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CONTENTS

JULY 20 — JULY 26, 2026 VOLUME 47 || NUMBER 29

NEWS Opening Gambit ............... 8 John Stanton...................13 Blake Pontchartrain......... 14 F E AT U R E S Arts & Entertainment ........ 7 Eat + Drink .....................19

It’s Beginning to Smell Like

FOOTBALL

Buy a BLACK & GOLD FOOTBALL or WALL DECOR to get signed for Training Camp and get a FREE SHARPIE!

Music listings .................. 29 Music ............................ 32 P H O TO BY B R E T T D U K E / T H E T I M E S- P I C AY U N E

The Money Issue There’s a host of ways to get financial support for small businesses in New Orleans. Here’s how to find them.

Going Out ...................... 33 Puzzles ......................... 35 C OV E R D E S I G N BY D O R A S I S O N

@The_Gambit @gambitneworleans

S TA F F EDITORIAL

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Editor | JOHN STANTON Arts & Entertainment Editor |

SANDY STEIN BRONDUM [sstein@gambitweekly.com]

WILL COVIELLO

Sales and Marketing Manager

Staff Writers | JAKE CLAPP,

ABIGAIL BORDELON (504) 636-7427 [abigail.bordelon@gambitweekly.com]

KAYLEE POCHE, SARAH RAVITS

Contributing Writer | IAN MCNULTY Podcast Producer | MADDIE SPINNER

CREATIVE Creative Director | DORA SISON

NEW ORLEANS GIFTS • LOCAL ARTISTS & DESIGNERS

Traffic Manager | JASON WHITTAKER

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Sales Representatives KELLY SONNIER RODRIGUEZ (504) 483-3143 [ksonnier@gambitweekly.com] CHARLIE THOMAS (504) 636-7438 [cthomas@gambitweekly.com] BENNETT GESTON (504) 483-3116 [bennett.geston@gambitweekly.com] ALYSSA HAUPTMANN (504) 483-1123 [alyssa.hauptmann@gambitweekly.com] LAUREN CUNNINGHAM (504) 636-7426 [lauren.cunningham@theadvocate.com]

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GAMBIT (ISSN 1089-3520) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY CAPITAL CITY PRESS, LLC, 840 ST. CHARLES AVE., NEW ORLEANS, LA 70130. (504) 486-5900. WE CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OF UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS EVEN IF ACCOMPANIED BY A SASE. ALL MATERIAL PUBLISHED IN GAMBIT IS COPYRIGHTED: COPYRIGHT 2026 CAPITAL CITY PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

‘Is It a Crime’ spree

Tales of the Cocktail

Bosco turns the world trans in ‘Miss Gender’ | by Will Coviello FANS OF “RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE” KNOW SEATTLE-BASED PERFORMER BOSCO FOR IMPERSONATIONS OF GWYNETH PALTROW, lip-syncing and more. She

also came out as trans while competing on the show’s 14th season. On her current summer tour, Bosco is drawing audiences into a supervillain universe of her own creation in “The Marvelous Miss Gender,” which comes to Civic Theatre on Tuesday, July 21. “The first generation of Bosco was very demonic,” says Bosco, the performing name of Blair Constantino. “I grew up Catholic, so I’d take demonic symbolism and send up where I came from. Over the years, she’s morphed into a seductress, a villainess. I love characters like Cruella de Vil. I love Elvira, and a lot of supervillains were super inspiring, like Michelle Pfeiffer as Cat Woman or Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy.” “The Marvelous Miss Gender” is its own theatrical universe in the vein of comic books and blockbuster superhero movies. Miss Gender is the archvillain in the show, and she even has her own theme song. “During the day, you may know me as Bosco, but by night, I’m the marvelous Miss Gender,” Bosco says, “a local girl who fell in a vat of radioactive estrogen and came out crystalized and ready to take over the world and turn everyone trans.” Miss Gender has an array of tools to change the world. “I have a giant trans ray,” Bosco says. “Think of the ice beam a la the ice ray in ‘Batman.’ ” Among the inspirations for “Miss Gender” are the villainous Poison Ivy and the giant ice ray operated by Mr. Freeze in the 1997 movie “Batman & Robin.” The movie starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, George Clooney as Batman and Alicia Silverstone at Batgirl. Far from the later, dark-edged “Dark Knight” thrillers from Christopher Nolan, director Joel Schumacher’s “Batman & Robin” was a wildly campy affair. “I was really hungover on a plane once, and one of the movies available to watch was Joel Schumacher’s ‘Batman’ (movies),” Bosco says. “I watched them and left feeling inspired. They were so campy and gay and stylish and funny and zany. Arnold goes ten toes down, he’s licking the paint off the set. I knew I needed to start writing a show that lived in a

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BOSCO

universe like that. Those movies are baked into the DNA of the show.” The show features plenty of burlesque and drag acts woven into the narrative, including a classic martini glass act and a reverse striptease act. Bosco started doing drag and burlesque in Seattle. She had grown up in Montana and both of her parents were musicians in U.S. Air Force bands. While she learned to play piano and clarinet, dancing was her main focus while growing up and eventually brought her to Seattle. There, she left the contemporary dance scene for the theatricality and razzle dazzle of backing up drag and celebrity impersonator acts. Then her love of horror blossomed in the alt scene. “The scene that I came out of and was originally being booked in was more of the alternative spooky, scary scene,” she says. “I would hide myself on stage for an hour while people were coming into the venue. Then the music would start playing, and I would emerge between everybody covered in blood and red lights and start lip-syncing Janet Jackson.” There’s also plenty of lip-syncing in “Miss Gender,” especially to music from the ’80s and early ’90s, and songs by Diana Ross, Teena Marie, Whitney Houston, Bonnie Tyler and more. There’s also music from Sade. “I love Sade,” Bosco says. “I like to joke that Sade made the transgender

national anthem. Every time a girl comes out as trans, she will eventually do ‘Is It a Crime.’ In several states, it is actually a crime, so we’ll have to keep asking.” The show has some other big influences as well. “I feel like the mother and father of freaks and weirdos and any drag queen with any sort of taste are Elvira and Pee-wee Herman,” Bosco says. “They have an unlimited well of things to mine. Pee-wee — I was inspired by his original stage shows. He built the Pee-wee Herman set onstage. It was a live thing you could go watch in L.A.” Bosco is joined by two dancers, and there are guest appearances via video interludes. There’s also a 15-minute opening performance by Irene the Alien, a drag star from Season 15 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Bosco and Irene were both on Season 10 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” last year. Together, they host the web series “Spell Slayers,” focused on the game Magic: The Gathering. The “Miss Gender” show is on a date-packed, two-month tour, and Bosco is having fun with the narrative about turning the world trans. “Conservatives, you’re right,” Bosco says. “We are trying to turn everybody trans, and you should stop us if you can. I am so sick and tired of waking up to a new headline blaming trans people for something that they didn’t do, and rather than getting too morose or maudlin about it, it’s like, let’s take the piss out of it. Let’s talk about it and make fun of it and talk about how absurd it is.” “The Marvelous Miss Gender” is at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, at Civic Theatre. Find information at dragfans.com. Tickets $56.95 and up via ticketmaster.com.

The annual Tales of the Cocktail is primarily a conference for bartenders, liquor brands, spirits writers, and tastemakers from across the globe. There are seminars, tasting rooms, parties and wellness events, as well as a spirits competition, the annual awards gala and more on July 19-24. This year, Tales has introduced a Tales Passport section, opening many of the events and curating special ones for cocktail enthusiasts and non-industry people. Events open to Passport participants include a dinner by collaborating Michelin-starred chefs, a cocktail studio series led by Uptown cocktail lounge Cure’s Neal Bodenheimer and spirits expert Francesco Lafranconi, and a Cocktail Omakase experience. Events take place at the Ritz-Carlton and many other venues. Visit talesofthecocktail.org for information.

PROVIDED PHOTO BY JOSEPH VIDRINE

X Games New Orleans

The MoonPay X Games League Competition features skateboarding, BMX, Moto X and more at the Caesars Superdome on July 24-26. There are 18 medal competitions spread over three days. There also is music by Metro Boomin and J.I.D. on Friday and Subtronics and BUNT on Saturday. Find tickets and information at xgames.com.

Lord Huron

The Los Angeles indie rock band Lord Huron became popular with tunes like the lush sounding “The Night We Met” from its 2015 album “Strange Tales.” On its 2025 release “The Cosmic Selector Vol 1,” the band reflected on aging, but is in no hurry to release a hinted-at second volume. The Army, The Navy, the folk pop duo of Loyola University New Orleans grads Maia Ciambriello and Sasha Goldberg, opens at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Tickets $60.39 and up via saengernola.com. PAGE 27

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NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS

If New Orleans ain’t that special, why are Republicans so obsessed with us?

# TC OH EU N T

T H U M B S U P/ THUMBS DOWN

Community Book Center, the Black-owned bookstore and local institution on Bayou Road, recently became a reporting bookstore for The New York Times Best Sellers list. The store’s sales data will now contribute to those rankings. Earlier this month, CBC and its founder Vera WarrenWilliams served as the Essence Festival of Culture’s official book partner. “Mama Vera” created the festival’s first book hub in 1995, and this was her first time partnering with the event since 2012.

43 THE NUMBER OF CONFIRMED CASES OF CYCLOSPORA IN LOUISIANA — THOUGH EXPERTS SAY THE NUMBER OF INFECTIONS IS LIKELY MUCH HIGHER.

Council Member Lesli Harris during an interview with John Stanton on The Get Down SCREENSHOT FROM THE GET DOWN

The Jacques Pepin Foundation, which supports community organizations teaching culinary and life skills, recently awarded a $10,000 grant to Cafe Hope in Gretna. The West Bank restaurant and coffee shop employs local teens and young adults and teaches them professional and personal skills.

“Human error” caused the pumps at the Sewerage & Water Board’s Marconi Drive station to be offline for 45 minutes while a thunderstorm poured over New Orleans July 11, bringing flooding to MidCity, Lakeview, Hollygrove and parts of Uptown. S&WB said an employee made an error involving a “vacuum system,” which impacted the station’s three pumps. A bonus blunder: Another S&WB location in Hollygrove also only had one of its two pumps working during the storm.

The parasitic intestinal infection, which causes explosive diarrhea and is caught by eating tainted produce, has been diagnosed across dozens of states in the U.S. at much higher rates than previous years. The surge in illnesses follows public health budget cuts and a lack of monitoring and other preventive measures against infectious diseases under the Trump regime.

New Orleans Council Member Lesli Harris says GOP leaders want to ‘take over New Orleans’ NEW ORLEANS COUNCIL MEMBER LESLI HARRIS HASN’T BEEN SURPRISED by Gov. Jeff Landry

and Attorney Liz Murrill’s public criticisms of city leaders in recent weeks as part of an escalating political fight. “I think that their whole tactic has been to sort of infiltrate New Orleans, and I think they’ve been very vocal about it,” Harris, who represents District B, told Gambit Editor John Stanton during a wide-ranging interview on The Get Down, adding “They’ve been very vocal about the fact that they want to take over New Orleans.” The full interview can be viewed on bestofneworleans.com. As examples, Harris cited Troop NOLA, the Louisiana State Police unit dedicated to New Orleans, and the Landry administration sending unhoused people to a warehouse ahead of the Super Bowl last year. Harris, who has taken the lead on housing issues in the city, publicly opposed the latter move, saying the money would

have been better spent on getting folks into permanent housing. Amid the escalating feud between city and state leaders, Mayor Helena Moreno last week pulled a $110 million bond sale request from going before the State Bond Commission, which Landry and Murrill sit on, due to a lack of support from commission members. Moreno said in a statement that she and her team had figured out an alternative way to fund city government amid the city’s ongoing financial crisis. But it will involve “unquestionably more painful” cuts, she said, including “an additional $20 million in mid-year reductions effecting City operations, public safety and essential services.” Harris, who chairs the council’s budget committee, said she didn’t think the council would furlough “any of our essential workers, including NOPD and anybody in public safety.”

