New Orleans Magazine May 2026

Photograph by Theresa Cassagne

FROM THE EDITOR

Each May, New Orleans Magazine celebrates spring with our annual women’s issue. This year, we have a coverto-cover experience with local leaders that inspire, excite and energize. In this issue, you will find businesswomen, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, medical professionals and women of all backgrounds that do the day-to-day work of making New Orleans a special place to live, work and play.

Our Top Female Achievers highlights just a few of the community leaders that caught our eye for their ongoing dedication to making change across the city. Our list includes inspiring stories that highlight the best that New Orleans can be.

Part of being a great leader, is also learning the importance of self-care, whether that means taking a daily walk through your neighborhood or nearby park, putting down your phone for some quiet time with family and friends, or treating yourself to a spa experience, great meal or volunteer activity. We talked with local pros on some of the most popular ways to incorporate selfcare, no matter who you are.

As we look towards the summer, we embrace the last lingering days of spring, with plenty of ways to enjoy New Orleans, from live music, dining, festing and more. Be sure to bookmark your new favorites to enjoy all month long.

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

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

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Broadway Bound

Enter to win 2 tickets to The Book of Mormon Broadway production at the Saenger Theatre on May 12. myneworleans.com/sweepstakes

Book Club

BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN

Summer Review

Writing through the season

The Plays the Thing

The Tennessee Williams Annual Review 2026 is now out. Published by the Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC), the review has highlighted short works, essays and reviews from authors paying homage to the famous playwright, as well as some previously unpublished works by Williams, since 1998. This year’s collection includes contributions from south Louisiana writer, director and teacher Stephen Cedars, nonfiction author and literary scholar Ellen F. Brown, stage and film actor Maxim M. Gudkov, and many more. According to the HNOC, the review includes, “Essays [that] explore piracy, Soviet criticism, Williams’s financial struggles as a young writer, recent stage productions, and new books.” hnoc.org

Get Write!

Third Lantern Lit is a collective of writers that work to promote community and collaboration through retreats, get-togethers, writing events and more. The nonprofit supports writers of all backgrounds and stages, with workshops that are free and open to the public and recently reported that it was able to host more than 70 events in 2025. Upcoming events include a “Generative Writing Series” meeting at Miel Brewery on May 26 and a “Daytime Get Lit: A Writing Series” on May 29 at Sports Drink Café and Comedy Club. Sign up to the group’s newsletter to stay informed on all upcoming events, how to join, donate and more. Thirdlanternlit.org

Bookstore Purrfection

New Orleans’ own bookstore celebrity, Kitty Meow, is being featured in a new book, “Book Shop Cats” by Daphne Du Meowier. Kitty Meow, who was recently celebrated with a very special retirement party at her place of business, Blue Cypress Books, has become a local star for her hard work tending books and catching rays of sunshine. “Book Shop Cats” also features busy felines at shops across the U.S., including Austin, Texas, Seattle, Washington and Minneapolis, Minnesota. bluecypressbooks.com

Events

May 7

Writer Marjan Kamali answers questions and presents a virtual discussion of her book “The Lion Women of Tehran,” hosted by the New Orleans Public Library, 6 to 7 p.m. Register in advance to receive the link to participate and submit questions. nolalibrary.org

May 9

The Garden District Book Shop presents an evening with Kathryn Stockett, writer of the best-selling novel “The Help,” 5 p.m. at Academy of Sacred Heart. Stockett will discuss her latest work, “The Calamity Club.” Tickets to the event include a reserved copy of the book. gardendistrictbookshop. com

May 13

Blue Cypress Books’ Girl Dinner book club hosts its latest get-together at 7 p.m. Girl Dinner meets quarterly to discuss “sad girl lit fic” along with “girl dinner” eats and drinks. The quarterly events are ticketed, with seats limited to 12 to 15 participants and sell out quickly. Be sure to follow @blue_cypress_books for updates on book titles and ticket availability. bluecypressbooks.com/ bookclubs/girldinner

May 19

National Book Awardwinning writer Jesmyn Ward presents a rare in-person Author Talk & Signing, hosted by Baldwin & Co., 6 to 8 p.m. Ward will discuss her latest work “On Witness and Respair: Essays.” The event is ticketed, with space limited. baldwinandcobooks.com

Spring Ahead

9

NOBT Presents “Cinderella”

The New Orleans Ballet Theater presents their take on the classic fairy tale “Cinderella” at the Orpheum Theater. orpheumnola.com

April 30-May 17

“God of Carnage”

Le Petit Theatre hosts this dark comedy about two sets of parents confronting each other over a playground altercation between their 11-year-old sons. lepetittheatre.com

1 Hancock Whitney Zoo to Do

The Audubon Zoo’s premier fundraising gala returns with an unforgettable evening of live entertainment, food from the city’s finest restaurants and premium cocktails. audubonnatureinstitute.org/ zoo-to-do

2

The Meters Plus Very Special Guests

The legendary New Orleans funk group The Meters reunite for one night only at the Saenger Theatre. saengernola.com

6

Wednesday at the Square

The Brass-a-holics highlight the final Wednesday at the Square performance of the season. ylcwats.com

7 The Queens! 4 Legends, 1 Stage

Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Stephanie Mills unite for a night of unforgettable R&B and soul at the Smoothie King Center. smoothiekingcenter.com

7 LPO: Firebird

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra comes to the Orpheum Theater with a show featuring Argentinian and Eastern European favorites from Alberto Ginastera and Bela Bartok. orpheumnola. com

8

Killers of Kill Tony Comedians of the wildly popular “Kill Tony” podcast come to the Saenger Theater for a live show. saengernola. com

8-17

“Cherries Jubilee” “Cherries Jubilee,” written by four local playwrights, tells a decades-spanning story of five friends that’s sure to delight fans of “Steel Magnolias.” Performances hit the stage at the Westwego Performing Arts Theater. jpas. org

8-10, 15-17

“Carmen Miranda: Samba in Technicolor” BB’s Stage Door Canteen at the National World War II Museum hosts this immersive celebration of Carmen Miranda, the “Brazilian Bombshell” who brought samba to the United States. nationalww2museum.org

12-17

“The Book of Mormon” “South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker bring their irreverent musical about the misadventures of Mormon missionaries to the Saenger Theater. saengernola.com

15-30

“Medea” The NOLA Project hosts this adaptation of Euripides’ classic tale of a

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

woman seeking revenge. Performances will be held at the Lafitte Greenway. nolaproject.com

15-31

“Cinderella”

The classic fairy tale receives a bolder, funnier interpretation at Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts. rivertowntheaters.com

15-17

Bayou Boogaloo

Mid-City’s favorite fest moves to a new location this year. The Pitot House and the Broadside team up to host. thebayouboogaloo.com

16

Art & Soul Gala

Support the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts Foundation and its students at the Art & Soul Gala. The NOCCA campus on Chartres Street will host live music, food from NOCCA culinary arts students, and performances from NOCCA students. artandsoulnocca. com

22-24

New Orleans Greek Festival

Visit Holy Trinity Cathedral on beautiful Bayou St. John for the return of the New Orleans Greek Festival. Savor the best in Greek food, beer and cocktails, dance and music. gfno.com

BY ELIZABETH PEARCE

Paradise Found

Renowned author Walker Percy made Covington his home. His works and life are now the inspiration for a new bar nestled in Covington’s downtown. Paradise Bar blends the charm of a French café and the warmth of a southern study, with inventive cocktails and small bites. Fans of Percy will recognize homages throughout the cocktail menu. The “Moviegoer’s Martini” features Nolet’s gin, Bordiga Bianco vermouth, Giffard Abricot du Roussillon and bitters. “Moira’s Serenade” with Corazon Blanco tequila, triple sec, guava, lime and spicy agave is described as “beautiful but a little haunted.” “Uncle Will‘s Julep” with 1792 Bourbon, mint, sugar and, unusually, nutmeg, is named for Percy‘s beloved uncle. Percy loved bourbon and juleps so much that he penned an entire essay extolling their charms. “Pink Malaise” mixes Svedka vodka, nectarine aperitif, dragon fruit and lemon. It is hard to imagine anyone feeling malaise after finishing this drink! 411 E Gibson St., Covington, 985-590-3745, @paradise_covington.

Peerless Whiskey

Peerless Distillery announces the release of the 10-year-old Henry Kraver’s Old Reserve Bourbon, the distillery’s first official age-statement bottle. Founder Henry Kraver has high standards, crafting his whiskey entirely in-house, from grain to bottle. As a result, Peerless’ accolades include “World’s Best Bourbon” in the 2024 International Wine and Spirits Competition. The nose on this whiskey features an aroma of pipe tobacco, candied peanuts and hints of port wine, while the palate’s caramelized intensity is layered with mocha coffee and toffee. Flavors of bright candied orange peel cut through the richness, and charred applewood speaks to a well-aged Kentucky bourbon. Family owned and operated, Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. was established in 1889 and resurrected in 2013. kentuckypeerless.com.

Music and More

Locals looking for a midweek, live music fix can head to the Commons Club at Virgin Hotels New Orleans for their expanding lineup of live entertainment programming inside the hotel’s signature lounge. “Wine Wednesdays” evenings feature specials on bottles of wine, which guests can enjoy while listening to live music from 6 to 8 p.m. Guests can also enjoy an extended happy hour, 4 to 7 p.m. with classic cocktails, beer and house wine by the glass. 550 Baronne St, 833-791-7700, virginhotels.com.

Sit and Stay!

The Bower and Birdy’s Behind the Bower welcome both two-and four-legged guests with their shared pet-friendly patio. Furry companions can lounge while their people enjoy an espresso martini, or a classic Birdy’s brunch board with friends. 1320 Magazine St., 504-582-9738, thebowernola.com; 504-3022992, birdysnola.com.

Mid-City Charmant offers plenty of tailwagging charm. Their recently opened pet-friendly patio provides an outdoor space where dogs can relax while their owners nibble charcuterie with a glass of wine or savor a decadent dinner from Chef/Owner Chris Borges. 514 City Park Ave., 504-3814573, charmantnola.com.

For a pet-friendly staycation, The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery welcomes VIPs (Very Important Pets) for both dogs and cats. Guests can treat their pets to a curated package including a cozy pet bed, food and water bowls, treats and toys. 535 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-527-5271, old77hotel.com/hotel/pets.

A Love Story

New Orleanians have a new rooftop spot to enjoy the remaining cool spring breezes. Charles & Julia, a new cocktail bar and rooftop terrace located inside the Hotel Perle, is inspired by the fictional romance of a young couple who meet on a New Orleans streetcar. The bar’s location at the corner of St. Charles Avenue and Julia Street was the origin for this story. Charles & Julia’s two distinct spaces reflect the couple’s imagined world of travel and hospitality. Downstairs, guests enter a wine and cocktail lounge that could be the couple’s home. Upstairs, a rooftop terrace evokes the couple’s travels to Sicily, with a bar that showcases a spirit-forward cocktail program. Charles & Julia is created by Latter Hospitality, the New Orleans-based restaurant group behind Tujague’s, The Bower, Bower Bar, and Birdy’s. Founder and CEO Mark Latter describes the concept as “a space centered around storytelling, hospitality, and the kind of experiences that invite people to linger and connect.” 757 St. Charles Ave., 504-222-2727, hotelperle.com.

Delicious Nostalgia

Return to the Windsor Court’s golden era in the coming months with its new dinner menu at The Grill Room, celebrating timeless signature dishes from its past. Inspired by legendary Chef Kevin Graham’s “Simply Elegant: The Cuisine of the Windsor Court Hotel” cookbook, published in 1992, the menu features modern interpretations of frog legs with champagne mustard sauce, Chinese lacquered duck with coffee-mandarin glaze and a four-course tasting menu. thewindsorcourt.com

An Honor to Be Nominated

This year, New Orleans chefs and restaurateurs may not have received as many James Beard nominees as in years past, but those that made the cut are not strangers to the annual honor. Vying for Best Chef of the South are Ana Castro of Acamaya and Serigne Mbaye of Dakar NOLA. Up for Outstanding Restaurateur are Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski of the Link Group, whose lineup of establishments currently includes Herbsaint, Cochon (more on its anniversary in another blurb on this page), Cochon Butcher, Pêche Seafood Grill, La Boulangerie, Gianna, Calcasieu private events and Chemin Á La Mer. The nomination for Emerging Chef is E.J. Lagasse of Emeril’s. The winners will be announced at an all-star culinary event in Chicago on June 15.

