New Year's/Sugar Bowl 2017 (January 2017)

January 2017

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CONTENTS Features 6 610 Stompers 8 Behavioral Retageting & The Web 10 Planning a Wedding From A Guy's Perspective 12 Profiling NOLA Locals 14 Local Men's Clothing Stores 17 More Than Just Coffee Shops

Events & Nightlife 20 Music Calendar 26 Lakeside 2 Riverside 33 Bar Guide

Dining 27 Food News 28 $20 and Under 30 Restaurant Guide

Extras 34 Film Reviews 36 Columns 38 Around the Web 40 Where Ya' Been?

January 2017 Vol. 20 No. 5 Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Josh Danzig Creative Director: Michael Fulkerson Assistant Editor: Kathy Bradshaw Movie Editor: David Vicari Copy Editor: Burke Bischoff Contributing Writers: Beau Ciolino, Fritz Esker, Emily Hingle, Kathy Bradshaw, Phil LaMancusa, Debbie Lindsey, Kim Ranjbar, Celeste Turner, Leigh Wright, Mike Perry, Andrew Alexander, Greg Roques, Samantha Sunne, Burke Bischoff Director of Sales: Stephen Romero Cover Photo by Romney Caruso Photography Photographers & Designers: Scott Chernis, Gus Escanelle, Jason Hall, Steve Hatley, Romney Caruso, Jorge Menes, Kathy Bradshaw, Greg Roques Interns: Molly Tullier, Anthony O'Donnell, Lindsay Kornick, Finn Turnbull, Brittany Henderson, Kyra Richards, Amélie HubertRouleau Subscribe: Receive 1 year (14 issues) for $30 and get a FREE Where Y’at CD. Subscribe today at WhereYat.com.

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42 Where Y'at Chat

Welcome all New Year’s Eve revelers and Sugar Bowl attendees to the Crescent City. Whether you are up for a party that lasts until the wee hours or an intimate meal at a restaurant, this issue is full of wonderful ideas on how to celebrate the last night of 2016.

This first issue of 2017 kicks off with a bang by featuring everyone’s favorite dance group, the 610 Stompers. Anthony O’Donnell does a wonderful profile of these ordinary men with extraordinary moves!

Everybody needs a hot cup of coffee on New Year’s Day to wake up from the blowout from the night before. Don’t miss Samantha Sunne’s fantastic article on great coffee shops around town for your unique reason.

Finally, if you are tying the knot in 2017 then you won’t want to miss former Creative Director Greg Roques’s article on wedding preparation.

Greg shares his first-hand experience on the do’s and don’ts of planning for that special day.

Happy New Year from Where Y'at Magazine! -Josh Danzig, Publisher

4 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 5

The Cinderella Story of an All-Male Dance Team: The 610 Stompers

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By Anthony O'Donnell

ho would have thought, a few short years ago, that a diverse group of men, incongruously adorned in headbands, high socks and satin jackets, would become one of the city’s most popular and visible dance groups, as well as a powerful non-profit raising money for worthwhile causes?

It sounds like a fairy tale, but it’s the true story of the 610 Stompers, New Orleans’s only all-male dance crew.

Since their humble inception in 2009, the Stompers have become a NOLA institution.

Pop-and-locking through parades, they draw rapturous applause from audiences equally impressed and amused by the Stompers’ unique style. People initially befuddled by the sight of a group of grown guys—all getting way, way down—rapidly change their minds when they recognize the commitment these gents have to their craft. And by partnering with local charities, the men in blue and red have committed to making every single swing of their hips a pivot toward a better New Orleans for everyone.

I spoke with the Stompers’ founder, Brett “Slab” Patron, and their executive director, Mont “Big Bird” Creamer, to find out how the group rose to power and what their plans are to continue spreading good vibrations and smooth gyrations through the city.

It was shortly after the financial collapse of

6 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

2008, and a group of friends who held Saints season tickets in section 610 were pondering how they could keep paying for their seats.

“A night of drinks led to a conversation about me getting a second job,” says Slab.

“Someone jokingly suggested I start a dance school.” Slab had no formal education in dance, but he had a passion for rhythmic movement that he felt compelled to share.

“Normally you laugh something like that off and move on, but, for whatever reason, I just decided to do it.”

Slab reached out to like-minded friends, and the idea for a school rapidly morphed into a dance group, taking inspiration from “coaches and dads in the 1980s” for their uniforms. Their ambitions ranged from the relatively small (marching in a Mardi Gras parade) to the large (performing at a Saints halftime show). But at this point, they were still just a group of guys (with supportive

women) who lived to groove.

So how did the Stompers grow from a ragtag band of footloose football fans into the massive movement they currently are? “I call it the Cinderella story of an allmale dance team,” says Patron, expressing wonder at the confluence of events that turned a half-baked idea into a cultural phenomenon. They had initially hoped to debut at the Krewe of Muses parade, but, in a twist of fate, the very year the Stompers got started, the Saints earned a trip to their first Super Bowl in 43 years as a team, and the Stompers got their shot early.

New Orleans sportscaster “Buddy D” Diliberto, a loyal but frustrated Saints fanatic, had once famously sworn that he would wear a dress and stroll down Bourbon Street if his team ever made it to the big game. Buddy died in 2005, but his promise was celebrated posthumously on January 31, 2010. It was fitting that on that day, the Stompers, born out of Saints fandom, made their auspicious public debut.

The Buddy D. Parade, in which thousands of men in dresses strolled from the Superdome to the French Quarter, was the perfect occasion to introduce New Orleans’s first male dance crew to the public. With over 87,000 people in attendance, this group of proudly graceful men stepped out in front of a massive and receptive audience, immediately earning a reputation.

The Saints pulled out a victory in the big game, and the Stompers were invited to march in Lombardi Gras following the Saints’ victory—the largest parade in the city’s history—entertaining 800,000 people with their enthusiastic, unabashed choreography.

The Super Bowl festivities coincided with the city’s massive Mardi Gras celebration, meaning it was less than a week before they were once again sashaying through the streets, becoming a highlight of the most boisterous and energetic Fat Tuesday in recent history.

The Stompers maintained their momentum, earning an invitation to the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

Suddenly, a group started on a whim was dazzling 65 million viewers nationwide, acting as ambassadors for their city and for the art of male dance. In keeping with the Stompers’ collective spirit, almost every member was able to attend, regardless of their finances. Big Bird notes that there’s no set demographic for the group. “We have lawyers, doctors, teachers, a federal judge.

Most have 9-5 jobs, but we plan around that.

It’s just men who all love to dance.”

The group’s yearly auditions at Harrah’s Casino drew over 1,500 people this past year, but the group has had to cap the number of men who audition at 100, with many camping out at 3 a.m. in order to secure their spot on stage. Acceptance to the group is based on moves, overall vibes and recommendations from current Stompers.

Some persistent gentlemen have shown up to take their shot at being a Stomper four years in a row. Only 10 to 15 percent make it, but those who do are welcomed with open arms into a tight-knit crew of 120 men.

“It’s absolutely like a family,” says Big Bird.

“Eighty percent of my friends are Stompers.”

“Our main goal is getting ordinary men onto the dance floor and out into the streets, expressing themselves through dance.

Charity is just a byproduct of that,” insists Slab. Even so, the Stompers’ commitment to local causes is admirable. This year’s Ball Crawl benefitted Angel’s Place and STAIR, local charities that provide children with respite care and free reading tutors, respectively. And the last day of this year’s auditions raised $6,000 for flood relief. The group fields hundreds of requests from charities, companies, and organizers who want to inject a dose of the Stompers’ boisterous boogie into their events. They perform around 90 times a year.

The Stompers have achieved their goal of performing at a Saints halftime show and expanded their ambitions even further. This December, they partnered with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra for their second annual Orpheum Holiday Spectacular. “For these not-so-talented dancers, getting to work with such amazing musicians is crazy,” says Slab. Their seventh annual Debutante Ball, a raucous extravaganza where they debut their new moves for the season, takes over Mardi Gras World on February 3.

But did Slab ever get those season tickets covered? “No, not yet,” he says, laughing. “The board hasn’t approved it.”

“We have lawyers, doctors, teachers, a federal judge. Most have 9-5 jobs, but we plan around that. It’s just men who all love to dance.”

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t’s probably happened to all of us at one point or another. You’re shopping on eBay or Amazon earlier in the week. Looking at some interesting items or auctions. Perhaps a fancy purse or a factory repair manual for your car? Fast forward a few hours or even days, and you’re on another site like Facebook, and over to one side, taunting you, is that Amazon product or eBay item you looked at but didn’t buy. “Hey! WTF? That was something I did on another site. Why am I seeing this here?”

Welcome to what the industry calls, “behavioral retargeting.”

Also known as “remarketing,” this is the process many companies utilize to follow up on customers even after they’ve left the initial site, continuing to pitch to them the things that they’ve determined they’re into. In some cases it can be convenient, but for some it also seems quite creepy.

An associate of mine recently had a heart attack. During his recovery, he took advantage of the power of Google and the internet to read up on his condition. From that point on, whenever he’d see ads on various web sites, they would involve information on heart disease, pitches for new drugs, etc.

He felt like his personal privacy was violated.

He eventually stopped using much of the internet. It became stressful for him to be continually reminded of his heart condition.

At what point do these conveniences become invasions of privacy? These questions are being asked more and more each day.

So how does behavioral retargeting work?

How does activity you’ve done in one place prompt different content elsewhere?

There are several ways this works and several components to the process. The first part involves websites creating profiles of their users. For companies like Facebook and Google, the greatest value they have is not what you’d think. It’s not the content on their

site as much as the data they’ve collected on their users and how they’re able to exploit that content.

Everything you’ve ever typed into Google or Facebook is archived and analyzed. Many of these companies claim they’re not invading your privacy because, to them, you’re just a “number.” They aren’t compiling information on “you.” They are merely collecting “meta information” of what “User X” looks at and clicks on, which should be harmless, right? But in aggregate, all the little details of people's activities ultimately re-formulate into an expansive dossier.

These sites create a profile of not simply what you’ve looked at, but what you like, what you dislike, which communities you associate with, how you react to other information, etc.

With this information, they categorize you into literally thousands of different compartments, each representing something a potential advertiser would want to target. For example, let’s look at what the people at Facebook (are willing to publicly say they) know about you.

Go to this URL while logged in: facebook.com/ ads/preferences [EDITOR NOTE: take a screen cap of your Facebook preference screen as an example].

Prepare to be freaked out. Facebook has created literally thousands of little “boxes” they put you in. You like BBQ. You have an iPhone 6. You drive a Ford. You’re into NASCAR. You have a connection with San Diego, CA. You’re single. You like women. And much more: your political affiliation. Where you went to high school. Who you’ve voted for in the past.

There are probably numerous indicators for people who are having affairs or like pictures of certain things. It’s all there, and this allows potential advertisers the opportunity to very specifically target people—not just geographically and socially but based on very specific behavior and things you like or dislike.

Most people will also see lots of categories that they don’t feel represent them. Facebook seems more aggressive than accurate when it comes to creating user profiles.

This explains, for example, if you looked at a treasure-hunting page, why you’re now seeing ads for metal detectors.

But what about information from one site following you around? How does this work?

Buried somewhere in the fine print of the terms of service of just about every one of these sites will be a seemingly innocuous sentence like, “The information we collect is used to serve you useful content. We may also share this information with our partners.”

“Partners” basically is an arbitrary designation.

Whoever they want to do business with is a potential “partner” or “associate.” So basically, any information they collect, they can make available to other separate entities.

But even if one site doesn’t have an information-sharing relationship with the other, they can still follow and track you on other places online. This is accomplished by “tagging” you with a unique identifier that can be picked up elsewhere. The most common tag has been the “browser cookie,” which most people have heard of. This is a way for a remote website to set a little block of information on file on your computer, and anytime you visit a page they have code in, they can pull this information back. It’s like an ID tag. So eBay knows you looked at a purse at auction and set an ID on your browser.

Then when you’re on Facebook, they have ad code on Facebook’s page; it pulls the cookie, recognizes who you are, and shows you the auction you last looked at, reminding you it’s still available. Not magic. Science.

So, is there any way to stop this?

Sure. Turn off your phone and/or computer.

Set it on fire.

But seriously, it’s very difficult. Companies have found so many ways to track people, even traditional things like resetting/restricting cookies doesn’t really work. You can be tracked by a variety of other things including your IP address and the configuration of your phone/computer. Even if you go to elaborate lengths such as using anonymous proxies, they can use seemingly harmless information like browser version, graphics settings, and other esoteric bits of information to create a unique identifier.

In some cases, you can opt out of detailed tracking. Google, Facebook and others allow you to turn off certain “features” as they like to call them. On Facebook, this is a frustrating, never-ending array of playing whack-a-mole, turning off any of the tens of thousands of categories they put you into on their ad preference page [facebook.com/ ads/preferences]. On Google, they call it “ad personalization” and you can opt out of it as well. You’ll have to go to just about every major site you use and opt out, and each will call their tracking system something different.

As you can see, there’s a lot of work involved in opting out of being tracked. There’s no way to maintain complete privacy online, but there are things you can do.

So, next time you see an ad that is way too personal, you’ll know why and can do something about it. Or not. You still might want that purse or repair manual, right?

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WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 9

‘Til Death Do Us Part (if the Wedding Doesn’t Kill Us First)

By Greg Roques

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uying the ring is the easiest part,” my mother said as I called her on my way home from the jewelry store, having just taken my first step toward marital bliss. As I am sometimes wont to do, I dismissed this statement as motherly melodrama. How could planning a wedding be a bigger quest than finding the one ring to rule them all? Over the past three months, I had earned a veritable Master's Degree in Gemology. I was now a versed authority on cuts, karats and clarity; plus, I’d just invested enough in this forever purchase that its value was equivocal to a continuing education diploma.

My mother was right, of course—as she nearly always is. Planning a wedding is an endurance trial of negotiations, comprises and Himalayan price tags. I imagine it much like a presidential run—you need tireless determination and focus, an ‘ish-ton of money, and at some point, you need to be willing to get your hands dirty to get what you want. I still have three months left before reaching the finish line of this marathon, and I already feel like I’ve hit the wall.

You want my advice: elope! I’m not kidding.

Skip the rest of this article, go find the nearest costume shop, buy some cheap Elvis clothing, and get-er-done. Why spend $40,000 (the cost of the average wedding), or likely even more, on a SINGLE DAY OF YOUR LIFE when you can put that money towards purchasing property or investing in your child’s future (if you plan on having children; otherwise, take a dope-ass honeymoon)?

This advice is a thousand-million fold if you are going to accrue debt. Don’t dig a financial ditch that will take you years to climb your way out of just so you can spend one day

impressing everyone you know.

Now that I got that off my chest, time for a reality check: your parents, and likely your fiancé, won’t be moved by this seemingly common sense approach. So now that you’re locked in to a wedding, here are some lessons my fiancé and I have learned along the way, as well as a few things you should brace for.

1) Making the cut Perhaps the hardest thing you’ll have to do is cut people from your guest list. Our wedding is small—70 people to be exact—so it’s an unfortunate reality that we are not able to invite many who are near and dear to us. However, this is a struggle you will need to address regardless of the size of your ceremony: my best man invited 500 guests to his wedding two years ago, down from a potential list of more than 750.

This process is much more complex than simply weighing your relationship with one person against that of another: There is a delicate, social equilibrium that must be maintained. Say you have a group of three friends you regularly spend time with on the weekends: two of these friends you absolutely want to attend your wedding, but the third you just don’t care to spend time with oneon-one when you’re not all together. Guess what: in the best interest of not making things weird and risking fracturing the collective friendship, that third wheel now drinks that close-college-friend-who-you-haven’t-talkedto-in-a-while-but-you-would-still-love-to-bethere’s milkshake.

And then there are your parents (see #2).

They no doubt have a litany of estranged cousins and friends whose children’s weddings they have begrudgingly attended who absolutely must intrude on your big day, further ousting many on your list. You can negotiate with them to a degree, but, as the

10 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

likely financiers of your grand production, they get the majority stakeholders’ final votes.

Ever wonder why there is so much product placement in summer blockbusters? Well, you’ll understand when you don’t recognize a dozen or so people on the most important day of your life.

One strategy we used was to get the Save the Date cards out eight months in advance.

For those who have already RSVP’ed that they could not attend, we were able to move more friends on the bench back into the game.

No matter how you handle this, however, you’ll always have those friends who you wish you could invite that understand the guest list politics and those who will be forever butthurt.

This is especially hard if you hang out with many of these people on a regular basis— and even worse if they invited you to their wedding (which is the case with a number of our friends). You will be out for drinks one evening when one of them asks how your wedding planning is going. You respond by abruptly taking a large gulp of your beverage and mumbling something incomprehensible into your glass. Just take solace in knowing that everyone goes through this, and you won’t necessarily come out a better person for having endured it.

2) The Parentals “Your wedding day is not about you,” a coworker and veteran of her three children’s weddings recently told me. “It’s all for your parents.”

Real talk: After getting your own place, your folks have been waiting your whole life for you to get married. It’s no surprise they want to parade you in front of their peers like Katniss and Peta after the Hunger Games. This goes double if true love found you forever in its favor before their friends’ children.

Still, this should be your day … if you let your parents muscle you out of the driver’s seat, you may find your special day looks nothing like you imagined it. One good friend’s parents invited so many of their own friends that he didn’t know over half his guests; the mothers also went behind the bride and groom’s backs and completely redid their registry, as they didn’t feel the original requests were “classy” enough.

Then again, they are your parents, and chances are they’re paying for this grand occasion—so you’re going to have to compromise. Maybe you want something laidback and funky while your parents envision a more traditional ceremony.

Perhaps you’ll disagree on the menu or the flavor of the cake. Eventually, I promise you, you are going to butt heads. Everyone’s parental dialogue is different, so I don’t have a solid negotiation strategy aside from just think back to what worked when you wanted to stay out late back in high school. Sometimes, you need to take a step back to take another forward.

