9th Ward Daily Photo

9th Ward Daily Photo: “Tra-La-La”

9th Ward Daily Photo via rl reeves jr

I had the pleasure of hanging out with Dave Bartholomew Jr for a few hours two weeks ago. He was chill. We spent most of the time talking about long-defunct New Orleans nightclubs like Big Crip’s Place, and his dad’s music. We didn’t touch on “Tra-La-La” one of my favorite one of his father’s songs but I’m sure Dave Jr would’ve had a great backstory.

9th Ward Daily Photo

9th Ward Daily Photo: ‘Four O’Clock Blues’

9th Ward Daily Photo via rl reeves jr

Listening to ‘Four O’Clock Blues’ by Little Mr Midnight here at the Scrumptious House in the finest ward in all of New Orleans – the 9th. Hope y’all are having a great weekend. I reckon all y’all are coming out to see 9x roll tomorrow, they put on the single best second line in all of 2018.

Here’s the second line schedule for all the remaining parades. There are 24 left in the current season. Also, I built a google map of the 9x roll link

Tamale Gazetteer

The Tamale Gazetteer: The Death of Martha Casiano-Ventura, Olga White is Super Tamale Woman, Tamale House East, Hot Tamale Jim

Rio Rita in Austin was an unlikely source for scratch tamales but on certain Friday nights a tamale man would show up and sell you a dozen piping hot tamales for $5

There’s an especially hot circle of Hell for people who would kill a tamalera. Martha Casiano-Ventura, mother of five, was killed in Oakland in September of this year. A fundraiser for her family gathered over $22k. Police are still looking for her killer. Link Continue Reading

9th Ward Daily Photo

9th Ward Daily Photo: Towels and Whistles Man

9th Ward Daily Photo via rl reeves jr

There’s a burgeoning underground economy attached to New Orleans second line community. While 90 percent of the crowd is dancing and drinking a few determined gentleman and ladies are concentrating on selling stuff. This man rides along the route on a motorized scooter doing brisk business selling towels and whistles.

9th Ward Daily Photo

9th Ward Daily Photo: Lizardi Street

9th Ward Daily Photo via rl reeves jr

Down here in the 9th Ward of New Orleans most folks know Lizardi Street for a certain quick mart that occasionally sells full-size fried shrimp po boys for an astounding $5.

Historians have a different take on the storied street. Cuban merchant Señor Don Manuel J. de Lizardi built himself something of an empire in 19th century New Orleans. It is he is who the street is named after.

If you care to do some historical property ownership research you’ll find that Lizardi owned many homes, houses and buildings stretched across our city particularly in the French Quarter.

One historical tome referenced Lizardi with the honorific Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

Lizardi passed away in 1869.

We were unable to ascertain who inherited his fortune upon his death.

If you like geeking out over the history of New Orleans street names please purchase “Hope & New Orleans: A History of Crescent City Street Names” by Sally Asher.