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Using your feline instincts

I blame it on the cat. His name is Invest. He was born in Hurricane season, and the other kittens in his litter are Cat One, Cat Two - all the way to the biggest one, Cat Five.

But we should of named this one Houdini.

He can hide in anything. Leave out a half-empty Kleenex box, and he’s gone for days.

I need to get the apartment sprayed for termites, which means getting the cat out of here for the duration. I talk my mother-in-law, Ms. Larda, into cat-sitting.

I warn her to expect his vanishing acts, but it still makes her nervous if she don’t see this cat for a few hours. Eventually she’ll maybe yank open her underwear drawer or something and there’s Invest, reclining like royalty, and he puts his head up and gives her a look like “Why do you disturb me, commoner ?”

The other day Ms. Larda washes a load of towels, after checking the washer for a small cat, and dries them, after checking the drier likewise, and goes off to take a hot bath.

She gets all nice and relaxed, and then she realizes all her towels are still in the drier.

So, she has to squish her way to the laundry room at the back of the house. As she passes through the kitchen, she notices the cat reclining in her good punch bowl away up on top the cabinet. She yells, which must startle Invest. The bowl starts to teeter. She leaps like a ballerina across the room to catch it. And she gets it - only her wet feet slip and she hits her chest on edge of the kitchen counter. Which snaps her rib.

But she saves the punch bowl and the cat. Neither of which show no gratitude.

The people at the emergency room check her out and say since no vital organs are punctured, there isn’t much they can do. Take Tylenol.

But it hurts. It hurts too bad to even wear a bra around it.

I got to explain. Ms. Larda got a figure like a wedge. She is what you’d call well-endowed. She ain’t the type to flit around braless. She’d attract a crowd.

Like I said, I blame the cat. But it’s my cat, so I know I got to do something.

I sent off for a bunch of those washable stick-on bras. Rush order - the size that is as high in the alphabet as they go. The ad says, “Massive Breast Support: Lift up and supports your boobs to achieve the desired perkiness, roundness, and cleavage.” That is a direct quote. It also claims you can pick up a watermelon with a pair of them things. There is actually a picture.

At first, Ms. Larda is suspicious of them, like they are maybe immoral.

“Never did I think I would be wearing pasties, like a Bourbon Street stripper,” she says.

But they work. She can once more show herself in public.

At least up to a point. She probably should have read the directions. She washes them with bleach. She also applies her scented after-bath powder before she sticks them on. Both of which the instructions specifically say not to do. So eventually, they lose their stickiness. At least the left one does.

It happens at the Winn-Dixie. She is in line, checking out the grocery-store tabloids (“Extraterrestrials Have Hot Sex”) and with no warning, her left pastie gives up the ghost. It sounds like a plumber’s friend in a toilet. Thorrrr-sup!

Credit to Ms. Larda; she remains calm. She says to the completely innocent lady in front of her, in a stage whisper, “Gas-X works good for that.”

Then she snatches up another tabloid, holds it in front of her chest and points to whatever scandalous headline they got. (“Politicians Have Hot Sex”) and tells the cashier. “Can you believe this?” She holds it like that the whole time she is checking out. And she walks out the store like royalty, head held high, even if one boob is drooping low.

She learned something from that cat.

1909

ll aboard the Mandeville, Abita Springs, Covington motorcar

Aexpress. Express by 1909 standards, that is. Seen here crossing the Bogue Falaya River in Covington is the short-lived gasoline-driven motorcar that once transported local residents, day-trippers and vacationers from a steamboat pier on the Mandeville lakefront north to Abita Springs and then on to Covington. Along the way it made stops in Hansborough, Chinchuba, Ozone Park, Helenburg and Claiborne, hamlets that no longer exists.

For more than a century, St. Tammany has been a popular retreat for New Orleanians and a developer’s dream. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, steamboats such as the “New Camelia” and later trains carried city dwellers, fleeing yellow fever and summer heat, back and forth across the lake to hotels and summer houses on the Northshore. In the 1880s and 90s, land developers made fortunes promoting St. Tammany’s health-giving spring waters and so-called “Ozone” air while timber companies cleared virgin forests to make way for new developments.

As the population in west St. Tammany grew, more convenient forms of transportation were needed to transport people from steamer landings in Mandeville to Abita Springs and Covington. In came land developers Clay Riggs and Joseph Birg in 1905. According to Louis Hennick and Harper

Charlton’s 1998 book, “Street Railways of Louisiana,” Riggs and Birg bought large parcels of land between Mandeville and Covington. Then in 1906, they created the St. Tammany & New Orleans Railways and Ferry Co. Their plan was to build a motorcar line that would give New Orleanians direct passage to west St. Tammany first by steamboat from Milneburg and West End on the New Orleans lakefront to Mandeville and then by motorcar north to Abita Springs and Covington. The following year they convinced the St. Tammany Parish Police Jury and landowners in the Mandeville-Abita Springs-Covington area to pass a ten-year property tax to finance the project. Tracks were laid, stations built, and two Charcoal boats in New gasoline-powered motorcars purchased. Service began on Feb. Basin Canal, 1906, Detroit Publishing Co., 13, 1909. The company soon added two more cars to the line.

Library of Congress In 1915, the company reorganized as the St. Tammany & New Orleans Railways & Power Co. and converted most its motorcars to electricity, which required poles and electric wires be strung along the route from Mandeville to Covington. With their new dieselpowered generators, the company also provided electric power to the City of Mandeville. By 1917, as Hennick and Charlton noted in their history of the railway, the company was deep in debt and ridership had declined drastically. To pay creditors, the company shut down the line in June 1918 and sold off its cars and equipment to a St. Louis company for scrap.

SCOUTING

N G I FOR FUNKID -FRIENDLY MERIT BADGES FOR SUMMER ADVENTURE AND L E A R N

Maybe you’ve already been to the beach or gone on that much needed (and much missed due to COVID) family vacation. You’ve had multiple play dates with friends and family. Maybe you’ve let the kids sleep in and stay up late after multiple sleepovers and pool parties. And then comes those dreaded words: “I’m bored.” ¶ Even the best laid plans can fizzle in the summer sizzle, especially when the dog days of summer begin to set in. But no need to resort to video games and TV time. From outdoor adventures to indoor explorations, we scouted the city for fun things to do at all ages. We’ve got your lazy, hazy days covered.

By Ashley McLellan | Photographed by Theresa Cassagne

ZIP NOLA

Located high above the Maurepas Swamp, Zip NOLA takes visitors on an exciting wildlife and swamp experience. Visitors travel along five ziplines above marsh and wetlands full of wildlife, from alligators, snakes, deer, racoons to mysterious swamp creatures. Two sky bridges, an elevated viewing platform (the perfect spot for those that may not be ready to zip along) and a one-of-a-kind spiral staircase along an old growth cypress tree give swampgoers a unique nature adventure. Zipline tours, open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, are $89 per person and include a 1- 1 ½ guided tour, ziplines, sky bridges and information on the surrounding habitat and its inhabitants. 301 Peavine Road., LaPlace, 504-350-0947, zipnola.com.

DEEP SEA DIVING

Harry’s Dive Shop will appeal to mermaids, mermen and merkids of all ages with basic swim classes for ages 3-36 months, 3-17 years and adults, plus scuba and snorkel instruction. Scuba ranger classes (ages 8 and up), junior open water dive classes (ages 10-11 and 12-14) will get kids started exploring the sea… safely. The “mermaid experience,” is open to swim-experienced boys and girls ages 6 and up with lessons on “mer-tail” nagivation, flips, tricks and photo ops. Prices vary for classes and experiences, so be sure to check the website for more information. 4709 Airline Drive, Metairie, 504-8884882, harrydiveshop.com.

