Gambit Digital Edition: July 14, 2025

July 14-20 2025

Volume 46 Number 28

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Cameras rolling

30 teams will make short flms in the 48 Hour Film Project July 18-20

AFTER YEARS OF BEING IN FIGHTS AND CAR CRASHES and getting set on fire as a professional stunt performer, Chelsea Bruland took a more laid-back approach at the 48 Hour Film Project last year. In the competition, teams draw a film genre out of a hat and learn a few elements they must include in their movie. They then have 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and deliver a film of four to seven minutes in length. In her first year leading a team, Bruland had a plan.

“We went to the kickoff and then sat around in my hot tub drinking beers and coming up with ideas,” Bruland says. “That was our plan of attack going in.”

It ended up paying off, and her Stilettos team won the competition with their dark comedy, “The Full Package.”

Her advice to this year’s teams is scout some locations in advance, and “don’t underestimate the importance of sound quality.”

This year, 30 teams are expected to compete in the New Orleans 48 Hour competition. The kickoff event is Friday evening at Morning Call in Mid-City. New teams can register almost up until the starting time, and there’s a final meet-and-greet for people who’d like to join a team on Monday, July 14.

All completed films screen July 26 at the UNO Recital Center, as well as at an audience showcase on Aug. 7 at the Broad Theater, and audience members can vote for fan favorites in numerous categories. Final competition trophies and fan favorites will be awarded at an event on Aug. 23 at UNO’s Recital Hall. Bruland first heard about the 48 Hour competition in her native Australia 20 years ago. Competitions are held around the world, including in 150 cities last year. Bruland got her start in stunt work in Australia and in 2009 made the jump to Hollywood. A year later, she came to New Orleans because of the then growing film industry. She’s been in more than 100 films and TV series. On the set of “Dawn of the Plant of the Apes,” which at times closed down entire blocks of downtown for massive action scenes, she was the assistant stunt coordinator. Now she’s one of the few female stunt coordinators working in the male-dominated field.

There is some stunt work in “Full Package.” In the comedy, a mailman drops off letters at the home of an increasingly friendly homeowner. When she asks him to bring a package inside,

by Will Coviello |

his dedication to his appointed rounds is severely tested.

Filming left a few dents in her refrigerator, but it was worth it, Bruland says.

Brian Plaideau also is a veteran of big studio films, and he’s looking forward to his fourth competition.

His unconventional entry into the industry was as a fan of film director and actor Kevin Smith. After Smith suffered a heart attack in February 2018, Plaideau was inspired to improve his own health. He set out to lose more than 100 pounds by that Christmas and beat his goal by a day and a pound.

He wanted to be in Smith’s “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot,” which was being shot locally. He went to the set and screamed at Smith, “Hey Kevin, your heart attack inspired me to lose 125 pounds,” Plaideau says. Smith came over, shook his hand and said he’d get Plaideau in the movie.

Plaideau has since been in “Bill & Ted Face the Music,” “The Purge,” “NCIS: New Orleans” and other films and TV shows. He’s moved from background to roles with lines and has a couple of forthcoming independent films. He also co-hosts the podcast “NOLA Film Scene with TJ and Plaideau.”

Doing the 48 Hour Film Project is fun, but it’s also a chance to get on screen

and add to his audition reel, he says.

Last year, his team, Actors Take Over, drew the genres mockumentary and inspirational film and decided to do both. Plaideau was nominated for best supporting actor for his role as a lawyer in “Waiting for Gateaux,” a film about coworkers annoyed by a team member trying to win employee of the month.

An available location influenced the team’s choices. One member offered her law office as a home base.

“When we got mockumentary, I said, ‘We ain’t going nowhere,’ ” Plaideau says. “We weren’t trying to be ‘The Office,’ but it just fit.”

Location also helped the team from the Natchez Film Company. Company founder Davis Smith learned about the competition through a Screen Actors Guild email. The team sent one member to pick their genre at the kickoff event in New Orleans, and they submitted their film online with eight minutes to spare, he says.

In their dark comedy buddy film, “Postal Parasites,” a couple of friends get carried away trying to make some easy money. It won third place and a host of first place trophies for best directing, musical score, cinematography and more.

They shot it on the streets and familiar spots around Natchez. They also adjusted their story and production plan as they went, Smith says, especially while shooting in an air-conditioned bar on a brutally hot day.

Smith got a taste of the film industry in a summer job on the set of Tate Taylor’s “Breaking News in Yuba County.” He put off applying to a physical therapy training program to give the film industry a try and worked on 12 features in seven states in his first year, he says. In 2022, he set up Natchez Film Company in his hometown. He’ll miss this year’s 48 Hour competition because he’s got two features coming up.

“It’s hard to complain when you’re active in the film world,” he says. For more information, visit 48hourfilm.com/neworleans or facebook.com/48nola.

LeTrainiump

LeTrainiump leans into a ’90s vibe in his sincere, infectious pop music, and with his latest album, “In Real Time,” the Louisiana-born musician and his small band have developed his sound with more indie rock elements. While LeTrainiump is now based in Austin, Texas, he keeps a foot in New Orleans and is back in town Friday, July 18, to open for Flow Tribe at Tipitina’s. The music starts at 9 p.m., and the show is free. Find info at tipitinas.com.

Wavves

Since releasing a couple of self-titled albums and “King of the Beach,” San Diego band Wavves’ sound has ranged from indie rock to pop punk with strains of garage and surf rock, fuzzy guitars and lo-fi vibes. Its latest album, “Spun,” released in June, also draws on those sounds in tunes like “Goner” and the title track. Beach Goons and Chokeberry also perform at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, at Tipitina’s. Tickets $37.23 via tipitinas.com.

of Montreal

The indie pop band of Montreal is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of “The Sunlandic Twins.” The breakthrough album expanded beyond previous psychedelia-heavy releases and into disco and pop. Founder Kevin Barnes has surrounded himself with changing band members through the years, and he largely wrote “Sunlandic Twins” himself. The celebration includes a reissue with extra B-sides from the era. Avery Island BCE also performs. At 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, at The Howlin’ Wolf. Tickets $34.24 via thehowlinwolf.com.

Mohaned Elshieky

Comedian Mohaned Elshieky isn’t joking when he says he’s from Benghazi. The Libyan-born comic got his start in standup while he was an exchange student in Portland, Oregon.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE

Deven MacNair and Jaylen Moore star in ‘The Full Package.’

PROVIDED PHOTO BY CHELSEA BRULAND

OPENING GAMBIT

NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS

It’ll be weird next year when we have a mayor who is actually in town all the time

THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN

The Roots of Music recently closed a deal on a campus in Pontchartrain Park. The hard-working organization began in 2007 and has grown into a yearround music education program for New Orleans youth but has had to use different spaces over the years. Now, The Roots of Music has purchased the former St. Gabriel Catholic Church property and will have a permanent home.

Mayoral

candidate Helena Moreno tells Reddit it’s a ‘dangerous time for New Orleans’

NEW ORLEANS’ RANKING AS A TOP DESTINATION TO VISIT IN THE U.S., ACCORDING TO TRAVEL + LEISURE.

The city was outranked only by Santa Fe, New Mexico and earned high marks from voters specifically because of its food scene. Readers also based their votes on sightseeing, culture, food, friendliness, and shopping. However, tourism lags in the summer and small businesses are struggling, so get out and support them.

Animal Rescue New Orleans, in late June cut the ribbon on a new shelter and adoption center in Elmwood. The nonprofit rescue and animal shelter is closing in on 20 years, and the new facility came after years of fundraising and a donation from philanthropists Frank and Paulette Stewart.

NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT HELENA MORENO told Reddit users earlier this month that she’s running for mayor because “this is a very dangerous time for New Orleans,” citing “financial, climate and political instability.”

“There are many known and unknown threats on the horizon,” Moreno wrote. “Personally, the stakes are high because many are wondering if they can stay in this place they love.”

Mayor LaToya Cantrell has vetoed a deal to give $20 million to Tulane University for the Charity Hospital renovation project. New Orleans City Council approved the pledge in early June as part of a broader deal to settle a fight over the Edward Wisner Trust, a dispute between the council, the mayor, Tulane, LSU and Wisner’s heirs over who controls the proceeds from an oil-rich area near Port Fourchon. The council can override Cantrell’s veto, but it illustrates the hostilities between the council and mayor.

She also addressed infrastructure issues, public transit and blight, among other existential threats to New Orleans residents, as part of an “Ask Me Anything” forum on the popular social media site.

The “AMA” was a way to communicate directly with a local audience. The New Orleans’ subreddit has 176,000 members and is filled with daily posts, questions and discussions about local issues, often drawing hundreds of comments and viewers.

Several residents wanted to know how Moreno would improve public transit in the city, and she responded that she wanted to revamp the city’s floundering bus system, increase the number of buses and appoint competent people to the Regional Transit Authority’s board.

“We clearly need more buses – and a bus-focused RTA that increases the fleet such that the reliability and frequency make the RTA more trusted,” she said.

Moreno added that as a council member she has already spearheaded efforts to create a pilot program to give free bus passes to kids, which she hopes to make permanent.

When it comes to longstanding reliability problems with the city’s power and drinking water, Moreno touted her record on the council and years as the Utility Chair. She said the council fined and sued Entergy New Orleans and won federal funding to make major upgrades to the power grid.

She also highlighted the council’s work on green energy, including adding solar power to the grid, funding solar Community Lighthouses, creating a Community Solar program, funding a city solar generation facility on the former site of Gordon Plaza and adding dozens of free electric vehicle charging stations across the city.

Many Redditors in Moreno’s forum expressed concern about blight, particularly buildings that have sat abandoned for years and posed safety threats, like the Plaza Tower. She acknowledged the blight removal

What are you primarily saving money for right now?

4%

City Council Vice President and mayoral candidate Helena Moreno

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE

and remediation is a messy legal process but promised to expand the city’s legal team to help expedite it.

“I’m going to give owners of ‘Big Blight’ a simple choice,” Moreno replied. “Sell, lease, or develop their property, or face criminal blight charges, which, as a council member, I helped to strengthen.”

Moreno largely stuck to local issues and answered over 40 questions, including one about her gumbo preferences. She prefers a dark roux.

One user wanted to know if Moreno would be more in line with more moderate establishment Democrats like former Vice President Kamala Harris or progressive, grassroots politicians like New York Rep. Zohran Mamdani, who just clinched the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor.

Like New Orleanians, New Yorkers are also suffering from unaffordable housing, struggling small businesses and infrastructural woes.

Moreno said it’s not an “either or question,” noting she shares values with Harris and admires her long experience in public office but agrees with Mamdani’s vision of delivering on basic government services. She also called him advocating for free public transit “cool.”

“We need to build coalitions and that means pulling together people who may be different but share the same goals for the country,” she said.

Moreno, who was born in Mexico and moved to Texas as a child, has been in New Orleans for most of her adult life and career, which included around a decade in TV news before she first ran for public office. She says she isn’t going anywhere else.

“I’m running to help the city I love – the only city I’ve ever called home,” she said. “In some ways I want this most difficult job because it is so hard and that I have been prepared like no one else to take it on.”

The election is scheduled for Oct. 11. — Kaylee Poche and Sarah Ravits

New Orleans City Council overrides Cantrell veto of $20M to redevelop Charity Hospital

THE NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL JULY

10 UNANIMOUSLY OVERRODE Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s veto of a $20 million payment to redevelop the long abandoned Charity Hospital — part of an ongoing fight over who should get the profits from a piece of land donated to the city more than a century ago.

