Latest Issue: Halloween 2025—Halloween

DINING • MUSIC • ENTERTAINMENT

DINING • MUSIC • ENTERTAINMENT

P Master

at The Library

Spooky Events For All Ages

Fright

Night: An Evening of Terrifying Tales

Local authors Adrian Van Young, SueBird Sparrow, and Dawn Chartier celebrate spooky season by reading their most macabre manuscripts. Costumes encouraged.

Tuesday, October 14, 6:30pm–7:30pm Hubbell Library

Art Smarts: Spooky Stories–Edward Gorey Illustrations

In each session of Art Smarts, participants will be introduced to an important artist through a picture book biography, then create their own artwork inspired by the artist we just learned about. For children ages 6–12.

Tuesday, October 21, 4pm–5pm Robert E. Smith Library

Spooky Fun: An Early Literacy Adventure

Practice developing early literacy skills with crafts, hands-on activities, and snacks. A fun, spooky-themed program for children ages 2–5 and their families.

Friday, October 17, 10:30am–11:30am Mid-City Library

House of Schlock: Halloween Double Feature

Carnival of Souls (1962) & Dementia 13 (1963)

The mad doctor returns to the House of Schlock with a spooky double feature, complete with history and trivia in the style of the classic horror hosts. Refreshments will be served.

Saturday, October 25, 1pm–4:30pm Algiers Regional Library

Find more Halloween celebrations at events.nolalibrary.org

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Josh Danzig

Creative Director: Robert Witkowski

Executive Editor: Burke Bischoff

Assistant Editor: Donald Rickert

Movie Editors: David Vicari, Fritz Esker

Contributing Writers: Cynthea Corfah, Rebecca Fox, Emily Hingle, Kimmie Tubré, Phil LaMancusa, Debbie Lindsey, Joel Mandia, Tim McNally, Julie Mitchell, Greg Roques, Sabrina Stone, Beauregard Tye

Cover: Percy Robert "Master P" Miller, photo by Romney Caruso

Director of Sales: Jim Sylve

Photographers and Designers: Gus Escanelle, Daelyn House, Emily Hingle, Kim Ranjbar, Robert Witkowski

Interns: Daelyn House, Mary Kate Johnson, Ameer Joseph, Frederick Quinn, Alison Robichaux, Kylee Snyder

BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL

From Master P to Coach P

By Cynthea Corfah | Portrait Photography By Romney Caruso

How this New Orleans music mogul-turnedmultimillionaire plans to create future leaders in his new role at UNO.

Percy “Master P” Miller is a true businessman, and you can tell by how he started and ended our interview—by hopping on a phone call. The multimillionaire music mogul and trailblazing rapper-turnedentrepreneur wore an all-black University of New Orleans Under Armor set and was adorned with his signature Cartier glasses and massive diamond accessories.

As we sat in the new UNO men’s basketball film room, the light bouncing off his large pinky rings, blingy bracelet, icedout watch, and twinkling bottom grill, his phone vibrated on and off with missed notifications. In between meetings, media interviews, and giving back to the community, the 55-year-old New Orleans native graciously spent over an hour completely focused on our conversation, despite his demanding to-do list. His presentness was a reflection of his down-to-earth personality and humble spirit.

To the world, he is known as Master P, the founder of No Limit Records, father of former child star Romeo, and the blueprint for rappers-turned-millionaires. In New Orleans, he is embracing his latest moniker—Coach P. Miller was named the President of Basketball Operations at UNO in February 2025.

While it may come as a surprise to some, real Master P fans know returning to basketball was a part of his plan all along. Throughout his career, basketball has been his passion project. He played collegiate basketball at the University of Houston and Merritt College in California. He also played in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors. In addition to playing, he has been coaching for the last two decades. His former AAU team, P. Miller Ballers, won three national championships, where he coached future NBA players including Demar Derozan, Brandon Jennings, Lance Stephenson, and Jalen Suggs.

This year, Coach P is bringing his talents back to his hometown with a vision for New Orleans that expands beyond basketball.

“This is my home,” Miller said. “To be able to be here and be president of basketball operations at our city school is probably the most important job I’ve ever had. It’s all about creating future leaders and helping the next generation. This is bigger than basketball.”

Miller sees basketball as a catalyst for change for New Orleans youth. In less than a year in his role, he has been devoted to marketing the UNO men’s basketball team at local middle schools, building hype around the upcoming basketball season and shedding a new light on the university and its basketball department. By encouraging New Orleans youth to attend UNO, Miller aims to retain more local talent in the city, reinvigorate the Lake Front Arena, and connect New Orleans youth with life-changing opportunities such as college degrees, NIL deals, and advice for life off-the-court.

Since taking on his new role, Coach P has given the UNO basketball facilities a total makeover, including a state-of-theart locker room, a mini movie theatre-style film room, a newly renovated practice facility, and a freshly painted arena. Like a proud dad, Coach P’s smile beamed as he pointed out the little details in the men’s basketball locker room: the motivational phrases, the custom marbleized water-inspired floor, and a UNO Privateers logo-shaped light mounted on the ceiling.

“Our jerseys should be sold inside the airport,” he said as he settled into his chair, took off one of his bracelets, and put it into his pocket. “This brand represents the city. With having a winning season, we’ll get more kids who want to go to school. We’ll be changing and saving lives because education is the key.”

Coach P’s goal for the New Orleans Privateers is to surpass the four wins the team scored last season. He said he is confident the team is prepared to compete as a Division 1 basketball team this November with anyone in the country. As an extra incentive for locals to come out to support the improving men’s basketball team, Miller is reaching out to various talents to perform at the halftime show, hinting at potential celebrity appearances.

Miller is bridging his worlds of music, basketball, community, and philanthropy as he headlines the upcoming NOLA Funk Fest with The Soul Rebels on October 17 to 19 in Spanish Plaza. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the men’s basketball program. While he closed out his music career this year at Essence Festival, he said he is still open to perform occasionally when it’s for a cause. He also plans to continue adding to the New Orleans Walk of Fame, aiming to honor thousands of notable New Orleanians with a global impact.

After decades of working in music, being a serial entrepreneur, and giving back to communities, Miller is embracing being a “servant.” His relationship with God and deep sense of gratitude motivate him to seize the day and help as many people as possible.

“I’ve watched so many successful people sit around that could do something and don’t,” Miller said. “I’m at that stage where I’m thankful and blessed, and making a difference is important for me. It’s what I get up and smile about. I feel like I have a bigger calling now.”

Sitting across from Miller, with an infectious chuckle and who dapped up one of the UNO basketball players walking

Dancing With the Stars

by, it was inspiring to think he is the same man who has graced the Forbes Forty Under 40 list, signed Snoop Dogg to his record label, and was the first rapper to play for the NBA. Even with his global reach and historic achievements, he has a familiar spirit and easy goingness that could only be born and bred in New Orleans.

After the interview wrapped up, he vanished off solo into the practice gym with no entourage, security, or assistant waiting on him. Somehow, without being noticed, he had taken off all of his flashy jewelry. It was as if the celebrity version of Master P hung up his jersey, allowing the faith-fueled, hometown hero Coach P to take center court.

“I’m grateful for what the music has done for me, all the lives I was able to touch, what I was able to build as a company and an organization,” he said, reflecting on his career. “The journey is still going, and I feel like this journey is even bigger.”

MASTER P’S HALLOWEEN PICKS

HALLOWEEN CANDY: Snickers

SCARY MOVIE:  Child’sPlay featuring Chucky

CHILDHOOD COSTUME:  Batman

SPOOKY SEASON SONG:

“Mind Playing Tricks on Me” by Geto Boys

HALLOWEEN MEMORIES

“Going trick-or-treating—going up St. Charles. I lived in the ‘hood, so we were like, ‘Hey, we’re going on St. Charles Street to get the real candy.’ I couldn’t afford a costume back then. But we had fun, and we were thankful for the little that we had. We had our little brown paper bag from WinnDixie [to trick-or-treat].”

SHAQ vs. MASTER P

Basketball fans will be in for something truly special on October 18, 2025, at the UNO Lakefront Arena.

Basketball and entertainment legends Percy “Coach P” Miller and Shaquille O’Neal will be hosting the “Southwest Shootout,” a Division 1 college basketball scrimmage game between the UNO Privateers and the Sacramento State Hornets, with local athletes, as well as NFL and NBA stars, making appearances. The night will

serve as an evaluation of each college's men’s basketball programs by UNO Privateers’ Head Coach Stacy Hollowell and Sacramento State Hornets’ Head Coach Mike Bibby before their seasons begin. The game will begin at 1 p.m., and tickets, available at UNOPrivateers. com/tickets, start at $10.

STIFF

The Scariest Immersive Experiences to Escape into this Halloween

By Rebecca Fox

Tourists flock to New Orleans for a variety of reasons, but few towns beat us at Halloween.

The Mortuary

We’ve got Voodoo, ghosts, beautiful weather in our “fake Fall,” and a variety of fun Halloween themed events, including a Halloween parade called the Krewe of BOO!

Most importantly, we’re really good at being scary, and that’s aside from our weather, politics, and potholes.

Already a growing destination for escape rooms, with a ton of local haunted tours to choose from, New Orleans has been adding another category to the list—immersive scary experiences. These aren’t just standard escape rooms or haunted houses. These are terrifying journeys offering thrills and chills from the moment you enter the premises to the second you’re running out the exit door. These experiences are curated down to the last detail, and they’ll make you think about them long after you head home, perhaps even as you’re trying and failing to fall asleep.

The Mortuary, long known for turning a funeral home into a haunted house, continues to morph into a destination offering immersive experiences year round. This past spring, Tales of the Macabre took us through the mansion, room by terrifying room (with a specialty cocktail offering coordinated to each), and that was just the tip of the iceberg for what this establishment can do. This season, the Mortuary returns with their extremely popular haunted house, and the 2025 theme is “Origins of Evil.”

Here’s part of the description: “Before evil had a name, it had a beginning. Long before the monsters. Before the witches danced under the stars, before wolves howled at the cursed

Clue Carré

moons, before the dead refused to stay dead, there was a woman, and this is her story—the Queen of the Night.” Origins of Evil had its grand opening to the public on Saturday, September 13. For date and time information, as well as ticketing, please visit themortuary.net/legend.

Speaking of old funeral homes, Delaporte Manor is also located in a former funeral home at 1152 Camp St. A new horror experience from the creators of Escape My Room, Delaporte Manor is part haunted house, part immersive theatre, and part escape room. Here’s the story: A lonely child grieving the loss of her parents invites you to explore a world where antique toys stir in the shadows and every corridor hides chilling secrets in this life-sized dollhouse. Groups of up to eight guests will explore the mansion together every Thursday to Sunday in October, as well as a few select dates in November. Starting at $38, advanced tickets are required, and more information is available at delaportemanor.com

According to owner and creator Andrew Preble, “Most haunted houses chase screams. We chase immersion. Delaporte Manor is a living, breathing narrative where the horror unfolds around and through you.” It’s “a place where every hallway is a set, and you’re both actor and prey.” Pre ble goes on to say, “I think people will love that this isn’t just about jump scares. It’s about stepping into a world that feels real. Delaporte Manor invites you to feel the story, not just walk through it.” So do you dare step inside a house where dolls refuse to stay still and some visitors never leave?

Clue Carré will continue to offer some of their tried-and-true spooky escape room favorites: Revenge on the Bayou, Vampire Hunters, and Voodoo Cemetery. They also have the Fright Before Christmas, which is a family friendly game loosely based on The Nightmare Before Christmas according to owner Megan Mouton.

To book a Clue Carré escape room, you can visit their website at cluecarre.com or give them a call at 504-667-2583.

If you have a little time for a day trip, it’s worth checking out the 13th Gate. Located at 800 St. Phillip St. in Baton Rouge, their escape rooms are continuously rated as some of the world’s best with the most insane physical features, and the haunted house is supposedly even better. This Halloween, join them for “Séance,” an immersive experience that blurs the line between theatre and terror.

“Ancient rituals, restless spirits, and unsettling phenomena await those brave enough to make

They also have the acclaimed regular haunted house, in addition to the Carnevil Haunted Midway across the street offering haunted games, five-minute escape games, sinister selfies, nightly entertainment, and free concerts on select nights. Even after the Haunted House is closed for the season, they’ll still offer Flashlight Fright Nights November 7 and 8 for those who dare to explore it when it’s gone dark. Tickets available at 13thgate.com

Whether you’re trying to escape an old mortuary or explore a cool haunt, we definitely have a lot of interesting and unparalleled choices in Louisiana—if you dare.

A SPOOKY FAMILY AFFAIR

A Q&A with Brian Kern, Captain of Krewe of BOO!

By Kimmie Tubré

Each fall, as the humid summer air makes way for cooler breezes, New Orleans gears up for one of its favorite seasons—the spooky season of Halloween.

Known for its haunted history, ghost tours, and vampires lurking the streets of the Quarter, the Big Easy is arguably the best place to spend the entire month of October. At the heart of it all is a parade that makes sure not to disappoint when it comes to all things spooky—Krewe of BOO!, the city’s official Halloween parade.

The man behind it today, Brian Kern, is a New Orleans native with deep roots in the city’s parade and float business. As the son of the legendary Blaine Kern and a member of the family behind Kern Studios and Mardi Gras World, Brian grew up immersed in floats and festivities. However, with Krewe of BOO!, he’s carved out his own legacy that is unmistakably New Orleans.

We caught up with Brian to talk about the origins of the parade, how his family’s legacy shaped his vision, and what it takes to keep this Halloween tradition alive, and growing, year after year.

Where Y’at (WYAT): How did Krewe of BOO! originally get started?

Brian Kern (BK): Actually, my father started the parade after Hurricane Katrina. The original intent was to raise money for the first responders. He began planning in 2007, and the first parade rolled between 2008 through 2010. Then, in 2013, I was at a Mardi Gras parade and saw all the waste and beads everywhere. That’s when I thought, "Why not resurrect the Halloween parade with a focus on locally made items?" That was the turning point.

WYAT: How would you describe your concept of the parade and its expansion today?

BK: I wanted to create something that was a balance between a traditional Mardi Gras float parade and one of the more quirky, walking parades like Krewe du Vieux. Krewe of BOO! now has over 40 marching krewes and around 15 floats with each one Halloween themed. When it comes to float themes, it’s Halloween, so anything goes.

WYAT: You also put on several other Halloween events during the weekend of the parade. What are some other events worth attending?