PARK

CITY PARK

New Orleans City Park is the perfect playground for kids, with lots of things to do and see. From the newly revamped Storyland to City Putt, the historic Train Garden (located inside The New Orleans Botanical Garden), and the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, plus plenty of room to play outside, there’s something for everyone and every interest. The park’s Third of July Celebration, July 3 at 6 p.m. on the Great Lawn featuring the Marine Corps. Reserve Band and fireworks atop the Peristyle. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs. NewOrleansCityPark.com.

AUDUBON PARK

Audubon Park offers a pretty place to picnic, play, ride your bike, watch boats navigate the Mississippi River along The Fly, or explore the historic oak trees throughout the Uptown campus. Audubonnatureinstitute.org. New Orleans City Park’s Couterie Forest is a true hidden gem. Tucked away alongside the park’s golf course, disc golf course and equestrian stables, Couterie Forest features 60 acres of forest, trails, views of scenic waterways and more. It’s a quick stop for outdoor fun right in the heart of the city. Be on the lookout for a variety of native trees, birds, flowers, turtles and fish. Visitors can enter along the Harrison Avenue entrance along a picturesque bridge constructed in 2015. Visit City Park’s website for a Couterie Forest trail map. Admission is free, and the trails are open during daylight hours each day. Neworleanscitypark.com.

NATURE CENTER

Hit the trails without leaving home at the Audubon Nature Center. Located on 86 acres near Joe Brown Park in New Orleans East, entering this lush forest, it feels like you are miles away from the city. The Nature Center features walking paths and boardwalks, a visitor center with knowledgeable park rangers and scientific exhibits. The Center is free and open to the public Mon.-Sat. 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Bring your water bottle, snacks and mosquito repellent. 11000 Lake Forest Blvd., 504-861-2537, audubonnatureinstitute.org. Explore the Louisiana wetlands at Jean Lafitte National Park’s Barataria Preserve. Located 17 miles outside of the city, the preserve’s 26,000 acres of wetlands and hardwood forests feature walking trails, picnic areas, and lots of wildlife viewing. A visitor center provides trail maps, historic exhibits, restrooms and a water-bottle filling station to get you on your way. Each Wednesday at 10 a.m., park rangers also provide a guided walk along the boardwalk, free for all visitors (meet outside the visitor center.) Pack your backpack for adventure, bring a camera and be on the lookout for alligators, birds, turtles and more wildlife. 6588 Barataria Blvd., Marrero, Louisiana, open Wed.-Sun., 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., 504-689-3690, nps.gov.

FONTAINEBLEAU

Just across the lake in Mandeville, Fontainebleau State Park makes a great day trip destination for outdoor fun. The 2,800 acre park is located along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain and features a sandy beach, access to the Tammany Trace biking trail, a 4.8-mile hiking trail, a 1 ¼-mile nature trail and plenty of room to roam, romp and play. While the park’s cabins remain closed due to damage from Hurricane Ida, camping is available with water and electrical hook-ups for premium and improved camp sites, primitive camp site for tents and 10 “glamping” tents available via Tentrr. 62883 Hwy. 1089, Mandeville, 985-624-4443, lastateparks.com.

TRAIL

BLAZER

AUDUBON NATURE INSTITUTE PHOTO

The Louisiana Children’s Museum located in New Orleans City Park is chockfull of activities and hands-on experiences that educate through play. STEM, health and wellness, nature and the environment, outdoor exploration and arts and culture are all part of a play date at the museum. Weekly programming offers a variety of fun, including toddler time, nature visits, story time and a weekly wiggle party. Summer camps for children ages 4-8, which offer guided learning both indoor and outside, are currently sold out, although there is a waitlist for each five-day camp experience through Aug. 1. 15 Henry Thomas Drive, 504-5231357, Wed.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., $14 adults and children, $12 seniors and military. lcm.org.

Bonus: Acorn Café located alongside the museum is open Wed.-Sat., 9 a.m.- 5p.m., with a daily café menu, family feasts prepared and ready to be picked up, party packages for at-home celebrations, plus a “Pizza Happy Hour” from 4-5 p.m. offering whole pizzas or by the slice classic pies.

FITNESS ACE

NOMA

Do you have a budding artist in your family? New Orleans Museum of Art has a series of summer camps that will inspire them to embrace their inner Monet or Cassatt. Three weeks of camps, starting July 11, will explore art techniques, selfportraits, creative skills and more for kids ages 8-10 (sessions 4, 5) and 11-13 (session 6.) Registration is $300 for members and $400 for the general public, with financial assistance available for a limited number of participants.

Additionally, the museum is a great place to bring kids of all ages to enjoy the permanent and visiting exhibits, such as Queen Nefertari’s Egypt (on display until July 17), in air-conditioned glory. Admission to the museum is $8-10 (free on Wednesdays to Louisiana residents, thanks to The Helis Foundation); admission to Queen Nefertari’s Egypt is $10-$25 for adults, seniors, students and other discounted options (be sure to check online for pricing and reservations.) 1 Collins Diboll Cir., 504-658-4100, noma.org.

BONUS: Top a visit off with lunch or refreshments at Café NOMA located inside the museum, and decorated with its own curated display of art and artifacts. Menu items include coffee, iced teas, limeade, flatbreads, soups and sandwiches, plus “Nefertari Hour” Mon.-Fri., 3-5 p.m. through July 17 with an Egyptian menu inspired by the queen herself. Café NOMA, Tues.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m., cafenoma.com.

THNOC

The Historic New Orleans, tucked away at a newly renovated historic French Quarter complex, is a great resource for a fun and informative experience for the whole family. Current exhibits take a colorful look at Mardi Gras, explore the design and planning of Jackson Square, and feature the people and places of the Vieux Carré.

In-person and virtual field trips are available for kids of a variety of age ranges, with the goal of bringing the history of the city of New Orleans to life, through tours, hands-on activities and more. Log on to past virtual tours through the museum’s YouTube channel, covering topics such as Caribbean music, dance, indigenous history, conversations with iconic Carnival creators and culture bearers, and more.

“Family Activity Kits” brings the history of the city right to you, with at-home activities and explorations. “Sensory-friendly Saturdays” offer a unique experience for neurodiverse kids and their families. The museum’s upcoming July 30 session, “Mini City,” will explore “Making Mardi Gras” and “Robert Tannen’s Jackson Square” adapted for a low-sensory experience and activies such as mini float building and Lego construction. Admission to the museum and its programs are free, although reservations are required in advance online. 520 Royal St., 504-598-7171, Tues.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sun., 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; the Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St., Tues.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., HNOC.org

PRESBYTERE

It’s Carnival time year-round with the special “Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana” exhibit at the historic Presbytère Museum. Older kids will get a kick out of the museum’s collection of parade floats, costumes, historic throws and Mardi Gras music. 751 Chartres St., 504-568-6968, Tues.-Sun. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., $7 adults, $6 students, free to kids 6 and under. Louisianastatemuseum.org/museum/presbytere High school students ages 14-19 can work out for free at Planet Fitness locations across the area all summer long, through August 31. The “High School Summer Pass” program is a great way for teens to keep moving, plus the company will award $500 scholarships to teens in every state, with a grand prize winner to receive $5,000 at the end of the summer. Kids can sign up online, with parent or guardian permission. Each teen that signs up will automatically be entered into the scholarship drawing. It’s a win-win! Planetfitness.com.

