Gambit's CUE August 2018

CUE MAGAZINE A M O N T H LY

LIFE + STYLE + DESIGN

GUIDE TO NEW ORLEANS

AU G US T 2018

BEAUTIFUL CLOCKS

and watches

HOW TO DRESS UP

a T-shirt

WEB-BASED SERVICES

delivered to your door

IT’S ABOUT

TIME

Time-saving tips for home, fashion and finances

CLOSE

on your home fast

HOME APPLIANCES

that make chores a breeze

VINCENT DEFONTE

gets ready for Southern Decadence

CONTENTS 6

SHOPPING

8

FASHION

10

AUGUST 2018

Head-turning wristwatches and wall clocks

Quickly create an o outfit out of your favorite e T-shirt

CUE TIPS

Local businesses bring es time-saving service to you

12

REAL ESTATE

13

HOME

14

#FOLLOWING

How to go from under contract to closed quickly

Appliances that get the job done in a snap

Vincent DeFonte dons drag for Southern Decadence

REGULAR FEATURES:

5 Editor’s Letter 15 Resources

[ FROM THE EDITOR ]

“DO NOT SQUANDER TIME, for that is the stuff that life is made of.”

This pithy quote is attributed to Benjamin Franklin, and while he also had clever things to say about the virtue of beer over water (“In beer, there is strength; in water, there is bacteria.”), it’s undeniable that the man knew a thing or two about seizing the day. Our August issue is all about time and making the most of it. You can set your sights a little lower than Ben’s — let’s start with investing in some household appliances that make daily chores a little easier. We offer a few suggestions in our Home column.

In CUE Tips, we spotlight a few entrepreneurs offering assistance for those of us who are too busy to wash the dog or dust the furniture in the guest room. From doctor visits to meal prep, local services can help with time-consuming tasks.

Stylist and New Orleans Fashion Week founder Tracee Dundas offers tips on the other fast fashion — how to turn a T-shirt into a stylish, put-together look. Start with a tatter-, tear-free fitted shirt and accessorize as appropriate. We suggest a few T-shirt-centric outfits for work and play.

Are you closing on a new home? Loan officers Antoinette Theriot-Heim and Georgia Harrington of NOLA Lending know how to speed along this often-murky process, and they explain key

ON

CUE

Publisher JEANNE EXNICIOS FOSTER Editor KATHERINE M. JOHNSON Creative Services Director DORA SISON

P H OTO BY K A R L A P H OTO G R A P H Y

terms and steps with clarity and precision.

In our #Following column, we sit down with a man who’s squeezed the most of out of his time in New Orleans. Vincent DeFonte and his drag persona Vinsantos delve into the evolving alternative drag scene and his 20 years in the business, just in time for Southern Decadence.

Yours in peace, love and time-saving tips,

ADVERTISING Advertising Inquiries (504) 483-3150 Advertising Director

SANDY STEIN BRONDUM

(504) 483-3150 [sandys@gambitweekly.com]

Sales Coordinator MICHELE SLONSKI

Senior Sales Representatives

EDITORIAL

JILL GIEGER (504) 483-3131

Managing Editor

[ jillg@gambitweekly.com]

KANDACE POWER GRAVES

Contributing Writers SARAH RAVITS, SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TAFUR

PRODUCTION Assistant Creative Services Director LYN VICKNAIR

JEFFREY PIZZO

(504) 483-3145 [jeffp@gambitweekly.com]

Sales Representatives BRANDIN DUBOS

(504) 483-3152 [brandind@gambitweekly.com]

Pre-Press Coordinator JASON WHITTAKER

Graphic Designers | DAVID KROLL, WINNFIELD JEANSONNE, MARIA BOUÉ

TAYLOR SPECTORSKY (504) 483-3143

[taylors@gambitweekly.com]

823 C A M P S T R E E T | N E W O R L E A N S, L A 0130 504.4 86.59 00 | cue@gambitweekly.com

You are never fully dressed without a good manicure.

