Honest Joe Meets King Creole

In January 1958, Elvis Presley traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana, to film the movie King Creole. King Creole is a 1958 American musical drama starring Elvis Presley. It follows a nineteen-year-old Danny Fisher (Presley) who gets mixed up with gangsters, two women, and the King Creole nightclub. The epic was Presley's last black and white film. Presley later indicated that of all the characters he portrayed throughout his acting career, the role of Danny Fisher in King Creole was his favorite.

My dad, Honest Joe, grew up on the streets of the Big Easy. Honest Joe and a few of his friends, tough-looking neighborhood boys, were hired by the film crew to convince the locals to remove anything on Bourbon street that didn't fit the noir theme of the movie. The teens worked earnestly to remove window air conditioners, garbage cans, flower pots, and street signs. Locals that didn't cooperate often found that their stuff would be missing the following morning. The boys did such a good job; the film crew allowed them to hang out, watch the filming, run errands, and act as extras in the movie.

The film was released on July 2, 1958, by Paramount Pictures to critical and commercial success. Many critics were unanimous in praising Presley's performance. The soundtrack song "Hard Headed Woman" reached number one on the Billboard singles chart and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

My dad was a fan of Elvis Presley and had an extensive collection of his record albums. Daddy was so proud that he helped "The King.' He mentioned it to me often.

--- Sugie

Cajun French Language Dictionary

Cajun French is different from the language spoke in France. Acadians migrated from France over 300 years ago. Just as Americans speak English differently after being separated from England for hundreds of years, the same is true of the Acadians. Here is a few of my favorite Cajun phrases: Bon Appetite! Enjoy! Bonjour Mes Amis Good day my friends. Ca c'est bon That's good! C'est magnifique That is great! Faire des commissions buy groceries, making grocery bill Fais do do Traditional Cajun dance or party Lagniappe An unexpected nice surprise. Laissez les bon temps roulet Let the good times roll! Mamere Maw maw or Grandma Merci Beaucoup Thank you very much. Mon cher My dear. Mouche a mielle Honey bee...

Red Velvet Bourbon Cake Balls

This trendy treat with a New Orleans flair is simple to make, perfect for entertaining, and sure to be raved about at your next party. The velvet cake gives this treat a delicious cocoa flavor, and the bright red color makes it a festive addition to Holiday parties. GATHER YOUR GROCERIES: Red Velvet Cake - baked but not frosted One cup of Cream Cheese Frosting. (recipe below) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - 1 bag One fourth cup of Whiskey THE WAY TO DO IT: Cook the red velvet cake following the directions on the cake mix package or your favorite from-scratch recipe. Cool the cake completely. Do not frost. Crumble cake into a large mixing bowl and drizzle the whiskey onto the crumbled cake. Dollop the cream-cheese frosting into the cake and whiskey mixture and combine thoroughly—chill mixture for one hour. Roll the chilled whiskey cake into quarter-sized balls and place it on a cookie sheet. Chill the balls until they are firm. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, foll...

Rebel Lee

It was 1979, and my Cajun great uncle Rebel Lee was not feeling well. The family doctor told him that he would do something called exploratory surgery and determine what was wrong. After the surgery, Doc told him that there was so much cancer inside him that he had just sewed him right back together. That old doctor said Rebel Lee was about to meet his maker. Rebel Lee pondered about his life in the hours that followed. He came to realize that his life had been full of somedays. Someday, he will retire. Someday, he will build a camp on the bayou. Someday, he will hunt and fish anytime he wants to. Now Rebel Lee understood there wouldn't be a someday, only today, with very few tomorrows. He decided that he wasn't going to wait any longer for someday. Rebel Lee would live his life the way he had always wanted to. Rebel Lee didn't go home to his bed as Doc told him to when he was released from the hospital. Instead, He changed out the...

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