New Orleans Magazine June 2026

FROM THE EDITOR

S

ummer is officially here and now is the best time to dive into all the fun. My kids always looked forward to the opening of the family pool and we spent long afternoons watching them practice elaborate dives off the diving board, competing with cousins in pool noodle-related activities and wearing themselves out in the water. We were lucky to have access to both a family pool as well as watchful family members that gave swim instructions on safety and staying afloat in a careful way. And, of course, the kids were never left alone to their swimming fun.

In this issue, we explore ways for kids and adults to learn swim safety across New Orleans, with lessons for baby and beyond so that, hopefully, a new generation of swimmers can enjoy cooling off each summer.

For those looking for a quick escape, we have a road trip just down the bayou, embracing the culture, community and fun to be had with our neighbors in Grand Isle. Generations have made memories in this little fishing town, and many more travel to participate in the annual tarpon rodeo and, now, Blue Boot Rodeo. It’s worth the drive to experience a part of Louisiana that maintains is identity, its strength of character and lasting cultural legacy.

And, as always, we have all the news you need to make your June fun and festive, from Pride celebrations to summer menus, recipes, style and more. Things are just starting to heat up, so take advantage of the long summer days before the swelter sets in.

Enjoy!

Send us a line!

Have something you want to share with us? Email ashley@myneworleans.com.

Associate Publisher Kate Henry

Editorial

Editor Ashley McLellan

Creative Director Tiffani Reding Amedeo

Digital Media Editor Kelly Massicot

Style Editor Andy Myer

Contributing Writers Jyl Benson, Cheré Coen, Lee Cutrone, Fritz Esker, Scott Gold, John Kemp, Misty Milioto, Liz Scott Monaghan, Elizabeth Pearce, Eve Crawford Peyton, Mike Scott, Melanie Warner Spencer

Advertising

Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Kate Henry, Kate@MyNewOrleans.com

Account Director Meggie Schmidt

Senior Account Executives Erin Chiartano, Brooke Genusa, Lisa Picone Love

Sponsored Content Coordinator

Jeremy Marshall

Marketing

Marketing Manager Haley Nash

Renaissance Publishing

Production

Manager Rosa Balaguer Arostegui

Senior Designer Ashley Bravata

Administration

Office Manager Emily Ruiz

Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne

New Orleans Magazine

MyNewOrleans.com

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Book Club BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN

Pride and More

History, romance and New Orleans sagas for the summer

Frank Perez, executive director of the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana and editor of Ambush magazine, along with French Quarter resident and former Lafitte in Exile bartender Jeffrey Palmquist, recount the story and ongoing legacy of one of New Orleans’ most well-known and influential gay bars in the city. In “Café Lafitte in Exile: Queer New Orleans and the Story of America’s Oldest Gay Bar” readers will learn about the long history of the bar along with gay residents, writers, artists, musicians and activists that have made New Orleans their home. Historic documents and personal accounts paint a picture of resilience in what Daniel Hammer, president and CEO of the Historic New Orleans Collection, calls “indispensable for anyone who wants to understand New Orleans in its full complexity.”

An Epic Romance

“Eugène and Eulalie” by author Melissa Daggett follows the epic love story of Eulalie Mandeville, a free woman of color, and Eugène Macarty, two colonial elites that met and married despite society norms of race and relationships in the late 1790s. The couple would be together for more than 50 years and have five children, while together. Daggett examines the culture of interracial relationships in 19th century southern Louisiana, the influence of Spanish law, the struggles of free people of color and antebellum culture in New Orleans, and the enduring power of love and family.

Events

June 4

Writer Olivia Worley launches her latest book “Man of My Dreams,” 6 p.m. at The Garden District Book Shop, along with an author Q&A. gardendistrictbookshop.com

June 11

Join New York Times bestselling author Matt Dinniman, 6 p.m., for a Virtual Author Talk to discuss his latest “A Parade of Horribles,” hosted by the New Orleans Public Library. Register in advance to submit questions and to receive the virtual link. nolalibrary.org

June 16

Behind the Baroness

Businesswoman, mother, family abuse survivor and cultural icon, the Baroness of Pontalba may have been the original inspiration for the term “girl boss.” Authors Rory O’Neill Schmitt, PhD and Rosary O’Neill, PhD transport readers to 19th century New Orleans, and detail the fascinating life of the baroness from her childhood in France to her arrival in and influence across the city, and the series of events that would lead to an attempt on her life, her survival and her enduring legacy. If you’ve ever wondered about the iconic Pontalba that flanks what is now Jackson Square in the French Quarter, “The Blood of the Baroness” brings the true-life story into full color.

The New Orleans Public Library Hubbell branch hosts Author Night featuring local writer and LGBTQ activist Frank Perez, 6:30 p.m., to discuss his book “Rainbow Fleur de Lis: Essays on Queer New Orleans History.” nolalibrary.org

June 17

The Book Easy book club meets over dinner and drinks to discuss “The Safekeep” by Yael van der Wouden, 6:30 p.m. at Blue Cypress Books. Eat, drink and enjoy fellow reading community. Tickets are required in advance and space is limited. bluecypressbooks.com

June 23

Diaspora Spice Co. CEO Sana Javeri Kadri and food writer Asha Loupy discuss “The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook,” seasonal cooking and traditional Indian and Sri Lankan family recipes, 1 p.m., in a Virtual Author Talk hosted by the New Orleans Public Library. Register in advance to submit questions and to receive the virtual link. nolalibrary.org

June 23

Journalist, TV host and podcaster Tiffany Cross discusses her new book “Love, Me,” 6 p.m. at Baldwin & Co. Tickets and reservations are required. baldwin&cobooks.com

Summer in the City

Top things to do in June

June

2-7

“Monty Python’s Spamalot”

The Saenger Theater hosts this rollicking musical adaptation of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” following King Arthur and his knights’ comic quest to find the grail. saengernola.com

3, 8, 12, 15, 17, 26

The Victory Belles Salute to Hope

BB’s Stage Door Canteen at the National World War II Museum hosts the Victory Belles in concert as they sing beloved standards from the 1940s. nationalww2museum. org

4-21

“Once”

Based on the critically acclaimed film, this musical production tells the story of an Irish musician forming a close personal connection with a Czech immigrant over their shared love of music. Performances on stage at Le Petit Theatre. lepetittheatre. com

4-7

LGBTLOL Queer

Comedy Festival

Enjoy the best LGBT comedians during Pride Week at the LGBTLOL Queer Comedy Festival at various venues throughout the city. lgbtlol.com

6

Orchestra Noir

Orchestra Noir, the all-Black orchestra that puts a classical spin on R&B and hip-hop, brings its “Culture 2000” tour to the Orpheum Theater. orpheumnola.com

6-7

Creole Tomato Festival

Fans of Creole tomatoes should visit the French Market for Creole Tomato Fest. Aside from food, there will also be live music and dance lessons. frenchmarket.org/creoletomatofest

8-14

Restaurant Week

New Orleans

Celebrate New Orleans’ many great restaurants with special dishes and discounts during Restaurant Week New Orleans. instagram.com/ restaurantweek_nola

10-13

New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

Celebrating its 34th anniversary, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience returns to multiple venues throughout the city. nowfe. com

12-14

New Orleans Pride Weekend

The French Quarter and Marigny will host events celebrating the city’s LGBT community during New Orleans Pride weekend. As always, a parade will be the centerpiece. neworleanspride. org

13

Rob49

Rising New Orleans rap star Rob49 brings the “Vulture Island Experience” to the Smoothie King Center with a wide variety of special guests. smoothiekingcenter.com

Check all event websites for the most up-to-date information.

17

The Human League Eighties New Wave legends The Human League perform at the Saenger Theater for one night only with special guests Soft Cell and Alison Moyet. saengernola.com

18-21

“Chicago”

Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre presents Kander & Ebb’s classic musical about two murderesses in 1920s Chicago. liberalarts.tulane. edu/summer-lyric-theatre

19

NOLA Juneteenth Festival

Armstrong Park hosts the NOLA Juneteenth Festival, which commemorates the end of slavery in 1865. The festival is free and open to the public and features live music, a cultural celebration and more. nolajuneteenthfestival.org

22-27

Orpheum Theater

Talent Revue

Rising stars from the New Orleans community in fields ranging from song to dance to comedy and other specialty acts will perform at the Orpheum Theater Talent Revue. orpheumnola.com

26-July 12

“Macbeth”

The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane stages a production of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy about an ambitious Scottish lord’s lust for power. neworleansshakespeare.org

BY ELIZABETH PEARCE

Arnaud’s French 75 Lunch Drinks

Locals looking for an intimate spot for Friday lunch can visit Arnaud’s French 75 Bar which offers a curated lunch menu with full service, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Guests can pair their meal with cocktails from the bar, which features a new list of beverages including a savory, herb infused “Dirty Freezer Martini,” an artfully presented Spanish gin and tonic, a selection of spritzes, and of course, the classic French 75. 813 Bienville St., 504-523-5433, arnaudsrestaurant.com.

Avegno Green Hour

Avegno, the stylish sister to the celebrated restaurant Gautreau’s, brings l’heure verte (the green hour) from Paris to New Orleans in celebration of absinthe, Madam Gautreau (the restaurant’s namesake and scandalous patron of the arts) and la belle epoque. Every Tuesday through Saturday at 5 p.m., imbibers have the opportunity to pause and savor an hour of intimate (and perhaps even scandalous) conversation. The cocktail “Death in the Afternoon” is a seductive mixture of chilled absinthe, Taittinger Champagne, and a hint of lemon, and is served exclusively during L’heure Verte. 1726 Soniat St., 504-899-7397, avegnoneworleans.com

Cure 50 Best Bar

New Orleanians can celebrate the team at Cure’s fourth consecutive appearance on North America’s 50 Best Bars list. The cocktail bar jumped from the No.50 to the No.21 spot for 2026, earning them the Nikka Highest Climber Award. The 50 Best Bar list honors standout innovation and exceptional hospitality, which cements Cure’s role in advancing the modern cocktail movement in New Orleans. Cure’s past accolades include a James Beard Foundation Award for “Outstanding Bar Program” in 2018, inclusion on The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2014, and repeat placements on North America’s 50 Best Bars list in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Cure was also named the No. 1 bar in the United States in 2026, by Food & Wine as part of its annual Global Tastemakers awards. 4905 Freret St., 504-302-2357, curenola.com.

Dolfy’s

Safta’s Table

Emily and Alon Shaya’s newly opened Safta’s Table in Lakeshore offers breakfast and lunch on the go or pick up to-go family meals. Safta’s beverages include both classic and innovative coffee and tea selections available, and Folk Machine Winery white blend and rosé are on tap. By the glass options include La Val Alabarino, a Spanish Sancerre, a fizzy Psuedonimo Pet Nat and traditional sparkling Caves de Wissembourg Simonet Vin Mousseaux Blanc de Blanc Brut. Beer selections from New Orleans’ Second Line Brewing include Saison Named Desire and Batture Blonde Ale. A curated cocktail list ranges from classics like the Espresso martini, Negroni, Old Fashioned and margaritas. Seasonally inspired fresh fruit spritzes like the “Pomegranate Rose” are served with or without spirits. 129 Allen Toussaint Boulevard, 504-355-0045, saftastable.com

New Orleanians proudly flaunt their Gallic heritage, forgetting that we were once Spanish for just as long as we were French. Chef Adolfo Garcia Jr. and partner Sophia Petrou Garcia celebrate that Spanish influence at the newly opened Dolfy’s, their Basque-inspired, wood-fired restaurant. The menu at Dolfy’s reflects an intersection of the Basque coast and the Gulf coast, featuring fresh seafood, open-fire cooking and simple preparations. The beverage menu has been crafted to complement these bold flavors. “The bar isn’t an afterthought here. It’s part of the story,” Garcia said. Head Bartender Chandler Johnson’s cocktail menu draws on Spanish spirits and Basque flavors as well. The “Bulevar,” a Manhattan riff features Apero Ibérico and sweet vermouth, while the “Txeequitini,” the bar’s playful martini, is offered with vodka or gin. 4508 Freret St., 504-841-9110, dolfys.com.

Beyond Tapas

The Basque-inspired Dolfy’s on Freret is already a much-lauded addition to the rash of restaurants to open in the lively Uptown neighborhood over the past few years. Chef Adolfo Garcia Jr. and partner (and wife) Sophia Petrou Garcia, who also own nearby Chi Chi’s Chicken & Beer, are behind the restaurant that took over the former Ancora Pizzaria, putting its wood-fired oven to good use. “New Orleans has Spanish roots just as deep as its French ones, but nobody’s really celebrating that food here,” Chef Garcia says in a press release. “I grew up cooking Spanish food with my dad, and now I have the chance to educate people on what Basque cuisine really is. It’s so much more than paella and sangria, and I’m excited to share it with everyone.” Go for the small bites (pintxos), such as chips y jamón Ibérico and spicy mussels and stay for bone-in dry-aged black angus ribeye, wood-fired half chicken, the primarily Spanish wine list and a Spanish gin and tonic ritual that will transport you to the Basque Country. dolfys.com

Good Food, Good Wine, Good Friends

When the iconic Uptown restaurant Upperline shuttered in 2020, its absence and that of its owner, legendary restaurateur JoAnn Clevenger, were notable. Cut to an announcement earlier this year that the husbandand-wife team behind Uptown’s acclaimed La Petite Grocery, Mia and Justin Devillier, would take over the space at 1413 Upperline St. Their new concept, Daughter’s Neighborhood Italian, celebrates both the couple’s daughters and the daughter of Joel Dondis, their business partner. In a press release, Mia Devillier, a third-generation Italian American, says, “In recent years, my family has spent time reconnecting with our Italian relatives. This restaurant is a continuation of that journey — a way to honor and share that history through food and hospitality.” James Beard Award–winning chef Justin Devillier and La Petite Grocery’s longtime sous chef, Blake Scherer, will lead the kitchen. The latter was elevated as Chef de Cuisine at Daughter’s. Expect a completely new look when the restaurant opens this fall.

