Time for The Angle Break
After seeing this, buying that latte will have a whole new meaning. Gemal Woods sat down with Kenneth Ferdinand in New Orleans for an hour to record this interview about the first enterprising coffee maker, Rose Nicaud, an enslaved woman who sold her own roasted cafe noir and cafe au lait from a cart. Kenneth Ferdinand is co-owner of the Cafe Rose Nicaud at 632 Frenchman Street in NOLA. Oh, and BTW, that Gemal guy who created The Angle Show series recently won a LA Web Series Festival Award for best TRAVEL, TALK, LIFESTYLE, OR MUSIC SERIES.
Eclectique News
SPIKE LEE’S NEXT REQUIEM
After visiting New Orleans for the first time in 2007, I bought my own DVD copy of “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem In Four Acts,” Spike Lee’s HBO documentary about the slow emergency and recovery response to the Katrina tragedy. The documentary was one of the few voices at the time placing the (correct) blame of the devastation to New Orleans by flood on the breaching of the levees. Lee vowed to return for a follow-up (read sequel), but it looks like this story is taking another turn.
Today, Spike Lee and his film crew were spotted by Times-Picayune reporter Matthew Hinton at today’s BP protest in Jackson Square.
See the Times-Picayune gallery of the protest here. This one’s weirdly interesting. Oh dear, another Tea Party moment here
Summer 2010 doesn’t look too good.
E-Notes asks “Has anyone seen Dick Cheney?”
PRESIDENT’S WEEKLY
Vice President Joe Biden will lay the ceremonial wreath at Arlington National Cemetery tomorrow, while President Barack Obama lays a wreath at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, IL outside Chicago. The First Family is spending Memorial Day weekend in the Chi-House. The President recorded his Memorial Day message for the Weekly Address. Transcript here.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IN D.C.
We’ve gotten used to the motorcycles riding up and down the streets. The annual ride has become a Memorial Day fixture. In fact, the Rolling Thunder riders follow traffic rules better than the locals. The organization was formed by Vietnam veterans to bring full accountability for POWs and MIAs.
Memorial Day is a good time for the locals to enjoy their city. Restaurants, cafes, and hot spots aren’t packed. The traffic’s light and there’s more on-street parking.
WETA (PBS) hosts their annual Memorial Day Concert on the U.S. Capitol lawn tonight. Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna host the annual tribute to America’s military personnel.
Do You Know What It Means…
New Orleans is hot again. I’m not talking about the impeding and insufferable summer heat that is about to descend in 2 or so months, or the high the city’s still riding out from the Saints superbowl win. Shortly after the pilot, HBO greenlighted a second season of Treme (from the makers of “The Wire).
David Mills (Undercover Black Man) contributed two scripts to the series before his untimely and unexpected death in March. Eclectique|916 will host a watch party for one of the episodes he scripted 6:30 PM Monday, May 17 at Busboys and Poets (5th & K) as part of a special Tribute. There would’ve been no Eclectique|916 without UBM. Space is filling up. Wait list is about to start. Email events[at]eclectique916.com.
There’s a great encyclopedic guide to the series by Dave Walker on the Times-Picayune website.
A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES – Community Cinema, May
ITVS Community Cinema presents A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES a film by S. Leo Chiang
Here’s another story about Hurricane Katrina that very few know. It’s the true story of a community in eastern New Orleans originally settled over 30 years ago by Vietnamese “boat people.” They turned a devastating disaster into a catalyst for change and a better future. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Versailles residents impressively rose to the challenge by returning and rebuilding before most other neighborhoods in New Orleans, only to have their homes threatened by a proposed toxic landfill just two miles away.
Maybe A Village… will be a “Treme” story for season 2. Here’s a trailer.
2 FREE screenings:
Busboys and Poets, Sunday, May 23 at 5 PM
Washington DC Jewish Community Center, Sunday, May 30 at 3 PM
RSVP village[AT]communitycinema-dc[DOT]org or call 202-939-0794
Visit www.communitycinema-dc.org
Rise! Shine!
What better time to upload some more video from my “Church Lady Cake” project than the day before Easter. Actually, Johari Rashad is 7th Day Adventist, so she may be rising and shining today. I’m on the other calendar and will make my church appearance tomorrow.
Considering the last two posts, this video segment continues the thread — New Orleans — the destination for Johari’s pound cakes. I need to adjust the video a bit. I sort of punched this clip out. “Church Lady Cake Diaries” must resurrect itself. I’ve let the batter sit too long. Help me Zora!
I’ll update the site – www.churchladycake.com later.
Who Dat?!!!
New Orleans Saints 31; Indianapolis Colts 17. Super Bowl XLIV (2010)
Amid all the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras madness, there seems to be one story that didn’t get as much attention outside New Orleans: The Mayoral election on Saturday. Yes, Nagin is out (term over) and Mitch Landrieu is in receiving over 60% of the vote. More attention has been paid to the shift in hue of the mayor than the shift in direction of the electorate, i.e. just saying “chocolate city” isn’t cutting it with NOLA’s African American voters – at least the ones who stayed. Take a cue from the Janet Jackson hit – “What have you done for me lately?” So “Who dat” Mitch Landrieu? Undercoverblackman has a hat tip. He’s the son of New Orleans last white mayor (since 1978), Moon Landrieu who integrated city hall. Mitch Landrieu will be sworn in May 6. People forget, New Orleans politics is just as fascinating as its party culture.
Here’s Michel Martin’s report on today’s “Tell Me More.”