Gambit New Orleans, February 19, 2019 by Gambit New Orleans

February 19-25 2019 Volume 40 Number 8

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The Answer to Your Organization’s Communication and Leadership Needs

CONTENTS

FEB. 19 -25, 2019 VOLUME 40 | NUMBER 8 NEWS

OPENING GAMBIT

BLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN 12 COMMENTARY 12 CLANCY DUBOS

WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE LEARN MORE AT

FEATURES

VISIT: WWW.D68TM.ORG EMAIL: CGD@D68TM.ORG

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6 25

PUZZLES 54 LISTINGS

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@GambitNewOrleans

ON PARADE All you need to know about Carnival’s first big weekend

STAFF

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EDITORIAL

Senior Sales Representative

Special Sections Editor | KATHERINE M. JOHNSON

JILL GIEGER

Listings Coordinator | VICTOR ANDREWS

(504) 483-3131 [jillg@gambitweekly.com]

HELEN FREUND, ROBERT MORRIS

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SOFT SHELL CRAB

PRODUCTION Creative Services Director | DORA SISON Pre-Press Coordinator | JASON WHITTAKER Web & Classifieds Designer | MARIA BOUÉ Graphic Designers | WINNFIELD JEANSONNE

Sales Representatives BRANDIN DUBOS (504) 483-3152

[brandind@gambitweekly.com] SAMANTHA FLEMING (504) 483-3141

[samanthaf@gambitweekly.com] ABBY SCORSONE (504) 483-3145

[abigails@gambitweekly.com] TAYLOR SPECTORSKY (504) 483-3143

[taylors@gambitweekly.com]

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS Billing Inquiries 1 (225) 388-0185 Administrative Assistant | LINDA LACHIN

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Contributing Photographer | CHERYL GERBER

SHERIE DELACROIX-ALFARO

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Arts & Entertainment Editor | WILL COVIELLO

Contributing Writers | JULES BENTLEY, D. ERIC BOOKHARDT,

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PHOTO BY NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE / MATTHEW HINTON

Political Editor | CLANCY DUBOS

Managing Editor | KANDACE POWER GRAVES

@evangeline_midcity

COVER DESIGN BY DORA SISON

Advertising Inquiries (504) 483-3150 Advertising Director | SANDY STEIN BRONDUM (504) 483-3150 [sandys@gambitweekly.com] Sales Coordinator | MICHELE SLONSKI Sales Assistant | KAYLA FLETCHER

Editor | KEVIN ALLMAN

Hours: Sun-Tues 4pm-1am • Wed-Sat 3pm-3am

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Gambit (ISSN 1089-3520) is published weekly by Capital City Press, LLC, 840 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130. (504) 4865900. We cannot be held responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts even if accompanied by a SASE. All material published in Gambit is copyrighted: Copyright 2019 Capital City Press, LLC. All rights reserved.

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7 SEVEN IN

SEVEN THINGS TO DO IN SEVEN DAYS

John Maus TUE. FEB. 19 | Shaped by doctoral studies in philosophy and synthesizer-driven 1980s music, John Maus has explored post-punk and pop frontiers and delivered emotionally wrought live performances. Sharks’ Teeth opens at 9 p.m. at One Eyed Jacks.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise

Le Bon temps

WED. FEB. 20 | The North Carolina genre-hoppers jump from indie folk to hip-hop within single songs. The band returns to New Orleans after a head-turning set at Voodoo Music + Art Experience in the fall. Mt. Joy opens at 8 p.m. at Joy Theater.

Duran Duran performs Feb. 19-20 at The Fillmore at Harrah’s New Orleans.

Krewe of Cork FRI. FEB. 22 | Wine bar owner Patrick Van Hoorebeek’s krewe of winemakers and drinkers concludes its Carnival festivities with its French Quarter parade and royalty party. Toast the parade beginning at 3 p.m. at The Court of Two Sisters.

BY WILL COVIELLO SINCE ITS QUICK CLIMB TO STARDOM IN THE EARLY 1980S — accelerated by heavy rotation of its cinematic videos on MTV — Duran Duran has been accustomed to globetrotting. Lead singer Simon Le Bon even bought a yacht to sail in the Whitbread Round the World Race. For much of four decades the band has performed in arenas and headlined festivals around the globe. But drummer Roger Taylor is looking forward to the intimate environs of The Fillmore at Harrah’s New Orleans, where the band performs Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 19-20. “I love theaters,” Taylor says via phone from Miami. “As a drummer, it makes the show easier to play. You get a lovely sound from your kit coming back. At some arenas, you hit your drum and it disappears off into the distance. Theaters were designed for sound. People’s voices resonate.” Around New Year’s, the band teased it was working on a new album. Taylor confirms that the band began recording in December. “There’s energy there,” Taylor says. “It’s our 15th album. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine the energy will be there for a new set of songs. But it’s been there.” The band is scheduled to return to the studio in London in March, following its February dates in Miami, New Orleans and Las Vegas, where the group may rendezvous with Mark Ronson, who produced its 2011 album “All You Need Is Now.” “When Andy (Taylor) left the band, it created space to be filled,” Taylor says. “We’ve brought in different people — something we’ll do again on this record. Mark Ronson introduced us to collaboration.” Duran Duran’s 2015 album “Paper Gods” included appearances by Janelle Monae, Nile Rodgers (Chic), Kiesza and John Frusciante (Red

”Oedipus Max”

Hot Chili Peppers). Lindsay Lohan contributed to “Danceophobia,” and some of the tracks lean into contemporary EDM. Songs such as “Pressure Off” sound closer to the band’s early synthpop on albums including its self-titled debut, “Rio” and “Seven and the Ragged Tiger.” “We can go down the electro route, we can go down a more organic route,” Taylor says. “That album covered all the areas you can go with Duran Duran.” The band is sharing few details about the unnamed new project, but Taylor notes that current foursome — longtime core members Taylor, Le Bon, John Taylor and Nick Rhodes — are working with Errol Alkan, who has produced work for The Killers and British group Ride. The album will be released next year. Taylor left Duran Duran for a span of nearly 15 years between the late 1980s and early 2000s, though he played in two spinoff bands, Arcadia and The Power Station. While “Paper Gods” did well on the charts, it’s hard to match the band’s early success. “We thought we were making great albums,” he says. “We were good at making pop singles.” He also notes the band made its own music. “In those early records, we didn’t have one bit of help with the writing,” he says. “None of it was co-written.” The band also benefited from

P R OV I D E D P H OTO

Duran Duran features, from left, Roger Taylor, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes and Simon LeBon.

