Louisiana Life September-October 2016

Drinks at the iconic Napoleon House in New Orleans, known for its Pimm’s Cup, are a must for every Louisianian.

Take a gamble

Casinos emerge as first-rate music venues P. 54

Born on the bayou

Visit North Louisiana’s bayous for wildlife spotting & breathtaking scenery P. 60

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contents In Every Issue 4 From the Editor 6 photo contest When the Water Rises 8 biz bits Headline Makers Construction, chemicals, chocolate make business news 10 health Breaking Breast cancer New, accurate information holds key to early diagnosis 12 reel news Fall Film Fests: Let the Buzz Begin Inclusion initiatives in New Orleans, Shreveport and beyond raise bar for Louisiana’s ambitious indie filmmakers 14 made in louisiana Sound design Violin maker Anya Burgess connects classical and Cajun in her Arnaudville workshop

26 26 home Home Field Advantage The Casual Luxury of Skylene Montgomery and Sean Payton’s New Orleans Condo 30 Artist Richard Reeves Carving Winged Symbols of Peace in St. Tammany Parish 34 traveler History in the Round Discovering Shreveport’s State Exhibit Museum BY Paul F. Stahls Jr. 69 around Louisiana Highlights and Events

18 great louisiana chef Back to the Source Gabriel Balderas celebrates coastal Mexico with his new Shreveport restaurant 20 roadside dining Magic in Morgan City Rita Mae’s Kitchen turns 23 24 Kitchen gourmet Almond Adventures Tinkering with almond flour for a tastebud treat

74 texas travel Westward Ho! Ten Texas getaways for your weekend away 84 Lifetimes Statewide calendar 86 great louisiana quiz Hail to the Chief A presidential quiz

38

features

on the cover

38

Napoleon House has been the setting for romantic evenings, raucous revelry and quick muffuletta lunches since the early 1900s. The iconic New Orleans bar and restaurant epitomizes the neighborhood Louisiana watering hole, with its relaxed, inviting atmosphere, well-worn patina and local cuisine. It was a natural choice not only for one of our picks as a Best Of Louisiana place to have a drink, but also as a place to highlight on the cover, because of its history, warmth and beauty — much like the state itself.

best of louisiana 35 Places and things to Go, do and see from all over this great state

by Fritz Esker, Jeanne Frois, Chris Jay, Lisa LeBlanc-Berry and Claire Salinas

54

Gamblers, Gators & A-List Music Makers The new faces of Louisiana’s casino entertainment venues

By Sara Hudson

88 a louisiana Life In the Bag Ruston designer creates stylish camera, baby and travel bags

2 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

63

bayou hopping written & photographed by charles paxton

Photograph by Jeffery Johnston

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from the editor

AWArDS

2012 Gold Award Winner for Companion Website

B

aton Rouge we hear you.

There is no happy conclusion to be drawn from the string of tragedies that originated in Baton Rouge this summer. The news reverberated throughout the nation. We can all hope for a better day, and that will happen, but for those closest to the victims the moment of disaster is an immovable force. Despite the cliché of the times, there can never really be any closure.

In the past year, the settled sides of the Atchafalaya swamp have seen disasters; one triggered by a deranged gunman at a movie theater in Lafayette and the other the wrath of a police killer in Baton Rouge — the latter incident being the fallout from yet another tragedy.

Nearby the rocket-like state capitol is poised for takeoff while on its front lawn stands a statue of a former governor who was also a victim of a man with a gun. Huey Long made many enemies during his career; but as the murders of the summer of ’16 remind us, circumstances can make a target out of the peaceful as well.

A new governor, battle hardened from once having been an Airborne Ranger and from having survived three sessions with the legislature, rushed to the disaster scenes.

Here was a classic example of a chief executive performing his most demanding role — being the voice of reason when none of it seemed to exist.

What’s left is to move on, to figure how to stop the fury in deranged minds, so folks can experience the theater of life without having to duck for cover. Then in August, nature got involved adding to the flood of bad news with floods of its own.

If Baton Rouge is associated with a sound it is that of a 325-member band playing the opening four note of “Hold That Tiger” followed by a symphony of bravado. If there is a smell it is that of sausages on the grill chased by a beer. Kris Kristofferson’s Bobby McGee was left “busted flat” in Baton Rouge. There are worse places for that to happen because the capitol city still has a humor and a heart and knows how to be raucous, in a fun way, on an autumn Saturday night.

Baton Rouge is a good place to be, though sometimes being anywhere at all requires confidence in the power of the future.

Errol Laborde

4 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

2011 Silver Award Winner Tiffani Reding Amedeo for Overall Art Direction

2016 Lifetime Achievement Award to Errol Laborde 2016 1st Place for Best Magazine 2016 1st Place Layout/ Design to Sarah George 2016 2nd Place for Best Magazine 2016 2nd Place Layout/ Design to Sarah George 2016 2nd Place Best Portrait to Danley Romero 2016 2nd Place Governmental/Political Writing to Jeremy Alford 2016 3rd Place Column to Melissa Bienvenu 2016 3rd Place Medical/ Health Writing to Amanda Wicks

september/october 2016 VOl. 37 No. 1

Editorial

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Errol Laborde MANAGING Editor Melanie Warner Spencer Art Director Sarah George lead photographer Danley Romero web Editor Kelly Massicot travel EDITOR Paul F. Stahls Jr. FOOD EDITOR Stanley Dry HOME EDITOR Lee Cutrone copy EDITOR Amanda Orr Associate editor Jessica DeBold Intern Marie Simoneaux

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Louisiana Life (ISSN 1042-9980) is published bimonthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380.

Subscription rate: One year $10; Mexico and Canada $48. Periodicals postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Louisiana Life, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2016 Louisiana Life. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Louisiana Life is registered. Louisiana Life is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Louisiana Life are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner.

LouisianaLife.com | 5

photo contest

when the water rises photo by Brooke Ancelet

Waterways define Louisiana. They set the state’s boundaries on three sides; they divide the state’s interior into political and social regions. They provide work, leisure, food and great vistas. Like many people throughout the world, we are folks that have chosen to live near the water. Sometimes though, the water makes a statement reminding us that nature can be contained, but never totally subdued. The flood of mid-August spread throughout the lower half of the state elevating the streams and rivers to tragic levels. It may have been the most significant overflow event since the Great Flood of 1927, but that was about the Mississippi River which is now contained by leeves. This time it was the small streams doing their damage with little warning. One day soon the people of Louisiana will again be enjoying those streams.

August 2016 was a reminder that few things should be taken for granted. — Errol Laborde

Send in your photos by going to myneworleans.com/photocontest

6 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

LouisianaLife.com | 7

biz bits

PONCHATOULA

Sweet success

Headline makers Construction, chemicals, chocolate make business news By Kathy Finn

B

aton Rouge and New Orleans recently ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in a KPMG LLC list of American cities with populations between 750,000 and 2 million where the costs for business owners are appealingly low.

Shreveport, meanwhile, snagged the top spot in the tax and advisory firm’s ranking of smaller cities with good business climates. Here are highlights of activities around the state keeping Louisiana in business headlines. u

ST. JAMES PARISH

Chemicals rule Though a sustained drop in oilandnaturalgaspriceshas delayed various industrial projects previously slated across south Louisiana, Yuhuang Chemical’s $1.85 billion methanol plant in St. James Parish is on track for a groundbreaking later this year, according to a spokesman for the Chinese company. Despite sluggish market demand for methanol, the company signed a contract for the project’s design and construction. The vice president of manufacturing operations, James Oliver, said Yuhuang expects to begin producing methanol at the site by early 2019 and “become a major player in the market.” The companyplansathree-stage construction process and a spokesperson said that construction of a second methanol unit, similar in size to the first one, could begin in 2019.

8 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

MONROE

University builds a bigger following Recent donations to the University of Louisiana Monroe are providing an educational boost to fuel growth in the construction trades and to ensure the labor pool gets replenished. A combined contributionof$262,000bytheLouisianaLicensing Board for Construction Management and the Contractors Educational Trust Fund will fund the growthoftheSchoolofConstructionManagement on the ULM campus. Earlier donations — including $200,000 from school alumnae — are slated to expand educational offerings, including a wing dedicated to hands-on training in construction techniques and management practices, as well as a hall equipped for meetings, conferences and workshops.

One of Louisiana’s oldest and best-loved companies is showing it still has room for growth, as Ponchatoulabased Elmer Chocolate recently announced a $40 million expansion. During a dedication ceremony in June company CEO, Robert Nelson, said Elmer is adding sophisticated new equipment to enhance production in its enlarged plant that is home to such favorite delicacies as Heavenly Hash, Pecan Eggs and Gold Brick Eggs. He says the expanded plant will be able to produce 4 million pieces of chocolate candy a day. New high-tech machines can stuff 4,000 pieces of candy per minute into boxes, including the Valentine’sheartboxesthat are a crucial part of Elmer’s business. The company, whichstartedinNewOrleans in 1855 and moved to Ponchatoulain1970,sells40 million heart-shaped boxes of candy every year.

LULING

Plant growth to boost crop growth Agri-chemical giant Monsanto recently strengthened its long-term commitment in Louisiana with a plan to invest $975 million during the next three years to expand its St. Charles

Parish operations.

The company in 2015 announced preliminary plans to grow the Luling site, and a vote by the Monsanto board of directors to authorize the investment ensures that production of

agricultural herbicides will remain a core business in the south Louisiana industrial corridor. Monsanto completed a $200 million expansion of its Luling plant in 2010.

LouisianaLife.com | 9

health

breaking Breast cancer New, accurate information holds key to early diagnosis

BY FRITZ ESKER

W

ith the ubiquitousness of pink ribbons and breast cancer awareness walks and fun runs, it might seem like the general public is educated about the disease. The fact is, there are always new studies, treatments and research breakthroughs to monitor and dangerous misconceptions to counter.

Breast cancer is still a fearsome, deadly disease, but more women are winning the battle against it. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 40,290 women died from breast cancer in the United States in 2015. A more positive spin on that statistic is that there were 231,840 invasive cases of breast cancer in American women in 2015, so many women are surviving the battle.

The most recent state-by-state statistics provided by the ACS are from 2008 to 2012. In Louisiana, the highest rates of incidence and mortality for breast cancer were for non-Hispanic African-Americans (130 cases and 34.8 deaths per 100,000 women). The numbers for non-Hispanic white women were 121.2 cases and 21.9 deaths per 100,000. For Hispanics, it was 86.8 and 9.7.

Dr. Robert Nickelson, an oncologist at Willis-Knighton Cancer Center in Shreveport, said there are a few exciting areas of research in breast cancer. One is that the use of bone building drugs like XGEVA can reduce bone-related complications in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Secondly, more progress has been made in genetic research. Angelina Jolie made news in 2013 for electing to have a double mastectomy because she tested

Resources:

10 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

positive for the BRCA1 gene, which is linked to breast cancer. Recently, scientists discovered that the PALB2 gene also increased the risk for the disease.

Lastly, new strides have been made in immunotherapy, which uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells.

The medication IBRANCE inhibits cells from dividing and Opdivo causes cancer cells to enter into a programmed cell death.

Nickelson said he still hears dangerous misconceptions about mammography’s relation to breast cancer. He has encountered patients with the disease who blame mammograms for it, using the fallacious argument that since they never had breast cancer before receiving mammograms, then they must have caused the cancer. Nickelson said this is completely false.

Regarding mammograms, many physicians will disagree on when women should first start getting them and how frequently they should get them.

Nickelson believes that a woman with no family history of cysts can safely begin mammograms at age 50. However, those with family histories of breast cancer should start 10 years before the onset age of the family member’s cancer (i.e. if your mother had breast cancer at age 55, you should get a mammogram at 45). Women of all ages should get any mass on a breast evaluated.

“Better safe than sorry” is the attitude to adopt here because like all cancer, breast cancer is most treatable when detected early.

“If a woman of any age has a mass (on her breast), it needs to be evaluated,” says Nickelson. u

Support Groups - Survive Dat - survivedat.org

Susan G. Komen Chapterkomenneworleans.org, komennorthlouisiana.org, komenbatonrouge.org

Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Programs - louisianacancer.org/breastcancer

Louisiana Comprehensive Cancer Control Program lcccp.org/breast

American Cancer Society cancer.org Breast cancer.org - breastcancer.org

LouisianaLife.com | 11

reel news

The New Orleans Film Festival

Fall Film Fests: Let the Buzz Begin Inclusion initiatives in New Orleans, Shreveport and beyond raise bar for Louisiana’s ambitious indie filmmakers By Lisa LeBlanc-Berry

F

World,” which, in 2015, became the fourth highest grossing film of all time.

Film festivals not only give new indie talent, as well as established artists, an opportunity to shine, but they also allow fans to view bold and creative new films they would not otherwise find in theaters.

The 27th annual New Orleans Film Festival, Oct. 12 through 21, features more than 200 screenings, a diversity of panels, and promises red carpet glitz with Oscar winners

12 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

and galas galore. It is preceded

by Shreveport’s fifth annual Louisiana Film Prize, which features the world’s largest cash prize for a short film, plus simultaneous food and music fests, Sept. 28 through Oct. 2.

Even as major studio film productions are experiencing a lull in Louisiana, the indie film revolution continues to gather steam. “We are hopeful and optimistic that it will come back stronger than ever,” says Joline Pinder, executive director of the New Orleans Film Society. “Our festival

Diversity is trending in 2016 In addition to amazing new films, parties and networking venues, the events in New Orleans and Shreveport are creating new opportunities for women and minorities behind the scenes. Both festivals have broadened their programs to facilitate further inclusion, which mirrors the national trend in 2016.

Perhaps this was inspired by national attention to the controversy around

photo courtesy the new orleans film festival

ar from the glitter of Hollywood, aspiring independent filmmakers, fueled by their passion and raw ambition, transform their visions with limited budgets in the hopes that one day, their creative works will be seen around the world. Some make the quantum leap from obscurity to fame by winning awards.

Colin Trevorrow’s 2012 film fest award for an indie at Sundance propelled him into the director’s chair for the Louisiana-shot “Jurassic

has grown tremendously.”