“I don’t understand why we’re having this level of opposition when it is so

clear that what we’re trying to do here is really what’s best for the public,” said Vice President Helena Moreno, who is running for mayor.

The Wisner Trust, valued between $70 million and $130 million, owns the 38,000-acre plot with oil in Port Fourchon, which generates more than $9 million a year in revenue. Currently, the mayor and a private panel divide that money between the city, Wisner heirs, Tulane, LSU and others.

In 2014, a circuit court ruled that income sharing agreement had expired after decades, but Cantrell ignored that ruling in 2020 and kept the current system. The council sued in 2022, arguing all of the revenue should be going to the city after the 2014 ruling.

In May, a judge ruled that the city gets all the proceeds from the trust. Even though the ruling meant more money for the city, Cantrell recently appealed it, along with the Wisner heirs. Tulane and LSU have agreed to each give up their 12% interest in exchange for money as part of a settlement.

In turn, the council on June 26 passed a measure to give Tulane University $20 million to help redevelop Charity Hospital, which has been abandoned since Hurricane Katrina and has become one of the most infamous blighted buildings in the city.

The $650 million project would turn the 20-story building into an educational and research center to support the work of Tulane, as well as a co-working space, retail shops, mixed-income housing, a green space and more.

Cantrell vetoed the council’s measure on July 7, saying giving the money to Tulane would be “depriving funding of multiple projects impacting the quality of life for New Orleanians.”

“Ultimately, it represents another attempt by the City Council to usurp executive authority,” she wrote in her veto letter.

Council Member Joe Giarrusso said at the meeting the project would improve life in the city by addressing “one of the last visible signs of the lack of recovery that we’ve had since Hurricane Katrina” and creating a thriving “biomedical district that is sorely lacking in the city right now.”

“I would argue economic development, particularly for a sick building in an underly utilized corridor, is quality of life,” he said.

Giarrusso also pointed out that members of the mayor’s administration had repeatedly publicly said

shop @ gaetanasnola

also in black

redeveloping Charity Hospital was one of their priorities.

“This was supposed to be an act of unison,” he said. “What we don’t understand is why the administration suddenly wants to change its course.”

This is not the first time this year the mayor has attempted to pull out of an agreement that members of her administration supported. In February, she backed out of a $90 million deal with the school district, though her Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montano had helped announce the deal just months before.

Council President JP Morrell said at the July 10 meeting he was also upset about a letter the city law office sent the council the day before “seeking to undermine the ordinance itself and challenge its legality.”

Morrell called the letter “tremendously problematic” and triggered “tremendous ethics concerns” since the city attorney’s office has been representing Cantrell against the council in the Wisner lawsuit.

The author of the letter said he wrote it at the direction of City

Attorney Donesia Turner following the mayor’s veto. He said he did not know who directed Turner to have the letter written.

Morrell said the council would be introducing a charter amendment to restructure how the city attorney’s office operates.

“The city attorney is the city’s attorney, not the mayor’s attorney,” he said. — Kaylee Poche

New Orleans City Council moves to end LaToya Cantrell’s emergency trash order

THE NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL JULY 10 VOTED to end Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s emergency trash declaration just one day after she announced it. The declaration was part of Cantrell’s attempt to hand over trash operations in the French Quarter to Henry Consulting after cutting short an emergency contract with IV Waste.

The move is the latest in an ongoing dispute over a $73.2 million French

Quarter trash contract that began last July when Cantrell’s administration gave the contract to Troy Henry’s company after a public bidding process.

Henry’s bid originally would have contracted with Richard’s Disposal for trash pickup in the Quarter and Downtown Development District. When they hired subcontractor Clean Force instead, Richard’s, owned by Alvin Richard, sued.

The council then refused to sign the contract with Henry’s in December, which prompted Henry to sue the council.

In the meantime, the city awarded an emergency trash contract to IV Waste, which was supposed to last for a year, through December 2025.

In March, Henry and Richard both told the council they came to an agreement and are going back to their original contract.

In April, Cantrell announced she actually would be ending IV Waste’s contract July 31, despite some of the top members of her own administration openly opposing that decision.

On July 9, she said she was

declaring the emergency was that there wouldn’t be anyone to pick up the trash in the French Quarter once the contract expires at the end of the month, even though that’s only because she ended the contract early.

Council Member Freddie King, who represents the French Quarter, brought the measure to end the mayor’s emergency declaration just one day after she announced it.

Five members voted in favor of it, with only Council Member Oliver Thomas voting against it. Council Member Joe Giarrusso recused himself as the law firm he’s joining is representing Henry.

Thomas, who is running for mayor, said his vote was about “principle,” though he did not clarify which principles.

“At some point, you have to stand on principle as well as encroachment on executive authority,” he said. “Some folks will try to make this nefarious. Some folks will try to make this more than it is. But the one thing about me, I don’t mind being the only vote if it’s on my principle.” — Kaylee Poche

COLD BREW

BLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN™

@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Hey Blake,

The new Buc-ee’s in Pass Christian is getting lots of attention, but when I was a kid, a place called the White Kitchen was where we stopped on road trips to the Gulf Coast. When did it open and what’s its history?

Dear reader,

THE TWO ROADSIDE LOCATIONS OF WHITE KITCHEN, known as a restaurant, lounge, gas station and liquor store, were landmarks from the 1920s until the 1970s. A third lesser-known location, in downtown New Orleans at Poydras Street and South Claiborne Avenue, operated from the 1930s until the 1950s.

The White Kitchen in Slidell was located at U.S. Highway 11 and U.S. Highway 190 (Gause Boulevard). Another location, sometimes called the “Short Cut” White Kitchen, was where U.S. 90 (Chef Menteur Highway) meets U.S. 190. Owner Onesime Faciane opened the Highway 11 location in 1926 and the other followed in 1935.

The menu included fried chicken, barbecue and seafood dishes. For many years, the restaurants were open 24 hours and featured private party rooms: the Mirror Room in Slidell and the Rose Room at the “Short Cut.”

Another memorable feature at both restaurants was the large, kneeling

BLAKE VIEW

Native American figure featured on the outdoor neon sign. “A familiar sign to travelers through this part of the country that stands for comfort, good food and fine service is the kneeling Indian cooking over an open fire,” reads a 1950 newspaper ad.

Later owned by A.E. “Eddie” Carr Jr., both the Highway 11 and Highway 90 White Kitchen restaurants were destroyed by fires. The Slidell location was rebuilt after a 1962 fire but closed in the mid-1970s. The Highway 90 “Short Cut” location burned in 1979 and never reopened. Today the spot is part of the White Kitchen Nature Preserve, named for the restaurant.

THIS WEEK MARKS 175 YEARS SINCE THE BIRTH OF A ROMAN CATHOLIC SAINT who once lived and worked in New Orleans – Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini.

Born in a small village near the city of Milan, Italy, on July 15, 1850, Maria Francesca Cabrini grew up hearing stories of Catholic missionaries and devoted herself at an early age to following in their footsteps. When she was 30 years old, she and seven other young women formed the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Their mission became to care for poor children in schools and hospitals.

She and her colleagues wanted to become missionaries in China, but Pope Leo XIII urged her to go west instead to care for the thousands of Italians, like herself, who had come to the U.S. In 1889, Mother Cabrini and six other sisters arrived in New York to begin their work. She came to New Orleans three years later. She first purchased a building at 817 St. Philip St. in the French Quarter and opened a school, day nursery and orphanage. Later, a larger orphanage was built on Esplanade Avenue; in 1959, it became Cabrini High School, one of 67 schools, hospitals and orphanages Cabrini founded throughout the United States. In 1965, a modern school building opened on Bayou St. John behind the original structure. Mother Cabrini’s chapel and some of her personal items remain inside the Esplanade Avenue building and are showcased on a public tour.

Mother Cabrini, who had become a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1909, died in Chicago on Dec. 22, 1917. In 1946, she became the first American citizen to be canonized as a saint.

A Buc-ee’s location opened in Pass Christian, Mississippi, on June 9. BY JUSTIN MITCHELL | STAFF WRITER

FINANCIAL LITERACY. Two words that are about as fun as a thong made of rattlesnakes.

Unfortunately, money is the closest thing we have to a universal language. But unless you were born with an abundance of it, if you don’t understand it, how to get it and how to keep it, you might feel utterly lost. Especially in a city with risings costs and plenty of sudden expenses that can feel stifling, like traffic camera tickets or bottoming out your car in a pothole.

Decades ago the idea of “retirement” meant spending your later years playing golf, fussin’ over grandkids and enjoying re-runs of “Matlock” with your beloved – all on your Social Security check and maybe a pension from work.

But today, the word “retirement” is more like a threat than a promise: You’ll spend more time pinching pennies than putt-putting, more time worrying more about paying your next medical bill than your next grandkid, and more time hoping you don’t end up wasting away in a Bob Dean warehouse. At a time of economic uncertainty, while billionaire tech bros are constantly finding new ways to rig the game against us, financial literacy can be a life-or-death skill set.

Managing money is also a crucial part of overall health. But financial literacy – the ability to understand and manage money – doesn’t have to be quite as hard to achieve as you might think, and once you figure it out, it’ll help ease your mind about the future and make the present easier to navigate.

MONEY MIND YOUR

Managing your money can feel impossible. But now more than ever it’s key.

BY LIAM PIERCE

So let’s see how we can make sure we bump up your money IQ — and your long-term vitality.

Financial advisor maxims like “put away half of your paycheck” are laughable to even most folks with an office job, let alone someone grinding out po-boys at Verti Marte.

And we all know that forgoing an indulgence like an oat milk latte or avocado toast from time to time isn’t going to make that much of a difference in overall financial health.

It’s about as useful as, “it’s usually best to buy a discounted paint for your yacht.”

“The system we’re in is not fair and it’s not forgiving and it’s not kind, but it’s unfortunately the system we’re in right now,” says Alexander Bigbie, founder of the New Orleans nonprofit Financial Learning You Take Everywhere (FLYTE). “The vast majority of it is designed, especially in the U.S. and especially in the South, to catch you and to impoverish you.”

LOUISIANA IS AT THE BOTTOM IN FINANCIAL LITERACY

JUST HOW BAD is financial literacy in the United States, and Louisiana in particular?

Bad. Really, really bad.

To give you an idea of just how disproportionately bad Americans are at finances, consider these facts and figures.

The United States ranks 14th in the world in financial literacy, per Zippia. Despite having the highest GDP by a country mile of any nation on earth and representing 26 percent of the world economy, only 57 percent of us are financially literate.

Compare that to a 71% financial literacy rate in Demark, Norway and Sweden. Granted, most Americans don’t think they’re financially illiterate. In the fact 71% of Americans believe they are, rating themselves a 6.2 out of 10.

Apparently, America is rich in overconfidence too.

And Louisiana just so happens to speak the language of money worse than the rest of the country.

Seriously. We’re really bad at understanding the maths of money, which in a country that generally doesn’t get it, isn’t a great look.

The state ranks dead last in answering financial knowledge questions correctly and second-to-last in answering inflation questions correctly, according to a study conducted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority

Perhaps not so unrelatedly, it’s not just the know-how that’s lacking. Louisiana also ranks dead last in economic conditions in the country, per US News & World Report.

GETTING STARTED WITH SAVINGS

IF THERE’S A SILVER-LINING TO ALL OF THIS, it’s that even doing

Louisiana’s ranking in answering financial knowledge questions correctly:

Louisiana’s ranking in answering inflation questions correctly:

Louisiana’s ranking in economic conditions:

Despite having the highest GDP by a country mile of any nation on earth and representing 26 percent of the world economy, only 57% of us are financially literate

some of the little things when it comes to your financial well-being can go a long way to turning the ship around. And that can start with something as simple as making sure you’re putting a little something aside on a regular basis.

