In this month's issue: 

• Bookmark our awesome NEW community calendar!
  
• Councilman's Update
• Good Neighbor- Jorge Lavato
• Gardening and Book Review Columns!
• Save the Date for Bay Bridgefest!  
• April City Council Actions
• BSL City Budget & Mills

Scroll down for details on Second Saturday,  the opening of INFINITY Science Center, and check out the monthly photo gallery to the right!  

Doesn't it seem a little odd to create a Facebook page to tell people about a website?  We finally set one up, and you can check it out and make comments and tell all your FB friends!  But we are refusing to be Twits. 

Click here for our contact page, where we have a nifty comment box set up!  We're now using names when we post comments unless you otherwise specify when you write. Hey, and you Faithful Cleaver Readers,  send story ideas too!

The May Second Saturday Artwalk falls on the 12th - which happens to be Mother's Day Eve.  Take your mom to Second Saturday, treat her to a meal, enjoy sunset over the beach, catch lots of live music acts and stroll though Old Town shops and galleries.  Sneak and buy her something that she ooo's and ahhhs over to give the next day.   You really can't do better than that.  Mom's gonna say you're her favorite. 

This month's Hot Spots are Social Chair at 2nd Street and Main Street and 220 North Beach Restaurant on the beach.  Read the cool stories of Yuki and "Miss Ann" by clicking here!

Fun stuff all day but the main activity is from 4-8pm.  Music all over Old Town, with Plain Dirt Fashion starting at the Mockingbird at 7pm. 

The whole world is now having an opportunity to meet some of our favorite Old Town folks.  Jenise and Mark Currier of Gallery 220 and Clay Creations (220 Main Street) are the "stars" of a new mini-documentary about Bay St. Louis. Click here to see it on Youtube!

Yuki Northington is designer and owner of Social Chair (corner of Main Street and Second Street), which coincidentally happens to be a May Second Saturday "Hot Spot."  is a competitor on HGTV’s Design Star, premiering on Tuesday, May 29th.  You can actually vote for her here (more details on that below).  Yuki was also the Bay’s Ambassador for a video recently released by Mississippi Business Journal !

Anndddd (drum roll please!), Serious Bread owners and bakers extraordinaire, Al and Vivian Jensen, were featured in an awesome story on New Orleans WGNO TV on April 27th. 

OK, so it takes a few minutes to register, but hey, we have two opportunities here to put Bay St. Louis square in the national limelight.  

You can support  hometown girl and cutting-edge designer Yuki Northington, owner of Social Chair in Old Town, in her quest to become an HGTV "Design Star."  She'll get her own on-line HGTV show if she wins!  You can vote for her up to 10 times per day (you can vote all 10 times at once in under 30 seconds) by clicking here.  Right now, she's in the lead, but we can widen that margin and show the world what BSL community support really means and how Mississippi is first in lots of ways!  

The second chance for BSL to get some well-deserved recognition is a Best of the Road contest, sponsored by USA Today and Rand McNally.  Click here to go to the BSL page.  Register (it takes about 30 seconds), make a few nice remarks about why we are the greatest and vote.  We're suggesting voting BSL as the "Friendliest Town" and then making comments about our fabulous assets like restaurants, etc. 

Click here to go to the first page of "Towns."  We can get BSL on this page if we can wrangle another 450 votes.  Wouldn't that be amazing? 

Note:  This Second Saturday, May 12th, Temple Studio, 125C Main Street is featuring Jorge Lovato’s impressionist landscape and cityscape oil paintings, and extraordinary miniature animal carvings.
Artist Jorge Lovato is a meanderer, loving big cities, wide dusty plains and the quiet of a small-town art community. You may find him in New York City, or Santa Fe to where he travels on a regular basis, not only to show his work, but to infuse his creativity with new ideas. 

Jorge, of both Spanish and Native American descent, is an accomplished wood carver of miniatures, tiny renditions of animals, as well as a painter, drawn to landscapes and cityscapes rendered in black and white and more recently in pale palettes of color.  The artist found his meandering way to the Mississippi coast after having read a magazine article about the artistic community growing in Bay St. Louis. He bought a fixer-upper...  Click here to read the full story!
contributed by Patricia Saik

(BUT HOLD THE OLEANDER TEA)


Look all around you this month, and marvel at the blooming multi-colored oleanders that you will see on nearly every street and corner.  Oleanders (Nerium oleander) are distinctive and beautiful large, flowering shrubs that thrive with little care, and grow especially well in coastal regions.  If you’re looking for something to plant around your home or business here in Bay St. Louis, these hardy shrubs can’t be beat for their beauty, their low maintenance requirements in our climate and soil, and the diversity of their uses and functions in your landscaping.