504-777-7709 | houseofnailsllc.com

6725 Saint Claude Avenue, Suite 100 Arabi LA (by Canseco’s)

[ SHOPPING ]

HANDS OF TIME

BY SAR AH R AVITS

Keep track of time with these stylish clocks and watches

3

2

1

5

1. Countdown clock, $125 at Aidan Gill For Men. 2. Rose gold leather watch by Cluse, $99 at Mignon Faget.

4

3. TOKYObay watch, $125 at Aidan Gill For Men. 4. Scottie dog clock, $68 at Hyme Tyme Jewelers.

7 8

5. Wooden clock, $19.99 at NOLA Gifts & Decor.

6. Elasticized wristwatch by TimeWillTell, $85 at Bambi DeVille.

7. Seiko Presage automatic watch in stainless steel, $450 at Fisher and Sons Jewelers.

8. Classic wood watch, $129 at Ambici.

6

[ FASHION TIPS ]

FAST

T-SHIRT

FASHION How to dress up your favorite tee

BY K AT H E R I N E M . J O H N S O N

How to wear a T-shirt …

... to work

“A T-shirt with a smaller graphic print or message paired with a [high-waisted] A-line skirt is appropriate for work,” she says.

“For that third piece, do stacks of bracelets.”

“Side eye” T-shirt, $18 at FashionablyYoursNOLA.com; navy and white polka-dot pleated skirt, sold as two-piece set with sleeveless shell, $26.50 at Funky Monkey; black suede flats by Tabitha Simmons, $695 at Pilot/ Powell; bracelets by John Humphries, from $65 at Mignon Faget; cropped cardigan, $28 at Trashy Diva Clothing Boutique.

IT’S HOT OUT. Heat indexes of 100-plus degrees make you break out in a sweat, and you haven’t gone outside yet.

Enter the T-shirt. Tracee Dundas, stylist and creator of New Orleans Fashion Week, offers tips on choosing the right bottoms and accessories to transform your T-shirt collection into a stylish summer wardrobe.

» GET GRAPHIC: A T-shirt printed with a graphic or

saying lets you show your personality. Make sure the scale of the print is proportionate to your body. “T-shirts with bling or sequins really take it to the next level,” Dundas says.

» T-SHIRT TRINITY: “Make sure you’re creating lay-

ers, as opposed to just throwing on a T-shirt with a pair of shorts,” she says. “That third piece is what elevates your look. It can be a cardigan or an infinity scarf ... (or) a jacket or a cool necklace with a large pendant — nothing dainty or delicate.”

» SHOW YOUR NOLA: “What I love about our [city’s]

brand is that when you’re traveling and you’re wearing a New Orleans T-shirt, people want to stop you and have a conversation with you (about the city),” she says. “That’s my favorite time to wear a New Orleans shirt.”

T-SHIR T LAGNIAPP E Louisiana Soul dolman T-shirt, $34 at NOLA Boo.

I Know What It Means T-shirt, $25 at Dirty Coast.

Ignatius J. Reilley T-shirt, $25 at Miette.

Snowballs dolman T-shirt, $34 at NOLA Couture.

[ FASHION TIPS ]

… on a dinner date

... for a night out on the town

“My go-to for a plain T-shirt is white,” Dundas says.

“I personally have about a dozen different white tees in different fabrics, weights and textiles.”

Cutaway sleeve T-shirt, $50, linen blazer, $96, and ankle jeans by Liverpool in sizes 14 to 24, $85 at Jaci Blue; calf hair kitten heels by Proenza Schouler, $825 at Pilot/Powell; variscite necklace by Alison Ford in sterling silver, 14-karat and 24-karat gold, $550 at RHINO Contemporary Crafts Co.

Red Beans & Rice T-shirt, $23 at NOLA T-shirt of the Month Club.

“I remember seeing in Oprah Winfrey’s magazine where she wore a T-shirt with a sequin skirt, and I just fell in love with that look,” Dundas says.