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She said she supported some fee increases to bring in more money to the city, including raising nightly fees on short-term rentals and hotels, creating a $25 fee for riders on Carnival floats and implementing a special event fee for large scale public events. Harris said her husband, bar owner Jeff Bromberger, and other local hospitality business owners told her they did not see benefits from when the city hosted Super Bowl in 2025. “I do think that we lost a lot of money, and I’ve heard that from everyone, from my husband who is a bar owner to people who work at the bars. It’s like, where did the money go?” she said. Harris also touted the council advancing two new major developments in her district, a 1,000-room Omni headquarters hotel and the Rivana apartment complex, both of which will be near the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Both would get property tax breaks from the city for 45 years and 40 years respectively, which many residents have criticized.

Harris said she supported the Omni because it is supposed to bring conventions to the city and provide at least three years of good-paying construction jobs and at least 500 full-time jobs at the hotel. She said she believes the council is in a good position to negotiate healthy workplace requirements as well. The Rivana will contain 450 affordable units out of 900, which is why Harris said she’s been pushing for the larger River District project. Under the agreement, they’d have to keep those properties affordable for 40 years. “We don’t want to see another American Can (Company) where something is affordable for 10 years, and then all the people are shoved out on the street,” she said. Council President JP Morrell was the only one to vote against approving the Rivana tax break. Council Member Jason Hughes also asked some tough questions about it. When asked about some tense exchanges between her and Morrell at recent council meetings, Harris said the fights over policy aren’t

personal. She noted as a lawyer she was used to an environment where “we would fight in court one day and then go out for drinks the next day.” “Look, JP and I have known each other since law school, so he feels like a little brother to me. He was a couple years below me,” she said. “JP has said in our times of kumbaya that he is the flame and I’m the fuel. We both have sort of big personalities. He might be a little more vocal with his. I’m a little more not. But at the end of the day, I think that we all want whatever is good for New Orleans to happen.” Harris did not rule out running in 2029 for the citywide council seat that will be vacated by Morrell, saying she was weighing it. “Of course, there are options. There are other options.

LSU ticket stubs PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

We gotta see where we all are and where we land in the next three years,” she said. — Kaylee Poche

Of course StubHub CEO is also a massive ticket scalper IT TURNS OUT ERIC BAKER ISN’T JUST THE CEO OF TICKET RESALE SITE STUBHUB – he’s also a major

scalper, using his Andro Capital

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OPENING GAMBIT private equity company. He buys tickets to everything, from Taylor Swift shows and the New Orleans Jazz Fest, to major sporting events like the World Cup, in bulk to resale at massive markups on StubHub, according to documents filed with the Security & Exchange Commission. The CBC first reported the legal, though questionable, arrangement July 10. StubHub isn’t just about the greed. They’re helping the less fortunate too. According to its filings, the company has cut a deal with Colloquy Capital to help other bulk scalpers get financing to buy and resale tickets in bulk, according to the company’s filings. Colloquy is affiliated with Andro Capital, as is the natural course of corporatist procreation and wealth generation. All told, mass scalpers like Baker’s Andro Capital account for 70 to 80 percent of tickets sold on StubHub and other second hand sites. Which, given his company’s financial ties to other scalpers, means Baker is making a profit off of virtually every aspect of nearly every ticket sold on the site. In essence, Baker and his companies help create the need for a resale market by buying up tickets before consumers can, create a market place to facilitate resales and then make massive profits off not only the massive ticket markups they charge but also fees to use the market place and even it’s own nominal competitors through Colloquy’s loan program. Basically just your totally normal, late stage capitalism type behavior. The online ticket resale industry has recently come under fire for its practice of “allowing” scalpers to sell fake tickets to the World Cup, and is being investigated by several state attorneys general. In fact, its gotten so bad even Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is not known for having a zeal for policing massive corporations, is investigating. But it’s a practice that has plagued the entertainment industry for years. As Gambit has previously reported, resellers routinely sell tickets to unsold-out events in New Orleans for far above the face value, and is currently selling tickets to the 2027 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for upwards of more than $5,000. And it’s not just highly sought after events like Jazz Fest or the World Cup where consumers are getting fleeced. In 2024, Howie

AG Liz Murrill PHOTO BY JOHN BAL / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Kaplan, the owner of Howlin’ Wolf, told Gambit he’s had patrons for Hot 8 Brass Band’s weekly Sunday evening show pay “upward of $70 for a gig that should be $20” that never even sold out. When Gambit contacted StubHub for comment, the company gave us the same response it gave CBC: “This information has been fully disclosed in StubHub’s public SEC filings, and we don’t have anything to add beyond what is in those filings.” — John Stanton

AG Liz Murrill calls to remove NOLA judge from all state cases after he oversaw her indictment LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL LIZ MURRILL’S OFFICE WANTS TO REMOVE ORLEANS PARISH CRIMINAL COURT JUDGE LEON ROCHE

from dozens of cases he was previously scheduled to oversee, after Roche oversaw the grand jury that indicted Murrill on 16-counts of criminal charges for threatening public officials.

Murrill’s office July 13 filed 54 separate motions to recuse Roche from ruling on cases being prosecuted by her office, claiming his role in her indictment has compromised his ability to remain neutral in cases she is arguing before him. “He can’t be a neutral observer,” wrote assistant Attorney General Daniel Smart in a motion. The political battles between the city and state officials, including accusations of conflict of interest and bias in the courts, have been ongoing for months. After Calvin Duncan, an exoneree and former jailhouse lawyer handily won the Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal Court seat last fall, West Monroe Republican Sen. Jay Morris — at the behest of Gov. Jeff Landry — rushed through highly unusual legislation to eliminate Duncan’s seat just days before Duncan was set to take office. In separate legislation that plays into the power struggles, Republicans also moved to remove several judgeships from the bench in Orleans Parish. Morris’ new law forced Orleans Parish to combine its criminal and civil court clerk positions,

the latter of which is held by Chelsey Richard Napoleon. In response, New Orleans officials called for a special election, arguing that Napoleon was technically only elected to serve as the civil court clerk, not to represent both courts. Murrill then threatened to have them removed from office, alleging they were “usurping” Napoleon’s seat. The Louisiana Supreme Court sided with the Republicans on the matter of the new law, ruling that no special election would be necessary and that Napoleon could assume the consolidated court position. In a separate case in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, however, a local grand jury took issue with Murrill’s threats and moved to indict her on eight counts of malfeasance of office and eight counts of public intimidation. That grand jury process was overseen by Roche, who also signed Murrill’s arrest warrant and set her $400,000 bond. Roche also appointed a special prosecutor to the case, former judge Laurie White, citing a conflict of interest because current District Attorney Jason Williams is one of the officials Murrill had threatened to remove from office. The state Supreme Court stayed the indictment and arrest warrant and is widely expected to throw them out. All 12 New Orleans criminal district court judges, including Roche, recused themselves from Murrill’s criminal case July 8, and the Louisiana Supreme Court has since put the trial on hold. — Sarah Ravits

At six month mark, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno hopes to build on early steps to transform city services NEW ORLEANS MAYOR HELENA MORENO SAID PEOPLE THOUGHT SHE WAS CRAZY when she said

she wanted more control over the Sewerage & Water Board. After all, the agency has been under fire after an employee error over the weekend and other pump failures worsened flooding in the city. Meanwhile, its construction along Lower Decatur in the French Quarter has dragged on more than a year, causing several businesses to close. And that’s just this summer.

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“They were like, ‘Why would you want to take this on?’ ” she told Gambit Editor John Stanton on The Get Down in an interview about her first six months as mayor. “It’s like they felt like there was no real win in it and really no real political win in it.” But Moreno said she said there needed to be major changes to hold the troubled agency accountable. So she successfully got state lawmakers to change the law to give the city more power over it. “We keep doing things the same and expect different outcomes,” she said. “So I just wasn’t seeing a path for the Sewerage & Water Board to get better if we just did these like minor little revisions to who’s on the board.” According to the mayor, the board will become mostly “irrelevant” after Aug. 1, dealing mostly with personnel and human resources issues. Meanwhile, the city council will now have control over budget approvals, major contract approvals, oversight and more. Eventually, Moreno said she would like to see the agency become a city department. “Only time will tell” whether S&WB Executive Director Randy Hayman will stay on, she said.

The move is part of Moreno’s push to get the city to deliver on providing basic services, a promise central to her campaign, such as fixing the streets and repairing street and traffic lights. Under her leadership, the city has hired 22 people so far to replace the top layer of asphalt on the streets, with the goal of hiring 50 in this first phase. To fill those positions, she had to simplify the city’s hiring process, which involved taking it down from around 17 steps to five, she said. By the end of her first term, Moreno said she plans to hire 100 street workers. It’s part of a larger goal of bringing work in-house rather than hiring outside contractors, which costs more money. Her team has also fixed more than 1,600 street lights as of March 10, as part of her Lights On initiative. They’ve also made significant process in digging the city out of the financial mess left by previous Mayor LaToya Cantrell. That includes the deal they made to sell the city’s lease rights to the Caesars Casino at a discounted rated for nine years in exchange from an upfront cash payment of $103 million.

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The city has invested much of that money with Louisiana Asset Management Pool and is earning a 3.72% return. “Whatever we were going to lose, we now make up over the next nine years,” Moreno said. She estimates the city will be out of the budget crisis sometime next year. Even if it’s the end of next year, that will still be a year or two ahead of what Louisiana Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack originally predicted. “We knew we had to get in here immediately and really start just grinding,” she said. Moreno cited many accomplishments that she’s been able to make despite the city’s financial crisis and said her team is working “with urgency.” Still, the mayor acknowledged that budget constraints have made progress slower than she would like, given that she knows the “people of New Orleans have waited long enough” on quality-of-life issues. “I wish that I could just flip a switch and get everything totally set,” she said. “I hear from people still all the time, it’s like,’ ‘Helena, you’ve been there six months, and my street’s still not done.’ And I’m like, ‘Look, just give it a moment. We will be getting to you.’ I would just ask for the people of New Orleans, just at this moment, just manage your expectations.” Moreno said she’s had to temper her own expectations as someone who puts a lot of pressure on herself and doesn’t consider herself “a very patient person.” She also said she underestimated how much more she would be in the public eye as mayor than in her former roles as council member, state legislator and TV reporter. “It is such a big shift and change,” she said. “Like your life is no longer your own.” The mayor also spoke to the fighting between city leaders and state leaders surrounding the elimination of the city’s criminal clerk of court seat, which was set to be

Mayor Helena Moreno PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

held by Calvin Duncan, a wrongfully convicted Black man. The dispute already resulted in Moreno pulling a bond sale request that was set to go before a state commission, which Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill sit on. Moreno said the attacks were part of a larger trend happening in other blue, often majority-Black cities in red states where Republican state leaders are trying to strip power away from local Democratic leaders. She cited Jackson, Mississippi, and Nashville, Tennessee, as other examples. She said the city will continue trying to fight these kind of moves in court. Moreno also noted that tensions between state and New Orleans leaders “ebb and flow” but predicted they’ll ease up. “We are very powerful because we are an iconic city that is beloved not only across the state of Louisiana but across the country and across the world,” she said. “And to hurt the most iconic city in the state of Louisiana — the most recognizable city in the state of Louisiana — ultimately hurts the state of Louisiana.” — Kaylee Poche

Mayor Helena Moreno at the six month mark AS MAYOR HELENA MORENO’S ADMINISTRATION MAKES SIX MONTHS OLD,

news outlets (including Gambit, see page 10), Moreno supporters and, of course, her detractors are taking stock of her early efforts— and in some cases trying to draw conclusions about the administration’s future. Predictions in politics are always tricky, but here in New Orleans that’s especially true. After all, at the six-month mark of former Mayor Ray Nagin’s time in office, he was still seen as an ethical breath of fresh air, and certainly nobody would have guessed he’d ultimately end up in jail for corruption. Measuring success is a little easier — normally. You can look at what a mayor promised as a candidate versus what they’ve done, their missteps, the unexpected successes and the like. But for Moreno that’s not really possible, thanks to circumstances largely out of her control, most notably the collapse of the city’s finances between her election and when she formally took office and the growing tensions between New Orleans and state leaders in Baton Rouge. Still, there are some conclusions you can draw about the Moreno administration, including that given the hand she was dealt, Moreno has done about as good a job as can be expected in her first six months. Has Moreno’s first six months been splashy? No. In fact, aside from the fight Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill are waging on her — and by extension the entire city of New Orleans — they’ve been downright, well, boring. But that’s not a bad thing. New

Orleans endured years of near constant turmoil and controversy under former Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Some of that, of course, wasn’t her fault. But a lot of the chaos was partially, as in the case of the bungled handling of the Hard Rock collapse, or completely a direct consequence of Cantrell’s actions. So a period of relative quiet during which residents don’t have to keep track of where their mayor is or with whom she’s travelling is frankly well deserved. Secondly, there’s the fact that almost immediately after Moreno’s election last fall, the Cantrell administration essentially threw a grenade into her office when it announced the city was broke. Not only could the city not make payroll through the end of the year without action, but the next administration would face massive budget shortfalls for the foreseeable future. And to make matters worse, Cantrell essentially ghosted the city before her term even expired, forcing Moreno into the role of de facto mayor as she and the city council scrambled to stave off Landry’s first attempt at taking over the city. Any plans for big, bold moves in her first six months went out the window months before she officially took office. Even the most modest plans Moreno may have had to expand services, speed up infrastructure projects and reverse the flow of New Orleanians out of the city were basically put on hold, potentially for years. Still, her administration has been making progress on several fronts.

Greg Feirn, CEO of LCMC Health, Congressman Troy Carter and Mayor Helena Moreno Photo by Sophia Germer / The Times-Picayune

Mayor Helena Moreno PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Street lights in every part of town that have been dark for years are coming back on. Potholes are starting to be filled. She’s finally begun reversing the disastrous privatization policies of the Cantrell and Landrieu administrations which robbed the city of skilled workers and untold millions in uncompleted or poorly done infrastructure repairs. Violent crime remains at historic lows. And this spring, Moreno and the council successfully wrested much of the oversight authority and control over the Sewerage & Water Board back from the state. The mayor has also been instrumental in lighting a fire under the board’s collective asses to have some measure of urgency when it comes to its disastrous Lower Decatur construction project and has been working to help affected small businesses find some relief. Critics have pointed to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani as an example of a young, bold leader making huge changes to his city. But New York and New Orleans are nothing alike. New York wasn’t facing a crippling budget crisis, for one. Likewise, Mamdani doesn’t have to contend with a state government run by far-right conservatives who seem to actively want the city to fail. Even at a practical level, Moreno is faced with a different reality: New Orleans doesn’t have a surplus of billionaires who can be taxed nor the legal authority to do things like impose a freeze on rent. Has everything been good? Of course not. While the city has for now put the kibosh on building a data center in New Orleans East, Moreno has made clear she’s open to working with the tech oligarchs

running roughshod over the country. Moreno also seems resigned to Landry’s long-term occupation of the city by the state police, and to a lesser extent the National Guard. Similarly, the police department’s expanded use of drones to surveil citizens is a further, utterly unnecessary erosion of our privacy, one that will surely end up being used to target Black and brown people. Flooding during rainstorms remains a huge problem, the city’s streets are still a mess and blight continues to be a problem. Unfortunately for Moreno, the grace period most people are willing to give a new administration is pretty much over, and it couldn’t come at a more difficult time. Starting in August, the city will largely be in charge of S&WB, meaning that she’ll fully own every flood, every pump failure and every boil water advisory. Potentially more problematic is the fact that Landry and Murrill seem dead set on a long-term siege of the city to, as Landry has said, bring New Orleans “to heel.” So not only can Moreno not look to the state for help — she can expect nothing more chaos and resistance from Landry, Murrill and the legislature. The relative lack of drama, her adept handling of the budget crisis and her steady, incremental approach to infrastructure should rightly buy Moreno some additional time. And residents will likely rally round her if the fight with Baton Rouge really does turn into an all-out war. But at some point, they’ll also start asking what they’re getting out of the deal — and whether years of modest progress are worth it.

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Hey Blake,

I’ve passed it many times and am curious about the tribute to cancer survivors located downtown across from the Hyatt Regency. What can you tell me about it and the artist or artists involved?

Dear reader,

THE RICHARD AND ANNETTE BLOCH CANCER SURVIVORS PLAZA IN THE 600 BLOCK OF LOYOLA AVENUE is one of 25 such parks and

plazas across the country funded by the Blochs’ foundation. “Of all our parks, New Orleans was my favorite,” Annette Bloch told The TimesPicayune in 2013. The Kansas City couple was fond of New Orleans, having enjoyed several vacations here. In 1978, Bloch, the co-founder of H&R Block Inc., was diagnosed with lung cancer and told he had just three months to live. He successfully battled the disease, living another 26 years, and he and his wife set out to help improve the lives of others facing cancer. The New Orleans Cancer Survivors Plaza was dedicated in 1995, with major support from the Blochs’ foundation as well as local private and public donors. Leading the effort were Florence Schornstein, then the superintendent of the city’s Department of Parks and Parkways, and founder of its affiliated nonprofit, Parkway Partners. Other key players were local artist Brian Borrello, Austin, Texas architect Miosav

‘Cancer...Theres Hope’ is a sculpture by Victor Salmones at The Richard & Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza. PHOTO BY KATHLEEN FLYNN / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Cekic and the New Orleans-based Gootee Construction. The plaza features personal statements from local cancer survivors and bronze life-sized sculptures of men, women and children walking through square frames, symbolizing their passing through adversity. A triumphal arch is decorated with glazed tiles Borrello fashioned from the drawings of children with cancer. A fountain area leads into the plaza, which also features 14 monolithic columns rising 27 feet above the street. According to a 2013 Times-Picayune article, the columns represent different cultures, including a Middle Eastern minaret-style one, a Native American totem pole and Borrello’s New Orleans column complete with wrought iron, Mardi Gras doubloons and musical instruments. Each column is inset with inspirational messages from cultures around the world. The park was refurbished in 2013 after suffering significant damage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

BLAKEVIEW IN HONOR OF NATIONAL JUNK FOOD DAY (JULY 21), we trace the history of a sugary soft drink known across the South and first bottled here in New Orleans: Grapico. The grape-flavored, purple carbonated soft drink was first bottled and distributed in 1914 by New Orleanians Adolph and Isidore Grossman, proprietors of a Magazine Street business called J. Grossman’s Sons. A July 1915 Times-Picayune ad described the drink as “made only from selected grapes,” “deliciously refreshing and thirst quenching” and “guaranteed absolutely pure.” Other early ads claimed that the drink was made with pure grape juice, sugar and no artificial coloring or preservatives, although the Federal Trade Commission later nixed many of those claims. By 1916, Grapico’s popularity began to grow across the South, particularly during Prohibition. It was sold to the Pan American Manufacturing Company of New Orleans but became even better known in Alabama. That’s where Birmingham businessman R.R. Rochell purchased syrups from the Grossmans to bottle and distribute the drink. He later received the federal trademark and rights to the Grapico name. Buffalo Rock, the present distributor, purchased the Grapico name and formula in 1981.

15 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M > J U LY 2 0 - 2 6 > 2 0 2 6

Here’s how New Orleans area entrepreneurs can find funding for the next big thing BY JOHN STANTON | GAMBIT EDITOR

Editor’s note: Emy Foster is the child of former Gambit Publisher Jeanne Exnicios. EMY FOSTER AND CHARLIE KEHLENBACH knew they wanted to be entrepreneurs. They just weren’t sure what sort of business they wanted to start. While for previous generations “small business owner” probably ranked well below professional athlete, doctor, computer wiz or astronaut on the list of dream jobs for kids, Foster says it’s an increasingly common goal for younger members of Gen Z and Alpha. Whereas in the past the process of opening a business seemed like a monumental task, “I think it’s social media desensitizing people to it,” Foster says. Between influencers making their lives a literal business to people promoting their fledgling ventures, social media “really puts it into your brain that you can do anything, start your own business.” So Foster and Kehlenbach decided last June to participate in the Tulane Innovation Institute’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy, a 30-week program that helps young people develop potential businesses, from the initial dream through their pitch to investors. The two 17-year-old Ben Franklin High School students quickly settled

on an idea: their shared love of golf. “It was an honestly ‘ah-ha!’ moment ... we just kind of fell in love with the idea,” Foster says. At the end of the program, Foster and Kehlenbach pitched their idea — a mobile golf simulator business for parties and other events — to a panel of judges. Not only did they win the $1,500 first place prize, but they also caught the eye of an executive from i.invest, a local organization that helps provide seed money to start ups, who also agreed to help fund their idea. Less than a year later, the two successfully launched ParTee, the mobile golf simulation venture, and have started booking clients. Over the last several years, the Tulane Innovation Institute’s academy has helped a host of young people not only develop ideas for businesses, but crucially they’ve helped them secure investments to make them a reality. The academy has helped launch “bakers to mobile golf simulators, and it’s really exciting to watch the confidence of our young entrepreneurs,” says Sharon Goldsmith, Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs at the institute. And it’s not just young people who can find help securing funding. Goldsmith argues that New Orleans is in something of a renaissance moment when it comes to small business startup and development. In addition to the Institute, there are several other programs and organizations in the

city, many of them free, which can help fledgling business owners get off the ground. “New Orleans and Louisiana as a state are doubling down on innovation and entrepreneurship ... we have more venture capital and early-stage investment funds in town than ever before,” Goldsmith says. There are a ton of steps between having an idea and turning it into a business. The rise of AI tools is making things like writing a business plan, creating a website and preparing a pitch deck easier, helping remove some of the hurdles to starting a small business. But finding investors — and convincing them to give you money — very much remains a human experience, and one a lot of people can’t crack. Banks are an option, but they can be risk adverse to the point many first time entrepreneurs can’t get past an initial meeting. You can try and crowdsource funding from friends and family. But most of us don’t have social circles swimming in money, especially these days. Plus, mixing money and family is never a great idea. But that doesn’t mean finding funding isn’t possible. In fact, there’s an increasing number of opportunities to get financing locally — if you know where to look. Goldsmith and others say one of the best ways to find funding is to simply get out there and start meeting other entrepreneurs. “Being an entrepreneur can be lonely,” she says.

