A journal for South Louisiana.
HIDDEN GEM- Fat Boy's Seafood Kitchen in Manchac is Tangipahoa Parish's "best-kept secret". Photo by Jesse Brooks. By Jesse Brooks Fat Boy's Seafood Kitchen, a short-order eatery in Manchac has recently re-opened for business for weekend hours only after COVID-19 pushed them into hiatus. While diners far and wide are familiar with Manchac because of... Continue Reading →
Chicken pho Photo by Jesse Brooks By Jesse Brooks Pho Queen, Tangipahoa Parish's newest Vietnamese restaurant, is a game-changer for Ponchatoula. For a small city, Ponchatoula has a number of eateries that feature local favorites like po-boys, gumbo, and burgers. Some of Ponchatoula's restaurants serve breakfast and lunch only and options can be limited... Continue Reading →
Our editor and resident Tangipahoa Parish songwriter Jesse Brooks shares how going back to the country roots of music can lead to the redirection of American music. Photo by Matthew C. Roy. By Jesse Brooks I’ve been doing a lot of tweaking to my music act while in the extra solitude we have these days.... Continue Reading →
REOPEN- Punjabi Dhaba, located on Southwest Railroad Ave. in Hammond, announced on social media that they will reopen on May 1. Photo from their Facebook page. By Jesse Brooks Tangipahoa Parish's only Indian restaurant Punjabi Dhaba, located inside a Shell gas station on Southwest Railroad Ave. in Hammond, has announced on social media that they... Continue Reading →
THE ROOT- Little Brother Montgomery, jazz and blues pianist from Kentwood, should likely be credited for creating the initial foundation for the song that became Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" By Jesse Brooks One of the most well-known songs to ever be labeled as rock-n-roll out outlaw country is "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash. So... Continue Reading →
By Jesse Brooks While the world was sleeping, the city of Hammond, Louisiana quietly has become a kingdom for wings. No meetings were held, and a formal declaration may not have even been made, but Hammond has become a center for the best locally made wings in the last 15 or so years. So let's... Continue Reading →
One shot- Quentin Burkhalter (a.k.a. Quentin the 5th) performs an audition to open for Migos, Lil Baby, Blac Youngsta and Tammy Rivera at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, Louisiana on June 29. By Jesse Brooks Tangipahoa Parish produces s many standout athletes that it's not a mystery why so many have dreams of going pro.... Continue Reading →
HOT LIKE CURRY- Punjabi Dhaba Indian Cuisine is the first culinary venture of its kind in Hammond, Louisiana. Photo by Jeremy Rhodes. By Jeremy Rhodes Scientists say that our sense of smell holds the strongest potential of memory. I claim this to be self evident being that I wish to relive the memory of walking... Continue Reading →
TRUST THE PROCESS- Oak Forest Academy point guard Janero Porter has received his first college offer from Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas. Photo by Matthew Roy. By Jesse Brooks AMITE- Patience paid off for Janero Porter, a recent graduate of Oak Forest Academy, as he has finally received his first athletic scholarship to play basketball.... Continue Reading →
REFLECTIONS- Hammond rapper J. Quick (a.k.a. Jarius Burton) attempts to small town dreams into big city realities. Photo submitted. By Jesse Brooks For anyone young in America right now, figuring out how to manage day-to-day living while facing an ever growing income inequality gap is a harsh reality. This especially rings true for young African-Americans... Continue Reading →
Small Town Stories 