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

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...

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...

My Irish Great Great Grandfather

My Irish Great Great Grandfather Frank Lawrence was a milkman who delivered milk to the fine homes of New Orleans during the early 1900s. Milk would be delivered every day, except Sunday. My grandfather milked his dairy cows early each morning, then loaded his supply onto a small wooden buggy, pulled by his horse. He would then make his way along his route, knocking on his customers' doors. The lady of the house would come to the door bringing whatever container she kept the family's milk in, and Frank would take his ladle and scoop out the amount of milk she had ordered. Then he would go to the next home. One day Frank wasn't feeling well, so he asked his neighbor Joseph to run his route and deliver the milk. Joseph answered, "I will help you, but I don't know your route." Frank replied, "don't you worry, the horse knows the way." The neighbor wasn't too confident in Frank's horse, but to his surprise, the horse starte...

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