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JANUARY 4 — 11, 2022 VOLUME 43 || NUMBER 1

CONTENTS

NEWS Opening Gambit ...............................7 Commentary.....................................8 Clancy DuBos....................................9 Blake Pontchartrain.....................10

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Arts & Entertainment ....................5 Eat + Drink....................................... 17 Music Listings.................................21

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(504) 483-3105// response@ gambitweekly.com Editor | JOHN STANTON Political Editor | CLANCY DUBOS Arts & Entertainment Editor | WILL COVIELLO

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Mask up

Joan of Arc Parade

Fan Expo New Orleans brings cosplay, celebrities, comics to Convention Center

by Jake Clapp

PHILIP ODANGO MADE HIS FIRST COSPLAY in 2005 out of garbage

bags, pizza boxes and duct tape. He loves Tim Burton’s movies, and so grabbed a disheveled wig and took a crack at dressing as Edward Scissorhands. Excited about what he had made, Odango drove over to a strip mall photo studio to take a few pictures in character. Over the more than 15 years since, Odango’s cosplay creations have become a lot more sophisticated — a scroll through his Instagram will show him in character as Dr. Strange, Geralt from “The Witcher,” the demigod Maui and Anne Rice’s Lestat. He’s also turned his work into a business, Canvas Cosplay, partnering with brands and traveling internationally for fan conventions, where he talks about the economics of cosplay as well as creating diverse and inclusive spaces in the industry. Still, he keeps a kit with gloves, scissors and a box cutter in his car in case he runs into some thrown-out items he can use in a new cosplay. “That’s kind of the fun of it — being resourceful and being creative, imaginative, and upcycling the materials,” Odango says over the phone from Virginia, where he lives. Odango will be a featured cosplayer at Fan Expo New Orleans, which takes place Friday, Jan. 7, through Sunday, Jan. 9, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The comics, sci-fi, anime and gaming fan convention was formerly called Wizard World. At Fan Expo, Odango will turn his table into a repair station, where other cosplayers can stop by to fix up their gear and get tips. He’ll also lead a workshop on the business of cosplay at 1 p.m. Saturday, and he’ll take part in a panel on inclusivity in the cosplay community at 3 p.m. Sunday. Other featured cosplayers at Fan Expo include Louisianans Plasauce, The Kawaii Astronomer, NoirFX and TheKillingDraik, among others. Costuming and cosplay have been a part of fan conventions for decades, but there’s been an explosion in professional cosplay over the last decade, with those creators themselves becoming a featured part of the events. “It’s really accelerated within, I want to say, the past three or four years,” Odango says. “When

THE KREWE OF JOAN OF ARC PARADES ON THE FRENCH HEROINE AND MARTYR’S BIRTHDAY, also the beginning

of the Carnival season in New Orleans. The procession includes a young Joan on horseback, various medieval-themed marching groups and more and circles the French Quarter, stopping at the statue of Joan of Arc and the St. Louis Cathedral. The parade begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, at Bienville and North Peters streets. Visit joanofarcparade.org for details.

GLBL WRMNG’s ‘Vol. 1’

GLBL WRMNG, THE COLLECTIVE OF NEW ORLEANS-BASED RAPPERS, producers

PROVIDED PHOTO BY KIRBY LIRIO PHOTOGR APHY

cosplayers start off as a hobby, back in the day you would have to go on forums or bulletin boards to see if someone took photos of you. Now, you have platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where it leveled the playing field for people being able to share their work. But it also made it a bit more competitive.” That competitiveness, Odango adds, has brought pros and cons to going into business as a cosplayer. It’s elevated the creativity and helped more people become seen, but it’s also created new forms of gatekeeping. There’s an impression that a creator has to have thousands of followers to land gig opportunities — or to even feel successful. “It becomes a double-edged sword,” Odango says. “As with any industry — and I use the word industry specifically because there’s a business and marketing side to cosplay — I think there needs to be a balance for people who just want to have fun and be with others who also enjoy their fandoms and not feel less than.” Along with racial and cultural inclusivity in cosplay, Odango often talks about the “economic discrimination that sometimes happens in cosplay. If you can’t afford the newest tools or expensive machines or expensive supplies, that doesn’t make you less than someone who happens to have hundreds of thousands of followers.”

Philip Odango as Dr. Strange; Odango will be a featured cosplayer at Fan Expo New Orleans. This year, Fan Expo New Orleans will feature actors Anthony Mackie — a New Orleanian is now Captain America! — William Shatner, Ming-Na Wen, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, Ron Perlman, Michael Rooker and more. Voice actors from “My Hero Academia,” “Cowboy Bebop,” “Spongebob Squarepants” and several video games also will be attending. Among the numerous featured comics artists are Alan Davis, Gerry Duggan and Kami Garcia. Those celebrities will have photo and autograph sessions, and there are many panels, Q&A sessions, workshops and seminars. A cosplay craftsmanship cup competition is scheduled for the weekend. And an artist alley will feature both local and national talent selling their creations. Single-day tickets are $37 for Friday, $57 for Saturday and $47 for Sunday, with discounts available for those under 17 years old. A 3-day pass is $89. Proof of COVID19 vaccination or a negative test is required for anyone age 5 and over. Masks are strongly recommended. For tickets, more information and the full schedule, go to fanexpohq. com/fanexponeworleans. To learn more about Philip Odango, check out canvascosplay.com and @philipodango on Instagram.

and others, had a big first year. The group released its debut album in February. In November, GLBL WRMNG performed as part of Fan Fest at Champions Square before the annual Bayou Classic game. On Saturday, Jan. 8, GLBL WRMNG will perform its debut album in full in a concert at The Parish at House of Blues. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16 at houseofblues.com.

Phunny Phorty Phellows

THE COSTUMED KREWE HERALDS THE BEGINNING OF CARNIVAL WITH A RIDE ON THE ST. CHARLES AVENUE STREETCAR LINE. The ride begins at the

Willow Street Car Barn at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, and the procession travels to Erato Street in the Lower Garden District and then returns to the Carrollton neighborhood. Visit phunnyphortyphellows. com for information.

Funky Uptown Krewe

MANNIE FRESH WILL PROVIDE THE MUSIC ABOARD THE STREETCAR RIDE

of the Funky Uptown Krewe on Thursday, Jan. 6. Krewe members will distribute handdecorated vinyl records, cups and koozies. The krewe’s streetcar leaves 1510 Carrollton Ave. at 7 p.m. Thursday.

LPO performs Coleridge-Taylor

THOMAS WILKINS, THE OMAHA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSIC DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR FOR THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL ORCHESTRA,

leads the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s suite from the ballet “Hiawatha.” The program also will feature works by Nkeiru Okoye, Courtney Bryan and Dave Anderson. A pre-concert lecture starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday, PAGE 21

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NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS

Wear your masks get your kids vaxxed and take your booster shot!

T H U M B S U P/ THUMBS DOWN

Louisiana has doubled two federally funded cash assistance programs that help families in need, after more than 20 years of stagnation. The programs, the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program and the Kinship Care Subsidy Program, are part of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, and both doubled their benefits on Jan. 1, bringing them closer to the national averages for similar programs.

THE NUMBER OF LIONS AT AUDUBON ZOO WHO RECENTLY TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

P H O T O B Y M A X B E C H E R E R / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

OzanamInn will use a $750,000

grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank to help pay for renovations at their new location on Poydras Street. Ozanam moved to the larger premises in early November after its original building on Camp Street was sold. The organization is renovating the new building and has added beds for women, a first for the 66-year-old organization.

PeterBowen, the city’s deputy

chief administrative officer, was arrested for DUI after crashing his truck into parked cars. Afterward, he told NOPD officers to call Chief Shaun Ferguson, said they’d “regret doing this” and threateningly warned he could bench press more than 400 pounds. Bowen has been suspended from his position without pay. Bowen is a former exec at, and current investor in, the short-term rental company Sonder. Mayor LaToya Cantrell hired him to oversee his friends in the STR industry.

THE COUNT

The lions, who were coughing and sneezing, are in quarantine while staff monitor the other three lions at the zoo. Officials said they are on the mend and were likely infected by an asymptomatic zookeeper. All employees are required to undergo vaccination. The zoo’s cats and other susceptible critters including otters are in Audubon’s second phase of receiving the Zoetis COVID-19, which is uniquely formulated for animals. Orangutans and gorillas also began vaccinations in October.

Kenner will soon be able to get its pew-pew-pew on using equipment like that used at Optimus in New Orleans East.

