Gambit: The Winter Bars & Cocktails Issue

November 20-26 2023 Volume 44 Number 47

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NOV. 20 — NOV. 26, 2023 VOLUME 44 || NUMBER 47

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The Winter Bar & Cocktail Issue

F E AT U R E S Arts & Entertainment ........ 5 Eat & Drink.................... 37 Music Listings................. 49 Hip-hop at 50: Cheeky Blakk................. 53 Puzzles ..........................55 C OV E R : F I L E P H O TO / T H E T I M E S- P I C AY U N E C OV E R D E S I G N BY D O R A S I S O N

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Staff Writers | JAKE CLAPP, KAYLEE POCHE, SARAH RAVITS

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5

Celebration in the Oaks

Off to the races

Human Horse Races build a new Thanksgiving tradition | by Will Coviello PLENTY OF NEW ORLEANIANS LIKE TO DRESS UP and head to the track on

Thanksgiving. After almost 900 people went to Easton Park for the Human Horse Races last year, it looks like there are competing traditions from which to choose.

Now in its fourth year, the Human Horse Races include adults and kids running in races, plus there’s live music, a fashion show, art activities, food and drinks and more. The Thanksgiving Day event begins with children’s races at 11 a.m. and goes to 3 p.m.

The event echoes the traditions at the nearby Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots. While the racing season at the Fair Grounds started Nov. 17, Thanksgiving is still a busy and festive day at the track, highlighted by the running of the almost century-old Thanksgiving Classic, and many patrons dress up for the day.

When Ingrid Anderson started the Human Horse Races in 2019, the idea was to take all the festive elements and create a family-friendly alternative that is free of horses and vegan-friendly.

“We threw it together in a couple months,” Anderson says. “We had no budget. We did it to see if it would strike a nerve with people, and it did.

Triple the amount of people came as expected. It has doubled every year.”

The original event invited people to sign up to race as either horses or jockeys. The “horses” donned artistically rendered horse heads and carried the jockey down the short straightaway.

Anderson, who is a professional makeup and hair stylist, created several whimsical stables based on social and lifestyle types, such as the aspiring elitists and VIPs of the 24 Carrot Club. Each year a new horse character and head is created to represent each stable. Introductions to the new horses are posted in preview photos and videos on the Instagram page @humanhorseraces.

This year, the 24 Carrot Club is fielding QR Cordelia. The chill, hipster-friendly Patchouli Dusters stable is represented by the red-headed Crawdaddy Kerfunkle. Whoopsie Daisie Mae is described as a wannabe ballerina who is prone to bumbling and represents the B.U.B.B.L.E. stable, a group for Gen Z influencer types. The late Australian conservationist Steve Irwin is the inspiration for Steve, the horse for the rowdy Wild Horses. The jet-setting Star Skufflers are represented by

City Park glows with than a million lights, Mr. Bingle and holiday displays, as well as dinosaurs, flamingos, a pirate ship, and the animated “12 Yats of Christmas.” The seasonal attraction is accessible by driving or walking tours and the City Park train, and there are dedicated bike nights on Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. The season opens on Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 23), and decorated park attractions include the Botanical Garden, Carousel Gardens, and decorated Storyland. Find tickets and information at celebrationintheoaks.com.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Intergalactic Horn Star, who returns from the first Human Horse Races in 2019.

The number of races has grown.

There will be six heats featuring human jockeys and horses wearing the horse heads. Kid participants now run with hobby horses, and the structure is loose to encourage participation and fun. Two new races are debuting this year.

“We change it up a little bit every year because we hear people’s wants and needs,” Anderson says. “Some parents want to race with their kids, so the adult races will kick off with the family races.”

For family races, kids are the jockeys, and the horse headdresses are optional for parents.

The final race of the day is for “exotic animals,” which is a nod to Fair Grounds events with camels or ostriches. At Human Horse Races, attendees who come in costumes or outfits that don’t accommodate the horse heads can enter. The day also features three fashion awards for the best dressed attendees.

There have always been prizes, but attendees’ “bets” are actually raffle tickets. The gift basket prizes are worth more than $1,000 this year, Anderson says. Items include tickets to the Audubon Zoo, a membership to the New Orleans Athletic Club, items from local boutiques and more.

Between races there is music by the Dapper Dandies. A fashion show will happen at halftime, in addition to other entertainment. And for the first

Participants run in the Human Horse Races in Easton Park.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

time, the races will be broadcast live on WHIV 102.3 FM. Proceeds from the event will go to Greeno Equine Sanctuary in Leblanc, Louisiana. The horse sanctuary is home to former race horses and those surrendered by people no longer able to care for them. It’s the forever home to 100 horses, Anderson says. Human Horse Races raised $5,258 for Equino last year, Anderson says.

The day also features a kids’ tent with art activities presented by Art Camp 504.

The group also is holding workshops in the week before Thanksgiving, and participants can be in the halftime fashion show.

The Humane Society of Louisiana also reached out to Human Horse Races, and it is sponsoring a Vegan Village, complete with three food vendors and a vegan lifestyle product vendor.

While many attendees come to race or show off their outfits, others are purely spectators.

“People bring picnic blankets and food,” Anderson says. “People bring their own tents. Last year, people brought in a sofa. They get cozy and settle in and make a day of it. And I love that. That’s a New Orleans thing to do.”

For more information, visit humanhorseraces.com.

Bayou Classic

The Grambling State Tigers and Southern University Jaguars face off in the football classic, highlighting a big weekend for the schools’ students and alumni. The game is at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, in the Caesars Superdome.

Wild Wayne hosts the pre-game Fan Fest in Champions Square featuring rapper Boosie and others. The annual battle of the school marching bands and Greek show is Friday in the dome.

There’s a Thanksgiving Day parade in the Warehouse District and CBD beginning at 3 p.m. For tickets and a full schedule of weekend events, visit mybayouclassic.com.

Thanksgiving Classic

Horse racing season opened on Nov. 17, but Thanksgiving is always a big day at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, with the 98th running of the $175,000 Thanksgiving Classic. Post time is noon Thursday, Nov. 23. A Thanksgiving buffet is offered in the Clubhouse. General admission free.

Clubhouse admission $25. Visit fairgroundsracecourse.com for details.

Davell Crawford’s tribute to Dr. John

Pianist Davell Crawford will celebrate Dr. John’s birthday on Monday, Nov. PAGE 47

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NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS

What do turkeys eat on Thanksgiving? Nothing! They’re already stuffed

# TC OH EU N T

T H U M B S U P/ THUMBS DOWN

Xavier University of Louisiana will use a $1.5 million grant from the National Academies of Science to fund research and community engagement on climate change’s health impacts in south Louisiana. The program, run by Xavier’s Public Health Sciences Department, researches how climate change will affect the public health of Louisianans, especially those in marginalized and underserved communities.

10,000-25,000 THE NUMBER OF HUNTERS IN LOUISIANA EVERY YEAR WHO PURSUE WILD TURKEYS.

Wild turkeys are the largest game bird in the state, weighing up to 25 pounds. The turkey population was estimated at 1 million in the late 1800s, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, though in the 1940s the population dwindled to just 14 isolated flocks. Trap and release efforts launched in the 1960s helped restore the state’s population and hunting them remains a popular activity.

Church members bag up a frozen turkey during a turkey giveaway at the Abundant Life Tabernacle Full Gospel Baptist Church PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

New Orleans turkey giveaways and Thanksgiving dinners to help feed the community’s soul Unpermitted short-term rentals are proliferating in New Orleans after a federal judge in August put a temporary freeze on the city’s new STR laws, The TimesPicayune reported. City data shows there are more than 5,700 STR listings on online platforms, while there’s only about 1,200 active permits. There were 217 new listings in the 30 days leading up to Nov. 8, despite the city not accepting new permits.

Sewerage & Water Board employees regularly falsified water testing data, an investigation by the Louisiana Illuminator and WVUE-TV revealed. The news outlets found that at least five employees fabricated water testing data across several months — calling into question other S&WB data required by the state to protect the safety of the city’s drinking water.

THANKSGIVING IS A TIME FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FEASTING. For those

who might be alone, or who don’t have the means to put a big dinner on the table, local churches and nonprofits are stepping up.

From boxes crammed with turkey day basics to a huge and festive celebration on Thanksgiving Day, the Crescent City offers a variety of events on and around the holiday.

Just as important, these events are a way for volunteers to spend a meaningful few hours celebrating Thanksgiving.

49TH ANNUAL SHERIFF’S THANKSGIVING DAY CELEBRATION: Volunteers are needed to help distribute 2,000 holiday meals at the annual Thanksgiving event organized and staffed by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. The meal, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving (Nov. 23), will be held at the Morial Convention Center, Hall G. Sheriff’s Office employees and volunteers will distribute meals to guests from senior centers, assisted living facilities, local shelters and more. All are invited to have the holiday meal with Sheriff Susan Hutson and her staff.

“We are so proud to continue this OPSO tradition for the community we love and care for, and we couldn’t

do it without our remarkable volunteers and staff,” Hutson said. “This annual meal is a highlight for not only guests who may otherwise spend this holiday alone, but the many people who join OPSO as we bring our community together to celebrate.”

In addition to Thanksgiving dinner, the event will feature performances

by Grammy Lifetime Award recipient Leo Nocentelli, vocalist and trumpeter James Andrews, Queen of Gospel Irma Thomas, violinist Michael Ward, the sheriff’s Special Reserve Band led by Earl Smith and many more. The entertainment will be broadcast live on the Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page.

Go to the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page to sign up to volunteer. For information, call Elaine Frantz at (504) 202-9215.

INSPIRE NOLA DRIVE-THRU GIVEAWAY: InspireNOLA Charter Schools plans its annual drivethru Thanksgiving food giveaways Tuesday (Nov. 21), distributing nearly 1,000 turkeys and hams along with a perishable food package, on both sides of the river, while supplies last. Local politicians and community leaders will join InspireNOLA PAGE 9

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students and volunteers at Alice M. Harte Charter School, 5300 Berkley Drive, in Algiers, at 9:30 a.m., and at Mahalia Jackson Theater, 1419 Basin St., in New Orleans, at 3 p.m. Both giveaways are free and open to the public. — Annette Sisco / The Times-Picayune

Cantrell bodyguard Jeffrey Vappie took expenses-paid trip to Martha’s Vineyard on HANO A CASCADE OF CONTROVERSY FOLLOWED MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL’S APPOINTMENT last year of one of her

bodyguards, police Officer Jeffrey Vappie, to the city’s public housing board, in a non-paying assignment he once called “a headache.”

Housing Authority of New Orleans travel records, however, show that Vappie received one valuable excursion he failed to mention during an internal Police Department probe into his timesheets: a conference trip to Martha’s Vineyard with two other HANO board commissioners in September 2022.

The agency spent nearly $2,700 in taxpayer dollars for Vappie’s registration, flight, meal per diem and a three-night stay at the Franklin Hotel in Edgartown, Mass., according to the HANO records obtained by WWL-TV through a public records request.

Joining Vappie at the conference, hosted by Housing and Development Law Institute, were HANO board members Percy Manson, a banker, and Paul Richard, a real estate executive.

The cost for Manson and Richard also came to about $2,700 each, the records show, plus another $362 for a shared rental car.

Martha’s Vineyard is an island off the coast of Massachusetts where HDLI, a private non-profit organization that specializes in legal issues related to public housing, has regularly held conferences, according to the group’s website.

City payroll records show that Vappie took vacation days to attend the conference from Sept. 14-17, unlike the two HANO meetings he attended while on the clock with the NOPD. Vappie’s overlapping police hours at board meetings, and his irregular timesheets as part of Cantrell’s executive security detail, sparked the PIB probe. The 26-year police veteran eventually received two letters of reprimand.

