New Orleans Magazine May 2015 by Renaissance Publishing

mayÂ 2015

myneworleans.com

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May 2015 / VOLUME 49 / NUMBER 5 Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde Managing Editor Morgan Packard Art Director Tiffani Reding Amedeo Contributing Editor Liz Scott Monaghan Food Editor Dale Curry Dining Editor Jay Forman Wine and Spirits Editor Tim McNally Restaurant Reporter Robert Peyton Home Editor Bonnie Warren web Editor Kelly Massicot Staff Writer Melanie Warner Spencer Intern Lani Griffiths SALES MANAGER Kate Sanders (504) 830-7216 / Kate@MyNewOrleans.com Senior Account Executive Jonée Daigle Ferrand Account Executives Sarah Daigle, Lauren Lavelle, Lisa Picone Love Production Manager Staci McCarty Production Designers Monique DiPietro, Claire Geary, Antoine Passelac, Ali Sullivan traffic coordinator Jessica DeBold Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive VICE PRESIDENT Errol Laborde Vice President of Sales Colleen Monaghan DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND EVENTS Cheryl Lemoine Distribution Manager John Holzer Administrative Assistant Denise Dean SUBSCRIPTIONS Sara Kelemencky WYES DIAL 12 STAFF (504) 486-5511 Executive Editor Beth Arroyo Utterback Managing Editor Aislinn Hinyup Associate Editor Robin Cooper Art Director Jenny Hronek

NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE Printed in USA A Publication of Renaissance Publishing 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 Subscriptions: (504) 830-7231

MyNewOrleans.com

New Orleans Magazine (ISSN 0897 8174) is published monthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC., 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380. Subscription rates: one year $19.95; Mexico, South America and Canada $48; Europe, Asia and Australia $75. An associate subscription to New Orleans Magazine is available by a contribution of $40 or more to WYES-TV/Channel 12, $10.00 of which is used to offset the cost of publication. Also available electronically, on CD-ROM and on-line. Periodicals postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New Orleans Magazine, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2015 New Orleans Magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark New Orleans and New Orleans Magazine are registered. New Orleans Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in New Orleans Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the magazine managers or owners.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

contents

70 FEATURES

IN EVERY ISSUE

ON THE COVER

Crawfish 7 Ways

The boil and more By Dale Curry

Heading Places

His specialties are barbecue & rockets By Nick Weldon

Motion to table

Our favorite mudbug is highlighted seven ways this month in our annual recipe feature starting on pg. 54. And if you think there’s no way to be glamorous while eating them, look to our feature and think again.

Seeking the most luxurious spa treatments By Melanie Warner Spencer

INSIDE “Suckability”

16 speaking out Editorial, plus a Mike Luckovich cartoon 18

JULIA STREET Questions and answers about our city

143 Try This “It’s a Bird; It’s a Plane ...: Going skydiving” 144 STREETCAR “Waiting in the Jury Pool”

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

Photographed by Eugenia Uhl

contents

THE BEAT 22

MARQUEE

Entertainment calendar

PERSONA

LOCAL COLOR

THE MENU

Artist/entrepreneur Ashley Longshore

Biz

“Making Tracks: Technology lets consumers wear health on their sleeve”

education

“The ABC’s of Politics”

HEALTH

“Knee Replacements”

IN TUNE

Read & Spin

80 restaurant insider

“Southern Contemporary”

A look at the latest albums and books

Primitivo, Sac-a-Lat and Kin

JAZZ LIFE

LAST CALL

“Jazz Fest Cameos: Telling it like it is”

MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS

“The Refresher”

DINING GUIDE

“Cap and Frown”

Joie d’Eve “Still Winging It”

CHRONICLES

HEALTHBEAT

The latest news in health from New Orleans and beyond

HOME

CRIME FIGHTING

“Home On the Bayou: Cathy and Mark McRae discover Mid-City”

“The Policeman’s Baby”

table talk

“Musical Month: Jazz Fest and more”

“Lakeward Bound”

DIAL 12 D1 CONTENTS: Tune in to WYES-TV on Thurs., May 7, at 7 p.m. for the premiere of Greeks In New Orleans: 150 Years of Holy Trinity. The new documentary highlights the history, milestones and achievements of Holy Trinity, dating back to those first Greek pioneers in New Orleans in the 1700s. Do not miss the finales of “Call the Midwife” and Masterpiece Classic “Mr. Selfridge.” Then watch as WYES salutes our troops with The Lincoln Awards: A Concert for Veterans & the Military Family (Fri., May 22, at 9 .m.), A Salute to the Troops: In Performance at the White House (Fri., May 22, at 10 p.m.) and the National Memorial Day Concert (Sun., May 24, at 7 p.m.).

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

inside

Suckability

“I

f I’m going to suck on something, it’s not going to be a crawfish.” These were the immortal words of then-new Saints Head Coach Mike Ditka when asked about his adjustment to local customs during an interview for our 1997 People to Watch issue. Ditka, who was pictured sitting on a motorcycle and puffing on a big cigar, didn’t elaborate on suckability, although the verb “suck” was frequently part of the conversation during his tenure as head coach. “Suck” is a word with polar opposite connotations. There is the distinctively negative use, but when applied to the experience of consuming crawfish, it’s at its most glorious. To suck the head is to ingest the broth of flavor contained in each cavity. Crawfish eaters who are either from out of town or squeamish are conspicuous in their manner of consumption. They sit there meticulously peeling the tail, one scale at a time, while having tossed the head aside. Their motion is slow and unsteady as compared to an experienced crawfish eater, for whom working through the pile is a steady, circular, non-stop motion: break the head from the tail, suck the head, pinch the tail to make the meat pop out; eat the meat; grab the next crawfish. The process is machinelike, with the only break in the action coming for an occasional swig of beer or a chomp into the accompanying potato or corn. There are other ways to eat crawfish, of course, as detailed in our cover story recipes. What was once dismissed as a junk food had gained respectability. While here the former Saints Head Coach opened Mike Ditka’s steak house. As a Midwest-style meat and potatoes place it was OK, but his entrées might have been embellished with a splash of crawfish étouffée on the side. That would not have sucked at all.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

letters Re: “UNO and SUNO: Learning from North Carolina,” Education column. April 2015 issue. Dear Editor: Dawn Ruth Wilson’s article “UNO and SUNO” contains a figure that is not only flagrantly wrong, but also serves to undermine one of the most important facets of the University of New Orleans. The article stated, incorrectly, that 85 percent of the students at UNO are white. In fact, according to the most recent data, 56 percent of UNO students are white; 15 percent are black, 9 percent are Hispanic, 7 percent are Asian, 6 percent are international; 3 percent are two or more races; and the remaining 4 percent are either American Indian, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander or unspecified. It all adds up to one of the most diverse universities in the state. At UNO diversity is not a marketing ploy; it is a source of strength and a central attribute of our university’s identity. Adam Norris Director of Public Relations University of New Orleans

Ed. note: That number was incorrectly recorded. It was meant to refer to the percent of black students at SUNO. We regret the error.

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

on the web Daily Blogs Visit MyNewOrleans.com daily to see the latest posts from our bloggers. Stay up-to-date with local restaurant openings, drink menus and recipes; learn the art of Bon Vivant; and relate to stories only New Orleans families can appreciate. There is something for everyone at MyNewOrleans.com.

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Events Calendar Right on the homepage of MyNewOrleans.com is our daily events calendar. Our calendar is user-friendly in both access and for submitting your own events. Do you have an upcoming event for your business? Or maybe you want to see what’s going on this weekend? Look no further than the MyNewOrleans.com events calendar.

facebook.com/NewOrleansMagazine | twitter.com/neworleansmag | pinterest.com/neworleansmag 14

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

SPEAKING OUT

Rethinking the Gulf

ften overlooked among the world’s great bodies of water, our Gulf of Mexico has been in the news in three ways lately: two positive, one not so good. On the upbeat side there are the renewed talks to open trade between the United State and Cuba. Then, too, there’s the growing cruise boat activity from New Orleans to the Gulf and Caribbean destinations. Cuba is not one of them, but maybe it will soon be. To the negative there was the Deepwater Horizon/ BP oil platform disaster, which recently reached its fifth anniversary with rumors of tar on the beaches still aplenty. If anything good can come out of the catastrophe it might be that it will bring more appreciation for the importance of the Gulf and its estuary life. We also hope that the newfound attention from the other events will also draw more recognition to the Gulf, and its rim, as a setting for a cultural bounty. Quick now, which Gulf city is best known for the richness of its culture, history, cuisine and music? New Orleans might seem like the obvious answer, but a case could also be made for Havana, which positioned on Cuba’s northwest Coast is a Gulf city, not a Caribbean one. Most of us have not been able to appreciate in our lifetimes the natural link the Gulf

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

provides between New Orleans and Havana as explained by Ned Sublette in his very important book, The World That Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square: “From the earliest days of New Orleans’ commercialism as a port until the imposition of the U.S. embargo of Cuba by President Kennedy, New Orleans’ constant trading partner was Havana, right across the Gulf of Mexico. The 1962 U.S. embargo of Cuba was also in effect an embargo of New Orleans, taking away a chunk of what had long been the city’s core business and damaging the economy of New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast.” Sublette correctly disputes the colorful allusion that New Orleans is really the northernmost Caribbean town, arguing instead that it is a Gulf city with its own unique character. Nevertheless, the imagery battle with the Caribbean is a difficult one. Cruise ships sailing from New Orleans, most often to Cozumel and the Central American coast, promote their voyage as being the “Western Caribbean.” Yet most of the trip is across the Gulf, with a touch of the Caribbean past the tip of Mexico. For the largest part of the trip, bourbon and sweet tea would be more appropriate drinks than the ever-present rum concoctions.

Quick now: Which Gulf cities have teams that have won a Super bowl? Besides us, the other city is Tampa (There is no city named Tampa Bay), which is Florida’s largest Gulf town. Miami is on the Atlantic. Quick again: What is the oldest major city within the Caribbean rim? (Hint: it is known for its historic district and its colonial architecture.) New Orleans would be the right reply only if we were talking about the Northern rim but the answer is the beautiful town of Merida, Mexico. Truth is, the rim of the Gulf coast may be as culturally diverse, if not more so, than the border of the Mediterranean sea: On the Northern Gulf coast, from Brownsville, Texas, to the southern tip of Florida there are many places where different English dialects are spoken; you’ll hear Mexican accents, Cajun patois and Southern drawls. With each dialect comes a distinct cuisine, all involving the Gulf’s bounty but different in their use of seasonings and overall spiciness. There are also variations in what is served where. Grouper is more common on menus along the Florida and Alabama coasts but less so in Louisiana, where redfish, flounder and even pompano are more often served. Boiled crawfish is devoured with a passion along coastal Louisiana and Texas but not so much in the eastern coastal states. Though the term now runs afoul of political correctness, “Cracker” was once a common word to describe coastal locals living along the Alabama and Florida beaches. “Cracker architecture” still defines the simple wood frame beach house with metal roofs, wooden floors and a wide gallery. Still ahead are discoveries in Cuba, where the expectations will be high though the path will often be bumpy. There is much to be explored in the Gulf’s world. May we get there over water that will soon be clear and barrier-free. n

AN ORIGINAL ©MIKE LUCKOVICH CARTOON FOR NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

JULIA STREET /

WITH POYDRAS THE PARROT

TH E PUR S UIT TO AN S W E R E T E RNA L Q U E S TION S

Sam Silverstein’s Department Store, 1945.

Dear Julia, Have you ever heard of an old department store called Silverman’s? My grandmother used to talk about going to shop there during the Depression and for many years afterward, but that was long before my time. I have never seen a picture of the store and am hoping you may know something about this old-time shopping destination. Amelie Sutter New Orleans You are close – the name had silver in it, but it wasn’t Silverman. The name of the store was Sam Silverstein’s Department Store, and for the better part of 60 years it operated at the downtown river corner of South Rampart and Poydras streets. Louis Silverstein (1839-1914), a local rabbi, was a successful crockery merchant who operated stores on Canal and Dryades streets before opening with his sons a third store at 442 S. Rampart St. Rabbi

Silverstein’s son, Samuel, joined the family business in the 1890s, soon expanding the product line beyond crockery and hardware, and transforming the Rampart Street location into a large department store. In 1922, after 26 years in business, Sam Silverstein turned the management reins over to his son, Maurice, and sonin-law, Leonard M. King. Sam Silverstein passed away in ’48 at the age of 79, but his namesake department store remained in operation until ’54, when it lost its lease and was liquidated. Although it looks different than it did in its heyday, the building has survived to the present day. It currently houses Walk-On’s Bistreax and Bar. Dear Julia, In response to the letter from Martha Morazan Fontenot which ran in the December 2014 issue, I, too, attended Alcee Fortier High School (1952-’55). If a student brought a permission slip

from home, it was permissible to leave campus at lunch time. There were two drug stores and one grocery in the vicinity of school. Hermans Pharmacy was at Jefferson and Freret. A smaller one was second from the corner of State and Freret streets. H. G. Hill Stores was on the corner. Herman’s had a Soda Fountain; H. G. Hill had a meat counter. The smaller drug store was a known “hangout” for “truants” skipping class and was routinely patrolled by Principal Ruth McShane and (R.O.T.C.) Lt. John Stewart. Sincerely, Jane McGee Kingsmill Metairie Thank you, so much, for taking the time to write and provide further information. Yes, you’re absolutely correct that students could, if they had a permission slip from a parent or guardian, leave campus at lunch time. I appreciate your explanation, which may have exonerated Miss Morazan or at least given her the benefit of the doubt had her original query not contained the incriminating phrases “ignoring the rule not to leave campus” and “willing to risk being caught.” Between your excellent memory and my detective work, I think we’ve solved the puzzle presented in our December 2014 issue! I am now quite certain that Richmond’s, the pharmacy I identified as being the most likely among a short list of possible candidates, to have been a favored lunch spot for fleet-footed Fortier students. Just as you remember, it was a small drug store located two doors down from the H. G. Hill store at Freret and State streets. You are also correct about Herman’s Pharmacy, which was located at 2301 Jefferson Ave. at Freret Street. I should

Win a chappy’s restaurant gift certificate

Here is a chance to eat, drink and have your curiosity satiated all at once. Send Julia a question. If we use it, you’ll be eligible for a monthly drawing for one of two $25 gift certificates at Chappy’s Restaurant on Magazine Street. To take part, send your question to: Julia Street, c/o New Orleans Magazine, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 or email: Errol@MyNewOrleans.com. This month’s winners are: Shannon Jones, Bossier City; and Amelie Sutter, New Orleans.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

photo courtesy of charles L. Franck Studio collection at the historic new orleans collection

Dear Julia, Around St. Joseph’s Day, some friends and I were talking about Sicily and someone mentioned having heard of a place in North Louisiana called Sicily Island. I had never heard of it and hope you may know where it is and whether there’s an interesting story behind it. Shannon Jones Bossier City

Dear Julia and Poydras, I have a dim childhood memory of elderly relatives talking about a small Louisiana lumber town called McElroy. The name struck me as an unusual one for South Louisiana. Now, years after the people who may have visited there are longgone, I’m suddenly curious to know more the town. I have tried, without success, to find it identified on a map. I am appreciative of any information you may be able to provide. Johnny Shay Covington

The story of the Sicily Island colony is one of the more obscure and unusual chapters concerning foreigners who came to Louisiana in search of a better life. In this case, the intrepid new Louisiana arrivals hailed from Russia, not the Mediterranean. During the early 1880s, the Hebrew Foreign Mission Society, in conjunction with the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, worked to establish an agricultural colony at Sicily Island in Catahoula Parish. Located roughly 350 miles from New Orleans and about 75 miles from Natchez, Mississippi, the 2,800-acre site was purchased from the Newman brothers, prominent New Orleans financiers. The colonists, Russian Jews fleeing their homeland because of religious persecution, faced significant hardship in their new home. The land proved difficult to cultivate, and the settlers were unaccustomed to Louisiana’s heat and humidity. Malaria hit the fledgling colony hard, and in 1882 the Mississippi River overflowed and flooded nearby land. Although the colony was situated on high land, the flood further stressed the faltering settlement. Colonists scattered. The agricultural resettlement experiment had failed.

McElroy was located off the Louisiana Railway and Navigation Company’s rail line in Ascension Parish near the St. James Parish line. It was named for Texas lumberman John T. McElroy, vice president of the Ascension Red Cypress Lumber Company, a New Orleans-based corporation headed by Eugene B. Williams. In 1910, the Ascension Red Cypress Company built McElroy to serve as a company town in conjunction with a 10-year project cutting lumber in the White Line Tract, which, at the time, was estimated to contain approximately 250 million feet of cypress. Never a big place, the town of McElroy existed for only a decade but produced a substantial amount of lumber. McElroy’s saw mill had an estimated daily capacity of approximately 100,000 feet of lumber. By early 1920, the Ascension Red Cypress Lumber Company was in liquidation. The mill and its associated machinery were broken up and sold for quick cash, as was the company store with all its inventory and fixtures. Other items offered for cheap cash sale included carloads of lumber, 20 small cypress and pine frame houses and unspecified larger buildings. The town of McElroy was no more. n

have included it in my original list but was concentrating on Freret Street addresses, so it escaped my notice.

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

the beat MARQUEE

PERSONA

BIZ

EDUCATION

HEALTH

CRIME FIGHTING

”There’s always the question of leadership; who is ruling us, who is actually ruling us, who should be ruling us. It also explores (the idea of) how do you make people’s lives better, really?” – Andrew Vaught, speaking about the NOLA Project’s upcoming Robin Hood: Thief, Brigand

SPOTLIGHT pg. 23

GREG MILES PHOTOGRAPH

THE BEAT / MARQUEE

OUR TOP PICKS FOR MAY EVENTS BY LAUREN LABORDE

Food Festin’

Boogaloo’s Back

The Art of Carnival

On the heels of Jazz Fest, which is ostensibly about the music – but many just go for the food – May brings us several festivals that are primarily about the food, but there’s music and other things, too. The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (May 20-23, NOWFE.com) hosts events for foodies and winos of all taste levels, including the Royal Street Stroll, a sophisticated wine and food crawl through the street’s shops and galleries; the Grand Tasting, a massive food and wine tasting; and wine dinners at restaurants around the city. Also in May are the New Orleans Greek Festival (May 22-24, GreekFestNola. com), where you can enjoy the day’s special Greek entrée, a baklava sundae and a ouzo daiquiri along Bayou St. John, and New Orleans Oyster Fest (May 30-31, NewOrleansOysterFestival.org), where the city’s best oyster purveyors assemble.

Still fun and free in its 10th year – a feat for any annual event – Bayou Boogaloo (May 15-17) presents a full, but laid-back, festival on Bayou St. John. Festival offerings include food and drink stands and an extensive art market stretch along the bayou, anchored by a music stage that this year features local legends Mannie Fresh, Rotary Downs and more. Information, TheBayouBoogaloo.com

For those missing New Orleans Carnival, the Contemporary Arts Center offers a taste of Carnival celebrations in other parts of the world in its show En Mas’: Carnival and Performance Art of the Caribbean. Centered around commissioned performance pieces during the 2014 Caribbean Carnival season in six different countries, the exhibition considers the larger social and political implications of Carnival costuming and performance – a connection that’s certainly familiar in New Orleans. The exhibition is open through June 7. Information, CacNo.org/En-Mas

CALENDAR through May 10. The Music Box Roving Village at City Park Presented by The Helis Foundation, City Park. Information, NewOrleansAirlift.org

May 6, 13, 20, 27. Wednesday at the Square concert series, Lafayette Square Park. Information, WednesdayAtTheSquare.com

May 2, 9, 23. New Orleans Voodoo games, Smoothie King Center. Information, SmoothieKingCenter.com

May 8. Ogden Museum of Southern Art’s Sippin’ In Seersucker, The Shops at Canal Place. Information, OgdenMuseum.org

May 5. Pixies in concert, Civic Theater. Information, CivicNOLA.com

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

photo 1 & 2 cheryl gerber Photo 3 Raymond marrero

SPOTLIGHT

Into the Woods

NOLA Project is back with another adventurous outdoor adaptation

ast year the NOLA Project adapted Lewis Carroll’s stories about Alice in NOMA’s Besthoff Sculpture Garden as an interactive, Choose Your Own Adventure-style production that was kid-friendly on the surface but had a dark undercurrent in its messages about power and leadership. In a similar vein, the theater company presents Robin Hood: Thief, Brigand, a retelling of the Robin Hood story

by New Orleans playwright Andrew Vaught of Cripple Creek Theater. In Andrew Vaught’s witty adaptation, Robin Hood and his gang intercept a chest full of gold coins they believe to be from the land’s wealthiest citizens – actually, it’s a ransom payment for King Richard, who’s imprisoned in France while on a religious crusade. They distribute the gold to the poor, but tumult results when Robin Hood’s giving results in the creation of a new middle class. Using the sylvan setting of the sculpture garden, the production aims to be an immersive, unique theater experience. Vaught talked to us about the production. What’s your take on Robin Hood in this adaptation? A

lot of the times you see the Robin Hood origin story, how Robin Hood came to be Robin Hood, but this goes past that. Robin Hood and his people are reaching the limit of what

they can do in their jobs. They’re getting a little too big, a little too good. How does this adaptation relate to today’s world?

There’s always the question of leadership: who is ruling us, who is actually ruling us, who should be ruling us. It also explores (the idea of) how do you make people’s lives better, really? Adventures in Wonderland was very interactive. Will Robin Hood be similar? It

won’t be interactive; there will be some spectacular surprises. Wonderland was kidfriendly but had some more mature themes for adults. Richard Alexander Pomes [who does public relations for] the NOLA Project said it’s for “ages 6 to 65.” Robin Hood: Thief, Brigand is at NOMA’s Besthoff Sculpture Garden from May 6-24. Information, NOLAproject.com n

May 8-23. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts. Information, RivertownTheaters.com

May 16. Bette Midler in concert, Smoothie King Center. Information, SmoothieKingCenter.com

May 15. New Kids on the Block, TLC and Nelly in concert, Smoothie King Center. Information, SmoothieKingCenter.com

May 17. Comedian Marc Maron, Joy Theater. Information, TheJoyTheater.com

GREG MILES PHOTOGRAPH

May 22-June 6. Merrily We Roll Along, Le Petit Théâtre. Information, LePetitTheatre.com

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

THE BEAT / PERSONA

Q: What was the tipping point in

Ashley Longshore Bold Statements BY LAUREN LABORDE

“W

aaasssup?” artist Ashley Longshore hollers when I enter her Magazine Street studio. “You can sit on the ‘what the f---- chair,” she says, directing me to an antique chair reupholstered with a shiny red cushion emblazoned with the letters “WTF,” gesturing with hands decked out in gold bracelets and oversize baubles. Her line of chairs, pop-art paintings and collaborations with huge brands like Anthropologie have earned her famous friends and collaborators like actress Blake Lively, collectors that include Wall Street’s elite and write-ups from magazines including Vogue and Elle. Longshore is inspired by the plastic-like opulence of American wealth and religious-like devotion to designer bags and pop culture icons, creating cheeky mash-ups – like model Kate Moss in a nun’s habit wearing a gold Chanel chain – in her works. Longshore spoke to us as she worked on a holiday collaboration with a global cosmetics brand.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

you becoming a nationally successful artist? I think the whole thing about being an entrepreneur is you’re trying different things and you’re putting yourself out there and putting yourself in different markets, constantly, and hoping that most of those things are successful. As much as I love New Orleans – this is my homebase and where I love to paint, and I can’t imagine living anywhere full-time than here – I focus a majority of my marketing efforts in much larger art buying markets, New York, Miami, L.A., Switzerland, Antwerp … that has sort of has just lent itself to the success I’ve had. I’ve cast a lot of different nets in a lot of directions. The bottom line of everything is just really hard work. I put my feet on the ground starting at 6 a.m. working in my studio. Most days I work 12 to 15 hours.

Q: Was there a moment when

you realized you had to be more strategic? My whole career. It’s easy for people who maybe have rich husbands, trust funds, who have been given a big check. They don’t feel that fire, and for me it’s always been the hotter the fire, the stronger the steel. I wake up every morning and think, I’m so grateful for the success I have had, but I’m pretty fucking level at the end of the day because I’ve worked my ass off for every fucking thing. It’s not Brei Olivier photograph

Occupation: Artist/ entrepreneur Age: “Old enough to know better.” Born/raised: Montgomery, Alabama Education: University of Montana Favorite movie: Mean Girls Favorite TV show: “Iconoclasts” Favorite hobby: Fishing and entomology Favorite restaurant: In New Orleans: Lilette at table 51, and in New York City , Blue Ribbon Sushi on the Lower East Side Favorite book: art books or the Gagosian Quarterly Favorite vacation spot: Maui, Jamaica, Antwerp. “Next vacation spot is Reykjavik, Iceland to see Northern Lights in October.”

unexpected – that’s another thing, I’m traveling all over the world all throughout the year. Being an American woman, being an entrepreneur in this country, the opportunities I have, this is the only country where we have true liberties. I embrace that every day. It’s like the wind in my sail. If I have an idea, and I work hard enough, I can make this happen. I think if you can apply that to any profession you’ll have success. You just have to know there’s no instant gratification.

Q: How did your sensibili-

ties as an artist evolve? It was color, color, color from the get-go. I’ve always loved fashion and pop icons, but I think there’s a bigger statement here. I think my biggest interest is American consumerism, American greed, American liberties and the fact that the greatest part of this country is … that we have

the liberty to make as much money as we want. I’m a little bit obsessed by that. In that, maybe the bag that you carry will define you in this country. The car you drive will let people know how important you are. We may try to fight that, but it’s the truth. I think I’m exploring that. Through my Audrey Hepburn series, it’s more of an expression of just being beautiful, elegant, ladylike, daydreamy, this image of this woman who was philanthropic and gorgeous and maternal. I think I crave that in my own life. I’m not close to my mother, so I paint these very strong female figures who to me are like mother figures in my life: Anna Wintour, Madonna, Audrey Hepburn.

Q: How did that factor

in growing up? What kind of people were you surrounded by? My mother was a stay-at-home mom and just fucking miserable. She’d be in the middle of a screaming fit, and next thing you know the door would open and [in an exaggerated Southern drawl] “Hey! Welcome! Can I make you a drink?” My father started his own company and was very successful … but the greatest gift he gave to me was to not give me shit.

Q: How do you shut off

when you need to rest from work? There is no shut off. Actually, are you kidding me? This is show time. It’s all about love in the end of the day. I’m not a surgeon; I’m an artist. I make people happy. n

True confession I hate the feeling of paint on my hands.

