Jean-Paul Villere: Hearts and heads aflame

 Posted by at 5:30 am  opinion
Mar 162011
 

Jean-Paul Villere

This week on Monday the 14th – 3.14 or Pi as we call it – my wife and I celebrated 13 years of marriage. Thir-teen. That’s two years longer than the lifespan of the average American marriage. To some that’s a feat, and to others we’re rookies. But who cares? We’re not married to each other so we can see how long we can be married to each. It’s not a contest, is it? There’s no winner, right? I mean, is there some sort of marriage competition I’m unaware of? Who can be married to who the longest? Probably not the ideal motivation to get or stay married: “Okay, let’s see how long we can do this.” Continue reading »

Jackson Avenue memorial to Katrina victim Vera Smith will move to accommodate new restaurant

 Posted by at 12:54 am  business, recovery
Mar 162011
 

Magazine Street folk artist Simon Hardeveld stands next to his artwork on the corner of Magazine Street and Jackson Avenue. The piece is a memorial to Vera Smith who died on Aug 29, 2005 after Hurricane Katrina and whose body was left abandoned for almost a week. A new restaurant, Charcoal Burger Bar, is planning to build on the vacant lot. "She will not be forgotten," said Hardeveld. (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

During Hurricane Katrina, the vacant lot that will soon become Charcoal’s Gourmet Burger Bar was the site of the temporary grave of Vera Smith, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver and whose body lay outside unclaimed by authorities for days until neighbors built her a makeshift grave with the spray-painted inscription, “Here lies Vera – God help us,” that became a nationally-known image of the city’s despair.

Smith’s body was moved soon afterward, but the site remains marked by a cross memorial designed by artist Simon Hardeveld. Hardeveld, whose studio in “Antiques on Jackson” is adjacent to the site, said he will move the memorial soon to accommodate Charcoal’s construction. Continue reading »

New gourmet burger restaurant in Lower Garden District, alcohol sales at Freret corner store approved

 Posted by at 1:47 pm  business, city government, food and drink, neighborhood groups, recovery
Mar 152011
 

Alba Xiomara and Rolando Zelaya work at at Supermercado Las Acacias on Friday, March 11. The Planning Commission gave Las Acacias its approval to begin selling alcohol Tuesday, though that decision must next be ratified by the City Council. (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

Both a long-stalled gourmet burger restaurant planned for the corner of Jackson Avenue and Magazine Street and a Freret Street corner store’s request begin selling alcohol received initial approval from the City Planning Commission today, but a decision on a proposed film-studio space on Constance Street was deferred for a month.

(Note: See the end of this article for a recap of our live coverage of the debate on each issue.)

Charcoal’s Gourmet Burger Bar is a proposed two-story hamburger restaurant with diner-style counter service on the ground floor and full table service upstairs designed by the owners of Somethin’ Else cafe in the French Quarter, said architect Kimberly Finney. The project was originally proposed several years ago, but troubles with the contractor stalled the project until its permission from the city to build expired. Continue reading »

Advertiser Special: Bee Sweet Cupcakes Drunken Leprechaun

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Advertiser specials
Mar 152011
 

In honor of St Patrick’s Day, Bee Sweet Cupcakes announces its brand new cupcake flavor for March, the Drunken Leprechaun. Made of a chocolate cake base with NOLA Brewing Company Irish Channel Stout and Irish Creme Frosting, this cupcake is its own little pot of gold. Drunken Leprechaun cupcakes are $3 each (tax included) and available for a limited-time only. Bee Sweet Cupcakes is located at 5706 Magazine Street, and is open Monday-Saturday from 11-6. Or call ahead to reserve your cakes at 504.891.8333.

Freret coffee shop seeks upstairs expansion amid increasing interest in corridor

 Posted by at 1:42 am  business, city government, neighborhood groups, politics, recovery
Mar 152011
 

Village Coffee on the corner of Freret and Jefferson St. (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

Village Coffee plans to expand its seating area to the upstairs portion of its Freret Street building, while the area continues to attract more commercial development interest, business owners said Monday night.

Coffee shop owners Donna and Marty Scoggins appeared at the Monday night meeting of the Freret Business and Property Owners Association with architect Peter Waring to describe the expansion. The upstairs will include a conference room and a study area as well as access to the outdoor balcony, though no seating is planned for it, the Scogginses said. Continue reading »

36 hours Uptown: Redistricting the Irish Channel, business growth on Freret

 Posted by at 10:38 am  arts, books and music, business, church, city government, colleges, elections, events, good works, neighborhood groups, politics, public safety
Mar 142011
 

Karen Carter Peterson

Over the next two days, State Sen. Karen Carter Peterson will visit the Irish Channel; Freret Street will examine the proposed expansion of a coffee shop and liquor sales at a corner store; and the Uptown-based NOPD Second District will hold their monthly meeting with community members.

On Monday evening, The Freret Business and Property Owners Association will hold its quarterly meeting, hearing a request from Village Coffee to expand its business upstairs and an update on the Freret streetscape project. Also on Monday, Sen. Karen Carter Peterson will hold a neighborhood town hall meeting in the Irish Channel, similar to an event she has planned for Thursday for the Riverbend – both community have expressed concerns about the upcoming redistricting.

