Commander's Palace, Mosca's Restaurant, Saints OTAs & New Orleans Literature | Episode 19

On this episode of The Mark Romig Show, Mark celebrates the families, stories, and celebrations that keep New Orleans shining.

First, Mark sits down with Ti Martin and Lally Brennan, co-proprietors of Commander’s Palace and members of the legendary Brennan family, to talk about New Orleans hospitality, the chefs that have come through the Commander’s kitchen, and what it’s like being part of one of New Orleans’ most iconic culinary families.

Then, Lisa Mosca joins On the Table, sponsored by Blue Runner Foods, to discuss the history of Mosca’s Restaurant, what it’s like owning a successful restaurant off the beaten path, some of their iconic dishes, and some of her top suggestions for those visiting New Orleans.

And Mark spends 5+ Minutes With Dr. Rory O’Neill Schmitt, sponsored by New Orleans & Company, for a conversation regarding her latest book, “The Blood of the Baroness: Micaëla de Pontalba”, as well as New Orleans Voodoo, “The Haunted Guide to New Orleans,” and her own recommendations for tourists.

On Move the Chains, Garland Gillen joins the show to give insight into Saints OTAs, the incoming rookie class, what to expect from the upcoming NFL season, the Pelicans’ new head coach, Jamahl Mosley, and what this season of college football for the LSU Tigers and Tulane Green Wave will look like.

Closing with Positively New Orleans, Mark pauses to reflect on the upcoming anniversary of D-Day, giving respect to all of those who sacrificed everything to ensure that the future was open to the generations that came after.

From family legacies to the future of Louisiana sports, Episode 19 packs a whole lot of flavor, history, and hope.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

Blue Runner Foods
New Orleans & Company
Visit the Northshore / All The Waves Podcast

The Mark Romig Show is produced by LOVE NOLA TV, the official tourism and visitor information channel of New Orleans, seen in thousands of downtown hotel rooms and locally across all major digital platforms.

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Transcript

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Whether it's a, you know, scholar at Loyola or friend making a po'boy sandwich at Parkway. You know, there's always things happening, I think, here. You know, America proceeded to eat burnt fish all over the country, and we almost killed a species. But other than that, it was a great dish. We have a special edition here. Uh for generations, Commander's Palace has been part of the fabric of New Orleans, not only on Washington Avenue, but all throughout the city. Uh it's become part of the city's culture, the celebrations, family reunions, graduations, and just getting together with good friends and family. Today we're joined by the two people who are making that legacy work forward, and that's T Martin and Lally Brennan. So good to see you too. Oh, Darlene. Good to see you. Yes. And I'm right before we went on the air, you presented me this beautiful, beautiful addition to my pocket. It's a pocket square. It's a pocket. I was going with beautiful. I was going with beautiful. And it came in this beautiful box which can be purchased online. As Lally said, we just brought you a gift. We're not hawking anything, but yes, online or add a little bit blue. Yes, I did add a lot of color to my uniform that I've been wearing on this show. Let's just start with hospitality. New Orleans hospitality different from any other hospitality in the world, we think. Why? Um of course it's the people. But I actually think that if you r literally look at the history of New Orleans and all the various people that have come together to make this place, I mean, literally, you know, of course the Irish were very friendly people, particularly after a couple of drinks. But then the Italians and the um, and then the the the the Indian, then the um the the Creoles and from the West Indies and from everywhere around the Gulf, from Haiti, you know, if you really look at all those cultures, they all have a lot of hospitality in their culture. And then here it just came and we all married each other and here we are. I think we just get it, Mark. Yeah. You know, I think New Orleans, all New Orleans just instinctively want to entertain and welcome people to this amazing city that we live in. So I don't think they have to try. You know, you want everybody to have a good time, and you just start walking around and show them around the architecture, the music, the um the food, the history. You know, it's very unique. Well, Ali says when we're walking down the street in New York that we're gonna get murdered sometimes because we're just telling everybody hello. And we kiss people that we barely know. Anyway. But that's that's what happens in New Orleans. You don't see that in other major cities. Yeah, I don't know. What did Miss Ella, your mom, teach you about that? I mean, service to the level that you've been able to provide a commendus balance. Well, if you ask most people in our industry, uh what business you're in, we're in the food business, particularly chefs say that, but she's like, mm-hmm, we're in the people business, and people are coming here and they want to be made to feel special. Um and so we do as many things as we can to make them feel at home and special and so they can relax and not feel intimidated. We always taught treat people the way you want to be treated. Isn't that the easiest thing in the world to do? We all know how we feel and how we would like to be treated. We like to talk about the uh hospitality bubble. You know, that when you walk in to dine with us and play with us and have a good time, that you you're in this bubble and you float right in and you have all a good time and lots of fun and music and dancing and second lines and good food and interacting with people and then you float back out. And we our job is not to do anything to burst that. Yeah, I mean, you've got a it's a legendary restaurant. I mean, so much history, the the building itself. So how do you keep it from becoming a museum? We get people like you to quit saying that. Anyway, um we love you. We can say whatever we want to him because he dated our cousin. Yes. Yeah, yeah. So it's like a family. And helped us make a first cookbook. Do you remember that night? Yes. Do you remember that night? Yeah. At mom's house? Yes. Going around the dining room table putting the pages together. We were the collators. Anyway, um what was the question? It was about the the legendary building. History, we hate talking about the history because we're more about what's going forward. You gotta know your history to be able to go and and create, which is what we're trying to do all the time. But we're not that interested in talking about it. Yeah, you know? Um, oh we love our building tea. Yeah, you know, you said I mean the Victorian cuckoo. Right. Yes, we do. That's been very special. Some of the history's funny. You know, our um her dad, my mom, they lived not far from Commander's when they were growing up, and when they would walk by, their mother, Nellie Valentine Brennan, said to them, Don't you walk in front of that Commander's Palace. Because it was, you know, supposedly a little racy, and supposedly there was, you know, a little activity happening there. We now know the activity was next door, not at Commander's, but um, and then kind of funny when they end up buying the joint, you know? Yeah, amazing. Yeah, and it's become part of so many families celebrations and reunions, so that's gotta be very special. Memories, Mark. Yeah. You know, you you families, you you start with uh uh engagement, then the rehearsal dinner, then next thing you know, there's the baby shower, then the christening, then the sweet sixteen, then that engagement. So it's lovely to see the history and all the memories. And gosh, people will say, you know, you know, we've we were here for our whatever, whatever so many years ago. Right. So happy to be back. And no, that's what makes us. One night they came up and make a Misty. I don't know when we became Misty in this line. Um and they go, Can you please come in the college room? It's very special, something happening. I'm like, is there anything problem? Don't need to know. And they're like, just go in there. And the lady tells me there was 22 people in the room, and they said that their friend, mother, relative had died, and in the will, they had said, one month from the day I die, you 22 people are going to Commander's Palace on me, and you're gonna eat this, and you're gonna have a goddamn good time. Anyway, and um I'm like, We were in somebody's will. Anyway, it's pretty pretty cool, right? The celebration of life is becoming way more common. It's a beautiful celebration. I like it. Instead of being sad, just be happy and remember all the time. It's a joyous place. Oh, and you could start with the Sunday brunches, but each each and every day that that you're there. A lady told me the other day, uh, you know, Disney eat your heart out. This is my happiest place on earth. Uh just the other night we we came in and the uh service staff that they were lined up. It was almost like uh something out of the uh Hello Dolly movie. They were people just greeting people coming in from for whatever reason, convention going on. People love that. One time, like ten years ago, I got a complaint letter, and the person said, and so many people greeted me on the way in. It's terrible. I'm like, okay, we're just not the place for you, ma'am. Because I we we think that's pretty special feeling. Really. And speaking of so many people, you've had so many great chefs come through that kitchen to talk about that, how you've grown talent over the years, starting with uh with with your with your mom. Yeah. Well, I think the first one you would say for sure is Paul. Paul Prudome. Paul Prudome. And uh you may or may not know the story that she found him through her friend Terry Fletcher, which is such a Terry Fletcher was with Channel Six for so many years. And mom was m moaning and complaining, you know, I need a chef, I'm looking for the chefs. You know what? I got this guy, I'm doing cooking classes, but he's a chef and he's from Cajun country. Mom's like, well, I don't know, send him over. And they he said, Well, let me just work a few lunches and we'll just see. And then mom tried to talk him into staying, which he wanted to do, and that was the beginning of that. So that literally is where Cajun and Creole crashed, was at 1426 1403 Washington Avenue, with mom doing pushing Creole and Paul pushing Cajun. And that's the beginning of that. And then, of course, they created together black and redfish and all that fun stuff. And you know, America proceeded to eat burnt fish all over the country, and we almost killed a species. But other than that, it was a great dish. Take us from Chef Paul. So the next was uh Emerald. You have drinking buttons. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I remember when Emerald, when I I think I had high. You look like EJ looks now. Yeah, he does, exactly. You know, called down to Ella and said, uh, okay, I've got somebody I want to interview. And he was like, Ella said, 23, I'm not interviewing anybody who's 23 years old. And then they insisted, insisted. I said, I'll pay for him to come. And uh so they, you know, said cook for us, and uh the rest is history. You know. Um walked in the kitchen with mom and uncle Dick, and mom said, What what do you think? And he goes, Smells like my mama's kitchen. Now he's Portuguese, and they're very similar ingredients and flavors. And I think he sort of had them at that moment. Your mom always said that Emerald had it all. You know, I mean he had the the numbers smart, the talent to cook and taste buds and everything. I mean, manage people. And we learned that he's a musician too. Yeah. We knew that. Yes, we've we've been we've been dancing with him. So from Emerald we go to to Jamie Shannon. Jamie Shannon was his protege and mom's and our dear friend, and that was just wonderful. And we all adored him. Um and he was very, very talented. And the team and the customers. Sadly. He and I had just finished a book and then we lost him to uh cancer. And then was Tory. Um and that was a good, wonderful long run, Tory McPhail. Um a lot of good stuff. And y'all really made history bringing the first female executive chef. I guess. Um, you know, there's always been a lot of women around that joint. I haven't noticed that. That kitchen, and you walk through that kitchen, there's so much activity. Yeah. And the have command of the Commander's Palace kitchen like she does. Well, but it's a quiet kitchen. Yeah. It is. Yelling and stuff. The way it's laid out, was it always laid out that way? Well, it has expanded a bit, you know. A little this, a little that that you might not see. Um But yeah, she's a little spitfire, she's completely in charge. I call her mini but mighty. Yeah. She's talented. Amazing. You've had her gumbo parfait yet? Have you had that yet? No, I have not had that. I see how suspect you are. I was too. I should have bring that pride. Um there to here. Um influences in your life. Um let's talk about um your both of your moms. How was that interaction and helping you get to where you are today and and that relationship that Miss Ella and Miss Dottie have? Right. And her mom, Claire, and Dottie's her aunt, too. Um they were all close, and her mom was wonderful and a hell of a cook, too. Yeah, but but but the women, Claire, Dottie, Ella. Adelaide, Adelaide, Ella, Dottie, yeah. And Lynn. Yeah, all of them. We're very lucky. Um they're just a huge influence in my life. Yeah. Um, and and all of us, I know. Uh all of them. And then Dottie's still right next to the restaurant, and um, she's there alive. Mom is no longer with us, but they're both doing the same thing, which is telling us everything we're doing wrong. Exactly. Anyway, um, and literally I would go over there a lot of nights and they would, you know, we'd have nice conversations. Always talk about business. I don't know what normal girls talk to their mother about, but we talk about business, and that's what we like. Um, but a lot of times it was the worst restaurant in America, you know, and uh I had a lot of work to do. And it was 10 30 at night. I'm like, awesome mom, thanks. Anyway, you do they have so much knowledge, and hopefully T and I we get to work now with young, wonderful people that we surround ourselves by, and hopefully we can pass a little knowledge on to them, like our parents, Dottie, Ella, mom, daddy. Yeah, um, and and they and they can share with us lots of things we don't know about their this younger generation that we're learning with social media and things like that. So I think it's a perfect combination when you have the the the minds of the older people who have done it all. You know, they're they're taking the steps before we've taken them. And they I remember dad, he'd just kind of sit back and watch me a little bit, and then um if uh he'd come up and say, I think you handled that great, but I would have done it this way, or maybe you could think about doing it this way. I mean, no criticism, no anything, just constructive, yeah, you know, information and and building you stronger and to be stronger. Yeah, role model modeling the world. Yeah, exactly. My mother was a little more direct. Yeah, she was. That's she was. If you got away with just the raised eyebrow, it was a good day. Anyway. That's pretty neat. But I you know, you are teaching a lot of uh folks about hospitality and the creation of um Nochi and the fact that New Orleans it's important to have that service element to the point of excellence. Started Nokia with with a lot of people, you know, my cousins and I, but everybody in town, you know, has helped, you know. Susan Spice with Donald, like Greg Chase family. And then the culinary and hospitality hospitality institute. And the word hospitality is in there on purpose. Uh everything we do, the word hospitality is in there. We did this thing for Khmer's 125th anniversary that had been the American Cuisine Symposium when mom and Paul Prudenhom, on the night of the invention of bread pudding souffle, did the American Cuisine Symposium. When we did it, we did American Cuisine and Hospitality Symposium. And that is But we did hospitality first. It we did the hospitality and cuisine. I think you're right. Yeah. But the point is we're just trying that it's our main mission in life, is pushing that, and we think it's New Orleans secret sauce, and we're trying to galvanize that. And you know, Nokia, it's a it's an accredited culinary school now, but we also teach hospitality. I mean, hear this. Do you know that every Viking ship in America the hospitality is taught by Nokia to those employees? We've we have uh law firms coming to us now. We do hotels. It's it's it's unbelievable. Um mostly industry, but a lot of other things too. So yeah, that's our drive is hospitality. Very good. But I think with social media, you know, and everybody talking to each other on phones, that it's that that the hospitality has kind of gotten lost. I don't I don't think people know I don't uh how to do it because they they're not interacting like the three of us sitting here, just laughing and talking and having good. Eye-to-year human being. Right. So who would have ever thought about it? Well, you know that at your restaurants. I mean as you're as they approach the table from the very beginning to the very end of your meal, um, you're getting that interaction. And and they see that because you're modeling the way because you all do it. We hope so. Uh B O D. But if they could all just watch Lally Brennan, we'd all been in on duty. But now we have AO, ambassador on duty. It used to be like five siblings. It's just Latie and I for thirty years. You know what I mean? So we can go out. Are you gonna be at the restaurant tonight? You know, we like to say if you can't be nice, stay home. T. Yeah. You might have to go be nice now. That is not a hard thing for either one of us. We have Meg with us, you know, Leela Lambert running the joint, and now um our niece Lexi working with us. So very good. Every day I look in the mirror and say, T, don't don't mess that up. Uh let's talk about Restaurant Week New Orleans. Why is that so important for the New Orleans community for their dining? Well, that and and culinary. Culinary coming up right around the corner as well. It's just it's been an important thing that we've done for a long, long time. And the funny thing for Commanders is both of those sort of highlight value, like, oh, two courses, three courses for this much, but our normal prices are that already. So we're like, okay, whatever. Uh people get excited, and but it it does help highlight that. We get really into it. We get really into it and do try to do great menus because it's for our locals. You know, I've I've been in situations where people like it's sort of an afterthought, and oh, you have to hurry up and do that menu and send it to somebody for something. But we don't. I mean, locals are so important, and every local should be able to experience all the dining restaurants in this town and um be able to talk about them. Yeah. And um, because word of mouth is the best marketing advertising that you could possibly have. So if your locals can't enjoy the product that our city serves up, that's that doesn't make sense. So that's why these two You know we hold tables for locals. I'm just saying that out loud. If it's not available online, call. And we usually have some tables held. So, you know, I don't know where I'm going to get a next Tuesday. You know, I don't know where I'm going. So I better be able to call and say, hey, can I get in? And the um the opportunity that people have to really, you said Lally, experience all of the dining around the city of New Orleans, really around the the region, uh is is great. And culinary coming up, Kim Prias with New Orleans and Company has done great work with that. And you'll soon be hearing a lot about that as well. Uh you've seen the city go through hurricanes, recessions, COVID, tourism shifts, changing dining habits. What keeps y'all excited about the future? I mean, we're we're gonna always have stuff like that, but what gives you uh the enthusiasm for the future? You know, I think about New Orleans like a family member. Um you know, and I think other people that live in other cities don't always think that way. You know, that's just where they live. But I think a lot of us think about the city like a family member. You know, you you really love them, you could kill 'em sometimes, but you really love them and you'd do anything for them. And I think that's how we think about New Orleans. And and it it's important to us to be something that New Orleans is proud of. And so so much of what we do in including Nokia are literally proud to call it home campaign that I helped do in the 90s with my buddies Tara and Karen. Young Leadership Council, right? Yeah, but I mean the whole point is um that we we've got to keep pushing this city forward. And that's what keeps me going, is that and working with the young young people. And New Orleans is so unique. I mean, if you were uh uh dropped uh from a helicopter into New Orleans blindfolded, I think you would know you in New Orleans. If you were blindfolded, I'm not gonna say a city because I don't want to get myself in trouble, but a city other than New Orleans, not quite as unique as our town, I I don't think you'd know where you're when you take a bite of food. We drops it, the architecture, just the smells, the and so can you imagine not having New Orleans, Louisiana? It's just so magical. And I talk to so many people. Um uh because I do. I love to talk and meet people and learn about them. And I I'm telling you, they are they fall in love with New Orleans within the first twenty-four hours. And they're like, is it always like this? Is everybody so nice? Is everything so good? Is everything so New Orleans? And so I mean that is that makes you feel good. So when you feel good about your town, like you said, I love what you just said about family. How can you not want to be the best you can be and keep pushing it forward? I think the most important job we all have is to bring joy to other people. And I think y'all do that all the time all the time. All right. Can you with maybe you can't mention names, but you know maybe you can. Give us some of the craziest things that you've seen at the restaurant or experience, or you know, if there's a name you want to drop, somebody. Got one on the tip of your tongue. Well, that's Paul McCartney. First day, cell phone number, you're actually my cousin so excited when I get started. How did that happen? We got a phone idea. He was in town, I guess, it was manifest. No, he was making that film with Rob Reiner. Yes, that's what it was. They were making that film here. We didn't know that then. Spinal tap two. We didn't know why the hell he was here, but it there he was. And um He was so polite, so lovely. He's on the phone with you. Well, he was on the phone with one with one of our reservation guests too. Okay, who immediately for that person. He was not the agent was, you know. And um and uh then they got to come in advance and do all that. So they came in the back steps, and we took them up the back steps. We who up to do that. He was so excited. I did I did. And his wife was lovely. Um he drinks a margarita, he had a um his recipe on a on his like his personal card. And um like a man who knows what he wants to drink earlier. And and after dinner, he went downstairs to the kitchen, he thanked everybody, and he he did a very generous tip to the culinary team. I mean, just so charming. Yeah charming. Slightly less charming. Um one night in the little room, um, some of Lally's friends um decided to uh watch it get a little out of control. What is it for a celebration of Times? No, no, they're gonna normally Tuesday in the morning. Rico comes running down the stairs to me and goes, and the people under the table, under the table. And I'm like, what did you do? He goes, I don't