Posts Tagged ‘New orleans’
For coffee and dessert, you have a lot of choices. In New Orleans, you have Angelo Brocato’s in the Mid-City area. Come along with me and The E-Man for a quick visit.
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
Well, unfortunately, I broke my “streak” again. There’s a reason for it, as I’ll explain. But because it’s been a while, I’m taking another one out of the “draft” file for you. It’s about time.
Let’s get started.
Aunt Nancy
Before I moved to BF’s house, I was introduced to a very nice lady who lived in Folsom, LA, about 45 minutes from here. The occasion was a video sent to districts around the US of Buddhists with experiences to tell. I didn’t know who she was, but I knew her partner, PB.
Surprise! A year later, I found myself in BF’s house, and they came to visit in short order. I didn’t want them to visit, because everything was such a mess. PB is a nice man, but he insisted they needed to do a home visit. Over time, it’s gotten better, but it’s still, shall we say, “disorganized.” Not for lack of trying.
Her actual name is Nancy Mallory, and she moved down here in 2013 from Pennsylvania to spend her life with PB. He drove up to Pennsylvania to get this woman. BF only had to drive five hours to Houston to get me. They lived on his acreage in Folsom, and very happy together.
The Fight
Somewhere, Nancy was diagnosed with cancer. Over time, she fought it hard, and along the way was a great friend to everyone, including me and BF. She asked about him one day, and I said, “he’s still going around telling people I’m trying to kill him.” Nancy’s reply: “you mean because of healthier food?” Yes. “Oh, so everything’s OK then.” Aunt Nancy got it.
I still don’t want to have company because I just don’t feel like the house is yet “company ready.” Mind you, we were ready to host the GER, Miss Alice and her daughter, as well as Neighbor E during the February freeze if they needed it. But they would have been warned about the disorganization.
Aunt Nancy wanted to do a “home visit” a couple of years ago, but I just didn’t want it here. She said, “so meet me somewhere!” We decided on the local PJ’s, and she drove up. I took this picture, and now I’m very glad I did.
A great candid shot, taken November 1, 2019
I called her “Aunt Nancy” for the same reason I call two of the blog’s readers Aunt Kathy and Aunt Ruth. They’re like aunts to everyone. At least, that’s the way I see it, and I use it as a term of endearment. We’re not actually related, and nobody has complained.
One More Home Visit
Unfortunately, Aunt Nancy lost the fight on Friday, June 18th, in the evening. I went to visit her about a week before, and, let’s just say she didn’t look like this picture. The strong, vibrant woman was now someone who was “all beat up” from fighting. Her daughter and grandson were around, as well as her longtime friend from New Jersey. I didn’t know what to do, so her daughter said, “just talk to her.” That’s what I did, knowing it would likely be the last chance I had.
I gave Aunt Nancy updates about me and BF, how we were doing, and about some of our benefits. I sent her an email in January about one benefit we had but didn’t get a response. That’s OK–some people read them and don’t respond. But for Aunt Nancy, she gets a pass. Mostly, I wanted her to know what we’ve been up to, and that we’re doing OK. I didn’t want her to worry about us. She chanted for us more than once, and I believe that because of it , BF and I will be fine.
PB is carrying on, as he has a business to run and bills to pay. But we all miss her already.
More Website Issues
So, if you’ve come to the website a few times, you may have found that ridiculous spam redirect–again. Banana Rat and I have removed more of these nasty plugins, and we think we got it this time. Feel free to notify me if it returns and you get it.
On June 15th, I received an email from JetPack (one of my security add-ins) that stated:
Our security systems identified unusual behavior on your account. This usually happens when the password used for your WordPress.com account is also used on another service that had a data breach, or the password is weak, insecure, or easily guessable. Because the account behavior indicated that someone else might have access to your account, we reset the password and revoked any app tokens associated with the account.
Great! So I didn’t go back to the website until today. But since I had already changed the password, it was fine. Frequently, solving tech problems on the blog takes a LOT of time. Banana Rat is skilled in these things and has taken care of several on my behalf. Please give him your thanks. We think it’s OK now, and we hope so. That was highly annoying.
Iced Coffee, Anyone?
Well, now that it’s officially summer in the US, it’s iced coffee “season.” I get that iced coffee is an acquired taste–I didn’t actually like it until about 2008 when I got a coupon in my morning Houston Chronicle for a free one. I started actively drinking it in 2011, when we had a hot summer with drought in Houston, and later learned to make it at home. A couple of years ago, it got easier when I bought Kitchenaid’s cold brew iced coffee maker.
Nick Usborne of Coffee Detective has again published a blog on making iced coffee at home, with some updated equipment. The blog includes links to some other recipes, plus a review of the Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot and the Asobu cold-brew coffee maker. As I said the last time, there are many ways to make iced coffee, I just chose the one from Kitchenaid.
Coffee On The Way Home
So, as I mentioned in the post on Katie’s of Mid-City, I am frequently in need of a coffee for the 90-minute ride home from New Orleans. I usually stop at either Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, or PJ’s Coffee. All three are along the stretch of Veterans Memorial Boulevard, which is Metairie’s “main drag.” Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and very large Rouse’s are also on Veterans in different places. After shopping, I get my coffee, and head back to the I-10, or occasionally, north on the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway, for the 90-minute drive.
There are two PJ’s on either side of Veterans, and, to my knowledge, two Starbucks. Dunkin sits next door to one of the Starbucks, and I like Dunkin’s iced coffees. But then, the ‘rona struck. We haven’t had any in-town meetings in 18 months. The only trip to New Orleans was for last year’s socially-distanced wedding at Southern Oaks.
Why Starbucks? Two reasons: one, until recently, I saved up my “stars” in the Starbucks Rewards program just to get a “free thing” for the trip home. Two: Since Starbucks in Louisiana doesn’t have as many stores as Starbucks in Houston, there are no salads. That means I’m having either their Egg Bites or some form of a coffee on the way out. I’ve exhausted my “stars,” because I haven’t been collecting them like I used to, and the last 50 were about to expire. The Hammond store has been fully opened since April, but I just don’t drop in as often.
Angelo Brocato’s
So one day, The E-Man says to me, “forget Starbucks–you should get coffee at a local place.” Got anyplace in mind, Dude? “Angelo Brocato’s.”
Now, I grew up in the New Orleans area, but there are many places that I was never familiar with. This is one of them. I’ve seen the name here and there, but not in a long time.
So we park a couple of blocks away, as you do in Mid-City, and walked here:
An old New Orleans kind of place.
A most friendly, welcoming place
It’s a lovely place where you can have a coffee, as we did, as well as all manner of delicious Italian pastries, cookies, gelatos, and more.
