Have a Great Thursday with Opera in the Garden, Blues at the Museum, an Art Show and Being NOLA Wise!

Happy Thursday!

Music in the Garden!

Opera Creole

It's a great night to hang out at City Park and enjoy the Symphony Chorus of New Orleans and Opera Creole for the Twilight Garden Concert Series! Symphony Chorus of New Orleans and Opera Creole mark the tenth anniversary of Moses Hogan’s passing with a celebration of his life and music. The gates open up at 5:00 pm and the performance starts at 6:00 pm in the City Park Botanical Garden Pavilion of the Two Sisters...There is an admission charge, but hey, it's helping the Park out...$10 for adults and $3 for children.

Music at the Museum!

Andrew Duhon

Need a little art, culture and music? You gotta go to the show at the Ogden Southern Museum of Art (925 Camp St.) - better known as Ogden after Hours. Tonight the Ogden has Andrew Duhon.  Andrew Duhon's blues music and performances reflect his personal perspective in a very real way, and his voice leaves no gaps in the experience as he sings with a conviction all too befitting of his raw, personal writings.
*Be sure to head on over to the bar for this month's signature drink - Summer Sunrise A refreshing blend of Tequila, Licor 43, lime juice, simple syrup and a splash of orange juice, garnished with a sliced orange. And remember with your Ogden membership all of these excellent concerts are FREE!

Art!

The UNO-St. Claude Gallery and Ashé Cultural Center (1712 Oretha Castle Haley) present the Closing Reception for the exhibit “True Colors” curated by UNO Master of Fine Arts alumni Holis Hannan and Maxx Sizeler. Come on our for the last day of the exhibition  - the show features works by both emerging and established LGBTQ artists as well as pieces by other artists that openly assert LGBTQ subjects in their art.
*The closing reception at Ashé Cultural Center features works by: Stirling Barrett ⋅ Vonhoffacker ⋅ Sean M. Neary⋅ Albert Wagner ⋅ Margaret Coble ⋅ Bridget McManus ⋅ Travis Davis ⋅ Paige Bernhardt ⋅ Bria Brown ⋅ Arielle García

Go Green!

Tour an Energy Efficient Home, actually meet the homeowners and hear about their experience with their home improvements firsthand. Talk to NOLA Wise contractors and team members and learn how YOU can make your home more comfortable, energy efficient, healthy, and resilient! You are invited to check out Heidi Jensen and Monica Rowand's home today from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at 3333 Vincennes Place. This is also a stop that will earn you extra points on the Eat Local Challenge Scavenger Hunt!
Join us for delicious, locally-sourced refreshments and learn more about how you can make these energy efficiency improvements in your own home!

For more fun stuff to do and more music...check out the WWOZ Livewire - http://www.wwoz.org/new-orleans-community/music-calendar!


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A Tuesday w/Veggies, a Free Movie & Lots of Music!

Good morning and happy Tuesday!

Farmer's Market!

You can get your day started off right with a trip to the Farmer's Market!!!  Visit the Crescent City's Farmer's Market at University Square (200 Broadway) from 9:00 to 1:00 pm.  This month the Market welcomes Chris Gerica, daughter of Pete and Clara Gerica, one of their beloved fisher families at market, to the GPS tent. She's back this week with boiled shrimp salad with Italian dressing, fresh caught seabream (unless her Dad catches something else) or stuffed crab with sautéed squash and zucchini or potato salad, boiled shrimp by the pound, stuffed crabs packaged to go, blondies, brownies and blueberry lemonade.. Swing by the market this Tuesday and pick up lunch, or dinner!

Free Movie!

Head on over to the Ashe Cultural Center (1712 Oretha Castle Haley) and join the New Orleans Loving Festival for a FREE screening of acclaimed documentary THE LOVING STORY, co-presented by the New Orleans Film Society, HBO, Press Street, and the Charitable Film Network. Arrive early for a 6:30 p.m. reception. The screening will start at 7:00 p.m., and there will be a short discussion following the screening with a panel of speakers including Hamilton Simons-Jones, Annette Hollowell, and others.

