’s a young black male. “My son was born a statistic. By being born a black person, you’re already labelled (negatively). I try to teach him better. I don’t want my son to be a statistic.”

Too many statistics for black males are grim, despite recent well-reported gains in educational achievement: • Black males in the U.S. today are 2.5 times more likely to be shot and killed by police than white males, according to an ongoing study by The Washington Post.

• The per capita homicide rate for black males in Louisiana was 27.75 residents per 100,000 black residents in 2012 – far exceeding the national average of 18 homicides per 100,000 black

residents the same year, according to the Violence Policy Center at Washington, D.C. In a previously unpublished interview, Tulane University historian Lance Hill, an expert on race relations whose research derailed David Duke political campaigns in the 1990s, offered a basic approach to the complex problems of forming racial coalitions to fight crime and racial bias: “Define your common values.”

“What is the ideal world in which we want to raise our children to become healthy, responsible and considerate adults? We all agree that we want less crime – that’s not the point. Where we disagree is on policy – what is the long-term solution? Most dialogues between whites and blacks are based on bringing together the elites of both races. Such dialogues have no effect on the rest of the population.

“The answers have to be found in the communities themselves that are besieged by violence and crime,” Hill said. “In every community that’s suffering from a set of problems, there are unique individuals who are successfully coping with those problems using their own resources. I can’t change that 60 percent of households are raised by single women, but as a social scientist I can go into that community and identify those women who are succeeding in raising academically successful children who are not falling into criminal or violent activity.” The next step is to find out what those exceptional parents are doing differently “and develop a strategy that replicates that successful behavior.”

Perhaps Baton Rouge can start with Ms. Coates and her kids. n

myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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THE BEAT / Chronicles

Flat Tires, Shakespeare and Monkey Shines New Orleans music on the road

BY CAROLYN KOLB

N

ew Orleans musicians are on a mission to bring our music to the world. What they bring home are great stories.

“One minute you’re at a gas station having a bad American highway experience and three hours later you could be somewhere spectacular.” Jeff Raines, guitarist in the locally based band Galactic, spends about 120 days a year on the road and has been at it “about 20 years.”

“We were on Cape Cod and we got to Nantucket,” says Raines, “and we met a guy from New Orleans. He took us out to dinner that night at a sort of private club. They had set up tables with torches at the water’s edge – we ordered Cristal. It was the most spectacularly extravagant meal!”

A breakdown in the Mississippi countryside brought Galactic a close encounter of the weird kind: “A

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convertible pulls up, and the woman driving it is wearing a dress made out of an American flag and she has a go-cup. We asked what was in it.

She said, ‘Gin – and he’s having some, too.’ Next to her in the passenger seat was a monkey on a leash, wearing a diaper and holding a sippy cup.”

Sometimes the surprise is the place, not the people.

Roselyn Leonard, who plays with husband David Leonard, is often seen locally on Royal Street, but the couple has toured extensively for decades.

One South American city surprised her. “We were in Bogota, Colombia.

We had just gotten in and it was about 11:30 at night, so we decided to go out. You know, in New Orleans at 11:30, the streets would be full of people. But, in Bogota, at 11:30 the streets were empty. We finally saw two policemen, walking around with

bayonets fixed on their rifles.”

The Leonards despaired of finding an audience for their upcoming show. “But the next night the show was packed!”

Sometimes you can have a travel adventure without going far. Deacon John Moore proudly states, “I never had to take a day job – I’ve always supported myself by my art.” He once booked his band to play for a convention event on board a local steamboat.

“Well, everybody was there except the drummer,” Moore says. “I asked if we could wait, and the captain said ‘No.’ So, we sailed off, and I saw the drummer waving good-bye on the dock.”

“It’s a rock band – and I had to entertain the people with no drummer.” Luckily there was a drum set on the bandstand, and one of the conventioneers volunteered that he had played drums in high school. “He actually played with us; he kept the party going,” Moore laughs.

Sometimes the problem isn’t the musician, it’s the instrument. Tulane University Band Director Barry Spanier was representing the university at a jazz funeral (400 years late) for William Shakespeare in Stratford on Avon, England. Spanier says that the marching group included, “Wendell Brunious, his four musicians, my assistant band director Mendel Lee, snare drum and two Tulane students: Dylan Koester on trumpet and Joe Foster on tenor sax.”

When the event started, Foster discovered his saxophone had been irreparably damaged during the trip. “Fortunately, he was able to borrow a sax in Stratford – but it was an alto. He was a good enough musician to just transpose his part,” Spanier says. And the “funeral” proceeded on schedule.

And sometimes the biggest adventure happens when you get home. Organist Albinus Prizgintas rocks a mean keyboard and had just deplaned at the airport when he saw fellow pianist, Davell Crawford.

“Davell said he’d give me a ride home, so we got into a long, shiny black Cadillac,” Prizgintas says.

“We got on the airport access road and suddenly whomp-whomp: a flat tire.” But Crawford was prepared. “He got out a little black box and plugged it in and there was air in the tire.”

As Crawford dropped him off, “he asked if I would like to keep the car – he was going back on the road.”

Considering possible tire trouble, Prizgintas declined.

“My wife, Manon, said what was I thinking? We could have been driving a Cadillac!” n Tulane School of Liberal Arts photograph

myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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

in tune pg. 50

Sturgill Simpson will be at the Saenger Fri., Sept. 9. If you missed the rising indie country star at Jazz Fest last year, this is a perfect opportunity to catch him live. Simpson’s new record A Sailor’s Guide to Earth expands on his previous efforts and brings a distinct flair of R&B to his already excellent sound.

Reto Sterchi photograph

LOCAL COLOR / ME AGAIN

Ahead to the Past Of Streetcars and Ferry Boats

BY CHRIS ROSE

N

ew Orleans has become such an interesting mélange of what it used to be and what it’s going to be in the future.

In many ways, these are one and the same thing. In so many other ways we’re a city so different, so changed and so unrecognizable that it makes the mind spin. And yet, we’re also looking at New Orleans as it was in 1940.

First, there are the streetcar lines: When I moved to New Orleans in the summer of 1984, there was just one trolley line: the famed, beloved St. Charles Streetcar Line, a privileged destination for tourists and a lifeline for commuters who didn’t own cars.

Now, depending how you count and connect them, there are five or six streetcar lines, all of them finding a winding way to connect to each other from City Park to the train station to the French Market to Canal Street to the Convention Center to St. Claude Avenue and, of course, St. Charles Avenue.

And that’s great – by any measure.

Despite Rampart Street and St. Claude Avenue currently looking like movie sets for the next Mad Max movie, the progress and progressive notions of

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these public transportation systems can only be considered a boon to a city that 10 years ago was placed on the endangered species list.

But the weird part about all of this is that we’re not building “new” streetcar lines, but simply rebuilding old streetcar lines that were perfectly functional during their times. We are, I suppose, undoing the mistakes of our past. There were, at one time – how many? – maybe 30 or 40 streetcar lines in the city?

All over town, in older neighborhoods, you can still see the remains of the old railcar lines under dilapidated roadways. What was our thinking when we tore them all up and relegated them to the trash heap of history?

And what’s our thinking now, that we spend billions of dollars to lay down new tracks where the old ones once stood firm before them?

Is this all done simply because we can get the federal government to pay a great part of the bill for it? Is it done for the convenience and better health choices of our local populace and a shrinking, walkable city? Or is it all done as part of a larger and perhaps

more insidious idea of growing our tourism industry?

Hard to say, really. The answer is: Probably all three. But it does make one wonder why in the hell we tore up and paved over and destroyed all the streetcar lines we once had.

It is impossible to watch the gleeful rebuilding of our new streetcar lines (jobs! money! tourism!) while we witness at the same time the slow decimation of our ferry boat transportation systems.

We cut back their hours. We cut back their locations. We cut back their access to automobiles.

Can you, like me, imagine the day when our wise City Council and state legislators decide to invest billions of dollars to rebuild our ferry system? To make it like it used to be? To return New Orleans to its charm and nearly antebellum past?

To reproduce the brilliant antiquated transportation system for which the city was once heralded?

The money wasted and then reinvested in these forms of public transportation is mindboggling. The weird thing being that there was nothing wrong with them when we tore them down, broke them down and shut them down in the first place. It was just a new day. With new ideas. And bigger automobiles. And more people bitching about where they could park.

There is that famous saying: Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

Well, look around you, New Orleans, as we rebuild the city in its former form, perhaps even one day tearing down the interstate that decimated the Tremé neighborhood and Claiborne Corridor, because we realize now it was all a big mistake. A big mistake at the cost of billions of dollars which, fortunately, the federal government seems happy to pick up the tab for because, well, we got the crap kicked out of us in 2005 and the Feds feel a (real and reasonable) responsibility for that and so move on, march on, streetcar on, into the future.

Without our ferry boats.

Surely some genius will come up with a way to revive and rebuild and revitalize those wondrous water vehicles that gave our region such distinction and charm during their marvelous decades of use. Hell, when I moved here in 1984, that’s how I got to work to Gretna every morning from Jackson Avenue.

Seems like a sepia-toned picture taken so long ago. And hopefully, it won’t be another natural disaster – just a disastrous view of the future and how to deal with it – that will bring us back to our senses.

And our charm. And our streetcars and ferry boats Until then, you’ve got Uber. n jason raish illustration

myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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LOCAL COLOR / MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS

Tarmac Blues Flying With the Gunches

BY MODINE GUNCH

T

ake my advice. If you go somewhere on a plane, there are certain things you shouldn’t take with you. Like a grand piano. Or a young child.

With either one you got a lot of extra packing and a lot of extra noise. But the piano won’t say that it has to go potty immediately after the captain has turned the seat belt sign on.

I got to explain.

One of the Gunch cousins, Bovette, decides to have a destination wedding in California. It is going to be gorgeous, and she needs little kids to dribble flower petals in front of her as she prances up the aisle.

My daughter Gumdrop volunteers her two, because it’s too hot to hang around here anyway.

So she and myself pack up little Lollipop, who’s 7, and Go-Cup, who’s 5. We will fly instead of drive, which will save us 20 hours of being asked if we’re there yet.

Gumdrop’s kids have never been on a plane before, and she says they might learn something. Well, we all learn plenty.

The first thing we learn is that airlines sometimes don’t sit everybody together. We get two seats on one side of the aisle, one on the other and another one five rows away. There is a man in the seat next to one of our seats, scowling at

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his phone and looking like he don’t want to move.

“I don’t want to disturb you, Mister,” I say real cheerful. “My grandson Go-Cup will be sitting next to you. If you notice him getting a little green around the gills, just give him this,” and I hand over the throw-up bag.

“Use the bag, honey,” I tell Go-Cup. And what do you know, this man instantly insists that we change seats. I tell him how nice he is.

Lollipop learns about airplane bathrooms.

She says she don’t need no help, thank you, lurches to the back of the plane by herself and looks around frantically until the flight attendant says, “That’s the bathroom right there,” and unfolds a piece of wall to show a space tinier than a broom closet with a metal potty and a metal sink and a lot of pictures that have diagonal red lines across them. Lollipop sits on the potty, does her business and stares at the pictures. She figures out the diagonal lines mean you aren’t supposed to do what’s in the picture. No cigarettes. No drinking faucet water. Then she gets up and there on the lid is another picture – somebody throwing stuff in the toilet, with a line across it. This really means you aren’t supposed to throw random items in there, but she interprets it as “Don’t put the toilet paper in the toilet.” Where then? Finally,

she lurches back to her seat and holds out the damp paper and says, in a trembly little voice, “It’s real hard not to break rules in there.”

I quickly tell her to shove the paper into my empty Styrofoam coffee cup. Then I myself totter to the bathroom to get rid of it. I also snatch the unfinished gallon-size tank of Coke that Go-Cup bought in the airport – “I asked for small. They said this is small!”

– to pour down the sink.

I fold the bathroom door shut, the plane lurches and I drop the Coke. I bend over to grab it, bump my head on the sink and it rolls away. Coke splashes out all over the floor, then under the door and with the next lurch, up the aisle. I unfold the door and hiss to the flight attendant that I spilled a Coke. He looks at this tank-size cup and says “You brought that in the bathroom?” I guess pretty soon there will be another sign in that bathroom with a picture of a huge Coke cup and a line through it.

Meanwhile, the passengers in the back of the plane are looking suspiciously at that liquid washing into the aisle from under the bathroom door. They are thinking it’s something worse than a spilled Coke.

Go-Cup is leaning out of his seat, watching it all. “Is the plane going to crash?” he squalls, in a voice that carries to first-class. Then there’s a lot of uproar. I ain’t going to talk about it no more.

Next time I’ll take the grand piano. n

LORI OSIECKI ILLUSTRATION

myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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LOCAL COLOR / JOIE D’EVE

A Reluctant Optimist When the Subject is Race

BY EVE CRAWFORD PEYTON

I

am not an optimist by nature. When my boss calls me into her office, my default assumption is that I’m about to be fired. When my leg hurts, my default assumption is that it’s bone cancer. When I was pregnant with Ruby after a second-trimester loss, I refused to buy any baby clothes at all until I was at 20 weeks – and then I bought a tiny pink onesie because I told myself that at this point, even if she died, I would need something to bury her in. (Then I could never, ever dress her in it once she was born.) This is morbidly insane; I know that.

When someone is already predisposed to anxiety and pessimism, it can be very easy, in the face of everything happening lately (the mass shootings, the police shootings, the presidential election), to feel completely despairing and overwhelmed. And yet, I feel like I have to stay positive for my kids’ sake and, for them, I have to believe that things will get better, even when it feels bleak and hopeless.

Last night, as I drove my two girls and Ruby’s best

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friend, who happens to be black, to get frozen yogurt, Ruby piped up from the backseat: “Mom, do you want to hear a really bad story, a story that happened to her mom?

Go on; tell her.”

“I don’t want to tell her,” her friend said.

“Tell her!” Ruby urged again.

“No, honey, she doesn’t have to tell me anything she isn’t comfortable with,” I said. “We don’t make people share stories they don’t want to share.”

“You can tell her,” Ruby’s friend said to Ruby. “I just don’t want to tell her.”

“OK,” Ruby said, with an energy that came, I suspect, from the righteous anger of a 9-year-old minus the weariness that accompanies being the actual subject of systemic racism. “Her mom was riding her bike and some people said to her, ‘Get out of here.’ And called her the N-word. And said she was in the wrong neighborhood.”

I felt like this was a moment in which I really didn’t want to say the wrong thing and yet I also had absolutely no idea what the right thing to say was. Is there even a right thing to say?

I finally just went with the absolute truth: “I am so sorry that happened to your mom. That’s terrible, and it makes me sick that that kind of thing is still happening at all.”

Sympathy isn’t enough. And silence in the face of injustice is complicity, I know that, but is silence better or worse than saying a wrong but well-intended thing?

(Obviously, silence is better than saying a wrong and hateful thing, but most of the people who are inclined to say wrong and hateful things seem quite determined to

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say them.) As a white person who’s aware enough to acknowledge white privilege, to understand that I won’t ever fully understand, I’m often paralyzed by overthinking. I have black friends who have been hurt by white silence after various racially charged incidents. I have other black friends who have been hurt by white people chiming in as though they have something unique to add to the situation from a nonblack perspective. I usually spend so much time trying to decide what to say and how best to say it, how to say it in a way that conveys my passion while grasping the limitations of my perspective, that by the time I feel ready to speak up, the moment has passed.

But in this very specific, very personal instance that was related to me in the comfort and privacy of my minivan, I didn’t really have to think in a “global context,” only a human one. I don’t know that I responded in the “best” way; I responded in the only way that made sense to me in my gut. Should I have expressed my anger more than my sadness? Should I have said something more about the insidious and pervasive nature of racism? I don’t know, honestly.

But then I said something that also felt right: “I really think that your generation is going to change things, girls. I know that your generation hates injustice and wants to change the world for the better. And if you keep standing up for what’s right, all three of you, I really think and hope that things will get better.”

That might not be true at all. I obviously have no way to know if it’s true. But it, at least while I was saying it, certainly felt true.

Maybe I’m an optimist after all. n

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

jane sanders ILLUSTRATION

myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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LOCAL COLOR / IN TUNE

Dinosaur Jr.

Experimental Finish

A Legendary Month September songs BY mike griffith

E

very year just like clockwork, as soon as the weather starts to turn, the bands flock back to town. This month we have a truly insane amount of music coming to town.

No matter what your taste or style, there’s something for you.

Start the month off with Drake and Future at the Smoothie King Center.

Drake seems to be relatively unstoppable these days with a constant stream of collaborations and shows. You don’t want to miss this one.

Then we hit one of the most absurd nights of music I’ve seen in a long time.

In this city – where we have so many musical options – overlapping shows are often an issue; on Fri., Sept. 9, we’re taking this to a whole new level. For starters, the pioneering German electronic ensemble Kraftwerk will be at the Orpheum. This isn’t just a show; it’s a 3D multimedia experience as befits the complex texturing of the groups music.

This will be a show for the ages and, once again, the sonic perfection of the renewed Orpheum will be just the place to see it. That same night Joanna New-

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som will bring her absolutely unique vocal and harp stylings to the Civic. It has been a few years since Newsom has been through town, and her new record is simply outstanding. If you’re looking for something a bit more country that night, Sturgill Simpson will be at the Saenger. If you missed the rising indie country star at Jazz Fest last year, this is a perfect opportunity to catch him live.

Simpson’s new record A Sailor’s Guide to Earth expands on his previous efforts and brings a distinct flair of R&B to his already excellent sound. These three exemplary shows are clearly the result of our revitalized theatre district. We have caught the eye of the world, and the artists are clearly interested in visiting.

Just a few days later, on Sept. 14, Dinosaur Jr. will be at Tipitina’s. This group has been on a roll since reforming with the original lineup in 2005.

Expect a generous balance of old favorites along with some of their excellent new tracks.

The next night (Sept. 15), Beck – another indie legend in his own right – will be over at the Saenger Theater.

You can finish this month with your choice of a couple of exciting experimental acts on Sept. 27. First, James Blake will play the Orpheum. Blake won the Mercury Prize for his 2013 release Overgrown and is currently touring in support of The Colour in Anything. Blake is pretty consistently on the cutting-edge of music production, blurring the lines between soul and post-dubstep electronica. Blake has managed to craft a remarkably unique sound that oscillates between harmony and dissonance wildly while always holding the listener. If you want something a bit more driving, check out Classixx at Republic the same night. This LA-based duo makes some of the most interesting indie electronica around right now. Their latest release, Faraway Reach, is exactly what I look for in an electronic sound.

This is a great opportunity to see Beck outside of the festival circuit. His theater shows tend to lean more heavily on his stunningly beautiful singer songwriter work. On Sept.

16, garage rockers Twin Peaks will be at Gasa Gasa. I love the sound of these guys; there’s lilting pop rhythm to their work that should be great for a breezy fall show.

Last but not least, on Sept. 24, Beyoncé will play the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

There isn’t much more to say here. Beyoncé is a cultural force. You know how awesome this is going to be. If there is a ticket to be had, you should grab it.

Note: Dates are subject to change. Playlist of mentioned bands available at: bit.ly/ InTune9-16 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.

levi walton photograph

myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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LOCAL COLOR / READ+SPIN

NON-FICTION: Miss Ella of Commander’s Palace: I don’t want a restaurant where a jazz band can’t come marching through is a fantastically entertaining book of memoirs from a New Orleans restaurateur-legend and Creole-Cajun cuisine grande dame. This autobiography details the astoundingly influential life of Ella Brennan, from her brother Owen Brennan’s first business venture with Vieux Carré on Bourbon Street to the rise and fall of her family’s work with Brennan’s restaurant on Royal Street and building up to Commander’s Palace’s award-winning success on Washington Avenue. Today, most locals and tourists alike have dined in at least one Brennan family-owned restaurant during their time in New Orleans. Miss Ella of Commander’s Palace recounts a time before New Orleans became famed for its food, and how she has

spent her early career contributing to that rise in popularity as she became among the most influential restaurateurs in Southern history.