            Native to the Mediterranean region, this shrub has so much going for it.  It's evergreen. It's easy.  It's tough.  It ....  Click here to read the whole story!

contributed by Karen Fineran

In case you haven’t noticed its sign on Hwy 90, we are pleased to bring you the (belated) news that Las Palmas restaurant is back (since January of this year).  The popular Cuban restaurant has changed locations several times since its pre-Katrina Waveland location, and was in hiatus over the last year or two, after a popular stint next to the Latin Grocery on Highway 90.

            Now open at Trappani’s former post-Katrina location at 833 Highway 90, Las Palmas is still run by the same Cuban family that kept the Bay-Waveland area in great Cuban food for many years.  Its food and festive décor lend a more international flair to Bay St. Louis.  It’s great to have dining options beyond the more standard Gulf Coast fare!

            Las Palmas features special Cuban entrees like ropa vieja (shredded beef slow-cooked in a savory Spanish sauce), pork chunks in Cuban sauce, Fricassee de Pollo (shredded chicken fricassee in Spanish sauce) Chile Rellenos, Cabrito (goat), and Cuban Tamales topped with Spanish sauce and pork chunks – all served with hearty helpings of side dishes like black beans, Spanish rice, congris (black beans mixed with white rice), sweet plantains, and salty plantains.  Their sandwiches include the Classic Cuban (ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, thinly-sliced dill pickles and mustard, pressed and melted together on crispy Cuban bread), a roast pork sandwich, and a sirloin steak sandwich.  And, featuring $5.99 lunch specials every weekday, Las Palmas should attract the lunch crowds looking for hearty food at a good value.

Los Tres Amigos Is Now El Maguey

         While on the subject of ethnic restaurants, you may have noticed the change of signage at Los Tres Amigos Mexican Restaurant on the corner of Hwy 90 and Washington St. 

            The restaurant is now called El Maguey (the name refers to the agave plant).  The ownership and management of the restaurant apparently have not changed.  A recent visit confirmed that the menu hasn’t changed too much either.  It still serves the same burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, nachos, tacos and other Mexican fare, as well as great $1.50 Mexican draft beers and $5 pitchers.
contributed by Karen Fineran

When: 4pm Sunday May 27th
Where: Christ Episcopal Church
 912 S. Beach Blvd., Bay St. Louis, MS
 Featured Artist:  Neil Unterseher:  Performing classic Flamenco guitar and exhibiting traditional Southern jazz legends Oil on canvas, pastels, charcoal drawings.Free to the public!  Reception and Art Exhibit following the Performance.  

Neil received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing from the University of Texas.  Soon after graduation he joined a group of musicians in New York as a banjo player and appeared nightly at Your Father’s Mustache.  This brought him to New Orleans to play regularly at the new Your Father’s Mustache in the French Quarter.  Being in N.O. gave him the opportunity to pursue one of his passions, Flamenco guitar.  After playing and studying for several years, he became the guitarist for the Dance Troupe, “Ole Flamenco Ole”, directed by the world famous Teresa Torkanowsky.  He accompanied Teresa and her Troupe, one of which was his wife, in Concerts and Club dates for many years.  During that time he studied with the great Carlos Sanchez of Spain. When the renowned Teresa retired, Neil and his wife Jean began teaching Flamenco and formed their own company.

Neil still performs, but also continues his art career.  His paintings have been displayed in numerous cities, throughout the Gulf Coast and the United States, including The Roslyn Museum of Art in Omaha, Nebraska.  He also participates in the Art Across Arkansas Program, created by the Thea Foundation /Clinton Foundation.

Neil continues to work as a banjo player and has worked with some of New Orleans greatest, including the Preservation Hall Jazz Band as well as touring annually to Japan with the Jazz All Stars.

His art reflects his intimacy with the traditional New Orleans Jazz culture and is infused in each of his paintings.  He lives in Kiln, Mississippi and pursues his love for music and art.

We LOVE getting your comments and this past month received this one from a Clever Fan: 

 Super issue guys! Wow - love the videoes and links. It gets better each time. Hey, how about some classy classifieds? 

We've actually gotten several similar requests, which makes us smile, and then we politely decline. 

So why don't we make the Cleaver into a little business or non-profit?  One word:  paperwork. This is a light-hearted project for all the volunteers involved and when we get together it's usually over food and adult beverages.  We don't want to keep minutes, elect officers, or have meetings with agendas.  That's business, this is fun!   Thanks for understanding.

SEND US YOUR PICS of happenings around Bay St. Louis - and Waveland too!!!  We wanna post them here!  Send with captions to: info@bslfourthward.com.  all photos by Cleaver contributor Ellis Anderson unless otherwise noted. 

Thanks to our Events Wizard, Willard Deal, the Cleaver has a new on-line calendar that simply rocks!  You're going to want to bookmark this for sure and check back often to find out what's shakin' in our town!  Click here to access.  Also, find it in the menu bar at the top of the page!  

To all my Ward 4 Constituents,

We had some exciting events take place during the month of April. The most impressive was the grand opening of the INFINITY Science Center. What a great tourism attraction for Bay St. Louis and Hancock County!   We also had two very successful cancer fund raisers. Everyone involved with the   “Red Beans and Rice Cook Off” and the “Relay for Life” did a great job!   It’s wonderful to see so many people turn out and support these events to fight such a dreadful disease.

