Issuu

O C TO B E R 2 02 6

LIFESTYLE LETTER

A Taste of October October has a way of drawing us back to the table. Maybe it’s the first hint of cooler weather, the return of favorite fall flavors, or simply the promise of gathering with people we love. Whatever the reason, food has always been about more than what fills our plates. It gives us a reason to slow down, pull up a chair, and share something of ourselves. That spirit runs throughout our October Food & Drink issue. In “The Art of the Autumn Table,” LeAnn Parker and Sarah Juenemann show us how to make those gatherings beautiful, from handwritten place cards and natural autumn accents to a charcuterie board designed for lingering and grazing. For something sweeter, our “Maple Pumpkin Parfait” brings together pumpkin, maple, warm spices, and homemade granola in a recipe that tastes decidedly like October. And because pumpkins deserve a life beyond pie, “Pumpkin Perfection” trades the carving knife for a paintbrush with a playful fall decorating idea. But some of this month’s richest stories offer a different kind of food for thought. In “A Heart That Keeps Going,” we meet 24-year-old attorney Isabelle Owens, whose resilience was learned beside a mother and grandmother who showed her that quitting was never an option. Today, she carries that perseverance and compassion into her work with families facing uncertain futures. We also meet Sharifah McKay of Desert Lotus Estate Sales, who helps treasured belongings continue their journeys into new homes. Her story reminds us that sometimes what we pass along carries far more than monetary value. And It’s a Beautiful Life, our story of Kris Norvell and the remarkable little plants that helped her through life’s desert places, is truly a feast for the eyes and, we hope, nourishment for the soul. Finally, our Events Calendar serves up plenty of reasons to get out and enjoy October across the Northshore. We hope you savor every page. Warmly, REBECCA GEORGE & CHRISTIAN GEORGE, PUBLISHER & CO-PUBLISHER @MANDEVILLECITYLIFESTYLE

October 2026 PUBLISHER

Rebecca George | rebecca.george@citylifestyle.com CO-PUBLISHER

Christian George | christian.george@citylifestyle.com P U B L I S H E R AS S I STAN T

Akifa Ashraf CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Christian George, Rebecca George, LeAnn Parker, Sarah Juenemann, Nicolette Martin, Alyssa Lavy C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R AP H E R S

Christian George, Abby Sands, Janie Jones, Nicolette Martin, Alyssa Lavy

Corporate Team CEO Steven Schowengerdt President Matthew Perry CRO Jamie Pentz CoS Janeane Thompson AD DESIGNER Matthew Endersbe LAYOUT DESIGNER Lillian Gibbs QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick

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inside the issue OC TOB E R 2 02 6 | FOOD & D R I N K

08 Featured

16 26

Print Prestige Meets Digital Power.

WHY CHOOSE BETWEEN PRESTIGE AND PLACEMENT?

Departments

A Heart That Keeps Going

At twenty-four, Isabelle Owens brings inherited resilience, compassion, and hope to families facing uncertain futures

Helping Treasures Find New Homes

Lifestyle Letter

Legal Compass FINANCE + LEGAL SERVICES

Culinary Creations FOOD + BEVERAGE

House Call PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Decor Trends ARTS + CULTURE

Mental Wellbeing WELLNESS

Events

Eat Right FOOD + BEVERAGE

Sharifah McKay helps Northshore families navigate life transitions while finding new homes for treasured belongings

It’s a Beautiful Life

How Kris Norvell and her beautiful succulents teach us all a lesson about survival

On the Cover Styled by Sarah Juenemann and photographed by Janie Jones, this autumn charcuterie board layers artisan cheeses, ripe seasonal fruit, savory bites, and warm harvest hues into an invitation to gather around the table this fall. Photography: Janie Jones

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OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/M A N D E V I L L E

A Heart That Keeps Going At twenty-four, Isabelle Owens brings inherited resilience, compassion, and hope to families facing uncertain futures According to Murphy’s Law, if something can go wrong, it will. But inside Zeringue & Associates Law Firm, Murphy’s Law has encountered a formidable opposing counsel. Meet Isabelle Owens. At 24, she is the firm’s youngest attorney, and her résumé speaks for itself: 33 college credits before finishing high school, an undergraduate degree in three years, law school, and then the Louisiana Bar. But the most remarkable thing about Isabelle is not what she has accomplished. It may be the size of her heart.

