NEW ORLEANS, LA—March 12, 2009 – In 2009, for the second year in a row, Tales of the Cocktail, the premier cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history andculture of dining and drinking in New Orleans, will work closely with more than 30 of the most dedicated and widely read bloggers covering the world of spirits and cocktails. Together, these bloggers will contribute to “Blogging Tales of the Cocktail,” the largest collaborative cocktail site on the Internet. Participating blogs include The Cocktail Chronicles, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Kaiser Penguin, Married…With Dinner, and TheGumbo Pages, among many others. Along with guest contributors drawn from the ranks of Tales of the Cocktail presenters and mixologists, and with contributions from guest bloggers from the New Orleans region, these cocktail bloggers will publicize the many aspects of Tales of the Cocktail, from seminars to Spirited Dinners to the mixologists who make Tales of the Cocktail such a one-of-a-kind event.

This unique group site is hosted at TalesBlog.com; for the 2009 event, “Blogging Talesof the Cocktail” is sponsored by Martin Miller’s Gin. Beginning in April, the site will feature advance previews of Tales of the Cocktail sessions and events, along with additional coverage that highlights the cuisine and culture of host city New Orleans. From July 8-12, participating bloggers will gather in New Orleans to provide live coverage of Tales of the Cocktail. 

The summer’s most spirited event, Tales of the Cocktail explores the history and contemporary life of the cocktail at various locations in New Orleans French Quarter andremains headquartered at the legendary Hotel Monteleone. The event welcomes celebrities, mixologists, chefs, authors and cocktail experts as presenters and special guests from around the globe for seminars, spirited dinners and parties. Top names in the spirits industry like Dale DeGroff, Tony Abou-Ganim, Robert Hess and Kevin Brauchwill once again take part in educating industry members and consumers alike about the cocktail.

With more than 100 events that cover a wide-variety of subjects, Tales of the Cocktail entertains amateurs and experts. In 2009, new events include, Seven Deadly Sins theme party, On the Fly Bartender competition, USBG Caipirinha Competition, Spirited lunchon Moonshine, The Great Whisk(e)y debate, and the Tales of the Cocktail Spirit Awards recognize the best in the industry. Dinner pairings, cocktail parties, tastings and demonstrations fill the schedule.

About Tales of the Cocktail
Tales of the Cocktail is an internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine and culture held annually in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community—award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers—for a five-day celebration of the history and artistry of making drinks. Each year offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours and parties all perfectly paired with some of the bestcocktails ever made.

About Martin Miller’s Gin
MARTIN MILLER’S Gin is an elegantly styled spirit developed specifically for the discerning individual who seeks the ultimate premium product. This quality distilled spirit including 10 of the highest quality botanicals, blended with pure Icelandic springwater, is creating a new level of appreciation for gin among the discerning public. MARTIN MILLER’S Gin is a clean-tasting, silky smooth gin that makes anoutstanding martini and mixes beautifully in a variety of cocktails. MARTINMILLER’S Gin seeks to attract consumers 21 and over who are looking for a more sophisticated spirit experience.

MARTIN MILLER’S Gin is imported by KindredSpirits, Inc. based in Miami, FL.MARTIN MILLER’S Gin. DISTILLED IN ENGLAND - BLENDED AND BOTTLED IN ICELAND FOR A GIN OF UNCOMPROMISING TASTE www.martinmillersgin.com

About the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society
The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society is a non-profit organization committed to preserving the unique culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans andthe storied bars and restaurants that have contributed to the city’s world-wide culinary acclaim. This organization supports members of the hospitality industry through education and the production of events like Tales of the Cocktail and, most recently, Trails of the Cocktail, a scholarship program for emerging talent in the New Orleans cocktail industry.

Every summer spirits from around the world descend on America’s most soulful city.This summer will be no different as Tales of the Cocktail returns. Join us for a spirited schedule of cocktails, cuisine and culture that will stir even the most idle of souls.

For more information on Tales of the Cocktail, visit the website at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com or call 504-948-0511. TICKETS ON SALE NOW. For more information on “Blogging Tales of the Cocktail,” contact executive editor PaulClarke at paul@cocktailchronicles.com.

Neil Young and his band, Wynton Marsalis, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, Sugarland, Joe Cocker, Ben Harper, Tony Bennett, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kings of Leon, Neville Brothers, Wilco, Bonnie Raitt, Allen Toussaint, The O’Jays, Erykah Badu, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Dr. John plus hundreds of others previously announced to appear at the historic edition of the Festival.

