Robin Rosemond/Turnagain Times
Nothing says New Orleans like Cafe Dumond!
By Robin Rosemond
Turnagain Times Correspondent
I’m in the middle of a thunderstorm in New Orleans. It’s cooling off the hot streets. Hurricane Irene heads up the East Coast while NOLA celebrates the 6th Anniversary of Katrina. Anchorage is getting ready for The Taste of Madi Gras and I’m working hard before I head back to Anchorage to hopefully work on the movie The Frozen Ground with Nicholas Cage and John Cusak. It would be a good thing!
Red Cross of Alaska is presenting The 7th Annual Taste of Madi Gras on Sept. 9 from 5 - 10 p.m. on 4th Avenue, between G & H Streets. This is an outside block party recreating Bourbon Street in New Orleans. The Taste of Mardi Gras was born in 2005 during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating natural disasters in American history. The need for food, shelter and clothing were tremendous. Americans from every corner of the country came together, providing desperately needed help and hope to their neighbors in need.
That help came from as far away as Alaska, where more than 350 Alaska Red Cross volunteers were deployed to the devastated Gulf Coast, and Alaskans donated more than $1 million to assist with the massive relief effort. The Taste of Madi Gras will feature Cajun cuisine from local celebrity chefs, live music from H3 and Zydecohos, and street performers. You can purchase drinks ticket for beer or wine and entrance to all participating venues.
While the 4th Avenue party is under way, Mardi Gras festivities continue on inside Anchor Pub & Club, Gaslight Lounge, and Pioneer Bar. Let the good times roll! Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door the day of the event. Tickets are available in advance and will be also available at the event at both the 4th & G Street and 4th & H Street entrances. See you there!
Cyrano’s Off Center Playhouse is proud to present, Helen starring Elizabeth Ware. This twisted version of a 3,000-year-old ancient myth has a talking cow, an outspoken Goddess and Helen of Troy.
Playwright Ellen McLaughlin mixes them together into a comedic tragedy, which gets you, laughs, poetry and an entertaining show about the face that launched 1000 ships. In this version Helen never elopes with Paris. Instead Helen’s exiled by the gods into Egypt. It’s all about women, war and the worship of beauty.
Directed by David Edgecomber, the show runs September 9th through Oct. 2. Cyrano’s Off Center Playhouse, 413 D Street For more information and 10 Play Punchcards call Cyrano’s at 274-2599. We’re located at 4th & D in historic downtown Anchorage. For ticket information call: 263-ARTS.
Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Peter Case will be performing at The Out North Theater on Sept. 10. James McMurtry, Dave Alvin, Chris Smither, Alejandro Escovedo, Robert Earle Keen and a ton of others have recorded Peter’s songs. He’s performed live with: John Prine, Tom Petty, R.E.M., Merle Haggard, T Bone Burnett, Gordon Lightfoot, Los Lobos and Jackson Brown. Case is a real deal artist. For more information call: 263-ARTS.
My restaurant pick of the week is the fabulous and historic Café Du Monde in New Orleans. The Original Cafe Du Monde Coffee Stand was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market. The Cafe is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It closes only on Christmas Day and on the day an occasional Hurricane passes too close to New Orleans. Its menu consists of dark roasted Coffee and Chicory, Beignets, White and Chocolate Milk, and fresh squeezed Orange Juice.
The coffee is served Black or Au Lait. Au Lait means that it is mixed half and half with hot milk. Beignets are square French -style doughnuts, lavishly covered with powdered sugar. In 1988 Iced Coffee was introduced to the cafe. Soft drinks also made their debut that year.
Write to me: rosebud61155@mac.com or check out my blog: www.rosemondpost.com.
