If you're already enrolled in Medicare, a window for making changes in your plan opens from October 15 - December 7.  Find out your options and also: What you need to know if you're approaching age 65 and aren't enrolled yet. 

- by Kristine Gurley, Gurley & Associates

Everyone over age 65 is eligible for Medicare. This includes all U.S. citizens and legal residents who have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least five years. Some people under 65 can get Medicare if they receive Social Security disability benefits.
Medicare is divided into four parts:

• Part A covers part of the costs of hospitalizations.
• Part B covers part of the costs of medical services, such as doctor visits, procedures and diagnostic tests.

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​Parts C and D are where the private insurance comes in:

• Part C is an alternative way to get Medicare. You can sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan offered by a private insurer and get all your services under Parts A and B through the plan. They have a lower premium, but have co-pays. Some offer benefits like free health club memberships, dental, vision, etc. A Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage is called a MAPD and without the prescription coverage is called a MA.
• Part D is prescription drug coverage. It is offered by private insurers who contract with Medicare. Even if you don't take any prescription drugs when you first go onto Medicare, if you’re not signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage (MAPD), you'll want to sign up for a Part D drug plan. If you go without any drug coverage after your initial election period you'll face a penalty when you finally do enroll. Note: The penalty does not go away and will be attached to your plan premium.

 
Medicare Enrollment
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• Unless you are covered by an employer group plan that covers 20 or more employees, you must enroll in Medicare when you turn 65.

• If you are receiving Social Security when you turn 65, you will automatically be enrolled in Parts A and B.
• If you're working and covered by an employer group plan you may not want Part B. In that case you can decline it. Otherwise, you'll go ahead and accept Medicare Parts A and B, and your coverage will start on the first day of the month you turn 65.
• For people who aren't covered by a group plan at 65, the initial Medicare enrollment period starts three months before you turn 65 and lasts until three months after you turn 65. But although it lasts a total of seven months, you really should plan to enroll in Medicare during that three-month period before you turn 65. Then your Medicare coverage will start on the first day of the month you turn 65.

 

 
How to Sign up for A & B

• Go to www.ssa.gov.
• Call Social Security at 800-772-1213.
• For general information about eligibility, go to http://www.medicare.gov/MedicareEligibility

 
Parts C and D are not automatic.
 
If you want Part C (a Medicare Advantage plan that takes care of both A & B through a private insurer), you'll have to contact an insurance company offering it and sign up for Part C through them. Remember, you can get a Medicare Advantage plan that covers prescription drugs (MAPD) or one without (MA).
 
Or, if you want to stay with Original Medicare and have a standalone Part D (prescription drug plan), you'll need to decide which insurance company's plan you want to go with, and you'll have to proactively enroll.

 
If you signed up for Parts A and B during your initial enrollment period, and if you think at some point in your life you’ll need prescription drug coverage, you should enroll in Part D at the same time. If you go more than 63 days without "creditable" prescription drug coverage, you will pay a late enrollment penalty when you finally do sign up for Part D.
 
So, it's better to just go ahead and get your drug coverage from the outset, even if you aren't currently taking any prescription drugs. As mentioned before, you have two options: you can enroll in a standalone prescription drug plan if you have Original Medicare, or you can get your drug coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan.
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I hope this helps clarify some common misconceptions. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions. 

​Kristine Gurley

Is time linear, the way most of us in the modern world experience it, or is it cyclical, the way our ancestors existed in it? 

- Story by James Inabinet, Ph.D.
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Before linear time, for nearly the entire expanse of human experience, there was cyclical time too, rhythmic time. Cyclical time was the lived experience of the masses even up to now. For the all-too-many living on the margins of poverty, no clock rules their existence. They are the “shiftless.” There are no shifts to work, no shifts that follow the hands of a clock.
 
Outside of the world of money and work and clocks, the natural sense of time on Earth as directly experienced right now is less linear and more cyclical – the seasons, the daily cycle, the phases of the moon.
 
Rhythmic time speaks of an eternal order, the light and dark of the seasons, the growth and decay of all things coming into being, to do and go, only to come again. Watching a river flow, unchanging through its continued change, enables an idea of timelessness, of an eternal time that can be experienced by simply being outside, a part of the changing reality and eternity of a single day.
 
Linear time is connected to the past, to memory; we experience it by looking back. By contrast, rhythmic time is the eternal now, always in front of us, right now. It speaks of what was, but in its recurrent reality, now, a story told by the rising sun each dawn.

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A day begins in the dead of night from which daylight inexorably bursts forth as Apollo’s chariot completes its round. At night, stillness reigns. Little moves. What does move can only be heard – now.
 
Sight is useless in the dim moonlight of a crescent moon. With straining ears, the night sojourner faintly hears the far off frogs in the pond and the leaf-rustling of an armadillo across the way digging up a worm or grub, rooting more like a pig than a pig itself. There he leaves a cone-shaped, ankle-breaking hole.
 
Unmoving stillness is what midnight looks like; silence is its roar in a sleeping world. Yet one never fully feels alone in the night forest, and to be sure, not all of the forest is sleeping. The night sojourner ever feels like she’s being stared at: the watchful owl on the limb, the fearful golden mouse on the trail edge, the thousands of wolf spiders scurrying along the ground against the lumbering giant’s footfall.
 
One is never alone in a forest.
 
Finally a faint eastern glow begins to push back the shadows. The world is coming to life.
 
Morning looks like the morning glory, blooming to meet the sunlight of day. Morning sounds like the cardinals in the fetterbush thicket–tick-tick-tick-tick-tick–picking off the leaf-eating caterpillars. Morning sounds like the buzzing solitary bee that visits the meadowbeauty at the forest edge.
 
The sunlight traces paths a hundred-fold through the morning mist, seeking, it seems, any path to bring light to the forest floor. As the day progresses, the flurry of activity slowly ceases until only the occasional bird or the occasional bee remains. The sun finds a more direct route to the ground now. There is less forest to obstruct its path from overhead.

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As the day wanes, the pace quickens again as the animals almost frantically search for their supper. The morning glories are now long closed up in preparation for the sleep of night. As night falls, the stillness that reigned the night before resumes.
 
The regnant shadows cloak what in the light of day was a mere pine stump. Now in the shadows it is a hunched over, wooly monster, created in the mind’s eye of fantasy and memory. A day is felt more than seen, and in that feeling one becomes a participant, a co-creator, in the wonders of place, space, and time.

​ 
Australian Aborigines are co-creators in this way. In his daily experience, Big Bill Neidjiee sings his world into being in the dreaming (as recorded by T. C. McCluhan).

I feel it with my body, with my blood.
Feeling all these trees, all this country ...
When this wind blows you can feel it.
Same for country ... you feel it.
You can look, but feeling ...
 That make you.

After the Bonne Carré Spillway opening closed Mississippi beaches for three months this year, statewide opposition grows against a plan to make diversions permanent. 

- by Lisa Monti

 George Cavignac, executive director of nonprofit Gulf Coast Resource Coalition, told the Bay city council the plan is currently in the Corps of Engineers permitting process and is being fast-tracked. He called it an impending crisis.

​ 
“The time to act is now,” he said. “This is something that literally will wipe out the culture that is Southeast Louisiana and South Mississippi and our recreational and commercial fishing industries and tourism. It’s definitely worth fighting for."
 
The push in Hancock County to oppose the river diversion effort comes just days after Mississippi’s beaches were cleared for swimming. They were closed by the state Department of Environmental Quality because of toxic algal resulting from the opening of the Bonne Carre spillway for 123 days this year.
 
The spillway released 10 trillion gallons of Mississippi River water which GCRC says inundated Mississippi’s coastal waters, causing massive harm to the economy, fisheries and marine mammal population.
 
The proposed Mid-Breton Project is designed to release 33 million gallons of Mississippi River water per minute, though the amount can vary. The minimum flow would be 5,000 CFS (cubic feet per second) - which is 2,250,000 gallons per minute.

 
Mid-Breton backers have taken a couple of legislative moves to give the project a better chance of getting approval, but that would negatively impact marine life. Cavignac said the Louisiana group got a waiver to the Marine Mammal Protection Act passed and is now trying to amend a bill to remove the essential fish habitat environmental review that is part of the required environmental review.
 
“The project can’t sustain an environmental review. If it can’t pass the environmental impact study process, they need to either not do it or mitigate for the fisheries and tourism dollars. That would drive project out of its price range,” he said.
 
One councilman called Cavignac’s presentation “very informative and alarming.” The council voted unanimously to ask the state Congressional delegation to oppose the project and to ask the governor to oppose the issuance of a federal permit to construct the project. The Hancock supervisors took similar steps at their meeting.
 
Wendy McDonald, a candidate for Mississippi House District 122, lists opposition to the diversion plans as her number one priority in Jackson. She told the Shoofly Magazine, “We celebrate the reopening of the beaches but we’re going to have to work to keep them that way. It’s going to take all of us pulling together.”
 
For more information, go to https://gulfcoastresource.org.

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This month, Waveland Mayor Mike Smith picks up a pen to bring us up to date on events and important projects in our seaside town.
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​I am also very proud that we recently opened up the first dog park in Hancock County, with a section for both small and larger furry friends. On that same day we officially opened the City of Waveland town green between the Ground Zero Museum and the Library. This will be an area that everyone can enjoy and will be the home of our Festival of Lights this year. We will do our official tree lighting and Christmas parade with Santa Claus all in this location on December 7 starting at 5:00.
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​We also are about 80% finished with our new community center at the Martin Luther King Jr. Park, which is slated to open in November. The community center will include a new playground, a resurfaced basketball court and a new and improved stage for our community to enjoy. We are in the final stages of the city-wide sewer program, which was a $5.5 million infrastructure project, intended to reduce infiltration and save thousands in treatment costs. 
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Last but not least, we have about 30% of the Waveland Avenue sidewalk project complete, which adds sidewalks on both sides of Waveland Ave. This project has been the works for over four years; it is a much needed safety project for pedestrians along one of the busiest streets in Waveland.