The mezzanine inside the cafe. Isn’t it lovely?
My first question: “Are we fancy enough for this place?” I guess we were, they served us.
Gelato
If you’re not familiar with the term, “gelato“ is the richer and more Italian form of ice cream. There are many brands available around the US, and Giada de Laurentiis has a recipe for it here.
Angelo Brocato’s serves it in the cafe as well as sells it in different retail locations. For me, they’re all an hour’s drive, but that’s OK.
In-store, you have a choice of them:
A lot of delicious!
I’m sure I had that chocolate at the top right. The E-Man had a slice of this delicious spumoni.
Spumoni! (Sorry about the foggy)
They can pack up a quart of their gelato in the store for you to take home. They also sell the gelato and other treats at many local retailers.
Cookies And Bakery Goods
Because this visit was in July, there was no way I could get a pint of ice cream back to the Casa de Rurale intact without an ice chest and a pound of dry ice. Not knowing where to procure such a thing, I chose to bring BF a little white paper bag of tasty cookie treats.
Delicious treats that make the trip home
But wait! There’s more!
Such lovely things
You can buy these one at a time:
I have a weakness for these, but was good that day.
I brought home to BF a small selection of the things I knew would survive the trip, including a couple of these little amaretti cookies. He ate them happily, one at a time.
Visit With The E-Man
I asked for some cappuccino, which the nice lady expertly made for me:
Absolutely delicious
The E-Man preferred to stick with coffee:
He bought some of their bagged “day-old” baked goods (biscotti, I think) and we talked with some nice folks while we were there. Then it was time for me to head home to the Casa de Rurale.
Naturally, I let BF know what we were doing. He knew I was bringing back some tasty things for him. Because I always do.
The Pandemic Takeout Window
Angelo Brocato’s is a very busy place most days, and on Friday and Saturday nights, there’s a line outside. Just about every week, I’m told.
But a pandemic couldn’t keep them down. They’ve been around for over 100 years! Hurricane Katrina took them out for about a year, and they came back strong.
When the world closed up last year, Angelo Brocato’s decided to do what most restaurants did–open for takeout, including an exclusive take-out window.
The very modern pandemic solution for an old-world business (Source: The Times-Picayune)
I’m guessing those lines are back on Friday and Saturday nights now that the state has re-opened.
A Great Place To Visit
I’ve said this before: if you’re visiting New Orleans, skip Starbucks and find someplace local. Angelo Brocato’s fits that bill, even if it’s just for a morning coffee. It’s a delicious and elegant “old world” cafe that will make you glad you did. You can also order online for shipment anywhere in the continental US.
They’re located at 214 N. Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans’ Mid-City area. They are closed on Mondays like many New Orleans businesses. It’s a thing there. They’re open 10 am to 10 pm, Tuesday through Saturday, and 10 am to 9 pm on Sunday.
Happy Dining!
Katie’s of Mid-City is a great neighborhood restaurant to visit if you’re looking for a real New Orleans place. Or, if you’re not interested in going near the French Quarter.
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
As we begin the process of getting back to normal, I realized it’s been a while since I did a restaurant review. It’s been some time since I’ve been in this particular restaurant, too, but I never forgot it. Maybe BF and I should take a ride there and have lunch one day, and drag The E-Man with us.
Before I tell you about Katie’s of Mid-City, I’ve got a few other things to tell you about first.
Instant Pot: Venison Roast
So, back in December, one of the neighbors brought over what BF said was “deer roast.” I have no idea what part of the deer. I asked BF how to cook this. His response: “just like a regular roast.” Oh, that’s helpful. So I bagged them up and put them into a bag with other meats in the big freezer.
While researching the Instant Pot post, I came across this recipe for Instant Pot Venison Roast. Dinner is always a challenge to figure out no matter how far in advance I try to plan it. So I asked BF if we could try this out.
Meat and Potatoes. How bad can that be?
I’m happy to report that I made this for us over the weekend and it was a success. I only had dried thyme on hand, and I used about two teaspoons of it. The venison came out tender and juicy, and the vegetables perfectly cooked.
Yes, I know it’s not “keto,” but as I always say, I eat “keto, mostly.” And I didn’t take pictures, sorry. If you’re in possession of venison but have no idea what to do with it, I highly recommend this recipe. Just understand the irony that it will take a good three hours using the. . .Instant Pot.
Freezer Organization
A quick note–if you have a large freezer as we do now, things can get very disorganized quickly.
The solution: reusable grocery bags. No kidding. Wash them first.
I could have sworn I saw this tip on One Good Thing By Jillee, but now I can’t find it there. But I did find it on LifeHacker’s website, albeit shorter.
Dionne at Home Made Our Way has a more detailed blog post on organizing your chest freezer. Because I’m telling you, I speak from experience–you’ll be getting frostbite trying to find that one thing you need somewhere. (I have a pair of gloves for the day I have to do that.)
BF is of the habit of opening the lid of the big freezer and chucking things in without looking. I’ve shown him the “system,” but he’s not concerned. I’m guessing he thinks the solution is to make sure I have additional housework and chores. I’ll fix that one day.
Lunch After The Activity at Katie’s
Because going to the New Orleans Buddhist Center (which has not yet reopened) is an all-day thing for me, frequently I go have lunch or coffee with The E-Man, and sometimes other members too. Most often, I need a little “leaded” coffee for the long trip home.
The E-Man was not born in New Orleans, but he’s certainly made it home after many years of living there. He knows every street, every avenue, and every place to go as well as avoid.
One particular day he said something about “Katie’s.” I had no idea what he was talking about. After all, I haven’t lived there in more than 20 years. But one thing about The E-Man, he’s been around.
Really busy place, and for good reason.
Because I had no idea where I was going, I had to follow him. In a pickup truck, no less, in a part of town I was never completely familiar with–Mid-City. But off we went to a little place that wasn’t touristy, and a little off the beaten path.
Katie’s, The Place
Katie’s is one of those restaurants that if nobody told you about it, you might not even know it was there. One block off the Canal Street streetcar line, it’s at 3701 Iberville Street. But we drove and had to park over a block away–that’s where parking was available.
The restaurant is one that’s nearly always busy and crowded, and like everyone else, we had to wait outside before getting in. What does that tell you? Everybody wants to go there!
The place has also been featured on two Food Network programs, “Food On The Road,” and this one.
Yes, Guy Fieri’s been here, too.
And in 2013, it was voted a Best Of New Orleans by local publication Gambit. So that wait for a table tells you that the place has a loyal following. Waiting at Cafe Express or The Olive Garden is just not the same thing as waiting to get into Katie’s, because Katie’s is a different experience completely.