3) Let’s (not) have a toast to the douchebags This past October, my fiancé and I caught an Uber a few hours after

leaving our friends’ wedding reception.

“Woah, you guys look dapper tonight,” complemented our driver. “Are you coming from a wedding?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“Wait a second, you’re not coming from that Nazi sympathizer wedding are you?” he asked all excited. “I just brought a couple from there back to your hotel.”

Yes, in fact, we were coming from the Nazi sympathizer wedding. And to set the record straight, there were no Nazi sympathizers at the wedding. The best man, having confused the wedding with an SEC game and tailgated all day beforehand, heckled another groomsmen of apparent German descent during the post-ceremony dinner.

Sadly, this wasn’t the only vulgar display of verbal diarrhea that weekend. The bride and groom thought it would be fun to let anyone who desired say a few words at the rehearsal and wedding dinners on their behalf. They also found it generous (as did I) to provide an open bar at each. Thus began two days of radical remarks only Donald Trump could come back from. Both an uncle and a father-in-law went before God and guests and remarked on the bride’s “hot bod.” A groomsman’s bromantic pass at the husbandto-be turned into a nine-minute meltdown pleading him to reconsider his sexual preference and make a mad dash out of there The Graduate-style. And an elderly gentlemen obliviously dropped the kind of PC-free faux pas that had everyone under a certain age checking their phones to make sure that it was, indeed, 2016, while everyone else was nervously preparing their elevator pitch for their adult children to explain later that old uncle so-in-so wasn’t really racist, he’s just “from a different era.” The winning monologue, however, went to the father of the bride, who recited a 25-minute, 40 plus-page poem he wrote in six parts over the better part of the past year.

This is not a Comedy Central Roast. It’s also not a reenactment of the Dead Poets’ Society— this is your wedding. Still, of the dozen or so weddings I’ve attended in my day, not one has passed without some drunk douchebag getting up and saying some drunk douchebag BS. Invite those whom you would like to speak to do so in advance. Give them a time limit to say their piece … even

ask to hear their speeches beforehand if you like. Finally, if they happen to make liberal use of the open bar, revoke their speaking privileges.

4) A Penny Saved The wedding industry is bloated with unscrupulous businesses just waiting to bleed unsuspecting shoppers dry with inflated prices. If your wedding is on the smaller side, like ours, here are a few ways you can cut back to avoid unnecessary spending. a) Go Digital A friend actually responded to our e-Savethe-Date card, thanking us for joining the 21st century. We didn’t send an e-card because we care about our carbon footprint— we care about our credit footprint.

Save the Dates and invitations can cost up to $400 by many weddingplanning estimates. On the contrary, eblast sites like Constant Contact will run you $20, and they offer personalized animations, video embedding and other fun cyber flare. Plus, who the hell actually enjoys dealing with real mail in this day and age anyway? b) No Need to Rehearse Traditionally, the bridal and groom parties, extended family and out-of-towners all should be invited to the rehearsal dinner. For us, that’s more than two-thirds of our entire guest list. So why not just do something less formal and invite everyone?

Instead of the rehearsal dinner, we reserved space for a Happy Hour at our favorite bar. This way, we can keep it casual, people can come and go as they please, and, if people want, they can still join us for dinner somewhere in the neighborhood afterwards.

It’s also saving us almost $2,000.

Bonus Tip: If you are set on having a rehearsal dinner, don’t be afraid to start with some of New Orleans’s more classic and highend locations. Many of these spots have event rooms and are better able to work with you on a price, especially if your wedding is not during a busy tourist season. c) Pictures of You For those on a budget, paying $3,500 for a photographer takes a big bite out of your budget. If your wedding is around 100 people or less, you may be able to find some untapped talent to do this for you at a more reasonable rate. Perhaps you know someone who occasionally freelances for a local paper or you have a friend of a friend who is studying photography in college. If their portfolio is promising, try and negotiate a test run to see if they are up to the task. A good way to do this is to hire someone you are confident in to do your engagement photos.

This way, you can see some of their intangible skills at work, such as how they give direction to their subjects.

Be sure to discuss your venue and the particulars of your wedding with them beforehand. One young photographer we met with, completely unfamiliar with Jewish ceremonies, looked at us like we were Vikings two generations removed from cannibalism when we told him we would be hoisting people up on chairs and breaking a glass.

Your photographer should be familiar with all of the important details you will want captured. d) Go DJ In college, I actually had a part-time job as a DJ. I was hired not because I had any relevant experience making me well-suited to this task, but because in the early ‘00s, hardly anyone had high-speed internet in their homes. My dorm had it, though, and I came equipped with a CD burner and a LimeWire account … I was the chicken that laid the free playlist egg.

Today, you don’t need to pay someone for their musical catalog. Practically every song man has ever composed is available to stream from your phone. For a small wedding, you won’t need a massive sound system or someone experienced at reading a large crowd’s body language to see if they are into your tunes.

Ask if your venue has a sound system. If they do, get the Wi-Fi password and download Spotify Premium.

This way, you avoid commercials, and you can download the songs you absolutely must play to your laptop in the event of an Internet outage. Then, pay a college student $150 to man the keyboard for the night. I promise you, anyone under 30 is inherently a pro at this; plus, even professional DJs like Skrillex and Diplo have admitted in interviews that they just queue up a playlist of their prerecorded tracks when they perform live. Why pay some schmuck $1,000 to DJ your wedding when he does the same thing world-renowned bassdroppers do sans a giant cybernetic mouse head?

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5) Come Together Not everything leading up to your wedding is an aneurism-inducing ordeal. In fact, many planning activities will remind you and your special someone why you are doing all of this in the first place.

If you’re having a religious wedding, regularly meeting with your spiritual leader to discuss your future after the ceremony helps give added meaning to the upcoming procession. For me, my favorite part of our preparation has been meeting with our rabbi to discuss what our future home will look like, both as a couple and as a family when we decide to have children. After all, becoming a family is the rock that all the spectacle is built upon … why everyone is gathering to celebrate with you on your special day.

Other small decisions, like selecting the wedding playlist, taking lessons for your first dance, and going on cake tastings all provide for small opportunities for the two of you to work together and continue to learn about each other.

These are the beautiful moments on your journey towards your wedding day. The rational side of me is still convinced eloping would be the fiscally responsible decision.

However, the side of me that can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with my fiancé is excited to see this milestone in both our lives through to completion … that is, if the planning doesn’t kill us first.

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 11

I

A New Orleanian Local's Life Getting To Know A Few of Your Neighbors

By Leigh Wright

12 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

f you are a visitor here, you may wonder, how do people really live here? And if you are a resident, you may often fi nd yourself saying, “For God’s sake, don’t these people know we live here?”

Our city, like many great destinations, attracts visitors looking for a slice of life that they can’t fi nd anywhere else. The humor in this thought, however, is that our lives are fairly similar to theirs except for minor divergences here and there. We color our days in glitter and food and booze more than others, yet we still go through similar actions to get there.

At the base of the tourism pyramid (which supports so much in this city) lie the people who put in hard work with not only their bodies and minds but their lives. You have to own it to be in it. The service Allie industry is rough, and most of their time is spent thinking about others’ needs while trying to deal with their own. However, we rely so much on their expertise and opinions. They are

the front line for the marketing of other local companies, as every visitor—yes, everyone—will ask their server, bartender, valet, concierge, etc. where to go once inside the city.

Like all great secrets, they can’t be kept for long. Those trusted opinions leak out in innocent conversations and eventually become the next hot spot. So, read and learn, everyone.

Allie Porter gives off a misleading demure sensibility while underneath is a tenacious soul who loves conversation, great food and drink, and showcasing her abilities. She epitomizes a front-of-house server. Allie recently moved here from Maryland but has canvassed and learned about this city’s service industry more quickly and thoroughly than, I dare say, even I have. She knows every special or deal Porter (listed or otherwise) in and around the city, and I’ve only benefi ted from her wealth of knowledge ($3 martinis at RFs, anyone)?

On her nights off, you can fi nd Allie

be best friends with. When I singing jazz, Janis Joplin or French fi rst started hanging out songs that I don’t know at with bartenders, it the Bourbon O or the wasn’t the hipsterApple Barrel. She youth with too is never listed as a many ingredients featured act, but to make a secures these recognizable performances drink. They were through friends the outcasts, in the band and those with hard becomes a local livers and even fi nd … much harder limits. like the Happy They ruled the Hours only she roosts they sat knows about. in but recognized With such their roles in the late nights and a establishment. job that demands Adrienne fi ts the a lot of face time, type of bartender I Allie typically takes Adrie nne Miller like. A garbage mouth the morning to relax and (by self-proclamation, as decompress from the night she was eating Hot Cheetos and a hot before. She either has coffee at home sausage sandwich when we met up) in or at Stumptown on the way to work. consumption but not in conviction. She A light lunch can be eaten at Satsuma, knows solid cocktails (try her Bacon but typically it’s running up to Doris Bloody Mary) but also how to appreciate Metropolitan 30 minutes early to catch the people in her life. To me, that’s what a a staff meal. bartender embodies.

The nightlife is where front-of-house On a typical day, you will fi nd her guiltily workers truly shine. The Black Penny ordering special-order lattes at Solo has excellent cocktails and a great popEspresso on Poland Avenue or buying up for the reveler, but that is typically outshined by a night by someone’s French growlers of coffee from Stumptown for her workers. Eating habits are not the Quarter courtyard pool or a more quiet wheelhouse for someone who works night at home … with champagne. from 8 a.m. until midnight every day.

Adrienne Miller, is our bartender Given the opportunity for an eating whom everyone wants to either be or

coffee? Solo Espresso or Stumptown excursion (in which she would like to for the ride into work shared by his wife, include Aaron Sanchez), she instantly Katie Darling of Ace Hotel. mentioned Salvo’s, “Where I would go and eat all the damn crab legs and garlic,” or On his off days, don’t expect to Doris Metropolitan for a nice meal out. fi nd John searching for the limelight Just know that she will be wearing her at festivals or out with friends. Walks signature cut-off jean shorts and tank top. through the Marigny and French Quarter with his family are what recharges him ...

“Being a Southerner, you are in a plus the cocktails and conversations he different country. Being a Southerner has with friends at bars and restaurants means fi nding new wonders,” Adrienne littered throughout the area. A typical passionately laments when I ask her what route? Crescent Park and Satsuma, walk she does in her free time. Short answer: into the Quarter and meet for a drink with she explores. Whether riding her scooter Nick Detrich at Cane & Table, a bite at through City Park, trying out the track in Felipe’s and a quick stop over by work Avondale, or visiting the smaller cities on at Marcello’s or the Aquarium, then a the Northshore, it doesn’t matter. She will possible (almost inevitable) stop use her precious and rare free

by Cafe Henri on the long time exactly how she sees fi t. road home.

John Hunington, With whom he our steadfast new wishes to spend dad, back-of-house an evening eating chef and overlord. dinner? Jo Ann “Dogs, work and Cleaver of baby.” That’s Upperline and what comprises numerous other John’s life at the operations. “She moment. As pulled me aside one of the more one day before modest chefs I even knew in the industry, her to tell me, it is no surprise ‘Cento tomatoes that John is are the best.’ I completely relaxed have thought she is in the interview. He amazing ever since,” is interested in things John that are quick, convenient he recalls.

Hunington and to the point. His favorite

Step into Spotlights with us prior to the event and enjoy our exclusive lounge with private entry, complimentary premium bar and light hors d’ourves.

Tickets for Spotlights can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or at the Box Office.

December 23......................................Disney Live! Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic January 15 .......................Ladies Choice Concert Series with Joe, Dru Hill & Jagged Edge February 11... Valentine’s Music Festival feat. Keith Sweat, Bobby Brown and El Debarge February 17..................................... Festival of Laughs feat. Mike Epps, Sommore & More February 22...................................................................................................................... Sting March 3.............................................................................................................The Lumineers March 24..........................................................................10th Annual Big Easy Blues Festival March 31 - April 1................................................................................... Hogs For The Cause April 7................................ NuSoul Revival Tour with Musiq Soulchild & Chrisette Michelle

Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, Lakefront Arena Box Office, or charge by phone at 800-745-3000.

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 13

NOLA Couture Rubensteins Where: 2928 Magazine St. & 528 St. Peter Where: 102 St. Charles Ave.; St.; nolacouture.com rubensteinsneworleans.com What: NOLA Couture is the epitome of New What: From head to toe, Rubensteins is the Orleans-inspired preppy accessories. All prints ultimate men’s clothing shopping experience. are designed in-house, including a wide range Since 1924, Rubensteins has been providing of ties, bow ties, pocket squares and belts. the men of New Orleans with the right fit, Signature Item(s): Men’s ties, both silk and customized for each individual customer. If seersucker, especially the fleur de lis and Gulf you want to be recognized as a good dresser, oyster prints.

Rubensteins is the place to shop.

Unique Aspect: NOLA Couture products are locally Iron Horse Clothier designed and they do custom prints for weddings, business events and all other special occasions.

NOLA Couture

Fashion for (Male) Dummies

A Guide to Shopping for Men’s Clothes in New Orleans

L

By Andrew Alexander

et’s face it, not every guy is born with a remarkable sense of style. For every man who fashions himself as the embodiment of GQ, there’s another who thinks a hoodie and sweat pants are acceptable attire for everyday life. A new year is right around the corner, and it’s time to dress like the grown-up you are now.

Regardless of the occasion or your personal style, there are plenty of men’s clothing stores around New Orleans that can outfit you with apparel fit for the boardroom, a casual night out at your favorite watering hole, and everything in between.

clothing, gifts and accessories from brands Friend such as Bobby Jones, Maui Jim, Peter Millar and Where: 600 Carondelet St. (in Ace Hotel); Cole Haan. friendneworleans.com Signature Item(s): The largest selection of What: Friend’s slogan is “Never-Ending Good Peter Millar clothing in the New Orleans area.

Times” and their clothing reflects that mentality.

Unique Aspect: Iron Horse offers a unique Offering a range of relaxed basic apparel shopping experience in a vintage, rustic that can be dressed up or down for work or atmosphere with exclusive items not found at leisure as well as fun pieces that are a little left other men’s retail stores. of center, Friend breaks out from the familiar archetypes of men’s shopping with different Luca Falcone cuts, bold prints and Where: 2049 uncommon textures.

Magazine St.; Signature lfsuits.com Item(s): Artist What: Luca collaborations. Every Falcone is an old quarter, Friend world tailoring teams up with local experience for the artistes for limitedmodern man. Enjoy edition collections a cocktail and cigar ranging from typical at their in-house male clothing bar and lounge in to hand-dyed the courtyard while scarves, sculptural waiting to be fitted paperweights and with one of their even skin-care lines. exquisite custom Unique Aspect: suits. Luca Falcone Iron Horse Clothier Friend is a cultureis not a retail store driven space, but a design house, represented by the helping customize functioning 1970s the finest tuxedos, suits, blazers and upscale Rhodes electric piano inside that’s operational apparel for clientele around the globe. around the clock. Local and national musicians Signature Item(s): Custom suits, shirts and routinely pass through the store to treat shoes. customers to exclusive performances.

Unique Aspect: Luca Falcone specializes Iron Horse Clothier Where: 523 Metairie Rd.; ironhorsenola.com What: Iron Horse is the new kid on the block in the New Orleans men’s apparel scene, but the upstart is making a name for itself with excellent customer service and a variety of fine

in personalizing the experience for each individual client. They strive to get to know each person, in order to discern the most stylish and appropriate outfit for whatever occasion is in mind. Every item is made from scratch with hand-selected fabrics.

14 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

Pelican Coast Clothing Where: 5509 Magazine St. & 600 Metairie Rd.; pelicancoastclothing. com What: Born in the Big Easy, Pelican Coast Clothing is “coastal lifestyle refined.”

Pelican Coast offers high quality men’s apparel and accessories, including sport shirts, pants, belts and bags.

Signature Item(s): The Pelican Polo, a 100 percent Pima cotton knit polo that is the ideal garment for any casual occasion.

Unique Aspect: All of Pelican Coast Clothing’s custom-designed items come from local artists.

Perlis Where: 6070 Magazine St., 600 Decatur St. & 1281 N Causeway Blvd. (Mandeville) ; perlis. com What: Perlis is the quintessential New Orleans family-owned, family clothing store.

They tailor and supply fine clothing for men, women and boys. Perlis carries lines such as Peter Millar, Southern Tide, Vineyard Vines, Smathers & Branson and TASC to outfit every clothing and accessory need you might encounter.

Signature Item(s): The crawfish logo apparel, especially the iconic Mardi Gras rugby striped shirt.

Unique Aspect: Perlis services the apparel they sell in-house and will do it for as long as you own the garment.

Pelican Coast Clothing

Signature Item(s): Rubensteins carries the finest products in the Crescent City, from suits and sports coats to dress shirts and every accessory imaginable. At Rubensteins, you’ll encounter exquisite brands, such as Brioni, Canali and Haspel, to name a few.

Unique Aspect: The expertise of the inhouse staff and tailors is second to none. Three generations of Rubensteins have crafted this men’s clothing store to be defined by upscale sophistication and elegance.

Vegas Where: 1924 Magazine St.; vegasneworleans.com What: Vegas offers an eclectic, contemporary style for a variety of male age ranges, but they specialize in surf and skate “west coast” apparel for a more mature clientele. If you’ve retired from kickflips and ollies, they’ve got the shirts, pants and accessories to help transition you to life after the half-pipe.

Signature Item(s): Long sleeve wovens (button-down shirts).

Unique Aspect: Vegas offers clothing to be worn day-to-night, a more casual garb for a more casual man.

