August Rhythms on the Northshore
August has a funny way of changing the temperature of a home.
Not just the heat outside, though we certainly have plenty of that. It’s more the shift inside. Backpacks appear by the door, lunchboxes return to the counter, and cleats, water bottles, homework folders, permission slips, and half-finished art projects begin their annual migration through the house.
And somewhere in the midst of it all, the dog is underfoot, the cat is watching from a windowsill, and the people we love most are trying to find their rhythm again.
This month’s Kids & Pets issue is really about that rhythm: the daily life of families, the creatures who make life even warmer, and the small touches that lay the foundation for memories that last a lifetime.
First, we visit Monroe Street Animal Hospital, where Dr. Paige Massey and Dr. Alissa Whitney have built something meaningful inside a restored 1910 home: veterinary care that moves at the pace of deep, lasting trust. Their Fear Free approach treats animals not as addendums to our lives, but as part of the family itself, with needs, anxieties, personalities, and stories of their own.
We also spend time with Trey and Katie Kennedy, whose humor finds its spark in marriage, parenting, and the real-life comedy of raising children. Their story captures the truth that family life does not have to be polished to be meaningful.
At Northlake Academy of Music, we look at how song, play, discipline, and live music help children build more than musical ability. For thirty years, Leslie Domingues has been helping children build confidence, community, presence, and a strong sense that each child’s voice belongs in the room.
And because August brings lunchboxes back into service, we included a playful take on the humble peanut butter and jelly sandwich, elevated with better breads, fresh fruit, and gourmet spreads, to make an ordinary lunch feel special.
Finally, you’ll find our August events calendar, filled with local ways to get out, gather, listen, learn, and make the most of these late-summer weeks before the school year settles fully into motion.
As routines return and the pace picks up again, we hope this issue gives you a few reasons to pause, look around, and enjoy the life happening all around us.
With gratitude,
August 2026
PUBLISHER
Rebecca George | rebecca.george@citylifestyle.com
CO-PUBLISHER
Christian George | christian.george@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Akifa Ashraf
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rebecca George, Christian George, Kali Kasprzyk, and Kristy Belley
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Abby Sands of AbbyPhoto, Leslie Domingues, Trent Spann of Images by Robert T, Tiffany King of The Organized Social, and Janie Jones
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Matthew Endersbe
LAYOUT DESIGNER Lillian Gibbs
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick
REBECCA GEORGE & CHRISTIAN GEORGE , PUBLISHER & CO-PUBLISHER @MANDEVILLECITYLIFESTYLE
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Magnolia Burbrink at the piano inside Northlake Academy of Music, where her grandmother, Leslie Domingues, has helped generations of students discover the joy of music.
Photography: Abby Sands of AbbyPhoto
Fear Free on Monroe Street
INSIDE A RESTORED 1910 HOME, TWO VETERINARIANS TREAT PETS WITH TRUST, COMFORT, AND INDIVIDUALIZED CARE
ARTICLE BY REBECCA GEORGE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRENT SPANN, TIFFANY KING
A home in Old Mandeville now houses a unique kind of care.
Built in 1910 as a private residence, the cottage at 2130 Monroe Street watched families come and go, storms pass, and a town change around it. Today, after renovation guided by the local historic commission, it holds Monroe Street Animal Hospital, a veterinary practice with the soul of a cozy front porch.
Inside, antiques sit comfortably beside exam rooms. Donated artwork warms the walls. Clinic cats, including Cheese and Tater, weave through the space like landlords.
For Dr. Paige Massey and Dr. Alissa Whitney, that feeling is part of the care.
“Our clinic is incredibly homey because animals prefer it that way,” says Dr. Paige. “We do not rush our patients because they usually want to take it slower. They set the pace, not us.”
Dr. Paige’s calling began early. “I first fell in love with helping animals at a ridiculously young age…maybe six or seven years old,” she says. “My first patients besides my dogs were my hamsters: Cotton, Candy, and Popcorn. They all tolerated quite a bit from me.”
She still reads animals closely. “I love seeing current and new pets with their people in my exam room,” she says. “I pick up a lot about a patient, watching how he or she behaves during an exam. I guess it seems like an exam is simply an exam, but you’d be surprised.”
Dr. Alissa’s path grew from a lifelong instinct toward care. “I was always an animal person,” she says. “There are a number of
medical professionals in my family, so I grew up in a culture of care, and this was a natural route for me to follow.”
