Spanish Teacher (Metairie, LA). Teach Spanish to elem school students; develop lesson plans & exams; conduct classroom instruct; monitor student progress. Bach in Modern Languages, Communications or re‐lated; native or near native fluency in Spanish. Excel commun skills. Must send CV & cvr ltr to trovania. otkins@jpschools.org or Trovania Otkins, Jefferson Parish Schools, 501 Manhattan Blvd., Ste 1200, Har‐vey, LA 70058 w/in 30 days, ref Job #2022-598.
Assistant/Project Engineer (Geotechnical) Ardaman & Associates Inc. (St. Rose, LA) Must have proof of legal authorization to work in U.S. Apply online at https://www ardaman.com (under job title above). Please submit resume with copy of Master's degree transcripts showing coursework and/or research in Ge‐otechnical Engineering topics. To view full informa‐tion about the job opportunities including the full job description, related occupation, education and experi‐ence requirements please refer to the internet posting at https://www ardaman.com under job title above. Your ad here
ALY SSA HAUPTMAN N ( 504 ) 483 -1123 [alyssa.hauptmann@gambitweekly.com]
LAUREN CUNNINGHAM ( 504 ) 636 -7426
[lauren.cunningham@theadvocate.com]
Sales and Marketing Coordinator
CLARE BRIERRE [clare.brierre@gambitweekly.com]
LIONEL NOSACKA [lionel.nosacka@gambitweekly.com]
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Enter Eve
Boyfriend releases concept album ‘In the Garden’
BOYFRIEND’S MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A DANCING MIDDLE FINGER aimed at the patriarchy. The New Orleans vocalist and songwriter regularly prods and challenges gender stereotypes, beauty standards and regressive views on sexuality in her lyrics couched in a bed of enthralling, bassy alt-pop.
Now with “In the Garden,” Boyfriend wants to get at patriarchy’s cornerstone myth, she says: The story of Eve, Adam and the Garden of Eden. The new concept album, which is out Friday, May 9, on Big Freedia’s Queen Diva label, is a retelling of the beginnings of Genesis taken from Eve’s perspective with parts played by Tony-winning actor Billy Porter, Big Freedia, Jake Shears of the band Scissor Sisters and electro-punk artist Peaches.
“The retelling is that curiosity is a virtue, not a sin, and that Eve is actually the hero of this story, not the villain,” Boyfriend says.
As Sunday school teaches it, Adam and Eve could live in harmony with God in the Garden of Eden as long as they didn’t eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and from the Tree of Life. Tempted by the Serpent, Eve breaks the rules, eats from the Tree of Knowledge, and humanity is cast out of the Garden and cursed.
Eve is “sort of the weak, spineless, stupid — insert all of the adjectives — woman who causes all mankind’s suffering,” Boyfriend adds. “There are plenty of origin myths throughout the world, and this one’s particularly harsh and shameful. I wanted to re-approach it.”
“In the Garden” opens with Porter as the narrator setting the scene, a black stage in the void. Enter Big Freedia as — who else? — God declaring “Turn the lights on!”
The captivating album plays out like a musical and follows the general line of the story but through a feminist and queer lens. Boyfriend’s Eve is a naturally curious creation who grows more sure of herself as the album unwinds. As played by Shears, Adam is vain and content with life in the Garden and, as the indie electro-groove “Curious” suggests, isn’t all that interested in sex. Peaches’ serpent is sly but rather than a deceiver is just in conversation with Eve, asking the new human their own questions about God and the Garden’s rules. And Big Freedia highlight’s God’s extravagance, big personality and quick temper as well as prompting thoughts about gender, queerness and identity.
by Jake Clapp |
Eve is intellectually curious and questions why she was made this way if it wasn’t God’s intentions. It leads her to the Tree of Knowledge, and she willingly eats the fruit. She has agency and is unashamed of her decision.
“This whole album is an invitation to re-interact with this [story],” Boyfriend says. “I think that’s what all of my work is. It’s just like, engage with the messages that you’re receiving with a dose of academic approach. Let’s unpack this a little bit.”
Suzannah Powell debuted her Boyfriend project in 2012, and her first decade or so of making music was defined by her “rap cabaret.” She performed in vintage lingerie and giant curlers — and sometimes had her armpits shaved on stage — in a critique of the hoops society expects feminine bodies to jump through. A couple years ago, she let her hair down ahead of her first full-length album, “Sugar & Spice,” but her provocative style continued. Retelling the story of Eve and the Garden of Eden has been something Boyfriend has considered for more than a decade, she says. She originally pictured Eden as a boudoir, but while the setting and specifics have changed, the core story stayed the same. Boyfriend debuted “In the Garden” on April 26 as a one-night-only
theatrical show at Esplanade Studios. And Lou Henry Hoover of the burlesque duo Kitten N’ Lou helped choreograph the dance for the show. Kitten N’ Lou had worked with Boyfriend on the show “Hag,” a threeact, semi-scripted musical that ran around Halloween for several years at Preservation Hall.
Filmmaker Zac Manuel, who co-directed the Lil Nas X documentary “Long Live Montero,” also shot the “In the Garden” performance, and a concert film will be released in the fall.
“It’s all about storytelling, like the Boyfriend project always has been. And this project is very clearly a narrative,” she says. “‘Hag’ was a musical but using existing songs I already had and could fit into these arcs, whereas this was truly a narrative.”
“In the Garden” was executive produced by Alex Krispin, and Boyfriend worked with producers Asa Taccone, who fronts the indietronica band Electric Guest, Little Shalimar, film composer Joseph Shirley and the duo Gold Glove. Synth-pop, funk, hip-hop, bounce and other genres can be heard on “In the Garden,” and several of the songs could fit easily on playlists and stand outside of the storyline.
Boyfriend over the years has written on songs for Big Freedia (with whom she’s a frequent collaborator), Kesha, Jake Shears, The Revivalists, Pom Pom Squad and others. Recently, she wrote the song “Puppet on Your String” for Irma Thomas and Galactic. All that helped when it came to creating “In the Garden.”
“I approach writing for other voices like a homework assignment, digging into their full catalog,” Boyfriend says. “Here’s this album where it’s like, OK, they still need to say what I want them to say, but acknowledging that I’m writing for another voice. How does Big Freedia say, ‘let there be light’?”
While keeping the project entertaining, Boyfriend hopes “In the Garden” will prompt listeners to rethink Eve’s story — and the ways it’s still being used to oppress people. During the interview with Gambit, Boyfriend pulls up the website of a Greek Orthodox church in California that states “childbirth has involved uncleanness and sin” due to the “curse of Eve.”
“The setup of the Garden of Eden is a logical puzzle,” Boyfriend says. “It needs to be explored.”
Find links to ‘In the Garden’ on Instagram: @xoboyfriend.
Master
P
Master P, aka Percy Robert Miller, has enjoyed success across a range of professions, from breakout rapper to founding the No Limit Records label, film and TV star and dabbling in professional basketball. He celebrates his birthday with a host of guests, including 50 Cent, DaBaby, Trick Daddy, Trina, Big Boogie, Lil Scrappy and Young Dro. At 8 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at the Smoothie King Center. Tickets $59.50 and up via ticketmaster.com.
‘Something Rotten’
In Elizabethan England, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom run a theater, but are constantly upstaged by William Shakespeare and his Globe Theatre. Out of desperation, they turn to a soothsayer, Nostradamus’ nephew, and illicit funds to try to beat the bard with a brand new show. They even want to try a new idea of setting a play to music. But as Shakespeare wrote in Macbeth, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair,” and the competition doesn’t get easier. Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts presents the award-winning Broadway show at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 11, and continuing May 16-25. Tickets $41-$45 via rivertowntheaters.com.
NOLA Synth Fest
NOLA Synth Cult celebrates electronic music at this two-day fest. The local aerial troupe Flying Buttresses perform to a live synthesizer score on Friday, May 9, and there are two stages of synthesizer performances and a gear swap on Saturday, May 10, at the Broadside. There’s an afterparty at 10 p.m. Friday at Santos Bar with music by Rebecca Goldberg, Tristan Dufrane, DJ Nice Rack, Otto, Oscillation Communications, Whale Watching,
Percy “Master P” Miller
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Boyfriend rewrites the story of Eve on ‘In the Garden.’
PROVIDED PHOTO BY JASON KRUPPA
OPENING GAMBIT
NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS
Lord it is gonna be a long, hot summer
THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN
Ms. Linda Green, well-known as the Ya-Ka-Mein Lady, was given a key to the City of New Orleans and celebrated during the first week of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in recognition of her work feeding the city. Mayor LaToya Cantrell presented the key to Green in front of her long-running Jazz Fest booth.
Nazi’s
The Trump administration deported a 2-year-old Baton Rouge-born girl with “no meaningful process,” a federal judge wrote in a court order. The girl, who is a U.S. citizen, was deported in April to Honduras along with her mother and 11-year-old sister, who are not U.S. citizens, despite protests by immigration attorneys and the girl’s father. U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty ordered a hearing on May 16 “in the interest of dispelling our strong suspicion that the Government just deported a U.S. citizen with no meaningful process.”
FAFO night out in New Orleans ends in losing his job
A NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN FOR ONE LOUISIANA NAZI and his collaborator friends has ended in unemployment after video was posted online of the poorly tattooed fascist and his melanin-challenged waffenbruder strolling down Decatur throwing Nazi salutes and yelling “white power.”
Video and photos of the racist gaggle of goons’ FAFO excursion to Frenchmen Street and the French Quarter started making the rounds on social media early Monday. Several photos show the flock of fascists having what appears to be a lovely time being members of the “master race” in their finest SS T-shirts.
photojournalists Crista Rock and Abdul Aziz, quickly identified them. By late afternoon one of the Nazis’ employers, the Amite, Louisianabased Stinkeye Tattoo was scrambling to control the damage.
In a statement on their Facebook page, Stinkeye said it had fired its Nazi employee and claimed that two other employees in video were not really Nazis.