know, what are you gonna do? I'm like, just close the doors. Tim Traplin's in a beautiful, you know, sketch of the little room with these people going crazy. But that's that's funny. So and and get in 9, you've got a Paul McCartney dining there or you've got a couple of delegates from Dave. Mick Jagger, yeah. Okay. But then we have like we have this wonderful group of ladies that drive over from Diamond Head and they come once a month, and y'all, they are decked. It's some sort of a uh theme each each um Thursday, I think maybe that they come. And so and they go around from table to table and they'll sing happy birthday when they see people have balloons on their table. They've gotten to know all the other customers that come on Thursday. And just the just you know, feeling like, okay, I'm just gonna dress up and and when I say dress up like hats like you wouldn't believe, and all the same colored dresses and shoes, and and and it's you know, sometimes you go to a restaurant and you feel like you have to be quiet and you have to sit up straight. We ain't that restaurant. You know what I mean? We're trying to tell you, relax, have a good time. You know? T, you remember when we did we did the Zoom that saved Wednesday on during COVID? Do you remember when nobody could go out and about? We didn't know what we were doing. So the very first show was French wine. Oh, did the wine dinners? I remember. The wine dinner. So the French wines and uh French cheeses. And so just in the copy, you know, we said, and don your beret. Well, we should have known at that point, not you know, trying to make it a little French, not even put a beret on, just you know, it's pretty French. Everybody was in a costume. We open up everybody's in a costume. It was an outlet for people to relax. And then it became a dance party, and then it became um uh trying to raise money for The musicians that were out of work. And so this one little thing, this is how New Orleans is. This one little Zoom we thought we were going to teach you how to about some wine and cheese and just have some interaction. Came a party. Thousand people in costume. Uh-huh. And it was a very good thing for the largest Zoom or team of galleries. So we had to taste the wine before so we could talk about it. And then we had 52 Wednesdays in a row. T and Lally were hammered. I never thought I'd want a gift certificate to Party City for my Christmas present. But I was at Party City every week getting us some kind of costume. In the middle of, you know, thinking, you know, your business is gone forever. Before we get to the official questionnaire of the world questionnaire, uh I gotta ask you, what's the one thing people misunderstand about Commander's Palace? Aaron Ross Powell That it is it it's it's really a fast forward moving new restaurant in the architecture of an old restaurant. Very good. And that it's one hell of a value. Thank you. Very good. All right, you ready? Here we go. This is the official New Orleans questionnaire. And the first question is what is the best poor boy? How are we gonna do this? Yeah, we'll both give answers. Oyster poor boy dressed, parans. The poor boy, what's on the poor boy? Everything. Everything. Everything. Do you like to go the fried shrimp route or? No, oyster poor boy. Oyster poor boy. Oyster poor boy dressed. Everything on it, Prans. I like Prans because I can get a half a poor boy and a little and a little cup of red beans and rice because I'm totally normal. Very good. So not the foot long, you got the about the six-inch little petite size. I'm the I'm the shrimp, the fried shrimp. But I like to go to the Napoleon House because I love being in the French Quarter. So I get my little and get the atmosphere and all the people walking around dressed with everything. All of that. I love the history behind restaurant as well, right? Yes. Yeah, so you sit there, do you get a Pim's cup with it? Maybe. Depends upon what I'm doing afterwards. All right. You have an opportunity to see one New Orleans musical artist, dead or alive, in concert. Who would it be and where would you see that person? Well, I think we both have the same answer. Yeah. I'd say Louis Armstrong, and I'd want to be on one of the corners of Bourbon Street, you know, somewhere just right down there. Not a big concert hall, just nice. I could see Louie and Ella together. That'd be it. We have friends who named their named their um King Charles Spaniels, one's Louis and one's Ella. Yeah. For a moment I thought Ella Brennan you were. No. No. She can't sing. Couldn't sing. No. Anyway. Okay. What is your favorite New Orleans smell? Confederate jasmine. I like when you're walking up to Commanders in the afternoon, you can already smell the bread pudding, but then there's a little magnolia coming from out of the neighborhood. All right. What's your least favorite smell? I hate to say it, but the French quarter in July. I think it smells good now. You're not down there as much anymore. They they're keeping it lemony fresh. All right. Thank you. Do you have a I try to not think about that. Okay, good. Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest? Mardi Gras. I'm both. I live over there. I'm riding parades, I'm sorry. All right. So you it's a tie for me, right? Okay. I'm all in. All right. If you had to build a Saints Mount Rushmore, who would be on that Saints Rushmore. Saints, New Orleans, Saints Mount Rushmore. Oh, put it in the faces would be on the culinary. The Saints of the New Orleans Saints. Oh, you want Saints? Drew Brees. You can do four or more. Well, Gail. Gail Benson, Drew Brees. Um Colston. Colston. Marcus Colston. Colston. And um Oh, wait, wait. Well, you're thinking. Davy Whitzel. Davy Whitzel, you're right. Davy Witzel. Oh, you were way better. Wait, T, who got that long, long kick in the very beginning? I was at the I was at the T-Lane Stadium. Tom Dempsey. You were there. I was in the middle of the state. They really weren't there. I was in the parking lot. Daddy had made us leave. I was in the parking lot. And you stayed. Yes. I'll remember that. Okay, I forget. I'll think of it probably too late. What's that? Another player I wanted to put up there. One of the older players. You can come back. Okay. Chicken or seafood gumbo? Seafood. Seafood. All right. What is your favorite New Orleans movie or TV series? Your Honor, I think captured New Orleans better than anybody ever did. And Brian Cranston was amazing. Fantastic. I I I agree with T, but I'm not going to say that. I'm going to say NCS, NCIS New Orleans. Because I'd sit there with Ann Ella without the sound on and would watch all the sites of New Orleans, you know, all the different parts of New Orleans. Because at the time she really wasn't getting out as much. And so we'd just sit there and watch New Orleans. Yeah, they did a great job of it. And they wanted to come do an episode at Commanders, and they told me that somebody was going to be murdered right in front. And I said, Well, okay, no. It's a great job. It's coming all of it's got to be. I said, but you're very nice, and we're glad you're here. So come have lunch. So we did. And during lunch, he goes, What if they're in like an FBI car and it blows up? I'm like, that's fine, come on. Right in front of the cemetery. Neutral ground or sidewalk side. Sidewalk, sidewalk. All right. It's where the family is. What's your earliest memory of visiting the French Quarter? Okay, she had never heard this of that. Said this recently. I am walking through the French Quarter, a little bitty girl holding my mother's hand, and somebody goes, Hi Ella, which you know happened nonstop. And she goes, Hi, Tennessee. And I said, because this guy was on the Lucy and Ricky show all the time. I said, Mom, is that Tennessee Ernie Ford? And she said, No, T, it's not. It's Tennessee with the Tony's. I mean, I can't have that. I don't even try. I do remember him being on the on the Lucy show on the city. Because he earned four, right? I was into it. Yeah. Oh, mine, I mean, as a little child eating beignets with my grandparents, you know. Nice. Yeah. Early morning. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Dead or alive, who is the one person you'd like to take to lunch, and where would you take them for lunch in New Orleans? You go first. Okay. Well, I changed my mind. I I would take the Bronte sisters, and I would take um uh uh Ja Joan what's her name? Jane Austen, and I would take uh Catherine Oh, what's her name? Anywho wrote Rebecca. So my favorite books of all time were Rebecca and Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre and Um Pride and Prejudice. Wow. And I'd get those ladies together, and then you know, that was all like in the 1800s, you know. And um to think that those books are still relevant today. I'd love to meet with them and uh where are you going? Well, I'd I would do it in the patio at Commanders. That's what I would do outside on the patio. Yeah, that's what I would do. Very nice. She's so literary on me there. Anyway, um, I would go to Peristyle when Annie Kearney was running it. And I would take my buddy Doreen, the greatest clarinet player ever, and my friends Doreen Ketchum. You I think uh you introduced us to Doreen. She's amazing, isn't she? Unbelievable. Fantastic. And a dear person. Very good. All right. What is your favorite New Orleans song? Either a song by a New Orleans artist or a song about New Orleans. Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? Yeah. What a wonderful world. Okay. And what a wonderful world. Yeah. What's the one New Orleans food item you can't live without? Earthers. Ursters everywhere you want to give them to me. I'd say gumbos. I think they're the perfect food to entertain with. Yeah, you just pick a put a put a big pot out, you know, you got a big salad, some great French bread, and some dessert, you know. I mean, I just love it. Do you do potato salad with that? Sometimes. Remember with Sobu we did the potato salad and gumbo. Yeah, love that. Depends where my versus what part of the state my friends are coming over for dinner. Lafayette for sure. All right, so you've been out of town for a month, you're flying back into the airport. Thank you very much for the work that you've done at the airport and the aviation board T. Uh, you hop into an Uber and you decide, you know, I need a drink. Where are you gonna go get that drink and what are you having? Lalla, you wanna go first? Okay. Um I would get a Sazerac and I would go find a bench on Waldenburg Park, overlooking the mighty Mississippi with a riverboat with a Calliope going down, St. Louis Cathedral and Potabla and Jackson Square behind me, and I wouldn't know I was home. I'd be going to the Jewel of the South. I hope my buddy John Stubbs is there, and Chris Hannah, and there's his wonderful martini tuxedo tales, I think. But I'd probably have a whiskey smash. Delicious. Um okay, here's the last one. In five words or less, why do you love a new world? The prepositions count. No rules here. No rules. Life is meant to be lived. Beautiful. Life is meant to be lived. Well done. Mine are just adjectives, you know. I mean, what would you say? It's um we're resilient, we're soulful, we're um mysterious, we're musical, we're delicious, we're um um unforgettable, um, we're fun. I know that's more than five words, but overall we're just absolutely great. That's the literary side of music. Absolutely great. Thank you. Both of y'all are beautiful. Thank you all for being with us today. Well, Sweetie, I have to quickly say, I mean, what you've done and continue to do for this city, and um you're you're part of why we're proud to call it home. And you're just a very dear and devoted to this city, and uh I'll be forever grateful for that. Thank you, Mark. Well, you're most welcome. But you know, we're having a fun time, and as I said, the job we have is to bring joy. So let's keep doing that together. Yeah, indeed. Ladies and gentlemen, Lally and T, it's been uh it's been a great conversation, and thank y'all for just keeping that spirit alive over at Commander's Palace and and for your entire family for what y'all have done for