225 Magazine [November 2023]

NOVEMBER 2023 • FREE HOLIDAY TABLES 12 NEON SIGNS 41 FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS 74

225BATONROUGE .COM

Peets! ts!

Where to take and how to love on furry friends in the Capital Region

ID INS Ely

iend • Pet-tfar urants res es al rescu m i n A • ops • Pet sh e! + Mor

This Month [ N O V E M B E R ]

@ BREC SWAMP ART SPECTACULAR: A CALL FOR ARTISTS

Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center Nov. 1-Dec. 28

SWEET TOOTH DESIGNS

Highland Road Community Park Nov. 1 Church St. Park Nov. 15 6-7 p.m.

ART UNWINED

Drusilla Lane Park Nov. 3 | 6:30-8:30 p.m.

EDGE OF NIGHT

Highland Road Park Observatory Nov. 10 | 4:45-6:45 p.m.

VETERAN’S DAY AT THE ZOO BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Nov. 11 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

ART FOR ANIMALS FESTIVAL BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Nov. 11 | 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

NOW HIRING! APPLY TODAY! SATURDAY MORNING STUDIO Milton J. Womack Park Nov. 11 | 10:30 a.m.-noon

FAMILY GAME NIGHT

Perkins Road Community Park Nov. 14 Cedar Ridge Drive Park Nov. 17 6-7:30 p.m.

GLOW IN THE PARK: 9 SQUARE North Street Park Nov. 15 | 6-7:30 p.m.

GLOW IN THE PARK: VOLLEYBALL

Anna T. Jordan Community Park Nov. 16 | 6-7:30 p.m.

SUNSHINE SOCIAL: S’MORE FUN Milton J. Womack Park Nov. 17 | 6-9 p.m.

brec.org/careers

ZOO RUN BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Nov. 18 | 8-10 a.m.

HOOPER HUSTLE

Hooper Road Park Nov. 18 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

FAMILY FUN FEST

Zachary Community Park Nov. 18 | 1-4 p.m.

ZOOLIGHTS

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Nov. 24-Dec. 30 | 5:30-8 p.m.

STEM EXPANSION

Highland Road Park Observatory Nov. 25 | 3:30-7:30 p.m.

BREC.ORg/thismonth BREC does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, veteran status or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.

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Running him to band practice. Getting her to the doctor.

Checking on your mom. Making sure everyone has lunch.

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CONTENTS //

Features 12 How to create inspired holiday tablescapes 19 Who is spreading awareness for neurodegenerative diseases 41 Where to find trendy neon signs in BR 74 What goes into downtown’s Festival of Lights And much more…

Departments Soulshine Kitchen & Bar’s wings with strawberry pepper-jelly sauce and thick-cut fries

49

12 What’s Up 19 Our City 25 I Am 225 26 Cover story 41 Style 49 Taste 71 Culture 76 Calendar

ON THE COVER

It’s no secret that our pets are a whole lot more than our stay-at-home companions these days. They’ve evolved to become our work besties, therapy providers, dining partners and, in the case of our cover pup Emmie Chastain, philanthropists. Along with her owner Dr. Curtis Chastain, she helped raise $22,000 for Companion Animal Alliance through the rescue’s annual FurBall fundraiser last year. For this month’s cover shoot, staff photographer Collin Richie captured the 2023 FurBall Queen at home, in action. For tales about more Capital Region pets, turn to page 26.

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COLLIN RICHIE

Pets!

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EDITOR'S NOTE //

Meet the team: Pet edition Allow the 225 editorial team to introduce you to our animals:

to play with a pup she seems certain will become a new friend.

I’ll often wonder what’s going through her mind. When she barks at another animal, what is she saying to them?

But when she wags her tail at me, I can usually figure out just what she needs: an adventurous walk, a tasty snack or quality cuddle time.

This month’s issue of 225 is all about the secret lives of pets—how they pass their days, how they love on their owners and maybe even what they’re thinking about.

Pets, of course, have always been in the forefront of their owner’s lives. But lately, they’re increasingly welcome in more places around town. If they’re well behaved, they can come with us to work—and wander the town with us after hours, too, at a growing number of local pet-friendly restaurants, bars and events.

In our cover story, beautifully conceptualized by 225 managing editor Laura Furr Mericas, we profile several local pets, from sweet dogs HOW MUCH IS that doggie in the window? The and spunky cats to slinky snakes and spiny one with the waggly tail? hedgehogs. Their owners share how these special The lyrics to this ever-iconic ’50s bop are all I creatures came into their lives—and why they can think of whenever I watch Bella wag her wouldn’t have it any other way. tail in front of my window.

We’re also touring some of the Bella is my mother-in-law Mickie’s watering holes, shops, adoption dog, the sweetest, cutest little organizations and therapy chihuahua you will ever meet. She programs around town that cater loves everyone and everything, and to them. is my favorite animal in the world.

Turn to page 26 for our cover Bella loves belly rubs, long walks story. And be sure to email us at downtown and has been known to editor@225batonrouge to tell us sideline a Mardi Gras parade or two, your own pet tales! not just in Baton Rouge but as far as Because in a month that’s all about Plaquemine and Lafayette. She is just as Bella is our gratitude, it feels especially fitting to think fond of playing as she is of being pampered, family’s and our whole family is obsessed with spoilchihuahua. about how animals shape our lives.

On behalf of Bella and all pets everywhere, ing her. Having Bella in our lives has been have a hoppy Thanksgiving. Bone appetit! therapeutic, not just for Mickie, but all of us.

The first time Bella visited us from Florida, our living room window immediately became her spot. She can spend all day in front of it, watching with fascination what’s going on in the world outside. Her head moves in tandem with the swaying trees or moving cars.

Jennifer Tormo Alvarez And if someone walks by with a dog, she’ll go 225 Editor-In-Chief nuts. She’ll paw the glass, whimpering, desperate

Dog days

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[225] November 2023 | 225batonrouge.com

“Our 8-year-old ‘first born’ Max mostly enjoys the comforts of home over the busy pup-friendly patios of his youth.

These days we're especially grateful for local resources like LSU Vet Med and Capital Area Veterinary Specialists, which treated him for a heart condition and two torn CCLs, respectively, in 2021—keeping our best bud golden for years to come.”

—Laura Furr Mericas, managing editor “Jenny the red and white border collie is all about daily walks around the Garden District and catching the Frisbee in her backyard.”

—Maggie Heyn Richardson, features writer “Liam is a big boy who loves his brush and even brushes himself when no one’s around.

He doesn’t like going anywhere except for my heating pad on my bed or on my face.”

—Oscar Tickle, multimedia news producer “I am the proud nanny of my former roommate Corinne’s pup, Josephine Estelle ‘Josie,’ who I lovingly call ‘Miss Girl.’ I meet up with Corinne a few times a week at BREC’s Perkins Road Community Park. We take Josie on walks to sniff grass and chase any squirrel that crosses our path.”

—Olivia Deffes, digital staff writer

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Publisher: Julio Melara

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EDITORIAL

Chief Content Officer: Penny Font Editor-In-Chief: Jennifer Tormo Alvarez Managing Editor: Laura Furr Mericas Features Writer: Maggie Heyn Richardson Digital Staff Writer: Olivia Deffes Digital Content Editor: Dillon Lowe Multimedia News Producer: Oscar Tickle Staff Photographer: Collin Richie Contributing Writers: Cynthea Corfah, Jillian Elliott, Adrian E. Hirsch, Gabrielle Korein, Tracey Koch, Benjamin Leger Contributing Photographers: Ariana Allison, Jillian Elliott, Gabrielle Korein, Amy Shutt

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Audience Development Director and Digital Manager: James Hume Audience Development Coordinator: Ivana Oubre Audience Development Associate: Catherine Albano A publication of Melara Enterprises, LLC Chairman: Julio Melara Executive Assistant: Brooke Motto Vice President-Sales: Elizabeth McCollister Hebert Chief Content Officer: Penny Font Chief Digital Officer: Erin Pou Chief Operating Officer: Guy Barone Chairman Emeritus: Rolfe H. McCollister Jr. 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 ©Copyright 2023 by Melara Enterprises, LLC. All rights reserved by LBI. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Business address: 9029 Jefferson Highway, Ste. 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Telephone (225) 214-5225. 225 Magazine cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited material—manuscripts or photographs—with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed.

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F E E D B AC K / / W H AT ' S O N L I N E / /

Reader’s replies

TOP STORIES

“This is Death Valley not a night club. Let the band play and bring the energy.”

—@rdixon379, via Instagram

225

2

South Louisiana restaurants we think are worth the day trip from Baton Rouge

Number of comments on our Facebook post about Kool DJ SupaMike

GUS STARK, LSU ATHLETICS COURTESY KOOL DJ SUPAMIKE

1

BRCC Athletics aiming for ‘championship program’ following the hiring of two LSU icons

“BIG fan! I remember walking into Death Valley for the Grambling game saying, ‘Whoever has the aux killing it.’ Now I know why!”

—patrickmalone91, via Instagram “This is a case of LSU not knowing its audience.

Read the room, or in this case, the stadium.”

—@mikejchampagne, via Instagram “For those of us who are there, he’s a great DJ, but at the wrong place. We all hate it.”

—Fletcher Celeste, via Facebook

Re: Our story on Tiger Stadium’s new DJ, Kool DJ SupaMike, stirred quite the controversy.

Opinions were hotly divided on the new addition to Tiger Stadium’s student section:

“I love the DJ. The LSU band still plays.

The DJ helps to maintain the energetic vibe you get from tailgating.”

—Chantel Speyrer, via Facebook

Comments and analytics are from Sept. 1-30, 2023. They have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

3

Before she became a Baton Rouge restaurateur, Yilena Hernández found fame in modeling

CORRECTION The Library Wine & Provisions has a new executive chef, Rey Atlas Bey, as of this past summer—not chef James Dickensauge, as printed in our October 2023 restaurant review. 225 regrets the error.

COLLIN RICHIE

ADRIÁN TAPIA RIVERA COURTESY YILENA HERNANDEZ

STAFF PHOTO

COLLIN RICHIE

September’s most-read articles at 225batonrouge.com

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W H AT ' S U P / /

November

Have a sit down ENTERTAINING IS A mainstay in Baton Rouge, but gathering at home has become even more popular since the pandemic, says Katia Mangham, founder of luxe catering company Gourmet Girls. Last year, the business expanded its Studio Park digs, creating a retail showroom in which Mangham displays table design inspo with European lines like Ginori (shown on page 13).

“Home entertaining has really become a big deal,” Mangham says. “So, it’s great to take your time and think through how you want things to look and flow.”

But don’t get hung up on cooking everything, she says. A simple, homemade main course and a fresh salad, combined with catered sides and store-bought ice cream and pastries, will fit the bill—and give you more time to focus on the vibe.

COLLIN RICHIE

—MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

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[225] November 2023 | 225batonrouge.com

W H AT ' S U P / /

6 TIPS for creating

spectacular holiday tablescapes

RE

TA RY O

FS

TA TE‘ S

O FF ICE

Mangham shares how to make holiday tables shine—because to her, a table beautifully set makes for a great meal. gourmetgirlsbr.com

2

Mix it up.

Embrace mixing colors within the same china pattern, or use a combo of patterns. It’s OK if serveware doesn’t match your china.

3

Plate salads, but go familystyle for the main course.

For a polished first impression, store plated salads in the fridge and place when dinner is served. When this course is done, pass around relaxed platters of entrees and sides.

Ensure flowers don't

views.

4 obstruct A few bud vases or low

NA IA UIS LO

C SE

STUCK ON YOU Mangham suggests reviewing a diagram of how to set a table before hosting.

5

Double the number of glasses.

For six guests, for example, plan on 12 glasses.

Place universal wine glasses on the table ahead of time, and the same number at the bar to accommodate a pre-dinner cocktail or glass of wine.

Review how to set the table.

frantic pace can mean the loss of table 6 Today’s setting niceties. Review a diagram on where to

position china, glasses, crystal and flatware. The Emily Post Institute is an excellent resource, or look to Mangham’s spread here for a refresher.

MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

arrangements will allow guests to see each other across the table.

SY RTE COU

COLLIN RICHIE

1

Use real linens.

With so many wash-and-dry fabrics, there’s no need for paper. Patterned tablecloths with solid-color placemats create a layered look.

Meat and potatoes, Louisiana style

THANKSGIVING AND SWEET potatoes are practically inseparable in Louisiana, with marshmallow- or pecan-topped casseroles a quintessential holiday side. But a new vendor at the Red Stick Farmers Market is putting a fresh spin on the ubiquitous holiday tuber. Sunset-based T. Moise Farms, which joined the market earlier this fall, pairs the starch with boudin in an original sweet potato boudin pie. Into a pie crust goes a layer of the farm’s loose boudin topped by mashed sweet potatoes blended with heavy cream, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt.

Find the take-and-bake frozen product at the T. Moise Farms booth at the Red Stick Farmers Market Pennington Biomedical Research Center location on Thursdays, and at Fifth and Main streets on Saturdays. The vendor also sells pasture-raised Berkshire pork and chicken and other Cajun fare. tmoisefarms.com

LOUISIANA’S GENERAL ELECTION is Nov. 18, during which voters can earn an original I Voted sticker featuring Louisiana artwork. The tradition began in 2016 when Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin incorporated famed Acadiana painter George Rodrigue’s blue dog into the design. A crowned pelican by Lafayette artist Tony Bernard followed in 2019, and this year, the state bird again makes an appearance with a vibrant oil on canvas called “Confidence” by New Orleans artist Becky Fos. It’s not the first time Fos’ work has been selected for the I Voted sticker.

