St. Charles Avenue April 2016

april 2016

Zeid Ammari, Chief Operating Officer of Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts; Caroline Ferguson, President of The Woman’s Exchange, the parent organization of HGGHH; Dr. James Moises, ER physician and founder of Krewe du Bizou Wines and Moises Wines; and Co-Chairs Tricia King and Stephanie November for HermannGrima +Gallier Historic Houses’ 2016 “Amazing Grapes Wine Auction.”

stcharlesAvenue.com 1

co n t e n t s

Features Artist Brandan Odums' spraypainted mega murals of African-American icons frame the season's coolest looks for hot weather – all from local shops.

46

E"femme"ral The season's coolest looks for hot weather

by Lisa tudor

52

61

Vieux Carré views

Courts of Carnival

A beautiful way to spend a day in the French Quarter

St. Charles Avenue's fourth annual compendium

by Kelcy wilburn

by Kelcy wilburn

On the Cover The Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses museums are committed to preservation, interpretation and education; they strive to tell the story of why we live in New Orleans, and why we rebuilt our beloved city.

A beautiful, tasty and fun way to support their works is their annual “Amazing Grapes Wine Auction” on April 23. This festive fundraising evening features auctions featuring rare and hard to find wines, luxurious vacations and fabulous art.

Thanks to Zeid Ammari, Chief Operating Officer of Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts; Caroline Ferguson, President of The Woman’s Exchange, the parent organization of HGGHH; Dr. James Moises, ER physician and founder of Krewe du Bizou Wines and Moises Wines; and Co-Chairs Tricia King and Stephanie November, all pictured on our cove, urge you to attend and enjoy this veritably vino-filled event.

In addition to all this, there will be six different wine tasting tables featuring five different wines at each, with each table representing a different region or country: Oregon, California, Italy and South America.

For more information on HGGHH and all they do, to support the historic Women's Exchange and to purchase tickets, call 274-0746 or visit HGGHH.org.

Photographed by Jeffery Johnston Special thanks Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses Development Associate Claire Leftwich for her assistance

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co n t e n t s

In Every Issue

104

22

80 bev entertaining

A Blooming History: Luis Colmenares and Bev Church teamed up – again – for “Art in Bloom”

10 Editors’ Notes

14 Making a Difference

The Silverback Society: Leading by example

26

Sweet Pickings: Strawberry season

Philanthropic Fun

18 Southern Glow

Spring Cleaning: How to master the brush off 20 What’s Hot

Spring Fashion Accessories 22 On the Menu

Snack Well: Executive Chef Kristin Essig and Sous Chef Ben Thibodeaux of Cavan share their Hushpuppies With Spiced Honey.

24 The Dish

Simple Pleasures & Pleasant Surprises: Classic New Orleans foods done right

With This Ring

Simon – Kushner

16 Kids Play

82

Opulence at the Opera The 47th “Opera Ball” brought the Viennese Opera to the first American city of opera. 26

Passing the Torch ADL hosted its annual “A. I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award Dinner” to honor two. 36

Masks Required “Bal Masque” celebrated Creole Carnival culture. 28

A Concert of Creative Arts NOCCA hosted its annual musical benefit in memory of Daniel Price. 38

A Milestone Masquerade The “Azúcar Ball” achieved its Silver Jubilee. 30 Tea Time – and Wine, Too! WYES toasted to the future with a classic “Downton Abbey” theme. 32 Southern Nights A sold-out tribute concert honored Allen Toussaint. 34

Holiday of Hope Ladies Leukemia League heralded the Christmas season with hope for a cure. 40 Deck the Halls PRC’s 40th annual “Holiday Home Tour” raised funds for homes and those in need. 42 A Class Act St. Charles Avenue celebrated 50 individuals who empower New Orleans and its 20th anniversary. 44

84 Young Bloods

Alyssa Fletchinger: Vice President, Plush Appeal 86 Student Activist

Devin Justin Lockett: De La Salle High School 86 OnStage Performance Calendar

88 Shop Talk

Patrick M. Schoen: Managing Partner, Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Home 89 Shop Talk

Kendall Carriere: Owner/Instructor, barre3 90 Snapshots

104 Nostalgia

Rotating Rounds: The Carousel Bar keeps turning

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april 2016 Vol. 20 Issue 11 Editorial Executive Editor Bev Church Editor Morgan Packard Art Director Sarah George contributing editor Mirella Cameran Beauty Columnist Lorin Gaudin Society Columnist Marilee Hovet Food & Dining Columnist Jyl Benson Associate Editor Melanie Warner Spencer web Editor Kelly Massicot Event Photo Coordinator Jeff Strout interns Lani Griffiths and Starlight Williams

Advertising vice president of sales Colleen Monaghan sales manager Brittany Brady (504) 830-7248, Brittany@MyNewOrleans.com Account Executive Erin Duhe (504) 830-7226, Erin@MyNewOrleans.com

Production Production/Web Manager Staci McCarty senior production designer Ali Sullivan production designer Monique Di Pietro traffic coordinator Jessica DeBold

Administration Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive Vice President/Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde vice president of sales Colleen Monaghan DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND EVENTS Cheryl Lemoine event coordinator Margaret Strahan ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Denise Dean Distribution Manager John Holzer Subscription manager Sara Kelemencky Subscriptions Mallary Matherne (504) 830-7231

A Publication of Renaissance Publishing, LLC 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Ste. 123 Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380

The entire contents of this magazine are copyrighted by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, Š 2016 with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. St. Charles Avenue is not responsible for photos or artwork and assumes that all releases have been cleared upon submission to the magazine. St. Charles Avenue is published monthly

by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Ste. 123, Metairie, La. 70005, (504) 828-1380. Subscription rate: one year $17.95, two year $31, three year $43 — foreign rates vary call for pricing. It is the policy of this magazine to employ people on the basis of their qualifications and with assurance of equal opportunity and treatment regardless of race, color, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or handicap.

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m e e t o u r sa le s t e a m

Colleen Monaghan Vice President of Sales

You can reach Colleen by calling 830-7215 or emailing Colleen@myneworleans.com.

Brittany Brady Sales Manager

You can reach Brittany by calling 830-7248 or emailing Brittany@myneworleans.com.

Â

Erin Duhe Account Executive

You can reach Erin by calling 830-7226 or emailing Erin@myneworleans.com.

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b e v ' s n ot e

If you haven’t been to the Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses in the French Quarter lately, you need to visit soon! The Hermann-Grima House, built in 1831, and the Gallier House, circa 1860, are two National Historic Landmarks and accredited museums that illustrate the history of New Orleans and Louisiana’s unique Creole culture. The preserved properties evoke the city’s cultural diversity as guides share stories of the many generations of people who inhabited both residences. The house museums represent the challenges faced in building New Orleans, and why our remarkably resilient city continues to rebuild. We are so proud to welcome to our cover the important people who are bringing the museum’s 2016 “Amazing Grapes Wine Auction” to you on Saturday, April 23. More than 30 different fine artisan wines will be presented at a wine tasting provided by Bizou Wines, along with a silent auction featuring rare and hard-to-find wines, and other fabulous items! Thanks to Zeid Ammari, Chief Operating Officer of Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts; Dr. James Moises, ER physician and founder of Krewe du Bizou Wines and Moises Wines; Tricia King and Stephanie November, Co-Chairs; and Caroline Ferguson, President of The Woman’s Exchange, the parent organization that runs both museums. Please call 274-0746 or visit HGGHH.org for tickets and help support the educational programs of the Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses.

While you’re visiting these historic houses, read up on our feature, “Vieux Carré Views,” which outlines an amazing day in the French Quarter and gives you tips on shopping, where to have coffee and lunch, places to relax and hang out, theatre opportunities and more! New Orleans is known for the French Quarter all over the world. Go be a tourist in your own town!

Mark April 12 on your calendar for an amazing evening at Beth Claybourn Interiors 6-8 p.m. She is located at 401 Tchoupitoulas St., right across from the Windsor Court Hotel, where parking is available. At this event you’ll see her incredible collection of antiques, luxurious bedding, china, stemware, art and more! This event is supporting YAYA artists who will be there as well, and will feature wine and hors d’oeuvres. Please join me and Kay Kerrigan and call Margaret at 830-7264 to let us know if you will be there!

Morgan has worked so hard on this year’s “Courts of Carnival,” and we’re so proud to present it to you this month! What an incredible reminder of the beautiful balls, their participants, the gowns and décor. It is definitely a collector’s item you’ll want to keep.

Now that Easter’s over, it’s time to check out What’s Hot for Spring Fashion Accessories, everything from belts to briefcases.

Be sure to attend Bridge House’s 20th anniversary of “Cochon Cotillion" (see the caption with this photo). Mary Matalin and James Carville are this year’s King and Queen, and as always this event promises a night of sheer revelry for such a good cause!

Thanks to all of you who give so many volunteer hours to our nonprofits!

We are a great city because of you!

Beverly Reese Church

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The largest fundraising event for Bridge House/Grace House is the “Cochon Cotillion” now in it's 20th year!

This year they will celebrate alongside 2016 monarchs James Carville and Mary Matalin (pictured above with former royalty Dana Hansel). This fun event is Saturday, April 2, at Mardi Gras World. Great food, libations, music and more. For tickets, call 821-7134.

m o rga n ' s n ot e

April Events 1-2

11

16

“Hogs for the Cause,”

“Aces Against

“New Orleans Film

HogsForTheCause.org

Aneurysms Tennis

Society Patron Party

Tournament,” hosted

& Gala,” 309-6633

1 “Al Copeland Foundation Annual Golf Fest,” 620-3727

2

As you can see, April is a very busy month for nonprofit events! From golf tournaments to dinners, from auctions to walks, this month has every kind of event you could want for a rainbow of local nonprofits.

Why not pick one you haven't supported before and try out their event this month?

You might discover your new passion while helping make our city a better place!

This month's issue is one of my favorites annually. Our April issue includes within these pages: Spring Fashion Accessories that can take your outfit from ho-hum to highfashion without breaking the bank; 10 places to go on a perfect day in the French Quarter in our feature "Vieux Carré Views"; on-point fashions to inspire your latest closet additions in our spring fashion feature; and, my favorite labor of love each year, our fourth annual "Courts of Carnival" compendium. With those highlights and much, much more (Details on where to go to pick your own strawberries? Yes, please!) this issue is one to enjoy from cover to cover (if I do say so myself)!

Whether you're a vinophile or a fledgeling taster, the Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses' annual "Amazing Grapes Wine Auction" is a fantastic event. Our cover models promise a festive event featuring not only fabulous food and wine, but auctions featuring rare and hard-to-find wines, luxurious vacations and amazing art – all at the historic and beautiful Hermann-Grima House. Call 274-0746 or visit HGGHH.org/support/wine-auciton to learn more.

Enjoy our beautiful (though often changing) spring weather!

“Cochon Cotillion 20,”

benefiting Bridge House/ Grace House, 821-7134

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13

2

“Harvest at Home,” bene-

“Les Etoiles de la

fiting Second Harvest Food Bank, 729-2820

Nouvelle-Orléans: Fantaisie, Cuisine, Amour,” benefiting

Alliance Francaise of New Orleans, 568-0770 2 “Walk MS: New Orleans,”

benefiting the National MS Society,” WalkMS.org 3 “Parkway Promenade XXV,” benefiting Jefferson Beautification, Inc., 737-7583, JeffersonBeautification.org

4 14th annual “Golf Tournament,”

benefiting Next Generation, 885-0980 7 “French Quarter Festival Opening Night Gala at Antoine’s,” bene-

fiting French Quarter Festivals, Inc., 522-5730

14 “An Edible Evening,”

benefiting Edible Schoolyard New Orleans/Firstline Schools, 421-1060 14 “Jazzin’ on Jackson,”

benefiting Mercy Endeavors, 256-2161 15 “Sippin’ in Seersucker,”

benefiting the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, 539-9000 16-17 21st annual “Peake BMW Leukemia Cup Kickoff & Regatta,”

benefiting Mississippi/ Louisiana Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 837-0945, LeukemiaCup.org/msla 16

8

Fifth annual “Keeping

“Sentimental Journeys

our Promises” Gala,

2016: Coming Home to

benefiting Daughters of Charity Foundation of New Orleans, 212-9568

Longue Vue,” benefiting

Longue Vue House and Gardens, 293-4723

16

9

“City Nights,” benefiting

14th annual “Ezra

Metairie Park Country Day, 957-3134

Open,” benefiting

Morgan Packard

by Brain Support NOLA, benefiting LSU Department of Neurosurgery, BrainSupportNola.com, to register email bfisher@thepac.com

the BTE Foundation, BTEFoundation.org

16 “Take Steps New Orleans,” benefiting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, 408-2119

17 “ACCESS Jazz Brunch,”

benefiting ACCESS Pregnancy and Referral Center, 888-1223 17 “Soiree Des Artistes – A Menagerie of Live Music,”

benefiting Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestras, 861-1801 18 “2016 Spring Symposium,”

benefiting New Orleans Botanical Garden Foundation, Symposium.

NoBotanicalGarden.com 19 “Prix D’Elegance Luncheon,” benefiting

Ballet Resource and Volunteer Organization (BRAVO), 522-0996, WomenOfFashion@ gmail.com 20 “School House Rock Gala,” benefiting

City Year New Orleans, 302-5063 21 Inaugural “I Am Waters Supermodel Luncheon,”

benefiting I Am Waters Foundation, 598-4293 29 “Zoo-To-Do for Kids Presented by Tulane Pediatrics,” benefiting Audubon Zoo, AudubonInstitute.org/ztdk

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m a ki n g a d i ffe re n ce

The Silverback Society Leading by example

by Marilee Hovet

Over the past 18 months I’ve written articles about nonprofits of all sorts and have been continually amazed by the depth and breadth of nonprofit work in the New Orleans area. I have written about everything from residential facilities for young children who have been abused in their own homes, to cultural outreach programs, to organic farms.