COUNT #
Louisiana lawmakers want to amend or do away with the law allowing wrongfully convicted people to seek compensation from the state. House Bill 101 by state Rep. Nicholas Muscarello, R-Hammond, would eliminate the state’s compensation fund and shift the responsibility to local parishes. It also makes it more difficult to apply for compensation.
It’s unclear why they went to Frenchmen given the diverse and joyful nature of the street — though it is possible they labor under the racist Italian-American conspiracy theory which holds Italians created jazz.
The fun didn’t last long, unfortunately for the ubermen. Video shows them scurrying in a decidedly un-alpha like manner down Decatur Street following what appears to be a verbal altercation.
The internet being nothing if not up in everybody’s business, quickly got to work after the videos and photos were posted and sleuths, including
“The views that were expressed are not the views that we share at Stinkeye Tattoo … Mitch and Logan associated in the video were there to get our ex coworker out of the situation and escort him back to his vehicle, preventing him from being attacked by multiple people instead of leaving him behind. Christian is no longer employed at our shop,” the statement says. It’s unclear from the videos what the two other employees did to calm the situation down, however. It also did not account for the fact that members of the shop, including the owner, were hanging out with a Nazi wearing a Nazi shirt and sporting Nazi tattoos, or the fact that a second Nazi who also has a love for Nazi themed fits was present. Within 24 hours the Nazis
Destinations include Qatar, Nantucket, Santa Barbara, Washington, DC (twice), Los Angeles, Atlanta (twice), Rio de Janeiro, Montreal, Palm Springs Florida, Miami, Barcelona, Mexico City, Kansas City and Las Vegas.
THE NUMBER OF TRIPS MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL TOOK IN 2024. C’EST
After Jazz Fest, which summer event are you most looking forward to?
25.5%
23.4%
CREOLE TOMATO FESTIVAL
SCREEN SHOT OF @PHOTOAZIZ INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
and their collaborators had removed their social media posts, as had the tattoo shop which also not lists itself as permanently closed on Google.
The shop did not respond to a request from Gambit about whether it provides Nazi, Confederate or otherwise fascist themed tattoos. It’s common for reputable tattoo shops to not make Nazi tattoos.
Though New Orleans has little tolerance for open displays of Nazi beliefs, there is of course a long history of racism and antisemitism in the city. For instance in 2022 the Black Butterfly Too shop in the French Quarter was found to be selling a variety of Adolf Hitler action figures. — John Stanton
Mayor
LaToya Cantrell
dismisses new reporting rules covering city-funded travel
NEW ORLEANS MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL APRIL 25 APPEARED TO DISMISS new record keeping and reporting rules governing city funded trips.
Earlier last week, the New Orleans City Council passed a new ordinance requiring the administration to provide detailed records of travel by all city personnel, including the council as part of a broader review of travel costs.
While that could mean she will comply with the reporting rules, given Cantrell’s hostility to the city council and resistance to any oversight of her activities, it would seem to suggest she won’t.
This isn’t the first time her office has issued a purposefully vaguely worded statement. When the travel ban was passed, Cantrell ignored it and left for D.C. Her office released a statement that seemed to suggest it was completely paid for by an outside group, though that does not appear to be the case.
Her communications team in the last year have begun issuing often cryptic, unresponsive or incomplete statements in the rare instances they do respond to requests for comment.
It’s part of a broader apparent plan to shield the mayor from having to actually answer difficult questions from the press. She’s abandoned her weekly press conferences, and her team favors either openly friendly interviewers or internally produced and tightly controlled public relations “media,” like her random podcast episodes that tout her brand.
Council President JP Morrell made clear Friday he expects the mayor to comply with the new rules.
“We continued the travel ban but ‘paused it’ because a judge has already suspended it. The travel ban was no longer a priority because the mayor stopped lying about our fake financial crisis,” Morrell told Gambit.
“That being said, we’re still investigating travel because it’s a tremendous amount of money that the administration doesn’t track or even keep records to justify. Further, the info we get will allow us to determine if they are even following their own policies,” including a prohibition on first class travel, he added.
— John Stanton
Cheech and Chong take Rouses
SCORES OF CANNABIS ENTHUSIASTS AND JUST PLAIN OLD STONERS mobbed the Mid-City Rouses April 30, and not just because they had the munchies.
hilarious stoner humor with biting commentary on racism, xenophobia and Puritanism, the story of two blissed-out potheads trying to play a gig was an instant classic — and majorly influential on generations of young people.
The iconic duo has been in New Orleans for the past few days, hosting a handful of appearances to celebrate the launch of their new THC soda, Cheech and Chong’s High and Dry Seltzer. That included a meetand-greet with some of their most dedicated fans and merch giveaways at the local grocery store.
The event lasted from 2:20 to 4:20 p.m. (of course).
THC sodas have become increasingly popular, so it was just a matter of time before Cheech and Chong got in on the industry.
The duo’s calorie-free drinks come in different flavors, like Magic Mule and Raspberry Highball. A case of four cans costs $13.99 at Rouses, and each can has 5 milligrams of THC. One fan described it as having a similar taste to a sparkling water, comparing it to a mind-altering LaCroix.
“With the krewe’s history of inclusivity and our history of being hippies and (weed) smokers, this is like a dream come true for us,” he said. “We are Mardi Gras for the people, by the people.”
Despite soaring temperatures fans didn’t seem to mind the wait, and in fact were making the most of it.
One devotee who had been in line for three hours told Gambit it provided a “great opportunity to drink beer and smoke joints” with his friends.
Nancy Montoya, the queen of the Krewe of Dreux, also wore a cannabis-themed cape and a dazzling crown for the occasion.
For Montoya it was a perfect, lighthearted opportunity to celebrate with friends.
“This is a real New Orleans moment,” she said. — Sarah Ravits Louisiana lawmakers advance bill to crack down on homelessness, sparking outrage
Cantrell’s statement is difficult to understand. In it, she alleges the council’s new rules “revive” a travel ban struck down by a judge last month and says she already meets existing documentation and review rules.
But her statement goes on to add, “the administration will continue to comply with all procedural requirements governing travel requests, including the timely submission of all required documentation prior to employee travel.”
The weed aficionados had gathered en masse for a chance to meet two of the true titans of THC, the sovereigns of sativa, the one, the only gods of stoner comedy … Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin.
“I’ve been quoting from ‘Up in Smoke’ since I was in diapers,” said Yuri Mladenoff, adding he’d been waiting since 6 a.m. “I didn’t want to miss out on meeting these cultural icons.”
Released in 1978, “Up In Smoke” cemented Cheech and Chong’s place in American pop culture. Combining
It also seems like a pretty smart marketing move, given that New Orleans is in the middle of Jazz Fest, a particularly high time.
Other eager fans who lined up early included several members of the Krewe of Dreux, a Gentilly-based Carnival organization that stinks of weed.
And even though it’s technically not Carnival season, the krewe’s current king Eric Mark couldn’t resist the opportunity to show up in full regalia, including a velvety cape adorned with a cannabis leaf.
A STATE SENATE COMMITTEE HAS ADVANCED A BILL that would make unauthorized camping illegal, a bid to tamp down on homeless encampments in Louisiana that drew impassioned criticism this week from advocates and New Orleans officials.
Under Senate Bill 196 – authored by state Sen. Robert Owen, R-Slidell – camping on public property would be a felony on the second conviction. But the bill would also allow judges to create court programs dedicated to homelessness cases, which could aim
Members of New Orleans’ Krewe of Dreux meet their heroes, Cheech and Chong, on May 30, 2025 at Rouses
PHOTO BY SARAH RAVITS / GAMBIT
Mayor LaToya Cantrell in January
PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com
Hey Blake, Morris Jeff’s name is on lots of things, from schools and a park to the old Municipal Auditorium. Who was he?
Dear reader,
MORRIS F.X. JEFF SR. WAS A PIONEER IN ESTABLISHING recreational and educational programs for Black children during segregation.
Originally from Morgan City, Jeff graduated from McDonogh 35 High School and Xavier University then earned a master’s degree in physical education and recreation from the University of Michigan.
He began a long career with the New Orleans Recreation Department when it was formed during Mayor deLesseps “Chep” Morrison’s administration in 1947. He was later named head of what was called the “colored division” serving Black children.
“I started as a supervisor at Shakespeare Playground,” Jeff told The Times-Picayune in 1990. “After one year as a (playground) supervisor, I became an administrator in the program and moved to City Hall.”
He remained with NORD, later as program director, for more than 35 years, until retiring in 1986.
Jeff also worked many years with the New Orleans public school system. He worked as a coach and P.E. teacher at McDonogh 35 and Booker
T. Washington high schools, then was appointed the school system’s physical education consultant.
Jeff, who was elected King Zulu in 1974, died in 1993. The following year, the New Orleans City Council voted to rename the Municipal Auditorium in his honor.
He and his wife Thelma had three children, including Morris F.X. Jeff Jr., who served as director of the city Department of Human Services from the 1970s through the 1990s. He died in 2003.
In the late 1990s, McDonogh 31 Elementary School in Bayou St. John was renamed Morris F. X. Jeff, Sr. Elementary. It closed after Hurricane Katrina. In 2010, Morris Jeff Community School opened as a charter school, initially on Poydras Street. Now on three different campuses, it serves students from pre-K through 12th grade.
In 2021, the city council voted to rename Behrman Park in Algiers as Morris F.X. Jeff Sr. Park.
MAY MARKS 25 YEARS SINCE THE CLOSING OF THE MCKENZIE’S PASTRY SHOPPES CHAIN, sweet memories of which still remain for generations of New Orleanians. In 1924, Daniel Entringer and Henry McKenzie opened a bakery on Canal Street. Entringer later sold his interest to McKenzie, who in 1929 opened his own bakery in the 4900 block of Prytania Street. His name can still be seen on the building, now a Creole Creamery location. In 1936, Entringer bought out his former partner but retained McKenzie as manager and kept his name on the business because of his good reputation.
