The Invader's Guide to New Orleans

This beautiful thing arrived in my mailbox this week.

Invade NOLA was the first Kickstarter project I ever helped fund. They are doing wonderful things for young people in New Orleans and it has been so excited to see them expand and grow from just an idea to a magazine to a few wonderful books and blog.

I'm so happy to have this guide. I've been visiting NOLA at least once a year since 2006 but usually for volunteering or Jazz Fest and didn't really know how to get out and find the kinds of shops or restaurants I would actually be interested in.

You can buy the guide at InvadeNOLA.com for just $19. If you're heading in New Orleans, you should definitely check it out.

Crescent City Books

Well this is a post that is quite overdue. Back in January, I went to New Orleans for work (and beignets), but had some free time to explore. I visit the Big Easy at least once a year for the Jazz and Heritage Festival or volunteer work, but never have very much time to just wander or do "normal" tourist things.

I'm so glad to have found Crescent City Books on this trip. I'm definitely making a point to stop in on my next visit this May.

The selection of beautiful books was actually overwhelming and I could have spent hours in the store. I swear I pulled every book off the shelf in the mystery section just to see all the amazing vintage hardback jackets. 

I walked away with only two purchases: A new book, "Errata" by New Orleans author Michael Allen Zell, which I'll review later this week, and a beautiful vintage copy of Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory", printed in 1956.

I'm such a sucker for gold foil on book covers. I can't help it. Which is why I have complete regret over not buying this Louisiana guide. It was $50, but in retrospect I really think it would have been a worthy purchase. Not only did the cover have gold, it featured a beautiful fold-out map.

Instead, that $50 went towards delicious New Orleans cuisine and drinks so I guess it's not the biggest regret of my life.

Of course, no rare books shop would be complete without a cat. Meow.

Crescent City Books has definitely joined my list of favorite book stores.

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More beautiful vintage books
One of my favorite uses for old books

Updated: The Invader's Guide to NOLA

So in case you hadn't heard, I love New Orleans. In fact, I was there last weekend. One of my favorite projects I've seen come out of New Orleans has been Invade NOLA, the "New Orleans guide for young professionals".

Their gearing up to publish their second book and are using IndieGoGo to help pay for publishing. The book, "The Invader's Guide to NOLA", sounds pretty wonderful and I can't wait to have a copy of my own:

Clocking in at more than 175+ pages, this volume will be the perfect guide of the people, places and projects of New Orleans featuring content from the blog and digital magazine as well as exciting new content just for the book.  

Spanning a number of categories, The Invader's Guide is perfect for locals and tourists. 

Sections include: Bars and Nightlife, Culture, Food, Fashion, Music, and LagniappeEach section includes places to visit, people to know, and quotes from locals. 

I just purchased the Wallpaper* City Guide New Orleans (how did I not own this already?) and think it will be perfect coupled with the Invader's Guide.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Invader's Guide.

To learn more about the Invader's Guide and to fund the project, visit their IndieGoGo site.

Update: Here's a sneak peak of what the book will look like.

Plus, more love for New Orleans

and projects I've shared in the past.

GOOD MONDAYS: Defend NOLA + Scout

Yes, it has been a year since my last GOOD MONDAYS post but let's get things going again...

Sometimes I get a little too excited when I find out about collaborations between some of my favorite brands and organizations. For example, I almost jumped out of my chair at work when I saw this tweet about the new Defend New Orleans notebooks, created with Scout Books. 

DNO has been a favorite of mine for a while. I have one of their tanks and made sure to stop by their beautiful store during my annual visit to New Orleans after they opened shop last spring. One of the best things about DNO purchases is that a portion of the profits goes towards various local non-profits, including Bridge House, New Orleans Musicians Fund and Sweet Home New Orleans, among others. NOLA is definitely a city full of love and I'm already counting down the days {339} to my next visit. 

Plus, Megabolt, another awesome Scout partner.  

And more New Orleans love. 

