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Global tour
Putumayo hosts mini music fest at Broadside
DAN STORPER LAUNCHED PUTUMAYO WORLD MUSIC WITH HIS FRIEND MICHAEL KRAUS IN 1993, and across more than 400 releases since, the record label has circled the globe numerous times.
Albums, most with bright, recognizable covers made by British artist Nicola Heindl, have highlighted the music of individual countries, like Mexico, Jamaica, Colombia or Italy, compiled music within genres such as blues, samba and reggae, or focused on particular themes, with titles like “AfroCaribbean Party” and “Indian Groove.”
And New Orleans and Louisiana have occasionally popped up over the last 30 years. Putumayo has released compilations of Cajun, zydeco and brass band music, and in early 2005, they released a Kermit Ruffins record.
In 2018, the label celebrated the city’s tricentennial and Putumayo’s 25th anniversary with “New Orleans Party,” which has songs by Big Al Carson, Dr. John, Grandpa Elliott, Dave Bartholomew, the Preservation Hall Hot 4 band and more.
Storper was a fan of New Orleans, moved here and, in the late-2000s, relocated the Putumayo headquarters to the city for a while. He also kept offices in other cities, including Charlotte, Vermont, which is now the label’s headquarters.
Storper passed away in May 2025 in New Orleans at the age of 74. “Dan is impossible to describe to anyone who has not met him, truly a unique, one-of-a-kind human,” his obituary in The Times-Picayune read. “He was honest, principled, and intelligent, while being easy-going and joyous.”
The Putumayo Celebrate the World Festival on Sunday, Jan. 25, at The Broadside will in part be a tribute to Storper, says Jacob Edgar, who began working with the label in 1998.
“He was a lover of the city and the community,” Edgar says. “We felt like it would be an appropriate way to celebrate him and just have a party, which I know he would like.”
The festival, which runs 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., will feature performances by Senegalese Afropop artist Cheikh Ibra Fam, Mi’kmaq folk fiddler-vocalist Morgan Toney, Cuban singer-songwriter Niuver, New Orleans jazz band Sabertooth Swing, Austin-based, globally influenced quartet Ley Line and Quique Escamilla, who has been called a “Pan-American Troubadour.” There also will be special guests and a DJ.
by Jake Clapp |
With the exception of Escamilla, each of the artists have been on a Putumayo compilation. They also all will be in town for the Folk Alliance International Conference, which runs Jan. 21-25, at the Sheraton Hotel (read more on pg. 41). FAI in 2021 gave Putumayo a lifetime achievement award.
In early 2020, Putumayo coordinated a reunion in New Orleans during the last time the FAI conference was here. The label wanted to bring together people who had worked for the company over the years.
“One of the things Dan was so great at was finding amazing people to work for Putumayo,” says Edgar, an ethnomusicologist who was hired by Storper to be “the roving musical explorer” for the label. Edgar is now the managing director for Putumayo Digital Media, which launched four years ago, and has been operating the label after Storper’s passing.
Many people have gone through Putumayo over the years, says Edgar, including The Broad Theater and Broadside founder Brian Knighten.
“I wanted to do something similar this time around,” Edgar says.
“So we do have quite a few people coming as well who are part of the sort of Putumayo family.”
Storper, who had majored in Latin American Studies at St. Louis’ Washington University, started the Putumayo business in 1975 with a New York City shop focused on Latin American clothing and handicrafts.
Steep Canyon Rangers
The Grammy-winning bluegrass band celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and entered 2026 with two new singles of tight harmonies and fiery string playing. Steep Canyon Rangers swing through New Orleans this week before dates later this month with Martin Short and Steve Martin, with whom the band has collaborated often over the years. The band performs at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Chickie Wah Wah. Tickets start at $44.94 via chickiewahwah.com.
Within a few years, the company had grown to seven stores and a popular wholesale business.
Then in 1991, Storper stopped over in San Francisco after visiting Indonesia and came across the Nigerian band Kotoja performing in Golden Gate Park. The music compelled him to begin exploring more musical traditions around the world and launch his record label in 1993.
Putumayo has sold more than 35 million compilation CDs worldwide, The New York Times reported last year. And today, as CDs have given way to digital distribution, Putumayo Digital Media publishes two albums a month and curates playlists on streaming platforms. The label also creates a webpage with a bio for each included artist.
“It’s a company with a social mission to improve the world by people celebrating diversity and helping them recognize our differences, celebrate our differences and enjoy them,” Edgar says.
New Orleans has been a big part of Putumayo’s repertoire throughout its history, Edgar adds. It’s a special place.
“Culturally, it really embodies what Putumayo’s all about,” he says. “It’s these cultural threads and the important role music can play in a community.”
Tickets for Sunday’s event are $20 and free for kids 12 and under and Folk Alliance conference badge holders. Find more info at putumayo.com.
Chewbacchus Brass Bands
With a constantly moving parade, it can be hard to get a real feel for the bands taking part beyond a horn blast as the groups roll past. But the night before Chewbacchus, a few of the parade’s participating brass bands will throw a show at the Howlin’ Wolf. New Orleans groups Brasshearts Brass Band, Dead Music Capital Band and Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band will be joined by Atlanta’s Black Sheep Ensemble and Washington’s 8-Bit Brass Band at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23. Tickets are $13.29 advance via thehowlinwolf. com and $19.09 at the door.
John Craigie
California native and now Portland, Oregon-based folk singer John Craigie has made a name for himself with his storytelling songs. He has a new album, “I Swam Here,” due out in early February, and much of it was recorded early last year in New Orleans, with support from musicians including Sam Doores and Howe Pearson of The Deslondes, Jonny Campos of the Lost Bayou Ramblers and Max Bien Kahn from Tuba Skinny and other projects. The album also features Anna Moss, who will open at this show at Tipitina’s. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21. Tickets $31.58 via tipitinas.com.
Steep Canyon Rangers
PROVIDED PHOTO BY JOEY SEAWELL
Senegalese artist Cheikh Ibra Fam PHOTO PROVIDED BY PUTUMAYO
OPENING GAMBIT
NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS
Carnival is neither a sprint nor a marathon. It is a series of sprints during a king cake and cocktails marathon.
THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN
The Pro Bono Publico Foundation, the Rex Organization’s charitable arm focused on local schools and education, has awarded $1.3 million in grants in its 2025-26 cycle. The recipients of the 77 grants given out this year include KIPP New Orleans, Café Reconcile, Manning Family Children’s Hospital/ Thrive Kids, New Schools for New Orleans and Lift All Boats.
New Orleans City Council panel approves Mayor Helena Moreno’s frst two cabinet nominee
Courtney “Ceaux” Buckley, a New Orleans artist, was commissioned to create the official mayoral portrait of former Mayor LaToya Cantrell, which marks several firsts: Buckley is the first Black New Orleans artist to create an official New Orleans mayoral portrait, and his work is the first contemporary artwork to hang in City Hall as part of the mayoral portrait collection. Also, it’s the first such work commissioned through the city’s Percent for Art program, which dedicates funding from capital projects to support public art.
THE NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL KICKED OFF ITS FIRST-EVER FULL ROUND OF CONFIRMATION HEARINGS JAN. 14, with the Government Affairs Committee giving the green light to two of Mayor Helena Moreno’s top officials.
The committee approved
Charlene Gipson as city attorney and current Health Director Jennifer Avegno to serve in an expanded role as director of the Health and Human Services departments.
food assistance and Medicaid sites at city community centers, noting that many people don’t know they’re eligible for SNAP.
“As we face some pretty significant federal headwinds, we need to make sure that every person who’s eligible gets and maintains that coverage,” Avegno said
THE NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS RUNNING AGAINST REPUBLICAN U.S. SEN. BILL CASSIDY IN HIS BID FOR RE-ELECTION SO FAR.
Jamie Davis, Jabarie Walker and Tracie Burke have all announced their campaigns against the senior Louisiana senator, who has been under fire from the MAGA base after he voted to impeach President Trump following the 2021 Capitol insurrection. Meanwhile, several Republican state officials have also declared their candidacy, including treasurer John Fleming, Sen. Blake Miguez and Rep. Julie Emerson. The primary is May 16.
C’EST WHAT ?
Louisiana State Police disproportionally uses force against Black people, according to a recent data analysis by Innocence and Justice Louisiana (formerly the Innocence Project New Orleans). From 2022 to 2024, Black residents, about 31% of the state’s population, were involved in 60.5% of recorded use-of-force incidents. Racial disparities were present in all 10 regional troops, the report says.
At the hearing, Avegno said potential federal cuts are putting important health programming at risk because the city’s health department is 80-85% grant funded, mainly through large federal grants that have existed for decades. That includes initiatives to decrease infant mortality rates and HIV rates.
She said the department has identified Healthy Start New Orleans program as under threat, despite the fact that it’s helped reduce the infant mortality rate 30% over the last 30 years. She said her team has been in regular contact with Louisiana’s delegation to urge them to support the program, and they’re also looking for other sources of funding.
“It seems, for whatever reason, to be caught up in in politics,” Avegno said.
She said the city would be adding enrollment sites for SNAP
In addition to health, Avegno will be in charge of the city’s efforts to address homelessness as well as its youth and families programming, the New Orleans Public Library and New Orleans Recreation Department Development Commission.
