New Orleans Magazine October 2012

OCTOBER 2012

WYES Presents “VIETNAMESE CUISINE IN NEW ORLEANS”

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$4.95

October 2012 VOLUME 47 NUMBER 1 Editor Errol Laborde Managing Editor Morgan Packard Art Director Eric Gernhauser Associate Editors Haley Adams and

Sarah Ravits Contributing Editor Liz Scott Monaghan Food Edit­or Dale Curry Dining Edit­or Jay Forman Wine and Spirits Edit­or Tim McNally Restaurant Reporter Robert Peyton Home and Garden Editor Bonnie Warren Intern Taylor Burley

SALES MANAGER Shannon Smith Senior Account Executive Jonée Daigle Ferrand Account Executives Erica Northcott Adams,

Shelley Duran, Maegan O’Brien Sales Assistant Erin Maher Web/Production Manager Staci Woodward McCarty Production Designers Jenny Dascenzo Hronek and

Sarah George Web Editor Haley Adams Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive VICE PRESIDENT/Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde Executive Assistant Kristi Ferrante SUBSCRIPTIONS/OFFICE ASSISTANT Amanda Mele Distribution Manager Christian Coombs

WYES DIAL 12 STAFF (504) 486-5511 Executive Editor Beth Arroyo Utterback Managing Editor Aislinn Hinyup Associate Editor Robin Cooper Art Director Jenny Dascenzo Hronek

NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE Printed in USA A Publication of Renaissance Publishing 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 Subscription Hotline:

(504) 828-1380 ext. 251 or fax: (504) 828-1385

Online at www.MyNewOrleans.com

New Orleans Magazine (ISSN 0897 8174) is published monthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC., 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 8281380. 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 2012 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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IN EVERY ISSUE 6 INSIDE “The Truth About Beer” 10 letters 12 speaking out Editorial, plus a Mike Luckovich cartoon

14 JULIA STREET Questions and answers about New Orleans

143 Try This “Adventures at the Bark Park” 144 STREETCAR “The Bees and Me”

THE BEAT 20 MARQUEE Entertainment calendar 22 PERSONA President and CEO, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, Mark Collins Romig

26 28 31 32 34 35

newsbeat “Business Builder in Central City” Biz “Voodoo to Do” newsbeat “Grow Dat Grows in City Park” Education “‘Poli-speak,’ The Language of Politics” HEALTH “Half Empty: The costs of treating alcoholism” HEALTHBEAT The latest news in health from New Orleans and beyond

38 Crime fighting “‘Behind the Wire’: Perspectives from a retired prison warden”

40 newsbeat “Benson Tower Goes Green”

LOCAL COLOR

42 THE SCOOP “Let the Scaring Begin: New Orleans offers plenty of Halloween happenings”

46 music “A Man and His Trombone: Rediscovering Kid Ory”

BOTTOMS UP PAGE

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47 Read & Spin A look at the latest CDs and books – with a local twist

50 CAST OF CHARACTERS “Father Mac’s Message: Why St. Henry’s needed to survive”

52 MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS “Death and The T-P” 54 Joie d’Eve “Riding Out the Storm” 56 CHRONICLES “Wheeling Along: Rollerskating has changed with the times.”

58 HOME “One Man’s Coop”

THE MENU

64 table talk “Annunciation and Rene Bistrot: New in the Warehouse District”

MUSIC

GUY THINGS

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CONTENTS FEATURES 82 Bottoms Up Surveying the suds sipping scene.

by Ian McNulty

90 Not In It For the Money The saga of a gift forger by Noah Charney and Matthew Leininger

94 Want to Be an Entrepreneur? Here are two places that can help by Judi Russell

10.12 VOL.47 NO.1 4

OCTOBER 2012

98 men and their kitchen specialties

myneworleans.com

by Bonnie Warren

66 restaurant insider “Changes: In the weather and in kitchens”

68 FOOD “Pie In the Oven: Recipes you can crust” 72 LAST CALL “A Month for Diverse Spirits” 74 DINING GUIDE

DIAL 12 D1 “Vietnamese Cuisine in New Orleans” debuts on WYES Sun., Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. This new documentary discusses the growing popularity and acceptance of Vietnamese food in the Greater New Orleans area.

WYES’ televised auctions are exciting live television events attracting enthusiastic and engaged viewers of all ages. Thousands of viewers tune in throughout the month of October for all the exciting “Auction Action.” By bidding high, you are helping to support the station’s mission of lifelong learning, and fostering the vitality and spirit of our region. WYES continues to bring knowledge and culture to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region and helps connects our community as informed and committed citizens. For all auction and program details, visit wyes.org.

ON THE COVER Our guide to local beer.

E u genia Uhl P hotograph

IN SID E

The Truth About Beer

T

hese are fighting words , I know , b u t

I maintain that all beers taste alike – at least all beers of a kind. Sure, there is a big difference between Dixie Blackened Voodoo and Abita Purple Haze, but among all non-light common lager beers there’s not much difference.

Several years ago I even conducted my own taste test. I invited some friends who were adamant that they could tell one beer from the other. One boasted that he could always tell Dixie, which at the time was still being brewed in New Orleans, because it had more of a river water taste; Coors, on the other hand had a lighter mountain streams appeal. Bud and Miller fell somewhere in the middle of the taste spectrum.

I served the various beers in unmarked cups. Crackers were provided to equalize the taste buds. Each friend was asked to identify which beer was which.

My friends were all smug as they set about their duties. They were all males, after all, and no one should doubt their genetic beer knowledge.

There wasn’t so much beer served that any of them got woozy, but had they been, the results alone would’ve been sobering.

They were all wrong. They couldn’t tell the river water from the mountain water, the hops from the barley. Truth is, by the time brewery water goes through a filtering process it all tastes pretty much the same.

Still, consumers, for various reasons, cling to their favorite beers. (I like Miller Light because my father did back when regular Miller was “the champagne of bottled beers.” I also remember a sign with that girl on the moon symbol that used to be along the Broad Street overpass.)

In the end it’s all about image: Corona-like palm trees on a Mexican beach and the All-American swagger of Budweiser, each steering us toward a cultural bias. But in a world of so many choices, sometimes biases are good things. They help us decide. Plus, there are other issues to be debated.

Bottled or draught? Who serves it the coldest?

When it comes to selling beer, Dixie and Abita had it right. It is all voodoo and haze.

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On the web FEATURING...

MyNewOrleans.com is the best place to find fresh content and photos from all of Renaissance Publishing’s titles.

Updated daily, the website features events, photos and great reads on topics every New Orleanian wants to know Check out the website this month for photos of breathtaking kitchens and baths from the latest issue of New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles. Read the article by Jenny Peterson and find inspiration for your own home.

Exclusively Online: Award-Winning Daily Blogs Mondays:

The Editor’s Room: Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde, three-time winner of the Alex Waller Award for print journalism, offers his take on the Big Easy, the state of Louisiana and the changing times. Named “Best Local Blog” by the Press Club of New Orleans.

Tuesdays:

Morgan Packard, managing editor for New Orleans Magazine, and Annie Drummond, whom MyNewOrleans.com stole from Ohio, tagteam weekly columns on the different ways to enjoy life our city.

Wednesdays:

After Hours: Nightlife savant and New Orleans Press Club award-winner Ian McNulty gives us the scoop on what to do when the sun goes down. You know, when he can get out of bed to write about it. Also...

Nola Newbie: MyNewOrleans.com’s new web editor, Haley Adams, chronicles her adventures as a New Orleans resident.

Thursdays:

Haute Plates: Our very own gastronome, Robert Peyton, offers the real dish on local dining. Also … Happy Hour: The yang to Mr. Peyton’s yin, Tim McNally, acclaimed wine judge and food writer, expounds on wine, cocktails and other draughts.

Fridays:

Joie d’Eve: Editor Eve Kidd Crawford, who has won awards from the Press Club of New Orleans and the Society of Professional Journalists, writes about what it means to be a family in New Orleans.

Visit MyNewOrleans.com to see photographs and articles, even before they hit the newsstands. Enjoy our archived articles, leave us a comment or sign up for our newsletter.

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LETTERS

DAILY recollection

Re: “Picayune Memories,” Chronicles column by Carolyn Kolb. August 2012 issue.

The story by Carolyn Kolb was special. I have good memories of the times about which she relates and also knew a number of people who worked at the paper. My sister-in-law Deirdre Burke Provosty and her sister in law Jacqueline Provosty Avegno both wrote for the society page. My wife Sheela and I lived in New Orleans then (we moved to my home town Thibodaux in 1973), and during the late ’60s I taught at Metairie Park Country Day and had Iris Kelso speak to one of my classes. It also was fun to have good coverage of the bayou region.

We will miss the daily here.

Its demise is an incredible, stupid fate for us. Maybe the daily Advocate will pick up on the job, at least to some extent.

David Plater Thibodaux

Ed. Reply: We agree that the decision by the Newhouse group to reduce frequency of The Times-Picayune was an insult to New Orleans and a miscalculation on the company’s part. We wish The Advocate success.

Hospitals on the Lake

Re: Julia Street column.

June 2012 issue.

In your reply to Mr. Thomas J. Roberts’ question, I believe you have a small error in your last sentence. I grew up in Lake Vista in the 1950s-’60s and know the Lakefront area 10

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very well. The two military hospitals, U.S.A. Army (aka Lagarde) and General Hospital and the U.S. Naval (aka Musser-Gorden) Hospital, that you mention were located where present-day Lakeshore is, not Lake Vista.

If you aren’t aware of this, the Orleans Canal separates these two subdivisions that were developed by the Orleans Levee Board in the 1940s-’60s.

Lake Vista is the oldest one.

In fact, while attending the 90th birthday party of my old neighbor on Warbler Street (she still lives in the same house in Lake Vista), she told me that she met her late husband in the United States Naval Hospital towards the end of World War II. She was a nurse in that hospital and he was a U.S. Navy pilot who had suffered a minor injury.

Coincidentally, she had told me that both of the hospitals you mentioned were located in Lakeshore. Canal Boulevard separated the two hospitals just like it separates West Lakeshore and East Lakeshore today.

I believe one or both of these hospitals morphed into the VA Hospital after World War II. After a new VA Hospital was opened downtown, the Lakeshore subdivision was developed.

William E. Hendricks Kingwood, TX

Ed. Reply: Your points are

well taken, though the term Lakeshore is seldom used.

Lake Vista has become the more common term for the entire area.

S P E A K IN G O U T

New Orleans’ Media Makeovers We Welcome the City’s New Daily

We never thought we would be writing these words, but here goes: “We welcome this month New Orleans’ new daily newspaper, The Advocate.”

There is both joy and sadness to the announcement. We very much appreciate the eagerness that the Manship family of Baton Rouge has shown in bringing this city a daily newspaper. The Advocate has enjoyed a solid reputation; we think that its new New Orleans bureau, which includes many former TimesPicayune staffers, will make it an even stronger publication. With the civic loyalty that local ownership can provide, we hope The Advocate has a great future both in print, and on the web.

We mourn the loss of The Times-Picayune as a daily newspaper. Its leadership role has been compromised by the Newhouse clan’s unfortunate decision to cut its weekly editions to three. Where the T-P once held a monopoly, now it’s just another player on the crowded Internet. We still hope that the Newhouses one day answer the requests of locals and sell the newspaper to owners with more of a passion for this city. Sell, Newhouses, sell. And if the sale is announced on a Wednesday, Friday or Sunday, it can even get coverage in The Times-Picayune.

Radio Changes – Coming and Going

In a month in which we’ve seen the tragic downsizing of The Times-Picayune, there are two other developments in another medium, radio, worth noting – one good; one bad.

First the bad: The 690-AM frequency, which has long been a part of local life, will in effect be hushed. In its early years, 690 was the home of WTIX, one of the city’s two major rock stations in the days when rock ‘n’ roll gave rhythm and a beat to the emerging baby boomer generation.

(The WTIX call letters still exist on FM at 94.3.) In more recent years, 690 was known as WIST, a station that carried a mixture of sports and political talk. One of its shows, “The Sports Hangover” was, by far, the most entertaining sports talk show in local radio.

Last month it was announced that the station was sold to Catholic Community Radio headquartered in Baton Rouge. (The change will take place later this year.) While religious radio certainly has the right to exist, the problem is that its audience is extremely narrow in what’s already a narrowcast business. Religious radio has its audience but isn’t part of the community discussion, or a part of community life, like WIST was. In effect religious radio stations fade into obscurity.

An example of such a downslide is the 1060-AM frequency. Back in the days 12

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when WTIX-690 was a rock ‘n’ roll giant, its main competitor was WNOE 1060-AM. Both stations had respectable signals that sent the latest hits through the airwaves. Ten-Sixty still exists, but you won’t hear many people talking about it because it, too, now known as WLNO, carries religious programming – some of it just picked up from other religious stations. Religion is at its best when it feeds the poor. It is less useful when it sells time on radio stations. The community debate suffers with the demise of 690.

Now for the good news: Two months ago, WWNO (89.9 FM), the local National Public Radio affiliate, changed its daytime format to all-talk and news. (Classical music and jazz are heard on WWNO’S auxiliary digital stations throughout the day, and on WWNO at night.) In a town where radio talk suffers, the WWNO format change proves that radio can be a smart medium.

Quality alone never assures success, nor does mediocrity always guarantee failure. We mourn the loss of quality with the sale of WIST and congratulate WWNO on its vision.

AN ORIGINAL ©MIKE LUCKOVICH CARTOON FOR NEW ORLEANS MAGAZINE

JULIA STREET

W IT H P O Y D R AS THE PARROT

T H E P U R S U IT T O A N S W E R E T E R N A L Q U E STI O N S This predominately male crowd, many of which wear straw Cady hats, gamble at the Elk Rendezvous – a fundraising event benefiting City Park circa 1919.

Dear Julia, Do you know anything about a hat that the men in the South wore in the summer, called “Straw Kadee?”

Kathleen Battle Metairie

That particular hat has various spellings, but I have usually seen it referred to as a Cady. Once an essential men’s summer fashion accessory, the straw Cady, also known as a boater hat, was popular all over the country, not just in the South. It is a fairly plain, woven and flat-crowned straw hat with a broad ribbon band around it.

Just as people are cat people or dog people, there are hat people and those who seem almost genetically indisposed to wearing head coverings in dignified or fashionable manner. It used to be that hat-wearing ability 14

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manifested itself at an early age with parochial preschoolers whose uniforms included beanies. Some kids would attempt to wear the skullcaps cocked rakishly over one eye, while others bemoaned the lack of propellers on top. I never understood the beanie thing.

Dear Julia, During the early 1960s, I purchased a silkscreen art rendition of the Brulatour Patio. At that time, it was open to the public and had stores around the first floor. It was popular with tourists who photographed it.

Recently, my daughter and I searched for it. I recall it was on the East side (river side) of Royal Street, but we couldn’t find it. We asked a shop owner and she said it’s in the 600 block of Royal Street. Could you please tell me its location and address? More importantly, I’ve

always been curious who the Brulatours were. Can you give me some history of who these folks were and what they did in New Orleans?

Bruce Erickson Wenzel, Ph.D. Madison, MS

The famous courtyard is located at 516-522 Royal St. in the historic French Quarter. Although popularly known as the Brulatour Patio or Brulatour Courtyard, the property was owned by a Brulatour for only a small portion of its nearly 200 years.

Conveyance records show that, on June 4, 1870, Pierre Ernest Brulatour purchased the Royal Street property from Orson E. Hall for $18,000.

Between 1880 and ’82, Emile Desire Noris briefly owned the property before selling it back to Pierre Ernest Brulatour and wife, who possessed it until ’87, when they sold it to

Win a Court of Two Sisters Jazz Brunch or Lunch at the Rib Room Here is a chance to eat, drink and listen to music, and have your curiosity satiated all at once. Send Julia a question. If we use it, you’ll be eligible for a monthly drawing for one of two Jazz Brunch gift certificates for two at The Court of Two Sisters in the Vieux Carré. To take part, send your question to: Julia Street, c/o New Orleans Magazine, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 or e-mail: Errol@MyNewOrleans. com. This month’s winners are: Thomas T. McGinn, New Orleans; and Dr. Bruce Wenzel, Madison, Miss.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THE HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION

John A. Morris.

Pierre Ernest Brulatour (1814-’88) was a prominent importer of wines and liquors.

A native of Bordeaux, he had lived in Cuba before settling in New Orleans in the early ’30s. Married to Johana Moses, daughter of a noted local photographer, Brulatour maintained business and personal ties to his native France. His son, Ernest James Brulatour, resided in Paris, where he served as First Secretary of the United States Legation. Another son, Thomas, became an importer as well as a manager of the French Opera House. Pierre Ernest Brulatour died of pneumonia July 23, ’88 at the age of 74.

Julia, Please ask Poydras when Galatoire’s added the “’s” to the name of the restaurant.

Being a wee bit older than most of us, he might remember the

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name Galatoire.

I recently purchased a demitasse cup and saucer and it’s just the second piece I’ve seen with the Galatoire spelling.

Thomas McGinn New Orleans

Thomas, Poydras doesn’t like to talk about Galatoire’s ever since that night when he was told by a maitre d’ that they didn’t serve parrots.

What was especially painful is that he could see a cockatoo dining at one of the tables.

There are actually two ways to look at this. Did the restaurant add an “s” or did the plate manufacturer omit the letter from a custom-made table service? To the best of my knowledge, the venerable French Quarter restaurant has always used the possessive version of its name since its founding in 1905.

Advertisements from the restaurant’s opening year used the possessive, as does the

present day restaurant.

Given the information at hand, I can only confirm that your have a matched cup and saucer with the Galatoire name on them. It isn’t possible to say if the set was created for the New Orleans dining institution or for a different Galatoire family, hotel or restaurant in another place.

If you intend to insure or sell the set and wish to authenticate it or estimate its value, you should consult a certified appraiser who specializes in porcelain and is familiar with items created for the New Orleans market.

Dear Julia and Poydras, I watched and enjoyed a television series on Prohibition. Did New Orleans have any violence on the streets like Chicago and New York?

Kathleen Bohlinger Hammond

In 1919 the New Orleans

Police Department compared crime statistics from June and July to see if patterns changed once Prohibition went into effect. At that time, statistics seemed to support Prohibition. NOPD told a Times-Picayune reporter that during July 1919 – the first month the measure was in effect – shootings, cuttings and woundings had decreased. One year later, NOPD leadership saw things a bit differently.

In June 1920, NOPD Superintendent Frank T. Mooney spoke to The Times Picayune newspaper upon his return from Detroit, where he had attended the annual convention of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. According to Mooney, New Orleans may have had fewer arrests since Prohibition went into effect, but the nature of criminal offenses tended to be more serious and violent

once Prohibition had been enacted. Despite preliminary data indicating a reduction in criminal activity, Mooney remained unconvinced that liquor or the lack of it was at the root of the city’s violent crime problem.

Noting that NOPD was among the most poorly paid in the nation, Mooney speculated – as did other chiefs he had met at the convention – that the wave of violent crime sweeping New Orleans and elsewhere may not have been directly attributable to the booze ban. Instead, Mooney and others suggested that unemployment, poor wages, high cost of living and the unsettled condition of the entire country were far more significant factors driving a nationwide increase in violent crime. More jobs and better wages, not Prohibition, Mooney claimed, were the real keys for addressing and solving the problem.

Hi Julia, Love your column, love New Orleans Magazine; as a supporter from when it first came out on the stands, I look forward to the magazine every month in my mailbox. Many thanks for the great articles all year.

I would like to ask a question about the Mardi Gras beads. I attend the Bacchus Ball every year, and of course it was great again – Will Ferrell and his father and brother did some fantastic entertaining once they arrived at the Convention Center into the grand ballroom – what a treat. Some beads that some were wearing were made of glass, and they told me some were made of rice long ago.

They were very proud to still possess them, because I know they’re rare. Could you tell me when they stopped making them, or do they just make a few every year to pass out to special friends and family? They are truly beautiful and some are works of art.

Many thanks again for some great reading in New Orleans Magazine, my favorite of all.

Phyllis Jean Bruscato New Orleans and Monroe

Rice beads aren’t literally made of rice. They are simply a style of bead that resembles grains of rice. The manufacturer of such beads never stopped and they were never banned, but they fell out of favor with Mardi Gras krewes for various reasons.

One big factor was the effect the Cold War had on price and availability of glass beads, most of which were then being imported from Czechoslovakia. Some krewe captains disliked glass throws because some styles of glass beads were quite fragile and broke on impact, scattering broken or unstrung beads all over the place. Rice beads were actually a cheaper variety of Carnival throw and were prone to tangling, which

ultimately made them more expensive to throw. Riders encountering tangled beads had two choices : untangle them or just hurl the whole mess at the onlookers and let the parade goers deal with the puzzle. Since float riders typically pay for their own throws, the latter solution, although quick and easy, wasn’t a fiscally responsible option.

Julia on TV

Look for the Julia Street question on “Steppin’ Out,” every Friday at 6:30 p.m. on WYES/Channel 12.

The show features reviews, news and features about the New Orleans entertainment scene. Viewers who can answer Julia’s weekly question can call in for prizes. Tell ’em you read about the show in New Orleans Magazine.

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THEBEAT MARQUEE

PERSONA

Manbo Sallie Ann Glassman in Island of Salvation Botanica

BIZ

EDUCATION

HEALTH

CRIME FIGHTING

NEWS

BIZ:

Voodoo to Do PAGE 28

CHERYL GERBER PHOTOGRAPH

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T HE BE A T OUR

MARQUEE

T O P P I C K S O F T H E M O N T H’S E V E N T S BY

SARAH

RAVITS

DREAMY DANCES

The New Orleans Ballet Association theme for the season is “American Moves,” and its debut for the 2012-’13 season is the whimsical “Pilobolus” on Oct. 20 at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. Named for a sun-loving fungus, the ensemble of gravitydefying dancers, led by artistic directors Robby Barnett and Michael Tracy, incorporates elements of nature, humor and athleticism in a visually astounding show that began in 1971 as a Dartmouth College dance class experiment.

Information, NobaDance.com.

Celluloid Celebration

An Experience to Remember

The film industry in New Orleans has exponentially increased over the past few years; fittingly the New Orleans Film Festival has mirrored its growth with dozens of new productions and filmmakers flocking to the area. (Last year attendance was more than 13,000). This weeklong event, which starts Oct. 11, will present an eclectic program of panels, films and parties while offering unique networking opportunities for those who are aspiring to break into the industry.

Information, NewOrleansFilmSociety.org.

Amidst the majestic oaks of City Park, Voodoo Experience, one of the city’s most anticipated music and arts festival, will take place on Oct. 26-28 with a star-studded lineup that includes international acts Jack White, Green Day, Avett Brothers, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, as well as local favorites such as the Bingo! Show, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Anders Osborne and dozens of others. This year the festival will offer campsites, along with food, art and drinks.

Information, TheVoodooExperience.com.

24-31. Haunted house

Oct. 4. Red Hot Chili Peppers and Santigold in concert; New Orleans Arena. Information, NewOrleansArena.com

tours; Haunted Mortuary.

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Oct. 6. Art for Art’s

and Jonti in concert;

UNO Lakefront Arena.

Information, arena.uno.edu

Oct. 10. Gotye, Givers

Oct. 12. New Orleans

Opera Association presents Plácido Domingo Gala; Mahalia Jackson Theater. Information, NewOrleansOpera.org.

Oct. 7, 28. New Orleans

Saints home games; Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Information,

Oct. 5- 7, 11-14, 18-21,

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NewOrleansSaints.com

Sake; citywide galleries.

Information, cacno.org

Oct. 5-7. Gretna Heritage Festival; Historic Downtown Gretna. Information, GretnaFest.com

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Information, TheMortuary. net

Oct. 12. Steve Earle

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oct. 4

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Goyte, Givers and Jonti, Oct. 10

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SPOTLIGHT

A Haunting Experience One of the city’s Halloween rites of passages is experiencing the House of Shock.

This scarefest features perhaps more monsters than even Stephen King could imagine, and this year founder Ross Karpelman brings it above and beyond.

House of Shock has experienced renovations and offers new elements, such as the Moss Maze, the new post-apocalyptic-themed Chainsaw Cage Maze (shiver), a “psychotic meat processing plant” and other entertainment, such as live music and actors who perform stunts. The House will be open Fridays and Saturdays and Oct. 26-28 and 30-31. Information, HouseOfShock.com.

What were the early days like? We started

The House of Shock as most things start in New Orleans: to have a party.

We were kids, 22 or 23 years old, reflecting on our youth. Growing up, Halloween meant so much more to us as children. It was something we were excited about all month. As soon as

& the Dukes plus the Mastersons; House of Blues. Information,

that calendar changed to October it was all we thought about! All of us (although not together) shared the same experience of throwing our own haunted houses in our backyards. My partner Jay Gracianette’s grandpa used to run the haunted house for NORD. After having a few more haunted seasons with Jay, we decided we wanted to do our own version, so we dug some graves in his backyard on Kent Street in Metairie and threw it together in a week. That was the seed that started yet another NOLA tradition.

How has the House evolved over the years?

From a backyard to the most infamous haunted attraction in the world.

From 20 friends to a volunteer membership of close to 400 cast members. From black plastic walls on “yard sticks” to some of the most detailed sets in the business. We shoot more pyrotechnics in a five-minute stage show than KISS does in a full concert. We can say that as a fact because

House of Shock features pyrotechnics that dwarf those of rock concerts. Below, founder Ross Karpelman is ready to shock.

our other partner, Steven Joseph, owns the pyro company that does KISS along with Motley Crue, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones and Guns ‘n’ Roses, to name a few. To say our pyrotechnics is overkill is to understate what we do. When those 70-foot foot flames go off, the pressure hits you first – then the heat. It’s as close to Hell on Earth as you can get!

What are some of the highlights of it this year?

I think being the most intense haunted attraction has kind of put us in a box that a lot of people don’t want to open. If you’ve always been too freaked out to go into The House of

HouseOfBlues.com

AudubonInstitute.org

Oct. 13. O What a Night (benefit for The Ogden Museum of Southern Art); Ogden Museum. Information, OgdenMuseum.org

Oct. 19. Movies in the

Oct. 19-20, 26-27. Boo

Oct. 25-28. Halloween

at the Zoo; Audubon Zoo. Information,

New Orleans presents

Garden: Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds; NOMA (Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden).

Information, noma.org

Shock, it’s OK because we have so much going on outside in our Halloween Festival that you never have to go in to have a great time – and it’s free!

We got great party bands. The Chee Weez are playing opening weekend ... You can see the stage show with the pyrotechnics I was talking about. We got

MonsterBrawl; various venues. Information, HalloweenNewOrleans.com Oct. 27. Madonna in

concert; New Orleans Arena. Information,

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NewOrleansArena.com Oct. 27-28. Halloween Tea; Le Salon at Windsor Court Hotel. Information, WindsorCourtHotel.com Oct. 30-Nov. 4.

Les Misérables; Mahalia Jackson Theater. Information, MahaliaJacksonTheater.com

The Birds, Oct. 19

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a thing called “Shot in the Dark” where we plant an infrared camera somewhere in the haunted house and run the video outside where you can push a button and scare the crap out of people inside! Puppet shows ... Fire eaters ... The Reverend B. Dangerous Side Show ... The Atone Pain Tribe Piercing Troupe! All of that is for free! You can ride a giant spider on The Aracniride (think a mechanical bull with eight legs), not to mention great food ... A full bar ...

And the best place to people-watch besides the French Quarter on Mardi Gras Day.

Madonna, Oct. 27

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T HE BEA T

PERSONA

Mark Romig

BY SUE STRACHAN

I

‘‘

lo v e my job , ” says M ark R omig at the

conclusion of our interview. And I think, why not? Romig promotes the city of New Orleans. But for those of you who think tourism is something that drives itself – I’m sure you’re pondering, “How hard is it to promote New Orleans?”

– think again. Romig, President and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation for a little over four years, is one of the major players, along with the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (NOCVB), ensuring that the city is portrayed accurately in the media – whether it be via traditional news outlets (print, TV, radio) or social media. This isn’t only important for tourism, but for the city’s economic development, as both agencies are up against cities – such as Orlando – with more money and resources for promotion.

Romig’s love for the city comes naturally: born and raised here; his education – grammar school through college – was in New Orleans; his father’s family has been in the city for three generations; and his mother’s for five generations. Except for three years when he worked in Washington, D.C. as Staff Assistant to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elizabeth H. Dole and on her husband Bob Dole’s presidential campaign, his career has been in New Orleans. His curriculam vitae is extensive, filled with milestones for the city.

Some of his latest volunteer endeavors have been working on the Idea Village’s New Orleans Entrepreneur Week; the 2012 Bicentennial of War of 1812 (OpSail2012, better known as “Fleet Week”) and co-chair of the Media and Public Relations Committee for 2013 Super Bowl ILVII Host Committee.

He is also on the board for NO/AIDS Task Force, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation and Xavier University; while he has served on the board for Fore!Kids Foundation, Sugar Bowl committee and Project Lazarus, to name a few.

Romig is an aficionado of Mardi Gras, as well as a die-hard New Orleans Saints fan (his father has been the official game announcer for 44 years), so be sure to say “hi” if you see him at Saints game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Ubiquitous? Yes, as it’s part of his charm and success – Romig believes in New Orleans: in its culture, people, businesses and organizations – making him the consummate ambassador for the city.

What does the New Orleans Tourism and Marketing do? NOTMC is the city’s official travel and leisure promotion agency. We speak to the millions of potential tourists that can come to the city, and hope that they do so. The NOTMC pro-

At a Glance Name: Mark Collins Romig (Collins is his mother’s family name) Age: 56 Profession: President and CEO, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation; APR (Accredited by the Public Relations Society 22

OCTOBER 2012

of America) Resides: Fontainebleau area Born/ raised: New Orleans (Born at Hotel Mon Dieu Hospital) Family: Mom and Dad (Janice and Jerry): David, Jay, Anne, Mary Beth and Ellen; 11 nieces and nephews; and Chester (Toy Manchester Terrier) Education:

myneworleans.com

St. Dominic’s Grammar School; Brother Martin High School; bachelor of science, University of New Orleans (School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration) Favorite book: John Adams

by David McCullough Favorite movie: Bringing Up Baby Favorite TV

motes the city as a destination, and the purpose of this [NOTMC] is as an economic development agency. The mission is building a better economy through more visitation: that includes visitor spending, which means the city sees more tax dollars coming into its coffers, allowing it to provide more services and create more jobs.

We have a very robust website (NewOrleansOnline.Com), as well as GoNola.Com. New this year is our visitor app called GoNola, which you can download via Android or

shows: “I Love Lucy,”

“The Big Bang Theory,” “Political Animals” and “True Blood.” Favorite restaurant: I’m trying to make my way through all of New Orleans’ great restaurants. Favorite food: Literally anything but liver. Favorite music/musicians: Beach

Boys, Chicago and Louis Armstrong Favorite vacation spot: Anything with a beach. Grew up going to Pass Christian, Miss.; lately, it’s the Santa Rosa County area of Florida.

Hobby: Landscaping, college football, reading political/historical biographies, movies and travel ELIZABETH PERRIN PHOTOGRAPH

iPhone. It’s an exciting way to have information on hand for the tourist who wants to plan their visit prior to arrival. It’s also good for locals, as it has very comprehensive listings of restaurants and events. It’s another way to make it easy for the consumer to understand New Orleans and hopefully choose us over another destination.

How does the NOTMC complement the NOMCVB (New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau)?

It’s a great relationship. We speak with one message, one voice for the industry.

We now have one visitor guide, and are truly working in a manner that allows us to communicate on a regular basis. The NOTMC likes to say that we provide “air cover” for what convention bureau salespeople need for selling the city to the associations and trade shows – having our message out there branding, it allows them to tell the story of New Orleans with more punch.

What are some tourism goals for New Orleans? Our goal is to

get from 8.75 visitors in 2011 to 13.7 million visitors by the city’s Tricentennial in ’18.

What’s significant about that is, if we reach those numbers, we’ll see an additional $4 billion in visitor spending, 33,000 additional jobs added to the payroll and more tax dollars coming into city coffers in order to allow the city to expand services.

Of course, the goal is to do it responsibly. What that means is finding the resources to fix the “satisfiers”: For example, the French Quarter needing renovation of streets and sidewalks. Fortunately, that’s currently underway in some part now. Things like that have to happen to support visitation.

I think it’s important to know, particularly for our local citizens, that we recognize that we just can’t add 5 million visitors to the city without taking care of the 24

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infrastructure. And our goal is to work with the community to make that happen.

How do you get the word out about New Orleans? We

build out a marketing plan, like we’re doing now with our new agency of record, Densu America, out of New York. We’ve hired a local account manager who’s from New Orleans; [we are] working with him every day. The marketing plan went to our board last month to be approved, then to the City Council and City of New Orleans, and it begins January 2013.

How has public relations changed since you started?

It’s the use of social media.

We’re finding that people are making their decisions based on what they’re seeing in social media. That’s where they are getting their information, sharing their information. It’s not to say that traditional media is not necessary.

In 1988, faxing a press release to a newsroom was the most efficient way of getting them information, besides a phone call. Now, it’s through Twitter, email … you didn’t have the 24/7 news cycle you see now.

In 1988, having a Rolodex was considered a tool. One thing that has changed, but I wish it hadn’t, is people don’t write notes by hand anymore.

I wish that was something that would come back. That human touch we can never lose. It does get down to the basic model of communication: one-on-one, just like us now. And making sure it’s a two-way communication – that will never go out of style. However, how we’re doing it now is becoming more and more dependent on the online world.

True Confession: I was with Dad in the announcer booth at Tulane Sugar Bowl Stadium when he announced the then-NFL record setting field goal (63 yarder) by Tom Dempsey.

N EWSBEAT

Business Builder in Central City A local nonprofit that helps people jumpstart their own small businesses and get ahead has opened a new hub and incubator that aims to do something similar for an entire corridor of small businesses with a long history in New Orleans.

Good Work Network primarily serves minority- and women-owned enterprises, guiding them through the start-up phase to help build a broader level of prosperity across the community. This summer, the nonprofit completed a renovation of the historic, once-blighted Franz Building on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard in Central City. It now offers office and retail space for small businesses and operates its Chase Business Incubator, named for its major backer, Chase Bank.

“It takes what we do to the next level,” says Good Work Network founder Phyllis Cassidy. “We’re able to offer physical space to some of our clients and be closer to them to offer them more of that back office support and other assistance.”

