December 2014/January 2015 Issue of Inside New Orleans

450

$

CAFÉ RECONCILE • PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER • LUCULLUS • HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

DECEMBER 2014-JANUARY 2015 VOL. 1, NO. 2

December 2014 - January 2015

Vol. 1, No. 2

Publisher Lori Murphy –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Editor Anne Honeywell

Senior Editor Jan Murphy

Contributing Editor Poki Hampton

Editorial Assistant Leah Draffen Contributors are featured on page 18.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Art Director Brad Growden

Graphic Designer Jennifer Starkey

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Business Manager Jane Quillin

Associate Publisher Candice Laizer Advertising Account Executives

Kelly Alberado Caroline Battaglia

Barbara Bossier Anne Honeywell

Candice Laizer Barbara Roscoe

Becky Slatten Amy Taylor

Sales Coordinator Rachel Mellen Intern Connor Ferrill –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– For advertising information phone (504) 934-9684 fax (504) 934-7721 email sales@mandlpublishing.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Please send items for Inside Scoop to scoop@mandlpublishing.com.

Photos for Inside Peek, with captions, should be sent to peek@mandlpublishing.com. Submit items for editorial consideration to editor@mandlpublishing.com.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Contact Inside New Orleans P.O. Box 6048

Metairie, LA 70009 phone (504) 934-9684 fax (504) 934-7721 website www.insideneworleans.net

Subscriptions 1 Year $18 2 Years $30 email subscriptions@mandlpublishing.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

On the cover

Artist Jim Seitz

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– INSIDE NEW ORLEANS is published bi-monthly (February, April, June, August, October, December) by M and L Publishing, LLC, PO Box 6048, Metairie, LA 70009 as a means of communication and information for greater New Orleans, Louisiana. Bulk Postage paid - New Olreans, LA. Copy­right ©2014 by M & L Publishing, LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent of publisher. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and artwork. Inside Northside Magazine is created using the Adobe Creative Suite on Apple Macintosh computers.

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Inside New Orleans

contents table of

Features 20 Luminosity Cover artist Jim Seitz.

32 Women’s Jewelry 36 A Home for Entertaining The Lanusse House in Lakeshore.

41 Let There Be Light!

42 Couturier to the Queens Suzanne Perron.

48 Lucullus A Feast of Culinary Antiques.

56 One Building at a Time Preservation Resource Center.

60 Celebrating 175 Years of Antoine’s 70 Coloring Outside the Christmas Box

page 132

72 San Miguel de Allende 32 Setting the Record Straight 1 Author-historian Ronald J. Drez.

38 Lunch with a Side of Reconciliation 1 Café Reconcile.

55 Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams 1 25 years (of successful design) and counting.

156 Billy Reid Gentleman Designer.

Business Profile

144 Christwood Retirement Community

Medical Profiles 181 Hand Center of Louisiana

page 70

Holiday Gift Guide Special Section Follows Page 82 7 Gift Guide 14 IN Other Words The Christmas Letter.

24 Give Kids the Gift of Reading 31 INside Story Cheers to Milk Punch!

35 Books for Holiday Giving page 60 8

Inside New Orleans

40 Gift Cards 44 Holiday Scoop

contents table of

page 148

Departments 12 Publisher’s Note

169 IN Love and Marriage

14 Editor’s Note

170 Get Fit Holiday Fitness Tips.

16 Reader Resources 17 INput 18 Contributors 24 INside Scoop 46 IN Better Health Rocky Andry.

80 At the Table The Ultimate Christmas Dinner.

131 Wine Cellar Celebrating with Wine.

146 IN Rhythm Hazy Ray’s New Orleans Rock.

148 Flourishes Extraordinary gifts and home accents.

163 INside Look Cypress Green and Misted Gold.

171 Spotlight Belles and Beaus Ball.

171 Spotlight Team Gleason Benefit.

172 Peek 173 Spotlight Key to the Cure.

174 Spotlight Paretti Grand Opening.

177 Spotlight Inside New Orleans Launch Party.

182 Real Estate Take Your Pick!

184 IN Great Taste Raise a Glass this Holiday Season!

186 INside Dining 193 Community Resources 194 Last Bite Louisiana Pizza Kitchen French Quarter.

page 163

page 80

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Inside New Orleans

Season of Giving

by Lori Murphy As we celebrate this holiday season, I am filled with gratitude. 2014 has been an incredible year. You are holding one of my best gifts in your hands right now! The introduction of Inside New Orleans has been amazing, exhausting and exciting. If you live on the southshore and got this issue in your mailbox, you will continue to get future issues of Inside New Orleans every other month. The support of our advertisers makes this possible, so if you like it, please let them know!

On a personal note, I am proud to share this season of gratitude with some of the incredible ladies I’ve come to know through my association with the American Red Cross. By investing in their local ARC chapters, the women of the Tiffany Circle follow in the footsteps of a long line of women leaders who have helped the Red Cross serve the American public in times of war and peace with disaster assistance, blood collection, safety training and countless other community services.

The society is named for the beautiful windows produced by the Tiffany Studios in 1917 featured in the Board of Governors Hall at Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Begun five years ago with only four members, the Tiffany Circle of Southeast Louisiana has grown to 26 members. Our gifts are used to support the day-to-day operations of the local American Red Cross so that we are ready when called upon in an emergency. Several times a day, in many different ways, families in the New Orleans area benefit from the generosity of Red Cross volunteers and the safety net their services provide.

The Tiffany Circle is our way to give back to the community, but it is just one example of so many.

No matter what path your gratitude takes you on, I hope it fills you with joy this holiday season.

p.s. In the spirit of the holidays, we are sharing this issue of Inside New Orleans with our many longtime Inside Northside readers. So just this once, we are mailing 60,000 copies of this issue to homes across the metropolitan area! A gift to our readers and advertisers alike! Enjoy!!

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Inside New Orleans

Editor’s note

by Anne Honeywell It is not always a good thing to be the talk of the town, but in our case it has been!

I have received countless emails, texts, phone calls and even handwritten notes (a dying courtesy, and yet, when one is received, it is so appreciated—thank you, Sam!) from New Orleanians far and wide, all welcoming and supportive of our new magazine. Our readers love the stories we are telling and the writers who tell them. It has just been wonderful!

A definite perk of the job for me is getting to meet so many wonderful people all around New Orleans! I’ve been saying “It’s great to see you again!” a lot, but “It’s nice to meet you” even more. I love it!

One notable “It’s nice to meet you” happened on the photo shoot for the story on Ronald J. Drez (page 132). I walked into his office, took one look around and said, “You had to have known my father, Jack Dunlap.” Mr. Drez was a longtime friend and fan of my father, who passed away two years ago. I had a very emotional reaction that day as Mr. Drez regaled me in stories—and I him—about my father.

An unexpected and very pleasurable perk during a day at work for the magazine.

Again on a photo shoot, I spent a morning with Patrick Dunne of Lucullus (page 48). What a personality! Got to love a quick-witted man. He was so much fun and had a wealth of knowledge and appreciation for antiques—most especially culinary antiques. A true joy to meet.

Another very cool “nice to meet you” went to designer Billy Reid. At an event at Saks Fifth Avenue, Inside New Orleans sat down with this Southern gentleman from Amite, Louisiana (page 156). Since then, I have enjoyed corresponding with his mother, T.J. Reid, who sent us some wonderful old photos from her collection accompanied by anecdotes about her son. We are definitely Louisiana proud of Billy Reid!

I hope you enjoy these and all the other stories in this issue. And keep your gift list handy as you peruse our Holiday Gift Guide that’s tucked inside! Happy holidays!

Above: My father presenting me at The Society of the War of 1812 at New Orleans Country Club in 1983.

December 2014-January 2015 15

Reader Resources Contact Us: You may contact us by mail, phone, fax or on our website: Mail: Inside New Orleans P.O. Box 6048 Metairie, LA 70009 Telephone: (504) 934-9684 Fax: (504) 934-7721 Website: insideneworleans.net Receiving Inside New Orleans in Your Mailbox?

You are on our mailing list, and you will continue to receive Inside New Orleans every other month at no charge. Please join us in thanking our advertisers, who make this possible.

Pick Up a Copy: At one of our advertisers’ locations, or at Barnes & Noble, 3721 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, La.

Subscribe: To subscribe to Inside New Orleans, or if you have a question about your subscription, please contact us by telephone or e-mail us at subscriptions@mandlpublishing.com.

Subscriptions are $18 for one year, or $30 for two years. To change your address, please send both your old address and new address. The post office does not forward magazines.

Advertising Information: For advertising information, please contact us by telephone or e-mail us at sales@mandlpublishing.com.

Inquire and Share Ideas: Do you know a person, organization or endeavor we might consider featuring in our pages? Or a great storyteller who may want to write for us? Please contact the editor at editor@mandlpublishing.com.

16

Inside New Orleans

INput The reviews are in, and we are blown away by the response to the inaugural issue of Inside New Orleans! Thanks to everyone who encouraged us with everything from telephone calls and emails to text messages and comments on Facebook.

Here is just a small sampling.

“Congratulations and wow! I just read Inside New Orleans cover to cover and loved it! What a great magazine. It’s entertaining, relevant, and the layout is perfect. I have to say I haven’t enjoyed a magazine this much in years. I feel like it is a throwback to a lost era. I have been searching for that feel I used to get with a good publication, but I have had no luck until now. I can’t wait for the next issue!”

Sam Burkhardt

“I absolutely loved the magazine— great job! My favorite part was all the different contributors!”

Boo Kallenborn “I think your magazine is going to be a huge success. I enjoyed the articles thoroughly.”

Scott Schlesinger “I just got my first glimpse of the inaugural Inside New Orleans this morning and it is GORGEOUS—you all

must be so proud! I can’t wait to read it.

Congratulations!”

Tom Cianfichi, Hazelnut “Thank you for INO. The layout, the context, the people features … all right on the mark. Please don’t get discouraged, and don’t change a thing! New Orleans has needed this for so long.”

Lucille McDonnell “Tonight’s launch party was a delight and you all looked so deservedly happy. The Zephyr car has started its run. Whooosh! People are certainly enjoying the magazine. I received a copy in the mail yesterday and was thrilled to have a second copy. I spent almost two hours reading the magazine this evening and was delighted with Michael’s piece on me. My many thanks for making me a subject. Congratulations!”

Nell Nolan

“Congratulations on the magnificent Inside New Orleans Launch Party.

Outstanding. Hope you are having an outstanding ‘the day after.’”

Steven Putt, Saks Fifth Avenue “Inaugural issue is breathtaking!!!”

Betsie Gambel December 2014-January 2015 17

Contributors

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Other Voices: Gretchen Armbruster, Kate Brevard, Chris Caire, Leah Draffen, Sandy Franco, Candra George, Poki Hampton, Michael Harold, Lorene Holmes, Anne Honeywell, Trudy Hurley, Bill Kearney, Mimi Greenwood Knight, Jamey Landry and Terri Schlichenmeyer.

Tom Hancock

Food writer Ann Benoit is the author and photographer of New Orleans’ Best Ethnic Restaurants and the Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard Cookbook. Ann’s work has appeared in the Times Picayune, the Advocate, Gambit, Amelie G, Seven Magazine, and Louisiana Kitchen and Culture. She is a member of the American Culinary Federation, the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the American Society of Media Photographers. Ann celebrates Antoine’s 175 years on page 60.

Nashville native Tom Hancock relocated to New Orleans in 2008 because of his infatuation with the city and has now called it home for nearly seven years.

A commercial real estate appraiser and consultant with Murphy Appraisal Services and a real estate agent with 10/12 Properties, in his free time, Tom stresses about New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Volunteers football, plays golf, and counts down the days to Carnival. Tom writes about neighborhood development on page 182.

Sandra Scalise Juneau

Inside New Orleans

Tom Fitzmorris

photo: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Ann Benoit

18

photo: SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

Becky Slatten Becky Slatten is a native of Natchitoches, an LSU alumna, the mother of three children and a newlywed. She divides her time between the northshore and New Orleans, writing for both Inside Northside (since 2007) and Inside New Orleans. Becky loves telling the stories of people and events unique to the area and puts her own twist on topics in her monthly feature, IN Other Words (page 14 in Gift Guide). She shares her interview with designer Suzanne Perron on page 42.

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Our contributors give Inside New Orleans its voice, its personality and its feel. Here we are proud to highlight a few of them so that you can put a face with a name and get to know them.

Susan Currie Interior designer Susan Currie recently returned from Atlanta to New Orleans to live. Her work combines elements of gracious Southern style with contemporary comforts and conveniences.

While in Atlanta, Susan edited INDESIGN magazine, contributed articles to publications, including the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Atlanta Home Improvement, and wrote her blog, 64inthebox.com. An Allied Member of ASID, Susan is also a Certified Aging in Place Specialist. On page 70, she encourages us to color outside the box for the holidays.

Freelance writer and culinary arts historian Sandra Scalise Juneau focuses on her native Louisiana’s unique culture. At the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, she represented her Sicilian heritage, tracing the influences of la cucina Italiana on Louisiana’s multicultural cuisine. Sandra and her husband, Roland, recently celebrated 54 years of marriage. On page 132, she shares her interview with historian Ron Drez about the 200th anniversary of Battle of New Orleans in 1815.

Tom Fitzmorris grew up in Treme, eating red beans every Monday from his Creole-French mother until he left home. Not long after that, he began writing a weekly restaurant review column that has continued for 42 years. In 1975, he began a daily radio feature, now a three-hour daily talk show on 1350, 3WL. He is the author of several cookbooks, many restaurant guidebooks, a daily online newsletter (nomenu.com), and joins us At the Table (page 80).

“The few elements you add at the last are the touches that make the painting sing.”

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

– Jim Seitz

Cover artist Jim Seitz

by Poki Hampton Around the Bend, 36 x 48.

Luminosity I DON’T RECALL EXACTLY WHEN I MET JIM SEITZ—it seems we have been friends forever—but I do remember the first time I saw one of his paintings. About 15 years ago, he walked into my antiques and home furnishings shop in Covington and asked if I thought I could sell his painting. How fast could I find a nail and hang it on the wall?

There was just something about the serenity, the color, the luminosity that made it unique, a style Jim calls “tonal minimalist representation.”

Sure enough, the painting sold for $1,500 in less than a week, and I was asking for more of his work.

Jim began sketching and drawing around the third grade. In college, he would do renderings for the science department at Stephen F. Austin University in Texas, where he was a biology and chemistry major. On his first job as an oil field engineer in Iran, he was able to sketch and paint scenes of the local life there. One particular scene stayed in his mind for years until he was able to put it on canvas.

The painting, titled Beyond Time, was of the river near Agah Jari in >>

20

Inside New Orleans

Meet cover artist

Jim Seitz and see some of his favorite works on display at

Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights Museum 316 Royal Street New Orleans

Thursday, December 4 5:30-7:00 p.m.

For more information, call

504-934-9684

Everyone’s Invited!

December 2014-January 2015 21

southern Iran. “As you crossed the river and looked out over the plains, the river seemed to extend into eternity,” says Jim. “The painting was very free-flowing because it had been burned into my mind for so long.” The name Beyond Time was a reference to Iran being the cradle of civilization dating back to before recorded time.

Most of Jim’s paintings, like our cover painting, Forever and a Day, are representative of scenes from his memory or imagination. His goal is to convey feeling, allowing the viewer to imagine where a particular setting might be.

Jim’s method of combining layers and layers of thin acrylic washes with gold or silver leaf on large textured canvases creates intense landscapes with tonal natural earth colors. Over the years, he has increased the size of the canvases to include some very large ones. “Painting on a larger canvases has given me the ability to be more detailed and in depth and use more layers,” he says. His works also include seascapes and abstracts, but viewers seem to relate to the landscapes more readily.

When traveling, Jim visits museums and observes other artists’ works. “I try to look deep into the painting to discover the layers the artist uses.”

George Innis, 19th century artist known as “the father of American landscape painting” is one of Jim’s favorite painters to study. Traveling also gives Jim other perspectives for his paintings. “The sunsets in Santa Fe are spectacular, with so many layers of clouds. It seems that you see the horizon so much farther away.” Here at home, August and September skies give inspiration.

The massive thunderheads that form in an instant and constantly move are hard to capture, but are so beautiful.

The clouds in any setting give him the 22

Inside New Orleans

The Awakening.

most satisfaction, and his clouds have become more realistic over the years.

Because he had no formal art training, except for an eighth grade art class, Jim has discovered ways of getting what he wants out of a canvas. This has given him freedom to do what comes naturally. He doesn’t predetermine a painting, but does have a lengthy process to create it. While listening to music, sometimes in a foreign language to hear the beat rather than the words, Jim first textures the canvas with Golden’s Light Molding Paste, which he applies with a sheet rock trowel, preparing a half dozen canvases at a time. He then establishes the horizon line, either at the bottom or closer to the top of the canvas, giving a contemporary feel. Next, to the foreground, he applies a red oxide wash, then a thin layer of adhesive. When this is just tacky, he applies the small bits of Italian metallic leaf. The metallic leaf gives the painting its luminosity and provides light to the scene. While this is drying, he starts work on the sky, using Payne’s gray wash on a 4-inch brush. To create depth and definition in the clouds, he uses raw umber and azo gold with a wash of phthalocyanine blue. He mixes the colors on the canvas with a dry brush rather than on the palette to keep the colors

fresh, feathering the edges as he goes. Jim creates the trees in raw umber and Payne’s gray, with extra raw umber and azo gold for darker fall foliage. For summer or spring, he uses olive green for the trees and chrome green for the grass. Layer upon layer of Payne’s gray wash shades the trunks of the trees, and touches of antique gold wash define the tree line. “The few elements you add at the last are the touches that make the painting sing,” says Jim. The satin sheen of the finished painting is created with a spraying of varnish on a not-too-humid day. This protects the painting and intensifyies the colors.

Because painting is such a joy to Jim, when a painting has finally come together to his satisfaction, he is truly happy. “I love to paint, and I get engrossed in what I am painting, but sometimes you have to live the rest of your life as well.”

Jim’s work can be seen in a two-person show with Marcia Holmes, Nature’s Essence: Two Visions, Dec. 13-Jan. 31 at the St. Tammany Art Association, 320 N Columbia St., in Covington. He is represented by Laura Rathe Fine Art in Houston, Huff Harrington Gallery in Atlanta and at Walsingham Gallery in Newberryport, Mass. jimseitz.com.

December 2014-January 2015 23

Waldorf Wonderland

INSIDE a handy guide to events and entertainment in and around New Orleans

December 1-Jan 3 Louisiana Watercolor Society

newest festival blending architecture,

holiday special events. French Market

Juried Art Show. The Atrium Gallery

light, sound and motion graphics.

District, 1235 N Peters St, New Orleans.

at Christwood, 100 Christwood Blvd,

Gallier Hall, 545 St Charles Ave, New

(504) 522-2621. frenchmarket.org.

Covington. Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5pm. Free.

Orleans. Nightly exhibitions, 7pm

1-31 Merriment on Magazine Street.

(985) 898-0515.

1-Jan 6 Holiday Dress. Learn about

and 7:30pm. Free. (504) 523-1465.

Magazine St. Merchants Association

artsneworleans.org.

and First NBC sponsoring giveaways,

traditional 19th century New Orleans

events and specials. (504) 342-4435.

holiday customs. Hermann-Grima House

magazinestreet.com.

and Gallier Houses, New Orleans.

1-23 Deanie’s Holiday Take-Home Menu.

Holiday tradition of à la carte items like Cajun deep-fried turkey and dressing.

1-Jan 3 Christmas in the Oaks. City Park’s

Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, 10am-3pm; Sat,

Order deadline noon, Dec 23. Deanie’s

annual holiday lighting exhibit and festival.

12-4pm. $12 per museum; $20 for both.

Seafood Market, 1713 Lake Ave, New

New Orleans Botanical Garden, Victory

hgghh.org.

Orleans. (504) 834-1225. deanies.com.

Ave, New Orleans. Fri-Sat, 6-11pm;

1-24 Santa at North Shore Square Mall.

1-Mar 1 Degas’ Little Dancer Aged

Sun-Thurs, 6-10pm. Closed Dec 24, 31.

Fourteen. Stafford Gallery, New Orleans

150 Northshore Blvd, Slidell. (985) 646-

Adults, $8; Friends of City Park/children

Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Cir. (504)

0661.

3 and under, free. (504) 483-9415.

658-4100. noma.org.

1-26 Christmas New Orleans Style.

24

Cooking demonstrations and other

Inside New Orleans

neworleanscitypark.com.

1-Mar 29 Andrew Jackson: Hero of New

photo courtesy: THE ROOSEVELT NEW ORLEANS, A WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL

1-6 LUNA Fête. Art Council New Orleans’

Dec 2 Waldorf Wonderland Lobby Lighting. A tradition since the 1930s, the lobby of The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, will be lit for all to enjoy. The display, including a gingerbread village of the famous Cajun Night before Christmas, is free and open to the public. 130 Roosevelt Way, New Orleans. (504) 648-1200. therooseveltneworleans.com.

Orleans. Jackson’s role in the Creek War and Battle of New Orleans. The Historic New Orleans Collection, 533 Royal St. Free. (504) 523-4662. hnoc.org.

2 Art of Giving. Holiday shopping from the South’s best artisans and authors.

Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Goldring Hall, 925 Camp St, New Orleans. ogdenmuseum.org.

2 Lunch & Learn on Managing Diabetes during the Holiday Season. Presented

by Jeannette Rousseau, diabetes educator with STPH. Community Center at Christwood, 100 Christwood Blvd, Covington. 11:30am–1pm.

RSVP to (985) 292-1234 or jportmann@christwoodrc.com.

>>

December 2014-January 2015 25

Inside Scoop 3 Holiday Open House and Trunk Show.

Handcarved and –painted Russian Santas, cocktails, hors d’oeurves and holiday cheer. Arabella Fine Gifts and Home Décor, 3902 Hwy 22, Mandeville.

5-8:30pm. (985) 727-9787.

3,4 Spartina Trunk Show. Sip wine, shop. Dec 3, Hazelnut, 2735 Hwy 190, Mandeville; Dec 4, Hazelnut, 5515 Magazine St, New Orleans. 3-5pm.

(985) 626-8900 or (504) 891-2424. hazelnutneworleans.com.

4 McClendon Design Trunk Show. Vita, 1537 Metairie Rd, Metairie. 5-8pm. (504) 83-1111.

5 Fête de Noel. Presented by Ladies Leukemia League, Inc. Fashion show

by Dillard’s, entertainment by Jessie Hill, Silent auction. The Hilton New Orleans Riverside, 2 Poydras St. 10:30am. (504) 466-8875. ladiesleukemialeague.org.

5-6 Holiday Open House. Vita, 1537 Metairie Rd, Metairie. (504) 83-1111.

5-6 Sidra Bell Dance New York.

Contemporary Arts Warehouse, 900 Camp St, New Orleans. 7:30pm. In advance, $25; at door, $40. (504) 5283800. cacno.org.

5-7 Christmas in the Country. Special activities, including lighting of town tree, tour of homes, Christmas parade.

St. Francisville, La. (800) 789-4221. stfrancisvillefestivals.com.

5-7, 12-14 Free Pictures with Santa. Hot chocolate, holiday treats and photos with Santa. Deanie’s Seafood in the French Quarter, 841 Iberville St, New Orleans.

5-10pm. (504) 581-1316. deanies.com.

5-7, 12-14, 19-21 A Christmas Carol, The Musical. Rivertown Theaters, 325 Minor St, Kenner. rivertowntheaters.com.

6 Ladies of the Shield Holiday Home Tours. Featuring homes in Old Metairie.

Patron party, 325 Dorrington Blvd.

Patron party, 11am-12pm; tour, 12-3pm.

Tour, in advance, $20; day of the tour, 26

Inside New Orleans

$25. In advance, patron party and tour, $50; day of, $55. (504) 284-6700. brothermartin.com.

6 Mignon Faget Trunk Show. The Shop at The Collection. Historic New Orleans Collection, 533 Royal St, New Orleans.

10am-4pm. (504) 523-4662. hnoc.org.

6 Northshore Mandeville Kiwanis Club Pancake Breakfast with Santa.

Pancakes, sausage, milk, juice and coffee. Fontainebleau High School Cafeteria, 100 Bulldog Dr, Mandeville.

8am-11am. (504) 577-0799. northshore-kiwanis.org.

6-7,13-14 Vince Vance Kids Holiday Singalong and Dance Party. Live holiday music show for kids, Oops the Clown and photos with Santa. Deanie’s Seafood in the French Quarter, 841 Iberville St, New Orleans. 9-11:30am. (504) 581-1316. deanies.com.

6-7, 14-15, 20-23 Royal Teddy Bear Tea. Festive menu and holiday program featuring Royal Teddy Bear and New Orleans Saintsations. Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St. Seating times, 11am-1pm; 2:30-4:30pm. Adult, $58$68; children, $43-$53. (504) 533-2328. sonesta.com.

6,13 Family Holiday Tea. Seasonal sounds, hot chocolate and tea. Longue Vue House & Gardens, 7 Bamboo Rd, New Orleans. 1-3pm. Reservations required.

Children members, $20; children nonmembers, $25; adult members, $35; adult nonmembers, $40. (504) 293-4701. longuevue.com.

6,18 Sip and Shop with Moments by Boujo. About Face of New Orleans, 701 Metairie Rd, Metairie. Dec 6, 12-3pm; Dec 18, 5-7pm. (504) 304-1556. aboutfaceco.com.

7 New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers. Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Noon.

7 The Nutcracker Suite. New Orleans

>>

December 2014-January 2015 27

Inside Scoop Ballet Association and local dance students will perform. Dixon Hall, Tulane

11 Phillip Collier Book Signing. Meet

St. Child, $9; members, free; adults, free with museum admission. Advance

University. 3pm, 6pm. $5. (504) 522-

Phillip Collier and get a signed copy

ticket purchase required. (504) 528-1944.

0996. nobadance.com.

of his book Making New Orleans.

nationalww2museum.org.

9,11,16,20 Holiday Tea. Longue Vue House & Gardens, 7 Bamboo Rd, New Orleans.

1:30-3:30pm. Reservation required.

Members, $35; nonmembers, $40. (504) 293-4701. longuevue.com.

9,13 Cool Event. Coolsculpting info, special

Hazelnut, 5515 Magazine St, New

13 Jingle Bugs. Santa Claus at Audubon

Orleans. 2-4pm. (504) 891-2424.

Butterfly Garden and Insectarium. 423

hazelnutneworleans.com.

Canal St, New Orleans. 10am-5pm.

12 PRC Holiday Home Tour Patron

Adults, 13+, 16.50; 65+, $13;

Party. Cocktail party to kick off the PRC

children, $12. (504) 524-2847.

Holiday Home Tour weekend, Dec 13-14.

Auduboninstitute.org.

13-14 39th Annual Holiday Home Tour.

pricing. Sculpting Center of New Orleans,

Home of John and Yulia Houghtaling, St.

4500 Clearview Pkwy, Metairie. (504)

Charles Ave. 7:30-9:30pm. $175-$650.

Preservation Resource Center. Historic

309-0456.

Averil, (504) 581-7032 or prc@prcno.org.

private homes in the Garden District.

11 Adult Makeup Class. About Face

12-13 Sennod Jewelry Trunk Show. FeBe,

Tour headquarters: Trinity Episcopal

of New Orleans, 701 Metairie Rd,

474 Metairie Rd, Metairie. (504) 835-

Church - Bishop Polk Hall, 1329 Jackson

Metairie. 6-7:30pm. (504) 304-1556.

5250. Fri, 10am-6pm; Sat, 10am-5pm.

Ave, New Orleans. 10am-4pm. PRC

aboutfaceco.com.

febeclothing.com.

members and groups of 10 or more, $30;

11 George and Joyce Wein Jazz &

28

jazzandheritage.org.

13 Family Workshop: Toys & Games.

nonmembers in advance, $40; at door

Heritage Center opening. Ribbon

Recreate toys and games popular during

cutting, press conference, Jazz &

WWII for ages 8-12. One adult per three

Heritage Circle Patron Party. Ribbon

kids must attend. The National WWII

The St. Timothy Choir with Northshore

cutting, 10am; patron party, 7-9pm.

Museum New Orleans, 945 Magazine

Orchestra. St. Timothy on the Northshore

Inside New Orleans

$45. (504) 581-7032. prcno.org.

14 Christmas on the Northshore 2014.

UMC, 335 Asbury Dr, Mandeville.

Cruise. Holiday buffet, reserved seating

admission, $25. (504) 523-3939.

3pm-till. Free. (985) 626-3307.

and live jazz music by the Steamboat

friendsofthecabildo.org.

14 Santa Paws NOLA. Support the LA/

Stompers Trio. Boarding, 7pm; cruising,

31 Crescent City Countdown.

SPCA in a holiday-themed pet costume

7:30-9:30pm. Adults, $75; children 6-12,

Jackson Square, New Orleans. 9pm.

contest. Registration required. Heritage

$40.25; under 6, $22.25. (504) 586-

frenchmarket.org.

Park and Convention Center Plaza,

8777. steamboatnatchez.com.

31 New Year’s Eve Extravaganza.Holiday

25 Roosevelt Christmas Brunch.

menu, premium open bar, reserved

New Orleans. 3-7pm. (504) 524-1227. christmasinthedistrict.com.

Buffet-style brunch by Chef de Cuisine

seating and live music by Nadja Cole

Mark A. Majorie Jr. Blue Room, The

dance band. Boarding, 9:30pm; cruise,

author Ronald J. Drez and get a signed

Roosevelt New Orleans A Waldorf

10:30pm-12:30am. $175 per person.

copy of his new book The War of 1812,

Astoria Hotel, 130 Roosevelt Way.

Conflict and Deception. 1850 House

$95 per person. (504) 648-1200.

Museum Store, 523 St Ann St, New

therooseveltneworleans.com.

17 Book Signing. Meet award-winning local

Orleans. 5-7pm. (504) 524-9118.

21 Caroling in Jackson Square. Gates open, 6:30pm; caroling, 7pm.

21 New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons. Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Noon.

24 Christmas Eve Bonfire on the Levee.

Hwy 44, Gramercy. (800) 367-7852.

24 Steamboat Natchez Christmas Eve

27 Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian

(504) 586-8777. steamboatnatchez.com.

31 Zoo Year’s Eve. Kids countdown to noon, party hats and music.

Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St.

Nutcracker. Saenger Theater, 1111

10:30am-12:30pm. Free for Audubon

Canal St, New Orleans. 3pm, 7pm. (504)

members or with Zoo admission. Ages

525-1052. saengernola.com.

13-64, $17.50; 65+, $13; Ages 2-12,

27-28 Creole Christmas. Tour five historic homes, learn about 19th century Christmas in New Orleans. 1850 House Museum Store, 523 St. Ann St, New Orleans. FOC members, $20; general

$12. auduboninstitute.org.

January 1-6 Holiday Dress. Learn about traditional 19th century New Orleans holiday

>>

Inside Scoop customs. Hermann-Grima House and Gallier Houses, New Orleans. Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, 10am-3pm; Sat, 12-4pm. $12 per museum; $20 for both. hgghh.org.

1-Mar 1 Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Stafford Gallery, New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Cir. (504) 658-4100. noma.org.

1-Mar 29 Andrew Jackson: Hero of New Orleans. Jackson’s role in the Creek War and Battle of New Orleans. The Historic New Orleans Collection, 533 Royal St. Free. (504) 523-4662. hnoc.org.

8 Béla Fleck and New World Symphony.

Mahalia Jackson Theater, 1419 Basin St, New Orleans. 7:30pm. $20-$100. (504) 523-6530. mahaliajacksontheater.com.

8,24 Sip and Shop with Moments by Boujo. About Face of New Orleans, 701 Metairie Rd, Metairie. Jan 8, 5-7pm; Jan 24, 12-3pm. (504) 304-1556. aboutfaceco.com.

9-11 Commemoration of the Battle of New Orleans. Watch military drills, cannon and musket firings. Chalmette Battlefield, 8606 W St Bernard Hwy. 9am-4:30pm. Free, except lantern tours.

(504) 281-0510.

10 Battle of New Orleans Symposium.

Keynote speaker Dr. Alan Taylor. Old U.S. Mint, 400 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans.

10am-4pm. $45. (504) 523-3939. friendsofthecabildo.org.

10-11 House of Broel’s Wedding of the Year Bridal Show. Prizes, discounts, gifts. Lakeside Shopping Center, Metairie.

Sat, 10am-4pm; Sun, 12-4pm. (504) 494-2220. lakesideshopping.com.

13-18 Mama Mia! Saenger Theater, 1111 Canal St, New Orleans. TuesThurs, 7:30pm; Fri, 8pm; Sat, 2pm, 8pm; Sun, 7:30pm. (504) 525-1052. saengernola.com.

17 Basquiat for Pee-Wees. Poetry and contemporary art for young artists 5-8 years old. Ogden Museum of Southern 30

Inside New Orleans

Art, 925 Camp St, New Orleans.

10am-2pm. ogdenmuseum.org.

