New Orleans Magazine March 2016

march 2016

myneworleans.com $4.95 de

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march 2016 / VOLUME 50 / NUMBER 6 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 Interns Lani Griffiths SALES MANAGER Kate Sanders (504) 830-7216 / Kate@MyNewOrleans.com Senior Account Executives Jonée Daigle Ferrand, Lisa Picone Love Account Executive Brittany Gilbert, Jessica Marasco

Production Manager Staci McCarty Senior Production Designer Ali Sullivan Production Designers Monique DiPietro 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 Event Coordinator Margaret Strahan Distribution Manager John Holzer Administrative Assistant Denise Dean Subscriptions Manager Sara Kelemencky SUBSCRIPTIONS Assistant Mallary Matherne 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 2016 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.

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contents

64 FEATURES

IN EVERY ISSUE

ON THE COVER

58

More Than a Gulf

12

INSIDE

The coast has rivers, lakes and dunes, too

By Cheré Coen

“Canal and South Roman”

64

Best New Architecture

Our annual survey of creative design

By John P. Klingman

Visiting the Gulf Coast isn’t always about sunbathing on the beach – though we love to do that, too. As winter skies clear and temperatures rise, we share more than 20 ways to explore the great outdoors of the Gulf Coast, starting on pg. 58.

18 speaking out

Editorial, plus a Mike Luckovich cartoon 20

JULIA STREET Questions and answers about our city

135 Try This

“Active Release: A Different Path to Wellness”

136 STREETCAR

“Yes to A Standardized Easter Date; And Mardi Gras, Too”

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contents

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74

THE BEAT

LOCAL COLOR

THE MENU

24

MARQUEE

42

me again

74

table talk

Entertainment calendar

“Jimmy Glickman’s Beat”

26

PERSONA

“Middle Eastern March: Three for the tastes”

44

MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS

Cecile Monteyne: Actress et al

“How to Fry a Pine Cone”

28

Biz

46

Joie d’Eve

“Brew to Do: Better beers on tap as laws begin to bend”

“Mardi Gras Your Whole Life”

48

IN TUNE

30

education

“College Is Not Just for Knowledge”

“Indie Artists: Between Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest”

32

health

“When Docile Bacteria Go Bad”

50

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HEALTHBEAT

The latest news in health from New Orleans and beyond

36

crime fighting

“‘Six-Packs’ and Suspects”

38

CHRONICLES

52

Read & Spin A look at the latest albums and books

76 restaurant insider

News From the Kitchens: Rocksy’s, Fogo & Bayou Wine

78

FOOD

“Throw Me a Cabbage: Irish traditions; international recipes”

80

LAST CALL

“P & T”: Pisco and Tonic

82

DINING GUIDE

JAZZ LIFE

“The Whole Gritty City: Capturing a Culture”

54

HOME

“An Apartment Desired: This French Quarter pad has a literary link”

“Tulane Architecture: A legacy of building dreams”

DIAL 12 D1 Sunday, March 6 at 8 p.m. on WYES-TV/Channel 12, millions of devoted “Downton Abbey” fans will watch the finale of the series. The top-rated PBS drama of all time approaches its climactic chapter, and viewers will soon find how fate resolves the stories of television’s most beloved characters. Be a part of the sensation! Join WYES for two “Downton Abbey” inspired events: Downton Abbey Gala on March 3 and the WYES Downton Abbey Grand Finale Advanced Screening on March 6 at the Orpheum Theater. Details at WYES.org.

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inside

Canal and South Roman

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eldom does a street corner undergo a visual overhaul so quickly. For most of recent time, the intersection of Canal and South Roman was an undistinguished path into a blighted neighborhood nears the business district end of Mid-City. There had been better days.

Once, the neighborhood thrived with small shops and commerce used by neighbors who live in classic New Orleans-style bungalows and shotguns. For early Germans it was a place to build a life near the hustle of the business district.

Then, as happened to so many American neighborhoods, it became blighted. The interstate, which was squeezed between the neighborhood and the business district, made the area less domestic, more industrial and far less charming With the social changes of the 1960s, that same interstate carried people away to the suburbs. The shops were closed; the homes were boarded. The neighborhood was dying.

It needed an ER. Take a drive along Canal Street. At S. Roman Street toward the campus of the new University Medical Center. You will be stunned at the sight of a vista you haven’t seen before. To the left is green space; to the right, separated by more green space, is the emergency hospital. All around and in the distance is a cacophony of new buildings, but along S. Roman there’s visual space as though to allow the eye to explore. Most striking, and more open to view, is St. Joseph on Tulane Avenue, one of the city’s most imposing churches. Once given up for dead as it lost its parish population, the 123-year-old church stands out gloriously in the skyline as though resurrected. In the distance are the towers of the emerging research center.

On the opposite side of the campus is Tulane Avenue. Take a right and drive down a couple of blocks to the still emerging VA Hospital complex. Like the state facility, this will also feature a potpourri of architectural styles. (Though one facility located at S. Murat Street shows early cause for concern. The all-black, near windowless, ornamentation-free building looks like a place Darth Vader would go to sulk.) Much anticipated will be the redevelopment of the former Dixie Brewing building whose facade has been saved; and on the Canal Street side the long abandoned, but nevertheless striking, Pan American building is part of the revival.

This is our annual best of architecture issue in which we look at the new projects from the past year. The University Center Complex is important not just locally but nationally. Next year will be the time to take a closer look at the VA development, which will be no less important. To monitor the emergence of the total complex, take an occasional drive along S. Roman, a street named after a city that showed the world a thing or two about architecture.

Happily, some old buildings have been revived in both projects.

Architecture is at its best when it looks forward but respects the past.

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

Full Sport Press Full Sport Press is your weekly sports update with stories from the Crescent City and beyond.

Writer Mark Patrick Spencer has brought a new twist to much-loved subject, adding beer pairings and musical accompaniment to each of his blogs. See a new Full Sport Press every Tuesday and follow the blog on Twitter @FullSportNOLA.

Newsletter Sign up for our MyNewOrleans. com daily newsletter! Each day you’ll receive our daily blogs, select articles from New Orleans Magazine and the week’s top events happening all around the city. Direct access to MyNewOrleans.com brought straight to your email, what could be better than that?

Look for the “Newsletter” button in the top right corner of the homepage and receive your daily email today!

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meet our sales team

Colleen Monaghan Vice President of Sales (504) 830-7215 Colleen@myneworleans.com

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SPEAKING OUT

Yes to A Standardized Easter Date; And Mardi Gras, Too

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eldom have the ponderings at the Vatican had much impact on the rituals of Rex and Zulu, but if an idea, which Pope Francis supports, ever takes effect, it could be logically sound for Rome and good for business in New Orleans.

For years there have been discussions to standardize the date of Easter. Over 300 years the Easter date has been roughed up by the various Catholic sects, such as the Catholic, Coptic and Orthodox, each with a convincing argument why their way is right. Each year Easter is celebrated over different Sundays.

Francis even applied a rare bit of papal wit to the situation by saying, “When did your Christ rise from the dead? My Christ rose today, and yours next week.”

How the situation got like this is complex

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and laced with the byzantine rivalries of the ancient European/Asian world with overtones of references to the Justinian and Gregorian calendars and the Council of Nicea – for starters. From our perspective, we don’t care how the situation arose; it’s time for history to move on. Nor do we have a candidate for what the standardized date should be. We note, however, that most of the discussion seems to suggest early to mid-April, a date that would best embrace the rival dates. That sounds good to us. One suggestion is that Easter would always be on the second Sunday in April. (This year it would have been on April 10 instead of the preordained March 27. Ash Wednesday would have been Feb. 24; Mardi Gras, Feb. 23.)

What is good for Easter, and for Mardi Gras, is that the time frame would be consistent. The

actual dates would still shift each year, but by no more than a week.

Such a move would justify dusting off the Hallelujah Chorus. For the churches it would be an act of unity, sects separated by centuries celebrating their most spiritual date together. For the worshipper, a core standardized dated would give more legitimacy to the Easter story, placing it into a more consistent time frame.

And down in New Orleans the move would strengthen Carnival by making it easier to plan within a tighter time period. No longer would Captains and programmers be challenged by the occasional early Mardi Gras. Carnival season would still start on Twelfth Night, Jan. 6, but now the length of the season would be consistent. For King Cake bakers and hotel bookers, that’s good news.

On matters of Carnival, “tradition” is always part of the debate. Truth is there’s nothing spiritual about the current lunar-based system for determining the dates.

Nowhere does the Bible speak of the resurrection as being “on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal equinox.” Linking events to an astronomical phenomenon is a pagan invention going back to when people had little more to do at night than study the sky.

We live in a more logical world, Pope Francis’ endorsement is huge if this change is to happen.

We can at least pray for wisdom in high places.

Amen. n

AN ORIGINAL ©MIKE LUCKOVICH CARTOON FOR NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE

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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

Live Oak Memorial Grove

Julia, From the point of the Newman Bandstand in Audubon Park all the way to the zoo, it appears that there’s a long corridor of very old oaks. When and why was that corridor of oaks planted?

Thanks!

Andy Jacoby New Orleans The double line of century-old oaks is a living memorial to young local men who made the “ultimate sacrifice” during World War I. Officially known as the Memorial Live Oak Grove, it was dedicated on July 4, 1919, only eight months after war ended. About 200 people, most of them relatives of the 62 men in whose honor and memory the five-year-old oaks had been planted the previous spring, gathered at dusk that day for the dedication ceremony.

Audubon Park Commission President Dr.

William Scheppegrell explained that, whereas buildings and monuments would within 50 to 100 years, deteriorate from age and weathering, the oak grove would become more imposing and beautiful as the long-lived trees matured. The park president also read for the occasion attorney Rixford Lincoln’s poem “The Audubon Park Memorial Live Oak Grove.”

Nearly a century later, the memory of the grove’s purpose has faded and the names and lives connected with each tree largely forgotten by posterity. Below is the list of those honored at the grove’s 1919 dedication: 1st Lieut. Charles deV. Allain (1886-1918), Pvt. Harold Joseph Alexander (1895-1918), Capt. George W. Anderson, Jr. (1886-1918), Sgt. Charles L. Baudry (1891-1918), Pvt. Maxwell Block (1889-1918), Pvt. Philip S. Bowling (1885-1918), Pvt. Donald Bradburn (18921918), Pvt. A. Oscar Browne (1898-1918),

Capt. A. C. Callender (18931918), Pvt. Leon Clausner (1894-1918), 1st Lieut. G. P. Cole (1890-1918), Pvt. A. L. Cronenburg (1897-1918), Pvt. Bernard J. Daly (18931918), Pvt. William C. Devitt (1891-1918), Capt. A. A. Diettel (1888-1918), Pvt. A. B. Doheny (1895-1918), Lieut.

David J. Ewing (1891-1918), Corp. John J. Farrelly (18961918), Pvt. George Gassenberger (1900-1918), Corp.

Thomas A. Gragard (18911918), J. Vernon Goldsberry (d. 1918), Pvt. R. L. Guilbeau (1888-1918), Pvt. John A. Hanmer (1889-1918), Pvt. E. J. Harrison (1892-1918), Pvt. Henry J. Haydel (18981918), Corp. S. Hellman (1896-1918), Pvt. Alexander Hoffman (1894-1918), Pvt. Prentiss M. Johnson (1891-1918), Pvt. Forest Johnson (1897-1918), Pvt. John J. Kelly (1888-1918), Pvt. Arthur Kennedy (18941918), Pvt. Joseph Robert Larm (1890-1918), Pvt. P. J. Manning (1888-1918), Pvt. G. C. Martin (1900-1918), Pvt. F. J. Miguez (1887-1918), Sgt. E. F. Miller (1888-1918), Sgt. E. D. Moore (1899-1918), Pvt. J. F. Newitt (1894-1918), Lieut.

Win a restaurant gift certificate

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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 a tour and Creole breakfast for two at Degas House or a Jazz Brunch for two at The Court of Two Sisters. 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: Steve Felix, Covington; and Andrew Jacoby, New Orleans.

MARCH 2016 / myneworleans.com

cheryl gerber photograph

Robert W. Nolte (1892-1918), Pvt. P. A. Oubre (1890-1918), Sgt. John A. Perelli (18951918), 1st Lieut. T. J. Powell (1883-1918), Pvt. James.

Price (1876-1918), Corp.

C. L. Putnam (1895-1918), Pvt. H. J. Remondet (18931918), Corp. L. R. Rollins (1897-1918), Pvt. S. E. Rollins (1892-1918), Pvt. William A. Roper (1897-1918), Pvt. J. Sanchez (1894-1918), Pvt. R. J. Schaefer (1897-1918), Pvt. W. J. Schutzmann (18971918), Pvt. J. A. Stanton (1897-1918), Sgt. Michael J. Stiller (1895-1918), Pvt. T. J. Sturges (1891-1918), Pvt. M. C. Suarez (1897-1918), Pvt. R. J. Titus (1895-1918), Pvt. A. B. Vautrain (1886-1918), Pvt. L. C. Watermeier (1897-1918), Sgt. D. W. Wiedman (18951918), Sgt. A. F. Williams (1891-1918), Pvt. Charles. F. Young (d. 1918), Sgt. J. C. Zittmann (1893-1918)

slowing down on the curved incline approaching the main span, causing significant delays. Bridge officials hoped to remedy the problem by encouraging people to drive at the posted speed limit.

Macaulay had lived in Occupied Japan after World War II and was familiar with Japanese and military slang.

The expression “Huba-Huba,” with one “b,” meant “hurry up.” Macaulay thought postwar Japanese slang sounded friendlier and more polite than ordinary signage admonishing drivers to observe, but not exceed, the posted speed limit.

Dear Julia, Back in the early days of the Greater New Orleans Mississippi River Bridge, there were small signs that said “Hubba Hubba!”

Those signs are now long-gone but do you remember them? Do you know if they were official signage or just something somebody put up there?

Cynthia Carol Houma

Relax. Grandma Powder was just a national brand of soap powder. The Globe Soap Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, produced Grandma’s Borax Powdered Soap, which was quite popular here between the 1900s and ’40s. It was used not only for laundry, but also for general scrubbing and cleaning.

Although no actual grandmas were harmed in the production of Grandma’s Borax Powdered Soap, customers were encouraged to engage in headhunting – cutting the grandma heads off the soap labels and turning them in for credit towards the purchase of items offered in the Globe Soap Company’s premium catalog. For instance, in 1909, the Globe Soap Company offered its customers a service of six Wild Rose pattern silverplated teaspoons in exchange for 120 grandma heads or 60 Pearl Soap wrappers. n

Yes, I remember them well, but the spelling was different than you recall. “Hubba-Hubba” meant something entirely different – a sort of linguistic wolf-whistle.

The signs actually read “Huba-Huba!” and they were enough of an oddity to attract the attention of newspapers throughout the country when the Mississippi River Bridge Authority’s executive director, Charles Macaulay, installed them as a traffic control aid in late 1965. Motorists had been

Dear Julia, Have you every heard of Grandma Powder? Was it a local product? What exactly was it? It sounds like something used in a voodoo ceremony.

Steve Felix Covington

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the beat MARQUEE / PERSONA / BIZ / EDUCATION / HEALTH / CRIME FIGHTING / CHRONICLES

persona pg. 26

“I like the idea of pushing the boundaries of, ‘it’s only theater’ or, ‘it’s only improv.’ New Orleans is such a place right now where you can make stuff like that.

That’s not really possible in every city.” – Cecile Monteyne, actress et al

greg miles PHOTOGRAPH

THE BEAT / MARQUEE

OUR TOP PICKS FOR MARCH EVENTS

BY LAUREN LABORDE

Paint the Town Green

Good Eggs

Stella!

St. Patrick’s Day means there’s a parade in almost every part of town. Downtown there’s Molly’s at the Market’s annual parade through the French Quarter, which has plenty of walking krewes and riders in carriages (March 11). The sizeable Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club hosts celebrations in that neighborhood with Mass at St. Mary’s Assumption Church followed by a parade (March 12). A big St. Patrick’s Day parade rolls down Metairie Road (March 13). The Downtown Irish Club parade proceeds through the Bywater to Bourbon Street (March 17).

Finishing the celebrations is the big Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade that takes over Metairie (March 20). Information, StPatricksDayNewOrleans.com

Celebrate Easter in the most New Orleans way possible with parades in the French Quarter.

For good Catholics, The Historic French Quarter Easter Parade starts at Antoine’s and heads to St. Louis Cathedral for Mass at 11 a.m. Later that day, Chris Owens hosts her annual Easter parade, followed by the Gay Easter Parade – be sure to wear your best bonnets. Information, FrenchQuarterEasterParade. com, GayEasterParade.com, NewOrleansOnline.com

The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival (March 30-April 3) is a feast for lovers of the playwright. This year’s fest, its 30th anniversary, features a production of The Glass Menagerie at Le Petit Théâtre (March 18-April 3. Information, LePetitTheatre.com) and of course, the famous Stella and Stanley shouting contest.

Information, TennesseeWilliams.net

CALENDAR March 4-20. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts. Information, RivertownTheaters.com March 4 and 6. New Orleans Opera Association presents Dead Man Walking, Mahalia Jackson Theater. Information, NewOrleansOpera.org March 5-6, 12-13. New Orleans Spring Fiesta and Historic Home Tours, French Quarter. Information, SpringFiesta.com March 8-13. The Book of Mormon, Saenger Theater. Information, SaengerNOLA.com 24

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March 8. Rihanna in concert, Smoothie King Center. Information, SmoothieKingCenter.com March 10-23. The NOLA Project presents Sive, Ashe Power House Theatre. Information, TheNOLAProject.com March 11. 311 Day concert, Smoothie King Center. Information, SmoothieKingCenter.com March 11-12. BUKU Music + Art Festival, Mardi Gras World.

Information, TheBukuProject.com

cheryl gerber PHOTOGRAPHs

Beautiful, author and blogger.

Mathilde Currence (left), Art in Bloom co-chair, and Dana Hansel (right), NOMA Volunteer Committee Chair, gave us some information on this year’s floral fête.

How do you solicit the exhibitors for floral displays; have they always been so elaborate? DH: We solicit the floral

ticipate in the Young Artists categories. Each committee chair solicits their own exhibitors, however we have found that lots will contact the museum because they enjoy participating in this event every year.

What is the theme of the event this year? What else can people expect at this year’s event? MC: The theme

very spring, the art at New Orleans Museum of Art isn’t just on the walls – it’s in the form of more than 100 elaborate floral displays, usually referencing art or local culture, exhibited for Art in Bloom. The annual week-long event (March 16-20) kicks off with a patron and preview party, featuring food, drinks and an art auction, and then continues with a week of lectures and a fashion show luncheon at Saks Fifth Avenue. Speakers include Princess Giorgiana Corsini of Florence, Italy, an expert in the design and history of Italian Renaissance gardens, and Frances Shultz, contributing editor to House

designers based on who the committee believes are the best in the area. Because of the great talent in our city, the designs are amazing and different every year, which personally, is the true beauty of this event. Imaginations and creativity are unleashed. The first year the event had eight tablescapes, floral designs and speakers, and the event has grown every year since.

MC: The community rallies around Art in Bloom. Most of the committee chairs this year have participated in past years, and we added some new members. The committees run with the theme, and lots of the exhibitors participate year after year. It is incredible what they continue to create.

The different exhibitors fall into Bonsai, Exterior Designs, Garden Clubs, Creative Designs, Ikebana, Movers and Shakers, Professional Florists or Tablescapes categories, and local schools even par-

March 11-13. NOBA Presents Malpaso Dance Company, Freda Lupin Memorial Hall, NOCCA. Information, NOBADance.com

March 19-20. Congo Square New Worlds Rhythm Festival, Lafayette Square. Information, JazzAndHeritage.org/congo-square

March 11-20. Marry Poppins, Jefferson Performing Arts Center.

Information, JPAS.org March 18-20. Marigny Opera Ballet presents “Emerging Choreographers,” Marigny Opera House. Information, MarignyOperaHouse.org

March 20. Mardi Gras Indians’ Super Sunday

March 19. New Orleans International Beer Festival, Champions Square. Information, Champions-Square.com

April 2. NOBA Presents Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Mahalia Jackson Theater. Information, NOBADance.com

SPOTLIGHT

Flower Power

Art in Bloom at NOMA grows bigger every year.

E

Craig Mulcahy PHOTOGRAPH

of the event this year is Artful Entertaining. We are celebrating how we entertain in New Orleans and how we incorporate flowers into our entertaining. We decided on the theme after my friends Benton Weinstock and Annie Behringer from Los Angeles agreed to be speakers for the event. They created an entertaining/decorating service called a2b Table. They talk about how a beautifully set table can change the entire mood and feel of an event.

I feel that we entertain like nowhere else in New Orleans!

Our hope was that we could share some ideas with Benton and Annie from Los Angeles, Frances Shultz who is also in California and Princess Corsini in Italy, and bring some of that knowledge into how we entertain at home, only adding to our local flair.

For more information on Art in Bloom, visit NOMA.org. n

March 26. Crescent City Classic. Information, CCC10K.com April 1-2. Hogs for the Cause, City Park Festival Grounds.

Information, HogsForTheCause.org

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THE BEAT / PERSONA

every show is pretty nerve-wracking for me. Because when people think Maggie the Cat, they think Liz Taylor. Then you find that’s really secondary to it; you find your own version of it. That was like a dream role come true, and to do it at Le Petit and during Tennessee Williams Fest.

We found some of the humor and fun in [the play]; it’s really funny and bawdy, but I think a lot of times people go for the “uhh, it’s so sad.” Williams wrote very complicated women. They want so much, but they’re so damaged.

Q: You also played historical figure

Cecile Monteyne Actress et al

BY LAUREN LABORDE

I

n life and on stage, Cecile Monteyne plays many roles. As an actor, she’s New Orleans’ chameleon-like leading lady, taking on several meaty and very distinct roles in the last few years: Marie Antoinette, a concierge of a haunted hotel and Maggie the Cat in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, to name a few. She also runs two popular theater/improvisational hybrid shows, By Any Scenes Necessary and You Don’t Know the Half of It. In addition, she recently co-wrote a film with

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her brother in which she stars. We talked to her ahead of the Tennessee Williams/ New Orleans Literary Festival, where Janet Daley Duval, longtime judge of the infamous Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest, will “pass the slip” onto Monteyne to take over the role.

Q: The last time I saw you in the Ten-

nessee Williams Fest you played Maggie the Cat. How was preparing for that role? Leading up to that show, actually,

Marie Antoinette. How do find something new to bring to recognizable roles? What I try to do is read a lot [about the character] before rehearsal ever starts. And then I always try and get off-book as soon as possible, because that way you can spend more time figuring out how the lines happen. When you’re doing something very recognizable or historical, I think you have to do your homework so you can make it yours, so you have answers to questions or you can find answers to questions. Ultimately it’s always going to be me, just me saying those words.

Q: What’s your goal in producing the

shows you produce? I like the idea of pushing the boundaries of, “it’s only theater” or, “it’s only improv.” New Orleans is such a place right now where you can make stuff like that. That’s not really possible in every city.

Q: When you were growing up, what

kind of performer did you imagine becoming? I actually didn’t think I was going to be an actor for a really long time. I was like, I’m gonna be an astronaut. Then I was like, I’m going to be a paleontologist. Then I was going to be an environmental lawyer for a long time. All of those things should have been like, “ding ding ding! You want to be all of those things in the imaginary world of theater.”

