I made a video of how I sometimes select my random winners in giveaways, but the file size was too big to email to myself. Harumph. So, I took a picture with my cell phone, since this is indeed Official Business.
I appreciate all the great comments I got on my initial post announcing the giveaway and I invite you to visit often for future posts on New Orleans food and restaurants.
It’s tough for a local to keep track of all the cool food and beverage events happening on any given day, so imagine how a visitor feels. Visitors often ask where the locals’ spots are and locals ask me about delicious deals. To make it convenient for everyone, I created an event calendar to share my favorites. Some events are ongoing, others occur only annually, but they are all NOLA Eats approved.
To get a quick view of what’s going on daily, look over to the right-hand side of the website. For the full-sized web version, just click on the Events Calendar tab under my website’s header logo. If you don’t want to miss a single event, you can add the calendar to your own iCal supported calendar. A few of the most popular are Google Calendar, Outlook and Yahoo. Chances are, if you use a calendar application, the NOLA-Eats.com Recommended Events Calendar will be supported. Here’s how to add it to your Google Calendar:
Under your Calendar list in the bottom-left-hand corner of your page, click on Add. From there, click on Add A Friend’s Calendar, then enter my Gmail email — nola.eats@gmail.com. And that’s it! Tweak your preferences to your liking.
I hope you find the NOLA-Eats.com Recommended Events Calendar to be a great source of fabulous events and sweet deals. I will constantly add new listings, so if you have one you think the NOLA-Eats.com readers would enjoy, please feel free to email me.
I thought it best to leave it up to the majority to decide where our holiday cocktail event/anniversary party should take place. I wanted to make certain that I am not forcing an event upon anyone that would be breaking their budget during the holidays. Please state your preference for either a casual/low-key cocktail event (bar/pub) or something a little swankier (lounge/club/restaurant). If you would like to recommend a venue based on your choice, please feel free to do so.
This event will take place Saturday, December 12. The time will be determined based on the venue, but I am open to suggestions for that, as well. Put on your thinking caps and let me know what you, my dear friends, would like to do. I leave you with this gem from 2007.
Ho, ho, ho!
EDIT: How about YukiIzakaya? Unique drinks for the drinkers, snacks and small plates for the munchers.
Ok, so The Management is just little ol’ me, but I’m not really up for making jokes right now, unfortunately. I would like to update our readers on what’s been going on in the world of NOLA Eats and more specifically, me, Leslie.
To clarify, NOLA-Eats.com is not turning into a vegetarian-only food blog. I know that the majority of recent posts have been made by Daniele, our resident vegetarian, but I love all things food, so don’t worry your pretty little heads. I am still bringing the meat. The reason I haven’t been posting much is because I haven’t been able to dine out much. My husband and I are saving up every penny so we can move, but that’s if we can find a place. Everyday is filled with emails, calls and visits with realtors and property owners. We’ve been going at this for a month now, and we aren’t getting anywhere. I will get back to writing more regularly when I have something to really talk about. In the meantime, I will be sharing food news, links to my favorite food blogs and other related items, and of course Daniele’s wonderful insight on vegetarianism and Christy’s libations contributions.
Not only do we have the above challenge, but I was in a fender bender yesterday. Someone backed into the front of my vehicle and my tiny car sustained a bit of damage from her Monster Truck. Thankfully, I took plenty of pictures, so I think the evidence will speak for itself. I wasn’t hurt, so I can be thankful for that, as well.
Now that I’ve got all that boring crap out of the way, here’s some good news; NOLA Eats will be celebrating its sixth year this Sunday, November 29. We shall celebrate in some way, so watch for an open invite. This will be a casual event, so if you have been interested in learning more about NOLA Eats, this will be a great opportunity to get to know the gang. Thanks to all of our old and new friends for your support!
Alright, I’ll be frank with you guys and gals. Call me crazy, but even in the safety of my house, I am concerned with what I wear. I don’t like to wear old stained shirts while scrubbing the toilet, I can’t handle muffin top while I’m sweeping up piles of cat fur and I’m not too crazy about wearing a backwards bathrobe for warmth. Yes, I am referring to Snuggies. However, people more sane, or at least not as ridiculous as myself, actually enjoy them. One of my good friends, Becky Hicks, has even found a brilliant use for them. She’s sent this in to me:
So maybe you don’t want a Snuggie for yourself, but why not help out somebody who needs one this holiday?
Snuggies are great for people in wheelchairs – they’re “one size fits most”, won’t fall off, very warm and they don’t drag and get caught in the wheels the way a blanket would. I am donating them to local nursing homes this holiday season, so please help spread the word. I am accepting donations of Snuggies via mail, but you can also make a cash donation via PayPal and I will make a “Snuggie run”, purchasing them myself. I can be contacted at beckyhicks4@hotmail.com with any questions.
I know your mama taught you not to give money to strangers, but please allow me to vouch for Becky and her Snuggie Drive. Hilariously enough, after the first day I met her, as an inside joke, she bought me something warm and comfy; a flannel shirt. Please help Becky provide warmth and comfort to senior citizens and wheelchair-bound individuals in New Orleans during these cooler months. Your donation of a Snuggie or a monetary contribution could help make someone’s holiday a lot brighter. Your mama would be proud of you.