In fact, there are lots of small ways to stockpile funds for down the road.

For full-time employees who work in more conventional jobs, start a 401(k) if your company offers those benefits. Contributions are automatically deducted from paychecks, and the money is taken out before taxes. Those contributions are then invested, and employees have a say in where and how, whether it’s in high or lowrisk investments.

Plus, employers often match at least a percentage of the contribution, which is akin to a bit of free money.

Another option is to set up a Roth individual retirement account (IRA) that allows account holders to set aside after-tax income each year. When account holders are 59 and a half years old, they can make tax-free withdrawals.

Patrick Hernandez started a venture capital firm, 1834 Ventures, that focuses on early-stage companies within the Tulane University community. He recognizes it’s impossible to know everything in this complex world that revolves around finances.

And while it might seem awkward to ask for help, he believes New Orleans’ communal spirit is a huge asset and many in the business community who understand finances are willing to impart knowledge.

“Find someone within these existing systems that can be your ally — your advocate — someone with financial knowledge,” Hernandez says. “Because it shouldn’t be on someone to go and learn everything about finances; it should really just be on them to seek help.”

For those who are considering entrepreneurship and being their own boss, make sure to educate yourself and understand the risks.

“Before you can make your business financially stable, you need to be financially stable,” Bigbie says. “Otherwise, you’re going to be desperate, and desperation leads to bad decision-making.”

Whether you’re working for yourself or working for The Man, one way to start finding stability is to take a good, honest (and maybe even painful) look at your finances and bank statements. Bigbie recommends starting off by taking a look back at just the last three months to get an idea of what “damage” you’ve done.

From there, it’s time to budget. Isolate your fixed expenses and set them aside. Rent and electricity generally aren’t negotiable.

Take note of other expenses, like cell phone bills, subscriptions and student loans, along with the more indulgent things like concert tickets, delivery meals and bar tabs.

But don’t be too hard on yourself, and recognize that there are always ways to improve.

“Have a lot of self-grace and self-forgiveness when you stare down your finances,” Hernandez says.

The initial inventory is a big step in gaining control.

“The dream scenario to be in, frankly, is feeling and knowing that you’re in control of your finances — even if they suck,” Bigbie says. “Rather than just feeling powerless and helpless, you are aware of what you need to do to repair your finances.”

After conducting inventory on spending habits, figure out if you can cut down on monthly costs and consider canceling subscriptions that you don’t use very often.

That Hulu/Disney+ account you have draining $14 a month because you wanted to watch “Andor”? Well, if you finished it, it might be time to let the subscription go.

If you spent $500 on groceries last month, think about what you were buying and if anything went to waste.

Consider getting a water filter so you’re not drinking LaCroix all day

to avoid sipping the Mississippi; that could cut out somewhere around $50. Reconsider your weekly booze intake; that could be another $50 in your pocket.

But one-off changes aren’t enough. You need to make them permanent. One easy way to do that is by continuing to keep an eye on your bank statements as you change behaviors.

And while that may seem obvious, making checking your account a part of your regular routine will help make sure you don’t backslide.

“With the service industry (workers), I found people were spending a lot of money on UberEats and delivery food,” Bigbie says. “Like insane, insane amounts of money.”

Bigbie estimates that even doing Walmart delivery and meal prep would cut costs by a third.

“I’m not telling you to not go out and have a few drinks,” Bigbie says. Instead, he recommends coming up with a budget for a big night out.

CREDIT UNIONS OVER CREDIT CARDS

IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING with some additional costs, however, Hernandez recommends seeking out a credit union instead of a big commercial bank like Chase, which can have skyrocketing interest rates that can keep you in debt.

“Unlike banks, (credit unions) are owned by their members; they’re for their members,” Hernandez says. His local recommendation is OnPath, which also offers resources and advice.

“The representatives are there just to be your financial coach and help you work through anything,” Hernandez says. “Their motto is to ‘serve the underserved.’ ”

Bigbie warns that credit unions don’t always have the most updated tech, so apps like Zelle and Venmo aren’t always compatible.

But the benefits, from lower interest rates on loans to

71%

Compare that to a 71% financial literacy rate in Demark, Norway and Sweden.

they provide members, can certainly outweigh the drawbacks.

United Way is another resource Hernandez points to, referring to their free offer to prepare taxes for anyone who makes roughly $60,000 or less.

You can also consider starting a savings account and either add to it in regular increments or whenever you have a few spare dollars going unused.

Bigbie suggests that automating transfers to a savings account on pay day is ideal if you can swing it.

HUSTLE SMART, BUT DON’T BURN OUT

14 TH

The U.S. ranks in the world in financial literacy

– and doing it in a way that makes the most sense.

Musicians, artists and freelancers should consider forming a sole proprietorship or a limited liability company (LLC). LLCs can protect businesses from personal liability and offer flexible tax options.

But forming an LLC also creates a sense of legitimacy for those you’re doing business with – and yourself. This’ll help with getting lower cost loans, grants, housing and taking yourself seriously.

Don’t assume an office job is the only path — flexible work can still be strategic.

It can be beneficial to diversify your income, but set boundaries: Your time is not infinite. Sure, that can mean taking on a second job or turning your passion for, say, marmalade into a kitchen counter side hustle.

But it can also mean finding other ways to pay for things.

There are also resources provided by the government.

Even though Republicans have for years pursued an aggressively anti-working-class agenda, many parts of the social safety net remain. Use them. Apply for every benefit you qualify for: Medicaid, unemployment, SNAP, housing assistance. These aren’t handouts — they’re returns on taxes you and your family paid.

Look into grants from the city, state and nonprofits. While loans from the bank or other institutions can be useful, they come at a cost: namely interest. Grants, on the other hand, don’t typically require any sort of repayment.

“The system we’re in is not fair and it’s not forgiving and it’s not kind, but it’s unfortunately the system we’re in right now”

— ALEXANDER BIGBIE

HOME OWNERSHIP: PROS AND CONS

HOW YOU’RE LIVING is, of course, the biggest expense in all of our lives. We’ve all been sold on the “dream” of homeownership.

But not always – even if you’re making the sort of money (or saved up enough over the years) that puts the dream within grasp.

“Don’t buy a house unless you’re planning on living there for five years,” says Hernandez. “You just won’t see the return.”

Bigbie agrees. “A lot of people just love the idea of owning a home ... the reality is: it’s less than they’re hoping for — especially if it’s a home in a neighborhood they don’t really want to be in, or a home that’s in really bad shape that’s gonna cost a fortune to fix up.”

AS ALWAYS, PLAN FOR PROBLEMS

NEW ORLEANS IS A PARTICULAR PLACE when it comes to unexpected expenses.

Insurance rates certainly reflect this, but this town gives residents a cornucopia of hardships that cost money: hurricanes, floods, heat waves, power failures, boil water advisories ... even tornadoes are regular occurrences.

And then there’s the seasonal nature of things in New Orleans. Particularly for hospitality workers and small businesses, the summers here can be extremely lean, moneywise. That can turn an unexpected immediate cost from an annoyance into a decision on whether to pay the rent or feed yourself this month.

“Tires are f’ing expensive, and our potholes will tear them up,”

Hernandez says. “For someone living paycheck to paycheck, that can set you back tremendously.”

Still, Bigbie says that there’s a decent way to anticipate these costs. “Look through the previous months and find the things that were unexpected,” Bigbie says. “And average those out; then put it in your budget.”

BUILD THE LIFE RAFT TOGETHER (OR AT LEAST GET SOME HELP)

“THE BEST SOLUTION I found to holding yourself accountable is to find someone who you trust — a friend, a family member — who does a pretty good job with their money. Then ask them to be your accountability buddy,” Bigbie says.

“It sounds sort of childlike, but it actually is one of the best solutions; now you have someone else who you’re regularly accountable to.”

For those who are married or in a committed relationship, this may seem like a no-brainer. But it also comes with its own pitfalls. Account-

Death, taxes and ever increasing Entergy bills are the only sure things in life

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE

ability, honesty and grace (a lot of grace, in some cases) have to be a two-way street so nobody ends up feeling like a parent.

If you don’t have someone in your life who can do that, there are professionals who will help – though again, that comes at a cost. That said, many banks and credit unions provide a host of financial counseling and other services that can help.

For instance, the Greater New Orleans Federal Credit Union offers financial literacy classes to members, ranging from long-term planning to living on tips and working in the gig economy.

RETHINK WHAT “SUCCESS” LOOKS LIKE

FORGET THE NOTION that being financially successful is having lots of money. Obviously, that would be great. But the truth is, it’s almost impossible to do if you don’t start off with it in the first place.

Besides, if you’re still living in New Orleans, odds are you’ve got other priorities than simple wealth accumulation. We value enjoying life – whether it be through music, food or community – far more than most American cities.

What you’re looking for, ultimately, is stability. Unfortunately, “there’s no magic bullet,” Bigbie says about finding stability. Rather, it requires picking and choosing strategies that work best for you.

If you have some extra to invest, Bigbie says to start simple.

When it comes to the easiest gains in the stock market, “the S&P 500 [stock market index] outperformed like 90% of fund managers after fees.”

“There’s no shame in being in your 40s and not having anything saved. The timeline you’re always dealing with is now, and that’s never too late”

—

BIGBIE

Meanwhile, lots of folks have gotten into their 40s and early 50s and don’t have much of anything in their savings. That can feel overwhelming, but Bigbie says don’t get discouraged by your age in relation to starting a stockpile.

“It’s never too late to start,” he says. “You may end up retiring a bit later than you’d like, but the best time to start any of this stuff is now. There’s no shame in being in your 40s and not having anything saved. The timeline you’re always dealing with is now, and that’s never too late.”

Which brings us back to the beginning: giving yourself some grace and starting small.

Because beating yourself up over it or pretending everything is fine to cope with the guilt isn’t going to fix things. It’ll just make them worse. What matters is how you end up moving forward.

ALEXANDER

PHOTO BY DAISY - DAISY / GETTY IMAGES

Have the financial talk with your parents before its too late

BY JOHN STANTON | GAMBIT EDITOR

FOR THOSE OF US BLESSED ENOUGH to still have our parents around into their golden years, there comes a point when one day you look up and realize things have changed. Dramatically.

You’re now your “parents’” age. And your folks, well they’re still Mom and Pop, but it’s different now. What was once their authority as parents now feels more like stubbornness and a refusal not only to change – but accept the fact that things already have.

They’ve lost a step or two. Memories from just a few years ago are no longer there. Suddenly, they seem so much more vulnerable.

That’s because they are – particularly when it comes to their money and financial wellbeing.

Whether it’s the pitfalls of the Medicare system, Tom Selleck’s dangerously alluring reverse mortgages or phone scammers looking to bleed them dry, the World War II babies and Boomer generation aren’t well prepared for the world we’re all living in. And the truth is you’re now, well, the parent in this relationship.

That means some really hard conversations for you and your folks. And these conversations – about how much money they’re making, their Social Security, savings and credit cards – can’t wait. Trust me, I know –because I’m in the middle of it right now.

A few years ago, my father started showing signs that he was slipping. For most of my life, Pop was the smartest guy I knew, in more ways than one. A graduate of Georgetown Law School, he had a brilliant mind when it came to book smarts. And as a kid who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, he had the sort of street smarts to spot a con from a mile away.