While many other buildings along the street were originally designed as large retailers or depart26

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ment stores, Cassidy likens the Franz Building to “a turn-of-the-century strip mall.”

“It was built for small businesses and small shops and we’re really excited about returning it to its original purpose,” she says.

O.C. Haley Boulevard was once among the city’s most important commercial corridors.

Some 200 businesses lined the street during its peak in the 1940s and ’50s. Though the boulevard and its surrounding neighborhood have suffered decades of decline, the Franz Building’s rebirth comes along as a number of important projects gather steam.

“One of our goals is to make sure that as the revitalization happens, it doesn’t neglect the people who have lived here,” Cassidy says.

The budding businesses that Good Work Network helps range from small construction contractors to home health care providers. In most cases, their owners had experience and skills in their fields, but didn’t know how to manage a start-up or where to turn for help.

Funding for the $2 million Franz Building project came from a mix of support from Chase Bank, the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and local foundations, and the original concept sprang from a competition among college students that Chase sponsored in 2008.

– I an M c N u l ty

T HE BE A T

BIZ

Voodoo to Do The occult still holds New Orleans in its spell.

B y K athy F inn

I

t would be easy to see N ew O rleans ’ fascination

with Halloween as a mere extension of locals’ fondness for costuming and festivity. Certainly you could get that impression during a walk through the French Quarter on Oct. 31.

But the city’s affinity for this time of year goes deeper, to an inherent taste for the mysterious, the secretive and – dare we say it – the occult.

Local interest in the unknown may arise from Louisiana’s historic ties with Africa and the Caribbean region. Both are home to distinctive ritualistic behaviors and a belief that certain people have the ability to “know things” or to experience spiritual realities unknown to others.

Such cultural roots have made south Louisiana, in particular, an ideal setting for the practice of voodoo.

Marie Laveau, a Creole voodoo practitioner of the 18th century, remains the region’s most famous priestess, and local fascination with “vodoun” spirits, as they’re known in West Africa, has lingered long after her death.

Today, many people associate New Orleans with mysterious spirits, and interest in the practice of voodoo remains alive, as evidenced by local enterprises that capitalize on it.

The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum, which has been a fixture along Dumaine Street in the French Quarter for 40 years, is a font of information and history aimed at preserving the city’s voodoo culture.

The museum’s founder, Charles Massicot Gandolfo, is said to be descended from a man raised by a voodoo queen. Gandolfo opened the museum to help others explore the rituals, zombies, gris-gris and other icons of a world that fascinated him.

In the museum’s curio shop, visitors can buy voodoo dolls, ritual candles, books, oils and gris-gris bags – or perhaps a session with a psychic reader who can prognosticate about events likely to occur in the future.

Visitors can also sign up for a voodoo cemetery walking tour, which features a visit to Laveau’s tomb in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. The tour includes Congo Square, St. Expedité and discussions of voodoo rituals and “the relationship between voodoo and the Catholic church,” according to the museum.

Also in the museum vein, the Voodoo Spiritual Temple on North Rampart Street, founded in 1990 by Priestess Miriam Chamani, a bishop of the “Angel Angel All Nations Spiritual Church,” is a haven for exploring the tools and practice of voodoo. Chamani performs weddings, blessings, removal of curses and “empowerment consultations,” among other services. Like other practitioners,

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she plans special events each June to “awaken the summer solstice” on St. John’s Eve, ahead of the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist.

Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo on Bourbon Street is popular with shoppers in search of items including talismans, worry dolls, love bath salts,

Island of Salvation Botanica

bells that can summon spirits and egg shell powders “most commonly used for psychic protection and to guard against negativity.”

Voodoo Authentica of New Orleans, on Dumaine Street, bills itself as a “cultural center and collection” owned by a voodoo practitioner.

Through a physical store and an e-commerce website, the establishment offers an extensive lineup of ritual kits, dolls and gris-gris, along with “spells” written by or passed down to local practitioners for specific “magickal purposes” including friendship, money, fertility, job-seeking, healing and spiritual cleansing.

Though many of New Orleans’ voodoo shops are located in the French Quarter, one that has rapidly gained a following outside the Vieux Carré is Island of Salvation Botanica, in the New Orleans Healing Center on St. Claude Avenue.

CHERYL GERBER PHOTOGRAPH

Founded and operated by “vodou manbo” Sallie Ann Glassman, the shop’s shelves are lined with items ranging from Dragon’s Blood Uncrossing Bubble Bath and chicken foot fetishes to Tibetan prayer flags, jinx-removing spiritual green incense and spiritual oils.

The shop also features many hand-crafted items, including Glassman’s own art works, Haitian beaded cloths, metal spirit sculptures and sequin flags.

Where To Find It

New Orleans presents a wealth of opportunity to experience and learn about the tools and practice of voodoo. Here are some of the most popular voodoo-related sites and upcoming events.

Island of Salvation Botanica 2372 St. Claude Ave. 940-1130 NewOrleansHealingCenter.org Anba Dlo Festival Saturday, Oct. 20 New Orleans Healing Center An interactive sensory experience – audio visual and epicurean. Support the local community and the planet and have fun doing it. Tickets: $20 advance general admission through

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OCTOBER 2012

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NewOrleansHealingCenter.org or cash at the Island of Salvation Botanica. $25 at door, or $45 for Lasiren’s VIP Lounge (space limited).

New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum 724 Dumaine St. French Quarter 680-0128 VoodooMuseum.com Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo 739 Bourbon St. French Quarter 581-3751 VoodooNewOrleans.com Voodoo Authentica of New Orleans Cultural Center & Collection 612 Dumaine St.

Glassman, who lectures about voodoo, regularly performs psychic readings using either a crystal ball or Tarot cards that she designed. She also considers it her mission to help invigorate the St. Claude neighborhood where she and her husband, real estate developer Pres Kabacoff, built the Healing Center, a community center that houses retail shops, a restaurant, fitness center, book store and performance space.

In addition, Island of Salvation annually presents one of the city’s most popular fall events – Anba Dlo (Beneath the Waters).

French Quarter Appropriately for New Orleans, 522-2111 this Haitian-rooted event, billed VoodooShop.com as a “one-of-a-kind, costumed, VooDoo Spiritual Temple interactive community festival,” 828 N. Rampart St. is meant to honor the imporFrench Quarter tance of water to life.

522-9627 This year, the fifth annual VoodooSpiritualTemple.org Anba Dlo Halloween festival will occur on Oct. 20 at the Reverend Zombie’s House of Healing Center. Featuring Voodoo a dozen groups performing 723 St. Peter St. music on several stages, the French Quarter festival includes multimedia 486-6366 water-awareness installations, Mystic Tea Leaves an arts markets a “drum cir638-1/2 Royal St. cle and voodoo invocation French Quarter of the mermaid spirit of the 523-1063 deep waters,” performances by FrenchQuarterVoodoo.com dancers and acrobats and a New Orleans Voodoo Crossroads parade led by the New Orleans NewOrleansVoodooCrossroads.com Radical Faeries.

NE WS B E A T

Grow Dat Grows in City Park It is hard to miss the small campus of buildings marking the entrance to Grow Dat Youth Farm, which operates from a once-obscure stretch of New Orleans City Park.

After all, these buildings, fashioned from recycled shipping containers, are painted bright green and stacked upon each other like giant blocks.

What is less obvious to casual visitors however, is the impact Grow Dat is making for the diverse group of high school students who work the farm plots here. Grow Dat Youth Farm aims to help young people develop as leaders through the hands-on work of cultivating a farm together.

“The goal is transformational change, which is obviously a lofty goal, but given the right circumstances and factors, it’s achievable,” says Grow Dat co-director Johanna Gilligan. “The first part is, it’s coming from them.

They’re coming here on their own; they want to be part of something.”

Each spring, her group recruits teenagers from different high schools to work the City Park farm site as paid team members. They learn the basics of farming, they learn about healthy diets and they find out a great deal about themselves.

“They all come from different backgrounds, but they’re all doing something that’s new for them and that really helps them to open up,” says Gilligan.

“They’re bonding through

the meaningful work of growing food for their community. Essentially it’s this excellent community development tool.”

This past summer marked Grow Dat’s first year of production, when it harvested more than 7,000 pounds of food.

The farm donates 40 percent of its haul to groups like the Second Harvest Food Bank, while the rest is sold at farmers markets or brought home

by Grow Dat students to share with their families and neighborhoods.

As Grow Dat Youth Farm gears up for its next class, it will host field trips from local schools, organize a plant sale as a fundraiser and lead tours and volunteer activities for convention groups and others interested in its work.

“This is about developing the potential of youth and getting more healthy food into the community and those two engines just drive one another,” says Gilligan.

See updates on the group’s events and activities at GrowDatYouthFarm.org.

– I an M c N u l ty myneworleans.com

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T HE BE A T

EDUCATION

“Poli-speak” Learning the language of politics

By DAWN RUTH

P

olitical campaigns pro v ide excellent fodder

for language lovers, and the present one hasn’t disappointed.

If there’s a term that adequately captures the silliness, subterfuge and blatant deception that both sides use to snare votes, I don’t know it, so I’ve devised my own – “poli-speak.”

Poli-speak includes a family of deceptive practices that politicians employ to trawl for votes. Poli-speak includes poli-grammar, intended and unintended use of words that deliver misleading messages; poli-pretzel, comments taken out of context by the opposition to contort an intended message; and poli-dress, a non-verbal untruth sent by candidates via clothing choices.

Poli-speak is a cousin to parrot-speak. In general, getting too specific on the issues can turn off voters, and it’s a dangerous territory, so political candidates often turn to repetitive slogans that sound like something we can hang our hats on. Yet, if we spend more than five seconds actually thinking about them, the phrases crumble in our brains like pecked out seed hulls.

“Change we can believe in.” Remember that one from President Obama’s 2008 campaign? I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times

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national and local politicians have promised big policy changes. The fact of the matter is the separation of powers structure of government in this country is set up to prevent abrupt change and it works as intended. Climate change has moved faster than the federal government of late.

“Take our country back” – Republican vicepresidential nominee Paul Ryan embraced this Tea Party rallying cry in August in a speech in Virginia.

I’m not the first to ask, back from where? As far as I know I’m still standing on USA’s terra firma. This one sends a truly weird vibe because it implies that the country has been kidnapped by Darth Vader and his robotic army. We might not all agree with each other, but neither side, Democrat or Republican, represents the Evil One. Political slogans like these are commonly referred to as “glittering generalities,” a technique used by advertisers and other propagandists to deliver ambiguous but positive sounding messages. They can range from vague words to open-ended phrases that allow readers or listeners to fill in the blanks with their own perceptions.

A mild version of poli-speak occurred in New Orleans in July when President Obama addressed the National Urban League conference and touted education initiatives he has put in place.

Many news outlets filmed or reported him using the South’s own beloved “y’all” to address college-age voters. The New York Times quoted him saying, “Of course that means all of y’all got to hit the books.

Don’t cheer and then don’t do your homework.”

Leaving aside the awkward redundancy of “all of y’all,” the president’s usage of Southern colloquialisms J oseph D aniel F iedler I L L U S T R A T I O N

seems a premeditated attempt to relate to his audience.

Somehow I can’t visualize the president addressing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Marine Corp General John R. Allen as “y’all,” but then maybe he picked it up from his Chicagobred and Harvard-educated wife, who claims ancestral roots in South Carolina.

Of course, Obama’s use of this handy contraction was charming compared to Vice President Joe Biden’s use of it in Virginia. CNN and other news outlets reported that he criticized Republican nominee Mitt Romney for wanting to “unchain Wall Street,” a reference to Wall Street regulations. He is reported as saying that Romney would put “y’all back in chains.” He probably regrets that poor choice of words considering the racial overtones created by the combination of Southern phrasing, and the reference to chains in the heavily black populated town of Danville, Va. On the other side, it’s amusing to watch Romney’s operatives dance an evasive jig around the question of whether he supports Ryan’s budget-reducing Medicare proposal. His proposal to create a Medicare voucher system that would allow seniors to purchase health insurance on the open market could frighten older voters in swing states.

Poli-grammar really gave the president a headache over the summer when he misused the word “that” to refer to a complex point about how government policies and spending help small business owners. His now infamous quote, “You didn’t build that,” referred to the roads and bridges that government provides to business owners and individuals for transporting goods and getting to work, but the way he worded the sentence left the impression he was telling business owners that they are not responsible for their own success.

No one could honestly believe that a man running for president would intentionally offend business owners, but Romney’s side took offense nonetheless. Pronoun reference errors are made by the general populace on a daily basis, but in non-political discourse people manage to figure out the context and move on without so much drama.

Poli-pretzel, poli-grammar’s sibling, is a comment taken out of context by the opposition to smear the rival and make him look like feces to the general public. The slamming of the president over a petty grammar error was similar to the beating Romney took for these unfortunate words: “I like being able to fire people.”

He said these words during the Republican nominating phase, and in this case it was fellow Republican Rick Perry who used them to paint Romney as a hard-hearted businessman who cares nothing for the hardships of other people. The words came across as plausibility self-revealing because there was a good deal of firing and hiring activity during the time that he was CEO of Bain Capital, an investment group. Taken in context, however, Romney was referring to consumers’ ability to change insurance carriers if they’re not getting good service from them.

I won’t take up for Romney when it comes to his use of polidress, though. He was photographed in Dubuque, Iowa, wearing faded, baggy jeans that looked like cast-offs from a thrift store.

Did he really think that the blue-collar workers he addressed were fooled by the overused apparel? With a net worth that’s reportedly between $85 and $500 million, depending on the source, it’s highly unlikely that those threads came from the same closets that house all those perfectly tailored dark suits.

At the end of the day, voters have a tough road in trying to determine who’s truly behind the curtains of political language. But is all this manipulation the candidates’ fault? Political candidates play to voters’ own projections, prejudices and magical thinking, so maybe we don’t have anyone to blame but ourselves. myneworleans.com

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T HE BE A T

HEALTH

alcohol leads to a life of sin on Earth, a first class ticket to hell and an afterlife of dancing with the devil. Yet their congregants always seemed to have more alcohol-related problems.

Since Jesus was famous for turning water into wine, alcohol as a pulpit issue was a mystery in my high school years. Now I suspect that the penetrance of the genes responsible for alcoholism explains why some religious faiths are so opposed to drinking – period. If a larger-than-normal number of congregants in a certain religious group carry genetic material that responds in an unhealthy way to alcohol, their collective health is best served by abstinence.

Several New Orleans treatment programs target persons with substance abuse problems, including alcoholism. Many medical diseases have acute, sub-acute and chronic phases of disease and treatment. Alcoholism is no exception. In more severe cases detoxification requires an actual hospitalization, but the key to long-term success is aftercare.

“Detoxification isn’t treatment. It is merely a prerequisite for treatment,” says Dr. Ken Roy, a psyBy BROBSON LUTZ M.D. chiatrist for substance abusers, well-known for his ne in 2 0 A mericans has an alcohol use work with impaired physicians and others plagued disorder, according to a recent perspective published in the with chemical dependency problems. Roy has Journal of the American Medical Society. In Russia that number designed, implemented and prescribed a variety of is one in six. No doubt New Orleans is somewhere in between. treatment options over the years including ambulaWhy do some folks drink in moderation and others to excess? Alcoholism is a tory detoxification, intensive outpatient treatment complex disease with definite genetic overlays. including partial hospitalization and long-term resiThe North Alabama area of my youth is the epicenter for the Church of Christ, dential care. a Southern fundamentalist sect that makes Southern Baptists look liberal. Their Townsend Clinics is another fast-rising player on preachers preach, turning red in the face, against a laundry list of societal evils the block originally founded by a businessman in including alcohol, dancing and wearing shorts. They preach that a single sip of Lafayette with a vision to address addiction after his own scrape with chemical dependency. This clinic has no relationship to Louisiana State University psychiaAddiction Recovery trist Dr. Mark Townsend, a local anxiResources has offices in ety expert with clinic offices in the Metairie and on Canal Street in Touro area. In fact, Townsend in the New Orleans. Medical director clinic’s name supposedly honors a Dr. Ken Roy supervises a varirelative of the founder. ety of highly structured ambuTownsend Clinics reorganized in latory programs in addition 2009 with a “focus back to home to some residential services. in Louisiana” according to Abhi Also ARR has a contract with Bhansali, their publicist. Bhansali, a the state to provide therapy for some persons They have an income based fee schedule that’s New Orleans homeboy with a New with limited means and no insurance. 780-2766, very affordable. 941-7580, ACERCanHelp.com York University education, works for arrno.org Alcoholics Anonymous is the granddaddy of a local public relations company.

The Townsend Clinics list office locations in all alcohol treatment programs. Even though its He helped “manage accounts for Metairie, Covington, Lafayette, Baton Rouge and mission isn’t based on medical intervention with Absolut and Moet-Hennessy promoNew Orleans. Some are more active than oththe use of other medications, most treatment tions in major metropolitan cities” ers. They have an intensive outpatient treatment programs refer patients to meetings on an ongobefore returning home to ply his program with some exotic genetic testing that Dr. ing basis. Trying to get some basic information public relations skills for a spectrum Howard Wetsman believes is important in tailoring from AA, such as how many people in our area of clients in the alcohol food chain therapy. (800) 760-8561, TownsendLa.com attend their meetings, is difficult; they don’t from NOLA Brewing Company to the Addiction Counseling and Educational share that kind of information. I like that. Their Townsend Clinics.

Resources covers the Greater New Orleans area website will help anyone find a meeting site.

For decades, Antabuse was prewith multiple active offices from Arabi to Slidell.

AA-NewOrleans.org scribed for alcohol avoidance. It

Half Empty

The costs of treating alcoholism

O

Finding help

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HEALTHBEAT Saks Fifth Avenue Key to the Cure fundraiser, which benefits the cancer research programs of the Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, will take place this year Oct. 18-21, with a kickoff gala Oct. 17. The LCRC is a

cancer research partnership between LSUHSC and Ochsner, and Tulane and Xavier universities. Over the past 11 years, Saks Fifth Avenue’s Key to the Cure has generated more than $1 million to assist local scientists in their ongoing quests to find cures.

LSUHSC’s Louisiana Tumor Registry, a program of the university’s School of Public Health, recently accepted the 20th anniversary Research Award from the National Program of Cancer Registries. Only two of these awards are given annually, recognizing the institution and researchers who best utilized central cancer registry data for research. Currently collaborating with multiple states in several projects addressing the treatment effectiveness for localized

prostate cancer and its impact on the quality of life (CEASAR Study), researchers are also examining detailed treatments for cancers of the breast, colon and rectum, as well as chronic myeloid leukemia and assessing their comparative effectiveness (CER Project), validating the instrument in collecting data on the quality of life and patient outcomes in minority populations (MY-Health study), and conducting causative studies on multiple myeloma and ovarian cancer among African Americans.

Ochsner Medical Center was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the “100 Hospitals with Great Orthopedic Programs.” Hospitals included on this list focus on orthopedics and their orthopedic surgery departments and have outstanding reputations. “This is a testament to the commit-

ment to quality that each member of our orthopedics team exemplifies,” says Michael Hulefeld, CEO of Ochsner Medical Center. “It is our continuing mission to bring this type of high-level service to the city of New Orleans and surrounding areas.” The editorial team at Becker’s arrived at their decision to award Ochsner after they analyzed, scored and weighed data from outside sources on factors that include patient-centered care, forward-thinking research and continual innovation in orthopedic treatments and services.

– S arah R a v its myneworleans.com

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blocks an enzyme in the liver needed to detoxify alcohol. A person who drinks alcohol with this drug on board develops a throbbing headache, nausea and vomiting. Unfortunately, the long-term success using Antabuse is marginal at best.

“The midbrain houses the pleasure center of the brain. It has an on and off switch that normally controls emotional highs and lows. Somehow alcohol breaks this switch in the brain, and alcoholics need more and more alcohol to experience pleasurable sensations,” says Dr. Reed Pitre, a psychiatrist originally from Houma who specializes in treating addiction disorders in Atlanta.

“Naltrexone fixes this broken switch and allows natural endorphins to function. It decreases the craving for alcohol. Alcoholics taking naltrexone don’t get the buzz. It is a generic drug and the oral version costs about $50 a month. There is also a long acting formulation called Vivitrol.”

The convenience and assured dosing of a once-a-month injection of extended-release Vivitrol isn’t cheap. Since no study shows therapeutic or long-term benefits for the once-a-month injection over the generic daily dose by mouth, most insurance companies don’t cover the $1,000 or so injection without steep co-pays. The drug company offers discount coupons of up to $500 a month for some folks, but the true price is shrouded in layers of drug company propaganda about assistance programs devised to keep the drug price high.

Dr. Howard Wetsman (see profile and interview in August 2012 New Orleans Magazine) is the Chief Medical Officer of Townsend Clinics. He gives lectures in which he catalogs medications used to treat addictive disorders into those that are used to treat withdrawal such as the benzodiazepines (Valium, Librium) in addition to those that block, mute or modulate the effect of addictive drugs. Other underlying psychiatric problems abound in folks with alcohol use disorders, and many more drugs are available for these coexisting medical problems, such as mood disorders.

Just as cancer treatments are progressing from more toxic radiation blasts and nauseating chemicals to therapy targeted against specific cancer cells, the armamentarium of selective agents to treat drug abuse has increased. The problem is access to this care. For decades, effective management of advanced alcohol dependency in this area began with a long stay in a locked facility somewhere upstate or in Mississippi.

Newer outpatient treatment centers and judicious prescribing of more specific psychiatric medications are making treatment of alcohol abuse disorders more accessible albeit not less expensive. One former Townsend patient told me he paid about $7,000 cash for treatment sessions lasting just under two months.

He was also encouraged to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Even though his problem was alcohol, he received frequent urine tests for other drugs along with a surprise $4,000 bill later for these “pee tests.” When he called the laboratory billing office, he was told they would cancel the extra lab charges because he didn’t have insurance.

The current owners of Townsend Clinics are businessman Michael Handley, aforementioned psychiatrist Dr. Howard Wetsman and former Touro Infirmary emergency room physician Dr. Kevin Jordan. In a national magazine ranking earlier in the year “Townsend’s revenue grew 1,907 percent over the three years ending 2011 to $4.4 million.”

Bottom line: Even with more effective drugs, the treatment of alcoholism remains an expensive stool with many legs. Lifestyle modifications and long-term psychosocial support groups, such as AA, remain essential components for long-term results. One day there may be a specific blood test to detect persons prone to alcoholism; those folks would be best served by heeding the warnings from the abstinence pulpits. Consider them allergic to alcohol.

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T HE BEA T

C R I M E F I G H T I NG

“Behind the Wire” Perspectives from a retired prison warden B y A LL E N J O H N S O N J R .

“There are no walls that stand so high, between people as averted eyes.”

O

– College yearbook of (ret.) prison Warden Frank L. Jobert Jr. (LSUNO ’73) pening

the

1973

yearbook

of

Louisiana State University at New Orleans, retired prison warden Frank L. Jobert Jr., stands out from the other graduating seniors pictured.

In the picture, he’s 40 years younger, with long hair, a bright smile and a palpable sense of excitement.

His father, Frank L. Jobert Sr., a Falstaff brewery worker in New Orleans, completed the sixth grade at Gentilly Terrace Elementary School. His mother, Shirley Solis Jobert, a part-time bookkeeper, graduated from John McDonogh Senior High School. Her rapid tallying of team scores on Ladies Bowling Night impressed young Frank, who likes to think he inherited his mother’s acumen for accounting.

Jobert Jr. became the first college graduate in his family.

“Becoming a prison warden was the last thing in my mind,” Jobert recalls.

On July 2, 1973, after a brief stint as a donut maker for Tastee Donuts, he began a corrections career, reporting to work as a purchasing agent for the Louisiana Training Institute (LTI) at Bridge City, La., a juvenile detention facility.

Today, almost 40 years later, Jobert’s cheerful graduation photo appears is an incongruous start to a long career in the grim business of running state prisons in Louisiana.

Jobert, who turns 61 in October, retired from the state department of corrections in 2003, nearly a decade ago. His three decades “behind the wire” included 20 years as a warden of state prisons for adults and juveniles in the New Orleans area. He looks back on his career with mixed emotions. “The nightmares stick in my mind,” he says.

In a later email, he reflects on the cat-and-mouse relations between jailers and inmates. “It was an exciting career and never a boring day!”

Overall, Jobert offers a valuable historical perspective on corrections in Louisiana – a state notorious for recording the nation’s highest incarceration rates per capita.

He was one of 12 state prison wardens in Louisiana during the 1980s, a draconian period of major prison construction and little public appetite for rehabilitation. “I likened us to the 12 apostles,” Jobert jokes.

The wardens were philosophically divided. Many were traditional security officers: ‘lock them up and throw away the key.’

Jobert was a protégé of the late C. Paul Phelps, a pioneering state corrections secretary who advocated rehabilitation and treatment.

In 1983, Phelps appointed Jobert as warden of Jackson Barracks, a minimumsecurity work-release facility for 300-plus inmates on the 100-acre National Guard base, located in a residential area of the Lower 9th Ward near the St. Bernard Parish line.

Phelps viewed Barracks as a “light at the end of the tunnel” for motivated,

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rule-abiding inmates seeking to graduate from higher security facilities, near the end of their sentences. “We taught life skills, work habits, work ethics and tried to get them ready to re-enter society as taxpayers rather than as burdens on the system,” Jobert says. “Nobody did really good studies on recidivism. We did pretty good, but nothing to write home about.”

One prisoner – blind in one eye – earned a college degree. A work-release inmate rescued an elderly couple from their burning home in nearby Arabi; he became a hospital fire prevention officer.

Two other inmates were commended for aiding a heart attack victim. There were concerts by musicians (such as Oliver “Who Shot the La La” Morgan) and boxing matches and team sports. Some 50 senior citizens were bused into the prison daily for a hot meal and card games. The visits had a “calming effect” on the inmates, he said.

Jobert allowed inmates to earn nominal amounts of income by washing cars, selling hobby crafts and performing auto repairs. Several inmates once offered to mow the grass at his home. “I told them if I did that I would be locked up here with you.”

In 1993, the national standards-setting American BRYAN TARNOWsKI PHOTOGRAPH

Correctional Association gave Jackson Barracks the highest ranking of all 15 penal facilities in Louisiana, with a 99.2 percent score based on 418 corrections criteria – including inmate accountability. Inmate rule violators were shipped back to high security prisons. Inmates returning 15 minutes late from work release assignments were counted as “escapes” – a practice that inflated publicized reports.

Jobert formed a “chase team” to pursue escapees, but it wasn’t enough.

In 1993, an inmate, allegedly high on crack, raped and murdered the wife of a National Guard colonel. In ’94, two inmates escaped over the razor wire, leading cops on a four-state manhunt that ended when one of the escapees shot and killed himself.

Area neighbors and The Times-Picayune called for closing the prison. National Guard commanders and Gambit unsuccessfully opposed the sudden decision.

Jobert helped the prison’s 130 employees find other work and then finished his career where it began, LTI-Bridge City. He oversaw 150 juveniles as an assistant warden until retiring.

B

B

B

“Corrections is just a warehousing operation,” Jobert says today. “You have to stop (children) from entering prison in the first place. The way to solve the problem long range is to correct the failures of the family, the education system, the churches – everybody has to pick up the slack.

“The kids aren’t born ‘bad’. It’s their environment, their upbringing and lack of hope. They turn to a life of drugs and alcohol as an escape; then the life of crime begins and the cycle starts to repeat itself. Give these kids hope, education and meaningful opportunities and the ship will right itself. Don’t wait for corrections to solve the world’s ills.”

Like C. Paul Phelps, Jobert advocates “intensive supervision” by state probation and parole agents instead of incarceration for many offenders. “You’re talking $5 per person a day for probation and parole compared to $30 to $40 daily for incarceration.”

He says politicians still lack the “political will” to adopt Phelps’ 1980s plan.

Jobert says his biggest headache as warden was finding qualified employees. Pay and education requirements were too low.

Applicants had to be 18 or over, with no criminal record and pass an entrance exam. “We used a psychological exam, but we threw it out because it became a barrier to hiring,” he recalls.

Jobert spent all but one year of his three decades in state prisons under federal court-supervised plans to ensure constitutional protections for inmates – a hot topic in New Orleans.

“It takes a lot of money to meet the goals of a consent decree,” Jobert says. “C. Paul [Phelps] used to say, ‘if you don’t have a consent decree, get one’. The consent decree was something we bitched about but it was our best friend at the end of the day. We all complained about the monthly reports to the federal judge and the supervision by outsiders looking over our shoulder, who we thought didn’t know what they were talking about. But we liked the funding we received to run the facilities properly.”

B

B

B

Nearly 10 years after his corrections career ended, Jobert can still joke. A reporter asked, “How did Frank Jobert end up in prison?”

The retired warden laughs, and replies with his own word play.

“Everybody makes mistakes.”

Frank Jobert Jr. and his wife Deborah will celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary October 13. They have two children, Ryan Jobert, 31, and Megan Jobert, 21. Warden Jobert, who earned his MBA from UNO in 1978, says undergraduate courses in sociology, human resources and business law “helped with administration of staff and inmates.” myneworleans.com

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N EWSBEAT

Benson Tower Goes Green A New Orleans skyscraper that once stood as a symbol of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation is now being praised as an example of the city’s future. The newly renovated Benson Tower, the 26-story office building adjacent to the MercedesBenz Superdome, was recently recognized as the first high-rise in New Orleans to earn certification through Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the top rating system for “green” building.

The Poydras Street building was formerly known as the Dominion Tower, and it was left battered and mostly vacant for years after Katrina. In 2009, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson and his family bought the property as part of an agreement between the Saints and the state.

“I give the Benson family a lot of credit,” says Mike Siegel, president of Corporate Realty, Inc., the New Orleans firm that manages Benson Tower leasing. “They could have built (the tower) back the way it had been, keeping the old systems in place.

But it was important for them to do it this way.

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statement and to be leaders, and you need people with that foresight and that vision.”

The LEED certification recognizes high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Building manager Maureen Clary says for Benson Tower that included new highefficiency lighting and mechanical systems and everything from carpets and paints with low VOC emissions to a building-wide recycling program.

“The utility costs of operating this building are about half what they would be for another nonLEED building downtown here,” she says.

The building is almost 100 percent leased, but Siegel says LEED certification would be an important selling point should the building need new tenants in the future.

“But my opinion is that five or 10 years down the line it won’t be very meaningful because everyone will have it, it will just be the standard,” says Siegel. “It’s the way the world is headed.”

Indeed, over the summer the U.S. Green Building Council, the agency that manages the LEED program, reported that more than 2 billion square feet of commercial projects are now certified through LEED and that an additional 7 billion square feet is currently in the pipeline worldwide.

– I an M c N u l ty

LOCALCOLOR THE SCOOP

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Let the Scaring Begin PAGE 42

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OCTOBER 2012

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T H E S C O O P

Let the Scaring Begin New Orleans offers plenty of Halloween happenings

By MORGAN PACKARD

A

l l H a l l o w s ’ E v e , t he n i g h t w he n t he v e i l

between the supernatural and physical worlds is most transparent and spirits roam the night, gaining their vengeance before moving on. Hence why we dress in costume, so that those spirits can’t recognize us and we can survive to celebrate All Saints’ Day (much like we celebrate Mardi Gras so that we can survive Lent).

In a city widely known for its haunted history, we celebrate our spirits in ways that other cities strive to match. While almost everywhere else in the United States Halloween is a night of trick-or-treating for the kiddos, but here we do things differently.

For the past four years I’ve spent my Halloween at the Anba Dlo Festival and Parade (NewOrleansHealingCenter.org). It moved to the New Orleans Healing Center two years ago and has been changing from my standing in a parking lot listening to great live music to a multi-story event with a silent auction, three live music stages, a DJ dance area, costume parade, multimedia art installations and so much more. Anba Dlo is Haitian Kreyol for “Beneath the Waters,” and, with the theme this year of “Infinite Blessings, Finite Resource,” this community festival honors the importance of water to our lives while celebrating the “multicultural and artistic heritage of New Orleans.” This year’s event will take place early, on Sat., Oct. 20 starting at 2 p.m. and lasting until 2 a.m. on Sun., Oct. 21 (must be 21 to attend).

Another of my favorite adult Halloween traditions is seeing Galactic perform at Tipitina’s. This year’s concert says it begins at 9 p.m. (though anyone who’s attended a concert on a holiday at Tip’s knows that it will probably be at least 10 p.m. before the openers go on) and will feature Corey Glover (of Living Colour) with special guest Soul Rebels. Tickets are available through Tipitinas. com and at the door though I suggest buying early, as this show tends to sell out (must be 18 to attend).

While we’re talking about music, the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience (TheVoodooExperience.com) at City Park, Oct. 26-28, has become a tradition for many New Orleanians and not just the college students. This year the experience is growing with more interactive art, a stellar line up of musicians and, for the first time, on-site camping. The inaugural camping experience ranges from general tent camping with basic amenities to a luxurious all-encompassing camping experience where concertgoers can arrive to move-in-ready 10-by13-foot safari-style tents complete with cots, bedding and pillows, along with exclusive artist access throughout the site. With Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Green Day, Jack White, Skrillex, Nas, Bootsy Collins and lots more, there’s music for almost every taste.

If it’s “ghoulies, ghosties and long-leggety beasties, and things that go bump in the night” that you’re looking for, New Orleans offers that, too. You can take a tour of haunted spots, stay in a supposedly haunted hotel or drink at a haunted bar. You can visit the Cabildo (701 Chartres St., 568-6968, FriendsOfTheCabildo. org), which has a full weekend of events called the Ghostly Galavant, Oct. 26-28.

That Friday from 8 to 11 p.m. is the costume party with entertainment by Los Po-Boy-Citos, food from local restaurants and beer and wine for $40 in advance.

Saturday and Sunday feature tours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for $20 with students to age 18 $10 and children get in free. Or go on the Hermann-Grima House Mourning Tour (820 St. Louis St., 525-5661, hgghh.org) when the house is dressed in, and decorated as if the occupants are in mourning.

