Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church Mandeville, LA
A Season to Shine
Our December issue marks one year since Mandeville City Lifestyle first arrived on doorsteps across the Northshore. We’re deeply grateful to every reader, business, and neighbor who’s made this journey so wonderful.
In just twelve months, we’ve seen this community come alive on our pages, from local entrepreneurs chasing dreams to families preserving traditions that define life here in Mandeville. What began as a vision to celebrate our stories has grown into a tapestry of shared moments, with each issue capturing the heart of our beautiful city in a new light.
And now, as the lights of the holiday season begin to glow, this issue celebrates beauty in its truest forms: resilience, creativity, authenticity, and joy.
You’ll meet Natasha Buckholtz of Pink Magnolia Marketplace, whose story proves that strength can bloom in life’s most unexpected seasons. Her shop has become a haven of holiday spirit and a place where every corner glows with craftsmanship and care.
You’ll also meet Jan Rivers of House of Colour Springfield, who reminds us that color is much more than cosmetic; it’s transformational, restoring confidence and self-worth in the life of every client she serves. Color analysis might just be the gift you’ve been looking for this Christmas.
And for those gathering around the table this season, our Holiday Breakfast feature offers a collection of simple, make-ahead recipes curated especially for busy mornings filled with warmth and cheer.
Each of these stories shines a light on what makes our community extraordinary: people who bring beauty into the world and help us connect with ourselves and the ones we love most.
As we close our first year and step into the next, we’re filled with excitement and anticipation for what’s ahead. Here’s to another year of celebrating Mandeville, one story at a time.
Warmly,
REBECCA GEORGE & CHRISTIAN GEORGE , PUBLISHER & CO-PUBLISHER
December 2025
PUBLISHER
Rebecca George rebecca.george@citylifestyle.com
CO-PUBLISHER
Christian George, PhD
christian.george@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT Akifa Ashraf
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rebecca George, Christian George, Angela Broockerd
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Abby Sands, Janie Jones, Trent Spann of Images by Robert T.
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 Megan Cagle
inside the issue
Pink Magnolia Marketplace
Natasha Buckholtz Transforms Challenges Into Charm, Creating a Marketplace that Celebrates Beauty, Belonging, and the Unstoppable Strength of Entrepreneurship
Holiday Breakfast
The holidays are filled with family gatherings. Enjoy these easy, make-ahead recipes to simplify your holiday breakfast; they are sure to impress your guests.
Giving the Gift of Color
How Jan Rivers Uses Color Analysis to Restore Confidence and Transform Lives
Janie Jones
As a proud part of the NOLA community for more than 12 years, The Trace is made up of your friends from church, neighbors and colleagues. Our Assisted Living and SHINE® Memory Care community is passionate about preserving local connections, honoring our culture, and continuing a lifestyle that’s big on family, fun and faith. All that, plus lagniappe: That little, extra peace of mind that comes from knowing you or your loved one is being cared for like family, because that’s what life in Southeast Louisiana is all about!
• Restaurant-Style Dining with Tableside Service
• Senior-Specific Health & Wellness Center
• Professional Beauty Salon & Barber Shop
• On-Site Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapies
• 24/7 Nursing Support Provided by a Registered Nurse or LPN
• Largest 1 Bedroom Apartment Homes in the Area
• Safe, Desirable Located North of I-12
NKMAGNOLIA MARKETPLACE
The magnolia is a paradox: delicate yet unshakable, blooming like silk but surviving like stone. It’s the quintessential Southern emblem of strength in disguise.
“Life is about shifting,” says Natasha Buckholtz, owner of Pink Magnolia Marketplace. “The path you’re on today may not be the path you’re following in five years. But you have to flex with life and shift as it rolls.” Natasha’s life has demanded nothing less.
STORMS AND SURVIVAL
Born and raised in Louisiana, she earned degrees in marketing, public relations, and digital design at Tulane, later adding a real estate license.
“I’m kind of a nerd for learning,” she admits. “Another certificate, another course—it all means I can serve my customers better.”
But when her first son was born with profound medical needs, the carefully mapped path shifted. Doctors told her he wouldn’t live to see his first birthday.
Natasha Buckholtz Transforms Challenges Into Charm, Creating a Marketplace that Celebrates Beauty, Belonging, and the Unstoppable Strength of Entrepreneurship
ARTICLE BY CHRISTIAN GEORGE, PHD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRENT SPANN
“They said he wouldn’t make it to a year old,” she recalls. “He’s nineteen now.”
