Of the 1/2 dozen or so shops out there doing great work and offering great products, one of the original players, Skip N’ Whistle ( formerly Ichabods ) has been flying under the radar by churning out classic and ingenious t’s for quite some time. Although their physical store has been open for over a year as Skip N’ Whistle, Ichabods started screening gems 8 years ago, way before Katrina.

Founded by designer and master screen printing guru Chris Reams, Skip N’ Whistle on the newly re-paved Oak St. Uptown, has become a one stop shop for all things New Orleans. Their eclectic mix of old school New Orleans icons like Jax, K&B, and Mckenzies, really gives the place a local yet very dialed in vintage feel. Custom printed canvas messenger bags and totes line the wall of the shop flanked by a great selection of vintage printed glassware and jewelry.

Skip N’ Whistle offers not only their own custom designed and screen printed t’s, but they have also introduced us to their version of the t-shirt bar where they offer hundreds of t-shirts designs to their customers at on the fly speed. With a growing stable of designs well over 500 that people can choose from and make while they wait, there’s not much Skip N’ Whistle doesn’t offer.

And while their original shirts I truly dig, starting September 9th, Skip N’ Whistle will be offering screen printing classes at The Factory ( on Oak St. also, next to The Maple Leaf ) to those who want to learn every bit and piece of the screen printing process, including the design and printing of their own t-shirts. I’ll certainly be in that number!

Where Skip N’ Whistle stands out above the rest is their unique blending of very familiar icons with a local flavor. Their New Orleans Saints t-shirts don’t hit you over the head in an obvious manner, they are simply cleverly designed and executed. Their Rosenberg’s WHODAT design just blows me away. Brilliant! Why be bold when you can be clever right? I’ve always felt that when visiting a city and searching for items like t-shirts to bring back and wear in your hometown, they should be indigenous and unique to that place and its culture. It’s fair to say that I would be proud to rep my city in any other town wearing a Skip N’ Whistle t-shirt!

Two very talented and dialed in local designers have set out to change it all for our Lady WhoDats and Tigers out there. Jolie & Elizabeth got their start like so many young people that leave NOLA and return with a huge sense of pride, urgency, and a desire to make it on their own terms in the city they love. Here’s a bit about them in their own words:

“Drawing inspiration from the heart of the deep south, New Orleans; over a pitcher of sweet tea and a messy shrimp po boy, Jolie and Elizabeth was born. Jolie & Elizabeth is comprised of two young New Orleans fashion designers, Jolie Bensen and Sarah Elizabeth Dewey.

The two met in the big apple while, as fate would have it, Sarah interned for Jolie at BCBG. In due time, the two realized that the street they were searching for was not Fifth Avenue nor Rodeo Drive, but Desire. Staying true to timeless southern style, the dresses of Jolie and Elizabeth surpass forced trends that overlook the purpose of a dress: to adorn or decorate; to render pleasing or attractive. Trends come and go, but a true Southern girl knows good style and good attitude go hand in hand. And there’s nothing more charmingly irresistible than that.”

With a clear and concise emphasis on great fitting silhouettes and layered pieces with purpose, their entirely Louisiana Made garments reflect an approach that is classic yet truly forward thinking. All of the dresses I was lucky enough to preview were very well put together and designed to accentuate not discriminate.

Jolie & Elizabeth’s GameDay Collection is where they truly piqued my interest. As I stated earlier, there aren’t many options out their for women to truly feel feminine all the while supporting their team. J&E have done just that with their offerings this season.

Their black and gold silhouetted dresses as well as their own elegant WhoDat Scarf, are the pieces that truly stand out for me. The structure, cut, and designs are well done, and show just how dedicated Jolie & Elizabeth are to their craft. Other colors are offered in most of their line for those who are not WhoDats, like purple and gold and crimson and white. Not only can you find their Gameday Collections in most Hemline locations here locally and beyond, you can also check out the rest of their collections on their website.

With their attention to detail, fine fit and finish, and their true desire to make New Orleans one of the destinations for fashion in this country, Jolie & Elizabeth are on their way. I will say this, I hope eventually they release a men’s collection, for I’d also like to dress it up a bit for gameday, especially when that certain team from Minnesota comes to town. WhoDat!

The first time I walked into Jean Therapy on magazine some years ago, I was in search of the best fitting pair of jeans for me. I wanted to find several pairs in which I could invest in, have them altered properly, and take good honest care of them.

I have always been greeted warmly and the staff is always eager to help me find just what exactly I’m looking for. Jean Therapy carries over a dozen brands of denim including some very well known brands like True Religion, AG, 7 for all Mankind, as wells as J Brand, Current/Elliot, and Lacoste. Just recently, JT has begun to carry the best of breed finishes and washes from my personal favorite San Francisco original, Levi’s.

