Happy Fat Tuesday, New Orleans! It's Mardi Gras Time!!

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It's Mardi Gras time in New Orleans!  Cited to be the "biggest free show on earth," Mardi Gras is a exhilarating fusion of parades, celebrations, fun and parties.  Endless parties.
The grand finale of New Orleans Mardi Gras is today, February 12, 2013, better known as Fat Tuesday, when the partying ways of eclectic Bourbon Street comes to a prompt end at midnight.  




Thanks to New Orleans Tourism and Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras Guide for these who knew?! Mardi Gras facts:

• there have been almost 2,000 Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans since 1857
• the official colors of Mardi Gras are purple (symbolizing justice), green (for faith), and gold (depicting power)
• more than 500,000 King Cakes (Danish pastry) are sold during Mardi Gras in hopes of finding the lucky plastic baby hidden inside - finding the baby also means it's your turn to host the next party or to just buy another King Cake, but what's the fun in that?! ;)
• the combined parade routes total 301 miles and 204 hours of processions
• Mardi Gras super krewe (carnival club/social club/charitable organization) parades of Orpheus, Endymion and Bacchus, more than 2.5 million collectible doubloons (plastic or aluminum coins stamped with krewe insignias) will be tossed to parade watchers exclaiming the traditional "throw me something, mista!!"
• the oldest New Orleans Mardi Gras krewe of Comus was founded in 1857
• in one year alone, one carnival company sold 41 million strings of Mardi Gras parade beads
• over 95% of New Orleans 30,000 hotel rooms will be full during Mardi Gras
• Tulane University estimates Mardi Gras has a direct economic impact on the city of New Orleans to the tune of USD $144 million 

For more information on Mardi Gras, visit New Orleans Tourism.

Happy Fat Tuesday, New Orleans!!

Feed Your Need for Beads!

BIG EASY: 'Disney’s The Lion King' Theater Revieux (with special guest revieuxer…)

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Okay, so Les Bon Temps Mom was not feeling very bon on Friday, the night Disney’s The Lion King, presented by Broadway in New Orleans, opened at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts here in New Orleans. So, Les Bon Temps Dad took our 6-year-old son, who is making his debieux today, as Les Bon Temps Boy.

It sounded like a good idea at the time. However, getting his feedback was a little like trying to eat Jell-O with chopsticks. But, let’s give it a shot. Take it away, LBT Boy…

When we got there, we were kind of early. We had to wait about eight hours for the show to start, but I got a Capri Sun and a goody bag with pretzels and fruit snacks. That was good.

So, you somehow entered a timewarp, but managed to score awesome refreshments. Got it. Do go on.

Then we got to our seats, and they started playing music, and giraffes and birds and a “hunormous” elephant came marching in from behind us. They were puppets. Some looked real, and some didn’t. I could see the strings sometimes. They really need to work on getting invisible strings.

Duly noted.

When asked to elaborate on the puppets, his description became more show than tell, with a whole lot of pantomime and sound effects, so LBT Dad had to step in with a more coherent explanation. Much of the puppetry involves mechanical headpieces and large, elaborate costumes that require tools, and often more than one person, to move all the parts. A little research revealed that the techniques they use are Bunraku Puppetry from Japan, and shadow puppetry from Indonesia.

Okay, back to LBT Boy. Let’s hear about the story…

Simba’s dad (Mufasa, the king) is trying to teach him how to be a lion, but everyone laughed when he tried to roar. His uncle (Scar) was a bad lion who kills his father. Simba was trying to climb up to get away from a herd of wildebeests. His father came to help, but the uncle stabbed him with his claws and made him get run over. I didn’t like that part.

Simba’s uncle tells him it’s his fault his dad died, so Simba runs away. His new friends are a hog (Pumba, the warthog) and a little tiny guy with a hairy head and a hairy bottom (that’d be Timon, the meerkat), and he grows up. And his friends teach him to say “potato potata” (he either meant ”hakuna matata,” or the production has gone Gershwin, which I would enjoy). He went back and met his girlfriend and they kissed! Oooooh, we can’t have girlfriends at school! Then Simba got to be king.

