NolaVie

60-Second (Memorial Day) Weekend

Laine Kaplan-Levenson — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:29:43 +0000

It’s a holiday weekend, with a lot of opportunities to party — hopefully this three- (or four-, or five-) day vacation won’t go from being a long weekend to a lost weekend… So here are some things to keep you on your feet:

FRIDAY, 5/24

Old German Church In Marigny Transformed Into Performance Space

Sharon Litwin — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

What happens when a classically trained pianist meets a closed-up church in the Marigny? Why he turns it into an opera house. This week on Notes from New Orleans, Sharon Litwin talks with Dave Hurlbert, the man behind that mission.

Love NOLA: One Step Forward In Mental Illness

Brett Will Taylor — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:26:13 +0000

My, how we love our characters in New Orleans. Which is a good thing.

Locals still talk about Ruthie the Duck Girl, even though she died in 2008. In my neighborhood of Tremé, we have a tall man with a scraggly beard who pushes a grocery cart around, having random conversations with a street corner. Or an empty can.

Sixty Second Weekend: Birdfoot, Boogaloo And Clybourne Park

Laine Kaplan-Levenson — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:12:22 +0000

This weekend, Bayou St. John gets one more hit before it’s slower summer/fall/winter season with the B-o-o-g-a-l-o-o. Go to that, but go to these things, too:

FRIDAY, 5/17

Meet the Man Who's Bringing The Dalai Lama To Town

Sharon Litwin — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Most New Orleanians have probably heard that the Dalai Lama is in town this week. But perhaps you do not know of the work it took to bring the spiritual leader of 6 million Tibetan Buddhists to this city.

On this week's Notes from New Orleans, Sharon Litwin talks with Ronald Marks, the Tulane scholar who organized the visit.

Club Whatever Puts The Party On Wheels

Laine Kaplan-Levenson and Nina Feldman — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:59:12 +0000

You may have seen it before: a behemoth of a vehicle, rolling at a snail’s pass up Canal Street blasting speaker smashing beats. Its violet exterior shields its partiers from the outside world — all that can be seen of them are their arms, flailing wildly from every open window. And then there is the noise: a penetrating boom that reverberates off the surrounding buildings, shakes the bus and compels riders and bystanders alike to bounce up and down.

Sixty Second Weekend: Let Us Return To Normalcy

Laine Kaplan-Levenson — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:29:42 +0000

Hear that? The birds chirping, the construction on Esplanade, yep — New Orleans is back to normal. Jazz Fest came and went, and now it’s up to us to keep having fun. Shouldn’t be that hard:

Burden Of WWII Responsibilities Kept Secret For More Than 30 Years

Sharon Litwin — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Sixty eight years ago this week — May 8, 1945 to be exact — the Second World War ended in Europe with the signing of the official documents in Berlin. But, for one group of British military women, it would be more than 30 years before they were allowed to talk about their secret role in that devastating conflict.

Sharon Litwin had the chance to speak with one of them for this week's Notes from New Orleans; she filed this report from the back patio of a charming, soft-spoken resident of Covington, Louisiana.

Make Way For Buck Moths: Caterpillars Above And Below

Brett Will Taylor — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:20:00 +0000

You only have to spend about 10 seconds in New Orleans to know that ours is a city that relishes being over the top. And we do love her for it. Most of the time.

But not when it comes to bugs. Seriously. Must New Orleans bugs be so, well, New Orleans? Larger than life? With a voracious appetite? And more than a little crazy?

60-Second Weekend: Beyond Jazz Fest Take Two

Laine Kaplan-Levenson — Thu, 02 May 2013 22:11:31 +0000

Despite flash flood warnings and the Fairgrounds not looking to dry up until next year’s Fest, there’s still reason to celebrate. Music is everywhere, from the Bayou to Tchoupitoulas, and so much so that it’s almost impossible not to end up at one fest or another over the next few days. So whether you’re down to drop some dough, or are looking for a free ride, we’ve got your weekend: