Igrewuponthe SouthsideofChicago af ter my parentscametothe United States from Mexico more than 50 yearsago.Iwas the oldest of threeboys, andgrowing up,we didn’t have much.B ut Iwas raised with a strong family whobelievedinhardworkand giving back to itscommunity.I also benefit ted greatlyfromthe suppor tofthose around me, thosewho helped me learnEnglish,pushed me to tr ymybest, andtonever give up.All of that helped shaped me into thepersonand leader Iamtod ay Ihavespent my entire career (25+ years) workinginhealthcare, includingtimeattwo topchildren’s hospitals– LurieChildren’s in Chicago andTexas Children’s in Houston. But sixand ahalfyears ago, Ihad theoppor tunity to move to NewO rleans to serveasPresident andCEO of what is nowManning Family Children’s.Icameherebecause Isaw myself in thekidsweser ve,and Isaw an opportunit y to do somethingdiferent–tohelpsupport an entire generation of children,together.
Ourvisionisboldand urgent:tomove Louisianafromlasttofirstinchild health and well-being andIbelieve we candoit. The challenges arereal, andthere is nothingeasy aboutthe road ahead. Butweare running toward theproblems, andthere is no better organization to help solvefor theproblems ourkidsand comm unitiesare facing than your children’s hospital.Because we runtowardthe hard things
Tell us aboutyourupcoming
100-mile ultramarathon
This August,I’m runningthe LeadvilleTrail 100, a100-mileultramarathon throughthe Colorado Rockies. This eventisone of the toughestand oldestultramarathonsinthe countr y, andthiswillbemythird at tempt to finishthe race.I’m notrunning fortimeor medals.I’m runningfor thekidsatManning Family Children’s whofacetheir own mountainsevery day, thosefighting cancer, managing sickle cell disease, healingfrom trauma or struggling silently with mental health challenges.Every mile will carr ythe name of achild whosestory hasinspiredme.
Meet Ou rKrewe ManningFamilyChildren’s
LouFragoso
PR ES ID ENTA ND CE O
Questions& Answers
What does “Run with Us” mean to you?
It’s an invitation.Idon’t expect everyone to run 100miles butI’m asking ourcommunity to run with us in spirit.Share ourkids’ stories. Support ourmission.AtManning Family Children’s,werun toward thetoughestproblemsthatimpactour kids andwecarefor everychild,every time –regardless of abilitytopay.Wecan’t do it alone. What ’s themostinspiringpart of your job?
Th ekid sa nd th ecou ra ge th ey sh ow ever y si ng le da y. Ithi nk ab outD an ie l, ayou ng ma n with si ckle ce ll dise asewho wi ll be ou rfi rs t to un de rg oc urativeg en ethe ra py so he ca n pu rs ue hisd re am of be co mi ng ap il ot.O r
Ka y, wh ocam etou safter su rv iv in gh um an traf ckin g, re ce ived th es up po rt sh en ee de d, an disn ow th ri vi ng .These storiesa re whyI get up ever yd ay.Theyd eser ve to be he ard. What ’s somethingyou wish more people knew about ManningFamilyChildren’s?
That we’resomuchmorethana hospital.We treatlife-threateningdiseases, butwetreat future-threatening ones too. We’reinschools, neighborhoods, homes—we go whereothers won’t. We’vebuilt oneofthe largestpediatric behavioral health programs in thecountry,and we sayyes to ever ychild.Westand in thegap –and we believethisishow we will change the health of ageneration, together.
What ’s onefun fact aboutyou?
Ih avefi ve am azin gkid sa nd ab ea utif ul an ds up po rtivewife, an dtheykee pm e grou nd ed an di ns pi re d. Nowa ll outof co ll eg e, it ha sb ee ni nc re di bl yrewardi ng to watc ho ur ki ds be gi nthe ir own ca re ers(with th re ec ho osin gh ea lthcare) an db ecom ea mazi ng yo un ga du lts.
Wh en we sp en dtim ea safam il y, we love to expe ri en ce outd oo ra dventu restog ethe r. I’ll be su mm itin gam ou ntai nwithmyd au ghte r in afew we eksa sp ar tofmytra in in gfor Le ad vill e, an dweh ad th ec ha ncetor un th e Gran dC anyo nwitho ur othe rd au ghte re arli er th is ye ar.
What ’s your go to post-run meal?
I’ve gottog owithp izza an db ee r. Alwa ys
Howcan thecommunity support your upcoming race?
Visit1 00 mi les1 00 ki ds .o rg .You ca ns pon so r am il ei nh on or of ac hi ld,s ha re th ei rs to ri es an dh el pu sraise fu nd stos up po rt ou r pati ents an dthe prog ra ms at Ma nn in gFam il y
Ch il dren’s th at arec ha ng in gl ives .Wheth er yo uwal k, ru n, sh are, or gi ve—wewantyou to be pa rt of th is jo urneywithu s.
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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Galaxy tour
GalaxyCon brings celebs, comics and cosplay to convention center
FOR MANY GEN XERS AND MILLENNIALS AND MORE THAN A FEW IN GEN Z, LeVar Burton is a household name. His role as Kunta Kinte on the 1977 series “Roots” made him a breakout actor, and his tenure as Geordi La Forge on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and the associated movies solidified him in the science fiction hall of fame. And for a lot of kids who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, Burton is a cultural icon because of “Reading Rainbow,” the show he hosted for more than 20 years. Those would be career defining roles for any actor, but Burton, who was born in West Germany and grew up in California, has had a wide-ranging career, including as a voice actor, “Jeopardy!” host and more recently podcaster focused on, of course, reading. He’s also a director and has spent time in New Orleans to shoot episodes of “NCIS: New Orleans.” And locals may have caught sight of Burton earlier this year, too, hanging out at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Burton returns to New Orleans this weekend as one of the celebrity guests at GalaxyCon New Orleans, which runs Friday, July 11, through Sunday, July 13, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. This will be the first event in New Orleans organized by GalaxyCon, which hosts fandom, animation and horror conventions around the country. Like similar fan conventions, this one is all about comics, sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, cosplay, anime and other pop culture genres. There will be Q&As and interviews with guests, photo and autograph opportunities, cosplay competitions and workshops, tabletop gaming sessions, a video game arena, vendors selling comics and art, after dark events and more. Along with Burton, who will be at GalaxyCon Saturday and Sunday, celebrity guests include “Daredevil” star Charlie Cox; actor Jason Isaacs, who portrayed Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films and starred in the most recent season of “White Lotus”; “Breaking Bad” and “The Mandalorian” actor Giancarlo Esposito; Emily Swallow, who also appeared in “The Mandalorian” and as a voice actor in “The Last of Us: Part II”; NSYNC’s Joey Fatone; “Clerks” actor Brian O’Halloran; and others.
There also are a host of voice actors from TV, film and video games, like John DiMaggio, Zach Tyler Eisen, Dana Snyder and Lilli Cooper, as well as pro wrestlers, cosplay influencers, tattoo artists and local fandom groups. And
by Jake Clapp |
among the many featured comics artists are Christopher Priest, Dexter Vines, Tim Jacobus, who illustrated many of the covers for the “Goosebumps” series, and several of the creators behind the webcomic Cyanide & Happiness.
Many of the guest actors and artists will take part in Q&As and panels. Actor Matt Ryan has portrayed the occult detective John Constantine in both live-action and animated shows, and he’ll talk about the character and other roles on Friday. Following that session, voice actors DiMaggio and Phil LaMarr will answer questions about “Futurama,” and several actors from the animated “Hazbin Hotel” will take part in a panel on the show.
Other Friday events include a live edition of “The 4:30 Movie” podcast with a focus on locally shot films, discussions about writing fantasy fiction and comic books, live Dungeons & Dragons sessions, an improv show by Big Couch NOLA and a cosplay mishaps storytelling hour.
On a busy Saturday, Burton will take part in a Q&A focused on his Star Trek work, and later in the day, actors Terry Farrell, Nana Visitor and Armin Shimerman will share stories about “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” There also will be Q&A sessions with Isaacs, Fatone, “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” actors Dana Snyder, Dave Willis and Carey Means, and actors Jodi Benson and Christopher Daniel Barnes from “The Little Mermaid.”
More sessions include panels on Superman comics, illustrating a great book cover, diving into the Final Girl character type and burlesque costuming tips.
Sunday’s events include Q&As with Charlie Cox, wrestlers Mick Foley and David “Gangrel” Heath, “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Spin City” actor Barry Bostwick, and video game voice actor Patricia Summersett. There also are sessions about bad “Simpsons” rip-offs, genderbending in cosplay, writing in the Star Wars universe, and comics and sci-fi writer John Jackson Miller discussing the style of Tim Burton’s “Batman” movies. There are a number of video game competitions and tabletop gaming sessions running throughout each day as well as cosplay meet-ups and a family zone offering Lego building, a book nook, fort building and other kids’ activities.
Later in the evenings, there’s a full slate of after dark events for 18 and over attendees, from karaoke and drunk Mario Kart sessions to more risqué cosplay competitions and hentai coloring pages.
On Friday night, O’Halloran will guest host the “Boob Tube Revue,” a TV-themed burlesque and comedy show. Also late on Friday, contestants can sign up to try and defend evil characters in the “Court of Otaku,” and there’s a GalaxyCon edition of the Emo Night dance party.