Entringer and his family would expand the chain to 49 locations throughout the metro area, employing 400 people at the time of its closing. McKenzie’s became known for its extensive product line, from king cakes, doughnuts, petit fours and pies to chocolate turtles, blackout cakes and buttermilk drops.
In May 2000, the chain closed amid declining sales and health code violations at its baking plant on Desire Parkway. “It’s sort of like losing part of the family,” renowned chef Paul Prudhomme told The Advocate. “Almost every neighborhood had a McKenzie’s. Their pies, their cakes and their pastries have been part of our tradition and family life for a long, long time.”
New owners tried to revive the business, but their efforts were short-lived. Some of the original McKenzie’s recipes were purchased by the Tastee Donuts chain, which still sells the baked goods.
BLAKE VIEW
The Morris Jeff Pelicans basketball team practice at the Morris Jeff Community School gym that once was the Joseph S. Clark High School.
PHOTO BY MAX BECHERER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Comp ass Launches in Louisiana& Missis sippi
Co mp ass ,the la rg es tres id enti al re al es ta te brokerage in th eU ni te dSta te sbys al es vo lum e, ha sf ul ly la un ch ed it so pe ra ti on si ntoLou is ia na an dM is si ss ip pi .Thi sexp an si on sig ni fie sa pivotal mom entfor th ecomp anya nd th el ocal re al es ta te ma rket s. By introd uc in gCom pa ss to ol sa nd te ch nol og ytothe se re gi on s, th ecomp anya im s to enh ancethe ef fic ie nc ya nd ex pe ri en ce of th e lo ca lrea le statem ar kets
With mo re th an 1, 30 0l icen se da ge nt sa lrea dy op eratin gi nLou isi an aa nd Mi ss is si pp i, Co mp as s ha sarob us tfou nd atio ntob ui ld up on .The se age nt sa re notj us tp rofe ss io na ls bu ta re de ep ly entren ch ed in th ei rcom mu ni ti es ,p os se ss in g inva lu ab le lo ca lk nowl ed ge an di ns ig ht s. Th is co mm un it yi ns id er status al lows Co mp ass age nt s to of fe rap er so na lize ds er vi ce th at re so na te sw ith th eres id ents of th es ea re as ,e ns ur in gas ea ml es s inte gratio nofCom pa ss’s ad va nced pl at fo rm wi th th etru sted re la ti on sh ip stha tthe se age nt sh ave cu ltivated ove rtim e.
ALeg ac yLas ti ng Over 10 0Yea rs
Th is ex pa ns io ni sd eep ly ro oted in ar ic htra di ti on of re al es ta te exce ll en ce, ex te nd in gthe le ga cy of La tter &B lu m— an am esyno ny mo us wi th re al es ta te in th eregi on si nce191 6. La tter &B lu mh as be en as ta pl ei nthe in dus tr y, re gul ar ly re ce iv in g acco lad es from re sp ec te do rg an izatio ns like RI SM ed ia an dRea lTre nd s. With th el aun ch , Co mp ass is noto nl yp re se rv in gas to ri ed le gac y bu ta ls oi nf us in gi tw ithm od er ni nnova ti on an d te ch nol og y.
On eofthe stan do ut fe atures of th el au nc hi nto th es em ar kets is th ecomp re he ns ives ui te of to ol s an ds er vi ce sn ow avai la bl etob otha ge nt sa nd cl ie nt s. Th ecom mitm enttoe nh an ci ng th ec li ent ex pe ri en ce is ev id enti ni ts fo cu so ne ns ur in g tran sp aren cy an dp ea ce of mi nd at ever ys ta ge of th erea le statej ou rn ey.W iththe introd uc ti on of th ea ll en co mp ass in gp la tfor mCom pa ss
On e, cl ie nt scan be ne fit from as ea ml es s, ef fic ie nt proces stha tfoster ss trong age nt-c li ent re la ti on sh ip sa nd en co ur age sb othrep ea ta nd refe rral bu si ne ss .
Ex per ts in Mu lti- Ph as eM arketi ng St ra te gy
As ig ni ficanta sp ec tofthe la un ch invo lves it su ni qu ea pp ro ac htop ro pe rt ym ar keti ng, pa rticul ar ly th ro ug hthe Co mp ass Pr ivate Excl us ives an dCom pa ss Co min gS oo np ro gram s. Th es ei ni ti atives ha ve prove ntob eh ig hl y ef fe ctive, al lowi ng ho me ow ne rs to ac hieve a 2.9% hig he rc lo se pr iceo na ve ra ge,a nd a20% fa ster ra te of acce pted of fe rs on ce li sted on th e MLS. Su ch pre- ma rketin geffor ts pl ay ac ru ci al ro le in re du ci ng th el ikel ih oo dofp ri ce re du ctio ns po st-l is ti ng, th us protec ti ng th ep ro pe rt y's ma rket va lu e.
Th es trateg ic proces sb eg ins wi th li stin ga prop er ty as aCom pa ss Pr ivateE xc lu si ve.Thi s ap proac hm ainta in sthe prop er ty 's excl us ivi ty wh il ec re atin ga wa re ne ss am on gs ta ge nt s. Fo ll ow in gthi sp ha se,the prop er ty tran si ti on sto Co mp ass Co min gS oo n, fu rthe rb ui ld in gi nteres t an da ll ow in gp otenti al bu ye rs to prep arefor it se ntry into th em ar ket. Fi na ll y, th ep ro pe rt y is li sted on th eM LS an doth er pu bl ic we bsi te s, ma xi mizi ng ex po su re an dval ue.The Co mp ass 3Pha se dM ar keti ng Stra te gy is de sig ne dto min imize ne ga ti ve ma rket pe rcepti on sa nd opti mize th es el li ng proces s.
Tran sformi ng Re al Es ta te Th ro ug h
Te ch nolo gy
Co mp ass's co mm itme nt ex te nd sb eyon dm ere tran sa ctio ns;i ti nc lu de sad ed icatio ntothe co mm un itie si nw hi ch it op erates .B ye mp ower in g lo ca la ge nt sw ithcut ti ng -e dg etec hn ol og yw hi le re sp ec ti ng an dl everag in gthe ir in he re nt lo ca l ex pe rtis e, Co mp ass is po si ti one dtotra ns fo rm th erea le statel an ds ca pe in both Lo ui si an aa nd Mi ss is si pp i.
Fo rtho se inte re sted in le ar ni ng mo re ab ou t Co mp ass’s lo ca li ni ti atives an dthe be ne fit s of th ei ri nnova ti ve pre- ma rketi ng stra te gi es , ad di ti on al in fo rm atio ni sa va il ab le at co mp ass .com .Thi sexp an si on noto nl yh ig hl ig ht s th eb ro ke ra ge’s grow th am bi ti on sb ut al so it sd ed icatio ntoe nh anc in gthe re al es ta te ex pe ri en ce fo rc li ents an da ge nt sa li ke ac ro ss th en atio n.
To le ar nm ore, vi si tcomp ass .com
27 Au dub on Pl ace, NewO rl ea ns ,L A70118 –For Sal e
TO SCHEDULE ACCORDING
A year in the work life of Mayor LaToya
Cantrell
BY KAYLEE POCHE
PERHAPS IRONICALLY, it’s no secret that New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and her administration have become increasingly private in her final term.
While the role of mayor is arguably one of, if not the, most important public-facing jobs in a city, most of us have no idea what in the world our mayors actually are doing on a day-to-day basis. And that has become especially true in New Orleans.
Through a public records request, Gambit obtained a copy of the mayor’s official schedule for 2024, providing a glimpse behind the curtain at what a year on the job looks like. The documents include planned meetings with government officials, business owners, community leaders and local celebrities, as well as events around the city and travel.
To be clear, this is an incomplete view of what Cantrell does. For instance, while the calendar may include some virtual meetings and calls. Likewise, it does not include a log of her emails or other written correspondence, nor does it appear to include impromptu meetings with staff or other city officials.
Additionally, it does not indicate whether Cantrell actually attended meetings listed on her schedule. The mayor has had a habit of missing important meetings to take personal time in the past.
Additionally, the records provided to Gambit were missing two days: Sept. 20 and Dec. 16.
Still, the documents do provide some insights into the mayor’s daily work life. On an average week, the mayor typically had between 10 and 20 hours scheduled. When you exclude the weeks she traveled and other irregular weeks, Cantrell was scheduled to work for an average of 16 hours and 39 minutes a week.
Of those hours, more than two thirds of them were dedicated to more ceremonial duties — like ribbon cuttings, school visits and remarks at graduations — as well as meetings with celebrities and dignitaries and other activities.
Gambit requested additional details from the mayor’s office about her schedule, as well as phone logs, the two missing days from our original records request and comment on her activities. Her office didn’t comment or provide Gambit with any information, instead directing us to the city’s public records request website.
SNAPSHOT OF MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL’S SCHEDULED TIME IN 2024
DIFFERENT GOVERNING STYLES
A PUBLIC OFFICIAL’S CALENDAR isn’t a precise measure of the work they may do on any given day or year.
For instance, as Bob Mann told Gambit, former Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco would often make several calls to staffers at night. Mann worked in communications for Blanco and for U.S. Sens. J. Bennett Johnston, Russell Long and John Breaux.
“It was not unusual for me to get a phone call from her at 10:30 at night that went on for 30 minutes or more. She was kind of a night owl,” Mann says. “Now not all that stuff was not on her calendar. So if you looked at her schedule, you wouldn’t have seen her phone call to three, four staff members after dinner.”
Still, most mayors, governors and other high-profile elected officials have their days planned out in significant detail. For instance, an official with former Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s administration says that Landrieu’s schedule would have around 10 to 11 hours scheduled each weekday.
TRAVELING: 1,290 HOURS AND 37 MINUTES
CORE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT: 215 HOURS AND 5 MINUTES
RIBBON CUTTINGS & OTHER PUBLIC EVENTS : 385 HOURS
VIP MEETINGS: 68 HOURS AND 5 MINUTES
ATTENDING FESTIVALS: 44 HOURS
Mayor LaToya Cantrell speaks about the fortified roof program on May 31, 2024.