Laser Tag, Axe Throwing Coming To Kenner, Bruh LASER TAG OF METAIRIE IS MOVING

to Kenner. The city said Tuesday that the Franicevich family will spend $10 million for the purchase and conversion of the 3.5acre Furniture Mart site at Veterans Memorial Boulevard and Kansas Avenue into its new home. The new location will expand beyond just laser tag, adding 12 bowling lanes, axe throwing cages, arcade and virtual reality games and a restaurant with a bar, owner Davor Franicevich said in a news release. “It’s our investment into the community that has treated us well for the past 23 years,” Franicevich said. Construction is expected to begin in March and the new location will be open this summer. Axe throwing has become all the rage in upscale enclaves of Brooklyn as well as planned

community “town centers” through much of suburban America over the last decade. Although it’s popularity peaked in the mid-80s, there are a number of laser tag arenas in the New Orleans area, particularly on the West Bank, in the East and of course the North Shore. The new site will offer an additional 8,000 square feet of space compared to the old location at 8855 Veterans Blvd. in Metairie, which will be closed. Furniture Mart has stores in Gretna, New Orleans East, Houma and Lafayette and is expected to look for a new location on the east bank of Jefferson Parish, the news release said. — JOHN STANTON | CHAD CALDER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

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abject failures of state lawmakers and law enforcement to protect people from domestic violence. The rot starts, unsurprisingly, in Baton Rouge. According to the Louisiana Illuminator, in the last budget cycle the state spent $15.3 million on domestic violence programs — only 10% of which came from the state general fund. The rest came from federal grants and other funding sources, many of which come with significant restrictions on how the money can be spent. That is a woefully inadequate amount of money, given the size of the problem. In central Louisiana, for example, there are no shelters with beds dedicated to domestic violence survivors. Even in areas that have shelters, space can’t keep up with demand. On average since 2015, more than 2,600 domestic violence victims have been turned away from shelters every year — not because they didn’t qualify or failed to properly complete applications. Such rejections, which often mean the difference between life and death, occurred solely because there weren’t enough beds to house them. It’s not for lack of money. Louisiana notched several budget surpluses in recent years, and the federal government has pumped millions into the state during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the state spent millions on tourism marketing and millions more for Attorney General Jeff Landry to tilt at conspiracy windmills. If there’s money to fund Landry’s blatant play for anti-vaxxer votes in the 2023 election cycle, there’s enough to give domestic violence victims a safe place to sleep. It’s not just the powers that be in Baton Rouge that have failed us. As the Legislative Auditor’s report shows, despite having any number of legal tools which they can use to help protect victims and prevent future acts of violence, the state’s

P H O T O B Y T R AV I S S P R A D L I N G / T H E A D V O C AT E

Purple balloons signifying domestic violence awareness were set loose on Oct. 27 to remember the life of Shayla James. sheriffs are failing, too. Across the state, sheriffs have largely failed to implement a series of tough new anti-domestic violence laws. For example, a 2018 law requiring proof that sheriffs have served abusers with protective orders — which are critical in preventing future violence — has been unevenly enforced, if at all. Likewise, a number of sheriffs have consistently failed to enforce another 2018 law banning either party in a protective order from possessing a firearm. Studies show conclusively that domestic abuse escalates over time, and that taking away abusers’ firearms saves lives. In response, the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association — which last year flexed its political muscle to protect sheriffs’ marijuana-related asset forfeiture cash cow — said it sent a “note” to sheriffs who have ignored the firearm forfeiture law, asking them to comply. That’s cold comfort to the families of those shot down by their abusers even after a protective order was issued. Sheriffs and state lawmakers wield enormous power in Louisiana, and they enjoy untold perks that accompany their positions. If they can’t — or won’t — protect those in our society who are most vulnerable to abuse, perhaps it’s time for voters to replace them with leaders who are willing to do the number one job of all elected officials.

@clancygambit

Political stories abound in 2022 IF YOU THINK 2021 WAS WEIRD, brace yourself

for 2022. As we’ve seen so often in the past, it’s the things we can’t anticipate that truly make each year something to remember. Herewith, a look at events we know will make political headlines this/ next year. • Jason Williams’ Trial — Barely a year after taking office as New Orleans’ new district attorney, Williams will stand trial himself on criminal charges. He faces 11 federal income tax charges in a trial set to begin Jan. 24. The pandemic may push his trial date back, but soon enough the city’s top prosecutor will find himself seated at the defendant’s table. • The U.S. Senate Race — Democrat Luke Mixon, a decorated combat veteran making his first bid for public office, will take on Senator Soundbite (aka Republican incumbent John Neely Kennedy) in what promises to be a lively contest next fall. • Redistricting — As happens every 10 years, most of our elected leaders once again will get to choose their voters. State lawmakers, local council members and school board members will draw most of the district lines, not only for themselves but (in lawmakers’ case, at least) also for Louisiana’s congressional delegation, the Public Service Commission and the state Supreme Court. • The New Council and the Returning Mayor — Second-term mayors inevitably face restless, independent City Councils. Termlimited Mayor LaToya Cantrell has no returning allies on the incoming council, but there’s lots of room for agreement on major issues facing the city. It will be a test of leadership — and flexibility — for Teedy as well as council members who aspire to be mayor themselves. • Runup to the 2023 Governor’s Race — Most of the jockeying will occur among Republicans who want to succeed John Bel Edwards. Attorney General Jeff Landry has already staked out

Happy New Year! We a p p r e c i a t e y o u r f r i e n d s h i p a n d s u p p o r t t h r o u g h t h i s m e m o r a b l e y e a r. To y o u a n d y o u r s a l l g o o d w i s h e s of health & happiness f o r t h e n e w y e a r.

PHOTO BY MA X BECHERER / THE T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

Entergy New Orleans CEO Deanna Rodriguez. his claim to the far-right, wingnut vote. Keep an eye on Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, Treasurer John Schroder, Congressman Garret Graves and Senator Bill Cassidy. Some or all of them will make their moves in 2022. • Where to Put a New City Hall? — Now that the City Council has put the kibosh on Cantrell’s plan to relocate City Hall in Armstrong Park, what’s the next Big Idea for a new seat of city government? And will the mayor squeeze another extension out of FEMA for submitting a plan to spend the $39 million in federal funds dedicated to repairing Municipal Auditorium? • Utility Regulation — Entergy New Orleans faces massive costs to rebuild and “harden” its transmission network and its aging distribution system in New Orleans after decades of failing to modernize them. Meanwhile, storms are getting stronger. • Fights Over Covid and CRT — Right-wing culture warriors in the Legislature will continue to challenge Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ authority and leadership, especially if Louisiana faces more spikes in Covid infections. They’ll also feed racist parental hysteria by raging against the absurd notion that K-12 schools are teaching kids Critical Race Theory (which is only taught in some law and graduate schools). And those are just the stories we know about. Stay tuned.

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A friend of mine (let’s call him “Paul”) claims he spent time in a cell at “Juvenile,” as a sometimes-miscreant youth. I remember cops warning kids to behave or “I’ll take you to Juvenile.” Was there such a place back in the day? — Friend of Paul

Dear Friend of Paul,

THE NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT’S JUVENILE DIVISION

was located at 2552 St. Philip Street, near N. Broad Street, for nearly 50 years. The Queen Annestyle building was a former police precinct station built in 1902. In Feb. 1951, the police station was rededicated as the home to the NOPD’s Juvenile Division, which prior to that had been located at police headquarters at Tulane Avenue and Broad. “Those who deal with juveniles are agreed that their best interests are served by removing them as far as possible from any physical contact with criminals,” said Capt. William W. Walker, head of the Juvenile Division, in a New Orleans States article. The newspaper explained the building, when it first opened, had “no facilities for detention of juvenile offenders, who are held either at Milne Municipal Home or the Convent of the Good Shepherd.” Milne, located in Gentilly, housed young male offenders, while the convent at Broad and Bienville

P H O T O B Y S A R A H R AV I T S

The Inn at the Old Jail is a bed and breakfast at the site of a former New Orleans Police Department’s Juvenile Division. housed females. In later years, however, the facility built its own holding cell. That cell is probably what Paul recalls from his misspent youth. In 1970, the St. Philip Street building became home to the NOPD’s Community Relations Division. In 1973, a community center opened there and remained for some 20 years. Following damage from Hurricane Katrina, plans to renovate or redevelop the building stalled. In 2013, the city auctioned off the building as surplus property. It was purchased by Liz and Raul Canache, who beautifully restored and converted it into a bed and breakfast. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is called the Inn at the Old Jail. Among its rooms is the Yvonne Bechet Library, paying tribute to the NOPD’s first Black female officer and one of the highest-ranking female officers in department history. She commanded Community Relations Division.