There’s a beach-themed dance party on Saturday night and a “Rocky Horror” screening with a shadow cast and guest Barry Bostwick. The Festival of Found Footage will host a Disney-themed show of bizarre video clips. And Debbie with a D will host a drag show featuring local drag performers.
Single-day tickets for GalaxyCon are $40-$60, and there are two-day and three-day passes as well as VIP options. Several special events, like the “Boob Tube Revue,” the “Rocky Horror” screening and Saturday’s drag show, require an additional ticket or have VIP options. Celebrity photo and autograph opportunities also carry their own charges. Want to get Giancarlo Esposito’s signature tattooed on your body? There’s an option for that, too. Find tickets, the full schedule and all the details at galaxyconneworleans.com.
Running of the NOLA Bulls
The Running of the NOLA Bulls is the highlight of the weekend-long San Fermin in Nueva Orleans festival. Events mirror festivities of the annual bull run in Pamplona, Spain. The NOLA “bulls” are roller derby skaters with horned helmets and plastic bats, and they chase runners around the Warehouse District and CBD from the starting point at Gallier Hall. There’s music by the Vivaz Duet, sangria, beer and food from local restaurants at El Txupinazo party on Friday, July 11. The run is early Saturday, July 12, and is followed by a party at Gallier Hall. Events conclude Sunday with El Pobre de Mi brunch, inspired by Ernest Hemingway. For tickets and information, visit nolabulls.com.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
In Shakespeare’s classic comedy, the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta looms as young nobles Lysander and Demetrius pursue Hermia, leaving Helena out in the cold. The young lovers escape into the forest, where a group of bumbling townspeople are preparing a short play to perform at Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding. Also in the forest, Oberon, the king of the faeries, is feuding with the faerie queen Titania, and he dispenses Puck to intervene, and the three groups’ paths cross in ridiculous mix-ups and pairings. Graham Burk directs the show at the New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane. Shows run at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and at 1:30 p.m. on Sundays July 10-27 at Lupin Theater. Tickets $25 via neworleansshakespeare.org.
Bastille Day Fete
There’s live music by Louis Michot with Les Jakobins, jazz vocalist Elijah Hartman and DJ Marea at the Alliance Francaise de la Nouvelle-Orleans’ celebration of the storming of the Bastille
PHOTO BY MATTHEW PERSCHALL / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Actor and literacy advocate LeVar Burton will appear at GalaxyCon New Orleans.
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
OPENING GAMBIT
NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS
What are the chances anybody sees Mayor Cantrell in New Orleans before the end of Hurricane Season?
THUMBS
UP/ THUMBS DOWN
Blue Krewe, the New Orleans nonprofit that operates the bike share program Blue Bikes, will use an $11.8 million federal grant to put 2,000 new e-bikes on city streets over the next five years, cover the cost of new stations and support a program with the Youth Empowerment Project teaching youth about e-bike operations and repairs.
First 2025 New Orleans mayoral campaign forum draws packed crowds
Gov. Jeff Landry recently vetoed a bill that would have extended the Louisiana Sound Recording Incentive Program, an initiative offering a tax credit to recording projects made in the state. The program had not be as widely used as many hoped, but a bill meant to make several adjustments and extend the initiative to 2030 passed both the state House and Senate with a lot of support. Landry, though, ultimately decided to axe it.
THE FIRST CANDIDATE FORUM OF THE NEW ORLEANS MAYOR’S RACE on June 26 drew a much bigger crowd than its organizers were expecting, with more than 150 people packed into Voters Organized to Educate (VOTE) headquarters in Gert Town.
The crowd was so large organizers were forced to turn away dozens of disgruntled voters at the door — a sure sign that this year’s election is already on the minds of New Orleanians.
Thomas leaned heavily on his bona fides as a “New Orleans son,” bringing up his time growing up in the Lower 9th Ward and being rescued on top of his house during Hurricane Betsy and facing housing insecurity afterward.
“Y’all don’t just see me in the churches because it’s election time,” he said.
412,000
THE AMOUNT, IN DOLLARS, LOUISIANA WILL RECEIVE FROM THE EPA TO REPLACE LEAD PIPES FOR SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE FACILITIES.
The funding is part of a $26 million EPA push to remove lead pipes across the country. Lead contamination can cause serious health problems, particularly in children. According to WWNO, while we know that more than 140,000 Louisiana service lines likely use lead pipes, there are at least 268,000 other lines that still need to be tested.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained an Iranian-born New Orleans woman with no criminal record who has been in the U.S. for 47 years. Madonna “Donna” Kashanian came to the U.S. in 1978 to study and applied for asylum after the Iranian Revolution. While her claim was denied, the government granted her a reprieve to stay in the U.S. as long as she followed the law and appeared for regular immigration appointments, which she has dutifully done, her family said.
The forum featured the three major candidates in the race so far: City Council Vice President Helena Moreno, Council Member Oliver Thomas and former Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Arthur Hunter. VOTE moderators asked them about a range of issues from housing and immigration to opportunities for youth and formerly incarcerated people.
It was a good preview of each candidate’s strategy and what’s to come in the race.
Moreno, who was a TV reporter and a state legislator before joining the council, attempted to paint herself as an underdog with “out of the box” ideas that have sometimes been “ignored and pushed to the side.” At the same time, when it was relevant, she also touted her successful legislation both on the council and in the legislature.
The crowd also seemed to respond well to his catchphrase spelling out VOTE, with an emphasis on his nickname “OT” in the middle.
Hunter repeatedly brought up his role in establishing Louisiana’s first Re-Entry Court in 2010, which has people serving life in prison acting as mentors to newly sentenced individuals and teaching them trade skills. He said a skilled workforce is the answer to several problems plaguing the city.
Street projects and utilities Moreno said New Orleans’ failing infrastructure, including prolonged street construction projects, is the result of a “leadership problem” in the mayor’s office. She brought up the city’s history of not paying its vendors, and how that even when they do, vendors sometimes still don’t pay their subvendors and businesses owned by economically disadvantaged groups.
As the mayoral race heats up, what issue do you most want to hear about from candidates?
51.3%
FIXING INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS
21.7%
21.6%
Candidates former Judge Arthur Hunter, City Council Vice President Helena Moreno and City Council Member Oliver Thomas
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
She said she recently introduced a city proposal to require vendors to pay their subvendors within 30 days.
“I’m going to get the job done for you in a Super Bowl way,” Moreno said referring to the quick turnaround of construction and other projects before the Super Bowl and other special events.
Thomas said part of his infrastructure plan is to require those starting a street project to come back within 90 days to continue it. He also said the city should consider whether a contractor has a record of doing work on time and on budget when giving out more contracts.
“We need to fix the street in the Lower Ninth Ward the same way you did one in the Garden District,” he said.
Hunter said he wanted to create a 25-year plan for housing and infrastructure in the city. He also advocated for merging Sewerage & Water Board and the Department of Public Works.
“We don’t need two people to fix one problem,” he said.
Moreno talked about the aftermath of Hurricane Ida and seeing seniors with health conditions needing emergency care motivating her to fight
for improvements to the city’s power grid. She ultimately was able to pass $200 million in improvements to the grid paid for through federal grants and through a major lawsuit with Entergy New Orleans.
“People said, ‘Helena, this is unaffordable because it’s all going to be put on the backs of ratepayers.’ And I said, ‘No, it’s not. It’s not going to be put on the backs of ratepayers. The amount of targeting that happened toward me during that time was unreal. But I kept pushing,” she said.
Thomas blamed the previous council, which Moreno was on, for approving a $210 million power plant that failed during Ida, money he said could have gone toward strengthening the grid. He also said green energy should be a focus in the city.
When asked if they’d support public ownership of New Orleans gas and electric utilities in a lightning round, Hunter said yes, Moreno hesitated for a while before saying “yes and no,” while Thomas replied, “That’s a deeper dive than a yes or no answer.” The crowd became a bit rowdy at the council members’ noncommittal responses.
Housing
Thomas said he wanted to bring housing advocates as well as people who sell and build houses to the table to help him with his goal of creating 10,000 new homes in New Orleans.
“We don’t even write a new playbook,” he said. “We used to use the playbooks that work.”
Moreno advocated for turning some of the 84 unoccupied structures the city owns into affordable housing.
The state’s fortified roof program is “just not doing enough,” she said. She suggested using the recently created Housing Trust Fund to help more people fortify their roofs in hopes of
lowering homeowners’ insurance costs, which have skyrocketed in recent years.
Hunter stressed the need for a skilled workforce and training in trade skills.
When asked about homelessness in the city, Moreno highlighted her experience with legislation around mental health and addiction, including letting anyone be able to carry Narcan, which reverses an opioid overdose.
She said she also pushed legislation to create a mobile crisis unit with professionals trained to respond to mental health crises instead of that role falling to police.
“Jail and police are not the solution to dealing with individuals who have substance abuse problems,” she said.
You’re free to live your lifeout loud! Becauseyou’vegot the compassion of thecross,the security of the shield, and thecomfort of Blue behind you.
City Council Vice President Helena Moreno takes part in the New Orleans Mayoral Town Hall hosted by Voters Organized to Educate.
