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F E AT U R E

2026 HEALTH & WELLNESS GUIDE

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JOE MUSTACHIA 2026 HEALTH & WELLNESS GUIDE KREWE OF DIVAS INSIDEPUB.COM INSIDEPUB.com

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CONTENTS

J AN UA RY-FE BRUA RY 2026

DEPARTMENTS

COVER ARTIST

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THE RHYTHM OF THE CITY Joe Mustachia

PUB NOTE

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INSIDE SCOOP

50

GENEROUS HEARTS Highlighting Philanthropy on the Northshore

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BIG BAD BOOT

53

WEDDING

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PEEK Heroes Who Cook Habitat for Humanity You Fundraising Event

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2026 H E A LT H & WELLNESS

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FEATURE Northshore Mardi Gras

EAT & DRINK LAST LOOK

FEATURES

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FEATURE Krewe of DIVAS

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FEATURE Preventative Care Checklist

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FEATURE Lightening the Mental Load

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FEATURE Best Books of 2025

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INSIDE NORTHSIDE is published bi-monthly (January, March, May, July, September, November) by Working Presses, LLC, 29092 Krentel Road, Lacombe, LA 70445 as a means of communication and information for St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parishes, Louisiana. Bulk Postage paid at Mandeville, LA. Copy­right ©2023 by Working Presses, LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent of publisher. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and artwork.

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

J

anuary likes to present itself as a reset. We get clean slates and fresh starts.

A collective agreement that this will be our year, and it starts with a great January! But here in Louisiana, January also arrives with a complication.

Mardi Gras.

We start the year talking about balance. Drinking more water and less alcohol.

Going to bed at a reasonable hour. Dedicating ourselves to the new rower or balance board or pilates class we got for Christmas. Protecting our energy.

And then the beads appear.

Suddenly there is a king cake on every counter and a social calendar suggesting rest is optional.

Burnout, unfortunately, does not care about tradition. It is a real physiological response to prolonged stress, and by January many of us are already carrying it.

Parents feel it after weeks of managing heightened expectations. Professionals feel it as inboxes refill overnight. Children feel it too, even when they lack the language to name it. Add celebration on top of exhaustion and things get festive, but also a little fragile.

That is why health and wellness matter, especially now. Mental health and physical health are not separate pursuits. They are in constant conversation, whether we acknowledge it or not. Chronic stress affects sleep, immunity, focus, and emotional regulation. So yes, enjoy the parade. But also hydrate. Eat something that did not come in a box with purple frosting. Consider leaving before the last float. Mardi Gras will forgive you.

As the season unfolds, may we recognize the weight we are all carrying and meet it with kindness. Extend grace freely. To your children. To your coworkers.

To yourself. And may this new year, beads and all, be healthy and happy!

Inside Northside Publisher

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INSIDE NORTHSIDE JAN UARY- FEBRUA RY | V O L. 42 , NO . 1

PUBLISHER DESIREE FORSYTH desiree@insidepub.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES SALES DIRECTOR

PEM M I E SH E A S BY pemmie@insidepub.com

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR MARGARET RIVERA margaret@insidepub.com

ARTIST

J OE MUSTAC HI A Page 12 $

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JOE MUSTACHIA

JA N UA R Y- F E B R UA R Y | VO L . 41, N O. 1

F E AT U R E

2026 HEALTH & WELLNESS GUIDE

F E AT U R E

K R E W E O F D I VA S

BUSINESS MANAGER JANE QUILLIN jane@insidepub.com

ST EPH A NI E RO B E RTS O N stephanie@insidepub.com CA SI E RU N G crung@insidepub.com

ON THE COVER

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CONTRIBUTORS

Our contributors give Inside Northside its voice, its personality and its feel. We are proud to highlight a few of them so that you can put a face with a name and get to know them.

ERIN COWSER

Erin M. Cowser is a triple threat on the Northshore, having lived and worked in St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes with forays across the Causeway and to the State Capitol, too. With a professional career spanning from strategic communications and governmental affairs to public policy and media relations, Erin is at her best when curating relationships and forging collaborations. She and her daughter Eliza Kate share their downtown Hammond home with Priscilla Louise aka “Silly,” the sweetest and most exhaustingly energetic hybrid breed pup ever.

MIMI GREENWO OD KNIGHT

Mimi blinked and her four kids were grown. She and her husband, David, are emptynesting it on a hobby farm in Folsom where she’s attempting to teach herself gardening, beekeeping, chicken wrangling, foraging, canning, and most recently herbalism. Mimi is blessed to have thousands of articles, essays, and Christian devotionals in national and regional books and magazine.

EDITORAL CONTRIBUTORS Cayman Clevenger, Karen B. Gibbs, Joshua Johnson, Kati LeBreton, Eric McVicker, Northshore Community Foundation, and Visit the Northshore

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JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 11

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Joe Mustachia:

The Rhythm of a City

By: Cayman Clevenger Photos By: Joshua Johnson

A

pair of chopsticks cracks open, a splash of acrylic paint meets a brilliant purple pigment in a clear cup, and an expert hand mixes and splatters the paint to the beat of a drum playing in the background of a garage-turned-studio in Watson, Louisiana. It’s rhythm. It’s pulse. It’s movement caught in the split second before it becomes something else entirely.

Mustachia’s studio is alive with color. Hundreds of brightly colored cups, each with chopsticks, dowel rods, or paintbrushes mixed to perfection, sit at the ready. Beneath it all, an accidental masterpiece, a simple canvas tarp catching the gestures too bold and expressive to remain on the canvas, protecting the floor of the humble garage studio where masterpieces are made.

In a city where sound and color have always been inseparable partners, Joe Mustachia paints in the language of New Orleans itself. Channeling the beats of the city, he creates a symphony of splatters that turn chaotic motion into abstract clarity. He is, above all, a master of controlled 12 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

JOE MUSTACHIA: THE RHYTHM OF A CITY

chaos. His canvases vibrate with drips, splatters, arcs, and gestures, each layer adding texture, character, and leaving a window into the process of thrown and splattered paint.

Mustachia didn’t set out to be a professional artist. He minored in art at the University of New Orleans before dropping out to pursue a career in landscaping. He built a lawn-mowing business that grew into a mower supply company in Chalmette, until Katrina took everything and forced him to rebuild elsewhere.

Eventually he settled in Watson, about 45 minutes from Baton Rouge. The passing of a beloved family pet pulled him back to painting and led to his brother-in-law commissioning a painting of a can of Blue Runner beans.

As he contemplated turning art into a full-time career, Mustachia watched a documentary on Jackson Pollock. Pollock’s dripping, flinging, and layering techniques left him fascinated.

Drawn to the rhythmic spontaneity yet seeking something more precise: shaped by years of running a business and playing chess, he began to experiment with movement, color, and control.

The earliest pieces were true experiments: What happens if paint falls here? What if this is layered over that? What if the movement of the arm is as important as the color itself? In that flurry of tests, failures, and near-miracles, Mustachia became one of the rare contemporary artists to develop a style entirely his own. His unique visual language is immediately recognizable from

COVER ARTIST

across a room and capable of stopping onlookers in their tracks.

His paintings live in the space between abstraction and figuration. Up close, the eye sees splatter. But from a distance, a choreography of color resolves into form. Each line is a beat. Each burst of color, a chord.

Like a composer, or a chess master, Mustachia thinks several moves ahead, orchestrating every gesture with intention.

What emerges is a visual music that feels like a brass band composing its own music, like rain hitting wrought iron balconies, like the kinetic swirl of the city that raised him.

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Born in New Orleans and raised in Chalmette, Mustachia paints with an inherent understanding of the city’s rhythm: the daily hum of second-line parades, the rattling of early-morning streetcars, the muffled trumpet from a bar a few blocks away.

His work hums with movement and improvisation.

Through this movement of color and texture, Mustachia creates powerful images of our shared culture and memory. From Blue Runner Red Bean cans that tap into the memory of a grandmother’s kitchen table on a Monday, to jazz instruments narrating the sounds of the city, to portraiture of great New Orleans icons, Mustachia masterfully brings the culture bearers of New Orleans to life in bright and vivid color.

JOE MUSTACHIA: THE RHYTHM OF A CITY

Behind the riot of color is a man of quiet, steady discipline and joy. Mustachia is truly an “average Joe.” He is down-to-earth, but also, like many, a bit of a contradiction. A clean-cut 58-year-old who seems younger than he is, Mustachia is a man of few words but deep thought. Of simple tastes but a kind worldview and a steady, unpretentious presence.

Mustachia arrived at his signature style by rejecting the binary of order versus disorder.

He doesn’t hide the splatters that escape his intended landing spots. The stray drips offer a window into the process; they are reminders that this is not a photograph but a memory rendered through a technique enriched by the paint that wandered. His work exists in that fragile suspended beauty between realism and abstraction, like an old film reel with its flickers and pops, or the foggy first memory of a beloved place. Perhaps that is why collectors across the country, and increasingly, the world, find his paintings so magnetic.

It is rare in contemporary art to encounter a painter both fearless and disciplined, able to let a painting speak without relinquishing control of the conversation.

For Mustachia, movement is emotional. His paintings are not literal autobiographies but deeply personal records of internal weather, storms he has already lived through, distilled into line and color.

That duality and controlled chaos are why the works feel at once explosive and introspective, loud and quiet, like standing on a busy street corner while listening to your own heartbeat.

His focus remains on delivering artwork that exceeds expectations and transfixes viewers. He begins each piece with a plan, sometimes sketched, then underpainted in bright, monochromatic colors, and the seemingly wild surface becomes the expression of a deep internal logic. His mastery of color theory guides every choice. He pairs unexpected hues that nevertheless create light, shadow, and dimension.

Like jazz, it feels improvised but is built on rigorous structure, practice, and hard work.

In recent years, Mustachia’s rise has been extraordinary. His last show at Orleans Gallery nearly sold out before the closing night crowd had even finished their first pass through the room.

Collectors speak of his work with a kind of urgency, JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 15

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JOE MUSTACHIA: THE RHYTHM OF A CITY

“

What if the movement of the arm is as important as the color itself?

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”

not because of hype, but because Mustachia captures something fleeting. His paintings don’t sit still, and they don’t stay put. People want to hold onto the moment he creates, to pin down the rhythm that resonates with them.