Although their missions, resources and constituencies may vary, there are recurring themes and motifs that bind them all, with the concept of mentoring topping the list. Opening a young person’s world by connecting him or her with positive role models within the community has the power to be profoundly transformative. Nowhere is this idea more notable than in the work of the Silverback Society.

The Alpha Male

Founded in 2007 by Lloyd Dennis and the late Pastor Arthur Wadsworth, the Silverback Society is a group of African-American men who, in partnership with selected schools, are committed to providing a systemic mentoring program for middle school boys. With a name that alludes to the powerful presence of the alpha male, the Society’s mission evolved from the core belief that, in order to reach their full potential in life, it’s an absolute imperative that boys engage with positive male role models. The Silverback Society website highlights a Frederick Douglass quote that illuminates the Society’s mission: “It is easier to raise healthy children than to fix broken men.” With that in mind, the Silverback Society helps boys find their way to an adult life that’s fulfilling and that will, in turn, inspire future generations to follow suit.

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One Boy At a Time

The program began at the Murray Henderson Elementary School with Beverly Irving Jelks, who was the principal at the time, playing a significant role in the evolution of the Society as it stands today. The process by which the Society operates hinges on volunteer mentors who, after careful screening and training, commit to spending one hour in the classroom each week for 20 weeks, with multiple mentors assigned to each school.

The program model is intentionally regimented; the methodology is specifically planned, repeatable and teachable.

Each mentor faithfully abides by and espouses the tenants of the group, and all

parties enter into an agreement that creates a culture of respect and accountability.

Within the participating middle schools, the program is a rite of passage for the oldest class of boys in each school. As they progress through the year and become increasingly engaged with their mentors, the older students begin to change their behavior and, in a testament to the strength of the program model, transform into mentors of sorts to the younger boys.

The Silverback Society is making a difference that goes beyond each boy, each school and each community. One boy at a time, the Silverback Society fosters a cycle of change that supports the boys of today in becoming the men of tomorrow. n

The Silverback Ways of the World: 1. Give respect to get respect 2. Teach by example 3. Give your word only when you know you can keep it 4. Use your time to improve something

5. Treat everyone like you will need them tomorrow 6. Become and expert at something 7. Let your light shine for others The Silverback Society Pledge:

“I will live my life as though

generations depend on me, and I will teach and encourage all of mine to do the same” For more information, visit SilverbackSociety.com

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k ids pla y

Sweet Pickings Strawberry season

By Lynne Gibbons

Spring is officially upon us, and with it comes a desire to get outside and enjoy what just might be the finest weather of the year in southeast Louisiana. It is also the season to enjoy the many flowering plants our region has to offer, including one of my favorites, the strawberry.

You might be surprised to learn that the strawberry isn’t a berry at all but is actually a flowering fruit plant, thus the seeds on the outside of the strawberry. We are fortunate that our climate accommodates the strawberry so well and, therefore, we have many strawberry farms in close proximity. There are several of these farms that are open to the public and allow you to come and pick your own strawberries from the plants in their fields.

Pick Your Own

A quick drive north on Interstate 55 drops you in the Ponchatoula and Hammond area, where you’ll find the Landry-Poche Strawberry Farm, Mrs. Heather’s Strawberry Patch and the Blahut Strawberry Farm. Your children or grandchildren will love getting down in the dirt and actually selecting and picking their own delicious snacks from plants in the ground. The strawberry season typically peaks by the beginning of April and goes through May depending on specific weather conditions, so now is the perfect time!

What You Need

Remember that you’ll be out in the direct sun while picking your strawberries, so sunscreen and a hat are a must.

Tennis shoes or other closed-toe shoes are preferable since you’re walking on bare ground. Most strawberry farms provide a bucket or pail for you to fill and the price is set accordingly. Typical prices run about $15 per bucket. Some facilities also offer additional activities such as face-painting or a 16 st. charles Avenue april 2016

zipline. If you happen to have a spring baby in your house, some of the farms also offer birthday party packages. Each farm’s website has their details, including specific hours and days of operation, prices and directions.

Festival Features

Ponchatoula loves their strawberries so much that every year they have a festival to celebrate! This year the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival takes place Friday, April 9-Sunday, April 10. The event is centered around the Memorial Park area and includes a full line-up of bands on north and south stages, including cover bands Triggerproof, Supercharger and Bag of Donuts closing out each.

The true star of the festival is, of course, the strawberry. It takes center stage in a multitude of different events including a strawberry eating contest and a strawberry cook-off. You will also be tempted by delicious strawberry delicacies, including strawberry shortcake, deep-fired strawberries and cinnamon-sugar strawberries. The festival also has a farmer’s market where you can treat yourself to fresh, locally made jams, jellies and freshly picked strawberries. It would be difficult to go home with empty hands or an empty stomach.

Louisiana is blessed with many natural treasures, but to the people in Tangipahoa, Livingston, Washington and St. Tammany parishes, the strawberry tops the list. The Louisiana State legislature agreed with them and voted to name the strawberry the official state fruit of Louisiana in 2001.

Choices, Choices

So either join the estimated 300,000 people who flock to Ponchatoula for the Strawberry Festival or explore a strawberry patch with a more intimate group, but make sure you indulge in fresh Louisiana strawberries this season. n

Strawberry Discoveries Pick-your-owns farms:

• Landry-Poche Strawberry Farm: LandryPocheFarms.com • Mrs. Heather’s Strawberry Patch: ThFarms.com • Blahut Strawberry Farm: BlahutStrawberryFarm.com

Pontchatoula Strawberry Festival:

• April 8-10 • Memorial Park and North Sixth Street, Ponchatoula • LAStrawberryFestival.com

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so u t h e rn glow

Spring Cleaning How to master the brush off

By Lorin Gaudin

Make-up brushes are an investment –

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dream (wet bristles, swirl the brush across the cleanser, rinse and dry). Japonesque’s solid brush cleanser ($20) is easy to use and works very well but has a strong, masculine scent. For those who use a Beauty Blender sponge, there are both solid and BeautyBlender liquid cleansers ($17.95) that can also be used on brushes. The scent is soapy clean and doesn’t linger; a plus. The liquid isn’t as effective at cleaning bristles, requiring a second washing and therefore too much time, but it works excellently on the BeautyBlender sponge. Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Castile Liquid Soap gets brushes clean easily, leaving behind a fresh scent. Cinema Secrets brush cleaner is said to be the cosmetics industry gold standard; it’s a bit pricey (on Sephora’s website a 32-ounce bottle is $36), but it’s super easy

One Love Lancôme Visionnaire Nuit Beauty Sleep Perfector. Slather it on at night, wake up with gorgeous, got-the-best-night’s-sleep-ever skin.

to use: pour some into a bowl (or purchase a coordinating tin), swirl and swipe on a clean paper towel or cloth. Recently I ordered and tested the brush drying rack and cleanser from Benjabelle. The organic liquid cleanser worked beautifully and left my brushes clean, soft and scent-free. The “Brush Tree,” said to help keep water from the ferrule (metal neck) and take up less space, was silly – bulky and frankly unnecessary.

Spring into action and keep makeup brushes clean to reap the benefits of clearer skin, better brush life and sleek makeup application. n

photo by l orin g audin

luxury or drugstore brand – because they’re used regularly on your face and they require proper care. I am not a neat freak by any stretch of the imagination, but I do clean my makeup brushes every week, without fail. It probably doesn’t require noting that, with regular use, make-up brushes can be bacteria breeding grounds and a few minutes of prevention can mean the difference between clear or clogged skin.

In shops, nothing is more disturbing than dirty cosmetics displays and dirty brushes.

Basically, it’s just another opportunity to pick up bacteria transferred from someone else’s face, lips or eyes. I won’t get my makeup done at a store unless I see the artist clean the brushes and the cosmetics before applying anything to my face and eyes.

Regular cleaning keeps dead skin cells, dirt, bacteria, old makeup and oils at bay while ensuring brushes stay soft and supple, extending their lifetime. Clean brushes also help with smooth makeup application.

There are tons of brush-cleaning methods and products on the market, but simple is best. In short, all that’s is needed is cleanser, warm water and a towel or brush rack.

Always on the hunt for “the best” brush cleaner, there are solids, liquids and fancy cleansing mitts from which to choose, though many swear by ivory soap or even dish liquid (a gentle one, please). At Sephora, Ulta or any drugstore, there are a number of good brands on the shelves.

It takes some labor to use a liquid (swish in the palm of the hand or on a mitt), where a solid cleanser is a lazy person’s

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wh at ' s h ot

In the vibrant Crescent City we celebrate the spirited use of color all year long. But when spring is in full swing, our fondness for eye-catching accessories with pops of flair and eclectic embellishments reaches new heights. n

Spring Fashion Accessories

By Amy Gabriel

� �

� �

20 st. charles Avenue april 2016

� 1. Your little darling will look like a flower in bloom in a Billieblush raincoat.

Pippen Lane, 2930 Magazine St., 269-0106, PippenLane.com

�

�

2. Don a pair of sleek Anne et Valentin sunglasses, a Paris brand with serious sophistication. Art and Eyes, 3708 Magazine St., 891-4494, ArtAndEyesNola.com 3. A light suede pump with a wrapped block heel and metallic accents makes for a fun step into spring. Feet First, 526 Royal St., 569-0005; 4122 Magazine St. 899-6800; 200 Metairie Road, Suite 102, 324-9124, FeetFirstStores.com 4. Pump up a monochrome ensemble with the Raina Secret Garden Belt, complete with textured leather, a turquoise cabochon and gold filigree buckle.

Trashy Diva, 2048 Magazine St., 299-8777; 537 Royal St., 522-4233; TrashyDiva.com

se lect photos by che ryl ge rbe r

�

5. Add a pop of pretty to your lobes with a striking pair of three-tier dangle earrings with antique gold plated custom casings and natural Kingman turquoise by L George Designs. Ballin’s, 721 Dante St., 866-4367; 4001 Earhart Blvd., 821-4000; 2917 Magazine St., Suite 105, 891-4502; BallinsLTD.com 6. A striped sensation, an organic Turkish cotton pop pestamel gives a basic outfit a bohemian edge. Loomed, 2727 Prytania St., Suite 13, 304-2047, Loomed.com 7. Accessorize and protect your electronic essentials in a fully padded tablet briefcase with a bridle leather handle.

Pelican Coast, 5509 Magazine St., 309-2314, PelicanCoastClothing.com

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on the menu

Snack Well Executive Chef Kristin Essig and Sous Chef Ben Thibodeaux of Cavan share their Hushpuppies With Spiced Honey.

Hushpuppies with Spiced Honey

Ingredients

Directions

HUSHPUPPIES

HUSHPUPPIES In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk and hot sauce well. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Pour in the buttermilk mixture and gently fold with a fork. Add the green onions and make sure they’re evenly distributed. (You will know you’re on the right track at this point because your batter will already look airy and fluffy.) Let the batter rest 20 minutes.

4 cups stone ground yellow cornmeal 2 cups all­purpose flour 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons kosher salt 4 eggs 4 cups full-fat buttermilk 2 Tablespoons crystal hot sauce 1 cup chopped green onions Canola oil, for frying Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Spiced Honey

1 cup Louisiana Honey (the more local, the better) 1 Tablespoon coarse ground black pepper 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper

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Spiced Honey Combine

all ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepot. Bring to just a simmer over medium-low heat.

The honey should just start to bubble around the edge of the pot.

Remove from heat and allow honey to steep for 20 minutes. Cool completely and store at room temperature.

Serve on anything! photos by jeffery johnston

Cavan 3607 Magazine St. 509-7655 CavanNola.com

Fry in a preheated 350-degree fryer for 5 minutes.

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the dish

Simple Pleasures & Pleasant Surprises Classic New Orleans foods done right

By Jyl Benson

It was mid-afternoon on a Saturday earlier this spring, a day with that sparkling quality when just the slightest winter chill remains in the air and the sky is radiant.

My husband and I were out tooling around in search of vintage light fixtures and guitars, a couple of our respective passions. I was on a mission with no interest in food. He was hungry, distracted.

“Can we just get you a snack or something?” We were headed west on Jefferson Highway. I’d head rumors of junk shop with a treasure trove of tacky old plaster lamps I wanted to get at.

“No. I want real food.” I rejected every place he pointed out: pizza, burgers – ho-hum. They all seemed cheesy.

Starving, delirious probably, Andrew pulled into the lot in front of a turquoisecolored stucco building. “This is where we are going. Screw you and your lamps.”

Charlie’s, the long-beloved Harahan seafood joint, reopened in early 2014 as Charles Seafood after a year-long closure. Despite the sign outside that says otherwise, the restaurant has been known as Charlie’s since it opened in 1951. People seem unwilling to call it anything else.

Andrew had made an excellent choice. I hushed right up. He gloated.

Everything about Charles Seafood welcomes you like an old friend. The waiters and waitresses are real deal Yats who speak to you in conspirational tones,

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Viola Special at Charles Seafood

photos by sara essex brad ley

calling you “Honey” and “Doll.” As they suck through piles of crawfish, the neighborhood regulars tell you what to order. The television on the wall keeps you abreast of the game, and the rich cream-colored walls make you feel warm and cozy. The large room in the back, the one with the muted swamp scene mural, looks like an ideal place for an extended family gathering or a welcoming place to take uninitiated out of town guests for an authentic local neighborhood restaurant experience of the dying breed variety.

A tower of greaseless onions rings will set you back $7.95. All of the poor boys and specialty sandwiches are gigantic, large enough to share. The Creole Oyster Blue ($11.95) features fried oysters tossed with a zesty sauce and crumbles of bleu cheese. The Viola Special features delicious homemade meatballs topped with Creole red gravy and melted mozzarella cheese for $8.95 – a bargain. A whole muffuletta is $14.95.

The most expensive thing on the menu is the Charlie (seafood) Platter, which appears large enough to feed four with plenty to spare.