Bubbles and Bivalves  Oyster lovers rejoice! Earlier this spring, the Carrollton neighborhood favorite, Boucherie, announced permanent pricing for its oysters-and-champagne deal. Get Louis Perdrier by the glass for 17 cents as well as oysters for 17 cents each (limited to half a dozen per table) any time. We know it sounds too good to be true. But we double checked — it’s true! boucherie-neworleans.com

First of Her Name

It seems wild to write it, but in March, Galatoire’s named Chef Nicole Theriot as the first woman to lead the kitchen in the storied restaurant’s 120-year history. Theriot’s official title is Director of Culinary Operations, but we like to think of her as the queen of the entire Galatoire’s kingdom’s kitchens, including Galatoire’s Restaurant, Galatoire’s “33” and Galerie de Galatoire. Theriot, a Terrebonne Parish-native, has more than paid her dues training at Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholl’s State University and under Chef Nina Compton at Compère Lapin and the now shuttered Bywater American Bistro, as well as serving as executive chef at Nicholl’s State University and as an adjunct instructor at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI). “Galatoire’s is such an important part of New Orleans’ culinary history, and it’s an incredible honor to be part of a restaurant with such a strong sense of tradition,” Theriot said in a press release. “I have a great respect for the consistency and culinary customs that guests have come to expect over generations, and I’m committed to upholding these traditions while supporting the team that brings them to life every day.” Long may she reign! galatoires.com

Cheers to 20 Years!

Twenty years ago this year, Cochon opened its doors in the Warehouse District and it has become an anchor for the now-bustling neighborhood from its little corner on Tchoupitoulas Street. In addition to culinary events throughout the year featuring guest chefs, and special meals and cocktails, the restaurant is hosting a Cantillon Zwanze tapping on April 25. (Cantillon Zwanze is an experimental lambic beer released by Brussels-based Brasserie Cantillon.) For its ticketed tapping event, Cochon will have Belgian-style sausages and fries, as well as cochon de lait, charcuterie and cheese, along with the rare Belgian beers. cochonrestaurant.com

Sally didn’t sell these seashells by the seashore, but we’re lucky turbo shells are combined with delicate beads to create this lovely and summery necklace. Add to any outfit as a fun, seasonal accessory. Available at Tyler + Tate, tylerandtate.com.

Beachy Keen

A chic topper is a summertime must, and you’ll be all set with this adjustable, wide-brim Coco Dream straw hat with a ribbon sash inspired by scenes from Cartagena. Available at Angelique, shopangeliqueboutique.com.

The Tibi Dress by Sue Sartor in a whimsical hand-drawn Pink Azalea print features side pockets, and a versatile neck tie and sash. Perfect for everything from a seaside lunch to a bridal shower, this piece will carry you through warmer days and evenings. Available at Sue Sartor, suesartor.com

Fit for feet in the sand at a destination far away or our own tropical locale, these sunny picks will help you embrace summer with panache.

Handmade by artisans in Columbia, Hola Guava’s palm leaf Half Moon bag may be used as a clutch or a crossbody/shoulder bag. With a trusty zipper closure, carry your SPF and other essentials confidently, from Jazz Fest to the shore. Available at Hola Guava, holaguava.com

It’s looking like calm seas ahead with these Smooth Sailing acetate sunnies from Moxlox with gradient UV-protective lenses. Comfortable and light enough to wear all day, blue skies await. Available at Moxlox, moxlox.com.

Maria Sylvester Terry

Nutritionist

and founder, Sturdy and Strong

New Orleans has a special relationship with food. One might think that making your career about nutrition in New Orleans could pose a difficult feat, but Maria Sylvester Terry has created an entire in-person and social media community following that is showing what it really means to be healthy and strong in a city full of endless delicious options.

Q: How did you get to New Orleans and into nutrition? This is actually my second career. Ten years ago, I was a teacher in Camden, New Jersey and I got offered a position to be a school leader — which is not unusual in the charter network when you’re young and you have a lot of energy and you’re not burned out yet. I got pulled into the fellowship program to become a school leader and I loved it, except the system basically just beat the hell out of you. What suffered was my mental health and my physical health.

THERESA CASSAGNE

My nutrition was basically clean eating on steroids. I’d cry at the table if my husband got the wrong vegetables. I was an unwell person. I was so hardworking and super high achieving, but I abruptly left my career on a leave of absence. I had to recalibrate, so I thought, what do I love about teaching and makes people feel excited. I was going to grad school in Philadelphia, and I matched at

Tulane for my internship. I had started social media before coming to Tulane [while] I was teaching yoga. When I came here, I taught a few yoga classes and that’s how I met people and pivoted my social media account to nutrition. It went from “hey, please come to my yoga class,” to “hey, please eat today because you are worthy and deserving of lunch.”

Q: Is it hard to be a nutritionist in New Orleans because of its rich food and food culture? It’s actually the best place to be a dietitian, really. I felt that when I moved here. I had gotten my master’s degree and was moving to New Orleans and my culinary instructor at Drexel said, “That is the city for you. You think about food differently and people in New Orleans appreciate food and also protect it. They protect

their culture. They protect their recipes. They protect the way it is.” And there is beauty in that. I love it because in the very first session with someone, I get to ask, “What krewe do you roll in? What do you do for Mardi Gras? What is your Jazz Fest relationship like? Are you a king cake person? A boudin person?” I learn about them through their culture and it disarms them because they think those are the things that make them bad, but I think those are the things that make us amazing. For me it allows the food conversation to be really light and fun and also lets them know I’m not the person who is going to point out the banh mi in your food journal; instead I’m going to see you had water and a side salad and got lemongrass chicken instead of bulgogi this time. We live in a city that has a lot of options and I think it’s way more fun. Planning a hydration and food plan for someone’s twoweek bender at Jazz Fest is the best part of the year.

Q: Tell us about Sturdy and Strong, your online support group. This kind of came out of an interesting need for me and my clients. I was seeing clients one to one, and I had a huge waitlist, like 90 people on this waitlist. My dad got sick. My dad had Crohn’s disease his whole life. I’m the eldest daughter, so I wanted to be there for my dad. I had just left my job at Ochsner and thought, this is why you work for yourself, to be able to make these choices. So I thought, I need to pivot to group. I ran three very successful groups in the in early 2023. And at the end of the group, they all said the same thing, ‘I feel like I was at summer camp. When’s the next one?’ A lot of them took all three of [sessions] and became kind of a cohort. And they said, ‘Do you think there’s a membership or a community that you could make so we can all stay in touch and support each other, because now that I’ve done all this work on

how to support my blood sugar without dieting and how to get strong in the gym without fixating on my body fat percentage, like I need that support.’ I opened this membership online and ran a couple of classes a month just as check-ins and accountability and would post things. It was a safe social media presence for them.

Q: What has been the impact of the group on you? I ran my first session on [the topic of] fiber in a hotel room in Georgetown. I was staying in Georgetown because my dad was getting evaluated to see if he’d get a liver transplant, because he had cirrhosis of chronic disease. it was a support group for me as much as it was for them. Now it is home to a lot of folks that maybe don’t have insurance, but they have $29 a month for now. There’s 20 or more classes a month. My team run them. There’s a full resource library so if someone has to get a colonoscopy, they can go into the membership library. Click, download, and everything they need to know about prep, everything they need to know if their A1C goes up. What do I do if my body image is spiraling? There’s a topic for everything related to nutrition. We have guest speakers. It’s an online community that people in New Orleans join, and we do in-person meetups too. Last night we did a session on ‘Why don’t I look like I work out?’ A body image session of the month. It was a highly hot, requested topic, and it was really special to have it because it allowed everybody to kind of grieve and talk and, and express themselves and then set up, an identity of, ‘OK, what is strong and sturdy to me?’

True confession

I run a Mardi Gras dance krewe call the Cosmonaughties

Modine Gunch

To a Certain Degree

The future is yours

Here it is, May. Nice month. We could use one after this crazy weather we been having. Finally — spring flowers, sunny skies, kids counting the days until school is out, not hot enough for hurricanes yet. There is only one thing wrong with May. Older kids graduate. And you got to go watch them do this.

Of course, you want to see your own kid do this. Or your own nephew or niece or godchild etc. strut across that stage. They earned it. But you also got to watch everybody else’s kid, who earned it too, but who you don’t know from Adam.

None of my own kids are graduating this year, but there are a couple cousins and a godchild. Plus, my nephew, my sister-in-law Larva’s boy, Leo Gunch Arai.

So there I am again, sitting politely — and screaming inside. My nephew has accepted his diploma and is sitting back down again. Nothing but other people’s kids ahead.

I have run out of acceptable things to do, like counting my

teeth with my tongue

Then suddenly, this kid sitting next to me leaps up and blows his air horn because his brother graduated. Now, we had been sternly warned ahead of time — absolutely no air horns — before the ceremony started. So two ushers storm down the aisle and grab this kid to escort him out. This is my chance. I get up too and go out with them looking guilty like I had been sharing the air horn.

It’s real nice outside. The hornblowing kid disappears somewhere, but I sit on the steps and watch the birds and the bees and wait for Larva and the family come out.

Then suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, I get this brilliant idea. It could revolutionize graduations of the future.

What you do is, in the last week of classes, the school videotapes each student, individually, walking across the stage. The kids set up

appointments for this like they do for school pictures.

Each one is recorded accepting the degree or diploma from a hand that could belong to the university president or the school principal; each kid looks straight into the camera and thanks his parents and teachers, and then he strides off the stage

Then the school mails this video to the parents, and they don’t have to shame all the relatives they was going to shame into going the actual graduation of this one kid they know and 2,388 they never heard of.

No, instead of that, all the relatives get together at the parents’ house with snacks and drinks and watch this video. Five minutes, max. The actual graduate is there of course, so he can hear them all clapping and stomping their feet for him, right there in the comfort of home. They can even blow air horns without getting kicked out.

And they can play the video one or two more times, if the relatives are patient.

The school can even tape commencement speakers, if for some reason they want to. And the family has the option of speeding through that part of the video, which they will.

Now if I was a person who shot videos for a living, I would try to sell every school in the immediate vicinity on this and would become a national hero.

And I myself could say goodbye to other people’s kids’ graduations. Later, I tell Larva about the idea, and she, fresh from watching a two-hour graduation, says I should go patent it.

But I don’t want to do that. For the benefit of humankind, I will pass it around for free. So here it is.

Just call me Modine Gunch, G.S. (graduation savior.)

Home Inspiration

May Manifesting

Lucky charms for your home

Visualizing your goals requires a focused eye. Let yours be inspired by the Gaze wallpaper from Aux Abris, printed on mica-coated paper to add a lustrous finish. Available locally through Spruce, 2043 Magazine St., 504-265-0946. By appointment only.

Imported from Brazil on custom stand, let the citrine of this dynamic sculpture help attract abundance and prosperity. Nola Rock Co., 906 Royal St., 504-376-9444, nolarockco.com.

a serene and calming ambiance. behr.com.

Amplify your intentions by way of the triple quartz featured on the Halcyon round sconce by Kelly Wearstler. Visual Comfort & Co., 3535 Magazine St., 504-3897854, visualcomfort.com.

Every strand within a soft fiber art piece like the “Fresh Air” in muted beige and blue represents creative intention. Eclectic Home, 8211 Oak St., 504-8666654, eclectichome.net.

A meditation perch is a manifestation must. Fill a handmade striped Moroccan double pouf cover to make it the most comfortable place to contemplate. 6’x6’x2’. voyage-living.com.

Growing Pains

A Month of Candles

Loss and joy increasingly coexist in middle age.

May is a complicated month for me. Yes, it carries all of the chaos and busyness it does for all other parents – field day volunteer shifts and final exam study sessions and awards day ceremonies and huge bags of artwork with flaking paint and all the prodigal water bottles and hoodies returning home in triumph. It is a time to reflect on how much my kids have grown – physically and emotionally –throughout the year. There are graduation parties and Jazz Fest crawfish boils and Mother’s Day brunches to attend.

But it’s also the month where I buy memorial candles in bulk.

My mother died five years ago on May 4; my husband’s brother died 35 years ago on May 19; my sister died 16 years ago on May 22; and not quite making the calendar month but still within a 30-day span, my brother died 38 years ago on June 2.