The PIB’s probe of Vappie recently came under criticism from the federal judge who oversees reforms to the NOPD under a consent decree. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan this month found that PIB violated 13 separate clauses of the consent decree in its handling of the case.

The mayor appoints all nine members to the HANO board, which

usually meets once a month. Cantrell appointed Vappie to the board in March 2022. He was removed a year later amid the controversy. Vappie also was removed from the mayor’s security detail for several months while he was under investigation, but he was reinstated in June.

Vappie was asked about his appointment to the HANO board during questioning by Public Integrity investigators.

“So I had a talk with my boss, which is the mayor,” he said. “I had just gotten a master’s degree. I graduated in 2020 in government administration and I was asking her, how would one start their career, outside, after law enforcement.”

He never mentioned the Martha’s Vineyard trip. In a leaked recording, he described the board assignment as more of an imposition than a resume-building post.

“There’s no financial gain I was getting for this. And I was allowed to do it at the behest of the mayor,” Vappie said.

“There’s no stipend?” the investigator asked.

“Correct,” Vappie replied.

“No payment?

“That’s right.”

“No anything?”

“Nothing,” Vappie responded, “but a headache trying to help the people with their housing.”

Carol Johnson, HANO’s board president, issued a statement Monday evening saying that such trips provide legal training and instruction on best practices “that help board members fully understand their roles and responsibilities as commissioners.”

She said the HDLI chooses the location and that commissioners adhere to HANO’s travel and training policy when traveling on behalf of the agency.

A City Hall spokesperson declined to comment, saying that Vappie’s travel was for the housing authority.

City Council President J.P. Morrell called the Martha’s Vineyard trip “tremendously concerning.” Morrell, a frequent critic of the mayor, questioned why any HANO Board members would need to go to a conference so far away geographically, and so seemingly disconnected from the problems that public housing residents face in New Orleans.

“It’s a slap in the face,” Morrell said. “I think it’s a tremendously horrific message to the people of this city, especially those who are living on the margins and trying to live in HANO properties.”

Morrell said he plans to consult with other council members on how to exert more oversight of HANO, which is funded mainly by federal tax dollars.

— Mike Perlstein / WWL

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Council budget hearings highlight what’s working, what needs improving NEW ORLEANS RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN STARVED FOR GOOD NEWS out of

city government in recent years, so it’s noteworthy that the New Orleans City Council concluded its annual budget hearings on Nov. 14 — more than two weeks before the Dec. 1 deadline for adopting next year’s operating and capital budgets.

That’s good news for several reasons.

First and foremost, the council was able to finish early because Mayor LaToya Cantrell delivered her annual budget address on Oct. 25, about a week before it was due. That extra week gave council members more time to review the mayor’s proposed $1.57 billion budget proposal, and the council used that time to dig deep into the numbers.

Second, the council had asked Cantrell — and the mayor agreed — to streamline budget presentations. As a result, department and agency heads had to identify what they accomplished so far this year, what projects remain in the works, and what items are behind schedule.

That new focus produced clearer, more substantive budget discussions — and a deeper, broader level of transparency and accountability. It also reflected a rare but welcome alignment of purpose between council members and the mayor.

For example, this year’s budget hearings brought to light that almost $140 million in federal American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds remain unspent going into year two of a three-year spend-down. Another key takeaway: 1,200 additional affordable housing units will be available in 2024 — thanks to the council and the mayor allocating $32 million in “gap financing” to cover unforeseen costs associated with bringing the affordable units up to code.

Here’s another bit of good news: City coffers have been flush with cash since late last year, thanks mostly to a

Council Budget Chairman Joe Giarrusso PHOTO BY MAX BECHERER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

massive infusion of federal post-pandemic aid the city received under ARPA. That extra cash allowed the mayor and the council to wisely put more than $100 million into a reserve or “rainy day” fund and to spend millions more shoring up services.

“Residents feel the cost of living has gone up, so they want to see the level of city services improve as well,” City Council Budget Chair Joe Giarrusso III told us. “We learned that 88% of the calls to 311 operators at the Orleans Parish Communications District related to sanitation and public works — particularly for dumping and missed trash pickups. People want to see quality-of-life issues addressed.”

Finally, wrapping up budget hearings earlier than usual gives council members more time to discuss proposed budget amendments with each other — and with Cantrell — before the Dec. 1 adoption deadline. Too often in previous years, adopting a city budget resembled the hectic final hours of a legislative session, which is never a pretty sight because of hastily drafted amendments.

Looking ahead to future years, perhaps the best news of all is the fact that voters recently amended the City Charter to require mayors to present city budgets by Oct. 1 — a month earlier than currently required — starting with the 2025 budget.

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Who loses out when Louisiana gets a second Black congressional seat?

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ELECTORAL POLITICS IS A ZERO-SUM GAME. That

much will be abundantly clear when Louisiana lawmakers create a court-ordered, second majority-Black congressional district.

Ultimately, one of Louisiana’s GOP House members will lose their safe seat under the court’s ruling undoing district gerrymandering. Identifying that somebody is suddenly the state’s hottest political parlor game.

The possibilities abound.

Most conventional thinkers believe U.S. Rep. Garret Graves is on the bubble, for reasons that have more to do with politics than demographics or law. For starters, Graves supported Stephen Waguespack for governor against Attorney General Jeff Landry, and the governor-elect is said to carry grudges.

According to published reports, Graves also backstabbed fellow Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise when Scalise was up for House Speaker. Graves denies this, but few in power believe him. Scalise, by the way, backed Landry for governor.

But geography also plays a key role in this game. The logical place for lawmakers to draw a second majority-Black district is in and around Baton Rouge, adding majority-Black precincts from several directions.

If that happens, quite a few Black voters are likely to move from Rep. Troy Carter’s district into the newly created majority-Black district. Carter presently is the only Black congressman from Louisiana.

In fact, no matter how the new, majority-Black district is configured, Carter’s district — which presently is 60.6% Black and anchored by Orleans Parish — will likely become no more than 55% Black, and even that may be a stretch.

Meanwhile, the biggest tranche of Black voters near Baton Rouge is in freshman Rep. Julia Letlow’s district, which is 33.1% Black. That’s not to say she’ll be the odd Republican out; that’s merely one of several possibilities.

Interestingly, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s district has the second-largest

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percentage (34.1%) of Black voters in the state — but most of them are in Shreveport.

Lawmakers are unlikely to put Johnson in danger, but if U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick winds up drawing the maps — which will happen if lawmakers don’t create a plan that agrees with recent jurisprudence and the Voting Rights Act — she could create a single district across northern Louisiana.

With or without a slim Black majority, such a map could put Johnson and Letlow in the same district.

Graves’ district, meanwhile, has the second-smallest percentage (23%) of Black voters.

However, it may yet be possible to create a majority-Black district that includes Baton Rouge, majority-Black communities from Letlow’s district and some of Carter’s Black strongholds in the River Parishes.

Such a district would likely have only a slim Black majority, but it nonetheless would put Graves in a district that looks very appealing to state Sen. Cleo Fields, who just might relish the thought of representing Louisiana’s newest majority-Black congressional district.

Rest assured these and other permutations are already being gamed out.

Louisiana Democrats will doubtlessly enjoy seeing Republicans having to eat one of their own.

Then again, if the majority-Black districts are just barely majority Black, Louisiana may yet send five white Republicans to Congress.

In this zero-sum game, no one is safe.

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Hey Blake,

I enjoyed your column about Rev. Avery C. Alexander (Oct. 23) in which you noted a few of the locations named in his honor. I had wrongly assumed that A.C. Alexander Elementary School in Kenner was also named for him.

What can you tell me about its namesake?

—Garrett

Dear Garrett,

YOU’RE CORRECT IN SAYING THAT THE KENNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is not

named for Rev. Avery C. Alexander, the civil rights leader and state lawmaker, but instead for Anastasia Clancy Alexander. She was a longtime educator and Jefferson Parish school board member.

According to her April 1970 obituary in The Times-Picayune, Alexander was a member of the Jefferson Parish School Board for 29 years, first elected in 1927. She served as its president for 20 years before leaving the board.

She continued teaching part-time, including at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Kenner.

Alexander’s brother was longtime Jefferson Parish Sheriff Frank Clancy, the parish’s top lawman for a record-setting 28 years, from 1928 until 1956.

Clancy, a Kenner native and Tulane law school graduate, previously served as

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a Kenner city attorney, alderman and Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court.

As sheriff, he held a grip on parish politics for decades and many accused him of turning a blind eye toward illegal gambling and organized crime in the 1940s and 1950s. Clancy owned vast amounts of land in Kenner, including a 1,940-acre ranch. According to a 2000 Times-Picayune article, his family later sold or developed much of the property into what became the Esplanade Mall, Chateau Estates and Greenlawn Terrace subdivisions.

Clancy and Alexander’s father was John Clancy, the first president of the Jefferson Parish School Board. A school in Kenner, which opened in 1954, is named in his honor. In 1974, the school board named a school at 600 W. Esplanade Ave. in Kenner in honor of Anastasia Clancy Alexander.

BLAKEVIEW AS AMERICA THIS WEEK MARKSTHE60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ASSASSINATION of

President John F. Kennedy, we recall assassin Lee Harvey Oswald’s ties to New Orleans.

He was born here on Oct. 18, 1939, two months after his father died suddenly of a heart attack. Lee’s mother struggled to make ends meet for him and his two brothers. They moved several times during those early years, including to several addresses in the 9th Ward.

After moving to Dallas and then to New York, the family returned to New Orleans, where Oswald attended Covington Elementary, Beauregard Junior High (now the Success at Thurgood Marshall charter school on Canal Street) and Warren Easton High School, before dropping out to join the U.S. Marine Corps and spending time in the Soviet Union.

In 1963, just months before the assassination, Oswald returned to New Orleans.

He lived in the 4900 block of Magazine Street and worked at the Wm. B. Reily & Co. coffee plant on Magazine.

He formed a New Orleans chapter of the pro-Fidel Castro “Fair Play for Cuba” committee and was filmed by local television news crews handing out leaflets near the old International Trade Mart at Camp and Common, near what is now the Sheraton Hotel. At one point, Oswald scuffled with local Cuban refugees and was arrested by New Orleans police for disturbing the peace.

The attention led to media coverage, a broadcast debate and an interview

by WDSU anchor Bill Slatter. On Nov. 22, 1963, when Oswald was linked to the Kennedy assassination, it was WDSU news footage from earlier that summer that gave the nation its first glimpse of the alleged gunman.

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Cocktails

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Issue

Parkview Tavern and the loss of ‘your’ bar

BY JOHN STANTON | Gambit editor The impending closure of the venerable Parkview Tavern has hit Mid-City residents hard and sent many regulars into an extended period of mourning — and understandably so.

Parkview is one of those classic neighborhood spots barflies dream of. There’s the wood paneling, the classic dusty neon beer signs, sports memorabilia in various states of aging, the inevitable Christmas lights. But as any good bar denizen knows, it’s the people of Parkview – the owners, the veteran staff and the regulars — that make it special. Even for an occasional patron, they make Parkview inevitably and almost immediately feel like home.

Part of that comes from the close-knit community they’ve created over the bar’s 30 years in existence. Some “locals” can feel almost claustrophobically cliquish, like you have to be in on 100 inside jokes and have rung the bell dozens of times before the people drinking around you will let you in.

