225 Magazine [April 2026] by Baton Rouge Business Report

Perfection

An extensive wine list crafted for every palate.

Congrats, Alysia, for being named one of 225 Magazine’s 20 in their 20s. The team is proud of all the great work you do!

49 Mediterranean pop-up dinners

TV chef finds a new home in BR

Dining in: Baseball tailgate treats

Behind the 2026 Baton Rouge Blues

New Black history trail unveiled

Capitol assets

INTRODUCING OUR 2026 class of Twenty in their 20s. Back for its third year, this issue highlights local 20-somethings who are making a difference in their community, stepping it up in their career fields and developing into future leaders. The 225 team combed through over 100 nominations to find this group of young movers and shakers. We photographed the honorees at Louisiana‘s Old State Capitol, a historic site that we think was the ideal setting. Because who knows? They might be making history right now. Spot its checkered floors, sprawling spiral staircase and rainbow stained-glass windows livening up the background of the shots, like the cover image, featuring (from left) Gabby Davis, Alysia Guin, Zein Clayton, Jada McGuin and Jacob Ellis. Meet this group and the rest of the 20 starting on pg 26. Photo by Collin Richie.

Traditional Lebanese bites from an Albina’s Kitchen pop-up dinner

Baton Rouge’s most exciting night of dance & philanthropy returns this spring!

Local leaders are stepping onto the dance floor as Star Dancers, partnering with professional dancers to raise critical funds that support mentoring, workforce development, and enrichment programs for youth across our community.

April 25, 2026

APRIL DAVIS CANDACE L. JOHNSON

CRAIG DAUZAT

REGINA BARROW, STATE SENATOR PRESIDENT PRO TEM

RENÉE BROWN CHELSEA CASWELL

TRAVIS DABNEY DAN DAVENPORT

WEBB

SUNSHINE WILLETT CASSIE

LAMONT COLE

SHELLY DUBRIEL RENITA WILLIAMS THOMAS

20/20 vision

SCIENTISTS SAY THE prefrontal cortex—that wrinkly little part of the brain responsible for decision making and impulse control—doesn’t finish developing until around at least the mid- to late 20s. Adolescence, they add, might not even be over until a person hits their early 30s. But don’t tell that to the young people who are part of this year’s “Twenty in their 20s” cover story. Despite their age, these dreamers and doers have some serious wisdom to share.

Ranging in age from 21 to 29, our honorees are doing big things, from launching their own businesses and championing community causes to making movies and creating jobs. And when we asked them to share the advice they would give to their 18-year-old selves, their responses were as impressive as their resumes. Here are some of the nuggets they offered:

“Get

comfortable being uncomfortable. Real growth happens when you show up as yourself in unfamiliar or challenging situations. That’s where you learn, adapt and gain confidence.”

—Kristen Nuss Cruz

“Discipline is a learned skill. Paired with focus, you can hit any goal you want.”

—Thomas Kadair

“Don’t be afraid to be authentic.”

—Alysia Guin

“When you’re facing something stressful or completely unfamiliar, pause and look back at the last few times you felt that same knot in your stomach. Remind yourself how those moments turned out not as catastrophic as they felt in the moment, and often not a big deal in the end.”

—Brandon Ginn

“Life will always be a balance of good days and bad days. It will never be picture-perfect like we see on social media or in movies. The goal is to learn how to overcome the bad days and remember they are temporary.”

—Tatiana Gonzalez Quiroga

“Don’t

chase status, prestige or money, but rather discover what you’re called to do and everything else will follow.”

—Tarick Johnson

“Remember to take care of yourself. You’re going to do great things, but only if you make sure you’re mentally and physically well enough to do them.”

—Kendrick Henson

“Be confident and own yourself and all the fun, different and interesting things that make you, you.”

—Taryn Brasher

“STAND

UP FOR YOURSELF MORE OFTEN.”

—Jacob Loveland

Take it from someone well out of her 20s: you definitely don’t need to be an adolescent to benefit from these pieces of advice. Read more wise words from this year’s honorees and learn about their early-career journeys in our cover story starting on pg. 26. As you’ll see, they’re not waiting for their turn to take a big step. Their time is now, and Baton Rouge is all the better for it.

Kelli Bozeman Editor-in-Chief

Heart meets hustle

We gathered our “Twenty in their 20s” honorees at one of Louisiana’s most iconic locations, the Old State Capitol, to take photos on two sunny but cold late February days. For the first time, this year’s group includes two powerhouse pairs: husband and wife Brandon and Anna Ginn and beach volleyball team Kristen Nuss Cruz and Taryn Brasher. You might recognize Cruz and Brasher (pictured here with me and 225 managing editor Olivia Deffes) from their life-changing moment in the sporting world spotlight as part of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team, but they first became a dynamic duo wearing the purple and gold at LSU, and when they’re not on the sand they’re giving back to local families through their foundation. Talk about teamwork!

HAPPY TO HEAL, Y’ALL

MAKE IT STOP

If you or someone you love has experienced sexual harm and you’re feeling overwhelmed, help is available to stop the loop of endless thoughts. Connect with a trained crisis support specialist for emotional support and other resources. Anonymous. Confidential. Free. On your own terms.

Text: 225-351-SAFE (7233) Chat: lafasa.org Talk: 888-995-7273 . April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Visit LaFASA.org to find how you can make a difference.

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Publisher: Julio Melara

EDITORIAL

Editor-In-Chief: Kelli Bozeman

Managing Editor: Olivia Deffes

Features Writer: Maggie Heyn Richardson

Digital Staff Writer: Catherine Clement

Digital Content Strategist: John McElwain

Staff Photographer: Collin Richie

Contributing Writers: Jennifer Tormo Alvarez, Tracey Koch

Contributing Photographers: Jordan Hefler, Amy Shutt

ADVERTISING

Vice President, Sales: Elizabeth McCollister Hebert

Sales Operations Manager: Kynley Lemoine

Sales Director: André Hellickson Savoie

Multimedia Marketing Consultants:

Abbie Bayham, Claire Hader, Jamie Hernandez, Ella Shipp

Sales Intern: Reagan Karczewski

Digital Operations Manager: Devyn MacDonald

Partner Success Manager: Matt Wambles

Content Creator: Londyn White

Digital Operations Coordinator: Addison Champagne

Data Analyst: Sydney DeVille

Corporate Communications Strategist: Mark Lorando

Content Strategist: Emily Hebert

STUDIO E

Business Development Manager: Manny Fajardo

Custom Content Editor: Lisa Tramontana

Video Lead: Taylor Stoma

Production Coordinator: Angelle Theriot

ADMINISTRATION

Chief Technology Officer: James Hume

Marketing Director: Ashleigh Ward

Business Manager: Tiffany Durocher

Business Associate: Kirsten Milano

Business and Office Assistant: Sarah Kleinpeter

Receptionist: Cathy Varnado Brown

CREATIVE SERVICES

Creative Services Manager: Ellie Gray

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Senior Graphic Designers: Melinda Gonzalez Galjour, Sidney Rosso

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Circulation and Client Experience Manager: Ivana Oubre

A publication of Melara Enterprises, LLC

Chairman: Julio Melara

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Chief Content Officer: Penny Font

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Chief Operating Officer: Guy Barone

Circulation/Reprints

225.928.1700 • email: circulation@225batonrouge.com 9029 Jefferson Highway, Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225-214-5225 • FAX 225-926-1329 • 225batonrouge.com

Rooted In Restoration: BREC’s Work To Revive Local Habitats

BREC’s conservation work is rooted in handson restoration and community involvement. According to Sharon King, assistant director of Natural Resource Management, the goal is simple: bring people and nature together. From trail maintenance to pollinator gardens to large-scale tree plantings, BREC’s Natural Resource Management team and its Green Force volunteers are restoring habitats while giving residents meaningful ways to get involved.

Restoration After The Drought

The severe 2023 drought caused widespread tree mortality across BREC’s conservation areas. Many dead trees along trails posed safety hazards, requiring significant removal efforts. “In 2024, we closed Kendalwood Conservation Area while crews removed over 100 dead trees,” King explains. Those removals created new opportunities. BREC’s 2026 restoration plan focuses on rebuilding a healthy forest structure with layers of canopy, midstory and understory plants. Carefully selected native species will help support wildlife and make these ecosystems more resilient to future environmental stress.

Native Plants And Pollinators

BREC’s four pollinator gardens serve as living classrooms where visitors can learn what to plant, how to prepare a site and what to expect each season. “Native plants and pollinators have evolved together,” King notes. Unlike many ornamental plants, native species provide the nectar and pollen that local insects rely on. Those insects, in turn, help support trees, fruit production and broader ecosystem health. The Howell Community Park Pollinator Garden features museum-quality signage about pollinators and native plants, helping turn the space into an educational destination.

Managing Invasive Species And Aquatic Threats

Invasive species management is an ongoing effort. Plants such as Chinese privet and Christmas berry are removed through a combination of contractor work and volunteer pull days, helping restore healthy forest

Public Volunteer Opportunites:

Love the Boot Clean-Up!

Bayou Manchac Park - 4/23

Ardisia (Christmas Berry) Removal

Kendalwood Conservation Area – 4/26

understories. BREC also addresses aquatic invaders, including non-native apple snails. By removing egg masses and adult snails, staff and volunteers help reduce health risk for park visitors while protecting local ecosystems.

Exploring Biodiversity

Each year, BREC hosts a 24-hour BioBlitz, inviting community members to document local biodiversity. Participants work in teams to identify plants, fungi, insects, birds, reptiles and mammals while recording their findings in real time. During last year’s event at Bayou Manchac, volunteers documented more than 600 species. This year’s BioBlitz will take place April 18 at Blackwater Conservation Area, where participants will again help build a snapshot of local biodiversity.

Volunteer-Powered Stewardship

The Green Force program prepares volunteers with six hours of classroom learning along with hands-on instruction in trail maintenance and garden stewardship. Volunteers log hours and earn tiered rewards. BREC also hosts public volunteer events such as pollinator garden workdays, invasive plant removals and “Privet Palooza,” where volunteers remove aggressive plants like Chinese privet that threaten native habitats.

