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The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
How destruction of Hotel Oloffson is symbol of Haiti's gang crisis
There was an outpouring of grief in Haiti when the Hotel Oloffson, a cultural and architectural landmark in Port-au-Prince, was set ablaze on the night of 5 July, in what local media described as retaliation by armed gangs after a police operation in its vicinity. For many, its ruins are a stark and sobering symbol of the state of a capital city on the verge of collapse, and a sign that a once vibrant culture may be fading as violent criminal armed groups continue their reign of terror. The 19th-century mansion, built in 1887 in the ornate 'gingerbread' style, once welcomed celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger and Graham Greene. A magnet for the world's rich and famous in the 1960s and 70s, it was reborn in the 80s as a hub for vodou musicians and a refuge for foreign correspondents. Watching the white wooden fretwork – often likened to lace – that once adorned the balconies reduced to ashes, has been tough for former patrons, who were once enchanted by its dreamlike, otherworldly charm. 'It was an extraordinary place, beyond time and space,' said Haitian historian and legal scholar Georges Michel, who would stop by, in the evenings on his way home. 'After two or three beers, I'd sometimes have dinner. I'd meet people. It was Haitian. It was home.' Some have already started dreaming of rebuilding the Oloffson, when the embattled city returns to some level of normality. But they are unable to make solid plans to do so as the Caribbean nation teeters dangerously toward a 'point of no return' – a warning that UN officials have expressed as the body count continues to climb into the thousands. The anti-government groups have been terrorising Port-au-Prince for the past four years, setting homes ablaze one neighbourhood after another and tightening their grip on the capital, cutting it off from the rest of the country. On 1 June 2021, a gang seized control of a stretch of the only national road leading south out of the city, in the name of a coalition of criminal groups. The next month Jovenel Moïse, the then president, was assassinated, triggering a political crisis that has prevented elected governance. Last year a transitional presidential council was established to prepare the country for elections after a fresh wave of attacks enabled gangs to take control of much of downtown Port-au-Prince. According to UN figures in January more than a million people were displaced and more than 5,600 were killed by gangs in 2024. Armed groups began occupying an area near the Oloffson in January, displacing residents and forcing staff to flee and the hotel to close. Universities on the same street have since shut down or relocated. Residents say there was a police operation in the area on the day the hotel was destroyed, but the cause of the blaze remains unknown, with clashes making it dangerous for officials or journalists to investigate. Haitian architect Daniel Elie said the torching of the hotel is 'part of a succession of losses', which has seen aspects of Haiti's culture 'going up in smoke'. 'The Oloffson was one of those rare spaces where two worlds tried to meet,' he said, adding that it was a part of the literary and artistic 'Indigenist movement' in Haiti between 1915 and 1945, which sought to reclaim African heritage and elevate the voices, traditions and lived realities of Haiti's rural population. 'All of that unfolded in venues such as the Oloffson. So beyond the architecture, its cultural legacy is even more significant,' he said. The hotel was one of the finest examples of gingerbread architecture – a popular style in Port-au-Prince in the latter half of the 19th century. The grand wooden houses, a blend of neoclassical and neo-gothic elements, were inspired by architectural trends in Europe at that time. 'A European bourgeoisie, strengthened by the Industrial Revolution, appropriated ancient styles and reinvented them' said Elie, a leading expert in heritage conservation. 'Haitian families were sending their children to Europe to study in universities and architecture schools, and they brought back all these ideas.' Some houses were even imported piece by piece from Europe. The hotel was designed by a French architect known only as Mr Lefèvre and assembled in Haiti by a French builder. Unlike many modern buildings, gingerbread houses like the Oloffson survived the 2010 earthquake, thanks to their flexible wooden frames. But many were lost to rapid urbanisation. Today, just a few dozen exist, local experts said – but scarcely any carry the historical weight of the Oloffson. Over the years it hosted Haitian presidents from Vilbrun Guillaume Sam in 1915 to René Préval in the 2000s, as well as musicians, film stars and renowned authors. Greene even set his 1966 novel, The Comedians, at the hotel and later co-wrote the screenplay for its 1967 film adaptation starring Taylor and Richard Burton. As portrayed in Green's novel, Oloffson was also a hotspot for foreign elites in search of exotic adventures during the 1960s and the 1970s. 