Saturday, January 26, 2013

The Suit & Tie Series : Countdown Day 8 : 2013 Superbowl : New Orleans

Welcome Back To The Countdown To Superbowl XLVII
(Day 10 | Day 9 | Day 7 | Day 6 | Day 5 | Day 4 | Day 3 | Day 2 | Day 1)

Welcome back what is rumored to be one of the most explosive and exciting Superbowl weekends to date. The Velvet Couch is continuing the countdown to Superbowl XLVII with day 8. You will continue to be updated with tips on where to go, what to do, where to stay and most certainly while in New Orleans where to eat and where to party. We look forward to celebrating the journey to Superbowl XLVII featuring The Suit & Tie Album by Justin Timberlake with commentary by The Velvet Couch.

2013 Super Bowl Gospel Celebration

Events USA : LA : New Orleans : 2013 Super Bowl Gospel Celebration

When : February 1, 2013

Where : 6801 Franklin Ave New Orleans, LA 70122 (Lakefront Arena)

Time : 7:30pm-10:00pm

Phone : (504) 280-7171

Price : Main Floor : $85-$110.75 | First Level Above The Floor : $74.70 | Second Level Above The Floor : $48.95 (Purchase Tickets)

In its fourteenth year, the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration is the first and only gospel event sanctioned by the NFL for Super Bowl Weekend. The concert series features Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum selling gospel and contemporary Christian and mainstream artists, marquee NFL players and the NFL PLAYERS Choir.

Since its inception, the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration has demonstrated growth year-over-year, with recent sell-outs of venues in Super Bowl host cities including San Diego, Tampa, Detroit, Jacksonville and Houston. The event also serves as a fundraiser with a portion of the proceeds benefiting national and local charities. Close to $400,000 and 5,000 tickets have been donated over the last eleven years.

The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration is produced by Results Marketing & Media Inc.

2013 Super Bowl Gospel Celebration Review By Morgan : Nola Black Professionals

Enjoy an evening of music and entertainment at the UNO Lakefront Arena on Friday, Feb 1, from 7-10pm by some of the biggest names in Gospel today. Hosted by Kirk Franklin, including Bishop Morton, Donnie McClurkin, Fantasia, Marvin Winans, Lecrae and many more.

2013 Lineup

Events : USA : LA : New Orleans : Super Bowl XLVII : DirecTV Beach Bowl & Concert

When : February 2, 2013

Where : 1380 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans, LA 70130 (Mardi Gras World)

Time : 9:00am-5:00pm

Email: cbbtailgateentry@chadhudsonevents.com

Price : Free

DIRECTV's hub at Mardi Gras World will be the hottest spot in New Orleans when Super Bowl weekend kicks off with DIRECTV's Celebrity Beach Bowl on Super Bowl Saturday, Feb. 3, 2013.

Guests will arrive to an interactive fan experience prior to the doors to the Beach Bowl opening featuring food and beverage, beer gardens, sponsorship pavilion, television broadcast and an interactive gaming experience providing fans with the best tailgate games New Orleans has to offer by the area's best universities.

Be among 10-12 people to win coveted spots to participate in this year's Tailgate Experience! We look forward to your submission by December 15th and seeing of you in New Orleans!

The DIRECTV Celebrity Beach Bowl Tailgate, which is free and open to the public, includes:

Exciting sponsorship activations and experiences like the Taste of New Orleans Restaurant Row, Live Music, Contests and Giveaways, DIRECTV's Broadcast Village, University Student Group Spirit Tailgate And more!

Super Bowl XLVII: DirecTV Beach Bowl & Concert Review By DirectTV : El Segundo, CA

A rich gumbo of A-list celebrities and star athletes will gather together in New Orleans, home of Super Bowl XLVII, to compete in the Seventh Annual DIRECTV Celebrity Beach Bowl on Saturday, Feb. 2. The game play will take place in DTV SuperFan Stadium (at Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World) on the world’s largest indoor beach comprised of more than a million pounds of freshly poured sand.

The DIRECTV Celebrity Beach Bowl, which is free and open to the public, has become the must-attend event of Super Bowl weekend attracting thousands of spectators who flock to the event every year to witness Hollywood’s biggest stars compete against former NFL greats in a wild flag football game where anything can happen.