The end of May is the beginning of the Summer Season. What a way to start the summer, Memorial Day weekend and the “Bay BridgeFest” This year’s Bridge Fest will be the biggest and the best ever. Go to the Hancock Chamber's Bridgefest website to see all the entertainment and other attractions scheduled for this event.

 This summer we also have a new attraction for the kids. The new Splash Pad and Play Ground at McDonald Park is now open. The Splash Pad is an area of water play, with a water cannon and shooting water source. The Play Ground area has slides, bouncers, observation area and a wall for the kids to enjoy and chase the summer heat. I hope everyone has a wonderful and SAFE summer.

Click here for the Council Actions from our April meetings. If anyone has any questions or suggestions, please email me or call 216-7197. I’ll be there for YOU.

 Thanks,
Bobby

Bay Bridgefest is officially a Southern Travel Treasure according to the May/June issue of AAA's Southern Traveler Magazine.  Of course, we knew that all along, but it's nice to have validation from one of the top travel experts in the world.  Click here to read all about it!  

OK, so maybe you don't keep up with the music scene so much, but all your friends are going "OMG, did you hear that Raw Oyster Cult and JJ Grey and Jon Cleary and Bonerama are performing at Bay Bridgefest this year?  For FREE?  That's AMAZING!"  And you agree that it is absolutely amazing, because you don't want to admit to being totally out of the loop, even though you've never actually seen any of these really popular performers. 

You can get WAY back in the loop - and even impress your friends with your nifty esoteric music knowledge - by going to the Bridgefest website Music page and spending a few minutes listening to samples of the 2012 performers' music.  In addition to performance times, each scheduled act has a picture, a link to the performer's website, and most fun of all - a LISTEN button that takes you to a page where you can see videos of the performers or hear samples of their music.  How cool is that?  Then, you can say stuff like, Man, you've gotta hear that song "Rollo" by Papa Grows Funk, it's absolutely unbelievable how tight those guys are, can't wait to see them live at Bridgefest!

Won't that be fun? 

“It is exciting that INFINITY is now a reality,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “This state-of-the-art facility will ignite the imaginations of children and adults alike and will educate residents and visitors about Mississippi’s important contributions to space exploration. All who helped bring this spectacular addition to our Mississippi Gulf Coast are to be commended.”

Upon entering INFINITY, visitors are greeted by Apollo 13 astronaut—and Mississippi Gulf Coast native--Fred Haise in a special welcome video (Editor's note:  see the Cleaver's photo album this month for lots of cool Fred Haise and other INFINITY pics).  Click here to read entire article!

For Habitat for Humanity!   May  11th &12th, 8:30am - 3:30pm

This is a volunteer program for women who want to learn construction skills and make a difference by building homes and communities.

Click here for full details!  

James “Super Chikan” Johnson and his band, The Fighting Cocks, will perform at the historic 100 Men dba Hall on Friday, May 25.  Guests will be treated to Super Chikan’s raw, uncut Delta Blues sound.

Super Chikan got his name as a child because of his fondness for the chickens on his father’s farm.  He learned to play guitar on a two-string castoff he bought at a thrift store.  As an adult, he earned his living as a truck driver, but spent his many hours on the road writing Blues songs.  After friends insisted he record some of his songs, he began playing with many of the Delta Blues greats.  However, he found his fame as a solo artists.

He performs regularly at Ground Zero and is considered Morgan Freeman’s favorite Blues musician.  He has also backed superstar Steven Segal on many occasions.

The 100 Men dba Hall is non-profit fund of the Hancock County Community Development Foundation.  It is one of only four MS Blues Trail Marker sites on the Gulf Coast and the only one  attached to an original historic Blues venue.

Tickets for Super Chikan and the Fighting Cocks are $20 and can be purchased by calling Kerrie Loya at 228-342-5770.  Doors open at 8pm, show starts at 9pm.

You can do some SERIOUS spring-cleaning this month and safely dispose of all the icky stuff lurking in your storerooms. Click here for a printable PDF with a full and amazing list of the items they'll accept!

Thanks for helping make us one of the most popular little on-line newsletters around!  In April, we broke ANOTHER record - over 3300 unique viewers in the month (doesn't count repeat visitors) and we're always picking up new "subscribers" monthly (see instructions at top of page, it's easy!).  Please keep helping us spread the word by sharing the link on Facebook or e-mailing it to friends near and far who love BSL! 

Until next time!  Thanks for joining us!  And hey - send us YOUR news items and pictures - it takes a village to raise a good newsletter.  

Please notify us of any errors or clear omissions so that we can make the correction.  Send the information to news@bslfourthward.com

Anna Brannin, Bobby Compretta, Will Deal, Karen Fineran,  Larry and Ellis Anderson Jaubert, and Pat Saik.