For her, general practice offers continuity. “It’s a privilege to be able to know a patient from their time as a puppy or a kitten as they move into adulthood and their golden years,” she says. “The same is true for the owners—I have clients now that I met when they were children, coming with their parents’ pets.”
Together, Dr. Paige and Dr. Alissa built Monroe Street Animal Hospital around relationship-based medicine. The practice offers wellness care, surgery, dermatology, dentistry, diagnostics, boarding, business-hours emergency care, and compassionate end-of-life care. But the difference is not only what they provide, but in how carefully they provide it.
Dr. Paige has a particular love for surgery, especially the soft tissue procedures that require both precision and calm. In her hands, that clinical strength fits naturally with Monroe Street’s larger philosophy: move carefully, communicate clearly, and always keep the patient’s comfort at the center.
Dr. Alissa brings a deep commitment to emotional comfort as well. “We are a Fear Free practice; that was a priority from day one,” she says. “My goal is to treat every patient with the consideration I would give my own pets, and that includes managing their anxieties.”
Monroe Street’s reputation is built on choices that make all the difference for nervous pets and their owners. The clinic is trained in Human-Animal Bond principles, which means moving
at the animal’s pace, explaining care clearly, tailoring recommendations to each pet’s age, breed, history, and lifestyle, and creating a space where anxious patients can begin to relax. Monroe Street’s veterinarians treat emotional comfort as part of the visit, not as an afterthought.
“As a group, we are all huge animal advocates,” Dr. Paige says. “We are always looking out for what’s best for our patients.”
“It is such a good feeling,” Dr. Alissa agrees, “to have patients that are not only unafraid to come here, but are actively excited to see us for treats and special attention.”
That’s the promise of Monroe Street Animal Hospital: modern veterinary care delivered in a calm, home-like setting by two doctors who believe that every pet deserves to be treated with patience, respect, and a special breed of tenderness that families will never forget.
Louisiana summers ask for extra vigilance from pet owners
These tips from Dr. Alissa and Dr. Paige can help your pet stay safer through heat, storms, travel, and accidents.
Heat stroke is a real risk, especially for brachycephalic breeds: dogs and cats with shorter faces. Limit outdoor time during peak heat, watch for heavy panting or weakness, and keep fresh water available.
Storm season brings additional considerations. For pets with noise phobias, ask about anxiety support before thunder or hurricane warnings arrive. If evacuation becomes necessary, don’t leave pets behind. Keep a go-bag ready with food, medications, a leash or carrier, identification, and a copy of your pet’s current vaccine certificate. Ideally, pets should have both a name tag and a registered microchip.
Summer calls for sharper situational awareness. Pets may sneak barbecue, leading to pancreatitis or gastroenteritis. Cars, open doors, and busy gatherings also create risk.
And in our hot, humid climate, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Heartworm, flea, and tick protection should stay consistent, especially with renewed concern over screwworms in the U.S.
The best plan is a personal one. Call Monroe Street Animal Hospital at (985) 629-4075, or visit them at 2130 Monroe Street in Mandeville For pet care tips, hospital updates, and behind-the-scenes moments with Cheese and Tater, follow Monroe Street Animal Hospital on Instagram at @monroestreetvets and on Facebook.
TREY & KATIE KENNEDY
ON MARRIAGE, KIDS, AND THE COMEDY OF REAL LIFE
Trey Kennedy makes a living finding comedy in regular life. Marriage. Toddlers. Yoga pants. The Thursday-night scramble between school dropoffs, soccer practice, and whatever has to be done by morning. Twelve years in, it shows: millions of followers across every platform, three stand-up specials, a sold-out Relatable Tour, and a style of humor fans send each other captioned, “Are you watching me?” He delivers the kind of comedy that travels because everyone’s living some version of it.
Katie, his wife of six years, is a former biomedical engineer who also built a modeling career. She’s now raising their kids and co-hosting Correct Opinions alongside Trey — the show where the two of them swap takes on marriage, parenting, and whatever came up that week.
Trey has been at this longer than people realize. An Edmond, Oklahoma kid who grew up playing basketball described himself as a “shy kid who never thought he’d be an entertainer.” He started making videos while attending Oklahoma State University. After building millions of followers on Vine before the platform shut down, he gave himself six months on Instagram and Facebook to see whether he could rebuild from zero. He did. Stand-up soon followed. His first special, Are You For Real?, streams on YouTube; the second, Grow Up, on Amazon Prime; the third, built around the Relatable Tour, wrapped earlier this year. “I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now,” he says. A slow climb, made one bit at a time.
ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
“I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now.”
Most of what Trey writes lately starts in his own kitchen. Thomas is three and a half, and he is, in his father’s words, “a movie.” He narrates his own life from the moment his eyes open and mispronounces words in ways his parents now repeat to each other because no one else would believe them. His younger sister, Eva, is what Katie calls “the calm one.” With a third now in the mix, the Kennedys are officially outnumbered.
After six years of marriage, Trey and Katie have learned that the partnership runs best when it gets its own time on the calendar. So once a week, they leave the kids with a sitter and go out for coffee. “You need a system,” Katie says. “It’s about taking time to look each other in the eye. Not the kids. Not the cameras. Just each other.”
The same instinct shapes the work. Most of Trey’s trial and error happens onstage or on Instagram, but the first read is always Katie’s. “There’s only been one time ever I’ve had to be like, ‘you’re not doing that,’” she says. The rest of the time, she just laughs first.
FEATURING TREY & KATIE KENNEDY
Trey and Katie talk about marriage, parenting, and the moments that don’t make the Instagram feed.
Watch or listen to the full conversation wherever you get your podcasts.
HAIR & MAKEUP BY MIKAYLA CRANE
ARTICLE BY CHRISTIAN GEORGE, PHD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABBY SANDS, LESLIE DOMINGUES
TOTS-N-TUNES
Three generations of music: Leslie Domingues with her daughter, Allie Burbrink, and granddaughter, Magnolia Burbrink.
INSIDE NORTHLAKE ACADEMY OF MUSIC, WHERE MUSIC EDUCATION HELPS CHILDREN BUILD CONFIDENCE, COMMUNITY, DISCIPLINE, AND LIFE SKILLS THROUGH LIVE MUSIC, SONG, AND DAILY PLAY
A woman walks into the Mandeville Post Office carrying two $20 bills and a dream.
With the first, she opened a mailbox. With the second, she purchased paper supplies.
She printed flyers, slipped them onto doors, and handed them out in parking lots, churches, and Pelican Park.
Then she waited.
Her name is Leslie Domingues, and that was twenty-nine years ago.
Today, her dream has evolved into Northlake Academy of Music, the most popular children’s music education program on the Northshore.
With 52 teachers, hundreds of students, and three locations, including a new Metairie campus that opened this summer, Northlake has become a full musical pathway, from Tots-N-Tunes and summer camps to private lessons, recitals, voice ensemble, rock bands, and instruction in piano, strings, brass, voice, violin, woodwinds, guitar, and drums.
A DREAM SKETCHED ON THE FLOOR
Leslie did not set out to build an academy.
She was an elementary school teacher with two education degrees—one in special education—and a lifelong love of piano. She had taken lessons from age seven to eighteen, then began teaching music on the side while raising her family.
But the standard thirty-minute lesson felt too short.
“I wanted to develop a program for preschoolers with live music and movement,” she says.
She took the idea to Northshore Werlein’s Music, a local store already woven into her family history. Her grandmother had played piano there, and her grandfather had sold sheet music there.
The manager gave her a break room the size of a closet. Leslie decorated it, hired a fiddler, and called it Tots-N-Tunes.
Families began asking for piano teachers, then guitar, choir, and strings.
The first studio became too small almost immediately, and so did the next. Eventually, Leslie bought a tired Mandeville building. With her husband’s help and her young daughter Allie beside her, she gutted it, rebuilt it, and mapped its future with painter’s tape on the floor.
On opening weekend, Leslie photographed a rainbow bending over the new school like a bright, improbable promise of beautiful things to come.
DO CHILDREN NEED MUSIC?
Children eight and under now spend about two and a half hours each day consuming screen media. Much of childhood arrives glowing, frictionless, and preloaded. A child can tap a screen and hear almost anything.
“I WANT EACH STUDENT TO DEVELOP A LOVE AND A PASSION FOR MUSIC. THEY WILL CARRY MUSIC WITH THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.”
Research increasingly supports what Leslie has spent nearly three decades watching firsthand: early music training can strengthen executive function, working memory, cognitive flexibility, language development, and self-control, especially in preschool-aged children.
For Leslie, love is the goal, not competition.
“I want each student to develop a love and a passion for music,” she says. “They will carry music with them for the rest of their lives.”
MOTHER’S DAY OUT
But what do children gain from creating music themselves?
Northlake answers with a musical pathway designed to grow with the child.
