Cheré Coen
Misty Milioto
Dial 12, D1 Royal enthusiasts and history buffs, MARIE ANTOINETTE, SEASON 2 returns to WYES/ PBS on Sunday, March 23 at 9pm. In the new season, at the height of their power, Marie Antoinette and Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis as enemies lurk everywhere, even in Versailles. Stream on wyes.org/live and the free WYES and PBS apps.
Spring is fast approaching, and for many of us it’s time to plan a Gulf Coast getaway. Growing up, I spent occasional summers in Panama City or Orange Beach. High school escapades led us to Dauphin Island. The idea of escaping to the gulf for fun was so prevalent that our high school had tips in our student handbook on safety while playing in those warm waters. Later, day trips to Bay St. Louis and Waveland provided much needed fresh air for our kids, who skipped along the shallow waves of the Mississippi coastline.
Whether you are looking for a family escape, a romantic getaway or some alone time at the beach, our Gulf Coast planner will inspire your next road trip, with plenty of places to stay, eat, relax and have fun.
This year we also celebrate a big birthday, as Jefferson Parish makes 200 in 2025. We explore its history, highlight community leaders and mark the best ways to join in the festivities, or make your own.
As usual, we also have lots of ways to celebrate early spring, from seasonal dining ideas and fresh cocktails, local shopping and design inspiration, top events, fun things to do and much more.
It’s the quiet time between Carnival and spring festival season. The weather is nearly perfect. Join in on the celebration of spring in your own way.
Send us a line! Have something you want to share with us? Email ashley@ myneworleans.com
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Each week, New Orleans Magazine editor Ashley McLellan highlights some of the top places to go and things to do across the area. From movies and food festivals, shopping, recipes and more, there’s always something going on.
Check out myneworleans. com every Friday for our editors’ top picks from a variety of topics and see if your favorite made our list.
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Follow along with a New Orleans top chef as they cook up our NOSH featured recipe each third Tuesday of the month @ NewOrleansMag.
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From top doctors to real estate pros, lawyers and dentists, we’ve got the pros in the know with our list of experts as voted on by their peers across the area.
BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN
Writer Bernice L McFadden chronicles her extraordinary upbringing from a near-death experience at the age of two, through her childhood growing up in 1980s Brooklyn, boarding school and beyond, all while finding solace and inspiration in great works by Black American writers. McFadden weaves her own story alongside her ancestors and its colorful family history for a unique tale of passion, survival and success. McFadden is an award-winning author and assistant professor of creative writing at Tulane University.
Must-see festivals this month
Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival, March 26-30
The Tennessee Williams Festival has been a literary lover fan-favorite for 39 years. The festival plays host to writing workshops, lectures, original and classic plays and performances, parties and celebrations and more, all kicking off this year with the Stella shouting contest on March 23. tennesseewilliams.net
Saints+Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival, March 28-30
Held in conjunction with the Tennessee Williams Festival, Saints+Sinners celebrates its 22nd year providing a forum for LGBTQ+ writers, publishers, readers and literature fans from around the world. Highlights include a short fiction book launch, reading series, an annual poetry anthology, panel discussions, writers’ rooms and, of course, parties and gettogethers. sasfest.org
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The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University, March 27-29
One of the fastest growing book festivals in the area, the New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University brings together readers of all ages with writers of all backgrounds. This year’s festival will feature nearly 100 national, regional and local writers including John Grisham, Michelle Miller, Michael Lewis, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Connie Chung and more. bookfest.tulane.edu
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Zulu Lundi Gras Festival
March 3
Zulu will hold its 30th annual Lundi Gras Festival at Woldenberg Park. The event is free and open to the public, with food, crafts and live music on three stages. lundigrasfestival.com
“Funny Girl”
March 11-16
The revival of the Broadway classic featuring hits like “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” comes to the Saenger Theater with an updated book from Harvey Fierstein. The story follows Fanny Brice as she travels from poor girl from the Lower East Side to superstar. saengernola.com
“Joe & Marilyn”
March 13-24
The Westwego Performing Arts Theatre hosts “Joe & Marilyn,” an intimate look at the doomed love affair and marriage between Yankees superstar Joe DiMaggio and movie star Marilyn Monroe. jpas.org
New Orleans French Film Festival
March 13-16
Francophiles, take note. The Prytania Uptown hosts the 28th annual New Orleans French Film Festival. neworleansfilmsociety.org
“Once Upon a Mattress”
March 14-30
This comic adaptation of “The Princess and the Pea” fairy tale is fun for the whole family, on stage at Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts. rivertowntheaters.com
Trey Anastasio
March 21
Trey Anastasio, acclaimed singer-songwriter and lead guitarist of the band Phish, brings his one-man show to the Saenger Theater. saengernola.com
“Insidious: The Further You Fear”
March 22
The Saenger Theater hosts this immersive, live-action horror experience set in the Insidious universe. Audience members will wonder what’s real and what’s part of the show after a paranormal demonstration goes wrong. saengernola.com
Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
March 26-30
New Orleans’ premier literary festival returns to the city with a collection of workshops, panel discussions, and speaker sessions featuring distinguished authors. And of course, the annual “STELLA!” shouting contest will return. tennesseewilliams.net
Blippi: Join the Band Tour
March 23
Children’s entertainer Blippi performs his favorite songs on stage at the Saenger Theater and, along with live musicians, teaches kids the basics of making music. saengernola.com
Art in Bloom
March 26-30
Expert floral arrangements mix with art for a stunning display at the New Orleans Museum of Art’s annual Art in Bloom. The theme “Les Jardins de la Nouvelle-Orléans,” is inspired by the city’s classic tradition of French gardens.
Disney On Ice Presents Magic in The Stars
March 27-30
UNO Lakefront Arena hosts this skating extravaganza featuring Disney’s legendary characters. arena.uno.edu
The Millennium Tour
March 29
The Millennium Tour features performers like the Ying Yang Twins, Rick Ross, Trey Songz, Bow Wow and more. It will play at the Smoothie King Center for one night only. smoothiekingcenter.com
Big Bass Fishing Rodeo
March 29
New Orleans City Park Conservancy celebrates the 76th annual Big Bass Fishing Rodeo, “the oldest fresh water fishing rodeo in the country.” The rodeo’s “fishtivial” will also feature a DJ, food, games, crafts and more. neworleanscitypark.org
“Billy Elliott: The Musical”
March 28-Apr. 6
Based on the hit musical of the same name, the musical tells the story of Billy Elliott, a boy in an English coal mining town who dreams of being a ballet star, on stage at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center. jpas.org
Kevin Hart
March 30
Superstar actor and comedian Kevin Hart brings his “Acting My Age Tour” to the Saenger Theater for one night only. saengernola.com
St. Patrick’s Day may get most of the March drinking press, but that’s no reason to ignore St. Joseph, whose feast day follows two days later. Nina Compton’s BAB’s offers a bounty of Italian inspired aperitivo cocktails crafted by Lead Bartender Rick Powanda. “DaVinci’s Strokes” features Sfumato amaro, grapefruit cordial, and lemon, topped with sparkling wine. The simple but elegant “Dua Maria” includes Dolin Rouge, House Amaro Blend, and soda. St. Joseph fans should sample a drink highlighting Averna amaro, a spirit from Sicily, where St. Joseph is celebrated for saving its citizens from famine. Rick infuses Averna with brown butter and adds that to two cocktails: “BAB’s Espresso Martini,” a mixture of mole-coffee vodka, Brown Butter Averna, House Demerara and French Truck Espresso and their classic “Brown Butter Black Manhattan.” 2900 Chartres St.,504-605-3827, babs-nola.com
Sommelier at Justine
Bryce Faucheaux, sommelier and beverage director at Justine, has been named a “Beverage Information Group 40 Under 40” honoree. The annual list recognizes the best young leaders in the alcohol industry across the world. At age 33, Bryce has completed his WSET Level 3 Award in Wines (Pass with Distinction), and is officially a French Wine Scholar (Highest Honors,Wine Scholar Guild) and an Advanced Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers). Faucheaux’s favorite part about his role at Justine’s is the freedom to showcase the entirely French wine list, where he features wines from classic, rare producers. Stop by Justine to toast Bryce with one of the restaurant’s French wines or his current favorite cocktail, the “Rosé Bellini.” 225 Chartres St., 504-218-8533, justinenola.com
King Brasserie & Bar
King Brasserie & Bar, the modern French brasserie located at Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, continues its culinary journey through France with a winter tasting menu showcasing the majestic French Alps region. Through the end of March, King Brasserie’s “Tour d’Azur: French Alps” will highlight rich, hearty cuisine inspired by the mountainous region while incorporating New Orleans’ seasonal ingredients and flavors. The 3-course menu is $44 per person and comes with the option of a curated wine pairing. Paired wines include Jacquère, André & Michel Quenard, Chignin Vin de Savoie Blanc, 2021; and Mondeuse, Domaine Giachino, “Black Giac” Vin de Savoie Rouge, 2022. Reservations are available at kingbrasserieandbar.com, 521 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-324-3000.
Cane & Table is continuing their popular Supper Club with dinners on March 12th and April 19. These family-style dinners in the intimate upstairs dining spaces of Cane & Table have allowed Chef Fredo, a New Orleans native of Cuban descent, to showcase his Cuban heritage. Fredo’s Supper Club dinners pay homage to one of Havana’s most renowned paladares, Paladar La Guarida, famed in Cuba for its excellent food, drink, and stylish ambiance. Owner-Partner Kirk Estopinal has crafted a lively cocktail menu to match, complete with variations on Canchanchara, mojito, Cuba Libre, and Batida cocktails. Wine pairings are available as well. Tickets are available at RESY. 1113 Decatur St., 504-581-1112, caneandtablenola.com
Irish Coffee
March weather in New Orleans can bring balmy breezes or bone chilling winds. Fortunately, if you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, there’s an Irish coffee for either temperature. French Quarter Irish bars Erin Rose and Molly’s at the Market offer both the regular whiskey-spiked hot version, topped with cream, and the ever-popular frozen version, adorned with a sprinkle of coffee grinds. Either will serve you well if you need a morning pick-me-up or something festive to sip while watching the Downtown Irish Parade. 811 Conti St., 504-5223573, erinrosebar.com; 1107 Decatur St., 504-525-5169, mollysatthemarket.net
Drinking at a classic hotel lobby bar is a beloved tradition in New Orleans, and a new addition to that roster is Le Pavillon Hotel’s Bar 1803. The hotel’s recent $19-million-dollar renovation features a dark and dramatic lobby bar. The name pays homage to the year Napoleon signed the Louisiana Purchase and guests enjoy libations under the gaze of the former French emperor. Le Pavillon’s speakeasy past is also celebrated. A secret passage used during Prohibition is now a secluded lounge with floor-to-ceiling velvet drapery. Bartender Alexx Zoobie’s cocktails blend tradition with unexpected modernity, like “The Beet Goes On” with fresh beet juice paired with Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liquor and a Blood Orange Mule Mocktail. 833 Poydras St., 504-581-3111, lepavillon.com
The much-beloved Warehouse District stalwart Tommy’s Cuisine and its adjacent bar N.O.S.H. (formerly Tommy’s Wine Bar) shuttered in November of 2024, but the spaces didn’t stay vacant long. In January, Maria’s Oyster & Wine Bar moved into the old N.O.S.H. digs and Tommy’s will be occupied by the soon-to-open Le Moyne Bistro, a French restaurant. Both are by co-owners Brian Weisnicht (who named the oyster bar after his mother), [AND] Co-Executive Chefs Farrell Harrison and Christian Hurst, the team behind Plates Restaurant & Bar, also in the Warehouse District. The kitchen at Maria’s is commandeered by Harrison and Hurst. Its interior’s nautical color palette and wicker and rattan accents nod to the coastal menu featuring sustainably sourced oysters and Caribbean-inspired dishes. Look for raw bar offerings, such as shrimp escabeche, cooked oyster dishes, and sweet finishes by pastry chef Ryan McDougall, like the Hummingbird Cake (said to be inspired by Harrison’s grandmother’s recipe).
Winning Cuisine
In January, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2025 semifinalists for the coveted annual awards. (Look for finalists announcements at the beginning of April, while chef and restaurant winners will be revealed at the foundation’s gala in mid-June.) As usual, New Orleans hospitality pros nabbed a slew of nods:
Outstanding Restauranteur
Mason Hereford Turkey & the Wolf, Molly’s Rise & Shine, Hungry Eyes, Hot Stuff
Outstanding Restaurant GW Fins
Emerging Chef Kaitlin Guerin Lagniappe Bakehouse
Best New Restaurant Porgy’s Seafood Market
Outstanding Bakery Bellegarde Bakery
Outstanding Hospitality Compère Lapin
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program Pluck Wine Bar
Outstanding Bar Chandelier Bar
Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service Abigail Gullo Loa Bar
Best Chef: South (Covers Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Puerto Rico)
Melissa Araujo Alma Cafe
Ana Castro Acamaya
Nicole Cabrera Mills Pêche Seafood Grill
Arvinder Vilkhu and Ashwin Vilkhu Saffron NOLA
The aforementioned James Beard Award semi-finalists Arvinder Vilkhu and Ashwin Vilkhu of the upscale Indian restaurant on Magazine Street, Saffron NOLA, are hard at work putting the finishing touches on their family’s new restaurant concept The Kingsway. Located in the space formerly occupied by Magasin Vietnamese Cafe at 4201 Magazine St., the American bistro will celebrate East Asian and French cuisines. For the restaurant’s architecture and design, the Vilkhu family is working with Zangara + Partners and FAROUKI FAROUKI. The opening is scheduled for spring.
The restaurant formerly known as Garrison Kitchen + Cocktails — by Steven Stewart, founder of Garrison Builders construction firm and helmed in the kitchen by Chef John Sinclair — has relaunched with a new name and fresh menu offerings. The Metairie restaurant opened in August 2023 and, as of January, is going by simply Garrison. Expect to be announced new menu items, but the restaurant’s weekly deals, such as Wednesday burger night, happy hour Wednesday through Friday and weekend brunch, are still in the mix.
Gone Fishin’
In May, Spanish Plaza will become home to the latest BRG Hospitality project, Delacroix Fish Camp & Bar. The BRG group, founded by the embattled chef John Besh, announced on the upcoming restaurant’s website that the menu will focus on, you guessed it, seafood, and is inspired by the Delacroix fishing community in St. Bernard Parish.
BY ANDY MYER
1. Sue Sartor’s Flounce dress is a classic transitional piece for changing temperatures. With a face-framing banded collar, and hand-drawn caning pattern individually block printed on a crisp fabric, it can easily be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Available at Sue Sartor, suesartor.com.
2. Add a bit of the luck of the Irish and a taste of the swamp to your home with this pretty light green linen frame featuring an alligator medallion at the center. Share a favorite memory with this eyecatching accessory that’s sure to delight guests and owners alike. Available at Maisonette, maisonetteshop.com.
3. Warmer weather means more time outside and you’ll want to grab a chic topper for additional sun protection. This lightweight straw hat features a two-tone braided design that adds a stylish finishing touch to even the most understated look. Available at Shop It Pronto, shopitpronto.com.
4. Handmade in Columbia, Hola Guava’s pom pom bags can take up to two weeks of intricate weaving to complete. Stash your essentials in this carryall with festive flair, shown here in Pistachio, but available in a range of colors at Hola Guava, holaguava.com.
5. KREWE’s VAIL sunnies, with 100% UVA/UVB lenses, shield eyes while offering a universally flattering shape that fits a variety of faces. Shown here in "selene," the square navigator silhouette with an oversized fit is an ideal pick. Available at KREWE, krewe.com.
BY KELLY MASSICOT
Chef and Cookbook Author
You’ve heard before, “New Orleans is a melting pot.” But it’s sometimes lost how true this statement is – especially when it comes to our food.
Chef, New Orleans native and now author Chef Nini Nguyen is showing just how influential the
Vietnamese culture has been on New Orleans cuisine through her new cookbook. We chat with the chef ahead of her appearance at the New Orleans Book Festival this month.
Q: Where did your love of food come from? My grandmother really taught me how to cook. I
grew up in New Orleans East, and I cooked with my family, cooked with my grandmother. Like everybody, I feel like in Louisiana, your family gatherings are always surrounded by food. I think that’s really where my love for feeding people started, and I didn’t realize so after college that I wanted to make it a career.
Q: What’s it like being a “TV” chef? I started off as a cook. I started in pastry, then switched over to savory. I’ve worked in fine dining. I’ve taught cooking classes. I developed a cooking school in New York, but I started competing on TV, and I think that competing and hosting are different things and different animals. Cooking in a restaurant and cooking on TV competition-wise are two different animals as well. I think that the transition was interesting, because I never really thought that I would ever be a TV chef, you know? I think I was very ambitious and wanted a restaurant. And maybe I still do. I still do. I want to open one eventually. But it’s weird. It’s weird being in this circle of TV chefs who compete and people recognizing you. With those TV competitions, there’s moments where I get to share my life, my upbringing, what I really want to share with the world. And so sometimes people do feel like they know me, and it’s always a little weird, but, but it’s good. It’s cool, it’s really cool.
