Eat: King cake kolaches from District Donuts and Sliders. Yet another installment in the New Orleans seasonal game of “How many varieties of food, drink, apparel [*see Laugh] can I sublimate my king cake obsession into?” District Donuts has gone a step beyond the king cake donut — been there, done that — and banged out a kingish iteration of its Czech cousin. District’s king cake kolaches ($2.50)– filled, sweet-doughed pastries, denser than their yeast donut relatives — are appropriately stuffed with a cream cheese filling and topped with green, purple, and yellow sprinkles.
Drink: The Moscow Mule at the Swizzle Stick Bar. Through the Winter Games, the Swizzle Stick will not only be offering the Sochi-inspired cocktail ($8.50), made with Russian Standard Vodka and served in a copper mug, but also screening the Olympics on its televisions. So throw on a mink stole, park yourself at the bar, drink up, and pretend you’re watching the Games in Russia.
Meet: The Blow Out in a Box. Frizz warriors, your lifelong struggle against New Orleans’ humidity just got easier.
New Chicago-based blow out Mecca, The Dry Bar, offers patrons and curious souls from afar the option of giving themselves the perfect blow out from the comfort and convenience of their own homes. The DIY kit contains the salon’s custom blow out essentials: their buttercup blowdryer, full pint round brush, and minis of three necessary products — their “happy hour” shampoo and conditioner, “hot toddy” heat protector and frizz fighter, and “the chaser” shine cream. The entire set is $199 (on sale from $265) and includes free shipping.
Wear: Athleta’s Polartec® Power Stretch® 2 tight leggings. During last week’s sneuxmageddon, it become wildly apparent that for the next few months Lulu Lemon spandex just won’t cut it for those early morning and late evening jogs. Athleta’s abrasion-resistant, fleece-lined, yet breathable, leggings are the perfect solution when you want to keep warm while exercising without feeling like you’re trapped in the Inferno. $79 online with free shipping.
Laugh: If Joan Rivers and Mardi Gras produced a baby together, we’d find it stuffed inside these sparkly, bow-adorned king cake brooches, currently available at Frenchmen Art Market.
And now the world knows why Joan should never visit NOLA during Carnival.
Chelsea Lee is associate editor at NolaVie. Email comments to her at chelsea@nolavie.com.