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louisiana new orleans

Valence Cemetery

Valence Cemetery
Valence Cemetery
I drive by the Valence Cemetery fairly often but I’ve never stopped by until a few days ago. I always thought it was weird to hang out in a graveyard, even in my woe-is-me goth phase. In New Orleans neighborhoods are littered with these smaller graveyards that are often overshadowed by their grander, more famous counterparts such as the St. Louis Cemetery and Greenwood Cemetery. Sadly, the Valence Cemetery, established in 1867, is neglected. Weeds and overgrown grass have taken over the walkways and encroach on the final resting places of the deceased. While these smaller sites desperately need someone to maintain them, I’ll take the solitude of a dilapidated cemetery over throngs of tourists taking selfies next to tombstones any day.
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french quarter louisiana new orleans worth the trip

Worth The Drive: French Quarter

Eventually the perks that come with your zip code become as commonplace and mundane as stopping for a red light in the middle of the afternoon. It’s been my mission this summer to do a little exploring in my own backyard, traveling to places that I always find a reason to talk myself out of going to. Even though the French Quarter is just a 15 minute car ride (or a 30 minute bike ride) from my house, somehow I always make an excuse not to go. It’s too hot outside. It’s too cold outside. The parking sucks. I don’t feel like dealing with tourists. I’m trying not to spend money/drink/I don’t feel like walking. Sometimes you just have to say “screw it” and do something fun. I took a few of these photos on the Fourth of July, hence the fireworks, but I’ve been back twice since then. Might as well, right? 

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new orleans southern style summer travel vacation

Sweating Season

Front Yard Foliage

     Let’s face it, New Orleans can be downright miserable in the summer. The humidity slaps you in the face like a steaming wool blanket the second you walk out the door. It’s all bad hair days and sweaty clothes from now until October. The city goes into a reverse hibernation, with many people taking the opportunity to travel. For whatever reason, I’m usually the dummy that doesn’t get out of town during the hottest part of the year. This year, that’s got to change.

     August marks our ten year wedding anniversary (when in the hell did that happen?!)  and while we were planning on renewing our vows where we got married, the timing was off (thanks, fall school schedule) so we opted not to say “I Do” again, at least not this year.  Instead, we’re packing up the car for a week long road trip: NOLA>Atlanta>Asheville>Louisville>Pigeon Forge. I’m looking forward to making road trip playlists, visits with friends and family along the way, truck stop dinners and dusting off our trusty two man tent. Goodbye humidity, hello clean mountain air. 

So, what’s your summer travel itinerary looking like?

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food louisiana new orleans southern style

Splendid Pig Is Poppin’ Up All Over

By now you’ve probably heard that pop up restaurants have infiltrated New Orleans. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, I’ll sum it up: an already established business allows a chef to utilize their space during times that the kitchen is closed. Why dine at a pop up when we already have so many options? For starters, the chefs are usually restaurant veterans that are attempting to break out on their own. Many of them do it to flex their creative muscles, often serving underrepresented food in a city that frequently caters to tourists’ palate more than locals. You’ll also be supporting up and coming restaurant owners, winning bragging rights of discovering them first when they (hopefully) open a more permanent eatery. Think of it as being a satiated early adopter. 


     My friends at Splendid Pig, husband and wife team Brandon Blackwell and Jennifer Sherrod,  have been running their pop up restaurant out of Carrollton Station every Monday night since November of last year. Even though Splendid Pig has only been in operation for seven months, the duo brings years of experience to the operation.  Brandon was sous chef at Upperline, as well as a butcher at Cleaver & Co., while Jennifer filled the general manager position at Martinique Bistro for fifteen years. In other words, you’re in capable hands in terms of food and service.  Splendid Pig’s menu is comprised of small plates, ranging in price from $6-$9. As the name indicates, pork is the standout, but their offerings are surprisingly diverse. The focus is Southern, utilizing locally grown and raised produce and meats. Inglewood Farms pecans graces the seared Louisiana drum this week, accompanied by a roasted summer squash polenta, charred tomato vinaigrette and mint. Covey Rise Farms supplied the corn for this week’s chilled corn soup with pickled squash, marinated crab claws and chili oil. For those of you with a sweet tooth, two desserts are always up for grabs. The boozy brownie, the mainstay option, is based on a different cocktail recipe each week. My advice? Bring a friend or two and sample the entire menu. 
 