DURAN DURAN 7 P.M. TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY, FEB. 19-20 THE FILLMORE AT HARRAH’S NEW ORLEANS, 6 CANAL ST., (504) 881-1555; WWW.FILLMORENOLA.COM

magazine-cover good looks and exposure on MTV, which was very influential in its early years. “We were open-minded about what direction we were going,” Taylor says. “Some artists refused to make videos because they didn’t think it was rock and roll. Queen were making videos years earlier. For us, it was part of music culture already. We jumped on that boat.” That approach repelled some critics. “We didn’t get any critical acclaim, particularly in the U.K.,” he says. “But the songs have stood the test of time. You can’t be around for 40 years without having some sort of musical talent.”

FRI. FEB. 22 | Billed as a “rock opera” (delivered in short segments created by various artists), the Krewe of Vaporwave’s spectacle of music and video projection on surfaces of the post-modern coliseum in Piazza d’Italia includes performances by Naughty Palace, Bouffant Bouffant, Giorgio Murderer and others. “Opera cosplay” costumes encouraged. From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Piazza d’Italia.

Cypress Hill and Hollywood Undead MON. FEB. 25 | Southern California’s Cypress Hill brought Latin influences into hip-hop in the early 1990s and gave rise to the West Coast sound. After an eight-year drought in recording, the band released the studio album “Elephants on Acid” last year. Hollywood Undead, Demrick and Xzibit opens at 8 p.m. at The Fillmore at Harrah’s New Orleans.

Ron Gallo and Post Animal MON. FEB. 25 | After the heavy, fuzzy guitar work on 2017’s “Heavy Meta,” Ron Gallo is in full smart-aleck mode on “Stardust Birthday Party,” recently releasing a remixed version of his “tribute to John Coltrane,” the song “Love Supreme (Work Together!),” with its upbeat tone and skittering guitar. Duncan Fellows opens at 9 p.m. at Gasa Gasa.

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OPENING GAMBIT N E W

O R L E A N S

N E W S

V I E W S

Goodell answers the governor (finally) ... Wednesday at the Square lineup announced ... and more

# The Count

Thumbs Up/ Thumbs Down

115,396

New Orleans & Company

Number of residents of Hispanic descent living in Orleans and the seven surrounding metro parishes as of 2017.

collected 1,578 pounds of food and household goods for local federal employees who were impacted by the partial government shutdown last month. The tourism agency donated them to the Second Harvest Food Bank for distribution to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel, U.S. Coast Guard members, Transportation Security Agency workers and others. P H OTO B Y RU S T Y C O S TA N Z A

KREWE OF ZULU ADDRESSES BLACKFACE CONTROVERSY THE NATIONAL DISCUSSION OF BLACKFACE reached New Orleans last

Anthony Davis,

disrespected his New Orleans Pelicans teammates Feb. 14 when he left the Smoothie King Center mid-game after suffering a shoulder injury. Davis may have one foot out the door in leaving the team, but the customary — and sportsmanlike — thing to do was to join his teammates on the bench rather than walk off the court and out of the building.

Roger Goodell,

the hapless commissioner of the NFL, finally wrote back to Gov. John Bel Edwards regarding the blown call in last month’s NFC Championship Game — nearly three weeks after Edwards wrote to Goodell. The commish said Edwards’ letter “apparently arrived at our office after I left for Atlanta.” (Really?) In the letter, Goodell said team owners hadn’t called to replay reviews to avoid moments like the one that cost the New Orleans Saints a chance at the Super Bowl.

week, when the Krewe of Zulu — whose primarily black membership has paraded in a form of blackface for decades — issued a statement both condemning the practice of wearing blackface to denote minstrelsy, but insisting, “Black makeup is not the same as ‘blackface.’ ” “Recent photographs showing certain high-profile individuals dressed as ‘blackface’ minstrels reveal their hateful intent to demean, disrespect, discount and demoralize African Americans,” the krewe said. “The backlash to their conduct has thankfully been severe and the Zulu Aid & Pleasure Club, Inc. joins with countless others in condemning this behavior. … Unlike minstrelsy, which was designed to ridicule and mock black people, the founders of our Social Aid & Pleasure Club chose the name ‘Zulu’ to honor their African ancestry and the continent’s most fierce warriors.” The issue sprang to life recently when the college yearbook page of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam showed a figure in blackface next to someone dressed as a Ku Klux Klansman. After one day of saying the page didn’t reflect his feelings, Northam changed his story and insisted it wasn’t him in the photo — though he admitted he wore “shoe polish” that year to portray Michael Jackson in a dance contest. Soon after, Virginia Attorney General Matt Herring admitted to wearing blackface as a young adult, saying it was a tribute to rappers he admired. Both men are Democrats. Two years ago, Ann Tuennerman, founder of the convention Tales of the Cocktail, left her position months after a photo of her in blackface in the Zulu parade and a comment about it by her husband on social media went viral, creating controversy (Tuennerman is white). The New York Times’ Richard Fausset attempted to explain Zulu blackface to a national audience last week, profiling the krewe and interviewing both supporters and detractors of the practice. “This particular, and peculiar, blackface debate is at once familiar and different,” Fausset wrote, “whirled into some other thing by the complicated semiotic daiquiri machine that is New Orleans — and by the taboo-busting spirit of its carnival season.” PAGE 8

The Data Center last week issued a report that found metro New Orleans now has 95 percent of its 2000 population (pre-Hurricane Katrina). Orleans Parish has 91,274 fewer African-American residents compared to 2000, and 7,945 fewer white residents, while Hispanic residents grew by 7,498.

C’est What

? Former Mayor Mitch Landrieu says he’s not inclined to run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. Your thoughts?

