Consider the responsibilities of owning a pet before giving one as a holiday gift ä 4G
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WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2015 H ALGIERS • GRETNA • TERRYTOWN • HARVEY • WESTWEGO • WAGGAMAN • MARRERO • BRIDGE CITY • AVONDALE THENEWORLEANSADVOCATE.COM
Eva Jacob Barkoff AROUND JEFFERSON
Volunteers needed for Christmas lunch The members of St. Rita Catholic Church in Harahan will once again provide and serve lunch to the residents and staff of Covenant House on Christmas Day. And if you have some extra time, volunteers are needed. “We feel blessed in many ways at St. Rita, and once again, we are paying it forward by providing Christmas lunch to the residents and staff of Covenant House in New Orleans,” said Maria Blanchard, one of the organizers. “The more than 100 homeless and abused teens who live at Covenant House are working to rebuild their lives and their futures. “We are asking area residents to help us by preparing a dish for the luncheon or perhaps volunteering to serve on Christmas morning.” St. Rita parishioners have been serving Christmas lunch at Covenant House since 1984, Blanchard added.
Photo provided by NOLA ChristmasFest
Holiday decorations and thousands of dazzling lights are part of the fest.
Gliding into the holidays Ice rink the new star of NOLA ChristmasFest
äSee BARKOFF, page 9G
BY CATE ROOT
Lynne Jensen
Special to The Advocate
THROW ME SOMETHIN’
It’s pawty time with Grunch and the Bunch Here’s a holiday-time pawty and reunion combo open to “ya mamma ’n nem, ya paw paw, ya chirruns ... even Metry people.” So says organizer and Yat-in-charge Benny Grunch, ready to mingle at the “sort of” annual Lakeview/Velvet Swing reunion from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at Lakeview Harbor, 911 Harrison Ave. “Just come on; there’s no cover charge,” Grunch said. His band, Benny Grunch and the Bunch, will entertain, along with chawmin’ chanteuse Kathy Savoie. This is the fourth reunion of folks who remember the popular watering hole called the Velvet Swing, where Lakeview Harbor now stands. Grunch, 70, was a student at St. Aloysius High School in the 1960s when he started hanging out at the neighborhood haunt. Sure, it was a bar, he said, but parents figured their teens would be safe because it was close to home and a cop was on hand to keep the peace. The worst fights ended with flying fists and a bloody nose or two, he said. It was a simpler time and place, Grunch said, recalling the “real girl” who held court swinging from the rafters on that red velvet swing. The reunion is a celebration “of kids äSee JENSEN, page 9G
Advocate file photo by REBECCA RATLIFF
More than 60 Christmas trees have been decorated by New Orleans businesses.
New Orleans isn’t known as a winter wonderland. The chances for a White Christmas are about as good as your shot at catching Santa stuffing the stockings above a nonfunctional fireplace. But organizers of NOLA ChristmasFest are bringing sleigh-loads of the holiday spirit to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. NOLA ChristmasFest, formerly known as Christmas in the District, will deck the halls (OK, just Hall B) of Morial Convention Center daily from Friday through Dec. 27. The festival’s figurative star on top of the tree is an indoor ice rink. New Orleanians and visitors alike are invited to lace up their skates and glide on top of the 50-by-80-foot hunk of real ice. “Every year, we’ve done something
different,” said Diane Lyons of NOLA ChristmasFest. “This is the first year we’ve had an ice rink — the first time an ice rink with ice real has been put inside since the 1980s,” referring to the former ice rink at the Plaza at Lake Forest Mall in New Orleans Tips on ice East. “Children and adults skating for learned to skate back in the beginners Plaza, and soon they’ll have ä 2G the opportunity to have a new ice rink in downtown New Orleans for the first time.” Organizers hope to attract 20,000 people to NOLA Christmas Fest, and the ice rink should prove to be a popular attraction. Building a frozen ice sheet in a climatecontrolled setting takes some doing, explained Bob Johnson of the Convention Center. The engineer and ice-rink setup arrive in New Orleans a little more than a week before NOLA ChristmasFest opens. The underlying structure beneath the ice uses a portable refrigeration system to pump cold liquid through bulkheads and pipes laid on the floor and covered with äSee HOLIDAYS, page 2G
