Acadiana Profile August-September 2018

Hospitals of Acadiana

Innovation, technologies and growth are at the heart of healthcare in the region

THE MAGAZINE OF CAJUN COUNTRY

On The Hunt Looking ahead to duck season with an ethereal trek through the swamps, forests and marshes

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acadiana profile august/september 2018

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features Célébrer le mode de vie acadien

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La Chasse au Canard Looking ahead to duck season with an ethereal trek through Acadiana’s swamps, forests and marshes written and photographed by Denny Culbert

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HOSPITALS OF ACADIANA Community Care: Acadiana’s healthcare industry’s meteoric growth provides patients top-notch treatment just around the corner list compiled by Ashley hinson story by will kalec

aug/sept volume 37 number 4

lagniappe . . ...................................... 10

la musique...................................... 68

A little Extra

Classically Trained The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra cultivates the next generation of classical musicians and music lovers

note de l’editeur............................. 12

Editor’s Note lettres d’amour.............................. 14

Sense of Place A New Orleans writer finds her literary soul in Cajun Country

les personnes . . ................................ 70

culture

nouvelles de villes. . ....................... 16

News Briefs

les ar tistes...................................... 63

food+drink sur le menu..................................... 33

Social Hub Pujo Street Cafe is remains a hotspot two decades into its reign de la cuisine................................... 34

Think Cool Chilled and simple are the keys to summer eating recettes de cocktails.. ................... 36

home+style

Of Robichaux and Thibodaux Cinclare’s singular Southern style is cultivating a mounting band of disciples drawn to refined cocktails and inspired cuisine

la maison.. ...................................... 23

Rooms with a View Elegance is at ease in an updated residence overlooking the river pour la maison.............................. 28

Planter Like a Pro Step up your gardening game with statement-making planters. À la mode . . ..................................... 30

Improved Optics Timeless shades in vintage shapes frame never-ending summer days.

ON THE COVER: Ducking hunting season isn’t until November, but for this year’s recreation and outdoors feature, we couldn’t resist looking ahead to what’s in store. Viewing Denny Culbert’s images, you can almost feel the crisp air on your face. Are you ready for the season?

Painting with A Purpose After mixing her passion for art and want to explore other professional endeavors Lafayette’s Dana Manly is now dedicating her energy and effort to painting

The Beat Goes On Jason Missal of UL Lafayette’s marching band manages to leave his mark while honoring many of the traditions that made it one en français, s’il vous plaît........... 72

Barry Jean Ancelet/ Jean Arceneaux Le professeur, le loupgarou et le poète lauréat

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lagniappe

awards

A Little Extra

LEARN FRENCH Protection de la nature

International and Regional Magazine Association

What steps have you taken in your everyday life to go green and conserve?

(n.) nature conservation

2017 EDITORIAL

example: Le groupe scolaire apprend la protection de la nature en ramassant les ordures et les détritus le long du bayou. translation: The school group is learning about nature conservation by picking up trash and litter along the bayou.

“We have a recycling bin in our pantry. Having it close makes it easier for us to recycle. We recycle everything we can.

It’s a plus because we have to take out the garbage less … now we just need to compost.”

- Sarah

Colleen Monaghan (504) 830-7215 / Colleen@acadianaprofile.com Sales Manager Rebecca Taylor (337) 298-4424 / (337) 235-7919 Ext. 230 Rebecca@acadianaprofile.com

Cheryl Lemoine Whitney Weathers digital media associate Mallary Matherne For event information call (504) 830-7264 Event Coordinator

From the LDWF: “The coastal marshes of Louisiana are the single most important wintering habitat in the state, but continue to suffer annual losses exceeding 10 square miles per year.”

The Coastal Wetlands, Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) provides meet ups, information and activities for volunteers to help restore Louisiana’s fragile coasts lacoast.gov

Gold Denny Culbert for Magazine Photographer of the Year

adver tising

Director of Marketing & Events DID YOU KNOW?

Silver Sarah George for Cover

Vice President of Sales

marketing

According to Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), maintaining a healthy and clean marsh environment is the best way to protect and preserve waterfowl hunting traditions.

A decline in rice production, an increase in invasive aquatic plants (such as water hyacinth) and warming temperatures have all worked to decrease the number of wild game available for hunting.

Bronze Will Kalec for Magazine Writer of the Year

Errol Laborde Managing Editor Melanie Warner Spencer Associate Editor Ashley McLellan Copy Editor Liz Clearman Ar t Director Sarah George Lead Photographer Danley Romero Web Editor Kelly Massicot Editor in Chief

“I use reusable durable grocery bags from Fresh Market. Years ago, I stopped using plastic bags that grocery stores give out after shopping.”

- Rebecca

Gold Sarah George for Art Direction of a Single Story Gold Sarah George for Overall Art Direction Gold Cheré Coen and Denny Culbert for Food Feature

production Production manager

Jessica DeBold

Production Designers

“Whole Foods has glass, plastic and compost bins at every store location. I collect my waste and at the end of every week make a trip over there. Then, I treat myself with a healthy snack from inside the store.”

- Jessica

Emily Andras Rosa Balaguer Meghan Rooney Traffic manager Topher Balfer administration

John Holzer Mallary Matherne Subscription Manager Brittani Bryant For subscriptions call (504) 830-7231 Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive Vice President Errol Laborde Distribution Manager

office manager

2016

Bronze Will Kalec for Magazine Writer of the Year Bronze Danley Romero for Portrait Series Silver Denny Culbert for Photo Series Gold Denny Culbert for Magazine Photographer of the Year Gold Sarah George for Art Direction of a Single Story

110 Veterans Blvd. / Suite 123 / Metairie, LA 70005 / (504) 828-1380 / (877) 221-3512 128 Demanade / Suite 104 / Lafayette, LA 70503 / (337) 235-7919 ext. 230 Acadiana Profile (ISSN 0001-4397) is published bimonthly by Renaissance Publishing LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 and 128 Demanade, Suite 104, Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919 ext. 230. Subscription rate: One year $10; Foreign Subscriptions vary. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Acadiana Profile, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2018 Renaissance Publishing LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Acadiana Profile is registered. Acadiana Profile is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Acadiana Profile are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner.

Gold Sarah George for Overall Art Direction Finalist Magazine of the Year

ĂŠquipe de vente

Rebecca Taylor Sales Manager 337-298-4424 337-235-7919 Ext. 230 Rebecca@AcadianaProfile.com

Colleen Monaghan Vice President of Sales 504-830-7215 Colleen@AcadianaProfile.com

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note de l’editeur

h Edtior’s picks

Check this Out Bowled over

The new Rock ‘n’ Bowl at 905 Jefferson St. in downtown Lafayette is the talk of the town.

Owner John Blancher flung open the doors in July with a soft opening party featuring live music by Roddie Romero & the Hub City All-Stars. Much like at the original New Orleans location, music will play a large role in the offerings at the entertainment complex. There is a stage and a dance floor in the middle of the bowling lanes and later, Blancher will open the second-floor ballroom and the Sinte Marie restaurant. therocknbowl.com

On view

There’s still time to view the realist works of famed regionalist painter Andrew Wyeth.

The Pennsylvania-born Wyeth focused on the land and people and was one of the bestknown artists of the mid-20th century. There are seven collotypes in the exhibit, which is at the Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center, 1001 Ryan St., Lake Charles until Sept.

15. Admission is free. cityoflakecharles.com

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aving been raised in a cattle farming family, the meats on our plates were far more likely to be the result of breeding and raising, as opposed to hunting. Perhaps it’s ironic then that my brother and I were taught to shoot and — thanks to our former Army sharpshooting dad — quickly got to a marksmanship level of never meeting a target, tin can or milk carton we couldn’t take out on the first try. It’s one thing however to be a crack shot when the bull’s-eye is stationary and quite another to hit the mark when faced with a moving target. Skeet shooting is of course a way to measure one’s worth in that department, but the closest we ever came to that is tossing bottles as high in the air as we could manage and opening fire. This may or may not have been a practice honed on a friend’s ranch during our sometimes misspent youth using bottles from freshly-consumed beer, but that’s not something we have to go into here and also, don’t do that, y’all. While we lack in the department of hunting stories, our plates runneth over with friends who hunt and they are generous with their bounty.

Our friend Zach falls into that category. He is an avid hunter and always a welcome addition to dinner parties. When he brings his homemade duck poppers however, he is the most popular person in the place.

The duck is the most tender and flavorful I’ve ever eaten and is always fresh from that morning or at most, a hunt the day before the party.

The closest to a duck hunt I’ve ever gotten is hunting for the best restaurant serving it. After seeing Denny Culbert’s images for the “La Chasse au Canard” duck hunting feature on page 40, I’m game to try it out.

Culbert’s otherworldly photos and accompanying essay about his own experiences will certainly strike a chord with those who, like me, have never been on the hunt, and those who live for it. Our thanks to the troop who allowed us to tag along and to Jo Vidrine (a.k.a. The Freelance Cajun) for sharing his recipe for duck gumbo, which is sure to be a hit at your next dinner party. Don’t forget to save a little of Spencer that meat for a platter of poppers. I promise your guests will be grateful and you’ll get invited in Texas in to a lot of gatherings this duck season.

2009 taking a break Cheers to many fruitful hunts, both for those willing to go out into the wilds of Acadiana during target to acquire it and those who are searching for it in their favorite eateries and meateries. Either practice. way it’s a win-win, because at the end of the day, you get a belly full of duck.

Melanie Warner Spencer, Managing Editor (504) 830-7239 | Melanie@AcadianaProfile.com

acadiana profile august/september 2018

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lettres d’amour

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cheré Dastugue Coen is a freelance food and travel writer who makes her home in Lafayette.

She writes Louisiana romances and mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire.

M

Sense of Place A New Orleans writer finds her literary soul in Cajun Country

by Cheré Dastugue Coen illustration by Christina Brown

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acadiana profile august/september 2018

y entrée into writing novels began with an embarrassing idea. I imagined that being a newspaper journalist, I could whip out popular paperbacks as fast as breaking news. To make matters worse, my first historical romance was set along the Chisholm Trail, a place this Louisiana native knew nothing about — not to mention never visited; I got the idea from watching the “Lonesome Dove” miniseries on TV. Needless to say, I soon learned that writing genre fiction requires great skill and knowledge. That first novel remains in a dark closet, never to see the light of day.

After my literary disaster, the universe took pity on my soul and one night I had an incredible dream about a young Cajun entrepreneur falling for an American socialite in 19th century Franklin, Louisiana, along with a fiddle-playing cousin and a host of colorful characters.

I had grown up in New Orleans, but been lured toward Acadiana and its culture and traditions ever since my sister attended USL (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and routinely invited me over to Lafayette for theater, Cajun food and collegiate parties. Even when I worked at The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge, I would volunteer for every story assignment west of Port Allen.

So, once that dream brought me fresh inspiration, I jumped on the idea, creating the fictional story behind “Jolie Blonde,” a song known as the Cajun national anthem. I sold that book to an editor whose own background included Acadian history (her grandparents were from Prince Edward Island) and she loved the Louisiana flavor and history. The name had to be changed (no French for romance titles), my name changed (no accents for romance authors) and a hunk was assigned to model for the cover. Regardless, “A Cajun Dream” started my novel-writing career and every book I’ve written since has included Louisiana locations, characters and history, most of them set in Acadiana. Even my non-fiction books celebrate Cajun Country, from Lafayette ghost stories to indigenous cuisine.