THE CASE FOR RESILIENCE

When I ask Isabelle to describe herself in one word, she hesitates. “Maybe ... resilience?” When I ask where that resilience comes from, her voice catches. “It was watching my mom raise me.” Her mother raised Isabelle alone while pursuing a nursing degree. Isabelle remembers sitting beside her in class, coloring skeletons in anatomy workbooks while her mother studied. Her grandmother, meanwhile, was pursuing a master’s degree.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTIAN GEORGE, PHD

L EGA L C OM PASS | FI NAN CE + LE GAL SE RVICE S

Her mother continued her education as Isabelle entered college, modeling for her that growth never reaches a finish line. Long before Isabelle knew the word resilience, she had watched it being lived. “Quitting was never an option,” Isabelle says. “It was never an option.”

DOGGED PERSISTENCE

That instinct shaped the lawyer Isabelle wanted to become. “I wanted to make an impact, to help someone,” she says. “That’s why I became an attorney.” That calling began at the Washington Parish Clerk of Court, where Isabelle often met people seeking protective orders. She knew what came next but could not give legal advice. “I can only give you the form,” she remembers saying, over and over. She wanted to offer more. While classmates interviewed with large firms, Isabelle wanted something more personal.

“I want to actually see my clients,” she says. “I want to know who they are.” Living in Mandeville, she Googled family-law attorneys and found Zara Zeringue. Zara had an opening, but Isabelle’s law-school schedule did not fit, so she waited. Months later, sitting in a Business Associations class, Isabelle reached out again. She hit send, and this time, Zara said yes.

LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE

Today, Isabelle works primarily with family and custody matters, where plans often break. “Delivering hard truths is definitely one of the more difficult aspects of the job,” she says. “But I want people to leave knowing we really care about them, and that there is still hope.” Hope, for Isabelle, is more than something she offers across a conference table. It’s something she’s needed herself. Her own life has taught her how quickly a plan can change. Murphy, the dog who accompanied her from college into law school, was only two when a rare parasitic infection attacked his heart. By the time veterinarians discovered the cause, Isabelle says, his heart had become enormously enlarged. Before anyone understood how sick Murphy was, Isabelle had adopted Curtis, hoping a companion might help. Today, Curtis is waiting at home. A wedding with Garrett lies ahead. And across the table at Zeringue & Associates Law Firm sit people whose futures look brighter because of a 24-year-old who doesn’t know how to quit. Murphy’s Law may get the first word, but Isabelle Owens reminds us that it doesn’t get the last. “No matter what you’re going through today,” she says, “there is life on the other side of it.” “It won’t always feel this way.” Isabelle Owens is an associate attorney with Zeringue & Associates Law Firm, located at 527 E. Boston St., Suite 201, in Covington. For more information, call 985-801-0050, email zeringueoffice@ lawyerincovington.com, or visit lawyerincovington.com.

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From sweet daytime charm to cocktail hour glamour

@shopleblon | 70457 LA-21, Covington 10

OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/M A N D E V I L L E

The Art of the Autumn Table Seasonal Touches and Simple How-tos for a Table Made for Gathering

ARTICLE BY REBECCA GEORGE, LEANN PARKER, AND SARAH JUENEMANN PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES Gathering with the people we love is a gift, whether we find ourselves eating off paper plates or Grandma’s fine china. Even so, adding a few beautiful accents can bring extra meaning to the moments we share, and it doesn’t take much time at all. In this tablescape, LeAnn Parker of @silvertoothhome uses touches of the outdoors— real leaves and pine cones—along with simple, handwritten place cards to add personality, warmth and intentionality to any autumn table. Follow these directions to prepare your outdoor accents (because dirt and bugs are definitely not invited to the table), and you’ll have a stunning tablescape that costs little more than a leisurely walk around the neighborhood or through Fontainebleau. For the edible part of our autumn table, we turn to food stylist Sarah Juenemann of @GrazingKC for tips on designing a simple yet deliciously impressive charcuterie board. So head over to Acquistapace’s or Trader Joe’s with your short shopping list, and let’s get started.

