French Quarterly

New Orleans Restaurants Very Brightest Holiday Traditions

November 01, 2019

From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, the holiday season is all about traditions--something the 300-year old Crescent City has in spades. The dining rooms of century old restaurants get decked out in their holiday finest.

One of the most popular traditions during the month of December are the réveillon meals that emerge from restaurant kitchens. An old Creole tradition, originally réveillon (which comes from réveil, meaning waking) was a long meal hosted in a private home after midnight mass on Christmas Eve that lasted for hours and sometimes into the morning.

Indulge Yourself with a French Quarter Treat! Spotlight on Café Biegnet

by French Quarterly

November 01, 2019

Beignets (pronounced “BEN-yays”) are the official state doughnut of Louisiana, and for good reason! An iconic French Quarter breakfast or treat brought to Louisiana by the Acadians, locals and visitors love these French-inspired, perfectly-fried “fluffy little pillows” dusted with powdered sugar. Treat yourself special and order some with cafe au lait, which is equal parts strong coffee and warm milk.

A toast to the holidays with Patrick Van Hoorebeek

by French Quarterly

November 01, 2019

“In victory, you deserve Champagne; in defeat, you need it.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

You don’t have to be a diminutive French dictator to know that nothing says celebration - or consolation - like champagne. Beyond festive, an elegant glass of bubbles sets the stage for great things to come. When kicking off or celebrating the holiday season, take some advice from wine guru Patrick Van Hoorebeek, of the Patrick’s Bar Vin in the French Quarter, and do it up right.

Opening the bottle

Dirty Linen Night

by French Quarterly

July 30, 2019

August 10, 2019 marks the 19th annual Dirty Linen Night celebration on Royal Street. For the third year in a row, the event is being presented by The Royal Street Art District. The event will once again encompass the 300 – 900 blocks of Royal Street and as a highlight add the 1000 and 1100 blocks to the party.

Holiday Traditions, Past and Present

by French Quarterly

November 05, 2018

Traditionally, the winter holiday season in New Orleans was a two-week celebration, beginning on Christmas Eve with Midnight Mass and continuing through January 8th with the commemoration of the Battle of New Orleans. Celebrations were also held on New Year’s Day, with neighborly visits, family gatherings, and large parties, as well as on January 6th, the Epiphany, also known as Twelfth Night or Kings Day, the official start to the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras.

Exploring French Quarter Museums

by French Quarterly

November 05, 2018

My old friend from college, a real history buff, visited recently. Michael and I decided to spend a couple days visiting some of our best museums. We headed to the French Quarter Museums Association Visitor Center at 533 Royal Street, offering free information about all the participating museums in the Vieux Carré. The French Quarter Museum Association is a network of unique cultural and historical museums, all within a few blocks of each other, that tell diverse stories from all corners of New Orleans’ oldest neighborhood.

The Professor Longhair Centennial "Me Got Fiyo" Sponsored By The New Orleans Jazz Museum

by French Quarterly

July 27, 2018

Professor Longhair at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 1977 by Michael P. Smith, New Orleans Jazz Museum Collection, 2003.003.63.
© The Historic New Orleans Collection

Henry Roeland Byrd, better known to the world as Professor Longhair or “Fess,” for short, stands as the foremost exponent of New Orleans piano style. As a vocalist, he was a classic blues shouter, and his idiosyncratic style is a rhythmic jambalaya reflecting the freewheeling, good-time spirit of the Crescent City. Urban legend suggests that The New Orleans Jazz Fest was begun to showcase his piano and vocal talents.

It’s Time To Get Dirty Again! Dirty Linen Night 2018

by French Quarterly

July 27, 2018

The evening of August 11, 2018 marks the 17th annual Dirty Linen Night celebration on Royal Street. For the second year in a row, the event is being presented by The Royal Street Art District, French Quarterly Magazine, and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, along with a long list of other generous sponsors. The event will once again encompass the 300–900 blocks of Royal Street. But as an extra treat this year, the shops of Wilkinson Rowe and several others along Chartres Street will be joining forces to bring an even bigger and more exciting event to the French Quarter.

Germaine Bazzle, New Orleans' "First Lady of Jazz"

by French Quarterly

May 07, 2018

One of the true legends of New Orleans jazz, the elegant and graceful Germaine Bazzle is one of our most important jazz vocalists and a respected music instructor. After growing up in our own Seventh Ward and graduating from our local Xavier University of Louisiana, she began a teaching career during the day and entertaining in a traditional jazz band at night.

Jazz in the Park Crab Festival

by French Quarterly

May 07, 2018

People United for Armstrong Park will present their second annual Jazz in the Park Crab Festival on May 11th, 2018 from 6 to 9pm in historic Armstrong Park. The Crab Festival will feature the smooth jazz of Michael Franks and the urban contemporary rhythm and blues of the successful British band, Loose Ends. It will be held in an historical area of the park called Congo Square where enslaved Africans gathered to set up markets, sing, dance, and play music starting in the late 1700’s. We continue to celebrate the cultural heritage of New Orleans on that sacred ground.