BK: The morning of the parade, we host the Zombie Run. I knew the parade alone wasn’t enough to bring people in from out of town, so I started building events around it. We’ve added multiple activities to make the whole weekend fun and immersive such as the Royal Luncheon, a second line, the Monster Mash, and so much more. You can check the events tab for more on our website. There’s something for everyone.

WYAT: What’s it like following in your father’s footsteps while creating your own path?

WYAT: Krewe of BOO! is known for buying locally. Can you talk about that?

BK: Absolutely. I always say city first, state second, U.S.A. third. Many of our throws are local. We throw CheeWees, mini pralines, cups from a local container company, gumbo seasoning and jambalaya mix from Jambalaya Girl, and 100 bags of Zapp’s potato chips for each rider. We also have Moon Pies from Chattanooga. Almost everything we throw is local or American-made.

WYAT: How do you balance the spooky vibes with family-friendly fun?

BK: It’s 100% family friendly. I make sure the walking krewes stay away from political messages and throws—nothing offensive. It’s supposed to be a joyful night where people can escape the daily grind and enjoy some fun with friends and family. We throw a lot of great stuff and it’s truly one of the best events in the city, and it doesn’t cost a thing.

WYAT: What message do you want to share with people thinking of joining the krewe?

BK: I’m always looking for people to join Krewe of BOO! We rely on support from the public. I want and need people to ride, support the krewe, and enjoy, and it really is a good time and one of the top Halloween events in the country. Every year, we bring in over 150 new riders. And this year, we’ll have about 600 total. For many, it’s a bucket-list experience.

WYAT: Being the son of one of the biggest float makers, how has the float experience been for Krewe of BOO!? Do you have a favorite float?

BK: In the early days, our double-decker floats held about 30 riders. Now we’ve got super floats with 50+ riders. The riders in their costumes and the props really make the floats shine. One of our floats from last year, the Muenster Energy float with male and female skeletons, was a good one that had a Latin theme. This year, they’re doing a “bad apple” theme with an Eve-like character. I’d also love to have a big Frankenstein or Dracula float one day, preferably something with animation and lights.

WYAT: What’s your future vision for Krewe of BOO!?

MID-CITY

TREMÉ LAKEVIEW

BK: Well my dad had five kids, and we all worked in the family business at one time or another. I ran Mardi Gras World for 25 years, so producing events is kind of my thing. I’m grateful he got to see the parade grow before he passed in 2020. Now, it’s something I’m really proud of, and I think the city is proud of it, too. People expect Krewe of BOO! every year, and it makes everyone happy.

BK: I want iconic Halloween floats that people look forward to each year like Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, you name it. Like Santa on a sleigh at a Christmas parade, you know? Build them well and they’ll last a long time. That’s where I see it going—more tradition, more wow factor.

From its local focus to its spine-tingling creativity, Krewe of BOO! is not only a parade, but a love letter to New Orleans’ spookiness. Thanks to Brian Kern’s vision, it’s only getting better, and eerier, with time.

KREWE OF

BOO!

6:30 P.M., October 25

• Assemble at Elysian

• Parade Down Elysian Fields to North Peters St.

• North Peters Street to Decatur St.

• Decatur past Jackson Square to North Peters

• North Peters to Canal St.

• Up Canal to Burgundy St. then U-turn

• Down Canal to Tchoupitoulas St.

• Tchoupitoulas to Andrew Higgins Dr.

MISS RIVER

Fields Ave.

SMILING FACES Pumpkins to Carve if You Don’t Really Want Trick or Treaters

By Julie Mitchell

Halloween can be fun, but let’s be honest. Kids are loud and sometimes greedy.

If you love giving out candy, that’s important, and you’re a blessing. However, sometimes, you just want to go to bed, or be high, and not worry if some kid dressed as Harry Connick Jr. or Margaret Orr is going to ring your doorbell at 10:45 p.m. looking for KitKats.

There are so many reasons you might not want trick-or-treaters on Halloween: small baby trying to sleep, cursed by a witch as a child, bought candy but now you want to keep most of it, sex, etc. There are so many reasons.

If you want no trick or treaters and you don’t like Halloween, you just turn off the lights and don’t decorate. What if you love Halloween and wish to participate in spirit but not in reality? You need to carve a pumpkin so off-putting that the kids, and their parents, take one look at that thing and keep it moving down the sidewalk. It’s like a doormat that says, “Welcome to Hell,” to ward off missionaries. Make your decorations work for you.

Some such pumpkins might include:

A Scary Clown or the LaLaurie Mansion

What’s scarier? A clown who kidnaps and eats children, or a rich white woman who owned slaves? That’s a trick question. They’re the same thing. Scary kinda morphs on Halloween from corruption and bad infrastructure to fake blood and spiders, but not at your house. Normally being scared is good on Halloween, but there’s a line. No candy bar is big enough to risk your child being scarred for life. Interestingly enough, the scariest actual thing here is riding a skateboard.

A Cat Smoking a Cigarette and/or Doing Whippets

This is cute but also says, “Not for kids.” People see a cat and they think, “Cute,” but now it’s smoking. What does that mean? Is he French? No. There’s no beret. Is he in a union? What if he’s just smoking because he likes it and thinks it’s cool? Not for my kids. You can also go a little further and give the cat a little spoon and a lighter, to scare the older kids as well, or some whippet canisters. If you just bend down on almost any street in the Bywater, you’ll find some.

An Entergy Bill Bastards.

Anyone from WWE or WildKat Wrestling

This is a nice one because it’s versatile. You can do a guy breaking his neck on a chair, a woman choking another woman out, someone kicking someone’s head as they jump—kind of whatever you want. Adults get really scared when they think of neck injuries. Neck injuries for adults are like Pennywise for kids.

A Gun

Self-explanatory.

Falcons Logo

Also self-explanatory.

The Cast of ER

This is just kind of because they deserve more recognition. 331 episodes and 15 seasons? That’s a huge accomplishment, and no one talks about it at all. When was the last time you heard someone reference ER? Probably not in 20 years, unless, maybe, they were saying something about it because of Noah Wylie’s new medical drama—good for him. But even then, it was minimal, and before that, there was nothing. They deserve so much more.

A Quote from the Movie Office Space

It sends a Bat-Signal to other adults that you don’t really like to do all that much. “This house likes hanging out. Let’s not bother them,” they’ll say. “Why don’t we try Bayou Hot Wings instead? The one by the UPS store. I heard they’re really good,” they’ll say.

The Word “Lame”

The word “lame” is such a strong repellant at any age but especially for those 17 and under. There is simply nothing worse. Other insults pick an aspect of you to ridicule, but “lame” encompasses everything and rejects it all. Kids naturally stay away, correctly sensing its power. A pumpkin reading, “This House is Lame,” confuses, repels, and lets people know there’s no candy here, even though there might be.

Rachel Ray

There’s a darkness surrounding Rachel Ray that seems unidentifiable. Is it her inability to sit in silence, or her near compulsory references to her grandpa Emanuel? Why has she memorized that many recipes for eggplant? Why is she always cooking for so many people, but it feels like she’s alone at Christmas? Has she ever used a muffuletta sexually? Why does it feel like the answer might be yes?

Open-Toed Shoes on Bourbon Street

This one would be hard to carve, but it’d be worth it because it’s the scariest of them all.

We’ve reached the end of our suggestions, but, really, the sky’s the limit. There’s obviously darker roads, or more banal or more extreme, but the general takeaway is: let your pumpkins speak for you. Let them say something about you and your house that makes children and adults alike stop walking and go, “Whoa, something is really wrong here—outside of a normal range, and it’s probably nothing, but I don’t want to risk it,” or even just, “Nope.” You can’t put a price on peace but if the cost is actually one or two deranged pumpkins, that’s a price we’ll gladly pay. But, honestly, if you don’t live in Lakeview or Navarre, you probably don’t have to worry about this at all.

INTERESTING & NOTEWORTHY TOMBS

in Lesser Known NOLA Cemeteries

By Beauregard Tye

The final resting spots of fascinating people and striking examples of architectural ornamentation can be found even in less prominent local locales.

The French-Quarter-adjacent St. Louis #1 and Uptown’s Lafayette cemeteries may be the darlings of thanatophiles, but dedicated explorers of New Orleans’ Cities of the Dead should not make those the only stops on their tours.

GREENWOOD CEMETERY & CYPRESS GROVE

Set here, John Kennedy Toole’s posthumously published novel A Confederacy of Dunces is honored with a statue of its hero, Ignatius J. Reilly, on the 800 block of Canal Street. The streetcar passes right by it, but it’s at the far end of Canal, at the streetcar’s terminus, that you’ll find the final resting place of the author himself.

According to William Allerton, long-time public relations consultant for Greenwood Cemetery, “Many of Toole’s fans are as eccentric as Toole’s Ignatius J. Reilly.” He added that the fans leave a variety of objects on the grave, including “copies of Confederacy of Dunces, jelly donuts, cups of café au lait from Morning Call, and Mardi Gras beads, to name a few.” Greenwood, where Toole is interred, sits in the middle of the hub of graveyards known as the Canal Street cemeteries. It was founded by the Fireman’s Charitable and Benevolent Association (FCBA) in 1852, and one of its most prominent features is the 52-foot high neo-Gothic Firemen’s monument, created by sculptor Alexander Doyle and erected in 1887. The firefighter’s monument is far from the only memorable memorial at the site, however. Perhaps the most eye-catching of them is the statue of a majestic elk that stands atop the tumular tomb of Lodge No. 30 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, visible from the streetcar as it approaches the cemetery. A monument to Confederate soldiers may be of interest to students of Southern history who can no longer find examples of such on public property.

As de facto historian for Greenwood, and its predecessor Cypress Grove across the street, Allerton has performed extensive research while helping to create the FCBA’s website and revise a booklet detailing the cemetery’s history that was created in the 1960s. “Much of this research requires walking the aisles of each

cemetery, taking photos of interesting graves,” he said. Exploring the graves led to “the discoveries of a Louisiana governor and congressman, seven mayors, and notables from all walks of life—a founder of the Medical College of Louisiana, now Tulane University Medical School—actors, authors, musicians, and professional baseball players.”

The last group includes the son of one of the largest oyster dealers in New Orleans—Pelicans’ pitcher John Joseph Martina Known as “Oyster Joe,” he went to his final resting place in 1962 and was inducted into the New Orleans Professional Hall of Fame in 2008. There’s also major-leaguer Jack Kramer, who helped the St. Louis Browns defeat the New York Yankees and win the pennant in 1944.

As for entertainers, Marion Zinser may not have been a household name, but the native daughter of New Orleans was featured in some notable films.

Allerton pointed to tombs worth viewing for the beauty of their construction, historical significance aside. “The Maunsel White Tomb is an architectural gem, designed in the Greek Revival style by the internationally acclaimed architect J.N.B. de Pouilly and constructed by Paul Hippolyte Monsseaux,” he noted.

He cited cast iron tombs, such as the Pelton Family’s, as favorites. “The detail of the symbolism is so touching,” he said of the decorative relief. “The angel is escorting the deceased to the afterlife. He’s holding an upside-down torch, which, in a funerary context, symbolizes a life extinguished.”

LAKE LAWN METAIRIE CEMETERY

Just across the highway, Lake Lawn Metairie Cemetery has had its share of Confederate dead, too, including Jefferson Davis and General Albert Sidney Story, whose statue stands atop a burial

Dr. Who, "Blink"

Louis Prima

mound dedicated to the Louisiana Division of the Army of Tennessee. Both of them were relocated, but General Pierre Gustave ToutantBeauregard’s remains remain. He fired on Fort Sumter and began the Civil War.

Storyville madam Josie Arlington is reportedly still there, but she would be difficult to find. She’s been in an undisclosed location since being evicted from her red granite tomb due to protests from moralists of her day. There are more easily located luminaries interred there, including novelist Anne Rice, ice-creamparlor impresario Angelo Brocato, trumpeter Al Hirt, singer Louis Prima, crusading district attorney Jim Garrison, restauranteur Owen Brennan, and industrialist Andrew Higgins The location boasts beautiful sculptures, such as the Weeping Angel statue, a forerunner of memorial statuary of the like and the popular Doctor Who antagonists.

DISPERSED OF JUDAH

Dispersed of Judah, the Jewish cemetery next to Cypress Grove, has only coping tombs, the name taken from the architectural term for the top course of masonry in a wall. Raised rectangles of earth surrounded by short walls, they facilitate in-ground burials.

Finding all the graves worth seeing in New Orleans requires a little digging. Nola Tour Guy owner David Hedges touts the memorials to culturally significant figures in St. Louis #3, tucked away in Bayou St. John, including architect James Gallier, who was lost at sea; Storyville photographer E.J. Bellocq; and sculptor Florville Foy. “He made tomb markers and enclosures,” Hedges said of Foy. “He worked in stone for his entire life, and it’s fascinating to me what he picked for himself, for his own tomb.”

WHERE Y'AT, VOODDOO QUEEN?

Even the famous grave of the “witch queen of New Orleans,” Marie Laveau isn’t necessarily in the first place you’d look. “The Alaux family tomb was once referred to as the ‘Faux Laveau’ tomb because it was falsely speculated that Marie Laveau was buried in this tomb,” related Juliet Hotard, restoration and volunteer coordinator for Save Our Cemeteries. “Misguided visitors would mark three Xs in the hopes of attaining three wishes from the Voodoo priestess.”

“Look beyond the century-plus years of hurricane damage and devastation of graves that have long survived the families of the deceased loved ones, and focus on the beauty of tomb architecture, the touching symbolism of tomb decorations,” Allerton urged potential graveyardvisitors.

Marie Laveau

Anne Rice

GUTS, GORE, & GIGABYTES

Horror Video Games Based in Louisiana

By Greg Roques

’Tis the season for all looking for a good jump scare. Whether it’s an evening of evisceration at The Mortuary or a late-night-fright feature at the movies, now is the time to gorge your hunger for horror.

If you’re looking to arouse your fight-or-flight response without leaving the comfort of your home, there’s no better way to plunge yourself into a pit of terror than an anxiety-inducing video game. Fortunately, there are a number of classic survival–horror titles to choose from based right here in Louisiana that effectively incorporate themes familiar to the region.