As if my writing opened the door for my relocation, I ended up in Lafayette, a place I’ve lovingly called home for the past 14 years. I’m now an active participant in a culture I spent years researching and visiting. My Yat accent comes out on occasion, I add tomatoes to my cuisine and after years of genealogy research I have yet to find one ounce of Cajun blood. But, I’ve adopted Acadiana as my home and it has embraced me in return.

What makes my life, hence my writing, unique is the authenticity of South Louisiana culture. It’s not simply a dish, a style of music or a story we tell. Our culture breathes through joyful dance, the pleasure of dining with family and friends, of genuine kindness and hospitality.

I continually give Acadiana stories, but Acadiana has given me its soul. n

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nouvelles de villes news by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry calendar by Kelly Massicot

Lafayette, Lake Charles, Gonzales

calendar

3 Festivals for August

All Hail, New Seafood King Crowned the 2018 King of Seafood at the 11th annual Louisiana Seafood CookOff in June, Chef Ryan Trahan is kicking it up a notch at the Blue Dog Café in both Lafayette and Lake Charles. “We are planning special pop-ups featuring great Louisiana chefs starting this fall, and we’ll also feature seasonal seafood dinners with wine pairings,” Trahan says. “We’ve been rebranding and modernizing the Blue Dog concept for months. It will keep evolving until we find our comfort zone.” Congrats to Chef Joshua Hebert of The Cabin in Gonzales for being named runner up at the competition.

1 Ar ts & Crabs Fest aug. 18 / Lake Charles.

The yearly Arts & Crabs Fest is a fundraiser by the Arts & Humanities Council and the SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau. Enjoy a crab and seafood dish tasting and chef’s contest for the “Best Crab Dish,” complementary craft beer samples, live music and an art market. artscouncilswla.org

2 Le Cajun Music Awards and Festival aug.16-18 / Lafayette

This year will see the 30th annual Le Cajun Music Awards and Festival, which the Cajun French Music Association touts as the “Grammy Awards of Cajun music.” The three-day event will host an award ceremony, Miss Le Cajun crowning and a day full of Cajun music – beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday (doors open at 8 a.m.). cajunfrenchmusic.org

3 Shrimp Festival Aug. 15-18 / Delcambre

Each year, Delcambre hosts an annual festival honoring the area’s most lucrative business – shrimp. The whole town dedicates their entire weekend to the festival, which includes fais-dodos, carnival rides, a blessing of the shrimp boat fleet and, of course, a shrimp cook-off. This year’s events include music from national recording artists Josh Ward and Tracy Byrd. shrimpfestival.net

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Get a Free House Calcasieu The first-ever photo by denny culbert

From Acadiana to New Orleans

Playing it Forward When the late Anthony Bourdain launched Chef Toby Rodriguez during a 2011 episode of “No Reservations” filmed in Eunice, the pork-centric Cajun boucherie master attracted abundant national media for his traveling Lâche Pas Boucherie culinary production until it wrapped in 2017. Bourdain’s producers then tapped Rodriguez to formulate the 42-minute “Parts Unknown: Cajun Mardi Gras” episode that aired June 17. He has since moved to New Orleans and is planning to open a new restaurant named after his grandmother, who taught him how to cook.

“Cajun Mardi Gras” aired just nine days after Bourdain took his own life in Kaysersberg, France. “My hero is gone,” Rodriguez says.

“I moved to New Orleans directly after filming the episode. I’m here to give the city a real taste of Acadiana, and to possibly send some of those dollars back home by purchasing all of my meat from Acadiana. It’s a neighborhood restaurant that will have a Cajun meat market and a bar where you can hang out. I’ll also be doing some butchering classes at the facility. It’ll be like a Cajun embassy.” Updates to come about Maebelle (hint: Uptown).

acadiana profile august/september 2018

St. Jude Dream Home built in Lake Charles will be raffled off on Sept.

23 live on KPLC. The two-story, 5,000-squarefoot giveaway home has two fireplaces, high-end finishes, appliances, a landscaped yard, and is being built by Salvador Custom Homes for one lucky family in the Graywood community (the first planned community in Lake Charles). Tickets are $100 each; call 800-232-4783.

Vermilion

French is Cool in School The Vermilion Parish School Board has approved a new French immersion program to begin in the 2019-2020 school year. It debuts with kindergarten classes in Vermilion Parish. Merci beaucoup to CODOFIL President, William (Bill) Arceneaux for the wonderful news.

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nouvelles de villes news by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry calendar by Kelly Massicot

calendar Mamou

3 Festivals for September

Climb That Pole Jump in and enter the Potato Dance crowd or the women’s beer drinking and arm wrestling contests and while you’re in the zone, try your hand at the boudin eating, egg throwing and greased pole climbing matches while enjoying Cajun bands at the lively Mamou Cajun Music Festival, held Sept. 14-15. The 2018 honoree is Camey Doucet, whose hits include “Who Stole the Pies,” “Mom, I’m Still Your Little Boy” and “Hold My False Teeth.” (Pas de bêtise!) mamoucajunmusicfestival.com

1 Cajun Food Fest SEPT . 7-8 / Lydia.

Each year, the Lydia Cancer Association holds the Cajun Food Fest. Besides the food festival and cook-off — including a people’s choice award — the two-day event includes a fais-do-do, a cancer survivor walk, carnival rides, a car show and live entertainment.

Parking is free, festival merchandise can be purchased and they ask that no one brings their pets or outside ice chests. lydiacancerassociation.org/food-fest

You Go, Girl New York, Lafayette, Shreveport The

International Centre for Women Playwrights (ICWP) announced their prestigious 2018 50/50 Applause Awards ceremoniously in New York. Two winners hail from Louisiana: The Acadiana Repertory Theatre in Lafayette, and the Marjorie Lyons Playhouse, Centenary Theatre Program of Louisiana in Shreveport.

Congrats!

2 Kiwanis Pepper Festival SEPT . 7-8 St . Mar tinville

This event full of flavor and fun is held annually to support the children of the community.

The Kiwanis Pepper Festival features live music, craft vendors, a 5k race and a pepper eating contest. For 27 years, this event has been “fun for the whole family” in the St. Martinville community. cajuncountry.org

Lake Charles

Feet Were Made for Walking

3 Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival SEPT . 27-30 / New Iberia

The Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival Association’s five-day festival is jam-packed with events like a 4H live auction, cooking contest, 5k, car show and “Stars of Style” fundraiser. hisugar.org/wordpress

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new Iberia

Starlit Dining Café Jefferson at Jefferson Island’s Rip Van Winkle Gardens hosts a special night of dining and strolling through the tropical gardens on Aug. 23 (two seatings: 6 to 7:30 pm and 8 to 9:30 pm). Enjoy bisques, gumbos, sauce piquante and étouffée while overlooking Lake Peigneur (formerly Lake Simonette) and ponder summer’s end beneath the ancient, moss-draped oaks. Reservations: 337-359-8525; ripvanwinklegardens.com.

acadiana profile august/september 2018

A new multi-use path along Lakeshore Drive will soon be under construction. It will be used to connect Broad Street to Clarence Street along the west side, and Lakeshore Drive to Ryan Street. Designed to increase walkability and enhance pedestrianfriendly and bike-friendly areas, the project’s completion is anticipated in February 2019, thanks to a grant provided by Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Call 337491-1429 for details.

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home+style Inspiration, dĂŠcoration et accessoires chic pour la vie

la maison

Rooms with a View Elegance is at ease in an updated residence overlooking the river

by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry photos by Chad Chenier

Designed to accommodate frequent family gatherings for a retiring matriarch, the custom four-bedroom home by architect Edson Davis incorporates a duality of Old World and modern influences.

A 2016 flood brought extensive renovations and an updated interior devised to complement the owner’s diverse, extensive art collection. A redesigned gourmet kitchen flows seamlessly onto a beloved outdoor kitchen and verdant patio.

home + style

Top left Designed around a substantial limestone fireplace

by François & Co., the living room was given a lighter color palette and updated elements that include a chic animal print ottoman and newly upholstered furniture by Entre Nous. Right The dining room table is set with an antique embroidered runner and white chargers beneath a varied collection of Versace dinnerware and Strasbourg sterling flatware inherited from the owner’s mother.

An antique Persian rug and heavy linen embroidered draperies from Entre Nous add elegance to the graceful setting.

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la maison

W

hen planning her new home, a Lafayette businesswoman nearing retirement decided she wanted more than just a great kitchen and a pretty dining room for family gatherings.

A consummate hostess and a gifted cook, she envisioned a dining room with a view, and a gourmet kitchen that would be central to the flow between interior and exterior spaces. Her research led to the ideal location in a gated community bordering the Vermilion River.

Designed by architect Edson Davis and built by Jeff Gossen, the four-bedroom, 3,200-square-foot residence with 14-foot ceilings offers riverfront views from the elegant dining space that flows into high-energy hubs near the open kitchen.

Interiors for the residence were crafted by the Lafayette design firm, Entre Nous, with the objective of creating timeless spaces. They worked with an open floor plan distinguished by splendid vistas across the entire front of the house, ending with the master suite.

Strategically situated in the very front is the dining room, which opens onto a terraced waterfront porch.

acadiana profile august/september 2018

A contemporary salvaged wood sculpture by John Ross Palmer adds pops of color and intrigue to an otherwise traditional dining area overlooking the Vermilion River.

A beautifully manicured patio with an outdoor kitchen is just outside the kitchen, flanked by a cozy keeping room.

Custom cabinetry concealing built-in kitchen appliances was designed to resemble furniture.

While the first-floor layout offers advantageous views for a gourmet matriarch who enjoys overseeing the culinary hearth and communal living areas, the second floor serves as an elaborate, inviting wing for overnight guests.

“I call this my family’s bed and breakfast,” says the owner.

“Some of the grandchildren enjoy staying on weekends.”

The ample outdoor kitchen is used for most meals, including weekly Sunday dinners that draw grandchildren of all ages.

“I’m always stepping outside to grill something, even just pita bread,” says the owner. “I grill almost every time I cook.”

After Lafayette’s August 2016 flood, the walls had to be torn out and reconstructed due to the home’s water damage. Once again, Entre Nous came aboard to assist, led by designers Rachel Harris and Mindy Gromer Bernard.

The antiques were saved, but the upholstery had to go. Harris and Bernard cohesively repositioned the

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Inspired by the seaside colors of Alys Beach, the master bedroom was assembled with an all-white linen headboard and white carpets juxtaposed with hand-painted aqua blue and gold-leaf draperies to evoke sun-andsand reveries of the Emerald Coast. Custom hand-gilded lamps by Michael Clement reside on translucent acrylic side tables. Bottom left Chandeliers and sconces by Julie Neill illuminate rooms throughout house.

Right Devoid of upper cabinets, the kitchen is appointed with a limestone hood from François & Co., custom island with gold accents and white Carrera marble, a fanciful Julie Neill chandelier and sheer café curtains.