GREG MILES photograph

Age: 31 Profession: Actress, Producer, Managing Director of The NOLA Project Born/ raised: Lexington, Kentucky (born) New Orleans (raised) Resides: Mid-City Family: Husband: Eric Charleston, Parents: Karen and Peter Monteyne, Brother: Jules Monteyne Education: McGehee for middle school, Newman for high school, Tulane University (Newcomb College) for undergrad Favorite movie: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Favorite TV show: Tie between “Last Week Tonight” and “Law & Order” Favorite band: Bright Eyes Favorite food: All forms of pasta and noodles Favorite New Orleans restaurant: Mr. B’s, especially for lunch Favorite hobby: Baking Favorite vacation spot: Another tie between Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies and France – anywhere in France

Q: What’s your movie

about? It’s called One Night Stand-Off, and it’s about two people who go home together after a hurricane party, thinking the storm is going to miss. And during the course of the night it changes direction, and then they’re trapped together.

Q: Did that experience

make you want to do more film? A lot of the people in the [New Orleans] community are saying we want more native filmmakers – meaning locally generated content.

Now everyone’s learned skills on the big [movie productions that come to

New Orleans], and we’re all very thankful because there’s so much opportunity and money for the state.

Everyone has the knowledge, so let’s find ways to incentivize local filmmakers.

The most exciting thing to see is to see what happens in New Orleans next. There are a lot of people who want to be here. And now we need to find the spaces, and the funds, to keep those people here. We lost another space [the Old Marquer Theater recently closed]. How do we make that new space happen? It’s such a good time to be here because people want it to happen. Moving back here was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

What kinds of roles get you excited? If you look at someone like Marie Antoinette, you go into it thinking, “I don’t like this woman. I don’t have to have any remorse for her.” It’s accepting the challenge of making her a human – yes, that’s what you thought, but here’s the other side. I like the complicated characters.

That’s kind of new, playing characters that go to both sides of the spectrum. They can be really funny, or really terrifying, or really sad.

Because I think we’re all like that, probably more often than we’d like to admit. n

True confession For most of my childhood, I was convinced that dinosaurs from Jurassic Park could actually exist.

So, I would crawl to the edge of my bed to make sure there were no velociraptors hiding there, which, in retrospect, is both a terrible plan and proof of my over -active imagination. myneworleans.com / MARCH 2016

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THE BEAT / BIZ

Brew To Do Better beers on tap as laws begin to bend

By Kathy Finn

A

re you one of those people who loves good beer and has been feeling the pull of the craft beer industry? Perhaps this is the year to follow your taste.

Craft brewing has been on a sharp rise across the United States, driven in part by the rising popularity of specialty beers among younger drinkers.

Studies show that millennials find craft beer more appealing than major, mass-produced brews. In a national survey, young adults said they regularly order a craft beer in a restaurant.

Defining exactly what constitutes a craft beer is tricky, but generally it’s a brew that’s produced in small quantities (less than 6 million barrels a year) by an “independent” brewer not owned or controlled by a major alcoholic beverage company.

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A craft beer’s flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation, according to a craft brewer association.

Data from the Brewers Association show that the number of U.S. breweries jumped 40 percent in just the past three years, to nearly 3,500 operations.

The industry’s growth is in sharp contrast to action among big-label beers, whose sales have barely budged in recent years.

Given New Orleans’ long association with a robust level of alcoholic beverage consumption, it might seem surprising that the city is not, in comparison with other cities around the country, a big beer town.

In the late 19th century the Crescent City was considered the brewing capital of the South, with at least a dozen breweries operating in the city. But over time it became better known for hard spirits.

That history has contributed to the popularity of traditional and craft cocktails in the local area and helped give rise to such now-popular events as the annual Tales of the Cocktail.

Craft beer drinking, meanwhile, has taken a back seat, even as it gains an increasingly large following elsewhere.

Brewers Association figures show that just 15 craft breweries operate in the entire state of Louisiana. And

in terms of the number of breweries per 100,000 population, which is a commonly used benchmark for measuring growth, Louisiana ranks 49th among all states.

Still, having produced almost 200,000 barrels of craft beer in the past year, the industry is a $460 million business, which shows that the state’s small core of brewers has some staying power.

New Orleans sports two craft breweries at the moment. Seven-year-old NOLA Brewing operates on Tchoupitoulas Street, and Second Line Brewing opened last July on North Bernadotte Street.

The brand-new Urban South Brewery is slated to open shortly on Tchoupitoulas Street, serving up such signature brews Charming Wit and Holy Roller IPA. Meanwhile, newcomer 40 Arpent Brewing opened in Arabi last year after first trying a Mid-City location.

Other nearby breweries include the well-known and largest area craft brewer, Abita Brewing Co., in Covington, whose beers have become popular in restaurants and on grocery shelves throughout the region since its founding in 1986.

State and local laws governing breweries are among the factors that determine how easy or difficult it will be to open a brewery and make a profit. Until recently, Louisiana law tended to hamper

Thirst-quenchers Area craft breweries and drinking establishments that feature craft brews include: 40 Arpent Brewing Co. 6809 N. Peter St. Arabi Abita Brewing Co. 21084 Highway 36 Covington Chafunkta Brewing Co. 21449 Marion Lane Mandeville The Courtyard Brewery 1020 Erato St. New Orleans Covington Brewhouse 226 East Lockwood St. Covington Crescent City Brewhouse 527 Decatur St. New Orleans Gnarly Barley 1709 Corbin Road Hammond NOLA Brewing Co. 3001 Tchoupitoulas St. New Orleans Old Rail Brewing 639 Girod St. Mandeville Second Line Brewing 433 N. Bernadotte St. New Orleans

brewery development because it did not allow independent breweries to sell much of their product on-site.

Successful craft brewers in states that are more hospitable to the industry are allowed to sell their beers not only to distributors who put the brews in restaurants and on grocery

shelves, but also directly to consumers whom they serve in tap rooms at the breweries.

The ability to sell to customers on-site gives brewers a revenue stream that helps them cover the costs of their overhead, including expensive production equipment. The narrow limits that Louisiana law imposes on tap room operation at breweries has largely kept this revenue stream out of reach for the state’s craft brewers.

Under increasing pressure from those who would like to see the business expand, the Legislature last year modified the law slightly to allow breweries to sell up to 250 barrels of brew or 10 percent of their production a month, whichever is greater, in on-site tasting rooms.

But the law left intact a provision that says breweries can only operate tasting rooms for a total of 20 hours per week.

Craft brewers hope to see Louisiana loosen the law further, and the continuing interest in specialty brews seems to keep that hope alive.

Meanwhile, openings of new craft beer drinking establishments show that demand for the beverages continues to rise.

A World of Beer tavern opened on Julia Street in the Warehouse District late last summer, bringing a selection of nearly 50 tap brews.

Tchoupitoulas Beer, also in the Warehouse District, served its first customers in the fall, offering German, American and local craft beers on tap.

Some increasingly popular annual food-and-beverage events also are helping to boost demand for craft beers.

The Boudin, Bourbon & Beer fundraiser, developed by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation and held each fall in New Orleans, offers an array of craft brews along with, of course, an extraordinary lineup of food. n

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THE BEAT / EDUCATION

College is Not Just for Knowledge It is for relationships, too

by Dawn Wilson

L

isten up millennials and the lovelorn, if you desire the good life, the straightest path leads through the college door.

Money, marriage and a serene mental outlook are all linked to a college degree, recent research shows.

Sure, everyone knows that obtaining a college degree, or at least some kind of specialized training, is a must for earning a decent wage these days. But recent research shows that having a college degree is also a strong predictor of getting married, staying married and feeling all around good cheer later in life.

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Money may not buy you love, as the saying goes, but it goes a long way in attracting a suitable mate. Face it, who lists “jobless” on a list of must haves in a desirable relationship?

Pew Research Center reports have documented the relationship between education attainment and income. A report entitled “The Rising Cost of Not Going to College,” says that only 3.8 percent of adults between 25 and 32 with a bachelor’s degree were jobless in 2012 compared to 12.2 percent of adults with a high school degree or less.

College graduates also earn $18,000 more

annually on average than their peers who didn’t get the higher degree, the report says. Bachelor degree holders currently earn $45,500 on average, the report says, while people with only a high school degree earn about $28,000.

Other studies have shown that over a lifetime, the person with a two-year associate’s degree will earn about $500,000 more than a high school graduate and a person with a bachelor’s degree will earn about $1 million more.

Considering the income gap, it isn’t surprising that Pew surveys show that college graduates are more satisfied with their employment than high school graduates are.

Getting married and sticking to it are the most recently discovered perks of extending the learning years. The number of people choosing to marry continues to slide, but a December 2015 Pew report says that adults over 25 who hold a bachelor degree or higher are “more likely to be married.” In ’14, 65 percent of degree holders were married compared to 53 percent of adults with a high school degree or less.

The marriage link is especially rosy for college-educated women.

The report says that the National Center for Health Statistics estimates that “78 percent of collegeeducated women who married for the first time between 2006

brian hubble illustration

and ’10 could expect their marriages to last at least 20 years.” Only 40 percent of women with only a high school degree or less are likely to stay married at least 20 years.

Men also benefit from the education-marriage pattern.

The report says that about 65 percent of men with at least a bachelor’s degree could expect their first marriage to last 20 years or longer. Only 50 percent of men with a high school degree or less could expect such marriage longevity.

The link between a college education and marriage has been developing for the past 20 years, Pew research shows. In a 2010 report, the research center says that two decades ago adults without college degrees were more likely to be married than the college educated. In 1990, 75 percent of non-degree holders were married by age 30, compared to 69 percent of college educated adults.

By 2008, the pattern had started to flip-flop. In that year, 62 percent of the college educated had married by age 30, compared to 60 percent of less educated adults of the same age.

“Among the possible explanations for this shift,” the report says, “are the declining economic fortunes of young men without a college degree and their increasing tendency to cohabit with a partner rather than marry.”

In the years between 1990 and 2008, the report says, inflation adjusted statistics show that college educated men between 25 and 34 earned a median increase of five percent in annual earnings, increasing from $52,330 to $55,000. The earnings of men of the same age group without a college education slipped 12 percent in that period, decreasing from $36,300

to $32,000.

In that same 18-year period, the report says census figures show a doubling of the number of unmarried, opposite sex partners living together. “About half of all cohabiters are under age 35, and more than 80 percent don’t have a college degree,” the report says.

Andrew Cherlin, a Johns Hopkins University sociologist, also discovered a link between cohabitation, marriage rates and college education while researching his book Labor’s Love Lost. He told the Huffington Post in 2014 that a steady decline in the inflation adjusted earnings of “working class” families in the past 50 years has been a factor in the decreasing number of married adults.

Young adults without the necessary education to obtain well-paid employment don’t feel financially stable enough to marry, Cherlin says in the article. The present-day societal acceptance of living together before marriage allows young people to cohabit instead of marrying. He says they often have children outside of marriage, later move on to other partners and develop weakened family structures. College educated cohabiting couples tend to marry before having children, he says.

Good mental health in midlife is also linked to a college education, researchers have found. A study conducted at the University of South Carolina and published in the American Journal of Mental Health in 2012 concluded that people who had obtained at least a bachelor’s degree by midlife experienced less depression and were more likely to report good health.

A college degree may not guarantee a long, happy and healthy life, but the odds are clearly balanced in its favor. n

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THE BEAT / HEALTH

Medications That Travel Local health professions share their lists Tylenol, Advil, Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, Zithromax, Cipro and Tamiflu.

Najy Masri M.D., Director of LSU Medicine Residents and Education, Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner

Rush to Flush When docile bacteria go bad

by Brobson Lutz M.D.

M

edical maladies are the bane of travel. Gastroenteritis, respiratory tract infections and cuts and scrapes are bad enough on home turf, but even self-limited illnesses while traveling ruin the trip for the afflicted as well as all traveling companions.

The most common medical problem when visiting developing countries is traveler’s diarrhea.

Bacteria, viruses and parasites are the usual culprits. For years, cruise ships passed off nausea and vomiting caused by the Norovirus as seasickness, when in reality a single infected passenger who vomits in a well-traveled corridor can spew enough virus to infect everyone on the ship.

Noroviruses also infect land-based travelers, but bacteria outnumber all viruses and parasites by far as the cause of traveler’s diarrhea in adults.

The most common culprit is E. coli, usually friendly bacteria that make up a substantial amount of our normal colonic flora. In countries with less than pristine water and food supplies from Mexico to China, local strains of toxin producing E. coli are common.

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The ability to produce various toxins turns these usually docile bacteria into intestinal terrors.

For a recent winter interlude in Cuba, I flew from Miami to Havana with a merry band of Wisconsin natives and their dear ones, including two preschool children. An American tour leader with InsightCuba met us at the airport along with an official Cuban guide and a multitalented bus driver. A brand new appearing Chinese minibus conveyed us from nearly one end of the island to the other over our almost two-week trip.

Prevention is always preferable to treatment. The old adage “boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it” is still officially in force. Government websites warn against eating food served at room temperature, food from street vendors and raw fruits or vegetables that you yourself didn’t peel or wash in clean water. You are advised to drink water only from sealed bottles and avoid iced drinks, as ice is often not made from bottled or disinfected water.

Personally, I’ll take my chances.

Who wants to go to Cuba and drink a

My DOPP kit always contains Pepto-Bismol tablets, Benadryl, Motrin, a tube of hydrocortisone cream and Visine eye drops.

When traveling abroad, I always add water purification tablets, an epinephrine pen and an antibiotic.

Arthur M. Mora Ph.D., Department of Global Health Management and Policy, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine I take whatever allergy/cold/sinus medication containing phenylephrine or ephedrine that’s working for me at the time.

Generally, I like to avoid combinations with aspirin or Tylenol, as I like to control the amount in the medication. When I have a sinus headache, I want treatment immediately and not to have to worry about when a pharmacy is open and explain my needs to a pharmacist, even if they speak French or English well. I also take a tube of triple antibiotic ointment as little scratches and insect bites can become infected. Quick treatment is a swipe of the ointment and a Band-Aid. Ann Byerly RN, MPH, Emeritus Alumni Board, Tulane School of Public Health I always have Zofran, as nausea will ruin any day. Over the counter pain meds are an obvious, with Aleve being my personal preference. Topical steroids and a triple antibiotic cream just in case. And some allergy med. I use Zyrtec with or without Astelin, but everyone responses differently to different ones. That’s my medicine cabinet here and abroad.

Aimee Aysenne M.D., Director of Neurocritical Care, Tulane Neurosurgery Clinic

mojito without ice? Who can pass up juicy hunks of steaming and not overly cooked pork from a Santiago street vendor on New Year’s Eve? And no way am I going to skip the ubiquitous salad of thinly sliced tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers served with each main meal in Cuba. And pass on the peeled mango presented on the breakfast platter? No way, señor.

And indeed, gastroenteritis reared its ugly end a couple of days after our bus pulled out of Havana. It began with what epidemiologists called an index case. “I see it all the time,” said Hilary Duffy, our tour leader and cheerleader par excellence for the trip.

“One person gets sick and it spreads through the group one by one.”

Traveler’s diarrhea is an easy self-diagnosis for persons on vacation in resource poor countries. Having some effective medication on hand can erase the symptoms in hours, compared to spending a percentage of some poor country’s gross national product on toilet paper and feeling miserable for up to a week untreated.

The best insurance against full-blown traveler’s diarrhea is to travel with a supply of effective medications. A single dose of the right quinolone antibacterial agent along with Lomotil or Imodium AD will usually abort traveler’s diarrhea, if both are taken together at the first symptom of gastrointestinal distress.

Ciprofloxacin is the most commonly used quinolone.

Ofloxacin has slightly broader antibacterial coverage but is less common than plain old generic Cipro. For garden variety uncomplicated traveler’s diarrhea, a cocktail of 500 milligram Cipro and two Lomotils will restore peace to your intestines and reduce

your visits to toilets you wish you had only seen in a horror movie.

Pregnant women and children should not take quinolones. In addition, intense antimicrobial pressure has bred quinoloneresistant E. coli in some areas of the world. A single dose of azithromycin, the same antimicrobial in the popular and way over-used Z-Pack is an alternative for children, pregnant women and travelers to areas with established quinolone resistance. And obviously if symptoms persist or if high fevers or bloody stools complicate the picture, it’s time to report to a local clinic or hospital.

A fast resolution of the “Hershey Squirts” helps avoid extended tours of public restrooms. “I found one with four stars,” announced Nola Hitchcock Cross, the organizer and den mother of my trip to Cuba. A few five-star toilets surfaced, but most were three stars or less. The Hitchcock Cross rating system for public and private restrooms: “One star for a structural toilet, another if it had an actual toilet seat, another for toilet paper, another for running water and a final star if the toilet actually flushed on its own.”

“When Cuba opens up, I want the franchise for toilet seats,” said Dr. Rene Loupare, a New Orleans internist who also recently visited Cuba.

While porcelain toilets are more common than wooden outhouses over a hole, Cuba does indeed have a major toilet seat shortage. Maybe Castro got tired of hearing he always left the seat up. For whatever reason, you can practice for Cuban toilet usage by doing your business before you go by sitting on the edge of the bowl. Toilet seats in Cuba are as rare as Americanbottled Coca-Cola. n

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THE BEAT / HEALTHBEAT

cherly gerber photo

A Patient Named “Praise” According to a statement released by the HeartGift Louisiana organization, one in every 100 children is born with some form of congenital heart disease. Luckily, children in the United States have the opportunity to be treated and go on to live normal lives no matter their financial standing. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for 93 percent of the world’s youth. HeartGift’s main goal is to provide access to this care and treatment to children in other countries that don’t have these medical advances. On Jan. 12, HeartGift Louisiana flew in their 31st sponsored child to receive lifesaving surgery to correct his congenital heart defect. “Praise” is a 2-year-old boy from Nigeria who was born with a large atrial septal defect – essentially a hole in his heart – that could only be closed surgically. Praise and his mother Philomena stayed in Louisiana for 20 days so he could undergo surgery and recuperate before returning home. HeartGift Louisiana provides airfare and housing for all of their sponsored patients, as well as working with physicians and surgeons at Children’s Hospital who donate their time and talent for free. HeartGift Louisiana was established in early 2010. Nationally, HeartGift has served 270 patients.

To learn more and to donate, visit HeartGift.org/chapters/louisiana.

Helping Players Tulane University School of Medicine was named the official screening partner for the NFL Player Care Foundation’s Healthy Body and Mind Screening Program, which took place prior to Super Bowl 50.

The Healthy Body and Mind Screening Program, along with the NFL Alumni Association and Tulane School of Medicine, provided former NFL players with opportunity to receive free medical evaluations and mental health resources. “This is a very important program for these guys,” says Dr. Gregory Steward, medical director of the NFL Player Care Foundations screenings program at Tulane. “We have found former players with significant heart disease and some with prostate cancer,” he continues. “This program saves lives.”

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THE BEAT / CRIME FIGHTING

“Six-Packs” and Suspects Probing NOPD reforms

By Allen Johnson Jr.

U

.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, who oversees an epic plan to reform the New Orleans Police Department, marks her fourth year on the bench March 28. Three of those years include managing the NOPD Consent Decree (Case No. 2:12-cv-1924) and honoring a promise she made to the United States Senate.

In the fall of 2011, skeptics on a Senate panel to confirm her judicial nomination by President Obama eyed Morgan’s history of campaigning for Senator Mary Landrieu.

As judge, Morgan promised senators, “I will base my decisions only on the facts and the law without regard to personal opinion.”

On March 28, 2012, the Senate confirmed her nomination as judge for the 13-parish Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans).

A major test of Morgan’s promise to the Senate came in January 2013, from Mary Landrieu’s brother, Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

The mayor announced the city wanted to withdraw from the New Orleans Police Depart-

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ment Consent Decree, which the city and the U.S. Department of Justice filed jointly six months earlier to avoid a DOJ lawsuit alleging civil rights violations by the NOPD. Landrieu alleged the DOJ waited until he signed the NOPD Consent Decree in July 2012 – then stuck the city with additional costs of a separate federal Consent Decree to reform Orleans Parish Prison.

A judge for less than a year, Morgan rejected the mayor’s motion to withdraw from the NOPD reform plan, calling the city’s allegation of a DOJ double-cross “patently false.”

The city appealed.

The Fifth Circuit upheld Morgan’s ruling (Case No. 13-30161).

For months, Landrieu rarely spoke of the Consent Decree publicly, until a scandal rocked the NOPD sex crimes unit in May 2014, hastening the exit of his hand-picked chief, Ronal Serpas Ph.D. Today, the Landrieu administration cites a record of effort to comply with the NOPD Consent

Decree, as the administration campaigns for voter approval of a public safety tax on the ballot April 9.

In a campaign statement earlier this year, the administration said, “The city has fully funded the five-year, $55 million Consent Decree for better training, equipment and police.” The city also purchased 628 body worn cameras (BWCs), the most auspicious legacy of the Serpas era and an accountability tool championed by Judge Morgan.

Voters anxious to make more informed decisions April 9 about funding NOPD’s progress should consult the detailed and fairly impartial reports of Judge Morgan’s Consent Decree Monitoring Team.

“Patience” and Police

In 2011, Donna Sue “Susie” Morgan, a native of Winnsboro, Louisiana, told the Senate confirmation hearing she would demonstrate “patience and respect for others,” indicating patience is also a virtue found in judicial temperament.

To no one’s surprise, the judge’s patience has been tested by NOPD’s uneven record of compliance with the 492 reforms of the Consent Decree.

“The pace of progress in implementing the Consent Decree has not been fast enough for my liking … especially on things that should have been easy,” Morgan said at a public hearing May 21.

“They have to make progress especially in the areas of custodial interrogations and photo lineups.”

In July, Morgan appeared in person at NOPD stations – joining her courtJoseph Daniel Fiedler Illustration

appointed Monitoring Team on their monthly audits of Consent Decree compliance with photographic lineups, interrogations of suspects, police supervision and camera use.

After her tour, reform picked up in one problem area: “sixpacks,” the police practice of showing six photographs to victims and witnesses.

The Consent Decree requires meticulous recordation of “six-packs” used as evidence as well as constitutional protections for both the suspect and the integrity of the criminal investigation.

Should you ever witness a crime serious enough to merit viewing a police “six-pack,” remember these Consent Decree requirements: • “No officer who is involved in the investigation shall participate in administering the photographic lineup;” • Whoever administers the photo lineup “shall not have any knowledge” of which photograph depicts a suspect in the investigation; • “Eyewitnesses shall be admonished that the suspect might or might not be present in the lineup;” • The NOPD is required to “document any statements made” by witnesses and the identities of other people present for line-ups.

In early 2015, all eight districts failed to implement an “effective form” the NOPD Homicide Division developed for meeting Consent Decree requirements on cataloging line-up information.

Judge Morgan’s July tour and her remarks in open court last May provided an “impetus” at NOPD for “substantial compliance” with Consent Decree requirements for witness identification, the monitors said in an October 2 report covering the first half of 2015.

“Since May 2015, nearly every police district has made signifi-

cant progress in this area,” the report states. “Indeed, as of July 2015 - three years after the City and the DOJ signed the Consent Decree, nearly every district and unit had reached substantial compliance. And some units are at 100 percent compliance.”

NOPD’s “Model”

The NOPD continues to struggle with in-custody interrogations, largely due to the absence of a quality interrogation room camera system, monitors say.

Alerted to multiple camera problems, officers began using their body-worn cameras (BWCs) to record interrogations, a creative short-term solution. Most districts continued making multiple errors even with BWCs, including not properly logging BWC recordings; “not being able to retrieve recordings when asked,” and “placing items in front of the camera that affect the video and audio.”