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

THE BEAT / BIZ

Making Tracks

Technology lets Consumers wear health on their sleeve By Kathy Finn

he development of new technologies to improve health care has always been a central focus of medical researchers and of private firms that see the promise of profit in new devices. But in a twist on typical research and development in the medical industry, new technologies designed for fitness fanatics are making their way into the realm of traditional health care. If at this moment you’re wearing an activity tracker on your wrist, belt or elsewhere, you’re already using technology that’s starting to change how doctors respond to patients who have chronic diseases and life-threatening conditions – though you likely didn’t purchase it for that purpose.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

Initially developed to appeal to people of all ages who wish to achieve or maintain a high level of physical fitness, wearable trackers known by names such as Fitbit, Pebble and Jawbone deliver real-time information to the wearer about his or her daily physical activity. Sensors in the devices “read” body movements to report on the number of steps taken during a given period or the number of stairs climbed, distance walked and calories burned. Some trackers monitor heart rate, or even the length and quality of a wearer’s sleep, and can be programmed to provide feedback on eating patterns and diet choices. When paired with a smartphone or computer, the trackers can deliver detailed results that enable comparisons and progress reports over time. With some 70 million wearable trackers sold around the globe last year, it’s clear that the devices have moved into the mainstream. Of greater interest to the medical community, however, is the potential of these devices and similar technology to improve the treatment of heart disease, diabetes and other conditions that are among the nation’s biggest killers. Ochsner Health System is among dozens of institutions around the country

that are pioneering the use of consumer-friendly tracking devices to increase and improve patient monitoring and wirelessly send data about a patient’s condition directly to a clinic or hospital. Ochsner recently began testing Apple HealthKit, a service developed by technology giant Apple Inc. that enables doctors to remotely monitor patients who suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, and integrate the data into their medical records. Dr. Richard Milani, who oversees the pilot program at Ochsner, says it targets high-risk patients, such as those who have experienced congestive heart failure. These patients must track their weight on a daily basis and be on watch for any excessive fluid build-up in their body. By using Apple HealthKit and a scale designed to integrate with the system, the patient’s daily weigh-in results go directly to Ochsner, where the system alerts a case manager to a meaningful change so that a physician or nurse can contact the individual and advise quick action. Milani says that receiving more frequent information from the patient enables a doctor to “course-correct” the treatment for a better outcome. Similarly, a patient Jason Raish illustration

Trends in trackers A national survey conducted last fall by business technology consultant TechnologyAdvice showed that: 25.1 percent of adults use either a fitness tracker or smart phone app to track their health, weight or exercise; 48.2 percent of non-tracking adults would use a fitness tracking device provided by their physician; 57.1 percent would be more likely to use a fitness tracking device if it resulted in lower health insurance premiums; 44.2 percent would use such a device if it would enable better care by their physician.

using a blood pressure cuff that integrates with the system can take regular pressure and heart rate readings at home, and the data can go directly to the clinic. Milani says the technology is helping to reduce hospital readmissions by enabling doctors to resolve issues at an early stage. “If we can collect this data more frequently, we can reduce your chance of a heart attack, stroke or even dying,” he says. Federal health care initiatives, along with the Affordable Care Act, have helped speed the adoption of wireless data tracking by offering providers rewards for implementing the technology. Medicare, for instance, makes monthly payments to care providers for “non-face-to-face” care coor-

dination services for patients who have two or more chronic conditions. Meanwhile, some software developers see this integration of tracking technology into traditional health care as a wide-open opportunity. One independent developer that’s focused in this area is a health and wellness platform called GetHealthy. Local entrepreneur Blaine Lindsey, who founded GetHealthy Inc., says doctors can use the software to communicate with patients and follow important metrics such as blood pressure, heart rate and glucose readings. “The doctor decides what data is meaningful for a specific patient and then uses GetHealthy to collect that data,” he says. Lindsey believes his software can be a boon to doctors, particularly primary care providers, who are receiving declining reimbursements for many services from both private and public insurers. Noting that people who have chronic illnesses typically make frequent visits to their doctor, Lindsey says wireless monitoring of their condition can reduce a doctor’s time spent on each case and help cut the provider’s costs. “If you have a chronic health condition, it pays the doctor to be proactive with your health,” he says. Eventually, wearable activity trackers – including new smart watches that are just beginning to become popular – may link directly into such software platforms and help produce a more complete picture of a person’s health in his or her medical record. Doctors say that when systems get to that point, a new challenge will be to develop technology that can sort through the data and isolate what’s most important. n

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

THE BEAT / EDUCATION

The ABC’s of Politics When Learning Goes Presidential By Dawn Ruth Wilson

hifts in education policy in the past few months are enough to make heads swivel like the upchucking demon in the Exorcist. Louisiana has undergone a sea change in educational policy in the past two decades. Thankfully, important reforms made by former governors Mike Foster, a Republican, and Kathleen Blanco, a Demo-

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

crat, have held firm, surviving the usual kicking and screaming of many parents, teachers and school administrators. Not so for Governor Bobby Jindal’s reforms. Most of the reform measures he backed are in retreat, delay or, in the case of the red-hot Common Core standards, facing a full-throttle, slash-and-burn attack from Jindal himself. Jindal’s reason

for reversing his support for Common Core standards is so blatantly tied to his presidential ambitions that only the right wing of his political party, and some burned out educators and fearful parents, take him seriously. Cartoonish or not, as governor, his attempt to curry favor with ultra conservatives could undo years of progress in improving Louisiana’s dismal student performance. Jindal, who championed Common Core until last year, now wants to lower academic standards while educators develop a replacement. Even U.S. Senator David Vitter dropped his support for Common Core soon after showing interest in occupying the governor’s office after Jindal departs. Unfortunately for educational progress, anti-federalist voters have a powerful grip on Republican candidates because they vote in higher numbers in primaries. Much of the opposition to Common Core stems from the fact that the U.S. Department of Education supports it. The DOE requires states to adopt the standards to be eligible for some federal grants. Common Core only sets guidelines for what students nationally should be able to do in such subjects as English, reading and math for each grade level. It doesn’t require a defined curriculum to prepare students for meeting them, a fact that opponents refuse to acknowledge. Nonetheless, Common Core – adopted voluntarily by a vast majority of states – has led to charges of federal intrusion into state authority over schools. Conservatives didn’t grouse so loudly, however, when one of their own, former President George W. Bush, pushed through the No Child Left Behind Act, which required states to adopt tougher standardized testing measures in order to receive federal education funding. That legislation was far more federally intrusive than current DOE policies, but apparently that was different: President Barack Obama, a Democrat, wasn’t in office then.

Jason Raish illustration

Fortunately, most Louisiana business leaders and many Republican members of the state Legislature continue to support Common Core. The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) also refuses to bow to Jindal’s election-minded political maneuvers. Educators have been preparing for the standards since 2010, spending untold hours creating new lesson plans. Even the courts have so far rejected Jindal’s attempts to skewer the standards. In the final days of March, a Baton Rouge judge threw out a lawsuit he filed alleging that BESE didn’t follow state law when it began Common Core linked standardized testing. After the ruling, state Superintendent John White blasted Jindal’s politically motivated attempt to stop Common Core in a press release posted by the state DOE. “Today’s court decision, dismissing an attempt by the Governor and legislators to force teachers back to the drawing board, is another validation that there is no academic or legal basis for the extremist path,” White said. “Louisiana deserves a professional plan, not a political plan.” In March, 99 percent of Louisiana’s students took the test that measures how well they are meeting the new standards, the DOE’s website says. The high percentage of test takers indicates that parental opposition to Common Core isn’t as strong as saberdrawn opponents contend. Even so, the political battle has affected other reform adopted at Jindal’s urging. Legislative action that requires the DOE to assign letter grades to public schools based on student performance and an evaluation system

partially based on teachers’ classroom test scores have been put on hold by BESE. Teachers deemed “ineffective” using student test scores as an evaluation measurement could have been fired under legislation sponsored by Jindal. Raising academic standards at the same time as teachers were to be judged according to test scores caused panic. Lawsuits and pressure from teachers’ unions led to delays and modifications of these policies. The mistake Jindal made was adopting too many punishing actions at the same time. The punitive tone of his agenda frightened educators. Piling Common Core on top of tough evaluation measures created hysteria, and then Jindal’s sudden opposition to the standards caused confusion. Over time, higher standards will improve student performance, but in the short run, test scores are expected to decrease. As a consequence, BESE has wisely slowed down implementation of Common Core to reduce stress on educators while maintaining its overall commitment to the standards. Republicans have led a successful national crusade for education reform for two decades. They have championed charter schools, accountability measures and data-driven evaluations of schools. Republican office holders endorsed Common Core standards with equally concerned Democratic leaders when statistics showed a pattern of decline compared to the nation’s economic competitors. Because of this praiseworthy history, Jindal and other opportunistic politicians’ retreat from education reform is mind-blowing and ultimately tragic. n

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

THE BEAT / health

David Wessel walking in Audobum Park

Knee Replacements Picking the right surgeon and hospital by Brobson Lutz M.D.

“T

otal knee replacements are one of the most successful procedures in all of medicine.” Over 6,000 websites contain this exact sentence. Nationwide the annual number of knee replacements is twice the population of New Orleans. Aging baby boomers with debilitating knee arthritis and Medicare dollars are the fuel feeding this multibillion dollar operation. Knees, like children, begin life pristine and unbattered by life’s various forces. Aging knees are another matter. Joints have memory. Just as a commuter chip stores bits of data, the knee joint keeps a permanent record of hits. Microscopic changes to the sensitive cartilage that covers the end of the bones making up the knee cause problems down the line. “As for size, the knee is the largest joint in surface area,” says Dr. Julius Levy who teaches gross anatomy to medical students at

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

Tulane. Since anatomy Ph.D. educators are dying out and new ones are not being hatched, medical schools have turned to retired surgeons like Levy to teach anatomy. “The knee was never made to play football. It is a flexion/extension joint meant to move back and forth in two directions. A hit from the side is the easiest way to damage the knee joint.” An unhappy knee is slow and creaky. Knee crunches or crepitations are easier felt than heard. As a physical finding, crepitations are neither sensitive nor specific. That means some folks have severe knee problems with no crunches. Others have loud crunches and no problems. Thinking about a knee replacement? What is the best way to find a surgeon and a hospital? The Internet teems with posts by orthopedic surgeons, hospitals and companies hawking the value of their brand of replacement knee parts. A Google search linking knee replacement and New Orleans returned 244,000 hits one day and 246,000 the next. The first site to pop up, fueled no doubt by some payment to Google, promises an “advanced technology and technique” yielding better clinical outcomes, quicker recovery time, reduced pain, highly accurate placement of knee implants and shorter hospital stays. Checking a Medicare website, I was unable to verify

the claim of shorter hospital stays, but this hospital’s complication rate after knee replacements was “no different than the national rate.” Looking at other measures this hospital reported fewer intravenous line infections but more surgical site infections after colon surgery. And the amount of time patients were kept in their emergency room before admission was almost twice the Louisiana average. The second hit took me to a company website promoting a replacement joint “lab-tested to simulate the number of steps the average person takes in 30 years.” Insert your location in their Find a Physician box ,and up pop names of select orthopedic surgeons who use their “exclusive technology.” There were eight surgeons certified to use their specific device on the Northshore but only four in Jefferson and Orleans parishes. Scrolling down to technical notes, I read, “The results of laboratory wear simulation testing have not been proven to predict actual joint durability and performance in people.” The third hit was a Northshore orthopedic surgeon who believes in “the body’s natural ability to heal itself.” Another local practice site describes in laymen language what knee replacement involves both during and after surgery. I searched some text from this local website online and found huge hunks of identical wordage online

cheryl gerber photograph

from Mayo Clinic. Angie’s List popped up part way down the first page of hits. It promised to name 12 knee replacement surgeons to avoid and 35 top-rated ones. When they asked for my credit card number to collect a monthly fee, I moved on, knowing that office staff and PR firms can outdo even former Assistant Federal Attorneys in their posting abilities. Another link was to an archived local television news segment reporting how “a local surgeon has created a way for knee replacement patients to go home the same day and heal faster.” Turns out the Rapid Recovery Knee Replacement this team “created” is a an off-the-shelf program sold to hospitals and physicians to market and streamline joint replacement surgeries with an eye for higher revenue returns. Does anybody really pick a surgeon on the Internet? The answer, believe it or not, is yes. A respected gynecology colleague whom I consider top-notch told me that a woman cancelled a scheduled surgery and later rescheduled with one of her partners after reading a single negative comment apparently posted by a former patient. Younger persons needing surgery may be more seduced by Internet postings than the older folks generally lining up for knee replacements. In past years, a person needing surgery mostly followed the lead of their internist, but an amazing number of people who decide they need a knee replacement don’t have established relationships with primary care physicians. Also, referral patterns these days might be weighted toward criteria other than

successful outcomes, especially when physicians are employed by hospitals and informed patients know this. “Nurses know which doctors get the best results. They know whose patients do well and whose end up with complications,” says Dell Jordan, a nurse who was once the manager of an in-patient unit dedicated to joint replacements. Jordan says infections and ending up with one leg shorter were two complications she occasionally saw as a nurse until she retired just before Hurricane Katrina. A limp caused by a leg length disparity evolves into secondary back and hip problems over time. I agree with Jordan. Nurses and physical therapists working in hospitals with active joint replacement programs know the good surgeons, the mediocre and the ones to avoid. Some infections are unavoidable; others are not. Nurses know the surgeons most skilled in using postoperative anticoagulation to prevent formation of dangerous blood clots in the leg after surgery while not causing excessive surgical site bleeding, fertile ground for an infection. Surgical site infections after knee replacements can be catastrophic. Replacement of a failed hip prosthesis is a big deal. Occasionally an infected prosthesis can be saved by multiple returns to the operating room for what surgeons call washouts. But the pain and discomfort from returns to the operating room cause additional complications. An increased need for strong pain medication and mental cloudiness go hand-in-hand to fuel a second layer of medical and social problems that can threaten a person’s independence. n

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

THE BEAT / HEALTHBEAT

The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans is seeking patients for a study of hyperbaric oxygen treatments on adults with persistent post-concussion syndrome of mild traumatic brain injury. According to a press release, the study is funded by the United States government and, “grew out of previous experience treating military veterans and civilians who had sustained traumatic brain injury with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.” Participants must have had persistent symptoms from one or more traumatic brain injuries or concussions six months to 10 years prior to the study. For more information, call 427-5632, email cjoh26@lsuhsc.edu or visit HBottbiStudy.org.

In its “2015’s Metro Areas with the Biggest and Smallest Weight Problems,” Wallet Hub reports that Greater New Orleans has the nation’s 10th biggest weight problem. One hundred of the most populated metro areas in the U.S. were assessed on: overweight adults; obese adults; physically activity; incidents of high cholesterol; consumption of fruits and vegetables; cases of diabetes; and high blood pressure.

Glyphosate, an active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, which is manufactured by Monsanto in Luling, is linked to causing cancer. A World Health Organization agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, made the declaration earlier this year, reopening the long-time controversy. The New York Times reported that a group of 17 reviewers from around the world were in unanimous agreement on the classification. “All three lines of evidence sort of said the same thing, which is we ought to be concerned about this,” said Aaron Blair, a retired epidemiologist from the National Cancer Institute and chairman of the reviewers. Monsanto “accused the agency of having an ‘agenda’ and ‘cherry picking’ the data to support its case,” according to the Times piece. – Melanie Warner Spencer 32

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

THE BEAT / crime fighting

The Policeman’s Baby New to the force By Allen Johnson Jr.

n the morning of April 2, 2015, 27 newly sworn police officers climb the stairs leading to the exits, ending standing-room only graduation ceremonies for New Orleans Police Recruit Class No. 171 at Loyola University’s Nunemaker Auditorium. The 330-seat arena empties slowly. Proud families head for the elevators. Some carry small children. A newborn baby sleeps in her mother’s arms, wrapped in a white-and-yellow blanket; she’s Camille McNeil, the daughter of new New Orleans policeman Marcus McNeil and his wife Brittiny. Watching the policeman’s daughter and her mother, the future of crimenumb New Orleans suddenly seems bright and definitely worth defending. Noting the nationwide protests over police use of deadly force and the

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

post-graduation camaraderie. “Every day, I ask that question,” Deputy Police Chief Robert Bardy says, smiling. “Every day I get up and come to work.” Bardy’s “pitch” to prospective recruits? “When people are faced with challenge, that’s when their true character comes to surface. Today is the best time to be a New Orleans police officer.” NOPD Capt. Bruce Adams, who commented on police happiness in 2008, today says: “This is a job like no other. I managed to deliver a baby on one call and handle a shooting on the next call. You see the beginning of life and the end of life. I’ve had to shoot people. I’ve been shot four times. Unfortunately, I’ve killed people. But I love the New Orleans Police Department and I love the city of New Orleans.” The NOPD that Camille’s father has joined faces numerous challenges in a changing world. Marcus McNeil and NOPD Class No. 171 began training with 32 recruits Sept. 2, 2014, amid a nationwide uproar over police use of deadly force in Ferguson, Missouri. During

“You will never see so many happy police officers in one place, like you will after a [police] graduation ceremony.” constant criticisms NOPD endures as it struggles to reform under a Federal consent decree, I ask her, “Why would anyone want to join the New Orleans Police Department?” Mrs. McNeil, a case manager at a private home for people with disabilities, listens intently and responds resolutely: “We’re excited,” she says of her husband’s new police career. “He has wanted to make a difference in this city for a long time. He’s always wanted to (join the NOPD).” She carries Camille confidently toward the celebratory families gathered in the sunshine, and crowds part like the sea for the mother and her child. The reporter puts the same question to two commanders, both 40-year veterans of the NOPD, enjoying the

– NOPD Deputy Chief Bruce Adams, April 2008

the class’ seven-month training period, mass demonstrations protested fatal police encounters with black males in New York City, Cleveland and other U.S. cities. On Dec. 18, 2014, President Obama ordered a national blue-ribbon panel to present recommendations for “building trust” between police and the communities they serve. Days later, two New York City police officers in Brooklyn, New York were fatally shot in their patrol car by a deranged gunman who then took his own life. In Florida that same weekend a Tarpon Springs Police officer was fatally shot by a wanted fugitive, later captured. Pro-police counter-demonstrations began nationwide. In New Orleans, violent crime surges. There are only 22 homicide detectives –

Joseph Daniel Fiedler illustration

down seven from 2014 – to investigate an increasing number of murders. NOPD is some 500 officers short of the mayor’s goal of 1,600 officers. After a budget-related hiring freeze thaws, a rejuvenated recruiting drive lags behind veteran attrition. Black protestors call on District Attorney Cannizzaro to prosecute former NOPD cops after a coroner re-classified the grisly post-Katrina police killing of Henry Glover as a “homicide.” The Glover case is a festering sore, an obstacle to improving NOPD relations with the city’s majority black population. Blacks still account for more than 50 percent of the NOPD, thanks to previous federal consent decree. The Landrieu Administration was unable to provide updated demographics at press time, but the number of new black recruits is dropping. Of the 27 recruits in Class No. 171, there are 17 whites, two Hispanics (both male) and eight blacks, including Camille’s father. Meanwhile, a court-appointed monitor of the consent decree plan to reform the troubled NOPD states that training for recruits and veterans alike improved little since a DOJ report detailed widespread deficiencies in March 2011 – nearly four years ago. The appointment of Lt. Richard Williams to transform NOPD training inspires “cautious optimism” (ConsentDecreeMonitor.com). At their graduation, Mayor Mitch Landrieu reminds Class No. 171 of the “awesome responsibility” they face. It is a burden “you will handle with great grace and great dignity because you are with the new NOPD.” Police Chief Michael Harrison, addressing his first graduation class since the Mayor elevated him from lieu-

tenant to superintendent Aug. 18, 2014, says: “It is never ‘us against them’. We are all part of the community.” Without mentioning frontpage news that morning on the Glover case, D.A. Cannizzaro says: “It’s not an easy time to be a member of the New Orleans Police Department, and that’s what makes your commitment more important.” He urges them to become “ambassadors” for the criminal justice system. “Show courtesy and respect” to citizens and arrested persons alike, he says, suggesting civility can be more than its own reward. An officer’s case is only as good as the information he collects on the street, the D.A. says, “Yesterday’s dope dealer will be tomorrow’s murder victim or murder suspect.” Expect “frustrations,” the prosecutor adds, including long waits to testify in court and repeated encounters with people who police arrest for drug violations. Be prepared to meet a “snotty, young defense attorney … who will call you a ‘liar’ and say you’re a ‘bad’ police officer,” Cannizzaro says, smiling, as the crowd laughs. “As much as you are going to want to jump out of your chair and put your hands around his neck, you can’t do that.” Melanie Talia, executive director of the nonprofit New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation, promises support for the new officers, “They will service our community with courage and professionalism, and I look forward to working with each and every one of them.”After the graduation, Mrs. McNeil waits in line to congratulate her husband, looking sharp in white gloves and a blue uniform. She shields Camille from the sun, tugging a blanket corner over the baby’s head. n

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

LOCAL COLOR in tune / READ+SPIN / JAZZ LIFE / JOIE D’EVE / MODINE GUNCH / CHRONICLES / HOME

in tune pg. 38

Rush is returning to the Smoothie King Center on May 22. “There really isn’t anything more to say; it’s Rush, you should already have your tickets.”

LOCAL COLOR / IN TUNE

Tennis

Musical Month Jazz Fest and more BY mike griffith

ay might be the best month on the New Orleans music calendar. This month always begins with the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and the plethora of night shows that accompany the festival (see sidebar). This wealth of music continues through Bayou Boogaloo into the larger national festival circuit. The weather is perfect, the crawfish are plentiful and the bands are coming through town. Just because Jazz Fest opens the month, that doesn’t mean that the music stops with the festival. The second week of May is a busy one even by post-festival standards. On Wed., May 6, the indy pop husband and wife duo, Tennis, will be playing at Gasa Gasa. Alaina Moore’s airy vocals blend well with the darker sounds Patrick Riley generates on guitar. The combination is lilting and a bit haunting at the same time. Just a couple of nights later on Fri., May 8, there are two excellent acts on against one another. First, at Republic, hip-hop experimentalist Earl Sweatshirt will present a night of absolutely eloquent flow. If you’re looking for something a bit folkier, the same night over at the Civic Lord Huron will bring their brand of indie folk to the stage. Lord Huron is touring on their new record Strange Trails, so look for freshly minted tracks. The next night, the incomparable Sufjan Stevens will be playing at the Saenger Theater. After a five-year wait (during which he has been anything but idle), Stevens has returned with a new record of solo material. Stevens is generally regarded as one of the best live performers touring today. I recommend you grab a ticket before they’re all gone. If you can’t get a ticket to see Stevens, head over to

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

the Civic for the Tame Impala show. You can count on a night of 1960s-inspired melodic rock from this Perth-based psychedelic outfit. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the pending Canadian invasion at the end of the month. The advance guard is the return of Rush to the Smoothie King Center on Fri., May 22. There really isn’t anything more to say; it’s Rush, you should already have your tickets. The band has hinted that this may be their last large-scale stadium tour – don’t miss it. Just a few nights later on Tues., May 26, another Canadian band, Purity Ring, will be playing at Republic. This incredibly powerful electro pop duo is a must-see. This performance is equal parts outstanding hooks and mesmerizing light show; you can expect Purity Ring to capture your attention. Make sure to check out their excellent new record, another eternity. Purity Ring will have the Canadian art rock group BRAIDS opening for them. Their etherial space pop should set the ideal mood for the night. Finally, there are a couple of other festivals to keep on your radar, both the weekend of the 15th. First, closer to home, check out Bayou Boogaloo on Bayou St. John. This neighborhood festival, which began in the wake of Katrina, has grown into an outstanding regional festival. Second, and a bit further afield, the sixth Hangout Festival will be going on over in Gulf Shores. Personally, this is one of my favorite musical events of the year. The only way to im-

After the Fest Jazz Fest is always an excellent time for shows, both at the Fair Grounds and around the city. For my part, I always end up spending a considerable amount of time at Tipitina’s during the fest. This month I recommend checking out the Funky Meters on the 1st or the Galactic show on the 3rd (the late-night Saturday show). For other sure bets look to the Civic. Primus will be there for two nights, May 1-2, and the indomitable Pixies take the stage on the 5th. Have a great Jazz Fest; I’ll see you at Tip’s. prove a music festival of this caliber is to add the beautiful Gulf Shores beaches. While Hangout always manages to book keen headlines, the real meat of its lineup is always in emerging acts. This year you can catch Rubblebucket, Lake Street Dive, Houndmouth, Deap Vally and Young Fathers all in one weekend. These acts are of course in addition to headliners such as the Foo Fighters, Spoon and Beck. Keep an eye on MyNewOrleans.com, as I’ll be posting updates and photos from Hangout as it happens. See you at the fests. n Note: Dates are subject to change. Playlist of mentioned bands available at: bit.ly/ InTune5-15.

To contact Mike about music news, upcoming performances and recordings, email Mike@MyNewOrleans.com or contact him through Twitter @Minima.

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

LOCAL COLOR / READ+SPIN

JAZZ: Kermit Ruffins & The Barbecue Swingers released its latest effort #imsoneworleans in April. The smooth, swingy title track, “I’m So New Orleans,” along with the catchy “Tipitina” and a gospel-tinged rendition of “At Last,” featuring Nayo Jones, will stick in your mind-radio for days. Recorded at Music Shed Studios, the album includes guest appearances by June Yamagishi, Britney Chauntae and other notable New Orleans musicians.

ANTHOLOGY: Essays, photos, recipes, music, poems and most of all, passion, permeate the pages of the journal-like new coffee table book New Orleans Jazz Playhouse by jazz trumpeter Irvin Mayfield. Broken down by days of the week, the comprehensive, 304-page tome centers on the themes of jazz and love and includes the seven-CD set of recordings from “The Love Sessions,” showcasing countless local musicians. Images by renowned photographers and artists, such as Garden Parks, George Rodrigue and Greg Miles, bring to life the music, food, art, cocktails, people and places celebrated in the book. Lovers of jazz or simply lovers of New Orleans will want this book in their collection.

SOUTHERN ROCK: The funk-infused Royal Southern Brotherhood’s Don’t Look Back: The Muscle Shoals Sessions is set for release on May 26. This is the third studio album for the supergroup led by bandleader Cyril Neville. With new guitarists Tyrone Vaughan (son of Jimmy Vaughan and nephew of blues icon Stevie Ray Vaughan) and the classically trained Bart Walker joining the fold, expect a heavier, funk vibe than prior efforts.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

BY melanie warner spencer Please send submissions for consideration, attention: Melanie Spencer, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005.

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

LOCAL COLOR / JAZZ LIFE

Kermit and Kaylin Orleans Ruffins

Jazz Fest Cameos Telling it like it is BY JASON BERRY

hen the James Rivers Movement opens the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Fri., May 1, at Zatarain’s WWOZ Jazz Tent, it’s a safe bet that if Clint Eastwood is in town he’ll be backstage, as cool as the other side of the pillow. No, fans, I have no scoop on Eastwood’s calendar; but on one of Eastwood’s recent trips to the “holy city where jazz began,” the drummer Kerry Brown, whose side yard Uptown overlooks Rivers’ backyard, came on his porch and saw a dude in sunglasses with his legs stretched in his neighbor’s chair basking in afternoon light. He looked just like Clint Eastwood. Brown knew that his saxophonist-from-thestratosphere neighbor had played in several Eastwood films. A few days later Kerry saw James. Hey, was that

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

Eastwood? “Yeah,” smiled Rivers, “Clint comes by from time to time.” The James Rivers Movement has come far since he packed Mel’s Lounge, a rocking little place in Marigny where he often led people out of the club in a second line and brought them back in time for the break. Mel’s is gone. A man of leadership and Hollywood connections, James Rivers plays on. Sat., May 2, has one of those competitive line-ups to make the jazz aficionado wince. Dr. Michael White, the clarinet maestro and composer, recently released a stellar work, New Orleans Brass Bands: Through the Streets of the City (Smithsonian Folkways). He will probably play songs from this album during his performance with the Liberty Brass Band and singer Thais Clark in the Economy Hall tent at 2:15. White’s set begins 10 minutes

after Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers start cooking at the Congo Square stage. It is hard to imagine two more dissimilar specimens of the jazz life – White, a cerebral professor at Xavier with a mind ever roaming on the origins, the “why” of New Orleans Style, versus Ruffins, the bravura trumpeter whose earthy populism pervades his latest CD on Basin Street Records #imsoneworleans. The title cut, “I’m So New Orleans” is broken into two tracks, the first and last. That final cut is a rolling stream of consciousness paean to his lower 9th Ward roots. “I’m so New Orleans, I swam in Industrial Canal!’” He continues by recounting how he speared frogs from another canal, and cooked them and ate them with his daddy on the spot. Ruffins is far from a polished stylist, but he packs his work with passion and a comic persona akin to a more restrained Ernie K-Doe, such that it’s easy to understand his cult following. And on his new CD on the track “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” he features a vocalist in her recording debut, his daughter Kaylin Orleans Ruffins. This girl is 8 and she has a set of pipes; her voice is tender in the gentle moments of that fabled song but tends to shout in climbing the octaves, which is something a producer and voice coach can smooth out. Kaylin, congratulations; the world awaits you. The mother of all Jazz Fest sets, for my money, is at 4:30 in the Blues Tent on Saturday, when Aaron Neville performs. He wears a St. Jude medal as an earring in honor of the saint for hopeless cases, having said publicly that novenas at the Rampart Street shrine helped him beat a drug addiction years ago. Neville’s 1989 collaboration with Linda Rondstat on the CD Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind had two Grammy-winning cuts “Don’t Know Much” and “All My Life.” Parkinson’s disease ended Ronsdstat’s career. Of Aaron Neville, she told Parade Magazine: “He’s one of the dearest people ever to me. I talk to him a lot. He’s one of the great voices of pop music, I think … He’s a Creole singer from New Orleans in every sense of the term.” What a distance Neville has traveled since working as a stevedore when he cut “Tell It Like It Is” in 1966. n

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

LOCAL COLOR / MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS

Cap and Frown Graduation geography BY MODINE GUNCH

am a good aunt. When my nephew Locust graduated from Loyola, I sat through a whole two-hour commencement. ... The wrong commencement. I got to explain. Almost every graduation I ever been to in New Orleans has been held at the UNO arena, and me and my daughter Gladiola are running late so that’s where I automatically drive to. We elbow in, wave an invitation that nobody looks at, hunker down in seats at the back and take out our smartphones. First thing, I text my mother-in-law, Ms. Larda. “We R here in back.” I knew she had left early, and probably got a seat down in +front somewheres with the rest of the family. She texts back, “Shh. Turn off UR phone.” Well, hers must be on, if she’s getting my text, I tell Gladiola. But Gladiola don’t hear. She is on Facebook looking at her friends’ graduation pictures. I remember I have email to check, but first, I snap some pictures of the graduates down below. I like how they spell out messages with tape on their mortarboards. One has “WILL WRK 4 FOOD.” I guess he ain’t got a job yet. Now, I got to admit this wasn’t a graduation I wanted to be

