Beyond Bourbon Street - an Insider's Guide to New Orleans

Southern Food and Beverage Museum

On this episode of Beyond Bourbon Street, we explore the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. The museum may be small, but it houses a large variety of artifacts and stories, dedicated to the culinary history of the Southern United States.

The Southern Food and Beverage Museum is also home to the Museum of the American Cocktail. While the cocktail may not have been invented in New Orleans, we certainly have made it our own. Learn about the Sazerac, the Crusta, the tangled history of absinthe, and more!

Join Mark and his guest, Liz Williams, as they discuss food and drink in the heart of the Crescent City.

All this and more in today's episode of Beyond Bourbon Street!

The Southern Food and Beverage Museum is located at 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, three blocks off of St. Charles Avenue. The museum is open daily Wednesday-Monday (closed Tuesdays).

You can find the Southern Food and Beverage Museum online at Southern Food. Be sure to check out the blog!

Additionally, you can find the Southern Food and Beverage Museum on Twitter (@SouthernFood) and on Instagram @EatDrinkSoFab

Liz Williams is the co-author of two books. Lift your Spirits, and New Orleans: a Food Biography. Both are available at local New Orleans booksellers, including Octavia Books and Garden District Book Shop. You can also purchase them at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

Links and show notes for today's episode can be found at Beyond Bourbon St.

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts. If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.

We now have a Facebook group where you can ask questions and share your New Orleans experiences. It is a great place to engage with others who love all things New Orleans. Join us by going to beyondbourbonst.com/facebook

Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?

Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com

Thanks for listening!

Mark

In the spring and summer of 2017, the headlines in New Orleans newspapers dealt with the proposed removal of four statues honoring the Confederacy.

Ever wonder how we got to this point? I did, and it led me to Abraham Lincoln and his surprising connection to New Orleans. Today’s show is about Lincoln, his visits to New Orleans, and how they shaped his thoughts on slavery and reconstruction as the 16th President of the United States.

We visit with local author, historian, and geographer Richard Campanella, author of a book called Lincoln in New Orleans: The 1828-1831 Flatboat Voyages and Their Place in History. You met Richard back in episode #36, when we discussed how Bourbon Street happened.

In this episode, we travel along with a young Abraham Lincoln as he navigates the Mighty Mississippi,is nearly killed along the Sugar Coast, and witnesses the slave trade in New Orleans.

Through Richard's meticulous research, we walk the streets of New Orleans in the late 1820s and early 1830s, and see this exotic city through the eyes of a future U.S. President.

All this and more in today's episode of Beyond Bourbon Street!

You can find Richard on line at richcampanella.com. You'll find excerpts from all of his books, as well as a wonderful collection of images of New Orleans.

Richard’s books are available at local New Orleans booksellers, including Octavia Books, Garden District Book Shop and Maple Street Book Shop. You can also purchase an autographed copy of Lincoln in New Orleans directly from Richard. Send him an email at: rcampane@tulane.edu

Links and show notes for today's episode can be found at http://beyondbourbonst.com/40

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.

We now have a Facebook group where you can ask questions, share your New Orleans experiences and engage with others who love all things New Orleans. Join us by going to beyondbourbonst.com/facebook

Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?

Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com

Thanks for listening!

Mark

Planning your first trip to New Orleans? Wondering what should be on your list of things to do, eat, and see? We answer those questions and more on episode #39 of the Beyond Bourbon Street podcast!

This list includes the top things every first time visitor to New Orleans should experience. We also provide the insider tips that will help make your visit memorable. Grab a pen and a notepad, because this show is loaded with all the details you need to have a fabulous vacation in the Crescent City!

1. Visit a cemetery
2. Spend time on the Mississippi River
3. Explore Jackson Square
4. Eat the classic New Orleans foods
5. Wander the French Quarter
6. Take in Bourbon Street
7. Listen to live music
8. Have a drink
9. Ride the streetcar
10. Garden District

Listen to the episode to get the details behind this list. NOTE: There might also be some lagniappe – a little something extra!

