Corinne Lorio

I absolutely love small, local shops for gifts. In America’s current climate, I have been urging my family members and friends who insist on buying my family gifts to only source locally or secondhand. I’ll be doing the same. I hope you will too 😊 here are my favorite local shops in New Orleans that have a wide variety of gifts for any person to enjoy

My best friend moved to Seattle about 8 years ago, and I've had the priviledge of being able to visit often. She has a Type-A personality and creates a shared spreadsheet to layout itineraries for us every time I book a flight. These itineraries are loaded with all of her favorite things that she wants me to experience too, which always result in absolutely perfect weekends. I've arranged the items from our itineraries (which we fondly refer to as “tin tins”) over the years into this list. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy Seattle.

When I joined the film industry, my first job was in the Production Office as an Office PA. I’m embarrassed to admit that I never knew such a place existed. If a film production was a ship, the Production Office is what's driving the boat forward, and keeps it from sinking. Working in the office gave me the ability to see a little bit of the operations in each department, which is an invaluable component of my career. This list has everything you’ll need to work in an office setting for 12+ hours a day. The work is long, but this type of environment encourages creativity and having fun!

My Southern soul is not built for any type of extreme cold weather. I swear that my blood is a lower temperature to keep my body cool. That's how biology works, right? The only type of weather we have in New Orleans is extreme. This year, we got our first snow day ever, which I watched happily fall from the warm comfort of my living room. Leading up to the snow day, we had consistent 20-30 degree temperatures and wind. During this time, we had a few days scheduled on location and were forced to bear the elements. I don't shut up if I am uncomfortable so instead of complaining, I decided to figure out how to prepare and make myself as warm as possible.

I've been part of the film industry for almost 6 years now, but I've only ever worked in the office full time! Full time on a film set is a totally different gig, and I was unprepared for how many things I'd need to be self sufficient and comfortable for the long hours and crazy locations. I also live in a place where we can experience all 4 seasons in one day, and so preparation and anticipation is key! I am sharing this with you because these things made my time easier, and that's all I'd want for a fellow crew member.

Since the beginning of my career, I have been drawn to the role of Script Supervisor, or better known as the person who keeps track of Continuity on a film set. It is the only one person department (though that's changing as the number of cameras keep climbing) and it is a an awesome craft to learn, though it takes a certain type of person. Script Supervisors must be meticulous, focused, good communicators, and probably need to love a good spreadsheet. I had the pleasure of taking a 6 month long workshop about Script Supervising where I learned so much, and left the workshop feeling fully prepared to Script. While I haven't done more than a couple of small gigs, I feel I have invaluable advice and resources to share with those who are interested in the craft. The Film Industry needs more Script Supervisors, and a good Script Supervisor thinks like an Editor, therefore must understand filmmaking in totality. These are the tools I've used and continue to use as I am forever learning.

Something that fell to the wayside once I reached adulthood was reading. Who has the time? No longer was I the passenger in my vessel, but the driver! I can’t read and drive at the same time! Eventually — I learned how to make it work for me. If you’d ask me about audiobooks before, I’d declare that that isn’t considered reading. You absorb the page, letting it be your only focus. A Kindle? No way. I love the sensory experience that comes with reading. While I still feel that way, I realized that what I love about reading is hearing a story and falling into a creation from another person. Audiobooks allow a person who is busy “adulting” to still hear a story. A Kindle is so small it can fit into a coat pocket and instead of taking your phone out to disconnect from present reality to connect to a distant one, you can pull out your Kindle and read the words on the page. The Kindle App even lets you use the dang phone in lieu of scrolling. I’ve found reading again through devices I refused, and I’m reading more than I ever have. I read/listened to 40 books this year! It brings me so much peace and happiness to read — even if that comes in the form of listening. So much better than the horrible 24/7 news cycle. Lose yourself in the story, forget the rest.

As I've gotten older, the importance of taking care of myself has become a main priority. It's okay to not feel okay, but it's so great to know about things that can help you feel better. Whenever in a major funk, I find it hard to bring myself to do anything that might help me get out of it. Sometimes the not doing is just easier, but I know that whenever I do take action against The Sads, I feel better and it was always worth it. These are the tools in my arsenal to fight for the healing of my mind, body, and spirit. To whomever is reading this, I hope it can help you too <3

I am a planner fiend because they allow me to keep my overwhelm organized and make the chaos look manageable. They definitely help me focus and get lingering tasks out of the way whenever I am feeling stuck and procrastinating. There are soooo many templates out there for planners, but these are my tried and true. Admittedly, these are in constant rotation. Some days I just prefer to switch up the designs. I've included a digital planner for my iPad girlies, but I find analog best and most effective!

My best friend is getting married next year, and I am her Maid of Honor… which is truly an honor! She loves planning and making spreadsheets, so she hasn't needed much help planning her Bachelorette but she's kept me part of the entire process! It has been so much fun creating the itinerary and somehow 25 women have come together for the trip. Every single person who she asked said yes, and I just feel like this never happens ever! It will be in April, and most of these women have never been to New Orleans! This is our itinerary and everything we discovered in the process of our planning!

This is part of a four part series I'm doing to highlight hidden gems. From the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchatrain, New Orleans is filled with adventures to share with the special people in your lives. I've curated this list from a local's perspective, hoping for others to enjoy the New Orleans I know and love.

This is part of a four part series I'm doing to highlight hidden gems. From the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchatrain, New Orleans is filled with adventures to share with the special people in your lives. I've curated this list from a local's perspective, hoping for others to enjoy the New Orleans I know and love.