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WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 15

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Best Coffee Shops in New Orleans for More Than Just Joe

By Samantha Sunne

N

used to meet there every month and work all day. (They have since moved on to coew Orleans, if you're judging by working spaces.) Fair Grinds prides itself its relative low cost of living, is a on being a community meeting point, burgeoning entrepreneurial scene and so you can double up with yoga classes, of co-working spaces. A "co-working space" is a fresh term for a public interest meetings and live acoustic music. newer phenomenon: offices Honorable mention: available for rent not by A few blocks down companies, but rather by Esplanade, the staff at individuals, who pay to CC's will also let you rent a desk. settle in all day, with But the city also shines when it the added bonus of free refills as long comes to the coas you're there. working space's Fair Grinds predecessor: the Coffeehouse, 3133 coffee shop. And $500 a month can Ponce De Leon St., fairgrinds.com buy you an awful lot of CC’s Coffee House, dark roast with chicory.

2800 Esplanade Ave, Here are the city's best E offerings for Wi-Fi-enabled, nvi afé ccscoffee.com e Es presso Bar & C laptop-friendly coffee shops: Best for late nights: Envie, despite its cutesy wrought-iron Best for settling in all day: tables, French name and location on Fair Grinds, at its original location Decatur Street, manages to avoid being in Mid-City, is known as a freelancer's an overpriced tourist trap. The baristas haven. So much so that Freelance Friday, welcome locals to sit and stare at screens, a monthly gathering of remote workers,

often armed with their signature café au lait, into the wee hours. The café is open till midnight or later, with the caffeine and Wi-Fi flowing freely.

Honorable mention: If you're really starving to get some work done, Melba's in the St. Roch neighborhood is open all day and night. Fair warning, it's not really a coffee shop—more like a combination lounge-laundromat-casino-diner. But it sells coffee for $1 and pancakes for $2, so if it's 4 a.m. and you need to kick your butt into high gear, what else could you want?

Envie Espresso Bar & Café, 1241 Decatur St., cafeenvie.com Melba’s New Orleans Po Boys, 1525 Elysian Fields Ave., eatatmelbas.com Best for students: Rook Café tops a bevy of Uptown establishments to offer the bookiest, nerdiest, late-night joint to welcome both the remote worker and the DnD crowd.

Rook offers board games, drinks named after chess pieces, wide open spaces, comfy chairs and hours till at least 11 p.m.

Honorable mention: Zotz, another worthy mention on Oak Street, is wondrously open from 7 a.m. till 1 a.m.

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 17

CAJUN MIKE’S Pub & Grub

Mention This Ad to Receive 2-4-1On Your First Round of Drinks 116 BARONNE STREET • 566-0055

18 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

the following morning, every single day.

The quirky little spot is for booklovers: they house their own lending library, and flashing a library card or bookstore membership will guarantee you a discount.

Rook Café, 1000 S Jefferson Davis Pkwy #100, facebook.com/TheRookCafe Zotz, 8210 Oak St., zotzcafe.com

Casino, morningcallcoffeestand.com Satsuma, 3218 Dauphine St., satsumacafe.com

Best for live music: Neutral Ground, from its flower child logo to its faded upholstery, tries to evoke a laid back 60s folk house. Whether or not the Sunday open mic recalls that Best for coffee snobs: historic past, there is free Sadly, the best coffee music every night. Biggest in town, French downside: it doesn't Truck, does not open till 7 p.m., so it's pair well with best for night owls the laptop/ and procrastinators.

Wi-Fi lifestyle.

Honorable The fancy mention: If you're roastery's café more of an early on Dryades bird, Live Oak Café Street (not to on Oak Street has be confused music practically with its every morning and commercial store afternoon. It's more on Magazine of a restaurant than Street) allows for a coffee shop, so you one blessed hour likely won't see anyone Mo of Wi-Fi in a smooth, nd else hanging out on a rnin a t S g Call Coffee open, comfortable space. laptop for hours. But the The biggest downside is its staff refills your coffee cup for steep prices: if you tip your barista, be as long as you sit, and the chefs make the prepared to pay over $5 for a plain cup of best biscuit I've had in town. coffee.

Neutral Ground Coffee House, 5110 Honorable mention: You can work Danneel St., neutralgroundcoffeehouse. around these dilemmas by getting French com Truck brew at Gracious Bakery in Central Live Oak Café, 8140 Oak St., City. The bakery trades its high-end (and liveoakcafenola.com high-priced) baked goods for French Truck's beans, making for a delicious but Best for a Uniquely New Orleans expensive combination. Gracious, possibly Experience: due to its location in a business desert, Sacred Grinds, located at the bottom closes in the middle of the afternoon. corner of Lakeside, plops you down almost French Truck Café, 4536 Dryades St., inside one of New Orleans's famous frenchtruckcoffee.com graveyards. What other city encourages Gracious Bakery, 1000 S Jefferson Davis you to stare down death a few feet away Pkwy. #100, graciousbakery.com from your laptop? The downside to Sacred Grinds is that it only offers two tables, Best for sitting outside: period. So you're risking making quite a Morning Call, the café inside City trip for a place to sit.

Park, offers a panorama of everything Honorable mention: Either PJ's, for its you could ever desire on a New relentless Mardi Gras cheer, Orleans postcard: live oaks, or Flora's, for its ancient swamps, musicians, café hippie aura. The au lait and, of course, latter is a Marigny beignets. While the stronghold city offers free Wioffering regular Fi in the park, the coffee and café offers tables pastries but outside in the with a slightly scenic swampland. strange Downsides: ambience. tourists, children Once, during and a laptop one of covered in Louisiana's powdered sugar. epic rainstorms, Honorable someone started mention: Satsuma playing "Let It Be" in the Bywater offers on the communal Sac a substantially spacious op piano. Everyone red indoor space as well as Grinds Coffee Sh joined in. a scenic, not-overly-humid Sacred Grinds courtyard where the Wi-Fi reaches Coffee Shop, 5055 Canal St., out. Since Satsuma has been part of a sacredgrinds.com recent wave of change in the Bywater, Flora Gallery and Coffee Shop, 2600 you've got to be okay with a scent of Royal St., facebook.com/Flora.Gallery.And. gentrification. Also, cats.

Coffee.Shop Morning Call Coffee Stand, City Park PJ’s, Multiple locations, pjscoffee.com

OR CHARGE BY PHONE AT 800-745-3000

WHERE ARE YOUR SEATS?

For more information on VIP seats contact DottieGuidry@LiveNation.com WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 19

MUSICCALENDAR Big Al Hi-Ho Lounge - Circus Darling House of Blues - NOCCA’s Home for the Holidays Benefit feat. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and Orleans Avenue Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Gumbeaux Kerry Irish Pub - Chip Wilson Le Bon Temps Roule - The Soul Rebels Little Gem Saloon - Reid Poole Duo Maison - Good For Nothin’ Band, Swamp Donkeys, Dysfunctional Bone Maple Leaf - the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich and guests Old Point Bar - Gregg Martinez Orpheum Theater - Jambalaya the Musical Preservation Hall - Preservation Hall Legacy Band ft. Gregg Stafford, Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Louis Ford Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas Snug Harbor - Masakowski Family Band does Christmas Spotted Cat - Monty Banks, Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies, Miss Sophie Lee, Jumbo Shrimp Three Keys - Pat Casey Three Muses - Matt Johnson, Russell Welch Three Muses Maple - Monty Banks Tipitina’s - The Chilluns Tropical Isle Original - the Hangovers, Late As Usual Vaughan’s Lounge - Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet

WillieNelson Willie Nelson makes a stop at the New Orleans House of Blues as part of his nationwide 2017 tour. Catch the famous country music singer/songwriter along with the band Runaway June live for one night. Sun., January 8. $85+ Adv, 7:00 p.m., House of Blues, houseofblues.com Monday, December 19 Banks Street Bar - Dignity Reve’s Piano Showcase, Lili Lewis Blue Nile - Brass-A-Holics Bombay Club - Josh Paxton Buffa’s - Arsene DeLay, Antoine Diel Chickie Wah Wah - Benny Maygarden and Thomas “Mad Dog” Walker, Alex McMurray d.b.a - Alexis & the Samurai, Glen David Andrews Dragon’s Den - DJ III Medina , Kala Bazaar Swing Society Gasa Gasa - Michael McDaniel Hi-Ho Lounge - Bluegrass Pickin’ Party, Instant Opus Improvised Series House of Blues- Digitour and KLiK Events present: Arctic Lights Tour 2016 House of Blues (the Parish)- Jet Lounge Jazz Playhouse - The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band Kerry Irish Pub - Mark Appleford Maison - Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, Vegas Cola Maple Leaf - George Porter Jr. Trio Morning Call - Valerie Sassyfras Preservation Hall - Charlie Gabriel RF’s - John Marcey Duo, Jamie Lynn Vessels Snug Harbor - Charmaine Neville Band Spotted Cat - Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. AllStars, Jazz Vipers Three Muses - Monty Banks, Washboard Rodeo Tropical Isle Bourbon - Rhythm and Rain, Beach Combers Tuesday, December 20 Blue Nile - PJ Morton Bombay Club - Tom McDermott Buffa’s - Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras with Vanessa Carr Chickie Wah Wah - Albanie Falletta, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Acoustic Set Civic Theatre - Sasheer Zamata d.b.a - Dinosaurchestra, Treme Brass Band Funky Pirate - Blues Masters feat. Big Al Gasa Gasa - Static Masks and shuvuuia Hi-Ho Lounge - Grass Mud Horse, Marshland House of Blues - Michael Liuzza Howlin Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Beast Joy Theater -Drop the Mic feat. Ricky Dillon, the Gabbie Show, Jack Baran, Andrew Lowe Kerry Irish Pub - Jason Bishop Little Gem Saloon - Marc Stone Little Tropical Isle - Mark Pentone, Frank Fairbanks

Maison - Shynola, Swinging Gypsies, Gregory Agid Quartet, Lungi and the Fungi Maple Leaf - Rebirth Brass Band Snug Harbor - Stanton Moore Trio Three Muses - Messy Cookers Tropical Isle Original - the Hangovers, Jay B. Elston Band Wednesday, December 21 Blue Nile - New Breed Brass Band Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski Buffa’s - Open Mic Night w/ Nattie Sanchez Chickie Wah Wah - Dave Hickey and Jacob Tanner, Aurora Nealand and Tom McDermott d.b.a - Tin Men, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters Dragon’s Den - Reggae Night Funky Pirate - Blues Masters feat. Big Al Gasa Gasa - Arbitrary House of Blues - Arctic Lights Kerry Irish Pub - Tim Robertson Little Gem Saloon - David L. Harris Jr. Duo Maison - Kala Bazaar Swing Society, Jazz Vipers, Organized Crime Maple Leaf - Space and Harmony Morning Call - Valerie Sassyfras, Krewe du Two Orpheum Theatre - Jambalaya the Musical Preservation Hall - Preservation Hall All-Stars, Charlie Gabriel Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Rocky’s Hot Fox Trot Orchestra Christmas Swing Show Snug Harbor - Uptown Jazz Orchestra Spotted Cat - Chris Christy, Shotgun Jazz Band, Antoine Diel and the New Orleans Power Misfits Three Muses - Leslie Martin, Schatzy Three Muses Maple - Dr. Sick Tropical Isle Original - Debi and the Deacons, Late As Usual Thursday, December 22 Blue Nile - Micah McKee and Little Maker, Bayou International Sound System presents Reggae Night with DJ T-ROY Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski Duo Buffa’s Yvette Voelker and the Swinging Heathens, Tom McDermott and Chloe Feoranzo Chickie Wah Wah - Phil DeGruy, Eric’s Bloom’s Wack Xmas Crazy Lobster - the Spanish Plaza 3 Funky Pirate - Mark and the Pentones, Blues Masters feat.

20 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

Friday, December 23 Banks Street Bar - Tangerine Dreams Blue Nile - Caesar Brothers Funk Box, Brass-A-Holics, DJ Black Pearl Bombay Club - Steve Pistorious Buffa’s - Jerry Jumonville, Melanie Gardner, Tuba Skinny Bullet’s - Original Pinettes Chickie Wah Wah - Michael Pearce, Paul Sanchez d.b.a - Linni Zaorski, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Dragon’s Den - the Tipping Point with DJ RQ Away Funky Pirate - Mark and the Pentones, Blues Masters feat.

Big Al Hi-Ho Lounge - Relapse with Matt Scott House of Blues - Fred Leblanc Howlin’ Wolf - Birdfinger’s Annual Christmas Bash Kerry Irish Pub - Mark Appleford, One Tailed Three Little Gem Saloon - Camela Rappaso Trio Maison - Swinging Gypsies Maple Leaf - Mike Dillon Band, Jerk Offisers, Dirty Mouth Morning Call - Valerie Sassyfras Old Point Bar - Rick Trolsen, Steve Mignano Orpheum Theater - Jambalaya the Musical Rock ‘n’ Bowl - the Boogie Men Saenger Theatre - Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker Snug Harbor - Ellis Marsalis Quintet Southport Hall - Marc Broussard Christmas Show Spotted Cat - Andy J. Forrest, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings Three Muses - Matt Johnson, Russell Welch Three Muses Maple - Monty Banks, Loose Marbles Tipitina’s - Flow Tribe’s Christmas Crunktacular Tropical Isle Original - Down River, the Hangovers, Late As Usual Saturday, December 24 Blue Nile - Washboard Chaz Blues Trio Bombay Club - Meryl Zimmerman Trio Buffa’s - Christmas Film Festival Chickie Wah Wah - Clockwork Elvis d.b.a. - Tuba Skinny Dragon’s Den - Talk Nerdy To Me Funky Pirate - Mark and the Pentones, Blues Masters feat.

Big Al Hi-Ho Lounge - the Rip Off, Hustle with DJ Soul Sister Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge - Neisha Ruffins Little Tropical Isle - Jay B. Elston, Reed Lightfoot Maison - Chance Bushman and the Ibervillianaires, Slick Skillet, Smoking Time Jazz Club, MainLine Maple Leaf - Khris and Christin’s 2nd Annual XxXMas Jam feat. John Michael Bradford, DJ KRoy and special guests Morning Call City Park - Billy D. Chapman Preservation Hall - Creole Christmas feat. the Preservation Hall All-Stars Tropical Isle Bayou Club - the Troubadour, Bayou Cajun Swamp Band, T’Canaille Sunday, December 25 Bombay Club - David Boeddinghaus Buffa’s - Some Like It Hot

Dragon’s Den - the Zen Future Sessions Jazz Jam with Anuraag Pendyal and Dignity Reve, Upstairs: Church Funky Pirate - Mark and the Pentones, Willie Lockett Band Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Hot 8 Brass Band Maple Leaf - Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington Preservation Hall - Preservation Hall Legacy Band feat.

Gregg Stafford, Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Benny Grunch Christmas, Geno Delafose Tropical Isle Bayou Club - Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass, Bayou Cajun Swamp Band Tropical Isle Original - the Hangovers, Late As Usual Monday, December 26 Banks Street Bar - Dignity Reve’s Piano Showcase, Lili Lewis Blue Nile - Brass-A-Holics Bombay Club - Davy Mooney Buffa’s - Arsene DeLay, Antoine Diel Chickie Wah Wah - Benny Maygarden and Thomas “Mad Dog” Walker, Alex McMurray d.b.a - Alexis & the Samurai, Glen David Andrews Dragon’s Den - Hot Club de Cosmos, DJ III Medina Funky Pirate - Willie Lockett Band Hi-Ho Lounge - Bluegrass Pickin’ Party, Instant Opus Improvised Series Kerry Irish Pub - Mark Appleford Maison - Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, the Key Sound Maple Leaf - George Porter Jr.’s Birthday Bash Morning Call - Valerie Sassyfras Preservation Hall - Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel Rock ‘n’ Bowl - the Topcats Snug Harbor - Charmaine Neville Band Three Muses - Bart Ramsey, Loose Marbles Tuesday, December 27 Blue Nile - PJ Morton Bombay Club - Tom McDermott Buffa’s - Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras with Vanessa Carr d.b.a - Dinosaurchestra, Treme Brass Band Hi-Ho Lounge - Grass Mud Horse, Marshland Howlin Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Beast Kerry Irish Pub - Jason Bishop Maison - the Rumproller, Gregory Agid, Soul Company Maple Leaf - Rebirth Brass Band Preservation Hall - Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Arrythmias Snug Harbor - Stanton Moore Trio Spotted Cat - Andy J. Forest, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns, Smoking Time Jazz Club St. Roch Tavern - Jerry Giddens Three Muses - Shotgun Jazz Band Tipitina’s - Dr. John’s & the Nite Trippers Tropical Isle Original - the Hangovers, Jay B. Elston Band Wednesday, December 28 Blue Nile - New Orleans Rhythm Devils, New Breed Brass Band Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski Buffa’s - Open Mic Night w/ Nattie Sanchez Chickie Wah Wah - Dave Hickey and Jacob Tanner, Aurora Nealand and Tom McDermott Crazy Lobster - Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin d.b.a - Tin Men, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters Dragon’s Den - Reggae Night Funky Pirate - Blues Masters feat. Big Al Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Seth & NOLA Friends Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge - Spodie and the Big Shots Kerry Irish Pub - Paintbox with Dave James and Tim Robertson Little Gem Saloon - David L. Harris Jr. Duo Little Tropical Isle - Jay B. Elston, Reed Lightfoot Maison - Royal Street Winding Boys, Jazz Vipers Maple Leaf - Super Jam feat. members of the Revivalists, Naughty Professor, Cardinal Sons and others Morning Call - Valerie Sassyfras, Krewe du Two Preservation Hall - Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Groovy Snug Harbor - Uptown Jazz Orchestra Three Keys - the Asylum Chorus: A Holiday Show Three Muses - Leslie Martin, Sarah McCoy Three Muses Maple - Dr. Sick

Tipitina’s - Dr. John’s & the Nite Trippers Thursday, December 29 Banks Street Bar - Kelcy Mae Blue Nile - Micah McKee and Little Maker, Bayou International Sound System presents Reggae Night with DJ T-ROY Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski Duo Buffa’s - Tuba Skinny, Tom McDermott and Aurora Nealand Chickie Wah Wah - Phil DeGruy Crazy Lobster - the Spanish Plaza 3 d.b.a. - Grayson Capps Funky Pirate - Mark and the Pentones, Blues Masters feat.

