Wednesday, September 5/Rosalie Apothecary (3201 Toulouse Street): If the tropical storm had you thinking, “I need more nonperishables in my house,” then Wednesday is the night for your dreams to come true. Rosalie’s Apothecary will be holding a DIY Fermented Food Series, and in case you didn’t know, fermentation is an ancient way of preserving food. Alive with gut-healthy microbes, fermented foods enhance digestion and nutrient assimilation, as well as promote a healthy immune system and overall health. Making your fermented foods at home is not only more affordable than buying them at the supermarket; it also utilizes the unique microbes of your immediate environment, which is most beneficial to you. This hands-on series will demonstrate how to make some of your favorite fermented foods at home. It all begins at 6:30 PM, and you can find out full details here.
Wednesday, September 5/Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (938 Lafayette Square): The season is not just open for music and theater but publications as well. You can join in the celebration of fall issue of 64 Parishes Magazine (formerly known as Louisiana Cultural Vistas) at the Louisiana Humanities Center in New Orleans. The inaugural issue of 64 Parishes features a special section, guest edited by writer Alison Fensterstock, that explores 300 years of New Orleans music. Contributors include Ned Sublette, Gwendolyn Thompkins, Ladee Hubbard, Michael Tisserand, and Maurice Carlos Ruffin. There will be talks, music, and light refreshments all on the menu for this opening, which begins at 6:00 PM. For more details on the event, you can check out their event page here. *Update: Due to the confusion with Tropical Storm Gordon, this event will now be held on Thursday, September 13.
Friday, September 7/Anna Many Lounge at Tulane University (62 Newcomb Place): Friday’s lunch hour just got a bit sweeter due to talks, thoughts, and food. This Friday the fantastic Denise Frazier (if you haven’t met this genius lady, take the opportunity now) and Ashley Teamer will be heading the discussion for “Court Connections.” Denise is Assistant Director for the New Orleans Center for the Gulf South (Nola Gulf South) at Tulane University. An interest in Cuban politics and African Diaspora culture within Latin America led her to New Orleans where she received an MA and PhD in Latin American Studies at Tulane University. Ashley was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her multimedia work explores the complexities of black femininity through painting, collage, and animation. In both her visual and curatorial work, Ashley uses the object to inform and transform the gallery space. She has been an Artist-in-Residence at the Joan Mitchell Center, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, and ACRE. In other words, this talk will be amazing and mind blowing! The talk run from 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM, and you can find out full details here.
Saturday, September 8/UNO Downtown Gallery (2429 Saint Claude Avenue): Five years in development, Hard Living in the Big Easy: Immigrants & the Rebirth of New Orleans, an immersive exhibition of mixed media drawings by award-wining visual artist José Torres-Tama, will be open for viewing. This exhibit honors the immigrant community that has contributed to the rise of the city post-Katrina. On Saturday, the UNO Downtown Gallery will be transformed into a sacred space for the installation of large mixed media drawings. With a style akin to German and Latin American Expressionism, José Torres-Tama looks to render the enduring humanity of his people, who have been dehumanized for political gain. The exhibit opening begins at 6:00 PM on Saturday, and the exhibit will be on display until October 6. You can check out more information on the exhibit here.
Saturday, September 8/Art Klub (1941 Arts Street): Second Saturdays are up and running, and after your St. Claude Arts District gallery strolling, you can head over to Art Klub, which will have two events at their space. One side will host a Silent Disco with the funky sounds of DJ Tom Harvey while the other side will have a hand-selected big screen movie. In other words, you can dance your heart out in the same space where your friends are watching a movie. Who says dreams don’t come true? The event will cost you $10, and that gets you entrance plus a complimentary Abita beer or Gingeroo from Old New Orleans Rum. It all begins at 9:00 PM, and you can find out details here.
Saturday, September 8/Second Story Gallery (2372 St. Claude Avenue): Thirty artists’ works will be on exhibition at the Second Story Gallery. While reaching their goal for the exhibition is to reflect the resilience, multiculturalism and dynamism of the visual arts in New Orleans during the 2018 New Orleans Tricentennial, they are also providing another factor. Thirty artists all in one space! You can peruse through paintings, photographs, textiles, and much more all in one night (although, the exhibit runs until November 3, so don’t feel like you have to see them all in one night). The exhibit’s opening on Saturday will begin at 6:00 PM, and you can find out full details here.
Tuesday, September 11/ Cafe Istanbul (2372 St. Claude Avenue): The Moth Story Slam is back, and this time they are talking about (drum roll)…education. If you want to participate, you’ll want to repare a five-minute story about knowledge — gleaned from teachers or the streets and lessons learned from Ivy League schools or your #2 pencil. The story telling begins at 7:30 PM (doors open at 7:00), and the event costs $10. For more details about the story slam and this specific event, check out their page here.
Earthtalk: “Cool Roofs” for New Orleans
It’s hot outside, but it could be cooler! In this article, Brooke Theis explores Cool Roofs, an effective solution to the urban heat island effect that makes the New Orleans heat so unbearable. The author also explores inequalities in how people experience the environment from identity perspectives like race and class.
Big Chem-EZ: How can small Louisiana communities access clean drinking water after a hurricane?
When I went to visit the Pointe-au-Chien tribe after Hurricane Ida with my Service Learning class, I heard that one of the biggest challenges in the aftermath of the hurricane was finding enough drinking water, so in this article, I explore water purification methods: 1) when they are necessary, 2) how they work, and 3) if they really make your water safe to drink.