“Rock’n Chairs” T-shirt by Unfortunate Portrait, $75, and sequin pencil skirt, $2,550 at Pilot/Powell; “Halo” heel in suede by Dolce Vita, $100 at Elle Boutique; pearl and brass earrings, $65 at VanessaWinchester.com.

Louisiana Til Ya Die T-shirt, $25 at NOLA Til Ya Die.

Queen of Soul T-shirt, $42 at Saint Claude Social Club.

Bubble Girl T T-shirt, shirt $25 at Pop City.

[ CUE TIPS ]

HOMEWARD

bound

BY SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TA F U R

Local services deliver what you need, right to your doorstep IT’S SOMETHING WE ALL SAY, PROBABLY A LITTLE TOO OFTEN: “I’M BUSY.” Which is why we’ve succumbed to the allure of apps and delivery services that make our lives easier. And while we fully support the city’s brick-andmortar businesses, there are some local business owners who have created programs that can save us time and money, and even protect our health.

NOLA DOC

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER

Mark Berenson prefers his on-the-go style of practicing medicine.

Mark Berenson, founder and medical director of NOLA Doc, is a house call physician who meets with local and visiting clients in the comfort of their homes or hotels.

“If it’s appropriate for them to be seen outside of an ER or a hospital, I’ll go see them, assess them and just figure out what’s going on and provide treatment on site,” says Berenson, describing his business as “urgent care on the move.”

He also assists elderly patients and others on an ongoing basis.

Berenson graduated from Tulane University School of Medicine, trained in California’s Bay Area hospital system and worked as an emergency room doctor for 10 years. He says he enjoys being out and about visiting patients, rather than under the fluorescent lights of a hospital.

“I get to spend time with people in their environment,” Berenson says. “You really learn a lot about someone when you’re in their environment. You learn not only what they’re saying, but how they’re living. You pick up a lot of clues as to what’s going on with them.”

PHOTO BY MILESTONE PHOTOGR APHY

NITPICKING IN NOLA

Christina Womack’s experience as a mom and wife inspired her business plans.

When Christina Womack was pregnant with her fifth child, she learned her other four children had head lice. It was a sobering discovery made in a salon, while her kiddos were getting haircuts. Womack had never dealt with nits, but she soon became an expert at eliminating them.

After she had her baby, Womack decided to help other parents combat a problem with which she had struggled. She launched Nitpicking in NOLA, a mobile head lice treatment and removal service. Womack uses non-toxic, pesticide-free products. Her technicians travel in discreet vehicles and often can meet with clients on short notice.

“Moms can typically take care of our kids, but no one takes care of us, in that sense,” Womack says. “My husband, although he looked through my hair, he didn’t give me that warm, fuzzy feeling, because he can’t even put hair in a ponytail, much less look for lice.”

NEW ORLEANS GROOMERS ON THE GO

Bathing a furry, four-legged friend is a time-consuming and messy task that many pet owners may want to push to the bottom of their to-do list. With those people in mind, Jenny Hart created New Orleans Groomers on the Go, a traveling dog and cat grooming service. Hart and her fiance converted a limo bus into a salon, complete with a grooming table, a bathtub and a water tank. The couple bathes around 10 animals during a typical workday and will meet clients at their homes or at work.

Hart explained that most services are for maintenance grooming with repeat clients who are on a yearly schedule. Prospective clients should request an appointment well in advance.

PHOTO COURTESY NEW ORLE ANS GROOMERS ON THE GO

Groomer Jenny Hart dries a pup named Maggie.

ZAPMAID

Wayne Xia wanted a tidy apartment, but was tired of cleaning services that tried to sell him expensive packages based on contracts, or Craigslist maids who bailed on him at the last minute.

So, he launched ZapMaid, an appbased cleaning service.

“You can essentially order a cleaner for however long you want, and pay for however much you want,” Xia explains.

“There are no contracts.”