Or you could visit the House of Shock (319 Butterworth St., Jefferson,

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The Mortuary

Molly’s at the Market Halloween Parade

House of Shock

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J E F F ST R O U T P H OTOG R A P H

HouseOfShock.com). Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, founder Ross Karpelman plans to make this haunted “festival” the biggest yet. Named Travel Channel’s “Most Extreme Halloween Attraction in the Country,” there will be a new outdoor Moss Maze, a new post-apocalyptic-themed Chainsaw Cage Maze, a psychotic Meat Processing Plant “where torture is the trade secret for the most tender meat,” flying beasts and more. (The trek through the haunted maze is said to take about an hour.) There will also be a new outdoor multi-media stage that will host live actors, stunts, pyrotechnics, freak acts and more while you wait for entry. House of Shock will be open every Friday and Saturday in October, plus Tues., Oct. 30 and Wed., Oct. 31. General admission to the haunted house is $25, with VIP admission for $50.

Newer to the scaring scene, The Mortuary (4800 Canal St., 4832530, TheMortuary.net), has a theme this year of “Cirque Du Fear,” complete with sadistic clowns, vampires, gypsy fortune tellers, monstrous creatures of the night and games of chance where you might “face Death himself.” General admission tickets are $25 and VIP “skip the line” tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the door; for $55 you get the VIP ticket complete with Mortuary logo shirt and cap or for $88 you can grab a VIP “Frequent Fear Pass” (coupons available on their website for all nights except Saturdays and Halloween night). In addition, you can have your catered, full-service Halloween, birthday, bachelor or corporate party as a “360-degree horror movie” or tour the “haunt experience” as a group any day or night in October when the site isn’t in operation. The Mortuary is open for tours Oct. 5-7, 11-14, 18-21, 24-31 and Nov. 2-3. See the website for themed nights and more details.

I have always wanted to attend the annual Anne Rice Vampire Lestat Fan Club Ball (arvlfc.com). In its 24th year, this “Night of the Wolves,” titled “Anne Rice’s Wolf Gift Ball,” will take place on Fri., Oct. 26 at Gallier Hall and will feature entertainment by Saints of Ruin, Warchild and Lestat the Band, along with special guest authors including Sherrilyn Kenyon and a live auction of Anne Rice’s autographed keyboard on which she wrote The Wolf Gift.

Known for the creative costumes in attendance, there will also be food by Geaux Gourmet and wares from Clothier Gabrielle Elyse and New Orleans Bone Co. The ball is held in conjunction with the third annual UnDead Con (more information and tickets available on their website).

Another event I can’t wait to attend is Halloween’s in New Orleans (HalloweenNewOrleans.com) – the “ultimate benefit weekend” says Dustin Woehrmann. The event is in its 29th year of donating 100 percent of proceeds to Project Lazarus and, new this year, The Trevor Project. Thurs., Oct. 25 is a black-tie event at the Ogden Museum with food, a silent auction and live entertainment; “This is a chance for locals and friends to show their dapper side before the craziness of the weekend sets in,” Woehrmann says. Fri., Oct. 26 is the “club” event at the House of Blues with DJ Corey Craig, where guests are encouraged to mingle, dance and “play” costume-free.

Saturday’s “Monster Brawl” is the main event: a dance and costume party at the Contemporary Arts Center Sheds. This “gritty, sexy costume party” will feature a “locker room,” dancers, fighters, a boxing ring, outdoor activity area and a New Orleans Bounce show. Sun., Oct. 28 offers a “chill cruise” down the Mississippi River on the steamboat Natchez with brunch and live music.

But, if all else fails, throw on a fantastic costume (or even just an OK one) and head down to the Molly’s at the Market Halloween Parade (1107 Decatur St., MollysAtTheMarket.net/Halloween) ridership is open online for anyone who wants to ride! Always a blast and parading since 1995, these costumes never disappoint. After taking in the sights, grab a frozen Irish coffee and wander to Bourbon Street and/or Frenchmen Street and see what Halloween in New Orleans really looks like.

Boo at the Zoo

Tricks and Treats

Three alternatives to going door-to-door.

Park-A-Boo. Fri., Oct. 26; Sat., Oct. 27; Sun., Oct. 28; Lafreniere Park, LafrenierePark.org; Age 12 and under; each child must be accompanied by an adult. Featuring: The BOO House, Witch Way maze, Treat Street, face painting, costume contests, games, animal balloons, storytelling, live music, food, characters (including Sponge Bob, Elmo and Dora). Price: 13 and up, $7; 12 and under, $5; under 2, free Boo at the Zoo presented by Carnival Cruise Lines. Fri., Oct. 19; Sat., Oct. 20; Fri., Oct. 26; Sat., Oct. 27; Audubon Zoo, ChNola.org; Age 12 and under. Featuring: Trick-or-treat houses with candy; Ghost Train; a haunted house (with both scary and non-scary options); games with prizes; two stages of live entertainment; Star Wars Stage Show; haunted maze; animal presentations; this year, Dinosaur Adventures Exhibit and Endangered Species Carousel included. Price: $17 per person (adult or child); under 12 months, free Louisiana Children’s Museum Spooky Week & Museum Mash. Spooky Week, Tues., Oct. 23-Sat., Oct. 27; Louisiana Children’s Museum, lcm.org Featuring: Spooky Week features – Halloween bracelet making; story time reading of If You’re a Monster and You Know It; make a self portrait inspired by Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”; and, on Tuesday and Thursday, make your own slime (please see website for hours for these events). Museum Mash features – Costume party with games with prizes; boo bubbles; Monster Mash Dance Party; and make a Halloween necklace. Price: Spooky Week: See website for details; Monster Mash: $10 for nonmembers and $5 for members (pre-registration recommended)

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MUSIC

Kid Ory Band at the Beverly Cavern, circa 1948

A Man and His Trombone Rediscovering Kid Ory B Y J A S O N B E R R Y

I

n

t he

ce n t ury

s i n ce

jazz

bec a me

a

distinctive

sound, the story of how the music came to be has emerged in several waves, starting with oral history interviews in the 1940s and ’50s, continuing amid a stream of memoirs by players such as Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton. Morton told his story to Alan Lomax, but Armstrong, a grade-school dropout, used his own typewriter to write Satchmo: My Life in New Orleans, which was published in ’54.

By the 1980s, scholars and journalists mining the memoirs and the many interviews at Tulane’s Hogan Jazz Archive discovered more varied sources, writing histories that have become steadily more textured. But from the earliest interviews one thing was clear: For all the dancing and rocking times associated with the music that shaped the identity of the city we know today, the founding players came from hardscrabble origins. Few made it as far as high school. They faced huge odds, as blacks, to make a decent living in the segregated South.

The American idea is steeped in the myth of endless 46

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space. The westward migration of pioneers, like the ethnic Europeans who crossed the Atlantic fanning out in cities of a young nation, are images of a national saga. The more we learn about history however, the more we confront realities to dampen the myth. Pioneers, to cite but one example, slaughtered American Indians who had first purchase on the land with treaties that often amounted to theft.

The deep poverty from which so many early jazzmen rose – a world away from Jazz at Lincoln Center or NOCCA – is obscured in popular perceptions of how jazz began. Like artists of every age, blacks and colored Creoles who forged the idiom wanted to make money at what they did. That is a leitmotif in John McCusker’s impressive new book, Creole Trombone: Kid Ory and the Early Years of Jazz (University L o u i s i a n a S t a t e M u s eum J a z z c o l l ec t i o n , TO P

CD After listening to the eponymous album by the band Louisiana Atmosphere, you’ll quickly learn that the six members of the band are proud of their love for New Orleans. With song titles including “If You Don’t Like Jazz” and “Gumbo Ya Ya,” the album is a tribute to the city and its culture. Many of the band’s members were born and raised in New Orleans, and all are veteran musicians who have played festivals and concerts around New Orleans and the U.S. DRINKING James Teitelbaum takes the reader on a global bar crawl in Destination Cocktails: The Traveler’s Guide to Superior Libations. The book includes recommendations to bars, microbreweries and cocktail lounges to cities around the world, including New Orleans. The New Orleans chapter is a good resource for New Orleans visitors interested in venturing beyond the touristy spots. For locals looking to venture out, the book includes bars in 44 cities from New York to Tokyo to Sydney.

NOLA ON SCREEN World Film Locations: New Orleans is a tribute to the city by way of the movies. Edited by Scott Jordan Harris, the book is a compilation of a variety of films shot in New Orleans, or Hollywood recreations of the city. The book is best suited for a movie buff, as each section highlights a specific scene in a specific New Orleans movie. However, even the most casual New Orleans movie goer will feel a sense of pride when reading the book because it shows how films from 1938 to the present have been capturing the spirit of New Orleans and sharing it with movie lovers.

NOVEL Writer Attica Locke tackles the lingering memories of slavery in the South in her latest book The Cutting Season. The novel follows Caren Gray, the manager of Belle Vie, an old plantation outside New Orleans that now serves as a tourist attraction. When a woman is found dead on the plantation’s property, Gray tries to find out who’s responsible. The book’s themes make you think about how the South’s history still has effects in the present day.

The cliffhangers at the end of each chapter keep the book moving and suspenseful.

–HALEY ADAMS Please send submissions for consideration, attention: Haley Adams, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. myneworleans.com

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Press of Mississippi.) A veteran Times-Picayune photographer who shared in the Pulitzer Prize coverage of Hurricane Katrina, McCusker’s career at the paper, like that of so many others, has come to an end. As the paper sacrifices institutional memory to the Newhouse money machine, McCusker has a spotlight, and his book is sweet vengeance.

McCusker spent years scouring libraries, archives and census data in reconstructing Ory’s ancestral lines. He delivers an inspired take on Creole. Despite the French-sounding surname, the father came from German stock among the area landowners.

“With a white father and a mother of mixed ancestry, Ory was as white as he was black, and this was certainly at the heart of his Creole identity in a racial context,” writes McCusker. “Still, selftaught identity is one matter; the law is another. Though he had straight hair, Anglo features and red skin, Ory legally may as well have been black as coal.”

Born Christmas Day 1886 in LaPlace, a mile behind Woodlands plantation, Ory was orphaned in mid-adolescence. He worked as a field hand while making music on makeshift instruments.

Mesmerized by brass bands that toured the plantation belt, he started his own group and, after forays to New Orleans, got his first horn. He left the plantation in 1907 with an angry overseer shaking a fist at him as the train pulled away.

Unlike Creole bandleader John Robichaux or clarinet master Lorenzo Tio Jr., Ory was unable to read sheet music. Culturally, he was more like Uptown blacks, descendants of slaves who played by ear, improvising on what they heard. Ory was a hustling troubadour who hired wagons to haul his band, the musicians playing advertisements of the gig that evening or night. A showman in the truest sense, Ory formed a potent alliance with Joe “King” Oliver and gave Oliver’s protégée, a teenaged Louis

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Armstrong, his first break.

“Debutantes wanted the Ory band so they could dance the turkey trot and the bunny hug,” writes McCusker. “Ory played A-list parties with such success that he cut into Robichaux’s market ... Ory’s group helped the music cross over the racial and cultural threshold. Ory’s group delighted whatever audience lay before them: a Saturday night in Storyville, a Sunday afternoon brass band parade or a Friday night hotel ball. The band traveled through different worlds, all existing in the same geographical space.”

The wisdom in that last sentence, precise as a pinpoint yet simply stated, echoes through the book. Creole Trombone is an able biography and one of the smartest books yet written on the origins of New Orleans jazz. McCusker debunks the notion of Storyville as a happy musicians’ haunt; the sex trade and raucous milieu carried its share of excitement and the music ran hot to meet expectations. But the church parades, picnics, outdoor concerts and low-rent balls were venues for different stylistic approaches through those different worlds in the same geographical space. In 1919, a Storyville club owner named Pete Lala, in thick with the mob, tried to cut in on Ory’s success at sponsoring dances. Fearing for his life, Ory and his wife moved to California.

In the mid-1920s, Ory reunited with Armstrong in Chicago, and earned a major place in history on the Hot Five recordings.

“Muskrat Ramble” is his most famous composition. His name lives on with “Do What Ory Say” and “Ory’s Creole Trombone.” He spent his later years on the West Coast and Hawaii, working slowly on an autobiography he never finished. McCusker persuaded the family to give him access to the manuscript and uses it wisely, seasoning the narrative with episodes of Ory in his own voice.

L OCAL C O L O R

C A S T O F CH ARAC TERS

Father Mac’s Message Why St. Henry’s needed to survive B Y G E O R G E G Ü R T N E R

I

n t he o pe n i n g p a r a g r a ph s o f h i s 1 9 8 1 P u l i t z er

Prize-winning book, Confederacy of Dunces, which was set in New Orleans, author John Kennedy Toole writes of a bakery he calls “the Germans.” On many mornings, Ignatius Reilly, Toole’s hilarious protagonist, made a run to the Germans for jelly doughnuts for his equally off the wall mother. On the way home, Ignatius would suck the jelly out of the donuts and throw the “empties” back into the bag.

“The Germans” in actuality was Schwab’s Bakery, a small family business set along busy Magazine Street in a working-class Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans.

Around the corner, from Schwab’s was the distinctly German St. Henry’s Church and School, on erstwhile “Berlin Street,” renamed “Gen. Pershing Street” after World War I. As less-than-stellar students at St. Henry’s, four of us perfected a “path of escape” from Mass each morning: a sidestep here and there, then a mad dash through a maze of alleys that led to Magazine Street, where we crossed over to Schwab’s to buy powdered jelly donuts and cartons of chocolate milk. We stood freezing in doorways along Magazine Street, chompin’ donuts, drinking milk and yakkin’ before dusting the confectionery sugar from the fronts of our shirts and sneaking back into the line coming from church.

Nobody was the wiser.

On one of those numbingly cold mornings as we stood, stomping our feet to stay warm – with our mouths filled with doughnuts, jelly and chocolate milk and the fronts of our shirts covered with white powdery doughnut sugar – a look of terror crossed the face of one member of our Mass-skipping gang.

We all turned to see Father William McCallion, a young priest from Brooklyn who was in his first year at St. Henry’s and the first non-German anything to cross the threshold of St. Henry’s church or school. Father “Mac’s” cassock was blowing every which way in the hard wind as he rubbed his hands together and strode up to us.

“You know, it’s a helluva lot warmer in church than it is out here!” Father Mac said to the four of us as a group, but seemingly to each of us personally.

With that, the young priest simply turned and walked off. He never threatened us or berated us, and he never showed even a hint of anger.

The logic of Father Mac’s statement accomplished more than any harsh words or yelling could ever have accomplished. None of us ever missed daily weekday Mass again. And after Mass, when Father Mac strode into our classroom for a surprise visit as he sometimes did, he spoke often of the importance of faith in our lives and how when we have faith, all things are indeed

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possible, no matter what we say … or don’t say … or even do! The “faith” Father Mac spoke of didn’t have any religious connection; he never tied it in to our Catholicism. It was one of those “ya gotta believe” football coach rah-rah type of things. In time we all connected this “faith lesson” to that cold day on Magazine Street and what Father Mac did, or didn’t say to us that morning or during his classroom visits or on the playground. If Father Mac said it, we believed it. We had faith.

Years later, when I was a young newspaper

reporter, I ran into Father Mac who was then the chaplain at the hellish Angola State Penitentiary in the rattlesnake infested Tunica Hills. We had lunch together several times over the course of several visits I made to the prison, and we spoke of that cold morning so many years earlier and of his calm demeanor and piercing logic and how it all had affected each of us – to that very day.

We told many other “St. Henry stories” like the one about Father Mac driving home a new car – a fire engine red job – and Father Himmrich, our old German pastor, hitting the ceiling and admonishing Father Mac: “Priests must not drive flashy red cars. You need to drive something the Blessed Mother would be happy to ride in.” That same day, Father Mac exchanged the red job for a sedate powder blue Plymouth Belvedere. He drove it to the front of the rectory, blew the horn and yelled

to Father Himmrich, “If the Blessed Mother’s in there, ask her to come out! I know she’d love to take a ride in my new car!”

In addition to being a faith-filled man, Father Mac had a marvelous sense of humor and laughed easily at himself and at life’s foibles.

In 2008, New Orleans Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes closed several churches in the city – St. Henry’s was one of them ostensibly for economic reasons; the “remnants of Hurricane Katrina in 2005,” we were told.

Some of us with St. Henry’s connections formed an organization – “Save St. Henry’s” – replete with T-shirts and posters. The Save St. Henry’s brain trust, knowing that no church can ever be closed when two or more people are inside worshipping, laid out a schedule insuring that two or more “worshippers” would indeed remain inside the church 24/7.

My son, Hans Wilhelm Gürtner, and I chose 10 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday for our prayer/sleep vigil. During those interminably long nights we yawned bleary eyed and tossed and turned on our air mattresses set on the main aisle. The pews in the old church creaked eerily in response to the cold wind whistling in the lonely night outside. During those times, I relayed many anecdotes of my decidedly misguided youthful years at St. Henry’s Church and School to my son. Hans and I laughed often during those times together (without fear of my being smacked from behind as Sister Gabriel had done many times in those same pews) as we fought a determined, faith-filled battle to save something that was more than just bricks and mortar to me – and to so many others.

At one point, Hans offhandedly mentioned how cold it must be outside and without hesitation, I thought or maybe even said aloud, “You know, it’s a helluva lot warmer inside this church than it is out there!”

During those quiet early Saturday morning hours, just before sleep overtook us, I thought of making my first communion in this very church, and of my confirmation and of my father lying in a coffin only a few feet from the point where my son and I now slept. And, I thought of Father Mac, the brash, funny young priest from Brooklyn. I thought of the great irony of Father Mac leaving Angola for an assignment at St. Gertrude’s Church on a bayou at Des Allemands – Des Allemands means “The Germans.” Father Mac went to sleep in his bed at St. Gertrude one night and failed to wake up the next morning.

I am glad Father Mac and I were able to spend at least snippets of time together at Angola, joking, talking and sharing meals and memories.

The young priest had taught me that, if you have faith – unshakable faith – there’s indeed great power to move mountains not only by what is said, but even in what is not said. Faith says it all for you.

Early in the summer of 2012, newly named Archbishop Gregory Aymond (a native New Orleanian) reopened St. Henry’s Church for special services such as funerals and weddings, then announced that daily Mass would again be celebrated at St. Henry’s.

Shortly after that reopening, the Feast of St. Henry Mass was celebrated at the old red brick church on Gen. Pershing Street.

After Mass, festivities included a block party with beer, food and music by the funky J. Monque’D Blues Band.

And in that crowd of about 1,000, old veterans of St. Henry’s swigged beer and BS’ed the evening away, and those who knew Father Mac told tales of him, toasted him and swore that his spirit was right there among them, guzzling a brew or two, telling jokes, laughing and reminding everybody that the reason they were all here on that day, celebrating the re-opening of the church that would not die was because … they all had faith. myneworleans.com

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Death and The Times-Picayune B Y M O D I N E G U N C H

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woke up to the thump of The Times-Picayune on her front porch. Not no more. Now she will only hear it on certain days of the week.

“I got to pick out which day to die on, Modine,” she says to me.

Ms. Larda believes in being prepared. She ain’t even sick, but she’s already given a lot of thought to what picture should appear with her funeral notice. She has to choose between one from when she was young and buxom, or from now, when her buxomness has shifted downward a few inches. Or use two pictures, which I understand costs extra.

I think two pictures would be a waste, because Ms. Larda is one of them people who don’t change that much. The only difference is her hairdo. Over the years, it swelled up from pageboy to beehive, then deflated to short and shaggy. And because she bought the do-it-yourself haircutting vacuum cleaner attachment, she looks like she got a baby porcupine on her head. But from the eyebrows down, she’s the same Ms. Larda.

Anyway, she don’t dare die over a weekend, she says. Even if they put out an extra Saints edition on certain days, they ain’t going to put no dead old ladies in that. The Advocate from Baton Rouge is delivering in New Orleans, but who knows if they’ll have room for people who kicked the bucket in St. Bernard?

Plus, how many friends of hers will even get that paper? So, to be safe, she got to pass on to her eternal rewards on a Tuesday, early, to make the Wednesday Picayune, or on a Thursday for the Friday edition or on a Saturday to get in there on Sunday. Otherwise, nobody will know when the funeral is.

Either that, or they’re going to have to put her on ice and save her for the day after the Picayune comes out, but everybody will be doing that, so funeral homes are going to have to set up back-to-back services on them days. One bunch of mourners rushes out; another one storms in. And people ain’t used to being punctual at funerals. They will be grieving at the wrong coffins all over the place. It will be a mess, she says.

I tell her this is morbid talk, but she’s wound up now.

Turns out she’s an expert on death notices and obituaries. Used to be, she says, the papers all printed two articles: a nice schmaltzy death notice from the funeral home that said you had Flown Into The Arms of The Angels, and also a separate obituary that stated the facts like a news story – “died of digestive dysfunction after ingesting seven dozen raw oysters washed down with Dixie beer,” or something like that. No angels mentioned, but it always said what killed that person so you could take precautions, like not to eat that many raw oysters with beer. But now they just print the paid-for funeral home notices. So you don’t know what killed anybody, because the funeral homes are too polite to say.

Nowadays, Ms. Larda says, a serial killer could be poisoning one old lady after another, putting one of them clear, tasteless poisons in their prunes, and you wouldn’t get a clue from the funeral notices. All of them flew off with the angels, no reason given.

Now if they had real obituaries, you would notice if you read seven or eight stories on the same page about ladies plunking over dead from gastric distress after breakfast. You would start to be suspicious. Maybe switch to Bloody Marys to wake you up in the morning.

But now you got to play detective. You got to look at the bottom of the notice

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and see what they want you to donate to in lieu of flowers. American Cancer Society? – cancer got that one. Heart Association – OK, it was cholesterol, maybe. For once, Ms. Larda says, “I would like to see one that reads ‘Oh, go ahead and send flowers.’”

And the real obituaries used to include the person’s age, like it or not. Ms. Larda says Aunt Lu told Uncle Ferman on her deathbed to keep her real age out of the paper, and he tried, but that was back when they wrote obituaries like news stories. So some hotshot little reporter-intern looked up Aunt Lu’s vital statistics and that’s how everybody found out she was 82. Uncle Ferman said she haunted him for that.

But Ms. Larda ain’t worried about that. She ain’t even worried that nobody will show up at her funeral if she dies on a Sunday. She is worried because if she dies on a Sunday, she would have probably missed Sunday Mass, which is a sin and will send her to purgatory. And she’ll have to wait around in purgatory until her friends read about it on Wednesday and start saying their rosaries to get her bailed out of there and into Heaven.

The announcement will be online, I tell her.

Nobody my age reads no online, she says. Just young people read online, but they don’t read obituaries, because nobody they know ever dies, unless it’s from texting while driving or getting shot. For that, they might eventually get a news write-up. Or not, since I hear the Picayune fired half the reporters.

I tell her, maybe the TV could handle it. Have somebody come on every day with a voice like Darth Vader and read the names of everybody who died, real solemn. And tell what they died of – in a nice way. “Flew Into the Arms of The Angels because of choking on a chicken bone.” Something like that. Put it in Oprah’s old time slot. They could call it “The Death Show.” It would be a big hit.

Anybody out there listening?

LO R I OSI E C K I ILL U ST R ATION

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JO IE D ’EVE

BLOGS FROM THE NEW NEW ORLEANS

Ridin’ the Storm Out As of the Monday morning before Hurricane Isaac, I really didn’t want to leave at all. I have become one of those New Orleanians who feels ill at ease anywhere farther afield than Jefferson Parish, and I really thought the storm would just blow on through and we’d lose power for a day at most. But there was the baby, of course, and no need to take unnecessary risks, so my husband and I decided to pack up the girls and head to his family home in Amite.

Before we got on the road, I stopped off at Rite Aid to get some essentials for Ruby for the car trip and the days to follow. I will be 32 in a matter of mere days, and yet I still cannot ever anticipate that I will need a shopping cart – “I’m just getting a few things,” I always think – and so I found myself standing in the checkout line with my arms overflowing with a deck of cards, a box of crayons, a pack of markers, a My Little Pony coloring book, two princess puzzles, a travel game of Hungry Hungry Hippos and a Barbie.

The woman in front of me had a shopping cart, and in the spirit of generosity that always pervades this city but is even more pronounced in the heady days just before a storm, she turned to me and said, “Oh, honey, put some of that stuff down in my cart.”

I thanked her – and then realized that her entire cart

was filled with Butterfingers and Miller High Life.

“I want your evacuation plan,” I told her. “If I didn’t have kids, my evacuation plan would totally be Butterfingers and beer.”

“Oh, no, I’ve been there,” she said. “But my kids are grown now, so I get to do what I want.”

By day 3, Ruby had done all the puzzles, colored all the books, fed the very hungry hippos, watched all the DVDs and cheated shamelessly at Slapjack, and we were in a house full of beautiful antiques, so I basically said, “Be careful!” and “Walk please!” and “Stop climbing the four-poster bed!” on an endless loop all day long. In short, our patience was running thin.

“This vacation is horrible!” Ruby screamed at me in a fit of pique. “We should’ve gone to the beach!”

I couldn’t really argue.

As evacuations go, it was terrific. But as vacations go, well, yeah, we would’ve had more fun at the beach.

We finally got our power back late Saturday night and headed gratefully home. We were extremely lucky to have not had any damage, but as far as I’m concerned, we are even luckier to live here in the first place.

Excerpted from Eve Kidd Crawford’s blog, Joie d’Eve, which appears each Friday on MyNewOrleans.com. For comments: info@neworleansmagazine.com.

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C H R O N I C L ES Children show their skates at a local skating rink, circa 1950s.

Wheeling Along Rollerskating has changed with the times B Y C A R O L Y N K O L B

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when a derby girl gave me a shout-out,” explains former roller derby skater Beth Aguillard.

Rollerskating these days is a little different from the familiar sport that included a clunky key on a string around one’s neck and the metal grippers that put wheels under the feet of generations of children. Thousands of those children in New Orleans would have received skates at the Doll and Toy Fund gift distribution at holiday time, and the buzzing of wheels as groups of kids ranged the neighborhoods is a holiday memory of many New Orleanians.

As Aguillard, who became a member of the Big Easy Rollergirls, was to learn, skating isn’t just good exercise; roller derby is a competitive sport. And it uses quad skates (four-wheels).

“There are lots of rules, and it’s very complicated,” Aguillard says. “You aren’t just going out there and knocking people over; you’re blocking people for strategy to try to win the bout. You can’t just stick your foot out and trip people – you’d get penalized.”

Besides learning all the rules, Aguillard had to come up with a name for herself – a traditional in-your-face derby name. She decided on “Ammeaux Bang Bang, with jersey ‘number’ AK47.”

The derby girls run their own team, volunteer to sell tickets to bouts, participate in charitable activities and civic events (including the popular “Running of

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the Bulls” every July during the annual San Fermin in Nueva Orleans festival), and they compete with other teams in the state and the region.

Roller derby may be recently popular here, but skating has been around New Orleans for a long time. Although four-wheeled skates were only invented in 1863, six years later the Crescent City was on a roll.

New Orleanians celebrated All Saints Day in 1869 by whirling around a rollerskating rink at Mechanics Hall, located on what is now the site of The Roosevelt New Orleans Hotel, Elks Place side. The Picayune of Nov. 2, 1869, reported “any number of skaters on the floor, among whom were some 15 or 20 ladies.” Four-thousand invitations to the event were sent to “the best families in the city.”

A local rollerskating rink was also the site of a tragedy in August 1906, according to a clipping in the files of the Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane. There was a rink for blacks at Lincoln Park on Carrollton P H OTOG R A P H C O U R T E S Y T H E H ISTO R I C N E W O R L E ANS C OLL E C TION

Avenue, near where the Daughters of Charity Medical Center is today. Mattie Morris, a young woman who lived at Perrier and Dufossat streets, was “looked upon as one of the best skaters in the place,” and on the crowded rink she collided with a male skater who was “doing fancy stunts.” As the report noted, “the girl struck her head in falling, breaking her neck.” Fortunately such accidents are uncommon on today’s roller rink floors.

Many adult New Orleanians can remember skating rink birthday parties. One long-ago favorite was Phil’s Big Eight Wheels, on Jefferson Highway at Causeway Boulevard, with its wooden floor.

Pom-poms for the birthday child’s skates, lots of skating games and races and a partner skate for the finale: that was the usual birthday schedule.

Bob Jean, of Airline Skate Center in Metairie, has been in the roller rink business for 42 years. One of the biggest changes, he notes, is the music selection. “When I started, it was organ music.

Now it’s all iPods and computer music – rock, pop and hip-hop.”

Floors are no longer wood, but concrete, with an epoxy plaster on top. “You get flooded, you suck up that water and you’re back in business,” he says. Airline Skate Center reopened in December after Hurricane Katrina.

He still hosts birthday parties – up to 40 a week. He also does charity events. (The group’s volunteers sell tickets and keep a percentage.) School groups and day-campers are regular customers. They still have locking skate wheels for toddlers, and there are even walker skates now.

Saturday nights at Airline Skate Center are for young people.

“They’re too young to get in the clubs,” Jean explains. Music is all-important – in fact, “at the end, we always dance for 20 or 30 minutes.”

Roller rinks are also part of the music scene. Melissa Weber, a regular host on WWOZ-FM known as DJ Soul Sister, is such a fan of disco music and skating that she has celebrated her birthday with a skating party for charity. “I get a DJ for it, because I want to skate the whole time,” she says. “He does it on vinyl, the original disco roller skating way.”

DJ Big Bob Lopez, profiled at RollerSkatingToday.com, grew up in New Orleans and is known for music spinning at roller rinks on the West Coast. Why work at rinks? “When you’re at a club, it’s almost like you’re playing snippets of songs. When you’re skating, people really don’t want you to cut the song.”

Rollerskating is clearly enduring through the ages. It is good exercise, it’s fun and the whole family can participate.

As Aguillard explains, “Skating is like … freeing. The speed, the wind it creates –it’s a little like play. And that’s good.”

Reeling and Rolling: Skating Movies Enjoy vicarious thrills on wheels with these DVD delights: Whip It, 2009: Drew Barrymore directed and starred in a roller derby movie (with more violence than current derby seems to include).

Roll Bounce, 2005: Bow Wow is one of the music stars in this energetic tale of disco-era rinks (with period music – plus modern takes on disco). Ten percent of opening-day receipts went to Hurricane Katrina charities.

Xanadu, 1980: Olivia Newton John is a roller skating muse who inspires a disco roller rink – with help from Gene Kelly. Remade as a Broadway musical.

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HOME

One Man’s Coop Luxury living in Pigeon Town B Y B O N N I E W A R R E N photographed b y c H E R Y L G E R B E R

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pristine single shotgun house proudly located on a corner lot in a mixed neighborhood. It faces a commercial building and it is catercorner to a neighborhood bar referred by the neighbors as the “social club.” There, folks gather on the sidewalk in an impromptu fashion to sit on wooden chairs or just stand around.. Here in New Orleans, it’s fine to live cheek-to-jowl with a bar and commercial building, as long as you live in an interesting house. It is even better if the shotgun has a chartreuse front door and a robin’s egg-blue exterior, also a gingerbread trim on the porch and high ceilings inside.

Meet Michael Guidry, a talented artist and owner of the handsome corner house in the 58

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Facing page: Located in a neighborhood known as Pigeon Town, the historic shotgun sits on a corner lot. Above: Guidry’s painting of a monkey has the feeling of a circus relic and a place of honor by the front door of the living room that doubles as a music studio. Seating is provided with a leather Chesterfield sofa and a pair of butterfly chairs. myneworleans.com

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This page, top: The master bedroom is flooded with light from the large windows and open doorway. Guidry’s art hangs in the room. Left: Guidry’s red bike is kept safely in his dining room.

Above: The utilitarian kitchen features a framed Drew Brees clipping from the newspaper. Facing page, left: A collection of African artifacts decorates the reading room, with space allotted for a unique wine rack. Facing page, right: Michael Guidry with some of his recent paintings.

West Carrollton neighborhood known as Pigeon Town. “This is a great place to live,” he says as he sits in a black leather butterfly chair in his living room. “It is truly eclectic in that we have a little bit of everything here – fine historic houses, decaying houses, commercial buildings, restaurants and neighborhood bars.”

Smiling, he adds, “Yes, you could call this a funky neighborhood – and I love it.”

He enjoys listing some of the many reasons why he loves his jewel of an historic house: “I feel that it is small enough to manage by myself, yet large enough to feel like I can breathe.

I like that there are several hangout places in the house for me to sit and read or do business. I love the two back rooms that I use as my studio, the small yet functional kitchen and the large bedroom. I feel there is energy here, and I enjoy using the whole house every day.”

Guidry has filled his home with meaningful things he has collected over the years. In the living room, there is a set of drums, a guitar, a bass and walls filled with his art. The circus monkey is one of his favorites of his own work. It has a place of honor between the window and front door and seems ready to dance a jig on the big ball. And what is that on the ledge behind his leather couch? “It’s a collection of interesting animal horns I have collected over the years,” Guidry answers. And there is another guitar on the floor and black leather butterfly chairs that remind him of the ones that were in his home when he was a child.

“My living room is special because it is where Lauren, my wife, and I used to play music together,” he says. “I’m not much of a musician, but she would write songs and teach me the percussion and bass parts.” (Lauren, an adjunct music professor at Tulane University, passed away last year.)

There is no doubt that Guidry surrounds himself with things he loves, so there’s no need to blink when you walk into the dining room and see a bicycle propped up against the window. This is the room with a special comfortable leather chair in the corner just for Guidry’s dogs – Mugsy, a Brussels Griffon, and Andre, a Affenpinscher, and it seems appropriate for the cow in his large painting to somehow be watching over his dogs.

The third room of the shotgun configuration is devoted to a collection of African artifacts. “I call it my reading room because it is cozy and a great place to relax and read.” It is also where he displays his wine collection.

Guidry says he especially likes his master bedroom because it is filled with light from the large window and glass-paneled door that overlooks the side porch and garden. “I like the access to my side garden from the bedroom,” he says as he walks out onto the porch. “It’s a great spot to enjoy my morning coffee.” To provide more privacy for the side garden, he erected a wooden fence. “It was one of the first things I did after buying the house in 2009.”

He proudly shows off the two back rooms that he uses as a studio. “I enjoy working at home,” he explains. “I used to have my studio at a different location. Now I feel so centered having everything right here in my home.”

