louisiana road trips

Louisiana Road Trips – 2 – www.la-road-trips.com

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Chennault Aviation and Military Museum

For three days in early November (5th-7th), the Chennault Aviation and MilitaryMuseum in Monroe will host the VietnamTraveling Memorial Wall. The wall is anapproximately 3/5 scale replica of the VietnamMemorial in Washington, D.C. and consists of 2wings, each 144 feet long. Greg Welsh, the WallManager, says 58,227 names of the servicemenand women who died in Vietnam are listed onthe Wall. That number, he says, demonstratesthat “the price of freedom is not free.”

Highly-decorated Vietnam veteran RonGriggs of Monroe is the project manager for theWall's visit to the museum. Griggs says openingceremonies will be at 9am on Friday, November5th. The ULM ROTC Color Guard will presentthe colors, and local mayors and lawmakerswill be on hand. The Wall will be open tovisitors around the clock until the closingceremonies at 4pm November 7th. Groups arewelcome (please notify the museum inadvance), and bus parking is available.

Saturday at 11am, Col. John Reitzell, adecorated veteran from Alabama, will speakand state lawmakers will be recognized;afterwards, the Northeast Louisiana chapter ofthe Louisiana Restaurant Association willprovide a free meal for veterans attending.During the closing ceremonies, MuseumDirector Nell Calloway and Curator Jerry

Smith will recognize all veterans inattendance, culminating the Wall's visit toMonroe.

While the Wall is at the museum, severaltents will be set up including a locator tent staffedwith volunteers to help people find the names ofloved ones and friends on the Wall. Another tentwill provide counseling and grievance assistancefor veterans. A third will house exhibits. Therewill also be a “meet-and-greet” tent as well as alarge tent for the ceremonies. There is no fee tovisit the Wall, although donations will beaccepted. The museum,which is also free, willbe open during itsregular operating hoursas well.

Volunteers arestill needed for avariety of tasks:helping to put up andtake down the wall,working in the locatortent, directingparking, and othernecessary jobs. Andit's not too late tobecome a sponsor!Call the museum tooffer help.

As a special kickoff to the event,filmmaker Rodney Ray of R-SquaredProductions will premiere his latestdocumentary featuring Vietnam veterans fromnortheast Louisiana telling of theirexperiences in the war. The showing willbegin at 6pm on Thursday, November 4th, atthe Jack Howard Theatre at the Monroe CivicCenter.

For more information or to volunteer,contact Ron Griggs or Nell Calloway at themuseum, (318) 362-5540.


Hometown Louisiana -A show to delight shoppers!

For several years the idea of resurrecting the successful arts and crafts show formerly held indowntown Bastrop was discussed among members of the Bastrop Main Street organizations. Prompted by avisit from community planning consultants, Hometown Louisiana was born,with the event name coming from the tag-line that Bastrop had been labeledduring a marketing study. Organizers have been busy planning a juried andupscale show to attract shoppers from northeast Louisiana and southwestArkansas who will be delighted with only hand-made and quality work toselect from.

Scheduled for Saturday, November 6th from 9am-5pm, HometownLouisiana will take place in the well-designed Morehouse Parish FarmersMarket in the historic district of Bastrop at 307 East Madison Street. Admissionis free and there will be an eating area on the loading dock behind the Marketfor those wanting to break from shopping to enjoy a snack or meal. Foodvendors will be offering Louisiana cuisine such as gumbo, chili, and cheesychicken spaghetti plates with all the trimmings.

Hometown hospitality will create an atmosphere that only a hometown such as Bastrop can offer.Shoppers will have a wide varietyof items to select from includingfine wood work, beautifulpaintings, children's clothing andaccessories, baby clothes, well-made yard furniture, gorgeousjewelry, custom designed purses,earth guided pottery, a widevariety of Christmas decorations,candles, soft sculpture, quilts,birdhouses, and homemaderelishes, plus much more.

Bill Tharpe, musicalperformer and local personality,will be performing at 1pm in theMarket plaza. Having recordedand performed with well-knownsaxophone player Ace Cannon,Hometown Louisiana is veryfortunate to have Bill making

music for this event.

Publicity for the show inmagazines and on billboards isbeing made possible by an in-kindgrant from the LA Office ofTourism (LouisianaTravel.com).For more information, pleasecontact Vicki Carpenter at 318 2815372 [email protected] you there!

PUBLISHERLRT Publications

______________________

EDITORIAL DIRECTORMona L. Hayden

[email protected](318) 547-1221

OUR GUARDIAN ANGELDebbie Hamilton Pope

June 14, 1952-August 24, 2008

SALESSunny Meriwether

(318) 547-8126

Mona L. Hayden(318) 547-1221

Mark Cobb, Media Specialist / [email protected] • (318) 734-4894

Websitewww.la-road-trips.com

Louisiana Road Trips magazine is publishedmonthly to promote, inform, and entertain theresidents of Louisiana. It is distributed FREE;however, home delivery is available. This magazinewill reach approximately 56,000 individuals.

Submission of articles and photos are alwayswelcome but may be limited to availability of spaceand edited for content.

Copyright 2010 with all rights reserved. Reproductionof any material appearing within this publication isprohibited without written permission of the Publishers.The opinions expressed in Louisiana Road Tripsmagazine are those of the authors or columnists anddo not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher,nor do they constitute an endorsement of products orservices herein. “Louisiana Road Trips” magazineretains the right to refuse any advertisement.

P. O. Box 2452West Monroe, LA 71294

(318) 547-1221

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Season Kickoff &Finding FriendsBy Johnny Wink

On the opening weekend for Teal season we had been hunting hard.It's been great to see the pretty sunrise over the flooded rice fields ofMorehouse Parish and the Teal flying in low over the rice stubble. We

were able to take a truck right up to one of my big blinds and stay dry. How easy can thatbe? And last weekend was opening day of Dove season and people all over the state wereout in the fields looking for the Mourning Dove, the first kickoff season of the year forhunters.

And as I write this (mid-Sept), tonight was the showing of a Mojo Outdoors HuntingAcross America TV show on Direct TV Channel 608. This month's show features my

business, Megabucks Duck Guides. This show will make youlaugh, I promise. It will repeat quite a few times so I hope youget to see it. I am in rare form!

We'll soon be planting food plots around our deer-standsand getting the feeders out, then back to working on our duckblinds and getting them ready. Where did the summer go? Iforgot to go swimming and I didn't even get me a watermelon.Too much to do and not enough time to do it.

Well, I did take the time to go to a class for computerssponsored by Northeastnet in Collinston, but it was one-on-one

because I just wanted to learn what I needed to know. It went well and I think I got thatfigured out. I was paying by the hour so when the teacher, Becky asked me what else wouldI like to do, I asked her about the thingy called Facebook.

She set me up and showed me a few things to do and how to make some friends. When Igot home I plugged it all back up and started to play with that new Facebook thing. Let metell you, I live in the sticks. It's really the fields instead of the sticks because there's not a lot ofwoods here. Rice can't grow in the woods. And I don't get into town that much anymore sinceit's an hour's drive each way. I'm single and most all my friends are married so their wivesdon't like me to hang with their husbands because I might tell them something fun that I didby myself, without a wife. They don't want their husbands to be tempted by all this. So I amhere playing with this Facebook deal and let me tell you, it exploded. I started to hear fromfriends that I haven't seen since high school. I'm still trying to figure out who some of thesepeople are that are now on my friend's list. I am sure I will remember them sooner or later.

You just write whatever you want on your wall and all your friends can see it and writeback about it or about something else. Its' a good way to get a message across to a lot ofpeople fast. I have just been on it for a few days now and have seen a lot. Last Sunday a

friend was feeling lousy and she was looking for a walk-inDoc office and wrote about it on Facebook. I told her to go tomy friends place and long story short, she thanked me forhelping her. I would not have known she was sick if it wasn'tfor Facebook. Another female friend's baby was sick and shewas asking for everybody to pray for her and her baby. Theresponse was overwhelming. I was amazed to see all thepeople come to her aid. They are both fine now. I would nothave known this if it wasn't for Facebook.

Hearing from people that I haven't heard from in years isgood. Now I don't feel like I live in the sticks any more. Onepress of a button and I can tell what my friends are doingand let them know what I am doing. And it's so easy to do.The only thing, I got to figure out what everyone can seeand what's private. I might get in trouble for what I say if Idon't want the world to know about it. There is a lot outthere on the Internet, I'm learning. Some good and somebad but this, I would have to say, is real good. Now I justgot to figure out how to put my Megabucks Duck GuideService on so I can start booking more hunts. So if y'all wantto be my friend on Facebook, go to the little search windowand type in Johnny Wink and let me add you. If any of y'allwant to book a hunt, please go to my web site or call me.Life is good being a duck guide in Jones, Louisiana.

I'm still tryingto figure outwho some of

these people arethat are now onmy friend's list.

ROAD TRIPS"Celebrating country living and city happenings!"

o c t o b e r c o n t e n t sBUSINESS REVIEW15 Rocking R Ranch

15 Nothing But Love by Carolyn Files

18 Bastrop’s Partners in Health

33 Sha Sha’s Move Makes Lake CharlesResidents Happy by Cheré Coen

35 Selecting the Right Dog Treats

DELTA OUTDOORS4 Season Kickoff & Finding Friends

by Johnny Wink

7 My Favorite Fishing Hole by Joe JoslinToledo Draw Down

FESTIVALS &ENTERTAINMENT

3 Hometown Louisiana

16 Webster Parish Main to Main

17 Bridge City Gumbo Festival

19 The Teddy Bearfest ‘10 HistoricalCelebration

20 Blues and BBQ on the Ouachita

21 14th Annual Three Rivers Art Festival

25 Peculiar Jaunts by Carey WeeksHorror Writer Michelle McCrary LeadsShreveport-Bossier Zombie Invasion

27 Bayou Lafourche Fall Festivals

28 Spine-tingling Thrills on the Bayou

29 NELA Celtic Festival

34 Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival

HISTORICAL2 The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall

29 Day Trip Coyote Curt by Su Stella

32 My European Vacation, Part IIby Lora Peppers

HUMOR12 A Life of Trial…and Error

by Dennis StewartIt’s Been a Lovely, Crazy Cruise

13 Runnin’ the Roads by Barbara SharikThe Dog Chow Diet

Talkin’It Up!

I recentlyspent sometime in NewOrleans witha group ofwriters fromaround thecountry. Weshared indescribably good food andattended a host of events like theSatchmo Seminars and Club Strut,White Linen Night, and the GreatAmerican Seafood Cook-Off. Ahighlight of the trip was a meal atCommander’s Palace when threeleading New Orleans chefs – ToryMcPhail of Commander’s Palace,Matt Murphy of M Bistro, andDonald Link of Cochon – prepareda specialty brunch menu for us thatwas simply overwhelming. Ah, theLouisiana Gulf seafood. There’snothing better, or safer, as I’velearned during this trip. Details areincluded in this month’s featurearticle, Viva Louisianne!

The New Orleans Conventionand Visitors Bureau was mostaccommodating and generous withtheir time and information. Drop byor give them a call when you’reready to explore their fine city andwant to make the most of your stay.Without question, just likeeverywhere else in Louisiana, NewOrleans is open and ready forbusiness. Come on in!

Let’s keep in touch.

MonaMona L. Hayden,Editor/[email protected](318) 547-1221


COVER CREDIT: TheChennault Aviation andMilitary Museum inMonroe hosts the VietnamTraveling Memorial WallNovember 5-7, 2010.Groups are welcome andbus parking is available.For more information, call(318) 362-5540, visitwww.chennaultammla.orgor read the article insidethis issue.

26 All Things Southern by Shellie TomlinsonBubba in Training

MONTHLY TIDBITS5 Talkin’ It Up!

8 Going Native by Larry BrockFinding the Magic

13 Backtalk

14-15 On the Scene – by Deborah BurstThe New New Orleans

25 Louisiana Lagniappe – Remember When

26 A Dish that Makes a Difference

30-31 October Calendar of Events

32 Louisiana Lagniappe Answers

33 Gardening Gatherings by Mae Flager

RECIPES24 Recipes by Stacy Thornton

ROAD TRIPS6 A Capital Road Trip by Lee Estes

9-10 Viva Louisianne! by Mona L. Hayden

11 Minden Cemetery Ghost Walk – A LivingHistory Lesson

22 Travel Adventure by Dianne NewcomerWhistling Down the Mountain

23 Hit the Road – by Deborah BurstA trail of heroes in Prince WilliamCounty, Virginia

A Capital Road TripNo Planes, No Passport - All in One Day!By Lee Estes

Thetravelindustryhas

always promoted excursions tocapital cities - London, Paris, andRome being among the mostpopular, followed by Lisbon,Madrid, Athens, and Vienna.Over the past few years, I visitedall of them a time or two plus alot more. But it didn't requireplanes, a passport, or much morethan one day! Instead, it was justa little road trip to threeLouisiana namesakes of famousEuropean locales. This jauntvisited Vienna, Lisbon, andAthens. On another adventurewithin North Louisiana, I couldvisit Copenhagen and Warsaw.

Vienna is a few miles northof Ruston on US167. Nothing toremind you of its Austrian

counterpart. Not even thepronunciation of the name. Localscall it Vye-enna, not Ve-enna.There is little to remind you, otherthan a marker stating Vienna wasthe original seat of government inLincoln Parish and the majorcenter of commerce in NorthCentral Louisiana a century ormore ago. Little commercialactivity in Vienna today, just a cityhall, usually closed except formeetings concerning villagebusiness, and First Baptist Churchfacing 167. The church, of whitepainted frame construction, is themost imposing structure one seeswhen passing through.

Lisbon is on LA Highway 2in Claiborne Parish about tenmiles east of Homer. Much ofwhat once existed as a town iseither deserted or no longerexistent. The town flourished withan oil boom during the early 20thcentury when derricks and pumpjacks dotted the landscape. Noderricks stand today with pumpjacks still scattered about. Oneresident told me of an ancientwooden rig still standing in thevicinity. A sizable frame structure,a general store serving thecommunity in years past, stillstands as a reminder of Lisbon'sformer prosperity. On the east sideof town, a gasoline refinery haslong since disappeared, but thetank farm adjoining it remains,secured by DEQ because there wassome leakage from one or more ofthe tanks. Where the high schoolonce stood is occupied by HintonWell Services who appear to be themost prominent commercialoperation in town. Another schoolstands abandoned just north oftown. The Kilgore House, animposing home with four tallcolumns across the front, sits atthe junction of LA2 and LA518.The Kilgore family was importantto oil production and explorationin the Claiborne Oil Field. Thehome, in excellent condition, is on

the National Register.Athens, like Vienna in Lincoln,

served as the seat of ClaiborneParish until mid nineteenth century.In 1848, a fire believed to be arsonbut never proven, destroyed thecourthouse and all the recordswithin. With more residentsscattered about the area, Homerwas considered to be a more centrallocation parish-wise, and Athenslost its political importance in 1850.Today, Athens has a more typicalappearance of a small town thanVienna or Lisbon with two schoolsanchoring the center of town. Fromits appearance, I believe Mt. OliveChristian School occupies theformer Athens High School. If so, itis refreshing to find an abandonedschool complex occupied andhealthy instead of abandoned andvandalized. This is just anassumption, but I hope it is true.Athens has been plagued with fires,as many towns were when everybuilding in town was wood. I'vealready mentioned the courthousedisaster in 1848, but there wasanother in 1919 which leveled manystores. You find Athens at theintersection of LAHighways 9 and 518between Arcadia andHomer.

