As this is written, State Highway 820 near Ruston is closed temporarily because of construction. I know that because the man at 5-1-1 told me so.I first discovered 5-1-1 totally by accident. Driving along the somewhat-monotonous stretch of Interstate 10…
Horse racing stories usually focus on a single horse’s feats, rivalries between horses or the relationship between a horse and its mount. But the story of 2007, centers on two Louisiana jockeys from Acadiana. On the first weekend in May,…
Northern LouisianaCAUSE TO CELEBRATEThe power of graceMissy Crain, artistic director of the highly acclaimed, Monroe-based Louisiana Delta Ballet, was sitting in a church service one day when the preacher asked the congregation, “What do you have to give in return…
By January, rural communities on southwest Louisiana’s prairies are busy preparing for their local Mardi Gras runs, or courirs de Mardi Gras. Women begin stitching baggy pants and matching shirts, adding layers of fringe and building tall hats called capuchons…
I’m standing in a concrete pit, eyeball-to-udder with a big black and white lady named No. 418. In my hand is a device resembling a robotic spider. It has a palm-sized, stainless steel body with four black rubber tubes extending…
A definition.Gumbo: Spicy, thick Creole soup composed of fish or shellfish, poultry, game, meats and vegetables in any of a great variety of combinations. Gumbo is thickened with either okra or filé powder and is served ladled over rice. The…
Not long ago, four couples were having drinks before dinner, chatting about this and that while nibbling on almonds roasted with smoked paprika and homemade bread with cheeses. As often happens, the discussion turned to food and cooking, and from…
This year, along with the usual azaleas and Spring Fiesta home tours, spring promises St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans an even greater gift. Streetcars. First, some terminology: It’s crawfish, not crayfish; parishes, not counties; neutral grounds, not medians; and…
Our favorite movie is Gone With The Wind,” says Jack Lyles, as he sits on his wicker porch swing overlooking St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, “And this is our Tara.” His wife, Pam, adds, “I grew up in New…
Spirit House,” “Circle Dance,” “Middle Passage,” “Dance for My Father,” “Spirit Gates” – all are but a few names the nationally acclaimed New Orleans artist John T. Scott gave to a remarkable lifetime of art that gained him a name…
One morning I found a crumpled sticky note on which our 7-year-old son had scribbled this ardent petition to God or Santa Claus or most likely, me – the parent perceived to be the biggest pushover:“I wish I had a…
Alexandria eyes moviesCarved from the retail vacancy of a former Alexandria Super Kmart store is a soon-to-be located film production studio and medical business incubator.The development, supported by the state through a capital outlay award of $1.7 million for renovations,…
WHAT'S HOTRoll out the barrels. Hannah Pittman, 12-year-old daughter of Matt and Jane Pittman of Bogalusa, recently won the title of 2007 National Barrel Horse Association 2-D Youth World Champion at the competition in Jackson, Miss. Pittman and her gelding,…
What surprises me is that I actually have two stories on the subject of women fighting each other in Avoyelles Parish. The first is from my youth when, so the family story goes, an uncle who was a justice of…
Like so many other residents of New Orleans, Troy Peloquin lost everything in the fury of Hurricane Katrina. The only possessions he salvaged from his flooded home were his college diploma, passport, his father’s dog tags, a set of cufflinks…
Abbeville's Giant Omelet Celebration, Abbeville, Nov.3-4. Information, (337) 893-0013.Northern LouisianaOct. 5-6. Robeline Heritage Festival, El Camino Rio, Natchitoches, (318) 472-3405.Oct. 6. Lake Claiborne Car and Bike Show, Lake Claiborne State Park, Homer, (318) 927-2976.Oct. 6. Indian Games, Poverty Point State…
You know Texas for the Alamo, the theme parks, the Texas-sized malls and the miles of beaches. But even for long-time travelers to the Lone Star State there are plenty of attractions that you just might’ve missed. Have you examined…
Call it a side effect of the Baby Boomers going gray. Or blame it on financial pressures squeezing adults of all ages. Whatever the reason, more and more people in the U.S. are worrying about health care. They fret about…
Called the Sportsman's Paradise for good reason, Louisiana offers hunters diverse habitats ranging from salty tidal marshes to piney hills where they can pursue various species of game. Nearly 300,000 Louisiana residents hunt, spending more than $500 million a tear…
National Football League camps opened with 123 players from Louisiana. Nearly half of these professional prospects and veterans competed at a Louisiana university. As the 2007 collegiate season unfolds, fans will see a new batch of talent emerge from the…
Historian, author and attorney Payne Williams of the Natchitoches Historic Foundation is already recruiting spirits to make gravesite appearances during the town’s popular Sacred Places Tour in mid-March. South Louisiana towns are preparing for the All Saints Day whitewashings and…
A young woman in a flowered dress floats dreamily across the canvas in a dark blue sky. Her blond head rests on one shoulder. Ducks fly by while in the distance mosquitoes seem to swarm in a swirl of white…
Overlooking picturesque Cane River along the main street of Natchitoches’ business district, this amazing apartment was created by architectural designer James Hearron several years ago from a space that had endured life as a storage area over a hardware store.…
If you bake pies you may have experimented with different recipes to find your ideal crust. I know I have. I can’t begin to remember how many ingredients, combinations of ingredients and techniques I’ve tried over the years. I’ve used…