Her rendering of a colorful state capitol building and Baton Rouge backdrop was featured on the sticker in 2022. When it was announced in August, the use of Fos’ artwork two years running led some in the arts community to grouse about why other artists weren’t considered for the 2023 sticker. For her part, Fos told media outlet BRProud that she’ll sit out next year’s selection process to make room for others. sos.la.gov

DIGITS

35.8% REGISTERED voters in Louisiana who cast a ballot in last month’s gubernatorial primary election, resulting in a win for Republican Jeff Landry. It represented only 1.06 million voters—as compared to the October 2019 gubernatorial primary, when 1.34 million (or 45.9%) of the state’s thennearly 3 million registered voters went to the polls, resulting in a runoff. As of last month, the number of registered voters had dropped by about 4,400 people.

Source: Louisiana Secretary of State 225batonrouge.com | [225] November 2023

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W H AT ' S U P / /

W H AT ’ S N E W

Buzz feed

Compiled by Jillian Elliott

Just peachy

Ask the EXPERT DR. MESSAN FOLIVI INTERNIST

The Nashville-born Peach Cobbler Factory brings its 12 cobbler flavors, 12 bread puddings and other sweet treats to Baton Rouge via a new outpost on Bluebonnet Boulevard, across from Perkins Rowe.

Iris Nettles, a school teacher and administrator, and her husband, TJ, opened the new location of the franchise after enjoying it in nearby cities like New Orleans. Now, their sights are set on expanding the peachy dessert chain to Zachary and Denham Springs. peachcobblerfactory.com

WHAT IS INFLUENZA?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO GET THE VACCINE EACH YEAR?

The best way to fight influenza is to prevent it in the first place!

Once you have been infected, it’s hard to predict the course of the disease and the complications that may arise. Every year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) analyzes each vaccine subtype and makes the necessary adjustment for the upcoming season based on the strains and trends of influenza infections.

Data shows that the flu vaccine prevents illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations and deaths related to the influenza virus.

Getting your flu shot every year is crucial in preventing the influenza infection.

FLU SHOTS ARE AVAILABLE MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8AM - 4PM, AT THE BATON ROUGE CLINIC IMMUNIZATION CLINIC (7473 PERKINS ROAD).

NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY

7373 PERKINS ROAD l BATON ROUGE, LA 70808 l (225) 769-4044

BATONROUGECLINIC.COM 14

[225] November 2023 | 225batonrouge.com

“I’m there to pump a different energy into the stadium and add to the energy that’s already there. I look to keep growing it and turn it into something really, really big.”

PHOTO BY GUS STARK / COURTESY KOOL DJ SUPAMIKE

Influenza, also known as the flu, is a common, highly contagious viral illness. The most common symptoms are fever, cough, and body aches, however, a sore throat, headache, nasal discharge, and weakness or fatigue may also occur. The severity of symptoms can range from mild enough to manage at home, all the way to severe illness requiring hospitalization and respiratory support.

COURTESY PEACH COBBLER FACTORY

—Kool DJ SupaMike, Tiger Stadium’s new DJ, who’s now stationed in the student section for home football games. The DJ hopes his Saturday night soundtracks hype up players and fans. Find him on Instagram at @KoolDJSupaMike

Heating up

A new fast-casual concept with a simple, spicy menu has taken over the former location of Off the Hook on Burbank Drive.

Jude’s Hot Chicken and Shrimp boasts a menu of fried chicken and shrimp tossed in sauces like Nashville Fire and Mango Jalapeño and served as wraps, sandwiches and platters. Diners can cool down with sides, from mac and cheese to shoestring fries and hand-spun milkshakes.

Dine-in or order to-go. Find it on Instagram at @Judes_BR

OS

DI

TU

LS

E SO

W H AT ' S U P / /

DIGITS

Size down, business up From 2018 to 2021, Government Street’s “road diet” turned four lanes into three to improve sidewalks and add bike lanes and medians.

Two years later, the area is seeing results through new businesses and fewer crashes.

34%

Sales tax revenue growth on Government Street between 2016 and 2022, compared to a 27% growth city-wide during that time period

27

!PAC 2024 The MET Gala

11

Fewer accidents on average per month on Government Street from 2016 to 2023

New businesses that have opened since the project’s completion

Rollin’ on the mississippi river

SOURCE: BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER

Ring the alarm Mid City’s new lounge has much to offer, with a rooftop bar, food truck venue and coworking space.

Opened by the same team behind Main Lobby downtown, Firehaus is inspired by similar venues in Houston and Atlanta, offering specialty cocktails and bottle service. Each space in the multi-level building is intricately themed and cohesively different from the last.

Find it on Instagram at @Firehaus_BR

For one incredible evening, Arts Council of

JILLIAN ELLIOTT

Greater Baton Rouge will mix creativity with glamour and transform into the Met Gala.

Join the celebration with music by Mixed Nuts, Tina fashion and lip sync battles, culinary delights and libations and exhibits paying homage to the MET.

JANUARY 11, 2024 • 7PM

ARIANA ALLISON

233 ST FERDINAND ST, BATON ROUGE, LA 70802

Night moves Stephanie Phares will achieve her dream of serving a refined soul food dinner service out of her longtime Zeeland Street restaurant this month. The concept, known as Beloved, launches Nov. 1 in the newly outfitted space and will feature dishes like cold smoked chicken wings with blueberry barbecue sauce and smoked ranch dressing, tea-brined pork chops and oxtail soup. Chef David Dickensauge, previously of Beausoleil Coastal Cuisine, will command the kitchen as the concept gets off the ground and Phares plans to work the front of the house dressed in evening wear. zeelandstreet.com

Get your tickets now at ARTSBR.ORG/MPAC.

225batonrouge.com | [225] November 2023

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W H AT ' S U P / /

Nailed it

How local female athletes go glam for game day

CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS belong on perfectly polished nails, according to LSU women’s basketball star Angel Reese.

Remember her famous ring gesture photo taken during the 2023 national championship game? Look closer, and you’ll find a French manicure with black tips.

“I feel like it’s look good, play good,” Reese tell 225 when asked if she performs better when she’s confident.

Reese doesn’t have a particular

inspiration or recurring aesthetic for her nails, which she usually has done at Ocean Nails Bar II on Sherwood Forest Boulevard.

Instead, she goes with “whatever comes to mind.” Her favorite nail look so far, she says, was when local nail artist Dally World created a set that spelled out her nickname, Bayou Barbie.

Southern University softball player Kenzie Ogden is known for her bold nail choices, too. Her favorite salon is Sweetheart Nails

on Corporate Boulevard, which she visits with her teammates every four weeks.

Odgen often finds nail inspiration on Pinterest, or she picks a style based on the season.

“If it’s winter, I like to go with an icy blue,” she says. “In the summertime, I like to go with crazy colors.”

Some critics say athletes shouldn’t think about their appearance on the court or field, and that conversation has grown since the

rise of name, image and likeness deals. But Reese and other athletes want to change that narrative.

“People don’t realize you can still be girly and cute and still be a dog on the court,” Reese says.

“I think that has shaped a lot of things coming from the national championship game.”

In fact, Reese, one of the top 10 earners of NIL deals in the nation, feels her appearance has resonated with fans.

“A lot of people just love that about me that I can still (wear) girly lashes and hair and nails and stuff like that but still be a baller,” she says.

For Odgen, painting her nails is a detail that helps set her apart on the field.

“You all have to wear the same uniform,” she says, “so I feel like this makes me different and brings up my own personality and uniqueness.” lsusports.net and gojagsports.com –JILLIAN ELLIOTT

THE ANATOMY OF A WINNING GAME-DAY MANICURE Color combos

Ogeden says she often goes for neon polishes that complement Southern University’s gold and Columbia blue uniforms.

Kenzie Ogden gets her nails done about every four weeks with her SU softball teammates

Filed out

Both Reese and Ogden say they keep their nails relatively shorter for game days. “I don’t want to have that issue of breaking a nail or snapping off or anything like that,” Ogden says.

No quitters

COLLIN RICHIE

Long-lasting polishes, like gel, can hold up during practice and game days.

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[225] November 2023 | 225batonrouge.com

W H AT ' S U P / /

“People don’t realize you can still be girly and cute and still be a dog on the court. I think that has shaped a lot of things coming from the national championship game.”

LSU women’s basketball forward Angel Reese’s winning look during the 2023 NCAA Tournament featured a French manicure with black tips.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

—Angel Reese, LSU women’s basketball star

LIFE IS music

01MK7923 08/23

For life’s moments, big and small.

We’re here with the strength of the cross, the protection of the shield.

The Right Card. The Right Care.

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Forget me not

How a local photo project is personifying neurodegenerative disease B Y L AU R A FUR R M E R I CA S / / P H OTO S CO U RT E SY CO L E L AMBE RT

225batonrouge.com | [225] November 2023

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OUR CITY //

WHEN COLE LAMBERT’S grandmother’s Parkinson’s disease and dementia started to progress about two years ago, he found a new way to process her illness: from behind his camera.

Then 91, Elva Mae Parent was losing her ability to speak Cajun French, Lambert recalls, and showing frustration as simple tasks and knowledge escaped her. While caring for her at her home in Ascension Parish, rotating shifts with his mother and uncles, Lambert snapped images of her. He started shooting on his phone and soon pulled out his professional-grade camera.

He wanted to capture her at that moment in time, before, from his view, his beloved grandmother slipped away.

“It was to document, at the time, her aging,” the 43-year-old Lambert says today.

At first, Lambert’s photos were part of a personal, albeit sad, passion project. The photographer’s shots had mainly focused on automobiles and corporate headshots up until that point. He had no idea that a few years later he’d be capturing the

“Football made him who he is. He always said football gave him that drive and that push to be better in life in all aspects. He saw the football and he remembered that that was his trophy.

And it just kind of sparked a light for him to talk about it again... It was special to me to get to have that conversation, because so often you never know where his mind is going to be.”

–RACHEL PANTINOPLE about her grandfather

WENDELL HARRIS played football for LSU and was a member of the 1958 National Championship Team. He played for the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants from 1962 to 1967. After his time in the NFL, he moved back to Louisiana and became a history teacher. He has two children, five stepchildren and 18 grandchildren. He is 83 years old and suffers from dementia.

Victoria James and Cole Lambert, founders of the Legacy Photo Project

lives of nearly 100 elderly individuals in his work, known as the Legacy Photo Project. And he couldn’t have known then how those images would spread an uplifting call for awareness of those suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Enter Victoria James. The 30-yearold occupational therapist was then serving as the director of activities for The Pearl at Jamestown, an assisted living and memory care community off Perkins Road.

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“The day we took the photos she was more alert than normal. ... She had a few bad days before that, but the day Cole took the picture was like, ‘Oh, that’s my mom.’”

–PAULETTE LAMBERT, about her mother

ELVA MAE PARENT, 93, is a devout Catholic and raised four children as a single mother while working in the catalog department at Sears. In her younger days, she loved to cook and snap green beans. Paulette describes her as “super mom.”

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“He was everyone’s hero.”

–RHONDA BARNETT about her late father, who suffered from dementia and died at the age of 89 less than a month after his photo was taken for the project

RONALD WALTON was a devoted father to two daughters and an active grandfather and greatgrandfather. He was an Army veteran who worked as a lab analyst for Honeywell International after being deployed in Germany at the end of the Korean conflict. He kept busy during his off time and retirement as a deputy reserve for the sheriff's office, Sunday school teacher, church usher and LSU gate captain. Walton’s health took a sharp decline shortly before his photos were taken. Barnett says the photos were both emotional and “powerful.” She particularly loves the shot Lambert captured of her father’s hands: “Those hands loved us and took really good care of us.”

Quotes have been edited for clarity and brevity.

She’d gotten wind of Lambert’s photos, and was determined to recreate them at The Pearl. For her it would also be a passion project, but on a more positive note.

“This is a population that is forgotten,” James says. “And I just have fallen in love with these human beings that I work with all of the time. I see in infinite ways how much wisdom and experience that they still carry with them.”

What if, James wondered, she and Lambert could capture the residents at The Pearl as they lived today?

Give them a reason to get spruced up? Give them and their families a chance to smile and celebrate their contributions to the world, even as they battled a demoralizing disease?

With James’ coordination—and with family and caretakers’ permission—the duo began taking photos of residents at The Pearl in October 2022. Lambert arranged a simple lighting set up and backdrop in one of the community’s larger apartments, and James engaged with the residents to help their personalities shine. Some sessions were shorter than a minute, as a few residents had difficulty sitting and following directions. Others eclipsed an hour, as the subjects enjoyed the spotlight.

James asked families to bring in clothing or props that represented the residents’ careers, hobbies or important elements of their lives. A former coach played around with a softball, while others clutched telegraph keys, cooking supplies, armed services memorabilia and more.

“Many of (these residents) cannot verbalize what they did professionally and what they contributed. Yet, if you give them something that they were very familiar with, at one point, it all comes rushing back,” James says. “It clicks for them.”

Long-term memories are typically the last ones lost for a person with neurodegenerative disease, James explains—making it easier for residents to connect with longcherished objects.

“Having that piece elevated the project from just a photo shoot to a really meaningful project,” James says today.

At that first photo session, James and Lambert captured roughly 80% of residents at The Pearl. They

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“Following directions was difficult for him.

But he wanted to talk and talk and talk about every piece of memorabilia that he had with him. When he was holding the Morse code key, he started tapping out a message. The photographer said, ‘What did you just say to me?’ He said, ‘Bob.’” —JANICE MADDEN about her husband of 48 years’ photo shoot

BOB MADDEN was a radio operator on the Navy’s USS Boyd, and worked for the Union Pacific railroad and the Association of American Railroads after his deployment. He has two daughters and four grandchildren and continued serving as an amateur radio operator into his retirement. He is 80 years old and suffers from dementia.

zoo

printed and compiled a few of the photos for a calendar, which raised $800 for Alzheimer’s Association.