ZapMaid uses “activated water”, a natural cleaner comprised of water, salt and electricity. When applied to a dirty surface, activated water reaches between the dirt and the surface beneath. The charged water ions stick to the dirt and lifts it away, Xia explains.

Xia believes his a la carte-style system provides better treatment for the maids, and also “democratizes home cleaning for a lot of people who never thought they could afford it.”

PHOTO BY PATRICK NIDDRIE

Wayne Xia created a cleaning service tailored to meet his clients’ needs.

NOLA CARWASH & DETAILING

Don’t have time to wash and wax your car? Frank Catalanotto, owner of NOLA Carwash & Detailing, can help. Catalanotto’s company offers on-site car cleaning and detailing services. (Heads up, moms: They also clean children’s car seats.)

“We come to you,” Catalanotto says. His two SUVs have water and electricity on board and don’t need to use external electrical outlets or hoses.

Appointments should be made about a week in advance, but Catalanotto is flexible.

“We go above and beyond for our clients,” he says. “We pride ourselves on being professional, honest and fair.”

NOLA Carwash & Detailing offers discounts to military veterans, first responders and teachers. Maintenance packages also are available.

“We’re a family company,” Catalanotto says. “And when I say we’re a family company, we ask about your mom and them.”

PHOTO COURTESY NOL A C ARWA SH & DETAILING

Frank Catalanotto will wash your car while it’s parked at your home or office.

PHOTO BY KELLI BINNINGS

CLEAN CREATIONS

Barbara Bolotte keeps her clients healthy and satisfied by sending them nutritious meals.

When Barbara Bolotte worked as a personal trainer and a fitness competitor, she prepared nutritious, home-cooked meals for herself. When a growing list of clients began to request those gourmet-quality feasts, she realized there was a need for a healthy meal prep and delivery service in New Orleans.

“I started preparing some meals for a couple of people, from home, and word spread like wildfire,” Bolotte says. She then established Clean Creations.

The company delivers meals packed in insulated coolers twice a week to customers’ homes. Clean Creations posts a new menu on its website each week and allows clients to order a customizable plan that takes dietary restrictions and preferences into account, or they can order individual food items. Chefs make the meals from scratch in a cool, climatecontrolled kitchen.

“From the very first step, until the very last step, we take pride in having the highest quality service,” Bolotte says.

[ R E A L E S TAT E ]

CLOSING TIME

Local lenders explain how buyers can close on a home faster

BY K ATHERINE M. JOHNSON

YOU DID IT! In what is perhaps the pinnacle of “adulting,” you put in an offer to buy a house and that offer was accepted. Now you’re under contract.

On average, closing on a home takes 14 to 30 days. There are aspects of the closing process the buyer can’t control, such as waiting on the bank’s appraisal or trying to coordinate all of the professionals necessary for a thorough inspection of the property, but when the ball is in your court, there are plenty of steps you can take to speed things up. Georgia Harrington, senior loan officer, and Antoinette TheriotHeim, a loan officer associate at the Metairie location of NOLA Lending, explain the things a buyer needs to understand and do during the closing process that will help get the keys to your new home in your hands in no time.

The simplest thing a borrower can do to is answer the phone.

“Respond quickly,” Harrington says.

“From the very get-go, after we take a loan application and we’ve got a prequalification, we start sending the borrower communications on what we need and how they can get it to us. The quicker they remit, the quicker we can get to closing. … Be on top of things, like knowing where to get your documents such as W-2s and bank statements.”

Understanding the monthly payment also is crucial. The payment can be much more than just a lump sum paid to the bank as an installment on the mortgage. It often includes funds for an escrow account, from which you’ll pay your annual property taxes and homeowner’s and flood insurance costs. You can opt to pay these on your own, but lenders may require monthly escrow contributions, because it guarantees the money will be available to pay those fees and

that the bank will not have to step in.

Monthly payments also may include private mortgage insurance (PMI), which is required for conventional loans made with less than a 20 percent down payment.