Casual Interior
It’s a casual place, like a lot of places are now. And that’s OK, too:
Window view in between customers. It filled up quickly again.
When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Katie’s wasn’t spared.
Because Mid-City is a below-sea-level neighborhood, Katie’s took a fair amount of water.
But they rebuilt and came back. With decor like this:
Now that’s using your noodle!
Or This:
This was in the ladies’ room but probably shouldn’t have been.
You can’t help but have a good time.
More Views
From the upstairs, I saw this outside, just someone’s house:
Nice!
And there are more awards!
These were in the upstairs area, where there is both food prep and additional seating. (And the ladies’ room.)
Downstairs the casual, fun vibe was the same:
Interesting, yes?
I liked this too:
On the left side is one with, shall we say, “local vernacular.”
These were particularly interesting
Since our last trip, Katie’s has stayed relatively the same, I’m told. That means you’ll see much the same thing, but I can’t answer for the menu.
The place is great but not terribly big. Although it’s on a corner, it’s in one of those older neighborhoods with small buildings and “shotgun” houses. In fact, that’s probably what the blue house next door is. That being said, expect a wait, especially on popular days like Sundays. They’re only open from 9-3 on Sunday, and everybody goes there after church.
Our Brunch At Katie’s
Let’s talk about food. It’s casual, it’s good, and just what you’d expect from a place like this.
The E-Man knows what he likes, and ordered something called Oysters Slessinger.
This was what The E-Man ordered as an appetizer!
This appetizer consists of a half-dozen oysters (I think I tried one or two, and you can also order a dozen) along with “creamy provel, shrimp, spinach and bacon served with french bread.” I have no idea what “provel” is and didn’t ask, nor did I handle the French bread. I left that to The E-Man.
For lunch, he ordered:
Yes, he was hungry.
I asked for something that was gluten-free and was offered a frittata. Yes, please. Thank you.
In keeping with gluten-free and low-carb, I asked and was offered this delicious frittata.
All cheesy, with sausage on the inside. Italian, if I remember correctly:
Delicious!
No complaint from me!
Of course, when I picked up BF from work that afternoon, I told him all about it. His response: “that’s a lot different than the ham and cheese sandwich I had.” Touche. I did make sure he had a good dinner.
Rack Of Tabasco
If you like Tabasco, so do they:
They did have every flavor of it, including my favorite, Chipotle.
Some of Katie’s online menu items aren’t the same as what we had that day, because we went for Sunday brunch. But like many neighborhood restaurants, they may also change their menu periodically.
Have A Good Time At Katie’s!
No, this isn’t a sponsored post. I’ve been wanting to write this for a while, and finally got to it. Besides, one of my astute readers may be planning a trip to New Orleans soon and wants to find a good place to eat. I don’t think you’ll go wrong by including a visit to Katie’s in the itinerary.
Katie’s is at 3701 Iberville Street in New Orleans (70119), and their number is (504) 488-6582. You can find a map at the bottom of their home page. They open daily at 11 am, and close at 9 pm during the week, 9:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. Visit them for brunch from 9 am to 3 pm on Sundays. Call or email for reservations, or for larger parties. They’re still doing curbside and takeout if you prefer.
I’m planning another review of a Mid-City place soon–and they have coffee plus sweets. No, it’s not a Starbucks, either.
Enjoy!
We went to a wedding in New Orleans at Southern Oaks Plantation, but no, it wasn’t ours.
Find me on Bloglovin’
Happy September!
I know–it’s been a while. I hope everyone is all right after 2020 decided to ramp up even more. We’re fine after the two recent visitors (Marco and Laura) and were never in danger from a direct hit. We did, however, engage in some “panic buying” of essentials, such as milk and soft drinks. Oh, wait–that was for him, wasn’t it?
I did manage to get some Hatch chiles and roast them, much to BF’s chagrin. Rouse’s only had them for a short time, and I don’t think they did any roasting this year. The cashiers seemed to forget what Hatch chiles were and kept trying to charge both me and BF for other types of peppers. Maybe next year I can make a pilgrimage to HEB and get a lot more to bring home.
The area of the property formerly known as “the garden” is now. . .gone. Don’t ask.
Friends Of The Groom
So the wedding was one of BF’s car-guy friends who has been to the Casa de Rurale many times. BF built a motor for him, and they’ve known each other for a long time. His new wife is a financial advisor, and is selling her house in Metairie (a New Orleans suburb) to move into their new place in this area. They will actually be just a few miles from us at the Casa de Rurale. We’ve never met her or her young daughter, but chances are we will at some point.
We were a bit surprised to receive a wedding invitation and greatly appreciated it. Didn’t relish the drive TO New Orleans, but it was fine. Other than two people getting legally married, we didn’t know what to expect.
I’ll cut to the chase: everything was just lovely, and a Southern Oaks wedding is known for that. It’s pretty much everything you’d expect at a wedding. But of course, there’s food involved, so you know I need to tell you all about it.
Postponed Nuptials
Because the world has been turned upside down in 2020, the couple had to postpone their wedding from May to August. I’m sure there was a considerable amount of nailbiting going on in the days before since there were *two* hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico at one time (Marco fizzled out quickly.)
Rescheduled to Friday, August 28th, there was still some remnant activity from Laura that flowed in from the western side of the state. We’re actually on the east side, closer to Mississippi, so all my Texas peeps were asking me how we were doing. We had some rain here and even went through a couple of heavy rainstorms on the way to Southern Oaks. In fact, right after the wedding part was completed, we started feeling tiny drops, so the reception moved inside.
The Venue
Southern Oaks Plantation is located in New Orleans East and is in a house that was built in the 1960’s as a private residence. (Note: It’s not *that* kind of plantation, the term refers to the architectural style of the structure.)
Owner Bobby Asaro and his wife decided to create this venue in 1987, turning an abandoned building into a first-class full-service wedding place. They have done untold numbers of weddings since their first. The result is an elegant place to have a wedding at any time of year, inside or outside.
Remember that we were guests of the groom, so if there is a place upstairs for the couple, or if the family lives up there, well, we didn’t venture anywhere we weren’t supposed to go. There are a number of businesses in the New Orleans area where the owner and/or family lives next door, upstairs, or behind the business itself.
A brick building behind the house is, we hypothesized, the place where they keep the 1956 Silver Cloud Bentley that the bride arrived in from behind the house for the ceremony. We forgot to ask while we were inside.
The Bentley carrying the bride
I don’t think anyone went to the outside patio behind the house, where there is, in fact, a small swimming pool. I was hoping nobody was thrown in!