Amazing Acro-Cat troupers always land on their feet BY KIM SINGLETARY
The Amazing Acro-Cats Meowy Catmas in Mew Orleans
You’ve heard a difficult task described as “like herding cats.” Well, Samantha Martin has been doing exactly that for 10 years — not only herding them, but getting them to literally jump through hoops. Martin is the trainer and “chief executive human” behind the Amazing Acro-Cats, a traveling cat performance troupe that calls New Orleans home to its annual “Meowy Catmas in Mew Orleans” show at the Theatre at St. Claude — playing now through Dec. 21. Boasting the world’s only all-cat rock band, the show includes impressive feline feats, from balancing on balls, to riding skateboards, to Alley the cat demonstrating her Guinness World Record-holding “longest jump by a cat.” It also, by necessity, features a
WHEN: 7 p.m., Dec. 16-21; 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. Dec. 19; 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Dec. 20 WHERE: The Theatre at St. Claude, 2240 St. Claude Ave., New Orleans TICKETS: $22, general admission; $27, front row; $19 children. MORE INFORMATION: Circuscats.com
Special to The Advocate
good amount of improv. “Cats are notorious for being hard to train, but I’ve always liked a challenge,” Martin said. “Even with all the training, I know that each time a cat comes on stage, I’m at their mercy.” It’s true, the cats can be divas. During a performance last month on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” about half the cats decided to do their own thing — stretching, grooming or running off. Martin just rolled with it, and the crowd didn’t seem to mind at all.
Self-described Acro-Cat groupie and New Orleanian Lisa Picone Love confirms that even when the cats decide to be, well, cats, it does nothing to dampen the show. “I love them because each time it’s guaranteed that I’m going to be just giggling for over an hour, whether they do all their tricks or not,” she said. “Who doesn’t want to spend an hour laughing?” From its inception, the show has been a hit. “We started performing 10
Photo provided by The Amazing AcroCats
äSee ACRO-CAT, page 9G Tuna, the star of the Amazing Acro-Cats, leaps over a hurdle.
2G F Wednesday, December 16, 2015 F theneworleansadvocate.com F The Advocate
Author Kit Wohl to speak about ‘Classic Celebrations’ Kit Wohl, the award-winning writer, photographer and artist, will be the featured guest at the December meeting of the @ THE LIBRARY Big Easy Author Series at CHARLES BROWN 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, at the Algiers Regional Library. She has authored 12 cookbooks, most celebrating her native New Orleans Wohl and its cuisine. The books include “New Orleans Classic Creole Recipes” and “New Orleans Classic Cocktails.” She will discuss another of her classic cookbooks, “New Orleans Classic Celebrations.”
Cocktail culture
Author Night at Nix Library will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17. The featured author will be Marvin Allen, a bartender for the past 25 years who is creating cocktails at the Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar. He’s the author of
“Magic in a Shaker: A Year of Spirited Libations.” The book is a guide to mixing cocktails, with each chapter covering a spirit, its history and recipes pertaining to that spirit.
Health insurance assistance
The New Orleans Health Department and Common Ground Health Clinic will be at the Hubbell Library at 10 a.m. It will discuss enrollment or re-enrollment for those looking to participate in the program. Assistance will be provided in private, one-onone sessions and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
‘Garden’ theater
The Children’s Resource Center Library will host the live play “Miss Gracieux’s Garden” at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19. “Miss Gracieux’s Garden” is the story of a young triangle, Lae-Lae, who feels alienated in a world of squares. The play follows Lae-Lae’s journey of self-discovery, where she learns to be flexible, how she learns not to assume and how she pulls herself out of misery, all the while taking a stroll through Miss Gracieux’s Garden. Although this play was written for chil-
Ladies Leukemia League Fête de Nöel raises money for research
dren, the messages are universal, no matter their ages.