Harrington stresses that buyers also need to understand how much monthly payment they can really afford before they get to the closing table. Understanding your income is critical here. Are you self-employed, or an hourly or salaried employee? Do you rely on commissions, bonuses or overtime to supplement your income?

If your income fluctuates wildly, be wary. Just because the bank approves you for a $300,000 loan doesn’t mean you should take it. Consider the months when finances are tight — you may find yourself in a pinch.

“No one in the real estate industry wants you to be house poor,” TheriotHeim says.

Buyers are required to prove the ability to repay the home loan, and banks have to verify the chain of income and establish that the funds necessary for the purchase (down payment, closing costs, escrow payments, etc.) are ready for withdrawal prior to final approval. Another step buyers can take to facilitate closing is making sure those funds are in the right place at the right time. The money must be in the bank — lenders won’t accept cash, and there needs to be a paper trail for unusual, large deposits such as gift funds or money borrowed from a 401(k).

Don’t change anything about your financial picture during the closing process, especially your credit, TheriotHeim advises. “Don’t buy furniture for your home before you have the home,” she says. “Don’t go buy a car.”

“Don’t loan money to your best friend, because when she gives it back, (the lender) won’t know where it came from and you’ll have to establish a paper trail for those funds,” Harrington adds.

Once a buyer’s offer is accepted, he or she should shop for property and flood insurances and choose a title company. The real estate agent and lender may have some suggestions, but don’t be afraid to shop around and compare fees. The buyer also should get the inspection process going, which Theriot-Heim says is “the biggest hiccup.”

This period typically lasts 10 days, during which the buyer, the agent and any professionals (such as a plumber or electrician) can inspect the property for deficiencies. If any are found, the buyer can renegotiate the contract with the seller or walk away completely and receive a refund of any earnest funds (a deposit to show you are serious about the house) already paid. The lender can’t order an appraisal until after the inspection is complete, and the appraisal period can take anywhere from five to 21 days or longer, depending on the type of loan and the lender. If you drag your feet on the inspection or the contract renegotiation, it can drastically extend the closing process.

The one thing Theriot-Heim and Harrington say buyers shouldn’t rush is shopping for the home in the first place.

“Be comfortable with the price, the neighborhood, the house itself, everything,” Harrington says.

“Buying a house is not like buying a car,” Theriot-Heim adds. “A car is a movable object — the car dealership can come and put a boot on your car and tow it back. The bank doesn’t want your house back.”

Appliance science

[ HOME ]

Home Works

BY K ATHERINE M. JOHNSON

A SPECIAL REAL ESTATE SECTION PROMOTE YOUR PROPERTIES WITH COLOR ADS BEGINNING AT $150 CALL SANDY AT (504) 483-3150

Technologically advanced gadgets that make daily to-dos a cinch

THE MIELE SYSTEM IS THE CADILLAC OF COFFEE BREWERS. From the touchscreen controls to the cup sensor, which positions the height of the dispenser spout according to the height of your mug or glass, it features a bevy of technology that makes brewing coffee a breeze.

MIELE BEAN-TO-CUP COFFEE SYSTEM, $3,999 FOR BUILT-IN MODEL; FROM $1,749 FOR COUNTERTOP MODEL AT NORDIC KITCHENS & BATHS.

The Witry Collective is transforming every aspect of your real estate experience.

MIELE COMBI-STEAM OVEN, $4,649 AT NORDIC KITCHENS & BATHS.

In 2017, we sold a home every 2 days!

THIS ELECTRIC COOKER DOES IT ALL — steams, bakes, pressure cooks, etc. — with the touch of a button, up to 70 percent faster than traditional cooking methods. The Instant Pot is powered by a microprocessor, which constantly monitors the pressure, temperature and volume inside the pot, and adjusts itself automatically.