PHOTO BY MATTHEW PERSCHALL / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Landrieu, however, had a reputation for being a workaholic. He would wake up at 4:30 a.m., the official says, and start reading the news. The mayor went into the office around 7 to 7:30 a.m., and every moment from 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m., he was booked, the official adds.
Landrieu isn’t an outlier. Most public officials’ days are planned from beginning to end for them well in advance – so much so that it has become a common trope in literature, tv and films about politicians. At its most extreme level, the stress and responsibility of a politicians’ schedule can even take a toll physically on politicians: Former presidents like Barrack Obama and George W. Bush visibly aged in their first few years in office.
Cantrell’s schedule in 2024 was significantly less regimented.
In analyzing Cantrell’s calendar, Gambit broke down her schedule into several broad categories: “core functions of government” which includes meetings with top city officials, department heads, federal and state officials, the Sewerage & Water Board and other activities related to governance; “ribbon cuttings and public-facing events” including school visits, remarks at New Orleans Police Department academy graduations and more; “travel”; and “VIP meetings” with dignitaries, celebrities and others.
We also tallied the total time Cantrell spent at festivals, parades, press events and days on which she had no activities planned.
When she was in town, much of her scheduled time was devoted to the more ceremonial aspects of the job: Based on our analysis, during 2024 Cantrell spent 215 hours and 5 minutes on core functions of government versus 517 hours and 35 minutes on ceremonial duties, attending festivals and other activities.
On the schedule, there were 74 days in 2024 with nothing scheduled, including no travel. Combine that with the days she spent traveling, and Cantrell spent more than a third of the year with either nothing on her schedule or on trips out of state.
However, most of the days with nothing scheduled were weekends or holidays. Excluding holidays, including ones many people don’t get off like Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, brings the total days without anything scheduled down to 18.
TRAVEL
all scrutinized Cantrell’s busy travel schedule.
ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE
We counted any day Cantrell traveled but had at least one work-related function on her calendar as a half day, which totals 62 and a half days out of the state for trips in 2024.
Cantrell took 16 work trips, including five international ones and some that were almost back-to-back. For example, she left for the Montreal Climate Summit on Monday, May 6, 2024, and came back Wednesday night. She then left for Qatar that Friday night, returning to New Orleans the following Thursday.
Most of those trips were in the first half of the year, and the mayor took a nearly four-month break from traveling from June 23 to Oct. 12.
Mann, who also is an author and historian, says 62 days of travel is “a lot.” He cited Jimmie Davis, who was governor of Louisiana from 1944 to 1948 and again from 1960 to 1964, being out of state for around 200 days during his first term.
“He was almost considered an absentee governor because he was gone so much,” Mann says. “That was seen as that he was just completely neglecting his duties. But I don’t know of any governor since then who has been out of the state anywhere near that much.”
While governors and mayors have different roles, Mann says that he doesn’t see a need to travel that much for either job.
“You could probably argue that the governor has a lot more license and reason to travel out of state for economic development, that kind of thing (than a mayor),” he says, “and it would still be hard to come up with 50 or 60 days in a year that the governor would need to be out of state for those kind of duties.”
The Landrieu administration official says the former mayor was wary of traveling in part because he was afraid of something bad happening in the city while he was away. In fact, his office had a rule in the first five- or six-years Landrieu was mayor that if he did travel, he couldn’t stay overnight, a rule he said they didn’t break more than a handful of times.
It was a prescient policy decision: Landrieu’s fear did come true toward the end of his second term. When the city flooded due to pump failures during heavy rains in August 2017, Landrieu was attending a conference in Aspen, Colorado. The floods became a major public relations nightmare for Landrieu, so much so
TOTAL HOURS WORKED: 14.5 A TYPICAL WORK WEEK FOR MAYOR CANTRELL: OCT. 28 – NOV. 3
MONDAY, 10/28: 2 HOURS
Meetings with public safety and leadership teams, Chief Anne Kirkpatrick
TUESDAY, 10/29: 3.5 HOURS
Meetings to plan UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball and 20th anniversary of Katrina, meeting on cemeteries, ordinance signing and video taping
WEDNESDAY, 10/30: 1.5 HOURS
Meeting with “Cliff” and Gordon Plaza demolition event
THURSDAY, 10/31: 2 HOURS
Meet and Greets with Austrian university students and St. Lucia delegation, Ameri Corp Vista event and taping Mayor for a Day Contest video
FRIDAY, 11/1: 4 HOURS
Press conference with Chief Kirkpatrick, media release on body cameras, book reading and dinner at JustTini’s
SATURDAY, 11/2: 1.5 HOURS
Prospect.6 ribbon cutting and Key to the City presentation to Lil Wayne
SUNDAY, 11/3: 0 HOURS
12:30 p.m. depart Louis Armstrong International Airport for Barcelona, Spain
THE PUBLIC, media and the New Orleans City Council have
Mayor LaToya Cantrell and other officials cut caution tape before demolishing a home in Gordon Plaza.
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Please join us in helping1,000 people moveout of homelessness into apar tment sthisyear! UNIT Yisa nonprofitleading acollaborative of agenciesproviding housingfor vulnerable people.Eachnight ,weproviderentassistanceand ser vicestoover3,500 people with disabilities rescuedf romhomelessness. Bu twithsoaring rent sand ahighpover ty rate,more people need help!
Yo ur donat ion h elp se nd human su fering an db ui lds ab ette rNew Or le ans. givenola.org/organization/uni ty-of-greater-new-orleans
that the official still cites the instance as a big regret.
RELATIONSHIPS
WHILE THE MAYOR MAY NOT BE OUT physically repairing roads, arresting people committing crimes or clearing catch basins, ensuring those sorts of governmental functions are happening — and adapting to meet the needs of the city or any emergency situations — is perhaps the most fundamental aspect of governance.
For many mayors and governors, that means staying in constant contact with the senior officials in their administration. Throughout most of Landrieu’s tenure, the official says the mayor met with his administration leaders daily for between an hour and an hour and a half. In the last years Landrieu was in office, the official estimates that went down to about three times a week.
During those meetings, they would discuss big decisions, updates on major priorities or projects or how to navigate any issues that were coming up. His staff would prepare a binder for the mayor each night to prep for the meeting, which include items they needed him to take action on.
Based on her calendar, Cantrell seems to have taken a more hands-off approach. In 2024, the mayor was scheduled to meet about three times a month with senior leadership and check in with her communications team for about an hour every other week. She also met between two to three times a month with NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick for 30 minutes, which usually coincided with a separate hourlong public safety meeting.
Communicating with the public also is a key part of being mayor. But when it comes to the press, Cantrell’s administration has been tight-lipped. She stopped holding regular press conferences where reporters could ask her questions directly, and her communications team often either doesn’t reply to requests for comment, declines to comment or sends out a vague press release to their email list alluding to the reporter’s questions.
Instead of interviews with local media outlets, Cantrell’s 2024 schedule includes interviews only with very specific outlets like Essence, for the 30th anniversary of Essence Fest, and with groups like the African American Mayors Association or the Aspen International Mountain Foundation. She spent five hours taping segments for podcast NOLA Insight and City News, both run by the administration.
Cantrell and the city council have also had a tense relationship, especially in the mayor’s second term. Several council members have previously said they have not had substantive conversations with her since the beginning of her second term in 2022. That’s reflected in her schedule, which only includes one meeting in the year with a council member, Eugene Green. No phone calls are listed with council members either.
The Landrieu administration official says Landrieu’s staff met council members daily and would give updates to the mayor. Landrieu would make several calls to council members a week and meet with them ahead of the budget process or individually if a big project was happening in their districts.
Cantrell’s senior officials and staff, however, do stay in regular contact with the council and each other.
Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montano, in particular, has been the primary intermediary between Cantrell and the council, particularly over the last two-and-a-half years. Likewise, Chief Resilience Officer and Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Infrastructure Joseph Threat is reportedly also in regular communication with the council.
HANDS-OFF APPROACH
DELEGATING COMMUNICATION
with the council to senior staff appears to be part of Cantrell’s broader handsoff approach to governing in 2024. In fact, delegation is a critical skill for an elected official. Micromanaging can lead to inefficiency and waste, and there are simply too many decisions that must be made in any given day for a mayor to be involved in every single one of them.
But that can come at a cost if a mayor becomes too disengaged from the daily activities of government.
For example, in 2022 a Fox 8 investigation into Cantrell’s use of the city’s Pontalba apartment revealed Cantrell skipped a host of meetings that were on her calendar to spend time with former NOPD officer Jeffery Vappie at the apartment. The station was able to use city and private security camera footage to show the mayor was either in the apartment or walking around the French Quarter during these meetings. These weren’t just ribbon-cuttings but also meetings on key issues facing the city.
Although Cantrell downplayed those missed meetings at the time, there appear to have been real world consequences to her absence from the city. Specifically, last year Cantrell was out
ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE
of the city during most of the negotiations between her administration, the council and the school board to help bail out the school system and end costly litigation between the school system and city. The day Montano, city council members and the board announced the deal — Nov. 18, 2024 — Cantrell was on a plane home from a nearly weeklong trip to Rio de Janeiro.
In the weeks leading up to the announcement, the parties had come to an arrangement for the city to give the school board $20 million this school year to help close its funding gap. During that time, Cantrell had no scheduled meetings with her senior staff or Montano individually, and in fact spent a week in Barcelona while the final details were being hammered out. According to her schedule, she would not have a meeting with senior staff until 4 p.m. Nov. 20 — two days after the press conference announcing the deal.
Although Cantrell would end up signing a budget bill in December that included a $10 million payment, by January her administration would abruptly reverse course and attempt to back out of the deal.
For much of Cantrell’s second term, the day-to-day operations of the city had been run by Montano. But the school board scandal seems to have sidelined Cantrell’s longtime consigliere with City Attorney Donesia Turner and Director of Finance Romy Samuel filing the power vacuum. But regardless, Cantrell was presumed to be calling the shots.
