[225] Magazine - March 2021 by Baton Rouge Business Report

MARCH 2021 • FREE ST. PADDY’S DAY 22 MENTAL HEALTH 25 PALACIOS HOUSE 71

! A Z Z I P 225BATONROUGE .COM

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• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2021. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

MARCH FILLER MADNESS

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CHEEK, CHIN, & JAW (LIMIT TO ONE)

$12/UNIT WRINKLE RELAXANT XEOMIN (REG $13/UNIT)

20% OFF TATTOO REMOVAL

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Todd Howell MD, Brittany Lipoma MPAS, PA-C, & Crystal Fontenot ANP-BC

TheAntiAgingClinics.com

LAFAYETTE 5000 Ambassador Caffery Building 1, Suite 101 | (337) 484-1234

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PRODUCTS MADE FROM OIL

FAR MORE THAN JUST GASOLINE IS MADE FROM OIL

While approximately 40% of a barrel of oil is used to produce gasoline, the rest is used to produce a host of other products.

MEDICINE

COSMETICS

PLASTICS

Most over-thecounter medications, homeopathic products and vitamins are derived from benzine, a petroleum product.

Makeup and shampoo that has oils, perfumes, waxes and color all produced with the help of petrochemicals.

Almost all plastics are made from petrochemicals. from your iPhone to that bottle of water. It is 4-5% of the total petroleum consumption.

SYNTHETIC RUBBER

Thousands of products rely on rubber such as shoes, tires, wet suits, breast implants, gloves, etc.

CLEANING PRODUCTS

All those ingredients you can’t pronounce in the ingredients list of cleaning products being used to keep us safe from COVID-19.

ASPHALT There are over 11 million miles of paved road in the world. Asphalt is the glue that binds the minerals together.

RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTS

Oil is necessary to produce components used to create renewable energy, from wind turbine parts and solar panels to batteries for electric cars.

OTHER PRODUCTS MADE FROM OIL

Clothing, Ink, Heart Valves, Crayons, Parachutes, Telephones, Antiseptics, Deodorant, Pantyhose, Rubbing Alcohol, Carpets, Hearing Aids, Motorcycle Helmets, Pillows, Shoes, Electrical Tape, Safety Glass, Nylon Rope, Fertilizers, Hair Coloring, Toilet Seats, Candles, Credit Cards, Aspirin, Golf Balls, Detergents, Sunglasses, Glue, Fishing Rods, Linoleum, Soft Contact Lenses, Trash Bags, Hand Lotion, Shampoo, Shaving Cream, Footballs, Paint Brushes, Balloons, Fan Belts, Umbrellas, Luggage, Antifreeze, Tires, Dishwashing Liquids, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Combs, Tents, Lipstick, Tennis Rackets, House Paint, Guitar Strings, Ammonia, Eyeglasses, Ice Chests, Life Jackets, Cameras, Artificial Turf, Artificial Limbs, Bandages, Dentures, Ballpoint Pens, Nail Polish, Caulking, Skis, Fishing Lures, Perfumes, Shoe Polish, Antihistamines, Cortisone, Dyes, Roofing, Jet Fuel, Heating Oil, etc.

Environmental Coatings Services

We’re not number one—you are!®

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sales@bartlett.group

(855) 804-4443

SOURCES: HUFFINGTONPOST.COM, OILANDGASINFO.CA, RANKEN-ENERGY.COM, EARTHSCIWEEK.ORG, LISTVERSE.COM, WIKIPEDIA.ORG, ENERGY.GOV, CONOCOPHILLIPS.COM, OILFIELDPULSE.COM

225batonrouge.com | [225] March 2021

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Issue Date: March 2021 Ad proof #2

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2021. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

Best workout ever! Regymen fitness offers five high energy and customizable workouts to fit your fitness lifestyle. Burn, Box, Build, Rumble and Blast! Let us enhance your regime at your person level.

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THE COVERY LOCATIONS: 14463 Airline Hwy. Suite 101 | 7580 Corporate Blvd. Suite 101 COMING SOON: 27800 Juban Rd #3, Denham Springs

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REJUVENATE RENEW • RELAX WHY THE COVERY? In a time of uncontrollable chaos, The Covery empowers you to take control of your mind and body through an immersive wellness experience, resulting in an immediate impact towards your best self.

SERVICES: Cryotherapy • Cryotherapy Facial • Hydrafacial Dry Float • Hyperbaric Treatment • Iv Vitamin Infusion Salt Infused Sauna • Red Light Therapy • Botox Hormone Replacement

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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Brunch Easter Weeke nd

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in our Wait List 225-756-8815. (Sorry, we are not set up for reservat ions.)

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UPFRONT //

Pizza, please! WHERE’S YOUR FAVORITE place to get pizza in town? And has your answer to that question changed over the last few years? I wouldn’t be surprised if it has, if only because of the sheer volume of new pizza restaurants that have opened lately in the Capital Region. The pizza scene in the 225 is hot! Restaurants like Rocca have made pizza so much more than guilty-pleasure, delivery food. With its stylish interior space and Neapolitan-style pies available in unique flavors like Mushroom Medley and Pistachio, Rocca elevates pizza as close as it can get to a fine-dining, foodie experience. Meanwhile, fast-casual restaurants like Lit Pizza, Jabby’s Pizza and the brand-new Hive Pizza offer fun, build-your-own experiences, not BY JULIO MELARA to mention more health-conscious options like cauliflower crusts and vegan cheeses and meats. And did you know you can get massive, 30-inch pies at Fat Boy’s Pizza? Or how about a Detroit-style pizza at Reginelli’s, or New Haveninspired pies at City Slice? Today, there are so many interesting choices beyond the usual tomato sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni. And there’s even more to come in the future: Pizza Artista, Pizza Art Wine and Speedy Fresh Pizza are just a few of the many new concepts slated to arrive in Baton Rouge later this year. It all builds on a local pizza culture that we’d argue was already great, with longstanding restaurants like Fleur de Lis Pizza and Pastime Restaurant maintaining devoted followings. Their legacies helped pave the way for all the innovation we’re seeing today. In this month’s cover story, we’ve prepared a ton of fun features celebrating Baton Rouge’s pizza Issue Date: March 2021 Ad2 proof #1 revolution. Turn to page 34 for more. • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. And24be sure to tell us YOUR • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production favorite pizzafees. by voting in this

month’s Best of 225 Awards. Read on for more details below!

A home for the arts When the Palacios family moved to Baton Rouge from Cuba and Venezuela, they hoped to share their love of music and art with their new neighbors. By 2018, it led them to open Palacios House of Arts, a school with art and music classes serving children as young as 2 and adults of all ages. In addition to teaching a variety of instruments and art techniques, the family and their volunteer instructors have done everything from bring students to local art exhibitions and concerts to experimenting with Zoom classes at the beginning of the pandemic. “We want to connect with the rest of the community in every possible way, whether it’s going to a concert, sending students to workshops or connecting with different places and music schools,” Raudol Palacios says. To read more about the Palacios House of Arts and its offerings, turn to page 71.

Caring for your mental health This month marks one year since the COVID-19 outbreak reached Baton Rouge. It’s truly stunning how much can change in 365 days. Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones or their livelihoods during these hard months. All our lives have been upended by the pandemic, and for many there’s never been a more emotionally challenging time. For this issue, we’ve prepared two different stories exploring mental health. The first is an article about how local health and wellness businesses have turned to virtual classes and therapy to help their clients during the pandemic. Read more starting on page 25.

The second is a feature on The Positive Vibe Movement, a Baton Rouge apparel brand that produces products with motivational messages. Matt Bahnick began the business with hopes of ending the stigma of talking about mental health, and his hats and shirts have been championed by athletes across the country. Turn to page 53 to read more.

Time to vote! Have you decided who you’re voting for? If not, start thinking now about your favorite pizza, burger, new restaurant, boutique fitness studio and radio personality. These are just a few of the 60-plus categories up for a Best of 225 Award in 2021! The ballot opens March 4 and runs through April 8 at 225batonrouge. com/bestof225. This year’s nominees were determined by write-in nominations that were open on our website during January and February. If you’re a local business that has been nominated for an award, congratulations! A special tip: You can find free, downloadable social media graphics on our website to use for your campaigning purposes. Any Capital Region resident can participate in voting—yes, that means YOU! And after local businesses have had to work so hard the past year, we can’t think of a better way to honor them than by casting your vote.

Great thought I saw this bumper sticker recently and had to take a pic. It said, “What comes easy won’t last. What lasts won’t come easy.”

DON’T LEAVE IT TO LUCK TO SELL YOUR HOME, LEAVE IT TO DEL RIO REAL ESTATE! 225.218.0888 • DELRIOREALESTATEBR.COM

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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Pain Management

Elbow

Hand & Wrist

Sports Medicine

Hip

Shoulder

OVER 700 YEARS

PT & OT

OF EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THE BATON ROUGE METRO AREA

Spine

Musculoskeletal Oncology

Foot & Ankle

Knee

Trauma

Baton Rouge / Gonzales / Zachary / Walker / Brusly

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Pediatric

BROrtho.com 2/16/21 10:11 AM

CONTENTS //

Features 18 Where to practice your swing—of the ax, we mean 25 How mental health workers navigated the pandemic 53 How a Baton Rouge transplant is spreading positivity with T-shirts

66 What to make at home for St. Patrick’s Day And much more …

ON THE COVER

Pizza! Baton Rouge pizza has grown up over the last several years, with new openings that reflect broad tastes, styles and dietary restrictions. And our love for it has only grown during the pandemic. Pizza is a cost-effective choice for restaurants with tight margins—and families trying to put food on the table affordably. For this month’s cover shoot, we asked Rocca Pizzeria to prepare a pie showing off slices from eight different specialty pizzas on its menu. 225 staff photographer Collin Richie captured all the deliciousness, including a slice topped with potatoes and pistachios and one slathered with ricotta and hazelnut pesto. We’ll take one of each, please. Turn to page 34 for our cover story exploring pizza in Baton Rouge.

