Memphis, St. Louis, Austin, Kansas City, Decatur . . . these cities tend to spring to mind when talking about great barbecue, but over the past several years New Orleans has finally entered the smoke ring to prove our our bark is a far more pleasant bite than previously imagined. […]
Eggplant Envy
What is elongated, fleshy, goes by many different names, is chock full of bitter seeds and can be found in shades of purple? Why the eggplant, of course! What were you thinking? While “sexters” and Instagram might view this pervasive vegetable as something more salacious, food-lovers all over the world […]
Nourishing an Oral Tradition
In an unending endeavor to preserve the rich food culture of New Orleans, James Beard award-winning chef Frank Brigsten shares his knowledge with young aspiring chefs, amateur home cooks and avid diners. While speaking with Frank Brigtsen about his long career in the local restaurant industry, sitting inside the hushed […]
Reviving a Legend: Pontchartrain Hotel
Innovative hospitality and real estate investors AJ Capital Partners in Chicago have reinvigorated the Garden District gem with design that pays homage to the hotel’s illustrious past while simultaneously appealing to future generations. Originally built in 1927, the Pontchartrain is a quintessential New Orleans landmark that has played host to […]
The toast of New Orleans
Believe it or not, The Toast of New Orleans is actually the title of a 1950s musical starring Kathryn Grayson, Mario Lanza and David Niven. It’s about an uppity opera singer who meets and falls in love with a roguish Louisiana fisherman who happens to be a natural songbird. Seeing […]
Merging Mediums
New York’s Architecture & Design Film Festival comes to New Orleans for the first time this summer in a celebration designed for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Founded in 2009 by Kyle Bergman, professional architect and film aficionado, the Architecture & Design Film Festival explores the diversity, creativity, social impact and […]
The Refinery: The Sweetness of Downtown Living
Orleans Properties transforms a 200-year-old molasses refinery into luxury residential accommodations. Originally built as the Rodd Bros. Molasses Refinery in the early 1800’s, the building at 701 S. Peters St. in the Warehouse District has gone through extensive renovation to become a high-end, luxury apartment complex dubbed The Refinery. Developer […]
Till you’re blue in the face
“It happens every time, they all become blueberries!” -Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory That horrific scene where Violet Beauregard plumps up like a ripe blueberry after chewing a rather special piece of gum devised by Willy Wonka will forever haunt me. I don’t even need to watch Willy Wonka […]
The recreation of a destination: Trinity Restaurant
Before it closed last year, Maximo’s Italian Grill was a lower Decatur dining destination for almost three decades. It was a restaurant with a unique ambiance — an open kitchen where chefs would be chefs where everyone could see and hear, revealing, sometimes quite shockingly, how a high-end restaurant kitchen […]
Chef Michael Nelson: Exploring the Gulf’s gastronomy
Growing up in a landlocked state like Illinois, Michael Nelson possessed an unusual desire for seafood. Perhaps it was the summers spent at his aunt’s house in Maine where he helped his neighbor pull lobster traps out of Bar Harbor or perhaps he simply enjoyed challenging his palate with a […]
Oh glorious grits!
You’d think growing up with a mother from South Carolina I’d be more than familiar with grits. Regardless of her heritage, my mom had no appreciation or desire for this ubiquitous Southern staple, so it never made an appearance on our table, for breakfast or otherwise. We were regaled with […]
Capturing the soul of a city: The Ace Hotel New Orleans
Recently renovated from the Art Deco building on the corner of Carondolet and Lafayette Street, the Ace Hotel New Orleans is the Portland-based hospitality group’s first foray into the Deep South. The Warehouse District hotel features 234 rooms, rooftop pool, lush courtyard, restaurant, music venue, event spaces and more. To […]