The brilliant Fringe Festival has begun on the corner of Dauphine and Press. And although it is not in the Quarter, it’s near and so what’s it to you if I review it here? (Sorry – cocktail hour has been delayed; someone’s a little frayed…)
At that corner, you’ll find the Free-For-All Tent and Fringe headquarters, but to see the over 60 collective artistic expressions known as Fringe, you’ll need to be mobile and able to read a map. The venues for performances that run the gamut from the smutty to the sublime are held in lovely or maybe lowdown places throughout downtown. Running through the weekend, get thee to Press and get your tickets to as many performances as you can stand. Bring a flask, an extra jacket and maybe a flashlight (advice from an annual fester) and expect to be dazzled.
Author Archives
Designs for living the New Orleans life
JUST in time for the holidays (I’m sure that’s a coincidence!) French Quarter resident Ellen Macomber’s newest creations are available. The girl of many talents has now added these gorgeous blankets to her list of artistic creations, which as many know, include her one of a kind paintings on architectural pieces (see one hanging at Mona Lisa Pizza on Royal and many hanging at Still Perkin’ uptown), her My Louisiana postcard and coloring book which is one of my favorite gifts to give when I travel, and some other fashion stuff that is beyond me but that my stylish friends tell me is “fab” (that’s an Ellen word too by the way..)
Listen, this young woman is putting some great art out there and you should too by gifting it for the holidays, whether the Santa one or as the thank you gift to your Mardi Gras parade route home away from home…
Ellen Macomber’s new Louisiana blankets are dry and ready to ship!
Jazz drummer, popular WWOZ radio host Bob French dies
Bob French, drummer, bandleader and radio host – a direct link to the very beginnings of jazz, has passed away. For those of us that had the pleasure of meeting him, we will remember that cantankerous New Orleanian always, with love and respect.
Mr. French, YOU kept the groove alive. Thank you.
Jazz drummer, popular WWOZ radio host Bob French dies | wwltv.com New Orleans.
Train of Hope-North Shore to New Jersey
Street Piano
Keep an eye out for Ed and his piana….
Great rummage sale and Boo-tique day
Get to the edge of the French Market at Barracks to get your one of a kind Hallowe’en costume pieces from an amazing array of local artists. 17 years of dressing New Orleans for tricking and treating and it doesn’t look like its aged at all! Led by Cree McCree, the queen of flea (markets) as well as our region’s daring nutria fashionista paired with her fellow royalty, Tracy Thomson, milliner to well, everyone in the city, you’ll find all of your favorites artists here today from 12-6.
They’re set up in the place next to the flea market, right between Louisiana Pizza Factory and Tyler’s Produce, along the barricade.
After you see and buy there, get to Barracks and Chartres for the neighbors usual twice a year “yard” sale. Amazing finds as always from these professional pickers (and Lakin tells me that they will also be out tomorrow with more stuff from the warehouse, so stop by both days…)
All with a drink in your hand and the sun on your back….
Hot and Fresh Comfort Food #1
I’m doing this a little out of order because I’ve actually been to the hot dog place a few times, but since this morning I found a new donut place in the Quarter, and its the weekend, I’m going to write about that first, and then hot dogs later in the week.
Juicy G’s Donuts in the 1000 block of Iberville (first block off Rampart) makes and serves cheap but good donuts and breakfast sandwiches. G (Gregory) is a professional kitchen guy, having spend the last almost 20 years working for Dickie Brennan’s at most if not all of his places. Now, he has his own shingle and passion and I urge you to stop by and taste his food.
The chocolate donut and the cake donut that i tried were both excellent. He was just about out of donut holes (A New Orleans tradition from MacKenzie days) but I’m sure they are just as good. The breakfast sandwich description was tempting and only 3 or 4 bucks so I’ll be back for those with such good prices. This is the way places used to be around town: someone did something well, they did it without spending hundreds of thousands on “ambience” and without artificially inflating prices and therefore demand. Since the recent huge success of Mr. Henry’s on St. Claude and his Buttermilk Drop on St. Bernard, more people are aware of the light touch with flour that many male New Orleanians have. Take the time to check out G’s as well.
Speaking of MacKenzie’s, this block used to have one, along with a shoe repair, locksmith, supermarket, card shop, pet store and post office among other things. Unfortunately, the owners seem to have let the buildings fall into disrepair, but a few are bravely rebuilding. (Well, the locksmith has never left so he really has hung in there! AND he knows his business and can make keys that ALWAYS work, unlike some of those stores that give their clerks 2 minutes of training on a key grinder…) Support these Iberville pioneers efforts by walking, biking or driving by and grabbing a few items and getting to know these guys.
Open 6 am til, 7 days a week. 504-428-2607
French Quarter block by block 
You must be logged in to post a comment.