Better late than never, I’m finally updating my favorite Things list. First, I’d like to thank everyone who reads this blog (in over 100 countries!). Here are Your Favorite Posts of 2015:
5 – French Quarter Fest – Sunday
2 – Endymion Extravaganza – My First Ball! (your favorite post of all time)
1 – Street Musicians – Tanya and Dorise
Now to the list! The categories are: Food & Beverage, Music & Entertainment, Culture, Shopping and Giving & More. Continue reading →
Filed under Carnival, Charity, Concerts, Culture, decorations and costumes, entertainment industry, festival, free events and lagniappe, history, Local Cuisine, Mardi Gras 2014, Mardi Gras 2015, parade, Pelicans, shopping, the Saints
Tagged as abita, Abita Beer, Abita Grapefruit, Allen Toussaint, Alphonse “DooWee” Robair, Alphonse Robair, Angelo Brocato, Anthony Davis, armstrong park, bayona, Beverage, Big Chief, black and gold, bo dollis, Bourbon French Parfums, Brandan "B-mike" Odums, Brandan Odums, brass band, cafe du monde, carnival, ChadQuentin, Checkpoint Charlie's, Chris "Shaggy" Davis, Christine Miller, Commander's Palace, concert, Continental Provisions, Cosimo Matassa, Crescent City Comics, culture, d' Juice, Dano’s Pizza, Dooky Chase's Restaurant, Dorky Chase, Dr. John, Dreamy Weenies, drew brees, Entertainment, Favorite Things, FiFi Mahoney's, Fleur de Paris, Fleurty Girl, floats, Fogo de Chao, food, Frankie & Johnny’s, french quarter, French Quarter Fest, garden district, Garden District Book Shop, Giving, Goorin Bros., GR Automotive, Gus Bennett, Ignatius Reilly, Igor's Lounge, jazz fest, Kern Studios, Krewe of Orpheus, Larry Jehle Jr., latonola, list, Loretta's, Louisiana Music Factory, Love at First Bite, M.S. Rau Antiques, magazine street, Manny Randazzo, mardi gras, mardi gras indian, Mardi Gras Indians, Maskarade, Mia Borders, Miss Linda, muriel's, Muriel's Jackson Square, music, New Breed Brass Band, new orleans, NOLA Crawfish King, Original Pinettes Brass Band, Orpheum Theatre, parade, Pelicans, Phat Word, Photo Works, Pinettes, Pinettes Brass Band, Pippen Lane, prytania theatre, Pussyfooters, Queen of Burlesque, Raintree, Raintree Children and Family Services, Restaurant, roots of music, Rouses, Rouses Market, Royal Sonesta, Ruby Slipper, Saints, Saints Fett, Scream Queens, second line, shopping, Sky-Writing, snowizard, Sr, Steve Gleason, Susan Spicer, sweet olive, Tanya and Dorise, The Singing Oak, Tory McPhail, Trashy Diva, Travis "Trumpet Black" Hill, trombone shorty, Two Chicks Walking Tours, United Way, Vieux Carré Pizza, Walker's Southern Style BBQ, Wednesday at the Square, Wild Magnolias, Willa Jean, Willie Mae's, Willie Mae's Scotch House, Winks, Winks Bakery, WWOZ, Yakamein, Young Leadership Council
If you’ve read this blog’s ABOUT page, then you know that one reason I moved to New Orleans after 18 years in Los Angeles was to find my mate. “I followed my heart here. My gut told me that everything I was looking for, denying myself while I furthered my career, was right here where I always wanted to be.” I met Andy at the Lost Love Lounge (yes, really) 8 months after moving here and we’ve been slowly walking toward the altar ever since. A few weeks ago, we finally tied the knot – New Orleans-style with everything from DancingMan504 and The Roots of Music to the Pussyfooters and “The Dude” (okay, he’s not New Orleans, but he abides everywhere). Continue reading →
Filed under Charity, Culture, decorations and costumes, entertainment industry, free events and lagniappe, history, Local Cuisine, parade