C ULIN A RY C R E AT ION S | F OOD + BE VE RAGE

How to Preserve Pine Cones Bake pine cones to remove any tiny critters, dry up sticky sap and give them a beautiful, glossy finish. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange the pine cones in rows, leaving a little space between them since they will open as they bake. Place them in the oven for about 30 minutes. If your pine cones were gathered on a damp day, they may take longer. Keep a close eye on them and pull them out when the house smells like pine trees and the cones have changed from a matte to glossy finish. To style, simply scatter them around the table or use them as place-card holders.

How to Preserve Leaves Gather fallen leaves and check them for dryness. Look for leaves that are mostly dry but not brittle or limp. If they are still too fresh or flexible, press them between sheets of parchment paper inside a heavy book for a few days before proceeding. When you’re ready, place the leaves in a single layer on wax paper. Using a foam brush, coat one side of each leaf with a thin layer of Mod Podge, available at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Let them dry for about 30 minutes, or until the white coating turns clear. Flip the leaves, brush the other side and allow them to dry again. To style, scatter them around your table or nestle them among your pine cones and place cards.

How to Write Place Cards Handwriting your guests’ names on place cards adds an extra personal touch to your autumn table. Start by writing each name in pencil, then trace it with a thin-tipped Sharpie. Finally, go over each downstroke with a thick-tipped Sharpie to create a hand-lettered effect.

How to Create a Gorgeous Charcuterie Board Shopping List: • 3–4 fine cheeses (a variety of soft and hard) • 1–2 cured meats, such as salami and prosciutto • 2–3 seasonal fresh fruits • 1 dried fruit • Nuts • Olives • 1 jam, honey or mustard • 1–2 types of crackers • Fresh herbs for garnish (rosemary works especially well) 1. Cheese — Build the foundation of your board with cheese. Add your softest cheese as a full wedge or block, and pre-cut harder cheeses by slicing or crumbling them. 2. Charcuterie — Fold cured meats into quarters and arrange them throughout the board, building around the cheeses. 3. Color — Add pops of color with fresh fruit, dried fruit and olives. 4. Crunch — Fill the remaining gaps with nuts and crackers for plenty of crunch. 5. Garnish — Finish your board with fresh herbs, then gather around and enjoy! Photography: Janie Jones Tablescape: LeAnn Parker with @Silvertoothhome Charcuterie Board: Sarah Juenemann with GrazingKC OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/M A N D E V I L L E

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OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/M A N D E V I L L E

ARTICLE BY CHRISTIAN GEORGE, PHD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABBY SANDS

Helping Treasures Find New Homes Sharifah McKay helps Northshore families navigate downsizing, relocation, and life transitions while finding new homes for decades of treasured belongings

Sharifah McKay is holding a glass woman in her hands. The one-of-a-kind sculpture once rose from a block of Lucite in heavy lead glass, a female figure whose long neck tilts gently above her body, one hand resting near her heart. Sharifah discovered her through an online estate sale in New Orleans and fell in love. Years later, while packing for a move, she accidentally knocked the sculpture over, shattering it. Sharifah kept every piece. “It still needs to be loved,” she says. Sharifah’s Mandeville home is filled with beautiful things carrying older stories: paintings, antique mirrors, Art Deco women, figures with missing limbs and repaired heads. Some are too damaged to sell. Others passed through estate sales and antique shops before finding a new place to belong. Sharifah makes room for beautiful things with a past. Perhaps that is why people find their way to her after the loss of a loved one, while downsizing a family home, or when decades of belongings suddenly require decisions no one feels prepared to make.

H OU SE CA LL | P RO FESS ION AL SE RVICE S

What happens to the things we love when life asks us to let them go? That question sits beneath Desert Lotus Estate Sales, the business Sharifah built to help families decide what stays, what goes, what holds value, what another person might love, and how the things gathered across a lifetime can continue their stories in another home.

A LIFE IN MOTION

Sharifah was born in Saudi Arabia, where her father worked as an engineer in the oil industry. When she was about four, the family moved to America, beginning a childhood that would stretch from Florida to California to a rural town in Georgia, where seven children under the age of twelve filled an old house with fireplaces in nearly every room. “Every time we moved, we got rid of half of our stuff,” Sharifah says. Then came Chicago. Sharifah went from a Georgia town of roughly 300 people to the South Side, where she took the L downtown to shows at the Fireside Bowl and filled sketchbooks with clothing designs inspired by the 1920s, ’40s, and ’50s.