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

at – there ain’t no graduation I want to be at unless it involves me personally being finished paying the graduate’s tuition – but my sister-in-law Larva’s oldest boy made it out of college in four years, and he deserves some credit. I think a greeting card with a little money would be enough credit but, nooo. Ms. Larda made it clear that he also deserves two hours of my life sitting in an auditorium that’s air-conditioned to below my comfort zone. I am in a short-sleeved dress with a full skirt, and I think about sitting way back in the seat and wrapping the back of my skirt around my shoulders like a shawl and hoping nobody notices. But I don’t have the nerve. I just open the graduation program and fold it over my arms for warmth. I feel sorry for graduation speakers. They used to be able to count on people at least looking at them like they were paying attention, even if those same people were passing the time by taking deep breaths and counting how long they could hold them, or doing their Kegel exercises. But nowadays the speakers just talk to the top of people’s heads. Everybody is looking down, checking their messages – except once in a while a phone pops up to click a picture of the professor who has fallen asleep on the stage behind the speaker. I bet a graduation speaker could just stand there and intone complete gibberish – “Members of the graduating class, cluck, cluck, Bucca, bucca, bucca ...” – for 20 minutes and no one would notice. Probably some speakers

already have. The schools could save a lot of money by having virtual graduations. The graduate would show up at the president’s office in cap and gown and carrying a selfie stick, click a picture of the president handing him his diploma and post it immediately on Facebook and Instagram. It would also save a lot of grandmothers from having to struggle into their pantyhose for the big day. After a while they start calling out the graduates and I nudge Gladiola to look up so she won’t miss Locust. He should be one of the first ones, since his last name starts with A. But all the As go by, and the Bs and Cs, and still no Locust. “Did he graduate with honors and go up first, and we weren’t paying attention?” I ask Gladiola. “Not with his grades,” she says. “He’s lucky he’s even graduating.” I unwrap the program from around my arms and start looking for his name. I can’t find it. Then Gladiola says, “That’s funny.” She shows me her phone. “Aunt Larva just posted a picture of him on Facebook – right there on the stage getting his diploma.” I look. The banners on that stage are maroon. The banners on this stage are blue. I look closer at my program. There it is, at the top. “University of New Orleans.” Not Loyola University. “I think we can leave now,” I tell Gladiola. “And don’t tell nobody.” We get to Ms. Larda’s for the graduation party just in time to jump into the family picture. At least we got the right family. n

LORI OSIECKI ILLUSTRATION

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

LOCAL COLOR / JOIE D’EVE

Still Winging It

the learning moments continue BY EVE CRAWFORD PEYTON

have a secret. Yes, like any mom – any parent – I have a number of “secret confessions.” I drive my toddler around to get her to sleep – gas mileage be damned. I once let then-5year-old Ruby watch about 10 minutes of “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant” because I was too busy texting a friend to pay any attention to what was on the TV. After a very long day, I once, out a sheer desperation, made myself a cocktail out of gin and Capri Sun and named it the Drunken Toddler (please don’t tell Tim McNally). But my biggest secret confession isn’t some minor mistake or a moderately embarrassing yet surprisingly refreshing adult beverage. My biggest confession is that, two kids in, I still have no freaking idea what I’m doing most of the time. I guess that’s maybe to be expected with Ruby; with her, it really is all new, every day. I’ve never had an 8-year-old before. But with Georgia? I’ve done the Terrible Twos already. Shouldn’t it be easier? But it’s not. I took Georgia to the after-hours clinic last weekend because she was running a

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

low-grade fever and said her ears hurt, and the doctor, after her ears were pronounced clogged but not infected, started lecturing me on what to do when a child has a cold. “Oh, I know,” I told him. “My older daughter …” He cut me off. “You have an older daughter?” he said in a voice that clearly implied I was acting like such a rookie mom (bringing a kid in for a cold!) that he was astonished that I had Extensive Mom Experience on my Mom CV. I was annoyed by his bedside manner but slightly chastened anyway. And yet I still phoned my regular pediatrician the following day to ask how long I could expect Georgia’s poor appetite to continue over the course of her cold. “I mean, I know this is normal – I have another kid and all – but I just worry extra about Georgia because she’s so tiny. She just got back on the growth chart, you know, and …” He reassured me it was fine. But I think that’s just it: I wouldn’t have worried about Ruby’s appetite because she has never

fallen off the growth chart, but Georgia has. I don’t have any clue how to wean Georgia from her binky because Ruby never took one. Ruby was early and eager to potty-train, but Georgia, who will be 3 in about two months, insists solemnly that she has no interest. “Underwear is silly,” she said. “I love diapers forever.” The things I do know a lot about, courtesy of Ruby, such as special diets for reflux or how to manage sensory processing issues, have never come up with Georgia, who never so much as spit up as a baby and does not seem to think that having a tag in the back of your clothing or a rough seam in your socks are similar sensations to being set on fire. They are different kids, in other words, and I know that sounds obvious, but what it really means is that I’m still floundering my way through it all every day, hoping that I’m making the right choices for each of them individually, even if they end up being different choices. Ultimately, I know that’s all I can do – do my best, love them for who they are, cover them with hugs and kisses, and hope it all turns out OK in the end. And of course, I can drown my anxieties in a couple of Drunken Toddlers in the meantime. n

Excerpted from Eve Crawford Peyton’s blog, Joie d’Eve, which appears each Friday on MyNewOrleans.com.

jane sanders ILLUSTRATION

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

LOCAL COLOR / Chronicles

Lakeview: Marshall Foch St. at French St.

Lakeward Bound Memories of Lakeview BY CAROLYN KOLB

“I

was born August the 2nd, 1924, and when I was 6 months old we moved to Lakeview,” Muriel Bonie MacHauer reminisces. “My dad purchased a corner lot – he built his house out of cypress. It was at 6901 General Haig St., corner of Mouton Street, and that was the only shell street between the Orleans canal and Canal Boulevard,” she says. Her school days began at the old Lakeview School on Milne Boulevard, now possibly scheduled for demolition after being vacant for decades. MacHauer and her husband moved to Canal Boulevard between Filmore Avenue and Porteous Street and raised their children there. MacHauer has written a book, Lakeview Memories: Growing Up in Lakeview in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s (available at Amazon.com), which she started after Hurricane Katrina. “Well, after two years I decided I would come back. You meet other people, and everybody had a story. I spent so many hours on the phone. I asked a few questions, and maybe we’d talk for two hours!” Those tales, along with lots of photographs, are in her book. Another book, We Shall Not Be Moved by Tom Wooten, also focuses on pre-

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

and post-Katrina Lakeview. Obviously a much-loved area, Lakeview, according to the city’s New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation website, NewOrleansOnline.com, today is bounded by “Lakeshore Drive, Orleans Avenue, City Park Avenue and the Jefferson Parish line.” In the 19th century, the area between the Metairie Ridge (continued as City Park Avenue) and the lakefront was mainly swampland, with some restaurants and camps reached by streetcar lines. The New Basin Canal ran along what’s now West End Boulevard. The big drainage projects from the Sewerage & Water Board after 1890 opened up residential areas of old Lakeview, and a project of the 1920s filled in the lake to form the land on the lakeside of Robert E. Lee Boulevard. Families moved out toward the lake from the more crowded neighborhoods closer to town. “I spent the first 17 years of my life in the 7th Ward, and since then in the 5th Ward,” Gasper Schiro recalls. When his family moved from North Broad Street to Lake Vista, he was a student at Jesuit High School. “We lived on North Lark Street, Number 50. North Lark goes up to St. Pius X

Church, and when we first moved there they were having Masses upstairs in the meeting room of the Lake Vista Shopping Center.” Those suburbs on reclaimed land featured walkways and park-like areas, with streets and parking toward the rear of the homes. The Lake Vista Shopping Center had one special attraction: ”Miranti’s Drug Store. They had a soda fountain,” Schiro recalls. Cruising Lakeshore Drive in his Oldsmobile 88 with his Jesuit buddies was a favorite activity, with stops at Lenfant’s and the Rockery Inn on Canal Boulevard. Errol Laborde’s (Editor-In-Chief of this magazine) parents lived on Banks Street when he was born, but they bought a home in a new development in the 5700 block of General Haig Street. “There were young families with kids,” Laborde says. His part of Lakeview centered on Harrison Avenue. “It was a real rite of passage the day I was allowed to ride my bike all the way there – that was maybe 12 or 14 blocks.” St. Dominic’s Church once used what’s now the gym for services. “I can remember Father (F.J.) McMullen giving a homily in that gym about building a church – ‘Look at this roof, look at this floor, is this any place for the house of God?’” Laborde says. Proving that Lakeview was a financially strong neighborhood, by 1961 the current church was built. Laborde also fondly remembers being an active member of the Knights of Columbus Squires Youth Organization. Music was a big part of Laborde’s teenaged years. “I’d hear a song on WNOE and I could get a 45 record for $1 at the Studio A record shop.” Harry and Anita Connick were the shop owners. St. Dominic’s also had a spot in rock history: Prior to coming to the church, Father Cayet Mangiaracina and Gene Pitney co-wrote “Hello, Mary Lou,” made famous by Ricky Nelson. Lakeview today even has a Facebook page titled “I grew up in Lakeview, did you? What do you remember?” Now, if you want even more memories than you can find in books, just check out all the photo albums and messages on Facebook. It is almost as good as cruising Harrison Avenue. n

photo courtesy of LOUISIANA DIVISION/CITY ARCHIVES, NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC LIBRARY

LOCAL COLOR / HOME

Home on the Bayou

Cathy and Mark McRae Discover Mid-City BY BONNIE WARREN PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHERYL GERBER

ocated in a picturesque setting overlooking Bayou St. John, the historic raised cottage on a large corner lot has been a visual gem since it was built it 1850 by Christophe Morel. It addition to being a fashionable residence, it has housed a rowing club, a fencing club and a movie production studio. Today, Cathy and Mark McRae are the owners and caretakers of this magnificent gem. “Our home is a place that has a history, yet I feel that it’s definitely very comfortable and informal,” says Cathy, Shell Oil Company’s Vice President of Upstream Americas Deepwater Capability. Then she adds, “It is totally livable. The floors, plaster medallions, pocket doors and the brick fireplaces

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

all give it a sense of history in a very approachable manner.” “I love the ambiance of the mature trees, activities on the footbridge and along the banks of the bayou,” she says about the house they purchased in 2011 in an almost poetic manner. “It all adds up to an overall laid back atmosphere of a very eclectic neighborhood. When we look out from our porch, we see birds of all types, people walking their dogs, kayaking, paddle boarding and cycling, all creating a very calming and pastoral setting.” She continues, “I can walk over to the footbridge and see the Central Business District in a distance and know I’m very close to a vibrant city.”

TOP: Built it 1850 by Christophe Morel, the historic home has been a rowing club, a fencing club and a movie production studio over its long history; it was purchased by the McRaes in 2011.

TOP LEFT: Cathy and Mark McRae lean against the banister on the porch of their historic home on the banks of Bayou St. John. TOP RIGHT: Pocket doors separate the double parlors that are now used as the living and dining rooms. BOTTOM LEFT: Elk horns from Montana, left, and caribou horns from Alaska, along with a painting of elk by Dave Wade of Star Valley, Wyoming, decorate the wall over a pair of chairs in the living room.

Mark, a retired Shell Oil Company geophysicist, agrees with Cathy’s assessment and adds: “The location is great for exercising and engaging neighbors, not to mention how nice it is to be near the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and other events in City Park and on the shores of Bayou St. John.” When the couple decided to do a topto-bottom renovation of the property, they called in NANO LLC to do the architectural and interior design and Doug Matthews of the Concordia Group, LLC, to serve as contractor on the project. “The progressive mindset of Mark and Cathy aided us in creating modern 21st century living spaces within the historic residence,” explains NANO partner Terri

Hogan Dreyer, an architect and interior designer. “Our team did over 80 percent of the house, making sure to maintain the historic integrity of everything, with any construction materials removed thoughtfully reused or reinstalled.” “Terri and Ian Dreyer and their staff quickly understood the directions we wanted to go, and they helped guide us through the options,” Mark says. ”We were fortunate that Doug came to us highly recommended and his team finished all work in our high regard.” The couple has many antiques, yet their favorite furniture is what was handcrafted by local craftsmen. They were pleased that Ian Dryer, Terri’s husband and partner in their company,

built the bookcases in the family room and master bedroom, and he also made the light fixtures in the family room from cypress slats removed from the upstairs hallway during the renovation. “We love local artists and try to highlight their work in our home and yard,” Cathy adds. Now that the construction is over, Cathy and Mark are relaxing and enjoying their home with four guest rooms where family and friends stay when they visit. “Everyone enjoys coming to New Orleans, and we love to host people,” she says. “We have had friends visit from Australia and Norway, and this year we have a full house coming for both weekends of Jazz Fest, and that’s how it should be.” Mark marvels that such a massive construction process went so smoothly. “Now we have a house for a lifetime,” he says. “We intend to enjoy living here as shepherds of this unique home for many years to come.” n FACING PAGE TOP: The front parlor is furnished with antiques and comfortable seating while a Bighorn sheep’s head from Montana hangs over the sofa; the large windows flood the room with natural light and provide a perfect view of Bayou St. John. FACING PAGE BOTTOM: Ian Dreyer, NANO LLC partner, made the light fixtures from cypress laths taken from the upstairs hallway during the renovation, and he also built the bookcases; clerestory stained glass windows were added for interest and additional light. TOP LEFT: Stella, the couple’s cat, perches on the vanity in the completely new master bathroom that was created during the renovation. TOP RIGHT: A four-poster iron bed is showcased in the master bedroom. BOTTOM: The kitchen next to the family room is especially convenient for entertaining. myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

Striped top and rings at Jean Therapy; gumbo necklaces by St. Claude at Sรถpรถ Southern Posh

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by Dale Curry Photographed by Eugenia Uhl model alexandra chaisson . hair niki walker makeup lauren kattan . stylist lisa tudor

I ate my wfish first cra

as a child while visiting my grandmother, who lived in the river parishes. I was from Memphis, and no one there ate crawfish back then. But here, we consumed them in the form of crawfish bisque, the most delicious dish that had ever touched my lips. My aunt’s cook made this unbelievable thick soup with stuffed shells floating on top. When we spooned out the stuffing, we fastened the empty shells to the rims of our bowls. The great fear when hurricanes approached was losing electricity with freezers full of crawfish bisque, made only in the springtime before the days of crawfish farming. A little container of crawfish bisque was like gold, and we often took a couple of them back to Memphis. Much later, when I moved to New Orleans, boiling sacks of crawfish was not yet popular in the city, and we thrived on boiled crabs and shrimp with the occasional bowl of crawfish bisque. But it wasn’t long until the bugs hit the big time; we invested in a giant pot and spent spring weekends in the backyard boiling away. We still wonder how the rest of America lives without this culinary wonder. Making crawfish bisque is a two-day affair that I’ve attempted only twice. First you kill the crawfish by tossing them in boiling water for a minute, then after cooling you peel the tails and clean some shells for stuffing. Next day, you cook. A neighbor who worked with me on one batch told me the sad tale of her sister-in-law who went into labor at the end of the long bisque routine, leaving the finished containers on a counter to cool. Her last words to her husband before giving birth were to put the containers in the freezer. But, alas, in the confusion of the new baby experience, he forgot and the precious yield went down the drain. My husband and I made the painful mistake of waiting until the end of a crawfish season to peel a 50-pound batch. Their shells harden with age, and our hands and nails paid the price. I have finally come up with a version using peeled tails and just a few boiled crawfish that I buy to get the shells. We had our share of backyard boils after splitting the cost of a giant boiling pot and burner gear with two fellow journalists on the old States-Item. We still recall the days when a sack of live crawfish went for under $.50 a pound. These days, we mostly frequent our favorite neighborhood haunts that have their recipes down pat. I asked some of the experts what makes their bounty so good.

After-the-Boil Crawfish Étouffée 1 pound crawfish tails and fat 1/2 stick butter 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 onion, chopped 6 green onions, chopped, white and green parts, divided 1 bell pepper, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon tomato paste 2 1/2 cups water or seafood stock made from boiling crawfish shells Salt, cayenne pepper and Creole seasoning to taste, if necessary 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley Cooked rice Peel and devein crawfish tails left over from a crawfish boil to measure 1 pound or 2 cups. Use a knife to remove all yellow fat from heads. If desired, boil shells, covered in water, for 30 minutes to make stock. Strain and set aside. In a medium, heavy pot, melt butter and stir in flour. Over medium heat, stir constantly to make a light brown roux, the color of butterscotch. Add white onions, bell pepper and celery and simmer until vegetables are wilted, Add garlic and simmer 1 minute more. Add tomato paste and cook briefly. Gradually add stock or water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in crawfish and fat, cook for 1 minute and taste. Seasoning from the crawfish may be enough. If needed, add seasonings such as salt, cayenne pepper and Creole seasoning to taste and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in green onions and parsley. Serve over rice. Serves 6

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

CrawfishStuffed Peppers 4 green peppers 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound crawfish tails with fat, roughly chopped 1 10-ounce can mild or hot Rotel tomatoes Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Set aside 1 and parboil the other 7 halves in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain. Chop the remaining half. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Heat oil in a large skillet. SautĂŠ onion, celery and chopped pepper until wilted. Add garlic and sautĂŠ 1 minute more. Add crawfish tails, tomatoes, salt pepper and Italian seasoning and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, breadcrumbs and half the Parmesan. Stuff mixture into green pepper shells and top with other half of Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes. Serves 4 to 6

Crawfish Pie 1/2 stick butter 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 onion, chopped 1 bunch green onions, chopped, green and white parts separates 1 stalk celery, chopped 1/2 bell pepper, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 pounds crawfish tails with fat 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 Tablespoons sherry Salt, freshly ground pepper, Creole seasoning and cayenne pepper to taste 1 cup Half & Half 2 Tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 pie shells, homemade or store-bought refrigerated Melt butter in a medium pot. Add flour and stir constantly over medium heat to make a roux the color of butterscotch. Add white onion, celery and bell pepper and cook until transparent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add crawfish tails, Worcestershire, sherry and seasonings. Mix well. Gradually stir in Half & Half. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in parsley and green onion tops. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place piecrust in a 10-inch pie plate or pan, fill with crawfish mixture and cover with other crust, pinching edges together. Cut 6 to 8 slits in the top pastry for vents. Bake about 1 hour, turning heat to 400 in the last 15 minutes to brown pie. Let pie rest at least 30 minutes before serving to set. Serves 6 to 8

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

Crawfish Bisque 2 pounds boiled crawfish 2 pounds crawfish tails 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided 1 large onion, chopped 1 bunch green onions, chopped, green and white parts separated 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon each salt, freshly ground black pepper, Creole seasoning and cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 4 1/2 cups water or stock, plus more if needed 1 Tablespoon tomato paste 1/2 cup breadcrumbs made from stale French bread in food processor 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley Cooked white rice Peel and devein boiled crawfish, reserving all fat from the heads and being careful to keep large head shells intact. (If desired, boil discarded shells in additional water to cover for 30 minutes and strain to make stock.) Put tails and fat in a small bowl. Clean shells, dry them with a towel and set aside. You should have about 3 dozen. Place 1/2-pound packaged crawfish tails in a food processor and set aside. In a large pot, heat oil and stir in 1 cup of flour. Over medium heat, make a brown roux, stirring constantly. When roux is the color of chocolate, add white onions, celery and bell pepper. Reduce heat and cook about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute more. Add seasonings, thyme and lemon juice, and gradually stir in 1 cup of water. Cook a few minutes and remove 1 cup of the mixture to the food processor containing 1/2-pound crawfish tails. To the roux remaining in the pot, add tomato paste, remaining stock water, reserved crawfish tails with fat and remaining 1 1/2-pound packaged crawfish tails. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. While bisque is simmering, heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Pulse crawfish tails and roux in the food processor to a coarse purée. The stuffing should be the consistency of sausage. Remove from processor and mix with breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. At this point, add water, if needed, to make the mixture the consistency of a dressing or stuffing. Stuff into reserved shells. Sift remaining cup of flour and place on a sheet of tin foil. Roll stuffed shells to lightly coat them in flour. Shake off excess flour and place on cookie sheet. Brown in oven, turning once or twice. When lightly browned, remove from oven and set aside. At this point, the bisque must be puréed to bisque consistency. Using a hand blender is the easiest way to purée the bisque right in the pot. Otherwise, you’ll have to take several portions of the bisque at a time, purée each in a blender or food processor and return to the pot. If bisque needs thinning, add water until desired consistency is reached. Shortly before serving, add parsley and green onion tops to bisque. Add stuffed shells and heat over low heat, stirring frequently and gently, being careful to keep stuffed shells in tact. Serve in bowls over rice with 5 or 6 stuffed shells per serving. Each serving should have 1/3- to 1/2-cup of rice. Serves 6 as entrée

Most said cleaning the crawfish properly was the most important step. Others said the soaking process was the key, while some claimed their handle on the seasoning mix makes the difference. “Make sure the crawfish are clean so you don’t have a muddy taste,” says Shawn Kelley, owner of Charles Seafood in Harahan. Don’t use salt, he adds, “because it will kill them.” Oops! We used to soak the live crawfish in salty water in large tubs. “If you don’t start off with clean crawfish, you end up with mud and it transfers into the flavor,” says Jason Duhé, owner of Duhé’s Cajun & Creole Cravins in LaPlace. “Clean them off with lots of fresh water on washing tables in a big tub … turning, hosing and working them with (gloved) hands or paddle.” While hosing them down, remove the dead ones, they all say. “We walk them down a plank and pick out the dead ones. We spray them with a hose and clean them good. Once into the cage, we rinse them off again,” says Vicky Patania, who with her husband, Dennis, owns The Galley in Metairie. Their cleaning technique uses no salt and no purge. Soaking is loud and clear in the process of boiling great crawfish. When the crawfish come to a boil, turn off the fire and add ice to stop the boil, says chef David Nestor of Morton’s Seafood in Madisonville. “This helps the seasoning to soak in for 15 or 20 minutes.” Nestor begins by adding seasonings to his pot of water, along with onions, celery and lemons. When it comes to a boil he adds the crawfish and potatoes. When it comes to the second boil, he turns off the heat, adds the corn and ice and sometimes mushrooms.

Creamy Crawfish Pasta 4 Tablespoons butter 6 green onions, chopped 3 large cloves garlic, minced Salt, freshly ground pepper and Creole seasoning to taste 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/4 cup dry white wine 1 cup Half & Half 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 pound crawfish tails with fat 1/2 pound fettuccine or linguine 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese Melt butter in a large saucepan or skillet. Add green onions and sautĂŠ for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and sautĂŠ 1 minute more. Add seasonings. Gradually add wine, Half & Half and cream, and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently. Add crawfish tails and simmer for 5 more minutes. Just before serving, bring to boil a large pot of salted water and cook pasta until al dente (just done). Drain pasta and heat sauce. In a large bowl or on a large platter mix pasta, sauce and Parmesan. Serves 4

Hot Crawfish Dip 2 Tablespoons butter 1 bunch green onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound crawfish tails, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 8-ounce package cream cheese 1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Melt butter in a medium skillet. Sauté green onions until wilted. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add crawfish tails, seasonings, Worcestershire, Tabasco and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese until thoroughly mixed. Add mayonnaise to reach a dip consistency. Adjust seasonings. Stir in parsley. Serve hot. Serve with French baguette slices or Melba toast rounds. Note: This dip can be served in baked puff pastry shells as an entrée. Makes about 3 cups

“The soaking process allows all of the different flavors in the crawfish boil to marry,” says Jason Seither, owner of Seither’s Seafood in Harahan. Seither soaks his for 45 minutes to an hour, after adding ice as soon as the crawfish come to a boil. In his restaurant he serves the traditional corn and potatoes, but he gets wild with ingredients when he often boils crawfish at the Maple Leaf Bar. “It’s almost like an experimentation boil for me,” he says. “I have put boudin, andouille sausage, rabbit, frog legs, pork chops, quail, whole duck … I’ve even put a whole alligator leg in there before. Everything comes out good and everybody eats it all up.” “We cook everything else separately,” says Chris Robinson, manager of Harbor Seafood & Oyster Bar in Kenner, meaning the vegetables, sausage and other shellfish. But the most important step is finding the right blend of seasonings, not too salty or too hot. “We have our own mix,” he says. “We use rock salt. It works better because of the way it breaks down.” Cajun Seafood’s chef-owner Chi Nguyen times his crawfish by taste. I don’t measure,” he says. “The texture of the crawfish determines the time and seasoning. There is a lot of tasting. If I eat it and it’s good, I serve it to customers.” Nguyen and his family own three takeouts and a restaurant on North Claiborne Avenue, where he boils up to 5,000 pounds per day during prime season. He began boiling crawfish at his North Broad Street location in 1990. Like Robinson, he cooks his vegetables separately. Savvy crawfish cooks hide few secrets because they love talking about their techniques. “People in south Louisiana are passionate about the way they cook,” says Duhé, who works full-time as an industrial engineer in the oil and gas industry. But on weekends, his LaPlace off-site catering business is boiling up hundreds of pounds of crawfish. His secret is lemon extract, added about 30 minutes after the fire is turned off due to its low boiling point. But it’s expensive and not as pretty as yellow lemons against a sea of orange crawfish. Just for fun, I used half lemons and half lemon extract in the accompanying recipe with good results. I agree that experimentation and sharing new tricks are part of the fun at Louisiana’s backyard boils. n

Crawfish Boil 1 40- to 50-pound bag live crawfish 1 4.5-pound crawfish, shrimp and crab boil complete seasoning mix 3 to 5 pounds small red potatoes 6 medium onions 8 heads garlic 10 ears corn, shucked and cut in half 3 artichokes 1 pound sausage, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces 2 pounds large white mushrooms 8 lemons, cut in half, or 4 lemons, cut in half, plus 3 ounces lemon extract Extra salt and cayenne pepper if needed It is best to buy crawfish the same day you’re cooking them. It is smart to call ahead and order them from your seafood vendor. Many places stay open on Sunday mornings for an hour or two during crawfish season. If you must pick them up the day before, hold them live in empty ice chests. Shortly before boiling, rinse crawfish thoroughly with a hose, preferably on a table with sides, in a giant tub or small child’s swimming pool. Several ice chests will work as well. Empty water several times and hose again to make sure all of the mud and debris are removed. Discard any dead crawfish, which should float to the top. In a large outdoor crawfish boiling pot fitted with a strainer, bring 15 gallons of water to a boil over a propane burner. Make sure the pot is in a safe place away from children and pets. Add seasoning mix. Add potatoes, onions and garlic and continue boiling for 15 minutes. Add artichokes and sausage and boil another 10 minutes. Add corn and mushrooms and boil for 5 more minutes. Remove strainer and let vegetables drain. Check with a fork to make sure vegetables are done. If anything isn’t done, return it to the pot for a few more minutes. Place vegetables in an empty ice chest to stay warm. Return strainer to pot, and bring water back to a boil. Add crawfish to the pot and bring water almost to a boil but not quite. Turn off heat when the crawfish begin to float. This allows the crawfish to soak longer and absorb more flavor without overcooking. Let crawfish soak for 15 minutes. Taste a couple of crawfish to test for seasoning. Add 8 lemons, or 4 lemons and lemon extract. At this point, continue to soak crawfish and taste until crawfish reach the degree of seasoning that you like. Check at 15-minute intervals and soak for up to an hour. After half or most of the soaking is done, add extra salt or cayenne pepper if you want more spice. (I add about 1/3 cup cayenne pepper.) When ready, lift crawfish out of the pot, strain and place half on a large table prepared with newspapers. Place the other half in an ice chest to stay warm. Top the hot crawfish on the table with half the vegetables. When the first batch is devoured, fill table with the remaining crawfish and vegetables. Provide crawfish trays for serving, or allow guests to stand around the table to eat. Provide containers for discarding shells and chests of cold beer. Optional: Bowls of melted butter for dipping artichokes and potatoes. Serves 20 to 25 people

HEADING PLACES H is S pecial t ies a r e B a r bec u e & R o c k e t s B y N ic k W eld o n | ph o t o g r aph b y g r eg m iles

h His throwback approach to barbecue has made giddy admirers of some of the top chefs in New Orleans, but don’t expect to see Dr. Howard Conyers slinging his South Carolina-style pulled pork in a restaurant anytime soon. That might require the 33-year-old to quit his day job – as a structural dynamicist at NASA. Yes, the maker of the best barbecue you’ve never heard of (yet) is a real-deal rocket scientist. It is 2 a.m. in City Park, late March, and scattered plumes of smoke radiate skyward from beneath the live oaks like the aftermath of a Civil War skirmish. The battle here, however, has barely begun and the mood is considerably merrier. It is the night before the official cook-off for Hogs for the Cause – the city’s premier barbecue festival, which has raised millions of dollars for pediatric brain cancer research since 2009 – and Dr. Conyers, in the back of his “Carolina Q NOLA” team’s humble tent, has already been at it for three hours. “What we do is labor intensive,” Conyers explains,

as he shovels coals from his burn barrel into the homemade pit that contains his 81-pound hog. We, in this context, would be old-guard South Carolina whole hog pitmasters – “whole hog” meaning the entire animal, head to tail. As he tells it, a scarce few still follow the traditional pit-cooking methods that, in the black communities of South Carolina, have been passed down orally from one generation to the next. Conyers was taught barbecue by his father, a welder, who was taught by his father, a former sharecropper who bought the 50-acre Manning, South Carolina, farm on which his rocket scientist grandson would be raised. Conyers was only 6 when he shoveled coals for the first time and 11 when he roasted his first hog. He can remember huge gatherings of family and neighbors, as many as 40 people mingling around rustic in-ground pits. In the meantime, he got a “hands on” education on the farm: He learned chemistry in the form of comparing and contrasting fertilizers; arithmetic in measurements of soy and corn and wheat yields; biology through observing the interplay of animals, plants, sun and sky. He would end up graduating at the top of his class at North Carolina A&T before going to Duke to get his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and material science. His education took him from home, and from barbecue, and it wasn’t until after he accepted a position at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and moved with his wife, Kathryn, to New Orleans in 2009, that he realized how much he missed cooking. In fact, their move to the blight-scarred but culturally rich Central City neighborhood helped reignite his passion. “I’m really invested in this neighborhood,” says Conyers, who owns two homes in Central City, including the historic Queen Anne he and his wife live in and are renovating. “Rebuilding the community here has a lot of similarities to the communal aspect of barbecue.” Conyers’ modest camp in City Park has, likewise, been a gathering spot throughout the night for those awe-struck by his no-shortcuts craftsmanship. After 11 p.m., after the last of the revelers has shuffled out of the event’s Friday night party, the park gates shut to allow the cooks behind the 82 assembled teams time to get down to business. But many of them, hailing from every corner of Louisiana and beyond, have made a point of stopping here to talk shop and watch the young man many are already unabashedly calling “a legend” do his thing. Without a restaurant to his name, many know Conyers from his participation in the past two years of Hogs competition, but several more simply come on the recommendations of the kinds of people who choose what they recommend wisely.