Now, a fewsentences about Vienna,Austria; Lisbon,Portugal; and Athens,Greece. In Vienna, thePalace of Shoenbrunnand The Hofberg aretwo sites no visitorshould miss. Lisbon,Portugal iscomplimented by itssurroundings; Belem,Queluz, Sintra, andMafra are all nearbywhile the Alfama andBaixa are within theinner city. All of them,as Michelin would say,"are worth a visit."Athens, Greece

overwhelms the visitor with history.To witness the exquisite architectureand sculpture of a civilization thatflourished 2500 years ago is a trulyunique experience.

Lee Estes, a Kentucky native, migrated toLouisiana in 1956 with his wife, Lottie.He worked in aviation then with A&LMRailway. He began making photographsin Europe after WWII and ranked amongthe leading monochrome exhibitionphotographers in the U.S. during the80’s. His extensive travels includedleading tours across the globe. Lee hasauthored three photo/documentary booksand is currently involved with thedocumentation of The Dixie OverlandHighway (US80) in Louisiana, funded bya grant from the Louisiana Endowmentfor the Humanities

Historic Marker, Vienna, LA

Former General Store< Lisbon, LA

Kilgore Home, Lisbon, LA



Toledo Draw DownHello, Anglers.

Don't ya just loveOctober in Louisiana? Ifyou enjoy fishing, it isone of the best months ofthe year as cool air and

normally stable weather makes for greatconditions. Some of the biggest news this fallaround my favorite fishing hole has to do withthe lake draw-down. According to info from theSRA (Sabine River Authority), which overseesthe operating of the lake/dam, there will be adraw-down of the waterlevel to 165 feet msl (meansea level) which started justafter Labor Day. The lakewas already down severalfeet to just over 167 feet atthe time the draw-downwas announced. Full pool isconsidered to be 172' msl.

The main purpose of the draw-down is torepair multiple holes in the dam structure,usually done every 3-6 years. Being around thelake for over 30 years, I've observed that fall is agood time to make these repairs as the lake is

usually low following summer andfishermen and boaters aren't as plentiful. Ioften fish along the dam and can personallyverify the need of repairs.

As a lakefront property owner, I fullyunderstand the irritation when draw-downsoccur but this is standard around any largeimpoundment. In early September,neighboring Lake Sam Rayburn was 158.35'with Rayburn's full pool at 164.4 so Rayburnis down just over 6 feet. Draw-downs canalso assist in controlling grass, especially

around piers/docks, without the useof chemicals.If you're in the market for lakefrontproperty, the draw-down really givesyou a good look at any prospectiveproperty you might be interested insince much of the lakefront will beexposed. Unless you are familiar with

the lake, the spring/early summer may be theleast favorable time to purchase since it isnormally full of water then and looks great.It's common for new lake property owners toalmost panic the last part of summer as lakelevels recede but it is the normal ebb and flow

of a huge man-madereservoir. Even withouta draw-down it'scommon for Toledolevels to fall to 168' orless by September 1,about 4-feet below fullpool, due to lack ofrain, high powerdemand andevaporation. Property

owners on the northernhalf of the lake areimpacted to a greaterdegree during a draw-down than those on thesouthern end becausethis area is typicallymore shallow. At 165'levels, unless a propertyowner above PendletonBridge (mid-lake area)has a creek running justin front of property orhas dug a canal, theywill temporarily losesome of the use of their property.

Another positive factor about a draw-down is that fishing usually improves and inthe fall months it is always good-to-excellent.With low levels it is also a great time to learnthe lake asridges/points/ditches/creeks/humps aremore exposed, making it easier to find andread. However, use EXTREME caution asyou run the lake and run the boat lanes tightand when heading into main feeder creeksuse even greater caution.

Finally, if you're in the market for a lakehouse or retirement home, the fall season iswhen great deals can be made as sellersprefer getting out before winter. The Bend isone of the jewels of Louisiana...come on andjoin us! Joe Joslin is a syndicated outdoor columnist,tournament angler and pro guide on Toledo and SamRayburn. Contact him at 337-463-3848 [email protected]. and WEBSITEwww.joejoslinoutdoors.com

MY FAVORITE FISHING HOLE By Pro Guide, Joe Joslin

Toledo regularangler, BillYoungblood, with abig largemouth basscaught during lastdrawdown. Visible inbackground is thelarge area ofexposed shoreline.

The draw-downreally gives you

a good look atany prospective

property.


Anothersummer ofheat anddrought. Afew moregarden

fancies bit the dust. In a sea of fadedgreen foliage, some leaves beganshedding early. But in mid-August,after three dry months at my house,the rains finally came. From miseryto magic!

Autumn is the season ofendings and harvest. Farmers beganharvesting in late August,accelerating intoSeptember as fieldsyielded theirincrease. Corn,soybeans, hay, riceand cotton. Daysgrew noticeablyshorter. Dusty sunsets followed byfull moonrises. Then the Septemberequinox, a moment frozen in theinexorable advance of the seasons.It's the instant when time and lightare perfectly balanced. All things areone. But in a blink the wheel turnedand the cycle continued. Anothergrowing season ended as fruitsripened and seeds matured.

Where's the magic? As Crystalearned, "All the magic of creationexists within a single, tiny seed." Onekernel of corn can produce over 600

kernels! Plus the cob, an eightfoot stalk of biomass, androots reaching four feet intothe ground. Talk about magic!From another perspective, anentire forest can grow from asingle acorn, if you give ittime and space. It's no hocus-pocus. It's just the wonder ofthe natural world and the Onewho created it.

Nature in autumn is acornucopia of blooms andfruit and nuts and seed, offalling leaves and birds that

feed. Septembercame trimmedin purple-ripened kabobsof beauty berry,danglingracemes of poke,

and hanging clusters ofelderberries. Boneset,ironweed, obedient plant andtiny pink-puffed sensitiveplant too. Other fall color isprovided by asters, cardinalflower, cosmos, eveningprimrose, goldenrod, obedientplant, swamp mallows, tallconeflowers and more. Be sureand look, for to paraphraseone little girl, "Flowers areprettier if somebody'slooking."

Autumn is vining timeagain. Trumpet-creepers clinchpower poles and twine along thewires. Hummers ride these"orange-blossom specials",cypress vines and coralhoneysuckles too. Robins andmockers relish buckvine andVirginia creeper fruit. Wrensshelter in jessamine-vine thickets.

It's worlds within worlds.Summer phlox host hummingmoths at dusk and dawn, thenswallowtails at noon. Bloominggoldenrods nourish butterfliesand bees. Hawk moths nectar atevening gingers. Squirrels gnawon green pecans and litter theground with cuttings. Cuckoosfeed on webworms above whilerobins forage in the meadowbeyond. Hummers sip fromsalvias and sages. Fritillariesfavor lantanas and mockingbirdsgorge on elders. Dragons andswallows dart and dive. Greenanoles cling to garden postswhile frantic frogs flee excitedyoung girls eager for their prince.

Climate volatility challengestraditional landscape designs.Fatalities caused by a multi-yeardrought have created openingsfor new plant communities.Rather than mass plantings of asingle exotic species, consider anassortment of native speciesscattered across the yard in anatural setting. Whether freeze orflood or drought or snow,something will survive to sproutand bloom and fruit and grow. Inaddition, a diversity of nativeplants supports a healthy wildlifecommunity. By designing withnature, gardeners enhance theenvironment and benefitthemselves.

It's time to modify ourthinking. Globally destructivebehaviors threaten our world.Some natural resources aredepleted faster than they can bereplenished. Assets that requiredmillions of years to accumulateand can never be recovered arebeing exhausted in a matter of

decades. It recalls an old song,"The days of wine and roseslaugh and run away like a childat play, Through a meadow landtoward a closing door, A doormarked "nevermore .."

One songsmith wrote,"There's a simple harmony to life- a magic thing, when I walkamong the flowers and trees andfeel the earth beneath my feetand remember that air webreathe is a magic thing." Findthe magic in your own backyardby Going Native. Give me eyesto see the wonders all aroundme. Give me vision to preservethem for the sake of mygrandchildren.

A life-long resident of Lake Providence,Larry Brock was inspired by hisgrandfather’s passion for gardening andhis own desire to recover thehorticultural uniqueness of this region.Larry is drawn to the relationshipsbetween plants, birds, insects and soiland can be found puttering outdoors inhis yard most any time, weatherpermitting.

Finding the MagicGOING NATIVE By Larry Brock

"All the magicof creation existswithin a single,

tiny seed."


Viva Louisianne!Still Home to World-Class Jazz & Celebrated Seafood CuisineBy Mona L. Hayden

Quaint andcharming are wordsoften related to smalltowns that exude

friendliness and a sense of communitygenerally lacking in larger cities; however,that's not always the case. Welcome to NewOrleans, my friend, an enchantingmetropolitan areainfused with a strongunity and resiliencyamong its people thatrecreates that smalltown ambiance. Here,you're greeted byproud locals andexcited visitors that add to the ever presentenergy radiating throughout the Crescent City,day and night.

From the perpetual sounds of jazz in thestreets to the frequent festivals andcelebrations, New Orleans guarantees to feed,entertain, and delight even the mostdiscriminating guest beyond expectations.Enjoy museums, the arts, and unlimitedshopping by day, then savor some of theworld's most renowned cuisine and nightlifeas the sun sets on the Mississippi River. A cityrich in history and culture, New Orleansboasts unique French Creole architecture and,of course, the 2009 Super Bowl championNew Orleans Saints. During the last severalyears as Louisiana began offering taxincentives for music and theater productions,the city earned yet another label - 'BroadwaySouth' or 'Hollywood of the South'. Howeveryou tag it, New Orleans remains the samewhile reinventing itself as a prime touristdestination.

The indigenous cuisine is reason alone tovisit the city. At M Bistro, located inside thefive-star Ritz-Carlton Hotel at 921 Canal Street(504-524-1331),Chef MattMurphy takes aunique approachto fine dining.His market totable fareincludes an arrayof Louisianaseafood dishessuch as seafoodor duck gumbo,crawfish

ettouffee, barbeque shrimp over grits. Orindulge with an authentic New Orleans styleroast beef po-boy with thin fries in trufflesauce sprinkled with cheese shavings. Theencore to such a fabulous meal - a sampling ofMatt's grandmother's apple pie, breadpudding, or Creole cheesecake with sautéedpeaches.

When asked about the safetyof Louisiana Gulf Coast seafood,Matt was quick to say, “Louisianaseafood has never been safer. Withfive different governmentalregulatory agencies testing eachcatch as it comes in from the Gulf,there's not much room for error.

Every catch is tagged with a GPS location foreasy identification and accountability. This has

never beendonebefore.”TheUniversityof NewOrleans(UNO)also tests

retrieved seafood a couple times each day,further reinforcing the safety of Gulf products.According to the Louisiana SeafoodPromotion & Marketing Board, almost a thirdof the domestic seafood consumed in the U. S.comes fresh from Louisiana waters. The stateis the country's top provider of shrimp,oysters, crab, crawfish and alligatorproduction and a close second in the harvestof fin fish.

Board Chairman Harlon Pearce refers toNew Orleans as the seafood capitol of theworld. His company, Harlon's LA Fish &Seafood, typically moves 20-40,000 pounds ofseafood through his warehouse coolers eachday. Although the Gulf oil spill has reducedthese numbers, Governor Bobby Jindal isoptimistic about regaining momentum asprogress continues. He summarizes thatcommercial and recreational fishing is a $4

billion industry that is important to the stateand the nation. Jindal is also quick to expresshis confidence in the perseverance andresiliency of native Louisianans. “We haveovercome hurricanes before, economicdownturns before, and there is no challengetoo big for our people.”

NewOrleanscontinuesto set thetable forresidentsandvisitorsalike.While dining recently at Lüke, one of ChefJohn Besh's dynasties located at 333 St.Charles Street (504-378-2840www.lukeneworleans.com), the seafood wasplentiful and as expected, scrumptious. Thecasual atmosphere combined with exceptionalfare and service makes this destination aremarkable dining experience. Enjoybreakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, and afabulous array of appetizers and dessertsalong with their full bar including specialtybeers from a nearby brewery. From lobster,oysters, shrimp, clams, mussels, crabs, andceviche, the seafood is as much in demandnow as it ever was.

Another extraordinary New Orleansculinary event takes place at 613 Royal Street(504-522-7261) at Court of Two Sisters. Aptlynamed for two aristocratic Creole sisters,Emma and Bertha Camors (born in 1858 and1860), the restaurant celebrates the city'shistory of good food and music with theirinfamous Daily Jazz Brunch where jazzmusicians perform amid cascading fountains,wrought iron, and wisteria as guests dine on abuffet of more than 80 items reflective ofLouisiana culture. Select from the menu or ahot and cold buffet with made-to-orderomelets and more, much more. The afternoonand evening feasts are just as impressive toadmire as they are to enjoy.

Synonymous with New Orleans andLouisiana cuisine, Commander's Palace is aguaranteed culinary adventure that's worldrenowned. Tucked in the New OrleansGarden District at 1403 Washington Avenue(504-899-8221), this flagship restaurant hasbeen serving award winning cuisine since

Chef Matt Murphy and Mona continued on next page > > >

The city earnedyet another label -'Broadway South'

or 'Hollywood ofthe South'.


1880. Today, ChefExtraordinaire ToryMcPhail, winner ofthe 2009 GreatAmerican SeafoodCookoff, continues todazzle diners with hisacclaimed disheswhile continuing thetradition of Creoleand American legacy.His 'dirt to platewithin 100 miles” policy dictates that 90% ofingredients used in the restaurant come from100 miles of their back door. Thediscriminating menu here features localseafood, farm raised products, and fruits,vegetables, and herbs grown and harvestedon the rooftop of the restaurant. From theirmuch requested brandy milk punch todecadent desserts like Creole Bread PuddingSoufflé and Crème Brulee stenciled with a

fleur de lispatternsurroundbyscorched local sugarcane to BananasFoster for two, every bite is to besavored. Enjoy live jazz tablesidewhile dining on some of the world'sfinest food. It's truly an experiencenot to be denied.