Top left

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owner’s extensive collection of contemporary artworks and antique oil paintings into areas refreshed by updated lighting and furniture. “[The owner] wanted the interior to be like it was before the flood,” says Bernard. “We were able to get back with the original paint and paper company, Farrow & Ball, in England, and we recreated all the colors and hand-painted wall paper.”

Farrow’s cream and French gray define the neutral color theme.

“To lighten and brighten the dark Duncan Phyfe-style dining room table, we painted it a high-gloss almond color, while also painting the legs of the dining room chairs to match,” says Harris.

acadiana profile august/september 2018

The designers also set a lighter tone for a newly adorned, serene master bedroom, while their numerous living room additions included new slipcovers to soften the antique needlepoint chairs. “[The owner] has exquisite taste,” says Bernard. “As a collector, she likes a mixture of antiques with a little contemporary pop.”

“This is very much a lived-in house,” says the owner.

“I enjoy the area. On fall evenings starting in September, I can hear the lively Rhythms on the River concerts coming from the square.” n

Left

75 words

acadianaprofile.com 27

home + style

pour la maison

ABOUT THE designer: Brooke Inzerella is a licensed landscape horticulturist and owner of Horticare Landscape Company, where he specializes in one-of-a-kind landscapes and outdoor living spaces.

Planter Like a Pro Step up your gardening game with statement-making planters. steps

Decorating the Mantel

by Marie Elizabeth Oliver photo by Romero & Romero

1 Select your pot, something with at least a 24-inchwide base.

2 Make sure you have the right kind of drainage and soil.

3 Choose three different types of native plants.

4 Water at least two to three times per week in the morning hours.

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T

he right planters can boost your home’s curb appeal or add a wow factor to your garden. But what’s the difference between a planter that pops and one that flops? Horticulturist Brooke Inzerella says it’s all about the prep work.

“Start with a good base — that’s drainage,” he advises.

“People don’t realize planters are just a reservoir if not prepared correctly.”

Inzerella says prefers resin planters — which offer a durable, high-end look, but can still be moved around easily — with about a 24-inch mouth. His first step is to prepare the pot’s drainage system. That could include something more technical like inserting a drain pipe and syncing it up with your lawn’s irrigation system or simply drilling a hole in the bottom of the pot and adding a base layer under the soil.

“It’s a great way to recycle plastic water bottles,” says Inzerella. “Fill the bottom one-third of your pot, then cover with geo-texture fabric so water can drain out without soaking the soil.”

Inzerella says one of the biggest mistakes people make is opting for bagged topsoil instead of potting mix. This

acadiana profile august/september 2018

shortchanges your blooms from both a nutrition and drainage standpoint.

When your pot is ready, Inzerella is “a proponent of really stuffing” and recommends three to five types of diverse, indigenous plants per planter. Some of his favorites include: • Anchor Plants: Flax, Fiber Optic Grass, Blue Dart

Grass (Juncus), Tall Caladiums, Tall Zinnias, Upright

Rosemary, Cordyline, Boxwood • Substance: Coreopsis, Joseph’s Coat, Coleus,

Angelonia, SunPatien, Pentas, Coneflower • Draping Plants: Lysimachia (Creeping Jenny),

Mandevilla, Calibrachoas, Mint, Wave Petunia, Ivy • Fun Additions: Succulents, Sedum And to keep those blooms in fresh-from-the-nursery shape, water as often as possible, preferably in the morning hours. Inzerella’s baseline suggestion is two to three times per week, depending on rainfall. n [Plants featured in photo: Juncus, Sedum,Verbena, Helichrysum, MegaCopa, Salvia]

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home + style

Products

Throwing Shade

a la mode

chic and smart: Sunglasses are not only fashionable, but also important for eye health. Protect eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays and look cool while doing it.

Improved Optics Timeless shades in vintage shapes frame never-ending summer days.

by Ashley Hinson photo by Romero & Romero

1 Tom Ford Aviators

These golden glasses are a glamorous take on the aviator, and reflective lenses draw light to the face. LAspecs.

1

2 Ray-Ban Cat Eyes

2

The perfect cat eye comes from Ray-Ban. Here, the brand known for unisex Wayfarers goes simultaneously retro and distinctly feminine. LAspecs.

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3 Teashade Ray-Bans

Washes of cool violet and cobalt flood the circular frames of these shades from Ray-Ban. LaHaye Total Eye Care.

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4 Versace Cat Eyes

These frames feature Versace’s quintessential logo at the peak of their black-andbrown cat eye shape. LAspecs.

5 4 Maui Jim Aviators

The well-known aviators style were made famous by pilots. Dark lenses block harsh rays. LaHaye Total Eye Care.

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W

e are blessed with long days of light that extend well into nighttime and well into the later months. Protect your eyes and frame your face in retro sunglasses at all price points for late summer nostalgia at its finest. LAspecs, 1910 Kaliste Saloom Road, #300, Lafayette, 337-993-8170, laspecs.com • LaHaye Total Eye Care, 201 Rue Iberville #800, Lafayette, 337-235-2149, lahayesight.com. n

acadiana profile august/september 2018

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food+drink Ça c’est bon

sur la menu

Social Hub Pujo Street Cafe remains a hotspot two decades into its reign

by Jyl Benson photos by Jo Vidrine

The dinner menu has appetizers, soups, salads, dinner plates and steaks. Standout appetizers include the Oysters Pujo: pecan and panko-crusted oysters lightly fried and topped with spinach, tasso and smoked gouda.

oysters pujo:

food + drink sur la menu

menu

4 Dishes to Try 1 Oysters Pujo

Pecan-Crusted Oysters Topped with a Spinach Tasso and Smoked Gouda Sauce.

2 Pan Fried Corn Fritters

Homemade Corn Fritters Pan Fried and served with a Bacon Aioli.

3 Redfish Meuniere

Pan-Seared Redfish Filet Topped with a New Orleans Style Meuniere and Lump Crabmeat Served with Rice Pilaf and Grilled Vegetables.

4 Chicken Mykonos

Spinach, Feta, Parmesan and Panko Rolled Inside a Juicy Chicken Breast Wrapped with Bacon, Baked to a Golden Brown and Topped with a Feta Cream Sauce Served with Grilled Vegetables and Baked Potato.

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acadiana profile august/september 2018

The Hollywood Salad: Roasted tomatoes, feta cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, spiced pecans, purple onions and kalamata olives over fresh greens.

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f all goes as planned, by 2020, the petrochemical and transportation infrastructure network will top $117 billion in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron and Jefferson Davis parishes.

To put that sum into perspective consider this: That’s sum is about a third of the total capital investment that takes place in the entirety of the United States in a typical year. These investments saw Lake Charles, the heart of the boom, named the fastest growing city in Louisiana in 2017.

The city is in hyperdrive and no place is seeing more action than Pujo Street Cafe, the evergreen eatery at the corner of Pujo and Ryan streets, in the magnificent dark red brick building that once housed Gordon’s Pharmacy.

Like a scene straight out of the 1980s TV drama “Dallas,” at any given time hoards of businessmen sip martinis while huddled over surf and turf platters featuring mammoth blackened shrimp and hunks of prime beef. Open for nearly two decades, Pujo Street Cafe serves lunch and dinner in an environment that mimics that of a New Orleans courtyard if it was cross-bred with a fern bar. The exposed brick walls in the historic building are accented with ironwork and an eclectic array of local artwork, some available for purchase. The vibe is equally suitable for a business dinner, your grandmother’s birthday luncheon or an impressive first date.

Happy hour is taken seriously here from 4 to 7 p.m. every day except Sunday. Monday offers buy one, get one free martinis; Tuesday is buy one, get one free cocktails (some exclusions apply); Wednesday brings $3 house wine and Cosmos; Thursdays have $1 well highballs; Friday means 25 percent off all drinks, excluding wines by the bottle; and Saturday has $1 domestic longneck beers on offer. The covered, climate-controlled outdoor patio at the front of the restaurant is dog friendly and affords a perfect view of the lively street and downtown scene and shops. n Bonus Bite

On Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Henning Cultural Center (923 South Ruth St., Sulphur) hosts Boudin Wars, an annual peoples’ choice event where southwest Louisiana restaurants and chefs compete for the title of “Best Boudin in SWLA!” Attendees can sample participants’ boudin entries in Traditional and Exotic categories and vote to elect the area’s best boudin.

Boudin Wars

337-527-0357 Pujo Street Cafe

901 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-439-2054 pujostreet.com

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Keep a bowl of grapes in the refrigerator.

Make a pitcher of lemonade with real lemons and one of iced tea tweaked with fresh mint. Stash a box of ice cream sandwiches or bars in the freezer for quick, chilling desserts.

TIPS FOR BEING COOL:

food + drink de la cuisine

Think Cool starter

Cold Cucumber Soup

1 Puree 6 mediumsize cucumbers (peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced) in a food processor or blender. Add ¼ cup finely chopped green onions (green part only) and 2 teaspoons minced garlic and process again until smooth.

2 Add 2¼ cups plain yogurt and process until the mixture is smooth.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Chilled and simple are the keys to summer eating

by Marcelle Bienvenu photo & styling by Eugenia Uhl

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hile everyone is cursing the high temps and humidity, I’m as happy as a clam at high tide.

I agree August days can be as hot as Hades, and the mere thought of cooking can certainly make one break out in a sweat, but my rule is don’t cook or eat until the sun is dipping into the western horizon.

Fortunately I live on the banks of Bayou Teche, so I believe in the saying “if you are lucky enough to live on the water, you’re lucky enough.” I may not be on the white sugar sand beaches of our southern neighbors of Alabama and Florida, but there is a sense of tranquility in the languid flow of the bayou shaded by willows, oaks and cypresses. As far as I’m concerned, an evening meal taken on my lush patio is relaxing and enjoyable after the heat of the day dissipates. I find eating outdoors is what summer is all about. But, I am also of the opinion that food preparation should be kept to a minimum.

My philosophy for this time of year is think cool, eat cool and be cool. I’ve picked the last of the cucumbers and they are nestled in a basket on my kitchen counter with lemons and limes. A squeeze or two of citrus juice in my tea, lemonade, cola or gin and tonic is always a winner. A salad of thinly sliced cucumbers and onions tossed with mayonnaise or yogurt is a favorite dish as is chilled cucumber soup. n

Makes about 6 servings

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Summer Seafood Salad 3 pounds medium-size shrimp, boiled and peeled 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage ½ pound coarsely chopped cooked lobster tail meat (optional) 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves ½ cup finely chopped celery 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ¾ cups (more or less to taste) mayonnaise 3 tablespoons Creole or Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons capers, drained 2 tablespoons chopped green olives

Salt, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne to taste

hot sauce to taste

4 cups assorted salad greens, washed, patted dry,

and torn into bite-size pieces 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Combine seafood, parsley, celery, lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, capers and olives in a large salad bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, cayenne, and hot sauce, then toss gently to mix. Chill for at least one hour. In another mixing bowl, toss the salad greens with olive oil and season lightly with salt and black pepper. To serve, line a large serving bowl (or for individual service line salad plates) with salad greens. Arrange the seafood salad on top of the greens. Serve immediately.