Witry Collective

900 Camp St., Suite 301, New Orleans, LA 70130 • (504) 291.2022 (o) Licensed in Louisiana, USA • Photo: Zack Smith Photography

ONE RIVER PLACE

POSSIBLE 100% FINANCING

INSTANT POT DUO PLUS 9-IN-1 MULTICOOKER, $159.95 AT WILLIAMS SONOMA. UN

IF YOU LOVE FRIED FOODS BUT HATE USING ALL THAT OIL (not to mention the cleanup), this Philips Airfryer is for you. It uses constantly circulating currents of extremely hot air produced by infrared lights to “fry” foods. Just batter them as usual and mist the food with cooking oil. Philips’ air fryers produce 50 percent more evenly fried dishes.

PHILIPS VIVA TURBOSTAR AIRFRYER, $199.95 AT WILLIAMS SONOMA.

R DE

CO

NT

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T AC

3 bedroom Lower Garden District side-hall with off street parking, just off Magazine Street. Spacious home with a nice rear yard. Demand location with large entertaining spaces awaiting your personal touches. $439,900.

SO

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Garden Level 1 BR, 1.5 BA Condo home in prestigious tower w/ excellent security, pool, spa, valet parking & gym. Walk to all that downtown has to offer. $945,000

Licensed by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission for more than 35 years with offices in New Orleans, LA 70130

2460 BURGUNDY STREET

Two (2) separate renovated cottages on a large 48 x 127 Lot in an excellent Marigny location. Main house is a 2 bedroom camelback and 2nd cottage is a 2 bedroom rental. Off street parking for several cars and room for a pool in the rear. $845,000

Michael L. Baker, ABR/M, CRB, HHS President Realty Resources, Inc. 504-523-5555 • cell 504-606-6226

HOME WORKS

THIS OVEN IS PLUMBED INTO THE HOME’S WATER SYSTEM, allowing it to function as a steam oven, a convection oven, a combination cooker (which uses both dry and moist heat to roast and bake dishes) and a sous vide machine. The oven’s MultiSteam technology features six individual steam inlet ports that allow cooking on up to three levels inside the oven.

[ #FOLLOWING ]

#FOLLOWING:

DR AG PERFORMER, MUSICIAN AND ARTIST

VINCENT DEFONTTE AKA VINSANTOS B Y K AT H E R I N E M . J O H N S O N // P H O T O S B Y K A R L A P H O T O G R A P H Y

THE SUN FILTERS THROUGH THE GALLERY’S NARROW DOUBLE DOORS as Vincent DeFonte greets me outside his French Quarter Gallery. He’s dressed … not as I expected.

Wearing a black, ankle-length silk robe, a layer of makeup primer and a halo of self-adherent medical wrap to frame his hairline, I realize (and am thrilled) that he’s beginning his hours-long transformation into his alter ego, Vinsantos, the fairy godmother of New Orleans’ percolating alternative drag scene.

He tells me about one of many active projects: He and two fellow performers are meeting later that morning to film a pilot episode of a television show about women in their 70s getting makeovers from a drag queen. I feel like I’m getting a tutorial myself, so engrossed am I by the painstaking process with which DeFonte uses an angled brush to sketch the outline of Vinsantos’ exaggerated eyebrows, and another to fill them in with an opaque liquid powder.

DeFonte lived most of his life in San Francisco. He was an artist and musician for years, and while he was intrigued by the theatricality of drag performances, he’d assumed all shows consisted of “some old queen lip-syncing Dolly Parton songs.”

A friend took him to a drag revue called Trannyshack, where DeFonte witnessed a leather-clad queen belting out AC/DC tunes, and he was transfixed. That’s when Vinsantos, his androgynous, rock ‘n’ roll alter ego began to take shape.

“Within a couple of months, I was debuting my solo performances, and a year later I was crowned Miss Trannyshack,” DeFonte says. “I think it was just meant to be.”

After his son went off to college in 2010, DeFonte and his husband moved to New Orleans for a change of scenery and career. DeFonte had kept a traditional job in the trades and construction, but was ready to flex his creative brawn.