Links and show notes for today's episode can be found at http://beyondbourbonst.com/39

Subscribe to the Podcast

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.

Contact Us

Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?

Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com

Thanks for listening!

Mark

Chasing Flavor with Chef Frank Brigtsen

In this episode, I sit down with James Beard award winner Chef Frank Brigtsen. He and his wife Marna own Brigtsen's, one of the best Creole Bistros in New Orleans. Tucked into the Riverbend neighborhood just blocks from the streetcar, Brigtsen's has been serving delicious Creole cuisine since 1986.

Chef Frank and I talk about Chef Paul Prudhomme and his influence on the New Orleans culinary scene, as well as on Chef Frank himself. Join us as we discuss Cajun versus Creole, Commander's Palace, K-Pauls, Emeril Lagasse, and more.

Listen to Chef Frank describe the early days of what we now call the farm to table movement. Alice Waters, Wolfgang Puck, Paul Prudhomme and others.

By the end of the show, you'll be craving a bowl of Chef Frank's famous filé gumbo!

Be sure to visit Frank and Marna at their Riverbend restaurant. Brigtsen's is located at 723 Dante Street in Riverbend.  Make reservations by calling 504-861-7610. Check out their menu and learn even more about Brigtsen's at www.brigtsens.com. Tell them Mark sent you from Beyond Bourbon Street!

Instagram

You can follow Chef Frank Brigtsen @frankbrigtsen. Follow us for great images of New Orleans @BeyondBourbonSt.

Show Notes

Links and show notes for today's episode can be found at http://beyondbourbonst.com/38

Free Guide!

If you would like to download a pdf with information on all the New Orleans restaurants discussed in the previous episode (Ten Places to Eat Like a Local in New Orleans), please sign up for our newsletter. We promise not to spam!

Thank you to Chef Frank Brigtsen for sharing his stories with us. I enjoyed learning about his relationship with Chef Paul Prudhomme and his and Marna's own story!

Special thanks to you the listener for allowing me into your ears every other week. I truly enjoy sharing this city we both love!

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans!

Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback, or just want to say hi?

Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com

Thanks for listening!

Mark

Ten Places to Eat Like a Local

Ever wonder where the locals eat? Today, we answer that question. At least from this local's perspective!

In episode 37 I cover ten places in New Orleans I frequently recommend.

Some of these are well known. Others are off the beaten path.

This list includes neighborhood restaurants and a trio of New Orleans Creole Bistros. You'll find a steak house and a Thai restaurant. A great place for Italian, and a French bistro. There also might be a little lagniappe near the end of the show.

We discuss when to go, how to get there, and what to order. All this and more in today's episode of Beyond Bourbon Street!

If you would like to download a pdf with information on all the New Orleans restaurants discussed in this episode, please sign up for our newsletter. We promise not to spam!

Links and show notes for today's episode can be found at http://beyondbourbonst.com/37

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.

Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?

Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com

Thanks for listening!

Mark

Today's episode is about the most infamous street in New Orleans.

I originally planned this show as an April Fools' edition, since the podcast is called Beyond Bourbon Street. As I started my research, however, I quickly came to the realization there wasn't much written about the actual street.

I was about to shelve the idea when I realized local author, historian, and geographer Richard Campanella found the same lack of information and was inspired to write a book called Bourbon Street: A History.

Join me as I talk with Richard about (arguably) the most important street in New Orleans. We discuss its transformation from just another street to its present day status as one of the most infamous streets in the world. Along the way, you'll learn about entrepreneurship, the creation of New Orleans as a tourist destination, and more.

We also discuss the invention of the go-cup and how present day Bourbon Street can be explained through the Huge Ass Beers available for purchase along this fifteen block stretch of excess!

You'll learn about the architecture, the people, and the importance of Bourbon Street post-Katrina.