83% PLEASE DON’T RUN, MITCH

17%

RUN, MITCH, RUN

Vote on “C’est What?” at www.bestofneworleans.com

OPENING GAMBIT

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PAGE 6

Cantrell outlines plans to fund Sewerage & Water Board Mayor LaToya Cantrell last week gave the clearest outline yet of her vision for plugging budget holes at the Sewerage & Water Board (S&WB), a plan that banks heavily on the city’s tourism and sports industries providing an upfront $75 million payment and at least $40 million a year in recurring revenue. Cantrell said the remainder of an $80 million to $100 million annual gap in recurring revenue could be filled by City Hall, through a variety of belt-tightening strategies and potentially through levying of drainage fees. And she touted a working group recently convened by Gov. John Bel Edwards to explore new revenue sources for the S&WB as proof that her campaign has begun to bear fruit. “It’s a step in the right direction, and I have to take my hat off to the governor for listening and being willing to understand that this is serious,” Cantrell said. A spokeswoman for the governor said the working group is focusing solely on seeing what funding might be available for the initial $75 million infusion Cantrell is seeking but not sources of recurring revenue. Cantrell in October first floated the idea of asking tourism and sports industry leaders to help finance at least $80 million a year in upgrades to the S&WB’s water and drainage systems. The idea was quickly panned by powerful state Senate President John Alario of Westwego, called a “heavy lift” by state Sen. J.P. Morrell of New Orleans and derided by Edwards. The proposal also hasn’t gained the support of the four agencies that currently split the roughly $160 million in annual tax revenue that Cantrell is eyeing: the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center; the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, popularly known as the Superdome Commission; New Orleans & Co., the city’s main convention and tourism promotion agency; and the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp. Their money comes largely from a tax on hotel guests in New Orleans. The Convention Center also benefits from a separate sales tax on food and beverage purchases at restaurants and bars. The Convention Center, which has a $52 million operating budget but is sitting on about $235 million in reserves, says its funding is tied up in current and planned projects. The other entities also claim that they need their tax money for their own priorities and for promoting the city to the 18 million visitors who arrive here each year. The S&WB, however, has been touting its cash-flow issues. Though the agency recently identified $25 million

from FEMA that had been misallocated, its leadership has said about $28 million more in old debt will cut into the $56 million in property tax revenue it expects to receive in March. Without new money, Executive Director Ghassan Korban has said, the system could be insolvent by midyear. — JESSICA WILLIAMS | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

Goodell gets back to the Gov — after three weeks On Jan. 22, Gov. John Bel Edwards wrote to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to express his “disappointment” with the blown call in the NFC Championship game that may have prevented the New Orleans Saints from proceeding to the Super Bowl. Almost three weeks later, Goodell replied, saying the letter (which was made public the same day it was written) “apparently arrived at our office after I left for Atlanta.” In the letter, Goodell says, “Our rules do not permit the Commissioner to overturn the result of a game because of an officiating error, and I believe it would be wrong of me to do so. ... While there will always be mistakes in any game played, coached and officiated by humans, we do not want officiating to be the topic of discussion after any game.” “Though it is cold comfort to New Orleans Saints fans,” Edwards responded, “I applaud the Commissioner’s willingness to review the officiating error closely to determine if similar errors can be prevented in the future. ... I appreciate his response to my letter. “New Orleans is a place unlike any other, as evidenced by the Saints fans who celebrated their team and their city in lieu of watching the Super Bowl and raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity in the process. It’s the Louisiana way to be hospitable to guests, as I know we will be when the Super Bowl next returns to New Orleans in 2024.”

Wednesday at the Square lineup announced Music festival season is gearing up, and the Young Leadership Council (YLC) last week announced the lineup for its popular Wednesday at the Square spring concert series in Lafayette Square, which begins next month. Performers include Irma Thomas, Kermit Ruffins, Kristin Diable & the City, Cyril Neville and Swampfunk, Marc Broussard, and others. Wednesday at the Square concerts are free. Big Sam’s Funky Nation kicks off the series March 20, and events run through May 22. The weekly concerts run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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BLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN™

COMMENTARY

@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Teachers deserve a raise

Hey Blake, How did the Superdome get its name? Were other names for the building ever considered?

ACROSS AMERICA, TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING AND STRIKING

Dear reader,

The name came from the building’s chief promoter, visionary businessman Dave Dixon, who is responsible for so many chapters in the history of the building now called the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. On Nov. 4, 1965, Dixon joined New Orleans Mayor Victor Schiro in announcing plans for a $24 million multipurpose, enclosed, air-conditioned stadium. The Houston Astrodome, the world’s first domed stadium, had opened seven months earlier. Peter Finney’s Nov. 5, 1965 article in The States-Item explained that “fifty percent of the construction costs have been pledged … provided the city is granted a franchise in either the National or American Football League.” That happened one year later. In 1965, Dixon predicted the stadium would revolutionize sports in the city. “It will be an all-purpose stadium for use by the community, not just a pro football team,” he said, envisioning a home not just for football but also baseball, basketball, boxing and track. In a Feb. 3, 1966 Times-Picayune article, Gov. John McKeithen, an enthusiastic proponent of the project, proclaimed “this stadium will be the finest in the world.”

P H OTO B Y C A R O LY N S C O F I E L D

In his 2008 book, “The Saints, the Superdome and the Scandal: An Insider’s Perspective,” Dixon explained the history of the building’s name, calling it an “easy” choice. “I selected the name early on, right at the beginning of our stadium and (NFL) franchise efforts,” he said. “Actually, I chose the name while the Astrodome was a mammoth hole in the ground over in Houston. I considered only two names, Superdome or Ultradome. To my ear, ‘Superdome’ sounded far better than ‘Ultradome.’ ” Dixon points out that his use of the word “super” even came before the the first Super Bowl, which was played in 1967. After years of construction delays and a price tag that ballooned to $163 million, the Louisiana Superdome opened to rave reviews on Aug. 3, 1975. In 2011, Mercedes-Benz purchased naming rights for the building. Those naming rights are in place through 2021.

