The Annual French Quarter Fest is begins this evening and will continue throughout the weekend. The Festival kicks off with a  live performance by the Rebirth Brass Band, who recently earned themselves a Grammy Award. Now, Rebirth isn’t the only musical sensation hitting the streets. Over the next few days performers such as, Cyril Neville and the Royal Southern Brotherhood, Amanda Shaw and Troy “Trombone Shorty”, Deacon John, Jeremy Davenport, and Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra will be hosting live concerts throughout the historic quarter.

This festival is free of charge and features affordable sample-sized portions of food from the area’s restaurants. Attendees of the fest are most excited for the NOLA restaurant’s stuffed chicken wings, Royal House’s charbroiled oysters, and also Antoine’s famed baked Alaska with chocolate sauce! It all sounds good to this Southern Celebrity Gossiper, and it sounds like a great opportunity for some celeb sightings! With named actors such as Tom Cruise, Leo DiCaprio, and now Denzel Washington all in town for filming- hopefully, we’ll catch a glimpse of some of them sampling those oysters!

From everyone at Southern Celebrity Gossip, we’re wishing you a fun and safe weekend- and we hope you enjoy the fest!

Check out the line-up!

 Recently, the Gambit reported on some of the more notable celebrity spottings of the week here in New Orleans. First, it appears that actor Leonardo DiCaprio was seen shopping at Saks 5th Avenue at Canal Place, and some are speculating that he may be staying at the Westin which is connected to the shopping center. Leo will be here throughout the filming of new movie, Django Unchained. Unchained director, Quentin Tarantino was later seen dining at the Freret Street spot, Ancora, Saturday night. Movie experts are not at all surprised with the directors choice in locale for this new film. The movie deals with tensions between a former-slave turned bounty hunter and his former plantation owner. The antebellum southern homes are a perfect setting to capture the essence of this story.  Unchained has also brought actor Samuel L. Jackson into the Crescent City, which Southern Celebrity Gossip reported on early this week. Joining Jackson and DiCaprio are actors Kurt Russell, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jamie Foxx, and Sacha Baron Cohen, who have yet to be spotted!

   The Gambit also referenced Sandra Bullock’s appearance at Super Saturday. It appears the beloved southern actress was taking in some of the sights as the Mardi Gras Indians took to the streets this past weekend. As the weather here in New Orleans gets warmer, our celebrity residents are soaking in that NOLA culture and Southern Celebrity Gossip is happy to report when they do. Stay tuned with us here, or visit the Gambit for more Hollywood South news.

Hunky Hollywood icon, Channing Tatum, first fell in love with New Orleans when he was here working on the new movie “21 Jump Street”. During filming, Tatum had the opportunity to work with actor and comedian Jonah Hill, as well as local talent including Brett Lapeyrouse and Andrea Frankle. But after wrapping for the picture, Channing still couldn’t let go of the Crescent City. In a recent phone interview he gushed about his appreciation for NOLA saying, “I love the spirit of New Orleans… the Bourbon Street area, Frenchmen, everything. It’s just such a vibrant place”.

So despite his residence in L.A., Tatum will be opening a bar on the world-famous Bourbon Street to help him stay connected to this city that he loves. The bar, called “Saints & Sinners” is currently under renovations, but plans to open in just a few months! No official statement has been made about how much time the actor will get to spend at this new establishment, but it will definitely keep him connected with all things NOLA. It is exciting to see that it isn’t just the film opportunities that have celebrities flocking to New Orleans. The character of this city is so addictive that famed actors like the Jolie-Pitts, Sandra Bullock, Nicholas Cage, John Goodman, and now Channing Tatum just can’t stay away!  

For more on this article, visit nolaeater.com.

Culinary & New Orleans Celebrity, Emeril Lagasse is gaining more media attention with his latest real estate endeavor. This food network icon is putting his luxury apartment in New York’s Upper East Side back on the market. The chef purchased the property in 2009, and now is selling it- for almost $4 million more than he paid for it!

The townhome features a decadent kitchen, suitable for a chef as large and in-charge as Lagasse. But this gumbo guru has come a long way from his New Orleans start! Emeril’s first culinary triumph came in our very own Commander’s Palace. The budding chef apprenticed under Paul Prudhomme before succeeding him in 1982 as Executive Chef. Commander’s Palace is known for its incredible food, matched only by its flawless ambience. 8 years later, Lagasse decided to open a restaurant of his own! Emeril’s opened its doors in 1990 and has been serving the NOLA community ever since! Since then Emeril has opened 12 more establishments, and oversees all of their menus.

While he may originally be from New England, this celebrity has found his home in the Crescent City. If the fastest way to a man’s heart IS through his stomach- then it is no secret why Lagasse’s heart belongs to New Orleans!

For more a sneak peek at Emeril’s townhouse, check out these great photos!