Gambit: September 22, 2020

FOOTBALL

FOOD

CHAMPIONSHIP

BRACKET

P. 14 September 22-28, 2020 Volume 41 // Number 36

BULLETIN BOARD

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DIVISION “ O “

SUCCESSION OF: LUCY VIRL MOTT WIFE of/and JOSEPH OZEMA MOTT, SR.

DEPUTY CLERK NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO SELL IMMOVABLE PROPERTY AT PRIVATE SALE

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TWO CERTAIN LOTS OF GROUND, together with all the buildings and improvements thereon, all rights, ways, privileges, servitudes and advantages thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining, situated in the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, in that part thereof known as South New Orleans Subdivision, made by H. C. Smith, Surveyor, and certified by Alfred E. Bonnabel, Parish Surveyor, on August 15, 1914, located in Book of Plans #2 and marked Plan #37 in the Record of Plans in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Said lots are more specifically designated on the aforesaid plan of survey as follows, to-wit: Lots Numbers Fifteen (15) and Sixteen (16) of Square Number One Hundred Fifteen (115), which said square is bounded by Victoria, Tenth, Broadway and Eleventh Streets. Said lots adjoin and measure each TWENTY-FIVE (25) FEET front on Broadway Street, the same width in the rear, by a depth of ONE HUNDRED (100) FEET between equal and parallel lines. The improvements bear municipal number 2228 Broadway Avenue, Harvey, LA This total sales price is for ONE HUNDRED TWENTY NINE THOUSAND AND NO/100 ($129,000.00) DOLLARS all cash to the selling estates, payable at the Act of Sale pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure, Art 3282 and the Agreement to Purchase dated July 16, 2020, accepted July 21, 2020, 2020 with amendments, of record herein; notice of this application of a succession representative to Sell Succession Property from a Successions needs to be published ONCE in the parish where the property and proceeding is pending and shall state that any opposition to the proposed sale must be filed within TEN (10)) days of the date of the last publication.

By order of the Clerk of Court for the Parish of Jefferson.

Jon A. Gegenheimer, Clerk of Court ______________________________ DEPUTY CLERK Larry C. Pieno, Attorney, 1320 Barataria Blvd., Marrero, LA 70072; 340-2451; pienolawfirm@yahoo.com Publish ONCE; Publish ONCE; Publish ONCE; Publish ONCE; Publish ONCE

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GIVE Where You Live

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NEW SEASON

CONTENTS

New Blooms

SEPT. 22-28, 2020 VOLUME 41 | NUMBER 36 NEWS

OPENING GAMBIT

6

COMMENTARY 8 CLANCY DUBOS

ORDER YOUR

AUTUMN ARRANGEMENT

9

BLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN 10

TODAY FEATURES

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 5 CORONA COUCH CONFIDENTIAL 11 EAT + DRINK

21

MUSIC 25 GOING OUT

26

PUZZLES 27 EXCHANGE 27

GET

dy! a e R l l a b Foot

@The_Gambit @gambitneworleans @GambitNewOrleans

FOLLOW US!

517 METAIRIE RD. OLD METAIRIE | 504-510-4655 | nolaboo.com

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COVER PHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK/THE TIMESPICAYUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

THE VULNERABLE

After Hurricane Laura, it’s time to rethink how we respond to disasters

STAFF

COVER DESIGN BY DORA SISON

Publisher | JEANNE EXNICIOS FOSTER

EDITORIAL

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Editor | JOHN STANTON

Advertising Director | SANDY STEIN BRONDUM

Political Editor | CLANCY DUBOS Arts & Entertainment Editor | WILL COVIELLO Staff Writers | JAKE CLAPP, SARAH RAVITS Contributing Writers | IAN MCNULTY

PRODUCTION

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Sales Representatives

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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 2020 Capital City Press, LLC. All rights reserved.

Drag to the desktop

X factor

LATELY, Mia Young, aka rapper Mia X, has been focused on her culinary career and releasing food products.

This week, Melissa Weber, aka DJ Soul Sister and curator of the Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane, interviews Young about her groundbreaking musical career. The event streams at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 22, on facebook.com/ newcombartmuseum.

Online drag festival Cyber Distancing hosts fifth edition

BY JAKE CLAPP

Downstream

IT WAS FRIDAY THE 13TH WHEN LAVEAU CONTRAIRE found out all of

her gigs for the foreseeable future were cancelled. It also happened to be Tarah Cards’ birthday.

The two New Orleans drag performers, like many local entertainers in mid-March, suddenly found themselves without places to perform as the coronavirus pandemic shut down venues, bars and restaurants. “Being that our resumes largely include things that require being in close proximity with other people — touching, interacting, money changing hands — we were kind of worried because that’s everything we do,” Contraire says.

With news about COVID-19 already rumbling in the days before, Cards and Contraire had talked about the idea of hosting drag shows online, Contraire says. And then things suddenly became real as stage shows, drag brunches and Contraire’s weekly “RuPaul’s Drag Race” viewing party all vanished. The two took it as a sign.

Cards and Contraire organized and launched the online drag festival Cyber Distancing in late March “to provide as much relief for as many of the New Orleans performing community as possible,” Contraire says, “so that includes drag, burlesque and literally anyone who wants to submit to our show.”

Cards and Contraire will host the virtual festival’s fifth edition, “CD5: Dystopia,” at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26, on Zoom. The two-night online event will feature independently produced videos as well as performances recorded on stage at The AllWays Lounge & Theater.

Among the more than 20 performers in CD5 are locals Apostrophe, Devonix, Dick Jones, Eros Sea, Madame Willow Showghoul and Ramona Rose, along with artists from across the country, such as San Francisco’s Trixxie Carr, Mz. Asa Metric of New York, and L’Quesha K. Monet from Houston.

With expected drag humor and theatrics — and some cyberpunk flourishes to reflect the bizarro online world performers have been pushed into — past Cyber Distancing festivals have included drag and burlesque routines and videos that have largely commented at the COVID-19 reality.

Performers have poked fun at the stir-craziness of being bored and inside all day, given health tips pop-up video-style, or created new songs that parody the moment, like Tarah Cards’ “Sweet Quarantine.” Past artists also have chosen to focus on the seriousness of this year’s movement against racism and police brutality through solemn performance pieces.

Cyber Distancing performers have produced segments using what they’ve had on hand — from ingenious videos shot and edited on iPhones to slicker productions. The AllWays Lounge also has been a go-to option for routines filmed on stage as an audience might see them.

In between each segment, Cards and Contraire will live-stream commentary and urge viewers to tip the artists. And out-of-the-box content and advertisements — from sponsors and local businesses and for Cyber Distancing shirts and stickers — will occasionally make their way into the virtual line-up.

“We have a really good variety of different styles in our show,” Cards says. “We see people creating work in different ways, depending on what they have access to. And then watching the performers that have been in our shows a few times evolve their craft has been really cool to see.”

When venues started to close, drag performers across the country quickly hopped into live-streaming on Facebook and Instagram for one-off shows. But Cyber Distancing was the first online festival to appear. The first four editions of the festival also closed with a virtual drag brunch on a third day.

“I just thought, how powerful would it be to have all of the New Orleans drag queens that we can get in a show together over the course of a

PR OV I D E D P H OTO B Y L AV E A U C O N T R A I RE

THE ANNUAL NOLA RIVER FEST GOES VIRTUAL with a lineup of musical performances, speakers and more Sept.

21-27. Performances include the KinFolk Brass Band (5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22), Treme Brass Band (5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24), the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25), Greyhawk Perkins (2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26), Bon Bon Vivant (7 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 27) and more. There’s also a video of a flyover of the Mississippi River. Visit nolariverfest.org for links.

New Orleans drag performers Laveau Contraire and Tarah Cards

Shorty festing

weekend,” Contraire says. “That way, you’re getting all of your faves in one place during quarantine.”

The past six months have required a lot of adaptation by entertainers as they learn new skills while things changed constantly. “We’re still in the infancy stage of this entire medium,” Cards says.

“We have to have a certain amount of vulnerability and also grace,” Cards adds. “We have a really good community and our audience is so supportive. There’s a lot of pressure to make something that has the power you want it to have, while at the same time rationalizing your abilities in that way. This is like all of us starting something brand new again.”

This edition of Cyber Distancing will not be simultaneously streamed on Facebook, as they have in the past — a decision prompted, Cards says, by issues with Facebook and a hope to stress the importance of supporting artists during the pandemic. Admission to the Zoom event is $15 per night or $20 for both via eventbrite.com.

Drag artists have always had to wear a lot of hats, Cards says, from costuming and fashioning wigs to creating their own mixes and producing shows. Entertainers are now also handling filming, marketing and tracking down sponsors. “This is just adding 10 to 15 more hats on to our already very heavy-hatted heads,” she says with a laugh.

“You’ve got to have a strong neck to be a drag queen,” Contraire says.

P H OTO B Y S H AW N F I N K

TROMBONE SHORTY AND ORLEANS AVENUE WILL PERFORM THEIR FIRST SHOW since the pandemic started at Shorty Fest. The virtual event’s lineup also features Tank and the Bangas, Galactic, Anders Osborne, the Soul Rebels and more. The event is at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, and will be broadcast on WNOL NOLA 38 and streamed via links on tromboneshortyfoundation.org and Trombone Shorty’s Facebook and YouTube pages. The event is free, but donations to the Trombone Shorty Foundation are welcome via PayPal.

Dog days

AMANDA BOYDEN, author of the novels “Pretty Little Dirty” and “Babylon Rolling,” released “I Got the Dog — A Memoir of Rising,” which details a life of overcoming everything from an assault to a marriage wrecked by infidelity. She discusses the new work with Maurice Carlos Ruffin, author of “We Cast a Shadow,” in a Zoom event at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 23. Find the link at gardendistrictbookshop.com.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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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

There are still two months left of hurricane season before we go back to just worryin’ about the ’Rona

# The Count

Thumbs Up/ Thumbs Down

2,225

United Way of Southeast Louisiana is partnering with

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services and the Loyola Center for Counseling and Education to offer low-cost or free mental health and legal support to New Orleans area hospitality workers.

Workers who have lost jobs or wages during the coronavirus pandemic will be able to receive virtual counseling through the Loyola Center on a sliding pay scale and free civil legal aid through SLLS.