With an insightful forward from Cookie Roberts, along with personal touches from famous New Orleans chefs, entertainers and entrepreneurs, including Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, Chris Owens and Tim and Nina Zagat, the people Ella Brennan has built relationships with is inspiring on its own.

Ti Martin, co-proprietor of Commander’s Palace, daughter of Ella Brennan and coauthor of Miss Ella of Commander’s Palace, shares the most challenging aspects of taking on the project, “Never write a book with an uncooperative subject! I am only half kidding. Mom wanted nothing to do with a book about her. People have always told us we should do it, but she would give me ‘that look’ – like don’t even think about it …” Martin said in an interview. “I finally convinced her that her adored grandchildren, grand nieces and nephews as well as all the young people in our businesses had no clue about all that had gone on … and then the fun began of getting all the stories.”

Miss Ella of Commander’s Palace made me laugh, cry and beckoned my attention in every free moment I had. With its quirky quotes, chapter’s lessons, historic photographs and Ella Brennan’s distinct character and wit present in the writing, I highly recommend this book to all who love this city. Miss Ella of Commander’s Palace opens the curtain and sets the table for all inquisitive restaurant-goers. Keep an eye out for the documentary film, Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table, also to be released this fall.

FUNK: River’s on Fire is the first album release

by John “Papa” Gros since 2013 – and it was worth the wait. If River’s on Fire were a cocktail, then Gros is a mixologist using funk, blues, reggae, jazz and rock ’n’ roll as his ingredients – making one deliciously dynamic album. This 11-track disc features musicians such as Brian Stoltz, Mike Dillon and Eric Vogel, and is mixed by Grammy Award-Winning Trina Shoemaker at Dauphin Street Productions. Released on Aug. 26, Gros credits some of the album’s inspiration to his friend and New Orleans’ lost legend, Allen Toussaint.

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

myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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LOCAL COLOR / JAZZ LIFE

Nadja’s World Classical Loyola

BY JASON BERRY

N

adja Salerno-Sonnenberg is a virtuoso violinist and superstar in the world of classical music. She has been profiled on “60 Minutes” and is the subject of an acclaimed film documentary, Speaking in Strings.

Soloists in the world of chamber music travel often for their concerts. Since 2015, Salerno-Sonnenberg has had a triangular existence linking her home in New York, several periods of two weeks at a time in San Francisco as Music Director of the New Century Chamber Orchestra and sustained stretches in the academic calendar as Resident Artist at the Loyola School of Music New Orleans.

At Loyola she performs, teaches and works with orchestral musicians, faculty and students, and does substantial outreach work in visiting area schools.

On Oct. 2 she’ll perform in a faculty concert at Loyola, and on Nov. 6 will perform in Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” with the university’s chamber orchestra.

“Say ‘New Orleans,’ and people think of Mardi Gras and jazz,” she mused in a telephone interview from New York.

“But the New Orleans metropolitan area has an extraordinary community of classical musicians. I am a huge fan of Carlos Miguel Prieto and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. The program at Loyola is the only one among the Jesuit universities for training [classical] musicians. New Orleans

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has a real infrastructure of talent. I have gone to high schools and middle schools and found teachers in their 30s who knew my music and were thrilled to have me work with their students.”

Born in Rome in 1961, Salerno-Sonnenberg never knew her father, but absorbed the discipline of practicing her instrument from her mother, “a spectacular pianist. I grew up in a home where music was always played.” She was 8 when they moved to Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She began winning prizes before her college graduation from Juilliard.

In her work in San Francisco with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, she was executive producer of the 2014 release, From A to Z: 21st New Century Concertos. The album features the works of four composers. Her sinuous lines in the first cut, “Dreamscapes” by Clarice Assad, exemplify the qualities of a “fiercely original, deeply emotive violinist” as pronounced by a Washington Post critic several years ago.

In the liner notes Assad writes, “The solo violin represents self-awareness, while the orchestra represents the subconscious mind, providing the scenario changes throughout the piece.” A swirling stream of the violin notes in one passage suggest the mind surfacing from the fugue state of a dream, yet aching for resolution or finality from what the psyche whispers. Dreams are too often unresolved, and so the violin moans.

In such a busy life, what does Salerno-Sonnenberg listen to in her off-hours?

“WWOZ. I listen to it all the time in New York. I love that station and I’m a contributor. I have a WWOZ bumper sticker on my car. I’m absorbing everything I can about New Orleans. And the food! But let’s not go there.”

“I get deeper into the notes the older I get,” she says of her music. “I have also watched my world change in startling ways.

I never imagined that the Philadelphia orchestra word declare bankruptcy. For all of us, the work involves so much fundraising and a struggle to get people into the seats. I grew up in the golden age of recording, and that’s gone” she says, referring to the trend in music recording generally, with fewer major labels producing and distributing works as artists take on the task.

Salerno-Sonnenberg’s presence at Loyola is one that many universities would envy. Her Oct. 2 concert will include a number with the guitarist John Rankin, a faculty member guitarist and jazz artist, playing Brazilian “choro” music.

The reach of her style seems matched only by her curiosity for the range of music and culture in New Orleans. Meanwhile, as the summer days counted down toward fall, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg had music from WWOZ the roots radio station playing in the background at her home, up north, in the city of cities. n Sonya Robinson / Artist Corps. photograph

LOCAL COLOR / HOME

Henry Howard Classic Famed architect designed this royal residence

BY BONNIE WARREN PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHERYL GERBER

T

he home of Andrea and David Bland is a jewel in the historic Garden District. The architecture of the 1859 mansion is attributed to Henry Howard, a leading architect of the time. Filled with fine antiques that have been handed down by ancestors of the couple, it’s a true showcase in a neighborhood known for grand mansions. “We were drawn to the house because of its inherent beauty,” says Andrea, head of Cygnette, a real estate development company

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that specializes in restoring significantly important historic homes in New Orleans. “It was a preservationist’s dream with almost no modifications made to it. Although most of the original elements to the 6,500-square-foot home were preserved, it was in dire need of restoration.” She smiles when she tells that they received a sack of large brass skeleton keys from its previous owners for the original mortise locks that were still in place on all the original 42 doors. “When this

Facing page: Built in 1859, the design of the mansion is attributed to noted architect Henry Howard. Top: The 20-by-40-foot ball room features fine antiques and accessories. Bottom: David and Andrea Bland with their Cavallier King Charles Spaniels: Daisy, Rex, Saint, Millie and Buckley.

house was built it was state-of-the-art, with beautiful huntsman gasoliers that are now hung in the new family room. Even eight of original marble mantels were still in perfect condition when we purchased our home.”

Andrea is well known in preservation circles, having received the “Preservationist of the Year” award for Louisiana for 2013, and the “Garden District Association Renovator of the Year” designation for ’13 and ’16. She did a meticulous renovation of their prior stately mansion on Sixth Street just blocks away before falling in love with their current home and taking on yet another enormous preservation project. “Since we have designated this our ‘forever’ home, we also added a new addition to the rear where we demolished a 1974 townhouse to restore the original lot and create a beautiful garden,” she says. “Sarah Stehil Howell and Ivan Mandich, our architects, did a great job, as did Dragan Segvic, our prime contractor. The final design created a new kitchen, added an onyx bar, a family room and a circular freestanding stairway in the elliptical opening to the second floor.” It is definitely the new gathering place for the Bland family, which includes their adult children David Jr. and James Elwood “JEB” Butterfield and Rachel, along with five Cavallier King Charles Spaniels: Millie, Rex, Saint, Daisy and Buckley.

Facing Page: Top: A new kitchen was added during the renovation and addition to the back of the house. Bottom, left: Metal artist Luis Colmenares designed the chairs for the back porch table. Bottom, right: The unique backlit onyx bar features handblown glass and metal pendant lights made by glass artist James Vella and metal artist Luis Colmenares. This page: Top, right: Architects Sarah Stehil Howell and Ivan Mandich are credited with designing the new freestanding stairway added in the renovation and new construction of the rear of the house. Top, left: Italian artist Enzo Ghenos designed the tiles behind the swimming pool.

A handsome porch was added across the back of the home, with a new pool that showcases the tile art of Enzo Ghenos, from Tuscany, Italy. He also designed the tile backsplash behind the stove in the kitchen that was inspired by a 16th century painting

by Vincenzo Campi called “La Cucina.” It portrays Andrea with a bunch of persimmons for luck, as well as portraits of beloved dogs Daisy and Buckley.

The Blands commissioned artist Luis Colmenares to design the eight metal chairs for the porch table. “We think the chairs are a wonderful addition and we love that each chair back is adorned with a different flower from our garden,” she says. Colmenares also designed the metal arched rose trellises in the garden. A favorite new feature of the couple is the side rose garden that was designed by landscape architect Byron Adams in collaboration with rose experts Eddie and Sue Sanchez.

David’s favorite space is his office. “I rise early and my office

is always cozy and welcoming,” says the attorney with his firm Bland & Partners. “I start my day with music, a cup of coffee and at least one of our dogs.”

For Andrea, her favorite space is the 20-by-40-foot ballroom.

“I feel great pride in its restoration, which I undertook personally on scaffolding with a small team of plaster artisans and artists,” she says. She also provides information about some of the New Orleans Carnival portraits and proclamations adorning the walls of their home, including their daughter Rachel, who served as queen of Twelfth Night in 2011, and the participation of more than a century of noted Rex royalty, including David’s great-grandmother Ella Sinnott, the 1893 Queen of Carnival; his grandmother Dorothy Clay, Queen 1921; and his mother Henriette Vallon, who carried on the tradition by being named Queen in ’47. Both Dorothy and Henriette also reigned as Queens of Twelfth Night, thus opening and closing the Carnival Season. Also George Clay, David’s great-grandfather, ruled as Rex 1912.

While David’s lineage to Mardi Gras royalty is proudly displayed in the home, he’s quick to mention other members of his family who have been in the Rex Court. “Will and Clay, my brothers, and Peter and Scovie Martin, my cousins, all agree that our grandmother Dorothy Clay would love her new place of honor as her life-sized portrait hangs over the mantel in our ballroom,” he says. “We all shared many dinners in her home under her portrait that hung in a similar place of honor above the same dining room table with the very chair covers she needlepointed by hand.” n myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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On Our Ballot

PEOPLE toWATCH

This being an election year, we know that there are plenty of people who wish they had more than two major choices for President. Fortunately, when we do our annual People to Watch section we have a million or so people from whom to choose. The problem is in whittling the list. People to Watch is New Orleans Magazine’s oldest tradition. We regard it as our annual exercise at exploring emerging energy in the community. We define our selectees as people who are doing something new and interesting. Most often they're new faces; sometimes they’re old faces doing something different. All are winners by our estimation. And if they do well, their terms are unlimited.

WRITTEN BY SARAH RAVITS

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFFERY JOHNSTON

Y Rebecca Smith

Head of Reader Services, Historic New Orleans Collection As the Head of Reader Services at the Historic New Orleans Collection, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Rebecca Smith brings a fresh enthusiasm to the storied organization, which houses in its Williams Research Center thousands of materials relating to history, art and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. Smith says history has always fascinated her, and in this position, while working with scholars, publishers, museums and others seeking documents or conducting research, she’s able to put her interest in history to practical use. “I’ve always felt drawn to work in the archives field,” she says. “I like working in public services at The Historic New Orleans Collection because I think it’s important to facilitate access to the materials that record both the historical importance and the ever-evolving vibrancy of the city.” Every day, she learns something new, and says that her long-term goal is to learn “everything” about New Orleans.

“Maybe that’s overly ambitious, but I want to keep improving my knowledge of [The Collection’s] holdings and get better at providing the right information to our patrons and guests.”

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Y Kevin Brown

Owner, Brilliance in Diamonds – The Engagement Specialists “If you had told me 10 years ago that I would be in the jewelry business, I would’ve laughed,” says Kevin Brown, owner of Brilliance in Diamonds – The Engagement Specialists in Metairie, a business that helps customers custom-design a ring with one-on-one attention. “I actually fell into the jewelry business by accident, and it was the best thing that has ever happened to me,” he says.

While working in wholesale and retail sectors of the jewelry industry, he noticed that every place within the industry “wanted to sell something to their customers out of the display cases.”

He says, “I thought to myself, ‘Wouldn’t it be more fun and even more special if people could create truly one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry?’” His business now does just that. “My low overhead business model allows me to help people get a better diamond and setting at a price, usually at least 50 percent less than a typical retail jewelry store,” he says. “The guy saves money and the girl gets a bigger and better diamond!”

Y Andrea I. Moreno Executive Director, New Orleans Ballet Theatre

The first-ever Executive Director of the New Orleans Ballet Theatre, Andrea Moreno, grew up performing ballet and moved to New Orleans for the Teach For America program before establishing her current position. Now, her goals are to extend opportunity to as many young people as possible in her new leadership role, which combines educational outreach with dance. “As a Mexican immigrant in the United States, ballet gave me the privilege to reclaim my story when others were all too willing to impose their own narratives about who or what I should be,” she says.

When NOBT performed The Nutcracker at the Orpheum Theater for the first time, the organization donated 250 tickets to six schools around the city. “A few of the students I taught ended up attending, and afterward one of them spoke up and said, ‘I’d never been in a building this nice before.’ I’d grown up going to theaters, museums and performances my entire life without thinking twice about what a privilege it was,” Moreno confesses. “To this day, that moment serves as the single clearest articulation of why I do what I do.”

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Y William B. Crowell Artist

“For me, being an artist was almost not a choice,” says contemporary acrylic painter William “Bill” Crowell. “It was something that had always been part of my personality from the time I started doodling as a small child.” He paid the bills for years by working as a mechanical designer for Chevron before pursuing art fulltime in 2008. During this time, Chevron commissioned him to do a seven-painting series on the oil industry for their Northpark campus in Covington.

“Painting gives me real joy and a sense of accomplishment from developing an idea and bringing it to visual life,” he says. Longterm, his goals are to continue to improve his craft. “It’s a lifelong learning process,” he says. “This means I have to be my severest critic.” Next month, he’ll unveil a new series at Gallery 600 Julia titled, “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere” and he also recently had a painting accepted at the New Orleans Museum of Art. “There’s a great deal of satisfaction when others get pleasure from my work,” he says.

Y Burnell Cotlon & Keasha Cotlon Owners & Founders, Lower 9th Ward Market

The Lower 9th Ward, where many residents lack reliable transportation, was long after Hurricane Katrina still considered a “food desert” – a location designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a place devoid of stores selling healthy foods. That all changed when Burnell and Keasha Cotlon spent their life savings to establish a small but vital grocery store in their native community. Burnell Cotlon says he did it out of love. “It pained me to see so many people with the inability to provide their families with basic human needs,” he says.

“It’s essential. Someone had to make a change.” Now that it’s up and running, his longterm goals are to expand and create more jobs in the upcoming years.

“There’s so much more left to do in order to get the Lower 9th Ward up to par with the rest of New Orleans,” he says. “We will not be forgotten.” He also recently established the nonprofit “Make It a Home Foundation,” which will help provide affordable living options to the people of the community.

Y Celeste Coco-Ewing

Member, Barrasso Usain Kupperman Freeman & Sarver LLC; Program Chair, Board of Directors, Louisiana Appleseed

Y Justin Shiels

Founder & Creative Director, This Creative Lab Creativity in many forms is what drives Justin Shiels.

He says he has always been compelled by the “power of words and pictures.” As creative director and founder of This Creative Lab, Shiels works for small businesses by providing graphic and web design, marketing strategy and communications planning.

“I’m an entrepreneur because my skills are cross-disciplinary,” he says. “We believe in the transformative power of good design, strong messaging and a clearly defined voice.

The end result is a well-crafted brand – an integral tool for every company’s success.”

In the past few years, the young entrepreneur has been reinventing himself. “I went from being the founder of goINVADE [a now defunct-local lifestyle publication geared toward the rebellious and optimistic] to running a small creative agency,” he explains. He says he’s excited to grow This Creative Lab to include more digital marketing and social media management; he’ll also launch educational programs to help young professionals invest in their talents and develop new skills.

Celeste Coco-Ewing says her favorite thing to do is “problemsolve.” This fits with her career as she provides high-quality legal representation at both local and national levels, and contributes to “good work in the community.”

While serving in her past position as the president and CEO of the Bureau of Governmental Research, which she left last spring, she aided in public policy-making and effective use of public resources in the area. Now, she’s back practicing litigation and also serves as program chair on the Board of Directors of Louisiana Appleseed, a nonprofit that works on issues including access to justice, education and opportunity at a policy level. “Last year was certainly a year of change,” she says. She is looking forward to being a member of a national trial team set to head to Dallas for a two to three month trial in the fall.

Y Kyle M. Coleman, M.D. Dermatologist & Co-Owner, Être, Cosmetic Dermatology and Laser Center

New Orleans native Dr. Kyle M. Coleman hails from a medical family, so growing up, he always knew he wanted to be a physician. Dermatology, especially cosmetic dermatology, appealed to him because of its constant innovations. “It allows me to express both my scientific and artistic sides in a functional way,” he says. As co-owner (along with Dr. Lisa Donofrio) of the new Être Cosmetic Dermatology and Laser Center on St. Charles Avenue, he hopes to position the facility as the “premier” destination in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast for all minimally invasive and noninvasive procedures.

One of the biggest makeovers he’s overseen is of the space itself. The building was a former cafeteria in an assisted-living center in “horrible condition,” he remembers. “But it had great potential.” He’d been working in Austin, Texas, at the time, looking forward to returning to his hometown. “In the end, all our hard work and sacrifice was worth it,” he notes. “Currently we’re involved in several research studies, and we continue to attract research opportunities to incorporate cutting-edge procedures and technology that will hopefully be available to the public in the near future.”

Y Tank and The Bangas

Tarriona “Tank” Ball (center front), Lead Singer & Poet; Albert Allenback, Saxophone & Flute; Joshua Johnson, Drummer & Musical Director; & Merell Burkett Jr., Keyboards

Y Quinn Richard Owner & Founder, Cocktail+Creative

Hiring a caterer for an event is a no-brainer; but what about the cocktail program? For those who want to serve their guests something beyond the usual “red, white or beer,” Quinn Richard recently launched Cocktail+Creative.

In this capacity he works as a cocktail caterer and event planner, offering personalized drinks. “We add a personal touch and establish a connection with each and every person in the room,” he says.

“We really strive to make an impression on all guests, down to every last detail.”

Starting this business had been a dream of his for a while, but it was on the backburner.

That is, until his former business, a hair salon, caught fire.

“The challenge was trying to see a future after a burnt building, and renewing the confidence to start a completely different concept,” he says. “Cocktail+Creative was something I had pondered for a while – it just took the fire to help me focus on it.” He is now fine-tuning the offerings and looking into customizable bars.

“Our guests will be able to mix and match, and pick and choose the look of the bar that they would like for the event,” he says. “This will allow them to create the atmosphere they want.”

As frontwoman of local band Tank and the Bangas, Tarriona “Tank” Ball knows firsthand the trials and challenges of making it as an independent artist in the music industry; fortunately, the group has been gaining momentum at local and national music venues alike. In the short term, the group is constantly polishing their sound and re-structuring their set lists – also recording a new studio album this year.