Good Music Tonight!

And there's a great evening on the Avenue, because it's another lovely southern night for porch sitting and music over at the The Columns (3811 St. Charles Ave.) from 8:00 to 11:00 pm...Have a fancy cocktail and listen to the sounds of John Rankin and Todd Duke!

Head on over to Mid-City and to Chickie Wah Wah (2828 Canal)!  They've got the Sweet Olive String Band at 5:00 pm, and be sure to stay on for Tommy Malone on guitar and Bill Malchow on piano at 8:00 pm - come hungry for delicious pizza, pasta, salads and more!!

There's some fun on Frenchmen tonight too over at d.b.a. (618 Frenchmen) with the Treme Brass Band at 9:00 pm - there's a $5 cover, but that's practically free!

Right down the street the Spotted Cat (623 Frenchmen) has a triple header with no cover - Andy Forest at 4:00 pm, Meschiya Lake & The Little Big Horns at 6:00 pm, and top off the evening with Shotgun Jazz Band at 10:00 pm!

End your night over at the Maple Leaf Bar on Oak Street...with  the Grammy Award winning REBIRTH Brass Band they come on around 10:30ish - there's a cover, but you'll be glad you paid and stayed up late!! 

Have a wonderful Tuesday and for more fun shows and events going on click on the WWOZ Livewire - http://www.wwoz.org/new-orleans-community/music-calendar!




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Merry Saturday with Holiday Events all Over the Crescent City!!

Happy Saturday Everybody - Christmas is in the Air!!

There's a Holiday on the Boulevard - Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard! Ashe Cultural Arts Center Presents this fun event with entertainment including Phillip Manuel, Sharon Martin, Bamboula 2000, and Rebirth Brass Band. There will also be some yummy food and a marketplace for your holiday shopping - Today from Noon to 8:00 pm!

There's more fun, music and shopping at the Treme Gumbo Festival today from 11 to 5:30 pm. The festival includes a Jazz and Heritage Holiday Bazaar, lots of gumbo and music by the Rebirth Brass Band, Glen David Andrews, the Treme Brass Band and Shannon Powell...It's a free fest so come on out! For more info visit: www.jazzand heritage.org.

And you don't want to miss Freretstivus!! A true holiday celebration on Freret and Napoleon from Noon to 5:00pm....There's gonna be a 100 local vendors, selling food, art, jewelry, and collectibles. Please shop locally for the holiday season.
This fun fest features:
*The Airing of Grievances. Win a prize if your grievance is selected!
*Feats of Strength. Tug of war with the Big Easy Roller Girls.
*Freretstivus Pole. Unadorned, of course.
*Regifting Booth. Give one. Take one.
*Serenity NOW Booth. Chair massages by Magnolia Physical Therapy! Ahhhh.
*Pet Adoptions from Zeus' Place
*FREE live music by with - 3 Piece Spicy at Noon - ChaWa at 1:45 - Parishoners at 3:30...Don't miss out on the fun!!

Looking more more holiday fun??

Go crawlin' with some Very Bad Santas tonight!!

Here's the Very Bad Santa Crawl Schedule:

5:00 Washington Square - corner of Royal and Frenchman
5:15 Cafe Negril on Frenchman - happy hour prices for Santas and Elves
6:00 Turtle Bay on Decatur - get yourself a $1 beer, happy hour prices on everything else
7:00 Coyote Ugly - Ladies get to dance on the bar - drink specials
8:00 Carousel at the Monteleone - yeah it's crowded but we love the place
9:00 Barely Legal - They'll be dancing with bells on, and little else - how festive!
10:00 Turtle Bay on Bourbon - more $1 beers and tons of giveaways
11:00 Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop - they have a piano and it's a nice stop on the way back.
12:00 Buffa's on Esplanade - the band is staying late just for us
1:00 Country Club - discounted admission, cheap drinks & a 95 degree pool - Ho, ho!

The crawl includes drink specials, $1 beers at some stops, free jello shots, lots of drinking schwag, and more.

