Good Eats In New Orleans: Clover Grill

Photo by Benét J. Wilson

My mother’s family is from New Orleans and my grandmother’s family is from the Gulfport/Biloxi region, so I have a natural love for the food of my people.   And I’ve had the pleasure of spending many good times in the Crescent City, so I plan on passing along some of my favorite places to eat.

I discovered Clover Grill after a great night of partying in the French Quarter, back in my younger days.  When you’ve played that hard, you need good food to restore you, and Clover Grill fits the bill.  I had a delicious chicken-fried steak breakfast, but the star attraction is the hamburgers.  The hamburgers are cooked under a hubcap (yes, rims), and they are NOT to be missed.  And enjoy the “show” put on by the waitstaff.  Make this a late-night eating spot during the NABJ Annual Convention and Career Fair in the Big Easy! Preregistration ends on June 30, so register TODAY!!

10 Things to Do NOW to Prepare for #NABJ17

There’s only 63 more days until the NABJ Annual Convention and Career Fair in New Orleans. That seems like a long time, but it flies by quickly. You need to start working now to get yourself ready. Below are 10 ideas that will help.

10.  BUY your airline ticket. Fares are cheaper when you book at least 21 days in advance. After that, prices only get higher. And because New Orleans is a popular destination, fares will be higher, so use an app like Hopper to find out the best time to buy.

9. BOOK your hotel room. What are you waiting for? The room block is almost sold out, so you’ll either have to pay a higher price in the Hilton Riverside or pay more for nearby hotels.

8. CHECK your wardrobe. Now is the time to start mulling what you’ll wear. Look for rips, stains or alterations. Or start shopping for key pieces you may need. Also, do those shoe repairs you’ve been putting off.

7. LOOK at the exhibitor list. While you’re looking at that list, start making appointments with 3-4 companies you definitely want to see in New Orleans.

6.  Buy your ticket for the Sports Task Force Jam. This is the not-to-be-missed event at every NABJ convention. This year’s party will be at the House of Blues. Early bird regular and VIP tickets are still available but tend to sell out. And the best part? The proceeds fund scholarships.

5. Check out the NOLA.com Dining Guide so you can scope out all the city’s great restaurants.

4. Order new business cards. Vistaprint has hundreds of designs or you can create your own. Click here for discount coupons. Or check out Moo cards, which uses based on your Facebook timeline.

3. Review and update your resume. Make sure you’ve updated all your jobs and skills. Keep a copy in the cloud and on a thumb drive so it’s easily accessible. And check out my DJTF webinar (registration is free) and my website on crafting a good one or if you need further help.

2. Create a portfolio website. You need to send potential employers to one place that shows to house your work and your resume. Don’t know how to get started? NABJ member Marissa Evans did a webinar on that!

1. Read VP-Broadcast Bob Butler’s “Tips for Young Journalists/Students at the NABJ Convention.” It targets the younger folks, but there are plenty of tips that apply to all of us.

3 DJTF Webinars To Prepare You For #NABJ17

It’s amazing, but the 42nd Annual NABJ Convention and Career Fair in New Orleans is now only 65 days away!  So while the clock is ticking, NOW is the time to get ready for our convention.

You need to have a resume that’s on point, and you need to have an online portfolio to point potential employers to.  It also doesn’t hurt to start either working on or sharpening up your personal journalism brand.

Lucky for you, the Digital Journalism Task Force did three great hour-long webinars on these very topics.  So now is the time to review these webinars so that you’re ready to shine in New Orleans.

• Developing an Online Portfolio, with Michelle Johnson
• “Brand” New You, with  Dr. Sybril Brown of Belmont University
• The Do’s and Don’ts of Resumes, with NABJ VP-Digital Benet Wilson, owner of ResumesByBenet.com

You need to submit an email address, but the webinars are free to view. Register for the convention here.  I hope they help, and I look forward to seeing you in New Orleans!