That was only the first storm.
UNEXPECTED BLOSSOMS
After her son’s health stabilized, Natasha returned to her studies, only to be surprised by twin daughters, born after she was told more children would be impossible.
With daycare for twins out of reach, she pivoted again, launching Southern Soapery in 2019, a bath-and-body wholesale brand that blossomed across five Gulf states. That year, Natasha also launched Charmingly Southern, an apparel and home décor business.
Success felt like springtime until cancer arrived, shadowing her victories. Two weeks after signing eleven new wholesale accounts, she sold Southern Soapery and underwent surgery.
A GARDEN OF ENTREPRENEURS
Instead of retreating, Natasha opened Pink Magnolia Marketplace in 2024. Her vision was radical in its generosity: a space where small entrepreneurs could bloom without being crushed by overhead.
“There are so many people who want to start a business but can’t afford the risk,” she explains. “I wanted to create a place where they could have a storefront without all the weight on their shoulders.”
At its height, the marketplace housed nearly thirty vendors. When economic frost thinned their numbers, Natasha adapted once more, immersing herself in markets and trends, adding new petals of knowledge around her vision.
“I never wanted to be a boutique buyer,” she says, “but customers were asking, so I learned.”
SHOPPING AS CONNECTION
What makes Pink Magnolia different?
“I buy with specific people in mind,” Natasha says. “I saw a dress at market and thought, ‘This is Risa! ’ When she came in, I showed it to her, and she lit up. That’s what makes this worth it.”
CONTINUED >
“We style our customers head-to-toe,” she explains. “One woman told me, ‘I never would have thought to put that together.’ She asked if she could just spend the day with me so I could style her.”
The name itself, Pink Magnolia Marketplace, is a declaration.
“Pink for femininity and power,” Natasha says, “and Magnolia for Southern strength. It’s comfortable, cozy, home. But it’s also confident. We order clothes for every size and shape.”
Her husband, a retired Navy veteran, now serves as CFO, handling the books while Natasha curates the beauty. Their daughters shadow her at markets, learning early lessons about responsibility and style.
“I believe in setting an example for my children,” she says. “Giving up is not an option.”
MORE THAN A MARKETPLACE
Pink Magnolia’s Rewards Program gifts earrings, bracelets, and handbags; its pricing respects the realities of the economy rather than exploiting it.
“People come in needing more than clothes,” Natasha says. “They vent, they talk, and we’re here to listen. When people leave, I want them to feel like they belong here. Everyone has a place.”
This Christmas, shop locally. Pink Magnolia Marketplace offers elegant gifts, curated brands, and inspiration for every name on your list.
Her lessons land like mantras: Compete only with your own yesterday.
Never quit mid-season.
Never assume tomorrow is promised.
Step inside Pink Magnolia Marketplace and you’ll find the perfect Christmas gift for every person on your list. The shelves shimmer with curated finds, from cozy textures to luminous accents, inviting you to linger, explore, and discover.
You’ll also find a business that continues to bloom, season after season.
And more than that, you’ll meet a woman who, like the magnolia, shows us that beauty, resilience, and generosity are always in season.
To learn more about Pink Magnolia Marketplace, or to connect with Natasha, call 985-778-0089, email pinkmagnoliamarketplace@gmail.com, or stop by 1200 West Causeway Approach, Suite 12, Mandeville, LA 70471. Remember to ask about the Rewards Program—because true style always comes with perks!
BREAKFAST HOLIDAY
The holidays are filled with family gatherings. Enjoy these easy, make-ahead recipes to simplify your holiday breakfast; they are sure to impress your guests.
ARTICLE BY ANGELA BROOCKERD PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
MONKEY BREAD
Ingredients:
• 18-20 Rhodes white frozen rolls
• 1 regular box of cook and serve butterscotch pudding
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¾ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ cup brown sugar
Instructions:
Grease a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle chopped pecans around the bottom of the bundt pan. Next, place frozen rolls in the pan, evenly spreading them out. Sprinkle the rolls with the dry pudding mix. Melt butter in a separate container, and add cinnamon and brown sugar and stir. Pour butter and sugar mixture over the rolls. Cover with saran wrap that is sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place in a cool oven overnight with the light off. Bake the next morning at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes and then turn the bundt pan over onto a serving plate and gently pry out of the pan, allowing time for the pecans and toppings to drip on top. Enjoy!