She points out that a record 3,838 films were submitted this year, up 14 percent from 2015. “We are expecting 375 to 400 filmmakers from around the world.”

the lack of diversity among Oscar nominees as well as a government investigation into hiring biases. As a result, programs such as the Sundance Institute’s FilmTwo Initiative are dedicated to giving new minority and women filmmakers a chance at equal opportunities.

The Oscar-qualifying New Orleans Film Festival’s 2016 focus is on diversity among filmmakers (enhanced by the Emerging Voices Mentorship Program that provides filmmakers of color greater access to industry leaders), in addition to the new Documentary Lab and the second annual Industry Exchange, designed to connect filmmakers with film professionals.

Shreveport’s Louisiana Film Prize is a contest and festival (with more than 500 entries this year) that gives the world’s largest cash prizes for a short film (a grand prize of $50,000).

It requires filmmakers to shoot their productions in the Shreveport vicinity for eligibility, a stipulation that has put hundreds to work, bringing in rental housing and filling restaurants and hotels with the cast and crews — resulting in an estimated $10 million dollars in economic impact.

The lively, fun festival in downtown Shreveport is also breaking barriers. Organizers are committed to diversity, according to Destri Martino, founder of The Director’s List and a judge for last year’s Film Prize. “Bravo to the Film Prize team for their continued work in this area,” she says.

More than 40 percent of the shorts are by female

directors and producers, a number that dwarfs the major studio rate of less than 5 percent of female directors, while over 25 percent of the filmmakers and producers identify as belonging to a minority group, compared to half of that in major studios.

“This will certainly be our best year ever,” says Gregory Kallenberg, executive director and founder of the Film Prize Foundation. “I can feel the unbridled spirit from our filmmakers, and I know they’re going to blow our audiences away with this year’s competing films. As well, the Music Prize’s presentation of emerging indie rock bands playing alongside indie music pop gods like Polyphonic Spree is going to be magical, and the Food Prize now has its own wine and food event. Together, they are going to create a collective creative energy that will be utterly amazing.”

For a schedule of events: LouisianaFilmPrize.com and NewOrleansFilmFestival.org. u

The New Orleans Film Society was one of 37 film organizations in the United States to receive funding from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences this year. NOFS received a $20,000 FilmCraft grant for its Emerging Voices Mentorship Program, the highest amount awarded.

The program was launched with support from an Academy grant in 2013. It was founded on the principle that in order to create a more diverse storytelling landscape, filmmakers of color need greater access to gatekeepers.

LouisianaLife.com | 13

louisiana made

Sound design Violin maker Anya Burgess connects classical and Cajun in her Arnaudville workshop

BY JEFFREY ROEDEL PHOTOS BY ROMERO & ROMERO

“Part of my mission with the store is to connect the classical and traditional Cajun music cultures, because I come from both,” says Burgess.

A

nya Burgess’ workshop lays nestled among only the pine-tops and gnarly oaks of rural Arnaudville and beyond the beaten path curving around the house she shares with her husband, a newspaper writer, and their two young children.

It’s the perfectly tree-shaded setting for her life’s work.

Each hand-built instrument Burgess creates begins as a solid block of wood. From there, the Massachusetts native’s vigorous love of detail, design and purpose takes hold.

This complex mix of mahogany, spruce, maple, ebony, strings, varnish and years of expertise that makes up the violin demands nothing less.

“Doing this by hand is pretty challenging, and time consuming and kind of crazy, and I don’t know why I don’t use a router saw,” Burgess says.

“I guess I’m a purist. I learned to do this by hand, and I have the tools for it, so I don’t take shortcuts.”

Burgess sells, rents and repairs instruments out of her downtown Lafayette retail shop Sola Violins, but it is here behind her home in Arnaudville, an idyllic refuge for farmers and artists alike, where she spends three days a week alone with her instruments.

Burgess grew up in a family of creatives, educators and classical musicians. Her father was an architect, and her grandmother graduated from and taught music at the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Burgess’ intuition for craftsmanship sprouted from long days of her childhood spent running around the

family hunting camp in New Hampshire, where her father was always at work on something.

“Even though I had not done much woodworking outside of shop class, which I loved, from childhood I had this familiarity with tools and the idea that you can make things and build,” Burgess says.

The classically trained musician studied folklore at Bowdoin College in Maine before she turned 20 and spent a free-spirited summer traveling with a friend along Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.

Her road tripping and couch surfing led her to the doorstep of Otis Thomas, a violinmaker who maintained a workshop ensconced in a rural regalia similar to Burgess’ space now.

“I fell in love with it, the whole thing, the whole vibe,” Burgess says.

“I thought a violin shop was a natural place for everyone to come together and to get a deeper understanding and a respect for each other’s worlds.”

Soon after meeting Thomas, Burgess transferred to Indiana University where she serendipitously discovered a violin-making program.

Signing up with Teach for America brought her to Washington, Louisiana and though she decided teaching daily in elementary schools didn’t jive with her “natural rhythm” as she puts it, meeting her future husband kept her in the Lafayette area when

LouisianaLife.com | 15

Q&A her stint ended. That coupled with playing and repairing instruments in something of a Fiddle Mecca of the South, prompted Burgess to open Sola Violins in the fall of 2014.

“Part of my mission with the store is to connect the classical and traditional Cajun music cultures, because I come from both,” Burgess says. “There isn’t a lot of crossover, really.

I thought a violin shop was a natural place for everyone to come together and to get a deeper understanding and a respect for each other’s worlds.”

That community-building and cross-genre respect soars across jam sessions and concerts among her growing legion of friends and collaborators across Acadiana.

Burgess describes herself as a perfectionist by nature.

The 40-year-old musician’s passion for process is perfectly matched by the intricacy and devotion needed for an instrument whose design was mastered in the 17th Century and has not changed all that much since then.

“It’s the ultimate work of art,” Burgess says. “From its almost architectural design and the wood work, to the varnishing which is painterly, testing the acoustics, and then you play it, and it is so musical. Pulling in all these many artistic disciplines into one little thing is what is incredible to me.” u

16 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

What do you do for fun when you are not working?

I play music! I’m in two bands: The Magnolia Sisters, which was around for 20 years before I joined, and then a newer band called Bonsoir Catin. Both are all-girl bands, except Bonsoir Catin does have a guy drummer. And I just play music with friends for fun.

That’s downtime for me.

Being out here in your workshop, does nature inspire you? I love working out here. People assume that working from home,

things around the house will pull you in and distract you, like chores, but I’m not distracted by anything in the house at all, ha.

That’s not a threat.

Are there any unexpected influences in your work? I’ve realized how tied into my past it is. My dad did historical preservation and worked on buildings at Harvard and Phillips Academy.

My obsession with design comes from him. He did everything by pencil on a drawing board in his office at the house.

If you could have coffee with any musician who would it be? I had a really inspired experience at the Grammy’s recently, talking to people who are in music in a completely different world. The rock world. I never would have imagined being a part of that.

I’d love to hear about the vision of someone from that world, and their approach to making records.

I met Don Was. He played with us. He produced the Rolling Stones but also Aaron Neville, but he’s not untouchable. He’s just this dude. I’d like to have coffee and talk music with someone like that.

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great louisiana chef

Back to the Source Gabriel Balderas celebrates coastal Mexico with his new Shreveport restaurant

By Chris Jay PHOTOS BY ROMERO & ROMERO

G

rowing up in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, Gabriel Balderas would accompany his grandmother to local marketplaces, selecting fresh ingredients for each day’s meals. In a region with a year-round growing season, eating fresh, locally raised ingredients wasn’t a lifestyle enjoyed by a small percentage of diners — it was the norm.

“Any food that we ate was locally grown,” Balderas says. “What was most important was the freshness of our ingredients.”

Balderas moved to the United States at age 16. Working in fine dining kitchens for superstar chefs including Rick Bayless and Enrique Olvera, he sought out opportunities to learn from experts of every kind, from line cooks to farmers. An advocate for home-cooking, Balderas bristles when others address him as “chef.”

“In this industry, you can learn from anyone,” Balderas says. “I go to villages in Mexico, and I cook with the local people and I learn from them, but no one calls them ‘chef’.”

In 2015, Balderas left his job at a Tex-Mex eatery in Shreveport to establish El Cabo Verde. El Cabo Verde is a project that has taken on many different forms: a pop-up supper club, a farmers’ market booth and even classes on topics like fermentation and preserving. This fall, he’ll open his first restaurant, El Cabo, in Shreveport. The menu at El Cabo will include Tex-Mex as well as authentic Mexican cuisine made using regionally sourced, seasonal ingredients.

“If I’m going to represent Mexican food, I want to represent it the right way,” Balderas says. “I want to serve the food that my grandparents grew up eating.” u

El Cabo 1023 Provenance Place Blvd., Suite 210, Shreveport facebook.com/elcaboverdeorganics

18 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

“If I’m going to represent Mexican food, I want to represent it the right way,” says Balderas.

Mole Con Vegetables Mole

Potatoes

Garnishes

8 5 2 3 2 ½ 3

3

2

chiles guajilllo chiles Puya pounds fresh corn heirloom tomatoes garlic clove onion cups of water

Okra

5 1 ½

2

pieces okra cup water cup vinegar salt dried chiles

Eggplant

2 2

eggplant tbsp arbequina olive oil salt and pepper to taste

potatoes, peeled and cubed tbsp arbequina olive oil salt and pepper to taste

Zucchini

3 zucchini, sliced 2 tbsp arbequina olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Corn

1

2

ear of corn, shucked and trimmed tbsp arbequina olive oil salt and pepper to taste

thinly sliced radishes sliced serrano peppers

1. Mole In a pan

sauté the chiles, corn, tomatoes, garlic, and onion in the oil over medium– high heat. Add the salt and water and cook, stirring constantly, for 25 minutes. Blend and strain.

2. Pickled Okra

Bring all ingredients to a simmer, pour into jar with lid.

Allow to sit for a minimum of 6 hours.

3. Eggplant Heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook approximately 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Place in oiled dish in oven at 350 for 20 minutes.

4. Zucchini Sauté in oil over medium heat until tender.

5. Corn Sauté in pan

over medium heat until tender.

6. To Plate Pour mole sauce in center of the plate. Next place potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, corn, sliced pickled okra, and garnishes.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

“Any food that we ate was locally grown. What was most important was the freshness of our ingredients.”

LouisianaLife.com | 19

roadside dining

Magic in Morgan City Rita Mae’s Kitchen turns 23 By Mark Patrick Spencer photo by romero & Romero

W

e live in a world beset by a never-ending barrage of restaurant review websites. Each site purporting to have all of the information you need to make the right choice, to make the perfect pick. Not that they are without value, there is a benefit in being able to find out seemingly everything you need

Rita Mae’s Chicken Stew

If you’re the kind of person that likes to “Go big,” and then immediately take a nap, you won’t do much better than the Rita Mae’s Platter.

to know about a place with just a simple search. But, sometimes you just get lucky driving down I-90 and run into a place like Rita Mae’s Kitchen.

On the road home to New Orleans from Lafayette, we were in the mood to catch some local flavor when we crossed into Morgan City.

Following our stomachs, we turned onto Federal Street and somehow drove right past Rita Mae’s and kept going. Sure, there are signs up out front, but it’s a pretty unassuming place. However, the gods of cuisine wouldn’t deny us the Southern delights of Rita Mae’s — one of those great spots you can’t wait to tell your friends about when you get home.

Something — likely our stomachs — told us to turn back and give it a go.

You feel like you’re walking into your friend’s house right at dinnertime when you enter Rita Mae’s. Three quaint rooms hold just enough tables and chairs to make the restaurant seem cozy.

Locals chat with one another across the room about the day’s business, and say hello to friends who stop by for something to go. There’s a sign on the wall instructing diners not to use the sugar packets to stabilize the tables. Photos of friends and family adorn the walls — some old, some new.

Our eyes were drawn to the big board advertising the day’s specials. I couldn’t believe my eyes. So much so, that I had to double check that the whiteboard wasn’t the appetizer menu. Once the ebullient waitress informed me that yes, those specials were full plates,

I realized that a fried shrimp plate, with tater tots and a biscuit was only going to set me back — five bucks. Game on.

The sizable shrimp were lightly breaded with a touch of spice.

Delicious.

Melanie followed suit, ordering the crawfish tails, french fries and a biscuit, also $5. Our friend Eddie, ordered off the menu, selecting the pork chop and red beans and rice entrée. Eddie wouldn’t share the pork chop, claiming it was too good, but after bartering one of my shrimp, he did give me a taste of the red beans and rice — a dish I haven’t been able to replicate at home ever since.

Rita Mae’s, which opened in 1993 and recently began its 23rd year of operation, has expanded its $5 special to include lunch. Recent lunch specials include crawfish étouffée with potato salad and mustard greens, or one could get fried chicken and macaroni and cheese with seasoned corn on the side. Yum. Rita Mae’s hasn’t forgotten about the early birds, either.

For those who like to greet the day with a hearty breakfast, Rita Mae’s offers the Hungry Man’s Breakfast, which features grits, eggs, a couple of slices of bacon, a couple of sausage patties and a biscuit. The kitchen also serves up pancakes, which will cover your plate, and bacon.

If you’re looking for a reason to get to Morgan City, other than this institution, the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival takes place right down the street from Rita Mae’s in Lawrence Park on Sept. 2 through 5. You should stop on by. It’ll be worth your time. u

Rita Mae’s Kitchen 711 Federal Avenue Morgan City 985-384-3550 LouisianaLife.com | 21

kitchen gourmet

almond adventures Tinkering with almond flour for a tastebud treat

BY STANLEY DRY PHOTOS & STYLING BY EUGENIA UHL

These cookies are wonderfully chewy. For a crisp version, flatten each ball of dough with the tines of a fork and bake until lightly browned, about 8-9 minutes. Bake some of each type and see which you prefer.

22 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

W

e cooks are curious people who are constantly on the prowl for interesting ingredients.

Once we discover something unfamiliar, we love to start experimenting with it.

Recently, I’ve been on an almond flour kick. Almond flour is nothing more than ground almonds. Once difficult to find, it has become widely available in recent years due to the demand for gluten-free ingredients.

There are several different types of almond flour, and choosing the right one is crucial to the success of your recipe. Blanched almond flour has had the brown skin removed, and that is generally what you want — but it is important to be aware of the grind. Some almond flour is coarsely ground and will sometimes be labeled “almond meal.” It produces a gritty texture in baked goods. For this month’s recipes, you need a blanched, finely ground (or “super fine grind”) almond flour.