In March, The Pearl’s parent company Phoenix Senior Living learned of the team’s work and asked them to recreate the project at its other communities in the Southeast. By this fall, Lambert and James (who was recently promoted to Corporate Director for Programming for all of Phoenix Senior Living), had photographed close to 80 individuals at eight Phoenix locations in Louisiana and Georgia—and they aren’t slowing down.

In October, they launched the Legacy Photo Project website to share their work and mission. This month, in line with Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, the team plans to host its first quarterly photo shoot for about 10 to 12 Louisianians suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Each featured photograph will be paired with a short write-up about the person’s life, with information about how

Presenting sponsor is Our Lady of the Lake Childrens Hospital

November 24-December 30 Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

$5 for adults + teens $4 for seniors $3 for children 2-12

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OUR CITY //

to support organizations working to fight for and care for those with neurodegenerative diseases.

“We’re at a critical shortage for care and support for those that are inevitably going to be helpless and very, very much in need of external support at varying degrees,” James adds. “The website’s purpose is to generate that emotional –TIFFANI CARROLL, about her attachment.” mother-in-law As for Lambert, the project has given him a new perspective to consider as his family continues to care for his grandmother. The emotions he’s experienced alongside his photo subjects have shifted his own view of aging and disease.

“A lot of what I had seen up to that point is all of the bad stuff, unfortunately, with my grandmother. But every time we do one of these (shoots), my view changes and I learn something new ... this idea that that person RUBY MOUNCE, 92, was described by Lambert and James as one of the most energetic subjects they’ve captured thus is still a person,” Lambert says. far. She “They’re still there, even thoughAd proof Issue Date: NOV 2023 #1posed for photos with her handmade timeout dolls for almost 90 minutes. An avid sewer, she would make these dolls for family members to watch over their homes. Mounce traveled throughout her life and loves to read. She retired • Pleaseof respond e-mail or phonenot withbe.” your approval or minor revisions. parts theirbymind may from thewithin Hammond Health Unit. She’s a mother to five children, and has 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received theirlegacyremains.org She suffers from dementia and is a breast cancer survivor two times over.

“She loves to take pictures, and she loves to smile.”

24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

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Sinella Aghasi with Kids’ Orchestra students Maya Lacroix-Ortiz and Stella Lacroix-Ortiz

Sinella Aghasi

COLLIN RICHIE

PLACE AN INSTRUMENT in a child’s hand, believes Kids’ Orchestra Director of Strategic Initiatives Sinella Aghasi, and it might change the trajectory of their life.

She’s living proof.

As an 11-year-old growing up in Iran, Aghasi was accepted to a prestigious conservatory to study violin. Instructors said it was a good fit for her naturally long fingers and precise musical ear. She says it had the added benefit of being something she could play for church services in her small Assyrian Christian community.

Aghasi’s family immigrated to California in 2010 for better opportunities, and Aghasi, then 18, enrolled at California State University, Stanislaus. She earned a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education and violin

performance, and followed it with a master’s degree in violin performance from San Francisco State.

Next stop: LSU, where Aghasi completed a doctorate in musical arts and violin performance in 2019. Her Ph.D. program also included a concentration in nonprofit management, which led to her past jobs with Opéra Louisiane and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge.

After several years of contributing to Kids’ Orchestra as a teaching artist, she joined the team of the Baton Rouge after-school program full-time in 2022—effectively coming full circle with her own musical journey. Kids’ Orchestra provides free after-school instruction to elementary children in 10 different orchestral

instruments, the violin included. Kids meet with a professional musician mentor in sessions that also include homework assistance, a snack and social and emotional learning. They are lent a free instrument they can also bring home.

In her current role, the 31-year-old is focused on helping Kids’ Orchestra expand services and increase public awareness. The program currently works with about 600 elementary students in 15 public schools. But Aghasi is quick to say Kids’ Orchestra isn’t hung up on creating the next Mozart. Rather, it uses music to help kids become better citizens.

“They learn to work as a team,” Aghasi says.

“They understand what it means to bring a vision together.” kidsorchestra.org —MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

“There’s a real lack of music education and quality after-school programs.

We’re operating in a state where one of the things that gets cut is arts education.”

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Instragram’s @TobyTravelsForTreats loves to order a pup cup at Gail’s Fine Ice Cream.

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The secret lives of

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OMETIMES WE FIND our pets. But other times, our pets find us. Loyal and adorable, our furry friends make for great companions. And at their very best, they can also lift us up, push us out of our comfort zones and help us lead more joy-filled lives. Here, let’s celebrate the stories of a few special pets in the Capital Region and the organizations that help them thrive—slobber, venom, adoption processes and all.

INSIDE

• Pet-friendly restaurants • Animal res cues • Pet shops + More!

Kajun is one of the exceptional equines at GaitWay Therapeutic Horsemanship in St. Gabriel.

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The Very Rev. Tommy Dillon brings his beloved whippet Joshua to LSU's Stephenson Pet Clinic for care.

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Thoroughly

From Eastern medicine to oncology

VETTED

Opened in 2022, the new 40,000-squarefoot Stephenson Pet Clinic features state-ofthe-art amenities and a welcoming design for the thousands of pet owners who use its services annually.

The clinic offers 13 specialties. Livestock and wild and exotic animals are also treated here. Here’s some of what you’ll find.

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NYONE WHO KNOWS the Very Rev. Tommy Dillon also knows his trusty sidekick: a 13-year-old whippet named Joshua.

The rector at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge brings Joshua along pretty much everywhere, including church on Sunday. While Dillon’s in the pulpit, Joshua snoozes in his office. And when the service is over, Joshua explores the Parish Hall, taking special care to dispose of crumbs dropped during that morning’s coffee hour.

Priest and pooch have been practically inseparable since Dillon rescued Joshua 11 years ago from a farm in Mississippi after the dog’s original owner died.

And so when Joshua was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2017, it was a big deal for Dillon.

“I was scared to death,” he says. “My mother had died of colon cancer, and my dad had cancer. When our pets get it, it can be kind of a trigger.”

Joshua’s regular veterinarian, Dr. Emily Taylor, had spotted unusual growths on the dog’s belly, and recommended Dillon take him to the LSU Vet Med animal clinic. Updated and renamed the Stephenson Pet Clinic last year, the clinic is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It treats about 20,000 cases annually and has long been the go-to resource for emergency or specialty vet care in the region. That’s become even more important to pet owners like Dillon, who see their animals as members of the family and want to extend T UR their lives as long as they can.

CO The LSU Vet Med team removed the cancerous spots from Joshua’s stomach and a separate, benign growth from his neck. Joshua also had a couple rounds of chemotherapy, which were administered in the clinic’s Get to know a few of the cancer treatment area.

Capital City’s more exotic pets Dillon acknowledges such treatment isn’t cheap, and Interviews by Cynthea Corfah jokes that he probably contributed to the new clinic’s renovation with Joshua’s medical costs.

“But I believe our animal companions are worthy Species: Axolotl (salamander) of every investment,” Dillon says. “Because for me, Age: 2 years old Joshua’s love and companionship reminds me of the Pet parents: Sean and Meg Braud, unconditional love that God shows us.” who run Scales and Tails Reptiles Joshua has been cancer-free since 2017, but Dillon Rescue has continued to use the clinic’s other services. Last Meaning behind the name: “He is December, Joshua surreptitiously got into a box of pink and red, and Valentine’s Day is Belgian chocolates—a gift to Dillon from a parishioner.

(Meg’s) favorite holiday.”

Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, is toxic for dogs.

Favorite food: Worms “I brought him in, and they treated him,” Dillon says.

Where he lives: An aquarium in the “It was right before Christmas, and I was so glad they Brauds’ living room were there to calm me down.”

Favorite activities: “He likes Joshua has since returned to the clinic for cancer swimming around and playing in his checkups and other procedures that keep his golden bubbles. He comes up to us when it’s time to be fed.” years golden.

Fun facts: “He’s nocturnal, so he As St. Margaret’s unofficial mascot, he’s got work to comes out of his (hiding place) do. lsu.edu/vetmed

COURTESY LSU VET MED

How LSU Vet Med answers pet parents’ prayers

Oncology: Pets and animals have access to both chemotherapy and radiation.

In fact, the clinic is Louisiana’s only radiation unit used for animal treatment.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Helps to heal wounds, decrease nervous system injury, minimize inflammation and treat infections.

Acupuncture: Treats a variety of disorders by stimulating nerves, increasing blood flow and releasing endorphins with the help of small sterilized needles.

WILD ONES

around 7-8 p.m.”

COURTESY LSU VET MED

Valentine

DIGIT

$2.2 million

The investment the state of Louisiana made into the LSU Vet School in 2023 with the goal of nearly doubling admissions next year to address the expected shortage of vets around the country.

–MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

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A purr-fect match A pair of cats, followed by a third, bring joy to grieving pet parents

D

EXTER HAD HAD a rough go of it.

Several years ago, the tuxedo kitty was taken in by Cat Haven, a Baton Rouge no-kill cat shelter that houses and cares for up to 75 felines. The shelter helped Dexter find a new home. But, as sometimes happens in the unpredictable world of pet adoptions, he was later abandoned.

Then early last year, something miraculous happened.

“Somebody found him and brought him back to us,” says Toban Thompson, Cat Haven adoption manager. “He had just sort of been thrown out into the elements by his former owner.”

The sweet-natured cat was terribly malnourished and had severe dental disease. The shelter’s team nursed him back to health. A few months later, he made a friend in Sweet Sweet, a black cat who a Cat Haven volunteer spotted while on a walk. Dexter immediately cozied up to Sweet Sweet, and soon they were eating, playing and snuggling up for naps together.

“They became a bonded pair,” Thompson says. “We knew we were going to need to adopt them together.”

And they did.

Last August, Stephanie Bastidas and her husband, James Major, contacted Cat Haven about adopting not one, but two cats. A week earlier, the couple lost both of their cats to a dog they had been keeping for an ailing family member. The loss was fresh. But the couple, having found the dog another home, was ready to adopt.

They contacted Cat Haven and soon met Dexter and Sweet Sweet at the nonprofit’s North Harrells Ferry Road facility. Bastidas says the idea that the two were already bonded was a bonus, as their previous cats had only tolerated one another.

The couple went to the shelter every day for a week to ensure the cats were comfortable with them.

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Sweet Sweet was adopted from Cat Haven by James Major and Stephanie Bastidas.

DEFINITION

Bonded pair

In the pet adoption world, this refers to two animals who have formed a close relationship and ideally would be adopted together.

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to join the tightknit family.

Adoptions “Dexter is in facilitated by Cat charge of asking Haven in 2022 for food for him and the girls,” Bastidas says. “And then they sit on a little chest by the window or curl up in their beds.”

When it comes to fun, Sweet Sweet is in charge. She’s fond of showing Dexter her tail, which she’s hoping he’ll bat.

“Losing our cats was tough,” says Bastidas, choking up.

“These guys have been a godsend.” cathaven.org

COURTESY CAT HAVEN

And though Bastidas and Major were experienced cat owners, the agency checked in with them for two weeks after the adoption to ensure everyone was following Cat Haven’s policies, including keeping adopted cats exclusively indoors.

The adoption went so well that in December, Cat Haven reached out to the couple to see if they might be interested in a third kitty. Another black cat had been rescued near the spot Sweet Sweet had been found. It was an easy sell.

Bastidas and Major took the cat, a female named Kiwi, home

–MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

Where to adopt

There are plenty of organizations in greater Baton Rouge to help lonely kitties, pups and even reptiles find forever homes. Here are a few rescues and organizations helping the charge.

Key: Images represent pets available for adoption.

Cat Haven cathaven.org

Cara’s House carashouse.com

Dog People of Livingston Parish

Rescue Alliance

animalreovery.org

dogpeopleoflivingston.org No-kill cat shelter adopting cats as indoor pets only

Ascension Parish’s open intake shelter

Companion Animal Alliance

Dante’s Hope danteshope.com

Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge

caabr.org

East Baton Rouge Parish’s open intake, no-kill animal shelter

Capital Area Animal Welfare Society (CAAWS)

Animal welfare organization facilitating adoptions, fosters and pet services in Denham Springs

A 100% foster-based rescue organization in the Baton Rouge and Ponchatoula areas

Feliciana Animal Welfare Society Find it on Facebook

caaws.org

Volunteer-run cat rescue in Gonzales that hosts regular adoptions

Scales and Tails Reptiles Rescue Find it on Facebook

friendsoftheanimalsbr.org

A dog rescue with an adoption house on Highland Road

Husband- and wife-run rescue for small reptiles, including snakes, leopard geckos and bearded dragons

Magic Happens Rabbit Rescue (MHRR) magichappensrescue.com

A rescue serving the St. Francisville area Animal rescue nonprofit founded in 1979

A rescue for abandoned rabbits and guinea pigs in the region

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Have treats?

WILL TRAVEL! How Jennifer Claudet turned her loyal dog’s local travels into a well-loved social media page

Toby travels just about everywhere with his adoptive mom, Jennifer Claudet.

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E

TAKE IT FROM TOBY The mini schnauzer’s pet-friendly picks

TOBY IS NO stranger to local restaurants, coffee shops and stores. Though his good behavior and petite size help him get into most businesses, he also knows plenty of spots that surely allow animals. Here’s a list of places around town that have earned two paws up from Toby himself.