HEARTY BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
• 8 eggs
• 2-3 cups torn bread pieces
• 3 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 pound breakfast sausage, browned
• 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 cups shredded cheese of choice
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Layer torn bread pieces on the bottom of the pan to cover completely. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over the bread. Whisk eggs and heavy whipping cream, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture into the baking dish. Add bacon and sausage on top of egg mixture. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with rosemary and thyme. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until the center is done.
CROISSANT LEMON BERRY DELIGHT
Casserole Ingredients:
• 6 large croissants (from the bakery) sliced into cubes
• 3 cups mixed berries
• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 eggs at room temperature
• 2 cups half and half at room temperature
• ¾ tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¾ tablespoon lemon juice
Lemon Glaze Ingredients:
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and toast the cubed croissants on a baking dish for 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, half and half, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until smooth. Place the toasted croissants into a greased 9 x 13 pan and layer with 1 ½ cups berries. Pour custard mix on top and then add the remaining berries on top. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Set aside and make glaze by adding all ingredients to a bowl and mixing until smooth. Drizzle over the casserole and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
HASHBROWN BITES
Ingredients:
• 20-ounce bag refrigerated hash brown potatoes
• ¾ cup green onions, sliced
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup pepper jack cheese, optional
Instructions:
Spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir. Evenly add mixture to each muffin tin and lightly press down. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. These can be made in advance and reheated for convenience.
HOW JAN RIVERS USES COLOR ANALYSIS TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE AND TRANSFORM LIVES
Jan Rivers has always been coloring. What began with crayons and coloring books evolved over time into a lifelong calling: a gift for helping people rediscover themselves through color.
SHADES OF CHILDHOOD
Jan grew up in a small Alabama town with pine trees, long summers, and hospital corridors bright with fluorescent light. Her sister was born with trisomy 13, a chromosomal disorder so rare most children never make it to their first birthday.
Jan’s sister just turned fifty.
ARTICLE BY CHRISTIAN GEORGE, PHD PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABBY SANDS
“We spent a lot of time in hospitals,” she tells me. “I would take my coloring books everywhere. That’s what I did all day.”
While other kids went to restaurants or beaches, Jan learned to find beauty in waiting rooms. That discipline—part art, part order—never left her.
“I’ve always been attracted to color,” she says. “It was how I made sense of things in a world that felt uncertain.”
THE ART AND SCIENCE
Today, Jan is a certified image consultant with House of Colour Springfield, guiding
clients to discover hues that bring their features to life.
“People think it’s fashion,” she says. “It’s really science.”
She holds up a chart: four identical squares, each surrounded by a different border that changes how the middle looks.
“That’s color analysis,” she says. “You’re the square in the middle. The world around you, and the colors you wear, change how people see you.”
For Jan, the joy is in that intersection: “It’s the marriage of art and science. You can literally see someone’s
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHASE TRENDS. YOU ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED.”
skin tone shift right in front of you. It’s visible transformation.”
IN LIVING COLOR
Jan’s favorite part of every session is what she calls the reveal .
“They come in nervous, bare-faced, unsure. But when the right color hits, something happens.” Eyes brighten. Skin glows. Shoulders lift.
“They look in the mirror and whisper, ‘That’s me,’ and you can feel their confidence return.”
Color analysis, Jan believes, is less about clothes and more about clarity.
“When you finally see harmony between who you are and how people see you, it’s healing. You realize you don’t have to change yourself. You just have to see yourself correctly.”
She calls it “the most peaceful makeover you’ll ever have.” No contouring. No filters. Just light, truth, and a trained eye.
EARLY SHADES OF STRENGTH
Ask Jan who her hero is, and she doesn’t hesitate.
“My dad was my anchor, my hero,” she says.
Every Saturday, he drove three hours each way to take her to modeling school,
waiting eight hours in the car until she finished.
“He was such a saint,” she says. “He’d sit there all day, just so I could chase this dream.”
When a modeling job required her to fit into a size six, she refused. “I knew I couldn’t do that and stay healthy,” she says. “I already knew the cost.”
Years later, when her father battled cancer, Jan returned the favor.
“I drove him to Birmingham for chemo. We’d sit and talk all day. I’d work from my laptop beside him. Wouldn’t trade those days for anything.”
A FRESH COAT OF CONFIDENCE
“We live in a world that moves fast,” Jan says. “People are tired. They look in the mirror and see stress before they see themselves.”
