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

Today's show is our 2 nd annual Small Business Spotlight episode in advance of Small Business Saturday. I am joined by two New Orleans entrepreneurs, both with great stories and wonderful products. Sweet Olive Soap Works First up is Emily Manger, owner of Sweet Olive Soap Works . Emily comes from a long line of New Orleans soap makers. She also has an interesting connection to one of our sponsors,...

Marie Laveau, a New Orleans Voudou Priestess Have you ever been to New Orleans? Have you visited St. Louis Cemetery #1? If so, you've surely heard of Marie Laveau, often referred to as the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. In this episode we explore the life and the myths surrounding Marie Laveau. Join me as I talk with Carolyn Morrow Long, the author of   A New Orleans Voudou Priestess: The Legend and...

Fall Festivals in New Orleans, Part II Today's show is all about Fall Festivals in New Orleans. It is Part II of our Fall guide. In Episode #71 , we covered September and October. Today, we'll cover events in November and December. By the end of today's show, we will have you ready to go for your visit! Like Part 1 of the Fall Festivals Guide, I am joined by my wife, Marie Bologna. If you've joine...

Madame LaLaurie On April 10, 1834 a fire broke out at the LaLaurie residence on Royal Street in New Orleans. A crowd assembled, and quickly rushed in. What they found was beyond description. In this episode we learn about what happened on that day. We'll also explore the life of the infamous Madame LaLaurie and her gruesome acts.  Join me as I talk with Carolyn Morrow Long, an author who wrote the...

Talking New Orleans Food with Ian McNulty Today's show is all about New Orleans food! I'm joined by local writer, reporter, and food critic, Ian McNulty. We talk about the New Orleans food scene, past and present. Ian and I discuss changes post-Katrina, warning signs you might be in a tourist trap, and a whole lot more! By the end of today's show, you'll be hungry! You'll also have a long list of...

In today's episode, we explore the language of New Orleans. A dictionary and pronunciation guide for visitors to the Crescent City. You'll get a flavor of the city, learn a little about the history, and know what you're getting into when you come to visit!

Fall Festivals in New Orleans Today's show is all about things to do in New Orleans in the fall. We did a Summer episode (#63) that was very popular so we decided to follow up with a guide for the later months. There are so many fall festivals in New Orleans, we had to break it into two parts. Today's episode covers September and October. In a follow-up episode, we'll cover November, December, and...

National WWII Museum in New Orleans Did you know the National WWII Museum is in New Orleans? What's the connection to WWII and New Orleans? Come along as we explore the museum and learn the answers to these questions and more! Today's guest is Dr. Robert Citino, Senior Historian at the National WWII Museum. Dr. Citino is an award-winning military historian and scholar. He published ten books and n...

In this episode we answer more of your questions about New Orleans. We received so many questions for episode 67 that we decided to do another Q&A show. This time  I am joined by Julie Couret, whose roots run to the earliest days of New Orleans. She is a New Orleanian, a mom, a co-parent, the owner of a small business, and a blogger over at NOLA Mom's Blog (phew!). The questions cover everything f...

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 Campanell...

11 Questions about New Orleans In this episode we answer your questions about New Orleans! My wife, Marie, as well as our friends Jennifer and Chris Marshall join me on the podcast. Longtime listeners know that Jenn is the person who came up with the name of the podcast, Beyond Bourbon St. They also happen to be new New Orleanians. The questions cover everything from where to eat and drink, to wha...

NOTE: Today's discussion involves some gruesome descriptions of what happened on the night of Sunday, June 24, 1973. You may wish to listen to this one when your little ones are not around. On June 24, 1973 an arsonist set fire to a gay bar in New Orleans called the Up Stairs Lounge. Within moments fire engulfed the bar, and ultimately claimed the lives of 32 people. It was the largest massacre of...

In today's episode, we explore the history of the New Orleans poor boy. We trace the birth of the poor boy from the streetcar motormen strike of 1929 through today.  You'll be introduced to Benny & Clovis Martin, former motormen themselves who created the first poor boy. You'll also learn how the name poor boy came into being, and why the term po-boy is not quite correct! Along the way, we'll expl...

