Various seasonally festive happenings around town...
MARDI GRAS BBQ MONDAY: MISTER MAO TO HOST GUEST CHEF HUNTER EVANS In celebration of Carnival season, Mister Mao will host a very special Mardi Gras BBQ Monday. The evening will showcase the talent of guest Chef Hunter Evans, a James Beard semifinalist and Chef/Owner of Elvie’s - the Jackson, Mississippi restaurant dedicated to supporting Southern farmers and foodways. Mardi Gras BBQ Monday with Elvie’s will take place on Monday, February 5th, from 5PM - 9PM. Reservations can be made on Resy or by calling (504) 345-2056. Mister Mao is located at 4501 Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans. www.mistermaonola.com THE BOWER BAR Just in time for Mardi Gras, The Bower Bar is unveiling a new caffeinated cocktail menu and Mardi-Gras-inspired cocktails that are certain to kick things up a notch! Available Twelfth Night through Fat Tuesday, cocktails will feature an array of house-made brews, matcha, and more, perfectly balanced with ingredients from The Bower’s partner farm, Sugar Roots. Sister location Birdy’s Behind the Bower will offer visitors to enjoy the Mardi Gras Martini with Gambino’s king cake rum cream, vanilla vodka, and amaretto to add a little fun to their night. For additional information, please visit The Bower Bar. The restaurant will also host a special Mardi Gras luncheon on Friday, February 9th from 11 AM – 1 PM. Executive Chef Marcus Woodham has curated a delightful three-course menu priced at $54 per person (plus tax and gratuity). TUJAGUE’S Indulge in the Mardi Gras spirit at Tujague's, the second-oldest restaurant in the city. Executive Chef Gus Martin has crafted a delectable Mardi Gras-inspired dessert for visitors to savor. End your meal with the luxurious Tres Leches King Cake, topped with whipped cream & Mardi Gras sugar for $12. More info MISTER MAO OFFERS MARDI GRAS BAO BOARDS FOR CARNIVAL SEASON Mister Mao will offer revelers to-go Mardi Gras Bao Boards this carnival season. Priced at $200 (feeds 8 people), guests can indulge in:
From February 4th through February 12th, guests must preorder at least 48 in advance and pick up their orders at 4501 Tchoupitoulas Street. More info OSTERIA LUPO OFFERS ON-THE-GO FOOD & DRINKS Located on several of the uptown parade routes, Osteria Lupo will be offering an array of to-go options including Pizze like the Diavola - spicy nduja, jalapeño, and fontina; Quattro Formaggi - mozzarella, gorgonzola, Parmesan and fontina; and the 24-Month Proscuitto di San Danielle with Fior di Latte and basil. Cocktails are also available to-go including signature libations such as the Bandiera Rossa - strawberry, basil, peppercorn and sparkling wine; La Mola - Cimarron Blanco tequila, aperol, grapefruit, lime and Angostura; and the Negroni Bianca - Citadelle gin, Salers Gentiane, Rothman & Winter Apricot, and grapefruit. More info MARDI GRAS HAPPENINGS AT VIRGIN HOTELS NEW ORLEANS Revelers can enjoy a slew of Mardi Gras happenings from January 5 to February 13 at Virgin Hotels New Orleans, 550 Baronne Street. More info PROGRAMMING:
Commons Club will also offer a festive King Cake Waffle ($17) with banana-infused waffle, sweet cream cheese, maple syrup, brown sugar crumble, and banana brulee. Throughout Carnival season, The Chloe will be decked out in abundant Mardi Gras art and decor from The Judy Garlands with featured masks from local Colombian-American artist Basquo Bim who aims to break boundaries and discover new territories through his craft. Bim's goal is to immerse viewers in new worlds, reflecting tensions while providing familiar reference points from temporal and cultural perspectives.
