It’s been a while, but I’m back at it and this time I’m “goin’ down the bayou, takin’ you all the way” to where Goose Bayou meets Bayou Barataria in Lafitte. While I didn’t find Ray or Mama Odie, I did find this interesting property for sale. A little over […]
Tumbledown NOLA – Ashton Theater
Over a decade ago, my boyfriend and I dipped our toes into the roiling hot tub that is home ownership. At that time, the Louisiana Housing Commission was offering a Soft Second program, a home-buying assistance loan which would pay up to $85,000, and after ten years of residency, the […]
Tumbledown NOLA – Plaza Tower
Sitting empty for nearly a quarter of a century, demolition of the Plaza Tower is long-overdue. I’m a preservationist at heart. When I see neglected properties around New Orleans, my inclination almost always leans heavily toward restoration or adaptive reuse. In most cases, abandoned structures have the potential to thrive […]
Tumbledown NOLA: State Palace Theater
Distracted by opulent mansions in the Garden District and heavily-dressed fried shrimp po-boys, it took me a few months after moving here in 2003 to realize New Orleans was a neglected city. When I worked up the courage to journey beyond self-delineated safety zones, I began to notice the crumbling […]
Preserving the Narrative at The Celestine
In 2023, hôtelier and restaurateur Robért LeBlanc of LeBlanc + Smith collaborated with CureCo founder Neal Bodenheimer, and development partners Talbott Ottinger and Chris Dawson to renovate the Maison De Ville, an 18th century Creole townhouse-turned boutique hotel on Toulouse Street. “It just felt like the right time to reinvest […]
The Porch: U.S. Representing at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale
Every day (dare I say every hour?) my inbox is flooded with press releases, mostly from local firms touting their clients restaurants proclaiming new menus, wine dinners, summer dishes et al. I also receive PR from national and international companies, again, mostly talking about food or dining trends or, most […]
House of the Week: 1632 Constantinople Street
In case it isn’t already obvious, I really love old homes. Though I prefer the Victorian era, if a home was built before the mid 60s, it tends to be more than all-right with me. While I know change is life’s one true constant, I can’t help feeling a little […]
Single Shotguns: NOLA’s Original Tiny House
You only have to search “dream house” in Google images to be bombarded by colorful photos of sprawling mansions surrounded by Olympic-sized swimming pools, lush, green lawns and seemingly endless gardens. Regardless of architectural styles, these homes almost always include numerous bedrooms and bathrooms; great rooms and kitchens large enough […]
House of the Week: Greek Revival on Delaronde Street
I’ve been busy surviving this thing called life lately, and avoiding the Realtor browse, neglecting my ritual self flagellation in the interest of sanity. Not only will I never be able to buy a house, I am no longer 100% positive I’d want to buy one in New Orleans, even […]
Embracing the Surreal at The Frenchmen Hotel
Denver design firm FAM Design creates a female-forward, dreamlike atmosphere at the The Frenchmen Hotel with Italian surrealist Leonor Fini as their muse. On any given day New Orleans can elicit the surreal. Just watch a cruise liner float by on the Mississippi from street level, the massive hull at […]
The Big Sit: Porch Life in New Orleans
One morning I woke earlier than usual and couldn’t go back to sleep. I crept out of bed, got dressed and made coffee without waking my boyfriend John, though our new puppy was alert as soon as I pushed back the covers. Her eyes followed me as I left the […]
Pearl Hotel: A Bay St. Louis Gem
The Pearl Hotel on the corner of North Beach Boulevard has only amplified its iridescence with a few more amenities since opening in late 2020. It’s been almost three years since the Pearl opened its doors to the public, a brand new hotel which has positively changed the face of […]