Tommy's Cuisine at 746 Tchoupitoulas Street (504-581-1103) in theheart of the Warehouse District is another fine restaurant veneratingthe historic culture of New Orleans. Serving classic Creole Italian andFrench fare ranging from veal, chicken, lamb, and duck to oysters andshrimp prepared every which way to fresh fish, shrimp, crab, andcrawfish, you're sure to be satisfied with any selection.

No visit to New Orleans would be complete without thecustomary stop at Café du Monde at 800 Decatur Street (504-587-0833).This notorious French Market coffee stand has been serving up beignetsand coffee with chicory since 1862 and still commands a full house.

Louisiana seafood is integrated into just about every dish servedin the most reputable and popular restaurants in the city. After all, it'sbeen said that next to Parisians, the people of New Orleans have themost refined taste for food of any city in the world. After dining atthese remarkable restaurants, I beg to differ as we may have exceededthat comparison. However, you can't spend all your time at the tablewhen the Crescent City offers so much to see and do. But don't justtake my word for it. Awards bestowed in 2010 include being the #1best city for singles in America and one of the country's top ten cities,according to Travel + Leisure Magazine (July 2010).

TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Award (May, 2010) designated NewOrleans as the best destination for nightlife in the entire world! Theyalso declared it to be the best of 25 top destinations in the country, thethird best destination in the U.S and the fourth in the world for greatfood and wine, and the ninth best destination in the U.S. for cultureand sightseeing. Other recognition includes being the favorite largecity for a weekend getaway by AAA Southern Traveler (Summer, 2010)

while ESPYS (July, 2010) dons the New Orleans Saints as the best teamand Saint Quarterback Drew Brees as the best male athlete, best NFLplayer, and best championship performance. Another accoladebestowed was from WalletPop.com who listed New Orleans as one ofthe top ten best cities for hotels and vacations in 2010.

While recently visiting New Orleans for an extended weekendand dining on seafood prepared every way imaginable, I was pleasedto discover all the precautions taken to ensure the safety of LouisianaGulf Seafood. It seems that once again Louisiana has successfullynavigated itself around another obstacle and has come through evenstronger! So what are you waiting for? Drive on down to New Orleanswhere the living is still easy, the food indescribably delicious, and thelocals have the welcome mat out just for you. Viva Louisianne!

Viva Louisianne! continued


Minden Cemetery Ghost Walk –A Living History Lesson

On Saturday, November 13,2010, the Old Minden Cemeteryoff Pine Street on Bayou Avenuein Minden, LA will hold the 7thannual ghost walk. Tours willbegin at Noon on SaturdayNovember 13th, 2010 with the lastone starting at 3pm and lasting alittle over an hour (event held rain

or shine). The event is expected todouble in attendance from 2009.Schelley Brown, tour organizer,says, “Every year at noon, peoplebegan to line up in anticipation ofbeing the first to see these livinghistory tours. The past toursbrought people to Minden fromCalifornia, North Carolina,Oklahoma, Florida, Texas,Arkansas and Nebraska to seetheir ancestors portrayed. Brownobserved that the crowds haveincreased each year as well as theamount of money raised for theCemetery Association, a nonprofitorganization formed to helpmaintain the perpetual care of oneof Minden's oldest burial places.

This year the tour will havemany new Ghosts and all newhistory lessons from actors inperiod costumes portrayingMinden's past leading citizens.You be entertained and educatedas you watch some newcharacters come to life.

Ghost Walk is like steppingback in time as you hear storiesbeing told. It's an amazing sightto behold as your tour guideescorts you to each historicalscene. Many tour sites includehistorical props and a few actorsare actual decedents of thepeople they are portraying. See

Confederate soldiers along withearly business leaders, teachers,doctors and politicians in this rareopportunity to learn about pastcommunity leaders, citizens andhistory. Ghost Walk teaches howMinden's women and menendured through great hardshipsand strived to overcome obstaclesto make Minden what it is today.

“We anticipate havingadditional draws for visitorsevery year,” Brown stated. “Withmany new stops this year, it willbe hard to pick your favorite.”Brown also emphasized that shecould not do any of this withoutWebster parish historian, JohnAgan, and all the talented peopleand guides who volunteer theirtime and efforts to make thisannual tour a huge success.

Members of the MindenCemetery board also want toacknowledge the Webster ParishConvention and Visitors Bureau,the Dorcheat HistoricalAssociation Museum and theMinden Historic ResidentialAssociation for their support ofthis event.

Tickets are available at thegate only and are $10/adults and$4/children under 12. For moreinformation on the MindenCemetery and the annual tour,visithttp://www.mindencemetery.blogspot.com or Facebook, or contactSchelley Brown at 318-423-0192 orat [email protected].

It's Been a Lovely, Crazy CruiseOn Sunday,

August 29, 2010, myfriends and I (ten of usin all) arrive at theterminal in Galveston,Texas, to board the

Carnival Conquest for a seven day cruise toJamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.

No one is allowed to take pictures orvideos during the boarding process. There is areason for that. The boarding process ishellishly chaotic. They have two metaldetectors to process 2,900 passengers. Youstand in line and wait and wait and wait. Myfriends who are cruise veterans tell me thatthe process is much easier inthe New Orleans terminal. TIP:Plan your next cruise out of theport of New Orleans. AvoidGalveston like the deux.

Monday and Tuesday aresailing days, I mean “Fun Days”. You cannotspend cash while on the ship. Instead, youmust buy a “Fun Pass”, and every time youmake a purchase, it is credited against yourcash reserve in your Fun Pass. I funded minethe first day with $140 cash. My account isimmediately reduced to $70. Why, you mayask. Well, because Carnival takes out agratuity for its employees right off the top.Carnival has assumed that in my case Iintend to tip their employees $70 at the end ofthe cruise, so they kindly take care of that forme. TIP: Don't assume that you have theauthority to make such decisions. You are nolonger in the U.S., amigo.

Nevertheless, all the ship's employees areextremely courteous. None of them areAmericans. They come from India, thePhillippines, Croatia, etc. I am told that theship does not hire Americans because they do

not have asuitable workethic. Be thatas it may, thestewards andwaiters andbar tenders arevery nice andhard working,though it isdifficult to

understand what they are saying at times. Forexample, I ask two different employees howmuch a picture of me made by the shipphotographer costs. They both say “99 cents”.However, when the cashier rings it up, it is

$9.99. What the heck, I do look good in it,and it is not real money since it comes offmy Fun Pass so I buy it anyway.

The food is excellent and all you caneat. Monday at dinner I order four shrimpcocktail appetizers, plus the prime rib plate,plus the lobster and shrimp plate, plus twocreme brules and three scoops ofstrawberry ice cream for dessert. I makefriends with Mica, our head waiter, who isfrom Croatia. She will later give us sageadvice before we enter every port.

Wednesday we go ashore in MontegoBay, Jamaica for a few hours. I findMargarittaville and buy T-shirts and a Red

Stripe beer. I remember Jamaicafondly. Thursday we go ashorein Grand Cayman in theCayman Islands. We only have7 hours before the ship leaves.At the pier we are hustled by

tour guides. One lady promises us a tour ofthe island for $15 each, $150 for the 10 of us.She says we will begin our tour in 15minutes. We pay her the money and wait asshe tries to hustle up more tourists. We waitand wait. Nearly an hour passes. We decideto demand our money back. I use my lawyertone of voice and when she laughs in myface, I look for a port authority policeman.Tommy, who has received Purple Hearts inPanama (gun shots) and Afghanistan(suicide bomber and IED), tells her he isabout to create a scene like she has neverwitnessed. She relents; another guide offersto do the job for $10 each and we have agreat tour. We see dolphins and we go toHell. Literally. Hell, Cayman Islands is afamous tourist attraction. I buy a T-shirtsaying I attended the University of Hell.Then I find the Cayman IslandMargaritaville and have a free margarita andbuy more T-shirts. Despite the tour guideincident, I remember the Cayman Islandsfondly.

Friday we go ashore in Cozumel,Mexico. I had intended it to be the highlightof my trip because I had opted for theCarnival bottom-fishing excursion. A sixteenyear old member of our group, Suzannah,has the same excursion. I have been tellingher about my prior two bottom-fishingexperiences in Gulf Shores, where I caughtred snappers two at a time on tandemhooks. I have never failed to catch less than15 fish while bottom fishing in Gulf Shores.She is even more excited than I am. With

twelve of us on the boat, the trip is to last 3 _hours. Instead of going out in the ocean, wenever get more than 300 yards from theshoreline. We float by the CozumelMargaritaville which I missed out on because ofmy plans to bottom-fish. They give us freeMexican beer called “SOL” beer. At the time, Ithink that means “sun” in Mexican. No one getsa strike. We are all fishing so close together thatthe deck hands are constantly untangling ourlines. A couple hours later, the boat starts up andmoves around but never far from shore.

My hook gets snagged on some immovableobject on the bottom. The fishing line stretchestight and then the hook comes loose suddenly,creating a gigantic bird nest in my reel. TheMexican deck hand looks disgusted and askswhy did I release the drag and cause this mess. Inever touched the drag. He acts like he doesn'thear me and he keeps sourly saying I releasedthe drag while he tries to untangle the bird nest.He has a very unique job approach for someonewho works for tips. I decide to rattle his cageand ask him why the fish aren't biting. I tell himI have bottom-fished twice in Gulf Shores,where I caught red snappers two at a time ontandem hooks. I tell him I never failed to catchless than 15 fish while bottom fishing in GulfShores. I ask him how in the heck anyone canland a fish (if by some miracle he hooks one)when everyone's lines stays tangled up. He sayssomething to the other deck hands in Mexican.Suzannah hooks a monster snapper and landshim. We are all excited but by the end of the daytwelve fishermen have caught a total of fivefish. I never got a strike. On the way back to theharbor we drink the free Mexican beer anddecide that “SOL” actually means “If you thinkyou are going to catch a fish on this boat, youare S.O.L.”

Saturday is another Fun Day. We arrive inGalveston early Sunday morning. I have spentall my cash and maxed out one credit card, but Iborrow money from the others in my group so Ican tip my steward and my head waiter evenmore than Carnival thought I should.

I'm glad I did the cruise. It's one more itemI can check off my bucket list, but a cruise willnever compare to hunting bears in Wyomingand Idaho. And next time I want to bottom-fish,it will be in Gulf Shores, in the good ole USA,where you are never S.O.L.

Dennis Stewart grew up in northeast Louisiana, graduatedfrom La Tech and LSU Law School. After having taughtlaw at ULM and working as an Assistant DistrictAttorney, Dennis is now a Hearing Officer in Rayville. Heloves to hunt, fish, read, write, and shop on eBay.

A LIFE OF TRIAL…AND ERROR By Dennis Stewart


My account isimmediately

reduced to $70.

When I goshopping it's akin totaking a road trip. Youlive in the country,everywhere is a roadtrip. I've learned to

shop large. That is, I don't just run to the storeand pick up a loaf of bread, I go to the storeand pick up some of everything. I keep arunning list on my 'fridge, right beside the To-Do list. Both stay full.

Yesterday was mysemi-monthly shoppingroad trip and I was atWalmart buying,among a ton of otherthings, two large bagsof Old Roy dog chowfor my pack of rescueyard dogs. I was in the checkout line mindingmy own business when the guy behind measked if I had a dog. I'm thinking, whadayathink I've got? An alligator? I mean, I've got100 pounds of dog food in my buggy. Well, itused to be 100 pounds, nowit's only 88, a marketingploy to keep us dumbshoppers happy because theguys who think this stuff upreally do believe we won'tnotice. What they do is, inorder to avoid raisingprices, they keep the pricethe same, chop down thesize of the bag and fill itwith less. Therefore, whatwas once a 50 pound bag isnow a 44 pound bag butcosts the same.

Devious marketers didthat with candy bars andcoffee many years ago too.But after awhile, even withless content, priceseventually crept upward. Ofcourse by then, shoppershad gotten used to buying13-ounces of coffee insteadof a round-pound. Creativitywas involved with theshrunken candy bar. Whenoffered back at its originalsize, it had “kingsize”stamped on the package andthe price doubled.

Back to the man standing behind me.His question reminded me of what I'masked all summer long: Is it hot enough foryou? And I always look 'em square in theface and say, “Nope. I wish it was hotter.”The resulting look I get from my response ispriceless. I then laugh and add, “Of courseit's hot enough for me.” Mostly they sighwith relief. I don't know if they realize theirquestion was dumb or if I'm nuts.

On impulse I told this guy that no, Ididn't have a dog. I explained that Iwas starting the Old Roy Diet again,adding that I probably shouldn'tbecause the last time I went on it, eventhough I'd lost 50 pounds, I'd ended upin the hospital in the Intensive CareUnit. But, I added, it was for all intentsand purposes, a perfect diet. He looked

quite concerned, not to mention a littleconfused. So I clarified how it worked,telling him I filled my pants pockets, mypurse, and all the candy dishes at my houseand office with Old Roy nuggets. Then every

time a hunger pangpinged, I'd nibble onnuggets. After all, dog foodis nutritionally complete.

I said, since it worked so perfectly Idecided to try it again. (Let me say thateverybody in the checkout line wasspellbound listening to my doggie tale --pardon the pun). Totally aghast, the guy askedwhy had I ended up in ICU? Did the dog foodpoison me? I told him nope, I got thisuncontrollable urge to step off the curb andsniff after a chipper Chihuahua and a car hitme. I thought the people in line behind theguy were gonna have hissy-fit spasms fromlaughing so hard. Well, now I believe thesmiling Walmart greeter sounds a silent alarmupon my arrival because when I'm ready tocheckout I'm encouraged to use the self-checkout lane and to move along rapidly. Theydiscourage me from engaging in conversationwith fellow shoppers. I can't help that mymind works in humorously mysterious ways.If a joke can be made, I'm gonna make it.“Chow, Baby.” Dog chow, that is.

Barbara Sharik makes her home at Wit's End in Jones,Louisiana with a couple old dogs, young dogs and severalstupid dogs, a cat, a talking cockatiel and a white dove.She's active in civic affairs, serves as a Justice of thePeace, a Notary Public, is the Clerk for the Village ofBonita and a columnist for the Bastrop Daily Enterprise.She has authored several books. You can e-mail Barbaraat [email protected].

I don't know ifthey realize

their questionwas dumb or if

I'm nuts.


The Dog Chow DietRUNNIN’ THE ROADS By Barbara Sharik

The Fiske Theatre in Oak Grove (byChere Coen, Sept 2010) is one of myfavorite places to spend a little timewhen I need to slow down a bit.Reminds me of my childhood in a smallrural town in south Louisiana.

Melissa H., Monroe

Me and several of my friends went to theSt. Matthew SockHop last year and really

enjoyed it… we bought tickets as soon as they went on sale this year. Iwas so happy to see this event on your cover (Sept 2010) and hope evenmore people show up this year. Thanks!

Brenda W., Sterlington

Got this (LRT) through one of your writers, Barbara Sharik. Loved readingthe stories. Johnny Wink was hilarious. Keep up the good work.

