Gambit New Orleans: May 5, 2020

May 5-11, 2020 Volume 41 // Number 16

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

2

Lane Lacoy Historic Home Specialist

Asociate Broker/Realtor®

1026 PAULINE ST. - $469,000 MOTIVATED SELLER

Recently renovated Bywater 3 BR, 2 BA single, 2043 sq. ft, LR, DR/DEN, super KIT/stainless/ marble, Laundry, covered porch, BIG fenced yard

504-957-5116 • 504-948-3011 840 Elysian Fields Ave N.O., LA 70117

www.lanelacoy.com - ljlacoy@latterblum.com

ROCK YOUR BAD SELF!

Photo: Cassagne Photography

Client-Driven Real Estate with Collective Results!

STONEWARE TO STONE!

Voted by Gambit readers as the #1 Best Real Estate Office in the Metro Area 2019!

FROM YOUR FAMILY’S PHOTOS! 631HARNESS@GMAIL.COM

900 Camp Street, Suite 301, New Orleans, LA 70130 504.291.2022 • wcnola.com

(FORMER DECATUR ST. ARTIST)

BULLETIN BOARD

WE BUY MIGNON FAGET JEWELRY

CHRIS’S FINE JEWELRY 3304 W. ESPLANADE AVE., METAIRIE. CALL (504) 833-2556.

Immigration. Criminal Law. Traffic Tickets

Don’t go to court without an Attorney Call Eugene Redmann 504.834.6430 Se Habla Espanol www.redmannlawnola.com

Licensed in Louisiana, USA

Why remove your old bathroom and kitchen fixtures?

RE-GLAZE THEM!

REAL ESTATE FOR RENT

CERAMIC TILE FORMICA CAST IRON C U LT U R E D M A R B L E FIBERGLASS

GARDEN DISTRICT 1/2 BLOCK TO MAGAZINE

1 & 2 bedrooms available in ideal location and ROOMS BY THE MONTH with PRIVATE BATH. All utilities included monthly. Call 504-202-0381 for appointment.

TREME

504-348-1770

1319 /1321 ST PHILIP

Beautiful, fully furnished apartment for rent. $2200 a month. Call Penelope for info.

504-289-6421.

NOW OFFERING MILITARY, VETERAN, FIRST RESPONDER AND SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNTS

COVINGTON DOWNTOWN COVINGTON RESIDENTIAL LOT

3/4 acres, Beautiful Oaks & Camellias, No flood zone - $460k; 985-503-1436.

to place your ad in the

GAMBIT EXCHANGE

call 486-5900

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL 708 BARATARIA BLVD. |

MOST JOBS DONE IN HOURS

southernrefinishing.com

CERTIFIED FIBERGLASS TECHNICIAN

EDGY WITH IDEAS??

Patents and Product Development Email: bowmanscientific@gmail.com

3

Treat Mom to the Perfect Day!

Start Mom’s Day with Breakfast in Bed

Finish the Day with a Meal She’ll Never Forget!

Give her er gifts gif Sh ’ Love She’ll

GARDEN DISTRICT

METAIRIE

RIVER RIDGE IDG

CHALMETTE

www.breauxmart.com

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

Breaux Mart Can Help

A Special Gift for your Special Mom!

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

4

CONTENTS

MAY 5 -11, 2020 VOLUME 41 || NUMBER 16 NEWS

OPENING GAMBIT

6

COMMENTARY 9 CLANCY DUBOS

10

BLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN 12

ORDER YOUR MOTHER’S DAY ARRANGEMENTS TODAY!

FEATURES

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 5 EAT + DRINK

Wishing all Moms a Mother’s Day as Wonderful as YOU!

17

MUSIC 24 STAYING IN

25

PUZZLES 27

A JAPANESE RESTAURANT & SUSHI BAR VIRTUAL GIFT CARDS SENT VIA TEXT OR EMAIL TO MOM! CALL US (504) 533-9879

EXCHANGE 27

CURBSIDE PICK-UP IN LAKEVIEW

@The_Gambit

Tues- Sun Lunch 11:30am-2:30pm Dinner 4:30pm - 9pm

LotusBistroNOLA.com 203 W. HARRISON AVE.

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER

SHOP AT WWW.NOLABOO.COM

20% OFF & FREE SHIPPING

@gambitneworleans @GambitNewOrleans

13

Have Mercy

Advocates fight for release of vulnerable prisoners during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVER DESIGN BY DORA SISON

WITH CODE SHARETHELOVE

STAFF

Publisher | JEANNE EXNICIOS FOSTER

EDITORIAL

MOTHER’S DAY & GRADUATION GIFT

FOLLOW US!

CUSTOMIZE WITH MOM OR GRANDMA’S NAME

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

Advertising Inquiries (504) 483-3150

Editor | KANDACE POWER GRAVES

Advertising Director | SANDY STEIN BRONDUM

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

DERBY POTTERY AND MUGS, BOWLS, PITCHERS, WALL DECOR AND MORE TILE MAKERS OF THE NEW ORLEANS

Feel the historical connection

20 YEARS ON MAGAZINE ST.

STREET TILE SINCE 2003

ADVERTISING

(504) 483-3105// response@gambitweekly.com

Listings Coordinator | VICTOR ANDREWS Contributing Writers | KEVIN ALLMAN

(504) 483-3150 [sstein@gambitweekly.com]

Sales Coordinator | MICHELE SLONSKI Senior Sales Representative JILL GIEGER (504) 483-3131

[jgieger@gambitweekly.com]

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

Sales Representatives KATIE BISHOP (504) 262-9519

[kbishop@gambitweekly.com]

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS

2029 MAGAZINE ST.

KELLY SONNIER

Billing Inquiries 1 (225) 388-0185

(504) 483-3143

Administrative Assistant | LINDA LACHIN

[ksonnier@gambitweekly.com]

Gambit (ISSN 1089-3520) is published weekly by Capital City Press, LLC, 840 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130. (504) 4865900. We cannot be held responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts even if accompanied by a SASE. All material published in Gambit is copyrighted: Copyright 2020 Capital City Press, LLC. All rights reserved.

Green party

Soul survivors IN “GRACE,” Althea is badgered by her aunt Grace for getting her church clothes dirty while playing and for making too much noise in her room.

Althea’s mother died the year before, and the aunt is graciously — or not so graciously — taking care of her. But Althea is attuned to the spirits, and she seems to commune with them through her toys and keepsakes, including a music box with a spinning ballerina. Mabel becomes the new caretaker for the girl and tries to keep her happy.

Funk band Lettuce releases ‘Resonate,’ a followup to acclaimed 2019 album, ‘Elevate’

BY WILL COVIELLO AFTER THE JAZZ-FUNK BAND Lettuce

saw its 2019 album “elevate” top the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and draw a 2020 Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, it had some momentum going.

“You could feel it on tour,” keyboardist nigel Hall says about three shows in Germany in early March.

Then the coronavirus pandemic hit.

“We played a show to 50 people in an outdoor space in Copenhagen.”

The group returned to the u.S. just before travel from europe was banned. normally, members of the sextet would have spent most of the last few weeks playing through the night in various late-night jam sessions designed for fans attracted by the new Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. This week, as the band releases the album “Resonate” — out May 8 on Round Hill Records — only Hall is in new Orleans, and he’s home sheltering.

“Resonate” is filled with different strains of funk, including The Meters’ brand of new Orleans funk on several tracks. The album blends jazz, rock, soul, hip-hop, psychedelic and electronic sounds. It ranges from the bass driving the fast pace of “Good Morning” to the trance-y electronic groove of “House of Lett,” which the band recently released in a concert video. Hall calls the song percussionist Adam Deitch’s homage to Chicago-style house music.

There’s also a prominent detour into Washington, D.C.’s go-go music.

The band previewed the release of the album with the single “Checker Wrecker,” featuring vocals by Big Tony Fisher of Trouble Funk and Tyrone Williams of Rare essence. Hall grew up in Washington, D.C., and is familiar with the sound.

“I claim dual citizenship between D.C. and new Orleans,” Hall says.

But the interest in go-go is shared

by Deitch, who describes it as the link

P H OTO P R OV I D e D B Y S O u L C I T Y

‘Grace’ opens the ‘Soul City’ series of short horror films.

between funk and hip-hop.

“Checker Wrecker” is one of only two tracks with vocals. The other is an homage to earth, Wind & Fire, and Hall hits the high notes on the throwback funk and soul vocals of “Remember the Children.”

Lettuce was founded in the 1990s by graduates of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Since the jam band craze of the late 1990s, Lettuce members usually have spent a few weeks in new Orleans around Jazz Fest time. Horn player eric “Benny” Bloom lived here for a while, and Hall moved here in 2013. Bloom, Deitch and guitarist Adam Smirnoff are now based in Denver, Colorado. The band is rounded out by erick Coomes on bass and Ryan Zoidis on saxophone.

The songs on “elevate” and “Resonate” were recorded during five days of studio sessions in Denver, and Hall says there’s more material that could be released.

Band members share writing

P H OTO P R OV I D e D B Y JeReMY eLDeR

Nigel Hall (front left) is the only New Orleans-based member of the funk band Lettuce.

duties, and the result is democratic, giving each person room to shine on the latest albums. “Resonate” also has a few indulgences. Smirnoff is a fan of Indian music and he bought a sitar and sought out Indrajit Banerjee to master it. The song “Moksha” is bookended by mystical, psychedelic sitar sounds.

While the band is not currently able to tour in support of “Resonate,” the momentum isn’t entirely lost. Members are writing new music and sharing it remotely, Hall says.

He’s also working on a new solo album, his first since 2015’s “Ladies & Gentlemen… nigel Hall.”

“Grace” is the first episode in “Soul City,” a series of 15-minute horror films with multicultural casts that began airing April 30 on the streaming platform Topic (www.topic.com). The first season features three episodes set in new Orleans.

“Grace” stars Rhonda Johnson Dents of “Queen Sugar” and “The Hate u Give” as the religiously devout aunt, and there’s a cameo by Omar J. Dorsey of “Queen Sugar.”

It’s directed by Coodie & Chike, the filmmaking and producing duo of Clarence “Coodie” Simmons Jr. and Chike Ozah (a new Orleans native).

The two also have collaborated on Kanye West’s “Through the Wire” music video, a documentary about Muhammad Ali and “Benji,” a film for eSPn. The series continues with “Pillow Shop” about an insomniac, and “Give Man,” about the consequences of getting what one asks for. Those episodes feature appearances by Chad Coleman of “The Wire” and new Orleanian PJ Morton.

GA AM MB BIIT T> >B BE ES ST TO OF FN NE EWO WOR RLLE EA AN NS S..C CO OM M> > JMuay > 2>0220 01 8 G n e 52 -1 1- 1 27

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

5

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

6

OPENING GAMBIT N E W

O R L E A N S

N E W S

+

V I E W S

Legislative shenanigans ... court reopening ... demolishing the Hard Rock ... and more

# The Count

Thumbs Up/ Thumbs Down

12

The American Cancer Society has awarded $541,592

to health systems throughout the state to provide cancer patients with transportation to and from treatments and appointments. That includes $210,000 that will go to help financially vulnerable patients in the New Orleans area seeking treatment at Ochsner Health, Tulane Health System, Touro Infirmary, East Jefferson General Hospital and West Jefferson Medical Center.

The number of consecutive days the New Orleans Police Department set up traffic checkpoints throughout Orleans Parish before halting the program.

P H OTO B Y T R AV I S S P R A D L I N G / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E | T H E A D OVO C AT E

Rep. Alan Seabaugh, R-Lake Charles, floated a draft petition to override the governor’s emergency declaration and reopen the state.

GOVERNOR CALLS PETITION TO CANCEL EMERGENCY ORDER ‘NONSENSICAL’

Ballard Hospitality, a branch of

the Ballard Brands family of restaurants that includes New Orleans Roast, PJ’s Coffee and WOW Cafe American & Wingery, has delivered 58,000 meal boxes, each of which should supply a family with enough food for a week, in St. Tammany, St. Bernard and East Baton Rouge parishes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The group now is working on 10-meal boxes of breakfast and lunch foods that should last households up to two weeks.

Dirty Dishes Food Truck, Jefferson Physicians’ Foundation and POB United, the

nonprofit arm of Port Orleans Brewing, delivered more than 1,000 meals to medical staff at East Jefferson General Hospital and Ochsner Baptist last week in support of frontline workers battling the coronavirus pandemic. POB United also provides free meals to service industry workers Wednesdays and Fridays through May at Port Orleans Brewing.

PAGE 8

GOV. JOHN BEL EDWARDS last week blasted a movement by some GOP state lawmakers to cancel his emergency declaration on the new coronavirus in order to end his stay-at-home order, calling it “nonsensical.”