On Tuesday afternoon, the City Planning Commission will hear three requests related to Uptown properties: three Uptown requests: a conditional use to sell alcohol at Supermercado Las Acacias at 4929 Freret, a conditional use for a restaurant larger than 5,000 square feet on a lot at 2200 Magazine and a zoning change to allow a mixed use development in the 1500 block of Constance. Tuesday evening will also feature the Uptown-based Second District’s monthly meeting with community members.

For full details on these events and other cultural offerings in Uptown New Orleans over the next 36 hours, see our calendar listings below. Continue reading »

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Advertiser Special: NOLA Brewing Company Flambeau Red Ale

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Advertiser specials
Mar 142011
 

It’s a Mardi Gras tradition in New Orleans that spans more than a century and a half. Today, flambeau carriers still march and dance at the head of Mardi Gras parades to light the way for floats to roll down the streets of the city. NOLA Brewing Company is paying homage to the beacons of light with their latest brewery concoction Flambeau Red Ale.

Continue reading »

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Owen Courrèges: A tale of two parking lots

 Posted by at 5:30 am  business, church, city government, neighborhood groups, opinion
Mar 142011
 

In this December photo, the parking area can be seen at the right side of the Romney Pilates building.

Earlier this year, two zoning battles were waged in Uptown New Orleans. First, Trinity Episcopal Church applied to construct additional parking lots in the 1200 block of Josephine Street. The lots in question were empty, having been occupied by structures that burned down following Hurricane Katrina.

Second, there was a battle waged over parking for the new Romney Pilates Studio in the 5600 block of Magazine Street. There, the lot was also empty, the prior structure on the property having been neglected and later demolished following Hurricane Katrina.

In both cases, nearby residents were concerned about a lack of street parking and lobbied the city council for additional spots. However, while Romney Pilates was ultimately intimidated into including additional spots as a concession, Trinity’s proposed parking lot plans were flatly denied. In one case, the city wanted parking issues mitigated, while in the other, the city could not have cared less. Continue reading »

Suspects arrested in last month’s shooting outside Saint bar

 Posted by at 12:29 am  crime, public safety
Mar 142011
 

Gregg Kagler (via opcso.org)

Shaquille Cooper (via opcso.org)

Two men accused of shooting a bar patron during an apparent robbery of his cell phone outside a popular Lower Garden District bar last month are now in custody on robbery charges, according to police.

The victim had just stepped outside the Saint bar in the 900 block of St. Mary Street about 3 a.m. Feb. 16 when he was confronted by Gregg J. Kagler Jr., 20, and Shaquille R. Cooper, 19, police said. Cooper hit the victim in the face and Kagler pulled out a gun, and the victim tried to run back inside the bar, but both attackers followed, police said. Continue reading »

Corner store’s request to sell alcohol draws divided opinion on Freret corridor

 Posted by at 11:49 pm  business, city government, neighborhood groups, politics, public safety, recovery
Mar 132011
 

Alba Xiomara helps Rahee Hall, 11, at Super Mercado Las Acacias on March 11, 2011. Hall lives three blocks from the store. (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

A Freret Street corner store will request the city’s permission this week to begin selling alcohol, drawing reactions that vary widely from sympathetic support and to outright opposition from its neighbors. Continue reading »

Kermit Ruffins headlines two-day Soul Fest at Audubon Zoo this weekend

 Posted by at 11:24 pm  arts, books and music, events
Mar 112011
 

Kermit Ruffins

Audubon Zoo’s Soul Fest will feature Kermit Ruffins and a number of other jazz, hip-hop, gospel and R&B performers as well as soul food and cultural displays Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Last year’s festival drew an estimated 21,000 attendees, according to the park.

See below for a complete lineup of performers each day. Continue reading »

Advertiser Special: St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations at Tracey’s

 Posted by at 11:21 am  Advertiser specials
Mar 112011
 

Be there as Tracey’s Irish Channel Bar celebrates its annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration! At both  the St Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 12, and the Tracey’s Annual Block Party on Thursday, March 17, Tracey’s will serve up its world famous roast beef poor boys along with cabbage and corned beef and plenty more goodies from the kitchen. See below for details of all the St Patrick’s Day events.

Continue reading »

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City’s return to cleaning abandoned Uptown lots is “imminent,” officials say

 Posted by at 10:10 am  blight and demolition, city government, public safety
Mar 112011
 

This map shows lot clearings conducted by the city in January. None were conducted in Uptown New Orleans because of a dispute with the contractor, though officials said Thursday that the new contract is "imminent."

The city’s return to clearing vacant lots in Uptown New Orleans is “imminent,” as officials work out the final details of the contract this week, they said Thursday. Continue reading »

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72 Hours Uptown: St. Patrick’s Day parade

 Posted by at 8:28 am  arts, books and music, events, neighborhood groups
Mar 112011
 

The 2008 St. Patricks Day parade (via irishchannelno.org)

Less than a week after the largest Mardi Gras ever, parading returns to Uptown New Orleans this weekend via the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade through the Irish Channel.

The parade begins at 1 p.m. Saturday at the corner of Felicity and Magazine, then heads up Jackson Avenue, up St. Charles Avenue, down Louisiana Avenue and back down Magazine Street.

For details and links on the parade and other weekend events, including the two-day Soul Fest at Audubon Zoo, see our calendar below. Continue reading »

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