Departments

COLLIN RICHIE

14 What’s Up 25 Our City 33 I am 225 34 Cover story 49 Style 59 Taste 71 Culture

COLLIN RICHIE

64 8

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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Issue Date: March 2021 Ad proof #2

A S K T H E S TA FF

When you order delivery, it’s probably … Publisher: Julio Melara

EDITORIAL

“Greek & Lebanese, Indian or Thai.” —Manny Fajardo

Editorial director: Penny Font Editor: Jennifer Tormo Managing editor: Benjamin Leger Staff writer: Cynthea Corfah Digital content editor: Mark Clements Staff photographer: Collin Richie Contributing writers: Julia-Claire Evans, Caroline Hebert, Tracey Koch, Maggie Heyn Richardson, Stephanie Riegel Contributing photographers: Ariana Allison, Sean Gasser, Amy Shutt, Haskell Whittington

ADVERTISING

Sales director: Erin Palmintier-Pou Account executives: Manny Fajardo, André Hellickson Savoie, Jamie Hernandez, Kaitlyn Maranto, Olivia Robb Advertising coordinator: Devyn MacDonald

CORPOR ATE MEDIA

Editor: Lisa Tramontana Content strategist: Allyson Guay Multimedia Strategy Manager: Tim Coles Client Experience Coordinator, Studio E: Nicole Prunty

IT’S MARCH MASKNESS! LIMITED TIME! 25% Off All Products

“Elsie’s, DiGiulio Brothers or Burgersmith.” —André Hellickson Savoie

MARKETING

Chief marketing officer: Elizabeth McCollister Hebert Marketing & events assistant: Taylor Floyd Events: Abby Hamilton Community liaison: Jeanne McCollister McNeil “No. 88 from Thai Kitchen. Spice level two, silver noodles on the side. I could eat it every day.” —Taylor Floyd

ADMINISTR ATION

Assistant business manager: Tiffany Durocher Business associate: Kirsten Milano Office coordinator: Tara Lane Receptionist: Cathy Brown

PRODUCTION/DESIGN

Production director: Melanie Samaha Art director: Hoa Vu Graphic designers: Melinda Gonzalez, Emily Witt

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Audience development director and digital manager: James Hume Audience development coordinator: Ivana Oubre Audience development associate: Jordan Kozar

Highland Park 225-228-1383 Towne Center 225-228-1373 Perkins Rowe 225-800-3636 waxcenter.com

“Sushi! I didn’t like it for all my life until I tried it again for my son’s birthday last August. Now, I’m HOOKED. I had been missing out!” —Ivana Oubre

A publication of Louisiana Business Inc. Chairman: Rolfe H. McCollister Jr. President and CEO: Julio Melara Executive assistant: Brooke Motto 9029 Jefferson Highway, Suite 300 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225-214-5225 • FAX 225-926-1329 225batonrouge.com ©Copyright 2021 by Louisiana Business Incorporated. All rights reserved by LBI. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Business address: 9029 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Telephone (225) 214-5225. 225 Magazine cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited material—manuscripts or photographs—with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed.

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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Open Road Mode Lock doors. Adjust lights. Arm home security. Get outdoors. Protect. Monitor. Control. Call 844-347-2219 or visit cox.com/homelife

Cox Homelife is available to residential customers in select Cox service areas. A high-speed Internet connection is required. Cox Homelife Security service plan required for professional monitoring services for intrusion, smoke/fire and related system components. Applicable monthly service charges, installation, additional equipment, taxes, trip charges and other fees may apply. Subject to credit approval. Other restrictions may apply. Local ordinances may require an alarm user permit or external lock box. Cox Homelife Service provided by Cox Advanced Services: Arizona, LLC – Alarm Lic. #18141–0 & ROC Lic. #310876; Arkansas, LLC – Lic. #E 2014 0026 & #CMPY.0002278; California, LLC – Alarm Lic. #7196 & Contractor’s Lic. #992992; Connecticut, LLC – N/A; Florida, LLC – Lic. #EF20001232; Georgia, LLC – License: Bryan David Melancon #LVU406595; Idaho, LLC – Lic. #024933; Iowa, LLC – Lic. #C121646 & #AC268; Louisiana, LLC – Lic. #F 2006; Nebraska, LLC – Lic. #26512; Nevada, LLC dba Cox Homelife – Lic. #78331; Ohio, LLC – Lic. #5318–1671; Oklahoma, LLC – Lic. #2002; Rhode Island, LLC – Lic. #9314; Kansas, LLC – Topeka Lic. #109 & Wichita Lic. #2015–36492; Virginia, LLC – DCJS Lic. #11–7776 & DPOR Lic. # 2705164725 ©2021 Cox Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. MAG107433–0021

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WE BUILD THE SPACES.

You build the memories.

RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

MAINTENANCE SERVICES

POOLS | OUTDOOR SPACES | TURF FENCES | BULKHEADS | MASONRY

MAINTENANCE SERVICES RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL POOLS

CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE | 225-757-6138 | PECBUILT.COM |

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MENTION 225 & RECEIVE $225 OFF

2/16/21 10:36 AM

F E E D B AC K / / W H AT ’ S O N L I N E / /

Let the voting begin!

Thoughts on the best

WE’VE COMPILED ALL your write-in favorites submitted during our nomination period in January and February. And now it’s time for the final voting! Voting goes live IT’S A March 4 on our website. TIE! The people and businesses that received the most nominations in each category during the write-in period are the ones you’ll see listed on the ballot. Each participant who resides in the 225 area is able to vote for each category one time. Our tech team ensures that votes can’t be rigged or stacked. Voting will end April 8, and we’ll announce this year’s winners with the release of our July 2021 issue of 225 magazine. Go to 225batonrouge.com/bestof225 to get more information and start voting!

OUR READERS ALWAYS have thoughts and opinions on the Best of 225 categories and winners. Every now and then, we like to share some great feedback we’ve received:

JULY 2020 • FREE

15TH ANNUAL

For the first time ever, our Best Burger category goes to TWO winners.

We really appreciate your efforts at developing great resources for restaurants in the 225. Your list of Blackowned restaurants has been very helpful to more people than you may know. However, we are curious as to why this category is not listed as part of this year’s Best of 225 AWARDS for 2021? Many of these restaurants have lasted through the COVID crisis. While a staple in the Black community, Bayou Cafe and Chicken Shack are growing. Yes, many Black-owned businesses have gone under, as have white, Latinx, Asian and Cajun ones. It is important to realize the shift in the 225 of all the restaurants. Another point: The push by many Black small business owners around food service is in high gear. Bayou Kitchen (a nonprofit project of Bayou Cafe for training and entrepreneurship along with the Southern Ag Center) and Build Baton Rouge have plans in the works for food incubators. Both groups’ missions are to develop entrepreneurs and employees to properly and safely operate in the ever-growing food service business. A large number of Black-owned businesses are food service businesses. —Rinaldi E. Jacobs Sr.

BLACK-OW NED RESTAURAN TS 18

LOCAL PROTESTS 29 STYLISH MASKS 83

NEARLY 70 WINNERS INSIDE VOTED BY ‘225’ READERS

01 Cover.indd 1

Screen grab from Southern’s performance at the inauguration

Called to perform YET AGAIN, SOUTHERN University’s Human Jukebox hit the national stage—this time to perform as part of President Joe Biden’s inauguration festivities. Digital content editor Mark Clements interviewed band director Kedric Taylor about quickly putting together a routine for the virtual performance, and our readers shared praise for the band.

6/16/20 4:56 PM

We love the Best of 225 voting and results every year. Can y’all promote local? Or have a “local honorable mention” when a chain is the top vote getter? With all the great local businesses, it’s unfortunate that chains show up in the top categories. —Kale Wetekamm Reader comments have been edited for space and clarity.

“Congrats! Making Baton Rouge proud!” —@angela.6080

“HBCU proud! The best band ” in the land! —@clorome

“Boy, is he limber!”

307

Number of shares on Facebook for our story on the Human Jukebox

—Celia Pope

CONNECT WITH US

Issue Date: March 2021 Ad proof #1

twitter.com/225batonrouge • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. facebook.com/225magazine • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

instagram.com/225batonrouge

pinterest.com/225batonrouge

youtube.com/225magazine

Being an injured worker is difficult enough… You need a specialist to navigate your claim

Call The Comp Guy

225-960-4449 Baton Rouge, LA | rayfirm.net | 225batonrouge.com | [225] March 2021

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March

Self-care is sacred A Sacred Space Co. sells thoughtfully made coconut wax candles to bring light to sacred moments

COLLIN RICHIE

A Sacred Space Co. is sold online, at Sweet Baton Rouge and shops in Monroe, Los Angeles, St. Louis and New Jersey. Banks plans to eventually open a brick and mortar, including a studio for her to work and a storefront for people to shop for candles and accessories.

Simone Banks is the owner of a Sacred Space Co., a Baton Rouge candle business that makes eco-conscious and intentionally crafted candles.