The number of nursing home deaths that have been identified in Louisiana, according to the state’s Department of Health.

The nursing home deaths account

P H OTO B Y S O P H I A G ER M ER / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E | T H E N E W O R L E A N S A DVO C AT E

A protester on June 3, helping a fellow protestor by neutralizing the burning sensation, caused by tear gas, with milk. The New Orleans City Council unanimously voted to place strict limitations on the usage of the chemical weapon.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission mistakenly

sent letters to around 7,600 Louisianans saying they had been overpaid in unemployment benefits and now owed the money back to the state — thousands of dollars in some cases. The LWC on Thursday issued a press release saying “the vast majority” of those letters were sent in error and would be issuing “notice of adjustment” letters confirming those recipients don’t owe anything.

New Orleans Public Schools has fewer K-8 stu-

dents enrolled in arts courses than similar districts in East Baton Rouge and Caddo parishes, according to a new study by the Education Research Alliance for New Orleans. The study used enrollment data from 2010-2016 and included interviews with area arts teachers and school administrators.

LOUISIANA HAS 3RD WORST CENSUS RESPONSE RATE WITH 1 WEEK TO GO WITH ONE WEEK TO GO UNTIL THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU ENDS ITS 2020 COUNT, 85.4% of Louisiana households have been counted, leaving

the state tied with Mississippi for the third-worst response rate in the United States. That ranking includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Across the United States, the response rate is 92.4%. Idaho and West Virginia lead the rankings. In both of those states, 99.4% of households have been counted, and Hawaii is next with a 98.4% total response rate.

Alabama is at the bottom of the list with an 84.4% response rate followed by Montana with an 85.3% response rate. Then come Mississippi and Louisiana.

This year’s count is scheduled to end Sept. 30.

Residents who haven’t yet responded can mail their questionnaires in, call 844-330-2020 if they’re English speakers or visit 2020Census.gov. Non-English speakers can find the number to call at this link/on the Census website. Marilyn Stephens, assistant regional census manager in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Atlanta office, said in a recent interview with the Illuminator that 2020 is “the first census where we’re supporting 12 non-English languages online and by phone.”

Public officials and nonprofit groups continue to stress the importance of a full and complete count in Louisiana, and motorists who’ve driven the state’s highways have probably seen signs reminding them that the census helps determine how much states and local governments get for the funding of roads and bridges.

A recent press release from the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice reminds Louisianans that the census count “determines how $1.5 trillion in federal funds are distributed for things like schools, roads, healthcare, and disaster relief and recovery. Every Louisianan who goes uncounted costs the state more than $2,200. Census data

for 43.4% of all COVID-19 fatalities in Louisiana, and among nursing homes there have been more than 10,000 cases among residents and staff. There are 278 nursing homes in the state; only three have no reported cases. Nursing homes across the country will soon be reopening for visitation, under new guidance from the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services. Louisiana nursing homes have been shut down for visitors for roughly six months due to pandemic mitigation measures.

C’est What

?

How long will Louisiana stay in Phase 3?

43.4%

30.3%

WE’LL BE BACK

BY NOW, IT’S REALLY JUST A BLUR

IN PHASE 2 BY OCTOBER

11.7%

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS PHASE 4

14.6%

THE STATE WILL BE IN PHASE 3 UNTIL NEW YEAR’S DAY

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

7

OPENING GAMBIT

City Council unanimously votes to restrict police usage of tear gas except in ‘serious situations’ The New Orleans City Council on Sept.

17 unanimously passed an ordinance to restrict the New Orleans Police

Department and other law enforcement officers from using tear gas and other “riot control agents,” with the caveat that it would be permissible in the “most serious situations.”

The Police Department came under scrutiny after officers released tear gas into a crowd of protesters on the Crescent City Connection during a June 3 protest. After a chaotic rush off the bridge, activists that evening also reported being hit by rubber bullets fired by law enforcement.

Councilmembers Jason Williams and Jay Banks immediately condemned the actions and said they would be looking into banning the use of such tactics.

Sade Dumas, executive director of The Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition, worked with Banks, the author of the ordinance. She expressed support for the council’s decision. She said she hopes the Police Department will continue to reform its policies.

“The New Orleans Police Department must now work to ensure its updated policy reflects community input and goes beyond the protections presented in this ordinance,” she said in a prepared statement.

“NOPD’s policy development goes beyond the protections presented

MASK NOW so we can

in this ordinance...[The] policy development process must be transparent and include the greater New Orleans community ahead of finalizing the ordinance in order to include necessary amendments if needed,” Dumas continued.

The ACLU maintains that the police’s actions violated demonstrators’ First Amendment rights.

“NOPD’s attack on protesters attempting to cross the Crescent City Connection in June was an inexcusable and excessive use of force that endangered the health and well-being of protesters, who had every right to demand change and make their voices heard,” executive director Alanah Odoms Hebert, ACLU of Louisiana’s executive director, said in a statement. Tear gas, a chemical weapon, “should never be used against demonstrators,” she said.

Like Dumas, Hebert said she is pleased that the City Council listened to the community, but she noted that more work needs to be done to ensure that “protesters are never met with reckless, militarized force.”

The clause included in the Council’s ordinance — which still allows police to deploy chemical weapons in the “most serious

situations” — leaves some room for interpretation. Banks said exceptions would include cases where a criminal suspect is barricaded in a location or if there is a threat of serious injury or imminent loss of life.

But he made it clear that situations such as protests, including those held earlier this summer, would not be appropriate opportunities for law enforcement to deploy it. For “something as simple or as benign as crowd control,” said Banks. “They should not be using this.”

In other protest-related news, the Council approved a non-binding resolution to ban “no-knock warrants” — searches during which police officers do not have to announce their presence before entering a home or area of interest.

The issue became a heated topic after Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old woman in Louisville, was shot and killed by police who entered her home in March.

Taylor, who was not a suspect in that raid, has since become a household name. Her name has been chanted at nationwide protests as demonstrators across the country call for greater police reform and an end to brutality at the hands of law enforcement. — SARAH RAVITS

In Louisiana, we love our football games and tailgate parties.

Let’s work together so we all can get back to enjoying the traditions that make us special. Wear a mask or face covering now to protect yourself, your neighbors and the way of life we love in Louisiana.

01MK7374 R08/20

Learn more about ways to protect yourself at bcbsla.com/covid19

later!

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is also used to determine political redistricting, which will take place next year, and only happens once every decade.”

More than 18,000 Louisianans have been living in hotels here and in Texas since being forced out of their homes by Hurricane Laura, a Category 4 storm that made landfall in Cameron Parish Aug. 27.

“We are sending our customer response representatives to those hotels so that they can interview the people right there,” Stephens said when asked if residents who hadn’t previously responded to the census could still be counted. “And also, people being told that they can still go online as well as use a toll-free number to complete their form as well. Our call centers are open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day. So there’s a representative there waiting.”

— JARVIS DeBERRY | THE LOUISIANA ILLUMINATOR

COMMENTARY

the

R A L U P O P T S MO OF THE YEAR issue H

Protect the franchise: register, vote, and help others to vote

ORIGIN E

A

T

L

RE

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AD O ER S’ P

ERS POLL D A E R E IT R O V A F ’ S NEW ORLEAN N CE 19 8 6 SI

ISSUE DATE: SEPTEMBER 29

CALL TODAY! CONTACT Sandy Stein TODAY! 504.483.3150 sstein@gambitweekly.com

SEPT. 22 IS NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY. First “observed”

P H OTO B Y L E S L I E W E S TB R O O K / T H E A DVO C AT E

in 2012, it’s a massive, nationwide voter registration event backed by media organizations, corporate America, good government groups and state election officials. Since its inception, the event has led to more than 3 million Americans registering to vote. This year, local organizers with Headcount — a national voter registration nonprofit which targets musically inclined young people — are working with other activists to register thousands of New Orleanians ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

It is a noble pursuit, and we support any effort large or small to register new voters. And this year these sorts of registration drives are particularly important: the COVID-19 pandemic has set traditional voter registration levels back significantly by keeping sign-up volunteers at home. According to the group, that’s resulted in a 2 million monthly deficit in new registrations.

Voting is a fundamental right, one for which untold thousands of Americans have given their lives over our nation’s history. But if you don’t exercise the franchise, inevitably there will be those who will try to take it away from you. To be clear, this is not a newfound concern. It goes back over a century. More recently, courts in North Carolina had to strike down voter ID laws that unfairly affect Black communities, along with a voting district map that unfairly limited the ability of Democrats to have equal representation.

Here at home, as our Clancy DuBos pointed out last month, Republican lawmakers in the state Legislature have repeatedly thrown up roadblocks to common sense efforts

Sept. 22 is National Voter Registration Day.

to expand voting, even bipartisan measures supported by Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, Louisiana’s Republican Secretary of State, and Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Ensuring that people have the right to vote and are fairly represented when they do so is only one part of the equation. Equally critical is ensuring unfettered access to polling places that operate smoothly. This week, the Louisiana Unity Coalition (LUC) announced a new effort to recruit eligible citizens to sign up to be poll workers on Election Day. The initiative is dubbed the Louisiana New Era Foot Soldiers for Democracy, and we applaud the effort.

Shortages of poll workers are a persistent problem, causing long lines at voting precincts and even forcing the closure of some sites altogether.

Signing up to be a poll commissioner is a straightforward process — you must be a Louisiana resident 18 or older, be able to physically assist other voters, have not been convicted of committing election-related crimes, attend a course and pass a simple test. The state even gives out a modest $200 stipend for your troubles. It’s a worthy cause, and one we endorse.

LUC is also in the process of recruiting Election Day “poll monitors” as part of its Election Day Voter Protection Operation to ensure free and open access to polling sites. Any effort to make sure voters don’t feel intimidated or otherwise dissuaded from voting deserves all our support.

9

CLANCY DUBOS

Federal judge rebukes GOP voter suppression efforts U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE SHELLY DICK’S

sharply worded, 44-page decision in Louisiana’s closely watched voting rights case is more than a victory for advocates of expanded mail-in balloting in the Nov. 3 election. It’s a rebuke of the state GOP’s ongoing, ham-fisted voter suppression efforts.