Excellent. So, the storyline is easy to follow. And PDA is discouraged in kindergarten. Good to know.

I didn’t need to ask about his favorite part, as he interjected it into his synopsis (which I edited out, you're welcome) about every minute-and-a-half. Apparently, there is a monkey who occasionally pops in to shake its bottom or swing across the stage. LBT Dad informed me that this took up about 30 seconds of the entire show, but, if the level of hysterical laughter is any indication, it will be the highlight of LBT Boy's oral review to his schoolmates. And a letter home will likely follow.

How ‘bout some final words from LBT Boy...

What did you like least about the show?

When Simba’s dad died.

What did you like best? Besides the monkey.

I liked the music and the lights and the costumes.

Would you go see it again?

No. It was too long.

But , would you recommend it to your friends?

Yes!

Why?

Because they’d really like to see the monkey shaking his bottom!

Sigh. Jell-O and chopsticks, folks.

The Lion King is at the Mahalia Jackson Theater through April 15. Despite LBT Dad’s hilarious impression of LBT Boy’s frequent fidgeting and brief nap, they both gave the show high marks, overall. At almost 2 ½ hours (with a 15 minute intermission), perhaps the show runs a little long (especially the 8pm shows) for some kids. Maybe try an earlier show and/or stick with kids over 8. Go here for ticket information.

BIG SCREEN: Meet the Inspiring Talent Behind Louisiana's "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

To contact us Click HERE

I honestly believe that non-natives to South Louisiana provide some of the best perspectives on the unusual, unwieldy, slightly unsettling vibe of this region. And it helps when those non-natives are sort of kooky, creative types with keen powers of observation, and a genuine affection for this place.

The makers of Beasts of the Southern Wild, an independent film that’s been winning film festival awards and getting lots of great industry buzz, took on the rather daunting task of trying to convey the strange and remarkable undercurrent of energy that truly separates this region from the rest of the country, with pretty impressive results. Just as the movie's co-writer, Lucy Alibar suggests, “It’s cinematic, completely visual, and sensory. It does everything that only a movie can do.”

Shot in Terrebonne Parish using local, first-time actors, it’s the story of a young girl named Hushpuppy who lives in a remote, fictional swamp community at the very tip of Louisiana, called The Bathtub. Her mother has long since abandoned her, and her alcoholic, ailing father (Dwight Henry, owner of the Buttermilk Drop Bakery and Café in Mid-City, New Orleans) uses a tough-love approach in preparing his daughter for his death and an impending storm, which is threatening to decimate their home.

At first glance, theirs is a filthy, harsh, bizarre existence, but as the story progresses, with the help of Hushpuppy’s insightful and colorful narration, and a rather unconventional filmmaking style, we begin to appreciate the amazing outlook that the lifestyle and culture has afforded this little girl. It combines mythological elements (prehistoric cave paintings that come to life) with ecological considerations (the destruction of Louisiana’s wetlands, thanks to disruptive levees) and existential ponderings (Hushpuppy often contemplates the unraveling of the fabric of the universe). The outcome is a very primal, yet sort of high-concept representation of the region. Does that sound obtuse and pretentious? Sorry, it’s a multi-layered film that’s a bit hard to describe!

Luckily, I got the chance to speak with the filmmaker, his co-writer, and the star of the movie just before the New Orleans premiere. Each add some much-needed humanity to my clumsy attempt at a synopsis.

After a little prodding, Quvenzhané Wallis, the spunky eight-year-old from Houma, Louisiana, who plays Hushpuppy, sheepishly admits that like any normal kid, she’d rather be spending time with her Yorkshire Terrier and family at home. But she politely responds to a question about the grueling post-production marketing campaign (which has included press junkets and trips down the red carpet in Cannes, L.A., and now New Orleans) by happily chirping, “I want to be positive, it’s all been great and beautiful!”