Almond flour is often used with other ingredients for gluten-free baking, but that hasn’t been my focus. I like almond flour for the taste payoff it can deliver, so I’ve used it in combination with wheat flour in baked goods.

Since almond flour has no gluten, it can take some trialand-error to find the correct proportions when substituting almond flour for wheat flour in recipes. Not enough almond flour and you don’t get the flavor you’re looking for, too much and the recipe just doesn’t work.

The recipe for almond pound cake is pretty close to the classic version of pound cake, but a fourth of the wheat flour is replaced with almond flour. Experienced bakers may be horrified at the amount of pure almond extract in the recipe, but the rich butter and egg batter holds it in check. Eggs provide the only leavening, so it’s important that they are thoroughly beaten.

The frozen almond cream is a light and refreshing creation that is lovely either on its own or served with berries or with pound cake. You can use either fresh egg whites or those that are sold in a carton, but it’s important to read the label since some brands are not suitable for whipping.

The almond cookies are a snap to make, and they will be particularly popular with those who love marzipan, since they have a bit of that taste.

The blueberry almond pancakes are a great way to start the day. The recipe calls for two tablespoons of wheat germ. It’s not absolutely essential, but it is amazing how just a small amount of wheat germ will improve the flavor of any pancake recipe. u

Cooking Tip When measuring flour for a recipe, scoop the flour with one measuring cup, then pour it into another. Level the measure with the back of a knife or thin spatula. This will give you a more accurate measure because flour tends to compact when scooped.

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recipes Almond Cookies

Almond Pound Cake

¼ pound unsalted butter, softened

½ pound unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

grated zest of 1 lemon

4 large eggs, room temperature

¼ teaspoon pure almond extract

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ cup blanched, finely-ground almond flour

1 cup blanched, finely-ground almond flour

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup all-purpose flour 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly

grease two baking sheets.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat butter

and sugar until light and creamy.

Add egg, lemon zest and almond extract and mix well. Add salt, baking powder and almond flour and mix to combine. Fold in all-purpose flour.

3. Take a piece of dough about the

size of a walnut, form into a ball and place on baking sheet. Repeat, leaving adequate space between each. (A half-sheet pan will accommodate 12 balls of dough.)

4. Bake until lightly browned

around the edges, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Repeat until all the dough is baked.

Makes about 40 cookies.

Blueberry Almond Pancakes

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter a large loaf pan.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl using a handheld mixer), beat butter, sugar and salt until light and airy, occasionally scraping down the bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for a full minute after each addition. Scrape down the bowl between additions. Add vanilla extract, almond extract and almond flour, mix to combine.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in all-purpose flour until combined.

3. Turn batter into prepared pan

and smooth top. Place loaf pan on a heavy baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60-70 minutes.

4. Place pan on a cooling rack

for about 20 minutes, then run a spatula around the edges to loosen cake Turn out cake and cool completely on a rack.

Makes 1 cake.

¾ cup all-purpose flour ¹⁄³ cup blanched, finely-ground almond flour 2 tablespoons wheat germ

4 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup blanched, finely-ground almond flour

½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs, lightly beaten ¾–1 cup milk 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 cup blueberries 1. Combine all-purpose flour, almond flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl. Whisk to combine ingredients. Add eggs, milk and butter, stir to combine. If batter is too thick, add additional milk. Fold in blueberries.

2. Grease grill or pan lightly and heat. Cook pancakes until lightly browned, then turn and cook briefly on the other side.

Makes 4 servings.

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Frozen Almond Cream

4 egg whites, room temperature 1. Combine milk, sugar and almond flour in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking frequently, until mixture is hot. Pour into a bowl and cool. Strain through several layers of cheesecloth. Refrigerate until cold.

2. Beat egg whites until stiff.

Fold in milk mixture with a rubber spatula. Process in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions.

Serve immediately or transfer to containers and freeze until firm.

Makes about 1 quart.

home

Home Field Advantage The Casual Luxury of Skylene Montgomery and Sean Payton’s New Orleans Condo

By Lee Cutrone Photos by Craig Macaluso

F

or Skylene Montgomery and Sean Payton, time at home is a valuable commodity. Payton’s busy schedule as coach of the New Orleans Saints keeps the couple on the go for much of the year, so when they opted for a condo in

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Uptown New Orleans in 2013, making it a comfortable place where they could relax was a top priority. Montgomery and Payton also wanted their home to be inviting to friends and family. His teenage children visit regularly and the couple

usually entertain after home games.

Enter designer Shaun Smith, owner of Shaun Smith Home. Montgomery and Payton knew Smith’s talent through the home of Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis and his wife, Melanie. After

meeting Smith, they conveyed a desire for casual, beachy luxury, easy wash-and-wear linens, a monochromatic palette of soft colors and a few frills for Montgomery. In short, low-key livability with flourishes of elegance.

As one of 12 units in the newly renovated property that was once the LaSalle Elementary School and later the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, the residence has high ceilings, an abundance of natural light and the kind of open flow associated with urban

Above An antique buffet

and photographs frame the living room TV. Framing by Kevin Gillentine Gallery; coffee table by Jayson Home,; chair by Bernhardt.

Top right A table from Restoration Hardware and chairs with a subtle sheen provide dining space for 10. Blake Boyd painting; lantern, Eclectic Home.

Bottom right The kitchen’s Quartzite counters and island are combined with a mosaic backsplash.

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loft-living. The main living area, located on the upper level, contains a combined living, dining and kitchen area, the master suite, powder room, laundry room, a walk-in closet for Montgomery and a patio.

The lower level has a foyer, his-and-her bedrooms for children as well as guests and a second living room. One of Smith’s goals was to make the most of the flexible, open floor plan so that the space is as suited to entertaining as it is to the owners’ quiet time alone.

“With the open concept, most of the time, we live on one floor,” says Montgomery.

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When the couple purchased the condo, they picked the finishes, including the dark coating on the wood floors, richly colored quartzite counter tops and neutral wall colorings. They also added personalized touches: a built-in Miele coffee maker for Payton, an icemaker and refrigerated drawers for storing sodas and bottled water for guests. From there, Smith tweaked the kitchen’s backsplash; chose furniture, statement lighting, appointments and art; and integrated a few key pieces of Payton’s Saints memorabilia.

“We’re a football family,” says Montgomery. “There were pieces we

wanted to incorporate. But Sean didn’t want them in your face.”

Smith also addressed interior design challenges such as the condo’s off-center windows and orchestrated logistical details, including having the living room’s large antique English buffet crane-lifted onto the balcony and through the condo’s French doors.

“Shaun hit the nail on the head,” says Montgomery. “He picked almost every item and we only changed one chair because it wasn’t durable. He did a great job putting his flair where it was appropriate without overdoing it.” u

Above Drapery made

with a slate-colored, linen-cotton blend by Kravet camouflages the master bedroom’s windows. Bed, Bremermann Designs; rug, NOLA Rugs; chest, Villa Vici; lamps, Shaun Smith Home. Top right Smith worked with The Amandas of Organized Affairs to customize Skylene’s closet. Rhinestone, velvet and Lucite bench

by Pebblehill. Bottom right Ochsner Medical Center nurse and Miss West Virginia 2008, Skylene Montgomery.

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artist

Richard Reeves Carving Winged Symbols of Peace in St. Tammany Parish

By John R. Kemp

A

fter over 30 years as a New Orleans policeman who witnessed many of the city’s saddest and most troubled times, Richard Reeves of St. Tammany Parish has found peace and expression, not in writing that unfinished crime novel, but in recreating the beauty of wild birds in life-like wood carvings.

“Every block of stone has a statue inside it,” Michelangelo once said, “and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”

The same is true for Reeves as he examines blocks of wood, deciding which wild bird to release. Like sculptors chiseling away bits of stone, Reeves’s carving knives peel away layers of wood until the graceful

form of a songbird emerges from the shavings. Working in his small studio or behind his house on a dock overlooking a large wooded lake north of Covington, he gives detailed attention to every aspect of the carving, including the bird’s natural colors. As a result of his exceptional work, Reeves has gained international acclaim for his life-like carvings of wild birds — including three world and four North American championships. He has also won a string of other national awards, including over 100 best of show awards in every major competition.

Carving wild birds was an unexpected career for Reeves, who grew up in the 1950s

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in Chalmette, worked for a brief time at the now defunct Kaiser Aluminum plant, and joined the New Orleans police department in late 1964.

During his 33 years on the job, he rose from patrolman to major, received degrees in law and criminology from Loyola University and taught pre-law and criminology part time at Holy Cross College, Loyola and Tulane University. Even before retiring from the department in 1997 as head of internal affairs and later executive officer to the deputy superintendent of field operations, Reeves had decided teaching and practicing law were not for him.

“I knew I didn’t want to turn criminals loose,” he says. “I

could practice family law. It was profitable but I couldn’t live the rest of my life being miserable.”

He then turned to a hobby he had stumbled upon in the late 1970s.

“Once I rose in the ranks, the politics got worse and I stopped enjoying being on the police department,” Reeves says. “I needed something to relieve the stress and pressure.”

Reeves found that relief while attending an exhibition sponsored by the Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors Guild. His words called to mind the thoughts of writer Eugene Stiles in “A Small Book of Angels”: “As with angels, some birds are symbols of uplift and peace.”

“I would be doing this even if I didn’t make money at it.”

Reeves joined the guild and the following year he won a novice best of show award for his carving of a green-winged teal duck. He started out carving with a simple jackknife until his wife, Kathleen, gave him a set of professional carving tools.

“I said this is easy, but it wasn’t,” he says. “It takes perse-

verance to carve well. You need lots of study, other carvers’ advice, and keeping at it. I found that it was not only fun but you can make money at it.”

With his $500 novice prize money in hand, Reeves went on to develop his natural skills by taking classes, attending meetings, buying books on the subject, and studying the works

of other carvers. His birds now fetch anywhere from $1,000 for a miniature carving to $20,000 depending upon size and complexity.

With so many shows and titles under his belt, Reeves now receives commissions from customers all across the nation. His work has appeared in numerous national carving

publications and collections.

Before setting blade to wood, he thoroughly studies every aspect of the bird, examining photographs, searching through books, the internet and museums to find paintings of birds especially those that are extinct. John James Audubon’s critically acclaimed mid-19th century Birds of America series has been an invaluable resource.

Those resources recently came in handy when Reeves received a commission to carve the long-extinct Carolina parakeet. Not only did he find an example of the parakeet among Audubon’s paintings but he also found a mounted specimen of the bird in a museum during his online research. From those two places, he was able to determine the bird’s coloring and dimensions. The last known Carolina parakeet, once prevalent across the Midwest and Eastern United States, died in 1918 at the Cincinnati Zoo. After completing his research on a bird, Reeves draws a rough pattern on paper, which he then transfers to a block of wood. Not all wood is suitable, he says. Carvers prefer tupelo gum for its fine grain and lack

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of knots. Earlier in his career Reeves ventured out into the local swamps in his pirogue to cut his own gum trees, but now he purchases what he needs, because it’s easier and safer. Once considered a “trash” tree of little value, Reeves now pays up to $700 for a single block.

Though most carvers concentrate on one project from beginning to end, Reeves moves from one to another, often carving five or six hours each day. He finds this process helpful. When he returns to a carving that he has put aside for a few days or weeks, he can often detect flaws that he had missed and can now correct. His studio is filled with carvings in various stages, waiting for the next stroke of a blade or sweep of a paintbrush. It is a process that requires a good bit of concentration and time.

“I would be doing this even if I didn’t make money at it, “ he says. “Next to playing with my grandchildren, I enjoy this the most.”

He is also active in the carvers’ guild, having served seven terms as president.

Each year the organization sponsors a festival to showcase new work by its members and to auction donated carvings which raise money for wetlands restoration and wildlife rehabilitation projects and for participating Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops.

The guild is also anxious to get elementary, middle and high schools involved in the festival. It sponsors a painting contest for the students and donates money to their school art programs. The

32 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

challenge, Reeves explains, is to recruit new members and to get younger generations interested in the craft.

This was especially true after losing so many members in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Like Reeves, who lost his house in Chalmette to flood waters, many suffered severe property damage and moved away while others remained to rebuild. So far, the guild has done well. It is now almost back up to pre-Katrina levels with 300 active members.

“We hope to keep it going,” says Reeves. “It’s one of the true American art forms, but it is a dying art.”

For more information about the Louisiana 2016 Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors Guild’s Festival, Oct. 1 and 2 at the Castine Center in Mandeville’s Pelican Park, visit LWCCG.com. u

traveler

history in the round Discovering Shreveport’s State Exhibit Museum BY Paul F. Stahls Jr.

T

The Exhibit Museum ranks with the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge, in terms of statewide significance, as one of the most important of the 15 museums preserved and nurtured by the office of Secretary of State Tom Shedler.

The heart of the State Exhibit Museum, built of limestone blocks and sheathed in marble and granite, is its 1/8th-mile circular gallery, an impressive rotunda centered by a courtyard garden and flanked by two wings devoted to additional exhibit spaces.

Restoration of the east wing’s 300-seat theater to its original appearance was completed in January and renamed in honor of Shreveport-born and world renown pianist Van Cliburn, who as a youngster performed

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recitals in the auditorium.

Viewed from any angle, the building’s exterior is the first work of art visitors see — a masterpiece of 1930s design atop its front steps awaits an immense, four-panel fresco

by Louisiana’s preeminent WPA artist, Conrad Albrizio.

Representing the achievements, energies and livelihoods of north and south Louisiana, the monumental mural serves as “an introduction,” says museum curator Nita Cole, “to what the museum represents in its interior displays.”

A few steps into the rotunda, a polished-aluminum railing 50 feet in circumference encloses a topographic map of Louisiana, sculpted in 1933 in plaster of Paris by Duncan Ferguson of the LSU Arts Department. The

mural depicts the 64 parishes in various pastels as well as the Kisatchie National Forest in appropriate green, with land features like Mount Driskill clearly marked and all elevations revealed by Ferguson’s dramatic etching. The big map begins and ends the 1/8th-mile hike around the gallery.