Sugar Plum Celebration
The Keller Library and Community Center’s Sugar Plum Celebration will feature seasonal music, crafts, treats, cookie decorating, free children’s and teen books and a visit from a very special jolly guest. The event is sponsored by the New Orleans Public Library Foundation and will be from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19.
Seasonal Songs
Those who attend the program Seasonal Songs with the New Aurora Saxophone Ensemble are sure to catch the holiday spirit. This fun and festive holiday music program will be from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, at the Algiers Regional Library. To stay informed about upcoming library events, sign up for our weekly emails on our website, nolalibrary.org, like our Facebook page, facebook. com/neworleanspubliclibrary and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/nolalibrary. Charles Brown is the executive director of the New Orleans Public Library.
Photo provided by Ladies Leukemia League
The Ladies Leukemia League held its Fête de Nöel on Dec. 4. Organizers of the fundraiser for leukemia research are, front row from left, Joan Ingram, Allyson Morrero, co-chairwomen Terri Kloor and Cathy Wattigney, and league President Carolyn Escher; second row, Rosalie Edwards and Sheryl Gautreaux; third row, Melba Bruce, Carolyn D’Antonio, Sandra Chaisson and Fay Doucet; fourth row, Cissy Tittle; and fifth row, Joyce Coleman, Catherine Accardo and Jacquelyn Milan.
Breaking the ice:Tips for beginning skaters Advocate staff report
HEALTH BRIEFS FRERET 5K: The Junior League of New Orleans raised more than $30,000 to advance the wellbeing of women during its Freret 5K on Oct. 17. “We are grateful to every runner, every event sponsor, JLNO member and volunteer whose support helped continue our efforts to make the Freret 5K a marquee event within the Freret neighborhood,” said JLNO President Shannon McCloskey Able. “Registrations, business sponsorships and donations combine with more than 50,000 hours of direct volunteer service by JLNO’s members to impact the lives of those in metropolitan New Orleans.” More than 600 participants enjoyed the fes-
tivities, including more than 90 youth runners sponsored by JLNO members and the public. The Freret 5K showcases the area, promotes family fitness and raises funds for JLNO’s community projects and volunteer efforts. AVOIDING THE HOLIDAY BLUES: A recent study by the National Association for Mental Illness found that 64 percent of people living with a mental illness report that the holidays make their symptoms worse. The New Orleans NAMI affiliate shares the following tips for avoiding the holiday blues: n Stick to normal routines as
much as possible. n Get enough sleep. n Take time for yourself, but don’t isolate yourself. Spend time with supportive, caring people. n Eat and drink in moderation. Don’t drink alcohol if you are feeling down. n Get exercise, even if only a short walk. n Make a to-do list. Keep things simple. n Set reasonable expectations and goals for holiday activities. n Set a budget for holiday activities. n Listen to music or find other ways to relax.
Tie skates correctly: Too tight and your feet may go numb, too loose and you won’t get the proper support for your ankles. Fall down on purpose: You’re going to fall, so it’s best to practice falling as soon as you get on the ice for the first time. Bend your knees and squat into dip position (see below). Fall to the side and lean a bit forward as you go down. Get back up: Turn over onto your hands and knees. Take one foot and place it between your hands. Repeat with the other foot. Push yourself up, and you should be standing. If your blades slip and slide as you stand, use the toe picks of the
blades to keep the skates in one place as you pull yourself up. Look forward: Keep your head up, and look in front of you. Weight forward: Leaning back will likely send you flying on your backside. Keep your knees bent and your weight forward. Hold your arms out in front of you; open them wide to help you stay balanced. Now move forward: First, march in place. Next, march and move. Then, do short “scooter” steps with one foot at a time. Pretend you are riding a scooter on the street. Arms can be kept in front on “imaginary scooter bars” for balance. Do alternating steps. Take a step onto the right foot, rest on two feet, and then step onto
the left foot. Try pushing from one foot to the other, and skate around the rink. Practice gliding on two feet: March or step across the ice and then “rest.” Glide forward for a short distance on two feet. Learn to stop: To stop, bend your knees, turn the toes of each foot inward, point your heels out, and push out on your heels. Do a dip: Squat down as far as possible. The arms and rear should be level. This is a great exercise to get the knees going before skating, too. First, practice doing a dip from a standstill. Once you feel comfortable gliding forward on two feet on the ice, practice dips while moving.
