My New Orleans
01/06/2021
Each Wednesday, we tackle wedding etiquette. At times, it’s a reader question or one from a colleague, friend or family member and other times we’ll cover a popular issue. (Note: Questions may be edited for clarity and brevity.)
Question: We were invited to our friend’s daughter’s wedding and asked to contribute to the honeymoon or to the purchase of a future home. We did so, regardless of considering the request crass. They seem to have no idea what they are doing. They have rescheduled many times. They have called the whole thing off several times. We are not holding our breath thinking they will return gifts. Also, for future reference, it would be very helpful to know how to respond when someone asks for money and you prefer not to give money. Yes, I am old-fashioned but it is nice to choose a gift that someone hopefully will treasure and keep to remember a special occasion. Meanwhile, if a wedding is postponed due to COVID, then can
My New Orleans
12/29/2020
When a couple is engaged and the wedding is fast approaching, guests and family members begin to think, “What should I get [the couple] as a wedding present?”
It’s typical to then search for the couple’s registry – a road that often leads to big-names stores and online sellers like Bed, Bath and Beyond, Macy’s or Amazon.com.
But, New Orleans is laden with homegrown retailers whose stores are filled with local art, textiles and even furniture making it possible to never have to shop outside of the Big Easy.
With this thought in mind, we’ve compiled a list of New Orleans stores with wedding registries.
My New Orleans
12/23/2020
Each Wednesday, we tackle wedding etiquette. At times, it’s a reader question or one from a colleague, friend or family member and other times we’ll cover a popular issue. (Note: Questions may be edited for clarity and brevity.)
Question: Last month, I got married. We held the wedding outside, kept it extremely small and practiced strict social distancing and mask guidelines per the CDC, state and city COVID-19 guidelines. We also streamed the ceremony for anyone who couldn’t or didn’t feel comfortable attending in person. Our safety precautions were spelled out on the wedding site, on all of the correspondence and we assured everyone who reached out with questions. Despite all of that, there were still a lot of people who didn’t show up, even though they said they were coming. We held the wedding at my parent’s house, so we only lost money on food and beverage, but more than that, we are hurt. What do I say to people who sent a ‘y
Dec 22, 2020 Let Them Eat Cake: Congress Approves a $900 Billion Stimulus Package, Billions in Pork Funds, Federal Employees Get a Raise
The United States Congress has approved a $900 billion Covid-19 relief package that’s tethered to the government’s $2.3 trillion year-end funding plan. Of course, talks of Americans getting $600 checks have started to circulate online, but reports also include the discussions of unwarranted spending and unlimited pork funds.
$600 Is the Equivalent of Marie Antoinette’s: ‘Let Them Eat Cake’
As soon as mainstream media news outlets started reporting on the fact that the U.S. Congress has approved a $900 billion Covid-19 relief package, Americans started talking about the $600 check they may get. The commentary toward politicians was less than pleasant and on Twitter, the phrase commonly attributed to Marie Antoinette, “Let them eat cake” was trending during the last 24 hours.
My New Orleans
12/22/2020
We recently brought back a series that published in the early days of the “Let Them Eat Cake” blog that focused on the four c’s of picking a diamond. The four c’s include cut, color, clarity and carat – all of which should be considered and understood before saying, “I do,” to that diamond engagement ring. First, we highlighted the cut and color of a diamond. Today, we’re talking clarity and carat.
CLARITY
The clarity of a diamond measures its flaws, or imperfections, otherwise known as inclusions. A stone’s degree of flawlessness directly affects its exact value. It is natural for diamonds to form with slight inclusions, which includes white spots, dark flecks or feathery-looking “cracks.” The fewer inclusions the diamond has, the more it’s worth and the more reflective it is of light (read, the more it sparkles and shines). Size, type, number and placement of the inclusions determine the clarity rankings for diamonds.