Zydeco Live from Conshohocken,PA

Coming to you tonite from the TK Club in Conshohocken , PA. Annual Xmas zydeco dance featuring Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble. For the uninitiated , Allons Danser, a Philadelphia zydeco-Cajun organization sponsors dances featuring Loiusiana Cajun and zydeco bands on a monthly basis. Wild- every time I come to one of these events can't believe I'm in Philadelphia, PA (not Philadelphia, MS)! Etois! If you never been, you should really check it out.

Back to the Blog

So..stopped blogging for a couple months ...Gonna try and fire this thing back up..main incentive is I recently created my first app (NO centric of course ) based on content from this blog so no blog, no updates to app..anyway have lots to post about...saw Trombone Shorty in Philly recently, have seen some Cajun Zydeco shows, and have cooked up some NO food..also will be for first time going down to NO for carnival & will actually be riding as a member of a Mardi Gras krewe..so stay tuned!

Aaron Neville On The Waterfront

Philadelphia put on a free show featuring New Orleans great Aaron Neville this past weekend at Penn's Landing on the Delaware River waterfront. The concert came at the end of an all day music and food festival that is part of the 11 day Welcome America Festval here in Philly organized around the 4th of July holiday. A large and enthusiastic crowd was treated to a greatest hits show by Mr. Neville and his band which featured the lead singer's brother Charles on saxophone.

Another FREE show and Live Radio Broadcast: Glenn David Andrews & Soul Rebels BB

Wow...another great FREE New Orleans music show coming up in Philadelphia area. On Tuesday 6/28/11 at 8pm you can see 2 of the biggest music acts from New Orleans: Glenn David Andrews and the Soul Rebels Brass Band for FREE @ Camden's Wiggins Waterfront Park which is across the Delaware River from Downtown Philadelphia. If for some reason you can't make to the show, Philadelphia's Jazz and Classical station WRTI will also be broadcasting the show which kicks off the summer's Sunset Jazz Concert Series. Free world class music, beautiful outdoor riverfront setting- what are you waiting for- as they say on 'Oz, Get out and see some LIVE LOCAL MUSIC!

Aaron Neville FREE Concert in Philadelphia TODAY Sat 6/25/11

Last minute alert. Tonite on Philadelphia's waterfront you can see Aaron Neville put on a FREE show followed by fireworks. Show scheduled to start at 8pm EST. Performance is part of the 11 day long Welcome America Festival that Philly does around the July 4th Holiday. In addition to this headline concert there are all day food, music and other activities at the Penn's Landing site. Go here for more details.

Eastward, ho....

..actually maybe shouldn't use "ho"..means something different in this day and age..anyway, in flight on way back from Los Angeles (Santa Monica,CA to be exact) to Philly...listening to 'Oz again way up in the sky- crazy...had a nice week..my brother's wedding went off nicely-good party..even featured some Cajun dancing ..he and his new wife are big Cajun music fans and are learning to waltz..didn't see or hear much in way of New Orleans or Louisiana otherwise..did hear on radio that Pres Hall Jazz Band is coming to LA area sometime soon and Lil Wayne was at the Staples Center..Most of the NO music I heard was from my mp3 player that I put on handlebars of my brothers bike that I borrowed for the week to ride up and down the Pacific Ocean bike path near his apartment. Pretty cool riding along the surf with the morning sun coming up and hearing a mix of NO music- Dr John, Rebirth, Professor Longhair- as I rode along..Doesn't get much better than that..Had some great Mexican food and took a day trip to the Mojave desert to drive - of all things- military vehicles including jeeps and tanks! crazy..anyway..thats it for now - will  be getting back to NO related posts in nxt couple days...M

Here's a Santa Monica Sunset from my trip-Enjoy!

Philly Oyster Shuck Off Results

Here's a nice article with pictures and video of this past Saturday's 2nd Annual Oyster Shuck Off at the Oyster House in downtown Philadelphia.

DIY Shrimp Po' Boys in Philly

I had a taste for a fried shrimp po' boy yesterday so here's what I did to build my New Olreans style sandwich. I started with a Leidenheimer roll- purchased frozen from the Khyber Pass Pub (see post earlier this month for review and details) in Old City Philadelphia. I went out and got some freshly fried shrimp from Chicken Time in Roslyn, PA. Dressed the sandwiches using lettuce, tomatoes, dill pickles and then slathered on some bottled remoulade sauce made by Louisiana Fish Fry Company (I think I bought in my local Super Giant grocery store). Anyway, as a side added some Zapp's chips purchased at Wegman's in Warrington, PA and voila- a pretty tasty New Orleans Fried Shrimp Po' Boy right here at home!

(Note: Speaking of Zapp's, the Louisiana based company was recently purchased by Pennsylvania's own Utz Potato Chip Company- hoping this means Zapp's products will soon be more available here on the East Coast).

Philly Alert: Not New Orleans but Oysters are involved

Got an email the other day from the Oyster House here in Philadelphia. Tomorrow Saturday 3.26.11 they are having their 2nd Annual Oyster Shucking Contest. There is a professional and an amateur competition with prize money for each but even better for a $5 entrance fee you can be a spectator and have opportunity to eat the oysters that are shucked during the competition. There will also be a cash bar that includes a local unamed beer that will be tapped from a firkin (1/4 keg). Sounds like a good time. Here's the official write up  about the event:

                                              Second Annual Shucking Contest!

On Saturday, March 26th beginning at 2pm, Oyster House will host the 2nd annual Shucking Contest, featuring professional oyster shuckers from accross Philadelphia competing for a $200 Grand Prize.
An amateur shucking contest will follow the pros, with guests having the chance win a $100 Oyster House Gift Certificate.
Admission to the shucking contest is $5 per person and includes all the varieties of shucked oysters as well as access to the Oyster House bar and special firkin of local craft beer, which will be on a pay-as-you-go basis.
The profressional shuckers, including competitors from Oyster House and others from renowned Philly seafood houses, will be judged by local food writers Drew Lazor from City Paper and Mealticket, Art Etchells from Foobooz and Jamie Shanker from Midtown Lunch Philadelphia, on their speed and acuracy as they shuck their way through 2 dozen oysters, working in heats of three shuckers at a time. 
Onlookers can enjoy the fruits of the competitor's labors; the oysters will be passed out to the crowd after each heat!
Last year we had a full house with 18 pros and amateur shuckers and we can't wait to see who takes the prize home this year.
See you on Saturday!

EATS: Louisiana in Philadelphia

I read another review about Khyber Pass Pub here in Philadelphia, PA. in this weeks Philadelphia Weekly newspaper. I actually ate there a couple weeks ago based on the first (and much better) review I read in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Wow! I was there the day after Fat Tuesday. I had a couple bottles of Abita Mardi Gras Bock beer along with some boudin balls (excellent), gumbo (very good), and a shrimp po' boy -dressed (fantastic!). The side dish of fried okra was actually the highlight of the meal- came with something called "Alabama White BBQ Sauce"- don't know what it is but it tasted great. I also got a bag of the bacon popcorn to go- it definitely is addictive. For folks that know New Orleans, the special ingredient that makes the po' boy sing is the fact that they are served on  Leidenheimer French bread. Apparently, they get the bread sent up directly from New Orleans on a regular basis. (Secret: when I was there I asked if I could buy a few of the frozen rolls and they sold 'em to me for $1.25 each- quite a bargain in my book to be able to use in making my own 'po boys at home)! They also get their sausage from Cajun country so I am looking forward to going back multiple times to eat my way thru the menu.