Julia Bland is CEO of the Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM). The Museum has recently moved to its sleek new building in New Orleans’ City Park. According to Bland, to be successful, a museum must be relevant. She explains that while…
Linda Auld is the third generation owner of Barber Laboratories and author of "BugLady’s Butterfly Summer." In this podcast, Auld discusses her new book and explains the important role insects play in our gardens and throughout the planet. Auld’s specialty…
This podcast is the last of three interviews with Leah Chase. I am revisiting this series of interviews in memory of our great New Orleans Queen of the Kitchen, whom we lost on June 1. In this conversation on Feb.…
This 2012 interview is the second of three memorial podcasts in honor of New Orleans' beloved culinary ambassador, Leah Chase. In the conversation, Leah's wonderful enthusiasm for cooking shines through as she describes the importance of making her guests feel…
New Orleans lost a great friend in Leah Chase on June 1, 2019. Leah Chase was Chef at Dooky Chase's restaurant and a beloved culinary icon in New Orleans and beyond. Many knew her as the Queen of Creole Cuisine…
Maestro Robert Lyall is the General and Artistic Director for the New Orleans Opera Company. This year, the New Orleans Opera Association will host two popular summer camps for young people. In this podcast, Maestro describes how these unique, hands-on…
Brent Rosen is the new president and CEO of the National Food and Beverage Foundation (NatFAB). Rosen’s diverse background includes legal work, business development, marketing and fundraising. He will bring these skills to his new role with the…
Liz Williams is former president and CEO of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SoFAB) in New Orleans. Williams was the driving force behind SoFAB; when she transitioned from her president and CEO positions, Williams assumed the title of founder.…
Sandy Rosenthal, and her son, Stanford Rosenthal, founded Levees.org in 2005, following Hurricane Katrina. The Rosenthals created the organization to inform citizens and law makers that Katrina’s devastating flooding of New Orleans was a man-made, civil engineering catastrophe, not the result of…
Claire Byun is an editor for MidCityMessenger. The independent, online news source covers local news that primarily affects residents in Mid-City and the surrounding neighborhoods. According to Byun, in determining what stories she will pursue and investigate,“We try to think…
I thought to replay my interview of 2008 with Pearl Jefferson, a server at the “Old Coffee Pot” restaurant on St. Peter Street in the French Quarter. Pearl was also known for her world famous bread pudding. No, I am…
David Bottner is the executive director of the New Orleans Mission. Founded in 1989, the New Orleans Mission has been providing services for three decades to New Orleans residents grappling with homelessness, addiction, abuse or food insecurity. The mission is a…
Kathleen McCulla is the Director of Special Events in the Department of Philanthropy at Ochsner Health System. In this podcast, McCulla offers details about the hospital’s annual King Cake Festival. This year, 2019, is the sixth year for this popular…
Sarah Zoghbi is the Director of Care for Creatives, a partnership between Southern Rep Theatre and the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic. Zoghbi’s office is in Southern Rep’s new home on Bayou Road. The stately brick building was formerly St. Rose of…
Brenda Walkenhorst is the education director at the Audubon Zoo. According to Walkenhorst, this holiday season the Audubon Zoo is showcasing a unique, animal-themed holiday exhibit: the Audubon Zoo Lights. Made in China, these larger-than-life, illuminated silk figures depict some of…
Teddy McCullough is the co-chair for the Faubourg Saint John Neighborhood Association Safety Committee. McCullough recently moved to New Orleans and is a student at Tulane University. Despite being new to the city, McCullough has dived head first into civic…
John Magill is a New Orleans historian and was formally a curator at The Historic New Orleans Collection. In this podcast, Magill shares his historical perspective on the uniquely American holiday we call Thanksgiving. The origins of Thanksgiving trace to…
What makes someone a New Orleanian? Being born here is surely one definition of a New Orleanian. Some people live here for decades, but are not true New Orleanians because they don't “get it.” Although they reside here, these people…
Originally aired in October of 2006, this interview with Morgus will always be one of my favorite podcasts. Dr. Morgus, also known as "Morgus the Magnificent" is New Orleans' preeminent doctor of science. As a member of the "Higher Order"…
Dean Arnett is the volunteer coordinator and MC for Deutsches Haus’ 2018 Oktoberfest celebration. This podcast with Arnett took place on Deutsches Haus’ new site on Moss Street, facing Bayou St. John. This year, Deutsches Haus is celebrating its 90th…
Emily Leitzinger is president of the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization and is also a driving force behind NextDoor.com Mid-City. While not a native New Orleanian, Leitzinger is one of the city's bright new stars; she wanted to make a difference in…