“The Court finds that Plaintiffs’ testimony clearly establishes that the state’s maintenance of limited absentee by mail voting imposes a burden on their right to vote,” Dick wrote. “Clearly, based on the data and advice from state and federal authorities, the pandemic is ongoing in Louisiana and calls for the implementation of measures to mitigate the risks of appearing in person to vote.”

Instead of letting Republican legislators and GOP Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin roll back the expanded mail balloting plan used in the July and August elections, the judge ordered the state to reinstate that plan. It allowed voters with COVID19 comorbidities, those quarantined or suffering from coronavirus symptoms, and caretakers of those isolated because of the virus to vote by mail.

Defendants argued that expanded mail balloting would increase the potential for fraudulent voting, but Dick would have none of it. She wrote that elections officials didn’t provide “a scintilla of evidence” to back up such claims.

“Strikingly absent is even a hint of fraud in the July and August primaries, where expanded mail voting was available” to many voters, she wrote. She also noted Ardoin’s legislative testimony “only four months ago” that voter fraud is “a rare occurrence” and concluded that defendants’ claim of concerns about voter fraud “is not a rational one.”

The judge also noted that in July, only 2% of voters who used mail-in ballots did so because of COVID19 — and they comprised less than 0.4% of total votes cast.

Dick did not grant all of the plaintiffs’ requests. For example, she

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P H OTO B Y T R AV I S S PR A D L I N G / T H E A DVO C AT E

Judge Shelly Deckert Dick’s ruling supports expansion of mail-in balloting.

ordered the state to conduct early voting for 10 days rather than the 13 days sought by plaintiffs. That’s still an expansion of the statutory early voting period of seven days.

If her ruling stands, early voting will begin Friday, Oct. 16, and continue (except for Sundays) through Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. each day.

Although nominally a defendant by virtue of his office, Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards publicly sided with the plaintiffs and refused to approve Ardoin’s plan after the GOP-majority Legislature approved it (via mail ballot). He hailed Dick’s ruling as “a huge victory not only for the health and safety of the people of Louisiana, but also for their voting rights and our democracy.”

Ardoin and Republican state Attorney General Jeff Landry, whose office represented the defendants, may decide to appeal Dick’s ruling to the New Orleansbased U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the nation’s most conservative appellate courts.

Louisiana has a long, ugly history of enacting oppressive, unconstitutional laws that wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court — which doesn’t always do the right thing, as we learned in Plessy v. Ferguson and other cases. Hopefully, this case won’t become another Plessy.

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BLAKEVIEW

BLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN™ @GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Hey Blake, I read your column about the Liberty Bell replica (Sept. 15). Didn’t the actual bell make an appearance here too during the 1884 World’s Fair?

Dear reader,

During its history, the Liberty Bell has actually made two trips to New Orleans for display. The first was during the 1884 World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition, commonly known as the World’s Fair. It was held December 1884 through May 1885 at what is now Audubon Park.

The city of Philadelphia loaned the bell to the fair in an attempt to “bury sectional strife” after the Civil War, according to The Daily Picayune. There was opposition, fueled in part by rumors of a plot by the Ku Klux Klan to capture and destroy the bell. As a precaution, police officers were assigned to travel with the bell to ensure its safety.

The bell left Philadelphia by train on Jan. 23, 1885, and made stops in 13 cities along the way. One stop was near Beauvoir, the Biloxi, Mississippi, home of Jefferson Davis, former president of the Confederate States of America.

Davis spoke at a welcoming ceremony in Biloxi then accompanied the bell on the train to New Orleans.

“The largest crowd yet on the exposition grounds, even larger than on the opening day, assembled to take part in the reception,” according to a telegram reprinted in The Patriot, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, newspaper.

The bell remained on display in New Orleans before leaving for Philadelphia in June 1885.

It returned to New Orleans in November 1915, while traveling back to Philadelphia from San Francisco, where it was displayed at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition.

According to newspaper reports, a crowd of more than 10,000 turned out as the bell

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Two coins commemorate the Liberty Bell when it went on the road for the 1884 World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition in New Orleans’s Audubon Park. The coins are part of the collection of Wayne Norwood.

arrived by train at Union Station (now the site of the Union Passenger Terminal). The visit was cut short when the train arrived six hours late. The bell was on display at the train station for just a few hours and organizers had to cancel a parade planned for that afternoon.

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start of classes at Dillard University. Although it was chartered in 1930, the university welcomed students for the first day of classes on its Gentilly campus on Sept. 23, 1935.

Dillard was created through the merger of two private institutions: Straight College and New Orleans University, both founded in 1869. The new university, designed as a coeducational school with a predominantly Black student body, was affiliated with the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ. It is named for Dr. James Hardy Dillard, a onetime Tulane professor and dean who led efforts to improve educational opportunities for Black students.

Since the 1940s, the school has been wellknown for its nursing program. From 1932 to 1983, nursing students trained at Flint-Goodridge Hospital, the Louisiana Avenue hospital which Dillard owned and operated.

Now a fully accredited private, historically Black university, Dillard’s enrollment stands at more than 1,200. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures caused more than $400 million in damage to the 55-acre campus. Students returned in the fall of 2006 after extensive renovations and repairs.

Among the school’s notable alumni are music greats Ellis Marsalis Jr. and Harold Battiste, actor/ comedian Garrett Morris, former state Supreme Court Justice Revius Ortique Jr., former Louisiana poet laureate Brenda Marie Osbey and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and writer Jericho Brown.

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16

THE

VULNERABLE B Y

S A R A H

R A V I T S

In the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, which has displaced thousands from Southwest Louisiana to New Orleans, it’s time to rethink how we handle disasters.

Ron Thomas, an evacuee from Lake Charles, seated at an IHOP next to his hotel in Metairie P H OTO B Y S A R A H R AV I T S

H

UNKERED DOWN IN A METAIRIE HOTEL, 50-year-

old Ron Thomas scrolled through his phone, staring at photos of the storm-ravaged home he shares with his fiancee and his 73-year-old mother in northern Lake Charles.

The photographs document the all-too-familiar, painful sight for anyone living in south Louisiana and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast: a now-roofless structure, blown off its foundation, filled with broken and unsalvageable possessions after damage from wind and rain.

The house, which had been in the family for three generations, “is done,” Thomas says, adding that he thinks “at least 80%” of the homes in his neighborhood alone will require rebuilding.

As Hurricane Laura rapidly gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico, Thomas says, he made the decision to evacuate with family members just one day before the storm hit, after his brother volunteered to pay for their hotel room outside of Baton Rouge. When he returned to Lake Charles to survey the damage, he realized, “I lost everything.”

As is the case in the aftermath of the slew of devastating storms that have hit the U.S. and the island nations of the Caribbean and Atlantic in recent years, it

will be a long, uncertain road to recovery for Thomas and the thousands of other Louisiana residents grappling with economic instability and displacement in the wake of yet another environmental catastrophe.

Compounding the typical challenges of rebuilding after a hurricane, Thomas and his fiancee, Jennifer Fisher, 44, are both disabled with chronic medical conditions that are both physiological and psychiatric. Their house was paid off decades ago, but they have no insurance. Their main income source is government-issued disability checks — and though they should be eligible for FEMA relief funds, they say they have yet to receive it.

Waiting to figure out what’s next, Thomas and Fisher are among thousands of refugees who, after being driven from their homes by a catastrophic hurricane, are now dealing with compounded disasters on top of illnesses worsened by the stress of displacement. The problems that they, and thousands of others are facing, are a grim reminder that storms worsened by climate change, poverty and chronic illnesses are inextricably linked.

“We’re out here with no money,” Fisher says. “We’ll take it as it comes, but we need help.”

WHEN HURRICANE LAURA SLAMMED INTO THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA Aug. 27, it earned the

distinction of being the strongest storm to come ashore here in more than a century and a half. Ponderous and slow-moving, Laura wreaked havoc on a huge swath of the state and devastated Lake Charles and the surrounding communities.

As of press time, 28 deaths have been attributed to Laura and its aftermath. Six people died in the storm, including a teenager who was hit by a falling tree. And since then, at least nine Louisianans have died from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by improper usage of generators, while others have died of accidents related to clean-up, heat exhaustion or electrocution.

The damage caused by the hurricane left more than half a million power outages, and major disruption to the area’s water supply. Nearly a month later, many roads remain unpassable, and power has yet to be restored to significant parts of the areas hardest hit.

Laura also ended up scattering tens of thousands of residents

17

— RETIRED LT. GEN. RUSSEL HONORE

Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, pictured here post-Katrina P H OTO B Y S U S A N P OAG / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E | T H E N E W O R L E A N S A DVO C AT E

across the state and into Texas in search of long-term shelter. The bulk of those people ended up in the New Orleans area. According to the Department of Children and Family Services, of the more than 17,000 state-assisted evacuees, 11,384 are living in New Orleans area hotels and motels, and untold others have taken up temporary residence with family and friends here.

State and local governments, nonprofits and individuals in New Orleans reacted quickly to the needs of evacuees. The American Red Cross, for instance, is coordinating housing and food needs for Laura’s victims, while city and state officials are working to identify long-term housing for those who will be unable to return to the Lake Charles area for the foreseeable future. FEMA has registered 150,161 households for federal disaster assistance, as of Sept. 17.

The agency has also released more than $104 million in funding directly to Laura survivors, including $71 million for housing assistance, says Melissa Wilkins, a public information officer for FEMA. Smaller, local organizations as well have stepped up to provide aid to the victims, including Southern Solidarity, a mutual aid group based in New Orleans that will soon be expanding to Lafayette and outside the state.

According to Jasmine Araujo, an organizer with Southern Solidarity, they’ve served some 500 meals to evacuees and have focused on providing other

essential help, notably assistance with obtaining replacement state IDs and other documents.

In addition to giving evacuees some amount of mobility, these documents are crucial for everything — including applying for federal aid money and finding employment.

But Laura also has exposed chronic problems with not only how we prepare and respond to hurricanes, but also to contributing factors, most notably climate change and poverty — problems that have become impossible to ignore thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FOR THOMAS AND FISHER, the

first few days in New Orleans were a welcome respite from the chaos and devastation of Laura.

From a hotel, where 23 of his relatives are also staying, Thomas says they’ve felt welcome in the Greater New Orleans area and are thankful for the accommodations, meals and donated supplies and clothing.