Storied Steakhouse

From Friends to Family

Friends and business partners Malachi Dupre and Chef Matthew Hyunh have opened their third restaurant, Kenji Kazoku, in Old Metairie. The Japanese name, which loosely translates to doing business within a circle of friends who feel like family, says it all. Sushi and sashimi are joined on the menu by dry-aged Japanese fish and charcoal-cooked wagyu beef. New Orleans diners are already familiar with the duo’s Kenji Omakase in the International House Hotel, and travelers may have visited their Houston concept, Casa Kenji. Purists will delight that 80 percent of the menu is focused on seafood sourced from Japan. kenjikazoku.com

Hot Italian Summer

The weather is heating up, which means chefs and restaurants roll out their summer menus just as we begin to crave excuses to stay indoors. Enter dinner and a show. We love that you can get both at the Sicilian Italian eatery Pulcinella! without having to go to multiple locations, because upstairs from the restaurant at 1300 St. Bernard Ave., is the Original Nite Cap entertainment venue. This summer, look for Chef Matty Hayes’ seafood cannelloni with Gulf crab and shrimp, ricotta cheese and topped with creamy sauce Newburg and chunky, flavorful Sicillian capuliato, made with sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and herbs. Toddle upstairs after dinner, dessert and drinks for an evening of burlesque (and more drinks, probably). It doesn’t get more New Orleans than that. (P.S. Be sure to visit the comprehensive website for Pulcinella! and the Original Nite Cap to learn about the restaurant and venue’s history. Expect a rabbit hole!) dirtydimeproductions.com/pulcinella

When the Fairmont New Orleans opens this fall, it will bring two Emeril Lagasse concepts and we are determined not to say the B word. Delmonico Steakhouse, the first spinoff of the 25-year Las Vegas stalwart, and The Café by Emeril, catering to the breakfast and lunch crowd. (The New Orleans iteration of Delmonico is not to be confused with Emeril’s Delmonico, which closed due to pandemic shutdowns in March of 2020, which closed permanently in 2022.) Located downtown in the former Bank of New Orleans Building on Common Street, the Fairmont New Orleans joins a portfolio of 97 hotels, The Plaza in New York City and The Savoy in London. The new steakhouse will feature extensive wine and spirits programs and dry-aged in-house cuts of meat. In a press release, the renowned chef, TV personality and entrepreneur Lagasse says, “We honor the classic American steakhouse, but we do it with our own New Orleans spirit: big flavors, warm hospitality, and genuine care for every guest.” Bam! Sorry, we couldn’t help it. fairmont-new-orleans.com, theemerilgroup.com

Nothing says “I love you” like a custom suit. Kilby’s Safari jacket and trouser set is crafted from a Hardy Minnis wool silk linen blend and made to measure so that each is tailored for the wearer to look and feel their best (custom linen shirt also shown here). Kilby, kilbysuits.com.

The Dapper Dad

Treat the father figure in your life to a high-quality gift that will be useful, great-looking and stand the test of time.

With a versatile design, Greyson’s Amagansett Short brings sophistication to warmweather style. Crafted from premium cotton, this pair combines moisture-wicking and antimicrobial properties for all-day comfort. Greyson, greysonclothiers.com.

Today, more than ever, a handwritten note is greatly appreciated. Scriptura offers a wide range of handsome men’s stationary options, personalized on flat cards or sheets to delight every recipient. Scriptura, scriptura.com.

Never underestimate the power of a sleek brown belt. This woven Italian leather option by Torino features a matte nickel finished buckle and hidden elastic stretch, for those days when he’s had one too many fried shrimp po’boys. Perlis, perlis.com.

Ryan Rogers

Comedian and Co-founder

LGBTLOL

Comedy Festival Persona BY KELLY MASSICOT

PHOTO BY THERESA CASSAGNE

New Orleans is known for its culture, talent and artistry, but — arguably — New Orleanians are some of the funniest people you’ll ever meet. Maybe it’s our innate gift for storytelling or just the natural whimsicality brought on by the city itself. Whatever the case, we’ll make you laugh. One of those natural-born performers making us laugh is Ryan Rogers. Rogers has become very popular on social media for his real and honest commentary on New Orleans and its people. For the last five years, however, Rogers has made it a mission to shine a light on other Queer artists through his LGBTLOL Comedy Festival.

Q: Did you always know that you wanted to be an entertainer? No, not at all. I wanted to be an artist, but I didn’t know there was more versatility to being a “professional creative.” I had a limited view of, like, I will be a

painter, and I will probably work in Jackson Square, because that is the ceiling, and then that will be my life. When I went to college, I pivoted into advertising, which was a way to make art commercially, but I wasn’t, believe it or

not, incredibly interested in the design side of it. I switched to writing because I got a job [with] the campus newspaper as the sex columnist. I wrote under a pen name and started writing. I got actually poached by a local

ad exec when I was maybe 19. She said, “I read your column, you should come write for us.” I was working at an ad agency, in undergrad still, and so I’d already pivoted into a full-blown career in advertising. I still hold down

a day job working. I’m working in-house right now for a company based out Northern California in Silicon Valley that specializes in perimenopause care for women. I’m a senior brand copywriter for MIDI. I mean, it’s weird that I ended up here, but I worked at Peter Mayer in New Orleans for years, so my clients were Kennedy Space Center (so I worked for NASA). I worked for Zatarans, and then I got essentially recruited by Google. I lived in San Francisco and the Bay Area. I lived in the city and I commuted to Google and Mountain View every day for a couple of years. I was [then] a creative director at Pandora, the music app in Oakland. Then the pandemic hit and I moved back to New Orleans with my husband.

Q: How did you get started in comedy? It started with a sex column. I had a very popular blog for a while where I wrote about my sex life and relationships. It was called “Ex-boyfriend Material.” And that’s actually how I met my husband, He was a fan. I’m not kidding. He wrote in fan mail, and that’s how we met. When I got sober after the pandemic, I needed a way to channel all my anxieties and manage sobriety in a healthy way. I went to a comedy show in New Orleans and was like, “Oh, I could do this. I mean, it’s just, it’s writing and performance, like let’s just go for it.” I wrote five minutes, I went to an open mic and I crushed, and that was it. I kind of went all in. In my first year, I quit my day job. I would never recommend this, but I had some money left over from Google, and I was like, you know what, I’m going to coast on some of the money that I saved, and I’m going to invest in a website, and my social media, and getting my writing together, and traveling. I spent my first year doing comedy full time, which is backwards. I started

producing in New Orleans and partnering with the Virgin Hotel and local venues, and producing was a way for me to make money while I figured everything out. I was making sustainable income, producing shows, working with local businesses in New Orleans, elevating their comedy programs or installing them, and doing stand-up every night. Even to this very day, I do stand-up five to seven nights a week. I make five years doing stand-up in June, and I’m my biggest fan. I couldn’t be more proud of what I’ve accomplished in less than five years. I’ve got two albums out on all streaming platforms. I have opened for [comedians] Whitney Cummings and Tig Notaro. I’ve, worked with all these national brands. I had an OnlyFans comedy special that I was, it’s crazy. There’s a lot that’s happened in five years.

Q: Where did the idea for LGBTLOL come from? We’re entering our fifth year this June, so June is a big month. It started as a one-day event with four shows, and we sold out. And that told us that there was a demand for it. The following year we opened it up on a national scale, and instead of just casting it with local queer comedians (which by the way, New Orleans has one of the richest queer comedy scenes in the country by far; it’s not even close) we open it up on a national scale and we try to match it. This year we had 175 applicants from all around the country. We’ll pick maybe the top 30, and then we’ll match it with 30 locals because we have the numbers locally. This year we have 30+ queer comedians representing New Orleans on the festival. That’s not even counting drag queens, these are just standup comedians. This isn’t even counting improv. The dream truly is to take LGBTLOL and make it more of a national platform

where we can give underrepresented queer comedians who are just bursting at the seams with talent and, you know, maybe don’t have the opportunities because of diversity issues or financial issues. I would like to give those people the platform.

Q: What are you most excited about for this year? I am very proud of our headliners we have this year. And I’m most excited about our local partnerships by far. We have operated this festival, since day one, out of the generosity and support of local businesses. They have shown up for us since day one for me and my husband Drew, who is my co-producer and co-founder of the festival. A lot of local businesses come out to support us, which in 2026 in our political climate, is very rare for people to step up and be vocal and visible about supporting a queer organization like us. They do not care about the optics. They just want to do what’s right. We’re working with New Orleans and Company this year for the first time because our number one priority as an organization is performer experience; meaning all the people who are coming in from out of town, many of them, I would venture to say many of them have never been to New Orleans before, so it better be fun and they better feel welcome. Drew and I have been focused on making sure those people have a nice time from the moment their feet hit downtown. That is the commitment that we have made, that when you come to New Orleans, you’re going to leave wanting to come back to the city, feeling loved.

Q: What’s next for your comedy? Social media and creating content that is central to New Orleans culture and the New Orleans experience, and being a New Orleans

native is so fun for me. It seems to connect with people, so I’m going to keep doing it because it’s fun. In terms of my career as a stand-up comedian, I’m very much looking forward to the launch of “Girl Bye” on OutTV [this past] May 15. I’ve got a bunch of Pride and national gigs coming up for the rest of the year that I’m could not be more excited for.

True confession

I’m a national competitive boudin eating champion several years in a row.

Modine Gunch

How do we celebrate the Fourth of July around here?

We sweat.

And pray for the good health of our air conditioners.

Now, when the Fourth actually gets here, I ain’t going to do anything that involves standing outside over a hot grill and cooking.

My gentleman friend Lust don’t do that either. He sits in his air-conditioned bar, The Sloth Lounge, and makes money off of daiquiris and frozen Irish coffee. Poor thing.

And me and the Gunches follow our tradition of going to a megaplex movie theater and watching movies all day by sneaking from one to the other.

Even my mother-in-law Ms. Larda comes along.

But before any of that could happen last year, tragedy struck. Ms. Larda’s air conditioner died.

Now, Ms. Larda lives in a double, and her two sons, Leech and Lurch, live on the other side. But unfortunately they all share the same air conditioner — the dead one.

So there’s nothing else to do but call the air conditioner repair man — and around here, an air conditioner repairman in June is scarcer than a house without roaches. They are all busy.

So she packs up and goes to

No Sweat

Summer celebrations

her daughter Gloriosa’s for the duration.

Leech and Lurch stay home and wait for the air conditioner guy. It’s hot, hot, hot. So hot, they are sleeping on the floor. They walk around the house in their underwear — unfortunately, tighty whities.

They open every single window. Most of them ain’t been open in a while, or maybe never, and Lurch and Leech have to use various stuff to prop them open with — iron frying pans, picture frames, chunks of campfire firewood, whatever they can find.

It ain’t fun. They are both sweating and growling at each other, searching for things to prop

with, and Lurch hands Leech an axe.

“An AXE?” says Leech.

“You don’t like axes?” Lurch snarls. “Find something else!” and stomps off outside to look for some more pieces of firewood.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rings — just as Leech is trying to wedge this axe into a living room window.

“WHAT THE HELL, YOU CAN’T OPEN THE #%*# DOOR?” he yells, and with the axe in his hand, he yanks it open.

But it ain’t his brother Lurch standing there. It’s the air-conditioner man, a smallish sort of guy. He gets one look at this hairy man, who is NOT small, sweating in

his tighty whiteys and holding a axe, and he spins around and runs for his life.

And no matter how much they call the air conditioner company and try to explain, and beg and plead and grovel, he won’t come back.

And all the other air conditioning companies claim they are overbooked. Maybe air conditioning companies got a private line where they warn each other about customers in their underwear holding axes.

Meanwhile Ms. Larda is calling every day to ask about the air conditioner.

After a week of this, Lurch and Leech go pick up Ms. Larda and they all three go over personally and swear to the first air conditioner man that they ain’t dangerous. Just hot.

Finally, he relents. He says he will go back if Ms. Larda is there.

And the next day, he comes over with a partner, who happens to be a good-sized lady named Girtha with biceps a professional wrestler would envy.

And Girtha stands guard while the little guy does the repair. It’s done in less than an hour, but they charge a lot — being as they include an axe fee.

“It’s OK,” says Lurch, while Ms. Larda writes the check. “Everything’s cool.”

And finally, it is.

Home Inspiration

Vinophile Style

Inspired by Wine

BY AMY MARIE GABRIEL

Coupe enthusiasts will swoon over the Glass Tablewear wallpaper designed by Deborah Bowness. Picturing an artistic cut glass collection, each roll is printed, cut and packaged by hand in England. Source locally by appointment at Spruce, 504-265-0946, spruceshowroom.com.

Display stemware and wine bottles alike in a handsome Gideon Bar. Hand-forged from solid iron, this sturdy décor piece features a rich black finish accented with antique brass details, glass doors and a mirrored interior. Arhaus, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-581-6684, arhaus.com.

For a nod to what keeps the poetry in the bottle, drip your walls with a Real Cork paint from Behr. The soft bronze and golden undertone will provide a pleasantly neutral backdrop to any space. behr.com.

The Carlo bar trolley will spark both conversations and celebrations. Inspired by sketches circa the 1950s and 1960s, this classic cart is handcrafted from natural rattan and outfitted with wheels that make it easy to reposition during a party. sundayshop.co.

Keep your bottles upright and at the perfect drinking temperature with an impossibly chic champagne cooler. The vintage brass finish and two handles in the shape of pumas will attract the most stylish of party animals. Eclectic Home, 8211 Oak St., 504-866-6654, eclectichome.net.

An intricate and elegant medallion bottle stopper, inspired by plaster ceiling medallions, will enamor your guests while encouraging you to save a glass for the next whistle wetting têteà-tête. sazeracstitches.com.

Growing Pains

Aging Out

So I have a high school and a college kid … now what?

It becomes more and more obvious every day, every month, every year, that I am no longer a mom of children

I think it first hit me when I heard someone talking about Bluey and I had no idea what they were going on about. For years, I knew the Nick Jr., PBS Kids, and Disney lineups: “Yo Gabba Gabba,” “Doc McStuffins,” “Martha Speaks.” (I could go on, but it would reveal too much about my kids’ level of screen time.) But Bluey? Never heard of it. It just wasn’t relevant anymore (which is kind of a bummer because from what I understand, “Bluey” is actually a pretty great show).

Then I realized my kids no longer needed babysitters … then they were the babysitters.

Then my weekends suddenly freed up; I was no longer spending several hours every Saturday and Sunday at Storyland or the zoo or the Children’s Museum or various trampoline/bowling/mini golf/ laser tag venues. My services were needed only to transport my kids around the city and bankroll their activities.

My older daughter went off to college last fall — the ultimate sign that your child is no longer a child — but I still maintained some level of denial because my younger daughter was attending a PK-8 school, and so I still got the schoolwide emails about Cookies with Santa and the Easter egg hunt and the family movie night.

But in the waning days of May, she both turned another year older and officially graduated middle school. She will be headed to high school in the fall, and my older daughter will turn 20 in December, meaning I can’t even say I have two teenagers anymore.

I know, intellectually, that this is how it is supposed to go. The entire point of parenting is to slowly, carefully work yourself out of a job. You spend years teaching

them how to tie shoes and ride bikes and remember assignments and advocate for themselves and make doctor appointments and apologize sincerely and fold towels correctly, only to wake up one day and realize they can do almost all of it without you. Some things, like parallel parking and packing for vacation and whistling, they can do way better than I do.

Of course, my daughters are still the primary focus of my life. I’m still offering (solicited or not) advice about their choices and reminding them (needed or not) to take ibuprofen with food and not to use dryer sheets on the towels because it makes them less absorbent and to wash the fruits and veggies before they eat them and to cook the chicken to 165 degrees. I’m still offering

feedback (wanted or not) on their schoolwork and nagging (gently) about their grades.

But there is something sort of disorienting about realizing you are no longer in charge of capital-C Childhood for anyone. There are no more class valentines to assemble. No need to disguise my handwriting on a note from the Tooth Fairy. No more nap mats to wash every Sunday night. No more knowing every cartoon character on TV.

Somewhere along the way, without my fully noticing or acknowledging it, I aged out of that entire world, the world of booster seats and playgrounds and juice boxes and bedtime stories. One day I was immersed in it, and the next day I was standing outside of it, hearing people discuss an animated Australian doglike anthropologists discussing a distant civilization.