Edith Lewis, Maryland

I really enjoyed the article about great places to watch football games inNew Orleans (Deb Burst, Sept 2010). I wish she'd write about this forevery city in Louisiana. I travel for work and am hanging on to that issuefor when I'm in New Orleans.

Lynn G., Leesville

This paper just gets better every month. Please don't ever stop printing it.Jack R., Natchitoches

BACK

TALK

On The Scene

The New New OrleansA model for disaster reform By Deborah Burst

Without power, phones or internet, Ispent months cut off from the outside world,sheltered from the horrific scenes of mayhem,death, and a complete meltdown of ourgovernment. As I rebuilt my home andbusiness, I began a poetic purge preachinggood news, writing about the unsung heroesand what makes New Orleans so special.

Now, after five years, it was time towatch the videos, to study five years ofdocumentaries, tocelebrate five years ofprogress, and to joinothers in finishing thejob. I attended a weeklong media event inNew Orleans listeningto nonprofit panels, anall day “Crisis Breeds Creativity” conference,a sneak preview of the State's Katrina Exhibit,along with tours of neighborhoods, schoolsand sites of new medical facilities.The Leaders

In our darkest hour, volunteers fromaround the country came to our rescue, andthousands continue to pour in joining localnonprofits, the driving force in bringingpeople back.

It started with weekly meetings just toshare memories of a lost community. Fromthere neighborhoods formed nonprofits

rebuilding bettercommunities.According to the UrbanInstitute, nonprofitsrose from 3,562 to 4,007,and theycontinue toforge ahead,especially theninth wardand NewOrleans East,

twoneighborhoods

who are still fighting to come back. Young professionals are

streaming into the city spiking thenumber of new businesses past thenational rate, led in part by GNOInc., Tulane University and Ideavillage. And average wages havegrown by 14 percent matching the

national average, and there is a greater share ofmiddle class and upper income families.

Add to that a new political leader, MayorMitch Landrieu, who has hit the groundrunning, working hard to unite the city andbring true character to government. Just weeksbefore the anniversary he announced that onehundred recovery projects from libraries to firestations to parks have been approved afteryears of red tape. "We are not rebuilding the

city that was; we are rebuilding thecity that is to be," preached Landrieu. Measurements

A master plan was developedby civic and government officials, ablueprint for cities across the nationand beyond promoting livability,economic opportunity, and

sustainability. The Brookings Institutedocuments the progress of recovery with a lookinto the future at schools, health care, criminaljustice reform, creating neighborhoods ofopportunity, and the new framework forrestoring coastal wetlands.

The greater New Orleans area hasreceived $27 billion of improvements includingthe VA hospital, flood protection, road homemoney, and money for coastal erosion to namea few. We are now at 78% of the pre-stormpopulation and 70% of pre-storm job figures,but we have seen a 49% rise in rents, 65,000vacant residential units and still suffer withdamaged infrastructure and diminished publicservices. However 15,000 affordable rentalunits have been built and 59 of the city's 68neighborhoods have substantially recovered.

SchoolsDuring the anniversary week the federal

government released $1.8 billion for schoolswhich will expedite the building of 85 newand completely renovated schools over thenext 6-8 years. Paul Pastorek, Louisiana StateSchool Superintendent, said in a WWL radiointerview that the cost of maintenance will bereduced due to newer schools and lowerenergy costs. “All schools will be built to theSilver Leed standard, second highest of thegreen standards,” said Pazerack. “They will bebuilt much stronger, much higher and muchsafer than before.”

And the schools are already showingvast improvements in attendance, test scores,and teacher evaluations. Something Paulattributes to better quality teaching. “AcrossNew Orleans we're exceeding state averagesby 5 to 10 times because of a much betterpipeline ofteacherexperience inthe city.” TEDxNOLA

TEDx is anationalendeavor toutedas a gatheringof “the world'smost visionary intellects.” The New Orleanschapter hosted a day long program at the LePetit Theatre with 25 speakers who sharedtheir experience in drafting creativity fromcrisis.

Gary Solemn was only 22 years oldwhen Le Petit Theatre asked him tomanage their rescue effort with twelve feetof water stewing inside their brand newmillion dollar orchestra pit. Inspired bythe Pointilism technique of painting, hecondensed the project into microsolutions. Reaching out to media,museums and community actors, Garyhas brought new life into the theatre andtoday they are running in the black.

Michael McDaniel taught us how agraphic designer fueled by the graphicimages of stranded people at theSuperdome found a solution for emergencyhousing and now has FEMA knocking athis door. A design drawn from a simple

Ninth Ward home withsolar panels

Chef John Besh at TEDxNOLA


Katrina ExhibitThe Louisiana State Museum at the Presbytere will

showcase a timeline of stories in real-life artifacts and oralhistories featured in a multimedia exhibit opening October26. It follows the spirit of resilience, the evacuation corridor,a dimly lite attic with recorded pleas of help, live scenes ofthe flooding, failed leadership, coming home, and endingwith windows of learning featuring designs of the future.

•Louisiana State Museum exhibit, Living with Hurricanes:KATRINA & beyond, http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/katrina/

•Brookings Institute: The New Orleans Index at Five,http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2007/08neworleansindex.aspx

•TEDxNOLA, www.tedxnola.com•Crescent City Farmer's Market, www.marketumbrella.org•Le Petit Theatre, www.lepetittheatre.com

"We are notrebuilding the

city that was; weare rebuilding thecity that is to be."

continued on next page > > >

equation: Indian teepee + IKEA + upside down coffee cup =patent pending model.

Farmer markets were another important component in therebuilding effort offering a safe haven, a vital source ofinformation, and empowering neighborhoods to build their owneconomy. What Richard McCarty, co-founder and executivedirector of marketumbrella.org,calls a cross betweenmicrofinance and globalphilanthropy. Closing

Hit with multiple shocks:Katrina, the Great Recession,and the Deepwater Horizon oildisaster, the area hasexperienced more major reformssimultaneously than any othercity in the nation. But the arguments to rebuild New Orleanshave been silenced by civic engagement, intense loyalty,ferocious pride, and of coursemillions of endearing Saints fans.Past the deluge of floodingimages, beyond the pity parade,it's time to celebrate the positiveand continue the journey ofprosperity building a model forcities everywhere to championeconomic, environmental andcultural value.An award winning writer andphotographer, Deb began her new careerin journalism after earning a mediadegree at Tulane University in 2003. ANew Orleans native, she now lives in thepiney woods of Mandeville and enjoysworking with aspiring young mindsacross the state.


Nothing But LoveBy Carolyn Files

Farm Supply Center (FSC) in Mer Rouge takes the term "full service" toa new level. You can get your vehicle tuned up while you pick up plumbingsupplies or hydraulic fluid, and purchase a frozen casserole for Sunday'sdinner.

Chesslye Pipes Sanson quit the corporate life to start a cateringbusiness. Her kitchen/work area is located down a hall within FSC, herfather's business on South 14th Street in Mer Rouge. Right here, she andJanice Dukes have fine tuned the art of sandwich making. They also tosstogether a great chef salad with homemade dressing on the side and realbacon crumbled on top. Customers on the run know they can grab a chickensalad sandwich, ham/cheese on wheat, even a quesadilla. Having hugecinnamon rolls and homemade cookies on the counter makes for a greatbreakfast or snack anytime.

But there's more. Hors D'oevres, desserts, meat or vegetable casserolesin various sizes, salads, and specialty breads can be special ordered,although Chesslye does keep a selection of frozen dishes available for quickpickup. She always uses real, fresh ingredients in the food she prepares -nothing but love in her dishes!

Chesslye's talent was obvious in her childhood as she loved cookingfor her daddy in her play kitchen and easy bake oven. Perching on abarstool or chair at a grandmother's home where she measured and mixedfurther developed her skills. A Yugoslavian influence in her grandmother'scooking can be detected in some of her dishes. Cooking magazines,grandmothers' recipes, and the 'Little Black Book of Secrets' form the core ofrecipes Chesslye prepares for her business. Her bourbon balls are aged toblend the flavors, her fudge anddivinity smooth, and her chocolatecake is to die for.

These two accomplished womenare ready and willing to help withyour holiday cooking. Fried and bakedturkeys, dressing, side dishes, andcandies can be ordered to allowfamilies more time to visit. We allhave great memories of sitting aroundthe family table visiting after a holidaymeal and Chesslye wants to give thatgift back in this day of 'hurry up andwait.' You can contact Chesslye at 647-3681, 800-841-3543, [email protected].

Catering&

Gifts

318-647-3681800-841-3543Farm Supply Center

Catering & Gifts206 S. 14th Street

P.O. Box 253Mer Rouge, LA 71261

CHESSLYE PIPES SANSONEmail: [email protected]

Rocking R RanchThe Rocking R Ranch in West Monroe began as a dream in

2008 to have a safe place for children to ride horses, go on a hayride, and pet miniature animals. Owner Nelda Rowlan actuallyhad a three year plan but once word got out, an explosion ofinterest happened. Her niece, Rachael Atkins, took charge andbecame lead director for the ranch organizing birthday parties,field trips, and daycare visits.Libby Gates works as theassistant director during all theseactivities and also manageshorseback riding lessons andpublic relations for the ranchwhile Nelda drives the tractorfor the hayrides. She'll also get inthe saddle to give a specialneeds child a safe and loving ride on a horse.

The ranch is located at 1217 Rogers Road in West Monroe.Call (318) 388-2527, 355-7774, or 388-1638 for more information orto schedule your next outdoor event. You can also [email protected] or visit on Facebook.

Fats Domino flooded piano atKatrina exhibit

The New New Orleans continued


Webster ParishMain to Main50 Miles of Food, Fun & Shopping

Mark November 5-6, 2010 on your calendar and join the folks in Webster Parish for the 11thAnnual Main to Main Trade Days. Whether you're an art lover, a bargain hunter, an antiqueshopper, a flea market and garage sale enthusiast or just love the art of shopping, you won'twant to miss this experience!

The 50 mile route runs from Main Street in Springhill, Louisiana down highway 371 souththrough the main streets of the small Webster Parish towns of Cullen, Sarepta, Cotton Valley,Couchwood to Dixie Inn onto Highway 80 on the Shreveport Road, through Downtown Mindenthen back south on 371 to the Sibley Road Flea Market, south through Sibley and down toHeflin. The food, fun and shopping begins at dawn each day and runs through dusk.

The sidewalks of both Mindenand Springhill Main Streets will befilled with numerous vendors.Downtown shops also bring itoutside and offer store specials andbargains galore. One street cornermay have homemade gumbo forsale by a local church group whileanother has original handmadejewelry. You'll find beignets beingdeep fried on one end of the blockand original oil paintings ondisplay on the other. Drive downthe road to pick up fried alligatorand check out a church garage sale.

“Downtown Minden willfeature food, art, crafts andentertainment,” says Pattie Odom,Downtown Development Directorfor Minden. “A giant flea marketwill be located on the Sibley Road asyou head south fromMain Street with plentyof parking,” addsOdom. Jan Corrales,Springhill Main StreetManager adds, “Plan atleast one full day withus and two if you wantto see everything alongthe route. Shoppers andvendors are welcome!”For more information,visit maintomain.comor call (318) 371-4258 or539-5699.


Bridge City GumboFestival

In 1973 the Louisiana Governor issued a proclamation namingBridge City “The Gumbo Capital of the World.” That said, the 2010Gumbo Festival festivities will begin on Friday, October 8th andcontinue through Sunday, October 10th.

Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River across the HueyP. Long Bridge from New Orleans, the Gumbo Festival is held atGumbo Festival Park on Angel Square, 1701 Bridge City Avenue.Festival grounds open at 6pm on Friday evening and 11am onSaturday and Sunday.

Bridge City's “world famous” gumbo is cooked daily at thefestival grounds with over 2,000 gallons of both seafood andchicken/sausage gumbo prepared for visitors during the festival. Avariety of other native Louisiana cooking such as jambalaya and NewOrleans style red beans and rice with sausage as well as hamburgers,hot dogs, homemade cakes and candies, funnel cakes, and many otherdelicious surprises will also be available.

Because Cajun folk traditions are rooted in an appreciation forfood, our Cajun cooks challenge champions in the Gumbo CookingContest and invite everyone to enter.

The continuous live entertainment and fais-do-do (dance) areaprovide a focal point for the festival's outdoor activities. Appearancesby local and visiting bands of Cajun, Country, Zydeco, Jazz, Blues, andRock music highlight the Gumbo Festival's attractions. Admission,parking, and live entertainment on an outdoor stage are all FREE! MissCreole Gumbo 2009, Kristiana Romero, and King Creole Gumbo XXXVI,Elray Cassard, will also be on hand to greet and welcome visitors.

The 2010 Gumbo Festival is open to food and craft venders to rentbooths. For information on the Festival, call 504-436-4712 or visitwww.gumbofestival.org. See you there!

Ouachita River Art Gallery308 Trenton Street • West Monroe, LA 71291

(318) 322-2380www.ouachitariverartgallery.com

Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am-5:00 pm


Bastrop's Partnersin Health

True healing happens at home. That's the approach TruCare HomeHealth and related companies - all based in Bastrop - take in offeringvaried services to patients across northeast Louisiana.

Hickory Manor Skilled Nursing Facility, Lagniappe Healthcareand Premier Hospice are associated partners of TruCare, each offeringspecial programs - administered by highly trained and compassionateemployees - that help patients regain and maintain their independencefollowing diagnosis of a wide variety of medical conditions. Forexample:

Lagniappe Healthcare offers long- and short-term assistance forresidents in addition to treatment for residents needing occupational,speech and physical therapy following an accident or illness. TheAccelerated Care Plus program used at Lagniappe has proven effectivefor many years and is utilized by professional and college athleticprograms in helping reduce recovery time, allowing patients to reducethe time needed to recuperate.

Premier Hospice, with offices in Bastrop and Monroe, works toensure patients maintain the quality of life to which they'reaccustomed. In addition to treatment of the patient, Premier offerssocial workers and pastoral staff who work with the patients and theirfamilies to provide the tools necessary to work through a life-limitingillness.

TruCare Home Health offers traditional treatment programs forpatients recovering from accidents, injuries or illness. A specialtyrecently offered by TruCare is pediatric home health and pediatricextended care. These services are available to patients from age birth to21 years of age and can provide assistance ranging from one to 12hours a day. Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and nurseaides provide care for the child. Physical, occupational and speechtherapy treatments are also available.

Hickory Manor SkilledNursing Facility partners withPremier Hospice in offering moredirect supervision and treatment ofpatients facing a life-limiting illness.The facility also offers traditionallong- and short-term assistance forresidents needing treatment andsupervision after surgery, an illnessor accident. Staff at Hickory Manortake the approach that residents aren't so muchliving in a facility as the employees are workingin patients' homes.

In addition to established treatmentprograms, both Lagniappe and Hickory Manorinvolve patients in a variety of activities, both oncampus and with trips to attractions throughoutthe region.