Museum director Wayne Waddell believes that a walk around the rotunda leads inevitably to “a fuller understanding and appreciation of Louisiana’s history and the many educational, scientific, industrial, technological and agricultural contributions” made by our citizens. It was with that mission in mind that the circular gallery was created long ago. The result is a series of 21 stunning, three-dimensional

phoros by brian lewis

he State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport, completed in 1939 and strategically located adjacent to the grounds and exhibit buildings of the Louisiana State Fair (then in its 33rd year), is arguably the most lavish of Franklin Roosevelt’s Depression-era public works projects in Louisiana.

As the Public Works Administration built its courthouses, post offices and museums around the nation, other New Deal agencies — the Works Progress and Works Programs Administrations (WPA) — provided artists to fill those buildings with paintings and sculptures, and Louisiana’s Exhibit Museum stands today as a product and major national landmark of those times.

ABOVE: Produce Marketing diorama RIGHT: Albrizio fresco covers museum facade

scenes called dioramas, depicting in miniature, Louisiana life in the 1930s through ‘50s; scenes of cavernous salt mines and geologic cross-sections of a salt dome, offshore oil rig and inland oil and gas fields; agricultural themes including major crops, produce farming and ranching; plus the rural and industrial activities of tree farms, pulp and paper mills, sulfur mine and petroleum refineries.

Teams of WPA artists and craftsmen worked for months creating each diorama, perfecting every detail from the sweeping background paintings and beeswax human figures (in their wax-coated tissuepaper clothing) to the trees, fields, wagons, vintage autos, structures, tools and every other detail necessary to complete the

scenes. The first five, according to scholar-in-residence Robert Galvan, were unveiled during the 1939 State Fair, after which the meticulous work on the series outlived the Depression and WPA — the final few were created between 1942 and 1958.

One of the largest scenes

depicts the six concentric earthen ridges in West Carroll Parish that stretch ¾ mile along Bayou Maçon at the rim of the Mississippi River floodplain. Upon that diorama’s miniature ridges can be seen the shelters and activities of the people who occupied the

place, at least seasonally, for purposes of religious ceremonies at outlying effigy mounds and trade networking, roughly between 3300 and 1100 B.C. It’s known as Poverty Point, and before it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962, a State Commemorative LouisianaLife.com | 35

Area in 1975 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014, this diorama had been the only source of public awareness that the Poverty Point people ever existed.

Over time their descendants would include Choctaw, Caddo, Natchez and other tribes. We rely on the interpretations of pioneer archaeologists who began visiting in the 1920s and 30s — the likes of C.B. Moore, Clarence Webb and James Ford — and searcher/ researchers like Jon Gibson who have followed in their footsteps.

Adjacent to the Poverty Point diorama, the west wing leads to a Caddo Nation display in the Clarence Webb Gallery.

It features many examples of tools, ornamentals and highly decorative pottery. The highlight is the 30-foot, 1,000-yearold dugout “trading canoe” unearthed in 1983 from the bank of Red River.

Truth is the Caddo, and even Poverty Point people, are newcomers compared to dwellers of some sites found in the region. The creators of such artifacts as 7,000-year-old Clovis points from a Paleoindian site in Caddo Parish and the

TOP: 30-foot Caddo canoe BOTTOM: 1921 Boor-David touring car

points and other objects found at the so-called Conley site on Loggy Bayou (Bossier/Webster parishes) date from 6200 to 5400 B.C. Other display cases present tools and crafts from those and other sites, up to and including items of traditional basketry still produced by Chitimacha and Coushatta artisans.

Elsewhere in the rotunda await exhibits on topics

36 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

like regional transportation (railroad and shipping models), fishing (antique and modern lures and gear), hunting (the indigenous birds and animals of our forests and flyways), household items of the art deco era, an “Autographing History” exhibit of documents signed by notables including Gov. C.C. Claiborne, explorer John C. Fremont, Sam Houston and Andrew Jackson. There is even

a pristine1921 Boor-Davis Touring Car — a relic of Louisiana’s only auto manufacturer, the Louisiana Motor Car Company of Shreveport.

Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, 3015 Greenwood Road, 318-632-2020, laexhibitmuseum.org. Open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission. u

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BesT of Louisiana

Food

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dRiNK

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OuTDOORS

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LodgiNg

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culTuRe

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FaMilY fUn

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sHoppiNg

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C

asey Boddie’s love of music is older than dirt. Born in Shreveport and raised in Mooringsport, Boddie started singing the same way all her friends did: in church. She debuted her talent in front of God and congregation at the ripe age of 7 with Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors.” It would launch her years of singing at festivals and pageants.

Dreaming of a career in the music business, Boddie moved to Nashville after college. But it wasn’t until she returned to Louisiana to be near family that she took a job at Horseshoe Casino & Hotel (711 Horseshoe Blvd., Bossier City; 1-800-895-0711; caesars. com/horseshoe-bossier-city), where she saw not one, but two dreams realized.

When Loretta Lynn came to perform [in 2013], “I was in total awe,” says Boddie. As Horseshoe’s entertainment manager, she books national, regional and local acts into the casino’s multiple venues.

Off the clock, she sings and performs across the state.

“I’ve seen hundreds of concerts. Hundreds,” says Boddie. “And we see a lot of stars come through here.

But Loretta — she’s my idol.

When I was a little kid, she came to Louisiana but I was too young to see her perform in a casino.”

Her voice still swells with excitement as she remembers that night.

By Sara Hudson

Gamblers, Gators & A-List Music Makers The new faces of Louisiana’s casino entertainment venues

Better Than Ezra at Harrah's Casino in New Orleans

“Little did I know that one of my friends had a plan to get her to autograph some records for me as a Christmas gift,” says Boddie. “Everyone was in on it — including Loretta!”

Decades after she started her own career in her church nave, Boddie not only had a job in the biz — but she finally got to meet her idol.

“To me, that’s what entertainment at casinos is all about,” she says. “These incredible, unmatchable moments where you get to interact with larger-than-life stars in an intimate setting — right there where you can almost reach out and touch them.”

While some states might consider a pack of cards the devil’s prayer-book, in Louisiana, you don’t have to pray hard to find a casino. Over the last decade, palatial new casinos like L’Auberge Casino & Resort (777 L’Auberge Ave., Baton Rouge; 225-215-7777; lbatonrouge.com), Golden Nugget Lake Charles, (2550 Golden Nugget Blvd., Lake Charles; 337-508-7777; goldennuggetlc.com) and the Horseshoe Casino & Hotel have become almost as common as preternaturally gifted musicians with the last name “Neville.” Along with established casinos like Harrah’s New Orleans (8 Canal Street, New Orleans; 1-800427-7247; harrahsneworleans.com) and Paragon Casino Resort (Highway 1, Marksville; 1-800-WIN-1-WIN; paragoncasinoresort.com), Louisiana casinos have redefined performance opportunities between Houston and Atlanta — and they’re bringing Louisiana flair to the next generation of casino entertainment to boot.

“There used to be more of a stigma about playing what people called the ‘casino circuit,’” says Fred Martinez, Entertainment Director at Harrah’s New Orleans. “It used to be to be, ‘Oh, if you’re on the casino circuit, you’re pretty much done.’ Today, it’s anything but — casinos are places where the A-List stars are welcome and where they want to be.”

An increase in more diverse entertainment options at casinos in Louisiana reflects larger national trends. Between 2005 and 2014, Las Vegas' casinos entertainment and retail profits rose 4 percent, but gaming revenue fell 6.2 percent. In the same period, Vegas casino entertainment

56 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

and retail averaged 46.2 percent of total casino revenue, but gaming made up only 35.9 percent revenue.

Translation? It’s a gamer’s world, but gamers aren’t playing. What are they doing? Eating, drinking, singing and dancing. A lot.

In Louisiana, large venues like The Lawn at L’Auberge, the Riverdome at Horseshoe, and the Grand Event Center at Golden Nugget Lake Charles offer crowds and amenities that draw varied household name headliners. Offerings include country musicians like Gary Allen, Billy Currington and Kelsea Ballerini; TV stars such as Troy Landry of the History Channel’s “Swamp People” and Robert Irvine from the Food Network; musicals inlucing “Chicago”; stand-up comedians like Tracy Morgan and Bill Engvall; Top 100 recording artists such as Pitbull and Mary J. Blige; Louisiana’s homegrown homeboys Better than Ezra; or legends like Loretta Lynn and Willie Nelson.

In addition to bringing in talent from across the United States, casinos can become part of the catapult that ricochets local talent into national spotlights.

“Blake Shelton played here numerous times before he got big,” remembers Mark Jeffers, director of entertainment operations at Paragon. “We also had Ryan Bingham before anyone knew him. Less than a year later, he won a Golden Globe.”

With Louisiana offering local talent as rich and fertile as its soil, it’s not surprising that local performers have taken to the increased options casinos’ venues offer.

Smaller casino bars and lounges like The Edge at L’Auberge, Club MeZazz at Paragon, and Blue Martini and Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget Lake Charles offer relaxed nights out where you can hear local acts, as well as sing karaoke, watch a movie, compete in trivia contests or kick back and enjoy a burlesque show, any day of the week.

Tickets at casinos work differently than non-casino venues. For each show, entertainment managers such as Kim Ginn, vice president of marketing at L’Auberge, decide how many tickets to comp for her local gamers, versus how many to sell to the public.

Upcoming Shows Golden Nugget Lake Charles (Grand Event Center) September 2 The Commodores, 8:30 p.m.

4 Terry Fator and The Big Noise, 8 p.m.

10 BJ Thomas & Gary

Puckett, 8 p.m.

23 Brenda Lee, 8:30 p.m.

October 7 Pat Green, Oct 7, 8:30 p.m.

8 Cheech & Chong, 8 p.m.; tickets go on sale 7/8 14 38 Special, 8:30 p.m.

tickets go on sale on 7/15 15 Charlie Daniels Band,

8 p.m.

21 Marshall Tucker Band,

8:30 p.m.; tickets go on sale 7/22 22 ZZ Top, 8 p.m.

29 Neil Sedaka, 8:30

p.m.; tickets go on sale 7/29

November 5 Rick Springfield, 8 p.m.

11 Grits & Glamour Tour,

8:30 p.m.; tickets go on sale 7/22 12 Ronnie Milsap, 8 p.m.;

tickets go on sale 7/29 18 Willie Nelson, 8:30

p.m.; tickets go on sale 8/12 19 Oak Ridge Boys Christ-

mas Show, 8 p.m.; tickets go on sale 8/19

December 3 Loverboy, 8:30 p.m.; tickets go on sale 9/2 17 Loretta Lynn, 8:30 p.m.; tickets go on sale 8/26

They also have live entertainment in Blue Martini, Rush Lounge, H2O Pool + Bar and The Country Club.

Three Dog Night at the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles

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Billy Carrington at the Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City

Kathy Griffin at the L’’Auberge Casino in Baton Rouge

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“Everything we do is based on [an] understanding of what our audience wants,” she says. A high-rolling VIP might get offers for one, two free tickets from the casino, depending on their level, what the show is, and retail demand the casino anticipates.

Gaming audiences tend to skew older than the average concertgoer. Because of this, casinos opens doors for all ages to find beloved entertainment options, explains Shelli Briery, public relations manager at Horseshoe. She has worked casino entertainment in Louisiana her entire adult life.

“One person might think one star is a ‘has been,’ but to other folks, he or she is a legend,” Briery says. “A casino show might be someone’s chance to see Merle Haggard for the last time. To see George Jones for the last time.”

Fellow Louisiana casino veteran Ron Richey, director of entertainment at Golden Nugget Lake Charles, agrees.

“We do younger acts for retail, but for many of our core gaming constituency, we’re bringing people back to high school, back to when they were teenagers. By offering a wide variety of entertainment, we offer something for everyone.”

Indeed, if variety is the spice of life, Louisiana casino entertainment might best be understood as the Tony Chachere’s aisle at Rouses.

“I’ve been here at [Paragon] 22 years,” says Jeffers. “We’ve always done much more than music. We've filmed the Price is Right. We've had ice-skating. That’s right, in Louisiana. Ice-skating. They have a product called Glice and they lay it right down on the floor. We've had numerous Cirque du Soleil shows. We've had boxing. We've had MMA [mixed martial arts]. We’ve had a ventriloquist.”

Of course, it wouldn’t truly be Louisiana entertainment without a few festivals in the closet — or gators on the bayou. At The Lawn, the sprawling outdoor venue at L’Auberge, up to 3,500 people can enjoy everything from a classic car show to local festivals.

“This year, we collaborated with the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation to put

on the Red Stick Festival,” says Ginn.

“The foundation is a nonprofit and all proceeds went back to it. We had Galatoire's, Sullivan’s [Steakhouse], Ruffino's [Restaurant], you name it.”

Eighty miles down I-10, Harrah’s New Orleans regularly highlights local talent with international reputations.

“The biggest thing that’s stuck out in my career here was hosting Allen Toussaint’s 75th birthday party with local affiliate WLAE,” says Martinez. “Irma Thomas, Elvis Costello, John Cleary — even Dr. John, it was such a powerful day. To be part of it, of course, but also not knowing we would lose him in a couple of years.

“We did a private ceremony with family and friends before show. A little thing, you know, with cake and ice cream like anyone would have. To be a part of that was to see how much his family loved him, and how much he loved his fans. I will never forget that.”

While New Orleans infuses urban Louisiana into the national casino circuit, Paragon has inimitable country Louisiana experiences down to a T — or, perhaps, a G. “We have live ‘gators in our lobby and a live feeding show every Saturday at noon, 2 p.m., and 5 p.m.,” says Jeffers. “It's that popular. It's free and open to the public. It’s part of the bayou feature in font of our movie theaters. All our shows are first-run films. It’s just like going to a regular movie theater to see a new release.

Except, you know. With gators.”

Ron Richey sums up the allure.

“Casinos are a place you go to get entertainment, and want to stay for everything else. If you are 21, you can pretty much come here and do anything you want and have a good time. [At Golden Nugget Lake Charles,] you can play golf, you can play tennis, you can swim, you can catch a show, you can place a bet, and you can go to the beach. You can go on a fishing trip, a hunting trip, you can charter a boat. At the end of the day, we have it all. Louisiana is a special place and special market.”

[And to that, we say, Amen.]

