The Carousel Bar and the Hotel Monteleone are once again home to Tales of the Cocktail... and Louie Prima!

Tales of the Cocktail is a dining and drinking experience that explores the history and spirit of the cocktail this summer on July 19-23, 2006, at various locations in the New Orleans French Quarter. The 2006 event will be the fourth consecutive year of Tales of the Cocktail, which has attracted and entertained thousands of locals, tourists, best-selling authors, award-winning chefs, celebrity bartenders and mixologists to the city famed for the creation of the cocktail.

The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to benefit hospitality industry members, produce Tales of the Cocktail annually. Its mission is to preserve the rich history of the restaurants and bars of New Orleans and the unique culture of dining and drinking famous to the city, while educating locals, visitors, and the hospitality industry about this culinary heritage.

“Tales of the Cocktail has decided to keep the event in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, as a sign of support and rebirth for New Orleans and the Gulf South,” said Ann Rogers, event founder and organizer. “By hosting the event, we hope to encourage locals and visitors to experience the wonderful, historical bars and restaurants, and other cultural attractions in New Orleans that have reopened as they are an integral part of our city’s culture.”

Tales of the Cocktail is a dining and drinking experience for the connoisseur or amateur to fully experience (taste, see and learn about) cocktail culture in New Orleans and around the world. The event’s annual components are Spirited Dinners, featuring dinner pairings at New Orleans’ oldest and most famous restaurants; a series of seminars and discussions on bartending, cocktail history and other industry trends; Cocktail Hour, featuring book signings, cooking and cocktail mixing demos; Dine and Design, a luncheon with presentations on entertaining at home; walking tours of the French Quarter; and classic and contemporary cocktail parties-- all presented by the country’s hottest chefs, authors, bartenders and cocktail experts. Events for 2006 will include seminars and discussions on subjects including:

• Mixing cocktails at home
• Classic New Orleans cocktails
• Pairing spirits and food
• Bar Tools of the Trade
• Current trends in the spirits industry
• Certified bartending course
• World premiere of the documentary, “The History of the Cocktail”
• “Sippin’ on 7,” a contemporary cocktail party
• Champagne Brunch
• “Martinis and Makeovers”
• Luncheon and presentation for gentlemen, on pairing bourbon with meats

“By honoring their commitment to the hold the event in New Orleans, Tales of the Cocktail assists in the theme of rebuilding New Orleans,” said Mitch Landreiu, Lt. Governor for the State of Louisiana. “New Orleans will rebuild better than ever and once again be the crown jewel of the South and the French Quarter, the heart of our city, still beats strong, so we appreciate the efforts our event planners and organizers are taking by moving forward.”

Tickets for Tales of the Cocktail will go on sale in early 2006, and can be purchased online at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com. All events will require an RSVP or ticket.

For more information on Tales of the Cocktail, please visit the website at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com and register your name to receive updates, or call 1-800-299-0404. The Hotel Monteleone is the headquarter hotel for Southern Comfort’s Tales of the Cocktail, where much of the event takes place, and will feature a special package during the weekend in July. Visit www.hotelmonteleone.com for rates and special packages.

Hotel Monteleone

The Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans’ oldest French Quarter hotel, rang in the new year by celebrating the sounds and tastes of the city. When the famous king cakes rolled out on Jan. 6, the world-renowned “King of the Cocktail,” Dale Degroff, joined “New Orleans’ Bartender of the Year” Marvin Allen on his home turf in the famous Carousel Bar. Then on Jan. 18, the hotel celebrates the unique sounds of Louis Prima, the late jazz singer and trumpeter who performed some of his final shows at the hotel 25 years ago.

“We hope to start 2006 off on the right foot and in a spirit that is uniquely New Orleans,” said Andrea Thornton, director of sales and marketing. “Let’s put the tragedies of 2005 behind us and celebrate the qualities that make this city one the premier tourist destinations in the world and the ideal place to live for our local residents.”

America’s foremost “mixologist,” Dale DeGroff, conducted a bartending seminar and stirrred it up in the Carousel Bar’s Tales of the Cocktail event. DeGroff developed his extraordinary techniques and talent tending bar at great establishments. In New York’s famous Rainbow Room, he pioneered a gourmet approach to recreating the great classic cocktails and invented more than 400 of his own, using fresh squeezed juices and exotic ingredients. He will be officially awarding the newly-crowned “Bartender of the Year” Marvin Allen, according to New Orleans Magazine, and joining him behind the bar. Allen has been tending to the hotel’s patrons for three-and-a-half years.