He began selling his mosaics at a stall in the French Market, and his craft evolved into assemblage work and finally doll making, after seeing a doll show at the now-shuttered Poet’s Gallery in Uptown. He sought out American doll maker Sheri DeBow for tutelage and began sculpting dolls out of polymer clay and

MUSTHAVES

Shoes

by Sarah Ford — “I picked up these tiny satin and rhinestone S slippers with a (stuffed) mouse sleeping in them. I just thought that was the s cutest thing.” c Mannequin hand — “This was given to me by a dear friend that passed away M at a a tragically young age.”

Painting

by Timothy Cummings P Vintage doll from Mexico City V Doll D sculpture — “One of my earlier pieces, circa 2013. This was a breakthrough moment for me as a visual artist and doll maker. I’ll never part b with w it, although I did trade [the doll’s] sister for a purse that I liked at a bar one night when I was way too drunk. I’ll never forgive myself for that one.”

RESOURCES

[ #FOLLOWING ]

embellishing them with vintage, antique and found objects. Sales of the dolls were so successful that he opened his own space, Funeral Gallery on Royal Street. “(The dolls) really are inspired by my nightlife,” he says. “These are the fabulous people I hang out with at night. [The dolls are] cabaretand drag-themed — it’s actually better than doing drag, because I don’t have to shave, and I don’t have to wear 10 pairs of pantyhose, a corset, heels and a wig.”

He began honing his cabaret act as well, working the performance circuit with the likes of burlesque artist Bella Blue, who “adopted” him early on.

“I love every kind of drag, but there just wasn’t an avenue for my kind,” he says. “Burlesque and variety are way more my speed.

I love being in a show where I’m the only queen, instead of one of 12 queens.”

DeFonte’s ideal act is an intimate seated show in which he gets to noodle at the piano, sing songs and tell stories. Though his plan to open a cabaret club fell through, he’s carved out a niche for himself, mounting one-man performances both solo and as part of a variety act.

But he needed more projects. In 2013, he established the New Orleans Drag Workshop, a program in which drag and cabaret veterans teach novice performers how to create and market their own drag personas. Over eight workshop cycles, 84 people have walked across the stage at the AllWays Lounge during the end-of-course “draguation” ceremony.

“To see someone who has worked really hard for what is now a 10-week program get up on stage for the first time and actually bring the house down is really exciting and empowering,” DeFonte says. “I feel very lucky to have fallen into this role as the head mister-ess of the workshop.”

The program is successful in tangible ways, too. He says at least a half dozen draguates have been able to quit their day jobs to pursue the craft full-time, including upand-coming artist and producer Neon Burgundy.

DeFonte acknowledges a small contingent of “old guard” drag performers that balk at the Drag Workshop’s progressive approach to the art, but the enthusiasm of audiences keeps him going.

“It became apparent that … there was a need for diversity and variety in the drag community, and that there was an audience that was willing to support it,” he says. “After the first draguation — and each of

A listing of the retailers and professionals featured in this issue of CUE Magazine.

LIKES

Hands of time Favorite drag venue in the city?

“The AllWays Lounge. I prefer it because it’s set up cabaret-style.”

What’s your go-to performance song? “‘How Will I Know’ by Whitney (Houston) as sung by Sam Smith. It’s a really touching, stripped-down rendition of it and it really is all about me getting tips because that’s how I know you do really love me. Financially, that’s my favorite number.”

Do you like to Instagram your food? “I do not. … But I can make incredible Top Ramen … and I make the best boiled water in the country.”

How many social media followers do you have? “About 4,500 on Instagram. … Drag, photographically by nature, is supposed to be Photoshopped to death. … I tell my audience (if they take my photo) that I have a seven-filter minimum.”

PAGE 6

Aidan Gill for Men 2026 Magazine St., (504) 587-9090; www.aidangillformen.com

Where you can see him next: Kitten N’ Lou’s CREAM variety show, 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 2 (during Southern Decadence) at the Civic Theatre

them have been sold-out shows — the crowd was just in a frenzy.”