“That would just be completely irresponsible and nonsensical to be the only state in the nation without an emergency declaration in place for the public health emergency of COVID-19,” Edwards said at a press conference April 30.

Edwards noted the state currently has the sixth-highest rate of cases per capita in the U.S., adding that canceling the emergency declaration would disqualify Louisiana from millions in federal funding.

“It would be profoundly regrettable,” Edwards said.

Republican state Rep. Alan Seabaugh circulated a draft petition April 29 that would use an obscure part of state law that allows a majority of either the state House or Senate to end an emergency declaration.

The effort is a long shot to pass. It would end the governor’s stayat-home order, which Edwards formally extended last week until May 15. It also would cancel school closures, revoke bans on price gouging, end the suspension of legal deadlines and result in a “crushing loss of federal funding,” Edwards’ chief lawyer Matthew Block wrote in a letter to legislative leadership.

“This may not be a perfect solution, but it is the only one on the table,” Seabaugh said in an email to his Republican colleagues. “Doing nothing is not an option!”

Republicans in the state Legislature were widely incensed by Edwards’ extension of the stay-at-home order, after the governor hinted to them and to the public that he hoped to begin reopening businesses on May 1. Health experts advised him the state was not ready, though Republicans say the governor should reopen different parts of the state at different times.

House GOP leader Rep. Blake Miguez said members were looking at various options for canceling the stay-at-home order. — SAM KARLIN/ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

Orleans Parish judges prepare for ‘limited’ reopening of Criminal District Court Orleans Parish judges have announced they are preparing to reopen the Criminal District Court for certain proceedings, perhaps by

On April 20, NOPD issued an advisory that it would set up stops to “verbally provide information regarding the stay-at-home order” due to the COVID-19 pandemic and said this would continue until the executive order expired. NOPD also claimed the stops were to monitor seat belt usage. The Lens reported last week that the checkpoints would stop on May 1.

Announcement of the checkpoints quickly drew criticism from residents and the ACLU, which called the program unconstitutional. Police cannot stop vehicles and question occupants unless they reasonably suspect criminal activity,” Alanah Odoms Hebert, ACLU of Louisiana executive director, said in a news release.

According to NOPD, no arrests were made and no tickets were issued during stops made at the checkpoints.

C’est What

?

What grade do you give Gov. John Bel Edwards for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic?

65.2%

20.4% B

A

3% D

6.3% F

5.1%

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

C

OPENING GAMBIT health screenings for visitors, limited access to courtrooms and daily cleanings and weekly deep cleanings.

Magistrate Court first appearances for new arrestees will continue through video conferencing. The court also is allowing videoconferencing for participants in some proceedings, and the public will be able to access proceedings through video conferencing programs.

Incarcerated criminal defendants will participate in their court proceedings with video conferencing programs established by the court.

— SARAH RAVITS

City officials issue Hard Rock hotel demolition permit The remains of the Hard Rock hotel in New Orleans may finally be demolished after the city gave the go-ahead last week to a proposal to pick apart wreckage of the 18-story building using cranes.

Approval of the demolition permit comes more than six months after the building collapsed while still under construction, killing three workers. The bodies of two of those victims remain trapped in the rubble.

With the permit issued, the developers behind the Hard Rock can have

teams on site to begin preparing for the demolition by Monday, attorney Kerry Miller said during a hearing April 30 before Civil District Court Judge Kern Reese.

“I’m glad that everybody put forth their best efforts to get this done.

This is something that has needed to be done for a long time,” Reese said.

Actual demolition won’t start until the developers get permission from the city’s Historic District Landmarks Commission to knock down three nearby buildings that would be in the zone where debris will be dropped. A decision on that is expected this week.

If that’s approved, developers said they could have the bodies recovered from the site within 30 days and the entire structure removed within six months, according to a memo filed with the city.

Remains of the structure have remained virtually untouched since explosives were used to demolish two cranes that were hanging precariously off the building in the days after the October 2019 collapse.

The long delay, which came as plans were considered and discarded, along with the lack of action to recover the remains, spurred protests and criticism leveled at the developers — a consortium led by Mohan

Kailas and known as 1031 Canal Street Development LLC — and city government. Both sides have wrangled over demolition methods and timelines for months.

The exact cause of the collapse has not been revealed, though the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the chief engineer on the project — Heaslip Engineering — for putting workers in danger. Attorneys for various parties involved in lawsuits over the collapse discussed plans for preserving evidence during the hearing April 30.

“The city of New Orleans has been persistent in its demand that the property owners of 1031 Canal St. / the Kailas family be held accountable in moving a safe demolition of their property forward, at their expense,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in an emailed statement. “The property owners have an obligation to address the damages they’ve caused to this city and its residents as a result of their collapsed building. There is no more time for delay and a safe demolition should move forward immediately.”

The start of demolition makes moot code enforcement proceedings the city brought against the developers PAGE 8

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

June. An exact date has not been announced because the judges are waiting on cues from Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

The courthouse has been shut down since March 13 in accordance with the stay-at-home orders issued

by Cantrell and Gov. John Bel Edwards to prevent further spreading of the COVID-19 virus.

Judge Karen K. Herman said in a news release April 30 that the court will reopen two weeks after Cantrell’s stay-at-home order is lifted, and judges presiding over 12 sections of the court will operate a docket once a week, with no more than three courtrooms open per day.

Current stay-at-home orders issued for New Orleans by Cantrell and statewide by Edwards are set to expire May 16, which means court proceedings could occur on a limited basis as early as June.

By order of the Louisiana Supreme Court, jury trials remain suspended statewide through at least June 30, and no jurors will be summoned to serve at the courthouse until further notice.

Court officials say they’ll implement a number of safety measures to help mitigate the spread of the virus, including temperature checks and

7

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

8

Thumbs Up/ Thumbs Down PAGE 6

OPENING GAMBIT PAGE 7

for failing to take down the building, which sparked Thursday’s hearing.

— JEFF ADELSON/ THE TIMESPICAYUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

Mask transit Make Waves, a nonprofit that

supports organizations working with autistic adults, has donated 2,000 face masks to the Autism Society of Greater New Orleans to distribute to Magnolia Community Center. The masks will be used by direct support professionals and residents in high-risk settings such as group homes and residential programs for autistic adults.

The Siemens Foundation a nonprofit that supports math and science education, has awarded $150,000 in grants to the DePaul Community Health Centers and Marillac Community Health Centers to provide primary health care in low-income and vulnerable communities, particularly during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Voice of the Experienced,

a group of formerly incarcerated people that advocates for prisoners’ rights, has delivered 10,000 N95 masks for use in Louisiana jails and prisons to protect workers and inmates from COVID-19.

The group delivered 9,000 masks to the state Department of Corrections April 24 to distribute to people most vulnerable to the virus, and another 1,000 to Orleans Parish Prison.

Republicans in the Louisiana Senate, led by Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairwoman Sharon Hewitt of Slidell, quashed efforts to expand mail-in voting for July and August elections in response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying it would open the door for fraud — but pointing to no evidence to back up that claim.

Experts have said the risk of fraud from mail ballots is very low. Interestingly, lawmakers voted on the measure by mail.

New Orleans’ public transit system has announced it will require riders to wear masks before boarding buses and streetcars in an effort to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. The rule went into effect May 1.

Regional Transit Authority officials said the move is intended to protect riders and transit operators, dozens of whom have become ill with the highly contagious respiratory disease. Three have died.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell has said she will consider lifting her stay-at-home order on May 16 if key indicators of the pathogen’s spread continue to improve. A return to a new normal could happen “in as early as a couple of weeks, so we will be flexible,” RTA CEO Alex Wiggins said at a virtual board meeting last week. The mask-wearing rule comes as the RTA expects “a spike at the beginning of the month, with folks getting out and going shopping,” he added.

The requirement puts the RTA in league with transit agencies in Illinois, California and elsewhere who have taken similar steps to curb the spread of the disease. Dozens of agencies urged or ordered masks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on April 3 urged people to wear face coverings in public.

The RTA’s frontline workers and staff have been hit hard by coronavirus, with three workers, who the RTA has declined it identify, dying of the disease and 75 having contracted COVID-19 as of April 28. About 86 were quarantined this week after infection or exposure. RTA workers have been given masks to wear.

The RTA also has lost revenue as a result of the sales tax slump that is expected to continue at least through the end of the year, though the agency is getting a major bailout from the federal CARES Act. Roughly $43 million will help the agency cover operating costs through the end of this year.

— JESSICA WILLIAMS/ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

GE to close center, lay off 100 workers General Electric Co. said it will close its New Orleans technology center and lay off all 100 employees in its Place St. Charles office, dealing a blow to the city’s technology sector amid the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

The news on April 29 came the same day GE announced $2 billion in nationwide cost cuts, including laying off 700 people at its power division, as the global pandemic hit revenue and profit in major areas of the industrial conglomerate’s business.

In a letter to employees at the tech center at 201 St. Charles Ave. last week, the company said employees would be kept on the payroll until the office officially closes at the end of June. The New Orleans office has had employees from both the aviation and gas power divisions, as well as general corporate employees. GE couldn’t immediately provide a breakdown.

The layoffs come as tens of thousands of Louisiana workers have lost jobs in recent weeks amid stay-athome orders that closed restaurants, bars and other businesses.

On April 27, Gov. John Bel Edwards said he expected to begin a phased reopening of the state May 16, but in recent days business groups and some political leaders have warned that waiting too long could lead to further economic calamity.

The GE move is a setback for the city’s still nascent technology sector.

GE’s arrival in New Orleans in 2012 was touted by former Mayor Mitch Landrieu, former Gov. Bobby Jindal and business leaders as a key cog in plans to grow the tech industry and bring big-name companies — along with high-paying jobs — to the New Orleans metro area. Economic development officials lured what was then GE Capital, the conglomerate’s financial arm, with an offer of $10.7 million in grants along with millions more in tax rebates through the state’s Quality Jobs program.

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson said the state agency is reviewing GE’s compliance with its obligations under the incentive program.

GE will retain about 500 employees in the state of Louisiana, including about 100 at its LM Wind Power unit located on the NASA Michoud campus in New Orleans East. The company said the wind power facility will not be affected by the layoffs. — TONY MCAULEY/ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

Ruth Fertel’s grandson scolds Ruth’s Chris steakhouse over coronavirus response Rien Fertel is the grandson of the late restaurateur Ruth Fertel, who parlayed a single Broad Street steakhouse into a coast-to-coast restaurant empire. He has no connection with the current corporate owners, Ruth’s Hospitality Group, but that didn’t stop him from recently giving

them some coronavirus-era advice via Twitter.

The Ruth’s Chris Steak House chain, which boasts 150 locations including franchises around the globe, received a $20 million loan through the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program, which was meant to support struggling businesses during the era of coronavirus physical distancing. Most believed the loans were meant for smaller operations than Ruth’s Chris.

The COVID-19 contagion had certainly been unkind to the Ruth’s Hospitality Group, with restaurants shuttered and stock prices low. But after receiving a dose of shaming from the public and media, the corporation gave the money back on April 23.

Fertel thought they should do more.

“Ruth’s grandson here,” he tweeted on April 24. “I salute the decision you made yesterday to return the $20 million small business loan. But it’s not enough.”

“I urge you to do more,” Fertel continued in a second tweet, “To give back like she did. To do better than what she was financially capable of back in 1965.”

Fertel was referring to his grandmother feeding first responders and community residents the steaks she couldn’t sell to the public after Hurricane Betsy took out power to much of the city. The original restaurant — at the time known as Chris’ Steak House — had been in his grandmother’s hands for roughly a year.

She added her name to the restaurant’s logo years later. By the time the power came back on after Hurricane Betsy, the restaurant’s place in New Orleans lore was assured.

Rien Fertel called on the corporation that sprang from that that fountainhead in the Crescent City to do something similarly generous.

His challenge struck a chord in the Twitterverse. Together, Fertel’s three posts were retweeted more than 1,000 times, receiving 16,000 heartshaped symbols of approval and scads of positive comments.

Fertel, 39, is the son of Ruth’s son, Jerry, and Rosemary Parisi. He said that he grew up in the kitchen of the Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Lafayette, which his mom managed, and made regular trips to grandma’s in New Orleans. He left the restaurant life to work as a historian and author.

He’s written three books and has taught classes at Tulane University, Loyola University and the Louisiana State Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel.

