Annunciation | NOLA

Dive update.... work is in full swing at Ms. Mae's. Workmen were toting in rolls of insulation this morning. Every morning when I drive by Ms. Mae is there supervising.

For those of you uptown, swing by China Orchid on S. Carrollton Ave. They've been renovating the place, including a fancy new façade with a neon sign. It's still a work in progress but if you ever set foot in the place before, the change will take your breath away.

Pistolette left a comment on my earlier post about dives and such and I too agree that in some cases, the dive-iness of a place is what makes it. Saturn Lounge is a prime example. But some places have spiffed up and retained their sense of charm, like Pascal Manael's. I wouldn't say it was ever a dive, but like many older establishments, it needed some love. I was in there this past Mardi Gras and it felt the same. I haven't been to Madinas's since they reopened, but I hope it feels the same as it did before the storm and major renovations.