That combination served him well for most of his life – and in retrospect, probably made the earliest signs of dementia harder to see. It was especially hard for my mom, I think, to accept. Even after my sister and I were raising the alarm, Mom wasn’t convinced he wasn’t the brilliant, in control man she’d fallen in love with decades ago and relied on ever since. Just a little

slower, maybe a little forgetful, of course. But still her Tom.

By the time we were all on the same page, it was too late. Dozens of politicians and organizations of varying repute already had their financial claws into him, using lax fundraising regulations to sign him up for monthly and even bimonthly reoccurring “donations” to people and campaigns he didn’t know or really understand – and would forget within hours of handing over his credit card information. With their financial lives entangled, my family was suddenly facing a crisis we didn’t understand how to solve. Even after we’d canceled credit cards and taken other steps to staunch the bleeding, there was still so much more to try and figure out.

Here’s just some of the questions we’ve had to figure out – and are still trying to:

• Are there ways to protect someone with dementia from scammers against their will?

• Can you proactively make it impossible for credit card companies to sign them up for new lines of credit?

• What are the rules for Medicare eligibility for short-term care? Long-term?

• What are the financial ramifications of one spouse entering the Medicare system in a significant way?

• Can the government come back to recoup its expenses? If so, how much?

• What, if any, steps can a parent take to protect their savings from the government?

Before you can answer any of these questions, of course, you need to talk with your parents. That can be brutal.

While Gen Zers and some younger Millennials are much more willing to talk about how much they make or what their financial situation is,

the truth is for generations we’ve been taught to keep this information private. In many ways, we protect our financial lives from scrutiny with more zeal than we would our deepest, darkest kinks.

That secrecy makes asking questions, especially of our parents, incredibly difficult. It’s hard on us to even ask, and can come off to them at best as rude and obtrusive and at worse insolent. After all, who are we, their children, to ask such things?

The truth is, of course, we’re the ones that will be taking care of them. And to do that, we need to know what we’re dealing with – in detail. How much do they make? What is their savings like? Do they have any investments? What will their Social Security payments look like? How many cards

do they have? Are they both signatories on all the accounts or just some? Who has the power of attorney if something happens? Whose name is the house in? Did they stash money or other valuables in hidden places? And don’t put these questions off until they’re retired or sick. Your parents are likely to get defensive and annoyed. That’s normal and to be expected, but what you don’t want to be doing is battling those normal reactions as well as the fuzziness and paranoia that come along with dementia.

In a way, it’s like the sex talks our parents (hopefully) had with us as kids. The younger you start these conversations, the better the chances that nobody winds up in a situation nobody wanted.

Mom and Pop Stanton

PROVIDED PHOTO

PROVIDED PHOTO

Once you’ve gotten them to open up, the next thing you’ll need to do is convince everyone involved, including yourself, that you’re going to need some outside help. There are plenty of lawyers, estate planners and others out there who can help you and your parents prepare for the potential situations they’ll find themselves in later. This will cost some money, to be sure, but there are so many things you simply wouldn’t think to ask that they can tell you that it’ll be worth every penny.

Bringing in an outside lawyer, in particular, is also helpful in situations where the kids may not be on the best of terms or, to be blunt, you’re worried about the motives of a sibling. It’s a sad fact, but we’ve all seen parts of our families come apart over long-term care decisions or inheritances.

While my sister and I are best friends and trust each other implicitly, I appreciated the fact that the estate lawyer we talked with warned us both that we were not his client, our mother was, and that it was her best interests he would be looking after.

And in the end, that’s what all this is ultimately about – the life and wellbeing of your parents. They spent years, sometimes decades, worrying over you, protecting you, nurturing you and doing all manner of uncomfortable things for you they definitely didn’t want to do.

Even when you fought them tooth and nail, bitterly stomped away in a huff or slammed your bedroom door. Especially then. Because they love you.

Now, it’s your turn.

The Stanton clan at church: Gambit Editor John (as a very angsty teen top left), Christine (top right), Jill (bottom left) and Tom Stanton (bottom right).

Money 2025 Matter s MONEY MATTERS

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Metairie Bank, established in 1947, is the oldest and largest commercial bank headquartered in Jeferson Parish, with assets exceeding $600 million. Starting from a single branch on Metairie Road, it has grown to a total of 9 locations across Jeferson and St. Tammany Parishes. Known as "The Bank of Personal Service," Metairie Bank focuses on strong customer relationships and community involvement. It actively supports local organizations through donations and volunteerism and has earned recognition such as “Best Local Bank” and “Best Places to Work.” Committed to personal and community growth, Metairie Bank continues to empower the people and businesses it proudly serves.

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NICOLAS TRIST RIVET REALTOR

Looking for a home you’ll truly love? Nick Rivet’s got you covered. A proud New Orleanian with the Gulf Coast as his backyard, Nick serves buyers across Louisiana and Mississippi with local know-how. Nick makes the homebuying process feel easy and even fun. He knows the market, listens to what matters most to you, and will help you fnd a place that fts your life—not just your budget. Backed by the trusted team at The Agency, Nick’s all about making your next move your best one yet.

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LOUISIANA COMMERCIAL REALTY

Louisiana Commercial Realty is a nationally recognized commercial real estate broker with ofces in New Orleans, Hattiesburg and Picayune. We are known for utilizing sophisticated technology to provide a higher level of service to clients who buy, sell or lease ofces, warehouses, shopping centers, hotels, or retail properties. Though buying or selling commercial real estate has become more complicated, Louisiana Commercial Realty always fnds a way to accomplish your real estate goals with expertise in every sector of commercial real estate. Learn about commercial property prices in our website’s blog.

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RICKY RODRIGUEZ, LOAN OFFICER - NMLS 2154001

Ricky Rodriguez is here to make your homebuying journey smooth, stressfree, and successful. Fluent in both Spanish and English, he makes sure every client feels informed and confdent from start to fnish. With expert knowledge of mortgage options and local down payment assistance programs, Ricky is passionate about fnding the right ft for your needs. Backed by Eustis Mortgage—a trusted New Orleans-based company with over 70 years of experience— he ofers personal service, clear communication, and fast closings to help make homeownership a reality.

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For thousands of years, tattooing has been considered an art form in cultures across the globe. And while Puritanical views about our bodies and art generally may have made them taboo for much of American history, over the last two decades they’ve become as ubiquitous as short pants in the United States.

New Orleans is blessed with a host of immensely talented tattoo artists who can help bring your artistic vision, need for self expression or simple desire to be a walking canvas to life – and this National Tattoo Day is a perfect excuse to pop into one these great shops to get some work done!

VAN GOOR INDUSTRIES

632 Rampart St., New Orleans

Hello, my name is Joel and I’m excited to do your next tattoo! I’ve been tattooing since 2006 and specialize in bright, bold, colorful cartoon designs of your favorite food and drinks. I’m capable of working in damn near every style and love working with my clients to create bespoke custom designs. I am happy to make myself available at my clients’ convenience, 7 days a week. My studio is in a shared space with my partner’s piercing studio, Wonderful & Strange in the French Quarter. Please stop by any time to talk about what tattoos are on your mind, or just to check out the designs I’ve got drawn ready-to-go!

SWAMP WATER STUDIO

3933 Toulouse St., New Orleans

SwampWater Studio opened in 2022 by Brandi Bruce, a 17-year tattoo artist who has worked at various shops around the country. Focused on a sterile environment, whose doors are open as a safe place to any-and-all clientele, she has built her studio to cater towards appointments or walk-ins and can be booked in person Tuesdays through Saturdays or via email at swampwaterstudio@gmail.com. In 2025, she added Jake Fielder as a fellow resident artist who enjoys building custom artwork for his clients. They are gong on year 3 of being recognized locally as Best of the Big Easy.

SPACE TIGER TATTOOS

8718 Oak St, New Orleans

Space Tiger Tattoos is Uptown New Orleans’ home for award-winning work from internationally published artists. Almost every style of tattoo is available from the artists with over 60 years combined experience, tattooing coast-to-coast across the USA and Canada. The artists work mainly by appointment, but walk ins are always welcome. From idea, design, application and aftercare, tattoos at Space Tiger are always a clean, comfortable, relaxing experience.

FIXATION TATTOO

2273 St. Claude Ave, New Orleans

With over 27 years of experience, Fixation Tattoo is built on a foundation of quality, creativity, and community. We pride ourselves on ofering a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere where your ideas are heard and brought to life with expert care. Our artists specialize in a wide range of styles, including: Traditional, Neo-Traditional, Fine Line, Realism, Portraits, Japanese and Black & Gray. Come visit David Steele and the crew—walk-ins welcome, appointments appreciated. It’s always a good time at Fixation Tattoo.

LUCKY DAGGER TATTOO

1124 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans

Lucky Dagger Tattoo is a premier tattoo shop in the Lower Garden District, featuring seven artists who tattoo in a variety of styles. Unlike most shops in the area, Lucky Dagger is LGBTQ owned and operated by women and non-binary people, making it a safe haven for women, queer and trans people. The shop has a traditional feel when you walk in but leaves behind old pretentious vibes of the industry. Outside of classic tattooing, the artists specialize in stippling and illustrative work, anime, fineline, and neo-traditional. Lucky Dagger strives to keep tattooing afordable, ofering 20% of to service industry, hospitality and retail workers every Monday.

504 INK TATTOOS

303 S Military Rd STE 1, Slidell, LA

Amidst the rise of Covid in January 2021, 504 Ink Tattoos was born and has since thrived in the St Tammany Parish/Slidell area. Specializing in all styles! There isn’t a style 504 Ink can’t do. We value our clients and strive for 100% customer satisfaction. We go above and beyond for our clients, providing them with after-care goodie bags, shirts, wristbands, stickers and care instructions. Piercings are $40 & Jewelry is always included! Check out our social media accounts and find us on Google! 504 Ink Tattoos on all platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Google, X, Snapchat.

HELL OR HIGH WATER

TATTOO & PIERCING

308 Magazine St, New Orleans

Hell or High Water Tattoos, located at 308 Magazine St, is your new favorite tattoo studio! Proudly Black and woman-owned, we provide custom tattoos and piercings in a friendly, inclusive setting where everyone is welcome. Our experienced artists ofer a wide range of styles including traditional, watercolor, fine line, and more. Whether you have a vision or need guidance, we’re here to help bring your ideas to life.

GAGE BRIM TATTOOS ( GBT )

4513 Magazine St, New Orleans

Get some of New Orleans’ freshest ink. Gage Brim Tattoos (GBT) brings over 20 years of global tattoo experience to this intimate Magazine Street shop. GBT artists specialize in color pieces that pop on all skin tones and black and grey work that will have people stopping you in line at Jazz Fest to take a closer look. With over a decade of tattoo history in New Orleans, GBT is the perfect place for your next custom design or cover-up. Stop by, play a retro arcade game, and feel like you’re kicking back with an old friend.

TATTOO BAYOU

606 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans

Tattoo Bayou blends Southern charm, humor, and bold creativity in the heart of New Orleans’ Warehouse District. Our walk-in-friendly shop is known for custom tattoos, piercings, and flash art seven days a week, all with a laid-back vibe and an $80 shop minimum. The shop is a blast—tourists and locals alike love hearing stories from our signing board, filled with names of actors, musicians, and even politicians. Whether you’re a first-timer or adding to your collection, our skilled artists deliver high-quality work in a welcoming space. Come see why we’re a premier destination. Follow us on Instagram @TattooBayou.

