Beyond Bourbon Street - An Insider's Guide To New Orleans

My guest has been a vendor at St. Roch Market since its 2015 reopening — and when the historic food hall was on the brink of closing in 2023, he refused to let it die. Today he runs the whole operation, a 150-year-old New Orleans landmark home to twelve independent vendors serving everything from Gulf oysters to Egyptian falafel to Burmese noodles under one roof on St. Claude Avenue. Join me and Kevin Pedeaux as we discuss the St. Roch Market.

Today's episode is all about a traditional jazz camp held each year in New Orleans. About 15 years ago my guest, Banu Gibson, looked up and realized there was no jazz camp in New Orleans, so she and a couple other people decided to create one. Join me as we learn all about the camp - what it's about, who it's for, and how even non-participants can enjoy their work!

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week is a great time for entrepreneurs to come together, get some education, network, and have a good time. To talk to us about it, I'm joined by two people heavily invleved in putting this year's event togather, Lisa La Cour and Sam McCabe. 

As we've done for many years, today we're going to preview Mardi Gras 2026 with our friend Arthur Hardy. This one is especially sweet as Arthur is retiring after 50 years. We look back on his career, on the iconic Mardi Gras Guide he created, and look to the future and what this Carnival season holds for us.

Today's episode is both a celebration of our 10th anniversary, and a question and answer show. Here are the timestamps for each question:   06:00 - Timbo Kite - ICE Impact 07:18 - Chad Lancaster - Pitching Guests 12:33 - Tracy Popken - Mardi Gras House Decorations 15:56 - Charles Goldberg - Mark's Interview Style 25:27 - Cliff Hochberg - Moving Back to Raise the Girls 31:23 - Mark Wingfield - Things You've Changed Your Mind On 35:50 - Jeff Singer - How New Orleans Has Changed Since You Started the Show 39:35 - Brandon Breath - What Surprised You Most to Learn About the City 44:27 - Emily Hardessy - What Inspired You To Start the Podcast 47:10 - Carmelita Ortiz Salas - Advice for Someone Wanting to Move to New Orleans 49:36 - Michael Kaufman - Favorite Thing the Podcast Has Accomplished 53:03 - James Bricknell - 50th Birthday Dinner

Today's episode is all about things to do in December and early next year in New Orleans.

Meteorologists in New Orleans tend to become well known locally, probably due to our reliance on them during hurricanes. My guest today retired in 2024 after a long career as chief meteorologist at WDSU tv. Join me as I interview Margaret Orr about her career, Mardi Gras, retirement, and more.

Today's episode is all about the author Anne Rice, known for her books about vampires. To help me dive into all things Anne Rice, I'm, joined by Joel Sharpton, co-host of the podcast The Articulate Coven. 

Today's show is about a darkly named drink; the Obituary Cocktail. Made with gin, vermouth, and absinthe, it's origin is as mysterious as its name. Join me and author Sue Strachan as we discuss the drink, its origin, and where to sample one.

Today’s epsiode is about two of my favorite New Orleans treats, pralines and beignets. One of my favorite places to get both is Loretta’s Authentic Pralines. I’m joined today by the owner of Loretta’s, Mr .Robbie Harrison to discuss pralines, beignet's, and his mother's legacy. We also dive into the upcoming Beignet Fest.

Today, we talk about an exhibit at the Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) called The Trail they Blazed, featuring notable people and moments in the fight for civil rights in New Orleans and Louisiana at large. I am joined by HNOC curator Eric Seiferth.

Ever wonder about those free magazines you pick up around town? Well, I did. It led me down the path of wanting to find out more about Antigravity Magazine. Join me and editor/publisher Dan Fox as we discuss what Antigravityh is all about!

Discover the unique charm and rich history of New Orleans' cemeteries, where each one tells its own story. Explore beyond the famous spots and uncover hidden gems with Sally Asher in our latest episode

Saigon fell in April 1975. Shortly thereafter Vietnamese immigrants began arriving in New Orleans. Now, fifty years after the fall of Saigon, the Historic New Orleans Collection has created an exhibition telling their stories. Join me as I sit down with Senior Historian and Mark Cave to discuss the details.

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. Joy is also a native of the nearby community and is a descendant of the slaves at Whitney. On today’s show, you’ll learn... About the people who were kidnapped, sold into slavery, and came to work at the Whitney and other plantations along River Road. You’ll meet some of the slaves and hear their surprising connections to modern day New Orleanians. You’ll gain insight into the conditions they endured, and what plantation life was like for the enslaved. Most plantations along River Road were sugar plantations, so you’ll also learn about the process of making granulated sugar on a plantation. "We ask African America

Today’s episode is a question and answer epiosde with questions from listeners like you.

My guest is a successful business owner who created a shop focused on celebrating New Orleans through its offerings.

Ever wanted to support New Orleans artists but didn’t know how to connect with them other than a visit to the city? My guest today hopes to bridge that gap through her business called Cucuron. 

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 86th season in 2025. In the 1930s, Ernest Hansen created the first machine to shave ice into the snowy powder essential for a terrific New Orleans snowball. That machine is still put to daily use in the shop today! Mary Hansen ran the business, while Ernest was working as a machinist on the ships docked along the Mississippi. In their later years, the Hansen's ran the snowball stand together. As they got older, their granddaughter Ashley was their to assist, and ultimately to continue the tradition. "There are no shortcuts to quality” - Mary Hansen Mary Hansen uttered these words frequently, and ran her business by this code. Today, Ashley continues

Coastal restoration and finding ways to preserve the Louisiana Coast has been a topic I’ve wanted to explore for several years. Today, I’m joined by James Karst, Director of Communications at the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.