New Orleans: A Bowl of Distinction

Friday May 23, 2008 5-9pm ORLEANS STAGE

5:00 to 6:00 pmOrleans Stage

6:15 to 7:15 pmOrleans Stage

7:30 to 9:00 pmOrleans Stage
featuring

Saturday May 24, 2008 10am-9pm ORLEANS STAGE

10:30 to 10:50 amOrleans Stage

11:00 to 11:45 amOrleans Stage

NOON to 12:45 pmOrleans Stage

1:00 to 2:00 pm Orleans Stage

2:15 to 3:15 pm Orleans Stage

3:30 to 4:30 pm Orleans Stage

4:45 to 5:45 pm Orleans Stage

6:00 to 7:00 pm Orleans Stage

7:30 to 9:00 pm Orleans Stage

featuring

**********************

Saturday May 24, 2008 10am-9pm LAFITTE STAGE

10:30 to 11:15 amLafitte Stage

10:30 to 11:15 amLafitte Stage

11:30 to 12:15 pm Lafitte Stage

12:30 to 1:15 pm Lafitte Stage

1:30 to 2:15 pm Lafitte Stage

2:30 to 3:15 pm Lafitte Stage

3:30 to 4:30 pm Lafitte Stage

4:45 to 5:45 pmLafitte Stage

6:00 to 7:15 pm Lafitte Stage

****************************

Saturday May 24, 2008 10am-9pm

BIENVILLE STAGE

Sponsored by Tobacco FREE Living

10:25 to 10:45 amBienville Stage

10:45 to 11:30 amBienville Stage

11:45 to 12:30 pmBienville Stage

12:45 to 1:30 pm Bienville Stage

1:30 to 2:00 pm Bienville Stage

2:00 to 3:00 pm Bienville Stage

3:15 to 4:15 pm Bienville Stage

4:30 to 5:30 pm Bienville Stage

5:45 to 7:00 pm Bienville Stage

Photo by Charles London

Just a few blocks from the Fair Grounds, a shrine to Louisiana Culture
shines brightly. Nestled among the stately homes of Faubourg St. John
one can find a testament to fun and frivolity found only in the
eclectic nature and acceptance of the place we call home — New
Orleans.

It’s the Lady of Perpetual Crawfish grotto. It screams loudly that all of your dreams should stand tall, all your cares should be small, and all your blues should be on WWOZ. See y’all at Jazz Fest!

Charlie London
http://katrinafilm.wordpress.com

Students of Ursuline Academy participated
in a mock trial at the Gretna Courthouse.

See a short film of what you missed at Mid City’s first Farmers’ Market held since the federal flood.

An aerial view of New Orleans.

The Ursuline Academy Class of 2008, also known as the “Sioux”, held their Senior Prom on April 12, 2008.

A video done by the New Orleans Building Corporation outlines how
the City of New Orleans might reinvent itself.

A random sample of 9 Brothers Convenience Stores done on a Wednesday night from 9:30 pm to 11 pm

The Fortier Festival raises funds to continue the ongoing maintenance and beautification done by Bobby Wozniak for over 15 years.   Bob McGuire, David Armond, and Bobby Wozniak along with the many neighborhood volunteers and businesses made this third annual fund raiser a success.   The music in the film is by Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters who graciously agreed to play at the Fortier Fest.

 Party

March 29th

Fortier Park

Esplanade at Mystery Street

4  pm

This four minute film shows the great time had by all at the 4 mile post. The party sponsored by Swirl Wines included a DJ and lots of wonderful product from Swirl Wines which was all gone in short order.

Saturday March 22, 8:00am

Swirl Wines on Ponce de Leon Street is a proud sponsor of this year’s Crescent City Classic, and is asking for your help in making our neighborhood THE place to watch the CCC!

There will be great music by a local DJ, free Bellini’s, Rossini’sand iced tea for the spectators and the best water stop on the routefor the runners. And to make things even more fun, Swirl Wines ownerBeth Ribblett has been chosen as the official race starter who will readythe 15,000 runners and fire the gun to start the race!

We’ll be setting up on both sides of Esplanade by the Fortier Park and Canseco’s Marketfor the event starting around 8am with the front runners flying by around 8:45!

So come out and see some of the most elite runners in the world and show your support for one of the nation’s 25 top 10K races!

