In 1933, shortly after the repeal of the Volstead Act, Tom Caplinger, Harold Barthel, and Mary Collins leased the building at 941 Bourbon Street (at the corner of St. Philip Street) and opened a bar called Café Lafitte. At the time, it was just one of two bars on Bourbon Street, the other being the Old Absinthe House. Contrary to popular belief, the iconic building at 941 … [Read more...] about Tom Caplinger and How Lafitte’s Went into Exile
Articles
Ron Iafrate and Daryl Dunaway Named 2024 Gay Easter Parade Grand Marshals
Ambush is pleased to announce the Grand Marshals for the 2024 Gay Easter Parade are Ron Iafrate and Daryl Dunaway. Dunaway has worked in the hospitality industry and is also a drag entertainer, performing as Countess C. Alice. Originally from Zachary, Louisiana, Dunaway is longtime New Orleans resident and served as Southern Decadence Grand Marshal in 2019. Dunaway has been … [Read more...] about Ron Iafrate and Daryl Dunaway Named 2024 Gay Easter Parade Grand Marshals
Under the Gaydar (March 2024 Event Calendar)
With Mardi Gras now in the distant past, we look towards other holidays and amazing festivals in NOLA this month. From the Tennessee Williams Festival and Saints & Sinners Literary Festival to the Gay Easter Parade, March is hopping. Here are just some of the hot happenings in March to put on your “Gaydar.” If you want your event listed, send me an email at … [Read more...] about Under the Gaydar (March 2024 Event Calendar)
Bartender Spotlight – February 2024
Let’s face it–being a bartender in New Orleans is like being on a rollercoaster. You have your climbs and your plummets, and during busy times like Mardi Gras and Southern Decadence, it feels like you are doing loops and spirals. But no matter what, by the end of the experience you come off saying “What A Ride!” I feel like bartenders who are successful in … [Read more...] about Bartender Spotlight – February 2024
Fernando Rios Memorial Event Announced
On Monday, February 26, the Queer Student Alliance at Tulane University, in partnership with the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, will hold a memorial lecture and vigil in remembrance of Fernando Rios. Rios was murdered 66 years ago by three Tulane undergraduates. The horrific hate crime occurred in September of 1958. Rios was in town from Mexico City working as a tour … [Read more...] about Fernando Rios Memorial Event Announced
Trodding the Boards February 20, 2024
Curtain Up Now that Mardi Gras is just a happy memory, it’s time for theater to move back indoors again. Through Easter, lots of shows will be debuting on local stages from Metairie to the Northshore to Chalmette. Hope you’ll be able to check out some--or all--of the following. I vividly remember seeing The Colored Museum at the Public Theater in New York back in the … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards February 20, 2024
The Rockford Files: Pick A Side
The word "side" is unique in the English language. It can be used as a root word (as in the side of a building), a suffix (outside), or a prefix (sidecar) – even a sexual identity. In my day, the choices were gay or straight. The topic of sexual identity was barely discussed, much less elaborated on. So, when I hear the word side, my fat ass thinks of bacon, macaroni and … [Read more...] about The Rockford Files: Pick A Side
Trodding the Boards February 6, 2024
New in New York If you’re planning a post-Mardi Gras getaway to New York in the next few weeks or, perhaps trading the Big Easy’s Carnival for the Big Apple’s never-ending festivities, here are some things you might want to check out. Broadway offers lots and lots of musicals of all sorts. If you’re looking for a play to see on the Fabulous Invalid, however, that may be … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards February 6, 2024
Lou Bernard, Olympus, and Gay Carnival
As we find ourselves in the thick of Carnival season once again, Ambush is proud to remember a pioneer in the history of gay Carnival, Lou “Lucille” Bernard. Bernard passed away on January 8. Bernard and his partner Nick Donovan were members of the groundbreaking krewe, Ganymede (1968—1974). Donovan served as Captain of the Krewe’s third ball, Creepy Crawlers (1970), at … [Read more...] about Lou Bernard, Olympus, and Gay Carnival
The Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide (February 2024 Event Calendar)
Happy Mardi Gras, the greatest free show on Earth! Parades, Bal Masques, King Cake Parties and a host of other fun things to do await you this month. Here are just some of the hot happenings in February to put on your “Gaydar.” If you want your event listed, send me an email at ledgemgp@gmail.com. Weekly Events Monday: * NOAGE New Orleans Walking … [Read more...] about The Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide (February 2024 Event Calendar)