BLAKEVIEW WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DESCENDING ON NEW ORLEANS during the next two weeks for Carnival, we’re reminded of some of the more notable names who have visited the city for Mardi Gras. The most obvious was one of the first: Russian Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch Romanoff, who visited the city in time for the first Rex parade in 1872. According to “Mardi Gras Guide” publisher Arthur Hardy, Chinese ambassador to the U.S. Wu Tingfang visited during Carnival 1900, attending the Proteus ball at the French Opera House. In 1903, Alice Roosevelt, daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, attended the Atlanteans ball. In 1909, President-elect William Howard Taft visited during Carnival, attending the Elves of Oberon ball. General John “Black Jack” Pershing, commander of U.S. troops in Europe during World War I, visited Mardi Gras in 1920. In 1949, first lady Bess Truman and daughter Margaret reviewed the Krewe of NOR children’s parade from Gallier Hall. That same year, Gen. George C. Marshall, who as U.S. Secretary of State authored the Marshall Plan, reviewed the Rex parade at Gallier Hall. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor famously visited during Mardi Gras 1950, reviewing the Rex parade and attending the Rex and Comus balls. More recently, former first lady Laura Bush was presented at the 2010 Rex ball.

for higher pay and better working conditions. Just last week in Denver, classes ground to a halt as teachers walked out and demanded an end to the city’s “incentive pay” system of bonuses. They also demanded higher wages overall (Colorado ranks among the states with the lowest teacher pay). The current push for better teacher pay started last year in West Virginia, where teacher pay ranked 48th nationally. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and legislators responded to a call for raises by offering a 2 percent pay increase — less than the rise in the cost of living — prompting teachers across that state to walk out for nine days until they received a 5 percent raise. Their success led to similar strikes in Arizona, Oklahoma and Los Angeles. There’s no immediate threat of a teachers’ strike in Louisiana, but raising teacher pay is one of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ major legislative aims (and, it must be said, a cornerstone of his re-election campaign). Edwards and other proponents of a statewide teacher pay hike got a boost last week with the release of a report by the Louisiana Budget Project (LBP), which offered solid reasons why the people entrusted with the education of our kids deserve more. The last major statewide teacher pay increase was more than a decade ago, under then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Working with lawmakers in a bipartisan fashion, Blanco helped raise teacher pay to the southern average. Teachers also got a $1,000 pay hike from Gov. Bobby Jindal and lawmakers in 2008, but overall state funding for teacher pay has been

“stagnant” since then, according to the LBP report. Since 2008, tax cuts touted by Jindal and so-called fiscal “conservatives” forced the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to stop giving teachers annual cost-of-living raises that would have kept up with inflation. Today, Louisiana teacher pay varies widely from parish to parish, but the LPB report says the average compensation is $49,244, more than $2,000 below the southern regional average. Edwards is proposing at least a $1,000 annual pay hike for classroom teachers and a $500 raise for other school personnel, such as cafeteria workers. So far there doesn’t seem to be much opposition to the idea of a teacher pay hike, which likely will be a major topic in the annual legislative session that begins April 8. On the other hand, many Republican lawmakers — particularly in the House of Representatives — are loath to enact anything that might make Edwards look good, even if their intransigence makes them look horrible. It will be interesting to see how the House’s “Caucus of No” addresses the obvious need for paying Louisiana’s teachers more, especially in this election year. We hope voters across Louisiana pay close attention to lawmakers’ votes on this and other quality-of-life issues, including equal pay for women and raising the state minimum wage. Louisiana doesn’t trail other states because we pay higher taxes overall (we don’t); we trail because our lawmakers perennially fail to enact policies to improve the lives of the people they are sworn to serve. Remember that in October and November.

IT TAKES A BRAVE POLITICIAN

to stand up to an angry crowd, but that’s exactly what New Orleans City Council members will have to do Thursday (Feb. 21) if they hope to spare their constituents a $96 million hit — and protect them from a growing threat of cascading power outages. The angry crowd in question is a coalition of groups and citizens who vehemently oppose Entergy New Orleans’ new gas-fired electric plant in New Orleans East. The opponents want the council, which regulates Entergy, to reverse the previous council’s approval of the New Orleans Power Station (NOPS). That approval came in a 6-1 vote last March after more than two years of study and public hearings. Entergy claims it already has spent $96 million on site work, materials and engineering for

the plant, and council members say their advisors have verified that amount. Rescinding approval of NOPS likely would trigger litigation by Entergy to recover those costs. The council’s legal advisers warn that Entergy probably would win in court — sticking taxpayers with a $96 million tab and nothing to show for it. The power outages in question are, well, already wellknown — but predictions call for them to get worse. NOPS is a “peaking” plant designed to generate 128 megawatts of power during extreme weather events and when demand exceeds supply. Once built, the plant will replace Entergy’s old Michoud plant, which was the city’s only local source of significant electrical power for more than half a century. When Michoud was decommissioned, all

agreed it would be replaced. After NOPS was approved, The Lens reported that Entergy paid scores of actors to attend two council hearings and feign support for the plant — a practice called “astroturfing.” The pushback from plant opponents became so intense that the current council (which includes two members of the previous council) appeared ready to rescind approval and start over. That would have delighted the Alliance for Affordable Energy and the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, which have led the charge (along with many individuals) against NOPS from Day One. However, when council mem-

@clancygambit

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > F e b r ua ry 1 9 - 2 5 > 2 0 1 9

Can the City Council face down an angry crowd?

CLANCY DUBOS

P H OTO B Y A L E X W O O D WA R D

Demonstrators at a New Orleans City Council meeting in March 2018 show their displeasure with Entergy’s plans to build a new power plant in New Orleans East.

bers learned that Entergy had spent $96 million on NOPS, they walked back the notion of rescinding approval. Instead, all five members of the council’s utilities committee authored a resolution leaving NOPS in place but fining Entergy $5 million for the astroturfing stunt — which, even by Entergy’s pitiful standards, was a new low — and putting cost restrictions on the $210 million plant. The resolution also calls for spending most of the $5 million addressing the Sewerage & Water

Board’s power issues, which are every bit as daunting as those facing ordinary citizens (who also must endure recurring boil-water alerts). The utilities committee was expected to approve the resolution at its Feb. 14 meeting, but it punted the issue to the entire council after a raucous public hearing that saw some NOPS opponents loudly vilifying council members, individually and collectively. The full council now will consider the matter Feb. 21. Those who face down the angry crowd will learn a time-honored political lesson: No good deed goes unpunished.