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/dispatch/current/blake.php 

New Orleans Know-It-All                                                        March 18, 2008

Hey Blake,

I have a bit of information about Olive Stallings. Can you tell me more?

Charlie London

Dear Charlie, I’ll tell the readers the information you have, then I will tell everyone a little more. Olive Andrews Stallings is known as the ‘Mother of Playgrounds in New Orleans.” In 1906, she established the first play center, the Poydras Playground, at her own expense and continued to maintain it for two years. When the Playgrounds Commission was established in 1911, she served as its first president ” a post she held until her death in 1940. When Stallings died, she left one-fourth of her estate ” $150,000 ” to the playgrounds system, which was soon to become the New Orleans Recreation Department. This remarkable woman was born in New Orleans on June 22, 1866. She was educated at the Holy Angels Academy and soon became active in various civic and philanthropic movements. Stallings was founder and first president of the New Orleans Outdoor Art and Improvement Association, which sponsored the tree-planting commission later known as the parkway commission. She is best known, however, for her work in promoting public playgrounds. It was in 1906 that Stallings attended the first recreational congress. Held in Pittsburgh, this first congress grew into the National Recreation Association. It was upon her return to New Orleans that she founded the first playground. Others were soon to follow: the Cleveland playground in 1909, the St. Roch Playground in 1910, and the Taylor Playground in 1911. That same year, Stallings was made president of the playground community service commission, a group created by the New Orleans City Council. For her efforts, Stallings was awarded The Times-Picayune Loving Cup in 1929. The Loving Cup is given out annually to a citizen who has rendered great service to the city the preceding year. She also received a loving cup from the New Orleans Progressive Civic Association in 1932. Stallings continued to work on behalf of the city’s children. By 1938, two years before her death, $1 million had already been spent on a total of 18 playgrounds and six swimming pools, and children visited the playgrounds more than a million times annually. Never seeming to tire, Stallings was a member of the first zoning board of New Orleans and founder of the first Girl Scouts organization in the city.   It’s hard to name an organization, civic or religious, to which Stallings did not contribute her time, talent and money. Stallings Playground at 1600 Gentilly Blvd. was built in 1938, and on Jan. 18, 2008, hundreds of people gathered to give the eponymous playground a new beginning. Folks from organizations such as the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association (FSJNA); KaBOOM, a national nonprofit devoted to creating a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America; the New Orleans Recreation Department and the New Orleans’ Hornets came out on a rainy, cold day to help. The FSJNA raised the $14,000 needed for a concrete pad for the new playground structure, and Whitney Bank contributed $25,000 for the rubber surfacing. Grants came from the Keep Louisiana Beautiful Foundation ($11,000), Home Depot ($3,000) and the Greater New Orleans Foundation ($1,000). The largest contribution came from NBA Cares, the National Basketball Association’s philanthropic division, which paid for most of the $100,000 project. If readers would like to see a short video of the restoration of Stallings Playground, you can go to www.katrinafilm.wordpress.com/2008/01/21/olive-stallings-playground-renewal-2/. I think you will be impressed with this group of volunteers who worked with FSJNA President Kathryn Parker and project supervisor Kenneth Briscoe to remake this old playground in just one day. Even better, take your children to the playground to see for yourself. I believe Olive Stallings would be very, very proud. Question for Blake? Email blresponse@gambitweekly.com or mail to 3923 Bienville St., 70119.

Scheduled to open in 2009, the New Orleans Food Cooperative’s mission is to provide healthy, affordable groceries while supporting local and regional food production.

http://nolafoodcoop.org

Alcee Fortier was the son of Florent Fortier, my wife’s (Kathy Fortier) 3x-great grandfather.  It makes them first cousins 4 times removed. Her dad left New Orleans in grade school, but we returned shortly after Katrina.  So, our children are the 11th consecutive generation of New Orleanians through their mom’s Fortier side. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmqpGZv0YT4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFbKINlXzRk&NR=1

-On the Jefferson Davis Parkway neutral ground where Orleans Avenue meets Moss in New Orleans.

- May 23rd  (5-9 pm), May 24th (10 am - 9 pm)

- Live local and nationally reknown bands with an eclectic mix of music and fun.  

The Bayou Boogaloo will feature an art market, children’s entertainers and activities,  community info along with consumer resource booths,  and canoe races.   These are just a few of the many fun things to do at the 3^rd annual Bayou Boogaloo. 

Plenty of food, drinks, and wonderful merchandise will be available for sale.  