Up walks Todd Pulsinelli, executive chef at John Besh’s James Beard Award-nominated August, and Chris Shortall, the executive chef at the popular French Quarter Tiki spot Latitude 29. “I just wanted to tell you,” Shortall says as he introduces himself to Conyers, “I really respect what you do.” The two chefs join a few other passers-by huddled around Conyers’ red-hot double burn barrel, as the temperatures of the small morning hours dip into the upper 40s. What has made Conyers such an underground star in the New Orleans culinary scene? It might be the purity of his approach, his scientist’s ingenuity or his back-breaking adherence to authenticity. He makes his own charcoals with burn barrels he’s fashioned out of two 55-gallon oil drums. He inserts chunks of oak and hickory into the upper barrel, while metal bars he’s rigged near the bottom of the lower barrel hold the wood in place as it burns, until smoldering coals fall through to the bottom. For this competition, he cooks with two large rectangular pits. The pit he’s cooking chicken quarters on used to be a broken refrigerator, a quirk that got him a mention in a Times-Picayune preview of the event and would lead to more than one customer asking if he was “the refrigerator guy.” He made the other, slightly bigger pit, which is roasting his hog, out of scrap metal with his welder father. Just beneath the lids of each pit, wire harnesses hold the meat in place about two feet above the coals. He cooks a whole hog in about 12 hours – low and slow in barbecue parlance, though he eschews thermometers and most other gadgetry (though he’s found a half-dozen uses for a pair of pliers). Ask him how he measures temperature and he’ll hold out his hand. He puts his engineering acumen to good use, certainly, but he insists that, “barbecue shouldn’t be rocket science.” Perhaps more than anything, though, people are drawn to Conyers because of his disarming humility. He is genuinely taken aback by the buzz he’s generated, and when asked about it he takes a long pause before saying, “It’s kind of hard to process.” The next day, when customers pick his brain about his process, despite having not slept for 36 hours he’ll eagerly give them the tour while graciously thanking them for their interest. Conyers admits he’s had people offer to back him financially if he ever wanted to open a restaurant, but says it’s not an ambition of his. “I don’t have to have a restaurant to be a cook,” he says. “The physical brickand-mortar experience, that’s not me.” That isn’t to say one can only sample Conyers’ barbecue once a year at Hogs for the Cause. He did a pop-up roast at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum’s Purloo restaurant last July, and did another at Dillard University in November, which he paired with

a lecture on the history of pulled pork. He cooks around his busy NASA schedule – his current projects include developing a high-speed video camera system that could be used on planetary rovers – to say nothing of his home renovation, or his role on the boards of Grow Dat Youth Farm, the Warren Easton STEM Academy and as an advisor to the Preservation Resource Center. You will most likely find him cooking at events that emphasize education and community, but if you really want to know when the next roast is, the best bet is to follow him on Twitter @ CarolinaQNola.

“ I d o n ’ t ha v e t o ha v e a r es t a u r an t t o be a c o o k ” As for the barbecue, by about 1 p.m. after a long night of coal shoveling in the park, the pork was ready for pulling and Conyers made it look like the most effortless of surgeries. The pork is juicier than it has any right to be, and so delicately tender you want to rock it to sleep. His sauce, a 70-year-old secret family recipe, is light orange in color and has a mustardy-vinegary tanginess that almost defies description. As good as his pork is – to say nothing of the chicken – it’s this sauce, which he prepped at home, that has customers on the verge of speaking in tongues. The official competition will follow later in the afternoon, with judges doing blind taste tests and awarding winners across a range of categories. Conyers, true to form, has little interest in that aspect of the event. “If it wins, great. If it doesn’t, great. As long as the people are happy.” He wouldn’t ultimately take home any prizes (though the sauce earned seventh place), but when he asks a customer who identifies himself as a South Carolinian if the pork “passes the test,” he gets the only kind of feedback that really matters to him. The man shuts his eyes to savor a bite, a silent prayer to the barbecue gods, and says, “It tastes like home.” n

Woodhouse Day Spa

Motion to Table Seeking the most luxurious spa treatments By Melanie Warner Spencer

Body beautiful

Seaweed is the “it” product in the beauty world at the moment, and the city’s spas are on the cutting edge of the ocean’s beauty bounty. The Woodhouse and the Waldorf Astoria Spa at the Roosevelt Hotel both incorporate seaweed into various treatments, but nowhere is it more luxurious than with body treatments. How better to get ready for the beach than by using products from the sea? Recline in a soft chair with your feet kicked up on an ottoman, mimosa in hand in the new relaxation lounge at the Waldorf Astoria Spa. This spa is an urban oasis in the Central Business District. Modern design, hydrotherapy, VIP treatment rooms and a full-service salon signify this space. The Detoxifying Seaweed Polish and Wrap, $295 for 110 minutes, is nourishing and relaxing. A seaweed scrub is expertly applied to draw out toxins and feels like a massage. Next, the therapist applies the skin-softening algae wrap. After a quick shower, you’re back on the table enjoying a gentle lymphatic drainage massage. The new Lazy Days Renewal Ritual, 80 minutes for $145 at the Woodhouse, combines VOYA seaweed with Dead Sea salt for an energizing scrub. A deep, claw foot bathtub filled with warm water and seaweed awaits for a 20 minute, skin-nourishing soak. Exotic seaweed extracts are then applied during a soothing massage.

Local Love Many of the city’s spas offer local’s discounts and specials, as well as free valet parking. Even an inexpensive express manicure can provide access to the pool, sauna and other facilities for the day, so plan to stick around and enjoy. Gym memberships also are standard at many of the area’s facilities, which include use of the other amenities.

onning a fuzzy robe, reading a magazine in the quiet room and enjoying Champagne drinks or hot herbal tea is a big part of why people opt for massages, facials and other treatments at the spa over a less expensive version at a chain or medical establishment. This sheer luxury is worth a few extra dollars and loads of extra time spent taking advantage of amenities such as a dry sauna, steam room, swimming pool and hot tub or spa café. When it comes to not only lavish facilities, but also services bordering on hedonistic, New Orleans has no shortage of options. “What’s important to us is that they let us take over from the moment they walk in the door,” says Sharla Martin, spa director at the Spa at the Windsor Hotel, which was rated No. 1 on the USA Today 10 Best list. “Let us care for you. I don’t want you to think about whatever is going on professionally or at home. Whether it’s 30 minutes or three hours, we want to do whatever it takes for you to have that time.” It is that attitude – echoed at other tony spas in the city, such as the Ritz-Carlton Spa, the Woodhouse Day Spa and the Waldorf Astoria Spa at the Roosevelt, as well as their less majestic, but equally as indulgent counterparts including Balance Spa & Fitness at the Loews Hotel, Belladonna and Earthsavers – that make going to the spa for an hour seem more like a minivacation. Time stands still, your every need is met and the only thing you have to consider is whether to add a scalp massage enhancement to your body treatment, to take a dip in the pool or both. For the well-heeled and well coiffed, spa treatments are no longer considered a special occasion activity, but rather a necessity in the health, beauty and wellness regime. According to the most recent research from the International Spa Association, more people are hitting the spa for primping and pampering. The ISA reported a record rise in spa visits from 160 million in 2012 to 164 million in 2013. For those that follow a seasonal schedule of the more intensive face and body treatments, now is the time to get your epidermis buffed, polished and shined to a gleaming, soft glow and slough off winter dullness. Ready your skin in style for the punishing hot months to come with our guide to the city’s most luxurious spa treatments. Then rinse and repeat as needed. To up the luxe-factor on the services in this round up, be sure to arrive early, shimmy into a soft, plush spa robe and enjoy whatever complimentary beverages are on tap, then stick around post-treatment for more rest and relaxation.

Grand Hotel Point Clear Resort and Spa

s Grand Escape If you have a weekend to spare, make the two hour 40 minute trip to the Grand Hotel Point Clear Resort and Spa in Point Clear, Alabama. The lush grounds of the circa-1847 hotel are chock-full of boardwalks, wooden piers and stunning views of the private marina and Mobile Bay. Clubby Bucky’s Birdcage Lounge is the perfect spot for a cocktail or to enjoy conversation around the fire pit in the evening. A more casual atmosphere abounds at the Pelican’s Nest and Blue Marlin Bar, overlooking the sparkling poll and an impressive waterfall. Check out a beach cruiser-style bike for a relaxing ride into nearby Fairhope, or around the hotel grounds and bay front. The majestic European-style spa offers top-notch services and oozes exotic, Old World flair. The women’s quiet room has a 22-person hot tub, dark wood chairs and footstools and cushy lounge chairs. Mosaic tile surrounds the hut tub, evoking a modern Turkish bath. Massage treatments are relaxing, healing and come with shortbread cookies in the lounge. Yes, you can have your massage and eat cookies too.

About face

The Waldorf Astoria Spa at the Roosevelt Hotel

When it comes to facials, sometimes you need more than the basic, maintenance variety. For fans of microdermabrasion, the 110-minute, Royal Facial-Microdermabrasion + L.E.D. + O2, for $265 at the Spa at the Windsor Court, is a balanced mix of clinical-meets-indulgent. After sipping a glass of Champagne in the snug relaxation area, your technician will escort you to the treatment room. The décor is decidedly Old World, with light, fresh colors and contemporary finishes. In addition to the microdermabrasion exfoliation, skin is deep cleaned, oxygenated and slathered in various anti-aging, antioxidant and vitamin-packed products. A hydrating mask is also applied with an L.E.D. device, which is said to boost collagen production, producing plump skin. It also can treat acne. During the light therapy treatment, the technician delivers a body-melting neck, shoulder and arm massage. Post-treatment, take advantage of the eucalyptus-infused steam room or the cedar dry sauna. Sometimes it boils down to preference, and not everyone favors microdermabrasion. The 80-minute Age-Defying Facial, $140, at Balance Spa & Fitness at the Loews Hotel is a worthy alternative. Glycolic acid and enzymes take the place of microdermabrasion for exfoliation. Peptides, a brightening eye treatment that exfoliates, firms and massages around the delicate eye area, as well as micro current for toning and contouring and L.E.D. light therapy, combine for a satisfying, gentle and relaxing treatment. Spa guests have 24-hour access to the large fitness center, pool, whirlpool and sauna. A modest relaxation area allows for pre- and post- treatment respite, and there’s a spread of delicious hot teas available for guests. Honorable mentions: The Waldorf Astoria Spa at the Roosevelt Hotel is one of a handful of spas in New Orleans to offer the extravagant and results-oriented Hydrafacial, $139 to $329, a gentle, machine-assisted deep cleaning treatment.

Bare necessities Getting a manicure is often one of those line item tasks on the Saturday afternoon to-do list. It is worth the price of admission, however, to occasionally spring for the luxury spa version. Woodhouse Day Spa in Mid-City is a Victoria, Texas-based franchise locally owned by Stuart Rome (there are two other locations in Louisiana, in Slidell and Baton Rouge) and voted the American Spa Magazine Professional’s Choice award for “Favorite Day Spa” for 2014. The homey, wood pier and beam interior is reminiscent of a cozy lakeside lodge, with plush Country French-meets-Contemporary décor and the best magazine selection this side of the Mississippi. In April, Woodhouse unveiled its new menu of services, which incorporates VOYAcertified organic, sustainable and hand harvested seaweed products from Ireland. For its Woodhouse Signature Hand Retreat, $65, for 50 minutes you’re placed in a cushy pedi-chair, while your feet are submerged in a warm, soothing bath. The technician exfoliates your hands and arms with a seaweed scrub, and then wraps them in warm, nourishing seaweed leaves. Before primping your nails and cuticles, a luxurious hand cream is applied to your skin. (Pro-tip: If you plan to have your nails polished rather than buffed, don’t wear jeans. Opt for pants easy to get back into, a skirt or a dress to keep your manicure in order). You will be sent home with your seaweed, which can be plopped into the bathtub with you for two additional uses to soften and nurture your skin. Honorable mention: The Woodhouse Timeless Anti-Aging Facial is a favorite of one of the staff editors, who says her skin felt soft and had a refreshing glow.

Some might argue that summer in New Orleans is most punishing on your soul, but your soles take a beating too. With sandals, mandals and other opentoed-shoes being the de rigeur footwear of the season, and many carefree and barefoot days spent boating on the lake, frolicking on the coast or lounging by the pool, dry, cracked skin is inevitable, unless you take precautions. The Resurfacing Pedicure, $80, at Earthsavers, revives your winter-worn feet and preps those tootsies for their strappy-shoed debut. This reparative, one hour service includes retexturing and age-spot treatments, as well as a resurfacing peel and mask, and an expert foot and lower leg massage. The pedi-chairs are not massage-style, but you won’t miss it with the pampering unleashed on your feet. Locally grown, eco-conscious Earthsavers is the place for spagoers who prefer a clean, modern atmosphere with no muss or fuss. Lemon and orange waters are always on tap, and the dimly lit lounges are infused with peaceful, nature sounds-filled tunes and divine room scents. Inspiring messages and quotations adorn the walls, encouraging patrons to “Feel good,” and reminding them of the importance of, “Living in the moment.” Honorable mentions: The facials and massages at Earthsavers are also a treat and include unexpected complimentary bells and whistles, such as hot towels and aromatherapy.

Putting your best feet forward

Spas at a Glance Spa Aria at the Hotel Monteleone 214 Royal St., 523-9990 SpaAria.com Balance Spa & Fitness at the Loews Hotel 300 Poydras St., 595-5333 BalanceSpaNewOrleans.com Belladonna 2900 Magazine St., 891-4393 BelladonnaDaySpa.com Buff Beauty Bar 720 Carondelet St., 522-2833 BuffBeautyBar.com Earthsavers & WELL Uptown, 5501 Magazine St., 899-8555 Metairie, 3301 Veterans Blvd., 835-0225 Mandeville, 3414 U.S. Highway 190, (985) 674-1133 EarthsaversOnline.com Franco’s O Spa Mandeville, 100 Bon Temps Roule, (985) 792-0270 Le Visage 8110 Hapson St., 265-8018 LeVisageDaySpaNola.com Ritz-Carlton Spa 921 Canal St., 524-1331 Spa at the Roosevelt Hotel 130 Roosevelt Way, (800) 925-3673, WaldorfAstoria3.hilton.com Stone Creek Spa Covington, 1201 Ochsner Blvd., (985) 801-7100 Spa at the Windsor Court 300 Gravier St., 596-4736 WindsorCourtHotel.com/Spa Woodhouse 4030 Canal St., 482 6652, NewOrleans.WoodhouseSpas.com

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

The Ritz-Carlton Spa

Massage away your cares

The Ritz-Carlton Spa is a Forbes Travel Guide Four Star-rated property. The award-winning, 25,000-square-foot spa facility has 22 treatment rooms and posh, plush relaxation lounges. Dedicated spa attendants, who are prone to leaving a sachet of the spa’s signature lavender mint bath salts in your locker, are assigned to each guest and tend to every need or whim. The grand, indoor fountain steps away from the doorway to the spa alludes to the luxurious amenities and treatments beyond its doors. Daybeds topped with fluffy pillows and silken throws, soft, flickering L.E.D. candles and a full spa food menu awaits in the lounge, where you can relax, sip a beverage, read magazines or even take a nap. To borderline ruin yourself for any other massage, book the Royal 4-Hands Massage, $275 – the pièce de résistance of massages. Two technicians execute synchronized movements from head to toe. Add scalp, foot and spinal enhancements (the former performed by each tech and the latter in synchronization), $25 each, to take the massage to the next level (which also adds 30 minutes). The scalp massage includes a opulent Moroccan oil treatment for your hair. For an otherworldly experience, schedule a pre-massage aromatherapy bath. This treatment will have you feeling like modern-day royalty being pampered and tended to by her ladies in waiting.

Some of the mentioned treatments were provided complimentary for the purpose of this article. Individual prices may vary according to treatment.

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

the MENU TABLE TALK

RESTAURANT INSIDER

FOOD

LAST CALL

DINING LISTINGS

“A local guy with relatives spread all over the South, (Chef Dayne Womax) grew up enjoying a robust spectrum of southern fare. Prior to Brown Butter, he was running the Salty Swine, an invitation-only pop-up supper club that offered an elaborate set menu ... This experience shines through in the menu here, which is confident in its roots while staying unpretentious.”

table talk pg. 78

jeffery johnston PHOTOGRAPH

THE MENU / TABLE TALK

Vinegar Braised Short Rib on grits at Brown Butter

Southern Contemporary Three to Try BY JAY FORMAN

ime was, a guy had to drive past the parish line to find an honest pimento cheese sandwich. Not anymore. In recent years, southern favorites have wound their way like kudzu into the professional kitchens of many a New Orleans establishment. Spearheaded in part by Donald Link’s genre-busting Cochon and lifted by a rising tide of national interest in the pastiche of distinct cuisines speckling the American South, the genre of “Contemporary Southern” is now ensconced as a category for serious food. Truthfully, in some cases it might be too serious. However a pair of local places don’t exactly drink the Kool Aid so much as serve it with an unassuming twist. One, Brown Butter, wears Southern like a pair of broke-in jeans. The other, Boucherie, had the label hung

on it along the way yet embraces it with a grin. Dayne Womax and Simon Beck first worked together at Fresco Café on Maple Street back in the late 1990s. The pair recently reunited and decided to join forces and open a place of their own: Brown Butter. While scouting a location, Beck kept his eye on one particular spot in Mid-City. One night he noticed the lights were off. Peeking inside he saw the establishment was no longer in operation and made a call. Shortly thereafter, the defunct Wow Wingery was repurposed as an independent and Brown Butter was born. Chef Womax heads up the kitchen. A local guy with relatives spread all over the South, he grew up enjoying a robust spectrum of southern fare. Prior to Brown Butter he was running the Salty Swine, an invitation-only pop-up supper club that offered an elaborate set menu kept secret until the event. This experience shines through in the menu here, which is confident in its roots while staying unpretentious at the same time. “Mostly we have simple, downhome flavors here,” Womax notes. “Pretty much everything I order comes from the South, though not necessarily from Louisiana – if I can find better peaches and berries from Georgia, I’ll get from there.” Where to start? Pork Rinds with smoked corn buttermilk dressing is one good place, or else Pimento Cheese and Deviled Ham served with apples, pecans and toast. His Chicken and Waffle Sandwich, made with house-confit chicken and Broadbent ham from Kentucky with a Steen’s mustard glaze, has been the biggest seller since Day One. But if you

Southern Styles Brown Butter 231 N Carrolton Ave., Ste. C 609-3871 BrownButterRestaurant.com Lunch Tuesdays-Sundays, brunch Sundays, dinner service coming soon

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

Boucherie 1506 S Carrollton Ave. 862-5514 Boucherie-Nola.com Lunch and dinner Tuesdays-Saturdays

Purloo 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. 324-6020 NolaPurloo.com Lunch and dinner Tuesdays-Saturdays

jeffery johnston PHOTOGRAPH

Purloo At Purloo, the lab component of SoFAB (the Southern Food and Beverage Museum), chef Ryan Hughes makes full use of his open exhibition kitchen to oversee an ambitious menu that mines regional southern hotspots across the United States and beyond. For lunch consider the Southern Board, which will give you a cross-section of his wide-ranging influence and technique. really want to get a sense of Womax’s chops, order his Vinegar Braised Beef Short Rib. The boneless chunks get slowcooked the day before then portioned for service. When the order comes in, the meat gets fired and glazed then sent out on a bed of creamy Anson Mills grits accompanied by a boiled peanut salad accented with peppery arugula. What makes it special is the finish on the grill. Braised short rib is a dish that can often be one-dimensional with regards to texture, and this finishing touch avoids that pitfall, giving it contrast as well as flavor. Price points are reasonable, with sandwiches in the $10 range served with a choice of side and lunch entrées that barely crack the mid-teens. Look for dinner service to be offered soon. If Brown Butter took on a southern identity because it made for a good fit, Boucherie had the label attached to it along the way. “I don’t remember who coined Boucherie a ‘Contemporary Southern’ restaurant, but it certainly wasn’t Boucherie,” observes chef and owner Nathanial Zimet as he breaks down whole ducks for service.

“But a restaurant does develop a voice as it grows up over time, and Boucherie’s voice is decidedly southern.” Speaking of growing up, Zimet’s popular but tiny restaurant expanded into a nearby space over Mardi Gras. Seating grew about 50 percent, but that’s just part of the story. The tables now have more generous spacing and room to breathe, resulting in a far more comfortable environment. But if Boucherie’s location has changed, its approach to food hasn’t – its fundamental lineup gets constantly tweaked by an ingredient-driven cast of sides and accompaniments drawing on an eclectic array of influences grounded often, but not exclusively, in southern tradition. A Blackened Shrimp and Grit Cake, for example, shares space with elevated southern fare like Zimet’s Pulled Pork Cake with Pecan and Wild Rice Callas. His Niman Ranch Rib entrée is a constant on the menu, although the accompaniments vary. Recently they were paired with grilled focaccia topped with pimento cheese (a winner) as well as preserved eggplant (the surprise). “We did that Indian-style with mustard oil, chili, cardamom and cumin,” Zimet recalls. “That came about because one of my buddies sells produce. He had a ton of them left over and I got a really good deal. They were gorgeous, they were plentiful, but there’s no way in hell I was going to be able to go through all of them fresh. So we started thinking about what we could do with them and here we are.” That then is a southern tradition – you pull your stuff out the ground and figure out how to make it last through the year. In this way southern shares a practicality that is global in scope and appeal. n

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

THE MENU / RESTAURANT INSIDER

New Tastes to Try Primitivo, Sac-A-Lait and Kin BY ROBERT PEYTON

Primitivo

Sac-a-Lait

Chef Adolfo Garcia should, by the time you read this, have opened Primitivo at 1800 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., with partners Jared Ralls and Ron Copeland. Garcia, who also runs High Hat Café, La Boca Steakhouse and Ancorra Pizzeria, decided to expand in the area after seeing the space, which will house a 70-seat restaurant and apartments on the second floor. He told me that the concept is simple: meat, salt and fire. The open kitchen sports a 15-foot-wide oven designed with Gustavo Chinchilla that has separate compartments for hot and cold smoking and both wood and charcoal grilling. Garcia told me another reason for opening the Primitivo was to provide an outlet for some of the chefs he’s worked with over the years to do their own food. Nick Martin and Jared Ralls will have key roles in the kitchen, which will turn out family-style dishes like whole fish and a “roast beast of the day” at moderate prices. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner five days a week at first, with an eye towards daily service shortly thereafter. No phone number as of yet, but the Primitivo has an active presence on Twitter @eatprimitivo.

Chef Cody Carroll first came to my attention when he won the 2013 Louisiana Seafood Cook-off. He and his wife Samantha operated Hot Tails in New Roads, Louisiana, and had already developed a reputation as skilled cooks. In March, the pair opened Sac-a-Lait at 1051 Annunciation St., in the space that was most recently a Sun Ray Grill. Carroll and his brothers Trey and Todd designed and renovated the space themselves, using pine salvaged from a nearby cotton warehouse for the tables and family photographs for much of the décor. From the crushed oyster shells in the bar (and oyster bar) to the pork curing in salt in a corner, just about everything is from our region. The chef cooks an updated version of blackened redfish on superheated squares of slate, and the broth for his “River Gumbo” is made with roasted frog leg bones. His fried backstrap of venison is a take on the hunting camp dish he grew up eating, but here he substitutes gnocchi for the bread and andalouse sauce (essentially roasted red pepper aioli) for the ketchup. The Carrolls credit chef de cuisine Bradley Andries for the gnocchi and other Italian-influenced dishes on the menu. Andries, a Baton Rouge native, spent three years after culinary school cooking in Italy. Sac-A-Lait is currently open for dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays) and for brunch on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 324-3658 to make a reservation.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

Kin You might miss Kin, a new restaurant in Central City, even if you drive past the address at 4600 Washington Ave. It is an oddly shaped building on a triangular lot between Clio and S. Clark streets. Look for it, though, because it’s one of the more interesting restaurants to open here in years. Chefs Hieu Than and Nate Nguyen, both New Orleans natives, opened Kin in March with little fanfare. Both chefs are of Vietnamese descent, but while certain elements of the menu reflect their background, their cooking is more influenced by their experience working in fine-dining restaurants. The frequently changing menu has appetizers such as shrimp and papaya and shell-on fried Gulf shrimp served on crisp shrimp chips with papaya slaw garnished with cherry tomatoes, herbs, cilantro flowers and chile gelatin, while entrées include a five-spice braised duck confit with potato spaetzle, roasted beets, wilted greens and duck confit in a broth that marries Japanese dashi with duck demi-glace. Than told me that sous chef Matt Engle shares his passion for ramen, and the restaurant plans to offer the noodle soup when they open for lunch in late April. The restaurant is BYO (no corkage) at the moment but should have its liquor license by the time you read this. Kin is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 5 until 9:30 p.m. during the week and until 10 p.m. on weekends. There are only about 25 seats in the restaurant, so I’d recommend you make a reservation by calling 304-8557.

SARA ESSEX BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHs

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

THE MENU / LAST CALL

The Refresher A cocktail made with port BY tim mcnally

ay is that fascinating transitional month where we know what’s coming, and for many moments it’s already here, but not totally – not just yet. Staving off the heavy heat and high humidity of summer, even if only for a few more days, is on the mind, but so is the inevitability of what’s right around the corner. In May, we busy ourselves with the closing moments of a great festival, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, while seeking refuge under trees, beneath tents and in lines to purchase ice-cold beer. Music is the pleasurable and rewarding diversion, staying comfortable the immediate quest. We end the month on Royal Street at the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, walking into and out of air-conditioned shops sipping wines, not so much in a hurry to the exit from the cool. We are not quite done with the heavy food and drink normally as-

sociated with the previous season while we also seek provisions that deliver lighter outcomes. Making a surprise appearance this month is a port cocktail. Yes, port is heavy, yet The Refresher is cool; hence the name. Port is a beverage from that northern region of Portugal, from the town of Oporto. Are you seeing the pattern here? For ports, wine is made, which involves fermentation and then fortified, which involves distillation. The maker waits a few years for the concoction to get itself together and then sends it to market where we scoff it up and add more ingredients for the cocktail. Straightforward it is not. In its favor, the cocktail is easy to make. Invented in the French Quarter by chef and owner Richard Hughes with the talented gang at Pelican Club, the result is something simple, quite refreshing and totally in keeping with the time of year, which defies one description. n

The Refresher 1 ounce Sandeman Founders Reserve Port 1 1/2 ounce Plymouth Gin 4 ounces watermelon water 2 ounces Sprite or similar soft drink Mint and cucumber slice Ice In a shaker add all ingredients except ice and Sprite. Shake. Pour in highball glass filled with ice. Top with Sprite and garnish with mint and cucumber slice. As created and served at Pelican Club, 312 Exchange Place, 523-1504, PelicanClub.com. 8sara 2 | essex MAY bradley 2015 / myneworleans.com PHOTOGRAPH

THE MENU / DINING GUIDE H= New Orleans Magazine award winner / $ = Average entrée price. $ = $5-10 / $$ = $11-15 / $$$ = $16-20 / $$$$ = $21-25 / $$$$$ = $25 and up.

