The opening of Julia Reed's pop up shop.

Julia Reed is the author of "Julia Reed's South: Spirited Entertaining and High-Style Fun All Year Long" 

Last night I attended a wonderful cocktail party at Catfish & Henry, a 5 day pop up shop on magazine street.  It was not until I arrived at the location that I realized it was in the location of my Old French Antiques shop I had in the 1990's. What a amazing location and retail space. Catfish & Henry is a pop-up shop featuring artisanal goods with an uncommon point of view. Open May 18th - 22nd. 2138 Magazine Street. You can't get more Southern than a catfish and a beagle — especially when both are in the same room. As it happens, the two are the inspiration behind the name of New Orleans author Julia Reed's pop-up shop, Catfish & Henry.

The temporary shop, located at 2138 Magazine St., is one of several events happening Wednesday through Sunday, May 18-22, to coincide with Traditional Home magazine's Southern Style Now design festival. The shop's name "is inspired by an enormous gilded papier-mache catfish I found in an antique store in Virginia," Reed wrote in response to an email query about the shop. "It had once been on a Mardi Gras float. It has been sitting on various perches in my abodes since I got it, and it will be hanging in the shop — pretty much the first thing people will see when they walk through the door."

As for Henry, that's the name of Reed's beloved beagle, who makes a few appearances in her new book on entertaining, "Julia Reed's South." He "is the perfect noble mascot," she said.

Wonderful late 18th century signed Old Paris porcelain some from le château de Hopkins.

This is part of a fabulous signed Empire dinner service available at  Catfish & Henry.

Wonderful Louis Philippe Candlesticks. 

Louis Philippe Champagne glasses 

The logo 

18th century engravings. 

A early 19th century English tea and coffee service. 

Art by Southern artist. 

The hanging gilded catfish! 

The shop's name "is inspired by an enormous gilded papier-mache catfish I found in an antique store in Virginia," Reed wrote in response to an email query about the shop. "It had once been on a Mardi Gras float. It has been sitting on various perches in my abodes since I got it, and it will be hanging in the shop — pretty much the first thing people will see when they walk through the door."

Nice patina walls displaying art. 

The bar. 

French crystal and porcelain. 

Nice English Regency silver tray. 

A fabulous Fiddler from Mississippi!

 Photographer Paul Costello, Peter patout & New Orleans author Julia Reed.

Yours truly 

The store will be open Wednesday (May 18) at 5 p.m. and then Thursday through Sunday (May 19-22) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.