They also set their sights ahead on international tour stops and spreading their locally inspired music abroad.

“Our long-term goal is to sustain ourselves in the music industry and touch people all over the world through our music,” says Ball. “Our greatest accomplishment is being able to stay together and work through the tough times as a group.

Also, being able to touch people with our music is a pretty great feeling. It keeps us humble and reminds us that we’re where we are supposed to be.” Recent accolades include their winning performance at Brooklyn’s AfroPunk Battle of the Bands competition and “Best Performer” and “Best Mover of the Year” awards from local music publication, My Spilt Milk.

Y Keith Esparros

Executive News Director, WWL-TV As Executive News Director at WWL-TV, Keith Esparros oversees news coverage on WWL-TV and its affiliate WUPLTV, along with its website and other digital platforms. A New Orleans native, he relocated back to his hometown after working as senior manager of the investigative team at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles.

The father of 20-year-old triplet sons grew up during an “activist time” and says that being educated against the backdrop of Watergate, the end of the Vietnam War and two major natural disasters (hurricanes Betsy and Camille) fueled his desire to go into journalism. “I wanted to help make our part of the world a little better,” he says.

“When I can go home with a feeling that we were able to shed some light, foster some understanding or help out a person or neighborhood, it reminds me of why I started this career 36 years ago.” He notes that budget cuts in the industry have been challenging, but have also led to innovative methods of reaching audiences. “Our business demands more dedication than it ever has, but we also have more opportunities than we’ve ever had. We can reach our audience every minute of the day.”

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Y Liz Maute Cooke

Creative Director & Owner, Lionheart Prints

Y Kyly Larriviere

Owner, La Rivière Confiserie A former model with an entrepreneurial spirit, Kyly Larriviere – also a mother of twins – opened a candy shop on Magazine Street, La Rivière Confiserie, to “satisfy a playful, child-loving, creative nature,” she says. Part of her job entails traveling to France for “research” – aka testing out candy that she wants to bring back to the United States and sell to her loyal and ever-expanding customer base. Her career, she says, combines her love of history, art, craftsmanship, quality, beauty, food, tradition and her own French heritage. “Some people might say, ‘How do you get all of that out of candy?’” she muses. “Somehow I do, and more.” She acknowledges that being in business is a serious, thought-provoking endeavor, but says, “I love how I can connect with people and the world in a funny way through candy, and I’m thankful. Plus, I can have my children with me after school.” Her plans in the near future include working on partnerships and expanding the business – always continuing to spread sweetness.

As owner and creative director of Lionheart Prints, Liz Maute Cooke bubbles with the same enthusiasm that’s reflected in her hand-lettered stationery and other gift items, including clothing and accessories, that deliver lighthearted, positive catch phrases – often with local flair. (“Yeaux-Leaux,” “You’re totes my fave” and “The snuggle is real” are among just a couple of puns adorning her goods.)

“Our messages are funny and empowering, and sometimes a little bit of both,” she says. “We like to deliver messages that lift you up and motivate you and also encourage you to not take yourself so seriously.”

Her new boutique on Oak Street opened just a few months ago after she outgrew her home office – and her products are now sold in every Urban Outfitters and Paper Source location in the country. As she gains momentum, she says her goals are to keep making “awesome things,” adding that she would “love to do this for the rest of my life. I want to be able to do this and have kids and show them that you can be a badass at business … I want to be a good example for my own family and for other entrepreneurs and let people know they can live the life of their dreams.”

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Y Allison Hoffman & Julie Hoffman

Co-Owners, Native Polish As founders of Native Polish, sisters-in-law Allison Hoffman and Julie Hoffman wanted to design a line of nail polish that would represent “all aspects” of New Orleans, which they believe is an “eclectic and extraordinary city.”

Their product line is affordable – $11 a bottle – and the polishes are not only free of harmful chemicals, but they’re long-lasting. Native Polish offers a broad range of colors, cleverly named for distinct New Orleans characteristics, attractions and things that make the city unique – for example: “Pothole” (dark gray), “Revelry” (sparkly purple) and “Gulf Oyster” (lustrous offwhite). Both Allison and Julie acknowledge that it was a “hectic and exciting few months” trying to establish distribution and operational processes with a positive end result. They say that knowing that their customers are feeling good about what they’re wearing and experiencing the polish’s longevity is what inspires them to keep creating. Julie says, “We have loved getting to meet, re-connect and collaborate with so many inspirational female entrepreneurs.” Allison notes that, “when determined women come together, especially in a creative and interconnected city like New Orleans, enormous things can result.”

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Y Dr. John W. Nicklow President, University of New Orleans

President of the University of New Orleans John Nicklow, who assumed the position this past April, has a strong passion and respect for the power of higher education.

“It transforms lives, creates opportunity and leads to prosperous opportunities. While I’m honored and humbled to have the opportunity to affect the lives of our students in positive ways, I thoroughly enjoy and find fulfillment in doing so,” he says.

His favorite aspect of serving as president is his interaction with students. While the University of New Orleans suffered from cutbacks over the past few years, Nicklow says the administration is working on, “aggressively implementing new initiatives to recruit and retain more students, including a new branding and messaging campaign.”

As they work to incentivize research across campus, he says they’re also applying efforts to create meaningful outreach and partnerships in the city. “Expect great things from the University of New Orleans over the next three years,” he says. “We have a lot of work to do, but our strategic initiatives are going to make us an even more integral part of the most fantastic city in the world.”

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Y Daren SuMrow & Mandy Simpson Owners, NOLA BOARDS

Husband-and-wife team Daren Sumrow and Mandy Simpson own NOLA BOARDS, a business that stems from their passion to build high-quality handmade wooden culinary tools, countertops and furniture for kitchens, bars and dining rooms. “Cooking and eating is something we all do, and the best times with friends and family always seem to involve a meal,” says Mandy, a former social worker. “We build our products to reflect a time when things were made to last.” The couple has four kids between them, ranging from ages 13 to 22, and opening up their brick-and-mortar shop earlier this year on Magazine Street was a dream come true. They also ship their products to every state and to Canada and will be expanding distribution even more this fall.

Daren has been a woodworker his whole life. “Growing up in Northern California gave me a profound appreciation for the Earth’s beauty that’s been here for millions of years before us,” he says. “It’s been a real privilege to expose the inner beauty of some amazing woods to show the rest of the world why we woodworkers do what we do as a profession.”

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Y Dr. Michael McKelvey

Professor of Practice, Musical Theatre & Voice; Artistic Director, Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane will celebrate an important milestone next year: its 50th season.

Gearing up for it, Dr. Michael McKelvey, who recently celebrated his one-year anniversary as Artistic Director, says his long-term goals are to raise funds for a “substantial” endowment to guarantee the company’s future as a producer of classic American musicals and to appeal to a younger audience base.

He also wants to continue to work with other local theaters to establish a joint network. Jumping into the organization that has such a storied history was a bit daunting, but McKelvey was well-equipped for the position after working in another artistic hub of Austin, Texas, where he won numerous awards for direction and still owns a production company. In the upcoming year, he’ll be working with a steering committee to reach a 50th anniversary Endowment Campaign goal and is planning “lots of special events.”

His greatest accomplishment, so far, he muses, is implementing pay for all of the non-student performers and creating an education and outreach program.

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Y Ingrid M. Butler Founder, LipScape

While attending Syracuse University in upstate New York, Ingrid Butler experienced sub-zero temperatures that particularly damaged her lips.

Even moving back to Louisiana didn’t improve the condition, so she took matters into her own hands by developing a line of lip conditioner that finally worked. She has since expanded her line of products to include lipsticks and glosses in all colors of the rainbow. “If you take the time to research popular lipsticks from top cosmetics companies, you’re going to find an endless list of ingredients,” she notes, adding that many have been linked to various health issues.

“The best part about what I do is being able to offer effective formulations of natural, non-toxic ingredients, showing that my customers don’t have to compromise health for beauty.” Now, her company is evolving to include more than just lip products. Butler aspires to create a one-stop shop and resource for women’s beauty and men’s grooming products and has been busy creating skincare products. Recently she and her Co-Founder, Jeremy Rose, launched their men’s grooming line, “Gentleman’s Anthology.” She notes that “entrepreneurship isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon.”

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Y Pedram Pasha Taheri

CEO & Designer, Pedram Couture New Orleans’ one and only couture house is owned by Pedram Pasha Taheri, whose intricate, elegant and often ethereal designs have caught the eye of actresses and reality stars, including Malika Haqq and Nene Leakes, who have donned his creations for glamorous nights out on the town and on the red carpet. His designs have also been featured in major fashion publications including Vogue, and recently the brand went global with his new Pedram Couture Atelier Bridal line. “Designing is more than a job,” says Taheri. “It is my life and what I’m most passionate about. I love elegance and transferring that into fashion. I love seeing women at their best.” Being based in New Orleans has its challenges, he notes, as many major designers operate out of larger cities like Los Angeles, New York City and Milan, but thanks in part to social media, he has been able to garner more attention and clientele, and his designs are now sold at boutiques around the United States and in London. He looks forward to expanding his repertoire and building momentum to get his designs featured in more boutiques, and says that the most rewarding part of this adventure is hearing his clients say that, “they have never worn anything this beautiful.”

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Y Urban South Brewing

Kyle Huling, Vice President; Jacob Landry, Founder & CEO; & Wes Osier, Brewmaster Three years ago, Jacob Landry began to formulate a plan to open Urban South Brewing, and on St. Patrick’s day 2016, he and his team, which includes Vice President Kyle Huling and Brewmaster Wes Osier, sold their first beer.

“As a Cajun, I hold a deepseated passion for making things and sharing with others,” says Landry. “The brewery has allowed me to marry that passion with my passion for great beer and the unique opportunity to help reintroduce Louisiana to locally crafted artisan products.” Huling, who has a strong background in sales, says his plan is to help the brewery become, “one of the most respected and soughtafter breweries in the South.”

With core brands including Charming Wit and Holy Roller IPA, they’re off to a successful start – demand has been high. “I look forward to seeing our brewery’s growth on a daily basis and sharing the experience with our team,” says Osier. “Watching us grow from nothing but a concrete slab to a brewery with our beer in pubs, restaurants and stores in New Orleans is an ongoing trip.”

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Y Calvin C. Fayard III Founder, GLO Airlines

Whether it’s for business or for fun, traveling is infrequently affordable or convenient, but that’s changing for New Orleanians thanks to GLO Airlines, which offers nonstop flights to Shreveport; Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee and Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

As the business is literally taking flight, its founder, Calvin C. “Trey” Fayard wants customers to look forward to boarding planes. “We want to bring back that personalized attention you used to get when flying was an enjoyable experience,” he says.

He launched the business, “simply because I could no longer get to the destinations that I needed to get to quickly and efficiently.” Along with friends, colleagues and New Orleans business professionals, “we found ourselves chartering small plans for flights around the region – for daylong business trips, football games and the like.” As it became more common, he realized there was an opportunity to restore nonstop flights around the Gulf region and Mid-South.

Since the first flight launched out of Louis Armstrong International Airport last year, he says he’s been focused on hiring the “best and brightest” to help service their clients and grow awareness. GLO is also continuing to add new destinations, most recently Huntsville, Alabama.

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Y Nick Stillman

CEO & President, Arts Council New Orleans By enabling arts organizations, leveraging partnerships and creating artistic opportunities, Nick Stillman, who became CEO and president of the Arts Council New Orleans last January, believes in the power of artistic transformation. “New Orleans is the most distinctive city in this country,” he says. “Its art, indigenous practices and specific sense of cultural identity is what makes it so.”

The staff at Arts Council supports the idea that the city is diminished without art. “Our work is all about creating a healthy and sustainable ecosystem for local artists of all types,” he says.

The organization has a series of goals it expects to accomplish by the end of 2018 – New Orleans’ Tricentennial year. They also produce LUNA Fête in December with commissioned artists who produce works made with light, sound and technology in public space. “We have a generational opportunity to demonstrate that when artists are intrinsic to civic thinking and city planning.

It isn't lagniappe; it’s essential to New Orleans growing in a progressive, inclusive, locally specific and sustainable way,” he says. “It’s a big job. And the time for it is right now.”

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Y Carla & Roy Arriola Jr.

Owners, Grande Krewe Fine Wine & Spirits As owners of Grand Krewe Fine Wine & Spirits, Carla “Carlita” Arriola says that she and her husband, Roy Arriola Jr., “work tirelessly” to create an experience for customers to buy, taste and learn about wines from around the world. They also juggle shop ownership with other busy careers – Carlita is a Pilates instructor, and Roy is a Captain in the New Orleans Fire Department and sells real estate. They are both committed to public service,and to creating and contributing to a positive, supportive community. The past year presented tragedy for them when Roy’s daughter, Milan, was killed by gunfire at age 20. She was laid to rest the day before the wine shop opened. “Her loss allowed us to experience the greatest outpouring of love and support,” says Carlita. “She continues to watch peacefully over us and motivate us to achieve more entrepreneurial success.”

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Y Marielle Dupré & Nicole Eiden

Co-Owners, Windowsill Pies Marielle Dupré and Nicole Eiden, Co-Owners of Windowsill Pies, believe the experience of enjoying “real” food is a fundamental part of a meaningful life. Every slice of their homemade pies, they believe, presents an opportunity to create and share a lasting memory with others.”

“We are fulfilled by knowing we’ve created something that nourishes those in our community,” says Eiden. Adds Dupré: “We strive to make everything beautiful too look at, bringing a sense of art to an everyday afternoon.”

The duo is also finalizing plans to transition from a wholesale bakery operation into opening a brick-andmortar European-style coffee shop and bakery, where they hope to hire graduates of Cafe Hope, Café Reconcile and Liberty’s Kitchen – organizations that help young people learn culinary skills – as part of their team. “We envision these alliances as central to our mission and staffing choices,” says Dupré.

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Y Kendal E. Francis

Founder & Executive Director, Blessed 26 Working at WDSU News Channel 6 exposed journalist and former Tulane football player Kendal Francis to a lot of frustrating, sad stories over the years. Feeling helpless, he almost resigned in 2004, but instead began volunteering at Café Reconcile.

There, Francis realized he could make a severe impact with at-risk youths by exercising compassion and also simply by listening to them. He decided to launch the Blessed 26 Foundation shortly after, working with male teenagers who are “determined to be successful despite their circumstances.”

Many of the youths he mentors come from broken families and live far below the poverty line, at risk for a life of crime or violence. Some of them come to him on the verge of dropping out or being expelled from school.

But Francis strongly believes in their potential and vows to guide them into a better life.

“I mentor, motivate and show young people how to create formulas of success for themselves.

I get them to change their attitudes and expand their comfort zones,” he says.

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Y Diane B. Lyons & Sandra S. Dartus Co-Founders, FestiGals

“You either love event planning, or you hate it,” says Diane Lyons, Co-Founder of FestiGals, the first and only women-centric summer festival in New Orleans. “For me, it’s a great adventure.” Since 2011, she and Co-Founder Sandra Dartus have strived to make this annual event one that will empower women in a safe, festive environment while showcasing the best of what the city has to offer. “New Orleans celebrates gumbo, tomatoes, literature and even decadence. Why not women?

Women love to connect, bond, laugh and celebrate!” says Lyons.

Dartus wholeheartedly agrees. “It’s so much fun to develop programs and activities that are geared just to women, and I’m so proud of the money we’ve raised to help women in our community.” Each year, FestiGals has grown and continues to find sponsorships, but Lyons says it’s still in its infancy with plenty of room for growth.

They also launched a Cocktails & Conversations monthly series, which gives them another outlet to share information and experiences in a “fun but informative” environment,” says Dartus.

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Y Y I. Steven Udvarhelyi M.D. President & CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

“I originally pursued a career in medicine because I enjoyed the challenge of trying to understand disease, how to heal people and how to keep them healthy,” says CEO and President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, I. Steven Udvarhelyi M.D., who accepted the position in February and relocated from Pennsylvania. “Many factors determine whether people stay healthy beyond the individual care that physicians provide, hence my interest in learning about public health and starting a career in health services research.”

When he and his wife, Carole, were contemplating moving to Louisiana, Udvarhelyi says he saw the opportunity to take what he’d learned from his previous positions in healthcare and apply the knowledge to the health challenges in this state. “I need to learn about the system in the state, who the stakeholders are and what motivates each of them,” he says. “I’m doing this and at the same time, challenging the status quo and setting expectations with all the stakeholders that we need to change. … We are here to help people at the most vulnerable times in their lives, and that’s a tremendous responsibility and an opportunity.”

Patrick B. Comer Founder & CEO, Lucid

Confessing that he was “stung by the start-up bug” back during the dotcom bubble at the turn of the millennium, Patrick Comer loves creating something from scratch and developing new entrepreneurs that can have a “tremendous impact on our community,” he says.

He oversees Lucid, a software company that offers marketing and advertising firms easy access to large pools of survey takers. “I’m often asked whether all the start-up buzz in New Orleans is real and is it impactful,” he says. “Lucid is one of many home-grown companies that have started since Katrina.”

In the past year, Comer hired 80 people in New Orleans, New Delhi and London, and he’s not stopping there: “Lucid continues to expand globally, drive innovation in the market, research industry and produce software products that dramatically change our clients’ capabilities,” says Comer. He is looking forward to hiring another 50 employees in New Orleans, as well as opening new offices in other countries and continuing to promote entrepreneurship in the city.

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FALL

FESTivals

11 to try

By Jess ica DeB ol

d

As the New Orleans summer heat fades into a crisp and tempered – though short-lived – autumn, the city is preparing for another festival season. September, October and November promise a smorgasbord of events celebrating burlesque, fried chicken, rodeos and more. With more festivals in the city than days of the year, narrowing down the list to only 11 was a challenge. In an attempt to give readers a sense of variety, we wanted to consider what New Orleanians love most, which ultimately brought us to four categories: food, music, culture and art and entertainment, and each of the festivals listed includes at least one of these if not more. This list offers insider tips, happy hour specials and after party details, along with what’s new this year and social media campaigns to follow. These are all on our agenda this season and we hope to see you there, happy fall festing.

ART & ENTERTAINMENT

New Orleans Burlesque Festival Sept. 16-18 NewOrleansBurlesqueFest.com #NOBF2016

New Orleans Film Festival Oct. 12-20 NewOrleansFilmFestival.org #NOFF2016 Offering screenings from both local and national talent, the film festival gives New Orleanians a first look at some of the most innovative creations to hit the big screen yet.

Admission: Individual screenings are $5-$12. Allaccess passes are $200 for New Orleans Film Society members and $270 for nonmembers.

Location: The Orpheum, Contemporary Arts Center, Ace Hotel, Theatres at Canal Place, The Broad Theater and Ashé Cultural Arts Center among a few others.

Must-See Film: Miss Ella: Commanding the Table about the life and legacy of the legendary New Orleans restaurateur Ella Brennan (see “Read & Spin” on pg.

52 for more on this film and book of the same name).

Best Deal: Join the New Orleans Film Society for special rates and first choice of screenings; the all-access pass at a member’s discount also gets you into all of the exclusive parties.

Lagniappe: The film festival also plays host to industry leaders for panels, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities.

photos: Top: Cheryl Gerber Bottom right: Derek Jackson

Leave the kids at home for this festival, and break out the glitter. Dance competitions, pre-parties, after-parties and the social nature of burlesque bring everyone together in the name of all things sexy.

Admission: $20-$52 depending on show and seating preference.