And yet, for all the demand, Mustachia remains grounded. He paints because he loves it. He is humbled that his passion supports his family. He works with humility and a near monk-like devotion to process. After the paint dries, he may study a piece for hours, listening for what it needs next. Sometimes a final drip or stroke comes weeks or months later. He lets the painting tell him when it is finished. He trusts the rhythm.

To stand before one of Mustachia’s paintings is to stand in the eye of the storm and feel, for a moment, the clarity inside the chaos of life. It is to witness the precise instant when movement becomes meaning and memory, when color becomes emotion and dimension, when chaos becomes choreography. It is to hear the rhythm of the city.

You can feel that rhythm and view Joe Mustachia’s work at Orleans Gallery, 603 Julia Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. His latest show, Rhythm of the City, is now on view.

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presen t ed b y

30 by Ninety presents “Cabaret” January 17 - February 1, Fridays, 8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 2:30 p.m.

30 by Ninety Theatre in Mandeville presents Cabaret.

A classic of modern musical theatre, Cabaret remains both dazzling entertainment and a haunting exploration of love, politics, and moral choice.

Founded in 2014, their mission is to create a personal experience for the audience through the shared medium of theater that invigorates, challenges, and entertains. Tickets are $25-$32 +online fees.

880 Lafayette St., Mandeville, 844-THE-3090 (843-3090), 30byninety.com

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First Day Hike at Fontainebleau State Park Thursday, Jan 1, 9:30 a.m.

Louisiana State Parks invites visitors to begin 2026 on a healthy note with First Day Hikes, part of a nationwide initiative encouraging families and individuals to start the New Year outdoors. First Day Hikes began more than 30 years ago at Blue Hills Reservation in Massachusetts, and since 2012, all 50 states have taken part. The program is nearing major milestones: almost one million miles hiked and half a million participants. Fontainebleau State Park will host a roughly 2.25-mile guided hike along its nature trail and shoreline, featuring mostly level terrain with some sandy stretches near the beach. Admission is $3 per person ages 4–61, with free entry for ages 62+ and children 3 and under.

First Day Hike at FairviewRiverside State Park Thursday, Jan 1, 8 a.m.

Fairview-Riverside State Park’s unguided hike is on a 1/4-mile, accessible boardwalk trail along Tchefuncte River. Scattered throughout the park beneath a canopy of huge oak trees, you will find numerous picnic tables, as well as a group pavilion, a playground, and comfort stations. Spend a relaxing afternoon on the river or venture out into the water for lively outdoor recreation.Admission is $3 per person ages 4-61, free for seniors (62 & older) and children 3 and under.

119 Fairview Dr., Madisonville, (985) 845-3318, lastateparks.com/parkspreserves/fairview-riverside-state-park

Ice Man Dip & Dash

Thursday, January 1, 2026, 10 a.m.

62883 Highway 1089, Mandeville, A “chilling” New Year’s tradition, (985) 624-4443, lastateparks.com/events/ the Ice Man Dip & Dash returns at first-day-hikes Franco’s celebrating thirty-six years. This

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event is not for the faint-hearted, combining a challenging two-mile run to the bridge, a brisk 110-yard ‘ice’ swim across the chilly Tchefuncte River, and a two-mile run back to Franco’s. Whether you’re racing for the thrill or the tradition, it’s the perfect way to kick-start 2026!

All proceeds benefit Team Gleason, and the Gleason Initiative Foundation.

A Dip & Dash T-Shirt is included in the registration fee. Franco’s members can register via their account. $40 for members and $45 for non-members (+5 on Day of Event) 100 Bon Temps Roule, Mandeville, (985) 792-0200, francosmandeville. com/ice-man-dip-dash

LPO Northshore Classics: Mozart Symphony No. 39

Wednesday, January 7, 7:30 p.m.

This dynamic program by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra takes you on a journey through contrasting styles,

from the playful charm of Strauss to the lush modern textures of Schreker and the grand elegance of Mozart.

Experience the lively momentum of Strauss’s Perpetuum Mobile, Schreker’s mesmerizing Kammersymphonie, a rich exploration of harmony and color, and Mozart’s majestic Symphony No. 39.

Doors open at: 6:00 p.m. $13-$69 128 W. 23rd Ave., Covington, (504) 523-6530, lpomusic.com/events/ ns04-fuhr-jan08

Boutique Krewetacular

Friday, January 9, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Boutique Krewetacular brings the fun at the Southern Hotel, kicking off Carnival with the Northshore’s only Sip-n-Shop devoted entirely to Mardi Gras. For one day, the hotel transforms into a lively marketplace filled with shoppers, king cake, entertainers, And more than 30 curated Carnival vendors. Presented by Butterfly FX Cosmetics, this event includes: Costumes, couture, accessories, and party essentials, Indoor and outdoor Mardi Gras décor, makeup, face and body art, and festival glam, novelties, treats, handmade goods, and more, live entertainment, music, and dancing.

Demonstrations throughout the day.

A Kid Zone with activities for young revelers. Free admission.

428 E. Boston St, Covington, (985) 956-0792, boutiquekrewetacular.com

Mande Kings Day Parade and Festival

Saturday, January 10, 3-6 p.m..

Join the Mande Milkshakers for the 8th annual Mande Kings Day Parade & Party.

Community members are invited to participate in the Mande King’s Day parade in four categories: walkers, bike riders, golf carts and vehicles. The after-party will feature music, a performance by the Mande Milkshakers, food and refreshments. Donors receive a wristband for food and drinks. Free to the public.

Mandeville, mandemilkshakers.com

St. John Fools of Misrule Twelfth Night March JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 19

INSIDE SCOOP Saturday, January 10, 6 p.m.

The St. John Fools of Misrule heralds the arrival of Carnival season on the Northshore with its 15th annual Feast of Fools and march. The St. John Fools of Misrule take their name from the historic St. John District in Covington through which they march each year, and the “Foolish Tradition” itself comes from an ancient English custom whereby men “clamored along the evening streets creating unruliness with cowbells and whips while delivering jeers and spankings to those caught on the street unaware.”

The “Fools” (men) and “Jewels” (women) of this marching krewe take to the streets of Covington on the Saturday closest to Twelfth Night, also known as King’s Day or The Epiphany. The revelers, including flambeaux, a brass band and masked marchers in extravagant medieval attire, then set out to carouse through downtown Covington. Free to the public.

Covington, foolsofmisrule.org

Monthly Bird Walk: Fontainebleau Early Birds

January 10 through December 12, 8 a.m.

Join Alex Landry and the Pelican Park Nature Club for a monthly bird walk at Fontainebleau State Park. All experience levels are welcome, and newcomers are especially encouraged to attend. The group walk lasts about 90 minutes. Loaner Vortex Optics binoculars are available thanks to a generous donation from Sport Optics. $3 to enter park; birdwatching is free.

that shape our region. The weekend blends workshops in music, dance, language and storytelling with informal jams, lively conversations, live performances and communal meals—all creating a welcoming space for connection and discovery.

Admission varies by age, day and length of stay. Louisiana Cultures Camp’s mission is to honor traditions, ancestors and communities while offering a welcoming place for people of all ages to connect with their roots, explore diverse cultures and discover their own voices in harmony with others. Admission fees vary.

capped at 15, guide Alex Landry provides more focused support in finding and identifying species along the way.

Beginners are welcome, and loaner binoculars are available. Free to the public.

Slidell Little Theatre presents Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. In Victorian London, the wronged barber Sweeney Todd returns from exile seeking vengeance against the corrupt Judge Turpin who destroyed his life. Teaming up with Mrs. Lovett—owner of a failing pie shop—he embarks on a darkly ingenious scheme: murder his customers and turn them into the “most daring meat pies in London.” This chilling tale of obsession, revenge, and moral decay is delivered through Sondheim’s complex score, blending biting satire with operatic intensity.Sweeney Todd features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book

by Hugh Wheeler (adapted from Christopher Bond’s play). Adults $35, Students and Seniors, $25

22161 Level St., Abita Springs, (985) 276-9335, npassingers.org

pelicanpark.recdesk.com/Community/ Program/Detail?programId=3153

NPAS Presents “On Broadway”

January 24-25, 7:30 p.m.

The Northlake Performing Arts Society presents On Broadway, singing medleys of 62883 Hwy 1089, Mandeville, some of the most memorable music from louisianaculturescamp.org the Great White Way. Expect favorites

from “Phantom of the Opera,” “Evita,” SLT Presents “Lion King,” Wicked,” and many more.

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Come join the fun, sing along to the songs you know, and get a taste of “Old Barber of Fleet Street” Broadway” right here in St. Tammany January 16-February 8, Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. and Parish. Tickets are $15 for ages 13+, free Sundays, 2 p.m. for ages 12 and under.

Carnival in Covington: Mardi Gras Parade After Party Tuesday, February 17, 12 p.m.

This free, family-friendly tradition follows the town’s morning parades—starting with the Krewe of Bogue Falaya, then the Covington Lions Club and the Mystic Krewe of Covington. Free to the public.

419 N. New Hampshire St., Covington, 62883 Hwy. 1089, Mandeville, (985) 892-1873, facebook.com/ pelicanpark.recdesk.com/Community/ CovingtonlaCAE Program/Detail?programId=3152

2024 Nellie Dr., Slidell, (985) 643-0556, slidelllittletheatre.org/tickets Mardi Gras in Olde Towne Louisiana Cultures Camp

January 16-18

Louisiana Cultures Camp is a vibrant, hands-on gathering in Mandeville’s beautiful Fontainebleau State Park where people of all backgrounds come together to share traditions, learn from one another and celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures 20 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

Small Group Bird Watching

Saturday, January 24, 8 a.m.

This guided bird walk by Pelican Park Nature Club offers a deeper birding experience than its monthly Fontainebleau Early Birds outing. With a small group

Tuesday, February 17, 10 a.m-5 p.m.

Join the Olde Towne Slidell Merchants Association on Fat Tuesday for Mardi Gras in Olde Towne, kicking off with a kids’ wagon parade featuring over 100 little walkers and their wagons, and continuing throughout the day with a block party on

PRESENTED BY: VISIT THE NORTHSHORE

the street, live music and great food and fun throughout the historic district. $10 per wagon. Free to the public.