the city and continue to do. We're not going anywhere. Yeah, I know. I'll see you on Washington Avenue soon. Okay, y'all take care. Thank you very much. Thanks, Mark. Thank you, T and Lally, for joining us and sharing the stories, traditions, and spirit that continue to make Commander's Palace and New Orleans hospitality so special. You know, a lot going on, and um, I'd like to talk with the best crew in the business to find out what they learned this week. Let's go to the crew. Sale 250 uh this past weekend. I was there uh for the fireworks show on the riverfront on Saturday night. Yeah. That was beautiful. Absolutely stunning. Yeah, absolutely stunning. We had a spot um it was right by where the uh the Natchez docks and you get on. There's an American flag right there, and the moon was like right in the distance, and you had the fireworks perfectly framed right in the middle of them. It was it was quite a sight. Great. Great salute to our birthday, 250th. Uh Pooch, what you got? I learned a few things in the past uh week or so, but I definitely learned that blood is thicker than water, and I will stand on that. But I also learned that uh traveling by yourself for 1700 miles is the best therapy. Obviously, it's costly with the gas these days, but it was just the best therapy, and it was the best time just to spend spend time by myself in a car and just kind of rethink life. It was beautiful. Yeah, you know, that's a long time in a car. Uh are you listening to tunes or podcasts. The Mark Rovin show, actually, over and over and over. No, uh seriously, uh you must have uh really just enjoyed the beauty of the highway and just scenery. It was uh from New Orleans to Alpharetta, Georgia, Alpharetta to Savannah, and Savannah to Jacksonville and back. Obviously, didn't do it all, but I you know spent a day in each in the place. Spent a couple more days in Alpharetta, but it was it was absolutely beautiful. That's great. Terrific. Larry. Hey, how you doing? Good. How's the new how's the newest dad? Oh, everything's great, yeah. Oh, yeah. I'm kind of dressed up today. Yeah, you got your search sucker on. Enjoying um, just like Kel, Sale 250 events started on Thursday. I photographed probably like four different events. Got to see the ships. Um, I'm a new West Banker, so it was like a short ferry ride over to the ships. Beautiful. Yeah, yeah. You know, Sale 250, New Orleans uh would not have happened without so many sponsors. Um, and you know, I'm thankful to the Port of New Orleans, uh New Orleans and Company, uh, state of Louisiana, the city of New Orleans, and there must have been four or five dozen companies and individuals that stepped up because to bring 12 ships in cost some money. And we did it with private private funds for the most part. Uh except the state did step up to make sure that the wharf was ready to welcome these international vessels. Three thousand crew members were in town. Wow. All in uniform, all having a great time, and showing that New Orleans is really built to host. Yeah. And the majority of the um people I met on a ferry um launch, most of them were from out of town, too. So that's great. A lot of people drove in just to see. And the weather turned out so beautiful, really nice. I don't know what to say. I don't know if I'm sure you got a lot of thank yous, but thank you for everything you've been doing for the city, but also putting together that CO250. It wouldn't have happened without you, and I know you're a modest person, um, but it truly wouldn't have happened without you, buddy. Pooch, thank you. We we did to your point, we did have a great host committee and a lot of people uh pulling on the same side of the line, so to speak, to uh to make this happen. Up next, we're on the table with Lisa Mosca sharing the stories behind the iconic Mosca's restaurant. Garland Gillen from Fox 8 Sports helps us move the chains, talking Saints OTAs, the Pelicans' new head coach, and college football. And author Rory O'Neill Schmidt joins us for five plus minutes to talk about her book and the fascinating people, legends, and layered history of New Orleans. So let's get started. All right, ladies and gentlemen, it's now time for On the Table, sponsored by Blue Runner Foods. Our next guest represents one of the most beloved restaurant destinations in Louisiana, Moscas or Moscas. We'll get to that in just a moment. For generations, this restaurant's been known for its family-style dining, unmistakable signature dishes, and I have a few in my mind right now, and the kind of hospitality that keeps locals and chefs and visitors and food lovers coming back year after year. Today we're joined by Lisa Mosca to talk about the history of Moscas, the family behind it, and what it takes to keep Louisiana dining legend alive, as y'all have done for so, so many decades. Welcome to the show. Thank you for having me. Uh it's good to see you. It's good to kind of dive deep into Mosca's as a restaurant, as a destination. Uh how did how did it all come about? So, um, as I was told, um my my grandparents on my father's side were Lisa and Proveno, and they were both originally, they immigrated over from Italy and they settled in the Chicago area. Okay. So they were in the Chicago Heights area, um, the south side of Chicago. And um they had three children. The oldest was at war, um, the middle was a a girl, she married a fisherman, uh, Mary. She married a fisherman in New Orleans, so she moved down to New Orleans, and then the third was my father, Johnny, and he was also um in Italy uh in in World War II. So um when she married her husband, my my Aunt Mary, she moved down to New Orleans, and the parents picked up the whole restaurant and moved it down to New Orleans during that time as well. So that was in the in like 45, 46. And um, so the resident the restaurant originally started in the Chicago area in the 20s and it was called Mosca's up there, but then they came down in the 40s. And when they got here, um they had a deal, they kind of had like a um a verbal agreement with somebody um in the area to buy their um their building, which had like living quarters above and a restaurant below. But when they got here, the person said their children changed their minds. They wanted they wanted to keep the business. So they were kind of like homeless for they were, you know, didn't have a place put this restaurant somewhere. So the first thing that came available was where we are now. Wow, and it's been there ever since on the West Bank. That is amazing. And it's it's famously off the beaten track. I mean, you wouldn't you're not gonna find it in the French quarter, you're not gonna find So what has that been like for the family? Um, you know, it's uh the stories I've been told is in the beginning it was very difficult because it was a gravel road, and some customers still remember it as being a gravel road. It's a little bit more built up now. Um and it was a challenge to, you know, get people to know they were there. Um at the time, um, they would get a lot of hunters like that would go out in that area to hunt, and they would essentially, if somebody came and like knocked on the door at five in the morning or whatever time, they'd get up, cook breakfast, do whatever they needed to do um to kind of get people to come in. And then I think they had a big um crowd with Avondale with the shipyards and um they just started, you know, kind of reeling people in. Yeah, well, has there ever been pressure to modernize, or do you think, you know, the the special nature of it is not to change but to keep that original feel? You know, I think as I love the tradition of it, um and I'd like to and we want to keep it that way. There's a couple little things that we've um done. Like we you can do online reservations now. That's about like the extent of it. Um but but I think it's good to keep things old school. I think people, especially now, have a real thirst for for that like you know, vintage retro kind of um feel of like how things used to be. Yeah, there's something very special about being slightly outside the city, right? It's it's like it's a destination. I remember destination. Growing up, I mean, that was the very special place to go. We were going, you know, making a night, we're going to Moscow's. And I think um now, like people like, you know, we have a lot of people that come out, they'll come once a week, they'll come a couple times a month. It's not really incredibly far, it's but it seems like it's you're going you're going someplace um that's far away, you know, and it's kind of exciting. And um, it's about like, you know, straight over the VEP long, like from Metary, maybe 15, 20 minutes. But like I think people it's an excuse to have an experience too. So people will get like a party bus, they'll get a group of 20 or 30 people to come and celebrate a birthday. And I think people just really like combining um like their love of food and family and friends and like having kind of an experience together. Yeah, that experience, it's family-style dining, right? Everyone sits at the table. I mean, that's very powerful, I'm finding that people have that sharing. Let's talk about that. Why haven't y'all changed from there? Aaron Ross Powell Um and we've talked about changing because really like financially, like you know, when you serve um a whole chicken, like it you it's not really cost effective. Like, you know, usually at a restaurant you'll get like a a certain amount of protein and then you get like you know, a vegetable and a starch, and and it offsets the cost of the protein. But you know, by us it's like chick, you know, a whole chicken, a dozen shrimp, you know, a pan of oysters. Um and so we've talked about it, but you know, it just makes it unique. I think we wouldn't be what we are if if it wasn't that style of uh of the case. Yeah, I think people crave that old old school type of uh experience. And it is different. It's not only a di you know destination, we're going uh going a bit to to reach the restaurant, but it's that tradition of dining. If you think about like how you eat at home with your family, like for Christmas or Thanksgiving, it's it's essentially like that. Like you put everything on the table, everybody kind of takes what they want. Um All right, so say a visitor's for the first time coming to Moscas, what should they be ordering? So um, you know, a lot of people say you should only go in a large group, which which I think you get a really the ideal experience with like a group of six or eight. Um you could go with two or four, and and we can do like smaller portions of things and you could still share. But I would say like definitely share so that you could try everything. Some people are resistant to that, you know, um they want their own, and I get it. But um, but definitely share. Um I usually try to guide people when I order for them, and you know, like get an oyster, get a shrimp, get a chicken, get a pasta, get some meatballs, like share everything. You know, that's the way to do it. Uh my favorite oysters uh is the um oyster maskas. Uh let's talk about that for a moment. Uh how did that come about? You know, um, is that like your grandfather figured out he had something to do with it? Yeah, he he did that, and I am um um forbidden from sharing the recipe. So like I would not probably make it out of here alive. But um but it's delicious. He he developed that and it's just been the same ever since. Is it the same uh a process for the shrimp at Moscow? No, it's the shrimp's different the shrimp is um a dozen um they're like 16 20 shrimp size shrimp um there's a dozen of them headless in the shell and they're sauteed on the stove in olive oil and white wine and seasoning garlic. Yeah and I'm I want to mention the spaghetti border's again you won't be telling us the recipe we that's easy that's just um she we give that out uh angel hair pasta butter olive oil garlic and a little salt that's all that is so how do you balance the preserving of this tradition? I mean uh because people are coming back to it and they want that specific dish that experience yeah is that pressure yes it is like you know um you know it's me and my mom um running it and like we do like butt heads over like you know should we change something should we not you know she's a great preserver of tradition um and so I like I I credit her with all of that she's things were done this way and it works you know if it if it works you know keep it how it is if it's not broke don't fix it while trying to you know adapt in the ways that we need to so growing up in the business uh what are the lessons that you've learned um you know growing up there I had a very happy childhood it was a really um I think uh honestly like grow a child growing up in a restaurant like is such a gift for to to be and I feel thankful that my children are there with me all the time because it you meet so many different people from all different walks of life and you see just like different types of work and like you know struggle and like food and family and just like it's a great experience. So I I'm very thankful for that and I'm thankful for the freedom that it allowed like my parents to always be with me you know or if like my kids are sick I could go get them you know or it just allows you flexibility. It was a great it was a great upbringing and I think um as I turned into a teenager I was like I will never do this ever ever. Like this is not what I want to do. You know you then you get like why can't I do this or why can't we do this? So no my parents were like we have to be open like we have to be at work. You can't go to this thing on Saturday you can't go to this thing while you know we can't and it was a lot of resentment. I was like oh no I'll never do that and then here I am so it's kind of like um it's funny how like you it's a love-hate relationship but but it's um but it's something I I very much cherish. But y you know generations of families uh and all sorts of locals and visitors who have come in and out of the city to make that a part of their memory I mean that that's gotta be a but that's a big a great gift to all of you. It is and I always am thankful for when people share that with me. Um just saying like you know my great grandfather took me here and my father took me here I've been coming here since I was little and I bring my kids or my grandchildren and seeing generations of families is um is very inspiring and wonderful and it keeps us going. Folks have approached you and say I'd like to open a franchise of um people have yes I said absolutely not absolutely approached my mom and when my father was alive you know but it it was never my dad was very like this is what I'm doing I'm gonna keep doing it the same way I'm not you know he wasn't he's like he wasn't interested in like doing something else. He just did what he knew. Alright gotta ask you what's your favorite restaurant outside of Moscow my favorite restaurant there's so many. I I'm just consistently I would say like what I always go back to is Clancy's. I just love Clancy's for a special occasion like just it's like your quintessential kind of like deep neighborhood New Orleans restaurant you know a white tablecloth restaurant. I like it. You know you almost say that I could say the same thing about Mosca's I mean tradition family recognize the the service personnel very consistent. Yeah character a lot of characters very much so uh you got a favorite dish in New Orleans like a favorite specific dish or a favorite New Orleans dish? Uh well let's do both my favorite New Orleans dish is is crawfish AT anything crawfish really um my favorite New Orleans specific dish that's hard I guess like well obviously the the lobster risotto at Clancy's is is one of my favorite dishes for sure um man like a man hunger right now yeah that's hard you know what I love and it's not like from a restaurant but Jazz Fest um Soft Shell Crab Poe Boy and the Roger Strudel or two I wait all year for that. Beautiful What's your favorite hidden gem in or around New Orleans? Like where do you where do you like to escape to? For if I'm going for a drink I I've said it before but I'll say it again Snake and Jake's I love it. If I'm going for brunch I love Alma it's so good and for flower moon bagels is great for lunch. You know for w where I always take my kids on the weekends I don't know if a lot of people know about this but The Batcher on um I think it's like on Walnut Street. Yeah and they have all the food trucks they have like a little petting zoo and I just love that place. And they experience the river like we've done with the Sale 250 you know the fact that people were able to come down to the river and see uh aspects of something that they have not spent much time around. What's the one thing every visitor should do when they're coming to the city I think the one thing every visitor should do is just try to experience um music as much as they can while they're in New Orleans. I was thinking about it and I think that you know just really you could go to all corners of the city and find like just wonderful music experiences that I don't think you can really find many other places like you know you have Maple Leaf, you have Tipatinas, you have um Frenchman Street, all of Frenchman Street really um you just have these places where you and even like not even going to a place just walking down the street you can run into like music and I think music is such a big part of New Orleans and I think it's like your job as a visitor to to really try to experience that. Beautiful what should every first time guest know before coming to Moscas um we're cash only still okay good to know that. Yes and they should order family style. Order family style. All right and I gotta ask you because I grew up and we were going to Moscas the family refers it to as Moscas. The family says Moscas. What's the uh what's the difference there well Mosca in both Italian and Spanish means like mosquito or fly. So that's the pronunciation of the word but in New Orleans everyone says Moscas which that's fine with me. As long as they're coming right on down. That's beautiful. Lisa thank you so much for joining us uh Moscas Moscas is such a special reminder that some restaurants are more than just a building they're they're they're filled with memories and delicious food and wonderful people like you and your mother and and your kids and all the ones that have come before you so thank you for keeping that tradition alive. It's just a great destination so more and more people should come and bring cash bring cash. We appreciate you sharing the history move the James our next guest is Garland Gillen from Fox State Sports Garland joins us to talk Saints off season storylines plenty of those what to watch heading into training camp the Pelicans next chapter and the state of sports really across New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Garland welcome to the show beautiful even though it's it's June there's so much to talk about in sports people are like oh this is your off time right no it never ends the Saints got OTAs they got mini camp pelicans free agency the draft LSGs got recruits coming in they got summer workouts it never ends it never ends well let's start with the Saints uh OTAs uh just uh just uh happened over the last weekend what did you see what did you hear what are you thinking well it was good to just see Tyler Shuck back out there you know this is his team now you know last year he's trying to figure things out like you know uh the the the drills and the play calling and everything now this is his team he can focus on uh getting to know his teammates better he's got a new one a big target in Jordan Tyson the first round uh draft pick that that's going to be a big target he's got a new tight end and Noah fan left guard and David Edwards which that's a that's the key people give get more excited about Jordan Tyson the left guard that you need somebody to block and that offensive line is now one of the better ones in the NFL we'll see when it comes to the fall but he's got a good running back and Travis H in who was going by ATN all through college in the pros and then came to New Orleans as press comps and goes oh by the way you know I'm from Jennings and in Jennings we say HN. So now we all call him HN. The ATN is out the window so uh Travis is now his starting running back so optimism is back high. I mean they've been in the playoff wilderness five years in a row they've missed the playoffs uh your sooner or later you hope it's gonna stop I mean the last time they missed the playoffs five years in a row was 2001 to 2005. I mean we're talking the Jim Hazler years a long period ago so you you you feel like there's optimism they get it done and with that division NFC South the winner last year was 8-9. 8-9. Like if you get to 8-9-9-8 you can win that division and I think that's doable for the Saints. Yeah what's something that we should be paying attention to and something that maybe we shouldn't overreact on with the Saints well uh on the defense you know they're the Cam Jordan you know they're everybody's getting really excited about Cam. You know, is he going to come back or not? I I don't know in the in the grand scheme of things that that's going to be a a big one if he comes back. I think Alvin Kamara on offense I think he should come back uh he's under contract you know Kellen Moore and Mickey Loomis every time they've been asked about him they're say they're kind of assessing the roster and managing the roster. He's on that roster he's officially being paid by the New Orleans Saints uh so on Alvin Kamara on the offensive side of the ball I think he'll come back Taysom probably not gonna see him again in New Orleans I got a lot of publicity that he is selling his house in old metary but uh no I I think this team is on the up and up okay we've been talking about like bad rosters the last few years and low expectations uh Derek Carr years with the New Orleans Saints weren't the greatest I think we finally have a quarterback you can like galvanize yourself around in Tyler Shuck and I think people are excited the community I mean he's out in the community everywhere I mean he's at rodeos he's at hogs for the cause he's at golf tournaments like you name it him and his wife are at it yeah Savannah Bananas yeah oh yeah there's he was there yeah um talk about the leadership on the team I mean something like a Justin Reed for instance I mean you've got some some gents who have seen Super Bowls before and they're you know they're on the roster now that's that's got to help the locker up yeah the biggest voice is now gone like Demario Davis was uh a a guiding light on that defense and and the entire team he's no longer on the team he's with the New York Jets so um last Thursday at OTA's uh coach Kellymore brought that up he's like new leaders will need to step up in this building and with DeMario out I mean Caden Ellis they brought back from from Atlanta Falcons but he was with the New Orleans Saints that's gonna be a big voice on uh defense you must you mentioned Justin Reed uh who played right up the road at Dutchtown High School uh that's gonna be a significant voice and then we talk about Tyler Shuck on the offensive side of the ball he's gonna be a big voice Chris Olave could possibly be a captain uh he's not the loudest guy in the locker room uh he's fighting for a new contract this offseason I think he's gonna get it before uh the season begins because you need weapons and you when you got Jordan Tyson you got uh Noah Fan a tight end and you you got guys but you need Chris Olave you need that number one receiver and I think they have that. Good. The rookie uh class is is very very strong as you have mentioned. Do you feel like the they can coalesce around the defense as uh as Coach Staley is putting together a great great group there. Yeah when I talked about the wide receiver room there could be three wide receivers in that rookie class that could make the roster the initial roster uh because Barry on Brown from LSU is a is a powerful kick returner had six kick returns for touchdowns at University of Kentucky and LSU so he can make the roster as a kick returner because