BL AKEVIE W THIS WEEK MARKS 40 YEARS SINCE THE DEBUT OF NEW ORLEANS’ FAVORITE CARTOON COUPLE: Vic and Nat’ly Broussard, the creation of artist and writer

Bunny Matthews. The characters, whose exaggerated accents and outlandish features kept readers laughing for four decades, debuted Jan. 3, 1982, in The Times-Picayune’s now-defunct Sunday magazine, Dixie. The magazine’s editor, the late Jeannette Hardy, recruited Matthews after seeing his work in the weekly newspaper Figaro. In a 1983 book of Matthews’ cartoons, Hardy described the first time she saw Vic and Nat’ly: They looked like creatures spawned in a swamp and seasoned with 50 years’ worth of fried oysters, hot sauce and pickled eggs.” Over the years, Matthews’ cartoons appeared in nearly every publication in town, including Gambit. Vic and Nat’ly came to life in weekly cartoons on WYES-TV, were featured on T-shirts, coffee mugs, calendars and even Leidenheimer Bakery delivery trucks. Matthews, who died last June, was also a writer and satirist who prided himself on his famous characters’ authenticity. “Even more than funny, I want to make it real. And to me, Vic and Nat’ly are really like the New Orleans that I always loved,” Matthews said in 1992. “It may even be nostalgic, people’s idea of the New Orleans they remember. A hundred years from now, I’d like people to look at these drawings and say, ‘That’s the way New Orleans was.’”

I I DE L C O U S

E K A C A F O Y R O T S I H N A R O F I T K G I F

P H O T O B Y R A N D Y K R A U S E S C H M I D T / P R O V I D E D B Y M AT T H A I N E S

A decadent Napoleon king cake from Eclair Delicieux

BY M AT T H AINE S

T’S THAT DELICIOUS SEASON ONCE AGAIN, when New Orleanians hungrily await that most special of January days: Twelfth Night. There are, of course, the religious aspects of Twelfth Night, like the epiphany. And those are great. But what really gets our collective mouths watering is the tasty, time-limited delicacy known as king cake. Whether it’s a traditional cake from Gambino’s or Randazzo’s, a delectable treat from Dong Phuong or the octopus king cake from Que Pasta NOLA, each one has its own fan base, ready to start a bar room brawl over whose version reigns supreme. “[New Orleans] is the only place I’ve ever lived where people are

passionately arguing about and defending their favorite bakeries,” says Maggie Scales, Executive Pastry Chef for the Link Restaurant Group. LRG is responsible for creating king cakes for local bakery La Boulangerie, as well as the peanut butter, bacon, banana and marshmallow “Elvis King Cake” for Cochon Butcher. “During this six-to-eight-week period each year, all eyes are on bakers,” Scales says, “And that doesn’t happen anywhere else.” That passion has sparked a tugof-war of sorts between those who see king cake as a traditional food meant to be loved but preserved, and those who are eager to put their own personal twist on one of the city’s sweetest customs.

When I wrote “The Big Book of King Cake” this year, I spoke to 75 local bakers and countless king cake enthusiasts. The debates are fierce over what actually defines a king cake, about the importance of the purple, gold and green sugar, about where to put the plastic baby, and so much more. For many in New Orleans, their first bite of king cake came from the legendary but sadly ain’t-dere-nomore McKenzie’s Pastry Shoppes. The tradition long predates McKenzie’s, but it is widely credited with turning what amounts to a sweet loaf of bread into the iconic symbol of the start of Carnival and a multimillion dollar business that sells an estimated 750,000 cakes world-wide each year.

But is that really where New Orleans’ king cake story began? And what caused the king cake mania we now (happily) live in? The story of our city’s sweetest tradition is little known — and it’s incredible.

KING CAKE AND CARNIVAL ORIGINS BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED. As far the eye can see, people are gathered in the cool, winter air, laughing and smiling. Friends and families gather to eat decadent, fatty foods in what amounts to a week-long feast during which the entire city eats too much, drinks too much, and swaps out boring clothes for brightly colored costumes.

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THE

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P H O T O B Y R A N D Y K R A U S E S C H M I D T / P R O V I D E D B Y M AT T H A I N E S

Is that an octopus in your king cake or are you just happy to see us, Que Pasta?

At the center of the party is a cake. Someone grabs a slice and notices there’s a trinket hidden inside. Congratulations to them! They are crowned queen or king for the day. It’s easy to understand why a poet once called the annual festival “the best of times.” They were talking about New Orleans during Carnival, right? Actually, the poet was Gaius Valerius Catullus, born in the Roman Republic in 84 BCE, and he was referring to Saturnalia, ancient Rome’s most anticipated and popular event of the year. In many ways, the Roman Saturnalia was the pagan precursor to many of our Carnival (and Christmastime) traditions. The cake is among the most notable of those traditions. What the Saturnalia cake exactly looked like is lost to time, but we know it was circular and baked golden, meant to resemble the sun. It likely included Roman favorites like fruit, nuts and honey.

Saturnalia was held each year during the days surrounding the Winter Solstice in mid-to-late December. It’s the time of year the sun takes its lowest path in the sky, making for long nights and short days. The sun — and sun-shaped cake — are central to the festivities. The festival honored Saturn, the god of — among other things — agriculture and periodic renewal. The sun is essential for both of those things, and the Romans celebrated this time of year because each day after the solstice, days got a little longer. The warmth and abundance of crops that came with springtime were inching closer. A fava bean, also a symbol of renewal, was hidden inside the cake back then to indicate who would be crowned queen or king for the day. Today, nostalgic bakeries sometimes still include a bean instead of the more popular plastic baby figurine. Mae’s Bakeshop, for example, hides a red bean in its monkey bread king cake. “I wanted to take a centuries-old

tradition and give it a local flair,” says Jeremy Fogg, the bakery’s owner. In the oldest days of the tradition, whoever found the bean was sacrificed to the gods following their reign — so perhaps exercise perspective next time you get the baby and are unhappy buying the next king cake. At its height, the Roman Empire stretched from Great Britain in the west to Syria in the east. As the empire spread, so too did its customs. After Rome’s collapse in 476 AD, its traditions hung around. The Catholic Church would eventually fill the power void left behind by a receding Rome. Wisely, rather than banning the pagan customs of the empire — and angering a whole lot of people who liked those customs — church leaders chose to adapt them for their own purposes. Saturnalia, for example, was still a beloved time of the year. Rather than outlawing its celebration, early Christians chose to merge an important component of their own story with paganism’s most popular holiday. And what bigger Christian celebration could there be than for the birth of their messiah? Thus the 12 days of the Christmastide were slowly blended with, and eventually allowed to absorb, Saturnalia. On the first day was the birth of the Christ child. And celebrated on its 12th and final day, January 6, was the story of how the Three Kings found the baby Jesus and presented him with their now-famous gifts. Many of the traditions of Saturnalia made it over from the old festival, but they now included imagery of those Three Kings. January 6, for example, was

PHOTO BY R ANDY KR AUSE SCHMIDT / P R O V I D E D B Y M AT T H A I N E S

For many New Orleanians, McKenzie’s is the definitive king cake

often called Kings’ Day or Three Kings’ Day. The circular cake, once meant to symbolize the reborn sun, now honored the three men who found the son of God. It was called king’s cake or king cake and was said to be shaped like a crown instead of a sun. Eventually a hole was baked into the center. The fruits and nuts the Romans loved in their cake became the jewels of said crown. Even the pagan bean hidden inside was replaced by a porcelain fève — a word derived from the Latin word for fava bean — and was molded into the shape of a crown. Fèves remain extremely popular in France to this day, though they’ve moved far beyond the traditional crown. Fèveophiles gather each year in Paris to trade unique fèves ranging from likelinesses of the national soccer team to images from the Kama Sutra and everything in between. While New Orleans doesn’t yet have the same fèveophile culture, many of us eagerly await the ceramic pieces from bakeries like Levee Baking Co., Haydel’s, and Celtica Bakery to add to our collections.

THE NEW WORLD THANKS IN PART TO THE REACH OF ROME, and thanks in part to the free-sharing of cultures in Europe, relatives to our king cake can be found all over the continent. Portugal’s bolo-rei, Germany and Switzerland’s Dreikönigskuchen, Greece and Cyprus’ vasilopita, Spain’s roscón de reyes, and France’s galette des rois and gâteau de rois are just a handful of examples. In each instance the translation is quite literally “king’s cake” or “cake of kings” and is eaten on or around Twelfth Night.

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P H O T O B Y R A N D Y K R A U S E S C H M I D T / P R O V I D E D B Y M AT T H A I N E S

Randazzo’s king cakes are considered the best ever by many cakeoisseuers When Europeans colonized the Americas, it makes sense they brought many of their traditions with them. The early Europeans who settled New Orleans in the 18th century came predominantly from Catholic-dominated Spain and France — particularly southern France. This is important because many New Orleanians believe our king cake derived from the almond frangipane-filled galette des rois, easy to find in our city today at bakeries like La Boulangerie and many others. In fact, it’s the gâteau de rois of the southern part of France (which you can buy locally at La Petite Sophie) and the roscón de reyes of Spain that most likely served as our king cake’s inspiration. The similarities with the New Orleans-style king cake can’t be denied: the recognizable ring-shape, a brioche dough, and a vibrant, colorful topping — though that color came from candied fruits rather than colored sugar.