And now I’m almost at a loss for what to do next, how to occupy my increased leisure time.

Maybe I’ll start watching "Bluey" all by myself.

SPLASH READY SPLASH READY

SPLASH SET SPLASH SET

YOUR GUIDE TO SUMMER SWIM LESSONS FOR ALL

A A

s the weather heats up, New Orleans turns to water for respite, and fortunately, there is no shortage of natural and man-made options for taking the plunge.

As we all know too well, however, water is not without its dangers, especially for the smaller ones among us. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children age 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of death for ages 5 to 14.

In Louisiana, the risks are even higher. While the national average is 1.31 deaths per 100,000 people due to drowning, in Louisiana it’s 2.31. Our state has the highest drowning rates for children in the country, with most of those deaths occurring in swimming pools.

Ironically, our area pools are also the source of lifesaving swimming lessons, and here, again, there are plenty of options.

Lakeview resident Roxanne Avila started her daughter, Phoenix, in lessons at the UNO Recreation and Fitness Center at just 18 months old.

“My husband actually never learned to swim, and we’ve heard the horror stories, of course,” she said, “so we wanted to make sure that at the very least if she fell in, she’d at least know and be able to keep her head above water.”

Another Lakeview mother, Sarah Casey, started her 4-year-old son, Simon, at British Swim School at Lambeth House in March after hearing an advertisement for the new school on NPR.

“Simon took some private lessons last summer, but I think having the peer pressure of group lessons is giving him the little push he needs,” she said. “I love that instructors meet each kid where they are and that they automatically move them to the next level when they’re ready. Simon had a real fear of the water, and he was so much more comfortable after his first lesson.”

But swim lessons are not just for the young, in fact, Rebecca King, general manager of the popular Uptown swim school Love Swimming, said in the past three years she’s seen a big increase in older adults looking for instruction.

“Some are finding that as they age, they can’t ride a bike or run anymore but they still want to keep exercising so they turn to swimming,” she said. “For those that have never swam laps before there can be issues if you aren’t breathing properly. That’s where we come in.”

Whether it’s for safety or health, New Orleans boasts a wide array of options to help residents boost their swim skills. The following are a look at some of the more popular options, including everything you need to know to dive in.

BY KIM SINGLETARY / PHOTOGRAPHY BY THERESA CASSAGNE

NEW ORLEANS JCC

The history of New Orleans’s Jewish Community Center extends back to 1855, but the 5342 St. Charles Ave. location dates to 1948, when it was known as the Jewish Children’s Home. That facility was replaced by the current iteration in 1966. In 1986, a second JCC location was opened in Metairie, which received a state-of-the-art facility in 2003 on 3747 West Esplanade.

The Basics: The Uptown, St. Charles Avenue location includes four pools — three outdoor and one indoor. The outdoor, six lane heated pool, splash pad and family pool are seasonal (May 10 through September). The three-lane heated indoor pool is open year-round.

Lessons at the Uptown location are offered year-round. In Metairie, lessons are offered seasonally. All lessons are designed using the guidelines of the American Red Cross Learn to Swim Program.

The JCC offers a “Bubble Babies” program — an adult and child program of interactive water activities, as well as group swim classes for ages 2 through adult. Private and semi-private lessons are available for JCC members ages 3 and older.

Swim lessons are also offered at both locations as part of the JCC’s summer camps.

Cost: Lessons are available twice a week for $160 per month for members and $200 for nonmembers, or on Saturdays for $80 per month for members and $100 for non-members.

Of Note: Options are also available for proficient swimmers looking to improve their skills via a “Stroke Academy” for ages 8 to 13 and the “Master’s Program” for ages 18 and up.

More information: NOJCC.org

In October of 2024, the New Orleans Health Department launched a new program called “Big Easy Swim Easy” in an effort to increase water safety knowledge and access to swim lessons for all New Orleanians.

The Basics: Any Orlean Parish resident age 5 to 17 can sign up through the health department to receive priority registration for lessons conducted at various pools around the city through an organization called 18th Ward. The program currently runs through the end of October.

Cost: Lessons are offered on a sliding scale.

Of Note: The grant funded program has been providing water safety presentations to area schools in Spanish and English, as well as partnering with the city’s code enforcement department to offer voluntary pool inspections to area community pools, hotels and private homes.

More Information: Nola.gov/ swim. Interested parents can email BigEasySwimEasy@nola.gov.

YMCA OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS

Founded in 1852, the Greater New Orleans chapter holds the distinction of being one of the first YMCAs in the country. The organization serves more than 42,000 people every year, including 10,000 area youth. In addition to camps and after school programs, the YMCA provides swim lessons for ages 6 months through adult.

YMCA of Greater New Orleans operates six aquatic environments — 5 YMCAs and the Johnny Jacobs pool in Marrero. The East Jefferson YMCA is located at 6691 Riverside Drive in Metairie. Other locations are in Belle Chasse, Covington, Buras and Port Sulphur.

The Basics: The pools are all outdoors and thus lessons are offered seasonally — from the end of April through September. The lessons are taught using the national YMCA curriculum which

is based on stages of proficiency. Options include private and small group lessons. Group lessons (limited to five swimmers per instructor) are 30 minutes long and are offered either twice a week or four times a week with a ratio of five swimmers to one instructor. Parent and child lessons are offered for ages 6 to 35 months and focus on basic water safety skills and acclimation.

Cost: Group lessons are $110 for member and $160 for nonmembers, which includes eight 30 min swim lessons offered wither twice a week for four weeks or four times a week for two weeks.

Of Note: The YMCA offers diverse ability lessons specially tailored to any sensory or mobility concerns.

More Information: YMCAneworleans.org

BRITISH SWIM SCHOOL AT LAMBETH HOUSE POOL

Maybe the newest swim school in the area, but one that has become a quick parent favorite, British Swim School New Orleans is a franchise of the British Swim School, a company formed in Manchester, England in 1981 as the UK’s first indoor children’s swim school. The company boast more than 450 locations in the U.S. and Canada that promote a survival-first focus and gentle teaching methods.

The Basics: Married couple Gerry Vetter and Ivette Ferrero opened lessons at British Swim School New Orleans on May 20, 2025. The company rents space at existing pools and is currently at Lambeth House, a retirement home at 150 Broadway St. in Uptown with an indoor, two-lane pool. They also just signed at Dryades YMCA. Instruction begins as young as 3 months and goes up through adults. Adaptive lessons are an option. Classes can be once or twice a week for 30 minutes and are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings. Private lessons are also available.

Cost: There is an annual $50 registration fee and once a week group lessons are then $149 per month. Semi-private lessons (two swimmers per instructor) are $199 per month.

More information: BritishSwimSchool.com/ new-orleans/location/lambeth-house-pool

OCHSNER FITNESS CENTER

Ochsner Fitness Center has locations in Downtown New Orleans and at Heritage Plaza in Metairie, but only the Harahan location, tucked into the center of Elmwood Oaks Shopping Center offers swimming lessons.

The Basics: The largest of Ochsner’s fitness centers, spanning 170,000 square feet, the Harahan center includes six indoor and outdoor pools, including two outdoor lap pools and an indoor lap pool which together enable the center to host swimming lessons yearround. Lessons are open to both members and non-members and are offered for ages 6 months to adult. For babies (6 months to age 3) lessons are 30 minutes. For ages 4 to 14 they are 40 minutes long.

Classes are offered in groups of four lessons. Those can be either once a week (on Saturdays) or during the summer only, there is an option to take four lessons in one week (Monday through Thursday). Private lessons are also available.

Cost: Baby lessons (adult participation required) are $100 per four lessons. Ages 2 to 14 are $170 per four lessons. Adult lessons are $220 for four 30-minute lessons. Private 30-minute lessons for children are $270 per four lessons. All prices given are for non-members.

Of Note: Ochsner Fitness Center also has year-round swim teams for both kids (ages 5 and up) and adults.

More information: OchsnerFitness.com/ aquatics and digital.ochsner.org/swim

BROWN GIRLS SWIM NEW ORLEANS

Philadelphia native Amani Khabeer learned to swim in a public pool and just kept on swimming — eventually competing in college in a Division Two program. Early on, she said she noticed that most competitive swimmers didn’t look like her. In fact, only 1% of competitive swimmers registered with the USA Swimming Foundation today are Black.

A teacher, Khabeer moved to New Orleans in 2017 and fell in love with the city. By 2021, she had officially opened Brown Girls Swim New Orleans, driven by her desire to increase access to the sport she loves.

The Basics: Brown Girls Swim partners with organizations and summer camps to utilize their pools and is always on the hunt for new partnerships. Currently, their home base is the 25-yard, six-lane pool at the River of Life Church at 2140 Woodmere Boulevard in Harvey. The organization offers private and semi-private lessons every weekend, including a “Mommy and Daddy and Me” program on Sundays for families of children age 6 months to 2 years, a group lessons for ages 3 through adult. Adult-only classes are also offered over the summer at Spyre Wellness at 1772 Prytania St. in the Lower Garden District.

Cost: Sessions are one month long and include four weekly classes that range from $140 to $160.

Of Note: Brown Girls Swim New Orleans also offers free, weekly, one-hour competitive swimming courses that introduce the strokes and skills needed for competition. Courses Last year, the organization held its first open swim tournament for all ages. Those in the competitive program can participate in a free junior lifeguard program which includes the cost of certification.

More information: BrownGirlsSwimNola.com

LOVE SWIMMING

When Love Swimming started 24 years ago the company was operating out of a small spot on Magazine Street. Within the first year, the business outgrew that location and the owners bought a warehouse on 5221 South Front St. in Uptown New Orleans.

The Basics: Love Swimming operates its two above ground pools year-round. The facility also includes cubbies, changing rooms and a shower room. Classes are 30 minutes long and offered seven days a week, start at age 5 months to adult, and are available as small group lessons (four to five kids per two instructors) or as semi-private or private lessons.

Cost: All new students must pay a one-time enrollment fee of $50. Weekly lessons are $150 per month.

Of Note: Love Swimming is unique in that they offer drop-in lessons. Parents can email the school a week ahead of time and find out what classes are going to be available — a great option for those who can’t commit to regular lessons.

More information: LoveSwimming.com

UNO RECREATION AND FITNESS CENTER

While the name may be changing to Louisiana State University New Orleans on July 1, the UNO Recreation and Fitness Center on 2000 Lakeshore Drive will continue offering a full-service athletic center that any member of the public is able to join. A membership is not required, however, to take advantage of swim lessons at the center’s indoor, 25-yard, four-lane pool.

The Basics: Ideal for those looking for a more one-on-one or very small group (two swimmers per instructor) experience, UNO’s private and semi-private classes are one hour long and are offered for ages 6 months to adult on both weekdays and weekends.

Cost: 1 lesson $40. Package of 6 is $210. Package of 12 is $385.

More information: UNO.edu/fitness

SAFE SWIM

Six years ago, lifetime swimmer and longtime swim instructor Kaci McGuire reached the point that she had too many pupils to handle on her own, so she made the leap to start her own company. From the beginning, her focus has been on taking down the barriers to making sure everyone is water safe, including those with special needs and with limited resources. Instruction is available in Spanish and Portuguese.

The Basics: Safe Swim rents pools around the region and offers lessons that run on a quarterly (seasonal schedule). Lessons are currently held at New Orleans Elks Lodge 30 in Metairie (2215 Cleary Ave.). Safe Swim welcomes babies as little as two months old up through adults. (Children under age 3 must be accompanied by a guardian in the pool). Classes run 30 minutes and are offered at a choice of one, two, three or four days a week.

Cost: There is an annual registration fee of $30 for standard classes and then group classes (max four students per instructor) are charged monthly — $110 per month for one class a week up to $440 a month for four classes a week. Semi-private classes for two swimmers are $220 per month for one day a week and $440 for two days a week plus a $40 annual registration fee.

Of Note: Safe Swim offers community group classes designed for low-income families (Medicaid card required). They start at $53 per month for one class a week with a $15 annual registration fee per swimmer. Safe Swim has also provided water safety programming to 1,200 students at area schools.

More information: SafeSwimKids.com

road trip:

Grand EscapE down thE bayou for culturE, community and fun

by KEvin rabalais

you begin to feel it once you reach the outskirts of New Orleans. Choosing U.S. Route 90 as a reprieve from the temper tantrum of Interstate 10, your pulse steadies as the speed limit oscillates between 35 and 55. When it leaps to 65, you know it’s time to exit.

On LA 1, it’s either up the bayou or down, and you need down, all the way down. Down Bayou Lafourche is all that matters at this point, even though you’re not fully convinced whether your destination at the end of the road exists or if it merely resides somewhere at the back of your Louisiana psyche. So you keep on, passing through Larose, Cut Off, Galliano, all those battered shrimp boats on either side of the bayou. By the time you reach Golden Meadow, that world yields to a ghost forest marsh, and on you drift farther south, turning at Leeville, again at Port Fourchon, until it’s there at last, a thumbprint on the horizon. Once on the bridge, the island unfurls beneath you, those unmistakable raised camps with their Crayola facades, the world’s largest Gulf frothing while pelicans soar like the 82nd Airborne on D-Day, and only then are you convinced that it’s been here all along.

Just about everyone in Louisiana has a Grand Isle story. Maybe it’s the place you visited once in childhood, sitting around a campfire on the beach and eating crabs you caught with your own hands, wondering how things could get any better while you begged for more mosquito dope. Or maybe it’s that one day of vacation your family anticipated each summer, and more than half a century later, hearing “Grand Isle” in a newscaster’s voice is all it takes

to return in memory. There you are, pressed into the back of a pickup truck with your four siblings, your clothes already sticky even though you haven’t left the driveway. You could walk out your front door in south Plaquemines Parish and see it across Barataria Bay if you had a telescope and a tower — it’s there, so close, yet so far — but you’re going by car, and the distance between Anywhere, Louisiana, and Grand Isle has always been more psychological than geographical, and that’s an eternity if you’re 10 years old and the beach awaits or middle aged and feeling sentimental. Others conjure stories of a place they’ve always heard about but never visited because, well, aren’t the beaches in Florida whiter, the water clearer—but since it’s ours, a precarious place off the coast that might not always

be there, one day, maybe.

Places at the end of the road encourage reinvention. Flip the map, and the end of the road becomes a beginning. Turn back or linger to discover how much of yourself you can lose. And all travelers know that losing yourself is the first leap toward reinvention. If geography is destiny, anyone on such a mission will find prime real estate in Louisiana’s only inhabited barrier island. By the early 19th century, it already had a reputation as “a place where fugitives could lose themselves for months,” as William C. Davis writes about a few of the island’s most notorious figures in “The Pirates Lafitte.”

In the mid-1990s, Boston mobster “Whitey” Bulger lived on the island with his girlfriend for six months under pseudonyms while alluding the FBI. Residents still shuffle through the lure of the nice couple, just another pair of snowbirds who paid cash, usually $100 bills, for everything.

“People still hide out here,” said longtime Grand Isle resident Heidi Cheramie.