With our state and local representative offices overwhelmingly held by men, we thought it was a good time to get to know the women running for office here in Hancock County.

- Story by Lisa Monti
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• Kendra “KK” Necaise is unopposed for the office of Hancock County Circuit Clerk.
• Wendy McDonald and Brent Anderson are vying for State House of Representatives District 122.
• Theresa Ryan is running against Buster Verdin and David Yarborough for Supervisor in District 1.
• Teresa Ehrlich faces Brian Necaise for Justice Court Judge 2.
• Lynn Smith and Eric Moran are running for Justice Court Judge 3. 

 
The Shoofly Magazine asked the local women candidates to answer three questions for the consideration of the voters. Their replies follow. (Since Kendra Necaise is running unopposed, she was not contacted for comment.)

Wendy McDonald
Candidate for House of Representatives, District 122

What are your top three goals if you are elected? 
My top three goals are education and workforce development, affordable health care and environmental action.
 
What unique experience will you bring to your constituents?
My knowledge and leadership skills in the field education and the eight years of experience on the Bay St. Louis city council provide a depth of knowledge that is acquired by doing the jobs. My dedication and commitment to Katrina recovery was extensive in Hancock County. For the last few months I have been studying the Bonnet Carré Spillway issue intensively and I will be announcing several major action items for the state to consider to prevent a repeat of this disaster.
 
Why is it important for women to run for political office?
I know that the conversation changes when women are in the room. Just as I believe in a two-party system and checks and balances, I know from experience that if women are not a part of the conversation then it’s not a balanced discussion or decision. Women do thousands of jobs now that were not available to them 50 years ago but it has taken longer to get women to run and get elected to office than I expected.

Theresa Ryan
​Candidate for Hancock County Supervisor, District 1 

What are your top three goals if you are elected? 
If elected I plan to provide the people of Hancock County and District 1 a fully engaged Supervisor. Hearing what is important to my constituents, and then acting on these priorities in a timely manner is critical. By attending the Supervisor meetings, representing our citizens and their needs, and by actively addressing those issues that come up in every Board meeting is my goal.
 
Next, I have heard on the campaign trail from many voters that transparency is important. So letting the people of Hancock County know what is happening – both good and bad – in our county in a timely manner, is very important.
 
Finally, as your county representative we have an abundance of economic opportunities that can, and should be pursued. This results in more jobs, a growth in economic development, and quality growth for our entire county. Working together with the other 4 Supervisors can result in a better Hancock County for all of our citizens. “A rising tide lifts all boats”!
 

What unique experience will you bring to your constituents?  
As a third generation Hancock County resident, I have lived in what is our greatest area of this state. Growing up here taught me what it is during the good and bad times. My work experience has provided me what a large and a small business can do for our county. As an owner of my own information technology company (Computer Solutions LLC), I know what it takes to run a successful business; just like the business of our county. I have also been fortunate to have lived away from home – first, for four years at the University of Southern Mississippi where I earned my degree in Computer Science. Also, my travels to different locations in this country, as well as internationally, for both business and personal reasons, have opened my eyes to what our community can be. Our county has many great natural resources, key federal, state and local government representation, as well as people resources second to none. Our unique geographical location is another advantage we should utilize in growing our economy for our constituents.

Why is it important for women to run for political office?  
Representation in any industry is maximized by tapping into all resources available. If we only look at 50% of any population a business, industry, government or any other entity will never reach its potential. Therefore, I look at diversity as looking for the best, most qualified; most motivated person to do whatever job is needed to be filled. I am proud to be a woman running for Hancock County Supervisor District 1, just as I am proud to be running as a life-long citizen, someone who cares very deeply for this community, and someone who puts the citizens of our county first at all times. 
​

Teresa Ehrlich
Candidate for Justice Court Judge 2

What are your top three goals if you are elected?
 My first goal is to ensure “A People’s Court” – one where everyone in the courtroom is fully aware of what is taking place. I want each person to be advised of their constitutional rights in a clear and comprehensible manner prior to any court proceedings.
 
For two decades I have witnessed little change in the way criminal cases are handled in our Justice Court, therefore my second goal is to streamline this outdated system and introduce changes that will minimize the time spent waiting needlessly in the courtroom. This is a concern I have heard expressed repeatedly by both the citizens and the officers.
 
As your next Justice Court Judge Place 2, my third goal is to prioritize the duties of this position. I will be a “full-time” judge, making myself available 24/7, accessibility that is not currently available.
 
What unique experience will you bring to your constituents?
I have previously worked and served as vice president of American Bail Bond Inc. for a total of 19 years. I bring a unique ability to research current laws and proposed legislation and an understanding of how these affect the citizens of Hancock County. I am also familiar with the operation of our Justice and Municipal Court systems, having attended hundreds of docket calls and trials while logging over 1,000 hours of courtroom experience. My experience with the various elements of the judicial system, from incarceration to disposition, far surpasses that of my opposition. Moreover, by drawing upon my more than 30 years of experience in the government and private sector, I possess the ability to accurately follow rules, regulations and practices outlined under statutory law.
 
Why is it important for women to run for political office?
There are several reasons why I believe women should run for political office. First, there are not enough women currently serving in government. While there has been a recent upward trend in the number of women entering the political arena, the overall number is still extremely disproportionate, not only to the number of registered female voters but also the female population in general. Second, women bring a diversified and dynamic perspective to political office. There is no denying that politics is a male-dominated field, so it’s important that women contribute the much-needed traits of empathy, inclusiveness and an open negotiating style to politics. While I could provide many other reasons why it’s important for women to run for political office, one of the most important reasons is the impact of change women leaders contribute by breaking down the long-standing cultural and structural barriers.
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Lynn Smith 
Candidate for Justice Court Judge 3

What are your top three goals if you are elected? 
If I were to be elected as Justice Court Judge for Place 3 in Hancock County my first goal will be to try to get more fines paid off through community service. My second goal would be to get folks that need drug and alcohol intervention more hope. My last goal will be listen to both sides. If you have to appear before me I will listen as an impartial decision maker.

What unique experience will you bring to your constituents?
I have been working as a volunteer for the Hancock County Amateur Radio Association and the Hancock County EOC for many years because I have a strong sense of service for the citizens in my community. I love my community and want folks to be safe. The laws are the laws; I will bring compassion, honesty, dignity  and fairness. I feel that a lay person makes for a better Justice Court Judge, not someone with a law enforcement background. As a lay person I would fairly judge both sides.

Why is it important for women to run for political office?
Our society has many voices, but for centuries policies and laws have been conceived and written by men. The Suffragette movement secured the right for women to be able to vote. Women should put out their ideas even more by running for office. We owe it to our sisters that made sacrifices for those rights.

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music!

Be sure to check out "Hot Spots" Southern Accents (125 Main Street) and PJ’s Coffee on the Bay (207 Main Street). Read more about these featured businesses below! 
​
- stories and photos by Anne Pitre

Southern Accents
125 Main Street 
Bay St. Louis​
(228) 363-2999
Website

​“It’s Fall, Y’all!” is what you will want to exclaim when you walk into Southern Accents in the old Masonic temple on Main Street. Purveyors of all things typically Southern, Jenny Shubert takes her love of the culture to a new level with clothing and gifts for all ages. The first thing that will welcome you is the scent of one of their homemade, hand-poured candles. Made by the family on their property in the Kiln, delicious scents like Blueberry Jubilee, Green Apple Pie and Vanilla Cotton will fill your home with sweetness.  

Candles aren’t the only item unique to the store. Southern Accents also carries its own line of t-shirts, which are both witty and proud. The family also produces their own line of bath products called “The Southern Goat Company.” 

Shoppers will find a good selection of casual clothes. Jenny’s daughter, Hannah, has proven to have an eye for style and helps choose trendsetting items to carry in the store. They are also size inclusive, with a respectable inventory of plus size items.

There are also items for men, with favorites being the Tide & Timber line of t-shirts and baseball caps. This line reflects the outdoors, with rustic prints and designs such as fish, ducks and man’s best friend.

Of course, these items are just a snapshot of all you will find at Southern Accents. There is truly something for everyone to enjoy, from team gear to baby gifts to home decor and everything in between. You can check them out at 125 Main Street from 10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday. Of course, they will have extended hours on 2nd Saturday on October 12th. Stop by between 4 and 7 p.m. to take in the music and hors d’oeuvres and experience what shoppers already know - Southern Accents isn’t just a boutique . . . it’s a place that tells the story of what it means to be Southern. 
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s Coffee on the Bay
207 Main Street 
Bay St. Louis​
(228) 231-1942​
Website

Pumpkin spice and everything nice! That’s what’s on the menu this month at PJ’s Coffee on the Bay, the October “Hot Spot” in Old Town Bay St. Louis. One step inside this restored creole cottage and you won’t have to wonder why. Seven days a week from 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. PJ’s is open offering customers a selection of tempting pastries and sandwiches. Stop by and check out the scrumptious pumpkin praline velvet ice or try the pumpkin latte or bananas foster cold brew iced latte. These won’t disappoint.

This year, PJ’s and its sister franchise twin, The Creole Creamery, were elected Businesses of the Year by the Hancock Chamber of Commerce. A welcome addition to Old Town Bay St. Louis, owners Jim and Catherine MacPhaille had a vision — three years in the making — to bring these two successful New Orleans-known brands to the Coast. In September 2018, right before Cruisin’ the Coast, that vision became reality, hiring 30 local residents to scoop up some of the best ice-cream found anywhere and serve the best java brew in town.

​The MacPhailles are real estate developers that own and operate hundreds of commercial and residential properties in New Orleans and Bay St. Louis. “We’re excited to bring the New Orleans-inspired flavors of PJ’s Coffee to Bay St. Louis and revive a building in the heart of the community on Main Street,” said Jim MacPhaille. “Local residents and visitors alike are embracing the vibrant atmosphere and southern hospitality that PJ’s Coffee provides.”
 
PJ’s Coffee serves a wide variety of iced, frozen, hot, cold brew, and nitro-infused coffees, using only the top one percent of Arabica beans, as well as organic tea. The New Orleans-based coffeehouse demonstrates that better beans, superior roasting techniques, and pure passion for the art of coffee-making matter.
 