But, Thomas says, “I’m disappointed in FEMA. After Hurricane Rita, it was like this.” He snaps his fingers. “This is a state of emergency.”

The frustration in Tyla Simms’ voice was clear as she stood outside a New Orleans federal

courthouse earlier this month at a protest calling for more federal aid. The 30-year-old had showed up with other Laura victims, concerned about what they called inadequate FEMA assistance. A single mother of four children, including one with disabilities, she says their home was destroyed, leaving her with almost nothing.

Addressing the crowd, Simms argued the modest $2,000 that some hurricane victims have received is grossly insufficient to sign a new lease on an apartment, pay a deposit and keep children fed, all while she’s out of work. “You know, when it’s just you, it’s OK,” she says. “But what about the kids? What are we going to do?”

Wilkins, the FEMA spokesperson, says the timetable is “different for every survivor” and that the agency cannot fully process an application until all documentation is received.

Of course, that requires evacuees to have those documents on hand, and for many, particularly those in poverty or those without a fixed address, that can be tricky. Many people, for instance, don’t own cars so they don’t have photo IDs to begin with. Others may not have bank accounts.

And even for those who may have had documentation, they are only helpful if they remembered to grab them while fleeing their homes with a massive hurricane looming.

Survivors with the proper documentation and a bank account can, in theory, receive a direct

Southern Solidarity, a mutual aid group, brings supplies to evacuees and other vulnerable people.

But more than just providing relief, they hope to dismantle systemic problems.

P H OTO P R OV I D E D B Y S O U T H E R N S O L I DA R I T Y

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > S e p t e mb e r 2 2 - 2 8 > 2 0 2 0

“THERE’S NO GOOD TIME TO HAVE A DISASTER LIKE LAURA, BUT THE WORST TIME TO HAVE ONE IS DURING A PANDEMIC, DURING ELECTION SEASON AND DURING FOREST FIRE SEASON.”

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deposit of aid, though that can take days or weeks to arrive. Aid recipients also have the option to have a check mailed to them, rather than receiving funds electronically, a process Wilkins says can delay the reception of assistance, especially for those who don’t have electronic access to bank accounts. How long it takes for those checks to arrive is unclear: just as Laura was roaring over southwestern Louisiana, the Trump administration and the U.S. Postal Service were embroiled in a scandal over whether it was purposefully slowing mail service as part of Trump’s election strategy.

Furthermore, delays are being experienced because the federal agency is assisting survivors from nationwide disasters, including COVID-19 to raging West Coast wildfires. And those are just some of the disasters FEMA is dealing with from this year. Add in any lingering responsibilities from last year’s hurricane and wildfire seasons, tornados and even 2017’s Hurricanes Maria and Harvey, and it becomes clear the agency is stretched thin.

Combine all those factors with an aging bureaucracy and a political climate in which downplaying death, disaster and disease is preferred by a White House preoccupied with maintaining power, and there is a recipe for disaster.

THE FEDERAL DYSFUNCTION HAS PUSHED INCREASING responsibili-

ties onto states, local governments and NGOs. New Orleanians, who are now welcoming evacuees, are used to experiencing these sorts of systemic problems up close and personal after Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures.

And in the 15 years since then, a predictable pattern has emerged in how the nation responds to major hurricanes: As the storm nears land, cable news goes to wall to wall coverage, focusing the country’s attention on the region. During and immediately after the storm there’s an outpouring of support, visiting politicians vowing to not leave the victims behind, and a quick infusion of FEMA money and resources.

But almost as soon as the waters and winds recede, so too do the victims from the national stage, and within weeks the metastasized bureaucracy of FEMA sets in. People with barely the clothes on their backs can’t apply for aid because they don’t have proper ID. Those that can end up waiting patiently or otherwise for checks that will never make do for immediate needs, let alone give families the stability needed to move forward.

In an interview with The TimesPicayune | The New Orleans Advocate earlier this month, Mayor Nic Hunter of Lake Charles

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ISSUE DATE

OCTOBER 13 Dr. Joe Kanter of the Louisiana Department of Health

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the harshest consequences, time and time again.”

Kanter would know — he’s an emergency room physician, the former health director of New Orleans and, now, as the assistant state health officer who coordinates efforts in the New Orleans area for the Louisiana Department of Health, is one of the state’s leading health experts. He has plenty of experience with disasters.

“I think it’s important to recognize how traumatic and disruptive this event is for anyone who’s involved,” he says. “It’s trauma on top of trauma.”

Even when the federal government acts, it’s often to simply throw more money at a system Honore and others see as too broken to put it to use.

For instance, following Laura, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) introduced legislation to provide an additional $10 billion for FEMA funding that could benefit constituents in Southwest Louisiana. But with an election looming and the Louisiana congressional delegation no longer possessing its once legendary power in Washington, it’s unlikely the bill will be taken up, let alone signed by Trump.

But even if it is, Honore says, a lack of FEMA funding isn’t really the point. “Nobody is being denied because FEMA is broke. They’re slow, not broke,” he says.

Jennifer Fisher, an evacuee from Lake Charles, pictured during happier times P H OTO P R OV I D E D B Y J E N N I F E R F I S H E R

HONORE, KANTER AND OTHERS WORKING ON THE FRONT LINE

of hurricane response warn that simply fixing the existing cracks in the system won’t be enough. It will require leaders at all levels to finally take climate change seriously.

And they agree that as climate-related disasters become increasingly hard to escape, they cause further hardship for society’s most vulnerable.

Josh Lewis, research director and associate professor at the Tulane Bywater Institute, which examines coastal resilience, says, “As we’ve seen in Louisiana and in many places in the U.S., when you have these pre-existing levels of inequality and communities where folks don’t have access to efficient evacuation, or are housing insecure, you’re going to have folks that have to deal with these types of events in catastrophic ways.”

He also speaks of the longterm challenges of rebuilding and recovery. “What we saw with Katrina, and other disasters in Louisiana, is the place where the challenges really manifest is in the recovery programs.”

19 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > S e p t e mb e r 2 2 - 2 8 > 2 0 2 0

made a case to remember the impacted areas.

“I know that the national media has a very short attention span and that they’ll probably be moving on really quickly,” Hunter told the newspaper. “I am very concerned that if we don’t keep this narrative out there that D.C. may not remember the catastrophe that happened here in Lake Charles.”

The Trump administration, which despite being quick to hold photo-ops after hurricanes Maria, Harvey and Laura has shown seemingly little interest in the hard work of maintaining displaced people and rebuilding their lives. From Texas to Puerto Rico, communities, particularly poor or Black and Latino areas, are still years away from being made whole again.

“There’s no good time to have a disaster like Laura,” says retired Lt. Gen. Russell Honore. “But the worst time to have one is during a pandemic, during election season, and during [forest] fire season.”

Honore, who rose to national prominence for his outspoken leadership and for coordinating relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago, says that Laura occurring in the middle of the pandemic has cast a harsh spotlight on the dysfunction of the federal response system.

Honore also points out that recovery takes years. “To put it in perspective, three years ago we were dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey,” he says. “For most of the poor people relying on FEMA and Housing of Urban Development funds, those [houses] have still not been rebuilt.”

Indeed, Honore says that while recovery is difficult for everybody, it has become all too clear that poor and working-class areas will end up suffering far longer.

“For people with money and insurance, it could be three or four months to rebuild. But for people waiting on HUD and FEMA, that can take three years. The money can be appropriated, but there’s a dragass mentality and bureaucracy,” Honore says.

Meanwhile, health officials say the combination of a pandemic and massive storm has further exposed the risks that burden vulnerable populations during disasters, particularly those with pre-existing medical conditions.

“What we’ve learned over the years, and what we’ve based our response on, is that vulnerable people are vulnerable,” says Dr. Joe Kanter. “It doesn’t matter what the emergency is — evacuating for a hurricane, or during a pandemic.

People who are marginalized suffer

| THE VULNERABLE

Specifically citing the federal Road Home program as an example, he says, funding was allocated on the “pre-storm” value of a destroyed home. But, he says, “there’s a gap in compensation of what you’re eligible for and what the cost actually would be. We have major gaps in our recovery programs.”

Rather than approach these disasters as an opportunity to address inequality, he says, the government can exacerbate problems “if it’s not approached in a manner that would create equitable outcomes for people.”

Kanter says he has witnessed the climate change-related disasters affecting health.

“From my perspective, there are health ramifications of climate change, that are real, disruptive and only going to get worse,” he says. “[Laura] is a disrupting event, to people who are already marginalized and suffer the worst consequences … We have to start addressing it.”

Honore, a longtime advocate for people living in frontline communities like those scattered throughout

“IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT THE EMERGENCY IS — EVACUATING FOR A HURRICANE, OR DURING A PANDEMIC. PEOPLE WHO ARE MARGINALIZED SUFFER THE HARSHEST CONSEQUENCES, TIME AND TIME AGAIN.” - DR. JOE KANTER, ASSISTANT STATE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

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south Louisiana, is particularly critical of the Trump administration’s embrace of climate change denial conspiracy theories. “Pollution we are creating is causing the Earth to warm up and the climate to change … That is the unanimous conclusion of all scientists except those in the White House,” Honore says bluntly.

Some climate change deniers may insist that even if it is real, any impacts from the phenomena are years away. But Honore pointedly rejects that argument, and warns we are already feeling its effects, they are getting worse and it is imperative we take steps to address them before it becomes too late.

“We are going to have to get better [at response] if we don’t get climate change fixed,” he says.

“Mother Nature is putting on a shitshow, because we fucked with Mother Nature.”

Honore and others argue it is long past time that governments, and society, start working on new ways to approach not just climate change and recovery from inevitable future hurricanes, but also the underlying problems, including poverty. If we don’t, they warn, people will still be extremely vulnerable to the deadly effects of disasters, and frontline workers like Kanter will continue to find themselves fighting a familiar, uphill battle to save and rebuild their lives.

“This is a really unfortunate and challenging situation,” Kanter

says of the Laura aftermath.

“But … ensuring that people are accounted for and have services is — unfortunately — something that Louisiana has amassed quite a bit of expertise at. There’s a lot of familiarity and institutional knowledge in the state and in the city in how to do this well.”