Mardi Gras Tables on the Front Patio Date: Feb. 2nd - 13th (for all 11 parades) Book here Guests can enjoy unparalleled views, comfort, and seamless service right along St. Charles Ave at The Chloe. Each ticket grants access to a table designed to seat four people and includes four accompanying wristbands. Tables become available one hour prior to the commencement of the parade, providing attendees with ample time to secure their spots. Throughout the event, a full-service experience is offered, featuring a Mardi Gras menu for attendees to enjoy. Tables are $500 (including taxes & fees) across all parades. Post-Parade Splash Date: Sat/Feb 10th from 3pm - 5pm Pool party at The Chloe following Krewe of Iris and Krewe of Tucks parades. New Orleans Cuisine on the Front Lawn The Chloe will be offering a rotating menu of local favorites on the front lawn that will feature a Muffuletta on French Bread and Jambalaya throughout the parades. The Chloe Mardi Gras Market (free entry) Curated by Freda Date: Feb 2nd - 11th from 11am - 6pm (closed Mon/Feb 5th) 15+ talented local vendors will be popping up at The Chloe to showcase a costume closet including headpieces, fanny packs and more. Nail Art by M.A.D Nails Date: Feb 2nd - 9th from 11am - 6pm Mardi Gras nail art courtesy of creative nail art superstar Morgan Dixon of M.A.D. Nails. Tinsel Hair with Patti Michiko Date: Fri/Feb 2nd from 2pm - 6pm + Fri/Feb 9th from 11am - 3pm Custom embellished wigs and styling by the talented hairstylist Patti Michiko, from Fifi Mahony’s in Bywater. Hat Couture: A Mardi Gras Pop-Up with La Adorna Date: Feb 9th and 10th from 11am - 6pm Kimpton Hotel Fontenot invites Mardi Gras revelers to come join them on the King Brasserie rooftop terrace along Tchoupitoulas Street for watch parties during four parades passing in front of the hotel and restaurant Friday, February 9, through Monday, February 12, between 6 and 10 p.m.
A prime location along the routes to experience the Morpheus, Endymion, Bacchus, and Orpheus parades, the watch parties on the second-floor terrace will offer attendees access to the parade viewing area, a buffet of food from King Brasserie, swag, and restroom access. Drinks will be available for purchase at a cash bar. Tickets for each watch party are $100 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to attend. WHEN: Morpheus Watch Party: Friday, February 9, 2024, 6 - 10 p.m. | Eventbrite Ticket Link Endymion Watch Party: Saturday, February 10, 2024, 6 - 10 p.m. | Eventbrite Ticket Link Bacchus Watch Party: Sunday, February 11, 2024, 6 - 10 p.m. | Eventbrite Ticket Link Orpheus Watch Party: Monday, February 12, 2024, 6 - 10 p.m. | Eventbrite Ticket Link WHERE: King Brasserie & Bar’s rooftop terrace, 521 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130 The Nutcracker @ The Saenger Theatre
review by Dorian Hatchett In the far distant darkness of our past, long before we had Die Hard or even Miracle on 34th Street, there was ballet for Christmas. First scored in 1891 by Tchaikovsky, this classical ballet remains New Orleans second favorite Russian export (the first, vodka, is of course significantly less family-friendly.) Productions of The Nutcracker remain the the industry's most faithful box office draw to this day internationally, in part to its appeal to children and adults alike. To that end, my date for the evening was my ten year old son, and whether by a trick of genetics, or simple lizard brain appeal, we both found the same notes of interest in our post- show debriefing. His exclamations of "It was very sparkly!" And "The hoop guy was so cool!" Were the same takeaways I myself had noted (though perhaps in slightly different phrasing in my mind). This particular staging was by Ukranian Principal Artists with accompaniment by local partner studio Arabesque Ballet Theater International of Mandeville. The costuming was indeed "very sparkly", giving the whole production a bit of burlesque flavor that is near and dear to the NOLA performance zeitgeist. Paired with flawless lighting, it felt like a spectacle, drawing the eye around the stage to the cast with such rapidity that no single pairing of dancers stood out most of the time, and contributing to the feeling of dreamlike disorientation that elevated the ballet from its usual 'a-little-too-precious' tone, to something more frantic. No show at the Saenger Theater exists in a vacuum, and the beauty of the room always plays an important role in the experience, enhancing the action on stage. The shining stars of this production, aside from the rhinestones, were the acrobats. Several movements in the second act were punctuated by acrobats (a dancer in emerald operating a cyr wheel never failed to elicit both applause and a smattering of delighted exultation) and the Arabian and Slavic dances were both embellished by feats of strength and skill. The Arabian dancers' slow motion contortions and balancing acts contrasted with the wild gyrations and high- jumps of the Slavic scene. Special note needs