20 Teen Makeup Class. About Face of New Orleans, 701 Metairie Rd, Metairie. 6-7:30pm. (504) 304-1556. aboutfaceco.com.

22-23 Carolina Herrera Trunk Show.

Showing Spring Summer 2015 collection.

Mimi & Cece Shoe, 5500 Magazine St. (504) 269-6464. miminola.com.

23 Arturo Sandoval. Contemporary Arts Center Freeport-McMoRan Theater, 900 Camp St, New Orleans. 7:30pm. In advance, $25; at door, $40. (504) 5283800. cacno.org.

23 Stake Out for Justice. Fundraiser to benefit the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation. Sheraton New Orleans, 500 Canal. Doors open, 11:30am; lunch, 12pm. nopjf.org.

23-24 Williams Research Center Symposium. Forgotten Conflicts: Indians, Andrew Jackson and the War of 1812 in the South. Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St, New Orleans. Registration is required. (504) 523-4462. hnoc.org.

25 King Cake Festival. Live music, best costume contest, fitness challenge, king cake sampling. Benefitting babies and children at Ochsner Hospital for Children. Champions Square. 11am-6pm. kingcakefestival.org.

25 Rock ‘n’ Roll Race. Marathon, half marathon, 2-person half marathon relay, 10K. Poydras St and Camp St to Roosevelt Mall in City Park. 7am. $45$155. runrocknroll.competitor.com.

29 WYES Downton Abbey Tea. A tea at the home of Jennifer and Fred Heebe, 5531 St Charles Ave, New Orleans.

12-2pm. wyes.org.

Send your event information to scoop@mandlpublishing.com to have it featured in an upcoming issue of Inside New Orleans.

December 2014-January 2015 31

Women’s Jewelry

1.

2.

3.

4.

32

Inside New Orleans

5.

1. 18kt brushed yellow gold floral necklace featuring 13cttw diamonds.

Friend & Company, New Orleans, 504-866-5433. 2. 18kt yellow gold ring featuring rare 10ct natural

6.

blue zircon with diamond crown by Tom Mathis. Symmetry Jewelers, New Orleans, 504-861-9925. 3.

18kt yellow gold fleur de lis pin or pendant with 1.43cttw diamonds.

Boudreaux’s Fine Jewelers, Metairie, 504-831-2602. 4. 18kt yellow gold David Yurman cuff bracelet. Aucoin Hart Jewelers, Metairie, 504-8349999. 5. Sapphire and diamond ring.

Wellington and Co., New Orleans, 504-525-4855. 6. 18kt yellow gold earrings by Marco Bicego feature two chains with mixture of round, faceted semi-precious gemstones bezel set on French wire backs with matching 18kt yellow gold necklace. Lee Michaels Jewelers, Metairie, 504-8320000. 7. Vintage circa 1930 Italian Pompeii 8” bracelet with 11cttw emerald and black enamel set in 18kt yellow gold. Anton’s Fine Jewelry, Metairie, 504-833-4367. 8. 14kt yellow gold-filled engraved bracelet.

Adler’s New Orleans, 504-523-5292.

7.

8.

December 2014-January 2015 33

1.

2.

3.

Women’s Jewelry 1. Vintage circa 1940 handmade ring with 3.5ct emerald and 4.

black enamel set in 18kt yellow gold. Anton’s Fine Jewelry, Metairie, 504-833-4367. 2. 14kt yellow gold woven hair bracelets, shown as necklace. Adler’s New Orleans, 504523-5292. 3. 18kt gold and white gold ring with .95cttw canary diamonds and .28cttw white diamonds. DeLuca’s Expressions in Gold, Covington, 985-892-2317. 4. Victorian 14kt yellow and rose gold bracelet. Friend & Company, New Orleans, 504-866-5433.

34

Inside New Orleans

A Home for Entertaining

by Anne Honeywell

The bright family room features a white slipcovered sofa splashed with fun pillows that pick up the colors in the peacockinfluenced rug.

36

Inside New Orleans

The adjoining dining and living rooms are done in grey and silver hues with touches of warm pinks. The furniture in both spaces is a mix of refurbished accoutrements, new

photos: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

pieces and antiques.

WHEN LESLIE LANUSSE WAS DECIDING whether to buy another house or renovate the one she was living in, she turned to Patrice Senac for some professional advice. “I met Leslie through mutual friends—we all attend the New Orleans Ballet together,” says Senac.

Senac has owned Arabella Fine Gifts and Home Decor, in Mandeville, for the past twelve years. “I love Mandeville, don’t get me wrong, but I am a born-and-raised New Orleans girl! I have done a lot of work over the years in New Orleans. Every project here is unique, and every neighborhood and house brings with it different challenges, whether it is a full renovation of a double to a single on Esplanade Avenue or decorating a grand home on City Park Avenue. I love the versatility here and all of the different genres of New Orleans.”

Lanusse wanted a house ideal for entertaining, with great flow and lots of different spaces for conversations and gathering with family and friends. She and Senac looked at options and >>

The Lanusse House in Lakeshore

A blue and black decanter and shot glasses atop a slab of quartzite in the living room.

December 2014-January 2015 37

A custom console in the foyer sits as a stocked and ready bar. A three-tier glass shelf displays beautiful glassware.

Also, atop the console, three glass sculptures by Kosta Boda, called Myrrh.

38

properties, and Lanusse decided to buy a house in Lakeshore. The traditional, two-story brick home with a large front porch and a grand oak tree out front was just to her liking. And the inside, with some renovations, would become the perfect home for her.

Working alongside contractor Mike Fritscher, Senac came up with a plan that would make the best use of every inch of space in the 3,000-square-foot house. Renovations began in the foyer and touched most of the spaces throughout the first floor. All of the living areas throughout the downstairs are painted in Sherwin Williams Oyster. The oak hardwood floors, which were refinished, ground each of the rooms with a traditional feel.

Respecting Lanusse’s very eclectic style, Senac worked with her to incorporate her beautiful antique pieces and treasures from her travels, while introducing a modern flair. Some of this was accomplished by updating or refurbishing existing furniture.

Inside New Orleans

The foyer, which was originally a dark, closedin space with a large closet along the wall, was transformed into a bar area by removing the closet and creating an alcove. A custom console built by Mike Swanner of Apex Custom Woodworks sits as a stocked-and-ready bar. Glassware is stored in cabinets recessed into the wall. A contemporary light fixture illuminates this great use of space as guests enter the house.

The living room’s Carrera marble fireplace is the focal point of the room. Flanking the fireplace are club chairs upholstered in white linen accented by embroidered silver-blue, silk-back cushions. The sofa, mid-century modern in style, is upholstered in a smoky grey velvet and adorned with pillows in silver and pink velvet prints. In keeping with the cool tones of this serene living space, the glass and metal cocktail table is finished in a silver leaf. The living room rug is acid-washed cowhide with silver leafing. The room

photos: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

also features two framed botanicals pressed into silk velvet works of Aviva Stanoff and a painting by local artist Elaine Gleason. A small Harlequin Designs lamp with a magenta silk shade introduces another tone of pink into the room’s palette. Dark grey silk dupioni drapes dramatically frame the two windows. Between the windows sits an antique cane-back bench for two, embellished with silk cushions.

The adjacent dining room mirrors the silvery tones of the living room. A large oil-on-canvas triptych of a silver geometric pattern graces one wall. Lanusse’s dining room chairs were reupholstered and painted; now, the contrasting silver-painted chairs surround a stunning mahogany French dining table. The distressed aqua-blue fabric on the chairs makes a dynamic statement in the room. Over the buffet, a triple-bevel mirror from Italy brings a simple elegance to the room.

And Lanusse’s antique hand-painted armoire marries old and new, once again, in this space.

The kitchen boasts a glass geometric back splash done in cool tones and Carrera marble countertops.

Off-white cabinets with elongated brushed-nickel pulls give the traditional kitchen a more modern feel.

The large center island can comfortably seat four, and the stainless steel barstools and contemporary vent hood anchor the space.

Designed by Senac and custom made by Swanner, the breakfast table has silver-leaf branch legs and a grey tabletop. The chairs, from Johnston Casual, have brushed stainless steel legs and are upholstered >>

Above: The kitchen boasts a glass geometric backsplash done in cool tones, Carrera marble countertops and slate floors. Below: The entire master bath is tiled; the floor is in a Greek thassos mosaic and the walls in glass subway tiles. The unique hand-blown, saucer-shaped light fixtures make a dramatic statement in the space.

December 2014-January 2015 39

spaces continue into the back of the house.

All-weather fabric patio shades, by Rick Samson of Northshore Window Works, filter the sun but allow air and light into this covered outdoor entertaining space. The outdoor furniture is Ratana and Seasonal Living, with pillows by Elaine Smith.

40

Inside New Orleans

photos: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

Above: Entertaining

in a faux pearl ostrich.

In the bright and airy family room, light pours in through the windows and French doors that lead to the back yard. Bookshelves were added, and all of the doors and trim were painted. The sectional sofa, slipcovered in a white duck, is splashed with oversized pillows in bright turquoise blues, greens and pinks that pick up the colors in the peacock-influenced rug from Arabella.

A hand-blown glass Chihuly-inspired light fixture adds to the bright and whimsical feel of the room.

The master bedroom, bath and closet are the result of a major redesign of the former mother-in-law suite, which had a small kitchen and separate entrance from the back yard. The exterior door was closed off, and the kitchen was transformed into a fabulous custom closet.

In the feminine and spacious master bedroom, the furniture has clean lines and a more modern feel, yet the chandelier adds a delicate touch. The fitted textured coverlet is in white and the walls are painted Sherwin Williams On the Rocks, as the sleek silvers and grey tones are present in this room as well. Custom pillows on the bed add color and contrast to the space.

The adjoining master bath has a grand feel. By using the right materials and utilizing every inch, even into the walls, a space that felt cramped and small was transformed into one that functions perfectly and feels spacious. Thanks to the recessed cabinets in the mirrored wall and a custom-made vanity, the room has ample storage for both linens and necessities, yet still maintains an airy feel. The entire space is tiled, the floor tile a Greek thassos mosaic and the walls in glass subway tiles with a 12-inch etched glass feature strip.

Custom built for the space by contractor Fritscher, the vanity is topped with a Greek thassos marble counter.

The unique hand-blown, saucer-shaped light fixtures make a fun design statement in keeping with Lanusse’s eclectic style throughout the house.

“Patrice helped me realize my vision for this house. She really listened to me, and she got me,” says Lanusse. “She was so easy to work with; I just love my home.”

BEFORE WE GO INSIDE, let’s stay out here on the porch for a minute— and talk about outdoor lighting.

Again, layering is key. The kitchen’s light source should consist of ambient lighting, task lighting and decorative lighting. Ambient lighting

Years ago, when I realized that brain surgery was not a realistic

refers to recessed can lights in the ceiling, necessary for providing

career path, and before I settled into interior design, I did a brief stint in

overall warmth and ambiance while flooding the room with a friendly

real estate. As an agent, I was told how very important the front entry

brightness. But as in any room of the house, recessed cans illuminate in

of the home is. A guest’s first impression of your home is created while

downward columns that cause the dreaded raccoon-like facial shadows,

standing at your front door for the 32 seconds it takes you to answer

making one look older and somewhat scary. These columns must be cut

the doorbell. For every self-respecting New Orleanian, there is only one

by decorative lighting. Decorative lighting refers to sconces and hanging

option—Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights gas lanterns.

fixtures such as chandeliers, lanterns and pendants, usually over the

Nothing is more elegant and no fixtures exude a greater sense of

island or kitchen table. The final layer in the kitchen is task. Task lighting

timeless beauty than the flickering light of two simple brass carriage

provides illumination for chopping, food prepping and homework and is

lanterns flanking your front door. As Southern as painting your shotgun

achieved for the most part by under-cabinet lighting. And yes, all layers,

porch ceiling Virgin Mary blue, the Bevolo gas lantern has not changed

even task, should be on dimmers.

in design since 1945 and remains today as the gold standard of gas lanterns in this region. If you’re building, there’s no discussion. Run a

These same light-layering techniques should exist in every room of the house, with the addition of lamp light and accent lighting. Accent

gas line for your lanterns. If you

by Trudy Hurley

don’t have gas lanterns now, call your plumber and ask about getting gas to your entry; it may be easier than you think. And unless you are a hobbit, you will seldom use less than the 23- or 21-inch lantern. The most common mistake when buying outdoor fixtures is going too small.

Remember, most people are viewing them from the street, 50 feet away.

Okay, now that we have that settled, let’s step inside and talk about interior lighting, The one thing that is paramount above all others in achieving the most flattering lighting in your home’s interior is “layering.”

Let There Be Light!

There is no room in your home, save possibly the garage, that should have

lighting consists of directional art lights such as MR-16s, eyeballs and

only one light source. As you are reading this article, if you gaze up at a

wall washers. MR-16s (my personal fav) are tiny halogen bulbs that cast

ceiling fan with a light kit as the sole source of light in the room, don’t

a brilliant white glow to any work of art, bookcase, antique furniture,

even finish the article! Put the magazine down now and race to the phone

and so on. Directional lighting can totally transform its subject matter. An

to call an electrician to come over first thing in the morning to remedy the

MR-16 fixture directed on silk taffeta drapes in the dining room—Pow!

situation. There exists recessed cans called “renovation kits” that are often photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

shallow enough to be installed in an existing ceiling. Whew!

The kitchens of this generation are the hub of the home. They are

Dining rooms and bedrooms should always be lit romantically. With the exception of strong reading lights over the bed, the room should be awash in decorative lighting, i.e. lamps, sconces, chandeliers and

becoming bigger and bigger, are generally open to the family room and

candlelight. I had one rather eccentric but brilliant client (and you know

often contain a desk, a computer and a television. No longer just for food

who you are) years ago who insisted on pink light bulbs in her dining

preparation, the kitchen is command central. Homeowners are pouring

room and bedroom. She taught me that everyone looked healthier and

more and more money into the kitchen, with high-end commercial

younger in the glow of pink light bulbs. They diminish flaws, remove

appliances, expensive stone and tile, and cabinetry that closely resembles

wrinkles and enhance colors. Try it—you’ll see!

fine furniture. The proper lighting in the kitchen is just as important as any of the above.

So run a gas line to your front door, get rid of those light kits on your fan and layer, layer, layer!

December 2014-January 2015 41

Couturier to the Queens THOUGH SUZANNE PERRON LIVED in several different cities growing up, her grandparents’ house in Old Metairie was always home. She’s now home for good with her husband and two little boys and doing what she was born to do—designing exquisite gowns for brides and Mardi Gras royalty of New Orleans.

“I started sewing when I was 5,” says Perron. Her grandmother would take her to the Cabildo and the Presbytere and show her all the beautiful Mardi Gras things; they would shop for fabrics at Mizell’s, Promenade and on the third floor of Krauss Department Store. “And I could walk to Metairie Fabrics,” she laughs.

42

Inside New Orleans

by Becky Slatten It was something of a given that Suzanne would major in fashion design and, after graduating from LSU, she gained an associate degree from The Fashion Institute of Technology. It was there she caught the eye of designer Carolina Herrera, and Perron spent the next three years working with her. “She liked all my work at school, and that’s how I got my first job.”

Suzanne moved to New York and found she had an odd but sought-after skill. “I was a draper and first patternmaker. “Basically, what that means is I would look at a design sketch by Mrs. Herrera and do all of the work between the sketch and the finished garment. I would drape fabric on a mannequin to look like what she drew, take it apart and make a paper pattern, drawing sewing lines, cutting lines, linings, interfacings—all the parts and pieces it takes to make the garment. Then, I’d supervise a room of cutters and sewers to make the first samples as part of the original design process.”

Once she figured out her niche as a draper and first patternmaker, Perron was in demand. Being a designer and an artist added an additional dimension to her work. She says, “I was able to capture the aesthetic of the garment and translate that into really beautiful proportions and silhouette and shape.”

(Incidentally, looking back, Perron realized that many of the things she sewed as a kid involved draping and pattern making.)

Perron worked with different designers, such as Anna Sui and Ralph Ricci for Chado, before spending four years working with Vera Wang. But home and family were calling, and she decided it was time to return to New Orleans. Scheduled to move on August 31, 2005, she found herself homeless, her belongings

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Suzanne Perron

packed up with nowhere to go—and her new home ravaged by Katrina. “Vera put me up in a hotel for two and a half months, and I just kept working for her.” Describing the move home as a “process,” Suzanne shared her time between New York and Pass Christian, where her parents were living. She finally made the move permanent in November following Katrina and was commissioned to make her first dress about that same time. Debating whether or not to open a business in New Orleans, Perron took it as a sign. “A good friend called and told me she was getting engaged and that I was making her dress. She didn’t ask me, she TOLD me. ‘You ARE making my dress.’ It was the push I needed to decide ‘Yes, I’m going to do this.’”

She rented a small space on Magazine, near Napoleon, and began work on her first gown. “I literally cut and sewed the first two dresses myself.

My table wasn’t big enough to cut the entire dress, so I’d cut one side and run around and cut the other side; I literally just made do while I was getting started.” Word of mouth brought more clients, but the LSU Alumnae Association had a lot to do with her initial growth. They asked her to be the keynote speaker at an event and exhibit

hosted by the university’s fashion department and displayed her dresses at the museum in the student union. “The media blast from that event really got the ball rolling and made people aware that I was home,” says Perron. LSU was also instrumental in providing interns, helping Perron work faster and enabling her to take on more clients. Around the same time, the LSU Press began urging Suzanne to write a pictorial book about dressmaking. At first she declined. “But then, about a year later, editor Margaret Lovecraft called me and said ‘I’ve been on your website. You can do this.’” Designing In White: Suzanne Perron Gowns from the Inside Out was published in March 2012.

Legendary Mardi Gras gown maker Judy Cobb also lent her support; she and Alice DePass welcomed Perron into the business of making gowns for Mardi Gras royalty. “So different from New York, Judy and Alice were very welcoming and encouraging and happy that I could be a part of the Mardi Gras family. They saw the big picture of Mardi Gras; it’s not a competition—more like how can we satisfy everyone and create a beautiful Mardi Gras,” Perron explains. “I’ll never forget the day Judy showed up on my doorstep with a queen’s harness. I hadn’t started >>

Opposite: Perron, in her atelier, shows off some of her original designs.

Left: Carnival Queens’ collars. The regal collar and its embellishments sets the Queen apart from the court.

December 2014-January 2015 43

Intricate handwork is a

making Mardi Gras gowns yet, but she gave it to me, said ‘You’re going to need this,” and showed me how it worked.

She was open to sharing everything she knew.” Judy Cobb passed away in December 2011, and Perron faithfully carries on her legacy.

Venturing away from tradition, Suzanne enjoys putting her own unique stamp on her creations. “I enjoy bringing more fashion creativity to the gown.

I work best with some guidance and creative freedom,” she says. Her formula seems to be working—she made 11 queen’s gowns and at least a dozen suits for Mardi Gras Day last year and 44

Inside New Orleans

is already booked up for the upcoming year. “Mothers start calling me about a year and a half out,” says Perron. “I love seeing the girls glowing in their dresses, not wanting to take them off.” It’s a sharp contrast to her work in New York, where she slaved over garments only to have a runway model wear it for 15 seconds, drop it on the floor and rush to change into another. “I enjoy using my skills on a personal scale, and I get to be part of my client’s special event,” says Perron. “Living in New Orleans with my husband and my boys and making incredible dresses for queens and brides is a dream I never knew I had.”

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

hallmark of Perron’s designs.

In her book, Designing in Ivory and White: Suzanne Perron Gowns from the Inside Out, Suzanne Perron tells her personal story and shares her design process.

December 2014-January 2015 45

IN Better Health

by Mimi Greenwood Knight

with Rocky Andry ROCKY ANDRY HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE. But by age 70, he realized he’d packed on three to four pounds a year over the past 20 years. “At just under 6 feet, I weighed 270 pounds,” he says. “My high blood pressure and high cholesterol had my doctor—and my wife—worried. I’d tried a number of different things to lose weight, without much success. I used to start over every Monday morning, but by midday, I was already off track. Then a friend of my wife’s told us about the Ideal Protein program at Everybody Wellness.”

Rocky made an appointment and was impressed with the scientific approach of the program. “This is not a fad diet,” says Peggy Rodriguez, RN BSN, owner of Everybody Wellness. “It’s a fat-burning, muscle-sparing protocol originally designed by physicians for French athletes. By reducing calories, carbs and fats, we’re able to maintain muscle as we burn fat. Ideal Protein is a comprehensive weight loss method, based on the way the body 46

Inside New Orleans

metabolizes food, that allows clients not just to lose weight, but to keep it off for life.

Peggy should know. Before she was an Ideal Protein administrator, she was a success story. “I lost 37 pounds on the program,” she says. “My husband lost 70. And we’ve both kept it off for years.”

Rocky began the program and lost a steady 10 pounds a month. “I followed everything Peggy told me and exercised several times a week,” he says. The more he lost, the more he was able to do, until he went from weekly tennis games with what he called “three fat, old guys” to spin classes with people half his age and younger.

After only nine months, Rocky was a svelte 187, and has managed to keep the weight off. Friends started inquiring about his new look and increased energy. “It’s always easier to do something, when you have others cheering you on,” Rocky says. “In the beginning, Peggy told me exactly what to eat and what supplements to take. I kept—and still keep—a food journal. She weighed me once a week and gave me oneon-one counseling. But along the way, she also educated me more and more. Now, I’m able to maintain the weight on my own, although I will continue to check in and I still have her support and encouragement; I have her there to answer my questions and celebrate my milestones.”

One of those milestones occurred just recently, when Rocky went for his annual physical. “My doctor was impressed with the weight I’d lost and the shape I was in and said, ‘Let’s do some blood work’. My blood pressure and cholesterol levels were both significantly improved,” Rocky says. “I have more energy and just generally feel healthier. I look forward to getting out of bed each day and look forward to what the next few years will bring.”

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Health Concern: Obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol.

Treatment: Science-based weight loss system.

lucullus

48

Inside New Orleans

HOW OFTEN IN LIFE do you find yourself bewitched? When you come across something that makes you snap to attention, quickens your pulse, leaves an indelible mark on your consciousness? Fair to say for most of us, sadly, not often enough.

Patrick Dunne wants to change that.

Mr. Dunne, the 30-year proprietor of his Lucullus culinary antiques shop on Chartres Street near Jackson Square, knows how to bewitch, with a treasure trove of beautiful items: antique glasses, decanters, plates, copperware, silver, flatware, linens, paintings and a myriad of other objects that won’t be seen at Ikea. If our culture has too many examples of the disposable and poorly made, at least it has a beacon like Lucullus for the long-lasting and wellmade—even if made in the 17th century. Mr. Dunne believes we should not be ashamed to revel in the pleasure these culinary antiques bring.

Our conversation with him revealed a man of wit, passion, dedication and humor, with a healthy

A

feast

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

dollop of irreverence thrown in. A man who, faced with the bleak prospect of a Swanson’s TV dinner, would find a way to bring elegance and refinement to the situation.

So what’s behind naming your shop “Lucullus”?

I had come across MFK Fisher in 1983 in a book of reflection called As They Were and was so enchanted I began to read everything she wrote. Of course, I came across the chapter in Serve It Forth called “Dining Alone.” The concept of dining alone seemed remote to me then, but I was fascinated with the character of Lucullus and began to read up on him. I happened to have my grandfather’s red leather set of Plutarch and read his essay.

(See sidebar.) That’s why I called the store that— Lucullan feast and all.

As a result, I have had a proclivity to trace food history back to the ancients. And by the way, alas, Fisher’s advice on dining alone has stood me in good

Patrick Dunne.

of culinary antiques. stead. It has taught me the possible pleasures of the experience instead of lamenting it.

by Chris Caire

What in your background led you to open Lucullus in 1984? Were you into interior design, a passionate collector of culinary antiques, a fan of such culinary touchstones as Brillat-Savarin’s Physiology of Taste, a combination?

My father was a collector and a real gourmand.

As a little boy, I tagged along with him on his antiquing expeditions, and that included knowing the best roadside cafés to get the best cobbler or the best chili. So even as a child, I associated collecting antiques with food.

I remember sitting in Galatoire’s one day—at the time I was working for the oldest antique store in New Orleans—and thinking, the two things New Orleans is most known for are antiques and food; why not put the two together? I’ll never forget the venerable Mr. Stern, the dean of New Orleans antique dealers, coming by after I’d first opened Lucullus. He looked >> December 2014-January 2015 49

What is the process you use for choosing the culinary antiques for Lucullus?

First of all, they have to be beautiful. I’ve been influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, in that I believe form has to follow function. I’m interested in how the practical 50

Inside New Orleans

You mentioned the copper items at Lucullus. Are they more for decoration or for practical use in the kitchen?

That’s one of my most serious philosophies: these items are to be admired and taken care of, but more than anything, they need to be used. We have loads of copper here, probably about 125 different copper pieces. Once you’ve cooked in copper, you never go back to anything else. All of the copper we sell has been re-tinned and is ready to be used. Tin is an inert >> photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

around and said, “There aren’t enough items about food to fill an antique store.” I thought I might have misfired by opening the shop, but then I realized as I went out on buying trips that I could always find interesting items associated with food.

We were the first store with a focus on selling antique glassware, bistroware, cutlery and flatware.

Not to be immodest, but we were the first to open a shop featuring only culinary antiques; it’s a term we came up with. I remember going to France early on and having the French wonder why I could buy a beautiful armoire one minute and the next show such interest in cutting boards and wooden spoons!

and the decorative interweave. I’m fascinated by how labor-saving devices of the past—utilitarian items—could still be expressed so beautifully, be it a copper pot or a cast-iron skillet. One of the things that gets lost in the modern world is that beauty can accompany practicality. We seem to think that something has to be ugly to be sensible—that’s just not true.

When you poke around at the domestic life way back then in France, where the culinary revolution took place, you see that people spent most of their time gathering food, producing food or cooking food. And that is reflected in the paintings I buy for the shop, the armoires, the plates and everything else you’ll find here.

I tell people all the time: I understand buying something from a wish list for your dining room or kitchen. You should also keep an eye out for those things you fall in love with. That has to be a part of it.

December 2014-January 2015 51

metal; you won’t get any poisons by using re-tinned copper. And foods don’t stick if cooked properly; they come right out. Copper heats up much more evenly and quickly and has better heat retention than cast iron. I think copper is one of the great buys in the antique world. It isn’t cheap, but when you consider the weight, the size and the age, it’s a bargain.

Does the same practical use vs. decorative consideration come into play for wine glasses, wine and whiskey decanters, etc.?

We sell the fancy, crystal glasses, but most of what I buy and truly love are the French, hand-blown glasses. They are so strong and well made, you could almost drop them on the floor and they’d bounce. They’re masculine glasses but with beautiful form. If you love wine, once you’ve drunk wine out of these bistro glasses, you won’t ever go back.

Also, because these hand-blown glasses were not machine made and standardized, there are slight variations, even though it’s the same stem or the same design. So you can have a set of 12, have one break, and not think, “Oh no, I have to replace the entire set.”

Is the typical Lucullus customer an occasional buyer or someone who is a serious collector of culinary antiques? Are they mostly locals or from out of town?

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Inside New Orleans

When I use the word “local,” I’m referring to New Orleans and the environs. That makes up about 50 percent of our customer base. Then another large grouping comes from nearby states like Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. But we always get people from all over the country and Europe. Just the other day, I had a couple in the shop from Alsace who were looking for bistro wine glasses of a certain shape. He said they couldn’t find them in France! But he found them at Lucullus. We’re shipping to them in France. So you never know.

There are more and more young people coming into the shop who might not call themselves collectors but who, because they are into wine or scotch or absinthe, are definitely interested in things like wine glasses and decanters.

They may not have an interest in fine napkins, but they do in dinnerware and items like French 19th century silver. This silver is heavy and masculine, it was made for the masculine hand. So even though they might not call themselves collectors, they are.

cocktail craze, there is a renewed interest in absinthe and its serving accoutrements. Our cocktail-related items are very popular.

As an avid wine collector and drinker, I must confess that I’m a big fan of the Riedel line of stemware and the focus on “the right glass for the right varietal.” Sounds like I need to trade those in for some bistro glasses.

What are you buying those things for?! Bistro wine glasses are not only more fun, but they’re more durable. The Riedels crumble just by looking at them! And they’re so expensive.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, they would never, ever drink wine from glasses that large. They >>

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Do you think that is because if they did, they’d be considered snobs?

I find that people are afraid to call themselves “collectors” or “connoisseurs,” which is too bad.

Yes, maybe there is that fear of being called a snob.

They also don’t want me to think they are collectors, because then I might try to sell them a fork that Napoleon used to scratch his back!

The world is divided into those who are collectors and those who are not. Those who collect do so in different ways. Some people collect many different kinds of things, others collect one type of thing but look for the best of that thing—items that bewitch them.

Has the resurgent cocktail culture in New Orleans at bars such as Cure helped bring these younger customers into the shop?

Oh, for sure. They may not cook every day or entertain every day, but when they do they want the best quality. It’s important where the meat comes from, where the lettuce comes from. And with the December 2014-January 2015 53

drank red wine out of little glasses and white wine out of even littler ones. Part of the pleasure was refilling the glass, not one giant pour in one of these modern glasses. You need to sell yours on eBay and come down here to buy some real wine glasses!

What are some of the offbeat items you’ve bought for the shop?

That French couple I mentioned earlier bought

How do you identify all these items? By pure happenstance while traveling, or do people call you and say, “Patrick, I have something that you just HAVE to see?!”

I used the term “bewitched” earlier. I fall into that category myself. I’ll fall head over heels for an item and just have to buy it for Lucullus. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive thing or the most beautiful thing, like a painting or a chair. It can simply be a piece of iron work that was well thought out.

I have a little apartment in Lyon, France, which is considered the country’s culinary capital. I go for about 15 to 20 days and put plenty of mileage on my feet. I’ll always go to Paris while in France to learn things from the Museum of Decorative Arts, but most of my buying occurs in Lyon, south to the Mediterranean and west between Toulouse and Bordeaux. I love that area in the southwest of France; there are a lot of pig-themed items there that have Cajun aspects.

One of my best sources is a man and his wife who are farmers with a large estate east of Lyon.

She has one of the best kitchens you’ll ever see, a marvelous cook. Because they are always buying land, that includes the barns and all the stuff inside— armoires, garden chairs, whatever it may be. I’ll go visit them, have a wonderful lunch, look at the items and buy a wagonload for the shop. That’s one way I buy. Another way is by attending these fairs in France that are conducted in these open fields. They take place in the morning and are open to dealers. You get there when it opens at 8 a.m., and by noon it’s over.

You find the junkiest junk to the grandest items you can imagine—it’s crazy.

What’s the oldest item in the shop?

It’s since been sold, but I used to have Greek

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Inside New Orleans

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

a fly catcher, too, after seeing one while visiting a plantation. You might call that offbeat, but it isn’t in the sense that it was a common item in the kitchen or dining room to keep flies from buzzing around the grillades and grits. Recently we sold an enormous grocery scale that came from a grocery store in Alexandria, along with the grocery counter, as well as a wrought-iron corn dryer that was used to dry corn cobs. See, it all makes sense!

krators, which were cups used to drink wine from. They were before Christ. But most of the stuff in the store now is from the 17th and 18th century, and there are items from the 20th century as well.

Would anyone ever catch Patrick Dunne walking through the French Quarter with a go-cup?

You might, but not unless it was a silver French Empire-period timbale with a mint julep in it.

Lucullus (born c. 117 B.C.) was a Roman general who enjoyed a life of great extravagance. The adjective Lucullan, meaning “luxurious,” derives from his name. In his writing about Lucullus, the philosopher Plutarch says: “Lucullus’s daily entertainments were ostentatiously extravagant, not only with purple coverlets, and plate adorned with precious stones, and dancings, and interludes, but with the greatest diversity of dishes and the most elaborate cookery, for the vulgar to admire and envy. …

“Once when he supped alone, there being only one course, and that but moderately furnished, he called his steward and reproved him, who, professing to have supposed that there would be no need of any great entertainment, when nobody was invited, was answered, ‘What, did not you know, then, that to-day Lucullus dines with Lucullus?’”

December 2014-January 2015 55

illustration: GRETCHEN ARMBRUSTER

One Building at a Time

by Becky Slatten

FOR 40 YEARS, the Preservation Resource Center has been restoring New Orleans one building at a time—and with 1,300 projects completed, they’re just getting warmed up.

Patty Gay, director of the PRC, has been involved in efforts to preserve the architecture and culture of the city since 1971, when she helped the Junior League research a series of books on New Orleans architecture authored by Roulhac Toledano and Mary Louise Christovich. The PRC was born in 1974 of this effort to raise awareness of the many unique areas of the city. Gay began co-editing the then-brand-new monthly magazine, Preservation in Print, in 1975; became the president of the board in 1978; and the PRC director in 1980. She still approaches her job with passion and purpose.

The mission of the PRC is to promote the preservation, restoration and revitalization of New Orleans’ historic architecture and neighborhoods.

