Summer Restaurant Guide 2005 06 07 05
Alligator to Zucchini
By Natalie Brown, Shala Carlson, Frank Etheridge, Alison Fensterstock, Kandace Power Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Eileen Loh Harrist, Ian Manheimer, Todd A. Price, Alex Rawls, Katy Reckdahl, David Lee Simmons and Michael Tisserand

Cover Story 06 07 05

Cover Story 06 07 05

Scratching the Surface 05 31 05
The Louisiana Lottery Corporation offers dreams and dedicated funding -- but who are the real winners?
By Jeremy Alford

Lotto Flashback 05 31 05

Big Winners 05 31 05

Passing the Buck 05 31 05

Student Counsel 05 24 05
Two years after the shooting at John McDonogh Senior High, students want people to know: We're not what you see on the news.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Changing the Game 05 17 05
When Ponchatoula native Earl Wilson died last month, he left a baseball legacy that includes breaking the infamous color barrier of the Boston Red Sox.
By Frank Etheridge

Berkman at the Bat 05 17 05
A flag football injury sent the Houston Astros' Lance Berkman back to the minors for rehabbing. The climb back up passed through Zephyr Field.
By Ronnie Virgets

Ready to Play 05 17 05
Michael Lewis profiles Newman's Billy Fitzgerald|a coach who isn't afraid to introduce kids to both heroics and failure.
By Erik Spanberg

Glory Days 05 17 05
A new book about manager Tony La Russa comes up short, but histories of Satchel Paige and the turn-of-the-century New York Giants score hits.
By Erik Spanberg

My City, My Story 05 10 05
Local students find their voices through The Neighborhood Story Project.

Debate vs. Dialogue 05 03 05
A controversy over a proposed Lusher School expansion provoked a lot of talk -- but not much dialogue -- about public education. Now, supporters and opponents of the plan tell their stories.
By Michael Tisserand

The Rev. Anthony Mitchell 05 03 05
"Our focus should be on the 'brain drain' at the other end of the spectrum: the children who drop out, flunk out, get pushed out or simply get the message they cannot achieve and stop trying."
By Rev. Anthony Mitchell

Lona Hankins 05 03 05
"In Lusher's classrooms and playgrounds, you can not distinguish the children whose parents are unemployed from those whose parents are doctors or professors."
By Lona Hankins

Walter Umrani 05 03 05
"Can anyone explain to me how a school with the state's highest achievers can exist in the very same district that has the state's lowest-scoring schools?"
By Walter Umrani

Rodger Kamenetz 05 03 05
"The myths about Lusher High -- myths sadly stirred up by the city's daily newspaper -- exploded at April's heated school board meeting."
By Rodger Kamenetz

More, More, More 04 26 05
The second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival means more music, more food and more fun.
By James Bailey, Rob Bryant, Frank Etheridge, Alison Fensterstock, Eileen Loh Harrist, Todd A. Price, Alex Rawls, Gene Scaramuzzo, David Lee Simmons, John Swenson and Michael Tisserand

The Original Southern Rock Opera 04 26 05
Drive-By Truckers leader Patterson Hood recalls the influence of Randy Newman's Good Old Boys.

The Wolf in Winter 04 26 05
Guitarist Hubert Sumlin remembers getting hired -- and fired -- by Howlin' Wolf.
By John Swenson

Soul Survivor 04 26 05
Lafayette singer-songwriter David Egan moves his career into high gear -- after facing life-threatening illness.
By Scott Jordan

Mr. Natural 04 26 05
Influential jazz pianist McCoy Tyner remembers John Coltrane.
By David Kunian

Sister Act 04 26 05
Irma Thomas and Marcia Ball remember controversial gospel pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
By James Bailey

People, Get Ready 04 19 05
The 36th annual Jazz & Heritage Festival is here with one of the festival's most exciting lineups.
By Count Basin™, James Bailey, Frank Etheridge, Alison Fensterstock, Eileen Loh Harrist, Todd A. Price, Alex Rawls, Gene Scaramuzzo, David Lee Simmons, John Swenson and Michael Tisserand

Learning to Smile Again 04 19 05
Brian Wilson finishes the legendary Smile album, almost 40 years in the making.
By Alex Rawls

Jelly's Jazz 04 19 05
Pianist Tom McDermott on Storyville survivor and jazz's first composer, Jelly Roll Morton.

Playing Through the Pain 04 19 05
The Hot 8 Brass Band struggles to deal with the loss of trombone player Joe Williams.
By David Kunian

Meter Made 04 19 05
Widespread Panic keyboard player Jojo Hermann says the Meters taught him the importance of the groove.
By Brett Milano

Mussel Memory 04 19 05
Charlie Musselwhite remembers harmonica pioneer and "scrapper" Little Walter.
By John Swenson

Bowfinger 04 19 05
Creole fiddler Cedric Watson learned the music the old-fashioned way -- he heard it on the radio.
By Chris Courville

CD Reviews 04 19 05

Target Practices 04 12 05
Jefferson Parish deputies practice marksmanship by shooting paintballs at this handmade wooden target. Experts say that the image fits into a long American tradition of using images of blacks as targets -- and fear it will lead to more blacks bei
By Katy Reckdahl

Panic Attack 04 05 05
With 1950's Panic in the Streets -- finally out on DVD -- famed director Elia Kazan explored his first waterfront and made New Orleans the star of the show.
By David Lee Simmons

Widespread Panic 04 05 05
Some little-known trivia of Panic in the Streets:
By David Lee Simmons