Find out more at  http://thebayouboogaloo.com 

Free admission!

- 504-488-3865

- The Bayou Boogaloo has grown into Mid City’s favorite free festival.   Great live music and good fun with a relaxing bayou side atmosphere.   Come mingle with Mid City’s best!    http://thebayouboogaloo.com

Join us May 23rd and May 24th on the banks of beautiful Bayou St. John!

Olive Stallings Playground at 1600 Gentilly in New Orleans officially reopened on February 16, 2008.   Sponsored by NIKE and Foot Locker, this N.O.R.D. playground and its participants received one heckuva party.    View this film to see what all the fuss was about….

Once again many volunteers throughout the New Orleans area came out to help make Olive Stallings Playground renewed and improved. Olive Stallings Playground was named for the founder of the New Orleans Recreation Department. It’s a sure bet that Olive Stallings would be proud of all of the New Orleanians and people from around the U.S.A. who have helped keep Olive Stallings Playground a safe haven for all the children of New Orleans.

Who would’ve thought the temperature would be 80 degrees on February 5th, 2008? Well, in New Orleans it was! And, as you might expect the clothing got lighter, and lighter, and lighter. This film is not for the easily offended but shows Mardi Gras festivities in the French Quarter.

The Krewe of Endymion wasn’t the only great show going on February 2nd, 2008. 

James Winfield a.k.a. “The Sleeping Giant” performed to an enthusiastic audience at Fair Grinds Coffeehouse!

http://www.viddler.com/explore/Katrinafilm/videos/61/

After getting rained out, the Krewe of Muses was rewarded with a picture perfect day to parade. See the excitement of the Krewe members in this pre-parade film.

Many wonderful people from far and near came out to help renew Olive Stallings Playground.

Many of the people who worked on this project were from the surrounding neighborhood but some were from as far as Minnesota, New Jersey, and California!

200 people came out in the rain and cold weather to make this happen.

Still not convinced you should give

a little of your time on January 19^th?

  Check out this film showing the companies and universities committed to making Olive Stallings Playground a destination: 

http://katrinafilm.com/cmondown.wmv  

MAC users go here:                                      http://www.viddler.com/explore/Katrinafilm/videos/56/

It felt like summer but it was December 15, 2007 when the Faubourg St. John Merchants Association held a tremendous block party with two bands, gourmet food, and fun for all.   A special thanks to all of the wonderful Faubourg St. John Merchants who made this happen.   You can see a list of them at the link below: 