Q: What was your inspiration for the cookbook? The whole inspiration for the book was because I taught virtual cooking classes during the pandemic, and I taught a lot of Vietnamese dishes. I thought, Vietnamese people are not going to show up to my classes, and so many did. I was shocked. I thought: where’s your mom? Where’s your aunt, where’s your uncle? Why aren’t they teaching you? And it was either a language barrier, or their parents are no longer here. There was this urge to connect with our heritage. It was an eye-opener for me. I felt like I needed to preserve what I know as Vietnamese food, because, as generations settle and are born here, were losing our language. I think that it was very important for me to make a book, have it have a Vietnamese title, have all the dishes in Vietnamese and really help Vietnamese Americans connect with the food we grew up eating, but also I had to show my New
Orleans side. I’m from Louisiana, there’s a lot of Vietnamese people here, and I feel like America doesn’t know that. I can be Vietnamese and from Louisiana. I think that a lot of immigrant families feel the same way - you’re American, but you’re also this other thing. So that’s what really inspired me to write the book. And I really, really wanted to depict our culture within the photos of the book. I wanted it to mimic the tables that I ate at growing up, from the newspaper lining table to the Budweiser in the background, or just like the mint sprigs on the side. I wanted it to resonate with Southeast Asian people who live in this country.
Q: Why is it important people recognize New Orleans as a food leader? New Orleans is a very special place. There’s a reason why I moved back home. There’s a reason why this is where I want to put my roots in. It’s where my family set roots and where I plan to, and it’s because of how accepting everyone is and easy. Like, it’s easy to exist and it’s easy to be different in a city like New Orleans, and it’s because that’s who we are. It’s really hard to articulate the essence, but being from here and meeting people, and people knowing that I’m from here… It makes me proud. Everyone’s says, “Oh my God, I’ve been there, and I love it,” or “I want to go. I’m dying to go.” I hear so many good things. I’m like, we’re not perfect. We’re far from perfect, but I do think that it’s a magical place. And I think when people come, they see it, and the amount of adults who come and decide to make it home, there’s a reason. There’s a reason for that.
This is a confusing month. Mardi Gras, Lent, St. Patrick’s Day, more Lent, Easter, Weight Watchers...
Last year, things were more spaced out. My cousin Naomi came in from New Jersey to experience Mardi Gras for the first time. She tells me she thought long and hard about it, and she is very worried about the debauchery. I told her all our food is good, so if she don’t care for debauchery, she can always order the jambalaya.
The Sunday before Mardi Gras, we got plans to go Uptown and stand in front of this restaurant we always go to and wait for my sister-in-law Gloriosa to strut by. She has joined a ladies’ marching krewe, the Carrollton Clompers. They dress in these sexy little outfits and wear tap shoes. They march: two, three, four, five, six, seven CLOMP; two, three, four, five, six, seven CLOMP! You can hear them clomping for blocks.
friend Lust would go along, but he says he’s decided to stay in his bar in the French Quarter and hope for some decadence.
The rest of the family will meet us there: my daughter Gladiola and her kids, plus my sister-in-law, Larva, and my mother-in-law, Ms. Larda.
Ms. Larda, as usual, will pass out bright yellow paper crowns to us all so we don’t lose track of any Gunches in the crowd. The crowns read “My First Mardi Gras,” which is a lie, but it gets us beads.
The kids are so sure of that, they are going to bring a little red wagon to haul them home in. My gentleman
But then, two days before this parade, Gloriosa trips and twists her ankle. She won’t be able to strut. But nothing stops Gloriosa. She calls her old friend Larry, who pedals one of the pedicabs (you know, half bicycle, half passenger seat) in the French Quarter, and hires him to pedal her in the parade.
She will ride behind the Carrollton Clompers and throw beads.
So here we all are, at the parade, wearing our lying yellow crowns. Well, when Gloriosa rides up to where we are standing, the parade happens
to stop — one of those mysterious long parade pauses, where you start wondering if they just gave up on the whole thing. She beckons me over, and hisses that she desperately needs a bathroom break.
So I quickly help her down and to the bathroom in the restaurant. While she’s gone, Naomi, who has had a few swigs of something she’s not used to, climbs in the back of the pedicab herself, and waves to the crowd.
And then, whatever crisis has been holding up the parade is suddenly over, and it lurches on its way. Larry suddenly starts pedaling fast, and what with the crowd noise, don’t hear Naomi screeching that she’s
not Gloriosa. The real Gloriosa is just coming outside, and sees Naomi riding off.
She grabs the kids’ wagon, bends her knee and flops her bandaged leg into it and zooms off like she’s on a scooter. I run after her, because I got to see how this turns out. Thank God, in a few minutes, the parade stops again for some other reason, Naomi is leaning over the back of her seat, waving her arms like a princess needing to be rescued from a castle tower— then, in a blur, Gloriosa has scrambled up into her rightful seat and Naomi has wobbled down.
Naomi and me start back, taking turns pulling the wagon, which seems to be getting heavier. The last float has finally wobbled past when we get back to our spot. I see the kids’ eyes bug out.
The wagon is now overflowing with beads. I guess other people watching the parade felt sorry for the two crazy ladies who didn’t know which way the parade was going.
I give most of it to the kids, but Naomi takes some to impress the people in New Jersey, and I bring a few strands to Lust in the French Quarter. He says he tried to take pictures of the decadence, but it all put its clothes on when it saw him coming.
I guess you can’t count on anything these days.
A multi-disciplinary experimental pop artist treats music as her artistic playground
Some music artists have out-of-the-box sounds, while others make music that sounds completely out of this world. Jess Joy is a New Orleans-based multi-disciplinary artist who alchemizes life’s experiences — love, joy, death and pain — and transforms them into experimental, audible and visual art expressions.
With a background in art therapy and corporeal miming, Joy naturally gravitates toward expressing her emotions through art. The 36-year-old Baton Rouge native started her music career as a rock band singer with no professional vocal training for the band, Moon Honey. After 10 years of gaining popularity and touring as a group, the band parted ways and Joy began her solo career in 2019.
Since her solo debut, Joy has released two albums: “Patreearchy” and “Sourceheiress.” Joy says the 2021 “Patreearchy” album is childlike and playful, examining the roots and fruits of patriarchy. “Soureceheiress,” a visual album released in 2023, tells a story of reclaiming her power, rediscovering her spirituality, and viewing herself as divine. Each track on the album has a corresponding music video, giving the viewer a peek into Joy’s vivid imagination, costuming and storytelling skills.
Joy has a distinct sound. Her vocals fall somewhere between a high-pitched songbird chirping sweet melodies to electropop music and an alternative Snow White singing freely to nature’s inhabitants. Her music is more than theatrical voice changes, impressive vibratos and energizing tunes. The lyrics are deep, heartfelt and often heavy.
“I feel like I’ve always been an existential person, meditating and thinking about death,” Joy says. “I feel like it’s a compass in my life to make decisions, take things seriously
Must-see performances this month
March 3
Foster the People at The Fillmore at 7 p.m., thefillmorenola.com
and remember that this is all temporary.”
This year, Joy plans to crank up the theatrical voice changes, stretch out the length of her songs and dive deeper into experimental art expression in a new album slated to release in May. The 2025 conversational album discusses trying to attach and belong to this world amidst simultaneous crises, Joy says.
In a time when music gets pigeonholed into becoming a viral TikTok or Instagram Reel audio, Joy’s adventurous and refreshing approach to song-making stops listeners in their tracks, encouraging them to listen closer, feel more and peel back the layers that each body of work presents. jess-joy.com
March 7
Tobe Nwigwe: Home is Where The Hood is Tour at Civic Theatre at 8 p.m., civicnola.com
March 14
Andy Grammar: Monster 2025 Tour at Orpheum Theater at 8 p.m., orpheumnola.net
March 29
The Millenium Tour featuring Trey Songz, Bow Wow, Omarion, Plies, Ying Yang Twins, Ray J, Sammie, Bobby V, Pleasure P, Nivea and special guest Rick Ross at The Smoothie King Center at 7 p.m., smoothiekingcenter.com
March 29-30
The Congo Square Rhythms Festival at Louis Armstrong Park from 10:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., jazzandheritage.org
ost New Orleans shoppers recognize those little yellow bags of Domino Sugar sitting on grocery shelves. But few might know, however, that much of that sugar is produced right here at the Domino Sugar Refinery in Arabi, a small community tucked away in St. Bernard Parish between the Lower Ninth Ward and Chalmette. As seen in this 1913 photograph, the Domino Sugar Refinery Chalmette (it’s official name) then and now is the largest sugar refinery in the Western Hemisphere.
Mthe refinery. The company also said it planned to employ 1,000 men.
Over the years, all went well at the refinery, that is, until Feb. 15, 1965, when a blast injured 34 workers, caused over $1 million in damages, and killed one worker while trying to save others. “Balls of flame with fire everywhere” is how one victim described the horrific scene to the Times-Picayune. A fire inspector speculated that static electricity or a spark caused by sugar dust triggered the explosion. The plant manager, however, said a private company was installing electrical equipment in the granular building when the blast occurred.
Construction began on Aug. 29, 1905, with little fanfare except for a few officials from the parent company American Sugar Refining Company, which now owns sugar refineries in North America, Europe and Central America. Work continued for the next four years with a completion date scheduled for mid-March 1909. But along came a minor setback on Feb. 5, 1909, when fire destroyed an 800-foot wharf, sheds, steel viaducts and part of the raw sugar warehouse. The following day, the Daily Picayune (today’s Times-Picayune) gave a colorful description of the event:
“Like a match dropped into a pile of oil-saturated chips, the flames burst forth furiously, and then began eating into the approaches, or viaducts, to the gigantic warehouse. Thousands stood upon the bank of the river gazing excitedly at the fire, as it rapidly ate its way through the building, each moment anticipating the sweep of the flames over towards the main buildings.”
Domino Sugar Refinery Chalmette (in Arabi), 1913. Library of Congress
Later that April, the company announced it would construct houses on the property and surrounding neighborhood for employees who would “like to live as near the scene of their work as possible.”
Finally, on the morning of May 17, 1909, the refinery cranked up operations, again to little fanfare. A few home office officials showed up along with thousands of men looking for jobs. The Daily Picayune gave a running account of the $4 million construction costs and other minutia such as the number of bricks, steel and concrete needed to build
The following June, the company launched a major project to expand and modernize the refinery. Much to the horror of local preservationists, that expansion included demolition of the circa 1830 Three Oaks Plantation house seen here on the far right in this photograph. In a June 29, 1965, Times-Picayune article, company officials, in their defense, described Three Oaks as a “badly deteriorated 19th century house” that had been “weakened and disfigured by dry rot.” They also reminded readers that another antebellum house on the opposite side of the refinery, the 1839 Cavaroc House (not seen in photograph), had been “maintained in first class condition,” and served as the refinery’s office building. The Cavaroc House still stands on the upriver side of the refinery.
Fires, explosions, Domino also survived Hurricane Betsy in September 1965 and Katrina in August 2005. Today, the refinery employs 500 people, plus another 100 non-company support personnel, and produces about 6 million pounds of sugar a day or 950,000 metric tons annually. Not bad, considering the United States total annual sugar production is about 8.4 million metric tons. And to the delight of Louisiana growers, a company spokesman says 100 percent of Domino’s sugar is produced from Louisiana sugarcane. Those little yellow bags of sugar continue to play an important role in the state’s economy – and in a good cup of café au lait.
By Cheré Coen
A coastal vacation isn’t all about the beach. I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t that the point? But along the Gulf Coast there’s so much more, and something for everyone. We’ve compiled suggestions for all personalities, whether it's those looking to jump on a jet ski and ride Gulf waves or those preferring a quiet bike ride through a pristine oak canopy. What’s your pleasure? Are you yin or yang?
The Gulf Coast is home to numerous resorts, from upscale accommodations such as Hotel Effie in Sandestin, the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in Point Clear/Fairhope and the Grand Galvez in Galveston. How to choose your luxury depends on the amenities. Should there be a decadent spa like the one at the Henderson Beach Resort & Spa in Destin or top name entertainment that performs regularly at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi?
For those who wish for a more peaceful experience, Gulf Shores’ Gulf State Park has restored the Lake Shelby cabins and added three more. All 20 cabins front Lake Shelby and are fully equipped to accommodate up to eight overnight guests. Two of the new cabins are ADA accessible. Campers may
prefer to rough it at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park at Santa Rosa in the Florida Panhandle, where pristine quartz dunes and emerald Gulf waters lie just outside your campsite.
Clockwise: The Cabins at Gulf State Park; Henderson Beach Resort & Spa; Hotel Effie pool; Beau Rivage
Hotel Effie in Sandestin, hoteleffie.com; Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, grand1847.com; Grand Galvez in Galveston, grandgalvez. com; Henderson Beach Resort & Spa, hendersonbeachresort.com; Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, beaurivage.mgmresorts.com; Gulf State Park, alapark.com/ parks/gulf-state-park; Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, floridastateparks.org/ parks-and-trails/topsail-hill-preserve-state-park
Like the rest of the nation, the Gulf Coast has caught the pickleball craze and visitors will be hard-pressed to find a town without pickleball courts. Gulf Shores has a Sportsplex with 12 lighted courts, Destin and Pensacola have several parks with pickleball offerings and Coastal Mississippi now boasts of numerous dedicated outdoor court complexes and indoor courts. If a steam bath, facial and hot stone massage is more to your liking, try the numerous spa services at The Beach Club Resort along the Fort
Morgan Peninsula in Gulf Shores. Want water and relaxation? Grab a drink at the swim-up bar and waste away at the 450-foot lazy river at Margaritaville Resort and Family Entertainment Center in Biloxi.
The Beach Club Resort, thebeachclub.spectrumresorts.com; Margaritaville Resort and Family Entertainment Center, margaritavilleresortbiloxi.com
Only an hour from downtown New Orleans is the nation’s largest and longest manmade beach. Coastal Mississippi’s sandy beaches — most of which are open to the public and include vendors offering parasailing and jet skis — start at Henderson Point in Pass Christian and continue all the way to Biloxi (across the bridge Ocean Springs has beaches, too). Grab a beach blanket, sunscreen and soak up the sun.
Nature lovers may prefer the 32 miles of Gulf Coast beaches in Alabama or the stretches along the Florida Panhandle, where quartz from the Appalachian Mountains created brilliant white sands. The
160-mile Gulf Islands National Seashore, with locations in Florida and Mississippi, is part of the National Parks Service so the beaches are well protected from development. In other words, those wanting a quiet beach experience, with perhaps a chance to see wildlife, should choose from one of National Seashore’s waterfront sites. Sections of St. Andrews State Park in Panama City feel a world away but even more remote is nearby Shell Island across St. Andrews Bay. Visitors to the park may board a shuttle to the island where shells are indeed found among its pristine sand dunes and beaches.
Hot air balloons are fun to watch but you can also take a tethered balloon ride high in the sky at the annual Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival May 1-3 at OWA Parks & Resort in Foley. The event celebrates 20 years in 2025 and includes the theme parks’ AeroZoom ride, which replicates a hang glider, and the Air Racer, which simulates the dives and loops pilots take in an air show. While at OWA, check out the park’s roller coasters and Tropic Falls, a large indoor water park beneath a glass roof.
One of the best ways to experience nature, view wildlife and just
relax is to take the waters on Mississippi’s many paddling trails. Places to kayak along coastal Mississippi are along Wolf River northwest of Gulfport, the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Moss Point or the Pascagoula River. Over near Mobile is the Mobile-Tensaw Delta where paddlers may see a wide abundance of wildlife, which is why it’s dubbed America’s Amazon.
Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival May 1-3 at OWA Parks & Resort in Foley., visitowa.com
Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida and Mississippi faces south making it an ideal place to watch both the sunrise and sunset. Early risers may want to grab a camera just before dawn and capture the sunrise’s colorful beauty at the Perdido Key or Santa Rosa beaches in the Florida Panhandle.
For those loving the nightlife, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Bushwacker, the spirited milkshake-style drink invented in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1975 but made famous locally at the Flora-Bama Lounge on the beach at the Florida and Alabama border. It’s become so popular
along the Coast that a Bushwacker Trail (see the spots at gulfshores. com) has been created and will celebrate the drink all year long. While at the Flora-Bama, enjoy music on five stages and the special events held throughout the year including Interstate Mullet Toss & Beach Party, Frank Brown’s Songwriters Festival and the Super Chili Bowl Cook-off.