The Trump administration is trying to dramatically decrease how much of federal funds local governments can spend on permanent supportive housing. Those changes are in limbo, but if they go through, the city could have to stop covering rents for more than 2,000 formerly unhoused residents.
Avegno said her team is having discussions with state officials about getting more state funding if the change takes effect. She said all are in agreement they don’t want people forced back on the streets.
“We feel like in order to meet that moment, we’ve got to work closer with our state partners,” she said.
As Carnival season ramps up, which of the walking parades are you looking forward to most?
At the hearing, Gipson acknowledged that the City Attorney’s 9.1%
Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Dr. Jennifer Avegno
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Office is in a tough spot currently, starting with an employee shortage.
“Because we are so understaffed, I think we’re in a constant state of triage and on our heels,” she said.
Gipson told council members it’s hard to attract attorneys because the city isn’t offering market value pay. But as Council Member Lesli Harris pointed out, the city is spending way more money by contracting out work to outside law firms rather than handling it in house.
“We are paying market (value),” she said. “We’re just paying it to outside law firms.”
Gipson and other council members agreed to prioritize bringing work in house to save money.
“I think we are probably going to choke when we find out over the next two years how much money was spent on outside counsel,” said Council President JP Morrell.
Gipson also said she would work with Public Works Director Steve Nelson to review street and other infrastructure contracts to make sure there are ways to hold contractors accountable “if things don’t go to plan.”
The committee also heard from members of the new administration who didn’t need confirmation from the council, including Chief Administrative Officer Joe Giarrusso and Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Michael Harrison. Moreno said she still wanted to give council members a chance to publicly question these officials.Giarrusso outlined several cost-cutting measures the Moreno administration is planning to take, including for the upcoming Carnival celebrations at Gallier Hall. He said last year the Cantrell administration spent $240,000 on the festivities. Currently, they’re planning to spend around $40,000 total for this year, opting for Spotify playlists rather than $15,000 for two weeks of DJs.
Giarrusso also mentioned that Nelson wants the city to buy a subscription to AutoCAD, an engineering and construction software, so that city employees can draw plans themselves instead of sending that out to engineers. He said the subscription costs around $6,000 but could potentially save the city millions.
Giarrusso also said the administration wants to look at renegotiating its health care contract, which hasn’t been negotiated in a decade, and its parking contract, which expires in May.
“This mayor is working in fifth gear and is expecting, if not demanding, that her team does the same,” Giarrusso said.
Harrison said in the first 100 days, he’s going to focus on Mardi Gras safety, restructuring the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, analyzing the city’s 911 system and addressing quality of life issues, among other initiatives.
“The mayor understands that true safety requires a whole government approach, from repairing street lights, to eliminating blight, to ensuring our emergency services are fully staffed and responsive,” he said.
Though he wasn’t given an official hearing, Andrew Tuozzolo, a longtime Moreno aide, will be leading the Intergovernmental Relations office and promised meetings between the administration and council to have a clear city agenda for the upcoming state legislative session.
“We will be much more transparent than previous administrations on that end,” he said.
Morrell said that will be a welcome change from recent sessions when the mayor, the council and New Orleans legislators clearly weren’t on the same page.
“As you saw last session, council members had to go to the legislature to kill delegation bills that were bad for the city,” he said. “And a lot of that was because there was a vacuum of leadership in the mayor’s office in coordinating those conversations beforehand.”
Moreno was sworn in by former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris Jan. 12 as the 63rd mayor of New Orleans, becoming the city’s first Latina mayor and second female mayor and vowing to take “the greatest city in the country” in a “new direction.”
“Together we will build a New Orleans that is safe, where we can drive down the street without busting up the car, where there is no limit to realizing a dream and where our children have endless opportunities for success,” Moreno said.— Kaylee Poche
John Stanton: As New Orleans
fxes existing problems we must keep on eye on future ones
THIS PAST WEEK USHERED IN A NEW ERA IN NEW ORLEANS with the swearing-in of Mayor Helena Moreno and the new city council. Unlike previous inaugurations, which featured lavish balls, public celebrations and grand pronouncements about the dawning of a brighter future, Moreno’s was a relatively more low-key affair by comparison. That makes sense, given the city’s financial problems, collapsing infrastructure and other issues.
And because Moreno has been acting as the city’s de facto mayor since her election night win in October, she doesn’t have the luxury of the normal, early-term grace period voters and pundits typically extend to new mayors. Like it or not, she more or less owns the city’s financial situation going forward from Day One. That, in turn, will only increase the pressure to make measurable headway on the city’s myriad problems before she can really turn the page. Still, there are new threats to the city on the horizon, as well as existing issues that could quickly spiral out of control if government doesn’t act soon. Which is why it’s important City Council President JP Morrell is keeping at least one eye on the future this term.
In an interview with Gambit earlier this month, Morrell said one of his top priorities is regulating two high-tech industries not yet in New Orleans, and a third just starting here.
Waymo, the driverless cab company, has started limited operations in New Orleans. Like Uber, Airbnb and other tech industry operations, it’s entered the city with almost no existing regulatory controls.
As we’ve seen in San Francisco and other communities where driverless cab companies operate, there are significant concerns with the industry. Given New Orleans’ terrible roads, unreliable traffic light systems and celebrations like second lines, getting rules for the industry in place now is imperative.
The same goes for crypto-mining facilities and AI data centers. Both of these sectors have targeted struggling communities, often made up of people of color, across the country, promising new jobs and tax revenues. But often they end up wreaking environmental havoc and driving up energy bills
for residents while under-delivering on both jobs and tax revenues.
While any, or even all, of these sectors could in theory operate in a responsible way, the tech industry is like any other — they’ll maximize profits over communities unless and until controls are put in place. Just look at what happened with short-term rentals.
“The city failed to aggressively police Uber, the city failed to aggressively police STRs, and we need to be in the habit of not being reactive,” Morrell said.
For far too long we’ve gotten used to government only addressing problems we have and not getting out in front of problems before they happen. It’s understandable — to a certain extent.
America generally, and New Orleans in particular, has been in a prolonged state of physical decline since the Reagan Era. The minimum wage remains chronically behind the times while virtually every basic function of government — roads, schools, bridges, water and power systems — has been outsourced and left to rot.
So while Moreno and her team are focused on those issues, it is heartening to hear Morrell looking forward, even a bit.
New Orleans City Council President JP Morrell
PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
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@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com
Hey Blake, I have great memories of Mardi Gras parades on the West Bank. There are just a few there today, but I remember others. Which was the first one?
Dear reader,
as
THE HISTORY OF CARNIVAL PARADES ON THE WEST BANK begins with a krewe that was founded there in 1932 but has rolled Uptown since 2014: Alla. Its name comes from Algiers, the neighborhood in which it was founded, and the abbreviation for Louisiana.
According to Mardi Gras Guide founder Arthur Hardy, King Alla arrived by boat from 1933 until 1947, earning front page newspaper coverage.
Legendary float builder Blaine Kern, whose father decorated floats for the first Alla parades, served as the krewe’s captain for 50 years.
The Krewe of Choctaw also rolled in Algiers for more than 70 years before moving Uptown in 2013, as did King Arthur, which began in 1978 and relocated in 2001.
Cleopatra launched in 1973 as the first Carnival krewe for women on the West Bank. It moved to St. Charles Avenue in 2014. Another female krewe, Nefertari, rolled from 1975 until 1995, along with the krewe of Octavia, from 1980 to 1987.
Grela, which took its name from a combination of Gretna and Louisiana, paraded in Gretna from 1948 until 2015, first rolling on a Saturday before moving to Fat Tuesday in 1983. There was also the short-lived Jefla, which rolled from 1949 to 1952 when it merged with the Krewe of Midas. Poseidon, one of the longest-running Gretna krewes, paraded on the Sunday before Mardi Gras from 1959 until 2002. In the 1980s and ’90s, Gretna also had Ulysses, Marc Antony and Adonis. Aladdin also rolled on the West Bank from 2000 to 2005.
N.O.M.T.O.C., which first rolled in 1970, is now the West Bank’s largest parade. This year it rolls on Feb. 14. There’s also the Mystic Krewe of Music on Feb. 9 and Nandi, which parades on Feb. 11.
THIS WEEK AS COUNTRY MUSIC LEGEND, ENTREPRENEUR AND PHILANTHROPIST DOLLY PARTON turns 80 (Jan. 19), we recall some of her notable visits to Louisiana. In February 1988, Parton was a guest of the Krewe of Endymion, riding on a float in the parade and appearing at the post-parade Superdome Extravaganza while recording footage for her weekly ABC variety series, “Dolly.”
She returned to the city the following month to film musical numbers. “I just think it’s a fascinating city, probably the most fascinating city in all the United States,” Parton told The Times-Picayune. “There’s just so many colorful people here…the music is great and it’s really got a lot of atmosphere.” Her guests included the Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Pete Fountain, Allen Toussaint and the Dixie Cups. That summer, Parton was back in Louisiana to film the movie “Steel Magnolias.” She and co-stars Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Julia Roberts, Olympia Dukakis and Daryl Hannah filmed scenes in Natchitoches, where she and Hannah also attended the movie’s premiere in November 1989.
In 2016, Parton brought her “Plain and Simple” tour to the Smoothie King Center for a concert.