“Ar t is going to be loved by somebody. There's an audience for ever y thing.”

She dreamed of studying fashion in New York. Instead, she became a young mother, studied design in Chicago, and eventually found her way into advertising. For years in sales, Sharifah went by Michelle, convinced potential clients would be more likely to return a call from Michelle than Sharifah. When she finally left the corporate world, she left Michelle there too.

A SECOND LIFE

In 2023, just as Desert Lotus Vintage was beginning to take shape, Sharifah was cutting back elephant ears beside a koi pond at her Alabama home when a three-foot water moccasin struck her hand. The bite sent her to Mobile Infirmary and left her with nerve damage and brain fog. For nearly six months, Sharifah struggled with medical expenses, inventory costs, and the uncertainty of CONTINUED > OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/M A N D E V I L L E

a fledgling venture. Eventually, necessity won a round, and she returned to advertising, selling radio and digital media while continuing to build her antiques business on the side. By then, Karen Lee, a retired Louisiana state trooper and third-generation antiques dealer, had become Sharifah’s mentor. “You’ve moved a million times,” Karen told her. “You’re good at organization. You’re good at curating. You have great people skills. Why not estate sales?”

A NEW BEGINNING

Karen’s question followed Sharifah back to work. By October 2024, she had started making plans to expand Desert Lotus and leave the corporate world behind for good. That month, she launched the Desert Lotus website and, armed with enough accumulated inventory to furnish a small civilization, held her first small estate sale on the Northshore for a friend, hoping to get her name out into the world. Then the phone rang. A family had found her online. They were downsizing and needed an estate sale. A referral followed. Then another. In 2025, her first full year, Sharifah conducted seventeen estate sales across the Northshore and New Orleans, with others in Mississippi and Alabama. “So you help people let go?” I ask. “I meet people who are often in the grieving process, and I try to make their lives easier so they can move on,” she says. “There are a lot of feelings and emotions wrapped up in possessions, especially when we experience loss. It’s really a healing process.”

THINGS WORTH CARRYING FORWARD

Most of us have an estate sale only once or twice in our lives, and we do not learn how the industry works until life suddenly requires us to. “Most people have no knowledge about what it entails,” Sharifah says. “They don’t know what they need to do or what to expect from a good company. And they’re dealing with the burial, the family, the vehicles, the property. That’s a lot for anyone to carry.” That’s why Sharifah begins with the basics. An estate sale is a liquidation, not consignment. “The whole point is to have a top-notch sale, earn you the most income in a timely and professional manner, and then get out so you can move on with your life,” she says. That can mean washing dishes left untouched for years, cleaning furniture, removing carpet stains, and dusting every surface. “I’ve seen every type of bug there is,” she laughs. “We do whatever it takes to make your home shine. And above all, we treat you and your family like our own, with the dignity and care you deserve.” It also means knowing when to call an expert. Jewelry, precious metals, photography equipment, unfamiliar collections, and other valuables may require specialists she can consult. “If an object has a story and a history,” Sharifah says, “I try to make sure people know that. The value is in the relationship with the person that object once belonged to.” “If it’s special or you have a memory tied to it, those things stay. If it doesn’t have special meaning to you, then sometimes it’s time for it to continue its journey to a new home, and we help with that transition.”

H OU SE CA LL | P RO FESS ION AL SE RVICE S

“I meet people who are of ten in the grieving process, and I tr y to make their lives easier so they can move on. There are a lot of feelings and emotions wrapped up in possessions, especially when we experience loss. It’s really a healing process.” ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

“What questions should people ask before hiring an estate sale professional?” I ask. “Whether you hire me or somebody else,” Sharifah says, “ask what the commission includes. Are there additional fees? Who will be working inside the house? Is the company insured? Will the home be emptied when the sale is over? Who earns income on items that don’t sell?” Estate sales usually operate on commission, but that commission can cover very different levels of service. Some companies handle the sale itself, leaving the family to deal with what remains. Desert Lotus is full service. Sharifah and her team prepare the home, clean and stage its contents, research and price each item, market and conduct the sale, then empty the house when the work is done. All of it is covered by one commission. But beneath those questions is another: Who do I trust with my home? For Sharifah, some of that answer is instinctive. “Do I click with the person? Do I feel comfortable with them? Do I feel like they’re going to do right by me?” Estate sales place strangers inside a home’s most private corners. They open drawers and closets. They sort through desks, attics, jewelry boxes, photographs, financial papers, and forgotten hiding places where cash may have been tucked away years before. “It can be a vulnerable experience,” Sharifah says. “You find money. You find diamonds. You find important documents and medication. You have to trust that the right company is going to hand those things over to the family.” “It’s truly a trust-based industry.”