I’ve been through enough loss at this point that I know that death anniversaries are not necessarily any worse than any other day.

Yes, I am sad on May 4 – but I’m also sad on a random Tuesday afternoon when I want to reach for the phone and call my mom. She isn’t any more gone on May 4 than she is on any other day.

And in fact, my mom used to say just that: When we couldn’t get our shit together enough to celebrate a holiday or any other milestone, she would laugh and say, “It’s just a day! No big deal!”

Somehow, though, all of those anniversaries coming one right after another – boom, boom, boom, boom – just make it all feel overwhelmingly sad in a cumulative way. By the time the end of the month rolls around, I’m worn out.

But! Not so fast!

Because my beloved younger daughter has her birthday right

then, on May 30, injecting some much-needed joy and hope and fun into the bleak stretch of sad days. And I don’t know about your kids, but for my kids, birthdays are meant to be celebrated. For my kids, it’s definitely not “just a day” as my mom said.

And honestly, thank God for Georgia because in a month where we would otherwise be lighting nothing but memorial candles, instead we are also lighting birthday candles. We are visiting gravesites and also discussing cake flavors. We are flipping through old photos and crying and also planning a picnic in the park.

That’s life, I am realizing as I enter more fully into middle age. It’s all of it, all the time, everywhere. Joy and sadness, celebration

and loss – they aren’t opposites so much as bickering bedfellows. And along with them comes a heaping helping of the mundane: work meetings and registration forms and grocery store trips and trying to find out if your kid signed you up to bring cookies or chips to the year-end potluck at school. Rarely do I get to be just one thing; you can’t make it this far in life without a mingling of emotions. I am in mourning and buying LaCroix. I am missing my sister and mixing up brownie batter. I am standing at awards day with tears in my eyes, unable to say for sure whether they are about pride for my kid, the inexorable march of time, all of the people who aren’t here to see it, or all of the above.

I am not at peace. I am not in active grief. I am not rending my garments, but I also am never far from the weight of loss. I have folded it into myself and grown around it, and now I am another year deeper into it.

Still sad. Still happy. But most of all – still here.

The Aesthetic Edit

Beauty on the inside and out

By Amy Gabriel | Select photography by Sara Essex Bradley

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL…

when it comes to modern beauty, how do we navigate it all? With the constant IV drip of information entering our algorithms, along with today’s social norms of comparison and youth-as-currency, keeping up appearances can be vexing. Avoid the worry lines that come from navigating the noise and turn to the local experts with practice-based knowledge to achieve beauty at every age. ¶ “Avoid the influencers and trust your educated aesthetician who is invested in your skin health,” recommends Michelle Bryant, skin therapist at The Skin Edit. “It’s all about finding the puzzle piece to fit each individual person.” The seasoned pro encourages her clients to turn off the online chatter and stick with the basics. “Skincare is regional so someone from a different part of the country will need different things than you do in Southern Louisiana. Change your algorithm and keep it simple.”

SKIN GYM

Should we be exercising our faces just as frequently as we work on our bodies? Michelle Bryant, skin therapist at The Skin Edit, believes so. “We are so obsessed with our muscles from the neck down, but what about from the neck up? Just like we tone our tummies, you can work to tone the muscles in your face.” She recommends the concept of “face yoga” as part of your regular routine. “The finger manipulation helps to ease tension and strengthens facial muscles. Over time there is an improvement in facial contours. And you only need 5 to 10 minutes a day to make a difference.” The Skin Edit, 4530 Magazine St., 504439-8757.

HOT TO TROT

The Ponytail Facelift With the Ponytail Facelift being one of the most on-trend prodedures as of late, Dr. Sean Weiss, M.D., FACS, gives us a glimpse as to why this treatment is popular and advantageous.

“The ponytail facelift is a rendition of traditional facelift ideal for select patients that have smaller amounts of excess skin,” said Dr. Weiss. “It can be done either endoscopically or through small incisions hidden behind the hairline or behind the ear. The trend is driven by the idea of having minimal downtime and minimizing  visibility of scars.” Dr. Sean WeissFacial Plastic Surgery, 2201 Veterans Blvd., 504-8143223, seanweissmd.com.

THE SPA AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL NEW ORLEANS

Signature Facial

This star treatment includes the Switzerland based luxury skincare line, Margy’s – of which the Four Seasons New Orleans is the first and only location in Louisiana to offer. The 60- or 90-minute treatment follows Margy’s fivestep ritual, rooted in anti-aging innovation, to deeply revitalize, lift and visibly enhance the skin. 2 Canal St., 504-434-5100, fourseasons.com.

BEST FACE FORWARD

Daily at home beauty rituals are essential, but indulging in a professional treatment will elevate your skin’s health and provide you with the opportunity for a little luxurious pampering. We scoured the city for some of the most cutting-edge treatments around town.

PRODUCT TYPES AT A GLANCE

(all are not needed for everyone)

COMPLEXION PERPLEXION

Meet Mrs. Derm

MORNING

Cleanser

Antioxidant Serum (VITAMIN C)

Niacinamide

Azelaic Acid (IF NEEDED)

Hydrating Serum (HA/GLYCERIN) Peptides

Lightweight Moisturizer

Sunscreen SPF 30+

Salicylic Acid (IF NEEDED)

Lactic Acid (IF NEEDED)

NIGHT

Cleanser

Brightening Cream (FOR PIGMENT)

Retinoid

Glycolic Acid (IF NEEDED)

Lactic Acid (IF NEEDED)

Mandelic Acid (IF NEEDED)

Salicylic Acid (IF NEEDED)

Azelaic Acid (IF NEEDED)

Niacinamide

Moisturizer

Melissa Coleman, aka “Mrs. Derm”, has a firm handle on the complexities of skin maintenance. As the Director of Business Development at Coleman Dermatology and the wife of Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. W. Patrick Coleman IV, she has taken an active interest in informing her social media devotees — upwards of 80K Instagram followers — on practiced tips and facts that the New Orleans native has picked up along the way of her research and in-person experiences.

“I think of my skin like an investment,” she said. “At night, I feed that investment by using all the things to correct and renew. In the mornings I want to protect that investment so it’s antioxidants, red prevention and sunscreen. As always the key is in the simplicity and consistency.”

She put together a succinct cheat sheet of potential suggestions to show a way to help build a routine for your day and night regimen. Coleman Dermatology, 4425 Conlin St., 504-455-3180, colemancosmetic.com. @mrs.derm.

EARTHSAVERS SPA + STORE

Procell Microchanneling

Similar to microneedling but with less downtime and discomfort, this treatment stimulates collagen and elastin by creating tiny microchannels in the skin, allowing powerful growth factor serums to penetrate deeply and support skin regeneration. 3301 Veterans Blvd., 504-835-0225; 5501 Magazine St., 504-899-8555, earthsaversonline.com.

UPTOWN WELLNESS + AESTHETICS

Cryofacial

Perfect for summer or pre-event prep, this treatment uses Cryoskin technology to tighten, sculpt, and smooth the skin while softening the appearance of fine lines for an instant glow. 4712 Magazine St., 504-522-6300, uptownwellnessneworleans.com.

RENEUX WELLNESS SPA

Plasmage

A minimally invasive treatment that uses plasma energy to lift and tighten skin. The treatment creates tiny micro-points on the skin’s surface, stimulating collagen production to renew firmer, youthful skin. It’s safe for delicate areas, including the eyelids. Cedar St., 985-206-5058, reneuxwellness.com.

THE AESTHETIC HAUS

Coolpeel

A cutting-edge treatment that employs a focused beam of light to improve the skin’s texture, tone and appearance. This laser delivers targeted beams of light absorbed by water in the skin, creating controlled micro-injuries to boost collagen production and promote skin rejuvenation. 1901 US Hwy 190, 985-778-0552, theaesthetichausnorthshore.com.

THE WINDSOR COURT SPA

The Ultimate Sapphire Facial

The crown jewel of facials at The Windsor Court Spa, this ultra-indulgent treatment features state-of-the-art technologies, clinical grade skincare and bespoke protocols designed to deliver a dramatic skin transformation, deep hydration and radiant glow. This results-driven experience is designed for guests who want visible transformation, not just relaxation. 300 Gravier St., 504-596-4736, thewindsorcourt.com.

THE RITZ-CARLTON SPA, NEW ORLEANS

The Hydrafacial MD

This non-invasive anti-aging procedure uses LED light therapy and Hydrafacial MD technology. Pro tip: Ask for the DERMAFLASH enhancement to remove the top layer of dull, dead skin cells and built-up debris as well as peach fuzz. 921 Canal St., 504-670-2929, ritzcartlton.com.

AT HOME SANCTUARY

For at home beauty maintenance, these three on-trend products will up the ante on your routine.

NUFACE FIX MICROWAND

A 3-minute fix for an instant face refresh, depuff tired eyes, plump lips and smooth fine lines with targeted microcurrent for instant visible results. Earthsavers Spa + Store, 3301 Veterans Blvd., 504-835-0225; 5501 Magazine St., 504-899-8555, earthsaversonline.com.

THERAFACE RED LIGHT LED MASK

Firm and smooth skin while reducing fine lines and dark spots in as little as 8 weeks with this advanced LED mask powered by 648 red, red + infrared and blue lights. Plus, it offers gentle vibration massage on the face and scalp for enhanced relaxation. The Windsor Court Spa, 300 Gravier St., 504-596-4736, thewindsorcourt.com.

DROWSY SLEEP CO. SILK SLEEP MASK

Get your beauty sleep with a mask made of 100% pure mulberry silk. The clinically tested, dermatologist approved mask increases facial hydration, target fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles all while you rest. And the designs, particularly the Tiffany blue, is darling. The Ritz-Carlton Spa, New Orleans, 921 Canal St., 504-670-2929, ritzcartlton.com.

NEW + NOW

Temperature Check

Spyre Center has recently added a new traditional outdoor sauna and thermal circuit experience to the picturesque property. The team tipped us off to a step-by-step approach for a first-timer. Spyre Center, 1772 Prytania St., 504-900-0980, spyrecenter.com.

“For first timers we recommend beginning with a quick rinse to bring the body to a neutral temperature. From there, enter the Finnish sauna, heated to around 170°F. We suggest limiting sauna sessions to about 10-15 minutes; exceeding 20 minutes per day is not recommended. After the sauna, rinse off again and allow your body temperature to regulate for 2–3 minutes before entering the cold plunge, which is kept between 47–55°F. If it’s your first time plunging, start with about 15 seconds, step out, and increase by 15 seconds with each round if it feels comfortable. The most important thing is to listen to your body. Allow it to reheat naturally rather than jumping immediately into a hot shower. Many guests like to finish their circuit by relaxing in the saltwater lap pool, which offers a gentle way to recover after the sauna and plunge.”

A GLOW UP IN A GLASS

Nourish and flourish with these three local sips that are filled with antioxidants and specialized ingredients to charge both your skin health.

GLOW SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIE

Blueberry, pitaya, strawberry, banana, avocado, apple juice and a coconut swirl plus locally made sea moss gel to boost skin hydration and potentially reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve skin elasticity. The Daily Beet, 1000 Girod St., 504-605-4413; 3300 Magazine St., 504-766-0377, thedailybeetnola.com

THE ANTIDOTE LATTE

Espresso latte made with organic coffee, collagen and activated charcoal. Local grass-fed dairy or house-made almond milk with no added sugars, oils or preservatives are available. The Antidote Juice, 734 Union St., 504-2588708, theantidotejuice.com.

BODY CONSCIOUS

Strawberries, beet, celery, avocado, MCT oil, coconut water, lemon, ginger and the option to add on of Agent Nateur (marine collagen and pearl powder) which is excellent for the skin. Raw Republic, 4528 Magazine St., 504-324-8234, rawrepublicjuice.com.

BESPOKE BLENDING:

Looking for a fun group activity that meshes beauty and bonding? Freedom Apothecary’s Blend Bar offers the opportunity where self-care becomes something you create with your own hands. Owner Morrisa Jenkins invites guests into her private studio to craft one-of-a-kind body oils, bath teas, face steams and face masks using sustainably sourced natural oils, botanicals, herbs, essential oils and clays. Her curated collection of ingredients caters to your individual skin needs, and you’ll also get an education on the natural benefits of each ingredient. Can’t make it in person? Blend Bar sessions are also available virtually. Freedom Apothecary, 1430 Terpsichore St., 504-884-4711, freedomapothecary.com.