Barracuda Taco Stand 2504 Government St.

This outdoor taco spot is ideal for pets who like to sunbathe or bask in the shade. Toby patiently waits for tortilla chips to fall from the sky here, Claudet says. eatbarracuda.com

Baton Rouge Blues Festival

Downtown Baton Rouge (April 19-21) Toby and Claudet attended last year’s Baton Rouge Blues Festival, where the pair enjoyed listening to music and meeting new friends. brblues.org

Curbside Burgers

4158 Government St. PHOTOS COURTESY JENNIFER CLAUDET

ACH SATURDAY WHEN Jennifer Claudet makes her regular trip to Social Coffee, she’s greeted with a resounding “Toby!”

That’s because Claudet’s mini schnauzer, Toby, is always in tow, ready to sniff out breakfast sandwiches and steal sips of lattes.

In fact, Toby commands the attention at many local businesses around town. Claudet, who takes Toby just about everywhere she goes, says people usually stop and “aww” over her pup.

“He is very outgoing and very vocal,” she laughs. “He will do anything for food and attention.”

At almost every place the pair goes—her office and hardware stores to restaurants and antique shops— Claudet snaps an adorable photo of Toby, which she shares on the playfully named Instagram account, @TobyTravelsForTreats.

Though Claudet and her pup are inseparable these days, she admits that she was not looking for a dog when Toby came along. She was still grieving the recent death of her foster dog from Companion Animal Alliance when she learned about a miniature schnauzer in need from Cajun Tales Rescue. Claudet was only supposed to keep Toby for four days, but he quickly claimed her heart— and his forever spot on her couch.

“I got him at 10 o’clock at night, and he was screaming like a fool in his crate,” she recalls. “I got him home, and I knew once he got out of the crate that he wasn’t leaving my house.”

In fact, she says, he hardly leaves her side now.

On their outings, Toby sits patiently on top of Claudet’s lap, lays quietly and even perches in shopping carts. Claudet says she loves the way her precious pooch has helped her meet new people and explore her hometown more.

“Having him has just changed my life because it kind of forces me to get out more,” she says. “He really enjoys the experience and other people enjoy seeing him, so it really helps me. Especially if I’m having a bad day, because I know he’s such a joy and light—and I love sharing that with people.”

This local burger joint has an expansive petfriendly outdoor area. When he visits, Toby enjoys a plain patty and a few fries. curbside-burgers. com

D’s Garden Center

2544 Government St.

patiently waiting for pets or fallen crumbs from the meals above. midcitybeergarden. com

Pelican to Mars 2678 Government St.

This pet-friendly bar includes plenty of outdoor, turfed space for dogs, cats and even reptiles to roam while their owners enjoy a drink. pelicantomars.com

Plant Barn 2912 Valley St.

Toby loves seeing all the leafy plants and vibrant blooms at this recently opened nursery, Claudet says. Find them on Facebook

Reve Coffee Lab

8211 Village Plaza Court When Toby walks into this coffee shop, people pause their work and conversations to catch a glimpse of the white furball as he trots to the counter. After Claudet gets her drink, the duo usually finds a shaded spot on the patio. revecoffee.com

After gobbling up chips at Barracuda, Toby enjoys a leisurely stroll through the plants at this shady garden center. dgardencenter.com

Gail’s Fine Ice Cream 3025 Perkins Road

Claudet says the bustling sounds of the Perkins Road Overpass are sometimes too overwhelming for her pup, but Gail’s is one of his favorite spots, especially when whipped cream pup cups are involved. gailsfineicecream.com

Leola’s Cafe and Coffee House 1857 Government St.

After sniffing through pieces of the past at Circa 1857, Toby can work up quite the appetite.

Luckily, he can stroll to the patio of Leola’s to get some sun and sneak a few pancake bites. leolascafeandcoffeehouse.com

Social Coffee 521 N. Third St.

Mid City Beer Garden 3808 Government St.

This downtown shop earns a weekly visit from Claudet and Toby. Check out his Instagram to see countless pics of the pup seated for breakfast. socialcoffeebr.com

The outdoor patio at this Mid City favorite almost always has a few pooches seated below tables

For a more complete list of pet-friendly restaurants visit 225batonrouge.com/food-drink/pets.

–OLIVIA DEFFES

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Helping

HOOVES A local adaptive riding program encourages equestrians of all abilities to take the reins

Kajun, a Gypsy Vanner, helps adaptive riders improve strength, balance and communication skills.

W

HILE MANY ANIMAL-ASSISTED therapy services rely on dogs and other companion animals, some local groups harness horsepower.

“Horses are so sensitive; they can feel a tiny fly on their back,” says Sarah Davis, executive director of GaitWay Therapeutic Horsemanship. “So, of course, they are aware of how their rider is feeling. They just have amazing intuition.”

GaitWay offers riding instruction for adults and children at all levels at its facility in St. Gabriel, and it’s one of the few Louisiana programs certified by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship.

The nonprofit’s adaptive riding instructors teach individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders, depression, anxiety, neurodivergent traits, cerebral palsy and genetic disorders, as well as students who are blind, nonverbal or wheelchair dependent.

“We personalize the tack and lesson plan based on each student’s ability and goals,” Davis explains. For adaptive riders, those goals often involve improving strength, balance, mobility, focus and communication.

Building the trust necessary to acquire those skills requires an especially empathetic equine. “You need a horse who has a calm and kind disposition, knows his job, trusts his caretakers and is steadfast,”

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SAVE THE DATE Davis explains. “It’s not all that common; but, that’s definitely what Kajun is.”

Even though he’s one of the younger horses at GaitWay at age 13, he’s been around the stables longer than any of the staff and volunteers. GaitWay history has it that before his time as a therapy horse, Kajun walked through McDonald’s drive-thrus and performed on Zydeco dance floors. Davis says the tales are consistent with his peaceful, trusting demeanor today. And it’s these traits that help Kajun connect with hesitant horsemen. Davis recalls how one GaitWay equestrian wanted her brother to try riding.

An adult in his mid-20s with Down syndrome, he was reluctant because of an aversion to getting dirty.

His sister persisted and brought him to the barn, where he was drawn to the Gypsy Vanner horse with the flowing mane, tail and fetlocks.

Soon, he was brushing Kajun, tacking up and riding regularly. By the semester’s end, he was riding like any other equestrian, Davis says. Later, he advanced to riding without stirrups to improve core strength.

“It’s so fulfilling to see the students’ progress,” Davis says. “It affects everyone positively—not just the students—but their families, the staff and volunteers.” gaitway.org –ADRIAN E. HIRSCH

NOV. 4

GaitWay’s All Strides Horse Show The work of GaitWay’s highly trained herd will be showcased at BREC’s Farr Park Equestrian Center as part of the barn’s annual fundraiser.

Professional and amateur riders of all ages will compete in English and Western events, from dressage to barrel racing and pole bending. But the biggest winners won’t necessarily be those with the fanciest footwork or fastest times.

“What really makes this event unique is our adaptive division,” Davis explains. “Now, our riders can participate on the same stage as everyone else.”

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COURTESY GAITWAY

Other local animal-assisted therapy programs in the Capital Region BREC’s Hearts & Hooves Therapeutic Riding Program Riders ages 6 and older with physical, mental and social disabilities participate in six-week riding lesson sessions, where they learn stretching exercises, basic equine skills and games that improve core strength and coordination. brec.org

Capital Area Animal Welfare Society (CAAWS) Pet Touch Therapy Once a month, a team of volunteers and their trained dogs visit LSU students who need a break from their

11. 30. 2023 DANIEL ROZIN lsumoa.org

Man’s best friends

studies; residents in nursing homes; and others who could use some love from a furry friend. caaws.org

trains service dogs to assist U.S. veterans in a variety of tasks. A core group of 21 inmates trains the dogs, many of whom are rescues. Find it on Facebook

LSU Tiger HATS (Human Animal Therapy Service)

Southern HumanAnimal Relationship Experiences (S.H.A.R.E.)

The 25 volunteer teams of trained dogs and their owners visit the area’s major hospitals, some nursing homes, schools, libraries, special events and the LSU campus. lsu.edu/ vetmed/tigerhats

From goat yoga for college students to pre-K experiences with baby farm animals, this Southern University Ag Center-affiliated group organizes animal encounters for all ages to boost mental and physical health and form connections. suagcenter.com

Prisoners Assisting Warrior Services (PAWS) Louisiana State Penitentiary’s PAWS

Daniel Rozin, RGB Peg Mirror No. 5, Courtesy bitforms gallery, New York. Photo by Emile Askey

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WILD ONES

Get to know a few of the Capital City’s more exotic pets

Hank

Breed: African Pygmy Hedgehog Age: 2 years old Pet parent: Sarah Brown

SWAMP ART SPECTACULAR Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center is currently accepting submissions for it’s Swamp Art Exhibition.

ALL MEDIUMS WELCOME! FIBER ARTS • FINE ART • PHOTOGRAPHY Prizes for Adult + Youth Winners Registration Deadline: Dec. 28 | Exhibition: Jan.12-Feb. 25

Favorite food: Mealworms Where he lives: A 20-gallon fish tank with paper bedding, a hut and a wheel Favorite activities: “He likes to go to Pelican to Mars, an animal-friendly bar on Government Street.

People hold him or let him run around on their chest or shoulders. He likes to lick people’s necks.”

REGISTER HERE! B R E C . O R G / S W A M PA R T

Fun facts: “Hedgehogs are nocturnal and have very poor vision.”

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COVER STORY //

Canine

QUEEN

COURTESY JORDAN HEFLER

How a local dog became royalty while helping raise funds for others in need

D

R. CURTIS CHASTAIN lives with royalty—the kind who indulges in treats from her loyal subjects and catches any Frisbees thrown her way.

Yes, the internal medicine doctor’s 3-year-old Australian shepherd, Emmie, is the queen of his house and his heart. And she expanded her reign last year when she was named the Companion Animal Alliance’s FurBall Queen.

The FurBall Court of about 12 pups is nominated by the community. Royal titles, from King and Queen to Lord and Lady, are dished out based on the amount of awareness and funds they helped CAA raise in the months leading up to the event and on the big night.

To win the coveted top dog title, Emmie wowed donors with her Frisbee tricks and adorable face and helped Chastain reel in over $22,000 for CAA.

FurBall 2023’s King Maxi, presented by Bridget Petrie, with Queen Emmie and Dr. Curtis Chastain

Dr. Curtis Chastain and his pup Emmie raised $22,000 for Companion Animal Alliance as part of last year's FurBall.

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Chastain learned about CAA and its mission to help stray and surrendered pets just last year through Michael Hackett, a friend who approached Chastain about participating in the FurBall. Though he’s from Baton Rouge, Chastain admits that he had never heard of the shelter, which he believes may be the case for others in the community.

“All it took was a trip to CAA,” he says. “I’d never been there. … It’s so well-kept. It’s clean. The people who work there are all volunteers.

These animals are great-looking animals, but they just need a home.

And, I said, ‘Okay, I’m in. I’ll do it.’”

COVER STORY //

makes me more aware of how The loving dog owner admits important it is for other dogs to the decision to add the nowbe loved right now.” beloved Emmie to the family Though Emmie is technically wasn’t quite as immediate. a queen, Chastain says she’s not While grieving the death of his totally aware of her title. He says first Australian shepherd, Ellie, she’s just content with catching Chastain found himself looking her pink Frisbee, through listings splashing in the pool from her same and taking weekend breeder, and saw DIGIT fishing trips with her one for a new pet parents. bunch of Aussie The FurBall has pups. So, Chastain had a lasting impact and his wife, for Chastain, though.

Chanel, hesitantly About how much He says he’s not done decided to go meet FurBall has raised for Companion advocating for CAA’s them.

Animal Alliance cause and encourages At the since it began other animal lovers to encounter, one 10 years ago help out in any way tiny dog wouldn't they can. stop following “It doesn’t Chanel around, matter how much and they knew money you donate,” he says. they had to take her home. When “But collectively, we as a comcontemplating what to call her, munity can do that to protect Emmie—a name strikingly close to these beautiful animals and Ellie—fit her perfectly. keep them from a death that “We’ve never had a dog grow nobody would want their on us like Emmie,” he says. “If animal to have.” furballbr.org I love this dog this much, it just

+$1 million

Emmie’s favorite activity is catching her pink Frisbee.

STEPPING OUT

Nov. 5

Mystic Krewe of Mutts Parade

Benefiting Capital Area Animal Welfare Society

Jan. 28, 2024

FurBall Baton Rouge

Benefiting Companion Animal Alliance

April 13, 2024

Strolling for Strays

Benefiting Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge

October 2024

COURTESY KRE

Benefiting Companion Animal Alliance

A bulldog named Ba nner in the 2014 Krewe of Mu tts Parade

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Cap City Beer Fest

WE OF MUTTS

Stray pets and shelter animals are always in need of funds to help with supplies, food and care. Though there are small events and supply drives held year round, here are some annual fundraisers for local animal shelters around Baton Rouge—and what they benefit.

CO

Cat Tails and Cocktails

Benefiting Cat Haven

October 2024

U

2022 FurBall Queen GiGi and Dr. Todd Howell

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COVER STORY //

Working

DOGS

Two local shop dogs lighten the daily load

I

T’S HARD TO find good help these days. Take a look at Parish Pets: Employees are sleeping on the job, licking customers and even chasing their tails instead of working. But, owner Nikki Kipps says they won’t be called into HR anytime soon.

“I can’t imagine going to work every day and not having my dogs with me,” she says.

