Since I have been back in the Bay Area, my mother has been making all kinds of delicious Persian food, something I never get when I am at home in New Orleans. I can always make it, but most recipes feed a small army! Anyhow, I will enjoy it while […]
Reliving the past at La Cumbre
Ever since I moved to New Orleans, I have needed for nothing in the realm of incredible cuisine. From gumbo to pho, the Crescent City has a lot to choose from, but there is one item it lacks: an delectable, yet affordable burrito. Whenever I come back to visit my […]
Much needed serenity at the Japanese Tea Gardens
In the past month, I discovered that my father’s health was rapidly deteriorating. Through the years, he’s endured asthma, emphysema and two triple-bypass heart surgeries. After several frantic telephone calls and too many unanswered questions, I returned to my birth city of San Mateo to be with my family during […]
Making up for lost time at St. Joe’s
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 […]
Books: The Unnatural History of Cypress Parish
In the premiere episode of HBO’s Treme, there is a scene where John Goodman’s character is ranting about the levee failures to a British television crew. At one point, the journalist questions the reality behind the rumors that local city officials blew up part of the levees in an attempt […]
Luling Mansion: The three-sided Italianate
Last week, I drove too far past Cafe Degas on Esplanade and had to find a place to turn around. Things can get kind of hinky street-wise around the bayou, so I hurriedly took a right on Verna Street, made the block and came back around on Leda. I suddenly […]
S is for Stanley, that’s good enough for me
Could you imagine knowing the luxury of dining in a restaurant where you are served seven courses of culinary art, each dish an original masterpiece? Have you ever dared to dream of epicurean nirvana, where a chef’s heavenly creations enable sensory bliss? Do you have the financial wherewithal to make […]
Michelle Levine’s “Pillars”
Known globally from famous photographs taken in her own flamboyantly vivid Mardi Gras costumes, Michelle Levine is more than just one of New Orleans’ most recognized characters. She’s an incredible artist who is not only enthusiastic about her work, she is excited about anyone who is excited about art. Michelle’s […]
Do you see a giraffe?
Whether it be due to divergent cultural influences, the sticky swamp air or too much cayenne pepper, you can expect the unexpected when you live in New Orleans. I’ve had some of the most intense, most vividly colorful experiences of my entire life in this city, from getting hit on […]
Eating for the ice cream impaired…
I’ve been getting outside more often than ever, walking my dog, running errands and exploring my neighborhood and as much as I am enjoying all this time outside…it’s friggin’ hot out there! Last week, I went to the Crescent City Farmers Market with my friend Dani and we shopped (I […]
The abandoned house on Magazine Street
I’ve always been fascinated by the supernatural. Ghosts, spirits, and poltergeists became a small obsession of mine, especially when I was younger. Books relating “true” ghost stories and haunted houses littered my shelves and captured my imagination. Quite often, these stories would take place in a small rural neighborhood, completely […]
Another famous Ziggy at Maple Street Patisserie
When you think of the name “Ziggy”, a slew of famous characters come to mind; Ziggy Marley, Ziggy Stardust, Evander “Ziggy” Hood and even Ziggy, the well-known cartoon strip. Thursday afternoon I was forced to add another personality to the “Ziggy” hall of fame, Ziggy Cichowski…Master Pastry Chef at Maple […]