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CHERYL GERBER

HAIL, LOYAL SUBJECTS! FAT TUESDAY FALLS LATE THIS YEAR, but the float parades finally are ready to roll. There’s always something new in Carnival, and there are a few big changes this year. Float parades begin rolling in Orleans and Jefferson on Friday, Feb. 22, but the Excalibur parade inaugurates a new route in Metairie, reversing the traditional direction to begin at Bonnabel Boulevard and end at Clearview Center. The brand new Krewe of Kings launches its first parade on that route as well on Sunday. Jefferson Parish’s Family Gras has moved to Clearview Center, and it presents three days of music by performers including Michael McDonald, The Righteous Brothers and Imagination Movers. I, Rex Duke™, the world’s foremost parade critic, have prepared previews for the first weekend of float parades in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. On the following pages, there’s information about themes, honored royalty, throws to catch, schedules and maps. I also have added information about Family Gras and the Mystic Krewe of Barkus’s canine parade. Enjoy the parades!

Rex Duke™, the world’s first and foremost parade critic, offers his annual preview of Mardi Gras float parades — Week One.

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Baby Dolls walk in the Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale parade.

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Orleans and Jefferson parade themes, royalty and throws for Feb. 22-24

FEB

FRIDAY

6 p.m. UPTOWN Theme: “Sounds of Music” Floats: 18 Oshun: Brittany Ann Clark Shango: Damaine Pierre Clark Thomas Throws: Krewe fans and fleur-delis beads The theme celebrates musical genres including gospel, jazz and pop. WWL-TV reporter Duke Carter II rides as grand marshal and guests include New Orleans Saints fans and New Orleans Baby Dolls.

6:30 p.m.

UPTOWN Theme: “Cleopatra’s Animated Adventures” Floats: 20 Cleopatra: Stacy P. Guidry Throws: Hand-decorated beverage glasses, 3-D medallion beads, Cleopatra action figures, drawstring backpacks, lighted masks, cups, hula hoops and more The theme features animated figures and floats depict “Toy Story,” “The Avengers,” “Angry Birds,” “The Flintstones,” Muppets and “The Simpsons.” The all-women krewe’s signature Queen’s Nile barge always is a highlight. Guest marching groups include Krewe des Fleurs, Sirens of New Orleans and Muff-a-lottas.

Oshun

Cleopatra

Excalibur 7 p.m.

METAIRIE Theme: A Knight of Wonder Floats: 20 Queen: Alexis Carroll Hartline King: Zachary Hartline Throws: Lighted krewe insignia throwing discs, foam swords, plush dragons, shields, rubber ducks, bracelets and more. The knights and ladies of Avalon’s theme celebrates some of the an-

A DVO C AT E S TA F F P H OTO B Y S O P H I A G ER M ER

Patricia Zaves reigned as Oshun XXII in the Krewe of Oshun parade in 2018. cient wonders, such as the Egyptian pyramids and Hanging Gardens of Babylon, as well as the Royal Palace of Madrid and the Hawaiian islands. The Knights of Excalibur inaugurate the new Metairie parade route, starting at Bonnabel Boulevard and ending at the Clearview Center. PAGE 18

17 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > F e b r ua ry 1 9 - 2 5 > 2 0 1 9

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NEW ORLEANS

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WEEK ONE

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G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > F e b r ua ry 1 9 - 2 5 > 2 0 1 9

A DVO C AT E S TA F F P H OTO BY LE S LI E GAM BO N I

Emperor Craig John Singletary ruled over the Krewe of Caesar parade in Metairie in 2018. PAGE 17

FEB

SATURDAY

Adonis 11:45 a.m. GRETNA Theme: “21: Finally Legal” Floats: 14 Queen: Cynthia Leblanc Wiley King: James Brian Wiley Throws: Horns, cups, clackers and throwing discs With its 21st parade, the krewe celebrates becoming “Finally Legal.”

UPTOWN Theme: “Pontchartrain Rocks!” Floats: 17 Queen: Jessica Ann Brisbin King: Gregory Dennis White Throws: Toy sea creatures, fedoras, footballs, large cups, pearl beads and medallion beads Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider leads a rocking Pontchartrain parade. Float spins on “rocks” include pet rocks, “Schoolhouse Rock ,” “3rd Rock from the Sun” and more. Snider will ride the 10th float and throw cups with his likeness.

Choctaw 2 p.m. UPTOWN Theme: “A Celebration of Life” Floats: 18 Princess: Stephanie Gautier Croft Chief: Ricky W. DeCastro Throws: Hand-decorated tomahawks, plush spears, footballs, cups and more The krewe celebrates its history with floats honoring famous members.

Pontchartrain

Freret

1 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

FEB

UPTOWN Theme: “The World is Your Oyster” Floats: 19 Queen: Nicole BurdettWaguespack King: Warner Day Throws: Hand-decorated masks, yellow flags, doubloons, bouncy balls and krewe emblem sunglasses, headbands, footballs, necklaces and pillows. Parade floats celebrate oysters with floats including “Aww Shucks” and “Shuck the Refs.” Darryl Young, aka DancingMan504, serves as grand marshal, and the procession includes the Mexican wrestling-inspired El Lucha Krewe, Dames de Perlage and Army jeeps from World War II.

Sparta 5:30 p.m. UPTOWN Theme: “Beyond the Sea” Floats: 17 Queen: Michaela Leigh Reese King: Charles G. Hassinger Jr. Throws: Spartan helmets, toy seals, necklaces and doubloons The theme celebrates sailing the seas to exotic destinations. The traditional-style parade features a mule-drawn riderless float bearing the krewe’s iconic helmet.

KREWE OF BARKUS PRARADE THE MYSTIC KREWE OF BARKUS delves into canine cosplay with the theme “The Big Bark Theory: Barkus Goes to Comic Con.” Costumed dogs and escorts unleash their science fiction, comic and adventure fandom in a parade and pre- and post-parties in Armstrong Park Sunday, Feb. 24. The king is Stanley James Louis Preston Foxworth, a rescued and adopted Shih Tzu and Boston terrier mix. The queen will be presented at 1 p.m. at the party in Louis Armstrong Park, which runs from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There are food and drink vendors and a krewe booth. The parade begins at 2 p.m. and follows a 15-block route through the French Quarter, with a reviewing stand at Good Friends Bar (740 Dauphine St.). Registration is available at www.barkus.org.

6:15 p.m. UPTOWN Theme: “Louisiana’s Bounty” Floats: 23 Queen: Jill Mercer King: Sterling Keith Larmeu Throws: Pygmalion pigs, piggy banks, doubloons and medallion beads

Caesar 6 p.m. METAIRIE Theme: “XL Larger Than Life” Floats: 24 PAGE 21

DESIGNER CONSIGNMENT

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Verde: a four-course dinner paired with Chartreuse.