DEPENDING ON WHO you ask, the perfect moment to light a candle varies. For some, it is during a yoga or meditation session. For others, it’s in their kitchen after they cleaned it spotless. No matter the time or place, Simone Banks, the owner of Baton Rouge candle company a Sacred Space Co., believes you can create your own sacred space by setting an intention and lighting her thoughtful candles. Banks started her candle business in February 2019. Two months prior, she and her sister started making candles for fun. It was holiday season and they were at home together, so they wanted to experiment creatively. After they got the hang of it, Banks’ appreciation for the process grew. She started sending test candles to friends and family. In March 2019, she sold candles at White Star Market’s farmers market and never looked back. “I like the idea that lighting a candle paused me,” Banks says. The 36-year-old makes small-batch candles from home. She uses coconut wax, cotton wicks and essential oils for fragrance for her nature-inspired candles in the Botanical Collection. Oils like bergamot, sage, lemongrass, amber and sandalwood are infused in many of the candles. “I want them to provide aromatherapy,” Banks says. “It’s like a form of self-therapy.” A Sacred Space Co. sells two main candle varieties: Botanical Collection and Be: Collection. The Botanical Collection features candles named with words of intention like Surrender, Create, Breathe, Unwind and Awaken. Each candle is topped with a crystal that can be saved once the candle melts completely. Banks believes the crystal stores the candle owner’s energy and the intention they set when burning the candle. Be: Collection candles are made for everyday use, inspired by elements of the earth, contained in amber jars and complete with an affirmation inscribed on each label. The five candles of the collection are named Prosper, Spirit, Wander, Ground and Reflect. “Every time you light the candle, you’re taking that in,” Banks says about the affirmations. “I just want people to create their own sacred space.” In addition to her main collections, Banks also releases seasonal lines for special occasions. In October 2020, she launched a fall/winter collection that featured three candles with cozy cinnamon, citrus and earthy scents. For spring 2021, she plans to announce another limited edition scent called “Freshwater.” “When people purchase my candles, I want them to feel me,” Banks says. “It’s an energy transfer. I like to call them offerings, not just products.” asacredspace.co

—CYNTHEA CORFAH

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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W H AT ’ S U P / /

Then vs. now A LOT CAN happen in a year. Who would’ve thought when the government mandated a shutdown for COVID-19 back in March 2020 that by March 2021, we would still be masked up as the coronavirus continues spreading widely? Throughout the uncertainty, locals have made time for self-reflection, the outdoors and quality time with their families. 225 wanted to know how different life looks for Baton Rougeans since last year. We asked three locals to show us one photo from their camera roll dated March 2020 and one from now. Here’s what we received.

THEN NOW

“Despite the 2020 St. Patrick’s Day parade getting canceled just a few days before, my friends and I still wanted to celebrate the day by going to the block party at the various establishments on Perkins. We would have never guessed that within days, we would be in a stay-at-home order, which would ultimately become the new normal for the rest of the year.”

—Grace Fiorenza Hermes

NOW

—DaKenya Douglas

THEN

“Took a hard left from the big to the small and [started] really looking at what’s inside.”

DIGITS

75+

THE NUMBER OF dried floral varieties sold at Baton Rouge Succulent Co. The plant shop isn’t just known for its plump succulents and spiky cacti. It also has a bold and colorful dried floral bar full of textured and vibrant florals to add to your home or event this spring. (Check out our online archives to see how we incorporated dried florals into a May 2020 style shoot at 225batonrouge. com/style-home.)

THEN

“On the outside, not much has changed, but the work on the inside has been significant. I’ve been able to use some of my solitude during quarantine and working remotely for reflection, prioritizing myself and spending time with my own thoughts.”

COURTESY BATON ROUGE SUCCULENT CO.

How much has your life changed since March 2020?

NOW

—George Castillo

Rainbows and sunshine

WINNERS

10 activities to do outdoors around Baton Rouge this spring ARE YOU READY to soak up the sun, put your feet in the grass and feel the warm, fresh air? You’re not alone. Spring officially begins March 20, meaning it’s time to break out the activewear and dust off your bike. Here are some fun activities to do in Baton Rouge this spring.

2. Bike the Downtown Greenway path. 3. Picnic at Baton Rouge City Park. 4. Eat Sweet Society ice cream in the outdoor area at Electric Depot. 5. Roller skate at Perkins Road Community Park.

ARIANA ALLISON

1. Watch the sunset at the Mississippi Riverfront downtown.

UR CO

6. Sip iced coffee at Reve Coffee Lab’s outdoor patio. 7. Sunbathe and people watch at Perkins Rowe’s green space. 8. Eat local at one of Millennial Park’s picnic tables. 9. Birdwatch at Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center. 10. Do yoga at BREC’s Highland Road Community Park.

GIRARD MELANCON, the Baton Rouge Community College vice chancellor for workforce solutions, was appointed by the National Skills Coalition and Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships to a national Industry Recovery Panel influencing federal recovery policies for President Joe Biden’s administration and Congress. Between March and July, Melancon will join other business, labor and college leaders to shape policies and ensure they include investments in training and support so workers and businesses can adapt to industry changes.

225batonrouge.com | [225] March 2021

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W H AT ’ S U P / /

W H AT ’ S N E W

At The Brighton School, Dyslexia is a

Superpower

Buzz feed

By Julia-Claire Evans

not a Disability

IN MEMORY OF MLK

Baton Rouge Area Foundation announced plans on MLK Day to restore the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the River Center Plaza. The 24-year-old sculpture’s red and blue paint has faded in the years since it was erected, and the inside has developed rust. The entire memorial sculpture will be restored. braf.org

12108 Date: Parkmeadow Ave 2021 Ad proof #1 Issue March

Grades K-12

Baton Rouge, LA 70816 thebrightonschool.org • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

WORTH THE DRIVE

In January, Baton Rouge Area Chamber unveiled a new COVID-19 Economic Indicator Dashboard for Baton Rouge. A new report will be released on the platform monthly, assessing the impacts and changes COVID-19 has brought to the Capital Region’s economy, including job losses, unemployment claims and even hotel occupancy. brac.org

REVE UP

NEW MENU COMING SOON! 6747 Highway 61 | St. Francisville, LA 70775 225.635.0033 | thefrancissoutherntable.com

When White Star Market closed its doors last spring, it forced the food hall’s vendors to either close or relocate. Reve Coffee Lab is the latest vendor to return, opening a bigger brick-andmortar in the Settlement at Willow Grove. The new space has a fresh interior by designer Victoria Isabelle and the same specialty coffee the brand was known for before. revecoffeeroasters.com

PHOTOS BY ARIANA ALLISON; FILE PHOTO

PHOTO BY JOHN JACKSON, OUT DA BAYOU!

NOW SERVING BOILED CRAWFISH!

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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open air

ENJOY THE

SHOPPING & DINING EXPERIENCE

MORE MARGARITAS

Rio Tacos and Tequila is downtown’s newest colorful arrival. It opened on Third Street below City Bar in January, boasting an array of street tacos and Mexican dishes, housemade salsa, and frozen margaritas and palomas. Find it on Facebook

PHOTOS BY ARIANA ALLISON; FILE PHOTO

In addition to margaritas and palomas, Rio has cocktails likeSpanish Moon the Strawberry Mexican Mule.

MORE FOOD NEWS

Southern Craft closure Southern Craft Brewing Co. has shut down after five years of operation. The Airline Highway brewery was Baton Rouge’s second brewery and taproom when it opened in 2016. The closure came after about 10 months of not being able to host visitors due to COVID-19.

Raising Cane’s app You can now get your fried chicken fix even quicker with the new Raising Cane’s mobile ordering app. It allows customers to order online and pick up their food and drinks as take-out or curbside. Hooray for not waiting in drive-thru lines! Find it in the app store

THE ART OF GAMING

Southern University Laboratory School unveiled its Esports and Media Lab in January. The lab, which is the first of its kind in the state, will be reserved specifically for students who are involved in competitive and non-competitive esports, such as video gaming and virtual reality games. sulabschool.com

TJ Ribs Prairieville returns Following a two-year shutdown, Baton Rouge’s longstanding barbecue restaurant plans to reopen its Prairieville location. It’s expected to debut in early April. tjribs.com

Corporate Blvd at Jefferson • 225.925.2344 townecenteratcedarlodge.com • HEALTH • BEAUTY • DESIGNER SHOPPING HOME DECOR • GOURMET DINING • AND MORE 225batonrouge.com | [225] March 2021

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W H AT ’ S U P / /

Civil Axe Throwing opened on Government Street in April 2020.

KEY TERM

‘Ax’ vs. ‘axe’ If you’re a word nerd like the 225 staff, you’re probably curious about all the different spellings of the word “ax.” While there is no difference in meaning when you add an “-e” to the end of the word, the simple “ax” is the preferred spelling of the Associated Press, which guides 225’s writing style.

TRY THIS

Throw down Ax throwing is growing in popularity locally, thanks to shops that engage hobbyists and newbies alike By Julia-Claire Evans // Photos by Collin Richie

BATON ROUGE SEEMS to be getting the ax. The art of ax throwing, that is. Civil Axe Throwing opened its Baton Rouge location in April 2020 on Government Street. Of the 13 stores Civil Axe operates across the South, Baton Rouge is already one of its top five, according to Vice President of Sales and Marketing Scott Brewster. At Civil Axe, groups of customers get their own lanes and targets. They can take turns throwing large, metal axes. The objective is to get as close as possible to the bull’s-eye on a wooden target. While the games can get competitive, they’re less about keeping score and more about learning how to throw, Brewster says. Customer group sizes can range from one person to 16, and for groups of 16 or more, larger events are available.

After checking in and signing some paperwork, groups get instruction from an “axe-pert,” who teaches them how to throw the ax and enjoy the activity safely. Brewster loves watching people’s faces light up the first time they stick an ax on the target. “People get so excited,” Brewster says. The amount of people the store sees purchase an additional hour after their first session—and the people who make repeat trips to Civil Axe Throwing later on—speaks to how fun and exciting the activity is, according to Brewster. The sport of ax throwing started trending nationally before the pandemic, and by 2020 championships and competitions were even showing up on channels like ESPN. Brewster thinks this visibility has been a big factor in bringing new faces

to Civil Axe’s doors. “People are taking it on as a hobby,” Brewster says, “and we’re starting to see people purchase axes and even bring in their own. ... People are starting to see it’s a legitimate sport.” Over in Central, Gotham Archery and Axe Throwing has been open since fall 2017. The locally owned facility offers introductory archery and ax throwing courses and even participates in championships and social tournaments. Owner Ken Hsu says he has also seen ax throwing getting more popular locally and nationally, with some even turning it into a social gathering with drinks. Gotham Archery offers team building, birthday and bachelor/ bachelorette parties. “It’s just something different to do,” Hsu says. During the pandemic, Brewster

and the Civil Axe Throwing team have come up with ways to continue business while catering to people who prefer to stay at home. Its mobile targets and axes can be rented for ax throwing gatherings in residential backyards. And the sport will continue its growth across the region. Up next: Civil Axe Throwing has a New Orleans location coming soon. “Things are trending positively for us, and we’re excited for what’s coming down the pipeline in the next few months,” Brewster says. civilaxethrowing.com and gothamarcherybr.com

EXPERIENCE IT Visit Civil Axe Throwing at 3001 Government St. and Gotham Archery and Axe Throwing at 14455 Greenwell Springs Road.