TREASURE TATTOO

2350 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA

Treasure Tattoo was established in 2015 on St Claude Avenue in the Marigny by Jamie Ruth. Jamie began tattooing in New Orleans in 1995 and after many years of travelling the world she wanted to create a space that would be welcoming to all and that would be a relaxing environment for people to be tattooed. Along with other resident tattooers Marc Mayeux and Miranda Brouwer, the shop specializes in bringing their clients’ unique visions to life, no matter how small or large, through well-crafted tattoos that will stand the test of time. Find us on Instagram & Facebook @treasuretattoo.

ART ADDICTION

61 Holmes Blvd STE D, Terrytown

Looking for an unforgettable tattoo experience in New Orleans? Check out Art Addiction Tattoo, a vibrant, Black women-owned, all-women-operated studio just 10 minutes from downtown on the Westbank. Known for its welcoming vibe and southern hospitality, the shop ofers a wide range of styles—perfect for both first timers and seasoned collectors. Celebrating 16 years in business, Art Addiction is proudly run by a creative mother/daughter duo, Tasha and Erial, who bring passion and personal care to every experience. Walk-ins are welcome daily, or book ahead! Visit our website and follow @ArtAddictionTattooNola on social media for more.

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EAT + DRINK

Prime time

WHEN A TABLE OF 15 BUSINESS PATRONS AT RIZZUTO’S PRIME WANTED SEPARATE CHECKS, proprietor Jack Rizzuto knew how to handle it. The answer was no.

Rizzuto is second-generation scrappy. His family started their restaurant business in the French Quarter, slinging pizza and daiquiris on and around Bourbon Street. The family expanded to a coal-fired pizza place, Amici, on Magazine Street, and its five-year run ended with them selling to Felix’s Restaurant Group.

Their Jester Mardi Gras Daiquiris remains a growing profit source for them, but for Rizzuto, who runs the business with his brother Philip, fine dining is the way to go.

The family opened Rizzuto’s Ristorante & Chop House in 2017 in the former Tony Angello’s space in Lakeview, where Rizzuto knew that 90% of his customer base was local. The business grew during the pandemic with his team’s focused effort on safely serving guests during the evolving shutdowns. That built loyalty and deepened repeat business.

When he decided to open Rizzuto’s Prime at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans near the Superdome in January, Rizzuto had no illusions of it being like Lakeview. “We knew we’d get 80% out-of-town guests,” he says. In the CBD, he saw potential growth tied to the meeting and convention business. The 200-seat restaurant is designed to handle groups as well as hotel guests. And about a fifth of business is locals tapping into Rizzuto’s flavor without having to make the drive to Lakeview, he says.

“We wanted to do something different to figure out a different customer base,” Rizzuto says.

The menu still includes some of his grandmother’s Italian recipes, but here, steak and seafood dominate. “We have multiple cuts of meat and are expanding the seafood program with more whole fish offerings,” he says.

Chef Dayne Womax is leading the kitchen at the Hyatt location in the

FORK + CENTER

Palace Cafe closes

A MAJOR RESTAURANT THAT ONCE SIGNALED A NEW GENERATION for New Orleans Creole cuisine has closed after 34 years amid a legal dispute.

Palace Café, the first restaurant from the Dickie Brennan & Co. restaurant group, served its last meal July 6, at least for the foreseeable future.

It’s an abrupt closure for a restaurant that has been a prominent presence on Canal Street and within the New Orleans restaurant scene since 1991.

The restaurant, at 605 Canal St., covers three floors in the historic former Werlein’s music store with dining rooms and banquet rooms done in the style of a classic brasserie.

space that used to house chef John Besh’s Borgne. Womax was tapped by the company’s corporate executive chef Jason Caronna. The two worked together for years running Sun Ray Grills

More recently, Womax and business partner Simon Beck ran Brown Butter Southern Kitchen + Bar in Mid-City. Womax stepped away after nine years.

“I gave him all the recipes and wished him luck,” Womax says. “I was done with the sleepless nights worrying about making payroll. Jason called me right away. I didn’t even have to look for a job.”

Although it took a minute to get used to having a boss, Womax spent his first year getting embedded in the Rizzuto’s culture. “I learned their family recipes, and I took a lot of razzing because I’m not Italian,” says the LaPlace native.

At the new location, instead of pimiento cheeseburgers, Womax is overseeing a menu that ranges from

Prime Hyatt Regency New Orleans, 601 Loyola Ave., (504) 734-2534; rizzutosristorante.com

an extensive raw bar to a variety of grilled oysters and a handful of Italian specialties, including the Rizzuto grandma’s meatballs, pasta Bolognese and oysters Bordelaise. Steak cuts include the crowd-feeding tomahawk rib-eye and the house specialty spinalis, or rib-eye cap, prized for its tenderness and flavor.

A few of Womax’s signature dishes also are on the menu, including his balsamic-glazed boneless short ribs over mascarpone grits, a dish that won him a Gambit’s Emerging Chef competition in 2015.

Rizzuto’s Prime offers lunch, brunch and dinner menus, along with a daily 3-6 p.m. happy hour. The menu changes often, with recent additions including osso buco, steakfilled ravioli, crawfish arancini and Roman artichokes. Some dishes, like the meatballs and the jumbo lump crab cake, are on the menu for life.

“My brother is in Lakeview; I’m here,” Rizzuto says. “We take a hands-on approach.”

Restaurant staff learned the news July 7. About half of the restaurants’ 60-person staff are being offered positions at other restaurants in the group, which includes numerous large properties; others are being offered severance terms, according to the company.

The move comes as Palace Café nears the end of a 35-year lease. A purchase agreement was included in that lease, and the restaurant’s operators were working toward a deal to purchase the property from its owners, Philip Werlein, Ltd., a company from members of the Werlein family.

A dispute on the fair market value brought both sides into Civil District Court. It centered on the value of improvements made to the property by the restaurant group, and whether these should be included in the purchase price. In June, Judge Ellen Hazeur ruled in favor of the Werlein family, court records show. A representative for the Werlein family was not immediately able to comment.

The ruling is being appealed. In the meantime, Steve Pettus, managing partner of Dickie Brennan & Co., said it was no longer “fiscally responsible”

Rizzuto’s Prime serves steak, seafood and Italian dishes by Beth D’Addono |

Chef Dayne Womax (left) and Jack Rizzuto at Rizzuto’s Prime

PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER / GAMBIT

PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE

HAND GRENADE

Weekend Specials

Smotheredchicken over rice

French dip with fries Eggplant boat DINNER

Blackeneddouble cutwith smothered cabbageand blackeye peas

Blackenedredfish over seafoodstuffed peppers seafoodcream

Shortrib with tomato Demiglaze, 5cheeseMac andcabbage

FriedThaichiliribsappetizer

Stuffed shrimpover seafoodpenne BRUNCH

Strawberry pancakes

Shortrib andgrits

to continue to operate the restaurant. The disparity between the assessed values for the property is too great to purchase it, and terms offered for a new lease to continue operating were five times higher than the previous lease, Pettus said.

Depending on the appeal, Pettus said reopening Palace Café at its original location was a possibility. The company also is “interested in reimagining and reopening Palace Café” elsewhere should the right location arise.

“There’s a sense of loss, but things do happen for a reason, and we’re challenged to make the best of the situation we’re in,” Pettus said.

Palace Café was first conceived by the city’s leading restaurant family, the Brennans, as the next generation’s read on the Creole dining experience. Initially, it was a more casual offshoot of the family’s Garden District landmark, Commander’s Palace.

Dickie Brennan, his sister Lauren Brower and Pettus, their business partner, would soon take on the operation as the first location for their Dickie Brennan & Co. group.

Brennan’s Steakhouse, Bourbon House and Tableau.

Lately, the story at Dickie Brennan & Co. has been about growth and diversification. In 2023, it acquired the historic Pascal’s Manale Restaurant. The same year it took over catering and events for Audubon Nature Institute properties, from the zoo to the aquarium, and runs the restaurant now called the Audubon Clubhouse by Dickie Brennan & Co. in Audubon Park.

Across town, it has Acorn, the cafe in the Louisiana Children’s Museum in City Park, and the market/cafe the Commissary in the Lower Garden District, where Bellegarde Bakery, acquired by the restaurant group this year, is now based.

The company is the operations partner in the forthcoming The Josephine on Napoleon Avenue, an event space now transforming the former Our Lady of Lourdes Church, near Freret Street. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Elysian Bar rocks

AN INTIMATE NEW ORLEANS BAR WITH FOOD AS NOTEWORTHY as the cocktails is getting more accolades this year, as Rolling Stone just named it the best hotel bar in the U.S. in its 2025 Travel Awards.

Dishes like crabmeat cheesecake, catfish pecan meuniere and white chocolate bread pudding are among its signatures.

The debut of Palace Café also marked a rebirth of a historic building, with its Beaux Arts facade and intricate architectural details. It was the flagship for the Werlein’s music store brand from 1905 to 1990. Generations of New Orleans residents came here to buy instruments and sheet music, including some of the city’s most famous musicians, such as Dr. John and Fats Domino.

Palace Café also was an early adopter of outdoor dining downtown, adding a sidewalk cafe to help spruce up its block of Canal Street. The restaurant underwent a major overhaul in 2015 to mark its 25th anniversary, which added a new lounge and its Black Duck Bar on the second floor.

The Elysian Bar inside Hotel Peter and Paul was chosen, in part, for its “quietly classy vibe and flawless cocktail program,” according to the article. Inside an old church, Rolling Stone noted the local hotspot “feels like you’ve just stepped into a cocktail party in someone’s private study.”

“Over these 34 years, millions of diners have broken bread with us here on Canal Street. We’ve had the honor of sharing our passion for hospitality with these guests as well as our thousands of team members who trained and worked in our historic building,” Brennan said in a statement.

“Although we are saddened to so suddenly have to close the doors, we are optimistic about a next chapter for Palace Café on Canal Street, or elsewhere in our city. Don’t count us out yet.”

Within blocks of Palace Café, the same company runs Dickie

Rolling Stone highlighted the “Blessed and Happy Afterlife” cocktail with pisco, gin, velvet falernum, passion fruit, lemon and burlesque bitters. Elysian Bar is heavy on gin and Campari drinks that pair great with their house made focaccia bread and chicken under a brick.

The watering hole was also named the No. 2 hotel bar in the U.S. by Food and Wine magazine earlier this year. “Congrats to our amazing team on this amazing honor!” the business shared on Instagram. — Justin Mitchell /

PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE

Kevin Peterson

Scientist,

bartender

By Will Caviello

KEVIN PETERSON SPENT TWO YEARS WORKING AS AN AUTO INDUSTRY ENGINEER before he decided owning a bar might be more fun. He combined a hobby in perfumery with his interest in cocktails to open Castalia at Sfumato in Detroit. Castalia is a 16-seat cocktail bar by night, and Sfumato is a perfumery by day. Last year, he released the book “Cocktail Theory: A Sensory Approach to Transcendent Drinks.” In it, he explores a scientific approach to mixing drinks, including optimal mixing ratios, temperatures and more. The book is nominated for a Spirited Award at Tales of the Cocktail, and he’ll give a talk at the conference about some basic science techniques that are useful in spirits tasting. It’s at noon Tuesday, July 22. For more information, visit castaliacocktails.com or talesofthecocktail.org.

How did you get into scents and cocktails?

