Wine, Art, Music, and pre-Bull Running Fun!

Happy Weekend Everybody!

This is always a fun way to kick things off.  It's the weekly wine tasting over at Cork & Bottle (Orleans at Moss St.) - today they have a wine flight with wine picks from the C & B staff!  Come taste some great, affordable bottles today at the FREE tasting from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

And you can double your wine tasting fun!  Check out Swirl located on Ponce de Leon right off Esplanade and enjoy a FREE wine tasting at 6:00 pm. Once you've tasted one of their excellent choices you'll be sure to be buy a bottle!  (And don't forget their big Bastille Day celebration tomorrow!)

Where Y'Art? is happenin' over at the New Orleans Museum of Art from 5:30 to 8:30 pm with lots of good stuff!

• 5:30 pm  to 8:00 pm: an art making activity for the kiddies
• 5:30 to 8:30pm: Music by Bill Summers & Place De Negres
• 6:00 pm: Lecture with Dr. David Binkley: Kuba Art & Loyola University's Frere Joseph-Aurelien Cornet Archives
• 6:00  to 9:00 pm: Visiting Artist: Chris Menconi (Gift Shop)
• 6:00 pm: The Artist's Palate Cookbook: Samplings & Tastings
• 7:00 pm: Docent Tour: The French Collection

The event is FREE with museum admissions. $10 Adults, $8 seniors, students, active military, $6 children ages 17 to 7, children 6 and under are free!

You say - you still don't know what to do??? There's even more fun!!

Head on over to Chickie Wah Wah on Canal for their happy hour at 5:00 pm and the music starts up at 5:30 pm with the Sweet Olive Swing Band and stay on for Alex McMurray at 8:00 pm...and don't forget to come hungry cause they got yummy food going on in the kitchen!

And even more fun close to Mid-City (almost Uptown) over at Rock 'N Bowl (3016 S. Carrollton) it's the Wise Guys at 9:30 pm!!  Remember if you eat at Ye Olde College Inn right next door you get a discount to the show!  Happy rockin' and bowlin'!

Head on down to Frenchmen Street for some live local music!

You can get started early at the Spotted Cat (623 Frenchmen) with Brett Richardson at 4:00 pm, St. Louis Slim at 6:30 pm, and Cottonmouth Kings at 9:30 pm.

Stop by Mojitos Rum Bar & Grill (437 Esplanade - corner of Frenchmen) for some excellent margaritas and some great music all afternoon and evening long with Alex Bossworth at 4:00 pm, Eudora Evans and Deep Soul tonight at 7:00 pm, Javier Olondo and Asheson at 10:30 pm!!

Right down the street you have another trio of shows at BMC (1331 Decatur)...with  Moonshine and Caroline at 7:00 pm, and Soul Project at 10:00 pm!

d.b.a.'s (618 Frenchmen) got the Meschiya Lake & The Little Big Horns at 6:00 it's FREE, but don't forget to tip the band!!  And stay on for John Mooney at 10:00 pm...there's a cover, but you don't want to miss John's mean guitar playin'!!

And for those of you hanging out Uptown don't forget it's Free Fridays at Tipitina's (504 Napoleon Ave.) with Good Enough for Good Times the band starts up about 10ish!

Running of the Bulls!

You don't want to miss the 12 Hour Countdown to the Running of the Bulls at the 12 Bar!!  Get your pre-party tonight with $3 Sangria, Mojitos, and Cuba Libres and NO COVER!!!  The official start time is 8:00 pm with Brown Improv taking the stage at 8:30, followed by New Orleans artists The Local Skank!  A late night of SKA and libations await those brave enough to take the challenge.  Stay through the night and into the morning, but be prepared for those bulls!!

And I usually do events the day before they're happening, but I have to make an exception, because we got an early one tomorrow!!   El Encierro (Running of the Bulls), will again commence at precisely 8 a.m. on tomorrow at Ernst Cafe (600 S. Peters Street).  This is a NEW starting point, so please plan accordingly.  This FREE EVENT will feature hundreds of Roller Bulls from around the country led by our own Big Easy Roller Girls who will chase down and "gore" thousands of corredores (runners) dressed in the traditional white clothes with red sashes and neckerchiefs (traditional clothes not required, but encouraged).

El Encierro is a "run at your own risk" event. All ages are welcome, but participants under 12 and participants with strollers ARE REQUIRED TO USE THE SIDEWALK. Arrive early to view the Procession of San Fermin at 7:30 a.m.  Following El Encierro will be the Post-Encierro Fiesta at Ernst Cafe (600 S. Peters St.) and 12 Bar (608 Fulton St.), featuring Latin food, sangria, Marques de Caceres wines, Stella Artois beer, refreshments, DJs, and live music by Vivaz.  This event is also free and open to the public.

Alrighty, well that should keep you busy this evening and tomorrow...If you're looking for more fun stuff to do...check out the WWOZ Livewire and tune in today from 11-2 pm for the Louisiana Music Party with my hubby Bill deTurk!!