Pygmalion

The krewe presents its 20th parade and a feast of a theme with floats depicting local seafood, Creole tomatoes and more. The Ying Yang Twins ride in the parade as grand marshals and will perform at the Pygmalion Fest afterward at Generations Hall.

SAT

February 20 6 – 9pm Josephine Estelle

A DVO C AT E S TA F F P H OTO B Y S O P H I A G ER M ER

In 2018, the Mystic Krewe Of Barkus paraded with the theme “Game of Bones,” with His Majesty XXVI, King Baker Williamson and Her Majesty XXVI, Queen Luna Settoon reigning.

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T S A F K A E BR <

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Empress: Julia Marie Oubre King: Ara Mike Meguerditchian Throws: Plush alligators, throwing discs, footballs, whistles, rings, doubloons and more Jefferson Parish’s largest krewe marks its 40th anniversary with a celebration of the bigger things. Floats depict the “The Big Apple” and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

FEB

SUNDAY

Femme Fatale 11 a.m. UPTOWN Theme: “Storytime” Floats: 17 Queen: Pamela Prout-Foxworth Throws: Mirror compacts, Femme dolls, lip medallion beads, drawstring backpacks, flasks, koozies, throwing discs and plush compacts and lips The theme highlights children’s stories, and floats depict “Alice in Wonderland,” Winnie-the-Pooh and Pinocchio. Irma Thomas and Gina Charbonnet, a producer of Essence Festival programming, ride as grand marshals. Marching groups include the krewe’s Cherchez La Femme dance group as well as Krewe des Fleurs.

A DVO C AT E S TA F F P H OTO B Y S C OT T T H RE L K E L D

Honorary Grand Marshal Janee Michelle waves to the crowd during the 2018 Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale parade in Uptown.

Carrollton Noon

UPTOWN Theme: “Treasures of the Sea” Floats: 25 Queen: Jenna Elizabeth LaBruzza King: Joe Fazzio Throws: Decorated shrimp boots, fedoras, pails and more The theme celebrates the sea with floats depicting sea creatures, fictional tales and more.

King Arthur 1 p.m. UPTOWN Theme: “And the Arthur Goes to…” Floats: 50 Queen Guinevere: Toni Price Broa head King Arthur: David A. Parker III Throws: Hand-decorated grails, sunglasses, sports balls, throwing discs, bottle openers, lighted yo-yos, squeaky dragons, fedoras, vuvuzelas, medallion beads, cups and more The largest parade of the first weekend of Orleans float parades introPAGE 22

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SUN

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A DVO C AT E S TA F F P H OTO B Y E M I LY K A S K

Krewe members throw beads during King Arthur parade in Uptown. PAGE 21

duces its first triple-tandem float. The parade rolls hours before the Academy Awards, and its theme is the krewe’s take on awards season, with its own categories. One viewer will receive the krewe’s prized Grail of Grails, the most ornate version of the hand-decorated grail throws.

Alla 2:30 p.m. UPTOWN Theme: “Are We There Yet?” Floats: 18 Queen: Shannon Land Martz King: Randall J. Lackey Throws: Beads, doubloons, doveshaped doubloons and more The theme celebrates exciting destinations such as New York, Paris and Las Vegas. James R. Kelly, the executive director of Covenant House, rides as grand marshal, along with young people from Covenant House.

Kings 5 p.m. METAIRIE Theme: “The King’s Things” Floats: 16 Queen: Mia Nicole Cantrell King: Mac Cantrell Jr. Throws: Lighted swords and medallion beads The new krewe holds its inaugural parade on the new Metairie route. The theme celebrates royal splendor and possessions.

FAMILY GRAS FAMILY GRAS, THE FREE MUSIC FESTIVAL AND PARADE-WATCHING PARTY ON THE VETERANS MEMORIAL Boulevard parade route Friday-Sunday, is at Clearview Center in 2019. Headliners include Michael McDonald, The Righteous Brothers, John Oates of Hall & Oates, Imagination Movers and others. In 2019, some Jefferson Parish krewes will parade on a new route that reverses the direction of the Veterans Memorial Boulevard route. Family Gras takes place at the traditional beginning point of the route at Clearview Center. The Krewe of Caesar will use that route, passing the festival reviewing stands at 6 p.m. Saturday. The krewe of Excalibur begins on Bonnabel Boulevard at 6:30 p.m. Friday and is expected to reach Family Gras at 9:15 p.m. The Krewe of Kings makes its Carnival debut Sunday at 5:30 p.m. on the new route, and it is expected to reach Family Gras at 7:15 p.m. Friday’s music lineup includes John Oates, Holy Knives and B.J. Thomas. Saturday features Imagination Movers, The Righteous Brothers, Michael McDonald and others. Sunday brings The Gatlin Brothers, Brett Eldredge, Creole String Beans and others. Family Gras has kids’ activities, an art market and food and drink vendors. Free admission. 5 p.m.-11:15 p.m. Friday; 1 p.m.-8:45 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit www. familygras.com for more information.

UPTOWN 1

Cleopatra 6:30 p.m. MA

[UPTOWN 2]

Excalibur 7 p.m.

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CLEARVIEW MALL END END

Oshun 6 p.m. Friday Femme Fatale 11 a.m. Sunday

Sparta 5:30 p.m

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[UPTOWN 2]

Caesar 6 p.m.

MARTIN BEHRMAN

FERONIA

BONNABEL

ITO

VETERANS MEMORIAL BLVD. END

CLEARVIEW MALL

[UPTOWN 2]

Pygmalion 6:15 p.m

12TH ST.

LEE CIRCLE

ARL

VE . ES A

SEVERN AVE.

H ST. C

Freret 3:30 p.m. [UPTOWN 3]

CANAL ST .

. S ST DR A POY

HOWARD AVE .

MLK JR. BLVD.

FELIC

IT Y S

KSO J AC

START

NA VE .

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[UPTOWN 3]

L EO

FE R

Pontchartrain 1 p.m

[UPTOWN 3]

METAIRIE 2

. SO

[WEST BANK]

Choctaw 2 p.m.

Excalibur 7 p.m. Friday Kings 5 p.m. Sunday

UPTOWN 2 NA VE

Adonis 11:45 a.m.

VETERANS MEMORIAL BLVD.