 
The drive through at PJ’s on the Bay offers customers a quick way to sample any one of the hot or cold brews and sandwich offerings whether on foot, on a bicycle or the traditional car. “You can’t buy me love," said one customer, “but you can buy me some ice cream and PJ’s Coffee on the Bay!”

Stop in and check it out at 207 Main Street or call 228-231-1942. The clean, efficient, modern (yet historic) facilities in the heart of Old Town-are easily accessible and pet-friendly, as well as being ADA compliant. There will be something for everyone to enjoy there on Second Saturday! Brandon Tingstrom will play on the patio from 3-7 pm, and there will be face-painting from 2-7 pm, fun games for kids and adults, a photo booth with props, a blow-up obstacle course from Waterslides Of The Coast, and more. PJ’s will be the place to be for families and children of all ages this Second Saturday!

Fasten your seat belts: this new mystery by best-selling author Nevada Barr proves to be a thrilling page-turner. 

- by Scott Naugle

Nevada Barr was born in Yerington, Nevada and attended college at the University of California, Irvine. Her degree was in drama and she pursued a career in performance post-graduation.

​After a career change, Barr became a park ranger, first assigned to the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi. She created her best-selling Anna Pigeon mystery series based on her experiences working in a national park.

In addition to the Anna Pigeon series of novels, Barr also published the novel Bittersweet, set in the early days of the Western frontier and the nonfiction Seeking Enlightenment… Hat by Hat: A Skeptic’s Guide to Religion.
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Rose is heavily drugged, and after a bout of pneumonia when the drugs temporarily wear off, she questions why she has been placed in the facility. She foils the effort to begin the drug therapy again and escapes the facility. 
​
Why and how she was committed to Longwood is at the heart of the What Rose Forgot.

Barr’s training in performance and movement is evident in the novel. Rose barely slithers through a partially opened window to escape a man bent on killing her, “Flattening her body against the slope of the roof, she inches away from the porch. The asphalt shingles sandpaper the skin on her cheek and palms. Her feet scuffle in the uncleaned gutter.”

Every small movement and resultant sensation are detailed much like a practiced performer perfects her stage-craft, aware of how movement matters to the audience.

And how refreshing it is to have a mature heroine, in other words, a vibrant, intelligent, active character, Rose Dennis, pushing seventy years of age. After escaping from Longwood the first time, “Night air, warm and soft, sinks into her, a balm for a sore body and a troubled mind… Fresh real air is sustenance for the spirit, filled with life-affirming qualities scientists will never discovering windowless laboratories.” Rose is a sexagenarian excited and optimistic to be alive. 
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Grabbing the knife from an attacker, Rose severs his finger. She crawls through shrubbery and undergrowth to hide in a child’s playhouse overnight. Rose re-enters Longwood in costume and subdues a night nurse twice her size. 
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​And she cogently and logically thinks through the chain of events and the whiff of a few clues, to figure out who and why this was done to her. Age did not diminish Rose Dennis. Barr creates an extremely believable older female hero who becomes the heart and soul of What Rose Forgot.
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I read What Rose Forgot in one sitting. I had to. Nothing else mattered to me until Rose Dennis thwarted the bad guys and solved the mystery.

The author marvels at nature's most powerful and breathtaking spectacle: a summer thunderstorm.

- story by James Inabinet, PhD 

​I listen for a while to forest sounds. I always begin mindfulness practice this way. I hear a cardinal to the north; cicadas are loud, primarily east; squawking jays fly over chasing a single crow caw west.

There’s silence for a while, and then more birds, a squirrel maybe. I’m not sure; it was a single squeak. I imagine I hear a faint sound of thunder.

​Unsure, I listen closely for a while, more birds, the squirrel – it was definitely a squirrel. I hear thunder again, definitely thunder. There’s a storm to the southeast. I ignore it and begin my meditation. Thinking of nothing, I float inward.

After a while, I have no way of knowing how long, I am pulled back into the world by thunder. Looking southeast, I see dark instead of blue through the canopy. The storm is almost here. I decide to sit it out. It approaches quickly now; shifting winds animate tree tops. I settle firmly onto my pad, a kind of bracing. I look up and am ready.

Eyes closed, I focus on sounds and feelings, to hear the music of this place, bathed by rain, buffeted by wind–a flash of light, a huge raindrop–to see every flash, hear every thunder, smell the ozone, the cleansed air. There is magic in experiencing a storm. I am excited! The storm is almost here; it’s nearly dark.

The wind blows violently through the trees; falling pine needles prick my bare arms and back. The wind blows harder still, the thunder louder, flashes of light! Rain is falling, amazingly cold and hard – harder still! A flash of light north; wind blows wet hair; rain pricks skin. Thunder! The lightning is closer now. As air becomes water I close my eyes. Soaked through, I am getting chilled.
​

I open my eyes again to watch the lightning. I have to look down to see flashes; the rain makes looking up painful. I focus on the time between flash and sound. Twelve seconds for that one; ten for the next, then twelve, then five! I’m cold now – stuck here – what was I thinking?

I continue focusing on flash and thunder to forget about cold and rain. Maybe there’s medicine in this; I recommit. The air is charged; my stomach sinks like I’m on a roller coaster. I’m frightened – no, not frightened; maybe it’s alert, very alert, engaged, as storm and I become one.

A lightning bolt crashes very close. I didn’t count the time. Now I’m frightened. I focus again on the thunder; if there’s medicine it must be there, not in the rain. The storm begins to wane.

​Lightning flashes are farther north and east now. Soon there are no sounds at all except distant thunder and water drops from trees. I am uncomfortable and that’s good; I want to feel it.

Soon I head for home, exhausted, although I cannot figure out why. I just blithely walk through the webs.
​

At home I reflect and feel I’m at a beginning. I am alive! The gift of thunder, its medicine, must be the gift of life for to hear thunder means to have survived lightning.

​Today, as every day, I received a gift of life. It starts now and I mean to live it in a manner that recognizes the relationship between life and death, between thunder and lightning, and to a death that will eventually overtake me.

We never seem to think about life as precious gift so concerned we are with the “ten-thousand things of the world,” and so we take it for granted, and move through our life paths unconsciously, frittering that precious life away. Thunder teaches life. Thoreau says it, too, in Walden:

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

​I did not wish to live what was not life, [but] to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.

A novel video project explores the rich and varied histories of our communities.
- by Steve Barney, president, The Arts, Hancock County

Professor Geil's residency focuses on the creation of a 360-degree videographic "quilt" of the communities in Hancock County. 
 
“The metaphor of a community quilt”, Geil states, “is to explore the varied narratives and histories of Hancock County.”    

He adds, “The project will explore and document what is special, vital, and difficult about living in Hancock County; at the same time, capturing the vibrancy of our communities by asking community members to show what is alive and amazing about where they live.”
 
This project is using novel technology; specialized 360-degree cameras. The cameras record a 360-degree view using two lenses that each capture a 180-degree view and then stitch the two sides together.  

​As a result, everything above, below, and on all sides of the camera is recorded simultaneously.  Geil explains; “the technology itself invites playing close attention to the landscape. Even places that are inherently familiar are seen differently.” 

Educators from several Hancock area schools are participating in the project, including West Hancock Elementary School, East Hancock Elementary School, Hancock North Central Elementary School, Hancock High School, Hancock Middle School, and North Bay Elementary School.  

Students from these schools will make artwork and participate in activities engaging the themes of, “what I love about where I live, the kindness of others, and the most beautiful thing I’ve ever known.”
 
In addition to the stories being produced by the school groups, the general public has the ability to participate as well.  On September 26 and 27, open sessions will be facilitated for members of the community to tell their stories.  Everyone is encouraged to participate and tell your personal story on camera.  
 
The success of the project depends on community involvement and the inclusion of wide range of thoughts and perspectives.  The public sessions are Thursday September 26 at the Bay St. Louis Public Library and Friday September 27 at the Kiln Public Library.  

Both sessions run from 1pm - 5pm.  Drop in anytime during these sessions to come tell your story on camera.   If needed additional sessions will be scheduled for October to make sure every voice is heard and captured.
 
The results of the project will premiere at the Inagural Homegrown Literary and Art Exchange taking place at the Hancock Performing Arts Center in Kiln. The Homegrown event kicks off on Thursday, November 21 with a free keynote presentation by National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward. 
 
Friday, November 22 includes a day filled with interactive workshops for writers, visual artists and literary lovers; culminating in a live performance at 7pm, where the Hancock Community Quilt videos will be shown to the public for the first time, in a celebration of place and history.  
 
After the premiere, the videos will be placed in a centralized online repository that can be shared across communities, and across the globe, via the internet. The videos will be accessible to view via smartphone, 3D viewer or web browser, providing opportunities to foster community dialog and exchange.   
 
At the conclusion of the project, the equipment purchased with the grant will remain in the community to be shared by The Arts, Hancock County, libraries and area schools as an educational resource.

In his job for the state and his role as a volunteer community leader, Gregory Barabino covers all the bases when it comes to Hancock County’s youth - and more. 

- Story by Lisa Monti
photos by Ellis Anderson and courtesy Gregory Barabino

​ Greg was born in Florida and grew up in Bay St. Louis, where he attended local schools from kindergarten through graduation from Bay High. For more than a decade he lived in New Orleans, where he owned an international nightclub that was lost in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The large venue was DJ-driven and showcased musicians from Trinidad and Jamaica.
 
When he moved back to the Bay in 2008, Greg said he was disappointed to find that there were few African American businesses operating, and that the city was still segregated in many ways.
 
He joined the Hancock County NAACP branch more than six years ago and has served as president for most of that time.
 
“Our focus is on political issues, education issues and cultural awareness,” he said. “Businessmen cannot do anything to promote or advocate for African Americans if we don’t have that mindset.”
​

  
In addition to his full-time job, Greg owns Greg B Productions, an entertainment company that creates and produces shows.
 