The Southern Oaks Wedding
Originally slated for a church in the Uptown area, they eventually decided to have the wedding itself at the venue as well. As a veteran of driving and public transit in both New Orleans and the entire city of Houston, I’m glad they did–it made things a lot easier on everyone. Driving to NO East on a Friday evening would have been a logistical nightmare, even if they did take a limo ride from the church.
The chairs were, indeed, set up on the front lawn, just like the pictures, and as required, socially distanced. Everything went as planned, I suppose. We didn’t notice anything that went “wrong.” Everyone seemed pretty happy as they walked up the sidewalk to the front of the house, where they held the wedding ceremony.
This is where the ceremony was held. All the flowers–ALL of them–matched, from the boutonnieres and bouquets to these flowers and the ones inside.
One would think that the bride might throw her bouquet from this lovely balcony, but that’s not what happened.
Logical to throw a bouquet here, yes?
Once she disembarked from the wedding car, her father took her arm for the walk.
Here she is coming to the wedding
After the wedding, she walked with the groom to the gate for the fireworks. Then they walked back.
Coming back up the walkway to lead the way to the reception inside.
I didn’t take pictures of the fireworks, but afterwards, they did come back up the walkway where we all went into the house, directed by staff.
The Food
As the website describes, each Southern Oaks wedding has a set menu with two carving stations and passed appetizers. The same food is served at every wedding–that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It keeps things simple for both the couple and for the venue, and, well, let’s just say I sampled more than I’d like to admit to. (I’m back doing keto, mostly, of course.)
Let me be clear: the food was outstanding. Makes me wish we could go have lunch there sometime.
First off there was a carving station with brisket and ham.
They were smiling, honest.
OK, first–both were very good. The brisket was tasty, but not Texas-style, and I didn’t expect it to be. The Honey Ham was equally tasty (no, not that commercially available place), and we enjoyed both.
Now about the appetizers–y’all, I was trying to be good an eat somewhat sensibly, but it didn’t work too well. I lost track of how many they were toting between tables. There must have been twenty or thirty wait staff involved, all nimble-footed food carriers.
Waiters tiptoed around with little trays of deliciously decorated foods that smelled incredible. The first thing we enjoyed was a classic, Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp. However, these aren’t the standard ones, these are bacon-wrapped shrimp, scallop & oysters. Apologies for not taking a picture of the innards, because it looked like the shrimp was stuffed with the other two fish (finely chopped) before the bacon was wrapped on it and cooked.
OMG–those were delicious! No, it’s like nothing else you’ve tasted.
A Few At A Time
The appetizers were sequenced. They brought out three or four types at first, then followed with three or four more types, and so on, until later, when they seemed to stop bringing around appetizers.
Later offerings included this tuna with soy sauce on a wonton:
You know I don’t like tuna, so obviously I passed on it, adding the “cat food” comment to BF.
Ever seen Philly cheesesteak sandwiches made like this–on a croissant?
BF enjoyed this one, too.
Burgers and fries, right up BF’s alley.
For more casual eaters.
Steak and sweet potato bites, right up MY alley.
I think this was Shrimp & Grits–I passed, much as I like shrimp.
Now, I could have been completely happy with a tray of these and another one of Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp. They could have just left me these and the shrimp and I would have left everything else alone.
These were just incredible!
This crab salad in cucumber was cool and very tasty. I got as many as I could before the waiters disappeared with them. BF, as always, turned his nose up at such fancy fare, but I see that as “more for me.”
I don’t remember what this was, but I think it was savory. Like oyster patties or something. That’s cheese on top, I believe.
Even dessert was in appetizer form, including a chocolate mousse tart in a pastry cup, and this artistic beauty on a skewer:
A “deconstructed” Strawberry Shortcake
Many of the appetizers, both savory and sweet, were in little pastry cups and were big enough for one or two bites. It’s a great idea because not only is it fancy, it makes preparation easier. You just add the filling and go with it. Chocolate mousse with a little piped whipped cream? Thank you! There was also cheesecake in the little pastry cups. With the music and masks, it was difficult to hear every explanation for appetizers, but they all knew what they were doing.
I passed on beignets. I identify as a naturalized Texan, so it’s just not my thing anymore.
There was also gumbo, crawfish etouffee, and I think red beans & rice in those small bowls as well, which BF had but I passed on. I was too busy trying to snag more crab salad on cucumber tapas.
The entire listing of Southern Oaks’ wedding menu is available here.
A Towering Wedding Cake
No Southern Oaks wedding would be complete without a fantastic cake, and this was no exception.
This was their wedding cake, but we left before it was cut to serve.
Here’s a closeup of the texture, understated and clean, allowing the flowers to really stand out:
See that? No frilly piped borders
The requisite cake pulls for the bridesmaids:
Disclosure: when I got married in 1996 (not here), I had these in my cake as well. Didn’t realize it’s primarily a Louisiana thing until I went looking for explanations for the charms–just now. I also couldn’t get anyone to make a cake with the icing looking like that–nobody could imagine such a cake without too much over-the-top frilly piping. I even had pictures of one, but nobody wanted to do it.
Honestly, I thought cake pull charms was a thing throughout the US, but it isn’t. I found this article by someone in New Orleans, using New Orleans themed charms, and this from Southern Living with non-New Orleans charms. I can’t tell you what my three bridesmaids pulled out of my cake, I just remember that the cake was the best.
We were there when they pulled the charms from the cake:
There were several
Cut a small piece out of the big cake:
They cut out of the middle layer, but we don’t know if they served the rest of it.
Then drank a toast:
But for the pictures, they only cut a small piece out of the back for the couple to eat for pictures. (I didn’t take a picture of the cut.) We left before they actually served this cake, which, from what we saw, was a white cake with raspberry or strawberry filling.
That may have been the only layer of actual cake–who knows?
The Groom’s Cake
There was also a groom’s cake, in a salute to his car guy nature:
Great job with amazing detail
This is the cake they actually served to guests–at first. We don’t know if they served the bigger wedding cake later.
When we caught him, we asked the groom what kind of cake was underneath the silver fondant icing. He said it had been so long since they planned it, he’d completely forgotten what it was! It was actually a three-layer white cake with buttercream filling and multicolored sprinkles baked into the three cake layers.
Because I’m picky I would have preferred the actual wedding cake with the fruity-looking filling, but that’s just ME. I’m sure it was even tastier than the groom’s cake.
If you want to see the car itself, this is Chevy’s site for Corvettes.
No Coffee?
All drinks were served at the bar:
They were right on it and kept very busy
I did have one glass of this champagne, and it was quite good:
Delicious!
