Finding Friluftsliv
A couple of weeks ago, a friend sent me a 2020 article, “Embrace Winter Like a Norwegian this Year by Practicing 'Friluftsliv’.” According to the write up, friluftsliv translates…
Weekly Blogs
Signs of a Slowing Pandemic?
Just ask the wastewater. That was my dad’s recent suggestion. More or less. How’s life? How’s work? How’s the pandemic? I get my daily update on all things Omicron through Jeff Asher’s Twitter feed (@Crimeanalytics: where national crime data…
The Best of The Bower and The Bower Bar
In early October my sister and I had dinner at The Bower, The Latter Restaurant Group’s new-ish (opened days before the start of you-know-what) chic, contemporary restaurant on Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District. We shared a collection of…
Iacovone Kitchen Comes Back
My friend Bob Iacovone has one of those names you don’t know how to pronounce when you first read it. Ya-ka-vohnee, is how I’d write it, and dear baby Jesus I hope I’m right. He’s a talented chef with…
Recovery Foods
Most of us start off the new year with the best intentions for our health. But this is New Orleans and once the King Cakes start popping up, resisting that sticky cinnamon goodness is just too much to bear. It’s…
Wediquette Wednesday: Do parents give a wedding day gift to their child's spouse-to-be?
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…
The Ubiquity of King Cake
It’s a frequent lament in this city that king cake season, starting on Jan. 6, is pure sabotage for anyone trying to start the new year off with a resolution to eat healthier. I get it. I don’t even particularly…
On Assignment
Welcome to “On Assignment.” Each week, I’ll let you in on all of the “who, what, where, and why’s” that I am diving into. While this is the first issue, it may look a bit different than those to…
The Quintessential Carnival
There’s a new addition to my annual list of the “Best of Carnival,” proof that even without parades, Carnival showed last year that it can thrive and create new ideas. New to the List The Krewe of House…
Happy Carnival!
We have a ways to go until Fat Tuesday this year, and I guess we’re all hoping we turn a viral corner in time to enjoy the season in public and with our friends and neighbors. Carnival really does…
The Best Cure for Too Much King Cake (or Swedish Candy): A New Light and Lovely Lunch Menu at The Elysian Bar
Few sweets really grab me unless they involve mascarpone and fruit, like any version of the Chantilly cake or the Princess cake from Bywater Bakery. That said, one week into Carnival season I have been safe from king cake…
Dry January, Anyone?
January is often the time for starting new and fresh, giving up pesky habits and creating new ones. We, at Drink Up Nola, always love a great cocktail but recently we’ve been hearing from many of you wanting non-alcoholic…
Wediquette Wednesday: Can I change my ‘yes’ R.S.V.P. to ‘no,’ due to the omicron surge?
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.) Question:…
Holistically Healthy
Remember when GNC was the only place that came to mind when you thought of vitamins and supplements? That or a dusty old aisle in the drugstore your grandmother might take you to. Not anymore. The vitamin and supplement…
Real Wedding: Bryngelson-Westmoreland
Ceremony/Reception Location: Margaret Place Hotel Photographer: Foxtail Photography Coordinator: Becca Kelly Bride Gown: Etsy Bridesmaids' Dresses: Nordstrom Caterer: Bacon & Fig Events Hair: Blow Dry Bar of Slidell Makeup: Chelsea Caines Music: 12Eleven Band SUBMIT…
Fake It Till You Make It
I’m trying really hard to pretend everything is OK. That I feel fine and normal and am back in a routine and finding comfort in it. And I guess that’s partially true. I like having my kids back in…
To Sanitize or Not To Sanitize?
We originally published this article in December of 2020, before vaccines and booster shots were readily available. Though preventative measures are widely distributed, the coronavirus pandemic is still relevant and new surges and variants continue to pop up not…
Taking The Booster: Safe At Third
This was supposed to be the week for getting my booster shot. It wound up happening sooner than I expected. I had had my previous two shots months ago and had resolved to get the third by the week…
Trying Dry: Dry or Semi-Dry January Tips, Tricks and Solidarity
Today is day of contradictions. It’s day two of Carnival season — the booziest time of the year — and day 7 of Dry January — the non-drinking challenge that began in the UK and went international. If you…
The Season of Serendipity
“Once upon a time, in the land of Serendip…” This opening from a sixteenth century Italian folktale, Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo, has provided a uniquely English word: serendipity. There’s no Latin origin, no Greek…
On with the Bridal Show
The holiday season – specifically the few months between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day according to WeddingWire.com – is the most popular time for wedding engagements. Just in time for those couples who said, “yes,” New Orleans Bride magazine is…
The Best Incarnations of King Cake
While most of us were sleeping, with the stroke of midnight last night Carnival Season was upon us, and king cakes and king-cake-flavored things have rolled out in great abundance. What follows is a simple smattering of the hundreds…
Burrito, Chicken Nuggets
I cook a lot, and I take it seriously. I give Alice Waters a lot of grief because she insists on eating only the freshest, seasonal ingredients, but she’s not wrong, and it’s how I try to cook. I…
Working On Our Wellness
People don’t often associate New Orleans with wellness. It’s our hedonistic culture that keeps the tourists wantonly coming back for more each year. But take a closer look and you’ll see a handful of local, passionate entrepreneurs are setting…
Wediquette Wednesday: Can I skip some bridesmaid events due to the COVID-19 Omicron surge?
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.) Question:…
Keep On Schedule
The coronavirus pandemic is responsible for many cancelled plans, as well as creative pivots for couples saying, “I Do,” and those helping them in their nuptial endeavors. But one thing the virus could not change completely is the checklist…
Making Peace
I had my first actual COVID-19 exposure this week. Up till now, I’ve had sort of fleeting scares but nothing that actually left me feeling at risk. I’m fully vaccinated and boosted, I mask everywhere I go, and I see…
Heralding on the Evening of Twelfth Night
True New Orleanians never have to worry about post-Christmas letdown. That's because, to most of the world, the the day that is the twelfth and final day of Christmas is recognized locally as Twelfth Night, the first day of…
The Best Luxurious Options for Staying in on New Year’s Eve
Swirling COVID-19 or not, we never leave our neighborhood on New Year’s Eve. Instead, we have a nice dinner involving decadent things not usually on the menu, raise glasses with some neighbors, then head home well before midnight to…
A Website of Interest
Like most of you, I performed an internet search for “Cambodian bean thread noodle salad” recently. Thus, you may already be familiar with the 7th result on the first page: Cambodian Recipes. It is not a high-end production. There…