In 2016, Kipps started Parish Pets, sewing collars and other accessories out of her house. As the business grew, her space looked more like a pet store than a home. It was time to expand into a brick-and-mortar. She had a few requirements for the building: She didn’t want to be in a shopping mall, and a yard for dog birthday parties was a must. But most importantly, she had to be able to bring Mannie and Lia. A former barber shop in Mid City was a match. One renovation and many coats of paint later, Kipps opened the space two years ago—with her pups by her side.

Mannie is a loveable, 2-year-old Pembroke Welsh corgi. Make no mistake; his small stature is no reflection of his big personality. Kipps says he’s 100% a typical corgi with a sassy disposition and endless energy. Mannie’s most unique trait is that he growls when pet. Don’t be alarmed, though— he loves the attention. “I tell people it’s kind of his love language,” Kipps says.

He spends his days chasing and herding his laid-back, mixed-breed sister, Lia, whom Kipps adopted from Companion Animal Alliance in 2019. Lia is around 5 years old, and simply put, she is “very much a dramatic girl.”

She’s a little moody, sure, known for hiding away for naps and alone time. But when Lia is ready to socialize, she’s warm, charming and ready to play, especially outside in the sun.

Bringing pets to work may seem like an extra challenge, but to Kipps, driving to the store with the dogs in tow and working with them behind the counter is simply her daily routine. The dogs are the heart of Parish Pets, and they’ve become beloved members of the community.

“They want to greet everybody,” Kipps says, “and they want everybody to pet them.”

Mannie and Lia are great for business, too. They’re a physical representation of Parish Pets’ quality standards. If something isn’t good enough for Kipps’ pets, it’s not on the shelves.

“If I’m not comfortable giving it to them or if they haven’t already had it,” Kipps says, “I wouldn’t carry it in my store.”

Find Parish Pets on Facebook –JILLIAN ELLIOTT

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Pet provisions

A few other Baton Rouge pet shops Bayouabird

1107 Florida Ave. SW, Denham Springs Bayouabird has everything needed for a new winged pet, including a large selection of birds. bayouabird.com

aquarium design, installation and maintenance with a “renta-reef” option for businesses. thereefcoral.com

Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique 11575 Coursey Blvd., B1

Neighborhood Pet Market

by Jefferson Feed

In addition to grooming services, it sells festive merchandise to peruse while pets get pampered. splashanddashfordogs.com/batonrouge

This shop stocks a wide range of pet products, like football jerseys for the spirited pup. jeffersonfeeed.com

The Urban Hound

15168 Airline Highway

Reef Coral

12442 Jefferson Highway Reef Coral specializes in

10202 Perkins Rowe, Suite E-150 This canine mercantile in Perkins Rowe curates a selection of modern, practical dog supplies and accessories. theurbanhoundbr.com

COVER STORY //

A RURAL LIFE

SUNDAY, DEC 3 • 10AM - 5PM Ring in the Christmas season with a 19th century Louisiana celebration. Musical groups, demonstrating artisans, storytellers, and costumed re-enactors will be present to set the holiday mood. The event will conclude with a very special guest and surprise.

TICKET PRICES: Age 0 - 3: Free Age 4-11: $10 Age 12+: $12

Mannie and Lia greet customers at Parish Pets on South Foster Drive.

FAMILY FUN EVENT!

WILD ONES

EG B

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Get to know a few of the Capital City’s more exotic pets AN

DM

Piglet

Age: 3 years old

AN

Species: Western hognose snake CO

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Pet arents: Sean and Meg Braud Meaning behind the name: “He has a shovel nose to dig that looks like a piglet nose.“ Favorite food: Mice Where he lives: A 20-gallon tank in the Brauds’ reptile room Favorite activities: “He loves to dig. He has a tank (filled) with Aspen Snake Bedding, and he makes tunnels throughout.”

Fun facts: “(Hognose snakes) play dead when threatened. They roll over, put their tongue out and (emit) a smell. … They can also make their mouths bleed a little.”

L O C AT E D O N BU R D E N MU SE UM & GA RDE N S 4 56 0 E SS E N L A N E AT 1 - 1 0 • R URA L L I F E . L SU .E D U • 2 25 - 7 65 - 24 37 225batonrouge.com | [225] November 2023

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This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

PARTNERS IN BUILDING A SAFE AND PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY

A SOLUTIONS BASED COMPANY Elevating and Extending Lamar-Dixon Property + Athletic Fields for the Ascension Parish Community

COMMUNITY OUTREACH: • Full Size Trailer Bathrooms (Men & Women)

• Fields for Recreational Use

• Trailer Showers (Men & Women)

• Gym Access

• Full Service Commercial Kitchen with Daily Food Options (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner)

• Chapel

• Food Trucks • Multiple Fishing Ponds

• Walking Trail • Jogging/Running Track • Pickleball

T3ISUSA.COM | 11019 PERKINS RD., STE A | 225.921.9847

SCAN TO LEARN ABOUT THE PARK AT LAMAR

I N S I D E : Fall style / Local brand takes NYFW

Signs of the times Neon signs are aglow in Baton Rouge.

Here’s where to find the colorful lights B Y OL IV IA DE FFE S

The new Mother’s Lounge, 143 Third St., is full of custom neon.

GABRIELLE KOREIN

EVEN AT NIGHT, Baton Rouge still shines thanks to the colorful light of neon signs.

Drive down streets like Perkins Road, and it’s impossible to miss restaurants like Zippy’s or DiGiulio Brothers cast in a hazy-hued glow. Vintage and new neon signs are model mediums for advertising or Instagrammable backdrops—and they’re all over town.

Though they are as trendy as ever, neon signs are nothing new. Genuine neon dates back to around 1910, when glass tubing was lit by glowing neon or argon gas. Technicolor signs were all the rage from the 1930s to the ’60s.

In the past decade, the lights have made quite the comeback in the design world, inspiring both LED versions and signs created by skilled genuine neon craftsmen.

Bridget Tiek, one of the principal interior designers for Tiek ByDay, says the nostalgic signage is back in full force in commercial and residential interiors. Tiek ByDay has incorporated neon in designs for clients like Mother’s Lounge, Lotus Lounge and Gatorworks.

“Colored neon signs immediately give off a vibe,” she says. “A large use of (neon) is going to douse the space in color.”

LED versions using bendable, lightweight tubing are the go-to for those looking to hop on the trend without a larger investment. Despite this, Tiek says Tiek ByDay always uses genuine neon signs over the LED dupes.

“LED has limitations,” she says. “(Neon) is also a richer quality of light versus an LED.” Traditional neon is not practical for all businesses, though—and cost isn’t the only deterrent. Maintenance can be tricky, as it’s hard to come by workers who can service it.

Still, it’s hard to walk into a new or trendy local business and not see a neon sign—or an LED version that gives off similar vibes.

225batonrouge.com | [225] November 2023

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7673 Perkins Road

Downtown Baton Rouge Coca-Cola sign

Above the corner of Third Street and Florida Boulevard

Main Lobby 668 Main St.

SoLou

7246 Perkins Road

HASKELL WHITTINGTON

Mochinut

ARIANA ALLISON

ARIANA ALLISON

KRISTIN SELLE

STYLE //

Pho 97

Gov’t Taco

5621 Government St.

3155 Perkins Road

Lotus Lounge

5050 Government St.

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Modesto

3939 Burbank Drive

2355 Ferndale Ave. 301 Third St.

KRISTIN SELLE

Schlittz & Giggles

Zippy’s

STAFF PHOTO

COLLIN RICHIE

ARIANA ALLISON

15540 George O’Neal Road

DiGiulio Brothers Italian Cafe

COLLIN RICHIE

ARIANA ALLISON

Some local spots with eyecatching lights—whether you’re looking for a moody photo backdrop or simply want to hunt down vintage-inspired signs

ARIANA ALLISON

Neon lights

2903 Perkins Road

Issue Date: NOV 2023 Ad proof #1 STYLE //

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

More neon Duvic’s Martini Lounge 2854 Kalurah St. Juban’s 3739 Perkins Road

• Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Superior Grill 5435 Government St. and 7333 Highland Road

Mike Anderson’s 16400 Airline Hwy Parker Barber 2544 Government St. The Radio Bar 3079 Government St.

Supper Club 10480 Perkins Road The Tunnel 201 Lafayette St.

Emergency Drain Cleaning Emergency Plumbing Grease Trap Pumping Available 24-7

Varsity Theatre 3353 Highland Road Wanderlust by Abby 4221 Perkins Road

What are your favorite local neon or neon-inspired signs?

Tell us at editor@225batonrouge.com.

In the glow IN RECENT PROJECTS, Tiek ByDay has enlisted the help of New Orleans neon sign maker and artist Nate Schaeffer, owner of Big Sexy Neon. Schaeffer’s work can be seen in spots around Baton Rouge, such as Wanderlust by Abby, Chelsea’s Live, Parker Barber and Ann Connelly Fine Art. “Nate is an artist, at the end of the day,” Tiek says. “We love any opportunity to work with a (Louisiana) business and an artist.”

Here’s how Big Sexy Neon makes its signs.

225-925-8710 | www.rotobr.com

Chelsea’s Live

1010 Nicholson Drive

COLLIN RICHIE

Step 1: The client contacts Big Sexy Neon with an idea. Schaeffer’s team mocks up the design in neon tubing.

LMP 5430

Step 2: A glass-blowing pattern serves as a guide for the artist.

A reverse pattern ensures all bends and connections are located on the back of the sign.

Step 3: Glass tubing is selected for size and color preferences.

Neon and argon gas, primarily used in Shaeffer’s work, only glow in certain colors. To achieve other hues, colored Italian or German glass is used, or clear glass is coated with phosphor powder, which helps the gasses produce different hues.

Step 4: The glass is shaped by fire. Cross-fire flames are used for sharp 90-degree bends and splicing tubing together, and ribbon burners are used for sweeping curves.

Step 5: Electrodes are added to the ends of the glass tubing, used to run electricity through the sign. Interior tubes are purified with high-voltage that heats the glass up to 500 F. One of the electrode tubes has a vacuum to suck out impurities.

Step 6: Once the glass has cooled, neon or argon gas is added to the tube through the vacuum system. Tubes are sealed with a torch.

Step 7: The piece is transferred to a table, where it will be attached to a high-operating power transformer to achieve maximum brightness—which it will maintain all of its life.

Step 8: The sign is assembled for hanging. It should last for years—even decades—to come.

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STYLE //

TRENDING

In knots

Ribbon- and bow-adorned apparel and accessories line the shelves of local boutiques HOLIDAY PRESENTS AREN’T the only place to put a bow this season. Bows big and small have been all over the runways this year, as well as in the beauty and interiors worlds. Rhinestone-bedecked ribbons decorate shoes and earrings with a dose of dazzle.

Bows in lustrous velvet lend sweet, youthful nostalgia to dresses or hairpieces. However you wear it, a bow will tie everything together.

—JENNIFER TORMO ALVAREZ

Ganni Sprayed Merino Rib Cropped Cardigan, $255 From Aria, ariaonline.com

Bow Rhinestone Earrings in gold, $24 From HerringStones, herringstonesboutique.com Kitten heel bow mules in blush, $378 From Chatta Box Baton Rouge, Find it on Instagram at @chattaboxboutique

IMAGES COURTESY THE BOUTIQUES

Cecelia “Brie” Bow Flat, $179 From Head Over Heels, headoverheelsonline.com

English Factory Bow Tie Mixed Media Dress, $100 From Wanderlust By Abby, wanderlustbyabby.com

Saloni “The Camille” Bows Short-B dress in baby pink, $725 From NK Boutique, nkboutique.com

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Velvet Hair Bow, $24 From Bella Bella, bellabellashop.com

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STYLE //

Welcome, cool weather

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A light coat, a black turtleneck and bonecolored mid-calf booties are Moxi Boutique owner Jeneé Esquivel’s fall essentials. “We stock this coat every year.

It’s a classic and goes with just about everything,” she says.

SY

BY ABBY COURTE ERLUST WAND

—OLIVIA DEFFES

JEWEL TONES “In the past few years, having brighter colors for the fall and winter just makes you happy,” Abby Bullock of Wanderlust by Abby says.

LEATHER AND VELVET MATERIALS “But, leather in a more chic way—specifically maxi leather,” says Jeneé Esquivel of Moxi Boutique. Or, try a good pair of pleather or leather shorts. “It’s typically not cold here, so you want to still dress for fall without wearing warm clothes,” Bullock adds. “It’s like a fake warm-clothes look,” she says. Velvet pant sets also continue to trend.

ACTIVEWEAR AND SPORTSWEAR Vintage branded crewnecks and bomber jackets get a lot of attention when Daemeon Cage of Remember That’s Vintage posts them on social media.

Bomber jackets, hoodies and active windbreakers are versatile enough for south Louisiana’s range of temps in fall.

COURTESY REMEMBER THAT’S VINTAGE

COURTESY MOXI BOUTIQUE

WHILE LAST YEAR’S sweaters were collecting dust, local boutiques were busy stocking up on fresh fall fashion to carry our closets all the way to wintertime. We sat down with a few shop owners around town to hear about what they’re filling the racks with for the cooler seasons, what’s trending in their stores and what items they’re purchasing to keep in their own closets. Quotes have been edited for clarity and brevity.

COU THATRTESY RE M ’S VIN TAGEEMBER

More trends at men’s and women’s clothing stores

PATTERNS LIKE PLAID AND FLORALS Cage says plaid button-downs and long-sleeved shirts fly off the shelves at his shop. Quilted floral oversized jackets are also hot—“in the style of your cool grandma or LoveShackFancy,” Esquivel says.

