Wine, Fringe Festin' & Lots O'Music!

What a gorgeous Wednesday!!

If you like wine.......Sip the bubbly at the Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots (1751 Gentilly Blvd - 4th Floor Clubhouse)  from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm tonight!!!  The event's theme is "All That Sparkles"....featuring more than 50 sensational champagnes and sparkling wines along with cheeses and wine experts, who will discuss and answer wine-related questions.  Held in partnership with Dorignac's Food Center, the tasting will showcase 25 top wines for $25.00 per person. Tickets are available at Dorignac's (710 Veterans Blvd. in Metairie) and, if not sold out, will be available at the door.

The Fringe Fest begins today and there are loads fun free events going on!!  Here's the link to all the fun starting tonight from 5-7 pm the Peep Show previews w/free NOLA Brew and Old New Orleans Rum....then at 7:15 pm Fashion Show with Calamity ...click on the above link for the entire schedule fun FREE festival fun!!
 

And of course you got more music!

Go by Chickie Wah Wah (2828 Canal) right after work for a fun happy hour that kicks up at 4:00 pm, the Tex-Mex sounds of the Iguanas at 8:30 pm, and there's gonna be Zydeco dance lessons too (check out the website for sign-up info!!)

Head on down to the Sandbar (Deck area of the University Center’s cafeteria) over on UNO's campus at 7:30 pm tonight for Jacqui Naylor....it's going to be a great nite and admission is only $5.00 for this amazing show...UNO Faculty, Staff and Students get in for FREE!!!

There's a special show over at Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta!!  Irvin Mayfield's NOJO Jam presents the music of Wayne Shorter this evening at 8:00 pm...it's gonna be an amazing concert!!

Another great evening foll of music at the Spotted Cat with free swing dance lessons at 5:00 p.m.!!  Brett Richardson at 4:00 p.m., Orleans 6 at 6:00 p.m., and to top off the night St. Louis Slim & The Frenchmen St. Jug Band at 10:00 p.m.!

You'll be having a good time at d.b.a. on Frenchmen Street tonight with the early evening show with the Tin Men at 7:00 pm and stay on for John Gros & the Roadmasters...they come on at 10:00 p.m....for a very small cover and he's worth it!

If you're looking for more fun stuff to do...check out the WWOZ Livewire!

USA! USA! USA!

Happy Saturday Everybody,

Be sure to find your favorite watering hole this afternoon to watch the USA soccer team kick Ghana today at 1:30 pm!!

The best and brightest of the Hot Sauce and Gourmet Food community will be displaying and sampling their award winning products right here in the heart of Hot Sauce Country – the place where people sure know their food. There’s gonna be party going on down here!!!! With the Saints winning the Super Bowl, the Who Dat Nation is alive and kickin’ so come join the food and fun at the 1st Annual NOLA Hot Sauce and Gourmet Food Show.  There will be products to suite everyone.  If you want to take on the hottest thing you have ever tried, this will be the place for you ranging from sauces and other products made from the hottest pepper in the world to flaming hot extracts, come give it a try – if you dare. We will also have BBQ sauces, dip mixes, seasonings, soup and cajun mixes and so much more.  Tickets are just $5.00 and the fest goes on this Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 to 5:00 pm at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner....AYEEEEEEEEE.!!!!

It's also the Arts Market of New Orleans at Palmer Park (corner of S. Claiborne and S. Carrollton from 10 am to 4:00 pm today!!  Free and open to the public!  Whether you're looking for metal art by Travis Linde, traditional  handmade belts by Bob Friedrich of Crescent Belt, or a "Trish Fish"  made of recycled materials by debris artist Trish Ransom this month's  Arts Market of New Orleans has something for everyone. Choose from glass, metal, wood and leather art  to paintings, photographs, yard decor and more created by more than  100 of the region's best artists. Plus live music, food and drink from  your favorite local restaurants, and exciting and educational kid's activities.

 It's the Summer Wine Festival...tonight at Canal Place..It's "Everything French" hosted by the French American Chamber of Commerce.  There will be fifteen local restaurants and plenty of libations from 6:00 to 9:00 pm tonight!  Tickets are $45 for members and $55 for non members..it promises to be a wonderful evening!