Monitors say the tough Sixth District showed the NOPD can achieve camera compliance “simply by paying attention to the details.”

“The Sixth” also made “considerable progress” on another critical reform, supervision, and should be considered a “model” to help other NOPD districts improve compliance.

The Consent Decree is not about “checking off boxes” but “constitutional policing.”

Consider the caught on-tape shooting and attempted murder of Tulane University medical student Peter Gold, who stopped the gunman from kidnapping a woman in the Irish Channel November 20.

A suspect allegedly confessed.

The crimes occurred in the Sixth District, where officers led by Captain Ronnie Stevens are earning a “model” reputation at federal court for their constitutional handling of “six packs” and suspects. n

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THE BEAT / Chronicles

Architect Daisy Dodge

Tulane Architecture A Legacy of Building Dreams

BY CAROLYN KOLB

“T

hat’s how we knew they built it: We saw it on Google Earth,” explains Grover Mouton, Adjunct Associate Professor of Architecture at Tulane University and director of the Tulane Regional Urban Design Center. He and his students have done massive design work for projects half a world away in China. “After we make our presentation, they hire engineers and architects to execute it. That scenic highway near Changxing is totally our design. Pretty amazing!”

Besides those projects in Asia (including whole new towns), he and his students focus on urban design work for nearby communities. “It can give a smaller city a whole new perspective; we do plans and help them make decisions on what to do and how to finance it.” Mandeville now has a children’s park on Lake Pontchartrain, and Gretna will get a newly redesigned area near City Hall and downtown. “We can help write design guidelines for all new projects,

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and we work with community and citizens’ groups.”

Tulane’s involvement with the community has evolved. Carol Reese, Favrot Professor of Architecture, teaches architectural history, a field in which students are required to take two courses. When she first arrived 17 years ago, Grover Mouton and faculty member Gene Cizek, known for a strong interest in historic architecture, provided a local focus for the school.

“After Katrina, Tulane moved more clearly into the community. That has been the exciting change,” she says, giving credit to former Dean Reed Kroloff and current Dean Kenneth Schwartz for sustaining the effort.

Two programs, URBANbuild and Tulane City Center, are the ones that give students a chance to make things happen in their school’s home city.

“My biggest opportunity to contribute to the city was a yearlong experience as a student of the URBANbuild studio,” says Daisy Dodge, a

2015 graduate. URBANbuild started in the summer of 2005, with the aim of having students design and build affordable housing in struggling New Orleans neighborhoods. After Hurricane Katrina, the program assumed new importance as the city and its citizens painfully recovered.

“In the fall semester we designed a house in the studio that would actually be built.” Dodge says.

“They told us there was a lot waiting for us in Central City and we had to design a three bedroom, two bath house with 1,200 square feet of space.”

“Then, in the spring semester, we built the house!

We dug the trenches and built it from the foundation up,” she says proudly. (You can see the house, URBANbuild 10, at TulaneUrbanBuild.com/index2. php#/gallery_sec/1/) Dodge also was a student intern at the school’s Tulane City Center studio course, which partners with nonprofits and local communities so the students help design and build smaller scale projects.

“Tulane’s community engagement work is one of its selling points – there is so much work to be done here, and it’s an opportunity you don’t get at other schools,” Dodge says.

City Center’s work includes the Grow Dat Youth Farm at City Park, which provides work for local teens in a design award-winning structure. Recently, City Center partnered with the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Research and Development (CSED) on Florida Avenue near Caffin Avenue to create a learning center, where a pavilion with a landscaped space will host educational programming.

Dodge, as an architect beginning her career (in New Orleans at the firm of Chase Marshall), is ready to put her professional training to work. Tulane’s School of Architecture started out in 1907 as part of the College of Technology, with the Engineering Schools. In a 2006 interview, architect Albert Ledner recalled that when he enrolled in the early 1940s, “We got a good dose of engineering.”

Today, Dodge spends a lot of time at the computer. “There’s a lot of REVIT and CAD,” she says, citing two popular program groups.

Coupled with technical skills, architecture schools traditionally require a talent for drawing. Current students work with computer design programs, but, as Reese notes, faculty members like Errol Barron.

Professor of Architecture, “insist that our students do learn how to draw. I think no really successful architect would imagine that she doesn’t need to know how to draw.”

“You’re still drawing, you’re just using different tools,” Dodge says.

And, those are the tools that will keep building and re-building New Orleans. n cheryl gerber photograph

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

in tune pg. 48

“A further example (of BUKU Music + Art Project becoming a premier showcase of contemporary talent) is the addition of Purity Ring (one of my favorite bands on the scene). BUKU will be the perfect platform for their overwhelming visuals.”

mike griffith photograph

LOCAL COLOR / ME AGAIN

Jimmy Glickman’s Beat Making the Music happen

BY CHRIS ROSE

T

wenty-five years ago, Jimmy Glickman was toiling as a sales rep for an eyeglass company, covering the states of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. To say he wasn’t feeling the dream would be an understatement. A former bass player in a high school band back in his native Chicago, he decided to follow his muse.

“When I came to New Orleans I saw something eyeglasses couldn’t capture,” he told BreakThru Media Magazine in 2010.

“It had an attitude that caught my attention first. Then without realizing it the rest of me just fell in sync.”

Glickman opened the New Orleans Music Exchange at the corner of Magazine Street and Louisiana Avenue in 1993, when he was 29 years old. To call it Old School doesn’t come close to capturing the ambiance and attitude of the shop.

It is small, cramped, crowded, busy, disorganized, active and loud. A steady stream of delivery men pile boxes on whatever open floor space they can find. Music gear is stacked from the

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floor to the ceiling in every direction.

Even before you open the door, you know you’re leaving the madcap rush of contemporary America: The store hours are written in magic marker on a piece of cardboard. There is no computerized inventory list; they just know what they have and what they don’t – and if they don’t, they’ll find it for you.

Hell, there’s not even a cash register here, just a metal lock box. They process credit cards by hand. And if you need a receipt, they write one on a piece of paper.

“My idea was a New York/ Chicago-style music store with a New Orleans attitude,” Glickman told BreakThru. In doing so, he became the very backbone of the New Orleans music business.

Glickman’s shiny bald head, Chicago accent and permanent Cheshire grin made him stand out in a crowd. But everything else about Glickman was behind the scenes. And his generosity was legend.

“Pay me when you can,” he would tell a musician down on his luck or who just had his gear stolen. And he would never ask about it later. He trusted you. Not only that, but he frequently hired musicians or sound guys who needed a quick break to make rent.

Glickman propped up the New Orleans music scene as much as any famous producer, promoter or performer ever did.

More than anything else, he was as kind and decent a man as you could ever meet.

Glickman’s kids go to Lusher, like mine. And for the past decade or more he stepped up with equipment, sound, lights and instruments, to power up the school’s fundraising concerts, crawfish boils and in-house musical performanc-

es, particularly in the rough years –you know what years I’m talking about.

But it wasn’t just Lusher. The Tipitina’s Foundation, the New Orleans Musicians Clinic, the list goes on and on. Glickman was there, always there, with a smile on his face and a van full of instruments and equipment and a crew full of guys to unload it, unpack it and set it up. And when he reached out his hand, it wasn’t for money. It was to wish you good luck.

But here’s the thing about the New Orleans Music Exchange that truly sets it apart from any other music store I have ever walked into: It’s OK to suck here.

Glickman treated all of his customers with equal graciousness and gratitude. He didn’t care if you had no idea what you were talking about when you went in looking for, well … what’s that thing called, again?

A capo, he would tell you. And then he would fish around in a box and pick the one he thought would be best for you.

It didn’t matter if you were buying $2,000 worth of Marshall amps or a handful of plastic guitar picks, Glickman made you feel welcome. He gave you respect.

And as I write this, I’m torn for the great loss to our city, our music community. Jimmy Glickman died suddenly last month, leaving behind a family, a legion of good works and the coolest little music shop in the world. He was just 53 years old.

As the writer Michael Tisserand tweeted upon the news: “New Orleans is where a guy who runs a corner music store is recognized as a cultural hero.”

Indeed. It felt like the day the music died. But this is New Orleans. And the bands play on. n jason raish illustration

myneworleans.com / MARCH 2016

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LOCAL COLOR / MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS

How to Fry A Pine cone And why you shouldn’t

BY MODINE GUNCH

O

prah or St. Joseph? Ms. Larda has a choice.

I got to explain. Every March 19, as long as anybody can remember, my mother-in-law has created a St. Joseph altar.

Now, if you got family which originally come from Sicily, like she does, that’s what you do for St. Joseph’s Day around here.

You don’t actually get out a hammer and nails and build this altar. You set a statue of St. Joseph on a big, huge table and cover the rest of the table with the kinds of food St. Joseph liked.

Evidently he liked pasta a lot. Anything with figs. Biscotti cookies. Baked fish. Bread loaves shaped like crosses and shoes and chalices. Pasta with sardines (don’t ask). Stuffed artichokes.

I think St. Joseph was a lot heftier than the statues of him would lead you to believe. Probably he looked more like the fat Buddha.

But I ain’t going to say that out loud.

Every year, Ms. Larda cooks for weeks. On St. Joseph’s Day Father Camillo blesses the altar; there’s a little ceremony, everybody eats and what’s left over goes to the poor.

Then she joined Weight Watchers. Because of Oprah.

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Ms. Larda loves Oprah.

She was very upset when the show ended. So when she sees Oprah on a commercial saying it’s time to join Weight Watchers, Ms. Larda signs right up.

Now, Ms. Larda has never been exactly svelte, but that never bothered her much. But she’s getting older and her knees hurt, and maybe that’s why she took Oprah’s advice.

The thing is, the rest of us Gunches never had to cook for holidays or birthdays or Saints games or anything. We could count on her. But in Weight Watchers, every food has a point value and you’re only allowed so many points. Ms. Larda is the kind of cook who tastes as she goes along. She would blast through a week’s worth of points whipping up one meal for our family.

So she stops cooking for us.

At Mardi Gras we had to get Popeyes fried chicken and for my grandkids’ birthday, we bought a Rouses cake. It ain’t the same.

We tell each other, no way will she say no to St. Joseph. We can put on the feed bags then.

Wrong. “St. Joseph wants me to die with my own knees,” she says.

My sister-in-law Larva calls me. “The family has to step up this year,” she says. “By next year, God willing, she’ll be back to normal. We’ll do as much as we can ahead of time and freeze it.”

Turns out, under pressure, they can all cook. They are Italian; they was born that way. Larva makes biscotti; Cousin Luna does the fish; even my brothers-in-law Leech and Lurch manage

three kinds of pasta sauce.

Ms. Larda herself will bring the fresh fruit (zero Weight Watchers points).

Then there’s me. I ain’t Italian. My great-grandma came from Ireland with one cookbook, 101 Ways to Boil a Potato.

Me, I specialize in Blue Runner red beans out the can and Keebler cookies heated in the microwave until the chocolate chips are soft.

“You can do the pignolata,” Larva tells me. When I ask what’s that, she heaves a big sigh. “Pine cone,” she says, “to symbolize the pine cones Baby Jesus played with because he was too poor to have real toys. It’s fried.” I guess I can do that. I live over the Sloth Lounge and there’s a deep fryer down in the kitchen. And I can get a pine cone over in the park.

Larva could have explained that it ain’t supposed to be a actual pine cone. It is supposed to be fried pastry balls stacked to look like a pine cone. But she didn’t.

I find a nice big pine cone and wash and dry it and drop it in the fryer. Then I drain it on paper towels, put it in a covered bowl and bring it over. It don’t look too appetizing, but St. Joseph Altar food always looks weird to me.

Ms. Larda opens the bowl.

“A pine cone?” she says. “All fried up,” I say, real proud.

After she screeches and cackles and pats her chest a while, she says “Well, it’s zero Weight Watchers points. I can eat all I want.” But she don’t.

Oprah probably wouldn’t either. I don’t know about St. Joseph. n

LORI OSIECKI ILLUSTRATION

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LOCAL COLOR / JOIE D’EVE

this year, I decided to sit down with my favorite 9-year-old to get her thoughts on the whole deal.

Me: What’s your favorite parade?

Ruby: Bacchus because there are lots of cups and umbrellas and other cool throws. And Zulu because my friend’s mom rides in it and always makes me a coconut with my name on it.

Mardi Gras Your Whole Life Carnival Through the Eyes of a Child

BY EVE CRAWFORD PEYTON

I

am not the kind of person who likes to argue with strangers. I am nonconfrontational to a fault and will go along to get along with just about anything. So when I say I got into a shouting match at a college party with one of my fellow students circa 2001, you have to understand that it was because every so often, even for me, there’s something worth fighting for.

In this case, it started innocently enough: an icebreaker question while waiting in line at the keg.

“So … what are you studying? Oh, journalism? You from out-of-state?

New Orleans? Oh, man, that’s awesome. You go to Mardi Gras a lot?”

When I said that I’d made it back once for Mardi Gras but typically preferred Jazz Fest, just because I was sort of bored with Mardi Gras after having done it my whole life, things took a dark turn.

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“What do you mean, ‘your whole life’? You went even as a little kid? To Mardi Gras? You must have had really shitty parents if they let you go to Mardi Gras as a little kid.”

I guess it was the one-two punch of insulting my parents while completely misunderstanding and misrepresenting one of the signature cultural events of my beloved hometown that got me, but I definitely lost it. The sanitized version of what I said was: “It’s only dumb tourists who don’t really get Mardi Gras who do the crazy stuff you think is synonymous with Mardi Gras. It’s actually a very family-friendly event along most of the parade routes, and it’s a ton of fun for little kids.”

Fifteen years later, I’m still sort of bored with Mardi Gras, to be honest, but because my kids love it so much, I keep doing the parades. Post-Carnival

Me: What’s your favorite throw?

Ruby: Shoes from Muses. Last year, I caught two shoes in one night. This year, I caught one with my face – from the last rider on the last float – and it was worth it even though it really hurt.

Me: What’s your favorite King Cake?

Ruby: Just normal cinnamon King Cake from Rouses. I don’t like the filled kinds. And I think it’s dumb that you have to put the baby in yourself now because then you know where it is.

Me: What’s your favorite Mardi Gras food?

Ruby: Crawfish if it’s in season yet. If not, Popeyes: chicken tenders, mild, with mashed potatoes, a biscuit and an extra side of red beans. The red beans are the best!

Me: What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen on Mardi Gras?

Ruby: A man in nothing but his underwear. It was gross.

Me: What do you think Mardi Gras will be like when you grow up?

Ruby: I can’t predict the future. But I know I’ll take my kids.

Me: What are you looking forward to now that Mardi Gras is over?

Ruby: Crawfish season. It’s my favorite time of year – even more than Christmas. n

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

jane sanders ILLUSTRATION

myneworleans.com / MARCH 2016

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LOCAL COLOR / IN TUNE BUKU

Indie Artists Between Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest BY mike griffith

W

ell, Mardi Gras has come and gone, and believe it or not festival season is upon us already. We kick things off in style with the BUKU Music + Art Project on March 11-12 at Mardi Gras World. This festival has matured from its rather humble origins into a premier showcase of contemporary talent. Perhaps the best feature of this event is the curatorial care with which the organizers select performers and coax interesting showcases and match ups. For instance, this year Pretty Lights (Derek Smith) will be doing a live band performance in lieu of a DJ set. Or if you’re interested in something a bit more local, Mystikal, Juvenile and Fly Boi Keno will be doing a joint B2B (back to back) set. These acts join sensations such as CHVRCHES, Fetty Wap and Tokimonsta for two solid days of excellent music. A further example is the addition of Purity Ring (one of my favorite bands on the scene) in the final lineup announcement. BUKU will be the perfect platform for their overwhelming visuals. There are also some VIP surprises in store for this year; see the sidebar for more details.

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As if BUKU were not enough, there are a number of excellent indie shows coming through town this month.

On March 2, Juan Wauters will be at Siberia. Wauters has a simple elegance to his music that’s reminiscent of late 1950s folk. One can hear the heavy influence of acts like Simon and Garfunkel throughout his most recent release Why Me? These short, punchy songs almost demand audience participation.

They are a perfect fit for Siberia.

If you fancy something a bit punkier, New Jersey-based indie punks Titus Andronicus will be at Gasa Gasa on March 6. Titus’s 2015 release The Most Lamentable Tragedy was one of the top records of last year. They are currently touring with Craig Finn from The Hold Steady. Finn released his second solo record Faith in the Future last year.

These excellent story songs and the energy of Titus will fit perfectly together for a complete evening.

Gasa Gasa really goes on a tear toward the end of the month. The music begins on March 13, with local experimental rockers Woozy and the visiting Two Inch Astronaut. On the 14th, Luke

BUKU’s VIP Experience One of the things that sets BUKU apart is the playfulness with which they approach the VIP experience. I was able to catch up with co-founder Dante Dipasquale for his thoughts on the space. “You can watch the main stage from the top deck of the boat, which is the coolest view of the festival for sure,” he says. “These performances are truly unique to the VIP patrons.

Not only is this the only place to see the artists, but you’re right there with a couple of hundred other people watching the show.” He is most excited about being able to get Chicago-based future art ensemble Autograf to play in this unique space. This promises to be one of the festival’s best performances and a great year to upgrade the BUKU experience. Keep an eye on the web for interviews with performers and more of my interview with Dipasquale in coming weeks.

Rathborne will be there with Twin Limb.

Rathborne has a strong garage rock vibe combined with an excellent vocal timbre.

His sophomore record Soft was released last year to critical acclaim. The streak continues on the 26th with Australiabased Smith Street Band accompanied

by Hard Girls and the Worriers. All three of these young bands are producing outstanding music and touring hard. The Worriers released an especially catchy record last year with Imaginary Life.

With BUKU acting as an anchor in the middle of March, this month has become a veritable feast of young independent artists. Time to get out and start training for the marathon that is Jazz Fest. n

Note: Dates are subject to change. Playlist of mentioned bands available at: bit.ly/ InTune3-16

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

Live Coverage photograph

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LOCAL COLOR / READ+SPIN

FICTION: In 2014, New Orleanian, Tulane University adjunct professor, author and New Orleans Magazine People to Watch Class of 2014 alum Katy Simpson Smith gained widespread recognition on a grand and national scale with her debut novel, The Story of Land and Sea. February marked the release of the 30-year-old Jackson, Mississippi native’s second novel, Free Men. Having earned an M.F.A. from the Bennington Writing Seminars and a PhD in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the two novels have allowed Smith to flex her muscle as an historian and gifted writer.

“The fiction that I love is fiction that takes me to places that are completely unexpected and that I don’t have any experience of,” Smith tells Garden & Gun Magazine in its February/March Southern Hot List issue. “So when I started writing, it seemed natural to go to places that I wanted to explore.”

For Free Men, Smith explores a true historical incident the author discovered while researching south Alabama. Set in 1788, the novel centers on a white South Carolina man running away from a tragedy; a black man escaping a Pensacola sugar plantation; a

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Creek tribesman defending his family’s honor; and the French tracker sent to retrieve the men after they commit murder.

“I was magnetized by the cultural implications,” Smith says in a press release. “When people want to know what it was like back then, this is it; people from widely varying backgrounds enmeshed together, laboring to define their nations, their families and themselves.”

Smith’s sharp prose has a sense of urgency, propelling the story swiftly forward, but not without exploring the complexities of the South and of America’s own challenging and often violent beginnings.

“Centuries of discrimination based on race and class have sifted the South into its current state, polarized and segregated in many respects, but these men I’m writing about show the rich colonial soup out of which we hardened,” she says. “And writing in the voices of such different characters, while full of pitfalls and challenges, was the only way I knew to give each of their histories an equal claim.”

Smith is scheduled to speak at the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, March 30 through April 3.

Book reviews by Melanie Warner Spencer Please send submissions for consideration, attention: Melanie Spencer, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005.

LOCAL COLOR / JAZZ LIFE

The Whole Gritty City Capturing a culture

BY JASON BERRY

I

n late January, the Jesuit Social Research Institute at Loyola University hosted a screening of The Whole Gritty City, a 90-minute film about the lives of kids, parents and teachers involved with marching bands in New Orleans public schools.

About 60 people attended the screening and discussion period after. Final credits rolled, people applauded and then a silence gathered in Nunemaker Hall; silence as the power of the story settled over the room, the charm and pathos of the children, the discipline of learning music and marching in time as sanctuary from the world of the streets with drugs and guns. As the film moved toward its climax, the scenes of youngsters marching in a Carnival parade were tense, funny, sad and gripping, all of a piece.

The film originally aired in 2014 on CBS, a special edition of “48 Hours” hosted by Wynton Marsalis. Producer Richard Barber has worked

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on prize-winning projects at CBS. He spent stretches in New Orleans over several years, working on the film with co-director Andre Lambertson, a cinematographer who has covered child soldiers in Africa.

Visual narratives of this kind run the risk of resorting to visual clichés about poverty and violence. TV news, for example, is a nightly show on urban homicide; station footage is available for melding with the filmed sequences to advance the action. The Whole Gritty City uses that technique though in a limited way, while developing textured profiles of a handful of people whose lives advance the larger story of music as a portal for a better life.

Jake Springfield, a New Orleans independent cameraman was the lead shooter and handled sound. A film that goes inside the lives of people in poor homes has to deal with ambience from TV sets, radios, CDs, the trills and crackles of life outside or inside. The

sound layers convey how much distraction threads along in people’s lives.

One jarring moment comes in the cameo of a single mother whose 13-year-old girl plays in the Roots of Music group. She talks about her own lost childhood, struggling to work, never taking welfare, cutting it so tight financially that for a time she didn’t have enough food herself when the daughter did, and the little girl wouldn’t eat everything, saying she had enough, wanting Mom to have it. The woman didn’t break into sobs, but the resolve as she choked back tears cast a leitmotif as we follow the girl, nicknamed Jazz, learning her horn, marching in time.

L. E. Rabouin high school’s revered bandleader Dinerral Shavers was murdered in late December 2006. The city was still on its knees after Hurricane Katrina, the recovery lurched along as the drug culture returned and Mayor Nagin touted “the magic of the marketplace” to rebuild a broken town. Shavers was also a popular snare drummer in Rebirth Brass Band; he was driving the car with his wife and two kids when a bullet meant for one of his sons crashed into his head.

The film follows one of Shavers’ protégées, a young guy named Skully, finding a path in the marching band away from the raw streets – and after graduation, a job in a restaurant.

The producers installed small cameras in the homes of several participants to catch improvisational moments. Some of the scenes with the kids hamming on camera, spontaneously commenting on the tiny cosmos they inhabit, rocked the audience with laughter.

The documentary manages to let the story find its momentum without preaching. The absence of a narrator, only the occasional print on screen to advance the timeline and then the different characters we have come to know as life unfolds, give the film an unhurried sense, as tension builds over what will happen to the kids in the three bands and the galvanizing figure of Walker bandleader Wilbert Rawlins.

The Whole Gritty City is one of those rare films that captures a culture in time and in depth. Sad to say, with guns so pervasive, it’s likely to be as timely in 10 years as today. n

LOCAL COLOR / HOME

AN APARTMENT DESIRED This French Quarter Pad Has A Literary Link

BY BONNIE WARREN PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHERYL GERBER

G

ray Coleman and Brian Theis have created a shrine to honor Tennessee Williams in their third-floor apartment on St. Peter Street, where the famous playwright wrote A Streetcar Named Desire. It may seem strange for Coleman, a New York entertainment lawyer, and Theis, a fine art photographer who specializes in urban scenes, to want to add another location – a 2,000-square-foot apartment – to their residence in Greenwich Village just above Washington Square and a beach house on Fire Island.

