spring 2013

Romancing the French Quarter

January 30, 2013

We're a little biased in the Big Easy - we tend to think our beloved city offers the best of everything, which is why it came as no surprise when New Orleans was ranked #1 in CNN Travel's 2012 list, "The World's Most Really, Truly Romantic Cities." Take a leisurely walk through the French Quarter, with its legendary restaurants, luxury shopping, picturesque courtyards, and the lazy sounds of jazz spilling from all corners - and you'll know why there's no better place in the U.S. for couples to canoodle.

Treats for your sweet

Heart of the Quarter - Heartbeat of Mardi Gras

by Ryan Tramonte

January 30, 2013

As most of you know, "Heart of the Quarter" is all about the faces that make this neighborhood the experience of a lifetime for locals and tourists alike. So when choosing my "Heart of the Quarter" this issue, I decided to step outside of my slice of heaven and find a face that represents the city as a whole. After all, we are moving into a season where our entire city comes together for what some call the greatest free party on Earth. And what better face to highlight than that of Mardi Gras itself: Barry Kern.

Number One For Fun! French Quarter Is "The" Place To Come And Party

by Dean M. Shapiro

January 30, 2013

It's party time in New Orleans and the French Quarter is rockin'!

Once again Bourbon Street is Ground Zero for the fun and excitement as a New Year kicks in. Whether you're here with your fraternity or sorority, or with a group of friends, or even by yourself (which you won't be for long!) you'll find plenty of exciting things to keep your partying spirit going here in The Big Easy. If you're not here yet, you need to make your plans and reservations now. The fun is just beginning and you'll want to be close enough to be able to walk to and from it.

Craig Tracy's Blissful Bodies of Work

by Ryan Tramonte

January 30, 2013

Some art aficionados might argue that the Sistine Chapel and the Mona Lisa are the most beautiful works of art. Historians and architects might debate that the Great Pyramids stand far and above as the greatest architectural achievements of all time. And while Evel Knievel might have found his Harley Davidson XR-750 to be the finest piece of machinery ever built, I tend to think that the human body beats them all.

Big Chief "Monk" Boudreaux Won't Bow Down

by Kim Welsh

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.

"Promiscuous Maskers" From Canal Street To Bourbon Street

by John Magill

January 30, 2013

From its founding in 1718 New Orleans has annually celebrated the Carnival season, beginning on Twelfth Night and ending with Mardi Gras, to usher in the solemnity of Lent, following the Catholic tradition of the city's French founders. Costuming and exchanging roles are ancient parts of European Mardi Gras, and in 18th-century New Orleans, there were already men dressing as women and African slaves impersonating Native Americans. In 1912 the Daily Picayune said some female impersonators "made the fair feminines [sic] themselves feel ashamed ... others ...

Casual Eats for New Orleans Festival Season

by Colleen Rush

January 30, 2013

Festival season lures hundreds of thousands of visitors to New Orleans every year for a concentrated dose of the city's best music, food, art and culture. After long days and nights of soaking up New Orleans and dancing in our streets, sitting down to a full-blown meal in one of the city's top restaurants might not fit the bill. If you're looking for easy eats - great bar snacks, small plates and casual, local fare - head to these restaurants.

Killer Po-Boys at Erin Rose Bar (811 Conti, 504.252.6745)