Location: Civic Theatre, Harrah’s Casino Theater and House of Blues Happy Hour: Refer to the festival’s website while at Bar Tonique, Sylvain, Cane and Table or Cellar Door for cocktail specials during the festival.

Parties: “The Angel’s Envy Party” is a free kick-off party 5-7:30 p.m. on Sept. 16 at CellarDoor in the Central Business District. The closing party, “Danse Macabre: A Burlesque Celebration of Unearthly Delights” is $15 at One Eyed Jack’s on Sept. 18.

The event includes dancers followed by a DJ and featured cocktail specials.

Insider Tip: Do not be afraid to dress up for the shows. Get out your favorite bustier and leather and glam it up with your friends or partner for the full experience.

Hell Yes Fest Oct. 7-16 HellYesFest.com #HellYesFest Hell Yes Fest is a comedy festival showcasing national and local talent with more than 250 performers, including nearly 60 New Orleanians participating this year.

Admission: $20-$100, depending on show and seating preference.

Location: Joy Theater, NOLA Brewing, Saenger Theatre, The New Movement, Hi-Ho Lounge, Cafe Istanbul, Art Garage and Irving Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse.

Headliners: Sarah Silverman, Clayton English and Nick Swardson Insider Tip: The fest will be selling a “St. Claude Pass” this year, which gives attendees access to all of the shows on St. Claude Avenue during the festival.

New Orleans Film Festival

New Orleans Burlesque Festival

Hell Yes Fest

Fried Chicken Festival

Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Boudin, Bourbon & Beer

Oak Street Po-Boy Festival

Oak Street Po-Boy Festival October 23, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

PoBoyFest.com #ComeDressed, #PoBoyFest, #PoBoyFest2016

Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Boudin, Bourbon & Beer Nov. 4, 6-10:30 p.m.

BoudinBourbonAndBeer.com #EmerilBBB16

Shockingly enough, New Orleans has never seen an official festival event celebrating this southern food staple until now. Presented

by Raising Cane’s, the Fried Chicken Festival will offer an array of fried chicken dish adaptations.

Admission: Free Music: Sweet Crude, John Boutte, Tank and the Bangas, Brass-A-Holics and DJ Mannie Fresh Location: Lafayette Square Parking: Find discounted rates at One Shell Square and 650 Poydras St. Lagniappe: Lafayette Square has a Pokémon Go gym, so come ready for battle.

bottom photos: Cheryl Gerber

Admission: $99 advance; $125 at the door Location: Champion Square Insider Tip: The event includes an open bar of bourbon cocktails and Abita beer, so if you plan to indulge, be sure you have a designated driver.

After Party: With Boudin, Bourbon & Beer being the more “accessible” kick-off event, Emeril Lagasse Foundation will host their largest fundraising event of the year, a posh gala fit for the most prestigious of palates, called Carnivalé du Vin on Nov. 15.

Lagniappe: Celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse, Donald Link, John Currence and Stephen Stryjewski will also be in attendance.

Admission: Free, but the average cost of a poor boy is between $5 and $10.

Location: Oak Street and surrounding streets Uptown.

Parking: Beware of parking on the levee and neighborhood streets because you will be towed or ticketed. Take the Carrollton Streetcar, the bus or have a ride-booking service take you. Bike Easy is offering free valet for bikers.

New: This year the fest has tents solely dedicated to regional and local craft brewing.

Insider Tip: Come early and bring friends to divide and conquer the lines so you can try a dish from each vendor.

food

Fried Chicken Festival Sept. 25, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

FriedChickenFestival.com #FCF2016

Boudin, Bourbon & Beer is a foodie’s dream come true. Top chefs from renowned restaurants around New Orleans, including GW Fins, Sac-ALait, Three Muses, Coquette, Commander’s Palace, NOLA Restaurant, Shaya among many more, showcase their best boudin-themed dishes.

Take the day to indulge in carbilicious bread dressed with mouth-watering toppings as Oak Street Po-Boy Festival, now in its 10th consecutive year, asks vendors to come up with innovative ways to compete for the title of “Best Po-Boy.”

NOLA On Tap Sept. 24, 12 (VIP)-8 p.m.

NolaOnTap.org #NolaOnTap Benefiting the Louisiana SPCA, NOLA On Tap is the largest beer festival in the Gulf South. Last year’s event raised $300,000 towards Louisiana SPCA’s community programs and services.

music

Admission: Free for children ages 12 and under; $5 general admission Location: City Park Music: Stoop Kids, Flow Tribe and Daria and the Hip Drops.

New This Year: For the first time in New Orleans festival history, attendees will be able to participate in a cashless wristband e-pay system.

Rather than worrying about ATMs or credit cards, all of the vendor booths will accept payments through wristband credits called "blocks."

Insider Tip: The festival will have more than 400 beers, but check out the homebrewers selection before hitting all of the name brand tents to find taps you couldn’t try elsewhere.

Lagniappe: Bike Easy is returning this year to offer free valet for bikers.

Voodoo Music + Arts Experience Oct. 28-30 VoodooFestival.com #VoodooFest, #JoinTheRitual If you aren’t familiar, Halloween is one of New Orleans’ favorite holidays outside of Mardi Gras, and the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience is one the many reasons why.

This music festival promises an experience, and in recent years attendees have seen the introduction of carnival rides and interactive art installations, which are also returning this year. This is a Halloween festival, so costumes are a must.

Location: City Park Admission: Free for Children 10 and under, but adult ticket prices steadily increase as the event approaches, with three-day passes starting at approximately $150.

Music: Tool, The Weekend, G-Eazy, Arcade Fire, Foals and many more.

Parking: Parking is limited, but the Canal Streetcar pulls up right in front of City Park. There are also bike racks around the park’s entrance.

Insider Tip: Each attendee is allowed to bring one unopened bottle of water, with free refills at watering stations.

bottom right photo: Cheryl Gerber

Voodoo Music + Arts Experience

NOLA On Tap

Shrimp & Petroleum Festival

Louisiana Renaissance Festival

Angola Prison Rodeo

Enjoy home-style Cajun cooking and a change of scenery for Labor Day weekend. The peculiarly named festival has been around since the 1930s, and includes traditional events such as The Blessing of the Fleet & Water Parade, along with carnival rides, unique vendors and a fireworks show on Sunday evening beginning at 9 p.m.

Angola Prison Rodeo Every Sunday in October; gates open at 9 a.m., rodeo begins at 2 p.m.

AngolaRodeo.com #AngolaPrisonRodeo

Music: Cowboy Mouth, MoJEAUX, Don Rich and more.

The oldest prison rodeo in the United States, Louisianians know that when October rolls around it’s time to pack up the family and take a trip to Angola. The event is the only occasion prisoners have the opportunity to interact with the public and raise money for themselves and their families.

Profits from the event also benefit the Re-entry Court program, helping short-term inmates rehabilitate and learn new skills to help them succeed in the outside world following their release.

Food: Boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, shrimp on a stick, roasted corn on the cob and more

Location: The Louisiana State Penitentiary is an approximate two-and-a-half hour drive from New Orleans.

Lagniappe: Try this year’s official festival drink, Petro Punch.

Admission: $20

Admission: Free Location: Morgan City is an approximate hour and a half drive from New Orleans.

Festival Events: The rodeo offers exciting, heart-racing events such as “Convict Poker,” "Wild Cow Milking,” a chariot race and the rodeo’s toughest event, “Guts & Glory.”

Insider Tip: If you have a trailer or a vehicle with a large trunk, bring it. Vendors have items including furniture, outdoor fixtures and large art pieces. If you find something you love, like a hand-built porch swing, you’ll want to be able to take it home.

Louisiana Renaissance Festival Every weekend in November and the first two weekends in December LARF.net #larf2016, #larenfest Offering attendees a short break from reality, the Louisiana Renaissance Festival offers attendees young and old the opportunity to reinvent themselves as pirates, pilgrims, kings, queens, elves, fairies, jesters or really anything they want.

Admission: $20 for adults; $11 for kids ages 6 through 12; free for children 5 or under.

Location: Hammond is an approximate hour and a half drive from New Orleans.

Festival Events: Every weekend there’s a different special event or theme.

The Celtic Weekend includes a prestigious bagpipe competition; Time Travelers Weekend is for all those who love Dr. Who, Star Wars or Star Trek; head to the closing weekend and bring your blankets to enjoy the closeup fireworks show on the lake just after dark.

Lagniappe: Spend the weekend at Camp Serenity.

The festival’s welcoming atmosphere carries over to the festival goers enjoying bonfires and music, promising a spirited weekend for all.

bottom left photo: The Angolite Prison Magazine bottom right photo: Cheryl Gerber

get out of town

Shrimp & Petroleum Festival Sept. 1-5 ShrimpAndPetroleum.org #ShrimpandPetroFest81

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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

table talk pg. 98

Adult beverages are well-represented at Café Henri. The full bar program emphasizes classic cocktails with a focus on execution, not exoticism.

Favorites include a Tom Collins, a Moscow Mule and a popular Frozen Negroni.

jeffery johnston PHOTOGRAPH

THE MENU / TABLE TALK

Brisket lasagna at Café Henri

Below Esplanade

Bywater and Marigny neighborhood dining

By Jay Forman

F

ew neighborhoods have undergone transformative pressures as have the Bywater and Marigny. Their laissezfaire stasis was part of the appeal, which drew newcomers in like moths to a lowwattage artisan light bulb. When a corresponding wave of restaurants arose to cater to a perceived demand, some gained a reputation of being pretentious and inhospitable

Being Neighborly

Café Henri 800 Louisa St. Henri.cafe Lunch and dinner daily; brunch on weekends

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– qualities that doubtless contributed to the closing of more than a few. Moving into this space are places that put an emphasis on approachable food, casual appeal and customer service. Here is a look at a few.

Café Henri is the latest effort on the part of Neal Bodenheimer, Kirk Estopinal and Nick Detrich – the team behind Cure on Freret Street, which is often credited with

Bao & Noodle 2700 Chartres St. 272-0004 BaoAndNoodle.com Lunch and dinner Tuesdays-Saturdays

SEPTEMBER 2016 / myneworleans.com

Paladar 511 511 Marigny St. 509-6782 Dinner WednesdaysMondays; brunch on weekends

spearheading the local craft cocktail movement. For this project, they wanted to do something different.

“This is a departure from the kind of stuff we’ve done at Cure and Cane and Table,” Bodenheimer explains. “And that’s by design.

Growing up in New Orleans there were neighborhood restaurants we would go to every week and we felt like that was disappearing.”

So when the former Booty’s space became available, they jumped on it. Detrich, a former resident of the Bywater, recognized the need for a family friendly, service-based restaurant in the area. Café Henri was born. A makeover of the space provides a much brighter palette that complements the abundance of natural light. The approachable menu offers a lot of familiar fare, with a few dishes that feature a twist. For example, the lasagna uses brisket in lieu of ground beef. Built with quality San Marzano tomatoes and fresh basil, this dish has proved popular since they opened the doors.

For appetizers, consider the iceberg wedge salad, a retro classic distinguished with their thin, slightly spicy homemade Russian dressing. A simple dish of buttered soba noodles makes use of jumbo lump blue crabmeat and Champagne butter sauce – the nuttiness of the buckwheat noodles complementing the sweetness of the blue crab. For the kid’s menu, many of the existing dishes get modified for simpler palates. The seafood in the linguine gets swapped out with meat sauce, and grilled peanut butter and jelly makes an appearance.

As a special treat, kids also get a cookie,with icing and sprinkles served separately that they can use to decorate it at the table.

Adult beverages, as you might expect, are well-represented. The full bar program emphasizes clasjeffery johnston PHOTOGRAPH

Cheezy Cajun The Cheezy Cajun (TheCheezyCajun.com) does double-duty as both a casual spot for a bite as well as somewhere to grab prepared food to take home.

Part butcher and part cheese shop with an overall emphasis on southern cuisine, here you’ll find boudin, crackin’, homemade Tasso and more. The pimento cheese spread is recommended, as is the potato salad. Be sure to check out the cheese case stocked with items from Wisconsin. sic cocktails with a focus on execution, not exoticism. Favorites include a Tom Collins, a Moscow Mule and a popular Frozen Negroni. Café Henri is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner with brunch served on weekends. Price points are modest for a fullservice restaurant, as befits the neighborhood vibe.

In the nearby Marigny, Bao & Noodle is closing in on its two year anniversary. And while a Chinese restaurant might seem an odd selection for a neighborhood spot, one visit here will convince you. The atmosphere is low-key and inviting with a cozy vibe akin to a coffee shop. And then there’s the food.

Chef and owner Douglas Crowell, whose wife is Chinese, came to his craft by way of family.

“That is just a very comfortable way to learn about cooking,” Crowell explains.

Noodles, of course, loom large. Crowell features about eight different varieties, all made in-house and each made with its own specific dough.

Pairing each noodle with each dish is a big part of the overall composition. “We use egg noodles for our Shrimp with

XO Sauce, because shrimp is a lean protein, we use a noodle that is made with egg yolk to provide some richness.

For our Braised Lamb, which is very rich, we use a handpulled noodle made with just flour and water.”

It’s the simple dishes here that please. The scallion pancakes, which are vegan, are crispy and chewy at the same time, and each bite lights up in the mouth following a swift dip in the accompanying sauce of vinegar and soy. His Scallion Bun, a traditional Chinese savory bakery item, is topped with a fluffy nest of “pork floss” – imagine if jerky came in cotton candy form and you get a sense of the taste. The Ma Po Tofu, made with fermented black soy beans and spicy chili paste with pork and soft tofu, is Crowell’s personal favorite.

“It’s spicy, salty rich and complex all at once,” he says.

After multiple visits, Paladar 511 continues to impress.

It is grander than a typical neighborhood joint, with its soaring ceiling and voluminous dining room, yet the overall shabby-chic feel keeps it from feeling formal. The menu, an ingredient-driven canvas that reflects the ethos of the owners’ San Francisco roots, is worthy of exploration, although some dishes do tend to stay put. An appetizer of Yellowfin Tuna Conserva, poached slowly in olive oil and plated with salty tapenade and intensely herbaceous basil aioli, is recommended. For the entrées, the housemade pappardelle with spicy pork ragu is full of comforting warmth.

There is no kids menu here, but they’re happy to strip down one of their fancy pizzas to mozzarella and pepperoni to satisfy the little ones. Few restaurants hit all the right notes from appetizer through desserts, but Paladar 511 is one of them. n

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THE MENU / RESTAURANT INSIDER

News From the Kitchens Party & Parcel, Vessel & Seaworthy

BY ROBERT PEYTON

Part & Parcel Chef Phillip Lopez is an iconoclastic chef. His first restaurant, Root, which he opened with business partner and front of house specialist Maximilian Ortez, brought a new angle to restaurant dining in New Orleans. Wildly inventive but down to earth, Root, and the pair’s second restaurant, Square Root, focus on innovative techniques while respecting traditional methods. With Part & Parcel, which should be open as I write, Lopez and Ortiz are taking their imaginative cuisine to a more casual setting.

Part & Parcel is a sandwich shop and deli, as seen through the Lopez/Ortiz lens. It will have seats for dining in, but will welcome take-out orders. The team has been testing their stuff at the Voodoo Lounge and Company Burger’s downtown location, with offerings such as the Angelina: crispy eggplant, Sicilian red gravy, mozzarella and banana peppers on focaccia from local bakery Gracious; and the Corleone: pancetta, ham, spicy nduja, provolone, tomato, lettuce and basil pesto on Gendusa bakery’s sesame bread.

Part & Parcel, at 611 O’Keefe Ave., was slated to open last year, but when I walked by recently, the space in the Paramount building looked just about ready to open. Check this space, or my blog Haute Plates, for hours of operation and contact information; or visit RebelRestaurantGroup.com, where a website should be live by the time this article is out.

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Vessel One of the most-missed restaurants postKatrina was Christian’s, known as much for its stunning setting – a former church – as for its excellent food. The restaurant that took its place, Redemption, was good but slow at catching on. Earlier this year, however, a new group of owners took over the place, and after a fairly significant renovation, have opened Vessel.

The hook at Vessel is “coastal cuisine,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean what you might think. At least, it doesn’t really mean what I thought when I first heard the term. This isn’t a Gulf Coast fish shack, rather it’s a place that serves the food of coastal regions from all over the globe, albeit with an emphasis on Louisiana ingredients and an Italian heart.

The format at Vessel is more casual than the prior operations; there’s a greater emphasis on the bar program, headed by Wyatt Lowery, and on chef Nick Vella’s small plates and larger items meant to be shared at one of the long, communal tables that run the length of the dining room, parallel to the bar that now occupies one wall.

It is an ambitious restaurant, but one that seems likely to succeed. Vessel is located at 3835 Iberville St. in Mid-City. It is open from 4 p.m. for snacks and 5:30 p.m. for dinner until 10 p.m. daily; the bar stays open “until.” Lunch and brunch service is slated to begin mid-September. Call 603-2775 to find out more and confirm hours.

Seaworthy One would think that the last thing New Orleans needed was an oyster bar from New York City. But I’ll be damned if Seaworthy isn’t a fantastic addition to the local scene.

What I mean is that while we inarguably have the best overall oysters in the world in the Gulf, it’s nice, from time to time, to try something different. At Seaworthy you’ll find some of the finest oysters from all over the country that you’ll ever taste. The selection changes almost daily; various options bring briny, mineral-flavored or semi-sweet flavors to the mix and all are redolent of their native waters.

That isn’t to say that oysters are the only thing on the menu at Seaworthy; chef Daniel Causgrove is an alum of the Windsor Court’s Grill Room, and he and his team are firing on all cylinders. Fries, for example, are excellent; I know that seems like a pedestrian way to judge a place but, if you’re not a chain restaurant, making great fries is a challenge, and a pretty good way to tell if someone can really cook. Add to that glazed pork belly with grilled peaches, ricotta and pickled onions; seared snapper with andouille rice dressing and green onion sauce; and Maine lobster with roe butter and you’re in business.

Seaworthy is located at 630 Carondelet St., adjacent to the Ace Hotel, and it’s open Wednesdays-Mondays, 4 p.m.-2 a.m., with food until 1 a.m. Find out more by calling 930-3071. shawn fink photographs

THE MENU / FOOD

Me Oh My Oh! Secrets of Jambalaya

by Dale Curry

PHOTOGRAPHed and styled EUGENIA UHL

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Creole Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya 2 pounds shrimp

2 Tablespoons oil 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into ¼-inch rounds 1 medium onion, chopped 1 bunch green onions, white and green parts divided, chopped ½ green bell pepper, chopped ½ red bell pepper, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 4 large fresh ripe tomatoes, or 1 14.5-ounce can whole Roma tomatoes, chopped, with their juice 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning Salt, freshly ground black pepper and Creole seasoning to taste 2 cups long-grain rice

H

aving showered the powdery white sand off our sun-burned bodies, we carried our steaks down to the gazebo at Destin. “Come on over,” yelled Neil Veron from LaPlace. “Enough for everybody,. Come on over and get a plate.” Just like a local, isn’t it? Taking his food with him, making enough for his family, friends and much more?

We ate our steaks, followed by plates of jambalaya, and, if that wasn’t enough, Veron filled three plates for us to take up to our condos. Lunch, the next day.

His recipe for 100 was too much for me, but I did get a few tips. He doesn’t use tomatoes. His cooker was made for giant servings for which he browned pork butt, chicken and

smoked sausage, then added vegetables and spicy seasonings such as Tiger sauce. He simmered this for a long time before stirring in the raw rice and cooking, stirring constantly, over a medium-high heat for quite a while.

