When you’re from New Orleans, it’s easy to forget some of the traditions we have and celebrate are not recognized all over the country (like me, Kelly, who thought Mardi Gras was a national holiday until I was about 12…
We here at Haute Plates Industries enjoy answering your questions about restaurants, dining and food. By “enjoy,” I mean “ignore,” but certain individuals who will go un-named but who employ Haute Plates Industries feel that Haute Plates Industries should…
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,…
Looking for unusual holiday fun this season? Here are a few events happening throughout Louisiana to make your season bright. Make gingerbread Executive Pastry Chef Brett Gauthier of Red Fish Grill of New Orleans will host Gingerbread Workshops on…
Each Wednesday, we tackle wedding etiquette. At times, it’s a reader question or one from a colleague, friend or family member and other times we’ll cover a popular issue. (Note: Questions may be edited for clarity and brevity.) …
Who doesn’t love a good holiday party? If you’re anything like me, you’re down for a theme, and Christmas-themed parties leading up to New Year’s Eve are the best. Before we delve into holiday celebrations with our families, there…
Maybe it's too early to write the epitaph for Eli Manning's football career. Maybe not. Given a chance to redeem his flagging career on Monday Night Football, his flagging coach put Eli in as the starting QB for his…
I agree with Errol Laborde on many things – although notably NOT shrimp, which I hate and he loves – and he is one of my favorite humans. And I know Errol loves Christmas, traditions, and especially Christmas traditions.…
We’ve been discussing a lot of wedding trends following The Knot magazine’s release of its top trends for 2020. Recently, however, online wedding marketplace WeddingWire, an online division of The Knot, released its top trends for weddings this winter.…
While at a party several Christmases ago I was talking to a teacher from a local private school. During the conversation I asked her how they celebrate Christmas at the school. “We don’t,” she answered. “We have many cultures there…
You can’t win ‘em all is what every real football fan knows and, unfortunately, that old axiom came into play this weekend as the New Orleans Saints were beat 48-46 in the Superdome. Thankfully, for many a fan in…
For 20 years the Pantone Institute has been the authority on all things color, influencing industries like fashion, home décor and film among others. Each year, Pantone assesses trends and influences the world over to find the color that will…
Recently, we highlighted some 2020 wedding trend predictions made by wedding magazine The Knot. Topping the list were couple’s providing entertainment and VIP-style perks in powder rooms and lounge areas, as well as interactive food elements, but this week’s trend…
New Orleans has been described as the northern-most Caribbean city, and I’ve always thought that an apt description. It’s not just that our climate is similar, though that’s a big part of it since we tend to grow the same…
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…
New Orleanians of a certain age may recall when local "happy" hours came in three basic forms with slight variations thereof: Sure-bet barf-inducing three-for-one well brand specials at The Boot, Friar Tucks, Hillary's, and Shanahan's; the Friday evening "Sippin' into…
Each Wednesday, we tackle wedding etiquette. At times, it’s a reader question or one from a colleague, friend or family member and other times we’ll cover a popular issue. (Note: Questions may be edited for clarity and brevity.) …
Visit for the wine. Visit for the art. But most of all, visit Sunset for the chance to buy locally produced gifts and recycled antiques. The town of Sunset, about 20 minutes north of Lafayette, offers an Uncorked Art Walk…
This week, Lafayette and the surrounding parishes will celebrate the holidays with multiple ways to shop for Christmas presents and take part in traditional holiday festivities. Trees, neighborhoods and homes will be ceremoniously lit. Live music is, as always, in…
Thanksgiving is over. Most of it, at least. All but the lingering heartburn and resentments from the very difficult dinner table discussions with siblings, in-laws and other necessary relatives. But forget about all that. Until Christmas, that is. With the…
Last July when Kaia Gerber (Cindy Crawford’s daughter) took to the runway at the Valentino Couture fashion show in Paris, she heralded the return of big hair. The legendary hairstylist Guido Palau created a ‘60s-inspired sky-high and ultra-thick look…
Every year when the calendar page turns over to December, I have the same initial thought that most Americans have – the only significance December held for me for 26 years: “Oh, hey, it’s almost Christmas!” This means buying…
New Orleans is not lacking in history. We live among countless buildings and historical sites, some of which have been in existence since the city was first established 300 years ago. One of those buildings, the Elms Mansion on St.…
