“It” is the Annual Running of the Bulls through the streets of the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans over the weekend of July 12-15. Set to coincide with the world-famous Encierro (Running of the Bulls) at the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain, the popularity of the New Orleans event has mushroomed since it was first staged here in 2007. Last year an estimated 10,000 people took part in the run.

The main event, the “Encierro,” begins at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 14. Starting and ending locations are expected to be announced soon.

The “Bulls,” in case you’re wondering, are the young ladies from the New Orleans-based all-female flat-track derby team, the Big Easy Rollergirls, led by “Archbishop Pummel!” These “RollerBulls,” wearing rubber bull horns on their helmets, skate behind the runners and, as they catch up with the slowest runners along the route, they are allowed to “gore” them by whacking them with soft foam-core wiffle ball bats. The girls will be accompanied by The Rolling Elvi (the plural of “Elvis”), a group of Elvis look-alikes who ride on Segways.

Some participants consider it an honor to be “gored” by the “bulls.” They allow themselves to get whacked several times and no one has ever been hospitalized. It’s all in good fun, taking the famous New Orleans saying “Let the good times ROLL” to its literal extreme. And, in typical New Orleans fashion, it begins with a party and ends with a party!

As the popularity of the festival has grown, so has the number of days on which it is celebrated. It has now grown from one to three days, encompassing a wide diversity of fun events.

The Route
In 2011 a new route for the Encierro was mapped out, taking in more of the downtown area while skirting the edge of the French Quarter between Canal and Bienville streets. As of early May 2012, it hasn’t been announced if last year’s route will change or remain the same. Updated details will be published as they are announced.

Both before and after the run the host venue (to be announced) will be serving sangria, daiquiris, beer, Spanish wine, food and good cheer. There will also be live music by a still-to-be-announced local Latin Rock band.

Other San Fermin Events
The following is a list of events being scheduled for the San Fermin weekend:

• Thursday, July 12: Annual Wine Dinner, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, July 13: El Txupinazo (a special Spanish-themed dinner), 6:00-9:00 p.m.
• Saturday, July 14: La Fiesta de Pantalones (The Pants Party), 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday, July 15: El Pobré de Mi (Poor Me) Contest testing knowledge of Ernest Hemingway, 11:30 a.m.
Venues for the abovementioned events will be announced as the dates get closer and tickets for those events will go on sale at that time.

Donations are strongly recommended to help defray some of the costs involved in Encierro and other free San Fermin events. Early arrival is also strongly recommended.

The main requirement for all who plan to participate in the run is to wear a white shirt, white pants or shorts and have a red scarf or long red cloth tied around their waists and necks. Of course, this being New Orleans, many of the participants take it even further, showing up in clever and imaginative costumes, especially dressed up as matadors and bulls.

Other rules for the run are:

• Run at your own risk
• Do not touch the Bulls
• If you go down, stay down
• Do not stand still
• Children under ten (10) use sidewalk.

For further information go to the group’s website www.nolabulls.com.

As they have done every year (except one) since 1994, the publishers of Essence magazine continue to sponsor the festival which has annually brought tens of thousands of visitors to New Orleans with a dazzling array of superstars and renowned speakers. This year’s headliner is the undisputed “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin. Also, returning to the live performance stage for the first time in ten years is Grammy Award-winning crooner D’Angelo, and the ever-popular Trey Songz will be making his third Essence Fest appearance in the past three years.

Other musical superstars include Grammy Award winners Fantasia, Estelle, Marsha Ambrosius, Mary J. Blige, Stephanie Mills and the Pointer Sisters. Outstanding male artists include The Stylistics, Charlie Wilson, Dru Hill, Kirk Franklin, Tank and more. A partial list of the scheduled performers is as follows:

• Bridget Kelly
• Eric “Erro” Roberson
• Fred Hammond
• Goapele
• Keyshia Cole
• Kindred the Family Soul
• Luke James
• Eve
• Mary Mary
• Maurette Brown Clark
• Raheem DeVaughn
• SWV
• Vivian Green
• Teedra Moses

New Orleans area performers include:

• Big Sam’s Funky Nation
• Khris Royal & Dark Matter
• Ledisi
• The Original Pinettes Brass Band
• The Stooges Brass Band

Other performers are scheduled as well. A complete night by night lineup of Essence performers can be found at this link: www.essence.com/festivals/2012/essence-music-festival/schedule.

Here in New Orleans the two cultures converge every year during Memorial Day weekend at the architecturally breathtaking Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, towering over scenic, serene Bayou St. John. The dates for Greek Festival 2012, celebrating all things pan-Hellenic, are May 25-27 2012.

Aficionados of souvlaki, baklava, dolma (stuffed grape leaves), spanakopita (spinach pie), and gyro sandwiches (pita bread pockets stuffed with lamb, pork and zesty sauce) will find plenty of it – and more – at the New Orleans Greek Festival, where dozens of unique food specialties are served up. Fans of Greek music, especially the distinctive sounds of the bouzouki guitar, will find more than their share of that too, as Hellenic dancers in colorful native costumes sway to the driving rhythms. Before long, you, too, will be shouting “Opa!” like they did in the movie’s wedding reception scene.

The cathedral and festival site are located at 1200 Robert E. Lee Boulevard (at St. Bernard Avenue) in New Orleans. Donation is $5 – children under 12 admitted free. Free off-site parking and shuttle service is available.

