It was a quiet Tuesday and everyone gathered for a nice, relaxing brunch. Then the Saints and a whole bunch of New Orleans notables showed up and started waiting tables, competing for "tips" (Bridge Bucks), and raising funds for the Bridge House Grace House. The entire event, including live and silent auction, was made possible by Bridge House Grace House and Saints player Will Smith's foundation — When There's a Will There's a Way. Tons of funds were raised to support individuals working to overcome substance abuse and addiction. It was an incredible event, and I was honored to be one of the "Celebrity Waiters". How fun is that?!?!?!?

We all got sweet aprons. Included here with the Saints guys are legendary singer Charmaine Neville and fellow artist and supertalent Terrance Osborne!

FOX 8 was there and did a great segment on the event:

And if you're curious about who was there and the idea of Celebrity Waiters works, the Morning Show did a great rundown!

Last night, I got a sneak peek at the not-yet-open Saints & Sinners! It's the new Bourbon Street lounge co-founded by Actor Channing Tatum and his long-time friend Keith Kurtz. Please don't expect this blog post to be well written; I'm a little hungover.

First of all, the ratatouille (full menu here) was the most amazing dish I have ever had in my life! It was so good I'm mentioning it first, even before pointing out how wonderful, sweet, and charming Channing and his wife Jenna Dewan are and were that evening. 

The bartenders were great, and the whole vibe was just as it should be. Envisioned as an homage to the New Orleans Storyville era of 1897 - 1917, the lounge features dark red walls, a Bourbon St. balcony, and guests of questionable actions and attire (which I'm sure will be a staple on any night). A small stage in the back hosted the fabulous NOLA jazz band Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns last night. It remains to be seen whether they will make regular appearances, but I'm sure many a memorable band will grace that stage. The video (below) of Meschiya and the band, captured at The Spotted Cat Music Club on Frenchman Street, sums up their vibe and music perfectly. 

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a Bourbon Street regular.... but I might just become one now! Stay tuned, as the spot is rumored to officially open for business soon :) . 

This past weekend was an absolute blast. Friday night was the annual Better Than Ezra Party, followed by the LSU game on Saturday and the Saints game on Sunday. I can't believe the Saints lost!! But we still made plenty of good memories. 

The boys from Better Than Ezra know how to party!! This was my second time participating in their charity gala, and it is worth the year-long wait!! 

I was honored to be included in the silent auction with a signed giclee print of my St. Charles Streetcar painting, in a limited-edition square composition (24" x 24"). 

Local-artist colleague Jamie Hayes was in attendance and wowed us all with his meticulous and one-of-a-kind painting skills (left).



And I spent some time with my BFF, actor Paul Rae, and Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis (below).

On Saturday, Tania and I went to the LSU game!!! Paul drove and shared stories about his days on the LSU team. Tania works in L.A. with Paul, and was recognized by some besotted LSU students for her role as Alex Rousseau on the TV show LOST. They were thrilled to see she was in full Tiger spirit, as we went to the LSU Bookstore and got decked out in purple & gold.

On Sunday we watched the Saints play the Washington Redskins. I was conflicted, because I LOVE the Saints but was born and raised in Washington.

Then Tania, Paul, and I stayed at my place Uptown for the night. We read some Tolstoy, shared life experiences, and crashed because we were so exhausted. Cocoa rejuvenated himself with a lovely hot bath. 

One of the best weekends in recent memory!!!!! Great times with great people. This coming weekend will be the Audubon Aquarium's Scales and Ales. Looking forward to another wonderful few days!!!

This past Saturday was our 2nd Dirty Linen Night, an annual event that invites locals and visitors to enjoy an art-filled French Quarter block party from the 200 to 1000 blocks of Royal Street. Being at 736 Royal, Gallery B falls right smack-dab in the middle of all the fun, and since Dirty Linen 2011 was our official-un-official Grand Opening Party, we also consider it a landmark day for the Gallery.

Lauren "Fleury Girl" Thom, amazing New Orleans native and founder of the Fleurty Girl tshirts and shops, stopped in to interview me about Dirty Linen Night! It happened so fast, I have no idea what I said! I hope I remembered to thank the thousands of people who come out to meet the artists and enjoy the galleries. The only thing I remember clearly is that Cocoa kept trying to eat the boom mic, and then got annoyed and gave the camera the cold shoulder. I always dreamed he would get discovered and be in movies, but maybe that's not his life plan. Being a mom is all about accepting that your children will take their own paths.

We also had a wonderful time with Anna, Kim, and Lee from Old New Orleans Rum! They graciously came for the SECOND year to serve up complimentary Dirty Frenchman cocktails. They also had free samples of their new Gingeroo, a spiced ginger drink served over ice, perfect for the hot NOLA summers. 

And WHO is that beefcake, you might ask?? He's a hunky leftover from the Red Dress Run, NOLA's annual event featuring girls and guys partying around the Quarter in red. The Red Dress Run starts around 10 in the morning, so we were happy to see a few troopers who managed to pace themselves and still be standing come 6 p.m., when Dirty Linen starts. Everyone who came out contributed to making it a huge event, and one we'll remember forever!! Thank you!! Here's to our 1st birthday, and many more to come. XOXO <3.

Do you know about Tidbits??!!! It's one of our fave sources of local insider info. They cover all different cities (including the our beloved New Orleans) — find your city and discover exactly what's going on about town. And now they've done a feature on my work and French Quarter gallery :)

Reprinted here:

“AB + JG = Tru Luv Always”

Although your seventh grade bubble letter art was truly profound, we found a gal who has taken notebook prose to talented heights. Cutie artist Ally Burguieres of Gallery Burguieres, whose career exploits include projects for National Geographic, has created a series of endearing animal prints that have made many a passer-by press a face to the glass of her French Quarter gallery. From kitschy fish to sweet rubber duckies, you’ve never seen wide-ruled done so well.

These are the kind of notes you can pass without failing.

<3 xoxoxo :)