American

Zea’s Rotisserie and Grill Multiple Locations, ZeaRestaurants.com. L, D daily. Drawing from a wide range of worldly influences, this popular restaurant serves a variety of grilled items as well as appetizers, salads, side dishes, seafood, pasta and other entrées. Also offers catering services. $$$

Bywater–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Elizabeth’s 601 Gallier St., 944-9272, ElizabethsRestaurantNola.com. B, L MonFri, D Mon-Sat, Br Sat-Sun. This eclectic local restaurant draws rave reviews for its praline bacon and distinctive Southern-inspired brunch specials. $$$

H Maurepas 3200 Burgundy St., 2670072, MaurepasFoods.com. D Thu-Tue, Br Sat-Sun. Pioneering farm-to-table restaurant with an ingredient-driven menu that changes daily. Clever cocktails a plus as well. $$ Satsuma Café 3218 Dauphine St., 3045962, SatsumaCafe.com. B, L daily (until 5 p.m.). Offers healthy, inspired breakfast and lunch fare, along with freshly squeezed juices. $

CITY PARK––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Café NOMA, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, NO Museum of Art, City Park, 482-1264, CafeNoma.com. L, (snacks) Tue-Sun. Sleek bar and café in the ground floor of museum offers a thoughtful array of snacks, sandwiches and small plates that are sure to enchant, with a kids’ menu to boot. $$

CBD/Warehouse District––––––––––– The Grill Room Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier St., 522-1992, GrillRoomNewOrleans.com. B, L, D daily, Br Sun. Featuring modern American cuisine with a distinctive New Orleans flair, the adjacent Polo Club Lounge offers live music nightly. Jazz Brunch on Sunday. $$$$$ Manning’s 519 Fulton St., 593-8118. L, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Born of a partnership between New Orleans’ First Family of Football and Harrah’s Casino, Manning’s offers sports bar fans a step up in terms of comfort and quality. With a menu that

draws on both New Orleans and the Deep South, traditional dishes get punched up with inspired but accessible twists in surroundings accented by both memorabilia and local art. $$$ Pete’s Pub Intercontinental Hotel, 444 St. Charles Ave., 585-5401, IcNewOrleans.com/dining/petes_pub. D Mon-Fri. Casual fare and adult beverages are served in this pub on the ground floor. $$ Q&C Hotel/Bar 344 Camp St., (866) 247-7936, QandC.com. B, D daily. Newly renovated boutique hotel offering a small plates menu with tempting choices such as a Short Rib Poor Boy and Lobster Mac and Cheese to complement their sophisticated craft cocktails. $$

H Root 200 Julia St., 252-9480, RootNola. com. L Mon-Fri, D daily. Chef Philip Lopez opened Root in November 2011 and has garnered a loyal following for his modernist, eclectic cuisine. Try the country fried chicken wings and the Cohiba-smoked scallops crusted with chorizo. $$$$

H Restaurant August 301 Tchoupitoulas St., 299-9777, RestaurantAugust.com. L Fri, D daily. James Beard Award-winning chef John Besh’s menu is based on classical techniques of Louisiana cuisine and produce with a splash of European flavor set in an historic carriage warehouse. $$$$$ Tivoli & Lee 2 Lee Circle, 962-0909, TivoliAndLee.com. B, L, D daily, Br SatSun. Progressive Southern cuisine is the focus. Rabbit sliders, poke salad and pickled shrimp redefine locally sourced ingredients, and craft cocktail and bourbon menus round out the appeal. Craft cocktail bar Bellocq serves specialty and locally influenced libations. $$$ Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar 1009 Poydras St., 309-6530, Walk-Ons.com. L, D, daily. Burger, sandwiches, wraps and more made distinctive with a Louisiana twist are served at this sports bar near the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. $$ Warehouse Grille, 869 Magazine St., 322-2188, WarehouseGrille.com. L, D daily, Br Fri-Sun. Creative fare served in

an art-filled environment. Try the duck crêpes or the lamb spring rolls. $$ Wolfe’s in the Warehouse 859 Convention Center Blvd., 613-2882. B, L, D daily. Chef Tom Wolfe brings his refined cuisine to the booming Fulton Street corridor. His Smoked Kobe Short Ribs are a good choice. $$$

Downtown–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Camellia Grill 540 Chartres St., 5221800. B, L, D daily. A venerable diner whose essential character has remained intact and many of the original waiters have returned. This location has a liquor license and credit cards are now accepted. $

Faubourg Marigny–––––––––––––––––– The Marigny Brasserie 640 Frenchmen St., 945-4472, MarignyBrasserie.com. L, D daily. Chic neighborhood bistro with traditional dishes like the Wedge of Lettuce salad and innovative cocktails such as the cucumber Cosmo. $$$ Snug Harbor 626 Frenchman St., 949-0696, SnugJazz.com. D daily. This jazz club serves cocktails and a dining menu loaded with steaks, seafood and meaty burgers served with loaded baked potatoes. $$$$

French Quarter–––––––––––––––––––––– Hard Rock Café 125 Bourbon St., 5295617, HardRock.com. L, D daily. Local outpost of this global brand serves burgers, café fare and drinks in their rock memorabilia-themed environs. $$ The Pelican Club 312 Exchange Place, 523-1504, PelicanClub.com. D daily. Serves an eclectic mix of hip food, from the seafood “martini” to clay-pot barbecued shrimp and a trio of duck. Three dining rooms available. $$$$$ Rib Room Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, 621 St. Louis St., 529-7046, RibRoomNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Old World elegance and high ceilings, house classic cocktails and Anthony Spizale’s broad menu of prime rib, stunning seafood and on weekends a champagne brunch. $$$

GARDEN DISTRICT–––––––––––––––––––––––– Cheesecake Bistro by Copeland’s, 2001 St. Charles Ave., 593-9955, CopelandsCheesecakeBistro.com. L, D daily. Shiny, contemporary bistro serves Cajun-fusion fare along with its signature decadent desserts. Good lunch value to boot. $$

Metairie–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– café B 2700 Metairie Road, 934-4700, cafeB.com. D daily, L Mon-Sat. Br Sun. Ralph Brennan offers New American bistro fare with a Louisiana twist at this family-friendly neighborhood spot. $$$ Caffe! Caffe! 3547 N. Hullen St., 2679190. B, L Mon-Sat. & 4301 Clearview Parkway, 885-4845. B, L daily; D MonSat. CaffeCaffe.com Healthy, refreshing meal options combine with gourmet coffee and espresso drinks to create a tasteful retreat for Metairie diners at a reasonable price. Try the egg white spinach wrap. $ Heritage Grill 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 934-4900, HeritageGrillMetairie. com. L Mon-Fri. This lunch-only destination caters to the office crowd and offers a freshly squeezed juice menu to go along with its regular menu and express two-course lunch. $$ Martin Wine Cellar 714 Elmeer Ave., 896-7300, MartinWine.com. Wine by the glass or bottle to go with daily lunch specials, towering burgers, hearty soups and salads and giant, deli-style sandwiches. $ Vega Tapas Café 2051 Metairie Road, 836-2007, VegaTapasCafe.com. D Mon-Sat. Innovative establishment offers fresh seafood, grilled meats and vegetarian dishes in a chic environment. Daily chef specials showcase unique ingredients and make this place a popular destination for dates as well as groups of friends. $$

Mid-City–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Parkway Bakery and Tavern 538 Hagan Ave., 482-3047, ParkwayPoorBoys.com. L, D Wed-Mon. Featured on national TV and having served poor boys to presidents, it stakes a claim to some of the best sandwiches in town. Their french fry ver-

Brunch and Catering from The Lakehouse The Lakehouse, 2025 Lakeshore Drive, Mandeville; (985) 626-3006, TheLakehouseCuisine.com The Lakehouse in Mandeville is now offering brunch on Sundays and catering services. The restaurant and event space, located in a historic 1830s house with views over Lake Ponchartrain, is benefiting from recent renovations and a new contemporary design. Brunch is available between 11 a.m.-2 p.m., and includes bottomless Mimosas, carving, omelets and sweets stations as well as a waffle bar and a full lunch buffet. The expanding off-site catering services are available on both the North and South shores and are a favorite on film sets, including the Jessica Biel movie, Devil on the Deep Blue Sea, which just wrapped filming. – Mirella Cameran

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

cheryl gerber photograph

sion with gravy and cheese is a classic at a great price. $

NORTHSHORE–––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Dakota 629 N. Highway 190, (985) 892-3712, TheDakotaRestaurant.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. A sophisticated dining experience with generous portions. $$$$$

Riverbend–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Carrollton Market 8132 Hampson St., 252-9928, CarrolltonMarket.com. D TueSat. Modern Southern cuisine manages to be both fun and refined at this tasteful boîte. $$$

Uptown–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Audubon Clubhouse 6500 Magazine St., 212-5282, AudubonInstitute.org. B, L Tue-Sat, Br Sun. A kid-friendly menu with local tweaks and a casually upscale sandwich and salad menu. $$ Camellia Grill 626 S. Carrollton Ave., 3092679. B, L, D daily. A venerable diner whose essential character has remained intact and many of the original waiters have returned. Credit cards are now accepted. $ GG’s Dine-O-Rama 3100 Magazine St., 373-6579, GGsNewOrleans.com. B Sat, L, Tue-Sun, D Tue-Fri, Br Sun. Upscalecasual restaurant serves a variety of specialty sandwiches, salads and wraps, like the Chicago-style hot dog and the St. Paddy’s Day Massacre, chef Gotter’s take on the Rueben. $$ Martin Wine Cellar 3827 Baronne St., 8997411, MartinWine.com. Wine by the glass or bottle with cheeses and snacks to-go. $

Slim Goodies 3322 Magazine St., 891 EGGS (3447), SlimGoodiesDiner.com. B, L daily. This diner offers an exhaustive menu heavily influenced by local cuisine. Try the Creole Slammer, a breakfast platter rounded out by crawfish étouffée. The laid-back vibe is best enjoyed on the patio out back. $ Stein’s Market and Deli 2207 Magazine St., 527-0771, SteinsDeli.net. B, L, D TueSun. New York City meets New Orleans. The Reuben and Rachel sandwiches are the real deal and the half-sours and pickled tomatoes complete the deli experience. $ Surrey’s Café and Juice Bar 1418 Magazine St., 524-3828; 4807 Magazine St., 895-5757, SurreysCafeAndJuiceBar. com. B, L daily. Laid-back café focuses on breakfast and brunch dishes to accompany freshly squeezed juice offerings. Health-food lovers will like it here, along with fans of favorites such as peanut butter and banana pancakes. Cash only. $$ Tracey’s Irish Restaurant & Bar 2604 Magazine St., 897-5413, TraceysNola.com. L, D daily. A neighborhood bar with one of the best messy roast beef poor boys in town. The gumbo, cheeseburger poor boy and other sandwiches are also winners. Grab a local Abita beer to wash it all down. Also a great location to watch the game. $

H Upperline 1413 Upperline St., 891-9822, Upperline.com. D Wed-Sun. Consummate hostess JoAnn Clevenger and talented chef Dave Bridges make for a winning combination at this nationally

heralded favorite. The oft-copied fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade originated here. $$$$

H Wayfare 4510 Freret St., 309-0069, WayfareNola.com. L, D daily. Creative sandwiches and southern-inspired small plates. $$ Ye Olde College Inn 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-3683, CollegeInn1933.com. D Tue-Sat. Serves up classic fare, albeit with a few upscale dishes peppering the menu. $$$

martini bar. $$$

Garden District––––––––––––––––––––––– Hoshun Restaurant 1601 St. Charles Ave., 302-9716, HoshunRestaurant.com. L, D daily. Offers a wide variety of Asian cuisines, primarily dishes culled from China, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia. Five-pepper calamari is a tasty way to begin the meal, and their creative sushi rolls are good. Private dining rooms available. $$

H Tan Dinh 1705 Lafayette St., 361-

Asian Fusion/ Pan Asian

8008. B, L, D daily. Roasted quail and the beef pho rule at this Vietnamese outpost. $$

CBD/Warehouse District–––––––––––

Lakeview Pearl 6300 Canal St., 3095711, LakeviewPearl.com. L, D Mon-Sat. A long list of specialty rolls rounds out the offerings of this Asian-Fusion restaurant. $$

Little Tokyo Multiple locations, LittleTokyoNola.com. L, D daily. Multiple locations of this popular Japanese sushi and hibachi chain make sure that there’s always a specialty roll within easy reach. $$

Horinoya 920 Poydras St., 561-8914. L, D daily. Excellent Japanese dining. The chutoro is delicious and the selection of authentic Japanese appetizers is the best. $$$ Rock-N-Sake 823 Fulton St., 581-7253, RockNSake.com. L Fri, D Tue-Sun, late night. Fresh sushi and contemporary takes on Japanese favorites in an upbeat, casual setting. $$$

French Quarter––––––––––––––––––––––– V Sushi 821 Iberville St., 609-2291, VSushiMartini.com. D daily, late-night. Creative rolls and a huge list of fusion dishes keep party-lovers going late into the night at this combination sushi and

Lakeview–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Metairie–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Aloha Sushi 619 Pink St., 837-0055, SunRayGrill.com. L Tue-Fri, D, Tue-Sun. Fresh fish and creative rolls, along with gluten-free options such as rolls in bowls, sushi burritos and other lunch friendly Japanese fare featured. $$

H Royal China 600 Veterans Blvd., 831-9633. L daily, D Tue-Sun. Popular and family-friendly Chinese restaurant is one of the few places around that serves dim sum. $$

MARRERO–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Daiwa, 5033 Lapalco Blvd., 875-4203, DaiwaSushi.com. L, D daily. Japanese

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

DINING GUIDE destination on the Westbank serves an impressive and far-ranging array of creative fusion fare. $$$

Mid-City––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Café Minh 4139 Canal St., 482-6266, CafeMinh.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Chef Minh Bui and Cynthia Vutran bring a fusion touch to Vietnamese cuisine with French accents and a contemporary flair. $$ Five Happiness 3605 S. Carrollton Ave., 482-3935, FiveHappiness.com. L, D daily. This longtime Chinese favorite offers up an extensive menu including its beloved mu shu pork and house-baked duck. $$

H MoPho 514 City Park Ave., 482-6845, MoPhoMidCity.com. L, D Wed-Mon. Vietnamese cuisine meets southern Louisiana in this upscale casual hybrid by chef Michael Gulotta. Mix-and-match pho and an interesting poor boy menu rounds out the appeal. $$$

Riverbend–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Ba Chi Canteen 7900 Maple St., 3735628. L, D Mon-Sat. The kitchen plays fast and loose with Vietnamese fare at this eclectic outpost on Maple Street. Try the caramelized pork “Baco”. $

H Chill Out Café 729 Burdette St., 8729628. B, L daily, D Mon-Sat. Thai food and breakfast favorites like waffles and pancakes can both be had at this affordable college-friendly hangout. $

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

Uptown–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Chiba 8312 Oak St., 826-9119, Chiba-Nola.com. L Wed-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Contemporary restaurant features fresh, exotic fish from all over the world and fusion fare to go along with typical Japanese options. Extensive sake list and late night happy hours are a plus. $$$

H Jung’s Golden Dragon 3009 Magazine St., 891-8280, JungsChinese.com. L, D daily. This Chinese destination is a real find. Along with the usual you’ll find spicy cold noodle dishes and dumplings. One of the few local Chinese places that breaks the Americanized mold. $

H Magasin 4201 Magazine St., 8967611, MagasinCafe.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Pho, banh mi and vegetarian options are offered at this attractive and budgetfriendly Vietnamese restaurant. Café sua da is available as well. $ Kyoto 4920 Prytania St., 891-3644, KyotoNola.com. L, D Mon-Sat. A neighborhood sushi restaurant where the regulars order off-the-menu rolls. $$

WEST BANK––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Nine Roses 1100 Stephen St., 366-7665, NineRosesResturant.com. L, D Sun-Tue, Thu-Sat. The extensive Vietnamese menu specializes in hot pots, noodles and dishes big enough for everyone to share. $$

Bakery/Breakfast

City Park–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

CC’s Coffee House Multiple locations in New Orleans, Metairie and Northshore, CCsCoffee.com. Coffeehouse specializing in coffee, espresso drinks and pastries. $

Faubourg Marigny––––––––––––––––––– H Ruby Slipper Café 2001 Burgundy

Café du Monde Multiple Locations, CafeDuMonde.com. This New Orleans institution has been serving fresh café au lait, rich hot chocolate and positively addictive beignets since 1862 in the French Market 24/7. $

CBD/Warehouse District––––––––––– H Merchant 800 Common St., 571-9580, MerchantNewOrleans.com. B, L daily. Illy coffee and creative crêpes, sandwiches and more are served at this sleek and contemporary café on the ground floor of the Merchant Building. $

H Ruby Slipper Café 200 Magazine St., 525-9355; 1005 Canal St., 525-9355, TheRubySlipperCafe.net. B, L daily, Br Sun. Homegrown chain specializes in breakfast, lunch and brunch dishes with unique local twists such as bananas Foster French toast and barbecue shrimp and grits. $$

CARROLLTON––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Breads on Oak, 8640 Oak St., 324-8271, BreadsOnOak.com. B, L Wed-Sun. Artisan bakeshop tucked away near the levee on Oak Street serves breads, sandwiches, gluten-free and vegan-friendly options. $

Morning Call 56 Dreyfous Drive, City Park, 885-4068, NewOrleansCityPark. com/in-the-park/morning-call. 24 hours a day; cash-only. Chicory coffee and beignets coated with powdered sugar make this the quintessential New Orleans coffee shop. $

St., 525-9355, TheRubySlipperCafe.net. B, L daily, Br Sun. Homegrown chain specializes in breakfast, lunch and brunch dishes with unique local twists such as bananas Foster French toast and barbecue shrimp and grits. $$

Mid-City––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Gracious Bakery + Café 1000 S. Jeff Davis Parkway, Suite 100, 301-3709, GraciousBakery.com. B, L daily. Boutique bakery on the ground floor of the Woodward Building offers small-batch coffee, baked goods, individual desserts and sandwiches on breads made in-house. Catering options available. $

H Ruby Slipper Café 139 S. Cortez St., 525-9355, TheRubySlipperCafe.net. B, L daily, Br Sun. Homegrown chain specializes in breakfast, lunch and brunch dishes with unique local twists such as bananas Foster French toast and barbecue shrimp and grits. $$

Barbecue

Lakeview–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The Joint 701 Mazant St., 949-3232, AlwaysSmokin.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Some of the city’s best barbecue can be had at this locally owned and operated favorite. $

Lakeview Harbor 911 Harrison Ave., 486-4887, NewOrleansBestBurger.com. L, D daily. Burgers are the name of the game at this restaurant. Daily specials, pizza and steaks are offered as well. $

Lower Garden District–––––––––––––

METAIRIE––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Bywater––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Voodoo BBQ 1501 St. Charles Ave., 5224647, VoodooBBQAndGrill.com. L, D daily. Diners are never too far from this homegrown barbecue chain that features an array of specialty sauces to accompany its smoked meats and seafood. $$

Cheeseburger Eddie’s, 4517 W Esplanade Ave., 455-5511, AustinsNo.com/ Cheeseburger-Eddie-s.html. L, D Mon-Sat. Hickory-grilled burgers are the main draw at this casual spot but tacos, tamales, poor boys and more are also served. $

Metairie–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Riverbend–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Cowbell 8801 Oak St., 298-8689,

Voodoo BBQ 2740 Severn Ave., 353-4227, VoodooBBQAndGrill.com. L, D daily. Diners are never too far from this homegrown barbecue chain that features an array of specialty sauces to accompany its smoked meats and seafood. $$

Burgers

French Quarter––––––––––––––––––––––– Bayou Burger, 503 Bourbon St., 5294256, SportsBarNewOrleans.com. L, D daily. Sports bar in the thick of Bourbon Street scene distinguishes its fare with choices like Crawfish Beignets and Zydeco Bites. $$ Port of Call 838 Esplanade Ave., 5230120, PortOfCallNola.com. L, D daily. It is all about the big, meaty burgers and giant baked potatoes in this popular bar/ restaurant – unless you’re cocktailing only, then it’s all about the Monsoons. $$

Cowbell-Nola.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Burgers and homemade sauces on potato rolls are the specialty here, along with other favorites like skirt steak. $$

Uptown––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H The Company Burger 4600 Freret St., 267-0320, TheCompanyBurger.com. L, D Wed-Mon. Custom-baked butter-brushed buns and fresh-ground beef patties make all the difference at this excellent burger hotspot. Draft beer and craft cocktails round out the appeal. $

French

CBD/Warehouse District––––––––––– Chateau du Lac 857 Fulton St., 301-0235, ChateauduLacWarehouse.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. This casual French bistro, run by chef-owner Jacques Saleun, offers up classic dishes such as escargot, coq au vin and blanquette de veau. $$$$

Le Foret 129 Camp St., 553-6738, LeForetNewOrleans.com. D Mon-Sat. Sophisticated fine dining melds southern cuisine and classic French with modernist influences in an elegant setting. $$$$

Faubourg St. John–––––––––––––––––––– H Café Degas 3127 Esplanade Ave., 945-5635, CafeDegas.com. L, D Wed-Sat, Br Sun. Salad Niçoise, Hanger steak and frites are served in a lovely enclosed courtyard at this jewel of a French bistro. $$

French Quarter––––––––––––––––––––––– Broussard’s, 819 Conti St., 581-3866, Broussards.com. D daily, Br Sun. CreoleFrench institution also offers beautiful courtyard seating. $$$$

H Marti’s 1041 Dumaine St., 522-5478, MartisNola.com. D daily. Classic French cuisine, small plates and chilled seafood platters like Grand Plateau Fruits De Mer are the calling cards for this restaurant with an elegant “Old World” feel. $$$

Lacombe–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H La Provence 25020 Highway 190, (985) 626-7662, LaProvenceRestaurant. com. D Wed-Sun, Br Sun. Chef John Besh upholds time-honored Provençal cuisine and rewards his guests with a true farm-life experience, from house-made preserves, charcuterie, herbs, kitchen gardens and eggs cultivated on the property. $$$$$

Metairie–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Chateau du Lac 2037 Metairie Road, 8313773, ChateauduLacBistro.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. This casual French bistro,

run by chef-owner Jacques Saleun, offers up classic dishes such as escargot, coq au vin and blanquette de veau. $$$$

Uptown––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Bistro Daisy 5831 Magazine St., 8996987, BistroDaisy.com. D Tue-Sat. Chef Anton Schulte and his wife Diane’s bistro serves creative and contemporary bistro fare in a romantic setting. The signature Daisy Salad is a favorite. $$$$

H Coquette 2800 Magazine St., 2650421, CoquetteNola.com. L Wed-Sat, D Wed-Mon, Br Sun. The food is French in inspiration and technique, with added imagination from chef Michael and his partner Lillian Hubbard. $$$ Flaming Torch 737 Octavia St., 895-0900, FlamingTorchNola.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. French classics including a tasty onion soup and often a sought-after coq-au-vin. $$

H La Crêpe Nanou 1410 Robert St., 899-2670, LaCrepeNanou.com. D daily, Br Sun. Classic French bistro fare, including terrific moules and decadent dessert crêpes, are served nightly at this neighborhood institution. $$$ La Petite Grocery 4238 Magazine St., 891-3377, LaPetiteGrocery.com. L TueSat, D daily, Br Sun. Elegant dining in a convivial atmosphere. The menu is heavily French-inspired with an emphasis on technique. $$$ Lilette 3637 Magazine St., 895-1636, LiletteRestaurant.com. L Tue-Sat, D Mon-

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

DINING GUIDE Sat. Chef John Harris’ innovative menu draws discerning diners to this highly regarded bistro. Desserts are wonderful as well. $$$$$

Gastropub

Abita Springs–––––––––––––––––––––––––– Abita Brew Pub 72011 Holly St., (985) 892-5837, AbitaBrewPub.com. L, D TueSun. Better-than-expected pub food in its namesake eatery. “Tasteful” tours available for visitors. $$

CBD/Warehouse District–––––––––– Gordon Biersch 200 Poydras St., 5522739, GordonBiersch.com. L, D daily. Local outpost of this popular chain serves specialty brews made on-site and crowdpleasing lunch and dinner fare. $$ Victory 339 Baronne St., 522-8664, VictoryNola.com. D Tue-Sat. Craft cocktails served by owner and acclaimed bartender Daniel Victory, as well as refined small plates and gourmet pizza. $$

French Quarter––––––––––––––––––––––– H Cane & Table 1113 Decatur St., 5811112, CaneAndTableNola.com. L Sat-Sun, D daily. Open late, this chef-driven rustic colonial cuisine and rum and “proto-Tiki” cocktails make this a fun place to gather. $$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar and Bistro 720 Orleans Ave., 523-1930, OrleansGrapevine.com. D daily. Wine is the muse at this beautifully renovated bistro, which offers vino by the flight, glass and bottle. A classic menu with an emphasis on local cuisine. $$$

H Patrick’s Bar Vin 730 Bienville St., 200-3180, PatricksBarVin.com. D daily. This oasis of a wine bar offers terrific selections by the bottle and glass. Small plates are served as well. $$

Lower Garden District––––––––––––– The Tasting Room 1926 Magazine St., 581-3880, TTRNewOrleans.com. D WedSun. Flights of wine and sophisticated small plates are the calling cards for this wine bar near Coliseum Square. $$

Mid-City–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Trèo 3835 Tulane Ave., 304-4878, TreoNola.com. L Wed-Sat, D Tue-Sat. Craft cocktail bar also serves a short but excellent small plates menu to accompany its artfully composed libations. $$

Uptown––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Avenue Pub 1732 St. Charles Ave., 586-9243, TheAvenuePub.com. Kitchen open 24/7. With more than 43 rotating draft beers, this pub also offers food, including a cheese plate from St. James Cheese Co. and the “Pub Burger.” Counter service only. $ Bouligny Tavern 3641 Magazine St., 8911810, BoulignyTavern.com. D Mon-Sat. Carefully curated small plates, inventive cocktails and select wines are the focus of this stylish offshoot of John Harris’s nationally acclaimed Lilette. $$ The Delachaise 3442 St. Charles Ave., 895-0858, TheDelaichaise.com. L SatSun, D daily. Cuisine elevated to the standards of the libations is the draw at this lively wine bar and gastropub. Food is grounded in French bistro fare with eclectic twists. $$

lunch to avoid the rush. $$

offered for special events. $$$

Red Gravy 4125 Camp St., 561-8844, RedGravy.com. B, Br, L, D, Wed-Mon. Farm-to-table Italian restaurant offers a creative array of breakfast items such as Cannoli Pancakes as well as delectable sandwiches and more for lunch. Homemade pastas and authentic Tuscan specialties like Cacciucco round out the dinner menu. $$

Muriel’s Jackson Square 801 Chartres St., 568-1885, Muriels.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Enjoy pecan-crusted drum and other local classics while dining in the courtyard bar or any other room in this labyrinthine, rumored-to-be-haunted establishment. $$$$

Tommy’s Cuisine 746 Tchoupitoulas St., 581-1103, TommysNewOrleans.com. D daily. Classic Creole-Italian cuisine is the name of the game at this upscale eatery. Appetizers include the namesake oysters Tommy, baked in the shell with Romano cheese, pancetta and roasted red pepper. $$$$$

Faubourg Marigny–––––––––––––––––––

Italian

Avondale–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Mosca’s 4137 Highway 90 West, 4638950, MoscasRestaurant.com. D Tue-Sat. Italian institution dishes out massive portions of great food, family-style. Good bets are the shrimp Mosca and chicken à la grande. Cash only. $$$

Bywater–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Mariza 2900 Charters St., 598-5700, MarizaNewOrleans.com. D Tue-Sat. An Italian-inspired restaurant by chef Ian Schnoebelen features a terrific raw bar, house-cured charcuterie and an array of refined adult beverages served in the industrial/contemporary setting on the ground floor of the Rice Mills lofts. $$$

CBD/Warehouse District–––––––––– H Domenica The Roosevelt Hotel, 123 Baronne St., 648-6020, DomenicaRestaurant.com. L, D daily. Chef Alon Shaya serves authentic, regional Italian cuisine. The menu of thin, lightly topped pizzas, artisanal salumi and cheese, and a carefully chosen selection of antipasti, pasta and entrées, feature locally raised products, some from chef John Besh’s Northshore farm. $$$$ Mother’s 401 Poydras St., 523-9656, MothersRestaurant.net. B, L, D daily. Locals and tourists alike endure long queues and a confounding ordering system to enjoy iconic dishes such as the Ferdi poor boy and Jerry’s jambalaya. Come for a late