KEVIN PETERSON: Prior to engineering, I had been in the food world. In high school and college, I cooked my way through school. When I was in grad school, I was like, I need a hobby that doesn’t involve all this mathematical stuff. I read a book called “Jitterbug Perfume” by Tom Robbins. The book is fiction, but there was a lot about how the characters approached scents that mirrored the way I approached food and how you pair things and build layers. I thought it sounded cool and read more nonfiction about perfumery. When people talk about scent and taste and flavor, these ideas get a bit mingled. Every time you eat, there are taste molecules hitting your tongue, and there are aroma molecules going into your nose. We’ll say, “Oh, it tastes good.” But if you look at what signals are going into the brain, there are really just five distinct signals coming from the tongue. That’s the bitter, sour, salty, sweet and umami. So taste is what you get if you plug your nose.

Aroma is where a lot of the nuance and detail and intriguing part of flavor comes from. Scent has about 400 types of olfactory receptors. There is more intermingling of the signals and variations. There are more levels that can be perceived, and it’s less understood at a basic science level. It’s this mystery planet right in the middle of our face. That’s what drew me initially. How can we not have a detailed understanding of this?

I got into making scents as a hobby. It began as a small side hustle and grew into a business of its own. My wife and I started doing these dinners where we would take a scent that I had made and make a food dish, make a drink and find some music that paired with that. They were sensory dinners. One of the people who came to a dinner said he had the perfect space for it.

(At Castalia) a lot of time, we are trying to create flavors that don’t exist in an off-the-shelf form. So we are developing a lot of techniques. I have some background in chemistry and how to pull flavors out and move them around. We do a lot with botanicals and macerations and that kind of stuff.

How did your bar science lead to the book?

P: Originally it was the questions I had entering the cocktail world. I read 10 different books that say what the ideal ratio is for a daiquiri, and none of them are in sync. What’s the deal? It’s not that hard to make 20 variations and taste through them and see which ones are good and which ones aren’t. Then I started to say, OK, if I compile this into a book, what else should be in there?

I had always thought of old fashioneds and Negronis as being spirit-forward sippers. When I did the tests, the

old fashioned had a very narrow range of ideal ratios, ideal temperatures, ideal dilutions. To make a perfect old fashioned, you have to hit everything right. But with a Negroni, it was like, you can put in an extra half ounce of gin, or short the Campari, or it can be a little bit warm or too cold. It was still entirely drinkable. I had no idea the Negroni was so bombproof and the old fashioned was so precarious. I think the familiar, three-ingredient classic drink realm is fairly well explored. At my bar, we tend toward more complex drinks. When I go out, I try to appreciate the specialty of the bar. At an experimental place, I’ll say, “Give me the weirdest thing you’re working on.” I am always intrigued by people who are pushing boundaries.

What’s one of your more unexpected finds?

P: (The drink) Kafka Dreams. There is a friend who follows the cocktail world. He said, “I just read that there’s a guy who makes bitters out of bugs. You should give that a try.”

I had made a couple of tinctures out of edible bugs and was adding them to drinks to see what they would do. They’re a little bit salty. They’re like chewing on a sunflower seed. They’re not a very notable flavor on their own.

I don’t like to add things to a drink for the sake of a story. I like it to have a flavor role. I kept adding things, and there wasn’t a notable effect I could pick up. Then I realized I wasn’t adding a flavor; it was masking some of the flavors. When I added it to a spirit that had some rough edges — in this case an aged brandy called Singani, which has some harsher tones — all of a sudden, the resulting flavor was much more smooth. That was intriguing.

So I had built a Negroni variation that was harsh, but when you add the tincture, that smooths it out. I am intrigued by the edges of flavor science. A lot of the middle is pretty well understood. But there are things where, is it art or is it science?

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PROVIDED PHOTO BY E.E. BERGER

Out to Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106.

Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream. com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato in flavors like praline, salted caramel and tiramisu, as well as Italian ices in flavors like lemon, strawberry and mango. There also are cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and coffee drinks. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant. com — Gulf Drum Yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. There also are oysters, seafood pasta dishes, steaks, lamb chops and more. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$

Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with goat cheese and chardonnay sauce. Reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$

The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — Basin barbecue shrimp are served with rosemary garlic butter sauce over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. The menu includes po-poys, fried seafood platters, raw and char-grilled oysters, boiled seafood in season, and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$

Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 581-3866; broussards.com — The menu of contemporary Creole dishes includes bronzed redfish with jumbo lump crabmeat, lemon beurre blanc and vegetables. Brunch includes Benedicts, avocado toast, chicken and waffles, turtle soup and more. Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available in the courtyard. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$

Cafe Normandie — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The menu combines classic French dishes and Louisiana items like crab beignets with herb aioli. Sandwiches include po-boys, a muffuletta on flatbread and a burger. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner Fri.Mon. $$

The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — Dickie Brennan’s Commissary supplies his other restaurant kitchens and also has a dine-in menu and prepared foods to go. A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. The menu includes dips, salads, sandwiches, boudin balls, fried oysters and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$

Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya. There also are crab cakes, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, po-boys and more. Outdoor

$ — average dinner entrée under $10

$$ $11-$20

$$$ — $20-up

seating available on balcony. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dahla — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 766-6602; dahlarestaurant.com — The menu includes popular Thai dishes like pad thai, drunken noodles, curries and fried rice. Crispy skinned duck basil is prepared with vegetables and Thai basil. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes oysters served raw on the half-shell or char-broiled with with Parmesan, garlic and herbs. The menu also includes po-boys, po-boys, gumbo, blackened fish, fried seafood platters and more. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse. com — There’s a seafood raw bar with raw and char-broiled oysters, fish dip, crab fingers, shrimp and more. Redfish on the Half-shell is cooked skin-on and served with crab-boiled potatoes, frisee and lemon buerre blanc. The bar offers a wide selection of bourbon and whiskies. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$

Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — The menu includes a variety of steaks, plus seared Gulf fish, lobster pasta, barbecue shrimp and more. A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.Sat. $$$

El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — The menu includes tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, ceviche. tamales and more. Pescado Vera Cruz features sauteed Gulf fish topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers, served with rice and string beans. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$

Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 8140 Oak St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar jack cheese, black beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. The menu also includes tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, salads, rice and bean bowls with various toppings and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$

Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$

Kilroy’s Bar — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The all-day bar menu includes sandwiches, soups, salads, flatbreads and a couple entrees. A muffuletta flatbread is topped with salami, mortadella,

capicola, mozzarella and olive salad. No reservations. Lunch Fri.-Mon., dinner daily. $$

Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sharables plates like NOLA Tot Debris. A slow-cooked pulled pork barbecue sandwich is served with coleslaw on a brioche bun. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The selection of steak and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops. There also are burgers, salads, pasta, seafood entrees, char-broiled oysters and more. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$

Luzianne Cafe — 481 Girod St., (504) 2651972; luziannecafe.com — Boudin Benedict features two poached eggs over boudin and an English muffin, served with green tomato chow chow and hollandaise. No reservations. Delivery available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$

Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. The menu also has noodle dishes, teriyaki and more. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.Fri., dinner daily. $$

Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including chicken a la grande, shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and chicken cacciatore. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$

Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage like the Famous Ferdi filled with ham, roast beef and debris. Creole favorites include jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans and rice with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as shrimp Creole, seafood platters, po-boys, char-grilled and raw oysters, salads and more. Side items include carrot souffle, mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, sweet potato tots and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$

Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese and garlic butter, and other options include oysters Rockefeller and loaded oysters. The creative menu also includes seafood bread, a Cajun-lobster potato, wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, sandwiches, seafood pasta, loaded fries and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers cheese boards and appetizers to nosh with wines. The menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.- Sun. $$

Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 5231661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary Creole menu includes signature dishes like crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce. There also are steaks, pasta, a burger and Gulf seafood dishes. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$

Parish Grill — 4650 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 100, Metairie, (504) 345-2878; parishgrill.com — The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, pizza and sauteed andouille with fig dip, blue cheese and toast points. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$

Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — At brunch, braised short rib grillades are served over grits with mushrooms, a poached egg and shaved truffle. The dinner menu has oysters, salads, pasta, shrimp and grits, a burger, cheese plates and more. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$

Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. Crab beignets are made with Gulf crabmeat and mascarpone and served with herb aioli. No reservations. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$

Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 9343463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on the balcony. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$

Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 827-1651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes raw and char-broiled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys, fried chicken, crab and corn bisque and more. Redfish St. Charles is served with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $

The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — There’s a full coffee drinks menu and baked goods and beignets, as well as a full bar. The menu has flatbreads, cheese boards, small plates and a pressed veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

He made fast progress, and he’s been on late-night TV shows and was a content producer for “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.” He performs at 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at Sports Drink. Tickets $32.36 via sportsdrink.org.

July-teenth

The Descendants Project, a group working for racial and environmental justice in the River Parishes, hosts July-teenth in commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved people in St. John the Baptist Parish in July 1864. Organizers host events Thursday, July 17, through, Saturday, July 19, at Woodlands Plantation. There will be a panel discussion with descendants of Harriet Tubman on July 17, an exhibit about abolitionist women, and a festival on July 19 with speakers, Black Masking Indians, music and more. Find information at thedescendantsproject.org.

Alfred Banks

New Orleans rapper Alfred Banks celebrates his birthday on Saturday, July 19, with a show at Gasa Gasa. He’ll be joined by La Reezy, who recently has been catching some national attention, and gifted lyricist Kaye the Beast. Music starts at 9 p.m., and tickets are $19.29 via gasagasanola.com.

Ramona & The Holy Smokes

On their 2024 EP, “Til It’s Over,” Ramona & The Holy Smokes bring a modern outlook to classic country music. Influenced by genre icons like Patsy Cline and George Jones, singer-songwriter Ramona Martinez started the Charlottesville, Virginia, band to channel the “honky tonk angels,” as she calls her songwriting inspirations. The band is now working on a full-length album, and will play some new tunes at 9 p.m. Monday, July 14, at St. Roch Tavern. No cover. Find more info on Instagram, @strochtavern.

Barrington Levy

Barrington Levy started singing professionally in his teens in the 1970s in Jamaica and became an innovator of dancehall reggae. He’s still evolving, embracing hip-hop and world-beat sounds. At 8 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at House of Blues. Tickets $42.80 via ticketmaster.com.

Glow in the Oaks

City Park kicks off a new family-friendly event with a silent

disco, glow item giveaways and unlimited rides in the Carousel Gardens and Amusement Park. Admission also includes unlimited lemonade in color-changing cups, face painting, a glitter bar and more. Food vendors include Parker’s Pizza and Mo Fries food truck. At 6-9 p.m. Saturday, July 19. Tickets $35 via neworleanscitypark.org, and children under 36 inches get in free. Visit neworleanscitypark.org for information.

UFC 318

Mixed martial arts fighter Dustin Poirier, out of Lafayette, Louisiana, will try to notch his third victory against UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway at the Smoothie King Center. Being billed as Poirier’s retirement fight, it’s the top of a 14-fight card at UFC 318. Other big bouts include Paulo Costa versus Roman Kopylov, Kevin Holland versus Daniel Rodriguez, Michael Johnson versus Daniel Zellhuber and Dan Ige versus Patricio Pitbull. Preliminary fights begin at 5 p.m. and the main card starts at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 19. Find tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Broncho

Tulsa, Oklahoma-based indie rock band Broncho recently released its fifth album, “Natural Pleasure,” a record that blends hazy, lo-fi and garage rock. At 8 p.m. Sunday, July 20, at Tipitina’s.

The Tin Men

Sousaphonist Matt Perrine, percussonist and vocalist Washboard Chaz and guitarist Alex McMurray play Snug Harbor’s next free happy hour show on Wednesday, July 16. Music starts at 5 p.m. at the Frenchmen Street venue. Admission is free, and the set will be streamed on Snug Harbor’s facebook page. Find more at snugjazz.com.