I made sure BF didn’t mind beforehand, because he literally does not drink, ever. They served it in a simple, elegant glass flute, and I enjoyed every drop. I wasn’t planning to drive home. Had the situation called for it, I was perfectly OK for driving. I had the champagne about 7:15 or so, and after sampling way too many nibbles and drinking plenty of water, it was long out of my system, like at least 9:00 pm.
If I had to leverage a “complaint,” I guess that would be: no coffee!
No kidding–there wasn’t any coffee, not that I saw or smelled. I’m probably the only wedding guest who wanted some. But I didn’t complain about it–I’m just one of those people who enjoys coffee, that’s all.
Should they change it for me? Nah! Wouldn’t change my review one bit. If I were having a wedding there, I might ask about it. Maybe the couple didn’t want any, so they didn’t have it.
I could have got a coffee somewhere else, no problem. But we went straight home, not even stopping once we got back on the I-610 split (not the loop in Houston) and onto I-12. We went home coffee-free, but a good time was had by all throughout the event.
The Ladies Room
After one glass of champagne and a lot of water, I went to the powder room. I was greeted by this interesting decor.
You wouldn’t expect anything less here.
I didn’t actually go outside to see this little feature, and it was quite humid that day after all that rain. But maybe someone who needed a smoke break might go out there for a few minutes (if it’s allowed.) Lovely as it is, let me say that it’s not “traditional New Orleans.” That’s OK with me–I thought it was quite an interesting patio area.
This is the rest of the inside.
A nice little rock garden, or is it a water feature? I didn’t look too close, I just didn’t want to fall over it. You have to walk around it to get to the. . .facility. Also, I’m not used to wearing stiletto heels anymore.
A Picture Of Us
So I took this selfie:
That’s us!
And we sort of look halfway decent, too. He’s all nice and shaved, and I sprayed a considerable amount of Aquanet on my hair to keep it in place. I’ve already ordered an 8×10 enlargement from Shutterfly, and we bought a nice frame that’s all ready for it. Our pictures of the wedding will be in one of those lovely 6×6 books they have every month in their app. I have the pictures in place, I just need to edit them.
I’d planned to make something fancier to wear: this jumpsuit (the short version) and from this pattern, the fascinator (D) at the top right, both in Navy with a white flower on the hat. But it would have been too dressy, as it turned out, since we were told “casual.” Wouldn’t be the first time. He might have told me before I bought all that Navy crepe-back satin.
What I actually wore was this dress from MimiG Style, in the colorful fabric you see in the picture. Someone actually gave me the fabric, and I was holding onto it for “the right pattern.” As it turned out, this now-out-of-print pattern from MimiG Style, Simplicity 8084, was just right for the fabric as well as the wedding.
One of the many fabulous creations from sewing and lifestyle blogger Mimi G.
I made the shorter version, but I would like to make the longer one eventually. (Note: this is just a screengrab from Etsy–I don’t wear clothes that big.)
Not Us
We did have a wonderful time at the wedding, and many thanks to Justin (the groom) for inviting us.
Also many thanks to Bobby Asara and his wonderful staff for a great time and some very delicious and irresistable food..
Although BF and I have been together four years, we’re not planning one for ourselves. When Bronte’ (the bride) tossed her bouquet to the single women dance floor, I made sure to stand clear. I was glad I did when I saw the flower petals flying all over the place.
If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, I highly recommend considering a Southern Oaks wedding. They’re big on planning everything and making sure it all works. There are multiple five-star Yelp reviews as well.
Congratulations to Justin and Bronte!
My very late report on the Celebration of Life for John Walton of the long-running Walton & Johnson Show.
Hello, again, Dear Readers:
I know, it’s been months since my last update. My apologies. I’m writing and reading and taking care of the house and helping with BF’s Dad these days. So much for New Year’s Resolutions.
I’ve been trying to finish this post since the day after the event. June 3rd, two days ago, marked a year since the last show with the late John Walton. I can’t believe it’s been that long, but it has. So it’s time for me to finish this blog post, darnit. I also have procrastinated so that I might do justice to the subject at hand, and give him the respect he deserves.
We’re talking about this man, a radio legend since the early 1980’s.
The late John Walton, one of the originators of The Walton & Johnson Show. (Source: W&J Facebook page)
So, finally, here’s my report on our visit to New Orleans last July to celebrate the life of an incredible radio veteran.
The Walton & Johnson Show
If you’re not familiar with one of the longest-running morning radio shows in the US, here’s a brief intro. You can read the updated bio here on their website. That picture of two sharp-dressed men at the top is of Steve Johnson and Ken Webster, taken last year.
Ken Webster (L), Steve Johnson (R), from the W&J “about” page
The video at the bottom of the page was made in the last few years, I’m guessing, and runs about five minutes. (It was also shown at the activity.)
John Walton and Steve Johnson began their joint radio career in Beaumont, TX, about 1981 or 1982. Somewhere in there, they were approached by a man named Phil Shaw from NOLA station WQUE to begin doing morning drive. He intended to hire someone else, but ended up hiring these two. John Walton once said on the air that someone took him to lunch in New Orleans, and he had the best food he’d ever tasted in his life, so he stayed for 20 years. And that was that.
I actually was listening to them that first day back in 1982, and it was just a “talk show” chatting kind of thing, where Shaw welcomed them to New Orleans, they discussed a few topics politely, and they were saying “thank you, we’re really glad to be here.” They were warned ahead of time that New Orlenians didn’t take kindly to Texans (tell me about it), but over time, well. . .I’m getting ahead of myself.
The next day, the full force of Walton & Johnson was released in the city of New Orleans. Funny. Silly. Rude. Raunchy. Topical. Irreverent. Satirical. Sarcastic. Naughty. Lots of hilarious and topical parody songs about current events. And always interesting and controversial.
Promotional from Walton and Johnson (source: W&J Facebook page)
It didn’t take long for these two “shock jocks” to bowl over listeners with their back-and-forth banter with the others on the air, at the expense of a competitive morning drive show called Scoot In The Morning. “Scoot,” (real name: Scott Paisant) ruled NOLA morning radio for many years, until these two Texans blew into town with their different ways of doing things. Walton & Johnson quickly gained a very faithful following in the metro New Orleans area and held on tight. (Paisant is now on in NOLA now in the afternoons, but quite a bit different from W&J, it seems.)
John and Steve worked at nearly every radio station in New Orleans and were booted off the air more than once for different reasons. According to one story Steve Johnson told on the air, they made a comment about then-president George H.W. Bush. The next day, two Secret Service gentlemen showed up for a “visit.” The radio station’s receptionist was used to greeting people that “wanted to have a word with them,” and she didn’t even flinch. Without missing a beat, she just called out, “Walton and Johnson, you have company!”