B AT O N R O U G E B A L L E T T H E AT R E P R E S E N T S

The nutcracker A Tale from the Bayou

FEATURING THE BATON ROUGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

DECEMBER 16 & 17 • 2 & 6PM

RIVER CENTER THEATRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS PURCHASE TICKETS BEFORE WE SELL OUT!

MEET THE CAST AT THE LAND OF THE SWEETS

nutcracker Tea NOVEMBER 26 • 2PM LOD COOK ALUMNI CENTER PURCHASE TICKETS BEFORE WE SELL OUT!

BATONROUGEBALLET.ORG | 225-766-8379

225batonrouge.com | [225] November 2023

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STYLE //

Reality show

By Olivia Deffes

The designer behind a Perkins Rowe boutique brought a ‘taste of Louisiana’ to this fall’s New York Fashion Week

“Eight of our models were from Louisiana. We had a Louisiana hairstylist, and we brought Louisiana culture.”

—Love My Reality co-owner Crystal Lewis

But her most impressive feat this fall? Debuting her fashion line, Love My Reality, at New York Fashion Week.

The Sept. 8 show at Sony Hall in New York with Runway 7 Production brought exposure to the brand Lewis co-founded over 10 years ago.

The designs, part of her Elevate Collection, featured custom, jeweltoned outfits ranging in sizes and silhouettes. To make the line “extra,” Lewis added large ruffles, jewel accents and long billowing capes to many pieces.

PHOTOS BY CAVER IMAGING / COURTESY LOVE MY REALITY

CRYSTAL LEWIS BALANCES a busy life, and she looks good while doing it. She’s a registered nurse, a recently retired member of the National Guard and a mom to a toddler.

Crystal Lewis runs the brand’s Perkins Rowe shop with her husband, Wayne Lewis.

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[225] November 2023 | 225batonrouge.com

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The Compass is a trademark of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. does not offer tax or legal advice.

Consult with a tax advisor or attorney.

Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser.

Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2023 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

STYLE //

Love My Reality has changed quite a bit since its 2012 launch, when it originally specialized in custom T-shirts with natural hair motifs. Today, Lewis and her husband and co-owner, Wayne Lewis, sell everything from blazers and blouses to jumpsuits and prom dresses from their Perkins Rowe storefront. The boutique started as a pop-up shop in its current space last September.

For her first runway show, Lewis brought Louisiana to the Big Apple. She included embellished Mardi Gras masks with some outfits. Models walked down the stage to bounce music.

And the show concluded with a New Orleans-style second line, complete with colorful napkins and feathery umbrellas.

“Eight of our models were from Louisiana,” she says. “We had a Louisiana hairstylist, and we brought Louisiana culture. …

I feel like we brought a taste of Louisiana to New York. And, they received it really well.”

Though the runway show looked flawless, Lewis recalls that there were quite a few hiccups leading up to the big debut.

She says she had to replace models right before the show, and some were stuck in makeup as the show was starting.

“Everything that could go wrong went wrong,” she says.

But she and her models pushed through, and despite the challenges, Lewis enjoyed watching the show behind the scenes with friends. Seeing her designs on the runway somehow made the vibrant colors pop even more than she could have imagined.

“We were backstage looking at the monitor, and we were just going crazy,” she says. “By the time I came out (on the runway), I was just so excited and ecstatic.

Because it’s one thing to have a vision, and it’s another thing to actually see it come to pass. It was everything that I thought it would be and more.”

Lewis says all of the pieces she designs are for busy women like herself.

“I fell into (fashion) because I wanted pieces that I didn’t have to do too much to,” she says.

She will sometimes tweak a design two to three times before it is ready for the rack.

“If you look at our runway show pieces, you will realize that the pieces are really extra, and the models may only have on a nice earring and a very basic shoe,” she says. “That’s because the piece speaks for itself.”

In the future, the Baton Rouge native plans to participate in other fashion weeks. As she dreams up new styles for her brand, she hopes to foster more support from her hometown.

“Now we are really just working on getting a bigger brand presence online and locally,” she says. “Not even locally. Honestly, worldwide.” lovemyreality.com

SHOP THE BRAND Love My Reality is at 10156 Perkins Rowe, Suite 130. The boutique is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, noon7 p.m. Browse Love My Reality’s website to see available products and find more info about the brand.

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celebrating 100 Years of Service For the past 100 years, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Sisters have gone where they were called.

Our Lady of the Lake opened November 4, 1923, and has grown exponentially since. Our presence includes the Regional Medical Center on Essen Lane, campuses in Walker, Gonzales, North Baton Rouge and Napoleonville, and over 100 clinics throughout our 11-parish region. With more than 650 physicians including more specialists and sub-specialists than any other organization, and over 8,500 team members, we are prepared to serve our community.

Our Lady of the Lake has long been known for bringing the most advanced medical technologies and procedures to the capital region. It was the first in Baton Rouge to perform both heart surgery and open-heart surgery. Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital was the first and continues to provide

the only pediatric emergency room in the greater Baton Rouge area. Our Lady of the Lake was the first, and continues to be the leader, in advanced minimally invasive and robotic surgeries, and the only organization in the region to offer comprehensive treatment and surgery for obesity through its Metamor Metabolic Institute.

We are the only Level I Adult Trauma Center in the region, the only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in our region, Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers, and the only accredited cancer program in Baton Rouge, among many others.

As we look to the future, Our Lady of the Lake will continue to serve our communities by listening, going where we are called and responding to where we are needed most.

I N S I D E : A vegan Thanksgiving

Grub hub

Diving into Soulshine Kitchen & Bar’s late-night vibes

COLLIN RICHIE

Soulshine Kitchen & Bar opened last summer in the Chimes Street neighborhood and caters to a college crowd–most days.

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TA ST E / /

R E S TA U R A N T R E V I E W

Soulshine Kitchen & Bar

BY B E N JA MIN LEG E R // P H OTOS B Y COLLIN R I C H I E About 225’s food critic: Benjamin Leger previously served as managing editor for 225 and was the editor of its Taste section from 2012 to 2021, editing, writing and steering the direction of its food coverage in print and online.

He is passionate about all things food and food journalism, and has written about the greater Baton Rouge area’s cuisine and culture for nearly two decades. soulshinebar.com 144 W. Chimes St. Wednesday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 a.m.

Closed Sunday-Tuesday

I DON’T THINK I know a better corridor for late-night eats in Baton Rouge than the Chimes Street area outside LSU’s North Gates.

You’ve got legendary hangouts like Louie’s Cafe and The Chimes, the original Raising Cane’s, Highland Coffees for a caffeinated study space and Insomnia Cookies for an after-hours sweet tooth fix— just to name a few.

The owners of Soulshine Kitchen & Bar staked out a spot in the coveted neighborhood in summer 2022, initially aiming to share some Southern comfort dishes with the THE BASICS: Owners Danny Wilson, Joe college crowd. The Martin and Bryan Rogers opened Soulshine menu leaned on Kitchen & Bar in July 2022 in the Chimes soul food plates like Street neighborhood. The team began smothered chicken, by offering plenty of soul food favorites, but have since culled down their menu to fried catfish and bar snacks and late-night eats that make it cornbread dressing. primed for the college crowd.

The restaurant soon began hosting WHAT’S A MUST: The thick-cut fries are its Trust Pop-Up nice and crispy, the Joy Burger will quell any after-hours burger craving without dinners and being too mushy or greasy, and the brunches—a chance Smokin’ Wings with strawberry pepper-jelly for co-owner and sauce are great for sharing. chef Danny Wilson to show off his much broader culinary tricks. The menus prompted guests to choose a word, which corresponded to a has narrowed its focus to bar food mystery dish Wilson would whip and late-night staples that might up in the kitchen. be familiar to folks who have tried These pop-up events became Wilson’s cooking at downtown’s a must-try for local foodies. But Brickyard South. they have since become less Think: cheese fries, wings, frequent, and the regular menu burgers and other greasy goodies.

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One midweek evening, my partner and I decided to give that regular menu a try before any hard-partying college crowds arrived.

Besides the alt-rock music coming from the speakers, the

restaurant was relatively quiet.

Wilson was hanging out on the porch with friends, but he readily got the kitchen going for our orders.

From the chalkboard menu near the walkup bar, we chose

TA ST E / /

the Joy Burger with a side of fries, Yakamein and an order of the Smokin’ Wings to share.

The wings starter essentially came with three drumettes and three wings. Ours were slathered with a strawberry pepper-jelly sauce, per Wilson’s emphatic suggestion. Paired with a side of fries, this was practically a meal in itself.

The wings were crispy and juicy, and the sauce was savory-sweet without being too peppery. The fries were thick cut and a roasty golden-brown color—the kind of fries that taste more like comfort food than fast food.

The Joy Burger featured a halfpound of beef, grilled onions, mustard, pickles and American cheese on a toasted bun. The meat was well seasoned and expertly cooked, and the pickles stood out among the condiments for their homemade crunch. Mushy burger buns can be a dealbreaker for me, so I was thankful for Soulshine’s substantial, toasted bun that held its own against the hefty ingredients.

The Joy Burger at Soulshine

My partner remarked that this was the kind of burger you would crave after a night out, and I very much agreed.

Our other entree, though, didn’t get the same praise.

Yakamein, the New Orleansborn noodle dish, is often called the “Old Sober” for being a good hangover cure. It’s a fusion of Asian and Creole cooking, with sauteed shrimp and beef, boiled

egg, green onions and spaghetti noodles in a savory beef broth.

You might find it in Styrofoam cups from a New Orleans street vendor or at events like Jazz Fest, but I’m not sure I’ve seen it in Baton Rouge until now.

Soulshine’s version didn’t have meat, but plenty of spicy seasoned shrimp. The menu board said its base was a “secret broth,” and I fear that secret might just be

salt—tons and tons of salt. I can typically handle salty flavors, but this was so salty, in fact, that two slurps of the dark brown broth were all I could handle.

A good hangover soup should be restorative, not make you worried of a stomach ache later.

I ended up fishing out the tasty shrimp, egg and noodles and left the bowl of broth behind.

Despite that disappointment, I still left feeling like Soulshine got something right.

The burger, wings and fries were all spot on. The vibe proudly reps the ’90s era of grunge and neo-hippie rock in a way that’s inviting, casual and nostalgic. It’s clear the restaurant has found a sweet spot, catering to what North Gates’ visitors want from a Chimes Street dive.

And in late October, the Trust Pop-Up dinners resumed—giving those of us who are past our latenight days another opportunity to savor Wilson’s straight-from-thesoul cooking.

IN RIDGELAND

This holiday season, tackle all of your gift shopping with a weekend getaway to Ridgeland.

Choose from 17 hotels, 150+ restaurants, and an array of shopping in this small vibrant town with big city vibes.

Book your next visit to Ridgeland at www.visitridgeland.com/wrapit

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TA ST E / /

On the menu • Homemade Cashew Cream • Plant-based Cream Spinach • Vegan Butternut Squash and Corn Gratin Recipes by Tracey Koch

For an additional recipe for these Scalloped Potatoes with Cashew Cream and Nutmeg, head to 225batonrouge.com/recipes.

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Issue Date: Nov 2023 Ad proof #4 TA ST E / /

• Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

DINING IN

New roots

Making holiday classics plant based

BY TRACE Y KOCH // P H OTOS B Y A M Y S H UT T

I HAVE WRITTEN countless holiday recipes, and many are for one of my favorite parts of the spread: the sides. These decadent, calorie-dense dishes like creamed spinach, scalloped potatoes and corn pudding filled with cream and butter, served straight from the oven all hot and bubbly, are simply irresistible to me.

However, the older I get, the more I realize how I feel after eating these types of foods. So I began researching how to convert some of my favorite recipes to plant-based versions.

Believe me, I am not prepared to completely cut out meat and dairy, but after looking at the positives of introducing more

plant-based dishes into my diet, I decided it was time to adjust my habits a bit.

Up until recently, vegan recipes could be challenging to find, and even more of a challenge to prepare. Thankfully, as plantbased foods have come more in the culinary forefront, their taste and textures have greatly improved.

This month, I altered a few holiday sides into healthier, plantbased versions using my new favorite ingredient, homemade cashew cream. These converted recipes are every bit as delicious as the originals, and I’m excited to serve updated classics to my family and friends this year.

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Homemade Cashew Cream A great non-dairy alternative to heavy cream, cashew cream has a similarly mild flavor and rich texture to its milk-based counterpart. Like heavy cream, cashew cream is also a high-calorie high-fat food, but it is a more complete source of nutrition, pulling its fat and calories from protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats—unlike heavy cream, where all of the calories come from pure fat. Cashew cream is very easy to make at home using just a few simple ingredients, and it can be added into pretty much any recipe in place of heavy cream. It works well in pasta, soups, potatoes and casseroles. It can be used in sweet dishes as well, and when diluted in a little water and strained, it is great in coffee or cereal in place of coffee creamer and milk.

Yields 4 cups 3 cups raw cashews ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt 1 ½ to 2 cups purified water

1. Place the raw cashews into a large

bowl and cover them completely with water. Soak the cashews for 1 hour, then drain and rinse.

2. Place the soaked cashews into the bowl of a food processor or blender.

Add in the salt and then turn it on to puree.

3. With the motor running, add in the purified water and continue pureeing for 1 minute. Turn off the motor and scrape down the sides. Turn the motor back on and puree another 30 seconds to 1 minute or until the cashew cream is smooth and creamy.

The cashew cream should have a thick consistency, resembling sour cream or Greek yogurt.

4. Pour the cashew cream into a

4-quart container with an airtight lid.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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TA ST E / /

Plant-based Cream Spinach The dishes I chose to convert into plant-based or vegan dishes are some of my favorite holiday sides. All of these dishes are easy to make, can be made in advance and are the epitome of the decadent, savory sides we all love to have at our holiday spread.

