Gambit: Feb 15, 2022

February 15-21 2022 Volume 43 Number 7

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JANUARY 15 — FEBRUARY 21, 2022 VOLUME 43 || NUMBER 7

CONTENTS

Krewe of Barkus and Krewe of Cork hit the Quarter!................... 22

LOR OF CO

ORDER

Barkus’ greatest hits according to Pretty Pretty Princess Meow Meow Jawsy Jaws!........................ 25

FRESH FLOWERS FOR YOUR KREWE!

Spectacular displays by the Krewe of House Floats! ..............29

NEWS Opening Gambit ...............................6 Commentary.....................................9 Clancy DuBos...................................11 Blake Pontchartrain.....................13

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15

Carnival 2022

Previews and routes for this weekend’s parades!

S TA F F EDITORIAL (504) 483-3105// response@ gambitweekly.com Editor | JOHN STANTON Political Editor | CLANCY DUBOS Arts & Entertainment Editor | Staff Writers | JAKE CLAPP, KAYLEE POCHE, SARAH RAVITS

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Arts & Entertainment ....................5 Eat + Drink...................................... 33 Music Listings................................40 Music .................................................41 Film ................................................... 45 Puzzles.............................................46

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Gambit (ISSN 1089-3520) is published weekly by Capital City Press, LLC, 840 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130.

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5

Museum Pieces

The Krewe of Petronius marks its 60th Carnival ball

Shorty Gras

|

by Will Coviello

THE TABLEAU-STYLE BALLS OF NEW ORLEANS GAY CARNIVAL KREWES

feature some of the season’s most elaborate costumes. Assembling one can take months of planning and construction, especially if there’s an elaborate wire-framed collar or headpiece.

“The idea with gay Mardi Gras balls is historically that they are a parody or spoof of straight Mardi Gras krewes,” says Edward McDaniel, Petronius’ interim ball captain. “So everything is bigger.

It’s more exaggerated. It’s more flamboyant.”

McDaniel has been working on his own outfit for the Krewe of Petronius’ 60th Carnival ball, which is Saturday, Feb. 19, at the Frederick J. Sigur Center in Chalmette. He’s being honored as Queen of the ball, and he also chose the theme, “Museums of the World.”

“Believe it or not, there’s a museum called the DIVA museum in Antwerp, Belgium,” McDaniel says.

“It is a diamond, gemstone and silver museum. So naturally I picked it.

Well, I did the list so I could pick it.”

The museum’s name is DIVA, Museum voor Diamant, Juwelen en Zilver. McDaniel is using plenty of rhinestones, and he says the outfit is not traditional.

The museum theme will be played out in 10 participants’ costumes as well as the King and Queen.

Other museums range from the Hollywood Museum, which focuses on film and TV, to the Museum of Gold in Bogota, Colombia, which has a large collection of gold jewelry and work from before Spanish colonization in South America.

McDaniel sees choosing museums and specific collections as a challenge.

“It is easy to interpret a movie or a character or a person,” he says. “It is much harder to interpret a piece of art or a collection. I challenged the members to do that. I want your costume to be reflective of you.”

Though he’s the interim ball captain, McDaniel is appearing in only his second ball. The Krewe of Petronius didn’t have an event last year because of the pandemic, but McDaniel did a Cruella de Vil presentation in 2020, when the theme was The Darker Side of Disney. He also skipped a lavish gown design, and instead wore a massive black and white wig and a jacket that suited a character he appears as,

SHORTY GRAS IS THE BALL AND CONCERT FOLLOWING THE KREWE OF

PHOTO COURTESY OF KREWE OF PETRONIUS

Edward McDaniel unleashes Cruella de Vil for the “Darker Side of Disney’ theme at the 2020 Krewe of Petronius ball.

the Duchess of Chartres. He also had a car designed by a friend, and instead of Dalmatians, he recruited members of NOLA PAH, a canine-themed fetish group, to join him on stage.

“I thought, ‘Why not?’” he says.

“If you’re gonna get talked about, you might as well get talked about by everybody.”

While McDaniel’s personal costumes have not been traditional, he sees the importance of tradition.

The krewe sticks to the custom of attendees wearing tuxedos or gowns. That dates to the founding of Petronius, when homophobia was ingrained in the law.

“Originally there was the Krewe of Yuga,” McDaniel says. “They were busted. In those days it was illegal to be gay. A few members of the old Krewe of Yuga came together and formed Petronius. These members decided to get a state charter.

A state charter allowed them to be a recognized Mardi Gras krewe.”

Yuga was founded in 1958 and its lone hidden ball was busted in 1961.

In the early 1960s, gay men formed other clandestine krewes, including Petronius. At the height, there were 16 gay krewes, says Pat O’Rourke.

A longtime member of the Mystic Krewe of Amon-Ra, he attended every gay Carnival ball between from 1965 until 2007, he says.

His first costume was “The Yellow Rose of Texas” for a musical theme.

Now, massive costumes are built with wire frames, can weigh 60 to 100 pounds and have wingspans wider than eight to 10 feet. He’s currently finishing a king’s costume for the Petronius ball.

Many costume-makers don them again on Mardi Gras morning and show them off in the French Quarter and elsewhere. For years, O’Rourke put his costume on early in the morning and walked on St. Charles Avenue from Louisiana Avenue to the French Quarter.

“I did that before the parades started, knowing the royalty of New Orleans would be in the grandstands,” O’Rourke says.

Many of the gay krewe balls are open to the public, spaced out between late January and Carnival’s final weekend this year.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic took a heavy toll on the krewes, and the number shrank to five, O’Rourke says. But in recent years, the groups have begun growing again, and also adjusting to changing times and younger members.

“Gay krewes were a place for men to get together without repercussion,” McDaniel says. “We don’t need those now. With social media and changing of laws and ability to marry and more acceptance of gay culture, some people may think, ‘Why do I need this?’”

He believes Petronius can hold on to tradition and evolve.

“Petronius has paved the way for a lot of these krewes to exist,” he says. “Our members have made a lot of important contributions.

It’s their support that allows me to do what I want to do … We hold on to our traditions, and we modify them when necessary. But we are the world’s oldest gay Mardi Gras krewe, and that is an honor.”

For tickets to the Krewe of Petronius ball, visit kreweofpetronius.net.

Freret parade. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue headlines, and the lineup includes Big Freedia, Tank and the Bangas, Mannie Fresh, Khris Royal, Lil Jodeci, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, HaSizzle, Boyfriend and Joshua Starkman.

Doors open at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19. Tickets $60 and up and are available via eventbrite.com.

P H O T O B Y S H AW N F I N K / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue perform at Shorty Gras in 2020.

‘Shortbus’

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL MAY NOT TOP THE FAME OF “HEDWIG AND

the Angry Inch,” but his sexually explicit comedy, “Shortbus,” about New Yorkers on a quest for pleasure, has its own following.

The film screens this week at Prytania Theatres at Canal Place, and Mitchell and Amber Martin host a wrap-up dance party at AllWays Lounge & Theatre at 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19. Visit theprytania.com and theallwayslounge.net for information.

The Rumble

THE RUMBLE, A NEW BAND MADE UP OF FORMER CHA WA MEMBERS, debuted

at the Maple Leaf earlier this month with a tight, loud set of originals, Mardi Gras Indian funk classics and some songs they wrote in their former band. The Rumble continues its Wednesday shows at the Maple Leaf in February, and is on the balcony at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15. The show is free, and it also will be streamed at facebook.com/ nolajazzmuseum/live.

Interrobang

AS A PARADING KREWE, INTERROBANG HAS LAUNCHED GILLIAM, a massive

cloud whale, and Galactopus, a space octopus, on the streets during Carnival. This year, it holds PAGE 43

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OPENING GAMBIT NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS

The Venn Diagram of the Krewe of Chad and Anti-maskers Is a Perfect Circle

#

T H U M B S U P/ THUMBS DOWN

3.5

The Al Copeland Foundation has

donated $400,000 and committed $2 million over the next 10 years to LSU Health Foundation to support a new Cancer Partnership Network. The network will support research and clinical trial programs and develop a patient screening, prevention and outreach initiative in the Gulf Coast region.

Restaurateur Al Copeland died in 2008 from Merkel Cell Carcinoma, and over the last decade the Copeland Foundation has worked with LSU Health in support of cancer research.

NOLAC.A.R.E.S., a new 12-organi-

zation initiative led by Beloved Community, has been awarded a $5 million grant to support local Black and Latinx women working in early childhood development. The grant was awarded by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., and will be used to help local women get certified as Child Development Associates, set up a fund to support low- or no-cost childcare facilities and conduct research, among other initiatives.

Nineteen Sewerage & Water Board employees have been

caught illegally using handicapped placards belonging to other people in order to park in front of the S&WB office, WWL-TV reported. The New Orleans Office of Inspector General reported last week that 16 employees were illegally using the placards, while three others used the placards of deceased persons. S&WB pays $5,200 a month to a nearby garage for employee parking.

THE COUNT

THE POSITIVITY RATE FOR COVID-19 TESTING IN NEW ORLEANS AS OF FEB. 10.

C O U R T E S Y O F E N T E R G Y C O R P.

New logo who dis?

Entergy shareholder payments reach $1.5 billion in last two years as customer bills rise LAST MONTH, ENTERGY NEW ORLEANS REVEALED IT WAS PULLING FUNDING from a vital city proj-

ect to shore up the city’s flood defenses. Citing the massive cost of recovering from Hurricane Ida, the company said it could no longer fulfill its commitment to loan $30 million to the Sewerage and Water Board.

Four days later, the utility’s parent company, Entergy Corp. announced quarterly shareholder dividend payments at $1.01 per share, totaling $202 million.

The two announcements, side by side, are indicative of what several utility experts told The Lens is a broader trend for Entergy, and for utility monopolies across the country — insulating shareholders from risk and shifting the burden to customers.

“The risks and rewards of the business are supposed to be shared by the customers and stockholders. But more often, the customers are required to foot the bill,” longtime utility expert and consultant Stephen Hill told The Lens. “The consumers wind up with the short end of the risk stick.”

Like other utility companies, Entergy stock doesn’t offer investors big growth potential.

To make up for it, the company dedicates a huge portion of its annual earnings — over 60 percent on average — to ensure its

quarterly shareholder payments remain steady and predictable. In a statement, an Entergy spokesperson said that keeping the dividend high and protecting the stock price also benefits customers by making it cheaper for the company to raise cash for infrastructure investments.

But some consumer advocates argue Entergy has only been able to maintain those dividends by shifting the volatility of the business — like falling demand, natural disasters and fuel prices — to its consumers. And the past two years have been a test case for how successful Entergy has been.

Entergy’s finances were rocked by a global pandemic, a recession, a series of record-breaking hurricanes, winter storms and rising gas prices. But none of that is reflected in the company’s unabated dividend growth.

Over the last two years, quarterly shareholder payments grew nine percent, and topped $1.5 billion total.

It’s been a different story for Entergy’s 3 million customers, who have faced bill hikes from all five of Entergy’s operating companies — Entergy Louisiana, Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Mississippi and Entergy Texas. Many of them will likely see PAGE 7

That figure is a massive decrease from previous weeks. The downward trend is somewhat encouraging news as Carnival season kicks into high gear — and can be attributed to high vaccination rates and mask mandates in the city — but health department officials are issuing reminders that the virus is still highly contagious and everyone planning to celebrate should be vaccinated and get booster shots to maximize protection.

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PAGE 6

additional bill increases to cover billions of dollars in storm recovery costs from the past two years.

At the same time, the company has been accused of failing to invest enough to maintain a reliable grid or prepare for the impacts of climate change, especially in the wake of Hurricane Ida last summer. Monique Harden, assistant director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, said the company’s decision to use the majority of its earnings for shareholder payouts, rather than reinvesting in the company, makes those problems worse.

“Entergy shareholders are profiting from a company that is not doing what it’s supposed to do,” Harden said. “Entergy has been way off the mark for years and has just been allowed to get away with it.”

Critics note that in 2020, as revenues declined, Entergy reduced operations and maintenance spending by $150 million in an attempt to maintain profitability .

“It’s become so distorted that shareholders can only ever benefit and ratepayers can only ever pay

up,” said Daniel Tait, a researcher and communications manager for the Energy and Policy Institute, and a frequent critic of Entergy.