For those watching at home, the pre-game show, game and post-game musical performance will begin airing live at Noon CST on DIRECTV’s Audience Network, NBC Sports Network, all of DIRECTV’s Regional Sports Networks (Root Sports Northwest, Rocky Mountain and Pittsburgh) as well as internationally on DIRECTV’s Pan Americana and DIRECTV Puerto Rico outlets.

Celebrities and athletes scheduled to take part in the game include rapper Snoop Dogg (aka Snoop Lion), Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl), Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games), Nina Dobrev (Vampire Diaries), Maria Menounos (host of EXTRA and New York Times bestselling author of “The EveryGirls Guide to Life”), Scott Porter (Hart of Dixie), Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models Chrissy Teigen and Hannah Davis, Kevin Fraser (omg! Insider anchor), Rocsi Diaz (Entertainment Tonight), Ian Somerholder (Vampire Diaries), actress, author and talk-show host Jenny McCarthy, Matt Bomer (White Collar), Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy), comedian Artie Lange (The Artie Lange Show), NFL Hall of Famers Deion Sanders and Warren Moon, former NY Giants Jesse Palmer and Amani Toomer, Heisman Trophy-winner and NFL great Eddie George with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

The fun begins at Noon CST when Dan Patrick and former New York Giant Michael Strahan host the pre-game show, presented by SHOWTIME®. Then, at 1 p.m. CST, celebrities and athletes will take to the field. The matchup, which is played over four 10-minute quarters, will be called by Patrick and Daryl “Moose” Johnston, entertainment reporter Erin Andrews and sideline reporter Tony Siragusa. Immediately following the game and trophy presentation, fans will fill the beach for a concert by international superstar Pitbull.

DIRECTV’s day-long festivities begin at 9 a.m. with a “Tailgate” event in Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World Studios and along Mardi Gras Plaza. Fans will enjoy a number of interactive experiences, including a live concert at the Great American Country Stage by country music recording artist Chris Young, event sponsors activities, games, the DIRECTV/ESPN Social Media Lounge, and much more. Admission to the tailgate is free, but access to DTV SuperFan Stadium is strictly on a first-come basis (stadium doors open at 11:45 a.m. CST).

During the event, Reebok will outfit players, coaches and team captains with official performance apparel, footwear and accessories and Lexus will provide cars for athletes and celebrities playing in the game. Additional sponsors MillerCoors, ESPN, Starz Entertainment, The Weather Channel, Exede Internet Service provided by ViaSat, SNICKERS and Scripps Networks Interactive will also be on hand for all the festivities.

To join the conversation and get updates use #BeachBowl.

2013 Lineup

Events USA : LA : New Orleans : Kickoff To Rebuild New Orleans 2013

When : January 31st-February 1, 2013

Where : TBD

Time : 6:00pm-8:00 January 31, 2013 and 8:00am-3:00pm February 1, 2013

Phone : (202) 483-9083

Price : Free

Kickoff to Rebuild is an annual NFL sanctioned event hosted by Rebuilding Together. For 18 years, Rebuilding Together has partnered with the NFL in Super Bowl cities across the country, rebuilding houses and bringing together neighborhoods, home by home, block by block, because everyone deserves to live in a safe and healthy home.

In February 2013, we will mobilize hundreds of volunteers, past and present NFL members and players, community leaders, well-known national celebrities, and local and national sponsors to complete renovations on homes in the Algiers neighborhood of McClendonville. Kickoff to Rebuild is the only Super Bowl sanctioned service project taking place on the West Bank of New Orleans.

Rebuilding Together and Lowe’s will partner with Carter’s Kids to build a new playground as part of Kickoff to Rebuild.

Carter’s Kids was founded by Carter Oosterhouse of HGTV’s Carter Can and Red Hot & Green, to increase the activity level of kids by building and developing community parks and neighborhood playgrounds.

Kickoff to Rebuild 2012 : New Orleans Review By Doug Tatum : The Times-Picatune

On a cool, gray Saturday morning -- the kind of day perfect for playing football -– more than a dozen children were doing just that, taking part in the opening game of a flag football league at the NFL YET Center on South Broad Street. As the game was raging on the field, more than 30 volunteers from Rebuilding Together New Orleans and the 2013 Super Bowl Host Committee were hustling around the NFL YET Center making repairs to the one-story brick building that opened in 2000 thanks to a $1 million donation from the NFL following Super Bowl XXXI.