“The property’s theatrical provenance

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proved to be irresistible,” says Coleman.

A sixth generation native New Orleanian, Coleman has always maintained strong ties to the city, and the stars seemed to fall in line when he decided to find a place in the French Quarter after his mother died in 2014.

“I had no remaining nuclear family in the area” he says. “However, I desired to maintain a toehold here.”

Located just steps from Jackson Square, the apartment is a sun washed space with 14-foot ceilings and a 28-by-38 living and dining room that is a museum of all things Tennessee Wil-

Top: The large living provides comfortable seating and a showplace for Tennessee Williams memorabilia.

liams. It features large windows and even the skylight Williams mentioned when he wrote about living in the apartment as a young playwright.

“It was a stroke of good fortune that this historic apartment appeared on the market just as we made a decision to acquire a place in the French Quarter,” Theis adds.

Known as the Avart-Peretti House, the plaque on the building reads: “Erected in 1842 as a two-story house for Mme. Augustine Eugenie de Lassize widow of

Louis Robert Avart. J.N.B. dePouilly and Ernest Goudchaux Architect-Builders.

From 1906 through 1923 it was the residence and studio of the artist Achille Peretti. During 1946 and 1947 Tennessee Williams lived here and wrote A Streetcar Named Desire.”

Coleman quotes the exact words Williams wrote in his memoirs to describe the apartment: “In New Orleans, in the autumn of 1946, I obtained one of the loveliest apartments I ever occupied.

It was near the corner of St. Peter and

Left: Coleman and Theis use a refectory-style dining table under the skylight similar to the one used by Tennessee Williams when he wrote A Streetcar Named Desire. Top, right: The third-floor home is located on St. Peter Street near Jackson Square; the building is where Williams wrote Desire.

Bottom, right: Gray Coleman, seated, and Brian Theis.

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Facing page: Top, left: An icon on the wall has a place of honor in the master bedroom. Top, right: Family portraits are displayed in the living room.

Bottom, left: The sitting room doubles as a guest bedroom.

Bottom, right: A 1920s French Art Deco screen serves as a backdrop for the bar.

Right: A wall of windows adjoins the entry to the third floor.

Royal, and what I liked most about it was a long refectory table under a skylight which provided me with ideal conditions for working in the mornings. I know of no city where it is better to have a skylight than New Orleans.

You know, New Orleans is slightly below sea level and maybe that’s why the clouds and the sky seem so close.

They were fleecy and in continual motion. I was alone all day. Consistent with my habit, which I still follow today, I would rise early, have my black coffee and go straight back to work.”

Today the dining room table is positioned directly under the skylight, as it was when Williams lived in the apartment. Over the mantel there is a large framed print of the original 1951 theatrical film poster featuring Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando promoting A Streetcar Named Desire. A nearby bookcase if filled with other memorabilia Coleman and Theis have collected over the years.

“We especially cherish the needlepoint pillow, lovingly stitched by Brian’s aunt, Linda McKinney of Houston, to meticulously recreate the

poster design and quote that Mitch said to Blanche: ‘That don’t make no difference in the Quarter,’” says Coleman.

Gray is excited that the historic apartment will be opened to sponsors and other select guests during a special event for the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival (March 30-April 3).

“By happy coincidence, my childhood

friend Janet Daley Duval, president of the festival, found out we now have the historic apartment and was pleased when we offered it as a first time gathering place as a means of raising funds for the festival,” he says. “It seems only fitting that Tennessee’s St. Peter Street apartment will be included in the program, and we are both thrilled to support the festival.” n myneworleans.com / MARCH 2016

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gulf More Than A

The Coast has rivers, lakes and dunes, too

Visit South Walton

By CherĂŠ Coen

V isiting the Gulf Coast isn’t

always about sunbathing on the beach, although those

glistening white sands sure call our name this time of year, as winter skies clear and the temperatures rise.

The Gulf Coast also offers numerous ways to get back to nature, including kayaking on inland dune lakes, paddleboarding and parasailing in the Gulf,

hiking along winding terrain in a variety of ecosystems and much more.

Here are some ways to explore the great outdoors of the Gulf Coast.

Dune Lakes The Florida panhandle’s South Walton area offers a 26-mile stretch of neighborhoods such as Sandestin, Seaside and Rosemary Beach, but it’s also home to four Florida state parks and Point Washington State Forest. In fact, 40 percent of South Walton is owned by the state of Florida and protected from future development. That means there’s plenty of hiking, horseback riding, biking and more in areas where bird calls and waves are the only sounds.

One of the greatest hidden treasures of South Walton is 15 coastal dune lakes, a unique feature created by wind and waves thousands of years ago.

These unusually shallow lakes and surrounding dunes happen in only a handful of places and make for wonderful kayaking opportunities.

The lakes build up with rising water from rain and stream run-off, then break through to the Gulf in a “blow-out” and close back up again. The result is brackish water trapping saltwater plants and animals along with fresh water creatures.

Barbara McConnell of Carencro recently toted her kayak to the Florida Panhandle and reveled in what she found on Western Lake, one of the largest of the dune lakes at Grayton Beach State Park.

“Gliding silently in my kayak through the clear but teacolored waters of Western Lake is a unique experience because it combines the flora and fauna and the waters of both the seashore and the freshwater lake – one of the rarest spots on earth,” McConnell says.

Several of the lakes exist within state parks and may be accessed by hiking trails. In ad-

dition to Grayton Beach, you’ll find them at Deer Lake State Park, Topsail Hill Preserve and Camp Helen State Park.

A Florida fishing license is required to fish on the coastal dune lakes, and all lakes allow for motorized boats except for Topsail Hill Preserve.

Longleaf Pines A century ago, before logging transformed the local economy, massive longleaf pine trees stretching heavenward dominated the local ecosystem.

That early deforestation and today’s modern development have resulted in less than five percent of longleaf pines in South Walton. Visitors can view these mammoth trees, as well as other creatures and native plants, by hiking or biking through the eight-mile Longleaf Pine Greenway Trail of the Point Washington State Forest.

Eglin Air Force Base above Navarre, Florida, offers miles of trails through diverse habitats as well. Visitors may enjoy longleaf pines as well as the unique bogs of carnivorous pitcher plants along the Eglin Trail, then head to the coast and traverse through sand dunes and coastal forests along the 29-mile Seashore Trail.

Pasagoula River Aubudon Center The Pasagoula River in southern Mississippi is the largest, by volume, undammed river in the contiguous 48 states. The river and its tributaries are home to hundreds of species of birds, many of which migrate through in the spring and fall, in addition to animals and fish.

Preserving and showcasing this important ecosystem is the reason why the Pasagoula

Visit South Walton

Visit South Walton

Where To Eat On The Beach

River Audubon Center opened in Moss Point last year. The center serves as a launching point for McCoy’s Swamp and River Tours, a place where individual paddlers can also access the water, as educational outreach in its environmentally sustainable building and grounds and a showcase for the unique landscape.

The complex includes a

hummingbird garden, botanical garden of native plants and a fun children’s playground. There is even a historical building once used by Boy Scout Troop One of Moss Point, charted in 1919, where visitors may now rest in rocking chairs and view birds at feeders and in the wild.

“It’s all about getting kids back outside,” says Director Mark LaSalle,

who added that adults are welcomed, too.

McCoy’s boat tours average about two hours and wind through the river’s old growth swamps and tidal marshes, led by captains who are master naturalists.

For birders, check out the nearby Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast makes for wonderful getaways because it’s a quick drive and perfect for a weekend, shopping is diverse in Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs, and the three restaurants below run the gamut between rowdy and fine dining.

First, the place to let your hair down: The Blind Tiger in Bay St. Louis is a sports bar, music venue, restaurant and overall great place to soak up the sun while looking out at the sparking Gulf waters. Margaritas are delicious here, and there’s a nice selection of local beers. The menu offers fresh ingredients in dishes such as fish tacos, Mahi Mahi sandwiches and decadent hamburgers with handcut fries.

Moving up a notch is Bacchus on the Beach in Pass Christian, where diners can enjoy drinks and appetizers on the deck overlooking the marina. Start with the Bacchus Brew, a delightful “boat drink” with orange flavors, or move inside for some royal reds, shrimp scampi or a variety of oysters at the brick-oven oyster bar. Bacchus packs them in on Mondays, when the special is pork chops, greens and cornbread for only $10.

Sometimes you need to wash the sand from between your toes, gussy up a bit and enjoy fine dining when you’re visiting the coast. For that, there’s The Chimney in Gulfport, open for weekday lunch, dinner except for Mondays and Sunday champagne brunch.

Seafood reins here, from lump crabcakes and seared tuna to just about anything swimming in Gulf waters.

For more information about Mississippi Gulf Coast restaurants, visit GulfCoast.org.

GulfQuest There were two goals designing the GulfQuest Museum, the latest attraction in Mobile, Alabama.

The museum had to showcase the entire Gulf of Mexico, considered the international doorway to the Americas, and almost everything had to be interactive.

The result is a multi-million dollar 90,000-square-foot museum shaped like a massive ship beside the Mobile River. With 90 exhibits, a museum store, café and event space, it’s the first museum dedicated to the Gulf Coast’s rich maritime traditions, says Executive Director Tony Zodrow.

Visitors start off with the threescreen, multi-media presentation, “The Gulf Coast: A Place Like No Other,” explaining the importance of the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay from its early history to today.

They are then greeted by a massive wall that resembles the deck of a container ship. As visitors make their way up the five floors of interactive experiences, they finish with stunning views of the river and Mobile Bay. Exhibits include hurricane simulators, navigation games, nautical knot primers, steamboat operating and much more. One not to be missed is the Ocean Planet exhibit, a six-foot earth suspended and rotating on its axis. Real satellite data provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is projected on to the earth, including historic paths of hurricanes and weather only days before.

Watching the unusually busy hurricane season of 2005, centered by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, will amaze.

The museum plans to bring in traveling exhibitions such as the “Titantic: Artifact Exhibition” and National Geographic’s “Real Pirates Exhibition.”

Give yourself plenty of time to explore. Each stop along the way is hands-on fun.

For more information, visit GulfQuest.org.

Gulf Islands National Seashore Historic forts, quartzsandy beaches, campgrounds, barrier islands, hiking trails – it’s all part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, which stretches 160 miles from Cat Island, Mississippi, to the Okaloosa area east of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Twelve areas make up the preserve operated by the National Parks Service and include the islands off the coast of Mississippi and Alabama, Fort Morgan west of Gulf Shores and Santa Rosa Island from Pensacola to Navarre Beach.

Visitors to Seashore have a host of outdoor activities to choose from, including biking, hiking, snorkeling, birding, camping and wildlife viewing. There are 35 miles of designated hiking trails in the Florida District, for instance, and camping at the Davis Bayou Campground near

Ocean Springs. Fishing and boating are allowed in both the Mississippi and Florida districts, with restrictions, and swimming is allowed almost everywhere, although the five designated beaches may be preferable.

Five of the barrier islands off the coast of Mississippi – Cat, East Shop, Horn, Sand and Petit Bois – are accessible by private boat. A passenger ferry leaves from Gulfport to West Ship Island, a barrier island that’s home to lovely beaches and the historic Fort Massachusetts.

Visitor centers exist at Davis Bayou and Fort Barrancas, Fort Pickens and Naval Live Oaks in Florida, open daily except certain holidays. For information, a list of sites and upcoming events, visit NPS.gov/guis.

Gulf State Park There is so much to

do at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, the big question will be where to start first. There are miles of beaches, an 18-hole championship golf course, tennis courts, biking trails, a nature center and rental cottages, so you don’t even have to leave at the end of the day. If hiking is your thing, there are seven trails through 15 miles of several ecosystems within the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail complex.

In addition to Gulf beaches, there’s a pool and splash pad for overnight park visitors, and the Pool House has rentals, such as tennis rackets and horseshoes.

Likewise, visitors can fish in the Gulf waters on the park’s new pier or on the freshwater Lake Shelby. For the adventurous, there’s zip-lining at Gulf Adventure Center or geocaching throughout the park.

Accommodations

Spring Events Nature-related events happening this spring on the Gulf Coast include: Easter Egg Hunt, March 26, Destin’s Morgan Sports Complex, Destin, CityOfDestin. com

Visit South Walton

64th annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Spring Pilgrimage, April 13-16, throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast, GulfCoast.org/Visitors/Events 24th annual MS Coast Coliseum Crawfish Music Festival, April 14-26, Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, SpringPilgrimage.com Mullet Man Triathlon, April 16, Flora-Bama, Perdido Key, FloraBama.com Emerald Coast Volleyball Tournament, April 20-24, The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island, EmeraldCoastVolleyball.com Victory Athletics Spirit – Cheer Competition AllStar Nationals, April 22-23, Emerald Coast Convention Center, Fort Walton Beach, VictoryAthleticsSpirit.com 7th annual Bama Coast Cruise, April 22-24, The Wharf, Orange Beach, BamaCoastCruise.com Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party, April 22-24, Flora-Bama, Perdido Key, FloraBama.com range from 20 modern cabins and 11 cottages to 496 improved campsites with modern bathhouses.

Primitive camping sites are also available. For information and reservations, visit AlaPark.com/ gulf-state-park.

Gulf Activities If you only desire the emerald waters of the Gulf, why

not try something new?

Numerous outfitters on the beaches from Mississippi to Florida offer parasailing, jet skies, paddleboarding and scuba diving, in addition to kayak and canoe rentals. Visitors can experience a guided deep sea fishing excursion into the Gulf or join a dolphin cruise to spot the popular sea mammals closer to

shore. Boogies at HarborWalk Village in Destin, for example, offers jet skis and parasailing in addition to glass bottom boat and pontoon excursions.

And if all those suggestions still haven’t whetted your appetite for the great Gulf outdoors, there’s always sunbathing on the beach. n

12th annual Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, May 6-7, Foley Sportsplex, GulfCoastBalloonFestival.com Hangout Music Festival, May 20-22, Gulf Shores Public Beach at The Hangout, HangoutMusicFest.com Orange Beach Billfish Classic, May 25-29, The Wharf Marina in Orange Beach, GulfCoastTripleCrown.com

Our annual survey of creative design

Best New Architecture

By Jo hn P. K lin gm an | Ph oto g rap h e d by Jeffery Joh nston

The abundance of contemporary design in the New Orleans area continues. Each project featured is a different type of building, demonstrating the intensity and diversity of new local architecture.

Particularly evident this year is an array of compelling work at a vast variety of scales, from the gargantuan University Medical Center to the intricate interior of French Truck Coffee.

University Medical Center New Orleans

o

A former residential neighborhood on the lake side of Claiborne Avenue between Canal Street and Tulane Avenue has been completely transformed with the construction of the recently completed University Medical Center. Funded through the state of Louisiana and including FEMA support as the replacement for Charity and University hospitals, it’s Louisiana’s largest teaching hospital. It is a state-of-the-art facility with respect to medical technologies; it’s also designed to function through severe hurricane conditions including flooding, high winds and loss of city

utility infrastructure. Yet despite the multifaceted technical accommodations, the building complex is intelligible and handsome.

A major challenge in any large medical complex is clarity of circulation. Here the sense of orientation begins with the atrium lobby.

It is a transparent, three story, white metal-clad volume with an elegant canopy, equally delineated and approachable from the Canal Street and Tulane Avenue sides.

Upon entry, a cross axis becomes apparent, connecting the clinic building toward the lake and the hospital toward the river. In each building this cross axis ends in a tee that connects with another major public corridor. These corridors always have an exterior view and natural light, sources of orientation and connection so often lacking in hospitals.

On the outside, the designers have utilized a varied palette of elements that create a handsome, if complicated, composition applied to the simple rectangular blocks of the building. Between these blocks are a series of inhabitable, welllandscaped courtyards, some with water features. The only aspect one would wish for is a greater connection to the fabric of the city and the richer transitions from indoor to outdoor space that are so characteristic here.

In addition to extensive landscaping, the building benefits from fine furnishings and the inclusion of a great deal of art, beginning with the giant suspended sculpture in the lobby. The art demonstrates another level of caring that helps create warmth amid the somewhat impersonal institutional space.

Blitch Knevel /NBBJ A Joint Venture; NBBJ Architects; Mackenzie Skene, partner-in-charge; Eric Hanson, project manager; Jose Sama, design leader; Janet Dugan, interiors leader; Brian Zeallear, delivery leader; Dave Owsiany, medical planning leader; Blitch Knevel Architects; Ken Knevel principal-in-charge; Ron Blitch, consulting principal; Marty Tovea, project manager

s The Thin House Deep in the Irish Channel, a thin house has sprouted on a highly unlikely lot.

Recalling a half Ceole cottage on the street, a highly animated roof form generates a surprisingly rich array of interior spaces. The well detailed, corrugated metal exterior reflects the neighborhood’s industrial heritage in a contemporary manner.

Office of Jonathan Tate; Jonathan Tate, principalin-charge, Robert Baddour, Travis Bost, Rebecca Fitzgerald, Sabeen Hasan, Lauren Hickman, Kristian Mizes; Charles Rutledge, development partner

o

The Park at South Market

A striking new building greets those heading from uptown New Orleans toward the Vieux Carré. Named The Park because of its primary function, it also sports the large signage of its retail tenant AR Haus. It is unusual for a parking structure to become an object of visual attention; as a banal program, it rarely stimulates designers to creativity. However, there are two aspects of this building that create a memorable appearance. First is the large-scale frame that rises the full height of the building. Second is the varying pattern of horizontal precast concrete beams that form the structure’s bright white façade. The beams are an innovative use of inherently colored precast elements; they were produced by the same manufacturer as the structural frame, demonstrating a logical and efficient system.

The building is also the harbinger of a new neighborhood, named South Market by the developers, that’s emerging from a sea of parking lots. New buildings will add a substantial amount of housing to a part of the city that recently has had few residents. The only troublesome aspects of the development are the very narrow raised sidewalks, resulting from the requirement to establish the buildings’ ground floor well above street level, necessitating awkward steps and handrails along their length. The next residential building, The Beacon, also designed by EDR, is nearing completion. In addition, all of the new projects complement the fine renovation of the Rouses Supermarket across the street.

Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, Steve Dumez, principal-in-charge, Jose Alvarez, Charles Hite, Sabeen Hasan

French Truck Coffee This conversion of a real ugly duckling on lower Magazine Street is a treat.

A spiffy, bright yellow exterior heralds a beautifully crafted interior. The retail counter is marked by evocative, tactile material choices and a comfortable design ambiance. The best element is a tempered glass wall that produces a seamless connection with the production space where the mystery of coffee roasting is there to behold.

Colectivo; Seth Welty, principal with Sarah Satterlee; Matt Larkin and Andrew Ryan, fabrication

s

o

The Harrell Building

Here is an important recent building in the rapidly revitalizing Oretha Castle Haley corridor, a major mixed-use structure occupying most of a Central City block. It has a four-story commercial/office component and a five story residential wing, the King Rampart Apartments.

The idea for the project originated with the Gulf Coast Housing Partnership, a nonprofit developer with extensive engagement in the neighborhood. Working with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, they saw the potential of the site; multiple properties were acquired, and eventually NORA moved its offices from the CBD to the building. The project required complex and time-consuming financing, but the result is a real winner.

The architectural treatment of the two primary programs is distinct. Most assuredly contemporary is the King Rampart Apartment faรงade with its corner entrance facing Martin Luther King Boulevard. There is a handsome lobby with a high degree of transparency, a well designed reception desk and brightly colored mailboxes in the elevator lobby. On the upper floors small lounges along the corridor break down the scale and provide some wonderful views of the neighborhood. Another positive design element is a courtyard outside the lobby, where residents enjoy gathering on warm evenings, engaging passersby.

On the Oretha Castle Haley side, the building is more urban, coming tight to the sidewalk along its face, with a sculptural projecting entry canopy. There is an inset ramp for accessibility and glazing for the first floor commercial space. The brick wall is neutral in color, but the curtain wall elements and windows are a colorful counterpoint. Only the slightly discordant corner tower detracts from the overall composition. The exterior of the apartment building is distinct, with multiple materials and bold accent colors. This provides just enough articulation in what otherwise might be an overwhelmingly large scale project.

CCWIV Architecture; Carl Westerman principal

o Maumus Science Center

Maumus (pronounced like the Carnival krewe) is an unusual project for St. Bernard Parish Public Schools. Located near the river in Old Arabi, its core is a venerable “renaissance revival” 1927 school building. The additions have created a campus that’s a magnet for study of the sciences.

The goal is for every student, from kindergarten through high school, to engage these special facilities.

Most eye-catching is a metal truncated cone that houses a planetarium. The complex also features a renovated auditorium/theater with flexible bleacher seating and large front-facing science display rooms on two levels. There is a commodious cafeteria, daylit on two sides, and food science labs that work with a kitchen garden. Outside is a “garden shed” that looks like it could survive the strongest possible hurricane. Its roof has an oculus calibrated as a sundial, designed by the architects to mark daily solar time throughout the year. Between the building elements are raingardens with bioswales that demonstrate current stormwater management techniques, increasingly important in southern Louisiana.

The muscular new steel structure, especially noticeable at the new entrance and lobby, contrasts well with the masonry construction of the older building. Renovating the historic school was a labor of love; it included restoring the colors of the original coffered plaster ceiling of the lobby.

All of the new elements have a distinctive character; the planetarium skin recalls that of the St. Bernard Parish Performing Arts Center, another Waggonner & Ball post-Katrina project.

Waggonner & Ball Architects; David Waggonner, principal-in-charge; Sarah Weinkauf, project architect; Brian Swanner, Charles Sterkx, Emily Palumbo, Dennis Horchoff

s “The Compound” A new breed of pop-up additions is occurring, particularly in the downriver neighborhoods.

Among the very best is this expansive addition near the river in Marigny. Particularly adept is the interconnection of interior rooms with a multiplicity of exterior spaces and the counterpoint between the original shotgun and its new companion. bildDESIGN; Byron Mouton and Tony Christiana, principals in charge, Will Soniat, Matt DeCotis, Dixon Jelich, Emile LeJuene, Daniel McDonald

s Toledano Street House An unusual house in Central City was designed and constructed by students in the Tulane School of Architecture URBANbuild program. Seventh in the ongoing series, it’s long and horizontal facing the street, a rare New Orleans variation of the southern dogtrot vernacular house.

Most striking is a series of slatted panels that slide to reveal a porch, then an open interior kitchen and finally a covered deck. It is a terrific party house, utilized to great advantage by owner Rob Eddington, who caters events there.

Byron Mouton, architect, director of URBANbuild with adjunct professor Tom Holloman; Sam Richards, URBANbuild co-director of construction; Tony Christiana, contractor of record. Student credits at URBANbuild.tulane.edu.

o

Lakeshore Branch Library, Jefferson Parish

A quiet jewelbox of a building is situated on the south side of the drainage canal along West Esplanade Avenue. It is a branch library, one of a number in the Greater New Orleans area that has recently arisen. This new building replaces a library badly damaged by the post-Katrina flooding. It transparently enfronts the canal to the north, but the entrance is from the west side. This is a nicely choreographed element with a roof-level frame extending to embrace the entering public. An adjacent ramp that provides an accessible entrance is also well integrated into the entry sequence. Once inside, there’s direct access to a meeting room for book and community events. Beyond, one of the reading areas opens to the left while the desk is directly ahead.