Big Al Hi-Ho Lounge - Bubble Bath Records Residency feat. Max Moran and Neospectric, Simon Lott Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Gumbeaux Howlin’ Wolf - Pretty Light Pre-Party feat. Russ Liquids Electric Kool-Aid Test, Marvel Years, Cofresi, Sky Society Kerry Irish Pub - Lynn Drury Little Gem Saloon - Reid Poole Duo Maison - Roamin’ Jasmine, Good For Nothin’ Band, Dysfunctional Bone Maple Leaf - the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich and guests Preservation Hall - Preservation Hall Legacy Band ft. Gregg Stafford, Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Louis Ford Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Chris Ardoin Snug Harbor - Herlin Riley Quartet Spotted Cat - Monty Banks, Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies, Miss Sophie Lee, Jumbo Shrimp Three Muses - Tom McDermott Three Muses Maple - Esther Rose Tropical Isle Original - the Hangovers, Late As Usual Vaughan’s Lounge - Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet Friday, December 30 Blue Nile - Caesar Brothers Funk Box, Kermit Ruffins, Waterseed, DJ Black Pearls Bombay Club - Scott Myers Buffa’s - Riverside Jazz Collective, Gentilly Stompers, Gumbo Cabaret Chickie Wah Wah - Michael Pearce d.b.a. - Tuba Skinny, Dirty Dozen Brass Band Dragon’s Den - the Tipping Point with DJ RQ Away Upstairs: Comedy Fuck Yeah, Latin Night Hi-Ho Lounge - Pretty Lights Pre-Party feat. Daily Bread, Ageless, Antihero B2B Mister, the Sufficients, Relapse with

Matt Scott House of Blues (the Parish) - LouMuzik Live Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Hot 8 Brass Band Kerry Irish Pub - Van Hudson, Will Dickerson Band Maison - Kala Bazaar Swing Society, Swinging Gypsies, Shotgun Jazz Band, Brass-A-Holics, Big Easy Brawlers Maple Leaf - Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras World - Pretty Lights Morning Call - Valerie Sassyfras Old Point Bar - Rick Trolsen, Revival Preservation Hall - Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious, Preservation Hall Brass Band feat. Daniel Farrow Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Bucktown All-Stars Snug Harbor - Ellis Marsalis Quintet Southport Hall - Marc Broussard Christmas Show Spotted Cat - Andy J. Forrest, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings Three Muses - Rob Wagner, Russell Welch Three Muses Maple - Monty Banks, Linnzi Zaorski Tipitina’s - New Orleans Suspects' Holiday Jam Feat Papa Mali, Reggie Scanlan and Ed Williams (of The Revivalists), John Mooney Tropical Isle Original - Down River, the Hangovers, Late As Usual Saturday, December 31 Blue Nile - Naughty Professor + Friends plus Stooges Brass Band, Ambush Reggae Band, DJ Black Pearl Bombay Club - Leroy Jones Buffa’s - Alexandra Scott and her Magical Band, Michael Liuzza, Antoine Diel and the Misfit Power, Keith Burnstein Carrollton Station - Eric Lindell and friends Chickie Wah Wah - Marcia Ball with Helen Gillet and Dana Abbott Circle Bar - Mod Dance Party Crazy Lobster - Poppy’s Poppin’ New Year’s Eve Review Creole Cookery - Trad Stars Jazz Band d.b.a. - Soul Rebels Dragon’s Den - Eight Dice Cloth, New Year’s Eve Dance Party, Upstairs: Talk Nerdy To Me Funky Pirate - Mark and the Pentones, Blues Masters feat.

Big Al Hi-Ho Lounge - Pretty Lights Pre-Party feat. Mikey Thunder, Wax Future, Robbie Dude, Dino Brawl, Hustle with DJ Soul Sister House of Blues (the Parish) - Bad Girls of Burlesque NYE Blowout

Howlin’ Wolf - Rebirth Brass Band Hyatt Regency - Big Night New Orleans’ NYE Gala feat.

Cowboy Mouth, Chee-Weez, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Kid Kamillion and others Joy Theater - Foundation of Funk and Dumpstaphunk feat. Zigaboo Modeliste, George Porter Jr., Eddie Roberts, Robert Walter Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge - Neisha Ruffins Kerry Irish Pub - Patrick Cooper, Roux the Day Little Gem Saloon - Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers, Reid Poole Quartet, NYE Blowout Little Tropical Isle - Jay B. Elston, Reed Lightfoot Maison - Chance Bushman and the Ibervillianaires, Royal Street Winding Boys, Smoking Time Jazz Club, New Orleans Suspects, Glen David Andrews, No Good Deed Maple Leaf - New Year’s Eve at the Leaf Mardi Gras World - Pretty Lights Morning Call City Park - Billy D. Chapman Old Point Bar - One Percent Nation Orpheum Theater - NYE Celebration feat. the Revivalists, Seratones Palm Court Jazz Cafe - New Year’s Eve Gala feat. Lars Edegran, Will Smith, Louis Ford, Benny Amon and Richard Moten Preservation Hall - NYE Show with special guests Rivershack Gretna - Vance Orange Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Tab Benoit Shamrock - Shamarr Allen’s New Year’s Eve Bash Smoothie King Center - Amy Schumer Snug Harbor - Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony Spotted Cat - Sarah McCoy, Ecirb Mueller’s Twisted Dixie, Shotgun Jazz Band, Jazz Vipers Three Keys - Tank and the Bangas Three Muses - Bailey Hinton Tipitina’s - Galactic, Boyfriend Sunday, January 1 Blue Nile - Mykia Jovan, Street Legends Brass Band Bombay Club - David Boeddinghaus Buffa’s - Jazz Brunch with Some Like It Hot, Renee Gros Bullet’s - John Pierre d.b.a. - The Palmetto Bug Stompers Dos Jefes - Joplin Parnell Howlin’ Wolf - Hot 8 Brass Band Kerry Irish Pub - Will Dickerson Maison - Chance Bushman & The NOLA Jitterbugs, Eight Dice Cloth, Swamp Kitchen, Higher Heights

Old Point Bar - Romy Kaye & the Mercy-Buckets RF’s - Monty Banks, Pickin’ and Grinning’ Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours Monday, January 2 Blue Nile - Brass-A-Holics Bombay Club - John Royen Buffa’s - Arsene DeLay, Antoine Diel d.b.a. - Alexis & the Samurai, Glen David Andrews Dos Jefes - John Fohl Kerry Irish Pub - Patrick Cooper Maison - Chicken & Waffles, Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, RnR Music Group RF’s - Jamie Lynn Vessels, James Martin Band Tuesday, January 3 Bombay Club - Matt Lemmler Buffa’s - Tacos Tequila and Tiaras w/Vanessa Carr d.b.a. - Dinosaurchestra, Treme Brass Band Dos Jefes - Tom Hook & Wendell Brunious Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Beast Kerry Irish Pub - Jason Bishop Maison - Claire & The Company, Gregory Agid Quartet, Corporate America RF’s - Lucas Davenport, Lucas Davenport Wednesday, January 4 Blue Nile - New Orleans Rhythm Devils, New Breed Brass Band Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski Buffa’s - World’s Most Open Mic Night w/Nattie d.b.a. - Tin Men, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters Dos Jefes - The George French Trio House of Blues - Jet Lounge Kerry Irish Pub - Paintbox with Dave James & Tim Robertson Maison - Amina Scott & Friends, The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Dana Abbott Band RF’s - Will Kennedy, Tony Seville and the Cadillacs Rock ‘n’ Bowl - The Yat Pack Thursday, January 5 Blue Nile - Micah McKee and Little Maker, Bayou International Sound System presents Reggae Night with DJ T-ROY Bombay Club - Jenna Mammina and Rolf Sturm

331 Decatur Decatur 331 527-5954 527-5954 Best Best Guinness Guinness In In New New Orleans Orleans Live Live Music Music Nightly Nightly NO NO COVER COVER www.kerryirishpub.com www.kerryirishpub.com EveryTuesday Tuesday in December Honky Tonk Every in March – Honkyis Tonk Tuesday Tuesday w/Jason Bishop 8:30 pm with Jason Bishop 8:30 pm!!

Fri. 12/23 Mark Appleford 5 pm Fri. 12/23 The One Tailed Three 9 pm Fri. 3/04 Cooper 5 pm Wed. 12/28 Patrick Paintbox w/Dave James & Tim Robertson 8:30 pm Rubin/Wilson Folk-Blues Explosion 9 pm Thurs. 12/29 Lynn Drury 9 pm Sat. 3/05 Speed The Mule 5 pm New Year’s Eve Weekend!!

Ruby Ross 9 pm Fri. 12/30 Van Hudson 5 pm Fri. 12/30 Will Dickerson Thurs.

3/10 Foot & Friends Band 9 pm 9 pm Sat. 12/31 Patrick Cooper 5 pm Fri. 3/11 Van Hudson 5 pm Sat. 12/31 Roux The Day! 9 pm Hurricane Refugees pm Sun. 1/01 Will Dickerson 8:309pm Mon. 1/02 Patrick Cooper 9 pm Sat. 3/12 Mark Parsons 5 pm Wed. 1/04 Paintbox w/Dave James & Roux The Day! 9 pm Tim Robertson 8:30 pm Sun. 3/13 Traditional Irish Session Thurs.1/05 Chip Wilson 8:30 pm 5 pm Fri. 1/06 Patrick Cooper pm Mon. 3/14 Kim Carson 8:305 pm Fri. 1/06 Van Hudson & Friends 9 pm Sat. 1/07 The One Tailed Three 5 pm Happy Day!! Live Sat. 1/07 St. Patrick’s Beth Patterson 9 pmIrish Music w/ Thurs.

1/12 Dickerson pmpm (Noon) Thurs.

3/17 Will Van Hudson8:30 12:00 Fri. 1/13 Vincent Marini 5 pm Thurs.

3/17 Speed The Mule Fri. 1/13 Hurricane Refugees 9 3:30 pm pm Thurs.

Roux Marie The Day! 7:30 Koster pm – til5the Sat. 1/143/17 Denise & Marcel pm Sat. 1/14 Davidwee Bandrowski hours 9 pm Thurs. 1/19 Foot & Friends 9 pm Fri. 1/20 Will Dickerson 5 pm Fri.3/18 1/20 Beth Patterson 9 pm Fri. Patrick Cooper 5 pm Sat. 1/21 Denise Marie & Marcel One Tailed Three 9 pm Koster 5 pm Sat. 1/21 Will Dickerson Trio 9 pm Sat. 3/19 Speed The Mule 5 pm Thurs. 1/26 Will Dickerson 8:30 pm Fri. 1/27 Van Hudson pm Frank Sautier &5Friends 9 pm Fri. 1/27 Hurricane Refugees 9 pm Mon. 3/21 Kim Carson 8:30 pm Sat. 1/28 Speed The Mule 5 pm Sat. 1/28 Roux The Day! 9 pm

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22 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 23

Buffa’s - Yvette Voelker and the Swingin’ Heathens, Tom McDermott and Chloe Feoranzo d.b.a. - Little Freddie King Dos Jefes - The Todd Duke Trio Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Gumbeaux Kerry Irish Pub - Chip Wilson Maison - The Good For Nothin’ Band, Sweet Substitute Jazz Band, Dysfunktional Bone Old Point Bar - Gregg Martinez Orpheum Theater - Louisiana Philharmonic and AnneMarie McDermott RF’s - Marcey Duo, Jamie Lynn Vessels Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Horace Trahan

Buffa’s - Jazz Brunch with Some Like It Hot, Nattie’s Songwriter Circle d.b.a. - The Palmetto Bug Stompers Dos Jefes - Jenna McSwain House of Blues - Willie Nelson, Runaway June Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Hot 8 Brass Band Kerry Irish Pub - Mark Appleford Maison - Chance Bushman and the NOLA Jitterbugs, Slick Skillet Serenaders, Royal Street Winding Boys, Meghan Stewart, Higher Heights Old Point Bar - Jean Marie Harris, Shawan Rice RF’s - Monty Banks, Meghan Stewart Band Tipitina’s - Fareed Haque and friends

Friday, January 6 Blue Nile - Big Chief Monk Boudreaux Bombay Club - Russell Welch Buffa’s - Pfister Sisters, Twelfth Night Ball w/Davis Rogan and Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, Tuba Skinny Civic Theatre - The 3rd Annual 12th Night Bal Masque FEAT. Benni, Gnaw, King James & the Special Men d.b.a. - Hot Club of New Orleans, Brass-A-Holics Dos Jefes - The Panorama Jazz Band House of Blues - House of the Young Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - LowDown Brass Band, Charles Mantis and Friends Kerry Irish Pub - Patrick Cooper, Van Hudson & Friends Maison - Geovane Santos Brazilian Jazz Quartet, Swing Dance Classes with the Swinging Gypsies, Shotgun Jazz Band, The Soul Project + Resident Alien Maple Leaf - Fareed Haque, Tony Monaco, Stanton Moore Old Point Bar - Rick Trolsen, Revival RF’s - Vincent Marini, Lucas Davenport Rivershack Gretna - Mikey B3 Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Contraflow Tipitina’s - 101 Runners 10th Anniversary & 12th Night Carnival Kick-Off Party

Monday, January 9 Bombay Club - Josh Paxton Buffa’s - Arsene DeLay, Antoine Diel d.b.a. - Alexis & the Samurai, Glen David Andrews Dos Jefes - John Fohl Kerry Irish Pub - Patrick Cooper Maison - Chicken & Waffles, Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, Organized Crime RF’s - Jamie Lynn Vessels, James Martin Band

Saturday, January 7 Blue Nile - Nth Power and Corey Henry's Treme Funktet, Mike Dillon Band, DJ Black Pearl Bombay Club - Matt Johnson Buffa’s - Saturday Jazz Brunch w/Red Hot Jazz Band, Jerry Jumonville, Silver City Bound, Ben Fox Trio d.b.a. - Pine Leaf Boys Dos Jefes - The Betty Shirley Band Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - LowDown Brass Band, Charles Mantis and Friends Joy Theater - Last Dance: A Tribute to Donna Summer with Anais St. John Kerry Irish Pub - The One Tailed Three, Beth Patterson Maison - Chance Bushman and the Ibervillianaires, Leah Rucker, Smoking Time Jazz Club, TBA + The Big Easy Brawlers Maple Leaf - Fareed Haque, Tony Monaco, Stanton Moore Old Point Bar - The Unnaturals Orpheum Theater - Bal Masque with Dr. John & the Nite Trippers, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Cha Wa, The Roots of Music RF’s - David Bach, Sunshine Brass Band Rivershack Gretna - Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Review Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Deacon John Shamrock - Soul Rebels Brass Band Sunday, January 8 Bombay Club - David Boeddinghaus

Tuesday, January 10 Bombay Club - Matt Lemmler Buffa’s - Tacos Tequila and Tiaras w/Vanessa Carr d.b.a. - Dinosaurchestra, Treme Brass Band Dos Jefes - Tom Hook & Wendell Brunious House of Blues - Kate Voegele, Tyler Hinton, Christina Holmes Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Beast Kerry Irish Pub - Jason Bishop Maison - Kala Bazaar Swing Society, Gregory Agid Quartet, Mutiny Squad RF’s - Lucas Davenport, Hyperphlly Smoothie King Center - Red Hot Chili Peppers Wednesday, January 11 Bombay Club - John Royen Buffa’s - World’s Most Open Mic Night w/Nattie d.b.a. - Tin Men, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters Dos Jefes - The George French Trio House of Blues - Jet Lounge Kerry Irish Pub - TBA Maison - Eight Dice Cloth, The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, In Business RF’s - Will Kennedy, Tony Seville and the Cadillacs Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Johnny Angel and the Swingin' Demons Thursday, January 12 Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski w/ Larry Scala Buffa’s - Gumbo Cabaret, Tom McDermott and Aurora Nealand Dos Jefes - Stephanie Niles Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Gumbeaux Kerry Irish Pub - Will Dickerson Maison - The Good For Nothin’ Band, Asylum Chorus Band, Dysfunktional Bone Old Point Bar - Dreaming Dingo RF’s - John Marcey Duo, Jamie Lynn Vessels Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Chubby Carrier Tipitina’s - The Radiators’ 2017 Anniversary

Locash Be sure to catch some of the fastest rising stars and songwriters in Nashville as they stop by NOLA. The duo Locash, featuring Ryan Follese, promises “you ain’t seen nothing yet” with their live shows. Fri., January 13. $19.25+ Adv, 8:00 p.m., House of Blues, houseofblues.com

