I cannot express the happiness in my soul to be able to start writing this column again. It has been a year since I was able to sing the praises of some of the hardest working people in the hospitality industry. Whether you call them bartenders, mixologists, bar chefs, or servers of happiness, these people spend their time creating an atmosphere of festivity, … [Read more...] about Bartender of the Month: March 2021
Profiles & Spotlights
OUT! with Michael-Chase
Picture it: Greensburg, Louisiana, 1995. A young gay boy tunes into an FM station, and hears a man with a golden voice broadcasting his own radio show about modern gay life in New Orleans. Within two years, the gay boy would find his way across Lake Pontchartrain to that land of milk and honey. That gay boy was me, and that man with the golden voice was Michael-Chase … [Read more...] about OUT! with Michael-Chase
Introducing Geo: An Interview
Ambush’s newest writer is George Melichar, an internationally recognized athlete and USA Track & Field (USATF) Masters National Champion. Geo uses they/them/she/her pronouns. They are known as George Melichar by the international athletic community, but their chosen name is Geo and their nickname is GiGi. JM: Welcome to Ambush, Geo! You've been writing about your sports … [Read more...] about Introducing Geo: An Interview
Bartender of the Month: Grant Dane Kay at the Crossing NOLA
Now that the city has moved into Phase 2 with many bars having reopened, I am very excited to resume my column celebrating some of the hardest working people in the hospitality industry -- bartenders. My bartender for the month of June was delayed slightly (I actually had him slated for March), but it seems fitting that he is the first one back after our hiatus in … [Read more...] about Bartender of the Month: Grant Dane Kay at the Crossing NOLA
Kicking ASS with Tez Anderson: An Interview
Tez Anderson has been an advocate for gay rights and HIV survivors since the 1980s, and he went public about his HIV status decades before it became routine to do so. He has written for Time, co-written a screenplay with Armistead Maupin, and was a creative consultant for the original Tales of the City television mini-series. Sir Ian McKellen has personally credited Tez with … [Read more...] about Kicking ASS with Tez Anderson: An Interview
French Quarter Lockdown Journal: Monday, March 23, 2020
Monday, March 23, 2020 5:15 am—Wake-up. After a stretch I sit and contemplate what the day holds—applying for disaster relief, answering emails, refilling prescriptions, doing the laundry, and writing. None of that sounds appealing to me so I look at Rupee, our elderly Chihuahua, who is still sleeping, and consider what movie to watch tonight. Then the pissing … [Read more...] about French Quarter Lockdown Journal: Monday, March 23, 2020
Spotlight on Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival Speakers
The annual Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival will take place in New Orleans March 27-29. For registration information: Sasfest.org Ambush readers can register with a 20% discount by using the code Ambush20 when registering. In this series, we introduce you to some of the writers in the all-star lineup for #SAS20 this March in the heart of the French … [Read more...] about Spotlight on Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival Speakers
Loyola University and the Need for Higher Quality Tour Guides: An Interview with Tourism Expert Frank Perez
Ambush recently had the opportunity to sit down and chat with local tourism expert Frank Perez about the current state of tourism in New Orleans, the quality of tour guides, and the Professional Tour Guiding courses he teaches at Loyola University. Q: How did you get involved in the tourism industry? FP: Years ago I was a concierge at a hotel in the CBD. A … [Read more...] about Loyola University and the Need for Higher Quality Tour Guides: An Interview with Tourism Expert Frank Perez
Spotlight on Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival Speakers
The annual Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival will take place in New Orleans March 27-29. In this series, we introduce you to some of the writers in the all-star lineup for #SAS20 this March in the heart of the French Quarter. Elliott Foster is the author of two novels, Panic River (Calumet Editions, 2019) and Whispering Pines (Wise Ink, 2015) which was an Indie Book … [Read more...] about Spotlight on Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival Speakers
Spotlight on Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival Speakers
The annual Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival will take place in New Orleans March 27-29. In this series, we introduce you to some of the writers in the all-star lineup for #SAS20 held in the heart of the French Quarter. Ariadne Blayde is a playwright and novelist. Her plays have been finalists for The Arts and Letters Prize, the Tennessee Williams Playwriting … [Read more...] about Spotlight on Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival Speakers