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Immigration and rights of the formerly incarcerated
When asked about recent ICE raids in Louisiana, Moreno said she supports NOPD’s policy of not asking about immigration status when detaining or questioning someone.
adding teeth to the “ban the box” legislation the council previously passed, and Moreno said she’s working on another update to the law.
Hunter said he wanted to start the reentry process three years before a person gets out of prison.
Council members attempt to diferentiate themselves
Moreno again vowed to be a “24/7 mayor,” an apparent job at Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who has spent a significant time out of the city and whose official daily work schedule appears rather light.
“I will leave it all on the field for you. I will never stop working for you. I will do all possible. When I say I’m going to get the job done, I get it done. I stop at nothing.” she said.
“They don’t need to be worried about being the immigration police,” she said. “They have enough on their plates.”
Moreno, who was born in Mexico and moved to Texas when she was 8, said she is working with advocates and legal experts to make sure people who are detained get due process under the law and would continue to do so as mayor.
Meanwhile, Thomas framed himself as an independent council member above the drama between the council and the mayor. When answering questions, he stood up — literally towering above the other candidates who remained seated the whole time.
“My role as mayor is to ensure due process to ensure that there’s not racial profiling, to ensure our NOPD is keeping you safe from violent crime and preventing crime within our city,” she said.
Thomas said he supports the deportation of immigrants who aren’t citizens who commit crimes in the U.S., but that it must be done in a “humane way.” Research shows that immigrants are less likely to be incarcerated than those born in the United States.
“Illegal aliens who are criminals, who are hurting our people, don’t need to be here. But ICE don’t need to be raiding work sites and separating families. There has to be a humane way to do it,” he said. “But I’ve never lived ... in a New Orleans where they [couldn’t] use the least little excuse to come round up young Black men.”
All three candidates said they supported a constitutional amendment which would add language to the city’s bill of rights banning any local laws that “discriminate against a person based on conviction history.” That will be on the ballot Oct. 11, the same day as the primary for the mayor’s race.
Thomas, who previously served time in prison due to a bribery conviction, also recently led the charge in
With the recent announcement that the Topgolf development is dead, Thomas said he was the only council member to vote against the project “because even Stevie Wonder saw what was going to happen,” a line he’s used before.
He also said he was the only member to support Interim Police Chief Michelle Woodfork to become permanent chief, though he said it was nothing against Anne Kirkpatrick, who ultimately got the job.
In an apparent reference to political fights between the council and the mayor, Thomas said the drama wasn’t getting the city anywhere.
“The reason why I stand out of the soap opera stuff — because it wasn’t productive,” he said. “The reason why I don’t go around pointing fingers and blaming other people — because it’s not productive.”
Candidate Arthur Hunter takes part in the New Orleans Mayoral Town Hall hosted by Voters Organized to Educate.
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
City Councilmember Oliver Thomas takes part in the New Orleans Mayoral Town Hall hosted by Voters Organized to Educate.
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com
Hey Blake,
I was telling a friend how I vaguely remember Johnny Carson having a restaurant in the 1970s in Metairie. Can you help jog my memory? Where was it?
Dear reader,
IN 1968, AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS FAME AS HOST of “The Tonight Show,” Johnny Carson lent his name to a national chain of restaurants called “Here’s Johnny’s.” According to a 1979 New York Times article, Carson served as chairman of the board for a company called Johnny’s American Inn, Inc. It was run by Gilbert Swanson Jr. and his brother, Jay, whose family company was best known for its frozen TV dinners.
The chain’s first location was in Omaha, Nebraska, near where Carson grew up and began his broadcasting career. It was billed as a gourmet hamburger sit-down restaurant, offering 12 varieties of burgers. The menu expanded to include fried chicken, fried seafood and other dishes.
In all, there were 13 “Here’s Johnny’s” franchise locations across the country. Three were in the metro New Orleans area: two in Metairie — at 300 and 4725 Veterans Memorial Blvd. – and one in Gretna, at 932 Westbank Expressway. They were open 24 hours.
In a May 1971 States-Item review, Underground Gourmet restaurant critic Richard Collin wrote that it was a “fairly pleasant suburban convenience place with some agreeable versions
BLAKE VIEW
of standard American fare and some suburban franchise lapses of taste.”
He called the hamburgers “flavorful…well-seasoned and served at the requested degree of doneness.” The fried chicken and onion rings, according to Collin, were “palatable.” The diet burger, meanwhile, “an atrocious dish combining a hamburger without the bun, accompanied by cottage cheese, pineapple and the inevitable maraschino cherry, is one of the most depressing diet concoctions ever conceived,” Collin wrote.
By March 1973, John Pope, then a States-Item reporter, wrote about the local restaurants’ closure. “The general purpose restaurants never did much business and have shut down, leaving empty buildings with tables, booths and Carson photographs standing on the highway.”
The chain filed for bankruptcy in 1974. The New York Times reported that, “according to later court bankruptcy documents, none of the franchises made money. The least unsuccessful were those in Omaha and in Gretna.”
THIS WEEK WE MARK THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF NEW ORLEANS CLARINETIST AND BANDLEADER George Lewis, whom the Historic New Orleans Collection called “among the most influential and widely imitated of all traditional jazz musicians.”
Born in the French Quarter on July 13, 1900, Lewis was a self-taught musician whose first instrument was a tin fife, according to an online profile by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.
Lewis began playing clarinet with local bands while still in his teens. In the early 1920s, he formed his own group and began performing with the Olympia Brass Band. He stopped playing when the Great Depression hit and took a job as a stevedore on the Mississippi Riverfront.
In the 1940s, Lewis became an important figure in the revival of traditional New Orleans jazz. In 1942, he performed clarinet in the band backing legendary trumpeter Bunk Johnson on recordings produced by jazz historian Bill Russell. The recordings gained fame and revived both men’s careers.
By the 1950s, Lewis was leading his own bands at regular gigs in New Orleans clubs and on tours across the U.S. and in Europe. His composition “Burgundy Street Blues” became his signature tune. He was a regular performer at Preservation Hall from 1961 until his death in 1968.
At one point, there were two Here’s Johnny’s in Metairie and another in Gretna. TIMES- PICAYUNE ARCHIVE PHOTO
STUCK WITH THE BILLS
While lawmakers did little to make your life better this year, they made sure to protect themselves and big business interests.
BY KAYLEE POCHE AND JOHN STANTON
LOUISIANA LEGISLATORS CLOCKED IN during mid-April to start their regular lawmaking session, and the two months that followed were a lot to keep up with — especially with everything else going on in the world.
From festivals and summertime vacations to other breaking news, it was easy for some of the hundreds of bills lawmakers considered to slip under the radar. Some sailed through with little debate, plenty failed and others were changed so many times that you could blink and miss something.
Whether it was pandering to the natural gas industry or wild-eyed chemtrail conspiracy theorists, the Louisiana Legislature seemed to be all over the place, though one thing that stayed consistent was a disinterest in addressing the problems of ordinary Louisianans.
Now that we’ve had some space to breathe, here’s what went down from April 14 to June 12 at the Louisiana State Capitol.
EDUCATION
EDUCATION WAS A HOT TOPIC this legislative session, and the first big news actually came a few weeks before the session began: when voters in March struck down a wide-ranging set of constitutional amendments backed by Gov. Jeff Landry. One would have dissolved education trust funds and used the money to make permanent the $2,000 stipend lawmakers have given teachers in recent years. It also would have rewritten the tax code.
Lawmakers ultimately renewed the $2,000 stipend, which also includes $1,000 for school support workers. And they’re aiming to get voter approval on another constitutional amendment that would give a permanent $2,250 raise for teachers and $1,125 for support staff. That’ll be on the ballot next April.
Last year, lawmakers created an education savings program that would use taxpayer dollars to send students to private schools. Landry asked
for $94 million for the LA GATOR Program, but under the leadership of Senate President Cameron Henry, a Metairie Republican, they moved $44 million from a previous voucher program into the fund instead — keeping the number of students the program will support at 6,000.
That’s a big deal considering how much education savings account programs in other states have ballooned in size and cost.
“Like any introductory program, you want to make sure it’s successful before we expand it,” Henry said at a Public Affairs and Research (PAR) Council virtual forum following the session. “This is the same group of individuals that swore up and down that
the vouchers were the greatest thing we needed to do. We did it, and that same group came to us and said, ‘We need to cancel this. It isn’t working.’ ”
In a rare win for universities and academic freedom in the current political climate, the Senate let a bill die that would have banned diversity, equity and inclusion practices in state government.
The bill also would have forbidden state universities from requiring an undergraduate curriculum that discusses a wide range of concepts related to race and gender, unless their course of study is “primarily focused on racial, ethnic, or gender studies.”
That includes the widely misunderstood critical race theory as well
as simple concepts like “institutional racism,” which shows how political, economic or legal systems can be discriminatory, and “implicit bias,” which shows how people may have stereotypes or prejudices of which they aren’t conscious.
After much talk about the future of the University of New Orleans, which has a budget hole amid years of struggling to attract students, the legislature passed a bill to move the university into the LSU system. The state is also pitching in $20 million to go toward the school’s debts.