Charles (aka Charlie’s) Seafood 8311 Jefferson Highway, Harahan, 405-5263, CharlesSeafood14.com Sammy’s Food Service & Deli 3000 Elysian Fields Ave., 947-0675, SammysFood.com Singleton’s Mini Mart 7446 Garfield St., 866-4741, SingletonsPoBoys.com

Try This Outfitted with a large, communal wooden table, on Saturday afternoons Singleton’s Mini Mart serves Vietnamese food the instead of its usual poor boys. On the Saturday in question my luck seemed to run out and the person in front of me scored the last Asian entrée to be had.

Starving, I settled on an order of eggrolls (meh) and a hot, dressed roast beef poor boy with Swiss cheese (excellent). Really, in a lifetime of good roast beef poor boys this one was shockingly outstanding. The garlic-flavored roast beef was piled high and laced with plenty of delicious gravy, Leidenheimer bread toasted just so. A Singleton’s bonus: the location in Uptown’s Black Pearl neighborhood. It is one block from the levee, five blocks or so from Audubon Park and six blocks from the Fly. Get your meal to-go and head out for an impromptu picnic.

I visited Sammy’s Food Service & Deli with the intention of getting the fabled Ray Ray poor boy (Southern fried chicken breast with grilled ham and melted Swiss) but was distracted by the daily offering of Fried Trout Almondine, trout being an increasingly rare offering on all but white tablecloth restaurants. At $11.99 for the substantial, flaky filet (which comes either grilled or fried) with a choice of two sides (I went with buttery cornbread dressing and creamed spinach) this was a deal.

Clearly, this has been a month of good karma for me, both financially and culinarily. n

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Opulence at the Opera

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The 47th “Opera Ball” brought the Viennese Opera to the first American city of opera.

By Shelby Simon

Inspired by the playful Viennese way of life and “Die Fledermaus,” Prince Orlofsky’s Masked Ball channeled the opulence and frivolity of Vienna and the opera.

The “Benefactor’s Party” was held the week of the Ball at the lakefront home of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Buchler. The “Patron Party” preceded the Ball at The Orpheum Theater with entertainment by a string trio, an open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres.

At the main event, greeters welcomed guests “en masque” with dramatic entertainment in mythical and allegorical attire. Horst Pfeifer of Bella Luna Catering prepared a seated gourmet dinner, which guests enjoyed at formal dining tables that channeled the soirée styles of the early 19th century. “Jubilation” Orchestra provided music from many generations, bringing patrons of all ages to the dance floor.

Shannon Mullen of Save the Date Registry created a live painting of the venue, took photos of guests and placed them on the painting for an original spin. Later, the art was live auctioned along with other prizes, including valuable jewelry.

The Event Co-Chairs were Sonda and Ted Stacey, and Skarlett Roa served as Opera Juniors’ Chair. Proceeds from the Ball go toward keeping the great tradition of grand opera alive by supporting the Opera Association’s stage productions and its many vital educational programs. n

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Event at a Glance WHAT: “2015 Opera Ball” (Prince Orlofsky’s Ball) Patron Party benefiting Women’s Guild of the New Orleans Opera Association WHERE: The Orpheum Theater

1. Event Co-Chairs Ted and Sonda Stacey with Jean Rice and Jay Gulotta 2. Joanne Mantis, David and Peggy Matlock and Opera Juniors’ Chair Skarlett Roa 3. Joan Eckholdt, Scott Chotin and Michelle Schafley 4.

Karen Villavaso and Rebecca Coe 5. Sonya Moore, John Fleming and Virginia Eckholdt 6. Ted Simmons, Carol Hall and Al and Penny Baumer

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WHEN: Saturday, December 5, 2015

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Masks Required

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“Bal Masque” celebrated Creole Carnival culture.

By Shelby Simon

"Bal Masque" was “a celebration of New Orleans’ Creole Carnival roots, capturing the spirit of a classic ‘Bal Masque’ with music, dance and food.”

The Patron Preview dinner was hosted by chef Mario Batali at Calcasieu. The four-course dinner included selections from chef Anthony Sasso of Casa Mono, chef Mario Batali of Babbo, chef de cuisine Matt Abdoo of del Posto and pastry chef Rebecca d’Angelis of Babbo.

The main event – black-tie and masks required – took place at The Orpheum Theater. The party menu included scrumptious food prepared by notable chefs, including Nancy Oakes, Mike Lata, Suzanne Goin, Frank Stitt, Richard Reddington, Andrea Ruesing and Paul Kahan.

Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band provided musical entertainment. The event also included performances by special guests Jon Cleary and The Preservation Hall Horns, The Roots of Music and Cha Wa, a Mardi Gras Indian funk band.

The key auction item was a painting by John Alexander, whose artwork has exhibited extensively in the United States and around the world.

Approximately 400 attended the event, which benefited the Link Stryjewski Foundation, which was created to address the cycle of violence, poverty and lack of quality education and job training available to young people in New Orleans. Proceeds also support Kingsley House, whose mission is to educate children, strengthen families and build community. n

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Event at a Glance WHAT: “Bal Masque,” benefiting Link Stryjewski Foundation and Kingsley House WHEN: Saturday, January 9

1. Keith Liederman and chef/Host Donald Link and Melissa, Sawyer and chef/Host Steve Stryjewski 2. Kristen Shannon and Andrea Reusing with painted entertainers 3. Lori and Jerome Jupiter 4. (Back) Suzanne Goin, Maggie Scales, Andrea Reusing, Mike Lata, Frank Stitt, Nancy Oakes, Paul Kahan (front) chef/Host Donald Link, Richard Reddington and chef/Host Stephen Stryjewski 5. Charlotte Bollinger 6. Nancy Oakes and chef Bruce Aidells

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WHERE: The Orpheum Theater

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A Milestone Masquerade

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The “Azúcar Ball” achieved its Silver Jubilee.

By Shelby Simon

The “Azúcar Ball” celebrated 25 years with a masqueradethemed throwback to the first “Azúcar Ball” in 1990. Guests were encouraged to wear masks, which were also provided at the main event.

The 2015 Gálvez Cup Recipients were Artists Hernán Caro, Luis Colmenares and Mario Villa. This year’s “Azúcar Ball” Co-Chairs were Maricarmen Huelga Aldana, Elizabeth Dunn Bordes and Francesca Velasco The Patron Party, sponsored by Dickie Brennan & Company, featured a glamorous entrance, with silver wall drapery and chandeliers as well as musical entertainment by five members of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. The formality continued at the main event, with elaborate silver table centerpieces created by artists Hernán Caro and Luis Colmenares.

Twenty-three restaurants catered the main event, presented

by Pan American Life, along with Celebrity Bartender Daniel Victory of Victory Bar. Entertainment by Carl Mack Presents included a champagne lady, donning a skirt holding glasses of champagne, silver Venetian muses, silver Venetian-style stilt walkers and jugglers and a Venetian dancer in a bubble. Performers included Julio y César and AshéSon. The silent auction, chaired by Yakelis Anzola, included more than 100 items. There was also an online auction, which included jewelry, paintings by well-known artists and vacation packages.

Proceeds are allocated to scholarships for local high school Latino students. n

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Event at a Glance WHAT: “Azúcar Ball 2015,” benefiting New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation WHEN: Saturday, November 21, 2015

1. Honorees Hernán Caro and Luis Colmenares 2. Event Co-Chairs Elizabeth Bordes, Maricarmen Aldana and Dr. Francesca Velasco 3. Terry and Henri Hall with Ilena and José Suquet 4. Board Member Luz Caputto with Rudy Revuelta and Committee Member Elizabeth Revuelta 5. Board Member Max Moreno, Nga Vu and Board Member Dr. Patrick Quinlan 6. Exec. Director Raúl Fonte, Board Member Helen Flammer, President of the Board George Fowler and Board Member Carmen Duncan

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY KEN N Y MARTINEZ

WHERE: Hyatt Regency New Orleans

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Tea Time – and Wine, Too!

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WYES toasted to the future with a classic “Downton Abbey” theme.

By Shelby Simon

The home of Frances and Calvin Fayard on St. Charles Avenue provided the quintessential venue for “Downton Abbey” to come to life at a benefit celebrating the successes of WYES. Patrons kicked off the afternoon with a champagne reception and passed hors d’oeuvres.Volunteers dressed as the downstairs staff greeted guests and served tea. Champagne, wine and a specialty cocktail entitled the “English Channel Collins,” a subtle interpretation of a Tom Collins, were provided by Republic National Distributing Company. Laura Arrowood provided catering, including tea sandwiches, scones, savories and small sweets.

Pianist Bill Malchow delighted guests with his musical talents.

The “Downton Abbey” theme and other period music could be heard throughout the house, lending to the atmosphere and festivities.

A silent and live auction were held during the event. Russ Herman took to the microphone to auction a signed limited edition print by famous artist James Michalopoulos and a New York Yankees Stadium Experience.

Upon departure, patrons received a “Downton Abbey mug,” which featured a memorable quote from the television series.

Event Chairs were Russ and Sandra Herman along with Co-Chair Jean Rice.

Proceeds from this event support WYES’ mission of serving greater New Orleans, Southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast with educational, entertaining and enlightening programming. The event raised more than $54,000. n

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Event at a Glance WHAT: “An Afternoon with WYES Downton Abbey Tea and Wine, Too!,” presented by Russ and Sandra Herman benefiting WYES WHERE: Home of Frances and Calvin Fayard

1. The WYES board 2. Allan Pizzato, Co-Chair Jean Rice and Chairs Sandra and Russ Herman 3. Hosts Calvin and Frances Fayard with Jennifer and Fred Heebe 4. Constance Cowart, Fred Holley and Penny Baumer 5. Diane Breaux, Teresa Guzzetta and Faith Peperone 6. Grace Kaynor, Dana Hansel and Susan Wormser

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WHEN: Thursday, January 14

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Southern Nights

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A sold-out tribute concert honored Allen Toussaint.

By Shelby Simon

Allen Toussaint, along with Aaron Neville, founded New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness (NOAAHH) in 1985, when they brought musicians together for a concert to benefit the hungry and homeless in New Orleans. Following Toussaint’s passing in November, the annual benefit became a tribute concert to his legacy.

Paul Simon brought his band for the concert, including Mark Stewart on guitars, wind instruments and vocals; Bakithi Kumalo on bass and percussion; Vincent Nguini on guitars; Jamey Haddad on percussion; Jim Oblon on drums and guitars; Mick Rossi on piano; and Andy Snitzer on the saxophone.

The benefit included a performance by The Allen Toussaint Combo of Larry Sieberth on piano, Rene Poché on guitar, Rolant Guerin on bass and Herman LeBeaux, Toussaint’s son-in-law, on drums. Guests artists included Cyril Neville, John Boutte, Deacon John Moore, Davell Crawford, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and Erica Falls.

The Pre-Patron Party took place at Tableau, which highlighted the signature cocktail, “My Southern Nights.” Toussaint’s hit song “Southern Nights,” inspired bartender Murf Reeves to create the drink.

Susan Guidry, Councilmember of District A, presented proclamations to Toussaint’s son and daughter, Reggie Toussaint and Alison LeBeaux, in remembrance of their father. His birthday, January 14, was dubbed Allen Toussaint Day. Additional proclamations were presented to Paul Simon in gratitude for his support of NOAAHH, and to NOAAHH in appreciation of its 30 years of service to the greater New Orleans region.

The concert was a sold-out event. This spring, NOAAHH will distribute its grants to organizations that address the issues of hunger and homelessness. n

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Event at a Glance WHAT: “Tribute to Allen Toussaint,” benefiting New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness WHERE: Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré

1. Cyril and Gaynielle Neville with John Boutte and Deacon John Moore 2. Sr. Jane Remson, Sr. Blaise Fernando and John and Jennifer Roland 3. Reggie Toussaint, Alison Toussaint LeBeaux and Dickie Brennan

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WHEN: Tuesday, December 8

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Passing the Torch

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ADL hosted its annual “A. I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award Dinner” to honor two.

By Shelby Simon

The Anti-Defamation League honored Phyllis Taylor and Dr. Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller with the Torch of Liberty Award for their civil rights activism to build a future in which every citizen shares in democracy and equality.

Dinner Chairs included Carroll Suggs and James C. Carter S.J. for Phyllis Taylor and Dr. Norman Francis and Susan Hess for Nick Mueller.

Dr. Allison Padilla-Goodman spoke on “Dreams and Action,” and an invocation was presented by Father James C. Carter and Rabbi Edward P. Cohn. Michael Botnick and Karen Sher delivered the Barney Mintz Leadership Award to Carol Stone and Ann Abbrecht. Furthermore, “I am Not a Stereotype” and video accompaniment was presented by Nancy B. Timm, ADL Regional Board Chair; Alyssa Tripps, Carver Prep Student and ADL leader; and Darryl Coulon, Xavier University student, TOPS scholar and ADL leader.

Prior to the main event, there was a special Toast Party for the honorees, event committee and major donors to toast the honorees and their commitment to the work of the ADL. Hyatt Regency catered the seated dinner and Republic National Distributing Company provided beverages.

Approximately 500 attended the event, which raised more than $250,000 for the Anti-Defamation League. n

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Event at a Glance WHEN: Tuesday, December 1, 2015 WHERE: Anti-Defamation League Headquarters

1. Dinner Chair Carroll Suggs, Honoree Phyllis Taylor and Dinner Chair Father James Carter, SJ 2. Past Board Chair Michael Botnick, Regional Director Dr. Allison Padilla-Goodman, Past Board Chair Joyce Pulitzer and Bill Goldring 3. Honoree Dr. Nick Mueller, Dinner Chair Susan Hess, Beth Mueller and Dinner Chair Dr. Norman Francis

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY KEN N Y MARTINEZ

WHAT: “A. I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award Dinner benefiting Anti-Defamation League

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A Concert of Creative Arts

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NOCCA hosted its annual musical benefit in memory of Daniel Price.