Gulf Islands National Seashore, nps.gov/guis; Flora-Bama Lounge, florabama.com; Bushwacker Trail, gulfshores. com/food-trails/the-bushwacker-trail
The Sunflower Bakery & Café celebrates 25 years in Galveston, and we know why. Their dishes are created from scratch with love and with the freshest ingredients. This is an eatery where you don’t feel guilty enjoying blueberry crepes or a hot pastrami sandwich.
For an elegant meal to write home about, Vestige in Ocean Springs, helmed by husband-and-wife team Alex Perry and Kumi Omori, routinely
wins nods from the James Beard Awards. Last year the restaurant became a Beard finalist for Outstanding Restaurant and both owners have been nominees for the regional Beard Award for Best Chef: South. The Sunflower Bakery & Café, thesunflowerbakeryandcafe.com; Vestige in Ocean Springs, facebook.com/vestigerestaurant
Take a Tour/Explore on Your Own
Every year thousands of birders descend on Galveston, cameras in hand, to view the 300 species that migrate through the barrier island. Tours of all kinds are offered at the FeatherFest Birding & Nature Photo Festival, April 24-27, to introduce birding for beginners, showcase the uniqueness of Galveston for experts and to offer tips on nature photography. Independent types may want to grab a bike or E-bike and explore the Timpoochee Trail that parallels Scenic Highway 30A from Dune Allen to Inlet Beach in the Florida Panhandle. Rental bikes are available
from several shops along the trail in addition to the many restaurants, state parks and shops to enjoy. FeatherFest Birding & Nature Photo Festival, galvestonfeatherfest.com; Timpoochee Trail, visitsouthwalton.com/blog/a-guide-to-the-timpoocheetrail; St. Andrews State Park, floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ st-andrews-state-park
Clockwise: Migrating Baltimore Oriole, 2024 Grand Prize and Week Four 1st Place, photographed by Anthony Louviere; St. Andrews; E-bike ride
Call the Gulf Coast waterpark central, with cool wet places like Waterville USA in Gulf Shores, Gulf Islands Waterpark in Gulfport and the three distinct waterpark sections at Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark. Panama City Beach offers numerous attractions, such as the interactive Wonder Works, SkyWheel Ferris wheel and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium. For something unique, you’ll want to head to outer space for 18 holes of golf at UFO’s Pensacola Beach. In addition to golf, the attraction offers an arcade and an ice cream café, plus at night there’s a light show to get you in the UFO mood.
What sets Pensacola apart is a professional theatre, symphony, ballet, opera company and an accredited art museum. And it’s all within blocks of one another in downtown historic Pensacola. This year, to celebrate
the Saenger Theatre’s 100th anniversary, look for 100 days of special programing through May.
For arts enthusiast who love an event, check out the elaborate street paintings by local and national artists at Panama City’s annual FLLUXE Arts Festival March 7-8 in the downtown arts district. There will be live music, performers and art vendors.
Waterville USA, watervilleusa.com; Gulf Islands Waterpark, gulfislandswaterpark.com; Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, schlitterbahn.com/ galveston; UFO’s Pensacola Beach, ufospensacolabeach.com; Visit Pensacola, visitpensacola.com; FLLUXE Arts Festival, bayarts.org/flluxe-arts-festival
Some of the best views in America are off the Gulf of Mexico, from sunrises to the east to sunsets toward Texas and everything in between. Enjoy the view while indulging in fresh seafood at Windjammers on the Pier in Navarre Beach, located literally on one of the longest piers on the coast. A cool craft cocktail or brew is a must while gathering for the sunset on the Rooftop Bar at Bud and Alley’s in Seaside.
If you’re more the landlubber type — we’re not judging — or have an
envie for top-notch barbecue, The Shed Barbecue and Blues Joint on the north side of Interstate 10 in Ocean Springs serves up some of the best pecan smoked-wood barbecue dishes along with live music practically every day. windjammersonthepier.com; budandalleys.com; shedbbq.com
There’s so much to love at the 1950s-style Sunliner Diner in Gulf Shores, from old-fashioned hamburgers to milkshakes. But the Sunliner serves breakfast all day, from Benedicts and omeletes to pancakes and waffles. The Biloxi Waffle House at 618 Beach Blvd., nestled within oak trees and fronting Gulf waters, is the most expensive in the company’s history. Gotta love those cheese eggs with raisin toast and smothered hash browns. So many fun places to list where folks can burn the midnight oil. There’s something for everyone at The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston, a
gorgeous historic venue that brings in performers of all kinds. The Hangout in Gulf Shores is a wild party place but it’s also family-oriented in the early evening. But if you want to close things down, the venue offers live music every weekend. The casinos along the Mississippi Coast offer both live music venues and performance spaces. sunlinerdiner.com/gulf-shores; locations.wafflehouse.com/biloxi-ms-2314; thegrand.com; thehangout.com; coastalmississippi.com/casinos
Parents love it when children have entertainment while they eat so Lambert's in Foley makes for the perfect family outing. Not only do they serve Southern goodness family style—the kind of food your grandma would serve, dishes such as fried chicken and country fried round steak—but their specialty is yeast rolls. Ask for more rolls and their servers throw them to the table—literally. The extensive art on the walls helps, too. It’s loads of fun and will keep tykes in their seats. throwedrolls.com/foley-al
For a romantic evening, Chef Austin Sumrall bought the historic
building that now houses White Pillars restaurant in Biloxi and visitors may enjoy his Gulf Coast cuisine in one of several elegant dining spaces or craft cocktails at one of the finest bars in the South. Yes, it’s romantic, but Sumrall’s culinary prowess reigns. It’s why he’s been nominated for a James Beard “Best Chef South” award and was crowned “King of American Seafood” at the Great American Seafood Cook-off in New Orleans in 2021. biloxiwhitepillars.com
Jefferson Parish celebrates its bicentennial with a full schedule of events throughout 2025.
YEARS
by Misty Milioto
Established in 1825, Jefferson Parish was named in honor of America’s third president and author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, commemorating his role in purchasing the Louisiana territory from France in 1803. This year, Jefferson Parish marks its 200th anniversary with a number of events to celebrate everything that makes the region unique.
But first, a bit of history. Jefferson Parish originally extended from present day Felicity Street in New Orleans to the St. Charles Parish line. The present boundaries, which were set in 1874, reach from Orleans Parish to the east and a little past Kenner to the west, reaching all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico.
With a total area of 665 square miles, a majority of the parish consists of water — making it a perfect place to enjoy the activities that make Louisiana a “Sportsman’s Paradise.”
The Mississippi River bisects the parish into two parts (the East Bank and the West Bank).
The East Bank is generally north of the Mississippi River and consists primarily of Metairie and Jefferson (both unincorporated areas) and Kenner and Harahan (both incorporated cities). The West Bank, located south of the Mississippi River, consists of the unincorporated areas of Marrero, Harvey, Terrytown, Crown Point, Lafitte and Waggaman, and the incorporated areas of Gretna, Westwego and Jean Lafitte. The incorporated Town of Grand Isle, located on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, forms the parish’s southernmost boundary.
Over the past 200 years, Jefferson Parish has grown from a rural area into a dynamic and diverse suburb that is now home to nearly 440,000 residents.
“Jefferson Parish has such a strong residential base, which brings about the advantages of a suburb, but we also have strong retail, industrial and commercial areas as well,” said Jefferson Parish President, Cynthia Lee Sheng.
According to Christine Briede, executive director of the Jefferson Community
Foundation (a nonprofit community foundation), Jefferson Parish shares a close connection to New Orleans in terms of the food scene and cultural celebrations. “While both areas are renowned for their food, music and festivals, Jefferson Parish offers a more laid-back lifestyle, while still maintaining easy access to all that New Orleans has to offer,” she said. “It’s known for its vibrant multicultural heritage, shaped by French, Spanish, African and Native American influences. The parish is home to both urban and suburban communities, making it a blend of city living and quieter residential areas.”
Some of the standout features in Jefferson Parish include the Huey P. Long Bridge (one of America’s highest and longest steel bridges, it connects the East Bank and the West Bank), the Causeway Bridge (one of the longest bridges in the world), Lakeside Mall (celebrating its 65th anniversary this year), Lafreniere Park, the 10-acre Hope Haven campus in Marrero, the Gretna Historic District, the McDonoghville Historic District, the Ochsner Sports Performance Center (the Saints and Pelicans training facility) and the Jefferson Performing Arts Center.
“The Westwego Farmers Market is another great spot, as it reflects the region’s agricultural roots and provides locals with fresh, homegrown produce,” Briede said. “We are also fortunate to have three state parks: Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve; Bayou Segnette State Park; and Grand Isle State Park. Jefferson Parish is known for outdoor adventures, like swamp tours, fishing, hiking and camping.”
While Feb. 11 marked the official bicentennial, the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce and the Jefferson Community Foundation are working together — with Sheng leading the charge — to organize a number of celebratory events throughout the year. According to Ruth Lawson, president of the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce (and co-chair of the Bicentennial Business
Committee alongside Jerry Bologna, president and CEO of the Jefferson Economic Development Commission), numerous committees are creating community events, local initiatives and projects to instill a sense of pride for Jefferson Parish.
“This is a truly special milestone for Jefferson Parish, a community that has positioned itself to be the economic engine for the
entire region,” Bologna said.
“For 200 years, Jefferson Parish’s diverse industry base, geographic accessibility and cultural richness have blended seamlessly to create an environment where businesses and their employees want to be. As a destination for global business and a hub for innovation, Jefferson Parish is poised for more growth, more investment, more opportunities and
more to celebrate as we enter the bicentennial.”
To kick off the celebration, the Jefferson Chamber Foundation joined forces with the Jefferson Community Foundation to commission a bicentennial poster by local artist Becky Fos.
The 22-by-32-inch poster, which was unveiled at the Chamber’s State of Jefferson lunch last October, captures the spirit of Jefferson Parish.
Christine T. Briede Executive Director, Jefferson Community Foundation
Christine Briede, who grew up in Massachusetts, married a local and has now lived in Jefferson Parish for almost 30 years. Almost five years ago, during the start of the COVID-19 lockdowns, she joined the Jefferson
Community Foundation. “My role entails nonprofit administration, board development, project management, fundraising, grant-making, communications, marketing and strategic planning,” she
said. “I love collaborating with our community partners, other funders and nonprofits. I also love starting with an idea and building it into a project that is transformational for the community.”
Lakeside Shopping Center
Indeed, the Jefferson Community Foundation plays a crucial role in strengthening the community by providing grants, resources and support to local initiatives that improve the lives of residents. “Whether it’s supporting
education, health and wellness, or neighborhood revitalization, we are dedicated to addressing community needs and ensuring that Jefferson Parish remains a vibrant and thriving place for all its residents,” Briede said. “The foundation helps
to connect local donors with the causes that matter most, which is why we’re such a vital part of the parish’s nonprofit network.”
Briede, who has always felt a calling to improve the lives of others, has a deep belief in the power of
Most proceeds will benefit the Jefferson Community Foundation.
The celebrations began in December with a special “Light the Night” bicentennial display at Christmas in the Park at Lafrenière Park. Other special events that have already taken place included the Kick-Off to Carnival party with the Jefferson Parish Citizen’s Affairs Department on Feb. 11 at Lakeside Shopping Center and a communitywide king cake party on Feb. 15 at Lafrenière Park.
Coming up, a Jefferson Parish Senior Expo (featuring more than 100 exhibitor booths) will take place on March 20 at the Pontchartrain Center. On March 22, a Bicentennial Park-to-Park 10K race (beginning at LaSalle Park and finishing at Lafrenière Park) will be followed by the Bicentennial Bash Post-Race Party, featuring live music, local cuisine and familyfriendly activities.
The headlining event — the Bicentennial Ball, benefiting the Jefferson Community Foundation — will be held on June 14 (from 6-11 p.m.) at Lakeside Shopping Center. “The biggest key to making this a successful event was working with Brian Lade to secure Lakeside Shopping Center as the venue,” said
community and collaboration. “To me, being a community leader means being a servant to others — putting the needs of the community first and advocating for positive change,” she said. “It’s about fostering relation-
ships, listening to residents and working collaboratively with other leaders, organizations and local businesses to bring about meaningful impact. It is incredibly rewarding to see tangible change happen and to be part of that process.”
Lynda Nugent Smith, chairman of the ball for Jefferson Community Foundation. “It has many thousands of square feet, it’s renovated, there’s plenty of parking and it’s centrally located,” she said.
The ball will include a patron party from 6-7 p.m. at Arhaus with entertainment, specialty drinks and other surprises. The Bicentennial Ball, starting at 7 p.m., will include three large stages: one near Dillard’s, featuring Deacon John followed by Irma Thomas; the main dance stage near Macy’s, featuring The Yat Pack followed by Sister Sledge; and another near the middle of the shopping center, featuring a candlelight orchestra that will introduce LeAnn Rimes. A smaller stage will feature a jazz quartet and The Victory Belles. Other special touches
include “cigarette girls” who will be passing out cannolis, an auction and plenty of decorations in red, white and blue (in honor of Flag Day, also on June 14). “We are asking the women to wear red, white or blue gowns, and the men to wear summer attire such as seersucker or light-colored suits and patriotic ties,” Smith said.
“Attendees can expect a beautifully decorated venue, likely inspired by historical themes or iconic elements of Jefferson Parish’s past, creating an atmosphere that pays homage to the parish’s journey from its early days to the present,” Briede said.
“The ball will be enhanced with a variety of event experiences and activations, adding immersive and interactive elements to make the evening memorable and engaging.”
President & CEO,
A native of Jefferson Parish, Jerry Bologna joined the JEDCO team in January 2000 as assistant commercial loan officer. He moved into the economic development side of the organization in April 2001, serving the department in various capacities until he assumed the role of president and CEO in 2013.
As CEO, he primarily works to establish JEDCO’s strategic direction. “This entails working with staff, the board of commissioners, elected officials, business owners and partner organizations to forge robust connections needed to execute innovative solutions,” he said. “As a result of these efforts, JEDCO has earned a strong reputation as a results-driven organization able to carry out the most complex projects.”
In fact, JEDCO — which is one of only 73 Accredited Economic Development Organizations in North America (accredited through the International Economic Development Council)—is recog-
nized as a top economic development organization and a thought-leader in its industry. Accredited since 2008, JEDCO is the longest continuously accredited AEDO in Louisiana and the second-longest running AEDO in the Gulf South.
From an economic development standpoint, Bologna said that Jefferson Parish is unique because it is ideally positioned for industry. “The Mississippi River, six Class I rail lines and an international airport make this area extremely accessible,” he said. “We have a diverse industry base, a rich culinary and cultural scene, incredible natural beauty and a future-focused approach to economic development. But what makes Jefferson Parish truly special is the people: the business owners; the leaders; the workforce. It is a place where people can be more connected, more present and more inspired.”
In recent years, JEDCO has attracted billions of dollars in investment, creating hundreds of high-paying jobs for residents and further
positioning Jefferson Parish as a global destination for business. Just last year, JEDCO announced major projects in alternative energy, wind power, manufacturing, food and beverage, and corporate headquarters. “Beyond that, the Elmwood area and Lakeside Shopping Center continue to be two of the highest sales tax generators in the state,” he said.
While JEDCO focuses on industry growth and economic advancement, the organization also prioritizes quality of life. For example, JEDCO commissioned an Insurance Report and Action Plan to address the homeowner’s insurance crisis in Louisiana. The report, which was circulated to lawmakers at the both the state and federal levels, serves to drive legislation that will make insurance more affordable.
“JEDCO also has played an important role in updating the housing stock in Jefferson Parish to make area homes more desirable for young families and existing residents,” Bologna said. “On the economic development side, JEDCO secured funding to build a food and beverage incubator in Churchill Technology and Business Park, which will serve a critical need in the region and will be an anchor tenant on the 480-acre property on the West Bank. Since 2021, JEDCO has funded over a dozen property assessments aimed at bringing dormant industrial sites back into commerce.”
In his free time, Bologna enjoys walking along Lake Pontchartrain with his wife. They also enjoy discovering locally-owned restaurants, and shopping at local retailers and boutiques. “Jefferson Parish offers an extremely desirable lifestyle—easy access to all of the region’s cultural offerings, while also providing security, awardwinning schools and responsive government services,” he said.
JEDCO offers a wide range of services to both existing and prospective businesses. Learn more at JEDCO.org.
While plans continue to unfold and expand for the year, Bicentennial Ball organizers aim to blend elegance, history and community pride. As such, the history of Jefferson Parish and its municipalities will be recognized. And in honor of its 65th anniversary, Lakeside Shopping Center will have a special section at the ball. A cultural forum and a time capsule installation also are in the works.
Abundant dining options also will be available, featuring local cuisine that celebrates the region’s culinary roots. “It is expected that food vendors, restaurants, bars and catering operations will highlight and provide an array of [dishes], including appetizers, main courses, desserts and specialty drinks,” Smith said. “Due to the size of the venue, the variety of food and drink [will] celebrate
all cultures [and] will be scattered from one end to the other of [the shopping center’s] vast, beautiful space.”