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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year anniversary

Boba ParTea is a bakery and bubble tea shop in Baton Rouge that specializes in serving fresh baked goods and delicious bubble teas. Inspired by a combination of creativity and world travelling, Boba Partea serves heavenly pastries and delectable drinks in an inviting atmosphere with indoor and outdoor space.

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Issue Date: March 2021 Ad proof #3

W H AT ’ S U P / /

30 SECONDS

Rain on the parade

Wearin’ of the Green founder Pat Shingleton hopes we’ll still celebrate St. Patrick’s Day—even if the parade rolls months later LEADING UP TO St. Patrick’s Day this year, Pat Shingleton didn’t even have to say the parade was canceled. He knew it probably would be. He knew everyone else knew it, too. But he is quick to correct some language. There will be a Wearin’ of the Green celebration this month, which he’ll co-host on WBRZ-Channel 2 alongside his son, anchor Michael Shingleton. The March 13 show will start rolling at 9:30 a.m., and it will include every bit of footage Shingleton can conjure from previous parades. And the parade, of course, isn’t canceled, but postponed. Once it’s deemed safe, Shingleton promises he’d only need a few weeks notice to pull everything together. Here, the 70-year-old shares why the parade has been so important—and about his recent retirement as WBRZ-Channel 2 chief forecaster. wearinofthegreen.com

—JENNIFER TORMO

Many consider Wearin’ of the Green the best parade in town. While we’ve missed it the last year, what do you think it ultimately means to Baton Rouge? I think about the hurricanes that rolled through Lake Charles last year. As unfortunate and devastating as it was, people are tied to the land, and they always come back. It’s the same thing with this parade—people always come back, and the parade will come back. People who are now 55 enjoyed it when they were 20. We’ve had a lot of marriages and engagements on the route. One person, Stephen Keller, was hit by a car on the route, ended up going to the hospital and finding out he had cancer. He started treatment and is now cancer free. The parade is so much larger than me. The parade is 35 years old now. What’s been your favorite memory? I have a picture that shows my son, Michael, walking down the parade route when he was 3. He was 8 months old for the first parade and has been at the parade every year since. … In the photo, he’s got an Irish shirt on, and he’s just tossing these beads. For me, it’s the memories of everything my wife, Mabyn, has done to assist with the parade, and the years our family has come into town and thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Tell us some parade day stories. In 2011, it was a really bad day for the parade. We had weather situations, breakdowns. The parade was really running late. I wanted to find out what was going on and get it moving. So I jumped on this golf cart and went flying down Perkins Road. When I came to the top of the Overpass, the wheels of the cart slid off the curb and smashed this little girl’s trumpet. She was with the Istrouma High Band. The little girl was crying, and I said ‘Honey,

I’m really sorry. I’ll have a new trumpet for you Monday.’ I went to the band director, Juvon Pollard, [and he told me] the band was the only one in town that didn’t have uniforms. I said, ‘You and I are going to work together to make this happen in six months.’ We needed to raise about $34,000. Six months later, we ended up about $12,000 short. Then the next day, a lady walked into Istrouma High School and anonymously cut a check for $12,000. That all came from a smashed trumpet.

Congrats on your retirement as WBRZ’s chief forecaster. How does it feel? I can never get my head around that word, ‘retirement.’ I don’t see it for me. It’s more me closing the door on the weather department. I’ve covered a lot of stories, given the daily forecast and tried to leave the viewer with a smile on their face. But I’m going to continue to embrace the things that benefit the community, whether that’s something like the parade or [my nonprofit] Pat’s Coats for Kids. You’ve covered 500 storms over your 45-year career. Which was most memorable? Gustav was the worst storm that ever hit Baton Rouge. It was the biggest tree remover we ever had. Of course there was Katrina, and the flood in 2016 was just mind boggling. And 2020—what a year. We used every hurricane name on the list, and five storms hit the state of Louisiana. Our viewers are acclimated to tropical storms and hurricanes. Now, after a pandemic and economic crisis, it feels like we can’t possibly throw anything more at them. They are extremely resilient. Quotes have been edited for brevity and clarity.

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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ASK THE EXPERT ARE YOU 50? HAVE YOU HAD YOUR COLONOSCOPY? KNOW THE FACTS FROM OUR EXPERTS Q. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AT-HOME COLON CANCER SCREENING TESTS AND COLONOSCOPY? A. At-home colon cancer screening tests (Cologuard and FIT testing) are decent at detecting colon cancer but not good for

detecting polyps, the precursors to colon cancer. If you have a positive at-home colon cancer screening test, you need a colonoscopy to investigate why it is positive. False positives do occur.

Colonoscopy is an outpatient colon cancer screening procedure that is good for detecting both colon cancer and polyps. Furthermore, during your colonoscopy your gastroenterologist will remove any polyps that are found, so that the polyps never have a chance to become a colon cancer. By detecting and removing polyps, colonoscopy can significantly reduce your risk of developing colon cancer. Because of this, colonoscopy is considered the gold standard test for colon cancer screening.

Q. WILL INSURANCE PAY FOR COLON CANCER SCREENING? A. Typically, insurance will pay for one colon cancer screening test. That is, they will cover either an at-home colon cancer

screening test or colonoscopy. Not both. If you have a positive at-home colon cancer screening test, you will have to pay for the required follow-up colonoscopy out-of-pocket.

Q. IF YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF POLYPS OR A FAMILY HISTORY OF COLON CANCER, WHICH TYPE OF COLON CANCER SCREENING IS RECOMMENDED? A. If you have one of these histories, you are considered to be in a high risk group for colon cancer, and because you want to use the best test for detecting polyps, colonoscopy is the ONLY form of colon cancer screening that is recommended.

FOR QUESTIONS OR TO SCHEDULE A COLONOSCOPY CONSULTATION WITH ONE OF OUR GASTROENTEROLOGISTS PLEASE CALL (225) 246-9240. BATONROUGECLINIC.COM

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I N S I D E : Businesses and the pandemic / Local news

Stress RE LI E F

How local wellness professionals are continuing to help Baton Rougeans deal with mental health issues a year after the COVID-19 pandemic began BY CYN T H E A CO R FA H PHOTOS B Y COLLIN R IC H IE

At The Red Shoes, Trish Little’s yoga class became a virtual online offering during the pandemic.

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OUR CITY //

VER THE LAST year, millions of people’s lives changed. Some lost their jobs or security; others lost family members. Many fought for their lives battling a deadly virus, or stayed at home taking care of their immunocompromised loved ones. No matter the scenario, it affected everything—including our mental health. In response, local counseling facilities and wellness studios almost immediately started offering classes, one-on-one sessions and other services virtually to bridge the gap between residents and mental health practices. Before the pandemic, Small Talk Counseling & Consulting owner LaKeitha Poole avoided virtual counseling sessions as much as she could. She enjoyed having in-person counseling with individuals, couples and groups to make a more intimate connection. Once virtual sessions became the norm, she had to adjust

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and find new ways to utilize digital platforms. For her clients, the technological barrier was one more thing to add to the new anxieties and stress brought on by the pandemic. “A lot of people don’t have the emotional vocabulary to describe what they’re feeling,” Poole says. “There’s an ongoing feeling centered around grief, and it has made it difficult for people to recognize why they haven’t felt like themselves.” In addition to online therapy sessions, Small Talk Counseling & Consulting started making Instagram live videos on mental health topics. It reposted podcast episodes about subjects like facing fears, self-care, manifestation and attachment. This year, Poole plans to offer a virtual wellness retreat where participants can experience guided meditation and yoga, and career and mental health advice from professionals from their homes. Baton Rouge nonprofit The

“A lot of people don’t have the emotional vocabulary to describe what they’re feeling. There’s an ongoing feeling centered around grief, and it has made it difficult for people to recognize why they haven’t felt like themselves.”

Red Shoes also switched gears to virtual classes, conversations and book club meetings. Prior to the pandemic, the established wellness center had a full calendar of events —LaKeitha Poole, owner of Small Talk at its Government Counseling & Consulting Street space. Now, the organization offers those events virtually, including create groups and scheduled events online yoga classes, outdoor events, like we were before is important.” a virtual book club and dream circle The Red Shoes offers virtual yoga discussions. classes Monday-Friday at 8 a.m., group The Red Shoes’ Executive Director outdoor walks and yoga in the park. Wendy Herschman says it was After George Floyd’s death last critical for the organization to give its summer, it started leading eight-week participants a sense of normalcy in all book studies about race. the chaos. Around the same time, another “When you are anxious and also nonprofit, STAR (which stands isolated, it’s more likely to lead to for Sexual Trauma Awareness and depression,” Herschman says. “To

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OUR CITY //

nonprofit responded to 1,461 hotline calls, conducted 2,637 individual counseling sessions and provided 473 legal services. While wellness businesses had to make quick adjustments and experiment with new ways to reach their clients and communities during a pandemic, the impact seems to have made all the technology training and virtual events worth it. “A donor once told me that one of our online courses ‘[is] like going to a really great and fun church service every week.’ We need the familiar when so many things are moving around us,” Herschman at The Red Shoes says.

Response), encouraged virtual and social media conversations around racism and racial trauma. The organization expanded its focus from sexual trauma survivors and supportive services for women and the LGBTQ community to educating the community on how historical injustices continue to impact people of color’s mental health and perpetuate trauma. The pandemic led to a devastating year for domestic violence victims—19 people died in East Baton Rouge Parish in 2020 due to domestic violence, according to The Advocate. This was the highest number of such deaths in at least a decade and more than quadruple the previous year. STAR used Zoom to hold virtual trainings on topics like responding to disclosures of sexual trauma, coping with compassion fatigue and understanding human trafficking. It also offered online support groups for adult survivors of sexual trauma and caregivers of survivors. Despite the physical restrictions, the work didn’t stop for STAR. In 2020, the

ONLINE

theredshoes.org smalltalkcounseling.com star.ngo

Issue Date: March 2021 Ad proof #2

Tina Ufford teaches yoga at The Red Shoes.