I’m honored to carry the title for the city and for the Hotel Monteleone, especially in light of the difficult few months we’ve all weathered,” added Allen. “It’s a privilege to share the bar with an expert like Dale DeGroff and remind New Orleanians of our resilient spirit.”

Also on tap for the January celebrations is a series of Wednesday night events honoring the legendary New Orleans’ native Louis Prima, one of the musical giants of the past seven decades. Prima died 25 years ago, but not before performing some of his final shows at the Monteleone’s Sky Lite Lounge. Each Wednesday night, the Carousel’s resident entertainer John Autin will be joined by singer Julie Jules in a tribute to Prima, along with some of the original members of Prima’s swing band.

“Our goal is to bring back the glory days of the past as we all work toward rebuilding our cultural and economic future,” explained Thornton. “What better way than to celebrate all that is good and unique to our city than to highlight the tastes and sounds of the Big Easy?”

NEW ORLEANS — Jan. 10, 2006 – Beginning Monday, Jan. 23, New Orleanians can again raise a glass, sample authentic German lagers, brewed fresh, "on premise," and enjoy eclectic American cuisine influenced by bold international flavors at Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant.

Located at 200 Poydras St. at Convention Center Blvd., Gordon Biersch is a “modern-day brewpub” that combines the warm, comfortable feel of a gathering place to enjoy fresh beer with an innovative, exciting menu in a contemporary, yet casual environment. The 10,000-square-foot brewery restaurant features a fully operational brewery, along with festive outdoor patio seating.

“Gordon Biersch has become a favorite to locals and tourists. As the city recovers and rebuilds, we look forward to once again being a part of the city’s distinctive flavor,” said Allen Corey, president and CEO of Gordon Biersch. “We came to New Orleans to build our own reputation as a dining destination for New Orleanians who savor authentic, freshly brewed lagers and a menu that utilizes the freshest local ingredients to create bold flavors that complement our beer. We accomplished that goal and are committed to continuing what we started in the city. We think we will be a welcomed alternative to business people downtown at lunch and residents across the city in the evenings.”

Gordon Biersch specializes in authentic lagers generated by the 500-year old German purity law Reinheitsgebot (Rine-HEIGHTS-g (shwaw)-boat). The New Orleans edition of Gordon Biersch was introduced to the downtown area in 2004, featuring a menu that complements its fresh lagers and caters to the local flavor using the freshest ingredients. Gordon Biersch produces six authentic lagers:

• Golden Export Lager is a crisp, refreshing lager with a light, refreshing body to balance the mild malt character and dry finish.
• Hefeweizen (hay-fa-VEIT-sen) is a top fermented wheat beer served unfiltered and effervescent.
• Märzen (Maert-zen) is a smooth, mildly sweet, auburn colored lager…true to the original Bavarian recipe where Märzen was brewed in March ("Märzen" in German) and stored in caves to be enjoyed during warmer weather.
• Czech Lager is a Bohemian-style pilsner that is deep, golden and slightly hopped.
• Schwarzbier literally means “black beer” in German. This lager is an excellent example of color not dictating flavor. While the beer may look like a kind of heavy ale, Schwarzbier has a fairly light body with a dry, roasted finish.
• Seasonal. Each season Gordon Biersch offers a special beer that it feels embraces the season and adds a unique flavor and spirit.

The modern-day décor of Gordon Biersch adds to the warm, comfortable feel of this venue and offers a more contemporary environment than traditional brewery-restaurants. Large plasma televisions are located throughout the bar area for sports fans. Other visitors to the bar can enjoy a fresh brew while overlooking the fully operational brewery located behind glass walls.

Menu selections feature an eclectic American menu with bold international flavors, made from the freshest local ingredients. Main dishes include fresh fish, beef, traditional pastas, stir-fry, salads and gourmet pizzas. Gordon Biersch chefs also develop seasonal menus for each brewery restaurant based on local cuisine and seasonal availability of the freshest ingredients.