Since its founding in 1995, Parton’s Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library book gifting program has provided free books to more than 37,000 Louisiana children. The Krewe of Dolly, founded in 2020 by a group of local Parton fans, works to support those literacy initiatives while also hosting social activities and appearing in parades costumed as the singing star. See them this Carnival with the krewes of Cork, King Arthur, Bosom Buddies and Okeanos.
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BLAKE VIEW
West Bank residents cheer
the King of the Krewe of Alla rides through Algiers heading the parade which depicted the times of Antony and Cleopatra.
PHOTO BY M.L. BATES / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE ARCHIVE
Thereward. Theaward.
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JEFFERSON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH & SCHOOL
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DR. JOHN OCHSNER DISCOVERY HEALTH SCIENCES ACADEMY 1108 Shrewsbury Rd. Jeferson, LA 70121 (504) 233-4720 discoveryhsf.org/o/djod Grades PK-8th
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SOPHIE B. WRIGHT HIGH SCHOOL
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THURGOOD MARSHALL 4621 Canal St. New Orleans, LA 70119 (504) 909-6275 thurgoodmarshallnola.org Grades PK-8th
K-12 Main Round closes January 23. Learn more about the Open Enrollment process and
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YOUNG AUDIENCES CHARTER SCHOOLS
The Main Round NCAP for the 2026–27 school year is open through January 23rd. Learn more and apply via enrollnolaps.com
KATE MIDDLETON 1407 Virgil St. Gretna, LA 70053 (504) 304-6332 katemiddleton.yacs.org Grades PK-5th
LAWRENCE D CROCKER 2301 Marengo St. New Orleans, LA 70115 (504) 302-7149 crocker.yacs.org Grades PK4-8th
BURMASTER
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LITTLE YACS 3400 6th St. Harvey, LA, 70058 (504) 301-0329 littleyacs.yacs.org Grades PK-K
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MOVING GRACE MONTESSORI SCHOOL 6645 Spanish Fort Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70124 (504) 283-9370 mgmsnola.com Grades PK-3rd
Open house January 24th from 1:00pm-3:00pm. Accepting applications for the 2026-2027 school year, apply online at mgmsnola.com or call to schedule a tour.
ST PAUL’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL 6249 Canal Blvd. New Orleans, LA. 70124 (504) 488 01319 stpauls-lakeview.org
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iT’S BEEN NEARLY TWO YEARS since a group of upstart Democratic Party activists and voters in Louisiana, frustrated by years of neglect and failure, forced out the state party’s chair and some other entrenched leaders.
The effort to “reboot” the party resulted in a wave of new leadership who promised bold new efforts to build an actual party apparatus and to recruit candidates for elections up and down the ballot and across the state.
Chair Randal Gaines vowed to produce a plan to guide Democrats in their efforts to become a functioning political party again and bring in the resources needed to make that happen.
But at this point, the party is still a mess. Party leadership still doesn’t have a long-term strategic plan, which Gaines claimed would be ready last January. And despite help from the national party in developing the plan, there’s still no firm date for when it’ll be released.
Meanwhile, in mid-December, Executive Director Dadrius Lanus also said a three-year fundraising plan is coming “over the course of the next few weeks and months” which has yet to materialize — and won’t do much to help the party in this year’s midterm elections.
Infighting — something the party has long struggled with — has continued, though, and even escalated in some cases. There aren’t even necessarily obvious factions in the party because allies are quick to turn on one other, going as far as to send out screenshots of offending texts in mass emails.
In fact, when asked for the party’s biggest accomplishments in 2025, officials can point to few successes that were clearly a result of the party’s efforts and don’t have significant caveats.
Page Gleason, a strategic advisor for the Louisiana Democratic Party who previously worked for the Georgia Democratic Party, says Louisiana’s state party is still “trying to establish a vision and a direction.” And she acknowledges the drama and resistance to change from some when it comes to party operations haven’t helped.
“Sometimes it’s hard to have a bold vision when there’s just so much chaos happening all the time,” she says.
Progress slow moving
LDP FIRST VICE CHAIR KATIE DARLING isn’t happy with the progress the party has made so far.
“I don’t think we’ve been on the right track, and I don’t think we’ve been headed in the right direction,” she says.
That may sound surprising to hear from a high-ranking party official, but Darling says she believes rebuilding trust with voters requires good leadership and honesty.
“We need to move away from a culture of pretending like things are OK when they’re not,” she says. “I think everyone knows the party reputation is in a bad place ... that the party has been in a weak place. And it would be silly to pretend like those things are not true.”
Lanus, who the party hired last March, cited as accomplishments the growth in followers on the party’s social media accounts, getting the Democratic National Convention to come to New Orleans in 2026, the defeat of amendments backed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry last spring, and Lake Charles’ first elected Black mayor.
The party has indeed boosted its social media presence, thanks to a contract with Lauren Loisel of Delta Current Strategies. Lanus, who is also an East Baton Rouge School Board member, says they’ve quadrupled their Facebook followers and nearly doubled their X (formerly Twitter) following.
However, some of the other “wins” are less clear cut. Gaines drew criticism for saying the messaging of the party played a larger role in voters rejecting the amendments than the efforts of community and activist groups. And the mayor Lake Charles elected, Marshall Simien Jr., ran as an independent, feeling he couldn’t win as a Democrat.
“There’s been a lot of sort of getting the house in order and figuring out what our priorities are so that we can get moving on implementing them,” Gleason says.
Party officials say both a strategic plan and fundraising plan are coming soon but don’t give much of a timeline. Lanus also says the party is working on rolling out a three-year fundraising plan that he crafted with another party member.
He didn’t give many details about the plan, claiming “a lot of the moving parts of it is confidential.” But he did say it will be focused on “registration and protection, year-round organizing, digital outreach and communications and candidate recruitment and training.”
He also declined to say how much money the party raised in 2025, but says “that’s the kind of thing that you will find inside of our strategic plan, I would hope, and also, once we finish tailoring our three-year fundraising plan.”
Meanwhile, leadership seemed to be spending much of their energy on internal disputes. There was an effort by some leaders to remove Darling as first vice chair, accusing her of trying to overthrow Gaines. In late March, Parliamentarian Kathy Hurst drafted the petition to impeach Darling but declined to follow through with it after Party Secretary Gian Durand and other supporters said they weren’t going to attach their names to it.
Around the same time, someone sent out a 2,000-word anonymous letter to party members, criticizing both Gaines and Darling and urging Democrats to call an emergency meeting and “vote for new leadership if necessary.”
“The result of this toxic situation is a party on the brink of collapse,” the author wrote. “Our party is imploding from within.”
While the letter may have been intended to act as a “come to Jesus” moment for leadership, it instead resulted in more infighting and high school levels of drama.
Durand heard Gaines was telling people she wrote the letter and texted him about it. He told her “a research firm traced the letter to a phone you owned.” Durand denied sending the letter and accused Gaines of “slander.” She then emailed a series of screenshots of emails,
texts and other documents with Gaines and others to party members.
2026 races
PARTY LEADERS are publicly optimistic about ongoing efforts to recruit Democratic candidates, a combination of work by the Democratic Parish Executive Committees, the Democratic Congressional Caucuses and grassroots organizations.
Lanus says a few of the people who have decided to run so far did so independently of the party, while others were recruited by party members.
For example, Darling says she’s been focused on getting candidates to run for the April elections in Kenner for mayor, city council and chief of police.
Some of the Democrats running, Lanus says, are “everyday, working class folks” and not “typical politicians.”
“As of late, there’s been an explosion of people who have been contacting us saying that they’re going to run for office,” he says. “Some of these people have smaller names, so you may not see their profile pop up right now, but they will be on the ballot come time to register to run for office.”
On the national level, that includes two farmers in North Louisiana challenging
Of course, these candidates are facing off against long-time incumbents who hold powerful positions in areas that tend to vote Republican. But Gleason says she believes the challengers will make them put effort into campaigning.
“I think that it will force them to run campaigns and take things seriously,” she says, “especially in the elections we’ve seen across the country where districts are swinging by large margins similar to what we saw in 2018 after the Trump win in 2016.”
Plus, Cassidy has a lot of heat on him from both Trump supporters upset he voted to impeach Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and from people frustrated Cassidy, a physician, voted to confirm anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the U.S. health secretary.
“It’s an opportunity for the Democratic Party and for these candidates to really hold Republican leadership accountable and talk about our vision for both Louisiana and America,” Gleason says.
Technically, this is progress when compared to the state of affairs during the last round of congressional elections. But it is modest at best.
While there are clear examples of dark horse Democratic candidates winning in other states, they are few and far between and often weren’t running in areas as heavily Republican as some of these Louisiana districts.
incumbent Republican politicians in D.C.: Jamie Davis, who is running for the Louisiana Senate seat held by Sen. Bill Cassidy, and Conrad Cable, who is running against Speaker of the House Mike Johnson in Louisiana’s fourth congressional district.
Davis is from the tiny village of Waterproof and owns Davis Farms, which his father started in the ’70s and which includes land his grandfather once worked on as a sharecropper. He was a police juror in Tensas Parish for four years.
Cable is a first-generation farmer from Marion, a small town less than an hour away from Monroe and Ruston. He graduated from University of Louisiana Monroe before starting a farm with his brother during the pandemic.
Both have professional websites and well-made videos that go beyond typical amateur campaigns. And they’re making affordability and health care central in their pitch to voters.