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OUR CITY //

Women in business … in a pandemic IT’S BEEN WELL documented that the pandemic has hit female workers and women-owned businesses hard. Women have lost nearly 6 million jobs since February 2020, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data from the National Women’s Law Center. A Facebook survey last year also showed that small women-owned businesses suffered disproportionately more than their counterparts. To find out how small businesses fared in Baton Rouge during the pandemic, 225 spoke to a few female owners from around the city.

ARIANA ALLISON

—JULIA-CLAIRE EVANS

Ellen McKnight, principal of The Maxine Firm

“The pandemic put health at the forefront of people’s minds. It literally stopped the globe, and people who weren’t listening before, listened now.” —The Maxine Firm’s principal Ellen McKnight. The nutrition, health and wellness firm works to prevent chronic disease in urban and rural communities, hosting regular seminars and symposiums. McKnight says the firm had a successful year and was able to quickly convert much of its programming to virtual presentations with partners Blue Cross Blue Shield, YWCA USA and the mayor’s office.

“There are a lot of people who are still— and rightfully so—not wanting to go dine out someplace. I think I’m in the same realm of so many restaurants that are just trying to keep their doors open, trying to pay their employees and trying to pay their bills.” —MJ’s Cafe owner Mary Brennan Faucheux. The plant-based restaurant on Government Street opened just a few months before the pandemic began. Adding outdoor space is its next focus.

“We suffered pretty greatly. We closed in spring for two months. When we opened back up, people still weren’t really going anywhere. I have a mostly older clientele and don’t have a website. When we opened back up, the business just wasn’t there.” —Poise N’ Ivy owner Jamie Tarwater. She took over the longtime women’s clothing and accessories store after her mother Pearl Faser— who ran the shop for 55 years—died in July. Tarwater was forced to officially close the store in December.

“From my experience, people were very on board with wanting to spend their money more intentionally. I feel like I normally have to convince people that that’s a valuable thing to do. But it seems like this year, it was more a universal thing. People understood how much small businesses were struggling.” —The Hope Shop owner Rebecca Gardner. The retail shop of ethically sourced goods had to push back its planned opening several times during the pandemic, finally opening in June on Government Street.

WE CARRY EACH OTHER It’s how we do things in Louisiana during times of challenge. We’re stronger together and we know our strength lies in the helping hands of our neighbors. So let’s wear a mask and protect one another. And protect the life we love. 01MK7496 R1/20

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News briefs IN MEMORIAM

HI E

IN LL CO

1958-2021

C RI

THE LONGTIME WAFB-TV anchor and one of the Capital Region’s most beloved local celebrities died Jan. 21 after a three-year battle with ALS. Britt was 62. The Mississippi native came to LSU in the 1970s and worked in local radio before joining WAFB as a reporter and anchor beginning in 1981. She retired in 2018. Besides being a familiar face on our TVs each night, Britt was known just as much for her community activism and philanthropy, working with organizations like Susan G. Komen Baton Rouge and the Salvation Army. After being diagnosed with ALS in fall 2017, Britt kept working on air for several more months, sharing her battle with viewers and social media followers. “She was one of the kindest and most caring people I’ve ever known,” says WAFB news director Robb Hayes, who first met Britt when he was interning at the station and later became her colleague. “She was so patient and kind, and it was aDate: pleasure to be able to returnAd2 to theproof station#2 later in my career and work Issue January 2021 with her directly.” • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

1943-2021

Steve Carter

Donna Britt

E FIL

T O

THE THREE-TERM STATE representative who ran for Baton Rouge mayor last year died Jan. 26 from complications due to COVID-19. Carter was 77. A Baton Rouge native and Air Force veteran, Carter served the community in a variety of capacities, from coach of LSU’s men’s tennis team to representing state House District 68 as a Republican for 12 years. He also chaired the Capital Region’s legislative delegation. One of his biggest legislative objectives was education reform, including structural changes for teacher tenure and charter school laws. “You can point to almost everything important in education reform of the last decade, and Steve Carter was the key to making it happen,” says BRAC President and CEO Adam Knapp. His last political venture was squaring off against incumbent Mayor Sharon Weston Broome in the November 2020 election. Though he edged out fellow Republicans in a crowded primary, he lost to Broome in the December runoff. “Steve was an honorable man, whose passion and thoughtfulness elevated the discourse during our recent contest for mayor-president,” Broome said in a prepared statement. “You never saw him without a smile on his face and a hand extended to greet you. Steve was a Baton Rougean through and through.”

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OUR CITY //

DIGITS

IMAGE TAKEN FROM GOOGLE MAPS

861,000-874,000

THE BREAKDOWN

The latest on Amazon’s journey to BR WHAT’S HAPPENING After months of secretive deals to scoop up tenant spaces at the shuttered Cortana Mall—and after being nearly derailed in a standoff with owners of the Dillard’s Clearance Center—Amazon is moving forward with plans to turn the massive space into a 3-million-square-foot regional distribution center.

WHY IT MATTERS Amazon is expected to create some 1,000 new jobs and provide a muchneeded economic boost to the Airline Highway and Florida Boulevard area. According to Baton Rouge Area Foundation, it will rank among the parish’s top 15 employers, putting it around the same size as Cox Communications.

The former Cortana Mall, now the site of a planned Amazon distribution center

WHAT’S THE LATEST The East Baton Rouge Parish Planning Commission met in February to consider rezoning the former mall property and other measures to clear the way for the project. No timeline for completion has yet been announced. Amazon is working on two smaller distribution centers in East and West Baton Rouge parishes with about 500 workers each, with plans for more warehouses in the region.

Expected population in the Baton Rouge area by 2022, according to Baton Rouge Area Chamber. Its 2021 Economic Outlook report predicts the current population of 855,000 will increase by about 19,000 new residents over the next two years.

$1 per hour The parking rate increase from 50 cents once smart meters are installed downtown. The Broome administration is finalizing plans with vendor Flowbird to provide and install new solar-powered meters on downtown streets, which will accept credit card or app payment—though some will still accept change. New meters will cover the roughly 970 available metered parking spaces downtown. The meters and rate changes should go into effect later this year once approved by the Metro Council.

Tours, tastings and cocktails!

Downtown Baton Rouge 760 St. Philip St. | www.threeroll.com | @threerollestate

225batonrouge.com | [225] March 2021

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Issue Date: March Ad proof #4

ONE BOOK ONE COMMUNITY CHECK OUT WHAT’S COMING UP PLACE: HOW HISTORIC RESOURCES DEFINE SIGNIFICANCE IN OUR CULTURES (with LA State Museum & LA Office of Cultural Development) Noon Thursday, March 11, Virtual Program

FROM HOME MAKER TO CULTURE SHAPER: BLACK WOMEN’S CREATIVE LEGACY with Dr. Sharbreon Plummer 2 p.m. Saturday, March 20, Main Library at Goodwood & Virtual Program

GET ORGANIZED: ORGANIZING YOUR PHOTOS & MEMORABILIA 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, Main Library at Goodwood

DIY ORAL HISTORY WORKSHOP

Sa ra h M . Br oo m

3 p.m. Sunday, April 11, Main Library at Goodwood

Join us this spring as we celebrate The Yellow House by Sarah

AUTHOR EVENT WITH SARAH M. BROOM & MARGARET WILKERSON SEXTON

M. Broom, a National Book Award-winning memoir named one

Time TBA, Saturday, May 15, Main Library at Goodwood

of the 10 Best Books of the Year by the New York Times. We’ve planned a variety of FREE virtual and in-person programs & events beginning in March, through mid-May, including book discussions, genealogy classes, crafts and more!

For a detailed schedule, visit the Events Calendar at ebrpl.com For more information about the One Book One Community selection and program, go online to the InfoGuide at ReadOneBook.org.

GENEALOGY CLASSES INTRODUCTION TO ANCESTRY.COM LIBRARY EDITION 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, Main Library at Goodwood & Virtual Program

RESOURCES FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN GENEALOGY 10 a.m. Saturday, March 27, Main Library at Goodwood & Virtual Program

14 Branches Open Conveniently 7 Days a Week Available 24/7 Online

7711 Goodwood Blvd. • ebrpl.com • 225.231.3750 32

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Dorthy Ray DORTHY RAY CAN’T be boxed in. Not with their photography, thought-provoking art or gender-fluid identity. Ray is a Baton Rouge artist, photographer, project coordinator, art and photography teacher at Broadmoor Senior High School, and founder of nonprofit The New Church. The 27-year-old makes art that poses questions about sexuality, gender, religion and identity. Their work encourages the viewer to feel, question and think deeply about the subject depicted. Some of Ray’s pieces are abstract, and others are bold, satirical and straight to the point. After studying art history at LSU and interning with art organizations in New Orleans, Ray wanted to see

Black LGBTQ people represented in art galleries and museums. Growing up in a religious household and the daughter of two preacher parents, Ray wanted to use art to start conversations and ask questions about taboo subjects or religious teachings. In one of Ray’s abstract paintings, “I will not think about sex in class,” is written sideways on the canvas. The spray-painted piece is meant to evoke a sense of chaos, reflecting the confusion a student might feel given Louisiana’s lacking sex education. Ray has showcased their art at local galleries like The Healthcare Gallery & Wellness Spa and Axiom Gallery in New Orleans. In March, two of Ray’s self-portraits will be displayed at Queen City 15 Gallery in New York. The photo series, titled “Boy Series,” features Ray lounging

topless on a royal blue velvet couch, wearing a durag, Supreme boxer briefs and black Champion socks. Ray wanted to create art that showcased Black LGBTQ people and explored gender and queerness. In 2020, Ray founded The New Church, a nonprofit that provides safe spaces for BIPOC (Black, indigenous and people of color) and LGBTQ people by creating community around art and open dialogue. The organization circulates helpful resources, promotes holistic health, wealth and self-advancement. In the future, Ray dreams of owning a contemporary art space and a cafe. They plan to continue encouraging uncomfortable conversations through art in order to move society forward.