(all images DNO, via Scout)

Guimarães Jazz

I've just ordered my tickets for this year's Jazz Fest and I couldn't be more excited. This will be my 5th year attending and those few days in New Orleans have really become one of the highlights of my year. Needless to say, I've had the celebration of music on my mind lately.

But that's not the only reason this 20th Year edition for Guimarães Jazz by Atelier Martion&Jana stuck out. Basically, it's just really great.

The book was packaged along with a vinyl album and cd pack, and the whole thing just has a jazz feel to it. The colors used and placement of photos seem to have that same rhythm that is so unique to jazz.

To see more work by Portugal based Atelier Martino&Jaña, including some Jazz journals, CLICK HERE.


(Found via Graphic-ExchanGE)

GOOD MONDAYS: Rebuilding After Disaster

On Thursday, I'll board a flight and head to New Orleans for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The Jazz Fest has become a bit of a family tradition and this will be our fourth year attending, as well as my sixth trip to the city.

I fell in love with New Orleans in an unconventional way. Before Hurricane Katrina I had never visited the area and didn't really have any interest in doing so. But when Katrina hit, I felt a connection to New Orleans that I couldn't quite explain. I was in a senior in high school at the time and ended up writing a story about families who were taken from their rooftops straight to recovery centers nearby my home in Michigan. When the story was finished, I began planning my first trip to help with rebuilding. Later, I wrote an article for my college paper about my second rebuilding trip (photo below: I definitely did not choose to match my hard hat with my shirt) and the impact it had on me, and why I continued to return to help the city.

I haven't participated in any rebuilding activities for a few years, but continue to support the city and look forward to my annual trip on an almost daily basis. In fact, the beautiful community I discovered and continue to admire in New Orleans inspired the Fleur de Lis tattoo that adorns my right wrist.

So what does this have to do with books? Well, right as I was about to create this week's GOOD MONDAYS post, I stumbled up "Rebuilding After Disaster: The Biloxi Model Home Program". The book is the story behind The Biloxi Model Home Project, an initiative of Architecture For Humanity.

The goal of the program is to provide design services and financial assistance for the construction of homes that for families in Biloxi, Mississippi whose houses were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Families are paired with a team of professional designers who work with them one-on-one to design a new home for their property that is not only affordable but is also sustainable and meets the area's new building requirements.

What an absolutely wonderful project. So many people seemed to forget that New Orleans wasn't the only city devastated by the hurricanes. Although I personally worked with Habitat for Humanity, I think it is such a great idea to have the designers working with families to build homes that work for them. So often I think we align "green" homes with lots of dollar signs, but these homes are sustainable and affordable.

To learn more about Architecture for Humanity, CLICK HERE, or to jump right ahead to purchasing the book (do it) CLICK HERE.

(images mine or Architecture for Humanity)

InvadeNOLA Pre-Order

The InvadeNOLA book I mentioned before is finally available for pre-order. After (what I'm sure was a very intense) cover poll, they happened to choose my favorite.

"It’s our personal testament of sex, music, and culture from the perspective of some pretty awesome millennials. But the real magic is that we did it ourselves for ourselves, funded by people who genuinely believe in the power of independent media.

While the internet displays your words to the masses, there is something magical about printed words on paper. In this book, you will read one writer’s search for a “Playgirl” magazine featuring famous Blaxploitation actor Fred Williamson; you will learn the Muslim roots of an Urban Outfitters trend; and experience one writer’s near breakup with New Orleans."

AND if you pre-order the book along with this sweet t-shirt, it will cost you only $22. Totally worth it.

InvadeNOLA, the book!

I love InvadeNOLA. The online mag was the first kickstarter project I ever helped out and I am so glad I did. Not only because I got a shiny curious tribe t-shirt, a hand-written thank you card and a ton of stickers, but because InvadeNOLA is a sweet online magazine that speaks volumes about all the billions of reasons I love New Orleans.

So, InvadeNOLA is about to publish their first book and they have four designs for people to vote on.



Voting is fun. Do it HERE.