Last month Splendid Pig expanded, taking over Milk Fish in Mid-City once a month. Starting in July, they will be in Coulis every Tuesday night.  I took these photos for them six weeks ago; keep in mind the menu changes weekly. For the entire month of June, Splendid Pig is participating in the Locavore Challenge, which challenges diners to eat 100% locally sourced ingredients. Several dishes adhere to the local stipulation, even down to the pecan oil.
 
Check out this week’s menu here, and make sure to get on their weekly mailing list. Catch them tonight at Carrollton Station, or this Wednesday at MilkFish in Mid-City. Pssst! Yours truly will be working Wednesday’s dinner service, so pop in (see what I did there?) and say hi. 
 
 
 
Splendid Pig Schedule:
 
Every Monday 6:00-9:30pm (ages 21 and up):
Carrollton Station, 8140 Willow St. 
Liquor: Carrollton Station is a bar.
 
Every Tuesday 6:00-9:30pm (starting July 1st):
Coulis, 3625 Prytania St.
Liquor: BYOB, mocktails and mixers available for purchase. 
 
Wednesdays 6:00-9:30pm (once a month, date changes):
Milkfish, 125 N. Carrollton Ave. 
Liquor: BYOB
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festivals french quarter local flavor louisiana new orleans

French Quarter Fest

 
I’ve been in a festin’ mood thanks to the balmy, seventy degree weather (finally!) so I decided to head out to French Quarter Fest with a friend to indulge in alligator sausage, po-boys and a frozen daiquiri to wash it all down with. The main music stages and food booths can bring out the claustrophobia in most anyone, so if you’re not the crowd lovin’ type I’d suggest hanging out at the equally entertaining yet relatively more intimate stages away from Woldenberg Park and Jackson Square.  It was also the perfect day to play around with my camera (no iPhone snapshots here!) and get some practice in. We’ve had the most beautiful, picturesque skies that just beg to have their photo taken. How could I not comply?
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events fashion louisiana new orleans shoes

Yeah, You Write

After clocking far too many hours on my laptop this semester, I’m happy to say that I’ve been chosen to read my original work “Blue Laser Beams” at the University of New Orleans’ Yeah, You Write series. If you’d like to listen to me attempt to not stumble on my own written words, check out the event this Thursday night. My non-fiction story is about a teenager whose fashion choices alienate her from the rest of her classmates. She wants to stand out, yet secretly wants to fit in as well. Here’s a sample:


         

Baker’s neon sign was a laser beam cutting through my fog of teenage angst. I was a product of the 1990s grunge era: a crushed velvet dress, worn with a flannel shirt tied around the waist, and clunky shoes is the look I lusted after. I blended in at school about as well as a duck hunter sporting a safety orange vest on Wall Street. “Sassy Magazine” was my fashion bible, but the clothes featured in the editorial spreads were either too expensive or unavailable to me. Shipping costs were deemed a waste of money in our household, so catalog orders were off limits as well. Little did I know that my shoe fantasies would be fulfilled at Baker’s. And sure enough, tucked away in a forgotten corner of the store were the flashiest shoes I could find and they were seventy-five percent off! Of course they were deeply discounted; no one in my town would be caught dead wearing platform lace ups with the veneer of a diner seat booth. The baby powder blue vinyl, embedded with a million holographic sparkles, reflected the joy I felt in being  one sales transaction away from being just as cool as my rock star idols. The white platform rubber soles with the wrap around faux blonde wood would proclaim my status as someone more worldly than my suburban roots. Everyone I encountered would think “That girl! She listens to Mazzy Star and Nirvana and would pierce her nose if her mother let her!”

