Tag Archives: French Quarter

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new week, new rewards from Waking Up in Dreamland

Project Update from Little Queenie:

we’ve had great week! people have joined the campaign from all over the USA, as well as from canada and australia, and some of you have increased your pledge amounts, for all of which i am SO very grateful. the clock ticks on, so please urge friends and family to join us in the coming days, and when you do, please remind them that every pledge is eligible for rewards.

speaking of those…most of y’all already know i’m a louisiana girl; in my birth land, the vast majority of people feel nekkid roaming around unless they have a vessel on/in hand filled with some refreshing beverage or other. last week, as i read one email and social media post after another from the sportsman’s paradise complaining of this seemingly endless cold season, i realized i couldn’t let any of my backers welcome the heavily-anticipated springtime without something special to tote their potables in style–so everybody who contributes receives at least one Little Queenie go-cup. they bear the LQ logo designed for me by nola artist mark andresen printed on 12-ounce cups in some lovely hey-that’s-MY-drink colors.these are not available anywhere else on earth. you know you’ll be wanting some up in your patio/pirogue/picnic!

for just one lucky high-roller, a shrine featuring st louis di prima will be part of your package! this handmade piece honoring the seminal new orleans musicmaker is one of a kind, just like da man himself, and is available with a $750 pledge.

i’ve been asked about the vintage LQ cds offered at the $100-and-up levels.in order to make sure you don’t receive something you might already own, i’ve created some discs containing material NO ONE has. more about those later.

thanks again to each and all for your support.

yours,

leigh
link to Kicktstarter campaign

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The NOLA Chorus Girls at Tiki Tolteca

Friday, February 7, 2014
Time 9:00pm

The NOLA Chorus Girls are throwing the PARTY OF THE YEAR!!!!

When: Friday February 7th. 9pm – until we can party no more.
Where: Tiki Tolteca, above Felipes on N Peters.
How Much: ONLY $5 bucks! (Entry fee includes one free raffle ticket to win a plethora of fabulous prizes donated by local businesses.)

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Why are we having a fundraiser?
The NOLA Chorus Girls are going to be in the Pygmalion parade on February 22nd. Its our first parade and we want to do it up right. And to do it right, it costs a bit of money.

We need money to pay for the following things:
— A full jazz band to accompany our killer dance moves
— A vintage truck to put the band in (as well as our throws and water and so on)
— Chorus Girl Mardi Gras throws!
— Creating signs of black and white vintage chorus girl photos to be carried in the parade
—- And other various adornments to our overall Chorus Girly look.

In exchange for your support we will show you one helluva a good time!

Here is a list of all the fun things we have planned (we may even add more later):
— A Kiss a Chorus Girl Booth
— Palm Readings
— A Photo Booth
— A couple of sets of LIVE JAZZ for social dancing played by some of our buddies.
—- A Chorus Girl Talent Showcase that includes our own NOLA Chorus Girl routines, Chorus Girl musical talents, Chorus Girls showcases of other styles of dance, and more!
— And during the second half of the night you can shake your money makers to old Soul & R&B music spun by one of the Chorus Girl Project’s fearless leaders, Ms Amy J.

More details are being worked out and we will be listing all the raffle prizes very soon. Additional raffle tickets can be purchased at the even for $5 each of $20 for 5 tickets.

Hope to see you there!

Love,
The 50 fabulous ladies of The New Orleans Chorus Girl Project!

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2014 French Quarter Festival Poster by artist Varion Laurent

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(February 5, 2014) – French Quarter Festivals, Inc. unveils two 2014 French Quarter Festival Posters by artists Varion Laurent and Simon Hardeveld. Each year, the festival’s Merchandise Committee selects paintings that portray the fun, festive atmosphere of French Quarter Festival that both locals and tourists will identify with. Consideration is given only to local artists. To keep the festival free and open to the public, French Quarter Festival relies heavily on merchandise and poster sales, sponsorships, and beverage sales to generate its operating budget. Visit http://www.fqfi.org/shop to purchase the limited edition 2014 French Quarter Festival posters and other official festival merchandise.

Varion Laurent
For the 2014 poster, artist Varion Laurent, a lifelong resident of New Orleans, pays homage to Grammy award-winning Dr. John, who returns this year to French Quarter Festival for the first time since 1987. In this striking painting, bold colors capture the energy of the French Quarter, a perfect backdrop for Dr. John’s charismatic persona.

In 1995, Varion graduated from St. Augustine High School. On a whim, his parents encouraged him to submit his portfolio to Xavier University’s Art Department, and it was here at Xavier where he was first formally trained as an artist. After Hurricane Katrina destroyed his entire body of artwork, it took Varion nearly two years to emotionally recover and return to art. Since his decision to dive back into painting, Varion has garnered a ground swell of support. He was commissioned by the St. Augustine High School Alumni Association to create a portrait of NBA player, coach Avery Johnson; commissioned by the Gentilly neighborhood association to produce the first three posters for the annual Gentilly Festival; commissioned as the official poster artist for the 2013 Old Algiers River Festival; and in 2010, was selected by French Quarter Festivals, Inc. as the artist to produce the poster for the 10th Anniversary Satchmo SummerFest.

Editions:
2,000 Artist-signed & numbered prints, $45
350 Artist Proofs & numbered prints, $65
Poster Size 20″ x 28″
Painting Size 36″ x 48″

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Dreamie Weenies

Listen, I like poor boys and muffalettas. You’ll find me in line at Johnny’s and at Central Grocery often, patiently waiting behind visitors who are nervously practicing saying muffaletta or ordering it dressed without feeling foolish.
But every once in a while, you just want a quick American treat done in a New Orleans way. That’s when I head to North Rampart to get a hot dog at the place next door to Mary’s Hardware’s new location between Orleans and Saint Ann. The owners of Dreamie Weenies are cool guys who take the dog and its surrounding environment seriously. I almost always get a Genchili dog (which I think should be called a GentillyChili) with polish sausage and then only add mustard and ketchup (you get your choice of type of dog and added condiments) as needed. The Genchili comes with their own “creole mix” and homemade chili which add just enough spice and residual flavor to make you want to slow down after each bite to savor.
What works against these guys is that people think of the hot dog as the crappy thing you see in the roller at the gas station or the burnt thing to the side of the grill at your neighborhood bbq, but these are made as meals and should be treated that way. I ain’t no slip of a girl that gets filled up from a latte; I eat food like my Polish and Greek and Cajun peops did before me and even I cannot always finish my Genchili in one setting. So the 8 bucks spent there feeds tummies well, the lovely inside feeds the eye and ears (music is local and lively) and the caring and onsite owners with their homemade ingredients feed the New Orleans soul.
So don’t be a snob- go get a dog done right.

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Give blood to help musician this weekend

Musicians’ Clinic is organizing a blood drive for Sunday – at 619 Frenchmen Street (the Frenchmen Art Market) for 1-7pm. People can sign to give blood at nomaf.org/blooddrive

This drive is to benefit Doug Potter, a musician brutally attacked while leaving a gig in the French Quarter a couple of weeks ago. He remains in a coma.

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