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A Storied History

New Orleans has always been a city steeped in stories. From its crumbling walls in the French Quarter to its graveyard “Cities of the Dead” to cannons on the Chalmette Battlefield, the tales that inhabit New Orleans are as rich and diverse as the city itself.

The Dish

Leslie Iwerks, the Academy Award- and Emmy-nominated director and producer, showcases how pioneering restauranteur Ella Brennan transformed dining in New Orleans and America in her feature-length documentary, Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table.

Kristen Schenck: A Picture in Paint

The easel was covered in dust. For almost a decade, Kristen Catalano Schenck’s professional painter’s easel — a gift from her parents — sat stashed in the closet of her childhood bedroom, while she pursued other avenues in retail and as a professional trainer after graduation at the University of New Orleans.

Heidi Malnar

Catching the Rhythm – Growing up as an Army brat constantly on the move, Heidi Malnar discovered stability, passion and a love for movement when her parents first enrolled her in dance at the tender age of 3. Almost instantly she felt drawn to the rhythm and would seek out dance classes regardless of where […]

Dr. Gary Menszer: In Rhythm

“What’s the point of living if you can’t have fun?” That’s a question that will probably ring true with many New Orleanians, but for Dr. Gary Menszer, vice chairman of the cardiology division at East Jefferson General Hospital, it’s not only the title of a song he wrote, it’s also a sort of mantra.

Shirley Herstein: Piano Woman

Shirley Herstein’s Steinway & Sons piano has been with her for more than six decades. From her childhood home in Philadelphia, it has traveled with her across the country as she followed her husband, Harvey, during a stint with the Navy, before settling in New Orleans, where it has survived — just barely — multiple […]

Cruz Control

Raymond Cruz sinks to dark depths to play sinister kidnapper Ariel Castro in the new Lifetime Original Movie Cleveland Abduction on May 2 and returns as good guy detective Julio Sanchez in the popular police procedural series Major Crimes on TNT in June.

Shelter From the Storm

Mary Claire Landry helps victims of domestic violence reclaim their lives. Romantic and family relationships are ideally about love, but, in some dark cases, emotional abuse and physical violence can take root. And because victims’ lives are so intertwined psychologically and financially with their abusers, escape from these relationships is often difficult.

Cary Elwes: As You Wish

The British actor pens his fascinating memoir, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride, a tribute to one of Hollywood’s most beloved films ever; gushes about New Orleans; and supports Mercy Corps, in addition to the Louisiana SPCA’s Howling Success Patron Party & Gala.

Frame by Frame

An optimistic entrepreneur sees the world through New Orleans-colored glasses. Stirling Barrett, founder of KREWE du optic, grew up in New Orleans and began his career in the art world early. “While I was in high school, I fell in love with art,” Barrett says. “It wasn’t my first introduction to the darkroom, but it […]

Secret Sauce

Meet the muse behind an iconic New Orleans recipe.  You’re probably familiar with Crawfish Monica. Arguably the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival’s most famous dish, its creamy, spicy flavor has heralded spring in New Orleans for decades.

Colorful Calling

Terrance Osborne’s star is rising over Jazz Fest again this year. Artist Terrance Osborne painted 50 coconuts in preparation for his ride in this year’s Zulu parade. He knew the Mardi Gras Day parade crowd would be rowdy — but he wasn’t prepared for just how eager some parade-goers would be to get their hands on […]