Each agency, its direct care employees andthose behind the scenes work to do more thansimply care for the conditions that led to theneed for services. They also strive to allow thepatients and residents and their family membersto achieve a quality of life on terms that work foreveryone involved in their treatment.

Residents and staff take part in theSpring Fling earlier this year atLagniappe Healthcare.

Utilizing the latesttechnology, the ACPprogram at LagniappeHealthcare speeds uprecovery time, allowingresidents to regaintheir independence.


The Teddy Bearfest '10 Historical Celebration“Celebrating Our Own”

The 4th annual TeddyBearfest will be held on October 9,2010 on the grounds of the TallulahCourthouse Square. The City ofTallulah, the Village of Richmond,the Madison Parish Police Jury andthe Madison Tourism Commissioninvites you to this great celebrationhonoring to our 26th President,Theodore Roosevelt, who’s 1907bear hunt expedition in MadisonParish led to him shooting theblack bear that eluded him yearsearlier in Mississippi.

Sharing the spotlight withPresident Roosevelt will be ourown hero, Jimmy Shivers, withover 20 years in at the MadisonParish Sheriff’s Department. Thisyear, the festival is being staged inhonor and memory of James(Jimmy) Earl Shivers, III, who wasChief of Operations for theMadison Parish Correction Center.

The Teddy Bear Festivalcommittee is sponsoring its secondLittle Miss/Mr Teddy Bear FestPageant. A jazz concert andworkshop will be held on October 8,

2010 at Tallulah Elementary Schoolby jazz artist, Dr. Willie Naylor, aRayville native who has lived andworked in the Chicago Public schoolsystem for 40 years as a BandDirector, and conductor of manyjazz concerts in and around Chicago.

Vendors will display avariety of arts and crafts. Therewill be lots of activities (inflatablerides, rock wall climbing, storytelling, face and finger painting,tattoos, bowling, a treasure hunt,children’s books, and fire safetyprevention exercises) for children.The Tensas National WildlifeRefuge and Poverty point willhave educational andinformational exhibits featuringvarious activities and liveanimals, and information onwildlife, hunting, fishing, etc. Lotsof door prizes will be given awayalong with surprise raffle items.

The festival is headlined bylocal talent from the I-20 corridorand Mississippi. West Monroe’sown country and western group,Ratchet, will be among the main

attractions along with Mississippi’sdynamic rhythm and blues singer,Vickie Baker and the Delta Bluesduo, Osgood and Blaque. Othermusical talents include solo artist,Patrician Buchanan, TallulahAngelic Voice of Praise, Loin ofJudah, First Baptist Church ofTallulah Musical Ensemble,Christian rock group, Band ofBrothers, and country and westernsingers, Jamie Lynn Robinson andJoey Duhamel and a host of localgroups and gospel artists.

TIER LEVELSPONSORS: PlatinumSponsors: Entergy, DiamondJacks Casino, NorthropGrumman Ship System, TinyTots Learning Center,Hancock Home Health, Inc,S&B Drugs, Village ofRichmond, Tensas State Bank,E-Z Auto Sales, The OliveBranch Senior Care Center,and Kivett’s ElectricalHeating & Air Conditioning,Madison Parish Public SchoolSystem, Delta Bank, and theMadison Parish Chamber of

Commerce. Gold Sponsors: StateRepresentative Andy Anders, TallulahConstruction Company, The Smoke Shop,Popeye’s and Great Day, Inc. SilverSponsor: Attorney James Paxton, TallulahConstruction and Delta Home Care, Inc,and Bishop & Moberly Attorneys At Law,Marion Hopkins, Cynthia Machen, FarmBureau, Joseph W. Yerger, D.D. S. WaltersFurniture, Law Office of Angela L.Claxton, LLC, Horizon Casino, Subway ofTallulah, Arnett’s Jewelry and Delta Tire.Bronze Sponsor: Darryl’s Body Shop,Crazy Bob’s, Betty Clark and TommyLeoty, Jr. Insurance Agency.

LookWho’sReadingLRT!4 year oldVanessaDelarosa


Blues and BBQ on the OuachitaIn conjunction with the

Louisiana Main to Main event: ACultural Road Show, the ColumbiaMain Street program will presentthe fourth annual Blues and BBQon the Ouachita on Saturday,November 6, 2010. The festivitieswill be held in the 100 block ofMain Street in beautifuldowntown Columbia, LA. Forthree years, this event has broughtthe community together for afestival featuring some uniqueand delicious local BBQ and awonderful assortment of talentedentertainers. Admission is $10 foradults and $5 for children, andincludes entertainment and food.

Performers include AndyMcIntire, a local favorite, as wellas Steve Cagle, a fantastic

keyboard player and vocalist.Steve - a blues, rock, gospel,country, jazz, and classical talent -has played with a variety of well-known musical acts like GG Shinn,Andre Crouch, Conway Twitty,Dallas Holm, Tommy McClain andthe Equinox Jazz Orchestra. Theshow will be from 1-5pm.

While enjoying the manysights and sounds, tempt yourtaste buds with the world-renowned flavor of Louisiana. Lastyears event had entrants rangingfrom 16 to 80 and of varyingethnicity participating in thebarbeque contest. Categories arebeef, chicken and pork. Awardsare provided to winners in eachgroup for first, second, and thirdplace (bragging rights included).

Food will be servedbeginning at 12 Noon.

The event is a joint effortcollaborated with the Office ofthe Lt. Governor, NationalPark Service PreserveAmerica, Columbia MainStreet, the Town of Columbia,

the Caldwell Parish IndustrialDevelopment Board, CaldwellChamber of Commerce, Greg's Git-It-All, Captain's Quarters, TheColumbian coffee shop, State FarmInsurance, and other localbusinesses. This event is a

Louisiana Main to Main event andmore information on this programmay be obtained atwww.louisianamaintomain.org.For further information or to signup for the BBQ contest, contactPolly Harrelson 318-649-2138.


14th Annual Three Rivers Art Festival The 14th annual Covington Three Rivers

Art Festival will be held on North ColumbiaStreet in historic Downtown Covington onNovember 13-14, 2010 from 10am to 5pm eachday. Admission is free to the public.

Festival officials are pleased to announcethat Chairman of this year's event is formerState Representative Diane Winston, an artaficionado who supported legislationrequiring purchase of artworks by Louisianaartists to decorate state-owned buildings.“This year's festival will showcase the work of200 artists from 25 different states who werejuried by a panel of art experts in order to beinvited to exhibit. All items are original andhand-crafted by the artists, who will also beon hand to discuss their work. Showcased artwill include original paintings in oil, acrylic,and watercolor, glass, pottery, jewelry,woodwork, metalwork, photography,sculpture, and more.”

Festival activities are now under thedirection and supervision of event coordinatorMaria Burkhardt who organized and ran thefirst festival in 1997. She also managed theevent from 2001 through 2004. “Because ofMaria's experience and expertise, the festivalis not only on track but ahead of schedule in

many areas. This year's event promises to bebetter than ever,” says Winston.

The 2010 festival will include theChildren's Discovery Area where all ages canenjoy live performances on the Children'sPerforming Stage; hands-on art activities; theArts Alive Demonstration stage whereattendees can watch artists at work; the MainStage with live music throughout the day; anda food court. The Three Rivers Art Festivalwill also include a Student ArtCompetition open to all students from St.Tammany Parish in grades K-12.

Saturday, November 13 will beginwith the Three Rivers Run, a 1-mile roadrace starting from the Covington Trailheadat 8am, followed by a 5K Run at 8:30am.To register in advance, visitwww.15thstreetflyers.org, or call DianeWeiss at 504-460-2991.

Founded in 1997, The CovingtonThree Rivers Art Festival has grown from49 to 200 exhibiting artists and attracts asophisticated buying public and talentedgroup of artists and fine craftsmen, with50,000+ visitors annually. The festival is anon-profit, 501(c)(3) organization run by avolunteer board and part-time coordinator,

supplemented by more than 100 additionalvolunteer committee members and workers.

For more information about the festival,about sponsorships, or to volunteer, visitwww.threeriversartfestival.com, [email protected], or call EventCoordinator Maria Burkhardt at (985) 871-4141or (985) 893-4060.


Whistling Down the MountainOur chatty little biking friend suggested we

try the Dirt Merchant or Heart of Darkness trailto make our holiday in Whistler even better. Wedecided to seize the moment, "wring out the lastjuice of the season," and go mountain biking!Based on instructions at the rental place, werated ourselves Level 2 bikers, meaning we hadlimited experience on a bike, can control bikespeed and direction on paved surfaces but withlittle or no experience riding off-road terrain.After renting our armour for the ride and wherewe could go based on our level of expertise, wewere off on a Kona Garbanzo, a bike that sells foraround $1600, used! We quickly learned bikingwas not for the faint of heart, financially orphysically, but what a wonderful way to spend abeautiful fall afternoon in Whistler. The ParkService maintains the trails, and like a skimountain, they are color coded for each level.

The 2010 Winter Olympics showcasedWhistler as North America's new “it” skidestination. Located in a lake-dotted glacialvalley about two hours north of Vancouver, themountain has hosted world class ski and snowboarding competitions since its first lifts openedin 1965. The village itself is a carefully designedand charming pedestrian plaza full of shops,hotels, and restaurants, reminding me of BeaverCreek, Colorado.

Frequent shuttle buses make it easy to visitthe two mountain ranges of Whistler andBlackcomb, which surround the village. Thesheer magnitude of skiable terrain is the mostextensive on the continent but when the winterseason shuts down, these impressive runsbecome another playground. Whistler is fastbecoming a year round resort and after ourwonderful Labor Day experience, I wouldsuggest their new motto be “Come ride, notslide, our mountains.”

Yet, if your idea of a perfect vacation doesnot include physical exertion, Whistler hassomething for you, too! There is simply noshortage of things to see and do in this British

Columbia resort high in the mountains.Thanks to the 2010 Olympics, the Peak-2-Peak Gondola opened up a four kilometerwide valley between the mountains, giving8100 acres of new and accessible trails forhikers, skiers, bikers, and visitors to enjoy.With only four towers holding up itspassenger cabins, the gondola offers an 11minute ride you will not forget. We didn'tride the gondola to hike the alpine trails butfor the views and to eat at one of themountain top restaurants.

Fish, hike, bike, golf, kayak, boat, run,ski, snowboard, river raft, zipline, bungeejump, or sightsee, but consider Whistler ayear-round resort worthy of being on yourbucket list. In 5 days, we were able to flyinto Seattle, take the Amtrak train toVancouver, rent a car, bike, hike, slidedown a mountain, and explore some of themost beautiful country I have ever seen. Ihave traveled to very few places asspectacular and so much fun.

The nice thing about Whistler is youdon't have to make it a spine-tinglingadventure to have a good time. Just enjoycool days, bluebird skies, great dining, andthe magic of the mountains. Call Rob or meat MONROE TRAVEL SERVICE and let'stalk about planning an escape to Whistlerfor your next vacation. We are even thinkingabout arranging a small group trip there fornext year, so let us know if a Seattle toWhistler getaway might be on your radar!

Let's face it. The seasons pass all tooquickly and it's impossible to know whatthe next one will bring. In the end, the raceis not about the prize money, it's about livingthe moment. Call MONROE TRAVELSERVICE - 323 3465 - or come by our officeat 1908 Glenmar, right next door to theMuffin Tin and let us help you find theroad you wish to travel. It's time to "wringthe juice out of each moment!"

TRAVEL ADVENTURE By Dianne Newcomer

Last month inWhistler, Canada, theyheld the Red Bull 5000Down, and in myopinion, you wouldhave to be very high

on Red Bull to even enter! The 5000 Downinvolves riding a mountain bike down a 7159foot mountain with a vertical drop of 5020feet in less than 20 minutes. The top fivefinishers split a cash purse of $9500. Do themath: that's a pretty huge risk for just $1900.It made me realize this race was not about themoney but the moment!

Dressed from head-to-toe in theirarmour - headgear, gloves, pads, and suits -hundreds of bike warriors of all ages withtheir faithful “horse” by their side awaited thechance to ride the lift to the top of WhistlerMountain while Rob and I sat dining on ahamburger at the base of the mountainwatching the show, in awe. Seeing thesebikers navigate the last leg of the dirt trail andhitting their final jumps after a gruelingdownhill run was almost as amazing as tryingto imagine how, or why, 250 men and womenwould ever be able to start a racesimultaneously at the top and survive thetwists, turns, and jumps to the bottom.

I envisioned the Red Bull 5000 to be abiker's Indy 500: high speed, high altitude,high risk. Yet, the young biker who sat downnext to us after his run down the mountainassured us it was “not that bad, just a littledusty, but overall, pretty rad.” He continues,“We are all stoked about the next few weeks.Fall riding conditions are the best ever atWhistler. Even though the days are gettingshorter, our dance is far from over with lots ofgreat days left for us to sweep the trails beforeit gets too dark to ride in the woods. Our BikePark on the mountain stays open untilOctober 11th so we get to wring the last juiceout of the season.”


Hit the Road

A trail of heroes inPrince William County, VirginiaBy Deborah Burst

A region rich in history and landscapes, Prince William Countyoffers travelers a peek into the past, present and future. More than twocenturies of military heroes are honored in museums and battlefields.Explore the changing landscapes from rolling mountain ranges tosoftly plowed fields, study the architecture from colonial homesteadsto regal plantations, and savor the local cuisine from country cookingto fine dining.

Part of the Journey Through Hallowed GroundPartnership, a four-state trail dedicated to 400years of history, the state of Virginia holds thetitle for the most major Civil War battles. Incommemoration of the Civil WarSesquicentennial, Prince William County hasestablished a Civil War Heritage trail to honor the long and impressivelist of historical conflicts. Along the trail visitors relive some of thewar's most famous battles at forts, museums, state parks, nationalbattlefields, and historic farmhouses that once served as field hospitals.Educational events along with lectures and reenactments follow thetour which is detailed in a colorful brochure with historic sites and atravel map.

The Manassas National Battlefield pays tribute to two of the mostintense and moving Civil War battles. Its first battle was observed bypicnicking spectators while the second bloody battle marked aConfederate win earning continued support as they moved northward.The park's visitor center provides maps withwalking and driving tours along with docentsand park rangers that offer guided tours. Onthe top of each hour, a film titled,” Manassas:The End of Innocence,” details a movingaccount of some of the war's most significantbattles.

To honor some of our more recentveterans, the newly built Marine CorpsMuseum (2006) promises to be a world-wideattraction centered on both a historical andarchitectural platform. In a pyramid designthat resembles the flag-raising heroes of IwoJima, the museum rests inside a forested 135-arce vista with 118,000 square feet ofinteractive exhibits. Attention to detail isparamount as the museum pays tribute tothe Marines and the U.S. Navy, partners inbattles from the initiation of the Marines in1900 to wars inside Iraq and Afghanistan.Life-size models of fighter planes hangfrom the ceiling while realistic exhibitsbring visitors up close to all aspects of warfrom fighting gear to battling inclementweather.