to be made of the puppeteers, who in each themed set of the second act played background characters, and whose bumbling antics stole the show occasionally from the refinement of the principals. The children in the audience responded to these in particular, even my usually stoic kid laughing out loud at the giant bear refusing to yield the stage to the next group of dancers. As an avowed Christmas hater, I went into this show with mixed emotions - the last show I saw at this theater was Viking ghost metal. My gruff expectations, though, were betrayed by the joy of the production; an unexpected warmth and a feeling that they got this one just right. Inhabiting the larger-than-life persona of all-American baton-botherer Leonard Bernstein has been a long-held passion project for Bradley Cooper. Speilberg (Steven) and Scorsese (Martin) have donned producer hats to help him bring his vision to the screen with Maestro, and it’s a stylized vision at that. Dialogue comes at you from all sides with minimal editing, a conversational, naturalistic choice that has divided critics. Bold staging and imaginative photography keep the biopic moving at an allegro pace, Cooper conducting Lenny’s unstoppable career and gossip-worthy personal life with relish. The scenes focus mainly on his love affair with his wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), his family and his many indiscretions. The evocative music washes over the whole messy triumph, culminating in a concert at Ely Cathedral, England that is recreated with one of the year’s greatest single shots. Well worth seeing at the cinema for the score alone. High culture and the dalliances of the upper crust are fetishized and manipulated in Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn. It’s a campish romp through the English class system as working class scholarship boy Oliver (Barry Keoghan) lands at a Oxford University, becoming the token poor friend of posh Felix (Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi). Over the course of a summer, visiting Felix's intimidatingly-regal family home, Oliver is first seemingly exploited, but then begins to work his own machinations within the family. There’s hints of Parasite and The Talented Mr. Ripley and Brideshead Revisited, and while there are some fun twists, the plot melts into near-incoherence towards the third act. There are charismatic turns from the leads, as well as Richard E Grant and Rosamund Pike as Felix’s parents, but don’t think about the plausibility of the story too much. Believability is completely abandoned in the magical realism of Poor Things, the latest from Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, The Lobster). Lanthimos creates alien worlds that are just familiar enough, with skewed conventions and edgy thought experiments as reality. Poor Things is no exception, Emma Stone’s Bella Baxter emerging as a kind of Frankenstein’s monster out of the laboratory of Dr Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Her social, moral and sexual education takes place amid lab assistants and test tubes, and then under the influence of a lascivious, globetrotting playboy (Mark Ruffalo). Surreal versions of Athens, Lisbon and Paris provide the backdrop for their saucy misadventures. There’s a joyful, dreamlike weirdness to the worlds, revealed to us via hyperreal landscapes and through strange fisheye lenses, and it’s a colorful, bawdy tale of exploitation and bourgeois sensibilities. Moving through elevated, rarified worlds could be a unifying theme, such as there is one between these three movies, but stylistically, aesthetically and tonally, they’re very different interpretations of that particular journey. (PO)
Commons Club at Virgin Hotels New Orleans
Let Commons Club (pictured above) be your destination for a memorable & festive holiday brunch and dinner this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Enjoy a spectacular feast featuring seasonal flavors prepared by Executive Chef Chris Borges that will warm your heart and delight your taste buds. In addition to the regular a la carte menu, holiday specials include: Christmas Eve Brunch: 11 AM - 2 PM Enjoy brunch and bottomless bubbles at Commons Club on Sunday, December 24th. From seasonal flavors and festive decor to live entertainment by Teena May, you won't want to miss it. Dishes include Sweet Potato Buttermilk Drop Doughnut with marshmallow fluff brulee and toasted pecan maple glaze; Avocado Toast with sunflower seed tahini, shaved vegetable salad, sprouts and seeds, and toasted sourdough; Gulf Shrimp and Bayou Cora Grits with New Orleans style BBQ gulf shrimp, andouille, Bayou Cora heirloom grits, corn and Worcestershire sauce; and Blackened Gulf Fish with Bayou Cora grits, and succotash to name a few. Bottomless Bubbles start at $35. Reservations can be made on OpenTable. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Specials: 5 PM - 9 PM