On an eight-mile island that registered a 2024 Census Reporter population of 623, locals recognize one another by gait. Some stand out more than others. There’s the lady who, raised on a shrimp boat, never learned to read or write, had we-don’tknow-how-many husbands, and at age 93 still fishes nearly every day with a cane pole even though she doesn’t like fish. Another keeper of the island’s history perches near the school bus, and if he’s in the mood, he’ll uncork a doozy of a Grand Isle tale for you. Across the island, locals and those who have had camps here for decades provide versions of the following: One day, I’m going to sit them down and turn on a recorder, a pleasant notion, also a recognition that at the heart of the African proverb beats a warning: When someone dies, an entire library burns. Anyone who has ever thought about Grand Isle knows that the island lives on borrowed time.

On the boardwalk beneath the Andy P. Valence Memorial Bridge, flocks of families cast for trout, redfish, catfish, anything to feast on later. A father and son from New Orleans haven’t had any luck, but what’s luck when your last vacation was two years ago and you need your son to experience the island as you remember it. Beneath the steady symphony of sea birds, two dozen others cast and wait. Dakota Rosamond drives down from Ponchatoula about once a month. “You

rand islE rand islE rand islrandislrand

can fish anywhere here,” she said. “And you don’t have to wear makeup.”

Step from the boardwalk onto the island, and the Bridge Side Marina offers one-stop shopping. Buy your S.O.S. flag, shrimp boots, shrimp boulette patty, and shirts that read “Cajun Bahamas Bridge Side Marina Grand Isle, LA.” Lisa Duplantis sifts through the rack. “This is where my kids grew up,” she said. “It’s like God’s country. You can ride your golf cart on the beach.” Beside her, Jamie Moore opens her phone and scrolls through the list of birds she’s spotted this spring on the island’s maritime forest, “the largest remaining stands of live oak-hackberry forest on any barrier island on the Gulf,” the Nature Conservancy reports. Moore delights in her sightings-scarlet tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeaks, red-eyed vireos, blue grosbeaks—before joining Duplantis to shop and draft dinner plans. It’s not yet lunchtime, and it’s written somewhere that you should never rush on the island, which may feel like a Caribbean outpost but is still part of Louisiana, so there’s always that obligation to ponder future culinary excesses. Besides, there’s the blackened snapper and jalapeño mango mahi to consider at the Hurricane Hole, where live music starts at 8 p.m.

Back on LA 1, street names indicate the vibe. Pass Pompano, Holiday, Memory, and those intermittent orange markers that provide beach access. Across the levee and near the shoreline, Russell McAdams perches, beer in hand, on his tailgate. Soon, his kids and grandkids will arrive. “It’s wide open down here,” McAdams said, islandspeak that seems to translate to feasting, relaxing, repeating. Maybe this weekend, they’ll have pancakes the size of a plate at the Starfish Restaurant, a burger at Tommy’s Bar & Restaurant, tender legs and thighs at Jo-Bob’s Gas & Grill. They’ll definitely cross LA 1 for an Oil Spill–chocolate and cherry, with crushed cherries in the middle — at Meagan’s Sno Balls, where Shelby Lemoine and Makalia Torres serve ice cream, hot dogs and Frito pies to shirtless and shoeless children with Pantone Cashew skin and slate-colored soles. Some will return later for a lime- and watermelon-flavored Frog in the Blender.

Meagan’s and other establishments follow tourist rhythms, opening around Easter or

Memorial Day and closing in November. “You feed off the summer,” Dominic Santiny said while chatting with colleagues in the Grand Isle Library. “If you can stay open,” said library manager and lifelong islander Chad Willingham. Lurking beside those economic struggles is the island’s forever feud with storms dating back to the big one of 1893, which killed more than half of its 1,500 residents. Then there’s the body’s cognizance of what you can’t ever sweat out of the system: The next one is already printed on a future calendar.

Hurricane season coincides with peak activity on the island. Most summer weekends commence with fishing rodeos. Two of the biggest, the Tarpon, founded in 1928 and held the last weekend each July, and Blue Boot, which this year celebrates its eighth anniversary, are among those that locals anticipate. The Tarpon Rodeo is the oldest fishing tournament in the United States and offers a grand prize of $10,000. Children and adults compete in its multi-species competitions. After a lost era in which it earned a reputation as spring break on steroids, locals are happy that the annual three-day event has sobered. Now more family-friendly, the Tarpon Rodeo highlights conservation efforts such as catch-and-release practices and has partnered with research groups to study tarpon migration.

Mention the Blue Boot Rodeo, and locals become laudatory for this newer addition to the island’s long list of summer festivities. Established in 2019 in remembrance of Riley John Bourgeois, who drowned in a neighbor’s pool before turning 2 years old, the Blue Boot Rodeo runs from July 9-11 this year. Like the Tarpon Rodeo, it offers multi-species competitions for children and adults and includes a kayak fishing category. Proceeds from the Blue Boot Rodeo go toward educating children and adults about water safety and to scholarships for the region’s high school seniors.

During the fishing rodeos and throughout the summer, the island fills, but come at any time to carve out a patch of its nearseven miles of public beaches. For decades, Karen and Bob Dowty have done just that. Pressing her bare toes into the sand, Karen counts the ways she loves it here. Sand and surf are obvious, so she starts with geography, speaking of the significance of

Info: town of Grand islE townofgrandisle.com

To-Do:

bluE boot rodEo July 9-11 bluebootrodeo.com

intErnational Grand islE tarpon rodEo July 23-25 tarponrodeo.org

Shopping, supplies and more: bridGE sidE cabins & marina 1618 Highway 1 985-787-2419 bridgesidegrandisle.com

Eat and Drink:

Jo-bob’s Gas & Grill 3365 LA-1, 985-787-3707

mEaGan’s sno-balls 2952-2986 LA-1

nativE island daiquiris 3021 LA-1 985-787-2755 islanddaiquiri.wixsite.com/ website

starfish rEstaurant 3021 LA-1 85-787-2711

tommy’s bar & rEstaurant 3162 LA-1, 985-787-3165 tommys-restaurant-and-bar. hey-restaurants.com

the chenier, its beach ridges and intervening mudflats with marsh and swamp vegetation that make the island’s Lafitte Woods Nature Preserve a sanctuary for migratory birds. “It’s like an aquarium of birds,” she said.

Dennis Lafont offers other draws. “You can go to Florida and have beautiful water, sure. But you can live off the land here. That’s why locals don’t eat at restaurants. You eat great food at your camp. That’s Grand Isle. It’s about getting together with people.”

From one end of the beach to the other, you see that he’s not the only one content to sit with a group of friends, the music low so that it doesn’t disturb the conversation, stepping away now and then for a quick dip in the Gulf, returning to crack open another beer, and can someone please pass the chips. Eventually, the sun will set, but this party and others have no intention of ending.

Early the next morning, flags flutter outside camps, U.S. flags, Louisiana flags, pirate flags, Grand Isle flags with different pirates. At a picnic table outside the Starfish Restaurant, an early morning breeze carries the sound of waves across LA 1. Locals and island regulars have all recommended the Starfish as the breakfast spot. “We’re about the only place,” said the waitress as she sets a softball-sized biscuit on the table.

Next door, the drive-through window at Native Island Daiquiris won’t open until 11 a.m., but the menu reveals the day’s possibilities. There’s the half gallon of Attitude Adjustment (“Strawberry Rum, Orange 190 Diesel”) or maybe the 32 ounce Total Knockout (“Everything Except White Russian Vodka”). That’s plenty to consider before you follow the procession of golf carts and side-by-sides over the levee and stroll past sunbathing college students, families setting crab lines, a gang of preteens in search of a wave just big enough. Linger among them for a moment. Listen to their stories of the island, why they come here and what it means to them. Stay for 30 seconds or 30 minutes, and it’s likely that you’ll leave with something more than a tale, maybe that extra sandwich they’ve packed just in case, or an ice-cold longneck, because you never know when you’re going to get back down here or if the island will be in the same shape when you do. So collect what’s on offer. Etch a few new moments onto your own history of the island.

PROTECTING YOUR PEARLY WHITES GRINDING,

SPORTS AND MOUTHGUARDS

When we think of dental care, we’re most often concerned with protecting teeth from plaque, tartar, and the damage caused by a sugary diet or poor hygiene. But there are other dangers to the teeth of both children and adults that are sometimes overlooked until the damage has been done. Similar to bones, teeth are subject to taking an impact—whether from an elbow at basketball practice, the ground in a fall, or even from the other teeth in a person’s mouth. Mouthguards are a common form of protection for teeth, but the options vary based on the type of protection a person needs. It’s important to discuss with a dentist what approach should be taken to ensure the teeth are safe from the dangers of sports or of a common condition known as grinding.

There are three main types of mouthguards: over-the-counter stock guards, boil-and-bite guards, and custom-fitted guards made by a dentist. While over-the-counter stock guards—typically used in sports—are inexpensive and convenient, local dentists typically warn against using them.

“Stock guards are inexpensive but bulky and offer minimal protection because they don’t fit well,” says Dr. Sarah Bienes, DDS, owner and general dentist at SB Dentistry. These guards are meant to fit in any given mouth, which means they aren’t tailored to the user’s teeth in particular. The lack of a custom fit can in some cases do more harm than good. Additionally, these guards require a person to clench the guard to keep it in place, which could limit the person’s ability

to speak or breathe and thereby inhibit performance.

At Krewe of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, Owner and Pediatric Dentist Christen Massey has seen exceptions to this rule.

“Sometimes, such as when a patient is currently in orthodontic appliances, stock mouthguards can still be the right choice,” she says. “Since different sports involve different risks, it’s best to talk to your dentist or dental specialist before selecting a mouthguard that meets the needs of your child’s specific activity.”

Boil-and-bite mouthguards present another option and provide a better fit than a stock mouthguard. As the name suggests, these thermoplastic protectors are heated in boiling water, cooled slightly, and then bitten to mold them to the shape

of the upper teeth.

“They provide a better fit than a stock mouthguard since they are formed to the mouth directly but also have some limitations in terms of how long they will fit when a child is actively growing,” says Dr. Massey. “They also do not fit well over orthodontic appliances.”

The most often recommended guard (especially for adults) is a custom-fitted mouthguard designed from digital scans or physical impressions and made by a dentist.

“If you’re going to have one made, you definitely want to have your dentist make it,” says Dr. Hunter Charvet, co-owner at Charvet Dental Center. “The reason being, it’s going to be custom-fit to fit properly, and your occlusion (how your teeth meet) is

going to be built into it.” Charvet recommends custom guards with “canine guidance” in instances of grinding to separate and take pressure off the posterior teeth.

Designed specifically for a person’s bite, custom-fitted guards stay in place, making it easier to breathe and speak while providing the best protection, comfort, and durability.

“If you get a boil-and-bite, they’re not always going to fit properly, and you can actually put more stress on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which can cause ache, pain, or even alignment issues with your teeth when you take that guard out,” says Dr. Charvet.

While Dr. Massey agrees that custom-fitted guards are typically the most comfortable and protective, she notes that they are not always the best choice for a growing child—jaws go through growth spurts, too—or if the child is currently wearing orthodontic appliances.

For adults, custom-fitted “nightguards” are a common recommendation for bruxism, better known as grinding, and should not be confused with sports mouthguards. Grinding is often an unconscious habit caused by factors such as stress or sleep disorders and impacts the teeth completely differently than a sports injury.

According to Dr. Massey, a nightguard provides stability to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and alters the patient’s bite temporarily to alleviate pain and further grinding. Night guards are made of rigid acrylic and cover the tops of the teeth.

“In contrast, sports mouthguards are designed specifically to absorb impact forces during physical activity,” she says. “They are made from softer, more flexible materials and are protectively worn during sports activities.”

Just as they have different purposes, mouthguards prevent different types of damage. What are the most common tooth

injuries?

“The most common preventable injuries include chipped or fractured front teeth, enamel wear from grinding, and even tooth displacement during contact sports,” says Dr. Bienes. “A properly fitted guard either for sports or nighttime use can significantly reduce the risk of these issues.”

“We treat pediatric dental injuries quite frequently in our practice,” says Dr. Massey. “Most dental emergencies that report to U.S. emergency rooms are emergencies from children, and most of the injuries are children under the age of seven,” she says.

While some sports require the use of protective equipment, many do not. Dental injuries still occur in activities such as soccer, basketball, softball, skating, or trampoline use. While the majority of sports-related dental injuries involve the upper front teeth, other injuries can include lacerations, gingival damage, crown fractures, root fractures, and a knocked-out tooth.

“Numerous surveys and tests demonstrate the protective results of wearing a mouthguard, so we recommend mouthguards for any athlete,” says Dr. Massey.

And when it is time for a nightguard recommendation—how does a person (or parent) recognize bruxism?

“Bruxism is diagnosed through a combination of clinical exam and patient history,” says Dr. Bienes. “Early signs patients often miss include jaw soreness, morning headaches, tooth sensitivity, and subtle flattening of the teeth. Sometimes a partner notices grinding sounds before the patient is even aware of it.”

Similarly, parental observations can assist with diagnoses in children. Loud grinding noises while a child sleeps is a detail to discuss with a dentist. Other more subtle signs may include wear of the teeth, jaw pain, ear pain, headaches, muscle tension, difficulty opening the mouth, noises in the

TMJ (locking, clicking, popping), indents on the tongue, and cheek or lip biting.

“When we’re doing their exam, you can usually see wear patterns on the teeth,” says Dr. Charvet. “You’ll see divots they’re wearing into, or their occlusion surface will now be flat or shiny. These are indications of clenching or grinding.”

THERE

ARE THREE MAIN TYPES OF MOUTHGUARDS: OVER-THE-COUNTER STOCK GUARDS, BOIL-AND-BITE GUARDS, AND CUSTOM-FITTED GUARDS MADE BY A DENTIST. WHILE OVER-THE-COUNTER STOCK GUARDS— TYPICALLY USED IN SPORTS—ARE INEXPENSIVE AND CONVENIENT, LOCAL DENTISTS TYPICALLY WARN AGAINST USING THEM.

While a dentist can usually see the evidence, many adults are often aware of their own clenching, feeling themselves at nighttime biting down hard. While the evidence may not be apparent to someone looking in the mirror, dental records can show these differences over various visits and confirm the existence of the condition.

“Over time, grinding can lead to significant enamel wear, fractures, gum recession, and even tooth loss in severe cases,” says Dr. Bienes. “It can also contribute to TMJ discomfort and chronic jaw pain. What starts as mild wear can progress into complex and costly dental issues if not addressed.”

Once bruxism is detected, the process to create a nightguard is typically simple and comfortable.

“We take a digital scan or

physical impression of the patient’s teeth, which is used to fabricate the guard in a lab,” says Dr. Bienes. “Once it’s ready, the patient returns for a quick fitting appointment where we make any necessary adjustments to ensure a precise, comfortable fit. Digital scanning and 3D printing have significantly improved both the precision and turnaround time for custom mouthguards,” she says.

Dr. Charvet says that the initial scan/impression and the follow-up fitting are short, approximately 15-minute appointments about two weeks apart.