In 1977, that mission began with the purchase and restoration of 604 Julia Street, the building that would serve as their headquarters until 2000. “Preservation turned skid row into Julia Row,” says Gay. “By

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Inside New Orleans

Preservation Resource Center

the time we moved in, work had begun on other buildings in the Row. That was important; that one project sort of turned around the CBD.” Before the World’s Fair came to New Orleans, the PRC had completed an in-depth study of the Warehouse District. Through preservation efforts, and with the help of federal rehabilitation tax credits, their vision of a viable, mixed-use neighborhood slowly became a reality.

Developers, seeing the potential, turned neglected vacant warehouses into office buildings and apartment homes, helping to create a thriving area filled with residents, restaurants and businesses.

Neighborhood by neighborhood, the PRC identifies the areas with the greatest degree of neglect.

Citywide, through the efforts of their many initiatives— such as Operation Comeback, Rebuilding Together and Safe At Home—they work to reverse the toll that vacant blighted houses take on those neighborhoods.

Operation Comeback, founded in 1988, was

created so the organization could buy, restore and sell vacant deteriorating houses, some slated for demolition.

A beautiful example of a successful Operation Comeback project is the renovation of four properties in the 1400 block of Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District. One by one, the houses were restored, and consequently, some of the nearby homeowners were inspired to make improvements to their homes. After restoring about 20 homes in that part of town, the group turned its sights to Esplanade Ridge, historic Algiers Point and the Irish Channel, among others. Projects were ongoing in Holy Cross when Katrina hit; once the damage was assessed, the PRC, armed with many grants and volunteers from across the country, redoubled their efforts in that devastated area. “We were ready,” says Gay. To date, 46 homes in Holy Cross have been restored.

“It’s a big chance we take. It takes some expertise to buy, restore and resell without going broke,” says Gay. The PRC seeks only to cover the costs of the renovations they undertake in order to make the homes affordable. It operates on grant money, memberships and the profits from their fundraisers, such as the Julia Jump, the Shotgun Tour and the Holiday Home Tour.

“More than a third of our budget is spent on the Rebuilding Together project,” says Gay. The program partners the PRC with low income families—the elderly, veterans, single mothers—to help repair or renovate their homes and improve their quality of life. “For example, a retired elderly couple may own their home but can’t afford to maintain it. We can help.” Volunteers play a key role and work along with the homeowners. “Neighborhood involvement creates community,” says Gay. “Through improvement, other neighborhood problems are addressed.”

“Not everyone is in favor of what >> December 2014-January 2015 57

we do,” says Gay, accused at times of perhaps gentrifying particular areas. “Status quo is impossible in the city right now; a neighborhood is either improving or it’s in decline. We want to stabilize areas and reverse decline.” Apart from depressing property values, vacant blighted houses also attract crime, vagrants and rodents, further deteriorating neighborhoods. “What about the homeowners in the area? Their property values suffer because of these neglected properties. If no one does anything about it, there will only be more vacant blighted houses,” says Gay. “We have a very good ripple effect on these areas.” Hollygrove is another neighborhood that has benefitted from the efforts of the PRC. “We’ve done so much there, and it’s going to turn around.”

With no shortage of volunteers, the PRC conducts numerous educational and outreach

programs. From preserving the homes and legacy of New Orleans jazz musicians to equipping potential homeowners with the tools they need to purchase and renovate an historic property, raising awareness is an important priority. But their many initiatives take money; the Holiday Home Tour is one of their major fundraisers. Co-chairs of the event Jenny Charpentier and Anne Long have both volunteered over the years with different PRC fundraisers. Charpentier, whose Garden District home is available to tour this year, is happy to contribute to the cause. “It draws a lot of people from out of town and out of state, they come in buses—it’s good for the whole city,” she says. “It builds community.” Following a major renovation, her home has been lovingly restored. “If you own an old home, it’s a labor of love. We’ve loved it back to the house it is today. People like to see all types of

Above: The streamlined kitchen of the Forte house, one of seven houses on the tour, is simply decorated with fresh berries, citrus and plants.

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Inside New Orleans

photos: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

Preservation Resource Center’s

houses—from grand mansions to lived-in homes. My neighbors have seen a lot of changes; they may be curious to peek inside.”

“A lot of people like to kick off the holidays with the Holiday Home Tour,” says Long of the fundraiser, “There’s music in every home, it’s very festive. We also open a boutique at Trinity Episcopal during the event and about 45 local shops and artists participate. Long is encouraged by the revitalization inspired by the PRC, “It’s important that we maintain the character of the city and the flavor of the architecture.”

Vesta Forte, PRC volunteer and another tour homeowner, recalls going on the holiday event with her godmother as a little girl. “It was an annual ritual,” she says. “We always went together.” Sentimental about her childhood ritual, Forte has begun taking her own children. “It’s a great way for people to

support preservation and get new ideas about restoration,” she says. Her own recent renovation of her 1860s home complete, she is ready to open her doors for the cause. “People are so lovely,” she says of the typical tour audience. “They come in and always find something to like about a home.” Forte had to travel during much of her home’s renovation, and so she put it into the deft hands of Michael Carbine.

“He respected the original lines and the bones of the architecture,” she says.

And respecting the architecture is what the PRC is all about. From the Garden District to Hollygrove, every neighborhood is filled with treasures waiting to be brought back to life.

The 39th Annual Holiday Home Tour will be Dec. 13-14. For more information, go to prcno.org.

Holiday Home Tour

2014

Opposite: The walls in the

Above, left: The dining room of the Charpentier

Above, right: In the central hallway

formal living room of the

house is decorated for a holiday feast by Urban

of the Charpentier house, an antique

Forte house are painted

Earth. The walls of the room are a bright peacock

French settee sits between two

in a deep eggplant,

blue, done in the Fine Paints of Europe high gloss

chocolate marble stands topped with

making it a cozy spot for

by Keith Guy, Inc., the only Fine Paints of Europe-

oversized wooden finials; a bear skin

celebrating the holidays.

certified painter in the Southern region.

rug anchors the room.

December 2014-January 2015 59

Celebrating 175 Years of Anto ine’s

>>

Antoine Alciatore.

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Inside New Orleans

Left photo courtesy: ANTOINE’S RESTAURANT

FOR 175 YEARS, ANTOINE’S Restaurant has permeated the life of New Orleans and its people. Two of my fondest memories include getting pre-wedding advice from Mrs. Yvonne Alciatore Blount about the best honeymoon spots in Paris and watching my son tear up and down the “hidden” stairs at a deb party.

Our personal histories and the history of Antoine’s are intertwined.

When Antoine Alciatore of Marseilles came to New Orleans in 1840, more millionaires lived in the Mississippi River Valley than anywhere else. New Orleans was a boom town, but a cultured, refined French-speaking boom town, attracting the best artisans from around the world. Here was a place to make one’s future!

Antoine, already apprenticed with a number of famous French chefs, worked

Right photo © 2014 Ann Benoit LLC, from New Orleans Best Ethnic Restaurants by Ann Benoit, Pelican Publishing Company, Inc.

by Ann Benoit

December 2014-January 2015 61

photo courtesy: ANTOINE’S RESTAURANT

Madame Antoine, Julie Freyss Alciatore.

briefly in the kitchen at the famous St. Charles Hotel before opening his first restaurant on April 3, 1840.

In 1860, Antoine and his wife, Julie Freyss, moved to 714 St. Peter Street to the Lacoul residence. Among his many innovations, Antoine kept his restaurant open for late suppers after the closing of French Opera House theatrics and all night on the evening of Carnival balls.

By 1868, Antoine, Julie, their seven children and the business had outgrown the locale. They purchased a lot from the Miltenberger family and built a fourstory building to house the restaurant, their family and a few invited guests.

The new building included the huge mirrors in the main dining room from the Grand Ballroom of the St. Louis Hotel.

In 1877, diagnosed with a terminal illness, Antoine returned to his mother’s house in Marseilles, where he died three months later.

Julie Freyss Alciatore, known as Madame Antoine, ran the restaurant for the 10 years from 1877 until 1887 during the difficult post-Civil War Reconstruction Era. Because her second-youngest son, Jules, was most interested in the business, Madame 62

Inside New Orleans

© 2014 Ann Benoit LLC, from New Orleans Best Ethnic Restaurants by Ann Benoit, Pelican Publishing Company, Inc.

Above: The 1840 Room doors open into The Dungeon Hallway of Antoine’s Restaurant.

Left: Jules Alciatore.

Below: The Main Dining Room of Antoine’s Restaurant.

photo courtesy: ANTOINE’S RESTAURANT

Antoine sent him to train in Strasbourg, Paris, Marseilles and London. She also required him to prove his ability in another restaurant. He became the chef of the Pickwick Club, still in existence in New Orleans today. In 1887, she invited Jules to run the family business.

If Antoine had won the palates of New Orleans, Jules won the palates of the world, with famous dishes such as Oysters à la Rockefeller and Pompano en Papillotte, created in honor of a French balloonist. Jules purchased additional real estate and increased the number of dining rooms to 15. (The Dungeon dining room was actually used as a dungeon by the Spanish during the Spanish occupation.)

Antoine’s has a tradition of making special dishes for celebrities. Jules made escargots for Sarah Bernhardt and delivered a special soup to her during intermission at the French Opera House. For Enrico Caruso, Antoine’s created his favorite stew, Matelote>>

December 2014-January 2015 63

Revelers Room.

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Inside New Orleans

photo: ROY GUSTE, COURTESY OF ANTOINE’S RESTAURANT

The Twelfth Night

d’Anguille. Grand Duke Alexis of Russia and of Rex’s If Ever I Cease to Love lore, loved even more Jules Alciatore’s Tortue Molle à La Rupinicoscoff, a soft-shelled turtle stew prepared from a secret recipe given to Jules Alciatore by a famous Muscovite chef. Antoine’s created Oysters à La Foch for Marshall Ferdinand Foch, general of the Allied armies against Germany in 19171918, when he breakfasted at Antoine’s in 1921.

In addition to creating signature dishes, Jules Alciatore perfected many dishes still served today, including Escargots à la Bourguignon, Pommes Soufflées and Baked Alaska.

Like his mother before him, Jules prepared his second son, Roy Alciatore, to take over the family business by educating him in the kitchens of France in 1923.

By the time of Jules’ death in 1934, Roy had assumed all of his father’s duties. Roy Alciatore weathered the Great Depression,

photo courtesy: ANTOINE’S RESTAURANT

Prohibition and World War II. Antoine’s celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1940 by issuing a commemorative booklet. Long a draw for the national and international literati, an astounding number of famous writers ate at Antoine’s, including Lafcadio Hearn, Dorothy Dix, Booth Tarkington, H.L. Mencken, Lillian Hellman, Sherwood Anderson, Thomas Wolfe, Joseph Pulitzer, Archibald MacLeish, Will Durant, Hermann B. Deutsch, Lyle Saxon, Cecil Beaton, Drew Pearson, Frances Parkinson Keyes, Sinclair Lewis, Alfred Knopf, John Chase, Andre Maurois and Joel Chandler Harris and his close personal friend, Alcée Fortier.

Dinner at Antoine’s, a mystery with a romantic subplot recently reissued in paperback with a forward by New Orleans historian Patricia Brady, was the best-selling novel by Frances Parkinson Keyes, of the Beauregard-Keyes House in the >>

French Quarter. The book was aired as a TV movie in 1949 as part of the Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse series and again in 1956 as part of the Matinee Theatre series. Mrs. Keyes was a frequent diner at Antoine’s, and the restaurant appears in all of her novels but one.

Roy Alciatore operated the restaurant until 1972, when his nephews, Roy Guste Sr. and Billy Guste Jr., became proprietors of the family business. In 1975, Roy Guste Jr., who had worked in the restaurant since 1969 and who, like his ancestors, had returned to France for culinary training, was named proprietor. The Antoine’s Cookbook he created in 1978 is a charming mix of recipes, history and memorabilia and includes a watercolor portrait of key personnel, including then assistant day chef, now Executive Chef Michael Regua. He is the second generation of his family at Antoine’s— his older cousin brought him on board.

Regua has been with Antoine’s almost 40 years and has won a Lafcadio Hearn Award, among others.

Roy Guste Jr. served until 1984, when he was followed by Billy Guste’s son, Bernard “Randy” Guste, who served >> 66

Inside New Orleans

opposite photos courtesy: ANTOINE’S RESTAURANT

photo: WILL CROCKER, COURTESY OF ANTOINE’S RESTAURANT

The Main Dining Room.

Above: Three of Antoine’s private dining rooms have the names of Carnival krewes— Rex, Proteus and Twelfth Night Revelers. These individual rooms have beautifully displayed treasures from years past. As shown above, the Rex Room, gorgeous in gold and green, hosts Rex memorabilia, including gowns, royal scepters and crowns.

Below: Antoine’s bar is named after the Krewe of Hermes. Display cases in the bar tell the history of this krewe. With the Hermes photos and collectables out for all to enjoy, Mardi Gras can be appreciated all year.

December 2014-January 2015 67

millionth Oysters Rockefeller.

Below: Crawfish Cardinale.

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Inside New Orleans

Left: © 2014 Ann Benoit LLC, from New Orleans Best Ethnic Restaurants by Ann Benoit, Pelican Publishing Company, Inc.

Above: Roy Alciatore eating the one

with distinction for two decades from 1984 to 2004.

In 2005, the year of Katrina, Roy Alciatore’s grandson, Rick Blount, became proprietor, handling one of the most difficult times in the city’s history On the Saturday morning before Katrina made landfall, Blount, also a pilot, engaged in his daily habit of weather checking and turned to the satellite imagery of the hurricane. Realizing the storm was as big as the Gulf of Mexico, he instructed his employees to leave town. He paid them in advance and loaned additional sums to those who needed it.

Blount and his family evacuated to Florida, where his son fell and suffered a serious concussion.

As the doctors were making the decision whether or not to operate, the hospital television flashed a shot of New Orleans. Blount saw that the brick wall that said “Antoine’s” was left with only the letter A standing. In addition to the challenge of the collapsed

Opposite top photo courtesy: ANTOINE’S RESTAURANT

wall, the 25,000 bottles contained in the 165-foot wine cellar were lost when the climate control system failed.

Despite the challenges of the lack of safe running water; no power; insufficient building supplies, contractors and construction workers; no income from diners; and the myriad other challenges of post-Katrina reconstruction, Blount continued to pay his employees for several months, even though many were scattered across the country. He was able to reopen with most of his original employees on December 29, 2005, four months after Katrina. Under his tenure, the Hermes Bar and Antoine’s Annex, a casual venue, were added.

Ten years after Katrina, Antoine’s is a great culinary symbol of endurance as it marks its 175th Anniversary. Rick Blount has planned an entire year of celebration, including the issuance of a new Antoine’s cookbook by Roy Guste Jr. and custom commemorative items

by Adler’s. In partnership with Sazerac, Antoine’s will be presenting a cocktail in a specially designed commemorative glass. A new dish will be unveiled on the menu. For its 100th anniversary, Antoine’s issued a souvenir booklet; a new booklet will update the history for the last 75 years. 2015 also marks the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans, and costumed re-enactors of the Battle of New Orleans will be dining at Antoine’s to celebrate.

A national treasure, Antoine’s is the oldest continuously family-owned and -operated restaurant in the United States. Its longevity as a restaurant and as a force in the community is a tribute to the Alciatore, Guste and Blount families’ ability to maintain, deepen and enrich long-term relationships with their customers, their staff, their community and ultimately, their country.

December 2014-January 2015 69

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Inside New Orleans

Coloring Outside the

by Susan Currie

photos: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

Christmas Box

WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK holiday season, they envision an explosion of red and green. During the holidays, try to think outside the box. Why not let the colors that you love fill your home, even during the holiday season? The inspiration for the holiday décor here is from the vibrant orange-and-turquoise Romo cut velvet fabric on the dining chairs. The rich hues lend joy and warmth to the space and make excellent use of the light, particularly in the late afternoon.

During the holiday season, play off the colors that evoke joy and happiness for you, your friends and family.

In true Southern style, I like to dress the entrance to my home and mantel with a wreath and garland made of magnolia leaves by Dunn and Sonnier Flowers. Using accents of citrus throughout the greenery provides that pop of color to tie in with that inspirational fabric.

Magnolia leaves also add texture and depth to a traditional fir Christmas tree. This simple touch makes a real

impact in the overall look of the tree and can be accomplished using just a few sprigs left over from your garlands.

Clusters of three ball-shaped ornaments made by using zip ties and floral wire are much more visually interesting than a single ball. For added sparkle, place sprigs of glittered foliage throughout the tree. I always make sure to have extra of everything.

You never know when an ornament will break and you’ll need another one.

Plus, you can always throw the extra ones in a beautiful bowl or vase to put on your table.

Spread holiday cheer throughout your home by adding small accent pieces like bright red flowers and embroidered holiday towels in small rooms. Don’t be afraid to use different colors in different rooms. Mix muchloved Christmas décor that you have had for years with your newer color choices. Marrying new design trends with old holiday traditions can make your home picture-perfect for the holidays.

December 2014-January 2015 71

photo courtesy: LORENE HOLMES

San Miguel de Allende

by Lorene Holmes

IN LATE WINTER, I did not need much convincing to head south to San Miguel de Allende and its pleasant year-round, spring-like warm days and cool nights. I left New Orleans at 6 a.m. and was having lunch at Puerto Viejo in San Miguel by early afternoon. At an altitude of almost 7,000 feet, I took it easy the first day of my visit.

A 472-year-old colonial town rich in history, heritage and culture, San Miguel lies in the highlands of central Mexico in the state of Guanajuato. With its cobblestone streets, 16th and 17th century architecture, massive hand carved wooden doors, pastel houses and some 30 churches, it is an adventurer’s paradise.

San Miguel was declared a National Monument in 1926, preserving its historic nature; today, it has no traffic lights, neon signs nor fire hydrants. It achieved UNESCO World Heritage status in July 2008.

Inset: Cuba Fest 2014.

Not-to-be-Missed Attractions

Opposite page, above: Mural by David Alfaro Siqueiros.

Opposite page, below: The Holy Burial Procession held every year on Good Friday.

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A quick and easy introduction to the town is provided by a sightseeing bus that costs 60 pesos.

Lasting 90 minutes, the tour is conducted in English and features a sampling of the more important places of interest. The guide points out the sidewalks, which are so narrow that local etiquette claims whoever is facing

Inside New Orleans

traffic gets off the sidewalk into the street to enable them to see oncoming traffic. We were cautioned about asking for directions. Although the people are very respectful, they never want to admit they don’t know something, so you could walk several blocks in the wrong direction.

The most prominent landmark in town is La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. Made of pink sandstone, it appears to change color with the light. The parish church towers over El Jardin, the town’s central square, and can be seen from a great distance. The original structure dates to the 17th century; the façade, whose look is unique in Mexico, was added in the late 19th century by Zeferino Gutierrez, a local stone mason and architect, who was inspired by postcards of churches in Europe. In 2000, the Mayor designated streets surrounding the Parroquia and Jardin to be pedestrian walkways and free of motorcycles, cars, trucks and buses.

On the tour is the famous Bellas Artes. Only two blocks from the Jardin, is an oasis of peace and

photo courtesy: LORENE HOLMES

quiet in this noisy town. Built in 1755 as the cloister of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception, it was confiscated and given to the state by President Benito Juarez in 1860. Overnight, the largest landowner in the country, the Catholic Church, lost its vast holdings.

Today, Bellas Artes is one of the nicest art schools in San Miguel and houses one of the most famous works of art in the city, an unfinished but still-powerful mural

by David Alfaro Siqueiros. (A painting by Siqueiros hangs in the New Orleans Museum of Art, courtesy of Dr. Glen Holmes of Beaumont, Texas.)

In the landscaped cloister of Bellas Artes, a fountain with a Lamb of God on top gurgles as music flows from one of the many rehearsal studios. While once the cloister was home to many generations of brides of Christ, ironically today it is named after Mexico’s most famous atheist, Ignacio Ramirez; it is officially known as El Centro Culturál Ignacio Ramírez “El Nigromante”— Bellas Artes. Ramirez was the author of God Does Not Exist: The Beings of Nature Maintain Themselves.

Casa Cohen on Calle Reloj is on the tour. Built by a Syrian businessman, it is a large home called “Arca de Noe,” or Noah’s Ark. Many animals are carved on the façade’s supporting balconies, with larger animals on the top of the building. Included are many Stars of David.

San Miguel is home to a unique public library called La Biblioteca, purportedly one of the largest public libraries in Latin America, with more than 60,000

volumes. Divided between Spanish and English books, it provides lending-library services and reading rooms.

An important center of education and cultural life in San Miguel, it offers free classes for Mexican children in piano, guitar, theatre, drawing and painting, English and science. Scholarships allow many children to complete an education previously unattainable to them.

La Biblioteca’s building includes a central courtyard, a theatre for both films and live productions, a café and a gift shop. An English local newspaper that details upcoming events, the Atencion, is published weekly on Thursdays. Also, every Thursday, there is an open discussion group. Participants are invited to express opinions on subjects of universal interest such as politics, religion, current events, ethics and morality.

On Saturdays, the library sponsors a two-hour >>

December 2014-January 2015 73

Above: The Sanctuary of Atotonilco.

Right: Inside the Sanctuary of Atotonilco.

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Inside New Orleans

photos courtesy: LORENE HOLMES

English-speaking walking tour of downtown San Miguel that includes all the churches, architecturally historic colonial buildings and the famous carved doors. You can drop in and drop out whenever you tire. The tours are conducted by volunteers and benefit local charities for children. (picture) Next door to La Biblioteca is the Santa Ana Catholic Church, where New Orleans-born priest Fr. Lance Oser ministers to about 2,000 English-speaking Catholics with Mass in English daily. Fr. Oser has been in San Miguel for the past two years; his parish supports the feeding of boys at the local orphanage.

To the far south of the Jardin is the Parque Juarez, boasting fountains, playgrounds, wrought iron benches, old bridges and footpaths. The garden is filled with plants and trees of the region, and the pond is home to several species of water birds. In the evenings, wandering musicians can be found. Tai-Chi and Qigong with Lydia are available for participation on Mondays and Fridays.

South of the Parque Juarez is El Chorro, where women scrub clothes in outdoor tubs in the mornings.

One can spend an entire day in the Mercado de Artesania, located in a narrow alley about two miles long behind the city’s vegetable and fruit market.

Hundreds of vendors sell everything from herbs, fish, chicken and meats to clothes, shoes and DVDs. The locals bring piĂąatas, tin lanterns, jewelry, paper mache and blown glass to sell in permanent stalls. Most

women visitors pick up a pair of San Miguel shoes as soon as they arrive. I did, and the walks about town were more comfortable.

In a festival commemorating an old tradition in San Miguel, dancers dressed in the pre-Hispanic Indian way with colorful plumes and seed pod rattles dance from sunset to sunrise on the first Friday of March to celebrate the venerated Lord of the Conquest, a figure representing Christ crucified. The dances take place in the streets surrounding the Jardin while hundreds of people enter the Parroquia to venerate the figure of the Lord of the Conquest as a symbol of the power of God and of his love for the Indians. This celebration is traditionally on Friday because it was the day when Jesus Christ died.

Cuba Fest brings a daily exhibition of Cuban >>

December 2014-January 2015 75

photo courtesy: LORENE HOLMES

products and music to the Jardin, including mambo, tango and other Cuban dances, along with orchestra concerts and Cuban films.

The Botanical Garden is located at an altitude of almost 7,000 feet up the hill overlooking San Miguel.

Take a bottle of water and hike up in the early morning before it gets hot to enjoy the enormous collection of cacti. Covering approximately 250 acres around a scenic canyon, the garden is dedicated to the restoration

and preservation of Mexican flora. A reservoir forms permanent wetlands, home to birds and wildlife.

Every February, thousands of people from around the world count birds over the course of four days. This is sponsored by the U.S. Audubon Society. In San Miguel, 150 residents and visitors took part, recording 86 species and 7,742 individual birds.

Some 7 miles north of San Miguel is the Sanctuary of Atotonilco (Indian word for a place of hot waters).

An important religious and historic shrine in Mexico, it has World Heritage Site status. The church building has very high plain walls on the outside and consists of one large church with several smaller chapels. It is officially called the Santuario de Dios y de la Patria (Sanctuary of God and Country). Inside, the wall and ceiling spaces are completely covered in murals that include a large number of personages and scenes from the Bible; there is little empty space. The church has been called the “Sistine Chapel of America.� It still functions as a religious retreat for people who come from all over the world for prayer, penance and pilgrimage. >>

Left: Parque Juarez.

Below: Parrish of San Miguel Archangel.

December 2014-January 2015 77

Food for Mind and Body For a town its size, San Miguel offers a remarkably diverse selection of activities. Several schools teach art and Spanish. I enjoyed Spanish lessons at the Warren Hardy School, which was conveniently located two blocks from the apartment where I was staying. Centro Bilingue offers small classes and a friendly atmosphere; it is a favorite for many people from different countries.

There is a choice of plays, lectures and concerts by world-class performers. Gala de Opera presents singers in public concerts.

Recreation choices are unlimited, including golf, tennis, swimming, horseback riding or a hot air balloon ride. Bici-Burro, a bike shop, offers a choice of seven bike tours and two hiking trips. And the Longhorn Smokehouse offers Gringo Bingo at 6:30 p.m., which benefits a school for children with special needs.

One of my favorite places is the Pocket Theater on Hernandes Macias Calle. Opening at 11 a.m., Monday through Friday, it shows Academy Awardnominated films such as Philomena, Blue Jasmin and Other Son. The theater’s 11 seats are available only by reservation.

Upon entry, the owner/operator/bartender produces a grid, whereupon you select your seat. Then you are given your choice of mixed drinks. After everyone is seated, a skinny bag of popcorn is passed out to each patron. The viewing screen is pulled down over an open-air window; when the movie is over, it is promptly returned to its original position.

Whether you are eating at home or dining out at a restaurant, San Miguel food is tasty and affordable. I did very little cooking in—I tried one or two new restaurants almost every day. My all-time favorite was Muro’s on Loreto Calle, where I was served a chile relleno on a bed of chopped lettuce, covered by

a creamy white sauce, topped with fresh pomegranate seeds and accompanied by green rice and local fresh fruit. Muro’s is ranked #1 of 261 restaurants in San Miguel

by Trip Advisor. It is understandable why Fr. Lance and his church group meet here after Sunday Mass.

Mornings found me enjoying the Buen Dia restaurant on Callejon del Pueblito, not far from where I was staying.

Located on a small backstreet, it has an upstairs patio where you can enjoy the best Mexican breakfast ever: scrambled eggs, peppers and tomatoes, served with fresh-squeezed orange juice, coffee, toast, preserves and real butter. Included among my other favorites were Ten Ten Pie al Carbon and the Berlin Bar and Bistro.

There are also numerous bakeries, freshfruit stalls and sources for organic foods.

Evening in San Miguel finds one heading to the nearest rooftop for sunset watching. Located at the base of a ring of foothills, San Miguel is an ideal place to view some of the best sunsets you will ever see anywhere. My all-time favorite place at sunset was the second floor La Azotea Restaurant, which had outdoor seating and luscious two-forone margaritas. And these are not your mama’s Margaritas!

San Miguel is the home of a unique not-for-profit organization called the 24 Hour Association. Formed in 1965, it affords foreign residents a support group to negotiate the legal intricacies should they die in Mexico. This group communicates with relatives and friends of the deceased in San Miguel and abroad and assists in arranging the funeral services as specified in the member’s file.

Membership and its one-time application and fee last a lifetime. This seems to affirm the old saying, “People go to Florida to die, but the retired move to San Miguel Allende to live.”

At the Table

by Tom Fitzmorris THE MOST TRADITIONAL TIME OF DINING in

The main dining room at Arnaud’s looking spectacular for the holiday season.

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New Orleans begins at the same time it does across America, with a lot of the same dishes that our fellow Americans eat. But when it gets down to the details, our tables are full of unique deliciousness.

The holidays are the prominent set-pieces in this best-time-of-year-for-social-dining. But it’s really about the change in the weather. By the time the longterm chill sets in at Thanksgiving, the novelty of it has us dressing up for dinner a bit more. Meanwhile, the evenings expand, beginning three hours earlier.

Everything is in place for us to call friends for dinner much more often than we likely did during the preceding 10 months.

Chefs accommodate these needs with the new ingredients of the season. Goodbye to soft-shell crabs, big white shrimp and tomatoes. Hello to oysters, speckled trout and cauliflower. The zucchini and mirlitons wane, to be replaced by meaty winter

Inside New Orleans

squashes. If we’re lucky, we get crawfish and strawberries, which we haven’t seen in a while. It’s not just the fall produce setting the schedule. Our own bodies crave big roasts and roasted birds again.

If you find a restaurant where none of the above is going on, go somewhere else.

The New Orleans Feasting Season began moving from homes to restaurants in the early 1970s. That was when a new gourmet era began here. The clearest evidence of grand holiday dining came in 1975, when the Roosevelt Hotel tried something new in its Sazerac Restaurant. People were already visiting the Roosevelt in December to gape at its magnificent lobby decorations.

Somebody thought it would be a good idea to redecorate the Sazerac with a holiday theme and to install a menu of dishes created for the season.

Dressed-up, formal dining with elaborate service and beautiful food was at its zenith in those days.

photo: BRIAN F. HUFF

The Ultimate Christmas Dinner

Tommy Andrade—who these days operates a pair of four-star restaurants in the Warehouse District— managed the Sazerac. He had a sense of polish and service matched by few of his colleagues. During the holidays, he and his entire dining room dressed in such elaborate uniforms that they seemed like characters from an opera set 100 years ago.

For two decades, the Sazerac mounted its astonishingly jolly Christmas dinners. Early on, it was decided that each year’s effort would connect with some place in the world with a distinctive connection with the holidays. France, Russia and Great Britain were among them. Then there was a Cajun Christmas.

The Sazerac’s best theme ever was the Viennese Christmas, in which a man too young to drink wine presented himself as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

He played the violin (well, too) all night long, while a spectacular dinner went to the tables. (Trivia: the chef that year was Jean-Luc Albin, now the owner of Maurice’s French Bakery in Metairie.)

These dinners started out in the $30s and ended up in the $40s. That would be something like $150$200 a person in today’s money. It would be worth every nickel if it ever came back.

In the mid-1990s, the Sazerac was repositioned as a much less formal restaurant. Tommy Andrade moved on. The last Sazerac Christmas dinner—I recall it was a rerun of the Russian theme, menu and all—was served to a sparse crowd. And that was that.

Or so we thought. By then Sandra Dartus, the director of the then-new French Quarter Festival, was a few years into a program called “A Creole Christmas.” Her goal was to increase French Quarter restaurant business in December. And it needed help.

The restaurants who signed on assembled special menus of four or more courses, all with at least a tenuous holiday connection. It was named The Reveillon, after a particular grand feast from the past.

In the 1800s and early 1900s, families who went to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve after a day of fasting were famished as they left the cathedral. They would convene in their homes for what would look like a

brunch buffet today. “Reveillon” means “awakening.”

The new Reveillon doesn’t run on that weehours schedule, fortunately. It’s something you do for dinner. The restaurants embracing the concept best serve the food of the season. We usually find a couple of roast goose dishes. Duck, quail, squab and Cornish hen show up. We get more lamb, prime rib and offbeat steak cuts. Lots of winter vegetables, from butternut squash through cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Sweet potatoes are never far away. Reveillon sauces back away from the creamy, buttery stuff we get the rest of the year to become stockier, smokier and a little bit sweet. Cranberries are inevitable, but apples, pumpkins and cherries show up in garnishes.

It sounds heavy, but isn’t necessarily.

In all the above, the Reveillon is a lot like what the Sazerac once wrought. But in other ways, the modern Reveillon is different. Reveillon dinners are traditionally excellent bargains for the dollar.

This year, a record 45 restaurants will offer Reveillon dinners. All are within Orleans Parish. (In the past, a few eateries outside the city have taken part, but not lately.) They are served every night the restaurant is open from December 1 through 30.

Some restaurants start early or end late. A few block out certain dates, usually because the whole restaurant gets taken over by a large private party.

Some Reveillon dinners come from a fixed menu with no choices. Others have many options. The prices this year start at $34 (Gumbo Shop) and top out at $100 (a record high, at Commander’s Palace).

Most come in between $45 and $55. They are all attractive bargains and festive enough that you don’t need to hesitate about getting together with friends for what should be an annual tradition. My wife and I indulge in at least three Revellions every year, with the same friends we’ve joined for many years.

As more Orleanians get hooked on the Reveillon, comparisons among the many menus becomes a major topic of conversation. The kind of out-of-town visitors who travel here three or four times a year to soak in the local vibe also get into the program with enthusiasm. >> December 2014-January 2015 81

Here are what I expect will be the best Reveillon celebrations this year. Until my time machine comes in, I base this forecast on past years and on the restaurants’ performance the rest of the year.

and hare” soup, served en croûte. And the pork loin with a fascinating array of garnishes.

