Manning’s sans sports

Admitting you’re not a sports fan in New Orleans is akin to blasphemy, but there’s really nothing I can do about it. Maybe it was the years growing up with my father who, firmly ensconced on the couch, would command silence when the game was on or the grating voices […]

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The art of food

Last Thursday, I was invited by representatives of Highland Park Scotch Whiskey to attend the StarChefs.com “Rising Stars” event here in New Orleans, honoring some amazing local chefs and mixologists who “represent the vanguard of the contemporary dining scene in America.” Aside from giving serious props where props are due, […]

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Spring cravings: Panchita’s

Perhaps it might seem odd, but when the weather starts getting warmer and daylight stretches into the evening, an itch comes over me that cries out for tangy guacamole scooped up by warm, crispy tortilla chips and an icy margarita made with fresh lime, the glass supporting a thick rim […]

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The whole fam damly

Okay, it wasn’t the whole family, but it was a fairly decent slice of the Ranjbars (and Mangewalas) that came to visit me last week. For Ray Ranjbar (my dad), Rob Mangewala (my brother-in-law) and Arissa (my super-cool niece), it was the first trip ever to New Orleans. Nancy (my […]

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Sweet Olive

Sometimes, you just can’t come up with a good introduction. No matter how hard you stare at the blinking cursor, your brain feels just about as empty as the pristine white screen in front of your face.  Strange thoughts run through your mind occasionally like “Did I brush my teeth […]

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Pigging out

Last week, I spent a ridiculous amount of time eating. A day and a half tasting dishes all over the city for the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience and a delicious media feast at Dijon Restaurant located in the old New Orleans firehouse on Annunciation were more than enough […]

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