Rebuilding Together New Orleans and the host committee used Saturday not just to begin repairs to the YET Center, which the Boys and Girls Club of America operates to provide after-school activities for school-age children, but to kick off the Super Bowl service season which include Rebuilding Together’s Kickoff to Rebuild on Feb. 1 and the host committee’s Super Saturday of Service on Feb. 2, one day before Super Bowl XLVII.

Jon Skvarka, the director of Rebuilding Together New Orleans, said the volunteers on Saturday were doing some cleaning, painting and light work in preparation for repairs to the building’s electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning systems which will be performed by a construction team. Some termite damage also will be treated and the impacted areas repaired.

“Ensuring the YET Center continues to be a safe haven for kids improves our community and invests in New Orleans future,” Skvarka said.

“These guys are pros,” said Jay Cicero, president/CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and head of the host committee. “They care about the community so much. … It’s a perfect partnership for the NFL and the host committee.”

Around New Orleans

The Roosevelt New Orleans

Hotels : USA : LA : New Orleans : The Roosevelt New Orleans

Few names in American hospitality resonate for travelers and locals the way The Roosevelt, New Orleans does. From our legendary past – where the famous and infamous, the royal and revered, the celebrity and the Sazerac have all starred – to our modern-day luxury and extraordinary accommodations and meeting spaces, The Roosevelt is the destination where memories begin. Experience the premier luxury hotel in New Orleans, part of the prestigious Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts.

The grand hotel boasts 504 rooms, of which 125 are luxury suites, some named for celebrities who once visited the hotel; signature fine-dining and cocktail venues; an entertainment space guaranteed to rival any other in the Gulf South; state-of-the-art meeting and convention rooms; and a 12,000-square-foot, world-class spa and fitness center.

Liuzza's By The Track

Eats : USA : LA : New Orleans : Liuzza's By The Track

About Liuzza's By The Track

Not to be confused with Liuzza's, above, and not to be overlooked, this is a near-flawless example of a corner neighborhood hole in the wall. In one visit, you will either get the point or not; by the second visit, the staff will know your name. It's not just the fact that they serve what may be the best gumbo and red beans 'n' rice in the city, it's the monster perfect po' boys, the addictive garlic fried oyster (our favorite), the drippy garlic-stuffed roast beef (with a pinch of horseradish in the mayo), and their signature astounding barbecued-shrimp po' boy (about three dozen shrimp in a hollowed-out po' boy loaf, soaked in spicy butter). It's also the surprise of serious daily specials such as "grilled crab cheese" and shish-kabobs. It's the salads as well, huge and full of leafy greens (we like to negate the healthy aspects by topping ours with fried crawfish and green-onion dressing); vegetarians will be thrilled with the portobello mushroom version. Space is at a premium, so avoid noon-to-1pm-ish -- lunchtime is especially popular with locals. Or sip a frigid schooner of beer while you wait.

Liuzza's By The Track Review By Dan W. : Clarks Summit, PA

Liuzza's is a 5 Star dive.

We decided to stop in on the way back from some plantation tours that we did outside of town. This place is a cab ride away from where most visitors stay, but we had a rental car for the day.

I had the gumbo, which had a lighter (in color and body) broth than the other gumbos that I had before. I'm pretty sure that they use kielbasa instead of andouille. Regardless, the gumbo is very good.

For the main part of our lunches, I had the garlic oyster po boy and my wife had the signiture BBQ Shrimp Po Boy and sweet fries. I loved my choice: It was stuffed with deep fried oysters that had been basted with garlic butter. DELICIOUS!!

I loved my wife's choice as much as I loved what I had. I'm not sure what they make their BBQ sauce on the shrimp po boy from, but it is addictive. (Maybe it includes worcestershire, butter and black pepper?) We sopped up the sauce with sweet fries once the bread was all gone.

This place is a total dive with really good, unique food and very friendly service. Clientele looked like a mix of locals with a few other tourists beside us. Loved it.

DBA Frenchmen Street

Bars : USA : LA : New Orleans : DBA Frenchmen Street

About Dba Frenchmen Street

Looking for live music in New Orleans? Stop looking. Your night ends at D.B.A. Bar, where you can catch a live show seven nights a week. Come around when D.B.A. features a local artist you haven't heard yet, but don't expect that often--D.B.A. has had artists like Jimmy Buffett and Stevie Wonder on their stage. Of course, your night at D.B.A. won't get started until you've checked out the bar, where D.B.A. proudly displays one of the largest varieties of beer and spirits in New Orleans. Head on over to Faubourg Marigny and enjoy a night at D.B.A., where they don't close until the next morning.