Runnin’ Pardners

Normally, bassist and New Orleans funk legend George Porter Jr. leads the Runnin’ Pardners, but he’s taking a well-deserved vacation this July. So his band is holding down their normal Monday night gig at the Maple Leaf with a few guest bassists. On Monday, July 14, Runnin’ Pardners will be joined by Sam Price on bass for a set of Meters classics. Music starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $17 via mapleleafbar.com and $20 at the door.

MUSIC

FOR COMP L ETE M U SIC L ISTINGS AND MORE EVENTS TAKING P L ACE IN THE NEW OR L EANS AREA, VISIT CALENDAR.GAMBITWEEKLY.COM

To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com

MONDAY 14

30/90 — Margie Perez, 6 pm; Piano Man “G”, 9 pm

ALLWAYS LOUNGE Betsy Propane’s Smokeshow, 7 pm

APPLE BARREL — Mark Appleford, 6 pm

BACCHANAL Byron Asher, 6 pm

BAMBOULA’S — Jon Roniger & The Good For Nothin’ Band, 4:30 pm; Ted Hefko and The Thousandaires, 9 pm

BANKS STREET BAR Soul Food Song Share Hosted by Micah McKee, 8 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE — Red Beans and Blues with Washboard Chaz & Jonathan Freilich, 9 pm

BOURBON O BAR Kid Merv & All That Jazz, 8 pm

CAFE NEGRIL — Gumbo Funk, 7:30 pm

D.B.A. Secret Six Jazz Band, 6 pm; The Jump Hounds, 9 pm

DOS JEFES — John Fohl, 8:30 pm

HOLY DIVER — International & Irritational with DJ Chrischarge, 10 pm

MAHOGANY JAZZ HALL — Steve DeTroy, 6 pm; Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, 8 pm

THE MAISON — Brave Acorn Band, 6 pm; Gene’s Music Machine, 9 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR — “Who’s On Bass” Running Pardners with Sam Price, 8 pm

MRB — Ben Buchbinder, 7 pm

ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL Jazz Vipers, 9 pm

SANTOS BAR — Karaoke with Sunshine Edae, 9 pm

SATURN BAR Piano Night w BC Coogan, 8 pm

SPOTTED CAT — Jenavieve Cooke & The Winding Boys, 2 pm; Dominick Grillo & The Frenchmen Street All-Stars, 6 pm; Amber Rachelle & The Sweet Potatoes, 9:30 pm

ST. ROCH TAVERN — Rose Vaughn + Ramona & The Holy Smokes, 9 pm

TREME HIDEAWAY Big 6 Brass Band, 9 pm

TUESDAY 15

30/90 Tajh & The Funky Soles, 6 pm; Higher Heights, 9 pm

BACCHANAL — Tangiers Combo, 6 pm

BAMBOULA’S — Giselle Anguizola Quartet, 4:30 pm; Caitie B. & The Hand Me Downs, 9 pm

BAYOU BAR The OG’s, 8 pm; 10 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE — Bruisey’s Bottoms Up Open Mic, 9 pm

BOURBON O BAR — Shawan Rice, 8 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL The-Super-MostFantastic-All-Star-Band, 7 pm

CAPULET — Belinda Moody, 6 pm

D.B.A. — Miss Martha & Her Good Time Gang, 6 pm; Kid Chocolate & The Free P.O.C., 9 pm

DOS JEFES Mikayla Braun, 8:30 pm

THE GOAT — Ouija Macc’s Another Summer In Hell with Sinister + Terminal Tongue, 8 pm

HOLY DIVER — Axioma + Fiend Without a Face + Garguts, 9 pm

HOWLIN’ WOLF — of Montreal + Avery Island BCE, 8 pm

JAZZ PLAYHOUSE Amber Rachelle & Friends at The Jazz Playhouse, 7:30 pm

THE MAISON Jacky Blaire & The Hot Biscuits, 5 pm; Paradise Jazz Band, 8 pm

MAISON BOURBON JAZZ CLUB — Danny Rubio & The Catahoula Music Company w/ Jef Kreis, 8 pm

MRB — DJ Mr. Bubbles, 7 pm

NO DICE The Midnight Papers with STGMA, Caldwell, & Bipolaroid, 9 pm

OKAY BAR — Django Jazz + Red Beans with Bayou Manouche, 7:30 pm

THE RABBIT HOLE Rebirth Brass Band, 10 pm

ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL Trumpet Mafa, 6 & 9 pm

SALON SALON — Golden Compass Trio, 7 pm

SATURN BAR — Tashi Delay + Nail Club + Terror Pigeon + Pattern Fig, 9 pm

SPOTTED CAT Chris Christy Band, 2 pm; Sweetie Pies of New Orleans, 6 pm; Smoking Time Jazz Club, 9:30 pm

WEDNESDAY 16

30/90 Dapper Dandies, 6 pm; Pocket Chocolate, 9 pm

BACCHANAL — Jesse Morrow, 6 pm

BAMBOULA’S — Swingin’ with John Saavedra, 4:30 pm; The Queen & Friendz, 9 pm

BAYOU BAR Firm Roots, 8 pm; 10 pm

BLUE NILE — New Breed Brass Band, 9 pm

BRATZ Y’ALL — Captain Spalding & Dean Zucchero, 5 pm

BROADSIDE 16th Annual Creepy Fest ft. The Unnaturals + All In The Family + The Stumblers, 6 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL Jam-ilton, 8 pm

D.B.A. — Stephen Walker N’em, 6 pm; Lagniappe Brass Band, 9 pm

GASA GASA Glom and Drook with Cashier, 9 pm

HOLY DIVER Karaoke with Sunshine Edae, 9 pm

JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Big Sam’s Funky Nation, 7:30 pm

NO DICE — Across Phoenix + Shmoo + Badvril, 9 pm

ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL

Kermit Rufns, 8 pm; BAM JAM w/ Gene Black, 9 pm

SATURN BAR Bone Orchard + Rare Seed + Parallel Threads, 9 pm

TIPITINA’S — Wavves + Beach Goons + chokecherry, 8 pm

THURSDAY 17

30/90 — Decaturadio, 6 pm; Kayla Jasmine & The Experience, 9 pm

ALLWAYS LOUNGE Van Ella Bordella, 7 pm

BACCHANAL Raphael Bas, 6 pm

BAMBOULA’S — Felipe Antonio Quintet, 4:30 pm; Wolfe John’s Band, 9 pm

BAYOU BAR — Double Bird, 8 & 10 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE Crybabies, 9 pm

BLUE NILE — Irvin Mayfeld’s Music Church, 9 & 11 pm

BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — Reggae Night with DJ T-Roy, 11 pm

BMC — Spot Holders, 4 pm; The Budz, 8 pm

BOURBON O BAR — Audrey & The CrawZaddies, 8 pm

BRATZ Y’ALL Ron Hotstream & Dean Zucchero, 5 pm

CAFE NEGRIL Sunny Side, 6 pm; 8 pm; Armani Smith and Soul Ties, 10 pm

CAROUSEL BAR Leslie Martin, 5:30 pm

CARROLLTON STATION — Mahmoud Chouki & Friends, 8 pm

D.B.A. — Palmetto Bug Stompers, 6 pm; Colin Davis & Night People,10 pm

DOS JEFES — Mark Coleman Quartet, 8:30 pm

GASA GASA — Lifeguard + Autobahn + Doctors, 9 pm

JAZZ PLAYHOUSE Brass-AHolics, 7:30 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ The Soul Rebels, 11 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR Booker Piano Sessions with Ross Hoppe, 6 pm; Johnny Vidacovich, 8 pm NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MUSEUM Tiago Guy, 2 pm

THE RABBIT HOLE — Reggaeton Dance Night, 10 pm

ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL — Glen David Andrews, 9 pm

SALON SALON — Hanna Mignano, 7 pm

SANTOS BAR — Tainted Love 80’s Dance Night, 10 pm

SIBERIA — 16th Annual Creepy Fest ft. Suplecs + Hostile Apostle + Totem, 10 pm

VAUGHAN’S LOUNGE — Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet, 10:30 pm

FRIDAY 18

30/90 James Jordan & The Situation, 5 pm; Xcitement, 8 pm; Brass Flavor, 11 pm

30/90 UPSTAIRS DJ Torch, 10 pmBacchanal — Willie Green III, 7 pm

BAMBOULA’S The Rug Cutters, 11 am; Felipe Antonio’s Quinteto, 2 pm; Les Getrex & Creole Cookin’, 6:30 pm; Bettis & The 3rd Degree Brass Band, 10 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE Butte + Sleep Habits + Beat Up, 9 pm

BLUE NILE The Caesar Brothers’ Funk Box, 8 pm; Kermit Rufns & The BBQ Swingers, 11 pm

BMC — Jazz Band Ballers, 5 pm; John Lisi & Delta Funk, 9 pm

BOURBON O BAR — Mem Shannon Trio, 8 pm

BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL Dana Abbott Band, 6 pm; Dr. Sick & The Late Greats, 10 pm; Slapbak, 12 am

CARROLLTON STATION — Cortland Burke + Zachariah & The Kings, 8 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH — Paul Sanchez, 9 pm

D.B.A. Little Freddie King, 6 & 10 pm

DOUBLE DEALER Sean Riley, 9:30 pm

GASA GASA — Girl In A Coma + BS Machine, 9 pm

HOLY DIVER — Rik Slave’s DarkLounge Ministries, 8 pm; Filth Abyss with DJs Mange & Scythe, 10 pm

LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ — Billy’s Third

Dessert, 11 pm

THE MAISON — Nola Sweethearts, 4 pm; James Evans, 7 pm

NOLA BREWING — Sunpie & The Louisiana Sunspots, 7 pm

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ BAR Audrey & The CrawZaddies, 2 pm

NO DICE 16th Annual Creepy Fest ft. Classhole, Total Hell, Rade & More!, 8 pm

OKAY BAR — NOLA Secret Sesh, 4 pm

THE RABBIT HOLE Music for the Masses (Dark 80s New Wave Nite), 10 pm

REPUBLIC NOLA The Final Brat Night with DJ SNAXX, 11 pm

ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL

Stephen Walker N’Em, 6 pm; Big Easy Brawlers, 9 pm

SANTOS BAR DJ Tristan Dufrene, 10 pm

SIBERIA 16th Annual Creepy Fest ft. Flesh Parade, Morbid Torment, Ossacrux, 8 pm

TIPITINA’S Free Fridays ft. Flow Tribe + LeTrainiump, 9 pm

SATURDAY 19

30/90 — Jef Chaz Blues, 2 pm; Sugar & The Daddies, 5 pm; Tyler Kinchen & The Right Pieces, 8 pm; Hotline 11 pm

30/90 UPSTAIRS — DJ Dot Dunnie, 10 pm

ARORA — Must Die! with HEIZI + JABARI, 10 pm

BACCHANAL — Miles Berry, 7 pm

BAMBOULA’S Aaron Levinson & Friends, 11 am; James McClaskey & The Rhythm Band, 2 pm; Johnny Mastro Blues, 6:30 pm; Paggy Prine & Southern Soul, 10 pm

BANKS STREET BAR Vibe Tribe, 9 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE — Little Freddie King 85th Birthday Show, 9 pm

BLUE NILE — George Brown Band, 8 pm; Afrobeat NOLA, 10 pm

BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — The Next Level Band, 10 pm

BMC SpotHolders, 5 pm; Sierra Green & The Giants, 9 pm

BOURBON O BAR The Blues Masters, 8 pm

BROADSIDE A Taste of Africa Fest, 5 pm

CAFE NEGRIL — Kim & The Wind, 2 pm; Jason Neville Funky Soul Band, 6 pm; Higher Heights, 10 pm