Rasheed Shahid uh left you know got traded last year to the to the Seattle Seahawks won a Super Bowl so Barry on Brown can make it and then you got Bryce Lance out of North Dakota he could also make the roster and then Jordan Tyson so you got three receivers so that receiving there's 13 wide receivers on the roster only five or six make make the final cut so you could eat up three of those spots because you already got Devon Vale who's already going to make it and you got Chris Olave so yeah the the the rookie class uh has uh has some studs on it got a guy on the offensive line from Auburn uh so you you're excited about it but uh you you could see some of those guys especially Jordan Tyson contribute right away yeah um let's talk about coach Kellen Moore uh now going into a second season with his what what stands out to you about this this man as a um as a coach a leader uh and how he's positioned himself with uh with the Saints yeah we knew that he was I don't know I'm not gonna use the word genius but he is an offensive mastermind I mean he did won a Super Bowl as the offensive coordinator Philadelphia Eagles um he's getting a little more comfortable with the media you know first years short answers he's getting a little more out there with us you know um I mean that's not his job to talk to the media but you know it gives you a kind of insight into what's going on with the team uh but I think now that he has his quarterback like he has his guy and that makes everything so much easier uh last training camp we're sitting there charting passes between Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shuck like every press oh Tyler Shuck went 13 of 16 but Spencer Rattler went 12 of 15 but he had touchdown pass and you know Tyler might have interception we don't have to do that anymore like this is uh coach Moore has his guy has his quarterback and he's got a really good offense around him now so I I think that that offense you're gonna see a lot more points in in the dome this year. Yeah you so you sense that enthusiasm in the community I'm sure people are coming up to you all the time. And and I I think they just the hunger to win I I mean Drew Brees 2020 we're talking COVID was the last time they made the playoffs just feels like an eternity ago and you know um we're not fans as the media but I I would also love to cover playoffs again you know like the Super Bowl in like 2009 was awesome to cover you know the the Dome coming 2006 those kind of memories stay with you for the rest of your life and I would like to keep you know covering big time memories not six and eleven teams you know and it and everything going down you know like right now with the playoffs with the NBA you know you'd like to see the Pelicans out there. We like to see our teams do well and you would like to see at the New Orleans Saints but every everywhere I go that's the big question what are the Saints going to do this year? What's their record right now? Like I got that I was at Blue Oak Barbecue a week or so ago that was the first question one of the guys asked me what's going to be the Saints record this year. So yeah they're they're really excited about prognosticate please for me. Yeah like yeah right now you know their overunder win total in Las Vegas is seven and a half which is smart get your money on both sides that's what Vegas's job is to do. Right now I'm sitting at eight nine nine and eight which could both of those records could win you the NFC South right now. I'm still trying to figure it out Jeff Duncan of the Thomas McCune in August sends an email out to all the writers and says what's your prediction on the on the uh on the schedule on the roster and what you think the record's gonna be right now I'm still in a holding pattern I got all training camp to figure it out. Right now I'm at eight and nine but I can move the nine and eight we'll see okay uh last question about the Saints before we move on to the Pelicans we're coming on the 20th anniversary of the kick block of Steve Gleason reflect on that here we are uh 2026 20 years ago September 2006 stadium is opening again after Katrina what comes to to your mind? So yeah I was I was lucky to be covering that game and I mean the opening you got green day and I playing a song I never heard in my entire life uh with Saints are coming. I mean it just get you like chill bumps just thinking about that that moment you know and DeLoach uh slam dunking the ball over the goalpost and you know Steve Gleason I mean immortalized outside the the stadium with a uh a uh a statue I still see Steve Gleason all the time his son plays a Jazz but he plays a lot of sports so whenever I'm covering because you know I obviously I cover the Saints and Pelicans but you know at Fox State we're covering high school sports we're covering college so I see Gleason out in the community still you know uh out everywhere I even saw him at French quarterfest so he's getting out and about uh yeah that kind of kind of like ignited the New Orleans Saints to make the playoffs that that year and we didn't expect anything I mean the year before they go 3 and 13 Jim Hazlitt's out as head coach Sean Payton comes in he's got Drew Brees who's coming off of surgery what is he going to be Reggie Bush at running back and kind of just got everybody fired up again. So that that I feel like that's the moment that kind of brought New Orleans Saints to where we are today where they're a Super Bowl champion. Yeah all right let's go to the Pelicans new chapter new head coach let's talk about it. Yeah Jamal Mosley is now the head coach of the uh of the New Orleans Pelicans had some success with the Orlando Magic did get knocked out in the first round in game seven uh and but just like swooped right in like Joe Dumars uh said in his introductory press conference last Tuesday for Mosley uh he sent a text hey should we talk and that was right after they lost they got knocked out of the playoffs uh so Dumar's always had Jamal Mosley on his mind um it's just it's been a uh uh we talk about playoff droughts with the uh Saints you know missing it five years in a row the Pelicans have made the playoffs in the last few years but they've only made it twice in the last eight years and they got swept by the thunder and they lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games. So you know Jamal Mosley says they're on the cusp of getting back to like their winning ways but also said he wants to take it step by step. That's another team I'd just love to see get back to winning. Like when the when the the Pelicans are winning they they pack that place okay like the Smoothie King Center is gets fired up the fans go. They just love winners like you know people are like oh it's not an NBA town no no we're a winning town like when when you win people will show up okay Tulane had no fans for a long period of time in the dome for football. You go there now Yulman Stadium is rocking because they're a winner right now and and people just love to be around winners. And I think if the Pelicans do that again uh he's a defensive guy so he's gonna play ferocious on defense. Uh the Orlando Magic are known for defense and last year uh under Willie Green uh they were not you know uh I know in a short period last year he was out pretty quickly but in the past they were not known to play defensive ball that's what Jamal Mosley kept preaching defense defense defense uh Joe Dumars is uh a guy I think is going to wheel and deal so that roster you see right now will not be the same one when they suit up uh come October. Okay. Coach makes a big difference right I mean you've got these major players how does the coach pull these personalities together what what's going to make this coach different than uh previous coaches yeah uh you know last year with Zion Williamson you thought he was starting to turn things around turn things around but Jamal Mosley said he's just touching the surface like with with Zion Williamson. Now we'll say this they have two good building blocks in rookies and Jeremiah Fears and Derek Queen who were drafted last year both second all NBA rookie team I just think that they might need to just hear a new message in the building you know sometimes it's just somebody different I Willie Green was a great person. I saw him a month ago he's still running around New Orleans his son goes to school down here so he's been around uh but sometimes it's just a new message uh that comes out from the coach uh I think they just need to be aggressive uh aggressive in free agency aggressive uh with the trades and just get a winner back and I will say this DeJounte Murray was one of the guys that kind of ignited him on the back end of the season he was out most of last year so you need health and Zion was healthy most of the season so if you get good health and you get some good players on the roster then things can change quickly. Okay let's go to college. All right LSU Toulin what are you excited about? Well obviously Lane Kiffin the circus has come to town like you know people are asking me what the record's going to be and I have no idea just yet but I know it's a circus. I mean Vanity Fair doesn't usually interview college football coaches they're coming down here they're interviewing uh Lane Kiffin uh the next day he has a you you know he has the uh the go back out and kind of uh do a rebuttal on some things on in another interview uh didn't then the the head coach uh the previous head coach gets trashed by another interview later in the week like it's just and then coach oh yeah and then coach o comes like I don't know what the record's gonna be but every single week it's gonna be like right now LSU is the center of the college football universe like even though Indiana won the national championship everybody Talking about LSU. Everybody's talking about Lane Kiffin. They're open against Clemson. It's going to be college game day, week one. They're coming down here. It's going to be in prime time. Ole Miss in week three when Lane goes back to Oxford. That's in prime time. That's going to be possibly another college game day. Like everybody, the world is revolving around Lane Kiffin. He knows it and he enjoys it. And they have a roster that right now they spent over 40 million on that roster. They had some of the best players in college football. So you know, Lane kind of pumps the brakes this spring where he was like, you know, it's going to be a buildup process. No one wants to hear that. Everybody wants to expect championships. The guys that put that money in, the 40 million to pay for that roster, they want to see winning right now. Yeah, you know, 10 years ago, we would have never heard you say they spent $40 million on a roster. That's the new world. Sam Levitt, the quarterback from Arizona State, in uh name, image, and likeness, NIL is making about $5 million. The starting left tackle, Jordan Seaton out of Colorado. He's making about $4 million this year. Just the way it's going to be. You know, high school kids, uh, they're already getting paid by LSU uh through NIL. It's just, I mean, Harlan Barry, who played at St. Martin's in Metary, he's making over a million right now in NIL. It's just the way of the world now they make money. We should have another uh segment with you to talk about just the whole NIL issue and what is it doing to college football and in high school at this point, as you said. It's it's uh big business. Uh right now there's a wide receiver at Brother Martin. His name's Easton Royal. He's committed to the University of Texas, but LSU's recruiting him, and there's and he keep he's pitting the teams against each other. Like he's at LSU and he's pumping it up, but you know, he's getting the Texas people all riled up also because he's committed there. And it's smart by Easton because the two of the deepest pockets in college football are Texas and LSU, and he's just jacking up his NIL number. Like if he's worth like a million right now, he can just keep talking about how great LSU is, and then he goes to Texas and he talks about how great they are, and they got oil money in Texas. They got oil money