Tujague’s Celebrate Christmas at New Orleans’ second oldest restaurant on Monday, December 25th, from 11 AM - 8:30 PM. Guests can indulge in a three-course Christmas Day menu prepared by Executive Chef Gus Martin, priced at $65 per person (plus tax and gratuity). First course options include Chicken and Andouille Gumbo with Louisiana popcorn rice and Brussels Sprouts and Mixed Green Salad with shaved red onion, Tabasco pecans, and spiced pomegranate vinaigrette. Second-course dishes include the choice of Gulf Fish Almandine with haricot verts, toasted almonds, and citrus butter sauce; Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Leg with white bean cassoulet, lamb, smoked sausage, and French breadcrumbs; Grilled Filet Mignon with bleu cheese mashed potatoes, asparagus, and chasseur sauce; and Pan Seared Pork Tournedos with smoked sausage cornbread dressing, corn-fried oysters, and rosemary demi-glace. The featured dessert is Traditional Bread Pudding. Tujague’s is located at 429 Decatur Street. www.tujaguesrestaurant.com Compère Lapin James Beard award-winning chef and St. Lucian native Nina Compton invites guests to her flagship restaurant to feast on a delectable three-course Christmas menu from 12 - 3 PM on Monday, December 25th. Priced at $95 per person, the prix-fixe menu includes Crispy Brussels Sprouts with coconut dressing; Jerk Roasted Pork, Coconut Rice and Peas, Christmas Dressing Croquettes, and Rum Cake with hibiscus sorbet. Vegan and vegetarian substitutions are available. Compère Lapin is located at 535 Tchoupitoulas Street. www.comperelapin.com Mister Mao This Christmas Eve, join Chef/Owner Sophina Uong for a delightful brunch experience, as well as a decadent dinner. On Sunday, December 24th, from 11 AM to 2 PM diners can dive into the creative a la carte brunch offerings from the famed "Here Comes the Chuck Wagon'' roving cart. Highlights include Kashmiri Chile Fried Chicken with ancho, arbol, Szechuan, cumin, black salt lime cream, and poor man’s pink pineapple; Fairy Bread with condensed milk, unicorn sprinkles, and fruity pebbles; Bacon Scramble with scallion, ginger, Colby jack and basil; Coffee Smothered Chickpeas with ginger, cumin, and black cardamom, and more. Bottomless mimosas are also available for $35. Mister Mao will also be serving dinner from 5 PM to 9 PM. Treat yourself to dishes such as Grilled Beef Short Rib with sweet potato, salsa verde, pickled onion, and Mawi corn tortilla; Smoked Oyster Mushrooms with smothered corn and 7th ward green curry, and squash fritter; and Wood Fired Puppy Drum with almonds, brown butter cauliflower. Harissa and pepper nage, and crispy kale. Don’t forget to try the killer cocktails with your meal! Christmas Eve hours are from 11 AM to 2 PM and 5 PM to 9 PM. The restaurant will be closed on Christmas Day. Mister Mao is located at 4501 Tchoupitoulas Street. www.mistermaonola.com Birdy’s Behind the Bower The charming Instagram-worthy spot perched in the back of New Orleans’ Framework building invites guests to indulge in brunch on Sunday, December 24th, from 8 AM - 2 PM. Egg lovers can enjoy Huevos Rancheros with two eggs any style, black beans, slow-simmered chicken in adobo, pico de gallo, cilantro, avocado, and lime crema; Pulled Pork Benedict and Fried Chicken Biscuit with crispy chicken thigh, chicken sausage, country gravy, and sunny side egg. Their Brunch Board offers everything you could ever dream of, including donuts, granola, slab bacon, hot coppa, bubble waffle, fruit, seasonal jam, mini cookies, mini pancakes, house syrup, triple crème brie, and soft-boiled eggs. A plethora of brunch cocktails is also available, including Bottomless Mimosas. Birdy’s is located at 1320 Magazine Street. www.birdysnola.com The Pool Club at Virgin Hotels New Orleans Immerse yourself in the magic of the season at Virgin Hotel's Pool Club, now transformed into a festive wonderland for the holidays. On Sunday, December 24th, from 10 AM to 10 PM, enjoy the enchanting winter pop-up, Red Hot Holiday. Drawing inspiration from Virgin's signature red, the rooftop pop-up will transport guests into a crimson-themed wonderland, featuring a winter red rose installation, sparkling holiday lights, a selection of festive cocktails, red-themed food menu items, rooftop fireside igloo on The Pool Club terrace, and tableside s'mores. The Pool Club is located on the rooftop of Virgin Hotels New Orleans at 550 Baronne Street. www.virginhotels.com/the-pool-club It’s the time of year when we embrace the holiday spirit and can experience the magic of the season at Virgin Hotels New Orleans. From now until the end of January 2024, step inside The Pool Club - Virgin Hotels' stunning rooftop space featuring scenic skyline views of downtown New Orleans, sophisticated craft cocktails, and a stylish yet down-to-earth vibe for its winter pop-up, Red Hot Holiday. Drawing inspiration from Virgin's signature red, the rooftop pop-up will transport guests into a crimson-themed wonderland, featuring a winter red rose installation, sparkling holiday lights, a selection of festive cocktails, and red-themed food menu items.