[METAIRIE 1]

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23

BONNABEL

HAR

START

NERO SEVERN AVE.

ST. C

12TH ST.

CANAL ST .

DR A POY

HOWARD AVE .

MLK JR. BLVD.

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START

[UPTOWN 1]

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Oshun 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22

METAIRIE 1

Cleopatra 6:30 p.m. Friday Carrollton noon Sunday Sparta 5:30 p.m. Saturday King Arthur 1 p.m. Sunday Pygmalion 6:15 p.m. Saturday

END

START

Caesar 6 p.m. Saturday

[METAIRIE 2]

PIT

POY

. S ST

END

OAKWOOD CENTER

END TERRY PARKWAY BEHRMAN HIGHWAY

[UPTOWN 2]

Alla 2:30 p.m. [UPTOWN 3] King 5 p.m. [METAIRIE 1]

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CAROL SUE AVE.

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King Arthur 1 p.m.

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START M

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Carrollton noon

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Femme Fatale 11 a.m. [UPTOWN 1]

J KSOACKSO NA NA VE . VE .

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24

NA VE

UPTOWN 3

START

Pontchartrain 1 p.m. Saturday Choctaw 2 p.m. Saturday Freret 3:30 p.m. Saturday Alla 2:30 p.m. Sunday

KABEL DRIVE

Adonis 11:45 a.m. Saturday

23 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > F E B R UA RY 1 9 - 2 5 > 2 0 1 9

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french market’s annual

mardi gras

mask market In

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Brunch is served A FEW WEEKS AFTER ITS SPLASHY OPENING, French Quarter brasserie

Justine (225 Chartres St., 504218-8533; www.justinenola.com) has added lunch and weekend brunch service. Now its hours more closely resemble those of a Parisian-style brasserie with service from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The lunch and dinner menu are the same, and

Molly’s Rise and Shine reinvents breakfast BY H E L E N F REU N D @helenfreund

TAKE A MOMENT TO RECALL the

breakfast sandwich of your youth. Was it served on an English muffin or a buttermilk biscuit? Did you prefer fatty strips of bacon, greasy sausage patties or a combination of both? What cheese held your morning kick-starter together: cheddar? Pepper Jack? American? However long it’s been since that last breakfast sandwich, the creation has endured, and a new addition to the New Orleans dining scene is serving a delicious reminder. At Molly’s Rise and Shine, the Grand Slam McMuffin couldn’t be more clear about its quest for Americana appeal, either in its name or the miniature paper American flag stuck on top. An exercise in decadence, the breakfast sandwich combines a sage sausage patty, a thick fried plank of hash browns, sweet, griddled onions, ketchup and plenty of melted American cheese between English muffin halves. At Molly’s, owner Mason Hereford is doing for breakfast what he has done for lunch at Turkey and the Wolf, his cheeky and wildly successful Irish Channel sandwich shop. His team’s sophomore effort opened in the Garden District, in the former home to Magazine Street PoBoy Shop. Its menu and decor make conspicuous nods to youth culture of the ’80s and early ’90s. Little Mermaid lunch boxes, Mr. Potato Head toys and Candyland and Chutes and Ladders board games line the shelves decorating the cheery spot. Though retro styling forms an overarching theme, the quality and creativity of the dishes here are contemporary and fresh. Tucked

WHERE

2368 Magazine St., (504) 302-1896; www.mollysriseandshine.com

under a mountain of green herbs, whirled peas on toast is among the lighter dishes on the menu, but a decadent slather of whipped feta creates a creamy and delicious base for toppings including white onions, roasted garlic and toasted almond slivers. There also are mint and dill sprigs and cured egg yolks, and the assembly is layered and lively. A tostada takes deviled eggs south of the border with “Cotija (cheese) whipped egg mousse stuff,” refried beans and a medley of cilantro, red onions and lime. The dish gets serious heat from an addictively good spicy peanut salsa and pickled banana peppers, which add tang and dimension. The portion is snack-sized, and several items listed as “All-Star Classics” are smaller and seem like they should be listed as appetizers or sides. Also among the Classics, a sweet potato burrito is built for large appetites. A thick flour tortilla encases sweet potato fries, scallion cream cheese and honey. Arugula, chow chow and sliced jalapeno add brightness and spice. Many items feel like an acid trip of

WHEN

HOW MUCH

breakfast and lunch Wed.-Mon.

moderate

WHAT WORKS

Grand Slam McMuffin, whirled pea toast

C H ERY L G ER B ER

Mason Hereford opened Molly’s Rise and Shine.

color, flavor, texture and dimension, but a few breakfast staples and a selection of simple side dishes offer more straightforward appeal. Bacon is dark brown and crispy, a pile of collard greens offers slightly sweet but vinegary punch, and flaky and dense biscuits are served with ramekins of butter and marmalade. These dishes offer comfort in simplicity, but the real attraction here goes beyond a plate of over-easy eggs and bacon. Molly’s Rise and Shine’s winning touches are delivered through the kitchen’s creative takes on breakfast dishes that fuse nostalgia and culinary finesse. So go ahead and start your day with a trip down memory lane. Order the Grand Slam McMuffin and dine under the watchful gaze of a life-size Beetlejuice cutout, but also taste how far breakfast has come. Email Helen Freund at helensfreund@gmail.com

WHAT DOESN’T

menu is unclear

CHECK, PLEASE

Magazine Street cafe serves creative breakfast dishes and a heavy-handed dose of nostalgia

A DVO C AT E S TA F F P H OTO B Y I A N M C N U LT Y

classic dishes include French onion soup, steak tartare, tuna nicoise salad, croques monsieurs and entrecote de boeuf topped with maitre d’hotel butter. There also are raw oysters and seafood dishes. Husband-and-wife team Justin and Mia Devillier opened Justine at the end of January. They also own La Petite Grocery and Balise. Justine’s is open 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Another eatery, Saba (5757 Magazine St., 504-324-7770; www. eatwithsaba.com), Alon Shaya’s modern Israeli stunner in Uptown, now serves brunch 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The menu includes the restaurant’s regular selection of shareable salatim, such as hummus and pita, as well as a breakfast sandwich featuring lamb kebab, soft scrambled eggs and latkes and a fried eggplant dish with caramelized tomatoes, whipped goat cheese and greens. An oyster schnitzel is served with Yemenite curry, half-sour pickles and sesame seeds. Green shakshouka is topped with poached eggs, spinach, whipped feta and pine nuts. PAGE 26