—CYNTHEA CORFAH

“I want to start including the South in these conversations [around queerness, gender and identity]. Everybody wants to make pretty art. But I want to talk about what’s difficult and uncomfortable.”

Dorthy Ray is a multimedia artist whose work explores sexuality, gender, religion and identity.

GET CONNECTED

COLLIN RICHIE

On March 25, The New Church plans to collaborate with LSU’s photography department to host a virtual panel to discuss the documentation of people of color in the media. thenewchurch.info

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Sound off Although we have plenty of pizza chains in Baton Rouge—including some newcomers slated to open in 2021—we’ve limited our coverage in this issue to locally and regionally grown brands. It’s for the sake of celebrating all things local! But if we’re missing one of your favorite pizza spots—local or national—we want to know. Tell us at editor@225batonrouge.com.

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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A Z Z I P party Baton Rouge pizza is growing up and getting big, and our love for it seems to have only grown during the pandemic PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

F THERE’S EVER been a moment for pizza, it’s now. Nationally, pizza chains and independent restaurants alike have seen sales soar over the past year, according to Fortune. It’s been a rare pandemic “bright spot,” writes The New York Times. At a time when restaurateurs are exercising caution opening new bricks-and-mortar spaces, pizza restaurants are pushing forward in Baton Rouge. Last April, Motza’s Pizza Pub became one of the first eateries to open during the stay-at-home order. New concepts like Pizza Artista, Pizza Art Wine and Speedy Fresh Pizza are debuting in 2021. And the fast-casual market continues to grow; Hive Pizza became the newest addition last month. Maybe it’s all that stress eating we’ve been doing over the past year. Pizza, after all, is the ultimate comfort food. But it’s also one of the most cost-effective dining options during the pandemic. Restaurants like it because it tends to be a less expensive dish to produce. It was pretty much the original delivery food and works well in a to-go box. Families love it because it’s an easy, affordable way to feed everyone— and still have leftovers. But there’s more to it than COVID-19. Even before 2020, pizza was growing and changing in Baton Rouge. The 2016 arrival of Lit Pizza somehow made pizza even more fun—and made it possible to tailor pizza specifically to your dietary preferences, with options like cauliflower crust and vegan cheese. The 2018 arrival of Rocca Pizzeria paved the way for a more elevated pizza experience in the Capital City, with quality ingredients and an upscale, sit-down restaurant that invites lingering. And it’s all built on a long-established pizza culture that began more than 70 years ago with restaurants like Fleur de Lis Pizza and Pastime Restaurant. Baton Rouge pizza isn’t quite like what you might find in New York or Italy. And that’s OK. We like it that way. We explore it all in this month’s cover story. To capture pizza’s fun, crafty spirit, we shot the photos on our own colorful backdrops. It’s not unlike how they might look when you enjoy them at home: personalized with your own dishware and tablecloths—and enjoyed alongside those you love.

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ANY WAY YOU Pepperoni

Cheese

Chicken Diavolo with roasted and pickled spicy peppers and onions agrodolce

The Iverstine with salami, andouille, red onion, sharp provolone, spicy chilis and local honey

Mushroom Medley with bechamel, fontina, grana, red onions and mushroom

4 Cheese with mozzarella, provolone, fontina and burrata Pistachio with bacon, rosemary and Yukon gold potatoes

Pesto with ricotta, onions agrodolce, hazelnut pesto, chilis and balsamic

SLICE IT

A sampling of the offerings at Rocca

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C OV E R S T ORY NEW SCHOOL OF PIZZA

Flavor

FORTRESS In just three years, Rocca has broadened our pizza horizons

Iverstine Pizza

Pesto Pizza

KEY TERM

Double zero (00) flour Commonly used for making pasta and pizza in Italy, where flour texture is graded on a scale of 00 to 2. Flour ranked at 00 is the most finely ground, with a soft, powder-like texture. Its generally lower gluten content helps prevent the crust from becoming too chewy.

Pistachio Pizza

ROCCA PIZZERIA HAS spoiled us, with Neapolitan-style pies prepared with quality ingredients and painstaking attention to detail. Those details start with a dough made daily using the old school “biga” method, which combines double zero (00) Italian flour with sourdough starter to achieve something nutty and complex. Eased into the 900° belly of an imported Acunto pizza oven, the emerging pies are a study in rustic sophistication. “In my travels, I had always sought out real pizza like the kind you find in Naples,” Rocca founder Ozzie Fernandez says. “There’s something magical about it. I felt like Baton Rouge had a pizza gap, and that we needed something like this.” Back in 2018, Fernandez, who also owns Izzo’s Illegal Burrito, Lit Pizza and Modesto Tacos Tequila Whiskey, had been toying with the idea of a Neapolitan-inspired concept. At the same time, the restaurant space briefly occupied by Goûter on Government Street became available. “The landlord was showing it to me for another location of Lit, and a lightbulb went off,” Fernandez says. “I thought, ‘This is the right place for something different.’” Rocca, Italian for fortress or castle, was born. The energetic Mid City spot rounded out its interior with a red Vespa, a Ray Charles mural and a clear shot of the Acunto, made to order for Fernandez with “Rocca” spelled in a metallic mosaic. In a short time, the restaurant has built a following with its red- or white-sauced pizzas, homemade garlic knots (which nearly every table orders), antipasti and more. Early on, Fernandez hired New Orleans chef Alon Shaya’s Pomegranate Hospitality to help him plan the menu and train staff, a relationship that recently yielded Rocca’s executive chef, Cara Peterson, former chef de cuisine of Shaya’s Saba Restaurant. Atop Rocca’s pizzas, refreshing combinations of toppings harmonize effortlessly. Take the Pistachio, a sultry meet-up of smoky bacon, creamy mozzarella and tender slices of gold potato offset by woodsy rosemary and roasted pistachios. Then there’s the longtime favorite, Iverstine, named for local cured heritage pork from Iverstine Farms offset by slivers of peppadew peppers and a drizzle of honey. A fortress of flavor, indeed. roccapizzeria.com

—MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

Have you tried these? Just a few of the new pizza spots that have opened around Baton Rouge over the past decade:

Bistro Italia 11903 Coursey Blvd. Find it on Facebook City Slice 124 W. Chimes St. cityslicepizza.com

Fat Boy’s Pizza 3624 Nicholson Drive, Building 500 eatfatboyspizza.com Jabby’s Pizza 18303 Old Perkins Road E., Suite 116 jabbyspizza.com

La Contea 7970 Jefferson Highway laconteabr.com

Motza’s Pizza Pub 4250 Burbank Drive motzaspizzapub.com

Pizza Byronz 8210 Village Plaza Court pizzabyronz.com

Lit Pizza Multiple locations lit.pizza

NY Pizza & Pasta 5380 Jones Creek Road newyorkpizzaand pastabr.com

Rotolo’s Craft + Crust 411 Ben Hur Road rotolos.com

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LOOKING AHEAD

THE FUTURE

is fast

The Hive—and other restaurants opening during the pandemic—will be in a unique position to build on its lessons from day one

PENING A RESTAURANT during a global health and economic crisis might seem daunting. Daring, even. Brad Mire says it won’t stop Hive Pizza, his new fast-casual pizza joint, from making its footprint on Baton Rouge. “There is no real end in sight for the pandemic, so we didn’t know what we’d be waiting [to open] for,” Mire says. “We figured we’d get open, see what we have, and go from there.” It’s late January when we meet for our interview, and Mire is sitting in his partially constructed restaurant at 6166 Siegen Lane. Mire tells us that Hive is on track for its mid-February opening. Right from the get-go, the Hive team hopes to build a restaurant that can thrive during—and after—the pandemic. Mire expects sales to be predominantly to-go orders until more people are comfortable dining indoors. To help to-go orders move more smoothly, Hive will have its own app, where guests can place orders, see upcoming deals and join a rewards program. Push notifications will alert customers of specials and secret menu offerings. The restaurant is also looking into curbside pickup options, including a possible locker system that could make pick-up completely contactless. And pizza adapts well to a take-out format, anyway. “Pizza has done very well during COVID,” Mire says. “It’s one of those things that has not been nearly as affected as the rest of the restaurant segment has.” Defining Hive’s concept—and what sets it apart from the many pizza restaurants in Baton Rouge—has been a big focus. Mire hopes Hive Pizza buzzes with the same energy and community spirit as a busy beehive, and design touches nod to that bee theme. Wall tiles are shaped like honeycombs, bumblebees are painted on the floor, and the tiling on the pizza oven is a golden yellow. In addition to the build-yourown pizzas that are trending in the pizza sphere right now, Hive will have eight to 10 signature pies. Among its specialty toppings are variations of honey and hot honey for drizzling. On the secret menu, the kitchen team will play with more whimsical styles, such as pizza

“Pizza has done very well during COVID. It’s one of those things that has not been nearly as affected as the rest of the restaurant segment has.” —Hive Pizza owner Brad Mire 38

Pizza-on-the-go

Brands like Isabella’s Pizzeria and Dat’z Italian have recently been taking their wood-fired ovens on the road, popping up at events or in different neighborhoods. Follow them on social media for updates.

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You can get that

in Baton Rouge? Plenty of places in Baton Rouge serve pizza inspired by New York or Italy. But here’s where you can try …

New Haveninspired at City Slice Oblong-shaped thin crusts topped with a lighter portion of melting cheeses

Pizza goes fast-casual

Pizza joints with Chipotle-style buildyour-own toppings bars and uber-fast, uber-hot ovens that cook pizza quickly and crisply are on the rise, evidenced by the growth of local chain Lit Pizza and newer spots like Jabby’s Pizza and Hive Pizza.