All this and more in today's episode of Beyond Bourbon Street!

You can find Richard on line at richcampanella.com. You'll find excerpts from all of his books, as well as a wonderful collection of images of New Orleans.

Richard’s books are available at local New Orleans booksellers, including Octavia Books, Garden District Book Shop and Maple Street Book Shop. You can also find Bourbon Street: A History on Amazon.

Links and show notes for today's episode can be found at http://beyondbourbonst.com/36

Thank you to Richard for sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm. This was an entertaining and educational discussion, and I hope the first of many!

A special thanks to you for allowing me into your ears every other week. I truly enjoy sharing this city we both love!

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.

Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?

Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com

Thanks for listening!

Mark

Madams and Musicians - Storyville, New Orleans

In 1897, New Orleans leaders created Storyville, the infamous red light district of New Orleans. For the next twenty years, Storyville was the legal center of prostitution in the Crescent City.

Storyville was the workplace of madams and prostitutes.  Patrons might spend an evening at Lulu White's Mahogany Hall or at Josie Arlington's place. Here, they encountered lavish furnishings, live music, ample amounts of alcohol, and sex for a price.

In addition to the sex trade, Storyville was a hotbed of music and musicians. Patrons wandering down Basin Street would come across Jelly Roll Morton, Manuel "Fess" Manetta, Tony Jackson, and maybe even a young Louis Armstrong. These musicians were expected to play everything from opera to ragtime. While jazz wasn't likely invented in Storyville, the collaboration and improvisation of these talented musicians helped shape and influence the music we know today.

I welcomed three guests to the podcast this week, including a return visit by Pamela Arceneaux, author, senior librarian, and rare books curator at the Historic New Orleans Collection. Pamela's book, called the Guidebooks to Sin: the Blue Books of Storyville, was featured in episode #34.

In addition to Pamela, HNOC curators John Lawrence and Eric Seiferth joined us for a lively discussion. Together, the three of them help bring Storyville to life for us. We learn about the madams and the musicians, as well as the music itself.

Insider Knowledge: Did you know opera was as likely to be heard as ragtime? I didn't!

Along the way, we discuss the divide between establishments targeted towards the wealthy (white) clients, and black Storyville, home of simple cribs. We also explore the new HNOC exhibit Storyville: Madams and Music, and talk about the photos of Earnest Bellocq and the movie Pretty Baby, featuring a very young Brooke Shields.

All this and more in this episode of Beyond Bourbon Street!

You can find Pamela’s book at local booksellers, including Octavia Books, Garden District Book Shop and Maple Street Book Shop, as well as at The Historic New Orleans Collection. You can also find Guidebooks to Sin on Amazon.

Explore the Historic New Orleans Collection online and in person. They are located at 533 Royal Street, in the heart of the French Quarter.

Links and show notes for today's episode can be found at http://beyondbourbonst.com/35

Thanks to Pamela Arceneaux, John Lawrence and Eric Seiferth for joining me today. Together, they helped paint a picture of New Orleans and Storyville during the late 1800s and into the 20th century.

Eli Haddow at the Historic New Orleans Collection made our discussion possible.

Kate McCreary hepled with the research into Storyville.

Finally, thanks to you for allowing me into your ears every other week. I truly enjoy sharing this city we both love!

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Search Beyond Bourbon Street.

If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.

Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?

Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com

Thanks for listening!

Mark

Guidebooks to Sin: the Blue Books of Storyville, New Orleans

In 1897, New Orleans leaders created Storyville, the infamous red light district of New Orleans. For the next twenty years, Storyville was the legal center of prostitution in the Crescent City.

The blue books were small guides that listed the 'finer' bordellos and even the individual prostitutes. The idea was likely cribbed from various other blue books which noted places and people of distinction.