For more information call 504-282-0259 or visit their website at www.greekfestnola.com

Phyllis Paulsen, a successful financial planner from California, has always had an extra sense about ghosts.

“I’ve had this eerie ability to see ghosts since I was a young child,” she explains.

So it wasn’t a surprise that when Mrs. Paulsen checked into her suite on the 14th floor of Hotel
Monteleone that she had a visitor. The historic hotel, founded in 1886 and owned by the fourth generation
of the Monteleone family, has often heard ghost stories from guests, especially on the 14th floor (actually
the 13th floor).

“I was just relaxing in bed one morning when I looked up to see a young boy about three years old walk
by the foot of my bed,” she vividly recalls. “Since he had come from the sitting room, I immediately got up
to see if the door was open and to check if a parent may have followed him into the room. My husband
had just left for a meeting and I thought he may not have closed the door all the way.”

The door was securely closed. “It didn’t take me long to realize that I had seen a ghost,” she continues.
“He was a friendly little fellow wearing a striped shirt. One moment he was there and the next he was
gone.”

The experience was so real that Mrs. Paulsen always requests the same room when she visits the
Monteleone. “I’ve been back twice since I first saw the child and he hasn’t reappeared, but I am always
thinking that maybe he will next time.”

The story of the young boy has been repeated many times by other guests and legend has it that he was
the son of Josephine and Jacques Begere who stayed at the Monteleone when they came to New
Orleans to attend an opera in the famous French Opera House on Bourbon Street in the late 19th
century.

Maurice, their young son, was left with his nanny while the couple went off to the opera. Unfortunately, an
accident occurred as they were returning to the hotel. The horses bolted when they heard a loud
noise and Jacques was thrown from the buggy, killing him instantly. They say that Josephine died within a
year of a broken heart.

The speculation is that the ghost of young Maurice sometimes roams the halls searching for his parents.
His presence is especially felt on the fourteenth floor near the room where his parents were staying.

New Orleans is one of the world's most fascinating cities, a brilliant blend of culture, food and music you won’t find anywhere else. So whether it’s your first time or you’re a regular, we’re here waiting to host your next big New Orleans adventure. Experience New Orleans the Criollo Way! Under the direction of Executive Chef Randolph Buck and Chef de Cuisine Joseph Maynard, Criollo Restaurant and Lounge will make its debut in the New Orleans restaurant scene in May 2012 offering a fine dining experience that features a menu of Contemporary Louisiana cuisine and an atmosphere of approachable elegance.         Hotel Happenings and Upcoming Events Lion King- March 14 – April 20 The Disney spectacular everyone has been raving about is finally coming to New Orleans! As the official sponsor of Broadway Across America, we invite you to make the Hotel Monteleone your pre and post show headquarters. We will be giving away tickets to the show so make sure to fan us on Facebook for a chance to win! St. Patrick’s Day – March 17 Go green on St. Patrick’s Day with the Hotel Monteleone! Stop by the Carousel Bar & Lounge before and after the Downtown Irish Club parade and enjoy unique cocktails and Irish liquor specials! Mad About Mad Men at the Monteleone– March 20 Save the date and join us in the Carousel Bar & Lounge donning your best Mad Men inspired vintage outfit to kick off the new season of Mad Men premiering March 25th. Prizes will be awarded to the best dressed! More details coming soon but in the meantime “Have a drink. It’ll make me look younger.” -Roger Sterling, Mad Men. 2012 CitySolve Championship Race- May 24 More than a scavenger hunt but less demanding than a traditional road race, the CitySolve Urban Race Experience is like no other. It’s a fun and exciting event for you and your friends that allows you to experience New Orleans in a whole new way. We are excited to be sponsoring this amazing event and will be selling tickets at the exclusive discounted rate of $25 from the normal $45. Click here to purchase tickets soon.   Specials & Packages Any excuse is a good excuse to come to New Orleans and festival season is a great time to come! Our specials and packages make your trip planning even easier. From the ultimate Stay & Play to a Romantic getaway, let Hotel Monteleone be your home away from home in New Orleans. Famous Carousel Bar & Lounge is Rockin’! It’s 5 o’ clock somewhere and time for a cocktail! Renovations to the famous Carousel Bar and new extended lounge are 95% complete and we invite you to experience the final product! Our favorite part, the new live entertainment! It’s a new New Orleans experience with the same Carousel Bar feeling you know and love. Come cocktail with us soon!        Start planning your next visit to New Orleans at www.hotelmonteleone.com TripAdvisor “French Quarter Excellence” We stayed at the Monteleone during Christmas week. A beautiful hotel right in the middle of everything. Walking distance to everywhere in the French Quarter. Great lodging, wonderful festive lobby and a quiet place away from it all. I would definitely return. Reasonable and well kept and a perfect place to stay in the area. We would love to hear what you think of the Hotel Monteleone. Please share with us! Employee of the Month        Congratulations of our Star of the Month Art Savoy from our Maintenance Department! AJ Mattern who nominated Art wrote “Art is the type of employee that every supervisor dreams of. He goes about his work with enthusiasm and vigor and always has a smile.”   Pining Over Pinterest! We have recently joined the world of Pinterest and cannot get enough! Join us in all the pinning pleasure! Click here to check out our Pinterest page. Hotel Monteleone 214 Royal Street New Orleans, LA 70130 Phone: (504) 523 3341 www.hotelmonteleone.com reservations@hotelmonteleone.com