in LSU, but they got a lot more oil money in Texas, so he can get that NIL number up to 1.5 million. All right, let's give the Green Wave some love. All right, talk about Tulane. So last year they went 10-2 in the regular season, uh, made the college football playoff really tough showing against Ole Miss, but Ole Miss with Trinidad Chambless at quarterback uh is one of the best, was one of the best teams in college football last year. This upcoming year, it it's just they're gonna probably take a step back. Like 10-2 is like a generational team. Uh over-under win total right now is seven and a half games. But I will say this in the American Conference, it's not a strong football conference, but they got to figure out who their quarterback is. And Caden Samanza is in that mix. He didn't play one down last year, and that's concerning to me. Like, you know, last year, uh Jake Retzloff and uh Brendan Sullivan got all the snaps last year. Caden Samanza sat on the bench the year before he was a starter at Ball State, which had a losing record, but he didn't play last year. And then you got uh Zeon Chris Grimion, who did not start last year at the University of Houston, and now he's coming to two lanes. So now you got two guys that didn't start last year. Uh Zeong Chris Grimion had a few snaps, but it was in mop-up duty. So I'm kind of worried there. They're really strong at running back in other spots, but the quarterback situation is a little dicey right now. They also have a walk-on that came from John Curtis that I covered in high school. Uh Dagan Bruno, he's in the mix also. So it's like once they figure that out, we'll see. They're underdogs on the road to Duke in week one. Wow. Um, you know, you've been covering sports for a long time. What's the best part about covering sports in this area? Well, obviously, covering the Saints and what it brings in, you know, in the national and world stage with the New Orleans Saints is something to see. Um, I also really enjoy covering high school sports, especially football, because I get to say I saw them when they were this. Like, I got to interview Odell Beckham Jr. when he was a nervous sophomore at Newman. No tats on his arms. His hair was one color, like he was just a he was just a really shy kid. And then he comes to LSU, and I see him after his freshman year. He's got 20 tattoos on his arms. He's got he's got blonde, like bleach blonde hair. Like you get to see these kids when they're raw, like and they're nervous to be on camera, you know. And you know, Justin Jefferson was a very quiet kid when I interviewed him at Destrahan. Now him, he's got grills in his teeth, you know. He's making hundreds of millions of dollars. So I it's really cool to see these guys before they come become big, you know. Like Arch Maining, I covered him since he was in, he's the first guy I ever covered in middle school when he was at Newman, and now he's like exploding at Texas, and he'll possibly be the number one pick in the NFL draft next year. So that's kind of rewarding to see these kids when they're when they're in ninth grade. Uh, but I I love it all. I love covering every sport, you know, from high school, college, and pro. And um, you know, it just keeps on going. Like right now, we're in the summertime. LSU's got, you know, got some spring uh summer workouts, and the Saints are doing their thing. But a high school's also doing seven-on-seven football summer, so I'll get into all that. That's great. Well, Garland, it's great to be with you. Thank you for coming in to give your perspective on the Saints and the Pelicans, Tulane, LSU, and and if you can come back, we can talk more about getting into the high school athletics because there's a lot of great teams out there that are going to be performing once again. Oh, yeah. Oh yeah. Um appreciate it. You everything that you're doing. It's now time for five minutes with. We have our next guest is author Dr. Rory O'Neill Schmidt, whose work explores the fascinating people, legends, and the layered history of our city. Today we'll talk about Michela di Pontalba, the Baroness, the woman behind one of the French Quarter's most iconic landmarks, along with the history, the mystery, and culture that continue to shape the stories of the day. Dr. Schmidt, Rory, it's great to have you here. Great to see you, Mark. It's wonderful being here with you. How long do we go with? It's surreal. Like I met you, I think, when I was 10 years old. Yeah, your family was involved with the creation of Southern Repertory Theater or the expansion of the theater as well over to Canal Place. And those are some heady days back then. Yes. All right, let's talk about your book, Um, The Blood of the Baroness. And um, you know, it's all about Michaela De Pontalba. So give us a thought about the woman and what people may not know about her, and why does she why does she kind of still matter to today for New Orleans? Uh well, uh Michaela de Pontalba uh is uh a New Orleans woman, and she was born here, you know, long, long time ago. But without her, we wouldn't have the French Quarter as it looks today because she's the visionary behind the Pantalpa apartments. Um but she didn't accomplish it. Um, like as with any dream, it wasn't easy. Um she had to be almost killed before she could actually accomplish her dream. Um and so, really, this woman is not only someone who's iconic to New Orleans in their contribute contribution, but also symbolic of like having this fierce female power and ingenuity and entrepreneur and leadership. Um and I'm just grateful for all that she's done for the city. Aaron Ross Powell Yeah, and people walk past those apartments every day and really don't know the the depth of of how they came about. It her story, her life reads like a movie script. We have been optioned, yes. Tell us uh give a little bit more brief. You mentioned she had to almost be killed to continue her vision. What what what happened? Yeah, so um she she basically was she's the daughter of a Spanish man named Andres Andres Almonester, who was a council member and then a French woman. And um, and basically when she was 15, her mother married her off to her cousin. And because she was so wealthy, her mom thought that if I married to the family, my family will never betray us, right? A family will protect us. But instead, this family she had to move to France and she was kind of a prisoner and the the family home in the chateau because they wanted to really wrangle all her wealth. Back then, the when the wife enters the you know the family and the French family, they give all of their possessions, their wealth, their property to their husband and the husband's family. And um the husband's father was the baron and he wanted all of her money, and she said no. And because she was born in Louisiana and in New Orleans, as a female, she actually had the right to retain her property and her wealth. And she fought her entire life, and thankfully the Louisiana court supported her in the 1800s to keep it. Yeah. But you know, when you were res researching her life, was there a moment when you thought, I can't believe this actually happened? Yes, yes, there definitely was. I think um it was probably the I visited the chateau twice, and I actually got to walk into the murder room. Do you want to hear about that? Tell us that story. I mean, you're you so I got me uh perplexed as to the potential almost killing. I felt like I was like I wanted a detective, a true killer, like detective podcast or something, because you know, I had read about this room where her father-in-law has gone mad, he's locked her in the room, he's walked to this, it's like this servants' quarters guest house with two dueling pistols, and he's there to finally just kill her. He's had enough of her. And um basically I wanted to look as what I've read in her letter, what I've read in the books, Dr. Christina Vella is amazing with intimate enemies, um, and just kind of compare and walk it through. And some I'm sort of, you know, growing up in the theater, dramatic. And being in a space is so much different than just reading about it. So um I asked, you know, Michaela's great-great-grandson to kind of play the role of the baron and really walk me through the room. Like, how would he have blocked the door? Um, if there's windows in the corner, could she have jumped out? She would have died, and really kind of play like what is that like to have been that trapped? And she was because she refused to give in, she was basically punished and shamed for decades. Yeah. Was she injured at all while she was? Yes. So he took out the the gun to shoot her. Um, and I just love her defiance because like what person just puts their hands up to the gun and like says no. He shot off two of her fingers. And so for the rest of her life, she's wearing these gloves with fake finger inserts to cover it up. And then he shot her several times in the chest and uh left her left her for dead, just bleeding out. Somehow she survived with whatever kind of medicine they had in France there. Um, and some maybe it was an act of God, maybe there's supernatural behind the the meaning that she actually got to continue on, but um, she was nearly dead. So she left France and comes back to Louisiana. She does, yeah. In the 1830s, she has this vision to build these Pentalbo apartments, framing Jackson Square because her father had uh he was a great philanthropist, he had purchased all the property around it, but uh when she visited in the 1830s, she wasn't really pleased with what the state of the city was when she left it. So she wanted to create beauty like in France and England and these other places she visited. Um and then she was able to come back in the 1850s and complete it. But it took a long time to get that vision done. Again, another reason I think it's so important for you to be here today to describe this, not only for visitors, but for citizens like me who you know really d we don't know that background how that came about. Um she lived in a time when women had very little power and yet she became one of the most important figures in New Orleans architecture, as you have said, and real estate as well. How did she manage to claim that kind of influence? Yeah, I think so. I mean, I think that um you know, sometimes we d we dream that we're gonna leave something that's bigger than ourselves. And I think because she her father died when she was very young, she really wanted to have an impact on the city. Like he um paid to renovate um St. Louis Cathedral twice after fires and the Cabildo and build the Presbyteria. And I think she wanted to to leave her mark in the world. Um and then in Paris too, she built the Hotel de Pontalba, which is the seat of the American Embassy. So even though she wasn't necessarily formally trained in architecture, she was incredibly brilliant. Um and she knew how to understand plans, direct a team. You know, there's some reports that she was climbing the ladders at Jackson Square in pantaloons, you know, telling workers and people what to do and what they're doing right and wrong. And um she was just had that just you know, aiming for excellence always. She just wasn't gonna let anyone stop her. I'm like, yes, that's amazing. And how long did she live? She lived until like her 70s. So she died a little bit after the Prussian um war in Paris in 1872 or 73. Very good. Yeah. Um you've also written about New Orleans voodoo. Yes. Very different. Yeah, very different, yeah. But um again, uh it shows the depth of your research and what you've done this and as well as as along with your mother about Rosary. Um voodoo is one of the most misunderstood parts of the culture of our community and our region. What do people get wrong most about voodoo? Yes, um, well, I I was studying voodoo because my dad, um, he had this chicken foot hanging in his car, like at the rearview window, and I was like, what is this? And he said, I got that from Sally Ann classman. The voodoo priest is my friend. He said, Did you know you could be Catholic and Voodoo? I said, I did not know that. You know, that you can actually you know subscribe to more than one belief system. And so he introduced me to what voodoo was, and writing the book and participating in different ceremonies and inner and having interviews, I really got to learn the beauty, and I would say the biggest part of it is uh beauty and goodness. Um respect for the ancestors is paramount. It's a monotheistic religion. They have lots of spirit spirits, um, and each ritual is kind of um it's devoted to that spirit. And it's very different like growing up, going to Dominican high school, or I think your sister was when I was there, and um, going to Holy Name. It you know, everything in Catholicism is formal, pristine churches, white marble, uh, you know, at St. Ignatius at the chapel yesterday. You know, there's it's beautiful and it's routine, and in um voodoo ceremonies, it's so free. You know, you're dancing, you're lighting fireworks and sparklers, um, and it's very joyful uh too, but it comes from you know hundreds of years of uh history. Yeah. You've also written about the the haunted uh spots of of the city of New Orleans. Let's talk about your your haunted guide to New Orleans. Yeah, so that that book came out just seven months ago. The Haunted Guide to New Orleans. I'm interested in supernatural and spiritual, and I'm interested in ghosts because I think my house on Carleton was haunted. Um you grew up in? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I I mean, I started this book and you know, researching history and stories, but people like this morning, someone told me another story about a haunting. So I'm sure you know, one or two people in this room have probably had some kind of supernatural experience. And once you kind of open the invitation, there's just all this information. And I think that maybe New Orleans attracts spirits. I think if I was a ghost, I might want to come here one day too. What can people uh find in your book about the haunted guide? The haunted guide. Well, I guess we really my mom and I have written four books together. We try to organize by neighborhood. So if you're in, you know, if you're curious about cemeteries, here's what you might want to see. If you're curious about uh, you know, the French quarter, here's where you might want to go. Um but I think what they'll learn is a big part of our history in New Orleans is oral history and storytelling, and there's always meaning behind uh people's experience, whether it's a you know, scholar at Loyola or a friend making a po-boy sandwich at Parkway, you know, there's always things happening, I think, here. Um what's the hauntest of the haunted stories? Well, uh people say Madame La Lerie's house is very haunted um and actually pretty evil. And so I try to stay away from that one. And uh, a lot of people I talk to actually cross and walk on the other side of the street and make the sign of the cross because they believe that spirits can attach. Tour guides I've talked to have had hit gotten hit by cars in front of there, some guy got his arm uh his hand cut off by dropping window pan. I mean Yeah. I I would rather just proceed with caution, you know. Uh say a visitor's coming into New Orleans and they're going to explore the city and they're gonna use your books to do that. But take us through the areas of the city that they should uh experience. Well, you know, I love the garden district. I think that's a big part of what sets New Orleans apart. And so I would say just try even even driving here down St. Charles and um you know driving on Jackson Avenue. I think you'd want to just explore under the oaks, not just driving, but walking to maybe get a cup of coffee at the chicory and visiting garden district bookshop like yesterday. And I would just say explore the different neighborhoods and try to eat the food and speak to people, um, and then learn that there's so much history here and take your time with it. Um the thing I love about New Orleans is people are always welcoming and they want to want people to come and visit us and really see for themselves what we're all about. Yeah, because it is so magical that it's hard to believe that a place like this I think exists. So uh yesterday y'all had the uh bookbook signing. Yes. And this can book book can be found at Garden District Books. Yes. Uh where else can people locate it? So uh Pelican Publishing is an imprint of Arcadia, so they can go to the Pelican or Arcadia websites. Amazon, Walmart, Target, we're all on those websites too, your favorite local bookshops. Um I'm trying to think anywhere else. Oh, the 1850s House. So the 1850s House Museum will have an event there next week. Um Yvonne LaFleur, Frenchman Art Books. We're we're kind of wherever, wherever people will take us, basically. We appreciate your work. You know, thank you so much for joining us. Your work is a great reminder that in New Orleans every building square cemetery has a legend that can come to life. But people should take the time to uh to understand it and take the deeper dive. We appreciate you sharing those few stories with us today. Thank you so much for having me. I have a feeling there are more books in your future. Uh and as they uh they come together, we'd love to have you back to talk about some more. Yes, yes, I'm keeping it under wraps, but we do have two more books coming out. All right. We're gonna go to April Dupree to speak about what's happening with this week in New Orleans. April, what's happening? Thanks so much, Mark. Here is where to eat, drink, and play this week in New Orleans. If you're sad about crawfish season starting to wind down, first of all, we understand. Second, Dean East Seafood still has you covered. Whether you're hitting the French quarter or Bucktown location, there's still time to get your fix. And if you're ready to move on to the next great Louisiana food obsession, the French Market Creole Tomato Festival returns this Saturday and Sunday. This year's food lineup is stacked. Paula's Taste of Soul has sweet tomato egg rolls. Lily's Cajun Kitchen is doing Creole Tomato jambalaya bowls, and Lil Mellen's Creole and Cajun cuisine has a Creole catfish pork with fritz that's gonna be very hard to look at. Holy crepes is keeping things a little lighter with a cream tomato salad crepe that is still very much important. There's also Italian ice and bloody berries popping up all over, and many more creole tomato dishes than you thought would be. The fest also features live music, dance lessons, and a tomato eating contest. Black Masking Indians, second lines, and Amanda Shaw taking the stage Saturday afternoon. Start this week with the coffee. From lots day heads a fourth. Smooth, bright, and just enough energy to keep you going. If an ice cream lots hey, it's more your speed. French cup coffee is the mood. It's classic, reliable, and exactly what you want when the heat is definitely. Four quick is risk so it's not my carry is wrestling. Smoke cup, big wake up coffee. Cold group people, make your way to the porch. Strong, smooth, and built for a slow walk through the barrier. And if you're in a capitato mood, grab one from CeC's coffee house in the first quarter, and then take your time along Royal Street while checking out galleries, street music, and shopping. June also means Pride Month in New Orleans, and there's a lot happening across the city. New Orleans Black Frida weekend runs Thursday through Sunday with events, parties, community gatherings, and celebrations throughout the weekend. There's also the LGBT LOL Queer Comedy Festival bringing a full week of shows and events to town. And for our theater folks, Family takes over the Singer Theater Tuesday through Sunday. It's the best kind of ridiculous based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which should tell you everything you need to know. For more information on where to eat, drink, and play this week, visit New Orleans.com, back to you Mark. Thank you, April. We've got some great things happening in New Orleans, as usual, as we kick off the summer. You know, we always like to figure out what we learn from uh each segment. And to do that, I'm gonna go to the best crew in the business to ask them what they learned from today's show. Um, I kind of already knew this, but it just reassured her for me that just the contribution that the Brennan's family, you know, T and Lally represent them so well. I mean, they're the best PR agents for that family, but then again, everyone in that whole family is. But the contribution that they gave to our culinary culture, and they still invest in making sure that our culinary culture is going to be here for hopefully hundreds of years to come. So I mean it's well infinitely, but but uh obviously for the next years to come that they're they're nurturing and investing in the young culinary students and And uh really just I'm just proud to even be from the city knowing that those they're they're doing their thing. Very well said. Larry? I learned from Garland that things are looking up in the sports scene. New Orleans, like all of all of our sports teams are like the trajectory is high for all of them. And like he said the circus is coming to town with LSU and all the excitement coming out of that game. Yeah. Um and I learned uh Paul McCartney carries his own recipe for his drink, which is very interesting. Um and I hope to be sitting somewhere in Commander's Palace when someone like a Paul McCartney comes in again. Very, very interesting. Well, that's great. Well, thank y'all for sharing those uh those memories for today's show. And now for something positively New Orleans. This week, as we approach the anniversary of D-Day, we pause not just to remember history, but to honor courage, sacrifice, and the enduring cost of freedom. On June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in one of the most pivotal moments in modern history. Many never made it off those shores. They gave their lives so that future generations might live in a world defined by liberty rather than tyranny. We owe them more than just remembrance. We owe them reflection. We owe them a commitment worthy of their sacrifice. That is why places like the National World War II Museum, spread over seven acres in New Orleans Warehouse District, matter so deeply. This is not just a museum, it is a living tribute. A place where stories are preserved, where history is made real, and where the bravery of the greatest generation continues to inspire new generations. The museum was originally intended to honor and remember D-Day by telling the story of Andrew Higgins and his design of the shallow water workboats, which were adapted to meet military specifications to be landing craft used to carry troops to the open beaches of Normandy. This museum has been rated one of the top ten in the world by TripAdvisor. We are especially grateful for the vision and leadership of Dr. Nick Mueller, whose dedication helped build this institution in one of the finest museums in the nation, and for the continued stewardship of its current president and CEO, ensuring that this mission endures and grows. We also remember the late Dr. Stephen Ambrose, whose passion for history and deep belief in the power of storytelling helped bring this museum to life. His vision alongside Dr. Mueller's created a place where the lessons of World War II will never be forgotten. Today, as we reflect on the heroes of D-Day and all those who served in World War II, let us carry forward their legacy, not just in words, but in action. Let us honor them by preserving their stories, by supporting those who serve today, and by standing firm in the defense of the freedoms they fought so hard to secure. And may we never forget the role that our city and Andrew Higgins played. That's Positively New Orleans. That's our show for this week. Thanks to our incredible guests and to all of you for watching and listening. And a special thanks to our sponsors, Blue Runner Foods, New Orleans and Company, our friends at Visit the North Shore, and their podcast, All the Ways. Go check it out. And don't forget to subscribe and hit that notification bell for all of our new videos. We'll see you next week.