Alone in the Dark (2024)

Platforms: PS5, Xbox X|S

A remake of the landmark 1992 classic that launched the “survival horror” gaming genre, Alone in the Dark immerses players in the lonesome environs of an abandoned 1920s Louisiana manor. The claustrophobic Southern Gothicambience evokes the haunting aura of an Anne Rice novel, and there is an ever-present sense of dread lurking around every corner. Those wishing to get their hands on the original will quickly notice its undeniable influence on the first Resident Evil (1996). Conversely, this remake strongly resembles the recent remakes of the original Resident Evil trilogy it inspired.

Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise (2020)

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam

This survival-horror entry cleverly divulges its story by vacillating its investigation of a murder between the past and present. The former comprises the majority of the game, taking place in the idle bayou-bordered community of Le Carré, Louisiana, which is based on New Orleans. The game has a novel-esque quality to its storyline and feels like it could be a supernatural-infused season of HBO’s anthology series True Detective. On August 29, 2020, a side-quest was made available on Switch to commemorate Hurricane Katrina.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers (1993)

Original: PC

Remaster: IOS, Steam

The inspiration for Deadly Premonition 2, Gabriel Knight is a French Quarter-novelist investigating a series of killings dubbed the “Voodoo Murders.” An early entry in the “pointand-click” CD-Rom genre, the gameplay is archaic by current standards—the modern movie-going equivalent of excavating a film from the silent era. Still, there is a retro charm to seeing local landmarks reimagined in a nascent 16-bit form. Jackson Square, the Napoleon House, and St. Louis Cemetery #1 all make an appearance. There is even a Voodoo shop owner named Dr. John. A 20th-anniversary remaster was released in 2014.

House of the Dead: Overkill (2009)

Original: Wii, PS3, IOS

Currently Available: Steam

Unsubtly set in the made-up municipality of Bayou City, located in Bayou “County,” Louisiana, this R-rated rail shooter cranks the B-movie bloodshed of a game like Left 4 Dead 2 up to 11. While the essence of Louisiana is more sparse in this title, it is fast, mindless fun. It is also the only game on this list to hold a Guinness World Record—for “Most Swearing in a Video Game.”

Left 4 Dead 2 (2009)

Original: Xbox 360

Currently Available: Steam, Xbox One & X|S

This grindhouse gore-fest feels as fresh today as it did 16 years ago. The story follows a quartet of survivors during a zombie apocalypse as they make their way from Savannah, Georgia to New Orleans. New Orleans really comes alive in this game. From an undead endurance trial through a Bourbon Street stand-in to wandering rough renderings of Jackson Square and the riverfront, you feel like you’ve made it home. The gameplay is brisk, and the bloodshed is ceaseless.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)

Platforms: Xbox One & X|S, PS4 & PS5, Switch, Steam, IOS Horror-gaming’s most heralded franchise returned to its survivalhorror roots, adopted a first-person perspective, and plopped its protagonist in a rundown plantation in the fictional parish of Dulvey, Louisiana (loosely based on the swampy outer-fringes of Baton Rouge). While the developers drew inspiration for its single-local horror-show from 1981’s Evil Dead, the decomposing, rustic manor and the feral Baker family feel more like they were plucked from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).

Shadowman 64 (1999)

Original: N64

Remastered: Steam, Switch, PS4 & PS5, Xbox One & X|S, Amazon Luna

Shadowman is a Voodoo warrior tasked with protecting the balance between our world and the “Deadside,” where the souls of former serial killers have gathered to amass an army of zombies. While the game begins in the French Quarter, the game quickly makes its way to Lousiaian swamplands, where it switches between the lands of the living and the dead. The unsettling music, brackish atmosphere littered with severed limbs, and torturous moans of lost souls are horrific by Silent Hill standards. Watching a body explode into a barrage of blood and guts after sucking its soul out was unappetizing in the ‘90s original—the 2021 4K remaster should be four times as gruesome.

Voodoo Vince (2003)

Original: Xbox

Remaster: Xbox One & X/S, Steam

It’s easy to imagine Voodoo Vince, with its charming and distinct gothic-cartoon aesthetic, being reimagined as a Tim Burton Disney animated feature in the style of The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) or Frankenweenie (2012). You play as Vince, a Voodoo doll on a quest to save his creator. New Orleans is not just a setting here but an interactive playground. The highlight of the game is when the Jackson Square statue comes to life and the horse bucks you to the top of St. Louis Cathedral. There are jazz-playing skeletons, anthropomorphic alligators, and a chef named Crawdaddy Jimmy who tasks you with finding ingredients for his gumbo. You’ve also got to love the use of Mardi Gras masks as power-ups. A remaster was released in 2017 for the Xbox consoles.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers

Voodoo Vince

Deadly Premonition 2: Blessing in Disguise

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

WHERE TO SEE IN LOUISIANA

Real Monsters

By Emily Hingle

The American Alligator

Although the American alligator (alligator mississippiensis) can be found throughout the southeastern United States, it is a state symbol of Louisiana—and frightening to encounter up close.

Wild alligators can grow between 8 to 15 feet in length, weighing hundreds and even over 1,000 pounds. They have a lifespan of about 70 years. Those in captivity can live even longer. As an apex predator, these living tanks seem almost unstoppable.

Humans realized the value of the animal’s rugged hide for leather in the 1800s and nearly decimated the state’s population by the 1950s. Alligator season was closed from 1962 to 1972, and the creature was listed as an endangered species in 1967. The United States Fish & Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries (LDWF) worked to understand alligators better to help increase the wild population.

The LDWF explained their alligator management effort, “Since more than 80% of the coastal wetland habitat in Louisiana is privately owned, LDWF developed a controlled wild harvest program to provide an economic incentive for landowners to maintain or enhance important wetland habitat and protect alligators. The goals of LDWF’s alligator management program are to manage and conserve Louisiana’s alligators as part of the state’s wetland ecosystem and provide benefits to the species, its habitat, and the other species of fish and wildlife associated with alligators. First implemented in 1972 on an experimental basis in Cameron Parish, this program expanded from the southwestern parishes to the entire state by 1981.”

The American alligator was officially removed from the endangered species list in 1987. Nearly 3,000 licensed alligator hunters haul in tens of thousands of gators annually.

Predators who feast on young gators and other environmental happenings take out up to 85% of

hatchlings. Seeing a need for sustaining the entire population, a program was created in 1986 to farm gators. The LDWF stated, “Licensed alligator farmers are allowed to collect alligator eggs on private lands and incubate and hatch those eggs under ideal growing conditions, including adequate food supply and proper air and water temperatures. They then transfer those hatchlings to secure facilities and raise them until they reach approximately three to five feet in length. To ensure a stable, growing wild population, alligator farmers are required to return approximately 10% (depending on size) of their three- to fivefoot alligators to the wild. This size alligator has a better chance of survival in the wild than a hatchling, and farm-raised alligators are consistently produced every year (in the wild, successful reproduction is subject to factors such as predators, flooding, etc.).”

Alligator ranchers harvested almost half a million gators in 2019.

Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery in Covington opened in 1989 to take part in the conservation program, and it opened to the public as an entertainment and educational experience in 2001. Insta-Gator Ranch boasts being the home of about 2,000 alligators at any given time. Those who dare enter will get up close to the creatures, both big and small. The guided tours begin with education about alligators and how they fit into the local ecosystem. From there, you’ll encounter hundreds of alligators. The youths can be held and fed, but the big guys can be safely seen from protected pathways above their ponds. During the hatchling season, visitors can watch as baby gators first tear

through their soft shells with a bony protrusion on their snout, called an egg tooth, that eventually falls off.

The Audubon Nature Institute has gators at both the Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Zoo. Some of them are average dark green gators, and others look like they could be ghosts. Lurking quietly in Audubon Aquarium’s Down on the Bayou exhibit is the most popular, rare beauty and beast.

Tchompitoulas is a leucistic alligator, meaning he has a white hide and stunning blue eyes. It’s now known how many alligators are leucistic, but there are just a few known cases. The entire marshy exhibit places you underneath the water looking up at the fish and birds of prey. You can get within inches of 16-year-old Tchompitoulas to gaze upon his magnificence or watch him feed. Tchompitoulas is happy to spend his time inside because his white hide makes him susceptible to sunburns unlike his friends at Audubon Zoo with dark green skin. They need to bask in the sun to regulate their body temperature.

Another of Audubon’s leucistic alligators, named Victor,

underwent a successful cataract surgery thanks to LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital in 2025. He was found by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries and given to Audubon Nature Institute in 2019 after six years.

Many of the leucistic gators in captivity today are found in southern Louisiana. In 1987, fishermen in Houma came across a nest on the Louisiana Land & Exploration Co.’s land that contained several gorgeous white hatchlings. They took some of them to give to Audubon Zoo and to a friend in another state. After the discovery, employees of Louisiana Land & Exploration trapped the remaining hatchlings. There were 19 leucistic gators total. Over the years, some of the rare gators have passed away, while the others live out their days at zoos around the country.

These captive gators can be admired closely behind glass, but it’s fun to spot wild gators from the safety of a boat. Honey Island Swamp Tours and Cajun Encounter Tours are happy to bring you right up the gators in the beautiful swamps of our state.

Our flagship monsters would love to “meat” you.

MUSIC CALENDAR

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11

30/90 Anne Elise

ARORA Maddy O’Neal

Apple Barrel Smoky Greenwell Band

BMC New OrleansRug Cutters

Bacchanal Miles Berry

Bamboula’s Aaron Levinson

Bayou Bar Jordan Anderson

Blue Nile George Brown

Buffa’s Bruno Elisabetsky

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Chickie Wah Wah Papa Mali

D.B.A. Dwayne Dopsie

Deutsches Haus Prost, The BRATS

Dixon Concert Hall Crescent City Chamber

Kermit’s Tremé Kermit Ruffins

Lafayette Square Devon Allman

Le Bon Temps Roule Blue Tang People

New Orleans Jazz Market Grace Kelly

Pontchartrain Park Royal Essence

Press Room Or Shovaly Plus

Smoothie King Center $uicideboy$ Snug Harbor Steve Lands

Spotted Cat Soul Brass Band

The Howlin Wolf Marc Stone

The Press Room Shovaly Plus

Tipitina’s Big Chief Bo Dollis Tulane University Caity Gyorgy

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12

30/90 Andre Lovett

Bacchanal Noah Young

Bamboula’s Laura Doyle

Blue Nile Street Legends Brass Band

Bourbon St Drinkery Angelica & The Selection

Bourbon St Honky Tonk Bad Sandys

Bratz Y’all Tiffany Pollack Trio

Buffa’s Pfister Sisters

Cafe Negril Zeno Moses

Carousel Bar Iguanas

Chickie Wah Wah Easy Jim

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Commons Club Jeremy Phipps

D.B.A. Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Fritzel’s Sazerac Jazz Band

Gasa Gasa Pink Dots

Gazebo Café J Riley Cain

H.O.B. Yoke Lore, The Big Soul Band

Lafayette Square Bobby Rush

Jazz & Blues Market Mr. Sipp

Pontchartrain Park Nell Simmons

Preservation Hall Preservation Legacy Band

Snug Harbor James Singleton Malabar

Spotted Cat Jacky Blaire

Southport Hall Archers

The Howlin Wolf Hot 8 Brass Band

The Prytania Bar Mason Howard

MONDAY, OCTOBER 13

21st Amendment Big Mike & The R&B Kings

30/90 Dapper Dandies

AllWays Lounge Smoke Show Cabaret

Bacchanal Boma Bango

Bamboula’s Jon Roniger

Beanlandia Treme Brass Band

BJ’s Alex McMurray

Capulet Susanne Ortner

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Da Jump Off Lounge Sporty’s Brass Band

D.B.A. Secret Six Jazz Band

Dos Jefe’s John Fohl

Fritzel’s Matinee All-Star Band

Kermit’s Tremé The BBQ Swingers

MRB Ben Buchbinder

Mahogany Jazz Hall Tom Hook

New Orleans Riverboat Dukes of Dixieland

No Dice Dispea Flower

Polo Club David Boeddinghaus

Preservation Hall Preservation Brass

Snug Harbor Charmaine Neville Band

St. Roch Tavern 5/4 String Band

The Prytania Bar George Kilby Jr.

The Spotted Cat Amber Rachelle

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14

21st Amendment Dave Hammer

30/90 Neicy B

Apple Barrel Bubbles Brown

Bacchanal Juan Tigre

Bamboula’s Giselle Anguizola

Banks St Vet Jams

Bayou Bar Peter Harris

Capulet Lady O

Chickie Wah Wah Paul Thorn

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Dos Jefe’s Raphael Bas

Fillmore Rainbow Kitten Surprise

Fritzel’s Colin Myers Orchestra

Gasa Gasa Taraneh

Irene’s Monty Banks

Holy Diver The Amazing Henrietta

Mahalia Jackson Theater LPO

Preservation Hall Preservation All-Stars

The Jazz Playhouse Amber Rachelle

The Prytaina Bar Jay Dufour

The Rabbit Hole Rebirth

The Spotted Cat Chris Christy Band

Vaughan’s Lounge Lil Prince

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15

21st Amendment John Lisi

30/90 Josh Benitez

Bacchanal Jesse Morrow

Bamboula’s Jacky Blaire

Banks St Gregg Hill

Bayou Bar The Groovemaster

Blue Nile New Breed Brass Band

Bratz Y’all Mark Pentone

Buffa’s Joe Krown

Capulet Nanci Zhang

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Chickie Wah Wah Adam Hood

D.B.A. Lagniappe Brass Band

Dos Jefe’s Kris Tokarski

Fillmore Magdalena Bay

Fritzel’s Richard Scott

Gasa Gasa Tall Juan

Irene’s Monty Banks

Joy Theater Autechre

Kermit’s Tremé TBC Brass Band

Lobby Lounge at JW Marriott Raphael Bas

MRB Lynn Drury

New Orleans Jazz Market Kenny Neal

Preservation Hall Preservation All-Stars

Snug Harbor Delfeayo Marsalis

Spotted Cat Music Club Shotgun Jazz Band

Tropical Isle Bourbon Dave Ferrato

Urban South Brewery Lott Quartet

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16

21st Amendment Big Joe Kennedy

Abita New Orleans Eight Dice Cloth

Apple Barrel Bubbles Brown

Bacchanal Christien Bold

Bamboula’s Cristina Kamini

Blue Nile Irvin Mayfield

BMC The Budz

Broadside Aurelien Barnes

Buffa’s Tom McDermott

Caesars Superdome Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller

Capulet Mando Jazz

Chandelier Bar David Torkanowsky

City Park Little Freddie King

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Irene’s Monty Banks

Le Bon Temps Roule Soul Rebels

MRB Micah McKee

New Orleans Jazz Market Kenny Neal

Preservation Hall Preservation All-Stars

MINUS THE BEAR AT THE CIVIC

By blending rock with indie, Minus the Bear captivates audiences with its unique sound and heart-tugging lyrics. Their “Menos el Oso” tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of their second studio album. Sunday, October 19, 8 p.m., $53.30 to $107.90, civicnola.com