'It was a kind of jet-set moment when Vogue would send photographers to shoot models in the lush gardens with glistening, shirtless paddlers in the background,' recalled French photographer and documentarian Chantal Regnault, who said she was struck by the colonial overtones when she first stayed there in 1979. 'You used to see a photo of the Oloffson on the cover of the city's tourism brochures,' recalled Théodore 'Lòlò' Beaubrun Jr of legendary Haitian band Boukman Eksperyans. As a child in the late 1960s, he would accompany his father, a renowned Haitian theatre artist, through the hotel's vast white-painted gallery, mingling with local artists. 'I learned so much, it was a school,' he said. 'When we started, it was all about catering to journalists,' said Richard Morse, who took over management of the Oloffson in 1987 with the help of his girlfriend. He later bought the property with his family. Speaking to the Guardian from Maine, he described the guilt and sense of helplessness as the hotel destruction came amid the rising tide of violence, murder and rape. Born in Puerto Rico to a Haitian mother and an American father, Morse had been a new wave rock musician in the US before moving to Haiti in search of traditional drum rhythms. In 1988, he launched Thursday night vodou music concerts at the hotel. This would later be a key moment in the rise of his vodou-rock band RAM, and a new era of cultural crossover for the venue, which he described as a fantastic 'Alice in Wonderland' experience. 'The gangs were the last clients – and they didn't pay,' he said. 'I need to go there and decide what to do. People keep telling me I can't go, but what I really want is just to stand in the yard. That's my home.' Haiti's stability was a significant concern for Caribbean leaders when they met earlier this month at the Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders summit. Opening the meeting, the outgoing chair of Caricom and the prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, appealed for more global support for Haiti. 'The world really needs a check on itself when it comes to Haiti. If ever we doubted that there were first class and second class citizens in the eyes of the world, don't doubt it any more,' the Mottley said. She added that, in spite of the staggering loss of life, and the displacement of people and food insecurity, 'the world … has been unable to move beyond the promises and the platitudes that would bring help to the people of Haiti'. Mottley said the Caribbean's capacity to address the escalating situation is limited, and called for a 'truth talk, both within the context of what is possible from Haiti's perspective, but equally what is possible from the international community'.
The Star
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Iconic hotel in Haiti burned down by gangs
Haiti's once-illustrious Grand Hotel Oloffson, a beloved Gothic gingerbread home that inspired books, hosted parties until dawn and attracted visitors from Mick Jagger to Haitian presidents, was burned down by gangs recently. Hundreds of Haitians and foreigners mourned the news as it spread across social media, with the hotel manager confirming the fire on social media platform X. Even though gang violence had forced the hotel in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, to close in recent years, many had hoped it would reopen. 'It birthed so much culture and expression,' said Riva Precil, a Haitian-American singer who lived in the hotel from age five to 15. In a tearful phone interview, Precil recalled how she learned to swim, dance and sing at the Oloffson. Longtime hotel manager Richard Morse, who had been overseeing the property remotely from the United States since the hotel's closure in 2022, told The Associated Press that for several months, there were persistent rumours that the hotel had burned. 'So when I heard that it burned, I did what I usually do, which is call someone who has drones and have them go take a look,' he said. 'This time, when they called back, they said something like, 'take a seat'. I knew then that this wasn't like the other times.' The attack on the community where the hotel was located began on July 5, according to James Jean-Louis, who lives in the hills above the Oloffson. He said in a phone interview on July 6 that he observed the flames as he and other residents were chased out while police and gangs exchanged heavy gunfire. Journalists are currently unable to visit the site and verify the damage at the hotel because gangs control the area, which remains inaccessible. Patrick Durandis, director of the Institute for Safeguarding National Heritage, also confirmed the fire in a message to the AP. Among those lamenting the fire was Michael Deibert, author of Notes From The Last Testament: The Struggle For Haiti , and Haiti Will Not Perish: A Recent History . He landed in Miami, Florida on July 6 only to check his phone and see a flurry of messages from friends in Haiti. 'When you went to the Oloffson, you really felt you were being connected with Haiti's political and cultural history,' he said. 