Adherence to wearing a nightguard can vary, but local dentists find that once a patient gets used to sleeping with the mouthguard, they don’t want to sleep without it.

“When people understand the long-term damage they’re preventing, they’re much more likely to stay consistent,” says Dr. Bienes.

“Sometimes patients will say they don’t want to wear a guard, and I try to warn them that it will be a lot more expensive if you end up breaking or fracturing teeth, losing teeth and putting implants in, or needing full-mouth rehabilitation where we reestablish your bite to what it used to be,” says Dr. Charvet.

Patients can rest assured in the fact that high-quality guards made by a dentist typically last several years, depending on wear. Mouthguards should be cleaned properly, using an ultrasonic cleaner or a solution made specifically for dentures, aligners, retainers, and guards. Aside from improper cleaning, common mistakes include exposing a mouthguard to heat or storing it in a closed container without proper ventilation. Signs it needs replacing include visible thinning, cracks, or a poor fit, and dentists recommend bringing your guard to your appointments so that it can be professionally checked and cleaned.

TOP DENT ST

Having healthy teeth is not only a must for a bright smile, but it is an essential part of having an overall healthy life. And having a good relationship with the right dental health professional can make all the difference.

The research for the Top Dentists list was created by Professional Research Services (PRS) and is based on an online peer-review survey sent out to certified dentists within the New Orleans area. Many votes were cast honoring excellence in all

ENDODONTICS

COVINGTON

Allen N. Sawyer Sawyer Endodontics 216 W. 21st Ave. 985-327-7354

GRETNA

Trent Lally Crescent City Endodontics 250 Ochsner Blvd. 504-391-2324

KENNER

Regine Dyer Lakeside Dental Care

2400 Veterans Blvd. 504-833-3200

David J. Toca Kenner Endodontics 2301 Williams Blvd. 504-466-3353

MANDEVILLE

Benjamin Bell Isolani Endodontics 102 Fontainbleau Dr. 985-893-0715

Rodney Isolani Isolani Endodontics 102 Fontainbleau Dr. 985-893-0715

METAIRIE

Dominick Alongi Northlake Endodontics and Microsurgery 3621 Ridgelake Dr. 504-832-2433

Grace Beck Coburn Endodontic Specialists 3100 Galleria Dr. 504-885-0177

Garrett B. Morris Endodontic Specialists 3100 Galleria Dr. 504-885-0177

fields of dentistry. Inclusion in New Orleans Magazine’s Top Dentists is based solely upon one’s standing among peers. Listings in Top Dentists cannot be purchased.

Of course, there are many fine dentists who are not included in this representative list. It is intended as a sampling of the great body of talent in the field of dentistry in Louisiana. As always when making health professional services choices, second opinions are encouraged.

NEW ORLEANS

Chelsea Accardo Accardo Endodontics, LLC 605 N. Carrollton Ave. 504-309-3917

George Arch Uptown Endodontics 2633 Napoleon Ave. 504-895-1100

Lisa Germain Uptown Endodontics 2633 Napoleon Ave. 504-895-1100

Tyce Hebert NOLA Endodontics 3525 Prytania St. 504-321-3636

Quinton W. Miner Jr. Lakeview Endodontics 600 Harrison Ave. 504-226-7600

SLIDELL

Scott E. Bonson Endodontic Associates 190 Cross Gates Blvd. 985-649-4881

GENERAL DENTISTRY

DESTREHAN

Joshua C. Patella Patella Dental 13592 River Rd. 985-746-4964

GRETNA

Michael Adams

Sutherland Family Dental 307 Gretna Blvd. 504-361-5367

Kenneth Alfortish Jr. 517 Whitney Ave. 504-368-2792

Sophia Olivia Cacioppo

DiMarco Dental

309 Gretna Blvd. 504-366-5611

Damon DiMarco

DiMarco Dental 309 Gretna Blvd. 504-366-5611

Kurt C. Launey, DDS 761 Wright Ave. 504-362-5975

Michael B. Smith, DDS

250 Ochsner Blvd. 504-392-6057

Michael Tufton Tufton Family Dentistry

654 Terry Pkwy. 504-362-5270

Peter Tufton Tufton Family Dentistry 654 Terry Pkwy. 504-362-5270

Boihoang

“Cecile” Vu La Louisiane Complete Dental 12-A Westbank Expressway 504-362-1776

KENNER

James D. Roethele Roethele Dental Esthetics

283 W. Esplanade Ave. 504-461-0500

MADISONVILLE

Haley Miller

Haley Miller Dentistry

377 Hwy. 21 985-845-3120

MANDEVILLE

Martha Anne Carr MAC Family Dentistry 280 Dalwill Dr. 985-727-0047

D. Scott Gammage Gammage Family Dentistry 215 St. Ann Dr. 985-727-1830

John Lewis Haven Dental 2140 Ninth St. 985-624-8268

MARRERO

Valerie Ribando Hemphill Barataria Dental 2272 Barataria Blvd. 504-358-8632

METAIRIE

Bridget A. Brahney Bridget Brahney Family Dentistry 3508 Veterans Memorial Blvd. 504-888-6860

Elizabeth Cerniglia

George P. Cerniglia, D.D.S, APDC

3320 Hessmer Ave. 504-315-1893

George P. Cerniglia

George P. Cerniglia, D.D.S, APDC

3320 Hessmer Ave. 504-315-1893

Hunter L. Charvet Charvet Dental Center

2300 Veterans Memorial Blvd. 504-834-6504

Hunter L. Charvet, Jr Charvet Dental Center 2300 Veterans Memorial Blvd. 504-834-6504

Huiying Chen Dr. Huiying Chen Dental Care 5037 Veterans Memorial Blvd. 504-875-3718

Stan P. Cowley III Cowley Dental Care 3237 Metairie Rd. 504-831-4895

Stan Cowley Jr. Cowley Dental Care 3237 Metairie Rd. 504-831-4895

Guy G. Cresson Bucktown Dental Care 1569 Lake Ave. 504-831-6900

Steven Cummings Louisiana Dental Center - Metairie 3301 Veterans Blvd. 504-833-6825

Tre DeFelice Storyville Family Dentistry 815 N. Causeway Blvd. 504-833-4300

Duane P. Delaune Delaune Dental 3801 N. Causeway Blvd. 504-885-8869

Mayda Ferguson Second Line Family Dentistry 2727 Houma Blvd. 504-322-7779

Sharon Giambrone Old Metairie Dental Care 2824 Athania Pkwy. 504-833-6562

Jeffrey Gregson Gregson & Associates Dentistry 3812 Ridgelake Dr. 504-849-0190

Michael H. McCombs, DDS

3237 Metairie Rd. 504-831-8233

Kirk E. Melton

Melton Dental Care

3926 Barron St. 504-456-5103

James R. Nelson

Nelson Dental Care 3939 Houma Blvd. 504-226-6478

Rachel Neumeyer Revival Dental 4432 Conlin St. 504-889-1209

Margaret Patterson Oak Family Dental

1001 N. Causeway Blvd. 504-834-6410

Troy L. Patterson

Oak Family Dental 1001 N. Causeway Blvd. 504-834-6410

J. Stephen Picou Picou Family Dentistry 3414 Hessmer Ave. 504-454-0067

Garry S. Salvaggio Salvaggio Dental Care

3223 Eighth St. 504-370-0118

Kevin J. Schellhaas, DDS

343 Metairie Rd. 504-887-1272

Dr. John Schwartz 337 Metairie Rd. 504-832-2043

Gregory S. Strain

Gregory S. Strain, DDS Family Dentistry 3108 W. Esplanade Ave. S. 504-838-8118

Corky Willhite The Smile Deisgn Center 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd. 504-831-1131

Lisa Wyatt Metairie Village Dentistry 701 Metairie Rd. 504-827-1910

NEW ORLEANS

Mark D. Anderson MidCity Smiles Family Dentistry 3625 Canal St. 504-485-6575

Kevin C. Astugue

Kevin C. Astugue, DDS - Family & Cosmetic Dentistry 100 Allen Toussaint Blvd. 504-286-3880

Charles A. Boudreaux Lakeview Dental Center 5589 Canal Blvd. 504-482-3303

Emeric Boudreaux Southern Oral Surgery, LLP 3525 Prytania St. 504-899-8173

Stephen C. Brisco LCMC Health 2000 Canal St. 504-702-5700

Robert A. Camenzuli Camenzuli Dental Excellence 5100 Tchoupitoulas 504-502-0765

Mark Chaney Chaney Family Dentistry 1407 S. Carrollton Ave. 504-861-2523

Elizabeth Crapanzano-Perez Avenue Family Dentistry 4221 Magazine St. 504-304-4761

Timothy J. Delcambre The Garden Dentists 3426 Coliseum St. 504-895-6657

Kenneth R. Dubois II Dubois Dentistry 5760 Hayne Blvd. 504-241-8457

Leon A. Flettrich IV Flettrich Family Dentistry 729 N. Carrollton Ave. 504-483-0955

Caylin Greene Gleem Dental 126 Harrison Ave. 504-553-1393

Eliot Guerin West End Dental 424-A Harrison Ave. 504-265-0822

Billy Hall

Just Kids DentalNew Orleans 3502 S. Carrollton Ave. 504-410-3051

Michael L. Leggio Leggio Dental Group 4914 Magazine St. 504-899-1556

Michele LeggioPutnam Leggio Dental Group 4914 Magazine St. 504-899-1556

Edward Levy, III, DDS 7037 Canal Blvd. 504-283-5549

Rudy Linhuber City Park Dental Care

6001 West End Blvd. 504-482-1000

Erin Luft Katz Smile Uptown - Erin Luft Katz, DDS 2801 Napoleon Ave. 504-891-2826

Francis G. Martello

Dr. Francis G. Martello, DDS 1502 Amelia St. 504-891-9119

John Moffatt Jr. Citrus Falls Dental Care 5809 Citrus Blvd. 504-641-5320

Leslie ParroGottsegen Dr. Leslie ParroGottsegen, DDS 2633 Napoleon Ave. 504-891-5000

Paul C. Perez Avenue Family Dentistry 4221 Magazine St. 504-304-4761

Helen J. Price

EXCELth, Inc. - New Orleans East Family Health and Dental 9900 Lake Forest Blvd. 504-620-0500

Sherrod “Shade” L. Quin

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Faculty Dental Practice

1100 Florida Ave. 504-619-8721

Claire Raphael DePaul Community Health CentersCarrollton 3201 S. Carrollton Ave. 504-207-3060

Kristopher Rappold Audubon Dental Group 6120 Magazine St. 504-891-7471

Greer Cieutat Reisig Denise L. Derbes, DDS 6251 General Diaz St. 5504-486-2876

Gizelle Poché Richard Dental Arts of New Orleans 4460 General DeGaulle Dr. 504-645-5621

Michael N. Rouhana Westside Dental Group 4001 MacArthur Blvd. 504-368-7000

Brian J. Schmidt CBD Dental Care

316 Baronne St. 504-525-9990

William “Will” Shelton Tulane Family Dentistry

1600 St. Charles Ave. 504-226-5740

Melissa Gray Tom Uptown Dental 8131 St. Charles Ave. 504-304-6800

Sammy Tom Uptown Dental 8131 St. Charles Ave. 504-304-6800

Dr. Ronnie M. Vinson, DDS 2136 Mirabeau Ave. 504-282-3354

RIVER RIDGE

Maurice “Reese” Bostick Plaisance & Bostick Family Dentistry 10154 Jefferson Hwy. 504-264-6566

SLIDELL

Britney Beard Fremaux Dental Care 1868 Shortcut Hwy. 985-445-9656

Rachel Collignon Lakeshore Family Dentistry 435 Robert Blvd. 985-643-1852

Kristie Reine Lakeshore Family Dentistry 435 Robert Blvd. 985-643-1852

Edmund Ring Lakeshore Family Dentistry 435 Robert Blvd. 985-643-1852

Stephen (Steve) Tomaszewski Camellia City Family Dentistry 1275 Seventh St. 985-641-4444

ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY COVINGTON Ben A. Almerico, DDS 195 Greenbriar Blvd. 985-892-9993

GRETNA

Randall Wilk

NOLA Surgical Specialists - Dr. Randall M. Wilk 120 Ochsner Blvd. 504-362-6135

HOUMA

Jeffrey W. Dongieux, DDS 4752 Hwy. 311 985-872-3427

METAIRIE

Michael Block

The Center for Dental Reconstruction 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd. 504-833-3368

Michael G. Ferguson

Oral Surgery Services 4420 Conlin St. 504-455-9960

Daniel B. Harris

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgical Associates 3100 Galleria Dr. 504-456-5033

Daniel J. Hyneman

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgical Associates 3100 Galleria Dr. 504-456-5033

Mohammed Ismail

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgical Associates 3100 Galleria Dr. 504-456-5033

Walter C. Jackson

Jackson Oral Surgery

- Walter C. Jackson, DDS, MD 1637 Clearview Pkwy. 504-455-7161

Ray Lim Crescent City Oral Surgery 3330 Kingman St. 504-332-0857

Demarcus Smith

Oral Surgery Services 4420 Conlin St. 504-455-9960

NEW ORLEANS

Emeric Boudreaux

Southern Oral Surgery, LLP 3525 Prytania St. 504-899-8173

Jeffrey N. James

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Faculty Dental Practice 1100 Florida Ave. 504-941-8216

Charles Silvia Southern Oral Surgery, LLP 3525 Prytania St. 504-899-8173

SLIDELL

Nathan R. Brown

Northlake Oral & Facial Surgery 1271 Seventh St. 985-643-1010

C. Bradley Dickerson

Pontchartrain Oral Surgery

2334 Gause Blvd. E. 985-641-2030

ORTHODONTICS

COVINGTON

Amy Smith Sawyer Sawyer Orthodontics 216 W. 21st Ave. 985-327-7181

HARVEY

Julia P. Trieu

Trieu Smiles 3708 Fourth St. 504-309-7830

HOUMA

David C. DeGenova DeGenova Orthodontics 641 Corporate Dr. 985-851-5664

LAPLACE

Guy W. Favaloro Favaloro Orthodontics 416 Belle Terre Blvd. 985-652-2178

MADISONVILLE

Brian J. Olivier

Olivier Orthodontics 439 LA-21 985-809-9555

MANDEVILLE

Rebecca deVerges, DDS, MS Northshore Orthodontics 4010 Lonesome Rd. 985-626-0160

William “Billy” Ledoux Michaelis Orthodontics 260 Dalwill Dr. 985-674-1500

John Michaelis Michaelis Orthodontics 260 Dalwill Dr. 985-674-1500

METAIRIE

Celeste A. Block Old Metairie Orthodontics 701 Metairie Rd. 504-835-1349

Russell J. Cresson Clearview Orthodontics 4420 Trenton St. 504-885-8863

Kyle Maldonado Maldonado Orthodontics 4432 Conlin St. 504-215-7998

Randy Roth

Roth Orthodontics 4408 Trenton St. 504-218-7300

Shannon Simons

Simons & O’Friel Orthodontics 3020 Kingman St. 504-887-8480

NEW ORLEANS

Paul C. Armbruster

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Faculty Dental Practice 1100 Florida Ave. 504-619-8672