HOLIDAYS
Continued from page 1G sand, Johnson said. After the structure is built, the long process begins, as the ice grows with thin layers of freezing mist. It typically takes about three days to fully rig a rink, and organizers plan on constant maintenance to keep the ice fresh for rosy-cheeked revelers. All-access tickets to the festival ($20) include rink time and a skate rental, as well as access to all the other attractions inside the fest, from themed inflatables and carnival rides to costumed characters and more than 70 decorated Christmas trees. With general admission tickets ($5), attendees can ride the Kringle Carousel, enjoy the walk-through maze, meet the holiday characters and marvel at the hall of Christmas trees. NOLA ChristmasFest aims to create a new tradition for local families, as well as regional and national visitors. “This is a pivotal year where it’s all coming together,” Lyons said. “It becomes the ultimate New Orleans vacation or winter staycation for people who can’t afford to go in the snow somewhere, to experience winter magic under one roof at the Convention Center.” The fest opens on Friday and will be open daily from noon to 8 p.m. Christmas Eve hours are noon to 5 p.m., and the festival will be open on Christmas Day from 2 to 8 p.m. Those who can’t put off getting into the Christmas spirit can get an early start: Festivities kick off a with a lantern parade, beginning at Fulton and Lafayette streets, at 5 p.m. on Thursday. Children of all ages are invited to march in the parade, which will conclude inside NOLA ChristmasFest, giving marchers a sneak preview of the fest. Children and their guardians interested in participating should register online in advance at www.nolachristmasfest.com. For any newly minted skating fanatics, NOLA ChristmasFest will offer a season pass ($75), which grants access for all days of the festival. Although skating rental is in-
Photos provided by NOLA ChristmasFest
The fest features entertainment and activities for kids, from arts and crafts to carnival rides.
NOLA ChristmasFest WHAT: A holiday festival with indoor ice skating, a walk-through maze, rides, a climbing wall, more than 70 decorated trees and lots of lights. WHERE: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans WHEN: Noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 18-23 and Dec. 26-27; noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 24; and 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Christmas Day TICKETS: $5 to $75; teens and children must be accompanied by an adult. MORE INFORMATION: nolachristmasfest.com. cluded, any seasoned skaters who own their own skates are welcome to bring them. For more information about NOLA Christmas Fest, in-
cluding discounted parking information and registration information for the Lantern Parade, visit NOLAChristmas Fest.com.
The NOLA ChristmasFest indoor festival is held in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
The Advocate F theneworleansadvocate.com F Wednesday, December 16, 2015 F 3G
Libraries offer resources to help aspiring writers If you are working on a book — fiction or nonfiction, first novel or 10th — the Jefferson Parish Library has many resources to help you create your work: n The East Jefferson Writer’s Group meets at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday nights at the East Bank JP LIBRARY Regional LiLAGNIAPPE brary, 4747 W. CHRIS Napoleon Ave., SMITH Metairie, in rotation with the SciFi, Fantasy and Horror Writers Group. It’s a critique group for serious fiction writers of all levels who want to improve their story-development skills. This group also focuses on discussing writing elements and applying
critiquing skills in romance, adventure, mystery and literature. Short stories, novels, screenplays, plays and comics are accepted; however, nonfiction, such as poetry, biography, autobiography, essays or magazine articles, is not. n The SciFi, Fantasy and Horror Writers Group meets at 7 p.m. on Thursday nights at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie, in rotation with the EJ Fiction Writers Group. This group encourages local writers to create fiction with science fiction, fantasy and horror themes. Participants submit manuscripts to be critiqued by others in the group. It’s open to all levels. n The West Bank Fiction Writer’s Group meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth
Tuesdays of each month at the Westwego Branch Library, 635 Fourth St., Westwego. The group focuses on writing exercises or discussions of various points of fiction, as well as critique sessions of members’ submissions. n The Southern Louisiana Chapter of the Romance Writers of America meets at 10 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. It features guest speakers who discuss all aspects of writing, editing and publishing. Topics frequently explore subjects other than romance writing, but they focus on ways that make writers better at their craft. n The Greater New Orleans Chapter of the Louisiana Poetry Society meets at 2 p.m.