'You went to Haiti and were never the same. And the Oloffson really captured that.' The hotel attracted artists, intellectuals and politicians from Haiti and beyond, including the late US authors Jacqueline Onassis and Tennessee Williams. It also survived coups, dictatorships and the devastating 2010 earthquake. The Grand Hotel Oloffson was once Haiti's most beloved hotel. A whole lifetime Isabelle Morse, daughter of Richard Morse, said he loved having writers, photographers and other artists at the Oloffson. 'His sense of community was very important to him,' she said in a phone interview, describing the hotel as 'his whole life'. 'For him, it represented freedom, where people from all walks of life could come in and share that space,' she said. The elder Morse said he was reluctant to talk about what happened to the hotel given that in Haiti '... so many people are dying and being raped and losing everything that I don't want the focus to be on the hotel.' Morse spent nearly 30 years at the Oloffson. It's where he met his wife, had his children and started his band, RAM. 'There's no life without hope, so we have to consider bringing Haiti back and bringing the hotel back and bringing the art and the culture back,' he said. Isabelle said her parents had hoped to reopen the Oloffson. 'It's not only a business, it's our home. We were raised there,' she said. 'It was more about moving back home rather than reopening the business.' The Oloffson served as a presidential summer palace in the early 1900s and then became a US Marine Corps Hospital before a Swedish sea captain converted it into a hotel in the 1930s. It also served as inspiration for the fictional Hotel Trianon in Graham Greene's 1966 novel, The Comedians, set in Haiti under the brutal dictatorship of Francois Duvalier, best known as 'Papa Doc'. In real life, tourism dwindled under the Duvaliers, and the hotel became a respite for aid workers and foreign correspondents. Tourism boost In the late 1980s, Richard became the hotel's manager. RAM played Haitian roots music there on Thursday nights that became legendary, as were the Day Of The Dead celebrations known as Fet Gede that drew in Vodou practitioners. 'It was a vessel for so many people to gather and freely express themselves,' Precil recalled. 'RAM created that culture and that environment, made it a space that welcomed people from all types of denominations and sexual preferences.' The Oloffson was nestled in the upscale community of Pacot in the southeast corner of the country's capital. It was surrounded by lush gardens and often described as a mythical place, renowned for its intricate latticework, turrets and spires and creaking parquet floors that characterise Haiti's endangered gingerbread homes. A 1940s advertisement by Haiti's tourism department said that the hotel was situated 'in the coolest section of the town' and noted that English, French, German and Spanish were spoken there. The hotel closed in recent years as gangs began raiding and seizing control of once peaceful communities. 'A lot of Haiti's architectural heritage is going up in flames right now with so-called leaders standing by with their hands in their pockets,' Deibert said. 'The destruction of the Oloffson is symbolic of the destruction of Haiti's history and culture that we've been watching over the last several years.' – AP
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iconic Rocker Wife, 81, Shares Never Before Seen Photo of Ex-Husband and Mick Jagger
Iconic Rocker Wife, 81, Shares Never Before Seen Photo of Ex-Husband and Mick Jagger originally appeared on Parade. Iconic classic rock muse and wife Pattie Boyd shared a never before seen photo of ex-husband Eric Clapton and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger to celebrate the anniversary of the epic Live Aid show in 1985. '40 years since Live Aid this weekend, wow! I took this picture of Eric and Mick the night before the show in Philadelphia,' Boyd, 81, captioned the photo of Clapton, 80, and Jagger, 81, looking much younger as they sat engrossed in conversation on a couch. 'We checked-in to the Four Seasons Hotel, I believe, and Mick came to our room for a chat.' Live Aid was performed simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia on July 13, 1985. It featured iconic acts like Queen, David Bowie, The Who, Elton John, Joan Baez, Black Sabbath, The Beach Boys, Simple Minds, Led Zeppelin, and many more across the two venues. Both Clapton and Jagger played the show in New York, with the 'Layla' singer being joined by Phil Collins and the Stones vocalist joining forces with Tina Turner for his set. As for Boyd, she first became involved with legendary musicians when she was cast as an extra in the beloved Beatles movie A Hard Day's Night, which led her to have a featured role as a woman the band tries to briefly court. She naturally met George Harrison because of her involvement in the film and the pair went on to date for several years before marrying in 1966. The couple ended up divorcing 11 years later in 1977 due to a blossoming romance between Boyd and Clapton, who was a good friend of Harrison's. The model and the musician — who previously played with The Yardbirds, Derek and the Dominos, and Creem — wed in 1979, though they too only lasted a decade as a couple. They divorced in 1989 — and by that time, Boyd had been said to have inspired several songs by both Harrison and Clapton, including The Beatles' 'Something' and Clapton's 'Layla.' Iconic Rocker Wife, 81, Shares Never Before Seen Photo of Ex-Husband and Mick Jagger first appeared on Parade on Jul 14, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Eater
