At the River One night that summer my mother decided it was time to tell me about what she referred to as pleasure, though you could see she felt some sort of unease about this ceremony, which she tried to cover up by first taking my hand, as though somebody in the family had just died— she went on holding my hand as she made her speech, which was more like a speech about mechanical engineering…
A woman enters Patron box lifted up high Then dancing ensues
I couldn’t spend even a minute today crystalizing even one thought. My friends had arrived on a redeye – that was the most I remembered because their visit went by in a blur. I had spent Sunday morning at the hospital listening to a doctor tell me what I already knew about my mother – he was personable, his words filled me with more sadness. I spent Monday like most Monday’s bewilderly busy and wondering…
I’m an overachiever and consummate multitasker and the problem is that I am always busy. Last night, we went by our friends’ new house and I sat at the bar and let them serve me champagne and yummy artichoke dip and I could have just sat there all night. Today, I woke to a headwind of work and the painters arriving to paint the sections of the house that had to be resealed because of…
I have declared myself an ambassador for this great city, and I’ll tell anyone who wants to know how great the charms and ways of New Orleans are. After Katrina, I decided the least I could do is proselytize about a place that has me thoroughly under its spell. So when Tom & Matko came from Croatia and one of them is an architect, I made it my business to put together a walking tour…
There is something about New Orleans that makes a girl want to wear a tutu and a wig. I don’t know what it is but it’s like it just makes so much sense when you are here. And last night at the Gimme Me A Break party my girlfriends who are in town for the weekend found out why New Orleans is a city of good spirits – you can walk into a party where…
A friend was telling me about a friend of hers. Married for years to a man who didn’t want children. Divorced after 20 years. Met a man 7 years younger. And at 56, with donor egg, and his sperm had twins. Now at 58, happy as punch.
Had some girlfriends come in on the redeye last night – one has never been to New Orleans – let’s see what is there to do? Hmmm. French Quarter – lunch at Stanleys Sit on the porch Swirl’s Friday night tasting A “Gimme a Break” party thrown by friends Next day: Breakfast at the LaLa Tour of Garden District – then 9th Ward Frenchman Street for Music Then dancing at Mimi’s to Soul Sister. What…
In 1959, the year I was born (ahem, a vintage year) women were allowed to order drinks for the first time at the Sazerac. Up until that date, they had to have a man order for them. To commemorate this occasion the Roosevelt is having a Storming of the Sazerac night. So ladies, belly up. This will start at 2PM on Friday, September 25th and go into the evening.
In keeping the best and throwing out the rest theme, The Roosevelt has reopened in grand style. The old grand dame was purchased by Waldorf Astoria and it just makes me smile to hear people talking about the Blue Room, the Sazerac lounge, and even remembering many early morning – like 3 or 4AM – meals I had at Baileys, which is now John Besh’s Dominica. In 1983, when I was marrying my first husband,…