Most Variety in a Reveillon: Pelican Club.

615 Bienville. 504-523-1504.

Best-Decorated Reveillon: Arnaud’s, 813 Bienville. 504-523-5433.

The main dining room at Arnaud’s during the Christmas season is spectacular in a style all its own, with a golden motif. Its Reveillon menu is great, too.

Beef daube glacé—that traditional local answer to hogshead cheese—is one of the appetizers. The pork loin chasseur (hunter’s style) with green peppercorn demi-glace sounds perfect.

Reveillon Comeback of the Year: Brennan’s.

417 Royal. 504-525-9711.

The biggest restaurant story of the year—and perhaps the decade—was the death of Brennan’s and then its revival. The Reveillon menu is the first to emerge from the new establishment. Six courses, devised by Chef Slade Rushing, very seasonal, highly original. The $90 price will be near the top, but I have no doubt that it will have all the Reveillon diners it wants.

The Exchange Alley restaurant has won this for years, with more choices in all of the courses than any other holiday menu. They also get the Consistency Award and the Best Value prize: four courses, $57.

Best Use of Duck in a Reveillon Menu: Palace Cafe. 605 Canal. 504-523-1661.

The Palace Café has long been a duck specialist, and they seem to be intent on proving that by offering a four-course Reveillon dinner for $65 that involves duck in a starring role in every dish. Even dessert, with foie gras and duck cracklings.

Best Location for a Reveillon: Muriel’s.

801 Chartres. 504-568-1885.

Muriel’s walks away with this one every year. It’s diagonally across the street from Jackson Square. So you can have your dinner and Christmas-carol, too. It would also rank high in the Value and Most CreoleCajun categories, if we had them.

Most Christmasy Reveillon: Criollo, Monteleone Hotel. 214 Royal. 504-523-3341.

The Monteleone Hotel, even when its restaurant aspect was negligible, put on a great Reveillon every year. Chef Randy Buck—an alumnus of the Sazerac, where he created several Christmas menus in its heyday—always had the roast goose, the venison and the Bûche de Noël. That sort of thing lives on for $75 this year, in a much handsomer restaurant than before.

Reveillon Most like a Bonfire on the Levee: Emeril’s. 800 Tchoupitoulas. 504-528-9393.

Not many restaurants push the Creole and Cajun flavors more insistently into the future than Emeril’s does. Everything about their four-course, $80 Reveillon menu reeks with local color. I like “turtle 82

Inside New Orleans

Best Reveillon Away From the French Quarter: Rue 127.

127 N Carrollton Ave. 504-483-1571.

Although Chef Ray Gruezky’s fine bistro is compact, he turns out an imaginative menu every night. His Reveillon menu is one of the most varied this season, with a dozen dishes in four courses. I like that it is all hearty wintertime eats. It’s also a bargain at between $48 and $52.

So much for Christmas. Now, a brief report on New Year’s Eve. Can you avoid dining out that night?

Then do so. To quote Dean Martin, “New Year’s Eve is strictly for amateurs.” Spend the money on a really good bottle of Champagne and enjoy it at home on the loveseat.

2014 Holiday Gift Guide Discover a wide variety of treasures from some of our favorite stores. You’ll find that just-right present to delight each person on your list—and maybe something special for yourself!

Happy holiday shopping from Inside New Orleans!

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1. Streetcar decoupaged picture frame exclusively designed by Bryan Batt for Hazelnut, $62. Hazelnut, New Orleans 504-891-2424. 2. Turquoise Italian leather tote, $198; scarf, $15. Accents & Things, Slidell, 985649-4273. 3. Virgins, Saints and Angels Treasures bracelet available in clear, gold and jet, $275. Fleurt, Covington, 985-809-8844. 4. Unique gift baskets with the highest quality oils, vinegars and epicurean gifts, starting at $30. Infusé, Mandeville, 985-778-0903.

On the cover: Gift wrap design by Arabella Fine Gifts in Mandeville.

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Inside New Orleans

Gift Guide

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1. 3.89ct ruby ladies ring with 1cttw diamonds, $10,650. Thomas Franks Fine Jewelers, Mandeville, 985-626-5098. 2. Add color with My Ties scarf by Mary Francis. California Drawstrings, Covington, 985-327-7300. 3. Vintage charms for every occasion. La Petit Fleur, New Orleans, 504-522-1305. 4. Personalized marble and wood cutting board with cheese knife, $34. Mia Sorella Decor, Slidell, 985-781-3909. 5. Jukebox circa 1948 by Wurlitzer with original 78s included.

Fischer Gambino, New Orleans, 504-524-9067.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 7

Gift Guide

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1. Giving Keys, $36 each. All Wrapped Up, Mandeville, 985-778-2041. 2. Ladies Ebel Brasilia 18kt yellow gold watch with mother of pearl dial and diamond bezel, $19,500. Boudreaux’s Fine Jewelers, Metairie, 504-831-2602. 3. Dancer at Rest, 50” x 66” on canvas by Leftbank Art, $659.

American Factory Direct Furniture, Mandeville, 985-871-0300. 4. Collectable Byers’ Choice

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Choir Dolls, $72.98 each. The Jefferson House, Covington, 985-892-6841.

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Inside New Orleans

Gift Guide 1. Anuschka hand-painted handbag. Foot Solutions, Metairie, 504-833-3555.

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2. Small, boxed abstracts with brushed metal accents, $195 each. EMB Interiors, Mandeville, 985-626-1522. 3. Luxury, Inequity & Yellow Fever: Living Legacies and the Story of Old New Orleans, $45.

Hermann-Grima House, New Orleans, 504-247-0747. 4. Decorate with seasonal florals. Florist of Covington, 985-892-7701.

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Inside New Orleans

SUCRÉ NEW ORLEANS The sweetest things come in the smallest packages. Give Sucré this holiday season! And keep an eye out for our French Quarter retail boutique and restaurant, Salon by Sucré, opening January 2015 at 622 Conti Street. In the meantime visit one of our sweet boutiques to pick up the perfect gift for any occasion. 3025 Magazine Street, 504-520-8311, or at the Lakeside Mall, 504-834-2277. www.shopsucre.com.

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Increased shipping rates apply.

Steamboat NATCHEZ. 504-569-1401. steamboatnatchez.com.

533 Royal Street, New Orleans, 504-523-4662.

12

Inside New Orleans

Gift Guide

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1. Isabella handbag in oak made of first-class French and German calf leather, lined in magenta leather with handcrafted gold metal accents by Nagatani, $2,600. Emma’s Shoes and Accessories, Mandeville, 985-778-2200. 2. Le Vian chocolate

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and vanilla diamond pendant in 14kt strawberry gold, $3,299.

Lowe’s Jewelers, Mandeville, 985-845-4653. 3. Gillian Julius pearl and diamond bracelet, $385. The Mix, Mandeville, 985727-7MIX (7649). themixclothing.com. 4. Hand-painted 24” x

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48” acrylic artwork on wood panel by Cat Kennedy, $1,850 per panel. M. Design & Consultation, Metairie, 504-343-4672.

5. The sweetest things come in the smallest packages, holiday macarons, $31.50; holiday chocolates, $31. Sucré, New Orleans, shopsucre.com.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 13

IN Other Words

by Becky Slatten

IT’S POSSIBLE I GO A LITTLE CRAZY at Christmas time. I decorate anything that doesn’t run from me, start listening to Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving and I’ve been known to curl up with a box of Kleenex and launch into a sappy Hallmark movie marathon.

There are so many things to love about the holidays, but one of my favorites is finding a Christmas Letter in my mailbox.

had to be specially ordered from New York City. Sue surprised Isadora with a spontaneous trip to Manhattan to pick up the costume and take in some Broadway plays! Isadora was speechless with gratitude and tells Sue every day that she is the wind beneath her wings.”

We learn here that Sue is an over-the-top, Multi-tasking Mom; the family can afford spur-of-the-moment trips to NYC because of their Disposable Income; and their

I immediately track down my glasses, get comfy and rip into that envelope with the homey gingerbread motif. I consider myself something of an expert on The Christmas Letter. Though my research is inconclusive, I have a theory that The Christmas Letter originated around the year A.D. 3 with the relocation of Mary and Joseph to Egypt. You may recall King Herod put a hit on their baby, Jesus, so they had to move. Since they couldn’t come home for Christmas, they likely wrote a long, wordy scroll about how perfect little Baby Jesus was.

There are two types of Christmas Letters: the braggadocios and the boring.

The second kind should not be written, and if you receive one of these, you’re under no obligation to read it. The third-person format is by far the most entertaining, and the most common theme is, hands down, The Perfect Child, followed closely by The Multi-tasking Mom and Disposable Income.

Reading between the lines of a Christmas Letter takes practice, as there are endless avenues for self-aggrandizement, but once you get the hang of it, you can learn a lot about a family. For example, “Sue was a busy Mom during soccer season because Isadora was not only the star of the team—she was also the star of the school play! Her size 0 costume

Perfect Child, Isadora, is athletic, dramatic and too thin. But we can assume she’s just an average student, because otherwise we would know her ACT score. And no one buys that Isadora is grateful, but Sue gets a “nice try.”

If you’re planning to write your own family Christmas Letter this holiday season, I’d like to offer some tips: • Don’t send it to anyone who knows you well. They know your kids, and they know how boring your life is.

• Don’t discuss your financial good fortune. People will assume you’re not from the South.

• Don’t go on and on about what you do all day. Nobody cares. And besides, didn’t you bore them with that all year long on Facebook?

• Don’t share gross medical information.

This includes the freezing/burning/ scraping of anything, as well as any procedure ending with –scopy.

• Don’t brag about how perfect your kids are. Someone out there knows something you don’t.

Good luck and best wishes for a mailbox filled with Christmas Letters! And if you’re so inclined, please share with me; for some reason, I don’t get them anymore.

The Christmas Letter

14

Inside New Orleans

DECOEUR Come visit our newly expanded store, now connected to Shoefflé! Featuring new local artists and custom-painted furniture.

The perfect place to find gifts and home décor for your every occasion. 228 N. Columbia St., Covington, 985-809-3244. decoeur.net.

SHOEFFLÉ

COLUMBIA STREET MERCANTILE

Season’s Greetings from Shoefflé. We have you covered for all of

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231-236 N. Columbia Street, Covington. 985-809-1789,

toe. 228 N. Columbia St., Covington. 985-898-6465.

985-809-1690.

shoeffle.com Holiday Gift Guide 2014 15

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Causeway App., Mandeville, 985-626-0100.

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wrap. Mon.-Fri., 10-6; Sat., 10-5; Sun., 12-4. 2180 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville, 985-727-7880.

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housewares, jewelry, gifts, Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by

perfect gift for everyone on your Christmas list! Our gift to you—

Annie Sloan. 214 Lee Lane, Covington, 985-893-3933.

FREE GIFT WRAP! Ornaments starting at $10. 70488 Hwy. 21, Covington, 985-871-1466. simplysouthern.com.

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Inside New Orleans

Gift Guide

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1. In2Green reversible throw, $70. Stone Creek Club and Spa, Covington, 985-801-7100. 2. Grind Gourmet Reflex stainless salt and pepper grinder set, $59.95. Infusé Oils and Vinegars, Mandeville, 985-778-0903. 3. Toe-post slipper with leopard fur upper, satin ribbon bow and diamante jewel trim, $30. The Oasis Day Spa, Mandeville, 985-624-6772. 4. Warm emerald green spaghetti strap dress with gold sequins, $64. JuJu’s, Mandeville, 985-624-3600. 5. Mary and Jesus decorative accents made of clay and enhanced with holy water; glazed with gold and silver finishes by John Hodge, $48 each. Rug Chic Home Décor, Mandeville, 985-674-1070.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 17

Gift Guide 1.

2.

3.

1. Southeastern Louisiana University’s first-ever children’s book, $14.95. Written by Inside Northside contributor Erin Moore Cowser. 2. 9” tabletop lantern in Nickel, $400; available in Gold, $500; Copper, $300. Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights, New Orleans, 504-522-9485. 3. Fun, tan fur vest, $50. Columbia Street Mercantile, Covington, 4.

985-809-1789. 4. Lisbon stemware by Edgar Berebi with interchangeable tops. Lisbon stemware, $325. Arabella Fine Gifts and Home Décor, Mandeville, 985-727-9787.

5. Honeycomb calcite cheese board, $26.25; cheese slicer with honeycomb calcite handle, $35. The Original Earth Glow, Covington, 985-893-2766.

5.

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Inside New Orleans

HAZELNUT Fine gifts and elegant home accessories combining Old World charm with a chic metropolitan twist. Seasonal décor, books, jewelry, frames, Vietri Italian ceramics and an array of New Orleans toile items designed by Bryan Batt. 2735 Hwy 190, Mandeville, 985-626-8900; 5515 Magazine St., New Orleans, 504-891-2424. hazelnutneworleans.com

LOWE’S JEWELERS

EMMA’S SHOES AND ACCESSORIES

Featuring premium quality natural sapphires and

Experience more in luxury and fashion-forward styles from

diamond jewelry by Spark Creations. Celebrating 20 years

premium-quality designers that complement today’s ever-

as a full-service fine jeweler offering diamond and gemstone

changing trends while staying true to the classics. Offering shoes,

jewelry, watches, in-house repairs, appraisals and custom

jewelry, handbags and accessories at price points that fit every

design creations. 5150 Hwy. 22, Mandeville, 985-845-4653.

budget. 3904 Hwy. 22 Mandeville, 985-778-2200; 110 Rosa

lowesjewelers.com.

Ave., Metairie, 504-407-0668. emmasshoes.com

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Inside New Orleans

Gift Guide

1.

2.

3.

1. Swarovski graphite pearl 7.5” blessing bracelet in sterling silver, each pearl represents a blessing, $30; necklace, $35; earrings, $20. Mainstream Boutique, Mandeville, 985-674-6600. 2. Lafco Berry 120-hour-burning candle, $60. Welcome Home and Garden, Covington, 985-893-3933.

4.

3. Prayers on the Side wall plaque, $65. mélange

by KP, Mandeville, 985-871-0810. 4. Foxtrimmed knitted Rex Vest, $350. Wehmeier’s, New Orleans, 504-681-2082.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 21

Gift Guide

1. State of Louisiana necklace, $15.99. Private Beach, Mandeville, 985-674-2326. 2. Two-tier serving stand with burled wood, $212. Lifestyle Store at Franco’s Athletic Club, Mandeville, 985792-0200. 3. The Cat’s pajamas, 100% cotton, 1.

made in the USA, $88. George’s Girls, Bay St. Louis, 228-216-0558. 4. 36” handmade turkey and pheasant mantelpiece swag with backdrop of dried magnolia leaves, $125. History Antiques and Interiors, Covington, 985-892-0010.

2.

3.

4.

22

Inside New Orleans

OIL & VINEGAR Experience our international flair—sample, choose and enjoy a World Of Taste! Imported olive oils and vinegars on tap, pesto and tapenades, appetizers, marinades and sauces, dressings, mustards, salts, exotic herb mixes and more, with a host of handcrafted ceramics and culinary accessories. 6111 Pinnacle Pkwy, Covington, 985-809-1693. louisiana.oilandvinegarusa.com.

THE ORIGINAL EARTH GLOW, LLC

EMB INTERIORS

Honeycomb Calcite: Natural stone over 150 million years old

Your destination for fine home furnishings and accessories.

discovered in 1995; found only in one mountain in Utah. One of

Contemporary, Transitional and Traditional styles to suit every taste.

few stones both translucent and transparent—beautiful with light

4510 Hwy. 22, Mandeville, 985-626-1522. embinteriors.com.

behind it! Makes unique accent pieces; can be used architecturally. 1600 N Hwy 190, Suite 11; Covington; 985-893-2766. originalearthglow.com.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 23

Give Kids the ’TWAS JUST ABOUT CHRISTMAS and you were a-quandary. You could hardly eat, sleep or even do laundry. The problem was gifty; the list was not done. You hadn’t yet started; you’d gotten not one.

Your mind was made fast; you’d buy quality to last. It gives you no joys that the kids have too many toys. You ponder, query, look— and realize that the kidlets need books!

But there again: quandary, indecision, confusion. You know not what to buy; and that’s no illusion.

But here’s where I help; I’ll leave you no questions. These great kids’ books are my best suggestions …

For Your Littlest Angel I’ve said this before. The tiny tykes on your gift list will always be happy with board books, which can usually be had for under $10, or you can get cloth books, which they can chew on. But for kids under 2-to-2-and-a-half, anything they can’t put in their mouth is mostly a gift for the parents.

If you’re still determined to find a gift for a baby or small toddler, there are some really nice classic fairy tale books out there, with lavish illustrations. Or look for a storybook that you enjoyed when you were a kid. Books like these are an investment in the child’s reading future.

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Inside New Orleans

For The Toddler Or Early Reader Ages 4-7 Kids this age, as many mothers would admit, love to be silly.

That’s why a silly book like This is a Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak is just perfect. The trick here is to be perfectly willing to make a fool of yourself by making snorts, raspberries and other assorted goofy sounds; if you can do that, the real gift here will be the giggles you’ll get. Along those same lines, look for Don’t Push the Button! by Bill Cotter, a book that practically begs you to actually do you-know-what …

Kids who love animals will love My Puppy Gave to Me by Cheryl Dannenbring, illustrated

by Cynthia Dremsner. It’s a Christmastime tale of a mischievous puppy, the trouble it gets into and the love it gives back. For sure, this book is a charmer, even for adults!

Middle Readers Ages 7-12 I often mourn that there aren’t enough “boy books” out there, but The Dogs and I by Kenny Salwey works like magic, especially if the boy (or, of course, like-minded girl) loves to hunt or explore the outdoors. It’s about Salwey’s life and the dogs who’ve explored the Mississippi River with him over the years. It may be a bit of a challenge for kids on the younger

Gift of Reading

by Teri Schlichenmeyer

side of this age group, but this book is worth it.

I also liked Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes, a story of a young slave girl who’s raised on a small sugar cane plantation on the banks of the Mississippi River. Because the plantation is small, and falling on hard times toward the end of the War, she’s allowed certain liberties that many slave children don’t have.

What happens will keep your child enthralled …

If you’ve decided to give a child this age a Christmas book, then look for The Birds’ Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin. You’ll have to dig to find a reprint—it was first published nearly 130 years ago— but it’s a real classic that you may remember. (I’ll bet you haven’t thought of that book in ages, have you?)

For kids this age, I think it’s important to know the reading level of the child for whom you’re buying a gift. Is he reading well? Can she enjoy a book on her own, or with a little help? That makes a really big difference in how excited the child will be with book-as-gift. You can get around this with a gift certificate to the bookstore or a book with a really fun bookmark. Or both.

Teen Readers Ages 12 And Up For me, this is the fun age to find books for because there’s a really good chance you can wrap up

something you love that you read last week. Trivia buffs will enjoy Ask a Science Teacher by Larry Scheckel.

It’s a fun book that’s not stuffyschool-science, but is addicting, humorous and actually informative.

Bonus: you can share it.

I also loved The Fashion Book by DK Publishers. It’s a clothes-shoesaccessories look through the ages, starting way back several hundreds of years ago. Besides the history aspect of this book, there are also tips for teens who are just getting to know their own style and hints for putting together a great look. Bonus: you can share it.

And if novels are more to your teen’s liking, the two out-shiners I found this year are Noggin by John Corey Whaley, the semi-futuristic story of a boy who’s given a highly unusual option of escaping certain death by a disease he has; and Endangered by Jean Love Cush, the story of a boy who’s accused of a murder he didn’t commit and the struggle his mother has with “the system” in getting him out of jail.

Bonus: you can share them (Do you see a pattern here?).

If these great ideas for your child don’t quite make the grade, here’s what you do: walk into the bookstore and throw yourself on the mercy of the fabulous bookseller. Knowing books and finding gifts is what they get paid the Big Bucks to do. Use them. Really, they’ll be overjoyed to help. Season’s Readings!

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 25

WELLINGTON & CO. FINE JEWELRY

JUJU’S BOUTIQUE

Large collection of antique, estate and modern jewelry. The

Your one-stop shop for the latest in clothing, denim, shoes,

antique and estate collection is devoted to the Victorian,

jewelry and accessories to complement your wardrobe.

Edwardian and Art Deco Periods. Also, a large selection of

Affordable trends from head to toe, with new arrivals daily! Follow

diamond engagement rings and modern designers like Tacori,

our fashion blog and shop online at jujuboutique.com. Market at

Honora and Ernst Benz. 505 Royal St., New Orleans.

Chenier, 1901 Hwy. 190, Mandeville, 985-624-3600. Also in

504-525-4855. wcjewelry.com.

Houma, Baton Rouge, Lafayette.

MAINSTREAM BOUTIQUE

AMERICAN FACTORY DIRECT

Unique clothing and accessories for women of all ages and

Furnish and decorate your dream home today! The designer showrooms of

sizes. You’ll find the latest in ready-to-wear dresses, tops, denim,

this leading Gulf South furniture retailer showcases a wide variety of top-name

jewelry, scarves and more at affordable prices. Whether you are

furniture styles and accessories. Complimentary Design Consultants, competitive

young or young at heart, you will walk away looking and feeling

pricing, 60-day price guarantee. Store, 68490 Hwy. 59, Mandeville.

FABULOUS! 1901 Hwy. 190, Mandeville, 985-674-6600.

Clearance and Distribution Center, 210 New Camellia Blvd.,

/mainstreamboutiquemandeville 26

Inside New Orleans

Covington, I-12 Exit 57 South, 985-871-0300. afd-furniture.com.

Gift Guide

3.

1.

2.

1. Give the gift of residential or commercial standby power from Generac generators. Call for a quote. Pan American Power, Covington, 985-893-1271. 2. China Baroque holiday collection made from vintage china tableware, Sleighride pattern by Lenox featured, $39-$284. The Shop at The Collection, The Historic New Orleans Collection, 504-523-4662. 3. Mediterranean spices and dips with Taris Extra Virgin Olive Oil, starting at $9.99. Oil & Vinegar, Covington, 985-809-1693. 4. Vince Camuto glitter cocktail pumps, $119. ShoefflĂŠ, Covington, 985-898-6465.

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Inside New Orleans

4.

DELUCA’S EXPRESSIONS IN GOLD

THE OASIS DAY SPA

DeLuca’s Expressions in Gold has a vast selection of stackable

BE A GIFTED GIVER! Buy $100 in gift cards Nov. 23-29 and

rings, jewelry, gifts and home décor to satisfy any person on your

get a $20 bonus gift card. A relaxation and wellness spa offering

list this season. Experienced engravers are on staff to personalize

massages, esthetics, manicures, pedicures, skin care products

your gifts. The friendly staff is on hand to answer questions about

and exquisite gifts. Extended holiday hours and evening

all of the items in their 3,800 square foot store. 842 Collins Blvd.,

appointments available. 1357 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville,

Covington, 985-892-2317. delucasjewelry.com

985-624-6772. theoasisdayspa.net.

BORA BORA

PRIVATE BEACH LLC

Upgrade your denim to leather, wax or suede jeggings. Bora Bora

Does someone on your holiday list need to chill a little, but has

has sweaters and accessories to complete the perfect outfit–all

limited time? With a Private Beach gift certificate, in 20 minutes

must-haves for the season. Also, check out what’s new in 2015

or less they can get a beautiful tan, Red Light treatment or teeth

swim. The buzz is Bora Bora has it all!!!

whitening. All treatments under $100. 2180 N. Causeway Blvd.,

#2 St. Ann Dr., Mandeville, 985-951-8454.

Mandeville, 985-674-2326. private-beach.com.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 29

CHAMPAGNE JEWELERS

ARABELLA FINE GIFTS AND HOME DÉCOR

The leading jewelry store in St. Tammany Parish for over 66 years.

The northshore’s most unique selection of finer holiday home

Exquisite pieces for every milestone and special occasion. These

décor, must-haves for entertaining and gifts in every price range

rose gold rings would be a unique addition to any collection. Our

for everyone on your list. Gift Certificates • Personal Shopping

engagement and fashion selections include engagement rings

Corporate Gifts • Gift Wrapping • Shipping • Delivery

starting at $1,500. 1344 Corporate Square, Slidell.

3902 Hwy 22, Mandeville, 985-727-9787.

985-643-2599. champagnejewelers.com

Holiday Hours: Mon-Sat, 10-7; Sun, 12-5

RALPH BRENNAN RESTAURANT GROUP

FRANCO’S LIFESTYLE BOUTIQUE

Feed your favorite foodie with this favorite Holiday Gift! Buy

The lifestyle store at Franco’s offers the latest in women’s apparel,

$100 in Holiday Gift Cards, and Receive a $25 BONUS Gift Card

accessories, jewelry, gift, skin care and luxury linen. Shop for the

November 28 - December 30, 2014. Purchase neworleans-food.

latest in fashion and gifts just in time for holidays. Boutique and

com or go to Ralph’s on the Park, cafe b, Red Fish Grill, Heritage

Spa Gift Cards available. Open to the public.

Grill or Brennan’s OR Call 504-539-5520 for bulk purchases!

100 Bon Temps Roule, Mandeville, 985-792-0270. myfrancos.com.

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Inside New Orleans

WHILE ATTENDING DEPOSITIONS in San Francisco many years ago, I was prevented from flying home because of a tropical storm threatening the Gulf Coast. Poor me. The next day, I met my friend Bettie for a pre-lunch drink at one of her favorite dive bars.

The bartender was a dead-ringer for the 80s rock star Joan Jett, complete with leather jacket and spiky, coalblack hair. When we ordered a bloody mary and a milk punch, she glared at me from behind the bar and said, “A what?” Oh, here we go, I thought.

If I ordered a milk punch at a bar in New Orleans, I certainly wouldn’t get a blank stare. Any respectable bartender would say, “Brandy or bourbon?”

Nevertheless, Joan Jett was up for the challenge and asked me how to make it. I explained that the drink was a simple concoction of milk, bourbon whiskey, simple syrup and a pinch of nutmeg.

She then looked at me with her bloodshot eyes, rimmed with kohl black eyeliner thicker than garden soil and said, “Seriously dude? You’re not really asking me to like, mix up milk, bourbon and sugar in the same glass are you?” I nodded.

To my affirmative reply, she answered, “Whatever, man. Go for it.” I wondered if this was yet another

as skunks and their curly black hair matted with a sticky white liquid that smelled suspiciously of bourbon. Apparently, I forgot to close the refrigerator door in my youthful enthusiasm. All we needed was Joan Jett’s I Love Rock and Roll accompanying the three drunk poodles.

As for the best milk punch in town, I’m not sure my liver could withstand testing every bar in town. I know Galatoire’s makes a mighty fine one. However, I would love to challenge my three favorite bartenders—

photo courtesy: BROUSSARD’S RESTAURANT

Cheers to Milk Punch! instance of how isolated New Orleanians are from the rest of the world. I should have ordered the house chardonnay and avoided the fuss, but she followed my instructions and made a perfectly decent drink, albeit with scorn written all over her face. In retrospect, I should have ordered a scotch and grapefruit juice, to go.

My grandfather Horton once told me there was no such thing as a Harold who did not like bourbon.

He went so far as to tell me that I was such an abominable baby that my mother should have added milk punch to my bottle for her sanity. I witnessed firsthand the stealthy power of the drink when I was around fifteen. One afternoon, best friend David and I made the concoction for his mother, who was hosting a luncheon the following day. Once finished, we proudly crammed three plastic pitchers overflowing with milk punch into his fridge. Hours later his mother found her three black Standard Poodles—Andrew, Charles and Windsor—drunk

by Michael Harold

Julia at La Petite Grocery, Abigail at SoBou and Garth at Clancy’s—to a competition. I provide the bar and they make the drinks. I will see if they are up for the task.

Now when it comes to the strongest milk punch in New Orleans, I bestow that award on my friend Keene who mixes a terrifying combination of rum, bourbon, brandy and Bluebell ice cream. He froths the ingredients in a blender and shaves his own nutmeg on top. When they were first dating, his wife attended a holiday party at the family home in Mississippi.

Keene advised her to monitor the milk punch consumption, not wanting his new girlfriend to be the embarrassing guest who had to be carried home.

But, it was Keene, not his wife-to-be, who ended up spending Christmas Eve night on the bathroom floor!

If I had to create my own milk punch recipe, I would incorporate Advil into the mixture for the inevitable hangover. Or better yet, maybe I should just stick to the safer option—California chardonnay, dude.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 31

Gift Guide 2.

1.

1. Wall art for your little angel, $38. deCoeur Gifts & Home Accessories, Covington, 985809-3244. 2. Cruise 2015 Trina Turk top, $104; bottom, $84.

3.

Bora Bora, Mandeville, 985951-8454. 3. Marco Bicego 18k hand-engraved yellow gold necklace from the Lunaria collection, $6,110. Lee Michaels Jewelers, Metairie, 504-832-

4.

0000. 4. Ralph Brennan’s New Orleans Seafood Cookbook, including a comprehensive seafood cook’s manual and 170 recipes featuring classic and contemporary seafood preparations, $35. Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, New Orleans, 504-539-5520.

32

Inside New Orleans

INFUSÉ OILS & VINEGARS Custom gift baskets with the highest quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars complemented by our gourmet products.

Starting at $30. 310 Dalwill Dr., Mandeville, 985-778-0903. infuseoilsandvinegars.com

NICHE MODERN HOME Find your NICHE this Christmas with creative gifts for everyone.

Whether for a gracious hostess or something extraordinary for that special person on your list, you’ll find the perfect gift.

The Market at Chenier, 1901 Hwy. 190, Suite 3, Mandeville, 985-624-4045. Holiday hours: Monday – Saturday, 10am-6pm; Sunday, 11am-5pm. nichemodernhome.com.

34

Inside New Orleans

FLORIST OF COVINGTON Let award-winning certified designers create holiday magic for you! Home decorating service also available. 2640 N. Hwy. 190, Covington, 985-892-7701. floristofcovington.com.

Books for Holiday Giving

WITH A PLETHORA of electronic devices for reading, holding an actual book is all-too-often sporadic. These beautiful selections are gems that are infinitely more than simply words on a page. Each would make a distinctive gift for someone on your list.

Down South, by Donald Link.

This regional collection of 110 standout recipes and 100 beautiful photographs whets the appetite of the reader with a sampling of the best food around. Available at Hazelnut.

Vanity Fair 100 Years,

by Vanity Fair.

A time-capsule format showcases sumptuous imagery that tells the story of the century from the Jazz Age through the Information Age, as seen by the magazine.

Available at Hazelnut.

A Little Bit of Paris, by Jean-Jacque Sempe.

New Yorker cover illustrator Jean-Jacque Sempe creates 128 drawings for this humorous and sentimental look at The City of Light. Anyone who loves Paris will treasure this book.

Available at Rug Chic.

Veranda—A Passion for Living: Houses of Style and Inspiration, by Carolyn Englefield.

A beautiful collection of 30 European houses from Sweden and Switzerland to France and Italy. Available at Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights.

Who We Are, by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

For 25 years, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams have created a relaxed, modern style that is the perfect balance between hip and traditional. Read how they turned a small upholstery company into one of the industry’s leading corporations. Available at Villa Vici.

Bals by Nicholas Foulkes.

A wonderful and well-documented account of legendary balls from the 17th century through the 20th with gorgeous photography. Available at Hazelnut.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 35

Gift Guide

1.

2.

1. Swing chemise with symmetrical front and back, inset lace at V-neck, made of modal and spandex by Linda Hartman, $68. Bra Genie, Mandeville, 985-951-8638. 2. Natural, high-quality pearls strung on hand-rolled leather cord earrings, $24; necklace, $95. [brown eyed girl], Mandeville, 985-626-0100.

3. Ladies wide-band fashion ring with 1cttw round brilliant white, yellow and champagne diamonds set in 14kt yellow gold. Champagne Jewelers, Slidell, 985-643-2599. 4. Barefoot Dreams™ throw, $139. Earthsavers, Mandeville, 985-674-1133.

3.

4.

36

Inside New Orleans

LA PETIT FLEUR

M. DESIGN & CONSULTATION, LLC

Featuring contemporary and estate jewelry with a highlight

Bring new life to any timeless treasure with beautiful fabrics and

on color. One spectacular example is the work of artist Joan

custom paint finishes. Choose from an array of fabrics that will

Slifka. Her work features beautiful gemstones, silver charm work

update any piece of furniture or window covering.

and tooling on every surface she creates.

Call 504-343-4672 for your free consultation for a new

534 Royal St., New Orleans, 504-522-1305, 800-285-2130.

look this holiday season. mdesignandconsultation.com,

lapetitfleur.com, info@lapetitfleur.com.

facebook.com/mdesignandconsultation.

GEORGE’S GIRLS

WEHMEIERS

Take a daytrip to charming Old Town Bay St. Louis and discover

Embroidered boots by Lane, from a fabulous selection for men

our unique and varied selection of gifts—silky pajamas, luxurious

and women including styles by Lucchese, Old Gringo and Corral.

candles and bath products, clothing and jewelry, to name a few.

Fine exotic leathers a specialty, featured in belts and accessories.