Cost to you? Only $5 now or if you have to wait to the last minute $10 along the route. Includes wristband for the night and Very Bad Santa button. We're asking everyone to donate a little so we don't have to cover it all ourselves, but it's still the best crawl deal in town!!  Schedule and other information are at http://www.busting-loose.net/santacrawl/

And don't forget these Holiday favorites!!!

Celebrate the season at Lafreniere Park (3000 Downs Boulevard) - The annual “Holiday in the Park” The beautiful light display is nightly from dusk 'til 9:00 pm and admission is $3 a car.  The light display is generously donated by the family of the late Al Copeland - The park comes alive for the holidays with thousands of twinkling lights and displays.

And there's more holiday fun at City Park with Celebration in the Oaks! The Celebration runs nightly through January 1st - Sunday thru Thursday from 6:00 pm to 10:00pm and Friday & Saturday 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm (closed Christmas Eve and New Years Eve). There are fabulous new exhibits, nightly entertainment, synthetic ice skating rink, amusement park rides. "Experience and enjoy one of the country's most unique month-long holiday festival of lights!" A beloved holiday tradition for the last 25 years - visit www.celebrationintheoaks.com for more info!

Alrighty, well that should keep you busy this evening..If you're looking for more fun stuff to do...check out the WWOZ Livewire!!


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Historical Monday with Freedom Riders and Treme'!

Happy Monday Everybody!

What a beautiful weekend....and what a beautiful Monday!
It's the Freedom Riders 50th Anniversary - Come to the Ashe Cultural Arts Center to welcome the 2011 Student Freedom Ride into New Orleans. The trek retraced the original 1961 journey that never made it into the city with current college students and original freedom riders.  A street festival begins at 5:00 p.m. with a performance by the Young Audiences Brass Band....the bus is expected to arrive at 6:00 p.m. with a reception to follow.  At 8:00 p.m. in the center and on WYES (check your local cable/satellite provider for channel), a documentary titled "Freedom Riders" honoring the more than 400 individuals who participated in the protests will premier. 

This Evening the Louisiana Landmarks Society presents "Why Treme?" the 30th Annual Martha Robinson Lecture tonight at 6:30 at the Historic New Orleans Collection (533 Royal).  Lolis Edward Elie, a retired civil rights attorney, and his son, Lolis Eric Elie, a story editor for HBO’s Treme, have lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years, a decision they made independently as adults.  Both father and son will discuss why the neighborhood is important and why they chose to live there, and the younger Elie will discuss his 2008 film Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans.  A reception will follow, and this lecture is FREE!

And Frenchmen and Decatur are kickin' with lots of music tonight!

BMC (1331 Decatur) has a great early show at 6:00 pm with Fun in the Pocket featuring Mayumi Shara (drummer extraordinaire)...then stay on for the next show at 9:30 with Smoky Greenwell's Blues Jam!!

Head down Frenchmen Street to d.b.a. (618 Frenchmen) for two great shows!!  It's  the By & By String Band at 6:00 pm (no cover) and stay on for Glen David Andrews at 9:00 pm for the low low cover of $5.00!

Be sure to make a stop by the Spotted Cat (623 Frenchmen) early for this great line-up of music....Brett Richardson at 4:00 pm, Dominic Grillo and The Frenchmen Street All Stars at 6:00 pm and be sure to stay on for the Jazz Vipers at 10:00 pm.....it's sure to be another smokin' Monday evening show.

Head on down to Mid City for even more music at Chickie Wah Wah (2828 Canal) with piano player (and sometimes guitar man) John Cleary at 8:00 pm...and come hungry - the kitchen is open with amazing food from Taceaux Loceaux...Yum!!

And If you're lookin' for some bluegrass music tonight you don't have to go too far to find it....Check out the Hi Ho Lounge (2239 St. Claude) and the Bluegrass Pickin' Party at 8:00 pm...there's no cover and FREE red beans and (veggie beans too)! 
Have a great one...and for more musical fun check out WWOZ Livewire ....until tomorrow.