When the cake first arrived in New Orleans, it wasn’t tied to Carnival or Mardi Gras. King cake was considered the end of the Christmas season, rather than the start of Carnival. It was likely eaten by mostly Catholic, Creole families during more private gatherings exclusively on Twelfth Night. By the middle of the 19th century, as the traditions of Mardi Gras began to take shape, Carnival krewes held their balls early in the season. The Twelfth Night Revelers’ inaugural ball, for example, took place on Jan. 6, 1870. Nearly every year through the present day, the Revelers have hosted their famous celebration on the same day with a king’s cake front and center. The woman who receives the golden bean is still crowned the krewe’s Queen. These Carnival krewes, full of Anglo-American members, introduced the king cake custom to New Orleanians outside of traditional Creole social circles. By the late-1800s, local newspapers

reported on wealthy Anglo New Orleanians hosting “king cake parties” of their own. But it was the “return” king cake party that became popular at the turn of the 20th century which helped cement king cake as a season-long element of Carnival. There was an expectation that whoever found the cake’s hidden favor would host the next party. It created a chain that guaranteed social groups reconvened for several king cake parties throughout Carnival instead of only on Twelfth Night. In the 1910s, king cake began to expand outside the city’s socialite scene into individual homes. Bakers like Odenwald and Gros Caterers advertised in the local newspaper, “A king cake will be a novelty at your table.” Within decades, however, it would be a novelty no more. Thanks to increased advertising, teenagers soon caught the king cake bug, enjoying parties of their own by the 1940s. (Though it’s said, like today, New Orleans

parents begged their children not to eat a slice until the fève was already found for fear they’d be stuck hosting dozens of unruly children the following week.)

THE GRANDFATHER OF THE NEW ORLEANS-STYLE KING CAKE AN EXAMINATION OF EARLY 20TH CENTURY NEWSPAPERS revealed local bakeries searching for ways to help their king cakes stand out in an increasingly crowded field. They decorated their king cakes with colorful candies and sugar. Some described cakes with fondant candies piled high in the center while a Jan., 6, 1948, New Orleans Item article detailed a “round coffee cake with a hole in the top like a doughnut … decorated with sugar and red, green, and white anise seeds and citron.” The late, longtime owner of McKenzie’s, Donald Entringer, said it was during this decade that the bakery was approached by a Car-

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14 nival krewe wanting king cakes for its ball. Their first big innovation was that they were, according to Times-Picayune journalist Lily Jackson, the first bakery to consistently use the purple, green and gold sugar — colors made popular by the Rex Organization beginning in 1872 — on top of their king cake. Ancient Rome may be where the king cake originated, but there is no denying McKenzie’s is the grandfather of the New Orleans-style king cake. The bakery grew from selling approximately six king cakes each year to a 54-store empire that, at its height, baked more than 350,000 king cakes annually. The tri-colored, bready, brioche cake is still a favorite of countless New Orleanians who feel like icing, sweeter dough, and even cinnaPHOTO BY R ANDY KR AUSE SCHMIDT / P R O V I D E D B Y M AT T H A I N E S

Bittersweet Confection’s delightfully messy spin on the king cake

mon are a bridge too far from the king cake they grew up with.

BRINGING KING CAKE INTO THE MODERN DAY ONE NEW ORLEANS GIRL WROTE IN HER 1899 DIARY, “It being ‘King’s Day’ we ate some King’s Cake, and my cousins and one of my aunts got the seeds, or as I had better say, the pecans and dolls as two had dolls.” From New Orleans’ earliest days through the first half of the 20th century, the favor found inside a king cake varied — depending on the bakery — from beans to nuts to ceramic figurines. That largely changed beginning in the 1930s. Back then, McKenzie’s hid a bean in their king cake, but customers sometimes ate the bean without

P H O T O B Y R A N D Y K R A U S E S C H M I D T / P R O V I D E D B Y M AT T H A I N E S

Café du Bone offers king cake treats for your favorite pup

telling anyone. It was a nefarious strategy to get out of buying the next cake as custom dictated. “We needed to come up with something that couldn’t be eaten,” Entringer told The Times-Picayune in a 1990 interview. One day a traveling salesman visited the bakery with a large supply of porcelain dolls that we now refer to as Frozen Charlottes, china dolls, kewpie dolls, penny dolls or bisque dolls, and Entringer began hiding those inside his cakes. During the 1950s and ’60s, he engaged in an aggressive advertising campaign to popularize the doll, and it worked. He switched to cheaper, pink plastic figurines and other bakeries followed. Soon, nearly every king cake in the city had a plastic baby hidden inside. The favor inside the king cake wasn’t the only change it would undergo during these decades following World War II. American tastes shifted toward more sugary foods after the war and bakers adjusted. Beginning in the 1960s, many experimented with sweeter doughs like cinnamon roll dough. The following decade, icing became a common king cake fixture and recipes for praline varieties could be found in The Times-Picayune. This is the period bakeries we recognize today like Randazzo’s, Gambino’s and Haydel’s began making king cakes of their own. In the 1980s, bakers began adding sweet fillings common in doughnuts and pastries into their king cakes. “My brother and I were just fooling around at the bakery one day, and my brother was like, ‘What do you think would happen if I put Bavarian cream in the bottom of a king cake,’” Angelo Cartozzo, owner of Cartozzo’s Bakery, remembers from a day in 1983 at his mother’s

Frances’ Bakery. “My grandfather almost disowned us when we started adding icing, so I don’t think he would have liked the fillings. But my mother told us to keep making them.” Fillings like strawberry, blueberry, Bavarian cream and cream cheese slowly became the norm, though there were many New Orleanians who felt bakers had gone too far. It’s a feeling that has persisted among traditionalists well into the 21st century. Hillary Guttman, owner of Laurel Street Bakery, remembers being in Austin for graduate school in May 2000 when a moment took place that she believes might have further accelerated the pace of king cake’s evolution. “My mom called me and said McKenzie’s had just closed all 50-something of their stores,” Guttman remembers. “She knew I wanted to start a bakery, so she told me to come home and do it because the city would need new bakers to fill the void.” Over the next decade-plus, that’s exactly what happened. Independent bakers slowly created shops to replace the legendary McKenzie’s giant. Because they were smaller and could be flexible, they eventually put their personalized spins on the traditional king cake: Guttman with her Nutella king cake, Cheryl Scripter of Bittersweet Confections with her chocolate king cake, and Megan Forman of Gracious Bakery with her nectar cream king cake are just a few of countless examples. Recent waves of immigration to the city — some related to Hurricane Katrina and others already in motion — have also resulted in king cake’s quickening evolution. The ideas come with new residents originating from, both, inside and outside the U.S.

K I N G CAK E EVERYBODY LOVES KING CAKE, and while not everyone is a particularly good baker, after two years of on and off lockdowns and extended isolation at home, we’re sure plenty of you have developed some skills in that department. So it’s time to put it to the test and make yalls self a King Cake and give your poor, over glutenated pups a break from all that sourdough you keep baking! Our friends at New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute provided us with the first recipe. For our second recipe we went digging in the Times-Picayune archives, and found a recipe from way back in 1905.

THE NOCHI KING CAKE

PHOTO BY R ANDY KR AUSE SCHMIDT / P R O V I D E D B Y M AT T H A I N E S

Dong Phoung is one of the world’s great king cake makers, shipping world wide As of 2014, for example, the New Orleans metropolitan area has the largest Honduran American community in the United States. Guava and cream cheese are popular pastry fillings in many Latin American countries. When Norma’s Sweets Bakery decided to embrace the king cake tradition, it made sense they’d bake one with guava and cream cheese. And it became very popular — not just among the bakery’s regular customers, but among the city’s non-Honduran population eager to try something new. Dong Phuong Bakery, the Vietnamese-American bakery which is considered by many to make the most popular king cake in the city, has an even more pronounced story. Six days per week during Carnival, they make 1,200 of their unique, cream cheese-topped king cakes daily. Still, they’re snatched up so quickly, obtaining one feels like mission impossible. “We were just trying to create a king cake that better fit our community’s tastes,” explained the bakery’s president Linh Tran Garza. “We came to New Orleans as refugees after a war with nothing. That so many people now embrace and celebrate what we create — that makes us so proud.” But is it really a king cake?

Some will say absolutely not, while others will say it is the king cake. The debate rages on. But it’s a debate that has raged for centuries as king cake has evolved since the time of ancient Rome. If a Roman centurion could have seen the king cakes of medieval France, he likely would have been just as flabbergasted as the founders of McKenzie’s would have been if they could see a cricket king cake from the Audubon Nature Institute. Fortunately, modern day New Orleans is a culinarily inclusive place. If you want a king cake similar to the one from McKenzie’s, you can find one at Tastee Donuts, Hi-Do Bakery (though it adds cinnamon), Little J’s Donuts N’ More (order in advance), and several other bakeries that feature them as specials, iconic cherry included. If you want something on the wild side, maybe a king cake for your dog and 30 of its canine friends? Thanks to the folks at Cafe Du Bone Dog, that exists, too. Perhaps there’s room for both sides in a New Orleans that embraces its customs like few places in America, while also continuing to incorporate new culinary traditions as it has since its founding.