Snug Harbor Alexey Marti

Sweet Loraine’s Amina Scott

The Jazz Playhouse Brass-A-Holics

The Spotted Cat Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band

Vaughn’s Lounge Corey Henry

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17

30/90 Jeff Chaz Blues

Bacchanal Willie Green

Bamboula’s Felipe Antonio Quintet

Bayou St. John All For One Brass Band

Blue Nile Kermit Ruffins

Bourbon Street Honky Tonk The Bad Sandys

Buffa’s Adam Rogers

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Chickie Wah Wah Nik Parr

Deutsches Haus The Klaberheads

Irene’s Monty Banks

Joy Theater Becky Robinson

Le Bon Temps Roule Half Dollar Rodeo

Little House Valerie Sassyfras

Lobby Lounge Raphael Bas

New Orleans Jazz Museum Javier Gutierrez

No Dice Scared Straight

Preservation Hall Preservation All-Stars

Press Room Or Shovaly Plus

Rosalie Mansion The Velcro Pygmies

Saenger Peter Frampton

Snug Harbor Jason Marsalis

Spanish Plaza Dumpstaphunk

Spotted Cat Dirty Tuba

Sweet Lorraine’s Everything 5 Brass Band

The Broadside Tracorum

The Howlin Wolf Ryan Rogers

The Press Room Shovaly Plus

The Rabbit Hole Never Dull

Tipitina’s The Low End Theory Players

Trinity Episcopal Church Crescent City Chamber

Twist of Lime Burnin’ Sky

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18

30/90 Hotline

Apple Barrel Smoky Greenwell Band

Acadian Center Sydney & The Sams

Bacchanal Cristen Spencer

Bamboula’s Aaron Levinson

Bayou Bar Jordan Anderson

Bayou St. John Kadesh Generation

Blue Nile George Brown Band

BMC John Lisi

Buffa’s Crusty Jugglers

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Children’s Center T.I., Dumpstaphunk

D.B.A. Tuba Skinny

Deutches Haus Prost, The Klaberheads

Fillmore Lenny Pearce

H.O.B. Magic Men Australia

Igor’s Checkpoint Charlie’s Mary-Charlotte Young

Kermit’s Tremé Kermit Ruffins

Louisiana SPCA Lost Bayou Ramblers

Mahalia Jackson Theater Sheryl Underwood

Mid-City Lanes Rock n Bowl Jedeye Mind Trick Old Point Tyron Benoit Band Press Room Or Shovaly Plus

Rosalie Mansion Galactic

Saturn Bar Rattlesnake Milk

Snug Harbor Herlin Riley

Spanish Plaza Master P

Spotted Cat Panorama Jazz Band

The Howlin Wolf Paul Faith

The Press Room Or Shovaly Plus

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19

21st Amendment Marty Peters

Bacchanal Tangiers Combo

Bamboula’s The Jaywalkers

Bayou St. John Stephen King

BJ’s James McClaskey

Blue Nile Street Legends Brass Band

Bourbon Street Honky Tonk The Bad Sandys

Bratz Y’all Les Getrex Trio

Broadside Honey Island Swamp Band

Buffa’s Dave Bandrowski

Carousel Bar The Iguanas

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Chickie Wah Wah The Arcadian Wild Civic Theatre Minus the Bear

D.B.A. Vegas Cold Band

Fritzel’s Doyle Cooper Band Gazebo Café J Riley Cain

New Orleans Jazz Market George Coleman

Preservation Hall Preservation Legacy Band

Rosalie Mansion Kudzu Kings

Smoothie King Center NBA YoungBoy

Spanish Plaza Galactic The Den at Howlin’ Wolf Gather The Corners The Howlin Wolf Hot 8 Brass Band The Prytania Bar Mason Howard

Tipitina’s Fais Do-Do

MONDAY, OCTOBER 20

30/90 Margie Perez Apple Barrel Mark Appleford

AllWays Lounge Betsy Propane

Bacchanal Byron Asher

Bamboula’s The Rug Cutters

Beandlandia Dusky Waters

BJ’s Leopard Hound Blues Band

Buffa’s David Doucet

Cafe Negril Lit Band

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Da Jump Off Lounge Sporty’s Brass Band

D.B.A. The Jump Hounds

Dos Jefe’s John Fohl

Gasa Gasa Fea

Kermit’s Tremé Kermit Ruffins

MRB Ben Buchbinder

Preservation Hall Preservation Brass

Smoothie King Center NBA YoungBoy

Snug Harbor Charmaine Neville Band

St. Roch Tavern Cajun Troubadours

The Spotted Cat Amber Rachelle

MUSIC CALENDAR

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21

21st Amendment Dave Hammer

30/90 Sugar & The Daddies

Apple Barrel Bubbles Brown

Bacchanal Matt Booth

Bamboula’s Giselle Anguizola

Bayou Bar Ashlin Parker

Buffa’s Alex McMurray

Capulet Teena May

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans Streetbeat

D.B.A. Kid Chocolate

Dos Jefe’s Javier Gutierrez

Fritzel’s Richard Scott

Gasa Gasa The Pink Stones

Holy Diver The Amazing Henrietta Irene’s Monty Banks

New Orleans Riverboat The Steamboat Stompers

Salon Salon Hanna Mignano

Snug Harbor Amina Scott Quintet

Spotted Cat Chris Christy Band

The Rabbit Hole Rebirth

Tipitina’s Cameron Whitcomb

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22

21st Amendment John Lisi

30/90 Dapper Dandies

Bacchanal Jesse Morrow

Bamboula’s Jacky Blaire

Banks St Gregg Hill

Bayou Bar Derek Douget

Blue Nile Kota Dosa

Bratz Y’all Chris Vincent

Buffa’s Or Shovaly Plus

Cafe Degas Gizinti Trio

Capulet Blake Amos

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans Streetbeat

Davenport Lounge Jeremy

Davenport

D.B.A. Stephen Walker N’em

Irene’s Monty Banks

J’s Place New Groove Brass

Band

Kermit’s Tremé TBC Brass Band

Lobby Lounge Raphael Bas

MRB Lynn Drury

New Orleans Jazz Market

Coco Montoya

Orpheum Theater LPO

Preservation Hall Preservation All-Stars

Snug Harbor Delfeayo Marsalis

Spotted Cat Shotgun Jazz Band

The Broadside Gramps Morgan

Tropical Isle Bourbon Dave Ferrato

UNO Ricardo Pascal

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

21st Amendment Jerry Dugger

30/90 The R&B Kings

Abita New Orleans Nanci Zee

BMC The Budz

Bacchanal Raphael Bas

Bamboula’s JJ & The OK’s

Bayou Bar Peter Harris

Blue Nile Irvin Mayfield

BMC Spot Holders

Bourbon Orleans Audrey & The CrawZaddies

Capulet Dylan Decker Trio

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans Streetbeat

Chickie Wah Wah Chris Combs

Quintet

City Park New Orleans Mystics

Courtyard Brewery Hell Beach

Dos Jefe’s Mark Coleman

Double Dealer Sariyah Idan

H.O.B. Gary Numan

Bacchanal Willie Green

Bamboula’s Felipe Antonio Quintet

Blue Nile Kermit Ruffins

BMC Jazz Band Ballers

Bourbon Street Honky Tonk The Bad Sandys

Buffa’s Legacy Jazz Band

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans Streetbeat

D.B.A. Water Seed

Deutches

HALLOW NIGHTS THROWBACK AT THE METRO

Irene’s Monty Banks

Jolie Audrey LeCrone

Le Bons Temps Roule The Soul Rebels

MRB Micah McKee

New Orleans Jazz Market Stanley Jordan

New Orleans Jazz Museum Trempo

Preservation Hall Preservation All-Stars

Saenger John Legend

Saturn Bar Lily Seabird

The Broadside Electric Y’at Quartet

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24

AllWays Lounge David Bode

21st

MCCARTNEY

SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

Paul

Spotted Cat Smoking Time Jazz Club

Prytania Bar Jay Dufour

Rabbit Hole Rebirth

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29 30/90 Brass Tyrannosaurus Bacchanal Jesse Morrow Bamboula’s Jacky Blaire

Blue Nile Irvin Mayfield

Bourbon Orleans Audrey & The CrawZaddies

Capulet Mando Jazz

Crescent City Brewhouse New Orleans

Streetbeat

Chickie Wah Wah People Museum

Gasa Gasa Amanda Shires

Irene’s Monty Banks Jazz & Blues Market Brian

Performing Arts Center LPO

Le Bon Temps Roule Soul Rebels

Mid-City Lanes Rock n Bowl Sunpie Barnes

MRB Micah McKee

Dice Juno Dunes

Preservation Hall Preservation All-Stars

Salon Geovane Santos

Southport Hall Entheos

Tipitina’s The Droptines

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31

30/90 Andre Lovett

BMC Jazz Band Ballers

Bacchanal Willie Green

Bamboula’s Felipe Antonio Quintet Blue Nile Kermit Ruffins

Bourbon Street Honky Tonk The Bad Sandys

Nola Niecy B

City Brewhouse New Orleans

Chickie Wah Wah George Porter Jr

Gasa Acid Mothers Temple Generations Hall Sammy Virji, Westend

Coffee Valerie Sassyfras

Diver Kal-El

Theater The Infamous Stringdusters Lamar Dixon Expo Center Cody Johnson

Lounge Raphael Bas

Bon Temps Roule Colin Davis & Night Pepole Music Box Village Quintron New Orleans Jazz Market Brian Blade

Room Or Shovaly Plus

Saenger Big Thief

Spotted Cat James Martin Band, Paradise Jazz

The Den at Howlin’ Wolf Brasshearts, Sunscape The Press Room Shovaly Plus

Tipitina’s Karl Denson

NNOLA OLA BBLACK LACK

THE MORTUARY HAUNTED HOUSE Through November 8 | themortuary.net

The premiere NOLA place to clutch your pearls is back. The Mortuary Haunted House looks to shock fans with lasting nightmares this Halloween season. Ghouls, goblins, and more all creepily crawl to give attendees a frightening experience, while also featuring attractions that make the bold shake in their boots. This year’s legend focuses on the Origins of Evil and is sure to leave fans shaking. Focused on giving the group a good scare, The Mortuary offers events, parties, and more. Tickets start at $25, while group pricing, VIP options, and other special discounts are available.

WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S IN NEW ORLEANS

October 18 | alz.org/events

Help in the fight to end Alzheimer’s by simply walking in Greater New Orleans. The Alzheimer’s Association is a nonprofit dedicated to providing support to people affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia. The free walking event is scheduled for October 18. Registration for both children and adults is required, and the organization will give free shirts to those who donate at least $100. The event will start at the Shrine on Airline in Metairie with a 9 a.m. check-in time, followed by a brief ceremony. The walk will begin at 10 a.m. Visit the website for full event details.

BOO CARRÉ AT FRENCH MARKET

October 25 | frenchmarket.org/event/boo-carre-halloween-haunt-4

The Boo Carré Halloween Hunt returns this season with a lot of fun for the kiddos. The one-day event, put on by the French Market District, allows children to trickor-treat, color, play games, get their faces painted, and more. The festivities in Dutch Alley will also include a petting zoo, live music performances, and a second line. While costumes are encouraged for everyone, children who wear one will be eligible to receive a special tote bag to store their candy in. The event is free and open to the public, running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Metropolitan Night Club is aiming to take over Halloween by throwing a party for the ages. Music, energy, and ambience will fill the night at the Metro’s “Fright Night” event. Headlining is English DJ Sammy Virji, known for getting crunks with his vibrant sounds and infectious energy. DJ Westend from New York will also hit the stage to pump up the crowd with high-intensity techno sounds. This party is scheduled for October 31, aiming for hours of nonstop energy. Ticket prices start at around $70, and doors open at 10 p.m. Don’t miss out on this scarily fun event.

GET BEHIND THE BADGE

FALL FESTIVAL GUIDE

NATCHEZ BALLOON FESTIVAL

Oct. 17-19 | Rosalie Mansion, Natchez, MS, natchezballoonfestival.com

The Natchez Balloon Festival is returning for its 40th year. Balloon flights and races will take place, with attendees watching below. The event doubles as an arts & crafts fair where artists can showcase their talents. The festival also has carnival rides, food vendors, and musical performances. General admission starts at $10 but varies depending on the day of attendance.

NOLA FUNK FEST

Oct. 17-19 | Spanish Plaza, nolafunkfest.com

NOLA Funk Fest originates from the Louisiana Music & Heritage Experience’s mission to preserve music history. Over 20 artists are scheduled to perform

acadiamusicfest.net

As Thibodaux’s largest outdoor festival, Acadia Music Fest welcomes attendees to watch performances by talented artists. This year’s music lineup features T.I., John Morgan, Dumpstaphunk, and more. The kids can enjoy their own minifestival, complete with bouncy houses, magic shows, and bungee jumping. General admission costs around $79, with the proceeds benefiting the Ben Meyer Foundation.

PRAISE FESTIVAL ON THE BAYOU

Oct. 17-19 | Bayou St. John, praisefestnola.com

Praise Festival brings gospel to the banks of Bayou St. John for three days of worship, prayer, and music. Organizers invite nearly 40 gospel artists to perform hymns to audiences of churches, families, community leaders, and the general public. Food and merchandise vendors will also be on site, allowing attendees to enjoy a meal without missing the worship

ROUGAROU FESTIVAL

Oct. 17-19 | Barry P. Bonvillain Civic Center, rougaroufest.org

The Rougarou Festival celebrates the legend of the rougarou, a werewolf-like creature that is said to roam the bayous of South Louisiana. The festival showcases the bayou region’s one-of-a-kind culture through its folklife village, Cajun cuisine, and Krewe Ga Rou parade. The parade features dances from the Zydeco Zombies, Cajun Coven, and Fifolet Fairies, followed by the crowning of the Rougarou Queen.