on the third Saturday of the month at the Old Metairie Branch Library, 2350 Metairie Road, Metairie. Meetings consist of poetry readings and discussions. n The library also hosts authors who talk about the craft of writing. For example, author Elizabeth DeSimone will discuss “Images” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. The talk focuses on how to use concrete, significant details to invigorate one’s writing, the importance of sensory details, and the avoidance of abstractions and clichés. ESCALERA STEM FAMILY SUMMIT: The summit occurs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, at the West Bank Regional Library, 2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey. Students
Ochsner Golden OpportunityWestbank members share in birthday pleasures
from Puentes’ Escalera STEM program teach their parents about STEM. Included in the event will be a panel of STEM professionals for parents and students to meet. DO I HEAR A SONG?: The East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie, hosts three musical groups in the next week. The first is the Ken Veca Big Band, which performs at 2 p.m. Thursday. The 14-member group performs Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. The Jefferson Parish Community Band performs holiday music at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. GNOYO WINGS, The Jean Montes Experience, a part of the New Orleans Youth Orchestra, performs at 3 p.m. Saturday. PARLEZ VOUS FRANCAIS?: If you’re learning to speak a
new language, the Jefferson Parish Library has two resources for you: Mango Languages and Pronunciator. Both are online languagelearning systems that can help you learn English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, German, Mandarin Chinese, Greek, Italian, Russian and more. Both can be found under the “databases” tab on the library’s website. Both can be accessed from home. All one needs is a library card. All programs at the library are free of charge and are open to the public. For more information about programs at the 15 branches of the Jefferson Parish Library, go to www.jplibrary.net, or “like” the library’s Facebook page for daily programming updates.
Academy of Our Lady egg drop tests physics knowledge
Photo provided by Academy of Our Lady
Physics students at the Academy of Our Lady tested their knowledge recently by devising cradles of straws, tape and thread designed to protect eggs from breaking during a plunge from the roof of the sports complex. From left are Kayla Scholl, of Marrero; Kaylee Dufrene, of Luling; Kayla Chacon, of Avondale; and Christina Avist, of Belle Chasse.
Photo provided by Ochsner Golden Opportunity Westbank
Members with birthdays in October celebrated with others in Ochsner Golden Opportunity Westbank during a recent meeting at the New Orleans Ladies Ballroom in Terrytown. In the front row, from left, are Carolyn Covington, Rita Foster, Linda Martin, Janice Culpepper and Joyce Dunn. In the second row are Bessie Smith, Kathy Stout, Wilton Montet, Rutie Tassin, Sandra Pounds, Martha Steiner, Joan Rome, Hillary Kline, Red Olano and Barbara Nezat.
Academy of Our Lady students spread holiday spirit to faculty, troops Art students at Academy of Our Lady in Marrero recently made Christmas cards to send to U.S. troops. In the front row, from left, are Alaya Cosgrove, Amanda Payne, Darion Vegas and Jenna Arnold. In the back row are Jordyn Shirk, Caroline DiPascal, Nicole Ortego, Barzilai Ortiz, Alyse Percle and Marlee Bridges. Photos provided by Academy of Our Lady
Photo provided by Immaculate Conception School
Immaculate Conception kindergarteners Josilyn Goree, Eric Hawkins, Evan Tran and Juliette Louis-Jewne pretend to be firefighters on their recent field trip to the Marrero-Harvey Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 Station 80.