This story was also told, both on the air by Nathan Ailes, a former radio sales guy and longtime W&J ally, and at the activity. When they first started, it wasn’t long before the radio station’s salespeople began to revolt. “We can’t sell this show, it’s too nonstandard,” or something like it. Many threatened to quit. Radio station management just said, “sorry to see you go!” Most got on board and successfully sold the show’s advertising.
Taking The Show On The Road
Walton & Johnson started out in top 40 radio, and later migrated into what’s now called “classic rock radio.” A few years ago, the show moved into conservative talk radio. More on that later.
The guys at an activity with Steve Johnson on the mic.
On a few of those “hiatus” periods when they were off the air in New Orleans, they left the city. They attempted to “set up shop” in Dallas, New York, and one or two other places. Dallas lasted a month, New York, not much longer. Ultimately, it was always back to New Orleans where their biggest and most loyal fan base lived.
Despite their popularity, you could only hear them in the NOLA area as long as they were on the air. But that was long before the Internet changed nearly everything in life. Again, I’m getting ahead of myself.
On Their Own
Somewhere around 1993, the guys split up for a while and worked with other people. They were successful but realized that they were better together–but on their own terms. They created the Walton & Johnson Radio Network. Instead of being employees of the radio station, W&J would be self-employed, and the radio station would be their client. It was rather revolutionary at the time, especially in NOLA, but it put them on par with national radio figures like Howard Stern (who they always beat in ratings.) It’s similar to how I work now as a freelancer.
Suddenly, the show could be heard outside of the metro NOLA area, and outside Louisiana on any radio station that wanted to have W&J grace their airwaves. Today they are on 15 southern US radio stations between Midland in West Texas and northern Georgia, as well as worldwide on iHeartRadio, streaming from the flagship station in Houston, KPRC 950 AM. I stream it from KPRC because I can’t stand the godawful local radio station that hosts it.
The Houston Migration
One of the things I did miss about leaving Louisiana in 1998 was Walton & Johnson. I did try streaming it online a few times using RealPlayer, but it just didn’t work well on dial-up, the standard for home Internet service at the time. I once heard a weird discussion of dinosaurs, and people kept calling in about it. A bit clunky, so I abandoned the idea.
Then one day in 2001, I was getting ready for work, and I got a phone call from my brother. He lived on the north side of Houston at the time. “Turn on your radio to KLOL,” he said. That was a longtime classic rock radio station that later became one of multiple Latino stations in Houston. I did, and there they were. WALTON AND JOHNSON!!!
I couldn’t believe it–they were in Houston! After 20 years in New Orleans, they decided to do their show in the Houston area, where they were both born and raised. Because they didn’t work at one radio station, there wouldn’t be any interruption–they would just be broadcasting from a flagship station in Houston, and would still be on all the regional affiliate stations.
This didn’t sit well with the New Orleans listeners initially, who were shocked that they would leave. One gent who called in to express his displeasure said to them, “but we’re gonna miss you here.” Walton explained that they would still be on the air in NOLA, and visit for personal appearances from time to time, but the show would now be based elsewhere. “It’s not like we come to your house for dinner,” Walton countered. Listeners were undeterred in expressing their disappointment over the move to Texas, but they still listened and called in as before. (You can always tell when it’s someone from this side of the Sabine even before they tell you where they’re calling from. Trust me.)
More To Talk About
Suddenly W&J discussed a much wider range of topics that weren’t all New Orleans-centric, and some that wouldn’t mean anything to listeners outside the Houston area. That wasn’t all of what they discussed, and still isn’t. I knew there would be listeners in Houston wondering about these two. But the Texas listeners caught on quick, and it wasn’t long before the top morning drive radio show in Houston was Walton & Johnson, too.
As was the case in New Orleans, they changed stations a few times in Houston. The mainstream press avoided talking much about them and their top-tier status on the radio. At one point, they were on the air on all their stations but Houston, making online streaming a necessity. Eventually, they found a home at KPRC 950, an AM talk station that is conservative- and libertarian-leaning. But in other places, the show is found on FM stations, like WRNO (also a talk radio station) in New Orleans and Classic Rock 92.1 in Lake Charles. (I still prefer the stream from KPRC, or listening from their iPhone app.)
The Listener’s Perspective
Granted, there were many times when I laughed hard at what I heard. But if I had to pick one thing about John Walton that I remember well, it was the day I was driving to work at Rice University (I wasn’t there long and laid off after 4 months). This was in the early part of 2001. There I was on the freeway feeder road (now called I-69), in the left lane, coming up on the Weslayan exit.
Walton was talking about the awful “music” that was popular at the time, namely, two grunge-style bands called Creed and Pearl Jam. They all sounded alike. The lead singers had a style that was hard to describe, a sort of growling moan. Walton had a name for it: “sick on seafood.”
I was laughing so hard I nearly crashed my car the wall on the overpass. Thankfully I kept control of my car, but only just. Anytime I heard him say “sick on seafood,” it made me laugh.
Outlaw Dave
Another cold morning, I was on the Bay Area Park & Ride headed downtown for work and was listening on a small radio I bought just for this purpose. This was the period from 2013 through early 2014. I wish I’d bought my iPhone sooner, too, because I could have been streaming it live every morning on the bus and finishing listening on the 90-minute-plus ride home at night.
Well, this particular winter day, the discussion turned to a story about Dwayne Chapman, aka, Dog, The Bounty Hunter, with his big blonde mullet. (I will admit that I only know who he is through news stories, like where his wife passed away last year.) There was a picture in the Houston Chronicle of Mr. Chapman, and Walton asked, “Is that Outlaw Dave?”
Outlaw Dave is the “afternoon guy” from their days at KLOL, and now has show on KPRC in the evenings. They’ve worked together for a long time. He used to have a LOT more hair.
Suddenly I had a vision: an older couple, maybe mid-to-late 60’s, sitting at their little kitchen table by the window, somewhere in the New Orleans area, listening and having their coffee. They’re obviously enjoying what they’re hearing until they hear the comment about Outlaw Dave. The man stops with a puzzled look on his face and asks his wife, “Who’s Outlaw Dave?” The wife shrugs her shoulders and says, “I dunno.”
Dear Readers, those two were walking around Generations Hall that day. In spades.
There were so many other instances of John Walton’s incredibly fast, sharp wit that stopped people in their tracks. Naturally, not everyone was a fan, and they have been the target of derision many times.
