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Kaylan McDuff

@kmcduff

3.7K

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4950

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AL ➡️ DC ➡️📍NOLA🎉
👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨 @kmihalcoe
🐕 @louisabouttown
🏠 @kandkathome

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if you want to avoid dairy, one trick that I do is I dice up arugula and I put it in

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We go together like dive bars and cheap sunglasses ❣️

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2026 YTD - Mardi Gras, Gay Sports, Ptown, OSU, Houston Rodeo, ACL, ATL Pride, Bunnies, Food, Stonewall Trivia, Breakaway Dallas, 3D Printed Robotics, Pool, Heartbreak, Southern Decadence, Murrieta Hot Springs, Birthdays, & Houston Pride

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2025 - Mardi Gras, Tiki Island, CDMX, Boston, Ptown, San Diego CRSSD, ACL, Ren Fest, New York

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Saint’s surprise 10th birthday was a huge success! We had a beautiful human cake by @jansconfections and Saint got his own cake from @petcetera_nola . John made a special dog friendly piñata that looked like a huge red ball (his favorite toy) and filled it with red tennis balls for the dogs to play with. The dogs got to leave with puppy swag bags, we all sang Saint happy birthday and he was so good about waiting to eat his cake! Thank you to all our friends for the amazing gifts and for being his favorite aunties and uncles. Special thanks to @fleurdelicious_nola for bringing him in for the surprise moment! 🤣

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A hott and sweaty Summer 2026 dump!

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Wrapping the joyful chaos of @arnaudsnola Christmas in July up with a bow!

The wildly over-the-top themed summer rosé lunches have been such a fun creative treat over the last few years, and they helped bring back standing Friday lunch at Arnaud’s in the best possible way.

Which also means there is absolutely no reason to wait for an official theme to make your reservation because you can always make up your own!

And this summer, they have an unreal $25 Friday lunch special.

🥂🪩✈️

Through September 13, you can join their Summer Boarding Pass program. Dine four times and you’ll be entered to win one of the basically impossible reservations for the Halloween or Holiday lunch, plus a $350 food and beverage credit.

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When I finally let go of my plan to papier-mâché a disco-mirrored lobster for Santa Claws, Bennett told me he had some ideas. And that is how Kitsch Khristmas got a 6-year-old creative director.

Some glittered dinosaurs carried Santa, trees, wreaths and gifts, while others pushed shopping carts and ate their way through the Christmas lights. Mrs. Kitsch Kringle held court with a 3D-printed alien riding in a tinsel-fueled sleigh pulled by a holiday-fied Hess car. There were basketball hoops covered in bows, dachshunds in Santa hats flying overhead and Hungry Hungry Hippo reindeer taking center stage. Mad Libs revealed who was naughty and who was nice.
🎄🦖🛒🪩

It ended up 180 degrees from what I planned months ago, followed by a 76-degree adjustment during the heart-racing 30 minutes before doors opened, including an iconic Arnaud’s team member wrapping that tinsel around me at 11:26.

At the end of the day, it is the guests who make a table complete, and this was a dream cast. Bringing so many favorites together, knowing they would click and immediately feel at ease with one another, is one of my favorite parts of creating an experience. @swathn @melissa_milkpunch @athenastyled @missielindsey @erinita18 @gennyvivi @the_monk_martian @kmcduff @kmihalcoe @glamarati @brookelaizerwx @andrea__lockwood
✨🎀✨

Now, the hair? That was the one thing that never changed.

Four strands of Christmas lights. Twenty-six tiny bows. Planned months ago with @coco_shrimp_ because the table could spiral in any direction, but the hair was always going to be completely unreasonable. @loveparisparker sets the stage for the whole day.

Kitsch Khristmas in July at @arnaudsnola in New Orleans. Concept and production @krisgabik.tableaux

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GAYlatoires was a success. Theme: Capes. The best way to celebrate New Orleans Pride weekend 🏳️‍🌈 @galatoires

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YOU LOOK LIKE A FAIRY PRINCESS….. FROM THE PITS OF HELL 🧚‍♀️🦄🔥🔥

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BEAD ME ✨ A full Mardi Gras character moment worthy of center stage at @arnaudsnola on Locals Friday!

I always wanted to bring one of the most iconic images of Carnival, the bead tree, to center stage… et voilà.

This is what makes @tableauxbykrisgabik so niche. The story starts at the invitation and carries all the way to the plate. Every guest received a custom name card with their name integrated into an iconic Mardi Gras krewe float that matched their personality. Yes, the match was based on a quiz sent to each guest a week prior to lunch.

At their place setting was a printed explanation tying their personality to that krewe. So instead of just finding their seat, they discovered their role in the tableau.

Immersive storytelling on a cellular level. Exactly how I like it.

Now the real behind the scenes moment. About 36 hours before showtime I found out the layout was changing from one 48” round to a full figure eight configuration ♾️ which basically meant two more rounds to fill. Ten minutes later I was turning acrylic raffle ticket boxes upside down and using them to elevate coveted @kreweofmuses heels into sculptural moments. Problem solving is part of the art form.

And the final exclamation point of the whole scene?
A last minute stop for poster board and a Sharpie on the way out the door to create the perfectly cheeky “BEAD ME” sign.

The best accessory of all though was an early Iris treat from Molly, an Iris-in-Training, who surprised me with custom shades that said “Tableaux by @krisgabik .” 😎💜💚💛

And then the bead tree got to hold court at Arnaud’s for eleven days straight through Mardi Gras.

If you made it this far… I can already tell this one is going to turn into future tips, tricks, and full blog level breakdowns.

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Fire horse is certainly an acceptable description for this Mardi Gras! But also, Fox Force Five, rainbows and the rainbow state representative and 70’s Lundi Gras…. The best people in the best place on the best days! 💜💚💛

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