Please join me in a unique and eco-friendly shopping experience Thursday, November 19, 7:30 – 9:00 PM at The Orange Couch. Featured on TrendHunter.com, Miss Malaprop’s Handmade Home Shopping Party is presented by Mallory Whitfield, local blogger, writer and promoter of all things sustainable. Mallory will showcase handmade crafts, accessories, clothing and personal goods from local and national indie artisans. By special request, guest artist Tressa Procter-King of Flambeaux Design Company will also be participating.
Enjoy one of The Orange Couch’s specialty coffees or a fine pastry in their retro-chic space while shopping and socializing in a chill environment. The first 10 guests in the door will be placed in a drawing for a $25 Shop Credit with Miss Malaprop. Invitations are limited, so please RSVP here for this event.
I wish I had a dollar every time I was asked the question, “Where should I eat?” At my day job, which is frequented by mostly visitors to the city, I am the go-to girl for dining recommendations. (Note: I was just asked about a restaurant while I was typing this. No joke.) I couldn’t be more tickled than when guests return to tell me that I was spot-on with my endorsement.
Now, I know what my favorites are, but I would like to gather the thoughts of you, my gentle (and opinionated) readers. Two of my goals here at NOLA-Eats.com is to engage our local friends and educate visitors. Today marks the first round in what we’re going to call Locals’ Choice. Once a week I will pose a culinary destination question. You get to chime in with your favorites and can even throw in your least favorite, if you please. All of these topics will be tagged “Locals’ Choice” and will help guide new residents and visitors to the city in doing the right thing when it comes to dining out in New Orleans. So, let’s get started…
Locals’ Choice, Round One: Who serves your favorite cup of gumbo? Is it seafood or other?
I know you guys are busy tilling the cows and milking the crops or whatever, but let’s take a break and enjoy the foods that are prime pickings for autumn dishes. This Sunday, October 25th at 6:00 PM will be the first of what I hope will become an annual event, the NOLA Eats Fall Harvest Potluck. Since they did such a great job for my birthday party, the venue will be the Ernie K-Doe Mother-In-Law Lounge. Whether you make it or buy it, bring a “comfort food” dish, something that gives you the warm fuzzies this time of year.
If you’re interested in attending, please comment below with your name, how you heard about the potluck and which dish you will be sharing. If your dish requires heat or refrigeration, please plan accordingly. It’s probably a good idea to bring a serving utensil, as well. All drinks, alcoholic and otherwise, can be purchased at the bar. One lucky person that hates to cook will be designated as the Bringer of All That is Paper and Plastic. Good luck fighting over that one.
Don’t know how to get to the Mother-In-Law Lounge? Click here! If you have any super secret private questions, feel free to email me: Leslie(at)nola-eats(dot)com
Although it is just now officially my birthday, I celebrated my 30th year on this planet at the Ernie K-Doe Mother-In-Law Lounge Saturday evening. My husband must have realized how terribly I was handling this impending milestone birthday, so he decided I should have a party. Well, everyone knows how much I love a party, so needless to say, I thought it was a great idea. We knew what we wanted to do, but where was an issue. It was so last-minute, and me being the Persnickety Snickerson that I am, would not have my party at just any boring old place. When it was impossible to get in touch with most bar and club management that I would even consider patronizing, Ms. Betty Fox at the Mother-In-Law Lounge pulled through for us. Not only did she let me bring in my own awesome DJ, friend and local performer Arajay, but she asked if we wanted her to make a pot of the lounge’s famous red beans and rice. How could we decline?
Now, if you haven’t been to the Mother-In-Law Lounge, you don’t know what you are missing out on. Not only is the Lounge rich with musical history, being host to a plethora of performing artists in almost all imaginable genres, I have never had a better plate of red beans than from the late Ernie K-Doe’s joint. With the passing of Ms. Antoinette this past Mardi Gras, I wasn’t sure that the red beans served up at my party could match them, but I was most certainly happy to be wrong. I told my girlfriend (and NOLA-Eats.com veggie contributor) Daniele that if there were ever a thing existed that she should stray from vegetarianism for, it would be the beans Ms. Betty Fox made that night. I am a terrible New Orleans native and don’t even particularly care for most red bean recipes, but Ms. Betty’s were thick and creamy, but not broken down, and very heavy on the pig. I don’t think I have ever had beans that were so savory, yet still retained that “bean” integrity. The only thing in the Lounge that night that packed more oomph than the beans was the “Burn, K-Doe, Burn” birthday shot Ms. Betty bestowed upon me — two cherries in a fiery liquor that indeed burned. Ms. Betty said her mother “took that recipe to the grave with her”, and I believe it. I am pretty sure those babies had been marinating since the opening of the Lounge.
I would like to thank Ms. Betty and her family for hosting the best party I have ever had. Their warmth and hospitality is a prime example of why people love this city so damn much. If you are searching for a venue for your next party, I encourage you to call up Ms. Betty at the lounge and she will make you feel like family. The Mother-In-Law Lounge needs your support now more than ever before.
I would also like to thank all of my friends for attending and bringing such thoughtful, personalized gifts. I’m still playing with all of the beautiful goodies I received! Last, but certainly not least, huge props to my best friend, my husband, who not only pulled it off, but made my night so very special. I love all of you more than I could ever say.
Combine new media & social networking with food & libations and you get NOLA Eats, a New Orleans-based social dining group and blog. Founder, Event Coordinator and habitual socializer Leslie J. Almeida writes about her favorites in New Orleans restaurants and nightlife while promoting a "live local" lifestyle.
You can follow more of Leslie's NOLA adventures by connecting with her on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.
