Posts by La Belle Esplanade
Epiphany in New Orleans: Mardi Gras Begins January 6, 2027 Mardi Gras doesn't begin on Mardi Gras Day. It begins on January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Twelfth Night. Christmas is over, and Carnival season has officially begun in New … Read more
Christmas in New Orleans: Have Yourself a Very Creole Christmas When the wreaths are on the streetcars and the palm trees on Canal Street are all lit up, that's when you know it's Christmas in New Orleans. It isn't Mardi Gras, but it's just as enchan… Read more
November and December are wonderful months to discover New Orleans. The oppressive summer heat has loosened its grip, hurricane season is winding down, and the city has room for a different kind of magic. Good memories are made on Esplanade Avenue ev… Read more
At an intersection of street signs that could only happen in New Orleans, there is a little urban oasis called Walter "Wolfman" Washington Park. The park, too, is something that could only happen here, this city where everything, even the mundane, is… Read more
There are angels in the details, and any stroll down any street in New Orleans will show you that the city is a living museum of life lived well. Walking in New Orleans means seeing the city at street level, where the streets are alive with art, both… Read more
Gentilly is where New Orleans began to expand in the 1920s. By the 1950s and 60s, it had become a shopping hub. It was no Canal Street, but Gentilly had its share of shopping centers and commercial strips. That's not why I'm sending you out there. As… Read more
Parades roll. This is what we say in New Orleans. We don’t say they march, we don’t say they pass; we say they roll. That is how New Orleans rolls. This is why we love it so. If you see a city bus this time of year (summer 2025) you will see advertis… Read more
I am at Pontilly Coffee this morning. It is next to the God is Good Carwash on Chef Menteur Highway. It is run by the same people. It is across the street from the New Orleans Baptist Seminary. I am looking at the live oaks on the seminary grounds as… Read more
When something is Uptown, there is its equivalent Downtown. It is hard to find a good bagel in New Orleans. Uptown, on Freret Street, there is Humble. Downtown, at 457 North Dorgenois Street, Is Flour Moon Bagels. When you are in New Orleans, go to F… Read more
Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of the Black Cat Magic Club of New Orleans. New Orleans is a city full of secret societies, fraternal organizations, sororities, social aid & pleasure clubs, Carnival krewes, marching associations. They are people wh… Read more