“The proposition here is pretty simple: Neither shareholders nor customers deserve to shoulder 100 percent of the burden from extraordinary events the world throws at us.” — MICHAEL ISAAC STEIN / THE LENS

Longshore No More For The Uptown Party Scene

TURNS OUT ASHLEY LONGSHORE DOESN’T LOVE her house enough to

stay in it anymore.

A day after Architectural Digest published a glowing review of the artist’s bedazzled, maximalist 5,244-square-foot home, the property turned up on real estate site Zillow. Longshore — who has turned her ‘Today Show”-ButWith-Edgy-Curse-Words style into a multi-million dollar enterprise — is asking a cool $2,289,000 for her Uptown digs.

According to the website, the house boasts four bedrooms and five baths and has a pool.

Although it’s unlikely you’ll get any of Longshore’s bombastic art as part of the multi-million dollar asking price, from vertigo inducing floors to shiny cherry red paint, she’s certainly left her mark on the home’s interior.

A prolific artist, Longshore has come under intense scrutiny for racist depictions of Black people and issues of appropriation, including references to the racist 1946 Disney movie “Song of the South” and a painting of American Express black cards with the words “Black Amexes Matter.”

Last year, with thousands of New Orleanians out of work and struggling, Longshore posted a since-deleted job ad on her Instagram account in which she mocked young workers, among other things. “There is no tik tok (sic) during work day... only the TICK TOCK of my watch!” the post read, adding that “if you make spelling errors, are not detail oriented, prone to bouts of laziness and unjustified entitlement DO NOT APPLY..... this (sic) ant (sic) a millennial/gen z day spa...... i (sic) need someone with fucking

experience. This aint (sic) a daycare center.. this (sic) is a job.”

Of late, it appears Longshore has gotten into the NFT game, with several pieces depicting Black women, including Vice President Kamala Harris, attributed to her.

It’s been a rollercoaster week for Longshore’s home. On Monday, Achitectural Digest published its story on the mansion in which Longshore said that what she fell in love with “how it was gated and set back, and just the privacy of the home in general. And from the outside, it was very traditional, but then on the inside, I wanted it to feel like a jewel box of my art collection.”

As for how she decorated the home, Longshore said, “It was really about the art. Also functionality, because I knew we were going to be partying our asses off in this house, between Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras and people coming in.”

But those plans appear to have changed, and it’s unclear where those asses will now be partied off.

— JOHN STANTON

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New Orleanians demand understanding and respect from tourists — and City Hall

delicate

je wel s

AS WE ENTER THE FINAL TWO WEEKS OF MARDI GRAS SEASON, things in

New Orleans seem to have gotten as close to “normal” as we’re likely to get for the foreseeable future.

Parades have begun, the smell of seafood boils fills the air, film crews are everywhere and our infrastructure remains a fragile mess.

With a full schedule of float parades starting this week, we’ll also see the return of another sign of normalcy: tourists. Lots of tourists. While we typically write for a local audience, this week we feel compelled to write for our visitors as well.

We recently received an email from an out-of-town reader whose family had planned to come to town for this weekend’s festivities, but they were concerned about whether they should still come. Not because of COVID-19, but because they didn’t want to be bad visitors. After reading our coverage of short-term rentals, the city’s often-conflicting Covid regulations and the tourism-friendly changes to parade routes, they weren’t sure what to do.

To our visitors, we want you to know that you are always welcome in New Orleans. That’s not just because you comprise an enormous part of our economy (though we appreciate all the dollars you spend here), but because so much of our culture is about sharing what we have. Carnival, second lines and festivals are all public expressions of who we are. So, too, are the smaller things — buskers playing music on street corners, bars providing free red beans and rice, or locals offering a plate for curious strangers. This sense of openness and community is woven into our music, which from jazz to funk to bounce is too joyous and kinetic to be enjoyed quietly.

We ask little in return. First and foremost, we expect understanding. Whether you happen upon a second line or a show in a neighborhood bar, understand that it isn’t about you. Second, we

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

Rex rolling on St. Charles Avenue in 2019. demand respect. Respect for our sacred spaces, our traditions, our community, and most importantly for our elders.

Thankfully, most tourists understand these things. Indeed, simply by asking questions, our concerned reader demonstrated as much in that recent email.

Our culture draws millions of people every year to New Orleans.

While some are lured by the blinged-out mania of Bourbon Street or Endymion, far more keep coming because of the joy, the wonder and the beauty they see, taste and hear in the cornerstones of our culture.

Sadly, the same can’t be said for some of our current leaders. Some of them seem intent on sanitizing our culture — and then monetizing it for the benefit of wealthy (and all too often out-of-town) interests.

Just as Michael Bloomberg (one of Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s benchmarks of mayoral leadership) did to New York, they want to make New Orleans “accessible” even though nobody — not tourists and certainly not locals — has any interest in a watered-down New Orleans.

So, to our visitors and our local readers, we wish you a safe and enjoyable Mardi Gras. To our leaders, we demand that you preserve what’s truly unique about our city.

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@clancygambit

Louisiana remap plans could be the next Plessy v. Ferguson IF YOU’VE EVER WANTED PROOF OF THE OLD FRENCH ADAGE , “The

more things change, the more they stay the same,” you need look no further than the Louisiana Legislature’s hamfisted way of redrawing district maps after a decennial census.

This is true not only of lawmakers redrawing their own district boundaries but also those of the state’s congressional delegation, the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and even — on rare occasions — the Louisiana Supreme Court.

It’s literally happening as I write this, only this time the official dilution of Black voting strength is more pronounced than in recent decades.

The Republican-controlled Legislature called itself into a special redistricting session that began Feb. 1 — the first day of Black History Month — and immediately got to work making sure Black voters made no gains whatsoever in their ability to elect leaders who look like them or care about their concerns.

That, despite the fact that Louisiana’s Black population increased nearly 4% in the past decade — while the state’s white population decreased by more than 6%.

To be fair, the 29 Black-majority districts in the current 105-member state House of Representatives at least approximated (somewhat) the percentage of Louisiana’s Black population after the 2010 Census.

Unfortunately, the House redistricting plan that appears likely to pass this time — with near-solid GOP support and near-unanimous Democratic opposition — keeps that number at 29, even though Black citizens now comprise 33% of the state’s population.

That increase in Black population justifies at least three more Blackmajority seats in the House, but that would make GOP efforts to override gubernatorial vetoes even more difficult. The Republican majority won’t stand for that, so they made sure to maintain the status quo. Again.

True to form, GOP-backed redistricting plans for the state Senate, BESE, the PSC and the state Supreme Court all maintain the

PHOTO BY BILL FEIG / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

The only thing standing in the way of Black voters getting steamrolled is Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, who could veto any or all of the plans. Edwards has called for a second Blackmajority congressional district. current number of Black-majority districts, notwithstanding indisputable Census numbers justifying more Black-majority districts.

The only thing standing in the way of Black voters getting steamrolled is Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, who could veto any or all of the plans. Edwards has called for a second Black-majority congressional district. Currently only one of Louisiana’s six congressional districts has a Black majority. The governor has been silent on other redistricting plans.

Edwards vetoed several controversial bills last year that Republican lawmakers passed by large majorities. A first-ever veto override session called by GOP leaders failed to muster the votes to overturn those vetoes.

It’s by no means certain that his potential veto of any new district maps could survive such a session this year, however. Redistricting — particularly when lawmakers draw their own maps — is more an exercise in self-preservation than run-of-the-mill policy making.

In decades past, the courts and the federal Voting Rights Act offered minorities a measure of hope, but the current U.S. Supreme Court, which has effectively gutted the act, has all but dashed those hopes. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Louisiana redistricting plans become the next Plessy v. Ferguson.

Plus ça change.

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Audubon offers ways to celebrate fun times while helping wildlife

A critically endangered Sumatran orangutan mother and infant at Audubon Zoo

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by Audubon Nature Institute

Between Valentine’s Day and the Mardi Gras season, the coming days are a time of celebration and enjoying special moments with loved ones. But amid these happy times, many may not realize how their actions can impact wildlife and the environment.

In the New Orleans area, many people have begun their Carnival celebrations, which will continue through Mardi Gras Day on March 1. While Carnival season is always fun, it can have unintended consequences. Throws often wind up in the city’s sewerage and drainage systems, clogging catch basins and pipes and ending up in local waterways. Damage to native greenery such as the grass on neutral grounds can result in muddy areas and impact stormwater drainage. Glitter used on throws, costumes and face paint is made up of microplastics that end up in waterways and soil and are eventually ingested by animals, including humans.

To reduce these impacts, John Fallon, Audubon Nature Institute’s Director of Sustainability and Coastal Conservation Initiatives, noted that people can donate unwanted beads at Audubon Zoo and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. They are then brought to Arc of Greater New Orleans for recycling. The nonprofit’s Mardi Gras Recycle Center funds more than 80 jobs for people with intellectual disabilities who sort, package and resell the beads.

“When people bring their beads to Audubon for recycling, they’re not only

helping wildlife and nature, they’re also helping our community,” he said.

Audubon also encourages the community to support the mission of Grounds Krewe, a local 501 (c) 3 nonprofit that works to promote, plan and facilitate waste prevention, recycling and sustainability at New Orleans special events.

“Be on the lookout for Grounds Krewe volunteers and recycling stations along the parade route on February 26 and 27,” Fallon said. “Parade goers can pick up free throw donation or can/bottle recycling bags at one of their stations along the routes. Bags will be given out and taken in from 30 minutes before the first day parade until 30 minutes after the last day parade.”

Some suggestions for celebrating Mardi Gras sustainably include: • During parades, reuse throws from prior years or use recycled throws from retailers like Arc of Greater New Orleans.

• Don’t toss your collected throws after a parade. Save them for next year, bring them to a recycling dropoff point or offer them for free online for crafters or future parade riders.

• Reduce vehicle use by walking, biking or taking public transportation to parades, parties and balls.

You can also use rideshares or carpools.

• Pack environmentally-friendly parade picnics. Use reusable bottles and storage containers when possible and recyclable materials like aluminum and glass. Glass cannot be put in curbside recycling, but there are multiple glass drop-off locations in the New Orleans area.

• Wear homemade costumes instead

African penguins ride in the Krewe of Tux at Audubon Aquarium.

of store-bought ones. Use materials you have at home or can purchase secondhand at a thrift store. If you buy materials, try to avoid plastic and buy things you can use again.

• Clean up your parade spot before you leave. Take all of your trash and have a designated bin or bag for recyclables.

Audubon Director of Sustainability and Coastal Conservation and 610 Stomper John Fallon

Valentine’s Day also presents the perfect opportunity to show your love for the planet with a gift for your loved one. Several brands of candy and chocolate contain palm oil, and the farming of this is causing deforestation in the natural habitats of Sumatran orangutans, which are only native to Southeast Asia.

Audubon Nature Institute, along with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, are committed to supporting a move to sustainable palm oil, rather than an overall boycott, which could do more harm than good. International standards have been established that require sustainable palm oil to be deforestation-free, and many manufacturers, retailers and traders have expressed commitments to using only this ingredient.

“People can use Audubon’s Orangutan-Friendly 2022 Valentine’s Day Candy Guide and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Sustainable Palm Oil Shopping app to find brands of candy that are certified orangutan-friendly,” Fallon said. “It’s easy to find candy made with sustainable palm oil, or better yet, without palm oil at all, if you just take a moment to check brands.”

There are other steps people can take to celebrate a sustainable Valentine’s Day. Homemade cards and gifts using materials you already have can mean less waste in landfills. Avoid buying trinkets, disposable gifts, plastic necklaces and other throwaway items.

Also, give live potted plants instead of cut flowers. Most cut roses in the United States are grown in South America, meaning transportation and storage have significant environmental impacts. In the U.S., roses are grown in climate-controlled greenhouses, which are energy intensive. One study indicated that the 100 million roses sent on a typical Valentine’s Day produces 9,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

You can learn more about how to make a positive impact on nature and wildlife by visiting https://action.audubonnatureinstitute.org.

@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Hey Blake,

Near the old Charity Hospital on Tulane Avenue is a building with the words “Lapeyre Miltenberger” and “Home for Convalescents” etched onto it. What can you tell me about it?

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Dear reader,

The building in the 1600 block of Tulane Avenue was built with a donation from the estate of Corinne Virginie Lapeyre Miltenberger. When she died in March 1930, The Times-Picayune reported she left $596,000 in her will for the construction of a convalescent home, or rehabilitation facility, for the poor. That’s nearly $10 million in today’s money.