Praline Connection 542 Frenchmen St., 943-3934, PralineConnection.com. L, D daily. Down-home dishes of smothered pork chops, greens, beans and cornbread are on the menu at this Creole soul restaurant. $$

French Quarter––––––––––––––––––––––– Café Giovanni 117 Decatur St., 529-2154, CafeGiovanni.com. D daily. Live opera singers three nights a week. A selection of Italian specialties tweaked with a Creole influence and their Belli Baci happy hour adds to the atmosphere. $$$$ Chartres House, 601 Chartres St., 5868383, ChartresHouse.com. L, D daily. This iconic French Quarter bar serves terrific Mint Juleps and Gin Fizzes in its picturesque courtyard and balcony settings. Also famous for its fried green tomatoes and other local favorite dishes. $$$ Irene’s Cuisine 539 St. Philip St., 529881. D Mon-Sat. Long waits at the lively piano bar are part of the appeal of this Creole-Italian favorite beloved by locals. Try the oysters Irene and crabmeat gratin appetizers. $$$$

H Italian Barrel 430 Barracks St., 569-0198, ItalianBarrel.com. L, D daily. Northern Italian dishes like Braciola di Maiale as well as an exhaustive pasta menu tempt here at this local favorite that also offers al fresco seating. $$$

H Maximo’s Italian Grill 1117 Decatur St., 586-8883, MaximosGrill.com. D daily. Italian destination features a sprawling menu including housemade salumi and antipasti as well as old school classics like veal osso bucco. Private dining is

Napoleon House 500 Chartres St., 524522-4152, NapoleonHouse.com. L Mon-Sat, D Tue-Sat. Originally built in 1797 as a respite for Napoleon, this family-owned European-style café serves local favorites gumbo, jambalaya and muffulettas, and for sipping, a Sazerac or lemony Pimm’s Cup are perfect accompaniments. $$ NOLA 534 St. Louis St., 522-6652, Emerils.com. L Thu-Mon, D daily. Emeril’s more affordable eatery, featuring cedar-plankroasted redfish; private dining. $$$$$ Ralph Brennan’s Red Fish Grill 115 Bourbon St., 598-1200, RedFishGrill.com. L, D daily. Chef Austin Kirzner cooks up a broad menu peppered with local favorites such as barbecue oysters, blackened redfish and double-chocolate bread pudding. $$$$$ Arnaud’s Remoulade 309 Bourbon St., 523-0377, Remoulade.com. L, D daily. Granite-topped tables and an antique mahogany bar are home to the eclectic menu of famous shrimp Arnaud, red beans and rice and poor boys as well as specialty burgers, grilled all-beef hot dogs and thin-crust pizza. $$

H R’evolution 777 Bienville St., 5532277, RevolutionNola.com. L Wed-Fri, D daily, Br Sun. An opulent place that combines the local flavors of chef John Folse with the more cosmopolitan influence of chef Rick Tramonto. Chef de cuisine Chris Lusk and executive sous chef Erik Veney are in charge of day-to-day operations, which include house-made charcuterie, pastries, pastas and more. $$$$$

H Tujague’s 823 Decatur St., 525-8676, TujaguesRestaurant.com. L Sat-Sun, D daily. For more than 150 years this landmark restaurant has been offering Creole cuisine. Favorites include a nightly six-course table d’hôté menu featuring a unique beef brisket with Creole sauce. $$$$$

Lakeview––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Tony Angello’s 6262 Fleur de Lis Drive, 488-0888, TonyAngellos.com. D Tue-

Ruby Slipper to open in Pensacola Ruby Slipper Café, 525-9355, TheRubySlipperCafe.net Ruby Slipper Café, a popular breakfast and brunch spot, is expanding to downtown Pensacola, Florida. With four locations already in New Orleans, Owner Erich Weishaupt says, “We should be open by early summer and we are very happy to be part of the rebuilding of downtown Pensacola. We will be on Palafox Street, in the lively SoGo or South of Government Street area of the city.” Ruby Slipper supports both the environment and other local businesses through its purchasing and recycling policies. – M.C.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

cheryl gerber photo

Sat. Creole-Italian favorite serves up fare. Ask Tony to “Feed Me” if you want a real multi-course dining experience. $$$$

Metairie–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Andrea’s Restaurant 3100 19th St., 834-8583, AndreasRestaurant.com. L Mon-Sat, D daily, Br Sun. Osso buco and homemade pastas in a setting that’s both elegant and intimate; off-premise catering. $$$ Semolina 4436 Veterans Blvd., Suite 37, 454-7930, Semolina.com. L, D daily. This casual, contemporary pasta restaurant takes a bold approach to cooking Italian food, emphasizing flavors, texture and color. Many of the dishes feature a signature Louisiana twist, such as the muffuletta pasta and pasta jambalaya. $$ Vincent’s Italian Cuisine 4411 Chastant St., 885-2984, Metairie, VicentsItalianCuisine.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Snug Italian boîte packs them in, yet manages to remain intimate at the same time. The cannelloni is a house specialty. $$$

Mid-City––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Liuzza’s 3636 Bienville St., 482-9120, Liuzzas.com. L, D daily. Classic neighborhood joint serves favorites like the “Frenchuletta,” stuffed artichokes and andouille gumbo. Kid’s menu offered. Cash only. $$ Ralph’s On The Park 900 City Park Ave., 488-1000, RalphsOnThePark.com. Br Sun, L Tue-Fri, D daily. A modern interior and contemporary Creole dishes such as City

Park salad, turtle soup, barbecue Gulf shrimp and good cocktails. $$$$

NORTHSHORE–––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Del Porto Ristorante 501 E. Boston

D Mon-Sat. Chef Steven Manning brings a refined sensibility to this refined Warehouse District oasis along with his famous fried oysters with melted brie. $$$

St., (985) 875-1006, DelPortoRistorante. com. L, D Tue-Sat. One of the Northshore’s premier fine dining destinations serving Italian food that makes use of locally sourced meats and produce. $$$

Bon Ton Cafe 401 Magazine St., 5243386, TheBonTonCafe.com. L, D Mon-Fri. A local favorite for the old-school business lunch crowd specializing in local seafood and Cajun dishes. $$$$

Uptown–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Café Adelaide Loews New Orleans Hotel, 300 Poydras St., 595-3305, CafeAdelaide. com. B, D daily, L Mon-Fri. This offering from the Commander’s Palace family of restaurants has become a power-lunch favorite for business-people and politicos. Also features the Swizzle Stick Bar. $$$$

Amici 3218 Magazine St., 300-1250, AmiciNola.com. L, D daily. Coal-fired pizza is the calling card for this destination, but the menu offers an impressive list of authentic and Creole Italian specialties as well. $$ Pascal’s Manale 1838 Napoleon Ave., 895-4877, PascalsManale.com. L MonFri, D Mon-Sat. Vintage neighborhood restaurant since 1913 and the place to go for the creation of barbecued shrimp. Its oyster bar serves icy cold, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters and the Italian specialties and steaks are also solid. $$$$ Vincent’s Italian Cuisine 7839 St. Charles Ave., 866-9313, VicentsItalianCuisine.com. L Tue-Fri, D Tue-Sun. Snug Italian boîte packs them in yet manages to remain intimate at the same time. The cannelloni is a house specialty. $$$

Louisianian Fare

CBD/Warehouse District––––––––––– H Annunciation 1016 Annunciation St., 568-0245, AnnunciationRestaurant.com.

H Cochon 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 588-2123, CochonRestaurant.com. L, D, Mon-Sat. Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski showcase Cajun and Southern cuisine at this hot spot. Boudin and other pork dishes reign supreme here, along with Louisiana seafood and real moonshine from the bar. Reservations strongly recommended. $$ Drago’s Hilton Riverside Hotel, 2 Poydras St., 584-3911, DragosRestaurant. com. L, D daily. This famous seafooder specializes in charbroiled oysters, a dish they invented. Great deals on fresh lobster as well. $$$$ Emeril’s 800 Tchoupitoulas St., 5289393, EmerilsRestaurants.com. L MonFri, D daily. The flagship of superstar chef Emeril Lagasse’s culinary empire,

this landmark attracts pilgrims from all over the world. $$$$$

H Herbsaint 701 St. Charles Ave., 5244114, Herbsaint.com. L Mon-Fri, D MonSat. Enjoy a sophisticated cocktail before sampling chef Donald Link’s menu that melds contemporary bistro fare with classic Louisiana cuisine. The banana brown butter tart is a favorite dessert. $$$$$ Mulate’s 201 Julia St., 522-1492, Mulates.com. L, D daily. Live music and dancing add to the fun at this worldfamous Cajun destination. $$ Palette 700 Tchoupitoulas St., 613-2350, B, L, D daily. Creole, Cajun and French flavors all come together at this restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel near the Convention Center. $$

Darrow–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Café Burnside Houmas House Plantation, 40136 Highway 942, (225) 473-9380, HoumasHouse.com. L daily, Br Sun. Historic plantation’s casual dining option features dishes such as seafood pasta, fried catfish, crawfish and shrimp, gumbo and red beans and rice. $$ Latil’s Landing Houmas House Plantation, 40136 Highway 942, (225) 473-9380, HoumasHouse.com. D Wed-Sun. Nouvelle Louisiane, plantation-style cooking served in an opulent setting features dishes like rack of lamb and plume de veau. $$$$$

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

DINING GUIDE Faubourg Marigny–––––––––––––––––––– Feelings Cafe 2600 Chartres St., 9452222, FeelingsCafe.com. D Wed-Sun, Br Sun. Romantic ambiance and skillfully created dishes, such as veal d’aunoy, make dining here on the patio a memorable experience. A piano bar on Fridays adds to the atmosphere. Vegan menu offered. $$$$

French Quarter––––––––––––––––––––––– Acme Oyster House 724 Iberville St., 5225973, AcmeOyster.com. L, D daily. Known as one of the best places to eat oysters. $$

H Arnaud’s 813 Bienville St., 523-5433, ArnaudsRestaurant.com. D daily, Br Sun. Waiters in tuxedos prepare Café Brûlot tableside at this storied Creole grande dame; live jazz during Sun. brunch. $$$$$ Antoine’s 713 St. Louis St., 581-4422, Antoines.com. L, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. This pinnacle of haute cuisine and birthplace of oysters Rockefeller is New Orleans’ oldest restaurant. (Every item is á la carte, with an $11 minimum.) Private dining rooms available. $$$$$

H The Bistreaux New Orleans Maison Dupuy Hotel, 1001 Toulouse St., 5868000, MaisonDupuy.com/dining.html. L, D daily. Dishes ranging from the casual (truffle mac and cheese) to the upscale (tuna tasting trio) are served in an elegant courtyard. $$

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

The Bombay Club Prince Conti Hotel, 830 Conti St., 586-0972, TheBombayClub. com. D daily. Popular martini bar with plush British décor features live music during the week and late dinner and drinks on weekends. Nouveau Creole menu includes items such as Bombay drum. $$$$

Galatoire’s 209 Bourbon St., 525-2021, Galatoires.com. L, D Tue-Sun. Friday lunches are a New Orleans tradition at this world-famous French-Creole grand dame. Tradition counts for everything here, and the crabmeat Sardou is delicious. Note: Jackets required for dinner and all day Sun. $$$$$

SoBou 310 Chartres St., 552-4095, SoBouNola.com. B, L, D daily. There is something for everyone at this “Modern Creole Saloon.” Decidedly unstuffy with an emphasis on craft cocktails and wines by the glass. Everything from $1 pork cracklins to an extravagant foie gras burger on accomplished yet eclectic menus. $$

Café Maspero 601 Decatur St., 523-6250, CafeMaspero.com. L, D daily. Tourists line up for their generous portions of seafood and large deli sandwiches. $

House of Blues 225 Decatur St., 3104999, HouseOfBlues.com/NewOrleans. L, D daily. Surprisingly good menu complements music in the main room. Worldfamous Gospel Brunch every Sunday. Patio seating available. $$

H Tableau 616 S. Peter St., 934-3463,

Court of Two Sisters 613 Royal St., 522-7261, CourtOfTwoSisters.com. Br, D daily. The historic environs make for a memorable outdoor dining experience. The famous daily Jazz Brunch buffet and classic Creole dishes sweeten the deal. $$$$$ Criollo Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St., 681-4444, CriolloNola.com. B, L, D daily. Next to the famous Carousel Bar in the historic Monteleone Hotel, Criollo represents an amalgam of the various cultures reflected in Louisiana cooking and cuisine, often with a slight contemporary twist. $$$

H Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House 144 Bourbon St., 522-0111, BourbonHouse. com. B, L, D daily. Classic Creole dishes such as redfish on the halfshell and baked oysters served. Its extensive bourbon menu will please aficionados. $$$$

K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen 416 Chartres St., 596-2530, ChefPaul.com/KPaul. L Thu-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Paul Prudhomme’s landmark restaurant helped introduce Cajun food to a grateful nation. Lots of seasoning and bountiful offerings, along with reserved seating, make this a destination for locals and tourists alike. $$$$

H MiLa 817 Common St., 412-2580, MiLaNewOrleans.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Latest offering from husbandand-wife chefs Slade Rushing and Allison Vines-Rushing focuses on the fusion of the cuisines of Miss. and La. $$$$ Royal House, 441 Royal St., 528-2601, RoyalHouseRestaurant.com. L, D daily. B Sat and Sun. Poor boys, jambalaya and shrimp Creole are some of the favorites served here. Weekend breakfast and an oyster bar add to the crowd-pleasing appeal. $$$

TableauFrenchQuarter.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Gulf seafood such as trout amandine and classic Creole brunch dishes like eggs Sardou are the highlights of this Dickie Brennan restaurant that shares space with Le Petite Théâtre on the corner of Jackson Square. $$$

Kenner–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Copeland’s 1319 W. Esplanade Ave., 6179146, CopelandsofNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Al Copeland’s namesake chain includes favorites such as Shrimp Ducky. Popular for lunch. $$

Lakeview–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Cava 789 Harrison Ave., 304-9034. D Mon-Sat. Fine dining (and excellent wine list) at this high-end Cajun and Creole restaurant that makes customer service a big part of the experience. $$$

Metairie/Jefferson–––––––––––––––––– Acme Oyster House 3000 Veterans Blvd., 309-4056, AcmeOyster.com. L, D daily. Known as one of the best places to eat oysters. $$

cheryl gerber photograph

Austin’s 5101 W. Esplanade Ave., 8885533, AustinsNo.com. D Mon-Sat. Mr. Ed’s upscale bistro serves contemporary Creole fare, including seafood and steaks. $$$

H Mandina’s 3800 Canal St., 482-9179,

Copeland’s 1001 S. Clearview Parkway, 620-7800; 701 Veterans Blvd., 831-3437, CopelandsofNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Al Copeland’s namesake chain includes favorites such as Shrimp Ducky. Popular for lunch. $$

H Redemption 3835 Iberville St., 309-

Crabby Jack’s 428 Jefferson Highway, 833-2722, CrabbyJacksNola.com. L MonSat. Lunch outpost of Jacques-Imo’s. Famous for its fried seafood and poor boys including fried green tomatoes and roasted duck. $

Ave., 252-4999, ToupsMeatery.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Charcuterie, specialty cocktails and an exhaustive list of excellent à la carte sides make this restaurant a carnivore’s delight. $$$

Drago’s 3232 N. Arnoult Road, 888-9254, DragosRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. This famous seafooder specializes in charbroiled oysters, a dish they invented. Great deals on fresh lobster as well. $$$$

Mid-City––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Katie’s Restaurant and Bar 3701 Iberville St., 488-6582, KatiesInMidCity. com. L, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. Creative poor boys, local dishes such as gumbo and Sunday brunch make this a neighborhood favorite. $$ Lil’ Dizzy’s Café 1500 Esplanade Ave., 569-8997, LilDizzysCafe.com. B, L daily, Br Sun. Spot local and national politicos dining at this favored Creole soul restaurant known for homey classics like fried chicken and trout Baquet. $

MandinasRestaurant.com. L, D daily. Though the ambiance is more upscale, the food and seafood dishes make dining here a New Orleans experience. $$ 3570, Redemption-Nola.com. L Wed-Fri & Sun, D Wed-Sun. Chef-driven “Revival” Creole fare served in an inspiring former church. $$$

H Toups’ Meatery 845 N. Carrollton

NORTHSHORE––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Acme Oyster House 1202 N. Highway 190, Covington, (985) 246-6155, AcmeOyster.com. L, D daily. Known as one of the best places to eat oysters. $$ Gallagher’s Grill 509 S. Tyler St., (985) 892-9992, GallaghersGrill.com. L, D TueFri, D Sat. Chef Pat Gallagher’s destination restaurant offers al fresco seating to accompany classically inspired New Orleans fare. Event catering offered. $$$

Riverbend––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Boucherie 1506 S. Carrollton Ave., 862-5514, Boucherie-Nola.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Serving contemporary Southern food with an international angle, chef Nathaniel Zimet offers excellent ingredients presented simply. $$

Brigtsen’s 723 Dante St., 861-7610, Brigtsens.com. D Tue-Sat. Chef Frank Brigtsen’s nationally famous Creole cuisine makes this cozy cottage a true foodie destination. $$$$$

University Area––––––––––––––––––––––– H Dunbar’s 501 Pine St., 861-5451. Beloved budget-friendly Creole institution in an unlikely spot – Loyola University’s Broadway campus – but the excellent jambalaya, fried chicken and red beans and rice haven’t changed. $

Uptown––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Apolline 4729 Magazine St., 894-8881, ApollineRestaurant.com. D Tue-Sun, Br Sat-Sun. Cozy gem serves a refined menu of French and Creole classics peppered with Southern influences such as buttermilk fried quail with corn waffle. $$$ Casamento’s 4330 Magazine St., 8959761, CasamentosRestaurant.com. L Tue-Sat, D Thu-Sat. The family-owned restaurant has shucked oysters and fried seafood since 1919; closed during summer and for all major holidays. $$ Chappy’s 6106 Magazine St., 208-8772, Chappys.com. D nightly, Br Sun. Tradition reigns supreme at Chappy’s on a genteel stretch of Magazine Street near Audubon Park. Classics such as shrimp and eggplant casserole will be sure to please. $$$ Clancy’s 6100 Annunciation St., 8951111, ClancysNewOrleans.com. L Thu-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Their Creole-inspired menu has been a favorite of locals for years. $$$

Commander’s Palace 1403 Washington Ave., 899-8221, CommandersPalace.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. The grande dame is going strong under the auspices of James Beard Award-winner chef Tory McPhail. Jazz Brunch is a great deal. $$$$ Dick and Jenny’s 4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 894-9880, DickAndJennys.com. L Thu-Fri, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. A funky cottage serving Louisiana comfort food with flashes of innovation. $$$$ Domilise’s 5240 Annunciation St., 899912. L, D Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat. Local institution and rite-of-passage for those wanting an initiation to the real New Orleans. Wonderful poor boys and a unique atmosphere make this a one-of-a-kind place. $

H Gautreau’s 1728 Soniat St., 899-7397, GautreausRestaurant.com. D Mon-Sat. Upscale destination serves refined interpretations of classics along with contemporary creations. $$$$$ Jacques-Imo’s Cafe 8324 Oak St., 8610886, Jacques-Imos.com. D Mon-Sat. Reinvented New Orleans cuisine served in a party atmosphere. The deep-fried roast beef poor boy is delicious. The lively bar scene offsets the long wait on weekends. $$$$ Joey K’s 3001 Magazine St., 891-0997, JoeyKsRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. A true neighborhood restaurant with daily lunch plates; red beans and rice are classic. $

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

DINING GUIDE Mahony’s 3454 Magazine St., 899-3374, MahonysPoBoys.com. L, D daily. Along with the usual poor boys, this sandwich shop serves up a grilled shrimp and fried green tomato version dressed with remoulade sauce. Sandwich offerings are augmented by a full bar. $ Mat & Naddie’s 937 Leonidas St., 8619600, MatAndNaddies.com. D Mon-Tue, Thu-Sat. Cozy converted house serves up creative and eclectic regionally inspired fare. Shrimp and crawfish croquettes make for a good appetizer and when the weather is right the romantic patio is the place to sit. $$$$

WEST BANK––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Copeland’s 2333 Manhattan Blvd., 3641575, CopelandsofNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Al Copeland’s namesake chain includes favorites such as Shrimp Ducky. Popular for lunch. $$

Pizza

Reginelli’s Pizzeria Multiple Locations, Reginellis.com. L, D daily. Pizzas, pastas, salads, fat calzones and lofty focaccia sandwiches are at locations all over town. $$ Theo’s Pizza Multiple Locations, TheosPizza.com. L, D daily. The crackercrisp crust pizzas are complemented by a broad assortment of toppings with a lot of local ingredients at cheap prices. $$

Bywater–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Pizza Delicious 617 Piety St., 6768282, PizzaDelicious.com. Authentic New York-style thin crust pizza is the reason to come to this affordable restaurant that began as a pop-up, but they also offer excellent salads sourced from small farms and homemade pasta dishes as well. Outdoor seating a plus. $

Uptown–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Ancora 4508 Freret St., 324-1636, AncoraPizza.com. D Mon-Sat. Authentic Neapolitan-style pizza fired in an oven imported from Naples. The housemade charcuterie makes it a double-winner. $$ Slice 1513 St. Charles Ave., 525-PIES (7437); 5538 Magazine St., 897-4800; SlicePizzeria.com. L, D daily. Order up slices or whole pizza pies done in several styles (thin- and thick-crust) as well as pastas, seafood, panini and salads. $

Seafood

Akers–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Middendorf’s Interstate 55, Exit 15, 30160 Highway 51 South, (985) 3866666, MiddendorfsRestaurant.com. L, D Wed-Sun. Historic seafood destination along the shores of Lake Maurepas is world-famous for its thin-fried catfish fillets. Open since 1934, it’s more than a restaurant, it’s a Sun. drive tradition. $$

CBD/Warehouse District––––––––––– H Borgne 601 Loyola Ave., 613-3860, BorgneRestaurant.com. L, D daily. Coastal Louisiana seafood with an emphasis on Isleños cuisine (descendants of Canary Islanders who settled in St. Bernard Parish) is the focus of this high-volume destination adjacent to the Superdome. $$$

H Pêche 800 Magazine St., 522-1744, PecheRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Award-winning southern-inspired seafood destination by chef Donald Link serves whole roasted Gulf fish from its massive, wood-burning oven. An excellent raw bar is offered as well. $$$

French Quarter–––––––––––––––––––––––

Le Bayou, 208 Bourbon St., 525-4755, LeBayouRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Blackened redfish and Shrimp Ya-Ya are a just a few of the choices at this seafood-centric destination on Bourbon Street. Fried alligator is available for the more daring diner. $$$

Steakhouse

Oceana Grill 739 Conti St., 525-6002, OceanaGrill.com. B, L, D daily. Gumbo, poor boys and barbecue shrimp are served at this kid-friendly seafood destination. $$

Chophouse New Orleans 322 Magazine St., 522-7902, ChophouseNola.com. D daily. In addition to USDA prime grade aged steaks prepared under a broiler that reaches 1,700 degrees, Chophouse offers lobster, redfish and classic steakhouse sides. $$$

Pier 424, 424 Bourbon St., 309-1574, Pier424SeafoodMarket.com. L, D daily. Seafood-centric restaurant offers long menu of traditional New Orleans fare augmented by unusual twists like “CajunBoiled” Lobster prepared crawfish-style in spicy crab boil. $$$

Kenner––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mr. Ed’s Seafood and Italian Restaurant 910 W. Esplanade Ave., Ste. A, 463-3030, AustinsNo.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Neighborhood restaurant specializes in seafood and Italian offerings such as stuffed eggplant and bell pepper. Fried seafood and sandwiches make it a good stop for lunch. $$

Bourbon House 144 Bourbon St., 5220111, BourbonHouse.com. B, L, D daily. Local seafood, featured in both classic and contemporary dishes, is the focus of this New Orleans-centric destination. And yes, bourbon is offered as well. $$$

Metairie––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Deanie’s Seafood 841 Iberville St., 5811316, Deanies.com. L, D daily. Louisiana seafood, baked, broiled, boiled and fried is the name of the game. Try the barbecue shrimp or towering seafood platters. $$$

Deanie’s Seafood 1713 Lake Ave., 8314141, Deanies.com. L, D daily. Louisiana seafood, baked, broiled, boiled and fried, is the name of the game. Try the barbecue shrimp or towering seafood platters. $$$

H GW Fins 808 Bienville St., 581-FINS (3467), GWFins.com. D daily. Owners Gary Wollerman and twice chef of the year Tenney Flynn provide dishes at their seasonal peak. On a quest for unique variety, menu is printed daily. $$$$$

H Kingfish 337 Charters St., 598-5005, CocktailBarNewOrleans.com. L, D daily. Gulf seafood and nouvelle Creole dishes such as smoked rabbit gumbo are the main draws at this establishment helmed by Greg Sonnier, as well as the excellent bar program by mixologist Chris McMillian. $$$ Landry’s Seafood 400 N. Peters St., 5580038, LandrysSeafood.com. Kid-friendly and popular seafood spot serves of heaping platters of fried shrimp, Gulf oysters, catfish and more. $$

Austin’s Restaurant, 5101 W. Esplanade Ave., 888-5533, AustinsNo.com. D MonSat. Signature steak, seafood and Italian specialties reign at this dinner-only destination. Catering offered as well. $$$

Mr. Ed’s Seafood and Italian Restaurant 1001 Live Oak St., 838-0022, AustinsNo. com. L, D Mon-Sat. Neighborhood restaurant specializes in seafood and Italian offerings such as stuffed eggplant and bell pepper. Fried seafood and sandwiches make it a good stop for lunch. $$

Uptown––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Frankie & Johnny’s 321 Arabella St., 243-1234, FrankieAndJohnnys.net. L, D daily. Serves fried and boiled seafood along with poor boys and daily lunch specials. Kid-friendly with a game room to boot. $$

West End––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Landry’s Seafood 8000 Lakeshore Drive, West End, 283-1010, LandrysSeafood.com. Kid-friendly and popular seafood spot serves of heaping platters of fried shrimp, Gulf oysters, catfish and more. $$

CBD/Warehouse District––––––––––– H Besh Steak Harrah’s Casino, 8 Canal St., 533-6111, HarrahsNewOrleans.com. D daily. Acclaimed chef John Besh reinterprets the classic steakhouse with his signature contemporary Louisiana flair. $$$$$

H Desi Vega’s Steakhouse 628 St. Charles Ave., 523-7600, DesiVegaSteaks. com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. USDA Prime steaks form the base of this Mr. John’s offshoot overlooking Lafayette Square, but Italian specialties and a smattering of locally inspired seafood dishes round out the appeal. $$$

H La Boca 870 Tchoupitoulas St., 5258205, LaBocaSteaks.com. D Mon-Sat. This Argentine steakhouse specializes in cuts of meat along with pastas and wines. Specials include the provoleta appetizer and the Vacio flank steak. $$$ Morton’s The Steakhouse 365 Canal St., One Canal Place, 566-0221, Mortons. com/NewOrleans. D daily. Private elevator leads to the plush, wood-paneled environs of this local outpost of the famed Chicago steakhouse popular with politicians and celebrities. $$$$ Ruth’s Chris Steak House Harrah’s Hotel, 525 Fulton St., 587-7099, RuthsChris.com. D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Filet mignon, creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin are the most popular dishes at this area steak institution, but there are also great seafood choices and top-notch desserts. $$$$$

Garden District––––––––––––––––––––––– H Mr. John’s Steakhouse 2111 St. Charles Ave., 679-7697, MrJohnsSteakhouse.com. D Tue-Sat, L Friday. Wood paneling, white tile and USDA Prime Beef served sizzling in butter are the hallmarks of this classic New Orleans steakhouse. $$$

French Quarter––––––––––––––––––––––– Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse 716 Iberville St., 522-2467, DickieBrennansSteakhouse.com. L Fri, D daily. Nationally recognized steakhouse serves USDA Prime steaks and local seafood. $$$$$

Krispy Krunchy Chicken Expands Menu KrispyKrunchy.com Quick service food vendor, Krispy Krunchy Chicken (KKC), is introducing extra large Cajun fish fillets and Mac n Cheese to its menu. KKC is one of the fastest growing convenience store based food concepts in the country. There are 1,800 retail locations in 35 states and over 500 new stores opened in 2014. KKC’s success is built on offering satisfying food on the go. The new Mac n Cheese, is made using a proprietary recipe. The chicken is fried in zero trans fat oil. Other dishes include: Jambalaya, wings, tenders and red beans and rice. – M.C.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

cheryl gerber photo

H Doris Metropolitan 620 Charters St., 267-3500, DorisMetropolitan.com. L Sat-Sun, D daily. Innovative, genre-busting steakhouse plays with expectations and succeeds with modernist dishes like their Classified Cut and Beetroot Supreme. $$$$ Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak 215 Bourbon St., 335-3932, Galatoires33BarAndSteak. com. L Fri, D Sun-Thu. Steakhouse offshoot of the venerable Creole grande dame offers hand-crafted cocktails to accompany classic steakhouse fare as well as inspired dishes like the Gouté 33: horseradish-crusted bone marrow and deviled eggs with crab ravigote and smoked trout. Reservations accepted. $$$