OKTOBERFEST NEW ORLEANS

Oct. 17 & 18, 24 & 25 | Deutsches Haus, oktoberfestnola.com

The Deutsches Haus is bringing Germany to the Gulf Coast with Oktoberfest 2025. The autumnal celebration features a 5K race, a beer stein-holding contest, an oompah band, and a dancing chicken. It wouldn’t be Oktoberfest without German cuisine and drinks, and the Deutsches Haus will serve bratwursts, pretzels, over 20 different types of beer, and more. Admission to Oktoberfest is $10.

Oct. 18 | Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, acadianacenterforthearts.org/events/ gulf-brew-2025

The Gulf Brew Festival is a booze-forward event that provides over 200 types of beer from local vendors. Along with its beer selections, Gulf Brew Festival has live music and yard games. The Louisiana Crafts Guild selects the best arts and crafts vendors to sell their wares. General admission starts at $40, which includes an all-you-can-sip drink package.

DOMCON

Oct. 22-26 | Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel, domcon.com/ sessions/new Mistress Cyan will present DomCon 2025, a convention that centers around BDSM and kink culture. The adults-only convention offers attendees a safe and consensual environment in which to meet like-minded individuals with similar interests. The schedule includes meet-andgreet socials, educational sessions, stage performances, and fetish balls. All attendees and participants must bring a valid photo ID to enter the convention.

FALL FESTIVAL GUIDE

over to Gonzales, LA, for Boots on the Bayou. This festival will feature performances by some of the biggest names in country music such as Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, and Riley Green. There will also be many different food trucks on site to try out. Many different GA and VIP options are available.

INCLUSIVCARE’S FALL FOODIES & FESTIVITIES

Nov. 1 | Bonnabel Boat Launch, Metairie inclusivcare.com/ fundraising

ROCK & ROUGE

Oct. 25 & 26 | Lafayette Square therockandrouge.com

Gather in Lafayette Square on October 25 and 26 and have fun at this year’s Rock & Rouge, which celebrates music made by women. There will be many different talented performers taking the stage this year, including Charmaine Neville, Sariyah Idan, Curstin Kay, Sweet Crude, and Caroline Cotto. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.

BOOTS ON THE BAYOU

Oct. 31 & Nov. 1 | Lamar Dixon Expo Center, Gonzales, botbmusic.com

Put on your cowboy boots and mosey

Good times, delicious food, and more fun to be had will be available at InclusivCare’s Fall Foodies & Festivities event. Live entertainment will be provided by Tonya Boyd Cannon, Assata Renay, Clark Knighten 4x4 Band, and more. There will also be Mardi Gras royalty introductions, a bounce house, a game truck, arts and crafts, and more to enjoy.

LOUISIANA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

Nov. 1 to Dec. 7 | 46468 River Rd., Hammond, renfest.net

The Louisiana Renaissance Festival features more than 30 performers, ranging from escape artists to dueling knights. While watching the shows, attendees can dine on medieval dishes such as turkey legs and beef on a stick. Festivalgoers can even dress the part during their themed weekends. General admission tickets cost $30 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.

MY FRENCH BOOK FEST

Nov. 3-8 | Alliance Française de la Nouvelle Orléans, af-neworleans.org/myfrenchbookfest

The fourth edition of My French Book Fest is coming to Louisiana this fall. The week-long event spans across three of Louisiana’s largest cities: Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and New Orleans. The festival promotes Francophone culture through youth literature, allowing attendees to reconnect with their French roots. The festival invites French authors, organizes writing workshops, and engages in immersive storytelling.

DESTREHAN PLANTATION’S ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL

Nov. 8 & 9 | Destrehan Plantation, Destrehan, destrehanplantation.org

The Destrehan Plantation holds the title of closest plantation to New Orleans, and the plantation is once again inviting locals to its fall fundraiser. The festival has been an annual event for the past 53 years, inviting over 100 local art vendors. There will be live music by Ryan Foret and the Peyton Falgoust Band.

NOLA BLACK TATTOO EXPO

Nov. 8 & 9 | Ashé Cultural Arts Center, nolablack.org

Head out and experience NOLA Black Tattoo Expo, which is New Orleans’ first ever tattoo convention focused on celebrating Black tattoo artists from the South. In addition to tattooing by talented Black tattoo artists, the event will feature seminars, live painting, art vendors, and more. Tickets are $20 for single day admission and $30 for weekend admission.

TREMÉ CREOLE GUMBO FESTIVAL

Nov. 8 & 9 | Louis Armstrong Park, jazzandheritage.org/events/2025treme-creole-gumbo-festival

The Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival celebrates the influence of Creole cuisine in the Tremé neighborhood. Local chefs are cooking up their best gumbos, whether you prefer a bowl with seafood or chicken and sausage. Jazz, blues, and brass bands will come together to represent the music scene of Tremé. The festival is free, but guests can make donations at different entrances.

BEIGNET FEST

Nov. 15 | New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds, beignetfest.com

Beignet Fest centers around Louisiana’s delicious sweet treat, with vendors competing for the title of best beignet baker. At the festival, beignets come in all shapes and sizes, while also being traditional or not. Some of the offerings include fried chicken beignets, crabmeatstuffed beignets, or Bananas Foster beignets. Tickets start at $15, with all proceeds going to the Beignet Fest Foundation.

KENNER FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL

Nov. 16 | Kenner’s Laketown kenner.la.us/384/Kenner-FoodTruck-Festival-2025

Head to the city of Kenner’s beautiful Laketown, located near the Kenner boat launch, for this year’s Kenner Food Truck Festival. This free admission festival will feature over 30 different local food trucks that offer a diverse range of cuisine to try. There will also be live music by Timothy Wayne, Rock Show Nola, and more.

OAK STREET PO-BOY FESTIVAL

Nov. 16 | 8100-8800 Oak Street, poboyfest.com

The Oak Street Po-Boy Festival honors New Orleans’ favorite handheld sandwich. Restaurants from all around New Orleans will line Oak Street and will present their unique and delicious takes on po-boy sandwiches. Although the festival is free, participants who want to purchase poboys must get a wristband. A portion of the proceeds go towards Son of a Saint.

SOBER FEST

Nov. 22 | The Broadside, bridgehouse.org/events/soberfest

Sober Fest is a family-friendly festival that highlights how addiction recovery can be both attainable and enjoyable. This alcoholfree event invites vendors to sell eats and non-alcoholic beverages to attendees. The proceeds of the event benefit Bridge House and Grace House, which provide treatment to individuals battling addiction. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $20 at the gate, while children 12 and under are free.

ALL THAT AZZ

Open Mics

By Sabrina Stone

Anyone who has ever been to an open mic night knows they are not for the faint of heart.

Not only are you laying yourself bare and singing your heart out to strangers, you’re doing so with no time to warm up or do a sound check. Even performers who don’t regularly suffer from stage fright can be caught off guard by the suddenness of jumping up on stage like that. So, choosing open mics wisely and finding supportive rooms to play in is key.

We spoke to the hosts of all of the dozen plus open mics listed below and attended a few of the events to see how it felt to play them in person— every single one of these rooms is one where a budding or veteran performer can feel comfortable and encouraged. Hopefully, upon reading this resource, you feel encouraged and inspired to jump in.

Welcome to part one of our open mic deep dive.

BDFFRNT VINTAGE “SONGBIRD SESSIONS” | Second Tuesdays of the Month, 7 p.m.

The newest, coziest, and most intimate open mic in town, Cally Cole’s “Songbird Sessions” is a warm embrace. Her music has roots in folk, Americana, and choral music, with the addition of classical opera training and 17 years of playing flute, which has shaped her unique technique, style, and ear for captivating melodies and harmonies. Cole’s work as a studio vocalist and her many collaborations with local composers makes her an inspiring host. Cole, also a breath worker and yoga teacher, encourages singer-songwriters and poets to connect and share their artistry and embrace their joy, longing, and the bittersweetness of life, offering up her music as a bridge and safe haven. Songbird Open Mic is in collaboration with Bdffrnt, a local vintage shop that celebrates being uniquely you.

ANNA’S “MIXTAPE SOUNDS” | First Mondays of the Month, 7 p.m.

Averaging 30-35 artists per show, this open mic has become so popular that they’ve had to implement an online signup system and limit performances to one song per person. It was created and is run by Rescalla, a Brazilian American singer, songwriter, and producer blending pop, soul, and Brazilian influences into emotionally rich, unforgettable songs. This series especially empowers queer and independent artists to share their voices. With bold lyrics and haunting melodies, Rescalla makes music that connects—and lingers—inviting others to do the same. Everyone is welcome at Mixtape, regardless of age, origin, skill level, or style of music.

OTHER OPEN MICS YOU CAN CURRENTLY JOIN AROUND TOWN ARE:

• BJs Lounge | Tuesdays, 9 p.m.

• Spotlight Restaurant & Bar | Wednesdays, 8 p.m.

• Neutral Ground Coffee House | Sundays, 6 p.m.

• DBC Bar and Grill | Mondays, 8 p.m.

• Banks St. Bar | Every other Monday, 8 p.m.

• The Domino | Third Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.

• Checkpoint Charlie | Mondays, 8 p.m.

• The Basin | Mondays, 8 p.m.

• One More Pie | Tuesdays, 7 p.m.

• Flora Gallery & Coffee Shop | Fridays, 7 p.m.

• Old Point Bar | Second and Fourth Wednesdays, 8 p.m.

• Crossroads Bar | Last Saturday, 8 p.m.

• Trumpet & Drum | Last Saturday, 4 p.m.

• Stained Glass Winehouse | Tuesdays, 7 p.m.

OLD ARABI LIGHTHOUSE RECORDS AND BOOKS | Sundays, 7 p.m.

This hidden gem open mic night is just over the bridge in Old Arabi, in the most charming historical building that currently houses a record and book store. The hosts rotate and perform an hour-long set at the beginning of each evening, then each performer is given three songs or 15 minutes. A main host is Louis Maistros—musician, songwriter, novelist, photographer, artist, and the proprietor of the Lighthouse. He released three albums in the ‘80s and ‘90s and opened for acts such as Marianne Faithful, Robyn Hitchcock, Bob Mould, and Dave Mason. He even wrote a song called “Go Down Water,” which was recorded by Papa Mali and can be heard on the soundtrack of the documentary Dancing in the Water. With its background of vintage movie posters and Maistros’ photography skills, performers get to leave with very cool looking keepsake footage.

Hex Windham has hosted and is so welcoming. Windham is a native singer-songwriter inspired by Townes Van Zandt, John Fahey, Snooks Eaglin, the Balfa Brothers, and Blind Willie Johnson. He noted, “Everything

that I know about playing and writing music comes from my formative years playing in punk bands in dive bars in New Orleans.” He’s also a public high school teacher/ coach and father of four. When he’s hosting, expect to hear fingerpicking, bottleneck slide, and harmonica across a set of acoustic Americana originals and traditionals sung in both English and Louisiana French.

PEACHES RECORDS | Fridays, 4 p.m.

ANOTHER BAR| Thursdays, 8 p.m.

Our city’s most inviting, all ages open mic “day” is hosted by Fox Robinson, a bright-eyed bard from the misty thickets of Louisiana. A Warped Tour veteran with a background in percussion, his energetic and catchy songwriting has a dark pop sensibility influenced by David Bowie, the Killers, and Paul Simon. His theatrical voice and percussive play style accent the profundity of his lyricals, which, on a soft autumn night, can be heard echoing through the cobbled streets of the French Quarter. Robinson also co-hosts the late night open mic at Another Bar with Cole Allen, where you never know what’s gonna happen. One day, a guy came in with a digeridoo.

ROOK CAFÉ | Wednesdays, 6 p.m.

The Rook open mic is nestled in a charming, cozy, coffeeshop setting in Freret with rotating hosts who honor the memory of Payson Tremayne, who hosted until his tragic passing just last year. A patent attorney by day, with a physics and mechanical engineering background, Kevin the Persian is currently the main musical host there. Nineties rock steeped in the preinternet era is his scene. His most recent release is entitled “1992,” and he’s known for the hit single “Rock is Dead.” Kevin the Persian holds a special place in the open mic arena. As well as hosting at Rook Café, he is a rotating host at other open mics and created the NOLA Open Mic Directory, which he painstakingly updates every month. You can find it on Instagram @ nolaopenmics.

RAMPART ST. RECIPE

1.6 Miles, Over 10 Bars & Restaurants, One Park, all connected with RTA Service

FOOD & BEVERAGE DU JOUR

MaMou (located at 942 N. Rampart in the location formerly Meauxbar) opened in November 2022 and has usurped the claim as Rampart’s most recognized restaurant. A significant amount of PR has resulted in making the “Best Restaurant” lists of The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine Spectator.

The restaurant’s website, mamounola. com, echoes this, stating, “The European continental cuisine draws on the Creole influences of [Chef Tom Brannigan’s] childhood in southern Louisiana, as well as shows his appreciation for French technique.” Laurie Werner, a travel editor with Forbes, says it’s a “French brasserie but with some seriously local overtones.”

If MaMou is the newer kid on the block, than it is Bar Tonique (820 N. Rampart), which opened on August, 8, 2008, that locals credit with kickstarting the “Rampart Renaissance.”

Other noteworthy locales include Black Penny, Palm & Pine, Rampart Treehouse, and Habana Outpost. These destinations range from dive bars (Black Penny), New Orleans born and bred (Palm & Pine), eclectic ambiance (Rampart Treehouse), and global reach (Habana Outpost).

The 16 to 20 blocks that make up the “Rampart Corridor,” the four-lane street located on the “lake side” of the French Quarter and separating it from the Tremé neighborhood, has evolved.

By Joel Mandina

From what some would say was a dingy, at best, and dangerous, at worst, cooridor; the changing of a thoroughfare to a main street evokes the bustle of the French Quarter mixed with the community of Tremé.

“TREES OF GREEN”

Like the ever-expanding MSY, Armstrong Park’s namesake is beloved musician Louis Armstrong and hosts a variety of events from festivals to weddings.

Further solidifying its musical roots, South Rampart, which basically encompasses the CBD portion of Rampart and has been dubbed the “Harlem of New Orleans,” is frequently cited as the birthplace of jazz in New Orleans. “The strip was filled with businesses— many run by Jewish, Italian, and Chinese merchants—catering to a Black clientele,” WWOZ’s A Closer Walk states.

“Among these were dance halls, juke joints, tailors who outfitted bands with uniforms, and pawn shops that bought and sold instruments.”