A Vision For Resilience

King says BREC’s long-term goal is to restore ecological balance and support the species that depend on layered habitats, from migratory songbirds to pollinators and native plants. Through strategic tree plantings, prescribed burning and community engagement, BREC is working to ensure these landscapes thrive for generations. To learn more or get involved, visit BREC.org.

Create Your Own Native Garden

Step 1:

Choose a Location

Consider: Sunlight exposure, Drainage and slope, Access

Pollinator Garden Maintenance

Howell Community Park - 4/28

To learn more and register go to brec.org/Conservation

Step 3:

Design Your Garden Beds

Be creative and consider: Shape and size, Planting patterns

Step 2:

Prepare the Site

Remove existing grass, Test your soil, Add amendments

Step 4:

Plant Your Garden

Remember to plant according to the appropriate season

Readers’ notes

Re: Our print feature on a vibrant, orchid-hued home office

“We’re obsessed with this office! ” —@midcitybakery

“A dreaamm project!! ” —@rclinteriors

Re: Our preview of the Capital Area Animal Welfare Society’s annual Mystic Krewe of Mutts parade

“That’s my sweet boy on the last slide! Thank you, @caawsbr” —@mandyandriley

“We couldn’t go but we celebrated in California! Love the pictures of the cute pups!”

—SamBear Walker on Facebook

Comments and analytics are from Feb. 1-28, 2026. They have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Last call, y’all!

It’s the final countdown! Voting for the 2026 Best of 225 Awards closes on April 8. It’s crunch time, people.

If you reside in the 225 area code, it’s your last chance to submit a ballot of your beloved restaurants, personalities and businesses. Your votes will determine who takes the top spots in categories like Best Burger, Best Nail Salon and Best Chef.

Scan the QR code below to vote, read FAQs or find promotional graphics for campaigning. And watch to see who wins in our July issue. Happy voting!

What ,s up April

This year, City Year Baton Rouge AmeriCorps members will work to impact more than 2,500 students.

City Year at

The national service program marks a Baton Rouge milestone with its spring gala

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

IT’S BEEN TWO decades since City Year’s first corps members, bedecked in signature red bomber jackets and fueled with idealism, began donating a year’s worth of their time to making Baton Rouge better. More than 1,000 alumni have completed the national service program, impacting thousands of children and youth in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Now focused solely on education, City Year can be a godsend to beleaguered classrooms. Last fall, the Baton Rouge affiliate placed 45 young adult AmeriCorps members in six public and charter schools, where they work side by side with struggling students.

City Year’s 20th Anniversary School House Rock Gala

The organization celebrates two decades in Baton Rouge with a roaring ’20s-themed celebration at The Executive Center on the evening of April 23. Get tickets at cityyear.org/baton-rouge

“Our AmeriCorps members tutor students in English and math,” says Lori Halvorson, City Year Baton Rouge’s executive director since 2013. “They’re also serving as mentors and are supporting students if they have attendance or behavioral issues. They’re that constant source of support that a student gets used to seeing every single day.”

Baton Rouge is one of 29 nationwide City Year sites, all of which aim to improve the inequities that still menace public education, Halvorson says.

The program planted roots in Baton Rouge back in 2005, when civic leader Jennifer Eplett Reilly pushed to open a south Louisiana location following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Reilly was part of the team of young civic entrepreneurs who had founded City Year in Boston in 1988.

The typical two-year process of opening a City Year site was condensed to 90 days, demonstrating local support, Halvorson says. The program was later split into

dedicated sites in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Corps members once addressed a range of community issues, but the national program narrowed its focus to education in 2011.

“They said, ‘Let’s pick one thing and do it really well,’” Halvorson says. “It’s the Raising Cane’s model, if you will.”

City Year’s participants, known as student success coaches, are mostly new to education, but they’re supported by City Year staff and engage in regular professional development, Halvorson says. Their presence seems to be paying off. Kids and teens who have access to City Year’s student success coaches are three times more likely to be proficient in math and twice as likely to be proficient in English on state assessments, she adds.

Most City Year Baton Rouge student success coaches are local—many from the very neighborhoods they serve. “It’s helped us to have a strong sense of the community,” Halvorson says. “There’s a deep connection that can’t be manufactured.”

City Year's participants work with students to address low attendance, poor behavior and struggles in English and math, which can lead to an increased risk of dropping out.

“This is your moment! Stop waiting for the perfect time and create it. One brave decision today can change everything about tomorrow.”

Chris Gendusa, Owner

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FUTURE FITNESS

PHOTO BY DON KADAIR

New-dles

Compiled by Catherine Clement

PRAIRIEVILLE-BORN Daruma Ramen Bar & Grill has opened a second location in Mid City. This new space serves the restaurant’s beloved dishes, including dumplings, hot wings and plenty of customizable ramen options. The eatery also features a karaoke room that can hold more than 30 people for group karaoke nights or private dining. Owners Danny and Stacy Zheng have two more concepts in the works: a revolving sushi restaurant called Zuma that does not yet have an opening date, and a new dim sum eatery called Mu Dan, which is expected to open in June on Perkins Road. darumaramenla.com

What

Hola, amigo!

is new?

The Capital Region’s brimming Mexican restaurant scene has a newcomer: Amigo Al’s Tequileria. Opened in March, the St. Gabriel eatery comes from restaurateur Brandon Landry, who is also behind Walk-On’s, Smalls Sliders and Supperclub. The concept focuses on quality Mexican cuisine, with a menu of tacos, nachos, bowls and more. With Tequileria in the restaurant’s name, expect 50 different tequilas, ranging from blanco and reposado to añejo. And, of course, whirring machines are churning up frozen margaritas. Different from his other Americanfocused restaurants, Landry says Amigo Al’s is an opportunity to have fun and learn, while also honoring his 92-year-old father, Al. amigo-als.com

Super bowls

Popular downtown build-your-own Korean bowl restaurant Okki Tokki has opened a second location on Perkins Road East near Alexander’s Highland Market. Just like the Main Street restaurant, the new Okki Tokki offers the same customizable bowl menu, along with some pre-picked mixes for those who can’t decide. Customers can start with a base of rice, noodles or salad before piling on their choices of protein, veggies, sauces and garnishes. @eatokkitokki

Dink responsibly

Pickleball lovers in the Capital Region have a new space to play. Pickleball Kingdom, now open in Walker, boasts 16 indoor courts for players to get their game on. The venue is open every day, and the space can be booked for parties. pickleballkingdom.com

TRANSFORM YOUR SMILE

-Scott A My dental experience with Dr. Ventress and his Team is always the absolute BEST, from when I walk in until I walk out. I am always treated with courtesy and extreme professionalism. 5 stars aren’t enough to rate Dr. V and his Team!

Around 225

Deep dive

While progress continues on the University Lakes, a separate master plan will determine their governance, the future of the City Park Golf Course and more

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

IT TAKES CONTINUED imagination and patience, but the vision for an improved University Lakes corridor is finally coming into focus. The much-anticipated project is inching toward completion at the end of this year. Meanwhile, a separate BREC master plan, now underway, will spell out who will govern and maintain the refurbished lakes, while also determining the future of its bookend recreational amenities, Wampold Park and City-Brooks Park.

Turn the page to learn more about the latest with the lakes.

From above the also-underconstruction I-10, this view shows the changes to City Park Lake and, beyond it, University Lake.

New land and landscaping

City Park Lake’s now-finished shorelines and new islands have been landscaped with iris, goldenrod, grasses and other native, low-growing perennials, Goodson says. Some of those shorelines currently appear dormant but will fill in and bloom throughout the spring, he adds.

A similar strategy is being deployed throughout University Lake. The new shorelines, islands and expanded acreage in the Bird Sanctuary will soon host the same native plants seen around City Park Lake. Goodson notes the invasive black willow recently visible in those dormant locations will be removed.

“We’re committed to keeping [the plants] native and low-lying, so [they] won’t impact people’s views of the lake,” Goodson says.

One of the more noticeable changes on University Lake is the enlarged shoreline in front of the Lod Cook Alumni Center. Goodson says that the area will become a grassy expanse for events and recreation.

Dredging will conclude by late fall

Now three years in, dredging has become a familiar sight for Baton Rougeans who frequent the lakes. All that mud moving and stump removal hasn’t been fun to look at, but deepening the six-lake system to between 6 and 9 feet and removing its numerous cypress stumps and excess spoils (sediment, organic matter and debris) was essential to improving water quality, officials have said. Dredging is finished in both City Park Lake and its adjacent Lake Erie, where the water is visibly healthier, says CSRS principal and project lead Mark Goodson. Dredging continues in University Lake and will conclude by the end of October, Goodson says. Because hauling off the spoils would have been cost prohibitive, the project has required redistributing 1.1 million cubic feet of dredge material to the Bird Sanctuary, in five new islands across the two largest lakes, and through expanded shorelines.

May Street bridge completed by the end of the year

Also underway is the realignment of May Street, where the road is now being converted into a bridge spanning the lakes. The bodies of water will be connected by a new channel. The bridge will have a 5½-foot clearance, allowing users to paddle kayaks, canoes and paddleboards under it as they explore both lakes, Goodson says. The project recently saw a slight delay due to a geotechnical issue but is back on track. Goodson says he’s hopeful May Street will be reopened by the end of this year.

Who will maintain the lakes?

A prevailing challenge with the lakes has been the fractured governance, split among LSU, the City-Parish and BREC. Determining who will govern and maintain the system following its $80 million overhaul is key to its long-term success, says BREC interim superintendent Janet Simmons. It could even be a nonprofit conservancy. That issue will be clarified later this year with BREC’s City-Brooks Park & Lakes Vision Planning Process, which piggybacks on the lakes project’s progress. One of the reasons it’s important to identify governance now, Simmons says, is that the restoration project is introducing new physical areas that will need to be maintained or programmed.

