In New Orleans, holiday traditions are as thick as roux. Exquisite sights, wonderful Creole food, long-treasured Creole traditions spiced with 21st-century fun, and jazz concerts abound. When Louis Armstrong put his gravelly vocals to smooth brass on the swinging 1955 recording of "Christmas in New Orleans," his voice was like New Orleans itself"... a unique blend of rough edges and refinement. Our well-worn and mightily loved Crescent City is decked out in lights, bows, and sparkle, ready for the season's pageantry.
Kim Welsh
A Bride's Story
May 06, 2014
What happens when a girl from Atlanta falls in love with a native New Orleanian? Nina Brantley had that distinct pleasure and it led to her fantasy wedding in a town she had never visited before dating Isaac. However, when she came to our charming city she "fell in love with the culture, food, and friendliness of everyone" and instantly knew that it was the perfect place for the wedding of her dreams, surrounded by magnificent landmarks and the rich sounds and history of one of the world's most celebrated cities.
FestiGals... A Festival to Celebrate and Empower Women!
May 06, 2014
This June, women will be heading to the French Quarter to experience one of the country's most unique celebrations centered around women, FestiGals. The annual event takes place Thursday, June 19th through Sunday, June 22nd with a perfect weekend to celebrate life, laughter, and womanhood, and to share ideas, talents, and passions with other like-minded ladies in a city where food, fun and fabulousness abound! This year's theme, "It's All About YOU!" says it all! Early arrivals on Thursday June 19th will be treated to a private opening reception at the historic Hermann-Grimma House.
Stepping Back in Time in the "Paris of the South"
February 11, 2014
Sipping Cafe au Lait while indulging in buttery, golden croissants at the Croissant D'Or Patisserie, we stepped back into a time when time itself was savored and sipping coffee with friends was a special daily ritual. For a moment, we thought that we might walk out the door and see the top of the Tour d'Eiffel peeking at us from behind a row of Haussmann apartment buildings rather than the Ursuline Convent nearby.
Open the Gift of Christmas New Orleans Style
November 05, 2013
In New Orleans, holiday traditions are as thick as roux. Steeped in tradition, much has changed since the 1850s. Before Christmas trees became the fashion spurred by Queen Victoria's example, New Orleanians would typically set a small potted wax myrtle or citrus tree on a table. Trees were decorated with little gifts, paper ornaments and tallow candles. Today, exquisite sights, wonderful Creole food, long-treasured traditions spiced with 21st-century fun and jazz concerts abound.
Irvin Mayfield, Cultural Ambassador for New Orleans
August 02, 2013
At only 35 years old, Irvin Mayfield, Jr. represents the continuity of the unfolding Jazz legacy of New Orleans. This versatile trumpeter, bandleader, composer, arranger, and University of New Orleans professor is on a path to position Jazz at the center of American culture.
Kermit Ruffins, New Orleans' Music Ambassador
April 29, 2013
Proud of his humble roots and contributions to New Orleans music, bandleader, vocalist, and jazz trumpeter Kermit Ruffins claims Louis Armstrong as an early role model. He sings with an off-the-cuff charm that is the spitting image of our beloved Crescent City icon, "Satchmo," as he plays his trumpet with a bright, silvery tone. The jazz served up by our native Orleanian with a sunny disposition is as Louisiana as dirty rice and embodies the very essence of New Orleans jazz.
Summer Brides
April 29, 2013
Many couples choose to add the spice of New Orleans to the wedding of their dreams, surrounded by magnificent landmarks and the rich sounds and history of one of the world's most celebrated cities. Some desire an authentic Big Easy style wedding; others prefer an elegant Southern wedding, but whatever you can imagine can be created to assure your special day is filled with memories that will last a lifetime! Romance, after all, has always found its home in the French Quarter and is one of the many reasons that New Orleans is a top wedding destination.
Big Chief "Monk" Boudreaux Won't Bow Down
January 30, 2013
A few blocks away from the bacchanalian revelry in the French Quarter lies the mysterious and magnificent world of a mainstay of New Orleans Fat Tuesday celebrations. Mardi Gras Indians, resplendent in their brilliantly colored costumes, take to the streets in ceremonial dance to the beat of tambourines and drums, spellbinding confrontational rituals, call-and-response style chants, and Indian second line rhythms.
Our Living Legend, Lionel Ferbos
November 07, 2012
Jazz trumpeter Lionel Ferbos is widely considered the oldest performing musician on the planet. At 101 years young, we adore our eldest statesman of traditional jazz, a native New Orleanian who appears at the Palm Court Jazz Cafe, where he leads the Palm Court Jazz Band each Saturday night. He brings his mastery of the music of a bygone era to his regular gig at the Palm Court, the French Quarter mecca for traditional jazz enthusiasts. "I've had a wonderful life with music," Ferbos says. "As long as I have teeth, I'll keep playing.
Evoking the Spirits of the Vieux Carre
July 31, 2012
In the land of voodoo, vampires, and witchcraft, it's no wonder that America's most haunted city is rife with tales of restless spirits. Our turbulent history is cloaked in a shroud of supernatural intrigue and mystery that makes it a ghost hunter's dream come true!
