Lafcadio Hearn did love New Orleans the same way I do—not only warts and all, but celebrating those warts. He loved the smell, the beauty, and the lackadaisical lifestyle, and like me, his main fear was New Orleans being dragged into the modern day...a fight we have been waging for hundreds of years with mixed results.

The author disagreeing with Tennessee Williams in front of a mural near the Streetcar route 2015 I will be the first to admit Tennessee Williams spelled better than me, and it’s highly probable he wrote better than I do. While I once got engaged at the Tennessee Williams table at Galatoire’s, he certainly never ate at the Jeff Shyman table at Cajun Seafood. So, yes, he beats me on all counts… almost. The man could never have excelled in the tour guide business—I definitely ha

I don’t have my future completely mapped out. I know I’ll keep eating, drinking, biking, and talking because those are the things I’m best at. I also doubt I’ll ever end up on death row. But if I ever have to order a last meal, I know exactly where it’s coming from: Cajun Seafood on Claiborne Ave. The whole reason we run our New Orleans Culinary Tour is to show people the incredible quality, variety, and cheap-as-hell brilliance of our neighborhood food. We focus on the Tremé

My whole adult life in New Orleans, I have lived within 10 blocks of the St. Roch Market. I lived walking distance away pre-Katrina when it was still Lama’s, I lived walking distance away when it was an abandoned symbol of a recovery going nowhere in the years that followed, and I still live walking distance now that it is a vibrant international showcase for local chefs. Only one thing has been steady: I’ve liked all of its eras. Oh, and even though it is walking distance, I

I love New Orleans, from the seeing the most obscure swampy corner in our inflatable kayak to the teeming Mardi Gras parades where you can't hide from the millions. You'll find many jaded folks putting down the old school New Orleans treasures, but that's not me. The New Orleanians of the past were right, and here are some of their best. Should we go to Preservation Hall, or is it too touristy? Preservation Hall is absolutely touristy, but only because us locals have been pa

The Ultimate Guide to New Orleans’ Faubourg Marigny: History From Washington Square Park If you want to experience New Orleans culture outside the French Quarter—where folks are picnicking (thanks to our liberal public drinking laws), kids are playing, and musicians and other local color are loitering—your journey couldn't start anywhere better than in the historic Faubourg Marigny. And cradled right at the gateway of this vibrant neighborhood is Washington Square Park, a bea

Following my last post's dive into the neighborhood magic of Frady's One Stop, it’s time for another of the many types behind our local food. After 15 years of leading culinary tours on the Creole side of New Orleans, I’ve seen great places pop up, and better places close down. A lot of tasty memories live with my customers and me. Cheezy Cajun will always have a place in my heart with their cheese-filled boudin balls. I still dream about Chef Micah Martello's shrimp and grit