2267 Carey St., Slidell, facebook.com/OldeTowneSlidell

Mardi Paws Mardi Gras Parade Sunday, February 22, 2 p.m

The premier Mardi Gras walking parade featuring man’s best friends and their families puts some bark into the Mardi Gras scene! The 31st annual parade will roll and stroll through historic downtown Covington with the theme, “A Howliday Parade.” Parade beneficiaries have included the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, Scott’s Wish, St. Tammany Spay & Neuter, and the Miracle League. While it began as a procession along the Mandeville lakefront, it moved to historic downtown Covington, a route that offers less walking and more parking, and a big bash post-parade at the Covington Trailhead! Free to the public, $25 registration fee for each dog.

419 N. New Hampshire St., Covington, (985) 892-0060, MardiPaws.com

Krewe du Pooch Mardi Gras Parade Saturday, February 28, 12 p.m.

The 2026 Krewe du Pooch dog parade will take place with the theme for the 7th annual walking parade and costume contest, “Krewe du Pooch Goes to HOWLywood!” Parade participants – dogs and their owners – are encouraged to dress according to the theme. Immediately after the parade and costume contest, the fun will continue on the lakefront with pet adoptions with local rescue groups, food and drinks, and fun activities for the whole family. Dozens of nonprofits, rescue organizations and vendors will exhibit at the event, helping to raise awareness and critical funding for the plight of these animals. Profits from Krewe Du Pooch will be distributed among local and regional animal welfare organizations. Free for spectators, $35 per participating dog Mandeville, (985) 624-3147, krewedupooch.org

Have A Heart Fest

February 28-March 1, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

The SMH Cancer Center, in concert with Evyl Confections and Anubis Custom Designs, invites you to Have A Heart Fest, a fundraiser for the center. Enjoy music, a kids play area, vendor booths, food and fun for the whole family. Admission is free.

1120 Robert Blvd, Slidell, (985) 788-7799, facebook.com/ events/s/have-a-heart-fest/1189643972573211

Full parade schedules are listed on the following pages.

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F E AT U R E

Mardi Gras Northshore Style

By Karen B. Gibbs

The rest of the world may call it winter, but in Louisiana, from January 6 to February 17, it’s Mardi Gras! Time for parading, especially here on the Northshore, where parades range from small-town simple to downright spectacular.

That’s a far cry from our first parade nearly 150 years ago in Covington.

It consisted of a king’s float, a band-toting chariot, and walkers. As times changed, so did parades. In the early 1900s, one parade featured a cage of monkeys, a 3,800-pound bull, and a tightrope walker!

Today, over a hundred years later, we’re still putting a Northshore spin on Mardi Gras. From boats to push mowers, MoonPies and doggie krewes to sassy dance groups, it’s uniquely us.

Of course, the main attractions are the New Orleans-style parades like Poseidon, Dionysius and Titans in Slidell, Olympia and Lions in Covington, and the lavish ladies parades like Eve in Mandeville, and Selene and Antheia in Slidell.

With gorgeous floats, generous throws, and easy access, there’s no place like the Northshore to celebrate a safe, family-friendly Carnival season.

Come join the fun!

Parade Spotlights Titans, Slidell Friday, January 30, 6:30 p.m. 22 floats + electric train with kids; 525550 riders. Signature throws: plush dragon, Titan socks and light-up medallion beads.

The Krewe of Titans was formed to bring the excitement of Mardi Gras to Slidell. And the krewe has kept their promise! In addition to the 22+ floats, this parade features 17 bands and 14 dance groups. Chris Sturcken, president of Titans, wants everyone to know, “We’re going to put on a phenomenal show for the city of Slidell.” Don’t miss it!

Titans is part of the Avery Natal Foundation which awards five $5,000 scholarships to area high school students. The krewe also provides toys to the Slidell Police Foundation’s Toys from Cops program, allowing police to randomly hand out gifts and toys to area kids.

Poseidon, Slidell January 31, 6 p.m., 24 double-decker floats, 650+ riders.

Signature throws: Snap-o trident kits, reversible bucket hats, light-up footballs, wands.

captain. “Our last few parades have brought more people to Slidell than any event in the history of the city.”

This super-krewe is also super generous–participating in charity cookoffs, helping pay for the police memorial monument, consistently supporting the Shriners, and providing special parade seating and throws to Shriner patients.

Eve, Mandeville February 6, 7p.m. Krewe of Eve 40th Mardi Gras parade. 33 floats; 775 women. Signature throws: plush bead dogs, LED logo throws, t-shirts, beanie hats, socks and vintage 1986 plush champagne bottles.

The all-women Krewe of Eve is Mandeville’s only parade and the largest parade on the Northshore. Founded in 1986 by women and for women, their charities include: Safe Harbor, Greater Mandeville Police Foundation’s Toy Drive, Brooke It Forward, Mina’s Mission and Granny Gertie’s Christmas Stockings.

“Reigning over the 40th Anniversary is such an incredible honor,” says Queen Eve XL, Melody Menard. “This celebration represents the tireless work of our captains and officers and the dedication and commitment of our 775 Eve Girls who make this krewe truly unique.”

Mystic Krewe of Olympia, Covington February 7, 6 p.m., 3 royalty floats, 26 floats with riders; around 500 riders. Signature throw: LED lightning bolt.

The Mystic Krewe of Olympia was founded in 1965 as a way to bring the fun and excitement of a New Orleans-style Mardi Gras parade to Covington residents. The oldest nighttime parading krewe in St. Tammany parish, Olympia features floats and marching groups. It’s called a mystic krewe because members do not reveal their identity.

Through its philanthropic arm, the MKO (Mystic Krewe of Olympia) Foundation impacts the community. Proceeds from its annual golf tournament benefit the police department and the fire department of Covington, and the city’s Boys and Girls Clubs.

Dionysius, Slidell February 8, 1 p.m.,19-20 floats; 250-270 riders. Signature throws: ball caps, cups.

Founded in 2015 to bring a first-rate parade to Slidell, this spectacular parade is consistently one of the largest Northshore carnival krewe and it’s known for generous throws.

Forty-one years ago, Dionysius, the oldest all-male krewe currently parading on the Northshore, brought to Slidell a family-oriented Mardi Gras, one that supports local non-profits like Riley’s Bikes (that supplies adaptive bikes), Rainbow Child Care, Hugs for Kids and the SMH Cancer Center.

“Artistry, pageantry, revelry, throws, bands and marching units. We want to give it all to those who come to our parade,” says Ronny Kastner,

“We pride ourselves in giving back to the community,” says board member Andy Frisard, “especially to those with special needs.” For example, each

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MARDI GRAS NORTHSHORE STYLE

Advice for Parade-Goers

year’s Grand Marshall is a young man with medical or special needs. This year’s choice is STARC member Anthony Carona who, with his family, will ride on the lead float this year and attend the krewe’s festivities.

Stay at least 4 feet from the float. Riders cannot see you when you get closer than that.

Selene, Slidell

DO NOT bang on the side of the float or tear the decorations.

Friday, February 13, 6:30 p.m; 4 royalty floats, 20 floats with riders; 554 members. Signature throw: one-of-a-kind hand-decorated purses.

NEVER throw things at riders. It’s rude and dangerous.

Founded in 1998, Selene is Slidell’s largest all-women parade. “We’re a sisterhood that reaches out to the community,” says Traci Plaisance, krewe president and charter member.

Riders on each float choose their float’s charitable endeavors, such as: Our Friends Closet; St. Luke’s Toys for Tots; diapers and toiletries for the battered women’s shelter; visits and manicures for women in nursing homes; Second Harvest Food Bank and Project Christmas. The krewe’s bunco tournament and silent auction fund $1,500 Kids in Transition scholarships to educate homeless girls.

Last year, these generous ladies threw 20,000 one-of-a-kind decorated purses!

Covington Lions Club

Pay attention so you aren’t accidentally hit by a throw.

Parents, keep your kids, especially young ones, back with you.

Turn strollers away from the float so babies do not accidentally get hit with throws.

Be polite. Catch what’s thrown to you. Too many beads are left on the street. If you do not want a throw, share it with a little kid or an elderly person nearby.

Do not cross the street between floats or run between floats to pick up throws.

February 17, parades with the Mystic Krewe of Covington and invites the public to join the parade at no charge with your own float or vehicles. With these two krewes and the public participants, the parade is estimated to have 20 floats and 150 riders.

Applaud and thank marching bands and dance groups.

A local favorite, the 67-year-old parade features Shriners, Jeeps, truck floats, marching groups, vintage cars and a trolley.

Bring a bag to hold your throws.

The club supports the Louisiana Lions Eye Foundation, which provides vision care to those in need, and the Louisiana Lions Camp, a free summer residential camp for kids with diabetes, respiratory issues, cancer and special needs.

2026 Northshore Parades For more information on each event, visit: www.visitthenorthshore.com.

ABITA SPRINGS February 7 12:30 p.m. Abita Springs Push Mow parade of decorated lawn mowers and carts.

BOGALUSA February 14 1 p.m. Krewe of MCCA parade. Featuring nearly 20 marching bands, 38 floats, and more than 100 motorcyclists.

BUSH February 14 9 a.m. Krewe of Bush Mardi Gras parade.

Help keep the streets clean. Stash your trash in your own bag or in a trash can.

COVINGTON January 10 6 p.m. St. John Fools of Misrule Twelfth Night March.

Discover why Arthur Hardy says it’s “one of the best groups in all of Carnival.

February 7 6 p.m. Mystic Krewe of Olympia parade. 26-29 krewe floats and nearly 500 riders. Signature throw: LED lightning bolt.

February 16 4 p.m. Krewe of Bogue Falaya Lundi Gras Second Line.

February 17 10 a.m. Catch lots of loot at these three fun parades.

Krewe of Bogue Falaya parade.

600+ riders; 20 floats; dance troupes, marching bands, horses, classic cars; costume contests.

Mystic Krewe of Covington Mardi Gras parade.

One of oldest krewes in St. Tammany.

Krewe of Covington Lions Club parade.

28 riders and 10 floats; trucks, wagons, classic cars and walking groups.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 23

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MARDI GRAS NORTHSHORE STYLE

Noon - 4 p.m. Carnival in Covington Mardi Gras Parade After-Party.

floats, 17 bands, 14 dance groups. Signature throws: plush dragon, Titan socks, LED throws.

February 22 2 p.m. Mardi Paws. Costume yourself and your dog and parade in downtown Covington.

January 31 Noon. Krewe of Bilge boat parade, 400 members. Eden Isles and Clipper Estates.

FOLSOM

6:00 p.m. Krewe of Poseidon Mardi Gras parade. 24 doubledecker floats, 650+ riders. Signature throws: toy trident kits, reversible bucket hats, light-up footballs and more.