According to Sheng, Jefferson Parish also will have special bicentennial programming at parish libraries and on Jefferson Parish Government Access Television throughout the year. “Our goal is to have a full 2025 calendar of community events, local initiatives and new projects,” she said.
With increased attention on Jefferson Parish, JEDCO also has launched a new attraction campaign to drive additional investment into the area. “The More Here campaign showcases all the ways that more is possible in Jefferson Parish,” Bologna said. “We’re encouraging current and prospective businesses and residents to discover more, grow more, thrive more and be more here
in Jefferson Parish. Our hope is that this campaign will help drive new investment into Jefferson Parish in the coming years in alignment with the Bicentennial.”
Meanwhile, JEDCO and the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce identified a need for a Jefferson Parish Passport that encourages visitors and residents to support local businesses. The passport also gives businesses the opportunity to advertise their products and services at discounted rates or with a special bicentennial rate. “Partnering with [Visit Jefferson], we developed a digital passport that we hope will encourage local business engagement over the next year,” Bologna said.
“Beyond that, we plan to highlight some of the community’s oldest businesses and those that are celebrating
milestones this year. Finally, we have also been encouraging businesses to make the bicentennial their own. We’d love to see businesses roll out products or specials that tie directly to the bicentennial in some way.”
Smith adds that many restaurants are being asked to create a signature bicentennial dish to highlight throughout 2025. Meanwhile, organizers for the more than 50 festivals that take place in Jefferson Parish each year also are being asked to incorporate the bicentennial into this year’s celebrations. Retailers are being asked to think of bicentennial merchandise to sell. “We want to promote all of our Jefferson Parish businesses and benefit our entire local economy for this year-long celebration,” Sheng said.
As Jefferson Parish’s first female parish president, and also the first of Asian descent, Cynthia Lee Sheng is honored to be in public service. Born and raised in Metairie, her grandfather opened the House of Lee Restaurant in the 1950s at the corner of Causeway Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Boulevard. Her father, Sheriff Harry Lee, served and protected Jefferson Parish for more than 28 years.
“My dad was always in politics, and I think I picked up from him a love of public service,” she said. “I had this love of serving, but I always saw myself as being the worker bee in the background — never in front, ever. When my dad died, I was sort of being asked to go here and there, or speak on his behalf, and I don’t know what happened, but people started saying, ‘You should run for public office.’ My late husband really was the one who was pushing me to run for
office, and I will always be grateful to have had a partner like him.”
What she loves the most about Jefferson Parish is its unique and historic neighborhoods. “Those different cultures, building styles and history that define a neighborhood—all within one parish—make Jefferson Parish so very special,” she said. “We are the most diverse parish in Louisiana, and when you look at our rich history and the history of this country, I feel fortunate to be able to be in this position at this time. It really shows how far we have come and teaches younger generations that each and every one of us is needed to build a strong community.”
Sheng does her part by ensuring that Jefferson Parish’s leadership team is actively engaged in improvement processes. And when it comes to performance measures, she said that status quo is not good enough. “I have really tried to encourage our directors to seek out better ways,” she said. “You will always have critics point to your failures, but I feel like we are ahead of the game by trying new things. I fully believe that setbacks and failures are part of the journey toward improving the processes.”
According to Larry Dale, who serves as executive director of the Jefferson Business Council and has lived in Jefferson Parish since the late 1970s, the general consensus among the council’s 70 or so members going into 2025 has been upbeat and forward-thinking. “We have just begun a strategic plan, which will guide our initiatives for the coming years,” he said. “The support from the parish elected officials and departments within are open-minded and helpful, which makes doing business in Jefferson much smoother and robust than in some other areas. JEDCO is a good example of a support organization made up of individuals, businesses and parish [elected officials] that guide new businesses and help get things done in the parish.”
From the visitor’s side of
things, Violet Peters, head of tourism at Visit Jefferson Parish, said that the local tourism industry is doing well overall. “The latest numbers show Jefferson Parish tourism is a $2 billion industry accounting for over 21,000 jobs that earn $600 million collectively,” she said. “The bicentennial events and promotions will definitely add to the excitement of visiting Jefferson Parish, and, in turn, add to the economic impact of the hospitality industry.”
Overall, the growth and success that Jefferson Parish has achieved since 1825 is reason enough to celebrate.
“Jefferson Parish is rich in culture and history with a population that is warm, inviting, resilient and creative,” Peters said. “As a whole, the bicentennial gives us an opportunity to celebrate what has made us
who we are as a community.”
Sheng encourages every person and every business to play a part in the celebration. “We are encouraging members of the public, civic leaders, business owners, churches, schools and community organizations to be a part of this special anniversary by spearheading their own events, activities and programming that help make our bicentennial a year to remember,” she said.
Jefferson Parish celebration and resources jeffparish.gov/jp200
Also, to add related events and anniversaries to the bicentennial community calendar.
Purchase the bicentennial poster jeffparish.gov/jp200
Proceeds benefiting the Jefferson Community Foundation.
Purchase tickets to the Bicentennial Ball jeffersoncommunity.org/jefferson-parish-bicentennial-ball
Tommy Cvitanovich owner/CEO Drago’s Seafood Restaurant
Tommy Cvitanovich, who was born in Canada, moved to New Orleans with his family when he was 5 years old. His parents, Drago and Klara Cvitanovich first opened
Drago’s in 1969 in Metairie, and Tommy began working there when he was just 9 years old. “I remember the first day I was standing on a milk crate with an apron that went down to my ankles peeling shrimp,” he says. “And yes, it took me forever to get it done.”
Since that time, Cvitanovich has performed every job in the
Drago’s, which is celebrating its 55th anni-
restaurant. Today, he lives in Bucktown, and he runs all operations for Drago’s six locations: Metairie; Hilton New Orleans Riverside; Baton Rouge; L’Auberge Lake Charles; Bossier City; and Jackson, Mississippi. “We are a mom and pop restaurant,” he said. “All four of my children [are] working in the restaurant currently at different positions. We are family, and we know most of our customers.”
versary this year, features popular dishes like the legendary charbroiled oysters (a recipe that Tommy created in 1993), the Mediterranean salad, the Maine lobster and crawfish étouffée. In celebration of the Jefferson
Parish Bicentennial, Drago’s is spotlighting an oyster pasta dish (that is yet to be named). “It goes in step with the oyster trail, and, the more oysters we sell, the more oyster shells we can put back and recycle in the
water,” he said. Besides living and working in what he calls “the most awesome parish in Louisiana,” Cvitanovich says he enjoys working with the Metairie business development district.
BY CHERÉ COEN
Years ago, while visiting Hot Springs, Arkansas, I stood on the corner of Central Avenue and Bridge Street and watched the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade roll by. Bridge Street is only 98 feet long, a mere breath of an avenue, but all kinds of wild floats, walking groups and bands parade in quick succession down the tiny street. Ripley’s Believe It or Not named Bridge Street as the world’s shortest street in everyday use so organizers couldn’t help but utilize that auspicious title into an event.
It’s just one of the many weird spring festivals happening soon.
TV star Valerie Bertinelli, known by Boomers as Barbara Cooper Royer on the sitcom “One Day at a Time,” will serve as the official celebrity grand marshal of Hot Springs’ 22nd Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Monday, March 17. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders will make an appearance as well as hip-hop legend Flavor Flav, the Marching Irish Elvis Impersonators, the World’s Largest Leprechaun and much more frivolous fun. The event commences with tribute band The Molly Ringwalds performing but if
you arrive a day early, you can catch legendary rockers Grand Funk Railroad performing a free concert on Sunday, March 16, on the now famous Bridge Street.
There’s something sweet about Vidalia onions. Chalk it up to the unique soil of the 20-county region of Georgia but these sweet onions have been celebrated and used in a number of dishes, from salad dressings and jams to caramelizing some to top a cheesecake. That’s why there’s a special festival in honor of the sweet onion and it’s held every spring in — you named it — Vidalia, Georgia. This year’s eye-watering festival will be April 24-27 and includes cooking demonstrations, food vendors, live music and more.
Revival
One of Louisiana’s largest crops is sugarcane, and we may love to spread it on our cereal and on top of beignets but it’s also the main ingredient to rum. Naturally, we must celebrate our sugar-based spirit with a festival. The Rum Revival returns to Golden Nugget Casino in Lake Charles on April 5, a tasting event that includes dozens of rums and tequilas (we must include that other Caribbean favorite) plus cocktail competitions, dinner events and more.
Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the World’s Longest-Running Cigar Box Guitar Music Festival, four days of live music and fun in Huntsville, Ala. Come to the north Alabama town May 30 to June 1 to enjoy tunes on several stages and view the unique craft of cigar box guitars. Even though admission is free, your dollars spent at the event helps raise funds for music education in Madison County, home to Huntsville.
Elvis Presley may have made Memphis famous but he was born and lived his early years in Tupelo, Mississippi. To honor their hometown celebrity, and be a stopping point on the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition, which leads to the world grand finals at Graceland in August, the town hosts the annual Tupelo Elvis Festival. This year marks 27 years with attracting Elvi, those tribute artists hoping to make it to the Graceland finals, but there’s also a parade, a pet pageant, music and more June 4-8.
In the fall of 1987, several mysterious flying objects were sighted south of Wytheville, Virginia. WYVE news director reported the sightings when three sheriff deputies called in with their experience, but Gordon treated it as something not to be taken seriously. Then the phone calls poured in. Later, Gordon and numerous residents of the town saw their own UFOs in the night sky in the days that followed. The story was so bizarre it became an episode on TV’s “Unsolved Mysteries.” Today, folks may enjoy the town’s UFO history, listen to speakers, participate in the costume contest, enjoy food and more at the free annual Wytheville UFO Fest on June 8.
Add a touch of whimsy to a tablescape with a limited-edition Rabbit Run serving platter by Hunt Slonem. A handpainted gold rim hops up the glamour on this triple fired stoneware. Hazelnut, 5525 Magazine St., 504-891-2424, hazelnutneworleans. com.
Made from alabaster and topped with a white linen drum shade, the Kayate lamp provides a structural sculpted appeal to any table or surface. Eclectic Home, 8211 Oak St., 504-866-6654, eclectichome.net.
Tranquility by the brush stroke, give your walls a smooth treatment of an Ancient Stone hue from Behr. behr.com.
Inspired by the gentle drift of the skies, create a calm and serene atmosphere with the dreamy Clouds, Stone wallpaper. The Pattern Collective, thepatterncollective.com.
Sophistication personified, a grey quartz Penelope cocktail table makes a solid statement to any space. Villa Vici, 4112 Magazine St., 504-899-2931, villavici.com.
A fixture to fixate on, bring a bit of ambient light into a room with a lamp handmade of Zebra Onyx. Nola Rock Co., 906 Royal St., 504-376-9444, nolarockco.com.
Lounge in luxe style on a Westwood square arm 4-piece curved wedge sectional. The tailored leather lends this couch its casual sophistication while the stone matte finish makes for a go-with-anything colorway. Pottery Barn, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-219-0168, potterybarn.com
I’m back to my full-time chauffeur duties
Having a kid who drives was terrifying at first. I was an absolute disaster the first time Rowan drove off alone – pacing, biting my nails, sitting down only to jump back up again and resume pacing and biting my nails. She was gone for about an hour – long enough to drive over to her boyfriend’s house, triumphantly show him her license, and drive home – but it felt like an entire lifetime. When she pulled into the driveway, I was waiting on the porch, still pacing.
For about the next month, I kept my anxiety better hidden every time she drove away, but I still felt like I didn’t breathe again fully until she was safely back home, car parked neatly at the curb, car keys on the table by the door.
And then, after awhile, I got used to it. One night, she texted that she was about to leave a friend’s house to drive home and my pulse didn’t go up at all.
“OK, be safe,” I texted back from the bathtub, where I was reading a terrible mystery novel. “Leftovers
from dinner are in the fridge.”
It felt liberating, like I’d unlocked a whole new level of parenting. My kid was independent enough to get safely home and heat up dinner for herself, and I didn’t even have to get out of the tub.
But she had surgery on her right knee in January – a medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction with cadaver tendon and a trochleoplasty, to be exact – and she has not yet been cleared to drive again.
So, just like that, we’re back to square one. Except now, instead of being anxious about her driving, I’m exhausted from driving her. And Georgia. And my father, who is 87 and no longer drives. And occasionally one of their friends who needs a ride.
When you combine Rowan’s busy social life, as she tries to fit in every party, every parade, every festival she can before she leaves for college, with Georgia’s extracurricular activities (track, robotics, drama) with the constant errands I have to run for my dad, I feel like I am more or less living
in my car these days.
A normal day sees me driving from Broadmoor to Gentilly to Mid-City to Uptown to Mid-City to Broadmoor to Gentilly to Broadmoor – and that’s a day without many side trips. If someone forgets a book, has a doctor’s appointment, or realizes they have a meeting they “absolutely told me about” but I have no memory of, the whole system collapses into chaos.
At this point, I have a favorite gas station (Costco unless I’m in a true hurry and then it’s the discount gas station at Orleans and Broad, which is easily accessible from almost all of my daily routes), a preferred drive-thru for iced coffee (PJ’s on Leon C. Simon, just down the street from my work and conveniently located near a Rouses in case we’re out of milk or wine or some other crucial item), a podcast playlist (“Casefile” for longer drive and “Dark Down East” for shorter ones), and a deep knowledge of which streets to avoid at 3 p.m. (all of them). My car has become a mobile command center, full of snacks and snack wrappers, phone chargers,
a pile of hoodies, napkins with various fast food logos crammed in the glove box to use as tissues in a pinch, empty LaCroix cans, and a backseat otherwise littered with evidence of a life constantly in transit.
I know this phase won’t last forever — eventually Rowan will complete physical therapy and be approved to drive again, and then, soon enough, she’ll be gone. And not long after that, Georgia will be the one grabbing the keys and driving away, leaving me pacing back and forth on the porch, counting the minutes until she is safely home again.
It’s hard to imagine that I will one day miss the gridlock of Broad Street, with my kids bickering over who liked Chappell Roan first, but I know I will. Because as exhausting as it is, this constant motion means they’re still here, still mine to drive, still filling the car with music and crumbs and stories from their day. And even if I’d rather be reading a book in the bathtub, I’d be crazy not to realize that this time together is, in fact, a gift.
An English pub with a Big Easy accent
It takes something special to open up a new pub in New Orleans and have local nightlife and culinary enthusiasts perk up their ears in excitement. And yet, that’s exactly what happened late last year when a passionate team from Charleston decided that their next outpost would be a British-inspired pub in Mid-City. The Bell, the latest offering from South Carolina restaurateur Brooks Reitz and his partners, opened its doors in Bayou St. John last November, and the result is every bit as delightful, cozy and satisfying as you’d hope if you happen to have a fondness for classic British pub fare and beverages.
The Bell is, in essence, a New Orleans British pub, a satisfying amalgam of all the things anglophiles love about a great English bar, combined with a distinctly Crescent City sensibility. According to Reitz, it all started with the location. “We’re drawn to great buildings, first and foremost,” he said. “And we like that sense of history and soul that’s in the bones of an old building, and The Bell had that in spades. We started to think about what would be great to find a project to do outside of Charleston, and my business partner Tim had moved to New Orleans. I think there’s a lot of kinship with Charleston and New Orleans, and they’re similar in lots of ways. There’s a sense of history and the architecture and a community that loves food and beverage, it just felt like a natural fit.”
And a natural fit it is indeed. Nestled along a verdant stretch of Esplanade Avenue, The Bell seems almost tailor-made for the neighborhood. Inside, you’ll find a handsome, amiable dining room decked out in its finest casual English attire, which includes plenty of tartan, dark woods and leather. Though it’s a modest space, the spot offers ample seating in their courtyard for al fresco dining and libations, with eventual plans for an outdoor oyster bar as well, making it truly unique among Crescent City eateries. But what about the cuisine? While many Americans might have outdated and unfounded opinions about British food being uninspired or bland — especially to New Orleans diners — the offerings at The Bell provide a surprisingly refined take on English classics that incorporate our local ingredients and sensibilities.
“From day one, we said to one another that we were not trying to open a replica or an exact British pub,” said Reitz. “We have some pubby-esque things, but we don’t have bangers and mash, and we don’t have fish and chips. I would say we’re drawing more inspiration from some of our favorite restaurants in London that are not necessarily pubs, but what the Brits do really well. They have a real appreciation for great ingredients that are not fussed with too much. It was really less about creating this exact kind of pub menu, and more about creating a menu that had the same sensibility for simplicity, deliciousness and clarity on the plate. It’s simple,
Killer Po-boys at the Erin Rose
The short-order food window in the back of a bar is nothing novel in New Orleans, but traditionally it’s rarely where you’d find anything one might describe as “elevated.” Killer Po-boys bucked that stereotype hard when it opened up in the Erin Rose bar in the French Quarter, offering creative versions of the Big Easy’s favorite sandwich and incorporating high-end ingredients with worldly flavor combinations. Our favorites are the Viet-inspired seared shrimp with cool pickled veggies, as well as the “dark and stormy” pork belly lacquered in a NOLA Rum ginger glaze. Pair that with a frozen Irish coffee from the bar, and your worries (and hunger) will melt swiftly away, especially after a particularly late night downtown.