WHILE THESE PROBLEMS MAY SEEM ABSTRACT for national

primetime media and out-of-touch politicians, they are very real for Ron Thomas. Shortly after settling into his temporary digs at the hotel in Metairie, he was rushed to an emergency room in Kenner.

One of his chronic illnesses is a heart condition, that years ago required three stents in his chest.

He thought he might be suffering from a heart attack.

After running tests, doctors told him it was simply a panic attack and prescribed him anti-anxiety medication.

Shortly before press time, he says he’s now facing an additional frustration: Medicaid said it would not cover the more than $300 cost of the medication, and he can’t afford it out-of-pocket.

“It’s a medication that I need.

I’m going through all this pain,” he says. “This is causing more problems, and it’s stressful. It’s very stressful.”

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

Louise moves to Marigny

Homecoming

LOUISE, A CAFE THAT SERVED BREAKFAST AND LUNCH in the

Thai Djing opens in a converted home in Gretna

CBD for three years, will reopen in October in the former Marigny location of the New Orleans Cake Cafe at 2440 Chartres St., say owners Britten and David Carboni.

The cafe will serve house-baked goods including pies, cakes, muffins, quiches and scones, as well as bagels from Maple Street Patisserie.

The preliminary breakfast menu has breakfast sandwiches, shrimp and grits, a vegan rice bowl, a selection

BY B E T H D ’A D D O N O IT’S NOT HARD TO SPOT THAI DJING:

Like its menu of delectable traditional Thai dishes, its bright pink exterior stands in stark contrast to the rest of the drably mundane stretch of 5th Street in Gretna it calls home.

The brainchild of Jeerasak Boonlert and his wife, chef Suda Ounin, Thai Djing almost didn’t open. The couple had dreamed of opening a restaurant, and were well on their way building out their space when the pandemic hit.

“All contractors had to stop, so the project wasn’t finished,” Boonlert says.

“We were living like hobbits in March, everything shut down, very stressful.”

With the help of some PPP money and a lot of hard work, they opened their doors Aug. 20, offering a condensed menu suitable for dining in and takeout.

It was a difficult setback for the couple, whose lives had taken the long way around to this moment. Both originally hail from northern Thailand.

Boonlert arrived in New Orleans in 2008 as a practicing Buddhist monk on a mission to help build the Chua Bo De temple on the West Bank, near English Turn. Unlike the Catholic priesthood, monks serve a period of time and then can return to laymen’s status. He did that, after meeting his wife-to-be at the temple in 2011.

Meanwhile Ounin, a classically trained chef certified in traditional Thai cuisine, had transferred from working at a Marriott on the island of Similan to the Marriott kitchen on Canal Street in 2010. “I wanted to see America,” she says. The couple married in 2012. Boonlert, also an accomplished cook, worked in Thai restaurant kitchens around the area, including at Le Thai in Uptown, and the two decided to open their own place.

The couple developed the idea for the restaurant over several years.

They met Denise Ponce at the Gretna

farmer’s market in 2013 and the manager invited them to set up a stall.

They sold dishes like pad thai, Chiang Mai noodles and curried potato soup out of crock pots on a folding table. After two years, they had saved enough to buy a refurbished 1993 Chevy P30 and the Thai DJing food truck started rolling in August 2015, with regular stops in Luling, Abita Springs, Westwego, Gretna, Louis Armstrong Park and on Tulane Avenue near the hospitals.

But the idea always was to have their own brick-and-mortar restaurant. They’d noticed a cottage for sale on 5th Street on the way to the farmer’s market, and after it sat unsold for three years, it seemed fated to be theirs. Thanks to contacts at the market, they were introduced to the owner, who also owned a rental house next door. It worked out for them to live next door while renovating the residence into an airy 70-seat restaurant.

Although Boonlert had traveled to other American cities, he had no doubt about settling in New Orleans.

“There is a mix of people here, a lot of Vietnamese people and some Thai,” he says. “It feels more comfortable to us. We’re close to the Hong Kong Market and 15 minutes to downtown.”

Popular dishes include chicken wings stuffed with a savory blend of ground pork, glass noodles, fresh herbs and grated vegetables and her curried soups, which all earned

P H OTO B Y C H ER Y L G ER B ER

Chefs Suda Ounin and Jeerasak Boonlert opened Thai Djing on 5th St. in Gretna.

a Golden Ladle trophy at a Gretna Farmer’s Market competition.

Traditional pad thai is a crowd pleaser. The quick fried noodles are bright with the tang of tamarind and fish sauce. There also are curries and stir fries with choices of tofu, chicken, beef, shrimp or salmon. Ounin’s desserts include an addictive coconut ice cream. The bar serves traditional and tropical cocktails, along with wine and imported Thai beer.

Although the opening menu is condensed for takeout purposes, the chef looks forward to offering a tasting menu in the coming months.

She hopes to be able to show off her skills doing intricate carving with fruit and vegetable. The skill originally was taught to women in the Thai royal palace. Ounin likes to make artful presentations with banana leaves, fresh herbs and bouquets of colorful carved vegetable flowers.

With the restaurant open, their old food truck is furloughed for now, but the couple plans to get back on the road as soon as it makes sense.

“Our customers at the hospital miss us, I know,” Boonlert says. “So many of the them are crossing the river for our food. We are happy to see familiar faces.”

WHAT

of toasts with toppings such as avocado or whipped ricotta and more. The lunch menu features many salads, a rice bowl, a cheeseburger and an array of deli sandwiches.

There will be table and counter service. Under current pandemic restrictions, it can accommodate six tables inside, and there is outdoor seating as well.

The space is undergoing light renovations and inspections. The Carbonis hope to open in early October. Louise will serve breakfast and lunch from Wednesday through Sunday to start, Britten Carboni says.

They opened Louise at 935 Gravier St. in 2017. During the pandemic, they tried to switch to just delivery for a while, but they closed the restaurant on July 31.

Cake Cafe closed in June. Baker Steve Himelfarb originally opened the corner spot in 2007. Louise is taking over the lease, Britten Carboni says.

Visit louisenola.com for information. — WILL COVIELLO

New deli

CHEFS ALISON VEGA-KNOLL AND CHRIS WILSON will open a new

?

Thai Djing, 93 5th St., Gretna Facebook.com/thai.djing

P H OTO B Y I A N M C N U LT Y/ T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E | T H E N E W O R L E A N S A DVO C AT E

PHONE

Takeout: (504) 766-0681 Reservations: (504) 881-4212

WHEN

Lunch Tue.-Sun., dinner Tue.-Sat.

HOW

Dine-in and takeout

CHECK IT OUT

Warm, sophisticated Thai cuisine

gourmet market and deli called The Larder at 3005 Veterans Memorial Blvd. in Metairie in November.

Vega-Knoll is chef and co-founder PAGE 22

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EATDRINK

FORK CENTER

EAT+DRINK

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2020

PAGE 21

SCHOOL

OPEN HOUSE

CALENDAR RUNNING AGAIN IN THE OCTOBER 13TH ISSUE OF GAMBIT

A GAMBIT ADVERT

ISER DIRECTO RY

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Heart Academy of1 Sacred – Grade 12)

Grades: (Age 4521 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, LA 70115 (504) 891-1943 rg Website: ashrosary.o schedule a Call 504-269-1213 to private tour.

Arden Cahill Academy

Grades: (Infant-12) 3101 Wall Blvd.

Gretna, LA 70056 (504) 392-0902 academy.com Website: ardencahill 22, 2020 Open House: October for the most up to Check the website date information.

Audubon Charter School

Grades: (PK-8) School Uptown Campus, Lower (PK-3rd): 70118 428 Broadway, NOLA (504) 324-7100 Upper School (4-8th): 70115 1111 Milan St., NOLA (504) 324-7110 (PK4-4th): 4720 Audubon Gentilly LA 70122 Painters St.,New Orleans, (504) 309-9434 oncharter.com Website: www.audub

Franklin High School

International High School of NO Grades: (9-12) 727 Carondelet St., New Orleans, LA 70130 03 Phone: 504-613-57 la.org Website: www.ihsno

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Cabrini High School

Grades: (8-12) 1400 Moss Street New Orleans, LA 70119 (504) 482-1193 .com Website: cabrinihigh 2, 2020 Open House: November 3:30-6:30 pm In person and virtual options available

de Ecole Bilingue la Nouvelle-Orleans

Grades: (PK-8) St. 821 General Pershing New Orleans, LA 70115 (504) 896-4500 Website: ebnola.com ne. Check Open House: Virtual/Onli the website for updates.

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School – The NET Charter High Central City Haley Blvd.

1614 Oretha Castle New Orleans, LA 70113 (504) 267-9060 .org Website: eqaschools

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Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Grades: (PK4-11) Main Campus (1st-7th) Metairie, La 70003 2504 Maine Ave., (504) 233-4720 Vintage Campus (10-12th)La 70065 201 Vintage Dr., Kenner, (504) 267-9470 (K) Rivertown Campus Kenner, La 70062 415 Williams Blvd., (504) 267-9467 (K, 8-9th) Jefferson Campus 2012 Jefferson Hwy, Jefferson, LA 70121 overyhsf.org Website: https://disc Grades: (Pre K-12) 2343 Prytania St. New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 561-1224 tour online, or Open House: Virtual video chat. call to schedule a (504) 561-1224 hool.com Website: mcgeheesc

Morris Jeff Communi

4123 Woodland Ave. New Orleans, LA 70131 (504) 394-7744 u Website: go.uhcno.ed and virtual Open House: In-person visits available

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Grades: (PK-11) Lopez Campus (PK-8th) Orleans, LA 70119 211 S. Lopez, New (504) 373-6258 Clark Campus (9-11th) 1301 N. Derbigny, New Orleans, LA 70116 (504) 355-0210 sjeffschool.org Email: info@morri .morrisjeffWebsite: https://www school.org

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Archbishop Rummel High School

Grades: (8-12) 1901 Severn Ave. Metairie, LA 70001 (504) 834-5592 ers.com Website: rummelraid elrairders.com Email: info@rumm

St. Edward School the Confessor

Benjamin Franklin High School

University of Holy Cross College

Grades: (PK1-7) Ave. 4921 West Metairie Metairie, LA 70001 (504) 888-6353 19, 2020, Open House: November p.m.