Learning Your ABCs 03 29 05
By Natalie Brown, Shala Carlson, Frank Etheridge, Alison Fensterstock, Kandace Power Graves, Ian Manheimer, Kathryn Jezer-Morton, Allen Johnson Jr, Eileen Loh Harrist, Margo Adler, Todd A. Price, Alex Rawls, David Lee Simmons and Katie Walenter

Spring Restaurant Guide 03 29 05
From A to Z

R U Cheating? 03 22 05
Wireless cheating|text messaging, Internet essays, iPod note-givers. The student body's got a brand new bag.
By Jeremy Alford

Crime and Punishment 03 22 05

Out With the Old 03 22 05

The Woman Behind the Curtains 03 15 05
In 2003, Kimberly Williamson Butler won an upset election to become clerk of Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. Before long, stories began emerging from her office about security cameras, religious meetings, campaign work -- and one expensive set of
By Katy Reckdahl

You Have Been Served 03 15 05
Last fall, Gambit Weekly began filing public-records requests -- and ended up filing suit. That was the easy part.

The Art of the Deal 03 08 05
In Bywater and Mid-City, popular open-air markets offer new venues for artists and their customers. What could be wrong with this picture?
By Frank Etheridge

Night of the Hunter 03 01 05
Crazy Mountain Drives with Dr. Gonzo at the Wheel Š Staying Up Until Dawn to Contemplate the Death of Nixon Š Editing Letters to Publishers and Presidents Š Historian Douglas Brinkley Recalls the Late Hunter S. Thompson Š
By Alex Rawls

Glowing Permission Slip 03 01 05
Fear and Loathing in Opryland ... Poppy Gets in Trouble at School Š Teaching Scum at UNO Š Local Writers Assess Thompson's Enduring Influence ...
By Alison Fensterstock

The Glass Menagerie 02 22 05
With a stable of brainy producers and pop-star essayists, This American Life host Ira Glass is leading a revenge of the nerds, public-radio style.
By David Lee Simmons

Hidden Wounds 02 15 05
Old wars don't end -- they just come home with you. Allen Johnson Jr. talks with veterans about living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Soldier's Heart 02 15 05
Thousands of Iraq War veterans will come home to face serious psychological problems -- and a system that may not be ready to help them.
By Dan Frosch

A New Orleans Boyhood 02 08 05
Ronnie Virgets looks back on neutral-ground football games, science experiments gone wrong, playground know-it-alls and the early allure of the track.
By Ronnie Virgets

Tourists Gone Wild 02 01 05
Many of this city's visitors head straight to Bourbon Street for the drinks, the crowds and the flesh. Then maybe a prostitute, possibly some drugs. C'mon -- it's New Orleans!
By Katy Reckdahl

Mask Appeal 02 01 05
Carnival Delights and Details

Turning the Tables 01 25 05
A pair of local waiters is BLOWING THE COVER on tricks that a restaurant employee might use to boost take-home pay. But WHO'S SCAMMING WHOM?
By Todd A. Price

From How to Burn Down the House: The Infamous Waiter and Bartender's Scam Bible (Promethean Books) 01 25 05

The House that Scam Built 01 25 05
The founders of Promethean Books hope the Scam Bible will help them promote a nontraditional view of local literature.
By Todd A. Price

A Brief History of Scam 01 25 05
By Todd A. Price

WINTER RESTAURANT GUIDE 01 18 05
BY CUISINE
By Natalie Brown, Frank Etheridge, Alison Fensterstock, Kandace Power Graves, Kathryn Jezer-Morton, Eileen Loh Harrist, Sarah O'Kelley, Todd A. Price, Alex Rawls and David Lee Simmons

Cover Story 01 18 05

Meeting Needs 01 11 05
For two local women, the tsunami and its aftermath prompted two different ways to offer help.
By Constance Adler

HOW TO GIVE 01 11 05

Was God in This Disaster? 01 11 05
Turning to both Judaism and Buddhism for solace, author Rodger Kamenetz meditates on God's role in the tsunami tragedy.

New Orleanians of the Year 2004: Our Citizen Soldiers 01 04 05

Kid-Friendly 01 04 05
Sgt. Azemar King was brought to Iraq to fix vehicles -- but he also made friends with some of the youngest Iraqis.

Lauren and Azemar King
By Allen Johnson Jr

Notes From Baghdad 01 04 05
When his National Guard unit was deployed to Iraq in October, UNO jazz student William Thompson left behind his studies -- but brought his music with him.
By Shala Carlson

Family Ties 01 04 05
Stationed in Kuwait, Sgt. Rosalind Sevalia of the Army Reserve has experienced both homesickness and an unexpected family reunion.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Oceans of Sand 01 04 05
Coast Guard reservist Lumas Garrett recalls the day-to-day reminders that the desert was a long way from home.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Law and Order 01 04 05
Amid protests over Iraqi detainee conditions, Maj. William Blackston worked tirelessly to free prisoners who didn't belong in custody.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Approaching Storm 01 04 05
Angered by 9/11, Shayne Carter joined the Air Force Reserve. He didn't know he'd be leaving for Afghanistan just as his pregnant wife was evacuating during Hurricane Ivan.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Facing Terror 01 04 05
On Sept. 11, 2001, the war came to René Poché.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Stepping Up 01 04 05
Gary Hawkins temporarily headed reconstruction efforts in Iraq for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers while his family rallied to care for his ill wife.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Double Duty 01 04 05
As both a medic and photographer with the Louisiana National Guard, Carlos Sanchez saw more than one side to the conflicts.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Morale and Mardi Gras 01 04 05
To bolster spirits, Coast Guard reservist Jennifer Loudermilk and other Louisianians kept a few beads up their sleeves.