A new look for City-Brooks Park

Finally, the plan will redesign City-Brooks Park as part of BREC’s ongoing Imagine Your Parks 3 plan. The park was established as a multi-use community park nearly 20 years ago, and it’s time for an update, Simmons says.

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The plan also addresses the future of both Wampold Park and City-Brooks Park, the two recreational areas that flank the lakes. Dredge materials will almost double the land mass of Wampold Park, says BREC assistant director of planning and engineering Angela Harms. “It could be something like beach volleyball or more of an accentuated beach, or a place to store boats,” she says. The public will have a chance to weigh in through community meetings this spring.

Moreover, the park has been identified as a possible site of a so-called Tier 1 recreational facility, a BREC designation that refers to a complex with an air-conditioned gym with a mezzanine track and a community center. Such facilities will help absorb the recreational needs of residents who will be impacted by future closures of BREC’s dated, unair-conditioned facilities, Simmons says. Those new amenities could be situated on Eddie Robinson Drive near BREC’s Brooks Park public pool, which will likely be updated.

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On the City Park side, planners will look at improving current usage, including the nine-hole golf course. While some community activists have long suggested turning the golf course into passive greenspace, there’s a strong argument to maintain it, Simmons says. Golf usage rates have shot up since the pandemic, and the City Park Golf Course generates revenue. It also fills a local public golf course void. There are currently only five public golf courses in East Baton Rouge Parish, and two of those are nine-hole courses.

“City Park had more golfers on it this past year than it ever has. It’s booked constantly,” Simmons says. “Revenue generated from the golf course exceeded expenses by 10%. If we lose it, we’re going to need another nine-hole course somewhere.”

Book it

DEFFES

LSU’S JOHN M. PARKER

Agricultural Coliseum usually serves as the setting for livestock exhibitions, trade shows and rodeos, with its dirt floors and arena-style seating.

But once a year, the venue is covered with tables holding thousands of books, along with some CDs and vinyl records, for the Friends of the LSU Libraries Book Bazaar. The beloved physical media sale and fundraiser celebrates its milestone 50th anniversary this April 16-18.

This isn’t your average book sale. Attended by thousands of book buffs each year, the Book Bazaar has become a tradition for readers, history lovers and collectors due to its extensive inventory of donated items sold at low prices. Proceeds go straight to the university’s libraries, allowing them to purchase materials they may not have the funds for otherwise.

Titles spanning a slew of genres are available for customers to browse free of charge. Books are priced modestly, usually ranging from $2 to $4, with the exception of a curated table of vintage and collectable pieces. The Book Bazaar’s selection, usually

consisting of 65,000 to 70,000 volumes, is something that would make Barnes & Noble jealous. And it’s all thanks to donations.

“[The Book Bazaar] is simply community-driven,” says Friends of the LSU Libraries vice president Anita Adams. “I think we’ve become such an institution that people already know of us. If they’ve got a relative who’s downsizing or passes away, or their collection has grown too large, they’ll load the books up and bring them to us because they know that we’re going to be good stewards.”

Adams, along with other Friends and volunteers, helps collect donations and run the event. She also has the important role of sorter, organizing the large selection. She says attendees will find plenty of classics, but newer releases might be few and far between.

“Our donations are usually books that have been well read and passed around,” Adams says. “[Attendees] may come in with a book in mind, but they leave with ones they didn’t know they had to have.”

With humble beginnings as a flea market sale in LSU’s student union in 1976, the event has grown over the years both in size and impact.

That first year, it raised $500, but by the ’80s, its yearly proceeds skyrocketed to around $30,000. After taking a hiatus due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Book Bazaar made a triumphant return to campus, this time in the coliseum.

Funds raised through the sale have allowed the university’s library system to make purchases for special collections, including rare pieces like a cash journal of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Mattioli printing blocks dating back to the 16th century, and the Kelmscott Chaucer. These items can be viewed by the public and are used for research, education and other programming.

In our current digital age, Adams says she is blown away to see that the Book Bazaar continues to be popular. And she expects it to keep growing as more people find out

about the event each year.

“It’s remarkable that with all the things right at their fingertips, there are still so many readers and people who just love to hold [books] in their hands,” Adams says.

The Book Bazaar welcomes readers of all ages to come out and find their next reads. Adams says the free-admission event usually has a line wrapped around the coliseum before the doors open, full of eager shoppers ready to pounce on what’s been collected all year.

“There’s just a feeling these people have of wanting to be in the throes of it, in the thick of it and make that discovery of a book that they may have read when they were a little kid, or their grandmother’s book that got destroyed,” Adams says. “It’s like finding an old friend.”

Friends of the LSU Libraries Book Bazaar

JOHN M. PARKER AGRICULTURAL COLISEUM, AGCENTER DRIVE

April 16 and 17 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A ribbon cutting to commemorate the 50th anniversary will take place at 8:45 a.m. on April 16.

The Friends of the LSU Libraries celebrates the 50th anniversary of its annual fundraiser BY OLIVIA

The Friends of the LSU Libraries Book Bazaar (shown above in 1977 and at right in 2025) continues to draw book buffs with its expansive selection.

LSU Rural Life Museum

Historic settings and expansive grounds for unforgettable gatherings

This historically rich atmosphere works well for many types of events and offers beautiful opportunities for photography. Rustic buildings, open grounds, and Windrush Gardens highlight Louisiana’s cultural heritage and offer inviting spaces for guests.

LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens

Beautiful, lush gardens and welcoming venues for a wide range of events

The Botanic Gardens offers indoor and outdoor venues surrounded by specialty gardens and woodlands. The Orangerie, Conference Center, and Pavilion provide welcoming spaces for weddings and events with natural scenery that enhances every gathering.

LEARN MORE:

An LSU & LSU AgCenter Facility

Twenty20 s

Twenty20 s IN THEIR

The future is now for young innovators, creators and leaders driving the Capital Region forward

BY KELLI BOZEMAN // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

“BETTER IN BTR” is more than the name of the splashy digital campaign that was launched by the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership in 2024 with a goal of attracting young professionals to the Capital Region and keeping them here. It’s also a mantra for the honorees chosen as 225 Magazine’s “Twenty in their 20s” class for 2026. These young people take pride in their community and are working to make it better, by launching their own businesses and nonprofits, crafting life-changing legislation, making movies and developing big-business deals. “I’m tired of this narrative that you have to leave the state to be an artist,” reflects 29-year-old film studio founder Brett Roblez. Turn the page to learn more about how Roblez and his cohorts are rewriting the script.

TC Nash, 29

Communications manager, People’s Climate Innovation Center; Founder, Twenty-Four Nineteen

As if leading a national charge to increase youth and young professional involvement in climaterelated initiatives wasn’t enough, Nash also runs her own communications firm. Her goal is to advance equity, community power and justice-centered storytelling. “The process of moving people to act is an art and a science that I never get tired of exploring,” Nash says.

How do you define success?

I am defining success in authenticity. In every space I am able to be myself and confidently make decisions for my peace and happiness, I am counting it as a win.

Why is giving back to the community important to you?

The causes I am currently working to support are a direct reflection of my identity as a Black, masculine presenting and queer woman. It is a joy to engage with young and queer people and provide mentorship as they prepare to take new steps in their lives.

Advice for your 18-year-old self?

The world is as scary as you think, but we do it. We find our people, they love us and we can go farther than your wildest dream, so dream!

Luci Patin, 22

Assistant director of NIL, LSU Athletics

Patin says she loves getting to watch student-athletes “put in the work and then actually achieve what they set out to do” in her fastpaced position in NIL at LSU. She has also been a member of the worship team at Journey Church in Central for eight years, a role she says “keeps my heart aligned and reminds me that my purpose is not about personal achievement.”

What’s your greatest accomplishment so far?

Buying my first home at 22! Having people who believed in me, encouraged me and helped guide me through made all the difference.

What part of your work do people not see?

There is a lot of planning, problem solving, relationship building and constant communication that goes into making things look seamless. Working with student-athletes means not just managing opportunities but walking alongside people as they grow, navigate pressure and figure out who they are and how they want to be perceived.

Advice for your 18-year-old self?

Trust the process and don’t rush it. You do not have to have everything figured out right away. Stay focused, work hard, keep your faith at the center, and trust that the doors meant for you will open at the right time.

Tatiana Gonzalez Quiroga, 26

“Generation gap” means nothing to Gonzalez Quiroga, who spends her days advocating for people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. Among the legislation she has crafted are a bill establishing the Louisiana Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Advisory Council and one providing funding to create a statewide Dementia Care Specialist Program. “This investment will directly help family caregivers and loved ones receive community support,” she says.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Working with our community members and empowering them to share their

Southeast territory government relations director, Alzheimer’s Association

stories with state leaders. It’s even more meaningful when one of our initiatives becomes a reality due to our collective advocacy efforts.

How do you define success?

To me, success means the ability to do good in this world every day. I try to take success one day at a time.

What’s your next big goal?

We’re in a historic moment for Alzheimer’s treatment and diagnostics. My next big goal is to make sure Louisiana is prepared to help residents get the care and support they need in this new era of treatment.

Kendrick

Henson, 26

Program manager, Baton Rouge Youth Coalition

Henson’s talent for reaching students came to light quickly during a two-year stint with Teach for America, where he earned multiple major awards and served as a regional board member. In his current role with BRYC, leaders say he has “absolutely transformed the organization” by building a Youth Participatory Action Research Program for eighth-graders.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Teaching students skills beyond formal academics—things like post-secondary exploration, discovering extracurricular passions and finding meaningful ways to get involved in their community.

Why is giving back to the community important to you?

Community resources helped shape me into the person I am today. Because I benefited from those systems, I feel a responsibility to contribute to them and strengthen them for the next generation.

What makes you so passionate about working with students?

I truly believe every child wants to do good in the world. However, access to the resources that help them live out their purpose aren’t always readily available. It brings me immense joy to be able to help youth “find their thing.”