Lace up your inline or traditional skates, NORD is offering “Skate Saturdays” along the Lafitte Greenway, from North Claiborne Avenue to Carrolton Avenue., 1- 4 p.m. throughout July. Open for all ages and abilities. Nord.org.

New Orleans Boulder Lounge offers indoor climbing recreation for youths ages 5 through 18, with team memberships based on age and skill levels. Climbing camp is open through the end of July, Mon-Fri., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for kids ages 7 to 12 years, with a tiered pricing model ranging from $280-$420. The lounge is also open for member and nonmembers Mon, 4-9 p.m., Tues.-Fri., 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat., 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sun, 12 p.m.-7 p.m. Day passes range from $12-24. 2360 St. Claude Ave., 504-962-7609, climbnobl.com.

Unwind and calm young minds with a summer yoga fitness class at Lolo’s Studio. Lolo’s specializes in youth yoga, emphasizing stress management through breathing and meditation, healthy lifestyles, and self-confidence and mindfulness. Summer camp is available for ages 5-7 and 8+ with yoga lessons, fitness, art and more. 6117 Magazine St., 415-786-3317, lolosstudio.com

SUGAR ROOTS FARM

Located just across the river, Sugar Roots Farm has plenty of up-close-andpersonal play time with lots of cute farm animals including pigs, goats, llamas, horses and more barnyard friends, hands-on gardening and composting classes, education on where food comes from and healthy eating. Sugar Roots Farm is a working farm situated on seven acres, providing locally grown produce to New Orleans Community Fridges, Faubourg Market, and The Bower and Birdy’s in the Lower Garden District.

The farm is open to the public on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (admission is a $6 minimum donation per person; kids 2 and under are free) with field trips ($8 per person) featuring guided tours available during the week as well by appointment. 10701 Willow Drive, 504-766-7780, Sugarrootsfarm.org

AUDUBON ZOO AND AQUARIUM

The Audubon Zoo Uptown and the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Insectarium along the riverfront are mainstays for fun for all ages in New Orleans. Visit lions Arnold, Kali, Nia, Zuri, Haji and Asani, learn about Asian elephants, explore the Jaguar Jungle, climb Monkey Hill and more at some of the zoo’s most popular exhibits. The aquarium is a great choice for the hottest days, with cool views of tropical fish, an Amazon rain forest, penguins, sea otters, jellyfish, seahorses and the new Shark Discovery exhibit. An expansion of the aquarium and insectarium was also recently announced, so stay tuned and keep this stop on your to-do list when renovations are complete at a date to be announced. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $22 for children.

Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine Street, and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Insectarium, 1 Canal Street, open Thurs.-Mon., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Audubonnatureinstitute.org

INSTA-GATOR

For swampy fun, take a road trip just across the lake to Insta-Gator Ranch and Hatchery. The ranch offers tours for all age groups, with hands-on alligator experiences. Kids will be able to pet, feed and learn about all aspects of the American alligator from incubating eggs to hatchlings to 8-foot-long adults, plus the marsh environment and conservation efforts of the state. They even offer party packages for a truly memorable birthday experience. Admission is $13 for kids ages 12 and under, $19 for adults, $17 for seniors, plus a discount for members of the military. 74645 Allen Road, Covington, 985-892-3669, Insta-gatorranch.com

SWIMMING LESSONS, & MORE

Summertime is swim time. Young swimmers of all abilities can practice, learn to swim and have fun with a variety of facilities across the city:

Love Swimming

Group and private classes for ages 6 months to all ages and special abilities. 5221 S. Front St., 504-891-4662, loveswimming.com.

University of New Orleans Aquatic Center

Swim lessons, safety courses, team practice, lap swimming and more. 6801 Franklin Ave., UNO Lakefront Arena, 504-280-7238, unoaquatics.com.

New Orleans JCC

Bubble babies, swim lessons (group classes currently have a waiting list), recreational swim for members. 5342 St. Charles Ave., 504-897-0143, nojcc.org

Dryades YMCA

Swim lessons, lap swimming, group exercise and more (check online schedule for dates/times). 2220 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 504-522-8811, dryadesymca.org

Little Fins Swim Academy

Group and private swim lessons for ages 8 months to adults. 329 Colonial Club Drive, Harahan, littlefins.net Headed to the Mississippi Coast? Be sure to check out the Salvation Army Kroc Center. Guests can purchase swim passes in advance and can take advantage of the indoor pool with a two-story Jumbo Shrimp water slide, splash pads, lazy river and children’s play area. Swim passes are $10 per person, children 2 and under are free. Open Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sun., 1- 3 p.m. 575 Division St., Biloxi, Miss., 228-207-1218, krocmscoast.org.

COOL ZOO

Cool Zoo is back at Audubon Zoo. A summer-time favorite spot for beating the heat, Cool Zoo features the 750-foot “Gator Run” lazy river, with places to lounge and enjoy water curtains and jumping jets, an alligator water slide, splash pads and more, plus shaded seating for parents and caregivers. Cool Zoo admission is a special $10 add-on ($8 for zoo members) to regular zoo admission, and is open Thurs.-Monday through July 31, and weekends only through Sept. 4. Coolzoo. audubonnatureinstitute.org

ARTS & CRAFT WIZARD

OGDEN CLASSES

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art features contemporary art that will inspire budding artists and designers. “What a Wonderful World,” features mixed media works by Cuban American artist Luis Cruz Azaceta, and “Fashion Camp” for 5th-8th graders (July 11-22) will teach young fashionistas the basics of sewing and design in a sustainable way. Camp is $500 for members, $550 for non-members. 925 Camp St., 504-539-9650, open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is $13.50 for adults, $11 for seniors, teachers, students and military, $6.75 for kids ages 5-17. Thursday admission is free for Louisiana residents courtesy of The Helis Foundation.

GLASSBLOWING

New Orleans Glassworks is open six days a week, Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and is free for visitors to explore the studio, and to view daily demonstrations of glass blowing artists at work. The studio also offers hands-on weekly workshops for kids ages 9-19 through August 12. Students will learn glass blowing techniques, metal sculpture and welding, ceramics, printmaking and more. Call for more information . 727 Magazine St., 504-529-7277, neworleansglassworks.com

ARTS CAMP

Upturn Arts emphasizes learning through art and movement. Summer camp series include “Heroes Among Us,” “Architectural Marvels,” and “Natural Wonders of the World.” Classes are designed for ages 4-12 and 12-15. Field trips may include a visit to Loop NOLA, New Orleans Museum of Art and more creative spots around the city. Upturn Arts is a non-profit creative collective dedicated to teaching children to “explore and build confidence in themselves as artists.” Summer camps are Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with aftercare available. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided. Tuition varies from $250-$350, so check the website for additional information. 1719 Toledano St., 504-390-8399, upturnarts.org.

SCULPTURE GARDEN TOUR

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden tucked away in the heart of New Orleans City Park is a great way for kids to connect with art and nature. Featuring more than 90 sculptures across 11 acres of City Park, there are plenty jumping off point for talks about art, sculpture and design on all levels. Plus there’s lots of great Instagram photo opps throughout the park. Admission is free, open 10 a.m-3p.m., 1 Collins Diboll Circle, noma.org.