http://katrinafilm.com/holidayfest.pdf

http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/NewOrleans/New_Orleans_Education_Recipients_of_17.5M_From_Nonprofits__5402.asp NEW ORLEANS – In a very emotional announcement on Thursday, the New Schools for New Orleans, Teach For America, and New Leaders for New Schools announced major new investments that will help them improve public education in New Orleans through the recruitment and training of more highly qualified teachers and school leaders and the creation of new, innovative public charter schools. The grants, totaling $17.5 million from The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, the Doris & Donald Fisher Fund, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, come at time when many officials and organizations are collaborating to improve the quality of New Orleans public schools. The event was emotional because New Orleans education has been so devastated by Katrina and Rita and that the nonprofit sectors were partnering with the public sectors and private sectors to help make a major difference in a sorely needed area—education in New Orleans. The nonprofit recipients seek to use the new funding to boost work already underway in the city: New Schools for New Orleans will use $10 million to continue its support of public school reform in New Orleans by attracting exemplary educators through the teachNOLA program, incubating new schools, and advocating for greater school quality and accountability; Teach For America, receiving $6.5 million, plans to recruit and train new teachers for New Orleans schools from a nationwide corps of recent college graduates and young professionals; New Leaders for New Schools plans to use its $1 million to recruit and train educators to become effective principals in New Orleans public schools and to provide them with professional support. Today’s investment comes on top of previously announced grants of over $3 million to New Leaders for New Schools from the Gates Foundation and the Fisher Fund for the work in New Orleans. “High performing schools are rooted in strong leaders, committed teachers, and a belief that every student can succeed,” said Sarah Usdin, founder of New Schools for New Orleans. “Only through joining forces can we ensure that every student in New Orleans—regardless of where they live—will have the opportunity to graduate ready for college, career, and life.” Before Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005, public schools in Orleans Parish, which includes New Orleans, served approximately 66,000 students, and the district was among the lowest performing in the nation. Today, students are being served by a radically different school system. District enrollment is over half of what it was in 2005 and over 40 percent of New Orleans’ 80 post-Katrina public schools are open-enrollment charter schools—the highest percentage in any U.S. city. These schools, held to rigorous performance standards, are seeking to reverse the poor test scores and high dropout rates that have long plagued the district. New Orleans schools already have benefited from an influx of new teachers and school leaders. Through a partnership between New Schools for New Orleans and teachNOLA, more than 200 new teachers have been trained and placed in both traditional and public charter schools city-wide. Teach For America has seen a record number of teacher applications for New Orleans schools, and New Leaders for New Schools has received nearly 200 applications for its first seven principals-in-training positions this spring. The organization plans to recruit a total of 40 principals within the next three years—enough to lead nearly half of New Orleans public schools. “These announcements provide a huge boost for the children of New Orleans and reflect a growing, long-term national commitment to education in this city,” said Jon Schnur, founder of New Leaders for New Schools. “New Orleans schools are open for business and ready for outstanding teachers and leaders to join forces to ensure that quality schools are the leading edge of revitalization of the city and region.” New Leaders for New Schools will also receive $1 million from the State of Louisiana that was approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state legislature based on a proposal from Governor Kathleen Blanco. All three organizations receiving the new funds have a deep understanding of the unique challenges within the city’s public school system. They see this opportunity as a community-based effort to improve schools and are seeking to strengthen local partnerships with the Recovery School District, the Urban League, the Scott Cowen Institute, and the individual schools themselves. “Meaningful and lasting change in our schools won’t happen overnight,” said Kira Orange Jones, executive director of Teach For America – Greater New Orleans. “It will take a sustained effort from everyone—the government, private organizations, and individuals across the city—to believe in the promise of excellent public schools for New Orleans and to join in the solution.” Investment summary The Fisher Fund’s grants include $2.5 million for Teach For America and $2.5 million for New Schools for New Orleans The Gates Foundation is investing $5.5 million in New Schools for New Orleans and $1 million in Teach For America The Broad Foundation is providing $3 million to Teach For America; $2 million to New Schools for New Orleans, and $1 million to New Leaders for New Schools Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu today congratulated three Louisiana non-profit education organizations for their innovative work to improve New Orleans Public Education, and on the receipt of substantial national foundation funding to continue those efforts. “ We need to look at innovative solutions to solve resistant social problems,” Lt. Governor Landrieu said. “I applaud these three organizations for their efforts to improve the quality of education in the New Orleans public schools. They took stock of what was needed — more teachers, better training for teachers and educators, more charter schools -and went after the resources to make that happen,” he said. Landrieu said the Office of Lt. Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism will continue in the fight to improve Louisiana public school education. “In the 2007 Legislative Session, we proposed and passed a law that will put arts and music training in every public school. Research shows us when children are exposed to visual and performing arts as part of the curriculum, test scores go up, dropout rates go down, and math and science skills improve,” he said.

Hands on Cooking Classes at your home.

Two to four hours by former Antoine’s chef

Eric “Chef Bang” Eason

(504) 885-2264

info@chefbang.com

http://chefbang.com

Michael Nuwer looks on as Katfish Home Improvement dumps another load of soil for the planting of monkey grass.

Walter and Bonnie Lee work along side of Jorge Hill to help beautify Faubourg St. John.    Robert Thompson of Fair Grinds Coffeehouse donated hundreds of pounds of coffee grinds that were mixed into the soil.    Julie Van Brunt and Charlie London also helped transplant the monkey grass.

Fortier Park on Esplanade Avenue in New Orleans.

Filmed in mid-2005, this is a glimpse into life on the French Quarter’s lower Decatur Street before Hurricane Katrina.

Originally written by Ray Davies of the Kinks, this track is performed by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band featuring Clint Maedgen on vocals.

http://www.myspace.com/preservationhall
http://www.myspace.com/clintmaedgen9
http://www.myspace.com/thebingoshow

The film above is not mine.  I do slideshow stuff.    You can see my stuff at http://katrinafilm.com and http://viddler.com/katrinafilm

Hello,

     On Saturday, January 19, 2008, two hundred volunteers are needed to

revitalize Stallings Playground at 1600 Gentilly Blvd

(across from the Fair Grounds) in New Orleans. 

