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Mardi Gras (and beyond) Dining

  This is one of the times of the year that can make or break a restaurant. Between Carnival and the two weekends of Jazz Fest, a lot of places make more in a weekend than they make in three…

The Best Places to Seek Shelter During Mardi Gras

  Few things are more valuable than a friend with a home and a working bathroom on a parade route. Hell, even a parade-side portable toilet with crowds bumping into its side and water sloshing about can be a blessing…

Beyond Bourbon Street

  Here we go. The home stretch. The final week. The sprint at the end of the marathon. All the parts, parcels and parades – the ways and means – of the last wild days and wicked nights of the…

Isn’t It Romantic?

Today is the day of love – it’s Valentine’s Day. This is not everyone’s favorite holiday, but we look at it as a way to add a little romance into a couple’s life pre-wedding, post wedding or just a regular…

Crawfish and Dips

  I have traveled around Louisiana for around 30 of my 50 years in one professional capacity or another, and I am very interested in food. Some might call me obsessed, but I prefer to think I’m focused. Wherever I…

Wine Not?

  No matter where you end up during this year's biggest free party of the year, you are sure to find fun, festive wine and cocktail events inspired by revelry and royalty. Bacchanal Wine (600 Poland Ave.) is turning 18.…

A Man Without A Portfolio

  When folks around here get upset about local street musicians playing too loud, too late or too close to something, they generally work to pass a law. Several years ago, the Archdiocese convinced the city to create the St.…

Making Of A Carnival King

It has happened before – the evolution of a head of state in America was rumored to be linked with a prominent Russian. Legend has it that the first parade of Rex King of Carnival, was created in 1872 as…

The Best Fun Things Going on This Week

New Orleans became home to many thousands of Vietnamese people following the fall of Saigon in the early 1970s. This weekend, the Vietnamese community celebrates the annual free, family-friendly Tet Fest at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church (14001 Dwyer Blvd.)…

Louisiana Pet Parades

Mardi Gras parades have long gone to the dogs. We can’t celebrate the Carnival season without our pets! Yes, we parade anything and everything here in Louisiana. Most of the pet krewes features the canine variety but a few, such…

February Events

Vaude d’Gras – Baroquen Circus: A Mardi Gras Spectacular For the 6th year, Vaude d’Gras celebrates Carnival with a Baccanalian display by a troupe of acrobatic, theatrical and dazzling artists set to a live score based on Mozart and Beethovan…

News From the Kitchen

Dab’s Bistro Chef Duke LoCicero, best known for his now-closed French Quarter Italian restaurant, Café Giovanni, has opened Dab’s Bistro, in Metairie. It’s a “New Orleans bistro,” but long-time fans of LoCicero’s cooking will recognize many of the dishes on…

Munch and Mambo

Munch and Mambo Oh well, it’s Carnival time and everybody’s drinkin’ wine. Al Johnson warbled those words in his classic Mardi Gras song, recorded in 1960 (because after all, you can’t go wrong with a rich cabernet on a chilly…

Light Recipes

This month’s recipes, created with an eye to limiting fat and calories, can help. They are both nutritious and delicious, none of them are difficult to execute, several of them feature fruits and vegetables and all of them will bring…

Make Me Something Mister

  This is the best time of year for imbibing and enjoying the Carnival season. We have a few places that are serving up festive cocktails that are sure to get you in the mood. Toups Meatery (845 N. Carrollton…

The Best New Things to Try This Weekend

  A voyeur, I like to people watch. One of my top spots for doing so is the deep, gracious balcony off of the second floor of the triangular-shaped building that houses Gris Gris (1800 Magazine St., 272-024, grisgrisnola.com). Over…

If They Only Had An Access Road

  In November, I posted here a story about the “issues” at the Louis Armstrong International Airport. (See: myneworleans.com/terminal-trouble ) No doubt you've heard, read about or experienced the brand new state-of-the-art facility in Kenner which – at a cost…

Carnival's Confusing Anniversaries

  Suppose you started a new job in February of a certain year. When then should you celebrate your first anniversary? A reasonable answer would be February a year later. That is, unless you use Carnival time. In that case…

Miss Saigon Flies Into The Saenger

  This week, the new Cameron Mackintosh revival of “Miss Saigon” debuted at The Saenger Theatre and is set to run through Jan. 26. The Broadway production follows the life of Kim, a Vietnamese woman who is orphaned during the…

A Neighborhood Story

  She's behind me in line at the corner grocery. I don't recognize her. She doesn't look local, not Mid-City at all. Black skirt, fashionable pumps, ironic hair cut. I'm guessing she's staying at a nearby AirBnB. This neighborhood is…

King Cakes In The Post-Katrina Era

  There was a time when there was no debate about King Cake. There was, for the most part, only one brand, McKenzie's, and only one flavor, Mckenzie’s- style – which had a slight cinnamon coffeeroll taste. The purple green…

Let’s Get This Party Started with Carnival Cocktails

  It’s the greatest time of the year for us, Carnival season making us feel and see the magic of the city. Let’s start with what’s happening around town. Several of our favorite places are celebrating with their Carnival-inspired cocktails.…

Heavyweights

  Tonight is the night of big boy football as the LSU Tigers (14-0) take on the Clemson Tigers (14-0) in the Superdome. It will be a night for the history books as either the LSU Tigers and Joe Burrow…

Mr. Chill, More Than Just A Barber

It seems that death is a recurring theme in my writing these days. Chalk that up to the price of getting old. The people you know, love and admire start kicking off. That's…

Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award: John Folse

John Folse is a difficult guy to categorize. Is he a chef? Undoubtedly. He made a name for himself with Lafitte’s Landing, an ambitious Cajun restaurant in an out-of-the way spot capable of drawing customers in from far and wide.…

Groovy Gras

As we move from the holiday season to Carnival season, there are a lot of great things to do around town. As usual, the Radiators will be at Tipitina’s for their annual winter anniversary reunion. This year the shows run…

A Winter Evening

My go-to dish for winter evenings is a pot roast, with all but the rice in one pot. At one time it could be consumed by my family, but as children went off to college, it began to cover two…