Participating in pitch contests and other programs can be nerve-racking, particularly if you don’t already have financial backing. “The scariest moment was that pitch. It was make or break because without that money we wouldn’t have had enough money ... building a golf simulator is expensive,” Foster says. But Foster argues the competitions are worth it, even if you don’t end up taking home a prize. Like with ParTee, you may end up catching the eye of an investor in the audience. And at a bare minimum they help novices learn not only how to build a business but the language of business, which can be inscrutable for outsiders. “At the beginning of each class they’d go over vocab terms ... we’d write it down on a sheet and the lesson would go from that ... they eased us into it,” Foster explains. Having that language skill may not seem important, but it can help show you’re serious about what you’re doing. In the New Orleans area, a number of groups host regular meet-ups and happy hours designed to not only bring entrepreneurs together, but also to connect them with investors. Launched in 2022, StartupNola provides a host of services, including identifying funding sources for entrepreneurs. There’s also now a StartupNorthshore and StartupStBernard. While the word “startup” these days is mostly associated with the tech industry, the group’s scope is much wider. PAGE 17

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PAGE 15

For instance, their July meetup featured a “fireside chat” with members of Boot64 investment group and the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission where they discussed the parish’s new $4.2 million food and beverage incubator in the Churchill Technology & Business Park. The organization also holds regular happy hours and other events. On Sept. 22, the organization is hosting a “meet the VCs” event to help connect start-ups with investors. StartupNoirNola is specifically targeted toward Black entrepreneurs and business owners in the New Orleans area. They also hold regular happy hours and meetups. Likewise, Idea Village’s IDEAfuel is specifically designed to help provide early funding resources to Black and other minority entrepreneurs in the region. Successful applicants can receive $15,000 in funding and one-on-one mentorship, as well as workshops and other assistance. “Coming to StartupNola events and meeting other entrepreneurs is really important to building a peer network,” Goldsmith says. She notes that even if you don’t necessarily meet a funder who’s interested in backing you, they may know someone who is. There are a number of local organizations specifically designed to help get businesses off the ground. GNO, Inc., of course, provides a host of resources. Business and tech incubators like Propeller, the Idea Village and The Beach at UNO are also great resources. For instance, Idea Village recently announced this year’s Metronome, a 12-week mentorship program for

“music and culture technology” startups. According to Idea Village, participants “receive dedicated mentorship from industry experts, specialized workshops, highly curated coaching sessions, access to coworking space for the duration of the cohort, worldclass pitch coaching, and ongoing peer connection opportunities.” Applications are due Aug. 26. Held each March, New Orleans Entrepreneur Week is an annual event put on by Loyola University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development. Local business incubators like the Idea Village and The Beach at UNO, GNO, Inc., Tulane’s Innovation Institute, Xavier University’s Entrepreneurship Institute and other start-up groups help put on the weeklong event. In addition to lectures and classes on everything from planning your business to finding investment, NOEW provides a ton of networking opportunities. One of the marquee events of NOEW is The Loyola Summit, a twoday event at Loyola University that features panel discussions, workshops, networking events and classes. It is also a great way to connect with potential funders. Tulane University also offers a number of other programs designed to help members of the community in starting up their own businesses. The Young Entrepreneurs Academy, which is open to high school students in the region, is accepting applications through the end of July for its next session beginning in September. The 30-week program helps high school

ParTee founders Charlie Kehlenbach and Emy Foster at an event PHOTO PROVIDED BY TULANE INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY

students come up with business ideas, conduct market research, build a business plan and develop a pitch, culminating in a competition for $4,500 in prizes. Tulane’s annual Open Season Pitch Competition is open to the entire community and is currently accepting applications for this year’s competition through Aug. 17. All applicants are eligible for mentorships as well as a number of other services through the Innovation Institute, including business model development and how to conduct market research. Ten finalists will present their early-stage pitches Sept. 15. First place winners will take home $3,000. Tulane also will hold a free Startup Sprint Bootcamp Sept. 25, which is open to the public. The bootcamp covers a number of topics, including legal issues with starting a business, how to

develop an idea into a business, finding financing, how to introduce your business into the market and more. In addition to free one-on-one ad hoc mentorships, the university also offers a free eight-month Startup Team Mentoring program to the public. Participants receive mentoring from three to four Tulane alumni from around the country. By linking local entrepreneurs with mentors outside the region, Goldsmith says the program can help participants expand their network of contacts outside of New Orleans, which in turn can widen their potential market for their product or service. The university also conducts a $50k Demo Day during NOEW for entrepreneurs that have participated in the school’s mentorship programs.

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A recent StartupNola entrepreneur meetup

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Right time, right place

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Good Time Sushi returns to Gentilly | by Beth D’Addono

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

RESTAURANTS WEREN’T THE FIRST LINE OF BUSINESS for Anna Hong

and her husband Wenji Zhong. But after moving to the U.S., they eventually learned the ropes and in 2009 ultimately opened their own place, Good Time Sushi, in Gentilly. Good Time Sushi was shuttered during the pandemic, but now they’re back with a bigger, better space and menu of sushi and hibachi grilled items. When Hong and Zhong immigrated to New Orleans from southern China in 1994, they had four kids under the age of 8. “My husband had his own manufacturing business in China,” Hong says. “But here we are first generation, with the language barrier. We wanted things to be better for our kids. We didn’t have an education here.” Local relatives encouraged them to settle in New Orleans. They had to find new careers, and like many immigrants, they used kitchen jobs as a path to making a living. “We started at the bottom and kept learning,” Hong says. Her husband is the chef in the family, trained in both Chinese and Japanese dishes after working in the kitchen and sushi bar at Shogun. They opened their original restaurant in 2009 in a tiny, ramshackle building that they bought after Hurricane Katrina. “We just bought the building because so many properties were for sale after Katrina,” Hong says. “We weren’t sure what we were going to do.” When they looked around the neighborhood, there were no Japanese restaurants. “We thought, maybe that would work,” she says. It worked until 2021 when the pandemic forced them to close. Then Hurricane Ida damaged the building, and the couple decided to tear down the structure and build a bigger, more modern space. The ribbon cutting was on June 8. Hong credits City Council Member Eugene Green with helping them navigate the complicated building and

Kira Omakase opening soon

THESE ARE HEADY TIMES FOR SUSHI LOVERS IN NEW ORLEANS, with both upscale

Wenji Zhong and Anna Hong opened Good Time Sushi. PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER / GAMBIT

“Our customers started with sushi by eating rolls with cooked ingredients,” Hong says. “Then they kept trying more.” Another popular choice is the signature Good Time roll with raw salmon, snow crab, eel sauce and a scattering of tobiko. The Volcano roll includes crab stick, avocado, snow crab and spicy tuna. As guests came to expect, prices are affordable, quality is consistent and creative specials add variety to the menu. At a time when it’s easy to spend $50 on lunch, having a designated lunch menu in the $15 range is welcome, especially when it comes with friendly service. Takeout, which was always a big part of the business, now accounts for at least 50% of all orders. In the new restaurant, there is room for a dedicated station for these orders at the bar. “I’d say we have almost 90% of our regulars back,” Hong says. “I love my customers so much. They are so happy to see us. It makes me cry.”

permitting process. “We are still waiting for our liquor license,” she says. In New Orleans, high-end omakase restaurants are trending, like Sushi by Us, Kenji Omakase, and the forthcoming Kira Omakase with Austin chef Yoshi Okai. In some cases, like the Japanese-owned Koru in the Lower Garden district, menus change with the latest shipment of fish flown in from Japan. An expensive chef’s tasting menu in a high-end setting is the antithesis of what Good Time Sushi brings to the table. At this friendly spot, the setting is welcoming but basic. They previously offered hibachi cooked food from the kitchen, but the new space has four large chef’s hibachi tables, each seating eight guests. Chefs cook meat, seafood, vegetables and fried rice to order, served with a sense of fun and performance, an experience popular with families and groups. The menu’s oversized special rolls are popular, like the Crazy Dog, made with tempura-fried shrimp, snow crab, cream cheese and salmon.

? WHAT

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5315 Elysian Fields Ave., (504) 345-2875

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Good Time Sushi returns to Gentilly with big, new space

options and casual restaurants offering an increasingly robust variety of fish. Now, a chef who’s had a hand in guiding modern American sushi culture will lead a forthcoming restaurant in the Warehouse District. It promises to up the ante with a high-end omakase experience and special events, including whole tuna breakdowns. Yoshi Okai is well-known in the sushi world for his decades at Japanese restaurants in Austin, Texas. In 2017, he was named to the Food + Wine national list of Best New Chefs. He moved to New Orleans this spring and is now executive chef and partner at the new Kira Omakase at 601 Tchoupitoulas St. This is a distinct restaurant of its own found inside Kira, the high-style Mediterranean/Japanese restaurant opened late in 2025 by local restaurateur Billy Blatty. He recruited Okai for the omakase concept after eating at his Austin restaurant Okoto.

Yoshi Okai leads Kira Omakase. PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Kira Omakase is slated to open in August, with finishing touches now being completed. The omakase, or a chef-guided set menu meal, will be served at a 12-seat counter and will change with the seasons. Expect about 20 courses, including about 15 different pieces of nigiri and other dishes. The omakase will be priced around $175 per person, with sake pairings available. Okai has worked at and led sushi bars in Austin that rank among the most influential in the U.S. That includes the long-running sister restaurants Uchi and Uchiko. For the past decade, he led Otoko, the 12-seat restaurant where he prepared every bite and PAGE 20

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orchestrated the music and vibe for an immersive omakase experience. The chef announced his departure, and Otoko closed last spring, news that was bemoaned by Texas sushi aficionados. The magazine Austin Monthly lamented the loss of “one of Austin’s best culinary talents.” Austin’s loss could be New Orleans’ gain. Heavily inked with tattoos, Okai exudes a frenetic personality and a punk rock aesthetic. The Kyoto native is a punk vocalist who was first drawn to Austin for its music scene. He still compares his passion for sushi with his love of music. “You have to have your own style or you’re stuck,” he said in an interview at Kira Omakase. “You have to keep changing what you do, but keep a style so people know it’s your food.” In Austin, Okai was known for bringing elements of local food culture into his omakase, like charcoal and salts from the region’s Hill Country barbecue. He hinted a similar approach could be in the works with Louisiana ingredients. Within Kira, Kira Omakase will be a multifaceted restaurant with its various spaces revealed by a progression of sliding doors. The sushi counter is the heart of Kira Omakase, though the chef won’t fill all seats at once. Staggered seatings mean more immediate service as sushi is prepared and handed over the counter, crucial with Okai’s approach, and it invites more interaction with the chef himself. Kira Omakase will eventually add an a la carte menu served at tables around the sushi counter. There is a private dining room seating up to 20, and a lounge that will be the venue for tuna breakdowns. Popular in other cities, these special events are a combination of butchery demonstration and feast as chefs bring in a large tuna, upward of 200 pounds, and cut it into pieces for attendees to eat directly from the bone. Okai expects to host these events about once a year. Kira opened late in 2025 with a menu that is part Greek and part Japanese and a setting that feels like a taverna with neon-trimmed nightlife vibes. The bar glows, the room curves around coves of tables, and a DJ sets the beat later in the night on weekends. Blatty’s hospitality company also runs the attached club Ohm Lounge and the nearby Italian restaurant Sofia. In addition to Okai, Blatty has been hiring more local talent behind the scenes. That includes director of operations Hadi Ktiri, previously of Four Seasons New Orleans and the Windsor Court; Josh Adamo, a chef consultant who was previously chef de cuisine at Emeril’s Restaurant in

PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

its new tasting menu era; and general manager Zehava Lunin, previously of the Windsor Court and Antoine’s. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Hubig’s summer flavors ARE YOU A LEMON HUBIG’S PIE GUY OR MAYBE A PINEAPPLE GIRL? The fried-

and-iced hand pies are a New Orleans staple that can inspire loyalties along with cravings. Soon, two more flavors will be available for a limited time. Hubig’s has a pair of seasonal summer flavors in the works, and the Uptown music club Tipitina’s has a party planned around one of them. First up, Hubig’s collaborated with local brand PJ’s Coffee for its new mocha hand pie. The filling is a blend of Hubig’s chocolate pie and PJ’s cold brew. This mocha pie hit stores along with normal Hubig’s deliveries starting July 13. It will have a short production run of just two weeks. In late July, Hubig’s will bring back banana, one of its muchmissed flavors, for a limited run. It’s the first time banana has returned since 2012, the year a fire destroyed the original Hubig’s factory in Faubourg Marigny and led to a decade-long drought for the New Orleans staples. Banana pies are slated to hit stores on July 27, the anniversary of the fire. Tipitina’s (501 Napoleon Ave.) hosts a release party on July 25, with samples of Hubig’s banana pie and music from Big Chief Juan Pardo & The Golden Comanche and Dave Jordan & The NIA. Admission is free, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and bands beginning at 8 p.m. There will be a Savory Simon costume contest (the baker logo emblazoned on Hubig’s wrappers). Tipitina’s makes a fitting venue for a banana pie party with a partially-peeled cartoon banana as part of its logo, a vestige from the early days in the 1980s when it had a juice bar. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

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Kapri Robinson

THE #1 DRINK IN NEW ORLEANS!

Bartender

whatever. They come together at big conferences. There’s a group specifically for Tales of the Cocktail and those different events. During the year, our two main things are our Future Giants competition and events during Tales of the Cocktail.

by Will Coviello KAPRI ROBINSON FELL IN LOVE WITH THE BAR AND RESTAURANT INDUSTRY FROM THE START and quickly won com-

petitions and titles like D.C. Cocktail Queen. She also competed on Netflix’s bartending competition “Drink Masters.” She founded Chocolate City’s Best as a bartending competition for Black and Brown bartenders, and it has become a year-round platform for networking and advancement. She also is a bartender at Washington, D.C., hotel bar Allegory, which won an award for Best Bar Team at Tales of the Cocktail last year and Best Hotel Bar in 2024. This week, Robinson is being honored at Tales of the Cocktail and will lead several events. For more about Robinson, visit @kapri. possible on Instagram or chocolatecitysbest.com. For more on Tales of the Cocktail, go to talesofthecocktail.org.

How did you get to where you are in the cocktail world? KAPRI ROBINSON: I wanted to be in food and beverage as soon as I started. It was not only about making money but being able to learn constantly. I am still learning today. That part of food and beverage kept me in it. I got into the bar when I was 21 and working at Founding Farmers Fishers & Bakers on the D.C. waterfront. The reason I got interested is because it was the first time I saw fresh juices and really gorgeous crafted cocktails. The bartenders were really knowledgeable. I wanted to be part of the team, so as soon as I turned 21, I got behind the bar. My first competition was Bacardi Legacy (Cocktail Competition). My first ever cocktail win was D.C. Cocktail Queen in 2017. You came with a prepared drink, and you had to do a mystery drink with Midori. You had five minutes to put something together. I made a version of a Last Word with mezcal, Midori, lime juice and one other ingredient. Now I am at Allegory full time when I am in town. Outside of that, I travel the world to teach cocktail classes. I teach my own cocktail classes. I do consulting when I can. I also founded a nonprofit called Chocolate City’s Best.

What does Chocolate City’s Best do? R: Chocolate City’s Best is for Black and Brown bartenders who

What are you doing at Tales?

PROVIDED PHOTO BY STARCHEFS

are coming together for community, networking, job opportunities and connecting with mentors. The first thing we did was a cocktail competition. Once I won D.C.’s Cocktail Queen, I was able to see different opportunities I had never been approached with, which was going to distilleries, seeing brands take people out for education and dinners and stuff like that. From there, other opportunities opened up. I had not known about Tales of the Cocktail at the time. There were opportunities to go and get education outside their bar. Once I was in these spaces, I saw that there weren’t a lot of people like me doing such things. I wanted to create something to help people who looked like me get to where I was. The way that I got there was through a competition, so I was like, I’ll make a competition. It started off as a one-day competition, and we took the winner to Tales of the Cocktail and started opening up those doors. After the first competition, we were like, we want this to be more than making drinks for a day. How do we incorporate all the aspects Black and Brown people aren’t used to in the industry? It turned into a five-day event where competitors are paired with mentors. There are education days where we take them to distilleries. There are brand educations and dinners and cultural panels. It’s expanded into a full worldwide network where people can keep in touch with each other and share wins and advice and ask questions for growth, whether it’s financial or

R: I have a few things going on. Tales is honoring me with the Catalyst Award. It’s specifically for people who are championing community and change in the industry. I have the Futures Lab (seminar). We are going to be speaking about how bar spaces and establishments are the gyms that our social muscles need. While loneliness is on the rise, we can be better about fostering spaces where people feel comfortable to come and connect and diminish loneliness and meet people face to face. A lot of bars are about cocktails and how fancy they can get. We need to get back to the people and the neighborhood and the guests that make bars what they are. We need them to feel as one with the bar as we do. I am also going to be part of the Ada Coleman Project Mentorship Lounge. There are six different focus areas. Mine is going to be about confidence in the industry and how to gather confidence and live within it and why it’s important for your career growth. I am going to do that with a NOLA native J’Nai Williams. I am hosting the Spirited Awards red carpet with Giorgio Bargiani from London. Outside that, Chocolate City has two events. We’re going to be doing the dopest after-party after the Spirited Awards called the Afties. We’re partnering with Bacardi and Coca-Cola. For Friday, we’re going to be at the Blue Crawfish, a Blackowned boutique hotel with a dope pool. We’re going to be there for our Community Cut Up, which is going to be an art market and pool party and seafood boil. You can find tickets for that on Chocolate City’s Instagram.

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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. 3rd Block Depot — 316 Chartres St., (504) 552-4095; 3rdblockdepot.com — The menu ranges from seafood and sausage gumbo and Gulf shrimp ceviche to smashburgers and steaks. Brunch brings crab cake Benedict with hollandaise on an English muffin. Reservations available. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Acropolis Cuisine — 3841 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 888-9046; acropoliscuisine.com — The menu of classic Greek dishes includes souvlaki, gyros and pita wraps, spanakopita, hummus and Greek salads. Moussaka has layers of eggplant, potatoes, zucchini, ground beef and bechamel. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ 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 fish Capri includes artichokes, crawfish, tomatoes and capers. There also are oysters, seafood pasta dishes, salads, steaks, lamb chops and desserts like bananas Foster bread pudding and lemon icebox tart. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$ Audubon Clubhouse — 6500 Magazine St., (504) 558-1200; audubonclubhouse.com — The menu by Dickie Brennan and Co. includes crabmeat cheesecake, shrimp remoulade, fried oysters, burgers, sandwiches and more. Shrimp Tchefuncte combines house-made andouille, mushrooms, popcorn rice and Creole meuniere sauce. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Banana Blossom — 500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997; 504bananablossom. com — There are traditional Thai dishes like pad thai, green curry, pineapple fried rice, drunken noodles and coconut shrimp as well as original creations. Beef rib Chiang Mai features a slow-braised beef rib with yellow curry, egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, cilantro and chili oil. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Budsi’s Authentic Thai — 1760 N. Rampart St., (504) 381-4636; budsisthai.com — Chef Budsaba Mason prepares dishes from her native Issan region of Thailand and other popular Thai dishes like papaya salad, grilled pork shoulder, larb, khao soi, pad thai and red curry. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop — 2309 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, (504) 835-2022; gumbostop. com — The Gumbo Stop has several gumbo varieties including chicken and sausage gumbo and seafood gumbo with shrimp, crab and crawfish. The menu also has boudin balls, Bayou shrimp scampi, crawfish etouffee and fried shrimp po-boys. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — Dickie Brennan’s Commissary supplies his other restaurant kitchens and also has

$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ — $11-$20 $$$ — $20-up 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. $$ The Country Club — 634 Louisa St., (504) 945-0742; thecountryclubneworleans. com — The Bywater restaurant and pool has a menu of crab beignets, truffle mac and cheese, shrimp and grits, burgers and more. Seared redfish is served with kale, toasted chickpeas, sesame seeds, chili crisp and whipped tahini. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Lunch, brunch and dinner daily. $$$ Delacroix Restaurant — 1 Poydras St., (504) 655-9002; delacroixrestaurant.com — With views overlooking the Mississippi River, the restaurant serves a mix of South Louisiana dishes like smoked duck gumbo, crawfish bisque, shrimp Creole, blackened redfish and crawfish étouffée. Drum amandine is served with green beans and stewed potatoes. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 5860300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes oysters served raw on the half-shell or char-broiled with with Parmesan, garlic and herbs. The menu also includes po-boys, gumbo, blackened fish, fried seafood platters and more. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ 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. $$$ Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — The menu includes a variety of steaks, plus seared Gulf fish, lobster pasta, barbecue shrimp and more. A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ Domenica — 123 Baronne St., (504) 6486020; domenicarestaurant.com — The Italian restaurant offers a mix of wood-fired Napolitano-style pizzas and house-made pastas. Appetizers include various salumi and cheese boards, antipasti, roasted cauliflower and more. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Don’s Seafood — 4801 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 888-1555; donsseafoodonline.com — The seafood options range from char-broiled oysters to seafood gumbo, fried shrimp and catfish platters and stuffed flounder. The menu also has rib-eye steaks. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$

Elizabeth’s Restaurant — 601 Gallier St., (504) 944-9272; elizabethsrestaurantnola. com — Elizabeth’s is known for its signature praline bacon, and the menu also includes boudin balls, shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles and eggs Florentine. Outdoor seating available. Reservations accepted for parties of 10 or more. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban is stuffed with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ King Brasserie & Bar — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3000; kingbrasserieandbar.com — The restaurant’s menu is inspired by the cuisine of the Riviera and southern France. There are dishes like steak frites and bouillabaisse as well as blackened Gulf fish and barbecue shrimp and oysters. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sharable plates like NOLA Tot Debris. A slow-cooked pulled pork barbecue sandwich is served with coleslaw on a brioche bun. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The selection of steaks and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops and a la carte toppings include bearnaise, blue cheese and sauteed crabmeat. There also are burgers, salads, pasta, seafood entrees, char-broiled oysters and more. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Luke — 333 St. Charles Ave., (504) 3782840; lukeneworleans.com — The raw bar offers oysters, boiled shrimp, cured tuna, smoked trout dip and more. The menu has dishes like shrimp and grits, crab omelets, crawfish etouffee and steak frites. Reservations encouraged. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Lyons Corner — 537 Gravier St., (504) 527-0006; lyonscornernola.com — The eclectic menu includes Cajun prawns, bangbang fried oysters, chicken sandwiches, salads and more. In the morning, there are breakfast empanadas, muffins, croissants, scones, beignets and more. Delivery and takeout available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The menu of Japanese cuisine includes sushi, signature rolls, tempura fried items, udon noodles, teriyaki, salads and more.The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado, snow crab, green onion and wasabi roe. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.-Fri., dinner daily. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and spaghetti bordelaise and chicken cacciatore. Chicken a la grands is sauteed with garlic, rosemary,