As President Donald Trump made cuts to research funding for universities, lawmakers spent $7.5 million to fill in the gap at Pennington Biomedi-
Gov. Jeff Landry signs a bill regarding tort reform during a press conference in May.
PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
cal Research Center, the LSU AgCenter and LSU Health Shreveport.
However, Henry said at the PAR virtual forum that the money was a “one-time thing,” and that going forward universities will need to make cuts accordingly, knowing they’ll receive fewer federal dollars.
In good news for standardized test wizzes, legislators added a new level to the popular TOPS scholarship program. Now students who get at least a 31 on their ACT and a 3.5 or higher GPA will receive up to $12,000 a year if they go to a public university, and $8,500 to attend some private colleges.
According to The Times-Picayune, $12,000 is around how much it costs in tuition and fees to enroll at LSU’s main campus for a year. Less than 2% of first-year students at Louisiana’s public universities are expected to qualify for the new top TOPS award.
Last but not least, public school teachers defeated a proposal that would have forced their union members to renew their membership annually to keep automatic payroll deductions for their dues.
The bill would have applied to some public employee union members but intentionally left out police and firefighters, which are more likely to favor Republican policies than teachers’ unions. It died in conference committee, where chosen members of the House and Senate attempted to compromise on a final version of the bill.
INSURANCE
IT’S NO SECRET that Louisiana is facing a homeowner’s insurance crisis, with skyrocketing rates causing some to no longer be able to afford to live in their own homes. However, rather than make that existential crisis the focus of the session, lawmakers decided to get swept up once again in the debate over auto insurance “tort reform.”
The idea is that if governments limit car accident insurance payouts and “frivolous” lawsuits, they’ll pass the savings onto consumers. There is little to no evidence that this actually works.
Still, lawmakers this session decreased payouts to uninsured drivers who are injured in car accidents, banned undocumented immigrants who are hurt in accidents from collecting damages for emotional distress and more, and required anyone suing over injuries to prove those injuries were a result of the car accident.
They also banned handheld cellphone use while driving, except
in emergency cases, and passed legislation requiring auto insurance companies to offer a 5% discount to commercial vehicles using dashboard cameras.
As far as homeowner’s insurance, legislators gave more money to the fortified roof program to strengthen roofs to prevent storm damage. They created a $10,000 income tax credit to help homeowners afford to harden their roofs.
Sen. Royce Duplessis, a Democrat who recently jumped into the race for New Orleans mayor, tried to create another income tax credit for low-income homeowners to help offset the cost of home insurance. The credit would have only applied to homeowners with a household income 200% of the federal poverty line or lower, aka $30,120 or less a year for a single person and $62,400 for a family of four.
The House narrowly struck down the credit 48-53 in the final days of the session.
Much to Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple’s chagrin, lawmakers also passed a Landry-backed law that gives the commissioner the power to reject insurance companies’ rate increases. If he doesn’t reject them, he’ll have to shoulder at least part of the blame for unpopular rises in rates.
ABORTION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
LOUISIANA STILL HAS ONE OF THE STRICTEST ABORTION BANS in the country, a ban many medical professionals have said is vague and hard to navigate. Still, a new report shows that more Louisiana residents had an abortion in 2024 than in the years before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, due largely to telemedicine.
The state has had trouble going after out-of-state doctors or other groups who provide abortion pills to women in Louisiana because of shield laws protecting providers from being held liable by states with anti-abortion laws.
Rep. Lauren Ventrella, a Greenwell Springs Republican, tried to find another avenue for Louisiana to go after out-of-state doctors, backed by the state’s leading anti-abortion lobby Louisiana Right to Life and Attorney General Liz Murrill.
Lawmakers passed her bill, which lets a person who has an abortion sue “any person or entity ... who knowingly performs or substantially facilitates an abortion” for at least $100,000 in damages. Landry signed it into law.
The bill defines “substantially facilitates” as “administering, prescribing, dispensing, distributing, selling, or coordinating the sale of an abortion-inducing drug to a person in this state.”
Lawmakers did weaken the bill, which originally would have gone as far as letting the father and the grandparents of the embryo or fetus sue. They also amended it to exempt Louisiana licensed health care providers as well as pharmacists acting according to pharmacy board regulations from being sued.
For the third year in a row, a legislative committee rejected a bill that would have carved out an exception to the state’s abortion ban
for children under 17 whose pregnancies are a result of rape, after hearing gut-wrenching testimony of rape and abuse from both sides.
Legislators also passed a bill giving IVF providers protection from criminal charges in the scope of their job as long as they don’t act with “criminal negligence” or “general criminal intent.” It became law without the governor’s signature.
OTHER HEALTH BILLS
YEARS BEFORE Trump made anti-vaxxer and prominent conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. secretary of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Kennedy
The University of New Orleans campus PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
Rep. Lauren Ventrella, R-Greenwell Spring, in 2024.
PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS / THE ADVOCATE
testified at the Louisiana State Capitol against Covid vaccine requirements.
Kennedy recently returned to his old stomping grounds to watch Landry sign a bill he helped craft. The measure, by Covington Republican Sen. Patrick McMath, bans schools from serving some artificial colors and additives in their food.
Under the law, restaurants also must post if they are using seed oils on their menus or signs, and health care professionals are required to take at least one hour of training on nutrition and metabolic health every two years.
The bills are part of Kennedy’s so-called “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is slashing funding for health research, eroding environmental regulations during a climate crisis and trying to cut Medicaid, through which more than 1.8 million Louisiana residents get health care coverage.
Part of the MAHA agenda that failed was a bill by Sen. Mike Fesi, a Houma Republican, that would have banned adding fluoride to public water systems in Louisiana unless parishes go through a petition and special election process.
Since 1945, parts of the U.S. have been adding fluoride to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay and cavities. Almost all water has some fluoride naturally. Too much fluoride in water can become toxic, which is why the Environmental Protection Agency limits how much is allowed in drinking water.
There have been conspiracy theories about fluoride dating back to the Cold War when U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy falsely claimed it was part of a communist plot to poison Americans.
Speaking of conspiracy theories, the Louisiana Legislature also passed a bill, signed into law by the governor, banning “chemtrails,” which don’t exist.
The outlandish and false theory is that the condensation trails aircrafts leave behind are actually from chemicals used to control weather or some other evil reason.
“No person shall intentionally inject, release, apply, or disperse, by any means, a chemical, chemical compound, substance, or apparatus into the atmosphere within the borders of this state for the express purpose of affecting the temperature, weather, climate, or intensity of sunlight,” the law states.
The theory can be linked back to the ’90s and gained traction during the pandemic and then again in the aftermath of hurricanes Helene and
Milton last fall, during which U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, a Georgia Republican, falsely claimed the federal government somehow created the hurricanes.
Additionally, Louisiana lawmakers passed a Covid-era conspiracy bill allowing pharmacies to sell ivermectin, used to treat parasites, without a prescription from a doctor.
People spread misinformation about it being a miracle drug for curing or preventing Covid, despite absolutely no evidence to prove it is effective for that purpose.
The Times-Picayune reported that doctors are seeing people taking ivermectin outside of its prescribed use have negative health impacts and delay important proven treatments.
Finally, legislators banned kratom, an herbal extract from a southeast Asian tree that acts as a stimulant in low doses and a sedative in high doses. Some have reported pain relief from taking it or ease of withdrawal symptoms, but it can also be addictive and may have serious side effects.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved it for any medical purposes, though an early study the agency conducted found it appeared safe. At the same time, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has labeled it a “drug of concern.”
The ban goes into effect Aug. 1.
HOMELESSNESS
TWO LAWMAKERS, one on each side of the aisle, tried to ban sleeping on the streets and other public areas through different approaches. But both proposals ultimately failed to make it through the legislative process.
Sen. Bob Owen, a Slidell Republican, originally filed a bill that would criminalize homelessness. It also gave parishes the option to create a specialty homeless court system, where local district attorneys could deem people “eligible” to be put on probation while they complete a program, which could include treatment for alcohol or drug addiction or mental health issues, with regular court check-ins.
Sen. Royce Duplessis, a New Orleans Democrat, amended the bill to remove criminal penalties. The bill ultimately never made it to the House, with even Owen acknowledging early in the process that it could use more “compassionate care.”
Meanwhile, a bill by New Orleans Democrat Rep. Alonzo Knox to ban public camping died in House Appropriations. Though it didn’t set any criminal penalties for unhoused
A new roof is installed in New Orleans that is part of the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program.
PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
Gov. Jeff Landry and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a MAHA bill signing.
PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS / THE ADVOCATE
A bus pulls up underneath the Pontchartrain Expressway in downtown New Orleans to transport homeless people to a temporary facility in January.
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
of changes that will reduce transparency, make investigations into alleged ethics violations more difficult and shield lawmakers and other officials from public scrutiny.
That includes House Bill 674, a wholesale rewrite of state ethics rules. The law, which was essentially written by the lawyer representing Landry in his ethics case, creates a significantly more onerous investigative process while also setting a one-year clock on completing those inquiries.
or outright graft. For example, some members of the legislature are either pastors or serve in senior positions in their churches.
In theory, the law could make it illegal for journalists to expose schemes to funnel state funds into their churches’ coffers. Similarly, it would bar revealing where an elected official’s spouse works, which could make it illegal to write about earmarks that benefit their companies.
people, it did create a right of action for residents and businesses to sue local governments for not enforcing the rules laid out in the bill.