“I have a DJ, and I emcee and also DJ if I have to. We do music and cultural events, but all positive. It’s something missing in our marketplace. We do only positive experiences, mixing entertainment and culture. I call it EDUtainment.”
 
His interest in education led him to start a tutoring program called Reading Buddies to help residents of all ages. “The community as a whole has a reading deficit, adults and kids, across the board. There needs to be a cultural change.”
 
In August alone, he produced two events for young people. The Second Saturday Back to School Block Party was designed educate the community, especially families, on what nonprofit organizations and services are available to them that they might not otherwise know about.
 
The idea was to bring a focus on life skills and support, he said. About 50 kids showed up for face painting and music and to learn about scholarships and careers. “It was good participation and a good response,” he said.
 

 
A Back to School Party with a Purpose was held along with the Bay-Waveland Middle School Fellowship of Christian Students. The $5 admission fee raised hundreds of dollars for the Women’s Job Corps program. That’s the purpose for the partying, he said.
 
He hopes to be able to have more events during the school year as resources become available.
 
“My goal is to work with kids by giving them entertainment but throwing in life skills that they can’t get elsewhere. There's no place for kids to gather other than sports. I use the platform of education and bring in other aspects they can learn.”
 
Greg also is a member of the Rotary Club and is on the board of both the Boys and Girls Club and 100 Men Hall, where he helps out with parking or working the door during events.
 

​100 Men Hall owner Rachel Dangermond said, “I met Greg when I called after my offer was accepted on the Hall – he said he was interested in doing youth activities at the Hall. I said I was too!
 
“Then he offered to bring some friends and help me unload on moving day. It was a no-brainer to ask him to be on our board, and since then Greg has played an active role in the Hall, helping us keep it a cultural touchstone for the community. “

 
Greg and his wife, Eileen, have a daughter Gabrielle, who is a senior at Bay High this year. Gabrielle was named Homecoming Queen just last week. She is talented as well as beautiful – Dad says she plays in the band and is “a track star.”
 
With all of his work responsibilities and community involvement, the community organizer has little leisure time for much else but music. “I especially love listening to R&B, Hip Hop and Jazz.”
 
In January, Greg was honored by the NAACP in recognition of his contributions and service to the youth of Hancock County. He was presented with the 2019 NAACP Community Service Award as part of the local celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King. 
 
“I encourage people to be neighbors again and not isolate themselves,” Greg said. “I also encourage everybody to do what is in the best interest of the whole community, to associate with each other and communicate instead of being isolated.”

The author takes time to study the quietness of the forest and the unique qualities of its inhabitants.
- story by James Inabinet, PhD

Winged blue jays were doing bird-things: eating muscadine berries, building nests in early spring, picking aphids off of stems, and singing songs.  Wiggling earthworms were doing earthworm things: tunneling just below the surface of the ground, eating leaves, feeding armadillos, squirming when encountering ants or sunlight. 

Hopping frogs were doing frog things: sitting on lily pads, hunting insects, swimming, calling for a mate, and feeding snakes.  Crawling fence lizards were doing lizard things: running over the ground, hunting, slipping tongues in and out of their mouths, performing push-ups to show off blue underbellies, feeding birds, digging under leaf mats, and remaining motionless when the shadow of a bird passes over.  ​

​Rooted red maples were doing maple things: limbs reaching toward the sun, growing tall in moist bottomlands, flowering and seeding in mid-winter, and feeding squirrels.
 
The initial goal of the investigations was simply to make careful and detailed observations of anything that captured my interest. 
 
In the goldenrod field, for instance, I sought the unique character of goldenrod so as to understand its process of becoming, to understand how it became what it is.  Not a form frozen in time, goldenrod grows and becomes, changing every day.  Through detailed observations I noted how goldenrod expressed itself: basal rosette of fuzzy green leaves, long straight stems, robust yellow fall flowers. 
 
In the beginning, all goldenrods looked the same.  Over time, the more I looked, the more I began to notice variations.  I noticed that goldenrods in the field were usually small in stature, but large in flower while those in the forest tended to be large in stature and small in flower. 
 
Further investigations revealed individual differences.  No two goldenrods were alike.  I was eventually able to detect particulars for each one, a unique and individual character–though detecting that individual character was often difficult.
 

After many forays watching animals, I noticed that after an organism’s needs were met, she would often sit idly, perhaps resting in a protected nook.  A coyote near the bayou with a rabbit once panted under the low-lying limbs of wax myrtles. 
 
A frog-fed copperhead curled up on the creek bank in the shade of titi limbs.  Satiated towhees sat on limbs, either singing or resting quietly.  A finch left a bush half-full of berries and never returned - unless she slipped in and out without my noticing. 
 
It seemed that nearly all of the organisms I chose for careful study rested when not hunting or hiding or escaping.  With no dire call to incessantly hunt and store food, enough seemed to be enough.
 
In these ways and myriad others, I noticed that the characteristics of each organism amalgamated into a unique expression.
​
​Deathcaps of the forest floor displayed a unique sense of fungusness unlike that of puffballs.  The squirrels of the canopy displayed a unique sense of squirrelness, an identity unexpressed by any other organism.  Water oaks displayed a sense of oakness unique to their kind, an expression that I became so familiar with that I could eventually distinguish water oaks from others by gazing at twilight silhouettes from far away.
​

I called each organism’s manner of being its identity.  Each organism in the forest possessed a unique identity, unique as species, unique as individuals.  The primary inclination of each individual seemed to be to express its unique identity as individual in its forest home. 
 
I longed to find out what humanness must be like in my forest home.  I longed to find out my identity, to find out what Jamesness must be like if it were to be fully realized.

Mystery author Julie Smith sets her detective novels in big cities - but the award-winning writer is embracing the slower pace of living here in Bay St. Louis.

- Story by Rheta Grimsley Johnson, photos by Ellis Anderson
​

​Julie’s 20-plus books have been set in cities, New Orleans and San Francisco, so it is hard to imagine Julie living in a small, seaside, tree-canopied town with plenty of parking and little crime. But imagine again.
 

​ 
Early this year Julie and her husband, business consultant Lee Pryor, moved from the Marigny in New Orleans to Bay St. Louis and are happily embracing the slower pace. They thought about and explored San Miguel, Mexico, and Fairhope, Ala., among other pleasant destinations.
 
Like Goldilocks and her persnickity tour of the Three Bears’ home, Julie and Lee found Mexico too far, Fairhope too crowded and “already discovered” and something amiss everywhere they looked.
 
Finally, a “Eureka!” moment when it occurred to both that Bay St. Louis, which they visited often and always enjoyed, was just right. It is, of course, only an hour from New Orleans and their many city friends – not to mention Julie’s hair stylist – less expensive than the city, and lousy with the yachting that Lee enjoyed for years in New England and San Francisco.
 
So six months and 30-plus home tours later, they bought the shuttered house they had admired first of all in a photo, a charming coral cottage in a 10-year-old subdivision with adjacent green space, just off St.Charles.
 

Does she miss New Orleans? You have to ask.
 
“Not in the summer,” Julie says, quickly.
 
And after that you have to remember the first lines of “New Orleans Beat”: People hate New Orleans because it’s hot – certain people, that is, from the sort of bland, tepid climate that spawns good mental health and consuming boredom. In a hot climate, anything can happen….”
 
And you have to hope with fervance that the ocean breeze doesn’t unduly domesticate Skip Langdon. There is that danger.
 
Many days you find Lee on the porch drinking his coffee and spoiling their King Charles spaniel, Rambla. And Julie is indulging a passion for off-the-wall decorating, filling their new home with original art and bright appointments. She uses the same sense of humor employed in her mysteries to label the drawers on a dining room cabinet: Forged Passports, Alibis, Brass Knuckles, Stolen Securities, Fabergé Eggs….
 

​ 
But, mystery fans rejoice. Julie remains in the traces, daily handling a capacity workload of writing, publishing and marketing. After Katrina, Julie started an e-book publishing company called “booksBnimble” that specializes in mysteries – her own and those of other authors. She begins each day with editing and correspondence – “I get that out of the way first”—and changes pace later, working on her own stories.
 
Her home office is upstairs in a richly-appointed corner of the guest bedroom. Harem scarves soften the ceiling, and the view is blisss. But the Mississippi Gulf Coast might just inspire a murder or two if we’re lucky.
 
“I’ll set something here, I suspect.”
 
Julie’s mysteries are informed by her former life as a newspaper reporter for The New Orleans Times-Picayune and the San Franciso Chronicle. It was at the Chronicle that Julie decided she was tired of feeding the voracious daily journalism monster.
 
“I wanted to do my own work,” she says, remembering the day the straw broke her camel. The editor told her that the paper was going to become computerized, and that he’d noticed she hadn’t taken the training course designed to prepare reporters for the technological onslaught.
 
“I told him that day I was leaving.”
 

​ 
She appreciates the irony that now she’s up to her bangs in computer work and that most of her books are available only in the popular e-versions.
 
There was, of course, transition, and she and two other female writers who had to make a living with words formed a consortium of sorts called “Invisible Ink,” which did a little of everything, from editing other authors’ books to writing news releases for political candidates. Julie also did a stint for the San Franciso district attorney’s office, more grist for the mystery mill.
 
Even now, in the quiet Bay, her eyes brighten as a new friend recalls a long ago murder when a body was found in a chifferobe floating in St. Louis Bay.
 
There is hope, Skip Langdon, there is hope.

One of the Mississippi Gulf Coast's beloved rock bands can trace its roots to a book club, of all things.

- Story and photos by Pat Murphy
​

​ 
Fast forward about ten or twelve years. I started hearing good things about a new band in the area named the Electric Sheep. I discovered that my architect friend, John Anderson, was a member of the band, along with a physician named Sanjay Chaube whom I did not know.
 
A short while later I began seeing the band billed as Phil "Smooth" Williams and the Electric Sheep. I knew from the music business that Phil Williams led the St. Rose Men's Gospel Ensemble.
​

​Since I had been a member of the Men's Ensemble and worked with Phil in the ensemble for a period of time, I knew he was a powerful gospel singer and vocal force to be reckoned with.