24 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

Joe The seven-time Grammy-nominated singer Joe performs live as part of the Ladies Choice Concert series at the Lakefront Arena! For R&B fans, Joe is sure to usher in a fantastic night of performances. Sun., January 15. $94+ Adv, 8:00 p.m., UNO Lakefront Arena, arena.uno.edu Friday, January 13 Bombay Club - Banu Gibson Blue Nile - The Soul Rebels Buffa’s - Michael Pellera and Miles Berry, Gentilly Stompers, Swamp Kitchen d.b.a. - Cyril Neville & Swamp Funk Dos Jefes - The Joe Krown Trio House of Blues - LOCASH, Ryan Follese Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Royal & Toulouse, Deltaphonic Maple Leaf - Honey Island Swamp Band Kerry Irish Pub - Vincent Marini, Hurricane Refugees Maison - Amina Scott Trio, the Swinging Gypsies, Shotgun Jazz Band, Raw Deal + THe Big Easy Brawlers Old Point Bar - Rick Trolsen, Jamie Lynn Vessels Orpheum Theater - Louisiana Philharmonic and Edgar Meyer RF’s - Vincent Marini, Lucas Davenport Rivershack Gretna - Southpaw Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Supercharger Tipitina’s - The Radiators’ 2017 Anniversary Saturday, January 14 Blue Nile - Noah Young Album Release Party + Space and Harmony (featuring members of The Revivalists and Naughty Professor) Bombay Club - Peter Harris Buffa’s - Saturday Jazz Brunch w/Red Hot Jazz Band, Fräulein Frances’ Sleazeball Orchestra, The Royal Rounders, Harry Mayronne d.b.a. - Corey Henry & the Treme Funktet Dos Jefes - Sunpie & The LA. Sunspots Howlin’ Wolf - Pharoahe Monch Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - “Stoked” NOLA’s Best Comedians Kerry Irish Pub - Denise Marie & Marcel Koster, David Bandrowski Maison - Chance Bushman and the Ibervillianaires, Kala Bazaar Swing Society, Smoking Time Jazz Club, Pinettes Brass Band + Soul Company Maple Leaf - Honey Island Swamp Band Old Point Bar - Chris Klein Orpheum Theater - Louisiana Philharmonic and Edgar Meyer RF’s - David Bach, Sunshine Brass Band Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Colin Lake, Sonny Landreth plus Eric Lindell Rivershack Gretna - Jim Cole & the Boneyard Navigators Shamrock - Orphan Annie Tipitina’s - The Radiators’ 2017 Anniversary Sunday, January 15 Bombay Club - David Boeddinghaus Buffa’s - Jazz Brunch with Some Like It Hot, Gerald French Trio d.b.a. - The Palmetto Bug Stompers, Soul Brass Band Dos Jefes - Mark Coleman & Todd Duke House of Blues - The Devil Makes Three, Lost Dog Street Band Howlin’ Wolf - Danny Barker Banjo & Guitar Festival Grand Finale Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Hot 8 Brass Band Kerry Irish Pub - Patrick Cooper Maison - Chance Bushman and the NOLA Jitterbugs, Eight

Dice Cloth, Royal Street Winding Boys, Leah Rucker, Higher Heights Old Point Bar - Romy Kaye & the Mercy-Buckets, Gregg Martinez RF’s - Monty Banks, Meghan Stewart Band Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Bruce Daigrepont UNO Lakefront Arena - Ladies Concert Series with Joe, Dru Hill & Jagged Edge Monday, January 16 Bombay Club - Josh Paxton Buffa’s - Arsene DeLay, Antoine Diel d.b.a. - Alexis & the Samurai Dos Jefes - John Fohl Kerry Irish Pub - Mark Appleford Maison - Chicken & Waffles, Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, Resident Aliens RF’s - Jamie Lynn Vessels, James Martin Band Tuesday, January 17 Bombay Club - Matt Lemmler Buffa’s - Tacos Tequila and Tiaras w/Vanessa Carr d.b.a. - Dinosaurchestra, Treme Brass Band Dos Jefes - Tom Hook & Wendell Brunious Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Beast Kerry Irish Pub - Jason Bishop Maison - Luneta Jazz Band, Gregory Agid Quartet, The Key Sound RF’s - Lucas Davenport, Hyperphlly Wednesday, January 18 Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski Buffa’s - World’s Most Open Mic Night w/Nattie d.b.a. - Tin Men, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters Dos Jefes - The George French Trio House of Blues - Rhett Miller & Evan Felker, Badfish, Jet Lounge Kerry Irish Pub - Tim Robertson Maison - Slick Skillet Serenaders, The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, BrassLightning RF’s - Will Kennedy, Tony Seville and the Cadillacs Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Joe Krown Thursday, January 19 Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski w/ James Evans Buffa’s - Al Farrell, Tom McDermott and Chloe Feoranzo Dos Jefes - The Loren Pickford Quartet Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Gumbeaux Kerry Irish Pub - Foot & Friends Maison - The Good For Nothin’ Band, Roamin’ Jasmine, Dysfunktional Bone Old Point Bar - Lisa Harrigan RF’s - John Marcey Duo, Jamie Lynn Vessels Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Wayne Singleton and Same Ol' 2 Step Friday, January 20 Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski w/ Evan Christopher Buffa’s - Dirty Rain Revelers, Asylum Chorus, Michael Liuzza

Civic Theatre - Tom Segura d.b.a. - Tuba Skinny Dos Jefes - Vivaz!

Kerry Irish Pub - Will Dickerson, Beth Patterson Maison - Kala Bazaar Swing Society, the Swinging Gypsies, Shotgun Jazz Band, Organized Crime + The Big Easy Brawlers Maple Leaf - The Wild Magnolias Old Point Bar - Rick Trolsen, 1% Nation Orpheum Theater - Louisiana Philharmonic RF’s - Vincent Marini, Lucas Davenport Rivershack Gretna - Hit & Run Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Bag of Donuts Saturday, January 21 Bombay Club - David Torkanowsky Buffa’s - Saturday Jazz Brunch w/Red Hot Jazz Band, Yardbird Sweethearts, Freddie Blue & The Friendship Circle, Jimbo Walsh d.b.a. - Lost Bayou Ramblers Dos Jefes - The Roebucks Howlin’ Wolf - DSEF’s Brass Band Blowout Kerry Irish Pub - Denise Marie & Marcel Koster, Will Dickerson Trio Maison - Chance Bushman and the Ibervillainaires, Cajun/ Zydeco Fais Do Do with T’Canaille and more, Smoking Time

Jazz Club, Brass-A-Holics + Mutiny Squad Maple Leaf - Jake Eckert Band Old Point Bar - Diablo’s Horns Orpheum Theater - Louisiana Philharmonic RF’s - David Bach, Tony Seville and the Cadillacs Rivershack Gretna - Christian Serpas & Ghost Town Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Foret Tradition Shamrock - At Fault Tipitina’s - J Boog, Jemere Morgan Sunday, January 22 Bombay Club - David Boeddinghaus Buffa’s - Jazz Brunch with Some Like It Hot, Gerald French Trio d.b.a. - The Palmetto Bug Stompers Dos Jefes -Peter Nu Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Hot 8 Brass Band Kerry Irish Pub - Chip Wilson Maison - Chance Bushman and the NOLA Jitterbugs, Roamin’ Jasmine, Hokum High Rollers, Royal Street Winding Boys, Higher Heights Old Point Bar - Jean Marie Harris Orpheum Theater - Louisiana Philharmonic RF’s - Monty Banks, Pickin’ and Grinnin’ Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Bruce Daigrepont

ReelBigFish After 20 years together, Reel Big Fish and Anti-Flag continue to play with another show at the Joy Theater. They will be joined that night by special guests Ballyhoo! and Pkew Pkew Pkew. Sat., January 28. $27.50 - $35.00 Adv, 7:00 p.m., Joy Theater, thejoytheater.com Monday, January 23 Bombay Club - Josh Paxton Buffa’s - Arsene DeLay, Antoine Diel d.b.a. - Alexis & the Samurai, Glen David Andrews Dos Jefes - John Fohl House of Blues - Brujeria Kerry Irish Pub - Patrick Cooper Maison - Chicken & Waffles, The Royal Roses, Vegas Cola RF’s - Jamie Lynn Vessels, James Martin Band Tuesday, January 24 Bombay Club - Matt Lemmler Buffa’s - Tacos Tequila and Tiaras w/Vanessa Carr d.b.a. - Dinosaurchestra, Treme Brass Band Dos Jefes - Tom Hook & Wendell Brunious House of Blues - Pop Evil Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Beast Kerry Irish Pub - Jason Bishop Maison - Amina Scott & Friends, Gregory Agid Quartet, Kristina Morales and the Inner Wild RF’s - Lucas Davenport, Christmas Jazz Trio Wednesday, January 25 Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski Buffa’s - World’s Most Open Mic Night w/Nattie d.b.a. - Tin Men, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters Dos Jefes - The George French Trio House of Blues - Jet Lounge Joy Theater - Aaron Lewis Kerry Irish Pub - TBA Maison - Swamp Kitchen, The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, RnR Music Group RF’s - Will Kennedy, Tony Seville and the Cadillacs Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Jerry Embree Thursday, January 26 Bombay Club - Kris Tokarski Buffa’s - Gumbo Cabaret, Tom McDermott and Aurora Nealand d.b.a. - Funk Monkey Dos Jefes - Cecile Savage House of Blues - Retch Howlin’ Wolf (the Den) - Comedy Gumbeaux Kerry Irish Pub - Will Dickerson Maison - Tuba Skinny, The Good For Nothin’ Band, Dysfunktional Bone Old Point Bar - Kettle Black RF’s - John Marcey Duo, Jamie Lynn Vessels Rock ‘n’ Bowl - Geno Delafose Friday, January 27 Bombay Club - Riverside Jazz Collective Buffa’s - Davis Rogan, Greg Schatz, Keith Burnstein d.b.a. - Tuba Skinny, Feufollet w/Alligator Chomp Chomp Dos Jefes - Tom Fitzpatrick & Turning Point Kerry Irish Pub - Van Hudson, Hurricane Refugees Maison - Slick Skillet Serenaders, the Swinging Gypsies, Shotgun Jazz Band, The Resident Aliens + Big Easy Brawlers Maple Leaf - Dave Jordan & the NIA Old Point Bar - Rick Trolsen, Jamey St. Pierre and the Honeycreepers RF’s - Vincent Marini, Lucas Davenport Rivershack Gretna - The Arrivals Rock ‘n’ Bowl - The Topcats

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 25

Lakeside2Riverside U P C O M I N G F E S T I VA L S & E V E N T S

HOLIDAY

facebook.com/NOLAsanctuary Ring in the New Year with an all-night New Year’s Eve party at the Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center. For a $25 admission fee, you can be treated to a non-stop extravaganza of music and shows including Debauche, Big Deal Burlesque featuring Roxie le Rouge, a Belly Dance show with Kerry Lynn and others, the Backyard Balkan Brass Band and more, with host Andrew Ward. You can also enjoy a free champagne toast at midnight. There’s no better way to celebrate the coming of a new year while raising money for spring programming and free space for artists to cultivate and create new work.

THEATRE/ART/PERFORMANCE

Bonfires on the Levee December 24 Christmas Eve Bonfires on the Levee Saturday, December 24 Dusk to 9:00 p.m.

St. James Parish Take part in one of the oldest Cajun traditions by lighting a bonfire this Christmas Eve along the Mississippi River.

Starting at dusk, 20-foot-high log structures are doused with flammable liquids and set ablaze as part of the practice meant to light the way both for Papa Noël and the route to the nearest Catholic church for Midnight Mass. The Christmas Eve bonfires offer optional tours such as the fourhour Christmas Eve Bonfire Express, which only includes the bonfires, and the 6 ½-hour Christmas Eve Bonfire Adventure Tour, which includes a tour of San Francisco Plantation and a holiday dinner there. With many crowds arriving for the night, it’s best to get to the levee early to have a good view of the bonfire.

YFE Presents New Year’s Eve Saturday, December 31 9 p.m.

Après Lounge apresnola.com Celebrate the last night of 2016 at an exclusive New Year’s Eve event presented by YFE. This NYE party is also a charity event with the money from ticket purchases going to benefit local Crescent City charities. Doors open at 9 p.m., but there is plenty of entertainment set to keep the night going until 2017. Music will be provided by DJ Digital, DJ Spin, DJ Crush and DJ Mig. Be sure to reserve a spot for this night to toast champagne, listen to some great music, and usher in a new year of possibilities. Tickets and VIP sections are available online. Only 21 and older allowed.

New Year’s Eve at Sanctuary Saturday, December 31 8:30 p.m.-2:00 a.m.

Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center

26 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

Jazz Education Network's 8th Annual Conference January 4-7 Various times Hyatt Regency New Orleans neworleans.regency.hyatt.com The Jazz Education Network hosts their 8th Annual Conference in their pursuit to build the jazz community through education and performances. This year, for one day only, the organization also celebrates 100 years of jazz education and performances with the First Annual JEN Scholarship Concert, allowing promising young jazz musicians a chance to perform alongside current jazz masters. All four days will treat you to live performances by professionals, students and community groups along with educational clinics, research presentations, jazz industry/ music business sessions, an industry exhibition, and other networking and outreach opportunities.

Bourbon Ball Saturday, January 14 8 p.m.-12 a.m.

Peoples Health New Orleans Jazz Market phnojm.org The Bourbon Ball is back to provide a fun and elegant night of dancing and bourbon. At the Bourbon Ball, guests are invited to a semi-formal event with four hours of access to all-you-can-drink bourbon. The minimum age to enter is 21, and the ball maintains a strict dress code and I.D. policy. Still, with the fun atmosphere, classy standards, and the extensive supply of drinks throughout the night, the Bourbon Ball might quickly become an underrated favorite in the city. Make sure to grab yourself a ticket online.

events like a toast from the Historic New Orleans Collection and Grégor Trumel, Consul General of France in New Orleans, at the Williams Research Center balcony at 400 Chartres St.; a sword blessing at Saint Louis Cathedral by The Very Reverend Father Philip Landry; and the crowning of the king and king cake ceremony at the end of the parade at Washington Artillery Park. Don your best medieval attire and come join the fun.

Phunny Phorty Phellows Parade Friday, January 6 7 p.m.

The St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Line phunnyphortyphellows.com Take part in the unofficial beginning of the Mardi Gras season with a night of “phun and phrivolity” with the annual Phunny Phorty Phellows Parade. This irreverent and whimsical night involves loads of current event costumes, multiple champagne toasts, plenty of second line dancing, and a decked-out streetcar to house the whole thing.

Don’t forget the traditional king cakes for the ladies and gentlemen. Whoever takes the slice containing the Carnival baby will be declared Queen and Boss Fellow for the rest of the year! Enjoy what’s sure to be an entertaining parade and remember their motto: "Honi soit qui mal y pense," or "Evil to them that think evil."

King Cake Festival January 29

Annual Joan of Arc Parade Friday, January 6 7 p.m.

Jax Brewery joanofarcparade.org Join the 9th Annual Joan of Arc Parade to help celebrate the legendary figure’s 605th birthday as well as Twelfth Night.

This quirky and fun walking parade, put on by the Krewe de Jeanne D’arc, is perfect for families, as it takes a short route across the city to honor The Maid of Orleans—the patron saint of France and the unofficial patron saint of New Orleans. The parade also includes three brief stops for

King Cake Festival Sunday, January 29 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Champions Square kingcakefestival.org Celebrate the delicious Mardi Gras dessert with the annual King Cake Festival at Champions Square. More than a dozen local shops and vendors will be available for you to try their king cake samples for only $1 each. If that’s not enough, the festival will also feature live music playing from the Champions Square stage as you move from one booth to another. As added fun, the festival also sponsors a Fitness Challenge and Fun Run for the prize of a free year of Smoothie King smoothies. Finally, all proceeds from the King Cake Festival will go to benefit babies and children at Ochsner Medical Center, so celebrate Mardi Gras a little early with a slice of king cake.

AllState Sugar Bowl January 2 7:30 p.m.

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome allstatesugarbowl.org Since the 1930s, the AllState Sugar Bowl has hosted a game between the SEC champions and another skilled opponent, but it has since included many other fun activities including Fan Jam, Fan Fest, the New Year's Eve Parade, a prep football classic, a swimming invitational, a sailing regatta, a basketball classic, a pep rally and more. Not only does it continue to be a staple for the Louisiana New Year, the AllState Sugar Bowl also helps foster the community and inspire economic growth by promoting amateur sports and activities in the city. Ticket prices vary for the events—with options open for entire travel packages for non-local fans— but any sports fan will be eager to watch and even take part

in this community event.

Fan Fest itself is a reason to visit the city during the Sugar Bowl, as it offers its own bundle of entertainment. For it’s 11th year, Fan Fest will bring a collection of interactive functions to Jax Brewery’s parking lot near Jackson Square.

The fun this year will include football-themed activities, high-energy pep rallies, and pre-game drills for die-hard enthusiasts. All of the events will be highlighted by a free concert featuring Panic! at the Disco and Jason Derulo.

To top it all off, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2017 will be spotlighting the Crescent City with coverage of this year’s Sugar Bowl festivities for their first ever Central Time-Zone countdown. Fan Fest is free and open from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday, December 31 as well as 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, January 1.

FESTIVALS/PARADES

Antoine's

Legacy Kitchen

Food News

By Kim Ranjbar

Have a ball! … The 2nd annual Link Stryjewski Foundation Bal Masqué will be kicking off Carnival this year on Saturday, January 7, at the Orpheum Theater. Celebrating New Orleans's Creole Carnival roots, masked attendees will spend an unforgettable evening dining on cuisine prepared by eight nationally acclaimed chefs with live local music headlined by Dr. John & the Nite Trippers. Preceding the ball on Twelfth Night (January 6), celebrity chef Mario Batalli will create a stunning four-course meal for only 150 lucky guests at Calcasieu, Link Restaurant Group's Warehouse District venue. The Bal Masqué and preceding Batalli dinner both benefit The Link Stryjewski Foundation, a nonprofit organization “created to address the persistent cycle of violence and poverty, as well as the lack of quality education and job training opportunities available to young people in New Orleans.” balmasque.linkstryjewski.org Out with the new, in with the old? …

The Ruby Slipper, a local breakfast hot spot that has expanded to four locations around town and two others in Pensacola and Orange Beach, announced its fifth location in the Crescent 2nd ué Annu City. Mere days after Brick & Spoon reported that they as q M a l l a B were moving out of their brand new building on Magazine Street, The Ruby Slipper revealed that they were moving in. The latest location should be open sometime this month, serving all the breakfast items fans know and love like Eggs Cochon Benedict with apple-braised pork debris or their Bananas Foster Pain Perdu.

2802 Magazine St., therubyslippercafe.net Memorializing mollusks … Antoine's, the oldest family-owned, continuallyoperating restaurant in the country, announced that their signature dish, Oysters Rockefeller, will now have its own commemorative day. Granted by the National Day Calendar, National Oysters Rockefeller Day will be officially recognized on January 10 beginning in 2017. Invented in 1899 by Jules Alciatore, the son of Antoine's founder, Oysters Rockefeller is a dish created as a response to the shortage of snails shipped in from Europe at the end of the 19th century. Jules's dish was so succulent and so rich that he named it after one of the wealthiest men in America.

