I am so….so….embarrassed. Really. I haven’t posted here in, well, forever because 1) I didn’t have time to do so, since the restaurant has opened and 2) once I actually got the time, I was too lazy to try to figure out how to get into this new system. But, thanks to advice from Laureen and others, here we are.

Oh, and it was good to meet Rayna & Co. the other day. Thanks for coming to see us. And my old college buddy Chris from Nacogdoches and a nice lady from Fort Walton Beach who introduced herself today — and a host of other bloggers from various sites. It is good to feel connected again, at least in an Internetty kinda way. Lord knows I’m overly connected in other ways to far too many people anymore.

One thing that begs writing about has been the ongoing (and, as yet, unended) quest for a beer and wine license. The City of New Orleans, in its infinite wisdom and lust for new revenue, has finally (after four months and much assistance from the office of Councilwoman Stacy Head) granted us our beer and wine licenses. But we are still waiting on folks in Baton Rouge to follow through — and this “two week” process has taken a month so far. Perhaps I have committed the ultimate Louisiana faux pas and forgotten to slip a little inducement in a package of paperwork. Silly me.

But the City of New Orleans, though it has approved the new licenses, has not wanted to be simply forgotten and cast aside like an old shoe. I received a call two weeks ago from some minion at City Hall, informing me my Occupational License was being denied. “Why?” said I, stifling a laugh.

“You need your ABO (alcohol) licenses.”
“I have them on my wall.”
“You need your conditional use permit from the City Council ”
“I have it in my file drawer.”
“Then you shall have to come down to City Hall and see Mr. (No, I will not post his name - the target would be far too unmistakable and slow-moving to resist).

So off I go to City Hall to see Mr. X — who informs me of the same issues. I respond in the same manner. He says, “Well, then, it appears all you need is your final inspection,” which was scheduled for the next day.

Mr. X appears two days later and pays virtually no attention to virtually anything in my place. After his 45-second visit, he tells me to go to City Hall the next day and I can “leave with the license in-hand.” So (Dr. Pavlov is laughing somewhere), I indeed answer this bell and appear again in his office the next morning. He turns to a co-worker and informs her I need to fill out the “final paperwork” for my occupational license (which I filled out nearly a year ago). She says, “you got ABO license, baby?” I say, “Why, yes, baby, I do.” She says, “then you already got your occupational license. You all good to go.”

For some reason, I felt as victorious as Sitting Bull at Little Big Horn. No, I don’t know why. But I really and truly did — but all the while knowing this is all going to somehow come back and bite me in my little gumbo-making ass at some point.

But, for now (except for the possibly mythical state alcohol license), all our paperwork is in place and on the board and proudly disaplayed for all to see, photograph, ponder over, admire, wonder at and, yes, even spindle and fondle as desired.

…and it all expires in 33 days, at the end of May. I am serious as freaking cholesterol.

Ain’t never dull, I tell ya.

Most everybody has been by this place at Magazine and St. Mary (near the Half-Moon). They used to have their own Website, but this appears to be nearly six years old. All I could find. Anyway…

Full disclosure — my place of business is nearby, okay? And the (very few) workers at this place are occasional customers. But this really, really doesn’t have anything to do with this post. Honest.

The place is a landmark for the vinyl world and it’s in serious trouble. Name a 45 or an LP and the place will either have it or tell you who does. It’s out-and-out a historic place, at least musically. But very few people know about it anymore or they simply overlook it. Of course it has used CDs and videos and other stuff.

All I’m saying is that if you haven’t gone in, you need to. At least to say you actually shopped in what might be the last of the real record stores in New Orleans.

