During summer in New Orleans we switch from red wine to white and from dark suits to white linen, and everyone becomes moths to a flame when they feel an air conditioner close by. We are from New Orleans, and we’ve inherited this way of beating the heat. Where else can you find an apartment with 10-foot ceilings and fans in every room? We have come a long way since the advancement of the air conditioner, yet our culture, style and fashion have remained the same.
Back in the day, the only way for a businessman to keep cool looking professional was to wear linen suits in summer. We still have double-hung windows that go up and down for ventilation and make a great perch for a window unit, and I think we can all agree that snowballs will never go out of style! If you’re local you know that 85 degrees or below is an “outside” day and you need to take advantage of it, as it’s a gift from the gods. We all have our little tricks to stay cool, and we pass them on from generation to generation.
Growing up in New Orleans you get used to the heat, and instead of dreading the muggy, sticky atmosphere the summer brings, you become excited about all its traditions. It has molded our unique culture into what it is today. So grab an ice-cold mint julep, but don’t go sit on your front porch until after 7 p.m., the heat is here to stay … for a while at least.
Pinkberry Northshore opened its doors on April 12 in style. The grand opening soirée featured a VIP tent, pink carpet, photo booth and dance competition. The store was open all night and served free yogurt to all attendees. The dance competition resulted in a tie between the Northshore Cajun Dancers and Pembo-Cieutat Academy; both won 10 percent of the opening day’s sales. My favorite flavor is coconut.
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1. Sisters Sibyl, Celie and Courtney celebrate with their parents and Pinkberry owners Rob and Kit Stumm
2. Mothers-to-be gathered for a picture to showcase their bumps during a baby shower honoring C’Airey Ashurst. Courtney Sutton, Rebecca Laborde, honoree C’Airey Ashurst and Elisabeth Laborde. Update: Courtney and Brett Sutton welcomed their adorable son Samuel Teague Sutton on May 19.
“Sippin’ in Seersucker” was in full swing this year as patrons flooded The Shops at Canal Place to dance, eat and, of course, sip! The annual event, which benefits the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, is always a great way to kick off the summer social season. The evening included music by Los Hombres Calientes, a raffle and a seersucker ensemble contest judged by burlesque queen Trixie Minx and two-time ensemble winner Tony Lamanna. Local restaurants kept the partygoers full of food, and Buffalo Trace Distillery kindly kept the libations flowing. There was no shortage of seersucker, either – people were dressed to impress and happy to contribute to such a wonderful establishment.
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1. Event emcee Chet Porciau with Ogden’s PR liaison Sue Strachan
2. Thomas Peters, Colleen Connor and Ogden director William Andrews gather in front of the venue’s newest store, Michael Kors
Heard something interesting for “cruisin’ the crescent?”
If so, please send it to:
St. Charles Avenue
110 Veterans Blvd., Ste. 123
Metairie, La. 70005 or
e-mail: Shelby@MyNewOrleans.com