Old Town Bay St. Louis, 108 South Beach Blvd., Suite B.,

Elegant furs for ladies are a great choice for the holidays.

Bay St. Louis, Miss., 228-216-0558.

333 Canal St., Suite 217, New Orleans, 504-681-2082. wehmeiers.com.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 37

DR. GARY AGENA, OB/GYN

ALL WRAPPED UP

The ultimate mom-to-be gift! 4D ultrasound and prenatal massage

Wrap up your Christmas shopping with one stop! Beautiful

package includes a glimpse of her precious miracle, disc, printed

children’s clothing, quality toys, jewelry, original art, hand-thrown

pictures and relaxing one-hour massage. $199. Dr. Agena provides

pottery, housewares, home décor and much more. Gifts for

comprehensive women’s obstetrical and gynecological services

everyone on your list, wrapped while you wait!

and is an expert in surgical procedures. 393 Hwy 21, Ste 525;

800 Asbury Dr., Mandeville, 985-778-2041.

Madisonville; 985-845-7121. garyagenamd.com.

BRA GENIE - EXPERT BRA FITTING

PALM VILLAGE - A LILLY PULITZER SIGNATURE STORE

A personal, professional fitting experience. Bands 28-52; Cups

Women’s and girls’ clothes, shoes, accessories and gifts

A-K. Largest inventory and size range in the South! Perfect fit

designed by Lilly Pulitzer. Our Murfee scarf with New Orleans

guaranteed. Shapewear, swimwear, PJ’s and accessories. Gift

flair is a great stocking stuffer and can be worn five ways! Gift

cards. Walk-ins or by appointment, Mon.-Sat, 10-6; Sundays in

cards. Mon - Sat: 10- 7; Sun: 12 – 5. The Village; 2735 Hwy.

December, 12-4. The Village, 2881 Hwy 190, Mandeville,

190, Ste. C; Mandeville; 985-778-2547.

985-951-8638. TheBraGenie.com.

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Inside New Orleans

Gift Guide

1.

2.

1. Sarra cuff made of antiqued brass and crystals

by Loren Hope bends to adjust for sizing; available in nine colors, $78. Paisley, Mandeville, 985-727-7880. 2. Faux fur and knit vest by Nuage, $54. POSH Boutique, Covington, 985898-2639. 3. Gold leaf coaster set exclusively made by Simply Southern with four different designs in each set; tiles available in purple, black, teal and ivory, $32. Simply Southern, Covington, 985-871-1466. 4. Lilly Pulitzer loose-fitting silk Elsa Top in “Let Minnow,� $158; Cork envelope Everglade Clutch with tassel hardware detail, $98. Palm Village, A Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store, Mandeville, 985-778-2547.

3.

4.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 39

Gift Cards 2.

1.

4.

3.

1. Spoil your skin this holiday season! Northshore Dermatology, Slidell and Madisonville, 985-641-5198. 2. Ultherapy, microderm, botox, chemical peels. Skin Science, Metairie, 504-309-7048. 3. Perfect mom-to-be gift: 4D ultrasounds, prenatal massages. Dr. Agena, Covington, 985-845-7121. 4. Shop the mall with gifts cards from $20. North Shore Square Mall, Slidell, 985-646-0661. 5. A gift of healthy living, open to the public.

Community Center at Christwood, 985-292-1234. 6. Stay warm with a Scotts’ gift card. The Scotts’ Coffee and Tapas Bar, Mandeville, 985-231-7632. 7. Manicures, pedicures, facials and massages.

5.

Lotus Spa, Community Center at Christwood, 985-292-1234.

8. Gift the gift of Coolsculpting®. Sculpting Center of New Orleans, Metairie, 504-309-9456. 9. Gift certificates for Steamboat NATCHEZ Cruises and Gray Line Tours. Any denomination. Steamboat Natchez, New Orleans, 504-569-1481.

6.

7.

8.

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Inside New Orleans

9.

THE MIX The ultimate closet for Her and Him! Get the finest clothing, shoes, gifts and accessories this holiday season! Plus a Vera Bradley room filled wall-to-wall with all of your favorite patterns and styles! 4480 Hwy. 22 Mandeville, LA 70471, 985-727-7MIX (7649). themixclothing.com.

HESTIA LUXURY IN LINENS

THE SCOTTS’ COFFEE & TAPAS BAR

Hestia is a full-service design studio with many ready-made

Breakfast and lunch daily. Weekend tapas. Full liquor service,

bedding lines. We can help with all your bed, bath and window

fresh pastries, gourmet coffees and teas, sandwiches,

needs. Call us today for a FREE in-home consultation.

salads. On- and off-site catering. Reserve our unique

61 Park Place Dr., Covington, 985-893-0490. hestialinens.com.

space for your special holiday, birthday, shower or wedding event. 201 Carroll St., Mandeville, 985-231-7632.

Thescottscoffeebar.com.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 41

ACCENTS & THINGS

MIA SORELLA

Gifts for your home and special friends featuring Pandora sterling

Make Santa’s shopping easy this Holiday Season! Pop in to find

silver and 14k gold jewelry, Brighton leather goods and jewelry,

the perfect gift at our one-stop gift shop....Great lines of jewelry,

Mudpie home decor and baby items, Barefoot Dreams and

women’s accessories, unique baby gifts, home décor, men’s

Uttermost. Handmade pottery by Connie Mickle and Oysteria,

gifts and more! Complimentary gift wrapping while you wait.

plus unique handcrafted jewelry by ShuShuTonobi. 3056 E.

Stop. Shop. Wrap. 1354 Corporate Square, Slidell,

Gause Blvd., Slidell, 985-649-4273. accentsandthings.com.

985-781-3909. miasorelladecor.com.

FOOT SOLUTIONS

ARMBRUSTER ARTWORKS STUDIO

This holiday give the gift of comfort and joy! We offer a large

Fine art instruction and workshops available for students

selection of men’s and women’s stylish footwear, Anuschka hand-

of all experience levels. Armbruster’s original landscapes,

painted handbags, cozy socks and pampering foot care items.

nudes and still life oil paintings are found in galleries across

Not sure what to buy? A gift certificate is the perfect choice!

the country. Commissions available. 420 N. Vermont St.,

3213 17th St., Metairie, 504-833-3555.

Covington, 985-630-6295. armbrusterartworks.com.

footsolutionsmetairie.com.

42

Inside New Orleans

B

Give the Gift of Fitness

Fitness Expo

WHAT BETTER PRESENT can you give than the convenience of working out at home?

The last several years have seen a boom of people purchasing exercise equipment for their home. Why? Exercise on your own time.

No dress code—and no need to throw on makeup! No travel time. No waiting in line for machines. No sanitation issues. No need to find a babysitter. (And, of course, no more excuses!)

Today’s high-quality machines suitable for use at home are technologically advanced and smoother than ever, making it easier to achieve results. Here are a few of the latest and greatest, all offered exclusively at Fitness Expo.

Any one of these would be a welcome gift to that special person who is striving to live a healthier lifestyle.

• The Octane Xride is the first-ever seated elliptical crosstrainer machine. Allows the user to sit down to perform a cardiovascular workout and at the same time, upper body exercises, providing a full-body workout.

• New! Zero Runner. Finally, an indoor machine for people

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who love to run. Absolutely NO impact—log miles without beating your body up. Super quiet, with no loud pounding noise. Much better workout than a treadmill.

• Precor, the most reputable manufacturer worldwide, has recently redesigned its entire lineup of cardio equipment.

Now, you can use your personal iPad for all types of entertainment while you work out. Download a large array of fitness apps for free—a personal trainer, per se, at no charge! Starting at $1,999.00.

• Functional training is all the rave. The Hoist My 6 Functional Trainer, a small, compact machine, allows for crossfit-style training in the privacy of your own home.

Recreates and helps in real-world activities like golf, tennis and career training, such as firefighting or police training.

• The Water Rower is the most popular rowing machine on the market—and at $1,095.00, one of the most affordable. It simulates real rowing motions.

Fitness Expo, a locally owned family business, has provided the highest-quality fitness equipment, personal consultants and service to its customers for 35 years, with locations in Louisiana and Mississippi. The flagship store in Metairie is considered one of the largest displays of fitness equipment in the country. The company’s success stems from the belief that the only “right” piece of exercise equipment is the one a customer will actually use. Because the quality of Fitness Expo’s equipment makes it more comfortable to use and offers results, customers typically use it instead of hanging their clothes on it.

With Fitness Expo’s great selection, knowledgeable consultants, delivery, installation and service after the sale—plus gift certificates— giving the gift of fitness has never been easier!

Fitness Expo is located at 4124 Veterans Blvd. in Metairie, 504-265-1452. fitnessexpostores.com.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 43

HOLIDAY a handy guide to holiday events and entertainment in and around New Orleans

1-24 Santa at North Shore Square

New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St. Seating

and live jazz music by the Steamboat

Mall. 150 Northshore Blvd, Slidell.

times, 11am-1pm; 2:30-4:30pm. Adult,

Stompers Trio. Boarding, 7pm; cruising,

(985) 646-0661.

$58-$68; children, $43-$53. (504) 533-

7:30-9:30pm. Adults, $75; children

2328. sonesta.com.

6-12, $40.25; under 6, $22.25. (504)

1-26 Christmas New Orleans Style.

Cooking demonstrations and other

6,13 Family Holiday Tea. Seasonal

586-8777. steamboatnatchez.com.

25 Roosevelt Christmas Brunch.

holiday special events. French Market

sounds, hot chocolate and tea. Longue

District, 1235 N Peters St, New Orleans.

Vue House & Gardens, 7 Bamboo Rd,

Buffet-style brunch by Chef de Cuisine

(504) 522-2621. frenchmarket.org.

New Orleans. 1-3pm. Reservations

Mark A. Majorie Jr. Blue Room, The

1-31 Merriment on Magazine Street.

required. Children members, $20;

Roosevelt New Orleans A Waldorf

Magazine St. Merchants Association

children nonmembers, $25; adult

Astoria Hotel, 130 Roosevelt Way.

and First NBC sponsoring giveaways,

members, $35; adult nonmembers,

$95 per person. (504) 648-1200.

events and specials. (504) 342-4435. magazinestreet.com.

1-Jan 3 Christmas in the Oaks. City

therooseveltneworleans.com.

27 Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian

Ballet Association and local dance

Nutcracker. Saenger Theater, 1111

Park’s annual holiday lighting exhibit and

students will perform. Dixon Hall, Tulane

Canal St, New Orleans. 3pm, 7pm.

festival. New Orleans Botanical Garden,

University. 3pm, 6pm. $5. (504) 522-

Victory Ave, New Orleans. Fri-Sat,

0996. nobadance.com.

6-11pm; Sun-Thurs, 6-10pm. Closed

9,11,16,20 Holiday Tea. Longue Vue

(504) 525-1052. saengernola.com.

27-28 Creole Christmas. Tour five historic homes, learn about 19th century

Dec 24, 31. Adults, $8; Friends of City

House & Gardens, 7 Bamboo Rd, New

Christmas in New Orleans. 1850 House

Park/children 3 and under, free. (504)

Orleans. 1:30-3:30pm. Reservation

Museum Store, 523 St. Ann St, New

483-9415. neworleanscitypark.com.

required. Members, $35; nonmembers,

Orleans. FOC members, $20; general

$40. (504) 293-4701. longuevue.com.

admission, $25. (504) 523-3939.

5-7 Christmas in the Country. Special activities, including lighting of town

13 Jingle Bugs. Santa Claus at

friendsofthecabildo.org.

31 Crescent City Countdown.

tree, tour of homes, Christmas parade.

Audubon Butterfly Garden and

St. Francisville, La. (800) 789-4221.

Insectarium. 423 Canal St, New

Jackson Square, New Orleans. 9pm.

stfrancisvillefestivals.com.

Orleans. 10am-5pm. Adults, 13+,

frenchmarket.org.

5-7, 12-14 Free Pictures with Santa. Hot

16.50; 65+, $13; children, $12. (504)

chocolate, holiday treats and photos

524-2847. Auduboninstitute.org.

with Santa. Deanie’s Seafood in the

14 Christmas on the Northshore 2014.

31 New Year’s Eve Extravaganza. Holiday menu, premium open bar, reserved seating and live music by Nadja Cole

French Quarter, 841 Iberville St, New

The St. Timothy Choir with Northshore

dance band. Boarding, 9:30pm; cruise,

Orleans. 5-10pm. (504) 581-1316.

Orchestra. St. Timothy on the Northshore

10:30pm-12:30am. $175 per person.

deanies.com.

UMC, 335 Asbury Dr, Mandeville.

5-7, 12-14, 19-21 A Christmas Carol, The Musical. Rivertown Theaters, 325 Minor St, Kenner. rivertowntheaters.com.

6-7, 14-15, 20-23 Royal Teddy Bear Tea. Festive menu and holiday program featuring Royal Teddy Bear and New Orleans Saintsations. Royal Sonesta 44

$40. (504) 293-4701. longuevue.com.

7 The Nutcracker Suite. New Orleans

Inside New Orleans

3pm-till. Free. (985) 626-3307.

21 Caroling in Jackson Square. Gates open, 6:30pm; caroling, 7pm.

24 Christmas Eve Bonfire on the Levee.

Hwy 44, Gramercy. (800) 367-7852.

24 Steamboat Natchez Christmas Eve Cruise. Holiday buffet, reserved seating

(504) 586-8777. steamboatnatchez.com.

31 Zoo Year’s Eve. Kids countdown to noon, party hats and music.

Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St. 10:30am-12:30pm. Free for Audubon members or with Zoo admission.

Ages 13-64, $17.50; 65+, $13; Ages 2-12, $12. auduboninstitute.org.

POSH BOUTIQUE

RUG CHIC HOME DÉCOR

Posh Boutique is known for quality clothing at competitive

Specializing in high-quality handmade rugs in an array of colors

price points. Offering a wide selection of clothing, shoes and

and sizes. Attractive sofas, dining tables, custom slipcovered and

accessories with local designers. We offer free gift wrapping and

upholstered chairs, outdoor furniture, unique lighting, local art and

have a wonderful, helpful staff that makes all of your shopping

an incredible selection of distinctive accessories and gifts under

needs easy and fun! poshboutiquestores.com.

$50. Mon-Sat, 10-5. 4240 Hwy 22, Mandeville, 985-674-1070. rugchic.com.

THE JEFFERSON HOUSE

EARTHSAVERS

Celebrating over 40 years in business! We carry a huge selection

Gift cards make the perfect gift for those hard-to-shop-for

of Beatriz Ball, Annie Glass and Byer’s Choice Choir Dolls, as well

people on your list. They can be used for any of our hundreds

as invitations, stationery, in-house printing, bridal registry, gifts for

of services and products, such as the fresh balsam and oak

dad and baby too! 619 S. Jefferson Ave., Covington,

moss diffuser with aromatic cedar wood, cinnamon and

985-892-6841.

eucalyptus from Illume. Mandeville, 985-674-1133.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014 45

MÉLANGE BY KP Great gifts for the holidays. Home décor, accessories and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint . 5200 Hwy. 22, Ste. 2, Mandeville, TM

985-807-7652. melangekp.com.

RIVERVIEW CAMP FOR GIRLS

CALIFORNIA DRAWSTRINGS

A community where your daughters grow in maturity–while having

The gift of a fabulous beaded scarf or handbag is a sure way to

a great time in a safe, carefree and wholesome environment.

someone’s heart. Women’s fashions and accessories–unique,

Located in Mentone, AL. 800-882-0722. riverviewcamp.com.

elegant, flattering, forgiving! Natural fibers. 827 Walker Alley, Lee Lane, Covington 985-327-7300. ccdnclothing.com.

46

Inside New Orleans

Wine Cellar

by Bill Kearney

LIKE MANY OF YOU, I count Christmas time as my favorite time of the year, though Mardi Gras is a razor-close second. The joyous celebrations associated with the holidays create copious opportunities to imbibe in wonderful wines.

No other wine is more associated with celebration than the nectar of the Gods, whose juice emits those tiny bubbles and is commonly referred to as Champagne. As Americans, we have been trained to associate special celebrations with the consumption of Champagne, and thus many wine columnists focus the dedication of their articles to “Bubbles” during Christmas and New Year’s. I hope you are not expecting an article that extols the many

Valley since before the birth of Christ might also lead us to acknowledge they have experience on their side.

It is from the Southern Rhône that we find several different levels of red wine that can serve to enhance any occasion and any meal. In all likelihood, many of you will have heard of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, if for no other reason than it’s a very catchy name. The English translation is literally “The Pope’s New Castle,” as the papacy relocated for a period of time to the city of Avignon in the heart of the Rhône Valley. The bottles are readily identifiable; they are heavy glass embossed with some variation of the papal seal. The best wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are hedonistic and become even more fascinating with age. They can be made

Celebrating with Wine virtues of this marvelous product. This column will be dedicated to one of the most exciting vinicultural regions that I have visited and tasted. I hope to both accurately and joyously show you the wonder of the Rhône Valley in Southern France.

In America, we generally know about wines based upon their varietal nature. That is to say, we think of wines as being a cabernet or a merlot or a chardonnay. The French make a far different distinction that can confuse Americans; their wine laws acknowledge their wines as being not a type of grape but as being from a specific place. That place is governed by French law as able to have certain types of grapes, along with various other things the French may think to be important. More often than not, American wine consumers become confused as to this difference and, often to their detriment, do not venture into other wine regions.

The Southern Rhône can contain up to 19 different grape varieties that are blended to create a specific wine from that area. It is this blending of many different types of grapes that I find produces some of the world’s most interesting and exciting wines. One can only imagine how fascinating a wine can be with all of these different types of grapes. The fact that they have been making wines in the Rhône

with an abundance of grape varietals, though they are predominately made of grenache, syrah and mourvedre.

These wines are traditionally very full and rich in color and give off fascinating aromas while allowing for a unique flavor profile that includes degrees of earthiness and herbaceousness mixed with jammy fruit.

Critics long ago termed the phrase “baby” to relate a wine to a winery’s higher-caliber product. The intent here is to suggest that a “baby Châteauneuf” will deliver many of the same qualities while costing far less. While I deplore the use of this sales gimmick, I can attest to the fact that many areas of the Rhône Valley can deliver a great product at a far more reasonable price. Chief among these areas are the wines from Gigondas. These classic wines give off fascinating hints of white pepper and spice and are readily drinkable and generally more accessible to the consumer. While many do not consider these wines to be as prestigious as their neighbors in Châteauneuf, let me assure you the wines from Gigondas deliver a fine product that I consider to be one of the best values in the red-wine world.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Good wine is a necessity of life for me.” Remember, if a wine tastes good to you, it really is a good wine and therefore, according to Mr. Jefferson, a necessity.

December 2014-January 2015 131

Setting the Record Straight

As heavy fog cloaked the fields of Chalmette at dawn on that fateful morning, January 8, 1815, the future of our nation was in the hands of a motley troop: trained militia, local businessmen, freed men of color, Native Americans and even the infamous Jean Lafitte’s band of pirates—all under the command of General Andrew Jackson. That day, the American victory over the British in the Battle of New Orleans unified a thriving but fragile territory and forever changed the course of Louisiana and American history.

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by Sandra Scalise Juneau

During the 200th anniversary year of the Battle of New Orleans, that history will again come alive in Louisiana, with an unfolding of battle reenactments, tributes and memorials.

“The Battle of New Orleans has always interested me,” says Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, who established The Louisiana Bicentennial Commission. “It is important to commemorate the Battle and use its 200th anniversary as an opportunity to educate Louisianians and the rest of the world about what is widely regarded as the Americans’ greatest victory of the >>

image courtesy: THE HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION

Author-historian Ronald J. Drez looks to clear the air regarding the Battle of New Orleans

Battle of New Orleans; 1856; oil on canvas by Dennis Malone Carter, painter; The Historic New Orleans Collection, 1960.22.

December 2014-January 2015 133

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Ronald J. Drez

War of 1812.”

An array of historical and educational programs are planned for the commemoration, including art exhibits and other celebratory events. In coordination with these events, The War of 1812, Conflict and Deception, the ninth book by local author and

DIG A LITTLE DEEPER...

The Historic New Orleans Collection’s new exhibition, presented in conjunction with the bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans, sheds light on Andrew Jackson, the leader of that improbable American victory. Opened on Nov. 5, Andrew Jackson: Hero of New Orleans will be available to the public through March 29, 2015.

THNOC’s exhibition tracks Jackson’s rise from humble beginnings to immortality as a war hero and president. Early paintings and later prints, sculptures, medals and artifacts demonstrate the evolving public concept of Jackson as a military and political leader.

Highlights from THNOC’s own holdings include a selection of the infamous “coffin broadsides” printed by supporters of John Quincy Adams in the 1828 presidential election and rare funeral ribbons memorializing Jackson after his 1845 death.

The Historic New Orleans Collection, 533 Royal St., New Orleans, (504) 598-7173. Tues.—Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays; Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. hnoc.org.

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historian Ronald J. Drez, was commissioned by W. Henson Moore III, chairman of the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission.

The task of researching and documenting intricate details of the events leading up to the Battle of New Orleans and of recording the consequences of that victory could not have been entrusted to a more insightful historian than this award-winning author.

“Writing this new book about the Battle of New Orleans was an extreme pleasure,” says Drez.

“It gave me an opportunity to tell the story as it has never been told before, and to set aside once and for all the fallacies that have, over time, been introduced and have infected this most important event. The story is one that Hollywood could not even dream up, but it has been dragged down to a level of proclaimed unimportance by bad historians so as to rob Americans of a great chapter in our history and heritage.”

His meticulous research and personal connection to his work have set Drez apart in his writings. As a military historian, his body of work speaks to his zeal for both correcting the myth-telling that prevails in much of accepted history and for the exalting of unsung heroes, whose efforts are oftentimes

overlooked or misrepresented altogether through shoddy research and reporting. This leads to what Drez calls ‘proclamation history.’

“Proclamation history, in a nutshell, is to proclaim one’s thesis without evidence, or even if the evidence is contrary to that theses. The Battle of New Orleans is a classic example of many ‘historians’ proclaiming results when not in possession of the data or facts to support their conclusions, such as: ‘The war was over before the battle was fought.’ Sophomoric at best; stupid at worst,” says Drez.

Drez says that his latest work is but an extension of the original outrage expressed in 1927 by the Tennessee Commission of Research in “exposing the untruths being taught young America” about the battle after the commission had had enough of revisionism and proclamation. “This is a great American story; it is a great New Orleans story. It is the most crushing defeat of an enemy’s army in the history of warfare. It is the great David and Goliath story and sets America on its rise to globalism. How can anyone minimize that? Hopefully, my book will finally bring about the fruition of this commission’s original work.”

The War of 1812, Conflict and Deception is the result of more than four years of intense investigation that carried Drez deep into both British and American archives.

His research included studying the personal handwritten diaries and military journals of generals Andrew Jackson and Edward Pakenham.

“This book reawakens the thunder of the battlefield and presents the drama of the military and political maneuverings for exactly what it was—the technique of waging war to win,” says Drez. “In researching and studying this three-week battle, I walked the battlefields

and stood at the mouth of the Villere Canal. I boated the British approach on Lake Borgne and Bayou Bienvenue and followed Jackson’s approach to New Orleans along the back roads from Mobile.

I forded the Pearl River where his army crossed into Louisiana, and canoed the approach to the city along Bayou St. John. And along the way found that old proclamations, falsely reported events and minimization of the importance of this climactic struggle by poor historians have perpetuated bad history.”

The families of both Ronald Drez and his wife Judy LaCour Drez have personal connections to the Battle of New Orleans. Drez is a member of the Society of the War of 1812 and is a 6th degree descendent of a significant battalion commander, Major Louis D’Aquin, who fought on January 8, 1815. Benjamin Saxon Story, founder of the Bank of Louisiana and the 6th degree paternal grandfather of Judy LaCour Drez, was a member of Beale’s Rifles. Prior to volunteering to protect their homes and families against a British invasion, this group of local businessmen would meet weekly for the sport of target shooting. Incorporating passages from Story’s stirring handwritten memoir,

>>

December 2014-January 2015 135

Drez reenacts vivid descriptions of his capture by the British at the height of the conflict and his release in the exchange of prisoners after the American victory.

“I have always been an avid historian,” says Drez. “In the fifth grade, I wrote a paper on an event that happened on the first day at Gettysburg.

Others were writing about their summer vacation, but I was fixed on this subject.”

Born in New Orleans and locally educated at Jesuit High School and Tulane University, Drez was commissioned as an officer of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1962. For heroism in combat in Vietnam, Captain Drez was awarded two Bronze Stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star and the Presidential Unit Citation.

On his return to New Orleans, Drez continued his studies at the University of New Orleans, where, following his passion for military history, he earned a masters in history in 1985. During his tenure at UNO, Drez became assistant director and research associate to the late historian Dr. Stephen E. Ambrose at the Eisenhower Center. Over the span of 20 years, he worked closely with both Ambrose and noted author Dr. Douglas Brinkley. “In the Marine Corps, by necessity you must be a historian of sorts. This all inexorably led to my link up with Dr. Ambrose. Through him, I had the opportunity to become an author.”

I caught up with Drez this summer between his travels. He serves as president of Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours, Inc. Drez enjoys sharing his passion for the American spirit of valor, whether it be while tracing the path of Lewis and Clark across North America, Civil War battlefields or other hallowed 136

Inside New Orleans

sites like the beaches of Normandy and other locations in Europe and the Pacific known to most because of terrible battles fought there. (A Battle of New Orleans 200 Year Anniversary Tour is scheduled for January 6-11, 2015.)

When asked what thoughts he would want to share with today’s youth from his experiences of standing on sacred ground, like the beaches of Normandy, Drez replied, “The thoughts and feelings I would most want them to grasp is the magic of the place where they stand.

If one could actually stand on the spot where history unfolded and could read the words of the person who stood there long ago, it would almost be as if you had stepped back in some sort of time machine and were given the chance to talk with that person. When I have led enthusiasts on a Lewis and Clark expedition, and have stopped at the exact place where the captains stopped, and read from their journals, and the listener can look about and see the sights being described by words uttered 200 years ago, it is indeed magical.”

In addition to the tour and authoring the recently released The War of 1812, Conflict and Deception, Drez is associated with several other anniversary-related projects.

He was a consultant to the State of Louisiana, Department of Education in producing a Guide for Teachers on the Battle of New Orleans, which is currently being taught in public schools throughout the state. He is the lead historian in the production, Echoes of Light, The Battle of New Orleans - Bicentennial Celebration, a partnership of Visualfarm of Brazil with New Orleans based CS Productions for “architectural projection-mapping,” an inspirational visual display onto the historic buildings of Jackson Square in celebration of the 200th anniversary of The Battle of New Orleans. For a new movie, Andrew Jackson--Battle for New Orleans, Drez has been contracted as historical consultant by the production team of Atchity Brothers Entertainment. The focus will be on Andrew Jackson as the “Supreme Commander” of the Battle of New Orleans, with scripting taken directly from Drez’s research of historical narrative and first-hand accounts of the battle. With filming in Louisiana, a release date is projected for May 2015.

As a friend of Judy and Ron Drez for many years, I am always astounded by his amazing recall of historical data. Recently, while seated in the lobby of the Royal Orleans, he pointed toward the Louisiana State Supreme Court building just across St. Louis Street from the hotel and expounded, “It was at the

invitation of Governor Claiborne that General Andrew Jackson made his headquarters at that site in December of 1814. It was there, from the balcony of the building that had stood on that site, that General Jackson addressed the citizens of New Orleans in a plea for support of the coming battle with the British. To ensure that his remarks were understood by all, his words were simultaneously spoken in the three prevailing languages of New Orleans—Spanish, French and English.”

When asked, “From your body of work—the books you have written, lectures you have given or tours you have led to battle sites across the globe, what is most gratifying to you?”

Without hesitation, Ron Drez replied, “Most definitely, my books. In researching and interviewing for first-hand accounts from individuals of often little-known, but significant, world events, I have been given amazing opportunities for setting the record straight.”

From “Dirty Shirts” to Buccaneers: the Battle of New Orleans in American Culture, the Louisiana State Museum’s groundbreaking bicentennial exhibition, opens Jan. 11, 2015.

The display features two national treasures: the uniform coat Andrew Jackson wore while leading troops at the Battle of New Orleans (left) and a portrait of him by Ralph E. W. Earl (above).

The exhibition explores how a diverse group of French Creoles, along with riflemen from Kentucky and Tennessee, Baratarians and free men of color defeated the mighty British army.

Louisiana State Museum, 701 Chartres St. in Jackson Square, New Orleans, (504) 568-6968. Tues.–Sun., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum.

December 2014-January 2015 137

Lunch

by Jamey Landry

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

with a side of reconciliation 138

Inside New Orleans

ONE MORNING IN 1996, Rev. Harry Tompson, SJ, woke up and decided he’d had enough. He’d had enough of watching the young people in his Central City neighborhood fall prey to the same cyclical evils that plague most inner cities. Poverty. Drug addiction.

Senseless, violent crime. Hopelessness and despair; the feeling of no way out.

So on that day, Father Tompson acted to break the cycle of poverty for the most vulnerable of at-risk youths, those aged 16-22. With fellow community members Craig Cuccia and Tim Falcon, who also tired of watching the youth wither away, he took action that was bold, yet uniquely New Orleans. He decided that marketable life skills were what the youths needed, specifically the skills required in the hospitality industry. It was the best choice for a city making its own transformation from an oil-based economy gone bust to a rising tourism-based economy.

Thus, Café Reconcile was born.

“They came up with the idea of Café Reconcile,”

a teaching moment, and we don’t let that time go by without teaching them something.”

The budding young hospitality leaders at Café Reconcile begin their careers in an unusual way. “They start out learning life skills for three weeks,” explains Kelder Summers-Jones, director of development. “Then they go into the actual front-of-the-house and backof-the-house training, working in the café for about six weeks. Finally, they go into an internship, which is another three weeks.”

During the twelve-week program, students are exposed to the various sub-careers that make up the industry—chef, saucier, cooks, confectioner, management, etc.—and internship placements are tailored to meet those interests.

From the lab kitchen within an actual working restaurant, students supervised by staffers serve lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to a daily average of 130 customers. Recently, Café Reconcile began serving dinner. The menu includes regular entrées such as fried catfish, baked and fried chicken, po’ boys, soups and gumbos, signature salads

Café Reconcile:

a way out of poverty for at-risk youth. explains Chef Joe Smith, affectionately known as simply “Chef Joe.” The café is the lab restaurant of Reconcile New Orleans, Inc., a foundation dedicated to teaching at-risk youth the professional and life skills they need in order to bring about positive change in their own lives as well as their communities.

Today, Café Reconcile is recognized as a leader in training young people to compete successfully in the hospitality industry. It has become a valuable resource to a veritable “Who’s Who” of top restaurants and hotels in New Orleans, where many of its graduates are found contributing skills first honed at Café Reconcile.

A program with a restaurant Why is Café Reconcile successful? “Because we teach at-risk, disconnected youth from the ages of 16-22 a variety of life skills, from interpersonal relationships to setting goals and everything in between,” explains Glen Armantrout, director and CEO of Reconcile New Orleans. “Eighty percent of what we teach them is life skills. Every second we have them in the building is

and desserts. A daily special complements the already impressive menu. Students provide the majority of the labor involved, with guidance from the staff.

“They learn firsthand how staff interacts, how staff and guests interact, and learn how the steps of [hospitality] service correlate to their lives,” Armantrout explains. “From introducing themselves to taking the order properly, getting the correct order, placing it into the POS system, getting the order delivered back to the table, checking up and making sure the customer is satisfied. They follow the steps, and we use that as a model for their own lives—if you follow the right steps, you’ll be successful. If they receive a tip, that shows how successful they were at that moment. The message is that their life is made up of a lot of successes.”

To ensure that success, there is an intensive 12-month tracking of each graduate to make sure they remain self-sustainable and help them maintain consistency to prevent any problems that would lead them to jump from job to job.

Since the opening of the Café Reconcile in 2000, >> December 2014-January 2015 139

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

Semi-sweet beginnings However bright things look now for the students and the foundation, Café Reconcile had a rocky start. “In 1997, Father Tompson and his advocate group purchased the building,” Chef Joe explains.

The abandoned five-story on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, was infamous for being a hot bed of drug activity, prostitution and worse. Headquartering Café Reconcile there was the symbolic, bluntly pointed message to the neighborhood that positive change was coming and things were going to be different.

“They started out with a little sweet shop called ‘Sweet T’s,’” recalls Chef Joe of Café Reconcile’s scrappy start-up and evolution. “While that little sweet shop was going on, they [Father Tompson and the advocate group] were doing all of the renovation that needed to be done without people volunteering.

They didn’t have a lot of money to start with.”

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“Now, our budget is $2.2 million,” says Armantrout. “About 50 percent of that is raised from our restaurant and catering facility, so we are 50 percent self-sustainable, of which we are very proud—up 20 percent from last year.” The remainder of the budget is from individual donors, grants and private foundations. Students pay nothing for their training but must meet and maintain very rigid commitments to themselves and the program.