The Avenue Pub Craft beer aficionados have long flocked to the Avenue to indulge in its famously huge and diverse library of ales, stouts and lagers from around the globe. But all that beer needs a solid base, and to this end, The Avenue Pub’s menu never disappoints. You’ll find hearty fare here that easily compliments the establishment’s beer selections, including a massive fried chicken sandwich, a gooey patty melt, and, naturally, a classic fish and chips. Make sure not to sleep on the crispy smoked pork cracklins, which you can order bedecked in lemon pepper, Szechuan or ranch seasonings, the perfect combination of smoke, salt and fat you’ll need if you’re working your way through a hefty list of Belgian sours or English porters.
it’s straightforward, and it’s delicious, and we’re not pulling too many tricks on you, you know?”
Retiz’s ethos shines forward on the menu, courtesy of Ari Kolender, executive chef Joseph Guevara, and local chef, Marcus Jacobs, who you might recognize from his projects Marjie’s Grill and Porgy’s Seafood Market. Appetizers are seafood heavy, and include familiar broiled oysters, although here topped with smoked English cheddar, as well as fried mussels, and a not-to-be-missed smoked trout dip that’s tangy and luscious, served with fried saltines.
You’ll find main courses at The Bell to be every bit as hearty and gratifying as you’d expect from classic UK pub fare. A dish of crispy, roasted chicken
thighs with parsnip purée seems almost deceptively simple, until you dig in and find out that, sometimes, simplicity — when well executed — can be a beautiful thing. Shepherd’s pie is retooled to incorporate Gulf fish and shrimp as a “fishmonger’s pie.” Similarly, instead of fish and chips, you’ll find a hearty fried fish sandwich dressed with celery root remoulade and paired with house-made french fries. You can also sample those fries as a side or with a juicy, medium-rare steak, but either way, you absolutely don’t want to miss them.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be a pub without the appropriate beverage offerings, and to that end General Manager (and native Englishman) Andrew Bell is passionate about ensuring that The Bell’s ales and lagers are all served in Imperial pints and poured according to British standards,
Brooks Reitz is the first to admit that he isn’t a chef, although he has a long history of working in restaurants since he was a teenager. After getting a degree in English and theater, he soon dawned on the realization that creating a restaurant isn’t unlike staging an elaborate play. Reitz’s epiphany eventually led him to open a string of successful restaurants in Charleston with business partner Tim Mink. For his first project outside of Charleston, Reitz decided that New Orleans seemed like the best fit, and after many painstaking months searching for the perfect location, his team opened The Bell in Mid-City late last year.
especially when it comes to the perfect pint of draught Guinness. “It’s something that does take a bit of skill and thought to do properly,” he said, and noted that they even welcomed representatives from Guinness to train the local staff in how to draw the perfect pint. Whether you’re out for a leisurely afternoon of pints with friends after boating on the bayou or watching a soccer (sorry, “football”) match, or a romantic date night in a cozy spot, The Bell has you covered, and is both a comforting and and gratifying addition to the city’s fine tradition of drinking establishments with equally impressive menus. Most of all, Reitz and his team are just grateful for their warm welcome in the Crescent City. “It’s been insanely positive,” he said, “especially in the neighborhood where we are on Bayou St. John. We’re pretty blown away with the neighborhood being so supportive, so early. I’ve always felt like New Orleans is a great restaurant town. It’s not like we came here because we had something to show someone. We’re just thrilled to be a part of an already rich and great dining scene, and I’m so tickled that we’ve been welcomed with open arms, and that people have responded to what we’re doing.”
BY JYL BENSON / PHOTO BY SAM HANNA
Large, ruby-hued Ponchatoula strawberries ripen under the sun, filling the warm spring air with their sweet fragrance as the morning dew dries on their surfaces. Louisiana’s strawberry industry generates an impressive $8 million annually and is consistently ranked among the top 10 strawberry producers in the United States.
Native Americans initially cultivated strawberries long before European settlers arrived. However, Louisiana’s commercial strawberry industry began in the mid-1800s, during The Great Economic Migration, which brought a wave of Italian and Hungarian immigrants to America in search of work. Many of these immigrants settled in Louisiana, establishing strawberry farms in the region’s warm climate and fertile soil. By the 1920s, the industry was thriving; Louisiana farmers sold their berries to local associations that shipped them across the country.
In 1901, Robert Cloud developed the Klondyke strawberry, which was more durable and suitable for shipping. By 1924, farmers had planted
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more than 14,000 acres of strawberries, as noted in “The Louisiana Strawberry” (1984) by Ginger Romero. The industry reached its peak in 1931, when Tangipahoa Parish became the top-producing region, growing 75% of the state’s strawberries.
Today, most Louisiana strawberries are consumed locally, supplying grocery stores and farmers’ markets.
Strawberries grown in Southeast Louisiana are renowned for being the sweetest in the nation.
Strawberry season is brief, prices are thrifty, and the berries spoil quickly. Here are some tips for making them last: Leave the stems on and do not wash them before refrigerating them in a single layer so they are not touching. You can also store them in a sealed glass jar. In either case, wash them just before you use or eat them. You can also wash, hull, and freeze them. 2
For this recipe, any fresh berry — blueberries, raspberries, blackberries — may be substituted 3
Granulated sugar may be substituted for the cane sugar 4
The optional hibiscus will add additional color and a tart flavor
5
2-3 fluid-ounce ramekins are recommended for individual portions. Four-ounce mason jars also work well.
Shared by Chefs Jordan Herndon & Amarys Koenig-Herndon, Palm&Pine Restaurant
Serves 8
2 tablespoons powdered gelatin 1/2 cup whole milk
10 ounces Louisiana strawberries, quartered
1/2 cup of raw Louisiana cane sugar, plus additional for dipping berries
5 dried Hibiscus flowers (optional), available in Hispanic markets
1 teaspoon canella (Mexican cinnamon), available in Hispanic markets
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract (available in Hispanic markets)
1. Add the gelatin to the milk in a small cup. Allow the gelatin to bloom while you make the custard.
2. In a 1.5- or 2-quart pot set over medium heat, lightly caramelize the strawberries, sugar, hibiscus (if using), and canella over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. The ingredients are caramelized when they are sticky and highly aromatic.
3. Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the hibiscus flowers (if using) and puree the berry/cream mixture with an immersion blender.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the yolks and vanilla together.
6. Slowly whisk in the strawberry cream to temper the egg yolks.
7. Return the mixture to the pot and whisk in the bloomed gelatin over medium-low heat. Once the panna cotta reaches 180 F (gelatin should be fully dissolved, and egg yolks will have reached the temperature to achieve custard consistency), strain through a fine mesh sieve and portion into desired serving dishes, either 8 small or 1 large.
8. Chill until set, about four hours. Serve with fresh strawberries dressed in sugar, lemon or lime zest and flake salt.
forward-
When Olivia Stewart drove down during the pandemic from Manhattan to her family’s home in Pointe Coupée Parish, she planned on staying a few weeks. Now she is the president of the Oxbow Rum Distillery. “Well,” she chuckled, “it was not part of my plans at all.” Her family has been in the sugar business for five generations and started the distillery in 2016. “We knew we had something great,” she said. Oxbow’s production is unique among Louisiana rums. “We’re the only rum distillery in Louisiana that owns the entire process from cane to glass.” After she refined their recipes, Oxbow started winning international awards. Her next goal? Olivia hopes that one day Louisiana rum can be its own category, as distinct and respected as rums from other countries. “To be able to have a niche within American rum...of Louisiana sugar cane specifically, something that I’m so deeply rooted in...would be incredibly special.”
1
Raw sugar, available at Oxbow distillery, is far less processed than commercially available sugars, including brown sugar in the baking aisle. Demerara sugar is a good substitute.
2
Rhum Louisiane is made from fresh cane juice and has a slightly brighter, lighter flavor than rums most people are familiar with. Swapping it with the Oxbow Small Batch White Rum made from highgrade molasses makes a warmer and sweeter cocktail. Alter your syrup measurements if needed. Both are delicious!
3
If you still have a few ice chips in your drink after straining, don’t worry. They help keep the drink cold in Louisiana heat.
BY ELIZABETH PEARCE /
2 ounces Oxbow Rhum Louisiane Agricole
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce raw cane sugar syrup (see recipe)
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Raw Cane Sugar Syrup
1 part raw cane sugar
2 parts white sugar
2 parts water
Bring all ingredients to a simmer over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Syrup keeps up to six weeks in the refrigerator.
Podcast
Listen to Elizabeth’s podcast “Drink & Learn;” visit elizabeth-pearce.com
Lafayette CVC
When Carnival is done, trade your beads for sandals and shades to explore all the excitement, relaxation, and culture of the Gulf South.
Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun & Creole Country, an area known as the Happiest City in America, and it’s no mystery why. It’s distinctive blend of food, music, and culture has people from all over heading down to Acadiana for festivals, outdoor adventures, and allaround good times for all.
Spring and Summertime are prime times to start your Lafayette adventure. Take the family through the fresh, blooming azaleas and lush greenery down the famed Azalea Trail. Or if it’s good music and better food you’re after, join us for the Celtic Bayou Festival (March 14 - 15) and Festival International (April 23 -27) for some of the finest cultural music lineups in the region. Finally, for the more athletically inclined, Cycle Zydeco (April 23 - 27) is Louisiana’s finest Cajun & Creole Cycling Festival, overflowing with food, live music, swamp tours, crawfish boils, and unique cycling routes to enjoy.
Learn more at lafayettetravel.com.
Mobile CVB
As the weather warms and blooms abound, the seasons are calling you to experience Mobile’s vibrant, lush outdoor spaces. Known as the Azalea City for good reason, Mobile’s parks and gardens are overflowing with radiant blossoms that draw visitors and locals alike. Discover Bellingrath Gardens and Home, where 65 acres of exotic plants and flowers offer budding beauty every day of the year. You won’t want to miss the Mobile Botanical Gardens, situated near the Mobile Museum of Art, with over a hundred acres of paved garden areas, woodland gardens and trails to explore; you’ll get lost in the wonder of the largest collection of plants on the Gulf Coast. And for anyone seeking something on the tranquil side, the Mobile Japanese Garden is the largest natural garden of its kind. Come on over – you’re sure to find your bloom in Mobile!
Learn more at mobile.org.
Scarlet Pearl Casino
Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort offers an exceptional travel experience with its stunning all-glass tower housing 300 luxurious rooms, designed for comfort and elegance. Guests can indulge in modern amenities and enjoy spa-like bathrooms, all while benefiting from superior service and breathtaking architecture. Whether you’re seeking gaming, relaxation, or fine dining, this resort is the perfect destination to laissez les bons temps rouler!
This Mardi Gras season, savor festive flavors at Under the Oak Cafe with a delectable Fat Tuesday pork chop platter, featuring a tender fried pork chop served over red beans and rice, complemented by jalapeño cornbread. Don’t miss the indulgent King Cake Bread Pudding for dessert, drizzled with cream cheese icing and strawberry sauce, and topped with colorful Mardi Gras sprinkles. Plus, head over to Lounge Nocherie for a variety of homemade king cakes baked fresh daily, ensuring your celebration is brimming with sweet treats!
Please call 888-752-9772 or visit ScarletPearlCasino.com for details.
Vacation Artfully Pensacola
Pensacola is renowned for its sugar-white sand beaches and rich history, but this vibrant destination offers so much more for couples looking to connect.
Whether setting out to explore by day or enjoying a romantic night as the evening unfolds, Downtown Pensacola sets the stage for connection. Indulge at one of the city’s acclaimed eateries, stop by one of the destination’s many art galleries, or take a stroll down Palafox Street, where lively energy fills the air nightly. For a more relaxed
moment, grab a cocktail to-go and sip it beneath the oaks of a nearby park or along the lantern-lit bay. End the evening on a high note with a performance at the historic Saenger Theatre, an experience that’s uniquely Pensacola.
Whatever draws you to Pensacola, it’s a destination where romance and adventure naturally come together. Don’t let this dream retreat wait—plan your couples getaway today at VacationArtfully.com.
Spring Break Getaway at Hotel Effie: Your Coastal Retreat Awaits
This Spring Break, escape to the pristine shores of the Emerald Coast at Hotel Effie, a mere drive away for New Orleans locals seeking sun, sand, and unspoiled luxury. Nestled within the renowned Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Hotel Effie offers an exquisite blend of Southern hospitality and coastal elegance. Indulge in gourmet dining at Ovide, unwind at Spa Lilliana, or soak up the sun by our rooftop pool. With family-friendly activities and vibrant nightlife at The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Hotel Effie is your perfect springtime sanctuary. Book now to experience the preferred beaches and unparalleled luxury that await at your next home-away-from-home. Make this Spring Break unforgettable at Hotel Effie, where every stay is a story.
Book your stay today at HotelEffie.com.
Ship Island Excursions
Looking for an island adventure that won’t break the bank and is close to home? 90 minutes from New Orleans, Ship Island, part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, is a 7-mile undeveloped strip of paradise. The island is a perfect getaway off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Visitors can enjoy pristine, high-quality natural beaches and swim in beautiful Gulf water. Tour historic Fort Massachusetts (circa 1858). Located 11 miles offshore from Gulfport, this barrier island is where the Mississippi Sound meets the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and is only an hour boat ride away.
March through October, Ship Island Excursions offers ferry service from the Gulfport Harbor in Jones Park. A trip to Ship Island is an affordable family adventure. Ship Island Excursions also offers a 90-minute Dolphin Watching cruise and Sunset Music Cruises. Private charters are available for special events. Amenities include a snack bar on both the boat and the island. Beach rentals are also offered.
Buy your tickets in advance at Msshipisland.com.
The Lodge at Gulf State Park, A Hilton Hotel
Here at the Lodge at Gulf State Park, you can reunite with nature. Enjoy relaxing views of the sugar white sand beaches and emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico or walk or bike our 28 miles of trails through 6,150 acres covering nine ecosystems.
The Lodge is highlighted by 350 guest rooms and suites; 4 dining outlets overlooking the Gulf, live music, a beachside infinity pool, and 40,000 sq ft of event space.
The Lodge is a resilient environmentally friendly coastal development where sustainability and connectivity to the outdoors are a central focus.
Book your stay and learn more at Lodgeatgulfstatepark.com
Vacations are calling, and there’s no better time to book your travel adventures! With travel demand soaring, the best flights, hotel rooms, and cruise cabins are fast disappearing. Booking now is crucial to ensure you snag not just any space but the best value and location. At Travel Central, we take pride in our team of 12 professional travel advisors who specialize in crafting dreamy getaways tailored to your desires. Moreover, our exclusive group vacations come preplanned—just pack your bags and prepare for fun! Whether you’re casting off for a sea voyage or charting a railway journey through Europe, our advisors are committed to making your travel dreams a reality. Adventure awaits, so visit our website and explore our endless possibilities. Remember, the world is waiting, and we’re here to help you explore it!
Learn more at travelcentralvacations.com.
Paradise Beach Homes
If you are looking for the perfect locale to relax and savor the wonder that is Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast, Paradise Beach Homes is here to offer the perfect vacation option for your budget across Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach, Florida. Whether you are looking for a beachfront vista for a wedding, hosting a family reunion, or aiming for a weekend getaway, Paradise Beach Homes has a property for you, offering condos, townhomes, classic beach cottages, or luxury gulf-front homes that can accommodate up to thirty guests and are pet friendly. With seasonal specials available now, such as Free Select Spring Nights, Paradise Beach Homes is ready to help make your vacation or event affordable, comfortable, and unforgettable.
Give us a call today! Pensacola Beach (850) 916-0777 or Navarre Beach (850) 710-3308. Or book directly through our website and save!•
Louisiana Blue is devoted to its mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Did you know health officials now recommend average-risk people start colorectal cancer screening at age 45? People with a family history of cancer or other risk factors may need to be screened even earlier. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancer types, and rates in Louisiana are higher than average. But, when caught early, colorectal cancer can be treated successfully. If you’re 45 or older and have not been screened for colorectal cancer, have a checkup with your healthcare provider and ask when you should start. Colonoscopy is the gold standard, but there are other colorectal cancer screening tests, including some you can do at home. Preventive screening is covered at low or no cost on most health plans. Remember, screening saves lives – IF you get tested.
Learn more at lablue.com.