For days when family fun gets a little too much, Longue Vue House and Gardens provides a calm, lush retreat from the everyday hubbub of summer in the city. Longue Vue House’s historic gardens and green fields are a great place for kids to be outside, play and enjoy nature. The July calendar of events is also full of events, twilight concerts, volunteer opportunities for “Junior Garden Volunteers,” and gardening workshops. 7 Bamboo Road, 504-488-5488, open Mon.-Sat. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., garden admission is $10 per person, free for members, longuevue.com. See full calendar of events throughout the summer atlonguevue. com/events/category/longue-vue/.

FARMERS MARKET AND MORE

The Crescent City Farmers Market offers a great way for kids and families to talk with local growers and producers, connect with where and how food is grown, and opportunities to plan healthy meals and eating. The Farmers Market is open three days a week at three locations across the city: Sunday mornings, 8 a.m. to noon outside Tad Gormley Stadium on Marconi at Navarre Ave. in City Park; Tuesdays Uptown, 8 a.m. to noon in Uptown Square, 200 Broadway St.; and Thursdays afternoons, 3-7 p.m. in Mid-City at the Lafitte Greenway Plaza, 500 Norman C. Francis. Parkway. Check out the website for the most up-todate information on what’s fresh, vendors of the week and more. Crescentcityfarmersmarket.org.

Budding gardeners will want to check out City Park’s summer plant sales at the Pelican Greenhouse, Saturday, July 9 and August 13 at 8 a.m. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs and more will be available for purchase. Prices range from $2.50 to $20. Pelican Greenhouse, 2 Celebration Drive, 504-483-9437, neworleanscitypark.com.

MOVIE STAR

Summer is a great time to take advantage of a cool movie theater, so grab some popcorn, an ice-cold drink and catch up on a movie. Try these options for family film viewing: • Teen Movie Nights each Thursday evening at 4:30 p.m. at the St. Bernard Rec Center, 1500 Lafreniere St., 504-658-3040, nord.org • The Broad Theater offers a BYOB (bring your own baby) weekly special viewing for parents with infants or young children, each Thursday. A recent special featured a screening of Downton Abbey with sushi rolls from Asuka. Check the website for the latest information and shows. 636 N. Broad St., thebroadtheater.com. • AMC Elmwood offers discount matinees each day for viewing before 4 p.m. so be sure to plan ahead and see your favorite summer blockbuster for less. 1200 Elmwood Park Blvd., Harahan, Amctheatres.com.

The New Orleans Public Library is one of the best summer resources for kids, teens, adults and the whole family. The library’s Summer Fun reading program runs through the end of July, with lots of great incentives to keep kids of all ages reading for fun all summer long. The program has in-person and virtual events, and challenges participants to read for 20 minutes per day, with prizes available for reading. A Summer Fun BINGO Card also encourages participants to explore all the library has to offer for the chance to win more prizes. Plus, audiobooks and e-audiobooks (available to “check out” for free through the library) count too towards your reading goal.

In addition to summer reading, the library has a calendar packed with activities at many of the 15 branch locations around the city, including music workshops, 3D printing classes, visits from Audubon Zoo staff and weekly story times for families.

Families can also take advantage of the awesome Culture Pass Program, which allows cardholders who live in Orleans Parish and are over the age of 18 to reserve free admission to one of partner organizations such as Audubon Nature Institute, NOMA, Ogden, Hermann-Grima/Gallier House, WWII Museum and the New Canal Lighthouse Museum. While the rules vary, all passes allow entry for at least two adults and up to seven children.

If all of that wasn’t enough fun, the library provides “Take & Make” craft kits, available for kids (every two weeks) and teens (every month). Teens can also take advantage of special year-round programs, such as a monthly Manga Book Club, the Teen Advisory Board and more.

Visit nolalibrary.org for branch locations, Summer Fun reading information and more resources for the whole family.

Dive into these summer reading recommendations, provided by Kacy Helwick, New Orleans Public Youth Collection Development Librarian:

CHILDREN

When My Cousins Come to Town by Angela Shanté & Keisha Morris

The Why Files: Exploring Flight! by Andrea Beaty & Dr. Theanne Griffith

MIDDLE GRADE

The Pathfinders Society: The Mystery of the Moon Tower by Francesco Sedita, Prescott Seraydarian, & Steve Hamaker

Cardboard Box Engineering: Cool Inventive Projects for Tinkerers, Makers, & Future Scientists by Jonathan Adolph

YOUNG ADULT

Ballad & Dagger: An Outlaw Saints Novel by Daniel José Older

The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures by Christian Allaire

Baked Goods

10 Cent Baking

@10centbaking

Gillian White Deegan, sole proprietor at 10 Cent Baking, has fond memories of baking with her mom and grandmother during her childhood. “I have baked off and on throughout my life at varying degrees, and I have always held a special place for it,” she said. “I never expected to be doing it in this capacity though.”

Deegan, who doesn’t have formal training as a pastry chef, rekindled her love of baking during the quarantine when she would often bring her baked goods to friends and coworkers at Meauxbar (where she worked as beverage director). “I initially created my Instagram as a fun way to chronicle my projects—not ever really anticipating for it to have evolved in the way it has, which has been a really cool surprise,” she said.

Deegan currently operates as a cottage bakehouse in the Lower Garden District. “I specialize in custom layer cakes, where we either work together to come up with a cake based off of a vibe or an idea for your flavor combination, or you can gather inspiration by selecting options from my list of available cake, cake filling and frosting flavors,” she said. Deegan also offers a variety of pies, cookies and brownies.

Some of her most popular cakes include the chocolate/caramel cake (chocolate buttermilk cake with dark chocolate ganache and caramel filling, with salty caramel Swiss meringue buttercream frosting) and the Chantilly berry cake (almond buttermilk cake, strawberry jam soak, cream cheese mousse and fresh berry filling, with vanilla Swiss buttercream frosting). In the winter she offers a satsuma-key lime pie. Other popular treats include the brown butter chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cream pies. Deegan accepts order inquiries at 10centbaking@gmail.com.

Bayou Saint Cake

@bayousaintcake

While Bronwen Wyatt, owner of Bayou Saint Cake, has been a professional pastry chef for years, it wasn’t until the lockdown that she started making layered cakes—just for fun. She started baking under the name Bayou Saint Cake (a play on Bayou St. John, which she lives near) after she was furloughed from her job.

Wyatt typically offers three to four different cake flavors per month, so you’ll always find something different on the menu. “My most popular cake is the Dealer’s Choice, where the client gets a surprise cake based on what’s available at the market,” Wyatt said. “I source nearly all of my produce and flowers from local farms.”

Indeed, customers can expect the unexpected thanks to Wyatt’s inventive selection of layer cakes, which she dreams up by wandering through the farmer’s market. Most feature local produce with Swiss meringue or French buttercream frosting.

Bayou Saint Cake operates out of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, with cakes available for pickup via pre-order only. Wyatt also offers custom cakes ordered up to three months in advance. Email orders can be sent to bayousaintcake@gmail.com.

KkimiBakes

@kkimi_ bakes

Kimi Nguyen, a cottage baker and BIPOC female owner of KkimiBakes, first started baking during the pandemic as a way to occupy her free time. She started taking preorders, and, once word got out about her talents, her business was officially up and running.

Her first pop-up with Vivi’s (@radicaljoybakery) Vietnamese brunch was a hit, and she soon started getting requests from other vendors. “That is how I started to show up on the radar in New Orleans as a pop-up vendor,” she said.