THE ROAD BETWEEN

The line between Desert Lotus and family life is thin. “I’m working on delegating,” Sharifah says, laughing. Her husband, Peyton, now works alongside her, bringing years of plumbing and furniture-building experience to a business where old houses rarely surrender. Their daughter, who recently earned a master’s in marketing and communications, helped shape the Desert Lotus brand. Their fifteen-year-old son fills another calendar with marching band, wrestling, and robotics. “What does free time look like for you?” I ask. She reacts as though I had just invented the phrase. “Well, I actually like to hunt for antiques,” she says. “I collect from all over. We do a lot of picking trips.” One favorite took Sharifah and her daughter along the Highway 127 Yard Sale, a ribbon of roadside tables and tents running north from Gadsden, Alabama, toward Michigan. “It’s the longest yard sale in, I think, the world,” she says, “and it’s so much fun. That’s where I pick all my treasures.” At home, the collecting continues. Her studio holds racks of vintage clothing, sewing projects, and elaborate Carnival headpieces she makes herself. “During Mardi Gras, this place is all feathers.”

WHAT THE HOUSE REMEMBERS

At one Metairie sale, Sharifah found thirty-eight sewing machines and roughly forty quilts, many made by the woman who had lived there, along with a collection of 1960s-style paintings tucked into the attic. “People went nuts over them,” she says. “Art is going to be loved by somebody. There’s an audience for everything.” As Sharifah cleaned, sorted, and staged the rooms, the house came back into focus. Furniture reappeared. Linens were washed. Collections took shape. Things the family assumed no one would want began leaving through the front door in someone else’s caring hands. “You gave my mother’s belongings and her art a second chance at being seen, loved, and cherished,” one client told her. Another remembered what happened as people began moving through the rooms: “It felt like the home was alive again.”

WHAT LOVE LEAVES BEHIND

Every estate sale ends with an empty house. But empty is not the same as gone. A quilt changes beds. A painting changes walls. A wedding ring finds another hand. Those are the things love leaves behind. Not simply possessions, but remains: visible memories of those who came into our lives and made us who we are. And isn’t that what we do best as humans? We bring each other into the future. We pass along our names, our dreams, our scars, our stories. We carry them from house to house and age to age until, without quite noticing when it happens, some of those things begin carrying us. I kneel beside Sharifah as she cradles the glass woman, showing me where the pieces fit together.

“What do you love most about her?” I ask. She studies the long neck, the tilted head, the hand reaching up to hold her heart. “The lines,” she says. “The beauty.” Sharifah wraps the woman in packing paper, but before she can return her to the cabinet, a beam of sunlight catches the glass edge and, for a brief second, scatters a thousand diamonds across the room. If you are downsizing, relocating, managing a loved one’s estate, or simply have questions about the estate sale process, contact Sharifah McKay of Desert Lotus Vintage & Estate Sales at 985-634-0066 or desertlotusvintage@gmail.com. Learn more at shopdesertlotus.com, or follow @desertlotusvintage on Instagram for estate sale tips, vintage finds, and behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming sales.

OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/M A N D E V I L L E

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IT’S A BEAUTIFUL LIFE

Buckled beside me in the passenger seat of my car is a little pink pot, overflowing with succulents from Kris Norvell of It’s a Beautiful Life Succulent Gardens. Kris had given it to Rebecca, and I was merely the courier, entrusted with getting it home safely. That was the mission. Beforehand, I asked how Kris how to keep it alive. “Neglect them, Christian,” she told me. “Succulents thrive off neglect.” Finally, I thought, horticulture with reasonable expectations. Little did I know how emotionally attached I would become.