At Parkview, it’s more of a family affair. And like any family worth their salt knows, you treat guests like they’re one of your own (until such time that they need to be 86’d, of course). You have to go

Parkview Tavern PHOTO BY LESLIE GAMBONI / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Saints fans gather for a game at Parkview Tavern PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

out of your way not to make friends with somebody at the bar, particularly on Sundays when the Saints play.

But that sort of deep-seeded sense of family and comradery can come with a price, especially when the unthinkable happens and the bar closes.

“It’s heartbreaking,” managing partner Kathy Anderson told The Times-Picayune’s Ian McNulty when it was announced the bar was closing come the end of April.

Anderson said she and her business partner had been negotiating with the previous owner of the building to buy it from him, ensuring the bar would remain open. And things appeared to be moving in that direction.

That is, until last spring, when the building was sold to the owners of the neighboring Blue Oak BBQ, who themselves are on a bit of a business expansion run as of late. Blue Oak is opening a new location in Huntsville, Alabama, next year, and in 2022 they became co-owners of St. Charles Avenue fixture Avenue Pub. Talks with Blue Oak didn’t go well.

According to Anderson, the new lease Blue Oak was offering was “absolutely not viable,” and they have since been informed they must be out by April 30 of next year.

On social media, there’s been calls for boycotts and plenty of anger toward Blue Oak, and as Parkview’s closure date approaches, that’s likely to pick back up again.

To some, that may seem a bit silly.

After all, this is late-stage capitalist America, where profits are king, and fidelity to community institutions is increasingly seen as a quaint notion of a bygone era. Plus, it’s not like new owners promised the bar’s patrons and staff it would be business as usual, or at best a fresh coat of paint and some new happy hour specials.

Besides, there’s plenty of other bars to drink at, right?

But all that, true as it may be, misses the point entirely. Losing your bar isn’t just like having a death in the family. For many, it can feel more like the passing of the family matriarch who’d kept the various factions and bloodlines together over the years.

Their death can come as a shock to the system for those who survive them, particularly in a case like Parkview.

Of course, no bar — no matter how storied it may be — lives forever.

Across New Orleans, Black-owned neighborhood bars are becoming a dying breed thanks to the relentless march of gentrification and displacement. Disputes between owners are a common cause of death in bars like longtime Marigny outpost Mimi’s, which never returned following the pandemic lockdowns.

They also can fall victim to disease.

Take Johnny White’s, the French Quarter institution that was open round the clock (save for a few weeks after Katrina) for more than five

decades. Generations of Quarter residents and service industry workers called Johnny White’s their late-night home, only to have Covid close its doors for good.

These days, bars like Banks Street Bar often become, as Miracle Max might say, “mostly dead” for the regulars when a new owner comes in.

Sometimes the owners just want to try something new under an old name.

Others, though, want to reshape an old place in their image. That sort of death can often be the hardest to cope with.

Having your local bar seemingly taken out from under your barstool can feel like a betrayal. In the end though, it’s always the same — the old bar is changed to the point that they’re nearly unrecognizable to regulars until they are ultimately replaced with new ones.

Anderson hopes to find a new space to re-open, and with any luck, they will. New Orleans’ neighborhood bars are the incubators of our culture and repositories of our memories. Their disappearance should be cause for alarm, not just eulogies.

“All the people who called this place their home won’t have it anymore, and a bunch of great bartenders won’t have their jobs through no fault of their own,” Anderson said of Parkview.

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19

BY JOHN STANTON | Gambit editor

Cocktails Issue

No, Really, I’ll Do the Dishes Post Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner are two of the Holiday Disruptor’s favorite times to strike, since everyone is suffering from the -itis and stuck at the table. But with this deliciously smoky-yet-sweet burst of caffeinated goodness, you’ll be up and in the kitchen, happily doing dishes instead of throwin’ verbal blows across the table.

2 SHOTS OF ESPRESSO 2 OUNCES OF MEZCAL 1 OUNCE OF LICOR 43

In a large mug, combine espresso, mezcal and Licor 43. Consume before the airing of grievances begins.

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Ma Stanton’s 70s Style Bloody Mary Back in the 70s, the Bloody Mary was a relatively simple affair. Get some tomato juice, some booze, some ice, a dash of this or that and you were on your way to morning drinking! But then white people “discovered” spicy food and started making random stuff roof-of-your-mouth-blisteringly hot, fell in love with the concept of garnishes and before you knew it, this noble drink had become some sort of drunken Picasso nightmare.

And that’s great if you like your drinking experience to be akin to shoving your face into a cobb salad. As for me, I like to keep it pretty basic.

PHOTO BY EMMA WALKER

Even for those of us who love this time of year, the holidays can be taxing. Whether it’s the annual Rehashing of Family Grudges, Uncle Steve’s Christmas “Well Actually” Speech on Pronouns or simple fatigue brought on by so much close contact with your kin, it’s almost inevitable you’ll find your last nerve getting ground to a fine, painful point.

We here at Gambit are all for teachable moments and trying to reach one’s knuckle dragging relatives if that’s your bag. Still, even the most gung-ho family time battle royal pugilists will get to the point where it’s all too much.

That’s, of course, why we have booze! Since time immemorial, humans have used the delicious nectar of the gods to dull the pain of family gatherings, so much so that Irish Americans have even made it a fundamental part of our cultural identity!

Unfortunately, while chugging straight from a bottle of 151 may be the most efficient method it is also (allegedly) both dangerous and decidedly anti-social. So the best way to get socially lubricated is with a delicious cocktail.

Unlike, say, drinking a pint of Jameson, a cocktail can be made exceedingly strong while still appearing to be an “acceptable” drink and not a sign of a drinking “problem.”

While getting a new beer takes a few seconds at best, “freshening up” a cocktail can take several minutes. On paper, that might not sound like a lot of time. But trust me, it can mean the difference between domestic bliss and hurling a fist full of mashed potatoes at your Uncle Steve’s face.

Here are three I’ve found to be great for keeping up holiday cheer.

PHOTO BY JOHN STANTON / GAMBIT

The Self Editor This is a simple, holiday themed drink that’ll get you in just the right frame of mind to ignore even your angry aunt’s best efforts to bait you into a fight over Jeff Landry.

6 OUNCES OF PREMADE EGGNOG (I RECOMMEND PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH OR OLD SAINT NICK’S OLD FASHIONED EGG NOG) 4 OUNCES OF JAMESON OR BULLEIT RYE 1 PINT GLASS ICE

Put ice in glass, add the nog and whiskey, and stir.

Add an additional whiskey floater if Fox News is on the television.

3 OUNCES GIN (PREFERABLY BEEFEATER BECAUSE THE STANTON CLAN WAS CLASSY IN THE 70S) 5 OUNCES TOMATO JUICE CELERY SALT PEPPER 3 LIME WEDGES HORSERADISH WORCHESTER SAUCE ICE

Combine gin, tomato juice, the juice from two lime wedges, a couple dashes of Worchester sauce in a pint glass. Add celery salt, pepper and horseradish to taste and stir.

Add ice and a lime wedge. Drink until you get to the sediment, repeat as needed.

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21

W I N T E R

2 0 2 3

E D I T I O N

r

BY JOHN STANTON | Gambit editor

Cocktails Issue

Welcome to another edition of Meet Your Bartender, the semi-regular Gambit feature where we introduce you to the folks who help make the world go round just a bit easier, one drink at a time.

PHOTO BY JOHN STANTON / GAMBIT

Jack Glenn Where do you work?

The Tell Me Bar How long have you been a bartender?

Over 10 years. I started off as a barback in NYC in my early 20s and have continued working behind bars and in restaurants ever since. I’ve been bartending in New Orleans since 2016.

PROVIDED PHOTO BY WILL BLUNT / STARCHEFS

Shannon Brandon Where do you work?

Jewel of the South How long have you been a bartender?

10 years What’s your favorite spirit?

Cognac What do you drink when you’re not at work?

A wet gin martini on the rocks with a caper berry What’s the weirdest thing that’s happened on your shift?

One of the most memorable things that ever happened during a shift was when I recognized the actress that plays Tara on “Buffy” when she stopped by Jewel. It was still fairly

deep in Covid so she was wearing a mask, but I couldn’t get over how much it looked like Amber Benson. I knew that I would forever wonder if I didn’t ask, and when it turned out I was right, I cried a lot more than I expected myself to. She’s just as sweet as Tara is on the show.

Christmas music at the bar: yes or no?

Christmas music at the bar is acceptable only for the month of December.

I much prefer our Halloween playlist.

What’s your go-to drink for getting through the holiday season?

A bottle of La Fin du Monde from Unibroue and a neat pour of the dustiest Armagnac I can find.

What’s your favorite spirit (wine)?

This is a hard question to answer, but I’d say my favorite wines are from Beaujolais in France: red wines made from gamay grapes in the region just south of Burgundy. These wines are light, juicy and evocative. Like many of my favorite wines, Beaujolais reds invite bold, vivid fruit to be the star of the show, meaning they’rejust as good with or without food.

When I’m not drinking wine, I typically reach for mezcal, Scotchor cognac, spirits that share with wine a unique connection to place and process.

Where do you drink when you’re not at work: For me, Jewel of the South is a perfect bar. I also maintain that the bartenders at the Sazerac Bar in The Roosevelt have that special, undefinable touch required to make an exquisite classic martini.

Similarly, I recently had an occasion to sit at the bar at Arnaud’s French 75 and remind myself that their signature French 75 (made with cognac and Moët champagne) still totally lives up to its legendary status.

My go-to wine shop is Faubourg Wines in the Marigny, which is also a great place to sit and have an afternoon glass of wine.

What’s the weirdest thing that’s happened on your shift?

St. Patrick’s Day at Tell Me Bar is pretty weird! Last year lots of people wandered in after the Irish Channel parade dressed in green feather boas, green sequins, green hats, etc ... most had go-cups of beer in hand and were coming from a long day of partying on the parade route.

I saw people doing some pretty unsavory things with wine like pouring one bottle of delicious wine right into a plastic cup of an entirely different, and differentcolored, wine. While we love to offer guidance about how to enjoy wine, at Tell Me, we are big proponents of the idea of “party wine,” andwe’re always open minded about which wines you drink and how you drink them, as long asyou’re having fun.

Christmas music at the bar, yes or no?

I’d say no to Christmas music at the bar.

There’s a Big Freedia Christmas song I’m quite fond of called “Rudy, The Big Booty Reindeer,” which might make its way onto our playlist at some point around the holidays. But that’s about where I’d draw the line.

Go-to wine for Thanksgiving dinner: For Thanksgiving dinner,I’m on the lookout forprobably something from the Rhone Valley, probably some spicy, peppery, or herbal notes from grenache or syrah grapes, andmaybe something in a large format bottle like a magnum or a liter bottle(lots of people to share with!)

I also drink a lot of champagne around the holidays —a great choice for AFTER the turkey.

G AMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

Meet Your BaRTeNdE

Bar&

the winter

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

22

DRINK GUIDE

Winter

2 IMPERIAL PORTER

SKEETA HAWK Skeeta Hawk Brewing is a friendly neighborhood brewery and taproom located directly on the Lafitte Greenway with views of the New Orleans skyline. We focus on brewing traditional styles with a focus on Czech & Belgian styles and a rotating selection of IPAs 455 N Dorgenois St, NOLA • 504-269-3366 skeetahawkbrewing.com

Louisiane 1 La SAZERAC HOUSE

Porter 2 Imperial SKEETA HAWK

Glitter End 3 The PEACOCK ROOM

3 THE GLITTER END

PEACOCK ROOM Grey Goose vodka, sparkling wine, lychee, cranberry, citrus 501 Tchoupitoulas St, NOLA • 504-324-3073 peacockroomnola.com

4 GARDEN DELIGHT

GARDEN DISTRICT PUB Indulge in the perfect blend of Stoli Lime and Stoli Raspberry, harmonized with a dash of cranberry juice, and fizzy soda. Served with a lime garnish. Join us for happy hour, game day specials, and delicious cocktails in our charming 19th century atmosphere.