So hello again oxygen suckers. Ahhhhzzzz been explorin’ again. I saw the whole Anthony Bourdain thing the other night. No, I didn’t see it on the travel channel. I stole that shit baby! That’s right, bit torrent is awesome. That’s my way of putting it to the man. I saved it in my download files right next to my season three of “The Hills”.
I love LC. Have I mentioned that before? Anyway, I’m pretty sure I agree with Richard for the most part. Why does everyone feel the need to show the 9th ward all the time? People will think New Orleans was nothing but a city full of shitty post WWII houses where no one cut the grass. Wake up! That place was a titanic shit hole before Katrina, remember?
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Locals Mark Their Spot Along Canal, Ready for Endymion

I have been sitting out most of Mardi Gras so far. In fact, this year, I have been working more than usual. On Wednesday, I helped my friend who does production throw a gala bash for 800 people at the convention center. Colin Powell was the keynote speaker. It was a 15 hour day but this kinds stuff pays very well. It was fun to work with her again. It’s a hectic challenge.
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I just received an email from Stacy Head’s office announcing that an ordinance outlining a complete restructuring of the Historic Conservation District Review Committee (HCDRC) was approved by City Council today. Notably, it was authored by all seven members of the City Council.

While working with Karen over at Squandered Heritage, I saw the horrors of this committee unfold over and over again. As she told me, “You have to see it to believe it.” It made me sick to see the complete disregard for the laws and principles governing procedures at the HCDRC. It made me focus on changing this committee.

A few examples of the bi-weekly massacres of due process:
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Because you can only get so much information from GeekTv, I went ahead and did a Request for Public Information (RFPI) and got copies of all the Trash Contracts from the City Attorney. They were very prompt in fullfiling my request but the woman who handed them over to me insisted, rather feebly, that the wording did not include demolition type debris. She wasn’t adamant, she was interested because I was so interested. Thanks to Sarah in the City Attorney’s office for making all these copies and for being so sweet.

At first reading, I thought they were correct and I was wrong. Upon further investigation with my handy pink highlighter, I found that the contract really is poorly written and the “unlimited” issue and debris definitions are actually clearly debatable but also there are more holes to consider.

The formal agreement, the bulk wording of the contract, is altered only a little in the bid portion of each contract . . . particularly for SDT who does the 25s. The wording is different for SDT than the vendors handling trash for the rest of the City. Thanks to RCS for putting some of it online so I could illustrate the circular references to construction/demolition debris within the Bulk Waste and Solid Waste terms as well as the issue of the word ‘unlimited’.

My aim was to get at least some of this online so citizens can review the language and definitions through these links to the actual documents and have a real discussion on the issue. Admittedly, I am impatient, I can’t wait for the Inspector General to get up and running. Keep in mind, I am not saying I am 100% right but I believe in having contracts and all publicly generated minutia online. Who knows where things might go from there. I got tired of being on only one side of this discussion.
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Click the photos to see more photos of CJ Peete, taken in 2006.

After the fiasco at City Council this week when this group disrupted the proceedings and were met by stiff security, the affordable housing folks are trying to get a bit more organized going into next week. At a meeting yesterday led by housing advocate, Bill Quigley, a plan was outlined for next week’s strategy as they fight to stop the demolition of The Big 4 housing projects in New Orleans.

Sunday, Dec. 9th: March to Ray Nagin’s House . . . all the way to Texas?

Monday, Dec. 10th: 9 am : Press Conference Protest at City Hall.
10 am: Stagger (not storm) into the Housing Conservation District Review Committee (in Safety & Permits) which is scheduled to hear the case of residents and give final consideration before issuing the necessary permits for demolition for Peete, Cooper and Lafitte.

This room, where the HCDRC is held, is very small. It’s going to be ugly. Knowing the sketchy background of the HCDRC, these public housing advocates ought to go see if these buildings haven’t already been demolished. The group plans to ask for denial and/or deferral of the matter. At best, they are hoping for a no action or lack of a quorum.

Having attended too many of these train wrecks, I wonder how Super Mario, the Chair of the Committee, (Nelson Savoie) plans to get out of this mess. Maybe they will kidnap Nelson. Someone at the meeting today called the HCDRC, “a rubber stamp committee”. I am thinking they may pull it from the agenda on a technicality.

Tuesday, Dec. 11th: Preparation and training for a larger mobilization organized by Defend New Orleans Public Housing.Org. The AFL-CIO plans to go into the D.C. Court to stop demolition of St. Bernard. Look for a press conference.