CINNAMON FILLING: 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp honey 1/2 egg (reserve the other half for the dough) 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Start by making the cinnamon filling. Melt the butter. Pour the melted butter into a bowl and mix with the brown sugar until well combined. Add the flour, cinnamon, and honey. Mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix well. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. DOUGH: 2 1/2 cups bread flour 3/4 tsp yeast, instant or rapid rise 3 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter 1 1/2 eggs 1/2 tsp honey 2/3 cup milk

Next, it’s time to make your king cake dough. Place all dough ingredients in a large bowl. Make sure butter is soft. Mix ingredients on low speed using a stand mixer for 4 minutes until well combined. If you don’t have a mixer, that’s also fine; you’ll just need more elbow grease. Next, mix ingredients on medium speed for approximately 6 minutes. To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece. You should be able to stretch it thin enough to see light coming through without the dough tearing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean dishtowel and set aside for 30 minutes to begin proofing the dough. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and roll into a rectangle with 1 inch thickness. Move the dough to a tray or baking sheet and cover it with plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator overnight to continue proofing. When you are ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Recipe Continues

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N W O R U O Y MAK E

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16 Continued from p15 Roll the dough into a rectangle (approximately 20 x 8 inches). Spread the cinnamon filling on the rectangle and fold in half lengthwise. Your folded dough should be approximately 20 x 4 inches. Cut the dough into 3 even strips lengthwise. Stretch the strips to 24 inches each. Braid the 3 pieces, then shape into a circle or oval. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the unbaked cake on it. Cover and set aside in a warm place for approximately 1.5 hours, or until it’s nearly double its size (for home bakers, a good trick is to place the unbaked cake on the middle rack of an oven that’s off. Place a pan of hot water on the oven floor).

Winter

DINING GU GUIDE

All 1/4 ad sizes or larger receive a

FREE Menu Item photo/description feature in this issue and will be included in our Winter Dining Facebook Gallery

Bake at 325°F until golden brown or until the cake is at an internal temperature of 190°F. This will be approximately 12 to 15 minutes in a convection oven or approximately 20 minutes in a regular oven. ICING AND CAKE DECORATING: 2 cups powdered sugar Sugar and food coloring as desired 1/4 cup whole milk Small plastic baby 1 tsp vanilla extract Finally, everyone’s favorite part – decorating! Combine powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Mix until smooth and set side. To make colored sugars, put sugar into three bowls—one for purple, another for green, and a third for gold. Start with a few drops of coloring, mixing until incorporated. Add more, a few drops at a time, until your sugar is the desired color. Once the cake has cooled, lift the cake and insert the baby into the bottom for the future queen or king to find. Drizzle the icing over the cake. Sprinkle sugar on top, alternating between the three colors. Eat and repeat. FOR READERS LOOKING TO CREATE A KING CAKE FROM ANOTHER TIME, this recipe first appeared in the January 6, 1905 edition of The Times-Picayune, in the “Woman’s World and Work” column:

SPACE RESERVATION

JANUARY 14

ISSUE DATE

JANUARY 25

Ad Director Sandy Stein 504.483.3150 or sstein@gambitweekly.com

The cake was made of brioche batter. It was an immense affair shaped round like a great ring and decorated with bonbons, dragees and the like. Hidden somewhere in the cake is a bean or a ring. To make the cake take a pound and a half of flour and pat it in a wooden bread trough. Make a hole in the center of the flour and put in a half ounce of yeast, dissolved in a little warm water. Add milk or tepid water to make the dough, using milk preferably if it is very rich and sweet. Make a dough neither too soft nor too stiff and when perfectly smooth set it in a moderately warm place covering with a cloth. If milk is used it must be scalded or brought to the boiling point and then allowed to grow tepid. Let the dough rise for five or six hours, and when increased to twice its bulk take it and add a reserved half pound of flour, into which you will have sifted the salt. Add six eggs, beaten very light with the sugar and butter, and mix well together, kneading lightly with the hands and adding more eggs if the dough seems a little stiff. Then knead the dough by turning it over on itself three times, and set to rise again, for an hour or three-quarters. Cover with a cloth. At the end of this time take it up and work again lightly, and then form into a great ring. Pat gently and flatten a little. Have ready a baking pan with a buttered sheet of paper on it, and set the central roll in the middle. Cover the pan with a clean, stiff cloth, and set the cake to rise for an hour longer. When well risen set in the oven a few degrees cooler than that used for baking bread, and let it bake for an hour and a half. If the cake is medium-sized let it bake for an hour, and if very small for a half hour. Glace the brioche lightly with a beaten egg spread lightly over the top before placing in the oven. Decorate with drages [sp], caramels, etc.

Diving In

FORK + CENTER

A new seafood spot on Oak Street

by Beth D’Addono

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

SEARCH THE WORD “MUKBANG” ON TIKTOK and you’d better have a

strong stomach. It’s a Korean word for performance eating on TV, and the medium takes smackdown eating to the 10th power. Kim Nguyen and her three kids find it hilarious — watching videos of all kinds of people eating with exaggerated gusto, mugging for the camera while loudly slurping everything from octopus tentacles to greasy kielbasa. When Nguyen had the idea to open a Viet-Cajun style boiled seafood restaurant on Oak Street, the name Mukbang seemed a perfect fit. “The idea was for people to dive right in, eat with their hands and slurp all the good buttery sauce from the seafood,” she says. But that’s not what she saw with some customers, who arrived at the restaurant dressed for date night and used a knife and fork to eat shrimp. “I saw that and said no, that’s just not right. We got bibs and gloves so people can get right in there.” The third generation of restaurant owners in her family, Nguyen grew up in the business both here and in Texas after Hurricane Katrina. In 2012, she opened Magasin, offering a modern take on Vietnamese food. The more casual Magasin Cafe followed in 2016. Mukbang opened in December in the large space formerly occupied by Chiba. Her husband and partner Luu Tran handles the food side of the operation while she builds the business and runs the front of the house. Her sister Thuy Nguyen and brotherin-law Thai Nguyen, who recently moved back to New Orleans from Texas, also are involved with the business. Many of the recipes for all three of the restaurants are from family, including her grandmother, who had a restaurant in Garden Grove, California, and her mother, who ran Chinese-American restaurants in New Orleans East and on Canal Street before Katrina. The crispy-fried crab rangoon, which is made with real crabmeat,

Metairie Food Park

JEFFERSON PARISH IS MOVING FORWARD WITH A PLAN to construct an

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER

Kim Nguyen opened Mukbang. comes from her mom. The same goes for the stir-fried garlic noodles and the pork noodles she serves at the cafe. Her husband concocted the three sauces for boiled seafood: tamarind garlic butter, Flaming Cajun and Mukbang, a lemon-butter sauce with a house spice blend that gives a distinctive tang to platters of boiled and steamed shrimp, lobster, snow crab legs, blue crab, clams, mussels and fish. The menu specialty is saucy VietCajun boiled seafood, a favorite of Nguyen’s husband, who hails from Houston. Most of the seafood is offered at market price, which recently has fluctuated due to disruptions caused by the pandemic. The shrimp platter rounds up six shrimp, two potatoes, an ear of corn, sausage and a hardboiled egg on the side. House specials include a blackened fish of the day, Cajun fried rice with catfish, and garlic shrimp fettuccine. Fresh Persian cucumbers, a favorite of the family at home, add snap and freshness into the mix.

Getting the fried seafood just right came with the help of Nguyen’s father, who owns Lee’s Seafood & Grill on Williams Boulevard in Kenner. Platters of fried catfish, shrimp and oysters are served with coleslaw, crawfish hushpuppies and Texas toast. Po-boys are offered with fries, which also are on the menu topped with spicy Korean bulgogi. Down the road, Nguyen imagines sharing the kitchen space with other chefs to add a different breakfast or lunch menu. “I think it’s a great way for chefs to get started, to help each other to make it more affordable,” she says. “I’m a serial entrepreneur,” she adds. “Even though it wasn’t the best time to open a third restaurant, because of the pandemic and staffing issues, I’ve always loved Oak Street. It’s such an intimate street. My feeling is, we will make it work. We can help build our city’s economy and give people jobs, one restaurant at a time.”

? WHAT

Mukbang

WHERE

8312 Oak St., (504) 345-2695; facebook.com/mukbangseafoodnola

WHEN

Dinner Tue.-Sat.