He then covered it tightly over low heat for exactly 22 minutes. After about three hours, he served up a Gonzales-style jambalaya.

Another tip I liked from Veron was starting the pot with slices of bacon. Cook it half way, then brown your other meats in the fat for a little extra flavor. He also uses chicken base, which I prefer over canned chicken broth.

I love the grouper and amberjack when I go to the Florida beaches. But, then again, there’s nothing like a little home cooking.

Cajun Jambalaya

Pastalaya

1 pound pork butt, cut into cubes

4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

Creole seasoning such as Tony Chachere’s

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into bitesize cubes

½ green bell pepper, chopped

1 pound andouille, cut into bite-size pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

½ pound smoked sausage, sliced in ¼-inch rounds

4 pieces bacon

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 bell pepper, chopped

Peel and devein shrimp, reserving peelings and heads.

Refrigerate shrimp. Place peelings and heads and 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low.

Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve stock.

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil and cook sausage pieces, turning, until brown. Remove to plate.

Add white onions to pot and sauté until caramelized. Add bell peppers and celery and sauté over low heat for 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté a minute more.

Add tomatoes and seasonings.

Return sausage to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, stirring, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, measure shrimp stock and place in a medium saucepan with enough water to make 4 cups. Bring to a boil, add a light sprinkling of salt and rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until there’s no water in the bottom of the pot.

When all is cooked, gently fold rice, green onion tops and parsley into shrimp-sausage mixture.

Serves 6 to 8

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 pound medium shrimp

½ red bell pepper, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 large boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Creole seasoning

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 14.5-ounce can whole Roma tomatoes, chopped, with juice

7 cups water, divided 2 Tablespoons hot sauce 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire 2 Tablespoons chicken base 3 cups long-grain rice 1 teaspoon salt In a large, heavy pot, fry bacon until half done.

Sprinkle pork pieces liberally with Creole seasoning and brown over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from pot onto plate.

Sprinkle chicken with seasoning and brown for 10 minutes and remove to plate. Brown sausage and remove to plate.

Add onions to the pot and caramelize well.

Add all other vegetables and sauté for 10 more minutes. Add meat, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Then add 1 cup water, hot sauce, Worcestershire and chicken base, stir well, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan with a top. When boiling, add rice and salt. Cover, turn heat to very low and cook until rice is done, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Turn off heat under both pots and gently stir rice into meat mixture. Cover and let set for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 10 to 12

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 pound spaghetti Parmesan cheese Peel and devein shrimp, reserving peelings and heads. Set shrimp aside. In a medium pot, cover the shrimp peelings and heads in 3 cups water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes to make a stock.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large pot. Sauté onion and peppers until limp.

Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Remove from heat.

In a separate skillet, heat remaining 2 Tablespoons oil and brown sausage. Add sausage to pot. Sprinkle chicken with Creole seasoning, brown in skillet and add to pot, along with seasonings.

Strain stock into pot and discard shrimp shells. Add tomatoes and seasonings and bring to a boil, stirring well. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Uncover, turn heat up to medium-high and add pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 5 more minutes or until pasta is al dente – done but firm. Serve with Parmesan cheese on the side. Serves 6 to 8 myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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THE MENU / LAST CALL

Seasonal Colors

Football Versus Nature BY tim mcnally

I

n most places other than here, which is almost always the defining phrase, fall colors are usually earth tones – browns, yellows, oranges. Around here, the colors of this time of year are black and gold; purple and gold; and green and white.

And right about now every year, for us denizens of South Louisiana, hopes for victories and championships reign supreme. We literally wear these colors on our sleeves, on our backs and in our hearts. We not only adore those colors but we’ll eat food in those colors and, now, drink drinks incorporating them.

Daniel Victory of Victory in the CBD understands who we are and what we want. He is one of us. Even the “bar guys” are all in.

Black & Gold Mojito 2 ounces Bacardi Gold 8 fresh mint leaves 1/2 fresh lime, in pieces 4 fresh blackberries 1/2 ounce simple syrup Club soda Crushed ice Sprig of mint and blackberry for garnish Muddle mint, lime pieces, simple syrup and blackberries in tall glass. Fill glass with crushed ice.

Pour in rum, then top with soda. Stir to blend, then garnish with mint and blackberry.

Created by Daniel Victory and served at Victory, 339 Baronne St., 522-8664, VictoryNola.com

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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

Metairie

Angeline 1032 Chartres St., 308-3106, AngelineNola.com. B Mon-Fri, Brunch 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. $$$

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. $$$

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

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 Bakery & Tavern Wins USA Today Best Poor Boy In Louisiana Parkway Bakery & Tavern, 538 Hagan Ave., 482-3047, ParkwayPoorBoys.com After a month long poll conducted by USA Today via social media, Parkway Bakery and Tavern, located in New Orleans Mid-City district, clinched the top spot for Best Po-Boy amongst some fierce competition. Eateries from Lake Charles to Shreveport competed to become Louisiana’s favorite. Parkway, which has been serving the iconic sandwich since 1911, is a local favorite with a national reputation, President Obama being a recent customer. The oyster, shrimp and roast beef winners are served with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and pickles on New Orleans style French bread from Leidenhemer Bakery.

– Mirella Cameran.

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jeffrey johnston photograph

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. $

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. $$ Ye Olde College Inn 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-3683, CollegeInn1933.com. D Tue-Sat. Serves up classic fare, albeit with a few upscale dishes peppering the menu. $$$

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 butter and banana pancakes. $$

Asian Fusion/Pan Asian

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

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

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. $$

Bywater

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DINING GUIDE 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 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., 361-

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8008. 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

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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 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. $

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DINING GUIDE 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. $$$$ Le Foret 129 Camp St., 553-6738, LeForetNewOrleans.com. D Mon-Sat. Sophisticated fine dining melds southern cuisine and classic French with modernist influences in an elegant setting. $$$$

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

French Quarter 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, (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. $$$ Flaming Torch 737 Octavia St., 8950900, FlamingTorchNola.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. French classics including a tasty onion soup and often a sought-after coq-au-vin. $$

H La Crêpe Nanou 1410 Robert St., 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. $$$ La Petite Grocery 4238 Magazine St., 891-3377, LaPetiteGrocery.com. L TueSat, D daily, Br Sun. Elegant dining in a convivial atmosphere. The menu is heavily French-inspired with an emphasis on technique. $$$ 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 Mon-

Sat. 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. $$$$$

French Quarter Café Giovanni 117 Decatur St., 5292154, 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.

Arnaud’s to Celebrate National Potato Month With Commemorative Dinner Arnaud’s, 813 Bienville St., 523-5433, ArnaudsRestaurant.com Known for their signature soufflé potatoes, it’s only natural that Arnaud’s would pay homage to the beloved accompaniment and its spud-ly counterparts during National Potato Month. In September, Arnaud’s will host its second annual Potato Perfected Wine Dinner. Guests will experience a four-course dinner menu, each featuring variations of the potato, paired perfectly with Failla Wines. Guests can join in on the celebration for $100 per person (inclusive of tax and gratuity).

Limited seating is available and reservations are required. – M.C.

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cheryl gerber photograph

$$$$ 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. $$$ Muriel’s Jackson Square 801 Chartres St., 568-1885, Muriels.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Enjoy pecan-crusted drum and other local classics while dining in the courtyard bar or any other room in this labyrinthine, rumored-to-be-haunted establishment. $$$$ Napoleon House 500 Chartres St., 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., 5532277, 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. $$$$$

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. $$

andouille gumbo. Kid’s menu offered. $$

Lakeview H Tony Angello’s 6262 Fleur de Lis

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. $$$$

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

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. $$$$ 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

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DINING GUIDE to remain intimate at the same time. The cannelloni is a house specialty. $$$

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, CafeAdelaide.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

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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. $$$$$

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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. $$$$ Horn’s 1940 Dauphine St., Marigny, 459-4676, HornsNola.com. B, L daily, D Thu-Mon. This casual, eclectic watering hole offers offbeat twists on classics (the Jewish Coonass features latkes to go with the crawfish etouffée) as well as the usual breakfast and lunch diner fare. $ Praline Connection 542 Frenchmen St., 943-3934, PralineConnection.com. L, D daily. Down-home dishes of smothered pork chops, greens, beans and cornbread are on the menu at this Creole soul restaurant. $$

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. $$$$$

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. $$$$$

ments 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. $

a plus. $$$ Royal House, 441 Royal St., 528-2601, RoyalHouseRestaurant.com. L, D daily. B Sat and Sun. Poor boys, jambalaya and shrimp Creole are some of the favorites served here. Weekend breakfast and an oyster bar add to the crowd-pleasing appeal. $$$

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. $$$$

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 The Bistreaux New Orleans Maison

H Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House 144

H MiLa 817 Common St., 412-2580,

H Tableau 616 S. Peter St., 934-3463,

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. $$$$

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. $$$

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 menu includes items such as Bombay drum. $$$$ Café Maspero 601 Decatur St., 523-6250, CafeMaspero.com. L, D daily. Tourists line

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 and all day Sun. $$$$$ House of Blues 225 Decatur St., 3104999, HouseOfBlues.com/NewOrleans. L, D daily. Surprisingly good menu comple-

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

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 featuring a unique beef brisket with Creole sauce. $$$$$

Kenner

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DINING GUIDE 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 classics 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. $$ Clancy’s 6100 Annunciation St., 8951111, ClancysNewOrleans.com. L Thu-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Their Creole-inspired menu has been a favorite of locals for years. $$$

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

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. $$$$

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. $$

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. $$$$

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. $$

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. $

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. $$

H Gautreau’s 1728 Soniat St., 899-7397,

8282, 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. $

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

Pizza

Bywater H Pizza Delicious 617 Piety St., 676-

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. $$ Pizza Domenica 4933 Magazine St., 301-4978, PizzaDomenica.com. L Fri-Sun, D nightly. James Beard Award Winning Chef Alon Shaya’s pizza centric spinoff of his popular Restaurant Domenica brings Neapolitan-style pies to Uptown. Excellent salads and charcuterie boards are offered as well. $$

Football Action at Poppy’s Time Out Sports Bar Poppy’s Time Out Sports Bar, 500 Port of New Orleans Place, Suite 83, 569-3380, PoppysTimeOutSportsBar.com Your chances of a great football season just improved. Poppy’s Time Out Sports Bar overlooking the Mississippi River shows the ESPN Sunday Ticket and DirecTV College Football Packages. The 18 beers served in 3D Saints “Who Dat” Souvenir Cups are on tap for wins and losses. Gourmet handcrafted burgers using a blend of short rib, brisket and chuck meat will give you the tailgating stamina you need. Want to bring your whole team with you? Book the Party Pavilion; it has nine screens in an open air environment. – M.C.

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cheryl gerber photograph

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

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. $$$$

Akers

French Quarter

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. $$

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. $$$

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

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. $$$ Creole Cookery 508 Toulouse St., Suite C110, 524-9632, NewOrleansCreoleCookery.com. L, D daily. Crowd-pleasing destination in the French Quarter offers an expansive menu of Creole favorites and specialty cocktails served with New Orleans flair. $$$

(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. $$$

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. $$$

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. $$$

H GW Fins 808 Bienville St., 581-FINS

Oceana Grill 739 Conti St., 525-6002,

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. $$$

Kenner

Landry’s Seafood 400 N. Peters St., 5580038, LandrysSeafood.com. Kid-friendly and popular seafood spot serves of heaping platters of fried shrimp, Gulf oysters, catfish and more. $$ Le Bayou 208 Bourbon St., 525-4755, LeBayouRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Blackened redfish and Shrimp Ya-Ya are a just a few of the choices at this seafood-centric destination on Bourbon Street. Fried alligator is available for the more daring diner. $$$

OceanaGrill.com. B, L, D daily. Gumbo, poor boys and barbecue shrimp are served at this kid-friendly seafood destination. $$

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.

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DINING GUIDE com/oyster-bar. L, D Mon-Sat. Seafoodcentric eatery specializes in favorites like whole flounder, crabmeat au gratin and more. An oyster bar offering an array of raw and broiled bivalves adds to the appeal. $$$

H La Boca 870 Tchoupitoulas St., 525-

Uptown

8205, LaBocaSteaks.com. D Mon-Sat. This Argentine steakhouse specializes 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. $$$$

Charlie’s Steak House 4510 Dryades St., 895-9323, CharliesSteakHouseNola. 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. $$$

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 etouffee. $$$

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. $$$

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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. $$$$

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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; 1120 S. Carrollton Ave., 861-8174. 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.

Uptown Blue Frog Chocolates 5707 Magazine St., 269-5707, BlueFrogChocolates.com.

Open daily, closed Sundays in summer.

French and Belgian chocolate truffles 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.

If you feel that a restaurant has been misplaced, please email Managing Editor Morgan Packard at Morgan@MyNewOrleans.com.

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Antoine's Restaurant

Boulevard American Bistro

Broussard's

713 St. Louis St. 504-581-4422 Antoines.com

4241 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie 504-889-2301 BoulevardBistro.com

819 Rue Conti St., New Orleans 504-581-3866 Broussards.com

Since 1840, world-renowned Antoine’s Restaurant has set the standard that made New Orleans one of the greatest dining centers in the world. Antoine’s excellent French-Creole cuisine, service and atmosphere have combined to create an unmatched dining experience for both locals and visitors to New Orleans.

Boulevard is a Classic American Bistro offering simple, well composed dishes. General Manager Robert Hardie welcomes you to the casual yet sophisticated dining room with an all-day à la carte menu. The large bar imparts the feeling of a favorite neighborhood bar, with an extensive wine list and handcrafted, specialty cocktails.

In a city that joyously celebrates fine dining as an art form, Broussard's has been a New Orleans fixture for nearly a century. Located in the heart of New Orleans’ venerable French Quarter, Broussard's offers Chef Neal Swidler's creative contemporary renditions of classic Creole cuisine in a timeless historic setting.

Caffe! Caffe!

Crazy Lobster

4301 Clearview Parkway | 504-885-4845 3547 N. Hullen St. | 504-267-9190 CaffeCaffe.com

500 Port of New Orleans Place, Suite #83 504-569-3380 | TheCrazyLobster.com

Dickie Brennan / Bourbon House

Caffe! Caffe! is known for their delicious fresh salads. Most popular is the Avocado Salad with their Signature Mango Vinaigrette Dressing. Two locations in Metairie serving breakfast and lunch, plus the Clearview location serves until 8 p.m. weekdays. Call individual location for daily soup specials. Take-out available.

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Enjoy Riverside dining on the banks of the Mississippi River. Their signature dish is the Bounty of Sea, featuring a two-pound Maine lobster, shrimp, crawfish, snow crab, clams, mussels, corn and potatoes.

Listen to the sounds of live music featuring the best entertainment straight off Frenchmen Street.

144 Bourbon St. 504-522-0111 | BourbonHouse.com Bourbon House, home of the New Orleans Bourbon Society, has raised the bar! Visit our newly renovated Bourbon Bar and try their newest barrel aged cocktails. Cheers to more than 200 different bourbons!

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3605 S. Carrollton Ave. 504-482-3935 | FiveHappiness.com Come to Five Happiness and let the ambience and friendly staff take you to a new level of dining experience. This award-winning restaurant always strives to achieve its best. Private party and banquet rooms are available.

Foundation Room at House of Blues 225 Decatur St. 504-310-4976 HouseOfBlues.com/NewOrleans/fr Feelin’ fancy but don’t want to break the bank? Elevate your dining experience every Tuesday as James Beard nominee, chef Nathan Winowich, creates a delicious four-course menu with fresh and seasonal dishes for just $45 per person.

Reservations begin at 6 p.m.

French Market District 1008 N. Peters St. 504-522-2621 | FrenchMarket.org The 30th annual French Market Creole Tomato Festival is June 11 & 12, 2016, from Dutch Alley to Crescent Park, with activities in the Farmers Market and at the Old U.S. Mint. Fresh tomatoes, live music, food booths and kids activities.

Hoshun

K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen

Katie’s Restaurant

1601 St. Charles Ave. 504-302-9171 | HoshunRestaurant.com

416 Chartres St. 504-596-2530 | KPauls.com

3701 Iberville St. 504-488-6582 | KatiesInMidCity.com

Chinese or Japanese? Can’t decide?

Hoshun is your answer! They offer an extensive menu from classic Chinese dishes to Japanese sushi and everything in between (like Vietnamese pho or pad Thai). Stick with one cuisine or mix and match! Open daily until 2 a.m.

The quintessential Cajun/Creole restaurant in the French Quarter!

Download the K-Paul’s app to learn more about the lunch Star program. Serving lunch Thursday through Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., and dinner Monday through Saturday 5:30 – 10:00 p.m. Let us cater your special event on or off-site.

Call 504-948-6434.

At Katie’s, try Scotie's CNN Blackberry & Jalapeno Ribs - slow cooked baby back ribs marinated in a tangy and spicy blackberry and jalapeno bbq sauce, or the Cochon De Lait Poboy – winner of Hogs Best Bite at Hogs for the Cause!

Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and Sunday brunch.

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Five Happiness

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Lafitte's Landing Seafood House 1700 Lapalco Blvd.

504-252-9613 LafittesLandingSeafoodHouse.com

Now open until 10 p.m., seven days a week! Visit for lunch starting at 11 a.m.

They offer daily lunch specials, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Order from their full menu all day starting at 11 a.m. They feature steamed seafood, fried seafood, pasta, steaks, fresh fish, soft shell crabs, duck and a pork porterhouse.

Oktoberfest presented by Deutsches Haus 415 Williams Blvd., Kenner 504-522-8014 OktoberfestNola.com Join us for three weekends of German favorites such as brats, sauerkraut and schnitzel plus a variety of German style desserts and snacks. Several draft beer, wine and drink options as well! Fridays and Saturdays, October 7-8th, 14-15th and 21st-22nd.

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Mandina’s Restaurant

New Orleans Creole Cookery

3800 Canal St. 504-482-9179 MandinasRestaurant.com

510 Toulouse St. 504-524-9632 NewOrleansCreoleCookery.com

Mandina's is the quintessential neighborhood restaurant. "There are some items that have been on the menu for 75 years," says Cindy Mandina. "My grandmother always said, 'Take care of the neighborhood people and locals that come here… cater to their needs and desires.’

That's what we're all about." Mandina's is open for lunch and dinner daily.

Savor authentic Creole dishes prepared by chef John Trinh, formerly of Eleven 79. Delight in traditional dishes such as gumbo, shrimp Creole and crawfish etouffee as well as oysters grilled and raw, boiled seafood and more. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails and signature drinks in the historic French Quarter.

Parkway Bakery & Tavern

Pascal's Manale

538 Hagan Ave. 504-482-3047 ParkwayPoorBoys.com

1838 Napoleon Ave. 504-895-4877 PascalsManale.com

Voted "Best Po’ Boy in Louisiana" by USA Today’s 10Best, Parkway Bakery & Tavern is the oldest poor boy shop in New Orleans, overlooking the historic Bayou St. John in Mid-City. Come enjoy one of Parkway’s legendary poor boys in the restaurant, covered patio or classic New Orleans bar.

This famous restaurant has been familyowned and operated since 1913. Pascal’s Manale is the origin of the well-known Bar-B-Que Shrimp. The old-time oyster and cocktail bars offer raw oysters on the half shell and all types of cocktails, as well as a great selection of fine wines. Fresh seafood, Italian dishes and delicious steaks are featured.