Nguyen describes her baking as a mixture of French-inspired pastries and Asian styles. She offers a wide selection of cakes, ranging from sponge cakes and crepe cakes to glutenfree honeycomb cakes and regular cakes. However, she is most known for her cracked cream puffs and Asian desserts.

She is now popping up at Coffee Science, and she also has small pastries at Mister Mao (where she was a guest chef for the entire month of June). Nguyen also offers custom pastries and pastry boxes (filled with unique flavors during different holidays).

While the menu items don’t change often, the flavors do. “I usually get inspired by other bakers around the globe,” Nguyen said. “I try to think what people might be into or what’s popular. I usually get inspired with different bubble-tea flavors.”

Sweet Treats

Rahm Haus Ice Cream

@rahmhaus_ icecream

Jillian Duran, who cooked with her mother and grandmother as a child, has worked as a pastry chef for 12 years. However, when the pandemic hit, she knew she had to pivot. That’s when she opened Rahm Haus Ice Cream (in June 2020) to offer some of the best (and highest quality) ice cream in the city. “[I wanted] to bring flavors and pairings that are usually found in fine-dining kitchens to the general public,” she said.

Duran first started Rahm Haus Ice Cream (a German name that translates as cream house) as a delivery service off of Instagram. Then she heard that Courtyard Brewery was hosting pop-ups, so she started popping up there in late August 2020 (where she has been ever since). “We are [open] inside Courtyard Brewery five days per week [Wednesday through Sunday],” Duran said. “Some Sundays, you can find us selling half pints of ice cream at Coffee Science on Broad Street from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.”

Duran has concocted more than 600 flavors since opening—most of them Philadelphia-style, meaning it lacks eggs. She currently offers nearly 16 rotating flavors, which include Black & Gold (black garlic and local honey ice cream with chunks of salted, dark chocolate-covered honeycomb candy) and Cookie Monster (the most popular—made with blue spirulina and vanilla ice cream with house-made chocolate chip cookies and Oreo cookie crumbs).

The menu changes weekly (the new menu drops on Friday nights at 9 p.m. on Instagram), and it also includes new and seasonal flavors, sorbets made with local herbs, yogurt sherbets, gelati (ice cream and sorbet combined) and coconut- and oat-based vegan ice creams. Typically, five different types of cakes also are available for pickup each week once they are listed on the website (rahmhausicecream.com).

Only Flans

@onlyflansbychefely

At Only Flans, Ely Navarro Hernandez has based her flan-focused pop-up on her Cuban mother’s recipe. “I am not a very good pastry chef, and this was the one thing I had in my pocket because of my mom,” she said. “I grew up eating it and watching her make it; it’s the one thing in dessert land that came easy to me.”

Hernandez started Only Flans as a way to make money during the pandemic, but she had no idea how popular it would become. Now, she pops up at Trap Kitchen on Sundays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for the Bywater Market; at Alto (the rooftop bar at the Ace Hotel) on the third Thursday of the month this summer from 6-9 p.m.; and at the Apartment 4 Lifestyle studio every Thursday from 12-6 p.m. A few local restaurants - Kebab, Arabella, Que Pasta Nola and Manolito - also carry her flan on their menu.

Currently, Hernandez offers five flan flavors (classic, sweet potato, ginger, cinnamon and squid ink) - all in the same queso style - with more being added as she experiments and perfects her recipes. During Carnival season, she also offers a mini king cake flan. At most of her pop-ups, you can expect to find classic slices garnished with cocoa-roasted almonds. “I’m always open for preorders of the whole flan in any of the flavors as well,” she said. “I just need five days minimum for pick-up.” Email ely.culinary@gmail. com for preorders.

Buzzworthy

Bom Creole

@bomcreole

Originally from St. Martinville, chef Tiger Leon moved to New Orleans for its cultural energy. “I also had the opportunity of being the program manager for the COVID-19 hospital conversion here,” he said. “I overheard nurses saying they needed some good food. I prepared a barbecue feast, and it was a slam dunk.”

Leon’s mother taught him how to cook, and most of his recipes have been passed down through many generations. “My family has over 200 years of history here in Louisiana,” he said. “Every time someone eats, tastes and swallows a portion, they are experiencing a part of my history and culture through cuisine.”

He started his pop-up, Bom Creole, after bringing over a pot of gumbo, potato salad and French bread to a Saints football party. His friends said it was the best gumbo they had ever eaten, and they insisted on paying him. “I sold out in 30 minutes, and it began,” Leon said.

He describes his food as “best on the market Creole.” He offers barbecue, gumbo, fried catfish, boiled crawfish, fried chicken, pork chops, red and white beans, his mom’s famous potato salad, boudin, cracklins and more. To this day, the gumbo is the most popular. It consists of a homemade roux, the trinity, chicken gizzards, chicken, smoked sausage and andouille sausage with Leon’s special Creole seasoning.

Leon initially started popping up at Pepp’s Pub, and he is now at Big Daddy’s in the Marigny. He also offers Creole cooking classes. Follow him on Instagram for updates.

Mighty Meals

Bub’s NOLA

@bubsnola

Bub’s NOLA co-owners Ron Richard, Tristan Moreau and Josh Richard are serving up some of the best burgers in town. “It was all driven by the loss of our shared friend, Rand Owens,” Moreau said. “We rallied together … to create something positive together. We would go buy different cuts of beef and grind it ourselves, tasting for differences and trying to come up with the perfect blend for a smash burger. Learning about pickling, sauces and bun research—it was something we could focus on to honor him and his family, so the motivation was genuine and it just took off from there.”

The trio started popping up at Zony Mash Beer Project in 2020 and then at Second Line Brewing. They offer a smash-style patty with crispy edges, topped with grilled onions, melted cheese, homemade bread-and-butter pickles and homemade Bub Sauce. The menu features seven burgers, including an Impossible Burger, plus a hot sausage sandwich, grilled cheese and breakfast sandwiches.

Popular choices include the Bub Royale (topped with lettuce, red onion, tomato and pickles) and the BBQ bacon cheddar (topped with diced onion, spicy mayo, bacon, grated cheddar and house-made barbecue sauce). There’s also a rotating specialty burger or sandwich every week. While Bub’s Burgers is popping up at festivals across the city, there is also now a brick and mortar restaurant at 4413 Banks St. (open TuesdaySunday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.).

Joel’s Lobster Rolls

@joelslobsterrolls

Joel Griffin, who grew up in Connecticut, has been making lobster rolls since he was 16 years old. When he moved to New Orleans in 2017 to start college, he would often crave the lobster rolls that he grew up eating. But he had a hard time finding them here. “Half the time, locals thought lobster rolls were sushi,” he said. In 2021, after he graduated with a degree in business management, he was thinking of a business to open. When he once again found himself craving a lobster roll, he had his ah-ha moment. He had his first Joel’s Lobster Rolls pop-up in October 2021, and he started popping up full-time in January 2022. Some of his usual spots are Second Line Brewery, Miel Brewery and Taproom, Henry’s Uptown Bar and Gasa Gasa. As THE place to find a lobster roll in New Orleans, Joel’s Lobster Rolls doesn’t disappoint. In fact, Griffin uses only the best quality lobster meat from the Northeast. “It gets air-shipped in, and I pick it up at the airport myself,” he said. “Mine are also extra tasty because the bun I use is so buttery and soft. My food is as authentic as it gets.”