Tunes Together welcomes babies and parents. Tots-N-Tunes introduces children ages two to five to live music and movement. Mother’s Day Out folds music, art, and nature into the school day. From there, students move into Piano Pals, private lessons, voice ensemble, summer camps, rock bands, recitals, and instruction across the major instruments.
But the instrument is only part of the point.
“They’re learning a life skill you can’t learn on the phone,” Leslie says. “Coordination. Patience. Focus. Confidence. The humility to fail. The courage to try again.”
Private lessons at Northlake are built for children and adults, beginners and advanced students, with 30- to 60-minute instruction. The studios have glass doors so parents can watch learning happen in real time.
Teachers use theory games, flashcards, enrichment books, and “music money” to make practice feel earned rather than forced. Young students cash in dollars for prizes. Older ones save for Starbucks or Target gift cards.
But the real currency at Northlake is culture.
As director of Mother’s Day Out, Allie Burbrink brings that same precision to Northlake’s early-childhood program. Children move from live music to Montessori-inspired centers, homemade Play-Doh, herb gardens, percussion baskets, and outdoor play.
“Our three pillars are music, art, and nature,” Allie says. “Everything we do here intentionally points to these.” CONTINUED >
GRACE NOTES
“What happens when students grow up?” I ask. “Do they ever return?”
“They return,” Leslie says. “And many of them work here.”
Grace Romano is one of them.
She came to Northlake at age 12, shy enough that her teacher had to coax out the song. Now studying music education, she hopes to give children what her teachers gave her.
“This place means feeling safe to be who I am,” she says, “to express myself, to create, to learn, and to become who I’m meant to be.”
I ask if she’d be comfortable singing something.
She chooses Judy Garland.
“Over the Rainbow.”
A WAY HOME
Equally colorful is the large painting hanging in the waiting
room. Leslie made it with her mother, Ines, after Hurricane Katrina. Look closely, and instruments appear inside the texture: saxophone, harmonica, triangle, all hidden marks of music waiting to be found.
The painting connects to Musicians’ Village, the New Orleans effort that helped bring displaced musicians home after the storm.
And perhaps that is what music does best.
It gathers what has scattered and gives feeling a shape. Music teaches children how to listen, how to begin, how to stand before others without vanishing, and how to make sense of themselves and the world.
That was Leslie Domingues’s vision when she walked into the post office nearly three decades ago with $40 in her hand. And somewhere along the way—somewhere over the rainbow— she built what every good song is trying to find.
A way home.
NORTHLAKE ACADEMY OF MUSIC
Northlake Academy of Music offers private lessons, Tots-NTunes, Tunes Together, Mother’s Day Out, Piano Pals, voice ensemble, camps, workshops, and modern band programs at its Mandeville campus, with sister locations in Lakeview and Old Metairie. Contact Northlake at (985) 778-0786, info@north lakeacademyofmusic.net, or northlakeacademyofmusic.net . Follow @northlakeacademy ofmusic and @totsntunesmdo on Instagram, and Northlake Academy of Music on Facebook for updates, registration details, and recital information.
Leslie Domingues, Harry Connick Jr., and Leslie’s mother, Ines
Elevate YOUR PB & J
ARTICLE BY KRISTY BELLEY PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
TRANSFORM YOUR HUMBLE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH FROM LUNCH BOX BASIC TO GOURMET GREATNESS
Ready to give this childhood classic the upgrade it deserves? Whether you’re packing your kid’s lunch or treating yourself to something special, these elevated PB&J creations will make anyone excited for lunchtime.
THE ART OF THE UPSCALE
The secret to an elevated PB&J isn’t complicated—it’s all about premium ingredients and creative combinations. Swap that white bread for artisanal sourdough, brioche, or even croissants. Trade processed jelly for fresh fruit compotes, gourmet preserves, or actual fresh berries that burst with flavor.
Quality nut butters make all the difference. Think creamy almond butter, rich cashew spread, or that perfectly salted natural peanut butter from the farmer’s market. These simple swaps instantly elevate your sandwich from ordinary to extraordinary.
