#neighbornight

“It was a glorious day and I was sitting on the back porch. I think it was May 2006. A friend was walking by - he lived around the corner at the time - and we were chatting through the fence. I said, 'Come in and have a glass of wine or something.' And he did and I brought out some snacks. It was lovely - like maybe the gardenia bush in the back was blooming? I thought, this is a good idea! And that week two other friends asked, 'Can we come over too next Thursday?' I was like 'Sure.' That was fourteen years ago. Every Thursday night since then has been Neighbor Night. I've kept it up and it's gotten bigger. It's a dinner now. I cook. If I'm out of town someone else will host it, but just about 100% of the time it's here and I cook. I love to cook. I love cooking for people. Sometimes I can't believe these people are in my house. It's all colors, it's all straight, it's all gay. It's movie stars and retired waitresses. And I don't use paper plates for anything. I use china because people need to eat off of china. It's been an amazing thing. Babies have been born, people have died. Of the Thursday night people, the people who come... a couple had twins after trying for ever and ever. Another woman - someone said 'I'll get you a plate...' and she said 'You know what, my stomach [hurts]' - and within three weeks she was dead of stomach cancer. My younger brother hanged himself in June of 2013, a Saturday. I did Neighbor Night that Thursday, and hate to think what would have happened if I hadn’t. That's Neighbor Night. We're family now. We all would take a bullet for one another. And people have - they've done above and beyond for other people. The people that come have the kindest hearts. I'm lucky. I'm most looking forward to Neighbor Night when this is all over. [Normally] this porch is never empty. And I don't have any small pots... I can't cook for one person!” #nolabeings #neworleans #neighbornight https://www.instagram.com/p/B-7n82QgXto/?igshid=11lbmqwrhwi38

translation: and when is the collaboration with the neighbor? guys, there won't be a collaboration with my neighbor, because when i talk about collaboration, he talks about some kind of bed scenes. i'm not interested in that.

Gotta love hanging with the neighbors! #pictureaday2021 #neighbornight https://www.instagram.com/p/COE2UgHjxkg/?igshid=5h8u9bj35otr

Our next Neighbor Night will be held in August. To learn more about how to get involved in the REaL Team and to help plan Neighbor Night, please contact [email protected].