“I feel, having suffered much, that my great concern in leaving this world is the relief of suffering,” she wrote in her will, which was highlighted on the front page of The Times-Picayune soon after her death. “My relatives will understand, and I hope approve of, the disposition I make of the residue of my estate.” The newspaper reported that half of her estate was bequeathed to family, friends and other charities, with the other half going toward construction of the hospital facility.

The Lapeyre Miltenberger building, constructed at a cost of

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

The former Charity Hospital. $309,000, opened in November 1933. Seven stories tall, it featured a solarium on each floor and “special light treatment facilities,” according to the newspaper. A history published by LSU Health says LSU opened the state’s first school of physical therapy in the building in the 1950s.

In the mid-1960s, the facility began providing inpatient care to physically disabled patients through Louisiana Rehabilitation Services, a state agency. In the 1970s, the building was renovated to better serve that purpose and renamed the Louisiana Rehabilitation Institute.

Like Charity Hospital, the building suffered damage during Hurricane Katrina. The $300-million plan to redevelop Charity calls for converting the Lapeyre Miltenberger building for mixed-income housing.

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BL AKEVIE W THE KREWE OF ALLA WILL MARK ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY when its parade rolls Friday, Feb. 18. Although it now follows the Uptown route, the krewe’s roots are in Algiers, which is how it got its name. Alla combines the first two letters of Algiers and the abbreviation for Louisiana.

A group of businessmen formed the krewe in 1932 as the Westside Social and Carnival Club. According to krewe historian Al Robichaux, there was only one float for the first parade on Fat Tuesday 1933. It was rented from the Krewe of Proteus through an arrangement with their float builder, Soulie and Crassons. Roy Kern, father of legendary float builder Blaine Kern, helped embellish the float to better fit the theme of the first Alla parade: “Liberty.”

In the years that followed, Alla grew in size and began designing its own floats, built by the Kerns. Blaine Kern would serve as captain of the krewe beginning in 1959. He helped revive the krewe in 1977, when its membership had dropped to just 40 people. According to Robichaux, Kern organized a partnership between Alla and the Krewe of Gryphon, forming the Golden Gryphon Society and presenting parades on par with the superkrewes of Bacchus and Endymion. As an example, in 1982 Alla created the largest float ever built at that time, the 70-foot-long Alla-Gator.

In 2014, Alla moved to the Uptown parade route and joined with the military-themed group Legion of Mars, opening the parade to men and women. This week’s parade will roll with 550 members and the theme “Alla Dives Deep.”

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MARDI GRAS 2022

THEE

PHOTO BY CHRIS GR ANGER / THE T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

The L.B B. Landry — O. Perrry Walker high scchool band march hes in the Mysticc Krewe of Femmee Fatale paradee in 2020.

T

HE PARADE SEASON KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR

this weekend with more than 15 parades in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. After a year away from the parade routes, there’s plenty for Carnival fans to enjoy.

Changes in parade routes have grabbed attention in recent weeks. All Orleans parades scheduled this weekend are on the shortened Uptown route, starting roughly at Prytania Street on Napoleon Avenue and proceeding down St. Charles Avenue. All the weekend’s Metairie parades are on the Veterans Memorial Boulevard route running from Bonnabel Boulevard to the end near Clearview City Center.

The return to parading is just in time for some krewes to hit major milestones. The Krewe of Alla marks its 90th year. The longtime West Bank day parade has in recent years crossed over the river to roll on St. Charles Avenue and is now a night parade.

King Arthur notches its 45th anniversary, and the royalty from this year and last will ride in the parade. The Krewe of Oshun marks its silver anniversary. In Metairie, the Krewe of Excalibur celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The Krewe of Symphony makes its parading debut in Metairie. Changes in Jefferson include the growth of the MadHatters parade, which features a host of local TV news celebrities and local bands in its second procession. Family Gras (see page 21) returns to its original location at Mardi Gras Plaza near Lakeside Shopping Center and features live music before parade time each day. The lineup includes Sister Sledge, Martina McBride, Marie Osmond and more.

Previews for parades in New Orleans and Metairie are on the following pages. There’s information on themes, royalty, throws and more. For a full schedule and route maps, see page 21. There also are previews of the canine Krewe of Barkus and Krewe of Cork on page 22. Parade routes are subject to change.

Check bestofneworleans.com for updates.

OF

KING

A WEEKEND FULL OF PARADES IN NEW ORLEANS AND METAIRIE

QUEEN ’N’ DEM

AND

PARADE PREVIEWS

Friday, Feb. 18 OSHUN

6 p.m.

UPTOWN THEME: Looking for the Silver Lining FLOATS: 18 OSHUN: Dr. Elizabeth Bowles SHANGO: Brian Williams THROWS: fans and beads

Oshun is marking its 25th anniversary, and signature throws include special fans and beads celebrating the milestone. The Silver Lining theme takes a celestial turn on floats, which feature stars, Venus clouds and more. Guest riders include local singer and actress Barbara Shorts and some of the New Orleans Saints superfans.

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RE ETURN

FEB. 18-20

ALLA

Follows Cleopatra

UPTOWN THEME: Alla Dives Deep FLOATS: 25 QUEEN: Alexis Carville Kuhn KING: Dr. William Chandler LeBoeuf THROWS: genie lamps, doubloons and various items marking the krewe’s 90th anniversary The Krewe of Alla celebrates its 90th anniversary, having started as a West Bank parade in 1932, moving to the Uptown route in 2014 and becoming a night parade in 2020. It also partners with the Legion of Mars to honor veterans and people serving in the military. The theme is nautical, with floats depicting Davy Jones’ Locker, the Great Barrier Reef and Treasures of the South Sea. PAGE 16

CLEOPATRA Follows Oshun

UPTOWN THEME: Cleopatra’s Greatest Hits FLOATS: 21 CLEOPATRA: Carrie Ann Simpson THROWS: hand-decorated beverage glasses, feather boas, compact mirrors, phone pop-out holders, sunglasses, bracelets and doubloons The krewe theme hits a musical note with floats honoring The Supremes, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and other singers. The all-woman krewe is known for its Egyptian theme and design on royalty and signature floats.

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MARDI GRAS 2022 PAGE 15

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

Shango XXIII Damiane Pierre Clark Thomas waves to the crowd during the Krewe of Oshun parade in 2019.

EXCALIBUR

6:30 p.m.

METAIRIE THEME: Celebrating 20 Years FLOATS: 28 QUEEN: Dana N. Daigrepont KING: Brett J. Hildreth THROWS: painted shields, lighted medallions, doubloons and cups

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Excalibur is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and floats will reflect both the krewe’s King Arthur and Camelot theme and other amusements, such as the Haunted House and “Star Wars” floats.

Members of Baton Rouge’s Krewe of Romany will ride in the parade. Special throws include five golden shields, and the recipients will win free rides in the 2023 parade. Members of the NOLA Gold rugby team will ride as guests in the parade.

THE NEW ORLEANS BOOK FESTIVAL will bring the world’s leading authors to TULANE UNIVERSITY’S uptown campus for a multi-day celebration! This FREE festival will provide an opportunity for authors and readers to interact with each other in one of the most vibrant and culturally diverse cities in the world. Be sure to join us for FAMILY DAY at the fest on SATURDAY, MARCH 12! Visit bookfest. tulane.edu for the full 2022 author lineup and updates!

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Follows Excalibur

METAIRIE THEME: A Night with Symphony — Let the Music Play FLOATS: 14 QUEEN: Trinette L. Cockerham KING: Stilton D. Banks THROWS: chocolate bars and hand drums The Krewe of Symphony makes its parading premiere in Metairie.

It was originally founded as a ball-only Carnival organization.

The theme is musical, and bounce artist HaSizzle serves as grand marshal of the parade.

Saturday, Feb. 19 PONTCHARTRAIN

1 p.m.

UPTOWN THEME: What’s Up, Pontchartrain?

FLOATS: 14 QUEEN: Megan Celeste Dubuc KING: Wayne Joseph Beggren THROWS: krewe logo crawfish trays and beads; cups with float pictures on them; doubloons

OPEN LUNCH & DINNER WED - SUN WEDNESDAY - FRIDAYY 11AM - 10PM

SYMPHONY

SUNDAY 12PM - 9PM

134 N CARROLLTON • 488-7991 • VENEZIANEWORLEANS.NET

The krewe’s “What’s Up, Pontchartrain?” theme is played out with floats posing questions and illustrating phrases, such as “What’s Up, Doc?”; “Up Up and Away”; and “Bottoms Up.” The krewe’s symbol is a grouper and it appears on some krewe logo throws.

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MARDI GRAS 2022

UPTOWN THEME: The Show Must Go On! FLOATS: 14 PRINCESS: Sherri A. Walker CHIEF: Dr. Everett G. Robert Jr. THROWS: hand-decorated wooden tomahawks, fans, tomahawk-cutout doubloons

UPTOWN THEME: The Music of New Orleans Returns FLOATS: 24 QUEEN: Audrey Voelker KING: Johnny Amaraneni THROWS: hand-decorated masks, plush animals, fanny packs, footballs and cups

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The krewe’s themes often celebrate local culture, and this year’s focus on music follows up on the group’s introduction of a float featuring an animatronic likeness of Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews playing a giant trombone. The krewe is known for its Mexican wrestling-themed El Lucha Krewe and other local marching groups.

The theme celebrates entertainment and floats depict both performers and famous characters, including Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz.”

FRERET

Follows Choctaw

SPARTA

5:30 p.m.

UPTOWN THEME: The Art of Making Art FLOATS: 25 QUEEN: Joycelyn Carol Miller KING: Brian J. Plauche THROWS: Spartan helmets, lighted torches, plush toys and doubloons The Sparta theme is illustrated with floats depicting famous art, including “The Birth of Venus” and “The Blue Dog.” The parade includes members of The Order of the Phoenix, an all-female group founded in 2020.

PYGMALION

Follows Sparta

UPTOWN THEME: The Metamorphosis of Persephone FLOATS: 28 QUEEN: Alexis Fuentes KING: Michael Arata THROWS: lighted flower headbands and heart wands, pigs, footballs, glass beads and doubloons The krewe delves into mythology for its theme, and floats depict parts of Persephone’s tale, including Hades Abducts the Maiden and The Desolation of Demeter. The krewe is known for its PygPAGE 19 mammouth signature float.

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CHOCTAW

Follows Pontchartrain

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MARDI GRAS 2022

MADHATTERS

5 p.m.

METAIRIE THEME: The Hats People Wear FLOATS: 31 ALICE: Robin Barnes MAD HATTER: Eric Paulsen THROWS: lighted hearts, foot-

balls, scepters, toothbrushes, Bibles, cups, doubloons and various hats, some of them hand-decorated

Inspired by “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” the Magical Krewe of MadHatters mounts its second parade with a host of local news celebrities and bands. Various TV reporters dress as Wonderland characters, including Lee Zurik as the Black Knight, Fletcher Mackel as the Silver Knight, Travers Mackel as the King of Hearts and meteorologist Chris Franklin as the Cheshire Cat. Vince Vance, Category 6, Bag of Donuts and the Chee-Weez are among the musicians and bands riding in the parade.

The procession also features stilt-walkers, jugglers and other circus-style performers.

CENTURIONS

6:30 p.m.

METAIRIE THEME: This Magic Moment FLOATS: 20 QUEEN: Kayla Aucoin-LeBouef KING: Raymond Livermore Jr. THROWS: hand-decorated swords, footballs, koozies, throwing discs, cups and doubloons The krewe inspired by ancient Rome celebrates more modern things with floats depicting a crawfish boil, crabbing and the Kentucky Derby.

Sunday, Feb. 20 FEMME FATALE

11 a.m.

UPTOWN THEME: Ladies First FLOATS: 19 QUEEN: Denean Trigs-Keys THROWS: jeweled mirror compacts, plush lips, footballs, throwing discs, lighted ball wands, krewe beads and cups The all-women krewe cele-

brates women singers who had No. 1 hits, and floats depict Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” The Supremes’ “Stop in the Name of Love” and Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire.” WDSU TV reporter Gina Swanson serves as grand marshal and radio host DeDe McGuire rides in the parade.