Ruth’s Hospitality Group did not immediately reply to a request for comment. — DOUG MACCASH/ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

9

COMMENTARY

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

GOP Leges returning to the wrong kind of ‘normal’

timeless with a

twist

navy & white

linen

BY ALL ACCOUNTS, Gov. John Bel

Edwards has done an exemplary job of guiding Louisiana through the COVID-19 pandemic. Even President Donald Trump, who loudly campaigned against Edwards’ re-election less than six months ago, heaped praise on the governor just last week for leading the fight against the virus in one of America’s hardest-hit states.

Trump invited the governor to the White House, in fact, to tell him so.

We’re not out of the woods yet, but Edwards has authorized Louisiana citizens and businesses to take their first tentative steps toward some kind of normal. The governor recently extended his statewide stay-at-home order through May 15, but he lifted significant restrictions on restaurants and retailers effective May 1.

That was welcome news across Louisiana, but not among some Republican lawmakers. State Rep. Alan Seabaugh of Shreveport circulated a draft petition on April 29 — the same day Edwards met with Trump at the White House — to use an obscure state law to revoke the governor’s emergency declaration.

While no doubt concocted as a political ploy, Seabaugh’s proposal, if passed by the House, would do much more than end the governor’s stayat-home order. It also would have revoked school closures, canceled bans on price gouging, ended the suspension of legal deadlines and resulted in a “crushing loss of federal funding,” Edwards’ chief lawyer Matthew Block wrote in a letter to legislative leaders.

Fortunately, Seabaugh’s effort was shot down quickly by his own GOP leadership. Both Senate President Page Cortez and House Speaker Clay Schexnayder said they couldn’t support an effort to overturn the governor’s emergency order. Cortez noted that U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Metairie — no ally of Edwards — agreed that doing so could jeopardize SBA loans to Louisiana

@ gaetanasnola shop with us on instagram & facebook

P H OTO B Y B I L L F E I G / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E | T H E A D VO C AT E

The Louisiana Legislature reconvenes this week amid murmurings of discontent with Gov. John Bel Edwards’ extension of stay-athome orders.

businesses and federal aid to the state.

Unfazed, Seabaugh told his GOP colleagues in an email, “This may not be a perfect solution, but it is the only one on the table. Doing nothing is not an option!” Actually, doing nothing to undermine the governor’s fact-based, measured response to the pandemic is not only an option, it’s the best option. The only thing “not an option” is doing something dumb — particularly something that jeopardizes millions in federal assistance in the midst of an economic and public health crisis.

Seabaugh’s ruse wasn’t the only Republican move against Edwards. As the Democratic governor was preparing to visit the Republican president, GOP state lawmakers circulated a consultant’s memo that suggested talking points to use in social media criticisms of Edwards’ modified stayat-home order, which follows White House protocols. A copy of the memo was leaked to investigative journalist Lamar White Jr., who published it on his Bayou Brief website.

The detailed three-page memo noted “good words” to employ, “trap words” to avoid and “anticipated questions” from constituents. Interestingly, the first “trap word” to avoid is “Republican.” Another, ironically, is “partisan.”

Here’s some better advice to the GOP delegation: Instead of conniving to undermine the governor’s leadership while avoiding “trap words,” try avoiding dumb ideas and mindless, destructive partisanship. Those tired — and failed — old ploys represent an unwelcome return to the wrong kind of “normal” in Louisiana.

Feed the

Whole Family DEL ICIOUS

Southern FARE !

NEW FAMILY MEALS (includes starter, main entree, side, dessert & choice of a gallon lemonade or iced tea)

$30

2 PEOPLE

$50

Y UM !!

BRAISED BONELESS

SHORT RIBS!

4 PEOPLE

ORDER ONLINE AT www.BrownButterRestaurant.com OR CALL (504) 609-3871

231 N Carrollton Ave. Suite C

Open for Take-out & Delivery Tuesday - Saturday 12pm - 7pm

Plus

BROWN BUTTER

FAVORITES

& FISH FRY on Fridays

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

10

CLANCY DUBOS @clancygambit

Cantrell’s Mardi Gras mambo not exactly a classic

Healthcare with

heart, wherever you are.

Schedule a virtual urgent care visit.

1

Visit LCMChealthUrgentCare.com

2

Choose your nearby Urgent Care location

3

Click “Virtual Visit”

4

Select “Virtual Visit” as your reason for your visit

WHEN MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL RECEIVED

significant but totally unjustified criticism from the national media for not canceling Mardi Gras this year, I joined others rushing to defend her.

She correctly noted the absence of “red flags” advising her to cancel carnival — and ultimately the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that she was right.

It’s too bad the mayor’s comments on the subject of Mardi Gras didn’t end there.

In an April 28 interview with Washington Post national political reporter Robert Costa, the mayor discussed a wide range of issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the city’s response to it. By and large, she did a good job answering Costa’s questions across a landscape of topics … until she didn’t.

Here’s the initial portion of the transcript of Heronner’s Post interview regarding Mardi Gras: COSTA: “The planning for Mardi Gras happens a year in advance.

That’s a huge event for your city, as everyone knows, a great event. Do you see it happening in 2021?”

CANTRELL: “Well, you know what? It’s something that we have to think about. It’s something that we have put on the table. It all depends, again, on when we reopen the city, the steps that we take to reopen, meaning I want slow and steady. And if we move on this, you know, path of being healthier and without any regressions, then it puts us closer to being prepared to host Mardi Gras come 2021. But again, the data has to dictate any dates that we want to stand on top of.”

There’s more, but let’s dissect a few things right up front. First, the notion that the mayor is putting Mardi Gras “on the table” roughly nine months in advance of the first parade is absurd. It contradicts her otherwise measured statement right afterwards that the city is moving on a path toward being healthier, which “puts us closer to being prepared to host Mardi Gras come 2021.”

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

She should have ended it right there, with minimal damage. Instead, it got worse.

After reiterating her “no red flags” comments regarding Mardi Gras 2020, she concluded by doubling down on the possibility that Mardi Gras 2021 might be canceled. “[W]e have to learn from lessons,” Cantrell said. “And it will give me great pause right now before I commit to saying that we’re, you know, moving forward with Mardi Gras 2021. We will let the data dictate the dates.”

Sure, data will dictate things.

That’s obvious. But why not just say that Mardi Gras 2021 is more than nine months away, so it’s too early to make such a call? Or that, right now, she’s focused on keeping the city safe?

Better still, why not focus on getting the city back open by May 16 — instead of speculating about an event set to happen next February 16? In that vein, why not talk about ways to align her stayat-home order with that of Gov. John Bel Edwards, who wants to facilitate retailers and restaurants reopening by relaxing curbside sales and dining?

What should give the mayor “great pause” is the realization that mayors, like presidents, shouldn’t ramble in response to media questions.

11

SPONSORED CONTENT

Wille Mae’s Scotch House: 2401 St. Ann. New Orleans, LA Wille Mae’s at the Market: 234 Loyola Ave. New Orleans, LA Treat mom to Willie Mae’s! Now open and serving take out at BOTH locations! Willie Mae’s Scotch House is now open Mon-Fri 11am-3pm and Willie Mae’s at the Market is open Mon-Sat Noon-8pm.

Give mom the break she deserves! Order online at www.williemaesnola.com.

Pure Dermatology (504) 226-7873 • www.PureDermNola.com Pure Dermatology has a perfect gift for a little Mother’s Day Glow! Purchase a $150 gift certificate and receive a FREE skin care starter kit valued at $100.

Pure Dermatology is committed to skin health at every age.

Call 504-226-7873 to purchase.

Dr. Holcomb, Dr. Haseltine and Nurse Practitioner Cherie work with all skin types through all stages of life. Each patient is unique and deserves their own special attention. At Pure Dermatology, our customized approach takes into account the patient’s own concerns and provides the most effective and efficient steps for healthy skin. Look like your BEST self and have Pure Confidence with Pure Dermatology. PureDermNola.com

BROWN BUTTER SOUTHERN KITCHEN & BAR 231 N Carrollton Ave. • (504) 609-3871 www.BrownButterRestaurant.com Give Mom a Southern culinary experience.

Buy an E-gift card from Brown Butter & her tastebuds will thank you. From 8 oz. brisket/ short rib blend burgers to freshly fried fish on Fridays, Brown Butter has the best our land & sea have to offer. Now open for curbside pickup & delivery Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm to 7pm.

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

WILLIE MAE’S SCOTCH HOUSE & W I L L E M A E ’ S AT T H E M A R K E T

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

12

SPONSORED CONTENT

BLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN™ @GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Hey Blake, In the late 1950s on Mirabeau Avenue, Chef Alonzo sold rotisserie chicken. It had a unique sauce.

What do you know about his restaurant’s history?

Dear reader,

g a e - t a n a ’s 7732 Maple St. New Orleans, LA (504) 865-9625 • @gaetanasnola A locally owned boutique featuring contemporary, classic, comfortable women’s clothing, jewelry, shoes & accessories. The perfect style for New Orleans & the perfect gifts for Mother’s Day. Gae-tana’s is the destination for what’s new, what’s fresh & what works. Visit their instagram & facebook @gaetanasnola for new Spring deliveries. Or call the store for a virtual shopping experience.

GAMBINO’S 4821 Veterans Memorial Blvd. Metairie, LA A Gambino’s cake is the perfect package to be delivered to your MOM for Mother’s Day or leading up!

Let mom, grandma or that impactful woman know you are thinking of her! Don’t wait order today! Order online www.gambinos.com.

Call for help to order 504-885-7500 or 1-800-GAMBINO (426-2466)

William Alonzo Hagle opened his restaurant, Chicken Alonzo, in November 1954. It was located in the Parkchester Shopping Center at Paris and Mirabeau Avenues.

Rotisserie roasted chicken was the specialty. The sauce you remember was called — what else — Sauce Alonzo. “You can ‘take out’ any number of chickens (halves, whole or cut up) with that wonderful sauce in separate sealed containers,” a newspaper ad explained. The cost ranged between $1.69 and $1.85 for a whole chicken.

The restaurant also offered dinein service and catering, “ideal for churches, picnics, Carnival clubs, conventions and private parties,” according to one advertisement.

Another newspaper ad encouraged customers to call and order chicken “for the treat of your life.”

The restaurant also offered turkey, pheasant, Long Island duckling and Cornish game hen, “cooked the Alonzo way,” for customers who pre-ordered.

The recipe for Sauce Alonzo was a secret, so we can’t tell you much about it. Clearly it had its fans, including Mayor deLesseps Story

P H OTO B Y L U F T K L I C K /G E T T Y I M AG E S

Rotisserie chicken was the specialty at Alonzo’s Chicken.

“Chep” Morrison and City Council President (and future mayor) Vic Schiro, who were shown in a 1957 newspaper photo with other City Council members enjoying a Chicken Alonzo lunch, described as “a welcome respite from recent budget sessions.”

Chicken Alonzo franchise opportunities, handled by real estate agent Gertrude Gardner, were offered in a 1958 ad. In 1960, a second Chicken Alonzo restaurant, owned by franchisee Joseph Pernot, opened at 2135 St. Charles Ave. near Jackson Avenue. By then, the menu at the original location had expanded to include steaks, ham and roast beef sandwiches and even pies for dessert.

The flagship restaurant closed sometime before 1970. Hagle died in 1974.

BLAKEVIEW SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO THIS WEEK , New Orleans and the world marked

BREAUX MART www.BreauxMart.com Make Mom feel special & cook her favorite dishes this Mother’s Day. Stop by your neighborhood Breaux Mart to pick up fresh, high quality ingredients & shop at Breaux Mart’s floral & bakery departments for seasonal flowers & delicious desserts.

Victory in Europe (V-E) Day and Nazi Germany’s surrender to Allied forces in Europe. Although World War II would rage on in the Pacific for another three months, the news of May 8, 1945, was announced with huge headlines reading simply “V-E Day” or “Victory is proclaimed” on the front pages of New Orleans’ three daily newspapers.

A poignant story in The New Orleans States captured the feelings of mothers whose sons soon would be returning home from military service in Europe. “With tears in their voices, New Orleans mothers today greeted V-E Day,” reporter Margaret Elliott wrote. “Others who had lost their sons in the bitter fighting in Germany smiled sadly, a touching contrast of heartbreak and joy.” Churches tolled their bells and celebrated Masses, but there were no huge V-E Day celebrations, because of the ongoing fighting in the Pacific.

Mayor Robert Maestri issued a proclamation urging citizens to “refrain from demonstrations that might interrupt our all-out war effort against Japan.”

Still, schools and businesses closed and The Times-Picayune reported that “crowds of celebrators strolled up and down Canal Street throughout the day. Some carried American flags, others carried canes with blue and yellow V-E Day pennants attached.”

Downtown, groups of people gathered around loudspeakers and radios at 8 a.m. to listen to President Harry Truman announce Germany’s surrender.

