A pot of gumbo was the first challenge Chef Alexis Cupich-Indest undertook in the kitchen after moving to Louisiana. A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Cupich-Indest attended the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin, fulfilling her childhood dreams of becoming a…
Three years ago, on July 4th, Mark Raymond Jr.’s life changed in an instant. At 27 years old, he had been celebrating the holiday with friends on a boat all afternoon in Lake Pontchartrain and periodically cooling off in the…
From the late 1910s through mid-‘20s the Gulf states and other regions of the United States were systematically shorn of their virgin forests of pine, cypress and marketable hardwoods. It was one of the growing pains of an adolescent nation,…
Their fingers were crimson — almost stained — and with bellies full like the certainty of a cicada song at sunset, baskets of strawberries remained, and a decision had to be made. “There were just too many, and we didn’t…
Southern Lady Code: Essays by Helen Ellis While writer Helen Ellis hails from Alabama, her newest book, “Southern Lady Code,” and its humorous tales, advice and nonsense, will ring true with Louisiana ladies from the tip of the boot to…
NEW ORLEANS White Linen Night Each year, Hancock Whitney and the Contemporary Arts Center host an outdoor celebration of local artists in the New Orleans Arts District. Don all white while perusing the art galleries and shops along the 300…
COVINGTON Purrrrfect for Cat Lovers The 5th annual Covington Cat Party, Cat Art and Film Festival (artforcatssake.org) is Aug. 29 in Covington featuring funny cat videos, cat agility and training, fabulous feline-themed art and jewelry, unique cat accessories and furniture,…
The term “bucket list” just doesn’t sit well with me. Not because of its allusions to death — there’s no stopping that canoe from its rapid whoosh down river. Rather, the idea of rushing to get entertaining and adventuresome things…
Fifty years ago, the search for the meaning of life wound through Louisiana with stops in the Pointe Coupee parish town of Morganza and in St. Mary Parish on the way to New Orleans. The motorcycle riders never found the…
Medical care is one of those things you likely only think about when you need it. And when you need it, you likely want to know what’s available quick and nearby. Fortunately, just about every corner of Louisiana has quality…
Louisiana is one unique destination. With so many different cultural experiences packed into one relatively small state, locals…
Nothing screams relief on a hot summer day than water. And in Monroe and West Monroe, there are plenty of options to cool off and refresh. For those who love to be outdoors, rent a canoe or kayak from…
Last week I wrote about great places to view alligators, but for those more adventurous here’s a spot where you can zip line over dozens of the scary reptiles. There’s so much to see and do at Gators and…
One of the first things visitors ask me when they land in Louisiana is where to find gators — well, second to the nearest drive-through daiquiri. Then they go all freaky like when I tell them we get up…
Big Creek Trade Days may be hard to find through the backroads outside Ruston, but even if you get lost and stop several times to check your GPS – like we did – the stress is worth the final…
Last year, Lafayette debuted a musical event that matched local songwriters with national and international professionals in a collaborative workshop. Titled South Louisiana Songwriters Festival and Workshop (SOLO), this four-day event partnered with the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation to…
Settled by the French in the 1700s, Natchitoches Poste became the oldest town in Louisiana. It was here that Pierre Baillio served as an officer at Fort St. Jean Baptiste, marrying Marie Catherine Poissot and raising a family. His eldest…
I must admit, I dearly love a food festival, and after sampling Eddie Hughes’ famous stuffed shrimp recipe at the restaurant named for the former chef, I’m thrilled to discover that the Eddie E. Hughes Foundation and Budweiser will be…
Shreveport native and fashion designer Latasha Henderson says she grew up “less fortunate.” Her mother dressed her in hand-me-downs to save money and she says the other kids bullied her for it. By age 10 or 11, Henderson was customizing…
Odds are the edifice often called Louisiana’s finest structure of the Art Deco era would never have been built had Shreveport dragged its feet. By luck, though, the three-year task of erecting the city’s Municipal Auditorium was complete (not yet…
This is that magical time of year when shrimp are in season, gardens are at their peak and farmers markets are overflowing with vegetables. It’s a given that you’ll either harvest or buy more produce than you know what to…
Chef Kraig Dixon is a Crescent City native who grew up with a love of cooking for family and friends. Cooking as a hobby was a way to bring those close to Dixon together in celebration. “My family had restaurants…
The first time I had the Shrimp Buster at Herby K’s I could have fallen off of my counter barstool and cracked my head on the floor. It was years ago and I was dining with my friend Chris Jay,…
Reaching for a hand towel in the Griffard residence requires sliding a dark wood panel past a golden grid of speakers on a 1950s Grundig hi-fi sound system. Above, the vinyl turntable has been supplanted by a shining, modern sink…
