Author: Pamela Marquis

  By anyone’s standards, Courtney and Mike Frugé are in the middle of nowhere, just off Highway 35 in Branch, Louisiana.  But from a small, 20-acre rice farm, they've built a successful business that includes Frugé Seafood, Frugé Aquafarms, Cajun…

  There are Nazi hunters, bounty hunters and vampire hunters, but today the most sought out hunters are vaccine hunters. Tulane University medical student Brad Johnson recently turned young New Orleans-area citizens into volunteer vaccine hunters when he started NOLA…

  For five more days, you can enjoy a delectable piece of king cake and have the pleasure of reading an engaging creative story about the origins of this beloved Carnival tradition. The Made in New Orleans Foundation (MiNO) —…

  Only hours before the first Uptown Mardi Gras parade on Feb.14, 2020, with hope and a solid business plan, Peter Rivera, Meagen Moreland-Taliancich and Mark Taliancich proudly opened the doors to their new distillery, Happy Raptor. One month later,…

  Sometimes forcing people to live in a flimsy tent beneath an overpass, sleep in a cramped parked car or find refuge in a homeless shelter, homelessness is a perilous challenge to an estimated 552,830 Americans. Approximately 2.4 % of…

  The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) and New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) recently announced the release of a limited-edition print by celebrated artist George Rodrigue called “Louisiana ArtWorks.” The piece is the only instance from Rodrigue’s…

  With pitch-black cast iron pots, worn wooden spoons and produce from the gardens they tended, enslaved cooks gave rise to much of our country’s culinary heritage and certainly gave us some of our most satisfying cuisine. In her 1976…

  “I love that flowers can make such a difference in a normal day,” says florist Destiny Pinson, owner of New Orleans-based floral and lifestyle studio Doris Ione. “Even a single bloom can spark joy, and I love that. I…

  As with any intimate relationship, my relationship with my beloved city ebbs and flows. Some days I curse the gargantuan potholes, the deluge of boil water alerts and the suffocating humidity, while others I glory in our city’s greatness.…

  The Mystic Krewe of Mardi Paws, a Northshore organization that raises funds to benefit the community, is determined to continue its efforts even if they can’t parade this season. The krewe will parade later in 2021 in Downtown Covington…

In her youth, Mariama Curry loved to dance but dreamt about becoming a civil rights lawyer. It was only after heading to college to follow her dream of jurisprudence that she finally realized that her true passion was dance. “Watching…

  For 65 years, Ozanam Inn has offered emergency shelter, aid and comfort to the poor and needy of New Orleans in a building located at 843 Camp St. In late 2019, the nonprofit’s longtime home was sold, and the…

  For almost 50 years, I’ve celebrated Carnival. My early years were spent enduring Wisconsin’s frigid Februarys, but coming to New Orleans at age 19, I embraced the season with enthusiasm, joy and more than my share of ribaldry. My…

  With the help of its partners, generous benefactors and charitable volunteers, Hams for Fams — an organization of dedicated local teenagers — spreads joy annually in the form of a delicious and nutritious food basket. Since 2015 — when…

  Since Dec. 8, the BLOAK 12 Days of Christmas fundraising campaign has sold more than 1,200 sandwiches at Blue Oak BBQ (900 N. Carrollton). Blue Oak is sponsoring the event designed to help feed families associated with Son of a…

  Ever since Mrs. Doyle, my third-grade teacher, read O. Henry’s “Gift of the Magi” to my class, I knew that the perfect gift was something worth achieving. First published in 1905, it’s the story of Della and Jim, two…

  Glowing with lights and hung with cherished ornaments, Christmas trees from St. Charles Avenue mansions to 9th Ward shotguns are bringing Christmas cheer to New Orleanians everywhere…and the business of Christmas is booming. Each year, Americans buy almost 30…

  My cherished magical city has once again buoyed my spirits and lovingly roasted my heart. I’m sure we can all agree that sharing Taysom Hill’s new recipe for Dirty Bird Gumbo was utterly scrumptious and uplifting. But even more…

I have trash glass everywhere. In a brown paper bag, I have pickle jars, curry jars, kosher mustard jars and so much more. Underneath a table, I have an extremely large collection of green Topo Chico bottles. And in my…

  Increasing your business’ profit is certainly one measure of success, and offering great pay is certainly one way to motivate your staff, but a healthy work environment and a fully engaged staff is something money alone can’t buy. This…

Al Copeland, businessman and founder of Popeyes Chicken, had an engaging and wildly exuberant presence. He was not only known for his spicy chicken and fluffy biscuits, but also for his flashy power boats and flamboyant Christmas displays. In 2008,…

  We’re all suffering from excruciating election anxiety, and the European model shows New Orleans yet again in the cone of uncertainty for a hurricane. Plus, each morning we awake wondering if that tickle in our nose represents the beginnings…

  “You cannot live without the lawyers, and certainly you cannot die without them.” Those are the words of lawyer and diplomat Joseph H. Choate in the 1800s, and they’re still true today, but help is on the way. This…

  This year, the Kiwanis Dawn Busters Club in Metairie’s Rewards for Reading program was recognized by Kiwanis International as one of the top 10 service projects in the world. The program is an innovative and successful approach to encourage…

  There is concierge service at hotels, concierge doctors who make house calls and concierge security details who can keep you safe. I don’t use any of those services, but I do have a concierge mechanic. OK, maybe he’s better…

  Edgar will be two years old next month. A happy and healthy toddler, his favorite thing is playing and interacting with Olivia, his 4-year-old sister. Edgar also has Down syndrome. His mother, Lory Cenac Lewis, has learned many things…