We howled through Halloween, gobbled up Thanksgiving, “sleighed” Christmas and kicked down the wall of 2019 like Kool-Aid Man and burst into 2020. “Oh yeah!” Hello, Carnival. We’ve been expecting your arrival … and your sweet sugary purple, green and gold tithings that come with it — King cake. We’ll diet in March. Oh, wait. St. Patrick’s Day. Uh, we’ll diet in April. Wait. Jazz Fest. OK, look. We know living here expands your party time just as much as your waist. So this week in addition to helping you hunt for a Dong Phuong King Cake and dropping some knowledge on Twelfth Night, we have NOPD keeping our waistlines in check. Let me explain….
-Clint
Looking to jump-start your fitness resolutions?
We’ve all done it: made a New Year’s resolution to lose that holiday weight. But oh, how easy it is to break that resolution when king cakes start entering your break room. We called the New Orleans Police Department to help keep us in line … sort of. Fitness instructor and New Orleans Police Department Officer Corey Elbert has created a program to help you get into shape while having some fun along the way. One of the things that makes Elbert’s classes stand out from other step classes is the use of a 360-degree circular board. Elbert wants his classes to be different from typical step classes, and that means keeping people interested and motivated. Click here to learn more about him AND get tickets to his class that Very Local is putting on!
How the most wonderful time of the year started!
So long, Santa! Here in New Orleans, Carnival is the most wonderful time of the year! On Monday, it was finally morally sound to eat king cake again (we’re blaming Sunday’s Saints loss on the heathens who partook in the royal pastry over the weekend), but do you know how Epiphany a.k.a. 12th Night a.k.a. King’s Day came about? Click here to read about the history of Jan. 6 and why the date is so important to the city.
Dong Phuong King Cakes: From Covington to Kenner
So you can’t get to Michoud for one of the hottest king cakes in the city? Don’t want to wait eight hours in the East for the coveted cake that NOLA desires? No worries. From Chalmette to Covington and even Kenner, we’ve got the list of stores selling Dong Phuong king cakes. Click here to find one closest to your neighborhood.
What To Do This Weekend
Friday, Jan. 10
Friday Nights at NOMA brings together live music, movies, children’s activities and more. A variety of tours and discussions related to Inventing Acadia: Painting and Place in Louisiana will be conducted, with particular emphasis on the portrayal of African Americans in 19th century landscape paintings of the state.
New Orleans’ professional classical theatre company has been housed at Tulane University since 1993. Click here to read NOLA.com’s review on the “action-packed” play.
Sat. Jan. 11, 2020
Get It Ready!!! 360 Step Cardio Workout | 11:30 a.m. | Nola Spaces | $15
Experience a high-energy Step Cardio Fitness class like none other! Club-like LIGHTING and SOUND will set the tone of this Fitness jam session you don’t want to miss! If you ever experienced step cardio you have to try GetTaStep’n360°. Don’t worry, all fitness levels are welcome. Come GetFitwithCorey!
DJ Soul Sister presents Hustle! |11:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. | Ace Hotel New Orleans | Free
Come as you are; all positivity and fun welcome. DJ Soul Sister will be on the turntables, you’ll be on the dance floor. Underground disco, rare groove, old school funk, boogie, true school hip hop, fusion jazz movers and groovers, more bounce to the ounce, more fun for your bun. Click here for more information and here to read more about DJ Soul Sister, the Queen of Rare Groove.
Sun. Jan 12, 2020
This festival features tamale vendors from across the state and live music from Armando Leduc and Salsa Royale. At 4 p.m. a tamale-eating contest will take place, and there’s face painting for the kids!
LSU Pep Rally | 4 to 7 p.m. | Fulton Street | Free
The Topcats will rock Fulton Street for a huge LSU Tigers Pep Rally! Come cheer the team on and wear your favorite LSU colors.