Harrah’s New Orleans September 17 Mondo Burlesque,

8 p.m.; tickets at ticketmaster.com

December 16 & 17 Beatles versus Stones, 8 p.m.; tickets at harrahsneworleans.com and ticketmaster.com

L’Auberge Casino & Hotel September 16 Better Than Ezra, 9

p.m.

November 4 Rodney Atkins, 8 p.m.

26 Delbert McClinton,

8 p.m.

December 9 Aaron Neville: Dec 9, Doors 7 p.m./Show 8 p.m.

Horseshoe Bossier City September 16 Gary Allan, 8 p.m.

October TBA Jamey Johnson 21 The Molly Ringwalds @

Monster Ball, 8 p.m.

22 Heart, 8 p.m.

November 5 Olivia Newton-John, 8 p.m.

Tickets at riverdome.com or through Ticketmaster.

Paragon Casino Resort September 4 Patti La Belle, 8 p.m.

October 29 Melissa Etheridge,

8 p.m.

November 26 Brian McKnight, 8 p.m.

LouisianaLife.com | 59

BAYOU HOPPING

By Charles Paxton

The woodland waterways of northeast Louisiana offer a world of adventure seemingly little changed since the days of De Soto, Mark Twain and Audubon. Here gators glide, pelicans preen, frogs hop, turtles bask on stumps and part-sunken logs while impossibly bright birds flit through sun-dappled clearings over mud stamped by the webbed feet of otter families Land and water embrace, swapping places in an ever-changing seasonal dance of sights and scents. But where do you begin to engage with all this wildlife?

60 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

D’Arbonne River System The D’Arbonne River System is fed from Corney Lake, a beautiful part of the Kisatchie National Forest. In winter watch out for American bald and golden eagles as well as majestic beaver lodges. Waters descend southward via Corney Creek with exquisite stretches and gloriously wild sloughs, accessible north of Rockets Crossing. At Simmon Hole Road and Hog Pen Road — each worthy of a day trip — watch for otters, nutrias and a wide range of waterfowl. Then meander down to Lake D’Arbonne, which is great for water sports and home of a record bass over 15-pounds. Lester’s On The Lake rents kayaks off Highway 2, you can also rent them from D’Arbonne State Park. Within a 20-minute paddle to the south and east of Lester’s, you’ll find some lovely wooded islands, with a beaver lodge, basking turtles, fishing herons and a wealth of water lilies. The lake has cormorants in impressive flocks, also bald eagles in the cooler months, and dense breeding aggregations of turtles in spring. See Swifts’ nests under the road bridge.

Watch for pelicans, diving terns and other water birds around the spillway on foot, avoid boating by the spillway. South, the waters feed very pretty country in the D’Arbonne NWR.

DIFFICULTY: Easy (low water) Hard (high water April through May) LENGTH OF FLOAT: Originates in Arkansas. In Louisiana 53 navigable miles, plus 15,000-hectare lake, many sloughs and tributaries.

Daylight hours within the NWR HABITAT: Bottomland hardwood, riparian, upland hardwood, mixed deciduous with loblolly pine, cypress swamp, marsh, wild flowers.

AMBIANCE: Parts of Corney Creek feel like Borneo.

TRIVIA: Lake D’Arbonne is man-made and hosts motorboat racing and fishing tournaments.

Black Bayou Begin in February with Monroe's Black Bayou for the best chance to see American alligators. Keep voices down and you may see them basking out of water during the cooler months. They can also be seen cruising smoothly between the trees and water weeds. Several young alligators hang out near the boat slipway. From here paddle the Rails’ road, enjoy sightings of seasonal migrant waterfowl, stately herons in residence, egrets and even American bald eagles in the winter months.

Class "A" wildlife sightings abound here on and off water. Watching adolescent eagles test their wings is unforgettable. Their nest is enormous and both parents take turns foraging for food and the right sticks for repairs. The boardwalks and prairie walk offer intimate encounters with wildlife in its respective ecosystem allowing you to scope for amphibians, turtles, snakes, birds and butterflies — a monopod helps in low-light.

Ranger Nova Clarke or a friendly volunteer will help orient you. Join regular events such as guided trips out to the eagle’s nest, and nocturnal frog walks. In time, you can learn to identify frog calls by ear.

DIFFICULTY: Easy, no flow, easy access (In breeding season it is forbidden to approach the eagle's nest beyond the warning signs.)

LENGTH OF FLOAT: 1,600-acre lake accessible in daylight hours only.

HABITAT: Bottomland hardwood, cypress swamp, marsh, saw palmetto, tallgrass prairie with wildflowers.

AMBIANCE: Magnificent cypress swamp habitat, the clear water looks black.

Bayou Bartholomew For giant ancient Cypress trees paddle Bayou Bartholomew, America’s longest, at 360 miles, with 117 fish species and over 40 freshwater mussels recorded. Access near Bastrop provides beautiful Bottomland hardwood forest, at low water some very large, mature cypress trees can be admired at fullest extent in the first 200 meters above the confluence of the adjoining Chemin-a-haut Bayou. This was the Native American’s “highway” in times past. Launch from Old Berlin Road Bridge and either arrange a pickup at the state park five miles away or do a return trip of two miles each way to the ancient trees. We saw an alligator, Black-bellied whistling ducks, wood ducks, bats hawking for mosquitoes between us in the double kayak and fireflies. Nearby, is Chemin-A-Haut State Park with cabins and camping facilities, swimming pool and Big Slough Lake.

DIFFICULTY: Easy (low water) Hard (some portage in very low water) and high water has very strong flow from the State park to the confluence of Chemin-a-haut bayou.

LENGTH OF FLOAT: The four mile round trip to the ancient trees from Old Berlin Bridge with plenty of time to enjoy the Chemin-a-haut bayou ambiance is recommended.

HABITAT: Bottomland hardwood, riparian, upland hardwood, mixed deciduous with short-needle pine, cypress swamp.

AMBIANCE: Untrammeled.

TRIVIA: Fireflies are a clean water indicator species.

64 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

LouisianaLife.com | 65

Bayou Deloutre For quiet, atmospheric adventure, try Bayou Deloutre, accessed via the right fork in the road behind Antioch Grocery off Highway 2, that’s a good source of food and picnic supplies. This, slim, elegant bayou feels just the right scale, with a kingfisher often flying before you, you can check each bank for wildlife simultaneously. We saw egrets, a raccoon, map turtles and sliders.

Southern and checkered water snakes allowed close approach, avoid the poisonous moccasins that have vertical pupils and swim higher in the water, also keep an eye out for gators, owls and herons. Head upstream for a darker, more densely forested river trip with some need for portage and some rocky banks, head south for a lighter run, with lovely open views and mellow avenues of mature trees. Listen out for the barred owl’s call.

DIFFICULTY: Easy (low water) Hard (in very low water and high water).

LENGTH OF FLOAT: Originates in Arkansas. In Louisiana 40 miles, not all continuously navigable, plus sloughs and tributaries.

HABITAT: Bottomland hardwood, riparian, upland mixed hardwood, cypress swamp.

AMBIANCE: Peaceful.

TRIVIA: Some river shrimp may migrate here from coastal waters.

DIFFICULTY: Africa and Rainey lakes are placid, avoid Tensas River in spate.

LENGTH OF FLOAT: Daylight hours only.

HABITAT: Bottomland hardwood, mosaic of fields and forest, saw palmetto, cypress swamp.

AMBIANCE: Safari-like.

TRIVIA: President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt spared a bear cub near here in 1902 and sparked a global love of “Teddy” Bears. The unique crop-sharing field system devotes 30 percent of crops to wildlife.

Tensas River NWR For Louisiana black bears, wild turkeys and more besides, visit Tensas River NWR, fed by the same Bayou Macon that runs past the awesome Poverty Point Indian Mounds World Heritage Site nearby. The ecological wealth of this river system fed thousands of super-adapted hunter gatherers whose egalitarian, hierarchical society developed vast mounds and artisan skills in their startlingly sophisticated shamanic civilization center. Wildlife watching from the bridge can yield sightings of large alligator, alligator gar fish and spiny soft-shelled turtles. You might see bears, white-tailed deer, turkeys, cougars, bobcats and a host of resident and migrant birds on the safari drive and woodland trails near Rainey Lake, including a blind overlooking a magnificent Heronry for Great White Egrets, which also draws roseate spoonbills and white-faced ibises. Wear boots and beware of bear dung and snakes.

around the state

NORTH Twistedly Delicious in Shreveport BY jeanne frois

S

photo courtesy twisted root burger company in shreveport

ampling the menu of the Twisted Root Burger Company merits serious exploration and tasting. The atmosphere alone somehow strikes the perfect balance between the casualness of a burger joint with Bohemian ambience. On any given day of the week depending on the season, patrons can get venison, elk, lamb, ostrich, rabbit, camel, duck, boar, kangaroo, emu or gator burgers. Good buffalo, however, is always available.

The variety and quality of the beef burgers keeps the clientele loyal. The Western burger is comprised of a fresh bun holding succulent beef, pepper jack cheese, bacon, fried onions strings, with jalapenos added to all that for some heat. The Kevin Bacon burger has three

pieces of bacon and Danish blue cheese. Flavored with garlic baby bella mushrooms, the Lots-A-Shroom burger is perfectly completed by melted Swiss cheese.

For the health conscious, the Vegabond is a patty blended with house-made chickpeas, black beans, brown rice and quinoa served with sliced avocado and sriracha on wheat.

Having said that, you might

shreveport

HARVEST HOME

the opening of the pumpkin patch and corn maze, or should we say, maize?

At DixieMaze Farms, a few miles outside of Shreveport, you’ll find acres of land covered with orange pumpkins and stately green stalks of corn.

From late September to Halloween, the Fall Festival begins with

The latter is an area to be traveled by foot and covers eight acres of land and carries on for roughly four to five miles. If you have a particularly adept sense of direction, it can be finished in

about 45 minutes; others have been known to take longer as they get lost amid the corn. Over at the pumpkin patch you can pick your own Halloween jacko-lantern or fodder for pumpkin pie straight off the vine.

Both the maze and pumpkin patch are accessible via the absolute pleasure of

well be tempted to have the Freshman 15 — a beef burger topped with smashed french fries, melted cheddar cheese and fried egg with bacon.

The hand-spun custard shakes include the Fat Elvis, which is a concoction of chocolate, peanut butter, banana and bacon. Adults can sip on the banana and Bailey’s; Oreo and amaretto; or crème de menthe and chocolate custard shakes.

a hayride. Vendors provide treats ranging from funnel cakes to hamburgers.

On Halloween, activities include pumpkin carving, crafts, storytelling, pumpkins flung from the Pumpkin Chunker and the pumpkin drop from a 40-foot tower.

For happy hour, sample the exclusive Herman Marshall whiskey, this small batch bourbon is a light, smoky blend of caramel and butterscotch.

The restaurant also sponsors the annual Highland Jazz and Blues Fest on Sept.17. u

Twisted Root Burger Company 8690 Line Ave., Shreveport 318-868-6410 twistedrootburgerco.com/shreveport

As evening approaches during this night when the veil between the living and the dead becomes thin, the delightful combination of spooky stories smores, costumes contests, and a horror movie shown on the outdoor screen keeps the Halloween spirits flying.

DixieMaze Farms Fall Fest and Great Halloween Fest 9596 Sentell Road Shreveport Sept. 24 through Oct. 31 318-703-2870 dixiemaze.com.

LouisianaLife.com | 69

around the state

central Which Way is Witch in Natchitoches BY jeanne frois

T

he Main Street Program in Natchitoches is a popular celebration of the city’s beautiful historic district.

Some of these aged buildings are reminiscent of the French Quarter in New Orleans, with wrought iron balconies rising over the smooth waters of the meandering Cane River. Lined with shops and eateries, this quaint little enclave lends itself to celebrations of every season.

When Halloween winds blow, it wears a most bewitching mantle.

MOREAUVILLE

MARLBORO MAN It’s possible he rises from the concrete pillar believed to be his grave and walks across the iron truss bridge straight to the historic Adam Ponthieu Grocery Store, and mingles with visitors. But we’re getting a head of ourselves.

Each Halloween, the riverbank is surrendered over to people of ages scurrying through a darkening night lit by jack-o’-lanterns and lampposts. Witch Way to Main Street, is an event that fills the air with the happy sounds of that revered autumnal ritual —

Once, the Big Bend area in Avoyelles Parish was at the mercy of floodwaters.

The mighty culprits were the Mississippi, Atchafalaya and Red Rivers; The chartreuse colored Bayou des Glaises meandered through this rural community and was a conduit funneling water straight into homes and fields.

70 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

In the second decade of the 20th century construction on a steel truss bridge over Bayou des Glaises at Sarto Lane in Big Bend began.

The bridge would provide Avoyelles Parish dwellers swift evacuation from floods but proved to be catastrophic for one man.

trick-or-treating. Costumed little ghouls (or princesses, cowboys and superheroes) are turned loose on the streets to gather Halloween goodies from downtown businesses and sponsored booths. The Natchitoches gendarmes are on hand for safety. Face

As construction progressed, legend claims one worker fell into a pillar of wet cement where he remainsentombed.The Sarto Old Iron Bridge, now a pedestrian pathway, welcomes visitors to the historic site. They often feel that someone unseen is watching them.

The boards creak, apparently when no one is walking. The

painting, a haunted house, greetings from the canine mascot of the fire department and games add to the haunting festivities. u

Witch Way to Main Street Natchitoches 3 to 7 p.m., Oct. 31.

center concrete pillar of the bridge bears the image of a man standing up. Locals report he looks eerily similar to, The Marlboro Man. Across from the bridge in the Adam Pontheiu Grocery Store and Big Bend Post Office Museum, the peculiar activity continues. Manager Jimmie Bernard says

he sometimes hears unexplained creaking.

Visitors who wander into certain areas of the store describe experiencing a sudden chill rush through their body. Bernard himself reports he often feels a presence standing behind him, looking over his shoulder.

8554 Hwy. 451, Big Bend, 318-717-4007 Moreauville

around the state

Cajun Country

many breakfasts of oatmeal, chicken fried steak and eggs are perfect — a crisp chicken fried steak and two eggs all served with sausage gravy, breakfast potatoes and buttermilk biscuits will do nicely.