​Eventually Williams branched out from gospel looking for opportunity and started working with local bands like the Relative Unknowns (who were responsible for his moniker "Smooth") and later Jesse Loya and his band.

​Eventually Williams found his way into the Electric Sheep.
​

  
Phil Williams performed with the Electric Sheep for a couple of years before being diagnosed with terminal cancer. He succumbed to the disease about a year ago. The band values their experience working with Williams for a time, and they continue to move forward, honing their skills and their sound, and just having fun.
 

 
Today, the Electric Sheep is made up of guitarist John Anderson, bass guitarist Sanjay Chaube, drummer Landon Parolli, and Parolli’s wife, Jamie, on vocals and harmonica. The band in its present form has been together for about two years.

Singer Jamie Parolli's vocals are deeply rooted in the female rock vocalists of the 1980s and 1990s, and she’s been influenced heavily by performers like Alanis Morrissette, Lita Ford, Joan Jett and Pat Benatar.

​Songs from this genre play a big part in the Sheep's repertoire and are regularly included in the band's live performances. This band isn't timid about approaching other male dominated music like Nirvana and Gary Clark, Jr.
 
The Electric Sheep’s songlist also includes some classic rock tunes by the Doors, Fleetwood Mac, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Animals and Bob Seger.
​

​ 
The Electric Sheep can be seen live occasionally at Bacchus on the Beach in Pass Christian and the Beach Bar under the Silver Slipper Casino Hotel. If you get the chance, check the Electric Sheep out at one of their local gigs – you will be glad you did.

Business owners Nikki Moon and Janice Guido were recently appointed to key posts with Coastal Mississippi’s Board of Commissioners and the Hancock County Tourism Development Commission, respectively.

- story by Lisa Monti

 
Nikki said she would like to see more revenue for Coastal Mississippi during her year as president to better promote the 12 communities in the three coastal counties.

“Once visitors experience the coast, you know they will return. They love the people, the hospitality, the food, the art - oh, did I mention the people?

​"Another hope is to make sure our locals believe in our coast as much as those who promote it do. Bring your family here, your high school reunion, your wedding. Let your friends and family experience what we know is the best of the South, maybe the best of America – the Mississippi Coast.”

 
Janice Guido, the owner of Bay Life Gifts in Century Hall, has been tapped to replace Nikki as the Hancock Chamber’s representative on the Hancock County Tourism Development Commission. Janice worked for 30 years in the hotel, hospitality and tourism industry in New Orleans. She and Nikki worked together all those years, promoting the city and its attractions.
 
As the Chamber's tourism liaison, Janice works with the other appointed members and Myrna Green, Hancock County Tourism Development Bureau Director. Members work to promote events and attractions and to support new events that will draw more people to visit the county.
 
Janice also was named to fill the newly created ex officio tourism liaison spot on the Hancock Chamber board.

​“I report to the board to keep them aware of what’s going on and update them on tourism in general and about anything relevant they need to know.” She also works with the Chamber relocation committee that focuses on getting new residents to move to the county.
 
“My goal is to try to keep everybody in loop and not miss any opportunities,” Janice said.

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music!

Be sure to check out "Hot Spots" Antique Maison (111 North 2nd Street) and Daquiri Shak (112 Court Street). Read more about these featured businesses below! 
​
- stories by Caroline St. Paul, photos by Caroline St. Paul and Ellis Anderson

Antique Maison
111 North Second Street 
Bay St. Louis​
(228) 466-4848
Website
​
Forget everything you thought you knew about antiquing and prepare for a unique experience at Antique Maison on 2nd Street. It is a struggle to figure out a way to describe the place; simply calling it an antique store seems inadequate. Is it a gallery? A market? A bazaar? The answer is yes – it is all of the above, and then some.

Originally opened in 2006 by Sylvia and Ed Young, Antique Maison is a veritable smorgasbord of treasures. Shoppers should prepare themselves to see things that haven’t crossed their mind in years and for the memories of that item to come rushing back. Vintage postcards, books, toys, tools, original arts and crafts, gloriously beautiful furniture from bygone eras, crystal, vintage handbags ($25 Dooney and Bourke, ladies?), jewelry, religious gifts, pre-seasoned cast iron (by a chef, no less), tools and vinyl are just a few of THOUSANDS of things to enjoy.

In speaking with the management team, Missy Geisel and Anne Mann, it is clear that love and hard work is what has made Antique Maison such a success. They are extremely complimentary of each other, with one often crediting the other for things they’ve learned. One thing is for certain, though – they have the utmost respect for Ed and Sylvia, who have put all of their devotion into their businesses and to each other. We were not able to catch up with Ed and Sylvia for this article due to Sylvia’s recent health issues. She has suffered multiple strokes over the course of a few months, so they’ve decided it would be best to close the Antique Maison location on Ullman Avenue as the Youngs adjust to the new normal. Meanwhile, Sylvia’s health is improving, and cards and visitors are welcome.

Allow a minimum of an hour to go through Antique Maison, and pace yourself. Anne can give you an amazing tour and can tell you about every artist and dealer at each of the 40 booths. It was clear from our walk-through that there is a piece of her heart in each booth, and she enjoys the environment as much as she does introducing it to others. It is truly worth a visit – you will learn something new and revisit the warmest, most beautiful memories from your past as you remember the last time you saw your grandmother’s sewing tin or the old license plates nailed to the walls of your great uncle’s garage. Every piece in every booth has been expertly curated and brought to Old Town Bay St. Louis for you to enjoy.

To experience the eclectic and nostalgic magic of Antique Maison, pay them a visit at 111 North Second Street. They are open 7 days a week 10-5. Be sure and stop by during Second Saturday on September 14 and enjoy the music while you browse!
​

Daquiri Shak
112 Court Street 
Bay St. Louis​
(228) 344-3440
Website

Cool down at the Old Town Merchants Association’s September Hot Spot, Daiquiri Shak! Co-owned by New Orleans transplants Rhonda and Gus Bridges and their daughter and son-in-law, Carrie and Caleb McQueen, this little Court Street oasis boasts fourteen daiquiri machines and infinite flavor combinations, including their own special family recipes. These frozen concoctions will indeed help you hang onto the last few weeks of summer, but they will keep the party going throughout all seasons, with limited-time promotions, such as the Pumpkin Spice White Russian, which is scheduled for release in October.

The shop is quaint and small, located inside a converted home. It has a beautifully finished bar and tables. Comfortable living-room style seating in the very front of the shop complete with tropical plants and throw pillows beckons customers to come sit, relax and enjoy their frozen treat and just be present and breathe. It is relaxing respite from the everyday, and Rhonda makes you feel as if you are in her home for a visit with a trusted friend. That atmosphere is truly a reflection of Rhonda’s frame of mind.

When we asked what she likes the most about running the business, she smiled and enthusiastically replied that she is doing what she does as a retiree therefore, everything is a matter of choosing to do what she loves every day around the people she loves the most.

Approaching her business as a matter of love has paid off. Rhonda and family are proud to announce that they will be breaking ground on a new location in the near future. Although they are in the early stages of planning, they will be building a new place directly across from the Purple Banana. They are looking forward to being closer to the water and welcoming people to a beautiful front porch where they can enjoy the beauty of Beach Boulevard in addition to a daiquiri.

In the meantime, Daiquiri Shak is open 11 am - 8 pm Sunday through Thursday, and 11 am - 11 pm on Friday and Saturday. Be sure and stop by on September 14 to enjoy the live music. Maybe you can even put your creativity to the test and come up with a new and inventive flavor combination!

Chef Tara Davis elevates comfort foods to new heights using sustainable, locally sourced ingredients.

-Story by Lisa Monti, photos by Lisa Monti and The Savage Skillet
​

 
“Time has flown,” said Tara, looking back at the storefront opening four months ago. “We’ve been very well received and supported well by the community.”
 ​

 
Many customers have become regulars, and orders from offices for carry-out meals are routine. And word of mouth keeps bringing in new customers.
 
Tara’s culinary education, training and experience shows in both her menus and her dishes. She honed her skills with award-winning chefs and on several Texas venues. The Savage Skillet logo with a cast iron skillet and a sharp knife shows her reliance on the basics for preparing good food.
 ​ 
“First and foremost, we use locally-sourced foods as much as possible,” she said.
 
The day starts early, around 5 am, for the all-female crew to get everything ready for the doors to open. That way, Tara says, customers know that when they come in, they’re going to get something “made fresh and not frozen, from local sources and as seasonal as possible.”
 ​ 
The selections are almost all comfort food, reminiscent of meals that make for happy memories. “Meat loaf like your grandmother made,” she said.
 

​ Tara doesn’t believe in disguising or masking any one ingredient in a dish. “I personally love for ingredients to stand out and for you to get every flavor all the way through. I want it to all be a star.”
 
Savage Skillet customers have plenty of options at the storefront, which is open Wednesday through Saturday from 6:30 am to 6 pm. There’s a variety of breakfast items available at 6:30 am, with daily specials ready at 7:30 am. 
 ​
The full daily menu is available from 9 am to 3 pm. If you’re not grabbing something before work or during your lunch hour, you can settle into the restaurant’s roomy dining area to enjoy your meal.
 
The restaurant is an open, welcoming setting, nothing fancy by design, she says. “It’s really an easy place to come in and have an elevated eating experience without it being overwhelming or intimidating.”
 
Breakfast choices vary including stuffed croissants, a French toast sandwich, fruit and yogurt parfaits and various freshly baked muffins. Assorted breakfast tacos with house-made salsas are always available. Breakfast costs $3 to $5.95.
 
The lunch menu changes daily but always features two lunch items, starting at $5.95 and topping out at $11.95. (You can subscribe to receive the weekly menu at https://www.savageskillet.com/.)

 
Recent lunch offerings included a pork chop with mashed sweet potatoes and wilted spinach, three hand pies and salad, and steak or mushroom and pasta in a cream sauce.
 