The rooftop will also offer an exciting experience where visitors can rent out one of their rooftop fireside igloo on The Pool Club terrace. Reserve the igloo fireside sofa for you and up to 10 guests; sip on specialty winter cocktails, and delight in table-side s'mores starting at $150 + $250 food and beverage minimum (tax and service charge not included). Red Hot Holiday is happening now and will continue through January 2024. For more information on the Igloo Fireside Sofa, visit www.sevenrooms.com As the holidays are just weeks away, people around the city are scrambling for final gifts to give their friends and family this Christmas. W New Orleans - French Quarter is here to help.
On December 16 from 11:00am - 4:00pm, you might mistake W New Orleans - French Quarter's Courtyard for the North Pole. Roll up for the hotel's first Holidaze Market, where guests and locals are invited to pick up last-minute gifts from a carefully curated group of vendors. With sounds curated by a local DJ, the market will be complete with a hot-chocolate and beignet bar, alongside a special menu of holiday cocktails and light bites to indulge in while strolling around the market. Additionally, guests who bring in an unwrapped toy to donate to Forgotten Angels will receive a coupon for 20% off their next visit to the hotel's modern cajun and creole restaurant, 3rd Block Depot, helmed by Chef Nick Ocheltree. Sadly, this is Lengua Madre’s final month. In celebration of its final week of service, Chef Ana Castro has put together a special menu featuring favorite dishes from Lengua’s tenure and extra-special holiday touches. This special menu service is two-fold: a celebration of the Lengua Madre staff and the New Orleans community’s support over the last 3 years. On its final night of service, Lengua Madre will host an intimate counter service event from 12-6 pm with wine and cocktails, à la carte food from Ana’s team, and a block party. Reservations can be made HERE.
Manifesting witch face review by Eileen Daley Origin stories are ten a penny these days, with everyone from the Joker to Cruella de Vil enjoying a deep dive into their beginnings. Wicked is perhaps the origin of origin stories if you will, and is celebrating 20 years on the stage. If you’re not familiar, Wicked is an expansion of the Wizard of Oz theatrical universe, telling the story of how the good and bad witches came to be. It’s based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and it’s a thoughtful adaptation that foreshadows the themes more organically than you might think. Wicked is a true Broadway sensation, now in its third decade, and it continues to captivate audiences thanks to its inventive story, dazzling production, and powerhouse performances. From the moment Glinda the Good Witch (played with effervescent charm by Celia Hottenstein) descends in her glittering bubble, to the gravity-defying entrance of Elphaba (portrayed with vulnerability and strength by Olivia Valli), the audience was spellbound. The shifting chemistry between the leads is engaging to watch, the musical bringing a dynamic energy to a complex relationship. Eugene Lee's set design seamlessly blends grandeur and intimacy, transporting the audience from the towering spires of the Emerald City to the learned halls of Shiz University. The lighting design (by Kenneth Posner) creates a kaleidoscope of colors that maintain the sense of wonder. A giant dragon frames the stage, which is a neat device, reminding us that we’re watching a kind of traveling marionette version of a story. Wicked's huge success hinges on its iconic music, though, and this production did not disappoint. Tunes like ‘Defying Gravity’, ‘Popular’ and ‘For Good’ were met with panoramic excitement, fans remembering a thousand Tumblr memes and many likely seeing this show live for the latest in, well, any number of times. The ensemble cast deliver notable performances, bringing the citizens of Oz to life with infectious energy. Big ensemble numbers, such as ‘One Short Day’ and ‘Dancing Through Life’, enjoyed daring choreography that added an extra layer of drama. Wicked's timeless themes of friendship, identity, and the consequences of prejudice resonate strongly, and they kind of turn the musical romance trope on its head. The narrative's depth and emotional resonance are brought to the forefront by the cast's powerful performances, backed by a solid musical soundtrack (delivered by a lush-sounding live orchestra). Wicked is a triumphant continuation of a Broadway phenomenon. With its striking visuals and a narrative that remains as relevant as ever, it continues to pull in loving crowds. It’s fun to reevaluate the movie through a different lens, and it’s clear that, even after all these years, there's no place like Oz. Wicked plays at The Saenger Theatre through Dec 17th. More info and tickets here. |
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