Because the best product you’ll ever use is one made specifically with you in mind. “

COME ON GET APPY

Beauty is more than skin deep — it’s also a biproduct of the way we treat our bodies. Spencer Maxwell Shilstone, owner of MaxWell Nutrition, has recently launched a program called MaxWell Nutrition Unlimited through the MaxWell Nutrition app. It provides access to multiple training programs including gym-based strength training, kettlebell workouts, bodyweight training, mobility and injury-prevention programming. The app also allows users to track calories and nutrition, access sample meal plans, browse hundreds of recipes, generate grocery lists and follow step-by-step cooking and exercise videos. maxwellnutrition.com.

WAKEUP YOUR MAKEUP

NEW AND NOW

Well Rounded Wellness

The new Recovery Lounge at Waldorf Astoria Spa New Orleans features four mind-sync anti-gravity loungers, with optional enhancements such as SmartGoggles providing eye and temple massage designed to relieve eyestrain, Therabody red light therapy and energizing Knesko collagen face and eye masks. Additional advanced wellness technologies like air compression boots, percussion therapy and harmonic mind-sync loungers with guided meditation enhance this self-guided journey. 130 Roosevelt Way, 504-335-3190, therooseveltneworleans.com.

Before there was cosmetic surgery, there was the tried-and-true cosmetic bag. Can a beauty glow up be achieved by makeup alone? We took the question to Meggan Ory, founder of Makeup by Meggan Cosmetics. The licensed esthetician and professional makeup artist with over two decades of experience in the beauty industry gave us her four top tier tips and expert feedback on creating a youthful and refreshed appearance using just the products in your makeup bag. makeupbymeggan.com.

“First and foremost, if you want to look bright, refreshed, glowing and plump, your skin has to be taken care of first. If your skin is dry or dehydrated, then your makeup won’t take as well. If you feel like the products you’re using aren’t working, don’t go spend a million dollars on more makeup. Try taking care of your skin first and it could make all the difference.”

Concealer

“You want to get a concealer with a skinlike hydrating finish that melts into the skin vs. a matte dry finish that just sits on the face. When putting it under the eyes, don’t use a heavy amount. Just put a dot where the tear duct is, on the outer corner to give a lifted look and even in between the brows by blend softly.”

Foundation

“Unless you’re covering acne, you don’t want to use a full coverage foundation. Use a light to medium coverage that’s hydrating because moisturized skin will reflect light and make the skin look plump. You want something more sheer to get that glowy look. Whether it’s a cream or a liquid, don’t apply it directly to the skin – warm it up on your hand first, then apply with a brush or your fingers. It goes on more sheer and you have more control on what you’re doing.”

Cream Blush

“This is a great product because it adds a youthful, glowing and refreshed look. Stare straight in the mirror and apply directly to your cheek under the pupil. That’s your guide. Drag your brush or finger up to the ear to blend. Whether you’re using a cream or a liquid, again warm it up in your hand before using it so it’s less heavy.”

MUSCLE MEMORY

While Shilstone gives a thumbs up to buzzy concepts in the zeitgeist like probiotics, creatine supplements and EPA + DHA, he also encourages his clients to focus on strength training for big picture benefits.

“One topic that is arguably the most important for long-term health and even “beauty” outcomes is strength training,” said Shilstone. “Resistance training helps regulate stress, maintain muscle tissue and prevent age-related muscle loss known as sarcopenia and dynapenia. Strength training is also essential for maintaining bone mineral density, which becomes especially important for women because the risk of osteoporosis increases with age.”

BODY BEAUTIFUL

Physical fitness is all part of the overall health and beauty package, and nothing feels as satisfying as a tip to toe workout. We caught up with Keia Hagler, Pilates practitioner, owner and founder of Hagler Method Pilates to debunk a few common myths about Pilates that may be keeping you from hitting the studio. Hagler Method, 3120 Canal St., 504-945-5056 haglermethod.com.

Myth: You need to be in great shape to start Pilates.

Fact: Pilates was designed to build strength, not require it. Joseph Pilates originally created Pilates as a rehabilitation method for injured soldiers and dancers. Pilates focuses on controlled, low-impact movement that can be modified for beginners, seniors, postpartum clients and athletes.

Myth: Pilates won’t help you lose weight. Fact: Pilates supports sustainable fat loss through muscle building and metabolic

support. Pilates builds lean muscle mass, which increases resting metabolic rate (and as we know your body burns more calories at rest). Reformer classes can burn 200–450 calories per session depending on intensity. Consistent Pilates improves insulin sensitivity and body composition (reduced body fat percentage). It also reduces stress and lower cortisol levels can support healthier weight regulation. It’s important to know Pilates reshapes the body by tightening, toning and strengthening, not just shrinking it.

Myth: Pilates requires a ton of equipment. Fact: Pilates can be done anywhere with just a mat. Mat Pilates uses body weight for resistance. Many classical exercises such as hundred, roll up and single leg stretch for example require no equipment at all. Equipment like the Reformer or Cadillac adds resistance and support, but it’s not required to practice Pilates effectively.

2026 TOP FEMALE ACHIEVERS

FROM THE HEART

Leadership redefined

by Kelly Massicot, Misty Milioto, Kim Singletary / photography by Theresa Cassagne

IN A CITY FULL OF GIFTED, DRIVEN, AND VISIONARY WOMEN, it speaks volumes that these leaders rise above the rest. While their missions span industries and communities, what unites them is a relentless commitment to action, collaboration and determination. Overnight success still doesn’t exist — progress is built day by day, choice by choice. Whether they are providing healthcare solutions for women, championing social justice, expanding access to education and career pathways for young New Orleanians, or leading boldly as innovative entrepreneurs, each of these women is shaping the future and redefining what leadership looks like. Congratulations to our Top Female Achievers 2026!

AUTHOR,

KIKI BAKER BARNES, PHD

Kiki Baker Barnes went from playing high school basketball in Minden to serving as the first African American female commissioner in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as well as both the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and the HBCU Athletic Conference — and she’s only just beginning to make her mark. ¶ Baker Barnes said she owes her almost 30-year career to the power of sports, and she’s determined for other young women to experience the same opportunities. ¶ She discovered her love of working with young female athletes while serving as a graduate assistant coach for the women’s basketball team at University of Louisiana Lafayette, where she was earning a master’s degree. ¶ “The first time I heard, ‘Coach Kiki can I tell you something?’ it hit me — these young women trust me. They’re turning to me. I was given the opportunity to help young women and to walk alongside them in their journey as they discover their confidence.”

¶ Outside of serving in sports leadership positions and serving as a consultant, she founded a program called “So You Want a Career in Athletics,” where she and a team provide leadership education, mentorship and career guidance. She is also the author of “Blazing Your Own Trail: Faith, Focus and Forward Momentum in Leadership” and was named one of the 100 Influential Black Women in Sports by "Sports Illustrated" and EmpowerOnyx — just one of a long list of industry recognitions. ¶ Baker Barnes’ latest endeavor is happening close to home. On July 2, the now Louisiana State University New Orleans campus will host the first Her Girls Her Future Fest, an immersive full-day career festival targeting high school and college girls.

¶ “This is going to be so much more fun than your typical career day,” said Baker Barnes. “We’re going to have four experience zones: Spotlight, covering broadcasting media; Lab, focused on sports medicine, coaching and analytics; Front office, including management and sports law; and Emerging/Adaptive, focused on careers in Paralympics, Special Olympics. We’ll also have a mentor matchup, and I’m giving the keynote address.” ¶ Her ultimate goal, she said, is to create a kind of Girl Scouts of sports leadership.

¶ “In my career it was always me and a bunch of guys. I was the Smurfette,” she said. “There’s an anxiety that comes from feeling like you’re alone and you can’t make mistakes. There were many times when it would have been very helpful to have someone like me. Young women need to believe in themselves and trust their inner voice. I want to help them do that.” - KS

New Orleans is no stranger to the support of community, but there’s something about the hospitality industry that creates family. No one knows that more than Olivia McCoy. Growing up in hospitality and a family of chefs and restaurateurs, McCoy had a front row seat to all the good, bad and ugly that can impact any industry. ¶ “I love the community,” said McCoy. “I love the family I built there, but I also saw firsthand the immense need for mental health support. I watched as my co-workers, and myself, struggled with stress, burnout, anxiety, substance use; all without the resources in place to support us.” ¶ It was this realization and passion that lead her to starting WeHelp NOLA. WeHelp is a New Orleans-based nonprofit with a mission to provide service industry workers with accessible, no-cost mental healthcare. ¶ “I just became so determined to break down the stigma surrounding mental health,” said McCoy. “To really illuminate that with the right care and support, you can thrive, excel and live your best life, and, hopefully, in the process, create a more sustainable industry.” ¶ WeHelp currently partners with venues and restaurants around the city to offer their services like therapy and staff training, or even with more specialized cases of care like in- and out-patient services and those needs specific to alcohol and substance abuse. Since its founding in 2019, McCoy and her team have provided over 8,000 free sessions to industry workers with no plans on slowing down. With their restaurant partners, McCoy and WeHelp offer an affordable monthly subscription, based on the site’s employee count, giving the entire staff access to all the resources WeHelp has to offer. ¶

“I'm immensely proud of the incredible chefs and owners around the city who provide these services to their team, who see the importance of the work that we're doing, the importance of providing support to their staff members, and the importance of addressing very real issues within our industry,” said McCoy. “I'm always blown away by our hospitality community here in New Orleans, and the owners and operators that want to make a change. I am forever blown away by our hospitality community and the workers, period.” – KM

ASHLEY WEBB

CO-FOUNDER, BARCELO GARDENS AND 2026 LES DAMES D’ESCOFFIER HONOREE

ASHLEY WEBB AND HER HUSBAND, Andres Barcelo-Sanchez, did not set out to build a community institution when they started growing food on an empty lot. ¶ The couple, who moved from Los Angeles to New Orleans’ Upper 9th Ward in 2017 to be closer to family, gardened before in California. ¶ “The price was good, so we ended up buying a vacant lot of land so that we could create it to [become] our own space,” Webb said. ¶ Inspired in part by L.A. urban garden activist Ron Finley, known for transforming neglected spaces into community plots, Webb saw an idea. “His model was about planting where you are,” she said. “The spaces didn’t have to be ideal. You can take a space that has nothing on it and transform it into a food haven.” ¶ The garden quickly became a community growing space, shifting during the pandemic into a teaching garden and farmers market. Located at 2301 Gallier St., it is situated in the heart of one of the city’s most significant food deserts. ¶ “People are always quick to say, well, just go to Mid-City or just go to Metairie,” she said. “But if you don’t have transportation, it’s all buses and ride shares to get there. That hassle causes people to be less likely to get fresh produce regularly. If you can go around the corner and get it, it’s much easier to be and feel healthy.” ¶ Barcelo Gardens expanded even more when visitors kept asking the same question: “How do you cook these vegetables?” Webb responded with free cooking demonstrations alongside gardening classes. ¶ “By showing them different ways that produce can be used, they can buy it and be more confident that they will actually eat it,” she said. ¶ In 2026, Les Dames d’Escoffier New Orleans named Webb a Leading from the Heart Award honoree. The $2,500 grant will support farm infrastructure and expanded community distribution. ¶ Barcelo Gardens now has a small permanent storefront, a step toward the community gathering space Webb envisions. “I feel like, in a lot of ways, we reached that goal,” she said. “I would like to do more classes and events there. That space needs to be more developed so that it’s more of a community space, but we’re slowly working to get it there.” - MM

THUY PHAM WAS NOT IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS, the arts world or the events industry when she decided New Orleans needed a night market. She was a notary public. What she did have was a vision, a stubbornness about community and the memory of a California night market that stopped her in her tracks. ¶ On a birthday trip to California, Pham found herself surrounded by hundreds of vendors, traditional street food, neon drinks, handmade crafts and K-pop performances. Everything was unmistakably Asian, yet woven into the fabric of the local culture. ¶ “I remember thinking, ‘New Orleans has all the ingredients for this, so why don’t we?’” Pham said. “This city already understands food, nightlife and community at a bone-deep level. We have a strong Vietnamese community, especially in New Orleans East, with incredible culture that doesn’t always get the spotlight it deserves. I realized New Orleans wasn’t missing the capacity; it was missing the container.”

