Cellist Helen Gillet - a New Orleanian by way of Belgium, Singapore, Japan and Chicago - was a renter in pre-Katrina times.
She came home in October 2005 to a roofless apartment inhabited by wildlife.
Now she is a home owner through the Habitat for Humanity Musician’s Village program.
Click here for more about Helen Gillet
Helen Sings with Vavavoom
Creole Wild West - the oldest Mardi Gras Indian tribe.
How far back to they go?
Don’t answer so quick.
The federal government took over the levees - and then let them fail.
The oil companies extracted tens of billions of dollars worth of oil and in the process chewed up the wetlands that shield New Orleans from the full effects of storm surges.
Now the federal government says it doesn’t have the money to make good on its promise to help residents rebuild.
T’aint exactly news, but the Camellia Grill which was closed for 20 months after the federal levee failures (don’t call it “Kartrina”), reopened for business on April 20th.
What is the Camellia Grill? An Uptown neighborhood favorite. Great breakfasts, great sandwiches, late hours.
The owners threw in the towel after the levee failures even though the building was not damaged. A customer campaign, by Post-It notes, encouraged new owners to step in and re-open.
Here’s a sweet, home-made video that tells the story beautifully:
Great idea. A TV travel series devoted to the wonders of Post-Katrina New Orleans. It’s called “A Whole New Orleans.”
New Orleans still is one of the greatest cities in the world to visit and live in. Glad to see someone using the power of produced TV to tell the story.
Details: http://www.wholeneworleans.com
I’m crazy about this band which describes its music as gypsy bistro jazz.
You can hear them Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Spotted Cat on Frenchman Street.
Frenchman Street is a must for jazz lovers. Half a dozen clubs offer live music on a single block. My favorites are the Spotted Cat, DBA, Snug Harbor and Cafe Brasil. The Praline Connection on the same street is a super Soul Food joint with very reasonable prices.
“Brazil” featuring a solo by Aurora Nealand on soprano sax
Another Aurora Nealand solo (click below)
Tom Fitzmoris is keeping track of all the restaurants that have re-openned in the city since the levee failures. It’s a superb resource listing restaurants by neighborhood with ratings.
The site is called, appropriately enough, the New Orleans Menu Restaurant Index.
New Orleans has one of the strongest culinary traditions in the US, if not the entire world.
New Orleans restaurants were among the first businesses in the city to re-open their doors after the levee failures. In fact, some scarcely closed as chefs and kitchen staffs labored around the clock to provide food to rescue workers and first responders.
How can you help New Orleans right now?
Amazingly, it can be as simple as coming to town and eating like a king (or queen.) How hard is that?
This short documentary was originally presented at the 2006 James Beard Awards in New York City as a tribute to New Orleans chefs who were collectively recognized for their collective efforts.
I’ve lived in New York City and San Francisco. I’ve eaten in Paris (and Lyon where people in Paris go when they want good food.)
To me, none of these places can hold a candle to New Orleans.
The secret is in the kitchen with talent money can’t buy.
Here’s just one example of New Orleans master chefs: Willie Mae Seaton of Willie Mae’s Scotch House.
Join us and every time we have a new article or video about New Orleans, we'll let you know.
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