The convenience of prepared meals seems to appeal most to Savage Skillet customers. “The grab-and-go case is the most popular, hands down,” Tara said. The offerings are perfect for a picnic for two, a brown bag lunch or a weekend’s worth of meals for families staying in a vacation rental or a second home. 
 
“We keep everything on hand, from specialty items to staples like chicken salad, black bean salad, sandwiches, wraps and soups,” Tara said.
​

​​ 
Soups are a runaway favorite with Savage Skillet customers. Recently Tara prepared Mexican pozole, lemon chicken, bisque, gazpacho, plus perennial favorites chicken noodle and steak and potato.
 
“We also do meal prep for families and individuals,” she said. The meal prep is made to order for individuals who want to order a couple or more items. Back to school is a great time to get some help with meal planning.
 
“Also, if they have certain dietary needs or desires, we can come up with a menu for them.” No matter what you get, “it’s seasonal and local, always fresh from scratch every day.”
 
Patrons will also be tempted by regional products on display, like salsas, rices, hot sauce, spices and coffee. And dog owners can pick up all-natural, no-preservative treats from Friends of the Animal Shelter, which receives 100 percent of the Savage Skillet sales. Tara even donates $1 for every box of treats sold.
 
Savage Skillet offers full service catering year-round, and every six or eight weeks Tara puts together a special culinary after-hours evening event to showcase local products and pairing. The next one will be in late September. The same space is available for meetings or other group events.
 
In a short time, Savage Skillet has become a go-to known for tasty comfort food and fresh, creative dishes. “It’s really nice to be supported by our neighbors,” Tara says. “We always wanted to be the neighborhood stop and hope to continue to build on it.”
​

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on a new event on Coleman Avenue; the acquisition of land for a new park; and a second Waveland lighthouse?
​​

​ 
The next Waveland Food Truck Friday is scheduled for Friday, October 18 from 5 to 8 pm. You can “like” Waveland Food Truck Friday on Facebook to keep up with the latest news about the events.

​Avenue B Park
 
The city of Waveland is acquiring two parcels at the corner of Caspian and Avenue B in order to construct a park. Waveland saw a need for a park on the north side of Highway 90, and the property being acquired will be gifted to Waveland by the Mississippi Secretary of State. Once the property officially belongs to the city, building the park will be one of the top priorities for the city of Waveland. 
 

​I will call you, Mini Lighthouse
 
The City of Waveland is now the home to not one, but two lighthouses. Well, kinda. The Arts, Hancock County recently donated a replica of the Waveland Lighthouse to the city. The replica lighthouse originally made its debut at the Studio Waveland Street Party on Coleman Avenue in June and made another appearance in front of the original Waveland Lighthouse at the July 4th Destination Waveland event.
 
City of Waveland appreciates the artists that put in hundreds of hours in creating this lovable masterpiece.

A day-trip to this venerable neighborhood reveals that its most interesting facets aren’t the most obvious.
​
- story by Dena Temple, photos by Ellis Anderson

​ 
I set out early and headed west from the coast on I-10, sun at my back. It was a beautiful summer morning, early enough for the sun and the mercury to be low. One of the appeals of life on the Mississippi coast is its close proximity to New Orleans. From my home in Waveland to the French Quarter, it’s an easy one-hour drive.
 
Before long I crossed Lake Ponchartrain on the Frank Davis “Naturally N’Awlins” Bridge. It is named after the locally beloved WWL radio and TV personality known for his fishing and cooking stories, and I’m touched by the tribute. Highways and bridges in the North are usually named for politicians, not local celebrities, and I like the difference in attitude.

 
I arrived at 7:30 am and parked at Solaris Parking Garage (721 Iberville St.). Just one block off Canal Street that is one of the French Quarter’s boundaries, the garage is easy to find. Monday through Thursday, if you park before 9am and leave before 7 pm, they offer a very affordable early-bird rate of $8. Even with a full French Quarter itinerary, that allows plenty of time for a cocktail or early dinner before heading home to the coast. (An early bird special is also offered at Canal Place).
 
After parking, I strolled down Iberville toward the Mississippi River turned left on Chartres. My three must-haves for this adventure were bottled water (because it was already 85 degrees at 8 am), a headband (because the humidity is 85 percent), and comfy shoes. The numbers are a little misleading; in the early morning, the buildings provide quite a bit of shade.
 
Not many people were around this early, so I could easily see the buildings and businesses as I walked along: K-Paul, SoBou, the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel. As I passed, I made a mental note to investigate the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum (514 Chartres St., (504) 565-8027); the cool bottles and paraphernalia in the window of this circa-1823 apothecary are quite intriguing.

​After passing through Jackson Square (more on that later), I met up with Ellis at her Chartres Street walk-up, in a building constructed nearly 200 years ago.
​

 
Our first stop was Croissant D’Or Patisserie (617 Ursulines St.) for a quick breakfast before our walking tour of the French Quarter. The building formerly housed Angelo Brocato’s popular ice cream parlor, which operated in the French Quarter from 1905 until it relocated to 214 N. Carrollton Ave. in 1981.
 
Gleaming white subway-tiled walls from the ice cream parlor still remain, along with Victorian mosaic tile floors and cheery French borders that remind one of wedding cake frosting. The bakery is famous for its baguettes and buttery croissants, and it features a display case full of tempting treats, sandwiches and tarts. We found a particularly inviting table in the front window for coffee and people-watching and split a satisfying quiche, finishing just as our tour guide arrived.

​Glennis Waterman, a writer from California, volunteers as a tour guide with Friends of the Cabildo, an independent nonprofit that works with the Louisiana State Museum. Tour guides receive over 100 hours of training on the history of the French Quarter as well as training on presentation techniques. Candidates must pass written testing and a one-on-one evaluation in order to become licensed tour guides.
 
In exchange for this free training, guides are asked to commit to two years of volunteer service for FOC and lead tours an average of once or twice per month. Normally, the Cabildo walking tours start at the 1850 House on Jackson Square and last around two hours. Tour guides are encouraged to develop their own routes, so no two tours are exactly alike.
 
Glennis, a licensed guide and a friend of Ellis’s, had agreed to accommodate our breakfast plans and start our tour at Croissant D’Or. She’d be with us all morning, a wonderful indulgence for our French Quarter history day. Glennis met us at the café wearing gold-sequined sneakers and a fedora that complements her short hair. Her smile and enthusiasm were contagious as she gave us a brief orientation of what we’d be seeing.

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It was soon clear that every building has a layered and well-documented history of owners and businesses, each with amusing anecdotes and interesting facts. We passed buildings that were formerly theaters, ballrooms, shops and pubs. Sometimes, there were even stories for places where no buildings at all stand. Like any cityscape, the French Quarter constantly changes, and today’s vacant lots were yesterday’s warehouses – or in some cases, strip clubs.
 
For example, a garden at the corner of Ursuline and Royal was the location of the Gaiety Theater, opened in 1913. The theater went through several incarnations: vaudeville house, Italian-language theater, burlesque house, and finally a porn theater. After a campaign orchestrated by the neighbors, the old Gaiety Theater was torn down in 1972 and today serves as the private garden to an adjoining home.
 
Glennis walked us back toward the river to Chartres Street. It’s actually pronounced “char-ter.” Despite the neighborhood’s name, proper French pronunciations have often been thrown to the wind over the years - like many other conventions in this place.

At the intersection of Chartres and Ursulines Street stands the Old Ursuline Convent. It was built in 1745 to house Ursuline nuns, who worked as nurses. The imposing edifice is the oldest surviving building in the Mississippi River Valley. It’s now operated as a museum. A walk through their beautiful boxwood gardens is free.
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Just across the street is the beautiful 1826 Beauregard-Keyes House. Glennis related information about the notable owners it’s named after - Confederate General Pierre Gustave Beauregard and author Frances Parkinson Keyes. But the highlight was a scandalous tale involving another owner, Corrado Giacona, a wholesale liquor merchant.

 
Corrado and his father Pietro were part of the first wave of Sicilian immigrants to take up residence in the French Quarter. The second wave brought poorer Sicilians, as well as the “Black Hand,” a group of Sicilian thugs who extorted money from local business owners with threats of personal harm or destruction of the business.
 
As was the case with many businesses in “Little Palermo,” as the French Quarter was nicknamed at the time, the mob extorted protection money from the Giaconas. One evening, during a heated exchange in the home, three of the mobsters were fatally shot, and a fourth was wounded and fled. He was later found hiding in a nearby henhouse, clutching a chicken to his chest to slow the bleeding. Corrado and his father were arrested for the shootings. At trial, they were found innocent and became heroes of the Sicilian community.
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In later years, the house fell into disrepair as subsequent owners failed to do much-needed maintenance. Frances Parkinson Keyes, author of such works as “Dinner at Antoine’s” and “All That Glitters,” purchased the house in 1945 and undertook extensive renovations. She also established a nonprofit foundation to maintain the home as a museum after her death, which operates to this day.

 
As our walking tour continued, Glennis spoke a bit about the first settlers in the region, largely French orphans, deported galley slaves, trappers, smugglers, prisoners and other riffraff. With the freedom to establish new identities in a new land, these citizens of questionable repute developed a faux aristocracy, and much of their time was largely spent drinking, dancing and gambling.
 
When Spain gained control of the region in 1763, they attempted to rein in the colonists and did quite a bit to improve their lives - including paving the streets, installing street lights, and enacting better laws governing the emancipation of slaves. Louisiana became home to the largest population of free people of color in the nation.

 
Before long we entered the famous Jackson Square, with the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral and the two buildings that flank it, the Cabildo (ca. 1795) and the Presbytère (ca. 1847). The Cabildo once served as City Hall, today it is a museum. The Presbytère, built to match the Cabildo, was originally built as housing for Roman Catholic priests and operates as a museum today.

As the sun moved higher in the sky it became harder to find shade, so we slipped quietly into the cool, reverent dimness of St. Louis Cathedral. Beautiful frescoes adorned the ceiling, and the interior was tinted by sunlight through stained glass. Our quiet appreciation extended to the air conditioning here, too, which offered a break from the August heat.
 