     KABOOM is an organization that wants to put a play area within walking

distance of every child in America.   They will provide all of the equipment. 

We just need 200 people to put the play equipment together and move it to

its final destination.    The Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association is

working with KABOOM to help make this happen.      

This will happen all in one day starting at 8:00 a.m.

on Saturday, January 19^th, 2008. 

Would it be possible for you to contact your employer, friends and

relatives to assist us in this endeavor?  

You can see a flyer about this much needed revitalization here:

http://katrinafilm.com/2008Jan19.pdf

Thank you,

Charlie London

Olive A. Stallings is known as the “mother of playgrounds in New Orleans”. In 1906, she established the first “play center” in New Orleans, the Poydras Playground, at her own expense and continued to maintain it for two years. When the Playgrounds Commission was established in 1911, she served as its first president, a post she held continuously until her death in 1940.   At her death, she left one-fourth of her estate– $ 150,000 – to the playgrounds system, soon to become the New Orleans Recreation Department. 

1938 and 2008 are important years for Stallings Playground.  Why?Stallings Playground was built in 1938 with support from Olive Stallings.Stallings Playground will be rebuilt in 2008 with support from KABOOM!, NBA cares, and the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association.

See how the park looks today at the link below: http://www.viddler.com/explore/Katrinafilm/videos/50/ 

Olive Stallings Playground at 1600 Gentilly Blvd in New Orleans was built in 1938. It’s time to do it again. Please join us on January 19, 2008 when Stallings Playground will be reborn. 

Please click below to view a 2 minute filmabout Olive Stallings and her legacy.    http://www.viddler.com/explore/Katrinafilm/videos/49/  

 Join us in Fortier Park for a movie

this Saturday night Nov.3^rd@ 7pm

************************************

You’ll see “The Out of Towners”

with Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis 

a Neil Simon story 1970

*****************************************

Hot dogs/chili, popcorn, candy, and drinks

are only a buck each. 

*********************************************

Fortier Park is in the  3100 block of Esplanade.

Sponsored by Friends of Fortier Park and Asian Pacific Café.

This Saturday, November 3rd at 7 pm join your neighbors at Fortier Park for the movie The Out of Towners on Al’s huge movie screen. 

***************************************************************** 

Bring a blanket and a chair.  

*****************************************************************

All proceeds to support the “Todd Windisch Fund” a local Carpenter/Contractor seriously injured in a motorcycle accident earlier this month at the corner of Moss & Esplanade Ave.

Weeding By Example

NEW ORLEANS. Aug. 24, 2007

“Well, nobody was doing it, so I had to do it,” he said.

Just about every weekend, no matter how hot and miserable it gets, you’ll find this 13-year-old boy somewhere on City Park’s 1,300 acres, mowing all morning.

“We love Jack,” says John Hopper, the volunteer coordinator at City Park. “He is definitely, without a doubt, the most consistent volunteer that we have at that age group.”

Jack also recruits other volunteers into his grassroots mowing club called the Mow-Rons.

“Our original slogan was ‘The Mow-Rons are in City Park, the idiots are at City Hall,’” says Jack, “but we kind of changed it because it was a little bit inappropriate.”

Their new slogan is “Weeding By Example,” and Jack has certainly done that.

Patrick McShane says he never really taught his son anything about community service.

“That’s not been my strength,” he says. “After the storm, I’ve learned more about the importance of volunteerism, and I’ve learned it right here at home from my own son.”

The Mow-Rons are now an official, non-profit charity and have already purchased a dozen mowers. Each week they clear a little more of City Park and bring a little more of New Orleans back to life.

“It’s really great to see that, because people are having fun in the park again,” says Jack.

But does Jack keep his parents’ lawn looking great, too? “No way,” says Pat.

Guess no one ever said charity ends at home, though Patrick says that all things considered, he doesn’t mind picking up the slack.

© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Businesses Try to Rebuild After Katrina
 

By JOYCE M. ROSENBERG
The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 22, 2007; 2:45 PM

NEW YORK — It wasn’t until this past June, nearly two years after Hurricane Katrina devastated his New Orleans coffee house, that Robert Thompson was really back in business. It took that long to clean up and rebuild after the flood waters had receded.

“It’s hard to express the experience to people,” Thompson said. “There’s not one picture or sound bite that describes it.”

 For the full article in MS Word format, click here.

For the full article in Adobe PDF format, click here.

***