CD:
Hurricane On The Bayou Soundtrack features treasured local sounds of Fats Domino, Dr. John, The Neville Brothers and Allen Toussaint, to name a few. The collection, available now, offers celebration of New Orleans’ uniquely thriving natural beauty expressed in the powerful documentary. Proceeds from the CD benefit Audubon Nature Institute’s wetlands restoration programs.
BOOKS:Fiction l Inspired by his personal experience as a successful hotelier, Laurence Geller, President and CEO of Strategic Hotels & Resorts, offers an intriguing look behind the doors of the fascinating business of luxury hotels in his novel Do Not Disturb. Proceeds from the novel will benefit The National Jazz Center.
Non-fiction l When many of us think of Mardi Gras we think of a bead-adorned St. Charles Avenue, masked dukes on horses and the sardine-like feel of the French Quarter. However, Cajun country has its own Mardi Gras traditions. Carolyn E. Ware’s new book, Cajun Women and Mardi Gras explores these traditions – and the women who are breaking them. Through intensive study in the towns of Tee Mamou and Basile, Ware reveals how innovative Cajun women, once excluded from many festivities and customs, are ready take on the mayhem of Mardi Gras.
Cookbooks l Kit Wohl’s sumptuous new cookbook, New Orleans Classic Desserts, made its debut at The Tennessee Williams Festival on April 1. Wohl, who has always been artistically involved in New Orleans, compiled world-famous dessert recipes from local legends, catered them to the pastry novice and paired them with inviting photographs. Highlights include Susan Spicer’s Peach Melba Ice Cream Sandwich and Galatoire’s Crème Caramel.
Photography/Art l You won’t be able to keep this gorgeous book under anyone’s coffee mug. Orléans Embrace with The Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré by TJ Fisher, Roy F. Guste and Louis Sahuc is a resonating collection of photographs and prose that reveals the architectural and natural beauty of the French Quarter. The book, available now, is dedicated to the city and people of New Orleans and all profits will be donated to French Quarter preservation groups.
Children’s Literature l A Visit to New Orleans with Pictures to Color and Verses to Read has been revised for a post-Katrina edition. Jazz Fest, Swamp Tours, Jackson Square … the charm of New Orleans is ready to be colored by kids and the young at heart.
Please send submissions for consideration, attention Morgan Packard, to 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005