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
The Twin Cities' Saddest Restaurant and Bar Closures for July
The hottest season has brought a slew of restaurant openings to the Twin Cities. But it's also marked the end of some longtime favorites. From legendary dive Palmer's Bar to fine dining beacon Café & Bar Lurcat, these are the places that have closed in recent months or announced they will in the near future. The Shutter is a regular roundup of restaurant and bar closures around the Twin Cities. The list is by no means comprehensive. Have information on another closing? Send all tips to twincities@ July DINKYTOWN — Classic burger-and-malts spot Annie's Parlour is no more. The restaurant, a favorite of the University of Minnesota community, made a comeback in 2024 after a four-year hiatus. In an Instagram post, the owners said the business was simply 'losing too much money.' Annie's originally opened in 1974. 313 14th Avenue SE in Minneapolis. LORING PARK — The curtains will fall on Café & Bar Lurcat after service on September 5. For the past 23 years, the posh space next to Loring Park has been a gathering place for celebratory dinners and fine dining American cuisine. It's also been a magnet for celebrities, including Prince, Mick Jagger, and Lady Gaga. 1624 Harmon Place in Minneapolis. WEST BANK — Iconic dive bar Palmer's has announced it will be closing for good in September. Opened in 1906, the watering hole was popular for cheap drinks and nightly live music, ranging from punk to folk to blues. 'We will be open regular hours until bar close[s] on September 14th with a jam-packed calendar and plenty of time to party and say farewell. Please join us in saying goodbye to a West Bank institution, raise a glass to all the good times and great people, and make it a last summer to remember here at Palmer's Bar.' 500 Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis. COLUMBIA HEIGHTS — The end is near for beloved 72-year-old institution Heights Bakery. According to a Facebook post, owners Debbie Doty and Dave DeShaw are retiring. The bakery, a family-owned business across four generations, is currently closed for a summer break but will reopen July 22. The final day will be August 1. 4925 Central Avenue NE in Columbia Heights. June KINGFIELD, NICOLLET — Chef Jamie Yoo has closed the Abang Yoli outposts in the Market at Malcom Yards and Nicollet. On Instagram, he cited the struggles of running multiple restaurants, which left him 'physically and mentally exhausted.' Fans can still get his Korean fried chicken at Abang Yoli's new Minnetonka spot. 501 30th Avenue SE and 3749 Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. NORTHEAST — Chef Ann Kim's pizzeria Young Joni will end its run on September 14. The restaurant was locked in a legal dispute with its landlord over unpaid rent, and the two sides were unable to come to terms on a new lease. The acclaimed wood-fired pies and Korean-influenced plates helped Kim win the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest in 2019. 165 13th Avenue NE in Minneapolis. NORTHEAST — StepChld's last day will be August 24. The Ethiopian-influenced restaurant by Kamal Mohamed is closing after almost five years, with the chef telling the Star Tribune that rising costs, labor, rent, and limited seating were all factors in the decision. StepChld's menu features East African influences in dishes like birria tacos with berbere spice, and a smash burger topped with mitmita aioli. 24 University Avenue NE in Minneapolis. DOWNTOWN — Apostle Supper Club closed at the beginning of June, with owner Brian Ingram citing crime as one of the main challenges the restaurant faced in a since-deleted Facebook post that received national attention. The Pioneer Press looked into the claim and found that crime stats in 2025 have been down compared to the same period last year. 253 Kellogg Boulevard in St. Paul. LOWERTOWN — Customers have had their last taste of the wood-fired pies at Big River Pizza in downtown St. Paul. It closed at the end of June, with a Facebook post explaining that 'the current political and policy landscape in St. Paul has made it increasingly difficult to ensure the safety of our employees.' The Neapolitan pies featured a variety of toppings such as purple potatoes, bacon jam, and spinach artichoke dip. 280 5th Street E in St. Paul. May LONGFELLOW — Less than a year after debuting, both Lagniappe and the Du Nord Cocktail Room closed at the end of May. The restaurant and bar from the owners of Du Nord Social Spirits brought the flavors of New Orleans to town through offerings like gumbo, charbroiled Gulf oysters, boudin balls, and po' boys. The two establishments were both located inside the historic Coliseum Building. 