Jazz Fest also noted that New Orleans’ own Imagination Movers have been added to the Festival on Saturday, April 25.

The Festival’s updated, day-specific lineup is available at www.nojazzfest.com/music. 

For the first time ever, the Festival has been offering discount ticket packages to each day of a particular weekend. Ticket packages purchased for all three days of the first weekend (April 24, 25 & 26) will be $105, while second weekend packages purchased for all four festival days (April 30, May 1, 2 & 3) will be $140. (Tickets included in each package are day-specific.) Advance single day Jazz Fest tickets are still only $40 with the gate price of $50. Children’s tickets (ages 2 - 11) are only $5 in advance or at the gate. Single day tickets to Jazz Fest are on sale by specific weekend, with each ticket valid for a single day’s attendance. Tickets for the Festival, which takes place at the Fair Grounds Race Course are on-sale through all Ticketmaster outlets.

The Festival’s popular Big Chief VIP Experience ticket package and the Grand Marshal VIP Pass return for the 40th anniversary celebration, as well as the newly unveiled Krewe of Jazz Fest VIP Pass that allows for special covered seating at the Acura Stage audience area plus other amenities. All the hugely popular VIP packages are on sale now while very limited supplies last.

Tickets are available at www.nojazzfest.com and www.ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling (800) 745-3000. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Jazz Fest ticket office located at the Louisiana Superdome Box Office (Gate A, Ground Level) or the New Orleans Arena Box Office. All Jazz Fest tickets are subject to additional service fees and handling charges.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation presents the 2009 Gala on Thursday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m. Annually selling out, this year’s gala event will take place in the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel and spotlight the famed New Orleans music venue The Dew Drop Inn. Performing as part of the “The Dew Drop Inn Revisited All-Stars” will be Allen Toussaint, Eddie Bo, Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, Robert Parker, and Wanda Rouzan along with The N'Awlins All-Stars. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue and the TBC Brass Band are also scheduled to perform at the event. Tickets are available by calling (504) 410-4148.

A listing of hotels offering special Jazz Fest rates is posted at www.nojazzfest.com, where patrons can effortlessly reserve their hotel rooms for the event. Festivalgoers can peruse room availability and book their accommodations early taking advantage of some of the best prices offered at participating hotels.

Shell is the Presenting Sponsor of the Festival. Acura is proudly celebrating its 10th year as sponsor of the Festival’s main stage. Peoples Health, Miller Lite, Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, AT&T, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots (A Churchill Downs Company), Edison Chouest Offshore, Capital One Bank, Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, Pepsi, Rajen Kilachand and St. Charles Vision are all also official Jazz Fest sponsors.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc. is the nonprofit organization that owns the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell, and uses the proceeds from that festival for year-round activities in the areas of education, economic development and cultural programming. Programs and assets of the foundation include: radio station WWOZ 90.7-FM, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Archive, the Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music, the Tom Dent Congo Square Lecture Series, the Jazz Journey concert series, the Community Partnership Grants program and the Raisin’ the Roof housing initiative. The foundation also produces community events such as the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, Fiesta Latina, the Congo Square Rhythms Festival, the Down by the Riverside concerts and others. For more information, please call the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation at (504) 558-6100 or visit www.jazzandheritage.org.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell is a co-production of Festival Productions, L.L.C.        
(a wholly owned subsidiary of Festival Productions, Inc.-New Orleans) and AEG Louisiana Production, L.L.C.         
(a subsidiary of AEG Live).

Click here for the complete weekend by weekend schedule

From the New Orleans Times-Picayune's Brett Anderson: Members of the Galatoire family opposed to the proposed sale of Galatoire's, the legendary French-Creole restaurant, filed a legal judgment [Jan. 30] in an attempt to block the deal. Michele Galatoire, Duane Galatoire Attaway, Leon R. Galatoire and Henry W. Kinney are the plaintiffs listed on the petition for declaratory judgment filed in Civil District Court in New Orleans. Attaway and Michele and Leon Galatoire are descendants of Jean Galatoire, who, in 1905, founded the restaurant that bears his family's name. Kinney is their lawyer and trustee of the Leon Galatoire Trust. The restaurant is currently owned by a group of more than 30 of Jean Galatoire's descendents. The plaintiffs are among them. The petition seeks to halt the sale of the restaurant to David Gooch, a restaurant manager and Galatoire family member; Melvin Rodrigue, the restaurant's chief operating officer; and a group of still-unnamed investors operating under the limited liability Bourbon Investments, LLC. ... Full Story