Jacob

Loveland, 24

Commercial real estate broker, Elifin Realty

Selling the first hotel in his company’s history earlier this year is one of the highlights of Loveland’s young career, which also includes closing 102 deals with more than $15 million in volume. He is also the cofounder and a board member of The NextWave Network, which brings together young professionals for connections in support of career growth.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Seeing that smile on a client’s face after I am able to help them grow their business or expand their investment portfolio.

How do you define success?

If you wake up every day and are truly happy in your life, then you are successful.

What part of your work do people not see?

From making that first call to securing a listing to actually closing the deal can be a long process with no guarantee that it will close.

What’s your personal pep talk?

Don’t sit and wait for the train to pass.

Honorees from left: TC Nash, Luci Patin, Tatiana Gonzales Quiroga, Kendrick Henson and Jacob Loveland

Taryn Brasher

Kristen Nuss Cruz

Kristen Nuss Cruz, 29

Professional beach volleyball player

Playing on a sandy court in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower was a career highlight for 5'6" New Orleans native Kristen Nuss Cruz and her teammate Taryn Brasher, who made it to the Olympic stage in 2024 after standout athletic careers at LSU. The pair hasn’t slowed down, now playing professionally and ranked #1 in the world.

What’s your favorite part of being a professional athlete?

All the places this sport has taken me. I get to travel the world with my best friend and call the sport I love my job—honestly, what more could I ask for?

What makes a great partnership in beach volleyball?

Chemistry on the court is everything. Communication and trust are the two most important elements in making that chemistry work. Being able to communicate clearly with your partner in high-pressure moments, and trusting that they genuinely want the best for you, is something special and not always easy to find in beach pairs.

How do you motivate yourself?

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I’m constantly motivated by the idea of inspiring others. As an undersized player, I didn’t have many people in the sport who looked like me or shared a similar path, so being that example for someone else has always driven me.

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Taryn Brasher, 29

Professional beach volleyball player

This 6'5" South Dakota native traded cold winters for South Louisiana sun when she made the move from indoor volleyball to beach volleyball at LSU. Recently married, she combined her maiden name, Kloth, with Nuss’s to create their team brand, TKN. Together, they also formed the 656 Foundation, a nonprofit that puts on the annual event “Santa in the Sand” to benefit Louisiana families in need.

What’s your favorite part of being a professional athlete?

One of the coolest parts is the positive impact you are having on people. There are kids and people watching your example, which makes you hold an even higher standard.

Why was it important to you to launch a nonprofit?

The foundation has always been a big goal and dream of mine. We were given so much support from the community on our journey, and we still receive so much support, so our event is just a small way for us to give back. Last year, we raised $54,000 for families and supported 32 children in the area with gifts.

How do you define success?

Am I being the very best version of myself? Am I enjoying the process, not just the result? If I can say yes to both of those, I would consider that great success.

Honorees from left: Jacob Ellis, Jada McGuin, Alysia Guin, Zein Clayton (seated) and Gabby Davis

Gabby Davis, 23

Content

creator; backstage correspondent, Pro Wrestling 225

A wrestling fan since childhood, Davis has taken her skills honed as a multimedia journalist with WBRZ into the ring. She shares news and knowledge about the wrestling world on social media and conducts interviews with talent during live events. Her conversations with celebrities at conventions have gone viral, but what viewers don’t see is the hard work behind the camera. “I always think about my next goal,” she says, and that goal is a job with a large wrestling promotion like WWE.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Getting to meet people I grew up watching on TV.

What do you love most about pro wrestling?

I love looking back at past matches and storylines and seeing the impact that female wrestlers have made. Women’s wrestling has come a long way.

How do you define success?

When people tell me they love my content or have seen my content before, it makes me feel as though my hard work is truly paying off. Life is not a rush, and I need to enjoy the process.

Alysia Guin, 29

Director of marketing and partnerships, Raising Cane’s River Center; Regional marketing director, Legends Global

Jacob Ellis, 28

Director of business development, Louisiana Economic Development

Jada McGuin, 28

Business operations manager, Woman’s Hospital; Founder, FITTHOUSE

Health and fitness are at the core of McGuin’s career, from opening a selffunded brick-and-mortar gym at age 23 and launching a fitness app three years later to overseeing the patient access team at Woman’s Hospital. Armed with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in kinesiology and a master’s in healthcare administration, she's also an adjunct instructor at FranU and vice presidentelect of leadership for Forum 225.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Problem solving. I’m a thinker and I love to learn. The fluidity and massiveness of healthcare allow me to do both.

What’s your personal pep talk?

I say “it’s going to be fine” almost 1,000 times a day. Working in healthcare, you never know what to expect.

What’s your next big goal? I’m working on a rebrand for my business.

Advice for your 18-year-old self? Don’t worry so much. I’ve become more understanding that I cannot control everything, and I just have to take things as they are.

If you’ve been to a Baton Rouge Zydeco hockey game, you might have Guin to thank—she led marketing efforts for the team’s inaugural season, which drew 110,000-plus attendees, a league record. She also relaunched Broadway in Baton Rouge after a three-year hiatus, and her efforts led to the River Center being featured among Pollstar’s Top 200 Arenas Worldwide. Meanwhile, she also serves as regional marketing director for 17 theaters across the nation.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Someone once told me that we are in the business of making memories, and I’ve carried that with me every step of the way.

Zein Clayton, 21

Owner

, The Meltdown Snoballs

This Brusly native opened his first snoball stand in his hometown at the age of 16 and has since added two locations in Baton Rouge and one in New Roads, plus a Lafayette outpost opening this year. Each spot offers an assortment of classic and innovative flavors, along with a commitment to consistency and customer service.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I always knew I wanted to be a business owner and self-employed. I just knew I didn’t want to work a regular job forever.

How do you define success?

Success to me isn’t just money or the number of locations. I define success as freedom. It’s employing young people and college students who are figuring out life. It’s building something families can enjoy. It’s creating opportunities and having the freedom to think bigger.

What’s your personal pep talk?

Every morning and night, I remind myself: Success isn’t overnight, it’s consistency.

What’s your next big goal?

Expanding into larger markets like Texas and Florida.

What part of your work do people not see?

I spend a lot of my time analyzing ticket sales data to see what’s working and what’s not. I need to make sure I’m meeting every demographic where they are to maximize the dollars we’re spending on advertising.

What’s your next big goal?

I want to position our city as a mustplay, must-meet destination at the national level.

Ellis’ strategic vision and collaborative leadership helped the state secure Hyundai’s recent $5.8 billion steel investment along with multiple other high-impact projects. Outside the office, his volunteer efforts have ranged from supporting Cat Haven to serving as a member of the LSU Young Alumni Advisory Council.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Seeing the tangible impact our projects have on communities and families across the state of Louisiana. Economic development is not just about announcements or numbers; it is about real people. Watching a project move from concept to construction and knowing it will change lives for the better is incredibly fulfilling.

How do you define success?

At this stage of my life, success feels more personal than it does performative. It is about doing meaningful work that creates real opportunity for others while also building a life I am proud of at home.

Advice for your 18-year-old self?

Stop worrying about having everything figured out. Focus on growth, surround yourself with people who challenge and support you, and trust that consistency compounds over time.

Anna Heine Ginn, 27

Senior

financial accountant, Lamar Advertising Company

Heine Ginn’s first appearance in 225 Magazine was in 2012, when at the age of 13 she was named one of our “People to Watch” due to her prodigious golf talent. Five years later, she won a state individual golf championship, but success has also come to her as a CPA with Lamar, where she has expertise in financial reporting. She married fellow honoree Brandon Ginn in 2024.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

The accountant in me loves quarterly and year-end reporting. There’s a deep satisfaction in taking a high volume of data and distilling it into a clear, accurate financial story that the business can rely on.

How does your golf background help you in your career?

Under my father’s coaching, I cultivated a level of self-discipline that carried me through my CPA candidacy and continues to drive my performance today.

Advice for your 18-year-old self?

Master the art of slowing down. I’ve always enjoyed knocking out a to-do list, but I now know that the best work happens when you give yourself permission to step back and slow down.

Brandon Ginn, 26

Wealth management advisor, Merrill Lynch

In his role with the Baton Rouge-based Merrill Lynch Wealth Management advisory team Ginn Wealth Management, Ginn treats financial planning like a puzzle, “figuring out every scenario, running projections and building strategies that fit someone’s unique life and goals.” He is a member of Keep Tiger Town Beautiful and serves as vice president of the Baton Rouge Woodworkers Club, which builds and donates items to nonprofits.

What would you consider your greatest accomplishments so far?

Personally, my greatest accomplishment is marrying my best friend, Anna. She’s my partner in everything, and that’s my biggest win. Professionally, it’s earning my CFP designation, one of the most demanding certifications in financial planning.

What motivates you to be involved with Keep Tiger Town Beautiful?

I enjoy the instant gratification; we put in a few hours on a cleanup and immediately the area looks much better.

How do you define success?

The positive impact I have on the people around me. Can you share a fun fact about yourself?

At our rehearsal dinner, I boldly declared I’d one day beat Anna in a round of golf. Two years later and I’ve only beaten her on nine holes. But I’m not giving up.

Jase Augustus, 23

Owner, JCB Media

After playing basketball for Baton Rouge Community College, Augustus launched his social media marketing firm while still a student at LSU. Even with a growing client list, he hasn’t completely left the hardwood behind; he also serves as middle school basketball coach at his alma mater, The Dunham School.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Building something from the ground up and watching it grow.

How does your faith intertwine with your work? Faith is everything to me. Without Christ, there is no business. Every opportunity, idea and client is a blessing I don’t take lightly.

How do you define success?

Winning the day. I have big goals, but if I focus too far ahead, I’ll become stagnant. So I focus on daily discipline. If you take care of the inputs, the outcomes eventually take care of themselves.

What’s your next big goal?

To build the go-to social media marketing agency in Baton Rouge. I love this city and I’m committed to staying here and helping it grow into its full potential. I want to showcase everything Baton Rouge has to offer, build city pride, and give young people more reasons to stay and build their future here.