M EN TA L WE LLB E IN G | WE LLN E SS

ARTICLE BY CHRISTIAN GEORGE, PHD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRIS NORVELL

HOW KRIS NORVELL AND HER BEAUTIFUL SUCCULENTS TEACH US ALL A LESSON ABOUT SURVIVAL

At eight, Kris moved with her single mother to Mandeville. Her mother struggled with mental illness, and Kris went to work young to help support them. By eighteen, she was living independently while finishing at Fontainebleau High School. Theater gave the pressure somewhere to go. In Charlotte’s Web, she was cast as Templeton, the rat, a decision teenage Kris initially received as a personal insult until she discovered how many scenes he had. “I am afraid. I am nervous. I just do it anyway,” Kris says of the courage those years demanded. Kris married at nineteen. Her son, Brian, arrived while she was still in college. Four months later, in July 2005, she woke to discover a heartbreak that split her world into before and after: her husband had passed. Kris was twenty-three.

SHE WAS MY PERSON

First you learn their names. Then their Zen-like personalities feel like a favor worth returning. Out of gratitude, I spent hours each day neglecting them: repurposing studio LEDs, scheduling a sixteen-hour timer, dropping the thermostat to simulate cooler desert night conditions. I even played Bach’s Cello Suites through a Bose speaker to stimulate their growth. When one of them slipped from the bowl during watering, I nearly lost it. Rebecca called the sound I made “crime-scene worthy.” I had fallen hard for succulents. So naturally, I called Kris to learn why.

By forty, Kris had survived long enough to wonder whether survival was the same thing as living. She moved into a little rental, brought home a basset hound named Cletus, and began spending evenings on the back porch with her hands in potting soil. “I did so much healing with my hands in the dirt,” she says. “It made me feel restored.” The plants had become a place for Kris to heal. Before long, they would become a way to love the person who had always loved her best. Her name was Jackie. Aunt Jackie had been a gardener all her life. When cancer made the yard too much, Kris arrived with roughly thirty succulents, several pots, and a confession: “I need some help, Aunt Jackie. I did a thing.” Aunt Jackie was too weak to plant that day, so she sat at the kitchen table and directed while Kris worked. “She was my person,” Kris says. “The only person I felt growing up who I felt unconditional love from.” “That’s all it takes, right? Just one person to believe in you. One person to tell you you’re worth it. You’re lovable.” CONTINUED >

THE DESERT PLACES

A very long time ago, when the earth was still becoming itself, some plants had an important problem to solve: How do I survive the desert? Most didn’t. But across continents and unrelated plant families, a few began doing something remarkable. Leaves thickened. Stems swelled. Skins toughened against heat and loss. And then the succulents discovered a secret to survival—a secret that Kris Norvell herself would spend much of her life discovering by another name.

OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/M A N D E V I L L E

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL LIFE

Aunt Jackie did not want winter to have the last word. “I don’t want a sad funeral with mourners in the cold of the winter,” she told Kris. “Please wait and do a celebration of life in the spring when the flowers are blooming.” So they waited for spring. Kris created succulent arrangements and named them for the woman they loved: Jackie’s Strength and Jackie’s Grace. Photographs of Aunt Jackie stood among the plants, and everyone who came left carrying a succulent of their own. Years later, Kris still finds them. “I’ll go over to people’s houses sometimes and see their little Aunt Jackie succulent,” she says. “It just makes me smile.” By then, something else had begun growing. The business had already begun, almost accidentally, while Kris was caring for her on hospice. During the hours Aunt Jackie slept, Kris started sharing succulents online. A website asked for a business name. Her first thought was It’s a Sucky Life.

M EN TA L WE LLB E IN G | WE LLN E SS

No, no, no. That is not the message, she remembers thinking. Circumstances are sucky, but it’s a beautiful life. It’s a Beautiful Life Succulent Gardens was born on Aunt Jackie’s couch while she rested in the next room. Their first kitchen-table photograph now sits beside Kris in the potting studio. “I get to tell her good morning,” she says. “It’s almost like we’re in there together.”

THE SECRET OF SUCCULENTS

“Succulents survive the desert not because they need nothing,” Kris tells me on the phone. “They survive because they know how to receive what comes, hold it close, and carry it through the dry places.” Long before she understood how much she carried, Aunt Jackie had given Kris something no desert could manufacture: unconditional love. Now that love keeps moving outward. “It’s going to be ripples forever,” Kris says.