HOW

Dine-in

CHECK IT OUT

Viet-Cajun-style boiled seafood and more

outdoor food court in Metairie’s Lafreniere Park. Jefferson Parish Council member Dominick Impastato said voters’ Dec. 11 renewal of a 2.5-mill property tax will allow the parish to go before the bond commission to line up funding for the roughly $3 million project, which will include permanent spaces for four vendors, a dining area, slots for food trucks and a stage for small musical performances. The food court, which is in the design phase, will be located where the Plum Street Snoballs stand is now, though he said the vendor will be incorporated into the project. He said crews could break ground in the spring and construction could take about six months. Impastato, whose district includes the 155-acre park, said the idea came soon after the

PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

parish was approached by the owners of Morning Call, which ran the coffee shop at City Park for years before the space went to Cafe Du Monde in 2019. The year before, Morning Call closed the coffee shop it operated in a strip center behind Lakeside Mall due to rising rents and increased competition. Impastato said conversations with restaurant operators about what a tenant would expect to be provided in a leased space led to the idea of doing something larger than just for one tenant. Morning Call is expected to be in the mix, he said. — CHAD CALDER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > JA N UA RY 4 - 1 0 > 2 02 2

E AT + D R I N K

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > JA N UA RY 4 - 1 0 > 2 02 2

WINE OF THE

WEEK

BÖEN Pinot Noir California

Bursting with bright fruit ﬂavors of cherry, strawberry, and blackberry this Pinot Noir is very well balanced with hints of cocoa and caramel on the long lasting ﬁnish. Pair this wine with grilled salmon on a bed of quinoa, lamb chops with a mint sauce, or a crispy cast iron Chicken thighs. DISTRIBUTED BY

3 COURSE INTERVIEW

Lawless R. Turner

JUNMAGNOLIA FOUNDER

by Will Coviello LAWLESS R. TURNER WAS NOT A BIG FAN OF KOMBUCHA , but he

liked a similar drink, jun, when he tried it. After experimenting with flavors on his own mixes of fruit and botanicals, he launched JunMagnolia in 2020. Currently he offers the bottled fermented beverage at farmers markets at Coffee Science and the Holy Cross Neighborhood Farmers Market, which he hosts (though it is on hiatus until March). He also does occasional pop-ups at Old Road Coffee, Park Island Coffee and Southern Food & Beverage Museum and will be at the art bazaar at Zony Mash Beer Project on Jan. 22. A few bars offer JunMagnolia as a nonalcoholic option as well as a mixer in cocktails. Turner has a background advising small businesses on development, and he worked with nonprofits and for the city of New Orleans. He also learned about the food industry from his father, Karl Turner, who owns the seafood distribution company A La Carte Specialty Foods. Lawless Turner is looking to develop his business in order to put JunMagnolia on grocery store shelves. Find more information about JunMagnolia on Instagram, @jun.magnolia.

How did you get interested in jun? LAWLESS R. TURNER: I used to work for a subcontractor for Entergy. I would wear a hard hat and a vest for 12 hours, even in the summertime — it was so hot. I used to say, “Man, I want to start a business. It’s hot in New Orleans, so why not a beverage business?” My girlfriend is a big kombucha drinker. She introduced it to my household. I realized I don’t really like the taste of kombucha, which is odd because I am in that space (now). I went to the grocery store one day and picked up a brand out of Colorado called Wild Tonic. I tried it because it looked different. Jun is different. It’s like kombucha, except its more bubbly and sweeter. I started researching it online. Jun is called the “champagne of kombucha” nationally because it is more palatable. It’s more effervescent. I started making jun just because I liked it.

PHOTO BY SIENNA PINDERHUGHES

Jun is a cousin to kombucha. What makes it different is that jun has its own mother. Mother is the symbiotic colony — it’s called a SCOBY, symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It only grows in green tea and honey. Whereas kombucha is fermented in black tea and sugar. Off the top, I was like, I like this because of the honey. Technically, I am not selling kombucha.

How did you develop flavors for JunMagnolia? T: I made the Lemongrass Ginger flavor for the first time somewhere around Jazz Fest (2018). I was just giving it to friends who came by. They liked it and I was like, “Yo, I think I am on to something.” It took some tinkering with the chemistry. Temperature matters. Days of fermentation matters. The amount of honey and green tea matters. It took a year and a half to come down to the three flavors: Lemongrass Ginger, Blackberry Lavender and Blueberry Mint. I started off in my home kitchen. Between 2018 and early 2020, it was just experimenting. I’d write down my quantities and notes about whether it was too tangy or too sweet. I am still learning today. I finish the product now in a keg, which allows me to put the keg in a cooler at 40 degrees and let it ferment for about three weeks. That allows a natural fermentation, so it isn’t forced carbonation. A lot of companies force the carbonation into it. I first started selling it in June 2020. I started selling it at Old Road Coffee. It was the weekend of Juneteenth — it was a huge Juneteenth celebration. It was

Louisiana’s first Juneteenth holiday. I thought it would be cool to do it that same weekend, so my first pop-up was June 20, 2020. I had a pop-up table and my bottles. I invited friends to come and support. That day I sold at least five cases. In 2022, I am coming out with some seasonal flavors. Strawberry Rose is going to come out during strawberry season — in April and May. I like the idea of selling seasonal brew. Cherries are in season in July and August, so I’ll come out with a seasonal Cherry Hibiscus in summer.

What’s next for JunMagnolia? T: At this time, I want to bring Jun Magnolia into grocery stores. I need to get a wholesale distribution license from the state. I am still looking for commercial space that’s FDA-approved. I really want to pursue the nonalcoholic side of the beverage industry. I think there is a market for nonalcoholic options at bars. I have sold a couple half gallons to bars in the Marigny area. They all want me to sell them a keg, but I can’t sell them a keg. People go to bars and want nonalcoholic options. I want to focus on the mocktail market. There’s a huge customer base that is looking for something healthy. My motto is “Bloom where you are.” I want to support resilience. You never know what people are going through. This product is a healing product. It’s probiotic. It helps to fight inflammation. For me, it’s an opportunity to support the people here.

C O M P L E T E L I S T I N G S A T 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.

CBD

Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; juansflyingburrito.com — See Uptown section for restaurant description. Outdoor dining available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.Tue. $$

CARROLLTON

Mid City Pizza — 6307 S. Miro St., (504) 509-6224; midcitypizza.com — See MidCity section for restaurant description. Delivery available. Lunch Thu.-Sun., dinner Thu.-Mon. $$ Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.-Fri., dinner daily. $$

CITYWIDE

Breaux Mart — Citywide; breauxmart. com — The deli counter’s changing specials include dishes such as baked catfish and red beans and rice. Lunch and dinner daily. $

FRENCH QUARTER

Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — The menu features Gulf seafood in Creole dishes, po-boys char-grilled oysters and more. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

JEFFERSON/RIVER RIDGE

The Rivershack Tavern — 3449 River Road, (504) 834-4938; therivershacktavern.com — This bar and music spot serves burgers, sandwiches and lunch specials. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; theospizza.com — Choose from specialty pies, salads, sandwiches and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $

LAKEVIEW

The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 2842898; thebluecrabnola.com — The menu includes sandwiches, fried seafood platters, boiled seafood, shrimp and grits and more. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Lakeview Brew Coffee Cafe — 5606 Canal Blvd., (504) 483-7001; lakeviewbrew.com — This casual cafe offers coffee, pastries, desserts, sandwiches and salads. Delivery are available. Breakfast and lunch daily. $

METAIRIE

Andrea’s Restaurant — 3100 N. 19th St., Metairie, (504) 834-8583; andreasrestaurant.com — Chef Andrea Apuzzo’s speckled trout royale is topped with crabmeat and lemon-cream sauce. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily, brunch Sun. $$$

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

Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop — 2309 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, (504) 8352022; gumbostop.com — The seafood platter includes fried catfish, shrimp, oysters, crab balls fries and a side. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Kosher Cajun New York Deli & Grocery — 3519 Severn Ave., Metairie, (504) 888-2010; koshercajun.com — New Yorkstyle deli sandwiches feature corned beef, pastrami and more. Lunch Sun.Thu., dinner Mon.-Thu. $ Martin Wine Cellar — 714 Elmeer Ave., Metairie, (504) 896-7350; martinwine. com — See Uptown section for restaurant description. No reservations. Lunch daily. $$ Nephew’s Ristorante — 4445 W. Metairie Ave., Metairie, (504) 533-9998; nephewsristorante.com — The Creole-Italian menu features dishes like veal, eggplant and chicken parmigiana. Reservations required. Dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; theospizza.com — See Jefferson section for restaurant description. $ Short Stop Po-Boys — 119 Transcontinental Drive, Metairie, (504) 8854572; shortstoppoboysno.com — Fried Louisiana oysters and Gulf shrimp are served on a Leidenheimer loaf. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $

MID-CITY/TREME

Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream.com — Try house-made gelato, spumoni, Italian ice, cannolis, fig cookies and other treats. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Juan’s Flying Burrito — 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; juansflyingburrito.com — See Uptown section for restaurant description. Outdoor dining available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — Boudreaux pizza is topped with cochon de lait, spinach, red onions, roasted garlic and scallions. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Mid City Pizza — 4400 Banks St., (504) 483-8609; midcitypizza.com — Shrimp remoulade pizza includes spinach, red onion, garlic, basil and green onions on an garlic-olive oil brushed curst. Delivery available. Lunch Thu.-Sun., dinner Thu.-Mon. $$ Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as seafood plates, po-boys, char-grilled oysters and more. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; theospizza. com — See Jefferson section for restaurant description. $