By Shelby Simon

Home for the Holidays featured a night of spectacular art and music benefitting the Daniel Price Memorial Fund for Aspiring Artists, which honors the memory of NOCCA alumnus Daniel Price. In keeping with Daniel’s passions of art and music, the Fund provides scholarships for outstanding visual arts and music students at NOCCA. The Patron Party featured an open bar and entertainment by Jee Yeoun Ko and guests and Irma Thomas.

True to the venue, the House of Blues hosted an exciting lineup of bands, including John Boutte; Stanton Moore Trio; Rebirth Brass Band; James and Linda Andrews; Kermit Ruffins and Friends; Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs; Tysson; and Trombone Shorty and Friends.

Auction items included Daniel Price artwork and Daniel Price Memorial Award recipients’ artwork and sports memorabilia, including a guitar and jersey signed by Drew Brees.

Approximately 750 attended the event. Next year’s Patron Party will take place in the Parish Room with admission through the Foundation Room entrance on Decatur St. n

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Event at a Glance WHAT: “Home for the Holidays,” benefiting the NOCCA Institute WHERE: House of Blues

1. Dr. Steve and Kathy Price with Sarah Abbott Price 2. Danny Lennon, Chris Price and Edjane Lennon 3. Oley Sassone and NOCCA Institute Executive Director Sally Perry

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY MELISSA CALICO

WHEN: Tuesday, December 22, 2015

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Holiday of Hope

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Ladies Leukemia League heralded the Christmas season with hope for a cure.

By Shelby Simon

Forty-six years of raising funds and finding cures, the Ladies Leukemia League Inc. held their annual “Fete de Noel” in the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Grand Ballroom. More than 1,100 attendees joined in the festivities.

Rosalie Edwards and Anne Favret presented $125,000 in grants to Alessandra Ferrajoli MD, Hua Lu MD, PhD and Weiguo Zhang MD, PhD. Also in attendance were young people fighting cancer: Emily Peters, Kay Colten and Brenda Stackhouse.

Socializing was the order of the day as the assembled enjoyed cocktails followed by lunch. President of LLL, Carolyn Escher, welcomed the festively clad group. Cathy Wattigney served as Chair, with Terri Klor and Meb Cefalu as Co-Chairs, and Camille Whitworth of WDSU-TV served as Mistress of Ceremonies. An annual highlight, the ceiling-height Christmas tree sparkled to life as the “Light the Tree of Hope” donor names were read.

The opening ceremony was followed by the Dillard’s fashion show, “The Art of Fashion.” The upbeat show featured scenes including: Abstract Imagination, Floral Fantasies, Hippie Harmony, Jewels of the Jungle, Bright Fight for the Cure, Pop of Art—Black and White, Art Deco and All That Jazz and The Royals. Mr. Bingle and Santa joined the models on stage for a show-stopping ending. Entertainment before and during the show was T-Ray on his violin. Additionally, there were 119 silent auction items, door prizes and raffles including vacation packages, jewelry and shopping sprees. n

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Event at a Glance WHAT: “Fete de Noel,” benefiting Ladies Leukemia League WHEN: Friday, December 5

1. Anita Hymel, Kay Colton, Janet Patterson and Suzanne deMontluzin 2. Carolyn Escher, Chair Cathy Wattigney and Co-Chairs Terri Kloor and Meb Cefalu 3. Cynthia Aucoin, Sandra Chaisson and Sue Friloux

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFF STROUT

WHERE: Hilton Riverside New Orleans

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Deck the Halls

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PRC’s 40th annual “Holiday Home Tour” raised funds for homes and those in need.

By Shelby Simon

Decked out with tall toy soldiers flanking the front gallery, a 20-foot tall Christmas tree in the home’s grand center hall and floral arrangements throughout, the beautiful Audubon Boulevard home of Mary Clare and Danny Conwill was decked out for the holidays and the “2015 Holiday Home Tour and Patron Party.”

Ralph Brennan Catering & Events provided food, accompanied by wine and spirits from Martin Wine Cellar.

Event Chairs were Elizabeth Bush and Adele Ralston.

Approximately 450 attended the Patron Party, and 3,500 guests attended the main event.

Holiday Home Tour Homeowners included: Cynthia and Rich Ashman; Boo and Sid Charbonnet; W. Howard Moses; Ed and Laura Moise; Luna and Darryl Saunders; Dr. Troy Scroggins Jr.; and Dr. Michael L. Wheelis.

The event raised money to support the Preservation Resource Center’s mission of promoting the preservation, restoration and revitalization of New Orleans’ historic architecture and neighborhoods.

Funds raised by this event provide critical home repairs for elderly, low-income, disabled and veteran homeowners, transform blighted properties into family homes and train new homebuyers in purchasing and renovating a home of their own. n

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Event at a Glance WHEN: Friday, December 11, 2015 WHERE: Home of Mary Clare and Danny Conwill

1. Bush and Shameen Wrighton 2. Event Chairs Adele Ralston and Elizabeth Bush 3. Anne Long, Lesley Kane, Katherine Raymond and Jenny Charpentier

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PHO TO GRAPHED BY MELISSA CALICO

WHAT: “Holiday Home Tour Patron Party,” benefiting Preservation Resource Center

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A Class Act

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St. Charles Avenue celebrated 50 individuals who empower New Orleans and its 20th anniversary.

By Shelby Simon

Philanthropy is the focal point of St. Charles Avenue, and this year marks the 20th anniversary of our celebration of the generous activists in our community. In celebration of this milestone, St. Charles Avenue presented a donation to the Foundation at East Jefferson General Hospital.

The event was presented by IBERIABANK and held at their location on St. Charles Avenue. East Jefferson General Hospital was a contributing sponsor. Laura Arrowood provided the catering. A duet of NOCCA students provided musical entertainment.

St. Charles Avenue editors Morgan Packard and Beverly Church presented beautiful custom-designed glass awards, created by Paulette Lizano of Lizano’s Glass Haus, to activists in attendance.

In recognition for her years of dedication and service to New Orleans philanthropies, Beverly Church was surprised as she was named St. Charles Avenue magazine’s 50th Activist.

In the words of St. Charles Avenue activist Barbara Bush, “Activism is citizens unselfishly working together for the common goal of a better, stronger community and brighter tomorrow.” No American city better understands the impact of a community coming together to better itself than New Orleans.

The 50 St. Charles Avenue activists, along with the countless others whose tireless efforts mold New Orleans daily, truly represent the pinnacle of our values at St. Charles Avenue and in our beloved city. n

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Event at a Glance WHAT: A Class Act: Celebrating activism and 20 years of St. Charles Avenue,” benefiting the Foundation at East Jefferson General Hospital WHERE: IBERIABANK on St. Charles Avenue

1. Twenty-two St. Charles Avenue Activists 2. Activist Betsy Nalty and Dick Simmons with Activist Julie Wise Oreck 3. 50th Activist Bev Church, IBERIABANK New Orleans Market President Hunter Hill, Activist Ruthie Frierson and Activist Tommy Westervelt

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PHOTOGRAPH ED BY WILL STROUT

WHEN: Tuesday, December 8, 2015

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Efemme ral

Artist Brandan Odums’ spray-paint mega murals of African-American icons frame the season’s coolest looks for hot weather. His first solo exhibit, “Ephemeral Eternal,” is on view now at Bywater Art Space SudioBE.

By Lisa Tudor Photographs by Theresa Cassagne Makeup

by Glenn Mosley Hair by Abby Bordes for Niki Walker

Salon Model Elle Wenzel Photographed on location at StudioBE #ephemeraleternal

left: Likely’s red Randall Dress at FeBe; Jenny Bird choker at Clover Boutique; Pierced Pyramind Cuff

by Alexis Bittar at Angelique. right: Derek Lam 100 cold shoulder tee, Alexis denim shorts and Porter Lyons Backbone Cuff at Angelique; Westward\\ Leaning sunglasses exclusively at Clover Boutique

left: Milly white chiffon halter dress and Lucite bracelet at Clover Boutique; Alexis Bittar Pierce Pyramid cuff and hoops at Angelique middle: Halston Heritage ombre chiffon halter dress at FeBe; Erica Pena ring at Sotre right: Atelier Graffiti dress at Elizabeth’s; Crystal Orchid earrings by Lele Sadoughi at Clover Boutique

left: Veronica Beard Fountain Ruched Circle Skirt Dress, Flynn Red Squared bag, Alexis Bittar Knotted Cherry hoops and Gold Layered ring at Angelique. middle: LNA tee and FRAME denim jeans at Clover Boutique; Alexis Bittar mini Sphere ring and drop ears at Angelique right: The Rapid Dress by TY-LR and BiBi scarf by lemlem at Haute; Knotted Cherry necklace and earrings by Alexis Bittar at Angelique

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A beautiful way to spend a day in the French Quarter

By Kelcy Wilburn Photos By Jeffery Johnston

N

ew Orleans locals love their French Quarter – there’s no question that the beloved, historic neighborhood beckons with its flickering gas lanterns, its impressive restaurant scene and its endless surprises.

It is hard to imagine that so much varied excitement fits in to only 78 square blocks, and while many locals may visit the Quarter for a specific meal or to see a certain show, it’s nice sometimes to spend an entire day reacquainting oneself with both the new and the old.

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Graphite Gallery

A morning stroll along the Mississippi River is a great way to begin any day with sweeping views of riverboats, rushing water and open Louisiana skies. Right off the levee, the French Market (Barracks Street & N. Peters Street, 636-6400, FrenchMarket. org) offers a perfect starting point for a day in the French Quarter, from the café au lait from Café du Monde, gourmet coffee from PJ’s Coffee, a hearty breakfast from Market Café or a bite from the various French Market farmers market vendors. After fueling for the day, a visit to the famous French Market flea market is always in order with its quirky offerings that range from New Orleans-themed souvenirs to fashion, art and accessories. Open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., the flea market hosts approximately 150 vendors on weekdays and 250 on weekends.

“Those extra 100 vendors tend to be a mix of local artists and local businesspeople who also operate other businesses throughout the city and sell here on weekends,” says Amy Kirk, Marketing Director at the French Market, “so I would be surprised if, strolling the aisles, you didn’t see a product or a person you recognize from various boutique shops, arts markets or Facebook posts.” Some highlights include children’s apparel, festivalwear and sundresses, and other items that tend to be less expensive than in traditional retail outlets.

Located not far from the French Market is a one-of-a-kind shop quickly building steam with its array of eco-friendly, leather-like items: handbags, wallets, shoes, hats, tablet and phone cases and much more. Conceived by

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Amanda Dailey and Julie Araujo, Queork (838 Chartres St., 481-4910, Queork.com) is a store devoted to providing designer-quality, useful items made from cork, which they refer to as “the new leather.” After first seeing a cork hat and belt in Portugal, Dailey fell in love with cork fabric and began designing her own items. After selling at festivals and markets, Queork quickly grew into a brickand-mortar store known for its lightweight, leather-like and stain-resistant handbags and accessories. Queork continues to expand with a new Magazine Street location that opened last month.

Dailey loves the sustainability of cork and its inherent qualities: unique patterns and lightness of weight. Essentially a wood grain, every pattern on an item is going to be different and will weigh substantially less than a similar item made of leather. While most items are designed in-house, Queork exclusively features the Rutz shoe line by Portguese designer Raquel Castro, which ranges from casual loafers to formal men’s oxford boots.

“In general, cork is considered the most eco-friendly material in the world, and it’s the only tree that doesn’t die when you take its bark off. It’s meant to be harvested,” says Dailey, who insists there’s no cork shortage, despite Internet myths.

With a little shopping under your belt, pop into one of the neighborhood’s many art galleries. You can count on finding something unusual and eye-catching at Graphite Gallery (936 Royal St., 565-3739, GraphiteNOLA.com), which is a busy Dirty

Queork

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Red Fish Grill

Linen Night destination (August 13 this year) located on an art-focused block of Royal Street. Opened just under seven years ago, Graphite Gallery is the vision of Taylor Lyon, who wanted a small and intimate space filled with a wide variety of work.

“I have everything from pop surrealism to assemblage, to very intimate portraiture,” he says. “Having diametrically opposed images in one small space is a good indicator of how people can collect.” Lyon generally holds group shows so that patrons can see different types of work together and understand that they, too, can have a variety of styles and pieces in one room.

Graphite Gallery currently features pieces from emerging Louisiana artist Joshua Chambers, whose “kind of strange, almost on 56

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the verge of dark,” pieces have hooked Lyons.

Chambers’ work often features a rotating cast of characters within depthless, yet often tethered worlds. Chambers uses text to draw the audience into the work and to seek their own meaning within the scene.

Between the shopping and art, it’s easy to work up an appetite in the French Quarter, which is probably the best neighborhood in the world in which to find yourself with a hankering for flavor. Whether you’re looking for a light lunch to sustain you along your adventure or a leisurely afternoon meal, Red Fish Grill can accommodate it all with its varied, seafood-focused menu.

“Chef Austin, our Executive Chef, has done a great job,” says Dwyre McComsey, General Manager. “He offers a variety of fresh

fish – local, from the Gulf, anywhere from seven to 11 fresh varieties daily – and he grills the fish over a hickory wood fire.” The fish is then served with a choice of specialty sauce (Lemon Butter, Louisiana Citrus Glaze, Ginger Soy, etc.) and a locally sourced Covey Rise Farm vegetable of the day.

If grilled fish is too light a lunch for you, a top seller is the BBQ Oyster Poboy, which features flash-fried oysters tossed in a spicy Crystal BBQ sauce and topped with a housemade blue cheese dressing. The poor

boy also comes dressed with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles and is accompanied by a creamy Creole potato salad. The poor boy was named “Best Seafood Po-boy” four years in a row at the Po-boy Festival, and is perhaps best washed down with a refreshing afternoon cocktail such as a Pimm’s Cup or the Red Fish Grill Lemonade.