Casie Duplechain is executive director of Friends of City Park. In this podcast, Duplechain describes City Park’s unique and entertaining Historical Musical Train Tour. The miniature train tour takes riders on a 45-minute history tour throughout the park, accompanied by…
Eli Haddow is a marketing assistant at The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC). THNOC is a museum, research center, and publisher dedicated to preserving the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. In this podcast, Haddow explains…
Maestro Robert Lyall is the general and artistic director for the New Orleans Opera Company. In addition to his role as conductor, Maestro Lyall oversees every aspect of the creative process. One of the Maestro’s responsibilities as artistic director is…
Julia Bland is CEO of Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM). On Saturday, Aug. 25, LCM will host its 20th CHAIRish the Children auction and gala. “The centerpieces of CHAIRish the Children are one-of-a-kind, whimsical chairs created by local artists,” explains Bland. The…
Carling Dinkler is founder of Custom Conventions Destination Solutions, a New Orleans-based Destination Management Company. Dinkler’s company provides tourists and conventioneers with turnkey packages that offer visitors a broad range of New Orleans’ experiences. Dinkler’s enduring success is the result…
Mary Ann Barkerding is the co-chair for the second annual Pitot House Life on the Bayou Heritage Fair. Fairgoers will experience aspects of life as it was 300 years ago in New Orleans’ earliest settlement on the banks of Bayou…
Kelsey Foster is the “People’s Budget Campaign Coordinator” at Committee For a Better New Orleans (CBNO). Foster is the driving force behind the innovative Big Easy Budget Game. As Foster explains, The Big Easy Budget Game allows ordinary people to…
In this "Special Edition" New Orleans Voices audio podcast, James Bernazzani, former FBI Agent in New Orleans, explains how the Russian government is attacking our democracy. Bernazzani, now an adjunct professor at Tulane University, explains the technique of “Active Measure.” …
by the Louisiana Landmark Society for 2018
Craig Kraemer grew up in New Orleans on Lowerline Street, across from the Carrollton Cemetery. As a child, he watched countless Jazz Funerals wind their way into the cemetery long before Jazz Funerals became cool. He remembers Hurricane Betsy and Mayor Vic Schiro’s famous quote to panicked citizens: “...don’t believe any false rumors unless they come from me...”
Kraemer lives now in Faubourg Saint John near picturesque Bayou St. John. (He prefers the term "faubourg" to"neighborhood" to reflect his pride in New Orleans’ French heritage.) Although his father’s family was originally from Germany, Kraemer’s ancestors—who established the town of Kraemer, Louisiana— adopted Cajun culture and traditions. His mother's family came straight from Paris to settle in New Orleans.
Kraemer's day job is as a videographer and graphic designer for his company, Kraemer Advertising. Kraemer's ongoing projects include filming productions for the New Orleans Opera, and symposiums and events for the Historic New Orleans Collection. In addition, he provides a variety of web videos and other film and graphic services for corporate and business clients. Kraemer's love for history and tradition have led him to recently open a new business: CK Digital Memories. This unique service allows Kraemer to apply his skills as an award-winning documentarian, film editor and visual designer to film and produce very personal and comprehensive Family History Video Documentaries for discerning clients. These broadcast quality productions capture the life stories of traditionalists who value their family legacies and heritages.
Kraemer’s clients understand the importance of preserving family history and achievements. They put high value on their history and want lasting video tributes to share their family pride with generations to come. In his work, Kraemer films clients as they recount family stories and share personal reminiscences. He then edits the video to include photographs and home movies the family provides. To add richness and ambiance, Kraemer adds music selections that relate to the stories and their eras, and includes photo images of cherished heirlooms or objects that have special family meaning. The result is a unique family chronicle, an enduring testament to a family’s continuing heritage.
Kraemer started his New Orleans Podcasting site as a community service four months following Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans was in dire need of positive stories after the massive devastation of the storm. The national media were taking care of the negative stories. However, those who had stayed through Katrina, who were still in the city or who had just returned were eager to talk about the good things that were happening, however small they were. Kraemer’s weekly podcast interviews provided much needed injections of hope as they regularly highlighted positive stories throughout the city. Today, Kraemer continues to gather positive and unique stories to inform locals and the world about the wonderful place we call home.