His home is a quiet haven for him. “I love being a part of such an interesting neighborhood,” he says. “I’ve never walked across the street and joined the talking and laughing in front of the bar, but if I ever get tired of the quiet, I could.” myneworleans.com

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THEMENU TABLE TALK

RESTAURANT INSIDER

FOOD

LAST CALL

DINING LISTINGS

TABLE TALK:

New in the Warehouse District PAGE 64 JEFFERY JOHNSTON PHOTOGRAPH

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T HE M EN U

T A B L E T A L K Annunciation’s fried oysters with brie

Chef Steve Manning and sous chef Ronald Carr

New in the Warehouse District Annunciation and Rene Bistrot

BY JAY FORMAN

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expanded recently with two new places, Annunciation and Rene Bistrot. Together they stake out new fine-dining claims at opposite ends of this trendy neighborhood. Less beholden to touristy fare than the French Quarter and suffused with an uncommonly progressive energy, this area offers some of the best dining in New Orleans. The difference with these two places is that they bring some stately balance to the high-gloss, gogo-go of the American Sector. This only deepens the neighborhood’s appeal.

Annunciation is helmed by Chef Steve Manning, formerly of Clancy’s, and is located in the former Deanie’s Restaurant space. A thorough renovation revealed some hidden surprises, like picture windows in the front that had been covered by stucco and long beams crossing the dining room that were formerly obscured by the drop ceiling. The end result is a strikingly elegant bistro that bears almost no resemblance to the previous cafeteria-style lunch spot.

If you like Clancy’s, chances are you’ll like Annunciation. The menu shares DNA with its Uptown cousin, such as the Fried Oysters with Melted Brie and Sautéed Spinach. But overall the menu is less conservative and is given more room to breathe. Annunciation sets itself apart with a greater emphasis on seafood (one of the restaurant’s partners is in the seafood business) and vegetables options. The latter are featured in a submenu of sides. “I am really interested in vegetable cookery,” Manning says, “but at Clancy’s they were kind of put on for color, as it were. I wanted to feature their flavor more here.” Southern-style yams are joined by more daring choices, like Stir Fried Cabbage with Kari Leaves and Black Mustard Seeds. “At home I cook Indian food for a hobby and I grow the

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kari leaves in pots,” Manning says. The sides also offer vegetarians and vegans some options in a city not known for them.

Overall Manning would describe the menu as “Creole cooked to order.” It features subtle intrusions from other cuisines – sautéed black drum with crabmeat gets underscored with coconut milk, for example – but none of it’s heavy-handed enough to qualify as fusion. “I think it’s just the kind of food locals like,” he says. “My signature dish over the years has been the fried oysters with brie. That ain’t exactly light, but it’s something that people here really enjoy. I’ve tried that dish in New York and it just doesn’t catch on like it does here.”

As Annunciation gains traction, Manning plans to add lunch service. “We will kind of reference the old Deanie’s,” he says. “We’re going to have plate lunches, do more traditional sides, and it’s going to be reasonably priced.” Manning is joined in his kitchen by chef de cuisine Ronald Carr, who came over with him from Clancy’s and before that worked at Bayona for 16 years. “He does a lot of the specials, and also does fabulous sauces,” Manning says. “His sauces have this certain purity. He has a JEFFERY JOHNSTON PHOTOGRAPHS

lot of skills.”

In March Chef Rene Bajeux left the Rib Room to open Rene Bistrot in the Renaissance Arts Hotel on Tchoupitoulas Street.

Hearing that name again made a lot of local food lovers very happy – one of just 44 French Master Chefs in the U.S., Bajeux is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished chefs in the city.

The Rib Room – with its traditional, rotisserie-centered menu – seemed like a forced fit for Bajeux from the get-go. Asked about the move, he praised the Rib Room and its GM but agreed that it didn’t really fit his style. “In all fairness they did give me a lot of range, but being in the French Quarter it is just a different market,” he says.

Now he’s in a place where he can more comfortably let loose.

While there’s no escaping the hotel feel of the dining room, the menu is pure Bajeux and the large picture windows looking out over Tchoupitoulas Street and the commodious seating are pleasant features.

Much of their inventory is made in-house. “With my young chefs we’re making homemade burrata, homemade mozzarella, all kinds of good stuff,” he says. “With burrata, years ago nobody would have known what I was talking about, but now is an exciting time.”

Bajeux is excited about the wave of new talent in the city, and his experience also offers some perspective for the younger cooks around town. “I am so excited about our city right now; it’s just a vibrant place with all these young chefs mixing it up.”

The menu is hard to pigeonhole, ranging from earthy dishes like homemade Blood Sausage “Boudin Maison” to a delicate House Smoked Salmon drizzled with a Juniper Berry Vinaigrette.

The core of it reflects Bajeux’s provenance; he grew up on a farm in Lorraine, France. For example, his Tarte Flambe, an Alsatian-style tart with cheese, onion and bacon, and his Rabbit Leg Farcie made with turnips and sauerkraut in a riesling sauce. But he defies easy categorization with other items like his Whole Fish served with Vietnamese Stir-Fried Vegetables Annunciation and a Ponzu-Ginger sauce.

1016 Annunciation St. In fact, Bajeux has always had a 568-0245 sweet spot for Vietnamese cuisine Dinner Mon-Sat. Closed Sun. (“My family lived in Vietnam for 92 Note: Lunch service to begin years,” he says of the former French in fall. colony) and he offers a unique Rene Bistrot Vietnamese lunch on Wednesdays.

Renaissance Arts Hotel In the end, though, the menu is all 700 Tchoupitoulas St. his own. “My style is Rene’s style,” 613-2350 Bajeux says. “I’m not going to do ReneBistrotNewOrleans.com gumbo and crab cake and all that.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner That is not what I do. I do my own daily. Brunch on Sunday menu, my own thing.”

Fine-Dining Twosome

Still cookin’ Other places to keep in mind include Capdeville, right, (520 Capdeville Place, 3715161, CapdevilleNola.com), with its custom burgers, fun cocktail menu and wonderful French fry compositions including the rarelyseen Québécois classic snack food Poutine, made with cheese curds and smothered in a peppery gravy; also, a seriously good mac and cheese. Rio Mar (800 S. Peters St., 525-FISH (3174), RioMarSeafood.com) has some of the best ceviche in town in an array of styles, as well as a Tres Leches dessert sweet enough to make a grown man weep. myneworleans.com

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T HE M E N U

R E S T A U R A N T IN SID ER

Changes: In the weather and in kitchens

BY ROBERT PEYTON

W

hat passes for fall i n N ew O rleans i s u pon

us, and while we can’t compete with the color show in New England, we can at least take solace in the comparatively cooler weather. The cooling temperatures, of course, don’t mean that things in the restaurant world are slowing down.

Kristen Butterworth, right, a Pennsylvania native with extensive experience in luxury resort kitchens, is the new executive chef at The Windsor Court’s Grill Room (300 Gravier St., GrillRoomNewOrleans. com). Her experience

comes from serving as chef de cuisine at Lautrec in the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, and as sous chef at the Inn at Little Washington and

Sea Island Resort.

Butterworth is of Italian descent, and while there are indications of that on her menu, her primary focus is

on “farm to table” cooking. That term has become so common that it’s almost lost its caché, but at a restaurant that’s willing to truly support sourcing ingredients locally, it can still be meaningful.

From what I’ve seen, the Windsor Court is once again ready to make the Grill Room one of the finest restaurants in the city. You can call 522-1194 to make a reservation.

Maple Street has long been a locus of restaurants in the university section of Uptown, and with the addition of Satsuma Café (7901 Maple St., SatsumaCafe.com), the options for dining in that neighborhood broadened further. The original Satsuma Café opened at 3218 Dauphine St. in 2009, and as they developed a loyal customer base they gradually expanded their hours and the scope of the food they were serving. Owners Cassi and Peter Dymond had always intended to open a second restaurant, and the Maple Street location gave them the perfect opportunity. The menu at both locations is heavy on vegetarian options, but there are options for meat-eaters too. Satsuma Café is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, and you can call 309-5557 to learn more.

My friends Meghan and Jay Forman (the latter of whom you may recognize from his work for this and other publications) have opened a bakery called Gracious Bakery + Café (1000 S. Jeff Davis Parkway, GraciousBakery.com). Meghan is a talented pastry chef who has most recently been working with the talented folks at Sucré, but she and Jay decided to open their own shop in the ground floor of the Woodward Building. In addition to pastries and desserts that wouldn’t be out of place in one of Sucré’s retail outlets, Gracious offers sandwiches, such as a rosemary-crusted roast beef on a kaiser roll, tarragon chicken salad with bibb lettuce on green onion slab bread, right, and smoked ham with pecan-cheddar spread and pepper jelly on a baguette. Gracious is open Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 301-3709 to place an order or to find out what else they have on offer on a given day.

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Dijon Restaurant (1379 Annunciation St., DijonNola. com) has named Daniel Causgrove, above, to replace Chris Cody as executive chef. Dijon went through some growing pains after it first opened in a former firehouse.

Causgrove has most recently been cooking at La Petite Grocery, under James Beard-nominated chef Justin Devillier. Dijon is open for dinner Tuesday-Thursday, 5:30-9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday, 5:30-10:30 p.m.; Sunday Brunch is 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Call 522-4712 to learn more.

Several New Orleans chefs will be participating in the Break’n Bread Food and Wine Festival

in Birmingham, Ala., on Sun., Oct. 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. From the press release: “Break’n Bread will once again play host to four multi-award-winning chefs from out of the state. Chef Adolfo Garcia of La Boca and a Mano; chef Brian Landry of Borgne; and chefs Alison and Slade Rushing of MiLa will helm the VIP area, serving up Big Easyinspired dishes with Big Easy attitude.”

Tickets for Break’n Bread and additional information are available at BirminghamOriginals. org and on the Birmingham Originals Facebook page. Prices are $35 for regular, $75 for VIP and children under 12 years old get in free. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Makea-Wish Foundation and United Way’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities.

Questions? Comments?

Suggestions?

E-mail: rdpeyton@gmail.com

SARA ESSEX BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPH, TOP RIGHT

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T HE M EN U

FOOD

Pie in the Oven Recipes you can crust

BY DALE CURRY

M

y D eep S o u th roots beg i n to

show when I talk about pie making.

We of English and Scotch-Irish heritage grew up on custards, usually in the form of pies, sometimes with meringues and other times with no topping at all.

My house was the gathering place after school, not because I was the most popular kid on the block but because my mother made pies better than the bakeries did. And on more days than not, she would have one or two sliding out of the oven around 3 o’clock when the starving students arrived. You could smell them from the street back in the days when windows were open and doors were unlocked.

And she loved nothing better than to see the greedy monsters slurp down her pies and praise her to the heights. “Miz Blair is the best cook around.” A few rave reviews would get you everywhere with my mom.

My favorite was caramel, which she started by browning the sugar in a heavy pot and adding milk, eggs and vanilla, then pouring it into one of her perfect crusts and topping it with a fluffy meringue. Her other meringue pies were close runners-up – chocolate, lemon and coconut, always using coconuts she had cracked with a hammer in the driveway. Although custards were her specialty, she was no amateur with pecan and fruit pies. Most fruits, such as berries, peaches and apples, wound up in cobblers, another Southern favorite that’s irresistible when served warm with vanilla ice cream on top.

Oh, those were the good old days before I began worrying about diets and got too busy to make pie crusts anyway. Thank goodness for refrigerated pie crusts in the grocery store, all ready to tuck into a pie plate and bake.

I have recently started bringing back some of my mother’s pie recipes for my own pleasure and entertaining, too.

Last summer I attended a college reunion, and while chatting with an old journalism professor learned that he, too, loves pies. He said the worst thing that happened in his divorce was that he lost custody of 52 quarts of blackberries, all of which were slated to go into pies and cobblers.

Another sad day came when my mother had two fine pies cooling on the back porch table and before she knew it the cat had licked off both meringues.

On a brighter note, a pie is a wonderful rainy day project. Somehow pies make everybody happy.

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LEMON CAKE PIE 1 9-inch pie crust 2 eggs, separated 1/3 cup butter, at room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 Tablespoons flour 1/3 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 cup milk

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place pie crust in pie plate and crimp edges.

Beat egg whites in electric mixer until stiff. Remove to bowl. Rinse and dry mixer.

In the mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add and mix in flour and salt.

Gradually blend in milk, egg yolks, rind and juice. Remove bowl from mixer and lightly fold in egg whites, using a hand whisk. Pour into crust and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is light brown and center is softly set.

Remove from oven and cool to serve.

After several hours, pie should be refrigerated.

Serves 8.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE PIE 1 9-inch pie crust 4 large eggs at room temperature 1 cup sugar, divided 1/2 cup cocoa 3 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon

cornstarch 2 cups whole milk 3 teaspoons vanilla, divided 1 1/2 Tablespoons salted butter,

cut into cubes 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Separate eggs, putting whites into an electric mixer and yolks into a small bowl. Beat the yolks with a fork.

Bake pie crust for 20 minutes.

While crust is baking, place 2/3 cup sugar, cocoa and 3 Tablespoons EUGENIA UHL PHOTOGRAPH

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69

cornstarch in a medium, heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. When mixture reaches a bare simmer, simmer for 1 minute and vigorously whisk in egg yolks. Simmer until thickened and bubbly, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla and butter.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, blending well, then 1 teaspoon cornstarch and cream of tartar. Beat 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form.

While pie shell is still warm, pour in chocolate filling and gently spread on meringue. Return to oven and bake until meringue is nicely browned. Let pie set and come to room temperature before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Serves 8.

CARAMEL MERINGUE PIE 1 9-inch pie crust 3 eggs, separated 2 Tablespoons, 1 cup and 1/3

cup sugar, divided

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2 Tablespoons flour 2 cups milk 2 teaspoons vanilla, divided 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Place crust in pie plate and crimp edges. Use a fork to prick crust at 1-inch intervals all over. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Separate eggs, whites into electric mixer and 2 yolks into medium bowl. Reserve third yolk for another use.

Using a whisk, beat yolks slightly in medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and flour and mix well.

Heat milk in a medium saucepan but do not boil. Gradually add to egg mixture.

In a medium-large sauce pan, melt 1 cup sugar, stirring until it melts and browns lightly to the color of caramel. Gradually add milk-egg mixture, stirring, and cook until thickened. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and pour into

pie shell.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, blending well, then cornstarch and cream of tartar. Beat 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form.

Spread on top of pie, lifting peaks where possible.

Bake on 375 degrees until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

JEFF DAVIS PIE 1 9-inch pie crust 4 eggs, separated 1/2 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon flour 1 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place crust into pie plate.

In an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff and remove to small bowl.

Rinse and dry mixer and cream butter and sugar. Add salt and flour and mix in. Gradually add egg yolks, cream and vanilla and mix well. Whisk beaten egg

whites and pour into pie shell.

Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set. Cool to serve and store in refrigerator.

Serves 8 to 10.

PIE CRUST 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup shortening, refrigerated

until cold 5 tablespoons ice water

Sift flour into large bowl. Mix in salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture has no lumps larger than a small pea. Sprinkle all over with ice water. With a fork, mix all together until a ball is formed. With floured hands, continue shaping ball, discarding any dry loose lumpy flour. Cover and refrigerate for at lease 30 minutes.

Roll out to about 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface, flouring rolling pin as needed. Gently lift crust into a 9 or 10-inch pie plate and crimp edges decoratively. Use according to recipe instructions.

THE MENU

LAST CALL

A Month for Diverse Spirits

BY TIM MCNALLY

I

f

there

ever

was

a

c omm u n i ty

where

d i vers i ty

works, it has to be New Orleans. There are so many divergent and different viewpoints here that it’s a wonder we can ever agree on anything.

But we do (sometimes). And it works (often). At least it does for us (as best we can tell).

Where else to view the rising sun would you look towards the Westbank? Ever looked at your car’s compass as you are driving on Interstate 10 East? It will read “north” or “south” depending on which side of the city you are, south if you’re northwest and north if you’re northeast.

The mash-up of our many cultures functions well in music, architecture, history, festivals and cuisines. So why not have a can’t-possibly-be-good cocktail where made-right-here beer, spirits, fresh citrus and hot sauce come together in a refreshing and taste-awakening combination?

Besides, it’s October and the month finishes with our city’s second biggest masked party of the year: Halloween. Strange spirits certainly abound.

You can explain it all to your friends from other places with three words: It’s New Orleans. And it all makes perfect sense to us.

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Bloody Brew Created by Kim Jones, Brand Ambassador for Old New Orleans Rum for New Orleans Magazine 3 12-ounce bottles of chilled Abita Golden 4 cups chilled tomato juice 9 ounces chilled Old New Orleans Crystal Rum 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon celery salt Crystal Hot Sauce

Combine Abita Golden, tomato juice and Old New Orleans Crystal rum in a pitcher. Add lemon juice, celery salt and Crystal Hot Sauce to taste. Pour into tall glass with ice and enjoy.

Serves 6

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THE MENU

DINING GUIDE

$= Average entrée price of $5-$10; $$=$11-15; $$$=$16-20; $$$$=$21-25; $$$$$=$25 and up.

rooms are available. $$$$$

5 Fifty 5 Restaurant Marriott Hotel, 555

Quarter, Arnauds.com. D daily, Br Sun. Waiters in tuxedos prepare Café Brulot tableside at this storied Creole grande dame in the French Quarter; live jazz during Sun. brunch. $$$$$

Canal St., 553-5555, French Quarter, ­555Canal. com. B, L, D daily. This restaurant offers innovative American fare such as lobster macaroni and cheese, seasonal Gulf fish with crab and mâche salad with boudin. Many of the dishes receive an additional touch from their woodburning oven. $$$$

Arnaud’s 813 Bienville St., 523-5433, French

Audubon Clubhouse 6500 Magazine St.,

Warehouse, 7onFulton.com. B, L, D daily.

Upscale and contemporary dining destination in the Warehouse District. $$$$

212-5282, Uptown. B, L Tue-Sat. Brunch Sun. Closed Mon. Nested among the oaks in Audubon Park, the beautifully-situated Clubhouse is open to the public and features a kid-friendly menu with New Orleans tweaks and a casually upscale sandwich and salad menu for adults. $$

13 Restaurant and Bar 517 Frenchmen St.,

August Moon 3635 Prytania St., 899-5129,

942-1345, Faubourg Marigny, 13Monaghan. com. B, L, D daily. Open until 4 a.m. Late-night deli catering to hungry club-hoppers along Frenchmen Street. Bar and excellent jukebox make this a good place to refuel. $

899-5122, Uptown, MoonNola.com. L, D Mon-Fri, D Sat. Lots of vegetarian offerings and reasonable prices make this dependable Uptown Chinese/Vietnamese place a popular choice for students and locals. Take-out and delivery available. $

7 on Fulton 701 Fulton St., 525-7555, CBD/

Abita Brew Pub 72011 Holly St., (985) 892-5837, Abita Springs, AbitaBrewPub.com.

L, D Tue-Sun. Famous for its Purple Haze and Turbodog brews, Abita serves up better-thanexpected pub food in their namesake eatery.

“Tasteful” tours available for visitors. $$

Austin’s 5101 W. Esplanade Ave., 888-5533, Metairie, AustinsNo.com. D Mon-Sat. Mr. Ed’s newest upscale bistro serves contemporary Creole fare, including seafood and steaks. $$$

5973, French Quarter; 3000 Veterans Blvd., 309-4056, Metairie; 1202 N. Highway 190, (985) 246-6155, Covington; AcmeOyster.com.

L, D daily. Known as one of the best places to eat oysters. $$

The Avenue Pub 1732 St. Charles Ave., 586-9243, Uptown, TheAvenuePub.com. L, D daily (kitchen open 24 hours a day). With more than 47 rotating draft beers, this pub also offers food including a cheese plate from St. James, a crab cake sandwich and the “Pub Burger.” $

Aloha Sushi 1051 Annunciation St., 566-

Bacchanal Fine Wines and Spirits

0021, Warehouse District, SunRayGrill.com. L, D Mon-Sun. A large list of rolls, hot rice bowls, Asian-inspired soups, salads, cocktails and more. Visit daily between 11-6:30 p.m. for Sake Hour: half-priced sake and three rolls for the price of two. $$

600 Poland Ave., 948-9111, Bywater, BacchanalWine.com. L, D daily. Sunday guest chef dinners at 6 p.m. with rotating “Rock Star Chefs” from all over town. Cheese and cured meats always available and live music every night. Extensive inexpensive wine selection. $

A Mano 870 Tchoupitoulas St., 508-9280, Warehouse District, AManoNola.com. L Fri, D Mon-Sat. A Mano is Adolfo Garcia’s take on authentic regional Italian cuisine. Executive chef Joshua Smith handles day-to-day duties at this Warehouse District spot. “A mano” means “by hand” in Italian; fitting for a restaurant where much of the pasta and charcuterie are made in-house. $$

Barcelona Tapas 720 Dublin St., 861-

Andrea’s Restaurant 3100 19th St., 834-

Ave., 862-9001, Uptown, BasilLeafThai.com.

L Mon-Sat, D daily. Thai food and sushi bar with a contemporary spin is served in this date-friendly Riverbend establishment; private rooms available. $$

Acme Oyster House 724 Iberville St., 522-

8583, Metairie, AndreasRestaurant.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily, Br Sun. Indulge in osso buco and homemade pastas in a setting that’s both elegant and intimate; off-premise catering.

New Orleans Magazine Honor Roll honoree 2009. $$$

Antoine’s 713 St. Louis St., 581-4422, French Quarter, Antoines.com. L Mon-Sat, D MonSat, 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

9696, Riverbend, LetsEat.at/BarcelonaTapas.

D Tue-Sun. Barcelona Tapas is chef-owner Xavier Laurentino’s homage to the small-plates restaurants he knew from his hometown of Barcelona. The tapas are authentic, and the space, renovated largely by Laurentino himself, is charming. $

Basil Leaf Restaurant 1438 S. Carrollton

Bayona 430 Dauphine St., 525-4455, French Quarter, 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, weatherpermitting. $$$$$

The Beach House 2401 N. Woodlawn St., 456-7470, Metairie. L Wed-Fri, D daily. Gumbo,

steaks, lobsters, burgers and seafood are accompanied by live music each and every night. $$$

Besh Steak Harrah’s Casino, 8 Canal St., 533-6111, CBD/Warehouse District, HarrahsNewOrleans.com. D daily. Acclaimed Chef John Besh reinterprets the classic steakhouse with his signature contemporary Louisiana flair. New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2007. $$$$$

The Bistro at Maison De Ville 733 Toulouse St., 528-9206, French Quarter, BistroMaisondeVille.com. L, D Thu-Mon. Chef and Co-owner Greg Picolo has a deft hand with panéed frog legs at this historic New Orleans institution. Other good choices include his house-smoked salmon rillettes and his duck sampler. $$$$$

Bistro Daisy 5831 Magazine St., 899-6987, Uptown, BistroDaisy.com. D, Tue-Sat. Chef Anton Schulte and his wife Diane’s bistro, named in honor of their daughter, serves creative and contemporary bistro fare in a romantic setting along Magazine Street. The signature Daisy Salad is a favorite. $$$$ Blue Plate Café 1330 Prytania St., 3099500, Uptown. B, L Mon-Fri. Breakfasts and lunches are the hallmarks of this neighborhood spot nested in the Lower Garden District. The Ignatius sandwich comes equipped with 10 inches of paradise. Breakfast is served all day on Sat. $

The Bombay Club Prince Conti Hotel, 830 Conti St., 586-0972, French Quarter, TheBombayClub.com. D Mon-Sun. Popular martini bar appointed with plush British décor features live music during the week and late dinner and drinks on weekends. Nouveau Creole menu includes items such as the Bombay drum. $$$$ Bon Ton Cafe 401 Magazine St., 524-3386, CBD/Warehouse District, TheBonTonCafe.com.

L, D Mon-Fri. A local favorite for the old-school business lunch crowd. Specializes in local seafood and Cajun dishes. $$$$ Bouche 840 Tchoupitoulas St., 267-7485, Warehouse District, BoucheNola.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Bouche is a mix of lounge, cigar bar and restaurant with an open kitchen serving largely Southern food in portions Bouche calls “Partailles” – something larger than an appetizer but smaller than an entrée. $$$

Boucherie 8115 Jeannette St., 862-5514, Riverbend, Boucherie-Nola.com. L, D TueSat. Serving contemporary Southern food with an international angle, Chef Nathaniel Zimet gained notoriety with a portable operation called Que Crawl, but his menu at Boucherie is more sophisticated. Excellent ingredients, presented simply, are the hallmark of a meal at Boucherie. New Orleans

10 Ways to Experience Football at café b Café b, 2700 Metairie Road, Metairie, 934-4700, cafeb.com

Many of us are happy when football season arrives, but finding the right venue every week to watch the game can sometimes be a challenge. That is why we’re happy to hear that café b in Metairie (a great local restaurant with delicious comfort food) is running a promotion to bole you over. “Thirst & Ten” means that for all Saints and LSU games, there will be 10 sideline snacks for under $10, 10 premium cocktails for $5, $5 wines by the glass and $2 Abita and domestic beers. You can enjoy all of this in front of three big screen TVs in a smokefree environment. Now all you need is for your team to win! – M irella cameran 74

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myneworleans.com

Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2009. $$

Brennan’s 417 Royal St., 525-9711, French Quarter, BrennansNewOrleans.com. Br, L, D daily. The institution that turned breakfast into a celebration and introduced bananas Foster to the world is one of the city’s most storied destinations. Enjoy a brandy milk punch in the courtyard while you’re there. $$$$$

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

Broken Egg Cafe 200 Girod St., (985) 231-7125, Mandeville. B, Br, L daily. Breakfastcentric café in turn-of-the-century home offers a sprawling assortment of delicious items both healthy and decadent. $$ Broussard’s 819 Conti St., 581-3866, French Quarter, Broussards.com. D daily. Chef-owner Gunter Preuss brings his pedigree and years of experience to the table in offering up some of the city’s best Creole cuisine in an opulent French Quarter setting. New Orleans Magazine Honor Roll honoree 2006. $$$$$

Byblos 1501 Metairie Road, 834-9773, Metairie; 3218 Magazine St., 894-1233, Uptown; 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 8307333 Metairie; 29 McAlister Drive, Tulane University; ByblosRestaurants.com. L, D daily.

Upscale Middle Eastern cuisine featuring traditional seafood, lamb and vegetarian options. $$ Café Adelaide Loews New Orleans Hotel, 300 Poydras St., 595-3305, CBD/Warehouse District, CafeAdelaide.com. B Mon-Sun, L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sun. This offering from the Commander’s Palace family of restaurants has become a power-lunch favorite for businessmen and politicos. Also features the Swizzle Stick Bar. $$$$

Café Burnside Houmas House Plantation, 40136 Highway 942, (225) 473-9380, Darrow, 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. $$

Café Degas 3127 Esplanade Ave., 945-5635, Mid-City, CafeDegas.com. L Wed-Sat, D WedSun, Br Sun. Light French bistro food including salads and quiche make this indoor/outdoor boîte a Faubourg St. John favorite. $$$

Café du Monde 800 Decatur St., 525-0454, French Quarter; One Poydras Suite 27, 5870841, New Orleans; 3301 Veterans Blvd., Suite 104, 834-8694, Metairie; 1401 West Esplanade, Suite 100, 468-3588, Kenner; 4700 Veterans Blvd., 888-9770, Metairie; 1814 N. Causeway Approach, Suite 1, (985) 951-7474, Mandeville; 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. $

Café Equator 2920 Severn Ave., 888-4772, Metairie, cadeequator.com. L, D Mon-Sun. Very good Thai food across the street from Lakeside Mall. Offers a quiet and oftoverlooked dining option in a crowded part of town. $$

Café Freret 7329 Freret St., 861-7890, Uptown, CafeFreret.com. B, L, D Fri-Wed. Convenient location near Tulane and Loyola universities makes this a place for students (and dogs) to indulge in decadent breakfasts, casual lunches and tasty dinners – and their “A la Collar” menu. $$

Café at Gambino’s 4821 Veteran’s

2679, Uptown; 540 Chartres St., 533-6250, Downtown. B, L, D daily, until 1 a.m. Sun-Thu and 3 a.m. Fri-Sat. The venerable diner has reopened following an extensive renovation and change in ownership (in 2006). Patrons can rest assured that its essential character has remained intact and many of the original waiters have returned. The new downtown location has a liquor license and credit cards are now accepted. $

Capdeville 520 Capdeville St., 371-5161, French Quarter, CapdevilleNola.com. L, D Mon-Sat. Capdeville is an upscale bar-bistro with a short but interesting menu of food that’s a mix of comfort and ambition. Burgers are on offer, but so are fried red beans and rice – a take on calas or Italian arancini. $$

Memorial Blvd., 885-3620, Metairie, Gambinos.com. L Mon-Fri. Café nested in Gambino’s Bakery is a favorite local lunch spot featuring muffelattas, salads and soups.

Afterwards, pick up some Italian cookies to take back to the office. $

Carmelo Ristorante 1901 Highway 190, (985) 624-4844, Mandeville, RistoranteCarmelo.com. L Fri-Sun, D MonSat. Italian trattoria serves old-world classics.

Private rooms available. $$

Café Giovanni 117 Decatur St., 529-2154,

Casamento’s 4330 Magazine St., 895-9761,

Downtown, CafeGiovanni.com. D Mon-Sun. Live opera singers three nights a week round out the atmosphere at this contemporary Italian dining destination. The menu offers a selection of Italian specialties tweaked with a Creole influence and their Belli Baci happy hour adds to the atmosphere. $$$$

Café Luna 802 Nashville Ave., 269-2444, Uptown. B, L daily. Charismatic coffee shop in a converted house offers a range of panini, caffeinated favorites and free Wi-Fi. The front porch is a prime spot for people-watching along adjacent Magazine Street. $

Uptown, CasamentosRestaurant.com. L TueSat, D Thu-Sat. The family-owned restaurant has shucked oysters and fried seafood since 1919; closed during summer and for all major holidays. $$

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

Chateau du Lac 2037 Metairie Road,

French Quarter. L, D daily. Tourists line up for their generous portions of seafood and large deli sandwiches. $

831-3773, Old Metairie, ChateauduLacBistro. com. L, Mon-Fri, D, Mon-Sat. This casual French bistro offers up classic dishes such as escargot, coq au vin and blanquette de veau.

A Provençal-inspired atmosphere and French wine round out the appeal. $$$$

Camellia Grill 626 S. Carrollton Ave., 309-

Checkered Parrot 132 Royal St., 592-1270,

Café Maspero 601 Decatur St., 523-6250,

French Quarter, CheckeredParrot.com. B, L, D Mon-Sun. The Checkered Parrot is an upscale sports bar with a large menu, featuring nachos, fajitas, wings in seven flavors, wraps and burgers, and an outdoor patio. $$

Chophouse New Orleans 322 Magazine St.., 522-7902, Uptown. 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. $$$

Clancy’s 6100 Annunciation St.., 895-1111, Uptown. L Thu-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Their Creoleinspired menu has been a favorite of locals for years. $$$ Clementine’s 2505 Whitney Ave., 366-3995, Gretna, BistroGallerie.com. L Tue-Fri, D TueSat. Unbeatable mussels, crispy fries and dessert crêpes of all kinds from France’s northern neighbor. $$$

Cochon 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 588-2123, CBD/Warehouse District, CochonRestaurant. com. L Mon-Fri. D Mon-Sat. Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski showcase Cajun and Southern cuisine at this Warehouse District hot spot. Boudin and other pork dishes reign supreme here, along with Louisiana seafood and real moonshine from the bar. New Orleans Magazine named Link Chef of the Year 2009.

Reservations strongly recommended. $$

Commander’s Palace 1403 Washington Ave., 899-8221, Uptown, CommandersPalace. com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sun, Br Sat-Sun. The Grande Dame in the Garden District is going strong under the auspices of Chef Tory McPhail. The turtle soup might be the best in the city, and its weekend Jazz Brunch is a great deal. $$$$$

Cooter Brown’s 509 S. Carrollton Ave., 8669104, Uptown, CooterBrowns.com. L, D daily.

Riverbend-area sports bar serves up the city’s

largest selection of beers along with great bar food. The cheese fries are a rite of passage, and the Radiator’s Special poor boy makes for a great late-night meal. $

Copeland’s 1001 S. Clearview Parkway, 620-7800, Jefferson; 1319 West Esplanade Ave., 617-9146, Kenner; 1700 Lapalco Blvd., 364-1575, Harvey; 680 N. Highway 190, (985) 809-9659, Covington; 1337 Gause Blvd., (985) 643-0001, Slidell; CopelandsofNewOrleans.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Al Copeland’s namesake chain includes favorites such as Shrimp Ducky. Popular for lunch. $$ Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro 4517 Veterans Blvd., 454-7620, Metairie; 2001 St. Charles Ave., 593-9955, Garden District; CopelandsCheesecakeBistro.com. L, D daily.

Dessert fans flock to this sweet-centric Copeland establishment which also offers extensive lunch and dinner menus. $$$ Coquette 2800 Magazine St., 265-0421, Uptown, Coquette-Nola.com. Br Sun, L WedSat, D Mon-Sat. A bistro located at the corner of Washington and Magazine streets. The food is French in inspiration and technique, with added imagination from chef Michael Stoltzfus (New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Chef 2009). $$$

Corky’s Bar-B-Q Restaurant 4243 Veterans Blvd., 887-5000, Metairie, CorkysBarBQ.com. L, D daily. Memphis-based barbecue chain offers good hickory-smoked ribs, pork and beef in a family setting with catering service available. $ Court of Two Sisters 613 Royal St., 5227261, French Quarter, 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. $$$$$

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T HE M E N U Crabby Jack’s 428 Jefferson Highway, 8332722, Jefferson. L Mon-Sat. Lunch outpost of Jacques-Imo’s chef and owner Jack Leonardi.

Famous for its fried seafood and poor boys including fried green tomatoes and roasted duck. $

The Creole Grille 5241 Veterans Blvd., 889-7992, Metairie, TheCreoleGrille.com. L, D Mon-Sat. This quaint, upscale restaurant offers a variety of classic New Orleans cuisine, fresh fish and homemade soups and salads with early bird and daily chef specials. $$

Crépes a la Carte 1039 Broadway St., 866-236, Uptown, CrepeCaterer.com. B, L, D daily. Open late. An extensive menu of tasty crêpes, both savory and sweet, make this a great spot for a quick bite for college students and locals. $

Crescent City Brewhouse 527 Decatur St., 522-0571, French Quarter, CrescentCityBrehouse.com. L Fri-Sun, D daily.

Contemporary brewpub features an eclectic menu complimenting its freshly-brewed wares.

