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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
What a difference a year and a new season makes. Last year, we were entering into the first stages of pandemic lockdown and now, we’re getting vaccinated and emerging back into some sense of normalcy. With that comes in-person…
This month, designer Whitney Jones of Whitney J Décor opened her Gretna-based brick and mortar design studio to the public. The boutique features Jones’ finds from all over the globe and skews heavily toward natural materials and vibrant colors,…
With the city’s tight parameters for curbside recycling in New Orleans and less than optimal (for convenience sake at least) glass recycling options, it’s likely that many readers of this blog aren’t that into it. Which is unfortunate, because…
On Monday, my husband I got a potentially life-changing text. Extra doses of the Moderna vaccine were set to expire in one hour and if we could get from our home Uptown to the clinic in Mid-City in time,…
It’s time for another Design Diary roundup! Events and workshops are a bit quiet lately, likely due to Zoom fatigue, but there are still a few fun and interesting announcements and happenings to enjoy in the home realm. Custom…
Sleep is eluding a lot of people. Even this writer, who has historically clocked 8 to 9 hours a night. Lately, I’m eking out about 6 or 7 on a good night, and I’m not alone. The Lancet reports…
A few weeks ago, I grabbed a bag of matcha at Whole Foods on Magazine Street, so I could craft my own matcha lattes, rather than picking it up at the coffee shops so many times throughout the week.…
Back in 2011, Pinterest was still in the beta stage and the visually driven social media platform was available to new users by invitation only. I was invited by a friend, instantaneously became addicted, lured other friends down the…
Raise your hand if you are finishing up Dry January this week. Chances are hardly any of you raised your hand as you read this, not because you think it’s weird to put your hand in the air for…
For 20 years, Melanie Warner Spencer 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 currently serving as the President of Press Club of New Orleans. When not making magazines, Melanie enjoys cooking, trying out new restaurants and best happy hours and taking road trips. Click here to like Spencer's Facebook page and follow her on Instagram @MelanieWarnerSpencer.