Dba Frenchmen Street Review By Allyson P. : Washington, DC

This is easily the best place to see live jazz in New Orleans. They typically have a cover, but it's completely worth paying. We went on a random Saturday night, and the place was packed and the band was excellent. Not only were they brilliant musicians, but you could tell they had lots of experience performing, and really know how to get the crowd into the show. Everyone was dancing, to the extent you can in such a packed space (note, I wanted to be close to the front to be able to see; there was much more room to move if you were at the bar or towards the back of the room).

On top of being an excellent jazz menu, they also have a huge beer and booze selection. Their whiskey selection alone was ogle-worthy. If I had a complaint, it would be that during a crowded show where I was standing, I would have preferred my Manhattan not be in a martini glass. I definitely spilled a decent amount of it (sorry guy standing in front of me). That's such a minor complaint though for an otherwise fabulous evening.

The Metropolitan Nightclub

Clubs : USA : NO : New Orleans : The Metropolitan Nightclub

About The Metropolitan Nightclub

Another warehouse dance destination, The Metropolitan Club is the premier "video DJ" dance establishment in the city. The intricate lighting and smoke machines set the mood, as partyers find themselves lost in the endless beats bumping through the surround sound speakers. The music offerings are eclectic with Top 40, Hip Hop, Mash Ups, Rock and Pop in one room with House, Electro, Techno, Dubstep and Breaks in another. Flat screen TVs line the walls, so the dancers can follow the DJ from any spot on the floor. Like most good clubs, table service and valets are available. Unlike most clubs where one finds it hard to muscle through the crowds to get a drink, The Metro features 11 bar stations, rendering this problem moot.

The Metropolitan Nightclub Review By Eboni F. : Metairie, LA

Now this is definitely one of the best night spots I have been to hands down... Despite the cover beign a little steep ($25 Friday, at 1am!) it is definitely one of the hottest spots to see and be seen with an adult clientele (grown & sexy)... just mad I missed Anthony Hamilton.. but was lmao when I saw that the hostess was that chick from America's Next Top Model!!

Rolling Stone Live Super Bowl Party

Parties : USA : LA : New Orleans : Rolling Stone Live Super Bowl Party

When : Friday, February 1st, 2013
Where : 701 Convention Center Boulevard, New Orleans (Bud Light Hotel, Wyndham New Orleans)
Time : Party Goes From 8pm - 2am
Tickets : Purchase Tickets Now
Phone : (504) 524-8200

Bud Light, the official beer sponsor of the NFL, announced Rolling Stone will be hosting Rolling Stone LIVE at the Bud Light Hotel in downtown New Orleans featuring performances by the ultimate party chart-toppers: Pitbull and Flo Rida.Kicking off the biggest weekend in sports on Friday, February 1 at 9:15 p.m., the Rolling Stone bash will be a can't miss event, with America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon spinning all night and back-to-back performances by Flo Rida and Pitbull.

The Bud Light Hotel is a total transformation of a 200-room downtown New Orleans hotel (701 Convention Center Blvd.) into the ultimate party destination during Super Bowl week. This is the second year that Rolling Stone has hosted a party Super Bowl weekend and the first at the Bud Light Hotel.

"Bud Light Hotel continues to be the home to some of Super Bowl week's biggest parties, and hosting Rolling Stone LIVE shows our commitment to ensuring we have the best lineup of events in New Orleans," said Mike Sundet, vice president, Bud Light. "With four nights of great parties, including Rolling Stone LIVE and EA SPORTS Madden Bowl, this will be our most memorable Bud Light Hotel yet. "

One-On-One Interview With Matt Mastrangelo, Publisher of Rolling Stone Magazine :

HQ: Hi Matt, the internet is buzzing about your party. Tell us about it.
We're thrilled to be partnering with Bud Light . The venue is going to be absolutely spectacular. We were down there Tuesday and Wednesday this week going through the Wyndham Riverfront that they're completely renovating and turning into the Bud Light Hotel. Rolling Stone the brand is all about bringing big time talent to a large amount of consumers to have a great amazing party. Being able to partner with Bud Light, which is also kind of in that spirit, is going to make for a great night. You've got Rolling Stone, you've got Bud Light, Pitbull, Flo Rida, and Nick Cannon, who is going to be DJing all night long. If you're interested in going to a great party, rocking to some great music, and just having a really really great time, this is the only place to be on Friday night.