February 17 2 p.m. Krewe of Folsom Mardi Gras parade. You’re welcome to participate in this village parade that features decorated floats, vehicles, four-wheelers, horses, horse-drawn wagons and more.

HAMMOND February 6 6:30 p.m. Krewe of Omega parade. Focused on bringing the Carnival spirit to Hammond, it features traditional floats, energetic local bands, colorful throws, and a family-friendly atmosphere along the downtown parade route.

LACOMBE February 16 1 p.m. Krewe of Chahta Mardi Gras parade. Kids and locals in homemade floats add charm to this small town parade.

MADISONVILLE February 7 Noon. Krewe of Tchefuncte Mardi Gras Boat parade.

MANDEVILLE January 10 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Mande Kings Day parade, Costumed walkers, ladies dance groups, local bands, bike riders, decorated golf carts and vehicles.

4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Kings Day Parade After-Party at the Mandeville Trailhead.

February 6 7 p.m. Krewe of Eve 40th Mardi Gras parade. 33 floats, 775 all-women krewe. Special throws include plush bean dog, LED throws and beach towels.

February 16 11 a.m. Children’s Museum of St. Tammany Kids Krewe parade, Pelican Park. Music, face painting, food trucks.

PEARL RIVER February 1 1 p.m. Krewe of Pearl River Lions Club parade. 12-15 floats.

Proceeds help provide eyeglasses for the needy.

SLIDELL January 30 6:30 p.m. Krewe of Titans Mardi Gras Parade. 550 riders, 22+

24 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

February 1 1 p.m. Krewe of Antheia Ladies Mardi Gras parade. 10 floats, 150 riders. Signature throws: fascinators and flower crowns.

February 7 10 a.m. Krewe de Paws of Olde Towne Mardi Gras parade.

7 p.m. Krewe of Mona Lisa and MoonPie parade. Fun krewe throws MoonPies.

February 8 1 p.m. Krewe of Dionysius Mardi Gras parade. about 20 floats, 270 riders. Special throws: ball caps, cups.

February 13 6:30 p.m. Krewe of Selene Ladies Mardi Gras parade. 24 floats, 554 riders. Signature throw: hand-decorated purses.

February 17 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Mardi Gras in Olde Towne Kids Wagon

Parade and block party.

Local Krewes Reveal How to Get Lots of Throws Signs: Hold up signs written in LARGE, BLACK, WIDE MARKER with the name of a person, school or company or what you’d like the krewe to throw to you.

Costumes: Dress for the parade. Wear a crazy hat, tutu, glitzy shirt.

Enthusiasm: Act like you’re loving every minute of the parade. Be happy!

Yell and wave your arms.

Make Eye Contact and Point: Lock eyes with a rider, then point while waving the other hand to catch the throw.

SOUTHSHORE MARDI GRAS

SOUTHSHORE Kenner Sat, Feb 14

Krewe of Isis

6:00 p.m.

MidCity Sat, Feb 14

Krewe of Endymion

4:00 p.m.

Metairie Sun, Feb 1 Fri, Feb 6 Sat, Feb 7

Krewe of Little Rascals 12:00 p.m.

Krewe of Excalibur 7:00 p.m.

Magical Krewe of Mad Hatters 5:00 p.m.

Sun, Feb 8 Krewe of Atlas 4:00 p.m.

Thurs, Feb 12 Krewe of Symphony 6:30 p.m.

Sun, Feb 15 Krewe of Athena 5:30 p.m.

Mon, Feb 16 Krewe of Centurions 6:00 p.m.

Mon, Feb 16 Krewe of Kings follows Tues, Feb 17 Krewe of Argus 11:00 a.m.

Tues, Feb 17 Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians follows

Uptown Tues, Jan 6 Phunny Phorty Phellows 7:00 p.m.

Tues, Jan 6 Funky Uptown Krewe follows Fri, Feb 6 Krewe of Oshun 5:30 p.m.

Fri, Feb 6 Krewe of Cleopatra follows Sat, Feb 7 Krewe of Pontchartrain 1:30 am Sat, Feb 7 Legion of Mars follows Sat, Feb 7 Krewe of Choctaw follows Sat, Feb 7 Krewe of Freret follows Sat, Feb 7 Krewe of Sparta/ Spartan Society 5:30 p.m.

Sat, Feb 7 Krewe of Pygmalion 6:15 p.m.

Sun, Feb 8 The Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale 11:00 a.m.

Sun, Feb 8 Krewe of Carrollton 12:30 p.m.

Sun, Feb 8 Krewe of King Arthur 1:00 p.m.

Wed, Feb 11 Krewe of Druids 6:15 p.m.

Wed, Feb 11 Krewe of Alla follows Thurs, Feb 12 Knights of Chaos 4:30 p.m.

Thurs, Feb 12 Knights of Babylon 5:30 p.m.

Thurs, Feb 12 Krewe of Muses 6:00 p.m.

Fri, Feb 13 Krewe of Hermes 5:30 p.m.

Fri, Feb 13 Krewe d’Etat 6:30 p.m.

Fri, Feb 13 Krewe of Morpheus follows Sat, Feb 14 Krewe of Iris 11:00 a.m.

Sat, Feb 14 Krewe of Tucks 12:00 p.m.

Sun, Feb 15 Krewe of Okeanos 11:00 a.m.

Sun, Feb 15 Krewe of Mid-City follows Sun, Feb 15 Krewe of Thoth 12:00 p.m.

Sun, Feb 15 Krewe of Bacchus 5:15 p.m.

Mon, Feb 16 Krewe of Proteus 5:15 p.m.

Mon, Feb 16 Krewe of Orpheus 6:00 p.m.

Tues, Feb 17 Krewe of Zulu 8:00 a.m.

Tues, Feb 17 Krewe of Rex 10:30 a.m.

Tues, Feb 17 Krewe of Elks Orleans follows Tues, Feb 17 Krewe of Crescent City follows JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 25

F E AT U R E

And Away They Geaux The Humble Beginnings and Undeniable Enchantment of the Krewe of DIVAs

By Mimi Greenwood Knight Photos By: Eric McVicker

I

t was 2002 when Denny Centola stood on a balcony at historic Arnaud’s Restaurant in the French Quarter. Leaning forward, she gazed down Bienville Street seeing something that wasn’t yet there.

“Can’t you just see DIVA groups on all those different balconies,” she told her sister-in-law, Carol Miles. Centola had no idea how prophetic her words would be.

It’s been 25 years since that day and, although Centola has since passed away, she did live to see her DIVA fantasy come true. Every year on the Friday before Mardi Gras, those balconies are indeed filled with women each showcasing her own spectacular hand-beaded bustier and celebrating in true DIVA fashion. That day has become known as DIVA Day. A LITTLE DIVA HISTORY The DIVAs—or to use their official name, the Divine Protectors of Endangered Pleasures—began when a group of friends set aside their Saturday mornings to walk together, unwind from the week’s challenges, then meet up for coffee afterward. On one of those Saturday mornings, talk turned to beaded artwork by Artist Kim Marshall currently on display at the St. Tammany Art Association.

26 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

KREWE OF DIVAS

Marshall had employed discarded Mardi Gras beads to transform everyday objects into magical works of art. One of those objects was a bustier, an archaic item of ladies shapewear Marshall had elevated into a symbol of feminine empowerment. The friends were enchanted. So much so that Miles and another member of the walking group, Roma Hanby, decided to construct their own beaded bustiers (with Marshall’s blessing, of course) and wear them to lunch with their husbands at Arnaud’s on Mardi Gras day.

Miles remembers, “Everyone who passed us that day was going crazy over our bustiers. Several women said, ‘I want to make one of those!’

Both men and women were flipping out. It was amazing mostly because we could see how happy it made everyone.”

Miles reported back to the walking group the next Saturday and the idea grew from there. The next year, there were 26 women showcasing their original bustiers. “We had lunch at Arnaud’s then basically did a pub crawl,” Miles said. “We went from bar to bar and caused a scene everywhere we went.”

The Divine Protectors of Endangered Pleasures was born! The krewe now consists of eight board members led by Miles who serves as The Divine Instigator. Each board member invites a handful of her family and friends to join the krewe, but only on a yearly basis to enable more women to participate. Dianne Madden, a graphic artist and founding member with the DIVA title The Divine Keeper of Zips, designs the annual invitations. Subgroups form and many adopt themes and construct coordinating bustiers—or not. Some past group themes are flamingoes, Scottish tartan, the running of the bulls, and Abita Beer.

Throughout the year, these smaller groups meet up for beading circles which may consist of brainstorming sessions, actual group beading, or simply socializing. “It’s like a quilting bee but it’s more about sisterhood, connection, healing, growth, shared experience, and fun,” Miles said. “If we get some beads on our bustiers, that’s great, too.” The only costuming rules are that no bustier can be worn more than once by the same DIVA, and each one must be fully beaded.

The name Divine Protectors of Endangered Pleasures was inspired by the book, “Endangered Pleasures,” by Barbara Holland. If you notice that doesn’t exactly correlate to the acronym DIVA, Miles has an answer JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 27

F E AT U R E for that, too. “We’ve always joked, ‘If there’s a line, we’ll cross it.’ So, we decided that applies to our name, as well.”

The DIVAs weren’t interested in growing beyond 100 women. So, when a throng of women begged to join, they encouraged others to start their own group. Many did. On DIVA Day now, those balconies that once sparked Denny Centola’s imagination are glittering with bustier-clad women from groups like Bosom Buddies, Prima Donnas, Divine Jewels, Goddesses, Crescent City Dames, Persephone’s Dragonflies (started by Cetola’s daughter, Denise Villere), and The French Quarter Madams. All the DIVA krewes combined total over 500 women. “Each group does things a little differently,” Miles said. “But we all promenade together and all in beaded bustiers.”

DIVA DAY DECONSTRUCTED DIVA Day has fallen into a pattern with krewe members meeting up at Arnaud’s where they’ve grown from meeting in the main dining room downstairs to basically overtaking the top floor including the Bourbon Suites which has the French Quarter balcony, the Bienville Room, and the Count’s Ballroom. Here they can show off their bustiers pre and postpromenade and interact with crowds clamoring for custom DIVA throws.

The day begins with passed hors d’oeuvres and an open bar. Over lunch, the DIVAs enjoy what they call the “show-off” where board members are introduced and all the DIVAs are called one by one to strut their stuff and show off their bustier which may be accessorized with beaded shoes, hats, and headpieces, wigs, and more. “Some women show-off more than others,” Miles laughed. “We’ve attracted a lot of artists and artsy types, so the bustiers are amazing.”