“Then as the president’s voice faded from the air, automobile horns blared, steam whistles blew and torn pieces of paper showered from office buildings onto shouting crowds.”

13 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 0 2 0

Advocates fight for vulnerable inmates to be released from what they call a coronavirus ‘death sentence.’

Bruce Reilly directed his gaze toward the

top row of windows lining the Orleans Parish Prison (OPP) on the sweltering afternoon of April 24.

“I think they see us,” he said, somewhat muffled through a protective face mask, referring to some of the 800 or so inmates awaiting trial from within the jail.

Reilly stood in front of a driveway on Perdido Street just beyond the empty Criminal District Court building. Apart from a brief drive-by scolding from Sheriff Marlin N. Gusman, the normally bustling area remained quiet for the sixth week in a row — a sign that New Orleans’ criminal justice complex continued to muddle through the COVID-19 pandemic.

A few minutes earlier, Reilly, deputy director of Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), an organization that works to restore civil rights to people impacted by the system, had delivered a donation of 1,000 N-95 masks to be distributed among inmates and OPP staff.

He hoped the gesture signaled to inmates that they, too, are seen.

In recent weeks, VOTE has joined public health experts, attorneys and activists in expressing

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

On April 24, Bruce Reilly, deputy director of Voice of the Experienced, helped facilitate a delivery of more than 10,000 donated N-95 masks to several Louisiana correctional facilities.

concern over the looming threat of the virus spreading through jails and other detention centers scattered around the state.

In March, The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate reported that several physicians and epidemiologists affiliated with Tulane and Louisiana State University sent an open letter to Gov. John Bel Edwards, urging him to exercise his executive powers and commute sentences for the elderly and other medically vulnerable prisoners — who pose a higher risk of dying from the virus — along with prisoners within a year of completing their sentences.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the nation’s leading physicians, including Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, have repeatedly said that physical distancing measures are crucial to curbing the spread of the virus.

Around the country, evidence continues to mount: The stay-at-home orders imposed by most state leaders, in accordance with federal guidelines, have helped save lives and reduce the rate of infection among the general population.

But keeping inmates 6 feet apart and avoiding groups larger than 10 are difficult if not virtually

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

14

COV E R S TORY

Rejuvenation Revival

BOGO for Mom!

Buy One Botox® Get One FREE Buy One Filler Get One FREE Buy One PRP

(PLATELET-RICH PLASMA IS QUICKLY BECOMING KNOWN AS THE NON-SURGICAL FACELIFT)

Get One FREE Buy One Chemical Peel Get One FREE

Dr. Burkenstock’s SkinBodyHealth.com

Member of the International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology since 2009

Dr. Burkenstock is an Internal Medicine Specialist and has a Fellowship in Anti-Aging & Regenerative Skin Medicine NOW OPEN IN LAKEVIEW | 6600 Fleur De Lis Drive | 504-888-2829 MANDEVILLE | 2040 N. Causeway Blvd. | 985-727-7676

mom Remember this

Mother’s Day DELIVERY & CURBSIDE PICKUP

METAIRIE | 750 MARTIN BEHRMAN AVE. | (504) 835-8565 COVINGTON | 1415 N. HWY 190 | (985) 809-9101

V I L L E R E S F L O R I S T. C O M

P H OTO P R OV I D E D B Y A S H L E E P I N TO S / T H E N E W O R L E A N S WO R K ERS G ROU P

A motorcade protest took place in April, organized by the New Orleans Workers Group. The group is one of many activist groups calling for criminal justice reform and a reduction in the prison population.

impossible in America’s notoriously crowded prisons.

And when a state with the nation’s highest incarceration rate also happens to be a state with one of the highest numbers of COVID-19 infections per capita, the result is, as Reilly puts it, “a humanitarian crisis.”

Ivy Mathis and Felicia Smith are formerly incarcerated VOTE organizers who share a sense of distress regarding inmates in custody of the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women.

The facility flooded in 2015, forcing relocation of many of its 1,200 women prisoners to temporary quarters at the former Jetson Center for Youth in Baker. Others wound up at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center — a men’s incarceration facility — in rural St. Gabriel just south of Baton Rouge.

Some 300 women remain at Hunt, spread out among four dormitories. Each building has 80 beds that are spaced 2 or 3 feet apart, says Mathis, who was released in December 2018.

During a Facebook livestream, Smith asked: “How can they be physically distant from each other? The sinks: next to each other. Bathroom stalls: next to each other.

Showers: You step out, you’re at arm’s length. When someone gets sick, it’s bound to spread like wildfire. You’re in a closed dormitory; you can’t

clean properly. Most of the cleaning products are worn down. You use the same rags.”

Prisons, like nursing homes, spread the virus with deadly efficacy. A lack of adequate personal protective equipment compounds the crisis — and staffers moving in and out of contaminated spaces potentially serve as vectors, whether symptomatic or not.

Ken Pastorick, spokesman for the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, says that safety measures at state prisons, such as Elayn Hunt, include a reverse isolation process of older and high-risk inmates, who use separate housing and feeding locations.(Reverse isolation is the process of removing infected prisoners from the rest of the population so that others are prevented from contacting them).

Pastorick says that the department provides each inmate with two cloth face masks which are “frequently cleaned and sanitized” and that extra soap and hand sanitizer are available.

Additionally, “each facility has quarantine and isolation capabilities which are being used as needed.”

But prisoners and their advocates remain critical of the department’s policies and its overall treatment of sick inmates.

In emails shared with Gambit, one inmate wrote, “Seems like [prison staff] did

COV E R S TORY

Last week, all of the women in custody at the Elayn Hunt facility tested for the virus — 178 cases were confirmed.

The case of 74-year-old Gloria Williams, aka “Mama Glo,” who has served as a nurturing, maternal figure to hundreds of incarcer-

ated women over the years, has gained particular notoriety. Williams currently is hospitalized from COVID-19 and receiving oxygen treatment. Advocacy groups say updates about her condition have been scarce.

Weeks before Williams became afflicted with the coronavirus, her attorneys, family and other supporters urged Edwards to sign off on her clemency application, which has been on his desk since last July.

She is Louisiana’s longest-serving female inmate, having spent nearly 50 years behind bars. Williams received a life sentence without parole for second-degree murder following a botched robbery attempt in 1971 that turned fatal; her advocates point out her co-defendant was the one who pulled the trigger, not Williams — and that she has been rehabilitated from her crime for decades.

Last summer, the Louisiana Board of Pardons & Parole approved her application for clemency, a rigorous process that entailed demonstrated rehabilitation; dozens of interviews; and favorable testimonials from a wide range of authority figures, prison staff and fellow inmates. A final step in Williams’ longtime quest for freedom would require a stroke of the governor’s pen.

“When I was in prison at 17, she was a woman who took me under her wing,” says Ivy Mathis. “She has always been a mother figure to everyone. Everyone [goes] to her for advice, for wisdom, and people just draw from her strength.”

April has been dubbed “Second Chance Month” since 2017 as part of a nationwide effort spearheaded by the nonprofit organization Prison Fellowship. The organization seeks to raise awareness of the consequences of criminal convictions and provide second chances for people who have their paid debts to society.

Williams was a focus of a national campaign called Clemency Works, a joint effort between the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, which seeks to end incarceration; and Color of Change, an online racial justice organization.

The groups mobilized activists and urged governors across the country, including Edwards, to reduce prison populations by granting clemency and pardons during a public health crisis.

Fox Rich, another activist who also was mentored by Williams during her own incarceration, received clemency from Edwards in 2018. She wants the governor to show the same mercy for those still imprisoned, since they are now at

P H OTO P R OV I D E D B Y VO I C E O F T H E E X P E R I E N C E D

Laketa Smith and Ilona Prieto of VOTE show solidarity outside of the former Jetson Center for Youth, which now is filled with women displaced from the Louisiana Correctional Institution for Women.

risk of dying from the virus.

“We have a lot of people trapped in our system that have been trapped for decades,” she says.

“Because the doors of the system close so quickly, clemency becomes the only form of release.”

Last week, Edwards said at a daily news conference, “I consider clemencies whenever I get to them.

I have signed some clemencies over the last couple months, but I don’t regard clemency as one of my plans to depopulate prisons because of this pandemic.” Francis Abbott, executive director of the Board of Pardons & Parole, says the governor has granted seven clemencies since the virus was confirmed in Louisiana; all of these were sentence commutations.

Advocates were hoping that pardons would be expedited, but instead the opposite has occurred.

Abbott says the committee decided to suspend pardon hearings until at least May 21.

“The work of the Board of Pardons requires a great deal of due diligence and is not meant to be expedited or used as a prison population management tool,” he says.

In addition to the deliberate pace of committee hearings, clemencies may be slowed by the fact that Edwards has to deal with COVID-19 matters on other fronts every day, including pressures from business leaders and conservative lawmakers to “reopen” the state. The usual level of legislative partisanship and sniping at Edwards subsided during the pandemic’s worst weeks, but it has shown signs of reigniting in recent days.

P H OTO P R OV I D E D B Y M E R C E D E S M O N TAG N E S

Gloria “Mama Glo” Williams is Louisiana’s longest-serving female prisoner, having spent 50 years behind bars. She was recommended for clemency last summer but has not received it. She is currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in a Baton Rouge hospital.

PAGE 16

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

not know what they wanted to do.

It has been [hectic] and almost feeling treated in an inhumane way.

But I know that the prison has never encountered anything like this.”

A second one wrote, “The main concern of all offenders is that the officers that are sitting with the quarantined [are] then coming to the dorms where no one is sick, putting the healthy in harm’s way.”

Another one sent a prayer: “Lord help us. Please send us help.”

Last month the department also faced scrutiny when it announced a plan to transfer some infected state prisoners to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola to occupy a unit called Camp J. At the time, Department of Public Safety and Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc told The Advocate that it was “somewhat depressing” and “not a good place to be.”

Camp J has drawn comparison to a dungeon, but Pastorick says that personnel decided to take advantage of its “unique properties to serve as a standalone facility to serve as overflow for offenders housed at the local level who test positive [for COVID-19] and if the [state] facility does not have capacity.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Promise of Justice Initiative filed a class-action lawsuit against the department and Edwards on behalf of 15 incarcerated plaintiffs last month, citing inhumane conditions and the lack of access to adequate health care. Court documents noted that Angola, located in St. Francisville, is at least an hour away from the nearest hospital.

Pastorick says the department will not comment on pending litigation, but that “Camp J is intended only to serve as an isolation facility for offenders who have tested positive but are not displaying serious symptoms and who are not in medical distress.” If an inmate develops severe symptoms, personnel will transfer him to an outside hospital, he says. Medical staff attending to Camp J prisoners will not share duties at the acute treatment unit, the treatment center, the infirmary or housing facility at the prison.

Amid the controversy, The Lens reported that the medical director of the department, Dr. John E. Morrison, also named as one of the defendants in the lawsuit, resigned from his position.

15

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

16

WHATEVER YOUR FLAVOR

KATIE’S ON THE GEAUX!

COV E R S TORY PAGE 15

“

How can they be physically distant from each other? The sinks: next to each other. Bathroom stalls: next to each other. Showers: You step out, you’re at arm’s length. When someone gets sick, it’s bound to spread like wildfire.

”

— FELICIA SMITH

CURBSIDE TO-GO OR DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR! MON-SAT 11AM-9PM PLACE YOUR ORDER @ FULL MENU AVAILABLE (504) 488-6582 ALL ORDERS PREPAID OVER THE PHONE DELIVERY AREA: UPTOWN, GENTILLY, CBD & METAIRIE • TIPS POOLED TO SUPPORT ALL TEAM MEMBERS

Mother’s Day Specials May 10 | 11am-4pm

Family Dining $60 FEEDS FAMILY OF 4 APPETIZER

CHOICE OF ONE

Entrée Specials

Seafood Lasagna 18 Surf & Turf 45

Eggplant Valentina Marinated Mushrooms

100% prime Delmonico ribeye, crab cake, served with creamed spinach & creamy potato au gratin

SAL AD

Twin Seafood Stuffed Lobster Tails 45

CHOICE OF ONE

Caesar | Chopped ENTRÉE

Served with creamed spinach & creamy potato au gratin

CHOICE OF ONE

Baked Ziti Meatballs & Spaghetti DESSERT

Cannoli

Dessert Cannolis

Individual 6 Half Dozen 20 | Dozen 40

Pan items available for 6-8 guests. 48 hour notice. Call for menu items.