While three meals a day may be your usual routine, a day in the French Quarter calls for numerous food and beverage stops, so why

not stop in for a coffee at a New Orleans institution? Arnaud’s (813 Bienville St., 523-5433, ArnaudsRestaurant.com) famous Café Brûlot marries coffee and cocktail in a decadent, artful libation.

“Café Brûlot is a house specialty at Arnaud’s, and the pageantry of preparing the flaming dessert tableside makes for a grand finale to any meal,” says Co-Owner Katy Casbarian. “Founded in 1918 by French wine salesman, Arnaud Cazenave, the restaurant opened up right on the heels of Prohibition. It is said that Cazenave would serve libations in coffee cups to disguise the alcohol. Today, guests can openly enjoy this theatrical cocktail with hints of orange, clove and brandy.”

If the day is too warm for a flaming coffee, a refreshing French 75 is a staple of the restaurant and its bar by the same name. At the French 75 bar, the cocktail is made with cognac in lieu of gin, adding an “indulgent quality,” says Casbarian.

With a little more time to spend shopping for gifts, NOLA Couture (528 Saint Peter St. (in the Upper Pontalba building), 875-3522, NolaCouture.com) makes for a colorful stop. Now in their fourth year in the French Quarter, NOLA Couture carries its signature New Orleans-inspired neckties, bowties, pocket squares, scarves, makeup bags, glassware, dog collars, men’s and women’s shirts and more.

“Our customers, whether they’re locals or visiting New Orleans, always love the New Orleans food prints, and when they see them for the first time they typically laugh and pull at least one off the tie wall while saying ‘I have to have this one,’” says Cecile Hardy Tanguis, Founder and Owner. For the guys, Tanguis recommends Oyster, Po-boy, Red Beans and Rice or Snoball ties with a corresponding pocket square. She suggests their vibrant, soft scarves for the ladies, which can be especially helpful on a cool spring night along the river.

NOLA Couture also offers a little something for dapper pups, bringing them fashionably into the season with a little seersucker. The Southern patterned bow-tie collars and matching leashes come in blue, pink, orange, green, grey and multi-color seersucker.

Festival season is in full swing, and NOLA Couture will be offering new seasonal items including what Tanguis calls

“the perfect festival dress.”

“And, one of our favorite prints for festival season, which is a classic in our line, is our Second Line print, which you can find in all of our silk and ribbon items from ties to scarves to dog collars,” she says.

Now that you’re in festival-mode, stop

by California Drawstrings, (812 Royal St., 523-1371, CaliforniaDrawstrings.com) which brings a little West Coast vibe to the French Quarter with its airy cotton, linen and silk fashions. Deemed “resort wear,” their lines could easily be called festival wear because of their light colors and lightness of weight. Founded by Linda Keenan in 1984, California Drawstrings has maintained its reputation as a go-to destination for spring and summer staples from brands such as Flax, Match Point, Banana Blue, Chalet, Color Me Cotton and Tommy Bahama, many of which are made in the USA. In addition to fashion, California Drawstrings also stocks an assortment of hats, handbags and jewelry.

“Spring is our busiest time of year, our peak season, so it’s a fun time to come into the store,” says Jade Peterson, Regional Manager. New this season, California Drawstrings welcomes the high-quality Italian linen line, Inizio.

“This is one of our first fitted linen lines – dresses, skirts, pants and tunic tops,” says Peterson. Linen is a top choice during the spring season for its light weight, and pants, dresses and shirts, fill the store in a variety light colors – whites, pastels, turquoise and coral.

When deciding what to do with your French Quarter evening, more food is at the top, and entertainment is probably just as obvious – so how about the theater? Dickie Brennan and Company’s partnership with Le Petite Théâtre du Vieux Carré marries food and performance on the edge of Jackson Square with Tableau restaurant (616 St. Peter St., 934-3463, TableauFrenchQuarter. com), located next door and connected to the famous historic theater.

“Whether having a dinner party in the rustic Wine Room, watching an afternoon second-line from the balcony over historic Jackson Square or having a glass of wine in the courtyard before a Sunday matinee at Le Petit, Tableau is quite possibly the most versatile restaurant in the French Quarter,” says Chris Esteve, Assistant General Manager.

According to Chef de Cuisine John Martin, Tableau has created a three-course pre-theatre menu for Le Petit patrons. Additionally, the

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The Cornstalk Hotel

restaurant features a courtyard concession program with artisanal versions of theatre classics, such as caramel corn.

At Tableau, the menu changes with the season. Chef John will be celebrating crawfish and citrus early in spring, and then it’s on to corn, tomatoes, okra and strawberries. If you’ve got crawfish on the mind, the Crawfish Au Gratin appetizer is a current favorite. Other top dishes include the Chicken Tableau (herb roasted chicken breast, crispy boneless thigh, potatoes Tableau, béarnaise and chicken demi-glace) and the Chocolate Almond Sundae (coconut sorbet, hot double-chocolate brownie, almond powder, salted caramel and Chantilly cream).

April at Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré (616 St. Peter St., 522-2081, LePetitTheatre.com) brings the French Quarter Film Festival (April 8-11), and a special performance by Marcia Ball presented by Dickie Brennan and Company on Friday, April 29, during the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Opening in late spring is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (May 20-June 58

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5), which will bring numerous familiar faces to the historic New Orleans stage and backstage.

“This show will allow us to kick up our heels together in celebration of the close of Le Petit’s 99th Season,” says Katie Hallman, Managing Director. “It’s a truly joyful romp into the world of musical theater.”

Originally organized in 1916 (and based in its current location since ’22) Le Petit is one of the oldest community theatres in the country.

One can sense its impact on Southern theater and feel the lasting legacy of the hundreds of actors, designers, directors and technicians that have contributed to 99 seasons of shows.

After a day of adventuring and a night of entertainment, why not retire with a romantic overnight stay in the neighborhood at one of its unique, alluring hotels? Known as one of the most iconic and photographed hotels in the French Quarter, The Cornstalk Hotel (915 Royal St., 523-1515, TheCornstalkHotel.com) has housed the likes of Harriet Beecher Stowe, Elvis and Bill and Hillary Clinton.

“In a neighborhood that’s already known for its architectural gems, The Cornstalk still stands out. With its castle turret, graceful balcony and

of course the wrought iron cornstalk fence, the converted mansion is one of the most unique buildings in the Quarter,” says Janna Holderer, Director of Operations at NOLA Hospitality.

“The entirety of the interior has maintained its Victorian décor with 14-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers and period antiques throughout.”

In tandem with its Southern history and atmosphere, Southern hospitality is a distinguishing trait of the hotel. “There’s nothing more satisfying than having someone, whether they’re a first time visitor to New Orleans or a veteran traveler, tell us that our staff was the best part of their trip,” says Holderer. As a way to say thank you, The Cornstalk Hotel offers a 20 percent discount to all returning guests on future stays.

Obviously these are just a portion of the shops, galleries, restaurants and businesses that make the French Quarter the unequaled wonderland that it is. Hopefully now you feel inspired to spend a day between the river and Rampart Street, Canal Street and Esplanade Avenue, experiencing new sights and sounds with a little old-fashioned flavor and ambiance.

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2016

Courts of

carnival

St. Charles Avenue’s fourth annual Courts of Carnvial brings you sparkling trains and glittering crowns, and reminds you that Mardi Gras really is the most wonderful time of year in New Orleans. Arranged in reverse chronological order from Mardi Gras to Twelfth Night, the Courts of Carnvial march through our memories. Long live the season!

Compiled by Morgan Packard

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Mistick Krewe of Comus Year Founded: 1857 Theme: “Beautiful Demoiselle� 1. Her Majesty Miss Lily Reiss Saer 2. Maids Miss Jean Tate Mabon, Miss Rosemary Conrad Turner, Miss Mary Faith Lindner, Miss Caroline Bernard McGraw, Miss Sarah Marie Favrot McLellan and Miss Emily Louise Eble Nelson 3. Her Majesty Miss Lily Reiss Saer 4. Pages Master Clayton Spencer Murphy, Master John Blakemore Schwing Jr., Master St. Denis Julien Villere IV and Master Thomas Westervelt Werner Photographer: Carroll S. Grevemberg/Grevy Photography

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Rex Year Founded: 1872 Theme: “Royal Gardens – Horti Regis” 1. Her Majesty Queen of Carnival Miss Adelaide Dabezies Goodyear 2.

His Majest King of Carnival Michael Kearney 3. Maid Miss Katie Johnsen, Will Duncan, Maid Miss Tsana Demmas, Gordy Bright, Maid Miss Aggie Bell, Kenneth Saer, Maid Miss Isabella Healy, Walker Montgomery, Page Master William Freeman, King of Carnival Michael Kearney, Queen of Carnvial Miss Adelaide Dabezies Goodyear, Page Master Thomas Wisdom, Matthew Saer, Maid Miss Shelby Meckstroth, Bren Davis, Maid Miss Bryn McFadden, Ryan Acomb, Maid Miss Sara Gambel, Michael White and Maid Miss Hailey Becker Charity: Members of the Rex Organization formed the Pro Bono Publico Foundation to support public education almost 10 years ago.

Current grant cycle totaled $1 million and cumulative giving total almost $5 million. Photographer: Nola Vows Photography

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Social Aid & Pleasure Club Year Founded: 1909 Theme: 1. His Majesty Jay H. Banks and Her Majesty Mrs. Artelia Bennett-Banks 2. Maids Miss Darione M. Brooks, Miss Ca’marie C. Hawkins, Miss Cayla J. Bean, Miss Kaedrin A. Lee, Miss Ciara A. Steward, Miss Alexis M. Hart and Miss Galen A. Ambeau 3. Maids Miss Paige L. Cameron, Miss Ca’marie C. Hawkins, Miss McCaala O. Nelson and Miss Cayla J. Bean 4. King’s Pages Photographer: Ray Bonnee for Bonneefied Images

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Krewe of Proteus Year Founded: 1881 Theme: “The Hindu Heavens� 1. Her Majesty Miss Hailey Simmons Becker 2. Page Master Lynton Guy Cook IV, Her Majesty Miss Hailey Simmons Becker, His Majesty Proteus 2016 and Page Master George Shelby Friedrichs IV 3. Maids Miss Sarah Lillian Nicolson Martin, Miss Agnes Robeson Bell and Miss Elizabeth Brooks Ellinghausen, Her Majesty Miss Hailey Simmons Becker and Maids Miss Shelby Heath Sharp Meckstroth, Miss Lily Reiss Saer, Miss Sara Layne Gambel and Miss Adelaide Dabezines Goodyear Photographer: Jim Cresson Photographers

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Original Illinois Club Year Founded: 1895 Theme: “OIC Visits the Emerald City” 1. Her Majesty Miss Asia Monet Wilson-Reid 2. His Majesty Mr. E.J. Roberts and Her Majesty Miss Asia Monet Wilson-Reid 3. Debutantes Miss Paige A. Roberts, Miss Ashley M. August, Miss Ariel R. Goudeau and Miss Corrine A. Williams with Pages Cole Alphonse and Jekiyra Holloway and His Majesty Mr. E.J. Roberts and Her Majesty Miss Asia Monet Wilson-Reid with Pages Kensleigh Redmond and Cade Alphonse, and Debutantes Miss Constance J. Forges, Miss Malonda M. McElwee and Miss Rekalia J. Richards Charity: Her Majesty’s favorite nonprofit is the Wounded Warrior Project, in honor of her late maternal grandfather, Vernell Wilson, and her late step-grandfather, Maj. Harry C. Tartt (US Army-Retired), for the service that the organization provides to wounded military veterans and their families. Because of their dedication to community service, this national charity provides a constant example of both of her late grandfathers’ sacrifices for the freedoms that living in this great country affords. Photographer: Aaron Cormier Photography

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Krewe of Mystery Year Founded: 1911 Theme: “Mystery Goes to the Opera� 1. Her Majesty Miss Evelyn Frances Brooks 2. Pages Master Charles Thompson Pipes and Master William Courtade Carrere Jr. 3. Maids Miss Frances Elizabeth Varner and Miss Isabelle LaPlace Shall, Her Majesty Miss Evelyn Frances Brooks and Maids Miss Aby Dixon Hamrick, Miss Meredith Anita Tufton and Miss Sarah Ehret Martin 4.Trainbearers Miss Samantha Jordan Knister, Miss Christina Mattingly Rareshide, Miss Carson Louise Browne and Miss Meghan Lynn Keen Photographer: Rudy Bierhuizen of Mike Posey Photography and Video

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Krewe of Hermes Year Founded: 1937 Theme: “The Tempest” 1. Her Majesty Miss Luciana Elizabeth Bertucci 2. Maids Miss Margaret Keil Shapiro, Miss Peri Claire Dupepe, Miss Margaret Mary Dowling and Miss Sydney Julian Steib 3. Pages (front row) Master Aidan Alexander Ayestas, Master Armand Louis LeGardeur, Master Cooper Wells Velie, Master Ellis Armstrong Adatto, and (back row) Master John Scott Stassi, Master Sebastian Alexander Strauss and Master Brendan Mark Truxillo Charity: The krewe’s nonprofit is the Hermes BTP Foundation, Inc., to help support New Orleans’ first responders on a year-round basis. Photographer: Darryl Schmitt of Darryl Schmitt Photography

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Knights of Momus Year Founded: 1872 Theme: “Reflections of Momus” 1. Her Majesty Miss Elizabeth “Libby” Hayne Rudolf and His Majesty Momus, the God of Mirth and Mockery 2. Maids Miss Gladys Grace Gille, Miss Brita Wuerple Gibert, Miss Sedley Hayward Clark, Miss Agnes Robeson Bell and Miss Hailey Simmons Becker, Her Majesty Miss Elizabeth Hayne Rudolf and Maids Miss Caroline Page Stewart, Miss Lily Reiss Saer, Miss Isabella Slatten Healy and Miss Lucile Rose Gille 3. Maids Miss Brita Wuerple Gibert, Miss Caroline Page Stewart, Miss Lily Reiss Saer, Miss Gladys Grace Gille and Miss Agnes Robeson Bell, Her Majesty Miss Elizabeth Hayne Rudolf and Maids Miss Lucile Rose Gille, Miss Isabella Slatten Healy, Miss Sedley Hayward Clark and Miss Hailey Simmons Becker Photographer: Jim Cresson Photographers

