Author: Jennifer Gibson Schecter

Something we do particularly well in New Orleans is party with a purpose. Our festivals draw visitors from across the country to join us in celebrating our culture and raising money for worthy charitable projects. One example of such is…

The time has finally come. After nearly four years of construction, the new $1 billion terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is opening Wednesday, Nov. 6. All commercial flights will use the new terminal at 1 Terminal…

A month ago, while working on my column for the November issue of Biz New Orleans, I wrote, “We just can’t seem to stop building hotels.” A week ago, as news of the Hard Rock Hotel collapse began to spread,…

  When a city has over 300 years of history, it earns a patina of spookiness even in the brightest sunlight. As I finished that sentence and paused to consider the next, a dish in my sink just shifted against…

We’ve finally had a reprieve from the oppressive heat, and we can actually enjoy spending time outside. This weekend, celebrate fall with the family at the annual Gentilly Fest at Pontchartrain Park Oct. 11-13. Since 2007, Gentilly Fest has shined…

While most people in the Greater New Orleans region are losing sleep and fretting about when Drew Brees will heal enough to play again, travel writers are pulling their hair out waiting for an announcement from Louis Armstrong International New…

  For many people, the only way they can travel is by reading books. Affordability, time off from work, family size, illness and physical accessibility are just a few of the barriers that keep people close to home. I was…

  The hospitality industry is known as a sector where you start at the bottom and work your way up. The dishwasher earns her spot at food prep and tries to impress chef to get promoted to the salad station.…

  For most Americans, the first time we see a musical is on a television screen. Maybe it is a classic like “Singing in the Rain,” or maybe it is one of the new Disney live action versions of an…

  There are few things as terrifying as going to the doctor when you work in the hospitality industry. The office visit and maybe lab fees, the possible prescription and the unpaid time off of work all have the ability…

  For many of us, we have a three-day weekend to plan (insert meme here). Labor Day honors workers with a paid Monday off, and I honor hospitality workers without the day off with extra gratuity. The following are some…

  For many residents of New Orleans, any sense of hospitality toward short-term rental users has run out. On Aug. 8, the New Orleans City Council addressed the community’s concerns and unanimously passed new ordinances that will more strictly limit…

  While it’s back-to-school season in the South, in the northern beach towns summer is still in full swing. To capture the attention of those vacationers, the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC) is hosting New Orleans on the Vineyard,…

  If you don’t yet know, the au courant togs that must be worn this upcoming Saturday, Aug. 10 need either be rouge of shade or sweaty of armpit. Once again, Red Dress Run coincides with Dirty Linen Night, two…

  Seeing New Orleans from the perspective of a tourist reminds me how special our city is. It is so easy to become stuck in our work and family obligations, and sometimes weeks will go by and the most culturally…

  It’s an ominous time of year. We can feel the end drawing near. With each morning, there is one less morning. I am, of course, terrified of the last weeks of day camp before we have a nightmare break…

  You don’t need to have a French surname to celebrate Bastille Day, or le quatorze juillet as it is known in France, especially if you are in New Orleans. We have a long tradition of celebrating our French culture,…

  For more than 60 years, Storyland in New Orleans City Park has attracted children and families with its larger-than-life playground installations of fairy tale characters and their abodes. Now, like a lot of people who have surpassed the age…

  One of the most ludicrous things one could write about summertime in New Orleans is that it is very hot. There aren’t really many similes or metaphors that can do our summer heat justice. It’s the kind of heat…

  Remember summer vacation from school? Maybe you were looked after by a neighbor lady and had 15 other kids to make up games with, or maybe you went to a different day camp every week to explore your art,…

New Orleans Oyster Fest becomes a tween, annoyed by parents

NOMA’s expansion of the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden now open