The plant-based cream spinach is as rich and creamy as its original version—and could be a great addition to meals outside of the holiday season, too.

Serves 6 32 ounces frozen chopped spinach 3 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon chopped garlic ¼ cup chopped pickled jalapenos 1 cup cashew cream 2 cups water 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon fresh black pepper 2 teaspoons hot sauce

54

1. Thaw the frozen spinach, drain it and squeeze out the excess liquid.

2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet

and add in the chopped onions.

Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Fold in the chopped garlic and continue cooking for another 15 to 20 seconds.

Stir in the chopped pickled jalapenos.

3. Add in the spinach and stir to

incorporate the onion and garlic throughout the spinach. Fold in the cashew cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer as the spinach thickens.

4. Pour in the water and stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add in the salt, pepper and hot sauce. Bring the creamed spinach back to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour into a serving dish and serve.

This dish can be made a day or two in advance.

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TA ST E / /

Vegan Butternut Squash and Corn Gratin This veggie-packed gratin is hearty enough to be served as a main dish. It is full of protein from the cashew cream, along with carbohydrates and vitamins from the butternut squash and corn. It is an exceptional blend of tastes and textures that will keep you full and satisfied without weighing you down.

Serves 6 3 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup chopped onion ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon Creole seasoning ¼ teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 16 ounces butternut squash cut into cubes (Can substitute sweet potatoes) 2 ½ cups water 2 cups frozen corn 1 cup cashew cream

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. In a large

skillet, warm the olive oil and sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add in the salt, pepper, Creole

seasoning, thyme, paprika and butternut squash. Stir well and then add in the water. Cover and bring the squash mixture to a simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Remove the cover, add in the corn

and continue simmering for another 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Fold in the cup of cashew cream and stir until all is smooth and creamy. Brush a 6-cup casserole dish with a little olive oil, and spoon the squash mixture into the dish. Top the gratin with the panko topping (recipe follows) and bake in the heated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the sides are bubbling. If making this ahead of time, cover and chill, and top with panko topping when ready to bake.

FOR PANKO TOPPING: 1 cup plain panko breadcrumbs 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil ¼ teaspoon Creole seasoning

1. Combine the breadcrumbs with the olive oil and seasoning.

2. Stir until well combined. Sprinkle

over the squash and corn gratin before baking.

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BEST PRICES OF THE YEAR

ON ALL PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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• Live Music • Food • Giveaways! • Cocktails STAY TUNED IN WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SPECIALS!

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S P EC I A L A D VER TI S I N G S EC TI O N

The ultimate guide to happy hour vibes, signature cocktails, bar bites, holiday specials and more in the Capital City.

Bot toms up!

Sponsored by:

LOOK FOR THESE ICONS TO SEE WHAT YOUR FAVORITE BAR HAS TO OFFER

Happy Hour Food Available

Live Music

Dog Friendly

Patio Seating Available

Mocktails Available

Holiday Drinks

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swig

Take a at happy hour!

sip on this: We’ve moved!

New Baton Rouge location at 7415 Corporate Blvd. Suite 920 in Towne Center.

Expanded Bar Area Outdoor Patio Seating Open-Flame Rotisserie Frozen Cocktails

Complimentary valet parking.

happy hour specials: MON – FRI • 11AM – 6:30PM

SAT – SUN • 11AM – 5PM

• $1 off ALL beers • $2 off specialty cocktails • Glass and a Half of Wine –

• $1 off ALL beers • $7 Bellinis &

All wines by the glass, the extra half glass is on us

Tito’s Bloody Mary

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SUPERIOR BAR & GRILL - HIGHLAND

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Monday-Sunday, 3-6:30 p.m.

2 for 1 Margaritas, mixed drinks & draft beer $4 glasses of house wine

WEEKLY SPECIALS Every Day: 130+ Tequilas, 20+ Mezcals Saturday: Brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sunday: Brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

SIP ON THIS Superior is consistently rated as one of Louisiana’s best Mexican restaurants since 1983 when our first establishment opened. Our Highland Road location opened in 2017 and is a landmark serving fine quality foods in a festive Mexican atmosphere. It’s the place to be for happy hour, birthdays, office parties, Game Day, and any kind of celebration!

View our cocktail menu

Paloma and Lost in Oaxaca

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ELSIE’S PLATE & PIE

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m.

Half off craft bottles and cans, Alias house wines, and signature cocktails

WEEKLY SPECIALS Saturday-Sunday: Brunch, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

SIP ON THIS While known for their variety of homemade sweet and savory pies, Elsie’s bar is your go-to Mid City spot for delicious drinks made with fresh, local ingredients. Grab a spot at the bar for appetizers, cocktails and of course, a slice of your favorite Elsie’s pie— made daily in-house.

View our cocktail menu

Fur Coat Ken, Bautumn’s Up, Le Tigre Spritz

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PIZZA ART WINE

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday, 5-9 p.m.

WEEKLY SPECIALS

Tuesday: Select bottles of wine half off all day Wednesday: Live music Thursday: Live music Friday: Live music Saturday: Brunch; Live music from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Sunday: Brunch

SIP ON THIS Guests usually come for the pizza and stay for the wine, as our wine selection takes visitors on a journey through lush vineyards in the European countryside. This is the perfect spot for foodies, art lovers, and wine connoisseurs who want to take a break from their daily routine and immerse themselves in gastronomic heaven!

View our cocktail menu

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Issue Date: Nov 2023 Ad proof #1 • Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. S P EC I A L A D VER TI S I N G S EC TI O N Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 View our cocktail menu

THE GREGORY TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Whether you’re with friends, family or co-workers, The Gregory, housed at the Watermark Hotel downtown, has delicious happy hour specials 7 days a week, 2-7 p.m.

SPECIALS Our happy hour specials include:

$5 domestic draft beers, $6 house wines, $10 martinis, French 75, and Sazerac, $10 Bar Bites menu, $15 charcuterie board, and $99 Premium wine list. * Complimentary valet when dining in

Issue Date: Nov 2023 Ad proof #4 • Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

Market Mule, Petit Fleur, Speakeasy • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

thegregorybr.com

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 View our cocktail menu

TALLULAH CRAFTED FOOD & WINE BAR Margarita de Pomme, El Tigre, Lula Ale

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-6p.m.

SIP ON THIS Tallulah is housed in the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel. Check out our menu for delicious bar bites and try one of our many signature cocktails, such as the Fleur de Lis, El Tigre, The Garden District, All Kale the Queen, Louis-Banana and Margarita de Pomme.

Tallulahrestaurant.com

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PROVERBIAL WINE BISTRO

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Tuesday-Friday, 2-6 p.m.

Half price wine by the glass Half off beer

WEEKLY SPECIALS Daily: Smoked cocktails (guests may select from 6 different types of wood)

SIP ON THIS Proverbial Wine Bistro cultivates the feel of your favorite vineyard combined with your favorite restaurant. It thrills the senses with inspired dishes made from scratch in our kitchen, a warm and inviting atmosphere, and wines that appeal to every palate. As the holidays approach, consider booking us as a venue for your next event!

View our cocktail menu

Aperol Spritz

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SOJI & LOTUS LOUNGE

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Tuesday-Sunday, 5-7 p.m.

$7 cocktails, $3 beers, $5 Soji Bombs, $7 glasses of wine and champagne

WEEKLY SPECIALS Wednesday: Wine Down Wednesdays offer half-off select bottles of wine and sake Thursday: Girls Night Out! $25 choice of an appetizer, sushi roll and specialty cocktail

SIP ON THIS Tucked away inside of Soji: Modern Asian, Lotus Lounge is a tropical paradise and premier destination for Hawaiian-inspired tiki cocktails. In ancient Chinese, “Soji” means “a gathering of people.” The name refers to the belief that the best memories in life are experienced through food and drink shared among family and friends.

View our cocktail menu

Painkiller

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LIBRARY WINE & PROVISIONS

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR We call it “Social Hour” Tuesday-Friday, 4:30-6 p.m.

(Closed Sunday & Monday)

WEEKLY SPECIALS We offer a select “small plates” menu with special cocktails and a weekly selection of 3 wines, red or white. The drink featured here is called Dark Harvest. It’s made with Anejo Tequila, pumpkin liquor, black walnut bitters, apple cider, and lemon rind syrup.

SIP ON THIS Library Wine & Provisions is a wine-centric restaurant with a sophisticated ambiance and the largest wine list around. Step inside and enjoy our fresh and distinct menu in a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. We are located in Ascension Parish, nestled in front of the Conway Development in Gonzales. We are planning some holiday specials, so stay tuned!

View our cocktail menu

Dark Harvest

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GOV’T TACO

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Tuesday-Saturday, 3-6 p.m.

All Day Thursday

WEEKLY SPECIALS Specials every day: From 3 to 6 pm., half off Speaker of the House Margaritas, draft beer and wine, government-issued cocktails, and $2 off Taquitos, Yucca Vote and Mt. Clucksmore.

SIP ON THIS We serve the most unique tacos in the Baton Rouge area, with quirky menu items based on American government and politics. Customer favorites include the Magna Carrot and Operation: Mudbug taco, but the menu also includes quesadillas, brunch items and happy hour snacks. Our bar focuses on local craft beers and specialty cocktails. We were named Best New Restaurant by 225 Magazine and we’re a 5-time winner in the “Best Taco” category of the magazine’s annual “Best of 225” issue.

Spicy Margarita

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View our cocktail menu

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BURGERSMITH

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Monday-Friday, 4-6 p.m.

1/2 price beer, wine & cocktails

Sundays (all day)

$10 bottomless Mimosas $4 JT Meleck Bloody Marys & Screwdrivers

WEEKLY SPECIALS Monday-Friday, 4-6 p.m.

$3 hot dogs $2 side fries Monday: Kids eat free! With the purchase of any adult sandwich, kids age 12 and under receive a free kids meal.

Tuesday: Trivia Night at the Highland/Perkins location

SIP ON THIS At Burgersmith, we are known for our incredibly delicious handcrafted burgers, but we also offer a variety of drinks to complement everything on our menu. We work closely with local vendors from across the state, especially local breweries and distilleries. Try our latest collaboration with Sugarfield Vodka, the official vodka of LSU athletics. The TIGER BAIT is a custom cocktail made with Sugarfield Purple Vodka, fresh squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup.

View our cocktail menu

Tiger Bait

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RUFFINO’S RESTAURANT

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Fridays, 2-6 p.m.

Half-price beer, wine, and cocktails

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL To celebrate Ruffino’s 25th anniversary, we are featuring a special cocktail called the “Sesantotto Sour.”

SIP ON THIS Pronounced Se-san-toto, this play on the whiskey sour was named in honor of Ruffino’s founder, Ruffin Rodrigue. It means 68 in Italian and was the number Ruffin wore when he played football for LSU. The Sesantotto contains Caravedo Pisco Puro Quebranta, fresh lemon and lime juice, monin hibiscus, egg white, and Angostura bitters—providing floral notes with an intense bite.

View our cocktail menu

Sesantotto Sour (25th Anniversary Special)

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MAMI’S MEXICAN

TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR Tuesday-Friday, 3-6 p.m.

WEEKLY SPECIALS S'mores Cocktail with Graham Cracker Rim

Monday: Two-for-one margaritas and beer specials Tuesday: Taco Tuesday ($2.99 tacos all day) Wednesday: Kids Arts and crafts 6-8 p.m ($2 kids meal with an adult entrée) Thursday: Ladies Night (FREE small margarita with entrée) Friday: Live music, 6-9 p.m.

SIP ON THIS Beyond delicious! Enjoy the extraordinary flavor of freshly homemade Tex-Mex cuisine and pair your meal with one of our many flavored margaritas, such as strawberry, mango, peach, watermelon, green apple, or raspberry. Some of our unique drinks include Ranch Water, Tequila Flight, or our Pink Mami, a dragon fruit margarita freshly made on the rocks with premium tequila.

View our cocktail menu

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I N S I D E : Downtown’s decades’ old holiday scene / Arts and music events

Spring in their

steps

In Baton Rouge’s Black fraternities and sororities, students communicate through the art form stepping

BY MAGGIE HE Y N R I C H A R D S O N PHOTOS B Y COLLIN R IC H IE

225batonrouge.com | [225] November 2023

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C U LT U R E / /

S

OUTHERN UNIVERSITY SENIOR and criminal justice major Kamani Cannon dreams of becoming an officer with the Atlanta Police Department after graduation next spring. But on a balmy night in September, the Los Angeles native is only thinking about dance moves.

Cannon stands in formation with fellow Zeta Phi Beta sorority sisters Mackenzie Knight and Jasmine Brooks in the common room at the Zeta house. The Harding Boulevard location is one of the spots where the trio has been rehearsing since August.

During Southern’s annual Homecoming Greek Step Show, fraternities and sororities vie for top honors in the century-old percussive dance form stepping.

Homecoming’s top two sororities and fraternities will progress to the Bayou Classic Greek Show on

72

Nov. 24 to compete against Grambling State University. The Zetas will ultimately place second— but tonight, they are at work on a Hunger Games-themed routine for the October event.

Knight, 20, tees things up with a loud and clear call that goes, “Z., Phi. Z., Phi, B. Step!,” a cousin to cheerleading’s “Ready, OK!” Then, tightly choreographed moves commence. The friends stomp combat boot-clad feet, clap their hands (sometimes under aloft knees) and move in a quick syncopated rhythm.

In some cases, they’re executing steps performed across the decades

by Zeta Phi Beta, one of the historic Black sororities and fraternities known nationally as the “Divine Nine.” Zeta was founded at Howard University in 1920 and has chapters at Southern and LSU. It was the first sorority to be chartered on Southern’s campus.

