Hey New Orleans peeps and lucky NOLA Mardi Gras travelers—you officially have LESS THAN A WEEK to get your fill of all things KING CAKE! And New Orleans is a quirky city, so it’s apropos that there are some quirky King Cake-themed food and beverage options on offer…but for a limited time only! I’ve gathered…
Mardi Gras Guide 101: the Walking Parades
Want handmade throws and clever socio-political analysis? The best Mardi Gras parades aren’t necessarily the biggest or most famous parades.
Cafe Hope: Help Youth Overcome Poverty By Eating King Cake
I spoke with Garin Siekkinen, a chef with Cafe Hope, about the nonprofit’s mission to fight poverty through prepping youth for, and helping them find, service industry gigs. Cafe Hope is basically the little sister to Central City’s neighborhood landmark, Cafe Reconcile. Founded in 2003 by Craig Cuccia, a contractor and restaurant industry worker, the…
Casa Samba & Black Orpheus at Music Box Village
A few days ago, I went to the Black Orpheus Music Box Mardi Gras Ball. I’m telling you about it here, in the hopes that you’ll check out other sure-to-be-fab events at Music Box Village. (And for the non-locals out there, if any event is describes as a “Mardi Gras ball,” feel free to wear…
Free or Donation-based Yoga in New Orleans
Frequent yoga really helps me keep my anxiety levels and moods in check, and it staves off my otherwise fairly constant shoulder/neck pain—the price I pay for spending sunny hours hunched-over-a-computer. Sometimes I do 15 minute internet yoga in the comfort of my own home (shout-out Yoga With Adriene and, for a more intensive few…
Tet Fest in New Orleans East: Welcoming the Year of the Pig
Last Friday I attended Tet Fest, the annual lunar new year celebration at New Orleans East’s Mary Queen of Vietnam Church. Like so much else in this mixed up gumbo of a city, Tet Fest is an amazing gift, offered by a specific cultural/ethnic group, to the city at large. The event is free and…
A guide / love letter to New Orleans radio
I’m a huge fan of the public sphere. I love parks, libraries, sanctioned and illicit public art—if there’s something out there that belongs equally to everyone or can be consumed by everyone, I’m totally behind it. So you know, I love radio. In fact, on short car trips, I try to avoid listening to anything…
joie de vivre 