The Presidency and New Orleans
Joe Biden once spoke at UNO. I know because I was there. As I recall he spoke in the University Center's auditorium. The room was maybe half full, which was not bad considering that all that Biden was at…
Author: Errol Laborde
Episode 22: Bounty of the Cajun Pig – Cochon de Lait, Boudin, Cracklins and Other Treasures from the Boucherie
Cajuns are often associated with seafood, especially the crawfish, but in the prairie areas of south Louisiana, Cajuns are pork eater. Dixie Poche, author of the book the “Cajun Pig,” joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along…
King Cakes in the COVID Era
I suspect that this is going to be a good year for king cake sales, BUT there is also going to be a major crisis over the allocation of responsibility: In other words, who gets the baby now? To…
Episode 21: Bourbon Beat – Louisiana’s Cocktail Culture
Not only have whiskey and rum long been shipped through the state’s ports but local bartenders have created classics such as the Sazerac and Huey Long’s favorite, the Ramos Gin Fizz. Tim McNally – an expert on cocktail history and…
For Us, 12th Night Isn't An Ending, It's A Beginning
I have long maintained that for whatever maladies may haunt New Orleanians, post-Christmas letdown has not been one of them. While the rest of the world hauls its Christmas clutter to the shed, we deck…
Streetcar: When Rex Met Zulu
Lundi Gras 1999 had extra excitement to it, at least for those gathered at Riverwalk near the stage at Spanish Plaza where Rex, King of Carnival, and his entourage would soon be arriving. What was different that year was the…
Midnight Trains
Let us pause a moment to consider midnight trains: Winston Hall is a Shreveport musician, song writer and music history buff. His town was once the home of the “Louisiana Hayride,” a Grand Ole Opry-type radio concert that helped grease…
Episode 20: A Plantation in Modern Times – Owner Kevin Kelly Discusses the Revival of Houmas House, and the Challenges Involved
– What is it like to own a plantation estate? Well, instead of worrying about the sugar harvest there is more concern about the tourist arrivals. It also helps to have a good eye for architecture, design and style. Kevin…
Three Ways Christmas In New Orleans Is Unique From Others
New Orleans celebrates Christmas pretty much like any other American city, but it is in the nature of this city to never be totally normal; to be a bit quirky in whatever we do, and that includes the holidays. …
Episode 19: Sizzling In The Kitchen – Stanley Dry, The Best of Louisiana Cooking
To the great debate about which is more appropriate to accompany gumbo – sweet potato or potato salad? – Stanley Dry offers a great alternative, sweet potato salad. Dry is the Food Editor for Louisiana Life magazine. He had also…
Bonfires on the Levee – The True Story
Because of COVID, Papa Noel will be on his own this Christmas Eve as he approaches Louisiana’s river parishes. We all know that the reason folks in St. James, and other river parishes, build bonfires on the night before…
Episode 18: A Man and His Swamp - Dean Wilson, Atchafalaya Basinkeeper
Asked which he prefers, alligators or crocodiles, and Dean Wilson did not hesitate. “Alligators,” he replied, “I can swim with them, but I can’t swim with crocodiles.” Wilson should know. He once spent four months alone in the Atchafalaya swamps'…
To Jefferson Parish: Yes, Have Parades In May...Just Don't Call It Mardi Gras, Please
Orleans Parish was named after a French Aristocrat; Jefferson Parish was named after an American Statesman. You can usually count on statesmen to be a little hungrier than aristocrats and to try a little harder to make things happen.…
Episode 17: Pre-Historic Poverty Point - Indigenous Settlement Is Rich With Discoveries
Poverty Point is a pre-historic settlement dating back as far as 1700 years BC. Located in what is now Northeastern Louisiana, Poverty Point was the center of an indigenous culture that spread thorough the Gulf South. Archaeologists Diana Greenlee digs…
Streetcar: An Old Acquaintance
One night in March I was clicking the TV remote control through those late night talking head news shows when I was stopped cold by a news item. There was a picture of a headline from the next day’s “Wall…
Carnival Denied: Learning From the "No Call Bowl"
For the first crisis, the enemy could not see; for the current crisis, we cannot see the enemy. Last time we were body-slammed as a society was due to a sight-impaired referee whose failure to see what the rest…
Episode 16: Traiteurs – The Traditions of Plants and Prayers for Healing
There are two things that many of us might like to have more of “faith” and “healing.” Mary Perrin can provide both. Perrin is a traiteuse, the Acadian equivalent of a faith healer. Working with herbs, plants and prayer traiteurs…
Facing Polio: When The Vaccines Arrived
