Hello, Weekend

Yes, I realize that today is only Thursday. But with the long Memorial Day weekend on the horizon, we are all preoccupied with the upcoming three day weekend full of booze, beaches, and goatburgers.


The sun sets over the New Orleans Greek Festival.

You read that right. Goatburgers are a new addition to the menu at the New Orleans Greek Fest, which runs Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday.  Save for Friday evening when the grounds surrounding the Holy Trinity Cathedral swell with sweaty runners who wait patiently for their free beers after finishing the 5K, Greek Fest is a nice treat for those who enjoy outdoor festivals but loathe large crowds. Most of the food is prepared by the church community, and you can taste the love in the spinach stuffed spanakopita and spit-roatsed lamb sold by the pound. And with plenty of cold beer and ouzo to wash eveything down, the atmosphere is laid back and relaxed on the banks of Bayou St. John.

Have a great weekend.

Opa!

Those seeking a little outdoor entertainment this Memorial Day weekend need look no further than the banks of Bayou St. John, where beginning tonight the Greek Festival will be celebrated for the 38th year in a row. The celebration kicks off with the Olympic Run/Walk, which provides the perfect calorie-burning excuse to indulge in the Greek community's homemade delicacies after the race. While many Greek Festers opt for the gyro and feta fries, I am partial to the traditional Greek dinner featuring stuffed grape leaves, meatballs in a tomato sauce, baked pasta, and buttery delightful triangles of phyllo dough filled with feta. It's a meal that even Odysseus would make a detour for on his journey back to Ithaca.

With the Greek Fest, Cochon 555, and NOWFE filling up the calendar this weekend, it's a good thing we have Monday off to recover.