A colorful take on Louisiana

THE Louisiana State Museum, a $22.8-million, 69,000-square-foot metallic building showcasing state artifacts and oddities, opened this month in Baton Rouge.

The museum presents Louisiana’s history through themes rather than chronology.

Highlights include a hulking black-iron Confederate submarine found in Lake Pontchartrain; a 45-foot-long shrimp trawler; one of Louis Armstrong’s trumpets and his slightly tarnished slide cornet; a tuxedo worn by Huey Long, the former governor and senator; and Mardi Gras costumes.

The museum, at 660 N. 4th St., is open daily except Mondays and major holidays; hours vary. Adult admission is $6. For information: (225) 342-5428, lsm.crt.state.la.us.

Associated Press

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For charity, diners pick up the check

GALATOIRE’S, one of New Orleans’ preeminent restaurants, is turning the city’s passion for food into a charitable cause.

Traditionally, the Friday before Mardi Gras has been a high feast at Galatoire’s, and demand is so intense that patrons paid others to stand in line at the no-reservations restaurant to ensure a lunch table. Payments in recent years, General Manager Melvin Rodrigue said, reached as high as $1,000 for three days in line.

This year such extravagances seemed out of place, so the restaurant auctioned off its 24 tables for Katrina relief.

Winning bids for the lunch, which was to have been served Friday, ranged up to $12,500 for a table of 12. The total raised: $96,000.

Chris Erskine

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Cunard takes bookings for new ship

BOOKINGS are being opened for Cunard Line’s newest ocean liner, Queen Victoria, now under construction at Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard. It is scheduled to set sail next year.

Past Cunard guests can start booking today, and others can start April 3, said Cunard spokeswoman Jackie Matthews.

The ship, which can hold 2,014 passengers, will include a three-story lobby, a theater with private box seats, a library with 6,000 books, and several restaurants, plus cafes and bars.

Its 10-night European maiden voyage will depart Dec. 11, 2007, from Southampton, England. Fares begin at $1,899 per person, double occupancy. For information: (800) 728-6273, www.cunard.com.

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Airline note

Honolulu-based Aloha Airlines exited bankruptcy-court protection Feb. 17.

It had filed for Chapter 11 reorganization more than a year ago.

-- Compiled byJane Engle