For lunch, it’s hard to resist the meatloaf sandwich; 12-grain bread brushed with sun-dried tomato mayo is the base holding sliced bacon and beef meatloaf, onions, arugula and tomatoes, all topped with melted Swiss cheese. The traditional French sandwich, the Croque Monsieur, crusty toasted bread filled with Black Forest ham, grilled Gruyere cheese and herbed aioli, gets kicked up a notch if you add the richness of a sunny-side-up egg and the velvet creaminess of a Bechamel sauce. u

The French Press in Lafayette BY jeanne frois photo by travis gauthier

N

ear a beautifully twisted oak tree in Lafayette, the atmosphere of the acclaimed French Press Restaurant has a Bohemian charm. Chef Justin Girouard is a master creator of breakfast, brunch and lunch. The breakfast sandwich — a combination of egg, bacon, boudin and cheese — mingle together on Evangeline Maid grilled Texas toast making for a deliciously savory bite. The French toast is like a delectable dessert — stuffed with bananas and cream cheese, served with berry-champagne compote,

scott

TRAIL OF FEARS Debra LeBlanc’s mission the past few years has been to waylay the scary downtrend threatening an important practice — reading. As president and founder of Literacy, Inc., LeBlanc faced a metaphorical Mount

why not order that extra scoop of house-made vanilla ice cream to complete your breakfast decadence?

Everest when it came to achieving her goal of placing an eReader into the hands of every public high school student in Louisiana.

The cost of this noble crusade is a whopping 14 million dollars and literacy — compared to the importance placed on sports and other political pork barrels — was at a totemic low when it came

to priorities. The slow pace of small donations trickling in to achieve the monetary goal was daunting.

Driving past a long abandoned tract of wooded land in Scott, near Cameron Street, with her partner, Rich Hanf, veteran of the haunted attraction industry, the idea to raise money rose

There’s nothing like the smell of cholesterol in the morning; if you’re in the mood to binge a little after too

like Dracula from the grave. The two created Fright Trail, a haunted trail of horrors open to the public. It features 20 acres of brush filled with eerie, rustic buildings. Over 60 actors portray zombies, fiends, loup garoux, clowns, corpses gashed and gored, with haints, howls, screams and ghostly moans galore lying in wait

The French Press Restaurant 214 E. Vermilion St. Lafayette 337-233-9449 thefrenchpresslafayette.com

for the timid traveler.

All on a dark, nightshaded path, with branches that grab you like claws as you pass. Visitors have been known to refuse to leave the trail, paralyzed by fear as actors are told to, “never break character.”

Fright Trail, benefitting Literacy, Inc., opens the first weekend in October

and availability to prove your courage — or not — on this spooky trail lasts through the month.

Sturdy shoes or boots are a must.

Fright Trail 5401 Cameron St. Scott (Every weekend in October) frighttrail.com literacyinc.com.

LouisianaLife.com | 71

around the state

Plantation Country

A scene from “Outlander.”

Season 1, episode 11 - “The Devil’s Mark” was written by Toni Graphia.

Baton Rouge Native Toni Graphia BY jeanne frois

T

here are two TV series over the years I always rank at the top of my list of favorites. They are “Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman,” (a most dreadful title for such a good series), and the present day Starz series, “Outlander.” A name prevalent in the credits of both series (and many others), as writer, co-executive producer or executive producer was that of Toni Graphia.

Graphia, it turns out, is a native of Baton Rouge. In retrospect, when I remembered the warmth, color and emotional depth of her work, her roots seemed completely apropos. In “Outlander,” Graphia — also the executive producer — wrote some

baton rouge

THE THIRTEENTH GATE

The Thirteenth Gate, a haunted attraction considered one of the top scary venues in the nation, unfolds like a night of dreams following pizza eaten at midnight white watching a Freddy Krueger marathon.

Acclaimed by the Travel Channel and USA Today, it is seriously not recommended

72 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

for the pregnant or those with a pre-existing heart condition.

Visitors venture forth like sitting ducks of the terror stricken through 13 realms of the horrific. Precise in detail, filled with the manic actors, macabre set designs and effects, you descend

Anthony J. “Tony” Graphia, she patterned the character of Judge Luther Charbonnet on the short-lived 1997 series, “Orleans,” after her father. Graphia created, wrote and produced by the show.

Charbonnet was played by Larry Hagman, whom she handpicked for the role.

A graduate of Baton Rouge’s Woodlawn High School, Graphia attended Louisiana

into a malevolent maelstrom straight from the mind of Vincent Price. Top on my list to avoid is the actual snakeinfested Louisiana Swamp and claustrophobic cellars found on the premises Each night a voodoo tableau is held, designed to make one lose their soul, or sanity, whatever

State University for two years and then graduated at University of California, Santa Barbara. Starting as an researcher on the series, “China Beach,” she was then promoted to screenwriter, and has since worked on notable series like “Battlestar Gallactica” (Peabody award for season 2005); “Grey’s Anatomy;” “Carninvale,” and “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” u

is the first to depart.

Subterranean passages, and traipses through a prehistoric ice cave taunt your senses. Crawl through the confines of a crematorium oven and an old hearse, and get lost in pitch-black underground tunnels only to find yourself standing on a rickety bridge overlooking

aforementioned snakes. Adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers will want this at the top of their to-do list.

The Thirteenth Gate (open year round) 832 St. Philip St. Baton Rouge 225-389-1313.

photo courtesy starz

Halloween is in full swing in the Bayou State, land of the loup garou, Marie Laveau, haunted plantations and other things more frightening than mere bumps in the night.

of the most moving and emotionally evocative scripts that I, as a jaded viewer, never thought I’d see. Part of the story’s setting takes place in 18th century France with productions blooming with an almost Mardi Gras, carnivallike richness of color and indulgence of senses along with intensely personal plotlines.

The daughter of a well-known Louisiana judge,

around the state

Greater New Orleans Oktoberfest in Kenner BY jeanne frois

F

or three weekends each October, the charm of Rivertown in Kenner is enhanced by Oktoberfest presented by Deutsches Haus, an organization representing the Teutonic culture and presence in New Orleans and the Gulf South. Oktoberfest does the Germanic heritage proud as Williams Boulevard is filled with a Bavarian spectacle of dirndl dresses; laced bodices; traditional dances; Lederhosen; and Alpine hats with signature plumes pointing skyward.

Let us not forget the beer; the first keg tap marks the festival opening as golden nectar flows from a barrel.

Sixteen varieties of German beer are there for the sipping

NEW ORLEANS

an ODDITY in the city There is an old, threestory, red brick building in the 700 block of Jackson Avenue in New Orleans, with an interesting, varied past — but not quite

along with 20 varieties of Schnapps getting everyone in the spirit for the chicken dance. Oompah music resonates as the laughter and sounds of enjoyment mingle with the occasional blast of a horn from a tanker or tugboat on the Mississippi.

Savory, hearty German food items like sauerbraten, brats, schnitzel meatloaf, pork loin, sauerkraut, German cheeses and oversized

as interesting as the creature that stands suspended on one of its walls high above the street. Clinging to the bricks with a trio of limbs edged with talons, a gargoyle grips the severed head of Medusa in his free hand.

Gargoyles were mainly used as ornamental gutters in medieval buildings, and stem from the legend of St. Romanus,chancellorof the Merovingian king Clotaire II. St. Romanus saved the city of Rouen from a dragon-like creature called La Gargouille. When the

Bavarian pretzels keeps everyone fortified for the ongoing fun. Like any good festival that allows you to overeat, the opportunity to salve your conscience and save your figure is presented in the form of the Oktoberfest 5K run/walk.

Each day the Masskrugstemmen, the beer stein holding contest, is held and a souvenir shop offers German-themed wares. For

head of the dragon would not burn, it was placed on the walls of a newly constructed Catholic church to ward off evil.

New Orleans, of course has its roots in France, but we’re a long way from la cathédrale Notre-Dame. This

me, the crowning event of the entire venue is the Dachsund Dash, held on the last day of the festival. Sixty to 75 weiner dogs, some adorned in Lederhosen and caps, race down Williams Boulevard ears flopping, paws bouncing and crowds cheering them to the finish line. u

Oktoberfest October 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22 Rivertown, Williams Boulevard Kenner

Jackson Avenue building dates from the 1860s and was once a synagogue named Sha’are Tefilah (Gates of Prayer). Ultimately, the congregation left and the building functioned as a school.

The owner added two stories right away, then the third level in

later years. This level, filled with windows, was deemed a target for vandalism, and of course, the owner added the gargoyle.

LouisianaLife.com | 73

Texas Travel

Westward Ho! Ten Texas getaways for your weekend away By Paris Permenter and John Bigley

Houston

F

rom big city fun to beautiful beaches, shops to museums, Texas is home to destinations that can fulfill your longest vacation. But if you’ve only a weekend to head west, we’ve got a rundown of 10 great getaways that will leave you eager to plan your next Lone Star State jaunt.

Bay Area Houston Don’t search for “Bay Area Houston” on Texas maps: you probably won’t find it. This fairly new moniker is now used to roundup the fun found in the towns of Kemah, Seabrook, La Porte, League City, Clear Lake and Nassau Bay. Start with a visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center and its visitor center, Space Center Houston,

then head to the fishing town of Kemah with the Kemah Boardwalk for carnival rides, shops, restaurants, an aquarium and other attractions.

Beaumont The Lucas Gusher, the largest oil geyser ever seen and a landmark of the American oil industry, still blows — just water these days — at scheduled times at the Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum. Special events also send water gushing out of the world’s largest working fire hydrant, located outside the Fire Museum of Texas. The waterworks are far quieter at the Big Thicket National Preserve, one of Texas’s most unusual parks, a place where time seems

74 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

to stand still in densely shaded forest and placid lakes.

Bryan-College Station Football buffs know Bryan– College Station as the home of Texas A&M University and its spirited Aggies but these twin cities have more to offer.

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum houses replicas of the former president’s offices on Air Force One and at Camp David. Visit Messina Hof Winery to see how the winemakers borrowed from German and Italian traditions to produce wines that you can sample during your visit. (Don’t miss the elegant B&B, too, if you’d like to make this your home base.)

Houston Mention Houston and the superlatives fly: fourth largest city in the country; world’s largest medical center; world’s largest rodeo. The city is home to world-class performing artists, professional sports teams, and award-winning restaurants — as well as some of the state’s top visitor attractions. The Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Children’s Museum, and the Downtown Aquarium are major family draws. The Museum of Arts Houston and the Menil Collection are must-sees for art lovers.

Hermann Park offers 445 acres of downtown relaxation including the Houston Zoo.

Dallas

Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex “Big D” is home to the country’s largest urban arts district, offering fine dining, cultural opportunities and world-class shopping. For all of its city slicker image, however, a true Texas atmosphere is never far away. Not only is Dallas home to the month-long State Fair; a short drive west takes you to Fort Worth, “the place where the West begins.”

Galveston

Canton Every month, the population of tiny Canton welcomes over 400,000 shoppers during “Original First Monday Trade Days.” Scheduled for the Thursday through Sunday immediately preceding the first Monday of the month, this shop-until-you-drop extravaganza combines flea market with antiques show in an atmosphere where negotiation is welcome.

Jefferson Over a century ago, Jefferson was known as the “Riverport to the Southwest.” When a natural logjam on the Red River broke and the water from Cypress Bayou drained, the city’s steamboat commerce ended — but the city has never forgotten its historic roots.

Tucked beneath tall pines and moss-draped cypress trees, this town now lets visitors step back in time with antiques shopping, B&B stays, historic train rides and riverboat tours.

Surfside Beach

Waco

Galveston

Just down the road from Galveston, this tiny beach community is about as laid back as its name suggests.

Beach house rentals far outnumber hotels and, even during peak periods, you’ll find plenty of elbow room on the expansive beach. This getaway is recommended for travelers who want to get off the beaten path — even if that’s a sandy path.

If you’re a fan of the uberpopular HGTV hit “Fixer Upper,” you’re familiar with Magnolia Market at the Silos. These historic grain silos have been transformed

by Chip and Joanna Gaines into a national destination featuring shopping, a new bakery, a lawn for family games and a garden (families: don’t miss the tepee photo op).

Located on picturesque Galveston Island, the city itself, tucked on the eastern end of the island, is home to The Strand, a 36-block historic district filled with restaurants and shops.

Downtown’s Pleasure Pier features old-fashioned family fun with rides and games.

Entertainment continues at Schlitterbahn, the indooroutdoor waterpark, and nearby Moody Gardens where glass pyramids showcase rainforest, space and aquarium exhibits.

LouisianaLife.com | 75

PROMOTIONAL SECTION

PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Lafayette

FACE OF

PERSONAL INJURY LAW LARRY CURTIS

300 Rue Beauregard, Bldg. “C” Lafayette, LA 70508 PH: 337.235.1825 • (800)528.1825 FX: 337.237.0241 www.larrycurtis.com

Larry Curtis is a seasoned trial lawyer. He has obtained multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts for his firm’s clients. He is listed in the publications, The Best Lawyers in America and Louisiana SuperLawyers.

Larry’s focus is to obtain an outstanding result for all of his clients. For example, in the landmark case of, Clausen vs. Icicle Seafoods, tried in Seattle, Washington, Larry obtained a $1.3 million dollar punitive damage award for

a Louisiana seaman who, after suffering a low back injury aboard an Alaska based fish processing barge, was callously denied maintenance and cure benefits. The offer before trial was $75,000. In Renfro v. BNSF, Larry obtained a record jury verdict of $6,609,239 for a Vinton, Louisiana mother for the loss of her 17 years old daughter, violently killed at a defective railroad crossing. The offer before trial was 50,000.

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Cities, Towns, & Parishes

Traveling Around Louisiana After such a sweltering summer, fall is weather is more welcome than ever across Louisiana, where we’re excited to open our windows to cool breezes, the sounds of festive music, and courtyard and patio parties with friends. From festivals and sporting events to cool-weather relaxation at your favorite resort, there are tons of exciting ways to make the most of fall in Louisiana. Take a day trip to nearby small town and experience the southern charm of its eateries and boutiques, or spend a weekend in one of Louisiana’s diverse cities for entertainment, history and culture, and to explore new flavors. Experience the great outdoors on the cool waters of Louisiana’s lakes, rivers, and bayous or venture into more manicured territory with 18 holes of golf at a championship golf course. Take your pick from the following fall travel ideas and see Louisiana anew.

