Mary Staes

Mary Staes is Digital Content Lead for Very Local. She works with our freelancers and crafts content for our social media platforms and website. Before Very Local, she worked with CBS affiliate WWL-TV as a web producer and weekend assignment editor for about 4 years. She has also handled broadcast coverage for 160 Marine Reserve training facilities while she served as an active duty Marine. As a native New Orleanian, she takes being "very local" to heart. She loves being intertwined with the culture and figuring out how there are less than two degrees of separation between us all, whether we're natives or not.

Not cooking for Thanksgiving Day? Here are the restaurants that’ll be open

By Mary Staes / November 12, 2018

Not slaving over the stove on Thanksgiving Day? Well, we’ve gathered up a few options for you to still get a good meal in.

Jazz Fest adds extra day for 2019, pushes up opening date

By Mary Staes / November 9, 2018

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation announced Thursday that it’ll be adding another day to the Jazz Fest lineup for 2019, pushing up the starting date to Thursday, April 25.

Foal to the Goal! No really, horse soccer is a thing.

By Mary Staes / November 8, 2018

It’s exactly what you think in your head; a huge soccer ball being kicked around by a horse. Apparently, it’s a thing, and not just in New Orleans.

Q&A: Haydel’s Bake Shop brings family business to Magazine Street

By Mary Staes / November 8, 2018

His son works up the street. His wife owns a store in the next block. Now, Ryan Haydel is continuing his family’s tradition in his own neighborhood.

Road trip no more: Boudin becoming easier to find in New Orleans

By Mary Staes / November 8, 2018

Boudin used to be one of those things you’d hear people talk about when they’d tell a story about visiting family in Lafayette or where they stopped off on their way to Texas. But lately, people’s obsession with the sausage is creeping closer to home.

Weekend Picks: From boudin to po-boys, there’s no shortage of good eats

By Mary Staes / November 7, 2018

Whatever diet you thought you were going on, this probably isn’t the week to start it.

Po-boy heaven: Your guide to Oak Street Po-Boy Fest

By Mary Staes / November 7, 2018

There’s a lobster po-boy, Godfather po-boy, creole hot sausage po-boy, bbq oyster po-boy, we could go on and on.

No ‘I Voted’ sticker? State blames budget problems

By Mary Staes / November 6, 2018

Not long after the polls opened, many residents posted on social media that they didn’t get the usual ‘I voted’ sticker at their local polling place. The reason, state officials say, is “budgetary constraints.”

The Thanksgiving turkey Parkway Poor Boy is back

By Mary Staes / November 6, 2018

This time, “dressed” means cranberry sauce, cornbread dressing and gravy.

Here’s who’s going to be in the New Orleans East holiday parade

By Mary Staes / November 5, 2018

We think yule love it! (*ahem*)