CARROLLTON

Follows Femme Fatale

UPTOWN THEME: Once Upon a Time FLOATS: 24 QUEEN: Giuliana Maria Renda KING: Dr. Anthony Marion THROWS: hand-decorated shrimp boots, seafood trays, kites, fedoras, beach balls, rubber ducks and cups The theme celebrates stories, and floats depict “Three Little Pigs,” “Treasure Island” and “The Great Pumpkin.”

KING ARTHUR

Follows Carrollton

UPTOWN THEME: On the Road Again FLOATS: 64 QUEEN GUINEVERE: Lisa A. Cotham KING ARTHUR: William C. A. Stevenson THROWS: hand-decorated grails, fedoras, kites, beach pails, fidget toys, plush toys, activity books, doubloons and more For its 45th anniversary, the Krewe of King Arthur looks forward, with a theme celebrating travel destinations people can go to once the pandemic subsides. The procession also features royalty from 2021 who did not get to ride in a parade, Queen Guinevere 44, Joyce Lewis, and King Arthur 44, John M. Joslin II.

ATLAS

4 p.m.

METAIRIE THEME: Back to Normal FLOATS: 16 QUEEN: Megan Murray KING: Brad Murray This parade marks the second procession since the Krewe of Atlas returned to parading in 2020.

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MARDI GRAS 2022

PARADE ROUTES METAIRIE

FRIDAY, FEB. 18

subject to change

Oshun 6 p.m.

UPTOWN

18TH ST.

Cleopatra Follows Oshun

START

SEVERN AVE.

Alla Follows Cleopatra

BONNABEL

FERONIA

UPTOWN

UPTOWN

Excalibur 6:30 p.m.

METAIRIE

Symphony Follows Excalibur METAIRIE

VETERANS MEMORIAL BLVD. CLEARVIEW MALL

SATURDAY, FEB. 19

END

Pontchartrain 1 p.m.

UPTOWN

Choctaw Follows Pontchartrain UPTOWN

Freret Follows Choctaw UPTOWN

Sparta 5:30 p.m.

PRY

Femme Fatale 11 a.m.

UPTOWN

Carrollton Follows Femme Fatale

TAN

IA S

UPTOWN

H ST. C

UPTOWN

VE .

ES A

LEE CIRCLE

C AMP TC

King Arthur Follows Carrollton

ARL

CANAL ST .

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DR A

.

S ST

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T.

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SUNDAY, FEB. 20

J AC

START

ie

MLK JR. BLVD.

KSO

NA

METAIRIE

IT Y S

PO

NA VE .

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METAIRIE

Centurions 6:30 p.m.

FELIC

UPTOWN

MadHatters 5 p.m.

NA VE

subject to change

.

UPTOWN

UPTOWN

Pygmalion Follows Sparta

H

ST.

P OU

ITO

UL

AS END

Atlas 4 p.m.

METAIRIE

WE ARE FAMILY

GR AS

FILE PHOTO

Fans listen to music at Family Gras in Metairie.

KNOWN FOR THE DISCO-ERA HIT, ‘We Are Family,” Sister Sledge may be a fitting headliner for Family Gras, which returns to its former site at Mardi Gras Plaza near Lakeside Shopping Center for a weekend of parade-side music and more.

Family Gras is a free festival including live music, parade-watching, an art market and more on Feb. 18-20.

The music lineup typically features a mix of local musicians, oldies stars and more. This year features Martina McBride, Ann Wilson of Heart and Marie Osmond, who with brother Donny Osmond had a hit variety TV show in the 1970s and held down a Las Vegas show for 11 years ending in 2019. Entertainment kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday with a salute to Allen Toussaint, followed by Marie Osmond with her Orchestra. Saturday features Sister Sledge, Wilson, Girl Named Tom and David Batiste & the Gladiators. McBride, Amanda Shaw and “American Idol” runner-up Lauren Alaina offer a country and Cajun music bill on Sunday. Music starts at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Family Gras includes kids’ activities, an art market, food and more. Admission is free, and VIP passes include some food, drinks and backstage access. Visit familygras.com for music schedule and information.

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PARADE SCHEDULE

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MARDI GRAS 2022

WALKING KREWES OF BARKUS AND CORK HIT THE FRENCH QUARTER

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French Quarter kreweofbarkus.org

ENGLAND’S QUEEN ELIZABETH II is known for her fondness of corgis, but dogs of all breeds will pay tribute to the British monarchy at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, when the Mystic Krewe of Barkus weaves through the French Quarter with its theme of “Barkingham Palace: Barkus is Going for the Crown.”

Barkus members are reportedly “binge watching stories about this theme while sipping tea, eating biscuits and practicing the pinkie paw extension,” says Catherine Olivier, a spokesperson for the canine krewe.

The hounds also are brushing up on their manners despite the French Quarter’s reputation for condoning unruly behavior during this time of year. “Some have even learned that digging in the dirt for no reason and regularly sniffing butts as a proper greeting is as unacceptable as a misplaced table setting,” Olivier joked in a news release.

The parade begins in Armstrong Park and follows a 15-block route through the French Quarter with a stop in front of a VIP Reviewing Stand at Good Friends’ Bar on Dauphine and St. Ann streets, where loyal subjects can raise a toast and salute the regal canines.

This year’s king of kings is Jumpin’ Jack Flash, a retriever who divides his time between the French Quarter and Jackson, Mississippi.

“I take the responsibilities of my reign seriously,” the new monarch said through the krewe’s Instagram account, adding that he will rule with a “kind paw and influential heart” and hopes to bring attention to dogs that have not yet found their forever homes.

Barkus first rolled in 1993 after some Margaret Orr fans came up with the idea at Good Friends while bonding over their love of the WDSU meteorologist — and, of course, dogs. The krewe also raises funds for animal rescue

JACKSON SQUARE

CHARTRES ST. ST.LOUIS CATHEDRAL

ROYAL ST.

BOURBON ST.

ST. PETER ST.

2 P.M. SUNDAY, FEB. 20

KREW OF BARKUS

subject to change

ORLEANS ST.

MYSTIC KREWE OF BARKUS

DAUPHINE ST.

ST. ANN ST.

DUMAINE ST.

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BURGUNDY ST.

N. RAMPART ST.

START

END ARMSTRONG PARK

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

Fisa begs for treats during the Krewe of Barkus parade in 2020.

organizations around the Gulf Coast.

The pre-parade “pawty” starts at 10:30 a.m. in Armstrong Park with food and drink for canines and humans.

To sign a tail-wagging friend up for a spot in the parade or to find out more, visit kreweofbarkus.org.

— SARAH RAVITS

23

MARDI GRAS 2022

s a r G i d r a M

KREWE OF CORK

3 P.M. FRIDAY, FEB. 18

French Quarter kreweofcork.com

KREW OF CORK BIENVILLE ST.

CONTI ST.

ST. LOUIS ST.

ST.LOUIS CATHEDRAL

ST. PETER ST.

JACKSON SQUARE

TOULOUSE ST.

subject to change

DECATUR ST.

ST. ANN ST.

START CHARTRES ST.

END ROYAL ST.

OPENDAILY DAILY OPEN 7AM-9PM 7AM-9PM FRI&&SAT SAT10PM 10PM FRI VALIDATEDPARKING PARKING VALIDATED

Dine In & Takeout Dlivery.live Goldbelly.com

401 Poydras St  MothersRestaurant.net  (504)523-9656

FILE PHOTO

Patrick van Hoorebeek leads the Krewe of Cork.

IF YOU SEE PEOPLE ACCESSORIZING WINE CORKS, sporting bottle opener headdresses or transforming themselves into a bunch of grapes during Carnival season, that’s a tell-tale sign you’ve run into the Krewe of Cork parade.

The wine-themed group has a series of Carnival events and its parade on Friday, Feb. 18, weaves through the French Quarter, starting at The Court of Two Sisters and ending at Royal Sonesta.

Patrick van Hoorebeek, a sommelier who owns Patrick’s Bar Vin on Bienville Street, started the krewe in 2000 as a wine-tasting group that would gather for lunch on the first Friday of each month, or as they call it, “Thank Goodness It’s Cork Day.” Two years later, they began parading as a krewe made up of local wine distributors and wine makers as well as out-of-towners in the industry who like to visit for Carnival.

The krewe, which has hundreds of members, has three focuses: wine, food and fun. During the parade, members act as the “wine police” in charge of the rolling wine bar and ride golf carts around the Quarter. Throws include hand-decorated corks and themed beads.

This year’s royalty includes Rickie Maloney as Queen and Joe Wagner as Grand Marshal, with van Hoorebeek continuing his reign as permanent King. Wagner owns Copper Cane Wines & Provisions in Napa Valley, California.

The krewe will have several members-only events including its bloody mary block party at 11 a.m. Friday in front of the Court of Two Sisters, where the group holds a pre-parade luncheon. Johnny Angel will perform. Following the parade, the krewe will have their King and Queen Party at the Royal Sonesta with music by Bag of Donuts.

Krewe of Cork also parades during the Royal Street Stroll during the New Orleans Food & Wine Experience, which tracks.

— KAYLEE POCHE

NEW ORLEANS | METAIRIE | MANDEVILLE | BATON ROUGE

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MARDI GRAS 2022

THE

T S E B

OF THE

KREWE OF

BARKUS

AS WE HAVE MENTIONED IN THE PAST, the question of whether we pets should allow our humans to dress us up is a complicated one. On the whole, cats should never be put through such indignities, as we are the royal species and our natural regality is more than sufficient to please the eye, human or otherwise.

Dogs, however, are the perfect four-legged mannequins upon which bipeds may paint their psychologically deviant landscapes.

Lacking the sort of dignity and refinement we cats possess, they are more than happy to become avatars of their humans’ deepest sartorial desires. And, watching a Schnauzer awkwardly prance down the street in a Ghostbusters costume or a slobbering Saint Bernard lumber about in a frilly tutu is, and always will be, a delight.

This is why the Krewe of Barkus is such a smash hit with both humans and pets, and We are pleased they are returning to the streets of New Orleans once again this year.

Here are some of Our favorite canine fits from years past to help get you and your hairless human in the Carnival mood!

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Former Queen Bristol “Brie” Mahana demonstrating the correct position for participating in Zoom calls during the 2021 virtual Mystic Krewe of Barkus parade at the Windsor Court Hotel.

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Be forewarned canines, your humans will most certainly post pictures of you on Instagram, as poor Fisa learned too late.

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

A little known fact about King Edward VII, who reigned over Barkus in 2020, is that he was also a decorated veteran of the Barkland Island Conflict.

shop local | call 504-957-8787 2706 Royal St. in the Marigny | 7AM-1AM www.mardigraszone.com

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PRETTY PRETTY PRINCESS MEOW MEOW JAWSY JAWS PRESENTS:

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e m è h o ab

s ’ i n i c c Pu

L

MARDI GRAS 2022

APRIL 1 & 3, 20222

At the Mahalia Jackson Theatter for the Performing Arts

Friday, April 1, 2022 Nuts and Bolts Lecture 6:30PM

Performance 7PM

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

Saturday, April 3, 2022

It’s important to always practice the buddy system when parading to help ease the social embarrassment of tiny hats.

Nuts and Bolts Lecture 1:30PM

Performance 2PM

TICKETS: WWW.NEWORLEANSOPERA.ORG 1 4 1 9 BA S I N S T R E E T | N E W O R L E A N S | ( 5 0 4 ) 52 9 -3 0 0 0

MADE FROM SCRATCH

King Cakes

& CUSTOMIZED DESSERTS

FOR WEDDINGS

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / T H E T I M E S P I C AY U N E

The refined demeanor of Queen Athena Cooper was rivaled only by the exquisite shade she threw at humans during the 2017 Barkus red carpet event.

Let us custom create the cake of your dreams.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / T H E T I M E S P I C AY U N E

And the humans wonder why the pet therapist industry is booming.

We make both traditional as well as unique treats, offering a sweet touch to a couple’s big day.

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

Always remember, no matter how garishly appointed or minimalist your fit is, you will bring great joy to human children.

27

MARDI GRAS 2022

Research Study

If you have hypertension, you may qualify for the HALO research study • no-cost study-related care • compensation for time and travel

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

Why so serious?

Call Tandem Clinical Research today for details!

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

While the Krewe Of Barkus’ “Game of Bones” themed parade did put the spotlight on Live Action Role Playing Pups, there was an alarming dearth of actual bones.