It is immediately apparent that this is a wonderful interior. There is daylight coming from multiple directions. There is a multiplicity of places to read, and the collection is well organized and visually accessible. Although it’s a single story building, there are different ceiling heights that reinforce the variety of spaces and allow for clerestory lighting. The stacks are higher than the designers preferred, but the lack of total visibility adds a bit of mystery to the otherwise straightforward planning. Other aspects of the successful interior are the warm materials and bright color palette. People appreciate the building; it’s well populated and has a very high record of usage among the parish branch libraries.

Sizeler Thompson Brown architects; Brian Faucheux, principal-in-charge; Crystal Mitchell, Charles Neyrey, project architects; Julia Stefanski, interior designer; Toomas Soosaar, landscape architect

WWL Renovation This is a stunning renovation of the venerable WWL studios, a long ago 7UP bottling plant on N. Rampart Street in the Vieux CarrĂŠ. The sensitive but subtle introduction of daylight from clerestories characterizes the spaces.

Especially memorable is the minimalist lobby, with shimmering translucent vertical acrylic tubes accented by blue LED lighting, perhaps echoing the flickering light of our earliest TVs. Eskew+Dumez+Ripple; Steve Dumez, principal-incharge, Charles Hite, Tim Dumatrait, Mark Reynolds, Jenny Pelc, Lauren Lacey, Kelly Colley project team

s John P. Klingman is a registered architect and a Favrot Professor of Architecture at Tulane University. His recent book, New in New Orleans Architecture, is available at local bookstores.

the MENU TABLE TALK

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RESTAURANT INSIDER

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FOOD

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LAST CALL

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DINING LISTINGS

“1000 Figs makes efficient use of its shotgun-style dining room through a clever array of design innovations. ... and is defined by a creative approach to Middle Eastern fare.”

table talk pg. 74

jeffery johnston PHOTOGRAPH

THE MENU / TABLE TALK

Falafel Feast at 1000 Figs

Middle Eastern March Three for the tastes

by JAY FORMAN

O

ne of the more rewarding aspects of covering food and dining is when I encounter something new. This usually takes the form of either a revelatory recreation of known dishes through a fresh approach, or else it might be the discovery of a whole new type of cuisine. Happily, both these boxes get checked by 1000 Figs and Shaya, respectively.

As a bonus, these entrée points into Middle Eastern and Israeli fare are healthy and, for the home cook, not as intimidating to make as they may seem.

1000 Figs is located in Faubourg St. John, slotted neatly between the wine bar Swirl and Canseco’s Market. The restaurant makes

efficient use of its shotgun-style dining room through a clever array of design innovations, like the silverware stashed in drawers under each table. Wait times – and on weekends, expect to wait as reservations are not accepted – are tempered by a text alert system that pings you when your table is ready, allowing guests to enjoy a glass of wine at Swirl next door.

The restaurant is owned by husband-andwife team Gavin Kady and Theresa Galli. The duo took an unconventional route to restauranteurship by opening the food truck Fat Falafel.

“We felt like we would learn more and learn it more quickly if we were forced to figure it out for ourselves,” Galli says. “Also a food truck was

Must-Try Middle Eastern 1000 Figs 3141 Ponce De Leon St. 301-0848 1000figs.com Lunch and dinner Tuesdays-Saturdays

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Shaya 4213 Magazine St. 891-4213 ShayaRestaurant.com Lunch and dinner daily

Cleo’s Cuisine and Grocery 165 Roosevelt Way 522-4504

manageable whereas where a restaurant would have been too much. The difference between the two,” she adds, “is enormous.”

They have weathered the transition well. 1000 Figs is defined by a creative approach to Middle Eastern fare expressed through the use of local produce and handmade breads as well as an emphasis on fresh herbs rather than dried spices. To get a crash course, opt for the Falafel Feast. A smorgasbord for two, this entrée spans a long platter and is supplemented by a flotilla of accessory plates, bread and dips. On the main dish, a slaw of raw beet, carrot and cilantro is flanked by spheres of perhaps the best falafel in town, orbs of fried chickpea seasoned with cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cayenne. On the opposite side of the mixed green salad is an array of picked vegetables, which can include mirliton, daikon or cabbage, depending on what’s in the larder.

The homemade flatbread is accompanied by paprikaspiced hummus and babaghanoush. Of the trio of dipping sauces my favorite was the toum, a Lebanese garlic sauce made from an emulsion of lemon juice, garlic and olive oil – akin to mayonnaise but without the egg.

I realize that some of this fare will sound familiar, jeffery johnston PHOTOGRAPH

Faster Fare If you’re in a hurry or looking for something latenight, Cleo’s Cuisine and Grocery is open 24/7 and offers a terrific array of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare. Try the spicy Musabaha, a chickpea blend spiked with hot peppers and garlic, or else the Egyptian Breakfast, featuring sesame falafel, fried eggplant and much more. Prices are reasonable to boot. but you need to taste it to understand what sets it apart.

Unlike almost all other Middle Eastern joints in town, 1000 Figs doesn’t take a cookie-cutter approach. The ingredients are super-fresh – with much of the veg sourced from Veggi, a farmers’ co-op in New Orleans East, as well as Pelican Produce – and the emphasis on lemon and fresh herbs makes the food far brighter and livelier. Quality sourcing trickles through the menu – an excellent appetizer of Haloumi features the namesake cheese sourced from Cyprus through St. James Cheese Company.

And while 1000 Figs is certainly vegetarian-friendly, it isn’t exclusively so, as evidenced by dishes featuring lamb and chicken. The emphasis is on freshness and what motivates the owners.

“We pull from the Mediterranean and Middle East but we don’t claim authenticity to any region,” Galli says.

“We choose things that we enjoy and that we hope other people will like as well.”

Alon Shaya’s eponymous restaurant, Shaya, has garnered national accolades, and with good reason. The James Beard-award winning chef’s homage to his Israeli roots has as much to do with personal

expression as it does with talent. Shaya’s cuisine is more complex than that of 1000 Figs. This makes sense, given the Israeli focus of the menu.

As a country, Israel is less than 70 years old and in that short span has pulled together a polyglot population from all over the globe. With them came their recipes, many of which were grafted onto the bedrock Middle Eastern fare of hummus and the like.

At Shaya there are plenty of dishes that cross over with 1000 Figs – like the grilled Halloumi – which here gets more dolled up with a garnish of caramelized celery root and pomegranate molasses.

Where Shaya breaks ranks is with Israeli fare like Matzo Ball Soup, made with duck in lieu of the traditional chicken, and with regional favorites like Shakshuka – a unique concoction of egg poached in a sauce of stewed vegetables redolent with Tunisian spice.

Terrific homemade pita is the perfect accompaniment to the small plates like Hummus and Curried Cauliflower.

If you’d like to make this type of cuisine at home but don’t know quite where to begin – a common predicament – an excellent point of entry is chef Michael Solomonov’s beautiful and comprehensive cookbook Zahav – A World of Israeli Cuisine. To stock your spice rack, the Napa-based Whole Spice sells regional spice kits online. For the staples, Mona’s Grocery on Banks Street offers basics like chickpeas, Tahini and pomegranate molasses. For equipment the only really indispensable thing is a food processor – homemade hummus is tastier than store brands and easy to make – and rather than buying pita that has been sitting around consider substituting an artisan bread like ciabatta from a local bakery. n

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THE MENU / RESTAURANT INSIDER

News From the Kitchens Rocksy’s, Fogo & Bayou Wine

BY ROBERT PEYTON

Rocksy’s

Fogo de Chão

Bayou Wine Garden

Rocksy’s Diner opened at the end of 2015 in Fat City. If you have not been to Fat City lately, you may be surprised at the businesses that have opened there in the last year or two. I won’t say it’s unrecognizable, but where once there were “gentlemen’s” clubs on most corners, there are now restaurants serving Japanese, Vietnamese and Latin food.

Rocksy’s décor is unmistakably “diner”: red banquettes line the walls and a dozen or so tall stools front a long Formica counter facing a flat-top and fryers, where customers can watch their food being prepared.

The restaurant is the brainchild of chef Mike Gowland, a former firefighter whom you may know from his popular Jazz Fest booth or his appearances on TV shows such as the Food Network’s “Chopped.” He has been cooking for 30 years, as has his sous-chef, John Flynn, and his food is designed to evoke New Orleans restaurants of the past, but with his own touches.

The menu is too large to discuss fully – Rocksy’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but pulled pork shows up in a number of dishes, such as the Rocksy’s Benedict, in which an English muffin is topped with pork, two eggs and hollandaise sauce, and in Rocksy’s “Tutti Frutti” fries, a take on poutine with sweet potato fries.

Chisesi ham features in the “Fats Domino” omelet, with bacon, sausage, onions and peppers.

Rocksy’s is open daily, 24 hours, and is located at 3220 Edenborn Ave. Call 889-7064 to find out more.

Fogo de Chão opened its first steak house in Brazil in 1979 and its first United State location in ’97. There are about 30 in this country alone, and late last year New Orleans joined the crowd, with the opening of a new location in the JW Marriott hotel. It is a sleek, modern restaurant, with about 320 seats on two levels.

Fogo de Chão’s concept differs from most steak houses; the standard option is a set price ($33 for lunch, $66 for dinner), which includes a huge selection of salads, cured meats, fruits and other dishes at the “market table,” as well as cuts of meat on long skewers brought to you by servers called gauchos, who slice portions of beef, pork, chicken, lamb and sausage at the table.

These include some cuts not normally seen here, such as picanha, from the top sirloin, and fraldinha, from the bottom sirloin.

Technically, there’s no limit to the amount you can eat, but the restaurant prefers the term “all you can experience” to distinguish it from more casual establishments. There is also a $15 lunch special that includes the market table and six to eight ounce portions of one of the 10 or so meats available (some of which change periodically). There is a bar menu as well, and a happy hour, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Fogo de Chão is open seven days, for lunch and dinner; call 412-8900 for more information.

Bayou Wine Garden also opened toward the end of 2015, at 315 S. Rendon St., adjacent to Bayou Beer Garden, which has the same owners. It is a bit more elegant than its sibling, as one would expect for a place where the focus is on the grape rather than the grain.

There are two bars, one in the narrow room facing S. Rendon, and another in the brick patio at the rear; combined, there are about 32 selections of white, red, rosé and sparking wines on tap, many of which are available for retail purchase. There is a specialty cocktail list, and a fairly wide selection of single-malt scotch and craft bourbons.

The beer selection is less robust, but the beer garden is just next door if you prefer porter to pinot.

A menu of small plates, salads and sandwiches is complemented by a selection of house-made charcuterie and cheeses.

Prices run from $4 (puff pastry bread sticks with garlic confit, Parmesan, thyme and vodka sauce) to $14 (duck ham Cuban sandwich with duck confit, Swiss cheese, mustard, pickled onions and bread and butter pickles).

Prices for the charcuterie and cheese start at $8 per for the charcuterie and $6 for the cheese, topping out at $5 for $22.

Bayou Wine Garden is open daily from 11 until around 2 a.m.; call 826-2925 to get the daily selection of what’s on tap.

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SARA ESSEX BRADLEY photographs

THE MENU / FOOD

Throw Me A Cabbage Irish traditions; international recipes

by Dale Curry

EUGENIA UHL PHOTOGRAPH

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O Kimchi

* a condiment or side dish that can be served with many Asian dishes 4 pounds Napa cabbage ½ cup kosher or coarse sea salt (not iodized) 1 bunch green onions, roughly chopped 3 Tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger 3 Tablespoons finely minced garlic

nly in New Orleans. We say that about so many of our habits here, meaning they’re quirky, unique or at least different. I like the one about catching cabbages off trucks at St. Patrick’s Day parades.

I had to show this to my friend from New York for her to believe it. There are a lot of St. Pat’s parades in New York, too, but they don’t catch things like cabbages, bell peppers and carrots. Why, I’ve come home many a time with sacks of cabbages and all the trimmings.

When my older daughter was no more than six months old, we dressed her up in green and strolled her up to the Irish Channel for the big parade, and filled her stroller basket and all the empty grocery sacks we could find with cabbages. It never occurred to me that she could have been knocked in the head

Irish CabbagePotato Soup 1 head green cabbage

by one. I think we have special guardians up above who protect our children from parade throws and the huge trucks that carry our throws and riders.

I got to thinking out of the box on what to do with all of this cabbage. I usually cook it with corned beef or braise it to eat with cornbread. Or make cabbage rolls or Cole slaw. But cabbage is almost universal, grown before Christ, and can be pickled, fermented, steamed, sautéed and eaten raw.

It is consumed every day in south Korea in the form of kimchi, and most European countries have their special twist on the ancient and healthful vegetable.

For starters, I tried Korean, Italian and Irish recipes, and my taster (my husband) and I loved every one of them.

Italian-style Cabbage and Pork

1 leek

1 green or Savoy cabbage

4 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon salt

1 bunch green onions, chopped, white and green parts divided

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Cut cabbage into fourths and rinse well. Drain and slice into 2-inch chunks. In a large bowl (stainless steel or glass) toss cabbage with salt. Add water just to cover the cabbage, and leave to soak overnight at room temperature.

1 large onion, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

4 cups chicken stock

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 pounds grounds pork

1 bay leaf

Next day, drain cabbage but don’t rinse. In a clean mixing bowl, mix cabbage with all other ingredients, and pack into a sterilized 1-quart canning jar and a 1-pint jar. Store at room temperature for about 3 days, opening to allow gas to escape daily. Stir slightly with wooden spoon or chopsticks when opening. Continue doing this until the taste is as you like it. Then store in refrigerator for up to a month.

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 ½ cups milk

2 Tablespoons coarsely ground dried red chili peppers 4 teaspoons sugar 1 Tablespoon fish sauce

Makes 1 ½ quarts

Salt and freshly ground pepper ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Cut cabbage into fourths, removing any damaged outside leaves, rinse and drain. Chop into smaller pieces. Remove and discard tough dark green parts of leek, rinse thoroughly and chop white and light green parts.

Melt butter in large pot. Sauté leek and white onions (both) over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, potatoes, cabbage and seasonings, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Using a hand blender, purée about half of the soup, or remove half from pot and purée in a food processor or blender and return to pot. Adjust seasonings and stir in the heavy cream, parsley and green onion tops and heat to serve. Serves 6

1 14.5-ounce can plum tomatoes, chopped, with juices

4 Tablespoons butter 4 Tablespoons flour ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter Discard any damaged leaves of the cabbage. Carve out the center core, and gently remove outer leaves, rinsing to clean. Heat a large pot of boiling water, add salt and boil the outer, tougher leaves of the cabbage for 5 minutes.

Remove from pot and drain.

Boil the smaller inside leaves for 3 minutes and drain.

Empty and dry the pot. Add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until transparent. Heat

a skillet and brown the pork until crumbly. Drain the pork of fat, discard fat, and add pork to onions and garlic. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste and Italian seasoning. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Next, make a béchamel sauce in a small sauce pan.

Melt butter and remove pot from heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Add milk gradually and stir until smooth. Set over medium heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Set aside.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter and line with a layer of cabbage leaves. Spread a layer of meat mixture over the cabbage, followed by a layer of béchamel sauce. Repeat twice until meat and sauce are used up. You may have leftover cabbage for another use. Top with Parmesan, then the 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter cut into half-inch cubes.

Place in the upper portion of oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until bubbly and browning on top. Let the dish set for 10 minutes before serving.

If water from the cabbage is excessive, pour off some of it, if desired. Serves 6

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THE MENU / LAST CALL

P&T at Catahoula

Gin and Tonic Peruvian-style BY tim mcnally

M

arch is such a weird month; it isn’t really warm and not really cold; there’s not a lot of festivals but a couple of weekends of good fun. Family vacations are not here yet, but plans are afoot. Dining al fresco is possible, but not every night is suitable.

The popular expression is that March roars in like a lion, yet that isn’t quite true either. Looks like March is a month of “almost,” not totally committed to one thing or another.

And since those are the parameters, what better time to change the cocktail rhythm and do something different?

The Peruvian spirit, Pisco, would seem to fill the bill. It might even be something you’ve never tried. Pisco is being featured at a new hotel, bar and restaurant, Catahoula, which opened this month.

Nathan Dalton, whose prowess behind the bar is unquestionably excellent, has created this month’s featured drink at Catahoula, based on his experiences in Peru and New Orleans. The drink actually is a variation on a Gin and Tonic. Historical fact: The Peruvians were making drinks to pair with tonic water long before the English. Seems the Peruvians figured out that the medicinal effects of quinine, the core herbal ingredient in tonic water, were the correct solution for their efforts against malaria. Adding their native spirit, Pisco, to the elixir didn’t hurt. n

“P & T”: Pisco and Tonic 1 ounce Quebranta Pisco 2.5 (or so) ounces tonic water 1/2 teaspoon lime juice .75 ounces grapefruit juice .25 ounce Campari Build on the rocks in a short glass

By Nathan Dalton. The Catahoula Hotel, Café and Bar opened March 1 at 914 Union St., between Baronne and O’Keefe streets in the CBD.

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sara essex bradley PHOTOGRAPH

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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 Southerninspired 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. $

carrollton Bourré 1510 S. Carrollton Ave., 510-4040.

L, D Tue-Sun. “Elevated” street food along with quality daiquiris and reconsidered wings are the draw at this newcomer from the team behind Boucherie. $$

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 artfilled 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 The Grill 540 Chartres St., 522-1800. B, L, D daily. A diner with local character straffed by local characters. $

Faubourg Marigny Langlois 1710 Pauger St., 934-1010, LangloisNola.com. L Fri-Sat, D Wed-Sun. *Reservations only Supper club and boutique cooking school in the Marigny serves up culturally informed, farm-to-table fare with the added bonus of instruction. Dishes include Spiced Quail and Lemongrass Meatballs with Smoked broth. Open kitchen and convivial atmosphere add up to a good time. $$$ The Marigny Brasserie 640 Frenchmen St., 945-4472, MarignyBrasserie.com. L, D daily. Chic neighborhood bistro with traditional dishes like the Wedge of Lettuce salad and innovative cocktails such as the cucumber Cosmo. $$$ Snug Harbor 626 Frenchman St., 9490696, 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 Angeline 1032 Chartres St., 308-3106, AngelineNola.com. B Mon-Fri, Brunch Sat & Sun, D nightly. Modern southern with a fine dining focus is the hallmark of this bistro tucked away in a quiet end of the French Quarter. Southern Fried Quail and Braised Lamb Necks with ricotta agnolotti represent the style. $$$ Continental Provisions 110 N Peters St., Stall 23, 407-3437. Open daily. Artisan purveyors including Bellegarde Bakery and Cleaver & Company team up to reclaim a foothold for quality food in the tourist

Ground Zero of the French Market. Sandwiches, breads, cheeses and more. $$ Hard Rock Café 125 Bourbon St., 529-5617, 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. $$ District Donuts Sliders Brew, 2209 Magazine Street, 570-6945, DonutsAndSliders. com. B, L, D daily. Creative sliders (hello, pork belly) and super-creative donuts (think root beer float) are the hallmarks of this next-generation café. $

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 familyfriendly neighborhood spot. $$$ Caffe! Caffe! 3547 N. Hullen St., 2679190. B, L Mon-Sat. & 4301 Clearview Parkway, 885-4845. B, L daily; D Mon-Sat. 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.

Chef John Trinh Joins Alex Patout New Orleans Creole Cookery, 510 Toulouse St., 524-9632, NewOrleansCreoleCookery.com Chef John Trinh has joined chef Alex Patout at the New Orleans Creole Cookery restaurant. Trinh brings a unique Creole-Italian style of cooking with dishes such as Lobster Fra Diablo and Creole Braised Pork Shank. He joins Patout, who was named as one of the Top 25 chefs in America in 1985, and who has built the menu around inventive interpretations of classics such as grillades and grits and chef Alex’s Crab Cake Napolean. Located in the French Quarter, the restaurant offers casual fine dining showcasing authentic Cajun- and Creole-inspired fare. – Mirella Cameran.

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cheryl gerber photograph

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 twocourse lunch. $$ Martin Wine Cellar 714 Elmeer Ave., 8967300, MartinWine.com. Wine by the glass or bottle to go with daily lunch specials, towering burgers, hearty soups and salads and giant, deli-style sandwiches. $ Vega Tapas Café 2051 Metairie Road, 836-2007, VegaTapasCafe.com. D Mon-Sat. Innovative establishment offers fresh seafood, grilled meats and vegetarian dishes in a chic environment. Daily chef specials showcase unique ingredients and make this place a popular destination for dates as well as groups of friends. $$

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

NORTHSHORE Dakota 629 N. Highway 190, (985) 8923712, 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 Tue-

Sat. 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 TueSat, Br Sun. A kid-friendly menu with local tweaks and a casually upscale sandwich and salad menu. $$ Camellia Grill 626 S. Carrollton Ave., 309-2679. B, L, D daily. A venerable diner whose essential character has remained intact and many of the original waiters have returned. Credit cards are now accepted. $ GG’s Dine-O-Rama 3100 Magazine St., 373-6579, GGsNewOrleans.com. B Sat, L, Tue-Sun, D Tue-Fri, Br Sun. Upscalecasual restaurant serves a variety of specialty sandwiches, salads and wraps, like the Chicago-style hot dog and the St. Paddy’s Day Massacre, chef Gotter’s take on the Rueben. $$ Martin Wine Cellar 3827 Baronne St., 899-7411, 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. Healthfood lovers will like it here, along with fans of favorites such as peanut butter and banana pancakes. $$ 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. $$$

Asian Fusion/Pan Asian 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. $$

Bywater Red’s Chinese 3048 St. Claude Ave., 304-6030, RedsChinese.com. D Wed-Mon. Assertive, in-your-face Chinese fare by chef Tobias Womack, an alum of Danny Bowien’s Mission Chinese. The Kung Pao Pastrami and Delta Broccoli are good options. $$

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

Faubourg Marigny Bao and Noodle 2700 Charters St., 272-0004, BaoAndNoodle.com. L, D daily. Housemade noodles and a more authentic take on Chinese fare sets this

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DINING GUIDE neighborhood startup apart. Try the soup dumplings if available $$

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 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., 361-8008.

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

Kenner Little Chinatown 3800 Williams Blvd., 305-0580, LittleChinatown.net. L, D daily.

One of the city’s best Chinese restaurants is secreted away on William’s Boulevard in Kenner. Try the roast duck or roast pork, either one is terrific, as well as their short menu of authentic dishes that (for the most part) avoid Americanized Chinese fare. $$

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Lakeview Lakeview Pearl 6300 Canal St., 309-5711, LakeviewPearl.com. L, D Mon-Sat. A long list of specialty rolls rounds out the offerings of this Asian-Fusion restaurant. $$

Metairie CoNola Grill & Sushi 619 Pink St., 837-0055, CoNolaGrillSushi.com. L, D Tue-Sun. Eclectic cafe with DNA from both Sun Ray Grill and Aloha Sushi Bar puts out southern-inspired fare backed by an Americanized sushi menu, a kids menu and more. Along with a Sunday brunch, there’s something for everyone at this independent restaurant. $$$

H Royal China 600 Veterans Blvd., 8319633. L daily, D Tue-Sun. Popular and family-friendly Chinese restaurant is one of the few places around that serves dim sum. $$ MARRERO Daiwa, 5033 Lapalco Blvd., 875-4203, DaiwaSushi.com. L, D daily. Japanese destination on the Westbank serves an impressive and far-ranging array of creative fusion fare. $$$

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., 872-

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., 896-7611, MagasinCafe.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Pho, banh mi and vegetarian options are offered at this attractive and budget-friendly 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

9628. 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. $

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. $$

Uptown

Bakery/Breakfast

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. $$$

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. $ CC’s Coffee House Multiple locations in New Orleans, Metairie and Northshore,

CCsCoffee.com. Coffeehouse specializing in coffee, espresso drinks and pastries. $

BROADMOOR Gracious to Go 7220 Earhart Blvd., 3013709, GraciousBakery.com. B Mon-Fri. Quick-service outpost of Gracious Bakery + Café serves artisan pastries, locally roasted coffee and grab-and-go sandwiches to meet the needs of commuters.