CONTINUED >

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M EN TA L WE LLB E IN G | WE LLN E SS

ROOTED

In homes scattered far beyond her potting studio, little Aunt Jackie succulents are still growing. And back at my house sits the little pink pot I once buckled carefully into the passenger seat, a gift intended for Rebecca. I thought my job that day was simply to carry it home. Maybe the succulents knew better. Turns out, I was carrying something of Aunt Jackie home with me, too. “All my life,” Kris says, “I chased external things: appearance, career success, money, titles, being a good wife. None of it made me feel whole. But when I started chasing God and loving myself for exactly who I authentically am, warts and all, I was finally set free. I think so often we move through life believing we need to fix ourselves—that if we could just work harder, heal faster, or change enough, we would finally become worthy of the life we were created for. But working with succulents has taught me that I was actually created with everything I need to be my best self. Succulents don’t need to be made beautiful; the beauty is already there. Our greatest transformation doesn’t come from trying harder, but from surrendering. When we stop trying to force ourselves to bloom and instead give ourselves the grace, care, and conditions we need to grow, we make room for God to do what only He can do. And that’s when His glory can shine so brightly through the Beautiful Life He created us to live.”

Kris’s next chapter is taking root just across the state line. The Rooted Retreat, planned to open in spring 2027 at 23380 Leetown Road in Picayune, Mississippi, will bring It’s a Beautiful Life Succulent Gardens under one roof. The climate-controlled space will include a nursery, potting studio, workshop area and room for gatherings. Visitors can browse ready-made arrangements, individual plants, pots and Kris’s premixed soil, or sit down for a private potting session and learn as they plant. Kris also plans workshops on succulent care, arrangement design and specialty plants such as desert roses, along with rare varieties she carefully sources. Rooted is meant to reach beyond plants. Kris invites wellness practitioners and teachers will use the space too, creating a place where people can gather, learn and heal. Kris is also available for speaking engagements on grief, loss, resilience, self-acceptance, and finding beauty after difficult seasons. For succulent arrangements or speaking inquiries, call 225-328-6602, visit itsabeautifullifesucculent gardens.com, or follow @beautifullifesucculents on Instagram.

MALIK MINGO

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OCTOBER 2026

events A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LO C A L E V E N T S OCTOBER 1ST - 4 TH

St. Tammany Parish Fair 1304 N. Columbia St., Covington | 5:00 PM Celebrate 116 years of local tradition at the St. Tammany Parish Fair, featuring carnival rides, live music, Friday and Saturday night rodeos, a downtown parade, livestock shows, horticultural exhibits, a mini-farm, and fair food, plus Gospel Night, Kid’s Day, and other exhibits. Free admission Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday; $5 on Friday and Saturday ($3 for children 11 and under). OCTOBER 3 R D - 4 TH

The Greater New Orleans Militaria Show Castine Center at Pelican Park/ Recreation District #1, 63350 Pelican Dr., Mandeville | 9:00 AM The sixth annual Greater New Orleans Militaria Show returns to the Castine Center with hundreds of tables featuring military antiques, collectibles, relics, vintage firearms and edged weapons, plus appraisals and authentications. The event also supports pet adoptions, Animal Services and local FFA chapters. General admission is $10, $8 with a pet-related donation, and free for children 12 and under. OCTOBER 9 TH - 11TH

Pelican Park Fall Night Market & Concert with Paris Avenue Pelican Park/Recreation District #1 | 5:00 PM On October 10, 2026, shop, dine and enjoy live entertainment at this community market featuring handmade goods, unique crafts, original artwork, clothing, retail items, farm products, food vendors, food trucks, and direct sales vendors. The event also includes live

EVE N TS

music, a concert by Paris Avenue, and free admission. Event ends at 9:00 p.m. OC TOBE R 9 T H - 1 1TH

Festival of the Lake Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church, 312 Lafitte St., Mandeville | 5:00 PM Celebrate a Mandeville tradition at Festival of the Lake, featuring live music, food, games, and family entertainment. This year’s lineup includes Four Unplugged, Christian Serpas & Ghost Town, Marc Broussard and Flow Tribe. Festival hours are Friday, 5:0010:00 p.m.; Saturday, 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.; and Sunday, noon-6:00 p.m. Free admission; food, beverage, and game tickets available for purchase at festivalofthelake.com. OC TOBE R 2 4 T H - 2 5TH