1916 Magazine St, NOLA • 504 267-3392

5 COSME VERDE

PLATES Made with house basil lime cello, Cointreau and white cranberry juice. Remy-Cointreau is donating $1 to Tales of the Cocktail Foundation for every cosmo sold.

1051 Annunciation Street, NOLA • 504-582-9020 platesnola.com

Delight 4 Garden GARDEN DISTRICT PUB

Verde 5 Cosme PLATES

Cocktails 6 Specialty MOSCA’S RESTAURANT

6 SPECIALTY COCKTAILS

MOSCA’S RESTAURANT Specialty cocktails and an extensive wine list only compliment the family-style Italian cuisine customers have loved since 1946.

4137 US Hwy 90 W, Westwego • 504-436-8950 moscasrestaurant.com

7 NINJA BREAD RUM FASHIONED

HOLMES BAR AT HYATT CENTRIC FRENCH QUARTER Mount Gay XO Rum, gingerbread spices, brown sugar, orange bitters, chocolate bitters, gingerbread cookie 800 Iberville St, NOLA • 504-586-0800

8 WAKE THE DEAD

THE COMMISSARY Jump start your Saturday with a Wake The Dead, made with cold brew coffee, tequila, milk, and house-made whipped cream 634 Orange St, NOLA • 504-274-1850 thecommissarynola.com

9 SPICY JALAPEÑO MARGARITA

7 Ninja Bread Rum Fashioned

HOLMES BAR AT HYATT CENTRIC FRENCH QUARTER

The Dead 8 Wake THE COMMISSARY

Jalapeño Margarita 9 Spicy FELIPE’S TAQUERIA

FELIPE’S TAQUERIA Jalapeño-infused tequila, hand-squeeze fresh key lime juice, a touch of chamoy & triple sec.

Uptown, Mid-City, French Quarter and Old Metairie locations. felipestaqueria.com

23 G AMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

SAZERAC HOUSE A New Orleans classic that’s sure to start any holiday party off right. Sazerac Rye Whiskey, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, Peychaud’s Bitters, Herbsaint Legendre stirred with ice until well chilled, strained, and garnished with a cherry.

101 Magazine St, NOLA • 504-910-0100 sazerachouse.com

winter drink guide

1 LA LOUISIANE

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

24

INTRODUCING THE

FIRST-EVER BREWERY ON ST. CHARLES AVENUE COMING JANUARY 2024

11 POTHOLE LOGIC PILSNER

ECOLOGY BEER CREATIVE The name is twist on the Pretzel Logic album by Steely Dan. A crisp dry hopped Pilsner with light delicate floral notes, mild bitterness, clean, crisp, and stunningly refreshing.

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12 EXPANDED WINE LIST

Luz Espresso 10 La BAR MARILOU

Logic Pilsner 11 Pothole ECOLOGY BEER CREATIVE

Wine List 12 Expanded VENEZIA

VENEZIA You know Venezia’s for classic New Orleans inspired Italian Cuisine. Now you can enjoy all of your favorites with more selections from their expanded wine list. By the glass or the bottle, Venezia’s has something to pair with every dish!

134 N. Carrollton Ave., NOLA • 504-488-7991 venezianeworleans.net

13 CARAMEL APPLE MARTINI

KATIE’S Introducing our seasonal delight, the Caramel Apple Martini — a tempting and refreshing addition to our Fall Specialty Cocktail collection 3701 Iberville St, NOLA • 504-488-6582 katiesinmidcity.com

14 THE HUNTSMAN

KING BRASSERIE + BAR Woodford Reserve, Espresso-infused Cynar, Campari, Carpano Antica, chocolate bitters.

Happy Hour Daily 5-7pm 521 Tchoupitoulas St, NOLA • 504-324-3000 kingbrasserieandbar.com

15 THE FAMOUS AND THE NAKED

Apple Martini 13 Caramel KATIE’S

Huntsman 14 The KING BRASSERIE + BAR

Famous and the Naked 15 The LOUIE LOUIE

LOUIE LOUIE Non-alcoholic cocktail infused with THC Drinklouielouie.com

16 ATLANTIC LOVE LETTER

OBSERVATORY ELEVEN A split base of 15-year-old aged rum and a VSOP rum Agricole, Maraska cherry, chicory liqueur, and spiced plantain syrup. Enjoy live music at Observatory Eleven on Thursdays through Saturdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and happy hour on Mondays through Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. Come sip on a cocktail and take in the best view in the city!

11th Floor Westin New Orleans, 100 Iberville St, NOLA • 504-566-7006

17 SKYLAB

PAT O’BRIEN’S Old school craft cocktail of Rum, Vodka, Apricot Brandy, Blue Curacao, OJ and Pineapple.

Perfect for Patio Drinking!

718 St. Peter Street, NOLA • 504-525-4823 patobriens.com

18 BLUE CRAB COLLINS

Love Letter 16 Atlantic OBSERVATORY ELEVEN

17 Skylab PAT O’BRIEN’S

Crab Collins 18 Blue THE BLUE CRAB

THE BLUE CRAB A delightful and refreshing cocktail made with Tito’s vodka, fresh blueberries, and lemon.

7900 Lakeshore Dr, NOLA • 504-284-2898 thebluecrabnola.com

25 G AMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

BAR MARILOU Reposado tequila, espresso, coffee liqueur, mole bitters, chile tincture, cinnamon 544 Carondelet St, NOLA • 504-814-7711 barmarilou.com

winter drink guide

10 LA LUZ ESPRESSO

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

26

Peppermint Bark latte

Peppermint Bark velvet ice

Cookie Dough for a limited time!

latte

Butter Rum latte

LA Filing #21-11910

20 VOODOO GLITTER MARTINE’S LOUNGE

A ginger-spicy cocktail of: Ancho Reyes chile liqueur; Ginger elixir; Luxardo cherry juice; topped with sparkling wine! Opens at 3pm daily. Indoor bar & outdoor patio seating.

2347 Metairie Rd, Metairie • 504-831-8637 facebook.com/martineslounge

21 WINE WEDNESDAYS

Frozen Margarita 19 Juanita’s JUAN’S FLYING BURRITO

Glitter 20 Voodoo MARTINE’S LOUNGE

Wednesdays 21 Wine THEO’S NEIGHBORHOOD PIZZA

THEO’S NEIGHBORHOOD PIZZA You just can’t ask for a better deal than half-priced Wine! That’s what you get at Theo’s! Half-priced bottles of wine with a food purchase every Wednesday. Pizzas, sandwiches, salads & more.

5 Metro locations: Magazine St., Mid-City, Elmwood, Metairie, and Covington. theospizza.com

22 SAINTSATIONAL

LEGACY KITCHEN CRAFT TAVERN Celebrate the Saints with our signature gin cocktail. Expertly crafted with prosecco, Malfy gin, St. Germain, fresh lemon juice, simply syrup, garnished with a lemon twist.

700 Tchoupitoulas St #3612, NOLA 504-613-2350 • legacykitchen.com

23 HAND GRENADE TROPICAL ISLE

Enjoy the sweet melon taste of New Orleans’ most powerful drink: the Hand Grenade.

Available at 4 Tropical Isle locations on Bourbon St. & Bourbon Street Honky Tonk, or order Hand Grenade Mix for gift giving or making at home.

800-ISLE-MIX • tropicalisle.com

22 Saintsational LEGACY KITCHEN CRAFT TAVERN

Grenade 23 Hand TROPIACL ISLE

Mary 24 Bloody MOTHER’S

24 BLOODY MARY MOTHER’S

Some like it hot! Mother’s spicy Bloody Mary packs heat and a kick. Tomato juice is amped up with seasonings & hot sauce.

401 Poydras St., NOLA • 504-523-9656 mothersrestaurant.net

25 FAIS DEAUX DEAUX THE GARAGE

Home of the Fais Deaux Deaux – The original New Orleans Fishbowl.

810 Conti @ Bourbon St., NOLA thegaragemusicclub.com

26 THE LEGACY SOUR

LEGACY KITCHEN’S STEAK AND CHOP Legacy Kitchen’s Steak and Chop’s signature cocktail features Hennessy, Grand Marnier, orange juice, pineapple juice, and simple syrup.

91 Westbank Expy #51, Gretna • 504-513-2606 legacykitchen.com

27 LA STRADA PAL’S LOUNGE

Deaux Deaux 25 Fais THE GARAGE

Legacy Sour 26 The LEGACY KITCHEN’S STEAK AND CHOP

Strada 27 La PAL’S LOUNGE

Montenegro Italian amaro, rosemary-infused hibiscus-orange aperitivo, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. Join us at Mid-city’s best neighborhood bar serving up delicious seasonal drinks, specialty cocktails, beer & wine.

949 N. Rendon, NOLA • 504-488-7257 facebook.com/palslounge

27 G AMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

JUAN’S FLYING BURRITO It’s what you need to beat this heat! Lunazul Reposado Margarita. Get nuts & add strawberry, blueberry, mango, or pineapple. We have a Daily Happy Hour from 2 to 6 so this should give you time to try many of our Fly Dranks.

Multiple locations: Lower Garden District, Mid-City, Uptown, CBD 504-529-5825 • juansflyingburrito.com

winter drink guide

19 JUANITA’S FROZEN MARGARITA

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

28

THANKSGIVING 2023 Give Thanks at King Brasserie

November 23rd 12pm-8pm SAVOR SPECIAL MENU ITEMS ON THANKSGIVING DAY Joyce Farms Heritage Turkey Plenty of Fixin’s Bourbon Pecan Beignets and more!

Reservations are recommended at kingbrasserieandbar.com

BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH PATIO • DOG FRIENDLY • CHILL VIBES SELFIE BOOTH • FUN COCKTAILS

869 MAGAZINE • FLAMINGONOLA.COM

DINE WITH KING AT HAPPY HOUR

Daily Food + Drink Specials | 5-7pm

@kingbrasserienola 521 Tchoupitoulas Street @ Hotel Fontenot 504-324-3000 www.kingbrasserieandbar.com

29 FROZEN BANANAS FOSTER PALACE CAFÉ

Palace Café’s Black Duck Bar is perfect for cooling off from the summer heat. Try their Frozen Bananas Foster made with white rum, banana-salted caramel ice cream, & cinnamon.

605 Canal Street, NOLA • 504-523-1661 palacecafe.com

30 MOLLY RINGWALD JACK ROSE

28 Wine ORLEANS GRAPEVINE WINE BAR & BISTRO

Bananas Foster 29 Frozen PALACE CAFÉ

Ringwald 30 Molly JACK ROSE

The Molly Ringwald is a fun, Tiki-inspired cocktail that combines the smooth notes of Espolón Blanco Tequila with the citrusy Acqua Di Cedro, complemented by the tropical infusion of coconut and pineapple. The unexpected twist of pink peppercorn adds a playful kick.

2031 St Charles Ave FL 1, NOLA • 504-323-1500 jackroserestaurant.com

31 HUGE SELECTION OF DRAFT BEER

RIVERSHACK TAVERN We’ve got a huge selection of draft beers waiting for you. In fact, you’ll have to make two trips to sample every tap; there’s no way you’ll make it through all of them in one night. (Don’t take that as a challenge!) We have local, domestic, and imported brews.