Live jazz and good location make it a fun place to meet up. $$$ Crescent City Steakhouse 1001 N. Broad St., 821-3271, Mid-City, CrescentCitySteaks. com. L Tue-Fri & Sun, D Tue-Sun. One of the classic New Orleans steakhouses, it’s a throwback in every sense of the term. Steaks, sides and drinks are what you get at Crescent City.

New Orleans Magazine’s Steakhouse of the Year 2009 and Honor Roll honoree 2007. $$$$

The Crystal Room Le Pavillon Hotel, 833 Poydras St., 581-3111, CBD/Warehouse District, LePavillon.com. L, D daily, Br Sun. Franco-American cuisine with Louisiana influences is served in the environs of the Le Pavillon Hotel. The Southern-style breakfast features its decadent Bananas Foster Waffle “Le Pavillon.” $$$ Dakota 629 N. Highway 190, (985) 892-3712, RestaurantCuvee.com/Dakota, Covington. L Tue-Fri, D Tue-Sat. A sophisticated dining experience with generous portions. $$$$$

The Delachaise 3442 St. Charles Ave., 8950858, TheDelachaise.com, Uptown. L Fri-Sat, D daily. Elegant bar food fit for the wine connoisseur; kitchen open late. $$

Dick and Jenny’s 4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 894-9880, Uptown, DickAndJennys.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. A funky cottage serving Louisiana comfort food with flashes of innovation. $$$$ Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House 144 Bourbon St., 522-0111, French Quarter, BourbonHouse.com. B, L, D daily. Classic Creole dishes such as redfish on the halfshell and baked oysters are served with classic Brennan’s style at this French Quarter outpost.

Its extensive bourbon menu will please aficionados. $$$$

DINING GUIDE Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse 716 Iberville St., 522-2467, French Quarter, DickieBrennansSteakhouse.com. L Fri, D daily.

Nationally recognized steakhouse serves USDA Prime steaks and local seafood in a New Orleans setting with the usual Brennan’s family flair. $$$$$ Domenica The Roosevelt Hotel, 123 Baronne St., 648-6020, CBD, DomenicaRestaurant. com. L, D daily. Executive Chef Alon Shaya serves authentic, regional Italian cuisine in John Besh’s sophisticated new restaurant. The menu of thin, lightly topped pizzas, artisanal salumi and cheese, and a carefully chosen selection of antipasti, pasta and entrées, feature locally raised products, some from Besh’s Northshore farm. $$$$

Warehouse District landmark attracts pilgrims from all over the world. $$$$$

Fat Hen Grill 1821 Hickory Ave., 287-4581, Harahan, FatHenGrill.com. B, L, D daily.

Breakfast gets re-imagined and dressed up at this Harahan diner headed by Chef Shane Pritchett, formerly of Emeril’s Delmonico.

The house special is the Womlette, an omelet baked on a waffle. $$ Feelings Cafe 2600 Chartres St., 945-2222, Faubourg Marigny, FeelingsCafe.com. D Thu-Sun, Br Sun. Romantic ambiance and skillfully created dishes, such as veal d’aunoy, make dining here on the patio a memorable experience. A piano bar on Fridays adds to the atmosphere. $$$$

Uptown. L, D Mon-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-ofa-kind place. $

Fellini’s Café 900 N. Carrollton Ave., 4882155, Mid-City, FellinisNewOrleans.com. L, D daily. With décor inspired by its namesake Italian filmmaker, this casual indoor/outdoor spot on Carrollton Avenue serves large portions of reasonably-priced Mediterranean specialties such as pizza, pastas and hummus. $

Dong Phuong 14207 Chef Menteur Highway, 254-0296, N.O. East. L Wed-Mon. Vietnamese bakery and restaurant in the community of Versailles makes great banh mi sandwiches and interesting baked goods both savory and sweet. Unbeatable prices. $

Fiesta Latina 1924 Airline Drive, 469-5792, Kenner, FiestaLatinaRestaurant.com. B, L, D Tue-Sun. 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. $$

Drago’s 3232 N. Arnoult Road, 888-9254,

Five Happiness 3605 S. Carrollton Ave., 482-3935, Mid-City, FiveHappiness.com. L, D Mon-Sun. This longtime Chinese favorite offers up an extensive menu including its beloved mu shu pork and house baked duck.

It’s a popular choice for families as well. $$

Domilise’s 5240 Annunciation St., 899-9126,

Metairie; Hilton Riverside Hotel, 2 Poydras St., 584-3911, CBD/Warehouse District; DragosRestaurant.com. L, D Mon-Sat. This famous seafooder specializes in charbroiled oysters, a dish they invented. Raucous but good-natured atmosphere makes this a fun place to visit. Great deals on fresh lobster as well. $$$$

Dry Dock Cafe & Bar 133 Delaronde St., 361-8240, Algiers, TheDryDockCafe.com. Br Sun, L, D daily. Fancier daily specials have been added to the menu of this casual neighborhood seafood joint in historic Algiers Point near the ferry landing. Burgers, sandwiches and fried seafood are the staples. $$ El Gato Negro 81 French Market Place, 5259752, French Quarter, ElGatoNegroNola.com.

B Sat-Sun, L, D daily. Popular spot near the Frenchmen Street clubs serves up authentic Central Mexican cuisine along with handmuddled mojitos and margaritas made with fresh-squeezed juice. A weekend breakfast menu is an additional plus. $$

Elizabeth’s 601 Gallier St., 944-9272, Bywater, Elizabeths-Restaurant.com. B, L TueFri, D Tue-Sat, Br Sat-Sun. This eclectic local restaurant draws rave reviews for its Praline Bacon and distinctive Southern-inspired brunch specials. $$$

Emeril’s 800 Tchoupitoulas St., 528-9393, CBD/Warehouse District, Emerils.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily. The flagship of superstar chef Emeril Lagasse’s culinary empire, this

Flaming Torch 737 Octavia St., 895-0900, Uptown, FlamingTorchNola.com. L, D daily, Br Sat-Sun. French classics including a tasty onion soup make this a nice place for a slightly upscale lunch while shopping along Magazine Street. $$ Frank’s 933 Decatur St., 525-1602, French Quarter, FranksRestaurantNewOrleans.com.

L, D daily. Locally inspired Italian sandwiches such as muffulettas and Genoa salami poor boys are served here in the heart of the French Quarter. $$$ Galatoire’s 209 Bourbon St., 525-2021, French Quarter, 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. $$$$$

The Galley Seafood Restaurant 2535 Metairie Road, 832-0955, Metairie. L, D TueSat. A great local place for seafood, both fried and boiled. Famous for its softshell crab poor boy, a Jazz Fest favorite. $$

Gautreau’s 1728 Soniat St., 899-7397, Uptown, GautreausRestaurant.com. D, Mon-Sat. Upscale destination serves refined

interpretations of classics along with contemporary creations in a clubby setting nested deep within a residential neighborhood. New Orleans Magazine named Sue Zemanick Chef of the Year 2008. $$$$$

Gott Gourmet Café 3100 Magazine St.., 522-7902, Uptown, GottGourmetCafe.com. L, Tue-Fri, D, Tue-Sun. Upscale-casual 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. $$

The Green Goddess 307 Exchange Alley, 301-3347, French Quarter, GreenGoddessNola. com. Br, L daily, D Thu-Sun. Located in a tiny space, the Green Goddess is one of the most imaginative restaurants in New Orleans.

The menu is constantly changing, and chefs Chris DeBarr (New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Chef 2006) and Paul Artigues always have ample vegetarian options. Combine all of that with a fantastic selection of drinks, wine and beer, and it’s the total (albeit small) package. $$

The Grill Room Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier St., 522-1994, CBD/Warehouse District, GrillRoomNewOrleans.com. B, L, D daily, Br Sun. Jazz Brunch on Sunday with live music. Featuring modern American cuisine with a distinctive New Orleans flair, the menu changes day-to-day and seasonally, to reflect the freshest ingredients available. The adjacent Polo Club Lounge offers live music nightly. $$$$$

GW Fins 808 Bienville St., 581-FINS (3467), French Quarter, GWFins.com. D daily. To ensure the best possible flavors at GW Fins, owners Gary Wollerman and Tenney Flynn provide dishes at their seasonal peak by flying in products from around the globe. That commitment to freshness and quest for unique variety are two of the reasons why the menu is printed daily. $$$$$ Herbsaint 701 St. Charles Ave., 524-4114, CBD/Warehouse District, Herbsaint.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Enjoy a sophisticated cocktail before sampling Chef Donald Link’s (New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2009) menu that melds contemporary bistro fare with classic Louisiana cuisine. The banana brown butter tart is a favorite dessert. $$$$$

Horinoya 920 Poydras St., 561-8914, CBD/ Warehouse District. L Mon-Fri, D daily.

Excellent Japanese dining in an understated and oft-overlooked location. The chu-toro is delicious and the selection of authentic Japanese appetizers is the best in the city. $$$

Hoshun Restaurant 1601 St. Charles Ave., 302-9716, Garden District, HoshunRestaurant. com. L, D daily. Hoshun offers a wide variety of Asian cuisines, primarily dishes culled from China, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia. Their five-pepper calamari is a tasty way to begin

Still Going Strong at Steak Knife

The Steak Knife Restaurant and Bar, 888 Harrison Ave., 488-8981, SteakKnifeRestaurant.com

Retiring to the bar with a frozen Brandy Alexander after indulging in your all-time favorite classic dishes sounds like a good night out. Fortunately, that’s exactly what’s on offer at The Steak Knife Restaurant in Lakeview. Maybe that’s why the restaurant has become a neighborhood classic itself and celebrated its 40th birthday last December. Still run by the Roth family, Bobby Roth sums it up: “We know what people like and we make it, using only the best and freshest ingredients. There’s no froufrou food here, it looks good but it tastes even better and you won’t go home hungry!” – M irella cameran 76

OCTOBER 2012

myneworleans.com

the meal, and their creative sushi rolls are good as well. $$

House of Blues 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE (2583), French Quarter, HouseOfBlues.com. L, D daily. World-famous Gospel Brunch every Sunday. Surprisingly good menu makes this a compliment to the music in the main room.

Patio seating is available as well. $$

Hunt Room Grill Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St., 523-3341, French Quarter. D daily.

Enjoy elegant dining and a great wine selection in the historic Monteleone hotel. $$$

Il Posto Café 4607 Dryades St., 895-2620, Uptown, ilPostoCafe-Nola.com. B, L, D Tue-Sat, B, L Sun. Italian café specializes in pressed panini, like their Milano, featuring sopressata, Fontina, tomatoes and balsamic on ciabatta. Soups, imported coffee and H&H bagels make this a comfortable neighborhood spot to relax with the morning paper. $

Impastato’s 3400 16th St., 455-1545, Metairie, Impastatos.com. D daily. Bustling Italian restaurant on the edge of Fat City serves homemade pasta in a convivial atmosphere. Chef/Owner Joe Impastato greets guests warmly and treats them like family. The prix fixe options are a good way to taste a lot for not much money. $$$$

Irene’s Cuisine 539 St. Philip St., 5298811, French Quarter. 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. $$$$

Iris 321 N. Peters St., 299-3944, French Quarter, IrisNewOrleans.com. L Thu-Fri, D Mon, Wed-Sat. This inviting bistro offers sophisticated fare in a charming setting. The veal cheek ravioli is a winner. New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2006. $$$$

Jack Dempsey’s 738 Poland Ave., 943-9914,

edgy atmosphere. $

Bywater, JackDempseysLLC.com. L Tue-Fri, D Wed-Sat. Local favorite nestled deep in the heart of the Bywater is known for its stuffed flounder and baked macaroni served in generous portions. $$$

Jung’s Golden Dragon 3009 Magazine

Jacques-Imo’s Cafe 8324 Oak St., 8610886, Uptown, JacquesimosCafe.com. D Mon-Sat. Reinvented New Orleans cuisine served in a party atmosphere are the cornerstones of this Oak Street institution. The deep-fried roast beef poor boy is delicious.

The lively bar scene offsets the long wait on weekends. $$$$

Jamila’s Café 7808 Maple St., 866-4366, Uptown. D Tue-Sun. Intimate and exotic bistro serving Mediterranean and Tunisian cuisine.

The Grilled Merguez is a Jazz Fest favorite and vegetarian options are offered. $$ Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Café 1104 Decatur St., 592-2565, French Quarter, MargaritavilleNewOrleans.com. L, D daily.

Parrotheads and other music lovers flock to Jimmy’s outpost along the more local-friendly stretch of Decatur. Strong bar menu and stronger drinks keep them coming back. $$

Joey K’s 3001 Magazine St., 891-0997, Uptown, JoeyKsRestaurant.com. L, D MonSat. A true neighborhood New Orleans restaurant with daily lunch plates keeps it real along this rapidly gentrifying stretch of Magazine Street. Red beans and rice are classic. $

St., Uptown, JungsGoldenDragon2.com. L, daily. This Chinese destination is a real find.

Along with the usual you’ll find spicy cold noodle dishes, dumplings and a Beijing-style breakfast on the weekends. This is one of the few local Chinese places that breaks the Americanized mold. $

Kosher Cajun New York Deli and Grocery 3520 N. Hullen St., 888-2010, Metairie, KosherCajun.com. L Mon-Fri & Sun, D Mon-Thu. Great kosher meals and complete kosher grocery in the rear make this Metairie eatery a unique destination. The matzo ball soup is a winner and catering is available for parties of any size. $

K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen 416 Chartres St., 524-7394, French Quarter, 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. $$$$ Kyoto 4920 Prytania St., 891-3644, Uptown, KyotoNola.com. L , D Mon-Sat. A neighborhood sushi restaurant where the regulars order off-the-menu rolls. $$

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

La Boca 857 Fulton St., 525-8205, Warehouse District, LaBocaSteaks.com. D Mon-Sat. This Argentine steakhouse in the blossoming Fulton Street corridor specializes in cuts of meat along with pastas and wines.

Specials include the provoleta appetizer and the Vacio flank steak. New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2006. $$$

Juan’s Flying Burrito 2018 Magazine St., 569-0000, Uptown; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., 486-9950, Mid-City. L, D Mon-Sun. Hard-core tacos and massive burritos are served in an

La Côte Brasserie 700 Tchoupitoulas St., 613-2350, CBD/Warehouse District, LaCoteBrasserie.com. B, L, D daily. Fresh local seafood, international ingredients and

a contemporary atmosphere fill the room at this hotel restaurant near the Convention Center. $$$

Lakeview Harbor 911 Harrison Ave., 4864887, Lakeview, Lakeview-Harbor.com. L, D daily. Burgers are the name of the game here at this restaurant which shares a pedigree with Snug Harbor and Port of Call. Rounded out with a loaded baked potato, their half-pound patties are sure to please. Daily specials, pizza and steaks are offered as well. $ La Macarena Pupuseria & Latin Cafe 8120 Hampson St., 862-5252, Uptown. L, D Mon-Fri, Br,L, D Sat & Sun. This cash-only and BYOB restaurant has recently overhauled their menu, now including a large selection of vegan and vegetarian items, as well as a tapas menu. $$

La Petite Grocery 4238 Magazine St., 8913377, Uptown, LaPetiteGrocery.com. L, D TueSat. Elegant dining in a convivial atmosphere quickly made this place an Uptown darling.

The menu is heavily French-inspired with an emphasis on technique. $$$

La Provence 25020 Highway 190, (985) 626-7662, Lacombe, LaProvenceRestaurant. com. D Wed-Sun, Br Sun. John Besh (New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2007) 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, an elegant French colonial stucco house. $$$$$

La Thai Uptown 4938 Prytania St., 8998886, Uptown, LaThaiUptown.com. L, D TueSun. Uptown outpost of the Chauvin family’s ingredient-driven Thai-Cajun fusion cuisine.

The summer rolls are good as is the tom kar gai soup. Lunch specials are a good deal and vegetarian dishes are offered as well. $$

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T HE M E N U

DINING GUIDE

Latil’s Landing Houmas House Plantation,

glasses of sangria. $

40136 Highway 942, (225) 473-9380, Darrow, HoumasHouse.com. L Sun, D Wed-Sun. Nouvelle Louisiane, plantation-style cooking served in an opulent setting features dishes like rack of lamb and plume de veau. $$$$$

Mahony’s 3454 Magazine St., 899-3374,

Le Meritage 1001 Toulouse, 522-8800, French Quarter, LeMeritageRestaurant.com.

D Tue-Sat. This restaurant blends fine wines with Southern-flavored cuisine for a memorable fine-dining experience in a casual environment. Chef Michael Farrell’s well-rounded menu features suggested wine and food pairings, along with full or half servings both by the glass and by the plate. Complimentary valet parking. $$$

Le Salon Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier St., 596-4773, CBD/Warehouse District. L Buffet Mon-Fri. Also, Afternoon Tea, Thu-Sun, Seating at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Formal afternoon tea with harpist or string quartet served in a sophisticated atmosphere. A local motherdaughter tradition. $$ Liborio’s Cuban Restaurant 321 Magazine St., 581-9680, CBD/Warehouse District, LiborioCuban.com. L Mon-Sat, D Tue-Sat. Authentic Cuban favorites such as Ropa Vieja and pressed Cuban sandwiches along with great specials make this a popular lunch choice. $$$ Lil’ Lizzy’s 1500 Esplanade Ave., 569-8997, Mid-City. B Mon-Sat, L Mon-Fri. Spot local and national politicos dining at this favored Creole soul restaurant known for homey classics like fried chicken and Trout Baquet. $

Lilette 3637 Magazine St., 895-1636, Uptown, LiletteRestaurant.com. L, D Tue-Sat. Chef John Harris’ innovative menu draws discerning diners to this highly regarded bistro on Magazine Street. Desserts are wonderful as well. $$$$$

Lola’s 3312 Esplanade Ave., 488-6946, Mid-City. D daily. Garlicky Spanish dishes and great paella make this artsy Faubourg St. John boîte a hipster destination. $$$

Lüke 333 St. Charles Ave., 378-2840, CBD, LukeNewOrleans.com. Br Sat-Sun, B, L, D daily. John Besh (New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2007) and executive chef Steve McHugh characterize the cuisine “Alsace meets New Orleans in an authentic brasserie setting.” Germanic specialties and French bistro classics, house-made patés and abundant plateaux of cold, fresh seafood. New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2007. $$$

Madrid 300 Harrison Ave., 482-2757, Lakeview. D Tue-Sat. A taste of Spain in the suburbs. Paella is a house specialty along with hot and cold tapas, garlic shrimp and cool

Uptown, MahonysPoBoys.com. L, D Mon-Sat. 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. $

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

Quintessential New Orleans neighborhood institution reopened following an extensive renovation. Though the ambiance is more upscale, the same food and seafood dishes make dining here a New Orleans experience. $$

Maple Street Café 7623 Maple St., 3149003, Uptown. L, Mon-Sat, D, Mon-Sun. Casual dinner spot serving Mediterraneaninspired pastas and entrées, along with heartier fare such as duck and filet mignon. $$ The Marigny Brasserie 640 Frenchmen St., 945-4472, Faubourg Marigny, MarignyBrasserie.com. B, L, D daily. Chic, neighborhood bistro with traditional dishes like the Wedge of Lettuce salad and innovative cocktails like the Cucumber Cosmo. $$$

Quarter, MiLaNewOrleans.com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Latest offering from husband-andwife chefs Slade Rushing and Allison VinesRushing focuses on the fusion of the cuisines of Miss. and La. Signature dishes include Oysters Rockefeller “Deconstructed” and New Orleans-style barbecue lobster. New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2008. $$$$

Mona’s Café 504 Frenchmen St., 949-4115, Marigny; 4126 Magazine St., 894-9800, Uptown; 1120 S. Carrollton Ave., 861-8174, Uptown; 3901 Banks St., 482-7743, Mid-City.

L, D daily. Middle Eastern specialties like 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. $

Mondo 900 Harrison Ave., 224-2633, Lakeview, MondoNewOrleans.com. Br Sun, L Wed-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Susan Spicer’s take on world cuisine isn’t far from her home in Lakeview. Make sure to call ahead because the place has a deserved reputation for good food and good times. $$$

Morton’s, The Steakhouse The Shops at

7300, Metairie, MartinWine.com. L daily. Wine by the glass or bottle to go with daily lunch specials, towering burgers, hearty soups, salads and giant, deli-style sandwiches. $

Canal Place, 365 Canal St., 566-0221, French Quarter, Mortons.com/NewOrleans. D daily.

Quintessential Chicago steakhouse serves up top-quality slabs of meat along with jumbo seafood. Clubhouse atmosphere makes this chophouse a favorite of Saints players and businessmen alike. $$$$$

Mat & Naddie’s 937 Leonidas St., 861-

Mosca’s 4137 Highway 90 West, 436-9942,

Martin Wine Cellar 714 Elmeer Ave., 896-

9600, Uptown, MatAndNaddies.com. L MonFri, D Thu-Mon. Cozy converted house along River Road serves up creative and eclectic regionally-inspired fare. Crab cakes with cucumber slaw makes for a good appetizer and when the weather is right the romantic patio is the place to sit. $$$$

Middendorf’s Interstate 55, Exit 15, 30160 Highway 51 South, (985) 386-6666, Akers, MiddendorfsRestaurant.com. L, D Wed-Sun. Historic seafood destination along the shores of Lake Maurepas is world-famous for its thin-fried catfish filets. Open since 1934, it transitioned to its next generation of owners when Horst Pfeifer purchased it in 2007.

More than a restaurant, this is a Sunday Drive tradition. $$

Mike’s On the Avenue 628 St. Charles Ave., 523-7600, CBD, MikesOnTheAvenue. com. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Mike Fenelly and Vicky Bayley have re-opened one of New Orleans most inventive restaurants in Mike’s On the Avenue. Fennelly’s California-Asian cuisine may lack the novelty it enjoyed in the 1990s, but it’s every bit as good. $$$$

MiLa 817 Common St., 412-2580, French

Avondale. D Tue-Sat. Italian institution near the Huey Long Bridge dishes out massive portions of great food family-style. Good bets are the shrimp mosca and chicken à la grande.

Note: Cash Only. $$$

Mother’s 401 Poydras St., 523-9656, CBD/ Warehouse District, 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. $$

Mr. Ed’s Seafood and Italian Restaurant 1001 Live Oak St., 838-0022, Bucktown; 910 W. Esplanade Ave., #A, 4633030, Kenner. 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. $$

Muriel’s Jackson Square 801 Chartres St., 568-1885, French Quarter, Muriels.com.

L, D daily, Br Sun. Enjoy pecan-crusted drum and other New Orleans classics while dining in the courtyard bar or any other room in this labyrinthine, rumored-to-be-haunted establish-

New Bites at Monkey Hill

Monkey Hill Bar, 6100 Magazine St., 899-4800, MonkeyHillBar.com

The drinks at Monkey Hill are facing stiff competition. Madefrom-scratch specialty cocktails, elaborate martinis, tasty margaritas and every other legal libation you can think of, the drinks now have to compete with a strong food offering. Fish tacos, sliders and cheese fries are some of the snacks that will be whipped up at the restaurant, Johnny V’s, next door. Or, if you really need to tuck in, you can choose from the restaurant’s full menu. This might be a good idea if you’ve hit happy hour or nestled into one of the comfy chairs or sofas to watch a big game. – M irella cameran 78

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ment. $$$$

Naked Pizza 6307 S. Miro St., 865-0244, Uptown (takeout & delivery only), NakedPizza. biz. L, D daily. Pizza place with a focus on fresh ingredients and a healthy crust. The Mediterranean pie is a good choice. $

Napoleon House 500 Chartres St., 5249752, French Quarter, NapoleonHouse.com. L, D Thu-Tue. Originally built in 1797 as a respite for Napoleon, this family-owned Europeanstyle café serves local favorites: gumbo, jambalaya, muffulettas and for sipping, a Sazerac or lemony Pimm’s Cup. $$

Nine Roses 1100 Stephen St., 366-7665, Gretna, NineRosesResturant.com. L, D SunTue, Thu-Sat. The extensive Vietnamese menu specializes in hot pots, noodles and dishes big enough for everyone to share. Great for families. $$ NOLA 534 St. Louis St., 522-6652, French Quarter, Emerils.com. L Thu-Sun, D daily.

Emeril’s more affordable eatery, featuring cedar-plank-roasted redfish; private dining. $$$$$

Nuvolari’s 246 Girod St., (985) 6265619, Mandeville, Nuvolaris.com. D daily.

Dark woods and soft lighting highlight this Northshore Creole Continental-Italian fusion restaurant famous for crabmeat ravioli, veal dishes, seafood specialties and delectable desserts. $$$$

One Restaurant and Lounge 8132 Hampson St., 301-9061, Uptown, OrleansGrapevine.com. L Tue-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Black seating and herbaceous sage-colored walls form a dining room where every seat is a view into the open kitchen and the chefs creating contemporary comfort food on a seasonally changing menu. The bar is also known for cranking out clever cocktails. New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Restaurant 2005. $$$$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar and Bistro 720 Orleans Ave., 523-1930, French Quarter.

D daily. A sophisticated and casual wine bar serving bistro fare – seafood bouillabaisse and meats, soups, salads, a broad selection of cheeses, pâtés and a huge wine list. $$$$

Palace Café 605 Canal St., 523-1661, CBD/Warehouse District, PalaceCafe.com.

L Mon-Sat, D Mon-Sun, Br Sun. Dickie Brennan-owned brasserie with French-style sidewalk seating and house-created specialties of Chef Darrin Nesbit at lunch, dinner and Jazz Brunch. Favorites here include crabmeat cheesecake, turtle soup, the Werlein salad with fried Louisiana oysters and pork ”debris” studded Palace Potato Pie. $$$$$ Parkway Bakery and Tavern 538 Hagan Ave., 482-3047, Mid-City, ParkwayBakeryAndTavernNola.com. L, D daily, closed Tue. Featured on national TV and having served poor boys to presidents, Parkway 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. $

Pascal’s Manale 1838 Napoleon Ave., 895-4877, Uptown. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Vintage New Orleans neighborhood restaurant since 1913 and the place to go for the housecreation of barbecued shrimp. Its oyster bar serves icy cold, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters and the Italian specialties and steaks are also solid. $$$$ Patois 6078 Laurel St., 895-9441, Uptown, PatoisNola.com. Br Sun, L Fri, D Wed-Sat. 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 (New Orleans Magazine’s Best New Chef 2009).

Reservations recommended. $$$

cooks up a broad menu peppered with Big Easy favorites like BBQ oysters, blackened redfish and double chocolate bread pudding. $$$$$

techniques of Louisiana cuisine and produce with a splash of Euro flavor set in a historic carriage warehouse. $$$$$

Paul’s Café 100 Pine St., (985) 386-9581,

Ralph’s On The Park 900 City Park Ave.,

Ponchatoula, PaulsCafe.net. B, L daily. Best known for its strawberry daiquiris, Paul’s also cooks up egg breakfasts and lunches including all manner of sandwiches and poor boys. $

488-1000, Mid-City, RalphsOnThePark.com.

Br Sun, L Wed-Fri, D daily. A modern interior, a view of City Park’s moss-draped oaks and contemporary Creole dishes such as City Park salad, turtle soup and BBQ Gulf shrimp. The bar gets special notice for cocktails. $$$$

French Quarter, RevolutionNola.com. L, D Mon-Fri, Br, D Sun, open late Fri-Sat. R’evolution is the partnership between chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto. Located in the Royal Sonesta Hotel, it’s an opulent place that combines the local flavors of chef Folse with the more cosmopolitan influence of chef 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. $$$$$

The Pelican Club 312 Exchange Place, 523-1504, French Quarter, PelicanClub.com.

D daily. Tucked into a French Quarter alley, Pelican Club 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. $$$$$

PJ’s Coffee Multiple locations throughout Greater New Orleans: PJsCoffee.com. The city’s first iced-coffee spot that pioneered the coffee house experience in New Orleans and introduced us all to velvet ices, drinkable granitas and locally made Ronald Reginald vanilla.

A wide assortment of pastries and bagels are offered as well as juices and fresh ground or whole bean coffees. $

Port of Call 838 Esplanade Ave., 523-0120, French Quarter, PortOfCallNola.com. L, D daily. It’s 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. $$

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

Ralph Brennan’s Red Fish Grill 115 Bourbon St., 598-1200, French Quarter, RedFishGrill.com. L, D daily. Chef Brian Katz

The Red Maple 1036 Lafayette St., 3670935, Gretna, TheRedMaple.com. L Tue-Fri, D Tue-Sat. This West Bank institution since 1963, is known for its seafood, steaks, wine list and some of the best bread pudding around. $$$$

Reginelli’s Pizzeria 741 State St., 8991414, Uptown; 3244 Magazine St., 895-7272, Uptown; 5608 Citrus Blvd., 818-0111, Harahan; 817 W. Esplanade Ave., 7126868, Kenner; 874 Harrison Ave, 488-0133, Lakeview; Reginellis.com. L, D daily. Pizzas, pastas, salads, fat calzones and lofty focaccia sandwiches are on tap at locations all over town. $$

Arnaud’s Remoulade 309 Bourbon St., 523-0377, French Quarter, 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. $$ Restaurant August 301 Tchoupitoulas St., 299-9777, CBD/Warehouse District, RestaurantAugust.com. L Mon-Fri, D daily.

James Beard Award-winning chef (New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2007) John Besh’s menu is based on classical

R’Evolution 777 Bienville St., 553-2277,

Ristorante Da Piero 401 Williams Blvd., Kenner, RistoranteDaPiero.com. L Tue-Fri, D Tue-Sat, 469-8585. Homemade pastas and an emphasis on Northern Italian cuisine make this cozy spot in Kenner’s Rivertown a romantic destination. $

Rib Room Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, 621 St. Louis St., 529-7046, French Quarter, OmniHotels.com. B, L, D daily, Br Sun. Old World elegance, high ceilings and views of Royal Street, house classic cocktails and Anthony Spizale’s broad menu of prime rib, stunning seafood and on weekends, a Champagne Brunch. $$$

Riccobono’s Panola Street Café 7801 Panola St., 314-1810, Garden District. B, L daily. This breakfast spot at the corner of Burdette and Panola streets has been waking up bleary college students for years. The omelets are good, as are the Belgian waffles.

Offers daily specials as well. $

Rio Mar 800 S. Peters St., 525-3474, CBD/ Warehouse District, RioMarSeafood.com.

L Mon-Fri. D Mon-Sat. Seafood-centric

Warehouse District destination focuses on Latin American and Spanish cuisines. Try the bacalaitos and the escabeche. The tapas lunch is a great way to try a little of everything. Save room for the Tres Leches, a favorite dessert.

New Orleans Magazine’s Chef of the Year 2006. $$$$

Ristorante Filippo 1917 Ridgelake Drive, 835-4008, Metairie. L Mon-Fri, D Tue-Sat. Creole-Italian destination serves up southern Italian specialties bathed in red sauces and cheese alongside New Orleans classics like pan-fried gulf fish and plump shellfish. $$$

River 127 Westin New Orleans Canal Place, 100 Rue Iberville, 566-7006, French Quarter. B, L, D daily. Continental cuisine with Louisiana flare in a dining room that overlooks the Mississippi River and French Quarter. $$$$

Rivershack Tavern 3449 River Road, 8344938, Jefferson, TheRivershackTavern.com. L, D daily. Home of the Tacky Ashtray, this popular bar alongside the Mississippi levee offers surprisingly wide-ranging menu featuring seafood, poor boys and deli-style sandwiches along with live music. Open late. $ Rock-N-Sake 823 Fulton St., 581-7253, CBD/Warehouse District, RockNSake.com. L Fri, D Tue-Sun. Enjoy fresh sushi along with contemporary takes on Japanese favorites in this club-like setting in the Warehouse District.

Open until midnight on Fri. and Sat., this makes for a unique late-night destination. $$$

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

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T HE M EN U

DINING GUIDE

Royal Blend Coffee and Tea House

Semolina 4436 Veterans Blvd., Suite 37,

621 Royal St., 523-2716, French Quarter; 204 Metairie Road, 835-7779, Metairie; RoyalBlendCoffee.com. B, L daily. Known for their frozen Café Glace and a wide selection of coffees and teas, as well as pastries, daily specials and hearty breakfasts. $

Metairie, 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. Popular entrees include Grilled Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Marsala and Veal Parmesan. $$

Ruth’s Chris Steak House 3633 Veterans Blvd., 888-3600, Metairie. L Fri, D daily, Br Sat-Sun; 228 Poydras St. in Harrah’s Hotel, 587-7099, L, D daily, Br Sat-Sun; RuthsChris. com. 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. $$$$$

Sake Café 2830 Magazine St., 894-0033, Uptown, SakeCafeUptown.com. L, D daily.

Creative and traditional Japanese food in an ultramodern décor. Sushi and sashimi boats, wild rolls filled with the usual and not-sousual suspects and a nice bar with a number of sakes from which to choose. $$$

Sammy’s Po-Boys and Catering 901 Veterans Blvd., 835-0916, Metairie, SammysPoBoys.com. L Mon-Sat, D Sun. Bucktown transplant offers a seafood-centric menu rounded out with wraps, kid meals, and catering options all at a reasonable price. $

Saltwater Grill 710 S. Carrollton Ave., 324-6640, Uptown. L, D Mon-Sun, SaltwaterGrillNola.com. Off the Uptown streetcar line, this casual seafood restaurant specializes in fresh Louisiana and Gulf of Mexico seafood and shakes up a great margarita. $$$

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Sid-Mar’s Restaurant & Bar 3322 N. Turnbull Drive, 831-9541, Metairie, SidMarsRestaurant.com. L, D Tue-Sun. Sid-Mar’s is a local favorite for boiled, fried and broiled seafood whose original location in Bucktown was lost due to Katrina. The Burgess family has re-opened in Metairie, serving the same seafood-centric menu as before the storm. $

Slice 1513 St. Charles Ave., 525-7437, Uptown; 5538 Magazine St., 897-4800; SlicePizzeria. com. L, D Mon-Sat. Right on the Avenue, order up slices or whole pizza pies done in several styles (thin- and thick-crust) as well as pastas, seafood, paninis and salads. $

Slim Goodies Diner 3322 Magazine St., 891-EGGS (3447). B, L daily. This diner offers up an exhaustive menu heavily influenced by local cuisine. Try the Creole Slammer, a breakfast platter rounded out with Crawfish Étouffée. The laid-back vibe is best enjoyed on the patio out back. $

Snug Harbor 626 Frenchman St., 949-0696, Faubourg Marigny, SnugJazz.com. D daily.

