In the Carnival edition of Big Easy Bites, Jennifer Abbott explores eating options for hungry parade goers.

After the hubbub yesterday, Hurricane Isaac is making NOLA play a waiting game for his arrival. Many businesses are closing up shop tonight, with spots like the vaunted Café Du Monde modifying their 24/7 schedule for the storm. Even the sturdy Harrah's Casino decided to give their employees a chance to make evacuation plans. However, there are always holdouts that refuse to shut their doors regardless of the circumstances. Although the city lost Johnny White's as they knew it, NoDef scouted and was able to find more bars on high ground that will be weathering the storm with their patrons.   

by Mary-Devon Dupuy

Loyal fans of Da Paper and its doomed seven-days-a-week print schedule: if anyone is looking for a good place to spend a thirsty Thursday, check out the Lower Garden District tonight. Bars in the area will donate a portion of their proceeds to dashTHIRTYdash, a fund set up to benefit those New Orleanians that are losing their jobs along with a daily print newspaper.

by Shay Sokol

Even though it's Tuesday, drinking options rise above usual specials tonight Uptown.  The Company Burger on Freret St. hosts the third installment of B.T.G. (By the Glass), a pop-up wine bar which will feature Rosé wines selected by Joe Briand and gourmet food pairings by Chef Adam Biderman. Downriver on St. Charles Ave., the Avenue Pub hosts a release party for NOLA Brewing Co.’s summer seasonal offering, Hurricane Saison.

NOLA Smokehouse (ex-Smokin' Buddha BBQ) found themselves with a weekly gig at Avenue Pub, and the arrangement worked out so well they're moving to twice a week. Ryan Sparks checks out the many influences of these BBQ buzzworthies.

New Orleans’ fourth Craft Beer Week is almost here, so put your drinking pants on and get ready to learn about that American industry that combines the ruggedly individual spirit of drinking something that isn't Bud or Miller, and the very communal act of gathering over a brew.

by Brad Rhines

NOLA Brewing will soon add two new beers to their krewe of brews, and they’re celebrating with a couple of upcoming parade parties.  On Saturday, the Uptown brewery rolls out their seasonal Flambeau Red Ale with a Krewe du Brew Bar Crawl in the French Quarter, and next weekend at the Avenue Pub they’ll release Pour Me Somethin’ Mistah Imperial Porter, a collaboration with California’s Stone Brewing Company.

Riding on the heels of last week's smoke out, NOLA Brewing seems perfectly poised to reclaim gray, particulate-filled, wheeze-inducing clouds for good. Tonight, the Uptown microbrew will release Smoky Mary, a new seasonal brew that combines a fest beer (think: Oktoberfest) with a smoked ale. Early in the beermaking process, some of the malt used in the beer was smoked over pecan wood for 2.5 hours, said NOLA Brewing President Kirk Coco. The malt was then combined with the fest beer ingredients. The alcohol by volume of the beer is 5.9 percent.

J'Anita's, the BBQ joint that moved from Magazine St. to the St. Charles craft watering hole Avenue Pub, is leaving the Lower Garden District. The Pub having the distinction of hosting excellent beer selection and company, and J'Anita's having the distinction of being tasty, this news marks a sad parting. Not to be intimidated by the prospect of their second move in a year in this seafood-heavy town, J'Anita's is apparently relocating to the newly-refurbished Rendon Inn, at the corner of Eve and S. Rendon in Broadmoor, says their facebook page.