He currently offers three types of lobster rolls: the hot lobster roll (a quarter pound of claw and knuckle meat, sautéed in warm butter, served on a toasted New England bun); the hot lobster roll with lobster bisque drizzle; and the mini lobster roll (a mini option that’s more affordable and about half the size). The menu also features homemade, gluten-free clam chowder and Cape Cod potato chips. Sometimes, Griffin also offers lobster loaded fries (fries topped with chunks of claw meat, lobster bisque, a zig of homemade lemon-garlic aioli and chopped parsley). Check his pop-up schedule on Instagram.

Savory Snacks

Get Your Mom & Dim Sum

@geturdimsum

Andrew Lu, owner of Get Your Mom & Dim Sum, says that Chinese food has always been an integral part of his life. “I grew up working at my uncle’s Chinese restaurant in Lafayette,” he said. “I learned dim sum through watching my father, aunts and uncles come together for special occasions where it was important for everyone to work together to make a meal.”

When Lu lost his job as a chef during the pandemic, he started to think more about what he wanted to do with his craft. “There are very few Chinese restaurants in the city at the moment, and I want to share with New Orleans my perspective as a Chinese person from Cajun Country,” he said.

Get Your Mom & Dim Sum currently pops up at breweries around the city - posted weekly on Instagram - such as Miel Brewery & Taproom, Urban South Brewery, Zony Mash Beer Project and Second Line Brewing. “We currently offer six types of dim sum on our menu,” Lu said. “It was important to have an inclusive menu, so we have items that are gluten-free, vegetarian and pescatarian, as well as small plates and things for a more hearty appetite.”

Staple menu items include the Dan Dan Dumplings (freshly rolled pork tortellini served with Chinese Lap Xuong sausage, house-made sauce and bok choy) and Crab Rangoons (stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, crab and green onion, served with a sweet chili sauce). Other options, such as crawfish boil dumplings, rotate seasonally. @txowtxowpintxos

Adam Mayer, self-professed chief deliciousness officer at Txow Txow, is originally from the Bay Area, but he spent the first part of his career cooking in New York City. Later, he spent some time abroad cooking in places like Bilbao, Spain; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Copenhagen, Denmark. He eventually made his way to New Orleans, working at Shaya, and then at Bywater American Bistro.

Ever since his early days in the kitchen, Mayer has wanted to work for himself doing pop-ups. “I did my latke pop-up (Latke Daddy) first in New York about six years ago, and, pretty much ever since, I’ve dreamed of doing pop-ups full-time,” he said.

During the pandemic, Mayer took the plunge and started Txow Txow in June 2020. “The ‘tx’ in the Basque language makes a ‘ch’ sound, so that’s a nod to the culture that inspired the pop-up,” Mayer said. “But phonetically it has a bunch of meanings, from the greeting ‘ciao ciao,’ to the use of ‘chow’ to just mean food, to the Southern condiment, to the dog (why not?).”

Txow Txow specializes in pintxos (small snacks that are especially popular in the Basque country). While the menu is always changing, Txow Txow does offers a few staple items like patatas bravas and a house-made chorizo burger. “My chorizo is very special,” Mayer said. “I start with really nice meat and grind it in-house before seasoning it with a blend of spices, red wine and garlic. I also use bacon instead of the traditional fatback, because we’re in the South. Then I take that patty and cook it like a smash burger, and I serve it with pickled onions, a thick slice of Manchego and shredded lettuce.”

The newest iteration of his popup, Donostia Supper Club, features a multi-course meal inspired by the gastronomy and fine-dining culture of Basque Country. These dinners are by reservation only, and they take place at secret locations across New Orleans. Mayer also slings spuds during the holiday season with his holiday popup, Lakte Daddy. Find information on his pop-ups and the supper club on Instagram.

Greta’s Sushi

@gretassushi

Greta Reid, chef and owner of Greta’s Sushi, describes her pop-ups as “fine-dining street sushi.” She is accurate in that description thanks to the amount of training she has had—most notably at the James Beard award-winning Austinbased restaurant, Uchi. However, it wasn’t until she was 20 years old and working as a food runner at a Minneapolis restaurant that she learned how to make sushi. “A woman chef from El Salvador, Princess Ana, took me under her wing,” Reid said.

Reid started Greta’s Sushi during the pandemic when private sushi parties became a fad. However, her first party cancelled on her due to Covid-19, and, with hundreds of dollars of product in debt, she popped up in front of her parents’ house to sell her sushi to the neighborhood. Now, Reid hosts a monthly omakase at The Independent Caveau, which includes five sushi courses with wine pairings— plus lagniappe. (Only 16 seats are available, so reservations are required.) She also posts locations for her pop-ups on Instagram, and she offers private parties and classes.

Reid uses sustainable seafood for her sushi (usually local Gulf of Mexico products), but she also enjoys serving a special fish from overseas on occasion. “I serve sushi and Japanese cuisine in many different styles (nigiri, sashimi, temaki, maki, onigiri, donburi, crudo, ceviche, etc.),” she said. “My menu changes weekly, and I try to have one to two new menu items per week.”

One of her most popular rolls is the Fox Roll (the faux lox roll) made with cured and applewoodsmoked Gulf wahoo, smoked barbecue sauce, Thai serrano preserve, fried fish shallots, satsuma ponzu, avocado, green onion, sesame seed, rice and nori. “I also like to serve unique Japanese treats that are hard to find at most sushi restaurants in America like takoyaki and tamago (a Japanese rolled-egg omelette),” she said.

Aloha Nola

@alohanola_hawaiian

Royal Bell, founder of Aloha Nola, first started cooking Hawaiian food at BJ’s Lounge as a way to stay connected to her roots and to feed people - for free. “I never intended to sell food, I just wanted to be an ambassador,” she said. “After about eight months of doing Tuesdays at BJ’s, Aloha Nola was born.” Bell now runs her pop-ups with Tiare Maumasi, who gave the popup its name.

According to Bell, Hawaiian and Cajun/Creole food have a lot of similarities. “We both have a lot of mixing of cultures that make up both of our cuisines,” she said. “Our food is a direct influence of those cultures from the plantation days in the 1800s in Hawaii. So there are some Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, Mainland and Portuguese influences.”

Aloha Nola typically offers three to four appetizers and three to four main dishes. A popular item is the Spam musubi. “It may seem a little strange, but it is as common in Hawaii as boudin is here,” Bell said. “It is a layer of seasoned rice, a layer of wasabi mayo and a thick slice of Spam that has been cooked in a soy/pineapple reduction and wrapped in seaweed. We also do different versions of the musubi, like chicken coconut curry, pork and scallion, and royal red shrimp bahn mi. Tiare also came up with this killer combo called a hapa sundae. It’s a layer of sticky rice, a layer of our popular Mac salad, then kalua pork on top with sriracha mayo and hoisin sauce.”

Find Aloha Nola’s pop-ups on Instagram.

Buzzworthy

Kusina

@kusinanola

Michael Bruno, chef and owner at Kusina, moved to New Orleans specifically to pursue a career in the food and restaurant scene. In November 2020, he was furloughed from his job as a line cook. That’s when he decided to open Kusina (a Tagalog word, meaning kitchen). “Since I was a kid, my mom and aunts passed down all of their knowledge from the kitchen, and I took interest immediately,” he said. “The kitchen is really the heart of the Filipino home.”

Bruno describes his menu as a mix of contemporary and traditional Filipino food. “Filipino food is still highly underrepresented here,” he said. “I try to use the flavors I grew up with in new and interesting ways, while still respecting the ingredients and the classic dishes.”