 Have a great day and be sure to check out the WWOZ livewire and the GratisNOLA calendar for all kinds of fun going on this Saturday!!

Headin' to Grand Isle!

Good Morning and Happy Saturday!

Wake up to the best of the season's harvest every Saturday morning, when the Crescent City Farmers Market takes up residence in New Orleans' historic Warehouse District from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm! Look for the handsome mural at the William B. Reily Co. parking lot: that's where you'll find the best in fresh, locally grown produce, seafood, baked goods and much more. Come for the food, and stick around for great entertainment by local musicians, cooking demonstrations, or just to shoot the breeze with friends and the farmers, chefs and fishers who put food on the city's tables.

Find your forever friend today! It's Used Dog Pet Adoption from 2:00pm - 5:30pm at Petcetera, 3205 Magazine Street....you'll find your perfect pet in a Used Dog :) Come to Petcetera to find your new best friend from local no-kill animal rescue, Used Dogs.


Take a trip across the Lake and find the perfect gift for you, or your Dad at the Art for Madisonville - Art Market from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm located on the banks of the Tchefuncte River, feature local artists offering their work directly to the public in a beautiful outdoor location.  The Art Market promotes fine art, including drawing and painting, sculpture and ceramics, photography, jewelry and SHUTTERFISH!! 


The in store concerts are back at the Louisiana Music Factory today!!  Mary Lasseigne at 2:00 pm, Gal Holiday at 3:00 pm and CoCo Robicheaux at 4:00 pm...The Music Factory is gonna be rockin' today, and be sure to pick up your Dad the gift of music while you're there!!

Experience Latinola today!!  This year's event will include live music and dance all day!

MAIN STAGE
1130-12 Javier Orlondo
12-1215 Honeybees (available from 12-2 for photos and autographs)
1215-1 Pan Vibrations
1-145 Patrice y Carlos
145-2 Honeybees
2-230 Ballet Cosmapa
230-245 Capoeira
245-330 Julio y Cesar
330-415 Honduran Folkloric Dance

KIDS STAGE

1130-12 Bianca San Martin- Salsa Dance Lesson
12-1230 Calliope Puppets- Bilingual Puppet Show
1230-1 Ballet Cosmapa- Nicaraguan Folkloric Dance
1-2 Curtis Pierre- Stilt Walking Lesson
2-3 Air Hugo- come meet the Hornets’ mascot!
3-3:15 Capoeira- Brazilian Martial Art
315-330 New Orleans Hispano-America- Honduran Folkloric Dance
The New Orleans Honeybees will give two dance performances and be available for photos and autographs from 12-2pm.
Plus free drop-in health screenings, information, and referrals provided by St. Anna's Medical Mobile Unit (with Spanish interpretation available), free LatiNola arts and crafts activities, free workshops in Spanish open to the public on health, finance, and our organization, lots of info on local nonprofits, and more! Make sure to stop by the LatiNola table and say hello!

PLEASE make plans to head out to Grand Isle for the “Chefs for Fishermen and Families” Event....Saturday, June 19th from 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m at Bridge Side Marina, 1618 Highway 1, Grand Isle, LA, 70358...Check out this list of participating restaurants!

*5 Fifty Five: Chef Mark Quitney- Fudge Farm Pork Sandwich with Spicy Coleslaw and Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies

*Adolfo Garcia Restaurants: Chef Miles Prescott of RioMar, Chef Jared Ralls of La Boca and Chef Joshua Smith of a Mano and Chef/Proprietor Adolfo Garcia- Shrimp Chorizo, White Beans and Tres Leches

*Brigsten’s: Chef Frank Brigsten- Fried Catfish with Roasted Jalepeno Tartar Sauce

*Broussard’s: Chef Tory Stewart and the Preuss Family- Red Beans and Rice and Bread Pudding

*Café Giovanni: Chef Duke LoCicero

*La Cote Brasserie: Chef Chuck Subra- Duck and Andouille Gumbo and Bread Pudding

*M Bistro: Chef Matt Murphy- Chicken and Jambalaya

*MiLA: Chef Slade Rushing- Tomato and Cornbread Salad.