78 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

Allons Avoyelles—Avoyelles Parish—to welcome the beautiful fall season! Events and activities abound across the parish. Visit the Classic Car Show at Yellow Bayou Civil War Park in Simmesport on September 3, 9:00am-3:00pm. Music lovers won’t want to miss The CheeWeez in concert that evening at Paragon Casino Resort followed by Patti Labelle on September 4 at 8:00. If you are ready for a color run, register for the Steps Cenla 5K Color Run on September 17 at Steps-Cenla.org.

In October, pick up some fresh produce at the Moreauville Farmer’s Market at the Town Hall on October 1, 9:00am-1:00pm.

On October 6th, the Avoyelles Arts Council invites you to their fourth Art in Rafters membership drive and fundraising event at Bailey’s starting at 6:00pm. Melissa Etheridge performs at Paragon Casino Resort on October 29. Visit ParagonCasinoResort.com for additional details.

Visit TravelAvoyelles.com and like Travel Avoyelles on Facebook to begin planning your fall travels!

Just 45 miles south of New Orleans you’ll find true Cajun culture experienced through unique food, festivals, and exciting outdoor adventures. In the fall, Bayou Lafourche is a place where visitors can be immersed in sounds of upbeat music, aromas of Cajun cuisine, and a celebration of life along the bayou.

Festivals are a food lover’s paradise! The Louisiana Gumbo Festival (Oct. 14-16) in Chackbay, the “Gumbo Capital of Louisiana,” offers the best gumbo, music, and dancing.

The French Food Festival in Larose (Oct. 2830) hosts over 30 local food booths featuring Cajun classics such as White Oyster Soup, Shrimp Boulettes, and Jambalaya. Louisiana Swamp Stomp (Nov. 5) spotlights local and regional Cajun bands. Thibodeauxville Fall Festival (Nov. 12) boasts live music, a Cajun food court, arts booths, and a rubber duck race on Bayou Lafourche.

Fall festivals are the perfect opportunity to experience authentic Cajun lifestyle.

Come live Bayou Life! Plan your visit at VisitLafourche.com.

Spanning 13 parishes, the Southeast Louisiana Gumbo Group is spicin’ up your fall travel with great ideas for fun and distinctive destinations that feature the best of Louisiana’s sights and sounds. With Baton Rouge as a central hub, the group offers up a number of spectacular experiences all within a 45-minute drive.

Visit SELAGumbo.com today for a wealth of travel ideas, restaurants, shopping

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locales, and special events, and make sure to download the latest SELA Gumbo Cookbook full of recipes and information from the group’s parishes: Ascencion, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, Pointe Coupée, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Washington, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana, and the River Parishes (St. James, St. John, and St. Charles). The cookbook also features a full year’s calendar of events.

Upcoming fall events include—among many others—the Alligator Festival and Bogalusa Blues & Heritage Festival in September as well as the Creole Festival and The Myrtles Halloween Experience in October.

SELAGumbo.com will help you plan a day trip to a number of plantations, historic sites, top-notch restaurants, and unforgettable landscapes. The Southeast Louisiana experience awaits!

The Alexandria/Pineville area, located halfway between I-10 and I-20 along I-49, comes alive in fall with festivals, fairs, events, and concerts.

Cycle your way through Central Louisiana during the cycling event Le Tour de Bayou hosted by Kent Plantation House on Saturday, September 17. Cyclers from across the United States ride up to 100 miles during the event.

Enjoy the sounds of the Rapides Symphony Orchestra during their annual Pops on the River concert at the Alexandria Riverfront Center on Saturday, September 24.

Saturday, October 15, get funky at the second annual Funktoberfest, central Louisiana’s original outdoor craft beer and music festival featuring a home brew competition.

Search for unique art pieces during the Fall ArtWalk (October 21) held in downtown Alexandria’s Cultural Arts District. The annual event features art, music, and an array of children’s activities.

Finally, get ready to run—or walk—the annual Zombie Walk of Alexandria on Saturday, October 17. The 8th annual Zombie Walk includes food vendors, live music, and a parade of zombies through downtown Alexandria.

Visit AlexandriaPinevilleLA.com or call 1-800-551-9546 for details on these events and more!

Just off I-10 and west of Lafayette lies the “Cajun Prairie,” Acadia Parish, an area known for its unique attractions, numerous year-round festivals and rich history and folklore. In Crowley, home of the International Rice Festival, tour the Rice Interpretive Center, the Historic Crowley Ford Motor Company, built in 1920, as well as the J.D. Miller Recording Studio. Travel the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Byway and visit

Kelly’s Landing Agricultural Museum to take an informative walk through the past while viewing the farming equipment of yesteryear and learning the importance of crawfish and rice to the region.

See why Rayne, LA, home of the annual Frog Festival, is both “The Frog Capital of the World” and the “Louisiana City of Murals.”

Check out and visit the Le Vieux Presbytere Museum with bousillage, mud walls. Roberts Cove, LA, is home to the German Heritage Museum and the popular Germanfest.

For more information, events, destinations and festival dates check out AcadiaTourism.org or call 877-783-2109.

Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole Country, an area known as the Happiest City in America and it’s no mystery why. Their distinctive blend of food, music and culture has people heading down south with a smile on their face.

No matter what time of year you visit Lafayette they will have something for you to celebrate. The region is teeming with celebratory festivals year round. From beer to boudin, shrimp to sugarcane, gumbo to gratons, there is literally a celebration happening every week.

The perfect time to discover Lafayette is at the annual Festivals Acadiens et Créoles (October 13-16). For over 40 years this free festival has offered locals and visitors alike the opportunity to experience Lafayette’s culture through music, dancing, jam sessions, food, cooking demos, crafts and much more.

Start planning for a Cajun and Creole experience like no other at LafayetteTravel.com/FestivalAcadiens.

Everything about Toledo Bend Lake Country is big—big lake, big fish, and big fun! Named the #1 Bass Fishing Lake in the nation by Bassmaster Magazine two years in a row, Toledo Bend is the largest man-made lake in the Southern United States at a whopping, gorgeous 185,000 acres with the best fishing in Louisiana (and the country for that matter). Whether you’re a sportsman looking for a trophy fish or simply trying to plan a fun family getaway, look no further— Toledo Bend has it all.

Toledo Bend Lake Country is not only known for its great fishing opportunities, but also for a variety of other rewarding experiences. The area is rich in history, has fun festivals like the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta, offers a championship 18-hole golf course, the Toledo Bend Forest Scenic Byway, three beautiful state parks that include the nationally known Hodges Gardens, and over 35 resorts and accommodations from cabins on the lake to a full-scale resort.

Find yourself in the greatest outdoors Louisiana has to offer. Visit ToledoBendLakeCountry.com.

Savor the difference in Iberia Parish this fall. Celebrate 150 years of TABASCO® and see the Avery Island experience! Journey the TABASCO® Factory like never before with an all-new expanded tour, visitor center, and Creole-cottage cafeteria-style restaurant, 1868. Or, sample Cajun dishes on a TABASCO® Food Tour. Tabasco cooking classes and guided tours are being offered upon reservation. Jungle Gardens has also made its trek more interactive with new signage and guided birding tours upon reservation.

Make plans now to attend the “Bayous, Birds & Butterflies” exhibit by internationally renowned artist Hunt Slonem. The exhibit will be on display at the Bayou Teche Museum from September 16 – December 1, 2016, with a lecture by the artist following the unveiling on September 16. Tickets are limited. For more information, call 337-606-5977.

In Iberia Parish, it’s all too hot to pass up!

For more information on destinations and events, visit IberiaTravel.com.

Shreveport-Bossier’s culture and Southern charm will be on display at this season’s sizzling festivals and events. Enjoy everything from jazz and blues music to a short film contest.

Enjoy live music and a party in the park at Highland Jazz and Blues Festival at Columbia Park, September 17. The event features local and national jazz and blues artists, great food, and local artwork.

Check out the bands during the incredible showcase of musical talent at the Louisiana Music Prize in downtown Shreveport, Sept.

29 – Oct. 1. Then vote for your favorite, locally shot short film created by filmmakers competing to win $50,000 at the sister festival, Louisiana Film Prize, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2.

Sample a variety of local food and art at Red River Revel Arts Festival at Festival Plaza, Oct. 1-8. The eight-day festival features more than 100 visual artists, music from every genre, and fun activities in the children’s area.

For more information, visit Shreveport-Bossier.org.

Experience Ruston & Lincoln Parish, one of USA Today Travel’s Most Charming Small Towns of the South. Home to both Louisiana Tech and Grambling State University, the area is full of football excitement this fall.

Fans from across Louisiana convene to watch the universities dominate in the football stadium and take part in the many gameday events. Loyal Blue Weekends kick off September 9th with activities for the family, pep rallies, and live music downtown.

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Beautiful, historic downtown Ruston is thriving with boutiques, specialty and gift shops, restaurants, art galleries, outdoor concerts and more. Plan a visit this fall and experience unique events like Ruston Makers Fair, a festival dedicated to the works of artists and makers of all kinds, and Ruston Fashion Week, a week-long event that showcases the creativity and diverse selection of Ruston’s flourishing retail community.

For more information, upcoming events, or to plan your next stay in Ruston and Lincoln Parish, visit ExperienceRuston.com.

Tucked between the swamps of the Atchafalaya is Iberville Parish, a place of awe-inspiring beauty, massive live oaks, and meandering bayous and waterways teeming with life. Just outside of Baton Rouge, this area prides itself on a unique culture in which many people still live close to the land and enjoy a way of life passed through generations.

The Iberville Swamp Life Expo, held at the beautiful, shaded Iberville Parish Visitors Center (I-10 at Grosse Tete), will be the kick-off event for Experience Atchafalaya Days, a month-long celebration of the Atchafalaya Heritage Area. The expo will include net-making demonstrations, woodcarving, works from local artists, and relics of the area’s long history.

The Iberville Swamp Life Expo will be held Saturday, October 1 from 10:00am until 3:00pm and will feature live music by Terry and the Zydeco Bad Boys, food, and art.

Experience Atchafalaya Days runs throughout October. Cultural, food and art demonstrations will be available free to the public.

Attractions, Events and Accommodations Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter is located in the heart of the French Quarter on world-famous Bourbon Street. They offer 186 comfortable guest rooms, more than 4,000 square feet of market-leading meeting facilities, a recently renovated, tropical courtyard with an outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness center and more.

Café Opera, Four Point’s full-service restaurant, features a classic New Orleans menu of Creole and continental cuisine.

Guests can also enjoy a wide section of specialty drinks at the Puccini Bar. Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter is located on the site of the French Opera House (1859-1919), a legendary New Orleans cultural venue. Their performance series, “Opera Returns to Bourbon Street” features local operatic talent from the New Orleans Opera Association and local classical vocalist group Bon Operatit!

80 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter is located at 541 Bourbon Street. For reservations and more, call 866-716-8133 visit FourPoints.com/frenchquarter.

Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder is Louisiana’s premier gaming and entertainment destination. Enjoy 2,800 of the newest and hottest slots, over 70 thrilla-minute table games including live poker, live bingo, and off-track betting, plus free live entertainment every weekend in Mikko Live. Additionally, the resort features ten dining options, a supervised childcare facility and teen arcade, plus deluxe overnight accommodations in over 900 luxurious rooms. The newly renovated adult-exclusive Grand Hotel and Seven Clans Hotel feature 400 ultra-modern rooms.

If you prefer an outdoor overnight setting, choose Red Shoes RV Resort to relax in your own RV or a cozy lakeside chalet, some of which are dog-friendly. Play a round at Koasati Pines at Coushatta championship golf course, rated 4½ stars by Golf Digest’s readers.

Inside the casino, an immense 100,000-squarefoot gaming floor beckons, and non-smokers love the enormous 12,000 square foot non-smoking slot area. Rack up points and comps in the Advantage Players Club and use your comp dollars at any casino restaurant or gift shop.

Visit “Louisiana’s Best Bet” online at CoushattaCasinoResort.com.

Moments of splendor define every visit to Cypress Bend Resort, from sunrises over the shimmering lake to birdies on its lush championship golf course or family stories around a glowing fire. Located on Toledo Bend Lake just 70 miles south of Shreveport, Cypress Bend Resort promises unforgettable memories for friends and families seeking a beautiful and tranquil respite. Cypress Bend offers the perfect locale for vacations, meetings, conventions, or weddings with its 95 guest rooms (including 14 twobedroom golf suites). The resort also boasts a luxurious Spa at Cypress Bend, 600 acres of gardens and forests, 11,000 square feet of state-of-the-art conference facilities, a nationally recognized 18-hole golf course, and the top bass fishing lake in the country according to Bassmaster Magazine.

Crisp, country air, serene views, and southern hospitality all combine to transform and elevate your experience— whether a meeting or golf game—into a communion with nature. The resort is conveniently located for residents of both Louisiana and East Texas. Discover the magic of Cypress Bend Resort with your loved ones. For reservations and information, visit CypressBend.com or call 318-590-1500.

Louisiana’s most centrally located and most comprehensive resort, Paragon Casino Resort is the perfect destination for a fall getaway with family and friends or a meeting location that suits all travelers. With over 500 rooms and suites as well as RV resort for lovers of the great outdoors, Paragon’s accommodations are further complemented by its bayou-themed atrium with live alligators, a three-screen movie theater, shops, cocktail lounge, coffee shop, and numerous dining options.

Fall presents perfect weather for lounging by the indoor or outdoor pools, hitting the links, or taking a stroll on the Tunica-Biloxi nature trail. Relaxing is easy at Spa La Vie, a full-service spa. For entertainment, enjoy concerts at the Mari Showroom and—of course— state-of-the-art gaming with the newest slots as well as the “reel” classics, video poker, hot table games, and a separate poker room.

Paragon features Kids Quest Hourly Childcare, a fun and safe environment for kids in addition to the Cyber Quest familyfriendly arcade for kids of all ages.

Paragon Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. For more information visit ParagonCasinoResort.com or call 800-946-1946.