A relative recalls the day in the ‘60s when he was taken to the gym at St. Dominic’s school. There, a nurse carried around a tray filled with small cups; each cup contained a sugar cube. For kids already…
Episode 15: Adventures In Natchitoches – Where the Cane River Reflects the Season and Clementine Hunter, Kate Chopin and Dolly Parton are Part of the History
Natchitoches is one of Louisiana’s most charming towns. It is also the oldest continuing settlement having been discovered by French explorers, even before New Orleans. The region is known for its rich history, including having been the setting for the…
Carnival's Choices: Harder and Harder
Imagine that you want to have a backyard barbecue but before you can you have to get the approvals of the city. An inspector visits, studies the situation, and after consultation issues a report. "Good news," he says, "you can…
Episode 14: Living The Chimp Life - A Haven Near Shreveport is a Happy Space for Retired Chimpanzees
Located in Keithville, Chimp Haven is the largest protected area for chimps in the country. Many of the residents were once owned by the federal government for research; others were pets. Now they all live a leisurely life, which…
Sky In The Eye
Pub Note: Errol Laborde’s Blog, the Editor’s Room, recently won First Place in the News Blog category at the Press Club of New Orleans’ annual awards competition. This was the third time that Laborde has won that award. …
The Great Sweet Potato Controversy
Now I guess is as good a time as any to resolve an issue and move on with our lives. Afterall, we have been through so much this year that we should get all of the controversies behind us and…
Episode 13: Les cajuns et l'histoire française de la Louisiane
Warren Perrin might be referred to as a Cajun Activist. The Lafayette Attorney once petitioned Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain asking for a British apology for the deportation of the Acadian people. (The British did not apologize but they acknowledged…
Streetcar: Best of the Bunch
Not much good can be said about 2020, but I will concede this, it was a good year for bananas, especially those grown in the backyard, maybe too good. When we first bought the house, I knew there was a…
Gerald Ford and Me
I had just picked up a scoop from an undisclosed source and placed it in my mental file. The scoop was that President Richard Nixon had reluctantly agreed to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Watergate scandal. Nixon…
Episode 12: Capitol Ideas - Reports From The Hospitality Battlefield
By law, the job of the Lieutenant Governor is not only to be ready when needed, but to also oversee the state’s tourism. COVID-19 has dropped many bombs on the industry and this week, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser talks…
Renaissance Publishing Wins Big
NEW ORLEANS – On Thursday, Oct. 25, the Press Club of New Orleans virtually held its annual award ceremony. For the year, Renaissance Publishing won a total of 18 awards. First Place Awards: Tiffani Amedeo, New Orleans Magazine…
Knowledge About The College: Why Some Votes Are More Important Than Others
For all of you who are excited about the voting in the presidential election just remember one thing, electing a president is different than any other type of voting held in this country or elsewhere. Here’s the difference: An…
Episode 11: Brush Strokes – The Art of Louisiana
Louisiana has long inspired the artist finding natural beauty, Kings and Queens, Jazz roots and the passion of many cultures. Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer, Kelly Massicot, join guest John Kemp, art columnist…
The Editor's Room
Weekly Commentary with New Orleans Magazine’s Errol Laborde
about
Errol Laborde holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of New Orleans and is the editor-in-chief of Renaissance Publishing. In that capacity he serves as editor/associate publisher of New Orleans Magazineand editor/publisher ofLouisiana Life magazine.
Errol is also a producer and a regular panelist on Informed Sources, a weekly news discussion program broadcast on public television station WYES-TV, Channel 12. Errol is a three-time winner of the Alex Waller Award, the highest award given in print journalism by the Press Club of New Orleans. He also received the National and City Regional Magazine Association Award for Best Column for his New Orleans Magazine column, beating out 76 city magazines across the country. In 2013, Errol received the award for the "Best News Affiliated Blog," awarded by the Press Club of New Orleans.
Errol’s most recent books are Krewe: The Early Carnival from Comus to Zulu and Marched the Day God: A History of the Rex Organization. In his free time he enjoys playing tennis and traveling with his wife, Peggy, to anywhere they can get away to, but some of his favorite spots are the Caribbean and historic locations around Louisiana. You can reach Errol at (504) 830-7235 or errol@myneworleans.com.