Detroit-style

dough that is slathered with honey butter before it’s layered with cheese and other toppings. All the pizzas will be made in a gas-fired oven with an infrared stone, making for a crispier crust and quicker cooking times. Thin crust pizzas should be done in two-and-a-half minutes. Ordering and receiving pizzas faster allows diners to spend more time enjoying Hive—both the restaurant itself and the “hive” of people they’re gathered alongside. “[We’re creating] a hive where people want to come together and be a part of what we are trying to do,” Mire says. “That is something we have been very conscious of from a design standpoint.” Long booth tables and wood bleacher-style platform seating provides ample space for families or friends to gather—or to spread out and enjoy their quickly baked pizza safely during the pandemic. Mire says the seating arrangements create a welcoming feel that allows customers to celebrate being together. “I think that after everything washes away with COVID,” Mire says, “it’s going to be more important than ever for people to want to be part of their community.” hivepizza.com

at Reginelli’s Thick, rectangular-shaped pizza with crispy edges. It’s topped with brick cheese and then layered with tomato sauce and other toppings

Chicago-inspired at Rotolo’s Craft + Crust and Motza’s Pizza Pub Deep-dish pizza rich with cheese and chunky tomato sauce

—CAROLINE HEBERT

French-style flambees at Pizza Byronz The super-thin cousin of pizza

Pizza Artista Lafayette fast-casual brand with buildyour-own pizzas and Cajun-inspired specialty pizzas 4831 Rouzan Square pizzaartista.com

Pizza Art Wine Baton Rouge restaurant with Italian fare, brickoven pizzas and a global wine menu aiming to become a cultural hub 7673 Perkins Road, Unit C-1 Find it on Facebook

Speedy Fresh Pizza An automated pizza kitchen inside a 25foot container Located in the Tigerland area Find it on Facebook

PHOTOS BY RAEGAN LABAT, COLLIN RICHIE, ARIANA ALLISON AND STOCK

ARIA

NA A

LLIS

Coming in 2021

Supersized pizza at Fat Boy’s Pizza 30-inch pies and 16-inch slices so big they’ll barely fit through your car door (for reference, a whole New York-style pie is usually only 18 inches!)

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HISTORY LESSON

PRETTY in pink

Some things will never change—like the 75-year-old recipes at one of Baton Rouge’s oldest pizza institutions

Fleur de Lis’s most popular pizza! “Round the World” is topped with anchovies, Italian sausage, mushrooms, pepperoni, salami and onions.

Pizza legacies Some of the locally and regionally owned pizza spots that are more than a decade old 40

1946

1945

1996

Pastime Restaurant

Rotolo’s

Originally opened as a small grocery in the 1920s, the Baton Rouge Historic Landmark has been serving pizza and poboys for more than 75 years. Its pizzas are cooked in a stonedeck oven for a crispy crust. 252 South Blvd., pastimerestaurant.com

The pizza chain was born in Baton Rouge and is now known well beyond our borders, with locations all over the South and several World Records to its name. Multiple locations, rotolos.com

Fleur de Lis

5655 Government St., fleurdelispizza.com

2007 Reginelli’s

Isabella’s Pizzeria

Schlittz & Giggles

The New Orleans pizzeria debuted in LSU’s North Gates area, and although that location has since closed, its hand-tossed pizzas are now a Mid City staple. 684 Jefferson Highway, reginellis.com

The restaurant, which has roots in Covington, serves pizza, pasta, calzones and more. Watch also for its mobile pizza oven. 10330 Airline Highway, Suite B5, isabellaspizzeria.net

Its colorful neon sign and thin-crust, New York City-style pizzas have been downtown icons since the restaurant’s opening day. Today, you’ll also find it on Perkins Road. Multiple locations, schlittzandgiggles.com

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Issue Date: March 2021 Ad proof #2 C OV E R S T ORY

F Still the best?

For as long as 225 has put up a Best Pizza category for voting in the Best of 225 Awards, Fleur de Lis has taken the crown. (That’s 15 years now, by the way.) While the debate over which local restaurant makes the best pies can be polarizing, last year 24.6% of voters agreed it was Fleur de Lis. Will it take the crown again in 2021? Cast your vote from March 4 to April 8 at 225batonrouge.com/ bestof225.

ROM TIME TO time, it occurs to Fleur de Lis owner Pam Rushing that some slight update, some minor tweak, might enhance the experience of eating at her family’s iconic pizzeria. “But there’s no way I could get away with it,” Rushing says. “The customers are like, ‘No, no, no! You can’t change anything.’” The short list of pizza toppings is illuminated on a moveable-type bar sign and printed on aging menus. Large pizzas come in rectangular form, a vestige of the cookie sheets once used by Rushing’s grandmother to bake her large pies. The jukebox eschews new songs in favor of Motown and classic country. Cash and checks are the only acceptable forms of payment, supported by Rushing’s installation of an ATM rather than a credit card machine. When the restaurant’s pink stucco façade needed work a few years back, Rushing sweated matching the exterior color to the original, finally settling on a Cincinnati Color shade called Christy’s Smile. “I worried it was a little too ‘PeptoBismol’ when they put it on. But I knew with time, it would fade to look like it always did,” Rushing says. “And it has.” The wait for a table, in normal times, is a good hour-and-a-half on weekends. Nowadays, the signature take-out window sees a steady flow of to-go orders. Rushing’s grandparents bought Fleur de Lis in 1946 when it was a cocktail lounge. Soon after, her grandmother made small anchovy pizzas to inspire thirst among the barflies. It inspired hunger, too, and the bar was eventually joined by a full-blown pizza operation. Rushing’s grandmother sourced her dough and sauce recipes from Italy, neither of which has changed in 75 years. The “Round the World,” topped with anchovies, Italian sausage, mushrooms, pepperoni, salami and onions, is the most popular menu item, although most diners forego the one ingredient that started it all. Rushing’s late parents, Wayne and Holly Powell, and late sister, Jo Powell, ran Fleur de Lis for several years until their collective failing health brought Rushing, a nurse, home from Houston to learn the family business. She and her husband Murray have run things since the early ’90s. “Everything I do here, I do for the memory of my parents and sister,” Rushing says. “It’s another reason we keep things the same.”

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2010 Red Zeppelin

The rock ‘n’ roll-themed restaurant is known for its drive-thru and its thincrust pizzas with names like Al-Freddie Mercury, Great Balls of Fire and Back in Black. 4395 Perkins Road, redzeppelinpizza.com

Johnny’s Pizza House

The north Louisiana chain’s fun spins on pizza—including pizza bowls, dessert pizzas and a lunch buffet—have made it a favorite for kids and families. 8873 Highland Road, johnnysph.com

2011 Phat Boyz Pizza

Phat Boyz—not to be confused with Fat Boys Pizza near LSU—serves pizzas that are an homage to Baton Rouge, with varieties like Bayou Pizza and Baton Rouge Tiger Pizza. 9186 Greenwell Springs Road, Find it on Facebook

MENTION 225 WHEN YOU CALL & RECEIVE A FREE INDOOR AIR QUALITY TEST Certified Technicians serving Baton Rouge and the surrounding parishes

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CONTROVERSIAL PIZZA TOPPINGS

You’re putting WHAT on your pizza? Exploring interesting pizza toppings in Baton Rouge

What’s the most interesting topping you’ve seen in BR? Our Instagram followers weigh in: “Rocca has a potato pistachio pizza and it’s

👌

”

—@ETBOWLING

“Cherry! I lived next to the owner of Red Zeppelin, and he made a dessert pizza for us to try. It never made it to the menu, though.” —@MEGHANLEEKURTZ

“Okra. It’s on The Gregory’s Swamp Pizza. I loved it!” —@ALEXISDAV10

“Boudin. I’ve never thought about it on pizza, but if I eat it in a quesadilla, why not?” —@BOURGEOISBLACKBEAUTY

“Calamari at DiGiulio Brothers.” —@DOM_SOUTHSIDE_PRODUCER

“Sushi pizza. But it was GOOD!” —@TAHJAHHARMONY

“Lettuce on a Greek pizzaof-the-month at Lit Pizza.” —@HAPPY.PLATE

“Peaches with prosciutto or duck at the old Dolce Vita food truck. To die for!”

—@SARAHFERSTEL AND @JECHIMOTO

“Red beans and sausage at Pizza Byronz.”

INEAPPLE ON A pizza is really not bad. There. We said it. But if you happen to like it, you’ve probably had to defend its honor in your fair share of pizza debates. The fruit is so polarizing a topping, publications ranging from Time to the Wall Street Journal have polled readers on its acceptability. Picturing pineapple on a pizza causes celeb chef Gordon Ramsay to rage, notes a Washington Post think piece. And it’s not the only controversial pizza garnish. In recent years, pizza restaurants have adopted a more-is-more philosophy. While conducting our research on local pizza restaurants, we found that most have around 30 to 40 topping choices on their menus, and they run the gamut from sushi and calamari to enchilada sauce and honey. You can get pineapple at plenty of restaurants, of course. At joints like Phat Boy’z Pizza and Roma Pizza, you’ll find different versions of the sweet-savory Hawaiian Pizza, traditionally made with pineapple and ham. Meanwhile, themed pies bend the definition of what a pizza can be. City Slice has a pasta pizza. Matza’s Pizza Pub has a taco pizza. Isabella’s Pizzeria has a muffaletta pizza. We could go on. But when it comes time to order, just how adventurous are we actually willing to be? We decided to ask our readers. In a, ahem, very scientific Instagram story poll last month, about 1,100 readers voted yay or nay on some of the more unique toppings we’ve found in Baton Rouge. The results: The majority of you are up for anything. Readers seemed to dig the idea of everything from capers to boudin on their pies. We guess we shouldn’t really be surprised. The Louisiana palate is nothing if not bold. We like interesting flavors here. That pineapple, though. As diverse as our tastes may be, half of you still couldn’t do it. —JENNIFER TORMO

—@EBALLA1

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Would you try it? To show off the interesting pizza toppings around town, we asked Red Zeppelin to build us a wild, flavor-packed pie. The restaurant caught our attention because of its toppings like capers, anchovies and alligator sausage. We were also intrigued by its selection of sauces, including an enchilada sauce and even sour cream. Here’s what Red Zeppelin put on the pizza—and the percent of our Instagram followers who gave each topping a thumbs up in our pizza poll.