County residents have embracedhistoric towns preserving the architecturalheritage and landscapes. Downtown

Manassas brings together the charm of an old fashioned rail townwhere many of its late Victorian era homes and buildings now serve asmuseums, boutiques, art galleries, antique shops, and restaurants. Pickup a driving and walking tour brochure inside the Manassas Museumfor a complete guide on shops, dining andlodging.

For a taste of Creole cookingOkra Restaurant is the local favorite.And for the best Tapas in town LaCapilla restaurant offers top notchSouth American cuisine inside aromantic historic church. Lovers of thegrape will enjoy a trip to the Winery at

La Grange in Haymarket (Manassas suburb)for samples of their fine wine.

Wooden rail fences and grazingthoroughbreds line country roads whilehighways roll through waves of forested mountains. The regionowns two national parks, two state parks, and more than 50 countyand municipal parks, wildliferefuges and preserved wetlands.Inside Prince William Forest Parkthe North Valley Trail is an easythree mile hike where hikersappear dwarfed by a ceiling oftowering trees in a 17,000-acrepark filled with multiple varietiesof native plants and animals.

Recently opened in May, 2010,the Hylton Performing Arts Center soars nine stories high with astunning mix of copper, glass and masonry hosting local, national andinternational art groups and performers. Inside, a sweeping staircaseand open-air lobby welcome community, corporate and social eventswhile Merchant Hall seats more than a thousand with twenty-sevenboxes divided on three levels.

Just 30 minutes form our country's capital; the county is ablueprint for urban and historic renewal dedicated to ordinary people,past and present, who have shaped this country. Stargazers and

daydreamers will enjoy dozens of parksthroughout the region while shoppersflock to the specialty shops in Old TownManassas. Discover the old and the newinside a trail of heroes in Prince WilliamCounty.

Deborah Burst, freelance writer and photographer,lives and writes in the piney woods of Mandeville.After a 30-year stint in banking, she graduatedfrom Tulane in 2003. Her work has appeared inregional, national, and international publications.A personal translator blessed with an emotional artform, Deb discovers the food, culture, and peoplealong the backroads each month in Louisiana RoadTrips.

Capilla Restaurant

Marine Museum

Virginia Color

•Prince William County/ Manassas Conv. & VisitorsBureau, 800-432-1792, www.visitpwc.com

•Journey Through Hallowed Ground, 540-882-4927,www.jthg.org

•Manassas Museum, 703-368-1873,www.manassasmuseum.org

•Manassas National Battlefield Park, 703-754-1861,www.nps.gov/mana/

•Hylton Performing Arts Center, 703-993-9344,www.hyltonperformingartscenter.com

•National Museum of the Marine Corps, 703-784-6422,www.usmcmuseum.org

•Prince William Forest Park, 703-221-7181,www.nps.gov/prwi

Virginia holdsthe title for the

most major CivilWar battles

In October we begin to appreciate the scentsand smells of autumn as in the south wetruly don't feel fall until then. Crisp autumnweather brings color, cool temps, and comfortfood - soups, stews, hearty dishes. October isalso Breast Cancer Awareness Month so doyourself a favor and schedule yourmammogram. And then there's Halloween,pumpkins, cats, and bats. I love the fun andthe food of the holiday. Families head out tofestivals, enjoy outdoor activities, dress up

and have fun, and as usual food brings it all together. Celebrate andenjoy October and the recipes shared.

by Stacy ThorntonRECIPES

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained2 - 15 oz cans diced tomatoes, don't drain10 oz can Rotel tomatoes 2 to 3 cups tomato juice 1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix 1 pkg taco seasoningToppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions,

tortilla chips

Brown beef with onion, then drain. Add all ingredients excepttomato juice, green onions, cheese and sour cream and mix well.Stir in 1 1/2 cups tomato juice and mix well. Add more untildesired consistency. Cook until heated through, then simmerabout 15 minutes. Serve in bowls topped with cheese and sourcream. A family favorite that you can double and freeze forlater.

Chili N Biscuit Bowl

2 cups Bisquick 2/3 cups milk1/2 tsp ground red pepper 1 bell pepper, chopped1 lb ground beef 1 chopped onion2 (15 oz) cans Mexican style stewed tomatoes15 oz can kidney beans, drained 2 tsp chili powdersour cream, green onions, shredded cheese

Combine Bisquick, milk, and red pepper. Mix well. Turn outonto floured surface and shape into a ball. Knead a few timesand divide into six portions. Spray an inverted muffin tin withcooking spray. Shape the dough onto inverted muffin tin andshape into a bowl. Bake at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes oruntil browned. Cool and remove biscuit bowls.

Cook beef in skillet with onion and bell pepper, then drain. Addtomatoes, beans, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduceheat and simmer 30 minutes. Serve in biscuit bowls topped withcheese ,sour cream and chopped green onions.

Dressed Up Red Beans and Rice

3 slices of bacon 1 lb smoked sausage1 pkg seasoning blend - onions, peppers1 tsp minced jalapeno 1 tsp minced garlic1/3 cup cider vinegar 1/2 tsp pepper3 tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt2 cans red beans, rinsed and drained2 cups fresh greens (turnips or mustard) s)2 cups cooked white rice

Cook bacon in large skillet, add smoked sausage, and cook about 3 minutes.Add seasoning blend and garlic. Saute 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables aretender. Stir in vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir in beans and cook untilheated through. Add greens and cook until wilted. Spoon bean mixture overrice. Serve with cornbread.

Bat Wing Soup 4 cloves of garlic 2 tbsp olive oil4 cans (14 1/2 oz each) stewed tomatoes1/2 cup whipping cream 6 slices of bread, crust removed2 tbsp butter 2 tsp Italian seasoning

Saute garlic until tender. In a food processor or blender, process tomatoesand garlic in batches until smooth. Return to the pot and bring to a boil.Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Heat through. Place bread on a flatsurface and flatten with a rolling pin. Using kitchen shears, cut each slicediagonally, cutting wavy lines to resemble wat wings. Place bat wings on abaking sheet, spread with butter, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bakeat 400 degrees for 5 to 8 minutes, turning once to brown on both sides. Servebat wings with soup.

S'more Brownie Bites

1 oz sq semisweet baking chocolate, chopped1 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp butter1 cup sugar 1/2 cup all purpose flour1/8 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract1/8 tsp cinnamon 2 large eggs, lightly beaten1 c graham cracker crumbs 4 (1 oz) milk chocolate bars2 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 9 baking dish. Meltunsweetened chocolate with 1 cup butter. In a small bowl, combine flour,sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture. Add eggs and vanilla,whisk to combine. Spoon into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.Remove from oven. In another bowl, melt remaining 1 1/2 tbsp butter andmix in graham cracker crumbs. Sprinkle crumb mixture over brownies andbake 10 to 15 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in the centercomes out clean. Cool completely. Melt milk chocolate in microwave, tossinto marshmallows and stir to coat. Spoon over cooled brownies. Cut intosmall squares and serve.


Visit our website: http://www.la-road-trips.com/

PECULIAR JAUNTS By Carey Weeks

Horror Writer Michelle McCrary LeadsShreveport-Bossier Zombie Invasion

“They're comingto get you Barbara!”Or so they say at theEast Bank Theatre inBossier City. Just who

is this Barbara? For those sharing the stagewith her in the upcoming stage production ofNight of the Living Dead, Barbara is a stranger, acrazed woman who has spent the better partof a single day running across the countrysidefrom cannibalistic “ghouls” (or zombies as wenow know them). For friends and family, sheis Michelle McCrary, horror writer, devotedwife and mother, and founder of the annualShreveport Zombie Walk, a fundraiser that forthree years has collected massive amounts offood for the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank.

Michelle has not always been a fan of thezombie genre. She remembers watching horrormovies with her father at the young age ofnine when she caught first glimpse of GeorgeRomero's frightening black and white cultclassic Night of the Living Dead and vividlyrecalls how fearful she was watching theexplosion scene. Now, twenty years later,Michelle just can't get enough of zombie filmand fiction. She actually met the one and onlyGeorge Romero at the 2010 Texas Frightmare

in Dallas, scratching that particular wish off her bucketlist.

Although not aseasoned actor, Michelle isgearing up for this year'sproduction of the stageversion of Night of the LivingDead, back again by populardemand. She admits the playis a bit campy compared tothe original film though ithonors the movie's black andwhite vintage quality.

During the 2009 playauditions, Michelle thoughtit would be fun to play azombie, groaning and shambling across the stage, nothaving to speak any lines. She was surprised whendirector Dick King asked her to audition for the leadrole of Barbara, a character that is unique and far fromlevel-headed after seeing her brother being eaten by theundead. Ready for a second round, Michelle is excitedto experience the subtle changes that Mr. King has instore for this year's resurrection. King anticipatesgathering the majority of the original cast membersfrom the 2009 production, including Mat Latz, HarvardTaylor, Scott Smith, and of course Michelle McCrary.

When it comes to acting, Michelle is stunned athow natural it came for her. After four day a weekrehearsals over a month, the pay-off is noticeable.She says, “During the live performances audiencemembers laugh and respond to scenes that we, theactors never even anticipated.” Michelle looksforward to dabbling more in theatre after her two

sons are a bit older. As for now she is dedicated toher role as Barbara, ready to take the stage on

October 29-30 at the East Bank Theatre in Bossier City.Admission is $20.http://sites.bossierarts.org/main/east-bank-theatre.The Shreveport Zombie Walk is October 10, 4-6pm inMall St. Vincent. Admission is free with a non-perishable food item to donate to the NWLA Food

Bank. www.myspace.com/shreveportzombiewalk.

Carey lives in Shreveport, Louisiana withher husband and daughter. She has been aregular contributor to LA Road TripsMagazine and has also been featured inLouisiana Cookin' Magazine. She iscurrently working on a compilation ofhistorical fiction short stories and in herspare time enjoys painting andphotography. You can read her blog athttp://unarrator.blogspot.com/.


ouisianaRemember When . . .1. What was constructed to help make

the Ouachita River navigable?2. Louisiana was admitted to the Union in

what year?3. North Louisiana produced three

governors in a row. Name them.4. What is the largest man-made

lake in north Louisiana?5. What parish was created in

Louisiana and laterabolished because oflack of interest?

6. How was Fort Necessity named?7. What Indians had several villages around what

is now Newellton?8. How was Sicily Island named?9. Folks in New Orleans call it a 'banquette'. What is it

called elsewhere?10. What is Louisiana often referred to in the

film industry?Answers on next page 32

For effective, low-cost advertising, callMona L. Hayden (318) 547-1221


Hello folks, let'schat...~smile~ Y'all shouldsee Bubba. The boy's intraining. He goes aroundwearing those tightcompression shorts and

drinking orange Gatorade by the gallon. Bubbawarned me 'bout poking fun of his new sportover the air 'cause there are some passionateplayers out there. I don't want to make fun of thegame, but I'm not making any promises about aparticular contestant.

It all started in Las Vegas. Bubba had made arun out there in his eighteen- wheeler when he

pulled in $50,000 bo-dollars. Bubba's beenthrowing down ever since, with anyone andeveryone.

Yesterday the elementary schoolprincipal banned him from the schoolyard.The big cheater was over there paddin' hisstats. Unfazed, he's trying to sell the LumberYard on sponsoring him, said he'd wear theirt-shirt with a logo, “For all your rock, paper,and scissors needs.” They're still innegotiations but Bubba's moving forward.He's formed the Redneck Rock, Paper,Scissors League and he asked me to invitey'all to join him at the boat-landing twice aweek to practice your throws.

That's RPS lingo and Bubba's all in it, soif you go, be prepared¬the boy's in the zone.Your best bet is to double dog dare him toopen with a rock.

Y'all take care and come see me. That'salltthingssouthern.com. I'll be watching for you!

~Hugs, Shellie

Bubba In Training

All Things Southern“Bringing you the charm and heritage of the South…”ph 318-559-0319 • cell [email protected]

ALL THINGS SOUTHERN By Shellie Tomlinson

stumbled across the second annual RockPaper Scissors Tournament. I didn't realizethe game we played to settle disputes askids had become an adult sport, but Bubbasays it's big time and ESPN was therefilming.

Bubba found the tournamentaccidentally. Someone at the gas stationinvited him to a throw down, and well,y'all know Bubba, he thought he wasgonna see a good brawl.

Bubba was disappointed at first, buthe got into it. I, however, had to laughwhen he told me about the heavy favoritewearing a red silk boxing gown, a la RockyBalboa. Bubba said referees counted downthe throws and paramedics stood nearby incase of “wrist or shoulder dislocations.”I'm picturing their managers: “Throw thepaper, boy. He can't handle your paper!”

The kicker for Bubba came when amale nurse from Texas won it all and

A Dish that Makes a DifferenceEmeril Lagasse helps NOCCA build their culinary arts teaching kitchen

The Emeril Lagasse Foundation haspartnered with the NOCCA (New OrleansCenter for Creative Arts) in raising moneyfor the construction of NOCCA's newculinary arts teaching kitchen. It's the finalstage of the arts high school's formal four-year culinary arts program, and what betterplace to nurture aspiring young chefs thanthe kitchen of Chef Emeril Lagasse.

Student graduates from NOCCA'ssummer culinary arts session submitted

entries for the recipe competition prior tothe event. The three finalists prepared theirrecipes in the kitchen of Emeril's Restauranton Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans.Dressed in all white, they posed for pictureswith Emeril as an onslaught of print andtelevision media covered the event.

Emeril and a panel of esteemed chefsand food specialists including Leah Chase(chef, owner of Dooky Chase), JoelDondis (owner of Grand Isle/Sucre),

David Slater (Chef de Cuisine ofEmeril's Restaurant), and PoppyTooker (culinary preservationist andauthor) who judged the entriesbased on taste, presentation,creativity, use of fresh seasonalingredients and representation ofLouisiana's cuisine.

The aspiring youngchefs are: ChayilJohnson with hisApricot Glazed RoastedDuck with ButternutSquash Risotta; JaneéTaylor with her GrilledRibeye with Seafood

Mashed Potatoes and Cajun Crab BoiledAsparagus; and Victoria Farmer with herCreole Rabbit with Roasted ButternutSquash & Spicy Corncakes.

“And the winner is ALL THREE,” saidEmeril as a misty eyed crowd roared withdelight. “We will use all three dishes asentrée specials for the month of October.”

The delectable entrees will be served atEmeril's restaurants across the country fromOctober 1-31. Emeril also added that theEmeril Lagasse Foundation has initiated a$100,000 grant to fund the final stages in thedevelopment of a four-year culinary artsprogram at NOCCA. The foundation is thefounding partner in the effort to establishthis four-year culinary arts program withtotal grants of more than $500,000.