In recent years, North Rampart has become a food and beverage designation avant garde bars and restaurants, gaining national attention in the same vein as Magazine, Oak, Frenchmen, and Freret streets.

“HARD KNOCK” LIFE

Unfortunately, like most tales—especially in NOLA in the post-pandemic world—not all have a happy ending. Though officially a Canal Street address, the 18-floor Hard Rock Hotel was under construction and was the biggest tragedy to strike the French Quarter until the 2025 New Year’s terrorist attack occurred. According to Wikipedia, “On October 20, 2019, the attempted implosion of one of two damaged tower cranes on the site of the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel caused the jib of one of the cranes to fall vertically onto Rampart Street, effectively impaling the street near its intersection with Canal Street.” The accident left three dead, though the NOLA’s Justice Department is not pressing any charges.

Like all of NOLA, this location is no stranger to having its place in history. As the former Woolworth’s Department Store, it was the location of a prominent Civil Rights protests in 1960, where activists held one of the first of the era’s sit-ins at the segregated lunch counter.

The City Council has unanimously voted to historically designate the area. “This isn’t just about having a plaque,” city council member at-large Helena Moreno said. “It’s about what we can do to ensure that whatever goes there next is appropriate based on what happened there in 2019 and also in 1960.” 700 Club, just across Burgundy from the recently-revived Gold Mine (of #FlamingDoctorPepper fame) was an inclusive LGBTQA+ bar on Burgundy Street, which runs parallel to Rampart. After 700 closed due to the landlord’s refusal to renew the lease, owner Matt Hayes created a new incarnation with Betty’s Bar & Bistro Hayes told WDSU’s Aubrey Killian, “I started my own business in this building a few years ago when it was the 700 Club.” Hayes leased 700’s Faubourg Kitchen from owner Matt Giglio. “It’s hard to see your family go through this. We are going through it together. None of us really knew how to move on in this pandemic in this crazy world,” Hayes said.

Regardless, the New Orleans’ hospitality industry is an ever-evolving (this year’s Tales of the Cocktail’s theme) entity focused on reinvention, rebirth, and restructuring. Mark Schettler, the former GM of Bar Tonique and now a consultant, quotes a former teacher, saying, “‘If you don’t cannibalize yourself, someone else will.’”

If there’s one lesson New Orleanians understand, it’s change. Schettler concluded, “The sky’s only falling if you refuse to look up to see change on the horizon before it smacks you in the head.” The class system of NOLA is twofold with locals and tourists, which have a symbiotic relationship based on camaraderie, curiosity, and codependence. It’s part of what makes New Orleans “New Orleans,” as well as seeing that change is constant, and it’s exemplified perfectly in the Rampart Connection.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

AMERICAN

Anita’s Grill has returned and is serving its delicious breakfast menu and more to hungry locals. Anita’s opened in 1922 before becoming Anita’s Grill in 1959. It has a variety of comfort foods, including po-boys, French toast, omelets, and more. 833 Howard Ave., (504) 3548979, anitasgrillnola.com

Bearcat Cafe is a brunch favorite, known for its split-personality menu with something for every appetite. The “Good Cat” menu offers lighter, health-conscious options, while the “Bad Cat” menu features rich, indulgent dishes. Head to Bearcat to please every appetite. Multiple Locations, bearcatcafe.com

Chicken Salad Chick brings its Southernstyle chicken salads to its first-ever New Orleans-area location. The chain offers over a dozen rotating menu varieties, including the Southwest Senorita, as well as sandwiches, soups, and signature sides made fresh daily. 3005 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 350-2726, chickensaladchick.com

Daisy Dukes Restaurant is famous for its all-day breakfast, Southern comfort classics including their chicken and waffles, and signature Cajun Bloody Mary. With several convenient locations, Daisy Dukes keeps it simple with “nuttin’ fancy, just great Southern eatin,” every time. Multiple Locations, daisydukesrestaurant.com

Dat Dog puts a playful twist on hot dogs with creative toppings and sausages. Their menu features crawfish and alligator sausages, to classic beef dogs. Come on down for a unique NOLA dog that leaves you begging for more. Multiple Locations, datdog.com

Jack Rose, located inside the Pontchartrain Hotel, incorporates a mix of French, Spanish, Italian, and Southern dishes such as duck and andouille gumbo, fried chicken parmesan, and more. Jack Rose offers a variety of beers, wines, spirits, and craft cocktails. 2031 St. Charles Ave., (504) 608-7112, jackroserestaurant.com

Jimmy J’s Café delivers standout brunch classics in a homey space. Popular picks include shrimp and crawfish omelets and the Cajun Cuban sandwich. Known for fast service and generous portions, this café draws in lines for good reason. 115 Chartres St., (504) 3099360, jimmyjscafe.com

Legacy Kitchen Craft Tavern serves brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour daily. Its menu includes a seared tuna salad, shrimp and grits, crawfish beignet bites, and roast beef po-boys, alongside many other craft cocktails and Southern-style small plates. 700 Tchoupitoulas St. #3612, (504) 613-2350, legacykitchen.com

Legacy Kitchen Steak + Chop offers a full steakhouse menu with options such as a tomahawk, seafood, and oysters. Daily happy hour is served, alongside weekly steak specials. The restaurant features a central bar, outdoor

seating, and a spacious dining room. 91 Westbank Expy., Gretna, (504) 608-6082, legacykitchen.com

Luke is a brasserie-style restaurant in New Orleans that blends French, German, and Creole influences, offering house-made sausages, schnitzel, and an oyster bar. It's known for its daily discounted raw oysters and drink specials that reflect the creative spirit of NOLA. 333 St. Charles Ave., 504 378-2840, lukeneworleans.com

Moe’s Original BBQ serves Alabama-style BBQ in a lively, wood-paneled space with picnic tables and sports on TV. Slow-smoked pulled pork, fried catfish, and many other different platters anchor the menu, alongside Southern sides including potato salad and cornbread. 1101 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, (504) 407-3533, moesoriginalbbq.com

New Orleans Vampire Café welcomes mortals and vampires alike to its dimly lit lair. The café serves dishes including “vampire” burgers and “blood bag” cocktails. They provide gold utensils to protect nocturnal guests, completing the immersive, otherworldly dining experience. 801 Royal St., (504) 581-0801, nolavampirecafe. com

Orleans retreat. 634 Louisa St., (504) 9450742, thecountryclubneworleans.com

Vampire Apothecary serves cocktails, tea, and New American dishes in a gothic-inspired space just off Jackson Square. Menu highlights include baked salmon, duck pastrami paninis, seafood nachos and fresh Gulf oysters on the half shell, either a dozen or half-dozen. 725 St. Peter St., (504) 766-8179, vampireapothecary.com

ASIAN

Asia, nestled inside of Boomtown Casino, offers a casual spot serving a variety of Asian favorites. Dishes include Vietnamese rice noodle soup, shaking beef, and grilled pork. Asia is open for dine-in and to-go service, offering plenty of options to enjoy. 4132 Peters Rd., Harvey, (504) 366-7711, boomtownneworleans.com/dining

NOLA Steak is Boomtown Casino’s steakhouse, serving large cuts such as the 14-oz. NOLA strip, 16 oz. ribeye, and 18 oz. cowboy steak. It’s a go-to spot for casino regulars looking for a solid dinner. Open Thursday through Saturday evenings. 4132 Peters Rd., Harvey, (504) 366-7711, boomtownneworleans.com/dining

Short Stop Poboys is a family-run shop that offers more than 30 po-boy variations to choose from. The menu also features gumbo, jambalaya, and house-baked desserts. The setup is simple, and the focus is firmly on the food. 119 Transcontinental Dr., Metairie, (504) 885-4572, shortstoppoboysno.com

Spudly’s Super Spuds has been serving oversized baked potatoes and comfort food in Metairie since 1980. Alongside classic spuds topped with seafood, cheese sauce, and BBQ, the menu includes the Super Duper Spud— loaded with crabmeat, shrimp, crawfish, and cheese. 2609 Harvard Ave., Metairie, (504) 455-3250, spudlys.com

The Country Club serves everything from Gulf seafood, pastas, delicious entree plates including the duck ragù, and brunch favorites. They hold weekend drag brunches, and their pool and cabana service make it a unique New

CAFÉ

Café Amelie, located in a historic French Quarter carriage house and courtyard once home to Princess Alice of Monaco’s mother, serves brunch and dinner. The menu features Gulf shrimp and grits, roasted pork chops, and salads such as the Amelie Salad. 900 Royal St., (504) 412-8065, cafeamelie.com

Kitchen Table Café is a casual neighborhood spot serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu includes steak salad, duck pastrami grilled cheese, and more. There’s also indoor seating, a backyard patio with live music, and a full bar to experience. 7005 St. Claude Ave., Arabi, (504) 301-2285, facebook.com/ kitchentablearabi

Mikimoto Restaurant serves contemporary Japanese cuisine. Known for its fresh sushi, creative rolls, and delicious entree dishes, the kitchen also crafts specials such as the sashimi platter. Regulars rave about the quality and presentation, making it a go-to spot. 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 4881881, mikimotosushi. com

Thai’d Up is a small Gentilly restaurant serving up bold Thai dishes including kai yang grilled chicken. The space fills quickly thanks to its well-spiced curries, fresh rolls, and specialty beignets. Their chef delivers balanced and truly delicious plates. 1839 Gentilly Blvd., (504) 644-5790, thaidup.co

BARS WITH GREAT FOOD

JB’s Fuel Dock is a casual seafood spot near West End Park overlooking the lakefront. The menu features pizzas, calzones, salads, and different appetizers served alongside burgers and many different drinks. Save some room for their beignet bites. 128 S. Roadway St., (504) 510-2260, jbsfueldock.com

Le Bon Temps Roule has been an Uptown staple since 1979. This 24-hour bar is known for live music, billiards, strong drinks, and its delicious food, such as its cowboy burger. It offers a lively and inviting escape in Uptown. 4801 Magazine St., (504) 897-3448, lbtrnola.com

The Channel sits on the corner of Magazine and Third, serving lemon pepper wings, different sandwiches, and even the Channel catfish. It blends together a sports bar vibe with neighborhood ease. It also doubles as a party venue and hosts special events. 2604 Magazine St., (504) 381-4680, thechannelneworleans.com

The Vintage is a coffee shop and wine bar on Magazine Street offering beignets, espresso drinks, and cocktails. It serves breakfast, lunch, and small dishes including apple brie flatbread. The café even features late night bites on Friday and Saturday. 3121 Magazine St., (504) 608-1008, thevintagenola.com

CARIBBEAN

Jamaican Jerk House delivers Caribbean flavors in the Bywater and in Metairie. A standout dish is the tender and flavorful grilled oxtail. Jamaican Jerk House is a welcoming spot for hearty Jamaican comfort food and drinks. Multiple Locations, jamaicanjerkhouse. com

FRENCH

Restaurant August is a fine-dining restaurant that is helmed by Executive Chef Corey Thomas. The menu focuses on contemporary French cuisine with Southern ingredients, featuring Gulf seafood, seasonal produce, and other wonderful entrees. Its historic 19thcentury building includes elegant dining rooms. 301 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 299-9777, restaurantaugust.com

ITALIAN

Domenica, inside of the Roosevelt Hotel, offers wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, seasonal Italian dishes, and craft cocktails. The kitchen highlights Gulf seafood, house-cured meats, and local produce. The restaurant pairs casual dining with an upscale hotel setting. 123 Baronne St., (504) 648-6020, domenicarestaurant.com

Paulie’s Delicatessen is a New York-style deli serving cold cut sandwiches, espresso, and Italian comfort food. Owner Paul Tufaro’s menu includes pastas and cocktails. The corner space also hosts live music, specials such as the Bronx Bomber, and seasonal drinks. 8201 Oak St., (504) 412-8326, pauliesneworleans.com

Pizza Domenica is a pizzeria with an Italian oven that cooks thin-crust pies at 800 degrees. The menu features garlic knots, fungi pizza, and meatballs with polenta, plus a beer list with 12 rotating taps and over 30 cans and bottles. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday with half-off pizzas, wine, beer, and cocktails from 3 to 5 p.m. Multiple Locations, pizzadomenica.com

Jack Rose COURTESY

ROSE

Pulcinella! is a homestyle Italian spot with a menu shaped by Sicilian roots. Their seafood cannelloni, packed with shrimp, crab, and ricotta, is hand-rolled and served in a creamy, peppery sauce. A great wine list offers great wine pairings. 1300 St. Bernard Ave., (504) 221-1560, dirtydimeproductions.com

U Pizza is a laid-back St. Charles Avenue restaurant known for its thin, crispy crust and heavily topped specialty pizzas, such as the Uptown, Greek, and Streetcar. The menu includes wraps, pastas, and salads, with glutenfree and vegan options available. 1513 St. Charles Ave., (504) 381-4232, upizzanola. com

Venezia has served homestyle Italian food in New Orleans since 1957. Known for its red sauce and much more, the restaurant also offers steak nights. The Gretna location brings the same menu, along with a signature Caesar salad prepared tableside. Multiple Locations, venezianeworleans.com

LATIN

34 Restaurant Bar brings Portuguese flavors to the Warehouse District. The menu features signature dishes including the prego, which is a steak sandwich with chorizo, filet mignon, and honey. The lively, green tiled space includes a jamon bar. 714 Baronne St., (504) 4983434, 34restaurantandbar.com

Alma Café is a Mid-City restaurant specializing in Honduran cooking, with a menu built around baleadas and other breakfast plates. One dish to try while at Alma is the pollo chuco. It also serves coffee, fresh juices, and cocktails. 301 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 872-9975, eatalmanola.com

MIDDLE EASTERN

Lebanon’s Cafe has served authentic Middle Eastern cuisine in the Big Easy for over 20 years. Known for its rosemary lamb chops, chicken shawarma, fresh hummus, and more, it offers a cozy dining experience with large plates. 1500 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 8626200, lebanonscafe.com

Shaya is an Uptown New Orleans restaurant blending Israeli cuisine with Southern ingredients. The menu features wood-fired pita, hummus with many different delicious toppings, and vegetable-driven small plates. The restaurant has earned national recognition for its modern Middle Eastern cooking.