Onsite parking a plus. $

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. $

City Park 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. $

Faubourg Marigny H Ruby Slipper Café 2001 Burgundy 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. $$

Lower Garden District

METAIRIE

Voodoo BBQ 1501 St. Charles Ave., 522-4647, 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. $$ Port of Call 838 Esplanade Ave., 5230120, PortOfCallNola.com. L, D daily. It is all about the big, meaty burgers and giant baked potatoes in this popular bar/restaurant – unless you’re cocktailing only, then it’s all about the Monsoons. $$

Barbecue

Lakeview

Bywater

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. $

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. $

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

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DINING GUIDE 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, L Fri, Br Sun. Creole-French 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

are served nightly at this neighborhood institution. $$$ La Petite Grocery 4238 Magazine St., 8913377, LaPetiteGrocery.com. L Tue-Sat, D daily, Br Sun. Elegant dining in a convivial atmosphere. The menu is heavily Frenchinspired with an emphasis on technique. $$$ Lilette 3637 Magazine St., 895-1636, LiletteRestaurant.com. L Tue-Sat, D Mon-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. $$

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. $$$$

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. $$

Uptown

French Quarter H Cane & Table 1113 Decatur St., 581-

Bistro Daisy 5831 Magazine St., 899-6987, 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. $$$$

1112, 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. $$

H Coquette 2800 Magazine St., 265-0421, 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. $$$

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. $$$

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., 8992670, LaCrepeNanou.com. D daily, Br Sun. Classic French bistro fare, including terrific moules and decadent dessert crêpes,

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., 5813880, TTRNewOrleans.com. D Wed-Sun.

Flights of wine and sophisticated small plates are the calling cards for this wine bar near Coliseum Square. $$

entrées, features locally raised products, some from chef John Besh’s Northshore farm. $$$$

Mid-City

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. $$

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., 891-1810, 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. $$ The Delachaise 3442 St. Charles Ave., 895-0858, TheDelaichaise.com. L Sat-Sun, D daily. Cuisine elevated to the standards of the libations is the draw at this lively wine bar and gastropub. Food is grounded in French bistro fare with eclectic twists. $$

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

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. $$$$$

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., 5690198, 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. $$$ Muriel’s Jackson Square 801 Chartres St., 568-1885, Muriels.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Enjoy pecan-crusted drum and other local classics while dining in the courtyard bar or any other room in this labyrinthine, rumored-to-be-haunted establishment. $$$$ Napoleon House 500 Chartres St., 524522-4152, NapoleonHouse.com. L Mon-

Lent at Pascal’s Manale Pascal’s Manale Restaurant, 1838 Napoleon Ave., 895-4877, PascalsManale.com Giving up meat during Lent is a lot easier when you have delicious Louisiana seafood to take its place. One of the best places to indulge is the 103-yearold restaurant, Pascal’s Manale in Uptown. A culinary landmark, it serves traditional Italian cuisine and its famous BBQ Shrimp, which was invented there in 1913. The raw oyster bar is another highlight, where the crustaceans are half-price during Happy Hour, 3-6 p.m. Monday to Friday, along with wines, beers and classic cocktails. – M.C.

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cheryl gerber photograph

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. $$ 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., 553-2277, 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. $$$$$ harahan Oak Oven 6625 Jefferson Highway, Harahan, 305-4039, OakOvenRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Wood-fired pizza and seasonal

Italian cuisine with a locavore philosophy brings respite to the burbs. Family friendly with patio seating to boot. $$

Lakeview H Tony Angello’s 6262 Fleur de Lis Drive, 488-0888, TonyAngellos.com. D Tue-Sat. Creole-Italian favorite serves up fare. Ask Tony to “Feed Me” if you want a real multicourse 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. $$ Ralph’s On The Park 900 City Park Ave., 488-1000, RalphsOnThePark.com. Br Sun, L Tue-Fri, D daily. A modern interior and contemporary Creole dishes such as City Park salad, turtle soup, barbecue Gulf shrimp and good cocktails. $$$$

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

Uptown 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. $$ Pascal’s Manale 1838 Napoleon Ave., 8954877, PascalsManale.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Vintage neighborhood restaurant since 1913 and the place to go for the creation of barbecued shrimp. Its oyster bar serves icy cold, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters and the Italian specialties and steaks are also solid. $$$$ 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.

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. $$$ Balise 640 Carondelet St., 459-4449, BaliseNola.com. L Mon-Fri, D nightly. Chef Justin Devillier turns back the clock at this turn-of-the-century inspired bistro in the CBD. Decidedly masculine fare – think venison tartare with horseradish and pumpernickel – is carefully crafted and fits well alongside the excellent cocktail and beer list. $$$ Bon Ton Cafe 401 Magazine St., 524-3386, TheBonTonCafe.com. L, D Mon-Fri. A local favorite for the old-school business lunch crowd specializing in local seafood and Cajun dishes. $$$$ 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. $$$$

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

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DINING GUIDE 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. $$$$ Emeril’s 800 Tchoupitoulas St., 528-9393, EmerilsRestaurants.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily. The flagship of superstar chef Emeril Lagasse’s culinary empire, this landmark attracts pilgrims from all over the world. $$$$$

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. $$$$$ Mother’s 401 Poydras St., 523-9656, MothersRestaurant.net. B, L, D daily. Locals and tourists alike endure long queues and a confounding ordering system to enjoy iconic dishes such as the Ferdi poor boy and Jerry’s jambalaya. Come for a late lunch to avoid the rush. $$ Mulate’s 201 Julia St., 522-1492, Mulates. com. L, D daily. Live music and dancing add to the fun at this world-famous Cajun destination. $$

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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. $$

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. $$$$$

Central City Café Reconcile 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 568-1157, CafeReconcile.org. L Mon-Fri. Good food for a great cause, this nonprofit on the burgeoning OCH corridor helps train at-risk youth for careers in the food service industry. $$

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. $$$$$

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. $$$$ Horn’s 1940 Dauphine St., Marigny, 459-4676, HornsNola.com. B, L daily, D Thu-Mon. This casual, eclectic watering hole offers offbeat twists on classics (the Jewish Coonass features latkes to go with the crawfish etouffée) as well as the usual breakfast and lunch diner fare. $ Praline Connection 542 Frenchmen St., 943-3934, PralineConnection.com. L, D daily. Down-home dishes of smothered pork chops, greens, beans and cornbread are on the menu at this Creole soul restaurant. $$

French Quarter 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., 586-8000, 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. $$ 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. $$$$ 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. $ Court of Two Sisters 613 Royal St., 5227261, 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. $$$

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 Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House 144

H MiLa 817 Common St., 412-2580,

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. $$$$

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. $$$$

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. $$$$$

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. $$$$$

House of Blues 225 Decatur St., 310-4999, HouseOfBlues.com/NewOrleans. L, D daily.

Surprisingly good menu complements music in the main room. World-famous Gospel Brunch every Sunday. Patio seating available. $$ Killer Poboys 811 Conti St., 252-6745, KillerPoboys.blogspot.com. L, D Wed-Mon. This quasi-popup operating out of the Erin Rose Bar serves some of the city’s best poor boys, including one featuring glazed pork belly. $ K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen 416 Chartres

Richard Fiske’s Martini Bar & Restaurant, 301 Dauphine St., 586-0972, RichardFiskes.com. D nightly. Just a few steps off of Bourbon Street you can find this relaxing bar featuring an innovative menu with dishes like Crawfish, Jalapeno-andBacon Mac and Cheese garnished with fried oysters. Live music a plus. $$$ Royal House, 441 Royal St., 528-2601, RoyalHouseRestaurant.com. L, D daily. B Sat and Sun. Poor boys, jambalaya and shrimp Creole are some of the favorites served here. Weekend breakfast and an oyster bar add to the crowd-pleasing appeal. $$$ 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. $$

H Tableau 616 S. Peter St., 934-3463, 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., 617-9146, 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. $$ 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. $$$ 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. $$ 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. $ 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. $

H Mandina’s 3800 Canal St., 482-9179, MandinasRestaurant.com. L, D daily.

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DINING GUIDE Though the ambiance is more upscale, the food and seafood dishes make dining here a New Orleans experience. $$

H Redemption 3835 Iberville St., 3093570, Redemption-Nola.com. L Wed-Fri & Sun, D Wed-Sun. Chef-driven “Revival” Creole fare served in an inspiring former church. $$$ H Toups’ Meatery 845 N. Carrollton Ave., 252-4999, ToupsMeatery.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Charcuterie, specialty cocktails and an exhaustive list of excellent à la carte sides make this restaurant a carnivore’s delight. $$$ 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., 8625514, Boucherie-Nola.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Serving contemporary Southern food with an international angle, chef Nathaniel Zimet offers excellent ingredients presented simply. $$ Brigtsen’s 723 Dante St., 861-7610, Brigtsens.com. D Tue-Sat. Chef Frank Brigtsen’s nationally famous Creole cuisine makes this cozy cottage a true foodie destination. $$$$$

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. $$$ Casamento’s 4330 Magazine St., 895-9761, CasamentosRestaurant.com. L Tue-Sat, D Thu-Sat. The family-owned restaurant has shucked oysters and fried seafood since 1919; closed during summer and for all major holidays. $$ Clancy’s 6100 Annunciation St., 895-1111, ClancysNewOrleans.com. L Thu-Fri, D MonSat. 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. $$$$

Pizza

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. $$$$

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. $$

Domilise’s 5240 Annunciation St., 899-912.

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. $

Bywater H Pizza Delicious 617 Piety St., 676-8282,

H Gautreau’s 1728 Soniat St., 899-7397, GautreausRestaurant.com. D Mon-Sat. Upscale destination serves refined interpretations of classics along with contemporary creations. $$$$$ Jacques-Imo’s Cafe 8324 Oak St., 8610886, Jacques-Imos.com. D Mon-Sat. Reinvented New Orleans cuisine served in a party atmosphere. The deep-fried roast beef poor boy is delicious. The lively bar scene offsets the long wait on weekends. $$$$ Joey K’s 3001 Magazine St., 891-0997, JoeyKsRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. A true neighborhood restaurant with daily lunch plates; red beans and rice are classic. $ Mahony’s 3454 Magazine St., 899-3374, MahonysPoBoys.com. L, D daily. Along with the usual poor boys, this sandwich shop serves up a grilled shrimp and fried green tomato version dressed with remoulade sauce. Sandwich offerings are augmented by a full bar. $ Mat & Naddie’s 937 Leonidas St., 8619600, MatAndNaddies.com. D Mon-Tue, Thu-Sat. Cozy converted house serves up creative and eclectic regionally inspired fare. Shrimp and crawfish croquettes make for a good appetizer and when the weather is right the romantic patio is the place to sit. $$$$

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. $$

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. $$

PizzaDelicious.com. Authentic New Yorkstyle 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. $$ Pizza Domenica 4933 Magazine St., 301-4978, PizzaDomenica.com. L Fri-Sun, D nightly. James Beard Award Winning Chef Alon Shaya’s pizza centric spinoff of his popular Restaurant Domenica brings Neapolitan-style pies to Uptown. Excellent salads and charcuterie boards are offered as well. $$ 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) 386-6666, 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 Is-

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

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. $$$ Landry’s Seafood 400 N. Peters St., 5580038, LandrysSeafood.com. Kid-friendly and popular seafood spot serves of heaping platters of fried shrimp, Gulf oysters, catfish and more. $$ 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 seafoodcentric destination on Bourbon Street.

Fried alligator is available for the more daring diner. $$$ Oceana Grill 739 Conti St., 525-6002, OceanaGrill.com. B, L, D daily. Gumbo, poor boys and barbecue shrimp are served at this kid-friendly seafood destination. $$ Pier 424, 424 Bourbon St., 309-1574, Pier424SeafoodMarket.com. L, D daily.

Cheese Company Opens Second Location St. James Cheese Company, 641 Tchoupitoulas St., 5004 Prytania St., StJamesCheese.com The St. James Cheese Company has opened a second location in the Warehouse District at 641 Tchoupitoulas St. The new shop and restaurant has an expansive selection of imported and domestic artisan cheeses, cured meats and other gourmet items such as olives, pickles and preserves. The restaurant is serving many customer favorites, as well as new hot items such as the Raclette. A cheese bar operates like a sushi bar, with cheese mongers creating cheese plates and pairing bites to encourage customers to try new flavors and combinations. – M.C.

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cheryl gerber photograph

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. $$

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

poor boys and daily lunch specials. Kidfriendly with a game room to boot. $$

Specials include the provoleta appetizer and the Vacio flank steak. $$$

Classified Cut and Beetroot Supreme. $$$$

West End

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. $$$$

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. $$$

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. $$

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

H Desi Vega’s Steakhouse 628 St.

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. $$

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. $$$

Uptown

H La Boca 870 Tchoupitoulas St., 525-

Frankie & Johnny’s 321 Arabella St., 2431234, FrankieAndJohnnys.net. L, D daily.

Serves fried and boiled seafood along with

8205, LaBocaSteaks.com. D Mon-Sat. This Argentine steakhouse specializes in cuts of meat along with pastas and wines.

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. $$$$$

H Doris Metropolitan 620 Chartres St., 267-3500, DorisMetropolitan.com. L Sat-Sun, D daily. Innovative, genre-busting steakhouse plays with expectations and succeeds with modernist dishes like their

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. $$$$

Uptown Charlie’s Steak House 4510 Dryades St., 895-9323, CharliesSteakHouseNola. com. D Tues-Sat. This quintessential New Orleans neighborhood steak house serves up carnivorous delights including its 32-ounce T-Bone in a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere. An upstairs dining room accommodates larger parties

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DINING GUIDE with ease. $$$

Vegan/Vegetarian Lower Garden District H The Green Fork 1400 Prytania St., 2677672, GreenForkNola.com. B, L Mon-Sat. Fresh juices, smoothies and vegetarianfriendly fare make The Green Fork a favorite for lovers of healthy food. Catering is offered as well. $$

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

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. $$

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CBD/Warehouse District Johnny Sanchez 930 Poydras St., 3046615, JohnnySanchezRestaurant.com. L, D daily. Contemporary Mexican mecca offering celebrity chef cachet to go along with the locally sourced produce accompanying the Bistec a la Parilla. Popular happy hour and downtown locale next to South Market District add to the appeal. $$$

H Lüke 333 St. Charles Ave., 378-2840, LukeNewOrleans.com. B, L, D daily, Br SatSun. Chef John Besh and executive chef Matt Regan serve Germanic specialties and French bistro classics, house-made 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 housecreated 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., 9494115. 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. $

Faubourg St. John H 1000 Figs 3141 Ponce De Leon St., 301-0848, 1000Figs.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Vegetarian-friendly offshoot of the Fat Falafel Food Truck offers a healthy farmto-table alternative to cookie-cutter Middle Eastern places. $$

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

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. $$$

METAIRIE Vega Tapas Café 2051 Metairie Road, 8362007, VegaTapasCafe.com. D Mon-Sat. Fun, eclectic small plates destination offers creative fare keeps guests coming back with frequent regionally inspired specialty menus served with humor and whimsy. $$

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

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. $$

H Mona’s Café 3901 Banks St., 482-7743.

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. $

Upper 9th Ward Kebab , 2315 Saint Claude Ave., 3834328, KebabNola.com. L, D Fri-Mon. The menu is short and tasty at this kebab outpost along the revitalized St. Claude Avenue corridor. $

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

H Mona’s Café 4126 Magazine St., 8949800; 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. $$$ H Shaya 4213 Magazine St., 891-4213, ShayaRestaurant.com. L, D daily. James

Beard Award-winning chef Alon Shaya pays homage to his native Israel with this contemporary Israeli hotspot. Fattoush Salad and Matzo Ball Soup made with slow-cooked duck are dishes to try. $$$

Specialty Foods CBD/Warehouse District 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.

French Quarter 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.

Metairie

peanut butter and jelly.

Uptown 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.

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 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

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.

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

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

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Springtime Scenery: Southern Travel Destinations

Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa

W

hether you’re considering a weeklong spring break adventure or a get-away weekend to escape the city, March is a beautiful month to hit the road and enjoy the warm weather and cool breezes that accompany the season. The following travel destinations are all a quick jaunt by plane or car and offer a diverse selection of enjoyable activities and atmospheres. From luxurious hotels and resorts complete with spas and fine dining to whitesand beaches, lush golf courses and eye-opening historic sites, there’s a place for you to find both relief and repose. Relaxation for some looks like a weekend on the water, fishing for redfish or bass, while for others could mean sipping a cool beverage at a food or music festival. And yet still others find peace with a credit card and a string of shops and boutiques. Spring is the season for renewal – experience yours today with a visit to a nearby southern travel destination.

Lively, Lovely Louisiana

sample the best Cajun dishes on a TABASCO® Food Tour with departures to Iberia and Vermilion parishes. Jungle Gardens has also made its trek more interactive with new signage, and guided birding tours are available upon reservation.

Make plans now to attend the first ever Dave Robicheaux’s Hometown Literary Festival, April 8-10, 2016, celebrating New York Times bestselling author James Lee Burke’s famous detective from New Iberia. Authors/publishers panels, book signings, look-a-like contests, great food, lively music and guided tours are just the start of what’s sure to become a beloved festival.

In Iberia Parish, it’s all too hot to pass up! For more information on destinations and events, visit IberiaTravel.com.

The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery, one of USA Today’s 10 best new hotels of 2015 and Fodor’s top 25 new hotels of 2015, has partnered with the Where Y’Art gallery in debuting their second collaborative exhibition, “Unveiled Part Two: Works of Leroy Miranda

The Hyatt French Quarter New Orleans is a renovated 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 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 Quarter New Orleans can accommodate meetings, events and weddings from three to 300 people.

The Hyatt French Quarter also boasts their market-inspired eatery, Powdered Sugar, and the artisan Batch Bar, which showcases a collection of quality bourbons and flask service. The popular and award-winning Red Fish Grill, owned and operated by Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, is also part of the Hyatt French Quarter New Orleans. Additionally, the Hard Rock Cafe serves casual cuisine and offers live music during the week. The Hotel is located at 800 Iberville St., New Orleans, LA, 70112.

For more information, visit FrenchQuarter.hyatt.com.

Savor the difference in Iberia Parish this spring. Celebrate 150 years of TABASCO® and see the Avery Island experience! Journey the TABASCO® Factory like never before with an all-new expanded tour, visitor center and Creole-cottage cafeteria-style restaurant, 1868. Or,

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ADVERTISING SECTION Jr.” currently on display at the hotel in the New Orleans Warehouse Arts District. The hotel show is an extension of a group show and presents a collection of 25 contemporary mixed media portraits on paper, panel and canvas. Miranda’s experimental approach is fluid in nature, allowing the objects he chooses to form the line, shapes and figures on the page.

In addition to experiencing the new installation, hotel guests can book the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery’s new Art of Travel package, which pairs an overnight stay with $100 credit for art from Where Y’Art, for rates starting at $227, plus tax. Art lovers who want an insider’s view and expert advice on expanding or starting their art collection can purchase an upgraded version of the package. The Art of Travel package is bookable now through the end of 2016 at old77hotel.com/offers.

Creative and curious travelers to New Orleans have a new option in accommodations, as Le Méridien New Orleans offers an artful and explorative experience for the city’s guests. Last year, Le Méridien completed a $29 million transformation of the former W Hotel centrally located on Poydras Street, which included a redesign of all 410 guest rooms (with 22 stunning suites), the debut of two new food and beverage outlets, the signature Le Méridien Hub, fitness center and more. The Parisian-born hotel brand is committed to incorporating local culture, coordinates and cuisine into each destination, and New Orleans guests can expect an elevated discovery experience in every aspect of the stay, from elaborate art displays to coffee, éclairs and sparkling cocktails. Mixing contemporary culture with its European heritage, Le Méridien creates a culturally refined, meaningful atmosphere that inspires and stimulates creativity.

Further engaging for guests is Le Méridien’s UNLOCK ART™ programme, which offers guests complimentary general admission to

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the Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans, New Orleans Museum of Art and Ogden Museum of Southern Art. For more information and reservations, visit LeMeridienNewOrleansHotel.com or call 1-800-543-4300.

Nottoway Plantation & Resort, a magnificent 1850s sugarcane estate and AAA Four-Diamond property, is the home of the South’s largest existing antebellum mansion. Stunningly restored to her days of glory, she rests majestically on lush, oak-draped grounds along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

In addition to daily audio and guided mansion tours, Nottoway offers 40 deluxe rooms, fabulous dining, beautiful event venues and unforgettable southern hospitality. The Mansion Restaurant features exquisite southern Louisiana cuisine and is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Other amenities include an outdoor pool, cabana and hot tub, tennis courts, fitness center, salon and spa and nighttime grounds gorgeously transformed into a magical world by thousands of sparkling white lights.

Nottoway Plantation & Resort welcomes you to visit and experience for yourself the history, the luxury and the hospitality of Nottoway, truly the extraordinary crown jewel of southern antebellum plantations.

For more information, visit Nottoway.com or call 225-545-2730 or 866-527-6884.

Sunny Florida Sip sip hooray! Uncork some fun in the sun at the 30th annual Sandestin Wine Festival, April 14-17, 2016, at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, the “No. 1 Resort on the Emerald Coast.” Presented by Coastal Living magazine, the Sandestin Wine Festival is regarded as

ADVERTISING SECTION one of the top wine festivals in the country and has been voted the Best Annual Event in Destin.

Enjoy a picture-perfect event, complete with white tents, flowing wine, delicious food, ladies strolling in hats, live music and so much more. Affectionately called the “Kentucky Derby of Wine Festivals,” attendees will enjoy tastings showcasing hundreds of domestic and international wines.

Visit South Walton this April and enjoy beautiful weather and an amazing food and wine event all weekend long. Stay steps or a simple tram ride away from the event in deluxe accommodations at Sandestin, and save up to 25 percent off with promo code WINE16.

Visit Sandestin.com/wine or call 866-544-1026 for more information.

Each year, South Walton becomes the epicenter of the wine world during the last weekend of April as South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival and Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) team up to host the preeminent vintners from around the world. The ultimate wine week includes two days of Grand Tastings as well as ancillary and VIP events.

Held in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival, April 28-May 1, features more than 800 wines, celebrity winemakers, the Savor South Walton Culinary Village, tasting seminars, live entertainment, Spirits Row and Champagne Lane.

he star-studded lineup of 2016 celebrity winemakers includes wine superstars Cristina Mariani-May of Castello Banfi Vintners and Pomerol Powerhouse Ronan Laborde of Chateau Clinet, among others. The festival is presented by Visit South Walton and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Tickets to festival events, including the Friday Craft Beer and Spirits Jam, are available at SoWalWine.com.

Spring is a great time to visit Historic Pensacola! Enjoy moderate

temperatures and cool breezes from the bay as you experience the rich heritage of America’s first settlement. Historic Pensacola, located in downtown Pensacola, Florida, is just minutes from its world famous sugar-white beaches and emerald-green waters.

Historic Pensacola, which includes the T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, the Pensacola Children’s Museum, the Museums of Commerce, Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center and Historic Pensacola Village, shares the history and stories of America’s first settlement through museum exhibits, guided home tours and interaction with period-dressed living history interpreters.