Support from corporate America is enthusiastic.

Two graduating classes were wholly sponsored by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation and Aunt Sally’s Pralines.

Antonia Keller, development director of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, says “Chef Emeril has always believed in their mission from the very beginning.”

In addition to the donation of a beautifully renovated hospitality center, Keller explains that through “other grants, such as program support, we help pay for the expenses of putting on a program like this, because it does take a lot of resources.”

Claire Stewart, director of marketing for Aunt Sally’s Pralines, agrees with the importance of corporate sponsorship. “People don’t automatically associate Aunt Sally’s Pralines as part of ‘hospitality,’ so it was an eye opener for the students,” Stewart says of a students’ tour of the Aunt Sally’s factory. “It gave the students a broader context—there’s more to hospitality and tourism than just working in a restaurant or hotel.” photo: JAMEY LANDRY

Reconcile New Orleans proudly boasts of more than 1,000 graduates finding their way into the hospitality industry throughout New Orleans and beyond. “They get good jobs,” says Armantrout. “We have a 95 percent success rate in placement after graduation. We track our youth, and we just started an alumni association to reach back to our inception to see where all our graduates are and how they’re doing and to measure how successful we’ve been over the long term.”

Classes in 2014 have also been sponsored by Capital One Bank, Leidenheimer Baking Co., Entergy Corporation and Shell Oil. Partnering with more than 100 restaurants and hotels in the city, Café Reconcile has been able to meet and go beyond the dreams of those founders who mucked out that derelict building. “This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the amazing young men and women of New Orleans and especially Café Reconcile. We’ve given the students an opportunity to demonstrate their skills,” says Stewart Young, program director of Café Reconcile. “They have talent. They have abilities. Sometimes, all they need is a little bit of help and support to demonstrate that.” That’s what Café Reconcile is for.

Evolving program, steadfast mission Reconcile New Orleans has evolved to better meet the needs of its students. Armantrout says that while the program was originally intended to be a culinary arts-based curriculum, they have since added other fields in hospitality besides cooking. “We really needed to get broader on where we are sending our graduates, because not all want to be a chef, a waiter or waitress or do other work in a restaurant. They might want to work in a hotel or a hospital; they might want to work in a university, or for the linen service company that provides linen for the industry.

“Some of them might want to go back to school and be an architect and design for the hotel and restaurant industry.

It’s just so wide open. We have graduates that go to work in the [hospitality] industry while they are going to school to be a nurse. So we don’t pigeonhole them in the mindset of working just for the industry. The training is designed to get them to start thinking about setting goals, to get them out of the mindset of surviving just for today.”

Café Reconcile itself has gone beyond its culinary roots to become a center of learning and community gatherings.

Community members say it has become the center of hope and pride, pointing to the 1,000 young graduates Café Reconcile has “saved from hopelessness.”

Though the program is always evolving, the mission remains steadfast: provide at-risk youth with the tools they need to learn essential life, work and educational skills in order to become productive members of the community. Reconcile New Orleans, Inc., is a faith-based organization dedicated to changing lives through faith and service to one’s self and the community. The name is from the second letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians, in which Paul explains the importance >> December 2014-January 2015 141

photo: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

of reconciliation with God in order to truly realize future opportunities. Armantrout says that the name and mission are “founded on the premise that the power of reconciliation can help us overcome poverty, prejudice and fear, both within ourselves and in the

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larger community. Our faith-based organization ministers to youth in New Orleans. We work closely with local leaders from all backgrounds, providing young men and women with a voice about issues they are facing and preparing them for the future with sustainable life skills. We believe that breaking down barriers of race, culture and religion can lead to systemic change, creating a model of renewal supported by social, spiritual and economic enrichment.”

Students arrive at Reconcile’s door “facing a vast array of challenges, from extreme poverty and high school attrition to homelessness, violence and participation in the juvenile justice system.

Nonetheless, these young people possess a deep desire to break the cycle and become productive, contributing members of society,” says Armantrout.

This desire was evident at a graduation ceremony when the graduates were given the opportunity to share their program experiences with their classmates, friends and families.

One young man said, “It feels good to finally have accomplished something and to be around people who motivate you, support you and help

you find yourself from within and then push yourself to be better.”

A young woman told the audience how the program gave her life structure and how happy she was to have learned to keep her life from going “all over the place.”

Another graduate expressed her appreciation for having access to the program, where she learned to set realistic goals and work toward achieving them, making up the series of little successes in her new life after graduation.

But perhaps one graduate, Tammia, summed up the true value of Café Reconcile.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, she said, “Before I came here, I didn’t want to finish anything because people always told me I couldn’t.” Through more sobs as the realization of her accomplishment became even more apparent to her, she continued, “When I came here, people opened my eyes. I am allowed to finish things. I am a better person now and successful.” Tammia wiped a tear away and then looked hopefully up at the audience, who congratulated her with a robust round of applause and

a well-deserved “You go, girl!” from the audience and her classmates. Tammia then smiled and brought the house down again.

Change a life. Do lunch. Or Dinner.

There are several ways to help Reconcile New Orleans continue to change lives, from corporate sponsorships and grants to private donations. Planning an event? Café Reconcile offers professional quality to-go and on-site catering.

But the most important way to help may be to enjoy lunch or dinner in the café, interact with the students and see firsthand the quality of the food and the professionalism of the students under the watchful eye of the staff. When asked how best to enjoy eating in the café, Armantrout says, “Bring a friend!”

Father Tompson would almost certainly agree.

Café Reconcile is located at 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. Open for lunch Monday – Friday, 11a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Call for dinner hours. For catering, contact Tina Dixon-Williams at (504) 934-1634. To sponsor or donate, call (504) 568-1157. cafereconcile.org.

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The Brugier Odyssey Christwood is unique on the Northshore – it is the only Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) offering Independent Living, Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing on one campus. It is a not-for-profit, nondenominational community which offers a vibrant, engaging lifestyle. From delicious dining to wellness workshops to fitness classes, Christwood provides its residents the tools for living a healthy life.

Sponsored by Christ Episcopal Church in Covington, the first residents moved into Christwood in 1996. Since that time, Christwood has seen many additions to its beautiful, now, 125-acre campus: eighteen free-standing cottages; a new apartment building which has at its center an enclosed Atrium complete with fireplace, art gallery and café; the Community Center at Christwood (CCC); and the Bark Park for the community’s four-legged friends.

The same services are provided to cottage residents as to those in apartments: housekeeping and flat laundry service, all utilities except telephone, interior and exterior maintenance of the cottage/apartment, grounds keeping, chauffeured transportation, dining, 144

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Christwood The Northshore’s Premier Retirement Community

and the assurance of care if ever needed.

Several years ago, Carol and E.J. Brugier decided that maintaining their home in Slidell had become too much.

“It was getting more and more difficult to maintain our residence,” says Carol, “and really difficult to find people who would take care of it the way we did.” So, she and E.J. began their investigation into what alternatives were available for maintenance-free living.

They visited communities on the Southshore and the Northshore, but nothing seemed quite the answer. Then they drove through Christwood and were impressed by the spaciousness of the setting and the meticulous care of the grounds. They liked its location: close to hospitals, doctors, shopping, churches and the interstate. They emphasized how much they appreciated that Christwood is a CCRC, and all levels of care are on the campus.

They were given a tour of the community, which included the Christwood cottages. Ranging in size from 1634 sq. ft. to 1985 sq. ft., all have double-car garages and golf cart storage. The Brugiers found them really appealing and thought that a cottage would be ideal for

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them “when the time was right.”

Of course, when the time was right, there were no available cottages. However, the new Atrium building had been completed.

There are 24 apartments in the Atrium building (eight on each of the three floors) which surround a covered Atrium. With features such as an oversized fireplace, comfortable sofas and chairs, multiple large screen TVs, the Atrium café and the Atrium Gallery, it is a favorite gathering spot for bridge, lunch, making a puzzle, or just reading. Carol says, “It was brand new and so warm and inviting. There was a one-bedroom apartment available on the second floor, and we took it with the understanding that when a two-bedroom became available, we could move.”

Carol begins listing Atrium advantages: “an Atrium Happy Hour is celebrated every Saturday night, Saints games are enjoyed on the large screen TVs, concerts of various genres are held frequently, book clubs gather to discuss their current reading assignment, and Atrium Art Gallery openings featuring regional artists are held bi-monthly.” The addition of the Atrium to the Independent Living options has obviously brought unforeseen benefits to the community.

Three months later, a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment on the first floor in the main (Premier) building became

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available. “Since it was on the first floor and our dog could go out easily, we decided to take it, even though it meant moving from the Atrium,” Carol says. “We made some wonderful friends in the Atrium,” they both agree.

Carol and E.J. enjoyed being in the main building, close to the Garden Room and the Harvest Dining Room. Carol said, “A Catholic mass and an Episcopal mass are offered weekly in the Garden Room. Residents from the cottages, the Atrium, and the Premier apartments attend. Also, lectures, movies, bridge games, Saints games on the large screen, and concerts are held there and residents from all over the community attend.” “We get to see our Atrium friends all the time,” E.J. adds.

The newest addition to Christwood is the Community Center which has a 25-yard indoor heated and conditioned pool (the only one on the northshore), aerobics studio, state of the art fitness center, day spa and hair salon, game room with ping pong and billiards tables, art studio, meeting and conference room and a juice bar with P.J.’s Coffee and Tea. E.J. says, “I’m there at least 4 days a week - swimming. I also use the machines.

I’ve lost 40 lbs.!” He has eliminated a lot of sweets and starches from his diet, but he credits the Community Center for his success. Memberships in the Community Center are included to all Christwood residents at no charge and are available to the community at large ages 55 and older for a membership and monthly fee.

Carol then continues, “A few weeks ago, there was finally an available cottage which is located on a pond with two water features. It has a lovely open floor plan and a fireplace.” Last week, the Brugiers made another move. “This is where we really wanted to be,” they agree. The Odyssey has ended.

Christwood is located at 100 Christwood Blvd. in Covington, 985-898-0515.

December 2014-January 2015 145

IN Rhythm

by Leah Draffen

Above: Hazy Ray playing at the House of Blues’ Parish Room.

Across: Lead singer Joshua Ray and trombonist Michael Hayes.

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HE STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT with a new shirt. Wait, that’s not a shirt. It’s skin. Female eyes turn to the stage in a ripple effect. The chiseled, tattooed man with a trombone in his hands continues to play—shirtless.

“It’s amazing what you can accomplish with positivity,” musician Michael Hayes says.

“Confidence is part of it.”

From the audience’s perspective, the trombone player of New Orleans’ Hazy Ray band is nothing shy of confident. Hayes says he has not always been so self-assured. His childhood was the complete opposite, but music has given him the drive to pursue a life in the spotlight.

Hayes and lead vocalist Joshua Ray started the band in 2009 after they met in Texas. When Ray first proposed the name, Hayes said it was completely unmarketable. Clearly, his opinion has changed.

Hazy Ray was born with the goal of making people dance and feel good about life. The genre question that Hayes hates to answer provided a breakdown of the five musicians who—with

Inside New Orleans

different musical backgrounds, educations and personalities—have successfully collaborated.

The five-piece band is made up of Hayes on the trombone, Ray on lead vocals and guitar, Ryan Patrick on lead guitar, Sean Rodriguez on bass and Willie McMullen on drums. Their sound is explained as horn-driven rock. The brass provides an element of jazz to the funk tunes and slower numbers. With original songs such as One Last Time and Superman or familiar-but-fresh covers of songs

by Blackstreet, Dave Mathews Band and The Foo Fighters, you’ll be ready to hop off the bar stool and groove. No diggity.

The smooth sound of their acclaimed New Orleans rock makes you want to close your eyes in enjoyment of the moment. You know what I mean.

Closing your eyes after that first sip of coffee—that’s what Hazy Ray will do to you. Hayes describes it as “how a rock band should sound after the soul of New Orleans has its way with them.”

Hayes and Ray stand front and center on stage flashing in and out of the spotlight as they get lost in the music. Ray’s long hair sways to the notes as

photos: LAZYEYE PHOTO

Hazy Ray’s New Orleans Rock

Hayes plants his feet to sound his brass. At first sight, some may find it strange that Hayes is shirtless. The shirtless ritual began after seeing David Shaw of the The Revivalists do it at the Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge. Shaw’s confidence had an effect on Hayes—an effect that he wanted to create.

“It’s a part of the show,” Hayes says.

The bare dynamic reveals vulnerability to the audience. A vulnerable setting that even allows the guy with two left feet to dance to a Bill Wither’s cover. Not to mention, the jazzy rock will have you grooving in ways your bathroom mirror hasn’t seen.

The band performed for the first time in New Orleans in 2011. They have shared their funk all around New Orleans, sometimes making their way to the northshore and west to Baton Rouge. If the name sounds familiar, it may be because you’ve heard Hazy Ray at Gretna Music Festival, French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest, or you’ve seen the name on a handbill with Hunter Hayes, Tinsley Ellis, Tab Benoit and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Since the 2012 release of their first album, Deep and Shallow, the band has spent summers touring the country, performing in 14 states. Their long-term goal is to become a full-time touring band. Yet nothing feels quite like home in New Orleans—the Crescent City will always be the birthplace of their musical roots.

Hazy Ray can be seen playing at The House of Blues, The Wolf Den, Gasa Gasa and many other joints. On December 12, you can experience their funky notes—shirtless, long haired and all—at The Howlin’ Wolf.

For more info on Hazy Ray and an updated performance schedule, visit hazyray.com.

December 2014-January 2015 147

Flourishes 1 2

1. Large 37” Madonna and Child garden statue, $319. Outdoor Living Center, Covington, 985-893-8008. 2. Hand-painted Fleur de Lis Bloody Mary glass, $15 each; hand-painted Fleur de Lis pilsner glass, $15 each. Fabulous Fetes, Harahan, 504400-5336. 3. The Giving Plate, keep for yourself or give to a friend, $34.95. Nonna Randazzo’s Bakery, Covington, 985-8931488. 4. Gold starburst on marble stand, $145. Niche Modern

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Home, Mandeville, 985-624-4045. 5. Construction

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wagon with magnetic tools and 23 accessories

by DIY Trolley by Jarrod, $99.99. Magic Box, New Orleans, 504-899-0117. 6. Sophisticated shoe to complement any holiday outfit by To Boot, $395. Rubenstein’s, New Orleans, 504-581-6666. 7. 19th century French jardinière, two available, $1,100 each; boxwood sphere, $195.

St. Romain Interiors, Madisonville, 985-8457411. 8. One-of-a-kind eyeglasses 5

handmade in France by Francis Klein,

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$680. Art and Eyes, New Orleans, 504891-4494. 9. Gray-lacquered, silver leaf Bel Air Storage Chest by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, 40” x 17”

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x 32”, $1,995. Villa Vici, New Orleans, 504-899-2931.

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1. Zero Runner by Octane, easy-on-joints zero impact running, $3,299. Fitness Expo, Metairie, 504-887-0880. 2. Laser-cut leather pillows by Nourison, square, $225; rectangle, $180. Shades of Blue, Inc., New Orleans, 504-891-1575. 3. Painting of a New Orleans balcony, giclée print sized 24” x 24” on canvas, gallery-wrapped edges, $275; remarked by artist, $295. Jovann Fine Art, Baton Rouge, 225-603-3381. 4. Beatriz Ball Pearl Olan round chip and dip platter, bake, serve and chill, $187. Purple Armadillo Again, Slidell, 985-643-2004. 5. Silver tone leaf reindeer, small, $32; large, $48. Lifestyle Store at Franco’s Athletic Club, Mandeville, 985-792-0200.

6. Anaconda placemat, $41; Herringbone napkin, $30; Super Nova napkin ring, $24; Gold and cream plate from Canvas Home, $35; Vintage sterling silver salt and pepper shakers, $165.

Sotre, New Orleans, 504-304-9475. 7. St. Petersburg jeweled salt-and peppershakers by l’objet with over 900 semiprecious hand-set opals, turquoise, black onyx and Austrian crystals, $655.

Arabella Fine Gifts and Home Décor, Mandeville, 985-727-9787. 8. Lavender Provencal footed pot, $78; 30” four-stem white orchid, $198. Abode Furnishings, Metairie, 504-266-2135.

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1. Diamond bangle bracelet in 14kt yellow gold from the Antique and Estate Collection, $2,750. Wellington & Company, New Orleans, 504-525-4885. 2. Old New Orleans cemetery angels 10

in charcoal and acrylic renderings on wooden box with resin overlay, starting at $58. The French Mix, Covington, 985-809-3152. 3. Handmade glass figurine wine glasses, $29.75 to $42.95. Inwood Gardens, Covington, 985-892-0717. 4. 8-inch boxwood wreath with plaid ribbon in pot, $55; 10-inch boxwood wreath with plaid ribbon in pot, $70. Vita, Metairie, 504-831-1111. 5. Antoine’s Restaurant Cookbook, a collection of the original recipes from New Orleans’ oldest and most famous restaurant, $19.95. Antoine’s Restaurant, New

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Orleans, 504-581-4422. 6. Fleur de Lis business card holder made of honeycomb calcite estimated to be 150-200 million years old, $52.50. The Original Earth Glow, Covington, 985-893-2766. 7. Handmade and -glazed in oyster pattern tray designed by Alison Evans, $398. Hazelnut, New Orleans, 504-891-2424. 8. Old World-style copper weather vane, $298. Poole Lumber Co., Covington, 985-892-4500. 9. Illuminating 8-piece collection by Bare Escentuals bareMinerals, Star of the Show Value Set features smooth eye colors, cheek-enhancing blush, lip gloss and volumizing mascara, $54. About Face New Orleans, 504-304-1556. 10. Dana Wittmann Tiger Collection platter, $80; tray, $45; bowl, $20. Adler’s New Orleans, 504-523-5292

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by Poki Hampton

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

photos: CAITLIN B PHOTOGRAPHY

25 Years (of Successful Design) and Counting “TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, we designed our first dining room chair to be a comfortable chair that kept people around the dining table conversing for hours,” says Mitchell Gold. That was the beginning of the furniture empire that is now Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

Commitment to comfort and quality are their hallmarks in a line that keeps evolving. From its beginnings in 1989, when jewel tones were all the rage, they created sleek, sophisticated upholstery in white and neutral fabrics.

The relaxed classic slipcover look was introduced in 1994 and remains popular today. “The family-friendly fabrics in a wide range of colors are perfect for the sophisticated home with children and pets,” says Mitchell.

“We look to the past—mid-century modern, for instance—to take familiar things and bring them forward to today,” says Bob Williams. “Our line is

evolutionary rather than revolutionary.”

Their soft, modern approach to timeless style, their commitment to comfort and their attention to detail have proven to be a winning combination, always keeping the line current. Elements of mirror, stainless steel and Lucite mixed with Indonesian rosewood, eucalyptus veneer, and walnut can be seen in the newest collection. Velvet, linen, mohair, Tibetan wool, flannel and leather create textural interest in subtle neutral colors of seagrass, charbrown, parchment or indigo.

The duo recently opened their newest flagship Signature Store in Beverly Hills, bringing the number to 22; a December opening is scheduled in Miami’s design district. In New Orleans, Villi Vici carries many of the upholstery and case goods pieces along with lighting and accessories. “Villa Vici is the kind of store we like,” says Mitchell.

“We have been doing business with

Vikki since we started.”

Not only does Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams make furniture, the company is very forward thinking about the environment and social issues. In their Taylorsville, North Carolina, state-of-theart plant, they are committed to using the most eco-friendly products available in furniture manufacturing today, such as ozone-friendly foam and water-based glue. Recently, they were chosen to make the Green Room at the CBS This Morning show even greener by making it more environmentally friendly. One of the many social projects they are currently involved in is the creation of the National LGBT Museum in Washington, D.C. Their newest book, Who We Are, gives insight into their business, design perspective and their personal philosophy. Because Mitchell and Bob love to entertain, it even includes some great recipes!

December 2014-January 2015 155

Designer Billy Reid in the menswear department at Saks Fifth Avenue New Orleans.

Billy Reid Gentleman Designer

I WORKED IN NEW YORK CITY’S rough-and-tumble Garment Center as a clothing designer for more than fifteen years and barely escaped with my sanity, let alone with any semblance of my genteel Southern upbringing. I was on call 24/7 for the garmento under whom I served at any given time. There wasn’t a single day during all of those years that I wasn’t running 60 mph in my Christian Louboutin-shod feet. Life on Seventh Avenue was a never-ending madcap dash to an all-important meeting to pick the perfect Pantone-colored fuchsia or lavender for Minnie Mouse’s bow, to catch a last-minute flight to China or to fulfill an impossible request for a 156

Inside New Orleans

demanding buyer. Everyone is frantic in the fashion business, and every assignment is lifesaving. Finally, I’d had enough and was officially burned out from the schemata trade. I took an indefinite leave of absence and returned home to New Orleans.

But the truth is, fashion is in my blood, and like an alcoholic, I’m drawn to it like a moth to a flame. I love clothes and manage to sniff out its best offerings no matter where I am. Ever since Billy Reid opened his namesake store in New Orleans last November, I’ve been a regular customer, doing my darndest to contribute to the troubled economy. At least, that’s how I rationalize it to myself when I open my AmEx bill each month.

So, when I was asked to interview Mr. Reid, I was over the moon. Billy was in New Orleans on a recent warm October evening for a reception in his honor at Saks Fifth Avenue in Canal Place to meet his customers and fans. Saks carries his menswear lines including men’s suiting, sportswear, casualwear and accessories. And, for the ultimate in luxury, you can make an appointment to be fitted for one of Billy Reid’s top-of-the-line, Made-to-Measure custom suits. Sorry, ladies. You’ll have to go to his beautifully decorated store on Magazine Street, at the corner of Austerlitz, to shop for yourselves. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

There’s an absolutely stunning hair-on calf Moto Jacket from his fall collection that has my name on it.

Having met several famous fashion designers in my past, I was a bit anxious. The breed can sometimes resemble “hot house cacti,” both prickly

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

by Kate Brevard

and dry. Well, my worst fears were immediately put to rest upon being introduced to Mr. Reid.

He was the consummate Southern gentleman, polite and charming. His disposition was serene, the polar opposite of the tempestuous, loud and harried individuals to whom I was accustomed from Manhattan’s garment center. The dulcet tones of Billy’s Southern accent almost lulled me into a hypnotic state with its soft, sleepy drawl. His words lingered delightfully as he meandered through his stories as if time was irrelevant, not unlike how the honey and oak flavors of Billy’s preferred Small Batch Bourbons caress one’s tongue after the first sip.

Once I overcame my surprise that such a heavyweight in the design world could be so gracious—a three-time Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) winner, the Oscars of the fashion design world—I forced myself back to the present.

Billy was dressed as nattily as I expected, in one of his navy, Made-to-Measure custom suits. Mr. Reid is his own best brand ambassador, with his quirky yet elegant style. Billy’s chunky, black-framed signature eyeglasses would seem nerdy on anyone else but are perfectly suited to him with his masculine good looks.

It should be illegal for a guy to have a head of hair so thick, shiny and full, I remarked to myself, as Billy casually brushed aside his heavy bangs. I was tempted to ask him the secret to his Samson-like locks. Surely, he must have some inside info from the supermodels and famous hair stylists with whom he works on a regular basis.

Billy Reid is a hometown boy from Amite, Louisiana, who now lives in Florence, Alabama, with his wife and three children, ages 16, 14 and 10. How a little boy from Amite managed to become a fashion mega-star is as interesting a story as you’d imagine from a guy who originally dreamed of becoming a PE coach and who wore women’s blouses to school when he was a kid.

I asked Billy if he always wanted to be a fashion designer. “No, I had no idea I was going to be doing this. My mother had a shop, a great shop, and it was in a house—my grandmother’s old home, an incredibly hospitable place for people to hang out. My mom did it for 20 years. At the time, I was around clothes and liked clothes and understood clothes.

But what I really wanted was to be a coach, a football coach. I started out at Southeastern in Hammond as a >> December 2014-January 2015 157

Above: Visitors from Amite with Billy Reid in his New York City store. (L to R) Carroll Glasgow, T.J. Reid, Billy, Susie Cefalu and Karen Merrick.

Right: Billy (center) working at the Royal Oak men’s shop in Hammond during college. He also worked at the Royal Oak in Amite.

Far Right: Billy first began to understand clothes at T.J.’s, his mother’s shop in Amite, his hometown.

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PE major. But I somehow got kicked out of school as a PE major, which is kind of hard to do.”

Becoming a PE coach would have to be put on the backburner. Billy and his mother hatched a plan for him to study fashion at the Art Institute of Dallas.

In order to stay out of trouble while going to school, Billy worked at Saks Fifth Avenue, full-time. “I started working in menswear suiting. I liked it and kept moving up, and that’s how I got started.”

After Dallas, Billy accepted a position with Reebok, in sales. He traveled a five-state territory, which Billy says “was a lot of fun, and it was in the early years of the company.” Promotions and successes came easily, and eventually Billy was placed on a merchandising team that developed Greg Norman’s first licensed line.

But Billy still wasn’t designing, and that’s what he was really pining to do. Once again opportunity

Inside New Orleans

wholesale, and Saks was his largest customer. Billy won his first of three CFDA awards, for Best New Menswear Designer, in 2001.

Living vicariously, since I don’t see a CFDA prize in my immediate future, I had to ask Billy what it was like to win such a prestigious award. “It was unbelievable, very unbelievable. In 2001, we were up against Puff Daddy, Sean John. I didn’t expect to win it. Some friends of mine said, ‘You’re going to win

photos courtesy: T.J. REID

knocked, and Reebok provided Billy with his entrée into the design world. “Someone, a gentleman with the company who was hired as a VP at the time, came up to me and said, ‘I like the way you dress, and I need an assistant.’ By the end of the day, he hired me, and I was in design. The next day, I was on a plane to Italy, and I’d never left the country before. Fast forward, I was traveling all around and developing product for Reebok and did that for six years.”

When Billy said he was moved into Reebok’s design studio because of the way he dressed, it gave me the perfect opening to ask him something about which I was curious. Did Billy always have his own style, and did he dress differently than the other kids at school in Amite when he was young?

“I didn’t really think about it, but I was a little bit ‘off’ for sure. My mom’s store was a women’s store.

She would bring me these crazy shirts to wear, and it was the 70s and 80s. I didn’t realize they were women’s shirts at the time. I’d wear them to school, and people were like, ‘Hmm … PE coach. Oh yeah, right.’ I’ve always loved clothes. I do look back on some of those things and wonder why this button was on the opposite side. But, it all came together somehow,” he says, laughing.

In the spring of 1998, Billy started his own business, named William Reid. It was strictly

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

it,’ and I said, ‘No way in hell!’ We did, and it was just a shock, and I appreciated it. But I didn’t really understand it, in a lot of ways. You know, businesswise, things were erratic, and of course, then 9/11 happened. So it all went away.”

The post-9/11 economy was disastrous for many people, and Billy was forced to put his William Reid business on hiatus. But by the spring of 2004, he was ready to make a fresh start. He and a group of friends who had a combination of retail, financial and real estate backgrounds went into business together, and Billy Reid was born. The business partners decided to start with brick-and-mortar stores. Initially, there were three Billy Reid namesake shops, in Florence, Dallas and Houston.

This gave Billy and his designers the chance to build out full clothing collections without having to worry about pleasing the buyers from the retail store chains.

“We built the shops, and they felt like a home; we wanted the customers to feel like welcomed guests. That’s the way my mom’s store was. We wanted that hospitality angle to come through in the shops. From a business standpoint, as corny as it sounds, it gave us the opportunity to build it one customer at a time. From there, we started to wholesale the line, but it started from just shops.”

Billy now has 10 stores, in Florence, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Atlanta, Nashville, Charleston, Washington, D.C., New York and New Orleans.

His Florence shop is his flagship store as well as the location of his design studio. Each Billy Reid store is decorated differently, with antiques, family heirlooms and reclaimed architectural motifs. I have to wonder if each one of Billy’s stores is a physical and psychological reincarnation of his mother’s store back in Amite.

When I think of Billy Reid’s design aesthetic, “AMERICAN,” in capital letters, is the first thing that comes to mind. However, like the man himself, it’s not that simple. His clothes are a recipe of romance and nostalgia, mixed with a dab of English dandy and a hearty dose of turn of the century— the 19th century, Victorian and Edwardian. And don’t forget to throw in a dash of Southern folk for good measure. Faulkner and Mark Twain come to mind. There are elements of the faded glory of the patrician South in Reid’s work.

Billy Reid’s look is well defined. Consistency in one’s artistic vision is the proof of a good designer.

But on the flip side, a strong, distinctive style can sometimes make it harder to keep a line fresh, season after season. All designers are different and get their inspiration from myriad sources. I asked Billy where his creativity begins. “I get inspiration everywhere I look. It can be the shape of that object (He points to the abstract wood carving in front of us.) or the lines on that painting behind you. Sometimes you can’t turn it off, and sometimes you can’t turn it on. It’s better when you can’t turn it off. It comes and goes literally.

In terms of an aesthetic, I don’t work in that sense of it has to be in this decade or that decade. I love antiques and old photographs and historical stuff but try to do it without duplicating it, without being too … referential, and that’s a fine line.” >> December 2014-January 2015 159

“As to keeping the line new, it’s difficult for us, because you are only as good as the last collection. It has to be different, but not so different that people don’t know who you are. The last few seasons, I’ve grown up in some ways, and my tastes have evolved and changed.If you do what’s in your gut, at least you know you did what you’re supposed to do.”

Billy must be doing what he’s supposed to do, because he’s risen like a phoenix from the ashes of the 9/11 economic slump with a vengeance. In 2010, he won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Prize, and in 2012 he won the CFDA Best Menswear Designer of the Year Award. I asked Billy if success was even sweeter the second and third time around, after reorganizing and rebuilding his business from scratch.

“I hoped I would have an opportunity to come back.

Not to win an award—awards are nice and well and good—I was just hopeful to be successful and not just be a flash in the pan. The Vogue people were a huge support and got behind us. Now we have to keep it going; this is the business that never stops! It’s not like Coca-Cola, where you sit back and collect residuals.”

Because Billy Reid’s clothes have an innate American sensibility, he is often compared to another great American designer, Ralph Lauren. I asked Billy how he felt about this comparison: “Billy Reid is to the South what Ralph Lauren is to the North.”

“To be mentioned in the same breath as Ralph Lauren … no one will ever achieve his level of success. It’s very flattering. I understand it in some ways, from a product standpoint, but it’s not something I try to think about. He is one of my heroes. He’s Ralph Lauren. I did have a chance to meet him, and he couldn’t have been more gracious with his time. It was set up through Anna Wintour, right after the CFDA Vogue/Fashion Fund. I spent like half-a-day with the guy. Anna Wintour—she’s one of the most generous people. She’s given back so much to our industry. I don’t know where we would be without the CFDA Vogue/Fashion Fund. It came at a time when we needed every bit of it. It saved us and put us on the right track. Anna has a heart of gold, and she’s been great to me.”

One of Billy’s famous clients is Daniel Craig, who was a customer before he was James Bond. Mr. Craig had a navy wool pea coat that he bought from Billy’s store in New York in his personal wardrobe. The new James Bond was insistent about wearing it in the movie, Skyfall, which he was about to begin filming. Craig’s people called and ordered 30 coats for the movie. Even though Billy Reid had stopped manufacturing 160

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the item, the company quickly went to work sourcing the fabric and trim to fulfill the order. When Skyfall opened, one of Billy’s employees happened upon an online James Bond site to discover that the coats had become almost as famous as Daniel Craig. They began selling like crazy, and the company couldn’t make the pea coats fast enough.

To this day, the “Bond,” as the pea coat has been renamed, is always on back order and flies off the racks as soon as it is restocked. “We sold a lot of pea coats.

So, the next movie he makes, we’re like, is there anything we can do for you, Mr. Craig? We lucked out on that; it just happened.”

So it seems that Billy Reid has proven the old adage wrong. Sometimes, nice guys do finish first. With patience, tenacity and hard work, Billy has achieved success with both his retail and wholesale businesses, won fashion’s most prestigious awards and hobnobs with celebrities. But what about Billy’s original aspiration to become a PE coach? A guy like Billy doesn’t just give up on his ambitions, so I had to ask.

“I’m the coach of my son’s baseball team back home in Florence. I finally get to live out my dream of coaching. I fulfilled my dream, and it’s my favorite thing to do. I think I love it more than clothes sometimes.”

Quick Q&A with Billy Reid Inside New Orleans: Favorite brand of Bourbon?

Billy Reid: Pappy. It’s hard to get it, but it’s my favorite. (Pappy Van Winkle’s 23-Year-Old Bourbon) INO: How many pairs of jeans do you own?

BR: God! Uh, geez, I don’t know.

A lot. I collect old Levis.

INO: Daniel Craig?

BR: Thank you.

INO: “Selfies?”

BR: Love ’em.

INO: Ralph Lauren?

BR: Hero.

photo: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

INO: Favorite restaurant in New Orleans?

BR: Domelise’s.