In today's episode, we explore New Orleans through the lens of architecture and time. Leading our expedition is Katrina Horning, founder of New Orleans Architecture Tours (nolatours.com) . We'll explore Faubourg Marigny and the French Quarter, then head uptown to the Garden District and beyond. At the same time, we'll hop in the wayback machine and travel from the earliest days of New Orleans, thr...

Summer Festivals in New Orleans In today's episode, we jump into the warm weather and help prepare you for Summer festivals in New Orleans! I am joined for the first time by my wife Marie Bologna. Together, we'll walk you through nearly two dozen Summer festivals and events in New Orleans. You'll learn about Bayou Boogaloo, the Creole Tomato Festival, Essence Fest, and many more. We give you all t...

In today's episode, we visit with author and snowball aficionado Megan Braden-Perry. Her book, Crescent City Snow, the Ultimate Guide to New Orleans Snowball Stands is our roadmap as we explore snowball stands across New Orleans. Learn about what to expect and what to order - from unique flavors to the snowball combo meal, and more! Do you know the difference between a snow cone and a snowball? Ev...

Hansen's Sno-Bliz and the Story of the New Orleans Snowball In today's episode, we head over to Hansen's Sno-Bliz on Tchoupitoulas Street, in uptown New Orleans. We visit with Ashley Hansen, granddaughter of Ernest and Mary Hansen, and the current owner of Hansen's Sno-Bliz. Hansen's is the oldest snowball stand in the United States, and is currently open for its 79th season in 2018. In the 1930s,...

In today's episode, we head over to the Historic New Orleans Collection in the French Quarter, and explore their newest exhibit, titled, New Orleans, the Founding Era . The exhibit is part of the tricentennial of New Orleans celebration and is a great way to envision what the city was like at the very beginning. It brings together a vast array of rare artifacts from the Historic New Orleans Collec...

John Thomas Griffith, Rock n Roll Guitarist Born in Texas, John Thomas Griffith lived in a handful of places before he landed in New Orleans. The son of an engineer, Griff fell in love with music at an early age. He was part of the 1980s punk band Red Rockers who had a hit with the single "China," before teaming up with Fred Leblanc, Paul Sanchez, and Paul Clement to form Cowboy Mouth. Today, John...

The Myrtles Plantation In this episode, Mark talks with Morgan Moss and Miss Hester Eby about the Myrtles Plantation. The Myrtles Plantation is said to be one of the most haunted homes in America. It has been featured on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, the Travel Channel and many others.   Listen in as Mark, Morgan, and Miss Eby talk about General Bradford and the Whiskey Rebellion. Yo...

Cemeteries & Traditions in New Orleans In this episode, Mark talks with Sally Asher, author of The St Louis Cemeteries of New Orleans.  Sally's book is a fascinating exploration into the lives of the people buried in some of New Orleans' most historic cemeteries.   Listen in as Mark and Sally talk about why New Orleanians bury their deceased above ground.  The two discuss the history behind the St...

Who Invented Mardi Gras? In today's episode, we tackle a controversial subject - who invented Mardi Gras? Mobile or New Orleans? My guest is Ted Flotte, with the Historic Mobile Preservation Society and Joe Cain Marching Society. Ted and I explore the history of Carnival and Mardi Gras in both Mobile and New Orleans.   On today's show, you'll learn... About the many things Mobile and New Orleans s...

Louisiana Plantation Country - a Trip Along River Road In today's episode, we visit Louisiana plantation country. We'll travel along the stretch of river road from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. Along the way, we'll visit twelve plantations. On today's show, you'll get... An overview of each plantation, and an idea of what to expect. Pointers for how you might approach the trip, depending on the amou...

Slavery in Louisiana - a Visit to Whitney Plantation In today's episode, we learn about slavery in Louisiana. We visit Whitney Plantation, located in Wallace, LA 40 miles West of New Orleans. The Whitney is the only plantation whose primary focus is on the slaves who worked, lived, and died along this stretch of the Mississippi River. My guest today is Joy Banner, Director of Marketing at Whitney....

Bienville's Dilemma and the Founding of New Orleans In the Spring of 1718, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville presided over a small ceremony on the banks of the Mississippi River and officially founded what we know today as the City of New Orleans. How did Bienville come to choose this site for New Orleans? What were the other options and how do those decisions impact New Orleanians today? In tod...