Wednesday, Dec. 12th: Barbara Jackson is in charge of galvanizing people at River Gardens to get them to show up at the protests later in the week. Barbara’s going to have to promise that they will make it home in time for their soaps. Apparently, the insurgents need to inflate their numbers by gathering up people who already have some pretty nice public housing. You would think that these residents would actually support the demolition of the gulags.

Thursday, Dec. 13th: Day of Action: Mass mobilization of protesters at Lafitte. The plan is to deliberately block the I-10 exit ramp.

Friday, Dec. 14th: Catholic Charities Day. After a busy few days of insurrection, this must be the day the group talks about genocide. Inevitably, it comes up in all their discussion. They equate the demolition of public housing and building new ones as a violation of Human Rights. Are they saying that thousands of people have been systematically murdered by the government by keeping the projects closed?

Saturday, Dec. 15th: Whomever is not yet in jail, protest at St. Bernard.

Jump in Front of Bulldozers: Some cursory thought was given to Plan B. If the HCDRC approves the demolitions, these folks plan to send a message to those contracted to do the demolitions that they will be met with the same level of hysteria. They plan to stand in front of the bulldozers.

The rest of this post is more detailed background information for the serious reader . . .
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…all are being sought to replenish our ranks here at MetroBlogging New Orleans.

You”ll note that recently our list of estemed contributors has dwindled a bit. This has been unavoidable and part of normal attrition, as some of us have had to become more focused on professional opportunity or other issues. BUT….

This leaves tremendous opportunity for those of you who want to join us. There are no rules about how often you can/must post nor regarding your subject matter, as long as it is generally related to the City of New Orleans or to life in Louisiana (where we have no other MetroBlogging cities as yet). You may opine, criticize, rant, propose or whatever — as long as it’s not libelous and as long as it’s written in a credible, readable style. And, if desired, you will also get the opportunity to meet some highly neat people who are involved daily in the New Orleans blogging community. We are truly an EOE site — the more diverse, the better.

Please e-mail me, your modest city captain. The address is on my profile. Thank you and Go Saints.

Good AP article about the status of the Dixie Brewery.

I’ve continued to buy Dixie in our post-K world, even though it’s not currently brewed here in town. I figure that even though some of the money wasn’t coming back to us, at least it’s helping support these folks until they CAN get back. We all gotta woik togeddah, and Dixie will be proudly served (as will Abita) once we get the restaurant licensed for beer/wine sales. I’m even planning to serve the Dixie in those little tiny glasses.

Oh yeah — and I’ve managed to find one of the very last cases of Falstaff brewed in this city. It’s a FULL case too. But it’s for display only.

The traditional Sunday ride with friends to the outlying areas around New Orleans offers welcome respite from the City for many long-time New Orleans residents. Destinations include Jean Lafitte State Park, Nottoway Plantation, Donaldsonville, and Grand Isle.

My friends Em, Brian and Hank like to head out to the hinterland together when there aren’t any important football games. After visting the usual haunts for the past many years, Brian now works on studying new routes, sometimes he finds little known hiking terrain. On these rides, Hank pulls snake spotting duty. I love hearing Em’s stories about a particular exploratory episode gone wacky.

When I tag along with them on these meandering adventures, we keep our eyes open for the produce guys by the side of the road so we can get some snap peas, sausage and other local culinary goodness. One of our more memorable excursions included a visit to Myrtle Plantation and a hop on the the ferry which crosses the Mississippi in St. Francisville. For those who know, there is always a man selling pralines while you wait to board the ferry. Even if you don’t fancy pralines, you’re compelled to buy a couple.

In the fall, these adventures include a unique aspect; the beauty of the graceful cane fields in contrast with the smoke which rises above the cane as harvest season begins in October and the fields are burned after the cane is cut. In the otherwise lazy countryside, sugar cane harvest season is a flurry of activity. While I have enjoyed this passively for years, I now have a personal tie to the sugar cane harvest that affords a closer perspective regarding the commercial end of the product of harvest season.
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