¶ On Oct. 19, 2019, she launched the first NOLA Nite Market at the Gretna Farmers Market. Getting there required months of one-onone conversations with vendors who had never done anything like it. ¶ “Not mass emails; real talk,” she said. “I couldn’t promise huge profits that first night, but I could promise intention — that I would

put everything into making this special.” ¶ The skeptical vendors were suddenly slammed with customers. Afterward, those same vendors started asking when the next market would take place. ¶ “That’s when it clicked,” Pham said. “It wasn’t just an idea anymore. It had proven itself.” ¶ The market has since grown into a recurring destination showcasing Asian cuisine, art and performance. Pham also founded Gulf Coast Asian Arts & Culture, a nonprofit that extends the market’s mission into film, visual art and education. She also serves on the executive board of the Vietnamese American Community in Louisiana and has been recognized with a 2024 Leading from the Heart Award from Les Dames d’Escoffier New Orleans. ¶ “At my root, I see myself as a cultural practitioner,” she said. “In New Orleans, where food is so defining, Asian contributions have often been present but rarely centered. This market is my way of saying, ‘We aren’t on the sidelines of this narrative — we’re part of what makes this city dynamic.’” ¶ Looking toward the future, her five-year vision is expansive. “I want the NOLA Nite Market to be a landmark,” she said. “A place where people immediately think, ‘This is where you go to experience the city’s Asian soul after dark.’” - MM

Tiffany Langlinais Graves

FOUNDER, HEAD OF MARKETING FRERET NAPOLEON

CO-FOUNDER, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER KING CAKE DRIVE-THRU

If all the world’s a stage, New Orleans is the perfect backdrop for storytellers like Tiffany Langlinais Graves. In its truest form, marketing is a way for businesses to tell their story to the public. As the Head of Marketing for boutique agency Freret Napoleon, Graves uses storytelling across the industries her clients represent to help them reach the perfect audience. ¶ “We all love a good restaurant, a good place to get a nice cocktail in this city, but the main thing is being able to tell someone’s story,” said Graves. “I believe I really resonate with other individuals and how to reach them, and that’s the basis of my entire company.” ¶ It’s a position that has Graves in a part of every aspect of the city from tattoo parlors to fertility clinics. “I learn something new with every single client, and every initial consultation that I have,” said Graves. ¶ While helping others tell their story is at the forefront, Graves also wants to be a part of someone’s story — well, their Carnival story. Her seasonal venture, the King Cake Drive-Thru, is an accessible option for people on the go during Carnival time. Marketing the drive-thru, which she shares is geared around being able to bring joy, combines two of Graves’ passions as she uses the venture to promote New Orleans, it’s culture and small businesses to the world. ¶ Each year, the drive-thru helps up-and-coming bakers and many without brick-and-mortar locations get in front of New Orleanians they may not have reached otherwise. Graves has taken this venture to higher heights in the last seasons with extending the drive-thru to cities outside the metro area, including Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; Baton Rouge; Houston, Texas; and more on the horizon. ¶ Whether it’s through her companies, as a part of her Hogs for the Cause team Fleur de Que or a member of Les Bonnes Vivantes Mardi Gras krewe; Graves tells the tale of a city full of joy and community. - KM

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR, DAUGHTERS

BEYOND INCARCERATION

JONES-JOHNSON DOMINQUE

Dominque Jones-Johnson’s father has been incarcerated her entire life. Her mother was six months pregnant when he went to prison. She spent her childhood celebrations in Angola’s visiting rooms. ¶ “We built a life in 15-minute increments, shouting over the static of recorded phone lines,” she said. “I held on because he refused to let go.” ¶ In May 2018, Jones-Johnson co-founded Daughters Beyond Incarceration alongside her father, Charles Brown Jr., who is now serving his 43rd year of a life sentence. DBI is a New Orleans-based nonprofit that mentors Black girls ages 8 to 18 who have an incarcerated parent, providing support in mentorship, leadership development, policy advocacy and family reunification. Since its founding, DBI has mentored more than 70 girls in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. ¶ Her focus on daughters is intentional. “Research shows that a father’s emotional presence...is a critical protective factor for a girl’s self-esteem and resilience,” she said. “When that bond is disrupted, girls are often left to manage complex, heavy emotions in total silence. DBI exists to break that silence.” ¶ Under her leadership, DBI has raised more than $1 million in grants since its founding and worked to help pass state legislation supporting children of incarcerated parents in Louisiana where one in seven children experiences parental incarceration. That’s four times the national average. ¶ During the past year, Jones-Johnson continued leading DBI while undergoing cancer treatment and raising four children. She eventually told her mentees about her diagnosis, and she turned that decision into a lesson. ¶ “People need to understand that for Black women, leadership is often carried alongside invisible labor,” she said. “We lead while caregiving, while healing and while advocating in systems that were never built for our sustainability. Too often, our sacrifice is celebrated but not resourced.” ¶ She is now focused on expanding DBI statewide. - MM

Dr. Sara Reardon, PT, DPT, WCS

BOARD-CERTIFIED PELVIC HEALTH THERAPIST

YES, THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A “VAGINA WHISPERER” — and she’s right here in New Orleans. ¶ A NOLA native, Sara Reardon knew from a young age that she wanted to be a physical therapist. While on a clinical rotation on women’s health at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor she said she fell in love. ¶ “I just loved being able to help women with these really intimate, often embarrassing issues through pelvic floor therapy,” she said. ¶ While living and working in Dallas and pregnant with her second child, Reardon had another epiphany. ¶ “I had been working with women for a decade who were coming in with all sorts of issues from childbirth, and yet, because of what I know, I had had an unmedicated birth with no tearing and an incredible postpartum recovery,” she said. “I thought to myself, ‘Why do I feel like I'm just doing damage control when there's so much we can do to prevent these issues?” ¶ Reardon started an Instagram account called The Vagina Whisperer in 2016 and began sharing pelvic floor exercises, postpartum recovery tips and pregnancy stretches. The account boasts over 739,000 followers. ¶ “I think it’s a testament to the need for this information,” she said. “It’s crazy that if you get knee surgery, for example, you get physical therapy before and after, but if you have a baby, they’re like, ‘Here’s an ice pack. See you in six weeks.” ¶ In 2017, Reardon moved back to New Orleans and started the first brick and mortar pelvic PT clinic in the city, NOLA Pelvic Health. Two years ago, she sold the clinic to write the national bestselling book “Floored: A Woman’s Guide to Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and Stage.” She has also developed a pelvic floor workout app called The V-Hive, all to spread education. ¶ “Not only are we as women not educated about pelvic floor health, medical residents aren’t trained on evaluating it,” she said. “And yet these problems are so common in every season of our lives.” ¶ Next on her to-do list is to work with hospitals and employers to provide access to pelvic floor care just like they might provide gym memberships or mental health benefits. ¶ “More than 50% of women will be affected by pelvic floor issues, issues that can affect their ability to exercise, travel or work,” she said. “For too long we’ve thought of these problems as just part of getting older, or being a mom, but they don’t have to be. We need to be normalizing the conversations not the problems.” – KS

Amanda McFillen

DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT, HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION

Amanda McFillen is a lifelong Louisianan and a lifelong lover of history. ¶ “From a really early age I loved going to museums,” she said, “I think there’s just something in how sharing objects and documents can bring history to life and create these powerful connections to our shared past.” ¶ While earning her undergraduate degree in history at Louisiana State University McFillen interned at the National Air and Space Museum. She then headed up to Canada to earn a master’s in museum studies at the University of Toronto before returning home in 2007 to serve as the associate director of museum studies at the Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC), which holds the distinction of caring for the largest collection of materials related to Louisiana and the Gulf South. ¶ “I started in research and was in exhibitions for a long time,” she said, noting, “I gravitated toward public programming, bringing in speakers, working with academics and culture bearers. ¶ In April 2024, McFillen was promoted to HNOC’s director of audience engagement, overseeing the museum’s largest workforce — including its education team, visitor services, group sales

and private tours. ¶ It is her job to create opportunities for connection between HNOC’s treasures and the public. ¶ “We do this in so many ways,” she said, “from annual events like our history symposium, food forum and a partnership with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, to our quarterly magazine, to hosting field trips and teacher workshops. ¶ McFillen is constantly on the hunt for new ways to expand HNOC’s audience. Sometimes programs are created by HNOC, and sometimes they are found and brought in, as in the case of American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition, a traveling exhibition created by a French technology firm that premiered March 20 at 520 Royal Street. ¶ Using virtual

reality on an iPad-like tablet called a “Histopad,” visitors can enjoy free, 3-D interactive experiences that take them into pivotal times in the country’s fight for independence, including an exploration of the role New Orleans and its communities played in the battles. The exhibition runs through January 2027. ¶ “The goal is always to offer a sense of community to folks interested in engaging with our rich and multilayered history,” said McFillen. “And there’s always new research being done, new topics to engage in that deserve recognition. It’s our job to create programs that provide meaning and engage and resonate with as many people as we can.” - KS

Gina Jagtiani

ENTREPRENEUR AND ORGANIZER, NEW ORLEANS DIWALI AND THE NEW ORLEANS HOLI FESTIVAL

WHEN YOU THINK OF SOMEONE that would make the perfect New Orleanian — who loves the city, its people and its culture so immensely their purpose is giving back in as many ways as they can — Gina Jagtiani is one of those people. ¶ “I genuinely believe that if you're building something in a community, you have an obligation to pour back into it,” said Jagtiani. “New Orleans has given me so much — a platform, a purpose and people who show up for each other in extraordinary ways. Every event I produce, every hotel I help bring to life I want it to generate not just economic activity, but real human good.”

¶ Jagtiani brings influence from her global travels, as well as her birthplace in the Big Apple and upbringing in the Big Easy to hone her hospitality skills into boutique investments that are changing New Orleans neighborhoods for the better. ¶ In addition to her professional work in hospitality partnerships and marketing and events, Jagtiani has brought much-needed cultural influence to the city with the launch of both the New Orleans Diwali and the New Orleans Holi Festival. ¶ “I recognized a real gap in New Orleans' cultural programming — a city so celebrated for its festivals and diversity, yet these rich traditions had no home here,” Jagtiani said. “That combination of personal love for the culture and an entrepreneur's eye for what was missing made it feel not just like an opportunity, but a responsibility. New Orleans deserved these celebrations.”

¶ If her dedication to development in the city and cultural representation wasn’t enough, Jagtiani saw immense success as a 2025 American Cancer Society Shuck Cancer honoree where she used her platform to raise immense funds for an amazing cause. ¶ "I think what ties everything together for me is this: I don't see hospitality, events, and community work as separate lanes — they're all part of the same mission,” said Jagtiani. “I want to shape the next evolution of New Orleans hospitality in a way that's authentic to its roots but energizing for its future. This city has an unmatched soul, and everything I build is in service of protecting and amplifying that.” - KM

A Mountain Escape

Spring in the Smokies

Haywood County nestled in the western corner of North Carolina consists of several sweet communities — Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Lake Junaluska, Canton and Clyde — all with their unique personalities and attractions, not to mention access to both the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. All make for a cool mountain escape when summer heat rolls in.

Stay

It’s a relatively short drive from the interstate to the 500-acre Pigeon River Mountain Retreat, but after a

few minutes of maneuvering curvy mountain roads through peaceful farms and crossing streams, your blood pressure drops. This gated oasis near Clyde features six mountain lodges with full amenities including game rooms, saunas, fireplaces and hot tubs. Visitors may hike to the wedding chapel with its antique organ and bell tower or the Jonathan Creek Tavern overlooking the Pigeon River. The property offers sports courts, hiking trails and a helicopter platform in case you’d rather fly in.

Hike

Another unique resort highlighting woodland peace combined with amenities is The Swag located on a mountaintop outside Waynesville and neighbor to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Enjoy local farm-fresh meals at its restaurant, indulge yourself at the spa or take a guided hike to Hemphill Bald through the park’s evergreen forests before reaching a summit with dramatic mountain views. The hike’s only relatively challenging but so much to witness along the way, from wildflowers

to the homestead of James Wood who advised, “Relax in peace, take time to think, eat with friends, pick beautiful music, be with nature.”