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The Atlanteans Year Founded: 1890 Theme: “Atlantis Reborn� 1. Her Majesty Miss Rosemary Conrad Turner 2. Her Majesty Miss Rosemary Conrad Turner and Poseidon 3. Page Master Tullis Gambel, Maid Miss Adelaide Goodyear, Her Majesty Miss Rosemary Conrad Turner and Poseidon with Maid Miss Lily Saer and Page Master Saint Villere Photographer: Jim Cresson Phtoography

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Elves of Oberon Year Founded: 1895 Theme: “The Replacements” 1. Her Majesty Miss Sara Layne Gambel 2. Pages Master William Swayze Darragh, Master James Ted Rogers IV, Master Charles Frederick Seemann IV and Master Ryan Patrick Farnsworth 3. Maids Miss Emily Louise Eble Nelson, Miss Agnes Robeson Bell, Miss Meredith Anita Tufton, Miss Katherine Woodworth Slatten, Miss Elizabeth Brooks Ellinghausen and Miss Gladys Grace Gille with Her Majesty Sara Layne Gambel and Maids Miss Shelby Heath Sharp Meckstroth, Miss Genevieve Marie Bienvenu, Miss Aimee Druilhet Lapeyre, Miss Mathilde Michinard Kepper, Miss Isabel Louise Collier and Miss Corinne Adele Guillot Charity: Her Majesty’s favorite nonprofit is Options, which is a Hammond-based group that provides care, housing, education and enrichment for developmentally disabled individuals. Photographer: Rudy Bierhuizen of Mike Posey Photography and Video

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Prophets of Persia Year Founded: 1927 Theme: “Alfonso XII’s Grand Reception” 1. Her Majesty Miss Sarah Ehret Martin 2. Maids Miss Bergen Sanderford and Miss Alison Mikes with Her Majesty Sarah Ehret Martin and His Majesty the Great Shah of all of the Persias, and Maids Miss Meredith Tufton, Miss Marguerite Walk and Miss Whitney Churchill 3. Pages Master Nate Sanders and Master Patrick Volner with Maids Miss Alison Mikes and Miss Meredith Tufton and Page Master Michael Michaelis Charity: Her Majesty has been involved with her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma, in a nonprofit volunteer program called Reading is Fundamental at the George C. Clark School in Ft. Worth, Texas. Photographer: Rudy Bierhuizen of Mike Posey Photography & Video

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The Achaeans Year Founded: 1947 Theme: “Athena and Odysseus� 1. Her Majesty Miss Genevieve Marie Bienvenu and Odysseus LXVIII 2. Her Majesty Miss Genevieve Marie Bienvenu 3. Maids Miss Leslie Anne Richmond McConnell, Miss Elizabeth Brooks Ellinghausen and Miss Agnes Robeson Bell with Her Majesty Miss Genevieve Marie Bienvenu, and Maids Miss Shawn Elizabeth Conner, Miss Aby Dixon Hamrick and Miss Sarah Marie Favrot McLellan Photographer: Carroll S. Grevemberg/Grevy Photography

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Year Founded: 1915 Theme: Osiris always has an Egyptian theme, reflecting its namesake 1. Her Majesty Miss Shelby Heath Sharp Meckstroth 2. Pages Master Allen Conner Ducanes and Master Walter Douglass Goliwas, with Maids Miss Shawn Elizabeth Conner, Miss Meredith Anita Tufton, Miss Sara Layne Gambel, Miss Alexandra Bedsole Demmas, Miss Grace Ann Bellone, Miss Aby Dixon Hamrick, Miss Ara Alexandra Ellison, Miss Evelyn Frances Brooks, Miss Mary Callaghan Rome, and Pages Master Arnold Christopher Ducanes and Master Parker Townsend Davis 3. Pages Master Allen Conner Ducanes and Master Walter Douglass Goliwas, with Princesses Miss Miss Adelayde Grace Rome, Miss Marcy Jean Williams, Miss Meredith Kuebel Mentz, Miss Laurel Ann Box, and Miss Lydia Vivian Calhoun, and Maids Miss Evelyn Frances Brooks, Miss Sara Layne Gambel, Miss Grace Ann Bellone, Miss Meredith Anita Tufton, Miss Shawn Elizabeth Conner and Miss Mary Callaghan Rome, with Their Majesties Osiris and Miss Shelby Heath Sharp Meckstroth, and Maids Miss Aby Dixon Hamrick, Miss Ara Alexandra Ellison and Miss Alexandra Bedsole Demmas, with Princesses Miss Maureen Burke Blaum, Miss Ellen Lorraine Gambel, Miss Kelly Manning Batt, Miss Lindsey LeJeune Gibert, Miss Caroline Louise Viator, Miss Winifred Diane McCarthy, Miss Allyson Anna Pitalo, Miss Erin Selber Autenreith, Miss Charlotte Hollingsworth Friend and Miss Camille Elise Ciolino, and Pages Master Arnold Christopher Ducanes and Master Parker Townsend Davis Photographer: Mike Posey Photography & Video

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Krewe of Apollo Year Founded: 1929 Theme: “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” 1. Pages Miss Patricia Becker Seemann, Miss Avery Elizabeth Summerour, Master James Joseph Reiss IV and Master Brent Conway Schwing 2. Her Majesty Miss Julia Margaret Plauche 3.

Maids (kneeling) Miss Patricia Becker Seemann, Miss Avery Elizabeth Summerour (seated) Miss McAlister Wynn Brewer, Miss Margot Louise Childs, Miss Adele Bright Petagna, Miss Emily June Hardie, Miss Ellen Elizabeth Carriere, Miss Lucie Sandoz Lanier, (standing) Miss Althea Gibert Kingsmill, Miss Ashley Linfield Murphy, Miss Katherine Randolph Jacobs, Miss Ann Claire Kallenborn (top row standing) Miss Margaret Doyle Malone, Miss Kristina Britt Johnsen and Miss Larkin McConnell Holtzman, with Her Majesty Miss Julia Margaret Plauche, and Maids Miss Ellen Heidingsfelder Silvia, Miss Elizabeth McKenzie Cummins and Miss Grace Allen Gambel Charity: Her Majesty’s favorite nonprofit is Whole Kids Outreach, which improves the health of women and children and works to decrease child abuse and neglect. Photographer: Jim Cresson Photography

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High Priests of Mithras Year Founded: 1897 Theme: “STRAT-osphere: A Night in the Sun” 1. Her Majesty Miss Agnes “Aggie” Robeson Bell 2. Maids Miss Gigi Meriwether Van Denburgh, Miss Torre Aitken Sossaman, Miss Emily Louise Eble Nelson, Miss Sarah Marie Favrot McLellan, Miss Isabella Slatten Healy, Miss Lucile Rose Gille, Miss Lynne Elise Dabezies Shawn Elizabeth Conner, Miss Sara Layne Gambel, Miss Gladys Grace Gille, Miss Mary Faith Lindner, Miss Shelby Heath Sharp Meckstroth, Miss Lily Reiss Saer and Miss Rosemary Conrad Turner 3. Pages Master Harris Lawton Brown, Master Walter Douglass Goliwas, Master James Robert Neiset III and Master Thomas Westervelt Werner Photographer: Mike Posey Photography and Video

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Twelfth Night Revelers Year Founded: 1870 Theme: “Beauty and the Beast” 1. Her Majesty Miss Corinne Adéle Guillot and the Lord of Misrule 2. Junior Cooks (kneeling) Master Charles Thompson Pipes, Master John Roache Cook V (standing) Master John Blakemore Schwing Jr., Master Michael Joseph Landry, Master James Robert Nieset III, Master William Alexander Groome, Master David Cartan Loker Gibbons III and Master St. Denis Julien Villere IV 3. Maids Miss Lily Reiss Saer, Miss Ruth Marie Nairne Landry, Miss Gladys Grace Gille, Miss Lucile Rose Gille, Miss Shawn Elizabeth Conner and Miss Agnes Robeson Bell with Her Majesty Miss Corinne Adéle Guillot and the Lord of Misrule with Maids Miss Hailey Simmons Becker, Miss Sophie Monrose Curtis, Miss Adelaide Dabezies Goodyear, Miss Katherine Elise Johnsen and Miss Shelby Heath Sharp Meckstroth Photographer: Jim Cresson Photography

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e n t e r ta i n i n g wi t h b e v

A Blooming History Luis Colmenares and Bev Church teamed up – again – for “Art in Bloom”

By Bev Church

Luis Colmenares and I have teamed up on many projects for over 30 years. We started collaborating with furniture for my and my husband’s house, and then Luis and I started designing centerpieces for my collection, Entertaining Celebrations.

When I’m asked to create a party or event, I speak to the client first and if something must be created, I call Luis! The first large party we did was a seated dinner for 600 for Entergy. We designed the centerpiece, which consisted of 10 vases put together, so each guest got to take their individual vase, complete with flowers, home as a gift.

“Art in Bloom” is no exception. It all started with my dream of a large pink-andwhite striped tent at the beach. First, Luis does a sketch, then he draws a design with chalk on the floor of his studio so we get the scale. Next, he creates a metal frame and cuts out curtains, a flag, a sun and stars from metal sheets. He painted some of the stripes so we could get an idea of what it would look like. When the final product is ready, all of the detailing comes in with Luis’s amazing expertise.

I handled the table, creating the look – painting it hot pink and designing the flowers that were the chargers and centerpiece. I used mini chrysanthemums and sweetheart roses in hot pink and orange.

“Art in Bloom,” which benefits the New Orleans Museum of Art and The Garden Study Club, is an incredible event, and Luis and I were excited to be included in the “Movers and Shakers” category. The creativity of all of the designers is over the top, and it’s an event we all look forward to each year. What an honor! n

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photos by lin da reese bjork

wi t h t h i s r i n g

SimonKushner

By Mallory Lindsly

82 st. charles Avenue april 2016

Out-of-town guests were given welcome bags (assembled by family friends) full of goodies from Detroit, Maria’s hometown, and New Orleans.

Due to a busy work schedule, Maria and Adam planned a two-week honeymoon for May 2016, when they’ll visit Tokyo and Hawaii. The two reside in Crestwood, a neighborhood in northwest Washington, DC. Maria is a senior partner and co-owner of the Geller Law Group in Fairfax, Virginia while Adam is the editor of the Sunday Outlook section at The Washington Post, where he also oversees the Post’s nonfiction book coverage and PostEverything, a daily digital magazine. n

ABOVE: Maria Christian Simon and Adam Benjamin Kushner OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Frederick Kushner,

Gloria Kushner, Ivy Kushner, Jared Kushner, Adam B. Kushner, Jack Simon Robbins, Maria Simon, Tommy Simon, Bernice Sommerstein, Elle Gotham, Andrew Simon, Evey Simon and Basil Simon.

BOTTOM: Basil Simon, Tommy Simon, Andrew Simon, Jack Simon Robbins, Adam B. Kushner, Frederick Kushner and Jared Kushner Coordinator: Lulu Alexander Celebrant: Rabbi Shira Stutman, Washington, DC Wedding Gown: Anna Maier; Hitched Salon, Washington, DC Groom’s Attire: White dinner jacket by Ralph Lauren Best Mens' attire: Their own black-tie attire Engagement Ring: Family heirloom diamond set by Tiny Box Jewelry, Washington, DC Wedding bands: Rachel Pfeffer Designs Invitation: WeddingPaperDivas.com Florist: Fat Cat Flowers Hair & Makeup: Nicole Klein, The Parlour Salon & Blush and Bashful

photos by EDMUND F OUNTAIN

Just over two years ago, Maria Christian Simon and Adam Benjamin Kushner logged onto Tinder and swiped right. They chose a bar, American Ice Company, for their first date on the Super Bowl Sunday 2014. They thought they’d have a drink or two and go their separate ways, but they ended up talking for hours and arrived late to their respective Super Bowl parties.

The two had begun discussing marriage when Maria, browsing Trulia.com the next spring, came across a gorgeous home and emailed it to Adam with a note: “Wouldn’t it be great to live in a house like this someday?”

Adam opened the listing and gasped. He noticed that there would be an open house the following day; the couple saw it, loved it and, impulsively, submitted a bid. A few days later, on a previously planned trip to Italy, they learned they’d gotten the house. They were ecstatic. But they realized they’d gotten a head of themselves: They didn’t want to buy a house without being engaged. So, they informed their families that they were!

The bride and groom hosted a rehearsal dinner at the now closed Musee Conti Wax Museum that was catered by Lil Dizzy’s.

The ceremony was held at The Felicity, a decommissioned church in the Lower Garden District, on January 23, 2016. It began in the basement with an oyster happy hour hosted

by Two Girls One Shuck. Then the two wed upstairs. Eve Fairbanks, a friend of the couple, sang and played the mandolin at the ceremony.

After the ceremony the Smitty Dees Brass Band second-lined with guests to the reception at Il Mercato. Guests boogied all evening to The NOLA Dukes Band and dined courtesy of Joel Catering. The wedding cake was a chocolate-peanut-butter pie from Cochon. Photographer Edmund Fountain captured all of the evening’s special moments.

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YO U NG B LO O D S

Alyssa Fletchinger Vice President, Plush Appeal

by Lindsay Mack

Mardi Gras is inherently fun, but for Alyssa Fletchinger, Vice President of Plush Appeal, helping krewes prepare for their parade experience is business. The familyowned Plush Appeal sells beads, throws and float décor for Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but Fletchinger’s work takes her around the world. As she works to supply riders with the most desirable throws in town, Fletchinger has gotten to know a whole different side of the Carnival experience.