Walton’s Illness
This man rarely, if ever, took a sick day. That’s how dedicated he was to the show, and to the listeners who enjoyed it. It was, quite literally, his life’s work, even though he had other things going on, like owning a radio station in Beaumont.
Earlier in the year, he began to have a number of health problems. I don’t recall him talking about them on the air, although, admittedly, I don’t listen as often as I’d like. I keep up with the show on Facebook and listen sometimes with the app on my iPhone. But I still consider myself a “ten percenter” as well as a Texan.
Then one day I started to see people on Facebook asking about why Ken Webster was on the air instead. Mr. Walton was off the air receiving medical treatment, was doing ratherwell, and would be out for a little while. He was out for a couple of weeks, and Ken went from producer to fill-in host, with Steve doing what he normally does. It was the same great show, only slightly different with Ken’s voice from the other chair.
Mr. Walton was expected back on the air on Monday, July 8th. But about a week or so before, on a Friday, he decided to stop receiving treatment and go home for the rest of his days. He’d had enough, apparently, and passed away at his home in Fulshear, Texas, on July 1, 2019, with his wife and family at his side. It was a shock to everyone, including longtime radio partner Steve Johnson. When the news broke, fans were stunned, including me and BF.
Radio lost a true legend that day.
Future State: The “New” Walton & Johnson Show
Ken Webster is great about keeping listeners in the loop on the show’s social media channels, including using video. He also hosts his own show in the afternoons called The Pursuit Of Happiness Radio. It’s on the same station, and he also does it live on Facebook, as well as podcasts.
Ken did a video on Facebook that Tuesday, July 2nd, with updates, which included:
- They would be on the air the next day, July 3, at the normal time, as usual, but would be taking calls from friends of the show as well as listeners, and talking about the show’s past as well as future.
- The show will continue, as Steve Johnson is in great health and is ready and willing to keep going.
- The show will continue as long as listeners want it (and we do.)
- The name of the show will not change, out of respect for Mr. Walton, who founded the show and shared responsibility for its success and longevity.
- Listeners can expect more of the same, just with Ken in the other chair. (After 7 years of being in the producer’s chair, I think he’s got a general idea.)
- There would be a public memorial both in Houston and in New Orleans, where John Walton enjoyed living and visiting when he moved back to Houston. Details would be announced as soon as they had them.
Since this was just the day after Mr. Walton’s passing, everything was raw and understandably, nobody was quite sure what to do next.
I played the FB video on my TV, running the HDMI cord from my laptop to the TV (I do that a lot.) We sat on the futon and watched Ken’s video and talked about it a little more.
We both listened to that first show from the 5:30 am beginning, and I listened through 9:00 am. they started out as they did every day at 5:30 sharp with Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Little Wing. BF listened until he got to work. I streamed it online and put it on the big speaker I have in front of my TV, listening until 9, and catching up on the final hour of the show later on the app. There were a lot of stories told about the 30+ years of the show.
One of their favorite things W&J enjoyed was going out to lunch. As Steve Johnson put it, “nobody did lunch better than Walton & Johnson.” He then told many stories about how they “did lunch,” frequently on the radio station’s expense account, and more importantly, getting away with it! But you’d have to hear Steve tell those stories, I wouldn’t be able to.
After that first show, they began the process of moving forward without him, but keeping the John Walton legacy alive. They’ve since taken some new promo photos as well, and they’re quite good.
I really like this one.
The Celebration Of Life
A shot from the stage of the venue. Can you find us?
When the show announced the New Orleans Celebration of Life activity, BF surprised me when he said, “I want to go to that.” So we made plans with The E-Man to go to New Orleans. We picked him up early and he was our navigator to the venue. Finally, BF met one of my oldest friends, The E-Man.
John Walton always told people that when he left the earth, he wanted a big New Orleans-style going-away, complete with a second line and all that. Because of all the connections that W&J made over the years, they were able to arrange it, as Steve Johnson said, “with just a few phone calls.” Everything came together fairly quickly, although it had to be postponed by two weeks because of Hurricane Barry. The New Orleans activity finally happened on July 28th.
This video was shown at the event, also available on the About page.
Generations Hall is a place I’d never heard of or visited myself, but I have to say it’s quite a nice venue for whatever kind of activity you’re having. I haven’t done corporate event planning for a long time, but if I were asked to set up something in NOLA, I would definitely consider it.
Isn’t it gorgeous? Right in the middle of the dance floor. (We weren’t dancing.)
Also in attendance was a classic rock band called Superchargers, and they were quite good.
Superchargers
A number of us thought they would play the show’s opening tune, Little Wing, but they didn’t. They just stuck to what they know and did it very well.
Meeting Webster And Johnson
Although I have met W&J once or twice before, it’s been many, many years. But thankfully, the guys were meeting the fans, and we greatly appreciated the opportunity:
Not the best picture of me, but I was very happy to talk to them. BF also took a picture but he never showed it to me.
Because I follow them on Facebook, I’m also friended with Morgan Webster, aka Mrs. Ken Webster, who’s as absolutely drop-dead gorgeous in person as she is on FB when she’s out with Ken. I talked her into a fangirl selfie, and she is ever so nice:
Morgan Webster, wife of Ken Webster
Honestly, Kenny and Morgan look so cute together! But at this event, they weren’t “together” much, because they were talking to literally everybody and mingling throughout the activity. But on social media, they are quite regularly together and post pictures of their Texas adventures. I didn’t get to talk to Christine Johnson, either, who is otherwise nearly always with Steve.
We stood in line for however long to talk to them for a couple of minutes and get an autograph on the little banners they handed us for the second line later. I told them about my “John Walton memory” of “sick on seafood.”
This man was ahead of us in the very long line to meet them.
I’m sure they were all exhausted when it was all over.
Also in attendance was John Walton’s wife, Lainie:
I admit this was not a great picture.
This was the best pic I could get from the floor, I tried my best to get a good one. I also tried to get to talk to Mrs. Walton, but she wasn’t on the floor very much. I was only going to say Hi, and offer our condolences, but let’s face it–there were at least 1,000 people in there. She was hanging out in the VIP area, and under the circumstances, I was not about to crash it.
John Walton’s Car
The first thing we saw when we arrived was his gorgeous car, a 1966 (I think) Ford Galaxie:
His car on display in the courtyard
I don’t have a picture of it here, but people were laughing about the Texas inspection sticker that’s on the lower part of the windshield on the driver’s side. The expiration date is 4/20, which is a thing for smokers of. . .non-tobacco cigarettes.
Beautiful, is it not?
I know I’m showing my age when I say, “kids today don’t know what it means to ‘roll down the window.'”
And the Richard Nixon bumper sticker.
Thankfully, it wasn’t raining. But it sure was hot that day. And BF did enjoy seeing the car up close.