Park & Parkway

About 50 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway runs through Haywood County and that includes spectacular hikes to waterfalls, unique rock formations and breath-taking panoramas. The Cataloochee Valley of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a chance to spot wildlife (we saw a black bear and elk on our visit) as well as historic structures from the early 1900s, hiking trails and streams for fishing. Make sure to keep your distance to all wildlife.

Dine

Joey’s Pancake House in Maggie Valley — which turns 60 this year — is a Haywood County staple, which is obvious from its lines of visitors waiting to enjoy its trademark pancakes, waffles and breakfast items. Make sure to take home some of its delicious syrup! For a more simpler breakfast, Blue Ghost Outpost outside Waynesville

serves up creative craft coffees and pastries along with local art and provisions for sale.

Chef Josh Weeks focuses on heritage-inspired food for his southern creations (we adored his trout from the local Sunburst Trout Farms) at Singletree Heritage Kitchen in Waynesville. At the Switchback at Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley, Chef Jeb Aldrich blends Appalachian flavors with French and Alpine elements.

Take Tea

New to Waynesville, the quaint Crown & Thistle tea shop serves up a classic afternoon tea with tiered collection of scones with preserves, delicate tea sandwiches, desserts and your choice of a steaming pot of tea. On occasion, the tea shop presents special events such as tea flights, Tea Time with Children and a costumed witch experience.

Get Picking

Kathy Taylor grows 75 varieties of apples along with peaches, nectarines, berries and farm-fresh honey on her Canton farm. She sells what she raises as well as her homemade jams, natural beeswax creams and lip balms, candles, soaps and other local goods. During the summer season, visitors may picnic in the orchard or pick their own produce and flowers, an experience Taylor hopes will erase what she sees as society’s disconnect with food. She recommends elderberry flowers which when dipped in flour, fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar “tastes like a beignet.”

Sweet Dreams

Sounding things out

As much as music can bring people together, equally as potent is the shared absence of a cultural history, a communal gap in the timeline of a life unlived or language unexplored. For Alexis Marceau and Sam Craft, lead performers for the soulful Louisiana French pop-rock band Sweet Crude, collaboration came pre-packaged in common cause, not only in their artistic sensibilities to craft “pop, fun, rock and roll” songs, but also a musical odyssey into the long lost reaches of a recently reclaimed heritage that marries language and memory into a sound worth dancing too.

“Regardless of whether or not people from here speak French, there’s so much pride around it, it’s ubiquitous. It’s omnipresent,” said Craft. “One of the things we sought out to do, and we’re happy when it succeeds, is to have folks come up and say that their family spoke French and lost it. You might not understand the lyrics of a song, but somehow there’s a yearning that is reawakened in people.”

As Greater New Orleans natives, Marceau from St. Bernard and Craft from New Orleans proper, the pair studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Though their paths failed to cross while at school, their ultimate creative coupling was born from as much what they shared as how they diverged; with Marceau’s powerful voice, honed in the theater, meshing symbiotically with Craft’s penchant for old school jazz and the rat-a-tat rhythm of classic ragtime. Their shared desire to marry ancestral

angst with a modern sound was foundational from the earliest days of Sweet Crude’s founding, when they joined up with Sam’s brother Jack Craft, along with Skyler Stroup, Stephen MacDonald and Dave Shirley. While not every member of the band is fluent in Louisiana French, they intuitively knew that their songs had to illicit a feeling beyond literal interpretation, something native speakers and neophytes could understand and feel reverberating in their bones. Songs like the soulshattering “Mon Esprit” exemplify the platonic ideal of that ethos, crafting a sonic Rosetta Stone whose lyrics cut like a knife and excavate feelings perhaps forgotten amid the turmoil of cultural upheaval and forced assimilation.

“Songs like ‘Mon Esprit’ are where I can lean into my theater background and really emote, using my face and body language to convey to someone who doesn’t speak French what I’m saying,” Marceau said. “That particular song is very powerful. If you translate the lyrics, it’s about a woman who needs

music to live. So that’s how I perform it.”

Self-identifying as the most punctual band in New Orleans, putting “the punk in punctual” as Craft describes, Sweet Crude’s artistic North Star is to craft the perfect “four-minute pop song”, fitting guard rails around their own process that allows for vastly more innovation instead of limitation, though not always. Often, they are eager to stretch beyond even their own self-imposed boundaries, with Marceau and Craft also performing as a duo and even reimagining their songs into new and exciting shapes as the basis for an opera. Still, whatever the venue of medium, Sweet Crude prides itself on being intuitively collaborative as any six skilled musicians could be, following the muse of the audience to whatever destination they

want to be metaphysically transported to.

“We always envision what could make a crowd light up and try to put those types of things on a record,” said Craft. “Everyone in the band can contribute lyrically, even if they are not fluent in the language, as long as we generally stay in our lane of songs featuring melodic hooks and being vocal-driven. By focusing on those guidelines, being disciplined, we can keep in the right direction and always hit the accelerator.”

Knowing where they came from and being sure of where they are going feels appropriate for Sweet Crude, a band with one foot in the past and another leaping into the future; a credit to the families whose culture they’ve reawakened by translating the ache of generations long lost into a song sung loud.

Must-see performances this month

May 7

Alison Krauss And Union Station, 7:30 p.m. at The Saenger Theatre, saengernola. com.

May 8

The Soul Rebels, 9 p.m. at Tipitina’s, tipitinas.com.

May 9

Molly Tuttle & Maggie Rose, 8 p.m. at Tipitina’s, tipitinas. com.

May 13

The Black Angels, 7 p.m. at House of Blues, neworleans. houseofblues. com.

May 14 Whitney, 8 p.m. at Chickie Wah Wah, chickiewahwah.com.

Southern Classic

Succotash

revives a favorite location

In New Orleans, we have a lot of history, and a lot of restaurants. It’s an aspect of this town that makes it so remarkable and appealing for locals and visitors alike. And while restaurants traditionally come and go, the history always remains, especially when it comes to certain spaces that occupy the older sections of the Crescent City like the French Quarter and its surrounding faubourgs. One of those spaces has always lived at the corner of Rampart and Dumaine, which housed Gentilich’s restaurant for most of the 20th century, famously followed by the beloved Marti’s, then Peristyle, Wolfe’s, and then Marti’s again, briefly, before falling vacant for entirely too long for such a special spot. Some of us wondered, perhaps

with a bit of fear and sadness, if it might ever again house the kind of loose, vibrant restaurant we’d come to love and associate with that building over the decades. Fortunately, those fears were put to rest with the opening of Succotash Nola late last year, courtesy of Chef Kimberly Cochran, who goes by “Chef K.” An Alabama native with roots throughout the South, Cochran left a career in finance in Atlanta to follow her passion for the culinary arts, which, in time, led her to New Orleans. Inspired to open her own restaurant, the next question was: where? One visit to the corner of Dumaine and Rampart was all it took for Chef K. to make a decision. “When I went into that building, I could tell y’all knew what you were doing here,” she says. “At one point, this building

had been so unloved, and yes, it might look like it’s about to fall down, but real restaurant tours and real chefs were in this building, and this is before I even knew the full history of it. So I said, ‘Ok, I want it,’ because everything was exactly where it was supposed to be to make this restaurant flow properly.” Not that it didn’t take a little – or a lot – of elbow grease to get the room ready for diners. According to Cochran, “We had a lot of work to do to fix the building, but now it’s finally getting the love that it needs. Now we’re going to make it a really beautiful building again, restoring the outside of it, which we’re going to hopefully start this summer. But it was a huge project.”

Diners familiar with the location will be gratified, on entering, to see that most of the famous design

elements remain lovingly intact, including the beloved Peristyle mural. It feels wonderfully familiar and exciting, especially for those of us with fond memories of that room and its vibrant, refined atmosphere. Naturally, the cuisine would hopefully equal the ambiance, which is not a small task for a space with such a rich and colorful story. To that end, local gourmands will be delighted to learn that Chef K. brings a menu packed with familiar ingredients and components, only with Cochran’s personal and globally inspired influence that brings favorites like fried softshell crab and dirty rice to new and intriguing places. Says Chef K., “I knew I was going to keep things local and super fresh, and I knew I was going to keep it seafood forward. I didn’t want to do anything pretentious. I want to use all of my products for everything, so that nothing goes to waste. It made sense, it was familiar, it wasn’t pretentious. It was beautiful without being too weird or too modern. I just wanted it to be familiar, but elevated, and just maybe with a different twist on things.”

As for how this translates to the menu at Succotash, diners can expect a host of comforting Southern classics, all with Cochran’s unique touches. For starters, there’s a generous plate of fried frog’s legs sauced with brown butter, scallions and ginger, delightfully paired with a Caribbean fish sauce. “To me, whenever I thought of frog legs, I always thought of a really light

ABOUT THE CHEF

Raised “mostly” in Mobile Alabama, Chef Kimberly Cochran – or “Chef K,” as she prefers – pursued a career in finance before leaving her corporate position in Atlanta to follow her culinary dreams. Cochran made her bones as a private chef and for events, as well as consulting with restaurants rebuilding after the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, Chef K decided to move to New Orleans, not just because of our long tradition of culinary excellence, but also to be closer to her parents. Cochran secured the historic downtown space that famously housed Marti’s and Peristyle (among others) to serve as her first restaurant venture, Succotash. “I just feel honored and blessed that people are interested,” she says, “and to be able to share my gift with other people. I’m going to stay on my toes to make sure that my neighbors, the community around us and the people who live here can say that Succotash is the place you want to go to. I have big shoes to fill, and I’m going to make it happen!”

batter, and also the fish sauce that you use when you eat vegetable or shrimp tempura from a Japanese restaurant,” she says. You’ll also find deviled eggs – or “Deviled Offspring” as it appears on the menu – here spiked with a Korean Gochuajang flair, topped with pork belly, fried mushrooms and scallions, and your choice of either fried shrimp or oysters, though those two options are non-negotiable with the kitchen.

“I won’t let you get it without one or the other,” Cochran claims.

“I’ll make you a well done steak, and I’ll add or take away stuff on a plate, but on this deviled egg situation…yeah, you have to get it with the shrimp or the oysters.”

For larger plates, expect, well, larger plates. Cochran’s personal ethos regarding the satiety of her guests is unquestionable; the portions are lovingly generous without coming off as overwhelming. The aforementioned softshell crab dish, humorously dubbed “Crab Menage a Trois” sports a generous fried crustacean topped with lump crabmeat, and served with crab fat coconut rice. In a town where deep fried softshells aren’t exactly rare, the

Asian influence and artful plating helps Cochran’s version stand out. There’s also a salmon version of the “menage,” which combines a crispy-skinned salmon fillet with a seafood beurre blanc, salmon roe, and a salmon croquette. Softshell crawfish find a home here, as well, a dish that dates back a few decades to K-Paul’s, here spiked with a sambal butter sauce, giving the dish a fresh take distinct from the version pioneered by Paul Prudhomme. Again, fresh flavors marry well with old favorites at Succotash, just like the space itself, a mix of old and new, vintage and modern. Just like the city itself.

In a building with decades of culinary history and expectations, Kimberly Cochran and her team brim with kind confidence with Succotash’s reign over the space. “I never doubted the food,” says the chef, “and I never doubted the cocktails. Because, man, I have this team, with amazing bartenders and creatives in my space. That’s what I want, to create a space where people can be creative. And I love that my expectations are high so that I can always stay on my toes!”

Levee Baking Co. New Orleans isn’t exactly a city with a “bakery scarcity” problem. And with so many stellar bakeries at our disposal, choosing one for a leisurely weekend breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up can be a difficult (if delicious) proposition. Among our many favorites, Levee Baking Co. has been a standout in recent years for their dedication to staying on the cutting edge of “next wave” baking with its tidy and artfully curated menu of pastries, cookies and handmade loaves. Chef Christina Balzebre turned her popup into a cozy spot offering everything from rye brownies to decadent cinnamon rolls, savory breakfast sandwiches and cake by the slice. Just don’t forget to bring a rosemary focaccia home for the family!