When I first met Quvenzhané, known as “Nazie” to friends and family, she had casually plopped herself in the director’s lap, and remained there while we chatted. This may sound a little sketchy on paper, but it was actually quite sweet, as Behn Zeitlin is a youthful, moppy-haired 29-year-old who seems more like her big brother than the boss who made her traipse around the swamps for seven weeks.

On the subject of filming the movie, she says, while grinning and hugging Behn’s neck, “It was not boring with this director! And I liked all the animals, except the pig. He was big and fat,” she admits, seemingly struggling to stop herself from holding her nose, as though indicating a possible pork-based hygiene issue would be rude. “And I’m used to the swamp, but I’m not used to the mosquitoes – all the mosquitoes! We don’t have mosquitoes like that in Houma!”

Mosquitos weren’t the only challenges they faced during filming. Guess what oil well in the Gulf of Mexico exploded during day-one of production! Considering the storyline of the movie, I wondered what effect the timing of the BP oil spill disaster would have on the production.

“It definitely felt like life imitating art. It was eery,” Behn explains. “We didn’t want to make a political movie or anything that was about the science of (Hurricane Katrina) or a call to action, but more of an emotional experience of living through an environmental catastrophe.”

And there it was. Right on cue.

Benh has been friends with his co-writer, the aforementioned Lucy Alibar, since they were 13 years old, so their decision to collaborate was an easy one. For this project, they decided to combine elements of Lucy’s imaginative, Southern gothic play, Juicy and Delicious, which is based on her own struggle to come to terms with her father’s declining health, with Behn’s short film, Glory at Sea, which is about a mysterious man who gets people to build a boat using Hurricane Katrina wreckage to rescue loved ones lost at sea. To gain a little insight during the writing process, they moved into a Terrebonne Parish fishing village to observe the language and the general vibe of the locals.

Lucy is a sunny, thoughtful young woman who uses her whole body to speak. When describing her experience in Louisiana, she gets a distant look in her eyes and seems to channel the tides, making wide, fluid motions with her arms. “I had never been to Louisiana before, but it felt like home,“ she admits. Then, she sums up the locals’ style of communication thusly, “They give you the whole world when you ask a simple question.”

Behn conveys a similarly esoteric, feel-don’t-think approach when describing the production. “We cast as we wrote, and we kind of let actors rewrite their roles. We tried to let places and people that are in the film breathe and speak for themselves, and not bring in preconceived notions. We were just trying to… stay back and not force any ideas.”

In speaking with both Benh and Lucy, you can’t help but recognize the heartfelt fondness they feel for this region. Benh has made New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood his permanent home, while Lucy admits that she’s never felt like a true New Yorker, and she wants to move to New Orleans, as well. I wondered how two writers from New York could connect so quickly and deeply with South Louisiana, then I discovered, they both have roots in the South. Behn’s mom is from South Carolina, while Lucy is originally from South Georgia.

Ah, therein lies the basis for the connection. South Louisiana is like the foreign-born cousin to the Deep South. It’s definitely its own country, but with some decidedly familial Southern threads.

As unique and somewhat odd as it is, Beasts of the Southern Wild probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but those who get it, will really appreciate the affection with which this film was made. It taps into and conveys the indescribably energy that locals are born with, and so many of us transplants are so excited to discover.

Beasts of the Southern Wild opens at The Theatres at Canal Place and Prytania Theater on July 4.

I know it's November but...