While the menu changes seasonally, popular items include the Tocilog (house-cured pork shoulder, pickled green papaya, a fried egg and garlic fried rice) and the Bagoong Brussels sprouts (deep fried and tossed in a fermented shrimp-paste vinaigrette, herbs and red onion). “Occasionally I’ll come across an ingredient from the Philippines that I’m really excited to use or a dish that I’m nostalgic for, and I’ll incorporate that into the menu for a limited time,” Bruno said.

Kusina typically pops up at Miel Brewery, Gasa Gasa and Pal’s Lounge. Find the weekly pop-up schedule on Instagram.

Milkfish

@milkfishnola

Another local Filipino pop-up is from Christina Quackenbush, chef and owner of Milkfish (named Southeast Restaurant of the Year by New Orleans Magazine in 2014). Quackenbush, who was born in the Philippines, moved to America when she was four years old. She eventually made her way to New Orleans after a trip she took here in 2000.

Her love of food started at a young age, when she would help on her grandmother’s farm—seeding, sowing, picking and canning vegetables. “Watching my grandmother produce these things from a seed to the dinner table amazed me,” she said. “While my grandmother taught me fundamentals of cooking, my mother taught me Filipino food.”

Quackenbush describes her menu as traditional Filipino fare with inspirations from Louisiana. “It’s known for its garlic and sour notes,” she said. “There are some spicy dishes as well as seafood.”

While her menu changes weekly (she bases it off of requests from Instagram), popular dishes have included chicken adobo (simmered in soy sauce, vinegar, black pepper and coconut milk); Sisig (pork face, chicken liver, chili and calamansi); and Halo Halo (a Filipino snowball with flavored gels, flan, ube ice cream, condensed milk, crushed ice, red beans and jackfruit).

Quackenbush, who was recently featured on the HBO Max show, Take Out with Lisa Ling, hosts monthly reservation-only Kamayan dinners at La Boca. She also pops up at Twelve Mile Limit every Thursday.

Unretiring

BY CHRIS PRICE

Millions of Americans retired – many early – in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with 5.6 million more jobs available than workers to fill them, many who left the workforce are eyeing a return to the workplace. Seeing the world through a porthole view and spending sunlit afternoon strolling through European capitals, Mike Guidry never dreamed he would return to the corporate world once he was finally enjoying his golden years. After a 40-year career in banking in a variety of roles and departments, including trusts, brokerage, wealth management, private banking, and credit card operations, he always planned to retire at 62, but when the opportunity to retire at 58 presented itself he took it.

“I was at Whitney, in trust and brokerage and very happy. Loved my job,” he said. “Three days before Christmas 2010, I woke up to the announcement that Hancock purchased the bank.”

The prospects of going through a merger – an experience he had when the original First NBC was bought by Bank One – and its associated redefining of roles, introduction of new management, and interoffice politics going up the ladder was one that Guidry wasn’t keen on going through again.

“I was eligible for an enhanced package out and had always wanted to retire early but kind of had a target more like 62ish,” he said. “It was not where I wanted to be and a little scary, but I decided to jump anyway. I was newly married, not even married a year when this happened. So, suddenly it was much different than we thought it would be. But we agreed to take the leap and see where it leads us.”

With time and savings at hand, the pair began spending more time at home and visiting their bucket list destinations around the world.

“I was given a golden opportunity to just sit there and ponder what I wanted to do with my life,” he said.

“I’ve always been a person who likes to travel, and we ramped up the travel to ridiculous levels, quite honestly.”

After four years of enjoying the fruits of his labor, Guidry attended the grand opening of Gulf Coast Bank & Trust’s Magazine Street branch where he struck up a conversation with a wealth manager that turned into a job offer over breakfast the next day.

“I’ve been at Gulf Coast over eight years now,” he said.

A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS

Guidry’s story is not unique and as the job market stays hot for employees many economists believe it may become more common, especially as the world continues to work through COVID-19, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, rising prices, and associated economic impacts.

According to a March 2022 report by Geoffrey T. Sanzenbacher and Matthew S. Rutledge, associate professors of economics at Boston College and research fellows at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, more than 15 million people ages 55-70 are retired. They say the rate of unretirement has been relatively low over the last four decades, averaging a little more than 6 percent. They found a 1-percent increase, year-over-year, in a state’s job opening rate is associated with a 0.5-percent increase in unretirement, especially among relatively younger workers, more educated workers, and men.

When the pandemic hit, many companies were faced with employee retirements, quits, layoffs, and forced furloughs. The nation’s unemployment rate grew to 14.8 percent in April 2020, the highest since the Great Depression.

According to an October 2021 report by Miguel Faria e Castro, a senior economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The labor force participation rate registered its largest drop on record in 2020, falling from 63.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 60.8 percent in the second quarter of 2020. The rate increased to 61.6 percent by the second quarter of 2021 but was still 1.6 percentage points below its pre-pandemic level. That equates to nearly 4.2 million people who left the labor force. Additionally, the Institute for Economic Equity’s January 2022 Current Population Survey reported there were 3.3 million or 7 percent more retirees in October 2021 compared to January 2020.

“A significant number of people who had not planned to retire in 2020 may have retired anyway because of the dangers to their health or due to rising asset values that made retirement feasible,” Faria e Castro wrote in the Federal Reserve report.

He found the percentage of retirees in the U.S. population was relatively stable at around 15.5 percent until 2008, the beginning of the Great Financial Crisis but also when the oldest Baby Boomers, those born in 1946, turned 62 and became eligible to receive Social Security retirement benefits. In February 2020, just before the virus became a global pandemic, the rate was at 18.3 percent and grew to 19.3 percent in August 2021.

“There were slightly over 2.4 million excess retirements due to COVID-19, which is more than half of the 4.2 million people who left the labor force from the beginning of the pandemic to the second quarter of 2021,” Faria e Castro wrote.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), there were 11.5 million job openings at the end of March 2022, a month that saw 6.7 million hires. The Labor Department reported 6.3 million separations, which includes layoffs and discharges (1.4 million) and a record high for quits (4.5 million). In the New Orleans-Metairie metropolitan area the March 2022 unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, down from 6.2 percent a year before.

While the housing and stock markets seemed to go through the beginning of the pandemic unscathed, making retirement more feasible for many people, rising fuel costs and inflation combined with the Federal Reserve’s increase in interest rates has created concern that the dollar’s purchasing power has diminished. That is leading economists to think that some of those who retired in the past few years may decide to go back to work to make ends meet or to add to their nest eggs, especially if the potential job and associated benefits are attractive.

With job openings outpacing the number of available workers nationally by 5.6 million, employers are doing what they can to lure top talent to their companies, including increased wages, bonuses, and flexible work schedules, while keeping afloat during challenging economic times. According to the Labor Department, average hourly earnings were up 5.6 percent in March from a year ago, but inflation increased 8.5 percent over the same period. That’s causing workers to ask for more, making the situation ever challenging for employers.

As a result, they are considering all options, and one they are finding success with is luring retirees back to work on a full, part time or voluntary basis.

REASONS TO RETURN

The Indeed Hiring Lab, an international team of economists and researchers of the global labor market, reports that during the worst of the pandemic, 2 percent of workers who retired came back to work a year later. Now that number is at 3.2 percent, the same level it was pre-pandemic. Indeed says there are four major reasons people go back to work after retiring: additional income, fulfillment of identity and purpose, a sense of community, and to aid a former employer.