504.934.8079

tandemclinicalresearch.com

NewOrleans

HOME + STYLE + DESIGN

New Orleans

HOME + STYLE + DESI F EB R U A R GN Y 202 2

PHOTO BY CHRIS GR ANGER / THE T I M E S P I C AY U N E

Fashion tip: turn a basic colorful Carnival fit on its head with the addition of a signature piece, like this BDSM choker.

inside

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

Apparently James Cromwell isn’t the only human who can’t understand the difference between a pig and a dog.

RED & PINK HOME

GOOD S P.

4 // ARTIS

T KRIST EN

DOWN ING

P. 8 // CARN IVAL

DECOR P.

10 // PARTY

RECIPES

ss i m t ’ n o D an issue!

P. 14

ISSUE DATE

MARCH 1 RESERVE SPACE

P H O T O B Y D AV I D G R U N F E L D / T H E T I M E S P I C AY U N E

His Majesty King Stanley James Louis Preston Foxworth getting his nosh on at the 2019 Barkus luncheon at Galatoire’s.

FEB 18 Ad Director Sandy Stein 504.483.3150 or sstein@gambitweekly.com

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High Blood Pressure

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HAPPY HOUR 4 to 6 PM

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MARDI GRAS 2022

OF

HOUSE BY

4225 COLISEUM ST.

FLOATS

JOHN STANTON | GAMBIT EDITOR

A L L P H O T O S P R O V I D E D B Y K R E W E O F H O U S E F L O AT S

ONE OF THE ONLY GOOD THINGS to come out of the pandemic has been the Krewe of House Floats. It’s helped provide much needed jobs for local artists, a creative outlet at a time when even putting on pants can be a challenge and a way for folks across the city and around the world to safely participate in Carnival. Here’s some of the favorites we’ve seen so far!

The map of participating floats can be found at kreweofhousefloats.org/map.

10601 CHADWICK ST.,

DAYTON OHIO

RIVER RIDGE

1641 AMELIA ST. 3822 CONSTANCE ST.

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > F E B R UA RY 1 5 - 2 1 > 2 02 2

2022 KREWE

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MARDI GRAS 2022

308 PELICAN AVE.

2036-38 SPAIN ST. 426 VALLETTE ST.

2040 MILAN ST. 819 6TH ST.

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1205 ELYSIAN FIELDS AVE.

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Building Flavor

FORK + CENTER

Laurel Oak Restaurant reopens in a CBD hotel THERE IS A SENSE OF FUN AND CREATIVITY on Laurel Oak Restaurant’s

flavor-packed menu. The burrata “pimento” changes up typical Southern pimento cheese by subbing creamy house-made burrata for the usual cheddar, accompanied by smoked paprika aioli, pickled onions and a pimiento puree.

Executive chef Bryan Johnson and his team at the restaurant in the Magnolia Hotel have crafted a menu of Southern-meets-French style that brings plenty of flavor to the plate. After some disruptions from Covid and Hurricane Ida, the restaurant is up and running again.

Johnson, 37, and New Orleans native Ahmah “Slim” Thomas, 34, have spent much of a decade working in sync in the same kitchens. They met at the Uptown Italian restaurant Avo, then cooked together around town before landing — twice — at Laurel Oak Restaurant as executive chef and sous chef, respectively. Formerly the Omni Royal Crescent Hotel, the 100-room Magnolia Hotel was purchased by a Denver-based hospitality group, which renovated the historic circa-1863 building in 2019. It opened just in time for the March 2020 pandemic shutdown.

Now under new management, with manager Chris Keith, formerly the general manager at the Elysian Bar, the distinctive 60-seat, storefront restaurant at the corner of Gravier and Camp reopened a second time in December.

A chef who enjoys collaboration, Johnson is a consensus builder who relies heavily on Thomas in the kitchen.

“We’ve worked together so long, it just comes naturally,” he says.

Also on the team is Jalal Prout, a young chef trained at Cafe Hope in Gretna.

Johnson was born in Missouri and wasn’t planning on a career in the culinary arts. He studied electrical engineering before changing gears and going to culinary school in St. Louis. He was raised in farm

|

by Beth D’Addono

country, around downhome comfort food, and that still informs his approach to cooking. “I started working and realized I was learning way more than at school, so I dropped out.” An executive chef by 27, he never looked back. “Cooking is way more fun than engineering.”

Laurel Oak’s menu is divided into sections of small plates, greens, entrees and sides, and there are ample vegetarian options.

Tuna crudo pairs cuts of fish with bits of watermelon, chopped avocado, a drizzle of pureed mint and the slight heat of Fresno chilies. Maitake mushrooms get a Mediterranean treatment, dusted with za’tar spice and served with hummus with bright notes of preserved lemon.

Then there’s the barbecue shrimp, a New Orleans classic that has something extra: an elusive umami that takes the dish to another level.

“It’s beer in the stock and about a teaspoon of fermented shrimp paste,” Johnson says. “But we start making the stock with shrimp heads, then puree the stock so it has layers of flavor.” The glossy double-strained sauce is best sopped up with grilled bread, or just spooned directly into a greedy mouth.

There’s a daily Gulf fish preparation served with gremolata, and slabs of tender jerk-spiced duck are served atop a swoosh of cauliflower soubise and flavorful smoky white beans. The menu also includes a

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

Coffee King Cake

KINGCAKEISGREATWITHCOFFEE. But what about king cake with Vietnamese style iced coffee flavor piped in?

It’s one of the specialty king cakes making the rounds from Dough Nguyener’s, a bakery and cafe now under construction in Old Gretna.

It’s the latest venture from Gretnabased entrepreneur Betty Archote.

The name is a riff on her family name Nguyen (pronounced “win,” thus “dough winner’s”).

Archote runs the Vietnamese restaurant Thanh Thanh and the adjacent pizzeria Huey P’s, both near the courthouse in Gretna. The future home for Dough Nguyener’s is taking shape a few blocks away at 433 Lafayette St. It will be both a production bakery and a cafe, with office space on the second floor.

The bakery is slated to open as early as spring. But Dough Nguyener’s isn’t waiting for its brick-and-mortar to start baking.

Archote’s family-led crew has been making king cakes this season.

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER

Chef Ahmah “Slim” Thomas (left) and executive chef Bryan Johnson of Laurel Oak Restaurant. hanger steak served with duck fat fries, a fried chicken sandwich and a cheeseburger topped with bacon, arugula and roasted garlic aioli. For dessert, zeppole, airy balls of succulent fried dough swabbed with espresso cream, are essentially an Italian version of a beignet.

From the bar, there’s a lineup of local and imported beers and craft cocktails from classic to sassy. Keith is changing the wine list.

“We still have a lot of work to do, but we’re getting there,” Johnson says. “We’ve got a great team in place. We are all just so excited to be finally open.”

?

WHAT

Laurel Oak Restaurant

WHERE

Magnolia Hotel, 535 Gravier St., (504) 527-0006; laureloakrestaurant.com

WHEN

Lunch and dinner Wednesday-Sunday

HOW

Dine-in

CHECK IT OUT

Southern-meets-French cooking in a CBD hotel restaurant

PHOTO BY CHRIS GR ANGER / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

They’re sold at Huey P’s Pizzeria & Daquiris in Gretna (139 Huey P. Long Blvd., 504-366-1818) and a new Huey P’s in Mid-City (2424 Tulane Ave., 504-302-7451) and also in Metairie at Em Trai Sandwich Co. (3804 Veterans Memorial Blvd., 504-264-7540), the restaurant run by Archote’s younger brother Tung Nguyen.

They hold other periodic pop-ups too. Updates and current flavors are posted on instagram.com/ doughnguyeners.

The Vietnamese iced coffee, based on the creamy-sweet flavor of cafe sua da, is one of the specialty cakes.

Some of the others to come through include Thai tea and pandan berry.

Dough Nguyener’s traditional cakes follow the template of the old-school New Orleans classic.

PAGE 34

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FORK & CENTER

Big & Bold TOPA Z A M ET H YST R I NG

TUES-FRI 10AM-5PM | SAT 10AM-3PM | Curbside Pickup Available 5101 W. ESPLANADE AVENUE | (504) 885-4956

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20th Anniversary

Fun for the whole family featuring amusement rides and live music by

BAG OF DONUTS & CATEGORY 6

Saturday, March 26, 2022 11:00 am until 8:00 pm At Immaculate Conception School For more information and to buy tickets visit: https://lacrawfishchampionship.eventbrite.com Immaculate Conception School 4520 Sixth Street | Marrero 504-347-4409 www.icschargers.org

PAGE 33

A soft-textured, fluffy braid of brioche has a seam of cinnamon and a drape of white icing.

When the Dough Nguyener’s bakery opens it will have donuts, Vietnamese-style baguettes and a menu of traditional American and Vietnamese breakfast dishes, like sweet rice and sausage. — IAN McNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Family Business

AS SHE DOES EVERY MORNING , Viet Nguyen took up her station in the kitchen at Thanh Thanh, the Vietnamese restaurant her daughter Betty Archote runs in Old Gretna. She is in charge of the pho, and she tends a roiling, 50-gallon stockpot that stands shoulder height to her petite frame.

Now 68, Nguyen prepares the fragrant beef broth just the way her father taught her back in Vietnam, before her family fled their war-torn country, before they became Americans.

She also casts a skeptical eye at what some in her family do with the soup once it leaves her oversight.

Her daughter Betty serves it next to pizza and mozzarella sticks at Huey P’s Pizzeria & Daiquiris, one of several food businesses she runs. More quizzical to the matriarch is how her middle son Tung Nguyen serves it at Em Trai Sandwich Co., the restaurant he recently reopened in Metairie.

He takes the delicate, clear broth that his mother provides and cooks it down further, making it darker and richer. Then he adds brisket, and not the type normally found on Vietnamese menus but the sort that is the all the rage in American barbecue circles: smoky, salty, edged with the “bark” of its blackened surface.

“Only my way works,” Viet Nguyen says, while shaking her head and stirring the pot.

Still, a mother’s pride is evident when talk turns to what her children are building.

Viet and her husband Ngon (known to all as Mr. Norman) have 13 children. Eight now work in a network of different food businesses across the New Orleans area.

They are doing things with Vietnamese food their parents never envisioned, combining flavors of the old country through the modern food styles of their hometown.

There’s more taking shape now, including a large new bakery in Gretna that is already making a new king cake with Vietnamese flavor.

But they’re stitching it all together with the common threads of their upbringing and their mother’s cooking.

“She is our one-woman commissary,” Archote says. “I envy the big restaurant groups with more resources but because I have my mom here, it’s like a security blanket for me. She cares about every single thing.”

Archote, the first born, is at the helm of a growing business that includes many different branches. She runs Thanh Thanh, which serves a largely traditional Vietnamese menu, including her mother’s pho. Archote also has a prepared meal service business called Healthy Course.

She also provides school meals for The Louise S. McGehee School, the private school in the Garden District, where the same pho is served along with red beans and pasta and other school lunch staples.

And she has Huey P’s, which first opened next to Thanh Thanh as a stand-alone pizzeria. Eventually, a synchronicity developed between the two.

“Families would come and the kids would want pizza while the parents got pho and spring rolls,” Archote says.

She opened a second Huey P’s in Violet in St. Bernard Parish, and in January added a third location in Mid-City, on Tulane Avenue near the hospital complexes as a franchise with her cousin Tao Nguyen.

At this newest location, people order pepperoni pies and bowls of pho, creamy-sweet Vietnamese iced coffee, cafe sua da, and strong, fruity frozen daiquiris.

Bottles of Sriracha and shakers of red pepper flakes stand side by side on the tables.

Meanwhile, in Metairie, Tung Nguyen is cooking in the new home of Em Trai, a small counter-service spot attached by swinging doors to the Dixie Taverne.

Here, bar patrons munch on his rendition of bar food, like the creamy-rich filling for crab Rangoon turned into a dip with fried wonton chips, and banh mi fries with spicy mayo, fresh herbs and pickled vegetables.

His approach is a bridge between his Vietnamese heritage and his New Orleans upbringing, with a special nod in the barbecue to his participation in a Hogs for the Cause cook-off team.

“We didn’t have much growing up. We were poor, but my mom and dad did something right,” Archote says. “It just can’t be taught, but we all have this hunger to be the best we can be.” — IAN McNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Andrew Lu

OF THE

WEEK

Chef

by Will Coviello ANDREW LU GREW UP OUTSIDE LAFAYETTE . His father is from

Vietnam and his mother is from China, and they worked in a family restaurant, where Lu got his first experience in the kitchen.