Gordon Biersch will open daily for lunch from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and dinner from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. Prices for lunch entrees range from $6.95-$14.95 and dinner entrées from $7.95-$21.95. Call 504-552-2739 for reservations and group dining information.

Gordon Biersch is located across from Harrah's Casino at the foot of Poydras St., near the Mississippi River. The brewery restaurant is the first tenant for Harrah's Fulton Street development site, which will include a 450-room luxury hotel and future retail shops and entertainment venues.

Based in Chattanooga, Tenn., Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Inc. operates a total of 25 locations. California is home to six Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants. Other locations include Honolulu, Seattle, Las Vegas, Denver, Tempe, Atlanta, Miami, Washington, D.C. and Columbus, Ohio. The brewery restaurant group also owns and operates Big River Grille & Brewing Works in Chattanooga and Nashville, Tennessee and Disney's Board Walk in Orlando. Other concepts include Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurant in Atlanta and Charlotte; A1A Ale Works in St. Augustine, Florida; Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery in Jacksonville, Florida; and Ragtime Tavern & Seafood Grill in Atlantic Beach, Florida. Additional information about Gordon Biersch is available at www.gordonbiersch.com.

Local Artist Jan Gilbert Recaps

December 2 ,9, & 13, 2005
Kevin and I were celebrating Kevin’s mother (Ellen)’s 80th birthday in Chicago, arriving at the Swissotel on Friday August 26 intending to return to NOLA on Monday August 29th. Saturday morning I awoke to Kevin’s expression of concern while he viewed the National Hurricane Service Website and noted Katrina heading straight for New Orleans. “The potential Big One “ loomed again. On Sunday friend/collaborator Neil Alexander went to the house to break into and climb through one of our high and small windows for us to grab my computer. Kevin had the presence of mind to ask to leave food “up high” on counters and bookcases for the kitties.

Kevin’s mom and niece Michelle returned to their homes in Jacksonville and we stayed in our comfy Swissotel suite for a few more days then moving to Laurie Miller’s sister/Rebecca’s Lakeshore drive condo complete with his and her TVs with cable.

Two frenetic weeks followed where we worried like mad about my nephew, Michael, psychiatrist at Orleans Parish Prison; Neil and his family; and the kitties, not to mention lots of friends from home who were in the big ‘no cell phone, no landline’ umbrella.. We’re still not sure we know how to text message, but we did do a few in time.

My mother was with Larry, Donna and William in Morgan City; Barbara, Pat, Michelle, Adam, Ryan and Patrick were in Houston; Melissa, Billy, Megan and Emily were in Shreveport; Jim and Rosalie and most of their animals were at her mother’s in Austin. We were alternating between cable reports and email searches and communications and spending time at the Red Cross Center, Sprint and the Apple Stores. Chicago was very well organized and is a great city to live at the moment. Dan Etheridge and his fiancée Rachel Breunlin visited in time to go register at the Red Cross with us in So. Chicago. There were lots of services set up and it was time consuming but pretty convenient all in all. Make no mistake, I enlisted the aid of the best FEMA computer guy there to help register a friend while she was on cell phone, who had had a terrible time trying to get registered on the phone system. Even he got booted off!

We also managed to visit with our Chicago friends, Karen Savage & Ray Martin; the Hambone (Chris Cameron) & Barb & the kids; as well as friends Dawn Barrios, Glenn Goldman, Jon Taylor, & Marshal Smith and Brad Jonas, each passing through Chicago except for Brad, who runs Powells Books there. Saw Hambone play at The Green Door with Chevere, a Latin percussion band he’s played in for years. When we walked in, he played the opening to Fess’s “Big Chief,” which made Kevin tear up, thinking you can never go far from home if you’re from New Orleans. I gave Karen’s Art Institute printmaking class a talk at the Swissotel. Except for getting towed without cause, we could not have been treated better by all including Steve and Sadie, Lee Weintraub and both his work and home families, and our new pal Mary Boudreaux, who we met on the street, as well as old friends Nicole and John from the Swissotel! (Note to self: Next disaster, be sure to be in Chicago and keep the same friends all over the world!) Kevin and I are so very grateful to so many of you, so many kind offers, gestures, deeds and gifts. Thank you. Thank you. The only time I cry is when I get overwhelmed by such kindness. And when I heard my nephew’s voice, safely out of that flooded, burning, stinking, danger zone.