713 St. Louis St., (504) 581-4422, antoines.com New Westbank pasticceria! … Just over a month ago, Amore Bakery & Cafe opened its doors in downtown Gretna. Located about a block from Gattuso's, Amore features an array of delectable pastries, crepes and gelato plus specialty coffee drinks brewed from Coast Roast. According to Nola.com, Pastry Chef Sage Spicuzza runs the shop with her mother Bonnie Pecot and sister Calli Boullosa. Spicuzza graduated from Delgado's culinary program and has worked in the Hotel Monteleone and Angelo Brocato's, which is

where they source their ices and gelato.

307 Huey P. Long Ave., Gretna, (504) 322-2122, facebook.com/Amorebakeryandcafe Speaking of the Westbank … Legacy Kitchen just opened its third restaurant in town on the Westbank Expressway in Gretna, dubbed Legacy Kitchen Steak + Chop. Culinary Director Robert Bruce manages all the menus for Legacy and has offered yet another different slant for the Westbank steakhouse. Dishes include Cajun Queso made with tasso, Chinatown Firecracker Shrimp with yum-yum sauce, a Tuna Tango salad with avocado, mango and macadamia nuts, or an Iowa Pork Porterhouse with crawfish skillet cornbread and LA pepper jelly.

91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606, legacykitchen.com Say cheese! … Though it took far longer than originally anticipated, the new grilled cheese sandwich shop Melt finally opened in Mid-City. Located on Banks Street, less than two blocks from its competitor The Big Cheezy on Broad, Melt is a collusion between friends Miles Tully Jr. and Greg Hicks. Their special sandwiches include a Melt-a-Letta, a Caprese Melt, and Kush's Melt with crab-boiled shrimp and pimento cheese. Though grilled cheese sandwiches seem to be the focus, the menu also features tempura battered and fried Wisconsin cheese curds, beer cheese soup, a Shrimp Cobb salad, and a well-stocked bar featuring local craft beers and a small variety of wines. Melt is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

2549 Banks St., (504) 821-0102, melt-nola.com That's the place ... Tracy Kish and Samantha Saliter, owners of the Crepe Cart in the French Market, have finally fleshed out their own digs on Poland Avenue in the Bywater. Dubbed The Crepe Place, the new restaurant offers both sweet and savory crepes, plus they even have vegan and gluten free options. Try their bacon and cheddar crepe or ham, egg and cheese, or go peanut butter and bananas with a hot cuppa joe brewed from French Truck Coffee. The Crepe Place is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

941 Poland Ave., (734) 985-7488, facebook.com/thecrepeplacenola

Thre

e Muses Maple

Inspiring lunch … The recently opened Three Muses Maple in the Riverbend is now serving lunch Tuesday through Friday.

The Uptown music club has decided to launch a menu featuring a Korean-themed lunch, inspired by singer/owner Sophie Lee's “Seoul Shack” pop-up, with dishes like kimchi pork soup, scallion pancakes and bibimbap.

7537 Maple St., (504) 510-2749, threemusesmaple.com

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 27

COME ENJOY THE BEST NEW ORLEANS HAPPY HOUR! 4-6:30 Tues-Fri • $1 off draft.

• $3 House Wine.

• Half Off Wells & Calls.

• $5: Buffalo Chicken, Onion Rings, Fried Eggplant, Fried Pickles, Fried Okra and Fried Calamari.

• 60 Raw Oysters - ‘Tis The Season!’

• $1 Chargrilled Oysters.

thebluecrabnola.com | On Lake Ponchartrain in Lakeview

NOLA Brewing's Tchoupitoulas Meat Pies

20 and Under

$

Meat (Pie) Of The Matter

B

elieve it or not, but meat pies have been a dish that humankind has been enjoying since the ancient Egyptians first created one circa 9500 BC when bakers would incorporate nuts, honey and fruits into the bread dough they prepared for the pharaohs. The Greeks would wrap meat in a flour and water paste that hardened into a crust while baking to not only seal in the juices but also to act as a vessel for serving. Regardless of the long history, there's just something about a meat pie that screams warmth and comfort. Just imagine sinking your teeth into the flaky, warm crust only to reveal the savory, well-seasoned filling, tendrils of steam escaping while you gobble, grease dribbling down your chin.

Instead of fantasizing about it, why not just go get one?

Though meat pies can be found all over New Orleans (and Louisiana, for that matter), one can certainly opt for something a bit more creative than a thawed Mrs. Wheat's. Not that I'm knocking the “Original Natchitoches Meat Pie,” mind you, just broadening your horizons a smidge.

For example, why not try the Tchoupitoulas Meat Pie now being served at NOLA Brewing Tap Room? Just in

28 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

By Kim Ranjbar

time for the cold weather, pit-master Neil McClure has re-released his popular meat pie filled with ground beef, brisket and smoked onions that have been simmered with NOLA Brown Ale and other seasonings and then thickened with a roux. Best part? At only $3.50 each, you could eat three or even four pies and still have enough money left over for a brew or two.

Over at El Pavo Real, chef/owner Lindsey McLellan offers fabulous Mexican meat pies, otherwise known as empanadas. The flaky, buttery pastry is filled with pork picadillo, ground pork simmered with seasonings like jalapeno pepper, chili powder and cumin. Each order is only $8 and comes with three soul-warming pies and a small dish of thick crema for dipping. At that price, you could throw in a couple of chipotle-rubbed hangar steak tacos and have yourself a feast.

Known for his decadent duck empanadas, Brian Landry at Borgne also offers a trio of slow-smoked pork empanadas served with white BBQ sauce for a mere $10. Certainly not bad when you consider that the restaurant is part of the Besh empire. In fact, Besh Steak inside Harrah's Casino also offers meat pies, but theirs are filled with Louisiana

El Pavo Real's Empanadas shrimp and crabmeat and served with a green garlic aioli. Those seafood pies are a little bit pricier at $14 a plate but well worth the oohs and ahhs your mouth and tummy will feel while you devour.

Though there are likely hundreds of other spectacular meat pies in the Greater New Orleans Area, there's one more I'd like to highlight, and that is the empanadas calenas at Mais Arepas.

These little beauties are made Colombian-

style with a yellow cornmeal crust filled with shredded skirt steak, sofrito (a tomato, onion and coriander sauce) and papa criolla, which is a small yellow potato with a creamy texture. These mouthwatering pies are served with aji valluno, a Colombian salsa made with fresh cilantro, jalapeno, tomatoes and green onions, and will only set you back $9.

What meat pies matter to you?

Mrs. Wheat's Louisiana Meat Pies WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 29

RestaurantGuide African Bennachin is a cozy restaurant offering a taste of West Africa right in the French Quarter. The Sisay Singho, a baked chicken dish, is a standout. 1212 Royal St., 5221230, bennachinrestaurant.com

American Bobby Hebert’s Cajun Cannon Restaurant & Bar has become a Metairie institution since 2014. Their Cajun Cannon Redfish, topped with mushroom cream sauce, is a real treat. 4101 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 324-6841, bobbyheberts.com

Dot’s Diner has a 24-hour menu stocked with diner favorites and bottomless coffee. The Big Dot Platter comes with two eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, hash browns, grits and toast. Multiple locations, dotsdiner. com Gattuso’s Neighborhood Restaurant is a local favorite in the Gretna Historical District. Try their Blackened Salmon Salad with spinach, pecans, bleu cheese and raisins. 435 Huey P Long Ave., Gretna, 368-1114, gattusos.net Gordon Biersch is a pub-style restaurant with their own award-winning beers complimenting gourmet bar food. Their GB Beer Mushroom Chicken even includes a bit of brew. 200 Poydras St., 522-2739, gordonbiersch. com Josephine Estelle (in Ace Hotel) blends Creole, Cajun and Italian cuisine in unique and exciting meals. Their

Origami fuses sushi and Japanese cuisine with Southern flavors to bring customers a truly unique experience. There is a variety of dishes including the Freret Roll, named for their street. 5130 Freret St., 899-6532, sushinola.com

Spudly’s Super Spuds has been serving up delicious fare for 36 years. Their Super Duper baked potato comes with crawfish, shrimp and crabmeat smothered in cheese and chives. 2609 Harvard Ave., Metairie, 455-3250, spudlys.com

Viet Orleans Bistro offers a very wide selection of delicious Vietnamese dishes and wonderful sushi offerings. Just steps from Canal Street, Viet Orleans Bistro is great for lunch or dinner. 300 Baronne St., 333-6917

Ted’s Frostop has an old-school 50s diner atmosphere and menu filled with comfort food classics. Enjoy a Double Cheese Lot-O Burger with their famous Root Beer Float. 3100 Calhoun St., 861-3615, tedsfrostop. com

Bars with Great Food

Willie Mae’s Scotch House is known for having the best chicken in the city. Be prepared for the fried bird that the Food Network declared “America’s Best.”

Multiple locations, williemaesnola.com

Charlie’s Restaurant & Catering in Violet is a hidden gem with over 300 menu items including Overstuffed Potatoes, Creamy Seafood Pasta and other daily specials. 6129 E Saint Bernard Hwy., 682-9057, charliesrestaurantla.com City Diner’s comfort food is great for any time, 24 hours a day. The menu includes the Bottom of the Bowl: a toasted bread bowl filled with crawfish, shrimp and crabmeat. 3116 S I-10 Service Road East, 831-1030, citydiner.biz

Q&C Hotel Bar New Orleans’s Happy Hour is among the city’s best. Pair their killer version of the French 75 cocktail with their boudin and you’ve got a fulfilling meal that won’t bust your wallet. 344 Camp St., 587-9700, qandc.com

GordonBiersch

Asian

Osteria’s Snapper Crudo comes with brown butter, hazelnuts and lemon. 600 Carondelet St., 930-3070, josephineestelle.com

Bao & Noodle is a casual, sit-down restaurant that boasts quality, authentic Chinese cuisine great for sharing. The Cumin-Braised Lamb is a savory treat for those who can handle spice. 2700 Chartres St., 2720004, baoandnoodle.com

Ma Momma’s House of Cornbread, Chicken and Waffles is also the House of Delicious Soul Food. Try the AMAZING Chicken and Waffles or Chicken and Grits, served with eggs “Yo’Way.” 5741 Crowder Blvd., 244-0021, mamommashouse.com

Five Happiness has been serving quality Chinese food for over 30 years with a reputation for their upscale General’s Chicken. Eat in or enjoy at home with delivery to Uptown and Mid-City. 3605 S Carrollton Ave., 4823935, fivehappiness.com

McAlister’s Deli offers a giant menu of sandwiches, salads and spuds. The McAlister’s Club alone boasts 13 layers with applewood smoked bacon, black forest ham and smoked turkey. Various locations, mcalistersdeli. com

Kyoto II is known for delicious sushi and Japanese cuisine at reasonable prices. Located near the Elmwood Palace Theaters, it’s a great spot before or after catching a movie. 5608 Citrus Blvd., Harahan, 818-0228

Orleans Grapevine is a French Quarter wine bar and bistro with over 300 wines by the bottle and 65 wines by the glass. Don’t miss their amazing Bacon Happy Hour for free bacon! 720 Orleans Ave., 523-1930, orleansgrapevine.com Phil’s Grill is a family burger joint that prides itself on its Burger Experience. Come hungry for their BuildYour-Own burger options, and their Happy Hour drinks are not to be missed. 1640 Hickory Ave., philsgrill.com

La Thai works within culinary traditions of Thai cuisine, offering both traditional and contemporary food.

Try Drunken Noodles or Duck Delight in their newly renovated dining room. 4938 Prytania St., 899-8886, lathaiuptown.com Miyako is a hibachi restaurant and sushi bar that offers entertainment paired with its dining experience. The Steak and Shrimp Fried Rice pairs excellently with a “Sexy Alligator” cocktail. 1403 St. Charles Ave., 410-9997, japanesebistro.com

Backspace Bar & Kitchen is a trendy spot for all-day or late-night cocktails, delicious cookies, and tasty snacks served in 1920s decor with their classic roast beef sandwich, The Whitman. 139 Chartres St., 3222245, backspacenola.com Bombay Club has fantastic martinis and nightly live music for a perfect romantic setting. Their Cosmopolitan is among the best, and their cocktails pair well with their Charred Hanger Steak. 830 Conti St., 577-2237, bombayclubneworleans.com Buffa’s Bar and Restaurant was recognized by Esquire Magazine as one of the best bars in America. Esquire also labelled their Reuben Sandwich as being among the best in the nation. 1001 Esplanade Ave., 949-0038, buffasbar.com The Jimani has a comfortable atmosphere that brings together locals and tourists alike. Their menu includes classic options, but the Poppa’s 8 oz. Steak Po’Boy is a favorite. 141 Chartres St., 524-0493, thejimani.com Mimi’s in the Marigny partners classy yet affordable dishes and a self-proclaimed “house party vibe” with cocktails at any hour. Their menu includes a succulent version of Lollipop Lambchops. 2601 Royal St., 8729868, mimismarigny.com Parasol’s is a long-time casual Irish Channel hangout with stiff drinks, sports on TV, po-boys and other Creole eats. Their large Roast Beef Po-Boy is served with gravy and sides to die for. 2533 Constance St., 302-1543 Poppy’s Time Out Sports Bar is the ultimate spot for watching sports with 21 televisions, frozen daiquiris, and 20 beers on tap. If you’re brave enough, try the “Rambo’d” Hot Wings. 500 Port of New Orleans Pl., 247-9265, poppystimeoutsportsbar.com

Welcome in 2017 With Our New Year's Eve Prix Fixe 4-Course Dinner Two Dinner Times: 6pm and 8:30pm

Limited Seats Available.

Call or visit OpenTable.com to reserve!

New Year’s Day Brunch 11am - 2pm

Eat, Drink and Relax at Apolline Exquisite cuisine, accessibly priced wines and handcrafted cocktails in the relaxed charm of our Uptown double-shotgun cottage.

Join us for Dinner or Brunch Tuesday - Sunday Bottomless Mimosas with Brunch

4729 Magazine Street • (504) 894-8881 • www.ApollineRestaurant.com 30 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

Rick’s Sporting Saloon is an adult sports bar with a surprisingly warm atmosphere. Swing by after the Saints game and check out the intimidatingly named “Gut Buster.” 522 Bourbon St., 552-2510, ricks-saloon. com Rivershack Tavern is known as New Orleans’s most unique bar, with fun bar stools, live music and fantastic food. Their Stuffed Crabs taste great with the Arugula and Watermelon Salad. 3449 River Road, 834-4938, therivershacktavern.com Rivershack Tavern Gretna is fast becoming Gretna’s best spot for enjoying a cold drink and a delicious meal.

The “Get the Gaff ” is a grilled tuna filet served over their House or Caesar Salad. 714 1st St., Gretna, 325-5530, therivershacktavern.com Shamrock Bar and Grill features the best bar games in the city with activities like pool, bowling and beer pong as well as live music on Saturday nights. They also serve a great Ribeye Steak. 4133 S Carrollton Ave., 301-0938, shamrockparty.com

Cheese Grits. 2 Metairie locations, caffecaffe.com Café Carmo’s unique vegan-friendly menu is inspired by the flavors of the Caribbean, West Africa and South and Central America. Stop by with a date or group of friends for lunch or dinner. Check out the Taradito Sashimi for a unique take on fresh fish. 527 Julia St., 875-4132, cafecarmo.com Café Degas is the oldest Gallic restaurant in town, with authentic French cuisine that’s perfect for impressing that special someone. Their decadent, savory take on cheesecake is more dinner than dessert and comes loaded with crab and andouille. 3127 Esplanade Ave., 945-5635, cafedegas.com Café Maspero is a world-famous French Quarter institution, with simple, well-executed takes on New Orleans classics. Their Muffaletta is a fantastic version of the famous sandwich and comes hot with French fries on the side. 601 Decatur St., 504-523-6520, cafemaspero.com

Three Muses Maple features local jazz combos performing in a snug bar and eatery that is always serving up global small plates and cocktails. 7537 Maple St., 510-2749, threemusesmaple.com

Jimmy J’s Café is a funky breakfast and lunch spot with a colorful, lively atmosphere. Their French Toast Monte Cristo is a unique combo of two classic dishes and comes with shaved ham, American cheese and bacon.

115 Chartres St., 309-9360, jimmyjscafe.com

Wit’s Inn is an ideal game-day destination with food, drinks and 15 flat screen TVs. Their Mediterranean Pizza comes with kalamata olives, mozzarella, roasted red peppers and spinach. 141 N Carrollton Ave., 486-1600, witsinn.com

Nola Beans is a cozy Lakeview operation with a fantastic breakfast menu. If you come in too late for eggs, check out their Magic Club Sandwich, which stacks ham, turkey and bacon, and pairs well with their onion soup. 762 Harrison Ave., 504-267-0783, nolabeans.com

World of Beer is a local hangout featuring over 500 global beers and tavern food in pub-like digs. Be sure to pair your Pork Schnitzel or Beer Can Chicken with a cold draft beer. 300 Julia St., 299-3599, worldofbeer.com

Petite Amelie is an extension of Café Amelie with a smaller, faster twist on fresh salads, juices, coffee, light breakfast fare, desserts and sandwiches. Their “Cuisine Rapide” includes a daily marketplace menu with cheeses and pastries. 900 Royal St., 412-8065, cafeamelie.com/petite-amelie

Café Café Amelie is a rare gem of superb Louisiana fare, nestled in the historic 150-year-old Princess of Monaco Courtyard and Carriage House. NOLA locals frequently flock here for the delicious food and refreshing cocktails. 912 Royal St., 412-8965, cafeamelie.com Caffe! Caffe!, winner of the “Best of the Big Easy” for best café, boasts an extensive menu featuring items like salads, soups, sandwiches and wraps. Their breakfast sandwiches are to die for—the Egg, Cheese & Bacon Ruby_Slipper_horiz_Ad_01.17_final_Layout 1 Croissant is fantastic and pairs well with their Bacon &

They also have room for a wood-fired brick pizza oven.