Then comes the moment everyone’s been waiting for as 100 or so DIVAs pour out onto Bourbon Street and meet up with their husbands and

28 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

KREWE OF DIVAS

partners. Known in DIVAese as “accessory partners”, they’re traditionally dressed as some version of Elvis (a custom Miles says began when her husband, Former Covington Mayor Keith Villere, scored a bargain Elvis mask after Halloween one year). The group is always led by their favorite brass band, the River City Ramblers.

They promenade.

They sashay.

They dance.

They revel.

And they thrill everyone who sees them.

Planet-Friendly Throws In addition to raising money each year for their pet charity, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, the DIVAs have joined in the efforts to make Mardi Gras more eco-responsible. They’ve enlisted New Orleans Artist Jocelyn Boudreaux of Copperhead Studios and their signature throws are now hand-painted wooden bustiers on biodegradable silk ribbons.

They’re fabulous, eco-friendly, and made in Louisiana.

When Mardi Gras is done and dusted, the DIVAs aren’t through yet.

Each year they arrange a showing of bustiers so members and friends of the krewe can get a better look at the often intricate work. “Our first showing was at Brunner Gallery in Covington,” Miles said. “When they closed, we moved to the St. Tammany Art Association.” Over the years, they’ve also held showings in The Southern Hotel in Covington, Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, and in private homes.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 29

F E AT U R E

KREWE OF DIVAS

“Everything’s kind of a blur on DIVA Day,” Miles said. “Even with the show-off, you don’t have time to appreciate each bustier. A lot of work goes into them and many of them are true works of art. The gallery showing gives us a better chance to really see them.”

PASSING THE TORCH Carol Miles’ daughter, Emma Villere, was only 13 when the DIVAs made their first promenade. She was welcomed into the krewe at 18 as a Petite DIVA and has looked forward to DIVA Day ever since. She and fellow Petite DIVA, Elly Schoen, now in their 30s, have joined the board and have begun inviting their own friends to DIVA Day. “She told me the other day that DIVA Day is the best day of the year,” Miles said. “I love knowing that through her generation the DIVA tradition will live on.”

The Krewe of Venus was the first all-female parade in New Orleans in 1941. Some men along their route threw rotten vegetables in protest.

30 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

32Preventative Care Checklist

HEALTH

34Lightening the Mental Load 38Covington Trace ER Massage 39Focus & Wellness 40Gabb Morrison Cardiology 41Northlake & Wellness Center 42Pelican Urgent Care Health 43Restore & Wellness Louisiana

& WELLNESS JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 31

F E AT U R E

The New Preventive Care Checklist What Screenings Actually Matter A modern, lifestyle-forward guide to staying well, Louisiana style

Why Preventive Care Needs a Refresh Wellness is a balancing act. We love good food, long festival seasons, time outdoors, and gathering with friends, but we also live with higher-than-average rates of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Today’s approach to prevention is getting smarter and more lifestyledriven. It’s less about running every possible test and more about choosing the screenings that truly matter for your age, your risk factors, and the life you’re living right now.

Your Preventive Care Checklist Ages 18–29: Build the Foundation Living active, social, and on-the-go—prevention should keep up

Focus: Early detection, sexual health, and lifestyle risk factors Worth Prioritizing • Blood pressure screening (at least every 3–5 years) • Cervical cancer screening (starting at age 21) • STI screening (based on sexual activity and risk) • Mental health screening (anxiety, depression) • Immunizations (HPV, flu, COVID, Tdap) Why it matters: This decade sets long-term patterns. In a region where food, music, and late nights are part of the culture, preventive care is about awareness, balance, and catching issues early.

Ages 30–39: Detect Trends Early Busy careers, growing families, and less time for yourself

Focus: Cardiovascular risk and metabolic health Worth Prioritizing • Blood pressure screening (every 1–2 years) • Cholesterol screening (especially with family history) • Diabetes screening if overweight or with risk factors • Cervical cancer screening (Pap/HPV per guidelines) • Skin exams (self-checks; clinical exams if high risk) Why it matters: Subtle changes, like rising cholesterol or blood sugar, often begin here, especially in communities where heart disease and diabetes are common. The good news: this is when lifestyle shifts and early care are most effective.

Ages 40–49: Prevention Gets Targeted Staying ahead while still feeling your best

Focus: Cancer screening and heart health Worth Prioritizing • Blood pressure and cholesterol screening • Diabetes screening • Breast cancer screening (often begins at 40; confirm timing with provider) • Cervical cancer screening • Colorectal cancer screening (starting at 45) • Eye exams (especially with vision changes or diabetes) Why it matters: Starting the right screenings on time can make a real difference, especially where early detection plays a key role in improving long-term health outcomes.

Ages 50–64: Maintain & Monitor Protecting your health for the decades ahead

Focus: Early detection and chronic disease management 32 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

Let Inside Northside tell our readers what sets them, and your business, apart from the others in your field!

Share their success stories in the Women IN Business 2026 Special Section of the May-June issue of Inside Northside, and at the 2026 Women IN Business Luncheon.

Choose a half-page, full-page or a two-page profile

Worth Prioritizing • Colorectal cancer screening (ongoing) • Breast cancer screening (as recommended) • Prostate cancer screening (shared decision-making) • Bone health assessment (earlier if risk factors) • Hearing and vision screening • Vaccinations (shingles, flu, COVID)

layout. Multiple pricing options and incentives are available. Contact us to discuss your package!

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DEADLINE: MARCH 27, 2026

Why it matters: Preventive care here is about staying ahead—monitoring what matters while still leaving room for travel, family time, and the joys of everyday life.

Age 65+: Personalize & Simplify Supporting independence, energy, and quality of life

Focus: Function, independence, and quality of life

Worth Prioritizing • Blood pressure and cardiovascular monitoring • Osteoporosis screening • Fall risk assessment • Cognitive and depression screening • Vision and hearing exams • Medication review Why it matters: At this stage, the most valuable preventive care supports mobility, independence, and overall well-being, so you can keep doing what you love, whether that’s gardening, volunteering, or dancing at a neighborhood festival.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 33

F E AT U R E

The Mental Load Is a Health Issue

I

n southeast Louisiana, we know what it means to hold things together. We track hurricane seasons the way others track holidays. We remember which neighbor needs checking on after a storm, which route floods first, which school will close before the announcement goes out. This kind of vigilance is cultural. It is also exhausting.

The mental load is the invisible labor of anticipation, planning, and remembering. It is the running list that never leaves the mind. Appointments, meals, deadlines, emotional temperatures, household logistics, aging parents, children’s needs, work expectations, community obligations. For many people, especially moms, this cognitive burden is constant and cumulative. And while it is often framed as stress or busyness, it is increasingly clear that it is a health issue.

Cognitive overload taxes the nervous system. When the brain is always scanning, scheduling, and solving, it rarely rests. Over time, this state contributes to anxiety, disrupted sleep, inflammation, burnout, and a feeling of being perpetually behind even when everything is technically getting done. The body keeps score, long after the checklist is cleared.

In a region where care work is deeply ingrained, where women often serve as the connective tissue of families, workplaces, and communities, the mental load can feel both expected and invisible. There is pride in being capable, in managing it all. But there is also a cost.

Health conversations often focus on what we eat or how much we move our bodies. Rarely do we ask what we are carrying. Mental

34 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

load is not just an emotional weight. It is a physiological one. Chronic cognitive strain keeps stress hormones elevated and recovery out of reach. Over time, this affects everything from cardiovascular health to immune function to mood stability.

Addressing mental load does not mean opting out of responsibility or ambition. It means recognizing that health includes cognitive sustainability. It means naming invisible labor and redistributing it. It means building systems that support memory instead of relying on it. It means allowing rest to be proactive rather than earned. Health is not only about doing more things right. Sometimes it is about doing fewer things alone.

Women report doing an average of 67% more mental tasks related to scheduling, organizing, and remembering than their male partners. This disparity persists regardless of a woman’s career status or income, even high-earning mothers still bear the lion’s share of cognitive household labor.

If the mental load were visible, we would treat it differently. We would measure it, manage it, and protect against it. Until then, the first step is recognition. The mental load is real. And it deserves a place in the conversation about what it truly means to be well.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 35

F E AT U R E

Lightening the Mental Load: Practical Ways to Share the Weight

Name It Out Loud Mental load stays heavy when it’s invisible. Start by naming the work you’re doing. Planning, remembering, anticipating, and emotional management all count. When it’s spoken, it becomes shareable.

Build Systems, Not Memory Use shared calendars, recurring reminders, grocery apps, and auto-ship services. The goal is to reduce the need to remember, not just get better at remembering.

Audit What Actually Matters Not everything deserves your cognitive energy.

Periodically ask what can be simplified, delegated, postponed, or let go entirely. Fewer decisions create more mental space.

Schedule Cognitive Rest Mental rest is not just sleep. It’s a time when your brain isn’t tracking, planning, anticipating, or SCROLLING. Walks along the lake, quiet mornings, uninterrupted reading, or simply doing nothing on purpose all count.

Social Media doesn’t count.

Distribute Emotional Labor Remembering birthdays, checking in on relatives, managing social plans, and monitoring moods are real work. Share these responsibilities the same way you would physical tasks.

Let “Good Enough” Be Enough Perfectionism is a silent multiplier of mental load. Aim for functional, not flawless. A simplified routine done consistently is healthier than an ideal one done rarely.

Ask for Structural Support Whether at home or work, advocate for systems that reduce cognitive strain. Clear expectations, shared documentation, flexible schedules, and realistic deadlines are health supports, not perks.

36 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 37

A Smarter Approach to Your Health WHOLE BODY MRI & EXECUTIVE WELLNESS AT COVINGTON TRACE ER & HOSPITAL Q: WHAT MAKES THE WHOLE BODY MRI DIFFERENT FROM A STANDARD SCAN? A: A traditional MRI focuses on one area of concern. A Whole Body MRI captures imaging from head to toe in a single, comfortable session—providing a broader, clearer picture of your overall health. This one-hour scan can help detect solid tumors (as early as stage 1), cysts, abscesses, hemangiomas, spinal degeneration, autoimmune concerns, brain aneurysms, and more.

Q: WHO SHOULD CONSIDER A WHOLE BODY MRI? A: Anyone wanting a proactive approach to their health.