In her studio, the goal isn’t perfection, it’s permission.
“When you sit in that chair, you get to exhale,” she says. “You realize you don’t have to chase trends. You already have everything you need.”
The impact, as clients tell her, is immediate. It affects every aspect of their lives.
“They start wearing lipstick again. They feel more confident in photos. They show up differently at work. That’s what color does. It shifts how you carry yourself. How you interact with people. It even impacts job interviews.”
For Jan, those changes mean everything.
“I’ve seen people walk into my studio defeated and walk out victorious and radiant. When you’re wearing your best colors, you’re at peace with your reflection.”
MIXING HUES AND HEART
Her husband, Brandon, manages their family’s grocery stores around New Orleans.
“He’s my levity,” Jan says. “I’m serious, focused. He reminds me to laugh.”
Together, in a family that hums with motion, they’re raising twin daughters, Alexis and Olivia, and three college-aged sons, Tyler, Alex, and Wyatt.
“We balance each other out,” she says. “He’s teaching the girls how to run the stores, and I’m teaching them confidence, how to see themselves the right way.”
INSIDE THE STUDIO
Step into Jan’s studio and it feels like stepping into sunlight. Natural light floods the space. Drapes of every hue—saffron, plum, turquoise.
Each client sits bare-faced before a mirror while Jan layers colored drapes across their shoulders, one after another, watching the way light shifts across their features.
“We don’t look at the drape,” she says. “We look at what it does to you.”
When the right hue lands, faces brighten, eyes sharpen, jawlines lift.
“They’ll catch their reflection and it’s like the light comes back on,” Jan says. “Color gives them permission to shine again. They see themselves again. That’s what gets me.”
Some clients cry, as if seeing themselves for the first time. One client, a cancer survivor who lost her red hair during chemo, wept through her session.
“She said, ‘I don’t know who I am anymore.’ By the end, she said, ‘I feel beautiful again.’ That’s why I do this.”
Jan calls her philosophy tools, not rules . “I never tell people what they can’t wear. I show them what colors love them back.”
THE WOW FACTOR
“It’s not magic, it’s science,” Jan explains. “There are 144 colors representing the millions of colors that fall into one of four seasons. When we find yours, everything clicks.”
For my own visit to Jan’s studio, I wore my go-to black button up shirt.
“Only about a quarter of people look their best in black,” she says. “It drains most faces, despite the myth of its universality. It gives you under-eye circles, makes people look tired. The right hues lift you instantly, taking years off.”
When she draped me in a deep olive from the Autumn palette, I understood why people drive from Mandeville and Covington to see her. The transformation is instant and undeniable.
Jan cuts no corners. A full session can last up to three hours.
Each client goes home with a color fan and a rating system: one-star shades for balance, two stars for everyday wear, three stars for wow colors —for portraits, weddings, job interviews, or first impressions. “Those are your showstoppers,” she says.
She also emails follow-up guides for hair tones, gemstone colors, and shopping guides. “It’s about efficiency,” she says. “No more wasting hours buying clothes that don’t work.”
And it’s also about freedom.
“You stop saying, ‘I have nothing to wear.’ You start choosing what makes you feel unmistakably you . Color analysis does more than restore your sense of style. It restores your sense of self.”
COLORING FOR COUPLES
Jan meets many clients during seasons of change: after childbirth, divorce, illness, or career shifts.
“They walk in unsure, but they leave with a sense of certainty,” she says.
When couples come in together, she likes to seat the husband first. “Men start out skeptical,” she says. “Then they see how
their face changes with the right color and can’t wait for their wife’s turn.”
GIVING THE GIFT OF COLOR
If you’re searching for a meaningful Christmas gift, Jan suggests something different.
“Color analysis isn’t another thing you buy and forget,” she says. “It ripples into every part of your life—from your prom dress to your wedding palette to the color of your new car. And if you’re about to paint your kitchen or living room, get your colors done first so you know which shades make you shine.”
“It gives you an edge,” she adds. “For those who have everything, it might be the one thing missing.”
Jan still remembers that little girl in the hospital with her crayons and coloring books.
“I’m still coloring,” she says with a soft laugh.
Only now, she’s coloring people back to life.
Book your color and style analysis today by visiting houseofcolour.com/janrivers, emailing jan.rivers@houseofcolour. com, or calling 985-320-9054. You can also follow Jan on Instagram at @houseofcolour_springfield for inspiration and updates.