Pick up a slice of the Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Cheese pizza; your wallet (and your stomach) will thank you. 2706 Royal St., 504-947-8787

spots in the city. Check out their delicacies like the Cannoli Pancakes and Sicilian Egg Pies in their homey, comfortable location on Camp Street near Canal. 125 Camp St., 561-8844, redgravycafe.com

Mellow Mushroom is rumored to bake up some of the best pizza in the South. Their Oak Street location features a great location near all Oak Street action, as well as a wonderful balcony. Don’t miss the delicious Cajun Earl Pizza. 8227 Oak St., 345-8229, mellowmushroom.com/ store/oak-street-nola

Reginelli’s Pizzeria has many locations for salads, sandwiches, pastas, a variety of apps and, of course, pizza that can satisfy any craving. Their Gumbo Pizza is a delicious mash-up of andouille sausage, shrimp marinated in Crystal hot sauce and pickled okra.

Multiple locations, reginellis.com

Mid-City Pizza has a variety of creative pies and appetizers, available for delivery. Their new Uptown location near Tulane University will be opening soon. Try their Margherita and, if you’re in a carnivorous mood, ask for pepperoni on half. 4400 Banks St., 483-8609, midcitypizza.com

Venezia is a New Orleans staple for amazing Italian food. They do not disappoint with their expertly-cooked pastas, seafood and heavily-praised classic pizzas.

Their Veal Pontchartrain is particularly delicious. 134 N Carrollton Ave., 488-7991, venezianeworleans.com

Pascal’s Manale has been an Uptown institution for over a century and should be visited by every local or tourist. Don’t miss their world-famous BBQ Shrimp, simmered in-shell in a blend of Creole seasonings. 1838 Napoleon Ave., 895-4877, pascalsmanale.com Red Gravy serves unique and delicious Italian fare while also being known as one of the top brunch

Mexican Caretta’s Grill serves up Tex-Mex in multiple locations around town, complemented by great service, wonderful margaritas and catchy live music.

Their Combo Fajitas Plate comes sizzling hot, with hearty portions of shrimp, chicken and beef. Multiple locations, carrettasgrillrestaurant.com

The Ruby Slipper’s diner-style atmosphere has earned it a very popular reputation. The Peacemaker lets you pair two of their huge Signature Benedicts, which include shrimp and chicken options, for a breakfast feast like no other. Multiple locations, 504-525-9355, therubyslippercafe.com

Italian Mardi Gras Zone looks like a corner store from outside, 12/11/16 10:48 AM Page 1 but it houses an enormous selection of ethnic groceries.

MardiGrasZone

You Can’t Drink All Day if You Don’t Start in the Morning

SCRATCH KITCHEN & EYE-OPENING COCKTAILS @RUBYSLIPPERCAFE NEW ORLEANS

PENSACOLA

ORANGE BEACH

Coming Soon to 2802 Magazine Street

LEBANON’S CAFE

MIDDLE EAST CUISINE √ A HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE Great Selection Of Vegetarian Dishes

Lunch & Dinner 7 Days A Week

APPETIZERS Humus √ Falafel √ Bathenjan Dip (Roasted Eggplant w/ Garlic) √ Vegetarian Grape Leaves

DINNERS Shish Kabob (Chicken, Lamb or Beef ) √ Lula Kabob (Lamb) √ Humus w/ Lamb Meat √ Rosemary Lamb Chops

1500 S. CARROLLTON √ UPTOWN OFF JEANETTE TELEPHONE 862-6200/862-0768 WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 31

Izzo’s Illegal Burrito makes authentic Mexican burritos that are so good, it might be criminal. Their Magazine Street location is popular with students, while families love their Kidz Night. The company’s slogan is “roll your own” and they keep their promise to “roll you a better burrito.” Multiple locations, izzos.com

Middle Eastern Lebanon’s Café has earned a solid reputation in New Orleans as one of the best Middle Eastern dining destinations in the city ... plus it’s affordable and BYOB! Their Hummus with Lamb is among the most popular options. 1500 S Carrollton Ave., 862-6200, lebanonscafe.com Mona’s Café has been serving traditional Lebanese specialties for 20 years. With a number of locations around town, you don’t have to go far for Mona’s Combination Kebab: a flavorful fusion of beef, chicken and lula. Multiple locations, monascafeanddeli.com Pyramids Café is great for those on a budget who are craving healthy, authentic, fresh Mediterranean cuisine. Located across from Tulane University, their Vegetarian Plate offers big portions of hummus, baba ganouj, tabouli and falafel. 3149 Calhoun St., 861-9602, pyramidscafeneworleans.com

Cornet, named after Louis Armstrong’s kick-starter from the Karnofsky Family, has steaks, seafood and Cajun fare in an iconic Bourbon Street building, with big wrought-iron balconies and picturesque French Quarter views. Their Shrimp Creole is a fantastic take on a classic New Orleans dish. 700 Bourbon St., 523-1485, cornetnola.com Crescent City Brewhouse is the French Quarter’s only microbrewery, but they don’t stop at beer. Their menu is to die for, too. Check out the Broiled Crawfish Acadania, served with corn and crawfish maque choux, fingerling potatoes, roasted fennel and Creole tomato glaze. 527 Decatur St., 522-0571, crescentcitybrewhouse.com EAT, located in the heart of the French Quarter, cooks traditional Southern dishes like Red Bean and Andouille Gumbo with local seafood and seasonal produce. BYOB is encouraged. 900 Dumaine St, 522-7222, eatnola.com Frankie and Johnny’s is a local institution known for great seafood, service and ice cold beer. A great spot for the family or a large group of friends, Frankie and Johnny’s does not disappoint. Their oyster dishes are particularly popular and surprisingly affordable. 321 Arabella St., 243-1234, frankieandjohnnys.net

New Orleans Cuisine

Kingfish offers Louisiana specialties in the French Quarter and has an elegant atmosphere and Cajun favorites. Their seared “Hook and Line” Gulf Fish is a delicious and healthy option, accompanied by roasted squash and cherry tomatoes, and pairs well with a Queens Park Swizzle cocktail. 337 Chartres St., 5985005, kingfishneworleans.com Melba’s is one of the top spots in the city and it’s only fi ve minutes from the French Quarter. Don’t miss their “Free Wings” special after every Saints game. The prices are unbeatable: an order of fries and a huge, delicious Roast Beef Po-Boy will run you under $8. 1525 Elysian Fields, 267-7765, eatatmelbas.com New Orleans Creole Cookery has a variety of traditional Louisiana dishes including Shrimp Creole and Gumbo Three Different Ways. Their Blackened Redfish is delicious. It’s topped with a dill Beurre Blanc sauce and comes with heirloom potatoes and Creole green beans. 508 Toulouse St., 524-9632, neworleanscreolecookery.com Poppa’s Poor Boys has some of the best po-boys in town with generous portions and modest prices. Their $16.95 All-You-Can-Eat Boiled Shrimp every Friday can’t be beat! The Shrimp and Oyster Po-Boy is a delicious pairing of two seafood favorites. 720 Claiborne Dr., 832-8114

Antoine’s Restaurant has been a fixture in New Orleans for 176 years and is still operated by the family that originally founded it. They’ve perfected their seafood options: the Drum Amandine, Shrimp Remoulade and Huitres (Oysters) Bienville make for a perfect trio. 713 Saint Louis St., 581-4422 antoines.com

RF’s offers a relaxed yet elegant dining experience just a block from Bourbon Street. A popular choice is their grown-up take on Chicken and Waffles. It’s only offered for dinner and comes with maple-chipotle syrup and a sunny-side-up egg. They also offer live music and a huge selection of martinis. 301 Dauphine St., 504-586-0972, rfsnola.com

Café 615 Home of Da Wabbit is a Westbank favorite that will remind you of home-cooked comfort food.

Check out their daily specials for something that’s sure to please. Their Soft Shell Crab Platter comes with two massive crabs and two sides. 615 Kepler St., 365-1225, dawabbit.net Columns Hotel has a delightful little bistro tucked away on its porch overlooking St. Charles Avenue. Their Grilled Pork Ribeye is fantastic and comes accompanied by a seasonal chutney. They’re also open for brunch every Sunday. 3811 St. Charles Ave., 899-9308, thecolumns.com/dining

Joey K’s is a classic, casual Uptown joint with generous seafood platters and Southern favorites done “Like Ya Mama’s.” Their fried chicken is a delicious indulgence, its spice complemented by the many beers available at the bar. 3001 Magazine St., 891-0997, joeyksrestaurant. com

Short-StopPo-Boys

Short Stop Poboys boasts some of the best po-boys out there, even in a city full of darn good po-boys.

Open from early ‘til late, Short Stop is also famous for their amazing Seafood Gumbo. Their Soft Shell Crab Sandwich is enormous, with legs hanging out of the bread; if you get it dressed, it’s a delicious mess! 119 Transcontinental Dr., Metairie, 885-4572, shortstoppoboysno.com

Seafood The Blue Crab, located right off Lake Pontchartrain in Lakeview, is revered for their seafood with a view. Bring the whole family, or bring your date, and enjoy one of the best Happy Hours in New Orleans. 7900 Lakeshore Dr., 284-2898, thebluecrabnola.com Crazy Lobster Bar and Grill offers fresh seafood buckets and great views on the banks of the Mississippi.

They call their seafood tower the Crown Jewel of the Sea. It comes with Crab Maison, Shrimp Remoulade, shrimp cocktail, oysters, clams and mussels. That’s a lot of shellfish. 500 Port of New Orleans Place, 569-3380, thecrazylobster.com Lafitte’s Landing Seafood House is a new Westbank eatery hailing from veteran restauranteurs AJ and Anna Tusa, who own the Creole Cookery among other area spots. The Steamed Seafood Bucket is just one of their extravagant combo options. 1700 Lapalco Blvd., Harvey, 504-252-9613, lafitteslandingseafoodhouse. com Nola Boils Café is a restaurant and catering company that specializes in on-site boils of all kinds of seafood including crab, crawfish, lobster, shrimp and more.

For those into surf, their Shrimp and Crab Baskets are overflowing with savory goodness. And for those into turf, the Roast Beef is to die for. 601 Metairie Rd., 782-6070, nolaboils.com Oceana Grill is a seafood lover’s paradise. Their menu offers everything you could want, but the Crab Cakes are a particular delight and you can get them paired with creamy fettuccine noodles. Ask about the Mardi Gras Pasta as well. 739 Conti St., 504-525-6002, oceanagrill.com Poseidon has everything from Creole-style oysters to fresh sushi to karaoke. A great spot to visit with a group of friends or that special date, their unique St. Patrick Roll combines shrimp, mango, spicy tuna and avocado.

2100 St. Charles Ave., 509-6675, poseidonnola.com Royal House Oyster Bar is one of New Orleans’s most exemplary oyster spots, located in the heart of the Quarter. A great spot to take visitors, their Oysters on the Half Shell are among the city’s best. 441 Royal St., 528-2601, royalhouserestaurant.com

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32 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

BarGuide Bar Tonique 820 N Rampart St. 324-6045

Known for its delicious craft cocktails and daily drink specials, this neighborhood bar is the perfect spot for cocktail hipsters.

Buffa’s Bar & Restaurant 1001 Esplanade Ave. 949-0038

Highlighted in Esquire as one of the “Best Bars in America,” comfort foods and signature drinks will keep you coming back.

Cajun Mike's Pub and Grub Prices for food and drink at Mike’s are among the lowest in the neighborhood, and the atmosphere 116 Baronne St. is friendly, loose and genuine.

566-0055 Cosimo's 1201 Burgundy St. 522-9715

Cosimo's is a great place to kill time in the Quarter, with darts, pool, outdoor cafe tables and usually a dog or two.

Finn McCool's 3701 Banks St. 486-9080

This Irish pub is a local hotspot for sports. Grab a pint and get glued to the screen during your favorite game.

Gattuso’s 435 Huey P Long Ave. 368-1114

Head to the Best Bank, the Westbank, for live music, casual lunches and delicious dinner and Happy Hour specials.

Golden Lantern 1239 Royal St. 529-2860

Grab a tasty Bloody Mary at this fabulous 24-hour neighborhood spot, the home setting for the Southern Decadence festival.

Hermes Bar at Antoine's 725 St. Louis St. 581-4422

Experience that classic-style New Orleans flair alongside some delicious eats and classic cocktails at one of the city’s best restaurants.

Jimani 141 Chartres St. 524-0493

This unpretentious bar has 10 TVs, late-night pub grub and 100 beers. Pace yourself—Jimani doesn’t empty out til 8 a.m.

Kerry Irish Pub 331 Decatur St. 527-5954

Get all your live Irish music needs covered here.

Enjoy an Irish coffee alongside their folk, jazz or blues acts.

Martine's Lounge 2347 Metairie Rd. 831-8637

A great local bar in Old Metairie where everybody knows your name and is one of the BEST craft cocktail spots in the city.

The Metropolitan 310 Andrew Higgins Dr. 568-1702

A warehouse-turned-nightclub that has the best DJs around. Features all types of music from house to hip hop to rock.

Pal's Lounge 949 N Rendon St. 488-7257

This hidden gem in Mid-City is filled with great drinks and lively locals. Come for Sunday Funday or try the Bacon Bloody Mary.

Q&C HotelBar 344 Camp St. 587-9700

Whether you're staying at the Q&C Hotel or not, you'll always be treated to a dose of NOLA history and tradition, along with some killer cocktails.

RF's 301 Dauphine St. 586-0972

Looking to get off Bourbon Street and chill out for a few minutes (or hours)? RF’s offers a calm courtyard setting with famous martinis.

Rick’s Cabaret 315 Bourbon St. 524-4222

Enjoy a cocktail on the Borbon Street balcony, or enjoy the sights indoors on one of their three floors.

The epitome of New Orleans nightlife.

Rick's Sporting Saloon 522 Bourbon St. 552-2510

The Sporting Saloon is a hybrid of a sports bar and gentleman’s club. They have a bevy of bar foods and beers.

Rivershack Tavern 3449 River Rd. 834-4938

One of the city’s quirkiest bars, come on by for some great live music and tasty eats. Bring in a tacky ashtray for a free drink!

Rivershack Tavern Gretna With the addition of this newer location, you can now enjoy Rivershack’s unique, quirky charm on 714 1st St., Gretna both sides of the Mississippi.

325-5530

Shamrock Bar & Grille 4133 S Carrollton Ave. 307-4350

Schedule your next party here or watch some crazy wrestling matches. Between live music and pool tables, there’s plenty to do.

Three Muses Maple 7537 Maple St. 510-2749

Three Muses Maple is a spot where local jazz combos perform in a chill bar and eatery serving up global small plates and delicious house cocktails.

Tropical Isle Original 721 Bourbon St. 529-4109

Home of the Hand Grenade, this bar rocks a weekday Happy Hour from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Come to this or any of their five locations for great live music.

Wit's Inn 141 N Carrollton Ave. 486-1600

Wit’s Inn has a sprawling selection of top-shelf liquors and creative cocktails to use them in, plus themed specials nights weekly.

World of Beer 300 Julia St. 299-3599

A local hangout featuring 500+ global beers, lots of craft beer drafts, tavern food in pub digs, and plenty of TVs for the big game.

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WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 33

FilmReviews

Catch Where Y'at Movie Editor David Vicari and critic Fritz Esker's “Dueling Critics” blog at WhereYat.com.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

By David Vicari You know when you are in a discount store and see a toy or action figure that is a cheap knockoff of the “real thing”? That is how I feel about the Star Wars “spin off” movie Rogue One. It never feels like a true Star Wars movie. What we get are weak characters, forced call backs to the original films, and overly familiar space battles.

Rogue One is not a part of the episodic Star Wars saga (currently up to Episode VII with VIII on the way in 2017), but a standalone story ... sort of. The events in Rogue One take place immediately before the events in the first Star Wars (1977), which was re-christened Episode IV: A New Hope on re-release. Anyway, a group of rebels are brought together for a dangerous mission—to steal the plans for the Empire's dreaded planet destroyer known as the Death Star. Among the crew is assassin Cassian (Diego Luna), blind martial arts master Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen), and opinionated droid K-2SO (voiced by Alan Tudyk). Then there is loner Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) whose father (Mads Mikkelsen) is the scientist who was forced to create the Death Star.

There is some excitement early on, and Tudyk generates some laughs, but the rest is pretty boring. Instead of being a badass akin to a female Snake Plissken, Jones's character is woefully dull. She barely registers. And she's our main character!

Say what you will about Star Wars creator George Lucas and his prequels, but he showed us something new in each of his films, whether it be new vehicles, new creatures or new environments. Rogue One and last year's The Force Awakens just rehash things from the first three films in an attempt to ride the nostalgia train. Oh, look! Darth Vader shows up here. Who cares? And R2-D2 and C-3PO are wedged into a dumb cameo. But don't worry, there is yet another rebel attack on an imperial space station.

Most bothersome is that a digital rendering of the late Peter Cushing, as the evil Grand Moff Tarkin from A New Hope, shows up in a supporting role. It's creepy, and I think Disney—the studio that created this movie—crossed some sort of ethical boundary. There is also a CGI young Princess Leia which, again, is the stuff of nightmares.

I'm sorry to say, but Rogue One just doesn't have that Star Wars magic. See La La Land instead.

Nocturnal Animals

By Fritz Esker After making a splash with A Single Man, writer/director Tom Ford returns with Nocturnal Animals, an exploration of failed relationships and how people tackle their pasts through their art.

Amy Adams plays a gallery owner in a loveless marriage to a businessman (Armie Hammer). They live a luxurious lifestyle, but both of their businesses are struggling.

Adams receives a manuscript written by her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal). They were childhood friends who married young, but Adams quickly ended the marriage in divorce.