The Business of Beads

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a hit. These throws are valued by krewe members and paradegoers alike.

Beyond Mardi Gras

Fletchinger is working to expand her Carnival business beyond Mardi Gras by providing decorations for other events. Plush Appeal has recently produced beads for trade shows and conventions, for instance. The company also sells themed décor for parties that covers everything from Christmas to Easter to graduations. n

Giving Back In addition to her work with Plush Appeal, Fletchinger is also a dedicated volunteer for several New Orleans institutions. She has worked with the Junior League of New Orleans, the Louisiana Children’s Museum and St. Michael’s Special School bead donation program. Whether she’s supplying clients with customized beads or volunteering her time for others, Fletchinger is a dedicated member of the New Orleans community.

For more information, visit Plush Appeal, 2812 Toulouse St., (800) 899-1869, 482-0000, MardiGrasSpot.com

photo by cheryl gerber

Every year, Fletchinger visits China for six to eight weeks to lay out a production schedule for the many different factories that make goods for Plush Appeal. As throws have gotten more elaborate in recent years, so has their creation.

“We deal in so many mediums that it’s more challenging,” she says.

But making the throws is only a portion of her job. Selling products to customers, making sure everyone gets their merchandise on time and getting feedback from riders is also crucial. Although the logistics can get challenging, she appreciates helping everyone have a good time for Carnival.

Like any industry, the business of beads experiences its own changes over the years. Fletchinger notes that there’s a current trend toward more personalized goods. “The number of custom items for each krewe has grown, and there are not as many generic throws now,” she says.

Additionally, the demand for more durable goods that can be used throughout the year has increased. Cell phone chargers and iPhone cases, for instance, have been

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s t ud e n t ac t i v i s t

pe rf o r m i n g a r t s

April

Devin Justin Lockett

By Lauren LaBorde

De La Salle High School

By Mallory Lindsly

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8 and 10

The Glass Menagerie

Tosca

The theater mounts the Tennessee Williams classic in conjunction with the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, 616 St. Peter St., 522-2081, LePetitTheatre.com

A “fan favorite” among opera lovers, Puccini’s grungy, intense work is characterized by melodrama and a fiery diva of a protagonist. New Orleans Opera Association, Mahalia Jackson Theater, 1419 Basin St., 529-3000, NewOrleansOpera.org

1-17 Madame Thames’ Spirit Bar

Harold Ellis Clark’s play filled with mysticism and intrigue is set in Jean Lafitte, Louisiana in 1975. Anthony Bean Community Theater, 1333 S. Carrollton Ave., 862-7529, AnthonyBeanTheater.com 2 Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

The company combines modern, jazz and ballet to create an energetic, athletic form of dance. NOBA Presents, Mahalia Jackson Theater, Mahalia Jackson Theater, 1419 Basin St., 522-0996, NOBADance.com

15 Osorio Plays Brahms

Pianist Jorge Federico Osorio returns to New Orleans to perform Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1. Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Orpheum Theater, 129 Roosevelt Way, 523-6530, LPOMusic.com 17 LPO musicians and pianist Jorge Federico Osorio present this season’s final Chamber Music performance.

Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, 616 St. Peter St., 523-6530, LPOMusic.com

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The LPO’s children’s show features space-themed compositions, and costumes are encouraged.

Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Roussel Hall, Loyola University, 523-6530, LPOMusic.com

Swing in the Oaks

Carlos Miguel Prieto directs the free outdoor concert.

Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, City Park, 523-6530, LPOMusic.com

5-10 Cabaret

The revival of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Joe Masteroff’s musical features the songs “Cabaret,” “Willkommen” and “Maybe This Time.” Saenger Theatre, 1111 Canal St., 525-1052, SaengerNOLA.com

photo by cheryl gerber

“I learned from my family at an early age that social activism and community involvement are very important,” says Devin Justin Lockett, a senior at De La Salle High School.

Lockett’s activism began at Stuart Hall School for Boys, where he attended from nursery school to seventh grade. Once Lockett started at De La Salle, he began to understand the importance of activism and community involvement.

While there, Lockett volunteered at the New Orleans Mission and cleaned up under the Crescent City Connection as part of NORDC’s Teen Council. Lockett and a few of his friends from the Woodland Heights neighborhood even got together to sponsor a car wash to raise money for Covenant House.

Rhea Woods, Lockett’s mother, inspires him every day to be an activist and make his mark on the world. Woods is always telling him that “To who much is given, much is required.”

As a senior, Lockett is Student Council President and involved in campus ministry, soccer, National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. He also has had

the opportunity to work with his mother with the Parent’s Club to find ways to leave a positive legacy at De La Salle after he graduates.

While on student council, Lockett was able to attend the Louisiana Association of Student Councils Convention in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and learned the different ways to make his Student Council more dynamic and inclusive during the school year. He also learned about other cultures when he was able to attend a two-week trip to Barcelona, Spain, with the De La Salle soccer team.

Last summer, Lockett attended a four-week program at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, which got him interested in the areas of business and finance.

“I am looking forward to meeting students from all over the world, as well as truly testing myself to determine how successful I can be on my own,” says Lockett.

Lockett will attend Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, and plans on majoring in business and finance in college, ultimately going on to earn an MBA. He also plans on studying abroad in Madrid or Rome for a semester.

His dream is to become an investment banker and then start his own hedge fund. He also wants to become a philanthropist while enjoying life and donating to worthy causes. n

18-April 3

s h op ta lk

Patrick M. Schoen Managing Partner, Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Home

By Mirella Cameran

Did you always want to go into the family business?

Yes, I started in 1969 at the age of 8, going to work with my Dad. I assisted our driver, Joe Mitchel, he was with us for 60 years.

What differentiates your services?

Schoen’s is locally operated, with the majority of our staff being native New Orleanians.

There are no funeral service packages where you’re forced to take something you don’t want.

Does being a family business in the city make a difference?

Tell us something people don’t know about your business?

Families are surprised by how comfortable we can make a very difficult situation. Also,

88 st. charles Avenue april 2016

Your funeral home is famous, isn’t it?

“Schoen’s on Canal” is considered by many to be among the most beautiful funeral homes in America and a New Orleans landmark.

What’s new at Schoen’s?

Our new J. Garic Schoen Chapel where we can host events such as: the play Jesus Christ Superstar in April; a wedding in May; and the Lakeview Shepherd Center gala on April 16. n

Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Directors 3827 Canal St. 482-2111 SchoenFH.com

photo by jeff ery john ston

We are very proud to be part of New Orleans history, and we just celebrated 142 years in business. Being fifth generation, it is with great pride that I carry on my family’s legacy.

we completely renovated our home location back to the way it was when the Virgin family built it in 1870.

s h op ta lk

Kendall Carriere Owner/Instructor, barre3

By Mirella Cameran

How did you get involved in barre3?

sleeping better, are happier and are more confident.

I had injuries from running and overdoing it, so I started practicing barre3 and I saw my body change. I got stronger, leaner and felt more alive.

You have three locations?

What’s unique about the workout?

photo by j effery j ohnston

Barre3 combines holds with small movements and big, functional cardio movement.

You work hard, deep in the muscles, without stressing your joints.

Yes, we have studios in Uptown, downtown in the CBD and we’re opening a new one in Old Metairie this summer.

What has you excited?

The new studio on Metairie Road! It has lots of light and easy parking as well as childcare, like our Uptown location.

Who does it appeal to?

Does working with barre3 end at the end of class?

It appeals to literally everyone: young, old, men and women; from people just starting to get fit and new moms getting back in shape, to competitive athletes. You customize barre3 and make it your own, so everyone can get great results.

We care about our clients' wellbeing 24 hours a day, not just the one hour you’re with us. With barre3 you can get fit without torturing yourself. You can find the joy in movement and the abs you’ve always wanted. n

What results do you typically see?

People get stronger, leaner and even taller. Literally measuring taller. Clients also tell me that they have more energy, are

Barre3 has two locations, Uptown and CBD, with a third on Metairie Road opening soon: barre3.com

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By Lani Griffiths 1

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1. Anne Redd, Barbara Gaiennie, Dana Hansel and Jackie Clarkson enjoy themselves at Hansel’s house to help plan the 20th anniversary of the “Cochon Cotillion” April 2. All proceeds from the Cotillion go to Bridge House/ Grace House. 2. Bruce and Karen Katz attend Bridge House/Grace House’s strategic planning meeting for the 20th anniversary of the “Cochon Cotillion."

3. Back row: Emily Valentino, Francesca Lupo, Mary Jean Gabler, Judy Gabler Tidwell, Jennifer Van Vrancken, Vanessa Van Vrancken, Lauren Levy and Lisa Long. Front row: Patricia Fitzgerald Simpson, Chickie Springer Martín, Susan Schoen Holmes, Hermes Captain, Anna Reed, Frances Smith and Mary Frances Craig. These wonderful ladies attended the Past Queens of Hermes Luncheon in the Hermes Bar Room at Antoine’s on February 1.

90 st. charles Avenue april 2016

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By Lani Griffiths 4

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4. Standing are: Emilie Montgomery, Margaret Wynn, Barkley Rafferty, Tatine Frater (50 year), Kate Tucker, Anne Gardiner, Anne Redd, Rachael Gambel, Eleanor Carney, Eleanor Hohnstein, Anne Grace and Adair Faust. Seated are: Anne Gillin, Lydia Buckley, Yvette Semmes, Blathrae Gillin, Reid Bergin, Ellie George (last year’s queen), Margo Sanders and Adair Brown. All are pictured at the Commander’s Palace Luncheon for Atlanteans. 5. Anita Brite, Barbara Ballard, Kelly Barnes, Martha Ellard and Jean Rice are pictured at the “Touchdown Club of New Orleans” December meeting. The “Touchdown Club” continues to support newly drafted Saints players with awards banquets and crawfish boils. 6. Seminarian Andrew Derouen with Archbishop Gregory Aymond and Fr. Gregory Boquet, O.S.B, President and rector of the seminary college enjoy themselves at “Deo Gratias 2015,” Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College’s annual fundraising event.

92 st. charles Avenue april 2016

s n a p s h ot s

By Lani Griffiths

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7. Phyllis Jones and her daughter Suzanne Myers attend “Deo Gratias 2015,” where guests were treated to a meal by chef Drake Leonards, a silent auction and a raffle. 8. Cookie Reed and Suzy Kessenich smile at “Deo Gratias 2015,” the major fundraising event put on by St. Joseph Abbey and Seminary College. 9. Caitlin Scanlan, Paul Varisco, Amy Boyle Collins and Fred Myers enjoy themselves at the “Association of Fundraising Professionals National Philanthropy Day Luncheon,” among the over 300 people in attendance. David Fennely was honored as New Orleans’ Outstanding Philanthropist.

94 st. charles Avenue april 2016

s n a p s h ot s

By Lani Griffiths 10

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10. Leila Gowland, Chandler Nutick and Heather Sweeney attend the “Association of Fundraising Professionals National Philanthropy Day Luncheon,” November 12, 2015. Rev. Cory Sparks, Director of the Institute for Nonprofit Excellence Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations, gave the invocation. 11. Irene Klinger, Mary de La Barre, Aysen Young (standing), Betty Brooks Doss and Adele Uddo, the Grand Dames of the Women’s Guild of New Orleans Opera Association, celebrate 50 years at the Guild Home.

12. Osiris past Queens, front row: Kaelin Louise Ochsner (2014), Carolyn Loria Pitalo (1980), Ann Lee Stephens Sarpy (1969), Susan Read Johnson (1967), Lauren Reynolds Davis (1994), Shelly Marquez Kelly (1986) and Mary Kathryn Kurzweg Pickral (1971). Back row: Catherine Corder Ducanes (1989), Virginia Burke White (1985), Nikki Bush Lane (1968), Maria Favor Argote (1990), Kathryn Brennan McLeod (2006), Elinor Hobson Rand (1987), Kelsey Evans Rivera (1988) and Virginia Verret de Marigny Ernst (1995).

96 st. charles Avenue april 2016

ADVERTISING SECTION

SUMMER CAMPS Every Day Away Camp 1100 Broadway St. | New Orleans 877-454-3226 everydayaway.camp

Every Day Away is an entirely new summer day camp concept, brought to you by Kidcam, the region’s most trusted name in children’s summer camps. Located in Uptown New Orleans near Tulane, campers will get off campus every day as they enjoy new destinations and surprising excursions.

Boredom is banished with these daily field trips, giving campers a chance for creative exploration and exciting adventures around every turn.

98 st. charles Avenue april 2016

Jesuit High School 4133 Banks St. | New Orleans 251-1204 | jesuitnola.org

Jesuit offers boys ages 5-12 a full six-week Summer Day Camp Program (June 1-July 10) and two three-week Day Camp Programs (June 1-June 19; June 22-July 10). Before and after-Day Camp Care is available. Day Camps feature Field Trips, Picnics, Movies, Tours, Bowling, Kickball, Soccer, Basketball, Flag Football, Softball, Laser Tag, Water Slides, Skating, Putt Putt, and Outdoor Games. In addition to three Academic Camps (Robotics, Science and Study Skills), Jesuit also offers a variety of Sports Camps, including Baseball, Basketball, Football and Soccer.

Parents are assured that Jesuit's

Summer Camps are well-supervised, safe and fun. The school's Mid-City location at Carrollton and Banks makes it accessible from anywhere in the metro region. Information, fees, and online registration forms for all of Jesuit's Summer Camps are posted on the school's website.