3449 River Rd, Jefferson • 504-834-4938 rivershacktavern.com

32 WHITE ELEPHANT BUDSI’S AUTHENTIC THAI

Crafted with a house-made coconut syrup, the White Elephant is rich, complex, and undeniably Thai. Pair it with the Waterfall Pork or Mushroom Larb during our daily 2-6 pm Happy Hour and feel yourself instantly transported to a desolate beach in the land of the smiles.

1760 N Rampart St, NOLA • 504-381-4636 budsisthai.com

33 BLUEBERRY HILL

Selection of Draft Beer 31 Huge RIVERSHACK TAVERN

Elephant 32 White BUDSI’S AUTHENTIC THAI

Hill 33 Blueberry KINGFISH KITCHEN & COCKTAILS

KINGFISH KITCHEN & COCKTAILS Our bar, with its mix of signature & classic cocktails, is the perfect place to meet up with friends & family for a drink in the French Quarter. Happy Hour Mon. Thurs., & Fri. 2 pm - 5 pm.

337 Chartres St, NOLA • 504-598-5005 Kingfishneworleans.com

34 PALOMA

A TAVOLA RESTAURANT & WINE BAR Gambit reader approved, A Tavola offers one of the best Happy Hours in the city. Available every day from 2 pm - 6 pm, Happy Hour includes ½ off all pizzas. Get 50% off all bottles of wine with every to-go order.

3413 Veterans Blvd at Lakeside Shopping Center 504-577-2235 • Atavo.la

35 LEMON DROP

BOULEVARD AMERICAN BISTRO Join us for Happy Hour, Mon. - Fri. 3 pm - 6 pm. Celebrate the end of the work week with Martini Thursdays, $5 Grey Goose and Tito’s martinis. We celebrate wine drinkers get 50% off all bottles of wine with every to-go order. boulevardbistro.com

36 ALL SHOOK UP THE BOMBAY CLUB

34 Paloma A TAVOLA RESTAURANT & WINE BAR

Drop 35 Lemon BOULEVARD AMERICAN BISTRO

Shook Up 36 All THE BOMBAY CLUB

Home to nightly live music, The Bombay Club specializes in craft cocktails, single malt scotches, reserved bourbons, & premium cigars. Happy Hour Wed. - Sun. 4 pm - 7 pm 830 Conti St, NOLA • 504-321-6932 bombayclubneworleans.com

29 G AMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

Delicious French cuisine and wine by the glass, bottle or flight. Courtyard and sidewalk seating. Thurs. - Sun. 4 - 10 pm.

720 Orleans Ave., NOLA

winter drink guide

28 WINE ORLEANS GRAPEVINE WINE BAR & BISTRO

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

30

Nativity Decor for everyon ne!

White Metal Nativity Scene Yard Stake

FANCY, CLASSIC, WHITE WASHED AND KIDS!

Mon-Fri 10am-6pm | Sat 10am-4pm Curbside & Delivery Still Available!

5101 W. ESPLANADE • 504.407.3532 at Chastant • Metairie

3001 ORMOND BLVD • 985.603.4011

at entrance to Ormond Estates • Destrehan www.nolagiftsanddecoronline.com @nolagiftsanddecor

LOV E T HE

WATERFRONT LIFE? Your dream of living on the water is closer than you imagine. Fish from your backyard or in Lake Salvador, just 20 minutes away by boat.

All while being an easy 15 minute drive from downtown New Orleans.

Lots in our private, Caribbean influenced community start at just $75k.

Owner financing is available with just 5% down. Contact us for more details.

pelicanslandingbayou.com info@buildimperium.com 504-571-9898

38 FROZEN CANDY MARGARITA

NICE GUYS NOLA One of Nice Guys’ most loved drinks! A frozen twist on the bright, tart frozen tequila. Add pineapple, strawberry watermelon or mango.

Topped with candy for a quick sweetness.

7910 Earhart Blvd, NOLA • 504-302-2404 niceguysnola.com

39 S’MORES MARTINI

Trial by Fire

37 HIGH GRACE

Candy Margarita 38 Frozen NICE GUYS NOLA

Martini 39 S’mores GHOST BAR

GHOST BAR Our specialty cocktails are to die for and the vibes are hauntingly good. Make sure to try our delectable Chocolate S’mores Martini. it’s a vodka based martini topped with a flaming marshmallow. Open till sunrise!

606 Iberville Street, NOLA facebook.com/GhostBarNewOrleans

40 ORANGE HOLIDAY CAFÉ ROYAL

FELIX’S RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR Description: This festive fall cocktail blends Mt. Gay Black Barrel Rum, Pumpkin Spice Liqueur, and Cointreau Orange Liqueur, sweetened with simple syrup and enhanced with Angostura bitters, topped with Luizianne French Market coffee and garnished with whipped cream, an orange slice, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

French Quarter - Lakefront - Gulfport • felixs.com

41 DECEMBER DAISY

ANNUNCIATION Brandy, Orange Curacao, dry Riesling, honey, Peychaud’s Bitters 1016 Annunciation St, NOLA • 70130 504-5680245 annunciationrestaurant.com

Holiday Café Royal 40 Orange FELIX’S RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR

Daisy 41 December ANNUNCIATION

Bark Velvet Ice 42 Peppermint PJ’S

42 PEPPERMINT BARK VELVET ICE

PJ’S Flavors of sweet peppermint and rich white chocolate blended with Espresso Dolce concentrate and garnished with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate syrup and crushed peppermint pieces. Enjoy now for a limited time.

Statewide • pjscoffee.com

43 ESPRESSO MARTINI ON TAP

GOSPEL COFFEE AND BOOZY TREATS Mr. Black coffee liqueur, vodka, house cold brew Located in: Kimpton Hotel Fontenot 501 Tchoupitoulas St, NOLA • 504-324-3073

44 CAUSEWAY BLOODY

CAUSEWAY GRILL We use homegrown celery and peppers..... it makes a difference!!

2800 N Causeway Blvd, Metairie 504-838-9128

45 SPECIALTY COCKTAILS

Martini on Tap 43 Espresso GOSPEL COFFEE AND BOOZY TREATS

Bloody 44 Causeway CAUSEWAY GRILL

Cocktails 45 Specialty BAMBOULAS

BAMBOULAS Indulge in the ultimate experience at Bamboulas LIVE MUSIC: Delicious Food, Refreshing Drinks, and a Variety of Beers and Wines!

516 Frenchmen St, NOLA • 504- 206-8057 bamboulasmusic.com

31 G AMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

HIGH GRACE Come warm up this winter with the hottest, most Instagrammable cocktail in the Quarter.

The tropical taste of the Trial by Fire combined with the heat of the fire will feel like you’re cozy on a beach instead of drinking in an upscale dive bar.

733 St. Peter, NOLA • 504-218-5649 highgracenola.com

winter drink guide

37 TRIAL BY FIRE

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

32

l\S & �EllBl " I :z.!> SllGijlllla•Y· p,..,or,no llo1n"'"' 5..,,-,rlav gr

47 DARK N STORMY

LOTS-A-LUCK LOUNGE Dark Rum, Ginger Beer and Lime. Don’t let the name fool you – this drink is great in any weather! In bar and outdoor patio seating.

In the heart of Lakeview.

203 Homedale St., NOLA • 504-483-0978 facebook.com/lotsalucknola

48 LAVENDER COSMO

Cocktail 46 Vintage THE VINTAGE

N Stormy 47 Dark LOTS-A-LUCK LOUNGE

Cosmo 48 Lavender THE COUNTRY CLUB

THE COUNTRY CLUB Made with Bolden Vodka, Cointreau, Lime, Lavender, Cranberry 634 Louisa St, NOLA thecountryclubneworleans.com

49 LOWER GARDEN G&T

RISING SUN Cheers to a cocktail that transcends the ordinary! Rising Sun’s elevated gin and tonic is a year-round delight, finished with housemade golden raisin syrup and garnished with rosemary, pear and citrus.

1133 Margaret Pl, NOLA • 504-264-6045 risingsunnola.com

50 TRULY VODKA SODA

CRESCENT CROWN Premium, vodka-based seltzer made with real fruit juice. Six-times distilled vodka and premium flavors all perfectly balanced for a vodka soda that’s delightfully refreshing. trulyhardseltzer.com

51 FROZEN COCKTAILS

Garden G&T 49 Lower RISING SUN

Vodka Soda 50 Truly CRESCENT CROWN

Cocktails 51 Frozen FLAMINGO A-GO-GO

FLAMINGO A-GO-GO Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Margarita, and Frosé. Also available to go in gallons and half-gallons!

869 Magazine St, NOLA • 504-577-2202 flamingonola.com

52 KOREAN BLOODY MARY

SUN CHONG Start your day with a delicious Korean-inspired bloody mary at Sun Chong! Open at 11 AM Sun-Mon & Wednesday-Saturday.

240 Decatur St, NOLA • 504-355-0022 sunchongnola.com

53 FROZEN MARGARITA FLIGHT

MORROW’S Strawberry, watermelon, peach, mango, and blueberry. Now available for a limited time only. Enjoy happy hour specials Monday-Friday from 4-7 PM! 2438 St Claude Ave, NOLA • 504-827-1519 morrowsnola.com

54 PINEAPPLE SAGE JULEP

Bloody Mary 52 Korean SUN CHONG

Margarita Flight 53 Frozen MORROW’S

Sage Julep 54 Pineapple MONDAY

MONDAY Whiskey, sage, & pineapple juice. Join us for happy hour on Monday’s all day long, and Tuesday-Friday from 4-7 PM for 1/2 off signature cocktails, wines by the glass, frozens, and draft beers!

4327 Bienville St, NOLA • 504-581-8900 mondaynola.com

33 G AMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

THE VINTAGE Hoodoo Chicory liqueur, Tito’s, Irish cream, espresso. This upgraded Espresso Martini pairs perfect with beignets.

3121 Magazine St., NOLA • 504-324-7144 thevintagenola.com

winter drink guide

46 VINTAGE COCKTAIL

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

34

Gifting

local

Cashmere Wra raps $78 from gae e-tana’s 7732 Maple le St, New Orlea ans (504) 865-9 9625 PHOTO PROVIDED D

BY GAE-TANA’S

This holiday season, spend your money where your home is.