Louisiana Wildfowl Festival Castine Center at Pelican Park/ Recreation District #1, 63350 Pelican Dr., Mandeville | 9:00 AM Discover the artistry of decoy carving at the 47th Annual Louisiana Wildfowl Festival, featuring award-winning carvings, fine art, antique decoys, artist demonstrations, children’s activities, a live wildfowl presentation and the annual decoy auction. Competitions recognize top carving and fineart entries, while the Guild will award four $2,500 scholarships. Admission is $5; children 12 and under are free. OC TOBE R 3 1 ST

WideWater Music & Art Festival Mandeville lakefront | 11:00 AM Celebrate Halloween on the Mandeville lakefront at the free WideWater Music & Arts Festival, featuring live music on multiple stages, artists’ booths, and food trucks. VIP tickets are $50 and include a buffet, two drinks, premium seating, and restroom access. Formerly Rockin’ the Lake, the festival takes its name from the Choctaw meaning of Lake Pontchartrain: “wide water.” OCTOB ER 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/M A N D E V I L L E

maple pumpkin parfait

A FALL-INSPIRED MAPLE PUMPKIN GRANOLA WITH PUMPKIN YOGURT ARTICLE BY ALYSSA LAVY, MS, RD, CDN, CPT

4. Line a large baking sheet (9 x 13 inches works well) with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking oil spray. Transfer oats to baking sheet and spread in a thin, even layer. 5. Bake in oven for 1 hour, mixing at 30 minutes and 45 minutes. 6. Remove oats from oven briefly. Add pumpkin seeds, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and remaining ¼ C pure maple syrup. Mix with a spatula and return to oven to bake for another 30 minutes, mixing halfway through. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before using a spatula to transfer to container. Do not wait too long to transfer granola as it can stick to the parchment paper as it cools.

maple pumpkin granola

(Yields approximately 4.5 cups or 18 – ¼ C servings)

ingredients:

• 2 ½ C rolled oats • 1 C pumpkin seeds, hulled • ½ C unsalted walnuts, chopped • 2 Tbsp canned pumpkin puree (Note: the only ingredient should be pumpkin – this is different than pumpkin pie filling) • 1 Tbsp water • 2 Tbsp avocado oil or vegetable oil • ½ C pure maple syrup, divided into 2- ¼ C servings

• • • • •

2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice ¼ tsp salt Nonstick cooking oil spray

pumpkin yogurt

(Yields approximately 1 C yogurt)

ingredients:

• ¾ C plain Greek yogurt of choice • ¼ C canned pumpkin puree • ¼ tsp cinnamon • ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract • 1 ½ tsp honey

granola directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Combine canned pumpkin, water, oil, vanilla extract and ¼ C maple syrup and mix until well combined. 3. Add rolled oats and salt to wet ingredients and mix until oats are evenly coated.

EAT R IGH T | FO O D + BEVE RAGE

yogurt

directions: 1. Combine all yogurt ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Top with a handful of the maple pumpkin granola, serve immediately and enjoy! Note: This granola can be stored in an airtight container and stored in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week. While this granola is made with gluten free ingredients, I recommend using certified gluten free ingredients if needed . Yogurt can be made with a suitable dairy-free alternative if you need this recipe to be dairy-free and the honey can be swapped for pure maple syrup to make the dairy-free yogurt recipe suitable for a vegan diet. The granola and the yogurt can each be enjoyed on their own, but they complement each other so nicely! This Maple Pumpkin Granola Parfait is a perfect way to celebrate autumn’s most famous flavors in a nutritious way! Pumpkin, maple syrup and warm spices, such as cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, give cozy vibes that are traditionally found in baked goods this time of year. However, while pumpkin bread, muffins, cookies and other fall flavored baked goods are certainly delicious and should be enjoyed, this Maple Pumpkin Granola Parfait provides the satisfaction of those fall flavors in a lighter way, while providing ample protein and fiber. It is the perfect, slightly sweet and balanced way to start the day – or to enjoy anytime! Website: alyssalavy.com Instagram: @alyssalavyrd