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EATDRINK

FORK CENTER

EAT+DRINK

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > F e b r ua ry 1 9 - 2 5 > 2 0 1 9

PAGE 25

The brunch cocktail menu features a Phoenician flip made with half-and-half, brown butter, Amaro di Angostura, port, baharat and egg. A Solomon’s Fire combines pomegranate juice, Liqueur de Violette and prosecco. — HELEN FREUND

Taco summit

Plaza, was moved to Woldenberg Park to accommodate larger crowds. Tickets to the event include food and drink. A $75 general admission ticket allows entry at 7 p.m. A $95 ticket gets guests in at 6 p.m. for a “first tasting.” VIP tickets are $125 and include early entry and access to a VIP lounge. — HELEN FREUND

THE THIRD ANNUAL TOP TACO FESTIVAL (www.toptaconola.com) is at

Navy mess

Woldenberg Park March 14. The festival features more than 40 restaurants and chefs, including “Top Chef: Colorado” finalist Carrie

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A goat taco from Del Fuego Taqueria at the inaugural Top Taco festival in New Orleans.

SUSHI BAR

Baird and Jose Garces of Philadelphia’s Buena Onda. The list also includes Brian Landry of Jack Rose, Warbucks’ Todd Pulsinelli, Justin Koslowsky of Seaworthy and Josephine Estelle’s Chris Borges. At Top Taco, chefs, restaurants and bartenders compete for titles in four categories: top creative taco, traditional taco, creative cocktail and traditional margarita. Last year, Johnny Sanchez won the critic’s choice award for top creative taco and Cochon Butcher served the top traditional taco. The restaurant lineup includes Central City BBQ, Chilango’s Seafood, Cowbell, Espiritu, Fharmacy, Balise, Agave House, Marjie’s Grill, Nacho Mama’s, NOLA Cantina, Seed and Zocalo. There also are tequila and agave tastings and cocktails. There is music by Armando Leduc & Salsa Royale, Muevelo, Afro-Cuban jazz and groove band Otra and the Houston-based Selena cover band Siempre Selena. There will be Lucha Libre wrestling and a silent auction. The festival and its sister event, Agave Week, raise proceeds for Foster Nola, a nonprofit that works with young people who are aging out of foster care. The event, initially held in Spanish

to helm its kitchen at the National World War II Museum (1035 Magazine St., 504-528-1940; www. ww2eats.com). Jonathan David “JD” Eubanks recently took over the restaurant’s operations, and the environment might seem familiar for the former Naval culinary specialist, who spent years cooking for admirals and captains. Following his military service, the chef worked at large culinary enterprises including Wolfgang Puck Worldwide and Fox Restaurant Concepts. Eubanks launched new lunch, dinner and brunch menus with starters including barbecued ribs, roast beef gravy fries and a Frito pie. There also are fried oyster and shrimp poboys, a black bean burger, a burger topped with bacon, triple cheese sauce and Creole smothered onions

Chef Jonathan David “J.D.” Eubanks is now the chef at the American Sector Restaurant & Bar inside the National WWII Museum.

and a “red, white and blue” burger topped with blue cheese, smoked strawberry aioli, bacon, lettuce and tomato on a pretzel bun. The brunch menu features grillades and grits, crawfish Benedict and chicken and waffles, and the bar offers bottomless mimosas. The restaurant is open daily for lunch, dinner and happy hour, and brunch is served on weekends. — HELEN FREUND

EAT+DRINK

MARDI GRAS

Gowns

Mia X

Chef/rapper NEW ORLEANS RAPPER MIA X , aka Mia Young,

made a name for herself as part of Master P’s No Limit Records in the 1990s, but today she’s also known for her kitchen skills. She recently released her first cookbook and memoir, “Things My Grandma Told Me, Things My Grandma Showed Me.” In January, she began the weekly pop-up event Remix Wednesdays at Overflow Market and Cafe (432 N. Galvez St.), which is one of several corner stores participating in the Healthy Corner Store Collaborative. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, the chef puts a healthy spin on some of her favorite dishes. Mia spoke with Gambit about her latest venture.

Why did you launch Remix Wednesdays? MIA X: It’s all about remixing the food for healthier options but not compromising the flavor, and getting the community to be more involved with the stores close to (their) home. This is a labor of love and a community effort for me. A lot of us were raised between these areas. We call ourselves the “76ers,” when you’re raised between the 6th Ward and the 7th Ward. This is about community and establishing a cornerstone so people can come here and get good food and fresh fruit and vegetables. A lot of the time, all corner stores have is fried stuff, a bag of this, a salty that. So remixing it up is a good thing. We’re going to add some other things like a hot potato Friday, and a friend is coming in to do red beans on Mondays.

What have you been up to the last couple of years? M: I have a cookbook/memoir that came out July 7, 2018 for Essence Fest weekend. It’s doing well, and I’ve gotten a great reception from New Orleanians, especially because we connect to our old way of cooking and the way (our) grandmothers taught

P H OTO B Y H E L E N F REU N D

us. The things that my grandmother said were profound and dirty, so people now understand where I got my potty mouth. It came from my grandmother. (Working on the book) was therapeutic for me because I lost her and my mom pretty close together. She was a maid while my mom was in college, so she kept me and I went to work with her. I really enjoyed that. It made me realize what we’re missing here in New Orleans. We’re missing the grandmothers and the way the neighborhood did (things). Because the village really raised us. Now it’s a little different, and hopefully when people read the book they’ll get back to those ways. You have to have passion. You have to have passion to write music and you have to have passion to cook.

What are some of your favorite recipes from your grandmother? M: Gumbo. That was my rite of passage, making gumbo. I will battle anybody; it’s the best. It’s file gumbo, so you have chicken, turkey and various sausages — beef, andouille — gizzards, shrimp and crab. Also, Creole cabbage is one of my favorites, and smothered potatoes, of course. (At the cafe) I’m doing Creole cabbage, taco salads, grilled fish salads, grilled shrimp salads, vegan tacos, turkey tacos, chicken tacos — you name it. — HELEN FREUND

1206-1212 ST. CHARLES AVE. 504-522-3327 MONDAY - SATURDAY 10- 6

CALL FOR HOURS ON PARADE WEEKENDS.

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