CARROLLTON STATION — Parallel Threads + The Lilli Lewis Project, 8 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH A Summer Zydeco Evening ft. Sunpie & The Louisiana Sunspots + Jefery Broussard & The Nighttime Syndicate, 9 pm

DEW DROP INN — Jesse McBride, Gladney, Amina Scott & More, 12 pm

DOUBLE DEALER — Jenavieve Cooke, 9:30 pm

GASA GASA Alfred Banks + LA REEZY + Kaye The Beast, 9 pm

HOLY DIVER 16th Annual Creepy Fest ft. Reagan Era Rejects, The Chodes, STGMA, 6 pm

LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ Killer Whale, 11 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR — Krewe of Dreaux Annual Cancer Party, 9 pm

MRB — Micah McKee & Friends, 7 pm

NO DICE The Mar-Mars with Palmetto Slug, Fake Cofee Club & Cicada, 6 pm; Set de Flo, 10 pm

RABBIT HOLE My NextDoor Neighbor, 7 pm; Not That Innocent (2000s Dance Party), 10 pm

REPUBLIC NEW ORLEANS An Emo Night-Mare Before Christmas in July, 10 pm

ROOSEVELT HOTEL — Leslie Martin, 6 pm

ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL Glen David Andrews, 9 pm

SANTOS BAR — DJ Otto, 10 pm

TIPITINA’S The Low End Theory Players, 9 pm

TOULOUSE THEATRE — Tell Your Friends ft. MIDAS + J.A.M. Brass Band + Buddha Bellies, 9 pm

SUNDAY 20

30/90 — The Sleazeball Orchestra, 3 pm; Shark Attack!!, 6 pm; Manic Mixtape, 9 pm

ALLWAYS LOUNGE Sunday Swing, 8 pm

BACCHANAL — Noah Young, 7 pm

BAMBOULA’S — The Jaywalkers, 11 am; Laura Doyle Quartet, 1:15 pm; Midnight Brawlers, 5:30 pm; Les Getrex & Creole Cooking, 9 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE — James McClaskey & The Rhythm Band, 9 pm

BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm

BRATZ Y’ALL Johnny J & Dean Zucchero, 5 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL John Losi & Delta Funk, 4:30 pm; The Next Level Band, 9 pm

THE CHOLE — Charlie Gabriel & Joshua Starkman, 6:30 pm

D.B.A. — Treme Brass Band, 6 pm; Vegas Cola Band, 9:30 pm

DOS JEFES Captain Spalding, 8 pm

HOWLIN’ WOLF — Hot 8 Brass Band, 10:30 pm

NO DICE Sloth + Wenge + Mango + Pillow Kisser, 9 pm

THE RABBIT HOLE BLISS – House & Disco for your Soul, 10 pm

ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL — Chris Christy’s Quintet, 9 pm

SATURN BAR — George Brown Band, 9 pm

TIPITINA’S — Broncho, 8 pm

TAKEOUT and DELIVERY

MUSIC

NewAfrican Masquerades: Artistic Innovationsand Collaborations spotlightsthe work of four contemporaryartists working in citiesacross West Africa: ChiefEkpenyongBasseyNsa,Sheku “Goldenfnger” Fofanah, David Sanou, and Hervé Youmbi.

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Sinister Sixteen

by Jake Clapp

IN 2009, NEW ORLEANS MUSICIAN BILL HEINTZ and his friends organized the first Creepy Fest around a short film produced by their group, Terror Optics. “Creepy Dean,” about a guy who crashes and wreaks havoc on a hippie party, had a soundtrack stocked with local bands, and Creepy Fest came together to promote those groups. A dozen bands played the first year, split into three bills with a short film screening at each show.

That first Creepy Fest was a success, and as the annual punk, hardcore and metal festival grew into a multi-night event across multiple venues, screenings of short, locally shot films remained part of the fest for a while. But over the years, it’s an aspect that has become more irregular.

“Screening in bars, it’s just tricky. And some of the locations came and went, like Indywood and Big Top, places that would be set up to screen,” Heintz says. “But after a few times of trying to bring everything to screen at a bar — it’s a whole different set of headaches.”

The Broadside, though, with an outdoor screen and music stage has given Creepy Fest a space to again incorporate locally made movies. This year’s five-day festival kicks off with several bands and a screening of the horror movie “Amityvillenado.”

Now in its 16th year, Creepy Fest runs Wednesday, July 16, through Sunday, July 20, with more than 50 bands, ranging from punk and hardcore to surf rock, black metal, thrash and grindcore, at venues across New Orleans. The fest is presented by Heintz’s label Sheer Terror Records.

Bands All in the Family, The Stumblers and surf rock trio The Unnaturals open Wednesday’s shows at The Broadside before a screening of “Amityvillenado.” In the feature-length movie — written and directed by Paul Tucker, of the New Orleans ska punk band Joystick, and Jeff Van Gerwin — a tornado destroys the DeFeo House, site of “The Amityville Horror,” and absorbs a paranormal entity. A group made up of punk rockers, a meteorologist, a cop and a paranormal detective work to save the town of Amityville.

Creepy Fest moves to the Parisite Skate Park on Thursday for an all-ages generator show. New Orleans thrash and grindcore band Brat, just back from shows in Europe, will headline the lineup, which also includes Cemetery Frost, Dirty Rotten Snake in the Grass, Wizard Dick and more. The same night, stoner

play Creepy Fest on July 19.

metal band Suplecs headlines a show at Siberia with Hostile Apostle and Totem. On Friday, the fest is split between shows at St. Claude Avenue venues Siberia and No Dice. New Orleans grindcore band Flesh Parade headlines Siberia with Morbid Torment and a reunion show by thrash band Ossacrux. Over at No Dice, Classhole — which includes members of EyeHateGod, Clearlight and other bands — plays with Total Hell, Rade and What a Waste. And bassist Chris Fonseca’s band Chris’ Kitchen will play a tribute set to New Orleans ’80s hardcore band Shell Shock.

Creepy Fest on Saturday hosts 18 bands split among three venues along St. Bernard Avenue — and $25 gets attendees access to all shows. Richie Stotts, the co-founder and original guitarist for Plasmatics, will join Austin, Texas’ Tits Out for a set of Plasmatics and Wendy O. Williams music at The Goat. The lineup also includes Medicine Horse, Bondbreakr, Atomic Broad and more. Phoenix, Arizona, death metal band Eternal headlines Poor Boys with Herkleion, Writhings, Pale Misery and others. And Holy Diver will host touring bands Reagan Era Rejects, The Chodes and Gas Station Boner Pills. Creepy Fest ends Sunday in the lower French Quarter. Santos Bar hosts Profanatica, considered one of the first U.S. black metal bands, grindcore band Knoll, Tijuana metal band Unidad Trauma and more. Checkpoint Charlie has a show with The Pallbearers, Dang Bruh Y?, Donkey Puncher, My Neptune and others.

Admission is available at the door for all shows, and advance tickets for shows at the Broadside, Siberia and No Dice are available via their websites. Admission to the Parisite Skate Park show is $10 suggested donation.

Austin, Texas, band Tits Out will be joined by Plasmatics guitarist Richie Stotts when they

PROVIDED PHOTO BY BILL HEINTZ

Sheku

Fofanah, “Fairy” Masquerade Ensemble, 2022.

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PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE

CAPITAL ASSETS

By Frank A. Longo

80 The stereotypical pesky dude

82 Tramps (on)

83 Drink made from an Italian aperitif [France]

87 Seek the affection of 88 1,002, to Caesar 89 Download for a Nook 90 Boxing ref’s ruling

Ruler division 94 Nutmeg, e.g.

Young fellow 97 CIA missions, say 99 Brunch dishes with ham [Italy]

103 Here, in Arles 104 Adjust the pitch of 106 Horace’s “Ars --” 107 In the past, in the past 108 Alternative to venison [Togo]

111 Actress Gibbs of “The Jeffersons” 113 Laos locale 114 Disk in a hockey rink 115 What nine of this puzzle’s long answers have

Abound (with) 122 “Got it!” 123 Singer Janelle 124 “... and vice --” 125 To be, to Caesar

Ticked (off) 127 Makes flush

1950s Ford

worker) 18 Zesty chip dip 24 Just slightly 29 E-address

30 Big name in diagnostic blood testing

31 Added from the clipboard, as text

32 Goings-on

33 Window-wiping gizmo 35 Tchrs.’ org.

36 Silvery gray

40 “Refusing is not an option for me”

41 Old casino card game 47 Lunkhead 49 “Got it!”

52 Illegal hunter

53 Slapstick joke

54 Fold of puffy skin on the face

55 Deejay “Dr.” specializing in novelty songs

57 Outer edge

58 Storage box

59 Singer Sumac

60 Thing placed in the classifieds

63 Myrna of old films

64 Santa -- winds

65 Less lumpy, as mashed potatoes

66 Trial decisions

67 Most impudent 71 Ostrich’s kin 72 Novelist Tan 73 Long span

75 Pierre’s state: Abbr. 77 Theta lead-in

78 Cropped up

79 NYSE event

80 “Bad!” cluck

81 Parka part

83 Unmarried for religious reasons

84 Calculators with beads

85 Adjusts

86 Giving-up cry

87 “So what?!”

91 “-- got it!”

92 After taxes

93 Like Yalta residents

95 With ironed-in folds

98 Pastor’s platform

100 Org. fighting pollution

101 “Sorry, I’m in a hurry” 102 Singer Anthony

105 Pageant VIP

109 Stardom

110 Wrung (out)

112 Part of YOLO

116 Autumn mo.

117 Austin-to-Waco dir.

118 1040 org.

119 Suffix with Taiwan

120 Mineo of “Giant”

Speaking wildly

Mongrel mutt

Grande of pop, to fans

“-- and the Jets” (Elton John hit)

Email clutter

Kuwaitis, e.g.

Station with a sliding pole, maybe

-- (Big

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Lot425:AmericanRococo Rosewood Half Tester Bed, midto late 19th c.,Est .$3,00 0- $5,0 00

Lot473:After EtienneDumiage (French, 1830 -1888),“Avant Combat ,1792,”and “Apres Combat ,1792,”20thc., pair of largepatinated bronzesofsol diers, Est. $1,500 -$2,50 0

HundredTwent y- SevenPiece TowleSterling Dinner Service, 20 th c.,Est .$3,000 -$5,00 0

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Lot426:FrenchFrancoisLinke St yleOrmolu MountedMarble TopMarquetry Parquetr y Commode, early20thc., Est. $1,500 -$2,50 0

Lot301:Ted Gall (American/ California /Illinois,b.1941),“Face Facets,” 20 03,patinated bronze sculpture, Est. $8 00 -$1, 20 0

Lot351:FrenchSchool (18thCentury), “Portrait of FrancoiseGillonnede Mont morenc y, Duchess of Antin(1704 -1768),” oiloncanvas, Est. $1,0 00 -$2,00 0

Lot4 42:Ale xander John Dr ysdale (Louisiana ,1870-1934), “Louisiana BayouScene,” c. 1914 ,oil on artist board, Est. $2 ,0 00 -$4,00 0

Lot489:Louisiana Cast Iron SugarKet tle, earlytomid 19th c., Est. $1,500 -$2,50 0

Selectionof Jewelr yItems

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Heraldr y PolychromedFau xMarbleCabinets,

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Lot4 46:Clementine Hunter (American/ Louisiana, 1887-1988),“Untitled (Good andBad Angels),”c.1982,

Est.

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