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Spanish Plaza across from Harrah's Casino, 500 Port of New Orleans Place, Suite 80 504-247-9265 PoppysTimeOutSportsBar.com

Ralph Brennan Catering

Red Gravy

504-539-5510 RalphBrennanCatering.com

125 Camp St. 504-561-8844 RedGravyCafe.com

New Orleans' premier caterer for groups from 100 to 1,200 people! Let them match your palate, theme and budget in your home, restaurant or venue of your Poppy's Time Out is the place with the choice. They are dedicated to servicing hottest sports action. They have all the a seamless, professional and above all DirecTV packages on 21 huge screens, great memorable experience. food and 20 beers on tap. They are open seven days a week, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Catch the game with them!

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Poppy's Time Out Sports Bar and Grill

Red Gravy is Open Table’s 2016 #1 Best Brunch spot in New Orleans! Try The Mom an’ Dad– fried eggplant with mozerella and yard eggs on local Dong Phuong Bakery French bread, or any of their other scratch-made dishes made with local, fresh ingredients. Open Wednesday through Monday 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Basketry

The Court of Two Sisters

The Ruby Slipper

12337 Highway 90, Luling 985-785-8769 TheBasketry.com

613 Royal St. 504-522-7261 CourtOfTwoSisters.com

Mid-City, Marigny, CBD, French Quarter; Pensacola, FL; Orange Beach, AL 504-525-9355 | TheRubySlipperCafe.net

The Basketry has been providing beautiful custom designed gift baskets since 1995. Customers from across the globe simply call Kristi and her team with a price range and they handle the rest.

Same-day hand delivery and shipping anywhere. Call them today!

The Court of Two Sisters, known for its large dining courtyard, serves a lavish daily Jazz Brunch buffet. Now serving appetizers at the Carriageway Bar. Enjoy Blackened Alligator or BBQ Shrimp while sipping cocktails at the bar! At night, choose from its à la carte dinner menu or a four- course dinner.

Reservations recommended.

The Ruby Slipper adds New Orleans flair to Southern breakfast standards, brunch classics, and fresh lunch specials.

The Ruby Slipper Mimosa and awardwinning Bacon Bloody Mary are perfect complements to Eggs Cochon, Bananas Foster Pain Perdu or BBQ Shrimp & Grits.

Named Best New Restaurant, Best Sunday Brunch and Best Bloody Mary in the Pensacola News Journal.

Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro 720 Orleans Ave. | 504-523-1930 | OrleansGrapevine.com

Enjoy true New Orleans atmosphere in a beautiful, tropical, climate controlled courtyard.

Serving high quality cuisine and one of the largest selections of wine by the bottle or by the glass. Don’t miss the popular Bacon Happy Hour, where you’ll enjoy free bacon with your cocktails and wine. 4-6 p.m. and 10 p.m.- midnight daily.

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I

t is that time of year again – alarms are set for sunrise, lunch is packed, uniforms are ironed and school supplies purchased. With summer vacation all wrapped up, it’s time to be thinking about what’s around the corner for the students in your family. If you’re considering a change for your child or just keeping an eye on the top performing schools as options for their near-future, being familiar with the educational landscape across New Orleans will keep you a step ahead when making tough decisions about which school is the best fit for your family.

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If Blue Ribbon distinction or a Catholic education is what you seek, or perhaps an arts- or language-based curriculum, you can find schools based on a variety of teaching philosophies, religions and academic rigor. From early education to K-12 schools, high schools and universities, the following area institutions are offering tours and open houses for the parent already looking to next year. Additionally, back-to-school shopping and resources for behavioral health, financial planning, music lessons and exam preparation are all found below.

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Early / Primary

Trinity Episcopal School is a co-educational, prekindergarten through eighth grade school. Their campus is located in the Garden District and offers a pleasant and stimulating learning environment for students and faculty.

Trinity continues in the tradition of its predecessor school, Miss Edith Aiken’s Little School, founded in 1917, and in that of Trinity Episcopal Church, which since its founding in 1847 has maintained a commitment to the educational and civic life of New Orleans.

The school motto articulates their mission of: “Celebrating the Intellect, Nourishing the Spirit, Celebrating Community.” Trinity nurtures a child’s mind, body and spirit through a fun and challenging program that offers the best in the academic disciplines, uses best practices and is taught by a skillful, experienced and loving faculty and staff. For more information or to schedule an individual tour, please visit TrinityNola.com or call the Admission Office at 504-525-8661. Open Houses for grades pre-K-eighth will take place on Oct. 13, Nov. 4 and Jan. 18, all at 9 a.m.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School is the oldest Episcopal school in New Orleans with 59 years of experience in educating the mind, body and spirit of young children. St. Andrew’s enrolls boys and girls 18 months through eighth grade, offering over 10 years of nurturing yet challenging education that focuses on the Decade of Childhood.

St. Andrew’s utilizes small classes to promote a challenging learning environment where students

interact with teachers and grow spiritually, socially and intellectually. A strong academic program, enhanced by state-of-the-art technology, includes Spanish, music, chapel, fine arts, athletics and library skills. Student publications, dramatics, interscholastic sports and community service round out St. Andrew’s program.

Come see their students and teachers in action at an upcoming Open House (Nov. 3, Dec. 1 or Jan. 12) or call for a personal tour. For further information, please visit the school’s website at StAndrewsEpiscopalSchool.org.

For a strong primary education combined with the unique qualities of an outdoor country environment just minutes from downtown, check out Arden Cahill Academy, which is nestled on a 12-acre tract of land along Bayou Fatma in Gretna. Not only does the campus provide state-of-the-art classroom learning facilities, but an equestrian arena, stables and petting farm help the school provide unique learning experiences outside of the traditional classroom environment.

The school focuses on cultural enrichment as one part of its primary education and tradition of academic excellence.

Their 300-seat theater, art studios, music rooms and foreign language programs ensure students’ abilities to excel in the arts, while a football field, competition pool, gymnasium and extra-curricular athletics allow students to excel in physical competition as well. Arden Cahill Academy offers before and after school care and a specialized Infant Center which accepts children as young as six weeks. The academy also offers Camp Corral, a 10-week summer camp.

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For more information on the school, please call 504-3920902 or visit ArdenCahillAcademy.com. Fall Open House takes place Nov. 15 at 9 a.m.

The mission of the Stuart Hall School for Boys is to live the words of Catholic educator, Janet Erskine Stuart, R.S.C.J.: “Education is formation, not just information.”

Faculty and staff are dedicated to working with parents to help each child build a foundation for a life centered on a love for learning, a desire to help others and a commitment to Gospel values.

Now in its 33rd year, Stuart Hall School is the only school in the greater New Orleans area to offer a Catholic, independent, all-boy education in a traditional, elementary school configuration (pre-K3-seventh grade). Faith, honor, leadership and scholarship are the foundations upon which Stuart Hall builds future community leaders who have an unselfish commitment to the service of others. It truly is a school “Where Good Boys Become Great Men.” For more information on Stuart Hall School for Boys or to tour the campus, please call 504-861-5384 or visit StuartHall.org.

Creative beginnings create life-long learners. Walk into the Waldorf School of New Orleans, and you’ll immediately experience the difference. Your senses are engaged by an environment of aesthetic intention.

Smell bread baking in the kindergarten. Hear children in the grades classes reciting literature or playing recorder or violin. Feel the natural materials (wood, wool, silk, beeswax) used throughout the school. See the inspired artwork in students’ main lesson books and handwork. Taste the fresh organic veggies that go into the kindergartners’ soup for snack time.

Founded in 2000, the Waldorf School of New Orleans is one of over 1,000 Waldorf schools on six continents. Its cosmopolitan curriculum embraces the unique culture of New Orleans. Learning is enriched by full integration of the arts in all academic disciplines from nursery through eighth grade. Waldorf’s developmentally appropriate and academically rigorous approach prepares students to meet the modern world with deep understanding, creative thinking, and innovative solutions. Waldorf teachers are dedicated to engendering the capacity for joyful life-long learning.

For more information or to schedule a tour, visit WaldorfNOLA.org or call 504-525-2420.

Audubon Charter School excels in fostering a culturally rich and academically rigorous program that combines French and Montessori curricula with a comprehensive arts curriculum. Serving pre-K through eighth grade, Audubon is proud of its reputation as an “A” rated school also named as one of New Orleans Magazine’s “Top of the Town” Elementary Schools 2016.

Audubon’s French program, one of only 57 in North America, is fully accredited through the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) and is also designated by the Louisiana State Department of Education as a Certified World Languages Site. The Montessori program is accredited through the American Montessori Society and is the only Montessori program in New Orleans that extends beyond the kindergarten level.

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which includes general instruction in visual arts, music or theater, as well as opportunities for formalized instruction.

Audubon takes part in a host of extracurricular activities including Metro League sports, Academic Games, Debate team and Lego League. For more information, visit AudubonCharter.com or contact admissions at 504324-7110 or admissions@auduboncharter.com.

Jewish Community Day School, an independent school for boys and girls in grades Pre-K through fifth grade, is the Jewish day school of Greater New Orleans. Its mission is to instill a strong ethical foundation rooted in Judaism and a love of learning, invigorated by academic excellence. JCDS is grounded in Jewish tradition where it fosters spirituality (emunah), dedication to repair the world (tikkun olam) and a commitment to the entire Jewish people (klal Yisrael). JCDS is a school where families of all backgrounds are welcomed and children are prepared to be engaged, compassionate leaders of their communities in the United States, Israel and the world.

With an average student to teacher ratio of 8:1, JCDS ensures that every child is known, nurtured and challenged to achieve. JCDS works to ensure that students become inquiring, capable youth, teachers are dedicated to best educational practices, and families are engaged in their children’s academic achievement and holistic development.

JCDS is located at 3747 W. Esplanade Ave. in the heart of Metairie. Private tours can be arranged anytime by calling Director of Admission Deb Marsh at 504-887-4091. For information, visit JCDSNola.org.

Continuing Eduction / K-12

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 grade on 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.

Louisiana’s highest performing kindergarten-12th grade public school, Lusher Charter School, a National Blue Ribbon School in partnership with Tulane University, offers a rigorous, interdisciplinary, college-focused curriculum. Lusher students engage in a comprehensive program, enhancing critical, analytical and creative

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thinking. Serving 1,700 students, Lusher maintains two Uptown campuses, the Lower School on Willow Street, and the Middle and High schools on Freret Street.

Arts integration starts in the Lower School; many Lusher students continue artistic pursuits in high school Certificate of Artistry programs. Students may choose an area of concentration in Humanities/Communications or Math/Science/Engineering. Beginning with introductory Engineering classes in Lower School, STEM options expand to include Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Science and AP courses in all sciences. A Learning Resource Center and state-of-the-art science laboratories support academic excellence. Qualifying juniors and seniors earn college credit at Tulane University.

Lusher’s numerous extracurricular offerings include 27 sports teams that operate with the support of Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who provided funding for our sports field, Brees Family Field.

Call 504-862-5110 (Willow) or 504-304-3961 (Freret) to find out more about Lusher’s outstanding program.

Founded in 1903, Isidore Newman School is committed to the intellectual, ethical, emotional and physical development of each student. Newman offers a challenging, comprehensive and age-appropriate curriculum from prekindergarten through 12th grade, with Green Trees Early Childhood Village enrolling children ages six weeks to 4 years. A Newman education encourages critical and independent thinking, leadership in academic and

extracurricular activities, and provides superior guidance and support for high achieving students and families.

Newman invites guests to explore the school’s offerings by visiting the school website or by signing up for the many open houses available this fall and spring. Individual visits are always encouraged and welcome. Apply online or contact the school by calling 504-896-6323, or visit NewmanSchool.org for more information.

Newman seeks to enroll qualified students regardless of race, gender or creed. Need-based financial aid is available.

Founded in 1867, the Academy of the Sacred Heart is a 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 United States and abroad. With global exchange opportunities, thought leadership, service learning activities, a tech-forward campus, design thinking and more, Sacred Heart girls are truly outfitted and inspired to go out and make change in the world.

Open House for grades five-12 is Wed., Oct. 19 from 5-7 p.m. Open House for age 1-fourth grade is Wed., Nov. 2 from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday Tours for age 1-fourth grade take place Oct. 11, Oct. 25, November 8 and Jan. 10 from 8:30-11 a.m.

For more info, call 504-269-1213 or visit AshRosary.org.

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$16.95 TO ORDER VISIT LOUISIANACOOKBOOK.COM

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Holy Cross School’s mission is to educate the whole man. Since 1849, they have accomplished this mission through a time-tested mix of a challenging, yet caring, academic regimen, supplemented by an extensive athletic program for primary, middle and high school students.

Holy Cross is the only New Orleans catholic school for boys grades pre-K through 12, that offers a continually growing “technology-infused” curriculum. The Middle/ High School campus is outfitted with two computer labs to complement the one-to-one laptop program in grades five12. Holy Cross offers an impressive array of extracurricular activities, including the only sequential music program for young men in grades five-12. The Primary School (grades pre-K-fourth), is a project-inspired school, promoting imagination, creativity, exploration and discovery. The curriculum includes core subjects with a strong emphasis on STEM instruction. Religion and physical education is part of the daily schedule and students are offered music, art, library and foreign language.

The open house date for fifth-12th grades is Nov. 2, 6-8 p.m. Primary School open house is Jan. 17, 2017, 6-8 p.m.

Contact the admissions office at 504-942-3100 for more information.

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.

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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.

St. Martin’s Episcopal School is a coeducational, independent college preparatory day school for students from 8 weeks through 12th grade. St. Martin’s curriculum and programs are designed to stimulate growth at the different stages in a child’s life. A rigorous curriculum, balanced with small class sizes, an emphasis on critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and leadership, prepares students not only to thrive in excellent colleges, but also to lead meaningful and productive lives with knowledge and skills that enable success long after graduation. St. Martin’s is leading the way with a student-centered innovation and design approach to education that is unlike any other in the region.

Learn more about St. Martin’s when you visit the beautiful 18-acre campus for a personal tour or attend the Open House on Sat., Oct. 15 at 9:30 a.m. For more information or to schedule a personal tour, please call the Admission Office at 504-736-9917. Visit St. Martin’s on the web at STMSaints.com.

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High Schools

Archbishop Chapelle High School is a leading private Catholic high school for girls in grades eight-12 offering exceptional academics alongside 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 close-knit 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.

For more information on Chapelle’s academic programs, initiatives and activities, visit ArchbishopChapelle.org.

Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans’ most outstanding public charter school, has been preparing students for success through academic achievement since it was founded in 1957. Consistently ranked as a “top public high school in the nation” by U.S. News and World Report, Franklin has received the highest School Performance Score in Louisiana, making it the No. 1 public school in the state, year after year.

Franklin has been repeatedly named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and recently won the National Green Ribbon Award. The school produces Presidential and National Merit Scholars each year with 99.9 percent of students attending four-year colleges. Franklin has the No. 1 Advanced Placement Program in Louisiana, with 991 AP exams administered in 2016 and 221 students earning AP Scholar Awards for their exceptional achievement.

The students, faculty and staff of Benjamin Franklin High School are the best and the brightest of New Orleans.

For more information, visit BFHSLa.org or call the admissions office directly at 504-286-2610.

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

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skills, communicate effectively, weigh social and religious values, and prepare for higher education. A 1:1 MacBook program enhances instruction and offers powerful collaborative and in-class possibilities. Small class sizes (average of 15) ensure each student receives individualized attention while developing meaningful connections with her teachers and peers.

As they navigate through a diverse selection of elective offerings and more than 50 extracurricular activities, students are encouraged to expand interests and become active participants in the community. Service to others is an integral part of a Mount Carmel education. Through hard work and reflection, students develop a deep respect for God, their families and all of God’s creation. Teamwork and perseverance are found on and off the field on 12 athletic teams.

Visit their Open House, Thurs., Oct. 13, 3-7 p.m.

Private tours available by appointment. For more information, visit MCACubs.com, call 504-288-7626, or email admissions@mcacubs.org.

International High School of New Orleans students are compassionate, productive, global citizens who positively impact the world. The school’s mission is to educate and nurture a diverse learning community through the International Baccalaureate Programme, world languages and intercultural appreciation to succeed in a global economy. The world language program at IHSNO includes Arabic, French, Mandarin-Chinese and Spanish courses.

Centrally located in the New Orleans CBD, IHSNO

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promotes an understanding of business, multicultural awareness and foreign language fluency. Prior foreign language skills are not required to apply. One of the few schools in the country offering Arabic and Mandarin, IHSNO is the only one of its kind for a public high school with a focus on global education, foreign language fluency and diversity, while remaining reflective of and involved in the local community. IHSNO offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, a challenging, rigorous academic program that has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities.

IHSNO invites you to attend its fall Open House on Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. A Spring Open House takes place April 12, 2017, at 5 p.m. For more information, visit IHSNola.org.

St. Augustine High School is rich in history and tradition. Founded in 1951 by the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, the school was originally established to educate young men from Black Catholic families in their faith. However, the school has always welcomed students of all faiths and backgrounds. Today, St. Augustine has evolved to meet the changing needs of the community. Students, faculty and staff members – like the school’s namesake – share a passion for exploring uncharted territory, whether through scholarship or leading the way in battling segregation in Louisiana.

Academic excellence is a hallmark of the St. Augustine experience. A St. Augustine education encourages a sense of critical thought as students develop leadership skills and build a solid foundation for lifelong learning. St. Augustine

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offers a diverse course list that is fortified by the Advanced Placement Program (AP), which offers college credit options and dual enrollment opportunities for the collegebound student.

St. Augustine invites you to explore its history, Josephite heritage and mission. For more information, visit StAugNola.org.

St. Stanislaus is an all-boys, Catholic boarding and day school located in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Operated by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart since 1854, the school specializes in building character and helping young men in grades seven-12. This year, students from nine countries and 10 states have come to St. Stanislaus to develop to their full potential and become independent, self-confident, well-educated adults.

Their weekend bus service to New Orleans and Baton Rouge allows local students the option of spending weekends at home or at school. The beachfront campus (50 miles outside New Orleans) is an unrivaled outdoor lab for the marine science program and a place where students can enjoy the school’s fishing pier. The campus is truly a home away from home equipped with college-style dormitories, pool, tennis courts, fitness center and campus-wide Wi-Fi. For more information, visit StStan.com or call 228-4679057 ext. 226.

Cabrini High School is a private, accredited, mid-size, college preparatory Catholic school for young women grades eight-12. Established in 1959, Cabrini is operated by

the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Selective admissions and limited class size create an intimate atmosphere that provides an environment of one-on-one instruction and personal attention.

Cabrini’s curriculum is one of rigor and challenge. With 20 Honors courses, 17 Open Enrollment AP courses and Dual Enrollment classes, students benefit from a multitude of courses available to them by which they may earn college credit while attending Cabrini. In addition to its challenging college-preparatory curriculum, Cabrini offers 33 fullcredit electives and more than 40 cocurricular activities and athletic programs. Through its Christian service hour requirement program, Cabrini students and faculty develop awareness of the call to service. The graduating class of 2016 earned more than $16.5 million in college scholarships.

For more information, visit CabriniHigh.com or call 504483-8699.

Colleges & Universities

The University of New Orleans is a premier public research institution. For nearly six decades, UNO has been one of the city’s foremost public resources, offering a diverse set of world-class, research-based programs, advancing shared knowledge and adding to the city’s industry, culture and economy. The university has graduated more than 69,000 alumni, 42,000 of whom live in metropolitan New Orleans.

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One of the state’s most diverse higher education institutions, UNO has educated students from all 64 Louisiana parishes, all 50 states and more than 130 countries. Its four colleges and interdisciplinary studies program boast 40 undergraduate and pre-professional programs and more than 30 graduate programs. UNO was named a best college by The Princeton Review and one of the top 1,000 universities in the world, according to the Center for World University Rankings.

