Finding Friluftsliv
A couple of weeks ago, a friend sent me a 2020 article, “Embrace Winter Like a Norwegian this Year by Practicing 'Friluftsliv’.” According to the write up, friluftsliv translates…
Bon Vivant
Trying Dry: Dry or Semi-Dry January Tips, Tricks and Solidarity
Today is day of contradictions. It’s day two of Carnival season — the booziest time of the year — and day 7 of Dry January — the non-drinking challenge that began in the UK and went international. If you…
Season of Giving: Holiday Donations and Service Provider Tipping
It’s that time of year again to give to those in need and for gifting to or tipping those hardworking individuals who help our lives run more smoothly. Food pantries are hard hit by the fallout of the pandemic…
Pretty Pop-Up
In September of 2021, floral artist Tippi Clark started her floral design studio and began working out of a garage space at 1526 Magazine St. “I would be loading in buckets of flowers to prep for weddings and events…
What Fresh Hell is This?
The weed whacking began shortly after the start of my morning yoga and meditation. It wasn’t obnoxiously loud, but I did peep my watch, because at 8:26 a.m., it seemed early for loud, outdoor chores, even for a Thursday…
Om for the Holidays: Creating a Yoga and Meditation Retreat
For years, my “things to try” list has included attending a yoga and meditation retreat. Countless times I’ve found myself perusing the retreat schedule at Flowering Lotus Meditation Center in Magnolia, Mississippi, ultimately unable to make it work with my vacation…
Getting Served: Dining Indoors Post-Delta
There was an all-too-short collection of weeks post-vaccination and pre-Delta surge in which indoor dining, dinner parties with vaccinated friends, bars and even travel seemed blissfully, pre-pandemic normal. Our collective hot girl summer was lit — for about…
Celebrate Everything: Bon Vivant Nabs an Award
Normally I reserve this blog space to share design and lifestyle-related events, tips, recipes and the occasional life musings, with the goal of offering what I hope is generally useful and maybe even sometimes entertaining information. If you disagree…
Seasonal Delusion Disorder: Conjuring Autumnal Vibes
My seasonal delusion disorder has only gotten worse over the years. You see, in my home state of Kentucky, the full four seasons show up without fail, year-after-year in all of their glory and misery. I haven’t lived there…
Fall Fun: Three Things to Do Outside in New Orleans Right Now
It’s finally fall in New Orleans for approximately 3.5 seconds. We must grasp it now before it slips away on Sunday, or possibly Monday. Here are three ideas for boosting this liminal gap of autumnal weather today, tomorrow and…
No Mud, No Lotus: A Cure for the Longest Case of the Blahs
About 3,456 days ago, in April, I read a New York Times article about languishing. The piece described the emotion thusly: “Languishing is a sense of stagnation and emptiness. It feels as if you’re muddling through your days, looking…
Relief and Recovery: Helping People Affected by Hurricane Ida
South Louisiana, especially Down the Bayou, is in extreme need of relief and recovery aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. So instead of the usual pithy Bon Vivant fodder, today’s post is dedicated to people and organizations with…
It Just Got Real: Lessons Being Learned during a Potential First-Time Hurricane Evacuation
One day ago today, I penned this post about finally mastering a new level of hurricane prep. (Note: We finally added the NOAA solar and battery powered weather radio with HDMI cell phone charging capabilities, flashlight and SOS signal…
Good Wood: Mineral Oil is the Miracle Product You Need
For years, I’ve been meaning to get mineral oil to use on my ever-growing collection of wood and bamboo cutting boards and wooden utensils. It’s one of those items that — it turns out — isn’t all that easy…
Bon Vivant Essential List: Candles, Coffee and a Chic Club
The heat finally engulfed and charred to pieces the scant remnants of my life force still barely clinging on at the end of July. We are barely into August and yet, mentally, I’m fleeing into autumn. Instagram helps with…
Summer Snacking: Melanie’s Boredom Busting Cheesecake Yogurt
With Louisiana setting records for COVID-19 hospitalizations and the reinstated mask mandate to help curb the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, these days we’re opting for a semi-self-lockdown. That plus the oppressive heat means we aren’t even…
Arts and Crafts
In the ‘70s and ‘80s, I took classes held at neighborhood park and pool during the summer. We’d take swim breaks to learn macrame, cross-stitching and other crafts. It was fun and kept us busy during long, hot summer…
Dust Busting
Most New Orleans dwellings are old. This means drafty windows and myriad other open nooks and crannies that allow dust to come in and settle on every imaginable surface, rendering even the most meticulous housekeepers powerless against it. The…
Alcohol Free in New Orleans: Is a booze-free bon vivant an oxymoron?