TRAFFIC CAMERAS
UNDER ANOTHER NEW LAW, speed enforcement cameras will now only be allowed in school zones and at red lights.
The measure, brought by Monroe Republican Sen. Stewart Cathey, also will add teeth to a law he passed last year requiring signs notifying drivers they were on camera and giving them a process to appeal their tickets. Police chiefs and local leaders who don’t could face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Opelousas is exempted from the ban because of a push by Rep. Dustin Miller, a Democrat that represents the area.
Traffic cameras are, of course, unpopular among drivers, particularly those who are slapped with tickets from them. That’s especially true in New Orleans, where drivers can rack up hefty tickets from going even one
mile over the 20 miles per hour speed limit in a school zone.
Still, many local government leaders are hesitant to get rid of them because they see them as a vital source of revenue for their operations.
ETHICS, CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
LANDRY AND HIS REPUBLICAN
ALLIES in the legislature have long been hostile to transparency laws. As attorney general, Landry famously filed suit against a Times-Picayune reporter for using the state’s public records laws as part of a story on sexual harassment complaints against one of Landry’s friends who also worked in his office.
Landry also is the subject of ongoing ethics investigations, so it’s not surprising he pushed for changes to these and other laws. And while he didn’t get everything he wanted, Republicans pushed through a number
Backers of the changes used allegations that the state ethics board is overzealous in pursuing complaints to justify the changes. While others would likely be laughed out of the Capitol building for making such claims, they worked just fine for lawmakers, who loosened a host of rules governing their own behavior.
As the Louisiana Illuminator noted, the bill also “loosens limits on elected officials’ and state employees’ state travel, weakens restrictions on government contracts with public servants and their families, and reduces requirements for elected officials and political candidates’ disclosure of financial interests.”
Lawmakers also relaxed campaign finance reporting rules, including exempting a number of expenses from reporting requirements.
Meanwhile, lawmakers passed a controversial bill that would make it illegal to share a host of data on elected and other public officials in the state, ranging from home addresses and social security numbers to where they go to church.
While some of this data, like social security numbers, makes sense, others don’t — and could allow lawmakers to hide conflicts of interest
That law will almost certainly be challenged since it clearly runs afoul of longstanding First Amendment court precedents — in theory. That said, state and federal courts have increasingly been stacked with conservative judges, so it’s not entirely clear if it will be thrown out.
The legislature approved HB 64, which went largely unnoticed by the public —and the media — but that could have huge implications for the state. Written by Pineville Republican state Rep. Michael T. Johnson, the bill would bar local governments from entering into federal consent decrees without the approval of the state attorney general.
Consent decrees have long been used by federal agencies to force states and local governments into complying with federal laws. They were crucial in forcing states and municipalities to end segregation, and over the last several decades have been a key tool in combating police violence, corruption and systemic racism.
As a result, they have long been anathema to Republicans and some Democrats, including New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who has long railed against a consent decree governing the New Orleans Police Department.
New Orleans school zone traffic camera
PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Pineville STAFF PHOTO BY BILL FEIG
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EAT + DRINK
Diving in
Lost Coyote ofers fne fare and pool
WHEN COLIN KENNEDY SIGNED THE LEASE TO OPEN LOST COYOTE at 1614 Esplanade Ave., he inherited a goat.
Rosita was a resident goat when the circa-1870 building was the Mexican restaurant Joe Joe’s on the Ridge.
“She was going to be the guest of honor — on a spit — at a Cinco de Mayo party last year,” says Kennedy, a 20-year hospitality veteran. “The daughter of the previous owner saved her. She came with the building.”
At first, he wasn’t particularly thrilled to have a goat living by the back parking lot, but Rosita grew on him.
“Of course, we love her,” he says. “We’re even thinking of getting her a friend because goats are very social.”
Rosita sees a lot of action from her spacious pen, and guests sometimes feed her lettuce after their meals. A steady stream of sun worshipers pass her all day and into the evening, heading to the sparkling pool that’s behind the restaurant.
For $20, they get a day pass to the pool, a towel and a glass of bubbles. They also can munch on pool menu items like a poached local shrimp roll with stone fruit aioli and an egg sando with Boursin on brioche.
The Lost Coyote is Kennedy’s first owner-operated restaurant. That’s also true for his chef and partner, Nicole Theriot and the rest of the veteran hospitality management team, Jessica Rann, and Victoria Theriot, who trained at restaurants including Shaya and Broussard’s.
“We’ve all made money for other people for years,” Kennedy says. “This is our own place. It’s scary, but we’re going for it.”
Kennedy’s background includes managing multiple French Quarter restaurants, including Broussard’s and Curio, and working as a corporate chef at Bonefish Grill.
Theriot, who’s from Terrebonne Parish, went to the John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University. She worked with Nina Compton at the recently shuttered BABs. For the past decade, she was executive chef of
access by Beth D’Addono |
Tommy’s Cuisine and the Bombay Club, where she often worked with Kennedy.
“I wanted a well-rounded background,” Theriot says. “I didn’t want to just be looking at a prep list and a cutting board my whole career. I knew at some point I’d want to open something. I wanted to understand the job from all sides so I could have empathy for the team.”
Theriot says her cooking style is rooted in the Cajun dishes she ate as a child. “I call it globally inspired Cajun,” says the chef. “I pull from other cultures. I like to take comfort dishes and elevate them with ingredients and technique.”
The menus are cross-pollinated with some of the chef’s favorites. “I like to take childhood favorites and translate so they are elegant enough for a date night or celebration,” Theriot says.
She shows her fine-dining chops by adding a Dijon velouté to a beef pot pie baked in a buttery crust. Local Gulf fish arrives with a butternut squash puree and a maltaise sauce, which is Hollandaise brightened with blood orange juice. Pomegranate seeds add a sweet tang to a side of fried Brussels sprouts.
The makings of a muffuletta are folded into a tortilla and deep fried for a crunchy, salty treat that pairs perfectly with a cold beer.
A standard wedge salad gets the Waldorf treatment with the addition of pickled grapes, with dill adding herbal notes to the buttermilk blue cheese dressing. Lost Coyote is an ambitious endeavor.
After doing some renovations to the space themselves, the partners quietly opened earlier this year. Situated in a historic manse on the edge of Treme, the restaurant is tucked behind the gas station at the corner of Esplanade and Claiborne avenues, with the Claiborne overpass in view.
Inside, it’s a calm and welcoming all-day space, where neighbors are regulars and the pool offers an urban oasis. Besides the pool menu, there is weekend brunch with bottomless mimosas and a more formal dinner menu served in the evenings from 5 to 10 p.m. During the season, Theriot does crawfish boils by the pool.
The 100-seat restaurant includes a long, wooden bar, where for now, guests in bathing suits come in to order drinks. Kennedy acknowledges this disconnect from a finer dining experience, and he’s working on it.
“We’re putting bathrooms in outside and will have separate bar service, hopefully by the end of the month,” he says.
As for the name, the partners swear they paired every imaginable word together before settling on Lost Coyote.
“There are coyotes sighted sometimes around the city,” Theriot says. “We are a place where even a lost coyote can come in and feel at home.”
FORK + CENTER
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Fresh Mango
THE NEWEST RESTAURANT UNDER MORROW HOSPITALITY set its grand opening celebration during Essence Fest. Spicy Mango, a Creole-Caribbean fusion restaurant on Frenchmen Street, was slated to open its doors July 5. Morrow Hospitality said the fifth Morrow restaurant “aims to blend the rich flavors of Caribbean cuisine with the vibrant culinary traditions of New Orleans.”
Owner Larry Morrow appeared on The Breakfast Club, a nationally syndicated radio show, and shared that the new restaurant would have “Tulum vibes,” referring to the Mexican coastal city below Cancun.
Morrow said the project has been in the works since 2023, as seen in an Instagram post showcasing the interior of the restaurant, which features a mango tree in the dining room and a fountain on the patio.
The menu features a jerk burger, jerk mac and cheese, crawfish beignets with pineapple remoulade and coconut Gulf shrimp with orange-chili-lime sauce. In addition to serving food, Morrow Hospitality says it will feature live music. Morrow and his mother, Lenora Chong, opened their first restaurant, Morrow’s, on St. Claude Avenue in 2018. The Morrow restaurant portfolio has since grown to include Morrow Steak, Monday Restaurant and Bar, Sun Chong and, now, Spicy Mango. Morrow Hospitality also owns Hide/Seek and Treehouse. — Chelsea Shannon / The Times-Picayune
Metairie Thai
I’VE BEEN EATING LATELY AT TUK TUK THAI like I’m making up for lost time, because, in fact, I am.
This tiny Thai restaurant has a love affair with pork, beautifully rendered in crackling. Tuk Tuk Thai restaurant
Colin Kennedy and Nicole Theriot opened Lost Coyote.
PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER / GAMBIT
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
in Metairie goes deep on specials like pork belly, demonstrated in one dish in a simple pairing with bitter Thai kale (better known as Chinese broccoli, leafy and bitter). Even awash in a garlicky brown bean sauce, the fatty pork sang with crunch.