Tagged as about, Academy Award, aisle, armstrong park, Armstrong Park arch, bayona, Best Hot Dog, Bill Capo, Black & Gold, bourbon street, Brad Pitt, brass band, bride, Bridesmaids, C8King Photography, Cakes & Desserts by Monica, California Drawstrings, Carlos Gonzalez, Catherine King, ceremony, Chadrick Honore, Colton Clements, Commander's Palace, congo square, dancingman504, Darryl Young, deconstructed, Derrick Tabb, Django Unchained, Do Watcha Wanna, Dreamy Weenies, french quarter, Goorin Bros., Grammy, gris gris, groom, handkerchiefs, HBO, Henry Griffin, history, Jeff "The Dude" Dowd, Jeff Dowd, jump, Kimberly Rivers Roberts, latonola, legal, Lindanne Lewis, live feed, Livestream, local, los angeles, lost love lounge, Make It Right, Monica Anderson, muriel's, music, new orleans, Niki Hampton, NOLA, Nola Snow, NOLA-centric, NOPD, ordained, parade, parade route, parasol, Phat Word, photos, planning, police escort, Promenade Fabric, Promenade Fine Fabrics, Pussyfooters, Pussyhandlers, QT Pie, Raintree, Raintree Children & Family Services, Rebirth, rebirth brass band, Restaurant, Reuben Cheatem, roots of music, royal street, Saints, Salu, Second Line Handkerchiefs, shoes, sno-balls, Snoballs, So Good, Southern Comfort Cotton, Southern Cotton Company, Susan Spicer, the big lebowski, The Dude, the Dude abides, the Pussyfooters, The Roots of Music, TOMS, tradition, Tree Battles, treme, umbrellas, video, Voodoo, vows, wedding, wedding cake, wedding dress, wedding gown, wedding planning, Wendy Talley, who dat, Willy Picket, WWL
The categories are: Food & Beverage, Music & Entertainment, Culture, Shopping and Giving & More.
Anything named previously in my Favorite Things in NOLA 2012 is marked with an Asterix*. Most items have links to their site, but if you’d like to know more, use the search window on the right to find photos, videos, history and stories.
This year, I’ve added a gallery of photos. The first photos are of items listed and the last half are of stuff I love in New Orleans from Creole tomatoes to Ashley the Traffic Tranny.
I’m also revealing Your Favorite Posts of 2013.
2 – Street Musicians – Tanya and Dorise
1 – Endymion Extravaganza – My First Ball! – which is also your favorite post of all time. Continue reading →
Filed under Carnival, Charity, Concerts, Culture, decorations and costumes, entertainment industry, festival, free events and lagniappe, history, Local Cuisine, Mardi Gras 2013, parade, shopping, the Saints
Tagged as 12 Years a Slave, 2013, 610 stompers, Abita Grapefruit, acting, American Horror Story: Coven, Angelo Brocato, armstrong park, Ashley the Traffic Tranny, Beverage, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Big Freedia, black and gold, Bon Castor, Bounce, Bourbon French Parfums, Brandy Milk Punch, Brennan's, Butcher, cafe du monde, Cafe Pontalba, ChadQuentin, Chaz Fest, Class Got Brass, Claudia Speicher, Commander's Palace, concert, Coop’s Place, Crescent City Comics, Croissant D'Or, culture, d' Juice, Dallas Buyers’ Club, dancingman504, d’ Juice Whole Fruit Smoothies and Fresh Juices, District, District Donuts Sliders Brew, Django Unchained, Dreamy Weenies, Entertainment, Favorite Things, FiFi Mahoney's, Fleur de Paris, Fleurty Girl, food, Food Drunk, Forever New Orleans, Frank Aymami III, french quarter, French Quarter Fest, Galatoire's Bistro, Garden District Book Shop, George Rodrigue, Giving, Glen David Andrews, Goorin Bros., Got Gumbo?, Greg's Antiques, Guinness World Record, Harvest the Music, HBO, James Beard, James Demaria, Jazz Henry, Jazz in the Park, Jeffrey Dupuis, Jennifer Jones, Jerry Moran, Jim Hart, Joe Dunn, John Besh, K Paul's, Kaia Martin-Paternoster, Know Small Parts, Kosher, Krewe of Muses, la divina, latonola, Laura Cayouette, Lee Daniel's The Butler, Lisa Iacono, Loretta's, M.S. Rau Antiques, Mahalia Jackson Theater, Marc Pagani, Mardi Gras Indians, Mardi Gras World, Maskarade, Meltdown