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October went by just a little too quick and I didn't get everything done that I'd hoped too. I had WAY more people submit ghost stories than what I thought  would and for that I want to say thank you, thank you, and  thank you. I didn't get the chance to post them all, but I have one more that I really wanted to share. Even though Halloween has come and gone, in some countries today is part of their Day Of The Dead celebration so I've still got time *wink* As they say, Where there's a will there is a way. Today's story is another one from my daughter written about a time when she was staying at my all time favorite place, The Crescent Hotel. I hope you enjoy it and remember you can find Keshia in the following places.
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                Oneyear while in college, my best friend and I decided to take a “girl trip” fullof shopping and pampering. On Mom’s recommendation, we went to Eureka Springs,Arkansas, and stayed at the Crescent Hotel. Of course, I knew about the hotel’shauntings, but my friend wasn’t a believer, so I decided to just not put muchemphasis on it. There was plenty for us to do without going ghost hunting.                On ourfirst night at the hotel, it stormed. If you’ve never been on top of a mountain(inside, of course) during a lightning storm, you don’t know what you’remissing. It was incredible. But eventually we got tired of taking pictures ofthe storm and went to bed.                I wasin that state between asleep and awake when I felt someone jump into bed withme after an especially loud clap of thunder. It wasn’t until after I’d rolledover to make more room that my brain kicked in and I realized that somethingwasn’t right about that. My best friend, the only other person in the room, wassoftly snoring in her bed, across the room. I slowly reached out toward thedepressed area of my bed and felt a distinct cold spot. Whatever was in my bedonly took up a small area of space, and I didn’t feel threatened, so I rolledover to go back to sleep.                A fewmoments later, another bolt of thunder sounded, and my friend quit snoring. I’dalmost drifted off when she hissed, “Keshia, there’s someone in my bed.” Shesounded, well, panicked. But the little form snuggled next to me was stillthere. I have enough of my mother in me to know it was time to do a little ghosthunting. I rolled out of bed, flipped on the light, and grabbed my camera.                Myfriend was sitting up, staring at an empty spot on her bed. “It’s right there.”She pointed, and when I ran my hand through the area, sure enough, there was acold spot. I quickly turned and snapped one picture of my bed before my camerabatteries died. But not to worry, I had extras. Rechargables, that I’d pluggedin before we went to sleep. Or did I?”                I ranover to where I’d left them, only to find the batteries scattered on the floor,and the charger, neatly folded up, sitting several feet from the outlet.Apparently, whatever was with us didn’t want their picture taken. As you canimagine, I had a lot of explaining to do.                Myfriend and I sat up for hours, talking about ghosts, what it was like to livewith them, and what I thought they were. I even talked to our bed-sharingghosts, but they weren’t willing to move at all. I finally convinced my friendto close her eyes and try to get an impression from the ghost lying at herfeet. She told me the first thing that came to her mind was a small child,afraid of the storm. When I told her that was very similar to what I felt, amixture of being calmed and exhausted let her fall asleep.                When wewoke the next morning, the storm had passed, and the cold spots were gone. Butneither one of us could get the incident off our minds. Finally, the eveningrolled around, and the hotel was putting on a ghost tour. We got there early totalk to the tour guide, wanting to see if anyone else had reported what we hadexperienced. I told him everything, leaving out only that my friend and I hadboth thought of scared children. The owner of the ghost tour listened to ourtale without comment. After we finished, he said he hadn’t heard anything ofthat nature before, but it didn’t surprise him. At one point the hotel had beena hospital, and our rooms were part of the children’s wing.

Lavender Cocktails for Any Time of Day

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Lavender imparts a one-of-a-kind taste sensation to cocktails, like the Bloody Lavender, above.
Got the winter blues? Here’s an exercise that may help. Imagine a field of lavender in bloom. Waves and waves of delicate purple buds, clustered atop frosted green leaves. You hear the wind gently rustle the leaves. Inhale and you can catch a whiff of its sweet, clean redolence. Nothing else in the world smells quite like it.

Or tastes quite like it, for that matter. When used in appropriate amounts, and mixed with just the right partner, lavender takes on a flavor that’s gently warming, filling your palate with a roundness that should remind you of a confection dissolving in your mouth. It should not taste soapy. If it does, you’ve either used too much in your recipe, or your taste buds just won’t tolerate the flavor, and never will. We’d like to think your aversion, if you have one, stems from the former. You want lavender to taste mildly floral and sweet, never harsh or bitter.