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Italian herbs and white wine. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$ Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant. net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage like the Famous Ferdi filled with ham, roast beef and debris. Creole favorites include jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers a selectoin of cheese boards and appetizers. Creole pasta combines shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$ Pascal’s Manale — 1838 Napoleon Ave., (504) 895-4877; pascalsmanale.com — This Creole-Italian spot invented New Orleansstyle barbecue shrimp, and the menu also includes seafood gumbo, crab cakes, oysters and Italian-style pasta dishes. There’s also an oyster bar. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$$ 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. $$ Pizza Domenica — 4933 Magazine St., (504) 301-4978; pizzadomenica.com — Pizza is the focus of this offshoot of the Italian restaurant Domenica. There also are meatballs, roasted cauliflower and house-made pastas. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Restaurant August — 301 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 299-9777; restaurantaugust. com — The fine dining restaurant serves Creole and contemporary dishes featuring foie gras, Gulf fish, duck and more. Gnocchi are served with crab, summer truffles and Parmesan. Reservations recommended. Dinner Sun.-Fri., lunch Fri. $$$ Rivershack Tavern — 3449 River Road, Jefferson, (504) 834-4938; rivershacktavern.com — This tavern along the levee offers a casual menu of roast beef po-boys, burgers, wraps, fried shrimp platters, catfish and gumbo. A country fried steak is served with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables and salad. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Shaya — 4213 Magazine St., (504) 891-4213; shayarestaurant.com — The Mediterranean and Middle Eastern menu includes dishes like hummus, falafel, kebabs, grilled chicken and wood-oven pita bread. A chicken schnitzel sandwich is dressed with little gem lettuce, pickles and harissa mayonnaise on sesame brioche bread. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Stingray’s Restaurant & Bar — 1303 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, (504) 443-4040; stingraysseafoodrestaurant.com — Zydeco fish is stuffed with crabmeat dressing and topped with shrimp cream sauce. The menu also includes fried shrimp and oyster platters, grilled redfish, crabmeat jalapeños,

and boudin egg rolls. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 934-3463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, little neck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on the balcony. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$ 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. $$ Tavi — 330 N. New Hampshire St., (985) 200-2045; tavirestaurant. com — The menu combines dishes from the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean. There’s hummus, falafel, kebabs, flatbreads, grilled fish, lamb burgers and more. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ 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 vegetable sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Vyoone’s — 412 Girod St., (504) 381-4384; vyoone.com — The French-Creole menu includes dishes like escargot, crawfish beignets, crab cakes, shrimp pasta, duck a l’orange and lamb chops. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun. $$$ Willa Jean — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 509-7334; willajean.com — The bakery and cafe serves biscuits with honey butter, cookies, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, shrimp and grits and more. Avocado toasts are made with house-baked ciabatta topped with tomatillo, spiced pepitas, pickled onion, cilantro and chipotle aioli. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ Yinzer’s Amazing Cheesesteaks — 1514 Delachaise St., (412) 860-6801; yinzersamazingcheesesteaks.com —There are classic and original cheesesteaks filled with steak, chicken and more. Diners can opt for toppings like provolone, house-made cheddar whiz, mushrooms, onions, banana peppers and more. Delivery available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Wed.-Sun. $

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PAGE 7

Burnside Exploration 2

Drummer Cedric Burnside learned to play while touring with his grandfather, blues legend R.L. Burnside. Cedric won a Best Traditional Blues Grammy award for his 2021 album “I Be Trying.” He collaborates with guitarist Garry Burnside, his uncle and the youngest son of R.L. Burnside, in this show delving into Mississippi Hill Country blues. At 8 p.m. Friday, July 24, at the Broadside. Tickets $24.31 via broadsidenola.com.

Hubig’s release party with Juan Pardo

Hubig’s is celebrating the release of a seasonal flavor of hand pie. The bakery is releasing a banana flavor for a limited time, and the event includes music by Big Chief Juan Pardo of the Golden Comanche Black Masking Indians and Dave Jordan and the NIA. There’s also a costume contest to dress like Savory Simon, the chef in the Hubig’s logo. Admission is free. At 8 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Visit tipitinas.com for information.

Emerson Woolf and the Wishbones

Bruce Springsteen laid claim to Asbury Park, New Jersey, with his debut album, but the small beachfront town is now the adopted home of Emerson Woolf and the Wishbones. The band’s Americana mix is fueled by boisterous indie folk, as on “Monsoon,” the closing track on the 2024 debut album “Everything Must Go.” The band released the album “The World Is Your Oyster” in spring. The band performs at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, at Chickie Wah Wah. Tickets $26.96 via chickiewahwah.com.

Stephanie Soileau writer’s talk

Author Stephanie Soileau is a Lake Charles native now living in Chicago, and set her collection of short stories, “Last One Out Shut Off the Lights,” in economically and ecologically fragile southwest Louisiana. Doubleday recently published Soileau’s debut novel, “Should the Waters Take Us,” a family drama set among a Cajun community in coastal Louisiana grappling with an oil rig explosion and a looming hurricane. Soileau reads from her new book at 6 p.m. Monday, July 20, at Garden District Book Shop. Admission is free but RSVPs can be made via eventbrite.com.

Tomahawk

Formed in 1999, this alt-rock supergroup includes Faith No More’s Mike Patton, The Jesus Lizard’s Duane Denison, Helmet’s John Stanier and Mr.

Bungle veteran Trevor Dunn. The band has toured heavily and then gone on hiatus a number of times over the years. In 2021, they released their latest album, “Tonic Immobility,” but haven’t been playing live. Tomahawk is now playing some of its first shows in 13 years on a tour with Melvins that comes to the House of Blues on Thursday, July 23. Music starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $57 via neworleans.houseofblues.com.

Continues your experience with a private, intimate dinner alongside Terrance Osborne, featuring a three-course menu by the culinary team at Restaurant R'evolution.

Wet Wild Y2K Drag Show & Wet T-Shirt Contest

Drag performers Muskrat and Tara Cotta turn up the heat on the summer with this second-annual drag show and wet T-shirt contest on Friday, July 24, at Saturn Bar. There will be performances by Virginia Slim Jim, Eddie Lockwood and Nebula, an all-bodies-welcome wet T-shirt contest for bragging rights and prizes, plus an after-show DJ set by Siren. The show starts at 9 p.m., and tickets are $12.47 via dice.fm (no one turned away for lack of funds). Find more info on Instagram: @muskthedirtyrat.

Pearls & Pour Celebrate National Oyster Day with Chef Folse and Jason Pitre of Bayou Rosa Oysters. Enjoy Oysters and bottomless wine curated by Clayton Fox. Chef Folse and Jason Pitre will lead an interactive demonstration of proper oyster shucking and share the history of Louisiana’s oyster culture.

Soul Brass Band

Drummer Derrick Freeman’s Soul Brass Band headlines a Free Fridays show at Tipitina’s on July 24. The Next Level Band opens at 9 p.m. Admission is first come, first served. Visit tipitinas.com for more information.

Will Merrill and Madison Thomas

Local comedians Will Merrill and Madison Thomas tape 30-minute comedy sets at Sports Drink. Merrill is from Baton Rouge and has released an album, “Wirk: The Album,” and the special “Randumb” on YouTube. Thomas started her career in Detroit and now lives in New Orleans. At 7 & 9 p.m. Friday, July 24, at Sports Drink. Tickets $23.56 at sportsdrink.org.

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The annual fishing competition has divisions for adults and children, and there are games for kids and live music at the tournament running July 23-25 in Grand Isle. There are food and drink vendors at the competition hub at the Tarpon Rodeo Pavilion. The opening party is at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 23. There’s music by The Wise Guys and DJs on Saturday, July 25, throughout the afternoon and after the final weigh-in. Visit tarponrodeo.org for information.

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FO R CO M P L E T E M U S I C L I ST I N G S A N D M O R E E V E N T S TA K I N G P L A C E IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA, VISIT C A L E N D A R . G A M B I T W E E K LY. C O M

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MONDAY 20 0/90 — The Dapper Dandies, 6 pm; Velvet Collective, 9 pm ALLWAYS LOUNGE — Betsy Propane & The Accessories, 7 pm APPLE BARREL — Mark Appleford, 6 pm; Decaturadio, 10:30 pm BACCHANAL — Arnold Little, 6 pm BAMBOULA’S — The New Orleans Rug Cutters, 12 pm; Jon Roniger, 4:30 pm; Ted Hefko & the Thousandaires, 9 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — Red Beans & Blues w/ Washboard Chaz & Jonathan Freilich, 9 pm BROADSIDE — Mellow Mood Mondays with Firebrain, 7 pm BUFFA’S — David Doucet, 7 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Keep It Rollin Brass Band, 8:30 pm CARROLLTON STATION — Biscuits n’ Jam with Meryl Zimmerman & Friends, 10 pm DBA — Secret Six Jazz Band, 6 pm; Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet, 9:30 pm DOS JEFES — John Fohl, 8:30 pm FRITZEL’S JAZZ CLUB — Tin Men, 5 pm; Richard Scott & Friends, 8 pm GASA GASA — Low Shoulder Presents: Arranged in April, Kill or Be Killed, Corto, Skip Distance, 8 pm THE MAISON — Eight Dice Cloth, 5 pm; Gene’s Music Machine, 8 pm MAPLE LEAF BAR — George Porter Jr. Trio, 7 pm; 10 pm MAYFIELD’S 208 — Kermit Ruffins: Red Bean Mondays, 6 pm NOLA BREWING & PIZZA CO BLUEGRASS PICKIN’ PARTY, 7 PM POORBOYS — Gumbolaya, 9 pm SATURN BAR — BC Coogan, 8:30 pm SIBERIA — In The Company Of Serpents + Writhings + Slab, 9 pm SNUG HARBOR — Charmaine Neville Band, 7:30 pm; 9:30 pm SPOTTED CAT — Dominick Grillo & The Frenchmen Street All-Stars, 6 pm TRUE SOUTH — Danny Alexander Blues Jam, 8 pm

TUESDAY 21 30/90 — Kayla Jasmine, 9 pm APPLE BARREL — Bubbles Brown, 6 pm; Jackson’s Flying Circus, 10:30 pm BACCHANAL — Tangiers Combo, 6 pm BAMBOULA’S — F K-rrera Music Group, 12 pm; Giselle Anguizola, 4:30 pm; Caitie B. & the Hand Me Downs, 9 pm