Gourmet Popsicles, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Million Mrs. Roper March, Mr. Okra, Mud, music, Mystic Krewe of Barkus, New Breed Brass Band, new orleans, NOLA, Nola Sewn, Now You See Me, On the Other Hand, parade, Petite Amelie, Phat Word, Photo Works, Ponchatoula strawberries, Pussyfooters, Raintree, Raintree Children and Family Services, Red Bull Street Kings, Red Dress Run, Restaurant, Restaurant August, Rob Ryan, roots of music, Rouses, Royal Sonesta, Saenger Theatre, Saints, second harvest, second line, shopping, snowizard, southern candymakers, Southern Decadence, Stephán Wanger, Steve Gleason, streetcar, Surrey’s Cafe and Juice Bar, Susan Spicer, sweet olive, Tanya and Dorise, The Singing Oak, The Voluptuous Vixen, This is the End, Tory McPhail, traffic tranny, Trashy Diva, treme, trombone shorty, Tujague's, United Way, Uptown Costume & Dancewear, Vegan, Vieux Carré Pizza, Wednesday at the Square, who dat, Willie Mae's Scotch House, Willow Haley, WWOZ, Young Leadership Council
I must confess that I didn’t get out as much in 2012 because Hollywood South is booming and I worked a lot. Even so, here are my 2012 favorites in a nutshell followed by my Favorite Things in NOLA 2011 and Favorite Things in NOLA 2010. Anything named previously in my Favorite Things in NOLA 2011 is marked with an Asterix*.
I have divided the list into categories this year including: Food & Beverage, Music & Entertainment, Culture, Shopping and Giving & More. Continue reading →
Filed under Carnival, Charity, Concerts, Culture, decorations and costumes, entertainment industry, festival, free events and lagniappe, history, Local Cuisine, Mardi Gras 2012, parade, shopping, the Saints
Tagged as 2012, 610 stompers, abita, anders osborne, Angelo Brocato, Are You a Who Dat?, Audubon Clubhouse Cafe, bayona, beads, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Beverage, billy iuso, Bon Castor, Bourbon French Parfums, Brandy Milk Punch, brass band, Butcher, Bywater, cafe du monde, Cafe Pontalba, CBD, charity, Commander's Palace, concert, Coop’s Place, Cornell P. Landry, Court 13, court of two sisters, Crescent City Cooler, cross walk, culture, d' Juice, Django Unchained, Dreamy Weenies, Entertainment, Favorite Things, FiFi Mahoney's, Fleur de Paris, Fleurty Girl, Flo Woodard, food, french quarter, French Quarter Fest, Galeria Alegria, Garden District Book Shop, get crunk, go-cup, Goodnight NOLA, Goorin Bros., Harvest the Music, HBO, Iko Allstars, Jackson Square, James H. Cohen & Sons, Jean Lafitte, Jim Hart, K Paul's, Kaia Martin-Paternoster, Krewe of Muses, la divina, latonola, Leonardo DiCaprio, Loretta's, Louis Sahuc, mardi gras, margie perez, Maskarade, Meltdown Gourmet Popsicles, Mo Isom, music, new orleans, NOLA, One Dat, parade, Photo Works, Raintree, rebirth brass band, Restless Natives, roots of music, Rouses, Roux Royale, Saints, Sean Payton, second harvest, second line, shopping, snowizard, southern candymakers, Stephán Wanger, Susan Spicer, sweet olive, Taste of Treme, Tchoupitoulas, The Advocate, The Singing Oak, The Voluptuous Vixen, Todd-Michael St. Pierre, traffic tranny, Trashy Diva, Tremé Brass Band, treme, Two Dat, Uncle Lionel, Uptown Costume & Dancewear, Vacarro's, Vieux Carré Pizza, Visitor Center, Wednesday at the Square, who dat, Wild Magnolias, Woldenberg Park, WWOZ, Young Leadership Council
What a perfect weekend! March madness has begun and festival season is in full swing. Saturday was marked by perfect weather. It was warm and sunny with a constant balmy breeze. City Park hosted Hogs for the Cause, an all-day music fest benefitting children with brain cancer. We decided, instead, to stay in the French Quarter which was was hopping with activity. It was NOLA Pyrate Week so, occasionally, you ended up waiting in line behind someone dressed as a pirate or seated next to a table full of them. We also crossed paths with a gathering group of hoop-skirted young ladies preparing for the Spring Fiesta parade. Continue reading →
