Sarah Ravits

1 week ago | nola.com | Sarah Ravits

For months, local musician, popular content creator and satirist of all things New Orleans Joshua Starkman has been engaged in what most folks thought was an extended gag: a mayoral campaign promising loads of corruption, city funded travel and general incompetence. But Starkman isn’t entirely kidding. He really is running for mayor — and using his campaign to not only skewer politicians but also advocate for local service industry workers, musicians and artists.

1 week ago | nola.com | Sarah Ravits

Popular New Orleans brewery Zony Mash Beer Project, known for hosting pop-ups, live music and other community-oriented events, will officially close June 1. The brewery announced in a social media post that it will shut its doors after more than five years of operating in the historic GEM theater on South Broad Street. “It’s been an amazing five years but it’s time to call it a wrap on this project,” the brewery’s bar manager Branna Elenz shared on Monday afternoon.

2 weeks ago | thepearlneworleans.com | Sarah Ravits

April in New Orleans is always a breath of fresh air, coinciding with springtime blooms, festivals galore, and other fun events taking place all over the city. It’s also a month to embrace the outdoors and support local environmental efforts — and maybe even work on your green thumb. Here are a few programs that champion worthy causes and make our city a little greener. Old Metairie’s Longue Vue House and Gardens is a historic house and museum best known for its sprawling gardens and green space.

2 weeks ago | nola.com | Sarah Ravits

Louisiana is on track to clear a backlog of sexual assault kits, among other forensic evidence kits previously piled up in the state's crime lab, said New Orleans Council Member Lesli Harris on Tuesday. Harris, chair of the city’s Quality of Life committee, pointed to “interagency collaboration” and $4.3 million in city and state funding to tackle a problem that had persisted for years.

2 weeks ago | nola.com | Sarah Ravits

New Orleans music festivals tend to be fluid affairs, with the party spilling over into nearby neighborhoods and continuing long after the last notes ring out on stage. French Quarter Fest is no exception, and after the artists pack up and the stages shut down for the evening, there’s still plenty to see and do for those who aren’t ready to call it a night. There are a few after-parties that are part of the French Quarter Festival After Dark programming.