Makes about 6 to 8 servings

3 Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves.

main course

the desser t

BEST EVER ANGEL FOOD CAKE This angel food cake is light and airy, and it can be topped with assorted berries such as strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries.

acadiana profile august/september 2018

1 Heat the oven to 300 F. Sift 1¼ cups cake flour onto a piece of wax paper and set aside. Sift 1¾ cups sugar into a small mixing bowl and set aside. Put 1¾ cup egg whites (from about 12 extra-large eggs) in a large mixing bowl and sift 1 teaspoon cream of tartar over the whites. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and beat the egg whites to very soft peaks.

2 When bowl is tilted, whites should just flow and not run or slide out of the bowl.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the surface of the whites and fold in very gently.

Repeat until all sugar is thoroughly folded in. Be gentle. Sift 2 tablespoons of flour over the whites and fold in very gently.

Repeat until all flour is incorporated.

3 Sprinkle in 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon almond extract and ¾ teaspoon fresh lemon juice over batter and fold in gently. Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake until pale brown and springy to the touch, about one hour and 10 minutes.

4 Remove from the oven, turn the pan upside down and cool in pan for about one hour.

Turn the cake right side up and loosen around the edges and around the central tube with a thin knife. Remove the cake gently from the pan. Serve with 3 cups assorted berries, cleaned, hulled, and crushed and 1 cup heavy cream, whipped (optional).

Makes one 10-inch cake

Macerate berries in a bowl, sprinkle with a little sugar and perhaps a splash or two of brandy or rum, chill for an hour or so in the refrigerator, then spoon the mixture on slices of cake. Make this a day or two ahead of time and store it lightly wrapped in foil until ready to serve.

This seafood salad can be made with alone, but you can also add shrimp and chunks of lobster meat.

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food + drink recettes de cocktails

The moderately sweet, complex citrus flavor of aged Satsuma Rum accented with bitters and fresh lime renders an intensely refreshing, medium-length finish.

Of Robichaux and Thibodaux recipe

The Robichaux

Cinclare’s singular Southern style is cultivating a mounting band of disciples drawn to refined cocktails and inspired cuisine

by Lisa LeBlanc-Berry photo by Romero & Romero

1 Fill a double Old-Fashioned rocks glass with ice.

2 Add 3 ounces ginger ale, 1½ ounces Bayou Satsuma Rum, ½ ounce freshlysqueezed lime juice and 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Give it a gentle stir.

3 Garnish with a lime wedge.

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rompted by recollections of childhood visits to Cinclare Plantation near Brusly, Michael Dalmau’s eponymous restaurant commemorates his exiled Cuban grandparents who resided there for 50 years.

Opened in 2016, Cinclare Southern Bistro is bringing globally-inspired taste adventures to Thibodaux. The intimate 48-seat haven has been attracting a cult-like following for its enticing cuisine prepared by new rising-star chefs.

Dalmau is equally devoted to the chefs’ seasonal fare and bar manager Jeffery Markel’s celebrated craft cocktails.

Such signature best-sellers as the rum-laced Robichaux attracts regulars initiating dinner in the 27-seat, wellstocked bar.

“Bright and refreshing, simple and satisfying, the Robichaux’s fresh lime juice and dash of angostura bitters add complexity, while the ginger ale adds sparkle,” says Markel.

Co-head chefs Crystal Lachney and Logan Boudreaux bring their transcendent, seasonal creations to rapt fans.

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Initially gleaned from the John Folse Culinary Institute as top students, the young powerhouse team excels with synchronicity and verve.

Among the select few Americans awarded a 2017 summer sojourn at Institut Paul Bocuse in Écully, France, Chef Lachney incorporates French techniques into such dishes as duck breast tenderized by sous-vide and accented with a fig-cane gastrique, lamb sausage with fragrant fennel-onion jam and mouth-watering Wagyu hanger steak finished with a smooth bone-marrow bordelaise.

Open for dinner only Wednesday through Saturday, Cinclare has limited hours. But you don’t have to land any reservations in Thibodaux to enjoy a couple rounds of their beloved Robichaux cocktail with friends. n

Cinclare Rustic Southern Cuisine 601 W 3rd St., Thibodaux 985-227-9507• cinclarefoodanddrink.com

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Looking ahead to duck season with an ethereal trek through the swamps, forests and marshes

La Chasse au Canard written and photographed By Denny Culbert

It’s pitch black and I’m hunkered down in a wooden box suspended a few feet above water that I know to be filled with alligators.

There is young man with a loaded shotgun to my left and another to my right. I’m definitely a little nervous. I’m unarmed, and I’m sleepy, but their vibrant anticipatory energy is becoming contagious as we keep our eyes and ears to the sky. The tree line begins to glow and the hunter to my left lets out a few shrill quacks from the call he keeps around his neck. In the distance, there comes a faint response followed by another round of honks next to me. A few winged shadows circle above and then lightly splash down among the spread of decoys. POW! goes the gun to my right and again POW! POW! (Here is when I realized my first of many rookie mistakes — no earplugs). The hunter, who is now shaking with excitement from discharging his weapon for the first time in a long while, zips off in a small motorboat to retrieve his first duck of the season.

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Hunters and Wildlife Photography Gear (this is the gear I typically have in my kayak): Digital SLR / 200 to 500 millimeter zoom lens / 35 millimeter lens / Extra camera battery (especially if it’s cold out, because batteries drain faster) / Monopod / Camouflage rain cover for a long lens and camera / Pelican case (water tight and indestructible) / Kayak (big enough to hold you and some gear) / Chest waders / Camouflage netting (to hide under or to cover my kayak while wading) / Towels (to dry equipment and your hands)

That morning and a dozen or so others out in the wilds of Louisiana with friends with last names like Autin, Fontenot, Nehrbass, Miller, Mouton, Trant and Vidrine helped me understand why Louisianans hunt. When I moved from northeastern Ohio to Lafayette in 2009, I couldn’t understand why anyone would choose to get up way before the sun and subject themselves to the coldest weather of the year just to shoot at a bird that would then require a significant amount of work to pluck and clean before you could cook it. Plus this was all sometimes done early enough to make it back to civilization in time to go to work for

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Where to Hunt on Public Lands in Acadiana: (check the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries website for current Wildlife Management Area rules and regulations at wlf.louisiana.gov/wma) Attakapas Island - St. Mary, St. Martin and Iberia Parishes / Atchafalaya Delta - St. Mary Parish / Grassy Lake - Avoyelles Parish / Lake Boeuf - Lafourche Parish / Marsh Bayou - Evangeline Parish / Maurepas Swamp - Ascension, Livingston, St. James, St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa Parishes/ Point-aux-Chenes - Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes / Pomme de Terre - Avoyelles Parish / Sabine Island Calcasieu Parish / Sherburne - Iberville, Pointe Coupee, and St. Martin Parishes / Spring Bayou - Avoyelles Parish / Thistlewaite - St. Landry Parish

an eight-hour day and hit repeat the next morning. Duck hunting, like so many other things in life is as much, if not more, about the journey than the payoff. At the beginning of the season out looking for teal in Vermilion Parish, the mosquitoes were so thick they actually became a second skin, but the beauty and color palette of the marsh as the sun rose over the pond and birds began to sing almost made me forget that every inch of my body was crawling with tiny biting creatures. In St. Landry Parish I witnessed a hunter’s heart fill with pride when the dog he was just beginning to train retrieved her first bird. The sweetest little golden retriever named Maple was a proud pup when she swam back to her master

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with that duck. In Acadia Parish I struggled to paddle my kayak fast enough in the misty darkness following the voices of two guys in a canoe leading me to their favorite spot to hunt since they were in high school. It was so dark that there could have been a waterfall and I would have paddled right over it. But, as always, putting myself in the hands of Cajuns to lead the way to somewhere magical paid off. We spent the morning hunting a flooded forest, hiding in stumps, and wondering at the neon orange and green lichens climbing the trees on a gray morning.

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WILD DUCK GUMBO

by Jo Vidrine (a.k.a. The Freelance Cajun) Ingredients

2 cups flour 2 cups vegetable oil 3 ducks, cleaned 1 pound smoked pork sausage, cut into ¼ inch medallions 2 large yellow onions, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 head of garlic 8 cups water, chicken broth or stock ½ cup Bruneaux’s Bon Cajun Seasoning directions

1. Mix flour and oil in a cast iron skillet and continuously stir on medium heat until you reach the desired color of roux (depending on your preference of darkness the roux will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half ). Remove the cast iron skillet from heat, continuing to stir until the skillet cools. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Break garlic head into cloves, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in tinfoil. Place garlic in the oven for 30 minutes. Unwrap and roast for another 15 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Once cool, squish garlic from skins and set aside.

3. Season the ducks with Bruneaux’s Bon Cajun Seasoning. Brown on all sides in a cast iron pot on medium heat. Add onions and peppers to the pot and cook for three to five minutes.

These hunts that I tagged along on with my camera in hand were not guided hunts leaving from fancy lodges that you pay thousands of dollars to attend like you see in magazines or on TV. These were mornings with young men and women in Acadiana who grew up in these swamps, forests and marshes, and will eventually instill in their children the same wonder and respect for the natural world that they learned from their parents.

These mornings were what I liked to call “adventure hunts.” From the piney woods in the north down to the coast, Louisiana has almost two million acres of public land managed by Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries that, with proper equipment and licenses, any of us can access. If you want it, the adventure is waiting.

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4. Add water, chicken broth or stock to the pot. Once water has come to a boil add roux until it reaches your desired color and thickness.

5. Add garlic and smoked sausage to the pot 45 minutes to an hour before serving so sausage is plump and moist when served.

6. Gumbo should continue to cook until the duck meat is nearly falling off the bone. Add salt and Bruneaux’s Bon Cajun Seasoning to taste. Other seasonings to add if desired would be Herbes de Provence, garlic powder or onion powder. At this point if the dish needs to be thickened add more roux to the cast iron pot and dissolve. Serve over rice.

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HOSPITALS Hospitals in Acadiana are ever-evolving to meet the healthcare needs of the region. We’ve researched new technologies, specialties, and honors bestowed upon facilities for the 2018 edition of the annual Acadiana Profile Hospitals of Acadiana, so you can make informed decisions for treatment. compiled by ashley hinson

Acadia Parish Acadia General 1305 Crowley Rayne Hwy., Crowley alh.org • (337) 783-3222 The nonprofit Acadia General Hospital serves Acadia Parish as part of the Lafayette General Health System with 140 beds. The nonprofit facility has a 24-hour Emergency Department in addition to acute medical and surgical care, including outpatient surgery, general surgery, orthopedics, gynecology, otolaryngology, podiatry, and radiology procedures. Offsite, Acadia General Hospital provides outpatient services at its Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine.

Allen Parish Allen Parish Hospital 108 Sixth Ave., Kinder allenparishhospital.com • (337) 738-2527 This acute and specialty care hospital in Kinder serves the tri-parish area of Allen, Beauregard and Jeff Davis parishes. APH offers respiratory care, physical and occupational therapy, a cardiology

clinic, 24-hour emergency services, and more. This March, the hospital began offering telecardiology services for 24/7 cardiology consults through the Cardiovascular Institute of the South and Opelousas General Health. APH provides group and individual therapy and professional counseling in its psychiatric recovery unit for mental illness and addiction. APH also works with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which provides a free Family-to-Family Education Program that covers everything from medication side effects to current research on mental illness causes. Available home services include post-op care, physical therapy, speech therapy, nursing care, diabetic and blood pressure testing and monitoring.