So is Lauren Jewett, a teacher living in Jefferson Parish, in her run against House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
“People have come to me and said, ‘We have to do something. I can’t afford my house, I can’t afford child care, I cannot afford my groceries, and now anything that has made it somewhat doable, those things are now being eliminated,’ ” Jewett says.
Breaking party control of seats takes significant time, money and a roster of candidates who’ve won lower offices and built names for themselves in their states and communities — none of which has occurred in Louisiana.
Beyond 2026
FOR THE 2027 GOVERNOR’S RACE and beyond, Lanus says he’s having conversations with potential candidates but declined to give any names.
“I think there’s some people out there who would be a tremendous matchup to run against Jeff Landry and actually win,” he says.
Lanus says the national party also wants the Louisiana Democratic Party to become more involved in smaller local races, like school board elections, which the state party has traditionally left up to the parish-level arms.
“But now that we’ve been given those directives, we can help to carve out what that looks like, give messaging inside of those parishes, and also help them to do any candidate recruitment if need be,” Lanus says.
Lanus says the state party is working with an organization called Deep Canvassing, which is helping them target close legislative races.
“Our goal in 2027 is we don’t just want to compete for the governor’s race — we also want to try to break the supermajority inside of our legislature,” he says.
First Vice Chair Katie Darling PROVIDED PHOTO
Executive Director Dadrius Lanus
PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE
Senior advisor
Page Gleason
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PAGE GLEASON
Chair Randal Gaines PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE
P. 19
That may seem a ways off, but longtime Democratic strategist Lynda Woolard told Gambit in 2024 that candidates should start planning a run for a legislative seat three years before the election.
That way they have a year to develop a message, recruit a campaign team, list potential donors and create a strategy for getting name recognition. Then they’d have the next two years to carry out that plan.
Work is ongoing, but Darling says, “I’m pleased with what we’ve accomplished so far.”
People power
THIS MONTH the party is launching its Deep Roots precinct organizing program, which aims to recruit a captain for each of the nearly 4,000 voting precincts in the state. Captains would talk with neighbors about voting, whether that’s door knocking, phone banking or organizing community meetings.
In an interview Dec. 17, Lanus said 25 people had signed up to become precinct organizers and that the party was reaching out to people who expressed interest in the program, estimating they were in contact with around 100 people.
Lanus says January is going to kickstart the program, starting with trainings.
Darling also says she has directed a lot of people to the program.
“This program, to me, is the future of building people power in the state,” she says. “I believe that the party actually belongs to the people and that this is how we actually see progress.”
Lanus says the party has revamped its internship programs and that around 100 college students had signed up in the first half of December. Interns can pick from several roles, including precinct captain, phone banker, office assistant or “social media influencing.”
“Those are going to be the ones that help us to get that message out to even younger people,” Lanus says.
Some in the party tried to start precinct organizing earlier but ran into obstacles, according to Jeremy Thompson, the party’s former fourth vice chair who left the party in December out of frustration.
Thompson says they and another DSCC member brought a detailed plan for precinct and local organizing to Chair Gaines in 2024 but that he didn’t do anything with it. Darling says there were also roadblocks accessing data from the state party for the program.
Thompson says the party didn’t move forward with precinct organizing until Darling announced the initiative to the media.
“And lo and behold, the same week, we started hearing about this precinct organizing initiative. The problem is we’re still just hearing about it, and everything seems to stay in that pattern,” Thompson says. “And there’s no
one there holding either the executive director or the chair accountable, and when they do, when you try to call them on that — whether it’s personally, in a meeting or in public — it’s a problem.”
Disillusioned departures
THOMPSON’S EXIT followed their friend Mel Manuel’s departure from the party in September.
Thompson and Manuel, who are both nonbinary, formed Queer Northshore and created a Pride parade in conservative St. Tammany Parish. Both were on the St. Tammany Democratic Parish Executive Committee before the chapter collapsed, and Manuel previously ran for Congress against Scalise.
Both had been active and outspoken figures in the party in recent years, which earned them supporters and critics alike. Some didn’t like their penchant for publicly talking about internal drama, believing those conversations should be held behind closed doors. Others lauded their honesty and willingness to voice frustrations with party leadership that many were feeling, arguing it was the best way for the party to address its problems head on.
Thompson says they joined party leadership excited to strengthen it, but
that over time, they became disillusioned and felt change wasn’t possible within the current party structure and leadership.
“Honestly, this has been one of the darkest sort of realizations for me in my life, over the last two years of Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’ journey of going to the party with a lot of optimism, a lot of hope ... and then just realizing, in a dark comedy of errors over and over again, we’re just going to slam into a wall one after the other,” Thompson says.
“I feel like I wasted years of my life,” Manuel says. “I mean, it might be a little bit dramatic, but I can’t get that time back.”
Both say they felt like their efforts weren’t changing anything and that their time would be better spent in other ways, like creating mutual aid groups or being with family and friends.
“We’re spending all our time trying to fix this thing,” Thompson says. “When I’m looking at it now, I’m like, I don’t think this is the thing that’s going to fix anything. This is not going to be the solution.”
National help
LAST FEBRUARY, the Democratic National Committee elected Ken Martin
as chair. Under his leadership, the national party is investing more into state parties, including Louisiana. Darling says instead of getting around $15,000 a month from the national party, the state party has been getting around $22,000 starting in October.
That does not include additional money the party will give the state for its strategic plan and other initiatives.
Lanus says that increased support has allowed them to pay a communications contractor and a compliance contractor. The party was already contracting with Delta Current Strategies for communications.
He also says the state party has a chance to apply for grants from $25,000 up to $100,000 and that the party plans to apply for the max amount to create more positions inside their office.
Darling says she sees a path to get the state party on track with national leaders like Martin and Jane Kleeb, the president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, who works with state party leadership.
“I think because of their leadership, their investment and structure, they have given us an opportunity to move in the right direction,” she says.
Queer Northshore co-directors Jeremy Thompson, left, and Mel Manuel at the first Pride parade in St. Tammany Parish in 2024.
PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
CARNIVAL 2026
PARADE AND EVENTS PREVIEWS
Les Fous du Carnaval
8 P.M. FRIDAY, JAN. 23
MARIGNY, FRENCH QUARTER
Les Fous du Carnaval have added a couple inner krewes for one of its biggest parades yet on Friday, Jan. 23, in Marigny and the French Quarter. The theme for the parade is Once Upon a Fou.
Les Fous is an umbrella name for a group of krewes, which began five years ago with Krewe of Goddesses, Flora & Fauna and Krewe of Hellarious Wingnuts. This year’s lineup includes Krewe of Goddesses, Flora & Fauna, Legendary Order of the Casket Girls, Shimmy Shakti Belly Dance Goddesses, Mystical Krewe of Aziza and Bywater Crazy Cat Ladies and Gents. New to the parade this year are Queerly Beloved and the Mahogany Blue Baby Dolls. The procession will have music from New Groove Brass Band, Kings of Brass and Banana Peel Stompers. Marchers will toss many handmade throws.
The route starts in the heart of the Frenchmen Street strip, circles through the Marigny triangle, enters the French Quarter on Royal Street and ends at Jackson Square. For more information, go to lesfousducarnaval.blogspot.com.
PHOTO BY @RHRPHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO BY @RHRPHOTOGRAPHY
Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus
7 P.M. SATURDAY, JAN. 24 MARIGNY, FRENCH
QUARTER
The Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus marks its 15th year gathering scores of sci-fi-inspired krewes for a parade from Marigny across the French Quarter, and for the second time, the group is hitting a big “System Reset,” says one of the krewe Overlords, Apocalypse Meow.
Since 2018, the krewe has been run by a trio of Overlords, and this year Richard Riggs, aka Overlord Dr. Strangelover, is stepping down from leadership and onto the throne. He’ll reign as Chewbacchus XV, and is also referred to as High Priest Aetherius Strangelover, Keeper of the Sacred Drunken Mysteries and Warden of Monsters and Myths.
The procession will include roughly 125 inner krewes, many of them inspired by Star Wars, Star Trek and all sorts of sci-fi and fantasy fandoms. Those groups include the Leijorettes marching dance troupe, Space Vikings, Krewe of Dystopian Paradise, Krewe de Luxe, Han & the Solo Cups, The Vampiric Council, Intergalactic Realtors Association Conference, the Afro-futurist Women of Wakanda, STOMP Troopers, Steampunks from Cyberspace, Krewe of Wonder Women and many more. Groups that are new this year include Le Petit Yacht Club, Gaga’s Little Monsters, Outer Rim Syndicate, Krewe of Shoe, RouxGaroux, The Coven and more.
The parade also has some iconic contraptions, including the idol of the Cult of the Sacred Drunken Wookiee, the Bar2-D2 and more. This year’s theme also is embracing graffiti-style art.
The krewe holds its official afterparty, the Chewbacchanal, with DJs and more at The Fillmore. Doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets are $42.50 via ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit chewbacchus.org.
THE INTERGALACTIC KREWE OF CHEWBACCHUS subject to change
Algiers Mardi Gras Festival
10 A.M.-6 P.M. SATURDAY, JAN. 24 ALGIERS
The Algiers Mardi Gras Festival features live music and entertainment at Federal City on Saturday, Jan. 24.
The festivities start with a parade to the festival grounds starting at 9 a.m. at Lamarques Street and L.B. Landry Avenue. Community leader Edwin Robinson Sr. is the grand marshal, and the parade includes local Carnival groups.