9:00 a.m. and 7:00 ol.com Website: steddyscho

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OPE N HO USE SCE Arden Cahill Academy 2020

The NET Charter High School – Gentilly

Grades: (PK-8) 2401 Humanity St., New Orleans, LA 70122 (504) 324-7076 nenola.org Website: www.bethu

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ORLEANS AREA

2405 Jackson Ave. New Orleans, LA 70113 (504) 931-7929 .org Website: eqaschools

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ty Day School Jewish Communi – Grade 6)

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3649 Laurel Street New Orleans, LA 70115 (504) 267-3882 .org Website: eqaschools

Grades: (K-8) Dixon Campus (K-2nd): New Orleans, 4040 Eagle Street, LA 70118 (504) 934-4875 Uptown Campus (3rd-8th): 1400 Camp St., New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 654-1088 (K-5th): Westbank Campus 502 Olivier St., New Orleans, LA 70114 (504) 274-4571 u.org Website: www.isl-ed

Grades: (9-12) Dr., 2001 Leon C. Simon New Orleans, LA 70122 (504) 286-2600 .org Website: www.bfhsla .org Email: info@bfhsla Virtual Open House: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020 5:30-6:30 pm

Einstein Charter Schools

of

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The Bridge Middle School

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Grades: (PK-8) 990 Harrison Ave, New Orleans, LA 70124 (504) 324-7160 school.com Website: www.hynes

Grades: (PK-8) – 5th): Lower School (PK 421 Burdette St. (temporary location) New Orleans, LA 70118 8th): Upper School (6 – 401 Nashville Ave. New Orleans, LA 70115 (504) 304-3932 en.org Website: www.babyb

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Hynes Charter Schools

Benjamin Franklin Elementary School

Benjamin

TARY, HIGH SCHOOL

at Sarah T. Einstein Charter Middle Reed (6-8th) Einstein Charter High at Sarah T. Reed (9-12th) 5316 Michoud Blvd New Orleans, LA 70129 Middle: (504) 503-0470 High: (504) 503-0749 Einstein Charter School at Sherwood Forest (PK-5th) Dr., 4801 Maid Marion New Orleans, LA 70128 (504) 503-0110 incharter.org Website: www.einste

ri School

20 Months-Kindergarten 7508 Burthe St. New Orleans, LA 70118 (504) 865-1659 Website: umsnola.org

University View Academy Charter School)

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Grades: (K3-8) 5708 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA 70003 (504) 733-5087 et Website: vcagators.n tors.net Email: info@vcaga Tours available Open House: Private October 26 – 30, 2020.

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Grades: (K-9) (8-9th) Salem Lutheran Campus LA 70053 418 4th St., Gretna, (2nd-7th) Kate Middleton CampusLA 70053 1407 Virgil St., Gretna, (504) 304-6332 n Campus (K-1st) Harvey Kindergarte LA 70058 3400 6th St., Harvey, w.yacharter Website: https://ww school.org

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10, 2020

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at 12 pm.

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on open For additional informationprivate and houses, virtual tours check the schools appointments, please Information printed websites for updates. of press time. here was accurate as

FREE LISTING FOR ADVERTISERS!

of Station 6, a seafood restaurant in Bucktown. Wilson spent 28 years in different positions at Emeril Lagasse’s company, from chef to culinary director, a tenure that ended during the pandemic.

Wilson calls the concept a “kicked-up market,” with graband-go dishes, family-sized meals for home, and tables for a sandwich, a salad and a glass of wine on the spot.

The market will open in a standalone building along a busy stretch near Causeway Boulevard that previously housed a New Orleans Coffee & Beignet Co. spot.

Wilson says one key of the project is the way it works in elements that have become pivotal during the pandemic, like family-sized meals to go and curbside pickup. There will be a drive-through window.

The Larder will have a case of gelato from Piccola Gelateria and a coffee station with brews from local roaster French Truck Coffee. Deli cases will stock cold salads — noodle salad, Mexican corn salad, chicken salad — and prepared platters of everything from crab cakes to escargot. There also will be charcuterie, cheeses, soups, dips and other dishes.

The Larder will sell beer and wine.

A grassy stretch out front will have picnic tables.

The Larder will also be home base for Cajun Caviar, a brand that spans the market’s family ties.

In the 1990s, Cajun Caviar introduced Louisiana caviar, made with roe from locally plentiful bowfin fish.

In 2016, that brand was bought by a partnership of Vega-Knoll, Amy Wilson, who is married to Chris Wilson, and Alden Lagasse, who is married to Emeril Lagasse.

Vega-Knoll made her name at Vega Tapas Cafe, which she opened in Old Metairie in 1996 and sold in 2004. She and her husband Drew Knoll, also a chef, moved to Antigua, working at resort restaurants there before opening their own restaurant, which was also called the Larder.

They moved home to New Orleans as their family grew and opened Station 6 in 2016. — IAN McNULTY/ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

Virtual spirits

AD SPACE: OCTOBER 2 ISSUE DATE: OCTOBER 13 To advertise call Sandy Stein at 504.483.3150 or sstein@gambitweekly.com

IN NORMAL YEARS, Tales of the

Cocktail, the New Orleans-based conference for the bar and spirits industry, usually takes place in July.

Cocktail pros and spirit writers from around the world come to town for seminars, professional development, brand-sponsored parties and more.

This year’s Tales of the Cocktail was disrupted by the coronavirus crisis and is going the virtual route.

It runs this week as a series of online presentations. The conference, themed “Catalyst” this year, runs Sept. 21-24.

This year, the events are free, and people can register online at talesofthecocktail.org for access to schedules and sessions. The event includes a mix of live and pre-recorded streams.

— IAN McNULTY/THE TIMESPICAYUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

Full course load

COOLINARY, THE ANNUAL CITYWIDE SUMMER RESTAURANT PROMOTION ,

was expanded to six weeks this year, and some restaurants are continuing to offer their prix fixe multi-course menus, with operators reporting the promotion has kept customers coming and staff working.

Participating restaurants serve three-course dinner menus for $39 or less, and many serve two-course lunches for $20 or less. This year, some extend the offer to takeout meals and family meal packages.

Some restaurants are continuing the deals through the end of September and a few go into November.

Coolinary and New Orleans Restaurant Week were conceived to give local restaurants a boost through the late summer stretch, when tourism and convention business are typically slow.

In the French Quarter, the Pelican Club is keeping its Coolinary prix fixe deals through Nov. 30.

“When we first opened, we were losing money but just keeping a few people working,” says Pelican Club chef/owner Richard Hughes. “Then Coolinary started and we’ve been selling out our tables. So we figure we will keep doing it for as long as we can.”

At Muriel’s Jackson Square, Coolinary has helped maintain a bustle in dining rooms revamped for social distancing, and that’s meant more shifts for staff. It will keep the menus in place through Sept. 30.

In a normal year, most participating restaurants are in the French Quarter and downtown, but this year’s list covers the city. Restaurants include Atchafalaya (through Oct. 31), Bywater American Bistro (through Sept. 30), The Bower (through Oct. 31), Cafe Degas (through Sept. 30), Del Fuego Taqueria (through Sept.

30) and Sala (through Sept. 30).

Riccobono’s Peppermill in Metairie is one of the few restaurants outside the city to take up Coolinary.

“It always brings us new customers, people from the city come in,” says owner Cami Chairella.

New Orleans Restaurant Week rolls in Oct. 5-11, with restaurants serving three-course dinner or brunch menus for $45 or less and two-course lunch menus for $25 or less. The list of Restaurant Week participants is still taking shape, but you can get an early look at restaurantweekneworleans.com. — IAN McNULTY/ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

EAT+DRINK

23

Dan Robert

NOW HIRING!

Meat expert

Direct Support Professionals

DAN ROBERT HAS SPENT HIS LIFE working with meat. His

great-grandfather got into the meat processing business, and his family owned meat processing plants in Baton rouge and Thibodaux while he grew up. Now they farm sugarcane and have some cattle. robert studied meat science at LSU and the University of Missouri and spent 25 years working for the USDA in meat inspection, grading and certification. He started the Meat Lab at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, where he teaches courses on meat processing, including one on wild game processing that will take place Wednesday, Sept. 23.

At the lab, he also makes sausages and other meat products, which will be offered at a market he’s starting at the museum on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Gambit: How big is the meat industry in Louisiana?

DAN ROBERT: The cattle industry is pretty heavy in Louisiana. It’s a cow cash state. They sell the calves when they’re 500 pounds, that’s when they take them to the stockyards. As far as the meat industry, it’s nothing like it used to be. At one time, we had over 150 state and federally inspected meat processing plants. Now, numbers are way down. We have big boys, like Manda (Fine Meats) and Savoie’s (Sausage and Food products) and Thompson packers, but as far as smaller guys, our numbers are way down. There are smaller slaughterhouses — eunice Superette; Kirk Martin in Lafayette; in Kentwood, you have Cutrer Slaughterhouse.

About 20 years ago, a lot of these plants started going out, for a lot of different reasons.

Consumers today demand quality. It’s almost at the point that they don’t care what they have to pay for it. That’s in the beef and pork sectors. We are seeing a lot of niche markets, like grass-fed beef products — for health aspects — and bacon. They’re bacon crazy right now. It’s all about quality and flavors.

Gambit: What are you doing with Meat Lab? R: About twice a year I will do a basic sausage class or a basic meat science class. That’s what I prefer

• $10-$11/hr, Plus BONUS OPPORTUNITY! people to take (to start). That class is just basics: Why do we use nitrates or nitrites. What is a sausage stuffer?

What sausage casings are available?

Then I get into specialized classes.

The biggest class of the year is the boudin class. The second largest class is hog’s head cheese. If you get down to it, hog’s head cheese is more popular in New Orleans than boudin is. Boudin is popular here, but for the most part it was never made here. That’s a southwest Louisiana thing — you have to get around Lafayette and Breaux Bridge.

When you layer flavors, then you’ve got something. If you eat a piece of sausage and the cayenne blows you away or the garlic blows you away, that’s garbage; that’s not what we’re aiming at. You can’t take a handful of cayenne pepper and call something Cajun. That’s not it.

You’ve ruined it. It’s the slow heat.

Never let one spice overpower another. When you taste my andouille, I want you to taste the pork first. Then the smoke and seasoning and slow heat in the back of your throat.