Oakdale Community Hospital 130 N. Hospital Drive, Oakdale oakdalecommunityhospital.com • (318) 335-3700 This 60-bed hospital offers both inpatient and outpatient services, including emergency, imaging, laboratory, cardiology, nutritional, cancer management, physical therapy, respiratory care, family health, and women’s services. The hospital is accredited by The American College of Radiology, and

its certified mammography unit uses low-energy rays to detect abnormalities. Oakdale Community Hospital also offers two family health clinics in Oakdale and Elizabeth, Louisiana.

Ascension Parish St. Elizabeth Hospital 1125 W. Hwy. 30, Gonzales steh.com• (225) 647-5000 St. Elizabeth Hospital is one of four hospitals in the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, a five-hospital system that employs more than 13,000 healthcare professionals across the state.

This year, St. Elizabeth earned the 2018 Hospitals of the Year Award for hospitals with 61-160 beds.

This is the facility’s sixth time receiving the honor from the Louisiana State Nurses Association. It has partnered with the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center for radiation oncology and offers accredited cardiopulmonary services including respiratory therapy, cardiac testing, an MRI center and a telemetry unit. The hospital also operates a community clinic in Gonzales, providing services to patients ten and older who are uninsured or underinsured.

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Assumption Parish Assumption Community Hospital 135 Hwy. 402, Napoleonville ololrmc.com/location/assumption-community-hospital (985) 369-3600 Assumption Community Hospital, a critical access hospital in with 15 beds, was inspired by the vision of St. Francis of Assisi. It operates as a nonprofit hospital and is a branch of the Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. Outpatient services include a smoking cessation program, breast cancer screenings and mammograms. As part of their community outreach, Assumption Community Hospital also provides health fairs and health screenings to Assumption Parish residents.

Community Care Acadiana’s healthcare industry’s meteoric growth provides patients top-notch treatment just around the corner

By William Kalec

Medicine is big business. In fact, more people work in the healthcare industry in Louisiana than any other industry. That’s more than the energy, the financial and the agricultural sectors combined. According to a joint Rendering of the new economic impact study conducted by the Louisiana Hospitals Association Cancer and LSU, healthcare facilities account for a $31 billion economic impact Center at Thibodaux annually. Approximately 300,000 Louisianans are employed by hospitals, Regional with 25 percent of the state’s healthcare workers residing in Acadiana.

Beyond profits and employing people, though, the healthcare industry’s presence in this state has also brought forth progress. During the past decade, healthcare providers in Acadiana have made exponential strides in infrastructure and innovation, constructing state-of-the-art new facilities or expansions and renovations on existing buildings and purchasing cutting-edge equipment to outfit doctors with the capability to perform procedures previously reserved for hospitals in major metropolitan areas.

“Healthcare is a dynamic industry,” says Greg Stock, CEO of Thibodaux Regional Medical Center. “It’s constantly changing. The need for improvement in patient care, like innovations in cancer care, can’t be ignored. Yes, it’s expensive and yes it takes a lot of discussion on how you can make it work, but we want to be on that ‘leading edge’ of innovation.

“You do it for offensive and defensive reasons,” Stock continues. “Offensive in the fact that our nature is the pursuit of excellence. That’s the culture in our hospital.

New facilities and new procedures are part of that pursuit of excellence. And as far as defensive, simply, you don’t want to fall behind — to be second in quality care, efficiency, service and patient satisfaction. We want to be right there as a leader.”

In tune with that sentiment, Stock and the rest of the Thibodaux Regional in June 2018 formally announced plans for a new, five-story, $35 million cancer center to be constructed on the hospital’s campus starting at the end of this year.

Citing a need for such a facility — South Louisiana has some of the highest cancer incident rates and cancer mortality rates in the country — Stock says this new facility will be the springboard for growth and development of local cancer care. The 100,000 square-foot building will be awash in natural light and feature areas for radiation therapy (the hospital recently purchased $5 million in new radiation therapy equipment), oncology and chemotherapy. There are also a few sections of the cancer center that will be reserved for future expansion and treatment procedures as the fight against the disease continues to evolve over the coming years.

The project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2020.

“It’s always been our goal, since I got here 27 years ago, to increase and improve cancer services to the people of this area,” Stock says. “Our program

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Christus St. Patrick Hospital 524 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive, Lake Charles christusstpatrick.org • (337) 436-2511 Named for the patron saint of Ireland upon the insistence of Dr. John Greene Martin, Christus St. Patrick Hospital was dedicated on St. Patrick’s Day in 1908 and joined the Christus Health system in 1999. The hospital offers many services, including neurology, women’s, pediatric, geriatric and behavioral health services. It also houses a rehabilitation center and offers lung cancer screenings. The facility is home to the Dubuis Hospital of Lake Charles, which provides care to patients with complex medical issues that require extended acute care hospitalization, such as wound care, rehabilitation, and ventilator dependency. Christus announced a partnership with Imperial Calcasieu Surgical Center, broadening their services to include orthopedic, ear, nose, throat and podiatry care as well as hand and wrist surgeries.

Lake Charles Memorial Hospital 1701 Oak Park Blvd.,Lake Charles lcmh.com • (337) 494-3000 Lake Charles memorial is the only full-service community hospital in Lake Charles and has served Calcasieu Parish and the surrounding regions since 1952. With more than 300 physicians on staff, it covers more than 60 specialties spanning its four campuses: Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women, Memorial Specialty Hospital and Moss Memorial Health Clinic. Specialty care services include inpatient and outpatient services, as well as a full-service trauma and emergency department and urgent care facility. A full range of diagnostics and pathology services available include CT scanning, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, MRI, endoscopic, cardiovascular and cancer diagnostics, ENT, urology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, orthopedic and sports medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, neurology, internal and pain medicine, pediatrics and more.

West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital 701 Cypress St., Sulphur wcch.com • (337) 527-7034 West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital offers an array of healthcare services, including cancer care, cardiol-

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has been successful by the standards measured in our industry. The quality of care has been outstanding. Accreditation has been at the very highest level. But we are at a point where, and our board agreed, that we needed a new facility to provide cancer care.

“Cancer is a particular kind of care, in my opinion. It requires an environment conducive to healing…and that is how this center was designed.”

New medical facilities have also opened in other parts of Acadiana this year.

In May 2018, healthcare officials, civic leaders and other prominent locals cut the ribbon to ceremonially open the Wound Care Center at St. Martin Hospital in Breaux Bridge. The hospital, which already features the only emergency room in St. Martin Parish, is now also the only facility capable of tending to non-healing wounds resulting from pressure sores, surgical wounds, radiation sores or foot ulcers caused by diabetes or vascular issues. Typically, patients seek specialized care at a wound center like the just-opened facility in Breaux Bridge if the healing process hasn’t begun within two weeks of the incident or completely healed within six weeks to two months.

Hospital executives have entrusted Dr. Kerry A. Thibodeaux to oversee operations at the state-of-the-art Wound Care Center.

Treating wounds was Dr. Thibodeaux’s focus while a he was the Chief Resident at LSU Medical School, where he received a grant to study the effects of various wound cures. Today, Dr. Thibodeaux is a review physician for medical journals, is often a featured speaker at wound care conferences around the world, and is conducting trials of new wound-care products to see if they can achieve FDA approval standards.

Right before the start of the new year, shovel was put to dirt at Acadia General Hospital in Crowley — which also falls under the Lafayette General Health umbrella — on an ambitious expansion and renovation project that is scheduled for completion in first quarter 2019. More specifically, the $4 million facelift is primarily focused on updating the hospital’s emergency room.

Cardiovascular Once finished, the new ER at Acadia General will more than double Institute of the in size, feature five times as many private rooms, and have a covered South was one of the first two sites drop-off and pick-up area. Currently, the ER is designed to handle 600 in the US to use patients a month but actually treats 1,800 patients a month, making this the UltraScore Focused Force expansion a necessity, not a luxury.

PTA Balloon When it comes to and introducing new procedures into patient care, doctors at the Cardiovascular Institute of the South continue to be at the forefront.

In late March 2018, CIS was one of the first two sites in the United States to use the UltraScore Focused Force PTA Balloon to open a blocked artery during angioplasty.

The technology is designed to allow surgeons to treat stenotic lesions in the superficial femoral artery, the popliteal artery and the infrapopliteal arteries while lessening the chance of tears in the inner layer of the artery.

Then, in May 2018, CIS cardiologists Dr. Peter Fail, Dr. Louis Salvaggio and Dr. Darrell Solet were the first in Acadiana to perform mitral valve repair using the innovative MitraClip procedure. The surgery, which was conducted at the Hybrid Operation Room at Lafayette General Medical Center, is a minimally-invasive treatment option for those with a severe leak in the mitral valve who are not healthy enough for heart surgery. The MitraClip is inserted using a catheter and restricts blood from flowing back into the heart as it pumps. “[We are] proud to offer the latest treatment options for our patients in Acadiana,” Dr. Fail says. “We plan to expand the technology available, particularly for our patients with structural heart diseases, allowing them to receive the care they need in their own community.”

“Local care is just that — it’s local,” Stock says. “It closer, so it’s less expensive. It’s less disruptive to family schedules. It’s personal. You’re not just a number. You’re not lost in the process. You know your practitioners and your family knows them. So when you do things, and grow and improve your ability to treat patients it keeps care local, it strengthens the healthcare provided locally.

“Serving the community is the No. 1 priority.”

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ogy, breast health, emergency medicine, radiology and imaging, pediatrics, and more. As of this year, the hospital’s new Pulmonology Clinic offers treatment options for asthma, bronchiectasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia and other pulmonary-related conditions.

WCCH also has a sleep center and both cardiac rehabilitation and cardiology services, along with servicing rural health clinics in Hackberry, Vinton and Johnson Bayou. Equestrian-based care services are also available through the Genesis Therapeutic Riding Center for patients with developmental disabilities or brain injuries. WCCH also participates in Shots for Tots to provide inexpensive or free immunization for children.

Evangeline Parish Mercy Regional Medical Center 800 E. Main St., Ville Platte mercyregionalmedicalcenter.com (337) 363-5684 Mercy Regional Medical Center is a 95-bed acute care facility that serves Evangeline Parish and surrounding areas as their main healthcare provider.

This hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and offers intensive care services, medical and surgical care, a comprehensive imaging and radiology department and a 24-hour emergency department. The surgical department has three operating rooms and two procedure rooms for minor procedures.

Savoy Medical Center 801 Poinciana Ave., Mamou savoymedical.com • (337) 468-5261 Located just outside the heart of Mamou, the 176-bed Savoy Medical Center is an acute care facility that is adjacent to the Savoy Cancer Center.

It services patients within a 30-mile radius in south central Louisiana, specializing in behavioral health, oncology, and rehabilitation. Its behavioral health services include the New Horizons program, which specializes in the treatment of emotional and behavioral matters through psychiatry, nursing care, counseling and social work. The hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission and accepts both Medicare and Medicaid.

