 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. |
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