Yeah, You Write: UNO Undergraduate Reading
Thursday, March 20 6:00pm
Sandbar at the Cove, UNO Campus 
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costumes DIY local flavor louisiana mardi gras new orleans secondhand what i wore

Mardi Gras: Look ma, no pants!

Oh, Mardi Gras. It was one of the coldest and rainiest Fat Tuesdays ever, but that didn’t stop the die hard crazies from heading out, including us. Since I never take the weather into consideration when planning a costume, wool socks under wool tights under green tights under fishnets was the only way to go. I felt like a contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race underneath all that hosiery. Despite how nasty it was, we managed to laissez les bon temps rouler anyway. Needless to say, I didn’t bring my camera in fear of getting it wet, so these were the only non iPhone pics we took. 
This year, I decided to make our hats. With about 12 hours total of hand stitching ( I rarely glue anything, unless sewing isn’t an option) I gave myself a bit of a break and thrifted our tops, minus some embellishments that I added. It’s always fun to play dress up, but I’m allowing myself a sweatshirt and jeans day today after freezing my toes off. Hopefully we’ll have better weather next year but hey, a little rain never stopped me from having a good time anyway. 

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boutiques louisiana new orleans secondhand shopping southern style

oh hey now

Oh hey now, I went and started a Slow Southern Style Instagram. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite snapshots of New Orleans culture, served with a side of personal style. Of course y’all can still keep up with my personal account if you’re so inclined. We’re in the thick of Carnival season this weekend. Parades are rolling all day, every day and I’ll be out on the streets snapping pictures all weekend long. Of course Mardi Gras Day is basically my Christmas morning; I’ll be up at the crack of dawn on Fat Tuesday, ready for some carnival adventures. See y’all on the parade route. 

Necklace Bayou Bohemian| Sweater LnA via Rise| Jeans Banana Republic|
Jacket vintage Levi’s via Buffalo Exchange| Oxfords Frye via Buffalo Exchange

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new orleans pets southern style what i wore

Say Hello To My Little Friends

Frye flats| Blouse from my sis, assorted necklaces (the N stands for Nadia)| Rose gold leather cuff from Satchel

Crawfish claw pendant necklace and cameo belt buckle| Meteorite ring, anniversary gift| Camper heels

Izzy, our newest needle nose. Scroll down for the story.

Loretta is a hellion, Piper is sweet as can be.

Black leather and brass belt| Asymmetrical skirt c/o Abeille NOLA (old)| Banana Republic flats

The month of August was a particularly cruel one. As anyone who knows me can attest, I’m a big animal lover. Our pets are family, and the death of an animal is the equivalent of losing your best friend. My husband and I unexpectedly lost Proteus, one of our cats of eight years, and Nadia, our sweet greyhound, two weeks later. I won’t go into personal details here, but the mourning process was a long one. While nothing will replace those two, we’ve welcomed Izzy, Loretta, and Piper to our home. They’re all getting along, although LoLo, Proteus’ brother, still rules the roost.

All pictures are from my Instagram account. Follow me at @christylorio and while you’re at it, check out @nolaprop for more photos .

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W Hotel Hosts New Orleans Fashion Week Retail Therapy Event

I don’t know about y’all, but I’m pretty much always in need of a manicure. I can usually spruce up my claws at home but when my cuticles really get out of control, I head to the pros. Next Wednesday, treat yourself to a little mid-week pampering at Retail Therapy, a New Orleans Fashion Week event at the W Hotel. For $20, Spa Atlantis is offering mini-manis and “signature martinis”, or just stop in to browse the fashionable offerings from Langford Market, The Blues Jean Bar, Hazel & Florange and Hemline. The event is free to the 21 and up crowd. For more information, visit W Hotel’s Happenings.
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