Grow lavender in the summer, when it’s in season, or, if you have good light, indoors throughout the year. Use the dried leaves and buds as you would any herb. During nongrowing seasons, you can find lavender buds in spice jars at higher-end grocery stores and specialty shops. If you don’t see it at your grocery store, and you don’t feel like traipsing across town, ask your vendor to stock it.

We use lavender in many expressions, especially in infusions and syrups. Infusing vodka or reposado tequila with lavender allows you to be extra-creative at your home bar, and using lavender-infused simple syrup can bring all the ingredients of a drink together for that special one-of-a-kind flavor. If you’re lucky, you may find artisinal lavender syrup at your purveyor of exotic foods. If so, buy some to see how you like it compared to the stuff you’re about to make.

Lavender-Infused Vodka*

Ingredients
1 750ml bottle vodka
3 tablespoons dried lavender buds or leaves

Method
In an airtight container, add vodka and lavender. (Rinse bottle and set aside, making sure not to throw away the cap.) Let infuse for up to 5 days, shaking it up every day and tasting it to see if it’s done enough for your taste buds. It should not taste too concentrated. Strain, through cheesecloth, back into original bottle and label “lavender vodka.”

* You can use another neutral spirit, such as unflavored moonshine, but if you really want to wake up your palate, the inherent depth and spiciness of reposado tequila pairs beautifully with lavender. Just substitute the same amount.

Lavender Simple Syrup

Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dried lavender buds or leaves

Method
Add water and sugar to a small saucepan. Gently crush lavender with a mortar and pestle (your fingers will do in a pinch) and add to saucepan. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so that sugar fully dissolves. Allow to cool for several hours, or overnight. Strain through cheesecloth into a sterile jar with a lid. May be kept in the refrigerator for up to a month.

❤ ❤ ❤
Now it’s time to make some cocktails. For something simple, put about a teaspoon of lavender syrup in a champagne flute, then top with about 5 ounces of champagne. That will give you an idea of how lavender flavors alcohol. It’s an elegant way to start a cocktail or dinner party. But, if you’re more adventurous, we have a few drinks we think you’ll make a permanent part of your cocktail repertoire.

Lavender Blue Dilly Dilly
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

The lavender Blue Dilly Dilly is a take on the classic Manhattan Cocktail with a flamed orange peel bringing all the flavors together.

Ingredients
2 ounces bourbon
1 scant ounce Dubonnet rouge
1 teaspoon lavender syrup
dash Angostura bitters
orange peel

Method
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Express orange peel through a match flame by holding the match over the drink and, with your other hand, in one quick, sharp squeeze, pinch the peel (outside of peel facing the match) so the oils spurt through the flame, causing a gentle flare-up. Then gently rub the outside of the peel around the rim and drop into the glass. (Feel free to try this drink on the rocks in a rocks glass.)

❤ ❤ ❤
Lavendel (Hermione Wallflower)
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

The Lavendel (German for lavender) may be the perfect brunch cocktail. It’s a riffing on the classic Harvey Wallbanger.

Ingredients
1/2 ounce honey liqueur (Bärenjäger, a German honey liqueur, works perfectly here)
1 1/2 ounces lavender-infused vodka*
5 ounces fresh-squeezed tangelo juice, strained (you can use orange or tangerine juice, as well)

Method
In a highball glass, add the lavender-infused vodka and tangelo juice. Fill 2/3 with ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Float Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur on top. Add straw, if you so desire, but sipping is preferred as you will end your imbibing with a nice honey kiss.