Jennifer Loudermilk (second from left)
By Allen Johnson Jr

2004 in Review 12 28 04

Passings 12 28 04

Who Said It In Gambit Weekly? 12 28 04

Dubious Achievements Awards 12 28 04

Local Skirmishes 12 28 04
Polite disagreements, public spats, all-out brawls -- Gambit Weekly compiles the 2004 fight card.

What's New 12 28 04
The latest updates on some of the stories we reported on in 2004

Jingle Bell Rock 12 21 04
Alex Rawls searches for the true meaning of Christmas songs.

The Art Is in the Mail 12 14 04
How local illustrator Michael Deas became the master of the perforated portrait
By Frank Etheridge

Blanco's Bid 12 07 04
From San Antonio to Ruston to New Orleans and beyond, Gov. Kathleen Blanco is selling the state of Louisiana. Is anybody buying?
By Tyler Bridges

It's All Greek 11 30 04
In search of timeless literature, Words & Music, 2004, voyages to Greece and other ports.

Greece Is the Word 11 30 04
By Katy Reckdahl

Pulled Back In 11 30 04
Michael sees enemies and opportunities everywhere, Fredo finds brotherly love everywhere but the family, Tom feels like he's being yanked around like a yo-yo, and Connie's trying to crawl out of a bottle.
By David Lee Simmons

Searching for Inspiration 11 30 04
By Ed Skoog

Return of the King 11 30 04
By Alex Rawls

"A Bright Light" 11 23 04
As an agent, booker and an owner of the Circle Bar, Kelly Keller did as much as anyone to bring rock 'n' roll to New Orleans. Her friends remember her for so much more.
By Alex Rawls

40 Under 40™ 11 16 04
By Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Eileen Loh Harrist, David Winkler-Schmit, Todd A. Price, Alex Rawls, Katy Reckdahl, Shala Carlson, David Lee Simmons and Michael Tisserand

Vision Seekers 11 09 04
Outsider artists such as Sister Gertrude Morgan often come to public attention thanks to their unique -- and sometimes controversial -- relationships with art world insiders.
By Jason Berry

Take Dr. Jesus 11 09 04
In her music, as in her paintings, Sister Gertrude Morgan filled all available spaces with words, images and prayer.
By Alex Rawls

The Commissioner 11 02 04
For Carolyn Krack, safeguarding democracy is all in a day's work.
By Lili LeGardeur

Scenes from a Registration Drive 11 02 04
Voices for Working Families hits the streets and encounters both apathy and enthusiasm.
By Frank Etheridge

Red Office, Blue Office 11 02 04
When John Kerry's campaign gave up on Louisiana|it left the state with two very different campaign headquarters.
By Eileen Loh Harrist

Searching for Bobby Charles 10 26 04
"Walking to New Orleans," "See You Later Alligator" and "Ain't Got No Home" all came from the mind of reclusive Louisiana songwriter Bobby Charles. For the first time in years, the music legend talks about his inspirations and his storied career.
By Scott Jordan

Well Composed 10 26 04
Bobby Charles tells how he wrote three of his classic songs

The Hatchet Men 10 19 04
Need to cut down a candidate? These are your guys. Jeremy J. Alford reports on the growing role of oppositional research in Louisiana politics.
By Jeremy Alford

A Glossary for Opposition Research 10 19 04

Milestones in Opposition Research 10 19 04

2004 Fall Restaurant Guide by Neighborhood 10 12 04
By Natalie Brown, Frank Etheridge, Alison Fensterstock, Kandace Power Graves, Megan Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Eileen Loh Harrist, Sarah O'Kelley, Todd A. Price, Alex Rawls, Katy Reckdahl, David Lee Simmons and Lance Vargas

2004 Restaurant Guide by Neighborhood 10 12 04

Reptile Dysfunction 10 05 04
Hollywood butchered Japan's 1954 horror classic, Godzilla. On this, its 50th anniversary, the film has been restored to its original version and is ready to wreak havoc, leading an army of documentaries and other indie fare into this year's New Orl
By Curt Holman

Truth to Tell 10 05 04
The 1965 film The Battle of Algiers -- which this week screens at the New Orleans Film Festival and enjoys a landmark DVD release -- is as influential as it is brilliant.
By David Lee Simmons

Political Intrigue 10 05 04
By Rick Barton

Ifs, Ands, Butts 10 05 04
By Shala Carlson

Family Album 10 05 04
By David Lee Simmons

Two Stories 10 05 04
By Ed Skoog

We Like to Watch 10 05 04
By David Lee Simmons

They Live 10 05 04
By Alex Rawls

A Disaster Waiting to Happen 09 28 04
As FEMA weathers Bush administration policy changes, some insiders fear that concerns over terrorism are trumping protection from hurricanes and other natural hazards.
By Jon Elliston

Homeland Insecurity 09 28 04
Louisiana should have been high on the list for FEMA's biggest disaster mitigation grant program -- so why did the state get nothing?
By Eileen Loh Harrist

The Rest of the Stories 09 21 04
Project Censored presents its annual list of stories ignored by the national news media.
By Camille T. Taiara

Lady in Gray 09 14 04
The Civil War tale of Loreta Janeta Velazquez -- aka Lt. Harry T. Buford -- is a different kind of soldier's story.
By Bill Sasser

Reenacting Loreta 09 14 04
Bill Sasser

Unfinished Symphony 09 07 04
Thirteen years ago|as conductor Klauspeter Seibel steps down, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra became the nation's first musician-governed symphony. Now, the LPO tunes up for its biggest challenge
By Natalie Brown

Passing the Baton 09 07 04
Carlos Miguel Prieto, Marc Taddei and Jonathan McPhee are among this season's guest conductors who might eventually lead the LPO.