Filed under Charity, Concerts, Culture, decorations and costumes, entertainment industry, festival, free events and lagniappe, history, Local Cuisine, parade, shopping, Super Bowl 2010, the Saints, walking
Tagged as acting, Antoine's, armstrong park, Big Chief, billy iuso, brass band, Central BBQ, Chopteeth, city park, concert, congo square, d.b.a., Dana Gourrier, Daniéle Watts, Derrick Tabb, Django Unchained, Dwayne "Big D" Williams., Erica Dasher, Fi Yi Yi, Fleur de Paris, french market, french quarter, Frenchmen Street, Golden Feather, Goorin Bros., HBO, Hogs for the Cause, I Believe, Interactivo, jazz fest, latonola, Louie Mueller Barbecu, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, Mardi Gras Indians, margie perez, Mohawk Hunters, music, new orleans, NOLA Pyrate Week, parade, Pete Murano, Photoworks, Plum Street, Quentin Tarantino, Rebirth, rebirth brass band, Reggie Hudlin, Restaurant, Restless Natives, Rhythms Festival, Roadfood Festival, Rob Steinberg, Royal Treasures, Saints, Sean Payton, Spring Fiesta, Super Bowl, Superdome, Tootie Montana, treme, trombone shorty, Victor Harris, who dat, Wild Magnolias
I continue to accumulate favorite things about New Orleans, but here’s my second year favorites in a nutshell. Anything named previously in my Favorite Things in NOLA 2010 is marked with an Asterix*. Though there are too many “ties,” revealing an inability to “just pick one,” I promise you there were so many more things I wanted to include, so many more people and places I felt deserved mentioning. Continue reading →
Filed under Concerts, decorations and costumes, entertainment industry, festival, free events and lagniappe, Local Cuisine, parade, shopping, the Saints
Tagged as 610 stompers, abita, Angelo Brocato, Arc, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, bayona, beads, black and gold sports shop, Bourbon French Parfums, cafe du monde, Camellia Grill, Chaz Fest, Coco Robicheaux, Commander's Palace, concert, Coop’s Place, Covey Rise Farms, crunk, drew brees, FiFi Mahoney's, Fleur de Paris, Fleurty Girl, french quarter, French Quarter Fest, Galatoire's, Galeria Alegria, garden district, Garden District Book Shop, Glen David Andrews, Goorin Bros., Got Gumbo?, Gott Gourmet, Harvest the Music, HBO, IMAX Theatre, Inc., jazz fest, Jim Hart, la divina, Lafayette Cemetery #1, lafayette square, latonola, Loew's Hotel, Loretta's, Louis Sahuc, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, LSU, LSU Tigers, M.S. Rau Antiques, magazine street, mardi gras, Mardi Gras Parade Tracker, marie laveau, Maskarade, Meltdown Gourmet Popsicles, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Mo Isom, Molly's, Monk Boudreaux, muriel's, music, new orleans, New Orleans Party and Costume, Nola Defender, parade, paradetracker.com, Photo Works, Plus Size, Quarter Grocery, Raintree, Raintree Children and Family Services, Raymond Signal, rebirth brass band, Restaurant, roots of music, Saints, Sarah Quintana, second harvest, second line umbrella, shop, shopping, snowizard, southern candymakers, Southern Costume Company, Southern Decadence, Stephán Wanger, Superdome, Surrey's, Susan Spicer, sweet olive, The Grocery, The Singing Oak, Trashy Diva, Tremé Brass Band, treme, trombone shorty, Uncle Lionel, Vacarro's, Verti Marte, Vieux Carré Pizza, Vieux To Do, Vintage Garden Kitchen, Voluptuous Vixen, Wednesday at the Square, who dat, WWOZ, YLC, Young Leadership Council, Zea
L.A. to N.O.LA