Daniel P. Bordes, DDS

9537 Jefferson Hwy. 504-737-7324

Leeann S. Evans

Evans + Frampton Specialists in Orthodontics 5700 Citrus Blvd. 504-301-3413

Merrell I. Frampton Evans + Frampton Specialists in Orthodontics 5700 Citrus Blvd. 504-301-3413

G. Bradley (Brad) Gottsegen Gottsegen Orthodontics 3424 Coliseum St. 504-895-4841

Sarita Hithe

Hithe Orthodontics 3322 Canal St. 504-309-1401

Katie O’Friel Louisiana Dental Center 2121 Magazine St. 504-218-8370

David Scaffidi Scaffidi Orthodontics 6264 Canal Blvd. 504-468-6200

Alvin J. Smith

Alvin J. Smith Orthodontics 4520 Elysian Fields Ave. 504-283-1234

Jamie Toso-Miner Toso Orthodontics 1502 Calhoun St. 504-899-8383

SLIDELL

Kay D. Daniel, DDS

Explore Orthodontics

2960 E. Gause Blvd. 985-641-2472

Jason Goltz

Slidell Orthodontics 1251 Seventh St. 985-641-3587

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY DESTREHAN

Amanda Begue Thorson Dentistry for Kids

159 Longview Dr. 985-307-0072

Elizabeth “Liz” Thorson Thorson Dentistry for Kids

159 Longview Dr. 985-307-0072

HOUMA

Nicole Boxberger Bayou Children’s Dental Center 635 Enterprise Dr. 985-868-8331

MADISONVILLE

Todd S. Brasuell, DDS 437 Hwy. 21 985-892-5942

MANDEVILLE

Stephanie Barlow Northshore Pediatric Dentistry 102 Fontainebleau Dr. 985-317-0656

METAIRIE

Nathan A. Burns

Great Big Smiles 5036 Yale St. 504-455-2213

Linda Cao

Smile Bright Pediatric Dental Care 3330 Kingman St. 504-207-0314

Christen Massey Krewe of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry 701 Metairie Rd. 504-838-8200

NEW ORLEANS

Kellie Axelrad New Orleans Childrens Dental Center 6264 Canal Blvd. 504-833-5528

Claudia Cavallino New Orleans Childrens Dental Center 6264 Canal Blvd. 504-833-5528

Suzanne Fournier Manning Family Children’s Hospital New Orleans - Dental Clinic

200 Henry Clay Ave. 504-896-1337

Kris Norbo NOLA Pediatric Dentistry 7030 Canal Blvd. 504-420-3866

NEW ORLEANS

Alexis “Lex” Russell Tulane Family Dentistry 1600 St. Charles Ave. 504-226-5740

Victoria Sullivan Louisiana State University Health School of DentistryPediatric Dentistry 1100 Florida Ave. 504-941-8201

SLIDELL

Tyler Mesa

Live Oak Pediatric Dentistry 2800 Gause Blvd E. 985-259-6737

PERIODONTICS

COVINGTON

Caesar Sweidan St. Tammany Periodontics & Implants 5024 Keystone Blvd. 985-778-0241

GRETNA

Hillary N. Wright New Orleans Periodontics and Implant DentistryHillary N. Wright, DDS 250 Ochsner Blvd. 504-392-4734

METAIRIE Aymee CostalesSpindler

Periodontal Health Specialists 2540 Severn Ave. 504-887-8205

Eric C. Hébert Dental Implants and Periodontics of Louisiana 3521 N. Arnoult Rd. 504-420-2507

Hisham Nasr

The Perioclinic 337 Metairie Rd. 504-831-0800

A. Margarita Saenz The Perioclinic 337 Metairie Rd. 504-831-0800

David Wilson Periodontal Health Specialists, LLC 2540 Severn Ave. 504-887-8205

NEW ORLEANS

Gerald H. Evans

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Faculty Dental Practice 1100 Florida Ave. 504-619-8721

Kristi Soileau, DDS, MEd, MSHCE, FACD 3634 Coliseum St. 504-899-2255

PROSTHODONTICS

GRETNA

Michael B. Smith, DDS 250 Ochsner Blvd. 504-392-6057

METAIRIE

Marco Brindis

The Smile Effect 4228 Houma Blvd. 504-883-3737

Jonathan Esquivel, DDS

337 Metairie Rd. 504-832-2043

Donna Palmisano

Palmisano Dentistry & Facial Aesthetics 2901 N. Causeway Blvd. 504-885-2011

NEW ORLEANS

Luis E. Infante

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Faculty Dental Practice

1100 Florida Ave. 504-619-8721

Laurie Moeller Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Faculty Dental Practice

1100 Florida Ave. 504-619-8721

Jorge Palavicini

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Faculty Dental Practice 1100 Florida Ave. 504-619-8721

Alika Yu

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Faculty Dental Practice 1100 Florida Ave. 504-619-8721

RIVER RIDGE

Kellene M. Cole Dr. Kellene Cole and Associates 9541 Jefferson Hwy. 504-738-1567

SLIDELL

Robert J. Rooney, DDS

100 Smart Place 985-641-6607

The Truth is Out There

Encounters

with UFO days and festivals

Folks love the aspect of extraterrestrial life, whether through reported abductions to fantasy stories such as “E.T.” and “Close Encounters” on the Big Screen. The popularity of life beyond our earth is why there are not one but two World UFO Days. The June 24 date recognizes the 1947 UFO sighting by aviator Kenneth Arnold and the July 2 date commemorates the UFO incident — and cover-up if you believe the theories and “X-Files”

episodes — that took place the same year in Roswell, New Mexico.

Roswell

What better place to enjoy a UFO festival than Roswell, where in 1947 debris found by a farmer was believed to have been a crashed extraterrestrial spacecraft, one that was covered up by the United States government, according to a variety of UFO conspiracy theories. Whether or not the crash was a UFO, Roswell has become UFO central and has hosted a UFO Festival every year since 1996. This year’s event will be July Fourth weekend and include speakers through the city’s UFO Museum along with music, food and vendors. For information, visit ufofestival. com.

Fyffe

On Feb. 11-12, 1989, more than 50 people, including the chief of police, reported seeing odd objects flying over the small northeastern Alabama town of Fyffe. The rash of

UFO sightings, and the thousands of people who arrived looking for these flying saucers, resulted in the town being labeled the UFO Capital of the World. To celebrate this moniker, Fyffe hosts the Fyffe UFO Day Festival on Aug. 22 with food, music, arts and crafts, kids’ activities, and more.

Pascagoula

Pascagoula, Mississippi doesn’t celebrate its famous UFO event, where two local shipyard workers, Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker, enjoying some fishing along the Pascagoula River were taken aboard a football-shaped extraterrestrial spacecraft on Oct. 11, 1973. But the city did mark the spot with a historical marker created by the Pascagoula and the Jackson County Historical and Genealogical Society. The marker states: “Inside the craft, Hickson was examined by a robotic eye, then both men were deposited back on the river bank and the space ship shot away.”

Out West

Comedians love to portray UFO spotters with southern accents, mostly due to the rash of sightings that happened in the 1970s by those south of the Mason-Dixie Line. But there have been sightings throughout the country. A local couple in McMinnville, Oregon, spotted a UFO flying over their farm in 1950 inspiring the town to start a UFO Festival, which had its 26th incarnation this past May. So many out-of-this-world theories abound at California’s stratovolcano Mt. Shasta, once revered by Native Americans and now drawing visitors looking for the tall peaceloving and technically-advanced Lemurians who live inside, a legend born from literature.

Where to Look for UFOS

By now you’ve realized that UFO sightings occur everywhere. One way to spot potential extraterrestrial beings are by visiting regions with Dark Sky designations. In other words, skies where stars are plentiful and light pollution is minimal if not non-existent. The Buffalo National River in Arkansas flowing through the Ozark Mountains offers great viewing opportunities and Georgia’s Stephen C. Foster State Park is a certified Dark Sky Park, located within the Okefenokee Swamp. Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky was designated a Dark Sky Park in 2021, best enjoyed in the park’s fields and parking lots near the visitor’s center.

The Beat

Homecoming Community and collaboration

Home is as much a place as it is a feeling passed down through generations of laughter, tragedy and song. Its vessel is people, and for Robin Barnes, “The Songbird of New Orleans,” its creation is a pure act of love and reclamation. A multi–award-winning vocalist and child of the Lower Ninth Ward, Barnes’ ache to write music was marrow deep from before she could even remember, something she equates as much to experiencing the emotional intentionality of churchgoers mid-revelation as it is the idiosyncratic need of a child to articulate a world that is larger and more grand than they can understand. In that cross-section of the purposeful and the chaotic, is where Barnes’ music finds purchase; the sense that the words she conjures have always been there and offer a metaphysical comfort as bracing as a hug from a loved one thought lost. This feeling, this “note of a memory,” is made tangibly manifest in her debut album “Louisiana Love.”

“This music is supposed to make you feel warm and at home,” Barnes said. “Being a New Orleanian, with all the things we have gone through, from disaster to disaster, people say we are resilient, but I think we are simply seeking hope and to celebrate life day after day. With my health, I’m almost the poster child of not

taking any day for granted.”

It was amidst the aftermath of tragedy twice over that Robin found the inspiration for her three-year journey to craft “Louisiana Love.” The first was the decimation of her family’s treasured photos and items, which were almost entirely eradicated by the flood swells of Katrina, followed by the death of her beloved grandmother soon after. The second came as Barnes was finalizing what was supposed to be her debut album, when a diagnosis of kidney cancer forced her to face not just her own mortality but a future where her own daughters might find themselves absent not just a mother but another crucial link to the lifeblood of who they are.

“I said that if God allowed me to live, I was going to create a multi-media love letter to my daughters, to the future generations in a way that won’t get lost,” Barnes said.

“That’s why the focus was on the storytelling and finally accepting who I am, which is a native daughter of Louisiana. I saw firsthand what happens when you don’t preserve that storytelling, so I wanted to make sure that if this was going to be the end for me, at least I was leaving something behind for my children.”

Invigorated but trepidatious about the scope that this album was calling for, Barnes had to reach beyond her comfort zone into the wilds of Acadiana, where culture bearers have

been preserving the Creole and Cajun sound. She found herself in the company of musicians and collaborators eager to fulfill her vision for an album that encompassed the whole of Louisiana, including Drake LeBlanc, Jordan Thibodeaux, Cedric Watson, Rusty McGuire and Drake LeBlon. From the album’s first moments, with the voice of Big Chief Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes serenading along the gentle rhythm of a slithering tambourine amid the screech of early morning cicadas, Barnes’ thesis blooms into life. Yet, her greatest collaborators were those for whom the album was created: her daughters, whose voices can be heard harmonizing with their mother’s on the album’s most achingly personal and affecting track, “Dey Say Run.”

“That is my favorite song, and it was the most difficult to record because I kept

crying. It’s one thing to set out to do something and another thing to share it with the person it was meant for. When I hear my daughter’s voice, I hear my voice. That’s why I’m giving my all to this. It’s not because I’m driven by ambition. I’m driven by my ancestors. I’m driven by my children. I’m driven by the people that I’m trying to be part of preserving this beautiful culture.”

With the release of “Louisiana Love” in May, alongside hosting a companion three-part docuseries presenting the state’s rich cultural history in July called “Discovering Home with Robin Barnes,” Barnes has willed into life an heirloom meant not only for herself and her daughters, but for anyone with ears to hear; a call through time that comforts with the promise that even when the darkness closes in around us, it’s never too late to come back home.

Must-see performances this month

June 10

Jon Cleary, 8 p.m. at Chickie Wah Wah, chickiwahwah. com.

June 13

Lost Bayou Ramblers, 8 p.m. at Tipitina’s, tipitinas. com.

June 16

Kevin Morby, 7 p.m. at Tipitina’s, tipitinas. com.

June 19

Strange Roux, 11 p.m. at Le Bon Temps Roulé, lbtrnola. com.

June 19

Sister Hazel, 8 p.m. at House of Blues, neworleans. houseofblues. com.

June 27

Grace, a Jeff Buckley Tribute, 8 p.m. at House of Blues, neworleans. houseofblues. com.

Family Matters

For New Orleans gourmands, the news of a local celebrity chef opening a new restaurant is always an exciting affair. As the rumors swirl, we wait with bated breath for more details on the space, its menu, the vibes, and whether it will live up to the creative ambitions of its team. So, when Alon Shaya announced another addition to his growing Pomegranate Hospitality business, it’s safe to say that it more than piqued our attention. Would it be another fine dining affair like Saba, its sister restaurant in Denver, Safta, or the elegant Miss River? And more importantly, could this new spot live up to the expectations we have of an acclaimed chef whose laurels include two James Beard awards, a beautiful and deeply personal cookbook,

and a continuous presence in the national culinary spotlight?

The answer, we came to learn earlier this year, was not another white tablecloth affair Uptown or in the French Quarter, but rather the opposite. The newly opened Safta’s Table is a casual, family-friendly outpost offering the same outstanding modern Israeli cuisine that remains the hallmark of Shaya’s career, only in a more relaxed environment in the cozy Lakeview neighborhood featuring breakfast and brunch as well as the more familiar dinner service, and even takeout. What prompted this unexpected but much appreciated shift for the chef and his wife and partner Emily? “It’s something that Emily and I have talked about for many, many years as something that we really wanted,” he said, “a place where people felt they can

carte menu that offers the same healthy, satisfying dishes and flavors that we’ve grown to love, Safta’s Table feels like a welcome breath of fresh air, especially for busy families with big appetites and crowded schedules.

get the Pomegranate Hospitality experience with a very crave-worthy neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant, something that you’d feel comfortable coming to regularly with your friends and your family. Emily worked so hard with our architect, and it really is something that we built for that type of neighborhood experience.”

The bright, modern space near the Lakefront feels sleek but still inviting, made more so by the ample, carefully curated menu that surely has something for almost all diners, no matter their age or gustatory proclivities. According to Shaya, “the menu was really built around having healthy, homemade, well-balanced options. In a world of fast-casual options from national mega-chain restaurants, having a local option run by an acclaimed chef and team featuring an a la

As for what you can expect on a visit to Safta’s Table, the menu is rife with Shaya’s signature flavors and techniques, starting with that ever-important pita bread we’ve come to adore and crave at Saba. “People love our pita so much that it’s become the backbone of Saba and Safta,” said the chef. “It’s just unlike any other bread. We really seek out beautiful, fresh milled wheat that’s grown on farms that care about growing varieties of wheat for the seasons, and then we have that big, beautiful oven that cooks them in two minutes on that stone deck. So it really builds the basis, not just for dipping in hummus, but also for sandwiches as well.” Speaking of which, if you’ve ever sampled the incomparable golden-fried chicken schnitzel sandwich at Saba, loaded with tzatziki fennel slaw, pickles, green goddess aioli, tomatoes and sesame, you’re in luck. You’ll find that standout on the menu here, as well as another sporting roasted lamb with marinated peppers, arugula and red onion, and of course one featuring Shaya’s “bright green falafel,” too. Be prepared, though; the portions are more than ample, so you might have a difficult time deciding on sides to pair with it, should you happen to have room. Definitely get the thick, spiral cut french fries with harissa aioli, though, if only to share with a friend or lunch date.

