Best Of New Orleans Blog

I know my last post was about Vi Landry’s death and I’m not trying to dwell on it to bum out casual blogofneworleans readers, whoever you are, but I’ve been super ill this week and in between running a 102 degree fever while DJ’ing at the St. Roch Tavern on Saturday (as I do ever Saturday, hint hint) and breaking out in hives from head to toe (including one on the tip of my tongue) on Monday morning, the one thing I managed to do was bike down to the Bywater for Vi’s Second Line.And may I say:I’ve been to a lot of parades, street parties, festivals, shows, whatever in New Orleans, all for a lot of different causes, and this was one of the most loving and beautiful events I’ve ever seen. About sixty or so people, mostly local Bywater and Midcity weirdoes: Local artists, punks and bohemian types mixed in with old neighborhood people who new Vi when she bar-tended at Vaughan’s, or through her mom who lives on Alvar Street. Even Bill Moss, my old boss from French Quarter bikes, brought his trumpet down. (more…)

If you have ever dredged through a plate of starchy batter, candy-sweet sauce and deep-fried anything at a typical Chinese restaurant in these parts and found yourself wishing you could get a taste of whatever the Chinese cooks were whipping up for their own staff meal back in the kitchen, I recommend you proceed directly to China Rose, a restaurant in Fat City I reviewed this week.

The standard menu is pretty familiar, with the usual Americanized Chinese fare ranging in quality from pretty good (the sizzling beef) to dreck. But the thing here is their Chinese menu, an alternate bill of fare not prominently promoted but brought out for anyone who asks for it.

I had grown accustomed to requesting the Chinese menu, but after a month of periodic visits to work my way through its offerings I was startled to discover yet a third menu lurking by the hostess stand. A Chinese gentleman, who introduced himself as a local university professor, revealed this menu to us after noting approvingly of our choices from the larger Chinese menu.

This third menu is all about noodles. Some are noodle soups, others are noodles with sauce, meats and vegetables. An example of the latter we tried was a deliciously spicy dish called dan-dan noodles (pictured above) — a pile of springy, nutty, ramen-like noodles mixed with bits of minced pork and scallions and dressed with hot chile oil and large chunks of ginger.

But apparently, China Rose’s range doesn’t end with an American menu, a Chinese menu and this noodle menu. Our new professor friend advised us that at some point we simply had to try the Chinese wonton soup (emphatically not the “American” wonton soup), a dish that is not listed on any menu but is, according to our friend, a specialty of the kitchen.
My column on China Rose is done, but I think I have a lot more eating to do here.

- Ian McNulty

“Is everybody bowling now?”

That’s all the e-mail said when my editor sent me the press release about Hornets’ forward Peja Stojakovic’s charity bowling event.

Well, yes and no. While I’ve highlighted Julian Wright’s bowling acumen and Chris Paul is a member of the United States Bowling Congress, Peja told me he’s not much of a bowler. The event, taking place March 21st at the All Star Lanes in Kenner, is more of a continuation of Peja’s charity work that he started in Sacremento. After talking with people here, Peja decided that bowling way to raise money for his children’s foundation.

All proceeds will go toward Peja’s “Courts for Kids” charity which refurbishes basketball courts in the New Orleans area. Tickets are on sale for $35 with $100 VIP tickets available. Lane sponsorships start at $1,500 for one lane and $2,500 for two and includes “bowling for four, one celebrity bowler, four bowling shirts, dinner and a special gift bag.”

Hornets’ players, the Honeybees dancers, “other local celebrities” and a live DJ will be in attendance. If you’re interested in bowling for a good cause, or just seeing Peja’s crazy bowling technique — which I’ve been assured is high comedy — call 504-208-2274 or visit Peja’s Web site.

The above video is of Hornets rookie forward Julian Wright bowling alongside teammate Hilton Armstrong. A couple of things that should be noted:

• Wright, despite playing for only two years, is quite adept at the sport
• He also bowls at a frenetic pace, as noted by his use two lanes per game
• His shoes — sporting his alma mater’s (Kansas) colors — look strikingly the rentals at AMF All-Star lanes in Kenner.

Turns out that this is a regular exercise for Wright on off days. He says his average is I around 215 and his highest ever score was 278. Yesterday he bowled seven games for an average of 203 and a high of 246. Of course, that doesn’t include his low game of 146, when he played left-handed.

Also playing with Wright and Armstrong yesterday was Hornets ball boy Chase Forestier, who’s been bowling since he was 8 years old. This was the first time Forestier has played with Wright and he said he was surprised at how refined the basketball player’s game was.

“I expected him to look a little more awkward being so tall,” he said. “How tall are you, Julian? 6-8?”

“6-8 and a half,” Julian growled back jokingly.

Check out the pictures and more about Wright’s day bowling, after the jump. (more…)

The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), a longtime independent watchdog group, has released an excellent analysis of the just-completed special legislative session on ethics reform. Here it is.

The special legislative session that adjourned on Tuesday yielded an impressive set of reforms to the state’s ethics, campaign finance and other laws. Several long-resisted changes were enacted to disclose public officials’ personal financial dealings, forbid state officials from personally profiting through state contracts, eliminate many of the freebies officials have traditionally enjoyed, require more reporting on lobbyist-official interaction, and make state budget information more accessible to the public. Unfortunately, both the Legislature and administration also both expressed a clear and unashamed commitment to maintain certain protections and exceptions that PAR has long held should be eliminated. (more…)