Skin Surgery Centre
The Skin Surgery Centre provides the region’s highest quality treatment of skin cancers and are experts in all surgical issues of the skin and nails.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery is the gold standard for removal of high-risk skin cancers which allows for the least amount of normal tissue to be removed while still achieving the highest cure rate possible. Every physician at The Skin Surgery Centre is double board certified in Dermatology and Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery having completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship training program. Having undergone years of comprehensive, rigorous training, including advanced reconstructive techniques, Dr. Bucher, Dr. LeBlanc, Dr. Cox, and Dr. Rougelot can expertly remove a patient’s skin cancer and perform reconstruction which preserves function and cosmesis all within the same day under local anesthesia.
A network of three state-of-the-art facilities ensures patients from the Southshore, Northshore, and Biloxi can improve the health and appearance of their skin with a personal touch.
Learn more at theskinsurgerycentre.com.
Tulane Doctors – Specialty Care - Lakeview is a premier destination for comprehensive cardiovascular care, offering the latest techniques to assess and treat heart disease for patients throughout the greater New Orleans area and beyond. As faculty of the Tulane University School of Medicine, their physicians are leaders in clinical care and research, bringing cutting-edge expertise and the latest advances in cardiovascular medicine to patients.
Conveniently located at 7030 Canal
Boulevard in Lakeview, Tulane Doctors – Specialty Care - Lakeview welcomes new patients and offers cardiac clearance assessments when needed. In-clinic services include non-invasive testing and imaging, including EKGs, exercise and medicationinduced stress testing, echocardiograms, vascular ultrasounds, nuclear cardiac testing, and electrophysiological analysis.
The health of your heart deserves the absolute best- for expert evaluation and personalized care, call 504-988-0501.
The Hand Center of Louisiana
For more than 40 years, the physicians and staff of The Hand Center of Louisiana have pursued a passion for patient-centered care. As a fully integrated healthcare facility offering all medical, surgical, and therapy services for patients with upper extremity conditions, the Hand Center of Louisiana continues its legacy as a leading healthcare provider in the Gulf South.
Board certified Hand Center surgeons are widely recognized for their expertise and successful outcomes. Using the most current approaches in surgical and non-surgical treatments, they develop a plan of care suited to each individual patient.
Certified Hand Therapists at The Hand Therapy Center use advanced techniques and protocols for post-operative management of surgical patients. Therapists are often able to move patients into therapy more quickly, resulting in earlier clinical results and recovery. For information and scheduling, visit handsurgical.com or call 504-454-2191.
Jefferson Orthopedic Clinic specializes in a wide range of orthopedic procedures and offers same day appointments. Jefferson Orthopedic Clinic’s team of orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine specialists and pain management specialists have over 40 years of experience in surgical and non-surgical treatments. Located in Marrero, LA, just outside of New Orleans, Jefferson Orthopedic Clinic has been rated Best Doctor for 25 consecutive years, offering an amazing team to treat all your orthopedic problems. Jefferson Orthopedic Clinic has recently added a fellowship trained interventional pain management physician, Dr. Matthew Cutrer. Dr. Cutrer has same day appointments available and specializes in minimally invasive procedures to treat acute and chronic pain due to a variety of neurologic and musculoskeletal conditions in patients of all ages.
To learn more, please visit jeffortho.com or call 504-349-6804. •
New Orleans pros know how to make any house a home.
Exterior Designs
“Where do I start?” is the most common question we hear when meeting a potential client for the first time. Planning and executing a design for your landscape is an overwhelming process for most homeowners. If you’re wondering where to begin with your landscape transformation, look no further!
Exterior Designs, Inc., a comprehensive landscape design and build company, is known locally for exceptional landscaping and creating authentic New Orleans courtyards. Beverly Katz creates New Orleans inspired landscapes by blending timeless Spanish and French influences of the city’s architecture with functional solutions for the modern homeowner. For a consultation of your property, call 504-866-0276. For design inspiration and additional landscaping tips, visit exteriordesignsbev.com.
Lake
Established in 1970, 1st Lake Properties, Inc. and its affiliated companies are the largest developer and manager of multifamily communities in the state of Louisiana. 1st Lake Properties designs, develops, acquires, and manages over 10,000 apartment homes in greater New Orleans, primarily in Metairie, Kenner, and River Ridge, with additional apartment homes in Baton Rouge, the Northshore, and Picayune, Mississippi. Specializing in high-quality communities, 1st Lake Properties apartments operate under the 1st Lake Properties’ management division. 1st Lake Properties’ foremost goal is: “To provide an ideal living experience for our residents through exceptional customer service and a commitment to the highest standards of quality.” With this approach, 1st Lake has become synonymous with premier apartment living, earning a reputation as a leading force in New Orleans’ multifamily community market. 1st Lake Corporates is the corporate housing division specializing in temporary, furnished apartments for extended stays of 90 days or more. Visit 1stlake.com for more information.
Opening its doors to New Orleans in 1940 and still keeping the city’s clothes clean, Young’s Dry Cleaning has evolved and grown from humble Gentilly roots to three generations of upheld standards and high quality service. Ever innovating, Young’s Dry Cleaning offers free pick up and delivery services, giving your clothes the five-star treatment with expert garment care at your convenience. Unable to make the trip to your local Young’s Location? No problem. Pick Up and Delivery Service routes cover most of New Orleans, Metairie, and the Westbank, while a handy app allows you to schedule pickups whenever is best for you. And even if you need to personally pick up any time of the day or night, Young’s Express Lockers enables you to quickly and conveniently place and pick up their orders at any metro location utilizing patented technology. In a sense, Young’s is always open for business; upholding their tradition of service 24/7/365.
Learn more at youngsdrycleaning.com. •
Treat your kids to the best summer ever!
Arden Cahill
Voted the #1 Summer Camp in New Orleans by Gambit Weekly readers for 5 consecutive years, Cahill Camp Corral, located on the 12-acre Gretna country campus of Arden Cahill Academy, offers two five-week sessions or six-week long sessions for children ages 3-13, grades PreK – 8th. Summer 2025 is sure to be memorable with 10 themed weeks of on-campus activities such as horseback riding, swimming, art, theater and pretend play, sports, game room, petting farm, archery, riflery, laptop lounge, STEAM lab and much more.
For over 50 years, Cahill Camp Corral has offered a relaxed, spacious indoor and outdoor environment where children continue to play, explore, grow, and develop during the summer. Space, Dinosaur and Adventure week are always a hit, while blue and white days, rodeos, theatre productions, and the overnight camp “in” are not to be missed. Language Arts and Math academic enrichment classes are offered as session options.
For information or to register, visit Cahill Camp Corral online at ArdenCahillAcademy.com.
Kehoe-France
Kehoe-France Summer Camp in Metairie provides an exciting and enriching experience for campers entering PreK-4 through 8th grade. With a diverse range of activities designed to foster creativity, teamwork, and fun, campers enjoy field sports, arts and crafts, STEM challenges, culinary classes, engaging in-house field trips, and daily swimming instruction. Our dedicated and enthusiastic staff creates a supportive environment where children can develop new skills, build friendships, and make lasting memories.
Located on a beautiful 14-acre campus, Kehoe-France Southshore Camp runs from 9 AM – 3 PM, with before and after care available for added convenience. Families can choose from six-week (June 3rd – July 11th) or eight-week (June 3rd – July 25th) sessions.
For more information or to register, call 504-733-0472 or email office@kehoe-france. com. Join us for a summer of adventure and fun!
Choose your child’s summer adventure at Mount Carmel Summer Camp this June. Campers can customize their summer fun by picking their favorite activities from an exciting and diverse lineup. From exploring their interests to discovering new talents, Mount Carmel Summer Camp offers kids the chance to be artists, scientists, dancers,
athletes, cheerleaders, chefs, detectives, designers, actresses—and so much more. Camp will run June 2 – June 27 for girls entering 2nd through 4th grade and girls entering 5th through 8th grade. Morning sessions will be 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., and afternoon sessions will be 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Classes will be taught by faculty members with assistance from Mount Carmel students. Additional programs include a lunch plan, as well as before and after care. Registration opens March 12 for grades 5-8 and March 13 for grades 2-4, sign up at mcacubs.com/camp.
Join the summer fun at De La Salle’s Cav Camp! Open to boys and girls in PK8th grades with 7 weeks of summer fun. Campers will enjoy weekly swimming, water days, and special events. Campers build their schedules each day so no two days are the same. They will enjoy activities such as Sports, Art, STEM, Performing Arts, and more! We also offer extended care, lunch, and bus service at an additional cost. Our staff is made up of certified teachers as well as current and former De La Salle students. Sign up for the whole summer, all of June, or all of July for discounts. De La Salle Alumni receive an additional discount on camp tuition. For more information, please go to www.delasallenola.com/cav-camp. Follow us on Facebook at DLS Cav Camp and on Instagram at dlscavcamp. Questions? Email Camp Director Caroline Laurent Huber ‘99 at cavcamp@ delasallenola.com.
Founded over 70 years ago to serve the children and students of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Coast Episcopal School has established a reputation for providing its students with a well-rounded academic foundation enriched by technology, music and art. Teaching students from 18 months of age through Sixth Grade, CES utilizes techniques and technologies unique to the region through state of the art facilities such as the Seemann Makerspace, featuring hands-on opportunities to learn coding, robotics, and video production, and the Gail Keenan Art Center, featuring both art and music instruction. Fun-filled educational opportunities continue into the Summer months at Camp Gumbo, where CES educators provide a magical two-week summer camp experience for students aged six to twelve. Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year begins March 11, and inquiries about the Admissions’ process can be directed to 228-452-9442, ext 102, or by visiting: coastepiscopalschool.org/mc •
Premieres Sunday, March 23 - May 11 at 9pm Marie Antoinette and Louis embrace modern rule, but enemies lurk everywhere, even in Versailles.
SEASON 2
Watch all WYES programs on WYES-TV and stream on wyes.org/live and on the free WYES and PBS Apps
THE 2025 REX BALL AND THE MEETING OF THE COURTS OF REX AND COMUS
Tuesday, March 4 at 7pm & 11:30pm WYES host and producer Peggy Scott Laborde, along with Errol Laborde, Carnival historian and author of Mardi Gras: Chronicles of the New Orleans Carnival, and Will French, Rex Organization historian, provide commentary throughout the evening. The live program contains interviews with past and present Rex and Comus royalty along with historical video vignettes. Photo Credit: Kathy Anderson
MASTERPIECE “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light”
Sundays, March 23 - April 27 at 8pm
Eagerly awaited and years in the making, the new series will trace the final four years of Thomas Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time. The first episode picks up in May 1536. Anne Boleyn, Henry III’s second wife, is dead. As the axe drops, Cromwell emerges from the bloodbath to continue his climb to power and wealth, while his formidable master, Henry, settles to short-lived happiness with his third queen, Jane Seymour. Pictured: Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance) Photo Credit: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd
MARIE ANTOINETTE, SEASON 2
Sunday, March 23 - May 11 at 9pm
It’s been two years since MARIE ANTOINETTE debuted. In the new season, Queen Marie Antoinette knows that her enemies are waiting in the wings to destroy her. At the height of their power, Marie Antoinette and Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis. The incessant attacks of Provence and Chartres stir up the hatred of the nobles while disastrous consequences loom with the Diamond Necklace Affair. From Versailles to the Palais-Royal, the revolt rumbles on. Pictured: Emilia Schüle (Marie Antoinette) and Louis Cunningham (Louis XVI) Photo Credit: Caroline Dubois / Capa Drama / Canal Plus
CALL THE MIDWIFE, SEASON 14
Sundays, March 30 - May 11 at 7pm
It is the beginning of a new decade, 1970, in Poplar. In the first episode, protests on the Isle of Dogs cause chaos for the Nonnatus team, while an apparent immaculate conception concerns the midwives. Sister Julienne and Trixie plan to fight back the Board of Health’s disapproval of the way Nonnatus House operates. Pictured: Joyce Highland (Renee Bailey) and Trixie Aylward (Helen George) Photo Credit: BBC Studios
Proceeds benefit WYES, our PBS station that brings us PBS KIDS, drama, history, nature, local interest programs & more!
presentd by LCI Workers’ Comp Friday, March 21
Home of Vince Liuzza and Frank Stuart: 2047 Lakeshore Drive, Mandeville
5-6pm Patron Party $150pp 6-8pm Event $100pp
Tickets & Sponsorships: wyes.org/events | 504-486-5511
Attire: Floral & Festive
Event Co-Chairs: Shelley & Guy Winstead
Live music, food, wine, beer and champagne included.
Honorary Chairs: Paula Kelly Meiners, Phoebe Whealdon, Jen & Seth Smiley
THANK YOU TO THE EVENT COMMITTEE:
Lisa and Robert Barnett
Ann and Emile Barre
Vickey Bayley
Bethany and Corey Boice
Bonnie and John Boyd
Kelly and David Boyd
Jessica Brewster
Simone Bruni
Dr. R. Timothy Brown
Michelle and Brad Burris
Molly D. Burns, DDS
Dorothy and Joe Childress
Cathy Deano
Pat Denechaud
Emmett and Michelle Mayne Dupas
Caroline France and Preston Valois
Pam Jones
Peg Usner & Mark Goldstein
Cynthia and Bob Kemp
Debbie Langenhennig
Marc and Karen Leunissen
Claire Fredrichs and Dr. Denny Taylor
Desiree Forsyth and Rob Morris
Leah and Darron Goodgion
Carol Ann Liles and A.C. Liles, DDS
Maria and Marc Marinello
Gigi and Brian Mathe
EVENT SPONSORS:
Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate/Jennifer Rice • Bonnie & John Boyd
Bienville Capital/Emmett and Michelle Mayne Dupas
VergesRome Architects • Demo Diva • Mark Goldstein & Peg Usner
Club Pilates Mandeville/Tanya & Trevor Walker
Mercedes-Benz of Covington • Jerome Fournier & Frances Strayham
Susan Walker/Volkswagen of Mandeville • Angelin Valuri
MEDIA SPONSOR:
Allie Matte
Jill McGuire
Susan and Michael Mire
Benjamin Stickney Morrison
Lisa and Allen Naquin
Hon. Richard and Ashley Nelson
Celia Palazzo and Dr. Tony Palazzo
Cindy and Brett Petry
Jennifer Rice
Patty and Phil Riddlebarger
Cindy and Steve Rome
Cathy and Mike Saucier
Lesly Sica
Becky and Scott Slatten
Frances Strayham & Jerome Fournier
Christy Verges and Doug Brennecke
Suzie and Pierre Villere
Tanya and Trevor Walker
Leigh Ann Wall
Sarah Beth Williamson and Mark Lecoq
Ricky and Jan Windhorst
The new 13-part series takes viewers on a road trip that celebrates the bounty of Southeast Louisiana and raises awareness about coastal restoration through the lens of food. The series will premiere on Saturday, April 5 at 9am on WYES-TV. Before the series airs, meet some of the chefs featured in the series and sample dishes after an exclusive look at the first episode of the new series.
Join us for food and fun during the WYES LOUISIANA COASTAL COOKING LAUNCH EVENT & TASTING Saturday, March 29 | 11am-1pm | WYES | 916 Navarre Avenue $30 | Tickets: wyes.org/events
Thank you to our generous major funders:
OF THE YOUNG CHILD Saturday, April 5 | 10am-Noon | For families with children ages 1-8
Learn more at: wyes.org/events
Grab your cowboy boots and mark your calendars for a hootin’ good time benefitting WYES!
Thursday, May 8
Tickets and Sponsorships: wyes.org/events
PRESENTING SPONSOR
ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR Erin and JP Hymel
Thank you to our co-chairs and presenting sponsor representatives: Back row (l-r): Conor and Dreda Lutkewitte, Noel and Maria Johnson, and Vincent Giardina of the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust; On her horse Benny: Lisa Romano of the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust Front Row: Allie and Duncan Brown
DANCE FLOOR SPONSOR Paulette and Frank Stewart
INVITATION SPONSOR LUCKY HORSESHOE SPONSOR
Eileen and Joey Devall First Horizon
Reservations on sale now.
Seats sell out fast. Grab yours today at wyes.org/events.
Dinner prices include tax and gratuity.
All dinners begin at 6:30pm.