Cover Story 08 31 04

Best Things for a Pirate to do in New Orleans 08 31 04
By Alison Fensterstock

Best Bayou 08 31 04

Best Steady Dates 08 31 04
By Alex Rawls

Best Places to Go to Be Left Alone 08 31 04
By Lili LeGardeur

Best Reason to Drive "Downstairs" 08 31 04
By Katy Reckdahl

Best Things About Being a Cop 08 31 04
By Allen Johnson Jr

The Best (and Worst) Thing That Ever Happened to Us 08 31 04
By Ronnie Virgets

Best Garage-Looking Literary Journal 08 31 04
By Andrei Codrescu

Best Places to Play Hooky from Work 08 31 04
By Kandace Power Graves

My Best House 08 31 04
By Frank Etheridge

The Best Boulevard for Eating Around the World 08 31 04
By Sara Roahen

Tales of a Superfan 08 24 04
When your first-born is due and your team is advancing to the Sugar Bowl, which comes first: the baby or the Tiger? When you're talking LSU football, no answers are easy.
By Erik Spanberg

Strings Attached 08 17 04
This summer, a group of New Orleans brass and jazz musicians journeyed to the heart of bluegrass in the hills of North Carolina. The rest was music.
By Marsha Barber

Exile in Oakdale 08 10 04
By the time Carol and Natasha MacDonald heard their husband and father had been transferred to Oakdale, he was already gone.
By Frank Etheridge

Taking Back Tallulah 08 03 04
For years, their town was known for razor wire and broken bones. Now, the people of Tallulah are showing the nation how to pull down a prison and build a school in its place.
By Katy Reckdahl

Word Perfect 07 27 04
Ten thousand players. Two hundred clubs. One tournament. As the National Scrabble Championship gears up in New Orleans, Constance Adler ventures into the mostly friendly, always competitive world of local players.
By Constance Adler

From Lexiko to ESPN 07 27 04
By Constance Adler

That (Expletive Deleted) Word List 07 27 04

Falling on Deaf Ears? 07 20 04
Deaf students at Delgado Community College fear their school may be flouting the Americans with Disabilities Act. Delgado officials say they're just making improvements.
By Eileen Loh Harrist

Interrupted 07 13 04
Grover Arbuthnot was charming the customers at Cafe Reconcile and working toward his own apartment, a car and a GED. Then he was gone.
By Katy Reckdahl

The Education of Lance Hill 07 06 04
First he chooses his battles -- and then he fights them. Allen Johnson Jr. traces one man's path from labor organizer to No Dukes campaigner to author.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Comeback From Where? 06 29 04
His name is Prince again, and he's still funky, but did he ever stop?
By Alex Rawls

Let's Get It On -- Again 06 29 04
Neo-soul artists like Anthony Hamilton -- one of the highlights of this year's Essence Music Festival -- believe that soul music can actually address our troubles and not just help us escape them.
By Geoffrey Himes

Weight Watcher 06 29 04
From The Real World to the real world, Kevin Powell uses his own hard-won life lessons to preach individual responsibility and challenge mainstream black leadership.
By Kevin Forest Moreau

Pure Essence 06 29 04
Music and seminar schedule for the 2004 Essence Music Festival

Where There's Smoke 06 22 04
New Orleans isn't a barbecue town? Don't tell it to these pit bosses.
By Sara Roahen

Barbecue Bonanza 06 22 04
Who's got the sweetest rib tips, the meatiest beans and the tangiest sauce? Sara Roahen goes on the barbecue trail to review and reward local establishments.

Board and Circuses 06 15 04
By Lili LeGardeur

Lessons From Chicago 06 15 04
When it comes to public schools, mayors aren't miracle workers -- but they might have important roles to play.
By Linda Lenz

Off to the Races 06 15 04
By Allen Johnson Jr

The Power of Parents 06 15 04
The success of schools depends on more than the board and the superintendent -- it also involves parents. Ursula and D.J. Markey once sued the district for not educating their autistic son; now, they're training other parents and partnering with two publi
By Katy Reckdahl

Leaving Las Vegas 06 08 04
Energy. Entertainment. Endless Rehearsal. Earl Turner brings his act -- and Vegas-trained work ethic -- to New Orleans.
By Alex Rawls

Working the Lounges 06 08 04

Alligator to Zucchini Summer Restaurant Guide 2004 06 01 04
By Natalie Brown, Rob Bryant, Shala Carlson, Sue Wespy Ceravolo, Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Katie LaCorte, Eileen Loh Harrist, Alex Rawls, Katy Reckdahl, David Lee Simmons and Michael Tisserand

Alligator to Zucchini 06 01 04
Summer Restaurant Guide 2004
By Natalie Brown, Rob Bryant, Shala Carlson, Sue Wespy Ceravolo, Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Katie LaCorte, Eileen Loh Harrist, Alex Rawls, Katy Reckdahl, David Lee Simmons and Michael Tisserand

Cover Story 06 01 04

Badge on the Run 05 25 04
Alex Rawls tags along with local bands for three days of bars, barbecue and business at South by Southwest, the annual Austin, Texas, music conference.
By Alex Rawls

Down on the Corner 05 18 04
On Thursday, Joe's Cozy Corner may be serving its last drink. Is the city getting rid of a haven of lawlessness -- or is it losing a priceless community center?
By Katy Reckdahl

What Does Brown vs. Board of Education Mean to You? 05 11 04
Fifty years after the Supreme Court abolished segregation in public schools, local students write about what divides them.