Kehoe-France Day Camp 720 Elise Ave. | Metairie 733-0472 kehoe-france.com/summer-camp 25 Patricia Drive | Covington 985-892-4415 kehoe-francens.com/summer-camp

Having operated since 1949, Kehoe-France Camps are one of the most experienced camps in the Metro New Orleans Area and offer an ideal opportunity for boys

and girls, 8 weeks old (by June 1) through 13 years of age at the Metairie campus, and 6 months through 13 years at the Covington campus. There are two KehoeFrance Day Camp sites consisting of 14 acres in Metairie and 12 acres in Covington. Kehoe-France provides swimming pools, tennis courts, a BB range, a gymnasium, an indoor activity center, several pavilions, arts and crafts, a ceramics lab, a computer lab and numerous playing fields. The camps and staff provide each camper the advantage of adventure, fun, growth and education to ensure every camper enjoys all the activities for a memorable, fun-filled summer in a safe and secure environment.

ADVERTISING SECTION

Kidcam Summer Camps Multiple Locations 877-4KIDCAM | kidcamcamps.com

Over 20 Premier Locations across Southern Louisiana for boys and girls ages 3-13 from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. for up to 11 weeks of Summer Camp. You can schedule week to week, choose only the weeks you need and attend multiple locations.

Buy early and save, or pay weekly.

Sibling discounts available. Free before care and affordable after care.

May 23-August 5 (dates and times vary by location).

Louise S. McGehee School 2343 Prytania St. | New Orleans 561-1224 mcgeheeschool.com/summer

The Louise S. McGehee School will be opening its gates this summer to rising Kindergarten-seventh grade girls. Their camp runs June 6-August 5 with flexible weekly registration. New experiences, new projects, new friends, new fun! All girls (rising Kindergarten through fourth grade) from the New Orleans community are invited to attend! They also offer a Counselor-in-Training program, complete with new and improved activities for creative tweens/teens entering fifth through seventh grade. They offer girl-powered fun that aims to foster leadership and inclusion. All sessions are led

by McGehee teachers, alumnae and students in an academicallyengaging environment that promotes problem-solving and independent thinking, not to mention seriously good fun! Girls are immersed in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) projects, music and vocal performance, sports and activities, and personalized crafts. They'll also enjoy special interest sessions such as yoga, Lego works, pet training, pottery, jewelry making and more.

Parents can also opt to sign their daughters up for exciting afternoon enrichment add-ons from Summer Gate's professional partners. Every Friday is Water Day, where campers eat snoballs, play water games, and dance like crazy! Summer Gate is all about summer fun for girls! Visit mcgeheeschool.com/summer or contact Camp Director Julee LaPorte (juleel@mcgeheeschool.com) for all the exciting details!

Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts 316 Girod St. | Mandeville 985-674-2992 | laapa.com/camp 2020 Dickory Ave., Ste. 200 | Harahan 738-3050 | laapa.com/camp

Summer Camps are held each July at Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts in New Orleans and Mandeville and provide students ages 5-16 with a choice of over 30 instrumental, vocal, and dance programs to explore.

Summer music &and dance camps are an excellent way for beginners to discover which instruments/ programs excite them the most.

Experienced students will take their skills to the next level. Camps are limited to 25 students weekly and fill quickly. Call (985) 231-0875 to learn more or visit laapa.com/camp.

Louisiana Children’s Museum 420 Julia St. | New Orleans 266-2414 | lcm.org

The Louisiana Children’s Museum is the cool place to be this summer with themed camps that explore food, art, Vietnamese culture, theater, science and more. Weekly themed camps are designed for children ages 5-8 years. Art camps are for children ages 7-10 years.

All summer camps are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call 504-266-2414. To register, visit lcm.org under “Come Play-Camps.”

St. Mary’s Dominican High School

Ursuline’s Summer Arts and Science Camp

7701 Walmsley Ave. | New Orleans 865-9401 | stmarysdominican.org

2635 State St. | New Orleans 866-5260 | uanola.org

Join the fun at St. Mary’s Dominican High School’s Summer Camps! Jumpin’ for Joy campers (completed grades 1-4) will enjoy fun and jazzy activities, including arts and crafts, cheerleading, music and much more.

Weekly themed lunch activities enhance the “Jumper” experience.

DominiCampers (completed grades 4-8) enjoy a variety of activities: Do-“mini” Chefs, Jewelry Making, Dance, Math Mania, Dominitectives, Science Exploration and Drama. Supervised by Dominican’s coaching staff, sports campers receive sport-specific instruction and skill development for basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball. Specialized camps in Band, Drama, Robotics and Studio Art bring talented campers center stage as they cultivate their crafts.

Ursuline's Summer Arts and Science Camp offers a variety of fun classes in art, acting, cooking, robotics, cheer and dance, music, ceramics, science, sewing, sports, swimming and more! Each session will culminate with a Fabulous Friday where campers put on performances and display art work. Super Week is an all field trip experience with age-appropriate, well-supervised activities. This action-packed week includes a variety of fun places and activities such as bowling, swimming, IMAX, skating and so much more! Session I is June 6-24, Session II is June 27-July 15, and Super Week is July 18-22. Session I and II are for girls age 3 through entering eighth grade. Super Week is for girls entering first grade through eighth grade. Camp hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Before and after care are available.

Register at uanola.org. For more information, email camp@uanola.org or call 504-866-5260.

Sacred Heart Summer Camp 4301 St. Charles Ave. | New Orleans 269-1230 ashrosary.org/summercamp ashsummercamp@ashrosary.org

Calling all boys and girls! Sacred Heart is excited to offer for ages 1-13 Summer Fun Day Camp for girls and Sports and More Day Camp for boys. Popular camp sessions include early childhood Summer Hearts for boys and girls, Creative HeARTS, Middle School Creative Choice, Joyful Journey, Theater Camp (You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown), Sports and Cheer Camp, “I Can Be” (engineering and computer), and our kick-off to the 2016-2017 school year called Jump Start. Dates: May 31-July 15.

Woodlake Camp for Boys 82 Sequoia St. | Kenner 467-5899 | campwoodlake.com

Woodlake is a place where boys meet summer head-on! This day camp experience offers weekly registration and provides activities designed specifically for boys age 6-12. With daily bus transportation, lunch and gear included in tuition, Woodlake provides an all-inclusive, fun and safe alternative to the traditional summer day camp experience. Here, campers are allowed to choose many of their own activities designed to promote skill development, individual achievement and laugh-out-loud fun.

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100 st. charles Avenue april 2016

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Ace and the Louisiana Open Housing Act, which make it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. For more information, call the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office at 1-800-273-5718.

Premier

Properties ELEANOR FARNSWORTH Top Residential Producer CRS, GRI, BRC, HRS Office: (504) 891-1142 Home: (504) 891-9023

www.EleanorFarnsworth.com

5631 St. Charles Avenue..........SOLD...................$6,185,000 4717 St Charles Avenue...........SOLD...................$6,000,000 1004 Falcon Road.....................SOLD...................$5,600,000 3 Audubon Place ......................SOLD...................$5,250,000 16 Audubon Place ....................SOLD...................$4,500,000 295 Walnut Street .....................SOLD...................$3,990,000 8 La Salle Place .........................SOLD...................$3,650,000 849 East Scenic Dr., Pass Christian, MS..............$3,200,000 4831 St. Charles Avenue..........SOLD...................$3,000,000 525 Madison Street ..................SOLD...................$2,800,000 1527 Sixth Street......................................................$2,650,000 8 Rosa Park................................SOLD....................$2,490,000 1776 State Street .......................SOLD...................$2,300,000 3 Poydras Street #9E/F ..............SOLD...................$2,300,000 2503 St Charles Avenue .........................................$2,200,000 6257 Highland Rd., Baton Rouge......SOLD .......$2,200,000 906 S. New Hampshire Avenue...............SOLD...................$2,199,000 15370 LA HWY 10, St Francisville .....................$1,950,000 841 Barracks Street ..................SOLD...................$1,850,000 1427 Eighth Street ...................SOLD...................$1,850,000 7 Rosa Park................................SOLD...................$1,800,000 1518 First Street .......................SOLD...................$1,750,000 2600 Gay Lynn Drive .............................................$1,730,000 1328 Felicity Street ...................SOLD...................$1,700,000 1538 Fourth Street ...................SOLD...................$1,700,000 1415 Cadiz Street ....................SOLD...................$1,700,000 1800 Jefferson ...........................SOLD...................$1,700,000 1732-34 Palmer..........................SOLD...................$1,650,000 2708 Coliseum Street ...............SOLD...................$1,625,000 1233 Second Street...................SOLD...................$1,600,000 576 Audubon Street .................SOLD...................$1,595,000 6124 Camp Street ....................................................$1,499,000 6015 Prytania Street ...............................................$1,497,500 4613 St. Charles Avenue..........SOLD...................$1,495,000 2707 Coliseum Street ...............SOLD...................$1,490,000 2507 Prytania Street .................SOLD...................$1,490,000 6433 Paris Avenue ....................SOLD...................$1,450,000 1542 Calhoun Street ................SOLD...................$1,450,000 1641 State Street.......................SOLD...................$1,425,000 5726 St. Charles Avenue...........SOLD...................$1,400,000 1205 Philip Street ......................SOLD...................$1,399,000 3717 Rue Chardonnay, Metairie .............................$1,395,000 4917 St. Charles Avenue...........SOLD...................$1,370,000 1413 Philip Street .....................SOLD...................$1,370,000

447 Audubon Street ................ SOLD ..................$1,300,000 9 Blanc Place .............................SOLD...................$1,300,000 1578 Calhoun Street ................SOLD...................$1,300,000 1137 State Street ......................SOLD...................$1,295,000 6502 Woodsward Bluff, Long Beach, MS ..........$1,275,000 434 Lakeshore Parkway ...........SOLD...................$1,275,000 1207 State Street .......................SOLD...................$1,250,000 571 Audubon Street .................SOLD...................$1,220,000 1539 Soniat Street ....................SOLD...................$1,220,000 6554 Oakland Drive.................SOLD...................$1,200,000 441 Audubon Street .................SOLD...................$1,199,000

71607 Riverside Dr., Covington...................$1,190,000 2006 Jefferson Avenue.............SOLD...................$1,100,000 17 Chateau Palmer ...................SOLD...................$1,085,000 1701 Valence Street ..................SOLD...................$1,075,000 1919 State Street .......................SOLD...................$1,050,000 1221 First Street .......................SOLD...................$1,050,000 1221 Exposition Blvd ..............SOLD...................$1,045,000 3225 Prytania Street .................SOLD...................$1,000,000 1844 State Street .......................SOLD......................$995,000 1022 Webster Street .................SOLD......................$995,000 3447 Camp Street .....................SOLD......................$985,000 45 Savannah Ridge Ln .............SOLD......................$950,000 1543 Henry Clay Avenue.............SOLD......................$950,000 1729 Jefferson Avenue.............SOLD......................$950,000 4525 Prytania Street .................SOLD......................$950,000 3937 Camp Street .....................SOLD......................$950,000 508 Walnut Street .....................SOLD......................$950,000 2331 Chestnut Street................SOLD......................$949,000 1922 State Street .......................SOLD......................$899,000 920 Poeyfarre St .......................SOLD......................$899,000 1205 Arabella Street .................SOLD......................$895,000 3200 St. Charles Avenue..........SOLD.......................$889,000 6047 Camp Street .....................SOLD......................$850,000 836 State Street .........................SOLD......................$849,000 5951 Tchoupitoulas..................SOLD......................$815,000 3325 Coliseum St......................SOLD......................$799,000 6131 Coliseum St......................SOLD......................$795,000 7328 Plum Street ......................SOLD......................$795,000 1443 Calhoun Street ................SOLD......................$789,000 2818 Laurel Street.....................SOLD.......................$775,000 630 Eleonore Street..................SOLD.......................$695,000 5349 Prytania Street ................SOLD......................$650,000 2836 Constance Street, Unit F .................................$349,000

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Rotating Rounds The Carousel Bar keeps turning

By Seale Paterson

The Carousel Bar at the

104 st. charles Avenue april 2016

the mechanism working for over 65 years.

The original interior, designed

by Glenn Flanders of St. Louis, Missouri, complemented the carousel/carnival theme, featuring shiny red and black leather upholstery and wooden horses on the walls. A wall mural of a carousel was painted with phosphorescent paint and had black lights focused on it; the 3-D effect it gave was described as “unusual (and) brilliant.”

Newspaper ads made clever use of the rotating bar, creating slogans such as: “The revolving carousel bar is the perfect place to unwind… slowly” (1969) and “Slowly carouseling …

continually changing your point of view” (1976).

The Carousel Bar was not just known for its pretty and unique look; it has also been home to a number of great bartenders and the creation of classic drinks like “The Goody” and the “Vieux Carre.”

A renovation in 1992 transformed the Carousel Bar into what we see today. The current gilded and mirrored carousel top was added then, as were the animal-motif embroidered chairs.

A more recent renovation in 2011 opened up the back of the lounge to connect it with another bar and provide

more room for sitting, meeting up with friends, and live musical entertainment. n The Carousel Bar as it looked from 1949-1992.

The Monteleone Hotel was designated a Literary Landmark in 1999, owing to the large number of authors who visited and wrote in and about the hotel. Many of those authors were known to frequent the Carousel Bar too, including Richard Ford, Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Eudora Welty, Sherwood Anderson, and Truman Capote (who often stretched the truth by saying he was born at the Monteleone, when really his mother just went into labor with him there). These days, it’s not unusual to see Hollywood royalty making the round at the Carousel, too.

Ph ot o provided courtesy o f Th e Mon teleone Hotel.

Monteleone Hotel in the French Quarter opened on September 3, 1949. Local newspapers touted it as a “really new and delightfully different cocktail hour experience,” as the revolving, circular bar was a first for New Orleans.

Patrons were encouraged to sample the Carousel, a new cocktail created for the new lounge, and to “measure the time of their ’rounds’ of drinks with exactness” to the bar’s 15-minute revolution. The bar and seats (but not the center) turn on 2,000 large steel rollers, pulled by a drive chain powered by a one-quarter-horsepower motor.

Regular maintenance has kept