For more information, visit UNO.edu.

Exam Prep

Prepping for an exam is as important as its results, which can affect one’s acceptance into college as well as possible scholarships and other financing. The Princeton Review of Greater New Orleans offers area students a vast array of prep options, ranging from private tutoring, in-class instruction and small group instruction to self-paced online courses and the LiveOnline Classroom. The Princeton Review’s high school test preparation programs such as ACT, PSAT and SAT programs, along with grad programs such as

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GMAT, GRE, LSAT and MCAT, provide students with a personal prep experience that fits their unique learning style, schedule, and budget. Princeton Review can help you find the option that works best for you. Program components vary and include several hours of in-class instruction, practice tests, personalized feedback, interactive multimedia lessons and more.

For more information on prep possibilities, visit PrincetonReview.com or call 504-826-8406. Find out if your student will make the grade with a free practice test at PrincetonReview.com/FreePracticeTest. In addition to prep programs, a complete line of prep books for high school and graduate test preparation are also available at PrincetonReview.com/Bookstore.

Music Lessons

With passionate teachers and an environment that fosters creativity and excitement, Spreading the Music is the premier location in New Orleans for private music lessons, studio rentals, and group music classes. With degrees in both Music Education and Performance, owner Candace Crawford designed a music school that caters to each student individually and places them at the heart of their musical exploration. Spreading the Music specializes in all instruments and ages with teachers experienced in lesson planning and structuring as well as inspiring and challenging students.

The school is located on vibrant Freret Street, next to

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Mojo Coffee House, and offers 30-minute, 45-minute and 90-minute weekly lessons in addition to group classes. Studios and rehearsal space run $15 per hour for individuals and bands. Unlike other area schools, Spreading the Music also specializes in Adult Music Education.

Whether you want to become the next New Orleans jammer, the top performer of your high school band or just feel confident in your own music-making at home, Spreading the Music has something for everyone.

To register, visit SpreadingtheMusic.com/Get-Started, or call 504-509-5393.

Family Resources

Positive Family Solutions is the private practice of New Orleans native, Gerard Woodrich, LCSW. Displaying a commitment to the mental wellbeing of the community, Positive Family Solutions sees clients of all ages and offers affordable and accessible counseling with evening and weekend appointments available with a sliding fee scale when necessary. Woodrich’s Garden District practice offers a safe and nurturing environment for clients of all ages.

The mission of Positive Family Solutions is to provide hope for individuals and families through specialized interventions focusing on individual strengths. Woodrich works with the child, family or couple (including LGBTQ) to formulate therapeutic solutions to reduce negative behavior. Woodrich has counseling experience in severe mental illness, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and

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depression, as well as serious emotional disturbances such as sexual, physical, cyber or emotional trauma, disruptive behaviors, PTSD, ADHD and Conduct Disorder. He also has experience working with individuals with developmental disorders such as autism. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Woodrich has been trained in various evidencebased interventions including ABA Therapy, CBT Therapy, Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Play Therapy.

For information and appointments, call 504-339-4938, visit PositiveFamilySolution.net or email gerard@positivefamilysolutions.net.

Fretting over finances shouldn’t take the place of the excitement that comes with choosing the perfect college or university, and it certainly shouldn’t overshadow one’s acceptance into the school of their choice. By starting your financial planning for college now, parents and students can feel confident and prepared to move forward. At One Stop Financial Group, Marcel Lashover, CCPS, ELA, CFMM can guide you through the planning process and help minimize student and parent loans, review FAFSA forms for accuracy and potential problems, discuss strategies for lowering the expected family contribution (EFC) and help maximize the family opportunity for college gifting.

Whether your student is in middle school or a graduating senior, it’s never too soon to develop a plan for their financial success.

In addition to college financial planning, One Stop Financial Group also provides families and individuals with insurance and retirement planning. If you have questions

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and would like to schedule an appointment, call Marcel Lashover at 504-300-8207. Learn more at OSFGLLC.com.

Shopping & Activities

Getting back to school means fall has arrived, and at

Chateau Sew & Sew the sewing and crafting possibilities are endless! Monogramming helps ensure school bags and belongings aren’t mixed up or lost while adding a fun, personal touch to your student’s back-to-school gear.

Sports activities like football, tennis and basketball gives student an opportunity to don their favorite team colors and fabrics with stylish shirts, shorts and skirts.

Halloween is just around the corner, and Chateau Sew & Sew is full of costume-ideas and materials as well as unique trick or treat bags made in the shop. Winter holidays will also be here before you know it, and your family deserves the personal touch of handmade stockings and festive Christmas-tree skirts and decor.

Chateau Sew & Sew, conveniently situated in the Lower Garden District at 1115 St. Mary St., has all of your fabric and sewing needs covered. Visit the quaint and welcoming shop for fun fabrics, notions, gifts, custom monogramming or even a community class. Visit ChateauSew.com for more info!

Lakeside Shopping Center is the premiere shopping destination of the New Orleans metro area with over 120 stores including Dillard’s, JCPenney and Macy’s. New, exciting additions to Lakeside include Build-A-Bear, Vans,

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Lululemon, Madewell, Athleta, Microsoft and more.

Lakeside has all you need for back-to-school shopping.

Visit Apple and Microsoft for the latest laptops, tablets, phones and tech watches, and stop by Kids Footlocker, Footlocker, Champs Sports, Stride Rite, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Lids for sportswear and shoes. For clothing and uniform needs, visit Gap or Gap Kids. Don’t forget the bright, colorful backpacks and nap mats from Vera Bradley, Pottery Barn Kids, and Mimi’s Kids Boutique! Refuel while you shop by dining at Bravo! Cucina Italiana, Cafe Du Monde, Red Lobster, PF Chang’s China Bistro, Sucré and The Cheesecake Factory, or Food Court options such as Chick-Fil-A, Raising Cane’s, Dat Dog, Subway, Auntie Anne’s and Smoothie King.

Lakeside is open 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Mondays-Saturdays, and 12-6 p.m. on Sundays. It is located in the heart of Metairie on Causeway and Veterans boulevards and only 10 minutes from New Orleans and Kenner. For store listing, directions, and more, visit LakesideShopping.com.

Fall has arrived in New Orleans, and back-to-school shopping has begun! Shoppers looking for style that combines natural beauty with eco-friendliness and superior function will want to visit Queork – a French Quarter and Magazine Street boutique that’s the first of its kind not only in New Orleans, but in the United States.

Queork is a local business that specializes in fine handbags, shoes and accessories for fashion, home and office that all prominently feature natural cork, “the new leather.”

Cork leather comes from the same raw material as wine corks – the bark of the cork oak tree. Once the bark is removed by hand, which allows the tree to continue growing, it’s processed into a supple, waterproof, scratchproof, stain resistant, hypoallergenic, antimicrobial and durable fabric that Queork transforms into luxurious products. Visit Queork in the French Quarter and on Magazine Street and see the stunning array of colors and designs they offer. From handbags, wallets, belts, bowties, boots, jewelry, aprons, hats, etc. – there’s something for everyone, even four-legged friends, at Queork.

Visit Queork at 838 Chartres St. and 3005 Magazine St., or shop online at Queork.com.

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With a diverse and whimsical product line, locally based Auraluz offers one-of-a-kind gifts and children’s clothing, including its own Auraluz brand available in sizes Preemie to 6X. Auraluz has been creating its signature hand-embroidered designs for over 48 years with a number of offerings perfect for christenings, first birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. Centrally located in Metairie, just one block from Clearview Boulevard and West Esplanade Avenue, Auraluz occupies a freestanding building with plenty of parking, which makes it a great spot for stress-free shopping.

Auraluz’s new website launched this past summer and now offers easy online ordering at ShopAuraluz.com. In addition to its lines of clothing and gifts, Auraluz also offers monogramming services and baby-bridal-gift registry. The store stocks gifts for both children and adults, including dolls, plush items, books, toys, locally themed items, gifts for every occasion and home and kitchen items.

Auraluz is open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Mondays-Fridays, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. The store is located at 4408 Shores Drive in Metairie. For more information, call 504888-3313 or visit ShopAuraluz.com.

Canal Furniture Liquidators wants to school you on what’s cool during their sizzling hot summer backto-school sale. If you’re looking for furniture for your college dorm room or shopping for your new off campus apartment, you’ll find a great selection of beds, dressers, sofas, desks, lamps and so much more in their 8,500-square-foot warehouse in Mid-City. For a limited time only, they’re offering an extra 10 percent off with a valid student ID, and as an added bonus, you’ll receive a free mini-fridge (perfect for that dorm room) with every purchase while supplies last.

CFL is also offering DIY classes in chalk painting, mosaic work, gilding and more. Call 504-4826851 for more information or visit their website at CanalFurnitureLiquidators.com. You can also check them out on Instagram (@canalfurnitureliquidatorsnola) and on Facebook (Canal Furniture Liquidators) for specials and new stock arriving daily. The store is now open seven days a week. Store hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Mondays-Saturdays, and 12-5 p.m. on Sundays. •

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Baytowne Beer Festival

Fall Getaways E

veryone loves a vacation, especially during a season with more-thantolerable temperatures, lower prices on accommodations and a variety of festivals and special events that complement the beautiful landscapes near New Orleans. Louisiana’s neighboring states have so much to offer – from historic sites that instill a sense of awe to cultural festivals that bring us new flavors not only in

food and drink, but also in music, visual arts and performance. Fall means sporting events and new fashion designs as well as less crowded beaches, cool-weather camping and breezy nights in big cities with loads of entertainment. Get away with friends or family for a weekend and find a destination that speaks to your passions. From Texas across the Gulf Coast, there’s something for everyone among the following fall getaways.

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Mississippi

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’re 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 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.

Big Bay Lake is a one-of-a-kind planned community on Mississippi’s largest private recreational lake. Located just outside of Hattiesburg, Big Bay Lake blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings. Homesites are available on the water starting at $100,000. Both the homes and homesites within this community provide unique opportunities to create the perfect home or weekend getaway.

It is time to relax, unplug, make memories and create new traditions at Big Bay. Whether you are a boating or fishing enthusiast, or just a family who loves to make a big splash, Big Bay Lake is simply about the lure of the water. Come enjoy sun-kissed, fun-filled days at Big Bay Lake, “where the little things make life ... BIG!” Big Bay Lake is only 90 minutes from New Orleans. Call for a boat tour today at 877-4BIG-BAY or visit BigBayLake.com.

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Vicksburg

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Imagine playing host to a variety of fall getaways with a beautiful, rural property located on 44 acres of rolling hills just east of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, and just 2.5 hours north of New Orleans.

Known as Camp Windhover and formerly operated as a summer camp, the for-sale property includes an immense number of facilities perfect for recreation, work meetings and retreats, church camps and more. From a fenced horse pasture and eight-stall barn to a theater and arts building, in-ground pool, dining hall, outdoor chapel, eight cabins, bathhouses, a variety of sports fields and courts, a four-bedroom home, guesthouse and a natural creek running through the property, opportunities for entertainment, relaxation, meditation, learning, and team building abound. Get away any time of year to this beautiful property.

For more information on and photos, and video of this exquisite, oncein-a-lifetime property for sale, visit CampWindhoverForSale.com.

Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort is “The New Way!” Bright, friendly spaces and an atmosphere of resort modernity complemented by southern hospitality makes the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s newest and most exciting resort an immediately inviting place.

Lava Links Miniature Golf Course offers a new way to enjoy some family-friendly fun as

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you putt your way past an erupting volcano, a unique course and exciting experience for all ages. Afterwards, cool off in the luxurious shade by the Garden Oasis Pool.

The Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort also offers the new way to dine from rib-eye steaks prepared to perfection in the elegant atmosphere of Scarlet’s Steaks & Seafood, casual dining at Under The Oak Cafe, Chopstx Noodle Bar or the Waterfront Buffet.

Camp Windhover For Sale

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And don’t forget the new way to win! With over 1,300 of the best slot machines, 45-top-of-the-line table games and 100 video poker games, you’re sure to find an old favorite or make a new one.

Discover the new way today! Visit ScarletPearlCasino.com or call 888-266-5772.

Florida

Fall getaways provide a welcome break before holidays, and Louisianans have discovered the beauty of Florida’s Emerald Coast during the autumn months. Cool coastal breezes, soft white sand beaches, and emerald waters are complemented by spectacular sunsets and the flitter of Monarch Butterflies.

An added bonus, NewmanDailey Resort Properties, which was voted “Best of the Emerald Coast” for vacation rentals, discounts their premier vacation rentals up to 30 percent off during the fall. In addition to the already discounted rates, Newman-Dailey is introducing some fantastic fall packages. The “Be Complete Beach Retreat,” available with threenight stays Sept. 5-Oct. 31, 2016, combines the beach, a yoga class and a $50 Whole Foods gift card for those who want to return feeling healthier and rejuvenated.

Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor, Newman-Dailey features a wide variety of premier South Walton and Destin vacation rentals. Call 800-225-7652 or visit DestinVacation.com.

Newman-Dailey Resort Properties

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Nashville Songwriters Tour at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort

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Get away this fall to the sweet sounds of the Nashville Songwriters Florida Sunshine Tour at Sandestin! The Nashville Songwriters Florida Sunshine Tour takes over Florida’s Emerald Coast Oct. 7-8 at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. FRLA in conjunction with Visit Florida and BMI is thrilled to present this free concert series. The seventh annual event will showcase BMI songwriters who will sing country’s biggest hits and share the stories behind the songs.

The concert schedule features acoustic performances

by Nashville songwriters Aaron Barker, Kendell Marvel, Even Stevens, Kent Blazy, Skye Claire, Bil LaBounty, Bobby Tomberlin, Danny Myrick, Megan Linville and Trailer Choir.

Visit South Walton this fall and enjoy beautiful weather and live music all weekend. Stay steps away from the action at Sandestin and enjoy deluxe accommodations starting at only $119. Call 866-544-1026 or visit Sandestin.com/ SONG16 for special offers and event details. (Promo code: SONG16)

South Walton Fashion Week, produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County in Northwest Florida, celebrates its fourth season of high fashion on the beach by showcasing national and local designers, boutiques, emerging designers and models.

This multi-faceted event begins with an official launch party on Wed., Oct. 5 and continues through Sat., Oct. 8 with nightly runway shows, a style lounge, trunk shows,

parties and presentations. Special guests include designer Christian Siriano, artist Ashley Longshore (Anthropologie), fashion photographer Carlo Pieroni and supermodel Carol Wilson with more to be announced.

South Walton Fashion Week is presented by Visit South Walton, Grand Boulevard at Sandestin and VIE Magazine. Proceeds benefit the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County’s Art For All Program. Tickets and details can be found at SWFW.org.

Enjoy a “Pitcher-Perfect” weekend at the ninth annual Baytowne Beer Festival! Bring together the No. 1 Resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast, beautiful October weather, and a festive beer tasting, and you have a winning combination for fun in the sun at the Baytowne Beer Festival Oct. 14-15.

Known as the Best Beer Fest on the Coast, this popular event features more than 200 craft beers, on-site craft brewers, learning opportunities and live music at the Village of Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin. Beer novices to beer lovers will be able to sample domestic and international options, including specialty, seasonal and not-yet-released beers. The ninth annual Baytowne Beer Festival is a pitcher-perfect reason for a getaway.

Visit South Walton this October and stay steps away from the action at Sandestin. Enjoy savings of more than $50 on your accommodations and tickets with promo code BEER16. Call 865-686-8985 or visit Sandestin.com/beer.

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Texas

Located just 30 miles north of Dallas, Texas,

McKinney is a picturesque and vibrant city with a quaint historic downtown square. The roughly 120 mom-and-pop downtown businesses, more than 20 of which are restaurants, include shops, wineries, organic markets and a boutique hotel. The square’s centerpiece is the historic courthouse, built in 1876, now home of the McKinney Performing Arts Center. Its courtroom serves as its theater, an intimate 430-seat venue, with performances from local actors and musicians to recording artists like Clint Black and Lindsey Buckingham.

McKinney visitors can commune with nature at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, visit the Croatian-style village called Adriatica, hear live music at multiple venues, and enjoy annual familyfriendly events. During fall months, guests enjoy Oktoberfest, Legends of McKinney Ghost Walk and Home for the Holidays.

McKinney’s eclectic mix of sights and activities makes it the perfect weekend destination. For more, go to VisitMcKinney.com.

From one-of-a-kind gourmet dishes from top chefs to Southern classics, Dallas delivers for breakfast, lunch and dinner. To kick off your Dallas foodie adventure, start with the daily lineup of food trucks at Klyde Warren Park – lobster rolls, pastrami sandwiches and

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Visit Dallas

Vietnamese rice bowls are a few plates usually available from the numerous trucks – before heading to Deep Ellum for a taste of some of the world’s best barbecue at Pecan Lodge.

If drinks are in your plans, grab a seat at one of countless craft breweries throughout Dallas. Deep Ellum Brewing Company, the first modern brewery in the city, offers a taproom, or go for a frozen margarita made tableside with frozen nitrogen at award-winning chef Stephan Pyles’ Stampede 66 in Uptown.

This fall, take a trip to Fair Park in South Dallas for the State Fair of Texas (Sept. 30-Oct. 23) for the classic Fletcher’s Corny Dog and a turkey leg or the more unusual fried bacon cinnamon roll.

No matter the taste, budget or style, Dallas is the next stop on your foodie adventure. Explore more flavors at VisitDallas.com.

Alabama

There is no better place to relax, reconnect and reminisce with best friends than on Alabama’s 32 miles of sugar-white sand beaches. With luxurious accommodations, decadent spas, five-star restaurants and boutique and outlet shopping, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have everything needed for the perfect girlfriends’ getaway. Whether looking for an exciting weekend filled with adventurous kayaking trips and zipline courses or a relaxing time spent basking 146

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in the sun and doing yoga on the sand, there are plenty of activities and attractions to enjoy.

Visit this fall during one of the area’s many signature events, including the 45th annual National Shrimp Festival, Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival and World Food Championships. These festivals highlight some of the best things about the Alabama Gulf Coast: fresh Gulf seafood, great music and an atmosphere like no other.

Visit GulfShores.com for more information.

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 2016 Fairhope Film Festival takes place Nov. 10-13. The film schedule, festival passes, and additional information are available at FairhopeFilmFestival.org or by calling 251-990-7957. myneworleans.com / SEPTEMBER 2016

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Southern Hotel

With nearly 400 properties that dot Alabama’s Gulf Coast in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan, Young’s Suncoast Realty & Vacation Rentals offers everything from luxurious, four-bedroom penthouses to budgetfriendly condos and beach houses ranging from one bedroom to seven! Locally owned and operated with over 40 years of experience, Young’s Suncoast is large enough to offer options for all vacationers, yet small enough to provide a customer service experience guests expect and appreciate. That is why their guests keep coming back, year after year.

The fall weather, complemented by reduced fall pricing, is wonderful for enjoying relaxing days walking on the beach, working on your tan or hiking along the back trails of Alabama’s Gulf Coast. The Gulf is still perfectly warm for swimming, but if you prefer a swimming pool, nearly all of Young’s Suncoast vacation rentals have pools. Thanksgiving & Christmas are phenomenal times to visit the area too, when Young’s Suncoast condos and beach houses are the lowest price of the year.

Reserve your beach getaway now; they only require $89 down at booking. Take advantage of exceptional “free night” deals at YoungsSuncoast.com/hot-deals.

