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.…
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…
I am a graduate of the Paul M. Hebert School of Law at Louisiana State University, but…
To know Mosca's – an old, white clapboard Mafioso hangout of a restaurant with real-deal Italian food – is to know you will shout "Mama Mia" for mercy while sweating pure olive oil, safe in knowing you and your…
Twelfth Night is celebrated annually on Jan. 5. It is the last day of the Twelve Days of Christmas and is the traditional end of the Christmas season. It is also known as Epiphany Eve as it is followed…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
The Independent Caveau NOLA The Independent Caveau NOLA is a fairly new wine bar and retail operation that also serves cheese and charcuterie plates, as well as high-end tinned seafood. Operated by Joanne Close and husband Jim Yonkus, it’s a…
Looking to take a step off the beaten path? Then Bakery Bar belongs on your list of places to check out. Located in the Lower Garden District just a stone’s throw from the GNO Bridge, this savory/sweet mashup opened back…
OUR READERS PICKS A couple of notes: To make the list, a choice had to have a significant number of votes; places without enough votes were eliminated. Categories without enough voters were also removed. Where there was evidence of ballot stuffing…
Let’s wind back the clock. It’s the early 1980s and four street kids from the Treme and the 7th Ward find themselves – as so many of their teenage contemporaries did – consumed by the tectonic shifts in their culture,…
As the University of New Orleans approaches its spring 2020 semester, Privateers are sifting through syllabi, ordering books, and eagerly setting goals for the busy months ahead. But administrators and faculty members are also feeling hopeful. At the beginning of…
College Football Playoff National Championship Get ready for kickoff, sports fans. The 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship will be coming to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Jan. 13. It’s sure to be a exhilerating atmosphere and an exciting game. Information,…
New Orleans is a drinking town. After all, this is the birthplace of the cocktail and home of the once bustling Storyville. The city’s history with libations and the fun-loving attitude of the locals create a concoction that’s ripe for…
If you’ve ever been to a Carnival parade (and why wouldn’t you?) you may have seen an intrepid photographer capturing all the fun. Or when news happens, there she is in the thick of things getting just the right shot.…
While New Orleans is the most well-known place in Louisiana to celebrate Mardi Gras, Louisianians know there are lively parades and events for weeks all over the state. From Shreveport to Eunice and everywhere in between, here's your guide to…
The year 2019 will go down in the history books as one of the finest for football in Louisiana. On the college level, Nicholls State and Southeastern qualified for the FCS Playoffs, Southern went to the SWAC Championship, Louisiana Tech…
The Christmas season may technically be completed, but that doesn't mean the party stops. New Year's Eve is next Wednesday and many restaurants and businesses around the city are celebrating in style. Below we highlight a few of our favorites.…
How fortuitous for me! Cozy, super-chic Luvi (5236 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-605-3340, luvirestaurant.com) is located right around the corner from my house. The diminutive Asian restaurant is offering early dinner seatings at 6 and 8 p.m., at either a table…
Christmas is a lot, folks. The shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the parties, the decorating … and throughout it all, the relentless pressure on parents – and these are typically moms – to make everything extra-magical. From minute to…
It seemed just like yesterday, but a lifetime ago at the same time, when Michael Thomas played his first game for the New Orleans Saints. The then-rookie wide receiver would haul in six catches (on six targets) for 58…
It’s the week before Christmas in New Orleans and, true to form, nothing is slowing down around the city. Highlighted below are a few of the bigger or interesting events happening in the next week. This Sunday, all are invited…
So many special flavors and aromas surround the holiday season – nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, burning embers, pine, eggnog, brandy, and baking aromas just to name a few. There is no reason to limit our sensory experiences by drinking the…
Every year I am faced with sending gifts to members of my extended family in Sweden. I makes no sense to me to buy mass produced items made in China then ship then to my relatives across the pond,…
It is the time of year when we start to enjoy the smells of the season. A deep breath may stimulate your senses with peppermint, spearmint, and berries. A quick hop around town and you’ll find several seasonal happy hours…
With long waits for taxis (and Uber and Lyft surge pricing), unpredictable weather and the disappointment when that allegedly fabulous event you commit to winds up being a dud, a night in for New Year’s Eve sounds more and more…
Read on to learn why we’re honoring Susan Brennan, Daryl G.Byrd, Edgar L. “Dooky” Chase III, Susan O. Hess, Robert “Bob” Merrick and Kim S. Sport. What you’ll see is that though we’re only able to scratch the surface…
While there is no shortage of Christmas events in New Orleans, one of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions is a Cajun one that takes places on Christmas Eve a…
Daniel Victory is creator and owner of Victory and New Orleans Drink Lab. He has been lauded as a pioneer of the New Orleans "craft cocktail" emergence and is considered one of the most engaging ambassadors of the Crescent City.
His dedication to preserving the artistry and sophistication of classic cocktail creation, as well as the ambiance and high standard of service set forth by many generations old bartenders, sets Daniel Victory apart from the rest.
Daniel Victory said, “If bartending was a science then every martini would be the exactly the same (at least everyone using the same brand). Exact measurements of all the ingredients would yield exactly the same drink. It’s simple scientific method — a system of repeatable experiments that yield the same results. However, anyone who has ever had martinis will tell you, they are not all the same.”
To Victory, bartending is an art form.
By 2009 Victory garnered international acclaim after being recognized as one of the top 5 bartenders in GQ Magazine/Bombay Sapphires “Most Inspired Bartender” contest. After appearing in the December 2009 issue of GQ, Daniel traveled the world as a National Ambassador for Bombay Sapphire. After a year of never being in the same place more than 3 nights and a whirlwind of knowledge he decided it was time to return home, plant his roots and explore cocktail consulting.
In an effort to preserve everything he learned, Daniel became one of the founders and lead educators of the Crescent City School of Bartending and influential in establishing The Flo Woodward Memorial Scholarship.
Daniel is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program and the Goldman Sachs & Bloomberg LP Business Coaching program.
The next step in leaving his imprint on his hometown is Victory. Nestled in between the Central Business District and New Orleans’ famed Canal Street, stands the physical combination of his aesthetic, travels, smarts & history. Victory has high standards and is often found molding the next generation of bartenders.
In 2015 Victory expanded his vision and yet again put his skills to work. The Old New Orleans Drink Lab is born. A groovy, old world feel where cocktail history and education are his top priority. Here you'll learn to make Crescent City classic cocktails and get the history along with it.
With Victory constantly mixing things up, there’s no sign of slowing down.