Kindergarteners pay a visit to firefighters No. 1 Station 80 of the 8th district. Students were able to hold Immaculate Conception the water hose, explore the fireSchool’s kindergartners recent- trucks and watch their teachly paid a visit to the school’s ers, Sally Gaudet and Briget neighbors at the Marrero-Har- Bourgeois, be lifted up in the vey Volunteer Fire Company bucket of the truck. Advocate staff report
CONTACT US THE WEST BANK ADVOCATE Published every Wednesday Submissions: Send news by Monday at 5 p.m. to be published 10 days later, as space is available. Original photos will run as space is available and must be high-resolution JPEG attachments, 1MB or larger. First and last names must be included, from left to right.
Members of the National Art Honor Society at Academy of Our Lady in Marrero used bells, wood and ribbon to make Christmas ornaments for members of the school’s faculty. From left are Allison Carubba, Tram Doan, Jillian Levy, Victoria McLean, Samantha Dimarco and Amber Fremin.
Email news and photos to: crescentcity@theadvocate. com Read online at: theneworleans advocate. com/community/crescentcity
Contact: Karen Taylor Gist The New Orleans Advocate 1010 Common St., Suite 3030 New Orleans, LA, 70112 (504) 636-7434 For Advertising: (504) 636-7421 (classified) (504) 636-7425 (display) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Questions about subscriptions? Call customer service at (504) 529-0522 or visit theadvocate.com/ subscriptions. Questions about Red Bag Delivery? Call (504) 2625998 or email notmc@ theadvocate.com
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ACRO-CATS Continued from page 1G
years ago in art galleries around Chicago,” said Martin, who’s been training animals of all sorts since she was 10 years old. “We’d just pass the hat around after the show. People would show up in droves.” A white cat named Tuna is the star of the show. He has the honored role of playing the cowbell in The Cat Band, the show’s finale. What started as three cats on piano, drums and guitar has expanded to include another cat on chimes, Tuna on cowbell and a chicken named Cluck Norris rocking the cymbal and tambourine. Yes, the Acro-Cat team technically is not all cats. Other performers include a groundhog, a rat and a chicken — all animals from Martin’s previous endeavors. “The chicken is super reliable,” Mar-
JENSEN
Continued from page 1G our age,” he said. Grunch, whose musical masterpieces include “The 12 Yats of Christmas” and a lamentation of long-gone local landmarks called “Ain’t Dere No More,” will introduce his lyrical creation “Still Dere Some More,” about local places that
BARKOFF
Continued from page 1G To volunteer or for information, call Blanchard at (504) 813-1930, or Ronalee Holmberg at (504) 606-8225.
Catholic retreat
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans will sponsor its annual Holy Spirit Teen and Young Adult Retreat for students in eighth grade through high school next month at the Landmark Hotel, 2601 Severn Ave., Metairie. The theme of the retreat, planned for Jan. 8 to Jan. 10, is “Mercy,” and it will include talks, skits, music, fun, fellowship, worship, Mass, confessions and prayer teams. It will feature the Rev. Tim Hedrick, the Rev. Josh Johnson, Mary
tin said. “If things aren’t going well, I can always send out the chicken to save the day.” Martin, too, is doing all she can to save the day when it comes to homeless cats. Since 2009, the Acro-Cat foster and rescue team has found homes for 167 cats and kittens during their nationwide tours. “Right now we’re traveling with two foster kittens hoping to find their forever homes for the holidays,” Martin said, adding that she is also running a Kickstarter campaign that ends Dec. 24 to raise money for a new bus. Through all of her travels, Martin said New Orleans holds a special place in her heart, evidenced in part by the names of two of her cats — Jax (named for the defunct New Orleans brewery) and Nola. “I just feel at home here,” said the Chicago-area native. “This is a real catloving community and a city that really embraces unusual things. We hope to keep coming back year after year.”