Metairie––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Ruth’s Chris Steak House 3633 Veterans Blvd., 888-3600, RuthsChris.com. L Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Filet mignon, creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin are the most popular dishes at this area steak institution, but there are also great seafood choices and top-notch desserts. $$$$$

Mid-City––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Crescent City Steaks 1001 N. Broad St., 821-3271, CrescentCitySteaks.com. L Tue-Fri & Sun, D daily. One of the classic New Orleans steakhouses. Steaks, sides and drinks are what you get. $$$$

H Milkfish 125 N. Carrollton Ave., 2674199, MilkfishNola.com. L, D Thu-Tue. Filipino cuisine like adobo and lumpia is served, further expanding dining opportunities. $$

Vegan/Vegetarian

Byblos Multiple Locations, ByblosRestaurants.com. L, D daily. Upscale Middle Eastern cuisine featuring traditional seafood, lamb and vegetarian options. $$

Lower Garden District––––––––––––– H The Green Fork 1400 Prytania St., 267-7672, GreenForkNola.com. B, L Mon-Sat. Fresh juices, smoothies and vegetarian-friendly fare make The Green Fork a favorite for lovers of healthy food. Catering is offered as well. $$

World

Bywater–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Booty’s Street Food 800 Louisa St., 266-2887, BootysNola.com. B, L, D daily. Street food culled from countries around the globe is the muse of this creative establishment, where papadum from India resides confidently alongside Peruvian ceviche. $$ The Green Goddess 307 Exchange Place, 301-3347, GreenGoddessRestaurant.com. L, D Wed-Sun. One of the most imaginative local restaurants. The menu is constantly changing, and chef Paul Artigues always has ample vegetarian options. Combine all of that with a fantastic selection of drinks, wine and beer, and it’s the total (albeit small) package. $$

CBD/Warehouse District––––––––––– H Lüke 333 St. Charles Ave., 378-2840, LukeNewOrleans.com. B, L, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Chef John Besh and executive

chef Matt Regan serve Germanic specialties and French bistro classics, housemade patés and abundant plateaux of cold, fresh seafood. $$$ Palace Café 605 Canal St., 523-1661, PalaceCafe.com. L Mon-Sat, D daily, Br Sun. Dickie Brennan-owned brasserie with French-style sidewalk seating and house-created specialties of chef Darrin Nesbit. Favorites here include crabmeat cheesecake, turtle soup, the Werlein salad with fried Louisiana oysters and pork “debris” studded Palace potato pie. $$$$$

Faubourg Marigny––––––––––––––––––– H Mona’s Café 504 Frenchmen St., 949-4115. L, D daily. Middle Eastern specialties such as baba ganuj, tender-tangy beef or chicken shawarma, falafel and gyros, stuffed into pillowy pita bread or on platters. The lentil soup with crunchy pita chips and desserts, such as sticky sweet baklava, round out the menu. $

Kenner––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Fiesta Latina 1924 Airline Drive, 4682384, FiestaLatinaRestaurant.com. B, L, D daily. A big-screen TV normally shows a soccer match or MTV Latino at this home for authentic Central American food. Tacos include a charred carne asada. $$

Lakewood–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Mizado 5080 Pontchartrain Blvd., 885-5555, MizadoCocina.com. L daily, D Mon-Sat. Sleek restaurant offers modern Mexican cuisine featuring pan-Latin flavors and influences. Small batch tequila and a ceviche bar make it a party. $$

Lakeview––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Mondo 900 Harrison Ave., 224-2633, MondoNewOrleans.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat, Br Sun. Chef Susan Spicer’s take on world cuisine. Make sure to call ahead because the place has a deserved reputation for good food and good times. $$$

French Quarter–––––––––––––––––––––––

METAIRIE–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Bayona 430 Dauphine St., 525-4455, Bayona.com. L Wed-Sat, D Mon-Sat. Chef Susan Spicer’s nationally acclaimed cuisine is served in this 200-year-old cottage. Ask for a seat on the romantic patio, weather permitting. $$$$$

Vega Tapas Café, 2051 Metairie Road, 836-2007, VegaTapasCafe.com. D MonSat. Fun, eclectic small plates destination offers creative fare keeps guests coming back with frequent regionally inspired specialty menus served with humor and whimsy. $$

El Gato Negro 81 French Market Place, 525-9752, ElGatoNegroNola.com. Central Mexican cuisine along with handmuddled mojitos and margaritas made with freshly squeezed juice. A weekend breakfast menu is an additional plus. $$

Mid-City––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Juan’s Flying Burrito 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., 486-9950, JuansFlyingBurrito. com. L, D daily. Hard-core tacos and massive burritos are served in an edgy atmosphere. $

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

DINING GUIDE Specialty Foods

Lola’s 3312 Esplanade Ave., 488-6946, LolasNewOrleans.com. D daily. Garlicky Spanish dishes and great paella make this artsy boîte a hipster destination. $$$

Sun. Intimate and exotic bistro serving Mediterranean and Tunisian cuisine. The Grilled Merguez is a Jazz Fest favorite and vegetarian options are offered. $$

H Mona’s Café 3901 Banks St., 482-

Juan’s Flying Burrito 2018 Magazine St., 569-0000, JuansFlyingBurrito.com. L, D daily. Hard-core tacos and massive burritos are served in an edgy atmosphere. $

Calcasieu 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 5882188, CalcasieuRooms.com. For gatherings both large and small, the catering menus feature modern Louisiana cooking and the Cajun cuisine for which chef Donald Link is justifiably famous.

H Mona’s Café 4126 Magazine St., 894-

French Quarter–––––––––––––––––––––––

7743. L, D daily. Middle Eastern specialties such as baba ganuj, tender-tangy beef or chicken shawarma, falafel and gyros, stuffed into pillowy pita bread or on platters. The lentil soup with crunchy pita chips and desserts, such as sticky sweet baklava, round out the menu. $

H Taqueria Guerrero 208 N. Carrollton Ave., 484-6959. B, L, D, Tue-Sat. Friendly staff and authentic Mexican cuisine make this affordable neighborhood restaurant a neighborhood favorite. $

Uptown––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Café Abyssinia 3511 Magazine St., 894-6238. L, D daily. One of a just few authentic Ethiopian restaurants in the city, excellent injera and spicy vegetarian fare make this a local favorite. $$

H Irish House 1432 St. Charles Ave., 595-6755, TheIrishHouseNewOrleans.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. Irish pub dishes such as shepherd’s pie and fish and chips are featured here, as well as creative cocktails like Irish iced coffee. Check the schedule of events for live music. $$ Jamila’s Mediterranean Tunisian Cuisine 7808 Maple St., 866-4366. D Tue-

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

9800; 1120 S. Carrollton Ave., 861-8174. L, D daily. Middle Eastern specialties such as baba ganuj, tender-tangy beef or chicken shawarma, falafel and gyros, stuffed into pillowy pita bread or on platters. The lentil soup with crunchy pita chips and desserts, such as sticky sweet baklava, round out the menu. $

H Panchita’s 1434 S. Carrollton Ave., 281-4127. L, D daily. Authentic, budgetfriendly Mexican restaurant serves tamales, mole and offers free chips and salsa as well as sangria. $

H Patois 6078 Laurel St., 895-9441, PatoisNola.com. L Fri, D Wed-Sat, Br Sun. The food is French in technique, with influences from across the Mediterranean as well as the American South, all filtered through the talent of chef Aaron Burgau. Reservations recommended. $$$

CBD/Warehouse District–––––––––––

Antoine’s Annex 513 Royal St., 525-8045, Antoines.com/Antoines-Annex. Open daily. Serves French pastries, including individual baked Alaskas, ice cream and gelato, as well as panini, salads and coffee. Delivery available.

St., 941-7675, BlueDotDonuts.com. B, L Tue-Sun. The Bacon Maple Long John gets all the press, but returning customers are happy with the classics as well as twists like peanut butter and jelly. Blue Frog Chocolates 5707 Magazine St., 269-5707, BlueFrogChocolates.com. Open daily, closed Sundays in summer. French and Belgian chocolate truffles and Italian candy flowers make this a great place for gifts.

Metairie––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

St. James Cheese Company 5004 Prytania St., 899-4737, StJamesCheese. com. Open daily. Specialty shop offers a selection of fine cheeses, wines, beers and related accouterments. Look for wine and cheese specials every Friday.

Sucré 3301 Veterans Blvd., 834-2277, ShopSucre.com. Desserts daily. Open late weekends. Chocolates, pastry and gelato draw rave reviews at this dessert destination. Beautiful packaging makes this a great place to shop for gifts. Catering available.

Sucré 3025 Magazine St., 520-8311, ShopSucre.com. Desserts daily & nightly. Open late weekends. Chocolates, pastry and gelato draw rave reviews at this dessert destination. Beautiful packaging makes this a great place to shop for gifts. Catering available. n

Mid-City––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Blue Dot Donuts 4301 Canal St., 2184866, BlueDotDonuts.com. B, L Tue-Sun. The Bacon Maple Long John gets all the press, but returning customers are happy with the classics as well as twists like peanut butter and jelly.

Uptown––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– H Blue Dot Donuts 5236 Tchoupitoulas

If you feel that a restaurant has been misplaced, please email Managing Editor Morgan Packard at Morgan@MyNewOrleans.com.

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Antoine’s Restaurant

Arnaud's

Broussard's Restaurant

713 St. Louis St. (504) 581-4422 Antoines.com

813 Bienville Ave. (504) 523-5433 ArnaudsRestaurant.com

819 Rue Conti (504) 581-3866 Broussards.com

Antoine’s, the oldest continuously operating restaurant in America, is celebrating its 175th anniversary with a special five-course Classic Menu. Featuring dishes such as “Pommes de Terre Souffles,” “Gombo Creole”and “Pudding de Pain au Noix de Pecan,” it’s an edible journey through the history of French Creole cooking.

Offering live Dixieland Jazz in the Jazz Bistro, romantic dinners in the Main Dining Room, cocktails in the award-winning French 75 Bar and an assortment of private dining rooms overlooking the historic French Quarter, Arnaud’s offers the quintessential New Orleans dining experience.

Broussard¹s Restaurant is now offering an Imperial Happy Hour in the newly renovated Empire Bar and courtyard featuring $3 drink specials, $3 Moules et Frites and $3 glasses of featured red, white and rose wines seven days a week from 3 p.m until 7 p.m.

Caffe! Caffe!

Chappy’s Restaurant

Tableau

4301 Clearview Parkway, Metaire (504) 885-4845 3547 North Hullen St., Metairie (504) 267-9190 CaffeCaffe.com

6106 Magazine St. (504) 208-8772 Chappys.com

616 St. Peter St. (504) 934-3463 Tableaufrenchquarter.com

Chappy’s is your neighborhood restaurant by the park. Enjoy two-course dinners starting at $19. Specialties include Fried Oysters Rockefeller over spinach with Brie, and Grilled Redfish with crawfish sauce. Open for dinner daily. Sunday three-course brunch is only $15 (except holidays). Free parking in Perlis lot next door.

Wine Down and Jazz Up at Tableau’s Balcony Bar on Thursdays! Half-priced bottles of wine with local jazz on the upstairs balcony bar overlooking Jackson Square. Runs in conjunction with the nightly happy hour from 3-7pm: halfpriced beer and wine on tap, $5 classic cocktails and $6 small plates.

You love their delicious salads, sandwiches and soups for lunch; now try hot breakfast at both Metairie locations of Caffe! Caffe! Enjoy bacon and egg breakfast sandwiches and creamy grits made from scratch daily. Catering menu available. Call individual location for daily lunch specials.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

Hoshun Restaurant

Hotel Monteleone

3605 S. Carrollton Ave. (504) 482-3935 FiveHappiness.com

1601 St. Charles Ave. (504) 302-9717 HoshunRestaurant.com

214 Royal St. (504) 681-4444 CriolloNola.com

Come to Five Happiness and let the ambience and friendly staff take you to a new level of dining experience. This award-winning restaurant always strives to achieve its best. Private party and banquet rooms are available.

Chinese or Japanese? Can’t decide? Hoshun is your answer! They offer an extensive menu from classic Chinese dishes to Japanese sushi and everything in between (like Vietnamese pho and pad thai). Stick with one cuisine or mix and match! Open daily until 2 a.m.

Criollo Restaurant, located in the historic Hotel Monteleone, offers a unique approach through the use of fresh ingredients which result in locally inspired combinations. The dishes of Criollo present a balance with both traditional and contemporary styles to cater to a variety of diners.

Mandina's Restaurant

Mizado Cocina

3800 Canal St. (504) 482-9179 MandinasRestaurant.com

5080 Pontchartrain Blvd. (504) 885-5555 MizadoCocina.com

Mr. Ed's Family of Restaurants

Mandina's is the quintessential neighborhood restaurant. "There are some items that have been on the menu for 75 years," says Cindy Mandina. "My grandmother always said, 'Take care of the neighborhood people and locals that come here… cater to their needs and desires.' We're a place that if you want to substitute something, we'll do it. We'll take care of you … That's what we're all about," Mandina's is open for lunch and dinner daily.

Latin flavors are presented with contemporary style and a little artistic license. The result is a delicious, fresh take on modern Mexican and Latin American cuisine. Enjoy, cocktails made with fresh ingredients and blended with the highest quality tequilas, piscos, whiskeys, rums and mezcals. Also on offer are daily lunch specials and great happy hour prices.

512 Bienville St. at Decatur (504) 309-4848 3117 21st St., Metairie (504) 833-6310 MrEdsOysterBar.com Mr. Ed’s Oyster Bar & Fish House has expanded to the French Quarter. Now offering two unique locations and one great menu. The location on Bienville is open seen days a week for lunch and dinner, serving seafood, poor boys and raw and grilled oysters. Both locations offer a stand up oyster bar for guests to enjoy.

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Five Happiness

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

ADVERTISING SECTION

New Orleans Creole Cookery

Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro

510 Toulouse St. (504) 524-9632 NewOrleansCreoleCookery.com

720 Orleans Ave. (504) 523-1930 OrleansGrapevine.com

Enjoy casual fine dining in the Toulouse Lautrec dining room, laid back oyster bar or romantic courtyard. Savor authentic Creole dishes such as gumbo, shrimp Creole and crawfish étouffée. Delight in chargrilled and raw oysters, boiled seafood and more, served with handcrafted cocktails and signature drinks.

Continuing its long tradition of serving high quality cuisine, soak in the Southern atmosphere Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro has to offer as you sip vino from one of the largest selections of wines by the bottle in the French Quarter.

This famous restaurant has been familyowned and operated since 1913. Pascal’s Manale Restaurant is the origin of the well-known Bar-B-Que Shrimp. The old-time oyster and cocktail bars offer raw oysters on the half-shell and all types of cocktails, as well as a great selection of fine wines. Fresh seafood, Italian dishes and delicious steaks are featured.

Q&C Hotel/Bar

R’evolutionary Catering

Ralph Brennan Catering

344 Camp St. (504) 587-9700 QandC.com

(225) 751-1882 sales@revolutionarycatering.com

(504) 539-5510 RalphBrennanCatering.com

Transform your occasion with fine dining and event management services from Chef John Folse’s R’evolutionary Catering. Our experienced, professional staff will bring your special event to the next level, combining exquisite cuisine with dazzling presentation. From casual meetings to extravagant affairs, choose R’evolutionary Catering.

New Orleans’ premier caterer for groups from 100 to 1,200 people! Let them match your palate, theme and budget in your home, restaurant or venue of your choice. They are dedicated to servicing a seamless, professional and above all memorable experience.

The newly reimagined Q&C Hotel/Bar offers a uniquely New Orleans experience, with a contemporary feel and an attention to classic details. The bar offers an extensive menu of craft cocktails, local beer, small plates and artisan pizzas.

MAY 2015 / myneworleans.com

Pascal’s Manale 1838 Napoleon Ave. (504) 895-4877

Rock-n-Sake

The Court of Two Sisters

125 Camp St. (504) 561-8844 RedGravyCafe.com

823 Fulton St. (504) 581-SAKE 3043 Perkins Road, Suite A, Baton Rouge (225) 615-7940 Rocknsake.com

613 Royal St., New Orleans (504) 522-7261 CourtOfTwoSisters.com

Let Madame de Cuisine Roseann feed you the family recipes she grew up with – like Mussels Fra Diavolo and Pappardelle Bolognese. Everything she serves is farm to fork, handmade with love and dedicated to tradition. Handmade gluten free pasta available, too. Serving brunch and dinner. Come and eat, she always makes too much!

Exceptional Japanese cuisine with a contemporary twist in a fun, upbeat setting. Check out their private party room the Kai Lounge at Rock-n-Sake NOLA for your next event – it seats up to 55 with its own sushi bar! Winner of People's Choice Award at New Orleans' inaugural Sushi Fest.

The Court of Two Sisters, known for its large dining courtyard, serves a lavish daily Jazz Brunch buffet. At night, choose from its à la carte dinner menu or a fourcourse dinner. Complete menus available at CourtOfTwoSisters.com. Reservations are recommended.

The Ruby Slipper

Tivoli & Lee

Wayfare

Mid-City, Marigny, CBD, French Quarter (504) 525-9355 TheRubySlipperCafe.net

2 Lee Circle at The Hotel Modern (504) 962-0909 TivoliandLee.com

4510 Freret St. (504) 309-0069 WayfareNola.com

The Ruby Slipper is known for adding New Orleans flair to traditional breakfast, brunch and lunch menus. Specialty cocktails such as the Ruby Slipper Mimosa and house-made Bloody Mary are perfect complements to favorites such as the seasonal Ruby's Crabcake breakfast, and House Specialties Eggs Cochon or BBQ Shrimp & Grits.

Executive Chef Marcus Woodham teamed up with Buffalo Trace Distillery to present a monthly Whiskey Social dinner series celebrating the best of South Louisiana cuisine and American Whiskey. May 21: Four course pre-fixe menu paired $65 per person. Also enjoy a new spring/summer seasonal menu at Tivoli & Lee. To make a reservation, call (504) 962-0909 or visit TivoliAndLee.com. Free valet parking.

Wayfare caters to the beer lovers with 30 beers on tap. They invite you to partake in a Beer Flights, and enjoy a vast array of brews with small samples of multiple styles. Ask your server today! Enjoy Happy Hour daily 4-7 p.m. for $1 off draft beer.

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Red Gravy

myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

ADVERTISING SECTION

Mother's Day Gifts 1. Auraluz 4408 Shores Drive, Metairie (504) 888-3313 ShopAuraluz.com 1

LAMPE BERGER: The perfect Mother's Day gift! It's both decorative and functional. Made in France for over 117 years, each Lampe Berger cleanses, purifies and fragrances the air with over 50 fragrances to choose from –all available at Auraluz.

2. Boudreaux’s Jewelers 701 Metairie Road, Metairie (504) 831-2602

BoudreauxsJewelers.com The brand new patented L’Amour Crisscut Diamond from Christopher designs in an 18 karat White Gold mounting with 1.61 total carat weight diamonds.

3. Bra Genie 288 US 190, Mandeville (985) 951-8638

TheBraGenie.com Make a statement this swim season with the Lascari swim collection from Fantasie. Lascari’s vibrant floral print stands out beautifully against a solid black background and contrasting red boarder. The bikini top is bra sized for a perfect fit by the pool or at the beach.

4. Donald J Pliner at the Shops at Canal Place 333 Canal Street, Suite 208 (504) 522-1720

This year, opt for something a bit more thoughtful with a chic sandal and gorgeous envelope style clutch. The natural cork is our favorite way to say Happy Mothers Day and two essentials any mother will be delighted to receive! DOLI2 Metallic Cork Wedge Sandal – $198. RAMONA Patent Cork Clutch – $250

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5. Konnies’s Gift Depot 859 Brownswitch Road, Slidell (985) 643-8000 See the new “Scenterpiece” from Yankee Candle! Discover the fastest, easiest, no-mess wax warmer ever. Instant no-mess fragrance changes with plug-in electric convenience! Available in several designs and 39 interchangeable fragrances! See these and the largest selection of Yankee Candles in the Southern U.S at Konnies’s Gift Depot, in the “Country Club Plaza."

6. Louisiana Custom Closets New Orleans: (504) 885-3188 Covington: (985) 871-0810 Baton Rouge: (225) 753-3001

LouisianaCustomClosets.com Louisiana Custom Closets represents the pinnacle of quality in storage solutions. Because they are the manufacturer, their professional design staff can create personalized spaces for you. Locally owned since 2003. Choose your style, choose your finish, and take your storage space from simply neat to simply fabulous.

7. Franco’s on Magazine 2116 Magazine St. (504) 218-4637

FrancosMagazineSt.com Membership to Franco’s on Magazine: It's a gift of "me time." It can add years to her life and life to her year. And because, for her, only the best will do, give Mom a membership to Franco's on Magazine this Mother's Day.

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ADVERTISING SECTION 8. Fleur d’ Orleans 3701 Magazine St. (504) 899-5585 818 Chartres St. (504) 475-5254 10

FleurDOrleans.com Gifts for Mother’s Day and graduation! New arrivals: colored gems and pavé set diamond earrings by the designers at Fleur d’ Orleans. Pictured: Pink Tourmaline and pavé set diamond earrings.

9. Grandmother's Buttons 2105 Magazine St. (504) 249-5821 9

GrandmothersButtons.com Fans of this St. Francisville-based jewelry line and boutique are thrilled to discover this second location just opened on Magazine Street. For Mother's Day, shop their one-of-a-kind antique button jewelry, as well as an eclectic assortment of apparel and home goods. Pictured: Fortunata bracelet – $82.

10. Cristy Cali (504) 407-5041

CristyCali.com Cristy Cali is bringing mothers and daughters together with this beautiful duo pendant that doubles as a bonding experience. Mother and daughter pull apart the two sides of the sterling silver heart to keep each other close in her own. Cristy Cali, available exclusively at select jewelers and online.

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11. Mary’s Kitchen and Bath 732 N. Rampart St. (504) 529-4485

All Trapp candles, room sprays and diffusers are guaranteed to fill her room with fragrance. Perfume-quality essential oils are used in this soy-based candle. Plus, find all of the culinary tools and gadgets Mom will love, including Stonewall Kitchen specialty foods and Le Creuset cookware.

12. Martin Wine Cellar 3827 Baronne St. 714 Elmeer Ave., Metairie

MartinWine.com A GRAPE FOR EVERY OCCASION Celebrate your mom with the gift she (and you) can enjoy this Mother's Day! A trio of Riff Pinot Grigio Progetto Lageder 2013, Château Fontanes Vin De Pays D’Oc Rouge 2012 and Casa Dora Brut Cava NV makes sure there's a taste for everyone – $34.99.

13. QUEORK 838 Chartres St. (504) 481-4910

Queork.com Specializing in luxury cork handbags and accessories made from genuine cork. Waterproof, scratch proof, stain resistant and virtually weightless compared to leather. Pictured: Vitis Cork handbag – $169.

14. Symmetry Jewelers 8138 Hampson St. (504) 861-9925

SymmetryJewelers.com Personalized jewelry has once again become a popular jewelry accessory and Tom Mathis, a master hand-engraver and designer at Symmetry is ready. His precious metal combination “shadowbox” monograms, first introduced in the 1980s, are back with all new designs created exclusively for Symmetry clientele.

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15. Söpö Southern Posh

16. Trashy Diva

17. Sucré

629 N Carrollton Ave. (504) 609-2429 SopoNola.com

2048 Magazine St. 537 Royal St. (504) 299-3939

Chef moms and hostess moms alike are bound to adore Loftin Oyster Shells. Grill-and oven-ready, the shells are as equally sweet as a tiny ramekin as they are as a dip dish. Only at Söpö.

TrashyDiva.com

3025 Magazine St. (504) 520-8311 3301 Veterans Blvd., Metairie (504) 834-2277

Flowery and feminine, let mom know just how special she is with the vintageinspired Honey Sun Dress in Steel Magnolias from Trashy Diva. For the perfect Mother’s Day gift, shop our great selection of clothing, lingerie, shoes and accessories.

ShopSucre.com Sucré for any occasion. French macaroons, artisan chocolates, gelato, King Cakes and beautiful pastries are all handmade in small batches here in New Orleans. Open Sunday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-midnight. myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

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Earthsavers Uptown | 5501 Magazine St. | (504) 899-8555 Metairie | 3301 Veterans Blvd. Ste. 140 | (504) 835-0225 Mandeville | 3414 US Highway 190 | (985) 674-1133 earthsaversonline.com We are so excited to be offering a healthier gel manicure, Bioseaweed Gel. It’s far superior to most gel services. It will not stain, weaken or dehydrate nails. Bioseaweed does not contain formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, BHA, or solvents. The result is a long lasting, flawless manicure.

Wellness Center at East Jefferson General Hospital 3726 Houma Blvd., Metairie | (504) 503-6868 ejgh.org The massage program at the EJGH Wellness Center features a full range of massage styles and therapies beneficial to your overall health. Licensed therapists perform massages in a calming environment to best promote healing and offers medically therapeutic massage options tailored to treat a host of chronic conditions. 108

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Regenesis Medical Spa & Laser Skin Clinic 4005 Toulouse St., Mid-City | (504) 486-4500 Dr. William Hudson at Regenesis Medical Spa offers the latest, minimally invasive, anti-Aging skin rejuvenation treatments that can help you achieve more radiant and youthful appearing skin. Current services include Fraxel laser skin rejuvenation, laser hair removal, MicroNeedling Dermapen™ collagen induction therapy, Botox and dermal filler injectables, microdermabrasion and physician grade chemical peels.

Woodhouse Day Spa 4030 Canal St. | (504) 482-NOLA NOLA.WoodhouseSpas.com New Orleans' award winning, full service, luxury day spa. Your journey begins in a peaceful and relaxing enviroment … you will immerse your mind, body and spirit while relaxing in a luxurious robe and comfortable sandals, you may enjoy a beverage while indulging in your choice of over 70 rejuvenating spa treatments.

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Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort

Summer Travel

Summer travel can mean a number of different things for people across the region, and while some travelers know they’re headed to the beach, others are planning weekend trips to various Louisiana festivals and big-city events, while others are looking to invest in a home away from home for years of memory making with friends and family. The Gulf Coast offers a variety of coastal vacation destinations, from sunny, sandy beaches to resorts offering spas and water sports. Meanwhile, various nearby towns, parishes and even neighborhoods present opportunities for music, dancing, food and fun. Visitors to New Orleans will want to find the best accommodations to accompany their travel agenda, and New Orleanians looking to frequent nearby Mississippi may want to dive into the area’s growing real estate market. No matter how or where you plan to travel in the coming months, there’s something for everyone among the following summer destinations.

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Vacation Destinations

Alabama’s 32 miles of pristine beaches on the Gulf of Mexico set the scene for vacation memories that will last a lifetime. This family-friendly beach destination has seen generations return year after year, and with so much to see and do, it’s no wonder they keep coming back. Beyond the beautiful beaches, there’s a wide variety of activities and attractions for all interests and ages, including a number of acclaimed festivals, and, of course, plenty of fresh Gulf seafood. Enjoy three days of music on the beach June 5-7, during FloraBama’s Shindig on the Sand. Or cruise on down for Gumbo Key, a floating concert that takes place near the Perdido Pass bridge on June 20. Request a copy of the 2015 vacation guide, a 96-page magazine featuring a photographic tour of the area, complete listings of accommodations, things to see and do, and great places to eat. Visit GulfShores.com or call 877-341-2400.

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Soak up the fun in the sun at Sandestin this summer! Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, the No. 1 resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast, offers sensational savings from sunrise to sunset with a free night’s stay and a full slate of complimentary events and activities that take guests from day to evening and beach to bay in style. Complimentary activities encourage exploration of the resort’s fun-filled 2,400-acre playground; select children’s activities, bicycle rentals, kayak, boogie board rentals, miniature golf, YOLO boarding, and much more. Sandestin also offers complimentary weekly entertainment at the Village and throughout the resort all summer long. From Wednesday Night Concerts to Tuesday night fireworks shows, the events are endless. Enjoy a free night this season with the purchase of three or more, making your getaway an even better one! From the beach to the bay, it’s all at Sandestin for your best vacation. Visit Sandestin.com/NOM or call 866-5441026 for details; code: FREE4.