HQ: How is this a party, and not just a concert?
When you bring great performers together, when you bring a great venue into the mix, it is going to be a great party. We're going to be having some great Rolling Stone interactive areas onsite, some great photo booths, and photo activations. People are going to be able to do some fun social media sharing at the event as well. So when you bring something that consumers can engage with, when you bring a great venue, and you bring great music, you're going to be coming with your friends and celebrating a great Super Bowl weekend. This year we really wanted to focus on bringing in some great high profile talent and put them into a spectacular venue and just dial it up really big time for Super Bowl weekend. It'll be a great night.

HQ: How did you go about picking the headliners for the event?
There were two big things that played into choosing the acts this year. First you have the big brands. You have a big brand in Rolling stone, you have a big brand in Bud Light, and you have a big brand in the Super Bowl. Second, what we wanted to look at was - what artists have a big album release, that are going to be dropping some big singles, and are going be moving up the charts in a big way. When you look at Pitbull's new album that recently dropped, and Flo Rida has some new singles that are moving up the charts in a big way, we took that idea of going big and really ramped it up.

HQ: Is there pressure to bring in acts that are Rock n' Roll acts because Rolling Stone, especially the name, has more of a Rock n' Roll history?
We look at Rock n' Roll as a state of mind, not as a genre of music. Rock n' Roll is this ideal that someone lives. From a cover standpoint and genre perspective, Rolling Stone continues to have a lot of Rock n' Roll stars on the cover, people that you would think are in that Rock n' Roll genre. That's still a big part. We'll have Jimmy Page on the cover this year. So we've had really great Rock n' Roll acts on the cover. Rolling stone is also this brand that has its pulse on what's going on in youth culture and music is a big part of youth culture. Rock n' Roll is this ideal of Rolling Stone, and music is this filter of everything that goes into the magazine.

HQ: Can you tell us about the Rolling Stone Tailgate Party?
We are looking at a tailgate. Hopefully within the next couple of days we'll probably announce something. Its going be "Rock n' Roll."

HQ: What does the publisher of Rolling Stone do when he's in town on days when he's not working on the parties?
I'm going to be working on the parties. I'm not going to be sleeping. I'm looking forward to maybe a little down time. Obviously going to some great restaurants as well. During our site inspection we went to Domenica, one of John Besh's spots, which is absolutely off the chart, so you know you get some great meals and just a chance to enjoy New Orleans.

Celebrities
Brian Baumgartner (The Office), Candace Swanepoel (Victoria's Secret Supermodel), Craig Ferguson (The Late Late Show with Craig Fergson), Mark Cuban (Chairman of AXS TV & Dallas Maverick's owner), Paul McCartney (singer/songwriter, The Beatles), Paul Wesley (The Vampire Diaries), Peter Facinelli (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2), Scott Porter (Hart of Dixie), Torrey DeVitto (The Vampire Diaries) and more.

Pitbull has risen to become a global superstar as both a recording and performing artist. The Miami native recently added to a long and growing list of hits with his first No. 1, "Give Me Everything." At the same time, his world tour sold out concerts in Latin America, Canada and Europe, before bringing the party to the United States, Japan and Australia. Pitbull's new single, "Don't Stop The Party," is gaining heavy momentum on the radio and video charts and is featured on his new album, "Global Warming." It's the highly anticipated follow-up to "Planet Pit," which earned critical acclaim and enjoyed massive commercial success with sales of more than 1.4 million albums and 18 million singles. "Don't Stop The Party" comes on the heels of Pitbull's two million-selling single, "Back In Time," the chart-topping anthem from the action-adventure-comedy "Men In Black 3."

Flo Rida is without question one of today's most vibrant and recognizable superstars, a true international icon and history-making hip-hop hero. The Miami-based rapper burst onto the scene in 2007 with his record-breaking #1 hit, Low (Feat. T-Pain); which spent 10 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. With worldwide sales exceeding 12 million, Low. found on Flo Rida's acclaimed 2008 debut album, MAIL ON SUNDAY, is one of the most successful digital singles of the past decade, making its way into the Guinness Book of World Records as 2008's best-selling download in the United States. "WILD ONES" is his fourth studio album and includes hits like "Good Feeling," "Wild Ones (Feat. Sia)" and "Whistle," in addition to addictive new jams like "I Cry" and "Let It Roll."

Contact Justin Timberlake