INO: Favorite color?

BR: Navy.

INO: Favorite “neutral” color?

BR: Navy.

INO: Favorite bar in New Orleans?

BR: Bouligny Tavern.

INO: What’s the one thing you always have in your Dopp kit, no matter where you travel?

BR: Visine.

INO: Who would you love to make over in your clothes?

BR: Uh, you’re killing me here. I’m so bad with stuff like that. I don’t have an answer for that.

There are too many people.

INO: Do you wear cologne, and if so, which fragrance?

BR: I do NOT wear cologne.

INO: Favorite sport and team?

BR: Baseball—the Atlanta Braves.

I’ve got several though, three or four teams.

INO: You’re a Southern gentlemen.

Do you write hand-written thank-you notes?

BR: I do, although not as many as I should.

INO: What is the one thing you always carry in your wallet?

BR: American Express.

INside Look

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1. Montage Ivonne D Collection lace over taffeta fit and flare slim dress with cap sleeves, scalloped front and back necklines, matching shawl included, $1,030. Southern Bridal, Mandeville, 985-727-2993.

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Cypress Green and Misted Gold 2. Sennod Jewelry Design gold and emerald teardrop earrings, $198.

FeBe, Metairie, 835-5250. 3. Deep pine lace t-back chemise with empire waist and lace by Fleurt, $86; matching robe, $118. Basics Underneath, Mandeville, 985-727-9521. 4. 19th Hole Collection available in several colors, $325. Kevan Hall Sport, kevanhallsport. com. 5. Kevyn Aucoin loose shimmer eye shadow with roller ball tip for illuminating in Jade and Citrine, $29 each. Make Me Up, New Orleans, 504-891-9688. 6. Gold and black 3/4 length jacket, $330; gold skit shell, $155. Town and Country, New Orleans, 504-523-7027.

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Cypress Green and Misted Gold 1. 14kt yellow gold 3.10ct emerald slice ring with diamond halo, $616.

David Pierson Designs Inc, Covington, 985-871-0457. 2. Luxurious men’s and ladies’ slippers by Pretty You London, his, $24; hers, $34.

Hestia Luxury in Linens, Covington, 985-893-0490. 3. Resort maxi dress in forest by Pink Stich, $88. Vita, Metairie, 504-831-1111.

4. Cap sleeve dress with tuck detail in emerald by Nicole Miller, $385.

FeBe, Metairie, 835-5250. 5. Gold Peter Pan collar dress, $83. Olive Patch, Covington, olive-patch.com. 6. The Mighty Purse, a clutch 5

purse or a wallet inside your handbag, contains lightweight battery to fully re-charge any smart device; adapter included and available in many colors, $135. The Villa, Mandeville, 985-626-9797.

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Cypress Green and Misted Gold 1. Suede booties, $89. Lifestyle Store at Franco’s Athletic Club, Mandeville, 985-792-0200. 2. Forest green lace and chiffon formal dress with sweetheart neckline, lace straps and lace back by Symphony Venus, $196. The Bridal Boutique by Mae Me, Metairie, 504-266-2771.

3. Barbour vest, a winter wardrobe winner, $179. Rubenstein’s, New Orleans, 504-581-6666. 4. Elle Macpherson Intimates’ Casablanca contour plunge bra with lace neckline and culotte brief in bright saffron and classic charcoal, $95; panty, $65. Bra La Vie, Hammond, 985-6625065. 5. Feather fringe brass metal mesh handbag from Whiting & Davis, $275. Emma’s Shoes and Accessories, Metairie, 504-407-0668.

6. Pre-Art Deco Belle Époque white gold filigree diamond and aquamarine bar pin, $1,885. Anton’s Fine Jewelry, Metairie, 504-833-4367.

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I N L O V E A N D M A R R I A G E

photo: PHILLIP COLWART PHOTOGRAPHY www.phillipcolwart.com

Orgeron-Kessenich Chelsea Elizabeth Orgeron and Eric Michael Kessenich wed on an autumn afternoon under an oak tree on the Kessenich family property. The bride’s mermaid-style gown was created by her grandmother. It featured a satin charmeuse skirt with modern point d’esprit lace inserts at the bodice outlined with freshwater pearls and a deep v-back embellished with pearl and silk roses. She wore her great-grandmother’s heirloom gold and pearl broach. The rustic chic reception featured a Cochon de Lait.

Colorful fall floral arrangements and white lights draped from the tall pines decorated the grounds. Guests danced into the night to the music of Tyler Kinchen and the Easy Pieces Band. The couple honeymooned in Costa Rica.

December 2014-January 2015 169

Get Fit

by Sandy Franco

TIS THE SEASON. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, the average American packs on 9.5 pounds. Sticking to your diet and workout routine can be a daunting challenge. But be of good cheer, I bring good tidings. Here are tips to help you stay trim and fit without feeling deprived of all the food and fun.

Holiday Fitness Tips

1. Be prepared. Don’t let social eating sabotage you.

Strategy is key. Don’t show up at a party hungry.

Skipping meals early in the day may make you eat more later. Have a snack before going to holiday parties to help stabilize blood sugar. Decide ahead of time what is off limits and what you can indulge in.

2. Pack ammunition for the snack attack.

When you are out and hunger strikes, be ready.

Carry small portions of almonds or other hearty nuts with you—a great source of protein that helps you feel full.

3. Get your fiber fill and hydrate.

Eat a fiber-rich diet and drink plenty of water before a party. Fiber expands inside of you, providing a sense of fullness and slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates and alcohol.

4. Be merry, but in moderation.

Drink in moderation. Limit yourself to one or two glasses of wine, and steer clear of high-calorie, highcarbohydrate drinks. Sip on a glass of sparkling water on the rocks with a lemon or lime wedge. Everyone will think you are drinking a vodka tonic.

spike your heart rate as well as your metabolism, helping you burn 20 percent more calories throughout the day.

7. Try a HIIT workout.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves intervals of exercise performed at maximum intensity followed by short rest intervals. A 20-minute HIIT workout can burn up to six times more calories than a 40-minute steady-paced workout.

8. Change it up.

Completely change your fitness routine during the holidays. Making a change will force your body to adapt, helping it to burn more calories throughout the day.

9. Burn fat and lower stress with yoga.

Not only is yoga proven to relieve stress, but it can increase awareness, making you more mindful of your choices and behaviors. Yoga is also particularly effective at getting rid of fat around the waistline, the notorious “spare tire.”

10. Recruit a fitness friend.

People who work out with a partner are up to 80 percent more successful in exercising consistently and reaching their fitness goals than those who work out alone.

5. Make time for a quickie.

Quickies have taken on a whole new meaning.

New research shows that the most effective cardio for fat and calorie burning involves short but intense workouts throughout the day.

6. Boost your morning metabolism.

Start your day with 10-15 minutes of calisthenics.

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Start tomorrow off right, even if you think you blew it today. Don’t use an indulgent evening as an excuse to wait until after the holidays to start over.

Begin your New Year’s resolution early. Take a class; join a gym; start a training program; get in a running club; ride your bike; or find a workout friend who will walk with you every day. True, you might miss a workout here and there but at least you tried. And you’ll look and feel better for it.

IN the Spotlight

photos: ART DE VIE

Belles and Beaus Ball At the 2014 American Cancer Society’s “Belles and Beaus Ball” at Mardi Gras World, more than 1,000 guests enjoyed a fashion show with Saks Fifth Avenue looks, a 610 Stompers performance and live music by KARMA. Over 35 local restaurants and bars provided dining and beverages for the Rock and Rollthemed event.

The Belles and Beaus were honored for their significant contributions to the community representing all areas of cancer. The ball raised $175,000 to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Patrick F. Taylor Hope Lodge in New Orleans.

The Lodge provides housing free of charge to cancer patients and their families during treatment.

IN the Spotlight

photos: CAITLIN B PHOTOGRAPHY AND SARRAH DANZIGER

Team Gleason Benefit Longtime friends, family and followers of Villa Vici and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams furniture gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams benefitting Team Gleason. Joel Catering and Special Events served passed hors d’oeuvres and appetizers while DJ Cyrous Ardalan played music for the 250 guests. The proceeds will go directly to Team Gleason and ALS research.

The event raised $20,000 toward the goal of $37,000. All donors are entered in a raffle to win a Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams chair.

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1. Dottie Brennan, Carole Dienes, Elle Brennan and Susan Gundlach at the wedding of Bryan Batt and Tom Cianfichi.

2. David and Laure Seca Pons. 3. Bryan Batt and Tom Cianfichi. 4. Leslie, Camille, Bryan and Audrey Burkey enjoying the wedding festivities. 5. Claudette Lupo and Grace 11

Hagen at the Royal Sonesta’s Round Table. 6. Kirk Coco and Margarita Bergen. 7. Grace Kaynor, Lisa Ludwig, Beth Depass and Susan Wormser at Sotre’s Julia B. Couture Linens Trunk Show. 8. Emily Burglass, Heather Burglass and Elise Kaiser. 9. Stacy Ware and Jim Mahoney at the #KickDat kickoff event for Nola Goes Pink at Ralph Brennan’s Heritage Grill. 10. Ralph Brennan and the Pussy Footers at the #KickDat kickoff event. 11. Chris Montero, Chip Flanagan and Steven Marsella.

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IN the Spotlight Key to the Cure

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

For the Key to the Cure Kickoff Gala at Saks Fifth Avenue New Orleans, every level of the store featured New Orleans-style entertainment, including Kermit Ruffins and his band. The 800 guests enjoyed libations provided by Goldring Family Foundation and food from 27 of the finest New Orleans restaurants.

The Gala, which was up-lighted with amber pink and turquoise, kicked off the charity four-day shopping weekend. During the weekend, two percent of Saks Fifth Avenue’s sales were donated to the cancer research programs of the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium.

This year’s party gathered $150,000. Since Key to the Cure’s beginning 13 years ago, Saks New Orleans has generated $2 million for cancer research in New Orleans.

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IN the Spotlight

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The Paretti Family of Dealerships recently celebrated the grand opening of its newest retail center, Paretti Jaguar Land Rover Baton Rouge, with great fanfare. Guests danced to the music of The Molly Ringwalds, enjoyed delicious food and spirits and surveyed the newest models in the dealership’s line of luxury cars. During the celebration, representatives from Jaguar Land Rover North America presented the Paretti family with a plaque of distinction for serving the Southeast Louisiana community for 45 years. 1. Suzanne, Tim and Alex Lentz.

2. Mike Rase, Stacey Rase, Landry Rase, Don Petitpain, Willie Paretti, Melissa Paretti, Larry Rase, Craig Paretti, Shelby Rase and Hadley Rase. 3. Melissa and Troy Verges, Tommy and Bridget Boudreaux, Paysse and Jamie McWilliams. 4. Eric and Christine Helton, Father Charles Latour, Julie and Jimmy Hingle. 5. Anie and Kevin Schneider. 6. Marsha Smalley, Lisa Ahloy and Melissa King. 7. Hunt Vaughn, Bobby Hurley, Jason Pelloat, Josh Foster, Mike Rase, Candice Vaughn, Erica Foster and Rainie Hurley. 8. Bonnie, Maggie and Chris Abide. 9. Jeff and Wendy Corales, Ryan and Jennifer Orgeron, Kris and Chad Muntan.

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1. Dave Landry, Susan Walker, Allan Pizzato, Beth Utterback at the WYES Beatles Tribute Reception. 2. Peggy Scott LaBorde, “Paul”, Deacon John and “Ringo.” 3. Karl and Lisa Hoefer with “Ed Sullivan.” 4. Winnie Brown with Mike and Nolia Chiasson. 5. Margaret Beer and Sally Suthon with The Fab Four and “Ed Sullivan.” 6. Concertgoers at the 1964 Beatles Concert at City Park. 7. Denise Schimek, Alma Slatten Pettit, Beth Cook, Jan Wootan, Genie Schoenfeld gather around Alma Dunlap at her birthday celebration at Bistro Daisy. 8. Stephanie Pagliarulo, Mallory Goorley and Jennifer Palpallatoc at Emma’s Shoes and Accessories’ MZ Wallace Trunk Show in Metairie. 9. The International School of Louisiana gala committee at the Refrigerator Art Auction & Gala at Generations Hall. 10. Academy of the Sacred Heart’s mothers of the Class of 2015 gather at Ralph’s on the Park.

Send your submissions to peek@mandlpublishing.com.

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IN the Spotlight

photos: FIELDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Inside New Orleans Launch Party Music, food and celebration filled the evening for the Inside New Orleans launch party at Saks Fifth Avenue New Orleans. The event was sponsored by the Paretti Family of Dealerships, Saks Fifth Avenue and Fidelity, which presented an ice sculpture featuring the cover of Inside New Orleans. Restaurants including Chateau du Lac, Galatoire’s, Jubilee Restaurant & Courtyard, Kingfish, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen French Quarter, Mellow Mushroom, Ole Saint and The Lakehouse served up small bites for the guests. Cover artist James Michalopoulos signed debut issues and his book Michalopoulos; he also displayed his paintings for partygoers to view. Saks was happy to share the opening of its Gucci department with guests. The second floor of Saks featured PJ’s coffee and Bullet Bourbon tastings. Bryan Batt introduced publisher Lori Murphy, who thanked everyone for supporting this new endeavor.

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INside Peek

1. Brian Melius, Mark Morere and Tim Deano participate in St. Martin’s Episcopal School Golf Tournament at City Park. 2. Kelley Williamson, Donovan Ferguson, Fred Devall and David Reeves. 3.

Danielle Trostorff, David Briggs, Judge Jay Zainey, Mark Romig and Father Mike Mitchell at Dragomania for Saint Andrew’s Village.

4. Peggy Gundlach, Steve Gundlach and Lele Hainkel celebrate the opening of Basics Swim & Gym in New Orleans. 5. Marie Summitt and Leo Michiels at The Historic New Orleans Collection’s 1

Concerts in the Courtyard with Debbie Davis and the Mesmerizers.

6. Farrah Fitte and Virginia Halligan hand out Sculpting Center sweat bands at the Race to the Lake.

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1. Dawn Miller and Debbie Buchler at Cancer Crusaders’ Celebration of Life Luncheon. 2. Constance Albert and Lisa Baynham. 3. Denise Woodward and Pat Golemi present the check to LSU and Tulane Cancer Centers at the luncheon.

4. Cancer survivors and community activists (front) Peter Dale, Cathie Weinstein, Leonora Egan, Charlotte Ruiz, Cynthia Cheri, Lynda Nugent Smith, (back) Nita RenĂŠe Pastor, Ellen Cortello, Jacqueline Vitrine and Charlotte Ward being honored at the Celebration of Life Luncheon. 5. Les Amies Du Jardin Club Lori Savoie, Leslie War, Sheila Vocke, Jabari Brown, Kim Shackleton and Jeanne Firth visiting Grow Dat Youth Farm in City Park.

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1. Carl Bouchereau, Joseph Caruso, Gayle Benson, Jefferey Haro, Anthony Meltio and Timothy Napier at Brother Martin’s Prayer Breakfast held at Metairie Country Club. 2. Tommy Mitchell, Gayle Benson and John Devlin. 3. David and Jeanne Pecot with Jeanne Gallo and David Gallo. 4. Linda Holmes, Ed Holmes, Elaine Ridgley, Tommy Ridgley, Tom Ridgley and Rachele Ridgley at the Prayer Breakfast. 5. Jason Seidman, Steve Scalise and Marc Juneau at NOLA Tech

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Week. 6. Auseklis Ozols and Marcia Holmes at the Garden District Gallery for Art for Arts Sake. 7. Lori Sperier and Mary Lou at Shades of Blue, Inc., for Art for Arts Sake. 8. Mary Lou, Joan Tramuta and Paula Gudaitis. 9. Laura Flannery, Jordan Heinen, Esther Gooding and Britlyn Delahoussay at Make Me Up for Art for Arts Sake. 10. Blair Harrison, Merry Sorrells, Linda Trevino, Christian Shoftstahl, Jay Schupp and Edward Ellzey at St. Martin’s Episcopal School’s 2014 Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony.

Send your submissions to peek@mandlpublishing.com.

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WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH YOUR HANDS TODAY? Think about it. Even before you left for work, you likely drank your coffee, ate your breakfast, took a shower, brushed your teeth and applied makeup or shaved. Maybe you braided someone’s hair, tossed a ball with the dog or zipped off a few texts. Throughout our days, we call upon our hands to execute thousands of activities. But what happens when those hands are injured or threatened by disease?

For 40 years, patients across Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and beyond have relied on the hand experts at the Hand Center of Louisiana. Within their 30,000-square-foot facility and 10,000-square-foot therapy center, a team of four hand surgeons, nine physical therapists, a rheumatologist, a neurologist and an orthopaedic surgeon work cooperatively to address problems of the forearm, wrist and hand and get those precious hands working for us again.

“Some people worry that, since we’re surgeons, they shouldn’t come to us for simple hand pain or more minor issues,” says Dr. Eric George, President and Medical Director of the Hand Center of Louisiana. “Surgery is a very small part of what we do and is always a last resort when more conservative treatment isn’t an option. We see 400 to 600 patients a week, including pro athletes, offshore workers, weekend warriors and kids. Very few of them require surgery.”

The main Hand Surgical Associates office on Houma Boulevard offers the very latest MRI, ultrasound and other diagnostic technology. Doctors Eric George, Charles Clasen and Carol Meyer—soon to be joined by Nick Pappas—are all fellowship trained and boardcertified surgeons, specializing in the care of the hand and its supporting structures. Combined with the Hand Therapy Center on Kingman Street, which offers state-of-the-art rehabilitative therapy, they make up the Hand Center of Louisiana.

“We are dedicated to remaining at the cutting edge of technology,” Dr. George says. “But our focus is on our patients—what’s best for getting them back to using their hands the best they can and pain-free.

Statistics show that one in nine visits to the ER are related to an injury of the hand. We see a lot of individuals of all ages, who’ve experienced trauma to their hand or who are suffering with arthritis or other chronic issues. We also work with many of the New Orleans Saints starters and have exclusive contracts with many of the larger oil companies. ” Depending upon the condition, non-surgical solutions may include splints or casts, cortisone injections, medication and/or physical therapy.

When therapy or other treatments aren’t enough, Hand Surgical Associates has the most knowledgeable hand surgery specialists available in the South to perform whatever full surgical, arthroscopy or micro-vascular surgery that may be required.

Dr. Carol Meyer is the newest addition to this team. “Being a mom of three young kids herself, Dr. Meyer has a wonderful rapport with our younger patients and is vastly experienced in pediatrics,” Dr. George says. “She’s been athletic all her life, so she understands

Eric R. George, MD

Hand Center of Louisiana how injured patients want to get back to their normal sports activities. The practice has grown steadily over the past 40 years, but we work hard at keeping the personal, individualized touch. Dr. Meyer is a real asset in all regards.”

Our arms and hands are important tools we need to function efficiently every day. When you’re stricken with uncomfortable or incapacitating pain from an injury or disease, the Hand Center of Louisiana has the expertise to help relieve your pain and return your hands to optimum function again.

Hand Center of Louisiana 4228 Houma Boulevard, Suite 600 B Metairie, Louisiana 70006 (504) 378-1811

Hand Therapy Center 3017 Kingman Street, Metairie, Louisiana 70006

handsurgical.com December 2014-January 2015 181

Real Estate

Take Your Pick!

by Tom Hancock

I REMEMBER ONE YEAR in elementary school, our teacher gave us an assignment to do a presentation on Christmas customs and celebrations from other countries. In order to decide which country we would present, each of us got a turn to spin a globe.

As the globe turned and turned and turned, we put our finger on the globe to make it stop spinning.

Whichever country our finger landed on would be our topic. The beauty of this assignment was that, regardless of where my finger landed, it was a winwin, because I got to do an assignment that had to do with Christmas—and to this little 10-year-old Catholic boy, Christmas was the best thing ever.

This story often comes to mind when I’m at a cocktail party, having lunch with friends or meeting with clients through the course of business. I mention a property that I recently appraised or a potential project that I’m working on, and the next question is usually “What is the hottest neighborhood in New Orleans?” or “Where are all of the investors buying real estate right now? I’m ready to invest.”

My typical response is a chuckle and “Take your pick!” There is so much going on in every neighborhood in New Orleans that if you look at

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a map of the city, close your eyes and throw your finger down on any point, there are numerous redevelopment projects in progress—and prices in many of these areas are seemingly unprecedented.

It was never a mystery that the rebuilding and repopulation of post-Katrina New Orleans would be a gradual process. I relocated to New Orleans from Nashville in 2008, and the progress I have witnessed over the last six-plus years is nothing short of amazing. We’ve hosted the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star game, the BCS National Title game, and every year, we somehow pull off a little thing called Mardi Gras.

New Orleans has become an entrepreneurial hub, attracting some of the brightest and most innovative young professionals in the country; the opening of the LSU-VA hospital is bringing in a slew of doctors and medical professionals.

If you are like me and want some actual statistics, the population of New Orleans is expected to increase another 15 percent over the next four years. So, with all of the positive energy and new bodies pouring into the city, it’s no wonder that we are experiencing exceptional appreciation and sales activity in some neighborhoods. To go back to the original question:

my answer remains, “Take your pick.”

Single-family home prices Uptown and in the Garden District have reached such astronomical heights and demand is so great that bidding wars within hours of properties being listed for sale have become the norm rather than the exception. Many prospective buyers are slowly beginning to find out that they have been priced out of the neighborhood and are looking elsewhere, such as Broadmoor and Lakeview.

My office is on the corner of St. Charles Avenue and Julia Street in the Warehouse District. In the twoblock walk to lunch today from my office to Peche Seafood Grill on the corner of Magazine and Julia, I passed by no fewer than five commercial and mixeduse buildings that were purchased and renovated in the last three years, with the developers having taken advantage of state and federal historic tax credits.

The Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods have completely transformed themselves over the last five years. They have become so popular that the hipsters are fleeing across the Mississippi River to Algiers Point because the Marigny and Bywater have become way too popular and trendy.

If you want to take a trip across the Intracoastal Canal to New Orleans East, we can talk about current and proposed projects to redevelop numerous largescale multi-family apartment complexes that are attracting investors from across the nation.

We can also talk about the redevelopment of Freret Street into one of the more attractive retail corridors in the city, the recent completion of Mid-City Market, the early stages of the transformation of the Oretha Castle Haley corridor, the proposed Magnolia Marketplace in Central City, the South Market District in the CBD, or even how the French Quarter is, and always will be, the jewel of the city.

The fact of the matter is that one would be hardpressed to find a neighborhood in this city that isn’t experiencing substantial growth and redevelopment.

There are plenty of opportunities, both large and small, for potential development and redevelopment.

However, to those wanting to hop into this game, I typically offer the same valuable advice that my father once offered me: “If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.”

Then again, maybe it’s time to spin the globe and see what happens.

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Matthew Druen at The Sazerac Bar.

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Raise a glass

this holiday season!

by Anne Honeywell

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IT IS THE HOLIDAY SEASON, so let’s celebrate—with a cocktail! This year, enjoy a cocktail as festive as the season itself. Here, some of New Orleans’ finest bars and restaurants share a special holiday cocktail and the individual ingredients. So, whether you are toasting to Christmastime with a Gingerbread Man-hatten or ringing in the New Year with an Iberville Royale, these very merry cocktails will make your season bright!

photos: CANDRA GEORGE mycreativereality.com

IN Great Taste

3.

1. The Sazerac Bar at

4.

the Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans The Sazerac

6-Year Rye Whiskey, Peychaud’s Bitters, Herbsaint-rinsed glass 2. The Pelican Club The Ho Ho Ho

Grand Marnier, sparkling wine, cinnamon clove simple syrup, cranberry juice 3. Steamboat Natchez & Gray Line New Orleans Symphonic Cosmopolite

Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka, orange liqueur, Louisiana Sisters Pepper Jelly, cranberry juice, Rose’s Lime Juice

5.

6.

4. Red Fish Grill Allspice Old Fashioned

Maker’s Mark Bourbon, allspicecinnamon-clove simple syrup, candied orange peel 5. Dickie Brennan’s Palace Café Gingerbread Man-hattan

Bourbon, Chicory-Pecan Bitters, gingerbread syrup

7.

8.

6. Polo Club Lounge at Windsor Court Hotel Acapulco Holiday

Cabo Diablo Tequila, Licor 43, coffee, orange-flavored whipped cream 7. Restaurant R’evolution The Partnership

Aperol, Pimm’s #1, Fernet Branca 8. Broussard’s Eggnog

Brandy, egg yolk, simple syrup, nutmeg, whipped cream >> December 2014-January 2015 185

INside Dining New Orleans is home to more great restauruants than we could hope to list here. For a comprehensive listing of restaurants in the New Orleans metro

9. Dickie

area, please refer to Tom Fizmorris’

Brennan’s

nomenu.com. In this guide, you will find

Steakhouse

some of the best bets around town.

Tom’s fleur de lis ratings are shown.

Iberville Royale

Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Chambord, sparkling wine

CARROLLTON, RIVERBEND AND BROADMOOR Babylon Café aaa Middle Eastern, 7724 Maple St., 504-314-0010 Barcelona Tapas aaa Spanish, 720 Dublin St., 504-861-9696

10. Tableau

Basil Leaf aaa Thai, 1438 S.

Spiced Manhattan

9.

Carrollton Ave., 504-862-9001 Boucherie aaaa Southern

Woodford Reserve Bourbon, sweet vermouth, Angostura Bitters, winter spiced syrup

Barbecue, 1506 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-862-5514 Brigtsen’s aaaa Contemporary Creole, 723 Dante St., 504-861-7610 Café Niño aaa Pizza, 1510 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-865-9200 Chiba aaa Japanese, 8312 Oak St., 504-826-9119 Ciro’s Cote Sud aaa French, 7918 Maple St., 504-866-9551 Cooter Brown’s Tavern aaa Sandwiches, 509 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-866-9104 Cowbell aa Hamburgers, 1200 Eagle St., 504-866-4222 Dante’s Kitchen aaaa Eclectic, 736 Dante St., 504-861-3121 Hana aaa Japanese, 8116 Hampson, 504-865-1634 Jacques-Imo’s aaa Cajun, 8324 Oak St., 504-861-0886 Lebanon’s Café aaa Middle

10.

Eastern, 1500 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-862-6200 Louisiana Pizza Kitchen aaa

11. Hermes Bar at Antoine’s Peppermint Patty

White crème de cacao, white crème de menthe, vodka, cream

Pizza, 615 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-866-5900 Maple Street Café aaa Creole Italian, 7623 Maple St., 504-314-9003 Mat & Naddie’s aaaa Eclectic, 937 Leonidas St., 504-861-9600 Mikimoto aaaa Japanese, 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-488-1881 Mona’s Café aa Middle Eastern, 1120 S. Carrollton Ave., 504861-8174 Panchita’s aaa Central American, 1434 S. Carrollton Ave., 504281-4127 Pupuseria La Macarena aaa Central American, 8120 Hampson St., 504-862-5252

11.

186

Inside New Orleans

Riccobono’s Panola Street Café aa Breakfast, 7801 Panola St.,

504-314-1810 Sara’s aaa Pan-Asian, 724 Dublin St., 504-861-0565 Squeal Barbecue aa Barbecue, 8400 Oak St., 504-302-7370 Vincent’s aaaa Italian, 7839 St. Charles Ave., 504-866-9313 Ye Olde College Inn aaa Neighborhood Café, 3016 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-866-3683 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT Bon Ton Café aaa Cajun, 401 Magazine St., 504-524-3386 Borgne aaa Seafood, 601 Loyola Ave. (Hyatt Regency Hotel), 504613-3860 Café Adelaide aaaa Contemporary Creole, 300 Poydras St., 504595-3305 Chophouse aaa Steak, 322 Magazine St., 504-522-7902 Desi Vega’s aaaa Steak, 628 St. Charles Ave., 504-523-7600 Domenica aaaa Italian, 123 Baronne St. (Roosevelt Hotel), 504-648-6020 Drago’s aaaa Seafood, 2 Poydras St., 504-584-3911 Herbsaint aaaa Creole French, 701 St. Charles Ave., 504-524-4114 Horinoya aaa Japanese, 920 Poydras St., 504-561-8914 Le Foret aaaaa French, 129 Camp St., 504-553-6738 Liborio aaa Cuban, 321 Magazine St., 504-581-9680 Lucky Rooster aaa Pan-Asian, 515 Baronne St., 504-529-5825 Lüke aaa French, 333 St. Charles Ave., 504-378-2840 MiLa aaaa Eclectic, 817 Common St., 504-412-2580 Morton’s The Steakhouse aaa Steak, 365 Canal St. (Canal Place Mall), 504-566-0221 Mother’s aaa Sandwiches, 401 Poydras St., 504-523-9656 Restaurant August aaaaa Eclectic, 301 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-299-9777 Ruby Slipper Café aaa Breakfast, Neighborhood Café, 200 Magazine St., 504-525-9355 Ruth’s Chris Steak House aaa Steak, 525 Fulton St., 504-587-7099 Windsor Court Grill Room aaa American, 300 Gravier St., 504522-1994 ESPLANADE RIDGE AND GENTILLY Liuzza’s By The Track aaa Neighborhood Café, 1518 N. Lopez St., 504-218-7888

Lola’s aaa Spanish, 3312 Esplanade Ave., 504-488-6946 Sammy’s Food Service aaa Neighborhood Café, 3000 Elysian Fields Ave., 504-947-0675 Santa Fe aaa Mexican, 3201 Esplanade Ave., 504-948-0077 FRENCH QUARTER Acme Oyster House aaa Seafood, 724 Iberville St., 504-522-5973 Antoine’s aaaa Creole French, 713

Kingfish, a casual French Quarter restaurant, salutes the Huey P. Long era. The Kingfish menu embodies new Louisiana cuisine brought to

St. Louis St., 504-581-4422

fruition by renowned Chef Greg

Arnaud’s aaaa Creole French, 813

Sonnier, whose trademark style

Bienville St., 504-523-5433 Bayona aaaa Eclectic, 430 Dauphine St., 504-525-4455 Bombay Club aaa Contemporary

is evident in the multilayers of flavor he presents in every dish.

Cornmeal waffle pirogue sits atop a sweet potato puree adorned with

Creole, 830 Conti St., 504-586-

New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp.

0972

337 Chartres St., 598-5005,

Bourbon House aaa Seafood, 144 Bourbon St., 504-522-0111 Broussard’s aaaa Creole French, 819 Conti St., 504-581-3866 Café Giovanni aaaa Creole Italian, 117 Decatur St., 504-529-2154 Court of Two Sisters aaa Creole French, 613 Royal St., 504-522-7273 Crescent City Brewhouse aaa Pub Food, 527 Decatur St., 504522-0571 Criollo aaa Creole French, 214 Royal St., 504-523-3341 Deanie’s Seafood Seafood, 841 Iberville St., 504-581-1316 Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse aaa Steak, 716 Iberville St., 504-5222467 Eat aaa Neighborhood Café, 900 Dumaine St., 504-522-7222 El Gato Negro aaa Mexican, 81 French Market Place, 504-525-9752 Frank’s aaa Creole Italian, 933 Decatur St., 504-525-1602 Galatoire’s aaaa Creole French, 209 Bourbon St., 504-525-2021 Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak aaa Steak, 215 Bourbon St., 504335-3932 Galvez aaaa Spanish, 914 N. Peters St., 504-595-3400 Gumbo Shop aaa Creole, 630 St. Peter St., 504-525-1486 GW Fins aaaa Seafood, 808 Bienville St., 504-581-3467 Irene’s Cuisine aaaa Italian, 539 St. Philip St., 504-529-8811 K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen aaaa Cajun, 416 Chartres St., 504524-7394 Kingfish aaaa Cajun, 337 Chartres St., 504-598-5005 Louisiana Bistro aaa Contemporary Creole, 337 Dauphine St., 504-

cocktailbarneworleans.com.