Going back to the idea of spending money of great quality longer lasting items, plays into the exact reason why Jean Therapy is in business. Here’s a little bit of history from their website :

“Jeantherapy was founded in the fall of 2002 by siblings Steven and Vicki Adjmi.  I guess you can say the passion for denim is in their blood.  Both of them grew up working in the family business.  From the mid seventies to the early eighties, one of those businesses was “The Jean Scene”, a chain of denim boutiques on Canal Street in New Orleans.  Noticing the designer jean trend reemerging in the early 21 century, they saw an opportunity and opened Jeantherapy.

Both are a little fatalistic about the way the whole thing came together.  First their sister informed them that the space next to her own shop on Magazine Street in New Orleans was becoming available. The following day, their brother was walking down Greenwich Avenue in New York and saw the reflection of a twenty-plus year old  “The Jean Scene” t-shirt from a vintage shop across the street in the window of Ezekiel’s bar.  It was as if their father, Ezekiel, who passed away in 1996, was sending them a message. To this day, recalling this chain of events gives them chills.
Seven years and four locations later, Jeantherapy has become an award winning, destination shop for denim and upscale casual apparel for men, women and children.  Our passion is helping everyone find the perfect pair of jeans, in an atmosphere that is both fun for us and our customers.  We love what we do!”

The way Steven and Vicki describe their drive and passion for their customers and the products they offer, seeps into everything they do.
Jean Therapy has always been the place to go for denim in the metro area and beyond, and they recently expanded their offerings into well designed NOLA and New Orleans Saints inspired t-shirts, accessories like their Black & Gold Anytime is gameday Scarf, dresses, flops, as well as other accessories. They are constantly refining and redefining everything in their shops and catering to each location’s customers.
So here’s the callout : when you are ready to truly invest in something you already wear every day and want to feel like you are investing in clothing that will last, give Jean Therapy a shot. It’s worth the time and effort, and you will be surprised by just how good they can make you look.

Certainly there is one thing New Orleans will never be accused of is the lack of alcohol selection. Anyone who has spent some quality time here knows that beer, wine, liquor, as well as thousands of frozen and crazy mixed concoctions can be purchased 24/7.

Although I wouldn’t want it any other way, I’m not a big of the stereotypes as well as the reputation that comes with the facts. With that said, there comes a time in ones life when your tastes have evolved and you find yourself no longer craving a good ole’ Bud Light, crazy frozen concoctions, or the latest bottle of wine your local grocer is offering on special.

Just like the State Farm commercial, I’m there. It has been a while since I’ve been forced out of necessity to consume a “light” beer, and part of that is because of the great customer service and support I’ve received from Cork & Bottle + Clever.

Cork & Bottle offers an enormous beer, wine and premium liquor selection, that rivals just about any shop around town. The staff at C&B has helped me move beyond selecting just based on how cool I think the label design is to pairing each purchase with my tastes that day as well as the occasion.

Jon and his staff at Cork & Bottle extend their help and support right next door at Clever. Past the main counter and through the drapes, you are transported into a super cool wine and spirits bar. Clever opens tues. – sat. starting at 5pm, and offers tastings on tues, way back wednesdays, as well as live music for the rest of the week through saturday. Happy hour is between 5 and 7pm tues. – friday and offers 4 wines for $4 and no corkage fee. One of the coolest items in the shop is Cork & Bottle’s very own C&B 2008 Syrah titled “There’s No Place Like Home”. Rightfully so. The space is very comfortable and inviting with an equally great selection. The walls are lined with fine art photos hung above plush pieces of furniture. The tastings on tues. are in my opinion the most informative.

If wine is not your thing, Jeremy from The Beer Buddha ( http://www.thebeerbuddha.com/ ) helps C&B select some of the best craft brewed beers, local favorites, and international brews. Frankly, I don’t think anyone else in town can compare to the range and selection of craft brews that C&B has provided. Also on top of the fantastic beer selection, C&B also offers fine vodkas, tequilas, scotches, and whiskeys among others,
from all over the world.

There’s a lot going on at Cork & Bottle + Clever each and every day, but there is nothing that stops them from assisting and helping you make the right choice for any occasion imaginable. One thing that continues to stand out for me each time I visit…their sign in the front of the store that states “Trust Me, because we drink a lot of wine”. The most important thing for me to is to feel comfortable spending money on items I’ll enjoy as well as proudly supporting good people.

This brings us to the latest feature and just in time for the Annual White Linen Night. I didn’t get a chance to feature any artists or galleries last year, and wanted to change that this year by featuring one of the galleries I’m most excited about visiting Saturday night, The Martine Chaisson Gallery.

Located in the heart of the New Orleans Arts district at 727 Camp St., Martine Chaisson, will be premiering the work of Hunt Slonem with his latest works: “Fanciful Fauna” opening this Sat. for White Linen night and ending on Sept. 25th.

Martine Chaisson has created a gallery open and inviting with a fabulous use of space and balance as well as a knack for engaging with her customers in a way that no other gallery I’ve ever visited. You won’t be semi-greeted by an employee while scrolling through the latest Facebook feed, or feel the brunt of any half hearted attempt to make you feel at home. As a matter of fact, Martine herself as well as several of her family members welcomed me into the gallery with open arms.