On July 4, 2020, I took my last sips of champagne for what I thought would be a month. I decided to do a mostly-Dry July, take a break from booze for the rest of the month and raise…
Lemonade Days
When New Orleans’ temperatures climb above the 90s, I start craving lemonade. Or perhaps I’m craving the idea of lemonade and the associations I have with it being a wholesome, refreshing drink to enjoy on the porch, during a…
Let There Be Delight!
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, I met a prosecutor-turned-designer and hotelier named Liz Lambert. The time was 2004, the land was Austin, Texas and I was a baby reporter at the Austin American-Statesman newspaper…
À Votre Santé
The French 75 is my favorite cocktail. I love the lore. I love its namesake bar at Arnaud’s in the French Quarter. I love sipping a Cognac version during colder months. I love the lighter take made with gin…
Locally Designed: Revel in a month-long Preservation Resource Center Shotgun House Tour
Aficionados and connoisseurs of shotgun houses rejoice, because you are being treated to a month-long fix of tours and programming surrounding your favorite local architectural style. The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans’ Shotgun House Month presented by Entablature…
We’ve Come Full Circle
In April, my husband and I — fully vaccinated and ready to (safely) mingle — attended our first gathering (of more than six, socially-distanced people) since “The Before.” (That’s our phrase for anything that happened prior to the pandemic.) To…
Informal Debut
This week, I entertained inside my home for the first time since the pandemic. We’ve hosted a few casual, four-to-six person, socially-distanced, outdoor gatherings, but in keeping with the CDC guidelines, nothing indoors. Since I’m so out of practice,…
In Full Bloom
At the beginning of this week, I was saddened and shocked to receive the news about the unexpected death of one of our talented and vibrant New Orleans Homes magazine contributing writers, Pamela Marquis. Her articles about organizing, profiles…
Getting Toasted: When a Small Appliance Triggers an Existential Crisis
This year, I entered into the “excited about small appliances” phase of adult development. It started when I realized that what I really wanted for my birthday was a new blender. The one we got for our wedding in…
Picking Favorites
Let’s face it, you — and your dog — adore the pet groomer you’ve been seeing for Fluffer’s weekly blowouts for years. The thought of even looking at new toss pillows without consulting your designer (who is practically a…
Homeward Unbound
I often daydream about how cool it would be to live and work in a new city every year or maybe even every few months. In the past, I’ve cobbled together about two weeks of working remotely from about…
Spring Break
Bon Vivant is on a break this week to celebrate Easter. Whether you are celebrating one of the various religious holidays this week or simply reveling in the coming of Spring, enjoy. If you’d like something to read, catch…
Bon Vivant
Design, entertaining and good living with New Orleans Bride and Homes & Lifestyles editor Melanie Warner Spencer
about
Melanie Warner Spencer is editor of New Orleans Homes and New Orleans Bride and managing editor of Louisiana Life and Acadiana Profile. For more than 20 years, she has covered news, lifestyle, design and entertainment at various publications, including as the design columnist at The Austin American-Statesman, a senior staff reporter at The Houston Chronicle and as the editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Houston Brides magazine. Her work also has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, The Huffington Post and Reuters in the United States and across the globe. Melanie is also an award-winning fine art and editorial photographer. She has been honored by the Texas Press Association for her editorial photography, by the Press Club of New Orleans for writing and editing and by the International and Regional Magazine Association for writing, editing and photography. Melanie is past-president of the Press Club of New Orleans and a current board member. When not making magazines, Melanie enjoys cooking, trying out new restaurants and taking road trips. You can reach Melanie at (504) 830-7259 or melanie@myneworleans.com and follow her on Instagram at @MelanieWarnerSpencer.