Fill in the Blanks 05 04 04
When it comes to the arts, are some kids getting left behind? Lili LeGardeur goes into the classrooms to see the big picture of arts education in our public schools.

Second Generation 04 27 04
The 35th annual Jazz & Heritage Festival gets ready for Week Two.
By David Kunian, Alex Rawls, Katy Reckdahl, Gene Scaramuzzo, David Lee Simmons, John Swenson and Michael Tisserand

Cover Story 04 27 04

Stopping Through 04 27 04
No matter where trombonist Corey Henry is headed, the Treme neighborhood is always on the way.
By Katy Reckdahl

All the Young 'dudes 04 27 04
By Alex Rawls

Indebted to Odetta 04 27 04
A legend during the folk revival of the 1960s, Odetta is now being honored by a new generation of female singers.
By Douglas Brinkley

Kidd Stuff 04 27 04
By John Swenson

His Best Shots 04 27 04
Dick Waterman presents Between Midnight and Day, his first book of photographs of some of the world's great blues and R&B musicians.
By John Swenson

Reckless Abandon 04 27 04
By Alex Rawls

Slacking Off 04 27 04
Owana Salazar doesn't want to "lose the Hawaiian," but she isn't afraid to cross some genres on her new album, Hula Jazzz.
By Alex Rawls

Close to the West 04 27 04
By David Winkler-Schmit

The Sounds of the Fest 04 27 04

Captive Audience 04 20 04
Thousands flood the gates for the 35th annual Jazz & Heritage Festival.
By David Kunian, Alex Rawls, Katy Reckdahl, David Lee Simmons, John Swenson, Michael Tisserand, Count Basin™ and Frank Etheridge

Return Engagement 04 20 04
By Erik Spanberg

Pleasant Surprises 04 20 04
The many different sounds of South Africa will fill this year's Jazz Fest. Here's a listener's guide to the music.
By Gene Scaramuzzo

Now, Voyager 04 20 04
Olu Dara's journeys have, in his 50s, produced some of his finest music.
By Frank Etheridge

A King's Ransom 04 20 04
By Alex Rawls

Praiseworthy 04 20 04
By Cynthia Joyce

Head to Head 04 20 04
By David Kunian

Kid Rock 04 20 04
By Michael Tisserand

The Cat in the Hat 04 13 04
Whether in the studio or on the stage, Jon Cleary strives to keep the balance between polish and grit.
By David Lee Simmons

Quitting the Business 04 06 04
After a 25-year career, an upscale call girl looks back at the grit and glamour -- and explains why it's so tough to get out.
By Eileen Loh Harrist

Depth of Experience 03 23 04
Participants at this year's Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival have inked their lives on paper.

Pluck and Luck 03 23 04
Veteran newsman Bob Schieffer looks back on a storied broadcast career and offers This Just In.
By Erik Spanberg

Irrational Exuberance 03 23 04
Why David Denby says American Sucker, his chronicle of the highs and lows of the stock market, touched a nerve.
By David Lee Simmons

Working Class Heroine 03 23 04
Michelle Tea on her life and art -- and why she thinks it's OK to make a few things up in a memoir
By Eliza Strickland

Crossing the Line 03 23 04
When writing across races for her new novel Right as Rain, Bev Marshall just listened to the voices.
By David Winkler-Schmit

The Passion of Kathy Randels 03 16 04
The performance artist follows her curiosity wherever it takes her, from Belgrade to the Lower Ninth Ward, from a Contemporary Arts Center residency to performing łnecessary acts of futility˛ on downtown sidewalks.
By Constance Adler

Thrown Out 03 09 04
Public housing families are being evicted for their children's curfew violations, fights and any arrests -- whether or not they're convicted. But is the Housing Authority itself breaking the law?
By Katy Reckdahl

Rolling With It 03 02 04
Through rain and cold, Rex Duke™ was not deterred from his responsibilities as the world's first and foremost Mardi Gras parade critic. Here, he returns to bestow his honors on the very best.

Best Betting 02 24 04
By Rick Barton

Right On 02 24 04
By David Lee Simmons

Solid Gold 02 24 04
By Shala Carlson

Today's Top 10 02 24 04
Maybe I'm partial to black and white because what happens in movies is a special kind of reality, lighter and darker than what we see around us.
By Ronnie Virgets

Soderbergh at Sundance 02 24 04
In his new book Down and Dirty Pictures, author Peter Biskind writes about Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh, once a 26-year-old filmmaker at Sundance pushing his first film, sex, lies, and videotape.

The Majors 02 17 04
How the guys in the big hats deal with Mardi Gras parades, swarms of admirers, rival bands, parallel knee bends -- and most of all -- the musicians walking behind them.
By Katy Reckdahl

The Sacrifice of Father Thomas Doyle 02 10 04
In an excerpt from Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II, authors Jason Berry and Gerald Renner trace one priest's decision to help victims of clerical sex abuse.