Gloria Oven Mitt $24.00 from Judy at the Rink 2727 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 891-7018 judyattherink.com

Crudi-Turkey $95 from Sorrenteaux Boards 143 Allen Toussaint Boulevard, New Orleans (504)510-2611 sorrenteaux.com

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY AT THE RINK

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SORRENTEAUX

Gloria Pot Holder $24.00 from Judy at the Rink 2727 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 891-7018 judyattherink.com PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY AT THE RINK

Art and Eyes Original Design

Cobble Hill Family Reunion Puzzle

$395 from Art and Eyes 3708 Magazine St, New Orleans (504)891-4494 artandeyesneworleansla.com

$18.99 from Alice & Amelia 4432 Magazine St, New Orleans (504) 502-6206 shopaliceandamelia.com

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ART AND EYES

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALICE AND AMELIA

Obagi ELASTIderm® Eye Serum $115 from Saintly Skin 3000 Kingman St, #101, Metairie (504)475-5510 saintlyskin.com PHOTO PROVIDED BY SAINTLY SKIN

Colored Crystal Gem Rectangle Dangle Earrings $25.99 from Nola Boo 517 Metairie Rd #200, Metairie (504) 510-4655 nolaboo.com PHOTO PROVIDED BY NOLA BOO

$428 from Mignon Faget 3801 Magazine St, New Orleans & 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie mignonfaget.com

local Obagi Professional-C® Microdermabrasion Polish + Mask

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MIGNON FAGET

$84 from Saintly Skin 3000 Kingman St, #101, Metairie (504)475-5510 saintlyskin.com PHOTO PROVIDED BY SAINTLY SKIN

Kindred Off White Cowgirl Boots

Free People sequin sheer top

$99.00 from Nola Boo 517 Metairie Rd #200, Metairie (504) 510-4655 nolaboo.com PHOTO PROVIDED BY NOLA BOO

$78 from gae-tana’s 7732 Maple St, New Orleans (504) 865-9625

My Parrain is the Loup Garou Book

PHOTO PROVIDED

BY GAE-TANA’S

$19.99 from Alice & Amelia 4432 Magazine St, New Orleans (504) 502-6206 shopaliceandamelia.com PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALICE AND AMELIA

Green Wave Checker $19.99 from Bonfolk bonfolk.com PHOTO PROVIDED BY BONFOLK

Saints Santa Cypress Knee 2023 $124.00 from Home Malone 4610 Magazine St (504) 766-6148 homemalonenola.com PHOTO PROVIDED BY HOME MALONE

The Nutcracker $25-80 (including fees) from Jefferson Performing Arts Society Saturday, Dec. 16 at 2:00 PM Sunday, Dec. 17 at 2:00 PM 6400 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA (504) 885-2000 jpas.org PHOTO PROVIDED BY JPAS

35 G AMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

SOL Opal Hoops

Gifting

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

36

Old Metairie Neighborhood Bar

DAILY TIL 7PM ON WEDNESDAYS SEATING AVAILABLE

2347 Metairie Rd. (504) 831-8637 Open Daily at 5pm

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR FOR 10 YEARS!

504-488-PALS • 949 N. RENDON ST. • OPEN DAILY 3PM-3AM PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

37

Building on success

FORK + CENTER

Shermond Esteen Jr. opens Nonno’s on Bayou Road | by Beth D’Addono

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

CHEF SHERMOND ESTEEN JR.’S LIFEHAS CHANGED epically in the past four years.

He opened his first restaurant, Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine and Pastries, on North Claiborne Avenue in June 2020, early in the pandemic. In June 2022, he moved the business to a prime Marigny location at 1940 Dauphine St., where Horn’s had been.

And just a couple of weeks ago, he opened Nonno’s at a larger location at 2517 Bayou Road, along a growing hub of Black-owned businesses.

It’s been a welcome rush of activity.

Esteen was released from prison on Aug. 5, 2019, after serving 20 years of a 33-year sentence for possession of five ounces of marijuana.

On top of all that, the 50-year-old chef also got married this year, and he and his wife Precious are welcoming a son, Shermond Esteen III, in December.

“Honestly, I never imagined that all this could happen,” he says.

Esteen’s down-home New Orleansstyle cuisine draws a steady following of locals and visitors. Born in Avondale and growing up in Algiers, he learned to cook first from his mother, and he leveraged those skills while in prison.

From his early days at the penitentiary at Angola, he worked in the kitchen, and he later trained to add baking into the mix. By the time he was released, Esteen was supervising the kitchen and baking program at Plaquemines Parish Detention Center, feeding 600 inmates daily.

Surmounting considerable odds to start his own growing restaurant business hasn’t been easy, Esteen says, but it’s been worth it.

“When I was in prison, I had no idea I was going to be a business owner,” he says. “I make plenty of mistakes, but I always try to grow and build on those mistakes. I had so much to learn — like about taxes. That was one of the biggest things I had to learn real fast.”

Esteen pays his success forward by giving jobs to men and women coming out of the system. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t, he says.

“If people have a good attitude, they can always learn,” he says.

Calas revival

THE NEIGHBORS ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THE CALAS CART ON TREME STREET,

The 110-seat restaurant is larger than the Marigny spot, and it has a big outdoor space complete with a stage and bar. But the kitchen and menu are smaller, though Esteen plans to expand the menu over time.

The Bayou Road restaurant serves breakfast from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., and lunch is from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The eatery reopens for dinner from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The pork-free breakfast menu includes plates of shrimp and buttery grits, turkey or beef sausage, eggs and toast, and his special French toast, dipped in the chef’s secret sauce. For lunch and dinner, there are homestyle dishes like po-boys, jambalaya, red beans and rice, seafood-stuffed baked potatoes, gumbo, fried catfish and grilled red snapper or salmon.

Specials rotate into the mix.

Esteen’s vision is to offer a fine dining experience while keeping the prices manageable. Currently they range from $14.99 for chicken wings to $45 for a 12-ounce steak with two sides. Both restaurants have a full bar, complete with frozen daiquiris and zero-proof drinks.

Esteen hadn’t planned to open on Bayou Road, but when a group of regular customers kept asking him to consider that location, he did.

“When I saw the spot, which is both a restaurant and a special event venue, I knew it was the right way to

Owner Shermond Esteen Jr. (right) with friends and employees at the recently opened Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine & Pastries on Bayou Road.

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER / GAMBIT

go,” he says. “It made sense to me that the space could generate the money I need to grow my business into more locations.”

Although he’s satisfied with where things are right now, Esteen is forward thinking.

“You know, the crazy part about it is, I’m constantly reminding myself where I came from,” he says. “That keeps me from getting negative when there’s been stealing or other kinds of disrespect. I don’t want to handle things the way I used to handle it. I’m never going back to prison.”

His story has been featured in print and on TV, and chef Emeril Lagasse got in touch and invited Esteen to cook with him.

“It’s motivating for me to know that these people reached out to me to hear my story,” he says. “Because my story could be anybody’s. We all are neighborhood people. When you are growing up, you don’t know which direction you’re going to go, but believe me, it’s your end game that shows who you really are.”

?

WHAT

WHERE

WHEN

HOW

CHECK IT OUT

Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine & Pastries

2517 Bayou Road; nonnoscajuncuisineandpastries.com

Breakfast, lunch and dinner Wed.-Mon.

Dine-in

Home-style Cajun and Creole dishes on Bayou Road

because its upbeat presence can’t be missed.

Brandon Pellerin wants to make sure the visitors strolling through the Treme neighborhood don’t miss it either, because he’s convinced calas are just what they should experience.

He eagerly waves down groups as they stroll the intersecting Treme streets.

“Simply to witness the reactions we’re getting, their discovery of this dish has been exceptional,” Pellerin says. “It demonstrates the need for this dish to be available.”

Beignets are on the bucket list for plenty of New Orleans visitors. The quest for calas, however, often starts with someone who remembers when these sugar-dusted rice fritters were more common on the local table.

The calas from Pellerin’s Treme cart have a craggy-crunchy surface and a soft interior aromatic with vanilla and

Brandon Pellerin, founder of HarvestNOLA, started a calas cart pop-up in Treme.

PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

nutmeg shot through the batter-bound rice. They’re also imbued with history.

Sometimes described as beignets with rice, historians connect their roots to Africa. In New Orleans, calas were long linked to women of color who sold them on the city streets beginning in the era of slavery.

“It was an economic vehicle, allowing them to provide for their families, and sometimes to even help buy their way out of slavery,” Pellerin told one group visiting his cart.

The dish lived on in some homes, and it turns up on menus here and there, like Elizabeth’s in the Bywater and Breakaways R&B in the Marigny.

PAGE 39

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E AT + D R I N K

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > NOVEMBER 20 - 26 > 2023

38

Breakfast & Lunch Served All Day

E XPERIENCE DA ZZLING DISHES & COCK TAIL S FROM OUR FRENCH QUARTER BALCONY CURIONOL A .COM | 504.7 17.4198

481 GIROD STREET, NEW ORLEANS | 504-265-1972 WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY 7AM-3PM

@LUZIANNECAFE

FORK & CENTER

The Old Coffee Pot restaurant in the French Quarter was famous for them, but has closed.

Now, though, Pellerin is bringing calas back to the streets. The calas cart operates pop-up style next to Pellerin house, decorated with old signs and pieces from Carnival floats.

New Orleans jazz and blues tunes pipe through an outdoor speaker and a handful of cafe tables are arrayed under umbrellas.

Pellerin himself orchestrates the scene, hailing passersby, hosting those who decide to try out the calas with the air of a docent conducting a tour.

“It’s about the calas women, their determination, their endurance,” he says. “Their story is why this dish deserves to be more accessible in our city.”

He’s also adjusted the traditional recipe, frying in coconut oil and using a gluten-free flour. His calas are dusted in powdered sugar and also served with lemon and pistachio curd sauces, which are bright and mellow respectively. They sell for $5 for a basket of three and are cooked to order.

The calas cart is a project from Pellerin’s company HarvestNOLA, which works in food security issues.

Another project is organizing farmers markets at schools, where students become vendors to learn how their food gets to the table and then bring fresh produce back home to their families.

During Lent last year, he hosted pop-up fish fries using fried whole trout, again made in coconut oil and with gluten-free flour.

Some locals who walk up to Pellerin’s cart know all about calas, often from their own family cooking.

On Sundays, it’s common to see people arriving in groups straight from church.

For tourists though, Pellerin’s cart, and his presentation, may be their first brush with calas.

“I look around and I see people walking around the Treme, looking for something to access that reflects our culture,” Pellerin says. “So we’re connecting that culture with something they can taste, right in the street in an area that reflects the heritage of this dish.” — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Marjie’s to reboot

MARJIE’S GRILL BROKE THE MOLD WHEN IT OPENED IN MID-CITY with

a menu blending Deep South and Southeast Asian flavors.

Now the restaurant is out to reinvent itself in a bid to survive amid shifting

economics for the business. The restaurant has set Dec. 20 as the last night of regular service. The date coincides with its seventh anniversary.

Founders Marcus Jacobs and Caitlin Carney plan to reopen Marjie’s Grill in early 2024 with a new approach.

“It’s higher insurance, higher utilities, which are huge, higher staffing costs, which are needed, and higher food costs,” Jacobs says.

They have gradually raised prices to cope but say that there comes a threshold for what they can charge and still be the accessible restaurant they conceived for Marjie’s Grill.

“When we opened Marjie’s, we wanted it to be different from what we’d known,” Carney says. “Now it feels like it’s time for another shift.”

It’s the latest reverberation of the surging costs for restaurants in New Orleans. A slow summer that many described as the worst for the industry in memory exacerbated an economic structure that has been in flux since the pandemic.

At Marjie’s Grill, the owners were holding on for the usual upswing in business in the fall, but when October numbers fell short for the restaurant, they knew they had to make big changes.

The Marjie’s Grill that returns next year will function as an event space and focus on catering. They’re also looking at starting a reservation-only dinner service a few nights a week with a set menu, based on the supper club model.

Set menus and events are ways restaurants can better predict their sales and manage their food, staffing and other operating costs.

“Marjie’s is not going away, but will come back as something different,” Carney says.

Jacobs and Carney, both alums of Herbsaint, opened Marjie’s Grill in 2016 in a South Broad Street storefront that had seen a succession of restaurants come and go.

The couple also own Seafood Sally’s on Oak Street. This restaurant closed briefly over the summer for a kitchen renovation, and then reopened in October with a different menu focused on raw seafood and chargrilled fish.

The couple also are partners in the forthcoming Porgy’s Seafood Market, which is a restaurant and retail market slated to open by Thanksgiving in Mid-City at the former home of Bevi Seafood. They are partners in that project with Christina and Dana Honn, chef/owners of the downtown restaurant Carmo. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

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40

WINE

Aritza Garcia

OF THE

Chef

WEEK

by Will Coviello WHEN ARITZA GARCIA DECIDED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND TRY a different

career during the pandemic, she turned to her love of cooking. She went to Nunez Community College, and while nearing completion of her culinary program, she opened a food stall in the St. Roch Market on Nov. 13. The menu focuses on traditional Cuban dishes. For more information, visit @artizaskitchen on Instagram, or strochmarket.com.

