Slurping wetly and noisily at the nourishment that is New Orleans
Work has already begun to revitalize Old Algiers’ historically significant building that’s been forlorn since Hurricane Katrina. On the way back home from a ladies lunch, we stopped at a light when I caught sight of the peaked roofline of a huge, abandoned building hunkering behind much smaller residences and […]
Just steps away from hustling street performers, fortune tellers and local artists in Jackson Square lies Sylvain, a Southern bistro tucked into a carriage house built in the late 18th century. Famished guests seeking respite from the brouhaha enter the restaurant by traversing a long, dark side-alley culminating in a […]
When I moved to New Orleans over 20 years ago with my shih-tzu, Pippin, I quickly fell in love with the city’s lush green spaces, especially City Park and Audubon, with their majestic oaks and abundant wildlife. Curious about what else to explore, I asked locals about Armstrong Park—only to […]
In contrast to the ubiquitous grays, browns and beiges that dominate swaths of suburban landscapes across the country, the architecture of New Orleans is a kaleidoscope of color. Long before the city’s post-Katrina explosion of vivid hues, it already boasted a palette all its own – one uniquely captured in […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
A revamped café at the Historic New Orleans Collection offers light fare by favorite local bakeries and eateries – in one of New Orleans’ most beloved courtyards. For those who find themselves unabashedly peering through iron fences to get a glimpse of a private, French Quarter courtyard, several historic buildings […]
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 […]
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 […]