Thomas Doyle in New Orleans 02 10 04

Disco Donnie and the Days of Rave 02 03 04
All Disco Donnie wanted to do was throw some wild parties. Then he threw New Orleans into the center of a national debate over music, drugs, the First Amendment and pacifiers.
By Cristina Diettinger

The Rise of Rave 02 03 04
By Cristina Diettinger

Winter Restaurant Guide (By Cuisine) 01 27 04
By Shala Carlson, Sue Wespy Ceravolo, Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Megan Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Katy Reckdahl, David Lee Simmons, Eliza Strickland and Michael Tisserand

AFRICAN 01 27 04

AMERICAN 01 27 04

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY 01 27 04

BAGELS 01 27 04

BAR & GRILL 01 27 04

BARBECUE 01 27 04

BREWPUB 01 27 04

BURGERS 01 27 04

CAFE 01 27 04

CAJUN 01 27 04

CARIBBEAN 01 27 04

CHINESE 01 27 04

COFFEE & DESSERT 01 27 04

CREOLE 01 27 04

DELI 01 27 04

DINER 01 27 04

FRENCH 01 27 04

GOURMET-TO-GO 01 27 04

INDIAN 01 27 04

INTERCONTINENTAL 01 27 04

ITALIAN 01 27 04

JAPANESE 01 27 04

KOREAN 01 27 04

LATIN AMERICAN 01 27 04

LOUISIANA CONTEMPORARY 01 27 04

MEDITERRANEAN 01 27 04

MEXICAN & SOUTHWESTERN 01 27 04

MIDDLE EASTERN 01 27 04

MUSIC & FOOD 01 27 04

NEIGHBORHOOD 01 27 04

PAN-ASIAN 01 27 04

PIZZA 01 27 04

SANDWICHES & PO-BOYS 01 27 04

SEAFOOD 01 27 04

SOUL 01 27 04

STEAKHOUSE 01 27 04

THAI 01 27 04

VIETNAMESE 01 27 04

VEGETARIAN & HEALTH FOOD 01 27 04

The Meet Market 01 20 04
Battles over card tables, last-minute airport rallies, occasional bouts of paranoia and Internet-driven meetups. Welcome to the 2004 Democratic primaries.
By Constance Adler

Take Me to the River 01 13 04
For a few days at a time, renowned landscape artist Elemore Morgan Jr. packs up his acrylics and Masonite boards and follows his muse to New Orleans. Jason Berry goes along for a day of painting.

New Orleanian of the Year Bill Goldring 01 06 04
By Clancy DuBos

2003 in Review 12 30 03
Looking back at the people, stories, celebrations and skirmishes we covered in the past 12 months

Passings 12 30 03

Dubious Achievement Awards 12 30 03

Local Skirmishes 12 30 03
Polite disagreements, simmering street fights, all-out brawls -- Gambit Weekly knew them when we saw them in 2003.

What's New 12 30 03
The latest updates on some of the stories we reported on in 2003

Cold Mountain Man 12 23 03
Musician Dirk Powell retraces his road to Cold Mountain and his journey toward home on the Bayou Teche.
By Scott Jordan

Moving Mountain 12 23 03
By David Lee Simmons

The Rest of the Story 12 16 03
The Louisiana Purchase created all or part of 15 states. So just how are the other 14 celebrating our bicentennial?
By Ronnie Virgets

The Warrant Squad 12 09 03
Each weekday, a special NOPD squad hits the streets in search of the city's fugitives. One recent morning, Allen Johnson Jr. and photographer Cheryl Gerber made the rounds.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Countless Fugitives 12 09 03
New Orleans' per-capita homicide rate for 2003 is expected to top all major cities for the second consecutive year -- yet nobody knows how many fugitive felons are at large in southeast Louisiana.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Just Married? 12 02 03
Do same-sex couples have a shot at legal unions in Louisiana? A case challenging the City of New Orleans' recognition of domestic partners might have the answer.
By Eileen Loh Harrist

Proving Ground 11 25 03
On a chilly Saturday in November, 405 men try out for the New Orleans VooDoo Arena Football League team. Frank Etheridge follows Kevin Brooks, one player hoping to make the cut.
By Frank Etheridge

Making a Stink 11 18 03
What effect does ship waste have on our coastal waters? As New Orleans embraces the cruise line industry, it's time to ask the No. 1 question about No. 2.
By Eliza Strickland

A Voice in the Wilderness 11 11 03
In an excerpt from his new book, Fortune's Favorite Child, Christopher Maurer sheds new light on the strange life and brilliant art of Walter Anderson.

Six Months Out 11 04 03
John Thompson talks about his sons, the time he wrongly spent on death row and his half-year of freedom.
By Katy Reckdahl

Truth to Tell 11 04 03
The actress Jill Clayburgh talks about her distinguished career, choosing family over films, and bringing The Exonerated to the stage.
By David Lee Simmons

2003 Fall Restaurant Guide by Neighborhood 10 28 03
By Kris Bares, Shala Carlson, Sue Ceravolo, Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Megan Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, David Kunian, Eileen Loh Harrist, Katy Reckdahl, David Lee Simmons and Eliza Strickland

Fall Restaurant Guide 10 28 03
By Kris Bares, Shala Carlson, Sue Ceravolo, Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Megan Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, David Kunian, Eileen Loh Harrist, Katy Reckdahl, David Lee Simmons and Eliza Strickland

40 Under 40™ 10 20 03
By Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Eileen Loh Harrist, David Winkler-Schmit, Katy Reckdahl, Sara Roahen, David Lee Simmons and Michael Tisserand

Net Losses 10 14 03
In the face of global trade agreements and falling prices for their harvest, shrimpers along the coastal bayous fight to maintain their way of life.
By Lili LeGardeur

Who's Caring? 10 07 03
For years, the city's uninsured and working poor have turned to Charity Hospital. Recent budget cuts leave patients wondering who will see them now.
By Katy Reckdahl

Our Endorsements 09 30 03
Gambit Weekly makes the following endorsements in this Saturday's primary election. Above all, we urge our readers to vote.