The entertainment lineup includes Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Brass-A-Holics, Naydja Cojoe and the Jazz Experience, Big Frank Lil Frank, BJ So Cole, Monkey Hill Band, DJ Polo 504, DJ Mookie and the marching bands of Edna Karr High School and the U.S. Marine Forces Reserve Band. The main stage is hosted by 9th Ward Blackk, and comedian Riga Ruby hosts the kids’ stage. There’s also a kids’ zone. Admission is free. Visit algiersmardigrasfest.com for information.
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
PHOTO BY JOHN DILOSA JR. / ASOLID PHOTOGRAPHY
EAT + DRINK
A taste of Beirut
Habibi Lebanese
NOT ONE BUT TWO NEW RESTAURANTS
HAVE OPENED at the corner of Royal and St. Roch streets in the Marigny.
Habibi Lebanese Grill and Wine Bar and Royal Woodfired Pizza share the space at 2483 Royal St., which has housed restaurants for decades. Silk Road closed this past summer, and before that, Schiro’s Cafe held down the corner for more than 20 years, a placeholder for the longtime corner grocery formerly run by Mary Schiro.
Chef Kamil el Jaouhari is behind both concepts, along with business partner Wasim Jamhour, who is a chef and also has handled restaurant operations. Jaouhari studied culinary arts and hotel management in his hometown of Beirut, Lebanon, and he came to New Orleans in 2020 to help open Lebanon Grill on Decatur Street. Habibi Lebanese Grill is his first ownership venture.
“Every restaurant does things a certain way,” says Jaouhari, who has powered Mediterranean-themed kitchens from Las Vegas to Sao Paolo, Brazil, over the past 15 years. “Here, we make everything fresh every day.”
Jaouhari’s opening menu is full of Lebanese favorites. Hummus is served solo or with add-ons like grilled chicken, lamb or sujuk, a spicy sausage made in-house with ground lamb and beef. The creamy chickpea spread arrives in a bowlshaped fried pita round, perfect for breaking off into crispy bits for sluicing through the garlicky dip.
There also is a Greek-style salad with feta and olives, tabbouleh bright with citrus and parsley and grilled shrimp over mixed greens.
Both chicken and gyro shawarma are sliced for sandwiches and served on pita with vegetables and tzatziki sauce. Entrees include lamb chops as well as lamb, beef and chicken kebabs, the chef’s favorite street food when he’s back home visiting family.
A mixed kebab platter, priced at $120, includes lamb, beef, ground kafta with its hint of cinnamon, sujuk sausage, shrimp and chicken, a feast that easily feeds
in
four or five hungry diners. Entrees come with rice and salad.
Grilled salmon and shrimp are two seafood options, and there are plenty of vegetable and vegan choices as well.
Habibi is an Arabic term of endearment, used both romantically and between friends. The renovated space has tables accommodating around 80 guests inside and out. Jaouhari and Jamhour added color and a few murals to the decor. A long bar with a flatscreen TV runs along one wall.
The bar menu includes beer on draft and in cans, cocktails and wines sourced from California, France, Italy and Lebanon.
With Royal Woodfired Pizza, the focus is on Neapolitan-style thin-crusted pies blistered in a large wood-burning oven. They’re
keeping the opening menu tight and focused on about 10 different pizzas, along with a cheese board and salads. There is seating for about 40 on that side of the restaurant.
“It was something we thought the neighborhood needed,” Jaouhari says.
Jaouhari fell in love with New Orleans when he came to visit a friend before the pandemic. He moved his wife and now 7-year-old daughter to the city five years ago and settled on the West Bank.
“I feel the same feeling I get in Beirut here,” Jaouhari says.
“Both are food cities. I love the architecture and the people.”
He’s pleased to be in another food-focused city.
“Feeding people, seeing them enjoy my food, that’s what makes me happy,” he says.
Taqueria Guerrero returns THE GREEN SALSA WAS JUST AS SPICY AND THE PORK ENCHILADAS just as satisfying under a lacy pull of cheese. But it wasn’t just the merengue music playing on the sound system that felt especially upbeat.
Taqueria Guerrero (208 N. Carrollton Ave.) reopened last week after a hiatus of about five weeks that carried uncertainty of when it might return.
After the Mexican restaurant announced plans to temporarily shutter in late November, people packed the small Mid-City spot on its final weekend in a show of support. They lined the block waiting their turn for a table until the restaurant sold out of food. It reopened on Jan. 6 with its full menu and usual schedule, but also with a cheery air from both staff and customers.
“Welcome back,” a man bellowed to the waitress while sliding into a table for lunch and ordering a Modelo beer.
“Happy to be here,” she beamed back to him.
The outsized community response just before the closure did much to lift spirits at the restaurant, says proprietor Jesus Martínez. The reopening has seen a steadier return to its normal pace, and that’s exactly what he hoped would happen. The regular progression of familiar faces coming back has been a welcome sight, he says.
The restaurant was a high-profile example of Hispanic eateries temporarily closing as the U.S. Border Patrol launched its “Catahoula Crunch” operation late in 2025. As with many other restaurants with a strong Hispanic clientele, business had been
Grill opens
Marigny by Beth D’Addono |
Lebanese specialties like kebabs and shawarma are served with rice and salad.
PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER / GAMBIT
Taqueria Guerrero reopened after a brief hiatus.
PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
cut to a trickle as regular customers began to avoid public places, an impact felt from schools to churches as well.
In earlier interviews, multiple restaurant operators said it’s wrong to assume that the people staying home are undocumented immigrants. They say many people who live and work in the country legally fear being profiled, getting detained by federal officers and then having to work their way out of the system.
Martinez says he decided to reopen now simply because the business couldn’t afford to stay closed any longer.
FORK & CENTER
appreciate the crossroads of people who value this small restaurant as part of their neighborhood’s diverse texture, and are relieved to see it back.
— Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune
Around town, more restaurants are returning to normal operations now, too. In the Riverbend, La Patrona (575 S. Carrollton Ave.), closed since late December, also reopened on Jan. 6. And Mawi Tortillas (5050 W. Esplanade Ave.) in Metairie has resumed its regular schedule after a stint of limited hours.
People in the community have rallied to support Hispanic businesses during the tense times. That includes a group called N’awlins Hungry Gringos, which since June has been encouraging more people to support local restaurants and organizes group lunch outings.
Taqueria Guerrero opened in 2007, at a time when much of New Orleans was still in ruins after flooding from the Hurricane Katrina levee failures. A wave of Latin American restaurants were opening, reflecting a demographic shift as Hispanic laborers who arrived to rebuild the city set down roots.
For many who had lived here longer, learning what Mexican food really was beyond the more typical Tex-Mex of the time was a revelation, and Taqueria Guerrero’s large menu and welcoming, family-restaurant feel was like a master class.
Now, as back then, the kitchen serves the familiar range of tacos and burritos but ranges much further.
The enchiladas are a go-to. The platter-sized meal has a half-dozen small tortilla rolls stuffed with meat, like the achiote-stained pork, and coated in a mildly spicy but richly flavorful sauce.
Taqueria Guerrero also is home to pozole rojo. It is hearty and flavorful, with a base of pork and fat bulbs of hominy boiled together, with chiles giving a deep red color and an array of sides to add as you slurp through (crunchy onion and cabbage, avocado, lime, oregano and ground chili pepper). Between spoonfuls, take a minute to look up and around the room to
Gendusa’s to move
AFTER A DECADE OPERATING IN KENNER’S RIVERTOWN DISTRICT, Gendusa’s Italian Eatery closed its location at 325 Williams Blvd. on Jan. 11, and is moving to a new location.
“It’s getting busy here, and I hate to leave,” owner Troy Gendusa says. “It’s going to be overall better. I wouldn’t have made the move if I didn’t think it was going to be good.”
While the charm of the cottage surrounded by a white picket fence made for a cozy location, Gendusa says he didn’t enjoy having to turn away large parties or sometimes having people wait for service.
When George Messina showed him the former Messina’s location at 2717 Williams Blvd., Gendusa says he saw “the possibilities” of what his restaurant could look like in a new space. He says the new venue will allow him to serve more people.
The new location will more than double the former restaurant’s seating capabilities, triple the kitchen size and add 66 parking spaces.
With the new space, Gendusa says he wants to bring in a new chef and has been working on several dishes to add to the menu.
“I’ve got a lot coming,” he says.
While changes may be on the horizon, Gendusa says he plans to keep serving the regular menu, including his specialty of pizza.
Gendusa says the new location will open soon, but an opening date has not yet been determined.
“It’s going to be done in true Gendusa’s fashion. It will be quick,” he says.
Gendusa’s original location at 405 Williams Blvd. was destroyed by a fire in 2020. He reopened in the Rivertown cottage two days later.
— Chelsea Shannon / The Times-Picayune
Gendusa’s Italian Eatery is moving from its location in Kenner’s Rivertown.
PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
WI NE OF THE WEEK
Napa Cellars
Sauv ig nonBla nc
This wine opens with vibrantaromas of lemon meringue, and tangerine. On the palate,aburst of rubyred grapefruit leads, layeredwith juicymelon andahintoftropical fruit. Livelyand expressive, it shines with brightacidity thatcarries through to the clean, lingering finish.