Emeril Lagasse with finalists Janeé Taylor, Chayil Johnsonand Victoria Farmer at Emeril's Restaurant. Emeril'srestaurants will feature the students' original dishes onmenus this October.

Participating Emeril's restaurants are: Emeril's, NOLA, Emeril's Delmonico - New Orleans, LAEmeril's Orlando, Emeril's Tchoup Chop - Orlando, FLEmeril's Miami Beach - Miami, FLEmeril's New Orleans Fish House, Delmonico Steakhouse,Table 10 - Las Vegas, NV


BayouLafourcheFall Festivals

Fall is festival time in Lafourche Parish.October kicks off with the Cut Off Youth CenterFair (October 8-10) now in its 43nd year, featuringgreat Cajun food, music, dancing and a carnivalmid-way. The Cajun Heritage Festival (Oct. 9-10)at the Larose Civic Center features carvingcompetitions, a duck calling contest and deliciousfood. This unique festival is a must-see foroutdoor enthusiasts.

The 39th Annual Louisiana Gumbo Festival(October 15-17) in Chackbay, which offers thebest in Cajun food, music and dancing, alongwith a carnival mid-way, live auction, raffle and aFiremen's Parade on the Sunday morning. Comeout and see why this small Cajun community hasbeen designated the "Gumbo Capitol ofLouisiana." The culinary delights continue withthe 37th Annual French Food Festival in Larose(October 29-31), with over 30 local food booths,featuring traditional Bayou classics such as WhiteOyster Soup, Shrimp Boulettes, Jambalaya andmore (not to mention live Cajun music, dancingand a carnival mid-way). Weekendadventurers and fallfestival lovers won'twant to miss the 18thannualThibodeauxville FallFestival, heldNovember 13,offering two stages oflive music, a Cajunfood court, arts &crafts booths and aduck race onbeautiful BayouLafourche.

Bayou Lafourcheprovides terrificdestinations and apicturesque backdropfor a fall road trip,extending as far as theGulf of Mexico. Warmhospitality and greatevents make this anideal season toexperience the Cajunway of life. For moreinformation, visitwww.visitlafourche.com.


Spine-tinglingThrills on the Bayou

For the ultimate Halloween experience, be sure to goblin' up tickets tothe 9th Annual Terror on the Bayou Halloween Festival in Jefferson, Texaseach Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, October 8-31, 2010. Two attractions- one location.

The legendary Runaway Fright Train will feature the Midnight Stalker ashe chases children through the dark and spooky woods! The scenes andhaunters along the track will keep you at the edge of your seat and give you alaugh, too. G and PG-13 runs are oriented to specific age groups. The first runeach night is family-oriented for howling good fun, while the later runs aregeared toward patrons that want the ultimate Halloween experience full ofspine-tingling thrills.

You'll get the willies walking through the spooktacular Creepy Screamin'Corn Maze (1+ acres) including a walk through the Piney Woods, the HauntedCemetery and culminates with the infamous 100 foot underground Tunnel ofDoom. Walk through the home of the Boggy Creek monster as depicted in theupcoming feature horror movie, “Boggy Creek”, filmed in Jefferson andUncertain. The movie is loosely based on the old Big Foot or Sasquatchlegends, says Brian T. Jaynes, director and producer. Once within the maze,you cannot escape the monsters, ghouls and dangers lurking in the foggy mist.Something sinister is hiding there. You know something is going to reach outand touch you -- you just don't know when or where. Afraid of the dark? Thentour the Corn Maze on Saturday from 1- 4pm at an exceptional value of $5 perperson, perfect for families, youth and church groups and features static-display haunts. Or kick it up a notch for the G-rated evening maze from 6-7pm each Friday, Saturday and Sunday and get a thrill from the haunters inthe maze.

Terror on the Bayou Halloween Festival will have something foreveryone…Carnival games with prizes for allages, glow sticks and other Halloweenproducts, and concessions. Plus free activitiesfor the entire family when you purchase acorn-maze or train ticket: mini-maze and mini-

haunted house for children under 48 inches; movies and fireside ghost stories. Prices range from $14.50 - $18 for Runaway Fright Train and $12 - $15 for

evening Screamin' Corn Maze. Combination tickets are available at discounted

rates ranging from $23 to $27.50. The event will take place one mile fromJefferson at the Cypress Bayou RV Park, 1602 State Highway 49 East. Visitwww.JeffersonRailway.com to order tickets. You can also buy tickets at theevent site during event hours. Train seating is limited so get your tickets early!For more info, call 866-398-2038 or email [email protected].


NELA Celtic FestivalThe 2010 Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival will be held

Saturday, October 16 at Forsythe Park in Monroe from 11am -10pm with FREE admission. In addition to many regionalhighlights, enjoy performances by renowned Celtic musiciansand storytellers; workshops on Celtic language, instrumentsand history; Irish dance and children's stages; Celtic waresand exhibitors; food and beverage, and much more.

The festival is the culmination of work done by the Enoch“Doyle” Jeter family, who showcase all types of music atEnoch's Irish Pub & Cafe in Monroe. Among this year'ssponsors and presenters: Prodapt, ProgressiveIT, TechSafari,Johnny's Pizza, Marsala Beverage, Choice Brands Inc., Matt'sMusic, CrossKeys Bank, the Monroe-West Monroe CVB,Friends of Bernard McKenzie, KEDM Public Radio, Friends ofBlack Bayou, ULM Visual and Performing Arts, the OuachitaParish Public Library and theOuachita Parish Sheriff'sOffice.

Proceeds will benefit thelocal Humane Society AdoptionCenter, which will also includea drawing that day for a GeorgeRodrigue Blue Dog print,inspired by Hurricane Katrinaand signed by SaintsQuarterback Drew Brees. Raffletickets are only $10 and areavailable at the adoption centerleading up to October 16th or atthe festival itself.

This year's musicalheadliners are The MickeyFinns out of Brooklyn, New York, former members of Irish rocklegends The Prodigals. Fest-favorite Máirtín de Cógáin, an All-Ireland Storytelling Champion twice over, will be returning witha new musical project. Local Blues Hall of Famer Doug Duffeywill host an All-Blues Review made up of regional talent. Celticmusic will meet Cajun, as played by the band Celjun out ofLafayette. Finally, don't miss the Jackson Irish Dancers, RedRiver Pipes and Drums, and Gaelic speaker Jim Flanagan on theworkshops and children's stages. Visit www.nelacelticfest.net formore details. Sláinte (“to your health”)!

Tim Brody of RRPD

DayTrip Coyote CurtBy Su Stella

When I met Curt over 12 years ago, he not only had apassion for re-enacting but often was the center of attention asa blacksmith. It never seemed to matter what period in timeor place. People often marveled as he stood hammering hotmetal while wearing a kilt at Scottish Fests or while living in

Germany participating in Renaissance festivals… Now he is very active inJefferson, Texas, helping grow Trammel's Trace mountain man event taking placein November.

With re-enactments, nearly everything is pulled together by volunteers. Theyspend their time, money, and energy creating another world in a different era.These people truly enjoy dressing up and stepping out of time for a weekend oreven longer. Some folks are light hobbyists and others really take every detailseriously, either scouring antique shops or creating replicas themselves.

Re-enactors also a lot of time growing their character. For example, Curt'scharacter used to be based on blacksmithing but injuries forced him to rethink hispersona. The natural transition has led him to being a 'trader'. Last year he boughta kit to make a winter hat with real rabbit fur and a coyote tail. The smile on hisface when he stood wearing his newly finished hat said that Trader Coyote Curtwas born.

Even though you won't find Curt blacksmithing this year, other guys will beforging at the fire. Instead of twiddling his thumbs waiting for his body to heal,Curt has been learning new skills such as leather tooling and gourd work. He hasbeen creating with horn, bamboo, and clay - talk about going green. His latestfascination is for handcrafted musical instruments and he has made a couplewhistles and is almost done with his first gourd drum. He even planted over twodozen gourd plants, although with this draught it's hard to tell if he will have aharvest.

From the start, Curt has been doing everything possible to help make thisevent a success. Two years ago, using canvas tarps, Curt used an antique patternand sewed a Bakers Tent to sleep in. He had a friend even sew period correctpants. Over the past few years he has accumulated all sorts of gear and props tobring history to life. He even contacted a group of like minded men, all equallyenthusiastic, and they bring everything from anvils to a cannon for everyone toenjoy!

This year, Trammels Trace is going to be even bigger and better. Last yearthere were awesome demonstrations including skilled horse riders, along withevents like the black powder shoot, knife and tomahawk toss. This year they planto include a skillet toss, rolling pin throw, a baking competition and many eventsfor all ages! For those that prefer watching the world go by, there's a cute train totake you on a scenic tour.

Primitive, re-enacting and RV camping is available. If you plan on joining thecooking competitions advance registration is required. Be sure to bring bothmoney and 'old timey' items to trade…

For information, visit www.DiamondDon.com or call 866-398-2038. The eventwill take place at 1602 State Hwy 49, East Jefferson, Texas.

OctoberCalendar of Events


2010October 8-9

____________

Lumberjack Festival

Springhill – 318-539-2071

LA Cattle Festival

Abbeville – 337-893-6328

October 8 & 9, 20_______

Springhill Lumberjack Festival

Springhill, LA

318-578-0764, 318-539-2071

October 8-10___________

Festival Acadiens

Lafayette – 800-346-1958

Boucherie

Sorrento – 225-647-6550

Voice of the Wetlands

Houma – 800-688-2732

Gumbo Festival

Bridge City – 504-436-4712

Cut Off Youth Center Fair

Lafourche Parish

October 8-31___________

9th Annual Terror on the Bayou

Halloween Festival

Jefferson, Texas

October 9_____________

LA Art & Folk Fest

Columbia – 318-649-0726

4th Annual Teddy Bear Fest

Tallulah

14th Annual Fall Celebration at Black

Bayou

Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife

Refuge, Monroe – (318) 387-1114

Landry Vineyards Winery Outdoor

Concert Series

5699 New Natchitoches Road,

West Monroe – (318) 557-9050

www.landryvineyards.com

Springhill, Louisiana Main Street Car

Show / Antique Tractor & Engine

Show

318-539-5699, 318-840-2802 or

318- 539-5996

4th Annual Fall Heirloom Bulb Sale

Shreveport

October 9-10___________

Gumbo Cookoff

New Iberia – 337-364-1836

Natchitoches Pilgrimage

Natchitoches – 800-259-1714

Cajun Heritage Festival

LaRose – 985-537-5800

October 10____________

Louisiana TournoiVille Platte – 337-363-3343

Shreveport Zombie WalkShreveport

October 11-14__________

New Orleans Film & Video Festival

October 12-17__________

Cotton Festival

Ville Platte – 337-363-6367

Cal-Cam Parish Fair

Sulphur – 337-527-937?

Through-October 31_____

Tram Tours at Poverty Point Historic

Site

Epps – (318) 926-5492

September 23-October 3__

2010 Ark-La-Miss Fair

Monroe – 318-396-8700

www.arklamissfair.info


Claiborne Parish Fair

Haynesville – 318-624-0911


Winn Parish Fair

Winnfield – 318-628-2781


Bluegrass Festival

Oak Grove – 318-428-5282


St. Tammany Parish Fair

Covington – 800-634-9443

Tangipahoa Parish Fair

Amite – 800-542-7520

October 1_____________

Blue Mass (law enforcement)

