About Sean patrick doles
Sean Patrick Doles was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. After his early education at Immaculate Heart of Mary School, he attended Jesuit High School and earned a National Merit Scholarship to the University of Southern California, where he received degrees in Journalism and History. While at USC, he was an editor of the student newspaper, The Daily Trojan, and a walk-on member of the varsity tennis team.
During the summer of 1989, he interned at New Orleans Weekly Gambit newspaper, which was located in the Maison Blanche Building on Canal Street at that time. At Gambit, Sean researched the “Blake Pontchartrain” historical and cultural trivia columns, beginning his ongoing fascination with the secret history of New Orleans.
After college, Sean wrote for several Los Angeles-based music magazines before returning home to found the ill-fated Way Y’at N’awlins bar & club directory with his brother Jimmy. (This paper has no relation to the current Where Y’at magazine, which has since prospered.) During this same period, Sean also worked at Gambit, resurrecting his role as Blake Pontchartrain. You may recall his brilliant discourse on the history of Chee-Weez or on magical elixir-like qualities of Regal Beer. And let’s not forget the six months Sean spent working as an emcee at the world-famous Cat’s Meow Karaoke Bar on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.
Chasing his heart (and a woman) to Texas, Sean landed briefly in San Antonio where he worked for Sports Magazine Publishing, writing and editing several local and regional publications, before settling in Austin. He spent a few years working for an Austin-based Populist political pundit, running the business while his boss ran his mouth, then sold out and worked for THE MAN in corporate communications for AT&T. For the past 20 years he's helped build a better world as an executive with the YMCA..
Despite living 500 miles away from his hometown, Sean’s desire to write little historically based stories about New Orleans has never waned, and he has several new tales completed and ready for publication in 2025 and beyond.