Though pondering retirement, DeFonte doesn’t show signs of slowing down. In addition to the television pilot that’s in the works, French filmmaker Coline Albert currently is shooting a documentary about DeFonte’s life in the queer spotlight. The film will culminate with his debut performance in Paris in November.

“Every year, I tell myself, ‘one more year,’” he says. “(The film) is about me having one last dream before I throw in the towel.

But it really may end with me moving to Europe and touring around there. … My life is full of happy accidents.”

Pearl Wine Co., 3700 Orleans Ave., Suite 1C, (504) 858-8881; www.nolatilyadie.com Pilot/Powell

Ambici

3901 Magazine St., (504) 827-1727; www.pilotandpowell.com

Bambi DeVille

Pop City

(985) 789-9227; www.ambicico.com 818 Royal St. (second floor), (504) 491-0824; www.bambideville.com Fisher and Sons Jewelers

5101 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 1, Metairie, (504) 885-4956; www.fishersonsjewelers.com Hyme Tyme Jewelers

800 Metairie Road, Suite U, Metairie, (504) 833-7069; www.hymetyme.com Mignon Faget

940 Decatur St., (504) 528-8559; 3118 Magazine St., (504) 304-7744; www.nolapopcity.com RHINO Contemporary Crafts Co.

2028 Magazine St., (504) 523-7945; www.rhinocrafts.com Saint Claude Social Club

1933 Sophie B. Wright Place, (504) 218-8987; www.saintclaudesocialclub.com

The Shops at Canal Place, 333 Canal St., (504) 524-2973; Lakeside Shopping Center, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 835-2244; 3801 Magazine St., (504) 891-2005; www.mignonfaget.com

537 Royal St., (504) 522-4233; 2048 Magazine St., (504) 299-8777; www.trashydiva.com

NOLA Gifts & Decor

www.vanessawinchester.com

5101 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 17, Metairie, (504) 407-3532; www.nolagiftsanddecor.com

Fast T-shirt fashion PAGE 8

CURRENT PROJECT

NOLA Til Ya Die

Dirty Coast

713 Royal St., (504) 324-6730; 5631 Magazine St., (504) 324-3745; www.dirtycoast.com Elle Boutique

2126 Magazine St., (504) 522-4929; www.shopelle.com Fashionably Yours NOLA

www.fashionablyyoursnola.com Funky Monkey

3127 Magazine St., (504) 899-5587; www.funkymonkeynola.com Jaci Blue

2111 Magazine St., (504) 603-2929; www.jaciblue.com Miette

2038 Magazine St., (504) 522-2883; www.iheartmiette.com Mignon Faget See Hands of time NOLA Boo

517 Metairie Road, Suite 200, Metairie, (504) 510-4655; www.shopnolaboo.com NOLA Couture

528 St. Peter St., (504) 875-3522; 3308 Magazine St., (504) 319-5959; www.nolacouture.com NOLA T-shirt of the Month Club

3646 Magazine St., (504) 715-2270; www.nolatshirtclub.com

Trashy Diva Clothing Boutique

Vanessa Winchester

Homeward bound PAGE 10

Clean Creations

(504) 309-5427; www.cleancreations.net NOLA Carwash & Detailing

(504) 559-9403; www.facebook. com/frankcatalanottoIII NOLA Doc

(504) 383-3828; www.noladoc.com Nitpicking in NOLA

(504) 258-6091; www.nitpickingnola.com New Orleans Groomers on the Go

(504) 309-7756; www.neworleansgroomersonthego.com

ZapMaid

(504) 407-8052; www.zapmaid.com

Closing time PAGE 12

NOLA Lending www.nolalending.com

Appliance science PAGE 13

Nordic Kitchens & Baths

1818 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 888-2300; www.nordickitchens.com Williams Sonoma

3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 828-3769; www.williams-sonoma.com

Uptown, New Orleans

1818 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, LA | 504.888.2300 | nordickitchens.com