❤ ❤ ❤
Bloody Lavender
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

After dinner, you may want to serve some shortbread [CLICK THE LINK FOR OUR LAVENDER SHORTBREAD RECIPE], or a cheese plate. That’s where the Bloody Lavender comes into play. The scotch rinse adds depth, as do the drops of Peychaud’s bitters that float at the top, giving the cocktail its name. If you want a Bloody Lavender before dinner, just double the recipe (except for the scotch).

Ingredients
1 ounce lavender-infused vodka
1/2 ounce Licor 43, or other vanilla liqueur
4–6 drops Peychaud’s bitters
1/4 ounce single-malt scotch

Method
Rinse a chilled cocktail glass or coupe with scotch, swirling a few times, then discarding. (There should be a small amount left at the bottom of the glass.) Stir lavender-infused vodka and vanilla liqueur in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into the glass. Add bitters one drop at a time.

BIG SCREEN: Meet the Inspiring Talent Behind Louisiana's "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

To contact us Click HERE

I honestly believe that non-natives to South Louisiana provide some of the best perspectives on the unusual, unwieldy, slightly unsettling vibe of this region. And it helps when those non-natives are sort of kooky, creative types with keen powers of observation, and a genuine affection for this place.

The makers of Beasts of the Southern Wild, an independent film that’s been winning film festival awards and getting lots of great industry buzz, took on the rather daunting task of trying to convey the strange and remarkable undercurrent of energy that truly separates this region from the rest of the country, with pretty impressive results. Just as the movie's co-writer, Lucy Alibar suggests, “It’s cinematic, completely visual, and sensory. It does everything that only a movie can do.”

Shot in Terrebonne Parish using local, first-time actors, it’s the story of a young girl named Hushpuppy who lives in a remote, fictional swamp community at the very tip of Louisiana, called The Bathtub. Her mother has long since abandoned her, and her alcoholic, ailing father (Dwight Henry, owner of the Buttermilk Drop Bakery and Café in Mid-City, New Orleans) uses a tough-love approach in preparing his daughter for his death and an impending storm, which is threatening to decimate their home.

At first glance, theirs is a filthy, harsh, bizarre existence, but as the story progresses, with the help of Hushpuppy’s insightful and colorful narration, and a rather unconventional filmmaking style, we begin to appreciate the amazing outlook that the lifestyle and culture has afforded this little girl. It combines mythological elements (prehistoric cave paintings that come to life) with ecological considerations (the destruction of Louisiana’s wetlands, thanks to disruptive levees) and existential ponderings (Hushpuppy often contemplates the unraveling of the fabric of the universe). The outcome is a very primal, yet sort of high-concept representation of the region. Does that sound obtuse and pretentious? Sorry, it’s a multi-layered film that’s a bit hard to describe!

Luckily, I got the chance to speak with the filmmaker, his co-writer, and the star of the movie just before the New Orleans premiere. Each add some much-needed humanity to my clumsy attempt at a synopsis.

After a little prodding, Quvenzhané Wallis, the spunky eight-year-old from Houma, Louisiana, who plays Hushpuppy, sheepishly admits that like any normal kid, she’d rather be spending time with her Yorkshire Terrier and family at home. But she politely responds to a question about the grueling post-production marketing campaign (which has included press junkets and trips down the red carpet in Cannes, L.A., and now New Orleans) by happily chirping, “I want to be positive, it’s all been great and beautiful!”

When I first met Quvenzhané, known as “Nazie” to friends and family, she had casually plopped herself in the director’s lap, and remained there while we chatted. This may sound a little sketchy on paper, but it was actually quite sweet, as Behn Zeitlin is a youthful, moppy-haired 29-year-old who seems more like her big brother than the boss who made her traipse around the swamps for seven weeks.

On the subject of filming the movie, she says, while grinning and hugging Behn’s neck, “It was not boring with this director! And I liked all the animals, except the pig. He was big and fat,” she admits, seemingly struggling to stop herself from holding her nose, as though indicating a possible pork-based hygiene issue would be rude. “And I’m used to the swamp, but I’m not used to the mosquitoes – all the mosquitoes! We don’t have mosquitoes like that in Houma!”