2700 E Lake Street in Minneapolis. SOUTHWEST — Although it closed earlier this year, the owners of Terzo have officially announced that the Italian restaurant will not be reopening. A water main break flooded and caused extensive damage to the space in February. The Broder family wrote in a post on Instagram that 'the time, energy, and resources needed to rebuild Terzo are beyond [their] capacity.' Terzo originally opened in 2013. 2221 W 50th Street in Minneapolis. April MINNEAPOLIS — All four Café Ceres locations closed in April. The coffee shop started in Linden Hills in 2021, with pastry chef Shawn McKenzie earning a James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker in 2023. DDP Restaurant Group intends to focus on its other restaurants, but hospitality union Unite Here Local 17, which includes Café Ceres workers, criticized the move in a statement that read, 'Heads of restaurant empires like Daniel del Prado would rather close shop than give a fair share to the workers who make them rich.' Eater Twin Cities All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . 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CTV News
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘Does that skirt come off?' How Tina Turner and Mick Jagger's racy duet electrified Live Aid audiences
Tina Turner and Mick Jagger rehearse their duet for the upcoming Live Aid concert at JFK Stadium on July 12, 1985 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Petervia CNN Newsource 'Alright, where's Tina?' With that short introduction from Mick Jagger and the beat of the drums, Tina Turner danced onto a Philadelphia stage for an electrifying performance with the Rolling Stones frontman during Live Aid on July 13, 1985. Jagger, at the time just days shy of his 42 birthday, and Turner, who was then 45 and riding a wave of success from her 1984 hit album 'Private Dancer,' showcased their fun and flirty chemistry. The pair performed 'State of Shock' and 'It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It),' the latter of which found Jagger stripping off his shirt for a mid-song costume change and dramatically tearing off Turner's skirt. She recounted the moment in her 2018 memoir, 'My Love Story.' 'Mick and I could never just stand there and sing — that wasn't us. We had to do something. He looked me over,' Turner wrote. 'I was wearing a tight-fitting black leather top and skirt and I could see a naughty idea forming. 'Does that skirt come off?' he asked slyly. 'What?' was my startled reply.' Jagger matter of factly told her, ''I'm going to take your skirt off.' 'I asked him why, but it was too late to talk it through, Mick had already made his mind up to do it,' she wrote. Turner and Jagger had a shorthand due to their long friendship. She shared in her book an anecdote about helping Jagger with his moves as young artists in the 1960s. 'Mick showed up at the dressing room I shared with our dancers and said in his unmistakable voice: 'I like how you girls dance,'' Turner wrote. 'Well, we had seen him strutting on stage with his tambourine and thought he looked a little awkward.' She and her dancers taught Jagger how to do the Pony. 'Mick caught on fast but found it difficult to do certain steps,' Turner wrote. 'Not that he ever gave us credit for his new fancy footwork. To this day, Mick likes to say: 'My mother taught me how to dance.' OK fine – but I know better.' A month before her death in 2023, Turner spoke of her affection for Jagger and the Stones. 'I always had a crush on Mick Jagger,' Turner told The Guardian. 'I loved when we toured with the Rolling Stones.' The love was mutual. Tina Turner and Mick Jagger Tina Turner and Mick Jagger perform at Live Aid at Veteran's Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 13, CNN Newsource 'She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer,' Jagger wrote of Turner in a tribute to her. 'She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her.' Both were rock 'n' roll powerhouses who thrilled the audiences who watched Live Aid, a benefit concert organized by musicians Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to draw attention to a famine in Ethopia and raise money for relief efforts. Decades later, the Turner and Jagger duet remains one of the highlights of the concert, which spanned multiple locations, drew an estimated 1.8 billion viewers and raised more than $125 million. Their performance is a reminder of a time when the world could come together for music and charity in a shared experience that preceded social media. Jagger remains a cultural force. The 81-year-old toured with his famed band last year and joined another Live Aid alum, Elton John, for a state banquet held at Windsor Castle in honor of France's President Emmanuel Macron. Turner's pop culture icon status has also endured, thanks, in part, most recently to Beyoncé. There's been speculation her anticipated 'Act III' album will be rock 'n' roll themed. That theory heated up after Beyoncé, who performed with Turner and credits her as an artistic influence, recently wore a t-shirt during her Cowboy Carter Tour with Turner's image. Jagger and Turner ended their Live Aid performance by strutting off opposite sides of the stage, the band still playing. 'Thank you, Tina,' Jagger said into his mic, no longer in sight.