My guest this week is Pamela Arceneaux, an author, senior librarian, and rare books curator at the Historic New Orleans Collection. Pamela has written a wonderful book, called the Guidebooks to Sin: the Blue Books of Storyville.

In this first of two episodes about the infamous New Orleans red light district, we discuss the creation of Storyville and the role of the blue books. We learn about the surprising contents and how they helped cement New Orleans’ reputation as an entertainment and tourist destination. We talk about the jazz and ragtime musicians who provided the musical entertainment and often began their collaboration with others.

All this and more in this episode of Beyond Bourbon Street!

You can find Pamela’s book at local booksellers, including Octavia Books, Garden District Book Shop and Maple Street Book Shop, as well as at The Historic New Orleans Collection. You can also find Guidebooks to Sin on Amazon.

Explore the Historic New Orleans Collection online and in person. They are located at 533 Royal Street, in the heart of the French Quarter.

Links and show notes for today's episode can be found at http://beyondbourbonst.com/34

Thank you to Pamela Arceneaux for sharing her enthusiasm and knowledge about Storyville and the blue books that serve as the bibliogrpahy to the sex trade during the Storyville period.

Thanks to Eli Haddow at the Historic New Orleans Collection for arranging the interview.

A special word of thanks to Sally Asher for connecting me to Pamela. Sally was a guest on episode #22, the Cemeteries of New Orleans. This is one of our most popular shows, so be sure to check it out! Sally also wrote a wonderful book that tells the stories of the people buried in The St. Louis Cemeteries of New Orleans. Find it at the local booksellers mentioned above and on Amazon.

Thanks to Kate McCreary for helping with the research into Storyville and this fascinating social experiment in New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century!

Finally, thanks to you for allowing me into your ears every other week. I truly enjoy sharing this city we both love!

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Search Beyond Bourbon Street.

If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.

Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?

Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com

Thanks for listening!

Mark

Top Ten Things to Do in City Park 

In the last episode, we covered the history of City Park. Today, we dive into the top ten things to in the park. In addition to things to do and see, we also discuss how to get to New Orleans City Park and what you should bring with you.

We'll explore the park together. Along the way, we'll wander through the oldest grove of oak trees, and share an order (or two!) of beignets at the Morning Call. Perhaps we'll play a round of miniature golf and take in the outdoor sculpture garden as well. If you're up for it, we'll take a bike ride and learn about one of City Park's newest attractions, Big Lake.

All this and more in today's show!

NOTE: Get your pen and paper ready because you'll definitely want to take notes...

New Orleans City Park is located in the Midcity neighborhood of New Orleans and is accessible by taking the Canal St. streetcar (the red one). It is just a couple miles from the French Quarter and offers plenty of free parking.

Friends of City Park is a local non-profit organization dedicated to improving the park. You can purchase annual memberships which provide free or discounted admission to many of the ticketed venues within City Park, including the annual Celebration in the Oaks.

To download a map of City Park, click here.

The two websites combined will provide all the details, history and calendars of events you need to get the most out of your visit to City Park.

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.  New episodes are available every other Wednesday. You can find us on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook| Website

Thanks for listening!

Mark

mark@beyondbourbonst.com

In this episode I talk with John Hopper, the Chief Development Officer and Director of Public Affairs for New Orleans City Park. We dive into the history of one of the largest urban parks in the United States.

City Park in New Orleans was first envisioned as a public place in the mid-1800s, but as you'll learn, the land was first inhabited by Native Americans who found the land along Bayou Metairie suitable for their lifestyle.

It was later the site of the Allard Plantation before being purchased by John McDonogh for the purpose of giving it to the city to be used as a park.

John and I discuss the history of the park from its very beginning through present day. Along the way, you'll hear stories of duels, grand architecture, the Works Progress Administration, a Mexican sculptor with ties to Pancho Villa, and more!

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.  New episodes are available every other Wednesday. You can find us on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook| Website

Thanks for listening!

Mark

mark@beyondbourbonst.com