One of the best things on offer at Safta’s Table is the daily breakfast menu, on which you’ll find everything from an overstuffed pita breakfast sandwich with eggs, cheese, and the option to add bacon, turkey sausage, or our favorite, pastrami, to a lighter yogurt parfait with orange blossom

About the Chef

Born in Israel and raised in Philadelphia, Chef Alon Shaya grew up cooking with his grandparents (“safta” and “saba,” in Hebrew), before attending the Culinary Institute of America and growing a career in hospitality that has spawned beloved restaurants in two cities, a pair of James Beard awards, an acclaimed cookbook, copious culinary philanthropy, and even a stint as a Top Chef judge. Following the CIA, Shaya cooked professionally in St. Louis and Italy before moving to New Orleans 23 years ago. His efforts garnered serious attention from local gourmands as the chef at Domenica and led in time to his namesake modern-Italian eatery, Shaya, which he left to open Saba on Magazine Street in 2018. A sister restaurant, Safta, in Denver, opened that same year, and then the elegant Miss River in 2021. Expanding to a more relaxed, familyfocused environment, Chef Shaya and his wife Emily graced the Lakeview neighborhood with Safta’s Table this past March. While more relaxed than his other restaurants, Shaya’s passion for the new spot is equal to its fine dining cousins.

granola, berries and honey, as well as overnight oats, fluffy buttermilk pancakes, avocado toast, or their dill-cured salmon and cream cheese served on a Flour Moon bagel. And of course, there are the obligatory pastries for those of us with a sweet tooth in the early hours, most notably Shaya’s famous chocolate and hazelnut babka, not to mention carrot cake, baklava, or a variety of decadent cookies (the tahini chocolate chip version is a must-have). If you want tiramisu at seven in the morning, they have you covered there as well.

In addition to the craveable sandwiches, the a la carte nature of Safta’s Table makes for highly customizable and varied lunch or dinner options. You’ll find the same luscious hummus from Saba here, both the classic tahini as well as the lamb ragu variant, or you can go all-in on the dips for your pita, as their mezze sampler includes Shaya’s signature labneh, ikra dip with salmon caviar, babaganoush, tzatziki, pickles, and more. And while more hefty plates might include slow-cooked lamb, roasted chicken or Atlantic salmon, you’d also be more than gratified with the big chopped salad with feta vinaigrette, roasted red peppers, cucumber, tomato, avocado,

Celtica French Bakery

onion and sunflower seeds. Naturally, there are also options for younger diners as well, so your kids can enjoy a pita pizza or chicken tenders while you indulge in more adult flavors of the Mediterranean. According to Shaya, the decision to skew more casual for his latest outpost came organically. “We’re constantly looking for places we’d want to go and spend time with our two young kids and feel like we’re getting healthy, home cooked food,” he said. “We wanted to use the same level of quality and attention to detail that we do in our other restaurants, but make it feel a little bit more casual. Whether you’re on a date, or you’re coming in for an early dinner, picking up breakfast on your way to work, or placing a big to-go order for your office or your boat trip, we just wanted it to feel easy. For me, it felt like there should be something at all times that you can come and grab that’s really inspiring.”

If this is the kind of inspiration we can expect from Alon Shaya at this point in his career, we’re all for it. So long as it comes with a side of that pita bread, of course. And maybe a chocolate babka and some baklava for the road. You can never be too careful!

If you’re in the market for more continental bakery fare, you’d be amiss not to head in the direction of Celtica, also in Lakeview. While it might seem outwardly as just a cute neighborhood pastry spot, its offerings belie some magic behind the curtain. In this case, it’s acclaimed French pastry chef Dominique Rizzo, who sold his previous bakery, La Boulangerie in 2015, and in 2020 opened Celtica, much to the delight of Lakeview residents. If you haven’t been, you should – Rizzo’s traditional Parisian breads and pastries rival any baker in the Big Easy. But be warned, it’s easy to get a case of option paralysis when it comes to Celtica’s menu filled with tarts, croissants, eclairs, macaroons, madeleines…we get a sugar high just daydreaming about it!

The Backyard There isn’t exactly a shortage of familyfriendly restaurants in Lakeview, but among our favorites – or at least one that always makes us feel happy – is The Backyard, on Harrison Ave. There’s something just so darned wholesome about bringing the fam to a large, friendly space, where the kids can monkey around while you savor some hot American barbecue. From starters like their muffaletta deviled eggs and the luscious pimento cheese dip, to serious sandwiches sporting smoked brisket, pulled pork, hot sausage, and an absolutely killer burger, carnivorously inclined diners will never leave this yard hungry. And don’t miss the stellar bourbon list while you’re there, if you need something to cool out those smokey flavors.

Mango Tango

The perfect summer salad

The past few years have been packed with work and acclaim for the Vilkhu family. In 2011, Arvinder and Pardeep Vilkhu launched Saffron NOLA in Gretna, with Arvinder Vilkhu heading up the kitchen with their son Ashwin at his side. It initially operated as a Friday-night-only dinner restaurant, occasionally hosting special set-menu dinners and Sunday brunches.

For Christmas 2015, Ashwin Vilkhu gifted his parents with his University of New Orleans MBA thesis — a market study and business plan he had created to meet customers’ demands for a permanent brick-and-mortar location for Saffron, right down to the neighborhood where it should be located.

In 2017, Saffron NOLA opened to acclaim on Magazine Street, serving Indian food described by Arvinder Vilkhu as “authentic but re-imagined.” Think of a curried seafood gumbo, a tamarind shrimp dish that plays on barbecue shrimp, or charbroiled oysters flavored with curry leaves from the family’s garden.

The year 2018 brought the James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant, followed by another nomination for Best Chef: South in 2024. Last year brought coveted recognition from the inaugural Michelin guide to New Orleans.

The stylish interior is defined by jewel tones and copper accents, and a bar that runs the length of the moodily lit space. Fragrant and tender Nariyal Gulf fish with Korma sauce, mango pickle, crispy ginger, and curry rice is another example of the kitchen’s breadth.

With Creole tomatoes now in season, summer mangos available for thrifty prices, and temperatures ratcheting up, Chef Arvinder Vilkhu offers this simple bright, refreshing salad to enjoy at home.

Cook With us!

Join us each third Tuesday of the month and cook along with New Orleans Magazine and our featured chef on Instagram.

@neworleansmagazine

Mango and Tomato Salad

Serves 4

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Arvinder Vilkhu, Saffron NOLA

2 firm, yet ripe mangoes, peeled and diced

2 salad tomatoes, preferably Creole, diced

Himalayan or Kosher salt, to taste Kashmiri chili powder, to taste

Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

2 ounces extra virgin olive oil

2 ounces rich balsamic vinegar

Cilantro leaves and stems from 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

Fresh Tamarind paste or extract, optional

1. Add the mangos and tomatoes to a mixing bowl

2. Add the salt, chili powder, and pepper over the mangos and tomatoes. Toss to coat.

3. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar

4. Lightly fold in the cilantro and onion

5. Add fresh tamarind paste or extract to taste. Serve at room temperature.

1. Quality balsamic vinegar is worth the investment, and it only comes from Modena, Italy. Anything else is a knockoff.

“I use Due Vittore Aceto Balsamico de Modena IGL. It is available at Fresh Market for about $20. A little goes a very long way.”

2. The Kashmiri chili powder and tamarind paste are worth the effort of finding them. They are available locally at The International Market in Metairie or the Hong Kong Market in Gretna; or online.

3. Turn this into a room-temperature meal and serve the salad alongside simple grilled fish, chicken, or shrimp.

BY ELIZABETH PEARCE | PHOTO BY EUGENIA UHL

Rose Glasses

Enjoying summer in the neighborhood

Bonnie Borges, co-owner and general manager of Charmant, and her husband Chris, the chef, share more than 60 years of hospitality experience, but Charmant is their first restaurant together. “We live in this neighborhood,” Bonnie noted, “and tailored the concept to fill a gap.” She describes Charmant as “nice enough to take a date here, but casual enough the ladies from Sculpt swing by in their yoga clothes to get coffee.” Running a French bistro/wine bar allows Bonnie to lean into her love of “geeking out about wine.” Her goal is to get people to try to move beyond their drinking comfort zone, and 25 wines by the glass, including esoteric varieties, encourages that. Though open less than six months, Charmant already has regulars and its future seems promising. “I would not have gone into business with my husband if he wasn’t incredibly talented,” Bonnie said. “That would have been a recipe for disaster. I am very fortunate our chef makes incredible food.”

Coming Up Roses

1 ½ ounces rose-hibiscus-infused vodka (See recipe)

1/2 ounce rose hibiscus simple syrup (See recipe)

1/2 ounce of Lanique Spirit of Rose liqueur

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

Cold-brewed black iced tea

Garnish: Edible flower

Shake all ingredients except black tea with ice, strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass, top with regular iced tea. Garnish with a flower.

Rose Hibiscus Infused Vodka

6 Yogi brand Rose Hibiscus tea bags

750 milliliters, vodka

Add tea bags to vodka and let it steep for 48 hours.

Rose Hibiscus Simple Syrup

8 Yogi brand Rose Hibiscus tea bags

4 cups sugar

Bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add the tea bags to the water and let it steep for about 15 minutes. Add the sugar while the water is still hot and stir until it is dissolved. Syrup keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

TIPS

Lanique Spirit of Rose liqueur can be bought at Keife & Co. If you don’t want to buy it, you can substitute St. Germain or Crème de Violette. Similarly the Lanique Spirit of Rose liqueur can be used in cocktails that use St. Germain or Crème de Violette. The rose hibiscus simple syrup is delicious in lemonade.

Cold-brewing tea reduces the tannins and gets rid of the sometimes bitter aftertaste hot brewed tea can have.

Bonnie recommends experimenting with infusions until you get the balance of how much you want certain flavors to come through. She also notes that rose by itself can be too floral, and the hibiscus adds a tart note that balances the rose so it’s not overwhelmingly perfuming.

Podcast

Listen to Elizabeth’s podcast “Drink & Learn;” visit elizabeth-pearce.com

BY JOHN R. KEMP

1934

USS New Orleans

The cruiser USS New Orleans, as seen here in 1934, upheld the honor of her namesake city in practically every major World War II naval battle in the Pacific Theater.

Although built at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the day she was launched had a special New Orleans connection. The National World War II Museum in New Orleans describes the event:

“On a rainy April day in 1933, a young New Orleanian, Cora S. Jahncke, was the sponsor for its launch. The 18-year-old and her father, the newly retired Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Navy Ernest L. Jahncke, conspired to buck tradition and christen the ship not with the traditional Champagne, but with Mississippi River water. Cora smashed the bottle against the as-not-yet infamous knife-edged bow, and the cruiser named after

‘The Big Easy’ began her illustrious career.”

And what an “illustrious career” it had during WWII — Pearl Harbor, the Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal, the Battle of Tassafaronga, Wake Island, New Guinea, Marianas, the Philippine Sea, Saipan, Okinawa and the Battle of Samar.

During the Battle of Tassafaronga off Guadalcanal on Nov. 30, 1942, a disastrous thing happened. A Japanese torpedo blew off the ship’s bow, killing 180 crew members. Miraculously, survivors kept her afloat. According to the Naval History and Heritage Command, the wounded vessel limped its way to Tulagi Harbor where “the crew jury-rigged a bow of coconut logs.” From Tulagi, the New Orleans sailed “backwards” to Sydney,

Australia, for additional repairs. From there it moved on in early March 1943 to the Puget Sound Navy Yard where workers attached a new bow.

Surprisingly, in July 2025 scientists aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus located the lost bow deep at the bottom of the ocean off Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

When the war ended in the Pacific in Aug. 1945, the New Orleans evacuated allied troops from Guam before sailing on to the Philadelphia Navy Yard in early 1946. On the way, she made a celebratory ten-day stopover in New Orleans in late February during the days leading up to Mardi Gras. What a scene it must have been for the war-wearied crew members. To honor their service, the city and carnival

organizations invited the ship’s officers and enlisted personnel to concerts, costume balls, dances, and even provided trucks for them to participate in some of the parades.

Finally, the proud and weary cruiser, having survived the worst naval battles in history, steamed its way to Philadelphia and its ignominious fate. In 1947 the Navy decommissioned her, and 10 years later, sold her for scrap.

Noting that inglorious ending, the National World War II Museum has given her a fitting epitaph: “The final chapter of the USS New Orleans was not befitting a warship adorned with 17 battle stars in World War II.”

The WWII Museum is now paying tribute to the New Orleans in a new exhibit up through Feb. 14, 2027.

Gulf Coast Summer Weekends

Sun and fun are on the menu, and these Gulf Coast Summer Weekends are stocked to the brim with good times to be had by all!

Scarlet Pearl Casino

If you’re dreaming of your next unforgettable getaway, let Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort bring it to life. Indulge in world-class elegance inside our stunning all-glass, 300-room tower, where sleek, modern design meets exceptional service and spa-inspired bathrooms designed for total relaxation.

Step into paradise at Lava Links Golf Club, a dazzling 18-hole experience surrounded by tropical gardens, cascading waterfalls, and our signature erupting volcano. As the sun shines down, cool off with a handcrafted gourmet ice pop from Pop Brothers, bursting with refreshing, all-natural flavors in a lively setting filled with music and vibrant energy.

From lavish accommodations to thrilling gaming and unmatched amenities, Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort is your premier destination on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

For details and pricing, please call 888-752-9772.

762 Lakeview Coffee + Cocktails

Mambo’s Restaurant and Rooftop Bar, founded by Morton Bader, is the only rooftop restaurant on Bourbon Street, offering panoramic views, balcony seating, fresh seafood, and savory Cajun Creole cuisine. With space for events up to 500 guests and front-row views of Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve fireworks, it’s a premier destination for dining and celebrations in the heart of New Orleans.

762 Coffee and Cocktails, founded by Raquel Zar, the owner of

Lakeview Barbershop, blends the worlds of artisanal coffee and cocktail mixology in a warm, stylish setting. Featuring healthier menu options, gluten-free choices, a welcoming patio, and private event space, 762 offers the perfect atmosphere for everything from casual mornings to lively evenings.

Mississippi Children’s Museum

Make your summer road trip count with a stop at the Mississippi Children’s Museum - Meridian—a nationally recognized destination for hands-on family fun. With 9,500 square feet of indoor exhibits and 25,000 square feet outdoors, MCM-Meridian brings learning to life through immersive experiences rooted in Literacy, STEAM, Health, Cultural Arts, and Mississippi History.

Step into storybook magic with Goodnight Moon and The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, take the stage in Our Lady’s Playhouse, or climb inside a giant brain. Soar into discovery in the Wings of Wonder gallery while learning about the historic Key Brothers. From climbing to the clouds to stepping into a jet cockpit and defying gravity on the Bernoulli table, hands-on learning takes flight in fun and exciting ways. Outside, My Fantastical Backyard invites children to unleash their imagination in the vibrant open-air setting filled with whimsy and wonder.

Named the Top 5 Children’s Museum by USA Today, it’s the ultimate summertime pit stop for play. Plan your visit today at mcmmeridian.org!