They approach the experience in a very engaging way, and look to give any patron an experience as opposed to just a simple walk through. Smiles, laughter, and experience aside, The Martine Chaisson is poised to become one of the premier galleries in New Orleans, and I cannot wait to see what’s going to be hanging next.

We are so thrilled to be launching our new iHeartnola Shop. It’s been a long time coming and we could not be any happier for the way it turned out! At launch we are offering 9 photographic prints in various sizes, shapes, and finishes allowing you all to enjoy some interesting NOLA photos.

The one item we are very proud to announce is the release of our first T-shirt. Since Drew Brees hit the field in 2006, we have all had man crushes on Drew Brees. Kidding aside, we could not be more proud of Drew and what he has done for our beloved home.

To honor him, we are offering a limited edition American Apparel 50/50 T-shirt in black with a 1-color shimmering gold design. The best part is that for every shirt that is purchased through our shop.iheartnola.com we will donate $1 to Drew’s Brees Dream Foundation. We can’t wait for this take off and to begin helping Drew and the Foundation. Pre-orders begin today and all orders will arrive to you by at least September 7th, 2010…right before the big opening game of the 2010 season and for us here in the Dome. Please visit our shop and let us know what you think of the new stuff.

- iHeartnola.com Staff

That for me seems to be the hardest to come to grips with. As an adult, I would handle it in my own stubborn way, and live life the best way I could.

When I hear of a child that is dealing with a disease, it slays me! Deeply heartbroken. When I heard about Grace Rose’s fight with Cystic Fibrosis, it inspired me to step back and take a look at my own life and what it means. She lives life to the fullest and doesn’t look back. I think we can all learn from that. Below is an exchange between Grace Rose and her Mother Leah, showing just how special she is…

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The other day Grace Rose, my 7yr old daughter caught me off guard.
She turned to me and asked “Mom if God loves EVERYONE, then why would he give ME CF?”

My response? After a slow pause…(And trying to keep the glass 1/2 full) was:

“God sometimes has to choose special people to send a really important message. He chose you. Remember the little girl we saw last month when we were leaving the hospital? We talked about how she has cancer and the meds she has to take makes her hair fall out. And she’s connected to tubes and doesn’t get to leave the hospital to play with her friends. She has a pretty tough job too. (We always feel fortunate after CF clinics, to be leaving the hospital).”

“Remember mommy’s dear friend Daniel who was taken from us at the age of 28? We have his beautiful artwork all around us? And your friend Olivia’s dad who was healthy and played basketball and for no reason died at dinner last month?”

“There’s no real reason for it other than they were special chosen people to help send this message of how fortunate we are to be healthy + live long. This is why we have these fundraisers – to let as many people know about CF so we can help find a cure! He knew that you were loud enough to help do this ”

And now I feel chosen too…at least to help her through it. This night is a lot of fun for us, we’d love for you to join as we truly appreciate your support in helping make CF stand for: Cure Found!

- Leah Bauer, Grace Rose’s Mother.
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Come out and support the fight against this dastardly disease and make “CF” Stand for “CURE FOUND”. Here’s the poster again, and thank you.

I do believe that each of the designers above have a lot of variety to offer with very cool gear, but none stand out more in my mind than Shultzilla. I first caught glimpse of their wares last month when I featured The Occasional Wife.

While walking around chit chatting with Ginger and taking some snaps, I could not help but to smile and chuckle at Shultzilla’s whimsical sophistication and the clever execution of their designs.

With nearly a dozen designs for sale, the two most recent “Spill Baby Spill, Drill Baby Drill” and “Uptown Airlines – We ’bout to touchdown” represent just what they are capable of. I have a feeling they’ve got some more cool on tap for us. Seriously, I don’t think Shultzilla will be touching down anytime soon.

Last June I was blown away by just how much passion for the city one shop could hold. Even back then as they were launching their first NOLA shop on magazine street, Storyville’s offerings truly encapsulated the simple pleasures and joys of the city.

With that said, in 1 year, Storyville made national news with “Brad Pitt for Mayor”, launched careers, expanded their own universe by opening new shops in Austin as well as their soon to open Mall of Louisiana locale in Baton Rouge, and finally
their own print shop blocks away on Magazine St.

Last week I brought a friend of mine visiting from Dallas by to introduce him to Storyville, and I was blown away by some of the new stuff. Designs like “Look Both Ways”, “Houma Sapien”, “King Cake”, FGxJP (Fleurty Girl and Jonanthan Pretus collaboration), and my latest favorite, “New Orleans is for Lovers”, will prove to be classics. Last but not least, Storyville also offers NOLATILES by Chris Psilos which are very cool handmade coasters, plaques, and trivets inspired by street tiles that line most of the streets of New Orleans.

I wanted to focus on the past for this the 1st Anniversary feature. I’m gratefully for the support Storyville + the Harvey folks have offered me, by allowing some dude with a new blog to photograph their stuff and take up their time.