Café Reconcile

There’s so much to love about Café Reconcile, starting, of course, with their mission to train local youths in the hospitality industry. While contributing to the community is always a great reason to visit, what keeps us coming back is the cuisine, courtesy of long-adored local chef Martha Wiggins. The menu is deep in New Orleans comfort-food goodness, with standouts including golden crab cakes with crawfish sauce, crispy turkey necks with a sesame-chili glaze, hefty po-boys, and an absolutely killer fried chicken plate. And don’t forget the daily specials; Wednesday’s panéed pork loin with rice and gravy is always a home run in our book

Slice of Heaven

Celebrating is a piece of cake

In keeping with the original intention behind Mother’s Day, it would be fitting to bake your mother a cake.

Celebrated on the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day was founded in this country by Anna Jarvis, holding the first official service in 1908 to honor the memory of her mother, who, in the 1850s, established “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women childcare and health. During the Civil War, she organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day” to bring together mothers from both Union and Confederate sides to promote peace. Following the Civil War in 1870, Julia Ward Howe, a poet and activist, issued a “Mother’s Day Proclamation” calling on mothers to unite to promote world peace. Mother’s Day became an official national holiday in 1914 following a massive campaign to recognize the contributions of mothers and the “matchless service” they provide. President Woodrow Wilson signed the proclamation.

In establishing the holiday’s framework, Jarvis intentionally used the singular possessive “Mother’s Day,” rather than the plural “Mothers’ Day,” to signify that it was a day for each family to honor its own mother, not a celebration of mothers collectively.

Anna Jarvis believed the day should be one of “sentiment, not profit.” To her dismay, the holiday quickly became commercialized, with florists and card companies profiting. The roots of honoring motherhood date back to ancient Greek and Roman festivals honoring goddesses like Rhea and Cybele, as well as the Christian tradition of “Mothering Sunday” in the UK.

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

@neworleansmagazine

Notes

1. I experienced the tragedy of the cake stalwartly refusing to release from the pan, so I had to carve it out with a knife. It was too late to bake another cake, so I improvised and made a trifle. Just break up the cake and layer it in a trifle dish with the macerated strawberries and the cream. It was divine, and no one was the wiser.

2.The cake batter is thick and tends to stick to even a nonstick baking pan. To address this, Chef Rainwater advised using both baking spray and a dusting of sugar to coat the pan before adding the batter.

3. The Mascarpone Chantilly is thick. If you are piping the Chantilly, the recipe will work as written because you want the piped peaks to hold their shape. Otherwise, increase the recipe to 1 cup of heavy cream, resulting in a creamier Chantilly that is not runny but still thicker than whipped cream.

4. You can make one large cake in a Bundt pan or, to make smaller ones, as we did here, a non-stick tin for making extralarge muffins worked well.

5. Use the abundance of egg yolks leftover from making the cake to make Hollandaise or Bearnaise sauce, to serve with a variety of eggs Benedict, or as a side for poached vegetables, grilled poultry, steak, or seafood.

Angel Food Cake with Macerated Strawberries and Mascarpone Chantilly

Courtesy of Pastry Chef Sydney

Rainwater of Mr. B’s Bistro

Angel Food Cake

1 cup cake flour such as Swan’s Down

1 2/3 cup sugar

12 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Sift flour and 2/3 cup of sugar.

2. Whip the egg whites, slowly adding salt, cream of tartar, vanilla, and sugar. Whip until it is shiny and stiff.

3. Fold sifted flour/sugar mix into whites.

4. Fill a greased and sugared (see NOTES) Bundt pan or extra-large muffin tins with the mix and smooth the tops.

5. Bake a full cake at 300°F for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, and the cake skewer comes out clean. Start checking at 15 minutes is using muffin tins.

6. Cool upside down.

Citrus Marinated Strawberries

1 pint Ponchatoula strawberries, washed, stems removed, berries quartered 1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon orange zest

1/2½ tablespoon vanilla extract

1 ounce Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

1. In a bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract, and Grand Marnier, and let chill for a few hours, mixing occasionally.

Mascarpone Chantilly

4 ounces mascarpone

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 ½ tablespoon powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1. Add the sugar, vanilla extract, and salt to the mascarpone and mix in a stand mixer until smooth.

2. Add the heavy whipping cream in small portions and whip on low until stiff peaks form. Chill until ready to serve.

To serve: Serve portions of the cake topped with strawberries and some of their juice and Chantilly cream.

Smokin’ Dream

A bacon-wrapped award winner

Team Stabbin’, a krewe of 15 led by David Amoss and Keith Jenkins, took the prize at last year’s Hogs for the Cause in the category of Blue Plate mayonnaise “Best Side” with their Captain’s smoked bacon-wrapped shrimp with Louisiana white sauce. The dish combines U-9 or U-10 Gulf shrimp that are marinated overnight, then drained and dusted with Cavender’s Greek Seasoning and wrapped in bacon before they are slow-smoked and served with a zesty, creamy sauce.

Amoss, a finance specialist, said the friends have attended the fundraiser for pediatric brain cancer since it started in 2008. They formed a competitive team nine years ago and have been submitting dishes for every category ever since.

Amoss attributes the win to Keith Jenkins, who developed the recipe, and “it was early in the day,” Amoss said, “so we were really in top shape, and everything looked good.

“It can be really challenging out there,” Amoss said of the live competition out on the UNO Lakefront. “You never know what the weather is going to be or what you forgot or lost.”

Hogs for the Cause is April 10–11 this year, bringing together more than 90 barbecue teams, 20 musical acts and upwards of 30,000 supporters for a weekend dedicated to providing critical support to families affected by pediatric brain cancer. So far, Hogs has given out more than $15 million in direct financial grants to over 2,300 families and invested in hospital projects across the country. The organization’s expanding network of Hogs Houses offers free, family-focused housing near top children’s hospitals, making sure parents can stay close to their kids during lengthy treatments.

Notes

The shrimp benefit from a pass under the broiler or a salamander before serving to crisp up the bacon.

No need to use extra virgin olive oil for the marinade. A blended oil will be fine.

Captain’s Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with Louisiana White Sauce

By Team Stabbin’

For the Shrimp:

1 pound jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (leave tails on)

1 pound uncured bacon

1 cup olive oil

Juice of 2 limes

3 cloves garlic, diced

Wooden toothpicks, soaked in water for 20 minutes

2 tablespoons Cavender’s Greek Seasoning (available in specialty stores or online)

1 tablespoon salt

For the Louisiana White Sauce:

1 cup Blue Plate Mayonnaise

½ cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons cane syrup

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ jalapeño, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon diced pickles (spicy style if available)

1. Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, and garlic. Add the shrimp; cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Make the Louisiana White Sauce: In a bowl, whisk all sauce ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

3. Drain the shrimp and season with the Greek seasoning and salt. Wrap each shrimp with bacon and secure with a soaked toothpick.

4. Smoke the shrimp at 250F for 1 hour using applewood chips or chunks.

5. Arrange the shrimp in a pinwheel on a platter with tails pointed inward. Drizzle generously with Louisiana White Sauce and garnish with chopped chives. Serve additional sauce on the side.

BY ELIZABETH PEARCE | PHOTO BY EUGENIA UHL

TIPS

Eye Opening

A brunch classic with a twist

Fresh out of college, Nick Farrell, spirits director for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG), wanted a job at a different kind of bar. “The plan was to work in restaurants while I applied to law school,” he said. Two years later he realized his passion lay in hospitality. “I was having the time of my life.” NRG’s locations shape their menus, so naturally their local spot Junebug serves a New Orleansinspired Bloody Mary. It features a trinity and Crystal hot sauce, creating an acidic tipple, “perfect with oysters or something with a bit of gravy or hollandaise.” Nick understands that guests love (or need?) a Bloody Mary at brunch, noting “People want to demarcate between day and night drinking. They think, ‘Maybe a Martini when I wake up isn’t the best. Maybe I’ll get my vitamins, get my ‘hair of the dog’ and have it not taste like last night.’” As for passing on law school? Nick’s lawyer friends assure him that his bar is the real winner.

Podcast

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

Bloody Mary

serves 6-8

2 1/2 cups San Marzano tomatoes (do not skimp on nice tomatoes)

1 celery stalk, cut off florets and save for garnish

⅜ cup Worcestershire sauce

2 lemons, juiced

1/2 tbsp Crystal hot sauce

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 green bell pepper

½ shallot, peeled 1/2 bunch parsley tops

salt to taste

1.5 oz vodka per serving garnish: celery tops, lemon wedge

Combine the tomatoes, celery, shallot, parsley leaves, bell pepper, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce and black pepper in a blender and mix on high for two minutes. Taste and add salt as needed, then strain the juice into a pitcher.

Fill a Collins glass with ice and add the vodka. Top with the Bloody Mary mix and stir to combine, then garnish with a celery stalk and lemon wedge.

Nick recommends batching your Bloody Mary mix no more than a day before serving. To get a headstart, mix all the ingredients except the tomatoes and the parsley the day before, and then add those two to the mix right before serving to maintain their bright flavors.

Nick recommends using a vodka like Svedka, Sobieski or something else mid-shelf “without a huge advertising budget.... because the more money that’s spent going into the products in the bottle as opposed to, distinguishing it from other bottles, makes a difference.” Avoid a bottomshelf vodka, which can still be notably disappointing.

Nick prefers his garnishes to be minimal and not compete with his drinks. He likes the crunch of celery and includes the lemon so that people can add more acid if they wish. Locals can add a pickled green bean or okra, but he discourages garnishes that are also just for Instagram or can double as appetizers, like a chicken wing or bacon.

BY JOHN R. KEMP

1871

French Market

Café au lait, beignets, pralines — the New Orleans French Market has always been a must stop for tourists visiting the city. Looking back, however, the market today is nothing like it was in the 19th century when grocers, merchants, butchers and fish mongers of all ethnic and racial groups sold their goods to locals. The old French Market certainly made an impression on famed American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted during his 1853 travels across the “Seaboard Slave States.”

“In the crowded market-place,” he wrote with his usual critical eye and pen, “there were not only pure old Indian Americans, and the Spanish, French, English, Celtic, and African, but nearly all possible mixed varieties of these...”

The market hadn’t changed much by 1871 when this image by Alfred R. Waud appeared in the July 15, 1871, issue of Harper’s Weekly.

According to Waud’s notes on his original drawing, the Choctaw women sitting to the right are making mosquito netting and the Choctaws to the left are selling herbs or sassafras used to make filé, as in filé gumbo.

Market, the 38-year-old Degas was struck by the visual wonders he saw all around him. Historian Christopher Benfey describes that visit in his 1997 book “Degas in New Orleans.”

Alfred Waud, Courtesy of The Historic New Orleans Collection

One notable artist found all of this fascinating. In the fall and spring of 1872 and 1873, French Impressionist Edgar Degas visited New Orleans for a five-month stay with his American relatives. His mother, Marie Celeste Musson Degas, was a native-born New Orleanian and a member of the prosperous Louisiana French Creole Musson family. During his daily walks and rides through the French Quarter and French

“Everything attracts me here,” Degas wrote to a friend in Paris. “I look at everything. . . I am accumulating plans which would take 10 lifetimes to carry out.”

In another letter to French Impressionist Henri Rouart, Degas described New Orleans as an exotic city filled with “beautiful, refined Indian women behind their half-opened green shutters, and the old women with their big bandanna kerchiefs going to market.”

Years later, when Paul Gauguin was looking for an exotic place to paint, Degas suggested New Orleans. Instead, Gauguin chose

Tahiti. “He decided that (New Orleans) was too civilized,” Degas remarked.

Despite his fascination with the French Quarter and market, the outside light was too intense for his failing vision. Instead, he spent much of his time indoors sketching family members, including a portrait of his almost blind cousin and sister-in-law Estelle. That portrait is now at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Unquestionably, the most famous painting he did while here was “A Cotton Office in New Orleans” that depicted his two brothers and uncle, that hangs in the Musée des beaux-arts de Pau, France.

Degas left the city in March 1873 never to return. His New Orleans paintings and drawings were found in his Paris studio after his death in 1917.

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Fest Season is the best season to try something smooth and savory. Discover your new favorite brunch, lunch, or late-night spot with our New Orleans Dining Guide.

Audubon Clubhouse by Dickie Brennan & Co. audubonclubhouse.com

Seared Rohan duck breast served with crispy fried gnocchi, roasted sweet potatoes and peas, confit beech mushrooms, and rich duck consommé. A comforting, elegant dish balancing savory depth, seasonal sweetness, and delicate textures in every bite at Audubon Clubhouse.