The city’s premier jazz club serves cocktails and a dining menu loaded with steaks, seafood

and meaty burgers served with loaded baked potatoes. $$$$

Gretna. B, L, D Wed-Mon. Roasted quail and the beef pho rule at this Vietnamese outpost. $$

Stein’s Market and Deli 2207 Magazine

Theo’s Pizza 4218 Magazine St., 894-8554,

St., 527-0771, Uptown, SteinsDeli.net. B, L, D Tue-Sun. New York meets New Orleans. The Reuben and Rachel sandwiches are the real deal and the half-sours and pickled tomatoes complete the deli experience. $

Uptown; 4024 Canal, 302-1133, Mid-City; TheosPizza.com. L, D daily. The thin, crackercrisp crust pizzas are complemented by the broad assortment of toppings which include a lot of local ingredients. Cheap prices make this an economical choice along upscale Magazine Street and a delicious choice in Mid-City. $$

Stella! 1032 Chartres St., 587-0091, French Quarter, RestaurantStella.com. D daily. Global cuisine with a Louisiana blush by native son chef Scott Boswell. Dishes are always inventive and flavorful from appetizer to dessert.

The wine list is bold and the service “stellar.”

Boswell was New Orleans Magazine’s 2005 Chef of the Year. $$$$$ Sun Ray Grill 619 Pink St., 837-0055, Old Metairie; 1051 Annunciation St., 566-0021, CBD/Warehouse District; 2600 Belle Chasse Highway, 391-0053, Gretna; 2424 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 305-4704; SunRayGrill.com. L, D Mon-Sun. This local chain offers a globally influenced menu with burgers, steaks, sesame crusted tuna, sandwiches and salads. $$ Surrey’s Café and Juice Bar 1418 Magazine St., 524-3828, Coliseum Square; 4807 Magazine St., 895-5757; SurreysCafeAndJuiceBar.com. B, L daily.

Laid-back café focuses on breakfast and brunch dishes to accompany fresh-squeezed juice offerings. Health-food lovers will like it here, along with fans of favorites such as peanut butter and banana pancakes. Note: Cash only. $$ Tan Dinh 1705 Lafayette St., 361-8008,

Three Muses 536 Frenchmen St., 298-8746, Marigny, TheThreeMuses.com. D Sun-Mon, Wed, Fri-Sat. Three Muses is a bar-restaurant serving the eclectic cuisine of chef Daniel Esses. The menu changes, but expect Esses’ take on Italian, Spanish, North African and Korean cooking. Local bands provide music on a regular basis. $ Tommy’s Cuisine 746 Tchoupitoulas St., 581-1103, CBD/Warehouse, TommysNewOrleans.com. D daily. Classic Creole-Italian cuisine is the name of the game at this upscale eatery in the Warehouse District. Appetizers include the namesake Oysters Tommy, baked in the shell with Romano cheese, pancetta and roasted red pepper. $$$$$

Tony Angello’s 6262 Fleur de Lis Drive, 488-0888. Lakeview. D, Tue-Sat. Creole-Italian favorite serves up fare in the completely restored Lakeview location. Ask Tony to “Feed Me” if you want a real multi-course dining experience. $$$$ Tout de Suite Cafe 347 Verret St., 3622264, Algiers. B, L, D daily. Neighborhood

coffeehouse/café in historic Algiers Point offers a light menu of soups, salads and sandwiches for a quick meal or carryout. $$

Tracey’s Irish Restaurant & Bar 2604 Magazine St., 897-5413, TraeysNola.com, Uptown. 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.” $

Trey Yuen 600 N. Causeway Blvd., (985)

Venezia 134 N. Carrollton Ave., 488-7991,

like ambiance. $

Mid-City. L Wed-Fri, Sun, D Wed-Sun. Casual neighborhood Italian destination known for its thin-crust pizzas. Good lunch specials make this a popular choice as well. $$

Zea’s Rotisserie and Bar 1525 St. Charles

Vincent’s Italian Cuisine 4411 Chastant St., 885-2984, Metairie, VicentsItalianCuisine. com. L Tue-Fri, D Tue-Sat; 7839 St. Charles Ave., 866-9313, Uptown. L Tue-Fri, D MonSun. Snug Italian boîte packs them in yet manages to remain intimate at the same time.

The cannelloni is a house specialty. $$$

626-4476, Mandeville, TreyYuen.com. L Tue-Fri & Sun, D Tue-Sun. Chinese cuisine meets with local seafood in dishes like their Szechuan Spicy Alligator and Tong Cho Crawfish; private rooms available. $$

Vizard’s 5015 Magazine St., 895-2246,

Tujague’s 823 Decatur St., 525-8676, French

Wolfe’s 1041 Dumaine St., 593-9535, French Quarter. L Fri, D Tue-Sat. Chef Tom Wolfe has reinvented the former Peristyle, opening up the doors for full expression of his inventive, contemporary New Orleans cuisine. The menu changes seasonally. Complimentary valet. $$$

Quarter, TujaguesRestaurant.com. D daily. For more than 150 years this landmark restaurant has been offering Creole cuisine in the French Quarter. Favorites include a nightly six-course table d’hôté menu featuring a unique Beef Brisket with Creole Sauce. New Orleans Magazine’s Honor Roll honoree 2008. $$$$$

Upperline 1413 Upperline St., 891-9822, Uptown, Upperline.com. D Wed-Sun. Consummate hostess JoAnn Clevenger and talented Chef Nathan Winowich make for a winning combination at this nationally heralded Uptown favorite. The oft-copied Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Remoulade originated here. $$$$

Vega Tapas Café 2051 Metairie Road, 8362007, Metairie. D daily. 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. $$

Uptown, Vizard’s.net. D Tue-Sat. Chef Kevin Vizard wittily riffs on classic New Orleans dishes.

The sophisticated and social atmosphere also makes this a place to see and be seen. $$

Wolfe’s in the Warehouse 859 Convention Center Blvd., 613-2882, CBD/Warehouse District. 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. $$$ Ye Olde College Inn 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-3683, Uptown, CollegeInn1933.com.

D Tue-Sat. The Carrollton institution moved next door into brand-new digs but serves up the same classic fare, albeit with a few new upscale dishes peppering the menu. $$$

Yuki Izakaya 525 Frenchmen St. D TueSun. Authentic Japanese Izakaya serves small plates to late-night crowds at this unique destination on Frenchmen. Try the Hokke Fish or the Agedashi Tofu. An excellent sake menu rounds out the appeal, as does the sexy, club-

Blue Frog Chocolates 5707 Magazine St., 269-5707, Uptown, BlueFrogChocolate.com.

French and Belgian chocolate truffles and Italian candy flowers make this boutique a great place for gifts.

Ave., Lower Garden District, 520-8100; 1655 Hickory Ave, Harahan, 738-0799; 4450 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 780-9090; 1325 West Esplanade, Kenner, 468-7733; 1121 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey, 361-8293; 110 Lake Drive, Covington, (985) 327-0520, ZeaRestaurants.com. L, D daily. This popular restaurant serves a variety of grilled items as well as appetizers, salads, side dishes, seafood, pasta and other entrées, drawing from a wide range of worldly influences. Zea’s also offers catering services. $$$

Calcasieu 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 5882188, Warehouse District, CalcasieuRooms. com. Located in the second floor of a renovated warehouse, above Cochon and Cochon Butcher, is a place to host gatherings both large and small. Catering menus feature modern Louisiana cooking and the Cajun cuisine for which chef Donald Link is justifiably famous.

Zoë Restaurant W New Orleans Hotel,

Gambino’s Bakery Multiple locations. 885-

333 Poydras St., 2nd Floor, 207-5018, ZoeNewOrleans.com. B, L, D daily, L Mon-Sat. Completely redone in both décor and cuisine, each restaurant features a separate menu by executive chef Chris Brown. $$$

7500, Gambinos.com. This local bakery chain has become part of the fabric of New Orleans.

Famous for its Doberge cakes, King Cakes, red velvet cakes, icing-enrobed petite fours, Italian cookies and pastries. Nationwide shipping is available.

SPECIALTY FOODS

Magic Seasonings Mail Order (800) 4572857. Offers Chef Paul Prudhomme’s famous cookbooks, smoked meats, videos, seasonings and more. Online shopping available at shop.

ChefPaul.com.

Antoine’s Annex 513 Royal St., 525-8045, French Quarter, Antoines.com/AntoinesAnnex. Around the corner from the oldest continuously operated restaurant in the country, Antoine’s Annex serves French pastries, including individual baked Alaskas, ice cream and gelato, as well as panini, salads and coffee. They also deliver.

Bittersweet Confections 725 Magazine St., 523-2626, Warehouse District, BittersweetConfections.com. Freshly baked cookies, cupcakes and specialty cakes.

Serving handmade chocolate truffles, fudge, caramels, gelato, ice coffee, chocolate-dipped strawberries and fresh squeezed lemonade.

Children’s birthday parties, chocolate tasting parties, custom chocolates and truffle party bar. Call for details.

St. James Cheese Company 5004 Prytania St., 899-4737, Uptown, StJamesCheese. com. 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; 3301 Veterans Blvd., 834-2277; ShopSucre. com. Desserts nightly. Open late weekends.

Chocolates, pastry and gelato draw rave reviews at this new dessert destination.

Beautiful packaging makes this a great place to shop for gifts. Catering available.

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NOLA Brewing Co. turns out beers with

names like 7th Street Wheat and Hopitoulas from an Irish Channel warehouse at the corner of 7th and Tchoupitoulas streets. At bars and restaurants, a rainbow spectrum of different draft handles pour an array of beers from Abita Brewing, while out in Cajun country Bayou Teche Brewing is making beers specifically to pair with traditional Louisiana cooking. Meanwhile, budding entrepreneurs across the area have tiny, new “nano breweries” scheduled to come on line in the next few months, including one called 40 Arpent Brewing Co. with an ale based on red beans and rice.

These are a few signs of a local renaissance now gaining stride for the ancient art of brewing. Blending creativity and Old-World expertise, tapping local traditions and

often using local ingredients, this new tide of crafts beers, as they’re called, is sweeping New Orleans and Southern Louisiana. It adds up to a profusion of interesting options for local beer aficionados, an invitation to branch out for those who are merely curious and, overall, a resurgence for a local industry that seemed to be scraping bottom just a few years ago.

“It used to be that beer was what you drank when you couldn’t afford the good stuff,” says Polly Watts, owner of the Avenue Pub, a Lower Garden District bar that has lately become a destination for craft beers. “But as we get more high-quality local brewers, people are more likely to try them because they’re local. Once they do that, they can make the leap and can explore a lot more, and today there is a lot more available to them.”

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Left and bottom right: The Northshore-based Abita Brewing has grown to become a regional force in craft brewing circles and now ranks No. 17 by sales volume among all American craft brewers.

Bottom left: Abita Brewing President David Blossman shows off the final product, ready to be consumed.

A Tradition Resurgent

New Orleans was once a Southern brewing hub, thanks in part to a large and influential German immigrant population and the city’s legendary thirst. Brands such as Jax, Union, Falstaff, Regal and Dixie were all part of the city’s brewing history. They fell away one by one however, and, after flooding from the Hurricane Katrina levee failures wrecked Dixie’s rambling old Tulane Avenue facility, New Orleans no longer had a single functioning, commercial-scale brewery. Dixie is once again being distributed, though today the beer is made under license by the Minhas Craft Brewery in Monroe, Wis. From that post-Katrina nadir, however, things began to improve rapidly. The Northshore-based Abita Brewing has grown to become a regional force in craft brewing circles and now ranks No. 17 by sales volume among all American craft brewers, while a great many more local grassroots breweries have cropped up to energize the field.

NOLA Brewing was formed in 2009 and has already increased its volume nearly 10-fold. In downtown Covington, just down the road from Abita Brewing, a

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company originally formed in 2005 as Heiner Brau is now undergoing a re-branding to become Covington Brewhouse, a name that emphasizes its local bona fides.

Meanwhile, Crescent City Brewhouse, a restaurant that makes its own beer on premises, is still going strong after more than 20 years in business in the French Quarter.

On the “nano” side of the scene, there are at least five very small start-up breweries that expect to begin commercial production soon and are now testing their first beers at local events. These include 40 Arpent Brewing in Arabi, Chafunkta Brewing Co. in Mandeville, Gnarly Barley Brewing in Ponchatoula, Cajun Fire Brewing in New Orleans and Mudbug Brewery in Thibodaux.

And more great beer is pouring in from the nearby region. From Baton Rouge, Blonde Ale of Tin Roof Brewing Co., formed in 2010, arrives in cans bearing the purple and gold colors of Louisiana State University, while the company’s other varieties, like a seasonal watermelon wheat ale, are turning up on more New Orleans taps.

Cajun country brings unique brews from Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville and a sugar cane-based ale called

Top left: Taking a cue from this creed, NOLA Brewing has introduced nine different beers in just three years.

Top right: NOLA Beer owners Kirk Coco, Peter Caddoo and Dylan Lintern. Above: Brewing a batch at NOLA’s Tchoupitoulas Street home. Left: Josh and Jamie Erickson’s Chafunkta Brewing Company will start selling their brand of beers later this year.

Canebrake from Parish Brewing in Broussard. Meanwhile, just over the state line in Kiln, Miss., Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co. has been in business since 2003 and has built a significant local presence.

Much of the movement can be traced to the passion of dedicated home brewers who see a market opportunity to turn their hobbies into businesses.

“I started to consider going pro back in 2010 when I realized that our area really had a shortage of small, local craft breweries, like the ones that have been sprouting up all over the rest of the country,” says Josh Erickson, a software developer and veteran home brewer who expects to start selling his Chafunkta brand of beers later this year.

“People want something with flavor, character, complexity and even personality, just like in their food,” Erickson says. “So why can’t they have that in their beer?”

Local Flavor, Options Galore

The new boom time for local beer isn’t just about the surge in new brewers. Each of these new companies is bringing distinctive – and in some cases intensely

Louisiana-themed – beers to the market.

For instance, Canebrake from Parish Brewing is a Louisiana-style wheat ale brewed with sugarcane syrup procured from the century-old Steen’s Syrup Mill in Abbeville.

“I drive down to Steen’s and get drums of it,” says Parish Brewing founder and brewmaster Andrew Godley. “I felt it was really important to utilize local ingredients and farm products. We can’t compete with Miller or Budweiser on marketing, so we’re going to compete by having a great product with a local connection. That’s our niche.”

Godley, a chemical engineer by training, founded Parish Brewing in 2008 as a side business and he initially supplied just a handful of bars near its headquarters around the Lafayette area. But the brand has taken off in the past few months, greatly increased its production capacity with new equipment and now has wide distribution in New Orleans. Another Parish Brewing beer, called Envie and styled as an American pale ale, is also in the works.

Michael Naquin expects his 40 Arpent Brewing to

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Below: More options accommodate customers’ growing interest in new and different brews that have the local and taste of home. Right: The Rusty Nail offers a great selection of local drafts and a huge new patio on which to enjoy them. Below right: Cooter Brown’s was way ahead of the curve when it started collecting beers from all over the world. The selection now ranges up to 400 varieties.

get started later this year, when it will debut a beer called Creole Red Beans and Rice Ale. Naquin explains it’s his take on an Irish-style red ale, in this case made with brewer’s rice and New Orleans’ own Camellia brand red beans, that Monday staple.

“One of the things that makes craft beer so unique is the variety,” Naquin says. “The average craft beer drinker, if they see something new, that’s what they’ll pick to drink.”

Erickson at Chafunkta says one of his first beers will be a “coffee-infused, vanilla robust porter” called Old 504 and made with coffee beans roasted in New Orleans. Even when Louisiana grocery items don’t necessarily make it into the beer recipes, some of these new local brews are designed from the start to jibe with local cooking.

For instance, the first beer that Bayou Teche Brewing produced in 2010 was its LA 31 Bière Pâle, which brewmaster Karlos Knott describes as a “general purpose beer that will go with any food and especially crawfish boils.” From there, the Cajun country brewer released its Boucanèe, an ale made with cherry wood-smoked barley that shares a smoky flavor common to many rustic Louisiana dishes; a Bière Noire inspired by the strong, slightly bitter black coffee favored around the region; and its Passionné, a wheat beer brewed with passion fruit

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that Knott says is “a good brunch beer, something lighter that goes well with seafood.”

Such particular varieties help new breweries stand out, and they also speak to an underlying culture in craft brewing circles that spur the nascent industry on.

“Craft beer drinkers are very promiscuous,” says Kirk Coco, founder and president of NOLA Brewing. “There’s not a craft beer aficionado who just sticks with one beer, just like wine lovers don’t just drink one wine. And that’s the whole point of craft beers: You want to see what’s out there and what people are doing next.”

NOLA has introduced nine different beers in just three years, from its NOLA Blonde to its seasonal Hurricane Saison, a Belgian-style ale. Similarly, while Abita Brewing’s biggest seller is its original Amber ale, the Northshore brewery makes some two dozen different products throughout the year, including seasonal brews, limited run “select” beers and seven “flagship” varieties that are offered at all times.

“It’s not the most profitable or efficient way of doing things, it makes everything from marketing to inventory and packaging more complicated,” says Abita presi-

Heads Up Some best-bet beers from the fast-growing local brewing scene

Restoration Ale from Abita Brewing Abita produced this pale ale right after Hurricane Katrina, and its name and logo were conceived in the spirit of the city’s comeback. Rich, clean, just slightly bitter and eminently drinkable, it makes a great transition beer for people looking to step up from more familiar mass-market beers.

Also, look for any Abita Select beer on tap. These are special, limited-run brews drawing on old European traditions and are found only at a handful of local bars.

Perfect Tin Amber from Tin Roof Brewing LA-31 Bière Pâle from Bayou Teche Brewing The flagship beer from this Cajun country brewery pairs well with contemporary Louisiana cooking. Mellow, a little nutty here, a tad earthy there, it’s straw-colored with sweet hints of caramel throughout. Also try LA-31 Boucanèe, an utterly unique and distinctive beer, made in part with smoked barley, and designed to pair with hearty, traditional Cajun dishes.

This Baton Rouge-brewed beauty pours out like hazy copper. It delivers a slightly sweet, malty flavor and a big, round finish that is both satisfying and refreshing, an important consideration for our hot weather.

Hopitoulas from NOLA Brewing Many craft beer enthusiasts crave the hop-heavy nature of an India pale ale (IPA), and this burgeoning Uptown brewery satisfies with Hopitoulas. Fullbodied but not overpowering, it has a floral aroma and more of a citrusy finish.

Note that next up for NOLA is a beer called Mechahopzilla, an intensely hoppy imperial IPA due out this fall. Look for tap handles featuring a mechanical Godzilla-style monster stomping over New Orleans landmarks.

Canebrake from Parish Brewing Parish Brewing makes just one beer at the moment, but it’s really been getting around. Canebrake is a Louisiana-style wheat beer made with sugarcane syrup from the historic Steen’s Syrup Mill in Abbeville. It adds a unique complexity to this malty and hoppy beer.

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dent David Blossman. “But we just like making different beers. It’s fun and that’s why most of us got into the business anyway, we like brewing different beers.”

Untapped Potential

Bugs ‘n Brew for Drew

Let the Good Times Pour New Orleanians don’t need much of an excuse to enjoy beer. But a growing number of special events throughout the year truly put beer in the spotlight and make it easy to sample a wide array of what’s brewing locally and around the world. Here are a few to put on your calendar: Oktoberfest Oct. 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 at Rivertown, 415 Williams Blvd., Kenner The biggest annual event from the German cultural group Deutsches Haus has become a rite of fall for many around New Orleans, and it always promises a huge array of beer. Naturally, the focus is on traditional German brews. The event will be held in Kenner again this year as the Deutsches Haus organization works on plans to build a new, permanent clubhouse in New Orleans. Details at DeutschesHaus.org.

Bugs ‘n Brew for Drew April 6, 2013 (tentative), location t.b.d.

This combination crawfish cook-off and beer festival features local bands and local breweries, all benefiting the Drew Rodrigue Foundation, which supports cancer research and youth athletics. Updates at TheDrewRodrigueFoundation.org.

Brewhaha on Bayou Road Nov. 10, 2012, along the 2500 block Bayou Road For this outdoor block party, “brew” refers both to beer and coffee and their histories in New Orleans. It is organized by Broad Community Connections, a nonprofit working to revitalize Broad Street. The group points

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to the proximity of the old Dixie and Falstaff breweries off Broad as signs of the area’s brewing heritage. And while it’s been a while since beer was produced at either of those iconic buildings, the Brewhaha showcases the next generation making local and regional brews. Details at BroadCommunityConnections.org.

American Craft Beer Week May 13-19, 2013, various locations The nationwide American Craft Beer Week has grown into an annual celebration of great beer and a barometer of the growing interest in craft brews. Locally, it entails a week of events, tastings and seminars held at craft beer bars, retailers and other venues. Details at CraftBeer.com.

WYES Private Beer Sampling and WYES International Beer Tasting May 31, 7-10 p.m., Fair Grounds Race Course; June 1, 6-9 p.m., Lakefront Arena Our local public television station puts on the biggest beer tasting in the area each year. This can’t-miss event for beer lovers features some 275 different beers, from major brands to many one-of-a-kind home brews, plus quick, 15-minute beer education classes. The night before, there’s also the WYES Private Beer Sampling, a smaller, more intimate gathering with 75 top-flight brews.

Details at wyes.org/beer.

These are indeed heady times for local beer lovers. Even with all the recent growth and new prospects, the rise of craft brewers is still a case of the mouse that burped when compared to the giant corporate brewers, especially industry leaders Anheuser-Busch Inc. and MillerCoors.

The Brewers Association, an industry group, reports that there are now 2,000 breweries active across the United States, up from just 42 nationwide in 1978. But while 97 percent of these companies qualify as small, independent craft brewers, altogether they account for just 6 percent of national beer sales. Still, the craft movement continues to grow, and the Brewers Association reports that some 1,100 more breweries are in the planning stages now across the country.

“It seems like every day we are hearing about a brewery in planning,” says Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Will they all make it? No, but many will if they produce high-quality, interesting craft beers and can get them to market through self-distribution and beer wholesalers and beer retailers.”

Getting a commercial brewery off the ground requires many layers of approvals and permitting, and next generation local craft brewers agree that maneuvering their requirements can be confusing and time consuming. These new brewers also report that it’s been harder to find the right equipment as the growing interest in brewing has eaten up suppliers’ inventories.

But once they clear such start-up hurdles, local craft brewers are finding a more receptive marketplace for their beers. “Local” is a hot buzzword in food and drink circles all over the country, and in the New Orleans region, beverage distributors have responded by offering more local brands and educating their own clients about the sales potential they represent. The upshot is a proliferation of shiny new draft beer systems at the area’s restaurants and bars, bringing more options to accommodate customers’ growing interest in new and different brews that have the local and taste of home.

“When you’re going out to dinner, people want something with more flavor than the mass-produced beer, something that will pair better with the food,” says Blossman at Abita. “They’re trading up to better beers, and when you go out to bars and restaurants now, you see that reflected in a lot more local choices.”

Guinness in town.

Cooter Brown’s

Be Near Thy Beer

Draft handles for local beers are proliferating around New Orleans, and a whole spectrum of craft beers and exotic imports are turning up, too. What follows is our field guide for finding the best brews in town today:

The Avenue Pub 1732 St. Charles Ave., 586-9243, TheAvenuePub.com This 24/7 bar has become the top craft beer destination in New Orleans. The 49-tap selection is carefully curated, the draft system is first-class, the staff is knowledgeable and the menu even offers helpful tasting notes. Want some outside validation? The Avenue Pub has been recognized among the top beer bars in the nation by beer biz publications including Draft and Beer Advocate.

The Bulldog 3236 Magazine St., 891-1516; 5135 Canal St., 488-4191; Bulldog.Draftfreak.com This pair of beer-centric taverns is immensely popular for their sports-bar atmosphere, huge draft selection and weekly specials, like Wednesday’s pint night when patrons get to keep their collectible pint glasses. Also see the Bulldog’s sister tavern, Lager’s (3501 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, 887-9923), for a similar concept in the suburbs.

Barley Oak 2101 Lakeshore Drive, Mandeville, (985) 727-7420, TheBarleyOak.com The building looks like a piece of Bavaria transported to the Northshore lakefront, and the deep beer selection draws just as much from Europe and the rest of America as it does from its own backyard (namely Abita beers).

Cooter Brown’s Tavern & Oyster Bar 509 S. Carrollton Ave., 8669104, CooterBrowns.com This Riverbend standby was way ahead of the curve when it started collecting beers from all over the world back in the 1980s, and now the selection ranges up to 400 varieties.

Blind Pelican 1628 St. Charles Ave., 558-9398, TheBlindPelican.com A newcomer on lower St. Charles Avenue, this tavern boasts 25 beers on tap, including an impressive roster of 14 local varieties.

dba 618 Frenchmen St., 942-3731, dbabars.com/dbano Though it’s best known as a music venue, this Frenchmen Street stalwart has always offered a good, eclectic selection of beers on draft and by the bottle.

Finn McCool’s Irish Pub 3701 Banks St., 486-9080, FinnMcCools.com A growing number of local drafts have joined this indispensable Irish pub’s longstanding specialty: the best-poured pint of

The Rusty Nail 1100 Constance St., 525-5515, TheRustyNail.biz The beer selection at this Warehouse District hang covers a lot of ground from a $10 Mahr’s Weisse from Germany to a $1.50 can of Schlitz straight from the Dark Ages of American brewing. In between, there’s a great selection of local drafts and a huge new patio on which to enjoy them.

St. James Cheese Co. 5004 Prytania St., 899-4737, StJamesCheese.com Which has more potential for pairing with fine cheese, beer or wine? This specialty cheese shop makes a convincing argument for beer and carries craft brews and imports to sample alongside your cheese plate.

Stein’s Deli & Market 2207 Magazine St., 527-0771, SteinsDeli.net People flock here for Stein’s sandwiches and deli selection, but this tiny, crowded shop is also renowned for its bottled beer selection. Note: Consumption is prohibited on premises.

Crown & Anchor 200 Pelican Ave., 227-1007, CrownAnchorPub.com An English pub hidden in a shotgun in Old Algiers Point, Crown & Anchor mixes English beers with local brands plus a few old-fashioned cask-conditioned offerings.

St. James Cheese Co.

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turned to forgery for financial, rather than psychological reasons. But money wasn’t a factor in the scheme of Mark Landis – aka Steven Gardiner, aka Father Arthur Scott, aka Father James Brantley and now aka Mark Lanois – when he showed up at Loyola University in New Orleans in February of this year. The interesting thing about his fourth alias that he used at Loyola, is that Landis had presented himself under his given name – Landis – at Loyola 10 years earlier, and had gifted the institution 10 forgeries: all paintings that he had created and passed off as valuable originals. But he accepted no money for these gifts, not even a tax break. His only prize was 90

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personal enjoyment in being catered to by the art world while knowing that he had fooled them, that his own works were being accepted into established collections and lauded as Impressionist originals, gifted in his parents’ memories.

Mark Landis may be the most famous art forger who has never committed a crime.

Landis is a painter and former gallery owner, and a most unusual type of criminal – one who has yet to break a law. When he arrived at the Hilliard University Art Museum at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, driving a large red Cadillac that had belonged to his mother, Jonita Joyce Brantley, formerly of Laurel, Miss., he introduced himself as Father Arthur Scott. He was

dressed all in black, with a Jesuit pin on his lapel.1 He was carrying a painting that he intended to gift to the museum in memory of his mother, whom he told the staff was Helen Mitchell Scott, whom he said was a Louisiana native. The painting was by American Impressionist Charles Courtney Curran. Under his first alias, Steve Gardiner, he had gifted a drawing supposedly by Jean-Antoine Watteau in 2009, as well as offering the same Curran forgery to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in ’09.

The Curran painting looked authentic right off the bat. It bore the weathered label of a defunct New York City art gallery on its back. Since it was unframed, Father Scott offered to pay for the frame, and also suggested that he might consider donating myneworleans.com

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more paintings from his family’s collection. The only flicker of suspicion came when a museum employee began to chat with Father Scott about possible mutual acquaintances in the nearby Catholic community, at which point the priest seemed to grow nervous and claimed “I travel a lot,” to cover for his inability to recognize local names.

Mark Landis, in the guise of Father Scott, among others, has spent decades creating forgeries and gifting them to museums. He crafted meticulous back-stories for his own alter egos, and for the works that supposedly came from his collection. He never accepted any money for his paintings, even turning down the chance to swap the donated paintings for tax write-offs, and so for some time it was unclear as to whether Landis was actually breaking the law. He was never caught, since he gave only fake addresses and names. As far as anyone knows, he last tried to donate a painting in November 2010, when he presented himself, and a forged drawing, to the Ackland Art Museum in North Carolina, again in the guise of Father Scott. That same month The Art Newspaper broke the story about Landis and his scheme, running a photograph of

like Landis, had donated an oil-on-copper painting, “Holy Family with Saint Anne,” ostensibly by 16th-century painter Hans van Aachen. The principal had become suspicious and contacted Leininger, who has become the go-to researcher for all things Landis. Leininger quickly found that James Brantley was the name of Mark Landis’ stepfather, and all signs suggested that the painting was a forgery. It seemed that Landis was still operating, now under yet another pseudonym.

Leininger received a second call shortly thereafter from Brenau University in Georgia. A Father James Brantley donated several pictures to the university, including a drawing attributed to Edith Head, and had also promised a $100,000 donation.

Leininger emailed Landis anonymously and said, in brief, that he was aware of Landis’ continued activities and his new name.

Landis didn’t respond, but the sightings of Father James Brantley abruptly ceased until February of 2012, when he came out under his fourth alias: Mark Lanois. Leininger was contacted by a curator in Muncie, Ind., where she told him that the forger was now operating as Mark Lanois and had gifted another forgery

him.2 It seemed the jig was up.

Matthew Leininger, formerly with the Cincinnati Art Museum, has been tracking Landis ever since 2008, when Landis (using his own name) offered to give several artworks to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, where Leininger worked at the time. Leininger cultivates a dossier of Landis’ contacts, sightings and forged works. The earliest donation of a fake by Landis in Leininger’s dossier dates to 1985, when one of his forgeries was given to the DeGrummond Libraries at the University of Southern Mississippi.

The next is from ’87, when a work of his was given to the New Orleans Museum of Art. Leininger has tracked Landis’ travels through 20 states and links him with close to 50 museums, including major museums such as the Art Institute of Chicago.

Landis went quiet after the publication of The Art Newspaper article in 2010. It appeared that the publicity might have scared him straight. But on July 25, ’11, Leininger received an email from the principal of Cabrini High School in New Orleans. It seemed that a Father James Brantley, who looked remarkably

to Loyola University in New Orleans.

What is strange is that Landis had been at Loyola 10 years earlier, and gifted them 10 works. Then, 10 years later, he returned to the scene, having exhausted three aliases in five years, and managed to dupe the university once again under the same name with which he duped them a decade ago.

The works Landis created were good enough stylistically to fool a first glance, and had some detail elements, like the worn label on the back of the fake Curran, to pass initial examination but not close scrutiny. The Hilliard discovered that they had been given a fake within hours, as soon as the painting was examined under a microscope and ultraviolet light; but long after Landis had gone – a similar revelation also took place when Leininger alerted his colleagues to his discovery in August 2008. The first work examined by Leininger in August ’08 was a

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Landis forged this painting by American Impressionist Charles Courtney Curran and offered it to Hilliard University Art Museum at the University of Louisiana.

WHIT N E Y C URTIS P H O T O GR A P H

watercolor by Paul Signac, in which the same piece was released to the press as a gift of Mark Landis, to the Savannah College of Art and Design. Later, Leininger found this same watercolor in other museums. This was the case as well with the other forgeries that the Oklahoma City Museum of Art had been gifted. Leininger found the same forgeries in other institutions across the country.

Landis didn’t try to fool technological investigations with his forgeries. According to John Gapper, who investigated Landis for a Financial Times article, Landis explained his preferred method as follows: he would go to Home Depot, spend about $6 on supplies, buy three boards cut to the desired size and paste digital reproductions of the works he planned to copy onto the boards.

He would then paint directly onto the digital reproductions. The most he would do to give the works the appearance of age would be to scuff the surfaces slightly, as well as distress the paper and boards he used for his forgeries. His goal was only to trick museums into accepting the work into their collections, usually as a gift in honor of a deceased member of Landis’ family. Once the work was part of the collection and Landis had left the scene, he didn’t seem to mind if the work was found to be fake. His lack of concern with details, creating forgeries that even a non-expert could tell weren’t right, shows his disinterest in the lasting effect of his fraud. Landis himself stated that his rationale for perpetrating this unusual scheme was that “Everyone likes to be treated nice.”

The financial gains aside, forgers often seek to fool the art community as revenge for having dismissed their own original creations. The art community, its scholars, collectors, curators and salesmen, have proven themselves a forger’s best ally, or maybe in this case their worst enemy.

Before money enters into it, the only beneficiary in disproving the “discovery” of a new, potentially valuable work that comes on the market (and may ultimately turn out to be a forgery) is an abstract sense of truth. This holds little sway when thousands, and occasionally millions, of dollars are at stake should the new work be deemed authentic. What if it’s deemed an original? Everyone benefits. The owner of the object now possesses a great treasure, to keep or sell for huge profit. The seller, be it an auction house, gallery owner or other middleman, gains his commission. The new buyer, be it a museum or private collector, gains a rare trophy. Scholars are privy to a new object to study, adding to their body of extant works and the knowledge amassed from them. The media can report on a great story, that there are hidden treasures among us, there for anyone to find. The collective wishful thinking of the art world unconsciously conspires to affirm the authenticity of newly discovered works.

This is particularly the case when a museum is handed a gift.

Museums rely on gifts to fill their walls – most of the Baroque art at London’s National Gallery, for instance, is owned by Sir Dennis Mahon and the works are displayed on loan thanks to his beneficence. The phrase “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” takes on a new meaning. It would shatter the delicate reliance museums have on donors and supporters if they were to look too closely and, heaven forbid, discover something wrong with the gift offered to you.