REGULAR LIMITED MENU AVAILABLE TUES-THURS 4-8PM | FRI & SAT 4-9 BEGINNING SUNDAY MAY 3RD 4-8PM

F O R TA K E O U T A N D D E L I V E R Y 6262 FLEUR DE LIS DRIVE | NEW ORLEANS | 504-300-1804

www.rizzutosristorante.com

The lack of swift action to potentially save vulnerable prisoners’ lives has been met with disappointment from activists, who are especially troubled because Edwards ran for office on a platform defending criminal justice reform. The governor took action to reduce jail populations after state lawmakers enacted sweeping reforms in 2017, but since then Louisiana has regained its spot atop the nation’s highest-incarcerated states.

Sister Alison McCrary, an attorney and Catholic nun, is part of a group of 50 faith leaders calling on the governor to release elderly and vulnerable people in correctional facilities.

“People incarcerated are those most at-risk for COVID-19, and our society will be measured by how we respond by the ethics and morals we base our decisions on,” she says.

Mercedes Montagnes, an attorney representing “Mama Glo” Williams, also serves as executive director of the New Orleans-based Promise of Justice Initiative. She is surprised by Edwards’ slow response to calls for more clemencies.

Granting clemency presents a low-risk way to help decrease the prison population, she says, and her organization had been given the impression that he would prioritize the pending applications.

“We hope that [Edwards] will extend the apparent compassion he has demonstrated for Louisiana to those who are incarcerated and their loved ones,” she says. “He should do this because it’s the right thing to do and because it is in the interest of public health.”

Abbott says that while pardon hearings have been suspended, the Committee on Parole is working to expedite parole hearings. On April 14, Jimmy LeBlanc announced that some inmates in local jails and state prisons would be eligible for furlough —

early and monitored release — if they are nonviolent offenders who were not convicted of sex crimes, are within six months of completing their sentences and have housing lined up after their release.

About 1,200 prisoners meet these qualifications, but the eligible inmates face an additional hurdle in order to be released: They are only granted a furlough if a panel of five out of six multidisciplinary officials vote in their favor during closed-door hearings. Late last week, Pastorick said 53 of the 249 inmates have been approved for early release — but that figure also means that roughly 80% of the eligible inmates have so far been denied.

“This [furlough process] only comes down to a handful of people,” says McCrary. “I don’t think that’s enough. [The governor] is essentially giving anyone who’s incarcerated right now a death sentence. I think he should authorize the Department of [Public] Safety and Corrections to [grant] more furloughs.”

The virus has now been confirmed at prisons all over Louisiana and has caused several fatalities. As of press time, three inmates and three staff members at incarceration facilities overseen by the state have died of COVID-19, and the deaths of five prisoners at a federal facility in Oakdale prompted the American Civil Liberties Union to file a lawsuit. Advocates are well-aware that the death toll likely will increase in the coming weeks, and they say that officials’ responses so far contradict the idea of redemption.

Though thousands of inmates face the threat of COVID-19, their supporters continue to press their cause on the outside, asking the governor for mercy.

“Redemption and life seem like values he has prioritized throughout his administration,” Montagnes says. “Here is an opportunity for him to continue to do so.”

Well stocked

Missing links

SAUSAGE PO-BOYS from the Vaucresson family have been part of every New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival since the first one in 1970. They were part of this year’s “festing in place” too. Vaucresson Sausage Co. (www. shop.vaucressonsausage.com) held a curbside pickup pop-up May 2 on what would have been the second Saturday of Jazz Fest.

Soon, the company could have a new home base in the 7th Ward, where it all started.

“We’re just pushing forward,” Vance Vaucresson says. “That’s just what

Dickie Brennan & Co. opens a facility already repurposed to deal with the coronavirus pandemic

BY I A N M C N U LT Y NEW ORLEANS RESTAURANT GROUP

Dickie Brennan & Co. (www.frenchquarter-dining.com) had been quietly developing a multifaceted project called The Commissary (634 Orange St., 504-274-1850; www.thecommissarynola.com). The facility has a commercial kitchen big enough to feed an army, and it’s already being redeployed to help feed a community.

Under the original plan, the Commissary’s first goal was to prepare food for the five restaurants in Dickie Brennan’s company: Palace Cafe, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, Bourbon House, Tableau and Acorn Cafe, inside the Louisiana Children’s Museum.

In its second phase, the Commissary would open a market, giving the public access to many of the same foods the restaurants use, such as steaks, seafood, charcuterie, and prepared items including desserts, soups and stocks. It would add an in-house eatery and a bar to create a place where people can eat, shop and see the inner workings of bringing regional food from producer to plate.

The coronavirus shutdown changed those plans and effectively flipped them. The Commissary opened April 30. With the group’s restaurants temporarily closed, the Commissary will start operations by supplying meals for home and also meals for those in need.

“There was a different plan for this, but we felt the sooner we could open with what we have now, the better for everyone,” said Geordie Brower, a chef with Dickie Brennan & Co. and part of the next generation of the family behind it.

where 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; www.thecommissarynola.com

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

S TA F F P H OTO BY I A N M C N U LT Y

At the Commissary, members of the next generation of restaurant group Dickie Brennan & Co. include (from left) Richard Brennan III, Matthew Pettus, Sara Brennan and Geordie Brower.

The Commissary serves complete family-style meals, including a rotating selection of its signature restaurant dishes, and DIY kits for home cooking. The opening menu featured smoked catfish dip, turtle soup, chicken and andouille gumbo, whole and half rotisserie-cooked chicken and pulled pork debris pie with whipped potatoes, wilted spinach, cheddar cheese and onion gravy. Signature dishes from the restaurants also included Palace Cafe’s crabmeat cheesecake with a pecan crust, sauteed mushrooms and Creole meuniere. Packaged meal kits for making pizza or grilling steaks also are available.

Some of the first food served from the Commissary was meals offered free to the company’s staff as well as hospitality workers, musicians and others who are out of work. The first edition of these meals was delivered at a drive-through pick-up two weeks ago. Contributions from Jim Beam and Crystal Hot Sauce maker Baumer Foods are helping fund the community meals. The company is looking for ways to extend these family meals as

?

$

when 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

Thursday-Sunday

how much moderate

a regular service during the shutdown.

The Commissary was developed in a former garage in a stretch of warehouses and maritime businesses off Tchoupitoulas Street.

The 7,000-square-foot space includes a butcher shop and dry-aging room, seafood handling areas, a bakery, rotisserie ovens, wood-fired grills and a bank of massive kettles. Some of the equipment is repurposed from the company’s restaurants because the group planned to transfer some of the work normally done across five busy kitchens to the Commissary.

Many of the pieces here are being directed by the next generation of Dickie Brennan & Co.’s family owners.

That includes Brower, Matthew Pettus, Sara Brennan, a baker, and her brother Richard Brennan III, who has been working to expand the company’s whole animal butchery program.

The idea behind the Commissary had been taking shape for years.

Company managers saw it as a means to streamline operations, boost consistency and open new career-building avenues for staff, who could train and add skills in different areas.

The project also is developing ways customers, food purveyors and producers can use the facility.

It could become a distribution point for fishermen and farmers who supply the restaurants to provide their products to the public directly, and it can put more of the company’s staff back to work sooner.

A DVO C AT E S TA F F P H OTO B Y JOHN MCCUSKER

Vance Vaucresson’s family sausage business has operated a stand at every Jazz Fest.

we do. Historically, we’ve had a lot happen to us.”

The Vaucresson family’s legacy goes back to Levinsky Vaucresson, who emigrated to New Orleans from France in 1899. Trained as a butcher, he opened a stall at the St. Bernard Market, then part of a network of public food markets. That market later developed into Circle Food Store, a one-of-a-kind grocery and community hub, which recently reopened under new ownership.

The butcher shop business was passed from one generation to the next and evolved through the years. By 1967 Vance’s father, Robert “Sonny” Vaucresson Sr. had opened a restaurant called Vaucresson’s Cafe Creole on Bourbon Street, in a space that later became part of Pat O’Brien’s. It was a rare example of a black-owned business in the French Quarter, and Vance calls it the first black-owned business on Bourbon Street.

When the first Jazz Fest was held in Congo Square, just outside the French Quarter, Vaucresson’s Cafe Creole was one of the vendors that festival organizer George Wein tapped to showcase the flavors of New Orleans.

Vance was 2 years old at the time, PAGE 18

17 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 0 2 0

EATDRINK

FORK CENTER

EAT+DRINK

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

18

PAGE 17

.

F m il y O w n ed Fa

T EDD .

FA M IL Y O P ER A

make her

Mother’s Day Extra Special!

Moet & Chandon

IMPERIAL CHAMPAGNE

750 ML $39.99

Moet & Chandon BRUT ROSE

Veuve Clicquot YELLOW LABEL

750 ML $49.99

750 ML $49.99

Veuve Clicquot ROSE

750 ML $59.99

710 VETERANS ANS MEM MORIAL BLVD. | METAIRIE | DORIGNACS.COM (504) 834-8216

Open 8am-7pm Everyday

SENIOR HOURS: MONDAY & THURSDAY 7am-8am

and he grew up in the business, working in the family shop as his father passed down traditions.

Today, Vaucresson Sausage Co. is the last remaining original vendor at Jazz Fest. After Sonny Vaucresson’s death in 1998, Jazz Fest added him to its “Ancestors” monuments, a collection of painted figures honoring Jazz Fest greats such as Mahalia Jackson, Fats Domino and Professor Longhair, on display near the festival’s Congo Square stage.

The Vaucressons took part in the first French Quarter Festival in 1984 and have remained part of that event through the years as well. Some restaurants feature Vaucresson sausage on their menus, and the brand is best known for its hot sausage, a Creole chaurice, blending beef and pork.

Before Hurricane Katrina, Vaucresson’s butcher shop on St. Bernard Avenue at North Roman Street stood as a landmark 7th Ward business, not far from the Circle Food Market.

Floodwaters following Hurricane Katrina ruined that facility, and Vance Vaucresson has been gradually rebuilding the business, making sausage at a shared facility and keeping the brand in circulation at events.

The Vaucresson family and the nonprofit Crescent City Community Land Trust have been working to redevelop the company’s old butcher shop. Plans call for affordable apartments in the renovated property, and a butcher shop and cafe for Vaucresson Sausage Co. That would give the longtime family business a home base again in its historic neighborhood and, to Vance Vaucresson’s thinking, another way to showcase Creole food traditions.

“We’re bringing it home to the 7th Ward, baby,” he said. “We’ve always wanted to provide an example of our portion of New Orleans, Creole New Orleans, who have always contributed to New Orleans flavor.” — IAN McNULTY/THE TIMES-PICYAUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

Let it snowball WITH DINING ROOM SHUTDOWNS set to continue through mid-May, with some adjustments in areas outside New Orleans, many restaurants have been finding ways to reopen. A growing number of restaurants that shut down are reopening for takeout.

Many operators report they’ve used the time to reassess and reconfigure.

Hansen’s Sno-Bliz (4801 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-891-9788) reopened April 30. It had been closed since March 15 but reopened with some changes to format. Customers can call ahead to order, pay by credit card and request a pick-up time for curbside service (call on arrival). The shop restarted with a smaller menu (cream of nectar, satsuma, lemonade, strawberry, blueberry, ice cream, strawberry cream, blueberry cream,

cream of ice cream, cardamom) and plans to expand flavors and hours over time. Current hours are noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

Marjie’s Grill (320 N. Broad St., 504-603-2234; www.marjiesgrill. com) reopened April 30. Chef Marcus Jacobs and Caitlin Carney’s Southby-southeast Asian hot spot offers takeout and delivery from a menu of slow-grilled meats, salads and sides, plus bottled sauces, country ham by the pound and cracklings by the bag. There also are wine and cocktail set ups (without alcohol). Customers also can pick up produce boxes from Poche Family Farm on Tuesdays (see pochefamilyfarm.com) and more grocery items are coming soon.

Orders can be placed by phone or online. Pickup is from 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

Thursday through Monday.

Neal Bodenheimer reopened his restaurant and bar. The restaurant part of Cure (4905 Freret St., 504-302-2357; www.curenola.com) offers a takeout menu of bar snacks (pimento cheese, pate, charcuterie) for a happy hour at home, plus packaged wine and beer and frozen specialty drinks to go from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The French Quarter restaurant Cane & Table (1113 Decatur St., 504-581-1112; www.caneandtablenola.com) switched to a Latin and Caribbean mix of large format daily dishes such as ropa vieja and arroz con pollo, as well as snacking items including empanada and seafood cocktails. It also offers bottled wine and frozen drinks. It takes orders online and by phone from 1 p.m to 4 p.m. for pickup 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Thursday through Sunday.