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​As we left, we spotted the beautiful white marble statue of Pope John Paul II outside the cathedral. Created by Franco Allesandrini to commemorate the Pope’s visit to New Orleans in 1987, the heartwarming statue showing the Pope with two small children was dedicated last year for the city’s Tricentennial celebration.

Flanking the sides of Jackson Square are two identical four-story brick buildings known as the Pontalba Buildings, built in the 1840s. Each building was originally divided into 16 row houses and two-story, single-family units, but most have since been converted into smaller apartments.

 The Louisiana State Museum owns and operates the 1850 House Museum in the Pontalba, featuring a restored row house as it would have appeared in the mid-19th Century. A self-guided tour leads visitors from the ground floor, where servants prepared the family meals, to the second floor living areas, to the third floor sleeping quarters. While viewing several of the rooms, recordings of “virtual conversations” play to give visitors an idea of what life might have been like for the residents in 1850.

 
Our walking tour continued as we ventured down Pirate Alley, between the cathedral and the Cabildo, where the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte was said to have handled his nefarious business. As we strolled down St. Peter Street toward Bourbon, Glennis discussed the history of Preservation Hall (726 St. Peter Street), headquarters of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which started life as an art gallery and was converted to a full-time jazz club in 1961.
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 By then it was nearly noon, and time for lunch. We ducked into the Historic New Orleans Collection’s new complex at 520 Royal Street.  The historic house fronting Royal Street is the Seignouret-Brulatour Building. To the rear of the property is a brand-new, ultra-modern gallery space, called the Tricentennial Wing.

The courtyard is a peaceful, serene escape from the bustle of the streets. A small door tucked away on the right was adorned with a small sign, “Café Cour.” The only hint at the pleasure that awaited us beyond the sign was a steady stream of people with bags of take-out. A café within a museum complex was the perfect lunch destination.

 
Café Cour’s menu features baked goods, creative salads, Muffulettu (a spin on the traditional Muffuletta) and bocadillu sandwiches on house-made breads - and mouth-watering daily specials. We each chose a different menu item: Goi Ga, a Vietnamese chicken salad; Del la Cour, a salad of mixed greens with picked beets, pecorino and cayenne pecans; and Tortilla Española, a bocadillo with manchego, tomato and pepper aioli.
 
While we waited we chatted with Voice Monet, who has served as general manager of the eatery since its opening in April. She called the restaurant’s concept “heritage foods” – built on cooking styles and ingredients pulled from many different cultures, but sourced locally to provide the best nutrition, sustainably. All their baked goods are made either in-house or at their parent restaurant, Carmo.
 
After our satisfying meal, we said our goodbyes to Glennis, who had been a wonderful, animated guide for our morning adventure. 
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Our hunger sated and our feet rested, it was time to explore the complex. We started in the new building, called the Tricentennial Wing, completed and opened just months ago. The museum is offering an exhibition through October 6 in this building titled, “Art of the City: Postmodern to Post-Katrina.”
 
This wide-ranging and moving exhibition, guest curated by Jan Gilbert, looks at contemporary postmodern art (1984-present) by both local and visiting artists - as well as talented newcomers. While Katrina is a subject that finds its imprint on some of the works, there is a broader sense of the hope and even whimsy of New Orleans captured as well.

Some pieces are thought-provoking, some sad, some silly and some joyful – the exhibit is a true melting pot of messages, just like the city itself. We were delighted to see the inclusion of a piece (“Red Screen,” a three-panel screen of cranberry glass and metal) by New Orleans - and now Waveland - artist Mitchell Gaudet. Gaudet and his wife, sculptor Erica Larkin Gaudet, opened Studio Waveland on the coast in 2018, infusing the Bay-Waveland area with fresh vibrancy.
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THNOC offers several guided tours throughout the day (register for them here). We were met by Kurt Owens as we left the exhibition. He’s been a museum interpreter for The Historic New Orleans Collection since 2013.

​Our first stop was just across the courtyard, the Seignouret-Brulatour Building, built by François Seignouret in 1816. Today it serves as a home for the museum’s permanent collection upstairs. On the street level, a welcome center and tempting gift shop flank the central arched entryway.
 
Kurt pointed out a number of interesting architectural features in the building, including a solid cypress staircase and a 700-pipe, 65,000-piece organ installed by previous owner Pierre Brulatour, a wine importer. The building had also been used as an art school and as studio space for WDSU-TV from 1950 to 1997.

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We were also joined by museum interpreter Malinda Blevins, whose enthusiasm matched Kurt’s in sharing the story of these marvelous buildings. We made our way across Royal Street to a warren of buildings that made up the original Historic New Orleans Collection campus.

​Merieult House, the main front building, was built in 1792 by Jean Francois Merieult, a merchant and trader. The Spanish colonial house was remodeled in the 1830s by the Lizardi Brothers, Cuban merchants and bankers, and it looks much the same today as it did in 1830.
 
Bordering the main courtyard, the Counting House is so named for the banking activities of the Lizardi Brothers. A grand Greek Revival room features opulent furnishings and oil paintings of many of the home’s previous residents.

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Next we visited one of the main attractions of the Historic New Orleans Collection, the Williams Residence. The house is named for Kemper and Leila Williams, who owned the home from 1945 to 1964. The two-story Italianate brick townhouse, originally built in 1889, was lovingly restored by the Williamses. After the death of Kemper Williams in 1971, the house was willed to the Historic New Orleans Collection, which they founded.

​ The museum shows the home with their 1950s decor just as it was when they lived there. Mrs. Williams meticulously decorated the home based on Edith Wharton’s book, “The Decoration of Houses.” The rooms are monochromatic, as per the book’s direction, and no two lamps are alike.
 
Mrs. Williams also had a love of stacking tables (there is a set in every room), and a love of china, of which she owned many sets (several are on display in the house, the rest are in storage). Malinda related an anecdote about the couple’s Dachshunds; the pair, which slept in the stall shower in the master bath, were punished when they misbehaved by being locked in the elevator!
 
At the end of the tour, we say our goodbyes to Kurt and Malinda. We so enjoyed our time with them – their knowledge enriched our tour of the properties of The Historic New Orleans Collection, making it a memorable afternoon.

The Napoleon House was the perfect place to end a day of French Quarter history. We walked through the doors into another era. The grand bar, the chipped plaster walls, tile floors and classical music embraced us as we entered.
 
According to the restaurant’s website, “The building's first occupant, Nicholas Girod, was mayor of New Orleans from 1812 to 1815. He offered his residence to Napoleon in 1821 as a refuge during his exile. Napoleon never made it, but the name stuck, and since then, the Napoleon House has become one of the most famous bars in America, a haunt for artists and writers throughout most of the 20th century.”
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​The Impastato family, who ran the Napoleon House for almost a century, sold it to restaurateur Ralph Brennan in 2015. Brennan became an instant city hero when he announced he wasn’t making changes.
 
The restaurant is well known for its Italian Muffuletta, and equally famous for the Pimm's Cup, a gin-based cocktail invented here in the 1940s and still very popular today. Containing lemonade, 7-Up and a cucumber garnish, it sounded too refreshing to pass up. I can attest that it was the perfect cocktail after a day of traveling back in time.

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Rather than stay for dinner, I opted to head back to the coast before the rush-hour traffic caught up with me. I walked the few blocks back to the Solaris parking garage, waved farewell to the French Quarter, and headed east.
 
As a relatively new resident of the South, spending a day learning about the evolution of the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans was one of the most interesting days I’ve had since relocating to the Gulf Coast. I promised myself that this would be the first of many day-trips exploring this fascinating city, where the most interesting attractions aren’t necessarily the most obvious.
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We invite you to check out The Shoofly Magazine's new sister publication, French Quarter Journal!  You can also subscribe to the FQJ weekly newsletter with our latest stories.  

Internationally revered piano genius James Booker spent time growing up in Bay St. Louis.  Writer Edward Gibson traces some of those early years and explains why the Bay was always a touchstone for the legend who died too young. 

It is unclear whether these lines are an anthem to inspire the East Germans or a confession. He turns then to Aretha Franklin’s “People Get Ready.” “I’m free at last,” he sings before he transforms Franklin’s theme into a blues riff in the high register before turning it again, now into ragtime, and then back again to Aretha’s song of freedom.
 

The politics could not have been lost on the men in gray uniforms, not only the message of freedom but the exuberant expression of it. But before he could be dragged off to the Runde Eckei for interrogation, he turned 180 degrees to Chopin, a deft and exact rendition of the “Minute Waltz,” and then turns again to a left-handed boogie before closing the show with “Malengua de la Lousiana,” a Fess inspired flamenco, a melodic and rhythmic largesse packaged into three minutes and four seconds.
 
James Booker was (and is) a mystery to all, to his friends and family and to other musicians, and so it may be presumptuous to say that side B of the live recording in Leipzig, entitled “Sic Transit Gloria Mundi” (AMIGA) captures not only Booker’s talent but the frenetic and troubled man behind the keys.
 
All agree that James Carroll Booker was a complex character, a true musical genius, tormented and defeated by his own worst tendencies. Yet James Booker played with a speed, imagination, and touch that has left such masters as Arthur Rubinstein, George Winston and Harry Connick Jr. in silent awe.
 

​Born in 1939 at Charity Hospital to J.H. Booker and Ora Champagne, James Carroll Booker III grew up between New Orleans and Bay St. Louis. His father was a reverend and professional dancer from Bryan, Texas. His mother was a Creole, and several years younger than J.H. Booker.
 
J.C., as family called him, moved at age two to 126 Ballentine Street in Bay St. Louis, the home of his aunt, Bessie Lizana. Betty Jean Booker, his older sister by six years, joined him two years later when the Rev. Booker suffered a stroke.
 
It was on Ballentine that Booker’s musical talent flourished. Bessie Lizana and her husband, Bernard, enjoyed a relatively prosperous life. Among their few luxuries, an upright piano occupied a corner of the large main room. He received instruction from Ms. Natalie Piernas and attended the St. Rose de Lima School.
 
