“Sometimes too much to drink is barely enough. “ ~Mark Twain Seeking to prevent our thirst and to sample some tasty nosh, Anne and I headed over to Cure on the corner of Freret and Upperline several nights ago, already a little buzzed and excited about what we’ve heard about the […]
The crawfish boil chronicles: Ryan Tramonte
One of the most important events of my new life in New Orleans was the first time I got invited to a crawfish boil. To me, it was a pivotal, food-related experience that, like no other, had endeared me to the locals and made me feel welcome and included. Lately, […]
Our little green friend
Just the other afternoon, John and I were headed out to run some errands and as we stepped outside onto the porch, this little green dude was sitting there waiting for us. Our new friend was almost three inches long, an inch high and I believe he lost his back […]
Pigging out on New Orleans Ice Cream
A few weeks ago I vented on Facebook about how I can rarely ever find New Orleans Ice Cream Co. flavor Banana’s Foster in supermarket freezers. It seemed like other banana ice cream maniacs beat me to it every time I looked. New Orleans Ice Cream Company owner Adrian Simpson […]
Oddly shaped objects and twofers at the Rendezvous Tavern
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. […]
Live music in my backyard: Maple Leaf Bar
I know I’ve bee touting my neighborhood a lot lately, but what the hell, I’m biased. I’ve actually avoided mentioning some hang-outs in my area because, well, they get enough attention. But I would be totally remiss in my bar-jaunting duties if I didn’t highlight a cool club that happens […]
Random dining rants
For the past year and a half, I’ve paid very close attention to each and every dining experience so that I might provide a more accurate description to share with whoever might be reading my blog. In the process, I’ve noticed certain similarities that pop up again and again, forcing […]
We all love you…
I love this house. Anyone who’s been to Tipitina’s or the Rouses on Tchoupitoulas Street would know it. Bright green, often projecting music and heavily decorated regardless of the season, I can’t help pondering who owns this double every time I pass it by. “GOD LOVE YOU”, “JESUS LOVE YOU” and […]
Just a few blocks to bliss at Boucherie
Not to start any inter-city rivalry, but I think I live in one of the best neighborhoods in New Orleans, especially when it comes to food. It’s only four blocks to Spoon Bread at Dante’s Kitchen, three to a pork tenderloin & Gouda cheese Canoe at Barcelona Tapas Cafe or the best burgers […]
There IS a monkey at the Monkey Hill Bar!
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, […]
Parakeets gone wild!
I had just left my house and was driving around the corner, when I was forced to stop the car. One of my neighbors has a collection of birdhouses and bird feeders in their front yard and they must have recently put out some more food because there was a […]
Support your local bookseller! Visit Blue Cypress Books
On my way back home, I had a two-hour layover in LAX and I didn’t know what to do with myself. Stretching, eating, roaming around and chatting on the phone only managed to burn about 45 minutes and I began feeling anxious. Wandering into one of the many bookstores, I […]
Visiting Katie’s Restaurant & Bar
Ever since I read about the recently re-opened Katie’s in Mid-City, I became anxious to give it a try. After all, Katie’s has been around since 1984 and though it’s not as old as Mandina’s or College Inn, staying in business for over twenty years is nothing to sneeze at. […]