[225] November 2023 | 225batonrouge.com

Stepping is a cultural touchstone for Black Greek organizations nationwide and is a source of pride, joy and bragging rights, says Southern University Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Engagement Winton Anderson.

The genre stems from African American folk dance traditions that create rhythms using the body, rather than drums—signaling the confiscation of musical instruments by slave owners.

Anderson says Southern’s Homecoming Greek Step Show is

an iconic gathering, drawing scores of students, alumni and family members to the F.G. Clark Activity Center. A record-breaking crowd of nearly 4,000 attended in 2022.

“Stepping is a symbol of unity,” Anderson says. “When we see a group able to move in sync like that, it’s indicative of what is happening in these organizations, which are all about standing together.”

Each Greek organization creates a routine for the homecoming show. Brooks, a senior from Little

DIGITS

4,000 Approximate attendees at the 2022 Homecoming Greek Step Show at Southern—a record-breaking crowd. The top two sororities and fraternities from the October 2023 homecoming show will progress to the Bayou Classic Greek Show this month to compete against Grambling State University.

C U LT U R E / /

Rock, says the Zetas’ number is composed of four segments, representing the sorority’s principles of scholarship, service, sisterhood and finer womanhood.

“We did a lot of research and looked up Zeta steps to see how it would fit into our theme,” she says.

Indeed, it’s not unusual for Greek organizations to plumb their histories for moves, sorority advisor Nakeisha Robertson Cleveland says. The Baton Rouge health care administrator is a Zeta and LSU alum who stepped in college in the early ’90s. She says Zetas are known for a particular style.

“Zetas always do more stepping and less dancing,” Cleveland says. “The moves really connect ‘soros’ (members) from all over the country.”

That’s something the three friends may soon experience firsthand. Cannon and Brooks are both seniors for whom stepping will soon be a fond memory.

But for now, the moves are what matters.

Z., Phi. Z., Phi, B. Step!

Bayou Classic Greek Show Nov. 24, 6 p.m.

Southern University students and Zeta Phi Beta sorority sisters Mackenzie Knight, Kamani Cannon and Jasmine Brooks practice stepping ahead of this year’s Homecoming Greek Step Show. Zeta placed second at the Oct. 13 show, behind firstplace sorority Sigma Gamma Rho. Southern’s Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi chapters were the first- and second-place fraternities, respectively.

The top two sororities and fraternities from SU's Oct. 13 Homecoming Step Show head to the Bayou Classic Greek Show this month—including Zeta Phi Beta.

They'll compete against squads from Grambling State University.

The annual show takes place at the Caesars Superdome the Friday evening before the Saturday football game and is a beloved part of the festivities. my bayouclassic.com

Spend the holidays with your Holiday Brass at Our Lady of Mercy November 30 at 7:30 PM

Home for the Holidays River Center Theater December 9 at 2 PM

Holiday Brass at Hemingbough December 1 at 7:30 PM Holiday Brass at Houmas House December 3 at 4:30 PM

For more information or to book tickets: BRSO.org or 225-383-0500

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C U LT U R E / /

All of the lights The making of the Festival of Lights: How downtown’s snowy, firework-studded holiday display comes together ON THE FIRST Friday of December, downtown Baton Rouge lights up at the touch of a button.

One of the city’s oldest annual holiday events, the Festival of Lights transforms downtown into a winter wonderland.

“It’s just a good time to be with your community and celebrate the Christmas season together,” Downtown Development District Executive Director Whitney Hoffman Sayal says.

The DDD works with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge to ensure this tradition is kept consistent over the years.

“A lot of things have stayed the same because it’s a tradition for families,” DDD Assistant Executive Director Casey Tate says. “There are

probably three generations of families that have experienced the way the countdown works at the same time each year. So we try to keep with the same conditions but also adding new elements each year.”

But it takes months and months of planning to pull off the dazzling display. This year, Tate, Sayal and Arts Council Executive Vice President Jonathan Grimes debriefed back in February.

They reviewed last year’s event: what worked and what didn’t, the traditions they wanted to uphold and the areas to make changes. Then, the Arts Council got to work finding talent for the big night, like bands, choirs and a jolly Santa and Mrs. Claus. By March and April, ideas were

drawn and invitations were drafted so that a solid plan was in place by June.

The festival’s light displays are also planned in advance. Lights are strung as early as October to ensure the 250,000-plus twinkling bulbs are perfectly placed along the Downtown Greenway before the big day. Tree trunks are wrapped in glowing strands, and light-up stars are hung from branches.

“There are a lot of moving parts,” Grimes says.

“It’s a massive undertaking.”

The careful planning pays off on the big night: Downtown is illuminated, carols are sung and holiday cheer is shared.

—OLIVIA DEFFES

Dec. 1, 2023

Here’s a timeline of the evening. Check artsbr.org for the most up-to-date schedule before making plans.

4 P.M.

6:20 P.M.

4 P.M. Icy attractions open

Inside the Snow Village, children ages 5 to 15 can play in 10 tons of real snow. Four machines shave ice blocks into fluffy snow, just like a snoball machine.

Parents can watch the icy action from an observation area. And you don’t have to travel to Rockefeller Center to have an outdoor ice skating experience.

Frozen flooring is assembled on the first floor of the River Center Plaza. Both are open until 8 p.m. Be sure to start your holiday shopping at the Artist Village, with displays from 20 local artists and makers.

6:20 P.M. Countdown to tree lighting and fireworks

Mayor Sharon Weston Broome leads a countdown to the tree lighting and a 90-second fireworks show.

6:40 P.M.

ALL NIGHT 6:40 P.M.

Santa arrives

Right after the tree lighting and fireworks, Santa and his better half appear via firetruck. The famous duo will join Mayor Broome to welcome in the holiday season and greet the audience before being escorted off stage to get back to the North Pole.

ALL NIGHT PHO ISTO TOS F CK A ROM T ND 225 HE DD ARC D, HIVE S

Other events around downtown

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Stroll through the neighborhood to see businesses’ decorations and community performances, including a show by The Soul Jukeboxx and friends. Shop at local stores, and grab a bite or drink from the many restaurants and bars. Visit the downtown churches to see live nativity scenes and holiday pageants.

C U LT U R E / /

ARTS BEST BETS

MUSIC BEST BETS

NOV. 5 Search your closet for all the pink outfits and get ready for a fetch performance of Mean Girls at the Raising Cane’s River Center. The Broadway in Baton Rouge musical follows the story of the 2004 cult film of the same name written by Tina Fey. Follow Cady Heron, Damien Hubbard and Janis Sarkisian as they devise a plan to get back at the school’s mean girl clique, The Plastics. raisingcanesrivercenter.com

ALL MONTH Find your dancing shoes and get ready to travel back to past decades at 13 Social’s weekly listening parties. These parties allow patrons to mingle with others in the community who share the same musical tastes. The listening parties also feature drink specials. The Third Street bar will be taking it back from the 2000s to the 1970s every Sunday in November.

13social.com

NOV. 10-12 + 16-19 Celebrate the seasons of love with a performance of the Tony Award-winning Rent by the Theatre Baton Rouge cast. This moving musical centers around friends living in New York City as they try to navigate life during the AIDS epidemic. theatrebr.org NOV. 11 Witness the work of local artists and get up close with wild animals at the Baton Rouge Zoo’s first-ever Art for Animals Festival and Exhibition. This inaugural event features an art exhibit, live demonstrations, wildlife info sessions and much more. There will also be a silent auction where visitors can bid on art on display.

All proceeds will go toward conservation initiatives and research. brzoo.org

COURTESY L’AUBERGE

NOV. 10 Better Than Ezra will rock the lawn at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel with a lively show. Formed in 1988 while the band members attended LSU, Better Than Ezra is no stranger to performing in Baton Rouge. Get ready to hear the band’s most popular songs like “Good” and “King of New Orleans.” lbatonrouge.com

COURTESY RAISING CANE’S RIVER CENTER

NOV. 10 Country singer Ernest brings his Nashville flair to Baton Rouge when he takes the stage at The Texas Club. Known for writing songs for country artists like Jake Owen and Florida Georgia Line, Ernest will perform his own solo music with songs like “Flower Shops” and “Miss That Girl.” thetexasclub.com

NOV. 15 The Arts Council and River City Jazz Coalition’s River City Jazz Masters series continues this month with a magical display of Disney classics. When You Wish Upon a Star celebrates 100 years of Disney through lively jazz performances. artsbr.org

NOV. 15 Breaux Bridge native Hunter Hayes returns home to Louisiana for a show at Chelsea’s Live. Watch as the country singer belts out all his hits like “Wanted” and “Storm Warning.” chelseaslive.com

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Issue Date: NOV 2023 Ad proof #1 • Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

CALENDAR //

Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2023. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700

ompiled b y Olivia Deff es

All month

ICE, ICE BABY! Don’t miss a chance to see the puck drop at the Raising Cane’s River Center this month. Baton Rouge Zydeco Hockey glides into its inaugural season with icy battles against opposing teams like the Port Huron Prowlers and the Columbus River Dragons. Layer up for all the cool action. brprohockey.com

COURTESY BATON ROUGE ZYDECO

Holiday pping S hoSTARTS NOW

November

Where play aro to Baton R und o this monuge th C

ONE MORE FRIGHT Halloween may be over, but the 13th Gate Haunted House isn’t quite finished scaring. During the attraction’s Flashlight Fright Nights, it turns off all the lights.

Attendees are given dim, finger flashlights to help them navigate through the darkness while ghoulish characters roam in the shadows. Scaredy cats beware! 13thgate.com

COLLIN RICHIE

3+4

5

EN S

GARDEN PARTY Though we all think of flowers blooming in the spring, the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens also has a rose bloom in the fall.

Hosted by the Friends of the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden, the Wine and Roses Rambler allows attendees to stroll through the rose blooms and try food and wine pairings from local restaurants and caterers like MJ’s Cafe, Rocca Pizzeria, Stroubes Seafood and Steaks, and Ashley Manor Catering. lsu.edu/botanic-gardens

R GA

D

COUR R BO TESY LSU AGCENTE

C NI TA

ON THE ROAD

Corporate Blvd at Jefferson • 225.925.2344 townecenteratcedarlodge.com •

NEW ORLEANS

NOV. 2-12: 34th Annual New Orleans Film Festival, neworleansfilmsociety.org NOV. 19: Oak Street Po Boy Festival, poboyfest.com NOV. 25: Bayou Classic, mybayouclassic.com

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CALENDAR //

ALSO THIS MONTH

5

TAYLOR MORAN

PUPS AND PINTS Raise a glass to help out animals in need at this year’s Cap City Beer Fest benefiting Companion Animal Alliance. This downtown afternoon event invites attendees (and their furry friends) to enjoy unlimited tastings of beers from Louisiana breweries and beyond. There will also be local food trucks onsite and DJs spinning tracks. capcitybeerfest.org

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FOLLOW THE LIGHTS Meet Baton Rouge artists and see the Government Street corridor light up for Mid-City Merchants’ annual White Light Night. Follow the twinkling lights through the bustling neighborhood to find makers and vendors. There will be live music, and area restaurants will stay open late for the event. midcitymerchantsbr.org

ALL MONTH Walk through a luxurydesigned home in Goodwood Estates for the Flower Magazine Baton Rouge Showhouse event. National publication Flower Magazine will welcome 15 interior designers into the 6,000-square-foot home to decorate. There will also be fabulous floral displays set around the home. flowermag.com NOV. 16 Presented by the Friends of the LSU Rural Life Museum, the Red Rooster Bash is a relaxed event focusing on good food and good music. The event centers around barbecue fare, and this year, the museum has worked with Unleaded BBQ to come up with a selection of savory samples and cocktail pairings. Guests are encouraged to eat and dance the night away as ‘60s tribute band The Remnants performs. lsu.edu/rurallife NOV. 23 Lace up your shoes and start Thanksgiving Day with some outdoor exercise at this year’s Turkey Trot. This active morning offers a 5K run/ walk and 1-mile fun run/walk, so anyone can participate before gobbling up delicious treats the rest of the day. turkeytrotbr.com

NOV 5 | 2:00PM SCHOOL SHOWTIMES: NOV 3 | 9:30AM & 11:30AM

NOV 12 | 2:00PM SCHOOL SHOWTIMES: NOV 13 | 9:30AM & 11:30AM Co Production with the Arts Council of Baton Rouge

A Jazz Tribute

NOV 15

to

SCHOOL SHOWTIME:

NOV 16 | 10:00AM

of Disney

MORE EVENTS Subscribe to our newsletter 225 Daily for our twice-weekly roundups of events.

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ACADIANA

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NOV. 4 + 5: Abbeville Giant Omelette Celebration, giantomelette.org

NOV 17 7:30PM FOR TICKETS: MANSHIPTHEATRE.ORG • 225-344-0334

NOV. 16: Chris Stapleton, cajundome.com NOV. 27: The Book of Mormon, heymanncenter.com 225batonrouge.com | [225] November 2023

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FRAMED //

In every issue of 225, you’ll find a free print on this page. FRAMED celebrates life and art in Baton Rouge, each one featuring a local photographer, place or graphic designer. Cut it out to hang in your cubicle, or frame it for your home gallery wall. Show us where you hang them by tagging them on social media with #225prints.

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[225] November 2023 | 225batonrouge.com

BY LAURA W TAYLOR ART / laurawtaylor.com GET FEATURED We love spotlighting local photographers, artists and designers for this page! Shoot us an email at editor@225batonrouge.com to chat about being featured.

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