4213 Magazine St., (504) 891-4213, shayarestaurant.com

NEW ORLEANS CUISINE

3rd Block Depot specializes in modern Creole and Cajun food, serving up unique twists on classic dishes. Using seasonal ingredients from local markets, the chefs create regular specials such as their blackened redfish. They have a full bar to enjoy. 316 Chartres St., (504) 552-4095, 3rdblockdepot.com

Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop is a cozy Cajun and Creole spot known for its award-winning gumbo and welcoming atmosphere. Chef Ron Iafrate, named Chef of the Year in 2010, serves signature dishes including catfish Jefferson, Mumbo Gumbo, and more. N. Causeway Blvd., (504) 835 gumbostop.com

Crescent City Brewhouse winning craft beers, alongside fresh oysters, seafood, and dishes such as the Decatur St. Burger. Guests can enjoy jazz performances, rotating art exhibits, and balcony views from a historic Decatur street building. 527 Decatur St., (504) 522-0571, crescentcitybrewhouse.com

Crescent City Steaks has served prime aged beef “sizzling in butter” since 1934. This landmark pairs timeless service with classic filet mignon, broiled lobster tails, and more. It remains a destination for authentic New Orleans flavor and memorable meals. 1001 N. Broad St., (504) crescentcitysteaks.com

Desire Oyster Bar stands out with its Broadway-style marquee and bustling raw bar. The restaurant is known for fried oysters with flash-fried spinach, fried green tomatoes, and a lively, openwindow atmosphere that captures the spirit of Bourbon Street. 300 Bourbon (504) 553-2281, sonesta.com

Lakeview Harbor is known for its classic burgers, baked potatoes, and casual neighborhood feel. Longtime patrons appreciate their famous grilled pork chops, shareable appetizers, cold and refreshing cocktails, and its welcoming atmosphere that is perfect for friends and families. Pontchartrain Blvd., (504) 486-4887, lakeviewharbor.us

Loretta’s Authentic Pralines New Orleans institution under founder Loretta Harrison, the first Black woman to own a praline company in the city. It’s known for its classic pecan pralines, festival-famous stuffed beignets, and other Creole specialties. Multiple Locations, lorettaspralines.com

Lyons Corner combines a coffee shop, a restaurant, and a cocktail bar in the Hotel Theo. Chef Joshua Wetshtein offers creative takes on New Orleans dishes, from jambalaya topped with eggs to the flounder Pontchartrain. 537 Gravier St., (504) 5769721, lyonscornernola.com

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Meril is a casual contemporary restaurant by Chef Emeril Lagasse. Their menu blends global influences with local ingredients, offering dishes such as housemade meatballs, barbecued shrimp, seafood linguini, banana cream pie, and so much more. 424 Girod St., (504) 526-3745, bemeril.com

Mother’s Restaurant has served iconic po-boys, baked ham, and debris dishes since 1938. This no-nonsense location is the perfect spot to get a true taste of old New Orleans. Their seafood platter extra extra contains shrimp, oysters, catfish, and more. 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656, mothersrestaurant.net

New Orleans Creole Cookery brings oldschool Creole dishes to the heart of the French

Quarter. Make sure to order from their crown jewels of the sea, which is your choice of boiled seafood with boiled potatoes, Cajun sausage, and corn. 510 Toulouse St., (504) 524-9632, neworleanscreolecookery. com

Neyow’s Creole Café is a bustling Mid-City restaurant that brings its soulful homestyle cooking to the Big Easy. They serve rich delicious New Orleans and seafood dishes, including a seafood combination plate, in a lively dining room. 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474, neyows.com

Neyow’s XL is a sleek, upscale extension of Neyow’s Creole Café, offering prime steaks, seafood, and rich Creole sides. Expect extravagant and delicious dishes such as crawfish mac and cheese, whole red snapper, and buttery ribeye with polished service. 3336 Bienville St., (504) 503-1081, xl.neyows.com

Nice Guys NOLA is a casual restaurant and bar on Earhart Boulevard that serves modern take on local comfort food. Popular items include oysters Rockerfeller, filé gumbo, seafood bread, the loaded “Earhart Attack” fries, and the Louisiana seafood potato. 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404, niceguysnola.com

Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar and Bistro

is a wine-focused bistro just off Bourbon Street with a tucked-away courtyard, romantic lighting, and a deep bottle list. Its menu, featuring double-cut pork chops, is served in a quiet, friendly space. 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930, orleansgrapevine.com

Parkway Bakery and Tavern has helped cement the po-boy’s place in New Orleans’ food culture. Opened in 1911, they serve a variety of poor boys on Leidenheimer bread. Order a half and half shrimp and oyster poor boy, and enjoy. 538 Hagan Ave., (504) 482-3047, parkwaypoorboys.com

Please U Restaurant has served diner-style comfort food on St. Charles Avenue since 1946. Breakfast is offered all day, including omelets, pancakes, and more. Hot plate lunches range from red beans and sausage to veal cutlet and gumbo. 1751 St. Charles Ave., (504) 525-9131, pleaseunola.com

Willie Mae’s NOLA is known for its crispy, golden fried chicken and buttery, made from scratch cornbread. The restaurant still draws long lines daily for its fried chicken plates, multiple sides, and their Taste of New Orleans meal. 898 Baronne St., (504) 354-8194, williemaesnola.com

SEAFOOD

Briquette is a contemporary seafood restaurant that showcases fresh Gulf fish on

an icy display before it’s prepared to order. Try the Louisiana redfish on the half shell with charred lemon butter, Belle River crawfish relish, and heirloom potatoes. 701 S. Peters St., (504) 547-6330, briquette-nola.com

Delacroix is Chef John Besh’s brand-new restaurant in Spanish Plaza and serves a refined take on classic fish camps and bars. Expect high-quality seafood prepared with thoughtfulness and elegance, such as the crispy snapper collars with spicy Creole tomato butter. 1 Poydras St. Spc 1005, (504) 655-9002, delacroixrestaurant. com

Drago’s Seafood Restaurant, founded in 1969, is home to the original charbroiled oysters. This family-run favorite serves thousands of oysters daily, alongside seafood platters, stuffed lobsters, Louisiana classics, and the bayou carbonara, a creamy pasta with shrimp or crawfish. Multiple Locations, dragosrestaurant.com

Legacy Kitchen’s Tacklebox serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner with a focus on Gulf seafood, fried platters, and Southern comfort dishes. Its menu features raw and charbroiled oysters, redfish St. Charles, shrimp and grits, and beignet-style bites. 817 Common St., (504) 827-1651, legacykitchen.com

DON’T MISS THE BAR GUIDE

LEBANON’S CAFE

COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

The Continuing Convolution with the French 75 Cocktail

By Tim McNally

The goal of this series is twofold:

1. Delve into the interesting and factual stories about cocktails invented in New Orleans and known around the world.

2. Also look into the origins of those cocktails not invented in New Orleans but are associated with our town.

Up to this point, we have told the stories of adult beverages created within our community by talented and sophisticated folks from all over the world who made this unique spot their home. Now, it is time to fulfill the other and parallel mission of what we defined from the very beginning.

It is far easier to build a favorable reputation if a common belief of credibility is held by a broad cross-section of reasonable people. No one anywhere has to be convinced that New Orleans is a culinary and cocktail culture center. That fact is well established and is beyond a reasonable doubt. Because of New Orleans’ geographic position, this city has benefitted from many people of high talents being here from every corner of the globe plying their craft and using ingredients that are both originating from here and have ended up here from other areas.

To say craft products in this soggy setting is a “gumbo” is unnecessary and is also complimentary, we’ll take it both ways. Also, what goes along with such accolades is the fact that because we can “do” the creation, we are excellent at recognizing and defining those specialties “passing through,” especially true when it comes to food and drink.

The high profile of recognition given to a cocktail known as the French 75 is a perfect example of adoption by New Orleans. That cocktail was definitely not invented here, but it is now associated with this city. The story of this cocktail also fits perfectly with this town’s preferred lifestyle and the messiness associated with the history of the cocktail. The easy information first is the origin of the name of the cocktail. The French 75 was a cannon on wheels. The barrel was almost nine feet long, and the anti-personnel armament rested on large wheels. It was used by the French army during the latter 19th century and well into the 20th. At

the time, it was reputed to be the most powerful, rapid-fire gun in the world. It was that fact that inspired the creation of the cocktail of the same name.

There is no assurance of who the cocktail creator was, nor of even where the creation took place. Much credit seems to go in the direction of a native Scotsman, Harry MacElhone, starting in 1911. He became well known at 5 rue Danou in Paris, then at the newly opened Ciro’s in Paris right around the corner. He bounced around a little bit in Europe and then bought 5 rue Danou in 1923. In 1933, he changed the name of the bar at that famous address to Harry’s New York Bar.

If the history of the bar seems confusing, then the ingredients in the drink will be a complete maze. The first Soixante-Quinze, as the drink was originally known, contained grenadine, Calvados, lemon juice, and dry gin.

In the fourth edition of MacElhone’s own recipe book, published in 1926, Anisedel-Oso was introduced as an ingredient at the expense of the lemon juice, which was dropped from the recipe. In 1927, MacElhone himself, likely, brought in powdered sugar and Champagne to work alongside the gin, now identified as Gordon water. Also of interest, the use of a cocktail glass was replaced by a tall glass in the recipe published that year.

At various times during the middle of the last century, the French 75 attracted a lot more attention from the cocktail crowd. In 1948, it was thought that since the

SOIXANTE-QUINZE

(1915)

(A gracious nod to Difford’s Guide)

Serve in a Nick & Nora glass

1 serving

2⁄3 oz Hayman’s London Dry Gin

2⁄3 oz Applejack Brandy bottled-in-bond (50% alc./vol)

1⁄3 oz Monin Grenadine Syrup

1⁄6 oz lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1⁄2 oz chilled water

How to make:

1. Select and pre-chill a Nick & Nora glass.

2. Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.

3. Shake all ingredients with ice.

4. Fine strain into chilled glass.

5. Express lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

ARNAUD’S FRENCH 75 (New Orleans)

Ice

1 1/2 oz cognac

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon simple syrup

2 3/4 ounces Champagne, chilled Lemon twist

Place the cognac, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a shaker filled with ice and shake just long enough to chill. Pour into a chilled Champagne glass, top with the Champagne, and add the lemon twist.

drink was known as the French 75, maybe substituting cognac in place of the gin would make it more authentically French. That prompted mixologists to rename this version the French 125. That name also coincided with the name of another firearm—the Soviet 125 mm cannon. Remember, those were the days when the Allies, in particular Great Britain, the U.S., and the Soviets, were the key players in defeating Japan and ending the Pacific battle zone for World War II.

It is this version of the cocktail that brought New Orleans into the fracas about the cocktail. Arnaud’s Restaurant, opened in the French Quarter in 1918 by a French wine salesman, Arnaud Cazenave, specializes in Creole dishes. It is still a centerpiece of fine New Orleans dining to this day.

The historic French 75 Bar opened as a gentlemen’s club and as an adjunct to Arnaud’s Restaurant. After an interior renovation, it opened again in 1978. This intimate room is so comfortable that if it had a bedroom, one would be tempted to move in there permanently.

Let’s get down to it. As with most cocktails created in New Orleans, the modern presentation does not have much in common with the cocktail in the early days except the name. If you try both versions, you can make your own decision if the years have been good for the concoction.

There is also the temptation to substitute a London gin for the cognac in the modern version. Whenever you order the modern version of this cocktail, the mixologist should ask you if you prefer gin or cognac as the key base spirit.

Bar Guide

Boot Scootin’ Rodeo 522 Bourbon St. 504-552-2510

Bourbon “O” Bar

730 Bourbon St. 504-523-2222

Bourbon Street Honky Tonk 727 Bourbon St. 504-523-1927

Fillmore 6 Canal St. 504-881-1555

Ghost Bar 606 Iberville St. 504-910-2010

Headquarters by Nice Guys

445 S. Rampart St. 504-217-6851

High Grace NOLA 733 St. Peter St. 504-218-5649

House of Blues

225 Decatur St. 504-310-4999

Lots a Luck Tavern 203 Homedale St. 504-483-0978

Martine’s Lounge 2347 Metairie Rd., Metairie 504-831-8637

Pal’s Lounge 949 N. Rendon St. 504-488-7257

Parasol’s Bar & Restaurant

2533 Constance St. 504-354-9079

Rick’s Cabaret 315 Bourbon St. 504-524-4222

Saddle Bar 715 Bienville St. 504-313-1113

Sazerac House 101 Magazine St. 504-910-0100

Swamp Room 5400 Veterans Blvd., Metairie 504-888-5254

The Blackbird Hotel 1612 Prytania St. 504-383-7500

Featuring a full bar, a mechanical bull, and Americana decor, this novelty bar is no joke. Wear your cowboy hat and order the Cowboy Punch, their signature 27 oz. drink.

Bourbon “O” Bar is a break from Bourbon Street. Experience live music while enjoying one of their specialty cocktails including the the Midas Cup or the Cata’tonic.

Owned by Tropical Isle, the originators of the (in)famous Hand Grenade drink, this bar specializes in live blues and country performers while serving the Hand Grenade drink you love.

The Fillmore is on the second floor of Caesars New Orleans Hotel & Casino and hosts big and small named musical artists, as well as full-service private productions with custom drink menus and mixologists.

A fun spin on usual bar fare, this “spooky” spot offers plenty of themed cocktails, is open until very early in the morning, and offers plenty of delicious food options including pizza.

Headquarters is a sister establishment of Nice Guys Nola. This trendy spot has DJ nights, wine, beer, and specialty drinks, including a Blueberry Drop Martini.

This elevated cocktail lounge and restaurant offers contemporary Creole cuisine alongside expertly crafted drinks. High Grace features plush seating and mood lighting, perfect for enjoying their signature cocktails and seasonal small plates.

The House of Blues can be enjoyed as both a restaurant and a music venue. Order one of their specialty cocktails including the Beast of Bourbon and Strawberry Fields.

The Boondock Saint 731 St. Peter St. 504-525-4950

The Channel 2604 Magazine St. 504-381-4680

The Jazz Playhouse 300 Bourbon St. 504-553-2299

The Jimani 141 Chartres St. 504-524-0493

The Metropolitan 310 Andrew Higgins Blvd. 504-568-1702

The Vintage 3121 Magazine St. 504-324-7144

Tropical Isle Multiple Locations 504-523-1927

Lots a Luck Tavern is a true laid-back, locals bar. Go by yourself to catch a game with some fellow fans or bring a group to enjoy affordable drinks and a game of pool.

Martine’s Lounge is a classic neighborhood bar with darts, video poker, and happy hour every day. Wednesdays are for trivia, and order a cocktail from one of their daily specialty cocktails.