The Spokespeople 09 23 03
One year after the death of Lucas Cox, local cyclists are coming together to demand a more bike-friendly city.
By Frank Etheridge

New and In Groove 09 16 03
No longer playing second fiddle, Theresa Andersson has formed her own band, is comfortable in her own skin and says she's finally making music on her own terms.
By Eliza Strickland

Fighting Words 09 09 03
Tom Piazza talks about My Cold War, the force of history, and boxing with Norman Mailer.
By Shala Carlson

I Will Not Be Denied 09 02 03
Talking football with Saints running back Deuce McAllister.
By Scott Jordan

Best of New Orleans © 2003 08 26 03
By D. Eric Bookhardt, Shala Carlson, Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Scott Jordan, Kris Bares, Eileen Loh Harrist, Katy Reckdahl, Sara Roahen, David Lee Simmons, Michael Tisserand and Dalt Wonk

Cover Story 08 26 03

Writers' Picks 08 26 03
Gambit Weekly's writers offer a few new Best of New Orleans© categories and their choices for the winners.

The Making of a Museum 08 19 03
Roger Ogden traces his journey from an "oaf with no culture" to the world's premiere collector of Southern art.
By Constance Adler

The Bigger Picture 08 19 03
The Ogden Museum of Southern Art furthers the mission of making New Orleans a magnet for cultural tourists.
By Eliza Strickland

Soul of the South 08 19 03
The Ogden experience excels in its ability to showcase the often unnoticed and under-recognized world of Southern art.
By D. Eric Bookhardt

Now Playing 08 12 03
A quintet of rising New Orleans music acts covers the sound spectrum, from tone meditation to accorgan to old-fashioned pop harmonies.
By Cristina Diettinger, Frank Etheridge, Scott Jordan, David Kunian and Michael Patrick Welch

About Face 08 05 03
Last year, 19-year-old Stephen Funk turned to the Marines for a new direction. Now, he's a declared conscientious objector and facing a court martial in New Orleans.
By Allen Johnson Jr

The Changing Faces of AIDS 07 29 03
In 2002, one-third of New Orleanians newly diagnosed with HIV were female, most of them African-American women. That number has been rising rapidly. Almost no one is talking about it.

By Katy Reckdahl

The Big Chill 07 22 03

Freezer Burn 07 22 03
If your air conditioner is busted, don't bring it to the Saturn Bar. After 20 years of repair work, Neil has had enough.

By Eileen Loh Harrist

Miller's Crossing 07 22 03
On the eve of World War II, American expat Henry Miller returned home in an effort to rediscover his native country. He called much of what he found The Air-Conditioned Nightmare.
By Shala Carlson

Perspiration and Inspiration 07 22 03
Meet Ted Strauss, spiritual seeker and inventor of an air conditioner you can bring to Jazz Fest.
By Constance Adler

"We Had to Do Something" 07 15 03
Women pioneers of the state environmental movement tell their stories of getting angry, getting involved, and sometimes getting results.
By Peggy Frankland

Mississippi Muslim 07 08 03
Welcome to New Medinah, Miss., a half-hour's drive outside Hattiesburg. For townspeople, this stretch of rural farmland is the perfect place to practice their faith.
By Katy Reckdahl

Miracle Man 07 01 03
Essence Festival performer Smokey Robinson talks about growing up in Detroit, the craft of songwriting, and the color of soul.
By Nick Spitzer

Essential Essence 07 01 03
The music schedule for Essence Festival 2003

The Shooters 06 24 03
Riding along with the television photographers who deliver the pictures -- and the stories -- to the nightly news.
By Allen Johnson Jr

The Other Tallulah 06 17 03
Critics call it a brutal institution. The legislature wants to shut it down. Tallulah townspeople say the prison might not have been perfect, but it was always hiring.
By Katy Reckdahl

Voices From Tallulah 06 17 03

Alligator to Zucchini
Summer Restaurant Guide 06 03 03
By Shala Carlson, Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Scott Jordan, Nicole Lawrence, Eileen Loh Harrist, David Lee Simmons, Deborah M. Stein, Eliza Strickland and Michael Tisserand

Cover Story 06 03 03

Directory 06 03 03

The Outsiders 05 27 03
For Charles Smith and Charles Gillam, the winding path of folk art starts at Algiers Point.
By Jason Berry

The Running Man 05 20 03
Raymond Strother practically invented the science of political consulting. In the following excerpts from his new book, Falling Up, the Texas native goes back to the beginning, recounting his Louisiana tours of duty and reflecting on how the very p

Getting Down with Raymond Strother 05 20 03
In Falling Up, Raymond Strother bares the secrets of that sacred -- and sometimes shameless -- institution called democracy. In a candid interview, he reveals the reasons why he wrote the book-and what continues to drive him in a career in politics
By Clancy DuBos

New Trials 05 13 03
Last week, DNA evidence led to an exoneration hearing for Ryan Matthews, who had been convicted of the 1997 killing of a Bridge City grocer. For one man, the news means hope. For another, it's agony.
By Katy Reckdahl

Butt Out! 05 06 03
Will the smoke really clear in local bars and restaurants? Health professionals, advocates, bar owners and restaurateurs debate a smoking ban's chances and merits.
By Eileen Loh Harrist

The Mackie Report 05 06 03
Aging in Style
By Mackie Shilstone

Health News 05 06 03
By Kandace Power Graves

Health Talk 05 06 03

Fine Art 04 29 03
2003 Big Easy Entertainment Award's Lifetime Achievement in Music honoree Art Neville has the keys to the city.
By David Lee Simmons