Thomas Kadair, 27

Owner, Kadair Construction

Kadair’s construction accolades keep coming; his firm is a two-year winner of the Home Builders Association of Greater Baton Rouge’s Parade of Homes People’s Choice Award, and he has twice been featured in the Baton Rouge Business Report’s Capital Region 500. He also serves as treasurer of the Louisiana Home Builders Association’s Remodelers Council.

What’s your greatest accomplishment so far?

Quitting my day job at 23 to go all-in on my own business was a huge pivot for me. I am very proud of our team and our work since then, growing exponentially each year and bringing home two Parade of Homes wins.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Seeing my clients actually live in and enjoy the spaces we build.

How do you define success?

The pursuit of your own full potential every single day, in every task that you do.

What part of your work do people not see?

People only see the finished product, but they don’t see the mountain of back-end work that happens behind the scenes. There is a ton of both on-site and in-office coordination that has to happen to bring a project to life.

Samantha Abshire, 29

Owner, Rouge House

Abshire turned a passion for the arts and people from a jewelry-making hobby to a Brightside Drive thrift store with space for art vendors. Her commitment to sustainability means she upcycles donations that would otherwise be tossed out, and her heart for helping marginalized community members has led her to lend support to the homeless through donations of overstock.

What’s your greatest accomplishment so far?

Setting up community closets at Neuskin Esthetics on Perkins Road and Pelican Café on Government Street that act as totally free trading posts. I’m looking to expand on this service and find more locations.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Being able to be a creator for a living and having access to a platform and resources to help people in my community.

Why is giving back to the community important to you?

I value human connection over anything else and believe that we have strength in numbers. Humans are meant to live in solidarity.

Advice for your 18-year-old self?

I’d have to shake her and tell her that empathy is not a weakness and that change is inevitable and necessary.

Tyler Sansone, 29

Co-owner, Essential Safety Partners

After starting in the safety industry as an intern, Sansone co-founded a safety consulting firm serving commercial and industrial clients around the state. A Certified Safety Professional, he regularly mentors young professionals entering the field and recently served on Southeastern Louisiana University’s Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Advisory Council.

What’s your greatest accomplishment so far?

Becoming a husband and father. My wife, Amy, and I recently welcomed our daughter Camille, and that has changed my perspective in the best way.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

The people. I genuinely enjoy getting to know our clients; building those relationships and understanding what matters to them makes the work meaningful.

How do you define success?

Building a business that supports and provides for my family while allowing me to be fully present in their lives.

What’s your personal pep talk?

Pressure is a privilege.

Advice for your 18-year-old self?

Stay disciplined, trust the process, and focus on building habits that last.

Dr. Greene is committed to serving patients with arthritis and sports injuries, helping them regain mobility and improve their quality of life.

SPECIALTIES:

• Anterior Hip Replacement

• Knee Replacement

• Knee Arthroscopy

• Meniscus Tears

• Rotator Cuff Repair

• Sports Medicine”

Tarick Johnson (left) and Brett Roblez

Tarick Johnson, 27

Owner, The Cozy Griddle

A self-proclaimed love of breakfast inspired the former Catholic High School football player to open his restaurant on Coursey Boulevard in May 2025 and a second location inside Main Street Market in December of the same year. “My goal has always been to help others and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, and building this business has allowed me to do that,” Johnson says.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

It’s more than a job; it’s an opportunity to live on purpose every day. I get to intentionally create an environment where people can experience quality time, quality food and quality service.

What part of your work do people not see?

When the business closes, the day isn’t over. There are many long nights and early mornings, and it takes discipline and determination to keep moving forward when leading a business.

What’s your personal pep talk?

I often say “Why not me?” and “You may not be for everyone, but you are for someone,” and I apply those to my personal and professional life.

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Brett Roblez, 27

Owner, producer, director and cinematographer, Dinosaur Rumblings Entertainment

Roblez founded his studio with a mission to revitalize the film industry in Louisiana, and he has created hundreds of jobs on award-winning projects ranging from dark comedy to true crime documentary. He has also led efforts to help the homeless and raised funds for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.

How do you define success?

Success to me would be that I have set up a system that regularly employs Baton Rouge’s film community internally so that we aren’t chasing Hollywood and, more importantly, those filmmakers aren’t worrying about where their next rent payment is coming from but are working on projects they are passionate about.

How do you motivate yourself?

My Pawpaw Frank Cucinello was 15 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor; he lied about his age and enlisted in the Army. Anytime I’ve encountered a problem, I just think about Pawpaw Frank because if he could survive at 16 fighting literal Nazis while running into machine gun fire, certainly I can tackle whatever is put in front of me.

What’s your next big goal?

My next goal is to make a narrative feature that plays in theaters nationally. We have started production on it, and I’m excited to see how it turns out.

Nominate someone for 2027

Know a local 20-something who would be a good fit for this annual feature? 225 Magazine is already welcoming nominations for our 2027 class of Twenty in their 20s. This feature showcases young people who are doing amazing things at work and in the community. Help give them the recognition they deserve by filling out our nomination form at 225batonrouge.com/20s. Nominees must be between the ages of 20 and 29 on April 1, 2027. If a nominee is selected, the 225 team will contact them next year.

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Keeping your plans on track when

Dust dawn to

From overnight getaways to stylish events, the restored 1832 Jackson House is bringing fresh charms to a historic stretch of East Feliciana

BY JENNIFER TORMO ALVAREZ // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

A three-story staircase is one of the signature elements of the historic home.

MAGNOLIA TREES frame a stately Greek Revival-style house on Erin Street in Jackson, Louisiana.

When the flowers bloom this spring, this 194-year-old center-hall home will stand a little brighter as it, too, blossoms into a new season.

The building debuted last November as 1832 Jackson House, a stylish Airbnb and event venue.

Owners Shannon Carmouche and Stephanie Bennett lovingly restored the 5,000-square-foot property during a two-and-half-year renovation. The friends-turned-business-partners pored over every inch with preservation in mind, from the pine floors to the soaring 13-foot ceilings.

They spent nearly three months sanding, staining and sealing the floors by hand. Hours on their knees inhaling dust only deepened their appreciation for the house’s craftsmanship.

“The floors turned out beautiful. I’m so

proud of us, but we had something amazing to work with. These are 200-year-old pine floors that are just absolutely stunning,” Bennett says.

The three-story floating staircase that greets guests in the foyer was one of the most significant projects. After two centuries of foot traffic, it was starting to sink. Structural engineers opened the surrounding walls. Steel beams were installed to lift and reinforce the staircase.

But with much of the building’s original wood and brickwork intact, Carmouche and Bennett say the house’s overall original condition was a testament to its good bones—and how well the previous owners had maintained it.

“The home was in phenomenal shape,” Bennett says.

The floors seem to echo with the footsteps of previous inhabitants. Over nearly two centuries, the house has lived many lives, including a stint as a schoolhouse and later as a family residence known as "Roseneath."

Formerly known as Roseneath, this 1832-built home embodies the Greek Revival style with its massive Doric columns. As part of the Jackson Historic District, the house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The dining room table is regularly set with china that originally belonged to the home’s previous owner, Mary Woodyear, whom Carmouche and Bennett refer to as “Miss Mary.”

Farrow & Ball’s “Inchyra Blue” sets the tone in the moody gentlemen’s parlor. The shade reads inky blue or mossy green depending on how the light hits it. A collection of taxidermy, including a handsome reindeer, seems to peer at guests. A spiny Arteriors chandelier was a find from Shop House Consignment & Retail Shop, and the plaster medallion was sourced from Ricca’s Architectural Sales in New Orleans.

The centerpiece of the ladies’ parlor is a marble mantel scooped from Circa 1857, which Carmouche believes originated in the French Quarter’s famed LaLaurie Mansion. The vintage oil portrait that hangs above it was a $30 estate sale bargain. Carmouche painted over the elegant mystery woman’s dress to match the room.

Now it welcomes staycations, vacations and celebrations. Earlier this year, it hosted attendees for a wellness retreat. And on April 25 and 26, visitors are invited to an open house featuring a curated art show and shoppable decor.

Carmouche and Bennett outfitted the space with one-of-a-kind art, antiques and furnishings. Sourcing décor was a sport for Carmouche. She scoured estate sales, antique shops and markets for one-of-a-kind fixtures, rugs and artwork.

Furnishings and family heirlooms were reupholstered or thoughtfully restored, including a secondhand sofa covered in chevron-patterned fabric. On a road trip to visit her daughter in Alabama, Carmouche scored the perfect fabric for the drapes in the gentlemen’s parlor. In the ladies’ parlor, an elegant oil portrait purchased at an estate sale hangs above a marble mantel salvaged from a French Quarter estate.

“We wanted it to look layered, as though it was collected over a long period of time,” Bennett says.

The aesthetic mirrors the charms of the East Feliciana town that drew the duo to the area in the first place. With a population of less than 4,000, Jackson is quieter than its buzzworthy neighbor St. Francisville. But it’s studded with historic properties, antique shops, old churches and quaint attractions like the Old Hickory Train Museum.

“People walk down the streets in a way that we don’t see anymore. We have some great neighbors who come to check on us or bring us fresh-baked pies,” Carmouche says.

The house is a two-minute walk from Cotton Fields Coffee Shop, a cafe Bennett says feels plucked from a small-town movie set. And just down the street is Jett’s Food Mart, where the workers behind the counter know exactly what Carmouche is going to order as soon as she walks up.

“You can still see history on every block,” Bennett says. And now, 1832 Jackson House is writing the town’s latest chapter.

An antique half tester canopy bed is the centerpiece of this first-floor bedroom, which was made cozy for contemporary guests with layers of textured linens, a colorful rug underfoot, and a private ensuite bathroom.

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Carmouche sewed toile curtains for the lightfilled breakfast room, and she constructed the Trumeau-style mirror that sits atop the skirted buffet table. The original wood floor was painted in a gray checkerboard pattern.

