Labors of Love

  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…

  Three years ago, I did a story for the BizNewOrleans.com about Big Sky Ranch/CATNIP Foundation. Located in Folsom on a bucolic 10-acre sanctuary, Big Sky Ranch is home to more than 200 animals, many of whom have been given…

  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…

  “When women thrive, the community shines,” says Syrita Steib executive director of Operation Restoration(OR). OR provides holistic wrap-around services to support formerly incarcerated women as they re-enter society. The organization offers these women resources that include higher education, employment…

  For many of the 64 million dogs owned by humans, each day is filled with boredom and little to no exercise. And most, if not all dog parents feel some form of guilt when they don’t take their pupsters…

  Beginning in October, the Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS) will be premiering Drive-in Déjà Vu at the Pontchartrain Convention and Civic Center. This idea brings back many memories from my childhood. I vividly remember two drive-in movie experiences: in…

Let me introduce you to my new pup, Gracie. She is an 8-month-old, 50-pound American Pit Bull Terrier mix. I’ve been around dogs all my life and she is by far the sweetest dog I have ever met. That’s not…

The pandemic has hit all customer-facing businesses – retail, health and beauty, and service. But the restaurant industry has been walloped. A National Restaurant Association study, conducted from Aug. 26 to Sept. 1, found that 95 percent of Louisiana restaurant…

Shortly after 8 p.m. on Friday, I saw the first post regarding the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Then my Facebook exploded with sad posts and glowing tributes that continued well into Sunday. The response to her…

  “The world is full of beautiful things, butterfly wings, fairy tale kings. And each new day undoubtedly brings still more beautiful things.” Leslie Bricusse wrote these lyrics for the 1967 film “Doctor Dolittle.” This is what we want for…

  Next Wednesday will be a good day for 8-year-old Jack White. When he was 6, White was diagnosed with leukemia. Now, after much pain, frustration and anxiety, his port will be removed. A port is a small device placed under…

  Although I've lived in New Orleans for almost 50 years, my stern Midwestern roots still run deep. As this pandemic rages on, I soldier on. As two friends died lonely COVID-19 deaths, I soldiered on. As my income plummeted…

  The COVID-19 pandemic has flooded our lives with a painful glut of anxiety.  On any given day, I bounce around from panicking about my financial security, my isolation, how in the hell will I evacuate a hurricane, to fears…

  As the pandemic grinds on, our lives continue to adapt to the new normal. And, as we open back up, working parents need to put their children back into childcare. However, the reality is that as they do, they…

  In the midst of dueling hurricanes, a pandemic and just way too much stress, today I offer a bit of hope for the future. Let me introduce you to The Color Company. Ava Carrigee is the marketing director, Abby…

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is leaving scores of New Orleans residents unemployed, while a growing wave of evictions is also rendering many of them homeless. It is also forcing schools to completely restructure in order to maintain a safe learning…

  According to The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, at one point, more than 1.5 billion students, (or 91 percent of the world’s students) were out of school because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the New Orleans area,…