It’s ideal for individuals with a family history of illness, unexplained symptoms, chronic health concerns, or those who simply want reassurance and early detection.

Many patients choose it annually as part of a preventive wellness routine.

Q: WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE EXECUTIVE WELLNESS PACKAGE? This upgraded experience pairs your Whole Body MRI with comprehensive screenings and diagnostic labs. It offers a deeper, more personalized look at your health— combining advanced imaging with the kind of testing that can reveal concerns long before symptoms appear.

We offer the Galleri Cancer Screening Test, which is a multi-cancer, early detection test that is the first of its kind. It can detect 50+ cancers, including fast-spreading, aggressive cancers that don’t show symptoms in early stages, such as pancreatic and ovarian.

Q: WHY CHOOSE COVINGTON TRACE ER & HOSPITAL FOR THESE SERVICES? 38 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

A: Covington Trace uses advanced technology, short wait times, and a compassionate, highly trained medical team. Patients receive clear explanations, prompt results, and support every step of the way. The goal is simple: to give you answers, confidence, and control over your health.

Q: HOW DO THESE SERVICES SUPPORT LONG-TERM WELLNESS? A: Early detection saves lives. By identifying silent or developing issues sooner, patients can take action earlier—often avoiding more invasive procedures or long-term complications. Both the Whole Body MRI and the Executive Wellness Package are designed to empower individuals to stay ahead of their health rather than react to it.

Your health deserves more than guesswork. With state-of-the-art imaging and a comprehensive wellness approach, Covington Trace ER & Hospital gives you the clarity you need to move forward with confidence.

To learn more or schedule your Whole Body MRI or Executive Wellness Package, call 985-951-3650 or visit covingtonhospital.com.

4107 LA-59, Mandeville, LA 70471 (985) 951-3650 l covingtonhospital.com

CranioSacral Therapy for Children A CONVERSATION WITH CANDY WELCH, FOCUS MASSAGE AND WELLNESS Q: CANDY, HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY TO A PARENT? A: It’s a very gentle, light-touch technique that helps calm the nervous system and release tension in the body. Kids don’t feel like they’re “getting worked on.”

Most of the time, they settle in and relax. It’s simple, safe, and supportive for their growing bodies.

Q: WHAT KINDS OF CONCERNS DO YOU OFTEN SEE IN CHILDREN? A: Everything from sensory challenges and anxiety to headaches, sleep issues, and tension from sports or everyday stress. For babies, it can help with latch or reflux. CST gives their system a chance to unwind so their body can function the way it’s meant to. I recently treated a four month old who hadn’t nursed for longer than a few minutes at a time, and after the session nursed for ten minutes in my office. I also work with non-verbal autistic children and have seen them get to a calm relaxed state, and the parents have seen improvement in their sleep after treatment. These children give honest and visible feedback that the therapy is effective.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH WHEN WORKING WITH CHILDREN? A: I follow the child’s lead. Some want to play, some want quiet time. My job is to meet them where they are and create a calm space where their body feels safe enough to let go of what it’s holding.

Q: WHAT DO PARENTS TELL YOU AFTER SESSIONS? A: Many notice better sleep, improved focus, fewer headaches, or just a softer, calmer presence in their child. Every child responds differently, but parents usually see a meaningful shift.

Want to learn more?

Candy Welch offers CranioSacral Therapy for children of all ages at Focus Massage and Wellness.

413 N New Hampshire Street • Covington, LA 70433 (504) 388-1915 • focus-massage.com Candy Welch, LMT BCTMB La8485

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 39

40 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

Moving Into Another Year of Healing and Health at Northlake Cardiology & WellCare As we step into another year of health building at Northlake Cardiology and WellCare, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has been part of this journey.

Your trust, support, and shared commitment to growth have helped us stand strong — three plus years and counting! We look forward to welcoming many more health seekers to benefit from our integrative and holistic approach to wellness.

At Northlake, we help you build health from the core. Through extensive history-taking and root-cause analysis, we guide you in understanding where your health may have gone off track, and how to restore balance naturally.

We cater to a wide variety of patients, from those with cardiac conditions to those pursuing preventive, proactive health-building.

We also support women navigating health issues rooted in chronic stress, nutritional imbalance, and inflammation, helping them reclaim their vitality and hormonal balance.

Here are a few heartfelt words from those who continue to motivate and inspire us every day: “Thank you! I’m very grateful for your care, support, and encouragement.

You are the one doing a fantastic job! Keep up the good work.”

“Y’all’s support and concern mean the world to me! I was told that you’ve been advocating for me, and that made me cry. It truly touched my heart.

Thank you so much!”

Remember, there are only two levels of health: Healthy and Impaired Health.

True healing begins when we stop seeing ourselves as the “boss” of the body and start realizing that the body itself dictates our state of health, based on the inputs we provide every day.

Let’s continue nurturing, learning, and growing — together.

804 Heavens Drive, Suite 200 | Mandeville, LA 70471 | (985) 334-4210 northlakecardiologyandwellcarecenter.com JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 41

Pelican Urgent Care FAMILY-RUN, COMMUNITY-FOCUSED, AND NOW IN MANDEVILLE For 25 years, Pelican Urgent Care has quietly built a reputation as one of the Northshore’s most trusted names in walk-in care. Founded in Slidell by emergency physician Dr. Kumar K. Amaraneni, Pelican was born from a simple idea: that urgent care could feel personal, not transactional.

Today, that vision is carried on by the next generation - Dr. Kumar’s children, Jenny and Johnny Amaraneni, and his nephew, Dr. Ujwal Meka, who help lead the business and patient engagement. Still family-owned and locally rooted, Pelican offers something that sets it apart from the chain clinics: real clinical depth and the ability to seamlessly coordinate care. Between Dr. Kumar, Dr. Meka, and longtime emergency physician Dr. Eddie Lirette, Pelican brings more than 80 years of combined Emergency Medicine experience to the exam room.

At Pelican, patients two and older are seen for minor injuries and illnesses, from colds and flu to fractures, cuts, and occupational health needs. But it’s what happens behind the scenes that really distinguishes them. Thanks to their longstanding partnership with Ochsner Health, Pelican providers can access medical records, coordinate with your primary care doctor, refer to specialists as needed, or facilitate a transfer to the ER when a situation calls for more than urgent care.

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That level of seamless integration is rare and intentional.

“We’re here to be part of your whole care journey, not just a quick stop,” Jenny says.

The Pelican team has recently expanded to Mandeville, with a brand new clinic at 804 Heavens Drive, Suite 102.

Leading the Mandeville location is Dr. Eddie Lirette, who brings over 20 years of experience in Emergency Medicine and serves as Medical Director.

From the front desk to the exam room, Pelican’s team treats every patient like a neighbor. It’s urgent care done the way it should be: quick, capable, and centered on connection.

For urgent care or occupational health services, call Pelican Urgent Care today at 985-338-5400.

Walk-ins and appointments are welcome.

Monday - Friday 8am - 6pm Saturday - Sunday 9am - 5pm

2375 Gause Blvd | East Slidell, LA 70461 63025 West End Blvd | Slidell, LA 70461 1839 Cooper Rd, Ste 100 | Picayune, MS 39466 804 Heavens Drive, Ste 102 | Mandeville, LA 70471

A Q&A WITH JESSICA BOSCH & ALISON T H O R N H I L L O F R E S TO R E H E A L T H & WELLNESS With backgrounds spanning primary care, women’s health and chronic disease management, Jessica Bosch, MSN, MBA, ANP-C, and Alison Thornhill, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, founded Restore Health and Wellness to practice medicine the way they believed it should be practiced. Patients value an approach that is personal, unhurried and rooted in relationships. The goal is straightforward. Deliver high quality primary care without unnecessary barriers.

Q : W H AT M A K E S D I R E C T P R I M A R Y C A R E DIFFERENT? A: DPC replaces the rushed, insurance-driven model with a simple monthly membership that gives patients unlimited access to their provider. No copays or surprise bills. Just consistent, proactive, relationshipbased care.

Q : W H AT S E R V I C E S D O M E M B E R S R E C E I V E ?

A: Wellness exams, sick visits, chronic disease management, preventative care, basic lab panels,

and both in-person and virtual visits. Tier 2 members receive additional screenings, including mammograms, Cologuard, DEXA scans, and CT calcium scoring. Members also receive 25% off supplements through Fullscript.

Q : W H AT S E T S R E S T O R E H E A L T H & W E L L N E S S A PA R T F R O M OT H E R PROVIDERS? A: We created Restore to bring healthcare back to the patient-provider relationship. Our approach is attentive and rooted in truly listening. We focus on long-term wellness, early detection, and creating personalized plans that go far beyond the typical 15-minute office visit.

Q : W H Y D I D YO U C H OO S E T H E D P C MODEL? A: After years in traditional healthcare, we saw how often important conversations were cut short. The DPC model allows us to slow down, spend real time with patients, and provide thorough, accessible care. The relationship is present in a way that feels more aligned with why we entered healthcare in the first place.

Q : W H AT I S T H E C O S T ?

A: Tier 1: $80/month + $25 per adult family member; children under 18 are $18/month.

Tier 2: $180/month + $55 per child (18 and under).

A 10% discount is offered for annual payment.

Q : W H AT ’ S N O T I N C L U D E D ?

A: Hospital care, specialist visits, ER or urgent care visits, and advanced imaging beyond what is included in Tier 2.

To learn more about membership options or schedule a visit, contact Restore Health & Wellness and experience a more personal approach to care.

(985) 231-2515 • restorehealthandwellnessla.com JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 43

PHOTO BY ABBY SANDS

Direct Primary Care with a Personal Touch

BEST OF 2025 By: Terri Schlichenmeyer

This past year, you’ve often had to make do.

Saving money here, resources there, being inventive and innovative. It’s a talent you’ve honed, but isn’t it time to have the best? Yep, so grab these Ten Best of 2025 books for your new year pleasures...

Nonfiction Health care is on everyone’s mind now, and “A Living: Working-Class Americans Talk to Their Doctor” by Michael D. Stein, M.D. (Melville House, $26.99) lets you peek into health care from the point of view of a doctor who treats “front-line workers” and those who experience poverty and homelessness. It’s shocking, an eye-opening book, a skinny, quick-to-read one that needs to be read now.