“One Ticket, Seven Days to Explore” ticketing allows access to all properties and activities for seven days. Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for senior citizens, military personnel and dependents and AAA members and $4 for children ages 3 to 15. For more information, visit HistoricPensacola.org or call 850-595-5985. Come explore!

The time to start planning a beach vacation is now. Destin was chosen among the “Top 5 U.S. Destinations on the Rise” according to TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards. With the area’s popular sugar white sand beaches, Destin vacation rentals are booking faster this year, according to Newman-Dailey Resort Properties.

To make vacation planning easier, Newman-Dailey is launching a vacation planning app. The app provides guests everything pertaining to their stay in one convenient location. Newman-Dailey is also bringing back its Be Free Bundle*, which packages the Newman-Dailey Gift Card, good toward area activities, with complimentary beach service and discounts to area restaurants and attractions.

Newman-Dailey features a vast selection of premier South Walton and Destin vacation rentals and is offering a “Late Spring Fling*” special, featuring 10 percent off stays of three nights or more, April 16-May 20, 2016 (*available with most rentals; some restrictions apply). For

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Sandestin Wine Festival

details, visit DestinVacation.com or call 1-800-225-7652.

The contagiously delicious and fresh menu of the The Ruby Slipper Cafe continues to spread flavor across New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, as the popular eatery recently opened its fifth and newest location in historic Downtown Pensacola, Florida, and is planning a sixth opening (summer 2016) in Orange Beach, Alabama. Already present across New Orleans, 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 the BBQ Shrimp & Grits.

If you are planning to travel this summer to a beach locale, consider Pensacola, Florida, or Orange Beach, Alabama. Visit the Ruby Slipper online at TheRubySlipperCafe.net and find all five locations on Facebook. Dine in Mid-City at 139 S. Cortez St., in the CBD at 200 Magazine St., in Marigny at 2001 Burgundy St., in the French Quarter at 1005 Canal St., and at 509 South Palafox St., Pensacola, Florida.

Mighty, Diverse Mississippi Just one hour from New Orleans, Ship Island is rated the best beach attraction on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Located approximately 11 miles south of Gulfport and Biloxi, it’s accessible by Ship Island Excursions’ ferryboats, located in the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor.

Watch for Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins during the enjoyable 50-minute ferry boat ride. Ship Island, with its tranquil stretches of National Park beaches, invites you for an affordable family vacation to explore, swim and relax for a fun-filled day. Experience the pristine Gulf waters, explore high quality beaches and tour historic Fort Massachusetts, all

part of Gulf Islands National Seashore.

A 1/3-mile stroll along a boardwalk is required to reach the more popular swim beach on the south side of the island. Except for the fort, boardwalk, restrooms with showers and a covered picnic area near a snack bar, you’ll find little development.

Visit MSShipIsland.com or call 866-GO-MSFUN (866-466-7386) for more information.

Whether attending a signature event or touring historic homes while azaleas are in bloom, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is a great place to take your family to make your own history. Visit the Vicksburg National Military Park and check out educational museums to immerse yourself in American history. Watch riverboats cruise down the mighty Mississippi River from one of many scenic overlooks or book a guided tour of the city for a truly unique experience.

Enjoy Vicksburg’s biggest festival, the RiverFest Music and Arts Festival, April 15-16, for live music concerts and free daytime activities. Other activities include the DiamondJacks Rhythm Run, the Old Court House Flea Market and Alcorn State University’s Jazz Fest. Spring is the perfect time to take part in traditional Vicksburg events like attending the Guinness Book of World Records’ longest running melodrama Gold in the Hills – celebrating its 80th year – or kayaking the mighty Mississippi at the Bluz Cruz Canoe and Kayak Race.

Find out more at VisitVicksburg.com or by calling 1-800-221-3536.

Alabama Bays & Beaches Total relaxation awaits you just 160 miles from New Orleans.

Come celebrate life at the legendary Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Pt. Clear, Alabama. Enjoy spectacular sunsets, spa treatments and golf. The Grand Hotel has been welcoming Lou-

ADVERTISING SECTION (BuzzCatzCoffeeandSweets.com).

Nestled under the Perdido Bay Bridge, next to Caribe Resort, is sister restaurant Cobalt with an award-winning menu from renowned chefs. Experience a casual atmosphere with waterfront dining, live music and superior service (CobaltRestaurant.net).

Southern Travel Resources

Newman-Dailey Resort Properties

isiana guests since 1847. Come see why USA Today readers named the Grand Hotel the top historic hotel in the South and Conde Nast Traveler continues to rave about the resort and its spa.

With 405 luxurious guest rooms and 550 acres featuring giant oak trees and multiple beaches, the Grand Hotel is ideal for families looking to get away and for couples needing to reconnect. Catch the afternoon military salute and cannon firing before afternoon tea in the lobby. Swim in three signature pools or nap in a hammock. Dine, stroll, sail and bike in Pt. Clear or shop boutiques and galleries in quaint and artsy Fairhope. Come relax at the Grand.

For more information and reservations, visit GrandHotelMarriott.com.

Southeast Louisiana travelers know all too well the over-reliance on long road travel and lengthy, expensive layovers when traveling throughout the Gulf and Mid-South regions. Business and leisure travelers now have a quality and economical alternative to reach Shreveport; Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; and starting Easter weekend, Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

New Orleans-based and -owned GLO addresses travelers’ needs by offering non-stop air service between these cities and Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY). GLO passengers are now able to enjoy more of their time with friends and family in these four destination cities.

Seasonal flights to the Emerald Coast will run on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Labor Day Weekend, and in order to introduce New Orleanians to their hometown air service provider, GLO is offering $119 one-way, “GLOforIt” fares on all flights to Destin-Fort Walton Beach through Sept. 6, 2016.

Book your non-stop flight today at FlyGLO.com. •

This spring, escape to Alabama’s white sandy beaches at Gulf Shores. This family-friendly beach destination has seen generations return year after year, and with so much to see and do, it’s no wonder. With a wide variety of activities and attractions, including a number of acclaimed festivals, there’s something for all interests and ages to enjoy. And of course, there are plenty of delicious culinary delights and fresh seafood dishes for visitors to indulge in.

Enjoy a day of art, music, and spicy crawfish at the Waterway Village Zydeco and Crawfish Festival in Gulf Shores on April 16. Then on April 28-30, come by The Wharf in Orange Beach for Bama Boat Cruise. And on May 14, Waves of Wine will be coming to Orange Beach to showcase wines from all over the world.

To learn more about the area, request a copy of the 2016 vacation guide by visiting GulfShores.com or calling 877-341-2400.

Tucked back in quaint Orange Beach off the bustling beach boulevard is Cosmo’s Courtyard, home to Cosmo’s Restaurant & Bar. Ranked in the Top 10 Orange Beach restaurants on TripAdvisor, Cosmo’s Restaurant & Bar serves fresh and eclectic food. The diverse and celebrated menu features everything from hand-cut steaks and local seafood to pastas and sushi. Travelers and locals alike enjoy great food, lively cocktails and excellent service (CosmosRestaurantAndBar.com).

The owner of Cosmo’s Courtyard welcomes two more eateries in March: Luna’s Eat & Drink, and BuzzCatz Coffee & Sweets. Luna’s Eat & Drink is a high energy, family-friendly eatery featuring a menu of Southern-inspired comfort foods and 32 (craft-focused) beers on tap (LunasEatandDrink.com). From locally roasted coffee and simple breakfast fare to homemade pastries, ice cream, and baked goods, BuzzCatz Coffee & Sweets is simply scrumptious

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Spring Fever Spring fever is sweeping New Orleans, and fortunately unlike the common cold or pesky allergies, this fever is to get out of the house has everyone excited and on the go. With another Mardi Gras in the books, New Orleans sets its sights on new seasons: crawfish season, festival season, strawberry season and much, much more.

The streets are alive with foot traffic, cyclists, cabs and cars as everyone welcomes spring in their own way – through courtyard and patio dining, shopping for the season’s new fashions, dancing at local festivals and attending cultural events, to name a few. From a new piece of jewelry, to a leisurely lunch or a gallery exhibition, the following area vendors can help cure your spring fever with a big dose of flavor and fun.

Shop the City A New Orleans native, artist and designer, Cristy Cali has a knack for capturing the spirit of New Orleans with designs in silver and gold.

Cristy's Collection is a line of jewelry focused on and inspired by the architecture, rich culture, and fascinating history of New Orleans.

Cristy’s Collection features necklaces, bracelets, pendants, rings, earrings and more – each piece exhibiting a love of New Orleans and an appreciation of style. From well-known landmarks such as St. Louis Cathedral and the Superdome to popular local indulgences such as snowballs and the Roman Candy Co., Cristy’s Collection highlights not only the city, but also the community.

Additionally, Cristy Cali has revolutionized the tradition of wedding cake pulls with Couture charms. Couture Pulls offer an exciting new way to approach the event. Brides have the option of classy pearl bracelets or colored satin ribbon to pull the charms, allowing bridesmaids to immediately wear their new charms.

For a list of retailers or to shop online, visit CristyCali.com.

While Trashy Diva is a distinctly New Orleans clothing company with five locations spread across the city, their vintage-inspired designs are known and coveted worldwide. For more than nineteen years, Trashy Diva has provided customers with vintage flair and 100

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classic style. Original designs in dresses by Candice Gwinn suit a modern sensibility with a focus on creating feminine styles that flatter a variety of body types, from size 0 through 24.

Look to Trashy Diva for timelessly feminine collections that incorporate a range of vivacious patterns. Stylish staples in solid colors round out seasonal collections, ensuring that Trashy Diva carries just what you're looking for no matter the time of year!

Although renowned for retro-inspired dresses, Trashy Diva also offers a curated selection of shoes, accessories, and lingerie. Their lingerie boutiques house a variety of pieces that range from basic to brazen as well as New Orleans-approved staples such as jeweled eye masks, pretty petticoats, and customizable corsets.

Celebrating a bachelorette or birthday party? Host an after-hours event with Trashy Diva Lingerie for a memorable night of fun and entertainment. For more information, visit TrashyDiva.com or call 504299-3939.

For Southshore residents, a drive to Mandeville or Baton Rouge isn’t always a regular occurrence, but women across the region are finding a worthwhile reason to make the trip, thanks to Jeanne “Genie” Emory’s Bra Genie Fitting Salons. Over the past decade, Bra Genie (Northshore) has grown to a 3,500-squarefoot store with more than 200 bra size options available. In addition to bras, Bra Genie offers shapewear, accessories, panties, sleepwear and a growing assortment of year-round swimwear with brands such as Prima Donna and Body Glove.

Jeanne and her team of expert fitters work directly with women to ensure they choose the most flattering and comfortable styles available. Whether you are voluptuous and busty, or petite and smallbreasted, Bra Genie fitters are the key to discovering your perfect fit and style, which will revolutionize your look. Fittings are offered through scheduled appointments or walk-in service – let a Bra Genie fitting change your look and your life!

For more information, visit TheBraGenie.com or call 985-951-8638.

For Bra Genie in Baton Rouge Towne Center, call 225-223-6114.

In a town as decadent as New Orleans, everyone is bound to have a friend that’s hard to shop for. What do you get for the man or woman who has everything? And where do you go to treat yourself to a new, fabulous accessory that no one else will have? QUEORK, of course – a fantastic French Quarter boutique that’s the first of its kind not only in NOLA, but in the United States! As the first non-import based cork company in the US, QUEORK is a local business that specializes in fine cork handbags and accessories.

Cork comes from the cork oak tree native to Portugal, Spain, and Morocco and is the only tree in the world that regenerates after its bark is sheared in fabric making. That’s right – it grows back! It has been called a “fairy tale fabric” for its waterproof, scratchproof, stain resistant, hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, and 100 percent vegan qualities. Cork is utilitarian, while still beautiful and unique. From handbags to wallets, belts and bow ties, there’s something for everyone at QUEORK. You can even get a collar for that special furry friend in your life.

Visit QUEORK at 838 Rue Chartres or shop online at Queork.com.

The French Market District is comprised of a scenic six-block stretch along the Mississippi River in the New Orleans French Quarter from Café du Monde to the Farmers and Flea Markets and includes The Shops on the Colonnade on Decatur Street, The Shops at the Upper Pontalba on Jackson Square, and the newly opened Crescent Park on the river.

Experience historic architecture, sidewalk dining, live music, boutique shopping and plenty of affordable souvenirs, from locally made pralines and spices to artwork and cookbooks. Enjoy complimentary walking tours, fitness classes, children’s concerts and workshops, author signings, cooking demonstrations and various cultural events throughout the year.

The French Market District is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with some restaurants open later). Every Wednesday, the Crescent City Farmers Market produces a fresh farmers market 1-5 p.m. The 30th annual French Market Creole Tomato Festival

ADVERTISING SECTION will be held June 11 & 12, 2016. View the full calendar of events, maps, and shop listings at FrenchMarket.org.

Get out of the winter blues and into something new this spring! Shop Donald J Pliner's full assortment of luxury footwear, handbags, jewelry, and accessories at The Shops at Canal Place. Many shoppers may remember the store as St. Germain, and Donald J. Pliner is still the same store customers know and love, continuing to offer incredible jewelry from brands like Ray Griffiths as well as the full assortment of men’s and women's shoes.

Join fellow fashion lovers to shop the entire Mizuki and Astley Clarke jewelry collections on March 18 and 19. If you’re in the market for the perfect pair of shoes this season, stop in or call 504-522-1720 for a personal appointment.

Fresh Food & Drink This spring, stop by any of the Tropical Isles, home of the Hand Grenade®, New Orleans' Most Powerful Drink®. Also, enjoy a Hand Grenade at Funky Pirate Blues Club or Bayou Club. Experience Trop Rock, Cajun/Zydeco & the Blues with Tropical Isle's nightly entertainment, the best on Bourbon. State-of-the-art sound systems plus great live bands will keep you dancing the night away at Tropical Isle Bourbon, Tropical Isle Original, Little Tropical Isle, Funky Pirate, and the Bayou Club. While there, ask about the new Hand Grenade® Martini! Enjoy big screen TVs at Funky Pirate, Bayou Club, Tropical Isle Bourbon, and Top of the Trop. For more on Tropical Isle, visit TropicalIsle.com.

For a quiet escape, visit local favorite The Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro right off of Bourbon at 720 Orleans Ave., which has more than 200 varieties of wine by the bottle and plenty of wine by the glass, plus a Bacon Happy Hour! For sample menus and wine lists, visit OrleansGrapevine.com.

New Orleans is known for its leisurely brunches, so it’s no surprise the city is home to one of America’s Top 100 Brunches. You may be surprised, however, to discover the award winner is a cozy Italian lunch and brunch spot in the midst of the CBD at 125 Camp Street. Red Gravy is the creation of owner Roseann Melisi Rostoker, whose passion for food, life, love and New Orleans is evident in her outstanding, locally sourced cuisine.

Whether it’s the sweet Cannoli Pancakes you crave or the savory Polpetta omelet with meatball and ricotta, Red Gravy’s menu offerings satisfy every palate. Red Gravy offers daily breakfast and lunch specials like BBQ shrimp, Liege waffles, and Pepperoni & Salad Pizza to complement the brunch menu. Live music accompanies the meal on weekends. Additionally, Girls Gone Vegan supplies an abundant assortment of gluten-free bakery items.

Guests can purchase Roseann’s red gravy, bolognese, homemade jams and preserves and handmade pottery, including olive oil plates, at the restaurant. View the menu and learn more at RedGravyCafe.com.

The restaurant is available for private functions, and catering and takeout are available as well.

Located just steps off Bourbon Street in the heart of the beloved French Quarter, Arnaud’s offers classic Creole cuisine and exemplary service in beautifully restored turn of the century dining rooms. Since its inception in 1918, Arnaud’s has remained true to its traditions and courtesies.

Enjoy live Dixieland Jazz in the Jazz Bistro, authentic New Orleans dining in the Main Dining Room, cocktails in the world renowned French 75 Bar and 14 private dining rooms perfect for any occasion.

Arnaud’s delivers a quintessential New Orleans experience to locals and visitors alike.

This spring, celebrate Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with Arnaud’s for a truly memorable dining experience with family and friends. Arnaud’s is open nightly for dinner and private dining and offers brunch every Sunday. For more information or to make reservations, call 504-523-5433 or visit ArnaudsRestaurant.com.

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ADVERTISING SECTION Located in the Lower Garden District and just blocks from Downtown New Orleans, Hoshun Restaurant delivers a flavorful punch of pan-Asian flavors with their own take on traditional dishes from China, Japan, Vietnam, and other South-Asian countries.

Popular menu items include pho soup and Vietnamese spring rolls, pad Thai, sushi, General Tso’s Chicken, Hunan steak, Kung Pao shrimp and more. Open daily until 2 a.m., Hoshun is a favorite latenight spot for locals and visitors alike. Visitors can look forward to the addition of sharable small plates to the menu in the near future.

Whether you’re looking for seafood, steak or vegetarian fare, Hoshun’s extensive menu provides options for everyone. Salt & Pepper Shrimp and Ahi Tuna Seared are a couple of Hoshun's seafood specialties, while Butter Pepper Mignon offers a meatier possibility.

For menu and information, visit HoshunRestaurant.com or call 504302-9716. Located at 1601 St. Charles Ave., Hoshun offers a private party room overlooking the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line fitting between 25-70 people.

Chef John Trinh has joined with renowned master chef Alex Patout to present New Orleans’ treasured cooking traditions at the New Orleans Creole Cookery, 510 Toulouse St. in the French Quarter.

Trinh brings a unique Creole-Italian style of cooking with dishes such as Lobster Fra Diablo and Creole Braised Pork Shank. Patout has built the menu around inventive interpretations of classics such as Grillades and Grits and Chef Alex’s Crab Cake Napolean. Together, chefs Trinh and Patout deliver an authentic Creole New Orleans dining experience.

New Orleans Creole Cookery is everything you love about New Orleans in a setting to fit every occasion. Enjoy casual fine dining at its very best in your choice of the charming Toulouse Lautrec dining room, romantic courtyard or lively oyster bar. Each offers the Creoleinspired menu complemented by tempting handcrafted cocktails from the bar.

New Orleans Creole Cookery is open seven days a week 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. for lunch and dinner, and a jazz brunch on Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Learn more at NewOrleansCreoleCookery. com. Call 504-524-9632 for reservations.

With Lent in full swing, so are the 40 days without meat. Kingfish Kitchen & Cocktails is the perfect place to spend your Lenten Fridays, or Saturdays, or any days. Chef Nathan Richard has crafted a Lenten menu that is sure to satisfy any seafood craving. Lil’ Eats such as crawfish boil chowder, Louisiana sportsman’s gumbo, crawfish and artichoke gratin, and blackened shrimp and cornbread dressing top the list. Big Eats include whole Gulf fish, Louisiana shrimp stew, Gulf Coast cioppino and black drum on the half shell tacos.

For the carnivore in you, Judy at the Rink Kingfish also offers pepper crusted 14 oz. ribeye, parmesan cured duck breast, and roasted rosemary citrus chicken, as well as fried boudin balls and pulled pork nachos.

Don’t deny yourself good food this season – stop in at Kingfish. For more information on Kingfish Kitchen & Cocktails and its special Lenten Menu, please visit KingfishNewOrleans.com or call 504-598-5005 to make reservations.

Celebrate the spring season with the oldest family-run restaurant in the country, Antoine’s Restaurant. This charming, festive, and acclaimed French-Creole establishment celebrates 176 years of French Quarter service this year. Whether you’re looking for a meal or beverage to enjoy with friends during festival season or a special three-course menu on a special occasion, Antoine’s French-Creole menu has the flavors you love.

Antoine’s popular three-course lunch menu continues this year, changing as it does by a penny a year. The new $20.16 Lunch Menu includes three courses with three options each and features items such as Creole Charred Oysters, Shrimp and Grits, and Pecan Bread Pudding.

A special 25-cent cocktail, which changes daily, will also be available, made fresh from the bartender.

Make Easter and Mother’s Day extra special this year with an unforgettable meal at Antoine’s. The restaurant will feature a threecourse prix-fixe menu on Easter, accompanied by favors, live jazz music and visits from the Easter Bunny. A special menu and live music will also be available on Mother’s Day. For more information and reservations, visit AntoinesRestaurant.com or call 504-581-4422.

When New Orleans restaurateur Ralph Brennan and Terry White bought the iconic pink stucco building that had long housed Brennan's, they acquired ten turtles who inhabited the fountain pool in the legendary courtyard. Last year, after the grand re-opening, Brennan’s welcomed the temporarily displaced turtles home and is marking the event again with the Second Annual Turtle Parade on Sat., March 12, 2016 at 11 a.m.

Dubbed “The Slowest Second Line on Earth,” the jubilant processional will wind through the French Quarter via decorative wagons in tribute to the Mother Sauces, the foundation of New Orleans cuisine, complete with a police escort and bag-pipe procession. The festive party is Brennan’s “green” take on the weekend of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, a nod to Ralph Brennan’s Irish ancestry.

All are invited to march along with the Krewe of Turtles as they parade around and return to their historic residence with a blessing, champagne sabering, and complimentary hors d’oeuvres and confections. Rest assured the turtles will be formally pardoned, ensuring that none will ever land in a Brennan’s signature Turtle Soup!

For additional details, visit BrennansNewOrleans.com or call 504-525-9711.

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Taste the rich history of New Orleans this season by going to Pascal’s Manale, home of the original BBQ Shrimp. Founded in 1913, this New

ADVERTISING SECTION Orleans tradition is now in its third, fourth and fifth generations of family involvement and still serves the classic dishes for which it’s been famous for decades. A blend of Italian and Creole, Pascal’s Manale’s menu includes New Orleans and Italian favorites, steaks and seafood dishes.

Start your night with raw oysters from the oyster bar before indulging in the succulent BBQ shrimp. The Veal Gambero and Fish Pascal specials have flavors all their own while also incorporating the richness of the BBQ Shrimp and its sauce. Other Pascal’s Manale favorites include the Oysters Bienville, baked oysters topped with a mushroom, shrimp and bacon dressing, or the Combination Pan Roast, which consists of shrimp, oysters and crabmeat chopped together with shallots and seasoning.

Monday through Friday, 3-6 p.m., enjoy half-priced raw oysters at the oyster bar as well discounted beer, wine, and cocktails. World-famous Pascal’s Manale is located at 1838 Napoleon Ave., off the St. Charles streetcar line. For reservations, call 504-895-4877 or visit them on OpenTable.com.

Tableau offers the best in outdoor dining in the French Quarter! Soak in the beautiful spring weather on their balcony overlooking Jackson Square or by the whispering fountain in their cozy courtyard.

Breakfast is new to the menu at Tableau. Stop in for Tableau’s signature breakfast bar including Buttermilk Biscuits and Andouille Gravy or order their soon-to-be famous Bread Pudding Pain Perdu off the new menu. Tableau now offers Brass Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays beginning at 10 a.m. Listen to the rhythmic tunes of a New Orleans-style Brass Band while you enjoy a leisurely brunch in the heart of the French Quarter. As always, dinner and lunch won’t disappoint, with entrées like the renowned Chicken Tableau, and the noteworthy Les Petits Filet Mignon & Frites.

Tableau also features an amazing happy hour 2-6 p.m. daily, offering half price beer and wine on tap, $5 classic cocktails, and discounted small plates.

For menus, reservations, and more, visit TableauFrenchQuarter.com.

Seasonal Events & Activities New Orleans 80th Spring Fiesta, March 5, 6, 12 and 13, celebrates the cultural heritage and architecture of the city.