Stepping Out 04 29 03
Jon Cleary, Chicago are the big winners at the 16th annual Big Easy Entertainment Awards.
By David Lee Simmons

In Character 04 15 03
Patricia Clarkson, the Big Easy Entertainment Awards' Entertainer of the Year, can be more than just everywhere with her myriad film projects. She can be everything.
By David Lee Simmons

What people are saying about Patricia Clarkson 04 15 03

Letters of Recommendation 04 08 03
Our Spring Restaurant Guide studies the ABCs of New Orleans dining.
By Alaine K. Azcona, Eliza Strickland, Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Scott Jordan, Eileen Loh Harrist, Abigail MacDonald, Jillan Scahill, David Lee Simmons and Deborah M. Stein

Cover Story 04 08 03

Critical Care 04 01 03
For more than 30 years, when local children have needed psychiatric help, they have turned to the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital. Now, the hospital may be facing a crisis of its own.
By Katy Reckdahl

Laments and Love Songs 03 25 03
The touring show Lament for the Moths and a major acquisition by the Historic New Orleans Collection shed new light on Tennessee Williams, the poet.
By Eliza Strickland

Long Remembered 03 25 03
More than four decades ago, Jay Chevalier performed his song "The Ballad of Earl K. Long" for Uncle Earl's stump speeches. Four decades later, he's written a book about his old employer.
By Jason Berry

Ordinary People 03 25 03
Poppy Z. Brite moves away from the dark worlds in her new collection, The Devil You Know.
By David Winkler-Schmit

Ways of Making Them Talk 03 25 03
Interviewing "the Mozart of interviewers," Lawrence Grobel
By David Lee Simmons

Ways of Making Them Talk 03 25 03
Interviewing "the Mozart of interviewers," Lawrence Grobel
By David Lee Simmons

Wooing Oscar 03 18 03

Most Likely to Succeed 03 18 03
By Rick Barton

Whine and Cheese 03 18 03
By David Lee Simmons

Statue of Limitations 03 18 03
By Shala Carlson

Fight for Independents 03 18 03
Over the past two years, a disparate group of alternative-minded film buffs have struggled to fill the void left by the closing of Movie Pitchers.
By David Lee Simmons

Writers on the Form 03 18 03
In their new books, David Thomson and Anthony Lane make reading about movies a pleasure unto itself.
By David Lee Simmons

Inside the Mind of R.J. Tsarov 03 11 03
R.J. Tsarov's journeys have taken him from Cairo to Old Algiers -- but that's nothing compared to the trips he takes his audiences on.
By Dalt Wonk

End of the Lines? 03 04 03
Bad knees, great seafood and retirement on the horizon. It's another working day at Uglesich's Restaurant and Bar.
By Pableaux Johnson

Drawing From the Past 02 25 03
Henri Schindler has devoted his life to a single mission: bringing the mystery and splendor of 19th century Carnival onto 21st century streets.
By Constance Adler

Crossing the Line 02 18 03
For local grandmother Edith Balot, the decision to trespass onto a military institution was easy -- even when she knew it would mean months in federal prison.
By Frank Etheridge

Tourists in Love 02 11 03
Star-crossed lovers Nelson Algren and Simone de Beauvoir's romance spanned an ocean and tumbled through Paris, Chicago and New Orleans.
By Jason Berry

Magnificent Obsession 02 11 03
Tulane University professor Henry Sullivan has spent a lifetime translating the love poems of Spain's Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.
By Shala Carlson

The Poems of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer 02 11 03

Businesses With Heart 02 11 03
A directory of Gambit Weekly advertisers offering special Valentine's Day promotions

Winter Restaurant Guide by Cuisine 01 28 03
By Frank Etheridge, Kandace Power Graves, Allen Johnson Jr, Scott Jordan, Eileen Loh Harrist, Eva Moran, Sara Roahen, Shala Carlson, David Lee Simmons, Deborah M. Stein, Eliza Strickland and Michael Tisserand

Perdido 01 21 03
By Ronnie Virgets

Uptown Ruler 01 14 03
From its basement party origins, Tipitina's grew into an international music landmark. Founders, staff and musicians recall the past 25 years at 501 Napoleon Ave.
By Scott Jordan

New Orleanians of the Year 2002 01 07 03

2002 in Review 12 31 02

They Said It In Gambit Weekly 12 31 02

Dubious Achievement Awards 12 31 02

What's New 12 31 02
The latest updates on some of the stories we reported on in 2002

The Gift 12 21 02
New Orleans native Warren Brown needed a kidney, and his Washington Post colleague Martha McNeil Hamilton had two. Their story, just published in the new book Black and White and Red All Over, is a parable of friendship and integration.
By David Winkler-Schmit

Good to the Last Drip 12 17 02
Absinthe, the scourge of society and muse to a generation of artists, is back -- and thanks to chemist Ted Breaux, New Orleans is back in the forefront.
By Mark Miester

The Thujone Connection 12 17 02
By Mark Miester

Preparing for al Qaeda 12 10 02
Law enforcement agencies ready for a local nightmare: potential terrorist attacks on the Port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River.
By Allen Johnson Jr

Enemy in the Gulf 12 10 02
By Allen Johnson Jr

Farm Futures 12 03 02
Local growers debate the new National Organic Program and hope there's a place for them at the table.
By Sara Roahen

The Silent Killer 11 26 02
Two years ago, 30-year-old Christie Buckner became aware of the quiet warning signs of ovarian cancer within her. Unfortunately, her doctors didn't.
By Christie Buckner