Mediterranean MAGIC

Inside Albina Brahimi’s heritage pop-up dinners

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

BY DAY, Jabby’s Pizza on Old Perkins Road pumps out utilitarian pies from its rotating Italian pizza oven. But twice a month, the casual restaurant transforms into a hotspot for tasteful dinner pop-ups set off by black tablecloths and stylish dinnerware.

The brainchild of owner Albina Brahimi, Albina’s Kitchen started last summer with fixed-price menus specializing in home-style Mediterranean cooking. With reserved seating for around 50 patrons, the dinners have been a chance for Brahimi, a former Kosovo refugee, to fulfill a lifelong dream of high-level cooking.

“My passion for food has been about learning and expanding and growing, and letting others enjoy what I’m capable of,” she says. “I’m trying to do things that are unique and that we don’t already have in Baton Rouge.”

Brahimi often collaborates with other chefs or restaurant operators with expertise in particular foodways. She’s especially drawn to the wide range of Mediterranean cuisines, from Levantine styles on its east coast to Greek, Albanian and Italian cooking in its central region.

Brahimi emigrated to Baton Rouge in 1999 after fleeing the war in Kosovo. She and her parents, sisters and extended family had been living in a refugee camp when

Catholic Charities sponsored their relocation to the Capital Region. She later met her husband, also an Albanian refugee, in Baton Rouge. Brahimi grew up loving to cook as a child, and she long dreamed of going to culinary school. But starting from scratch as a young adult in the United States took her in other directions, including cleaning houses, starting a family and finishing college. She would eventually work as a bank teller and a bank branch manager.

But her culinary dreams didn’t fade. An opportunity came along through fellow Albanian émigré

Alfred Kulici, owner of La Contea and Louisiana Lagniappe, who offered Brahimi the chance to co-own her first Jabby’s Pizza location in 2019. The two would open three subsequent locations before closing one on Acadian Thruway.

Brahimi bought Kulici out last year. Owning the restaurants outright sparked an idea to create a venturewithin-a-venture at the Old Perkins Road location. Intermittent pop-ups were less expensive than opening a free-standing restaurant, she reasoned, and they allowed her creative freedom.

There was one catch, though. Holding the events at Jabby’s meant cooking

Jabby’s Pizza’s Old Perkins Road location now offers up more than just pizzas. At ticketed pop-up dinners hosted at the fast-casual eatery, patrons feast on from-scratch lineups. Hummus, crispy falafel (left), sfeeha (right) and other traditional Lebanese dishes made up the menu at a recent installment of the dinner series.

exclusively in the restaurant’s only heat source: a rotating, 750-degree dome oven.

“Every time I make a menu, I have to base it on that oven,” she laughs. “It’s the funniest thing, because when other chefs come in, I’m like, ‘OK, you have to understand that we only have one oven.’”

At a recent spring dinner, Brahimi partnered with Lebanese native and Baton Rouge Subway franchisee Maggie Choumar on a traditional Lebanese menu.

Couples and small groups of friends took seats across reserved tables, sharing bottles of BYO wine, some purchased from Alexander’s

Highland Market next door. The lineup began with scratch-made baba ghanoush, hummus, warm pita and fresh falafel anchored in tahini sauce. Those starters were followed by sfeeha, open-faced meat pies framed by tender, homemade pastry.

Next came the dramatic main course: maklouba, a baked rice, vegetable and chicken dish that Brahimi baked in a massive terrine and later inverted onto a large platter. She plated it family style, crowning it with juicy lamb lollipops.

The meal ended with Choumor’s osmalia, a Lebanese dessert defined by layers of sweet, creamy filling surrounded by kataifi, the shredded phyllo made familiar by Dubai chocolate. It was perched in a pool of simple syrup and topped with pistachios.

Brahimi says authenticity is her guiding principle. The menus aren’t intended to be fancy but highlight welltrod foodways. When she makes them, she thinks of her Albanian childhood on a small family farm, cooking at the knee of her grandmother.

“She cooked everything from scratch,” she says.

“That’s what I want to do. I’m doing this out of passion and my love for food.”

Osmalia, a Lebanese sweet that served as the dessert course at a recent pop-up dinner

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Fresh start

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

When this chef’s life needed shaking up, Baton Rouge called

CHEF LYNNAE OXLEY was restless. Years of grinding it out in kitchens all over the country were taking their toll. She owned a large house in Battle Ground, Washington, a community half an hour north of Portland, and had seen professional success through her catering company, Sugars Barbecue.

But something was missing. Oxley’s reliable sense of wonder about food, which had fueled so many of her professional decisions, felt like it was drying up.

“I was empty. I was depleted,” says Oxley, 56. “I had a serious conversation with myself and said, ‘Maybe it’s time to shake up the snow globe.’”

A Miami native and classically trained chef, Oxley’s culinary passion stemmed from her South Florida childhood. The wildly

diverse population, tropical vibe and year-round growing season made food infinitely interesting. Her family also loved to travel, regularly visiting her English grandmother, who cooked by feel and used a cast-iron AGA oven that was always on, Oxley recalls.

After earning a culinary arts degree from Florida International University, Oxley worked in restaurants across South Florida, then in Chicago, the Bay Area and Portland. She owned a Caribbeanthemed eatery in San Francisco and mastered competition barbecue in the Pacific Northwest, skills she would later display on the television show BBQ Pitmasters. She seemed to have endless energy for learning the next new skill. But by 2024, running her own business had taken its toll, and she needed a fresh start.

But where?

She sold her house, shut down her business and bought a condo in Baton Rouge. She began traveling extensively, a lifelong hobby, and has been settling into her Louisiana life over the last several months.

Oxley says she has been hesitant to helm a restaurant kitchen again, instead focusing on private cheffing, teaching and consulting. And TV appearances are always a possibility, she says. Along with winning Chopped, Oxley was a two-time runner-up on BBQ Pitmasters

Exploring the local food scene has been a source of joy, she says.

It seemed an odd choice to her friends, but Baton Rouge was the clear winner. Oxley had gotten to know Louisiana’s Capital City through a friendship with fellow Chopped contestant and local food personality Jay Ducote. The two connected following her friendly defeat of Ducote on the Food Network show in 2018, with Oxley subsequently visiting him in Baton Rouge to partake in the area’s rich gastronomic culture.

“Every single time I was here, I’d love it more,” Oxley says. “I’d have a big smile on my face. I was like, ‘You know what? I want to keep exploring Louisiana.’”

“Baton Rouge is where Portland was a decade ago. It’s young, and there’s this DIY, pop-up culture and just all these great little places,” she says. “People are not waiting for something to happen. They’re just doing it. They’re throwing up the lawn chairs and partnering with other small businesses.” Lately, the region has been showing off its mild weather and convivial culture, and Oxley has been happy to take part. She’s reveled in crawfish boils, local parades and visits to Mid City watering holes Pelican to Mars and The Radio Bar. And she loves stocking up at the Red Stick Farmers Market.

Oxley says what she likes most about Louisiana is its committed culture.

“There’s a lot of pride about the food and the music. And people just want to share their stories,” she says. “They want to tell you about their mom’s etouffee and how she made it. There’s this reverence for history that I’m attracted to.”

Actual patients Michelle Demers & Melissa Dees

DINING IN

Step up to the plate

At home or away, these baseball tailgate snacks are a winning team

BY TRACEY KOCH // PHOTOS BY AMY SHUTT

OUTDOOR CELEBRATIONS, festivals and parties are a part of our Louisiana culture. So it’s no surprise that LSU fans throw some of the best tailgates around. But this time-honored tradition isn’t just a part of our fall in football season. Ask anyone who has traveled to Omaha— LSU fans are notoriously known for throwing the best springtime baseball tailgates as well.

Fall football tailgates tend to focus on heartier dishes like jambalaya, grilled sausages, burgers and boudin, while LSU baseball tailgaters lean toward more portable pickup foods that pay homage to the traditional stadium fare but with a bit of an elevated twist.

My husband has perfected the ultimate dish for any Tiger tailgate: smoked chicken wings. His recipe for these smokey, tender, succulent wings is simple to make, can be prepared ahead, and is easily transported.

To prepare his wings, David first seasons them with dry jerk seasoning. He then uses pecan or apple wood on his smoker to keep the flavor well balanced but a little less intense than the smoke flavor you get when using mesquite, hickory or oak wood. Once smoked, the wings are delicious enough to eat by themselves, but David likes to serve them with an array of sauces from a traditional spicy Buffalo sauce to tangy sweet barbecue sauces. These smoked chicken wings can be served as an appetizer or main dish at any time of the year. They need no utensils, making them easy to eat and a great addition to a springtime tailgate menu.

To keep with the festive baseball tailgate theme, I added an encore recipe that I wrote back in October 2015 for spicy caramel corn. My recipe is an elevated version of a snack that has been served at baseball games since 1908 when the song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” became popular: Cracker Jack. This sweet, salty, slightly spicy and crunchy treat is as synonymous with baseball as the song itself, and my recipe has a little extra kick from added spices, dry roasted peanuts and pumpkin seeds. Spicy caramel corn is my updated version of this classic baseball park snack and will be a home run at your next springtime baseball tailgate.

Dave’s MVP smoked chicken wings

Yield: 6 servings

36 chicken wings or flats and drumettes

1⁄3 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

¼ cup dry jerk seasoning

Rinse wings and drumettes; pat dry. If using just wings, use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to trim tips of wings to prevent burning. Place wings in a single layer on 2 baking sheets; drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and dry jerk seasoning; set aside for 20 minutes.

Use light-flavored wood such as apple, cherry or pecan, and set your smoker to 225 degrees. Place wings in a single layer on racks in smoker. Smoke for 60 to 75 minutes or until internal temperature of wings reaches 160 degrees.

Turn up heat of smoker to 375 degrees or place wings on grill, and continue cooking until internal temperature of wings reaches 170 to 175 degrees. Remove and serve with your favorite sauces.