Iberia Parish Iberia Medical Center 2315 E. Main St., New Iberia iberiamedicalcenter.com • (337) 364-0441 Iberia Medical Center has been constantly growing and evolving since acquiring Dauterive Hospital in 2016. As of this year, the hospital has opened its Rehab Center and expanded its labor and delivery unit. The hospital also recently added a hepatology clinic, inpatient surgery, and a cancer center to its North Campus. IMC is a full-service, acute care hospital, providing surgical, obstetrical, gynecological, pediatric, and emergency services, critical care, cardiac care, gastroenterological care and outpatient diagnostics. The facility also operates an outpatient rehabilitation center, the Advanced Wound Center and the Jeanerette Rural Health Clinic, and partners with Acadiana Diagnostic Imaging. In 2014, it earned the Women’s Choice Award from WomenCertified for providing outstanding patient experiences.

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Jefferson Davis Parish Jennings American Legion Hospital 1634 Elton Road, Jennings jalh.com • (337) 616-7000 The Jennings American Legion Hospital is a 49-bed acute care nonprofit. It houses the only cardiac catheterization lab between Lake Charles and Lafayette, where Jennings American Legion Hospital can offer interventional procedures along with nuclear stress testing and echocardiograms for those who have recently undergone heart procedures. Its cardiopulmonary rehabilitation facility is equipped to serve patients with heart transplants, valve replacements, and COPD. The hospital also provides patients with an emergency room, cardiology unit, surgical care, maternity ward and radiology services as well as a web nursery for families to view newborns.

St. James Parish St. James Parish Hospital 1645 Lutcher Ave., Lutcher sjph.org • (225) 869-5512 This nonprofit hospital serves St. James Parish and surrounding areas. The cardiopulmonary department serves every age group, and the radiology department provides ultrasounds, digital mammography, fluoroscopy, nuclear medicine and bone density testing. This year, the hospital added lithotripsy to its urology department, which aids in the passing of kidney stones with ultrasound shock waves. The facility has a 25-bed Acute Care Center Department, a 24-hour Emergency Department, rehabilitation services, and a sleep center that focuses mostly on sleep apnea. St. James Parish Hospital also provides general, orthopedic, endoscopic and ophthalmological surgeries, along with wound care for ulcers, infections and skin grafts.

Chronic care management plans are available for those who suffer from more than one chronic illness.

St. John the Baptist Parish Ochsner Health Center - River Parishes 502 Rue de Sante, LaPlace ochsner.org/locations/ochsner-health-center-river-parishes (985) 652-3500 River Parishes Hospital provides comprehensive care services with updated imaging techniques.

The cardiac center has a comprehensive program, including echocardiography, an exercise testing vascular laboratory and nuclear studies. Scoliosis spine studies, bone density scans, and portable X-ray services are now available. It also provides services out of an occupational medical center in LaPlace to treat work injuries and illnesses, as well as smoking cessation assistance. Surgical specialties include procedures for the head, neck, bladder, and breasts, in addition to neurology and gynecology.

Lafayette Parish Heart Hospital of Lafayette 1105 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette hearthospitallaf.net • (337) 470-1000 The Heart Hospital of Lafayette, an affiliate of Our Lady of Lourdes, is faith-based and entirely focused 58

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on and designed for the cardiovascular health of its patients. The hospital has many services, including a 24-hour Heart Emergency Center and a Chest Pain Center, where patients are taught to recognize and react to the early symptoms of heart attacks. Other services include a catheterization lab and cardiac rehab. The Heartsaver CT scanner scans the heart to uncover heart disease at its earliest stages, and the HEARTVantage free wellness program is the only free nationally accredited specialized care facility that focuses on heart health for patients. In 2017, the hospital earned the Women’s Choice Award ® as one of America’s best hospitals for heart care.

Lafayette General Medical Center 1214 Coolidge St., Lafayette lafayettegeneral.com • (337) 289-7991 As the flagship of the Lafayette General Health System, Lafayette General Medical Center is the largest full-service hospital and full-service acute care medical center in Acadiana. It was the first hospital in Acadiana to perform an open-heart surgery and a craniotomy.

LGMC has received accolades for its neurosurgery, vascular surgery, carotid surgery, prostatectomy, orthopedic services and surgeries. The hospital also houses centers for breast imaging, cancer, metabolic and bariatric surgery, maternal care, chronic care, neurology, strokes and orthopedics. Baby Friendly USA, Inc., which is sponsored by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, named the hospital the first Baby Friendly Hospital in Acadiana this year. “Modern Healthcare” magazine named LGMC one of the best places to work in healthcare in 2018 as well.

Lafayette General Surgical Hospital 1000 W. Pinhook Road, Suite 100, Lafayette lafayettegeneral.com/our_facilities/main_facilities/ lafayette_general_surgical_hospital.aspx (337) 289-8095 Lafayette General Surgical Hospital is a short-stay hospital that is part of a joint venture between LGMC and the physicians that work there. It specializes in surgical and pain management services. Services include imaging, MRI, acid reflux treatment, BAHA hearing implants, radiology, EKG and lab services.

Since its opening in 2004, the hospital has established a strong reputation and presence in Acadiana and has received full Joint Commission accreditation and won multiple awards. Lafayette General Surgical Hospital’s specialties include urology, orthopedics, ENT, ophthalmology, cosmetic surgery, gynecology and pain management. “Modern Healthcare” magazine named Lafayette General Surgical Hospital one of the best places to work in healthcare this year.

Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital 1101 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette lafayettesurgical.com • (337) 769-4100 Built in 2004, Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital is physician-owned and cares for 8,000 cases annually.

Specialties include neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery in addition to ENT, general, urological, gynecological and plastic and reconstructive surgeries, along with pain management and radiological and magnetic resonance imaging. In 2016, the Louisiana Hospital Association honored LSSH with its Nursing Administrator of the Year Award and the American College of Radiology accredited Lafayette Surgical for its excellence in CT scanning.

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center 4801 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy., Lafayette lourdesrmc.com• (337) 470-2000 Our Lady of Lourdes employs more than 400 physicians, include 16 robotic certified surgeons. Services include a cancer center, one of five stroke centers of excellence in the state, a chronic kidney disease clinic, wound care center and after-hours clinics in Lafayette, Breaux Bridge and Carencro. Lourdes houses the region’s only burn center for comprehensive burn care for both minor injuries and chemical and electrical burns. The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady founded the hospital in 1949.

Park Place Surgical Hospital 4811 Ambassador Caffrey Pkwy., Lafayette parkplacesurgery.com • (337) 237-8119 The physician-owned Park Place Surgical Hospital, after joining with Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in 2003, has 36 doctors who perform colon, rectal, ENT/otolaryngology, general, OB/GYN, plastic, vascular and orthopedic surgeries along with occupational and speech therapies. This year, Park Place earned a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for surgical outcomes and patient experience. CMS also gave Park Place a 93 percent communication score for nurse-patient relations.

Lafayette General Southwest 2810 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy., Lafayette lafayettegeneral.com/our_facilities/main_facilities/ lafayette_general_southwest.aspx (337) 981 -2949 This facility, formerly known as the Regional Medical Center of Acadiana, serves as an extension of Lafayette General Medical Center’s main campus in the Oil Center. Lafayette General Southwest operates as a full-service acute care hospital that is licensed for 131 beds. The hospital offers emergency room services, maternity services, and imaging.

University Hospital 2390 W. Congress St., Lafayette lafayettegeneral.com • (337) 261-6000 University Hospital & Clinics is a full-service acute care hospital and serves as Acadiana’s primary graduate medical education center for the uninsured, underinsured and indigent patients. UHC offers charity care to patients who meet financial eligibility to receive treatment at no or low cost. Lafayette General Medical Center took over the 117-bed acute care facility in 2013. The hospital offers a free screening program to women through a grant funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and free breast screening mammograms for eligible patients.

In addition to the full-service hospital, University Hospital offers a variety of specialized clinics.

Women’s & Children’s Hospital 4600 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy., Lafayette womens-childrens.com • (337) 521-9100 Located on the campus of Regional Medical Center of Acadiana, Women’s & Children’s is one of Louisiana’s leading healthcare institutions exclusively dedicated to women and children. It began as strictly a birthing hospital and has expanded its services to become the second-largest birthing hospital

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in the state. Additional available services include emergency and intensive care, fertility and pediatric care, surgical and imaging services, sleep disorder care and rehabilitation. The hospital also offers free prenatal and postpartum yoga classes.

Lafourche Parish Lady of the Sea General Hospital 200 W. 134th Place, Cut Off losgh.org • (985) 632-6401 Lady of the Sea General Hospital caters to patients in South Lafourche Parish through the main campus and medical clinics in Larose, Golden Meadow and Cut Off. Through a partnership with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South, Lady of the Sea provides cardiology and cardiopulmonary services to the area. Other services include diabetes support, home health, an intensive care unit, a renal dialysis center, wound care, a medical-surgical unit, and an after-hours clinic for illnesses, injuries and infections.

Community outreach services include car seat safety checks, CPR instruction, and a health learning center. The hospital also runs two community pharmacies: one located inside its Cut Off Medical Clinic by the facility, and one located inside Frank’s Supermarket in Larose on Highway 3235.

Ochsner St. Anne Hospital 4608 Hwy. 1, Raceland ochsner.org/locations/ochsner-st-anne (985) 537-6841 This fully-accredited hospital offers its myriad services to residents of Lafourche Parish and surrounding areas. Services include an emergency department, stroke care, ENT services, an intensive care unit, and surgical specialties such as orthopedics, urology, pain management, and general surgery. It also has maternity suites with 4D ultrasound, 3D mammography, low-dose CT scanning, and a blood donor center.

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center 602 N. Acadia Road, Thibodaux thibodaux.com • (985) 447-5500 Serving the residents of Thibodaux, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center specializes in cancer treatment, women’s health, sports medicine, heart and vascular care, wellness, and weight management.

The hospital also has its own Spinal Center of Excellence, which utilizes a collaborative patient-centric approach to treat back and neck pain. Healthgrades awarded the hospital with its 2017 Patient Safety Excellence Award and its Outstanding Patient Experience Award. Another 2017 accolade was the hospital’s reception of the Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award for sustaining the highest level of patient satisfaction.

St. Charles Parish St. Charles Parish Hospital 1057 Paul Maillard Road, Luling ochsner.org/locations/st-charles-parish-hospital (985) 785-6242 Located 20 minutes from New Orleans in Luling, St. Charles Parish Hospital is a nonprofit 59-bed acute care facility. This state-run hospital specializes in emergency medicine, primary care, family medicine, OB/GYN,

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podiatry, diagnostic imaging and dialysis options. The hospital also has an intensive care unit and offers pain management solutions through physical medicine and rehabilitation. It is fully accredited by the Joint Commission. St. Charles Parish Hospital also operates the Plantation View Medical Offices in Destrehan to provide specialties for primary care, internal medicine, women’s health, pediatrics, urology, and more.

offers gastric balloons as a non-surgical solution to assist in weight loss.

