Got Gumbo? 2015

This was my 5th Got Gumbo? event benefitting the United Way and it’s one of my favorite annual evenings. At the Royal Sonesta, 15 restaurants provided up to 4 dishes each to compete for Best Traditional Gumbo, Best Seafood Gumbo, Best Exotic Gumbo and Best Vegetarian Gumbo as well as the People’s Choice for Best Dessert, Best Float (decorated table display) and Best Gumbo. That’s 15 restaurants, each with multiple chefs, competing in up to half a dozen categories each so you can eat yourself silly surrounded by fun table displays and charitable gumbo-lovers (United Way  receives the $25 ticket price as well as the bar).  And, of course, there’s a band – Rick Trolson’s New Orleans Po’Boys.

Saints in the Zone

The Saints are 3 and 0 and it feels good. After 2 nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat  last minute wins, this week was a welcome landslide victory over the Cardinals. Things started with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem sung by my Django Unchained costar, Dana Gourrier. Storm predications led to lots of seats up for grabs so we got to watch from the 17th row – practically on the field. There were plenty of touchdowns and most of them were just yards away. Even quarterback Drew Brees made a touchdown.

Super Bowl – NOLA Style

As the lights went out in the Superdome and our city’s slip was showing, I had a moment to think of the last time the Dome lost power and how far this city has come from the devastation it faced over 7 years ago. New Orleans is a small city with a big heart. Sometimes traffic is held up for a parade or our cell towers go down from overuse (not anymore – thank you NFL) or our power goes out. I can’t help but think if it had been the Who Dat nation in the Dome tonight, we would have used the time to do some rounds of “Who Dats!” or sing When the Saints Go Marching In. After all, we’re only taking a short break from the marathon party of Mardi Gras to hold this extraordinary event, our 10th time hosting the Super Bowl – not bad for a small city with a big heart.

New Year’s and the Saints at the Dome!

I didn’t bring my camera to the fireworks this year. I figure most major cities put on a fairly good display, though ours is shot off a barge over the mighty Mississippi, reflecting on the ever-flowing surface. And maybe other cities don’t have as many people wearing tuxedoes and top hats or costumes or beads or drag. But, the one thing I know your celebration didn’t have was Shamarr Allen and the Underdawgs playing in front of Jackson Square. I love that celebrations here almost always include horns and drums.

Buckjumpers and Saints

Sunday, we headed to the theatre to see The Muppets on the big screen. The movie was great, reminding me of everything valuable about Hollywood. On the way home, we had to choose between turning or getting stuck while a parade passed. You can guess which one we picked. The super-cool Original New Orleans Lady Buckjumpers were the focus of the parade, but the second line included Junior Buckjumpers and 3 brass bands – Young Fellaz, then Stooges then Rebirth Brass Band. I thought of how many of us attend festivals or go to clubs to hear these bands and here they were, just playing in the street. 

Saints at the Dome and Brass Bands Everywhere

Even before going to the Superdome to watch the Saints crush the Colts 62-7, I was having one of those great weekends you can only have in this glorious city. Saturday, I came across 2 brass bands in Jackson Square, including the Storyville Stompers leading a parade. People costumed as storybook characters carried a banner honoring “Jim and Terra’s Parade through the Quarter” from Wishes, Wonders and Who Dats.

Saints and Tigers – Celebrate Good Times

If you love winning, and most fans do, it’s a great time to be a Saints and Tigers fan. The latest Saints game was against the Carolina Panthers. It was the first division game for both teams and things were a bit more personal than usual. Former Saint, Jeremy Shockey, is now a Panther. Insanely talented (first rookie QB in NFL history to throw for 400 yards in his first NFL game) Panther quarterback, Cam Newton, admitted to being a huge fan of Drew Brees. Newton’s brother used to be a center for the Saints.

Saints Game at the Dome – 5 Year Homecoming Anniversary

Today, I went to the Superdome to see my beloved Saints play the Texans. It’s been 5 years since the September 25, 2006 Saints/Falcons game, the first game played in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina made it a symbol of suffering and shuttered its gates. It was called “Coming Home” day and it was more than just a game. Throughout this past weekend, footage of that game replayed on the TV and I heard stories from grocery store clerks and French Quarter residents all emphasizing the same thing – the noise. The Superdome is well known as one of the loudest venues in the NFL with crowds’ cheers drowning out the opponents voices as they try to yell out their calls so I was surprised to hear that one day was louder than the rest – and it wasn’t the Vikings game that secured our place in the Superbowl in 2009. I was intrigued.

Why I love the Saints (and you could too)

Everyone loves underdogs, unlikely heros and moments of glory. They tickle the part of us that whispers, “I believe.” They show us that anything can happen. Pigs can fly, hell can freeze over, the Saints can win the Super Bowl. And since anything can happen, maybe they can even win it twice. Who Dat? 2 Dat. Believe Dat!

I’ve blogged a few times about “Why Football Matters,” but I haven’t talked about why the Saints matter. As we once again secure our place in the play-offs by defeating longtime-rivals Atlanta Falcons (ending their 8 game winning streak as well as their 2 year home game winning streak), I am again reminded of all the Saints have battled and how their band of “lesser” draft choices and flat out rejects have become an international symbol for the city’s resilience and indomitable spirit.