This summer, Vacation Express gives travelers in New Orleans the choice of two exceptional destinations to visit. The new, nonstop service from New Orleans to Punta Cana and returning service to Cancun will begin taking off May 14, 2015, and continue flying until August 2 for Cancun and August 27 for Punta Cana. Whether you are looking for a quick weekend getaway that leaves on Thursday and returns on Sunday or a weeklong retreat, Vacation Express has what you need to escape reality. For over 25 years, Vacation Express has grown to become one of the largest tour operators in the United States, specializing in quality, cost-effective, all-inclusive vacation packages to over 35 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Costa Rica. When booking with Vacation Express, your all-inclusive vacation package includes an exclusive non-stop flight, resort accommodations, local representative, all meals, all drinks, taxes and more! For information or to book your vacation, visit VacationExpress. com or call 800-309-4717. This summer, head East on I-10 and escape to one of Conde Nast Traveler’s top resorts: Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Pt. Clear, Alabama. After an easy drive from New Orleans, plunge into one of the resort pools. Play golf or discover daily FootGolf. Experience great spa treatments. Sail a Hobie cat or charter the historic schooner Joshua. Fish on the Grand’s pier and let the Grand Hotel chefs prepare your catch for dinner. Create memories and sandcastles on the Grand beaches. Salute the military with daily cannon firings followed by afternoon tea in the resort lobby. Explore the boutiques and art galleries in Fairhope. End the day with a sunset stroll along Mobile Bay and experience the relaxation you deserve. From dive-in movies and bike rides to croquet and crafts, families will find activities to keep everyone happy at the Grand Hotel. Visit GrandHotelMarriott.com for package options or call 251-928-9201.

Houmas House Plantation and Gardens

Nestled between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is Houmas House Plantation and Gardens, the “Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road.” This historic property boasts 38 acres of the South’s most beautiful, lush and vibrant gardens. Visitors may also tour the magnificent mansion featuring a rare collection of period artwork and furnishings. While exploring Houmas House, dine in your choice of three restaurants featuring a contemporary progressive approach to Louisiana delicacies. The grounds offer both a casual and fine dining atmosphere for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The latest addition of the Inn at Houmas House completes this plantation destination, making it the most extensive experience of all the plantations along the Great River Road. Twenty-one private cottages nestled along an alley of oaks create a serene environment, perfect for a romantic getaway. Each room is complete with marble bathrooms, old-world furniture and a private porch for viewing the sunset along the Mississippi River. Houmas House invites you to slow down and enjoy a leisurely time of old. Experience the elegance of the South at Houmas House Plantation and Gardens (HoumasHouse.com).

Festivals & Events

The 10th annual Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo comes to the banks of the Bayou St. John on May 15-17. The three-day festival is free, family-friendly and celebrates the local art, food and music of New Orleans. Notable musical guests this year include The New Orleans Suspects, Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience, Rotary Downs and more. The Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo is produced by the 501c3, notfor-profit MotherShip Foundation, which uses proceeds from the annual festival for community improvements such as its ongoing Restore the Bayou Canopy Campaign. Festivalgoers who join the MotherShip Foundation at the $250 level will receive access to The Canopy Club for all three days of the 2015 Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo. A V.I.P. area located next to the main stage, the Canopy Club offers shade, comfy seating, premium bar, cooling units and stage-level viewing. myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

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Visit MothershipFoundation.org and TheBayouBoogaloo.com for an updated music schedule and more information.

From attending the live radio show at the Liberty Theater in Eunice for the best in Cajun and zydeco music every Saturday night, to enjoying the fast-paced thrill of live thoroughbred horseracing at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish captures the spirit and traditions of the people of Acadiana. Festivals and music events fill the month of May from the Music and Market Series (Friday afternoons) and Zydeco Extravaganza (May 24) in Opelousas to the Krotz Springs Sportsmen’s Heritage Festival (May 21-24). Come out to the Lebeau Zydeco Festival (July 4) and dance to Geno Delafosse, Brian Jack and more. And the fun continues with the Southwest Louisiana Attakapas Opelousas Prairie Tribe Festival (July 25) and the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Festival in Plaisance (Sept 5). For a complete schedule of the many events and experiences St. Landry Parish has to offer, go to CajunTravel.com. Visit beautiful Bayou Lafourche for a wide array of unique Louisiana events and destinations. The good times start rolling this spring and summer at the Thibodaux Firemen’s Fair & Parade on April 30-May 2. Bayou Cajun Fun Fest celebrates the best of the bayou country with food, music, dancing and a carnival midway May 8-10 in Larose. The Cajun Heritage

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Newman-Dailey Resort Properties

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Festival, also in Larose, takes place June 5-7 and features a decoy show and auction, carving demos, duck calling, Cajun food, vendors and raffles. The festival promotes and preserves the history and art of Cajun duck decoy carving. Summer is also a great time of year to venture outdoors and see Louisiana’s unique wetlands on one of the area’s many available swamp tours, or to learn about the area’s history at the Jean Lafitte National Park Wetlands Acadian Culture Center. Additionally, don’t forget to take the kids by the new Bayou Country Children’s Museum in Thibodaux for a day full of fun and adventure. Find endless events and attractions at VisitLafourche.com and experience all Lafourche has to offer.

Gulf Coast Lodging & Accommodations Enjoy a sunny summer vacation in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama, this year, and experience the hospitality of Gulf Shores Rentals, one of the region’s favorite vacation rental companies for more than 25 years. For each night reserved, guests receive complimentary tickets to area attractions such as championship golf, deep-sea fishing, Dolphin Cruises and Waterville USA Waterpark. Other bonuses include 14 points to The Track Amusement Center daily and unlimited daily movie rentals. Find something for everyone – families, friends and couples – among the area’s offerings: snapper season fishing excursions on the Gulf, fashion-forward shopping at boutiques and outlets and kid-friendly thrills such as mini-golf, exciting rides, go-karts and more. With over 150 properties ranging from one-bedroom condos to six-bedroom beach homes, Gulf Shores Rentals can help arrange the perfect vacation package for you! Visit GulfShoresRentals.com and be sure to check out the Hot Deals page. You can also like Gulf Shores Rentals on Facebook to receive updates at facebook.com/ gsrentalsfanpage. Wouldn’t you rather be enjoying time with family and friends along the soft white sand beaches of South Walton or Destin, Florida? The Florida Panhandle earned a spot on Fodor’s “Go List” 2015, noting the area has “the most beautiful beaches in the United States and refreshing Southern hospitality.” One of the premier vacation rental companies along the Emerald Coast,

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Hyatt French Quarter Hotel

Newman-Dailey Resort Properties is celebrating 30 years of making beach vacation dreams come true. And for families who want to enjoy more and spend less, Newman-Dailey has introduced the “Be Free Bundle” with most beach vacation rentals, which includes a gift card good toward free activities and movie rentals, complimentary beach service and discounts toward shops, restaurants and activities. Travelers may select from the serenity of Sanctuary at Redfish on Highway 30A, the seclusion of Hidden Dunes Beach & Tennis Resort, the panoramic views of Jade East Condos or among an array of well-appointed vacation homes. Rated “excellent” on TripAdvisor, Newman-Dailey is where you’d rather be. Call 800225-7652 or visit DestinVacation.com.

New Orleans Lodging & Accommodations

Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter is located in the heart of the French Quarter on world-famous Bourbon Street. They offer 186 comfortable guest rooms, more than 4,000 square feet of market-leading meeting facilities, an outdoor pool, tropical courtyard, 24-hour fitness, Café Opéra and the Puccini Bar. Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter is located on the 114

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site of the French Opera House (1859-1919), a legendary New Orleans cultural venue. Their performance series, “Opera Returns to Bourbon Street” features local operatic talent from the New Orleans Opera Association, Opera Creole and local classical vocalist group Bon Operatit!. Located in the hotel’s lobby and Puccini Bar, the hotel’s new permanent and free historical exhibit consists of almost two dozen panels detailing the French Opera House story, including composer Henri Wehrmann, legend Adelina Patti and the intriguing individuals who managed the Opera House. The exhibit also illustrates the changing social customs and national trends of the time, as well as depictions of the opera house throughout its history. Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter is located at 541 Bourbon St. For reservations and more, call (504) 524-7611 or visit FourPoints.com/frenchquarter.

The Hyatt French Quarter Hotel is a historic hotel in one of the city’s oldest and most popular neighborhoods: The French Quarter! The property resides in the former D.H. Holmes building and offers 254 guest rooms and more than 10,660 square feet of customizable function space located in one central area of the hotel’s first floor. With 10 meeting rooms, the Hyatt French

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Quarter can accommodate meetings, events, and weddings, up to 300 people. Enjoy their market-inspired eatery, Powdered Sugar, and the artisan lobby bar, Batch, which showcases a collection of quality Bourbons and flask service. The popular and awardwinning Red Fish Grill owned and operated by Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, is also part of the Hyatt French Quarter, as well as The Hard Rock Café, serving casual cuisine and live music during the week. The Hotel is located at 800 Iberville St. For more information, visit FrenchQuarter.hyatt.com.

Venture into the Vieux Carré to experience the newly renovated Wyndham New Orleans French Quarter! The 374-guestroom downtown hotel completed their multimillion dollar renovation at the end of 2014 and is eager to serve! Wyndham wants to win your business when visiting the French Quarter and CBD area and will do so by providing affordable and secure onsite parking, beautiful views from their 20-story high-rise hotel, an indoor heated swimming pool and over-the-top, service-oriented staff. All that along with a secondto-none, convenient location – what’s not to love? Spread the word and take advantage of Wyndham New Orleans French Quarter’s Deal of the Day by using the DISNOMAG promo when making your reservation. You can even earn free goodies when you join their loyalty program, Wyndham Rewards. Visit the hotel online today at WyndhamFrenchQuarter. com or call 24/7 at 888-215-2756. You can also simply stop by the 124 Royal St. location and experience the welcome.

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Wyndham French Quarter

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Vacation Homes/Real Estate

The Mississippi Gulf Coast and surrounding areas have a little something for everyone, from coastal fishing or visiting the barrier islands, to enjoying the tranquil beauty in the immediate countryside. The fresh local seafood is next to none, and if you enjoy dining out you’re certain to find a restaurant to satisfy your interests, from casual laidback eateries to fine dining establishments. The festivals are never-ending and include everything from “Cruising the Coast” to the many local seafood and po’boy events spotted throughout the surrounding area. The coast and its surrounding cities and towns have come a long way and boast numerous large shopping malls and cinemas. Truly, there is something to please everyone without the traffic and big-city hassle. Las Vegas-style hotels, condos, bed and breakfasts – the Gulf South has it all. Home ownership is very affordable and price/value cannot be matched in other venues. Kelly Creely, an associated broker with Fidelis Realty–Salvas Properties, LLC, is based in Gulfport, Mississippi, at 1317 24th Ave., Ste. D. For more information and listings, visit KellyCreely.com or call 228-233-8975. Big Bay Lake is a one-of-a-kind planned community on Mississippi’s largest private recreational lake. Located just outside of Hattiesburg, Big Bay Lake blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings. Homesites are available on the water starting at $100,000. Both the homes and homesites within this community provide unique opportunities to create the perfect home or weekend getaway.

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It is time to relax, unplug, make memories and create new traditions at Big Bay. Whether you are a boating or fishing enthusiast, or just a family who loves to make a big splash, Big Bay Lake is simply about the lure of the water. Come enjoy sunkissed, fun-filled days at Big Bay Lake, “where the little things make life ... big!” Big Bay Lake is only 90 minutes from New Orleans. Call for a boat tour today at 877-4BIG-BAY or visit BigBayLake.com. •

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Sight, Sound & Balance Resources for Eye & Ear Care

n terms of health awareness, it seems internal organs and challenging diseases are often in the spotlight. Ears and eyes play a significant role in a person’s wellbeing, though, and are also deserving of care and attention. The functionality of eyes and ears allows for two of the five major senses, which affect a person’s perception of the world. They also, however, assist in balance and mobility. While some individuals are born needing assistance with sight, sound or balance, others encounter problems with their eyes and ears as they age. No matter your malady, there are numerous resources for eye and ear care across the metro region with experts in inner ear and related neurological functioning as well. Seek the eye or ear care you need and maintain healthy interactions with the world around you.

Sight Eyecare Associates physicians, Ronald Landry, MD; Donald Cerise, MD; William Perez, MD; Leni Sumich, MD; Chuck Stumpf, OD; and Terrell McGinn, OD, are recognized leaders in vision care, providing quality medical and routine eye care to patients in the New Orleans area. These local doctors understand the special needs of their patients and how cultures vary by neighborhood and parish. They are dedicated to patient care and customer service, which has created a practice that covers generations of families from the first eye examination to refractive surgery and cataract removal. Advanced technologies at Eyecare Associates give cataract and refractive surgery patients more choices for treatment to improve their vision than ever before. After careful examination and recommendation from Eyecare’s highly skilled surgeons, advanced IOL technology now allows cataract patients a choice in deciding what type of intraocular lens is best for them. Additionally, Eyecare Associates offers the availability of contact lenses and glasses. For more information, or to schedule an appointment at their Metairie-based clinic call 504-4559825 or visit EyecareNewOrleans.com. The Tulane Eye MDs specialize in the care of cataract, cornea, glaucoma and retinal problems, along with ocular oncology and orbital reconstructive surgery and children’s eye diseases. While training future generations of Eye MDs, these physicians have been instrumental in developing many of the innovative approaches to vision care and surgery in use today. Tulane’s Eye 120

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MDs have dedicated their lives to developing new and better treatments for their patients. The comprehensive services provided include the latest advances in premium cataract correction and retinal care; corneal damage stabilization and transplant procedures; pediatric eye treatments and surgeries; and innovative vision-correcting surgery for glaucoma patients. They also offer a full range of vision correction services, including contact lenses for the most difficult cases, and iLasik, which offers the possibility of vision correction without the hassle of contacts or glasses. Dr. Alejandra Valenzuela, who has two certifications in Oculoplastics and cosmetic eyelid surgery, is now offering facial BOTOX injections. For more information or to make an appointment, call 504988-5831 or 504-988-4334. For iLasik or BOTOX call 504-9888866 or 855-311-5512.

Hearing & Balance

The frequency of inner ear problems escalates as we age. Not only are the rates of hearing loss rising, but so are increasing problems with balance disturbances. The good news is that these are problems that can be significantly improved with treatment. Almost all hearing losses are amenable to treatment, be it medically, surgically or with hearing aids. The two most common causes of balance problems are also relatively easy to fix. BPPV, loose crystals in the inner ear that cause balance problems, are easily treated with an in-office procedure. The other cause of imbalance is loss of leg strength, which is easily corrected by a regimen of daily walking. Unfortunately, a combination of BPPV and leg weakness, if left untreated, can spell disaster for the elderly, resulting in falls and broken bones, or more insidiously reduced mobility and consequently retracting from full life engagement. If you or someone you know suffers from hearing or balance problems, there are options for treatment. The Ear and Balance Institute specializes in these and other hearing and balance disorders. Find out more at EarAndBalance.net.

Patients suffering from persistent hearing and balance disorders can now seek treatment at CNC Hearing and Balance Center. Neurotologist Moises Arriaga, M.D., FACS, leads a medical staff trained to provide the latest in hearing healthcare. Hearing loss can be an indication of a more serious condition and even contribute to dementia and risk of falling. The CNC medical staff

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is uniquely qualified to provide a full hearing health evaluation and solution CNC Hearing Solutions offers a wide array of treatment options from assistive devices to microsurgical hearing restoration, surgically implantable hearing devices, digital hearing device fittings and follow-up service, cochlear implants, hearing tests, and tinnitus evaluation and treatment. They pride themselves on educating patients about their unique hearing health issue and offering the best available treatment for their particular need. The CNC Hearing and Balance Center has offices in Marrero and Uptown New Orleans. Call 504-934-8320 for an appointment or visit CNCHearing.com. Hearing experts at Associated Hearing know how important your hearing is to your life and your relationships. That is why their Doctors of Audiology, Daniel Bode, Alaina Johnson and Courtney Cooke, are much more than experts on the latest hearing technology. They comprise a locally owned, fullservice audiology practice committed to improving your quality of life through better hearing. Associated Hearing also has the professional designation of being AudigyCertified™. Associated Hearing offers comprehensive hearing testing, state-of-the-art hearing aid technology by leading manufacturers such as Starkey and Oticon, and a patientcentered approach focused on finding the best solutions for your hearing needs. They take the time to get to know you and

the specific listening situations that are most challenging for you before creating a customized better-hearing plan tailored to your specific needs. To experience a remarkable level of service from hearing experts that will feel more like a family reunion than an office visit, call them today – you’ll wonder why it ever took you so long to start your life with better hearing! For more information, visit AssociatedHearingInc.com or call 504-8334327 (Metairie), 985-249-5225 (Covington).

Coming to terms with hearing loss is a difficult but common challenge faced by many adults. In seeking help, patients want a doctor they can trust. At NOLA Hearing, Melissa Webb Duthu is a Doctor of Audiology with nearly 10 years of experience in the hearing industry. Through comprehensive tests, Dr. Duthu is able to pinpoint your hearing needs and recommend the best options for you and your lifestyle. Dr. Duthu will explain your results and options, answer your questions and provide research materials that enable patients to make informed decisions. NOLA Hearing recognizes that everyone moves at their own pace, and while some people come to their appointments ready to purchase hearing instruments, others make appointments to simply gather information. NOLA Hearing works with many hearing aid manufacturers at the forefront of technology. Dr. Duthu also participates in training seminars on new instruments so that she can best answer any questions. Visit NOLAHearing.com for more information. •

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Peace of Mind

Resources for Mental Health & Well-being

veryone could use a little peace of mind, and whether you suffer from mental illness or need help adjusting to the stresses of life, assistance exists across New Orleans. From behavioral health services to rehabilitation, assisted living, and other medical resources, a variety of professionals can help you and your loved ones face the challenges that arise, whether they be hardships in your professional and personal life, or difficulties associated with healing or aging. Seeking assistance is the first step in finding your peace of mind, and the following metro area services are just a few of many that strive to improve patients’ overall well-being.

Mental Health Services

River Oaks Hospital has provided quality treatment to individuals with mental illness since 1970. Services are available in three levels of care. When patients don’t require medical supervision 24 hours a day, River Oaks Hospital’s partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs allow patients to receive the clinical and therapeutic treatment they need while being able to return home each day. For those needing the highest level of care, River Oaks offers inpatient psychiatric treatment for children, adolescents and adults. They also provide a medical detox on their dual diagnosis unit and treat trauma-based disorders for adults as well as eating disorders for adolescents and adults. A wide variety of private insurances are accepted in addition to Medicare and Tricare. If you or a loved one is considering treatment, River Oaks provides confidential assessments. To schedule an assessment, call 504-734-1740. To learn more about services, trauma-based disorders, or eating disorders, visit RiverOaksHospital.com.

Rehabilitation & Assisted Living The John J. Hainkel, Jr. Home & Rehabilitation Center, founded in 1891, is located at 612 Henry Clay Ave., nestled among beautiful oak trees and lush greenery outlined by

porches and patios. The center promotes quality of life through a unique and caring alternative for the elderly and those who suffer from serious illnesses or disabilities. The facility provides a wide range of health care services including but not limited to Physical, Occupational, Speech and Recreational Therapy. The Hainkel Home works to maintain and enhance the quality of life of all of residents and clients while fostering the selfsufficiency of clients and families by providing restorative care and recreational activities. The enhanced art program encourages residents to improve their dexterity and fine motor skills, whether modeling with clay or painting. The new music program includes frequent visits from the Loyola School of Music, children from a neighboring charter school, and weekly visiting musicians. The daily exercise program is another activity keeping everyone on his and her toes. Please contact an Admissions Coordinator, Cathryn Abbott Jones (504-756-2844) or Laura Glazer (504-919-4058), to find out more about the Hainkel Home.

Peristyle Residences offers Residential Assisted Living and Memory Care in the comfort of luxurious and secure homes. Peristyle Residences’ alternative senior living model offers homes with private bedrooms and congregate dining and living areas for seniors who may no longer be able to safely live at home but who don’t need or prefer more traditional settings such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities. There are five beautiful homes within great neighborhoods in New Orleans, Metairie and the West Bank. Peristyle Residences offers care, supervision and compassion to seniors and convenience and peace of mind for families and friends. These small communities foster the development of sincere relationships between caregivers and residents. Families are encouraged to decorate and furnish the homes with familiar items that are comforting and keep memories vivid. Healthy meals are prepared on-site, and an array of stimulating activities keeps residents active at home. Peristyle Residences are licensed by the Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals, and all caregivers are trained in dementia care, receive background checks, and have several years of senior myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

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living experience. Schedule a tour at PeristyleResidences.com or by calling 504-259-0326.

Pharmacy & Support Services

Avita Pharmacy’s mission is to provide the best possible pharmacy experience for its patients. As a specialty pharmacy, Avita serves the unique needs of people living with chronic conditions like HIV, Hepatitis, Organ Transplant and Mental Health Disorders. Through services like free delivery, copay assistance, refill reminder calls, 24/7 pharmacist support at 888-AvitaRX and their specially trained, compassionate pharmacy team, Avita does more than just fill prescriptions. They join your healthcare team by working alongside providers and service organizations to improve the prescription process and help patients live healthier, happier and more productive lives. Avita believes in supporting the communities it serves through initiatives and sponsorships. Let Avita fill your prescription today, and you will be giving back tomorrow! For more information, visit AvitaPharmacy.com. Positive Family Solutions is the private practice of New Orleans native Gerard Woodrich, LCSW, offering affordable counseling with evening, weekend and in-home appointments available. They accept most insurances and offer a sliding fee scale for those with limited income. Located on St. Charles Avenue along the streetcar line and by Audubon Park, Woodrich’s practice offers a safe and nurturing environment for

clients experiencing hardship. In practice for four years, Woodrich has experience counseling those with severe mental illness and trauma such as PTSD, sexual assault, bullying, violence, abuse, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression, as well as disruptive behavior such as ADHD and developmental disabilities such as Autism. Positive Family Solutions sees clients of all ages and also offers family, grief and relationship counseling. Gerard Woodrich, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, has been trained in various evidence-based interventions including: ABA Therapy, CBT Therapy, Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Play Therapy. For information and appointments, call 504-3394938 or email gerard@positivefamilysolutions.net.

Rest & Sleep Apnea A full night of restful sleep is vital to your mental and physical health. If you have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea but hate wearing a CPAP, there is an approved alternative. James A Moreau Jr., DDS, works with physicians throughout the metro area to provide oral appliance therapy for the treatment of sleep apnea and snoring. Sleep Apnea is a potentially life threatening medical condition that can also be associated with snoring, exhaustion, erectile disfunction, heart problems, memory difficulty, inability to have dreams and drowsy driving. If you’re ready for a good night’s rest, call now to get help: 985-809-7645. •

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TRY THIS

Walk In the Footsteps of “Saint and Sinners” The French Quarter Phantom Ghost Tours, 666-8300, FrenchQuarterPhantoms.com The French Quarter Phantom Ghost Tours has recently launched a new walking tour called “Saints and Sinners,” which claims to show the side of the city where “God and the Devil shook hands so the party could go on.” The tour, for which you have to be 17 or older, spills the “dirty secrets of the city” with stories of witchcraft, voodoo, conspiracy and magic. As with all their tours, the guides are licensed master storytellers, and this new tour has already earned a Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence Award.

New L’Amour Crisscut Diamond at Boudreaux’s Boudreaux’s Fine Jewelers, 701 Metairie Road, Metairie, 831-2602, BoudreauxsJewelers.com Boudreaux’s Fine Jewelers, with three locations in Louisiana, which has been owned and managed by the same family since 1933, is carrying the new L’Amour Crisscut diamond, the patented cut of diamonds developed by Christopher Slowinski. The higher number of crisscrossed facets on the diamond increases the brilliance, scintillation and light dispersion of the stone. With 50 facets, the Crisscut sizes 40-50 percent larger than a comparable emerald cut diamond, and offers significant value for its size. The new L’Amour ring has two straight sides and subtle curvatures at the top and bottom for a brilliantly mirrored reflection. – Mirella Cameran cheryl gerber photo

It’s a Bird; It’s a Plane … Going skydiving over Slidell By Kelly Massicot

he door opens and the rush of air takes my breath away. The wind is flying by me so quickly it’s almost hard to keep my eyes open, much less follow the directions of the instructor who’s moving me to the outside of the plane – it’s an adrenaline junkie’s happiest moment. I made my way to Skydive Nawlins and the Slidell Airport early one Saturday morning. Nerves, fear and excitement all took the 40-minute ride with me. Upon arrival I was met by owner Brenda Grafton and resident canine Wilma. Skydive Nawlins is a simple hangar tucked in the back of the airport, but their product and services are larger than life. All of the instructors, parachute packers and pilots are trained and certified and have made the faithful jump more times than I can imagine. Laughter and jokes fill the hangar between jumps and act as the perfect distraction to the nerves that begin to build for most first-time jumpers – like me. The jump began with my instructor and tandem jumper, Charlie, showing me the ins and outs of the plane and giving instructions for the actual jump itself. It is a small plane with just enough space for four jumpers and the pilot. Once I was informed of the logistics, I was fitted into a jumpsuit. I learned quickly that the attire for skydiving is meant for practicality, not fashion – you’re forewarned. The journey to the jump altitude of 10,000 feet seemed to last forever. The anticipation quickly rises once you’re actually up in the air and faced with the reality that you’ll be leaving the plane while in mid-air. Once the plane has reached its altitude, you’re ready to soar. Charlie locked us together and scooted me to the edge of the plane door. The wind blew stronger than any hurricane winds I’ve ever felt, and almost without warning, Charlie and I were out of the plane and flying through the air. The trip down to the ground took the blink of an eye, but the view is something I’ll never forget. I was so high up that the individual trees and foliage just merged into a sea of beautiful forest green. A few minutes of free fall swiftly turned into a quick, but smooth glide down to the earth, once the instructor released the parachute. I continued to sail and then was strategically guided left and right over the tree tops until we lined up with our landing zone Skydiving isn’t an activity for everyone. It is an amazing experience, one that I will suggest to anyone, but one that must be met with courage and the understanding of risks and procedures; they warn that skydiving is a high-risk adventure and there’s danger that must be understood before jumping out of a plane. Skydive Nawlins, 62512 Airport Road, Slidell (985) 643-7070, SydiveNawlins.com n myneworleans.com / MAY 2015

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Waiting In the Jury Pool By errol laborde

guess I had forgotten, or maybe I never knew, that Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford had their own TV show. If it wasn’t for Orleans Parish Criminal Court, I still might not know. On the first day of jury duty, things had gone smoothly. Usually those called to the jury pool are released around noon, but by 11:15 we were done. My second day though was a bit more worrisome. There

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are two rooms for the prospective jurors to wait in. One is the quiet room where I sat alternating between reading a book, the newspaper and, most frequently, pecking away on my iPhone. There are TVs in both rooms, but in the quiet room the sound is kept off. To me, daytime TV violates the constitutional ban of cruel and unusual punishment, but it was nice to see Hoda, who most of us remember from her days here with WWL-TV. She and Kathie Lee, who, I since learned, host the fourth hour of the “Today” show, were both dressed in white as they poured over some sort of dessert. It occurred to me that prospective jurors sitting in waiting rooms across the country faced the burdens of jurisprudence while watching Hoda taste the meringue. In each waiting room there is a monitor with an electronic number. Usually the morning starts with a number around 10. That is the total of trials on the docket for the day. As the morning passes the number lowers, indicting yet another case settled by a plea agreement. Those in the jury pool get excited when the number plummets to one or two. But on the second day something seemed wrong. Noon was nearing and the number on the monitor had been stalled at two for a long time, indicating perhaps a deal falling through and an impending trial. Then came the news as announced by the clerk: We could all go to lunch, but had to be back by 1:30. We might, I worried, be there all day. My concern was increased because I realized that I had forgotten to charge my iPhone the night before. The battery power per-

centage was at 30; that would not take me through the afternoon. And what if I was selected for a trial and had to stay into the evening? Everyone else around me had some sort of electronic device. A few had thought to bring chargers to plug into the wall outlets, but I was in danger of hitting empty, like holding a pitcher without juice. Then I had an idea: I had a charger in my car that worked off the cigarette lighter, so much of my lunch hour was spent driving around generating power for the iPhone. Lunch I had to have without the phone, which I left charging in the car. In performing my civic duty I had to suffer through a Googleless lunch. By the time I got back to the jury room my phone had been juiced up to 80 percent, enough to get me through the day. (Unless I strained the battery with a flurry of those irrelevant questions that sometime pop into my mind, like the population of Iwo Jima.) Shortly after we returned, the clerk read out 50 names with the instruction to head toward an upstairs courtroom. I was not one of them. Then she paused and said, “the rest of you may leave.” We didn’t need convincing, and my battery level was still at 70. During the four days I was on duty there were four times when groups of 50 were called to the court. My name was never uttered. I wasn’t sure whether to feel lucky or insulted. On the first day a judge had told us that an overwhelming number of trials now end with plea deals, so no trial is held; yet the process of jury by peers has to be kept in motion. So each morning around 200 people sit and wait. In its own way justice is served – and Hoda is rediscovered. n ARTHUR NEAD ILLUSTRATION