DISTRIBUTED BY
Becky Brooks Macris and Bret Macris Chefs
by Will Coviello
CHEFS BRET MACRIS AND BECKY
BROOKS MACRIS STARTED their casual concept Shift, located at the Brieux Carre brewery in Marigny, while taking a break from fine dining. They first met while they both worked at the Los Angeles fine dining spot Campanile, and they later moved to New York, where Bret was the executive chef at Rose Water. They came to New Orleans, where they’ve worked at restaurants including Coquette, Wild South and Mondo. At Shift, they’re tweaking bar favorites, such as pretzel bites, and doing weekly specials from Monday red beans to burger nights and vegetarian options. During upcoming parade nights, they also will set up on the street with many items easy to grab and go. For more information, visit shiftnola.com. Menu updates also appear @shift_nola on Instagram.
What was your idea for Shift?
BRET MARCRIS: The reason we came up with the name Shift is because we planned on changing the menu all the time. We wanted to shift with the seasons or with our ideas or whatever. We wanted it to be approachable to a beer crowd, and we wanted to make sure it paired well with beer. This is arguably one of the best breweries in the city. The lagers are amazing. It gives us a lot of inspiration, and it’s fun. We keep it approachable, but also, sometimes I have caviar on a spoon with creme fraiche custard.
BECKY BROOKS MARCRIS: Being parents with a kid, too, you can’t always go to super nice places. We have super quality food, but we’re serving it on paper plates. People can bring their babies or dogs in the backyard and enjoy something that’s freshly made.
BRET: I helped (Brieux Carre) design the kitchen there before Covid. We have an electric fryer and a panini press.
BECKY: With all of our years of working in kitchens, we’ve gotten creative with what we have. We’re not spoiled with equipment.
BRET: The oven broke, so we use a toaster oven. We make everything from
scratch except the bread. We use bread from Maple Street or Dong Phuong.
BECKY: We get inspired by local produce and the seasons. Like, what fish can we get locally? It’s fun to utilize things as local as we can. We have a big garden that we use.
Luckily, this brewery has a huge local community. A lot of brewers from around town hang out there, so we’re their private chefs in a way. Those guys are always going to order from us. Being off Frenchmen, we get some tourists, and they’re like “What?” But we’ve been doing this over a year now.
What is on your menu?
BRET: Everything changes at some point. If you look (at the website menu), the left side of that menu changes every day. The right side changes once in a while. Those are the staples people order all the time and ask for if we take them off.
If you look at Monday, you can get a bowl of red beans or vegetarian red beans for $8 and leave full. Or you can add things on, and those additions change. This week, the big winner was Salisbury steak, or you can get chicken wings or add shrimp cakes. You can get all sorts of stuff on there, and sometimes I add stuff mid-shift.
Thursdays we do burger night which is six or seven different types of burgers. For Fan Expo, I did a Dark Knight burger and a Memento burger, which was a tuna burger, but it was named after a run in Batman and Robin. We had a Sconnie burger, which is short for
Wisconsin, because a friend of ours brought back 10 pounds of cheese curds. I had a cheese curd special and the cheese curd burger. On Fridays, I do Friday Night Flights.
BECKY: This is where we get to shine a little bit.
BRET: We’ll do four food and beer pairings. It’s $20 for the food and $20 for the beer. We get to pull out our fine-dining specials.
BECKY: On Saturday we do Hey, Chef.
BRET: It’s different every time, and you don’t know what you’re getting. It could be an appetizer, it could be an entree. One time I served a 5 pound brick of ribs, and another time I served shrimp cakes. Last week I did a black truffle burger because I had a bunch of truffles. So it was black truffle Gouda with shaved black truffles and black garlic aioli.
BECKY: We like to have vegan- and vegetarian-friendly options, too, because we get quite a few vegetarians.
BRET: Right now, the vegetarian sandwich is the shiitake melt. We get our mushrooms from Mushroom Maggie. The vegan is the Pink Wookiee. That’s named after the Pink Wookiee that rolls in Chewbacchus. He’s vegetarian. He used to come in quite often.
BECKY: There’s always some kind of a Wookiee burger, which is red bean based. We use red beans, rice and vegetables in the patty. We put beets in there to make it pink. It’s completely vegan, but the bun is not.
What will you have for downtown parade nights?
BECKY: For parades, we’ll make hand pies. We usually do a meat based and a vegetarian one.
BRET: The Sloppy Joe hand pie was one of our most popular ones. We’ll have veggie and cheese hand pies for vegetarians. We pull out a pulled pork that we’ll smoke for 12 hours and do a pulled pork po-boy. We’ll sell pretzel bites because those are super popular, and they’re in a basket which is easy.
BECKY: It’s stuff that’s easy so you’re not standing in line.
BRET: We tend to stick to five or six things and we’re right out on the sidewalk with a deep fryer and some chafing dishes.
Bret Macris and Becky Brooks Macris
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BRET MACRIS
Out to Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106.
Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream.
com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato in flavors like praline, salted caramel and tiramisu, as well as Italian ices in flavors like lemon, strawberry and mango. There also are cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and coffee drinks. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $
com — Gulf Drum Yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. There also are oysters, seafood pasta dishes, steaks, lamb chops and more. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$
Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with goat cheese and chardonnay sauce. Reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$
The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com Basin barbecue shrimp are served with rosemary garlic butter sauce over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. The menu includes po-poys, fried seafood platters, raw and char-grilled oysters, boiled seafood in season, and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$
Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 581-3866; broussards.com — The menu of contemporary Creole dishes includes bronzed redfish with jumbo lump crabmeat, lemon beurre blanc and vegetables. Brunch includes Benedicts, avocado toast, chicken and waffles, turtle soup and more. Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available in the courtyard. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ 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
$ — average dinner entrée under $10
$$ $11-$20
$$$ — $20-up
are crab cakes, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, po-boys and more. Outdoor seating available on balcony. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dahla — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 766-6602; dahlarestaurant.com — The menu includes popular Thai dishes like pad thai, drunken noodles, curries and fried rice. Crispy skinned duck basil is prepared with vegetables and Thai basil. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 5860300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes oysters served raw on the half-shell or charbroiled 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. $$
Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sharable plates like NOLA Tot Debris. A slow-cooked pulled pork barbecue sandwich is served with coleslaw on a brioche bun. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The selection of steak and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops and a la carte toppings include bernaise, blue cheese and sauteed crabmeat. There also are burgers, salads, pasta, seafood entrees, char-broiled oysters and more. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The menu of Japanese cuisine includes sushi, signature rolls, tempura items, udon noodle dishes, teriyaki, salads and more.The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado, snow crab, green onion and wasabi roe. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.-Fri., dinner daily. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and spaghetti Bordelaise and chicken cacciatore. Chicken a la grands is sauteed with garlic, rosemary, Italian herbs and white wine. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$
Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage like the Famous Ferdi filled with ham, roast beef and debris. Creole favorites include jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
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, chargrilled 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. $$
Parish Grill — 4650 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 100, Metairie, (504) 345-2878; parishgrill.com — The menu includes a v ariety of burgers, sandwiches, wraps, pizza and salads. For an appetizer, sauteed andouille is served with fig preserves, blue cheese and toast points. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
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. $$
•“ Excellent” Pre-K with acceleratedprograms •G if tedand Talented Programs
PK–12tuition-free public char terinOrleans &Jef ferson Parishes
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Mark Braud’s Colossus Brass Band record release
Trumpeter Mark Braud was a longtime bandleader at Preservation Hall before starting his own band. In the Colossus Brass Band, he’s joined by New Orleans’ trad jazz stalwarts Gregg Stafford, Wendell Brunious, Roderick Paulin, Gerald French, Freddie Lonzo, Kevin Lewis, Craig Klein, Kirk Joseph, Bruce Brackman and Tanio Hingle. The band celebrates the release of “Sing On” with shows at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Snug Harbor. Tickets $35.65 via snugjazz.com.
Big Chief Donald
Harrison Festival
Organized by late Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr.’s wife, Herreast Harrison, and daughter, Maroon Queen Cherice Harrison-Nelson, this new festival mixes New Orleans cultural performances and literary presentations to celebrate the renowned big chief’s work as a culture bearer and his love for reading. The inaugural Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr. Afro-New Orleans Festival of Literature and Culture will feature performances by Charmaine Neville, poet Donney Rose, the Queen Reesie Collective and more. There also is a screening of a documentary about the Guardians of the Flame, and free books will be given to kids. The festival is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Andre Cailloux Center. Find more info at facebook. com/guardiansoftheflamenola.
No Ring Circus
No Ring Circus modernizes sideshow acts in shows with macabre vibes. The group was founded in New Orleans in 2017 by Eli Rose and Violenza, and is now based in New York, where it performs at burlesque, circus and performance art venues like House of Yes and The Red Pavilion. A couple of members just appeared at Teaser Fest, but the whole troupe is in town for a show at House of Blues. The lineup includes Violenza, Eddie Lockwood, C’etait BonTemps, Anya Sapozhnikova, Foxy Lexxi Brown and Cassidy Copperhead. Find information at thenoringcircus.com. At 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24. Tickets $20.85 and up via ticketmaster.com.
Dulce Sloan
Comedian Dulce Sloan was a correspondent on the Emmy-winning cast of “The Daily Show” and does voicework on the Fox series “The Great North.” She’s also an occasional
panelist on the NPR news quiz show “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me.” She’s in town for shows at 7 and 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, and Saturday, Jan. 24, at Sports Drink. Tickets $29 via sportsdrink org.