The original location of The Company Burger (4600 Freret St., 504-2670320; www.thecompanyburger.com) reopened with a limited menu of the mainstays. Call in orders in advance or order online for pickup noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Daiwa Sushi Bar & Japanese Cuisine opened its Metairie location (4100 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-875-4203; www.daiwasushi.com) May 1 and is working on reopening the original location in Marrero. Place orders by phone for pickup 11:30 a.m.8:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Uptown Creole-Italian spot Pascal’s Manale Restaurant (1838 Napoleon Ave., 504-895-4877; www.pascalsmanale.com) reopened April 27 with a takeout menu of many house specialties such New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp and family-style meals to serve six. The oyster bar remains closed, but longtime shucker Thomas Stewart is cooking in the kitchen. Pickup is available 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Caffe Caffe (3547 N. Hullen St., Metairie, 504-267-9190; www. caffecaffe.com) reopened April 28 with a menu of salads, sandwiches and coffee drinks. Curbside service is available 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. — IAN McNULTY/ THE TIMES-PICYAUNE | THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

EAT+DRINK

Sweeten

Mom’s Day

Leighann Smith and Daniel Jackson Butchers LEIGHANN SMITH AND DANIEL JACKSON opened the butcher shop and

eatery Piece of Meat (www.pieceofmeatbutcher.com) in Mid-City. They buy meat from farms in the region to use in their shop and the handful of restaurants they supply. They spoke to Gambit about sourcing meat.

What is the state of Piece of Meat?

LEIGHANN SMITH: We closed on the 19th of March. It was possible for us to stay open as a butcher only, but we didn’t feel like asking our workers to risk their health. Also, all the restaurants that we supply were closed down at the time.

The majority of our meat goes to the deli case and some gets turned into prepared meat. It was safer for us to shut down before we were forced to shut down — with a whole cow in our walk-in (refrigerator). That’s an expensive way to get shut down.

We’re capable of reopening, but we can only do it once, and we want to do it right. We don’t have the financial backing to shut down again.

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

on the property. It’s a tiny operation, really. It gives them control over the product they’re putting out. It’s better for the animal.

How does it affect consumers whether they go to a small butcher or a larger supplier?

S: The point of our butcher shop is that we don’t work with those large meat packers because of the way they treat their animals and their workers. Our thing from the beginning has been to be as local as we can get, as good as we can get.

We pride ourselves on using Home Place Pastures as much as possible. They treat their staff properly.

They’ve been open this whole time, and not one person has gotten sick.

They’re incredibly healthy; their animals are incredibly healthy. I think this is bringing a lot of awareness to people about slaughterhouses.

S: If you go into a grocery store and buy a pork chop, you’re buying a pink round thing with no intermuscular fat; the protein structure isn’t good; the fat structure is bad; the pig was probably fed a lot of hormones and antibiotics. And the humans who raised the pig were probably also treated really poorly.

If you come into our shop to buy a pork chop, I can probably tell you who raised the pig, who grew the feed; I can probably give you their phone number. We’ll cut it accordingly. If you want a half-inch chop or a 3-inch roast, we’ll cut it for you.

We’re there to educate. We’ll tell you how to cook it. It does cost a little more. But if you go to a grocery store and it says “hormone free,” that actually means that (the animal) was weaned off of antibiotics and hormones and tested negative. You should want to know what you’re putting in your body.

DANIEL JACKSON: One of the cool things about Home Place is that their slaughterhouse and processing facility is on the farm. They’re in control of the entire process — raising animals and feeding them; they’re slaughtered, processed and packed

J: You’re supporting small, independent farms and their community.

You’re supporting the farm that grew the corn. You’re supporting the delivery guy. When you buy a pork chop from us, you’re supporting a lot of people. — WILL COVIELLO

With the pandemic, some of the nation’s largest slaughterhouses have shut down. What’s the difference between a small, local butcher and the industrial system?

1-800-Gambino www.Gambinos.com

S: We are sending all of our customers to buy directly from the farms that we use. We use Maple Leaf Farms, Springer Mountain Farm, Joyce Farms, Raines Farm; we use a lot of different places.

T R E AT

Mom TO

Willie Mae’s Scotch House is Now

Open for Takeout!

OPEN MON-FRI 11AM-3PM • 504.822.9503

Willie Mae’s at the Market is

Open for Takeout !

O P EN M O N -S AT 12 N O O N -8 PM

Order online @ williemaesnola.com (Credit & Debit Only) WILLIE MAE’S AT THE MARKET

WILLIE MAE’S SCOTCH HOUSE

234 Loyola Ave.

D E L I V E R Y: U B E R E AT S

(Inside Pythian Market)

2401 St. Ann

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

3-COURSE INTERVIEW

19

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

20

TAKE-OUT TO EAT

and delivery available. L, D daily. $$ Vincent’s Italian Cuisine — 7839 St. Charles Ave., (504) 866-9313; www.vincentsitaliancuisine.com — See Metairie section for restaurant description. Curbside pickup and delivery available. $$

Contact Will Coviello wcoviello@gambitweekly.com 504-483-3106 | FAX: 504-483-3159

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

C O M P L E T E L I S T I N G S AT W W W. B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S .C O M B — breakfast L — lunch D — dinner late — late 24H — 24 hours

Out 2 Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers.

Unless noted, addresses are in New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106.

$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ — $11 to $20 $$$ — $21 or more

FAUBOURG MARIGNY Carnaval Lounge — 2227 St. Claude Ave., (504) 265-8855; www.carnavallounge.com — The menu of Brazilian street food includes feijoada, a traditional stew of black beans and pork served over rice. Curbside pickup is available. D daily. $$ Mardi Gras Zone — 2706 Royal., (504) 947-8787 — The grocery and deli has a counter offering po-boys, sides such as macaroni and cheese and vegan and vegetarian dishes. Wood-oven baked pizza is available by the pie or slice. $

BYWATER Luna Libre — 3600 St. Claude Ave., (504) 237-1284 — Carnitas made with pork from Shank Charcuterie and citrus from Ben & Ben Becnel farm fills a taco topped with onion and cilantro. The menu combines Tex-Mex and dishes from Louisiana and Arkansas. Curbside pickup is available.

B Sat-Sun. $ Polly’s Bywater Cafe — 3225 St. Claude Ave., (504) 459-4571; www.pollysbywatercafe.com — A grilled biscuit is topped with poached eggs, hog’s head cheese and Creole hollandaise and served with home fries or grits. $$

HARAHAN/JEFFERSON/ RIVER RIDGE Bienvenue — 467 Hickory Ave., Harahan, (504) 305-4792; www.bienvenueharahan. com — A Marrone sandwich features smoked prime rib, provolone, horseradish aioli and jus on Gendusa’s French bread.

The menu also includes po-boys, seafood platters, pasta and more. Drive-through pickup available. L daily, D Tue-Sat, brunch Sun. $$ The Rivershack Tavern — 3449 River Road, (504) 834-4938; www.therivershacktavern.com — This bar and music spot offers a menu of burgers, sandwiches and changing lunch specials. Curbside pickup and delivery available. L, D daily. $ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 7333803; www.theospizza.com — There is a wide variety of specialty pies and diners can build their own from the selection of more than two-dozen toppings. The menu also includes salads and sandwiches. Curbside pickup and delivery. L, D Tue-Sat. $

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

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

PH OTO BY CH E RY L G E R B E R

Five Happiness (3605 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-482-3935) served Chinese food in Mid-City. pulled pork, chilies, ricotta, mozzarella, collard greens and red sauce. Delivery available. L and D daily. $$ Red Gravy — 125 Camp St., (504) 5618844; www.redgravycafe.com — Thin cannoli pancakes are filled with cannoli cream and topped with a chocolate drizzle. The menu includes brunch items, pasta dishes, sandwiches, baked goods and more. Takeout available. Check website for hours. $$ Willie Mae’s — Pythian Market, 234 Loyola Ave.; www.williemaesnola.com — The Creole soul food restaurant is known for its fried chicken, red beans and more.

Takeout available. L and D Mon-Sat. $

FINE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES KRATOM • CBD 3137 CALHOUN ST. MON - SAT 11-7

•

504-309-4717

CALHOUNTRADINGCO.COM

CARROLLTON/UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOODS Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; www.mikimotosushi.com — Sushi choices include new and old favorites, both raw and cooked. The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. Delivery available. Takeout and delivery available. L Sun-Fri, D daily. $$ Pyramids Cafe — 3151 Calhoun St., (504) 861-9602 — Diners will find Mediterranean cuisine featuring such favorites as shawarma prepared on a rotisserie. Takeout

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

MISSED AN ISSUE? VISIT

BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM/CURRENT TO READ THE LATEST ISSUES

OUT TO EAT

METAIRIE Andrea’s Restaurant — 3100 N. 19th St., Metairie, (504) 834-8583; www.andreasrestaurant.com — Chef/owner Andrea Apuzzo’s specialties include speckled trout royale which is topped with lump crabmeat and lemon-cream sauce. Capelli D’Andrea combines house-made angel hair pasta and smoked salmon in light cream sauce. Curbside pickup and delivery are available. L, D daily, brunch Sun. $$$ Kosher Cajun New York Deli & Grocery — 3519 Severn Ave., Metairie, (504) 8882010; www.koshercajun.com — This New York-style deli specializes in sandwiches, including corned beef and pastrami that come from the Bronx. Takeout available. L Sun-Thu, D Mon-Thu. $ Mark Twain’s Pizza Landing — 2035 Metairie Road, Metairie, (504) 832-8032; www. marktwainpizza.com — Mark Twain’s serves salads, po-boys and pies like the Italian pizza with salami, tomato, artichoke, sausage and basil. Takeout and curbside pickup are available. L Tue-Sat, D Tue-Sun. $ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; www.theospizza.com — See Harahan/Jefferson section for restaurant description.

Vincent’s Italian Cuisine — 4411 Chastant St., Metairie, (504) 885-2984; www. vincentsitaliancuisine.com — Corn and crab bisque is served in a toasted bread cup. Osso buco features a veal shank with angel hair pasta and veal demi-glace.

Curbside pickup and delivery available.

Tue-Sun. $$

MID-CITY/TREME Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; www.angelobrocatoicecream.com — This sweet shop serves its own gelato, spumoni, Italian ice, cannolis, fig cookies and other treats. Window and curbside pickup. L, D Fri-Sun. $ Brown Butter Southern Kitchen & Bar — 231 N. Carrollton Ave., Suite C, (504) 609-3871; www.brownbutterrestaurant. com — Sample items have included smoked brisket served with smoked apple barbecue sauce, Alabama white barbecue sauce, smoked heirloom beans and vine-

A DVO C AT E S TA F F P H O T O B Y C H R I S G R A N G E R

Angelo Brocato (214 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-486-0078; www.angelobrocato.com) serves gelato, Italian ice, cookies, cannolis and more.

gar slaw. A Brunch burger features a brisket and short rib patty topped with bacon, brie, a fried egg, onion jam and arugula on a brioche bun. Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery are available. $$ Doson Noodle House — 135 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 309-7283; www.facebook.com/ dosonnoodlehouse — Bun thit is Vietnamese-style grilled pork with cucumber, onions, lettuce, mint, cilantro and fish sauce served over rice or vermicelli. The menu includes rice and vermicelli dishes, pho, spring rolls and more. Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery are available. $$ Five Happiness — 3511 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 482-3935; www.fivehappiness.com — The large menu at Five Happiness offers a range of dishes from wonton soup to sizzling seafood combinations served on a hot plate to sizzling Go-Ba to lo mein dishes. Takeout and delivery available. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; www.katiesinmidcity.com — Favorites at this Mid-City restaurant include the Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, grilled ham, cheese and pickles pressed on buttered bread. The Boudreaux pizza is topped with cochon de lait, spinach, red onions, roasted garlic, scallions and olive oil. There also are salads, burgers and Italian dishes. Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery available. L and D Tue-Sun. $$ Nonna Mia — 3125 Esplanade Ave., (504) 948-1717; www.nonnamianola.com — A

Divine Portobello appetizer includes chicken breast, spinach in creamy red pepper sauce and crostini. The menu also includes salads, sandwiches, pasta, pizza and more. Curbside pickup and delivery are available. Service daily. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; www.theospizza. com — See Harahan/Jefferson section for restaurant description.

Willie Mae’s Scotch House — 2401 St. Ann St., (504) 822-9503; www.williemaesnola. com — This neighborhood restaurant is known for its wet-battered fried chicken.

Green beans come with rice and gravy.

There’s bread pudding for dessert. No reservations. L Mon-Fri. $$

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

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

beans with a ham hock and chicken fried steak served with macaroni and cheese.