Spicy caramel corn

Yield: 6 servings

10 cups popped popcorn

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds

1 stick butter

2 cups light brown sugar

¼ cup cane syrup

¼ cup light corn syrup

½ tsp. Creole seasoning

¼ tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. cumin

1 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Pour popped popcorn, peanuts and pumpkin seeds into a large mixing bowl; set aside.

In a medium-size heavy saucepot, heat butter over medium heat until melted, then add next 6 ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, and cook for 5 minutes. Once mixture has boiled for 5 minutes, remove from heat and carefully add baking soda and vanilla. As mixture bubbles up, vigorously stir until well-combined.

Carefully pour sugar mixture over popcorn and nuts; toss until evenly coated. Evenly divide popcorn mixture between lined baking sheets, and place them in preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 to 12 minutes. Spicy caramel corn is ready when it is a deep caramel color.

Remove from oven and use a metal spoon or spatula to continue stirring until popcorn mixture cools completely and caramel has become hardened and crunchy. Once it is completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Thrive

Now hear this

Sound baths aim to help reduce stress and increase mindfulness

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

Tuning forks and colorful crystal bowls are among the tools used in sound healing, a now-trending practice with roots that can be traced in part back to ancient Greek, Tibetan and Indian cultures.

I’M SITTING cross-legged with my eyes closed as Baton Rouge wellness practitioner

Noura Kaye “Sofiya” Skakri begins a sound bath demonstration intended to help me reset my nervous system and lower the stress lurking in my consciousness.

Skakri hits metal Tibetan bowls with a mallet, their mellow notes resonating throughout the room. She moves to graduated crystal singing bowls, tapping each to elicit a different tone and encircling their rims with the mallet’s soft head to draw out vibrations. I hear the peppy sound of windchimes and, at some point, the pleasing roar of the ocean made by a wave drum. The sounds range from deep and low to light and airy, but what’s most interesting is the way they seem to hold my attention—a real feat since I consider myself a remedial meditator. My thoughts don’t drift to deadlines or my grocery list. They let go and ride the hums and pitches without distraction. I feel pretty

darn calm for the rest of the day.

A longtime massage therapist, Skakri began studying sound baths, also known as sound healing, 15 years ago. The practice is more common in large cities and wellness hubs across the country, but it’s recently become more popular in Baton Rouge.

“It’s grown phenomenally in the last five or six years,” Skakri says.

“There are a lot of people doing sound baths now.”

And while still a niche offering, sound baths are creeping into the mainstream. Last fall, the Baton Rouge all-girls Catholic high school St. Joseph’s Academy included a sound bath segment during a student wellness day. The 15-minute demonstration conducted by local practitioner and yoga instructor Trish Little captivated the private school’s sophomore and junior classes, says SJA wellness coordinator Melissa Shaw, who organized the event.

“They loved the sound bath. It helps with meditation,

Sound bath practitioner Noura Kaye Skakri (left) uses a range of vibrations and sounds to help a client relax.

mindfulness and emotional resilience,” says Shaw, also a therapist. “Kids are under a tremendous amount of stress today, more than I’ve ever seen in the past.”

Little traveled to Sedona, Arizona, for a sound bath certification in 2022. She says the sounds and vibrations emitted from the instruments help calm the nervous system and enable listeners to better cope with information overload and stressful stimuli. She says sound baths are also an effective therapy for people who have experienced PTSD and don’t want to be touched.

“It’s an amazing tool for helping people get back into their bodies and access a part of their brain that maybe they don’t access a lot,” Little says.

Sound bath sessions have been cropping up at local yoga studios and wellness venues like The Red Shoes. They’re also part of an immersive sound and light performance called “Honey Gold,” which debuted at the Cary Saurage

Taylor Matherne and Sariah Sizemore’s immersive “Honey Gold” performance at the City Club in late January combined sound, light and imagery to help attendees unwind and gain a sense of calm. An immersive film version of the original “Honey Gold” experience is now in the works.

Community Arts Center last summer. Created by local artists Sariah Sizemore and Taylor Matherne, the show uses live vocals, gongs, crystal singing bowls, string instruments and visual displays to help the audience ease into a contemplative state, Sizemore and Matherne say.

Sizemore discovered sound healing while living in California as a young professional working in a high-pressure tech sector job. She turned to yoga and breathwork to mitigate stress, which led to learning about sound baths. Sizemore left the tech field and returned to Baton Rouge in 2022 to work as

a performer and wellness coach. She and Matherne recently gave a “Honey Gold” performance at the City Club in partnership with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. About 50 people attended.

“We had a great response,” Sizemore says. “They came in stressed, and they left relaxed. The goal in all of this is to provide a space for people who might not normally go to a breathwork class, or seek out this kind of experience, to see what it’s like.”

Local Reiki master and sound bath practitioner Karen Koprowski has found a growing audience of enthusiasts in her monthly sound bath sessions at Leela Yoga.

“A lot of people get caught in these cycles of thought,” says Koprowski, also a fine arts teacher at Episcopal High School. “A sound bath allows you to stop the momentum in whatever direction you’re going in and clear everything out. It gives you a chance to redirect your momentum in the way you want.”

Small

Outcomes

RISING STARS

225 Magazine proudly celebrated seven exceptional high school athletes featured in a special advertising section of the March issue. Each athlete’s profile was sponsored by a local business, highlighting both their achievements and the community support behind them. On March 3, the athletes had the opportunity to meet their sponsors, see their profiles for the first time and enjoy a moment dedicated entirely to celebrating their accomplishments. Special thank you to our sponsors:

Culture

Blues muse

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

One of the city’s signature festivals returns this month

THE LAUDED 2025 motion picture Sinners has given a boost to the blues lately, but in Baton Rouge, a determined annual festival founded in 1981 highlights the genre’s deep local roots. This month, the Baton Rouge Blues Festival returns with more than 40 acts spread over multiple downtown stages. One of the country’s oldest-running free blues festivals, the event draws regional and national talent, focusing on the so-called swamp blues genre formed in Louisiana in the ’50s and ’60s.

“The blues are alive and well in Baton Rouge,” says interim director J. Hover.

The festival kicks off Friday, April 17 with a combined concert with Live After Five, the city’s annual spring and fall music series. Then it rolls into Saturday, April 18, with 12 hours of music across five stages.

The day-and-a-half Blues Festival will be one day shorter than previous years, due to

sweeping budget cuts across the city-parish that have impacted public concerts and festivals, Hover says. But Hover, who also manages Live After Five, remains bullish about the future of public concerts in talent-rich Baton Rouge. He says he’s working on joint sponsorships across the two events and sees 2026 as a chance to rebuild on a solid foundation.

“Last year’s Blues Festival attracted 20,000 attendees on Saturday alone,” he says, “And it had a $1.1 million economic impact.”

Kenny Neal, Chris Thomas King, Chris LeBlanc, Joven Webb and Jonathon ‘Boogie’ Long,” Hover says. “People drive in from across the country, and sometimes overseas, to enjoy the swamp blues.”

Baton Rouge Blues Festival

Friday, April 17, 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 18, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

On Saturday, blues artists will perform inside Manship Theatre and on outdoor stages at Third and Convention Streets, North Boulevard and Lafayette Street, at the North Boulevard Town Square, and at Galvez Plaza.

“We have a heavy focus on Baton Rouge blues musicians and world-renowned artists like

While there’s no official definition, swamp blues refers to a more relaxed version of the blues that was pioneered by Louisiana musicians, many of whom grew up in rural areas around Baton Rouge but gravitated to the city to hone their craft. Swamp blues pioneers like Slim Harpo, Tabby Thomas and Raful Neal helped the form evolve, pulling in influences from zydeco and other forms of regional roots music.

This year’s Blues Festival will also feature an arts market with local makers spread across two locations and food trucks, Hover says. And while the festival is

free, attendees are encouraged to patronize downtown bars and restaurants, which will remain open throughout the festivities.

VIP options, called BFF packages, allow ticket holders to access inclusive food and drink throughout the day inside the Watermark Hotel, Manship Theatre and other air-conditioned locations. They also have access to VIP viewing sections.

Baton Rouge artist Susan Arnold created this year’s Blues Festival poster, which depicts ghostly images of blues musicians playing in a swamp setting. It will be available for purchase with other merch in the Manship Theatre lobby.

Jonathon “Boogie” Long, shown here at the 2025 festival, will also be one of the headliners at this year’s event, the spirit of which is captured in the festival poster by local artist Susan Arnold.

JORDAN HEFLER

This Month @ BREC [APRIL]

BREC SPLASH PADS OPEN April 4

SPRING BREAK HOLIDAY CAMPS

Various Locations April 6-10

MOVIE IN THE PARK: ZOOTOPIA 2

Lovett Road Park April 7 | 5:30-7 p.m.

MOVIE IN THE PARK: ZOOTOPIA 2

Church Street Park April 9 | 5:30-7 p.m.

COMITE CLASSIC

Comite River Conservation Area April 11 | 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

ZOO + ME MORNINGS: FLAMINGO

FANDANGO

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo

April 11 | 9:30-11:30 a.m.

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH CLAY!

Drusilla Lane Park

April 11 | 10 a.m.-noon

PROFESSIONAL ARTIST SERIESWRITING ART Milton J. Womack Park

Art Studio April 12 | 1-3 p.m.

SWEET TOOTH DESIGNS

Maplewood Drive Park

April 14 | 6-7 p.m.

HYPE IN HEADPHONES [TEENS]

Baker Recreation Center

April 16 | 5-6:30 p.m.

ROAR + POUR

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo

April 17 | 5-7:30 p.m.

MOVIE IN THE PARK: SONIC 3

T.D. Bickham Park April 17 | 5:30-7 p.m.

BIOBLITZ Blackwater Conservation Area

April 17 | 6 p.m.

April 18 | 7 a.m.

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

Webb Memorial Golf Course

April 18 + 19 | 8 a.m.

10 + UNDER FUN TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Highland Road Community Park Tennis Center April 18 | 8:30 a.m.-noon

BREC.ORg/thismonth

Registration Now open!

BREC.ORg/camps

PROFESSIONAL ARTIST SERIES - FOLK ART PAINTING

Baringer Art Center April 19 | 2-4 p.m.