Community Coffee will be provided at each dinner.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
$95
CHEF SAUL ALCAZAR
APPETIZER
TOSTONES
Salty and Savory Plantains with Cafetomas Sauce
Tselepos Moschofilero
FIRST COURSE
JIBARITO ESPECIAL
Twist on the Classic Puerto Rican Dish, Plantain Slices
Topped with a Steak Filet & Cafetomas Sauce
Zambartas Shiraz-Lefkada
SECOND COURCE
AREPAS DE LA CASA
U’NICO
Colombian-Inspired Dish
Arepa (Gluten-Free White Corn) Stuffed with Mozzarella Cheese, Slow-Braised Shredded Chicken in Cafetomas Sauce
Driopi Nemea Rose
THIRD COURSE
LATIN INFUSED CAESAR SALAD
Dusted with Chili Flakes
Zambartas Xynisteri
FOURTH COURSE
SALMON CON AVOCADO Y LIMON GUARNICIO’N
Grilled Salmon with Cafetomas Rub, Feta Cheese, Avocado, Lemon, Onion Salad
Zambartas Shiraz-Lefkada
FIFTH COURSE
CRÈME BRÛLÉE CUBAN FLAN
Topped with MexicanStyle Chocolate Syrup & Whipped Cream
Aes Ambelis Commandaria
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
$165
EXECUTIVE CHEF ARVINDER VILKHU
FIRST COURSE MASALA CRAB CAKE Mango-Dijon Dip
Rousanne Chardonnay, Stolpman Vineyards Uni, Ballard Canyon, CA
SECOND COURSE SPICE-CRUSTED GRILLED GULF FISH
Arugula, Roasted Tomato, Fennel, Citrus Vinaigrette
Vermentino, Marchesi Antinori, Tenuta Guado Al Tasso, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
THIRD COURSE PORK LOIN VINDALOO With Aachari Potatoes, PaneerStuffed Cabbage Rolls, Garlic Naan
Grenache Blend, Res Fortes, Cotes Catalanes, Languedoc-Rousillon, France
FOURTH COURSE UPSIDE-DOWN PINEAPPLE
CHUTNEY GATEAUX Warm Vanilla Custard
TUESDAY, JUNE 10
$135
CHEF DE CUISINE
JOHN TRINH & EXECUTIVE CHEF
PETER ISAAC
FIRST COURSE PAN-SEARED SCALLOP
Served over Goat Cheese Grit Cake topped with Chardonnay Butter
Avissi Prosecco
SECOND COURSE BURRATA & HEIRLOOM
TOMATO SALAD
Burrata, Heirloom
Tomatoes, Grilled Peach
Slices, Fresh Basil, Drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Torresella Pinot Grigio
THIRD COURSE
CHEF JOHN’S OSSO BUCCO
Served over Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta
Chianti Classico
FOURTH COURSE NONNA’S ITALIAN LEMON CAKE
Briquette’s Italian Coffee CocktailCommunity Coffee, Amaretto & Fresh Whipped Cream
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11
$200
CHEF DE CUISINE
JOSEPH MAYNARD
Enjoy an animation dining experience with TableMotion Studios. Your tabletop will come magically alive.
FIRST COURSE BURRATA
Arugula, Cherry Heirloom Tomatoes, Watermelon Radish, Cucumber, Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette, Basil Pesto, Aged Balsamic, Sea Salt Flakes, Micro Greens
Trimbach Gewurztraminer Alsace
SECOND COURSE
BOUILLABAISSE
Shellfish Tomato Broth, PEI Mussels, Littleneck Clams, Jumbo Shrimp, Braised Octopus, Snapper with Saffron-Garlic Rouille Crostini
Le Garenne Sancerre
THIRD COURSE
MAINE LOBSTER TAIL
Sous Vide Lobster Tail, Pea Tendrils, Citrus Beurre Blanc, Truffle Oil
Bravium Russian River Valley Chardonnay
FOURTH COURSE
BEEF SHORT RIBS
Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs, Creamy Celeriac Mash, Charred Broccolini, Gremolata
Flambeaux Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley
FIFTH COURSE
WARM VALRHONA
CHOCOLATE BROWNIE
Semifreddo, Cherry Compote, Cashew Nougatine
Pierre Ferrand Pineau des Charentes
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18
$135
CHEF BOBBI MILLER
FIRST COURSE WATERMELON & CRAB GAZPACHO
Served with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat
Primaterra, Pinot Grigio, Delle Venezie
SECOND COURSE
CREOLE TOMATO CAPRESE
Served with Pesto-Filled Mozzarella
Highway 12, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County
THIRD COURSE PORK BELLY PORCHETTA
Served over Creamy Goat Cheese Grits
Line 39 Pinot Noir, California
FOURTH COURSE CRISPY SEARED DUCK BREAST
Served with Beet Purée, Tri-Colored Carrots, Au Poivre Sauce
Juggernaut, Cabernet Sauvignon, California
FIFTH COURSE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE
Served with Raspberry Coulis Palace Café Coffee Cocktail
SUNDAY, JUNE 22
$165
EXECUTIVE CHEF
SUE ZEMANICK
FIRST COURSE LITTLE GEM LETTUCES
Tomato Confit, Cucumbers, Kalamata Olives, Feta, Champagne-Dijon Vinaigrette
Bernard Defaix
Sauvignon Blanc, Saint Bris, France
SECOND COURSE SAUTEED AMERICAN RED SNAPPER
Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Haricots Verts, Spicy Beurre Blanc
Ferrari Brut Chardonnay, Trentino, Italy
THIRD COURSE BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIB
Oyster Mushrooms, Asparagus, Pomme Puree, Truffle DemiGlace
Col d’Orcia Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino, Italy
FOURTH COURSE CHOCOLATE MALT SEMIFREDDO
Toasted Marshmallow, Peanut Butter Fudge & Peanuts
Rare Wine Co. Historic Series "New York", Malmsey Madiera
THURSDAY, JUNE 26
$165
CHEF DE CUISINE DARREN CHABERT UNDER EXECUTIVE CHEF ERIC COOK
CIBO DI BENVENUTO BACCALA MENTECATO
Whipped Salt Cod on Focaccia, Fried Green Tomato with Burrata & Basil, Stuffed Pepperdew Peppers, Confit Pork & Anchovies, Zucchini Alla Scapece
Prosecco
ANTIPASTO FRITTELLE di ZUCCHINE
Louisiana Blue Crab, Charred Corn, Spring Onion Aioli
Pinot Grigio
IL PRIMO GNOCCHI e TARTUFI
Spring Truffles, Brown Butter, Parmigiano Reggiano
Nebbiolo D'Alba
IL SECONDO INVOLTINI di PESCE SPADA
Grilled Eggplant, Fennel, Caponata Sauce
Occhipinti Siccagno Nero d' Avola
LA CENA GUANCE di VITELLO BRASATE al VINO BIANCO
Braised Veal Cheeks, Mascarpone Polenta, SumacJalapeno Gremolata Barolo/Sangiovese
DOLCE ESPRESSO PANNA COTTA
Dark Chocolate, Toasted Hazelnut, Zabaione Grassotti Marmirra Amaro
WEDNESDAY, JULY 16
$105
CHEFS WATARU SAEKI, DANA HONN & CHRISTINA HONN
FIRST COURSE NIKKEI CEVICHE
Gulf fish, Ginger, Tamari, Leche de Tigre, Red Pnion, Aji Amarillo, Aji Limon, Gulf Shrimp Chicharron
Poema Cava Brut - Spain
SECOND COURSE
BUKKAKE UDON
Chilled Udon Noodles in a Tamari Aii Broth with Ginger, Scallions & Other Seasonal Toppings
Portal da Calçada Rose - Portugal
THIRD COURSE
CHOICE OF CHASHU PORK OR GULF FISH MISONI
Heritage Pork Belly and Shoulder Braised in Soy Sauce and Mirin, Served with Rice or the Day’s Local Catch Simmered in a Ginger Miso Sauce Served with Rice & Roasted Baby Turnips
Montebuena Rioja – Spain
FOURTH COURSE
COCONUT MATCHA
ICE CREAM Served with Sesame Brittle
9:30am WORK IT OUT WOMBATS!
The three marsupial siblings demonstrate computational thinking (CT) for preschoolers, a way of thinking that enables them to solve problems, express themselves, and accomplish tasks using the practices, processes and ideas at the core of computer science.
5am ARTHUR
5:30am ODD SQUAD
6am WILD KRATTS
6:30am ALMA’S WAY
7am LYLA IN THE LOOP
7:30am CARL THE COLLECTOR
8am DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD
8:30am ROSIE’S RULES
9am SESAME STREET
9:30am WORK IT OUT WOMBATS!
1 SATURDAY
3pm
MARDI GRAS: THE PASSING PARADE
4pm
THE BIG CHIEFS OF CARNIVAL: THE SPIRIT MOVES MY NEEDLE
4:30pm
WHILE WE DANCED: THE MUSIC OF MARDI GRAS
5pm
BLAINE KERN: THEY CALL HIM MR. MARDI GRAS
6pm
THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW “Songs of the South and Mardi Gras”
7pm
ALL ON A MARDI GRAS DAY
8pm
10am DONKEY HODIE
10:30am PINKALICIOUS & PETERRIFIC
11am ELINOR WONDERS WHY 11:30am NATURE CAT
NOON MOLLY OF DENALI
12:30pm XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM
1pm DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD
1:30pm ARTHUR
MORE NEW ORLEANS PARADES FROM THE PAST Peggy Scott Laborde, Errol Laborde and Arthur Hardy return to discuss and share parade footage from the past 85 years. Pictured: King Zulu from a parade in the 1940s
9pm
EARTH, WIND & FIRE: iHeartRadio
LIVE The iconic group will perform fan favorites from over the course of their incredible career and open up about their Vegas residency and more during a special Q&A hosted by iHeartRadio’s Valentine.
10:30pm MY MUSIC WITH RHIANON GIDDENS
11:30pm
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS “Gary Clark, Jr./ Black Pumas”
11:30pm
VARIETY STUDIO: ACTORS ON ACTORS
3 MONDAY
6pm
PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Idaho Botanical Garden” (Hour 3/3)
8pm
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Shelburne Museum” (Hour 2/3)
9pm
WHILE WE DANCED: THE MUSIC OF MARDI GRAS
9:30pm SONS OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
2 SUNDAY
7pm
MASTERPIECE “MaryLand” (Pts. 1-3/3)
10pm
VELVET “Nothing is that Easy” (Pt. 4/16) In Spanish with English subtitles.
4 TUESDAY
9am
MARDI GRAS: THE PASSING PARADE
10am
BLAINE KERN: THEY CALL HIM MR. MARDI GRAS
11am
THE BIG CHIEFS OF CARNIVAL: THE SPIRIT MOVES MY NEEDLE captures the artistry and strength of the legendary leaders of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras Indian tribes. Every year the neighborhood tribes create intricate suits of the finest beads and choicest feathers, competing for the role of “prettiest” when they mask on Mardi Gras morning. Photo Credit: Pableaux Johnson
11:30am
THE BIG QUEENS OF CARNIVAL: IT’S YOUR GLORY
Noon
FROM THE GROUND UP: MARDI GRAS FLOATS
1pm
CHAPPY GOES TO MARDI GRAS takes viewers on an insider’s tour of Mardi Gras during the 1985 Mardi Gras season.
2pm CARNIVAL MEMORIES
3pm MARDI GRAS MEMORIES
4pm
NEW ORLEANS PARADES FROM THE PAST
5pm
MORE NEW ORLEANS PARADES FROM THE PAST
6pm
PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm THE 2025 REX BALL AND THE MEETING OF THE COURTS OF REX AND COMUS
WYES host and producer Peggy Scott Laborde, along with Errol Laborde, Carnival historian and author of Mardi Gras: Chronicles of the New Orleans Carnival, and Will French, Rex Organization historian, provide commentary throughout the evening. The live program contains interviews with past and present Rex and Comus royalty along with historical video vignettes. Photo Credit: Kathy Anderson
11:30pm
THE 2025 REX BALL AND THE MEETING OF THE COURTS OF REX AND COMUS
5 WEDNESDAY
2pm
MEMORY MAKEOVER WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD
4pm
YOUNG FOREVER WITH MARK HYMAN, MD
6pm
PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
JOE BONAMASSA: MUDDY WOLF
AT RED ROCKS Join the guitar hero, Joe Bonamassa, for a 2014 tribute to Chicago blues legends Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf at the gorgeous Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. Featuring a selection of songs from each artist, as well as a set from Bonamassa’s own extensive catalog. Local ticket offer at wyes.org/tickets when Bonamassa performs on Nov. 29 at the Saenger Theatre. Tickets include VIP soundcheck.
8:30pm
60’S AND 70’S SOUL CELEBRATION
11:30pm
AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
6 THURSDAY
2pm
RICK STEVES: GREAT GERMAN CITIES
4pm
AGING BACKWARDS 3 WITH MIRANDA ESMONDE-WHITE
5pm
AGING BACKWARDS 4 WITH MIRANDA ESMONDE-WHITE
6pm
PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
GREAT PERFORMANCES “Andrea Bocelli: The Celebration” Experience the world-renowned Italian tenor’s 30th anniversary concert from Tuscany featuring global superstars Ed Sheeran, David Foster, Katharine McPhee, Sofia Carson, Brian May, Jon Batiste and more. Local ticket offer at wyes.org/tickets when Bocelli performs on June 10 at the Smoothie King Center.
9pm
TONY BENNETT: VIVA DUETS Tony Bennett performs his classic songs with special guests, including Marc Anthony, Gloria Estefan, Franco De Vita and Vicente Fernández. Photo Credit: Kelcey Bennett
10pm IL VOLO IN THE VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES
Join the acclaimed Italian trio for a stunning concert in a breathtaking Sicilian setting.
11:30pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
7 FRIDAY 2pm 60’S AND 70’S SOUL CELEBRATION
5pm TONY BENNETT: VIVA DUETS
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm INFORMED SOURCES
7:30pm LOUISIANA: THE STATE WE’RE IN 8pm WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC
8:30pm FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER
9pm
THE ALL NEW ROCK, POP AND DOO WOP Enjoy performances from Johnny Maestro, The Duprees, Jay Black, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Ronnie Spector, Frankie Valli, Jerry Butler and more.
11pm STEPPIN’ OUT 11:30pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
8 SATURDAY
11am
PRUE LEITH’S COTSWOLD KITCHEN features the restaurateur and former judge on “The Great British Baking Show,” cooking in her Cotswold home kitchen with celebrity guests. The show also features tips, culinary hacks, and recipes for every occasion.
10am THE DOOKY CHASE KITCHEN: LEAH’S LEGACY
WYES celebrates Leah Chase, the “Queen of Creole Cuisine,” in a cooking series featuring members of the legendary chef’s family. Each episode explores a different chapter of the restaurant’s history. Photo Credit: Cheryl Gerber
5am MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD
5:30am ARTHUR
6am WILD KRATTS
6:30am ALMA’S WAY
7am
J. SCHWANKE’S LIFE IN BLOOM
7:30am WOODSMITH SHOP
8am THIS OLD HOUSE
8:30am ASK THIS OLD HOUSE
9am KITCHEN QUEENS: NEW ORLEANS
9:30am KEVIN BELTON’S COOKIN’ LOUISIANA
10am THE DOOKY CHASE KITCHEN: LEAH’S LEGACY
1:30pm
AMERICA MADE WITH LOVE Travel coast to coast to meet extraordinary artisans whose passion, vision and creativity embody the essence of American ingenuity.
3pm
WHY YOU LIKE IT: DECODING MUSICAL TASTE
4:30pm CLASSICAL REWIND
6pm
THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW “1930: History of the Lawrence Welk Musical Family”
7pm BEST OF THE 60’S
9:30pm 60’S AND 70’S SOUL CELEBRATION
9 SUNDAY
10am RICK STEVES’ TASTY EUROPE
10:30am
10:30am CHEF PAUL PRUDHOMME'S ALWAYS COOKING
11am LIDIA’S KITCHEN
11:30am AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN FROM COOK’S ILLUSTRATED
NOON COOK’S COUNTRY
12:30pm CHRISTOPHER
KIMBALL'S MILK STREET TELEVISION
1pm GREAT CHEFS
1:30pm SARA’S WEEKNIGHT MEALS
2pm THE KEY INGREDIENT WITH SHERI CASTLE
2:30pm MILK STREET'S MY FAMILY RECIPE
3pm VARIOUS PROGRAMMING
4pm
NOVA
GET GOOD WITH MONEY WITH TIFFANY ALICHE
Noon
JOSEPH CAMPBELL AND THE POWER OF MYTH WITH BILL MOYERS In the 1988 series, mythologist and storyteller Joseph Campbell joined journalist Bill Moyers to explore what enduring myths can tell us about our lives.
7pm
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL: WISDOM OF THE DALES
8:30pm
TONY BENNETT: VIVA DUETS
9:30pm
JOHNNY MATHIS: WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL
11pm
YOUNG FOREVER WITH MARK HYMAN, MD
10 MONDAY
2pm PRUE LEITH’S COTSWOLD KITCHEN
4:30pm
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL: WISDOM OF THE DALES
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
50 YEARS WITH PETER, PAUL AND MARY Celebrate the folk music trio who combined artistry with activism and provided America’s soundtrack for generations. Features many of their most popular songs, including “Puff The Magic Dragon,” “If I Had A Hammer” and “Five Hundred Miles.”
9pm
EVERLY BROTHERS: HARMONIES FROM HEAVEN
10:30pm RICK STEVES’ TASTY EUROPE
11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
11 TUESDAY
2pm RICK STEVES’ TASTY EUROPE
2:30pm JOSEPH CAMPBELL AND THE POWER OF MYTH WITH BILL MOYERS
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR.— THE FABRIC OF AMERICA Explore the work of one of the most renowned, respected and popular cultural historians.