The Rock Cats are the musical guests in the Amazing Acro Cats performance. From left are trainer Samantha Martin, Tuna, Fiji, Nue and trainer Lynsi Long. Photo provided by The Amazing AcroCats
are, well, still here some more. People are invited to bring vintage cars, motorcycles and bicycles to the reunion. Just call in advance so Grunch can save you a spot in the parking lot. He paid $80 for his favorite car, a 1949 four-door Ford purchased in 1961. “I took guys to and from St. Aloysius and charged ’em 10 cents each way,” he said. Grunch can be reached by
calling (504) 231-8916 or emailing bennygrunch@bellsouth. net. Last year’s reunion was the first since Katrina, and the crowd celebrated 50 years of Benny Grunch and the Bunch music and the 25th anniversary of “The 12 Yats of Christmas.” Information about the group and current gigs — including playing at 5:30 p.m. Christmas night at Rock ’n’
Bowl — can be found at www. bennygrunch.com. Hey, Benny. Glad y’all are still here some more.
Bielski, Timmy McCaffery, Alex Lorio, Lindsay Binder, Aimee MacIver, Pat Duffey, Casey Sprehe and Chantelle Hudachek. Music will be provided by Matt Bourgeois and Will and Elise Bennett. For cost and registration information, see www.ccrno.org. You also can email youth@ ccrno.org or call (985) 6745961.
levee on old Barataria Boulevard.
ervations are required. Those attending are asked to contribute a potluck dish for the event. To secure you spot, email Tommy Santora, president of the organization, at tommy. santora@gmail.com or call (504) 376-7474.
Holiday luncheon
The New Orleans Myasthenia Gravis Resource Group will hold its annual holiday luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 4021 Trenton St., Metairie. All MG patients, family members, caregivers, friends, Christmas parade doctors and anybody interested in learning more about The Marrero Estelle Volunteer Fire Department will hold MG or whose lives have been its annual Christmas parade on affected by MG, are invited. The event will include a Saturday. short presentation on the The parade will begin at 10 upcoming fifth annual New a.m. and is expected to end Orleans MG Walk, which is about 7 p.m. The parade will scheduled for March 5. There wend its way through the neighborhoods that it protects, will also be an update on MG awareness initiatives and sciincluding Lapalco Boulevard west of the Harvey Canal, and entific research. Admission is free, but resalong Ames Boulevard to the
Toys from Troy
Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, will celebrate the holidays with a Winter Wonderland event from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday at Whole Foods Market, 300 N. Broad St., on the rooftop and in the lobby.
Pet adoption
The Louisiana SPCA will hold a pet adoption from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Clearview Mall, 4436 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie. Adoption counselors and volunteers will be on hand to help you select the right pet for your family. For information, call (504) 368-5191 or go to www.la-spca. org.
Food bank moves
The Kenner Food Bank will
The event is free, and children who attend with a parent or guardian will receive toys while they last. Have a photo taken with “Santa Bear” and enjoy ice cream and apple cider, face painting and games. Music will be played by Trombone Shorty Foundation Academy students, Main Line and New Breed Brass Band, with a special guest. For information, call the
move to a new location next week and a special ceremony is planned to mark the occasion. The new facility at 317 Oxley St. will open Monday following a 10 a.m. ribboncutting ceremony. The food bank had been located in a former fire station on Worth Street in south Kenner. The site cost a little more than $700,000, with funds for the construction coming from a variety of sources, including the sale of the Worth Street facility to the East Jefferson Levee District for $84,000, Community Development Block Grants totaling more than $198,000 and contributions from six Kenner City Council members totaling $81,600, said a press release from Bob Ross in Kenner’s
Whole Foods store at (504) 4343364.