How did you get interested in cooking?

ARITZA GARCIA: I cooked at home growing up. I used to cook all the time, and when we had parties with my family, I was always the one in charge.

I am from Honduras, but I grew up in Chalmette. My stepdad is Cuban, and we ate a lot of Cuban food. My stepsister cooks too.

I have always loved cooking in general. But it was never something I thought about doing as a career, even though I have worked in the service industry for 20 years. I bartended for a long time, and I used to work for a catering company. I used to have an office job, but I did catering work too. I was bartending, serving and helping manage.

When the pandemic hit, I decided it was time to go back to school. It was the right time. So I went to a college night at Nunez Community College.

The first thing I saw was the culinary department, and I took that as a sign.

I decided that was what I was going to do.

I was in my happy place, because I like being in the kitchen. But I also struggle with following recipes. That’s not how I cook. I like to add a little bit of this and a little bit of that. That’s how my grandma cooked.

It was a great program. I am finishing the business classes.

How did you start your business?

G: When I was growing up, we had a Spanish festival with booths with food from everywhere. I’d ask for money, but it wasn’t to go on the rides. It was to eat. I remember when I started thinking about (opening a food booth), I thought it would be cool to do something with a little different flavor.

PROVIDED PHOTO BY ZACK SMITH

New Orleans has a large Honduran community, and Honduran food is everywhere. But there isn’t much Cuban food, or Puerto Rican food or Colombian food around the city. It seemed like it would be a cool thing to do something with Caribbean food, like with Dominican food and everything.

We don’t have that variety.

I really wanted to do a food truck.

When I started school, that was where I thought I wanted to go with this.

Then this opportunity at the market came up, and I felt it in my heart that this is where I needed to start. It was one of those things that I didn’t even have a question about it. I jumped in headfirst.

I am there every day. When I am not there, my mom is there. I also hired a friend to help me out.

This is my first business. I don’t think you’re ever really ready. It was a challenge going back to school so late. Now I have a 12-year-old who is about to go to high school.

What is on your menu?

G: These are very traditional dishes.

There’s the Cuban sandwich with slowcooked pork and mustard and pickles.

They don’t have the regular Cuban bread here. I wanted to make my own bread, but I am not there yet. So we are using Gendusa’s po-boy bread.

We are doing ropa vieja with rice and beans, and tostones, which are fried

plantains. The empanadas are filled with ground beef.

I make my own cracklings, the chicarrons. We make those at home.

My dad was usually the one in charge of making them, and he would cook them outside. I had to make a few adjustments to be able to make them fresh at the market. He was joking that I am taking his job. I had to make some changes to make them to order.

They’re coming out great.

We cook with a lot of garlic, especially with the yuca. It is made with a mojo. I cook it with water and salt and cut it up and the mojo is made with olive oil, onion, bell peppers, a lot of garlic, cilantro, paprika and a little bit of whatever your heart desires. You also add lemon and lime juice and a little vinegar so it has a little acidity to it.

I am doing tres leches and flan for dessert. Tres leches is made with whole milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk and a little bit of vanilla. You use a white cake, and you make it the night before and let it soak.

I am going to run specials. I am going to do some Cuban tamales and other specials throughout the week.

Right now I have bottled sodas.

Eventually I want to do Jamaica, which is like hibiscus tea and pineapple and different agua frescas.

I am going to come up with a catering menu and start offering that.

Cavicchioli

1928 Prosecco DOC

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O U T T O E AT C O M P L E T E L I S T I N G S AT W W W. B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M

Out 2 Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106.

8 Fresh Food Assassin — 1900 N. Claiborne Ave., (504) 224-2628; Instagram, @8freshfoodassassin — Chef Manny January’s serves lamb chops, T-bone steaks, salmon, crab cakes, deep fried ribs, fried chicken and seafood-loaded oysters. No reservations.

Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Acorn — Louisiana Children’s Museum, 12 Henry Thomas Drive, (504) 218-5413; acornnola.com — Blackened shrimp tacos are topped with arugula, radish, pineapple-mango salsa and cilantro-lime sauce.

No reservations. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$ Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream. com — This sweet shop serves its own gelato, spumoni, Italian ice, cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and more.

Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant. com — Gulf Drum Yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$ Banana Blossom — 500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997; 504bananablossom.com — Jimmy Cho’s Thai dishes include smoked pork belly and pork meatballs in lemon grass broth with egg, green onion, cilantro and garlic. Reservations accepted for large parties except weekends. Delivery available.

Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with a goat cheese and chardonnay cream sauce. Reservations accepted.

Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$ The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — Basin barbecue shrimp are served over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$ Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 5813866; broussards.com — Rainbow trout amandine is served with tasso and corn macque choux and Creole meuniere sauce.

Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ Cafe Normandie — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The menu combines classic French dishes and Louisiana items like crab beignets with herb aioli. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — The central kitchen for Dickie Brennan restaurants has a dine-in menu with a smoked turkey sandwich with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$

$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ — $11-$20 $$$ — $20-up

Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya.

Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes char-grilled oysters topped with Parmesan and herbs.

Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse.com — There’s a seafood raw bar and dishes like redfish with lemon buerre blanc.

Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ Down the Hatch — 817 St. Louis St., (504) 766-6007; 1921 Sophie Wright Place, (504) 220-7071; downthehatchnola.com — The Texan burger features a half-pound patty topped with caramelized onions, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg.

No reservations. Lunch, dinner and latenight daily. $$ Dragonfly Cafe — 530 Jackson Ave., (504) 544-9530; dragonflynola.com — The casual cafe offers breakfast plates, waffles, salads, coffee drinks and more. Delivery available.

Reservations accepted. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sat. $$ El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — Sauteed Gulf fish is topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers and served with rice and string beans. The menu includes tacos, enchiladas and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar — 739 Iberville St., (504) 522-4440; 7400 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 304-4125; felixs. com — The menu includes raw and chargrilled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys and more. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Frey Smoked Meat Co. — 4141 Bienville St., Suite 110, (504) 488-7427; freysmokedmeat.com — The barbecue spot serves pulled pork, ribs, brisket, sausages and and items like fried pork belly tossed in pepperjelly glaze. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Froot Orleans — 2438 Bell St., Suite B, (504) 233-3346; frootorleans.com — There are fresh fruit platters and smoothie bowls such as a strawberry shortcake and more using pineapple, berries, citrus and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available.

Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 8140 Oak St., (504) 897-4800; PAGE 45

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O U T T O E AT

juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar jack cheese, black beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The eclectic menu includes a Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, ham, cheese and pickles. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties.

Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Kilroy’s Bar — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The bar menu includes sandwiches, salads and flatbreads, including one topped with peach, prosciutto, stracciatella cheese, arugula and pecans. No reservations. Dinner Wed.-Sat. $$ Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and a NOLA Style Grits Bowl topped with bacon, cheddar and a poached egg.

Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes filets mignons and bone-in rib-eyes, as well as burgers, salads and seafood dishes.

Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Luzianne Cafe — 481 Girod St., (504) 2651972; luziannecafe.com — Cajun Sunshine Beignets are stuffed with eggs, bacon, cheese and hot sauce. No reservations. Delivery available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$ Martin Wine & Spirits — 714 Elmeer Ave., Metairie, (504) 896-7350; 3827 Baronne St., (504) 894-7444; martinwine.com — The deli serves sandwiches and salads such as the Sena, with chicken, raisins, blue cheese, pecans and Tabasco pepperjelly vinaigrette.

No reservations. Lunch daily. $$ Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. The menu also has noodle dishes, teriyaki and more. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.-Fri., dinner daily. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including chicken a la grande and baked oysters Mosca. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$ Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys, jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as seafood platters, po-boys, grilled oysters, salads and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$ Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese. The menu also includes wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, seafood pasta and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ The Original Italian Pie — 3629 Prytania St., (504) 766-8912; theoriginalitalianpieuptown.

com — The Italian Pie combo includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, black olives, mozzarella and house-made tomato sauce. No reservations. Dinner and late-night Tue.-Sat. $$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar’s menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available.

Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$ Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 523-1661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary Creole menu includes crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce.

Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$ Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — Black lentil vadouvan curry comes with roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and basmati rice. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. No reservations. Dinner daily. $$ Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 9343463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs.

Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$ Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 8271651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, and dishes like redfish St. Charles with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 7333803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 8948554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches and more. Delivery available.

Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $ Tito’s Ceviche & Pisco — 1433 St. Charles Ave., (504) 354-1342; 5015 Magazine St., (504) 267-7612; titoscevichepisco.com — Peruvian lomo saltado features beef sauteed with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, soy sauce and pisco, served with fried potatoes and rice.

Outdoor seating available on Magazine Street.

Delivery available. Reservations accepted.

Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — The menu includes beignets, flatbreads and a veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Zhang Bistro — 1141 Decatur St., (504) 8268888; zhangbistronola.com — The menu of Chinese and Thai dishes includes a Szechuan Hot Wok with a choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu with onions, bell peppers, cauliflower, jalapenos and spicy sauce.

Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$

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PAGE 5

20, with a tribute show at Snug Harbor.

The late New Orleans icon would have turned 82 this year. Crawford will be joined by bassist Mark Brooks and drummer Shannon Powell, and will perform at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Tickets are $30 via snugjazz.com.

Mark Normand

Comic Mark Normand jokes about growing up in Louisiana, politicized weather reports and a host of taboo subjects in his latest special, “Soup to Nuts,” on Netflix. He’s in his hometown for a show at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, at Orpheum Theater. Find tickets via orpheumnola.net.

Tribute to the Instigators of Funk and Rock n’ Roll

Many musicians, including Little Richard and Chuck Berry, have been called the father of rock and roll. Elvis Presley was among those who credited Fats Domino. There will probably be more Fats voters at this tribute to Fats Domino and Huey “Piano” Smith.

George Porter Jr. is serving as musical director for an evening featuring

performances by Irma Thomas, Deacon John, Jon Cleary, Tommy McClain, C.C. Adcock, David Torkanowsky, Roger Lewis and many more. At 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 22, at Tipitina’s.

Tickets $55 via tipitinas.com.

PJ Morton

PJ Morton won a Grammy Award each year from 2019 to 2022, with trophies in R&B and gospel, including Album of the Year in 2022 for “We Are.” He’s in the running again, with a recently announced nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Good Morning.” He’s joined by DJ Arie Spins for a show at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, at Orpheum Theater. Find tickets via orpheumnola.net.

NORD’s Holiday in the Park

The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission last year created a new holiday light show for Joe W. Brown Park in New Orleans East. The free event returns for its second year on Monday, Nov. 20, and will be open daily through Tuesday, Jan. 2.

The lights go on at dusk (around 5:30

p.m.) and continue until 9:30 p.m.

Find more information at nordc.org.

Stanton Moore Trio

Drummer and Galactic co-founder Stanton Moore is well-known for his funk and rock work, but when he’s leading his trio featuring pianist David Torkanowsky and bassist James Singleton, Moore tends to hew closely to jazz. Moore over the years has frequently played Tuesday nights at Snug Harbor, and he makes his Tuesday night return for the first time since the pandemic started at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Nov. 21. Tickets are $25 via snugjazz.com.

Charlie Gabriel

Saxophonist, clarinetist and Preservation Hall Foundation musical director Charlie Gabriel plays twonights at The Lobby Lounge at the Toulouse Theatre this weekend. It’s a great chance to catch this living legend in an intimate setting for free. The music runs 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, and Saturday, Nov. 25. Find more information at toulousetheatre.com.