*Phil’s Grill: Chef Phil deGruy- Alligator Sliders

*Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group: Chef Haley Bittermann- Corporate Executive Chef, Chef Brian Katz of Redfish Grill and Chef Chris Montero of Bacco’s- Alligator Sausage and Seafood Gumbo, Grilled Crawfish Remoulade, Roasted Chicken and Rigatoni

*Shula’s: Chef Lou Sander- Lacquered Duck

*Taceaux Loceaux: Chef Maribeth del Castillo and Alex del Castillo

*Zea’s: Chef Greg Reggio

Don't miss the the 2nd Annual West Harrison Ave. Block Party this Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.... Come out and enjoy a wonderful afternoon in Lakeview... There will be an antique car & motorcycle show, lottery truck, raffle for gift certificates and a spacewalk and face painting for the kids. There will also be hot dogs, crawfish, jambalaya, chicken, pizza, gumbo, beer and soft drinks. Also featuring Benny Grunch and the Bunch from 2 - 5 p.m. and DJ John Grillot during the event.

All this fun should get your day started off right...for a complete list of musical events check out the WWOZ Livewire...Have a good one!!

Vieux-to-Do...Part Deux with Camo

Good Mornin' Everybody....It's hot one out there, but not too hot to enjoy some music, food and fun!

Okay...I have to get this one on here first cause...I guess you want to go???  

At noon today starting up at Washington Artillery Park it's the Second Annual World Naked Bike Ride with 300 nude or (or partially nude) cyclists pedaling their way through the Quarter....The global network of nude biketivists "freedom" ride protests oil dependency and raises awareness of cyclists vulnerability..So even if you don't (or you do) want to see naked bikers...it's definitely for a good cause!!

Also, going on today is the Broad Flea to benefit the Tulane Health Mobile...The flea market is located on the 300 block of N. Broad Street...and the fun starts up at 9:00 am and goes to 2:00 pm.  There's gonna be great food, music and fun...with Debauche Russian Maffia Band at 11:00 am!

Vieux-to-Do continues.............

The Creole Tomato Festival continues in the French Market from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and they're gonna have cooking demos which include presentations by local chefs from Bacco, Rouse's, Muriels Jackson Square, Seven on Fulton, Edible Schoolyard NOLA, and many others.  Free tomato tastings will be offered in Dutch Alley near George's Produce and at two places at the Farmers Market: near the music stage at Mother Nature's Cupboard and near the Ursuline entrance at French Market Produce.   New additions this year to the Festival include: an Arts Market at Dumaine Street sponsored by Dutch Alley Artists Co-Op and a kids activity area in Dutch Alley's Performance Pavilion (at St. Phillip Street).  Lectures about the origins of the Creole Tomato and the intersection of Louisiana food, music, and culture will take place indoors at the New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park on Saturday, June 12th at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. between brass band and ragtime musical performances.

Now we're on to the Louisiana Seafood Festival at the French Market!  The fest gets started up today at 11:00 am and celebrates our extraordinary local cuisine. Starting with everything fresh from the water, famous local chefs are cooking up shrimp, oysters, crawfish, crab and alligator. Mouth watering choices...grilled, boiled, fried and barbecued...so, bring your empty stomachs and fill up on some amazing food!!

Now that you've filled up on food...it's time to dance at the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival at the U.S. Mint on the corner of Decatur and Esplanade!  Check out the line-up today and put on your dancin' shoes! 

Esplanade Street Stage:
10:45 am - 12:45 pm - Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm - Li'l Nathan and the Zydeco Big Tymers
3:15 pm - 5:15 pm - Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
5:30p.m. - 7:00 pm - Buckwheat Zydeco

Barracks Street Stage:
12:15 pm - 2:15 pm - Goldman Thibodeaux & the Lawtell Playboys
2:45 pm - 4:45 pm - Les Freres Michot
5:15 pm - 7:15 pm - Lost Bayou Ramblers

So what you gonna do after the tri-fest??

Of course, it's Camo Fest Three!!  Camo Fest defies description, but here you go...It's a pub crawl. It's a scavenger hunt. It's a way of life. The Fest has no political affiliation or aspirations or commentary to offer. Wear camo. Have fun. That's an order. Camo is mandatory. Cash is pretty much mandatory. The following are optional but helpful: PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS, parade throws (beads, dog tags), cameras and cell phones.  The nearest bar to the rally point is The Alpine. Get a drink from there or bring your own to the start.  And don't forget No realistic looking weapons please!