Jerry’s Jambalaya (Creole) won the national jambalaya competition by the Rice Council of America in 1985. Seasoned rice, chicken, and smoked sausage are tossed in a light tomato sauce with fresh herbs. It’s a Creole version because it contains tomatoes.

Briquette briquette-nola.com

A historic gem tucked cozily among the historic warehouse district, Briquette offers the finest in modern tastes and design. Featuring a signature open kitchen and an 18foot seafood display, enjoy watching fresh fish being prepared before your eyes on red-hot briquettes while sampling an extensive wine list and beautifully crafted cocktails. Make your reservations for after Jazz Fest. Also accepting late-night reservations.

New Orleans Creole Cookery

neworleanscreolecookery.com

New Orleans Creole Cookery offers the finest Cajun and Creole cuisine in an innovative fashion that ignites appetites. Make your reservations for after Jazz Fest. Also accepting late-night reservations.

Galatoire’s galatoires.com

What’s your tradition? From the world-famous New Orleans cuisine to impeccable service, every aspect of the dining experience at Galatoire’s reflects the traditions guests have enjoyed for generations. Open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner. Visit Galatoires.com or call 525-2021.

Mandina’s mandinasrestaurant.com

Family owned since 1932, Mandina’s offers a casual mix of authentic Italian and CajunCreole cuisine, from steak and seafood to pastas and po-boys. A jewel in the heart of Mid-City, make Mandina’s your pre-parade fuel spot for pure New Orleans flavor.

Pulcinella! mypulcinella.com

Pulcinella! has quickly become a neighborhood staple, blending playful Italian spirit with a distinctly New Orleans sense of hospitality. Rooted in tradition but never too serious, the menu balances classic technique with bold, crowd-pleasing flavors while celebrating the important contributions Sicilians made to the New Orleans restaurant legacy. At the center of it all is “The Meatball”—rich, tender, and indulgent—which has quietly built a cult following among locals.

Restaurant August restaurantaugust.com

A seasonal showcase at Restaurant August: the crawfish tartlet with green garlic custard, asparagus, Calabrian chili, and preserved lemon vinaigrette with fine herbs.

Ruby Slipper

rubybrunch.com

This Spring/Summer, Ruby Slipper offers an expanded cocktail menu that brings the flavor of New Orleans. Try a divine Lavender 75, a succulent whipped pineapple mimosa, or the first time, the Ruby Slipper twist on an Espresso Martini, with cold brew, vodka, and Grind espresso rum. It’s a little bit of Southern hospitality in every sip.

VEHO

tacosdelcartel.com

A hidden world of elegance and electric energy, introducing Armargos, the premier listening bar in New Orleans. Enjoy velvet, marble, and the warm crackle of vinyl. You will not want to leave. Learn more on Instagram @tragos_amargos.

Women’s Health

These New Orleans healthcare professionals know the importance of state-of-the-art, compassionate care for every phase of a woman’s life.

Ochsner

At Ochsner, women’s heart health begins with prevention, early detection, and personalized care. Our women’s cardiology experts focus on identifying risk sooner, understanding symptoms that often look different in women, and guiding care at every stage of life.

Women have access to advanced cardiac diagnostics, specialized heart failure experts and nationally recognized aortic and cardiovascular surgeons—all working together as one connected care team. This integrated approach allows for thoughtful planning, seamless transitions in care, and trusted second opinions when complex decisions arise.

Whether you are proactively protecting your heart, navigating a new diagnosis or managing advanced heart disease, Ochsner’s women‑focused heart care teams are here to guide you with expertise and compassion.

Because when it comes to your heart, having the right team early on can make all the difference. Visit ochsner.org/WomensHeartCare to learn more about Women’s Cardiovascular Care at Ochsner

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

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 mammogram, you can get those recommendations at the checkup. Contact your healthcare provider’s office and schedule your annual wellness at lablue.com.

Family Connects New Orleans

Happy Mother’s Day from Family Connects New Orleans! Whether you’re welcoming your first newborn or adding to your growing family, every mom deserves support, reassurance, and care during those early days at home.

Family Connects New Orleans offers up to three free home visits from a trained registered nurse for all Orleans Parish families with a newborn—giving you the support you need and answers to the questions that matter most, when you need them most. In your home, on your time. No insurance required. No income limits.

This Mother’s Day, give yourself the gift of confidence and connection. Sign up for Family Connects New Orleans today at nola.gov/fcno or (504) 658 3266 and let us support you on your parenting journey.

MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Show Mom how much she means with something special from these New Orleans shops and boutiques.

Eye Wares

Eyewaresnola.com

Locations in Metairie, New Orleans, Mandeville & Covington SOSPIRI glasses embody the spirit of glamour and radiate a sparkly brilliance of genuine Swarovski® Crystals that shimmer brightly on a bed of rich Italian acetates.

Lakeside Shopping Center

lakesideshopping.com

3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie

Find the gifts moms love at Lakeside Shopping Center. Discover Lakeside’s newest store, Coach, located across from Vuori. The Lana Shoulder Bag from Coach is effortlessly chic and made for everyday elegance. Starting at $295.

Aucoin Hart aucoinhart.com

1525 Metairie Rd, Metairie 18k yellow gold handengraved Marco Bicego drop earrings with faceted turquoise gemstones available at Aucoin Hart Jewelers on Metairie Road. $4,050.

Really Really Nice Wines reallyreallynicewines.com

Give Mom the gift of one less decision to make with a subscription to the Really Really Nice WineClub - think of it as a guided tasting experience she can enjoy in her PJs. Every month she'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. Level up with cheesemonger pics from St. James! Learn at reallyreallynicewines.com/wine-club.

PERLIS Clothing perlis.com | 504 895-8661

6070 Magazine Street, New Orleans

Inspired by an ancient Roman artifact, honor your mom with these elegant trio earrings by Sennod featuring three mini Harper gold earrings arranged in a refined row.

Crescent Blu crescentblu.com

Moms need sun protection too! Crescent Blú Sun & Sport Collection includes a wide variety of flattering sun protection shirts in colors she’ll adore.

SPONSORED

Scarlet Pearl Casino

Travel Destinations

Summer is calling, and these Gulf South travel destinations are here to provide sun, sand, and fun for 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.

Paradise Beach Homes

Paradise Beach Homes has spent more than 35 years setting the standard for upscale Gulf Coast vacation rentals on Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach, Florida. Their curated collection includes luxury Gulf front homes, stylish condos, delightful townhomes, and classic beach cottages designed for travelers who value comfort, privacy, and exceptional care.

What sets Paradise Beach Homes apart is their hands on, personalized service. The team understands that a seamless vacation depends on immediate attention, local expertise, and thoughtful details. From booking to check out, guests receive responsive support that ensures every stay feels effortless and well cared for.

With a loyal base of returning guests and a reputation built on trust, Paradise Beach Homes delivers more than a beautiful place to stay. They create elevated coastal experiences that inspire travelers to return year after year.

Learn more at paradisebeachhomes.com.

Pictured are this year’s event co-chairs and presenting sponsor representatives from left to right (sitting): Eric and Katie Hoffman,

EMBRACE THE SPIRIT OF THE RACES AND CELEBRATE FOR A GREAT CAUSE!

WYES JULEPS AND GENEROSITY GALA PRESENTED BY OSCAR J. TOLMAS CHARITABLE TRUST

Thursday, May 7, 2026

WYES, 916 Navarre Avenue, New Orleans

$125-$500

Tickets on sale now at wyes.org/events.

Bid online NOW at wyes.org on collectible wines and spirits, vacations and staycations, sports memorabilia, original art, prints, curated chef's dinners and so much more.

Participation in the gala is not required to bid during the WYES GALA ONLINE AUCTION sponsored by Gallo Mechanical—join the excitement from anywhere. Bidding closes at 10pm on Thursday, May 7th.

Special thank you to our auction committee co-chairs: Sarah and William Worsley

ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR: Erin and JP Hymel

PATRON PARTY SPONSOR:

TRIPLE CROWN SPONSORS: Eileen and Joey Devall Gerri and Murray Valene

DANCE FLOOR SPONSOR: Paulette and Frank Stewart

TRIFECTA SPONSOR: First Horizon Hancock Whitney Hoffman Media, LLC

AUCTION SPONSOR:

SPECIALTY SPONSOR: Yazoo Restorations

Friday, May 15

Thursday, May 21

Thursday, May 28

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.

Tuesday, June 2

Wednesday, June 17

Thursday, June 25

Thank you to our sponsors:

Holland and Belgium

Friday, July 10

Wednesday, July 15

Sunday, July 26

Springtime River Cruise

March 30 – April 7, 2027 • 9 Days • 20 Meals

Booking deadline: May 31, 2026

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.

Saturday, June 6 10am-1pm WYES, 916 Navarre Ave., New Orleans

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.

Swimming in Swarms

A pesky export

Dear Taiwan, Customarily, good manners would prohibit me from saying anything. After all, gracious hospitality is New Orleans’ brand, and a good host should rarely — indeed, if ever — openly chide anyone. The issue that prompts my letter today, however, has been eating away at all of the Crescent City for years. Decades, even. Since the Johnson administration, to be specific. (Lyndon, not Andy.)

That is six decades of eating, by my count — which is a lot of eating, even for a city that measures the passage of time in courses. Alas, after years of swallowing our bile, it is time for a little spleen venting.

You see, something of yours seems to have turned up here, and it has been wreaking havoc on our skyline since at least 1966, according to the people who track such things.

I am speaking about termites — the Formosan variety, to be exact, named after your fair island’s prior identity.

To be honest, I do not blame you for changing your name from Formosa to Taiwan. I would not want to be associated with what has become one of New Orleans’ most wantonly destructive creepycrawlies, either. Here is an insect that, through sheer power of appetite, has earned itself a spot on New Orleans’ Mount Rushmore of invasive species.

The others, in no particular order: nutria, Asian tiger mosquitos and Shia LaBeouf.

That, Taiwan, is some heavyweight company.

Formosan termites, though, are the only of the four known to amass in such numbers — and this is true — that clouds of them have on occasion shown up on weather radar in this, their swarmiest time of year.

It is also the only of the four so feared by the general population as to spawn its own urban legends. For example, there is the oft-repeated tale of the sailor who, following an evening of intense liver — pickling, awakened in Jackson Square only to find that Formosan termites had reduced his wooden leg to sawdust.

Or the one about the second-line band forced to end their revelry early after a march through a Formosan swarm left them entirely, and embarrassingly, drumstickless.

You do not even want to know about the indignities your termites are rumored to have inflicted upon poor Mr. Bingle during a particularly regrettable puppet show back in ’68.

According to local newspaper archives, it all started May 30, 1966. That’s the day an exterminator first recorded the local presence of Formosan termites, which are infinitely more voracious than our comparatively laissez-faire native termites. This was at Camp Leroy

Johnson, the WWII-era Army base once located hard against the Industrial Canal in the shadow of the Seabrook Bridge, around where UNO’s Lakefront Arena stands today.

The prevailing theory is they were accidentally imported into North America through the Port of New Orleans in shipments of building materials originating from your part of the world, Taiwan. Like so many other visitors, they found the place quite hospitable, indeed. And, apparently, delicious.

Within a year, Formosans were dining contentedly on homes and utility poles in the nearby Pontchartrain Park subdivision, on a hangar at Lakefront Airport, at the Algiers Naval Station, at a riverfront shipyard.

The bingeing has yet to subside.

We have found ways to cope with their swarms, of course. Between you, me and the Orkin man, one of the more common tactics on “termite nights” is to dowse every light source in the house and retire early. Ideally, this is to be accomplished before your neighbor has an opportunity to do the same, effectively transforming his porch light into an “all-you-can-eat” sign

guaranteed to lure the swarm away from your property.

To be fair, I do not really know how effective the lights-out strategy is. It is hard to gauge while swatting phantom bugs with the covers pulled over one’s head. But it feels right, and that is all we in New Orleans require to declare something a tradition.

That said, if you have any recommendations for more effectively exorcising them — aside from sending them abroad to an unsuspecting port city — we are all ears.

In the meantime, and in the interest of reciprocity, I am enclosing a gift from us. It is a crate containing a colony of one of our native insects. We call them “palmetto bugs,” and I assure you they will not ingest your infrastructure.

They mostly just watch you from a corner of the ceiling at night.

Consider us even.

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