(At the meat lab) I make andouille weekly. I make 300 different products, and I know how to make about 600. The first Saturday in October, we’re starting Meat Lab sales every other Saturday. Some things I will have all of the time — smoked sausage, andouille, tasso, hog’s head cheese and boudin. But there are going to be a lot of other items depending on what I am doing in the Meat Lab. Like liverwurst. Two things I pride myself on are my hot dogs and my liverwurst. I can nail you on them. But you may have backwurst or mettwurst or blutwurst or landjager. It’s whatever I am doing back there and to give people an idea of a variety of flavors, like German products and polish products.

p H OTO p r OV I D e D B Y S O FA B

Gambit: What will you teach in the wild game class?

R: I’ll teach how to do home butchering, so you don’t have to take (deer) to a processor.

This is the way I was raised: If an animal has to give its life to sustain our life, we need to give that animal the utmost respect. That’s utilizing every bit of the carcass that’s possible. We’re a wasteful society.

We throw away a lot of the food we raise. That’s sad.

In this class, I show different options you can do with your deer meat. I do a venison bacon. It’s surprising how good that is. I do venison gyros. We do be-bops, an extruded product to put on the grill. And we do Cajun burritos — you use ground meat.

With a deer carcass, you don’t have a lot, like a beef carcass. You have your loin, or hunters call it backstraps. That is cooked fresh, grilled or however you want to cook it. Then you have your legs, which you can make roasts, cube steaks, or get stew meat out of it.

You can get some roasts out of the neck, depending on size of deer and how much damage was done.

But for the rest of the carcass, here in Louisiana, people like to bone it out and grind it. They love their sausage products. They love smoked sausage, andouille, or just ground venison. This class is going to show you a lot of different options you can do with ground product. And we have a spokesman from Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to talk about new regulations and numbers – wild deer and hog numbers.

— WILL COVIeLLO

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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.

B — breakfast L — lunch D — dinner late — late-night 24H — 24 hours

$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ — $11 to $20 $$$ — $20 or more

Notice: Due to COVID-19, dining at restaurants is impacted, with limited indoor seating and other recommended restrictions. All information is subject to change.

Contact the restaurant to confirm service options.

BYWATER Luna Libre — 3600 St. Claude Ave., (504) 237-1284 — Roasted chicken enchiladas verde are filled with cheese, hand-rolled and served with special house-made cheese dip. The menu combines Tex-Mex and dishes from Louisiana and Arkansas.

Curbside pickup is available. B Sat-Sun, D Wed-Sun. $

CBD 14 Parishes — Pythian Market, 234 Loyola Ave.; www.14parishes.com — Jamaican-style jerk chicken is served with two sides such as plantains, jasmine rice, cabbage or rice and peas. Delivery available.

Curbside pickup and delivery available. L and D daily. $$ Eat Well — Pythian Market, 234 Loyola Ave.; www.pythianmarket.com — Phoritto is a spinach tortilla filled with brisket, chicken or tofu, plus bean sprouts, jalapenos, onions and basil and is served with a cup of broth. Curbside pickup and delivery available. L and D daily. $ Kais — Pythian Market, 234 Loyola Ave., (941) 481-9599; www.pythianmarket. com — A Sunshine bowl includes salmon, corn, mango, green onions, edamame, pickled ginger, ponzu spicy mayonnaise, cilantro, masago and nori strips. Curbside pickup and delivery available. L and D daily. $$ La Cocinita — Pythian Market, 234 Loyola Ave., (504) 309-5344; www.lacochinitafoodtruck.com — La Llanera is an arepa stuffed with carne asada, guasacasa, pico de gallo, grilled queso fresco and salsa verde. Curbside pickup and delivery available. B, L and D daily. $ Meribo Pizza — Pythian Market, 234 Loyola Ave., (504) 481-9599; www. meribopizza.com — A Meridionale pie is topped with pulled pork, chilies, ricotta, mozzarella, collard greens and red sauce.

Delivery available. L and D daily. $$ Willie Mae’s — Pythian Market, 234 Loyola Ave.; www.williemaesnola.com — The Creole soul food restaurant is known for its fried chicken, red beans and more.

Takeout available. L and D Mon-Sat. $

CARROLLTON/UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOODS Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; www.mikimotosushi. com — Sushi choices include new and old favorites, both raw and cooked. The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki,

avocado and snow crab. Takeout and delivery available. L Sun-Fri, D daily. $$ Pyramids Cafe — 3151 Calhoun St., (504) 861-9602 — Diners will find Mediterranean cuisine featuring such favorites as shawarma prepared on a rotisserie.

Takeout and delivery available. L, D daily. $$

CITYWIDE Breaux Mart — Citywide; www. breauxmart.com — The deli counter’s changing specials include dishes such as baked catfish and red beans and rice. L, D daily. $

FAUBOURG MARIGNY Kebab — 2315 St. Claude Ave., (504) 383-4328; www.kebabnola.com — The sandwich shop offers doner kebabs and Belgian fries. A falafel sandwich comes with pickled cucumbers, arugula, spinach, red onions, beets, hummus and Spanish garlic sauce. No reservations. Takeout and delivery available Thu-Mon. $

HARAHAN/JEFFERSON/ RIVER RIDGE The Rivershack Tavern — 3449 River Road, (504) 834-4938; www.therivershacktavern.com — This bar and music spot offers a menu of burgers, sandwiches and changing lunch specials.

Curbside pickup and delivery available.

L, D daily. $ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 7333803; www.theospizza.com — There is a wide variety of specialty pies and diners can build their own from the selection of more than two-dozen toppings. The menu also includes salads and sandwiches. Curbside pickup and delivery available. L, D Tue-Sat. $

LAKEVIEW Lakeview Brew Coffee Cafe — 5606 Canal Blvd., (504) 483-7001; www.lakeviewbrew.com — This casual cafe offers gourmet coffees and a wide range of pastries and desserts baked in house, plus a menu of specialty sandwiches and salads. For breakfast, an omelet is filled with marinated mushrooms, bacon, spinach and goat cheese. Tuna salad or chicken salad avocado melts are topped with melted Monterey Jack and

shredded Parmesan cheeses. Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery are available. B, L daily. $ Lotus Bistro — 203 W. Harrison Ave., (504) 533-9879; www.lotusbistronola. com — A Mineko Iwasaki roll includes spicy snow crab, tuna, avocado and cucumber topped with salmon, chef’s sauce, masago, green onion and tempura crunchy flakes. The menu also includes bento box lunches, teriyaki dishes, fried rice and more. Takeout and delivery are available. L and D TueSun. $$

METAIRIE Andrea’s Restaurant — 3100 N. 19th St., Metairie, (504) 834-8583; www.andreasrestaurant.com — Chef/owner Andrea Apuzzo’s specialties include speckled trout royale which is topped with lump crabmeat and lemon-cream sauce.

Capelli D’Andrea combines house-made angel hair pasta and smoked salmon in light cream sauce. Curbside pickup and delivery are available. L, D daily, brunch Sun. $$$ Kosher Cajun New York Deli & Grocery — 3519 Severn Ave., Metairie, (504) 8882010; www.koshercajun.com — This New York-style deli specializes in sandwiches, including corned beef and pastrami that come from the Bronx. Takeout available.

L Sun-Thu, D Mon-Thu. $ Mark Twain’s Pizza Landing — 2035 Metairie Road, Metairie, (504) 832-8032; www.marktwainpizza.com — Mark Twain’s serves salads, po-boys and pies like the Italian pizza with salami, tomato, artichoke, sausage and basil. Takeout and curbside pickup are available. L TueSat, D Tue-Sun. $ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; www.theospizza.com — See Harahan/Jefferson section for restaurant description. $

MID-CITY/TREME Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; www.angelobrocatoicecream.com — This sweet shop serves its own gelato, spumoni, Italian ice, cannolis, fig cookies and other treats. Window and curbside pickup. L, D Tue-Sun. $ Brown Butter Southern Kitchen & Bar — 231 N. Carrollton Ave., Suite C, (504) 6093871; www.brownbutterrestaurant.com — Sample items have included smoked brisket served with smoked apple barbecue sauce, Alabama white barbecue sauce, smoked heirloom beans and vinegar slaw. A Brunch burger features a brisket and short rib patty topped with bacon, brie, a fried egg, onion jam and arugula on a brioche bun. Dine-in, takeout, curbside pickup and delivery are available. $$ Doson Noodle House — 135 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 309-7283; www.facebook. com/dosonnoodlehouse — Bun thit is Vietnamese-style grilled pork with cucumber, onions, lettuce, mint, cilantro and fish sauce served over rice or vermicelli. The menu includes rice and vermicelli dishes, pho, spring rolls and more.

Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery are available. $$ Five Happiness — 3511 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 482-3935; www.fivehappiness.com — The large menu at Five Happiness offers a range of dishes from wonton soup to sizzling seafood combinations served on a hot plate to sizzling Go-Ba to lo mein dishes. Takeout and delivery available. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; www.katiesinmidcity.com — Favorites at this Mid-City restaurant include the Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, grilled ham, cheese and

pickles pressed on buttered bread. The Boudreaux pizza is topped with cochon de lait, spinach, red onions, roasted garlic, scallions and olive oil. There also are salads, burgers and Italian dishes.

Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery available. L and D Tue-Sun. $$ Nonna Mia — 3125 Esplanade Ave., (504) 948-1717; www.nonnamianola.com — A Divine Portobello appetizer includes chicken breast, spinach in creamy red pepper sauce and crostini. The menu also includes salads, sandwiches, pasta, pizza and more. Curbside pickup and delivery are available. Service daily. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; www.theospizza.com — See Harahan/Jefferson section for restaurant description. $ Willie Mae’s Scotch House — 2401 St. Ann St., (504) 822-9503; www.williemaesnola.com — This neighborhood restaurant is known for its wet-battered fried chicken. Green beans come with rice and gravy. There’s bread pudding for dessert. No reservations. L Mon-Fri. $$

NORTHSHORE Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; www.theospizza.com — See Harahan/ Jefferson section for restaurant description. $

UPTOWN Joey K’s — 3001 Magazine St., (504) 891-0997; www.joeyksrestaurant.com — This casual eatery serves fried seafood platters, salads, sandwiches and Creole favorites such as red beans and rice.