See what is behind those mysterious shutters! Spring Fiesta offers home and courtyard tours, history and architecture tours, the Queen’s Promenade and Parade, as well as brunch at New Orleans favorite, Antoine’s Restaurant. Guests learn about the history, elegance, and mystery of the French Quarter – the Vieux Carré. Visitors take selfguided tours of private homes not ordinarily open to the public.

Different homes will be opened in the French Quarter March 6 and 13, 1 to 4 p.m.

French Quarter guided history tours are offered all four days at 9:00am. Don’t miss brunch at Antoine’s on March 6 at 11:30 a.m. or the promenade and parade on March 12 at 3 and 4:30 p.m. Visit SpringFiestaNola.com for information and reservations. Advance tickets are available at ticketweb.com or at the Spring Fiesta House, 826 St. Ann St. the day of the event. For more information, email NewOrleansSpringFiesta@yahoo.com or call 504-581-1367.

It is with excitement that New Orleans City Park invites you to join in an extraordinary new opportunity for the Louisiana community. It’s an event that will appeal to everyone. Locals will love it, families will embrace it and visitors will come to New Orleans to experience it. The New Orleans Botanical Garden inside City Park will be transformed like never-before!

From Feb. 23 through May 1, 2016, China Lights will fill the Botanical Garden in City Park with more than 30 extraordinary, blazingly bright silk covered structures. Picture an incredible glowing dragon 192-feet long or a three-story, lit-from-within pagoda towering high enough to be seen from almost any vantage and dozens of dazzlingly colorful

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ADVERTISING SECTION lighted displays created at City Park by a team of over 100 artisans and technical staff from Sichuan Tianyu in Zigong, China.

Tickets are available on CityParkPresentsChinaLights.com and are $18 for adults, $12 for children 3-12 years old, and free for children under 3 years.

Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, transforms into an entertainment complex during Festival International de Louisiane, April 20-24, one of the largest Francophone festivals designed to celebrate cultural expression in a variety of performance arts and to encourage understanding and appreciation for the different cultures that shape Acadiana.

This year’s lineup includes international acts such as Alpha Blondy from the Ivory Coast, Charlélie Couture from France and A-Wa of Israel.

Returning by popular demand this year are The Waifs from Australia, Chic Gamine of Manatoba, Burundi Drummers of Burundi, and DéDé Saint Prix of Paris to honor the past 30 years of Festival International.

Particularly exciting this year are the collaborations with various arts organizations for the 30th anniversary, exhibiting the history of the Festival. The Festival Pass offers an additional new way to experience Festival International, with perks like express drink lines, a seated viewing area and private rest stops.

Visit the festival website for more information at FestivalInternational.org.

Lacrosse is the fastest growing game on two feet. Over the past seven years in Louisiana, the game has grown exponentially and now has more than 20 men’s/boy’s teams statewide. The sport continues to grow rapidly in the New Orleans region, with more schools adding it to their athletic programs. The game of lacrosse requires agility, speed, and good hand/eye coordination. There is no special age or size that makes a player good at the sport, simply the desire to stay in shape while having a great and competitive time.

Southern Lacrosse currently runs youth leagues for girls ages 8-12

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and boys ages 7–10. Boys and girls are taught by athletes from all over the country right here in New Orleans. For more information, call 504826-9425 or email info@southern-lacrosse.com. Check out their retail store located at 1517 Kuebel Street in Harahan.

On Sat., March 19, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Ecole Bilingue de la NouvelleOrléans will present its annual festival celebrating the French heritage of New Orleans. Located at 821 General Pershing St. (between Magazine and Constance streets), Fête Française is free and welcomes the public to enjoy all things French: the language, cuisine, art, and music. The festival is known for its exceptional food and drink, which is specially curated from the area’s top restaurants and wine purveyors.

The musical lineup includes local favorites such as The Soul Rebels, Feufollet, Jon Roniger, Gypsyland and Kaye Doiron. Other activities include games, face and hair painting, a rock-climbing wall, a dunk tank, a puppet theatre, a fine art market with pop-up trunk shows, live and silent auctions, a raffle, and so much more.

For more information, please visit FeteFrancaise.com or call 504896-4500.

Through April 10, the Newcomb Art Museum of Tulane University presents Andrea Dezsö: I Wonder and Kate Clark: Mysterious Presence. Each artist revisits traditional crafts in new and unexpected ways for the twenty-first century.

The show reflects the museum's new mission of presenting original exhibitions that explore socially engaged art, civic dialogue and community transformation. As an entity of an academic institution, the museum utilizes the frameworks of diverse disciplines in conceptualizing and interpreting art and design.

The museum is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Learn more at NewcombArtMuseum.tulane.edu or call 504-865-5328. The museum and its programs are free and open to the public. •

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HOME Springtime in New Orleans isn’t always clear skies and sunny days, but the weather is warm and magnolias are in bloom, making it one of our favorite seasons. Just before it gets too hot and right after it stops being so cold, entertaining guests outside, whether you live in Metairie or in the French Quarter, is a favorite local activity. Refresh your home with new décor, designs, fragrances and more. Take spring cleaning to a new level with a custom closet or add extra measures to keep your home safe with deals on home security systems. Find it all in this Home Resources section, from stunning landscapes and renovations, to upcoming housing and empty lot opportunities to customize your dream home from scratch. Read on to learn about what some of these local businesses are offering in New Orleans.

Spring Cleaning & Organizing As the weather shifts to spring, nothing feels better than an organized and refreshed home. Offering unique and innovative designs, California Closets can help you start the season with confidence and style. With more than 35 years of experience in creating home-organization systems customers love, California Closets is consistently on the forefront of industry technology and products.

Harmonize your home this season with the elegant products and designs from California Closets. Meet with a specialized design consultant to customize your vision, from color scheme to cabinet materials and sizes. From brainstorming through installation, working with California Closets is a breeze. If you’re looking to transform your home office, garage, entertainment system, pantry, closet or any other rooms in your home, visit CaliforniaClosets.com or call 504-828-5705 to learn more. Make an appointment for a consultation and tour the newest and most popular showroom designs at 3211 N. Causeway Blvd. in Metairie.

Louisiana Custom Closets makes springtime cleaning and organizing a breeze. Representing the pinnacle of quality design and service, the professionals at Louisiana Custom Closets work closely with you on creating the best organizational structures for your unique needs and style.

Virtually any space can be personalized. As a premier manufacturer, Louisiana Custom Closets can provide limitless solutions for your home and office storage needs. Locally owned and operated since 2003, customers encounter character and quality you couldn’t find with a franchise. Get started on your dream closet, garage, office, laundry room, hobby room, pantry, utility room – contact Louisiana Custom Closets to discover how beautiful and manageable your space can be.

So choose your style. Choose your finish. Take your storage space from simply neat to simply fabulous. To set up a consultation, contact owner Don Wise at 985-871-0810 or 504-885-3188. Browse their incredible portfolio of designs and learn more at LouisianaCustomClosets.com.

locks and even your thermostat, can be accessed easily through the free mobile app,” states Steve Sawyer, Cox New Orleans Director of Public and Government Affairs. “So you can check in on your home and loved ones anytime, from anywhere.”

Cameras offer live video or 24-hour Continuous Video Recording so you can see what’s happening at home while you’re away. Cox Homelife is not just practical and smart, it provides unbeatable convenience. Visit Cox.com/homelife to request a free in-home consultation, or visit the Cox Solutions Store nearest you for a demo!

When Kay and Roy Fausset bought Judy at the Rink twenty-one years ago, the shop was located on Magazine Street and had already established a reputation for innovative decorative accessories and one-of-a-kind art objects.

After moving to the Rink in 1996, Judy at the Rink has built on that reputation to become the “go to” destination for bridal, debutante and seasonal gifts and for home decorative items from lamps, to paintings, to artisan- crafted glass and ceramics. In addition, the shop has recently diversified its inventory to include fashion purses, scarves, and casual tops and expanded its selection of high-design costume jewelry.

“The covered, secure and easily accessed parking at the Rink location is appealing to our customers”, said Mrs. Fausset, “as are our free gift wrap and free delivery to select areas in New Orleans and Metairie. They also appreciate and support the diverse local artisans and artists that lend a distinctive New Orleans flavor to our Judy merchandise.”

Visit their location at 2727 Prytania St., or call 504-891-7018 to hear about what unique items Judy at the Rink has in stock today!

Spring is in the air and wouldn’t it be nice to make sure your home is just as fragrant? When looking to refresh your home, Auraluz is a wonderful place to stop by this spring for gifts to treat yourself and your friends.

Auraluz offers top-tier brands, including Lamp Berger Paris, the best system to cleanse, purify and fragrance the air in your home.

With Lampe Berger, household odors are not masked, but rather destroyed and eliminated, leaving the air purified. Lampe Berger lamp styles range from classic to modern with over 50 fragrances to choose from. Since 1898, Lampe Berger has mastered the art of design and fragrance creation.

This spring, Lampe Berger will be introducing its newest line, Parfum Berger. Browse the great selection for yourself by visiting the Auraluz store location at 4408 Shores Drive in Metairie or shop online at ShopAuraluz.com.

Home Resources & Decor As one of the world’s most fascinating cities, there is so much to do in New Orleans. Household worries shouldn’t keep you from getting out and taking in the Big Easy. Cox Homelife℠SM offers complete home security and automation, backed by 24/7 UL-certified and awardwinning professional security monitoring.

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ADVERTISING SECTION carports in the rear of the lot that’s accessible via a private road.

Alternatively, an empty lot could be the perfect blank slate to build your dream home from scratch. Find out more about the housing opportunities awaiting you at BakeryVillageNOLA.com.

Nothing short of stunning, the houses built by Chisei Signature Homes will take your breath away. With a polished repertoire of suc-

California Closets

Outdoor Spaces & Home Renovations As a licensed landscape contractor, horticulturist, and long-time resident of New Orleans, Beverly Katz and her team embrace the natural landscapes and historical character the region offers. Problem yards are her specialty, along with courtyards, drainage solutions, landscape and much more.

Springtime in New Orleans brings the sweet fragrance of azaleas, bright sunny days and cool breezy nights. Wouldn’t you like to enjoy this season in the comfort of your own backyard? Exterior Designs, founded by Beverly Katz, brings charm and tranquility to the landscapes, courtyards and pool renovations of locals, preserving the New Orleans Architecture of old homes and adding a touch of the French Quarter Style to new homes.

Visit ExteriorDesignsBev.com to see the stunning portfolio of Exterior Designs’ work and to learn about the building process. Set up a consultation with a professional designer by calling 504-866-0276.

Providing only the highest in quality designs, Nordic Kitchens & Baths offers inspiration for any springtime home improvement project.

Indulge while you tour Nordic’s upscale showroom for the official New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles magazine’s Fête Maison event, with complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres prepared by Sub-Zero/Wolf.

Conveniently located in Metairie, Nordic Kitchens & Baths is a locally owned and operated business consistently recognized for providing top-tier luxury designs for homes in and around the Greater New Orleans area. For those looking to entertain outdoors this season, Sub-Zero/Wolf is also showcasing their distinguished appliances and grills during the event.

Nordic Kitchens & Baths is located at 1818 Veterans Memorial Blvd. in Metairie, La. Doors open at 5 p.m. for the event on Thurs., April 14, and ends at 8 p.m. Register online at MyNewOrleans.com/fete, and for questions email Margaret@MyNewOrleans.com.

cessful custom building, Chisei Signature Homes embraces all that is New Orleans. From the homebuilder that brought this city Bienville Trace comes a new unique community, currently under construction in the spirited Mid-City Neighborhood.

St. John Trace offers modern luxury with a historic New Orleans charm. In this city, location is everything. At St. John Trace, you will get to enjoy not just comfort and quality – but you will be located next to Fairgrounds, City Park, Bayou St. John, New Orleans Museum of Art, and a culturally rich neighborhood of coffee shops, eateries and local nightlife. In addition, streetcars and bike paths surround the community so visiting all of your favorite places in the city is easy. To learn more about the homes being built at St. John Trace, visit StJohnTraceNOLA. com or call 504-478-2295.

Spring is house-hunting season. The months of April, May and June typically account for 40 percent of all home sales for the year, according to economist Freddie Mac. If you’re ready to buy your first home or upgrade to a new one this spring, NOLA Lending Group, a division of Fidelity Bank is ready to help. Since opening in 2002, NOLA Lending Group has rapidly grown to become one of the largest mortgage lenders in New Orleans.

What makes NOLA Lending Group different from other mortgage companies? They believe in keeping things local. NOLA Lending Group controls all aspects of the loan process – processing, underwriting and closing – all is done locally in house. Lenders even attend the closings to make sure the process goes smoothly.

You live, you work, and you play locally, shouldn’t you use a local lender? As a division of Fidelity bank, NOLA Lending Group has access to a wide array of financial products and services. Find your local Nola Lending Group by visiting NolaLending.com/Locations.

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. It’s time to relax, unplug, make memories and create new traditions at Big Bay. Whether you’re 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 sun-kissed, 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. •

Neighborhoods

Conveniently located where Uptown meets Downtown, Bakery Village in Irish Channel is the only subdivision in a historic New Orleans neighborhood that’s offering new luxury houses and empty lots for sale now. The houses are inspired by local historic homes, two of which will be completed this Spring. One is The Gothic Revival, a three bedroom, two and half bath stunner with 2,352 square feet of living space and 480 square feet of porches and balconies.

Sparing no expense for quality and substance, the second, equally breathtaking home is called The Double Gallery which is also a spacious three bedroom, two and half bath at 2,165 square feet of living space and 380 square feet of porches and balconies. Both homes boast spectacular views, architectural historic grade exterior and interiors, floor to ceiling windows, high-end finishes, hardwood flooring throughout, and

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ccidents happen, both big and small. In a swampy, uneven city like New Orleans, it’s very easy to injure yourself. Not to mention the area’s humidity levels and temperature variables that can affect your bones and joints. Fortunately, New Orleans has a premier medical community of boardcertified physicians and specialists. For every ache and pain there’s a specialty clinic ready to help you. Whether you’re experiencing orthopedic related pain, or serious ailments such as cancer and cardiovascular problems, learn more about some of the top specialty clinics New Orleans has to offer with this section.

Orthopedic Pain One of the longest-standing orthopedic treatment clinics in city, Westside Orthopaedic Clinic first opened its doors in 1961. Today, the clinic provides superior general orthopedic treatment with a specialty in spinal care while offering services to the West Bank and the New Orleans region.

High-quality patient care is of the utmost importance to Dr. Ralph Katz. He is trained in all areas of modern orthopedic surgery and is board-certified as well as fellowship-trained.

He is a leader in his field with over 15 years performing advanced, minimally invasive procedures that restore strength and independence, allowing patients to successfully return to their regular activities quickly. Additionally, Sarah Logrande, APRN, has joined the practice under the guidance of Dr. Katz and clinic staff.

Most major insurance plans are accepted, including worker’s compensation. Westside offers full-service, in-house X rays, EMG/NCS, including physical therapy services with access to new rehabilitation equipment. Timely appointments are available – “Why suffer?” Visit WestsideOrtho.com or call 504347-0243 for an appointment.

Cardiovascular Specialists

Dr. Alvaro Alonso of the Tulane University Heart and Vascular Institute is a leading vascular and interventional cardiology specialist in our region. He specializes in vascular medicine and vein care, including endovenous LASER treatment for varicose veins. The procedure works by eliminating the faulty vein and diverting blood flow to nearby functional veins, significantly reducing the symptoms of varicose veins and improving the surface appearance of your legs.

This minimally invasive laser procedure can reportedly have a success rate of nearly 98 percent. The treatment is a sameday outpatient procedure, which is done under local anesthesia: A laser fiber is inserted into the faulty vein and delivers a precise dose of energy, collapsing its walls and allowing the diversion of blood return into the adjacent functioning veins, thereby improving the varicosities and their symptoms.

Patients can usually resume normal activities immediately.

Call 504-378-5080 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Alonso or visit TulaneHeart.com to learn more.

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Cancer Care & Testing

East Jefferson General Hospital is home to many of the region’s finest specialty clinics and physicians. These include clinics dedicated to primary care, pain management, cardiology, vein care, wound care and diabetes, cancer care, uro-gynecology, neurosciences and women’s health. East Jefferson General Hospital even offers extended-hour clinic options for primary care and radiology diagnostic testing to fit any schedule.

With extended hours and locations in Metairie, Old Metairie, River Ridge, Kenner, and Lakeview, patients receive a more personalized level of care that is built around unique, individual needs. East Jefferson General Hospital is dedicated to “Making it Great Every Day.” To make an appointment or learn more, call HealthFinder at 504-456-5000 or visit at EJGH.org.

Hearing Loss For more than 20 years, the Doctors of Audiology at

Associated Hearing have been impacting patients’ lives throughout the community by reconnecting those with hearing loss to their loved ones. Doctors Daniel Bode, Alaina Johnson and Courtney Cooke create customized treatment plans for patients, based upon their individual lifestyles and listening environments. Through specialized testing, lifestyle assessments, the latest diagnostic equipment and state-ofthe-art consultation rooms the patient is given a custom report, detailing their hearing loss, the specific sounds that are impaired and the technology that will be utilized to improve their communication abilities with their friends and family.

The doctors spend time getting to know each patient to create a customized treatment plan while using the latest technology from Starkey and other leading manufacturers. The allnew AGXsz series can be more customized than ever before, making your listening experience more natural and lifelike.

A recent addition to their services of patient care includes treatment for tinnitus and sound sensitivity disorders, which affect more than 50 million Americans. For more information and to make an appointment, visit AssociatedHearingInc.com.

TRY THIS

China Lights Shine at City Park CityParkPresentsChinaLights.com The New Orleans Botanical Garden at City Park has a new temporary installation: China Lights. Over 30 silk covered structures in vivid, bright colors will transform the Botanical Garden.

Highlights include a 192-foot-long glowing Chinese dragon and a three-story, lit-from-within pagoda. Created by 100 artisans and technical staff from Sichuan Tiangu in China’s Zigong province, the exhibit runs until May 1, 2016.

Active Release A Different Path to Wellness

By Kelly Massicot

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Hi-Brow Bar Extends Cosmetic Services Brow Bar by Hi-Brow, 126 Sierra Court, Metairie, 325-2222, HiBrowNola.com The Hi-Brow Bar, offering custom brow waxing and shaping, is now providing dermaplaning and specialty peels.

Dermaplaning is a simple procedure to exfoliate the top layer of your skin. It also removes facial hair often referred to as peach fuzz. Clients can opt for a Dr. Gross peel after the procedure to enjoy a deeper cleanse. Lauren Prats opened the Hi-Brow Bar in Metairie four years ago after a decade as a local esthetician.

Prats also developed Hi-Brow Cosmetics, a line of brow products and cosmetics that are used at the salon.

– Mirella Cameran

was first diagnosed with an autoimmune disease around my 20th birthday. I became one of about 50 million Americans (20 percent of the population according to the American Autoimmune Related Disease Association) who were somehow affected by autoimmune diseases – a debilitating issue in which a body’s immune system attacks its healthy cells. My culprit, Rheumatoid Arthritis, would forever change the way I approached physical activities as small as walking up a few stairs, getting out of my car or standing for long periods of time.

As someone who once found it hard to find comfort in the medical professionals around me, I wasn’t expecting to find that comfort in both the session as well as the people when I first walked into Allied Chiropractic & Wellness. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised.

My first visit, like that of any patient of Dr. Ben Dichiara and his team, was a consultation that included a full evaluation of my medical history, where I was physically and what my goals were for my treatment. Like anywhere in New Orleans, by the time I left the whole team felt like family and I knew exactly of what my treatment would consist. When you come in for your second visit, you’re started on your “plan of attack” and guided through whatever physical rehabilitation, Active Release Technique among many other methods that have been set up specifically for you.

It may not heal my arthritis or cure disease, but I know that with each appointment I leave feeling relaxed with less stress, and that in itself is a victory. Dr. Dichiara and his team pride themselves on offering not only chiropractic services, but also an all around wellness and maintenance experience for each of their patients. For those of whom chiropractic care isn’t an option, but stress is too much of a daily occurrence, they can call in a deep tissue masseuse. Morgan Packard, Managing Editor of New Orleans Magazine, had to go that route. “I suffer from migraines and loss of feeling in my right hand that are caused in part by muscle tension. Though I’m not a good candidate for chiropractic medicine, Dr. Dichiara recommended deep tissue massage,” she says. An aficionado of massages, “This one was the most therapeutic I’ve ever had; it wasn’t relaxing, but I left feeling better than I had in months and will definitely return – often.”

Whether you have a debilitating medical condition, a persistent neck or back injury or just feel the wear and tear of everyday stress, give chiropractic care a try – maybe you too will be pleasantly surprised.

Allied Chiropractic & Wellness: AlliedChiropracticAndWellness.com n

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Ojén se Traslada a Nueva Orleans By errol laborde

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oatner Reily III was quite the man about town. The Reily coffee company executive was a Carnival Captain, reigned as Rex, and was active in various other pastimes for Uptown gentlemen. What brought me to his Garden District home one spring day in 1999 was a lesser known, but nevertheless important, hobby of Reily’s: he was part of a small group that had invested in buying a batch of hooch from Spain.

Known as Ojén and pronounced “O-hen,” the anise-flavored liqueur was named after the town in Spain where it was made.

Unfortunately its market never expanded very much, except to one place on the globe: New Orleans.

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To the distillery workers of Ojén, New Orleans must have been the epicenter of their existence. In New Orleans, Ojén, which tasted like a sweet anisette, was good as a mixer or as the main ingredient in an Ojén Cocktail.

Still this global relationship could not last. In the early 1990s the folks at Ojén said they were shutting down for good.

Enter Cedric Martin, operator of Martin’s Wine Cellar, who was a skilled first responder when the crisis was booze.

He bargained with the company to make one more batch, which he would buy. The company provided around 500 cases, roughly 8,000 bottles, all headed to Martin’s in New Orleans.

With that deal, and some help from his friends, Martin became the world’s purveyor of Ojén. Any bottle purchased over the last decade or so probably came from the final batch.

When I had visited Reily he had agreed to make me his rendition of the Ojén Cocktail. With skilled hands he poured two ounces of the Ojén into a cocktail shaker, followed by a dash of Peychaud’s bitters, a splash of water and some sugar.

There was one more ingredient, something that gets little attention, but this was going to be special: Ice. More later.

With the stash now sold out, Ojén was heading for obscurity once the remaining bottles in peoples’ liquor cabinets were poured for the last time. But wait, Ojén has had a second savior. The Sazarac Company, purveyor of several brands, including the native Sazerac, has acquired the rights to the Ojén drink. Instead of Spain, the liqueur will now be made at the company’s Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, the same place where Sazerac is made. The company also has the geographic advantage and connections to try to distribute Ojén to further flung markets. After an existence of being a New Orleans-only drink, the ice may be starting to melt.

Which bring us back to Boater Reily putting the final touch on the drink. He pulled out a two square foot sheet of canvas. On it he placed ice cubes. Then he folded the canvas to contain the ice. Next, he pulled out a small hammer and began pounding. Lesser men would have been content with ordinary crushed ice, but this was an act of urban pride. The canvas had come from the local Foster Awning company. Foster, besides being the namesake for the banana-and-rum dessert, had Rex members among its officialdom and provided for the Rex ball the floor-wide canvas, with the Rex Crown in the center. If ever there was a royal sheet of canvas, this was it.

Ojén will now be home-based in a town once ruled by Spain and where the buildings in the French Quarter resemble those of Seville. The liqueur’s odyssey continues – one sip at a time. n ARTHUR NEAD ILLUSTRATION