NORTHSHORE

The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; thebluecrabnola.com

— See Lakeview section for restaurant description. No reservations. Lunch Fri.Sat., dinner Wed.-Sun. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — See Jefferson section for restaurant description. $

UPTOWN Joey K’s — 3001 Magazine St., (504) 891-0997; joeyksrestaurant.com — Sauteed trout Tchoupitoulas is served with shrimp, crabmeat, vegetables and potatoes. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$ Juan’s Flying Burrito — 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 5538 Magazine St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar-jack cheese, black beans, yellow rice, salsa la fonda, guacamole and sour cream. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$ Martin Wine Cellar — 3827 Baronne St., (504) 894-7444; martinwine.com — Sena salad includes pulled roasted chicken, golden raisins, blue cheese, pecans and field greens tossed with Tabasco pepperjelly vinaigrette. No reservations. Lunch daily. $$ Red Gravy — 4206 Magazine St., (504) 561-8844; redgravycafe.com — Cannoli pancakes are filled with cannoli cream and topped with chocolate. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.Sat., brunch Sun. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; theospizza.com — See Jefferson section for restaurant description. $ Tito’s Ceviche & Pisco — 5015 Magazine St., (504) 267-7612; titoscevichepisco. com — Peruvian lomo saltado features beef tenderloin tips sauteed with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, soy sauce and pisco, and is served with fried potatoes and rice. Outdoor seating and delivery available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant. com — Fried oysters and skewered bacon are served with meuniere sauce and toasted French bread. Reservations required. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$$ The Mill — 1051 Annunciation St., (504) 582-9544; themillnola.com — Short ribs are braised with red wine and served with risotto. Reservations accepted. Dinner Thu.-Sat., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$

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Bride

+G R O O M

A GUIDE TO NEW ORLEANS WEDDINGS + UNIONS

ALL advertisers receive a

FREE feature

about their business (one photo + 100 words)

ISSUE DATE AD SPACE

FEB 8

JAN 28

Ad Director Sandy Stein 504.483.3150 or sstein@gambitweekly.com

WEST BANK Asia — Boomtown Casino & Hotel, 4132 Peters Road, Harvey, (504) 3648812; boomtownneworleans.com — The menu of Chinese and Vietnamese dishes includes a Lau Hot Pot with a choice of scallops, snow crab or shrimp. Reservations accepted. Dinner Fri.Sun. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves shrimp Mosca, chicken a la grande and baked oysters Mosca. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$

ADVERTISE WITH US Call Sandy Stein (504) 483-3150 or sstein@gambitweekly.com

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > JA N UA RY 4 - 1 0 > 2 02 2

O U T T O E AT

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > JA N UA RY 4 - 1 0 > 2 0 2 2

SAKE ON SUNDAY

A GAMBIT COMMUNIT Y EVENT FO R S U PP O R T I N G M E M B E R S Join Gambit for a special sneak preview of the Wetlands Sake taproom. Guests will receive a complimentary Wetlands Sake drink and will learn the story behind Louisiana’s first sake brewery. To become a Gambit Community Supporter member and register to attend this invite-only event visit

bestofneworleans.com/member

WETLANDS SAKE BREWERY 634 Orange St, New Orleans, LA 70130 SUNDAY, JAN 16 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

MUSIC

PAGE 5

FOR COMPLETE MUSIC LISTINGS AND MORE E V E N T S TA K I N G P L AC E I N T H E N E W O R L E A N S A R E A , V I S I T C A L E N D A R . G A M B I T W E E K LY. C O M To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com Note: Due to COVID-19, events may have certain restrictions or may be postponed; we recommend checking out a venues social media sites or call before you go for the most up to dateinformation.

TUESDAY 4

PHOTO BY JOHN MCCUSKER / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

Big Chief Allison ‘Tootie’ Montana Jan. 7, and the LPO performs at 7:30 p.m. at The Orpheum Theater. Tickets start at $25 at lpomusic.com.

‘Cabaret’

THERE’S INTRIGUE AT THE KIT KAT KLUB, WHERE SALLY BOWLES PERFORMS AND BERLIN’S NIGHTLIGHT SWIRLS DURING THE RISE OF NAZI GERMANY IN “CABARET.” Rivertown

Theaters for the Performing Arts presents the popular musical from Friday, Jan. 7, through Jan. 23. Tickets $37-$51 at rivertowntheaters.com.

Tedeschi Trucks Band

BLUES ROCKERS TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND IS RETURNING TO TOURING WITH A SERIES OF SHOWS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., NASHVILLE, CHICAGO AND NEW ORLEANS. The 12-piece band, led

by husband and wife Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, features drummer Isaac Eady, the New Orleans-based multi-instrumentalist and Tedeschi Trucks’ newest member. Tedeschi Trucks plays at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7, and Saturday, Jan. 8, at Saenger Theatre. Tickets start at $30 at saengernola.com.

Josephine Baker

IN A DOUBLEHEADER, THE NEW ORLEANS OPERA ASSOCIATION PRESENTS THOMAS CIPULLO’S OPERA ABOUT JOSEPHINE BAKER, set in the

singer’s dressing room at her final performance in Paris, and Marigny Opera Ballet premieres a new work inspired by Baker and styled as a 1925 Parisian revue. The run at Marigny Opera House (Jan. 6-9) is sold out, but there is a waiting list for tickets and there is a community discussion about Baker at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Marigny Opera House. Find details at neworleansopera.org.

Big Chief Tootie Montana Celebration

A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF BIG CHIEF ALLISON “TOOTIE” MONTANA IS THURSDAY, JAN. 6, with a

wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of Montana at Congo Square, a blessing of the drums and a panel on Montana’s legacy in New Orleans. The wreath-laying ceremony is at 4:45 p.m. and will be followed by a blessing of the drums and singing of “Indian Red” led by Big Chief Darryl Montana of the Yellow Pocahontas tribe. At 5:30 p.m., a procession will make its way from Louis Armstrong Park to the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center for the panel discussion, which beings at 6:30 p.m. Panelists include Darryl Montana, Big Chief Ray Blazio of the Wild Apache Tribe (a former flagboy of the Yellow Pocahontas) and Fred Johnson, the co-founder of Black Men of Labor Social Aid & Pleasure Club (and former Yellow Pocahontas spyboy). The event is free; registration recommended at jazzandheritage.org.

Donald Harrison Jr.

SAXOPHONIST AND BIG CHIEF DONALD HARRISON JR. LEADS HIS QUARTET IN TWO SHOWS AT SNUG HARBOR. At 8

and 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8. Find tickets at snugjazz.com.

Iko Allstars

GUITARISTS BILLY IUSO, MIKE DOUSSAN AND PAPA MALI, saxo-

phonist Brad Walker, drummer Terence Higgins, keyboardist Joe Ashlar, bassist Reggie Scanlan and others join forces for an evening of Grateful Dead music on Friday, Jan. 7 at 11 p.m. at the Joy Theater. Tickets $20-$30 at thejoytheater.com.

BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Peter Harris Quartet, 7 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Fritzel’s All Star Band, 8 pm

WEDNESDAY 5 BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Peter Harris Trio, 7 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Fritzel’s All Star Band, 8 pm PALM COURT JAZZ CAFE — Palm Court Jazz Band with Lars Edegran, 7:30 pm SANTOS — Swamp Moves with Russell Welch, 8 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Funkin’ It Up with Big Sam, 7:30 pm

THURSDAY 6 BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Peter Harris Quartet, 8 pm BUFFA’S — Tom McDermott and Meschiya Lake, 7 & 9 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Doyle Cooper Trio, 2:30 pm; John Saavedra Trio, 6 pm; Fritzel’s All Star Band, 8 pm PALM COURT JAZZ CAFE — Tim Laughlin with Crescent City Joymakers, 7:30 pm SIDNEY’S SALOON — DarkLounge Ministries, 7 pm

FRIDAY 7 BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Peter Harris T rio, 8 pm BUFFA’S — Pfister Sisters, 7 & 9 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Sam Friend Trio, 2:30 pm; Lee “Plink” Floyd, 6 pm; Fritzel’s All Star Band, 9 pm KERRY IRISH PUB — Patrick Cooper, 9 pm PALM COURT JAZZ CAFE — Kevin Louis & Topsy Chapman with Palm Court Jazz Band, 7:30 pm SAENGER THEATRE — Tedeschi Trucks Band, 6:30 pm SANTOS — M.D.C. with Noogy, The Pallbearers and Speed Plans, 9 pm; Resurrection with DJ Mange, 10 pm SOUTHPORT HALL LIVE MUSIC & PARTY HALL — Maiden LA, 8 pm

THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Burlesque Ballroom feat. Romy Kaye, 7 & 9 pm TIPITINA’S — Rebirth Brass Band, 9 pm

SATURDAY 8 BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Jordan Anderson, 8 pm BOUCHERIE — Patrick Cooper & Mark Carroll, 6 pm BUFFA’S — Freddie Blue and the Friendship Circle Band, 7 & 9 pm FAUBOURG BREWING CO. — Eric Johanson, 11 am FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Joe Kennedy Trio, 2:30 pm; Lee Floyd and Thunderbolt Trio, 6 pm; Fritzel’s All Star Band, 9 pm PALM COURT JAZZ CAFE — Will Smith with Palm Court Jazz Band, 7:30 pm SAENGER THEATRE — Tedeschi Trucks Band, 6:30 pm SOUTHPORT HALL LIVE MUSIC & PARTY HALL — Contraflow, 8 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — The Nayo Jones Experience, 7:30 pm

SUNDAY 9 BUFFA’S — Some Like It Hot, 11 & 1 pm; Eric Merchant, 7 & 9 pm FAUBOURG BREWING CO. — Johnny Sansone, 11 am FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Joe Kennedy Trio, 2:30 pm; Marla Dixon Trio, 6 pm; Fritzel’s All Star Band, 8 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULE — Doctor Lo, 8 pm PALM COURT JAZZ CAFE — Mark Braud and Sunday Night Swingsters, 7:30 pm THE MAX — Bobby Cure and the Poppa Stoppas, 5 pm

MONDAY 10 BUFFA’S — Leslie Cooper & Harry Mayronne with Doyle Cooper, 7 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Twisty River Band, 8 pm

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A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > JA N UA RY 4 - 1 0 > 2 02 2

FILM

On Screen Exploits by Will Coviello

AFTER 17 YEARS IN THE PORN INDUSTRY, MIKEY SABER HAS A TOUGH TIME

explaining his job history while filling out applications at restaurants and low-rung service jobs in Texas City, a hardscrabble town near Galveston. He says he’s been self-employed and can’t provide a single reference. As a last-ditch appeal, he discloses his recent line of work and can’t help but brag about his AVN (Adult Video News) awards, but having an internet presence doesn’t help land him a job. It’s a funny sequence in director Sean Baker’s latest film, “Red Rocket,” which screened in the New Orleans Film Festival and is now at local theaters. But that’s about the end of the easy laughs in the drama about a broke hustler who’s gone back to his hometown to rebuild his life. Mikey starts at the door of his estranged wife, Lexi, who lives with her mother, Lil, in a small dilapidated home tucked behind an oil refinery. Lexi doesn’t want anything to do with Mikey, but she’s also struggling to get by and lets him talk his way in the door. As unsavory and self-serving as Mikey is, actor Simon Rex infuses the character with restless energy

PHOTO PROVIDED BY A24

and relentless pluck. Mikey is living a vulgar version of the American dream in reverse. He went to Los Angeles, made it in porn, and now he’s crashed back to a forgettable small town where too many things seem toxic, from dead-end jobs to drug use. Mikey manages to extract favors from people with little to offer and hopes to reverse his fortunes. Mikey convinces a marijuana dealer — played wonderfully by New Orleans native Judy Hill — to front him an ounce of weed. He buys rolling papers printed with an American flag design and is on his way, though it’s clear he sees others only for what they can provide him. Baker’s recent features focus on characters negotiating the economic fringes of the U.S. “Tangerine,” which was shot on an iPhone, followed Sin-Dee Rella, a transgender sex worker released after a month in jail, who goes looking for her boyfriend/pimp after

hearing he’s found a new partner. In “The Florida Project,” Willem Dafoe played a manager of a cheap motel not far from Walt Disney World. The story juxtaposed the allure of the Magic Kingdom and the broke and nearly broken people living in its shadow. “Red Rocket” shares the same motif of people scraping by on the economic fringes, often in exploitative endeavors. Numerous close-ups of burning American flag-wrapped joints suggest Baker sees his intimate story in a larger context. The film is set during the 2016 presidential election, and at times Lexi, Mikey or Lil watch candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on TV, though they never say anything about politics. As he’s starting to find new customers and make money, Mikey goes to the Donut Hole, and the meager bakery has plenty of opportunity and risk to go around. The cast is a mix of professionals and novice actors discovered by Baker. Despite some of their remarkable performances, Baker is only interested in Mikey’s story. The setting and Mikey’s accounts of the porn industry are in sum pretty bleak. Baker again shows he’s a skilled filmmaker, and Rex gives Mikey a screen charisma that’s hard not to watch. The film has an unflinching mix of grit and determination. Mikey does his best to make it work, but he should know reality may not live up to his fantasy. Red Rocket screens at The Prytania Theatres at Canal Place and AMC Palace theaters, and opens Jan. 7 at The Broad Theater.

CHALLENGE FOR CHANGE THANK YOU, NOLA

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PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE WOMEN’S MOVEMENTS SHADES OF HISTORY By Frank A. Longo

39 Riddle, part 2 45 Subject for Dr. Ruth 46 “Zip- — -Doo-Dah” 47 “... Mac — PC?” 48 Hostess snack cake 49 Onetime senator Trent 51 Hiccup or charley horse 54 Convents and abbeys 56 Colored rings of irises 58 About 4.2 millimeters, in typography 61 Footed vase 62 Agnus — (Mass prayer) 63 Riddle, part 3 66 “This is SO frustrating!” 69 Beelzebub 70 Tools used in fixing flats

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ACROSS 1 Holds inside 9 Scrams 16 Many millennia 20 Chart of the Pacific, e.g. 21 Eeyore’s creator 22 “Blue Jasmine” Oscar winner Blanchett 23 Start of a riddle 25 Cawing bird 26 Collate, e.g. 27 Couch potatoes stare at them 28 Maple stuff 29 Thin coins 30 Prayerful plea starter 34 Designer Saarinen 37 Sparks’ state

1200 SERE ST.  GENTILLY

72 Huge fad 76 To date 78 Riddle, part 4 80 Ship’s swerve 83 Brow’s curve 85 Bygone Russ. states 86 Most speedy 87 She won eight Oscars for Best Costume Design 91 “Oops, I messed up” 93 Comic-strip light bulb 94 Sliding-open car option 95 Like below-zero nos. 98 “... — it just me?” 100 Highway goo 101 End of the riddle 106 “Perhaps ... ask me

about it later” 107 Band with the hit “Whip It” 108 — date (plan for marriage) 109 Exuding testosterone 111 Catch sight of 113 Hobbit hunter 115 Tide type 119 Exhort 120 Riddle’s answer 126 Aspersion 127 Carry in the uterus 128 They could use a welcome sight 129 Quick flights 130 Most bohemian 131 Tilting

43 St. Pat’s land 44 Lucy’s Arnaz 45 BBQ sides 50 In present times 52 Church topper 53 Bishops’ toppers 55 Greg Evans’ longrunning comic strip 57 Isolated 59 Poker IOUs 60 Fliers’ military branch 64 Neopagan practice 65 Full of racket 67 Autos such as Ramblers and Pacers 68 Half of Hispaniola 71 Tanzanian tourist treks 73 Must 74 Pant-length measure 75 Perfume from petals 77 Chevy SUVs 79 Chuck Berry title woman 80 Rural assent to a woman 81 Together, in music scores 82 Bringing to a conclusion 84 Bracing drink 88 Singers executing quavers

ABR, CRS, GRI, SFR, SRS

89 With vehemence 90 Genetic ID 92 — choy 96 Conclusion 97 “Goodness!” 99 Mil. officer 102 Share, as a blog entry 103 Web-footed wading bird 104 “Me neither” 105 Pioneer Boone 109 Maudlin sentimentality 110 Guthrie of folk singing 112 Legendary snow beast 114 Hacienda house 116 “Orinoco Flow” singer 117 Yemeni port 118 “Hey, over here ...” 120 Org. for club swingers 121 No, in Paisley 122 Part of TGIF 123 “Just joking!” 124 Lingerie item 125 The, in Arles

ANSWERS FOR LAST ISSUE’S PUZZLE: P 2

PUZZLES

DOWN 1 Milked beasts 2 Dos cubed 3 Close by 4 Body image? 5 Moreover 6 Texting shorthand for “I think” 7 Anti’s call 8 Catch sight of 9 “Goldfinger” singer Shirley 10 French thirst quencher 11 Electric guitar connection 12 Pointers 13 Actor Everett 14 Customs worker 15 Golf bag item 16 Fender bender, e.g. 17 Tagged for a particular use 18 Plains tribe 19 Bulletin fodder 24 Iris’ layer 29 Miles of jazz 31 Student transcript no. 32 Long-used adage 33 Least shallow 35 P-shaped Greek letter 36 Sculler’s tool 38 Promising solemnly 39 Illinois city 40 Size 41 “— culpa” 42 Oreck product, for short

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