Pack Santa ’ s Sack Along the
French Market District Colonnade
By Kim Welsh
It ’ s the most wonderful time of the year ! My girlfriend , Sarah , and I always vow to give back to our community we love by doing all of our holiday shopping with local businesses . We love supporting the shops who give back to the city where we live , work , and play … this year more than ever . Our favorite wonderland is the French Quarter , so we always look forward to a shopping extravaganza there during the holidays . We shop till we drop , stop for lunch , and shop some more .
Robin Daning
Lalosh Silver
We always get started on our holiday list on a day that gets our festive spirits fired up : the day they have the St . Nick Celebration in Dutch Alley with a host of holiday entertainment from 11 a . m . to 4 p . m . This year , we will go on December 11 , so we can shop all day and enjoy seeing St . Nick and the excited children lap-sitting and whispering in his ear in anticipation of the season . When we need a little boost , we always stroll to Café du Monde for café au lait and beignets , a French Market tradition since 1862 .
We usually start at the French Market ’ s diverse flea market with treasures from around the world . We find clothing , art , jewelry , crafts , spices , hot sauces , and souvenirs for everyone on our list . It offers a local experience with a bustling market full of food , arts , and crafts . From food to local wearable art , the market is full of locals catering to locals and tourists alike ; it ’ s a diverse market and one of our favorite places to browse and people-watch .
We stroll down Decatur Street , sample creamy Creole pralines at Aunt Sally ’ s Praline Shop , Southern Candymakers , and at Evans Creole Candy Factory and debate the merits of each . Mmm , they are all so delicious and earn a place on our holiday dessert bar ! Our favorite onestop shop is Dutch Alley Artist ’ s Co-Op , which features the original works of 25 regional artists . It is a gallery of local fine arts and crafts , owned and staffed completely by its member artists . It is a destination for both tourists and locals who wish to see and purchase beautiful , handcrafted local art directly from local artists . Original
38 | The French Quarterly
Shakor - Gallery Cayenne