That doesn’t seem so clear anymore. Cantrell’s notable absences and apparent light workload, combined with her relatively infrequent scheduled meetings with senior staff raise significant questions about not only her schedule but about who is actually running the city of New Orleans.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell poses with the New Groove Brass Band during a ribbon cutting ceremony for the renovation of the George Washington Carver Playground on July 2, 2024.
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Mayor LaToya Cantrell at the Holiday Lighting of Canal Street event on Nov. 26, 2024.
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
to put defendants through drug and mental health programs instead of sending them to prison.
The bill was approved 4-3 by the Senate’s Judiciary B Committee April 29, with all three senators from New Orleans — home to the state’s largest homeless population — voting no.
Critics noted repeatedly on Tuesday that Owen’s proposal does not include any funding for additional mental health or drug treatment that could be required under homelessness court programs, or for housing. Others also said criminal convictions would make it more difficult for people to get off the streets and into housing or into a job.
“This law is criminalizing poverty — anybody can become homeless,” said David Larson, a member of UNITY of Greater New Orleans’ People’s Council, whose members have experienced homelessness. “Sending these people to jail is a travesty.”
SB 196 is one of two bills this legislative session that propose to ban homeless encampments; the other is House Bill 619 from State Rep. Alonzo Knox, D-New Orleans. Both bills were introduced after Gov. Jeff Landry vowed that his office would work during the legislative session to “enact legislative reforms that should produce the framework necessary to properly move people from homelessness to housing.”
In the past year, Landry has marshaled state resources to first relocate homeless residents into a single encampment downtown and then from downtown camps into a staterun shelter, which opened in January and closed after three months.
Both proposals also come after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year allowed cities and states to enforce bans on people sleeping outside.
Walters also said the bill was aimed at “cleaning up our streets, providing public safety, ensuring public health is maintained.” A spokesperson for Landry did not respond to a request for comment.
Homeless services nonprofits throughout the state currently use millions of dollars in federal funds each year to move homeless people into subsidized housing and connect them with services, including mental health and addiction treatment.
New Orleans officials and service providers have acknowledged that available mental health treatment options are insufficient to keep some of the highest-need people stably housed. But they said Owen’s proposal isn’t a remedy for that problem.
Will Harrell, senior program monitor with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, said that the bill would come with an “extraordinary cost” to New Orleans.
“There is no more room in the inn,” said Harrell, noting that the city’s jail is already over capacity. “Where do people expect these people that we’re talking about to be?”
Walters said that the governor’s office was “looking into all the various sources of funding that we can tap into.”
Sen. Royce Duplessis, Sen. Joseph Bouie, and Sen. Jimmy Harris, all of New Orleans, all voted down the bill. They said that they have received numerous calls and emails in opposition to the bill from constituents.
“My phone has been blowing up,” said Bouie. — Sophie Kasakove / The Times-Picayune
A homeless person packs up her belongings after the NOPD officers asked her to move.
PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
PAGE 8
EAT + DRINK
Ship shape
WHEN THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
PLAYED THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS in Super Bowl LIX, there was a lot of green on the scene at The Schooner Saloon at 700 Burgundy St. The bar and kitchen offers a menu of sandwiches and sharable plates and is an outpost for Philadelphians.
Bar co-owner Steve Gingrich is a Pennsylvania native, a Temple University graduate and a lifelong Eagles fan. Naturally there is a Philly cheesesteak on the bar’s menu, but it goes deeper. Just as New Orleanians have supported Leidenheimer Baking Co.’s French bread for generations, Philadelphians are loyal to Amoroso’s, a family-owned bread company that’s been the go-to delivery system for hoagies and cheesesteaks since 1904. Gingrich imports Amoroso’s rolls for sandwiches, including the cheesesteaks, made with shaved sirloin, provolone cheese, peppers and grilled onions, and served with fries on the side. Gingrich, who owns the Schooner with his girlfriend and business partner, Jaime Coleman, is the South’s largest customer for the Philly-based bread company. Every week, he orders five to 10 cases of rolls, which are flown to New Orleans Lakefront Airport from Philly. “They are softer than po-boy rolls,” he says. “A customer described it as eating a cloud.” The rolls are just one sign that the Schooner is invested in serving better than the usual bar food. Chef Robin DeAbate, who comes from a fine dining background, runs a scratch kitchen, eschewing Sysco shortcuts, like roux in a bag, to keep his menu honest. He’s Sardinian on one side of his family, but his Cajun grandmother, Mimi Boudreaux, informs the other. His chicken and sausage gumbo is a traditional version powered by a dark, velvety roux that does her proud. His biscuits are made with Old Bay and cheddar and paired with compound garlic and parsley butter. Hand-cut fries are served with remoulade, and can be topped with cochon de lait or barbecue jackfruit for plant-based eaters.
A garden salad with grilled shrimp is a lighter option. The beer-batteredto-order fish and chips earn high praise, even for visitors from across the pond. Show-stopping Reuben egg rolls ooze chopped corned beef, sauerkraut and melted cheddar. Also popular are the barbecue shrimp roll and the Italian meatball sub.
Every Thursday during crawfish season, the chef is boiling crawfish and adding traditional and nontraditional ingredients into the pot, from hot sausage and corn to pineapple. A serving of two pounds and fixings is $20, beginning at 4 p.m.
Gingrich and Coleman opened the bar almost two years ago in the
space that had been Betty’s Bar & Bistro and, before that, the 700 Club. They live around the corner and saw the need for a watering hole in that part of the Quarter. Gingrich wasn’t new to the business. He was an owner of the American Sports Saloon at 1200 Decatur St. for a decade, until it closed in 2023. Coleman’s been a bartender and manager for years, and they have more than 30 years of bar experience between them.
He and Coleman went back and forth before they settled on a maritime theme, in homage to New Orleans’ long history as a port city. Five- and six-masted wooden schooners did most of the city’s hauling until the early 1900s, when steamboats took over. Details like rope trim, ships’ wheels and portholes add to the bar’s vibe. “It feels like you’re in the hull of a ship with all this wood,” Gingrich says. The bar offers frozen tropical drinks, a deep list of Caribbean rums, local beer on tap and plenty of domestic and imported options.
In another life, Gingrich was the controller of a Florida disaster relief company and landed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and the levee failures. He’s lived here since 2009, above a bar where he worked for a dozen years. “I’m a late-night guy,” he says. “Always the last one up,” he adds. “The business agrees with me.”
Toups in the CBD
TOUPS’ MEATERY IS A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT that always goes big: in its modern Cajun flavors, in its extraordinary community give back and in the personality that chef Isaac Toups and partner Amanda Toups bring to it.
Now, the Toups have a major new restaurant in the works that will be big by design, grand in scope and tacking in a different culinary direction.
The new restaurant is called Armada, and it is planned for downtown New Orleans at 231 Carondelet St. It will be on the ground floor of what started in the 1920s as the Cotton Exchange Building, long ago converted to a hotel. Armada is slated to open late in the year, perhaps in November.
The menu will be a blend of Spanish and French cuisine, and the setting will be luxe.
Under a high ceiling, Armada will have some 7,500 square feet and seating for 175 between the dining room, banquette booths, a private dining room
and a big bar up front. There will be an open kitchen with a view to a rotisserie, one of the many items on the chef’s culinary wish list being built into the Armada concept.
The couple is working with local firm Studio West on the design.
For the menu, Isaac Toups is working closely with Shalika Sprowal, who will be Armada’s chef de cuisine. She is now executive chef for Toups Family Meal, the nonprofit community meal program the Toups created.
The chefs say they’re excited for what Armada can bring to the table, exploring
Amanda and Isaac Toups
PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
The Schooner Saloon brings taste of Philly to the French Quarter by Beth D’Addono |
Schooner Saloon owners Jaime Coleman and Steve Gingrich (center) with chef Robin DeAbate
PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER / GAMBIT
both Spanish and French traditions. It will be distinct from the Louisiana and Cajun flavors at Toups’ Meatery.
“This is ‘Isaac takes on Europe,’ ” Isaac Toups says. “The Meatery has its own identity well set by now. This will be more refined.”
Still, expect plenty of meat. They’re working on rack of lamb with mustard and importing Iberico pork, not the cured type for jamon but fresh for cuts like secreto pork steaks. One menu anchor will be chuleton, the massive rib chop steak, the pride of Galicia and Basque country, where restaurants are built around this single dish.
Lump crab in a ceviche-like marinade and house-smoked oysters are more ideas in the works, and Armada will have its own pastry and bread program.
“The excitement for this is all the things I can’t do here at the Meatery, and realizing I can do them there,” Toups says.
Armada will be the first new restaurant from the Toups family since Toups South, which they operated from 2016 to 2019 inside the Southern Food & Beverage Museum in Central City.
The chef, a native of Rayne, Louisiana, got his start cooking for Emeril Lagasse’s restaurants. In 2012, he and Amanda opened Toups’ Meatery in Mid-City, which grew from a neighborhood favorite to a well-known dining destination. Toups gained national attention as a popular competitor on “Top Chef” and in 2018 published his cookbook “Chasing the Gator.”
During the pandemic, the restaurant started a grassroots community feeding program, initially to support hospitality industry people who were suddenly out of work. It continued for months through a growing network of volunteers and contributors.
Last year, that network was reactivated to help feed school children facing hunger in New Orleans during summer break. The restaurant ended up providing 70,000 meals. Toups Family Meal is now gearing up for another summer campaign to help local families. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune
Gulotta closes restaurants
A PAIR OF RELATED RESTAURANTS THAT EACH CREATED A UNIQUE NICHE in the New Orleans dining scene are closing.
MoPho, a fixture of the Mid-City restaurant circuit for nearly a dozen years, and its more upscale downtown counterpart Maypop were set to make Sunday, May 4, their last day.
A dramatic calamity and the perennial challenges of slow New Orleans
FORK & CENTER
summers each play a part in their demise, says chef and co-founder Michael Gulotta.