Aqua

With the massive success of the “Barbie” movie this summer, it only seems fitting that Europop band Aqua — best known for their “Barbie Girl” hit, which got a remix with Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice for the movie — would be hitting the road. The trio is on a world tour and plays New Orleans at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, at The Fillmore. Tickets start at $49.25 via fillmorenola.com.

Turkey Jam

A number of New Orleans musicians will get together at Maple Leaf for a family jam the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year’s Turkey Jam features drummer Terence Higgins, sousaphone player Kirk Joseph, guitarist Jake Eckert, vocalist Big Chief Juan Pardo, keyboardists CR Gruver and River Eckert, saxophonist Jason Mingledorff and more. The show starts at 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25. Tickets are $20 via mapleleafbar.com.

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BAMBOULAS — The Rug Cutters, 1:15 pm; Jon Roniger Band, 5:30 pm; Ed Wills Blues 4 Sale, 9 pm BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Smokehouse Brown Red Bean Blues Band, 9 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Matinee All Star Band, 1:30 pm; Lee Floyd And Thunderbolt Trio, 5 pm; Richard Scott and Friends, 8 pm

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BAMBOULAS — J.J and the A-OK’s , 1:15 pm; Boardwalker and The 3 Finger Swingers, 5:30 pm; Roule and the Queen, 9 pm BLUE NILE — New Breed Brass Band, 9:30 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Colin Davis and Night People, 6 pm CHICKIE WAH WAH — The K Love Experience, 8 pm DOS JEFES — The Mark Coleman Band, 8:30 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard "Piano" Scott, 1 pm; Bourbon Street Stars, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band W/Kevin Ray Clark, 8 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULE — Valerie Sassyfras, 9 pm; Cardboard Cowboy, 11 pm MADAME VIC'S — Gloria Turrini and Riccardo Ferrini, 8 pm

BAMBOULAS — Miss Sigrid and The Zig-Zags, 1:15 pm; Christina Kamini and The Mix, 5:30 pm; Wolfe John’s Blues, 9 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Sierra Green and the Soul Machine, 10 pm DMACS BAR & GRILL — Paggy Prine, 7:30 pm; Pizza Man's Fam Jam, 10 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard "Piano" Scott, 12:30 pm; John Saavedra Band, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band W/Kevin Ray Clark, 8 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Doyle Cooper Band, 2:30 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULE — The Soul Rebels, 11 pm PEACOCK ROOM, HOTEL FONTENOT — Da Lovebirds with Robin Barnes and Pat Casey , 8 pm ROCK 'N' BOWL — Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie, 8 pm

FRIDAY 24 30°/-90° — Audrey LeCrone & the Crawzaddies, 5 pm BAMBOULAS — Stephen Brashear and Co., 11 am; The Melatauns, 2:15 pm; Les Getrex and Creole Cooking , 6:30 pm; Bettis and 3rd Degree, 10 pm BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Little Freddie King, 3 & 9 pm BLUE NILE — The Caesar Brothers, 8 pm; onya Boyd-Cannon, 11 pm; Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, 11 pm BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — Ambush Reggae, 10 pm BMC - BALCONY MUSIC CLUB — Daphne Parker Powell, 3 pm BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Higher Heights Reggae Band, 10 pm CARROLLTON STATION — Fo Daniels, 9 pm PAGE 51

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MUSIC PAGE 49

CHICKIE WAH WAH — Webb Wilder, 8 pm DMACS BAR & GRILL — Jeff Chaz Trio, 8 pm DOS JEFES — The Afrodiziac's Jazz, 9 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Sam Friend, 2:30 pm; Lee Floyd and Thunderbolt Trio, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band W/Kevin Ray Clark, 9 pm GASA GASA — John-Allison Weiss, 9 pm JAEGER'S SEAFOOD AND OYSTER HOUSE — Stacy Weaver Band, 6:30 pm MADAME VIC'S — Charmaine Neville, 8 pm MAHOGANY JAZZ HALL — Leroy Jones & Paul Longstreth, 6:30 pm NOLA BREWING TAPROOM — The Riverbenders, 7 pm PIROGUE’S WHISKEY BAYOU — T-Marie and Bayou Juju, 8 pm ROCK 'N' BOWL — Bucktown Allstars, 8:30 pm SMOOTHIE KING CENTER — Maxwell Night, 10 pm SNUG HARBOR JAZZ BISTRO — Victor Goines Quartet, 7:30 & 9:30 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Bad Bongo, Pocket Chocolate, 8 pm TIPITINA'S — Bonerama, 8 pm

SATURDAY 25 BAMBOULAS — The Jaywalkers, 11 am; Boardwalker and The 3 “Finger Swingers, 2:15 pm; Johnny Maestro Blues, 6:30 pm; Paggy “Prine and Southern Soul, 10 pm BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — RAM de Haiti, 9 pm BLUE NILE — George Brown Band, 8 pm; The Soul Rebels, 11 pm BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — The Marigny Street Brass Band, 10 pm BOOMTOWN CASINO & HOTEL — Jr. and Sumthin' Sneaky, 9 pm BUFFA'S BAR & RESTAURANT — Harry Mayronne and Kathleen Moore, 5 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Sierra Green and the Soul Machine, 10 pm CARROLLTON STATION — Paris Avenue, 9 pm CHICKIE WAH WAH — The Cosmic Fishheads, 8 pm DMACS BAR & GRILL — Marsh Fire, 8 pm

DOS JEFES — Sunpie & the La. Sunspots, 9 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott , 12:30 pm; Steve Detroy Band, 2:30 pm; Lee Floyd and Thunderbolt Trio, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Jamil Sharif, 9 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULE — Simon Lott's We Gon' Do Dis, 9 pm MAHOGANY JAZZ HALL — Gerald French Trio, 7 pm MARIGNY OPERA HOUSE — People Museum, 8 pm NOLA BREWING TAPROOM — Ghalia Volt, 7 pm PIROGUE’S WHISKEY BAYOU — The Tin Men, 8 pm POUR HOUSE SALOON — Johnny Angel & Helldorado, 9 pm ROCK 'N' BOWL — Nashville South, 8:30 pm SNUG HARBOR JAZZ BISTRO — Wolff & Clark: Expedition Trio, 9:30 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — The Nayo Jones Experience , 7:30 & 9 pm THE JOY THEATER — Snug, 38 Dezzie, Foxx, BBE AJ, Whop Beezy, Subtweet Shaun, & Partners N Crime, 9 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Simon Lott's We Gon Do Dis , 5 pm

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SUNDAY 26 BAMBOULAS — Youse, 1:15 pm; Midnight Brawlers, 5:30 pm; Ed Wills Blues 4 Sales, 9 pm BLUE NILE — The Baked Potatoes, 8 pm; Street Legends Brass Band, 10:30 pm BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Vegas Cola, 9 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Marty Peters Band, 1:30 pm; Lee Floyd & Thunderbolt Trio, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Mike Fulton, 8 pm

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CHEEKY BLAKK ON THE FOUNDATIONS OF BOUNCE

BY JAKE CLAPP

The Future of Medicine is Here ANGEL A WOODS, AK A CHEEK Y BL AKK, STARTED HER CAREER AS A TEENAGER , first as a

backup dancer and then on the mic herself. After meeting Edgar “Pimp Daddy” Givens (who died in 1994), the two became performing as well as romantic partners and would trade diss records aimed at each other. In 1994, Cheeky Blakk released “Twerk Something,” which popularized the term twerking. The next year, she released “Bitch Get Off Me,” found on her Mannie Fresh-produced album “Let Me Get That Outcha,” and introduced a clapping pattern that’s now a bounce staple. Cheeky Blakk continues to perform and record today.

Could you tell me about your first introduction to hip-hop?

CHEEKY BLAKK: First, I used to be a dancer for Ju’C, she was an artist named Cicely Crawford [and was] Tre-8’s wife — he’s deceased as well. I was a backup dancer for her. And then how I turned into the performer part of it: I always did music, but nobody really wanted to give me a chance to be on the front line. Pimp Daddy, which is Edgar “Pimp Daddy” Givens,

Cheeky Blakk performs at Jazz Fest 2010 PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

my son’s father, he had wrote a song about me. He was at Cash Money. And I came back and wrote a song about him. And from there, that’s what established Cheeky Blakk.

How did you get started as a dancer?

CHEEKY BLAKK: I’d been a dancer, a pussy popper, back in the day being at [shows]. I have relatives that were in dance, and my dad, he did blues and stuff like that. But it was more like I wanted my own little space. Music saved my life, let’s put it like that.

When you started performing, first as a backup dancer and then as musician, could you tell me about the clubs that you would perform at?

CHEEKY BLAKK: The clubs I would be at would be Club Rumors, Club Sensations. It’d be Big Easy, PAG E 5 4

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PAG E 5 3

Ghost Town, Streamline [Lounge]. It’s so many of them. Black Magic, Detour, The Sand Pit. It was beaucoup. When I didn’t dance, I’d just go ask the DJ, “Can I get the mic?” and I grab the mic and I get the crowd hype. And that’s what it was.

How did the song “Twerk Something” come together?

CHEEKY BLAKK: “Twerk” came about, as I said it was called pussy poppin’. I couldn’t call it pussy poppin’ on the radio, so therefore I came up with twerk. When I recorded “Twerk Something,” I was with Mobo Joe. That’s the first, original “Twerk Something.” On that song is me, Ricky B, John Quest, Precious, a girl named Kellyanna and a boy named General.

We all was in there, in the studio and they just played “Triggerman” (aka The Showboys’ “Drag Rap”) and “Brown Beats” (by Cameron Paul) back-toback. It was like a live thing. And that’s where the twerking started. This was in early ’94, I want to say April.

They used to have these pussy pop contests. They used to have like $200 for the best pussy popper. So the only way you could be a pussy popper was to be a dancer, a female dancer.

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When you jumped on the mic, who were the other women emcees in New Orleans?

CHEEKY BLAKK: They had Silky Slim, she did a song called “Sister Sister.” There was Ghetto Twiinz, Females in Charge, Ms. Tee ... T-Capone. Most of them were rapping.

Ju’C as well. Ju’C made “Eat the Cat” — so now you see how the pussy poppin’ came out.

It was mostly [a] male [scene].

Everybody wanted to be gangsters.

I didn’t want to be no gangster. I wanted to be in the club, make the club pop, make everybody dance, make them chant. I was different from everybody else, but no matter where I went or what mic I got on, I just got the attention.

What is your view of bounce today?

CHEEKY BLAKK: It’s fuckery.

This one lying, saying they did this thing. That one saying they did that.

It’s not authentic. Anything that’s

Cheeky Blakk PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

going on now just reminds me of a younger me.

We started off, it was just “Triggerman” and “Brown Beats,” but when I came out with “Bitch Get Off Me,” which is the Cheeky Blakk claps is what they called it, that’s the main beat that’s mixed with any song right now that they want to do the bounce thing with.

We didn’t have back then what they have [today]. Our stuff was word of mouth, pass out flyers, going doing instores and things of that nature. You couldn’t get on the internet and just go viral or anything. It wasn’t none of that. It’s totally like, these artists don’t like to pay homage. They think they’re legends and because they have one hit, they on. But it’s way more than that.

People like us had to pave the way to get to what they doing now. And a lot of people don’t give credit. But I don’t trip on that. I’m certified. I ain’t gotta worry about none of that.

Is there anything that you feel like people don’t know about you that you would want to talk about?

CHEEKY BLAKK: I’m gonna put that on my documentary for myself.

Because a lot of people like to cut and paste, and I don’t like all that.

But I’m me. I’m a loving person. I’m a caring person. And I’m just down-toearth. I’m just me. What you see is what you get.

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