Luke Winslow-King
Guitarist-vocalist Luke Winslow-King is a familiar face around New Orleans after spending more than 15 years here digging into vintage blues with some jazz and folk thrown in. He’s now living in Spain but is back in town for a show at 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at Chickie Wah Wah. Winslow-King recently released a single ahead of his new album, “Coast of Light,” out March 27. Tickets for Sunday’s show are $26.96 via chickiewahwah.com.
Nox Chroma Cabaret
Nox Chroma Cabaret is a shadowy and risque variety show of dance, burlesque, aerial acts, pole acrobatics, fire play and more. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, through Friday, Jan. 23, at Cafe Istanbul. Tickets start at $30 via linktr.ee/noxchroma.
Clifton Chenier
listening party
The Year of Chenier is extending a bit into 2026. Events and a tribute album celebrated zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier in 2025 to mark 100 years since his birth. Now Smithsonian Folkways and Arhoolie Records is releasing the multi-disc box set “Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco.” They host a listening party of the set at 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at Saturn Bar. Admission is free. Find more info at dice.fm.
Bonerama album release
Trombone-heavy funk band
Bonerama releases its latest album “So Much Love” with a show at Tipitina’s. Guests include Stanton Moore and Jordan Anderson. The trio of Keiko Komaki, June Yamagishi and Donald MaGee opens at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23. Tickets $31.02 via tipitinas.com.
Skerik’s Compersion Quartet
Tenor saxophonist and percussionist
Skerik has been splitting his time between Seattle and New Orleans, and when he’s in town, he joins up with pianist Brian Haas, bassist James Singleton and drummer Simon Lott for the free-flowing Compersion Quartet. They play next at 10:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Gasa Gasa. Tickets are $19.29 via gasagasanola.com.
Open HouseJan. 24th,2026 from 1pm-3pm
Call or email nowtoRSVP
Enrolling students grade Pre-K to 3rd Grade for our 2026-2027 school year
Discover what makes St. Paul’s special, including our additional 3-Year-Old class launching for the 2026–2027 school year.
Contact: Sylvia Parks sparks@stpauls-lakeview.org
Old Metairie Mail & Copy Center 5 Year Anniversary
For the past fve years, Old Metairie Mail & Copy Center has been a trusted resource for residents and businesses throughout Old Metairie and beyond Owned and operated by Robert Schmidt, the location mark s an impor tant milestone in the continued grow th of the Mail & Copy brand and its mission to provide convenient, reliable services all in one place.
Rob purchased the pre-existing store, which had served the neighborhood for 25 years, and completed ex tensive
and expand its capabilities Over the past fve years, his vision to grow Mail & Copy and reach more customers has turned the Old Metairie location into an essential neighborhood staple for shipping, printing, passpor t services, notary services, and more True to the Mail & Copy slogan, “We Do Ever ything,” Old Metairie Mail & Copy Center offers a wide range of copying and printing services, including large-format printing for banners, posters, and vinyl signage. Known for fast turnaround times, the center has become a go-to resource for nonprofts, small businesses, and communit y members seeking high-quality, professional prints. In addition to printing, the location also offers secure mailbox rentals and reliable packing and shipping services with major carriers, providing customers a convenient solution for package receiving and delivery
The Old Metairie location continues to expand its service offerings to meet the evolving needs of the communit y. It is currently the only place in Old Metairie where customers can have keys made, adding another layer of convenience for local residents. Notary services are also available by appointment, helping customers take care of important documents close to home
As a locally owned and operated business, Old Metairie Mail & Copy Center prides itself on providing friendly, knowledgeable service in a welcoming environment.
The team is dedicated to being a true one-stop shop —saving customers time while delivering dependable, professional results.
To mark its fve-year anniversar y, Old Metairie Mail & Copy Center will host a celebration on Januar y 23rd featuring a ribbon cutting with the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce at 11 a.m., live music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., spin-the-wheel giveaways for free gifs, birthday cake, and 10% off all services all day long The event celebrates fve successful years of service and strong communit y connec tions.
This ar ticle is brough to you by Old Metairie Mail & Copy Center.
MUSIC
PLACE
To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com
THREE MARIES JAZZ CLUB, OMNI HOTEL — Or Shovaly Plus at the Three Maries, Omni Hotel, 9 pm
SATURDAY 24
30/90 The Vibe Tribe, 2 pm; Anne Elise & The Swamp Circus, 5 pm; Tyler Kinchen & The Right Pieces, 8 pm; T. Cherelle & Lou’s Bayou, 11 pm
ABITA SPRINGS TOWN HALL On Broadway, 7:30 pm
NOTICE OF VACANCY ON THE SEWER AG E& WATER BOAR DO FN EW ORLEANS
For Council District B
TheSewerage and WaterBoard of New Orleans announces aDeclared Vacancy, efectiveWednesday,November19, 2025,ofone (1)existingseat on itsBoard of Directors forCouncil DistrictB
Pursuant to La.R.S.33:4071,the Sewerage and WaterBoard of New Orleans hereby givesnoticethatitisaccepting applicationsfrompersons from Council DistrictB interestedinser ving on theBoard of Directors.
TheSewerage and WaterBoard of New Orleans is comprisedofelevenmembers, sevenofwhich are citizens appointed by the mayor with the adviceand consent of the City Council from alistofnominees submitted by the Sewerage and WaterBoard Selection Committee
TheSewerage and WaterBoard Selection Committee is comprisedof representatives from the following organizations:DillardUniversity,LoyolaUniversity,TulaneUniversity,X avierUniversity,Delgado Community College,SouthernUniversity at NewOrleans,University of NewOrleans,New Orleans Chamber of Commerce,New Orleans RegionalBlack ChamberofCommerce, andthe UrbanLeague of GreaterNew Orleans.
ELIGIBILIT
Y, PROFESSIONALQUALIFICATIONS ANDE XPERIENCEREQUIREMENTS
Thetermofofice formembersappointed to theSewerage and WaterBoard of New Orleans is four years. Additionally,amember shall ser ve no morethantwo consecutiveterms of ofice. Each nomineeshall be aregisteredvoter in OrleansParishand shall have been adomiciliar yofOrleans Parish fortwo yearsprior to his/her appointment. Please note that nominees forthe Council District vacanciesmustreside in the City Council District forwhich he or sheapplied.Consumer/Community Advocacy nominees mayreside anywhere in OrleansParish.
Each nomineeshall have experienceinarchitecture, environmentalquality,finance,accounting, business administration,engineering, law, publichealth, urbanplanning, facilitiesmanagement,public administration,science, construction,business management, community or consumer advocacy, or other pertinent disciplines
Allmembersofthe BoardofDirectors of theSewerage and WaterBoard of New Orleans must comply with all ethical requirementsofLouisianalaw, including butnot limitedtothe filing of financial statementspursuant to La.R.S.42, et .seq. APPLICATION PROCESS
Formoreinformation and to beginthe application process, please visit ourwebsite at : https://www.swbno.org/notices/vacancydistrictb. Thedeadline to apply is 5:00 p.m. on Januar y31, 2026. Contac t504-585-2190 or ProspectiveBoardMemberApplications@swbno.orgwithany questions.
WEEK 1 - FEB 2
SPACE BY: JAN 23 WEEK 2 - FEB 9 RESERVE SPACE BY: JAN 30
THE ALLWAYS LOUNGE & CABARET
— The New Orleans High Society Hour (Live Jazz and Burlesque), 11 pm
APPLE BARREL — Smoky Greenwell Blues Band, 10:30 pm
ST. ROCH TAVERN Cactus Thief & Five Quarter Stringband, 9 pm
TIPITINA’S Hustle with DJ Soul Sister, 9 pm
SUNDAY 25
30/90 —Funhouse, 3 pm; Scotty Yost & The Most, 6 pm; Single Malt Please, 9 pm
ABITA SPRINGS TOWN HALL — On Broadway, 3 pm
ALLWAYS LOUNGE Sunday Swing with Old Growth Jazz Band, 8 pm
BACCHANAL Nahum Zdybel, 1 pm; Noah Young, 7 pm
BJ’S LOUNGE — James McClaskey & The Rhythm Band, 9 pm
BLUE NILE — The Rozes, 7:30 pm; Street Legends Brass Band, 9:30 pm
BRATZ Y’ALL Sean Riley & Dean Zucchero, 4 pm
BUFFA’S Bossa-Namaste, 7 pm
CAFE ISTANBUL FullCircle Festival ft. Lilli Lewis, Mahmoud Chouki, Kyndra Joi, 3 pm
CAFE NEGRIL — Mike Delacera, 1 pm; John Lisi & Delta Funk, 6 pm; Zena Moses & Rue Fiya, 9 pm
CAROUSEL BAR The Iguanas, 7 pm
CARROLLTON STATION Mario Gras! With Cloudsave & Friends, 6 pm
CHICKIE WAH WAH Luke WinslowKing, 8 pm
DBA — Paradise Jazz Band, 6 pm; The Jump Hounds, 9:30 pm
THE DOG HOUSE — Craig Cortello, The “Canine Crooner”, 4 pm
DOS JEFES — Michael Liuzza & Co., 8 pm
GASA GASA — Shiner with Bursting, 8 pm
MAPLE LEAF BAR — June Yamagishi, Keiko Komaki & Donald MaGee, 8 pm
OKAY BAR — Katt Holiday + Charmie Chandler + The Cicadas, 8 pm
OLD ARABI LIGHTHOUSE RECORDS AND BOOKS Open Mic Night with Host Jim Smith, 5 pm
SATURN BAR — Hemlock + Honey the Fool + Lena Bartels + Lamplight, 9 pm
SIBERIA — Straps N’ Chaps with Billy Gay Cyrus, 8 pm
SeafoodStuffedFlounder
MUSIC
All together now
By Jake Clapp
THE LAST TIME FOLK ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL HOSTED ITS ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS, in January 2020 just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the event brought out more than 3,000 people, including musicians, industry professionals, journalists and even fans interested in just keeping up with the scene.