By creating a work of your own which exhibits your artistic skill to such an extent that it’s mistaken for the work of an acknowledged master, the revenge is two-fold. First, it demonstrates that the forger’s ability level is comparable to that of the famous master whose work has been forged. Second, it undermines the so-called “experts” who dismissed the forger’s original work in the first place. Of course it undermines the experts privately – until the forgery is revealed, in which case even the capture of the forger can underscore the forger’s point and make him feel a victor.

For when the forger is caught and his forgeries come to light, the

experts he was out to dupe are shown publically to have been fooled. With so many museums and collecting institutions in the United States and abroad, all potential victims of Landis and his breed, Leininger is certain that there are others who have yet to come forward.

In Landis’ case, we still don’t know the origin of his unusual habit of donating forgeries. He was a diffident, artistic child who was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17 and institutionalized for 18 months.3 He studied photography in Chicago, then became an art dealer in San Francisco. He resided at 16 different addresses between 1985 and 2000.

John Gapper, writing for Financial Times, located Landis shortly after The New York Times reported that Landis “seems to have disappeared altogether.” Gapper simply drove to the gated community where Landis’ mother had lived and asked the estate manager where Landis was. According to his story, the manager said that he was in his old apartment where he lived with his mother. His red Cadillac was parked outside and Gapper heard music coming from inside the apartment. He knocked, but Landis didn’t answer. A week later, Landis phoned Gapper and invited him to visit. Gapper returned to Louisiana and spent a day with Landis in his apartment. As an apology for not having opened the door when Gapper first knocked, Landis gave him a painting he had done of Joan of Arc, signed with his own name. He ended the meeting with a request: “See if you can smooth things over for me. Tell them I’m not a bad guy. I’m awful sorry if I caused them any trouble.”

Landis’ fakes would likely fail to stand up to scrutiny in an open-market situation. It is the confidence trick, donating a work and truly gaining no financial advantage, playing on the reliance of museums on donations, that makes the trick so successful.

Leininger thinks that Landis might eventually be found guilty of money fraud, as Leininger continues to research a pastel that sold in South Carolina, consigned by a private collector from Mississippi. The pastel forgery that was sold was supposedly by the artist Everett Shinn, entitled “Nymph on the Rocks.” This pastel, which sold in March of 2008, was consigned by a private collector who allegedly may have been Landis himself. This same pastel (or an exact copy of it) was gifted by Landis in ’02 to a museum in Laurel, Miss.; the pastel is still in their possession. If the private collector from Mississippi was indeed Landis, as some have conjectured, then this would be the first time that Landis may have committed a crime – money and art fraud, since the consignor earned money through the sale of the pastel – something Landis has never before done, as far as authorities are aware.

To be charged with fraud a victim has to suffer a loss. With the possible exception of this 2008 pastel, in which the buyer of the “Shinn” may have been tricked into purchasing a forgery, no financial loss is known to have occurred. So Mark Landis is out there, having officially harmed no one, but having successfully perpetrated a very bizarre forgery scheme over many years that continues to this day.

1 Because this is such a recent case, there is no book as yet published on Landis. The best four summaries of the case appear in The New York Times (nytimes.com/2011/01/12/arts/design/12fraud.html?pagewanted=all), The Art Newspaper (theartnewspaper.com/articles/%E2%80%9CJesuit-priest-donatesfraudulent-works/21787), the Financial Times (ft.com/cms/s/2/5905c640-235911e0-8389-00144feab49a.html#axzz1iaLh3QxA), and Maxim (maxim.com/amg/ STUFF/Articles/Art+Forger+Mark+Landis), and it is largely on these articles that this selection is drawn.

2 theartnewspaper.com/articles/%E2%80%9CJesuit-priest-donates-fraudulent-works/21787 accessed Jan. 5, 2012.

3 ft.com/cms/s/2/5905c640-2359-11e0-8389-00144feab49a. html#axzz1iaLh3QxA, accessed Jan. 5, 2012. myneworleans.com

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Want to be an entrepreneur?

Tim Williamson, co-founder and CEO of The Idea Village

Dr. Albert Ruesga, president and CEO of The Greater New Orleans Foundation

Here are two places that could help

By Judi Russell

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C R A IG M U L C A H Y P H O T O GR A P H

N

ew

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seems, are just full of great ideas – maybe that comes with living in one of America’s most creative cities. Turning those ideas into thriving businesses, however, can take some help.

Fortunately, two local nonprofit organizations specialize in showing entrepreneurs how to grow their seedling enterprises into profitable companies that employ local workers, boost the city’s tax base and burnish New Orleans’ reputation as a place where hard work and creativity pay off.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation and The Idea Village share a common goal: helping the city’s economy by nurturing fledgling enterprises. They go about their work in different ways; the GNOF supports nonprofits that in turn aid entrepreneurs, while The Idea Village offers entrepreneurs education and access to capital, among other services.

Dr. Albert Ruesga, president and CEO of The Greater New Orleans Foundation, says the city doesn’t lack entrepreneurs.

“Entrepreneurship has spiked in New Orleans postHurricane Katrina,” he says. “There is a lot of microenterprise activity.” The foundation aids New Orleans and the surrounding parishes, and has been up and running for almost 30 years. It receives funding from grants and from donors, and has a staff of about 10 people.

But a recent study released by the GNOF and the Ford Foundation points out some of the hurdles these entrepreneurs face. About 37 percent of New Orleans households suffer from asset poverty, meaning they don’t have much in the way of savings and other assets to fall back on if they encounter stormy financial weather. In addition, 71 percent of New Orleans consumers have subprime credit histories. The study also found too many residents live in persistent poverty, making it difficult for them to raise the money to get small businesses off the ground.

The foundation looks for nonprofits that have good track records in helping entrepreneurs grow, such as the Good Works Network in Central City, which aids minority- and women-owned businesses. The network has assisted more than 1,900 individuals, and helped 300 businesses start since it opened in 2001.

Another group the foundation supports is GNO Inc., an economic development organization. It also teams with nonprofits such as The Idea Village.

It takes a lot of grit to be an entrepreneur, Ruesga says. The odds of turning an idea into a profitable company are slim; entrepreneurs have to be willing to work hard and to accept risk. Successful entrepreneurs do their homework first, he says, and make a thorough study of the market they’re entering. He cites a client who wanted to start a small cleaning business. The company got off the ground, and now the foundation uses the business to do its cleaning.

Ruesga is bullish about the future of New Orleans and the surrounding parishes. The area’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina brought a lot of national publicity, and the city is becoming known as a good place to do business.

Incubating ideas

Tim Williamson is also bullish about New Orleans.

Williamson, a co-founder and CEO of The Idea Village, thinks the area’s economy will grow through the addition of new small businesses, rather than through one or two giant industries opening plants or stores in New Orleans. Our city is suited to the small business market, he says; it matches our propensity for boutique shops and neighborhood eateries.

For the past 12 years, The Idea Village has supported entrepreneurs through workshops, counseling and access to venture capitalists and bankers. The group has a full-time staff of nine and brings on consultants to help. Fledging companies can benefit from two-hour, one-on-one strategy sessions or a six-month education track, among other programs.

“To date, we have logged 55,000 consults,” Williamson says. Last year, the group helped entrepreneurs access $375,000 in capital. The Idea Village, which assists businesses in a seven-parish area around New Orleans, takes no equity in the startups it works with. The group partners with many other organizations that support entrepreneurship.

The numbers The Idea Village has racked up are impressive: to date, 2,028 professionals have allocated 56,949 consulting hours and $3.1 million in seed capital. The organization hears pitches from companies with less than $1 million in sales and fewer than myneworleans.com

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10 employees.

Williamson and his coworkers look for certain characteristics in deciding which entrepreneurs to help: • What is their idea?

• How will it make money?

• Who is on the team, and what are their backgrounds?

• What do they need to grow their business, besides money?

Good entrepreneurs are also passionate about their ideas, and they’re willing to accept advice. “Great entrepreneurs know what they don’t know,” he says.

And to succeed, they must be willing to put in time, lots of time, because growing a business is a tough journey. They must understand that the core mission of every successful business is to make a customer happy, Williamson says. It isn’t for the easily discouraged.

One of the many startups The Idea Village helped is Cordina, a company founded by three young men from Kenner who noticed how difficult it was for people to bring pitchers full of drinks to the beach.

Their idea? The margarita in a pouch, called the Mar-GOrita. The company did about $5 million in sales last year, Williamson says, and are projected to take in $25 million.

In the process they’ve created jobs and attracted local and national venture capitalists.

Another success story is Fleurty Girl, founded by New Orleanian Lauren Thom in 2000 with $2,000 from her income tax refund. Fleurty Girl sells New Orleans-inspired T-shirts and accessories, and now does about $2 million in business, Williamson says.

Because the New Orleans area is surrounded by, and influenced by, so many bodies of water, The Idea Village and The Greater New Orleans Foundation have partnered to come up with The Water Challenge. Together, they’re challenging local thinkers to come up with ways the New Orleans region can live with the water that surrounds it. In 2012, the winner was Dr. Sarah Mack of Terra Resources, a company that researches the development and monetization of the blue carbon found in coastal wetland ecosystems. The winner of the challenge receives $50,000 in business development capital.

New Orleans has historically been an inventive city, Williamson points out. We have created our own music style, our own cuisine and even our own holiday – Mardi Gras. But too often people with good ideas either moved away or found their ideas co-opted by outside business people. The Idea Village aims to support these individuals to keep them, and their businesses, in New Orleans.

Buoyed by the inventive ideas he hears about every day, Williamson sees a long future for entrepreneurship in the region.

“I see the best of New Orleans, “ Williamson says. And The Idea Village and The Greater New Orleans Foundation will be there to help.

Because the New Orleans area is surrounded by and influenced by so many bodies of water, The Idea Village and The Greater New Orleans Foundation have partnered to come up with The Water Challenge.

Together, they are challenging local thinkers to come up with ways the New Orleans region can live with the water that surrounds it.

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Guy Things

In which local men reveal som e of their kitchen creations

When men tinker at home it may be in the garage, workshop or yard. The kitchen, however has it all: tools and gadgets of all sorts. And, if they do it right they might be abel to treat others to culinary discoveries. Here are some kitchen revelations that keep the fires burning.

B Y B O N N I E W A R R E N

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P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y M A R Y L O U U T T E R M O H L E N

“Young, fresh vegetables nurtured by a caring grower are the real secrets of a great salad. Don’t hide those tastes with too many distracting elements. If garlic is in the salad, make a paste with salt using a mortar and pestle. Add the liquid component of the salad, such as oil and lemon juice, and one volumetrically significant component of the salad (i.e.) onion, cucumber, etc.). Macerate (grind and steep) for an hour or so. Toss with remaining ingredients just before serving. Macerating part or all of one significant ingredient in a salted, liquid dressing enriches any salad. It allows focus on the individual flavors with an extra spicy depth to some bites. It’s nice if plates are cold; the presentation should always be enticing.”

Dr. Gerard “Jerry” Ballanco Specialty: Salads made from his own vegetables PROFESSION:

Retired pediatrician

Mathew “Matt” Foss Specialty:

Fried pickles Physics teacher at Dominican High School

PROFESSION:

“I began frying after receiving a turkey fryer. Once I perfected turkeys, I remembered eating Liuzza’s fried pickles. The secrets to good crispy-fried pickles are oil type, temperature and time.

This is where I use my science expertise. Add lemon pepper to Zatarain’s Seasoned Fish-Fri for extra tanginess. Drop a handful of dill chips into the batter and shake well, fully covering them.

Heat peanut oil to 385 degrees, then add battered pickles. The oil’s temperature drops as they enter. Keep the temperature between 375 and 390 degrees. Once pickles are floating and sizzling, strain and serve. Be prepared to make several batches because they disappear quickly. If you like fried fish, use the same batter. The pickle juices add a zesty flavor.” myneworleans.com

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Eugene “Gene” Preaus Specialty: Marmalade made from his own blood oranges, lemons and sweet kumquats PROFESSION: Of Counsel with Fowler, Rodriguez, Valdes-Fauli

“I enjoy making my special marmalade with Meyer lemons, blood oranges and sweet kumquats, which I grow. Additionally, I use a Louisiana-grown grapefruit. The first step is juicing the fruit and reserving the juice; then soaking the skins and reserving the soaking liquid. I remove the pith and put it in a cheesecloth bag for later use. I have scissors with multiple blades that produce very thin strips of the skin – a secret to successful marmalade. Those ingredients are combined and cooked down. The cheesecloth bag is removed and sugar added for the final cooking. The process takes two days, but has become a holiday tradition. I like to share my marmalade with friends and family.”

David Rebeck Apple-raspberry and rhubarb pies Multi-instrumental musical performer, educator, program producer and owneroperator of Piety Street Sno-Balls Specialty:

PROFESSION:

“I am a big fan of flakey, well-done crusts that are not too sweet. Of course, I liked my mother’s pies the best growing up, and that’s how she makes them. She taught me her technique one Christmas break when I was in music school. The secret is using one-half unsalted butter and one-half vegetable shortening for the fat content of the dough. I also favor fruit fillings that are tart and not too sweet. My absolute favorite is rhubarb. We always had a large patch of it in the backyard growing up in Lansing, Mich. Rhubarb is hard to come by here, so I usually make my fillings with Granny Smith apples and raspberries.”

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Arthur Cafiero Fried chicken Independent benefits consultant

Specialty:

PROFESSION:

“Some stores sell chicken parts cheaper than chicken feed costs. I don’t buy that stuff. Quality of the chicken, temperature control and seasoning are the three most important things. Get the best whole fryer chicken you can buy – all natural, no preservatives, uncaged and top quality in every way. If you’re going to take the time and considerable trouble to fry your own chicken, don’t scrimp. Season batter generously with more than you think you need; it cooks away. I use cayenne and Paul Prudhomme’s Poultry Magic. Temperature and cook time needs to be right – about five minutes per side at 350 to 375 degrees – or the chicken will come out soggy. And a fry thermometer is a must.”

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Jeffery “Jeff” Davis Specialty:

Onion sandwiches Contractor

PROFESSION:

“I enjoy making onion sandwiches to take to Tujague’s Bar for owner Steve Latter and my friends. I always use Vidalia sweet onions (plain white onion will do). Peel and wash the onions and cover them with whole milk and marinate them overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, slice the onions very thin – thin-slicing is my secret of success. Mix sticks of cream cheese with sour cream until you have a nice soft spread. Trim the crusts off of soft white bread, and then spread the mixture on each piece of bread. Top with the onions and use salt and white pepper to taste. For presentation, I always cut the sandwiches in quarters. Wait at least a few hours before serving the sandwiches.”

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Stephen “Steve” Brauner Salsa Owner, Boundless Shipping and Cutee Pootee Gifts Specialty:

PROFESSION:

“Who doesn’t love salsa? I cannot get excited by grabbing a bottle of something off the shelf – I don’t expect my guests to, either. So to pick up the pace (pun intended), I staged an assault on traditional salsa. To wake up the taste buds, my homemade salsa evolved from a simple mix of obvious players to adding as many fresh ingredients as possible. I hand chop everything; if that’s too time consuming, add Cuervo – for drinking, not the salsa. Get carried away with the cilantro and cumin. When complete, divide it in half and add a can each of shoe-peg corn and black beans to one half. Not one person has ever tasted it and said, ‘Yeah, it’s OK.’”

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Dr. Terry Winstead Specialty:

Beer Gastroenterologist

PROFESSION:

“When I started brewing in the 1990s in my mom’s kitchen, I was into styles you couldn’t find in stores. Gradually, brewing became an obsession, and now my garage looks like a chemical weapons factory. Recently we remodeled and told the contractor that the garage was going to be a home brewery. Then things got out of control: I now have a stainless steel cart with three natural gas burners, a kegerator, a kitchen sink – the works. Recently I’ve brewed some really unique beers – hickory-smoked stout, sour Flanders red ale with cherries and Saison flavored with homegrown citrus. It allows you to explore the boundaries of taste, rather than the boundaries of what will sell.”

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Terrance Osborne Specialty:

Gumbo Artist

PROFESSION:

“When I dine out, I rarely order gumbo because many gumbos are too thin, thick, bland or taste like stew. Gumbo has its own consistency. The roux is the most important thing. I brown flour in olive oil until it almost burns and is the color of milk chocolate. Then I pour chicken and beef broth in a large pot. I add chopped onions, onion and garlic powder, thyme, basil, Tony Chachere and sage – my one secret ingredient. Lots of sage! I add seared sausage, Alaskan king crabs, jumbo shrimp, and 1/4-cup of sugar. This is my best rendition of my mom’s gumbo. I serve it hot, over rice with a scoop of cold potato salad on top.”

Casey Burka Specialty: Pickles Commercial realtor with a focus in retail tenant representation

PROFESSION:

“Good spices and seasonings go a long way when preserving food. The Hong Kong market on the West Bank is a great place to gather the essentials, especially when on a budget. Carrots, garlic, lemongrass and cucumbers are all in the arsenal. I am a huge fan of the Vietnamese five-spice pho seasoning package. Chop your vegetables, create a vinegar-based broth, let cool, pour the broth over the chopped vegetables and then use a pressure cooker to seal your mason jars. Be sure to bring jars to friends’ houses for a surprise snack.”

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Weekend Festivals and events Food & fun for the family TGIF! Time to head out and enjoy some fall weekend weather as well as the plethora of events, activities and travel destinations perfect for weekend trips. For those looking to celebrate, fall festival season is now in full swing in South Louisiana, and for those looking to relax, weekend trips to golf courses, resorts and beaches are especially popular during October. Head to your favorite restaurant or bar for LSU and Saints games on Saturday and Sunday, and enjoy the finest local fare along with your favorite football team. The change in weather brings a change in wardrobe, so don’t forget shopping as weekend to-do. Plan your weekend today, and be sure to include some of these regional favorites.

Entertainment Opera has been a celebrated art form in New Orleans for centuries. This year, New Orleans Opera celebrates its 70th anniversary with a gala and three operas. It begins on Oct. 12 with the Plácido Domingo Gala to honor the 50th anniversary of his first performance with the New Orleans Opera. This thrilling concert will be followed by dinner with Mr. Domingo at the historic Roosevelt Hotel for the premium ticket holders. On Nov. 16 and 18 the true season begins with Gioachino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” a tale of mischief and magic. It continues March 15 and 19 with Camille Saint-Saëns’s Samson and Delilah where the Bible comes to life in this story of secrecy, The Barber of Seville, New Orleans Opera

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conspiracy and tragedy. The season ends April 12 and 14 with one of Giacomo Puccini’s masterpieces, Madame Butterfly, the heartbreaking tale of the beautiful young Japanese maiden Cio-Cio San, who gives up her heart and her heritage for an American sailor, only to be abandoned and betrayed.

Learn more about the New Orleans Opera and purchase tickets by visiting neworleansopera.org.

This past summer, Baton Rouge welcomed Louisiana’s newest destination for exciting gaming, delicious cuisine and thrilling nightlife at the L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge.

Spanning across 575 acres of land, this truly unique casino entertainment complex captures the feel of a Southern river lodge. Embracing local culture and cuisine, L’Auberge Baton Rouge offers a genuine Louisiana experience and exudes a Laissez les bon temps rouler atmosphere of fun.

L’Auberge Baton Rouge is located in the heart of South Baton Rouge and features an expansive 74,000-square-foot casino with nearly 1,500 slot machines, 50 table games, a 12-story hotel with more than 200 rooms and a rooftop pool, as well as three restaurants and a casino bar with breathtaking views of the Mississippi River. L’Auberge also features a multi-purpose event center for concerts, banquets and other events, and additionally, the complex includes outdoor festival grounds.

To find out more about L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge, visit mylauberge.com or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

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L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge

Moms, it’s time to let your babies be cowboys (and cowgirls!) at BlueJack Ridge Kids Ranch. Located on a 400-acre ranch in Poplarville, Miss., BlueJack Ridge is the premier destination for old-fashioned family entertainment in the South. Designed for families, BlueJack Ridge invites all to hop aboard the wagon train for a tour down Main Street, sit a spell in the Saloon and munch on fresh kettle corn, ride a pony at the livery stable and zip through the back country on the new Cowboy Run zip line.

Be sure to catch a pig race, navigate the seven-acre life-sized maze and hang out at the corn crib.

Open Oct. 6 through Nov. 4, Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., BlueJack welcomes more than 20,000 people each fall.

Visit bluejackridge.com to purchase tickets prior to your visit.

This new format ensures low crowds and an ideal visit. For new and returning visitors alike, the drive over is always worth the boot scootin’ good time. For full details, go to bluejackridge. com or call 601-795-9949. See y’all soon!

To discover truly unique designs available nowhere else in the world, sneak down to the The Shops at Canal Place and visit Saint Germain. Acclaimed designer Donald J. Pliner plays tourist himself in New Orleans, visiting every year to make a personal appearance in the only independent store in the nation that exclusively carries his line of shoes. In addition to Pliner’s award-winning shoes and handbags, Saint Germain carries fine jewelry from designers that have developed quite a following in New Orleans.

Be sure to check out the French hair accessories and even more handbags by designers from all over the world.

For more than 30 years, owner Faye Cannon has brought the best in fashionable shoes and accessories to New Orleans.

She is known for catering to each customer’s individual style and desire. Fearless, passionate and knowledgeable, Cannon keeps both locals and international customers coming back to see what’s new at Saint Germain. To see the latest designs or for more information, visit saintgermainneworleans.com or call 504-522-1720.

Travel

Shopping

Louisiana Main to Main is an annual statewide initiative of Louisiana Main Street designed to foster economic development and stimulate cultural tourism throughout the state of Louisiana.

Interconnected by culture, commerce and an abundance of creative and natural assets, Louisiana Main Street communities host a multitude of cultural and heritage resources including archeological sites, State and National Parks, museums and historic landmarks. Throughout the month of November, residents and visitors are encouraged to take road trips from one Main Street community to the next to experience the rich and diverse culture of Louisiana.

Culture, recreation and tourism events include food and music festivals, antiques fairs, art and crafts shows, performances and exhibits, holiday parades, agriculture and waterways, museum and house tours. For a calendar of events, visit louisianamaintomain.org or call 225-342-8162.

Remember November and experience the authentic culture of Louisiana’s Main Street communities.

Mignon for Children has been a year-round shopping destination for New Orleans parents for more than 50 years, and this fall they are celebrating our beloved Saints with embroidered WHO DAT baby and children’s apparel. Also featured are fabulous black and gold tutus, as a head start on Halloween, and orange and black BOO DAT onesies and tees, all of which are made exclusively for Mignon. Located in The Rink in uptown New Orleans, this shop is a favored stop for its large selection of birthday gifts and giftwrap is complimentary.

Owner Karen Ludwig continues to build on a time-honored tradition of offering the best available in babies’ and children’s clothing as well as a terrific selection of toys, books, music, gifts and unique New Orleans items.

For more information, or to visit the store, call 504-8912374 or drop by 2727 Prytania St. at the corner of Washington Avenue. Mignon for Children is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

When visiting Houston, location is everything. The Hilton Garden Inn Houston Galleria Area is located in the Uptown District, the city’s most cosmopolitan area of sophistication, style and international appeal. The world-renowned Galleria Mall, the fourth largest mall in the nation, has established itself as Houston’s No. 1 shopping and tourist destination and is situated within walking distance of the hotel. The Galleria features more than 375 fine stores and restaurants, and one of the Top 10 Ice Skating Rinks in the U.S. This world-class shopping complex showcases the best names in retail, including Neiman Marcus, Cartier, Gucci, Macy’s, Tiffany & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, Ralph Lauren Collection, Louis Vuitton and Nordstrom.

Food is big in Houston, so satisfy your Texas-sized appetite by dining at one of the city’s award-winning restaurants, or plan a picnic at the three-acre water wall park. It’s all within a three-mile radius, so relax and let the hotel shuttle take you. HGI Galleria

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Area offers something for everyone. Visit the hotel’s Website, houstongalleriaarea.hgi.com, for great rates, packages and promotions – book your weekend get-a-away today.

This fall, get away for a weekend at a world-class resort just a short drive from home.

Located in Point Clear, Ala., the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa is a AAA Four Diamond AwardTM hotel consistently ranked a top Marriott hotel for guest satisfaction.

For more than 150 years, The Grand Hotel has been known throughout the South as “The Queen of Southern Resorts.”

The Grand Hotel boasts two Robert Trent Jones Trail golf courses, 10 tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools and a 20,000-square-foot European-style spa. Enjoy breathtaking views of Mobile Bay while dining at one of seven restaurants and lounges.

Named by Golf Digest as one of the Top 75 Golf Resorts in North America and one of the Top 50 Tennis Resorts in the U.S.

by Tennis Magazine, The Grand Hotel is the ideal fall escape.

To make reservations at The Grand Hotel, visit marriottgrand. com or call 251-928-9201.

Football fever is sweeping across the Gulf South, and while you may have season tickets for home games, you can make away games just as thrilling with a football experience unlike any other. When your team hits the road this fall, head to the beach for both an exciting and relaxing Tailgate Getaway.

Enjoy luxury beachfront or cottage accommodations, relax by

Julep Point at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa

the pool and ride the waves, then don your game-day gear and join other fans at the Village Hideaway. The newest dining venue at The Beach Club, the Village Hideaway is the perfect place to catch the game. With nine HDTVs, pool tables, shuffleboard tables, video games and a world-class HD golf simulator, sports fans of all ages will have something to cheer about. The Village Hideaway boasts an impressive selection of beers, premium cocktails and a menu that scores.

For more information or to make a reservation, visit BeachClubAL.com or call 855-405-4219.

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Festival Fun For a unique adventure, let Houma be your passport to Louisiana’s Bayou Country. Less than an hour southwest of New Orleans, the Houma area offers a rich and rare blend of nature with a mix of wildlife found nowhere else on earth. With thrilling swamp tours, a wildlife park and alligator farm, world-class charter fishing and a wide assortment of monthly festivals and more, there’s always something fun to do.

This fall, a terrific lineup of family-friendly events includes the Ninth Annual Voice of the Wetlands Festival, which once again celebrates southern Louisiana’s lifestyle, culture and value to all of the U.S. (Oct. 12-14). On Nov. 5th, the Southdown Marketplace Arts & Crafts Festival will feature more than 300 arts and crafts vendors, Cajun cuisine and more. For more information, call 985-868-2732 or visit Houma online at houmatravel.com.

Fall is festival time in the Bayou Lafourche area. October kicks off with the Bayou Music Festival (Oct. 6-7) in Golden Meadow. The Cajun Heritage Festival follows Oct. 13-14 at the Larose Civic Center. Carving competitions, a duck calling contest and delicious food highlight this fest, a must-see for outdoors enthusiasts.

Food lovers must check out three Southeast Tourism Society “Top 20 Events.” The 41st Annual Louisiana Gumbo Festival (Oct. 12-14) in Chackbay, the “Gumbo Capitol of Louisiana,” offers the best in Cajun food, music and dancing. The 39th Annual French Food Festival in Larose (Oct. 26-28), holds more than 30 local food booths, featuring traditional Bayou classics such as White Oyster Soup, Shrimp Boulettes, Jambalaya and more. The Thibodeauxville Fall Festival (Nov. 10) offers live music, a Cajun food court, arts booths and a duck race on Bayou Lafourche.

Youngsters love the yearly Cut Off Youth Center Fair (Nov. 9-11) for its great Cajun food, music, dancing and a carnival mid-way. Fall is an ideal season to experience the Cajun way of life. For more information, including special festival hotel rates, go to visitlafourche.com or call 877-537-5800.

The Seeing Red Wine Festival® in Seaside, Fla., is one of the most highly anticipated events during the four-day gala fundraiser, “Taste of THE Beach – Wine. Dine. Donate.” Taking place Nov. 1-4, Seaside’s highlighted events on Friday and Saturday allow both the wine novice and the fine wine connoisseur to sample specialty wines while speaking with the very people who devote their lives to the cultivation of the grapes.

The Cottage Rental Agency is proud to be a sponsor of the 22nd Annual Seeing Red Wine Festival® and will offer accommodation packages that include FREE festival tickets to enjoy the wine, music and southern hospitality. CRA offers the largest collection of private vacation homes, including one-to six-bedroom cottages, luxury townhouses, penthouses and beachfront hideaways in this idyllic town. Call toll-free 1-866976-7990 or visit CottageRentalAgency.com for a fall getaway that will have you seeing red.

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Sisters’ Court Tavern Po-Boys located at 614 Bourbon St. Choose from a variety of poor boys and sandwiches including Roast Beef with Gravy, BBQ Pulled Pork and muffulettas or traditional Louisiana dishes like jambalaya, seafood gumbo, red beans and rice and boudin. For more information, call 504-522-7261.

This month, saunter over to one of several Tropical Isles, home of the Hand Grenade®, New Orleans’ most popular drink! Experience Trop Rock, Cajun/Zydeco & the Blues with Tropical Isle’s nightly entertainment, the best on Bourbon.

Funky Pirate Music and Sports Bar is open 24/7 now, with an 80” HD screen for sporting events and classic pirate films.

With music seven nights a week, enjoy Blues Sunday with monthly visiting acts and Patrick Williams and the Blues Masters performing Tuesday through Saturday nights. Music is also featured on weekends during the day. For more on the music schedule visit Tropicalisle.com.

Guerlain Spa at The Roosevelt New Orleans

Luxury & Relaxation Two names are synonymous with health, beauty and luxury: the Guerlain Spa at The Roosevelt New Orleans, the place for customized experiences perfect for unique, personal occasions.

Facial therapies offer the benefit of cutting-edge skincare and an exclusive therapy technique. Body, hand and foot therapies go beyond skin refinement to nourish and condition, and harmonizing massages provide the benediction of lasting beauty and seductive splendor. Makeup artistry enhances with fragrance and texture. Now available is the new Rouge G l’Extrait lip color combining a lipstick and gloss to ensure an incredibly sophisticated look – creamy, consistent, ultra-pigmented and velvety, with a non-feathering texture. For men, therapies include energizing, exfoliating and cleansing.

Sunday through Thursday, locals receive 20 percent off spa and salon services and complimentary valet parking. Purchase products and gift certificates – perfect for any occasion – and make reservations online at therooseveltneworleans.com. The Roosevelt New Orleans is located at 123 Baronne St. in New Orleans. Call 504-335-3190.

Cuisine & Cocktails This summer, see where amazing history, elegant old world ambiance and delectable Creole cuisine come together at The Court of Two Sisters. Located at 613 Royal St., this restaurant is where locals and visitors from around the world come to enjoy traditional Creole cuisine in the largest courtyard in the French Quarter. Dinner is a romantic, memorable occasion, where entrees include Louisiana Shrimp & Grits, Veal Oscar and Char-Broiled Tenderloin of Beef. During the day, the Jazz Brunch Buffet provides a lavish display of hot and cold dishes served alongside live Dixieland jazz. The restaurant is also available to host special events.

For a more casual Creole experience, visit The Court of Two

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Also visit Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro, a favorite dinner and drinks destination, tucked away right off Bourbon and Royal streets in the heart of the French Quarter with more than 75 wines by the glass and 200 by the bottle. From 10:30 p.m.-midnight, enjoy new late night specials such as $3 Absolut Martinis and various wine specials. Cheese Boards and desserts also available. Visit their Website for menus and info at orleansgrapevine.com.

Five Happiness, New Orleans’s award-winning Chinese restaurant, offers a delicious menu of Sichuan and Hunan specialties in a newly renovated sleek and elegant dining room. Enjoy the succulent shrimp with honey roasted pecans, General’s Chicken or asparagus sautéed with garlic sauce in a comfortable and unique setting distinguished by its authentic Chinese décor of etched glass and Chinese paintings. The dining room, now split into three rooms, provides a more private dining experience for guests.

The well-known and affordable Imperial Room is available at Five Happiness for Five Happiness private parties, receptions or other functions and can hold The Court of Two Sisters from 50-150 people. Serving options are customized for each party, ranging from sit-down dinners to buffets or cocktails with hors d’oeuvres and prices ranging from $20-$45 per person. For more information, call 504-482-3935 or visit FiveHappiness.com. •

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Me n ’s H e alth Just as in the “apple a day” saying, keeping the doctor away is too common a goal of many men in our community.

With today’s advances in medicine, it’s possible to know your risks for disease, and preventative care is not only possible, it’s essential in maintaining a healthy, long life. The following regional health care providers know both the unique medical needs and the unique health risks associated with being male.

Find quality care for your father, son, brother or friend with help from these exceptional providers of cardiovascular, urologic and hospice care.

Cardiovascular Care Do you know your risk of cardiovascular disease? If you have family history, smoke or live an inactive lifestyle, you could be at risk. Many may think that they are too young to have cardiovascular disease.

However, one out of every 20 people under the age of 40 has heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.

Men are also at risk for peripheral vascular disease, a hardening of the arteries due to build-up or blockage in any area of the body other than the heart, most commonly in the feet. Symptoms include ulcers and pain in the feet and legs at rest. Statistics show that 85 percent of amputations can be prevented

through proper treatment.

Cardiovascular Institute of the South cardiologists have received national recognition for preventing amputations and saving limbs affected by vascular disease Before you amputate, call us for a consultation at (800) 425-2565 or visit cardio.com to learn more.

Urology Has someone you love been diagnosed with prostate cancer? The Department of Urology at Tulane University Medical Center, a national leader in providing minimally invasive surgical procedures for various urologic maladies, stands at the forefront of cancer treatment through robotic procedures, breakthrough treatments and years of experience held by Doctors Benjamin Lee and Raju Thomas. Tulane Urology was among the first in the U.S. to offer the robotic prostatectomy via the da Vinci robot, offering patients a highly advanced therapeutic option for management of prostate cancer.

With such state-of-the-art technological capabilities, Drs. Lee and Thomas are able to maintain patients’ quality of life through a minimally invasive procedure.

Tulane Urology is hosting their second annual golf tournament benefitting prostate cancer research at Lakewood

Country Club on Saturday, Nov. 10.

Help support prostate cancer research and register your team today. For more information, visit myprostatecancer.com/ golftourney2012.html.

Hospice Anyone looking for compassionate and dignified care for their terminally ill loved ones should take a look at the services offered by Canon Hospice. The caring team at Canon is dedicated to a hospice ministry that helps patients and families accept terminal illness positively and resourcefully. Their stated goal is to “allow our patients to live each day to the fullest and enjoy their time with family and friends.”

With special expertise in pain management and symptom control, Canon Hospice designs individualized plans of care for each patient based on their unique needs. Home Based Services provide doctors, nurses, social workers, pastoral care and volunteers. For patients with more intensive symptom management needs, Canon has an Inpatient Hospice Unit. This unit provides 24-hour care in a home-like environment where patients are permitted to receive visits at any hour.