The film cuts back and forth between Adams and the manuscript’s story. In that narrative, a husband and father (also Gyllenhaal) is attacked on the road by thugs (led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who rape and murder his wife (Adams look-a-like Isla Fisher) and daughter. He teams up with a Texas ranger (Michael Shannon) to seek justice.

The story-within-a-story is compelling in its own right (I’d watch a TV show called Michael Shannon, Texas Ranger). Taylor-Johnson, who’s toiled in films like Kick-Ass and Godzilla, turns in career-best work as the bad guy. But what’s most interesting about Nocturnal Animals is how it examines creativity. When people explore their demons in their art, are they exorcising them or are they feeding them?

Nocturnal Animals never gives the audience an easy answer about the creative process or the nature of what’s forgivable or unforgivable in relationships. It’s a smart film that’s worth a look.

34 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table

By Kathy Bradshaw

Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table is the story of Ella Brennan’s life and rise to the ranks of one of the most highly acclaimed restaurateurs of all time. She was born into “New Orleans royalty” as a member of the famous Brennan family and was raised eating good food and learning the ropes of the restaurant biz. At a very young age, Ella took over Brennan’s Restaurant, turning it into the fine-dining legend it remains today and eventually opened Commander’s Palace, which quickly became a beloved, aqua-blue icon in the restaurant world serving unmatched cuisine. Referred to as everything from Hurricane Ella to the Pizzazz Ambassador, she is credited as the creator of jazz brunch and “Haute Creole Cuisine,” as well as playing a substantial role in bringing several then-unheard of chefs—such as Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse—to national celebrity status. Ella doesn’t cook.

She survives on take-out from Commander’s and they say she might not even own a pan, but she knows what good food is and makes sure that her restaurant serves it.

The film is touching and funny, inspiring and educational, and will definitely make you hungry. The beautiful imagery—in particular, the food shots—do their subjects justice, portraying the dishes Ella helped conceive as mouth-watering, colorful and flawlessly presented. While filmgoers outside of New Orleans may appreciate some of the jokes and references slightly less than the locals do, this is still a must-see for everyone who enjoys a powerful success story or who simply likes to eat.

Not just a biography of Ella Brennan, the film is equally the story of the restaurant industry, a story of survival, of food and culture, and of New Orleans as a whole. As Ti Martin, Ella’s daughter, said, “This is really about all of New Orleans. It just happens to be our family’s story.”

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 35

TalesFromTheQuarter

By Debbie Lindsay

S

Confessions of an Estranged Entreprenuer

o you think it would be fun to open a book store or any little business of your own for that matter? Well, think again. It’s like wanting to own your own home—but you never really own it; Mother Nature does. And what with her termites that can eat your investment in record time or subsidence that will crack your foundation or the flood that was never supposed to happen, you can never fully depend upon that house to be truly loyal to you.

A business of your own is the same. It too is subject to the whims of nature, the economy, gentrification, rent hikes.

For 10 years, we had stable rent; but at one point, a streets project ironically named Pathways to Progress just about shut us down with the deconstruction of the Quarter’s walk and roadways. And what about the scaffolding in front of our shop during a renovation or a couple of hurricane evacuations that set everyone back? Then there was the BP oil spill—not great for tourism. And the list goes on. Yet throughout the rough times, we had good rent and that kept us in business … until we didn’t. Even the best of landlords will fall for the pipe dreams of larger rents that real estate managers put forth. A 115 percent rent increase was set. We left our Quarter digs and the space remained pretty much empty for a year. Our former landlord lost revenue and we nearly lost a business we had grown for 10 years.

New location, fresh start, and enough debt to worry over for the next couple of decades.

You still want your own business? Freedom from the grind of working for the man and punching a clock? We work seven days a week with 84 hours of work-related stuff. No boss per se, but I do wake up staring at the ceiling wondering how to pay the rent and, if we fail, how to pay the lease off.

We have tried to reinvent our cookbook shop, thinking out of the box, brainstorming, being creative. I now spend hours every day with my imaginary cyber-friends in the hope that they will lead me to business. I Twit, Twat and Twitter my fingers and eyeballs. I hashtag inane words and phrases. I stalk people on Facebook looking to network with other businesses. I chase down bike tours with business cards and offers of clean restrooms and bike racks. I

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even Tweeted “Hand job and a free beer” (many “follows” on that one). I have learned the best ways to attract Facebook likes and shares—anything with a kitten photo. You can post “My hair is on fire” and if you show a cute kitten, you’ll garner little hearts, smiley faces and likes.

Post a goofy puppy, throw in a kitten, add some adorable kids, and a mushroom cloud in the backdrop, and everyone will love it—it can go viral, even. However, you might not get any retail sales from any of it.

Book signings with plenty of booze are supposed to help business. Two hours later, you have a lot of empty bottles, some water rings on that circa 1890 cookbook, and you spent half the time “babysitting” someone’s adorable child who wanted dearly to sit on an antique chair tagged FRAGILE $400.00. Great kid, obtuse parent. Sure, there are those loyal customers and friends that will buy any book you throw a party for out of solidarity. But I just want to scream when someone with money, means and (otherwise) good manners chooses to read the damn book, sip wine, then leave empty-handed. Still and all, my best advice to any book store would be: throw as many book-signing parties as possible. They are exhausting to host, but the goodwill you garner from folks will help, and there is great pleasure in helping an author—they gotta make a living too.

We spent 10 years in the Quarter cultivating a name for ourselves among visitors. We are better known in Australia than in Uptown New Orleans. We’ve always welcomed locals; however, the Quarter is not “local-friendly.” I gave up trying to lure locals living outside the Quarter due to parking or lack thereof. Why would anyone want to pay $10 to $50 to park or risk being booted and/or towed? So we left the Toulouse Street location and became the new kid in town. Across town. Locals are fabulous—ya just have to get ‘em in. We now have free parking to offer—yes Joni, I’m sorry, they did pave paradise to put up a parking lot … and we have two of them!

Still, even with social media, guerrilla marketing (hand painted yard signs, flyers, joining neighborhood associations, grabbing every radio/ podcast interview possible) free gift certificates, free booze, chef pop-ups (the best idea so far), chalk writing Kitchen Witch This Way on sidewalks—it’s never enough to pay the bills. Add all these efforts to our 5-star YELP rating, features in major food magazines/newspapers, and the kindness of many—and we still tread water.

You might think, “But it’s just a book store, I could run it on a shoestring.” Think again. Just to be able to sign a lease, you must have insurance, and to buy insurance, you must have an alarm/security system. Add computer/internet, phone, credit card processor/fees, banking fees, Entergy ($660.00 last winter—we hand out sweaters now), clunker car, AAA, insurance, printing, bags, business cards/brochures. Inventory: major expense; But rent comes first … oh, and those bank loans and credit debt.

Bottom line: you will be owned by your business. And in our case, it is one that we love dearly. Wish us luck!

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Po-BoyViews

By Phil LaMancusa

Resolutionary Thoughts OR Just You Wait

M

aniacal, perplexing, mystifying, puzzling, mind-numbing, confounding, ass-kicking to the curb under the bus, over-the-river-and-through-thewoods; 2016 is gone and if I ever see it again, I’m going to beat it like “never fail meringue,” whip it like party cream, batter it like gulf shrimp, and snatch it bald-headed!

What a miserable year it was, and I, for one, am pleased as punch to see it go and hopefully never to darken my door again.

It seems as though every blessed year at this time, for as long as I can remember, I have said and heard, “Oh, this last year was bad, but next year it’s bound to get better.”

I deserve a dose of whup-ass for being so optimistic. Yes, last year was uber-terrible, but the year before was less unpleasant— which was damned awful—the year before that ate the weenie, and the one before that was simply gruesome and on and on and on. Let me ask you this: when was the last year that life did not throw something at you that you would have gladly done without? I don’t mind things not being easy; but, ”temples are graying and teeth are decaying and creditors weighing your purse” is not my idea of a working mantra.

As the eternal optimist, bruised and bloodied that I am, I’m going to be the first (and possibly the only one) to assure you that next year will be better. Sure, last year some of your heroes died, prices went up and not your wages, you spent more at the veterinarian than on your own health care, and a few of your friends spent time in chemo. There was that front-tooth cap that decided to break when the dentist was golfing, the unexpected car repair, your rent was jacked up and you had to vacate; your neighbors got evicted to make room for an Airbnb location. Add to that: the recurring pain in your lower back that’s suddenly attacking you (again); learning that GMOs contributed to your allergies, realizing that termites are eating your floorboards, and, oh yeah, your dog died. You’re living in the crime capital of the country. What else can happen, right? Just you wait.

I have this theory that if life doesn’t kill you outright (and there is always that possibility), it is going to wear you down and wear you down, hoping that you will cease to struggle against its insidious carnival tricks—the ones that get you the pie in the face—and just give up. However, you (and I) will keep coming back like gamblers at the track, waiters at the video poker machine, out-of-work laborers buying scratch-offs, and/or lovers in failed relationships betting

that things will work themselves out.

Do you want to know why I am not going down without a fight—why I’m going to live a long life and get the most out of it?

The night sky in a riot of colors as the sun sets; coffee in the morning with something freshly toasted; getting in that old car of mine and hearing it turn over from a growl to a purr; whipped cream on sweet potato pie; crows, monk parrots and squirrels; my hot pepper plant when I can pick another red one for spaghetti; waking up with Girlfriend next to me with the dog and the cats all snugged up together; going home after a long day and finding that my daughter has sent me ice cream for my birthday; the beauty and light that surround me if I only take a moment to recognize and appreciate them.

I don’t find my self-worth by comparison— judging whether others are less fortunate to elevate my self-esteem is unworthy of me—and I am worthy. Neither do I consider that when a person has more than I—be it fortune, talent or fame—that that should be a cause for envy or jealousy. Those things are simply things that are.

Now, before you start to think that I’m some kind of blissed-out monk, let me stress that I am anything but.

I tend to judge people. By the way they speak, dress, how they treat cashiers, if they litter, and if they return their damn shopping cart to that little shopping cart station in the parking lot. I disapprove of men who wear their trousers below their underwear, who spit in the street, and/or make discourteous remarks to unaccompanied women. I cannot abide by people who take kindness for weakness.

I get angry at people who make general rudeness a lifestyle, mistreat children and animals, and/or drive like they’re from a third world country. I am not understanding about people holding up signs at intersections when I know that everything they’re begging for is already being freely provided by a plethora of social service organizations. I see no reason why an ablebodied person cannot/does not find gainful employment. See? I’m a snob.

But, I tell you, next year it will be better. I’ll be better. I’ll be more tolerant, understanding and patient. And when someone needs some good advice, a shoulder to cry on, a mature outlook, I’ll deliver unto them my new mantra that I recently received from Rooster Sedaris— short version: “Just you wait.” Long version: “I’m here to tell you that everything’s gonna be all right. We’ll get through this sh*t, just you wait!”

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 37

YaGram

Below are our staff's favorite #NOLA hashtags on Instagram for December. Tag us @WhereYatNola or #WhereYatNola to be featured in an upcoming issue.

NewsAroundTheWeb

Updated Daily at WhereYat.com

JohnLegendSetForNBAAll-StarGame @vaha178

@reness_bigelow

@davidnola

Music star John Legend is set to perform the halftime show at the NBA All-Star Game this February in New Orleans. Originally set in Charlotte, North Carolina, the much-anticipated NBA All-Star Game as well as Legend’s performance will now be featured in New Orleans on February 19, with The Roots opening the game as well.

Middendorf'sReopensToPublic @anniebombdigity

@annecutler

@daintiersmarter

@kgb0504

@dtsguy18

@blakeputnam

TweetBites

Below are our staff's New Orleans hashtag picks from Twitter for December. Tag us @WhereYatNola or #WhereYatNola to be featured in an upcoming issue.

@WrittenNRed: It's the little things you appreciate when you're away from home. Like no open container laws. #nolalife #togocups

After four months of renovations, Middendorf’s has finally reopened its dining room to the public. Although the restaurant remained open during their first renovation since 1967, the new dining room will be able to take on more customers without the need for long lines or wait times. Even better, the repairs ensure that Middendorf’s can continue to serve “the best fried fish in the world” without fear of flooding their bottom level.

NewYear'sRockin'EveComesToNOLA For the first time ever, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve will broadcast a live feed of midnight festivities in New Orleans. Dick Clark Productions head Mike Mahan remarked positively on the choice saying, “Known for its vibrant culture and deep musical roots, New Orleans is the ideal choice to host our first-ever Central Time Zone countdown.”

@paigebyerly: It takes a special kind of blindness to not see the beauty in #Louisiana's most iconic ecosystem. #ReignTheSwamp @amaniinmotion: This is hilarious and endearing. The locals sound like they are fresh out of a Zatarain's commercial. #nawlins @themissinglinka: Ahhh home sweet home, where the air smells like character :) #followyournola @tina_cappello: Some seriously good chargrilled oysters. Celebrating New Orleans #nola #NewOrleansFood #Foodie @Faces_by_bee: Show me someone who don't love louisiana cooking and I'll show you a liar!!.. #louisianafood #louisianalife #cajuncountry #deepsouth

38 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

BayouCountrySuperfestMovesToDome The musical lineup for New Orleans’s first hosting of the Bayou Country Superfest includes Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Hank Williams Jr., Brett Eldredge, Old Dominion and more. They will be performing at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on May 26-28, with an additional kick-off celebration on May 26 at Champions Square featuring Easton Corbin and more.

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5 3

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1

Where Ya' Been?

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1.

Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Winston Payne ruled over the Louisiana Renaissance Festival.

2.

Costumes of all sorts made Ren Fest a success, especially for Rebecca Richards and Daniel Thompson.

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WDSU’s Jay Galle and wife Diane Chauvin of La Thai enjoy “Whiskers & Whiskey” with Jakki Henriquez and Robert Steinberg.

Cat sweaters were all the rage as the Acrocats performed “Meowy Catmas.”

8.

The Rock Cats band performed “Catnip Roasting on an Open Fire” at the Acrocats show.

4.

Al Copeland Investments’ Caitlin Sholmier, with her boyfriend Ian Strother, enjoyed the Where Y’at holiday party.

9.

Emcee Shawn Williams and Ashley, from 106.1 FM The Underground, enjoyed the SKYY Vodka Best Bartender of New Orleans Finals at Walk-On’s Rampart Room.

5.

Stephanie and Tom Capella celebrate “Whiskers & Whiskey” to benefit Team Gleason with Steve Gleason.

6.

Director of Sales Stephen Romero enjoys the Where Y’at holiday party with Crescent Crown’s Nick Hazard

10. Jeremy from Superior Grill (second from right) won the SKYY Vodka Best Bartender Finals over fellow finalists Michael from the Marriot, Andrea from Swamp Room, Ryan from Parlay’s, and Stephanie from Ernst Café.

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40 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

and Publisher Josh Danzig.

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Tickets Start at $15!

Restrictions, exclusions and additional charges may apply.

Subject to availability. Market prices are subject to supply and demand, and may change throughout and following the offer period.

MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME

JAN 28 374227

Competitors shown are subject to change. Š 2016 Feld Motor Sports, Inc. • All trademarks shown are the property of their respective owners.

MonsterJam.com

WhereYat.com | January 2017 | 41

Launched by A.J. and Anna Tusa of the famous New Orleans Tusa restaurant family, the New Orleans Creole Cookery boasts a spark of new-generation energy, presenting some of New Orleans’s most treasured cooking traditions in an innovative setting that speaks to the way people dine today. Take a look at their traditional Creole menu, which includes Shrimp Creole and Gumbo three different ways.

Chat NIKKI REYES with

<< Michael Juan General Manager, N.O. Creole Cookery 1.

2.

3.

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Peace of mind.

Kick start Rudolph!

Procrastination.

NEVER! My wife is going to read this, Nikki!

<< John Trinh Executive Chef, N.O. Creole Cookery 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Lamborghini.

Hot Chili! It will work.

Donald Trump.

Yes! Eating less red meat.

More sex toys!

<< Mark Roberts Senior Marketing Manager, Live Nation 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Take my "whole" family to New Zealand.

Hmm ... Connect to the street car line.

No more musician deaths!

NO! Selflessness! I'm a team player.

Where Y’at Chat Questions:

1. Merry YOU! What do you want for Christmas, yet cannot give to a loved one?

2. St. Nick needs a battery jump and you don't have jumper cables. What do you do?

3. Happy New Year! Who or what from 2016 do you not want to roll into 2017?

4. Have you ever stuck to a New Year's resolution that you had made?

5. What in your sex life do you want more of in 2017?

<< Khater Salomon Founder, turn2blue.net

<< Eli Bader Director Of Marketing, Oceana

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Baseball bats for kids unable to play.

Load my car up and take them where needed.

Drug overdoses.

Yes!! To give to those who need. I still do!

Nikki Reyes!

<< Dawn Vachon Sales Assistant, OUTFRONT Media 1.

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4.

5.

A hard time!

Reach in my purse for double DD batteries.

My OLD salary!

Yes! Running marathons.

I have a list, Santa!

More time.

Call AAA. CANCER! Oh yeah! Every time!

More intimacy.

^^ Mitsuko Tanner Owner, Origami 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

A grandchild!

Get batteries.

Natural disasters.

Yes! I opened ORIGAMI! A graduate!

<< Caitlin Shollmier Marketing Manager, Copeland's 1.

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3.

4.

5.

A new Mustang.

I'll buy him an Uber.

NEGATIVE, FAKE PEOPLE! Yes! I lost 10 pounds.

More candles!

<< Lauren Busch VP, Brustman Carrino Public Relations

<< Jayna Morgan Decuers Marketing Manager, WAITR/Jazz Vocalist

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To shrink two dress sizes.

Fuel him with 190 Octane Daiquiri!

Politics.

NEVER! More status quo.

42 | January 2017 | Where Y'at Magazine

To sing at French Quarter Fest with my band.

Call WAITR! They're awesome!

The amount of funerals.

HaaaHaaaaHaaaa! Cheers!

Slow motion, baby!