Newly re-imagined and ultra classic, the Pontchartrain Hotel offers luxury, convenience, and a hint of old New Orleans nostalgia with a perfect location in the Garden District on beautiful, streetcar-traveled St. Charles Avenue. Built circa-1927, this recently renovated 14-story architectural gem meets the needs of every New Orleans visitor, from those looking for a transportive vacation, to business travelers and conference goers, wedding guests celebrating family and friends, and even those looking for an extended stay.

Four restaurant and bar options satisfy a variety of tastes—from the vintage-inspired, breathtaking Hot Tin rooftop bar, to the casual, down-home Bayou Bar, the 50s-style Silver Whistle café, or the newly reopened, famous Caribbean Room, now a John Besh restaurant.

The Pontchartrain Hotel has hosted the likes of Frank Sinatra, Jim Morrison, and presidents past. A graceful combination of both history and modernity, the Pontchartrain Hotel offers 106 anythingbut-standard, luxurious rooms with the grandeur of a Southern mansion. Book today at ThePontchartrainHotel.com.

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Regional Travel Time to hit the highway this fall and venture out for some southern experiences close enough to home but far enough to feel like vacation. Whether you want a thrilling history lesson or some heart-thumping blues music beside the mighty Mississippi or to immerse yourself in arts and culture—as well as the waves of the Gulf of Mexico— adventures await in nearby Mississippi and the Florida panhandle. Take your pick of I-10 or I-20, and let the interstate lead you to a town full of beauty, inspiration, flavor, and fun. The following regional travel ideas are perfect of a fall weekend away from home.

Be it a romantic getaway, a weekend with friends, or a family adventure, make the most of fall in the South with the following Louisiana neighbors.

Situated high on the bluffs above the Mississippi River, Vicksburg serves as the “Key to the South” and prides itself on its perfect location as a midway point between Memphis and New Orleans.

If you are in search of the elusive sound of the Mississippi Delta Blues, you will find it in Vicksburg. Live Mississippi music from the Delta Blues to country and rock can be enjoyed at venues throughout the city.

Learn American history by visiting the site of the defining battle of America’s defining war at the Vicksburg National Military Park. Enjoy the southern charm of Vicksburg by strolling the brick-paved streets of its historic downtown. Visit eclectic boutiques, art galleries, and various eateries featuring Southern specialties. Enjoy sweeping views of the mighty Mississippi River and some of the most beautiful sunsets imaginable.

Relax—it all runs on river time! For more to see and do in Vicksburg, go to VisitVicksburg.com or call 1-800-221-3536.

Pensacola, Florida, welcomes visitors November 3-14 for the 3rd annual Foo Foo Festival, a twelve-day celebration of culinary, musical, theatrical,

and cultural events with established programming as well as that of 22 grant recipients.

The festival is like no other, offering everything from a Big Green Egg Cook-off, Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show, Frank Brown Songwriters Festival, Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival and the Pensacola Marathon, among other uniquely artful events – all set with the beautiful climate and scenery of Pensacola as a backdrop.

“In the last two years, we’ve managed to create an event that now resonates with visitors and locals alike,” said David Bear, president of Art, Culture and Entertainment, Inc. (ACE). “This year’s grant recipients have really dreamt up a level of programming that will further position Pensacola as an arts and cultural destination.”

For event information, visit FooFooFest.com.

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calendar

september/ october Festivals and events around the state BY kelly massicot

Greater New Orleans Sept. 2-4. Louisiana Seafood Festival. New Orleans. louisianaseafoodfestival.com Sept. 3-4. Westbank Heritage Festival. Westwego. westbankheritagefestival.com Sept. 30. Louisiana Wildfowl Festival. Mandeville. 985-8922215. lwccg.com Oct. 1. Blues in da Parish Festival. Violet. facebook.com/BluesInDaParish Oct. 1-2. Treme Festival. New Orleans. faubourgtreme.wix.com/ tremefest Oct. 4. Art for Arts’ Sake. New Orleans. cacno.org/afas Oct. 4-8. Que Pasa Fest.

Kenner. quepasafest.com Oct. 7-8. Oktoberfest.

Kenner. 504-522-8014. oktoberfestnola.com Oct. 7-9. Gretna Heritage Festival. Gretna. gretnafest.com Oct. 8. Natural Living Fest.

Abita Springs. itsyourlifemag. com/natural-living-fest-2016 Oct. 8-9. Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival.

Madisonville. 985-845-9200. woodenboatfest.org Oct. 14-16. Bridge City Gumbo Festival. Bridge City. bridgecitygumbofestival.org

Oct. 23. Oak Street Po-Boy Festival. New Orleans. poboyfest.com

84 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

festivals acadiens et créoles October 13-16

Lafayette Festivals Acadiens et Créoles is a music, craft and food

festival, celebrating the cultural heritage of the region. For more than 40 years, the festival has offered locals and visitors a chance to immerse themselves in a distinctly Cajun and Creole experience. The musical lineup showcases the best of Cajun and Zydeco music and this year includes acts such as Roddie Romero & Hub City All-Stars and Lost Bayou Ramblers. Put on your dancin’ shoes and bring your appetite for this must-attend event.

photo by david simpson

Oct. 14-16. Crescent City Blues & BBQ. New Orleans. jazzandheritage.org/blues-fest

Oct. 28-30. Voodoo Music Experience. New Orleans. voodoofestival.com

Oct. 22-23. Rougarou Fest.

Houma. 985-580-7289. rougaroufest.org

Cajun Country

Oct. 24. Arts Fest. Lake Charles.

337-439-2787. artsandhumanitiesswla.org/events

Sept. 3. Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival.

Plaisance. zydeco.org

North

Sept. 5. Boo Zoo’s Labor Day Festival. Iowa, La. 337-8532350.

Sept. 17. Five Bayous Fishing Rodeo. Houma. 985-563-7483 Sept. 23-25. Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival. New Iberia. 337-369-9323. hisugar.org/wordpress Sept. 24-25. Best of the Bayou Festival. Houma. bestofthebayou.la Sept. 25. Calca-Chew Food Festival. Lake Charles. 337-4394585. stmargaret.church Oct. 2. Bayou Veg Festival.

Houma. 985-227-3983. facebook.com/Bayou-VegFest-989623641132965 Oct. 7-9. Voice of the Wetlands Festival. Houma. 985-226-5762. voiceofthewetlands.org Oct. 7-9. Lake Charles Film & Music Festival. Lake Charles. lakecharlesfilmfestival.com Oct. 8. Rouge et Blanc Wine Festival. Lake Charles. 337-4755123. rougeetblanc.us Oct. 8. Vinton Heritage Festival. Vinton. 337-589-7453. cityofvinton.com Oct. 8. Louisiana Cajun Food Fest. Kaplan. facebook.com/lacajunfoodfestival Oct. 13-16. Festivals Acadiens et Créoles. Lafayette. festivalsacadiens.com Oct. 13-16. Louisiana Cattle Festival. Abbeville. louisianacattlefestival.org Oct. 14-16. Louisiana Gumbo Festival of Chackbay. Thibodaux. lagumbofest.com Oct. 15-16. Chauvin Culture and Heritage Festival. Chauvin.

Oct. 22. Culture Fest. Lake Charles. 337-409-9636. culturefestlouisiana.com

Sept. 2-4. Froggy Bottom Unity Festival. Cullen. 318-206-3208 Sept. 2-5. Bayou Mudfest.

Sarepta. 318-377-3800. muddybottomsatv.com Sept. 16-17. Greenwood Pioneer Heritage Festival. Greenwood.

318-938-7261. greenwoodla.org Sept. 17. Highland Jazz & Blues Festival. Shreveport. highlandjazzandblues.org Oct. 1-8. Red River Revel Arts Festival. Shreveport. redriverrevel.com Oct. 4-8. Webster Parish Fair.

Minden. 318-377-6250 Oct. 7-8. Springhill Lumberjack Festival. Springhill. 318-4640719.

Oct. 15. Annual Shreveport Brew. Shreveport. shreveportbrew.com Oct. 27-Nov 13. The State Fair of Louisiana.

Shreveport. 318-635-1361. statefairoflouisiana.com

Central Oct. 15. FunktoberFest.

Alexandria. eventbrite. com/e/funktoberfest2016-tickets-21676249245

Plantation Country Sept. 10-11. Smokin’ Oldies But Goodies Fest. Baton Rouge. westbatonrouge.net/main-events. html Oct. 14-15. Southern Garden Symposium & Workshops. St. Francisville. 225-635-3738. southerngardensymposium.org Oct. 29. Louisiana Book Festival. Baton Rouge. 225-2199503. louisianabookfestival.org u

LouisianaLife.com | 85

great louisiana quiz

Hail to the chief A presidential quiz

By Errol Laborde

1. Huey Long once aspired to

be President, so much that he even wrote a book about what he would do when elected. What was the title of the book?

A. Long days on the Potomac.

B. My First Days in the White House C. A Guide to the Huey Long Administration D. Socks on A Rooster 2. At the time of his election

this former president was living in Louisiana near Baton Rouge where he had spent much of his adult life. Who was he?

A. Zachary Taylor B. John Tyler C. Millard Fillmore D. James K. Polk 3. Your friend announces that

he plans to move to the town of Winnsboro, the parish seat of Franklin parish, because Ben Franklin is his favorite president and he wants to open a museum dedicated to him there. Which one of the following statements about Franklin is true?

Huey Long photo taken on Aug. 27, 1935, about two weeks before his death

A. His Vice President was John Hancock B. He was the first president to live in the White House C. He once flew a kite over Winnsboro

4. As a young man this future

president came downriver to New Orleans when he worked as a deckhand on barges.

A. James Madison B. Chester Arthur C. Abraham Lincoln

8. Credited with creating the

A. Red River Inn

A. Lee Atwater

B. The Rapides Lodge

B. James Carville

C. The Bentley

C. Howard Baker

C. Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew

D. The CENLA

D. Pat Buchanan

D. George H. Bush and Dan Quayle

7.Your friend decides that he

9. As President of the United

bonus!

to-be, General U.S. Grant began building a canal near this town.

What was it?

wants to run for President in four years so he says he plans to enroll in the Electoral College once he finds the town it is located in. While he is looking, how may electoral votes does Louisiana have?

A. Lake Providence

A. Four

B. Monroe

B. Six

C. Colfax

C. Eight

D. Bordelonville

D. Ten

D. James Garfield 5. During the Civil War, president-

86 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

phrase, “The Economy, stupid,” this high-ranking strategist in the Bill Clinton campaign is a native of Louisiana. Who is he?

States John Kennedy visited Louisiana once. The official purpose was to dedicate a New Orleans facility. What was it?

A. The Superdome B. The World Trade Center

convention has been held in New Orleans. Who were the nominees for president and vice president?

A. Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale B. William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt

Name the Louisianians who received presidential appointments to the following positions and the president who appointed them.

C. New Orleans International Airport

• Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court.

D. The Nashville Avenue shipping terminal

• Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development • Ambassador, Organization of American States.

Harris & Ewing Collection at the Library of Congress; digital ID hec.39385

D. He was never President

10. One political nominating

6. Another General-as-futurepresident stayed in this Alexandria hotel in preparation for nearby World War II training maneuvers.

answers & scoring ANSWERS

1.B 2.A 3.D 4.C 5.A 6.C 7.C 8.B 9.D 10.D SCORING

Score 10 points for each correct answer: 0-20 Consult your nearest library.

30-60 Begin by buying a good road map.

70-90 You should run for office.

100 Candidate for a Ph.D. In Louisianaology.

rules Answer the BONUS QUESTION and be eligible to win an overnight stay for two at the luxurious PARAGON CASINO AND RESORT. Send in your answer on a postcard addressed to: Louisiana Life Bonus Question 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 Two winners will be drawn from among the correct answers. Each will receive an overnight stay for two at the recently expanded and remodeled Paragon Casino and Resort in Marksville. Winners’ names will be announced in the January/February 2016 issue.

from our may/june issue

Q

In some parts of the state either a certain tuber or a scoop of a particular dish are placed in the gumbo. What are they?

A

Sweet potato (yams) Potato salad

Winners are: Ruth Montgomery, Washington, La. Karen Trahan, Kaplan

LouisianaLife.com | 87

a louisiana life

in the bag Ruston designer creates stylish camera, baby and travel bags BY Megan hill

R

uston native Kelly Moore took a simple idea and transformed it into a wildly successful business. As a professional photographer, she dreaded carrying the typical, utilitarian black camera bag to photograph weddings. Why couldn’t a camera bag be just as stylish as other accessories?

The idea fell to the wayside when Moore and her husband — whose name is also Kelly — had their first child, but she never forgot about it.

“This bag idea just kept coming back up and back up, so I just said, ‘I’m gonna just pursue it until I can’t pursue it anymore.’

Either doors shut or it will work,” Moore says.

She worked with a New York designer to build a prototype, and in 2010 started selling the Kelly Moore bag from her garage. Moore and her husband have self-funded the project from the beginning, mortgaging their home to procure the cash for their start-up.

It was a risk that paid off; Moore sold out of her inventory within two months of going live.

“I didn’t really plan on making this a career. I just wanted a good looking bag and I figured we’d sell a few online,” she says.

But the business has been so successful that Moore now only takes photographs on the side, choosing instead to focus the majority of her time on the Kelly Moore Bag venture (KellyMooreBag.com). In the past six years, the company has added 19 bag styles and numerous color options. Each bag features organizing components like removable baskets and adjustable dividers, and the various styles are targeted towards hauling cameras and accessories, carry-on items for travel, various baby-related gear, and school supplies. In 2013, Moore purchased and renovated a 100-year-old building in downtown Ruston, and it’s become her company headquarters and flagship retail store. u

88 | Louisiana Life september/october 2016

Q&A What is your favorite local restaurant?

Sundown Tavern in Ruston What is your favorite Louisiana pastime?

Sitting on the porch during our hot summer evenings, talking and having a cocktail with my hubby.

What’s your favorite family activity in your area? We love to go to black bayou and walk the paths underneath the swampy canopy of trees. They also have a little museum, and my girls love looking at all the indigenous animals to this area.

PHOTO BY romero & romero

Moore’s other focus right now is building a farm with her husband. “It all started with a single chicken,” she says. They’ve recently purchased 30 acres near Monroe, which they’re planning on turning into a subsistence farm to feed the family, and potentially sell eggs on the side.