“We’re hearing a lot about unretiring in the media right now. That’s really concentrated in the 55 to 64 age group,” said Jen Schramm, a senior strategic policy advisor at the AARP Public Policy Institute whose areas of expertise include employment trends, policy challenges and opportunities related to workers and jobseekers ages 50 and up.

“The older an individual is, the

less likely they are to return full time. The older ages that do come back are more likely coming back to work part time. So, for those large numbers that retired during the pandemic it’s more likely that the people beyond traditional retirement age are retired, rather than people that are younger than that age.”

AARP member surveys show finances are the main reason retirees choose to re-enter the workforce, according to Schramm. “There are different financial reasons that you can put in one bucket,” she said. “Some of it is the need to save for retirement, to pay for everyday expenses; some older adults go back to work because they want to help out younger family members. There are also other reasons some people go back, including, personal fulfillment and social interaction.”

David John, senior strategic policy advisor at the AARP Public Policy Institute, where he works on pension and retirement savings issues, said current market fluctuations and inflation have given people concerns about whether they have enough resources to have a comfortable retirement.

As of June 1, the national average for a gallon of gas was $4.67 a gallon, and there’s no relief on the horizon. Increases in fuel prices create a domino effect of rising prices through the economy, John said.

“We have been in a low-inflation environment now for several decades, and it’s going to take people a while to start to recognize that they need to adjust and they can adjust,” he said. “For many, the question becomes whether it wouldn’t be a better idea to go back to work, increase your savings and have less time that you have to rely on your savings and your other retirement benefits.”

Misjudging the longevity of retirement savings is a major concern for American economists who believe the country is facing a growing crisis. According to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, a 65-year-old American is expected to live an average of another 19.4 years, and many don’t have a nest egg built up to last them that long. Most Americans (59 percent) believe that they will have to keep working longer to be able to retire comfortably and 36 percent say they will never have enough money to be able to retire at all, according to the Natixis Global Retirement Index. The recent increase in inflation has also forced some retirees to go back to work to deal with rising costs that they wouldn’t be able to cover on a fixed income.

SENSE OF PURPOSE

Guidry said the major reason for his desire to return wasn’t financial, but rather the satisfaction and the camaraderie the office place provides. While he returned to work in wealth management, something he said he would do as a hobby, today he is working in the bank’s human resources training division.

“I didn’t plan to go whole hog, but I like having purpose,” Guidry said, “The work I do helps people. I help people achieve their goals. There’s no politics involved. It’s just helping people. That gives you a lot of fulfilment.”

An additional benefit of the workplace – outside of the COVID pandemic – is its social environment and opportunities for conversation and friendship with coworkers.

“When you unplug from that you unplug yourself from a lot of activity,” Guidry said. “You know, some of the talk at the watercooler, going to lunch and all that kind of stuff, that is what I missed. What I didn’t miss was being a manager and being responsible for tons of people. Now, I’m not responsible for anybody. I’m more project oriented. When I’m finished, I can walk out and don’t have any residual responsibility. It’s kind of deliberative at this point. I have the freedom to work and not be a prisoner to it.”

For Lorene Holbrook, 78, volunteering at Ochsner Health in Jefferson is about the alignment of personal and organizational missions. After a 33-year career at the hospital, Holbrook retired in the summer of 2005 and has stayed on as a volunteer for the past 17 years.

“When I retired, I decided to continue volunteering to do things that I felt more strongly about,” she said. “Maybe being a child of the Greatest Generation, the idea of giving to one’s community has always been in my genetic makeup. I was very aware of the value that volunteers bring to an organization and the wide scale of opportunities that volunteers have in deciding where they want to put their time and effort.”

Since 2012, Holbrook has been involved in locating and sourcing art on a temporary or permanent basis to display in Ochsner’s public spaces as part of the hospital’s mission to create a healing environment for patients and staff.

“Our patients, our families, our employees need to be able to find a spot where they can spend – even if it’s 30 seconds – a moment of rest,” she said. “We live in such a noisy and mentally cluttered environment. Any opportunity to ponder something outside of ourselves is important. Art is an important form impor-

tant therapy, and I think everybody deserves to have that – especially in a hospital.”

For individuals considering volunteering, Holbrook advises they do something that means something to them. For organizations that utilize volunteers, she said they need to make their work meaningful. “If someone starts to volunteer and you don’t give them enough to do, they’re not going to stay,” she said.

EMPLOYER’S PERSPECTIVE

Guy Williams, Gulf Coast’s president and CEO said the bank has hired several unretirees, who, generally, bring all pros and no cons.

“We’re happy to see people return because they bring institutional knowledge and a lot of skill,” Williams said. “From an employer standpoint, we haven’t had any problems. We’ve had some older people come back and they tend to be a little more grounded. There’s less drama. They’re not trying to set the world on fire. They just want to have something to do and make some money.”

Williams said those who return generally fall into two categories, the financially stressed or bored.

“We have those who suddenly say, ‘I better get some more money,’ others who wake up with nothing to do and want to work, and those who think it’s fun to be home for a while, but not all the time who work part time, like Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and then have a very long weekend.”

Katie Daher, assistant vice president of Patient Experience which covers guest, volunteer, and spiritual care services at Ochsner said retired volunteers not only help get work done, but also serve as ambassadors in the community.

“We’ve had several who, after they retire, they decide that they need to or want to give back to the community in some way and they remain an active part of service,” she said.

Daher said many she has worked with are excited about retirement, but don’t know what they’re going to do in that chapter of their lives. Volunteering gives them much needed social interaction as well as a new identity and a continued sense of purpose.

“A hospital isn’t always the most fun place, so our volunteers can put a smile on a patient or their family’s faces and give them just a little bit of peace and comfort that we’re going to take good care of you. I think that goes a really long way,” she said. “I’m very thankful for the many volunteers that we have. They bring a sense of energy. They bring a sense of hope. They encourage people, and they’re here because they want to be here. It means a lot to them personally.

“With a volunteer like Ms. Lorene, we love having her knowledge and history of the organization,” Daher said. “But truly, it’s her passion for being able to help others that makes her so valuable.” LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

If a retiree is thinking about going back to work, there are some things they need to take into account. An increase in income could affect taxes, Social Security benefits and Medicare healthcare plan eligibility.

Schramm suggested those contemplating a return to work polish their skills and utilize new strategies and technologies to make themselves attractive to recruiters.

Returning to work could actually improve Social Security benefits, John said.

“You are paying additional Social Security taxes while you’re working, and those are credited at the end of the year toward your benefit. Your benefit is adjusted upward,” he said “The later you start your Social Security benefits, the higher those benefits are going to be. And that is true up to age 70. Very few things are inflation adjusted. Social Security is. Your benefits are adjusted for the cost of living every January 1 with cost of living adjustments. Going back to work actually may have a significant value to your financial future. If you’re receiving certain types of public benefits there may be a negative impact for going back to work, but for the most part, financially it’s a very positive thing to do.”

LIFE TO THE FULLEST

For now, Guidry says he is enjoying the balance he has in his professional and personal lives. He has the fulfillment of a career, but is able to take time to enjoy life outside of work. In his free time, he still has the opportunity to travel the globe or make jaunts to nearby locales along the Gulf Coast.

“Over the last 10 years, we’ve been on more than a dozen cruises. We’ve been to more than two dozen countries. We are always doing something, and I want to do it while I’m young enough, have the wealth, and healthy enough to,” he said. “We went to Rome, and we walked the entire city and saw everything we wanted to see. All the time I see people say 'I’m going to have fun in the future,' and then they don’t get to. It has turned out to be a good choice for me.”