Slurping wetly and noisily at the nourishment that is New Orleans
In the 1900 block of Magazine Street lies a quaint, unpretentious neighborhood bar called the Garden District Pub. Although I have visited quite a few little-known and under-appreciated watering holes in this town (The Saint and the pre-flood Hi-Ho Lounge comes to mind), this was one of those precious local […]
Smack dab next to my favorite burger joint in the whole city lies an unassuming Riverbend haunt called Madigan’s. To find it, just look for the large green, neon sign on the corner of Maple and S.Carrollton Avenue, only a short walk from Camilla Grill. Sometimes, the bar is opened up on […]
The Random House dictionary has several definitions for the original French phrase rendez-vous that literally means “present yourselves.” A rendezvous can be an agreement to meet, the meeting itself, a place designated for a meeting, a favorite gathering place and a meeting of two or more spacecraft in outer space. […]
As a Bay Area native, when I first heard the story of “Monkey Hill” in Audubon Zoo, I thought someone was yanking my chain. During the Great Depression, an artificial hill was constructed inside the zoo to show the children of New Orleans what a hill looked like. Even today, […]
After we left Mexicali Rose, my friends wanted to introduce me to one of the coolest jazz clubs in Oakland, Cafe Van Kleef. Known for a killer Greyhound, Cafe Van Kleef is located in the “Oaksterdam” district of downtown Oakland at 1621 Telegraph Avenue. The nickname developed quite recently due […]
As soon as I stepped into St. Joe’s on the corner of Magazine and Joseph Streets, I was immediately upset that it took me so long to finally get there. Ever since that crazy first year in New Orleans with Shalom, I developed an affinity for the “dive bar” and […]
When I first heard about “Toasting with Margarita” at Le Booze in the Royal Sonesta Hotel, I knew I just had to attend at least once. Since Margarita Bergen recently received her bartender’s license, I was under the impression that the social diva herself would be behind the bar for […]
When I first considered writing a cocktail blog, it seemed a fairly simple task. I mean, how difficult is it to lounge around a different bar each week for a few hours, taking pictures and enjoying a couple of exquisitely made cocktails? Describing the flavors and ingredients of a cocktail […]
It seems inevitable for girlfriends go through periods of distance, not because of any flaw in the friendship, but because we become busy with our own lives and romantic involvements. But, one thing is for sure, you’ll always know who your true friends are because true girlfriends always check back […]