Takeout and delivery available. $$ Miyako Japanese Seafood & Steakhouse — 1403 St. Charles Ave., (504) 410-9997; www.japanesebistro.com — Miyako offers a full range of Japanese cuisine, with specialties from the sushi or hibachi menus, chicken, beef or seafood teriyaki, and tempura. Delivery available. $$ Piccola Gelateria — 4525 Freret St., (504) 493-5999; www.piccolagelateria.com — The cafe offers 18 rotating flavors of small-batch Italian-style gelatos and sorbettos. The menu also includes flatbreads on piadina, crepes and espresso drinks.

Takeout and curbside pickup available. L and D Tue-Sun. $ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; www.theospizza. com — See Harahan/Jefferson section for restaurant description.

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

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

Popular dishes include shrimp Mosca, chicken a la grande and baked oysters Mosca, made with breadcrumps and Italian seasonings. Curbside pickup available.

D Wed-Sat. Cash only. $$$ Specialty Italian Bistro — 2330 Belle Chasse Hwy., Gretna, (504) 391-1090; www. specialtyitalianbistro.com — The menu combines Old World Italian favorites and pizza. Chicken piccata is a paneed chicken breast topped with lemon-caper piccata sauce served with angel hair pasta, salad and garlic cheese bread. Takeout and delivery available. Service daily. $$

21 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 0 2 0

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

L and D Tue-Sun. $$

FOR SUPPORTING

OUR READERS & ADVERTISERS

WE

AND LOCAL JOURNALISM

»

Alan Borne

»

Bill Bass

»

Cyril Vetter

»

Erica Cardosi

»

James Morris

»

Kandace Graves

»

Lindsay Manco

»

Melissa Bacino

»

Renee Rothman

»

Susan Bledsoe

»

Alexandra Reisner

»

Blaine Lindsey

»

Dan Askin

»

Erica Hirsch

»

Jeanne Foster

»

Kate Welsh

»

Lisa Chmiola

»

Melissa Gnibus

»

Renny Martyn

»

Tara Hernandez

Alicia LaRose

»

Bobbi Ritz

»

Dan Bess

»

Erin Luetkemeier

Jeanne McGlory

»

Kathleen Edmundson

»

Michael Tisserand

»

Robert Gramenz

»

Teagan Connors

Alisha Reed

»

Bonnie Buras

»

Dana Reynolds

Jennifer Adams

»

Kathleen Mazure

Luis, Erin & Nadia Salcedo

» »

Michelle Hansen

»

Robert Lecher

»

Alix Tarnowsky

Brent Meche

»

Dawn Carl

Jennifer Cuddihy

Mindy Milam, LCSW

»

Robert Levy

»

Natalie Robinson

»

Robert Monk

»

Jennifer Marusak

»

Robin Johnstone

»

Rose Dobrez

»

»

Gail Richardson

Nicole Boyer

»

»

Ryan Smith

»

Tiara Washington Konate

»

George Kulman

Norah Friar

Anastasia Roberts

Dina Zeevi

Katie Welsh

Donna DeHoog

»

Jesse Hemeter

»

Andrew Ravits

»

»

Caire Restaurant Supply

Jess Carter

»

»

»

»

»

Amy Dailey

Denise Templeton

»

Bushra Ahmad

Jennifer Osburn

»

»

»

Katie Bishop

Thomas Braly

Amanda Schroeder

»

»

»

»

Neil Farnsworth

Buddy King

Fritz Westenberger

»

»

Demetric Mercadel

Kathy Vicari

Therese Duke

»

»

»

Amanda Maggio

»

Jennifer Herbert

»

Bruce Hoffman

Frenchie Kessler

»

»

Deborah Augustine Elam

Terry Ryder

Allison Dandry

Brian Sands

Kathryn Hobgood

»

»

Everett Bonner

»

»

»

Kathleen Padian

Teddy Lopez

»

»

Doug Weisz

Jessica Hawkins

»

Caroline Ross

»

Angel Serigne

» »

»

Ed Walters

»

Giancarlo Caratini

»

Jill Dryden

»

Angelique Carter

Cassie Lentz

»

»

Eileen Minahan

»

Gina Salvatore

»

Jill Wagner

»

Anna Hugel

Cecile Castello

»

Celeste Gauthier

»

Elizabeth Glassell

»

Hether Smiroldo

»

Jo-Ann Ledger

»

Anthony Bentley

»

Chanel Salzer

»

Elizabeth Hyde

»

Howard Turoff

»

Joe Giarrusso

»

April Babin

»

Charles Chester, MD

»

Elizabeth Jee

»

Howard Zimmerman

»

John Mclachlan

»

April Sanchez

»

Charmaine Caccioppi

»

Elizabeth Smith

»

Hugh George

»

John Stolf

»

Aran Donovan

»

Chelsea Rourke

»

Ellen Byron

»

Jackie Shreves

»

Jonah Seligman

»

Ashley Rice

»

Cherie Thompson

»

Ellie Avegno

»

Jaime Loebner

»

Juan Barreto

»

Barbara Poche

»

Clancy DuBos

»

Elliott Bauman

»

Jake Clapp

»

Julia Barecki

»

Beth Utterback

»

Clara Gould

»

Emma Fleckman

»

James Cook

»

Julie Gernhauser

»

Beverli Turner

»

Claud Clark

»

Eric Mund

»

James Jang

»

Justine Morgan

» » » » »

»

»

Ernestine WashingtonHarris

Georgie and Roger Smith

» » » »

From Magazine Street to Metairie Road, independently-owned shops and restaurants help our region thrive. As we all face the economic disruptions wrought by COVID-19, we at Gambit want to do our part by offering a new way to support local businesses.

For more information visit bestofneworleans.com/shopsmall *PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CHARITABLE DONATION AND DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR A TAX DEDUCTION.

“Adopt A Small Business” is an initiative designed to promote locally-owned businesses AND support local journalism. Help your favorite local businesses advertise — in Gambit at very reduced rates — so they can let customers know they’re still open, even if at reduced levels, and keeping people employed.

»

Lynnette Judge

»

Madelyn Corkern

»

Malain Collins

»

Malia Hamilton

»

Margo DuBos

Kellsi Nichols

»

Margo Moss

»

»

Sallie Shafto

»

»

»

Samantha Yrle

Ken Huff

»

»

»

Sandy Rosenthal

Tiffany French

»

Kim Sport

»

Marisa Naquin

Patricia Podell

»

»

Marisa Naquin

Pat Macaluso

Tiffany Campo

Kelly Sonnier

Marie-Claire Serou

Pamela Theriot

»

»

»

Patricia Ravits

»

Sandy Stein

»

Tiffiny Clark

»

Kris Shull

»

Marlane Drake

»

Patrick Landry

»

Scott D’Aunoy

»

Timothy Ruppert

»

Kristen Schorp

»

Mary Adams

»

Paul Clement

»

Scott Schick

»

Tracey Collins

»

Kristy Saunders

»

Mary F Bergeron

»

Paul Tamburello

»

Shannon Corrigan

»

Tracy Centanni

»

Kyuwon Kim

»

Mary Friley

»

Paula Harrelson

»

Shenea Mathews

»

Veronica Bird

»

Laney Blakemore

»

Mary Friley

»

Penny Reed

»

Sherrie Sherrin

»

Walter Leger, Jr.

»

Lauren Morel

»

Mary Matalin

»

Quentin Stewart

»

Sonia Gasparini

»

Wanda Jenkins

»

Lawrence Centola

»

Mary McCarthy

»

Rachel Kellogg

»

Stephanie Kleehammer

»

William King

»

Leigh Thorpe

»

Maxwell Rieman

»

Rahlyn Gossen

»

Stephanie McShane

»

Xiomara Blanco

»

Leigh Wall

»

Melanie Bray

»

Rebecca Friedman

»

Steve Graves

»

Zac Zelazny

»

Lindsay Hannah

»

Melanie Turner

»

Regina Cairns

»

Sue Southon

»

Zaccai Free

"MYSTERY STREET" MEMBERSHIP BAGS PRESENTED BY GAMBIT AND BONFOLK Support local journalism and get a fun Gambit tote bag filled with "fest at home" goodies from Gambit, Bonfolk, Pure Dermatology, Orleans Embroidery and Miller Lite (while supplies last).

BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM/MYSTERY

If you have the means at this time, please consider spending your money at locally owned businesses. From curbside pick-up to delivery and ordering online from local retailers,

BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM Thank you to the readers and businesses who have supported Gambit, a locally owned publication for almost 40 years.

In this time of crisis, we are here for you to continue to report on and cover New Orleans news.

While these are uncertain times for all local businesses, we are also doing everything we can to continue to bring you the product that you deserve.

If your business could benefit from local advertising at this time, call or email Sandy Stein at (504) 483-3150, sstein@gambitweekly.com .

DONATED BY LANE AND LAURA CARSON

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

SEEING NEW PA ND TIE A N EN

TS

OP

24

MUSIC

NOW OFFERING TO-GO curbside pick - up delivery services DAILY

BOILED CRAWFISH CURRENT MENU AVAILABLE AT

SUPERIORSEAFOODNOLA.COM CALL

- 3474 293 TO PLACE YOUR ORDER

4338 St Charles Ave

Maple Small Animal Clinic,

A FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED

veterinary practice that has been caring for New Orleanians’ cats and dogs

FOR OVER 45 YEARS

We’re honored to be safely caring for your pets at a time when you need them most.

MON - FRI 4PM - 9PM SAT & SUN 11AM - 9PM

7608 MAPLE ST • 504-866-6316 maplesmallanimalclinic.com

ADOPTED BY JILL WAGNER

ADOPTED BY: AARON FRUMIN

BEER TO GO! Pre-Order Online for

STAY HOM E! STAY H E A LT H Y!

Stitch!

CURBSIDE PICK-UP

PARLEAUXBEERLAB.COM Open Everyday 11am-7pm 634 Lesseps St. in BYWATER

Reach out to us and let us know what project we can send you.

qu a r t e r s t i t ch . c o m

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Eric, Leah, Arlo & the Parleaux Family

Fantasy league

BY JAKE CLAPP ROSE CANGELOSI SAYS SHE HAD A GOOD VIEW,

safe at the back of the stage with the drums set up in front of her like a podium, to watch how the bandleaders she performed with did it.

P H OTO P R OV I D E D B Y J O N AT H A N For about five years, PAT R I C K T H O M A S Cangelosi has drummed Fantasy Non Fiction is, from left, guitarist for several New Orleans Molly Reeves, bassist Sam Albright, musicians and groups drummer and vocalist Rose Cangelosi and including Conor Donoguitarist Nahum Zdybel. The band will hue, Baby Grand with Micah release its first full-length album on May 8.

McKee, Tasche de la Rocha, St. Roch Syncopators and a threeyear stretch with Gal Holiday and the “Pressure,” one of the album’s sinHonky Tonk Revue. Singing harmogles, features a prominent bass line, nies with Gal Holiday, Cangelosi says, disco-esque drum beat and dark, was huge in helping her develop her shimmering guitars. The track “IWsinging-while-drumming skills.

2B2U4EVR” is a semi-ironic, almost While taking notes from other bubblegum rock song — and one of bandleaders, Cangelosi was develthe first songs Cangelosi wrote, years oping her own project, Fantasy Non ago. The song got a facelift and Fiction. The indie rock band — Cansome edge at Reeves’ suggestion for gelosi on drums and vocals, guitarists Fantasy Non Fiction.

Molly Reeves and Nahum Zdybel and “The sound is nostalgic of the bassist Sam Albright — will release its music that we grew up with on the debut full-length album on May 8. radio,” Cangelosi says. “But it’s very The album has been a few years much what each member of the coming: Fantasy Non Fiction released a two-track EP in 2016, a band is contributing.” single, “Friends like Strangers,” in Michael Harvey at NOLA Record2018, and has been gigging steadily ing studios engineered, mixed and in the city. mastered the album.

“I always felt proud of my songs Cangelosi had second thoughts and I wanted to share them with about releasing an album during the people, but I was being shy about it,” middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cangelosi says. “I realized if I don’t “I felt so selfish — how could I talk show these, if I don’t perform them, about my album and promote an they’ll just die on a dusty shelf. I was album” while New Orleans was shut inspired by all of the wonderful peodown, she says. ple I’ve seen and worked with here.”

But she talked it over with friends Cangelosi wrote the music and lyrand family and found encourageics for the 10 tracks on Fantasy Non Fiction’s self-titled album — Reeves ment — during tough times art and has also written unrecorded songs music are critically needed. for Fantasy Non Fiction — which has “The reason I fell in love with music made the final product “a personal is because it got me through some growth journey,” Cangelosi says rough times,” Cangelosi says. “I rewith a laugh. alized music is a good thing to have Still, the songs are filtered through right now.” the sounds and personalities of all Fantasy Non Fiction and its debut of the band members, making for an album can be found at fantasynoninteresting, dynamic debut. “Fanfiction.com and fantasynonfiction. tasy Non Fiction” has a 1990s and bandcamp.com. Through Aug. 1, 40% early 2000s rock vibe, with tinges of of album sales will be donated to psychedelia, pop and riot grrrl-style charities in New Orleans helping peopunk. It’s a catchy album filled with ple during the COVID-19 crisis. earworms and layers of sound.