If you’ve been doing eldercare or caring for any loved one, then “How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter’s Memoir” by Molly Jong-Fast (Viking, $28.00) needs to be in your plans for the coming year. It’s a memoir, but also a biography of Jong-Fast’s mother, Erica Jong, and the story of love, illness, and living through the chaos of serious disease with humor and grace. You’ll like this book especially if you were a fan of the author’s late mother.

Another memoir you can’t miss this year is “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: A Veteran’s Memoir” by Khadijah Queen (Legacy Lit, $30.00). It’s the story of one woman’s determination to get out of poverty and get an education, and to keep her head above water while she goes below water by joining the U.S. Navy. This is a story that will keep you glued to your seat, all the way through.

Self-improvement is something you might think about tackling in the new year, and “Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy” by Mary Roach (W.W. Norton & Company, $28.99) is a lighthearted – yet real and informative – look at the things inside and outside your body that can be replaced or changed. New nose job? Transplant, new dental work? Learn how you can become the Bionic Person in real life, and laugh while you’re doing it.

The science lover inside you will want to read “The Grave Robber: The Biggest Stolen Artifacts Case in FBI History and the Bureau’s Quest to Set Things Right”

by Tim Carpenter (Harper Horizon, $29.99). A history lover will also want it, as will anyone with a craving for true crime, memoir, FBI procedural books, and travel books. It’s the story of a man who spent his life stealing

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objects from graves around the world, and an FBI agent’s obsession with securing the objects and returning them.

It’s a fascinating read, with just a little bit of gruesome thrown in for fun.

Fiction Speaking of a little bit of scariness, “Don’t Forget Me, Little Bessie” by James Lee Burke (Atlantic Monthly Press, $28.00) is the story of a girl named Bessie and her involvement with a cloven-hooved being who dogs her all her life. Set in still-wild south Texas, it’s a little bit western, part paranormal, and completely full of enjoyment.

“Evensong” by Stewart O’Nan (Atlantic Monthly Press, $28.00) is a layered novel of women’s friendships as they age together and support one another. The characters are warm and funny, there are a few times when your heart will sit in your throat, and you won’t be sorry you read it. It’s just plain irresistible.

If you need a dark tale for what’s left of a dark winter season, then “One of Us” by Dan Chaon (Henry Holt, $28.00), it it. It’s the story of twins who become orphaned when their Mama dies, ending up with a man who owns a traveling freak show, and who promises to care for them. But they can’t ever forget that a nefarious con man is looking for them; those kids can talk to one another without saying a word, and he’s going to make lots of money off them. This is a sharp, clever novel that fans of the “circus” genre shouldn’t miss.

“When the Harvest Comes” by Denne Michele Norris (Random House, $28.00) is a wonderful romance, a boy-meets-boy with a little spice and a lot of strife.

Davis loves Everett but as their wedding day draws near, doubts begin to creep in. There’s homophobia on both sides of their families, and no small amount of racism.

Beware that there’s some light explicitness in this book, but if you love a good love story, you’ll love this.

Another layered tale you’ll enjoy is “The Elements” by John Boyne (Henry Holt, $29.99), a twisty bunch of short stories that connect in a series of arcs that begin on an island near Dublin. It’s about love, death, revenge, and horror, a little like The Twilight Zone, but without the paranormal. You won’t want to put down, so be warned.

If you need more ideas, head to your local library or bookstore and ask the staff there for their favorite reads of 2025. They’ll fill your book bag and your new year with goodness.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 45

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FLOURISHES

CE LE BR ATING TH E NE W YE AR IN ST YLE

Omega Constellation 28MM in steel and 18K Gold with Mother of Pearl Diamond Dial, $7,400.

Boudreaux’s Jewelers, (985) 626-1666.

Finally—gluten-free pasta that eats like the real thing with over 10 varieties to choose from. Food Lovers Marketplace, (985) 590-1074.

Sparkly Mardi Gras King Cake Knife. deCoeur, (985) 809-3244.

Biltmore Gala Lantern, a unique Coppersmith design offered by Gulf Coast Lanterns available in 3 sizes and 4 finishes.

Gulf Coast Lanterns, (800) 910-3275.

Alternating gold and diamond link bracelet set in 14K Gold, $5,995.

Boudreaux’s Jewelers, (985) 626-1666.

Mardi Gras sequin tree long sleeve sweater, $88.

Columbia Street Mercantile, (985) 809-1789.

Antique-style aluminum framed mirror with gold textured finish and French cleat hanger.

V Home Interiors, (985) 231-7411.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 47

48 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

BIG BAD BOOT

D R IVE-TH R U DAIQUI RI SH O P

The History of Louisiana’s Drive-Thru Daiquiri Shops Written by: Kati Morse LeBreton, Cohost of The Big Bad Boot Podcast Almost all Louisiana adults share a singular formative experience: visiting the drive-thru daiquiri shop. We’ve all reached through a sliding window from our cars and exchanged some wrinkled cash for a frozen, high octane treat. You could say that the drive-thru daiquiri is our blood type here. The origin story of Louisiana’s drivethru daiquiri shops unfolds like a Hollywood blockbuster.

Our story begins in 1981. David Ervin was a business student at Louisiana Tech, in the heart of a dry parish. Prior to every party, Ervin and his friends would have to drive to Jackson Parish to buy alcohol.

Their local Wilmart (not the other one) sold frozen, flavored alcoholic drinks known as Frostys. The problem? Grabbing one wasn’t exactly quick or easy—you had to park, head inside, and stand in line. That’s when Ervin had a light bulb moment.

“I sat and counted cars, and the numbers were off the chart,” Ervin said. “I decided I wanted to do that concept, but I wanted to market it differently. I wanted to focus on frozen drinks, no beer, nothing (else). I wanted to do it in a drive-thru environment because I could operate out of a less expensive building and generate more profit with less expense.”

The idea was born. But where would it plant roots? Ervin decided on Lafayette. He had spent time there while working offshore, and he figured it was the perfect place to launch. At the time, Lafayette was booming with oil money and people were in the mood to celebrate.

“I was driving this canary yellow Corvette, blasting Jimmy Buffett, cigarette in one hand, wind in my hair—all the way from Ruston to Lafayette,” Ervin said. “I couldn’t wait to get there.”

When original financing fell through at the last minute, his parents co-signed on a $20,000 loan. Ervin found a spot of land on Johnston Road, purchased a building from a storage shed company, and ordered drink machines & signage.

The Daiquiri Factory opened on November 17, 1981. Ervin got to the store at 7 a.m., turned on the machines, and waited.

He didn’t sell a single drink during the day, but when the sun went down, things changed.

“It finally got dark enough to turn the lights on, and it was like mosquitoes to a light bulb,” said Ervin.

Within a month, business nearly quadrupled; and local alcohol distributers had trouble keeping up. After three weeks in business, the first payment on Ervin’s loan was due. He hopped in his Corvette and arrived at the bank before it opened. The bank president told Ervin he understood that starting a business wasn’t easy and offered to defer his first payment. Ervin then lifted the brown paper bag he was carrying and placed it on the president’s desk. “You don’t understand,” Ervin told him. “I’m here to pay the whole loan off.”

Since 1981, hundreds of drive-thru daiquiri shops have popped up across Louisiana. The Daiquiri Factory proved to be the right concept, in the right place, at the right time. Operational costs were low, service was fast, quality was high, and the price was affordable. The drive-thru daiquiri shop has become an institution. And the best part?

It was created by a broke college student who simply had a good idea.

When asked to reflect on his completely original contribution to Louisiana culture, David simply said: “Everybody told me I was an idiot.”

To hear more if David’s incredible story, you can listen to Episode 36 of The Big Bad Boot Podcast. Kati cohosts the show alongside her brother, Caleb Morse. As the state’s most popular independently produced comedy podcast, The Big Bad Boot covers Louisiana history, true crime, and folklore; sprinkled with the siblings’ trademark hilarious banter.

You can listen to The Big Bad Boot (for free!) on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and more. You can also watch each episode on YouTube.

Kati’s sources for this feature are listed in the episode show notes.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 49

GENEROUS HEARTS

Highlighting Philanthropy on the Northshore Our partners at the Northshore Community Foundation exist to make it easy for each of us to make a difference in our own backyard. Now in their 18th year, the Foundation has touched over $94 million dollars in philanthropic fuel, focusing on simplifying, organizing and magnifying philanthropy at every turn.

The Foundation has reached those remarkable numbers in three primary ways. First, they engage hundreds of individuals, families, companies and nonprofits in a membership model that promotes active connections and charitable work. Second, they take the paperwork out of “doing good” by administering funds that act as charitable checkbooks for any purpose. Last, they step into big roles when the need is great — especially in times of disaster. Through these three unique and critical roles, the Foundation uses its expertise and resources to magnify the incredible charitable work so prevalent in our region.

Everyone is a philanthropist. To Learn how you can do more in your own backyard, reach out to the Foundation at northshorefoundation.org

50 INSIDE NORTHSIDE

The Meaning of Service: How Board Leadership Connects a Community

By Erin Moore Cowser

Strong nonprofit organizations do not exist by chance.

They are built and sustained by people willing to give more than their time — people who lend their judgment, experience, and relationships to something larger than themselves. At its best, board service is not ceremonial. It is rewarding. Across the Northshore, the Northshore Community Foundation (NCF) has long relied on volunteer leaders who understand that serving on a board is both a responsibility and a privilege. These individuals help guide the foundation’s mission, ensure accountability, and strengthen the nonprofit ecosystem that serves the region.

In conversations with past, present, and future NCF board chairman, one theme consistently emerges: connection. Not networking for its own sake, but meaningful connection — between people and resources, donors and causes, ideas and action.

For Chris Kenny, current NCF board chair, that sense of connection is inseparable from the responsibility of service. He notes that those who serve on the NCF board are often connectors by nature. “We all have the universal desire to make our community better for future generations,” said Kenny, a longtime financial advisor who lives in Mandeville with his wife and three children. “We have the duty and privilege of helping connect people in need with the resources that can help them. Service on the NCF board is my way of serving my fellow community members.”