St. Landry Parish

This 30-bed hospital offers a full range of surgical and ancillary services. Physicians Medical Center provides general surgical services, gynecological services, emergency medicine, family practice, orthopedic services, pain management, gastroenterology, dermatology, pediatric care, plastic surgery, urology, and bariatric surgery. The hospital was recently accredited as a Comprehensive Center of Excellence under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, a joint program between the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

The hospital receives many international patients due to many of its 100-plus physicians marketing their services worldwide. PMC also offers acupuncture.

Opelousas General Health System 539 E. Prudhomme St., Opelousas opelousasgeneral.com • (337) 948-3011 Opelousas General Health System is a 209-bed full-service hospital that serves St. Landry Parish residents and those in the surrounding communities. Hospital specialties include anesthesiology, cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, emergency medicine, radiology, sleep medicine, family medicine, and more. This year, Opelousas General opened its new comprehensive cancer center, Centre de la Vie, which offers a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care.

St. Martin Parish St. Martin Hospital 210 Champagne Blvd., Breaux Bridge lafayettegeneral.com/our_facilities/main_facilities/ st_martin_hospital.aspx (337) 332-2178 Run by Lafayette General Health, St. Martin Hospital is a nonprofit critical-access hospital that provides inpatient acute care, a rehabilitation unit and the only 24-hour emergency care to St. Martin Parish. Its inpatient, outpatient and emergency services rank in the top one percent nationally. SMH offers primary care through its Medicaid Clinic as an alternative to the ER. This year, the Louisiana Hospital Association Trust Funds awarded the hospital with the 2018 Funds for Safety Grants to further improve patient care.

St. Mary Parish Franklin Foundation Hospital 1097 Northwest Blvd., Franklin franklinfoundation.org • (337) 828 -0760 Serving the western portion of St. Mary Parish, Franklin Foundation Hospital is a 22-bed critical access hospital that has 24-hour emergency services, cardiovascular rehabilitation, nutritional services, wound care, a four-bed intensive care unit, inpatient and outpatient surgery, radiology services, respiratory services, physical therapy, respiratory care, and more. The hospital also has a family care center in Baldwin.

Teche Regional Medical Center 1125 Marguerite St., Morgan City techeregional.com • (985) 384-2200 This facility on the east side of Acadiana serves Morgan City, Berwick, and Patterson. Teche Regional Medical Center provides emergency care, women’s services, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services, an intensive care unit, surgery, radiology, and cardiopulmonary services. The hospital has a heart catheterization laboratory, a sleep laboratory, and an intensive care unit. As of this year, the hospital now

Terrebonne Parish Physicians Medical Center 218 Corporate Drive, Houma physicianshouma.com • (985) 853-1390

Terrebonne General Medical Center 8166 W. Main St., Houma tgmc.com • (985) 873-4141 Terrebonne General Medical Center is a public, nonprofit health care system that opened in1954 and has since grown to house 321 beds. The hospital has a women’s center that focuses on breast health.

TGMC also houses the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services, and provides emergency care. It is home to one of the state’s few accredited stroke programs and was recently reissued its accreditation from the Joint Commission for its neonatal ICU. In 2017, the hospital was awarded first place for best emergency room/urgent care at the inaugural Bayou’s Best of the Best ceremony.

Vermilion Parish Abbeville General Hospital 118 N. Hospital Dr., Abbeville abbgen.net • (337) 893-5466 The 60-bed Abbeville General Hospital provides a wide array of options for medical care, emergency, respiratory, and surgical services. The facility also has a therapy center, a 24-hour laboratory and a behavioral medicine center. This year, the hospital has added certified lactation counselors. Offsite services include an imaging center and telemedicine.

Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital 1310 W. 7th St., Kaplan lafayettegeneral.com/our_facilities/main_facilities/ abrom_kaplan_memorial_hospital.aspx (337) 643-8300 As a general acute care facility, Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital serves its patients with general surgery, laparoscopic surgery, pediatric care, nuclear medicine, radiology, CT scanning, ultrasound, endoscopic and colonoscopy procedures, rehabilitation, inpatient psychiatric services, and more.

The hospital was recently named one of the top 20 critical access hospitals in the country by iVantage Health Analytics. It has 35 beds, and its emergency department is open 24 hours a day.

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culture joie de vivre

les artistes

PAINTING WITH A PURPOSE After mixing her passion for art and want to explore other professional endeavors Lafayette’s Dana Manly is now dedicating her energy and effort to painting

by Will Kalec portrait by Romero & Romero

Artist Dana Manly’s command of color gives her paintings an identifying sense of time and place, even when the subjects’ faces can’t be seen. In this piece, “Anything For You II,” Manly strategic touches of pink and orange create a romantic ambiance on an otherwise dreary day.

SETTING THE SCENE:

After earning an advanced degree in Kinesiology, artist Dana Manly has transferred her understanding of human movement into almost all her paintings.

APPLIED SCIENCE:

culture les artistes

q&a

Dana Manly 1 How did your love of art first blossom? “I grew up in a creative family,” Manly says.

“My grandmother was studying to be a concert pianist, and my mother was always creative in the ways she participated with fundraisers, building things from [scratch.

From there, I just started creating in different ways, whether it be drawing or painting.”

2 How do you choose the subjects of your paintings? “I’ve taken my work more seriously these past couple of years.

There’s a discipline.

There are objects that ask to be created,” Manly says.

“And you may ask, ‘How does an object ask to be created?’

It’s when things move you or me. They appeal to you.”

3 You’ve been an artist for some time now, but now you’re doing it full-time. What’s the difference? “What’s fundamentally changed for me is knowing myself, on a cellular level, as an artist. And to own that. OK, I’m an artist. But from there, you have to make the decision to show up, to be disciplined.

I’m showing up and I’m doing the work. It’s all part of the process.”

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nspiration doesn’t keep bankers’ hours. It’s far too fickle for that.

No, inspiration comes rushing in when the rest of the world sits still. At least it does for Lafayette artist Dana Manly, anyway. To her, a celebrated painter in the region for more than a decade who is now refocusing her priorities and doing this full time for the first time, inspiration is a welcomed but fleeting guest, invading without warning.

Inspiration is apparently an insomniac, because it never pops up when Dana’s making breakfast, running errands or reading before bed. Instead, it appears in the lost hours of the night.

“I swear, I wish I could dictate when these things happen. That’d be nice, huh?” Manly says with a slight laugh. “I rush to what I call my magic journal and I sketch it. If I don’t sketch it, I can’t go to sleep! There’s a poet who speaks of it, like [inspiration] is trying to get away and you have to pull it back in by the tail. That’s how it happens for me.”

Much like Manly tries to corral the inspiration that eventually manifests in her paintings, her passion for art was also once elusive but now has a firm hold over her.

acadiana profile august/september 2018

Manly’s pieces certainly aren’t new to the scene. For years they’ve appeared throughout South Louisiana, hanging in places like The Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, River Ranch’s City Club and the St. Jude Acadiana Dream Home. In 2014, she was the Festival International Poster Artist.

And she accomplished all those things as a part-time artist, dabbling in painting from time to time and taking long breaks from her gift to pursue a career as a counselor and exercise physiologist.

Recently, though, Manly turned her passion for painting into her full-time profession.

“It’s interesting to think that painting has called me back,” Manly says. “It’s been a realization of what I serve as an artist, and I serve the creative process. I often listen to Elizabeth Gilbert, who speaks of your elusive creative genius. ‘How do we reconcile when we’ve created what we consider to be our masterpiece – something that comes through us?’”

“The Romans spoke of our genius,” Manly continues.

“And it’s not that we are a genius, but we have a genius.

So it makes you humble – knowing it’s in us but we have

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to find it and cultivate it, and if we don’t show up, it will seek someone else.”

Though she majored in Fine Arts as an undergraduate student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Manly went back to school to get a master’s degree in Kinesiology from LSU years later. While earning that degree

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had nothing to do with her painting at the time, Manly’s understanding of movement science, and in particular the way the human body bends and shapes, is evidenced in her pieces. In paintings like “Lean on Me,” in which a woman adjusts her high heel while out on the town, using her date as a crutch, Manly perfectly captures realistic angles and dimensions even though the human subjects are somewhat fluid and purposely not well-defined.

“In my work, even from early on, I’ve always loved mystery,” Manly says. “And so that’s there in a painting.

There’s mystery in the story. Who are the people in the painting? Where are they going? What are they talking about? Or are they even talking at all?

“All of that comes through when you know the deeper layers of the body,” Manly continues. “I love portraying the mystery of it all.”

Now that art doesn’t have to be shoehorned in with the rest of her day-to-day responsibilities any longer, Manly feels her commission work has thrived. There’s more time to convey her vision for the piece to the buyer, more moments for reflection and contemplation, more opportunities to explore and grow as an artist.

“Are there differences in my work now that I’m doing this full time? I almost feel like you’d have to ask the audience,” Manly says. “But I think I’m more authentically ME with my art….and I think there’s more time to experiment.

Like, I’m working on tables, and I’m starting to get into sculpting. It’s wondering, ‘What’s next?’”

“And that’s kind of scary — because I don’t always know what I’m doing — but it’s OK, because these are decisions that are coming from the heart, not the head.” n

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As part of a fundraising auction item, symphony supporter Bob Dunn guest conducts a piece performed by ASO.

PICTURE THIS:

culture le musique

music calendar

August & September 1 Corey Ledet and his Zydeco Band

Classically Trained The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra cultivates the next generation of classical musicians and music lovers

by Michael Patrick Welch portrait by Danny Izzo

Aug. 11

Corey Ledet became famous for carrying on the the sound of Zydeco’s founding father Clifton Chenier, but has since become a master music mixologist, fusing Zydeco, Creole, nouveau R&B and swing-out, with fits of accordion-based blues. Pont Breaux’s Cajun Restaurant.

Breaux Bridge. pontbreauxscajunrestaurant.com4

2 Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival Sept . 26-30

The 77th iteration of this beloved three-day festival includes kids’ activities, a breakfast jam for visiting musicians, and of course the crowning of the Queen Sugar.

New Iberia. hisugar.org

3 Acadiana Symphony Orchestra presents “In the Cour t of Passion” Sept . 28

The ASO will begin the night with Carmina Burana and work through a setlist of similarly passionate works, rounded out by vocal soloists Luis Ledesma, Andrea Mouton, and David Shaler, plus extra musicians from the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra Chorus and the Chorale des Amis.

Heymann Theatre. acadianasymphony.org

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or 34 years now, the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra has shown the region, known for its Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music, a few more uses for the fiddle and double bass. The sometimes 200-piece ASO has just begun its 34th season, themed “Orchestrating Passion,” with a roster of dynamic concerts designed to draw in music fans, and make classical music fans out of all of them.

At the heart of it the ASO’s mission, are its roughly 10 Acadiana-area performances.

“Typically, each season, we host about four shows at Heymann Center in Lafayette, which holds 2,400 people,” says ASO’s marketing director Rita Goodrich. “Then we host two to three at Acadiana Center for the Arts, a much smaller venue that holds 300 people. So we have a good mix of both large-scale and intimate concerts.”

The 34th annual season aims to specifically showcase works relating to human emotion, with concerts dedicated to everything from “Mozart in Love” to Orff’s “Carmina Burana,” mixed in with orchestral forays into pop and rock music, all featuring guest stars like famous baritone Luis Ledesma, Indianapolis International Violin Competition prize winner Gregory Harrington as well as gold medal winner of the latest New Orleans International Piano Competition, Xiaohui Yang.