Then there’s the specials board, which reunited me with a dish I haven’t been able to find for years: stuffed chicken wings. A very similar dish was a signature at Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant NOLA for at least 20 years, and I’ve carried a jones since it closed in the pandemic.
The Tuk Tuk Thai version is filled with a fine blend of pork, herbs and rice noodles, which lightens the texture under the crisp, fried chicken skin, which becomes a shell.
These wings have been on the specials board each time I’ve visited recently, but there’s much more, and I have some catching up to do.
Tuk Tuk Thai has been around for two years now, and it’s been on my list to try. We’ve had a particularly rich harvest of Thai restaurants lately, and a quick glance at the menu didn’t do much to differentiate it from the pack. That was a mistake. It was only after the first eye-popping good meal that I realized I knew this crew from their earlier works.
Terry Cuskelly and her husband Krits Saisunee had wowed me before, more than a decade ago, when they had a West Bank restaurant called My Thai Cuisine.
Now, the couple and Cuskelly’s sister Jar Williamson run Tuk Tuk Thai. It blends into the streetscape of boxy little strip malls and tight parking lots at 901 Veterans Memorial Blvd.
You can get the Thai basics here, and the papaya salad is one I have to try at every Thai restaurant, like gumbo at a new Creole place.
But from there, I flip past the “riceand-noodles-add-protein” section and go straight to the back of the menu, where the chef specials and regional signatures live.
For more on this kitchen’s way with pork, get the kao moo dang, a nod to the strong Chinese influence in Thai food. It’s char siu pork, roasted in a sweet, sticky sauce, paired with more of the fried pork belly. Boiled eggs and a bit of salad serve as window dressing for what is really a pork platter.
Black mussels are served in a broth swimming with roasted red chili, with crinkly, butter roti bread on the side.
The muk kai kem brings calamari rings in a sauce enriched with salted egg, which ends up like a creamy
FORK & CENTER
jellied umami booster between the crunch of stir-fried vegetables. This kitchen adds new dishes all the time as specials. There’s a riff on nam prik ong, a dish of ground pork with shrimp paste and cookeddown tomatoes, usually served as a meaty salad to scoop and dip. Tuk Tuk Thai serves it over spaghetti like a Thai Bolognese, though there’s pork rinds to alternate dip-like bites anyway.
Similar is khua kling, but without noodles and closer to a Thai curry. It’s alive with crunchy bites of galangal (like a citrusy ginger) and whole kaffir lime leaves tucked between a fermented funk and sour spice that packs a wallop.
I appreciate a kitchen that indicates certain dishes are going to be spicy, no matter how you order them. You can go up in heat (they just add more chiles), though you can’t go down (which would betray the spirit of the dish). Fine by me; strong chile heat is one of the things I crave in Thai cooking. It’s not a blowtorch to the palate, it’s part of that harmony of flavors that distinguishes this cooking.
The menu also makes plain which of the dishes use imported seafood, even the shrimp, so at least they acknowledge it.
Portions are generous and prices are good. If two people spend $80 here, they’re having at least one more meal of leftovers.
There’s a small bar that does make some specialty cocktails, including spiked frozen boba tea, something I’ve been looking for since the demise of MoPho.
The ability of so small of a restaurant to quietly deliver such gratifying food at reasonable prices is a joy to discover, or maybe in this case to rediscover. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune
July 4-6
Friedeggplant stuffed with shrimp andeggplant dressing toppedwith fried catfish andseafoodcream
Crawfish étoufée with friedcatfish forlunch blackenedredfish fordinner
Boudinstuffeddouble cutporkchops with creole creamsauceand veggies
Seafoodstuffedbaked redfish with seafoodcreamand veggies 2chilicheesedogswith fries
Strawberry compote pancakestack with bacon
&Saturday Sunday!
A spread of dishes at Tuk Tuk Thai restaurant in Metairie.
PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Sue Strahan
Writer
By Will Coviello
WRITER SUE STRACHAN CHRONICLED
THE LOCAL SOCIAL SCENE for The Times-Picayune and St. Charles Avenue magazine. Her latest book, “The Obituary Cocktail,” shines a light on a drink popularized in the heyday of Cafe Lafitte in the French Quarter. It combined gin, vermouth and absinthe, though its origins aren’t entirely clear. Strachan previously explored the history of the Cafe Brulot and its place at traditional Creole restaurants in an earlier book in a series about iconic New Orleans drinks published by LSU Press. She will sign the new book at an event at 6 p.m. Friday, July 18, at the Garden District Book Shop. For more information, visit suestrachan.com or lsupress.org.
How
did you get interested in the
Obituary Cocktail?
SUE STRACHAN: I originally wrote about Cafe Brulot. They asked me if I’d be interested in writing another book about a Louisiana cocktail. Obituary Cocktail is such a great name. It has absinthe, and that always intrigues people. Cafe Brulot has the flames. Obituary Cocktail has absinthe.
It was a popular drink through the 1940s and early ’50s. In the book, I noted where a few nightlife columnists mentioned it. People were drinking it. It was like a martini with some absinthe in it. The level of absinthe was up to your taste.
Absinthe was illegal in the U.S. until 2007. They may have been using absinthe they already had, or absinthe that was brought in. It was still being produced overseas. But in some places they used Herbsaint, which was created in New Orleans, or Ojen, which has a really strong anise flavor.
There’s a newspaper account where a bar owner says, “Try the Obituary. It’s made with Ojen,” the Spanish absinthe. It’s technically not absinthe, because it’s not made with the same ingredients. But it has the licorice or anise flavor. So they were making it with other things besides absinthe.
The Obituary Cocktail gets lost. It hasn’t been rediscovered, like the Corpse Reviver. The craft cocktail movement rediscovered a lot of cocktails. I don’t think the Obituary Cocktail was one of them. Other bartenders
have put it on their menu. Chris Hannah at Jewel of the South has one. You can order one at Peychaud’s.
What did you learn about the origins of the drink?
S: I traced it back to Cafe Lafitte, which is where what’s now known as Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop is. The building was sold. There’s a longer story, which is in the book. The business had to leave, and they went down the block and became Cafe Lafitte in Exile. Cafe Lafitte was part of cafe society. Cafe Lafitte in Exile evolved into a gay bar. They say it’s the oldest continuously open gay bar in the country.
There was a scene on that block. In the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s, the French Quarter sounded like a whole lot of fun. Society people went to Cafe Lafitte. You had the Claiborne family, that’s Lindy Boggs’ family. Ella Brennan went there. She had a famous quote, “I didn’t go to finishing school. I went to Cafe Lafitte.” Her and her brother would get off work and go there.
Enrique Alferez, the artist, was frequently there. He created a sculpture that’s still in the garden at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop. Tom Caplinger is the father of actress Grace Zabriske. She was in “Seinfeld” and “Twin Peaks.” She grew up in the French Quarter. Cafe Lafitte opened right after Prohibition. Before Prohibition, it was Dixie Bohemia in the French Quarter. You were seeing people be creative
with what they had. It’s like in high school and if your parents go out, you make a drink with what you had in the liquor cabinet, and it could be really fabulous or really gross. “Let’s try some absinthe.”
Tom Caplinger popularized the Obituary Cocktail. There was Ojen in the recipe. There’s a book called “Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em” (by Stanley Clisby Arthur). There was a recipe in that for a Jitters. It was one third of a jigger of Ojen, one third of a jigger of gin and one third of a jigger of vermouth. The ratios are different than the Obituary cocktail. We don’t know if the Jitters was the inspiration for the Obituary cocktail.
How did you choose the recipes you included in the book?
S: I included recipes from bars where I tried the Obituary Cocktail. I went to a bunch of places to try it. The basic ingredients are the same, but each place interprets it differently. I went to Cafe Lafitte in Exile. I went to Cure because Neal Bodenheimer wrote his own cocktail book. Cure adds orange bitters to it and dresses it up. I went to Jewel of the South. He had a recipe in Garden & Gun in 2017. And Fives is a place that I thought would be fun. It has an old-school feel.
I included some other drinks as well. There’s a tradition of cocktails with morbid names, like the Zombie. Death in the Afternoon is Champagne and absinthe. That came about because of Ernest Hemingway. There’s the Corpse Reviver. There’s Esprit de Corpse, Kill Devil, Vampire’s Kiss and Resurrection. There’s many more. People love the morbid names. Absinthe makes it a little more intriguing.
Trying it in bars isn’t always easy. Many bars may only have one absinthe. What absinthe you use is a personal preference. I would say use a higher-end absinthe, and Herbsaint works fine too. But generally I’d say don’t substitute with herbsaint-flavored liqueurs.
WI NE OF THE WEEK
MonFrere
Chardonnay
Aromas of citrus, pear and stone fruit lined with floral notesand ahintof nutmeg and vanilla on the finish. Arich, round mouthfeel with perfectly balanced acidity and minerality followedbya refreshing finish.
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER
Out to Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106.
Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream.
com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato in flavors like praline, salted caramel and tiramisu, as well as Italian ices in flavors like lemon, strawberry and mango. There also are cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and coffee drinks. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $
com — Gulf Drum Yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. There also are oysters, seafood pasta dishes, steaks, lamb chops and more. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$
Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with goat cheese and chardonnay sauce. Reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$
The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — Basin barbecue shrimp are served with rosemary garlic butter sauce over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. The menu includes po-poys, fried seafood platters, raw and char-grilled oysters, boiled seafood in season, and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$
Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 5813866; broussards.com — The menu of contemporary Creole dishes includes bronzed redfish with jumbo lump crabmeat, lemon beurre blanc and vegetables. Brunch includes Benedicts, avocado toast, chicken and waffles, turtle soup and more. Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available in the courtyard. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ Cafe Normandie — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The menu combines classic French dishes and Louisiana items like crab beignets with herb aioli. Sandwiches include po-boys, a muffuletta on flatbread and a burger. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner Fri.-Mon. $$
The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — Dickie Brennan’s Commissary supplies his other restaurant kitchens and also has a dine-in menu and prepared foods to go. A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. The menu includes dips, salads, sandwiches, boudin balls, fried oysters and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$
Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya. There also are crab cakes, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, po-boys and more. Outdoor
$ — average dinner entrée under $10
$$ $11-$20
$$$ — $20-up
seating available on balcony. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dahla — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 766-6602; dahlarestaurant.com — The menu includes popular Thai dishes like pad thai, drunken noodles, curries and fried rice. Crispy skinned duck basil is prepared with vegetables and Thai basil. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes oysters served raw on the half-shell or char-broiled with with Parmesan, garlic and herbs. The menu also includes po-boys, po-boys, gumbo, blackened fish, fried seafood platters and more. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse. com — There’s a seafood raw bar with raw and char-broiled oysters, fish dip, crab fingers, shrimp and more. Redfish on the Half-shell is cooked skin-on and served with crab-boiled potatoes, frisee and lemon buerre blanc. The bar offers a wide selection of bourbon and whiskies. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — The menu includes a variety of steaks, plus seared Gulf fish, lobster pasta, barbecue shrimp and more. A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$
El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — The menu includes tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, ceviche. tamales and more. Pescado Vera Cruz features sauteed Gulf fish topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers, served with rice and string beans. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$
Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 8140 Oak St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar jack cheese, black beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. The menu also includes tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, salads, rice and bean bowls with various toppings and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$
Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$
Kilroy’s Bar — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The all-day bar menu includes sandwiches, soups, salads, flatbreads and a couple entrees. A muffuletta flatbread is topped with salami, mortadella,
capicola, mozzarella and olive salad. No reservations. Lunch Fri.-Mon., dinner daily. $$
Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sharables plates like NOLA Tot Debris. A slow-cooked pulled pork barbecue sandwich is served with coleslaw on a brioche bun. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The selection of steak and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops. There also are burgers, salads, pasta, seafood entrees, char-broiled oysters and more. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Luzianne Cafe — 481 Girod St., (504) 2651972; luziannecafe.com — Boudin Benedict features two poached eggs over boudin and an English muffin, served with green tomato chow chow and hollandaise. No reservations. Delivery available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$
Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. The menu also has noodle dishes, teriyaki and more. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.Fri., dinner daily. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including chicken a la grande, shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and chicken cacciatore. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$
Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage like the Famous Ferdi filled with ham, roast beef and debris. Creole favorites include jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans and rice with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as shrimp Creole, seafood platters, po-boys, char-grilled and raw oysters, salads and more. Side items include carrot souffle, mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, sweet potato tots and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$
Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese and garlic butter, and other options include oysters Rockefeller and loaded oysters. The creative menu also includes seafood bread, a Cajun-lobster potato, wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, sandwiches, seafood pasta, loaded fries and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$
Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers cheese boards and appetizers to nosh with wines. The menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large
Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 5231661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary Creole menu includes signature dishes like crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce. There also are steaks, pasta, a burger and Gulf seafood dishes. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$
Parish Grill — 4650 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 100, Metairie, (504) 345-2878; parishgrill.com — The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, pizza and sauteed andouille with fig dip, blue cheese and toast points. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — At brunch, braised short rib grillades are served over grits with mushrooms, a poached egg and shaved truffle. The dinner menu has oysters, salads, pasta, shrimp and grits, a burger, cheese plates and more. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$
Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. Crab beignets are made with Gulf crabmeat and mascarpone and served with herb aioli. No reservations. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 934-3463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on the balcony. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$ Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 827-1651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes raw and char-broiled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys, fried chicken, crab and corn bisque and more. Redfish St. Charles is served with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $
The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — There’s a full coffee drinks menu and baked goods and beignets, as well as a full bar. The menu has flatbreads, cheese boards, small plates and a pressed veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
STUDIO SUITE MEMORY CARE
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
during the French Revolution. The event also includes a costume contest, cornhole games, a recording of a French-language beer podcast, food vendors and more. At 6-10 p.m. Friday, July 11, at 1519 Jackson Ave. Tickets $10-$13 at af-neworleans.org.
Southern Nights
Curated and hosted by singersongwriter Dusky Waters, the monthly Southern Nights series highlights women working in Americana. The series is spending this summer at Snug Harbor, and the next edition will feature performances by Britti, Mikayla Braun and Waters. They’ll end the show with a collaborative set dedicated to the music of Tracy Chapman. The shows are at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Sunday, July 13. Tickets are $30 via snugjazz.com.
Mid-Summer
Charlie Gras Saxophonist, clarinetist, vocalist and chess lover Charlie Gabriel is an institution in New Orleans music and at Preservation Hall, where he’s also the musical director for the Pres Hall Foundation. Gabriel turns 93 on July 11, and Pres Hall celebrates with MidSummer Charlie Gras on Friday, July 11, and Saturday, July 12. Gabriel also has a new album, “Amor,” coming soon. There are multiple shows each night, and tickets start at $25 via preservationhall.com.
Psychedelic Furs
The Psychedelic Furs emerged from Britain’s post-punk and new wave scene in the late 1970s and had hits in the U.S. in the early ’80s, including “Pretty in Pink,” which helped inspire and was used in John Hughes’ romantic comedy of the same name. Brothers Tim and Richard Butler still lead the band, though the surrounding cast has changed a lot. The group released “Made of Rain” in 2020, nearly two decades after their last album. Fellow British post-punk outfit The Chameleons also performs. At 8 p.m. Friday, July 11, at House of Blues. Tickets $41-$99.50 via houseofblues.com.
Mountain Grass Unit
Alabama’s Mountain Grass Unit is a relatively new bluegrass band, but with some polished musicians, including guitarist Luke Black and mandolinist Drury Anderson, graduates of the Berklee College of Music, and fiddler Josiah Nelson, who
teaches music at East Tennessee State University, and vocalist and bassist Sam Wilson. At 8 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at Tipitina’s. Tickets $25.72 at tipitinas.com.
‘Company’
In Stephen Sondheim’s 1970 musical, a bachelor hitting his 35th birthday celebrates with friends, all couples. In a series of vignettes, he spends time with those couples separately, and the show reflects on dating, marriage and relationships. Broadway veteran Leslie Castay directs the show for Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 10, through Saturday, July 12, and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 13, at Dixon Hall. Tickets $31.50$56.50 via liberalarts.tulane.edu/ summer-lyric-theatre.
Erica Falls
Vintage soul, funk and R&B singer Erica Falls headlines a Free Fridays show at Tipitina’s. Blues guitarist Ghalia Volt also performs. At 9 p.m. Friday, July 11. Admission is free, but there are no tickets, so first come, first served. Visit tipitinas.com for information.
‘Annie’
Annie, a plucky girl in a New York orphanage, dreams of finding her birth parents in the popular musical based on the 1920s comic strip. She meets “Daddy” Warbucks among others. The show includes the tunes “Tomorrow” and “It’s a Hard Knock Life.” At Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts July 10-20. Showtimes vary. Tickets $41-$55 via rivertowntheaters.com.
Legends of the Dew Drop
Each Saturday, the historic Dew Drop Inn hosts a brunch show surveying many of the rhythm and blues and early rock ‘n’ roll musicians that played the venue, like Ray Charles, Little Richard and Dave Bartholomew. The band includes Jesse McBride, Gladney, Amina Scott and more great New Orleans players, and the show is now hosted by actor Tanyell Quian, who has appeared in the film “Ma” and the TV series “Queen Sugar” and “Parish.” The next Legends of the Dew Drop: Road to Rock & Roll show is at noon Saturday, July 12. Tickets are $59.54 and include brunch buffet. Find more at dewdropinnnola.com.
MUSIC
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TIPITINA’S — Fais Do—Do with the Bruce Daigrepoint Cajun Band, 5:15 pm
MUSIC
Star matter
by Jake Clapp
GUSTAV HOLST’S “THE PLANETS” HAS LONG BEEN ONE OF New Orleans-based trumpeter Steve Lands’ favorite classical compositions. The seven-movement suite — epic in its sound, sweeping from the aggression of Mars to the softer Venus and the jovial Jupiter — premiered in 1918 and quickly became popular and influential.
“The Planets” has inspired film composers and rock bands alike, and many projects have tried their own interpretation on Holst’s work, including Lands’ own sweeping, Afrofuturist interpretation, “Rearranging the Planets.” But the spark that prompted Lands to take on the challenge came in December 2015 from another favorite composer: Duke Ellington.