For more information, visit canonhospice.com or call 818-2723. • myneworleans.com

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70072. It’s just another way “Our Family is Caring for Your Family.”

Since opening last year, Slidell Memorial Hospital Regional Cancer Center’s team has moved with strength and compassion to fulfill a promise made to area residents: to provide everything a patient needs for cancer diagnosis and care in one location, right here at home.

Partnering with Tulane University School of Medicine, SMHRCC now offers Head & Neck Cancer Surgery and Reconstructive Services. This adds to the local cancer services for the communities served by SMH. Under the partnership, three renowned Tulane surgeons see patients at the Multidisciplinary Clinic at SMHRCC. Patients whose cancer has an inherited aspect may have family members with an increased risk of developing cancer.

The SMHRCC Genetics Clinic now provides a new frontier in the fight against cancer: genetic counseling and testing to people who are at increased risk for hereditary cancer to help them make more informed medical decisions based upon their own personal risk assessment.

For more information, please visit slidellmemorial.org.

Cancer Survival Medical Guide

Cancer survival takes strength and determination in an individual. It also takes the support of a community. Louisiana is home to exceptional cancer care, and from regional cancer centers providing comprehensive care and physicians specializing in cutting edge procedures to a variety of supportive services, a strong network of health care providers and professionals are available locally to help. If you or a loved one is suddenly facing cancer, take your first step towards survival with assistance from these long-established and trusted area providers.

Regional Cancer Centers West Jefferson Medical Center is Taking Care of the Girls for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Women’s Imaging Center is offering $100 screening mammograms for the entire month of October. Normally, the rate is $395. The screening includes the Digital Screening Mammogram, CAD (computer aided detection) Technology and Radiologist Interpretation.

In addition, the Women’s Imaging Center, in conjunction with the Susan G. Komen Breast Care Grant is offering screening mammograms (and a follow-up exam, if needed) at no cost to women who meet qualifying criteria.

To schedule your mammogram with our Women’s Imaging and Breast Care Center, please call 504-349-6300. Walk-ins are welcome. (Cash, check or credit card is required at the time of service. Insurance will not be filed with this special offer.) The center is located at: 4521 West Bank Expressway, Marrero, LA 112

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The LaNasa-Greco Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Hospital treats more kids with cancer than all other facilities in Louisiana combined. Comprehensive, compassionate total care is given to the child and family. The hospital provides treatment for children with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia and other childhood cancers and blood disorders. It is the only COG-approved and FACT-accredited Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in the state.

Hospital physicians have access to the most modern therapies for treatment of malignancies and blood disorders in children.

The Center treats more than 1,100 children with cancer or blood disorders each year.

The state-of-the-art inpatient unit, which overlooks Audubon Park, has 18 large, private rooms, with beds for family members, too. It includes a playroom stocked with games, toys, art supplies and computers, and an activity center, where music and recreation therapists can interact with small groups of children for organized play. A HEPA filtration system allows bone marrow transplant patients to leave their rooms, interacting with other kids and participating in fun activities.

Since 1989, Children’s Hospital has performed more than 300 bone marrow and stem cell transplants.

For more information, contact Children’s Hospital’s Cancer Center at 504-896-9740 or chnola.org.

Serving Thibodaux and the Bayou Region, the Cancer Center of Thibodaux Regional has been a leader in the fight against cancer for more than 18 years. Accredited with Commendation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the only program in Louisiana to twice receive the College’s Outstanding Achievement Award, the Center provides the most advanced and comprehensive cancer care in a quality-based and compassionate environment.

The Cancer Center employs the latest technology, allowing patients to experience many benefits, including earlier and more precise diagnosis, detection of small tumors, avoidance

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of invasive procedures, fewer side effects and better chances for a positive outcome. Chemotherapy and surgical services are provided, as well as a Patient Care Navigation Program in which patients are guided through the cancer care system. The Patient Care Coordinator works to make sure that all patients with positive pathology receive information and assistance to help them obtain timely diagnosis, treatment (if necessary), and follow up. Patients also receive the best in aftercare services, including Home Health Services and Lymphedema Management.

To find out more about the Cancer Center of Thibodaux Regional, visit thibodaux.com.

Ochsner Health System delivers advanced cancer treatment close to home with access to regional state-of-the-art specialized services, innovative treatment options, research, psycho-social services and cutting-edge clinical trials. Patients at Ochsner receive care from a multidisciplinary team of leading experts, who, with a patient-centered approach, deliver advanced and compassionate cancer care in an environment comfortable for both patients and their families.

Representing one of the largest clinical trials networks in Louisiana, Ochsner currently has more than 150 ongoing cancer clinical trials providing potential benefit to patients while helping find cures. For more than 80 years, Ochsner physicians have been leading researchers in the fight against cancer and have developed 34 nationally recognized cures and protocols.

Affiliated with numerous leading treatment groups has enabled them to deliver the most current, effective cancer therapies.

Additionally, Ochsner is expanding services and treatment options to meet the needs of cancer patients throughout the Gulf South with the creation of The Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center.

For more information on women’s services at Ochsner, such as the Lieselotte Tansey Breast Center, call 504-842-3910 or visit ochsner.org/cancer/ or www.ochsner.org/pink.

Women’s Health Touro Infirmary’s Women’s Imaging Center is proud to announce recent accreditation as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

“ACR accreditation is recognized as the gold standard in medical imaging. We are proud that our facility has received this designation and are committed to providing the highest level of imaging quality,” says Dr. Daniel Rupley, Touro women’s imaging specialist. The ACR recognizes breast imaging centers that have earned accreditation in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, and breast ultrasound, including ultrasound-guided breast biopsy.

The Imaging Center offers all of its women’s services in a spa-like atmosphere that ensures comfort, and the radiologists on staff are dedicated women’s specialists. They conduct alldigital mammograms, a technology more comfortable, accurate and time efficient than a traditional mammogram. Radiologists are able to review images immediately, and the digital technology creates a more detailed image.

Touro’s Imaging Center is conveniently located at 2929 Napoleon Ave., at the corner of Napoleon and S. Claiborne myneworleans.com

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avenues. Appointments can be made by calling 504-897-8600.

For more information, visit their Web site: touro.com/imaging.

Omega Hospital stands at the forefront of breast cancer and breast reconstruction care, offering top-notch health care in an intimate and luxurious atmosphere. World-class surgeons at Omega Hospital are leaders in breast reconstruction and breastconserving procedures, giving women more options than ever before. Doctors Ali Sadeghi & Robert Allen are experts in the revolutionary DIEP flap procedure, a procedure that reconstructs one’s breast from the abdominal tissue. Also known as the “Tummy Tuck” flap, this procedure removes excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen. The DIEP flap operation is superior from procedures of the past in that no muscle is removed, allowing for both a quicker recovery time and maintaining core strength. DIEP flap recipients have the added benefit of receiving natural looking breasts and a tummy tuck simultaneously.

Drs. Allen and Sadeghi also perform the PAP and GAP procedures, which take skin and fat from the back of the thigh, under the buttock crease (PAP), or fat and skin are taken directly from the buttock (GAP). Your best option for breast reconstruction is highly dependent upon your body and specific needs. Operating under the belief that reconstruction is part microsurgery and part cosmetic surgery, Drs. Sadeghi and Allen work to make sure each breast is as natural as possible.

Doctors Ali Sadeghi and Robert Allen also perform a newly pioneered technique, fat grafting to the breast for rejuvenation and reconstruction. This procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis with the added benefit of removal of unwanted fat and rapid recovery.

For more information on surgeons and procedures offered at Omega Hospital, visit OmegaHospital.com or call 504-210-3831.

Color: The color is uneven. Shades of brown, tan, and black are present. D - Diameter: Diameter is greater than 6 millimeters (approximately the size of a pencil eraser). E – Evolution: a mole that is changing or evolving.

Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial, so it is important to evaluate yourself regularly and immediately seek professional advice when you notice changes in your skin. Staff at Northshore Dermatology is trained to diagnose and treat melanoma and other skin cancers, along with actinic keratoses (AKs), which are pre-cancerous growths.

For more information on available treatments at Dr. Eric N. Tabor’s three office locations, visit northshorederm.com.

Patients suffering from brain cancer no longer have to travel out of town for treatment. The doctors at Culicchia Neurological Clinic are skilled in the treatment of tumors of the brain and spine. Clinic Medical Director Frank Culicchia, M.D., is chairman of the LSU Health Sciences Department of Neurosurgery, and, through an association with the LSU School of Medicine, the clinic offers the latest medical options for treatment. The Clinic recently opened the new CNC Hearing and Balance Center for the treatment and diagnosis of hearing, balance, facial nerve and skull base disorders, including acoustic neuromas.

Culicchia Neurological has offices Uptown, in Slidell and in Marrero. Appointments may be made by calling 504-340-6976 or emailing cnc@culicchianeuro.com. For more information, visit

Specialized Care Fellowship trained at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Paul Spring has developed immense clinical experience as a surgeon who specializes in cancerous and non-cancerous conditions involving the skin, thyroid, salivary glands and structures of the neck and throat. Dr. Spring is board certified in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and performs a number of special procedures that include; sentinel lymph node mapping for head and neck melanoma; laser larynx surgery; in-office thyroid evaluation; radioimmunoguided parathyroid surgery; and balloon sinuplasty.

A consultation with Dr. Spring will ensure that a modern approach to manage and treat your condition will be used. For immediate appointments, please contact his office at ENT Specialists of Metairie by calling 504-889-5335. The practice is located within the campus of East Jefferson General Hospital at 4315 Houma Blvd. in Metairie.

Eric N. Tabor, M.D., of Northshore Dermatology wants to remind you of the ABCDE rule that can be used to remember the appearance criteria of abnormal moles and melanoma. AAsymmetry: One half is different than the other half. B - Border Irregularity: The edges are notched, uneven, or blurred. C – 114

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the clinic’s Web site: culicchianeuro.com.

The NORTH Institute, Neurological Orthopedic Rehabilitation Total Health, offers a multidisciplinary practice with experts in the fields of neurosurgery and spinal surgery, rehabilitative medicine, orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. Their experts treat diseases and injuries of the muscles, bones, joints and spine while striving to maintain the most technologically advanced and safest treatment options. The North is proud to include on their team a neurosurgeon, an orthopedic spine surgeon, a general orthopedic surgeon, two physiatrists and a state-of-the-art, onsite Physical Therapy facility with two Certified Manual Therapists on staff. With an in-office Injection Suite, spinal/orthopedic injections can be performed on site,

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rather than in the hospital.

Many advances have been made recently, eliminating patient fear of surgery and diminishing disruption of lifestyle. The NORTH Institute has incorporated Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery into its practice, giving patients a much quicker return to normalcy, even walking back into their own homes within 24 hours. They are now able to serve the entire Northshore and Southshore, with locations in Lacombe, Metairie, Hammond and Bogalusa. Visit NorthInstitute.com.

There are more newly diagnosed skin cancers each year than breast, prostate and colon cancers combined, which is why the doctors and health care professionals at Academic Dermatology Associates (ADA) stress the importance of annual screenings and the awareness of warning signs and potential dangers to skin. Board-certified Drs. Leonard Gately III, Lee Nesbitt Jr., Brian D. Lee, Michelle Gerdes and Tamela Charbonnet offer annual full body skin cancer screenings to new and existing patients and work to deliver individualized treatments and preventative measures.

ADA encourages patients and people everywhere to take precautions in protecting themselves from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Wear protective clothing and apply sun block every two hours while outdoors. A variety of cosmetically elegant sunscreens are available. Combining these precautions with regular screenings is anyone’s best bet for ensuring continued health.

The doctors at ADA also treat a full range of skin issues such

as chronic and acute conditions like poison ivy and psoriasis, and they provide cosmetic procedures such as Botox, chemical peels and laser treatments. They are located at the corner of 14th and Causeway in Metairie. For scheduling, call 504-832-6612.

Home Health & Hospice Established in 1925, Nurses Registry continues to serve the health care needs of the Greater New Orleans area and remains a vital community resource. The founder, Rose Mary S. Breaux, RN, BSN, believed it is an honor and privilege to care for the sick and aging in our community, and to treat the whole patient— Body, Mind and Spirit. Nurses Registry doesn’t just send out a caregiver. All staff members are personally interviewed, carefully screened, receive hands-on training, orientation, and on-site supervision by licensed health care professionals. There is also a team of office staff available to assist clients on non-clinical matters. As an added value, our clients have the full set of resources of a Medicare-certified home health agency at their disposal.

Nurses Registry provides private duty nursing as well as an array of private medical and non-medical support services.

Any service can be completely customized based on individual needs in collaboration with family and/or the physician, if desired. Call 504-736-0803 or 866-736-6744 for a personalized in-home assessment. Nurses Registry provides “Care for Them and Peace of Mind for You.” Visit MyNursesRegistry.com for more info. •

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Cancer Survivors Councilman chris roberts West jefferson medical center

Chris Roberts’ election, at the age of 26, to the Jefferson Parish Council in 2003 served as a milestone in his career, evidence of his hard work, determination and passion for his community. Roberts knew he would be facing the obstacles that accompany politics, but he had no idea what other challenges awaited him.

In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated much of his district, which included the coastal areas of Lafitte and Grand Isle. Hundreds of Roberts’ constituents lost their homes and businesses. Roberts’ family home and franchise businesses sustained significant damage as well. Further adding insult to injury, in the midst of parish recovery efforts in the spring of 2006, Roberts was unexpectedly diagnosed with follicular lymphoma.

“Not only was I involved in the recovery efforts of my community – I also had a home and businesses in repair and a baby girl and young son to look out for. On top of the stress brought on by Katrina, having to deal with cancer was like a double hit,” says Roberts.

Asymptomatic, Roberts discovered he had cancer by chance.

A kidney stone led to a CAT scan, which revealed what doctors believed to be a tumor. A subsequent surgery was scheduled to remove it, and after testing, doctors determined the tumor was indeed cancerous. Roberts remembers hearing the news and experiencing a flood of thoughts and questions as well as flashes of his children’s futures running through his mind.

“It’s tough because you’re dealing with all of the emotions and challenges related to Katrina, and then you think, ‘How much more will be thrown at you? How much more can you deal with?’” He began chemotherapy treatments immediately.

Every two weeks for two years, he received three straight days of chemo. Forced to balance the recovery of his parish with his own health, Roberts consistently worked with the council to make sure all parish business was attended to and important recovery measures were in place.

During chemotherapy sessions at West Jefferson Medical Center, Roberts had the unique opportunity to visit with cancer patients of all backgrounds. As a public official, he was constantly peppered with questions about the community, the government, and rebuilding across the region.

“When you work within government and in political circles, you tend to be around a lot of the same people,” says Roberts.

“It was important for me to be in the community hearing from people of all walks of life, people impacted by the same things as me, and I was able to bring their concerns to a larger platform.” Inspiring him to get better and to get back to work, these people and their stories are still in his heart and mind.

“Until you go through this, you don’t think about someone somewhere sitting in a hospital, hooked up to a machine, and hoping the medicine will help them survive,” he says. “But

that’s happening constantly.”

Follicular lymphoma cannot yet be cured, but after two years of chemotherapy and with the help of Doctors Nagarajan Chandrasekaran and Charles Thomas, Roberts has forced it into remission and life has returned to normal. Every three months, he returns to West Jefferson Medical Center for a follow-up.

Roberts remains in contact with both Dr. Chandrasekaran and Dr. Thomas regarding his personal health, but he also works with them now from his seat at Jefferson Parish Council.

On Oct. 8, West Jefferson Medical Center, a public hospital, opens its new, state-of-the-art Infusion Center, intended to provide patients receiving chemo with a more comfortable atmosphere. The new facility will feature private rooms with added wi-fi and television.

With the perspective of both a professional and patient, Roberts has been able to see firsthand the fruits of his labor.

“On the council, we’re forced to make decisions on funding, programs and resources, and when you become a patient, you see firsthand why some of these things are so important,” he says. “Being a patient showed me the evidence of the government’s impact on a personal level.”

Along with West Jefferson Medical Center, Councilman Roberts is helping ensure that locals in the region have quality cancer care right here at home.

“A lot of people who get a cancer diagnosis think they need to hop on a plane and fly out of state,” says Roberts.

“Fortunately for us locally, that’s not the case.” •

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Cancer Survivors Kacey Marse • Dr Culicchia / Culicchia Neurological Kacey Marse’s childhood was markedly different from most, but as a 17-year-old facing juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma, she was none the wiser. Even today, at a healthy 29 years old, Kacey insists her life is really no different than any one else’s, a testament to the inner-strength and unrelenting spirit she has exhibited over the last 22 years and 17 surgeries. This month, Kacey celebrates 12 years cancer-free thanks to her determination, the support of her family and friends, and the work of Neurosurgeon Frank Culicchia, M.D. Kacey and her parents knew something wasn’t right when at 3 or 4 years old she started experiencing trouble with her eyesight and her eyes began to cross.

“From there it progressed to daily headaches, and I’d experience nausea and vomiting with those headaches,” Kacey recalls. “I was a kid, so I’d just play until they came, and then I’d go inside and lie down.”

Kacey underwent an eye surgery that proved unsuccessful.

A visit to a second eye specialist revealed that the problem stemmed from Kacey’s brain. A CAT scan confirmed the doctor’s suspicions and Kacey and her family learned that she had a brain tumor. She was then referred to Dr. Culicchia.

“The surgery to remove the tumor had complications,” says Kacey. “I went into cardiac arrest twice, so they had to stop without fully removing the tumor.”

Making matters worse, Kacey formed a blood clot in ICU and suffered a stroke. After a successful surgery to remove the clot, Dr. Culicchia decided Kacey’s seven-year-old body was not ready to withstand more surgery. Since the tumor was benign, he decided to treat it with radiation.

For the next nine years, Kacey’s childhood was dotted with yearly trips to the doctor. Midway through high school, Kacey and Dr. Culicchia decided to undergo another attempt at removing the tumor with surgery. While a portion of the tumor was removed, full removal wasn’t possible because of the risky nature of the tumor’s location and the possibility that its removal could damage other parts of her brain.

“By this point the tumor had started to grow, and I had undergone the maximum treatment of radiation,” says Kacey.

“I took chemotherapy for a few months, and then Dr. Culicchia called and said he had acquired some new technology. He wanted to give it another shot.” Having worked with Dr. Culicchia for years now, Kacey trusted his expertise and didn’t hesitate to go for it.

A student at Hahnville High School at the time, Kacey was spending her after-school hours working as a football trainer with the Hahnville football team, helping out where she was needed.

Her only disappointment about the upcoming surgery was its coinciding with the biggest football game of the year; Hahnville was to play its arch nemesis, rival Destrehan High School.

“I remember that surgery like it was yesterday,” says Kacey.

“When I woke up from the surgery, my first words were, ‘Did we win?’”

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Hahnville did win and so did Kacey. She now lives tumorfree. Outside of subsequent surgeries involving the shunt in her head and some minor eyesight and equilibrium problems, Kacey lives life like a normal 29-year-old woman.

Kacey attributes her normal life to Dr. Culicchia and his leadership during her early years.

“He told my parents, ‘Don’t treat her differently. Let her live like a normal kid,’” she says. “I grew up like everybody else, playing softball and other sports.”

Kacey even feels blessed to have discovered the tumor while at such a young age.

“When you’re seven, you don’t understand what a tumor is, so you don’t know to be afraid of it,” she says. “I didn’t realize until middle school – when I was taking science – what it really meant.”

Despite several years of medical ups and downs, Kacey successfully graduated on time alongside her identical twin sister, a goal she insisted on reaching. Today, Kacey actively seeks volunteer opportunities with the hopes of one day having a career as a Physical Therapy tech. She and her mom love to go dancing, especially at local festivals, and she enjoys shopping with her sister and spending time with her boyfriend.

As far as Dr. Culicchia goes, “I think he’s the best at what he does, and I have full confidence in him,” says Kacey. “He’s my buddy. My hero.” •

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Nonprofits Entrepreneurial spirit is strong in New Orleans and Louisiana, and it isn’t just in the for-profit sector where the success of innovative thinkers is growing. The ingenuity of area non-profits continues to better the region with various support services and programs designed to strengthen the community, its individuals and its cultural richness. From health care to energy efficiency and historic preservation, these area nonprofits are paving the road to a healthier, more efficient society with respect for and pride in the preservation and revitalization of this aesthetically remarkable region.

This year, Cenikor celebrates 45 years of creating addictionfree futures for those suffering from substance abuse. One of the oldest and most successful substance abuse treatment centers in the nation, Cenikor has provided assistance to more than 50,000 people with facilities throughout Louisiana and Texas. Helping adults and adolescents regain their self-worth and develop the skills needed to become responsible citizens, Cenikor assists patients through all stages of recovery, providing the full continuum of care, from detoxification through short-term inpatient care, long-term inpatient programs and outpatient care.

In South Louisiana, Cenikor’s Lake Charles facility offers shortterm inpatient care and detoxification. Additionally, their Baton Rouge facility offers both long-term inpatient treatment and outpatient services.

“Addiction and mental health issues exacerbate each other. Our priorities are to treat each as primary and to treat both concurrently,” says Sheryl Johnson, director of the Lake Charles facility.

Inquiries about fees, admissions and referrals are confidential and may be made by calling (888) CENIKOR (2364567) or visiting Cenikor.org.

Most New Orleanians can relate to the problem of drafty, 120

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historic homes or hot, muggy rooms. And we could all use a little relief from high utility bills. NOLA Wise helps homeowners address these problems, while also making their homes safer and more durable. This nonprofit program operates in partnership with Global Green USA, the City of New Orleans and the Department of Energy, to improve homes’ energy efficiency, comfort and affordability.

The NOLA Wise team sends a trained energy specialist to your home to identify energy waste and recommend ways to improve the efficiency of the home. Licensed and vetted contractors perform the upgrades on your home, with NOLA Wise overseeing the quality control. Incentives and Fidelity Homestead Savings Bank low interest loans are available to reduce the upfront and overall cost of the project. Sign up now to reduce your energy use by up to 30 percent and find more information on the program by visiting nolawise.org or calling 523-WISE (9473).

Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans (PRC) was founded in 1974 as a non-profit organization to promote the preservation, restoration and revitalization of New Orleans’ historic architecture and neighborhoods. The organization has helped renovate more than 1,000 homes citywide by involving citizens in preservation projects and services that enhance living in New Orleans. PRC provides resources and education to convey the economic, cultural and aesthetic importance of historic preservation in New Orleans and throughout the world.

PRC has several education programs, such as first-time homebuyer training and monthly homebuyer and renovation workshops, and numerous outreach efforts. Operation Comeback buys, repairs and sells blighted property.

Rebuilding Together helps renovate homes for the elderly and handicapped. The African-American Heritage Program identifies homes where early New Orleans jazz legends lived. PRC also produces an award-winning magazine, Preservation in Print. To learn more about the PRC’s preservation efforts, visit prcno.org or call 581-7032. •

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Personal Benefits In today’s unstable economic times, benefits, retirement plans and health care affordability are, for many people, giant questions for which there don’t seem to be many guaranteed answers. Navigating the waters of personal benefits can be a frightening task, making it all the more important to seek help from sources you can trust. Feel security in your future with guidance from local specialists who can assist in making sure your retirement is available, accessible and sufficient to satisfy your needs as they arrive.

After a lifetime of work and proper preparation, a secure retirement can be a much-desired reward. However, that security will only be as strong as your ability to stay healthy. Most people would agree that health is their most important asset, and that’s why it’s important to ensure that if you ever face an extended illness, you’ll receive the kind of care you need without facing financial instability.

At Northwestern Mutual of Louisiana, specialists in long-term care insurance are available to assist in determining your long-term care needs and help design solutions tailored to your unique situation. To learn more about Northwest Mutual and seek financial security for you and your loved ones, please visit them online at nm-louisiana.com or call 8318146 to speak with a specialist at their Metairie office.

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The 28th Annual Signature Chefs Auction presented

by East Jefferson General Hospital will be Friday, November 2nd at the New Orleans Marriott. Top chefs will offer New Orleans diners an opportunity to enjoy a great night out while raising funds, making friends and increasing awareness of the March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies. “What better way to enjoy a wonderful meal than by supporting the March of Dimes mission and working together for stronger, healthier babies, right here in New Orleans said Bennie Nobles MD and Brian Barkemeyer MD, event co-chairs.

This year, March of Dimes invited Chef Mark

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Quitney, of 5 Fifty 5 at the New Orleans Marriott to be the Chef Chairman and he has enlisted a full team of local chefs to prepare their own signature dishes. Among the star studded team of culinarians are Chef Mark Quitney – Five Fifty Five, Justin Kennedy – Parkway, Chef Frank Brightsen – Brightsens, Chef Chuck Subra – JW Marriott, Chef Alison & Slade Rushing – Mila, Chef Vinny Russo – M Bistro, Chef Tenney Flynn – GW Fins, Chef Norman Love – Norman Love Confections, Rene Bajeux – Rene Bistrot, Alex Harrell – Sylvain, Michael Sichel – Galatoire’s, Vincent Catalanotto – Vincent’s, Chad Penedo – Court of Two

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Top left to bottom right: Alex Harrell – Sylvain, Chad Penedo - Court of Two Sisters, Chef Norman Love - Norman Love Confections, Michael Sichel – Galatoire’s, Chef Tenney Flynn - GW Fins, Mike Gowland – Manning’s, Steve Reynolds - Reynolds Family Winery, Rene Bajeux - Rene Bistrot, Clay Mauritson - Mauritson Winery, Chef Alison & Slade Rushing – Mila, Chef Mark Quitney – Five Fifty Five, Vincent Catalanotto - Vincent’s, Chef Vinny Russo – M Bistro, Chef Chuck Subra – JW Marriott, Chef Frank Brightsen – Brightsens, Chef Michael Doyle - Maurepas Foods, Justin Kennedy – Parkway

Sisters, Mike Gowland – Manning’s, Chef Michael Doyle – Maurepas Foods, Steve Reynolds – Reynolds Family Winery and Clay Mauritson – Mauritson Winery.

Premature birth is the most serious infant health problem in the United States today. It affects more than half a million babies nationwide each year, with 1 in 7 in our community. Babies born too soon are more likely to die or have lifelong disabilities. The March of Dimes is committed to reversing this trend by funding research to find the causes of premature birth and developing strategies to prevent it. The March of Dimes helps moms have full term pregnancies and healthy babies.

Each year, more than 4 million babies are born in the United States and the March of Dimes has helped each and every one of them through our research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs. We are also hard at work on the next big breakthrough – finding a way to effectively prevent premature birth, which affects 500,000 families every year. You can help us accomplish our mission! With your support and donations we are able to Fund the Mission and give every baby in Louisiana a healthy start.

For more information, visit www.marchofdimesnola.com or call Division Director, Katherine Olivard (504) 264-9288.

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Men’s Gifts Adler’s Jewelry

Perlis

722 Canal St., New Orleans Lakeside Shopping Center • (504) 523-5292 The Towne Center, Baton Rouge (225) 236-5000 • www.adlersjewelry.com A portion of the proceeds from Adler’s collection of officially licensed Hubig’s merchandise supports the Simon Hubig Pie Company as it rebuilds. The collection includes a 4-piece tile coaster set ($48), tile trivet ($48) and tile ornament ($16.50). Available in stores and online at www.AdlersJewelry.com

6070 Magazine St., New Orleans • 895-8661 1281 N Causeway Blvd., Mandeville 674-1711 600 Decatur St., French Quarter New Orleans • 523-6681 • perlis.com Add unique character to your outfit or home with Smathers and Branson needlepoint belts, key chains and coasters. Exclusive to Perlis, these items will be sure to charm your home and add style to your gameday attire.

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Symmetry Jewelers In the Riverbend 8138 Hampson St., New Orleans www.symmetryjewelers.com With a return of the popularity of the fine French cuff shirt comes a return to the personalization and individual statement of the classic cufflink. Drusy quartz set in platinum silver by New Orleans artist Tom Mathis of Symmetry Jewelers.

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Adventures at the Bark Park B y H ALEY A D A M S

A

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area, my significant other and I were looking for a place to take his dog, Leila, to exercise and socialize. (As a 4-year-old Whippet and Blue Heeler mix, she never has a shortage of energy.) We knew City Bark required a membership, so we decided to try the Bark Park at Lafreniere Park (3000 Downs Blvd., Metairie).

Being our first time, we couldn’t find the dog park when we arrived. (FYI if you plan to go: If you’re coming off Veterans Memorial Boulevard, take the first left and you’ll come straight to the dog park and parking lot.) When we finally found the place, we were happy to see it’s a large, well-kept area. Like other dog parks, dogs can roam around leash-free while their owners keep a close watch. The good thing about the Bark Park is, like City Park, the area is divided into two sections, one for small dogs and one

Shopping

for large dogs, so Chihuahuas don’t have to mess with Rottweilers.

Leila is about 30 pounds, so we took her to the large dog park.

She seemed to enjoy the big area to run and interact with other dogs, until she met up with a four-legged bully. It is a rule – and common sense – at dog parks everywhere to take out aggressive dogs; the bully’s owners didn’t seem to know that. The bully growled at other dogs and started a few small dog fights, so we took Leila to a different part of the area so she could roam in peace. She inevitably rolled around in a huge mud puddle, as dogs tend to find. Unlike many other dog parks, though, the Bark Park had a hose to wash her off, so she didn’t bring the mud puddle home with us.

Lafreniere Bark Park is open from 7 a.m. until dusk Tuesday through Sunday, and from 1 p.m. until dusk on Monday. Find more info at LafrenierePark.org.

Bra Genie Bigger and Better Than Ever 2881 Highway 190, Mandeville, (985) 951-8638, TheBraGenie.com

The underwear revolution at Bra Genie continues. To meet increasing demand, the store has added 2,000 more square feet and now boasts 11 fitting rooms and four check out areas. Owner Jeannie “Genie” Emory explains, “I tell everyone, stop wasting your money buying bras that don’t fit. The department stores can only carry a few sizes, we have garments from 28-48, A-K, so we can ensure the right fit for every single person. Bras are the foundation for your whole wardrobe, they make everything look better.” With shape wear, swimwear and bustiers to sports and nursing bras, Bra Genie’s huge selection draws customers from hundreds of miles around. – M i r e l l a c a m e r a n

Shopping

Gift Inspiration at Judy at the Rink 2727 Prytania St., 891-7018, JudyAtTheRink.com

Located in the heart of the Garden District, Judy at the Rink is a trusted treasure trove of home décor pieces, fashion accessories and gift ideas. No matter who you’re buying for, or whatever your budget, you’ll find the perfect item. Among well-loved designers, Kay Fausset showcases new talent and ideas.

Pop in and you’ll see beautiful necklaces with interchangeable faces and clocks made with real oyster shells, My Napkins (recently featured on the “Today” show) and Swedish cloths – a green alternative to paper towels and much more attractive. – M i r e l l a c a m e r a n myneworleans.com

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The Bees and Me B Y ERR O L LA B O R D E

M

y a d m i r a t i o n f o r h o n e yb e e s i s g r e a t ; I j u s t

don’t like taking showers with them. That had increasingly become a problem when a group of bees established a colony near the roof next to my kitchen and a bathroom.

According to the bee removal guy, the bees likely picked that spot because it was shady and presented an open space between the walls for them to build their city.

We had hoped to peacefully coexist with the bees, allowing them to use our home in turn for pollinating the garden in the back. But then they started working their way through a vent in the bathroom and, once in, they began colliding into a window thinking they were heading toward sunlight. (At first I thought this was an unusual situation, but the Internet is full of stories about bees in the bathroom.) Then there were warnings that a honeycomb would grow that would eventually permeate the inside wall. Another factor was the neighbors, one of whom was the victim of a bee flying into his ear.

When the bee guy came to analyze the situation he shined an infrared light that showed temperature variations on the bathroom wall. Most of the wall was about 70 degrees, but then there was a hot spot in the 80s. “That’s where the hive is,” he said. It had to come out.

Professional bee removers only work after sunset because that’s when most of the bees will have returned to the hive after a day of buzzing. So, one evening the bee guy and an accomplice donned full-body jump suits and gloves along with helmets that had mesh on all sides. Other than the spotlight they used, they asked that all exterior lights, including the neighbors’, be turned off, because once the bees were disturbed they would make a bee line to whatever light they saw. Then one of the men climbed a ladder and began to make an incision into the side of the house.

(There are lessons to be learned: When one of the bee guys momentarily lifted the mesh on his helmet to wipe sweat off his nose, a bee got in and stung him. Fortunately the man carried a bottle of meat tenderizer in his truck, which he explained was the perfect tonic for a bee sting.)

After about an hour, the grass next to the driveway was covered with rectangular honeycombs, each about two feet long, that the men had excavated from the wall. Each comb was gushy with honey and speckled with bees. The bee guy who had climbed the ladder said that this was his biggest withdrawal of the year, and estimated that there were at least 60,000 bees in the hive. From one 144

OCTOBER 2012

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comb we squeezed out a pot full of honey. One of the bee guys said he had jugs of the stuff at home.

I hope he also has a good washing machine. Both of the men’s now-sweaty jump suits were splattered with honey.

As the men packed I was given an orientation. The hole they made on the outside wall was temporarily covered, but they would have to return in a couple of weeks to permanently fix the spot.

The reason was that for the next few days there would be “robber bees” who would come by, sense what happed and devour the remaining particles of honey in the vicinity.

These bees were looters, but looters with a purpose. They would clean up the residue honey.

We were also told that once a colony has been established bees would forever know that it had been there.

“They can tell by the scent,” a bee guy explained. “They will know that that’s where Grandpa used to live.”

Later that night the kitchen was swarming with bees who must have already been inside the house when the remover men came and who were now making their last stand by dive-bombing toward anything in their sight. I wish I could have merely opened the door and ushered them out, but these bees were in no mood for détente or rehabilitation. All I could do was turn off the light, close the kitchen door and let them be bees.

According to a bee guy, this particular species was the three-ringed Italian honey bee. Somehow I found satisfaction knowing that if I was to have bees working in my kitchen, at least they were Italians. I can report that they had concocted a damn good honey; some of which was spooned over a bagel with peanut butter this morning.

Meanwhile, outside some robber bees still hover.

To them, life is lined with honey, and this is the experience of a lifetime.

ARTH U R NEAD I LL U STRAT I ON