It was FAI’s largest conference to date. And although past conference numbers haven’t bounced back that high since the pandemic, says FAI Executive Director Jennifer Roe, the conference is still expecting around 2,500 people when the organization returns to the Sheraton New Orleans Wednesday, Jan. 21, through Sunday, Jan. 25.
“We knew we wanted to come back,” Roe says. “New Orleans is rooted in music, and we only scratched the surface in 2020.”
The conference also will be in New Orleans in 2030 and 2032.
A nonprofit focused on the global folk music industry, FAI’s annual conference is one of the folk community’s largest annual gatherings and includes performances, panels, keynote address and an awards presentation.
At its 38th edition, which is themed “Rise Up,” more than 150 artists, representing 30-plus countries, will perform in official showcases, and there are around 125 panels and other events. There also is a large slate of private, listening room-style performances spread throughout the hotel each night.
“When people think of what folk music is, it’s not just what the Grammy defines a folk music album to be,” Roe says. “When we think of folk music, we really think of it as the most broad definition of music that you can possibly think of. The general definition of folk music is music of the people. Music of your people can sound different depending on where you’re coming from.”
Artists like Kyshona, The Milk Carton Kids, Yasmin Williams, Mattias Thedens, Rainbow Girls and The Steel Wheels are among the official showcase performers, along with a number of Louisiana artists, including Lost Bayou Ramblers, Terrance Simien, Sean Ardoin, Corey Ledet and Mia Borders.
On Thursday, Jan. 21, New Orleans bounce icon Big Freedia and poet and Tank and the Bangas vocalist Tarriona “Tank” Ball will have a conversation as the conference keynote event.
The conference’s annual awards ceremony takes place opening night, with awards for artist of the year, album of the year, song of the year, and the new
Global Folk Album Award. FAI also gives a trio of Lifetime Achievement Awards, and this year will recognize Grammywinner Taj Mahal, zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier — who was the subject of a tribute album and centennial celebrations in 2025 — and Louisiana Folk Roots, for its work promoting Cajun and Creole music.
And the days will be filled with panels featuring musicians and industry professionals, including sessions on Indigenous perspectives on folk traditions, using music and community to promote justice and equity, keeping folk music on air amid federal funding cuts, and the impact of generative AI on music and the industry.
Among the New Orleans-based artists who will take part in the conference is Leyla McCalla, who received FAI’s People’s Voice Award in 2023. This year, she’ll play an official showcase and sit on panels about working musicians who are also mothers and on how communities can resist the rise of fascism.
“I’m excited for my community here in Louisiana, because we need uplifting,” McCalla says. “Our music should be competing on a national level with some of the other acts from Nashville or New York or LA. It’s really an important move for Folk Alliance to be putting themselves in New Orleans and showing our community some love.”
Conference registration is needed to attend the showcases, panels and events at the Sheraton. But there are some events happening around the city that capitalize on the surge of artists in town, including a Clifton Chenier listening party hosted by Smithsonian Folkways; Luke Winslow-King, who is now living in Spain, performing at Chickie Wah Wah; and Putumayo’s Celebrate the World Festival (see more on page 7).
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Taj Mahal will be honored at this year’s Folk Alliance conference PROVIDED PHOTO BY DAVID MCCLISTER
Winter DINING ISSUE
GOING OUT
Target rich environment
by Will Coviello
LEAH RUDICK AND HER BROTHER ANDREW RUDICK ARE STAND-UP COMEDIANS, and sometimes they tour together. But it’s not always easy.
In her debut comedy special “Spiraling,” Leah tells a story about a point growing up as a sexually naive, flat-chested teen in Ohio. Her mother didn’t offer her much information, but she gave her a water bra to look more developed, which her brother then stared at endlessly.
“Every time I tell that joke, he says, ‘You have to say that that’s not me,’ ” Leah says. “‘You’re turning the audience against me.’ ” Leah Rudick will be free to tell that story when she performs solo in New Orleans on Saturday, Jan. 24, at The Howlin’ Wolf. Rudick is best known for a handful of characters she does in short videos that have gone viral on TikTok. One identified as Wealthy Woman is a hilariously clueless woman who delights in new-to-her discoveries of places like Jiffy Lube or the chain restaurants Denny’s and Hooter’s. There’s also Rudick’s version of a narcissistic life coach and an awkwardly candid and determined Love Coach.
“Life Coach was a reaction to the culture of L.A.,” she says about her move to California. “Love Coach came from the depths of my soul.”
“Spiraling” has jokes about some of the same material, but not as characters. It also has a long guided meditation, but it’s a journey that turns into a reflection on a high school prom becoming a hellscape of bad fashion and unfulfilled desires.
The special’s title comes from her attempt to actually engage in mediation to tame overthinking, which drives some of the drama in her stories. One story about a girls trip gets into “Lord of the Flies” territory over who claims the primary bedroom in an Airbnb.
Rudick’s flare for drama stems from being a theater kid, she says.
“I wanted to be a serious theater actress,” she says. “I played the teacher in Helen Keller in high school. I was in high school, so I am sure it was awful, but I know I felt like, ‘I’ve arrived.’ Then I did a lot of Shakespeare in college.”
After college Rudick did some serious acting in New York’s alternative theater scene, and she also jumped into sketch comedy.
“My best friend and writing partner Katie Hartman and I had a sketch duo called Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting,” Rudick says. They created sketches about perverted bird watchers sharing their love of birds and absurd bits about Victorian women and drunks. They performed at People’s Improv Theater in New York and traveled to Fringe festivals, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. They also launched the comedy webseries “Made to Order.”
Rudick appeared in HBO’s “High Maintenance” and the mini-series “Commuters.” She moved to Los Angeles to pursue more acting and writing opportunities, and that’s where she discovered stand-up as a new creative outlet.
During the pandemic, her brother encouraged her to start posting on social media, especially TikTok. She says that thinking she didn’t know anyone on the platform helped give her a sense of creative freedom. Her characters quickly found an audience, and she has almost a million followers on both TikTok and Instagram.
She released “Spiraling” last year and is currently working on a film project with Hartman and pitching her own sitcom idea, as well as developing ideas for her various characters. She’s also working on material to film a new special this year, which is the material she’s bringing to New Orleans.
Leah Rudick performs at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, at The Howlin’ Wolf. Tickets $25 and up via laughlife.standuptix.com.
PROVIDED PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GIRARD PHOTOGRAPHY
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PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
TEN INTO NINE
By Frank A. Longo
1 Service
88 In a sad way
Blowup stuff
More, in music
Sing -- (croon alone)
-- -de-France
Sheep’s call
New Jersey university for church caretakers? 97 Politician Waters who adores the Pine Tree State’s largest city? 103 Peter Lorre’s “Casablanca” role
Very, in music
Writer Fannie
Ocean off Fla.
“-- longa, vita brevis”
Big fight between two groups of six people? 114 Sea voyages
G.P.s’ gp.
Lead-in to skeleton
-- -Cola
Church ministers
Light hit
Actress Carter
Say for sure
Opposed to
Ending for Milan
Astonished
Scottish loch
1 Solemnly swears 2 She played Carmen Cortez in four “Spy Kids” films
Frame houses with steeply pitched roofs
29 Nomad’s tent
Unveiling cry
Critical
Sent via a certain shipping service
Radical ‘60s campus org. 39 Sheds tears 40 Sleek, in car talk
Extremely loud, in music
Absorbed by
Spongy ball brand
Indian yogurt drink
Temporarily suspended
Petty fights 52 Hershiser of baseball
Turn-skipping words
Wall St. whiz
Pt. of NCAA
Actress Joanne
52-wk. units
“-- in peace”
Aired a second time
“Yum yum!” 66 Spanish for “devils”
People grinning
Peak, in brief
70 French for “night”
71 Crosses off, as from a list
72 Corn unit
75 Sch. URL ending
78 One of the Obamas 80 Actress Jessica 81 Actor Gosling
82 With the stroke of --
Prix -85 Fly high atop 86 Every last bit
87 Guiding lights
91 -- -Saxon
92 Hoppy beer, in brief 94 Adderall treats it, for short 95 Where it’s at
Fast asleep 98 Papeete locale 99 Uses as a bed
100 Be altered genetically
Scents
102 Form of the 24th letter 106 Confuse
109 Boomers’ kids, say
110 Aide: Abbr.
111 TV’s “Warrior Princess”
112 From the top
113 Thom -- shoes
114 Tax doc. pro
115 Tatty cloth
116 Yank’s home
Boy in “The Jungle Book”
Card game akin to whist
“Well, drat!”
J.D. Salinger title
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