“I think he’s one of the greatest composers who’s ever lived. He did ‘The Nutcracker Suite,’ but cats call it ‘The Nutcracker Swing,’ ” Lands says. “It’s Tchaikovsky, and he did this big band version … Harmonically, sonically, it’s so incredibly derived from the original Tchaikovsky piece, and he messes with rhythm and pacing and timing and adding solos.”
Ellington and collaborator Billy Strayhorn’s recording, released in 1960, recreated the holiday ballet classic through their big band, swing lens. Lands felt inspired to take a piece he loved, Holst’s “The Planets,” and re-examine it. Lands and his ensemble premiered “Rearranging the Planets” in 2022 at the New Orleans Museum of Art, and they have performed the work just a few times since, including at the Dew Drop Inn last year. The album “Rearranging the Planets” was released in early May, the same day Lands performed the work at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. It is his first album under his name.
With nine musicians and three vocalists — all lauded New Orleans players — the 14-track album is a grand tour through the cosmos. Lands blends and bends a range of Black American-rooted genres with Afrobeat, electronica, spoken word and avant-garde aspects. It’s a combination of his wide-ranging tastes and experimentation.
“I like Flying Lotus. I like Art Blakey. These are my things. So I thought, ‘Why don’t I make this song sound like Flying Lotus met Wayne Shorter?’ ” Lands says. Lands was born in Baton Rouge and got his start with bands like the Michael Foster Project before moving to New Orleans in the late-2000s. Over the years, he has played with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, PJ Morton, Herlin Riley, Ellis Marsalis and others.
After several years composing “Rearranging the Planets” bit-by-bit — often working with a MIDI keyboard during long stretches on tour with various bands — Lands turned to friends to help him bring the project to life.
In his notes about the album, Lands writes that he found inspiration in the composition of “The Planets” as well as how Holst turned to astrological influences while composing in the 1910s. Holst became a student of astrology, using astrological characters to influence the sound of the music, but Lands was thinking further: How were these astrological characteristics seen by the Babylonians, Syrians and other ancient cultures. “What does Jupiter sound like to the Zulu?” Lands writes.
Each movement in “Rearranging the Planets” is led by a spoken word piece written and performed by Rene (artist Cubs the Poet performed with Lands at the NOMA premiere). Rene’s words are in conversation with Lands’ compositions, and prime the listener to consider ideas around love, society and time as they drift past Venus and Saturn.
Lands wanted to “add a clear black outline of what this abstract painting is,” Lands says. “Here is a line showing you where this [song] is.”
But, at the same time, Lands hopes the listener finds their own interpretations in the album, he says. All he could do was be “the most honest version of what I feel about music.”
“Reaching farther and farther into the levels of allowing it to be interpreted is I think the point,” Lands says. “The piece itself is an interpretation of another piece. I want to extend that as far down as I could.”
Lands next performs with his quintet at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at Snug Harbor. Find “Rearranging the Planets” at thestevelands.space. Vinyl records are available by emailing Lands via his website.
HIRING FOR ALL POSITIONS
Interviewwith principals anddistrict representatives who have openings for the 2025 -2026 school year.
•Please bring multiple copies of your coverletterand resume.
•For teacher positions, bring multiple copies of your teachingcertificate
•For bus drivers positions, bring a copy of your CDL License.
•Arrivenoearlier than 8:45 a.m.
Note: No interviews will be conducted forCentral Officepositions.
New Orleans trumpeter and composer Steve Lands PROVIDED PHOTO BY NOE CUGNY
whereseeto go
Cat’s claw
by Will Coviello
MARGARET, OR “MAGGIE THE CAT,” IS ONE OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’ most intriguing women lead characters, even though “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is full of gripping drama between her, her husband Brick, his father, Big Daddy Pollitt, and the rest of the extended family.
“You see Maggie on all the marketing materials,” says Augustin J. Correro of the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans about many of its more famous productions.
Correro is directing the drama as the company marks the 10th anniversary of its first production. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” runs July 10-27 at Marquette Theater at Loyola University New Orleans.
In the drama, Maggie and Brick are staying at Big Daddy’s Mississippi mansion. He’s the biggest cotton planter in the state, and he’s dying of cancer, but the family hasn’t told him of the diagnosis yet.
Brick’s brother Gooper, his wife Mae and their five children also are at the home because of the news. Maggie, who grew up poor, is suspicious that Brick’s sibling is maneuvering to inherit most of the estate. Childless herself, she seethes that carrying on the family line may be weighing in Gooper’s favor.
She’s also struggling to revitalize her own marriage. Brick is a former football player and sports announcer who has become distant and sullen after the loss of a close friend, Skipper. Brick drinks away his feelings, and he’s on crutches after a strange accident. The nature of Brick’s feelings for Skipper draws questions from Big Daddy and his wife.
The pressure is rising, and Maggie is a mix of charm and fury as she tries to hold everything together.
“She thought she’d be sitting pretty,” Correro says. “This is a whole house full of people who are suddenly at their worst because of the news they’ve received.”
The drama was immortalized on film, with Elizabeth Taylor as the feisty Maggie, Paul Newman as Brick and Burl Ives as Big Daddy. But the stage drama also has always been popular. The play won a Pulitzer Prize in 1955, and its initial Broadway run was a huge success. In Broadway revivals, Maggie was played by Kathleen Turner in
1990, Ashley Judd in 2003, Scarlett Johansson in 2013, and others. In New Orleans, the play has also been popular. In the last dozen years, there have been productions by Anthony Bean Community Theater, the NOL A Project and Le Petit Theatre in 2023.
There are slightly different endings to the play, and the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company is using what’s dubbed the Broadway ending, last seen here by Anthony Bean Theater, Correro says.
In the original version, Big Daddy didn’t appear in Act 3. When Elia Kazan prepared to direct the show’s opening on Broadway, he made some suggestions. He thought Big Daddy was too important to not be in the third act and had suggestions for showing more about Maggie and Brick’s relationship. Williams wrote another version for a 1974 revival.
For this production, Rebecca Elizabeth Hollingsworth plays Maggie. She was Myrtle the showgirl in the company’s 2024 production of “Kingdom of Earth.” Brick is played by Brandon Kotfila, who was in the company’s production of “Sweet Bird of Youth.” And Randy Cheramie plays Big Daddy. He’s played the role before, including in The NOLA Project’s production a decade ago.
For the set, the company opted not to build out the Pollitt mansion but cover a frame of it with a gauze-like material. It suggests the drama’s revelation of secrets and the world that’s closing in on Maggie and Brick.
Tickets for “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” are $25-$55 ($10 for Loyola students) at twtheatrenola.com.
PROVIDED PHOTO BY JAMES KELLEY
PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
TOT BY EXAMPLE
By Frank A. Longo
1 They may be medically induced
6 Speaks off the cuff
12 Muttered in
Diminish 21 Scarab or ladybug
22 Not to mention 23 Automaton that people are bidding on?
25 Certain light musical work
26 French pointillist Georges 27 Due to being challenged 29 Recon info 30 Extreme hardships
4BR, 4BAHomeonPrettyBlock
1stFlr has Hdwd Flrs &Lotsof Natural Light&2Ensuite Bdrms. Kitchenhas Cool MidCentur y Modern design.2nd Flrhas 2L rg En suit eB dr ms w/ CathedralC eilgs& Bamboo Flrs.Primary Bathroom has aClawfootTub &tiled walk in Shower.Bkydhas lovely Patiow/est Garden Bed. Rear Bldg previously rented has potentialasa GuestCottage or rental.ConvenientLocationw/accesstoTulane & Loyola +Claiborne Ave, directroute to Downtown &1-10. OffStreetPrkg! $495,000
90 Baldwin of “Concussion”
Response to a ceremonial question?
Wear for beddy-bye
-- hub (tech device)
In a different way
Person giving a speech about narrow waterways?
mom on “The Simpsons”
on
Camp bed left outside during a downpour?
Fails to care for properly
north of Paris
name in insurance
River of the Carolinas
a nap
This 2BR, 2BAGem combines old NewOrleans Charmw/modern conveniences. Upscalekitchen w/ newSSappliances, &Granite counters.Bothbathrooms were recently redone w/ Beautiful ItalianBlueMarble. Primar y Bdrm suitew/GorgeousBathroom. Orig hdwd flrsin Liv, Din&Bdrms.Front Porch& Spacious Backyard w/ BigDeck- Greatfor Entertaining!. Newlypaved Drvw y for3-4 cars.Convenientlylocated foreasyaccessto Downtown &Uptown. $395,000
Unit of corn
Bunch
Old, to young: Abbr.
Blowout victory
Had being
Pro at giving first aid
“Woo-hoo!”
71 Degs. for many profs
Apple’s voice assistant
Slightly
Speed of development
Rear- -- (car crash)
Cautious
80 Massive meal 81 Good buddy 82 Unrefined metal 83 Four mos. after 7-Down
Bridle strap 85 Belly muscles 88 “Do you have some thoughts?” 91 Unorthodox sect
Ovine female 94 Muslim’s god
Comic strip segments
96 Brings bad luck to
98 Hat worn on the slopes 99 Change into 102 Informal language
103 Certain piano fixer
104 Title chameleon of a 2011 animated film 105 Camping shelters 106 Feeling of dread