8:30pm
WOMEN OF WORLD WAR II: THE UNTOLD STORIES Meet the American women who built the planes and flew them, fought on the warfront and the home front, cracked codes and broke barriers. The “secret weapon” that helped win the war, they forever changed the world in the process Pictured: Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) Photo Credit: National Archives
10pm
RICK STEVES: FASCISM IN EUROPE
11:30pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
12 WEDNESDAY
2pm
RICK STEVES’ MIGHTY ALPS
2:30pm
JOSEPH CAMPBELL AND THE POWER OF MYTH WITH BILL MOYERS
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
BEST OF THE 60’S
9:30pm
WHY YOU LIKE IT: DECODING MUSICAL TASTE
11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
13 THURSDAY
2pm
WOMEN OF WORLD WAR II: THE UNTOLD STORIES
3:30pm
TWO WARS: NO MAIL, LOW MORALE
4pm
KEN BURNS: ONE NATION, MANY STORIES
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm STEPPIN’ OUT
7:30pm MOMENTS TO REMEMBER
10pm
RICK STEVES’ MIGHTY ALPS
11:30pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
14 FRIDAY
2pm
50 YEARS WITH PETER, PAUL AND MARY
4pm
WHY YOU LIKE IT: DECODING MUSICAL TASTE
5:30pm
RICK STEVES’ MIGHTY ALPS
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm INFORMED SOURCES
7:30pm
LOUISIANA: THE STATE WE’RE IN
8pm
WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC
8:30pm FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER
9pm
AMERICA MADE WITH LOVE
10:30pm STEPPIN’ OUT
11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
15 SATURDAY
11am AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
12:30pm
AMERICA’S HOME COOKING: EASY RECIPES FOR THRIFTY COOKING
2:30pm THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
4pm
50 YEARS WITH PETER, PAUL AND MARY
6pm
THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW “1931— Behind the Scenes with our Musical Family”
7pm
ALL NEW ROCK POP AND DOO WOP
9pm
JOE BONAMASSA: MUDDY WOLF AT RED ROCKS Enjoy a tribute to Chicago blues legends Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf at the gorgeous Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. Local ticket offer at wyes. org/tickets when Bonamassa performs on Nov. 29 at the Saenger Theatre. Tickets include VIP soundcheck.
10:30pm
STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE
TROUBLE LIVE AT THE EL MOCAMBO Enjoy a high-powered performance from Stevie Ray’s early days, featuring “Testify,” “Texas Flood,” “Wham!,” “Pride
and Joy” and his fiery interpretation of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return).” Filmed at the intimate El Mocambo club in Toronto, Canada, the program showcases the acclaimed rock and blues musician’s raw performance and his virtuoso guitar playing.
16 SUNDAY
10am
AMERICA’S HOME COOKING: WHEN IN ROME AMERICA’S HOME COOKING: WHEN IN ROME Chris Fennimore shows that cooking authentic recipes doesn’t have to be complicated. Pictured: Doug Heilman and Chris Fennimore making meatballs. Photo Credit: Dave Hallewell WQED
Noon
YOUNG FOREVER WITH MARK HYMAN, MD
2pm AGING BACKWARDS 3 WITH MIRANDA ESMONDE-WHITE
3pm
TONY BENNETT: VIVA DUETS
4pm MOMENTS TO REMEMBER
6:30pm CLASSICAL REWIND
8pm
GREAT PERFORMANCES “Andrea Bocelli 30th: The Celebration”
10pm
MEMORY MAKEOVER WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD
17 MONDAY
2pm
YOUNG FOREVER WITH MARK HYMAN, MD
4pm
GREAT PERFORMANCES “Andrea Bocelli 30th: The Celebration”
6pm
PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Living History Farms” (Hour 3/3)
1pm RICK STEVES’ EUROPE
Rick Steves offers globetrotters a fresh perspective on lodgings, transportation and places to visit on their European journeys. Photo Credit: Rick Steves’ Europe
8pm ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Bismark” (Hour 2/3)
9pm
THEY SWUNG THEIR PICKS: THE IRISH AND THE NEW BASIN CANAL tells the story of a six-mile waterway linking Uptown New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain that was built by Irish canal diggers beginning in December 1831 and is considered the greatest public works project of 19th century New Orleans.
10pm
IRISH NEW ORLEANS
11pm
THE CALLING: A MEDICAL SCHOOL JOURNEY
18 TUESDAY
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
5am MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD
5:30am ARTHUR 6am WILD KRATTS
6:30am ALMA’S WAY
7am
LYLA IN THE LOOP
7:30am CARL THE COLLECTOR
8am WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC
8:30am
LOUISIANA: THE STATE WE’RE IN 9am
FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER
9:30am INFORMED SOURCES
10am VARIOUS PROGRAMMING
11am KEVIN BELTON’S COOKIN’ LOUISIANA
11:30am THE DOOKY CHASE KITCHEN: LEAH’S LEGACY
NOON ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
1pm RICK STEVES’ EUROPE
1:30pm SAMANTHA BROWN'S PLACES TO LOVE
7pm
FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. “Born to Sing”
8pm
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “Fly with Me”
10pm
CORONATION GIRL In the summer of 1953, 50 girls went from Canada to London to witness the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. The experience transformed them. The film includes interviews with a number of the women who participated in the trip and follows them as they return one last time to Buckingham Palace. 11:30pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
19 WEDNESDAY
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
NATURE “The Elephant and the Termite”
8pm
NOVA “Building the Eiffel Tower”
9pm
WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM The destruction from the 2025 LA fires was not inevitable, so why were they so devastating? Host Maiya May speaks to fire chiefs, survivors, community responders and climate scientists to understand the events that led to perhaps the costliest fire in U.S. history.
10pm
CITY OF SPIRITS: RELIGIOUS CELBRATION IN NEW ORLEANS
11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
20 THURSDAY
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm STEPPIN’ OUT
7:30pm BRITISH ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
8pm
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S POIROT, SEASON 3 “The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge” (Pt. 10/10)
9pm
MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES “Death at Victory Dock” (Pt. 4/13)
10pm
THE PARIS MURDERS, SEASON 2 “Storms, Pt. 1” (Pt. 5/12) In French with English subtitles. 11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
21 FRIDAY 6pm PBS NEWS HOUR 7pm
INFORMED SOURCES
7:30pm
LOUISIANA: THE STATE WE’RE IN
8pm WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC
8:30pm FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER
9pm
GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET “Grounded” Follow a fighter pilot who operates a drone in a high-tech world battling both war and motherhood. With pressures from every angle, she balances being the perfect soldier, wife and mother. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Michael Mayer’s staging. Pictured: Emily D’Angelo as Jess and Kyle Miller as the Sensor Photo Credit: Ken Howard/Met Opera
11:30pm STEPPIN’ OUT
22 SATURDAY
6pm
THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW “Tribute to the Sweet Bands”
7pm ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Living History Farms” (Hour 3/3)
8pm
FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. “Born to Sing”
9pm
HORATIO’S DRIVE: AMERICA’S FIRST ROAD TRIP
11pm AUSTIN CITY LIMITS “Jelly Roll/The War and Treaty”
23 SUNDAY Noon AMERICA’S HOME COOKING: EASY RECIPES FOR THRIFTY COOKING
2pm
MEMORY MAKEOVER WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD
4pm
GREAT PERFORMANCES “Andrea Bocelli: The Celebration”
6pm
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S POIROT, SEASON 3 “The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge” (Pt. 10/10)
7pm
LUCY WORSLEY INVESTIGATES, SEASON 2 “Bloody Mary” (Pt. 4/4) Lucy investigates whether England’s first ruling female monarch was as bloody as history suggests. Or did her reputation emerge from being a strong woman in a predominantly male world?
8pm
MASTERPIECE “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” ‘Wreckage’ (Pts. 1/6) Eagerly awaited and years in the making, the new series will trace the final four years of Thomas Cromwell’s life, completing his journey from self-made man to the most feared, influential figure of his time. Pictured: Academy Award® winner Mark Rylance will return to his BAFTA-winning role of Thomas Cromwell, with Emmy® Award winner Damian Lewis returning as King Henry VIII. Photo Credit: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd
24 MONDAY
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Denver Botanic Gardens, Chatfield Farms” (Hour 1/3)
8pm ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Bismark” (Hour 3/3)
9pm
CITY OF SPIRITS: RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION IN NEW ORLEANS features the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Parade, St. Joseph altars, Touro Synagogue’s Jazz Fest Shabbat concert and more.
10pm INDEPENDENT LENS “Home Court”
11:30pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
25 TUESDAY
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY
LOUIS GATES, JR. “The Brick Wall Falls”
8pm
NEW SEASON
9pm
MARIE ANTOINETTE, SEASON 2 “The Worst Winter” (Pt. 1/8) In the new season, at the height of their power, Marie Antoinette and Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis. The incessant attacks of Provence and Chartres stir up the hatred of the nobles while disastrous consequences loom with the Diamond Necklace Affair. From Versailles to the Palais-Royal, the revolt rumbles on. Pictured: Emilia Schüle returns as Marie Antoinette. Photo Credit: Caroline Dubois / Capa Drama / Canal Plus
10pm
VELVET “The Designer” (Pt. 5/16) In Spanish with English subtitles. 11:30pm
VARIETY STUDIO: ACTORS ON ACTORS
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “The History of the ADA & Wellness”
9pm FRONTLINE
10pm
SHAKING IT UP: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LIZ CARPENTER Hear the story of journalist, vice-presidential advisor, White House official, author, humorist, political activist and feminist leader Liz Carpenter. Photo Credit: Collection of Christy Carpenter
11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
26 WEDNESDAY
6pm
PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
NATURE “Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons”
8pm
NOVA “Hunt for the Oldest DNA”
9pm
FRONTLINE “The Future of Nature”
10pm LITERARY NEW ORLEANS
11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
27 THURSDAY
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm STEPPIN’ OUT
7:30pm BRITISH ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
8pm
FATHER BROWN “The Hammer of God” (Pt. 1/10) Assisted by the parish secretary and his own wit and sharp intellect, Father Brown works his way through a series of mishaps and intriguing clues to piece together the truth at every turn. Repeats Sundays at 6pm. Photo Credit: ©BBC 2012
9pm MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES “Raisins and Almonds” (Pt. 5/13)
10pm THE PARIS MURDERS “Storms, Part 2” (Pt. 6/12) In French with English subtitles.
11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
28 FRIDAY
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm INFORMED SOURCES
7:30pm
LOUISIANA: THE STATE WE’RE IN
8pm
WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC
8:30pm FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER
9pm
JACQUELINE DU PRÉ: GENIUS AND TRAGEDY tells the story of one of the greatest cellists of all time. Photo Credit: Allegro Films
10:30pm STEPPIN’ OUT
11pm
AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
29 SATURDAY
6pm THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW “1934”
7pm
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Denver Botanic Gardens, Chatfield Farms” (Hour 1/3)
8pm
FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. “The Brick Wall Falls”
9pm THE VIETNAM WAR “Déjà Vu” (Pt. 1/10)
10:30pm LIFE OF A MUSICIAN “John Jorgenson”
11pm
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS “Brittany Howard”
30 SUNDAY
7pm
CALL THE MIDWIFE, SEASON 14 (Pt. 1/8) It is the beginning of a
new decade, 1970, in Poplar. In the first episode, protests on the Isle of Dogs cause chaos for the Nonnatus team, while an apparent immaculate conception concerns the midwives. Sister Julienne and Trixie plan to fight back the Board of Health’s disapproval of the way Nonnatus House operates.
8pm
MASTERPIECE “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” ‘Obedience’ (Pts. 2/6)
A secret marriage brings scandal to court, giving Thomas Cromwell the opportunity to bring his adversary Norfolk down for good. But an unexpected encounter forces Cromwell to question where his loyalties lie.
9pm
MARIE ANTOINETTE, SEASON 2 “A Poison Pen” (Pt. 2/8) Marie Antoinette’s dangerous sexual affair with Fersen reignites when they are cast in “The Marriage of Figaro.” However, the production turns out to be a calculated plot, orchestrated by the Palais-Royal, to challenge Louis’s authority.
10pm
VELVET “In Between Two Women” (Pt. 6/16) In Spanish with English subtitles.
11:30pm BRITISH ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
31 MONDAY
6pm PBS NEWS HOUR
7pm
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Denver Botanic Gardens, Chatfield Farms” (Hour 2/3)
8pm
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW “Birmingham” (Hour 3/3)
9pm
NOSTALGIC NEW ORLEANS EATS & DRINKS Local notables interviewed are singer Wanda Rouzan, Tom Fitzmorris, Poppy Tooker, Angelo Brocato, Sammy Centanni of Gold Seal Creamery, and Peter Mayer – to name a few.
10pm
GOING YOUR WAY focuses on the personal, medical, and spiritual issues surrounding end-of-life care.
11pm AMANPOUR AND COMPANY
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Dear Medellin, Colombia,
As I put pen to paper for this correspondence, the weather outside is indeed frightful by New Orleans standards. I find warmth, however, in the knowledge that the first merciful signs of spring should be emerging by the time these words reach you.
We can only hope the mayor does not spot her shadow and beat a hasty retreat to the Pontalba Apartments, guaranteeing us six more weeks of winter.
Either way, the season of rebirth is a soul-stirring time regardless of where you live, as all creatures great and small trade winter’s chill for the hope and promise of a new dawn. Given that Medellin is known as the City of Eternal Spring, I picture your citizenry living awash in frolicsome glee, surrounded year-round by birdsong and optimism.
Things are a little different in the City of Eternal Potholes.
Here, we live most of the year in a state of wry resignation. Three centuries of fires, floods, plagues and political malpractice will do that to a populace. If our difficult past has taught us anything, it is that things will go sideways at some point.
Yet, one curious feature of the New Orleans psyche is that we have for the most part learned to accept that without succumbing to pessimism. Here, we endure whatever creative cruelties the universe hurls at us and then dance our way home from the graveyard, middle fingers raised to the heavens, in our unending search for social aid and pleasure in equal measure.
Satire we embrace. But cynicism? Not in our makeup.
Yesterday is a memory. Tomorrow is a wish. Today, however, awaits — and so we make sure to drink deeply from it.
While we drink, we await spring.
Maybe it is attributable to the post-Carnival sobriety of Lent. Perhaps it has something to do with the seductive aroma of the season’s first crawfish boils. Whatever the case, in springtime we allow ourselves to indulge in hope.
As evidence, look no further than the nearest garden.
We are famously well practiced at indulging here. But, generally speaking, when mainlanders think of
Ask Mike
Have a question or a thought to share about New Orleans etiquette or tradition? I’d love to hear it. Email it to mike@ myneworleans.com
BY MIKE SCOTT/ ART BY BONNIE WONG
New Orleans, debauchery and hedonism come to mind – and not wrongly. It is not entirely correct to say the city’s economy is built on hangovers and venereal disease, but there is a reason Bourbon Street smells the way it does on a Sunday morning.
What many visitors may not realize — and what many locals take for granted — is that New Orleans is also a great city of flowers. That fact becomes evident every spring. Washington, D.C., has its cherry blossoms. Portland has roses. Southern California pops with poppies. But when it comes to sheer variety and ubiquity of its blooms, few places are a match for the fertile soil of the alluvial plain we call home.
It is pure coincidence, but a fitting one, that our most prominent civic symbol is in fact a flower — the fleur-de-lis. It is only appropriate, then, that the city is at present on the verge of exploding in colorful flora of all description, from the hanging gardens of the French Quarter to the meticulously manicured estates of the Garden District. Indeed, by the time you read this, City Park’s breathtaking tulip field is likely already luring lookie-loos and Instagram influencers – which means its sea of seasonal wildflowers can’t be far behind.
Elsewhere, one need not look far to find other landscapes bursting with blooms: azaleas, camellias, magnolias, gardenias, our eponymous Louisiana irises.
“Stop and smell the roses” the adage reminds us, and it is indisputably good advice. Yet, I suspect whoever coined that phrase was unfamiliar with the olfactory delight of an unexpected encounter with a flowering sweet olive tree or the intoxicating fragrance of a honeysuckle bush.
One need not remember to stop and smell them. Here, our blooms’ perfumes stop us. Pity the allergic. Being unable to appreciate such an unbridled example of seasonal beauty is like being allergic to snowballs in August or Taysom Hill during football season.
Of course, seasons change, flowers fall. In due time, the summer swelter will chase us back inside as our eyes shift from the garden to the Gulf.
But the flowers will return. On that we can rely. Spring is not eternal here, but it is dependable.
Admittedly, your eternal spring does sound quite fine, indeed. But ain’t nothing wrong with eternal hope, either.
Insincerely yours, New Orleans