BASH THE TRASH Bayou Manchac Park April 23 | 9 a.m.-noon

MOVIE IN THE PARK: ZOOTOPIA 2 Nairn Drive Park April 24 | 5:30-7 p.m.

INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMY DAY

Highland Road Park Observatory April 25 | 3-11 p.m.

MOVIE IN THE PARK: DESPICABLE ME 4

Cedar Ridge Drive Park April 29 | 5:30-7 p.m.

Trailblazers

BY CATHERINE CLEMENT // PHOTOS BY LOIS HEBERT

Take a walk through Baton Rouge’s Black history with a new trail system

AN IMPORTANT PART of Baton Rouge's Black history is now in living color, courtesy of recently unveiled murals wrapping 10 utility boxes that line downtown streets.

The murals are part of the new Black History Trail System, which was dedicated in late February. Two trails, one in downtown Baton Rouge and one in BREC’s Mary J. Lands Park, tell stories of resilience, community, activism and compassion.

In 2023, the Downtown Development District approached the Walls Project to help execute these educational trails, with the goals of preserving lost information and staking Baton Rouge’s claim as a trailblazer in the nation’s Civil Rights Movement.

For Morgan Udoh, the public arts associate director at the Walls Project and coordinator of this project, it was imperative to accurately represent these stories.

“You have one chance to get it right,” Udoh says. “And we’re doing this narrative change. Louisiana has had these moments in history, even pre-Reconstruction, where it

was really at the forefront of social progress. And that has been largely lost.”

Although Baton Rouge was home to several impactful protests, leaders, movements and policies, the city’s significance has largely been left out of the national narrative, Udoh notes. All trail markers have QR codes that link to videos, articles and audio recordings that add context to known stories and shine a light on those often erased from history.

The research process began with digging up records and piecing together narratives. Many historians and descendants of local Civil Rights leaders contributed to this project, but one person had a hand in nearly every element: Joan Garner, an activist, writer, scholar and speaker who descends from two generations of south Louisiana Civil

Rights activists. For this project, she assisted with community engagement, artist selection, history curation, writing and research.

Trailmarker No. 2 on the Greenway Civil Rights Trail represents the story of the historic

Garner v. Louisiana case, in which several university students were arrested while peacefully protesting in 1960. Garner v. Louisiana was the first sit-in case to make its way to the Supreme Court, and Garner’s father, John Burrell Garner, became the activist at its center.

For Garner, who grew up surrounded by history makers, the decision to stay educated and involved was simple.

“I feel like I’m standing in legacy,” Garner says. “The interesting thing is a lot of this history has been lesser-known, and so it’s a process of getting that information

out there.”

Garner says sharing history is essential to progress. It is also a way to honor the people who made significant sacrifices to build a better world.

Although he won his Supreme Court case, John Burrell Garner was still unable to complete his law degree as a result. This case was an important milestone during the Civil Rights Movement, but despite the progress, John still faced racial discrimination throughout his life, his daughter says.

Garner says she believes that by addressing the injustices of the past, society can begin to heal the inequities of today. For her, the Black History Trail System is just one step in creating a more informed and compassionate world.

“I hope that people take away an understanding of the history and an understanding that this is a continued work,” Garner says. “There are still inequities in society. … I think there are a lot of discussions that we need to have to get to a place of healing. We can’t reach that point if we don’t address these issues.”

Compiled by Catherine Clement

Experience the romance of Giacomo Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly at the River Center Theatre for Performing Arts. Opéra Louisiane presents this night of dramatic storytelling with voice and orchestra. operalouisiane.com

Read your book and eat it too at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s first-ever Baker Faire. The Main Library at Goodwood will host cottage bakers, along with other vendors selling baking-themed accessories. Expect demonstrations, education sessions and other treats. ebrpl.com

Craft, shop and mingle at this year’s Baton Rouge Fiber Arts & Makers Festival. This fiber-focused art fair, held at the Artists Loft Market, welcomes makers and shoppers of all kinds. thekeycreative.art

Shop for native trees, shrubs, perennials, ferns and more at LSU Hilltop Arboretum’s Spring Fling Plant Sale. Buy plants from nurseries across the South and stock up on gardening goodies at the Vendor’s Village and Hilltop Gift Shop. lsu.edu/hilltop

17-19 + 22-26

The LSU College of Music & Dramatic Arts brings The Play That Goes Wrong to LSU’s Reilly Theatre. This Oliver Award-winning comedy is a playwithin-a-play with actors attempting to keep the production going despite the comedic obstacles they face. lsu.edu/cmda/theatre

Purchase pup-approved merch at the Parish Pets & Friends Pet Market. Partnering with Full Moon Market, Mid City shop Parish Pets is welcoming other local vendors so shoppers can treat themselves and their furry friends. Find it on Facebook.

From the minds of local book lovers, Baton Rouge Fantasy Ball brings magic to the Lyceum downtown, featuring performers, vendors and more. The event is inspired by the book series A Court of Thorns and Roses batonrougefantasyball.com 11

Attend an elegant evening fundraiser at Burden’s mystical Windrush Gardens. An Evening at Windrush supports the LSU Rural Life Museum with offerings including music, drinks and food prepared by chef John Folse. lsu.edu/rurallife

17 +18

Get tangled up in the full-length ballet Rapunzel at the River Center Theatre for Performing Arts. Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre performers will tell the story of the classic fairy tale through dance. batonrougeballet.org

Get wild at Perkins Rowe with animal ambassadors from the Baton Rouge Zoo. Wild Day at the Rowe will include family-friendly activities, zoo animal appearances, demonstrations, live music and more. perkinsrowe.com

TASTE YOUR WAY ACROSS the Capital Region

Yasmyne Wells

BECOMING A BUSINESS OWNER has been a lifelong goal for Baton Rouge native Yasmyne Wells.

Growing up, when she wasn’t spending time outdoors with her grandparents, Wells recalls reading through cookbooks and creating menus for the restaurant she might one day own.

While Wells’ desire to be a restaurateur dwindled, her green thumb continued to develop. Today, she’s not in the kitchen but rather spending time in gardens with her business, Just Growing Here, which she built—or rather grew—from the ground up.

After completing a degree in plant and soil science from Southern University, Wells took an opportunity to study abroad in China and Brazil. It was there that her decision was solidified. Her time spent away from home had cleared her mind and led her to the path of business ownership.

“I just spent a lot of time journaling and praying and talking to God about what I was feeling about starting a business,” Wells says. “It gave me time to just be with my own thoughts and in my own space without everything at home.”

Just Growing Here began as an Instagram page where Wells sold plants she cultivated and grew in college. Wells and her sister decided on the account’s handle just before it was created. The name took on a new significance as Wells’ professional and personal life continued to grow.

“Now [the name] has a deeper meaning as far as my walk with God and growing up in this day and time, starting a business, and trying to become the best version of myself. I’m just doing what I can, doing my best, showing up,” she says.

Wells is now a licensed horticulturist, and her business is focused on landscaping, community garden setups and agricultural education. She also hosts “plantivities,” plant-focused activities that connect people with the environment.

The desire to expand people’s knowledge of and interest in the outdoors is a major motivator for Wells and Just Growing Here.

“I definitely see a disconnect between agriculture and the Baton Rouge community, specifically north Baton Rouge,” Wells says. “Agriculture is so much more than what we’ve learned about. You can really make money and have the opportunity to do your own thing within this space.”

Whether it is working on an edible garden installation for a local church, landscaping a neighborhood with beautiful native flora, or educating students about the importance of conservation, Wells says she is happy to contribute to her community through her passion for plants.

And her work is just getting started. As she continues to grow, she hopes that the environment around her does the same.

“I really want to be a farmer. That’s my end goal in this whole journey. This is the beginning,” she says. “Of course, I want to keep the service that I offer now, but I do want to pivot to farming, having and cultivating land, and inviting the youth from my community to come out and see someone that looks like me doing this type of work.”

@justgrowinghere

225 Magazine [April 2026]

Perfection

Capitol assets

20/20 vision

Heart meets hustle

HAPPY TO HEAL, Y’ALL

MAKE IT STOP

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING

STUDIO E

CREATIVE SERVICES

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Rooted In Restoration: BREC’s Work To Revive Local Habitats

Restoration After The Drought

Native Plants And Pollinators

Managing Invasive Species And Aquatic Threats

Public Volunteer Opportunites:

Exploring Biodiversity

Volunteer-Powered Stewardship

A Vision For Resilience

Create Your Own Native Garden

TOP STORIES

Readers’ notes

What ,s up April

City Year at

RECOVER BETTER TO TRAIN HARDER

FUTURE FITNESS

New-dles

What

Hola, amigo!

is new?

Super bowls

Dink responsibly

TRANSFORM YOUR SMILE

Around 225

Deep dive

New land and landscaping

Dredging will conclude by late fall

May Street bridge completed by the end of the year

Who will maintain the lakes?

A new look for City-Brooks Park

Book it

Friends of the LSU Libraries Book Bazaar

LSU Rural Life Museum

LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens

Twenty20 s

Twenty20 s IN THEIR

TC Nash, 29

Luci Patin, 22

Tatiana Gonzalez Quiroga, 26

Kendrick

Henson, 26

Jacob

Loveland, 24

Kristen Nuss Cruz, 29

Taryn Brasher, 29

Gabby Davis, 23

Content

Alysia Guin, 29

Jacob Ellis, 28

Jada McGuin, 28

Zein Clayton, 21

Owner

Anna Heine Ginn, 27

Senior

Brandon Ginn, 26

Jase Augustus, 23

Owner, JCB Media

Thomas Kadair, 27

Samantha Abshire, 29

Tyler Sansone, 29

Co-owner, Essential Safety Partners

SPECIALTIES:

Tarick Johnson, 27

Brett Roblez, 27

Nominate someone for 2027

Keeping your plans on track when

Dust dawn to

Issue Date: Apr 2026 Ad proof #2

Mediterranean MAGIC