That connective role extends beyond governance and into the broader nonprofit landscape. Maureen Clary, NCF’s current vice chair and chair-elect for the foundation’s 20th anniversary year in 2027, points to NCF’s role in strengthening nonprofits across the region. “I am always impressed with the ways the foundation helps nonprofits become stronger,” said Clary, a Covington resident and commercial real estate professional and project manager. Kenny agrees, noting that while NCF does not claim the frontline work of nonprofits, its core role is helping organizations build capacity and operate more effectively. “When

2025 Northshore Community Foundation Board and Chairmans Council First row, left to right: Leslie Landry, Will Boudreaux, Dudley Downing, Greg Pellegrini, Jill Donaldson, Lauren Jumonville, Lisa Wilson, Johnathan Hills Second row, left to right: William Wainwright, Chris Kenny, Maura Donahue, Marty Mayer, Dave Kronlage, Jenifer Besh, Todd Richard, John Finan Also serving but not pictured: Maureen Clary, Leah Brown, Mike Burris, Alexis Ducorbier, Jimmy Maurin

nonprofits achieve greater success and efficiency, they can positively impact even more families and communities across the Northshore,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons I’ve been drawn to serve on the NCF board.”

For Greg Pellegrini, NCF’s immediate past chair and former business owner, that support often takes the form of education and inspiration — particularly for nonprofit leaders, board members, and volunteers. Through training sessions and networking opportunities, NCF embraces a “lift all ships” philosophy, Pellegrini said. Even topics that may seem technical or routine, such as fiduciary responsibilities and governance best practices, can become meaningful when grounded in shared experience.

“I was asked to speak to a group of nonprofit leaders, and I’ll admit the topics seemed rather bland,” said Pellegrini.

“But when my fellow board member and friend Todd Richard and I began sharing our personal experiences as board members over the past 30 years, it sparked a fantastic discussion.” One attendee later told Pellegrini the conversation inspired him to reengage his own board. “He said he took that inspiration back and used it to motivate them,” Pellegrini recalled. “In turn, his words motivated me to do even more. It’s amazing how positivity can be circular.”

Connecting donors with causes they care about is another essential function of the foundation. Kenny often asks families what legacy they hope to leave behind. When donors have a specific passion, NCF helps connect them with organizations positioned to make a meaningful impact.With the foundation’s strong reputation and deep community knowledge, donors can feel confident their contributions are stewarded responsibly and aligned with their intent. Clary notes that sometimes donors are still discovering what matters most to them. “The foundation team is great at introducing donors to different possibilities,” she said. “Donors often find a cause they didn’t even realize they held thanks to the staff.”

“Serving — even on a committee — will change you both personally and professionally,” — MAUREEN CLARY

At other times, NCF serves as a sounding board for community members with big ideas but no clear roadmap. The recent groundbreaking for a Boys & Girls Club in Covington is one such example. “While it wasn’t a foundation project, NCF was proud to help suggest and advise the group so their conceptual idea could become a reality,” Kenny said. That trusted role becomes especially critical during times of crisis. In southeastern Louisiana, weather-related emergencies are a reality, and donors often seek reliable ways to support recovery efforts. “Disaster response and recovery is a must where we live,” Clary said. “Donors want to know their contributions will get to the people who truly need them. That trust is another reason I serve on the NCF board.” She added that the foundation’s impact extends well beyond emergency response, pointing to scholarship programs and leadership initiatives. Pellegrini echoed that sentiment, noting his pride in the Chevron Community Fellows Program, which has become a hallmark of NCF’s work to develop nonprofit leaders across the Northshore.

As the foundation looks ahead to its next 20 years and beyond, Kenny said the board remains committed to reflecting critically on past accomplishments while setting ambitious yet realistic goals for the future. All three leaders agree that board service has been deeply rewarding — not only for the organizations they serve, but personally as well.

“It’s a two-way street,” Pellegrini said. “The organization benefits from your expertise, and you benefit from working alongside like-minded individuals.”

Clary encourages others who may be considering board or committee service to take the leap.

Everyone is a philanthropist. To learn how you can do more in your own backyard, visit northshorefoundation. org.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 51

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WEDDINGS

TH E R IOT- KU H N

Theriot-Kuhn SKYLAR THERIOT-CAMERON KUHN May 16, 2025

Photographer: Emily Songer

City/State

New Orleans, LA

Ceremony Venue

Bescoff Sculpture Garden

Reception Venue

New Orleans Museum of Art

Caterer

Cafe Noma

Cake

Zoes Bakery

Florist

Nola Flora

Invitations

Scriptura

Rings

Diamonds Direct

Hair

Caroline McDonald

Makeup

Maddie G Mua

Videographer

Numa Films

Band/Entertainment

The Mixed Nuts

Honeymoon Destination

The Bahamas

Special appearance

by Big Sam and Lexi Lawson from Hamilton See Hear Productions

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 53

PEEK Heroes Who Cook Children’s Advocacy Center - Hope House hosted its annual Heroes Who Cook fundraiser on the rooftop of the Justice Center parking garage in downtown Covington on Sunday, Nov. 2. Sixteen teams competed to cook the best dish and raise the most money for local child abuse victims. Each team, comprised of a local government or business leader paired with a top local restaurant, prepared tastings of a gourmet dish, and attendees voted on their favorites by “tipping” the teams to determine the People’s Choice award winner. Awards were also given for Judges Choice, Most Money Raised and Most Creative Campaign. The event also included a variety of cocktails and beverages, live music by Groovy 7, a silent auction featuring dozens of luxury items and unique experiences, and a live auction for a golf cart donated by Blackwell’s Outdoor Inc. This year, $125,000 in team donations and $25,000 in silent auction bids were generously matched by The IJN Foundation (In Jesus’ Name), bringing the event’s fundraising total to over $561,000.

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H E R OE S WH O CO O K

PEEK

H E R OE S WH O CO O K

This year’s winners included: MOST MONEY RAISED (Online before the event) 1st Place Nick & Patrice LaRocca and Roux 25 2nd Place Adam Acquistapace and Acquistapace’s 3rd Place Anthony Rutledge & Connor Brown and Farm To Fire Louisiana JUDGE’S CHOICE (A blind tasting by 3 guest judges) 1st Place Roux 25 and Nick & Patrice LaRocca 2nd Place Valencia Covington & Michele Echols 3rd Place Farm To Fire Louisiana and Anthony Rutledge & Connor Brown PEOPLE’S CHOICE Tip tickets collected at the event) 1st Place Valencia Covington & Michele Echols 2nd Place Roux 25 and Nick & Patrice LaRocca 3rd Place Bon Sake Sushi & Bar and Senator Beth Mizell & Joan Coffman MOST CREATIVE CAMPAIGN Adam Acquistapace and Acquistapace’s (with over 2,000 individual donors contributing to the campaign!)

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026

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PEEK

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

PEEK

YOU NIGHT FUNDRAISER

Habitat for Humanity

Pickled Pink

Courtyard Bistro hosted an Emily in Paris–inspired evening in support of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build 2025 and W.A.T.C.H. Guests gathered for an evening of connection, good food, and community spirit while raising awareness for the women-led efforts that help local families achieve safe, affordable housing.

Pickled Pink was created as a celebration of strength, resilience, and community. Hosted by Category 5 Pickleball in Mandeville, the event brought players and sponsors together with a shared purpose: to support women impacted by cancer through connection, movement, and joy.

W.A.T.C.H., which stands for Women Accepting the Challenge of Housing, is a group of dedicated women who help ensure Women Build continues to thrive in western St. Tammany. Formed in 2009, the group began when members pledged $1,000 a year to support Habitat’s work.

Over the years, W.A.T.C.H. has raised more than $50,000 to advance Habitat’s mission.

Thanks to overwhelming community support, the inaugural event raised $1,500 for You Night, helping fund programs that uplift and empower women navigating life during and after cancer. What began as a single fundraiser has now become an annual event, rooted in love, hope, and collective impact.

For more information Women Build please contact: Leighanne Weeks at 985-893-3172

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EAT & DRINK

TCHEFUNCTE’S

DESI VEGA'S STEAKHOUSE

MADISONVILLE

At Desi Vega's Steakhouse Northshore, our expertly seared, aged steaks promise indulgence in every bite. Alongside our signature steaks, we offer house-crafted desserts, specialty appetizers, and seafood options like jumbo lump scallops, market fish, and broiled lobster tail. For the best experience, reserve your table on OpenTable or call us. For large parties, email EVENTS@DESIVEGASNORTHSHORE.COM. We look forward to welcoming you to an elevated dining experience.

Indulge in a culinary journey at Tchefuncte’s, where our chefs masterfully craft Louisiana and American cuisine with the freshest, locally sourced ingredients. The upscale atmosphere, paired with the breathtaking scenic view of the Tchefuncte River, sets the perfect stage whether you’re in the mood for a quick bite or a long, leisurely meal, we’ve got you covered.

To ensure that you have the best experience possible, we recommend making a reservation. For large parties and events, email us at EVENTS@TCHEFUNCTES.COM.

THE ANCHOR MADISONVILLE Tuesday 11am-7pm Wednesday-Thursday 11am-8pm Friday-Saturday 11am-8:30pm Sunday 11am-8pm

407 SAINT TAMMANY ST., MADISONVILLE (985) 323-4800 THEANCHORLA.COM

COVINGTON 1950 N. Highway 190, Covington, LA, (985) 276-4994

PARDOS AN AMERICAN BISTRO

COURTYARD BISTRO MANDEVILLE Serving traditional breakfast and lunch made fresh each day, specializing in Dutch babies, sandwiches, and seasonal dishes. A small gourmet market nearby carries many of the same ingredients used in the kitchen, making it easy to enjoy them again at home.

MANDEVILLE Pardo's Fine Dining offers European and American Cuisine in a flavorful and relaxing atmosphere with a variety of foods from handmade pasta to Prime steaks, from specialty beers to artfully hand-crafted cocktails; there is surely something to please every palate.

1291 N. CAUSEWAY BLVD (985) 377-5288 THECOURTYARDBISTRO.COM

527 MANDEVILLE Tuesday-Friday: Lunch 11AM–2:30PM Tuesday-Thursday: Dinner 5PM-9:30PM Friday-Saturday: Dinner 5PM–10PM

527 N CAUSEWAY BLVD., MANDEVILLE (985) 778-2820

GALLAGHER’S SLIDELL AND COVINGTON

5280 HIGHWAY 22 MANDEVILLE LA 70471 WWW.PARDOSRESTAURANT.COM PARDOSCATERING@GMAIL.COM (985) 893-3603

Award-winning entrées featuring sizzling steaks, pork chops, and the best seafood Louisiana has to offer. Whether you’re looking for fine dining in a comfortable setting, or a lunch that’s a cut above the rest, we specialize in creating the perfect experience for your needs.

GALLAGHERSGRILL.COM

GALLAGHERS527.COM

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LAST LOOK