He pursued a culinary degree at the Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge and came to New Orleans, where he has worked at Kingfish, Gianna and Cavan — which promoted him to executive chef a year before the pandemic.

During the pandemic, he started his pop-up Get Your Mom + Dim Sum, which features Chinese food with Louisiana accents. His pop-up is at New Orleans breweries and music spots throughout the week.

Find its weekly schedule and menu on Instagram, @geturdimsum.

How did you start your pop-up ANDREW LU: (During the pandemic) the city was hurting.

Everybody was struggling, either with sickness or financially. I thought about it for a few months, and the pop-up circuit seems to be able to help people the most. Not only do you get creative freedom to play around and do what you want, but I personally now have three employees, and I can pay them more than what they were making when we were working together in restaurants. That’s huge — helping people financially.

I started out at The Broadside.

Nobody knew about us.

Fortunately, I had Milkfish’s Cristina Quackenbush to help me get started. She was a mentor for me in the pop-up industry. She has been doing this for a long time, and she explained how things worked. I helped her with Milkfish for a month or two, and then she kicked me out of the nest. She said you’re doing great, you’ve got to do your own thing.

I started on Get Your Mom and Dim Sum in April (2021). We were at The Broadside during a live music event. We had crab rangoons. I had shrimp cakes. I did a noodle dish, the kung pao noodles.

We had like four items, and since then we’ve grown.

The pun is dim sum. We’ve had to explain that it’s Chinese small plates, usually dumplings. And people are like, “Oh, I never had

that.” That’s because it doesn’t really exist here. There are like three dim sum places in the city.

What kinds of dishes do you like to put on the menu?

L: I like doing Asian food and putting a little Southern twist on it.

Chinese sticky rice is traditionally wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed, and it has heavy Asian flavors, like dark soy. They use Chinese sausage.

I think it’s similar to jambalaya, so I do chicken and sausage with a little Cajun seasoning on the chicken, and instead of steaming it in bamboo, I serve it in a bowl.

Our black pepper beef dumplings are Southern. It’s a fried beef dumpling we serve on top of mashed potatoes. It’s a home-style plate with heavy Asian flavors but served in a style people are comfortable with.

Our dan dan dumplings — dan dan is a peanut butter chili oil sauce served with noodles.

Sometimes there’s ground pork fried off and served on top. I took that and put it all together in a dumpling.

I was one of the opening sous chefs at Gianna. I took a lot of that pasta making that we did and moved it to what we’re doing. Our dan dan is in the shape of tortellini. I take a Southern approach, there’s a lot of braising, there’s a lot of layering to build flavor. It is a culture mix.

We’ve kept the staples like the crab rangoons and the noodles, but I try to change seasonally as much as I can. I am into preserving, so I just bought all the kumquats that I could find. They have a very short season. I went to the purveyor and said, “I want them all.” I am preserving them so we’ll have like a traditional orange chicken.

I’ll have a Southern fried chicken and do a kumquat marmalade and turn it into a sauce that people are more used to. It won’t be so sweet, because kumquats are a little sour.

But that’s not on the menu yet.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANDREW LU

For spring, I also want to take a crawfish boil and make it easier to eat. A pound of crawfish is like three ounces of meat. I can fit that into an order of dumplings easy.

Change up the textures a little, but you get the same flavors.

What do you think about Chinese food in New Orleans?

L: There is an Asian population in Lafayette. They opened Chinese restaurants. In New Orleans, Blue Giant does Chinese, but the momand-pop (restaurants) aren’t doing too well. That’s something my generation is dealing with. My mom and dad were telling me, no, you can’t go into the restaurant industry. My mom said, “We didn’t come to America and struggle for you to do what we’re doing. You need to be a lawyer or a doctor or an engineer.” It turns out all my friends listened, and now they’re doctors and engineers, and I am the one butting heads and trying to stay in the restaurant industry. I heard David Chang talk about it. There is no generation to take over the Chinese restaurants. Chinatowns all over the country are struggling, like in New York and California.

They are a shadow of what they used to be. Once the moms and dads retire, that’s kind of it. It’s important to me to keep it going, because that’s the food I grew up with. I want to be able to share that with future generations.

Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec

Intense red colored wine with some violet hues. Fruity aromas with notes of plums and cherries. In the mouth is round, with a touch of truffles and vanilla.

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uptown

4218 MAGAZINE ST. 504-894-8554

Metairie

2125 VETERANS BLVD. 504-510-4282

Mid City

4024 CANAL 504-302-1133

1212 S. CLEARVIEW PKWY ‹ 504-733-3803 70488 HIGHWAY 21 ‹ COVINGTON ‹ 985-234-9420

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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 Mid-City section for restaurant description. Takeout and 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.

Takeout and delivery available. Lunch Sun.-Fri., dinner daily. $$ Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola.com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese, and a lobster tail or fried catfish fillet are optional additions. The menu also includes wings, quesadillas, burgers, sandwiches, salads, seafood pasta and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$

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 traditional and contemporary Creole dishes, po-boys and more. Char-grilled oysters are topped with Parmesan, herbs and butter. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

HARAHAN/JEFFERSON/ RIVER RIDGE

The Rivershack Tavern — 3449 River Road, (504) 834-4938; therivershacktavern.com — This bar and music spot offers a menu of burgers, sandwiches and changing lunch specials. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; theospizza.com — There is a wide variety of specialty pies and toppings to build your own pizza. The menu also includes salads and sandwiches. Takeout and delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $

LAKEVIEW

The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — The

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

menu includes sandwiches, fried seafood platters, boiled seafood and more. Basin barbecue shrimp and grits features eight jumbo shrimp over creamy cheese grits and a cheese biscuit. 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. Tuna salad or chicken salad avocado melts are topped with Monterey Jack and Parmesan.

Takeout and delivery 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. Capelli D’Andrea combines house-made angel hair pasta and smoked salmon in cream sauce. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily, brunch Sun. $$$ Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop — 2309 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, (504) 8352022; gumbostop.com — The Seafood Platter comes with fried catfish, shrimp, oysters and crab balls and is accompanied by fries and choice of side. There are several types of gumbo on the menu. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Kosher Cajun New York Deli & Grocery — 3519 Severn Ave., Metairie, (504) 888-2010; koshercajun.com — This New York-style deli specializes in sandwiches, including corned beef and pastrami that come from the Bronx. Takeout available. 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) 5339998; nephewsristorante.com — Chef Frank Catalanotto is the namesake “nephew” who ran the kitchen at his late uncle Tony Angello’s restaurant.

The Creole-Italian menu features dishes like veal, eggplant or chicken parmigiana, and Mama’s Eggplant with red gravy and Romano cheese.

Reservations required. Dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; theospizza.com — See Harahan/Jefferson section for restaurant description. $ Short Stop Po-Boys — 119 Transcontinental Drive, Metairie, (504) 885-4572; shortstoppoboysno. com — The menu includes more than 30 po-boys along with other Louisiana staples. Fried Louisiana oysters and Gulf shrimp are served on a Leidenheimer loaf with lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $ PAGE 39

Uptown 5538 Magazine Street L.G.D. 2018 Magazine Street Mid-City 4724 S.Carrollton Ave. C.B.D. 515 Baronne Street

www.cristycali.com Text GAMBIT0215 to 504-499-1080 for link to purchase

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New Orleans City Council Utility Docket UD-20-02 Entergy New Orleans 2021 Integrated Resource Plan PAGE 37

MID-CITY/TREME

Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream.com — This sweet shop serves its own gelato, spumoni, Italian ice, cannolis, fig cookies and other treats. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Frey Smoked Meat Co. — 4141 Bienville St., Suite 110, (504) 488-7427; freysmokedmeat.com — The barbecue restaurant serves pulled pork, St. Louis ribs, brisket, sausages and more. Pork belly poppers are fried cubes of pork belly tossed in pepper jelly glaze. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Juan’s Flying Burrito — 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; juansflyingburrito.com — See Uptown section for restaurant description. Outdoor dining available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity. com — Favorites 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 and scallions. Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Mid City Pizza — 4400 Banks St., (504) 483-8609; midcitypizza.com — The neighborhood pizza joint serves New York-style pies, plus calzones, sandwiches and salads. Signature shrimp remoulade pizza includes spinach, red onion, garlic, basil and green onion on an garlic-olive oil brushed curst. Takeout and delivery available. Lunch Thu.-Sun., dinner Thu.-Mon. $$ Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows. com — The menu includes New Orleans favorites such as red beans with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as grilled or fried seafood plates, po-boys, raw or char-grilled oysters, pasta, salads and more.

Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; theospizza. com — See Harahan/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 Harahan/Jefferson section for restaurant description. $

UPTOWN

Joey K’s — 3001 Magazine St., (504) 891-0997; joeyksrestaurant.com — The menu includes fried seafood platters, salads, sandwiches and red beans and rice. Sauteed trout

Tchoupitoulas is topped with shrimp and crabmeat and served with vegetables and potatoes. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Mon.Sat., brunch Sun. $$ Juan’s Flying Burrito — 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 5538 Magazine St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes grilled steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar-jack cheese, black beans, yellow rice, salsa la fonda, guacamole and sour cream. The menu also has tacos, quesadillas, nachos and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$ Martin Wine Cellar — 3827 Baronne St., (504) 894-7444; martinwine.com — The deli at the wine and spirit shop serves sandwiches, salads and more. The Sena salad includes pulled roasted chicken, golden raisins, blue cheese, pecans and field greens tossed with Tobasco pepperjelly vinaigrette. No reservations.

Lunch daily. $$ Red Gravy — 4206 Magazine St., (504) 561-8844; redgravycafe.com — Thin cannoli pancakes are filled with cannoli cream and topped with chocolate. The menu includes brunch items, pasta dishes, sandwiches, baked goods and more.

Takeout available. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; theospizza.com — See Harahan/ Jefferson section for restaurant description. $ Tito’s Ceviche & Pisco — 5015 Magazine St., (504) 267-7612; titoscevichepisco.com — The Peruvian menu includes a version of the traditional dish lomo saltado, featuring beef tenderloin tips sauteed with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, soy sauce and pisco, and served with fried potatoes and rice. Dine-in, outdoor seating and delivery available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$

Every three years an Entergy New Orleans (ENO) Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is produced. This is the planning process by which Entergy assesses the resources available to it to meet the power supply needs of New Orleans. The IRP is produced following an open, transparent planning process through which all relevant resources are investigated. Resources considered include supply-side (such as power plants) and demand-side (programs to modify customer loads to reduce or shift loads from hours with high electricity costs or reliability constraints to other hours). The factors influencing choice among these resources are considered in the planning process. The goal is to identify the optimal set of resources to meet current and future electric service needs at the lowest total cost to customers and ENO in a manner consistent with the long-run public interest. The expected combination of costs, reliability, risks and uncertainty are considered.

The planning process to develop the 2021 IRP is underway.

To facilitate this process, a second public meeting will be held:

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

New Orleans City Council Chamber, City Hall, 1300 Perdido St., Room 1E07, New Orleans.

In the event restrictions on public gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic are in effect on April 13, 2022, the public meeting will be held via videoconference in a manner that allows public participation.

The Council Utilities Regulatory Office will determine whether a videoconference will be necessary, and will publish notice of how to participate via videoconference on the Council’s website no later than Monday, April 11, 2022.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend/view this meeting to hear ENO’s presentation of the IRP Filing and submit public comment. ENO should have a portal on its website for questions and comments to be submitted over a 15-day period. ENO must respond to each question on a rolling 10-day basis.

The Council’s Utilities Regulatory Office will maintain a sign-up sheet for Interested Persons who wish to receive copies of all filings, issuances, and notices occurring in the proceeding. If you wish to be included on this list, please contact CURO at 504-658-1112 or by email to Bobbie Mason at bfmason1@ nola.gov. You are also welcome to watch the meeting, either as it is live-streamed or once it is archived at: http://www.nolacitycouncil.com/video/video_legislative.asp.

Authentic New Orleans food with a twist!!!!

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

WEST BANK 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, made with breadcrumbs and Italian seasonings. Curbside pickup available. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$

Brunch Club

DJ • Chargrilled Oysters • Indoor & Outdoor Seating BRUNCH CLUB HOURS:

Sat 11am-3pm | Sun 10am-6pm | Mon 11am-3pm 7910 EARHART BLVD | (504) 302-2404 Mon-Wed 11am-10pm | Thurs-Sat 11am-11pm | Sun 10am-6pm Check us out & Follow us on Ig @Niceguysnola

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MUSIC F O R C O M P L E T E M U S I C L I S T I N G S A N D M O R E 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

Living with Cirrhosis?