Walk Through Montgomery. Leave Forever Changed.

An easy drive from New Orleans, Montgomery, AL invites travelers to experience the heart of America’s civil rights story, and its continued pursuit of equal justice. For an enriching long summer weekend, walk through powerful landmarks from the Equal Justice Initiative, including the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice, along with Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, Rosa Parks Museum, and Freedom Rides Museum, all within a walkable, welcoming downtown rich with history and culture.

A new addition to EJI’s powerful sites, Montgomery Square invites visitors to walk in the footsteps of those who marched from 1955 to 1965, with outdoor exhibits, art, and storytelling that bring this pivotal decade vividly to life. Just steps away, the Elevation Hotel and Convening Center offers a stay with purpose, blending design, art, and reflection. Plan a meaningful getaway that stays with you long after you return home at ExperienceMontgomeryAL.org.

LSU Online & Continuing Education

At OLLI at LSU, lifelong learning is about connection, curiosity, and new experiences. Designed for adults 50 and over, OLLI at LSU offers a welcoming environment with no tests, grades or pressure — just the opportunity to keep learning and stay engaged.

Members can explore a wide range of subjects including history, art, literature, wellness, culture, technology and more, with flexible options offered in person and online options to fit a variety of schedules and preferences.

Through OLLI at LSU’s four chapters across South Louisiana, Lagniappe (Baton Rouge), Crescent City (New Orleans & Metairie), Camellia City (Slidell & Convington), Felicianas (St. Francisville & New Roads), participants can learn close to home while building new friendships and meaningful connections.

Beginning June 8, adults 50 and over can register for an OLLI at LSU annual membership. The $50 membership is valid from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, and provides access to offerings across all four chapters. Individual class, field trip, and event fees vary by offering. Learn more about membership and upcoming opportunities at ce.lsu.edu/olli.

French Market District

The historic French Market District is where community and history come alive. Whether you are visiting or live just down the street, the food, the music, and the fun of the French Quarter are waiting for you to join in the magic that only New Orleans can truly offer.

The French Market District offers cooking demonstrations every Thursday and Friday. These Market Morsels events provide a culinary presentation that combines food and storytelling in an interactive experience that beats with the lifeblood of the city. On Saturdays, Sundays, and alternating Mondays and Wednesdays throughout the month, live music fills the streets and the stalls of the Farmer’s Market, making for a jazz-tactic time. And for those hoping to get a start on their finest Summer look, there are free yoga classes every Wednesday at Oscar Dunn Park across from Jackson Square.

These weekly offerings, including the upcoming 40th annual Creole Tomato Festival, are ready and waiting at the French Market District.

Come on by for a bite and learn more at frenchmarket.org. •

Men’s Health

Taking care of your health is the best thing you can do, not only for yourself, but for the ones you love. Make sure you won’t miss out on all the fun this Summer by checking in with your Men’s Health specialist.

Louisiana Blue Reminds You to Consider Health Needs During Hurricane Season

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (Louisiana Blue) is devoted to its mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Has it been more than a year since your last checkup? Everyone should have at least one visit per year with their healthcare provider. This annual wellness visit is a great opportunity to talk with your provider about your overall health and well-being, including your mental health, and ask any questions you have. Your provider can check your numbers for key indicators like blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, and prescribe medication to keep those in a healthy range if needed. If your provider thinks you should see a specialist for further treatment or if you need to have any preventive screenings like a colonoscopy or prostate cancer screening, you can get those recommendations at the checkup.

Contact your healthcare provider’s office and schedule your annual wellness visit! Learn more atlablue.com.

Ochsner Health

Ochsner Health encourages men to take a proactive approach to their health by establishing care with a primary care physician. Instead of waiting until symptoms appear, routine checkups help catch issues like high blood pressure, diabetes and certain cancers early, when they are most treatable. Annual wellness visits also create a baseline for your health, making it easier to track changes over time and manage conditions before they become serious.

A primary care doctor serves as a long-term partner, offering personalized guidance based on your medical history, lifestyle and risk factors. They recommend important screenings, provide mental health support and coordinate care with specialists when needed.

Ochsner also emphasizes healthy habits such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition and quality sleep to support overall well-being. Preventive care improves long-term outcomes and can reduce costly emergency visits.

Small steps make a difference. Take control of your health today. Schedule an appointment at ochsner.org/primarycare. •

Home Specialists

Who needs to travel when home is your haven? Make a space that’s filled with comfort, love, and laughter this Summer with our New Orleans Homes Specialists.

Exterior Designs

Not sure where to begin with your landscape project? You’re not alone — and that’s where we come in.

Exterior Designs, Inc. by Beverly Katz is a full-service landscape design firm proudly serving the New Orleans area. Known as The New Orleans Courtyard Designer, Beverly brings a unique blend of creativity and problem-solving to every project. From drainage and privacy solutions to permitting, construction, and ongoing maintenance, we transform outdoor spaces into timeless extensions of the home.

With an eye for detail and a passion for quality, our team delivers beautiful, functional landscapes built to last.

Call (504) 866-0276 to schedule a consultation. For inspiration and expert tips, visit exteriordesignsbev.com.

Gulf

Coast Lanterns

Located just a short drive from New Orleans, Gulf Coast Lanterns offers a vast selection of over 3,000 models of gas, electric, and faux flame copper lanterns, with over 150 models on display in their Downtown Covington showroom. Customers see firsthand the high quality of these lanterns—many of unique design—while receiving expert, in-person guidance from knowledgeable professionals.

Homeowners, builders, designers, architects, and developers enjoy the welcome advantage of fast, two-to-five-day delivery times when selecting copper lanterns for their homes or projects. Fast shipping and competitive pricing are both good reasons to make the drive across the lake. All customers can expect to receive the same gracious customer service regardless of project size.

Take the quick drive across the lake to Gulf Coast Lanterns, 401 North Columbia Street in Covington, or skip the drive and view Gulf Coast Lanterns’ products online at gulfcoastlanterns.com

Gulf Coast Lanterns offers fast, free shipping and the most competitive prices on the market.

Call 800-910-3275 for showroom hours or to make an appointment.

Banana Manor

Banana Manor Rug Co. is “A Rug Store Like No Other.”. Voted the #1 Rug Store in New Orleans by Gambit and New Orleans Home, and named a Top 25 Retail Star in the US by Home Accents Today. Plus, they are a major “go to rug resource” for Interior Designers on the Gulf Coast & beyond.

When founding this extremely unique rug brand, the Head Banana, Scott McKearn, decided to make this brand an extension of himself, with “Ridiculous” as a core component. So his billboards parodying the infamous Burt Reynolds Cosmo centerfold come as no surprise.

Shop Banana Manor in-store and online and you will be amazed by their HUGE inventory of handmade rugs of all styles, but their specialty is Colorful & Whitewashed Oushaks. 6 years ago they set out with the goal to establish themselves as the premier retail and wholesale source for this rug type, with the largest offering and best prices in the U.S. and are well on their way to achieving that goal.

1st Lake

Established in 1970, 1st Lake Properties, Inc., and its affiliated companies are the largest developer and manager of multifamily communities in the state of Louisiana. 1st Lake Properties designs, develops, acquires, and manages over 10,000 apartment homes in greater New Orleans, primarily in Metairie, Kenner, and River Ridge, with additional apartment homes in Baton Rouge, the Northshore, and Picayune, Mississippi.

Specializing in high-quality communities, 1st Lake Properties’ mission is to provide an ideal living experience for our residents through exceptional customer service and a commitment to the highest standards of quality. With this approach, 1st Lake has become synonymous with premier apartment living, earning a reputation as a leading force in New Orleans’ multifamily community market. 1st Lake Corporates is the corporate housing division specializing in temporary, furnished apartments for extended stays of 90 days or more.

Visit 1stlake.com for more information. •

Father’s Day Gift Guide

A little love and care go a long way on Father’s Day. But if you’re thinking of going the extra mile, get some inspiration from our Father’s Day Gift Guide partners.

Crescent Blú

crescentblu.com | Covington, Louisiana

Give Dad something he’ll actually wear — Crescent Blú’s Signature Crab UPF Shirt delivers lightweight comfort, UPF sun protection, and signature Gulf Coast style.

Really Really Nice Wines

reallyreallynicewines.com | 3500 Magazine St, New Orleans

Help Dad fill his wine fridge with a subscription to the Really Really Nice Wine Club - think of it as a guided tasting experience he can enjoy in the peace + quiet of his man cave.

Every month he'll find a curated selection of 2-to-4 bottles, a printed insert with interesting factoids, flavor descriptions, + pairing tips, as well as fun surprises in every drop. Level up with cheesemonger picks from St. James! Learn more at reallyreallynicewines.com/wine-club.

Perlis

perlis.com | 800 725-6070

6070 Magazine Street, New Orleans | 600 Decatur St, French Quarter 1281 N Causeway Blvd, Mandeville | 8366 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge

Any Dad would love a pair of 100% cotton Seersucker Castaway Clothing's Cisco shorts with the iconic PERLIS crawfish logo embroidered all over. Flat front, slash pockets, 9" inseam.

Lakeside Shopping Center

lakesideshopping.com

3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie

Step up Dad’s style this Father’s Day with the Johnston & Murphy Ackerson Perfed Plain Toe, available at Lakeside Shopping Center. The perfect blend of comfort and sophistication for every step he takes — and the perfect gift for the dad who deserves it all. $155. Johnston & Murphy is located in the J.C. Penney wing.

Discover Whether You’ve Found a Flea Market Deal or an Antique Gem!

Saturday, June  6, 10am-1pm

WYES-TV, 916 Navarre Avenue, New Orleans

During the event, attendees may have two items evaluated by antique experts, attend three antique-related presentations and enjoy refreshments and light bites.

Details & Tickets: wyes.org/events

$45 General Admission

2 items evaluated by an expert

$100 VIP front of line access with 2 items

$20 Friend Of

No item evaluated, but just want to join in the fun

*all ticket prices include refreshments

Be among the first to get a look at WYES’ newest cooking series — DOOK CHASE: A CHEF’S JOURNEY

Join us for…

TASTING AND LAUNCH PARTY

Saturday, July 11 at 11am

WYES-TV, 916 Navarre Avenue, New Orleans

$45 per person

Tickets: wyes.org/events

Celebrate the launch with an unforgettable event featuring:

• See a highlights video from the 26-part series

• A tasting of dishes featured in the series

• A live cooking demonstration with Chef Dook

• Behind-the-scenes stories from chef and producer/director Terri Landry

• A special conversation about the companion cookbook and favorite moments from the production

Don’t miss this delicious first look at a series that celebrates food, culture and culinary storytelling.

*The new 26-part cooking series premieres Saturday, July 18th on WYES!

Reservations on sale now. View wine pairing menus and book at wyes.org/events. All dinners include tax and gratuity and begin at 6:30pm.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Holland and Belgium

Tuesday, June 2

Wednesday, June 17

Thursday, June 25

Springtime River Cruise

March 30 – April 7, 2027

9 Days • 20 Meals

Starting at $5,699: Round Trip Air from New Orleans and Hotel Transfers

See the full itineraries at wyes.org/travel or call 504-834-7000 for details.

Friday, July 10

Wednesday, July 15

Sunday, July 26

Tuesday, November 17

By participating in WYES events, you’re doing more than enjoying unique experiences—you’re directly strengthening and supporting WYES’ quality PBS programming, award-winning local documentaries and cooking series. To explore upcoming WYES events and to purchase tickets, visit wyes.org/events.

Just Be Cool

It’s all about the vibes

Dear Cool, California, I hope this letter finds you living up to your name. I imagine there is a certain pressure in trying to live up a moniker that sounds as if it were bestowed on you by the Fonz, but coolness rather comes with the territory in California.

The same cannot be said for us in New Orleans – and particularly not with summer having descended upon us like a wet, woolen blanket. By the time this communique finds its way to your California-cool clutches, the Crescent City will be armpit-deep in the humid soup that passes for oxygen during summer months in these parts.

I am not an evolutionary biologist, but I am fairly certain that if human beings ever develop gills, it will happen in New Orleans first.

While we await that Darwinian inevitability, we can at least rely on our well-honed expertise in beating the heat. I will not get into particulars, but it involves a strategy reliant on equal parts snowballs, ceiling fans, porch swings, river breezes and certain choice beverages.

The curious thing is, although we are proven experts on getting cool, no one here seems to expend much energy trying to look cool – which, I am told, is one of the coolest things about the place. I was reminded of that duality in a quote from Trent Reznor that recently resurfaced online. He was speaking to a local music journalist about what drew him to live in

New Orleans for a decade in the late 1990s and early aughts.

“I remember,” he mused, “when a friend of mine from New York first came down to visit in New Orleans. He said, ‘This place is pretty cool. Everyone is concerned with being cool in New York. Here, nobody’s cool and everybody’s having fun.’ It stuck with me.”

There is certainly something to that. After all, the least cool kind of cool is the performative kind – and, in New Orleans, we are generally too busy trying to survive than to pay mind to what others think of our authentic souvenir shop T-shirt.

There are many names for the practitioners of that particular low art. “Poseurs” was in fairly heavy use before the turn of the millennium. After Hurricane Katrina blew through town, “hipsters” took over. Nowadays, thanks to the scourge of FlipFlöp, Facehole or whatever the social media app du jour is, “Gen Z” seems to have inherited the exhibitionist essence of it.

These are the pork-pie hat wearers of the world – which is a dead giveaway in New Orleans that somebody might be trying

too hard to look cool. Yes, a pork pie might look dapper on the right head, but that tiny brim makes them entirely impractical when it comes to providing protection from the sun – which, when outdoor temperatures are approaching blast furnace levels, is the one and only purpose of a hat.

In New Orleans, hat brims are like daiquiris: Size very much matters.

The key is simple. The harder you try to be cool, the less cool you will look next to a true-blue New Orleanian.

So: That guy steering a bike down Decatur with a sousaphone wrapped around his top half? That guy is cool.

But the dude on Bourbon Street with a tribal tattoo wrapped around his bicep (which he got to cover up a barbed-wire tattoo)? Not so cool.

The guy at a red light eating crawfish out of a paper sack? Cool.

The festivalgoer who records the entire performance on her phone? Not cool.

The woman wearing a Marques Colston jersey while walking a dog wearing an Archie Manning jersey? That lady is the epitome of cool.

You in Cool, California, carry it right there in your name, something to aspire to, something to maintain. Around here, we are more about perspiration than aspiration. It is too hot, too humid and, frankly, too much trouble to worry about such things as image.

But that’s cool. You get the name. We get the music, the food and the endemic dysfunction that makes New Orleans the magnificent mess it is. Crucially, we also get those small, unguarded moments that would never survive close inspection in other locales, much less attempts at curation.

So, stay cool, Cool. We will be here doing what we do: sweating through our seersucker, dodging hurricanes, debating the success of the Saints’ offseason – and, honestly, having a pretty good time in the process.

Insincerely yours, New Orleans

Ask Mike

Have a question or a thought to share about New Orleans etiquette or tradition? I’d love to hear it. Email it to mike@ myneworleans.com