Maypop is directly across the street from a historic building that partially collapsed in December. While the street was reopened to traffic a few days later, the block today remains partially obscured by safety barriers.
“That’s been the nail in the coffin,” says Gulotta, who had earlier said that Maypop was vulnerable if the collapse impacted business long term.
Walk-in business evaporated in the months since, and the hope for a business boost from the Super Bowl in February did not materialize, says Jeff Bybee, the chef’s business partner.
Maypop opened at the end of 2016 with a modern design and upscale/ casual feel. The cuisine has always been a blend and evolved into a unique fusion of Asian, Italian and Creole influences.
MoPho was a much more casual restaurant with the feel of a family-friendly tavern. While the menu was anchored by pho, it also served original dishes, melding Southeast Asian staples with modern American culinary style at mid-range prices.
First opened in 2014, it weathered many challenges, including the prolonged reconstruction of a key nearby intersection to create a new streetcar stop. But through the pandemic, the partners say MoPho’s business never fully rebounded.
“Last year was our slowest year, and this year is on track to be slower; we looked at the summer coming up and realized you couldn’t do it,” Gulotta says.
Gulotta and Bybee continue to run TANA, the upscale Italian restaurant they developed with partners as a separate project in Old Metairie.
The MoPho location at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport will continue. Like the other local restaurants with a presence at the airport, this is run through a licensing deal with one of the national venue concessions companies that works with the airport.
The partners left the door open for a possible return for MoPho, as perhaps a slimmed down version of the concept.
They’re also working with a new partner who is interested in creating a street food version of MoPho at a food truck park in Fort Orange, Florida.
The partners say the decision to close came after a painful examination of their finances and an assessment of the upcoming summer.
WI NE OF THE WEEK
Julie Gable
Co-executive director, Grow Dat Youth Farm
by Will Coviello
GROW DAT YOUTH FARM SPANS SEVEN
Hess Maverick Ranches Cabernet Sauvignon
With intense aromasof brightred cherry and raspberry, followed by notesofcedar and black pepper,this wine captures the essence of Paso Robles. Abold entranceofberry compote accompanied by layers of juicy, full raspberry notesare complimented by smooth tannins and a lasting finish.
DISTRIBUTED BY
ACRES IN NEW ORLEANS CITY PARK and offers programs for young people to develop leadership skills and learn how to grow their own food. The nonprofit farm also hosts workshops for the general public and sells annual farm shares, which get members a weekly supply of fresh produce. Julie Gable is Grow Dat Youth Farms’ co-executive director.
Grow Dat’s biggest fundraiser is Tuesday, May 13. It’s a family-style dinner on-site that highlights many of the fruits, vegetables and herbs grown on the farm. Participating chefs include Charly Pierre, Anh Luu, Prince Lobo, Melissa Araujo and Kaitlin Guerin, who each reflect diverse, international influences on New Orleans cuisine.
For more information or tickets, visit growdatyouthfarm.org.
Can
you
tell us
about the mission of Grow Dat?
JULIE GABLE: It is an after-school program in a sense, but it’s also a job readiness program. We bring together a diverse group of young people, generally between the ages of 15-21, to become leaders, and we do that based on the premise of growing food. We have tiered programming, from total beginners to advanced leadership programs.
Young people are putting their hands in the dirt and learning how something grows from a small seed to becoming a meal on the plate. Food doesn’t just appear on the shelves; there’s a lot of work involved in how you grow that food. This is what some people do for a living every day, and a lot of times, it’s the people who aren’t paid [fair wages].
Our young people receive a stipend. They get paid an hourly wage to come and grow food, learn about sustainable agriculture and learn about climate change and the environment in general.
But they only spend about 50% of the time doing agricultural tasks. They are also in programs that teach job readiness skills, like how to fill out applications, do job interviews and learn about taxes. They learn communication skills. They are learning that it’s OK to disagree. We teach them, “Don’t yuck my yum. I’m trying something on that I like, and it’s not
appropriate to bring people down.”
There are also workshops about workers’ rights, fair wages and how to speak up if you’re being treated unfairly.
We don’t expect them to leave wanting to become farmers, but knowing they have a voice and they can make a difference in the community and the city they live in.
Grow Dat is a farm without fences. We host a lot of workshops that are open to the public, like the history of the land. Grow Dat was not always a farm, it was a golf course before Hurricane Katrina, and it was once a slave plantation. And of course, Indigenous people were the first on that land. We do other workshops, too, like native planting.
What kinds of crops are growing at the farm, and can people buy them?
G: It changes throughout the year. We have a lot of greens, different types of lettuces and kale. We do tomatoes, squash, green onions, herbs like basil, cilantro, chives, just about everything that you can think of that can grow in a warm, humid climate. We have a lot of citrus trees. We have an abundance of satsumas. We’ve also been growing flowers. We grow about 50,000 pounds of produce a year.
We sell farm shares. People can buy yearly memberships through our
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. With that, you get 29 weeks of being able to come to the farm once a week and pick up your share. You can get enough food for a family of four, and we have add-ons, like eggs that we get from a chicken farm. About 80% of our food is distributed through the CSA program. The other 20% we donate to our shared harvest partners. Those are other organizations that are able to distribute it to people in need. And our young people are able to take home fresh produce every week.
Can you tell us more about the fundraising dinner?
G: Our spring farm dinner is Tuesday, May 13. It’s in a beautiful setting outdoors under the starlight. Our space is located along a bayou under a huge oak tree that’s probably 300 years old. There’s a cocktail hour by Turning Tables, with appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. We’ll have the opportunity for people to take a short tour of the farm (led by students) and learn about the history of the land and see all the crops we’re growing.
Then we’ll have a family-style meal. The theme is “Entwined Roots.” We’re celebrating the diverse flavors of New Orleans and the history of migration. Each chef will pick an ingredient that we’re growing on the farm and incorporate that into the dish they are preparing. Even the cocktails will have garnishes we grow on the farm.
Julie Gable, co-executive director of Grow Dat Youth Farm
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JULIE GABLE / GROW DAT YOUTH FARM
Out to Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106.
Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream. com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato in flavors like praline, salted caramel and tiramisu, as well as Italian ices in flavors like lemon, strawberry and mango. There also are cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and coffee drinks. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant. com — Gulf Drum Yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. There also are oysters, seafood pasta dishes, steaks, lamb chops and more. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$
Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with goat cheese and chardonnay sauce. Reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$
The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — Basin barbecue shrimp are served with rosemary garlic butter sauce over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. The menu includes po-poys, fried seafood platters, raw and char-grilled oysters, boiled seafood in season, and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun.
Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 581-3866; broussards.com — The menu of contemporary Creole dishes includes bronzed redfish with jumbo lump crabmeat, lemon beurre blanc and vegetables. Brunch includes Benedicts, avocado toast, chicken and waffles, turtle soup and more. Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available in the courtyard. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ Cafe Normandie — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The menu combines classic French dishes and Louisiana items like crab beignets with herb aioli. Sandwiches include po-boys, a muffuletta on flatbread and a burger. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner Fri.-Mon. $$
The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — Dickie Brennan’s Commissary supplies his other restaurant kitchens and also has a dine-in menu and prepared foods to go. A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. The menu includes dips, salads, sandwiches, boudin balls, fried oysters and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$
Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya. There also are crab cakes, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, po-boys and more. Outdoor seating available on balcony. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$
$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ $11-$20 $$$ — $20-up
Dahla — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 766-6602; dahlarestaurant.com — The menu includes popular Thai dishes like pad thai, drunken noodles, curries and fried rice. Crispy skinned duck basil is prepared with vegetables and Thai basil. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes oysters served raw on the half-shell or char-broiled with with Parmesan, garlic and herbs. The menu also includes po-boys, po-boys, gumbo, blackened fish, fried seafood platters and more. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse. com — There’s a seafood raw bar with raw and char-broiled oysters, fish dip, crab fingers, shrimp and more. Redfish on the Half-shell is cooked skin-on and served with crab-boiled potatoes, frisee and lemon buerre blanc. The bar offers a wide selection of bourbon and whiskies. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — The menu includes a variety of steaks, plus seared Gulf fish, lobster pasta, barbecue shrimp and more. A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$
El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — The menu includes tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, ceviche. tamales and more. Pescado Vera Cruz features sauteed Gulf fish topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers, served with rice and string beans. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$
Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 8140 Oak St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar jack cheese, black beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. The menu also includes tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, salads, rice and bean bowls with various toppings and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$
Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$
Kilroy’s Bar — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The all-day bar menu includes sandwiches, soups, salads, flatbreads and a couple entrees. A muffuletta flatbread is topped with salami, mortadella, capicola, mozzarella and olive salad. No reservations. Lunch Fri.-Mon., dinner daily. $$
Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sharables plates like NOLA Tot Debris. A slow-cooked pulled pork barbecue sandwich is served with coleslaw on a brioche bun. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The selection of steak and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops. There also are burgers, salads, pasta, seafood entrees, char-broiled oysters and more. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Luzianne Cafe — 481 Girod St., (504) 2651972; luziannecafe.com — Boudin Benedict features two poached eggs over boudin and an English muffin, served with green tomato chow chow and hollandaise. No reservations. Delivery available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$
Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. The menu also has noodle dishes, teriyaki and more. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.Fri., dinner daily. $$
Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including chicken a la grande, shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and chicken cacciatore. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$
Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage like the Famous Ferdi filled with ham, roast beef and debris. Creole favorites include jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans and rice with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as shrimp Creole, seafood platters, po-boys, char-grilled and raw oysters, salads and more. Side items include carrot souffle, mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, sweet potato tots and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$
Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese and garlic butter, and other options include oysters Rockefeller and loaded oysters. The creative menu also includes seafood bread, a Cajun-lobster potato, wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, sandwiches, seafood pasta, loaded fries and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$
Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers cheese boards and appetizers to nosh with wines. The menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$
Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 5231661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary Creole menu includes signature dishes like crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce. There also are steaks, pasta, a burger and Gulf seafood dishes. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$
Parish Grill — 4650 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 100, Metairie, (504) 345-2878; parishgrill.com — The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, pizza and sauteed andouille with fig dip, blue cheese and toast points. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — At brunch, braised short rib grillades are served over grits with mushrooms, a poached egg and shaved truffle. The dinner menu has oysters, salads, pasta, shrimp and grits, a burger, cheese plates and more. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. Crab beignets are made with Gulf crabmeat and mascarpone and served with herb aioli. No reservations. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 934-3463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on the balcony. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$ 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. $$
Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $
The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — There’s a full coffee drinks menu and baked goods and beignets, as well as a full bar. The menu has flatbreads, cheese boards, small plates and a pressed veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Glassy Eye and Planet Acid. Visit @nolasynthcult on Instagram for more information.