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 15

30°/-90° — The Set Up Kings, 5:30 pm BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Peter Harris Quartet, 7 pm DOS JEFES — Superfecta with Kyle Lankton, 8:30 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Fritzel's All Star Band, 8 pm GASA GASA — The Other Favorites "Unamericana" Tour with Butte, 8 pm KITCHEN TABLE CAFÉ — Kitchen Table Cafe Trio, 6:30 pm SANTOS — Agent Orange w/The Bills, 9 pm SATURN BAR — Palindromes, Flaxan, 9 pm THE STARLIGHT LOUNGE — Simon Berz, James Singleton & Klaas Hubner, 7 pm

WEDNESDAY 16

Cirrhosis Research Study

If you have Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis, you may qualify for a new research study.

• no-cost study-related care • compensation for time and travel

Call Tandem Clinical Research today for details!

504.934.8079

tandemclinicalresearch.com

BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Peter Harris Trio, 7 pm BOURREE — Jelani Akil Bauman, 6 pm CHEMIN A LA MER AT FOUR SEASONS — Amanda Shaw, 4 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Tin Men, 6 pm; Walter "Wolfman" Washington & the Roadmasters, 9 pm DOS JEFES — Kris Tokarski, 9 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard "Piano" Scott, 12:30 pm; Fritzel's All Star Band, 8 pm GASA GASA — Everything is Terrible, 9 pm HARD ROCK CAFE NEW ORLEANS — Jamie Lynn Vessels , 7 pm MADAME VIC'S — Dr. Redwine's Grape Stompers, 8 pm SANTOS — Swamp Moves with Russell Welch, 8 pm; The Halluci nation, 9 pm SATURN BAR — Thelma and the Sleaze, Tasche and the Psychedelic Roses, 9 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Funkin' It Up with Big Sam !!, 7:30 pm

THURSDAY 17

BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Peter Harris Quartet, 8 pm BLUE NILE — Where Y'at Brass Band, 7 pm BOURREE — Samantha Pearl, 6 pm CARNAVAL LOUNGE — Carmela Rappazzo, 6 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — John Boutté, 7 pm; Mike Doussan & Company, 10 pm DOS JEFES — Leslie Cooper & Music Street, 8:30 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 GASA GASA — People Museum and Mosquito Eater, 9 pm KITCHEN TABLE CAFÉ — Dr. Mark St. Cyr Traditional Jazz Band, 6:30 pm MADAME VIC'S — Moonlight Balladeers, 8 am PEACOCK ROOM, HOTEL FONTENOT — Da Lovebirds with Robin Barnes and Pat Casey , 8 pm REPUBLIC NOLA — Virtual Riot, 10 pm ROCK 'N' BOWL — Chubby Carrier & Bayou Swamp Band, 8 pm

SIDNEY'S SALOON — DarkLounge Ministries, 7 pm SNUG HARBOR JAZZ BISTRO — Bon Bon Vivant, 10 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Brass-AHolics, 7:30 pm TIPITINA'S — Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen And Cha Wa, 8:30 pm

FRIDAY 18

BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Peter Harris Trio, 8 pm BLUE NILE — The Caesar Brothers, 7 pm; Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, 11 pm BOURREE — Crooning Warblers, 4 pm; Julie Elody, 7 pm CARNAVAL LOUNGE — Banshee Tree, Zoomst, Sympathy Wizard, 9 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Smoking Time Jazz Club, 5 pm; Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes, 10 pm DOS JEFES — Vivaz!, 9 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Sam Friend Trio, 2:30 pm; Lee Floyd and Thunderbolt Trio, 6 pm; Fritzel’s All Star Band, 9 pm GASA GASA — Lost at Sea, Champagne Girl and Inside Voices, 7 pm KRAZY KORNER — DayWalkers feat.

Waylon Thibodeaux, 1 pm MADAME VIC'S — Jacky Blaire and the Hot Biscuits, 8 pm MAISON DUPUY — T Marie and Bayou Juju Dance Lesson + Dance Party , 7 pm POUR HOUSE SALOON — The 45s, 8 pm ROCK 'N' BOWL — Contraflow, 8:30 pm SATURN BAR — Essential Freak Scenario, 10 pm SNUG HARBOR JAZZ BISTRO — Delfeayo Marsalis Sextet, 8 & 10 pm THE HIDEAWAY DEN & ARCADE — Shawn Williams Band, 8 pm THE HOWLIN' WOLF — Guardians of the Galaxy: the Concert featuring Micah McKee and the Lonesome Wild, 10 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Trixie Minx's Burlesque Ballroom, feat. Romy Kaye, 7 & 9 pm

SATURDAY 19

BAYOU BAR AT THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL — Peter Harris Trio, 8 pm BLUE NILE — Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, 6 pm; Big Sam’s Mardi Gras Birthday Bash, 10 pm BOURREE — Laelume, 1 pm; Nola Hummingbirds, 4 pm; Gordon Towell, 7 pm BUFFA'S — Freddie Blue & The Friendship Circle Band, 7 pm BUFFA'S — Freddie Blue & the Friendship Circle Band, 9 pm CARNAVAL LOUNGE — DEBAUCHE! with Maggie May and Tasche De La Rocha, 9 pm CHEMIN A LA MER AT FOUR SEASONS — Amanda Shaw, 11 am D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Tuba Skinny, 6 pm; 007, 10 pm DOS JEFES — Obliquestra, 9 pm

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 GASA GASA — Vampires Everywhere with Young Medicine, City of the Weak, and Junexa, 9 pm KITCHEN TABLE CAFÉ — Bad Penny Pleasuremakers, 6:30 pm KRAZY KORNER — DayWalkers feat.

Waylon Thibodeaux, 1 pm MADAME VIC'S — Western Swing Conspiracy, 8 pm MARDI GRAS WORLD — Krewe of Freret Parade & Shorty Gras Event, 6 pm PIROGUE’S WHISKEY BAYOU — Gal Holiday & The Honkey Tonk Revue, 8 pm POUR HOUSE SALOON — Stumpgrinders, 9 pm REPUBLIC NOLA — Aweminus, 11 pm ROCK 'N' BOWL — The Boogie Men, 8:30 pm SANTOS — P.M.Tiger with Kinky Vanilla, Sunday Circus and Certainly So, 8 pm SATURN BAR — Jon Cleary and Julie Odell, 10 pm SIDNEY'S SALOON — P.M. Tiger, Kinky Vanilla, Sunday Circus, Certainly So, 8 pm SNUG HARBOR JAZZ BISTRO — Dr. Michael White & the Original Liberty Jazz Band, 8 & 10 pm SOUTHPORT HALL LIVE MUSIC & PARTY HALL — Black Sabbath "The Dio Years", 8 pm THE BOMBAY CLUB — Anais St. John, 8 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — The Nayo Jones Experience, 7:30 pm THE SUGAR MILL — Pygmalion Fest Ft. Big Gigantic + Lil Jon, 9 pm ZONY MASH BEER PROJECT — Marina Orchestra + Shark Attack!!, 7 pm

SUNDAY 20

BOURREE — Orphaned in Storyville, 2 pm; Ben Gage, 6 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Palmetto Bug Stompers, 5 pm; Treme Brass Band, 9 pm; Funk You, 1 am DOS JEFES — J.T. Hassell, 8 pm 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 GASA GASA — Jackie Venson, 9 pm MADAME VIC'S — Matt Andrews and the Sheepshead Serenaders, 7 pm PEACOCK ROOM, HOTEL FONTENOT — Jelani Bauman, 11 am; Rachel Murray, 7 pm POUR HOUSE SALOON — Gwen & the Old Man, 5 pm ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL & BAR — Grayson Brockamp and New Orleans Wildlife Band, 10 pm SIDNEY'S SALOON — Toward Space w/ Sansho and Tiny Dinosaur, 9 pm SNUG HARBOR JAZZ BISTRO — Extended Trio, 8 & 10 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Shannon Powell, 7:30 pm; Sierra Green, 7:30 pm TIPITINA'S — Fais Do Do With Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band, 5:15 pm

MONDAY 21

CARNAVAL LOUNGE — Helen Gillet, 9 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Secret Six , 6 pm DOS JEFES — John Fohl, 8:30 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Twisty River Band, 8 pm

41

Enter the Kr3wniverse

by Jake Clapp NEW ORLEANS RAPPER KR3WCIAL HAS BEEN RELYING ON THE WORDS of his glbl

wrmng cohort Sleazy EZ when describing his new EP, “Less Than Three.” As Sleazy puts it, the EP is “a collection of reflection.”

Specifically, Kr3wcial is looking back on several years of romantic relationships on the five tracks that make up “Less Than Three.”

With dynamic, soulful style, Kr3wcial rhymes about attraction, compatibility, rejection, sex and breakups — and all the emotions associated with love and lust.

It’s easy to feel the emcee’s happiness, passion, anger, confusion and frustration through the music.

“It’s a bunch of emotional expressions,” Kr3wcial says. “It’s only 15 minutes, but all of them, I feel like they tell a story in a gradual walk through in a relationship process.

It stops. It starts again. You end up dating kind of the same people.

Its low-key like a journal, some mental health-type shit without being too head-on with everything I’m saying.”

The relatable themes and vulnerable style isn’t too far off from “More Love,” Kr3wcial’s longer, exceptional 2020 album produced by Chad Roby. On “Less Than Three,” Kr3wcial produced two tracks and worked with Roby, Cronos, Ghazi Ghamali, Niyo and friendkerrek of Bag Season Records. And the EP features vocalist BLÜ, Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins, Montreal artist KaliPop and rapper Pell — who also co-founded glbl wrmng.

“Less Than Three” was released on Feb. 11, and along with the album appearing on the big streaming sites, Kr3wcial is debuting the album in a 3D space he designed and is calling the Kr3wniverse. Built through the 3D website platform Muse, Kr3wcial’s space, which is now accessible through his website, looks a lot like an art gallery. Photos and art from the album line the walls, speakers set up in corners of the virtual space are playing songs from the album and lagniappe sprinkled around the room will take users to Instagram, Facebook and his merch shop.

The space is accessible through both a virtual reality headset and a computer and is explorable. If

grab a drink or a bite at

ON THE

PARADE ROUTE P R O V I D E D P H O T O B Y K . D AV I S

Kr3wcial reflects on relationships past on his new EP, ‘Less Than Three.’ you’re on a laptop, for instance, you can use the mouse and directional keys to walk around and check everything out.

A self-described “computer nerd,” Kr3wcial started working with VR toward the beginning of the pandemic. That grew into building 3D websites. And he sees the opportunity in the future for NFTs and other digital content for his music.

“When there’s an Oculus [VR headset] on my friend’s head or watching them enjoy 3D stuff — it makes your brain go ‘pop.’ And it’s been a while since brains went ‘pop,’” he says with a laugh. “We’ve seen pictures on Instagram. We’ve seen cool music videos. But have you been in virtual reality?”

Later this month, Kr3wcial — who grew up on the West Bank and started releasing music in 2012 — will be supporting Pell on a short string of tour dates, finally getting to perform the songs on “Less Than Three” in front of an audience. And on March 26, glbl wrmng — the collective of New Orleans-centered rappers, producers and music industry professionals — will perform together at the BUKU Music + Art Project.

“As I reflect on each piece of ‘Less Than Three,’ it opens me up to more of myself,” Kr3wcial says.

Find “Less Than Three,” the Kr3wniverse and more from Kr3wcial at ikr3wcial.com.

ST. CHARLES & COMMON 705 Common St. | 504.595.5605

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its Metamorphosis Ball at The Rabbit Hole on Saturday, Feb. 19, with music by Tra$h Magnolia, Los Guiros, TV Pole Shine, C’est Funk, Heelturn and more. There are art installations, indoor and outdoor stages and bars and pizza. Tickets $30 at tinyurl.com/interroball.

at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, and Saturday, Feb. 19, and 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20. Tickets $33. Visit rivertowntheaters.com for information.

People Museum

bers of the Marsalis family, gospel and R&B with PJ Morton and rock with Arcade Fire and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters. He presents his reinterpretation of Gustav Holst’s 1918 composition about the stars and Greek and Roman mythology.

Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, and Saturday, Feb. 19.

Tickets $25-$30 via noma.org.

will be joined by Julie Odell’s Mosquito Eater for a 9 p.m. show Thursday, Feb. 17, at Gasa Gasa.

Tickets are $12 at ticketweb.com.

‘Guardians of the Galaxy’: The Concert

NO SHADE TO COMPOSER TYLER BATES’ FILM SCORE, but “Guardians

of the Galaxy” had the best music in the Marvel Cinematic Universe because of its incorporation of 1960s and ‘70s rock, soul and pop. Star-Lord’s in-movie mixtapes included Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” The Runaways’ “Cherry Bomb,” Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream,” Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” and Parliament’s “Flash Light.” New Orleans singer-songwriter Micah McKee and his band, the Lonesome Wild, will perform the music from those soundtracks at The Howlin’ Wolf on Friday, Feb. 18,. The lineup also includes Joy Clark, Vanessa Niemann and others. The concert starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 at thehowlinwolf.com.

‘KIDZ KLUB’

OLD MEDIA ISN’T DEAD YET, OR AT LEAST, IN PERVERSE LOGIC, the

worst of it is being kept alive by Everything is Terrible! The group collects the worst in old media, including creepy, low-budget horror, sci-fi and children’s programing, instructional videos, public access TV and anything else committed to VHS tapes. The comedy collective has released several films worth of clips and reportedly amassed 15,000 “Jerry McGuire” tapes for a sort of art installation in Los Angeles. One Eyed Jacks Presents brings its latest film and show, “KIDZ KLUB,” at Gasa Gasa at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16.

Tickets $15 at ticketweb.com.

‘And the Ball and All!’

IT WOULDN’T BE CARNIVAL WITHOUT “MARDI GRAS MAMBO” on endless

repeat and a production of Ricky Graham’s yatty comedy, “And the Ball and All.” The women of the Krewe of Terpsichore are still fighting about float themes and talking about people behind their backs. The show runs at Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts

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Paradigm Carnival

PARADIGM GARDENS, THE CENTRAL CITY URBAN GARDEN, hosts out-

door Carnival celebration dinners with food, drinks and music. The entertainment lineup includes the KOB Brass Band, DJ Kash and the Black Flame Hunters Mardi Gras Indians. There’s a five-course dinner prepared by Karibu Kitchen, and drinks include cocktails and craft beer. Dinners are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, and 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19. Tickets are $100 via paradigmgardensnola.com.

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‘City of a Million Dreams’

JASON BERRY’S DOCUMENTARY about jazz funerals and the cultural traditions of New Orleans screens at Beauregard-Keyes House, and a discussion follows featuring Berry, clarinetist Dr. Michael White and choreographer Monique Moss.

The screening begins at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 17. Tickets $15 on eventbrite.com.

MARDI GRAS GRAS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE MARDI FEBRUARY

MON

14 TUE

The Other Favorites with Butte 9PM

WED

One Eyed Jacks presents Everything is Terrible Kidz Klub 9PM

THU

People Museum with Mosquito Eater 9PM

FRI

Champagne Girl with Inside Voices 7PM Private Party 10PM

15 16 17

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ‘ C I T Y O F A M I L L I O N D R E A M S ’.

Music Through a Prism

THE MUSAICA CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

presents a program including James Lee III’s Clarinet Quintet, Louise Farranc’s Nonet and music by Arvo Part, Cynthia Lee Wong and Franz Schubert.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 15, at Marigny Opera House and 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 16, at UNO’s performing arts center. Suggested donation is $20. Visit musaica.org for details.

Valentine’s Dance with Gooseteeth, Calamansi & Different Animal 9PM

18 SAT

19 SUN

20 MON

21

Vampires Everywhere, Young Medicine, City of the Weak & Junexa 8PM Late Night with DJ DIZ.KO 11:30PM Happy Hour on the Alley Bar with DJ G 4-8PM UT/EX with Guts Club and Psychic Bastards 9PM Shmoo with Wesley Wolffe & Coal 9PM

TUE

Caly Pearse with Ben Heller and Landoni 9PM

WED

The Cult of Nasty with Swarm Comp & Meat Special 9PM

THU

Jank Setup with Ella Blue & MC and the Manics 9PM

22 23 24 FRI

25 SAT

26

Happy Hour on the Alley Bar with DJ PassTheJeffrey 4- 8PM Julie Odell with Dusky Waters 9PM Late Night with DJ Supertoast 11:30PM Happy Hour on the Alley Bar with DJ Santero 4-8PM Morgan Orion with Thanks Light..., Tiny Dinosaur & Slow Rosary 9PM

SUN

Happy Hour on the Alley Bar with DJ G 4-8PM Tomasa del Real 9PM

MON

Lundi Gras with Alfred Banks & LeTrainiump 9PM

27 28 MARCH

SYNTHPOP OUTFIT PEOPLE MUSEUM

‘Rearranging the Planets’

TRUMPETER AND COMPOSER STEVE LANDS has played jazz with mem-

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TUE

1

Mardi Gras Happy Hour on the Alley Bar with DJ G 4-8PM

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45

In Retro-Spex

But Poly Styrene was disaffected by more than New York.

She left her own band in 1979.

She struggled with mental health problems. In the 1980s, she embraced the Hare Krishna movement, and she journeyed to India to deepen her spiritual interests. Bell was born in 1981, and at an early age was aware her mother’s mental health problems.

Bell accomplishes several things in the film. She recounts her mother’s life and struggles from a unique perspective and has her mother’s personal effects to help her, including poems Elliott wrote.

She fills in the story on what Elliott did after she stopped performing, though she made a comeback late in her life. Bell patiently lays out that it was not easy to reconcile their mother-daughter relationship.

Bell also seems to want to assume the mantle of her mother’s fame. Bell has her mother’s photos, writing and much more, so it seems suspect that the film sometimes shows her flipping through the pages of a book about her mother, though it’s not entirely clear if it’s Bell’s co-authored 2019 book, “DayGlo: The Poly Styrene Story.”

The perspective on the punk rock movement alone is worth watching. So is the account of what happened to Poly Styrene, though some of the timeline and events of Bell’s young life are blurred.

Elliott wasn’t always a good parent, but it’s not for obvious reasons, and Bell’s story is compelling.

PHOTO BY BBC ARENA

by Will Coviello

CELESTE BELL, THE DAUGHTER OF X-RAY SPEX SINGER POLY STYRENE , opens her documentary “Poly

Styrene: I Am a Cliche” with a simple question: Was her punk rock icon mother a good parent?

It comes as no surprise that the short answer is no. But she also paints a picture of her mother as largely misunderstood, and she fills in the story after Poly Styrene left X-Ray Spex, rock and roll and, for the most part, public life.

Poly Styrene was born Marianne Elliott-Said to a white mother and a Somali-born Black father who immigrated to England. Bell describes the difficulties her mother had, both growing up poor, and enduring the label of “half-caste,” an ugly term in England at the time for being biracial.

Elliott got excited by various rising alternative cultural niches in Britain in the 1970s, notably punk.

That encompassed music, but also clothing, hair styles and politics, and Bell says that anyone who was any sort of outcast or misfit could find acceptance in punk circles. Bell notes that her mother made her own clothes and art for her albums.

After getting turned on to punk music, Elliott started X-Ray Spex. It wasn’t entirely in the punk vein, and it featured a saxophone player. Elliott was a talented singer, and though the band’s popular song “Oh Bondage Up Yours!” seemed like an anthem for

punk, the band didn’t always sound like that. But it was booked at The Roxy, which had been a home for the Buzzcocks and Billy Idol’s Generation X. Poly Styrene broke a lot of barriers, becoming one of the first women — and biracial woman — to front a major British rock band. In the film, Neneh Cherry says Poly Styrene inspired her to start singing.

Success brought X-Ray Spex to New York in 1977, and Bell points out that her mother didn’t like that scene, not enjoying the presence of hard drugs and other aspects of the city and American culture.

It’s a very different perspective on that era’s lower Manhattan scene, which has been celebrated for who emerged in the worlds of alternative culture, art and music, including at the legendary venue CBGB, where X-Ray Spex often performed. Bell says the city seemed to represent the consumerism Poly Styrene had been railing against.

Summer Camps NEW ORLEANS PARENTS’ SURVIVAL GUIDE

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“Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché” opens Feb. 18 at The Broad Theater.

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87 End of the riddle 93 — -Flush (bathroom brand) 94 Architect I.M. — 95 Made angry 96 Florida fruits 97 R&B great Marvin 99 Not at all new 100 Golf club 102 Riddle’s answer 111 Stalin-era labor camp 112 Polecat’s kin 113 Urge against 114 Muscat native 115 Do over 116 Office squawker 117 Fender dings 118 Mimics a mad mutt 119 Helper of Frankenstein 120 Inventor Whitney DOWN 1 “—, vidi, vici” 2 “The Keep” novelist Jennifer 3 Forum wear 4 Angel’s instrument 5 Drunk 6 Writer Gogol 7 Third-largest city in Israel 8 Ride a wave 9 Eighth-brightest star in the sky 10 Like a hajji’s religion 11 Second-largest city in Oklahoma 12 Charles Lamb’s alias 13 Bay Area California city 14 Equivalent of A sharp 15 Lee Tracy’s “Bombshell” co-star 16 Like praiseful poetry 17 Gossipy Barrett 18 Bakersfield-toBoise dir.

20 Letters before 39-Across 27 Swiss watch brand 28 Clueless 32 Fizzle sound 33 Sleek, informally 34 Hair removal brand 35 Top squad 36 Mooer’s mouthful

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38 On the — (fleeing) 39 “— say more?”

41 Actresses Vivien and Janet 42 In — res (mid-plot) 43 Clay pigeons to be shot, informally 45 Three x three 46 Frozen spear 47 Eats away at 53 “Were — it all over again ...”

54 “It can’t be!”

55 One of the Three Musketeers 56 Nickname for singer Justin, with “the” 57 Derisive smile 59 One of the three Furies 60 R&R alone 61 “— boy!”

62 Pisa’s river 63 Nuclear trials, for short 64 Class of antimicrobial drugs, in the British spelling 65 Actress Sorkin who once hosted “America’s Funniest People” 71 Like animals that don’t roam

ABR, CRS, GRI, SFR, SRS

72 So-called “fifth taste” 73 Apartment near the super’s, perhaps 74 Mesh well 79 Piquancy 80 Ontario tribe 81 Cat’s warning 83 Pittsburgh footballers 84 “Chances —” 85 “Catch my drift, bro?”

86 Pie-mode link 88 1974 CIA parody film 89 More lacteal 90 Not cardinal, as a number 91 Plundering 92 Writer Sábato 98 Patronage 99 “— Loompa” 101 Half-diameters 102 Journalist Brit 103 Zing 104 Lucy Liu’s “Kill Bill” role 105 Insect traps 106 Exploiter 107 Mongrel mutt 108 Frilly material 109 Shrine figure 110 Moore of “G.I. Jane” 111 Shrine figure

ANSWERS FOR LAST ISSUE’S PUZZLE: P 2

47

PUZZLES

63 Simile middle 66 Chaney of film 67 Song-belting Merman 68 On a pension, maybe: Abbr.

69 Military draft gp.

70 Riddle, part 4 75 ZZ Top album whose name is Spanish for “The Crazy One” 76 Hamm and Farrow 77 Neither’s partner 78 Tingly feeling 82 Totally tired 83 With 49-Across, touter of green eggs and ham 84 “Yes” vote 86 Early arcade giant

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PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE 32 Cure-all 37 Race of people in an H.G. Wells novella 39 Some sorority letters 40 Donations to the destitute 44 Riddle, part 2 48 Like much greasy food 49 See 83-Across 50 Corp. leader 51 Skip over, as a vowel 52 World War II film, when tripled 53 Charged bit 55 Place — (be active on eBay, say) 57 Cheap cigar 58 Riddle, part 3

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ACROSS 1 Pet doc 4 “Come again?”

8 Treats maliciously 14 Tennis player Borg 19 Narcissist’s problem 21 Actress Andress 22 Ate, as prey 23 Football Hall of Famer Bronko 24 Arrive on wheels 25 Frankie or Cleo of song 26 Start of a riddle 29 Noise in a comic book gunfight 30 Exotica singer Sumac 31 “The Human Stain” novelist Philip

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