STAYING IN

BY WILL COVIELLO “THERE ARE MANY PARISHIONERS AND FEW BELIEVERS,” an

aging vicar tells Daniel about the congregation at his church in rural Poland. It’s meant as a joke shared in confidence with a fellow priest, though Daniel, with his tightly cropped hair and wiry build, looks like he’s barely out of his teens.

He’s by no means innocent or idealP H OTO P R OV I D E D B Y F I L M M OV E M E N T istic. He’s not even a priest.

Bartosz Bielenia as Daniel in a scene from ‘Corpus Daniel was just Christi.’ The film is available to stream through released from the Broad Threater and Zeitgeist Theatre & prison and balked Lounge websites. at reporting to the job he’s supposed to take at a nearby Daniel embraces his new role, and sawmill. The vicar is about to leave his approach is inevitably unorthotown for medical treatment, and dox. With no real training or study, Daniel is mistaken for a priest sent he follows his own brash instincts, to relieve him — at a time when the which become compelling, in part town is in need of help. because he’s fearless.

Polish director Jan Komasa’s The parish has its own crisis. Sev“Corpus Christi” is not a polite drama eral people just younger than Daniel about loss of faith. It’s a tense and indied in a car accident and their spired thriller driven by people copparents and friends are inconsolable. ing with hard knocks. It’s set against They’ve held funerals and built a mea backdrop of failing institutions, morial in the center of town, but the including a brutal prison, self-serving matter isn’t resolved. The communipoliticians and a church flock that’s ty is divided, and many are not at all settled for ritual over substance. interested in forgiveness.

“Corpus Christi” won numerous Bartosz Bielenia is vibrant as awards in Poland and was nominatDaniel, who bristles with anger and a ed for the 2020 Best International self-centered righteousness. Daniel Feature Film Academy Award, which is emotionally complex and provocwas won by South Korean director ative. Though it might be wiser to Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite.” avoid attention to preserve his true While life in the juvenile jail is rough, identity, he relishes the authority the inmates are rougher, meting out he’s assumed and is confrontational. their own abuse. Daniel has found There also are strong performancreligion behind bars, and it offers es by Aleksandra Konieczna, as a him limited protection from some mother of one of the deceased, and inmates, including one who seeks Eliza Rycembel, who plays a teenagrevenge for events that led to his er who befriends Daniel. imprisonment. With his criminal Writer Mateusz Pacewicz and Kopast, Daniel cannot go to a seminary. masa’s story is a restless interrogaInstead, he’s released to work in the tion of authority and the difference sawmill, but with its low pay, hard between piety and the appearance work and remote location, he sees of piety. It’s pleasingly unpredictable that as a life of unending punishment. to the very end.

A stolen priest’s collar helps him “Corpus Christi” is available online find refuge at first, but he suddenly from Film Movement Plus, but links finds himself asked to help the parfrom the websites of The Broad Theish by taking confession, which ater (www.thebroadtheater.com) and he manages with the help of an Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge (www. online list of steps searched for zeitgeistnola.org) allow the theaters on his smartphone. to share the viewing fee.

Established 1992

Famous For Our Smoked Sausage Custom Butchering Whole or Half

Homegrown Beef! w/ Delivery Available Call for details

Cut The Way You Want it

GET

live streamed

CLASSES & MORE FREE TO BE POWER YOGA IS NOW EVERYWHERE THROUGH OUR ONLINE PROGRAMMING. ZOOM & INSTAGRAM LIVE STREAMED CLASSES ON-DEMAND CLASSES ON OUR VIRTUAL HUB PODCAST FULL OF CLASSES!

Pork Chops • Sausage Ribeyes • Bacon • Roast

STATE INSPECTED CUSTOM SLAUGHTERHOUSE

601-795-6999 52 Foots Stevens Rd., Poplarville, MS Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm

Cash • Visa-Mastercard • EBT accepted

Take

WWNO

with you wherever you go.

Download the App Today

VISIT

www.freetobepoweryoga.com F O R A L L T H E YO G A !

DONATED BY LAURA ROCHON

YOUR KIDS can

JOIN THE CIRCUS

and still be home for dinner!

DAY CAMPS FOR KIDS 9-14 ACROBATICS, TRAPEZE, JUGGLING CLOWNING & STILT WALKING Circus improves self confidence, communication and leadership skills!

Safe and experienced staff. Fly Circus Space is a proud member of the American Youth Circus Organization.

1 WEEK AND 2 WEEK CAMPS J U N E 1 - J U LY 3 1 M - F 9 A M - 3 P M

New Orleans Public Radio • wwno.org

REGISTER NOW w w w. fl y c i r c u s . s p a c e / s u m m e r - c a m p s

25 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 0 2 0

Unforgiving circumstances

S Stevens Packing P

SPONSORED BY ELIZABETH GLASSELL

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E WO R L E A N S . C O M > M ay 5 - 1 1 > 2 02 0

26

CURBSIDE PICK UP & DELIVERY WED  MON 11AM TO 7PM

Hey Y’all WE ARE OPEN FOR #TAGEAUX

Sandwiches, small plates, sides, heat & serve family meals that feed four, house-cured meats, including our signature boudin, sweets, and more.

8am - 3pm Daily (Closed Wed & Thurs)

Please Call Ahead Menu on Check us out on

ORDER ONLINE COCHONBUTCHER.COM 930 TCHOUPITOULAS 5045887675

Thank you for coordinating efforts for adopting small businesses.

My family and I sponsored Feet First recently and Rachel, the owner, was so incredibly grateful and humbled.

Until recently, my family owned a small retail business operation here in New Orleans and we experienced navigating retail for over 40 years including the time after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Small businesses and the community at large value Gambit’s efforts to keep us all connected in healthy, prosperous time and also in the darkest of times. Gambit and its family of staff help keep us informed, tuned in, and mindful of the important issues in our city, state and our world. For this, I sincerely thank you.

Keep up the incredible work...we appreciate you more than you realize.

Dayna Gessler-Poitevent

2401 Burgundy Street 504.872.0360

ADOPT A SMALL BUSINESS SPONSOR

DONATED BY STEPHANIE BYER

Serving Take-Out Daily 7am-3pm

Working at Gambit is like being a part of the pulse of the city.

Don’t Forget Mama!

Mother’s Day is May 10th

The energy of New Orleans flows through our pages and is a source of culture, music, entertainment, food and local news. Gambit’s heartbeat is made up of the small business owners that keep us alive. And I’m proud to be a part of a team that strives so hard each week to put it all together to keep it going.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday!

Don’t forget MOM!

DAILY SPECIALS! FAMILY MEALS!

I love what we do!

For more info visit www.facebook.com/ 113758906946429 Orders via email at kmsoap@aol.com and Facebook Messenger

Call 504-282-9999 or go to www.russellsmarinagrill.net 8555 PONTCHARTRAIN BLVD • NOLA

KETTLE MORAINE SOAP COMPANY

Handmade by Louisiana Craftsmen

Kelly Sonnier GAMBIT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

SHARE YOUR GAMBIT STORY.

EMAIL VIP@GAMBITWEEKLY.COM AND TELL US HOW WE ARE DOING.

To Adopt-a-Small Business, visit

BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM/SHOPSMALL

GORGEOUS HISTORICAL CENTER HALL COTTAGE!

Renovation just completed. High Ceilings, Beautiful Original Pine Floors, Double Parlor w/ Pocket Doors, Elegantly Appointed Kitchen w/ Bosch Appliances. Master Suite w/ Luxurious Bath. Home is situated on a Wide Lot ( 83 ft ) w/a Large Side Yard that extends the length of the lot (98 ft). Parking for 3 or 4 cars behind automatic gate. Conveniently located between the French Quarter & City Park/ Fairgrounds!

TOP PRODUCER

(504) 895-4663

PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE WHO TO WHO?

By Frank A. Longo 30 Above, in verse 31 Unrefined 32 Phone conversation between ministers?

37 Little Bighorn tribe 40 Summer mo.

41 Many millennia 42 “The Wire” channel 43 Organic compound 44 Choose as a member 47 — -Locka, Florida 49 Get back together, as alumni 51 String of vehicles between gas station patrons?

56 Pointer 57 Market segment

58 A fifth of XV 59 Old fed. led by Nasser 60 Nuts are high in it 61 In the least 63 Maine city near Bangor 65 New York stage awards 67 Conga line between Arab leaders?

73 Pistons great Thomas 74 “The Chronic” rapper 75 Love a lot 77 Sahara viper 80 Soothing treatment, for short 81 One in a pod 82 Cher and Adele,

DOWN 1 Hence 2 Lion player Bert 3 “Believe — not!”

4 Gal in the family 5 Depilatory treatment 6 Moving about 7 Myopic cartoon “Mr.” 8 Pale gray 9 With 72-Down, it flows to the Gulf of Mexico 10 Very fuel-inefficient wheels 11 In first place 12 Gin joint 13 Songlike 14 Buy for less 15 Draconian 16 Regular at the Met, maybe 17 Spanish region 18 Fish with a heavy net 24 Come- — (lures)

ABR, CRS, GRI, SFR, SRS

25 Genetic stuff 32 Orange juice stuff 33 Siesta takers 34 Ballet garb 35 Back part 36 Julia Child or James Beard 37 Nasal partitions 38 Some Alaska natives 39 Repeating polka sound 44 Dernier — 45 Non-Rx 46 “Pick me! I know this!”

47 Strong pain reliever 48 Architect I.M. 49 Little-seen instance 50 Outer: Prefix 52 In the military 53 Vitamin’s relative 54 Heavy brass 55 Drought relief 62 Maui wreath 64 Worrywart’s cry 65 Grammy-winning Beck album of 1996 66 Caesar of TV 68 Piper’s skirt 69 Tortilla treat 70 Hershey chocolate bar with crisped rice 71 Vague idea 72 See 9-Down

76 Spurred (on) 77 Barley beard 78 Store proprietor 79 Cop’s vehicle 81 Chi lead-in 83 Angle lead-in 84 Photo — 87 Lewd look 88 Texas city 89 This, to Jorge 90 1982 Disney sci-fi film 96 El — (city of legend) 97 African river 98 Exhausted 99 Reveled 100 Twanging spring sound 101 Ebb-and-flow phenomena 102 Frequently, in verse 103 Inn offerings 104 Raise 105 Deep blue 106 Makes mad 111 Talk like Daffy Duck 112 Vicinity 113 “Hey ... you” 116 Wiggling fish 117 Enzyme suffix 118 Diarist Anaïs 119 Actor Butterfield of “Ender’s Game”

ANSWERS FOR LAST ISSUE’S PUZZLE: P 2

PUZZLES

ACROSS 1 Otis of elevator fame 7 One-named co-star of “Crime Without Passion” 12 “Striped” fish 16 Trick-or-treating mo.

19 Sine and cosine, say 20 Korean, e.g.

21 “I smell —!”

22 Golf standard 23 Road trip between apparitions?

26 LAX guess 27 Bobby on ice 28 Otis on “The Andy Griffith Show,” e.g.

29 Darling

voicewise 85 License plate 86 Rugs between casino high rollers?

91 Eminent 92 Publicize 93 “The — falling!”

94 Went by taxi, e.g.

95 Eminent lead-in 96 French noble 98 Multipurpose truck, in brief 99 Perfected 100 Guy peddling between clodhoppers?

107 Hooter 108 Playwright Levin 109 Antagonist 110 Tara of “Sharknado” 111 Lick like a cat 114 Common co. name ender 115 Brief romances between Copenhagen residents?

120 School gp.

121 Ax part 122 Pop or bop 123 Fidgets 124 Cur’s noise 125 Potting dirt 126 Exhausted 127 Attack like a cur

GARDEN DISTRICT OFFICE 2016 & 2017

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

1637 N. TONTI STREET MID-CITY • $625,000

27

If you have the means at this time, please consider spending your money at locally owned businesses. From curbside pick-up to delivery and ordering online from local retailers,

BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM Thank you to the readers and businesses who have supported Gambit, a locally owned publication for almost 40 years.

In this time of crisis, we are here for you to continue to report on and cover New Orleans news.

While these are uncertain times for all local businesses, we are also doing everything we can to continue to bring you the product that you deserve.

If your business could benefit from local advertising at this time, call or email Sandy Stein at (504) 483-3150, sstein@gambitweekly.com .