The Nth Power with Cory Henry Drummer Nikki Glaspie’s funk and soul band is joined by keyboardist Cory Henry. A veteran of the jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy, Henry blends soul, gospel, jazz and R&B, and earlier this year, he won a Best Roots Gospel Album Grammy for “Church.” At 11 p.m. Monday, May 5, at Blue Nile. Tickets $20 via bluenilelive.com.
HUMP Film Fest
Dan Savage’s wildly inclusive homemade porn film fest returns with the first installment of 2025 films. The short films feature all sorts of sex, sexualities, kinks, body types and more. The films include orca furries spicing up their pod, the horror comedy “Camp Baloney,” a dominatrix playing a new role, Jell-O games and more. At 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10, at the Broad Theater. Tickets $25 via humpfilmfest.com.
‘Giselle’
In the classic ballet, the young beautiful peasant Giselle is pursued by a nobleman in disguise, and dies heartbroken. As he mourns, she reappears as a ghost and tries to reunite with him, against the will of other spirits of other betrayed women. New Orleans Ballet Theatre presents the ballet at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 10, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 11, at Orpheum Theater. Tickets $38.50-$53.50 via ticketmaster.com.
Walter ‘Wolfman’
Washington Fest
The Roadmasters band celebrates their late leader Walter “Wolfman” Washington, and musical guests include Papa Mali, Lynn Drury, Brother Tyrone, Alex McMurray, Jason Ricci, Mikey B3, Larry Carter and more. At 4-7 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at Walter Wolfman Washington Memorial Park at Esplanade Avenue and Mystery Street.
‘Clowns Are Bananas’
Former Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus clown Nari Tomassetti is back with a new vaudevillian-style show with a troupe of clowns and the Hannah and her Bananas band. Chris Wecklein is the top banana in this clown alley, and there’s plenty of pratfalls and old-style slapstick. At 8 p.m. Friday, May 9, to Sunday, May 11, and continuing May
16-18 with an additional matinnee at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at 1315 Touro St. Tickets $20 at the door.
Jourdan Thibodeaux
Cajun fiddler Joudan Thibodeaux et les Rodailleurs close out the Wednesday at the Square free concert series in Lafayette Park. Bon Bon Vivant also performs and there’s an art market and food and drink vendors. At 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 7. Find information at ylcwats.com.
LPO performs Brahms
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra closes its 2024-25 main Orpheum Theatre season on Thursday, May 8, with a performance of Brahms’ romantic third symphony. The program also will feature a suit from composer Jennifer Higdon’s opera “Cold Mountain,” based on the novel-turnedfilm, and Franz Liszt’s “Les Preludes.” Noam Aviel will conduct. A pre-concert talk starts at 6:30 p.m., and the music begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $35 via lpomusic.com.
Bulls on Parade
Rusty Lazer, the DJ outlet for Jay Pennington, throws a birthday dance party for Taurus season with performances by Chore Boys — the duo of Rusty Lazer and DJ Messy — Brookiecita, Soft Serve, C’est Funk, Aliyuhhh and DJ Kuti. Music starts up at 10 p.m. Friday, May 9, at the Saturn Bar. Tickets are $12.47 via dice.fm.
Trumpet Mafa
The group Trumpet Mafia formed more than a decade ago after a stretch when a few New Orleans trumpeters would regularly get together at Ashlin Parker’s home to practice. Led by Parker, the free-flowing band adds drums, sousaphone, trombone and occasionally other instruments for shows blending jazz, hip-hop and brass band music. Trumpet Mafia plays at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, at Snug Harbor. Tickets are $25 via snugjazz.com.
Valerie Sassyfras album release
Valerie Sassyfras stretches into 1980s work-out video dance grooves on her latest album, “Sassersise.” The 10-track album warms up with “Sweet Sassy Sassercise Sassout” and works its way to “Let’s Get Stoned and Screw.” She celebrates with an album release party at 9 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at Banks St. Bar. Tickets $10. Visit
com for information.
MUSIC
FOR COMPLETE MUSIC LISTINGS AND MORE EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA, VISIT CALENDAR.GAMBITWEEKLY.COM
To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com
MONDAY 5
BAMBOULAS — The Rug Cutters, 12 pm; Jon Ronier Band, 5:30 pm; Wolfe John’s Blues, 9 pm
BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER John Cleary & John Boutte, Sally Baby's Silver Dollars, 6 pm
BLUE NILE — The Nth Power, 11 pm
BOURBON O BAR — Kid Merv, 8 pm
CHICKIE WAH WAH — Ed Volker & Dave Malone w/Joe Cabral, Michael Skinkus, Rene Coman, 8 pm
HOLY DIVER International and Irrational with DJ Chrischarge!, 9 pm
LOUISIANA MUSIC FACTORY -
FRENCHMEN STREET — Andrew Duhon, 12 pm; Loose Cattle, 1:30 pm; Joy Clark , 3 pm; Secret Six Jazz Band, 4:30 pm; Jon Cleary, 6 pm
MAPLE LEAF — River Eckert Band, 8 pm; George Porter Trio with Special Guest Chris Adkins, 10 pm
THE RABBIT HOLE — Adam Deitch, Ian Neville, Uriah Dufy, Wil Blades &, 8 pm
SANTO’S — Karaoke with Sunshine Edae, 10 pm
SATURN BAR —Piano Night with BC Coogan, 8 pm
ST. ROCH TAVERN Woods On Fire, Liliana Hudgens, Wes Pearce, 8:30 pm
TUESDAY 6
BAMBOULAS Jon Saavedra, 12 pm; Giselle Anguizola Quartet, 4:30 pm; Catie B and The Hand Me Downs, 9 pm
BAYOU BAR — The O.G.’s featuring Peter Harris, Tony Dagradi, Stanton Moore and Steve Masakowski, 8 and 10 pm
BJ’S BYWATER LOUNGE Bruisey’s Bottoms Up Open Mic, 9 pm
BOURBON O BAR — Dr. Zach, 4 pm; Lynn Drury Band, 8 pm
HOLY DIVER — Piano Hour with Henreitta, 8 pm
MAPLE LEAF Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet, 8 pm
THE RABBIT HOLE Rebirth Brass Band, 8:30 pmSaturn Bar — Liliana Hudgens, Wes Pierce and Max Bein Kahn, 9 pm
SMOOTHIE KING CENTER — Shinedown, 7 pm
WEDNESDAY 7
BAMBOULAS — JJ and the A-Oks, 12 pm; Edgewood Park Syncopators, 4:30 pm; The Queen and Friendz, 9 pm
BAYOU BAR — Firm Roots featuring Peter Harris, The Groovemaster, Derek Douget and Dwight Fitch Jr, 8 and 10 pm
BOURBON O BAR Serabee, 8 pm
CAFÉ ISTANBUL Dustin Gaspard, Semaj C.D., Blind Boy Music, Sariyah Idan, , 6:30 pm
HOLY DIVER — Karaoke with Sunshine Edae, 8 pm
MAPLE LEAF — Happy Organ Hour featuring Joe Ashlar, Stanton Moore and Chris Adkins, 6 pm
THE RABBIT HOLE — Dance Hall Classics with DJ T-Roy, 10 pm
SATURN BAR — Kassi Valazza with Camille Wind Weatherford and Jef Boston, 9 pm
THURSDAY 8
BAMBOULAS — F.K-rrera music group, 12 pm; Cristina Kaminis and The Mix, 5:30 pm; Wolfe John’s Band, 9 pm
BAYOU BAR — Double Bird featuring Peter Harris, Ashlin Parker, Seth Finch and Peter Varando, 8 and 10 pm
BJ’S BYWATER LOUNGE NBD and the Big Deals with the Clover Valley Boys, 9 pm
BLUE NILE — Irvin Mayfeld, 9 pm
BOURBON O BAR — Tifany Hall , 4 pm; Audrey & The CrawZaddies, 8 pm
FILLMORE Turnover: 10 Years of Peripheral Vision, 7 pm
HOLY DIVER — Pressure Beat!, 11 pm
JOY THEATER — Soulja Boy, 7 pm
MAPLE LEAF Johnny Vidacovich, 8 pm
NOPSI HOTEL — Tee Jay & The Peoples Choice, 7 pm
ORPHEUM THEATER — Brahms Symphony No.3, 7:30 pm
THE FILLMORE NEW ORLEANS Turnover, 7 pm
THE JOY THEATER Soulja Boy, 8 pm
THE PRESS ROOM AT THE ELIZA
JANE — D’Batiste & Friends, 5 pm
THE RABBIT HOLE '80s Dance Night, 9 pm
SAENGER THEATRE The October Nights: Calling All Lovers tour featuring October London, Tamar Braxton, and special guest Ro James, 8 pm
SANTO’S — Tainted Love 80’s Dance Night, 10 pm
SATURN BAR — Yeah You Rite! Karaoke, 9 pm
VAUGHAN'S LOUNGE — Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet, 10:30 pm
FRIDAY 9
BAMBOULAS — The Rug Cutters, 11 am; Felipe Antonio Quinteto, 2:15 pm; Ellen Smith & April Spain, 4 pm; Les Getrex and Creole Cooking, 6:30 pm; Mem Shannon Trio, 8 pm; Bettis and 3rd Degree Brass Band , 10 pm
BAYOU BAR Oh Yeah! Featuring Peter Harris, Ed Perkins, Wes “Warmdaddy” Anderson, Joe Ashlar and Peter Varando, 8 and 10 pm
BJ’S BYWATER LOUNGE Little Freddie King, 10 pm
BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK The Bad Sandys, 8 pm
HOUSE OF BLUES — Wage War, 6:30 pm
Master P plays the Smoothie King Center May 9, 8 pm
PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
MUSIC
HOLY DIVER Dark Lounge Ministries, 8 pm
MADAM VIC’S Terrance and the Fortress, 8 pm
MAPLE LEAF — Blue Tang People, 9 pm
NO DICE Mickey Avalon with Reddix-Young, 9 pm; Free Late Night DJ Series: Lucid Dreams with Friends, 11 pm
NOLA BREWING Dave Jordan Trio, 7 pm
SEAWITCH OYSTER BAR & RESTAURANT — Soul Dopamine, 5 pm
SAENGER THEATRE Sierra Ferrell’s Shoot For The Moon Tour with Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars, 8 pm
SANTO’S — SUBJECT MATTER: Ofcial Pre Movement Party with Rebecca Goldberg, 10 pm
SATURN BAR Bulls on Parade: Rusty Lazer’s Birthday Party with Brookiecita, Chore Boys, Soft Serve, C’est Funk, Aliyuhhh and DJ Kuti, 10 pm
SMOOTHIE KING CENTER Master P, 8 pm
