[title type="h5"]Sunday, October 12, 2014.
Feast With The Stars, Year 20.[/title]
One of the unambiguous markers of autumn for me is the Parkway Partners' annual fund-raising brunch called "Feast With The Stars." I have attended as one of the stars for twenty years now. It's kind of a misnomer. Calling somebody like me a star is at best a stretch. In the early years of the event, a lot of local television people attended. Now Margaret Orr--who is very much a green person, avidly supporting the work of the Parkway Partners--is the biggest name. Peggy and Errol Laborde are always there, as are Jack Hopke from WWNO, socialite Margarita Bergen (if she doesn't show up, it's not a real party) and Dominic Massa from Channel Four.
The great food this time comes from newcomers. The Upperline is here for the first time, with Jo Ann Clevenger herself, doling out her fantastic duck etouffee over cornbread with pepper jelly. Greg Picolo from Redemption--which has been closed for renovations for the past few months, but still is active on the catering side--has by far the most ambitious offering, with some terrific fried oysters and garnishes.
[caption id="attachment_44800" align="alignnone" width="480"]
Mardi Gras Chorus at Feast with the Stars.[/caption]
The high point for me was reuniting with the dozen or so barbershop singers I used to harmonize with. They invited me to join in, even though it's been a long time since I heard, let alone sang, this delightful music.
Gallier Hall can accommodate not just one musical ensemble, but several. This morning two good jazz combos favor us with the New Orleans sounds. That part of the program is better than usual.
Looking for coffee, I find myself gazing into the face of convicted ex-mayor Ray Nagin. He's in the clink, yet his portrait still hangs in the central hallway of our imposing Greek-Revival former City Hall, along with those of all the other mayors before him. Now there's a good question for debate. Fortunately, it won't happen in my show.
Mary Ann is there with me, but breaks away for a baby shower uptown. I take my usual Feast With The Stars route home, going through Slidell instead of Metairie, and covering the last miles on the curveless, deserted LA 36. It reminds me of a few nice times I like to recall, but not very often.
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[title type="h5"]Monday, October 13, 2014.
Goodbye, Columbus.[/title]
As I write this morning, I see the water oak trees outside my window waving back and forth in the first serious fall wind of the year. Kite-flying weather. Which reminds me: How did Gewurzrtraminer get the reputation of being "a good wine for a kite fly"? Whoever first said that--and I've heard it enough times that it must have been somebody famous--meant that it goes with everything, which is certainly true. But to use those words to illustrate the idea denotes genius.
The opening theme of my radio show in its ancient era (WGSO 1280 AM, 1978-1983) was an edit of the opening music of the movie "Goodbye, Columbus." It is to me the ultimate feel-good pop tune. I can even make Mary Ann, Jude and Mary Leigh smile for real when I play it. Which I do, sporadically, so as not to wear it out. Today is one of those days, since we observe Columbus Day.
About which I know one other thing. On a marvelous road trip I took in 1983, I spent a week in Truro, on Cape Cod. I would have stayed longer, but the owner of the motel told me that Columbus Day marks the end of the season, and she was shutting down until spring. That explained why so many chefs I spoke with asked me whether I knew of any open positions in New Orleans.
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Pad kee mow at Thai Spice.[/caption]
The kite-flying weather of the morning expands into a heavy downpour when Mary Leigh and I go to dinner at Thai Spice. She tells me that she is looking for the ultimate version of pad kee mow, also known as "drunken noodles." The reference is not to any alcohol in the dish, but its widespread use as a hangover remedy. I don't think that's ML's interest in the dish. I have never known her to drink more than a beer or two. But she likes the broad noodles, the hot and sweet peppers, and some but not all of the sauces. That last item is what intrigues her, because every restaurant makes it a bit differently. She finds the Thai Spice version credible but not her favorite.
I am thrilled that she is paying such rapt attention to food, and unusual food at that.
We hang out at Thai Spice until the monsoon ends, and a little longer still as I tick away the minutes before chorus rehearsal. But when I show up for that, I find the church in darkness, and no cars in the lot. A fellow singer pulls up to unload some charity donations. She had been notified that because of the weather we would not rehearse. So had I, but that email was at that moment unread on my computer. Oh, well.
[title type="h5"]Thai Spice. Covington: 1531 US 190. 985-809-6483. [/title]