Happy Birthday, Noel
Please indulge this birthday wish to my son, Noel, the best early Christmas gift ever. Lynne Jensen writes about New Orleans community events and people. Contact her at jensencolumn@gmail. com.
public information office. The contractor was J.A. Jack Julius Jr.
Second Harvest benefit
An benefit for Second Harvest Food Bank will take place at the new Panera Bread restaurant at 2444 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey. From 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, customers can sample a variety of menu selections. Tickets are $10 and will admit two people; all the proceeds benefiting Second Harvest. To purchase tickets, go to the Second Harvest website www.no-hunger.org or call (504) 729-6335. Eva Jacob Barkoff writes about the people and events in Jefferson Parish. She can be reached at ejbarkoff@gmail. com.
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holidays St. Catherine of Siena welcomes holidays with caroling, blessings Emma, Cole and Owen Carter sing by candlelight during a Christmas caroling and blessing of the nativity event for St. Catherine of Siena School and parish in Metairie. The event Dec. 4 was sponsored by the St. Catherine of Siena Co-Op and Men’s Club. Photo provided by St. Catherine of Siena
Advocate staff photo by ELIOT KAMENITZ
Visitors wander through the decorations at twilight on the grounds of The Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society museum.
History & Holidays Advocate staff report
Guests mingled their holiday cheer with no small amount of history at the Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society’s Christmas celebration, held on the grounds of the Isleños Museum in the St. Bernard community. The grounds were lit and the historic houses decorated, with Isleños Society members showing visitors around and answering questions. There was entertainment by local schoolchildren, a bonfire and hayrides.
The holiday bonfire was the hot event at the The Los Islenos Visitors tour the 1910 Cresap- Heritage and Cultural Society celebration on the grounds of Caserta home. its museum in the St. Bernard community.
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Make sure your home is fireproof for the holidays Advocate staff report To keep you safe from fires during the holiday season filled with decorative lights, candles, parties where people drink and smoke, and the onset of the heating season, the New Orleans Fire Department offers these tips.
Christmas trees
n Christmas trees should be fresh, not dry. Lack of moisture in the tree increases its combustibility, so water regularly. n When buying a fresh flocked tree, ask the salesperson if the tree has been treated with an approved flame-retardant flocking material, or ask where you can buy such material and treat the tree yourself. n Place the tree at a safe distance from heat sources such as room heaters or fireplaces. Also, place the tree so that it will not obstruct the exit in case of a fire. n Use only lighting strings that have been tested and labeled by a nationally recognized product testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories.
n Replace all tree lights that have frayed or broken wires, loose connections or cracked plugs. n Unplug the tree lights whenever you leave home or go to bed. n Do not overload extension cords or electrical outlets, and do not place electrical cords under rugs or locations where the cord can be damaged. Always use an extension cord that has a three-pronged plug (which is an extension cord with a ground wire) that is approved by Underwriters Laboratory for outdoor use. n Never hang electrical lights from a metallic tree; damaged insulation in the light string can electrically charge the tree, possibly causing shock or fire. n Do not use candles or any other open flame on or near tree. n Never burn Christmas trees in fireplaces because the flames can flare out of control and send sparks flying into the room. n After the Christmas holidays, remove the tree from your home as soon as possible, placing the tree a safe distance from the house for
garbage collection.
Fireplaces
n Use only seasoned wood. Never use green wood, plastic artificial logs, paper or trash. n Always use a protective screen. n Clean interiors, hearths and chimneys yearly. n Have your chimney inspected by a professional at least once a year and have it cleaned if necessary. n Remove ashes in a metal container. n Because they may rekindle, never store ashes in your home.
Candles
n Before you light candles put them in a non-tip candle holder. n Never burn candles near a Christmas tree or combustible decorations or displays. n Keep candles well away from curtains and other combustibles, and never put candles in windows or near exits. n Don’t leave candles burning unattended or within the reach of small children. n Extinguish candles before you leave a room, go to bed, or leave home.