Hazelnut

Be prepared to think skinny while shopping in Hazelnut. It is a small store chock full of lots of decorator item like Jonathan Adler vases, serving pieces and lots of cute Christmas ornaments at this time of year. And you will feel like you are going to knock something over… or maybe that’s just clumsy me. Of course, the NOLA toile is still a big seller but it seems like they have scaled back the variety of items made with it… for instance I didn’t see the umbrellas. But they do have it in a variety of colors (red, blue, green, black and brown). The shop also has purses and other random objects d’arte. And, yep, this visit was party of my annual Magazine-​Street-​Black-​Friday-​Shopping-​Extravaganza with my Mom.

I came here just to stalk Bryan Batt (Sal from Mad Men) since I happened to be in town.
What a cute store! Lots of unique home décor items, but not for the frugal or poor. Classy stuff that cost a pretty penny.
Kind of shabby chic meets classic Southern style.

Hazelnut is my very favorite gift shop in N.O. and I always have to stop by when I’m in town. In addition to a large selection of Seda candles, they also carry items covered with a New Orleans themed toile de jouy fabric which are unique and quite stylish. They also have the best selection of handmade earrings which range anywhere from $ 20 to $ 200 and look completely unique. Last of all, Hazelnut always has a beautiful selection of books, table accessories, bamboo picture frames and colorful leather wallets from Italy. Trés chic!

Growing up, my mother had a sort of a cringe-​worthy decorating sense. I’d come home from school often to find her adding another decorative shelf to the wall, on which she’d display a new knick-​knack. One of her favorites was a Precious Moments knock-​off (yes, knock off) of a little girl bending over to hike her skirt above her bloomers on which was scrawled ‘I’m a LITTLE BEHIND in my chores’. Little behind, get it?! Accccck! :eye roll:
Anyway, dear Mum was finally saved by her gay brother from California, who removed all the totchkes from their respective perches and pried the wall stencils from her claws. We had an intervention, and she fought us the whole time clutching her porcelain figurines to her chest and sobbing the entire way to the dump.
«Leave up the ‘It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere’ sign,» She begged, «It’s the god’s honest truth!»
She’s doing much better now (thanks for asking) but every day is a bit of a struggle. She can’t even walk into a Hallmark!
Hazelnut is the exact sort of place where everyone should shop at without worry or fear of falling victim to the same sort of fate as my mother. All their items are handpicked and very tasteful. Given the opportunity, I would wrap myself in some of that New Orleans Toile, Scarlet O’Hara style, have all my meals served on that Vietri dinnerware they sell, and wrap pictures of my loved ones in gilded frames. That might be a little excessive, but it would be classy, which is what Hazlenut is. Check it out for a uniquely New Orleans boutique without an embarrassing knick-​knack In sight!