Noon – St. Joseph's Church, Bastrop

October 1-2____________

Heritage Festival

Robeline – 800-259-1714

October 1-2, 8-9, 15-16,22-23

________________

Oktoberfest

New Orleans – 504-522-8014

October 1-3____________

Gretna Heritage Festival

Gretna – 504-361-7748

Louisiana Pie Festival

LeCompte – 318-776-5488

October 2_____________

Antique Fall Festival

Denham Springs – 225-665-4666

Art for Arts Sake

New Orleans – 504-210-0224

Hungarian Celebration

Springfield – 225-567-7899

Okra Cookoff & Festival

St. Martinville – 337-394-2230

Shadows Arts & Crafts Festival

New Iberia – 877-200-4924

October 2-3____________

Germanfest

Robert's Cove – 337-334-8354

October 2-9____________

Red River Revel

Shreveport – 318-424-4000

October 3_____________

Sugar Fest

Port Allen – 225-336-2422

October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31__

Angola Prison Rodeo

October 5-9____________

Livingston Parish Fair

Livingston – 225-686-1333

Beauregard Parish Fair

DeRidder – 337-462-3135

October 6-9____________

Jefferson Davis Parish Fair

Jennings – 337-824-1773

October 6-10___________

Vernon Parish Fair

Leesville – 337-238-0783

Cotton Festival

Bastrop – 318-281-1406

October 7_____________

Downtown Gallery Crawl

Downtown Monroe/West Monroe

(318) 329-1921

www.downtowngallerycrawl.com

October 7-9____________

Tamale Fiesta

Zwolle – 318-645-6988

October 7-10___________

New Orleans Film & Video Festival

504-309-6633

October 13-16__________

Natchitoches Parish Fair

800-259-1714

October 13-17__________

Rapides Parish Fair

Alexandria – 318-767-3968

October 14-17__________

Longue Vue Gardens

New Orleans

October 15-16__________

Southern Garden Symposium

St. Francisville

October 15-17__________

Swamp Pop Festival

Bourg – 985-594-7410

Andouille Festival

LaPlace – 985-652-9569

International Acadian Festival

Plaquemine – 225-687-6549

Louisiana Gumbo Festival

Chackbay – 985-633-7789

Rice Festival

Crowley – 337-783-2108

US Hwy 80 Sale

Hwy 80, Texas to Mississippi

www.easttexasguide.com

October 16____________

Fall for Art

Covington – 985-892-8650

Adai-Indian PowWow

Robeline – 318-472-8680

Cajun Jambalaya Cookoff

Springfield – 225-294-2218

October 2010 Calendar of Events continued


Heritage & Timber Festival

Ragley – 337-725-3444

Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival

Forsythe Park, Monroe

www. nelacelticfest.net

October 16-17__________

Fall Garden Show

New Orleans City Park – 504-483-9386

Crescent City Blues Festival

New Orleans – 504-558-6100

Oak Alley Arts & Crafts Festival

Old Farmer's Day

Loranger – 985-878-2360

October 17____________

Laurel Valley Fall Festival

Thibodaux, LA – 985-446-7456

October 20-23__________

Washington Parish Free Fair

Franklinton – 985-839-5228

West Carroll Parish Fair

Oak Grove – 318-428-2305

October 21-24__________

Yambilee Festival

Opelousas – 337-948-8848

October 21-31__________

Greater Baton Rouge State Fair

Baton Rouge – 225-755-FAIR

October 22-31__________

State Fair of Louisiana

Shreveport – 318-635-1361

October 23____________

Henry Bry Historic District Walking

Tour

The Cooley House; Henry Bry Historic

District, Downtown Monroe

(318) 329-2237

TheHallClosetA Unique Shopping Experience

745 Johnson RoadWest Monroe, LA318-366-9807

JewelryJewelryPursesPursesGifts & MoreGifts & More

www.thehallclosetshop.com

HOME SUBSCRIPTIONEnjoy LOUISIANA ROAD TRIPS for only $20/year

Name_____________________________________________________

Address___________________________________________________

City______________________________________________________

State_________ Zip___________ Phone_________________________

To subscribe, send check or money order to Louisiana Road Trips at

P O Box 2452, West Monroe, LA 71294

20th Annual Herbal Harvest and

Original Arts & Crafts

St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church,

West Monroe

Cemeteryscape

Photography exhibit benefitting Save

Our Cemeteries

Hotel Le Cirque, 936 St. Charles Ave,

New Orleans

www.saveourcemeteries.org

October 23-24__________

Wooden Boat Festival

Madisonville – 985-845-9200

Antique Street Fair

Slidell – 985-641-6316

Cajun Village Fallfest

Sorrento – 225-675-5572

Tailgating Cookoff & Fais DoDo

October 24____________

Feast on the Levee

Brusly – 225-749-2189

October 29-30__________

Night of the Living Dead

Bossier City

October 29-31__________

VooDoo Music Experience

New Orleans

www.TheVooDooExperience.com

French Food Festival

LaRose – 985-693-7355

October 30____________

Louisiana Book Festival

Baton Rouge – 225-219-9503

Acadiana Book Festival Cite Des Arts

Lafayette

http://www.citedesarts.org/

October 30-31__________

Black Pot Festival & Cookoff

Lafayette – 800-346-1958

November 5-6__________

11th Annual Main to Main Trade Days

Webster Parish – 318-371-4258

November 5-7__________

Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall

Chennault Aviation and Military

Museum, Monroe – 318-362-5540

November 6___________

Hometown Louisiana

Bastrop – 318-281-5372

4th Annual Blues and BBQ on the

Ouachita

Columbia – 318-649-2138

November 13__________

Minden Cemetery Ghost Walk

Minden – 318-423-0192

November 13-14________

14th Annual Covington Three Rivers

Art Festival

Covington – 985-871-4141

My European Vacation, Part IIBy Lora D. Peppers

After speedingthroughWestminster Abby,we headed to theTower of London. I

had always been interested in history andthis is one of the most historic places onearth. After touring with one of theBeefeater Guards, we explored on our own.Traitor's Gate, the Dungeon, The BloodyTower, Tower Hill where many lost theirheads; I just soaked it all in.

Our next stop was the famous HarrodsDepartment store, a very big and exclusiveplace with designer items on every floor. Weshopped before breaking to sample thecuisine. I sampled fish and chips, which isfried cod with fries at a cozy little pub. Theplate came with a side of “mushy peas”,dried marrowfat peas soaked overnightthen boiled in water seasoned with salt andsugar until it is mushy. The peas becomegrayish so green food coloring was added.They were quite good.

The next day we toured the BritishMuseum for a couple hours. You couldeasily spend a month there and still not seeeverything. We started in the Egyptiansection. Other than the Cairo Museum,they have the largest collection of Egyptianartifacts in the world. The centerpiece wasthe Rosetta Stone that helped decipherhieroglyphs. Another highlight of thiscollection was the Bust of Ramses II, whichwas said to have inspired Percy Shelly'spoem “Ozymandias”.

Next was the Department of Greek andRoman Antiquities where the ParthenonGallery containing the Elgin Marbles was ahighlight. Here we also found pieces of theMausoleum of Halikarnassos, was one of theSeven Wonders of the Ancient World. Wealso saw the Lewis Chessmen, Lindow Man,The Sutton Hoo Horde, and panels from thepalace at Nineveh. We were surround bythousands of years of history!

Off to the National Gallery to see worksby Michelangelo, da Vinci, Botticelli, vanEyck, Rubens, Rembrandt, Monet, Renoir,Cezanne, van Gogh, and just about everyother master painter you could think of! Itwas a bit overwhelming to stand in front ofvan Gogh's Sunflowers painting and seeevery brush stroke he made! Later, we hadtea and biscuits with a charmingEnglishwoman. Our time in London wascapped off with an evening viewing ofWicked in the West End. It was time to moveon to Paris.

After taking the Eurostar under theChunnel, we arrived at Gare du Norde stationin Paris around lunch and immediately touredthe city. I was struck by how much it felt likeNew Orleans! The architecture, the iron work;you see where New Orleans gets its flavor. Wewent down the champs-Elysees to see the Arcde Triomphe, the Palais Garnier and pastNotre Dame. Our final stop was the EifelTower. It was huge and beautiful, especially atnight when its lights sparkle. We had twooptions - either climb the Eifel Tower or take aboat ride down the Seine. The adults took theride and the teenagers headed for the tower.We learned even more history about the cityon the boat tour.

The next day was our last full day inEurope so we took the Metro to Notre Dame,which was beautiful. Completed in 1345, thecathedral was the first Gothic church in theworld and the first to use the flying buttress.The stained glass was awe inspiring as wassound of the bells tolling. We wanderedaround outside looking at the gargoyles and

the carvings.Someone pointedout a little carvinghigh up ofQuasimodo

huddled in acorner of the

building.Next stop,

theLouvre.

We got a map and picked out what wewanted to see. Cupid and Psyche, Venus de Milo,da Vinci's Madonna of the Rocks, Michelangelo'sDying Slave, and of course, Mona Lisa were just afew. I even found Winged Victory, also known asthe Nike of Samothrace,standing at the top of along flight of stairs.She was just asbeautiful as I hadthought!

Our last night inParis, we ended ourEuropean tour with astop at the Basiliquedu Sacre'-Coeurlocated on butteMontmartre, thehighest point in thecity. With a MiddleEastern flair, two statues dominate the entrance,one of Joan of Arc and the other of King SaintLouis IX. Inside, there is an air of reverence andpeople speak in hushed tones. On the ceiling ofthe apse was the largest mosaic in the world,entitled Christ in Majesty. In front of the church onthe lawn, people picnic and street performers plytheir trade as the view of Paris down below isunmatched. After a ten hour flight followed by another sixhours on the road, I was exhausted us arrivinghome. The next day I left for a week at CampQuality with the worst sinus infection I ever hadbut if I could, I would do it all again in aheartbeat!Lora Peppers, a Monroe native, grew up in Bastrop andgraduated from ULM. Her love of history dates back tochildhood when one of her favorite activities was visitinglocal cemeteries to examineheadstones. She also lovesto travel, the Great SmokyMountains National Parkbeing her favorite place onEarth. Her job as agenealogist and historianhas given her theopportunity to lead manylectures and author severalbooks. She can be reachedby e-mail [email protected].

Gargoyle on Sacre-Coure Cathedral

Winged Victory in theLouvre

ouisianaAnswers …

1. The Columbia Lock and Dam2. 1812

3. Huey Long, O.K. Allen, JamesA Noe4. Lake D'Arbonne5. Warren Parish6. The nearest post

office was inWinnsboro and itwas a 'necessity' tohave one on Beouf Prairie

7. Tensas Indians8. When surrounded by water, a

visitor was reminded of the shape ofthe Isle of Sicily

9. A sidewalk10. Hollywood of the South



Gardening GatheringsBy Mae Flager

With cracklingleaves, the spicy smellof wood smoke in theair, pumpkins onevery corner, and

candy corn for sale, October is filled withdelights for all of the senses. It's a slow seasonin the garden, a time for maintenance andplanning, and a perfect time for somegardening road trips.

First up, on the 9th of October,Shreveport will be hosting the 4h Annual FallHeirloom Bulb Sale. The event is sponsoredby the Northwest Louisiana Master Gardenersand held at the Randall T. Moore Center, from8am until noon. The sale features hundreds ofbulbs that flourish in our area, as well aspoppy, larkspur, and sweet pea seeds. It's agreat place to stock up on beautiful bulbs andfill up on gardening tips and tricks courtesy ofthe master gardeners.

The middle of the month offers two greatgardening excursions in the southern part of

Louisiana. On October 14-17, Longue VueGardens in New Orleans will be hosting PearlFryar, a topiary artist who began creating hisbotanical messages of love, peace, andgoodwill in 1984. Recognized for his skillfulcreations throughout the art and gardenworld, Fryar will be performing livedemonstrations and answering questions aswell as screening the documentary “A ManNamed Pearl”. His creations and passion aresure to inspire even the most reservedgardener to some vegetative flights of fancy inthe coming year.

In St. Francisville, the Southern GardenSymposium will take place October 15th-16th.A wealth of information and innovation willbe on display at the 22nd annual symposium.Speakers will present information on subjectsranging from antique roses and native plantsto medicinal plants in the rainforest. RonMorgan, one of the most popular floraldesigners in the U.S., will also be on handdemonstrating how to create his elegant floral

displays. The event is held at the picturesqueAfton Villa Gardens and the grounds aloneare worth the trip.

Closing out the month in my ownbackyard, October 23rd is the 20th AnnualHerbal Harvest and Original Arts & Craftsshow at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in WestMonroe. This is one of my favorite localfestivals because you never know whatgoodies are in store for you! You can stock upon plants and fall herbs, learn about essentialoils, view a display on biblical herbs, anddiscover options for local alternativehealthcare. Great food, live music, andgorgeous crafts make this a fun event forgardeners and the folks who love those dirty-nailed flower children. Mary garnish.

Mae Flager is a native Floridian who's enjoying her newnorth Louisiana habitat. A writer and gardener, sheenjoys digging in the dirt and seeing what grows. Pleaselet her know if you have thoughts, suggestions, orgardening tips that just must see the light of day,[email protected].

Sha Sha's Move MakesLake Charles Residents HappyBy Cheré Coen

Sha Sha's was a community restaurant in Creole, one that locals ofthe southwest Louisiana coastal town and tourists alike enjoyedfrequenting for fresh Louisiana seafood. When Hurricane Rita camebarreling through, the building housing the restaurant was damaged.Three years later, hurricanes Gustav and Ikefollowed, the latter flooding the small townonce again. To make matters worse, manyresidents of Creole decided not to rebuild andmoved inland to Lake Charles.

Owners Sherry and Carlton Styron made ahard decision, but one that's bode well for LakeCharles, by moving Sha Sha's of Creole to alarge renovated space at 609 Ryan Street wherethe downtown and lakefront areas areexperiencing a renaissance, thanks to a tax bond passed by voters.Lofts are being built in a neighboring renovated department store, forinstance, and Lake Charles is receiving a boardwalk to spruce up thewaterfront.

Sha Sha's of Creole still looks like it belongs by the Gulf with oldsteel buckets hanging over tables for lights and poles shaped like treeon each booth to make diners feel like they're in their own Louisianacoastal world. The waitstaff even wears “Cajun Reeboks,” or shrimpboots, to carry on the coastal feeling.

The oversized restaurant bar features live music on Fridays andkaraoke on Saturdays with a large counter space along the wall andanother stretch of bar in the middle resembling a Louisiana dock. Theatmosphere here is always festive.

Sha Sha's of Creole offers all kinds of Gulf seafood, from friedshrimp dinners to stuffed red snapper and grilled catfish. There areoysters on the half shell, boiled seafood in season, po-boys, steaks,

salads, and barbecued pulled porksandwiches. Favorites include crab andshrimp gumbo and homemade crab cakes.My personal highlight was the bread

pudding, which tastes morelike custard than thetraditional version and isserved up hot, topped with a special rum sauce, coolwhip and cinnamon. It's so popular they only smile whenyou ask for the recipe - not going to happen.

Sha Sha's of Creole is open from 10:30am to 9pmMonday through Thursday and 10:30am to 10pm Fridayand Saturday. Visit them at 609 Ryan Street, Lake Charles,(337) 494-7227.


Madisonville WoodenBoat Festival

For twenty-one years, Madisonville and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museumhave paid tribute to the hand crafted wooden boats of the Gulf Coast. Hundreds of boats willline the banks of the beautiful Tchefuncte River as 30,000 wooden boat enthusiasts come tocelebrate the wonders of wood and water. Great food, music, artists, and crafts, make theMadisonville Wooden Boat Festival one of the most popular events in the South. This two-daycelebration benefits the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum and the Tchefuncte RiverLighthouse and Marsh restoration.

The Maritime Mania Sponsor Party will be held Friday, October 22nd from 7:30-10:30pm.Join in the Pirate Fun as the festival kick-off party has become an attraction of its own! As manyas a thousand food and music lovers mingle with the visiting wooden boat captains, previewnew Museum exhibits and enjoy live music, open bar, and food from various local restaurants.Have fun while supporting Madisonville's valuable local cultural attraction. Music by The KingTones.

On Saturday, the bands are back! The Budlight Entertainment Stage, will present KingTones at 2pm, United We Groove at 4pm, Rockin' Dopsie at 6pm, and Four Unplugged at 8 pm.Sunday brings the Blue Meanies at 4pm, and Bottom's Up at 6pm.

The Quick'n Dirty Boat Building Contest will be held on Sunday at 2:00 pm. Witness thehilarious antics and cunning carpentry skills as teams blitz build a boat with the hopes of beingthe first to float across the finish line. The Quick'n Dirty offers great team-buildingopportunities foremployers, families,and friends. At 2pm onSunday, the crewsparade from the ballfield to the river wherethe ultimate contestbegins!

This yearChildren's Village at theMain Street Ball field isgoing to be bigger andbetter than it has everbeen. With RadioDisney, minicheerleading campwith the Honeybees,face painting, andmany more excitingactivities, Children'sVillage is definitelythe place to be.

Be sure to pickup raffle tickets for a14' pirogue decoratedin Saints colors andsigned by SeanPayton. Tickets are$20 each. This year'sfestival is presentedby Capital One Bank.Visitwww.woodenboatfest.org for moreinformation.


Selecting the RightDog Treat

Selecting the best dog treat is important to some pet owners. Treatsare fun to give, can be useful in training, and is a nice way to bond withyour dog.

When choosing treats, consider the quality and consistency of theingredients, caloric content, size, flavor, safety, and cost. The ideal dogtreat is one made of good quality ingredients, moderate to low incalories, consistent in ingredients (thus unlikely to cause stomach upsetfrom bag to bag), safe, and very appealing to your dog.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)publishes feed regulations and ingredient definitions. If the dog food (ortreat) follows the guidelines set forth by AAFCO, the label will include astatement that says "Formulated to meet the AAFCO Dog Food NutrientProfile for Puppies/Adults/Senior.”) Some companies create treats to bein strict compliance with the AAFCO standards.

It is also important to ensure you are buying the proper sizerelative to the size of your dog. Dog treats that are too large or too smallcan cause esophageal obstructions. It is also an ideal treat if it doesn'tcost you a fortune!

louisiana road trips - october 2010 edition

Documents

onthe wall

hometown louisiana

vietnam veterans

vietnamtraveling memorial

museum inadvance

museum tooffer help

veterans inattendance