Bread Options
• Artisanal sourdough
• Brioche
• Croissants
• Multigrain bread
• Cinnamon raisin bread
• Hawaiian sweet bread
• Whole wheat bread
• Thick-cut bread (for open-face)
Nut & Seed Butters
• Natural peanut butter
• Almond butter
• Dark chocolate almond butter
• Cashew butter
• Coconut butter
• Nutella
Fresh Fruits
• Strawberries
• Fresh blueberries
• Fresh raspberries
• Fresh peaches
• Kiwi
• Mixed berries
• Bananas
• Pears
Preserves & Sweet Spreads
• Honey
• Fig jam
• Mango preserves
• Raspberry preserves
• Grape jelly
• Marshmallow cream
Toppings & Add-ins
• Fresh mint leaves
• Granola
• Toasted coconut flakes
• Cream cheese
• Everything bagel seasoning
• Dark Chocolate Syrup
COMBOS TO Try:
CREATIVE COMBINATIONS THAT HIT DIFFERENT
The Sophisticated Sweet: Nutella, sliced strawberries, and a drizzle of honey on brioche bread
The Panini Perfection: Peanut butter, fresh blueberries, and marshmallow cream pressed between sourdough slices
The Beautiful Mess: Your favorite nut butter topped with sliced fresh peaches, kiwi, or berries, then drizzled with golden honey or sprinkled with toasted coconut on thickcut bread
The Grown-Up Classic: Almond butter, fig jam, and thinly sliced pears on multigrain bread
The Breakfast Crossover: Cashew butter, sliced bananas, and a sprinkle of granola on cinnamon raisin bread
The Tropical Twist: Coconut butter, mango preserves, and toasted coconut flakes on Hawaiian sweet bread
The Chocolate Dream: Dark chocolate almond butter, raspberry preserves, and fresh mint leaves on whole wheat
The Savory Surprise: Natural peanut butter, grape jelly, and a thin layer of cream cheese with everything bagel seasoning
PRO TIPS FOR LUNCHBOX SUCCESS
Toast your bread lightly for extra texture, even if you’re making it ahead. Create a barrier with your spread to prevent soggy sandwiches—apply nut butter to both sides, then add your sweet elements in the middle. Pack fresh elements separately and assemble just before eating when possible. Cut into fun shapes with cookie cutters, wrap in parchment paper tied with twine, or pack in a bento box with complementary sides like apple slices, fancy crackers, or dark chocolate squares.
THE BOTTOM LINE
An elevated PB&J proves that sometimes the best meals come from taking something familiar and making it special. These upgraded versions will have everyone asking for the recipe—and maybe even offering to trade lunches.
AUGUST 2026
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
DAILY THROUGH AUGUST 31ST
Tammany Taste of Summer
Venues throughout the Northshore
The 9th annual Tammany Taste of Summer returns this August, bringing special offers from St. Tammany Parish restaurants, hotels, attractions, and local businesses. Visit TammanyTaste.com for a full look at the Northshore dining deals and seasonal specials available throughout the month.
SATURDAYS
Mandeville Trailhead Market
Mandeville Trailhead, 675 Lafitte Street, Mandeville | 9:00 AM
Bring the whole family to the Mandeville Trailhead Market, held Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Mandeville Trailhead. Browse local vendors, enjoy the open-air setting, and make a relaxed morning of it in Old Mandeville. August dates include Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29.
WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS, AND SATURDAYS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 12TH
STAA Presents
The Summer Show
St. Tammany Art Association, 320 N. Columbia St., Covington | 10:00 AM
St. Tammany Art Association’s 56th Annual National Juried Exhibition, The Summer Show, is on view through September 12 at the Art House in Covington. This free exhibition features original works by artists from across the country, selected by this year’s juror, MaPó Kinnord, with more than $3,500 in awards.
PUDDY ROBINSON
CONTINUED
AUGUST 7TH
Nature Explorers
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, 61389 Hwy 434, Lacombe | 9:30 AM
Young children ages 0-6 can explore native animals, nature-themed crafts, short walks, and hands-on learning with Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge staff. This free 45-minute program meets rain, mud, or shine on the first and third Fridays at Bayou Lacombe Visitor Center. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
AUGUST 21ST
Sunset at the
Landing Concert
100 N. Columbia Street, Covington | 6:00 PM
Bring family, friends, picnics, chairs, or blankets to Sunset at the Landing, a free monthly outdoor concert series overlooking the Bogue Falaya River. Held third Fridays, March through October, from 6-8 p.m., the series features regional and touring artists performing jazz, bluegrass, folk, blues, and more.
AUGUST 22ND
Great American Legion Banana Split Celebration
2031 Ronald Reagan Hwy, Covington | 1:00 PM
Celebrate the banana split’s 122nd anniversary at American Legion Post 16’s 6th annual Banana Split Celebration, benefiting Northshore Food Bank. Enjoy handmade banana splits, Blue Bell® Ice Cream, and door-prize drawings in two sessions, 1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door.