Interior Decor
It wouldn’t be W&J without some pictures and things:
This is a painting done by a local artist who worked from a publicity shot
And a canvas that people could sign, that I believe went to Mrs. Walton:
Instead of a book, they chose to have this canvas. Interesting idea.
I signed it, but I think BF didn’t:
I signed it too.
Hanging With The “Ten Percenters”
Listeners to the show are called this for one reason: they are the ten percent of the listening audience that actually *gets* the show and the exclusive, unique humor. This is true in any city that they broadcast in, but especially in New Orleans.
Here we are!
During their time in the Crescent City, W&J developed a few “catch-phrases” or “keyword phrases” that are unique to the show and the listeners. For instance, many years ago, Walton made the comment that Ten Percenters should have their own recognizable greeting, like “Green Beans” or “Ungawa.” It stuck. They were also called the “Radio Gawds,” in a nod to the New Orleans accent, markedly similar to a New York/Brooklyn accent.
It was a friendly, albeit raucous, crowd, and everyone had a story to tell about their connection to W&J. Many shared pictures. And then there was the man who had a little handwritten sign that said something like:
In 1991, I won the tickets to the Saints game on the 50-yard line.
He walked around with it, holding up as you would see someone on the side of the road.
Another man and his wife had strung green beans around their necks.
Lots of folks had Mardi Gras beads on, or clothes with purple, green, and gold. A couple of male attendees wore kilts.
Throughout the event, we had conversations with many folks who were fans and occasionally interacted with them in one way or another, either at events like this one, personal appearances, or the many benefit motorcycle rides they participated in over the years. Both did motorcycle rides anytime they could, and were avid riders.
Of Course, There Was Food
If you want to have a successful activity in New Orleans, you must have food, and this event had some interesting and delicious dishes.
In the courtyard, a local restaurant named Dragos was serving little shrimp sliders out of a food truck, but I didn’t get pictures of it, darnit. BF enjoyed that one first.
Inside the Hall, catering was provided two different local restaurants, one called 12 Seasons Catering, the other called Zea Rotisserie & Grill. WOW. They know how to cater a party!
Of course, there was the requisite po-boy, a staple of New Orleans food, with fried shrimp:
This is a traditional po’boy, made for a large crowd.
I caught a shot of them making one up:
That’s a huge loaf of French bread, bigger than you get in the grocery store, even in this part of the US:
About three feet long, I think
BF said there were slices of honeydew melon on the po-boy. It’s not traditional–shredded lettuce and tomato are, but this was a special event, so they jazzed it up. Shrimp pasta was also on the menu:
This was a favorite dish of many Ten Percenters, including BF.
The classic “Dirty Rice,” with beef and spices.
There was also hummus, and an interesting way to serve it, alongside quinoa:
Why didn’t I think of that?
This not being exactly traditional New Orleans food, many folks weren’t sure what to make of it! (I thought it was tasty myself.) And then there was this very interesting version of sandwiches:
They were tasty, too.
There was a specific and fancy name for these, but I didn’t write it down and I don’t recall what it was. They were similar to quesadillas but using pita bread, the round kind with pockets. Again, not traditional New Orleans food, so many people were a bit unsure and asked questions. But you know me, no complaints here.
It was also a free bar (it’s NOLA, what did you expect?), and BF and I stuck to the non-alcoholic imbibements. The E-Man had a beer or two, I think, but others were, shall we say, quite happy about the open bar kind of thing.
Kudos to all the vendors involved, because they all did an outstanding job for John Walton’s legion of fans.
The Other Members Of Walton & Johnson
Ken and Steve are the “chief protagonists,” but there are others who are on the air with them every day.
Mr. Kenneth, a professional hairdresser, celebrity expert, and fashionista of the Walton & Johnson show, was so much fun. He became connected to the show when he gave both of them George Michael haircuts back in the day. He loved my outfit, but said I shouldn’t wear so much red because it clashes with my hair. He said the background blue of my top works really well, but I was overwhelmed by the poppies. As a professional hairdresser, he knows that there’s nothing like red hair.
Billy Ed Hatfield, the show’s engineer from Clute, Texas, easily bonded with BF over cars and engines and other “guy things.” However, BF put him in his place when he started talking about “the hot redhead with the glasses,” because he realized Billy Ed was making comments about me. That didn’t sit too well with BF, who took offense, and he figured Billy Ed would be flirting next. There was no fighting, but BF politely let him know who I was with. Billy Ed apologized profusely and complimented him on his taste in women. Then he sheepishly went on to talk to someone else.
Mr. Eaux, from “the ‘hood,” was also sporting his best bling with his black zoot suit for the occasion. He didn’t want to admit he was sweating and insisted on leaving his jacket on. He, too, was a little flirty with all the women, but he was very polite to me. Maybe he saw how BF politely stood down Billy Ed. I also noticed Mr. Eaux steered clear of Morgan, as well, since Ken is a big guy, over six feet. He’s nice, but Kenny wouldn’t put up with Mr. Eaux or Billy Ed messing with her.
Then It Was Over
The second line brought Mr. Walton outside, where people paid tribute to the man, including a guy on bagpipes. People waved the little cloths around (except me, I don’t do that), and said goodbye.
John Walton’s ashes, encased in something from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Everyone went home, happy to have taken part in a momentous occasion. We all had a great time, everyone enjoyed the day. That’s what happens when Ten Percenters come together for Walton & Johnson. I don’t know if the great staff of Generations Hall knew what to expect, but they did a fantastic job of keeping everything together and running well.
Ken and Steve also talked about having an annual John Walton activity, a benefit for charity, but not in July. Maybe in October, when it’s not so hot.
As they say, “the show will go on,” and both Steve and Ken have kept their promise to continue as long as fans are interested. We are. They were on the air on that Monday, but stayed in New Orleans and broadcast from, I guess, WRNO for a day or two.
The W&J app has a section of “The Best Of John Walton,” where you can also hear the five parts of the July 3rd show, including the 9:00 am hour where John’s wife, Lainie Walton, was the last person to call in.
Of course, there will never be another John Walton–everyone knows that. He “raised” Ken to be a great successor, even if he didn’t intend to when they hired him. But of course, John Walton will not be forgotten, ever, either by listeners, by his family, and of course, by Steve Johnson and Ken Webster.
A very nice portrait of the man. I think I found this on the Chronicle’s website for his obituary.
Thank you for the memories, Mr. Walton. We appreciate the time we had with you and will never forget you.
And as they say at 9:59 every day on the Walton & Johnson Show:
Don’t forget, boys and girls, to eat it every day!