And don't forget the 610 Stompers Inaugural Ball Crawl tonight!!  The 610 Stompers are a men’s dance team.  Their motto is “ordinary men, extraordinary moves.” They burst on the scene earlier this year with a mixture of good-natured fun and serious focus while amazing onlookers with their disco shorts and signature headbands.  An appearance during the Buddy D parade led to another in the Muses parade and a sensation was born.  This afternoon you can join the Stompers at their inaugural Ball Crawl.  It begins at Squeal BBQ on Oak Street at 4 PM and the parade winds around the Riverbend neighborhood before returning to Oak Street at 8 PM for the ball at the Maple Leaf featuring Groovesect!!

If you're looking for a little culture evening there are a couple art gallery openings this evening...so you can get your art on.  

Du Mois presents "cold drink" opening reception at 4921 Freret St. from 5:00 to 8:00 pm..Celebrate the warmth of summer with the printed form featuring 30 local and national artists, juried by Barbara Brainard and sponsored by Bayou Teche Brewery...so come enjoy a "cold drink" and the art!

It's the opening reception for "The Colors of Summer" at the Octavia Gallery, 4532 Magazine St.,  from 6:00 to 8:00 pm tonight....So join the gallery for some amazing artist and some cocktails tonight!

Well this should keep you busy today...for more fun stuff going on around our fair City check out the WWOZ Livewire...Have a great Saturday!!

Holla at the Gulf Tonight!!!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend Everybody!!

There are plenty of fun events going on this weekend!!

It's the second day of the fabulous Greek Fest (on the corner of Robert E. Lee and St. Bernard) with this year's Greece on the Bayou...Went there last night, and there is plenty of food, music, dancing and crafts!  Make sure you stock up on some ouzo - OPA!!

And if you're looking for a great little road trip...(it's really not that far)...You've got to go to the Plaquemines Parish Seafood Festival, and support Louisiana's local fisherman...There's gonna be delicious food (of course), music, crafts and more!!  Click on the link for more details...but the fun gets going tonight and lasts all weekend long!!!

Come join the New Orleans String Project (NOSP)  from 12pm-6pm on Saturday May 29th at Washington Square Park on Frenchmen and Royal Street for the 5th Annual Crawfish Boil. This exciting fundraiser will feature live music performed by the children with special performance by Sharon Martin.  This fun family event will include games and arts and crafts for children of all ages. Come take a chance on some of the great items that will be raffled off during the festival. All the proceeds from the Crawfish Boil will help continue NOSP commitment of providing music lessons to all children.

 

Don't forget the Arts Market of New Orleans at Palmer Park (corner of S. Claiborne and S. Carrollton from 10 am to 4:00 pm today!!  Free and open to the public!  Whether you're looking for metal art by Travis Linde, traditional  handmade belts by Bob Friedrich of Crescent Belt, or a "Trish Fish"  made of recycled materials by debris artist Trish Ransom this month's  Arts Market of New Orleans has something for all types of Dads. Discover distinctive gifts that celebrate the unique style of your Dad this Father's Day with locally handcrafted treasures.  Choose from glass, metal, wood and leather art  to paintings, photographs, yard decor and more created by more than  100 of the region's best artists. Plus live music, food and drink from  your favorite local restaurants, and exciting and educational kid's activities.

Come enjoy the music & seafood that has always been Louisiana's voice to the rest of the world!! It's "Holla at the Gulf" from 7:00 to 11:00 pm at Broussard's on 819 Conti....Come enjoy Chef Tori Stewart's specialties along with hand crafted Bacardi and Grey Goose cocktails and they'll be music from the one and only Walter Wolfman Washington...all this for the low price of $40 and you're helping out the Gulf Aid Relief Foundation!!  For more info call 504-581-3866.

And of course, don't forget the really big show at Tipitina's tonight!!  It's the 27th Anniversary of the Rebirth Brass Band!!  Things get kickin' around 10ish...and Billy Iuso and the Restless Natives and Lingo open up this show...Don't miss it!!

If you're looking for more fun stuff to do today...be sure to check out the WWOZ Livewire...to see what's going on!!  Have a great Saturday!