In elementary school when other children played bells, triangles and woodblocks, Booker played piano. He mastered it by age seven. He received a saxophone as a gift and mastered that as well. According to Ms. Lizana, Booker enjoyed his life near the Gulf. In addition to learning piano and saxophone, he crabbed and fished with a Mr. Prowell, the husband of Lizana’s employer.

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It is not clear how long Booker stayed in the Bay. Booker himself accounts being struck by an ambulance at age nine in about 1948. Documentary filmmaker Lily Keber places the accident in New Orleans, on Dauphine Street. According to Kent Taylor, J.C. Booker and Betty Jean moved to New Orleans with his mother and lived at his aunt Eva Sylvester’s home at 2511½ Third Street in Uptown, across from Shakespeare Park and around the corner from the famed Dew Drop Inn. Booker attended Xavier Prep and met fellow Orleanians and contemporaries Art and Charles Neville, as well as Allen Toussaint.
 
Betty Jean began to sing gospel at WMRY and introduced J.C. to the station’s producers. In short order he formed Booker Boy and the Rhythmaires. The radio shows caught the attention of Dave Bartholomew, and in 1954, at age 15, Booker cut his first single for Imperial Records, “Doin’ the Hambone” / “Thinkin’ ‘Bout my Baby.”
 

 
Before the end of his senior year at Xavier, Booker took to the road. He toured with popular artists like Joe Tex and Earl King. Booker found work making the most of his own sound but he also imitated the styles of other piano greats.

​He so impressed producer Johnny Vincent, of Ace Records in Jackson, Miss., that Vincent hired Booker to tour as Huey “Piano” Smith. Huey Smith did not like touring, so Booker toured in his place, not in support of Smith, but actually appearing on the bill as Huey “Piano” Smith.
 
A busted tour with Dee Clark (“Nobody but You”) found Booker down and out in Houston, Tex., but he soon impressed the producers at Duke/Peacock Records. Soon he backed Peacock’s clients, acts such as Junior Parker (“Next Time You See Me”) and Bobby “Blue” Bland (“Farther on up the Road”).
 
In 1962, Booker scored his only top ten hit, “Gonzo,” on the Peacock label. Throughout the 1960s Booker recorded and/or toured with Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Freddie King, Wilson Pickett and others. In 1968, at the request of David Bartholomew, Booker recorded all of the piano tracks for the Fats Domino record “Fats is Back (Reprise).” Domino, a tireless touring musician, was too busy to return to New Orleans to record. The record includes two of Booker’s best originals, “My Old Friends” and “So Swell When You’re Well.”
 

 
In 1967, at the height of his touring and recording career, Booker lost both his mother, Ora Champagne, and his sister, Betty Jean. According to Charles Neville, the loss of his family exacerbated Booker’s mental health issues. Three years later, while entering the Dew Drop Inn, New Orleans Police caught Booker with heroin. He served a year in Angola and 34 days in the Orleans Parish Prison.
 
The brutality of Angola took a further toll on Booker’s mental health. Although he continued to record and perform throughout the early 1970s, his deteriorating mental health and drug addiction irreparably damaged Booker’s rising star. He continued to record as a backing musician during the early 70s - most notably with Ringo Starr and the Doobie Brothers - but his career continued to founder until an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest in 1975.
 
His performance drew the attention of Island Records, which signed him to a recording contract. More significant was the attention it drew from European promoter Nobert Hess, who brought him to Europe for tours in 1977 and 1978. The tours produced several records including “New Orleans Piano Wizard (Rounder)” and the aforementioned “Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (Let’s Make a Better World)” (AMIGA).
 

Throughout his long and storied career, it is unclear when and how often Booker returned to the Bay to visit his Aunt Bessie Lizana and nephew Kent Taylor and nieces, Shelia Twiggs and Yolanda Barroughs, but return he did.
 
Accounts differ as to how often he accompanied the choir at St. Rose de Lima. According to one source, he played only a few Christmas pageants during the ministry of Father Borgia Aubespin (1973-1978). Others recall more frequent visits.
 
According to Kent Taylor, Booker returned again and again for family. He would attend the service at St. Rose, perhaps accompanying the choir. Then, he would retire with family and friends to Ballentine Street for Bessie Lizana’s Sunday dinner. Neighbors would come from Chinch Alley (Easy St.) and bring instruments. Ellsworth Collins came from 216 Sycamore and brought a guitar. Another neighbor, Clarence Collins, joined.

 
Considering the troubled and tormented life of James Carroll Booker, such a picaresque Sunday afternoon undoubtedly drew the Piano Prince back home to the Bay. How could, as Dr. John described him, “the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano player to ever come out of New Orleans,” resist the sound of Southern gospel, jazz and R&B, heard through open windows as far as the beach, all punctuated by the smell of Aunt Bessie’s gumbo?
 
Kent is the first to confess that Booker was also known “to be out for a fix” before playing Lizana’s upright through the night. He believed Miss Lizana overlooked Booker’s drug addiction. She told Jon Foose at Booker’s end that “I have never seen a child as good…. he was smart as a whip.”[1]
 
Others recount that in the sixties, the other Booker, the Uptown Booker, would occasionally make his way up Sycamore Street to the clubs that lined the block, the Crack and Big Five Club.

Despite success and the adoration of European fans, heroin, cocaine and paranoia plagued the Piano Prince. By the early 1980s he had returned to the bars, playing a regular Tuesday night show at the Maple Leaf, either alone or with Johnny Vidacovich and “Red” Tyler.
 
His tenure at the Maple Leaf was erratic, from sublime shows (captured on several posthumously released albums) to no-shows, and prima donna tantrums, refusing to play at all. During this time, his only steady gig was at the Toulouse Theater in the French Quarter, playing intermission of the show “One Mo’ Time.”
 
Taylor who — like Booker — divided time between Ballentine in the Bay and New Orleans, would accompany Booker to local gigs. There was a room at Tipitina’s where Booker could shoot up cocaine and heroin. Taylor would wait outside.
 
Once, he recalled, Booker returned from Europe with two briefcases. In one, Taylor said was money, a briefcase full of money. “I want this for you. You can have this,” Taylor recounts Booker saying, “But you stay away from this other case. This ain’t for you.” Booker did not show Taylor the contents, but Taylor knew.

[1]Id.
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James Carroll III died Nov. 8, 1983. Taylor and Bessie Lizana went to his one-bedroom apartment in the French Quarter. By Taylor’s account, the apartment was filled with empty bottles of Canadian Mist, fifths, half gallons and pints, all empty. According to Taylor, doctors had told Booker in no uncertain terms that his liver had failed him and any more drinking would kill him. J.C. would not or could not stop. Documentary footage of his funeral show friends - among them, Red Tyler, Deacon John, and three elderly women - Bessie Lizana among them.
 
As to how he lost his eye, nobody knows - a cheap journalistic trick, of course, but one of which Booker would approve. Booker was a showman, and a showman loves and needs mystery.
 
He told Johnny Vidacovich that record producers beat it out of him after Booker worked some flimflam. He told Dr. John that John F. Kennedy did it. To Charles Neville and many others, Ringo did it, thus the star on the black patch he wore. He told Kent Taylor he lost it in Angola, but would not say how. The truth was likely too painful for Booker to share.

 Booker had the marvelous gift to be able to set aside the tragedy of his own life - the addiction, the paranoia, the loss of family - and communicate joy through the keyboard. His own compositions are imbued with irony and humor, not only in the lyrics, but in his voice, and again, not just his voice but the piano itself. He can tear into Rachmaninoff with such authentic gusto and flair, then wind it into a Jelly Roll Morton swing, then again into “Goodnight Irene.”
 
There is a tremendous effusion of comedic wit in the way Booker folds a theme, song or style in on itself, transforming it again and again till it is, at once something different and yet somehow the same, like a Mobius strip or an M.C. Escher print.
 
It is hard to square this humor, this joy, with the man whom the New Orleans police reported had track marks in both arms with a total of 22 scabs. It’s hard to square the beauty with the ranting, broken man screaming over the piano at the Maple Leaf. He screams “Like the Bible tell you are guaranteed to live to seventy if you do the right thing. My mother wasn’t no junkie. She died when she was fifty-three.”
 
Booker puts it best in the liner notes of his best studio release, Junco Partner (1976): “To know the feeling of rejoicing in sorrow is nothing strange to me.”
 

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SOURCES
Author Unknown. “James Booker” http://roots.life/new-orleans/james-booker/
Matthews, Bunny. “James Booker: Music as a Mysterious Art.” Wavelength, p. 24. Dec. 1983.
Foose, Jon. “Booker’s Life and Achievement.” Wavelength, p. 28. Dec. 1983
Keber, Lily “Bayou Maharaja” Netflix. 2013.
McDermott, Tom. “James Booker” https://64parishes.org/entry/james-booker
McDermott, Tom. “Remembering James Booker”. Offbeat. May 1, 1996
O’Hagen, Sean. “Cocaine boogie: James Booker, the tragic piano genius of New Orleans”. The Guardian. Nov. 20, 2013.
Parlese, Jon. “James Booker: Piano Prince” New York Times. Nov. 10, 1983. 

Friday, August 30th

8PM:  Lazy Magnolia Brewery and Cathead Vodka present a screening of Lily Keber's Bayou Maharajah, the definitive documentary on Booker at 100 Men Hall. Delicious eats for purchase by The Smoking Oyster.

Saturday, August 31st

10AM:  Hollywood Casino and Hancock Whitney Bank present the St. Rose Gospel Choir on 100 Men Hall's historic stage.

4 - 5PM:  Reflections on Booker by local Ellis Anderson, publisher of Shoofly Magazine.

5 - 6PM:  The Silver Slipper presents a Booker piano tribute performed by New Orleans piano greats -Tom McDermott and Josh Paxton. Delicious eats for purchase by The Smoking Oyster.

9 – 11PM:  The Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area presents a Dance Party with Cuban superstar Alexey Martí accompanied by Jorge Perez, Paolo Castanogli and Oscar Rossignoli. Delicious eats for purchase by The Smoking Oyster.