Sauteed trout Tchoupitoulas is topped with shrimp and crabmeat and served with vegetables and potatoes. Takeout and delivery available. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; www. theospizza.com — See Harahan/Jefferson section for restaurant description. $

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT Carmo — 527 Julia St., (504) 875-4132; www.cafecarmo.com — Carmo salad includes smoked ham, avocado, pineapple, almonds, cashews, raisins, cucumber, green pepper, rice, lettuce, cilantro and citrus mango vinaigrette. The menu includes dishes inspired by many tropical cuisines. Takeout and delivery are available. Mon-Sat. $$ Provisions Grab-n-Go Marketplace — Higgins Hotel, 500 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; www.higgingshotelnola. com — The coffeeshop serves salads, sandwiches, pastries and more. Takeout available. Service daily. $

WEST BANK Mosca’s — 4137 Hwy. 90 W., Westwego, (504) 436-8950; www.moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery has changed little since opening in 1946.

Popular dishes include shrimp Mosca, chicken a la grande and baked oysters Mosca, made with breadcrumps and Italian seasonings. Curbside pickup available. D Wed-Sat. Cash only. $$$ Specialty Italian Bistro — 2330 Belle Chasse Hwy., Gretna, (504) 391-1090; www.specialtyitalianbistro.com — The menu combines Old World Italian favorites and pizza. Chicken piccata is a paneed chicken breast topped with lemon-caper piccata sauce served with angel hair pasta, salad and garlic cheese bread. Takeout and delivery available.

Service daily. $$

MUSIC

BY KEITH SPERA SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS RINGMASTER Jimbo Mathus

had hoped to join the rest of the band in New Orleans this year. Over the decades, he’s made a dozen or so albums in the city, including the Zippers’ 1996 million-selling breakthrough, “Hot,” and the band’s new “Lost Songs of Doc Souchon.” Mathus and his wife had worked out a sublet near City Park, but the pandemic and shutdown of the local music clubs scuttled those plans.

So instead, Mathus has been in Taylor, Mississippi, a tiny hamlet near Oxford P H OTO PR OV I D E D B Y J U L I E A R K E N S TO N E consisting of little more Jimbo Mathus leads the Squirrel Nut Zippers, than a post office and as well as several other projects. “catfish house.” He serves as the property manager for the of Doc Souchon,” which comes out cluster of cabins where he lives.

Sept. 25, at Ani DiFranco’s studio “I’m sitting here waiting for the in Bywater. Mike Napolitano, the world to move,” he says. “The world band’s longtime recording engineer, does what it does. I haven’t been oversaw the sessions. stressing about it.”

The 10 tracks range from original The Squirrel Nut Zippers came compositions to such chestnuts together in North Carolina but might as “Animule Ball,” a song recorded as well have taken root on Frenchmen

by Jelly Roll Morton in 1938, and “I Street. They weave together elements Talk to My Haircut,” by Alabamaof traditional jazz and stranger strands based counter-culture performance of Southern Gothic Americana. artist Rev. Fred Lane. They revisit The Zippers, Mathus says, have “Summer Longings,” by famed always been drawn to “the dark, 1800s songwriter Stephen Foster, hidden undercurrents of the history considered by Mathus to be the of music, the invisible stuff you can’t Squirrel Nut Zippers’ “spirit animal.” find on YouTube. We put our spin on They also revive “Happy Days Are it. We’re still a punk band at heart.”

Here Again,” a Depression-era song The band recorded “Hot” at Daniel used in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presiLanois’ fabled Kingsway Studio in dential campaign. the French Quarter. Local cornetist “‘Happy days are here again?’ ” Duke Heitger supplied the solo on Mathus says. “They’re not at all. It’s a the album’s hit single, “Hell.” perfect Zippers parody, tongue-inAfter the original incarnation of cheek, dark humor.” the Zippers dissolved, Mathus rebuilt The album is one of several current the band four years ago with New Mathus projects. A double album Orleans musicians, including fiddle he recorded in 2008 with blues player and arranger Dr. Sick. harmonica man Charlie Musselwhite, With the new “Lost Songs of Doc guitarist Alvin Youngblood Hart, Souchon,” he found another obscure guitarist Luther and drummer Cody corner of New Orleans lore to explore.

Dickinson of the North Mississippi As he tells the story, he was recordAllstars, and the brothers’ father, ing in Coldwater, Mississippi, years Jim Dickinson, under the banner of ago with the late Jim Dickinson. the New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Dickinson suggested Mathus check Rockers, was finally released in July out the story of Edmond “Doc” via Stony Plain Music.

Souchon, a medical doctor and jazz Last year, Mathus recorded a duet guitarist from New Orleans who docalbum with Andrew Bird, a Zippers umented and preserved early jazz collaborator going back to the 1990s, songs. In the 1960s, Souchon put and it should be out in January. out an obscure album called “Doc Mathus also has been releasing Souchon and his Milneburg Boys.” solo singles via his Bandcamp page, A few months later, Mathus spotand he’s archived his entire solo ted the album in a French Quarter output on the page. junk shop. “They maybe made 100 “I’ve been doing it long enough — I copies of this thing, and there it is.” should at least be able to make me He bought it and was duly inspired. happy,” Mathus says. “Hopefully, The Zippers recorded “Lost Songs other people too.”

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Being “adopted” has ignited my gratitude for being a New Orleanian and working in a city that cares so much about small businesses.

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Thank you to Gambit for helping businesses like us show our presence and dedication to our community during these unprecedented times. A huge thank you to our friends who touched our hearts by generously “adopting” us! And thank you especially to our clients who have trusted us with caring for their cats and dogs through it all!

Emily Zeller Lemann, DVM Maple Small Animal Clinic SHARE YOUR GAMBIT STORY. EMAIL VIP@GAMBITWEEKLY.COM AND TELL US HOW WE ARE DOING.

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We opened our doors in February, and getting the word out about our new company has been crucial to our survival.

Gambit’s “Adopt a Small Business” initiative has been invaluable. We are so grateful to the Gambit for their support of small businesses like ours, our wonderful customers who “adopted” our business, and the Gambit readers who #drinklocal!

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IN “KAJILLIONAIRE,” THERESA, ROBERT AND OLD DOLIO execute

P H OTO B Y M AT T K E N N E DY/ F O C U S F E AT U RE S

some pathetic scams. One of their regular attempts to rob post office boxes results in a necktie of questionable value and a coupon they hope to redeem for cash.

They’re grifters through and through in director Miranda July’s offbeat take on a heist movie. She dials down the crimes to petty theft and instead of charismatic thieves, she focuses on a nuclear family of nervous loners who scrape by in Los Angeles.

The family lives in an office space rented from a company called Bubbles, Inc., and on a daily basis, mystery foam spills over from the factory side and oozes down their wall. Still, they can barely manage the $500 monthly rent on the place and try to avoid the factory manager who is their landlord. They routinely sneak along a low section of fence by the plant to avoid detection, and it looks like a rip-off of the Monty Python sketch about the Ministry of Silly Walks. Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood) bends so far backwards, she looks like she’s trying to limbo under an entire banquet table.

“Kajillionaire” is a deadpan and slightly absurd comedy, and some of its allure comes from unexplained weirdness and anxious tension. The trio are a family, but they have consciously opted out of all sorts of normalcy, even providing emotional support to a child.

Debra Winger and Richard Jenkins are great as the eccentric but emotionally unavailable parents.

They barely treat Old Dolio as their daughter. Instead, she’s more an apprentice and partner in an array of scams. They describe their relationship as everyone being entitled to a third of the take.

It’s never explained why they live the way they do. Maybe they’re

cheap. Maybe the parents are aging malcontents who chose to rebel against traditional family life. At times they are paranoid. But at the end of the day, their efforts to avoid jobs seem to generate a lot of work. They have devoted an inordinate amount of time to figuring out where security cameras are located, and they scrutinize loopholes in return policies.

The rewards, however, are very low.

It’s almost a satire of decline, as the trio’s joy at pulling off a scam is blind to the way they’re actually settling for peanuts and falling behind.

Their strange relationship is rocked when Old Dolio accepts money to attend a mandated parenting class for a pregnant woman who doesn’t want to go herself. Old Dolio is emotionally shutdown and frequently speaks in a grumble or whisper, trudging along after her parents as they sniff out the next tiny treasure.

The image of a baby crawling to its mother awakens her curiosity.

Melanie (Gina Rodriguez) enters the picture as a potential victim, but that doesn’t go according to plan. She’s vivacious and carefree and tries to help Old Dolio come out of her shell, which allows Rodriguez to steal the show when she’s onscreen. On the other hand, it doesn’t make much sense why Melanie gets involved with a nervous bunch of thieves.

July sticks to her scheme and isn’t just looking for easy laughs. That makes it hard not to wonder about the psychoses involved. The parents’ determination and self-satisfaction are darkly funny though not hilarious. Old Dolio’s awakening is a relief, but it leaves one wondering what her parents have stolen from her.

“Kajillionaire” opens Sept. 25 at The Broad Theater.

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ANSWERS FOR LAST ISSUEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PUZZLE: P 4

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ACROSS 1 Tea and ale 6 Brunch menu items 13 Difficult to pin down 20 Newswoman Shriver 21 Ancient Italian region 22 Like adoptees and swindle victims 23 Start of a riddle 25 French scholar Peter 26 Buddy 27 Sly-fox link 28 Passengerscreening org.

29 Shallowest Great Lake 30 Crocheted coverlet

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > S E P T E M B E R 2 2 - 2 8 > 2 0 2 0

HISTORIC 7TH WARD

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Joel Gott Cabernet 815 California 750ml

11.67

Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon California 750ml

10.27

Meiomi Pinot Noir California 750ml

16.47

Mirassou Pinot Noir California 750ml

6.37

Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay California 750ml

9.87

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut France 750ml

45.97

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29.99

Absolut 1.75L

26.09

17.49

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Bacardi Superior 1.75L

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Jack Daniel’s Black 1.75L

35.49

River Marketplace 4407 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Lafayette, LA 70508 Now Open!

Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-10pm Sunday 9am-9pm 337-232-6607

Jameson Irish Whiskey 1.75L

39.49

Sazerac Rye 6 Yr Old Whiskey 750ml

17.99

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2020_0923GO_TAB_NOL_ID4528

Tito’s Handmade Vodka 1.75L