Pal’s Lounge is a great hangout spot with creative specialty cocktails, beers, and shots. Order their Honey Lavender Rose Sangria or their “House Salad” drink.

Parasol’s is a neighborhood bar with a selection of NOLA eats, including the best roast beef po-boy in town. Stop by and enjoy their cold, refreshing drinks.

Rick’s Cabaret is one of New Orleans’ finest gentlemen’s clubs. With two floors of entertainment, three bars, and a friendly staff, you can’t go wrong.

The only place in New Orleans where you can find a mechanical, rideable rooster, saddle up to Saddle Bar and order one of their Western-inspired cocktails, including the Ranch Water.

Sazerac House is a distillery and museum honoring the legacy of one of New Orleans’ most famous cocktails—the Sazerac. Guests can experience a special tasting area.

Home of the famous 10 oz. Swamp Burger and many more hearty options including steak and wings, the Swamp Room is a perfect spot to dine, drink, and watch the big game while in Metairie.

The Blackbird Hotel boasts a dramatic interior, including a full-service bar that locals and visitors adore. Their vast drink menu serves draft beer, fine wine, and unique cocktails.

The Boondock Saint is an Irish pub that is all about cool drinks and good times. The bar, located in the heart of the French Quarter, has plenty of beer and other drinks to choose from.

The Channel is a cozy, Irish pub that serves craft beer, wine, and delicious eats—including a decadent cheeseburger. Their New Orleans-style bar food menu and refreshing drinks make it a great place to watch the big game.

The Jazz Playhouse is located in the lobby of Royal Sonesta. Enjoy some local jazz music while ordering a jazz-inspired signature drink, including Ella Fitzgerald’s Pearflower Martini.

Family-owned and opened in 1971, the Jimani has an impressive food menu, over 100 beers, and a door that stays open until 4 a.m. They even have jello shots.

The Metro is a top-notch nightclub with three rooms featuring smoke machines and lighting effects. With 11 bar stations, it’s the ideal place to party all night and enjoy plenty of drinks.

The Vintage is a chic café with coffee, pastries, cocktails, wine, and more. Order their beignets and one of their crafted cocktails, including the Espresso Yourself and Tia’s Can Can.

Home of the Hand Grenade, a drink synonymous with Bourbon Street, Tropical Isle has multiple locations across Bourbon Street. They also have other iconic drinks including the Tropical Itch.

FILM REVIEWS

By David Vicari & Fritz Esker

The Smashing Machine

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been garnering Oscar buzz for his portrayal of MMA pioneer Mark Kerr in writer/director Benny Safdie’s new biopic The Smashing Machine. While the movie is interesting at times, it does not soar to the level of Oscar-worthy.

the ring. When he emerges from rehab, he tries to make a comeback.

At the start of the film, Kerr is an undefeated MMA fighter with unmatched grappling skills in the late 1990s when the sport did not have the following it does today and the paychecks were not as big. Kerr also has a hidden opioid problem and is in a tempestuous marriage with Dawn (Emily Blunt). Soon, Kerr’s substance abuse becomes unhidden after he takes a vicious beating in

The film tries to take on several things at once. It’s a sports movie, a movie about addiction, and a movie about a dysfunctional marriage. While some individual scenes work well and Johnson does a good job as Kerr, the whole just never comes together. It doesn’t have the visceral emotional punch of the best sports movies, and its examination of the marriage is undermined by Dawn’s character being undeveloped. There’s nothing wrong with Blunt’s performance, but the audience just does not learn much about her character other than she’s an emotional roller coaster and fights with Kerr a lot. While the film’s finale can be commended for shirking cliches often seen in sports movies, of both the uplifting and depressing varieties, it unfortunately feels a tad anticlimactic.

The Smashing Machine is by no means a bad film, but it does not quite live up to the Oscar buzz that accompanied its release.

—Fritz Esker

One Battle After Another

In One Battle After Another, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a once vibrant revolutionary who has become a paranoid drug addict and drunk. When the life of his teenage daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti), is put in danger— thanks to the resurgence of Bob’s long ago arch nemesis, the seriously disturbed Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn)—the washed-up radical must spring back into action.

From the word “go,” this intense, frighteningly topical thriller never lets up. It runs nearly three hours, but you don’t feel the length. This movie really moves.

The film is produced, written, and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Phantom Thread, There Will Be Blood), as well as inspired by Thomas

Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland. You know you are watching a master filmmaker at work when the climatic car chase is unlike any cinematic car chase you have ever seen, and it’s especially thrilling in IMAX. The characters make sense, and the acting is pitch perfect. In fact, it would be nutty if this reviewer didn’t mention Teyana Taylor’s fiery performance as Bob’s lover, Perfidia Beverly Hills. It’s her character that really sets this odyssey into motion. Another great character in a film filled with great characters is Sergio St. Carlos, a karate instructor and leader of an undocumented community played by Benicio del Toro in, again, an excellent performance. If it’s not already clear, One Battle After Another is a must see.

—David Vicari

TALES FROM THE QUARTER

By Debbie Lindsey

The Haunting of Missy

Haunted houses come to mind frequently during the Halloween season. This seems an appropriate time to revisit Missy and the ongoing haunting she endures—that we endure. Gentle reader, you were introduced to Missy Money Pit over two years ago. You indulged me as I shared my trials and tribulations of first time homeownership. We thought naïvely that we had exorcised her demons: the villainous broken sewer line, knob and tube wiring, ancient crumbling slate roof, and decayed foundation.

or drill holes for treatment makes me shudder, go weak in the knees, and grind my teeth. I even went so far as to offer to pay for places I rented to be “under contract.” Termites can evict you quicker than a slumlord.

Cleaning house one day, I found—this is where the classic horror movie sound track starts low and then builds in volume with that damn organ rising above it all, then thunder and a bolt of lightning—little piles of drywood termite frass.

What’s frass? To be indelicate, it’s termite s**t. They are literally s**tting in your house. It starts so slowly, and you might not see it until it’s almost too late. Think osteoporosis of the house. Treatment is the dreaded tenting.

Months later, after depleting our repair and renovation budget, I was glancing over the, prior to purchase, home inspection photos and notes that had guided us through the “must do” list of work. You know, that scary fact finding compilation of, “Danger! Danger! The house is certain to implode from years of neglect, subsidence, and termites,” with vague disclosures about lead pipes and lead paint and no comments about the wannabe sinkholes in the courtyard.

So with zero monies left in the escrow account for repairs, we realized we forgot to have attic issues addressed. This was where we got very lucky. An extremely knowledgeable and honest beyond words contractor deemed our attic safe and even declined payment for time spent evaluating and inspecting. We sighed with relief and pride that we were such conscientious homeowners—until the tumors.

Missy’s interior had been given fresh coats of paint before she was placed on the market. Just like pancake make-up covers wrinkles, age spots, and scars, the make-up artist/painter camouflaged the weak walls where plaster was missing with poorly attached sheetrock as replacement. Some were waiting to fall, like our tenants’ kitchen ceiling, bedroom wall, and bathroom ceiling, but I digress.

When my termite guy came over, thank goodness I am under contract with them, to examine my discovery, I was near tears and told him, “I would rather have a hip replacement than have my house tented.” He traced the source of the frass to a picture frame. Outside, he nuked it with lots of nasty poison and double-bagged it tightly. We were to wait two weeks to make certain the wood monsters died, along with a repeat inspection of the house.

Have you ever experienced a “tenting?” It is invasive and an utter upheaval of your life for several days. We would have to find and pay for the lodging of our two tenants who occupy half of this double/duplex house, their dog and cat, Philipe, me, our four cats, one dog, and removal of all plants inside and outside on porches. The covering of food and clothing, bedding, dishware, etc. Also, I am absolutely, certifiably phobic about pesticides, and, in this scenario, with good reason. Needless to say, I took a valium the day I awaited the verdict.

Back to the cancer-like tumors above and along a fireplace mantel. It seems that moisture, which is one of many causes of “house cancer,” was never dealt with— merely drywalled and painted over. Just like skin cancer, makeup doesn’t remove it. So we had a guy who does brick and plaster repairs perform a seemingly great job of removing damp sheetrock and filling the craters in. Another sigh of relief, until more tumors cropped up. If only there was a chemotherapy treatment.

We are very diligent about the termites that haunt the houses and even the trees of New Orleans. You can’t just treat it once. Oh! no, they will be back and hungry for that delectable wood, drywall, and even plastic, which is not considered a culinary favorite, but they will not let plastic stand in the way of getting to that yummy wood. I have seen the damage they wreak. Just walking past a house with the telltale mud-tubes or seeing the absence of termite baits

“I think everything is fine. I see no more evidence of active drywood termites,” said the termite guy. I hugged him, we tipped him, and we five-star rated him on Google. As he left, “Oh! you might wanna call your plumber, I found a leaking pipe under the house.”

It seems we will just have to live with the drama. Poltergeists come in many forms: mold, rot, subsidence, and neglect due to careless and often unscrupulous landlords and homeowners. We inherited Missy’s past and may never know what/who exactly is to blame, and, to be fair, who to thank for making sure she didn’t fall to the wrecking ball. Then there’s the no-shame-no-blame fact that Missy is haunted by age, as am I. After all, she is well over a hundred years old. We knew when we bought her that we were now the stewards, the caregivers, of Missy. There is importance in respecting her architectural integrity and honor in protecting this house and her place in history.

This year, we’re going to go trickor-treating dressed as a couple of old people, which should be easy because we are a couple of old people. Our theme will be “On a Weekend Pass from the Apple Farm Nursing Home, which is Run by the Sisters of Stump Jumping and Cow Tilting Exuberance.”

Our costumes will be woolen, garishly printed bathrobes over stylish flannel pajamas with the footwear, naturally, being fuzzy slippers. I’ll wear a watch cap, and maybe Deb will have her hair in curlers. We’ll be just like your grandparents, times 10. We’ll also be pretending to be extraterrestrials that aren’t aware of Earth customs such as “the yearly ritual of costuming and cajoling for candy at complete stranger’s houses under the cover of darkness,” a unique concept, considering.

As inquisitive aliens, we’ll follow kids around wanting to know where they’re going. The kids will love us—who wouldn’t— and will think that it’s fun to have us along. We’ll bribe them with cash. They might even think that we are kids dressed up as old people, which is how we most often feel like ourselves. They’ll humor us.

First of all, we’ll want to know why kids are in costume, in groups of four or more, and why there are grownups suspiciously hovering in the background. The kids will laugh at us and tell us that it’s for fun and sugar, which, although dubious, will seem plausible. When they knock on your door, we will be ready to save them from any unsavory bi or quadruped being who might be behind that portal when it opens. When

PO-BOY VIEWS

By Phil LaMancusa

Trick Or Treat

the little darlings shout, “Trick-or-treat,” in unison, we’ll jump like there is a clear and present danger. Naturally, you’ll also give us candy, although a cocktail is more what we have in mind.

“Double, double toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble. By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. Open, locks, whoever knocks.”

—William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Macbeth

We’ll want to know your names, if you’re married, have children of your own with the requisite names, ages, and sexes of each, where they are at this hour, and, possibly, if we could have a tour of your house.

At this point, the kids are satisfied with their haul and are already headed to the next house while parents are lagging behind in biorhythm alcohol withdrawals, looking forward to an adult beverage after this costumed chaos and possibly regretting giving up smoking and anti-depressants. Us? We’re lovin’ it.

“What are you watching on TV? Do you have cable? Can you get the Disney Channel? How much does it cost? Whatcha doin’? Your bookcase needs dusting, didja know? I could get that stain out for you. Whaddya think of Swiffers?”

“Do you have any bottled water in your fridge? Can I look? Where’s the bathroom? Do you have a pool? Can I have a sandwich

instead of candy? Did you watch the news tonight? Who is that a photo of? Are they still alive? What kind of gummies are those?”

“Do you have any pets? What’re their names? Who’s your vet? Is that your car? Does it work? What kind of mileage do you get? My cell phone needs charging. Can I use your phone? What’s that smell? Who’s your doctor? You need a mint.”

Halloween in New Orleans is not only for the kiddies—just check out the French Quarter, where jouissance, jubilation, and jolly times reign. They ain’t looking for candy out there. They’re usually looking to get seriously inebriated and possibly casually laid. This year, it falls on a Friday, which means the whole weekend will be “nucking futs,” a regular body fluid extravaganza. The Marigny, Bywater, even Gentilly will be crazy, and upwardly mobile Uptowners will try to be decadent, as well, although they haven’t the experience or the stamina that Quarter Rats do. Tremé should be relatively quiet, I suspect.

Generally speaking, real New Orleanians’ houses and apartments have closets just for costumes. They’re not even considered costumes—they’re “clothing for occasions.”

I do, of course, have an alternate attire collection. I’m ready for the Christmas season, Carnival, Jazz Fest, Decadence, generic festivals (crawfish, strawberry, poboy, tomato, etc.), Saint Anne (IYKYK), and Saint Patrick’s. I have yet to be in the Red Dress Drunk Run or the one where women on skates chase you with bludgeons as you run screaming like gulls through the French Quarter (the Running of the Bulls). Those would, as well, require their own wardrobe. I love dressing up. Naturally, I have my Saints game day good luck and Dead Bean outfits. I also have fancy cocktail attire, overalls for outdoor manly mayhem, work uniforms, formal suit-ups, and, of course, pertinent accessories. You wanna talk about shoes? I’ve collected everything from bed slippers to blue suede, Tony Lamas to Chuck Taylor, Wellingtons to Dansko, and more. My passion borders on deviant behavior.

In New Orleans and the surrounding parishes, there’s pretty near a celebration four times in any month. In fact, you can’t swing a cat—a saying, just a saying—at your calendar without hitting a festival date, plus our weekly music, food, and second line excesses. It’s exhilaratingly exhausting and reason enough to live here.

So say goodnight, Gracie, as we trundle home feeling more like Fred and Ginger than Ma and Pa Kettle and holding hands, dancing down the street, singing Tom Waits’, “Smelling like a brewery, looking like a tramp. / Ain’t got a quarter, got a postage stamp. / Been 5 o’clock shadow boxing all over town, / Talking with the old man sleeping on the ground.” Happy Weenie.

WHERE Y'BEEN

THE MORTUARY HAUNTED HOUSE

OUT & ABOUT WITH

FRIED CHICKEN FEST

AMY RUSSO LBJ

CARRIGAN CHAUVIN