Louisiana

Louisiana’s most centrally located and most comprehensive resort, Paragon Casino Resort is the perfect destination for a fall getaway with family and friends or a meeting location that suits all travelers. With 148

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over 500 rooms and suites as well as RV resort for lovers of the great outdoors, Paragon’s accommodations are further complemented by its bayou-themed atrium with live alligators, a three-screen movie theater, shops, cocktail lounge, coffee shop and numerous dining options.

Fall presents perfect weather for lounging by the indoor or outdoor pools, hitting the links or taking a stroll on the Tunica-Biloxi nature trail. Relaxing is easy at Spa La Vie, a full-service spa. For entertainment, enjoy concerts at the Mari Showroom and – of course – state-of-the-art gaming with the newest slots as well as the “reel” classics, video poker, hot table games and a separate poker room.

Paragon features Kids Quest Hourly Childcare, a fun and safe environment for kids in addition to the Cyber Quest family-friendly arcade for kids of all ages.

Paragon Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. For more information, visit ParagonCasinoResort.com or call 800-946-1946.

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

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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 844-866-1907.

Ideally situated just three blocks from the French Quarter, the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery is the best New Orleans boutique hotel for art lovers and cultural explorers. Named No. 7 Best City Hotel in the Continental U.S. by Travel + Leisure, this gem celebrates all that is New Orleans.

Old No. 77 Hotel’s walls are covered in art, from the Where Y’Art annex located just off the lobby to the art in guestrooms from students of the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, the city’s legendary tuition-free high school of the arts. The hotel has gone back to its roots supplying travelers with a lobby Chandlery featuring works by New Orleans’ top makers and creators.

Do not let your four-legged friend miss out on pampering in the Crescent City. The hotel offers an extensive pets-welcome policy with signature amenities.

And when it’s time to grab a bite yourself, try dining at Compère Lapin for delicious cuisine by Top Chef Nina Compton.

For booking and information, visit Old77Hotel.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 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 or Instagram.

Fall brings great festival weather to South Louisiana, and this year the Best of the Bayou Festival celebrates its fifth year of showcasing the best in music, food, arts, and culture of Houma, Louisiana. A free, two-day festival, Best of the Bayou takes place Sept. 24-25 and will feature 19 acts on two stages, filling downtown Houma with continuous music all weekend. The festival will also feature the best of the Houma’s local chefs and eateries, artwork and craftsmanship, as well as an alligator race, farmer’s market, 5K glow run and fun for kids. A classic car show is also on tap for the weekend.

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Stellar musical acts include headliners The Revivalists, Grammy winners Wayne Toups and Terrance Simien, Baby Bee, Paul Thorn, Brass-a-holics, Creole String Beans, The Band Courtbouillon, Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars, Colin Lake, Mia Borders, Josh Garrett and The Jordan Anderson Band. New this year, Terrance Simien will play an additional children’s concert in Courthouse Square on Saturday morning (11 a.m.).

Best of the Bayou Festival is presented by People’s Drug Store. For a full schedule and information, visit BestoftheBayou.la.

St. Martin Parish draws visitors year round with its welcoming hospitality, world-class music and famous local cuisine. Accommodations offerings include beautiful B&B’s, top quality campgrounds and cabins, houseboats and hotels. Breaux Bridge offers an array of shopping, antiquing and world-renowned hotspots, like the famous Zydeco Breakfast at Cafe des Amis or Cajun music and nightly entertainment across the parish. The Henderson area, at the edge of the Atchafalaya Basin, offers airboat and swamp tours and great family-owned restaurants such as Chicken on the Bayou and Crawfish Town USA. On Sundays, Dancing on the Levee starts at McGee’s Landing at noon, ventures to Whiskey River for Zydeco and ends the night at Pat’s Atchafalaya Club. St. Martinville plays host to countless festivals and quaint cafes in the beautiful downtown district. Take heritage tours at Acadian Memorial, African American Museum and Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site.

Highlights of year-round festivals and events include the Pepper Festival in St. Martinville (Sept. 16-17), Breaux Bridge City Wide Garage Sale (Oct. 1-2) and Tour du Teche (Oct. 7-9). See “where Cajun began” and visit CajunCountry.org.

innovative alternative that gives you 200 spritzes per bottle or the equivalent of 100 wet wipes. And since you use it in combination with toilet tissue already on hand, there is no concern of clogging pipes and sewer systems with conventional wet wipes. Whether staying at home or traveling the globe this season, make Milavo™ your trusted travel companion.

Learn more and purchase Milavo™ today at MilavoSpray.com.

Whether you’re across the globe or across town, you can check your phone and know 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 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. •

Travel Resources

While Milavo™ is intended for everyday use, its compact, sleek design makes it an ideal travel companion that fits inconspicuously in a purse, travel kit or pocket and is readily available whenever a quick refresher is needed. It can be difficult to maintain freshness when traveling, especially on long drives and flights or trips with tenuous agendas.

Milavo™ makes for a comforting travel companion with its soothing, proprietary blend of aloe vera and essential oils that refresh and invigorate with a calming lavender scent. You will wonder how you ever managed without it!

Milavo™ eliminates the need for bulky, leaky and wasteful wet wipes that run out when you need them most. Milavo™ provides a sensible, economical, and

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Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

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Men’s Health Whether you’re the kind of guy who jogs five miles every morning before heading to the office, one who eats a hearty breakfast before a day of hands-on hard labor or a stay-athome dad who focuses more on the kids’ morning routine than his own, your daily habits, actions and diet are bound to affect your body and health. From specific injuries or illnesses that need treatment to regular check-ups and cancer screenings, you never know what reason may arise for seeking a healthcare professional. It is helpful to know who to call, and from urologic issues to turning back the hands of time or seeking comfort and assistance during a critical time, finding a professional in New Orleans is easy to do. The following healthcare providers may be able to offer solutions and treatments specific to your health and routines.

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 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.

Cosmetic Surgery & Aesthetics

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 nonsurgical procedures and treatments including 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 152

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appearance and profile of moderate to severe fat below the chin. In addition to Botox, Kybella has proven effective in and popular among male patients.

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, visit PenelopeTreece.com. You can also request a consultation at the site or by calling 504-779-7749.

Hospice

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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Cutting-Edge Health No matter the malady, it’s a safe bet that there’s a new treatment for it or a new attitude on its treatment making headlines in the medical world. With technology and research constantly on the rise, today’s medicine is unquestionably better than yesterday’s and seemingly light-years ahead of where it was just a few decades ago. Minimally invasive procedures are becoming the new normal in place of certain surgical procedures while state-of-the-art facilities are being built to offer better care, enhance wellness and improve outcomes for patients. From minimally invasive procedures to advanced biopsy technologies and brand new facilities for rehabilitation, the following medical news and services offer advanced solutions for a variety of health concerns. Keep up with the latest from some of the region’s top providers.

Serving the West Bank and Greater New Orleans region,

Westside Orthopaedic Clinic provides superior general

orthopaedic treatment with a specialty in spinal care. The clinic has been in operation since 1961, making it one of the

longest standing orthopaedic clinics in the city.

Dr. Ralph. Katz is a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic specialist who has performed over 500 minimally invasive procedures with consistently excellent outcomes.

For the right patient, who conservative treatment has failed (e.g. medication, physical therapy, injections), a minimally invasive microdiscectomy can be done in an outpatient setting with an incision that can be covered by a BandAid. The procedure typically takes less than an hour. Most patients can return to normal activities within three to six weeks. Additionally, Dr. Katz performs cervical and lumbar spinal fusions, utilizing small incisions with minimally invasive systems. He is one of few local surgeons who perform both cervical and lumbar disc replacements.

Westside offers full-service, in-house X-rays, EMG/ NCS, as well as physical therapy services with access to new rehabilitation equipment. Same day appointments can be accommodated. For more information, visit WestsideOrtho.com or call 504-347-0243.

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Cobalt Rehabilitation Hospital’s team significantly and uniquely impacts the recovery process of individuals suffering from injury or illness. Cobalt Rehabilitation Hospital of New Orleans takes pride in the wealth of experience each specialty trained therapist has, which allows for exceptional functional outcomes. With a brand-new state-of-the-art facility, Cobalt therapists will utilize the most advanced rehab technologies in the area with amenities to maximize independence and prepare patients for a better life ahead.

Cobalt Rehabilitation Hospital offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient programs with specialty focus on stroke, traumatic brain injury, concussion, Parkinson’s disease and various movement disorders, along with more common ailments such as fractures and orthopedic injuries. Cobalt provides an environment that enhances comfort and healthy learning during the recovery process. In celebration of National Rehab Week in September, Cobalt would like to recognize and thank its rehab team for their extraordinary work.

For more information on Cobalt’s commitment to exceptional rehabilitation, visit CobaltRehab.com or call 504930-3527. Cobalt offers hotel-like amenities and is located in Mid-City at 3801 Bienville St. In the coming months, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, located in Lafourche Parish, will unveil an unprecedented, innovative tool in the fight for better health in South Louisiana. The hospital’s 250,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Wellness Center promises to revolutionize the quest for an improved quality of life throughout the region. The new Wellness Center addresses wellness at every level, including prevention, education and rehabilitation,

combined with medically directed services.

Thibodaux Regional is putting every resource needed to enjoy a healthy lifestyle under one roof. One of the largest areas in the facility will be the Wellness and Education Center.

The Fitness Center will house all of the latest technology, a wrap-around track and many opportunities for group exercise. Many clinical needs will be addressed by the facility’s specialty centers.

For a virtual tour of the Wellness Center or for more information visit Thibodaux.com.

East Jefferson General Hospital is proud to offer the latest technology in prostate care and detection, the UroNav fusion biopsy system. Offering a cutting-edge option for many patients with elevated and/or rising PSA levels, this targeted biopsy system is poised to become the new standard in prostate care. The UroNav system delivers more accurate biopsies, positively predicts values above 90 percent, simultaneously displays registered MR and ultrasound images and delivers visualization and recordings in both multiple 2D and 3D views post-biopsy. Using the fusion of the MR and ultrasound images, similar to a GPS system, the sophisticated algorithm maintains the ultrasound image even if the patient moves.

The UroNav delivers time and time again on its two main purposes: providing a comfortable biopsy experience for the patient while detecting prostate cancer earlier and thus, helping save lives. EJGH is thrilled to offer this powerful solution to all patients!

For more news and services from EJGH, visit EJGH.org. •

Seeking Relief: Pain Management

F

inding the source of and relief from pain can be an arduous task, and the process shouldn’t be painful as well. Whether you know your pain stems from an injury or illness, or the pain is a mystery you’re trying to solve, there are professionals across New Orleans whose passion is in diagnosing and eliminating pain while improving quality of life for patients. From natural remedies to medication and physical therapy, there are a variety of methods one can employ to get to the root of your problem.

The following area healthcare provider may be the key you need to unlock a life without pain with a process and treatment that works for you.

Physical Therapy is an important process for healing the body and placing an individual on the path from rehabilitation to performance. Therapydia NOLA is an innovative Metairie physical therapy clinic that offers a 156

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physical therapy experience unlike any other. Clients receive one-on-one treatments by a Doctor of Physical Therapy throughout their entire treatment – no aides or techs are substituted into care. Using a hands-on approach to get to the root of your pain, they move and manipulate muscles and joints using manual therapy techniques to get you better faster.

Programs are tailored to reach your wellness goals, and Therapydia NOLA physical therapists utilize the latest research and treatment methods to offer customized services such as Trigger Point Dry Needling to relax muscles and reduce pain.

Located conveniently on Airline Drive near Causeway Boulevard with easy access from all of the greater New Orleans area, Therapydia NOLA’s unique physical therapy space in Metairie is warm and inviting. For information and scheduling, visit TherpydiaNOLA.com or call 504-324-8345. •

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Presented by

Chairmen: Peyton and Liz Bush and Lamar and Michelle Villere

St. Charles Avenue invites you to our 3rd Annual Wine, Dine & Design extravaganza featuring 25 elaborately decorated tablescapes crafted by top designers. View these true works of art at the Preview Party as you indulge in tasty tidbits, cocktails and live music. Or, enjoy a three-course, lunch with wine while seated at one of our beautifully decorated tables. 100% of all ticket sales and proceeds will benefit Bastion.

Preview Party October 12 | 6-8pm Luncheon October 13 | 11:30am-1:30pm

Luncheon Tickets - $150 per person Call Margaret Strahan at 830-7264

Audubon Tea Room 6500 Magazine St.

Preview Party Tickets - $50 per person available at MyNewOrleans.com/Events

Sponsored by:

Boysie and Joy Bollinger; Sally and Walter Cockerham

About Bastion: Bastion is a nonprofit organization that is building an intentionally designed neighborhood in New Orleans for returning warriors with lifelong rehabilitative needs and their families. Through their powerful community model that empowers neighbors as volunteers in a warrior’s care plan, Bastion will sustain a thriving recovery from the wounds and casualties of war.

TRY THIS

NIKO Offers Outdoor Products to Withstand the Elements NIKO Industries, (985) 318-6456, NikoIndustries.com Metal outdoor furniture, railings, gates, fences and more take a battering from the elements which paint finds hard to withstand. Powder coating is a highly durable alternative offering superior protection.

NIKO Industries has the largest industrial and architectural powder coating line in the South, coating parts up to 60 by 12 by 12 feet in unlimited color choices. The company also offers custom metal and fabric awnings for commercial and residential properties from design, manufacture and installation. It is no wonder the company has seen impressive growth in its first year.

Upcycle Your Home With Canal Furniture Liquidators Canal Furniture Liquidators, 3534 Toulouse St., 482-6951, cflmakersstudio@ gmail.com, CanalFurnitureLiquidators.com If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to freshen up a room, house or commercial space, head to Canal Furniture Liquidators in Mid-City. The warehouse is brimming with thousands of pieces from hotel and office liquidations as well as items from estate sales and consignments. The Makers Studio holds group and individual workshops on techniques such as chalk painting, gilding, gold leafing, mosaics, upholstery and fabric block printing. It is a great way to up-cycle and repurpose existing furniture or items you find at Canal Furniture Liquidators.

– Mirella Cameran

Shimmy ’Til Ya Make It Becoming a belly dancer

By Jessica DeBold

“D

on’t forget to smile,” says Karla Marie Cochran, founder and instructor of Belly Dance Goddess Hour and the director of Shimmy Shakti Troupe. We are hard at work shaking our knees and booties to do something called, “a shimmy.” We have to do it for two minutes straight, and I can feel the sweat beading down my forehead. The last thing I want to do is smile, yet here I am, smiling ear-to-ear as the room fills with the sound of jingling coin skirts.

Dressed in matching tank tops featuring the words “Belly Dance Goddess Hour, Shimmy Shakti” and an illustrated Hindu goddess on the front, a diverse group of women ranging in age, body-types and professions, welcome my editorial cohorts to their first belly dancing class.

“I loved the fun, feminine energy and who wouldn’t enjoy shaking it in a coin skirt?” says Kimberly Singletary, editor of Biz New Orleans magazine.

Shakti is the female principle of divine energy, often used to refer to the Hindu goddess of femininity, Adi Parashakti. Those unfamiliar with the art form often assume belly dancing is just an erotic dance meant for sexualized entertainment and women with flat stomachs. In reality, belly dancing – also known as Raqs Al Farrah “Dance of Happiness” or Raqs Sharqi “Oriental Dance” – is an empowering and bodypositive art open to all ages, sizes and beliefs.

“It’s very empowering and allows you the space to explore your movement and your body, without feeling insecure or judged,” says web editor Kelly Massicot. “More women would benefit from a class experience like this one.”

Cochran’s Shimmy Shakti Troupe, which I joined in August 2015, has performed in festivals and showcases throughout New Orleans and the Northshore, and is now hard at work practicing for Cochran’s biggest dance project yet, titled “Shimmy Soul: A New Orleans Belly Dance Experience.” The weekend workshop and gala show, Dec. 2-4, will present international dancing sensations Sadie Marquardt and Simon Sarkis of Lebanon.

“To me, belly dancing is about discovery; it’s about falling in love with your soul; it’s about having the freedom to breathe and dance in your own light,” says Cochran.

Classically trained in ballet and jazz, Cochran began belly dancing in 2005 and teaching in ’08. Shimmy Shakti has been performing for six years and has grown to more than 20 members. Cochran hopes to open her own studio soon in New Orleans. For more information on the December gala and class packages, visit BellyDanceNewOrleans.blogspot.com. n

cheryl gerber photos

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Saints In the Sun By errol laborde

A

n uncle was sitting in the stands at Tulane Stadium. It was a hot fall Sunday afternoon. He glanced at his watch which showed, “Noon,” and then yelled, “Let’s get started; I’ve been sitting here an hour already!” Those of us around him giggled at the futility as the heat intensified. That was the way it was in the early days of the Saints franchise, and we were all crazy enough to endure it.

From 1967 through ’74 when the Superdome opened, the Saints played in the mammoth Tulane facility. The stadium seated 80,000 people, which made it a good home for the Sugar Bowl; the problem was that most of it was built in an era (the ’20s) before automobiles were so dominant. There simply was not enough parking. That hadn’t been a problem until the Saints started play-

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ing there. The team filled the stadium for practically every game, so parking overflowed into the streets of Uptown New Orleans.

In those days the early games started at 1 p.m. on Sundays, rather than noon. But finding a parking place within manageable walking distance required getting in the vicinity prior to 11 a.m. For the people of Uptown, a cottage industry arose as they sold parking spots on their lawn and in their driveways. (Some kids even marketed the public street, which, of course, they didn’t own.

Customers generally regarded their investment as protection money.)

Walking from the parking spot to the stadium was a hike followed by climbing the winding ramps into the stadium – the cheaper the seat the longer the climb. (Blessed were the poor for they acquired a great aerial

view of the city skyline.)

So it was that many fans sat in the stands, on wooded benches, for nearly two hours before the game even started. There would be moments of spectacle, such as when the Saints trotted on the field to briefly warm up. Not yet in their shoulder pads, they seemed like young gladiators; their performance on the field made flawless because their opponent was still in the dressing room. We all marveled.

By the opening kickoff we were all in a frenzy, although we were not only hot but also crowded, as elbows, like pistons, seemed to move from every direction.

Games actually lasted a little longer back then, partially because of more time being allowed for halftime shows, which were more entertaining (including once an ostrich race) than they are now. Halftime was the last glow before the dismal reality of their having to be a loser.

By the time the game ended we had been in the stands for about five and a half hours, and usually disappointed, though anxious to return again.

There was one time though when, despite the time served in the stand, no one wanted to leave: Nov. 8, 1970. Going into the final seconds of the game the Saints, whose season was so bad the coach had been fired during the week, were losing to the Detroit Lions 17 to 16. In desperation, place kicker Tom Dempsey was sent to the field to try an impossible field goal from the Saint’s 37-yard line. For this to be successful, the ball would have to travel 63 yards – further than any field goal had ever travelled. Dempsey, who was born with a birth defect so that the kicking surface of his foot was flat rather than pointed, faced the ball, ran up to it and then, with his leg as a mighty pendulum, launched the sphere in a flight that NASA might have detected had it had satellites. The referees’ arms shot into the air. Saints won!

Eighty thousand baked and jammed people jumped and cheered, but they couldn’t move.

They were stunned as though frozen in time as they watched the jubilation on the field.

It may have been more than an hour before spectators completed the trek back to their automobiles. Nothing that the Saints would do could top that ending for drama, unless the team would one day win the Super Bowl. That moment unbelievable outcomes suddenly seemed more possible. n ARTHUR NEAD ILLUSTRATION