The orchestra exists not just to bring auditory joy and wonder, but to also create future generations of music fans — primarily via its Acadiana Conservatory of Music. The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra is one of only two in the United States that is associated with a Conservatory of Music.

“Conservatory is just a fancy word for music lessons,” says Goodrich. “We can accommodate any skill level or age. We have housewives who want to learn the piano. We had a lady a couple summers ago who learned to play the violin as a surprise for her family.

We have a lot of high school kids who take summer classes with us just to stay in tune until they go back to their school bands.”

Springing from the ASO’s Conservatory, the Acadiana Symphony Youth Orchestra restarted three years ago after a short hiatus: 40 young string musicians study violin, viola, cello and double bass in order to perform an accessible blend of movie music, rock n’ roll, country and jazz.

“Through the conservatory we get kids interested in music and hopefully they’ll want to continue learning about music their whole lives,” says Goodrich, who

acadiana profile august/september 2018

clearly enjoys being surrounded by music and musicians of all ages. “The ASO’s offices at the Oil Center on Travis Street are on the same grounds as our eight music practice studios. So we are answering emails while listening to people learn the cello next door.”

Over 34 years, the ASO has created a genuine orchestra culture in Acadiana.

“We’ve been giving the people in the area a different musical community than the typical idea of going to a Cajun festival, or to a bar to hear music,” Goodrich says. This culture includes the Symphony Krewe, a social club of season ticket holders who attend events and parties together, and do community service and other beneficial events.

Part of the key to building this orchestra culture, has been the practice of taking requests.

“We get a lot of requests for more pop music,” says Goodrich. “So, last year we did The Beatles, and we had a singer accompany a small orchestral ensemble.”

The ASO has also interpreted popular and jazz artists such as Bob Dylan, U2, Miles Davis and Leonard Cohen.

On Nov. 10, the ASO will feature the music of Led Zeppelin, with an opening act of symphonic renditions of songs by New Orleans hard rock band, Zebra. Zebra singer Randy Jackson has been singing Led Zeppelin songs backed by an orchestra, touring the show around the world, for 20 years.

“I’ve also done ‘Dark Side of the Moon,’ and The Beatles’ ‘White Album’,” says Jackson. But his Led Zeppelin tribute with partner Brent Havens really stuck. “Doing that for 20 years, I have played with just about every orchestra in the country, and the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra really rates right up there with the best of them,” says Jackson.

Of course the ASO does make a point to pay tribute to traditional Acadiana music. Each year, the orchestra picks one Cajun artist with which to collaborate.

“The Family Michot band did it in the past and that’s an all acoustic band, whereas this year the Lost Bayou Ramblers are doing it, and we’re more electric, with lots of psychedelics and ambience,” says Louis Michot of the Grammy-winning progressive Cajun band, The Lost Bayou Ramblers.

“To hear your own music in an orchestral setting,” says Michot, “It’s one of tahe ultimate collaborations.” n

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culture les personnes

Pride of Acadiana Playlist

“UL Lafayette Fight Song”

In 1950, the university sponsored a contest among students to come up with an official school fight song.

The winner, the brother-sister duo of Jack and Hilma Labauve, received a $100 savings bond, for composing the song that’s played after Ragin’ Cajuns scores. Over the years, there have been a few minor changes to the song, such as changing the word Bulldogs (then the mascot) to Cajuns.

“Respect”

For some time now, this Aretha Franklin hit has been a staple in The Pride of Acadiana’s rotation of songs.

The band performs a fanfare rendition at the beginning of its pregame onfield performance, and belts out longer versions for in-game breaks and parade appearances.

“Jambalaya”

Considering this old Hank Williams song features multiple regional cultural references in almost every lyric, it’s no wonder why The Pride of Acadiana incorporates it into its pregame routine.

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“ALMA MATER:” Much like the fight song, the “Alma Mater” came to be thanks to a contest. Unlike the fight song however, the words of the Alma Mater haven’t changed over the years.

THE BEAT GOES ON Jason Missal, director of UL Lafayette’s marching band, manages to leave his mark while honoring tradition

by Will Kalec portrait by Romero & Romero

I

t’s Saturday ­— a football Saturday — in Acadiana, a region like many in the South where the sport is equal parts game and gospel.

Kickoff is just a few hours away, meaning there’s even less time than that until The Pride of Acadiana — UL Lafayette’s famed marching band — takes to the plastic grass of Cajun Field. Jason Missal, the fresh-faced director of this complicated musical maneuvering, isn’t nervous, though. Excited, yes. Nervous, never.

By now, he reasons, the work has been put in, the sacrifices made, the necessary adjustments … um, adjusted.

There’s nothing left to do but play.

Missal can’t promise victory.

But he sure as heck guarantees harmony.

“Going to a school like UL, it’s a whole new ballgame,” says Missal, who previously directed the band at Abilene Christian University in Texas. “It’s Division I football.

The atmosphere is totally different … and the band is a big part of that. It’s part of the heartbeat. You’re aware of that as the director, trying to keep that energy up. Fans take pride in the team and its traditions and the band and its traditions, as well. It just goes into that total game-day atmosphere.”

The realization that Missal ended up here, should be no surprise. Well, here as in Lafayette, maybe. But here as in a marching band director almost seemed preordained. Missal grew up in a “House of Music.” As he says, “My father was a band director and his father was a band director.”

As an instrumental music education major at Oklahoma State University, Missal was a section leader within the Cowboy Marching Band as a sophomore and junior, and the drum major as a senior.

So when it comes to leading student musicians, Missal has literally marched in their shoes.

“Always as a teacher and a director, you have to consider the welfare of the band and the betterment of the individual student,” Missal says. “So when it comes to musical decisions, logistical decisions, time commitments, I’m making all of those from their perspective. This is a lot of time to devote to an activity, but it’s our hope that the experience they have in rehearsal and on game day and the social, family atmosphere we’re promoting, makes all of it worthwhile.”

More delegator than dictator as a band leader, Missal began to put his own thumbprint on The Pride of Acadiana when he took over for Eric Melley prior to the 2017 football

acadiana profile august/september 2018

season. First, he bestowed a lot of responsibility upon fellow music faculty member Brett Landry, who was placed in charge of the band’s percussion section and collaborated with Missal in all things Pride of Acadiana: formations, music selection and so on.

Additionally, Missal placed greater responsibility upon the actual band members, granting them a sense of ownership, and in turn, greater stakes in the on-the-field/ in-the-stands product on Saturdays. Doing so enabled Missal to focus his attention and energy on a list of year-one goals, including raising the playing standard of the band, raising the marching standard of the band, and giving it a well-defined sense of structure.

“We’re dealing with, in my first year here at UL, a band of nearly 300,” Missal says. “So not only do you have to be proficient in all the things that make a good band — logistics, music, formation and movement, cohesion — but you have to be part psychologist, too.You have to be aware of the collective morale, as well as the individual morale of individuals and sections of the band. So you have to wear a lot of hats.

“But showing you care about the students as people, showing you value them more than an entity is the best way to get them to buy-in to the goals of the band.”

Understanding the attachment fans, alumni and students have with the school’s marching band, Missal didn’t make sweeping changes in 2017. Most in attendance at Cajun Field might not have even noticed them. Missal’s version of The Pride of Acadiana played in the stands while both the Ragin Cajuns offense and defense was on the field, which was different. But the 170-band member pregame routine wasn’t touched. Music selection wasn’t altered much.

In time, Missal hopes to adjust the pregame routine to feature formations that incorporate all members of the marching band and find more contemporary titles to play while in the stands.

“There’s a strong sense of culture here,” Missal says.

“The band is a part of that. I swear, as soon as I was hired, it seemed the entire region of South Louisiana ‘friended’ me on Facebook and wanted to know about what was going on. It was great to see that enthusiasm, that excitement for The Pride of Acadiana. It makes you aware of what it means to the fans and students, so it’s hard not to be excited about it and where we want it to go.” n

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culture en français, s’il vous plaît

For an English translation, visit AcadianaProfile.com

A

Barry Jean Ancelet/ Jean Arceneaux Le professeur, le loup-garou et le poète lauréat par David Cheramie portrait par Fusion Photography

ux débuts du CODOFIL, James Domengeaux n’a pas caché le fait qu’il privilégiait l’enseignement du français « standard » au français louisianais car ce dernier n’était pas une langue écrite. Malgré un passé littéraire qui comptait de nombreux écrivains talentueux, aucun Louisianais francophone n’avait publié depuis belle lurette.

Un jeune activiste de l’époque qui plaidait pour le respect du français local devait admettre le manque d’écrits récents dans ce langage qui se transmettait de bouche à l’oreille depuis des générations, faute surtout d’éducation en français. Ne se laissant pas abattre, suite à une inspiration venant d’une lecture publique de poésie des plus grands poètes francophones en Amérique du Nord au Québec en juillet 1978, Barry Jean Ancelet commence à contacter d’autres activistes pour voir s’ils n’avaient pas quelques textes en français fourrés au fond de leurs tiroirs. Bientôt, il organise une version louisianaise de cette soirée québécoise, « Paroles et musique ». En peu de temps, il avait assez de textes et avec l’aide de son ami d’enfance Zachary Richard, il a trouvé un éditeur québécois qui voulait bien publier un recueil, « Cris sur le Bayou », où huit auteurs louisianais ont écrit en français. On peut y trouver des paroles de chansons, de la prose courte et, notamment, des poèmes d’un certain Jean Arceneaux dont un qui s’intitule « Schizophrénie linguistique », devenu célèbre par la suite.

Quand le livre sort, Ancelet prend une copie et se présente devant M. Domengeaux qui insiste toujours que le français de chez nous a moins d’intérêt car ce n’est pas écrit. Sur ce, Ancelet sort de derrière son dos sa copie et le lance sur le bureau en annonçant qu’asteur, c’était écrit.

Interloqué, Domengeaux le ramasse, feuillète les pages et, au bout d’un moment, lui dit de partir en laissant le livre.

Dans le temps de le lire, Domengeaux avait changé d’avis sur l’importance du français louisianais en voyant qu’il avait reçu ses lettres de noblesse de ses humbles écrivains en herbe. Depuis, il n’est plus question de douter du fait que ce français-là avait sa place parmi les autres variétés qu’on peut trouver partout dans le monde où le français se pratique à l’oral comme à l’écrit.

De la sorte, la publication de « Cris sur le Bayou » lance la carrière de deux écrivains : l’un s’appelle Barry Jean Ancelet, un universitaire qui écrit des livres érudits sur le folklore louisianais francophone; l’autre est Jean Arceneaux, un poète maudit dans le genre de Rimbaud avec une fâcheuse habitude de se transformer en loup de temps en temps. Ancelet a formé une génération de folkloristes; Arceneaux a inspiré une grande meute de poètes. Quarante ans après cette première « Paroles et musique » Barry Jean Ancelet/Jean Arceneaux se voit nommé le deuxième Poète lauréat de la Louisiane francophone, se succédant à son ami Zachary Richard, prouvant une fois pour toutes que le français louisianais est bel et bien une langue prestigieuse.

Il suffisait de se donner la peine de l’écrire. n