SATURDAY 10
BAMBOULAS — The Jaywalkers, 11 am; James McClaskey and the Rhythm Band, 2:15 pm; Ed Wills Blues 4 Sale, 6:30 pm; Paggy Prine and Southern Soul, 10 pm
BOURBON O BAR — Brian Wingard, 4 pm; The Blues Masters, 8 pm
BAYOU BAR Jordan Anderson, 8 pm
BJ’S BYWATER LOUNGE — Kumasi, 10 pm
FILLMORE — Matriarch: An Evening with Tina Knowles, Family, and Friends, 6 pm
Soulja Boy plays the Joy Theater May 8, 8 pm
HOLY DIVER Sam Vega, Bipolaroid and Caldwell, 8 pm
KERRY IRISH PUB Crescent & Clover, 5 pm
MADAM VIC’S — Tetrad with Angie Bachemin, Gingerbread, the Original amd Special Guests, 8 pm
MAPLE LEAF Kota Dosa with Dos Flamas Blancas, 8 pm
SATURN BAR — Mod Dance Party, 10 pm
TOULOUSE THEATRE — Fleur de Tease Jazz and Burlesque Show, 8 and 10 pm
TIPITINA’S Steppin’ Out with DJ Soul Sister: Another Right On Party Situation with Host MC Charlie V, 8 pm
SUNDAY 11
BAMBOULAS — Aaron Levinson and Friends, 10:30 am; Youse, 1:15 pm; Midnight Brawlers, 5:30 pm; Les Getrex and Creole Cooking, 9 pm
BLUE NILE — Kayla Jasmine & the Experience, 6 pm
BOURBON O BAR — Kid Merv, 8 pm
BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm
HOLY DIVER — American Muscle with Sick Thoughts, 11:59 pm
SCAN FOR THE COMPLETE GAMBIT CALENDAR
Online support
by Will Coviello
THE INTERNET IS AN EASY PLACE TO TALK TO STRANGERS, but is it a good place to get advice?
After a century of newspapers publishing advice columns, it’s no surprise that online columns emerged as well. But without the guardrails and polite boundaries of local papers and columns like Dear Abby, there’s no holds barred on what people share.
In “Tiny Beautiful Things,” Sugar is the pseudonym of an advice columnist who emerges to answer the questions of people turning to the internet for help and guidance. Crescent City Stage presents the show at Marquette Theatre at Loyola University New Orleans on May 8-25.
Sugar is a writer who takes the advice job on a whim while bogged down in other projects. She’s immediately hit with the questions often sent to advice columnists. How does one handle being jealous of a friend’s success?
People wonder if they’re in a bad marriage, and if they can get out. Should they stop cheating?
Dear Abby must have received many of the same questions, and if she chose to answer them, she didn’t do it with the candor one can find online, or that comes naturally to Sugar.
Online readers also have another point-blank question: Who are you?
Sugar says she’s not a therapist but promises to be honest with readers.
Many people write in questions, and an online community starts forming. As the letters and responses go on, Sugar is open about the reasons for her advice. She shares her own experiences with dating, having children and failing marriages.
She also shares that she had a problem with drugs. The questions from readers get more personal and challenging, and so do the answers.
On the internet, “people got permission to be as raw publicly and anonymously as anything ever had been,” says Michael Newcomer, who is directing the play. “The big difference was Sugar. She did something nobody else had done. She said to these writers, I was a heroin addict. That personalized it in the way no one ever did.”
On stage, Sugar types at a laptop on her desk. We also see the writers asking about their partners or difficult parents or children. In many productions, the play has used a set looking like a normal, slightly cluttered home, in the kitchen or living room. At Crescent City Stage, Newcomer opted for something more suggestive of the place where the writers and Sugar are. She’s at her desk, but they’re in crisis.
“They reflect some of the places we tend to reveal ourselves,” Newcomer says. “A park bench, a therapist’s couch, a diner stool and a dining room table chair.”
“Tiny Beautiful Things” was adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos, who is best known for writing and starring in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” It originally was a one-woman show for the stage, but it had huge success as a romantic comedy movie and spun off two sequels.
“Tiny Beautiful Things” is more often about facing difficulties with family than celebrating with them. But Vardalos did an impressive job adapting Cheryl Strayed’s book “Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar.”
Strayed has published several books popular in the self-help genre. Her best-selling “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail” is an account of a literal journey of self-discovery and getting her life together. “Tiny Beautiful Things” is based on her stint as an advice columnist and shares what she said and the experience disparate people shared.
PROVIDED PHOTO BY CRAIG MULCAHY
COMEDY
Fantasy league
by Will Coviello
ALL OF THE COMEDIANS WHO HOST THE POPULAR PODCAST “ALL FANTASY EVERYTHING” have come to New Orleans to do stand-up at Sports Drink, the coffeeshop and comedy venue off Magazine Street.
David Gborie, who’s released comedy specials and done voice work for Comedy Central and the shows “Royal Crackers” and “Exploding Kittens,” was here in November. Ian Karmel, a former co-head writer for “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” and Sean Jordan, who appears on several podcasts and has been on latenight TV and Comedy Central, were here together in March 2024.
Now, they’re returning together, along with comedians who have been regular guests on the podcast, to headline the first Toledano Street Comedy Festival.
The comedy festival features about a dozen visiting headliners and 50 New Orleans-based comics performing in a cluster of showcases at four neighboring venues at Toledano and Magazine streets on May 8-11.
Sports Drink founder Andrew Stephens wanted to organize the festival like many music festivals, where attendees get a day or weekend pass and then have a bunch of shows to choose from and can hang out and roam between stages — as opposed to having a bunch of individually ticketed events spread around town.
The opening night at Sports Drink on Thursday will be like a rolling show, as more than 30 comics rotate through short sets, and some of the headliners also will be in the mix.
“It’s like the funnest open mic you can have,” Stephens says. “Everyone does a three-minute set, and it’ll be a long, continually rotating show.”
The festival lineup features New Orleans native Sean Patton, Shane Torres, Dulce Sloan, Langston Kerman, Tom Thakkar, Abby Govindan, Sureni Weerasekera, Jamel Johnson, Jay Whittaker and more.
The “All Fantasy” team will do two live sessions of the show, followed by a session of them doing standup. On Friday
night, they’ll be joined by Kerman, and on Saturday by Sloan.
Kerman has been an actor and TV writer for more than a decade. He’s a star and co-writer of HBO’s “South Side.” Last year, he released the special “Bad Poetry” on Netflix.
Weerasekera was born in Sri Lanka, grew up in San Diego and moved to New York. She’s a rising young comic who’s performed at a host of festivals and hosts the queer BIPOC comedy show Earth Tones in Brooklyn.
Sports Drink is an intimate space that can hold roughly 50 people. That means most visiting comics stay for two nights of shows, but many like performing to a small, close-up crowd. Ian Karmel will perform at Toledano Street Comedy Festival.
To do the festival, Stephens enlisted surrounding non-performance venues Banh Mi Boys, Daily Beet, and the larger space of the gym F45. Being able to accommodate 175 seats at F45 was what makes the festival possible, Stephens says. The space will host the live “All Fantasy Everything” events.
“When all of your plumbing is connected in a 1920s New Orleans building, you have to display a lot of trust to your building mates,” he says. “I was like let me handle all the permitting and all the City Hall stuff.”
Pass holders will be able to move between venues and shows. The “All Fantasy Everything” shows are only open to weekend pass holders. The headliners are spread among a slate of shows on Friday and Saturday. Sports Drink hosts closing day shows.
Char ming Historic al Double builtin1895. GreatInvestment Opportunity!!! Tenantspay all utilities. $3450RentalRevenue! 3913 hasa Living Room,3 Lrg Bdrms&anEat-inKitchen.3915 has Dble Parlor w/ aSideHallthatallowsfor Independent Bdrms. LrgUpdated Kitchen. Both unitshaveLotsof Closets. Roof replaced &exteriorpainted 3years ago. Neighborhood places include TheBywater Bakery,The Joint, Jack Dempsey’s, Bacchanal&Vaughan’s.Easily Accessible to FrenchmenSt&the Fr.Qtr $395,000
89 Repetitive shout of pain 90 Mount, as a gemstone 91 Home to Mali and Togo 94 French for “yours” 97 Delivery for the deceased 101 Cascade in Yosemite Valley
Clipped, as a sheep’s wool
Sped
With great concentration
Acid’s counterpart
Before now 113 Suffix with govern 115 Cow’s cry
Rowing tool 118 Seventh scale tones 119 Swats
121 Reduce one’s excitement slightly ... or what you have to do to the final letter of five long answers in this puzzle?