Mosquitos weren’t the only challenges they faced during filming. Guess what oil well in the Gulf of Mexico exploded during day-one of production! Considering the storyline of the movie, I wondered what effect the timing of the BP oil spill disaster would have on the production.

“It definitely felt like life imitating art. It was eery,” Behn explains. “We didn’t want to make a political movie or anything that was about the science of (Hurricane Katrina) or a call to action, but more of an emotional experience of living through an environmental catastrophe.”

And there it was. Right on cue.

Benh has been friends with his co-writer, the aforementioned Lucy Alibar, since they were 13 years old, so their decision to collaborate was an easy one. For this project, they decided to combine elements of Lucy’s imaginative, Southern gothic play, Juicy and Delicious, which is based on her own struggle to come to terms with her father’s declining health, with Behn’s short film, Glory at Sea, which is about a mysterious man who gets people to build a boat using Hurricane Katrina wreckage to rescue loved ones lost at sea. To gain a little insight during the writing process, they moved into a Terrebonne Parish fishing village to observe the language and the general vibe of the locals.

Lucy is a sunny, thoughtful young woman who uses her whole body to speak. When describing her experience in Louisiana, she gets a distant look in her eyes and seems to channel the tides, making wide, fluid motions with her arms. “I had never been to Louisiana before, but it felt like home,“ she admits. Then, she sums up the locals’ style of communication thusly, “They give you the whole world when you ask a simple question.”

Behn conveys a similarly esoteric, feel-don’t-think approach when describing the production. “We cast as we wrote, and we kind of let actors rewrite their roles. We tried to let places and people that are in the film breathe and speak for themselves, and not bring in preconceived notions. We were just trying to… stay back and not force any ideas.”

In speaking with both Benh and Lucy, you can’t help but recognize the heartfelt fondness they feel for this region. Benh has made New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood his permanent home, while Lucy admits that she’s never felt like a true New Yorker, and she wants to move to New Orleans, as well. I wondered how two writers from New York could connect so quickly and deeply with South Louisiana, then I discovered, they both have roots in the South. Behn’s mom is from South Carolina, while Lucy is originally from South Georgia.

Ah, therein lies the basis for the connection. South Louisiana is like the foreign-born cousin to the Deep South. It’s definitely its own country, but with some decidedly familial Southern threads.

As unique and somewhat odd as it is, Beasts of the Southern Wild probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but those who get it, will really appreciate the affection with which this film was made. It taps into and conveys the indescribably energy that locals are born with, and so many of us transplants are so excited to discover.

Beasts of the Southern Wild opens at The Theatres at Canal Place and Prytania Theater on July 4.

London's Newest Attraction: The View from The Shard

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Cited to be the most 'eagerly awaited' sightseeing tourist attraction in all of London, The View from The Shard opens to the public this weekend on February 1, 2013.  
Offering stunning 360° views of the city for the first time in history, London's The View from The Shard was designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano.  As the equivalent of Paris's Eiffel Tower, the Shard stands almost as tall at 1,016 feet (310 metres) as compared to 1,050 feet (320 metres) for the Grande Dame, making The Shard is the 2nd tallest building in Europe!
With room to accommodate 400 people throughout the viewing platforms, visitors to The View from The Shard will first take an elevator to the 33rd floor followed by a second elevator up to the 68th floor triple-level main viewing platform.
The View from The Shard Hours of Operation
The View from The Shard is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., however, they highly recommended planning your visit in advance due to anticipated popular demand.  

The View from The Shard Admission Prices
Even though advance tickets are recommended, the View from The Shard admission is available for both a pre-purchase and same day pricing option as follows:

• Adult - £24.95 (USD $40) or £29.95 (USD $48) same day (subject to availability) 
• Child - £18.98 (USD $31) and £22.95 (USD $37) same day

For more information, visit The View from The Shard.
Images: The View from The Shard