BAYOU BAR — The OG’s, 8 pm; 10 pm BJ’S LOUNGE BYWATER — Bruisey’s Bottoms Up Open Mic, 9 pm BUFFA’S — Wilson-Weber Project, 7 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Super-Most-FantasticBlues-N-Such-Jam, 7 pm CHICKIE WAH WAH — Emerson Woolf & The Wishbones, 8 pm DBA — Kid Chocolate + the Free POC, 9:30 pm DOS JEFES — Tom Hook, 8:30 pm GASA GASA — Wombo w/ Shower Curtain, 8 pm JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — The Sam Lobley Trio, 7:30 pm THE MAISON — Jacky Blaire, 5 pm; Paradise Jazz Band, 8 pm OKAY BAR — Big Easy Stompers Line Dancing & Lessons, 7 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Rebirth Brass Band, 10 pm SIBERIA — Deadharrie + Kelly Duplex, 9 pm SNUG HARBOR — Zoë de Priester, 7:30 & 9:30 pm SPOTTED CAT — Chris Christy Band, 2 pm; Sweetie Pies of New Orleans, 6 pm; Smoking Time Jazz Club, 9:30 pm ST. ROCH TAVERN — Hairaoke: Haircuts & Karaoke, 8 pm VAUGHAN’S LOUNGE — Cuttin’ Up with the Youngbloods, 10 pm

WEDNESDAY 22 BACCHANAL — Pete Olynciw, 6 pm BAMBOULA’S — Jacky Blaire & the Hot Biscuits, 12 pm; Swingin’ with John Saavedra, 4:30 pm; The New Orleans Rug Cutters, 9 pm BAYOU BAR — Firm Roots, 8 pm; 10 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — Sleep Habits + Dummy Plug + New Holland, 9 pm BLUE NILE — Gumbo Funk, 9 pm BUFFA’S — Mason Howard Quartet, 7 pm CAFÉ DEGAS — Gizinti Trio, 6 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Jam-ilton, 7:30 pm DBA — Stephen Walker N’em, 6 pm; The Next Level Band, 9:30 pm DOS JEFES — Anna Laura Quinn, 8:30 pm FRITZEL’S JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 1 pm; Bourbon Street Stars, 5 pm; Fritzel’s All Star Band with Kevin Ray Clark, 8 pm HOLY DIVER — The Amazing Henrietta, 8 pm HOWLIN’ WOLF — Aliah Sheffield & Friends, 9 pm INTERNATIONAL HOUSE HOTEL — Lilith In Loa, 7 pm JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Funkin’ It Up with Big Sam, 7:30 pm LOA BAR — Lilith In Loa Concert Series ft. Saskia Walker, 8 pm

THE MAISON — Gene’s Music Machine, 6 pm MAYFIELD’S 208 — Irvin Mayfield ft. Kermit Ruffins, 6 pm SANTOS BAR — Chambre Noir with Paco, 10 pm SIBERIA — Divtech + Ologist + Panama Papers + Heaven Forever, 9 pm SNUG HARBOR — Sullivan Dabney & the Muzik Jazz Band, 5 pm; The Uptown Jazz Orchestra, 7:30 pm; 9:30 pm SPOTTED CAT — Chris Christy, 2 pm; Quimbo Quimbumbia with Margie Perez & Elijah Hartman, 6 pm; Marty Peters & The Party Meters, 9:30 pm

THURSDAY 23 B30/90 —Kim in the Wind, 9 pm 4141 NOLA — David Doucet, 6:30 pm BACCHANAL — Raphael Bas, 6 pm BAMBOULA’S — J.J. & the A-OK’s, 12 pm; James McClaskey & the Rhythm Band, 4:30 pm; Midnight Brawlers, 9 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — Hanoun Brass Band + Sari Jordan, 9 pm BLUE NILE — Irvin Mayfield’s Music Church, 10 pm; DJ T-Roy, 11 pm BMC — Dapper Dandies, 6 pm; Kat Kiley Experience, 9 pm BUFFA’S — Dylan James, 7 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Blues at Work with Phil Breen, 6:30 pm; Armani Smith & Soul Ties, 10 pm DBA — Palmetto Bug Stompers, 6 pm; Vegas Cola Band, 9:30 pm DOS JEFES — The Mark Coleman Band, 8:30 pm DOUBLE DEALER — Matt Wilson & the Sinking City, 9 pm GOOD MEASURE — Yusa, 8 pm HOUSE OF BLUES — Tomahawk, 7 pm JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Brass-AHolics, 7:30 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULE — The Soul Rebels, 11 pm

Leyla McCalla and Louis Michot perform at BJ’s Lounge Friday, July 24 at 9 p.m. PROVIDED PHOTO BY SARAH DANZIGER.

LIVIN SWELL 4211 RECORDING STUDIOS — Thursday Night House Party featuring Stooges Brass Band, 8 pm THE MAISON — The Champagniacs, 4:30 pm; Sugar & the Daddies, 8:30 pm MAPLE LEAF BAR — Booker & Beyond Piano Series with BC Coogan, 6 pm; Johnny Vidacovich Trio, 8 pm PEACOCK ROOM — Da Lovebirds: Robin Barnes & Pat Casey, 8 pm RABBIT HOLE — Free Thursdays with DJ Twin Peaks, 9 pm SANTOS BAR — Reptilia Indie Vinyl Night with DJ Shane Love, 9 pm SIBERIA — Conan + Fauns, 9 pm SNUG HARBOR — Tim Laughlin, 7:30 & 9:30 pm VAUGHAN’S LOUNGE — Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet, 10 pm

FRIDAY 24 30/90 — Scotty Yost & The Most, 5 pm; Half Shell Boogie, 8 pm; Caitie B & The Hand Me Downs, 11 pm THE ALLWAYS LOUNGE — Miss Angie Z, 8 pm BACCHANAL — David Sigler, 1 pm; Willie Green III, 7 pm BANKS STREET BAR — Domenic Fusca Honest Man Happy Hour Show, 4 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — Louis Michot & Leyla McCalla, 9 pm BLUE NILE — Kermit Ruffins & the BBQ Swingers, 10 pm; Chore Boys (upstairs), 10 pm BMC — Mother Ruckus, 6 pm; Big Mike & The R&B Kings, 9 pm BROADSIDE — Cedric Burnside & Garry Burnside, 8 pm BUFFA’S — Ariella & Nicolaas, 8 pm PAGE 31

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MUSIC

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Outside the Mainstream ON VIEW THROUGH OCTOBER 11

Robert Gordy, Rimbaud’s Dream #2, 1971. Acrylic on canvas, New Orleans Museum of Art, 71.23

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CAFÉ NEGRIL — Dana Abbott Band, 6:30 pm; Higher Heights, 10 pm THE CRYPT — KRYPTIK Presents: CABLE, 9 pm DBA — John Lisi & Delta Funk, 6 pm DOS JEFES — Sunpie & The Louisiana Suspots, 9 pm THE DRAGON’S DEN — $5 Zydeco Fridays with line dancing and Yung Dex Brass Band, 6 pm GASA GASA — The Band Melrose, Neutral Snap, Donate Your Friends, Oversight, 8 pm GOOD MEASURE — Very Cherry, 9 pm HOLY DIVER — DJ Reverend Robert Sinewave, 10 pm HOUSE OF BLUES — Rio Da Yung OG, 8 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ — Aren’t We, 11 pm THE MAISON — NOLA Rug Cutters, 5 pm; Street Lyfe, 9 pm MAPLE LEAF BAR — Jackson’s Flying Circus, 9 pm ROCK ‘N’ BOWL — Peyton Falgoust Band, 8:30 pmSiberia — Gatsu EP Release Show + Fen Magus + Brethren Hogg, 9 pm SMOOTHIE KING CENTER — X Games New Orleans 2026 Championship Concert, 10 pm SNUG HARBOR — Alexey Martí & AfroGumbo, 7:30 pm; 9:30 pm TIPITINA’S — Free Fridays Concert Series ft. Soul Brass Band + The Next Brass Band, 9 pm

SATURDAY 25 30/90 — The Sleazeball Orchestra, 5 pm; Tyler Kinchen & The Right Pieces, 8 pm; T. Cherelle & Lou’s Bayou, 11 pm BACCHANAL — Miles Berry, 7 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — Blue Horse Blue Mountain Release Party + Bruisey Peets, 9 pm BLUE NILE — The Caesar Brothers’ FunkBox, 7:30 pm; The Soul Rebels, 11 pm BUFFA’S — Ariella & Nicolaas, 8 pm CAFÉ ISTANBUL — Soul of the Monsoon ft. Siddarth Shankar, Dipak Chakraborty & More!, 7:30 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Decaturadio, 1:30 pm; Sunny Side Jazz Band, 6 pm; Ado Soul & The Tribe, 10 pm DBA — Tuba Skinny, 6 pm; Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, 10 pm DOS JEFES — BassX, 9 pm DOUBLE DEALER — Joey Houck, 9:30 pm GOOD MEASURE — Smoker’s World, 9 pm

HOLY DIVER — Exformation, Dead Centered & With Fire Came Disparity, 9 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ — Mike Doussan & Co., 11 pm MAPLE LEAF BAR — Sporty’s Brass Band, 8 pm NO DICE — Kaytraaaa! Club!, 9 pm ROCK ‘N’ BOWL — A Night of Yacht Rock with Yacht-Sea, 8:30 pm SAENGER THEATER — Lord Huron with The Army, The Navy, 8 pm SANTOS BAR — RAVE ft. Space Disco, 10 pm SATURN BAR — Pleasure Savior’s Don’t Dance Don’t Come, 10 pm SMOOTHIE KING CENTER — X Games New Orleans 2026 Championship Concert, 9:30 pm TIPITINA’S — The Return of the Banana Hand Pie Celebration, 8 pmToulouse Theater — Alfred Banks B-Day Show & Album Release Party, 8 pm TRUE SOUTH — Scratch Brothers, Robert Eustis and David Schwartz, 4 pm; Stone Cold Hippies with Ugly Rumors, 8 pm

SUNDAY 26 30/90 — Organami, 3 pm; Jeff Chaz Blues Band, 6 pm; SingleMaltPlease, 9 pm ALLWAYS LOUNGE — Sunday Swing with Cat Rodeo, 8 pm APPLE BARREL — T Marie Duo, 6:30 pm BACCHANAL — Juan Tigre, 7 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — James McClaskey & The Rhythm Band, 9 pm BLUE NILE — Street Legends Brass Band, 9:30 pm BUFFA’S — Charlie Wooton, 7 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — John Lisi & Delta Funk, 4 pm; Ashley Paige & The Social Club, 9 pm CHICKIE WAH WAH — High Fade with JT Loux, 9 pm DBA — Paradise Jazz Band, 6 pm; The Jump Hounds, 9:30 pm FAVELA CHIC — Christian Coleman & His Band, 8 pm HOWLIN’ WOLF — Hot 8 Brass Band, 10:30 pm THE MAISON — Naomie April, 4 pm; Jenavieve & the Winding Boys, 7 pm SPOTTED CAT — Jacky Blaire & The Hot Biscuits, 2 pm; Treme Brass Band, 6 pm; Pat Casey & the New Sound, 9 pm SCAN FOR THE COMPLETE GAMBIT CALENDAR