525-3335 Louisiana Pizza Kitchen aaa Pizza, 95 French Market Place, 504-522-9500 Maximo’s Italian Grill aaaa Italian, 1117 Decatur St., 504-586-8883 Meauxbar aaaa French, 942 N. Rampart St., 504-569-9979 Mr. B’s Bistro aaaa Contemporary Creole, 201 Royal St., 504-5232078 Muriel’s aaaa Contemporary Creole, 801 Chartres St., 504568-1885 Napoleon House aa Sandwiches, 500 Chartres St., 504-524-9752 New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co. aa Sandwiches, 541 Decatur St., 504-309-7902 Nola aaaa Contemporary Creole, 534 St. Louis St., 504-522-6652 Ole Saint Southern Coastal, 132 Royal St., 504-309-4797 Olivier’s Creole Restaurant aaa Creole, 204 Decatur St., 504525-7734 Orleans Grapevine aaa Contemporary Creole, 720 Orleans Ave., 504-523-1930 Palace Café aaa Contemporary Creole, 605 Canal St., 504-523-1661 Pelican Club aaaaa Contemporary Creole, 312 Exchange Place, 504-523-1504 Port of Call aaa Hamburgers, 838 Esplanade Ave., 504-523-0120 R’evolution aaaa Creole French, 777 Bienville (in the Royal Sonesta Hotel), 504-553-2277 Red Fish Grill aaa Seafood, 115 Bourbon St., 504-598-1200 Rib Room aaa American, 621 St. Louis St., 504-529-7045

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December 2014-January 2015 187

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g Come Back Inn aa Neighborhood

Royal House aaa Seafood, 441

Café, 8016 W. Metairie Ave., 504-

Royal St., 504-528-2601

467-9316

SoBou aaa Contemporary Creole,

Crabby Jack’s aaa Sandwiches,

310 Chartres St., 504-552-4095

428 Jefferson Hwy., Jefferson,

Stanley aa Breakfast, 547 St. Ann

504-833-2722

St., 504-587-0093

Creole Grille aaa Creole, 5241

Sylvain aaa American Gourmet,

Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-

625 Chartres St., 504-265-8123 Tujague’s aaa Creole, 823 Decatur St., 504-525-8676 GARDEN DISTRICT Commander’s Palace aaaaa Contemporary Creole, 1403 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221 Coquette aaaa Creole French, 2800 Magazine St., 504-265-0421 Delmonico aaaa Contemporary Creole, 1300 St. Charles Ave., 504-525-4937 Juan’s Flying Burrito aaa Mexican, 2018 Magazine St., 504-569-0000 Miyako aaa Japanese, 1403 St. Charles Ave., 504-410-9997 Mr. John’s Steakhouse aaaa Steak, 2111 St. Charles Ave., 504-679-7697 Sake Café aaa Japanese, 2830 Magazine St., 504-894-0033 Slice aaa Pizza, 1513 St. Charles Ave., 504-525-7437 Stein’s Deli aaa Deli, 2207 Magazine St., 504-527-0771 Sushi Brothers aaa Japanese, 1612 St. Charles Ave., 504-581-4449 Tracey’s aaa Sandwiches, 2604 Magazine St., 504-897-5413

Mellow Mushroom is the place where pizza and beer lovers come together. The freshest ingredients go into the eclectic menu of pizzas, hoagies, calzones and salads.

Try one of their specialty pizzas like the Kosmic Karma or Mighty Meaty then top it off with one of the 30 beer choices on tap.

Catering is available. 1645 N. Hwy. 190, Covington, 985-327-5407, mellowmushroom.com.

St., 504-948-3800 Feelings aaa Creole French, 2600 Chartres St., 504-945-2222 Mona’s Café,**, Middle Eastern, 504 Frenchmen St., 504-949-4115 Praline Connection aa Creole, 542 Frenchmen St., 504-943-3934 Ruby Slipper Café aaa Breakfast, Neighborhood Café, 2001 Burgundy St., 504-525-9355 Snug Harbor aaa American, 626 Frenchmen St., 504-949-0696 Sukho Thai aaa Thai, 1913 Royal St., 504-948-9309 Wasabi aaa Japanese, 900 Frenchmen St., 504-943-9433 METAIRIE Acme Oyster House aaa Seafood,

LAKEVIEW

3000 Veterans Blvd., 504-309-4056

Café Navarre aa Sandwiches, 800

Acropolis Cuisine aaa Greek, 3841

Navarre Ave., 504-483-8828

Veterans Blvd., 504-888-9046

El Gato Negro aaa Mexican, 300 Harrison Ave., 504-488-0107 Lakeview Harbor aaa Hamburgers, 911 Harrison Ave., 504-486-4887 Mondo aaa Eclectic, 900 Harrison Ave., 504-224-2633 Munch Factory aaa Contemporary Creole, 6325 Elysian Fields Ave., 504-324-5372 Ralph’s On The Park aaaa Contemporary Creole, 900 City Park Ave., 504-488-1000 Steak Knife aaa Contemporary

Andrea’s aa Italian, 3100 19th St., 504-834-8583 Andy’s Bistro aaa American, 3322 N. Turnbull Dr., 504-455-7363 Austin’s aaaa Creole, 5101 West Esplanade Ave., 504-888-5533 Byblos Market aa Middle Eastern, 2020 Veterans Blvd., 504-837-9777 Café East aaa Pan-Asian, 4628 Rye St., 504-888-0078 Café Equator aaa Thai, 2920 Severn Ave., 504-888-4772 Carreta’s Grill a Mexican, 2320 Veterans Blvd., 504-837-6696;

Creole, 888 Harrison Ave., 504-

1821 Hickory Ave., Harahan, 504-

488-8981

305-4833

Tony Angello’s aaa Creole Italian, 6262 Fleur de Lis Dr., 504-488-0888

Casa Garcia aaa Mexican, 8814 Veterans Blvd., 504-464-0354 Casablanca aaa Mediterranean,

MARIGNY Adolfo’s aa Italian, 611 Frenchmen

3030 Severn Ave., 504-888-2209 China Rose aaa Chinese, 3501 N. Arnoult St., 504-887-3295

188

Inside New Orleans

Cypress aaa Contemporary Creole, 4426 Transcontinental Blvd., 504885-6885 Drago’s aaaa Seafood, 3232 N. Arnoult Rd., 504-888-9254

Steak, 3633 Veterans Blvd., 504888-3600 Sake Café aa Japanese, 1130 S. Clearview Pkwy., Elmwood, 504733-8879, 4201 Veterans Blvd., 504-779-7253 Sandro’s Trattoria aaa Creole Italian, 6601 Veterans Blvd., 504888-7784 Shogun aaaa Japanese, 2325 Veterans Blvd., 504-833-7477 Taqueria Corona aaa Mexican,

Fausto’s aaa Creole Italian, 530

3535 Severn Ave., 504-885-5088

Veterans Blvd., 504-833-7121

Vincent’s aaaa Creole Italian, 4411

Fury’s aaa Seafood, 724 Martin Behrman Ave., 504-834-5646 Giorlando’s aaa Neighborhood

Chastant St., 504-885-2984 Zea aaa American, 4450 Veterans Blvd. (Clearview Mall), 504-

Café, 741 Bonnabel Blvd., 504-

780-9090; 1655 Hickory Ave.,

835-8593

Harahan, 504-738-0799

Heritage Grill Contemporary Creole, 111 Veterans Blvd., 504-9344900 Hillbilly Barbecue aaa Barbecue, 2317 Hickory Ave., River Ridge, 504-738-1508 Impastato’s aaaa Creole Italian, 3400 16th St., 504-455-1545 Korea House aaa Korean, 3547 18th St., 504-888-0654 Kosher Cajun Deli aa Deli, 3519 Severn Ave., 504-888-2010 Little Tokyo aaa Japanese, 2300 N. Causeway Blvd., 504-831-6788 Martin Wine Cellar Deli aaa Deli, 714 Elmeer Ave., 504-896-7350 Mellow Mushroom aa Pizza, 30

Zea aaa American, 1525 St. Charles Ave., 504-520-8100

889-7992

Veterans Blvd., 504-831-9633 Ruth’s Chris Steak House aaaa

craft beers on tap, 3131 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-644-4155 Mr. Ed’s aaa Neighborhood Café, 1001 Live Oak St., 504-838-0022 Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar & Fish House aaa Seafood, 3117 21St. Street, 504-833-6310 New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co. aa Sandwiches, 1005 S. Clearview Pkwy., Elmwood, 504734-1122; 817 Veterans Blvd., 504-837-8580; 6920 Veterans Blvd., 504-455-1272 Parran’s Po-Boys aaa Sandwiches, 3939 Veterans Blvd., 504-885-3416 Peppermill aaa Creole Italian, 3524 Severn Ave., 504-455-2266 Pho Orchid aaa Vietnamese, 3117 Houma Blvd., 504-457-4188 Ristorante Filippo aaa Creole Italian, 1917 Ridgelake Dr., 504835-4008 RocketFire Pizza Co. aaa Pizza, 612 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-828-8161 Royal China aaa Chinese, 600

MID-CITY Angelo Brocato aaa Dessert and Coffee, 214 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-486-1465 Café Degas aaa French, 3127 Esplanade Ave., 504-945-5635 Café Minh aaaa Vietnamese, 4139 Canal St., 504-482-6266 Cafe NOMA Contemporary Creole, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, 504-482-1264 Canal Street Bistro aaa Mexican, 3903 Canal St., 504-482-1225 Crescent City Steak House aaa Steak, 1001 N. Broad St., 504821-3271 Crescent Pie & Sausage Company aaa Neighborhood Café, 4408 Banks St., 504-482-6264 Dooky Chase aaa Creole, 2301 Orleans Ave., 504-821-0600 Doson’s Noodle House aaa Vietnamese, 135 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-309-7283 Five Happiness aaa Chinese, 3605 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-482-3935 Juan’s Flying Burrito aaa Mexican, 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., 504486-9950 Katie’s aaa Neighborhood Café, 3701 Iberville St., 504-488-6582 Little Tokyo aaa Japanese, 310 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-485-5658 Liuzza’s aaa Neighborhood Café, 3636 Bienville St., 504-482-9120 Mandina’s aaa Italian, Seafood, 3800 Canal St., 504-482-9179 Mona’s Café aa Middle Eastern, 3901 Banks St., 504-482-7743 Parkway Poor Boys aaa Sandwiches, 538 Hagan Ave., 504-482-3047 Redemption aaaa Contemporary

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December 2014-January 2015 189

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g Covington, 985-871-6674

Creole, 3835 Iberville St., 504-

The Chimes aaa Cajun, 19130

309-3570

W. Front St., Covington, 985-

Ruby Slipper Café aaa Breakfast,

892-5396

Neighborhood Café, 139 S.

Christopher’s On Carey aaaa

Cortez St., 504-309-5531

Contemporary Creole, 2228

Rue 127 aaaa Contemporary

Carey St., Slidell, 985-641-4501

Creole, 127 N. Carrollton Ave.,

Dakota aaaa Contemporary

504-483-1571 Toups’ Meatery aaa Cajun, 845 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-252-4999 Venezia aaa Italian, 134 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-488-7991 Willie Mae’s Scotch House aaa

Enjoy an authentic Louisiana

Creole, 629 N. US 190,

Pizza Kitchen experience in

Covington, 985-892-3712

the French Quarter; all meat and poultry are organic and free-range.

Columbia St., Covington, 985-

Louisiana Pizza Kitchen has won

875-0160

Chicken, 2401 St. Ann St., 504-

the Wine Spectator Award of

822-9503

Excellence fives years in a row.

Sip casually in your jeans while

NORTHSHORE Acme Oyster House aaa Seafood, 1202 US 190, Covington, 985246-6155 Annadele Plantation aaaa Contemporary Creole, 71518 Chestnut St., Covington, 985809-7669 Bear’s aa Sandwiches, 128 W. 21St. Ave., Covington, 504-892-2373 Bear’s Grill & Spirits aaa Sandwiches, 4700 LA 22, Mandeville, 985-674-9090; 550 Gause Blvd., Slidell, 985201-8905 Bosco’s aaa Creole Italian, 141

190

Inside New Orleans

DiCristina’s aaa Italian, 810 N.

tasting Creole and Italian dining. 95 French Market Place, 522-9500, lpkfrenchquarter.com.

DiMartino’s aaa Italian, 700 S. Tyler St., Covington, 985-276-6460 Gallagher’s Grill aaaa Contemporary Creole, 509 S. Tyler St., Covington, 985-892-9992 George’s aaa Mexican, 1461 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville, 985-

TerraBella Blvd., Covington, 985612-7250, 2040 La Hwy 59, Mandeville, 985-624-5066

626-4342 Gio’s Villa Vancheri aaa Italian, 2890 E. Causeway Approach,

Café Lynn aaaa Contemporary Creole,

Mandeville, 985-624-2597

3051 East Causeway Approach,

Jacmel Inn Contemporary Creole,

Mandeville, 985-624-9007 Camellia Café aaa Neighborhood Café, 69455 LA 59, Abita Springs,

903 E Morris Ave., Hammond, 985-542-0043 Keith Young’s Steak House aaaa

985-809-6313; 525 190 Hwy. W.,

Steak, 165 LA 21, Madisonville,

Slidell, 985-649-6211

985-845-9940

Carreta’s Grill a Mexican, 1340 Lindberg Dr., Slidell, 985-8470020; 70380 LA Hwy. 21,

La Carreta aaa Mexican, 812 Hyw 190, Covington, 985-400-5202;

1200 W. Causeway Approach, Mandeville, 985-624-2990 La Provence aaaa French, 25020 US 190, Lacombe, 985-626-7662 Lakehouse aaa Contemporary Creole, 2025 Lakeshore Dr., Mandeville, 985-626-3006 Little Tokyo aaa Japanese, 590 Asbury Dr., Mandeville, 504-727-1532 Lola aaa Contemporary Creole, Sandwiches, 517 N. New Hampshire St., Covington, 985892-4992 Mandina’s aaa Italian, Seafood, 4240 La 22, Mandeville, 985674-9883 Mattina Bella aaa Breakfast, 421 E. Gibson St., Covington, 985892-0708 Mellow Mushroom aa Pizza, 30 craft beers on tap, 1645 N. Hwy. 190, Covington, 985-327-5407 Michael’s aaaa Creole French, 4820 Pontchartrain Dr., Slidell, 985-649-8055 N’Tini’s aaa Creole, 2891 US 190, Mandeville, 985-626-5566 Nathan’s aaaa Contemporary Creole, 36440 Old Bayou Liberty Rd., Slidell, 985-643-0443 New Orleans Food & Spirits aaa Seafood, 208 Lee Lane,

i

Café B aaa Contemporary Creole, 2700 Metairie Rd., 504-934-4700

Girod St., Mandeville, 985-626-

Chateau Du Lac aaaa French,

5619 Oxlot 9 Contemporary, 488 E Boston

2037 Metairie Rd., 504-831-3773 Galley Seafood aaa Seafood, 2535

St., Covington, 985-400-5663 Pardo’s aaaa Contemporary

Metairie Rd., 504-832-0955 Porter & Luke’s aaa Creole

Creole, 69305 Hwy 21, Covington, 985-893-3603

The Gumbo Shop has won

Homestyle, 1517 Metairie Rd.,

“Best Gumbo in N.O.” for several

504-875-4555

501 E. Boston St., Covington,

years running, but you can also

985-875-1006

enjoy other New Orleans favorites

Sake Garden aaa Japanese, 1705

s

Metairie Rd., 504-834-9773

Covington, 985-875-0432 Nuvolari’s aaaa Creole Italian, 246

Ristorante Del Porto aaaa Italian,

n

at the centrally located French

US 190, Mandeville, 985-624-8955

Quarter restaurant. Grilled boudin,

Sal and Judy’s aaaa Italian, 27491

sautéed shrimp po-boys, chicken

Sun Ray Grill aaa American, 619 Pink St., 504-837-0055 Taj Mahal aaa Indian, 923-C Metairie Rd., 504-836-6859 Vega Tapas Café aaa

Highway 190, Lacombe, 985-

Espagnole, artichoke soup and

Mediterranean, 2051 Metairie Rd.,

882-9443

creole creamed spinach can also be

504-836-2007

Thai Chili aaa Thai, 1102 N. US 190, Covington, 985-809-0180 Thai Orchid aaa Thai, 785 Robert Blvd., Slidell, 985-781-0240 Trey Yuen aaa Chinese, 600 Causeway Blvd., Mandeville, 985626-4476 Water Street Bistro aaa Contemporary Creole, 804 Water St., Madisonville, 985-845-3855 Winos & Tacos Mexican, 321 N. Columbia St., Covington, 985809-3029 Young’s aaa Steak, 850 Robert Blvd., Slidell, 985-643-9331

Yujin aaa Japanese, 323 N. New Hampshire St., Covington, 985809-3840 Zea aaa American, 110 Lake Dr., Covington, 985-327-0520; 173 Northshore Blvd., Slidell, 985273-0500 OLD METAIRIE Bear’s Grill & Spirits aaa Sandwiches, 3206 Metairie Rd., 504-833-9226 Byblos aaa Middle Eastern, 1501

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5831 Magazine St., 504-899-6987 Byblos aaa Middle Eastern, 3242 Magazine St., 504-894-1233 Casamento’s aaa Seafood, 4330 Magazine St., 504-895-9761 Charlie’s Steak House aaa Steak, 4510 Dryades St., 504-895-9705 Clancy’s aaaa Contemporary Creole, 6100 Annunciation St., 504-895-1111 Dat Dog aa Sandwiches, 3336 Magazine St., 504-894-8885; 5030 Freret St., 504-899-6883 Dick & Jenny’s aaaa Contemporary Creole, 4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-894-9880 Dominique’s On Magazine aaaa American Gourmet, 4213

found on the menu. 630 Saint Peter St., 525-1486, gumboshop.com.

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UPTOWN Amici aaa Italian, 3218 Magazine St., 504-300-1250 Ancora Pizzeria aaa Pizza, 4508 Freret St., 504-324-1636 Apolline aaaa American Gourmet, 4729 Magazine St., 504-894-8881 Atchafalaya aaaa Contemporary Creole, 901 Louisiana Ave., 504891-9626 Baru Bistro & Tapas aaa Caribbean, 3700 Magazine St., 504-895-2225 Bistro Daisy aaaa Creole French,

Magazine St., 504-891-9282 Flaming Torch aaa French, 737 Octavia St., 504-895-0900 Gautreau’s aaaa American, 1728 Soniat St., 504-899-7397 High Hat Café aa Creole Homestyle, 4500 Freret St., 504-754-1366 Uptown,Jamila’s aaa Middle Eastern, 7806 Maple St., 504866-4366 Joey K’s aaa Neighborhood Café, 3001 Magazine St., 504-891-0997 Kyoto aaa Japanese, 4920 Prytania St., 504-891-3644

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December 2014-January 2015 191

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g WAREHOUSE DISTRICT AND CENTRAL CITY 7 On Fulton aaa Contemporary Creole,701 Convention Center Blvd., 504-575-7555 American Sector aa American, 945 Magazine St., 504-528-1940 With two locations, Deanie’s Seafood has been a favorite for boiled, broiled and fried Louisiana seafood prepared in Deanie’s signature Creole seasonings for more than 50 years. Every Friday in October, Deanie’s delivers live music and fresh Louisiana seafood during its free outdoor concert series, Bucktober Fridays, from 6pm to 9pm at Deanie’s Seafood in Bucktown, 1713 Lake Ave, 831-4141, deanies.com.

La Crepe Nanou aaaa French, 1410 Robert St., 504-899-2670 La Petite Grocery aaaa French, 4238 Magazine St., 504-891-3377 La Thai Cuisine aaaa Thai, 4938 Prytania St., 504-899-8886 Lilette aaaa French, 3637 Magazine St., 504-895-1636 Mahony’s aaa Neighborhood Café, 3454 Magazine St., 504-899-3374 Martinique aaa French, 5908 Magazine St., 504-891-8495 Midway Pizza aaa Pizza, 4725 Freret St., 504-322-2815 Mona’s Café aa Middle Eastern, 4126 Magazine St., 504-894-9800 New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co. aa Sandwiches, 4141 St. Charles Ave., 504-247-9753 New York Pizza aa Pizza, 4418 Magazine St., 504-891-2376 Ninja aaaa Japanese, 8433 Oak St., 504-866-1119 Nirvana aaa Indian, 4308 Magazine St., 504-894-9797 Pascal’s Manale aaa Creole Italian, 1838 Napoleon Ave., 504-8954877 Patois aaaa Creole French, 6078 Laurel St., 504-895-9441 Rum House aaa Caribbean, 3128 Magazine St., 504-941-7560 Salú aaa Eclectic, 3226 Magazine St., 504-371-5958 Slice aaa Pizza, 5538 Magazine St., 504-897-4800 Sukho Thai aaa Thai, 4519 Magazine St., 504-373-6471 Taqueria Corona aaa Mexican, 5932 Magazine St., 504-897-3974 Upperline aaaa Contemporary Creole, 1413 Upperline St., 504891-9822

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Inside New Orleans

Annunciation aaaa Contemporary Creole, 1016 Annunciation St., 504-568-0245 Café Reconcile aaa Lunch Café, 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 504-568-1157 Cochon aaa Cajun, 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-588-2123 Eleven 79 aaaa Italian, 1179 Annunciation St., 504-569-0001 Emeril’s aaaaa Contemporary Creole, 800 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-528-9393 Grand Isle aaa Seafood, 575 Convention Center Blvd., 504520-8530 La Boca aaaa Steak, 870 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-525-8205 Mais Arepas aaaa South American, 1200 Carondelet St., 504-523-6247 Pêche Seafood Grill aaa Seafood, 800 Magazine St., 504-522-1744 Rene Bistrot aaa Creole French, 700 Tchoupitoulas, 504-613-2350 Rock-n-Sake aaa Japanese, 823 Fulton St., 504-581-7253 Root aaaa Eclectic, 200 Julia St., 504-252-9480 Sun Ray Grill aaa Eclectic, 1051 Annunciation St., 504-566-0021 Tomas Bistro aaaa Creole French, 755 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-527-0942 Tommy’s Cuisine aaaa Creole Italian, 746 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-581-1103 Ugly Dog Saloon aa Barbecue, 401 Andrew Higgins Blvd., 504569-8459 WEST END AND BUCKTOWN Blue Crab aaa Seafood, 7900 Lakeshore Dr., 504-284-2898 Brisbi’s aaa Seafood, 7400 Lakeshore Dr., 504-555-5555 Deanie’s Seafood aa Seafood, 1713 Lake Ave., 504-831-4141 New Orleans Food & Spirits aaa Seafood, 210 Hammond Hwy., 504-828-2220 R&O’s aaa Seafood, 216 Old Hammond Hwy., 504-831-1248 Two Tony’s aaa Creole Italian, 8536 Pontchartrain Blvd., 504-282-0801 Wasabi aaa Japanese, 8550 Pontchartrain Blvd., 504-267-3263

Community Resources ADVERTISER............................. CONTACT INFO PAGE Abode...................................... 504-266-2135 62 About Face of New Orleans...... 504-304-1556 164 Accents & Things...................... 985-649-4273 GG-42 Adler’s..................................... 504-523-5292 2 Agena, Dr. Gary M. - OBGYN.... 985-845-7121 GG-38 All American Chiropractic......... 504-288-3888 141 All Wrapped Up........................ 985-778-2041 GG-38 American Factory Direct............ 985-871-0300 GG-26 Antiques de Provence LLC........ 504-529-4342 75 Antoine’s................................. 504-581-4422 143 Anton’s Ltd.............................. 504-833-4367 6 Arabella Fine Gifts and Home Décor................ 10 ............................................... 985-727-9787 GG-30 Art and Eyes............................. 504-891-4494 14 Artistry of Light........................ 225-247-8963 35 Basics Swim & Gym.................. 504-891-1000 164 Bella Bridesmaids..................... 985-231-7870 168 Benbow Veterinary Services...... 504-304-7367 16 Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights..... 504-522-9485 7 Bora Bora................................. 985-951-8454 GG-29 Boudreaux’s Fine Jewelry.......... 504-831-2602 GG-33 Bra Genie................................. 985-951-8638 GG-38 Bra la Vie!................................ 985-662-5065 167 Braud and Gallagher................ 985-778-0771 147 Bridal Boutique By Mae Me...... 504-266-2771 168 brown eyed girl........................ 985-626-0100 GG-16 Brown Family Orthodontics....... 877-230-7841 55 California Drawstrings Northshore................... ............................................... 985-327-7300 GG-46 Calvin M. Johnson, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S................. .............................................. 504-895-7642 160 Carreta’s Grill........................... 504-837-6696 27 Center for Restorative Breast Surgery............... ............................................... 504-899-2800 175 Champagne Jewelers............... 985-643-2599 GG-30 Chateau Café........................... 504-286-1777 69 Christwood Retirement Community................. ........................................... christwoodrc.com 22 Chronos Body Health Wellness. 504-267-4549 57 Columbia Street Mercantile...... 985-809-1789 GG-15 Community Center at Christwood.................... ............................................... 985-292-1234 GG-47 Creole Cuisine...................... creolecuisine.com 11 DA Exterminating..................... 504-888-4941 30 Dakota Restaurant................... 985-892-3712 191 David Pierson Designs Inc......... 985-871-0457 192 Deanie’s Seafood......................... deanies.com 31 deCoeur........................................ decoeur.net GG-15 Deleon and Sons...................... 504-628-1363 192 DeLuca’s Expressions in Gold.... 985-892-2317 GG-29 Earthsavers.............................. 985-674-1133 GG-45 Eclectic Home........................... 504-866-6654 57 EMB Interiors........................... 985-626-1522 GG-23 Emma’s Shoes and Accessories........................ 163 ....................... 504-407-0668, 985-778-2200 GG-20 Everybody Wellness ................. 504-287-8558 52 Fabulous Fêtes......................... 504-400-5336 192 FeBe........................................ 504-835-5250 167 Fidelity Homestead................... 800-220-2497 76 First Bank and Trust.................... fbtonline.com 21 Fischer Gambino...................... 504-833-7757 10

ADVERTISER............................. CONTACT INFO PAGE Fitness Expo............................. 504-887-0880 9,GG-43 Fleurt....................................... 985-809-8844 GG-27 Florist of Covington.................. 985-892-7701 GG-34 Foot Solutions.......................... 504-833-3555 GG-42 Franco’s Athletic Club...................................... GG-30 ....................... 504-218-4637, 985-792-0200 GG-48, IBC french mix, the......................... 985-809-3152 25 Friend & Company.................... 504-866-5433 55 Gardner Realtor, Chris and Charlotte Dorion.... ............................................... 504-237-8615 183 George’s Girls.......................... 228-216-0558 GG-37 Glenn Michael Salon................ 504-828-6848 19 GNO Property Management..... 504-528-7028 66 Grayline Tours (Steamboat Natchez) ................ ............................................... 504-569-1401 187 Green Parrot Design................. 504-468-8128 45 Gumbo Shop............................ 504-525-1486 189 Hazelnut.......... 504-891-2424, 985-626-8900 65, GG-20 Heritage Bank of St. Tammany.. 985-892-4565 64 Hermann-Grima House............. 504-274-0747 152 Hestia Luxury in Linens............. 985-893-0490 GG-41 Historic New Orleans Collection....................... 136 ............................................... 504-523-4662 GG-12 History Antiques & Interiors...... 985-892-0010 152 Hospice Compassus.................. 985-639-8000 5 Infusé Oils & Vinegars.............. 985-778-0903 GG-34 Integrity Builders, Inc................ 985-626-3479 62 Inwood Gardens....................... 985-892-0717 149 Jefferson Ambulatory................ 504-274-3100 62 Jefferson House, The................. 985-892-6841 GG-45 Jennifer Rice Realty Group........ 985-892-1478 75 Jim Seitz...................................... jimseitz.com 78 Jovann Armstrong Fine Art Gallery................... .................................... jovannarmstrong.com 27 Jubilee Restaurant & Courtyard.... 985-778-2552 191 JuJu’s Boutique........................ 985-624-3600 GG-26 Khoobehi and Associates........... khoobehi.com 13 Keith Guy LLC......................... 504-277- 4956 161 Kevan Hall Sport.................kevanhallsport.com 17 Knight Integrative Medicine...... 985-867-5516 178 La Bella Vita Laser & Vein......... 985-892-2950 30 La Petit Fleur............................ 504-522-1305 GG-37 Ladies Leukemia League.................................. ................................ladiesleukemialeague.org 190 Law Office of David Courcelle... 504-828-1315 31 Lee Michaels Jewelers........................lmfj.com GG-2,3 Louisiana Custom Closets......... 504-885-3188 28 Louisiana Pizza Kitchen............ 504-522-9500 189 Louisiana State Museum.......... 504-568-6968 66 Lowe’s Jewelers....................... 985-845-4653 GG-20 M. Design................................ 504-343-4672 GG-37 Magic Box................................ 504-899-0117 25 Mainstream Boutique............... 985-674-6600 GG-26 Make Me Up............................ 504-891-9688 168 Marcia Holmes....................marciaholmes.com 78 mélange by KP......................... 985-807-7652 GG-46 Mellow Mushroom................... 504-644-4155 189 Mercedes-Benz of New Orleans... 504-456-3727 3 Mia Sorella............................... 985-781-3909 GG-42 Mix, The................................... 985-727-7649 GG-41

ADVERTISER............................. CONTACT INFO PAGE Mobile Memories..................... 985-290-9060 136 Monmouth Historic Inn............. 601-442-5852 142 Murphy Appraisal Services........ 504-274-2682 183 Natchez Grand Hotel and Suites... 601-446-9994 142 National Preowned Car............ 504-934-1650 192 New Orleans Roast..........neworleansroast.com 187 Niche Modern Home................ 985-624-4045 GG-34 Nonna Randazzo’s Bakery........ 985-893-1488 179 North American Insurance Agency.................... ............................................... 985-871-5480 141 North Shore Square Mall.......... 985-646-0661 GG-6 Northshore Dermatology ......... 985-641-5198 GG-9 Oasis Day Spa, The................... 985-624-6772 GG-29 Oil & Vinegar............................ 985-809-1693 GG-23 Ole River LLC........................... 855-534-8330 22 Olive Patch..............................olive-patch.com 167 Orginal Earth Glow LLC, The..... 985-893-2766 149, GG-23 Outdoor Living Center.............. 985-893-8008 69 Paisley..................................... 985-727-7880 GG-16 Palatial Stone & Tile................. 504- 340-2229 44 Palm Village............................. 985-778-2547 GG-38 Pan American Power................. 985-893-1271 52, GG-19 Paretti Jaguar of New Orleans..... 504-888-5420 BC Party Cup Express............ partycupexpress.com 190 Pelican Athletic Club................. 985-626-3706 15 Poole Lumber Company............ 985-892-4500 29 POSH Boutique........................ 985-898-2639 GG-45 Preservation Resource Center .. 504-581-7032 51 Private Beach........................... 985-674-2326 GG-29 Purple Armadillo Again...... purplearmadillo.net 151 Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group.................... GG-30 ..................................... neworleans-food.com 189 Riverview Camp for Girls.......... 800-882-0722 GG-46 Rubenstein Bros....................... 504-581-6666 16 Rug Chic.................................. 985-674-1070 GG-45 St. Martin’s Episcopal School.... 504-736-9917 160 St. Romain Interiors.................. 985-845-7411 149 Scotts’ Coffee & Tapas Bar, The.. 985-231-7632 GG-41 Sculpting Center of New Orleans... 504-309-9456 26 Shades of Blue......................... 504-891-1575 152 Shoefflé.......................................shoeffle.com GG-15 Simply Southern....................... 985-871-1466 GG-16 Skin Science........................ skinsciencellc.com 4, 47 Sotre........................................ 504-304-9475 69 Southern Bridal........................ 985-727-2993 169 Southern Hotel......................... 844-866-1907 164 Steamboat Natchez Riverboat... 504-569-1401 GG-12 Stone Creek Club and Spa........ 985-801-7120 GG-5 Sucré........................................shopsucre.com GG-12 Swanson’s................................ 504-367-2339 152 Thomas Franks Fine Jewelers.... 985-626-5098 GG-11 Town and Country.................... 504-523-7027 169 Villa Vici........................................villavici.com 154 Villa, The.................................. 985-626-9797 164 Vista Shores............................. 504-288-3737 150 Vita......................................... 504-831-1111 79 Weihmeier’s............................. 504-681-2082 GG-37 Welcome Home and garden..... 985-893-3933 GG-16 Wellington and Co................... 504-525-4855 GG-26 Witt, Dr. Victoria....................... 985-643-5145 147 Z Event co................................ 800-714-9050 136 December 2014-January 2015 193

Last Bite

Louisiana Pizza Kitchen French Quarter

by Leah Draffen

AT FIRST TASTE, you’ll know that Louisiana Pizza Kitchen French Quarter is different.

Perhaps it’s the quality ingredients that perfect its Creole and Italian cuisine. Many of the ingredients are local to Louisiana, including oysters from P&J in the French Quarter, baby spinach from Hollygrove and eggplants from Plaquemines Parish.

The whole-milk cheeses and organic pasta straight from Italy are used to create delectable pizzas, pastas, appetizers and calzones. All meats and poultry served are organic and free-range. Owner Jim Ritchie recommends the Crawfish Fettuccine, seasoned Louisiana crawfish sautéed in white wine cream sauce and served over organic fettuccine.

To complete your meal, try a local micro-brew or glass of wine from the weekly updated list. The wine selection has won the Wine Spectator award five years in a row.

Local artwork lines the walls and New Orleans tunes play while you’re served by experienced wait staff. It’s a fine dining experience without stuffiness—white tablecloths are never seen. And no ties and jackets needed—unless you want to wear them.

Louisiana Pizza Kitchen French Quarter, 95 French Market Place, is open daily, 11am-10pm. Visit lpkfrenchquarter.com for menu selections and more information.

Owner Jim Ritchie strives to make

Quarter’s atmosphere relaxed and casual while still providing fine dining.

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Inside New Orleans

photo: LEAH DRAFFEN

Kitchen French

photo: JASON VAN HAVERBEKE

the Louisiana Pizza