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Hosted by John Stanton

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CULTURE CUISINE CARNIVAL

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Looking back by Jake Clapp

ALFRED BANKS IS CLEAR ABOUT THE QUESTION AT THE CENTER OF HIS NEW EP, “YesterMonth”: How

can you use your past to build your future? The New Orleans-born rapper is encouragingly asking the listener that question as much as he’s posing it to himself. Banks has been looking back through both the bad and the good of his career in order to help as he moves into a new chapter. “It’s this idea that all the things that have happened in the past, whether good or bad, can inspire how you move forward,” Banks says. “If it’s something bad, hey, I make sure I know the red flags and the signs now, and I know that I’ll never let this happen again. Or if it’s something good that happened, you go, ‘Hey, I love how that felt. Now I want to make new moments that recreate that same energy.’ ” Working with producer Luther Vandals, Banks released the nine-track “YesterMonth” in June and has since played a few shows in Alabama, Georgia and Washington, D.C. Banks now headlines a hometown album-release show that also doubles as a birthday celebration at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 25, at the Toulouse Theatre. It’s a meaningful bill for Banks. Vandals, who came up in Harlem and is now based on the West Coast, will play New Orleans for the first time. The hip-hop collective glbl wrmng, of which Banks is a part, will perform along with Banks’ close friends Kaye the Beast and Marcel P. Black. And poet and activist Donney Rose, another longtime friend, will host the night. In a way, Banks is using “YesterMonth” itself to help build his future. Since the release of his 2017 album, “The Beautiful,” Banks has often used his lyrical wit to candidly discuss the ups and downs of his life, including mental health struggles and seeking out therapy. And he laid it all out there on his 2021 EP “One Guy Standing By Himself.” A few of the songs on “YesterMonth” were written at the same time as those on “One Guy,” but Banks decided to focus on the latter project. Still, much of “YesterMonth” was written by 2022 — although a few songs came later in 2023 and 2025. The project was then put on the backburner as SaxKixAve, Banks’ duo project with producer and saxophonist/

Alfred Banks PROVIDED PHOTO BY GARY GOVERNALE

flautist Albert Allenback, began to take off. But after two EPs and an album, SaxKixAve dissolved last year (Banks gives his side of the split on the “YesterMonth” song “Oh Well”). Turning back to his solo career, Banks last year collaborated with PellowTalk (aka rapper and producer Pell) for the dynamic EP “The Survivor’s Condition,” and he performed with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra for a second time. He also picked “YesterMonth” back up, tapping Vandals to produce. It’s not like Banks has gone anywhere, but he says the album is kind of a reintroduction to Alfred Banks the rapper. “I’m a rapper’s rapper, and I love rap. I felt like at some point that kind of started to get lost in the sauce,” Banks says. “So now that’s the past, I’m gonna get back to what I do: really poignant, strong, lyrical emo-ass raps that come from my heart.” Over Vandals’ smooth, left-of-center instrumentals, Banks raps about different aspects of his life. He’s working for the next level on the album opener “Step Up” and reflects on a romantic relationship on “Window.” As the second half of the project gets heavier, Banks sounds sinister on the track “Creep,” which is followed by “Sunday Drive,” a dark reworking of a past release exploring death. Banks has a lot of pride in “The Beautiful” and “One Guy Standing By Himself,” and he now sees “YesterMonth” as the third standout in his discography. “It’s three different points in my career, and all three of those projects encompass an era of my life,” Banks says. “And [‘YesterMonth’] points to what’s about to happen.” Tickets for the July 25 show at Toulouse Theatre are $17.15 via toulousetheatre.com.

GOING OUT

by Will Coviello

What

SERAFINA DELLE ROSE IS FIERCELY DEVOTED TO HER HUSBAND ROSARIO in

Tennessee Williams’ “The Rose Tattoo.” She’s pregnant and swears that the rose tattoo on Rosario’s chest left a physical impression on her as well. She brags to neighbors of the passionate nature of their marriage. But she has a lot to learn, including that he’s not just a truck driver, he works for the mob. He’s also not entirely faithful. The very religious Serafina “constantly says, ‘Lady, give me a sign,’ ” says Augustin J. Correro, who is directing the show. “Then the Lady gives her a pretty clear sign, and then Serafina always says, ‘Oh, if I only had a sign!’ ” There’s plenty of comedy to the drama, and it’s one of the most hopeful of Williams’ plays. The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans presents the show July 23-Aug. 9 at Loyola University New Orleans’ Marquette Theater. It’s part of a season with a theme about second chances. Rosario is never seen in the show, but Serafina talks about him incessantly. In the opening scenes, their daughter Rosa is a teenager. Serafina works at home as a seamstress and makes dresses for her neighbors. Serafina also is as superstitious as she is religious, and she believes a neighbor is a witch. They live in a small town on the Gulf Coast, and New Orleans is a short drive away. It’s an escape just out of sight, and Rosa considers running off there with the young sailor she is dating. While New Orleans is mentioned by name in the story, some productions have been more vague about its setting. That’s in part because of Williams’ imagining of a small cluster of ItalianAmericans, but the inspiration for that didn’t come from New Orleans. It came from his longtime partner, Frank Merlo. “Frank took Tennessee on a trip to the old country,” Correro says. “He was a New Jersey Italian-American who brought Tennessee to Sicily early on in their relationship. Tennessee had never been to Sicily, so he became just fascinated by the culture and the people he would encounter.” Some scholars suggest Merlo also is the inspiration for Alvaro, another Sicilian-American who Serafina meets.

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The show debuted on Broadway in 1951 and won four Tony awards, including Best Play. It was made into a film in 1955. The show also has been described as operatic, and the plot can be absurdly funny, including Serafina’s pronounced devotion to her cheating husband and her monitoring of her blossoming teenage daughter. “There’s so much love poured into these characters and so much admiration for the type of people that they are,” Correro says. “I don’t think that it’s a perfect representation of these Sicilian characters, but I think it is a loving one and a considered one.” Despite her misfortunes, Serafina is determined and upbeat. “Serafina means every word she says,” Correro says. “We cannot stop laughing at the situations because of how serious she is about it.” Some elements of the show are strangely comic. A goat constantly wanders into Serafina’s yard, which at times she blames on the neighboring “strega,” or witch. The goat has been animated in many ways in different productions, and this show is having Alex Martinez Wallace play the goat. The cast also features Kristin Witt as Serafina, Lauren Van Mullem as Rosa, Nick DiJulio as Alvaro and Janet Shea as the strega. “The Rose Tattoo” runs July 24 through Aug. 9, and there’s a preview show Thursday, July 23. Tickets $45-$58 ($10 for Loyola University students) via twtheatrenola.com.

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To advertise call Abigail Bordelon at 504-636-7427 or email abigail.bordelon@gambitweekly.com Source: Scarborough Research New Orleans, LA 2025 release 2 Total (Apr 2025-Sep 2025)

COMING SOON!!!

FULL SERVICE REALTOR

4226 N. Rampart Street New Orleans, LA 70117

Listing Agent

Multi Family

Buyer's Agent

Commercial

First Time Homebuyers

Rentals

Michael Styles (504) 777-1773 nolastyles.com

3 BR, 2BA Creole Cottage with massive backyard space $525,000

TOP PRODUCER

Keller Williams Realty New Orleans (504) 862-0100 8601 Leake Avenue New Orleans, LA 70118 Each Ofﬁce Is Independently Owned and Operated. Broked & Agent are licensed in the state of Louisiana

(504) 895-4663

PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE MAKING MEASURABLE PROGRESS By Frank A. Longo

33 Inscrutable [72 inches] 37 -- artery (aorta offshoot) 40 East Boston airport 41 Sickly pale 42 It’s enclosed in a gear case [792 inches] 47 Sorority letter 48 Eve’s man 49 Very little, as of cream 50 Newborn 53 Rock’s Mötley -57 Male meower 60 Reckon to be fewer than six [4 inches] 64 Trims (down) 66 Just slightly

67 Completely ruined 68 Tres less uno 70 Jeff Bridges’ “American Heart” co-star [7,920 inches] 75 Call -- night 76 Gives off 78 T-man Ness 79 “How cool!” 81 The Cubs play in it [190,080 inches] 86 Apprehend 89 Tough trip 90 List-curtailing abbr. 91 Spanish crock 93 Opera solo 94 Certain boxing win, in brief

salon company 39 “3 Body Problem” 85 Vogue rival actress Rosalind 87 Mister 42 Cave flier 88 Smidgen 43 Marriage vow 92 Seniors’ org. 44 Tent-pitching place 95 Made bootees, say 45 Place to swim or play 96 Take a chair hoops 97 Runner-turned-lord 46 -- Dhabi Sebastian 47 Ink-filled tool 98 Physicist Bohr 50 Tusked male 99 Strikes out 51 Indigo dye 52 #5 on the periodic table 100 Hiccups, e.g. 101 Andy of pop art 54 Pre-TV period 102 Baltimore pro 55 Inch or mile 103 Sided (with) 56 Writer Ferber 58 Playground comeback 104 Speakers’ space fillers 105 Condescends 59 Actor Danson 108 Bête -61 1994-2020 tripartite 109 1986 Indy winner pact Bobby 62 Wed. follower 111 Pointless 63 -- Allan Poe 112 -- Nast 65 Perspire 113 Curved 68 Fender ding 114 Destitute 69 Actor Sharif 71 Spaghetti -- Bolognese 118 Singer Diamond 119 Soc. Security 72 Little brook digits, e.g. 73 Female deer DOWN 122 Divested (of) 74 School org. 1 American beer brand 77 Alternative to Instagram 124 “How cool!” 2 Japanese beer brand 125 Org. scanning 80 Platter holder 3 Italian city with luggage 82 Prefix with con or soul La Scala 126 Hirsute cousin 83 Icky gunk 4 Full of coconut trees, e.g. 84 Beauty supply and of Gomez 5 Of a single-celled organism 6 Mil. officer 7 McCarthy lawyer Roy 8 Filled cookie 9 20% amount 10 Rap’s -- Rida 11 “Evil Woman” rock gp. 12 Suitable for family viewing 13 Togetherness 14 “-- a gun!” 15 Opens, as a change purse 16 Deep groove 17 Intimidates, with “out” 18 It may trap a conger 19 Moony 24 Ruffle 29 School org. 32 -- knot (finish lacing up) 34 Boxing’s “Greatest” 35 Film director Howard 36 Slow-paced martial art 38 “Moneytalks” rock band

96 Home of London’s police force [36 inches] 100 Faint from emotion 103 Video’s partner 106 Nest on a cliff 107 Roadside object fed with coins [39 inches] 110 State bird of Louisiana 115 Financier Onassis 116 Bodily trunks 117 Darth Vader, as a kid 120 Maiden in “The Raven” 121 Revealing nightgown 123 Solve this entire puzzle, say (aptly, considering its theme) 127 “Le Tartuffe” playwright 128 A morally flawed person 129 Finished up 130 Rode in a toboggan 131 Onion relative 132 Sordid

ANSWERS LAST ISSUE’S PUZZLE: P2 ANSWERS FOR TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE ON P4

PUZZLES

ACROSS 1 Grassy plain of Argentina 6 Person jeering 13 Took by force 20 Just the way you see me 21 Large ape 22 “Just say no” sayer 23 Metatarsal area [12 inches] 25 Fashionable 26 Person humiliating someone 27 “Just joking!” 28 Printer brand 30 1040 pro 31 Smidgen

MICHAEL ZAROU ABR, CRS, GRI, SFR, SRS

GARDEN DISTRICT OFFICE CELL: (504) 913-2872 2016, 2017, 2020 & 2022 EEMAIL: Michael.Zarou@Compass.com

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M > J U LY 2 0 - 2 6 > 2 0 2 6

NEWLY RENOVATED BYWATER BEAUTY!

P R E S E N T E D BY

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