Alligator sausage

53% Capers

37% Feta cheese

77% Pineapple

51% Anchovies

12% Sun-dried tomatoes

75% Roasted garlic (whole cloves)

83% Boudin

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Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS

Rafat Roman pulls a pizza from the brick oven installed at the Bluebonnet Village location of his family’s Roman’s Cafe restaurant.

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Roman’s Cafe

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When the Roman’s Cafe location in Bluebonnet Village shopping center opened in 2018, with it came a new feature for the local restaurant family: a brick pizza oven. The addition allowed Roman’s to serve up traditional margherita and pepperoni pizzas as well as chicken shawarma and gyros versions layered on that crunchy baked crust. Customers can request gluten-free cauliflower crust, as well. Rafat Roman, whose family has owned the Greek and Lebanese restaurants for decades, says the oven is also responsible for its fresh, homemade pita bread. The pizzas are so popular, the Roman family is considering installing a brick oven at the Government Street location in the future. “People are loving it,” Roman says. “It’s really taken off.” 7756 Bluebonnet Blvd., romanscafe.net

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French Market Bistro

Scan the expansive menu of fresh oysters and classic dishes at this upscale restaurant, and you’ll come across a small

selection of pizzas worthy of your time. There’s a roasted vegetable option with all manner of charred veggies, a salty and sweet focaccia pizza with prosciutto, caramelized onion and goat cheese, and the Around the World, with pepperoni, Italian sausage, onions, mushrooms and mozzarella. Pair it with a selection from the extensive wine menu, and you’ve got a classy night out. 16645 Highland Road, frenchmarketbistro.com

Hello Sushi

If you’re looking to get as far away from the typical pizza offerings as possible, look no further than Hello Sushi. The restaurant is well known for pushing the boundaries of Japanese fusion with small plates like Sushi Eggrolls and a Salmon Martini. Then there’s the Sushi Pizza, featuring your choice of spicy tuna, spicy salmon or snow crab studded with avocado and drizzled with a house special sauce on top of a fried tortilla. 18291 Highland Road, hellosushi.com

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New York Bagel Co.

Next time you pop in for lunch to grab one of those satisfying bagel sandwiches, consider going pizza-style instead. New York Bagel offers its take on pizza in the form of three open-faced bagel sandwiches. There’s the popular Little Italy, featuring its house pizza sauce topped with mozz and Italian seasonings. You can add pepperoni to that, or turn it into a Veggie Pizza with mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and jalapenos. Then there’s the Village Pizza with fresh spinach, garlic, roma tomatoes and mozz. Multiple locations, nybagelcompany.com

Magnolia Cafe

Any trip up to St. Francisville requires a stop at Magnolia Cafe. The ramshackle restaurant gives day-trippers a homey atmosphere as well as a menu that runs the gamut from burgers to crawfish salad to quesadillas and even fried alligator. So it comes as no surprise there’s a full pizza menu, too. Using a crust that’s hand-made daily, the restaurant offers six options, including a Chicken Pesto, a Veggie and the “Motherload,” topped with pepperoni, beef, ham, peppers, onions and mushrooms. 5689 Commerce St., St. Francisville, themagnoliacafe.net

The Oasis is the premier restaurant patio bar, catering and recreation facility

Roman’s Cafe pizza

RVING E S W NO FISH! W A R C

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THE OASIS FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH

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Gino’s Restaurant

Our Mom’s Restaurant & Bar

OK, you came for the burgers, obviously, but that doesn’t mean you can’t satisfy a pizza craving, too. Among the many burger options—and there are more than 20 at your disposal—is the Pizza Burger. It stacks an 8-ounce patty with grilled pepperoni, fresh mozzarella and the restaurant’s house marinara on a sourdough bun. The savory, melty Pizza Burger was unique enough to get a feature on the Cooking Channel show Food Paradise last spring. That should make it worthy enough to check off your must-try list. 250 W. Lee Drive, ourmomsrestaurant.com

Pizza at an Italian restaurant is commonplace, but at Gino’s, you have to ask for it. The longstanding Baton Rouge institution doesn’t advertise its pizza offerings on the online menu. But if you dine in at the cozy restaurant, you’ll see the words “when available” above a couple of pizza options on the physical menu. The reason, according to owner Gino Marino, is that when the small kitchen is bustling, it’s harder for staff to spend time crafting a quality crust and toppings. But time your visit just right, and you can sample some favorites of the Gino’s regulars, such as the Around the World, with Italian sausage, pepperoni, ground meat, shrimp and even anchovies if that’s your thing. Then there’s Mama’s Special, harking back to a family favorite with pepperoni, Italian sausage, bell peppers, onions, the thinnest slices of fresh tomato, mozzarella and tomato sauce. Marino suggests calling ahead to see if the pizzas are available. 4542 Bennington Ave., ginosrestaurant.com

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DELICIOUS FOOD & COCKTAILS IN A ONE-OF-A-KIND ATMOSPHERE

Open Daily: 5:00pm-11:00pm 7477 Burbank Dr. • theoasisbr.com Restaurant: (225) 223-6223 | Volleyball: (225) 223-6598

—BENJAMIN LEGER

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C OV E R S T ORY

INSIDE PASTIME’S PIZZA KIT A make-your-own pizza box includes: 12-inch parbaked crust Housemade tomato sauce Blend of melting cheeses Cardboard pizza plate for serving Cooking instructions Two toppings of your choice Choose from 40 options, ranging from boudin to shrimp to shiitake mushrooms. For extra fun, combine with ingredients from your own fridge.

Playing with

food

RANDY WESLEY REMEMBERS his first pizza at Pastime Restaurant. “It was pepperoni, of course,” he says. It was the 1960s when Wesley first sank his teeth into that gooey cheese. He was just a kid, and his father, Bobby, had recently purchased the restaurant from its original owner, Joe Alesce. From an early age, Wesley learned all the ins and outs of the restaurant from his dad. Well before his 18th birthday, he was a pro at cleaning tables, making pizzas and working the counter. So when Bobby died in 1996 after a long battle with cancer, Wesley was ready to run the show. While the world outside Pastime’s walls has evolved over the years since, much has stayed the same. Many staff members have worked there for decades. Generation after generation of the same families will bring their kids for pizza and po-boys. And the pizza recipes are 70 years old. Inside the kitchen, toppings are layered over the dough and sauce first, and then the cheese is added as the final touch. It’s the traditional way, “like a real pie,” Wesley says. Pizzas are cooked on a stone deck, and when they come out of the oven, the crust is crispy and the cheese

Pastime may be one of Baton Rouge’s oldest restaurants, but that hasn’t stopped it from innovating is bubbly. The most popular flavor, Boudin Pizza, even has a registered trademark. But for a restaurant so devoted to tradition, it has never hesitated to keep up with the times. Wesley is the kind of owner who personally responds to every review on sites like Yelp. Before food trucks became a big trend, he’d bring a mobile pizza oven to kids’ baseball games and parks to make pizzas onsite. And when the pandemic arrived in Baton Rouge a year ago, the restaurant was just as quick to adapt. During the stay-at-home order, it set up tents in different neighborhoods for drive-thru pizza pick-ups. It also introduced pizza kits, boxes full of everything customers need to build a homemade pizza. “I remember having Chef Boyardee pizza kits as a kid. And when you’re little, no matter what you put on there, it always tastes great because you made it,” Wesley says. The pizza kits took off like wildfire. Last March and April, the restaurant was selling up to 225 per week. They are now a permanent menu offering, as well as pre-made, take-and-bake pizzas. In the months since, Pastime has continued to dream up ways to provide fun for families during the

1945 THE YEAR PASTIME opened as a restaurant and lounge, though its history dates all the way back to the early 1920s, when it first opened as a small grocery on South Boulevard.

pandemic. Since so many children have missed out on birthday parties, the restaurant offers a kids’ pizzamaking experience. Children can work alongside the kitchen team to craft their own pizzas. They’re allowed to build it however they want—even if it’s designed in a way that might melt all over the oven. “When we give it to them, they say it’s the best pizza they’ve ever had,” Wesley says with a laugh. “I’m training future pizza makers for Pastime.” Even 75 years in, Pastime is innovating. But that’s the way the restaurant has been from the beginning. Back when pizza was still a novel concept in much of the United States, Pastime was one of the first to introduce it here. “When nobody in Baton Rouge knew what a pizza was, we were making them here in this little restaurant,” Wesley says. “We like to think we paved the way.” pastimerestaurant.com

—JENNIFER TORMO

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C OV E R S T ORY

Tools of the trade Flour power

“More than anything, using the right flour is the key,” Moreau says. “You need a high-protein flour to establish the chemical bonds that allow you to stretch the dough without tearing it.” Instead of all-purpose flour, Moreau advises using bread flour or 00 flour (finely ground Italian flour used for making pasta and pizza).

Screen time

At home, easy-to-use pizza screens can be a nice enhancement to a pizza stone. “I’m a big fan of pizza screens,” Moreau says. “The braided stainless steel mesh lets heat and air come through without overcooking the dough. It makes the interior chewy, and gives the surface a good crack.”

ns from o s s a Le

Managing moisture

A soggy middle is every pizza lover’s worst nightmare, but you can keep this from happening, Moreau says, by watching the moisture content of each ingredient. If you use fresh toppings that release lots of water, like tomatoes, spinach or mushrooms, be sure to balance it with a low-moisture mozzarella.

Bench strength

Once you get in the swing of making dough, you’ll want to make big batches of it, and Moreau advises a simple, handheld bench scraper to portion your dough and scoop up remaining bits.

Iron-clad solution

Thin-crust pizza is all the rage these days, but deep dish still needs a place in a pizza maker’s repertoire. Break out a seasoned cast iron pan for this job, Moreau says. A properly seasoned surface won’t require preheating, nor will your pizza stick.

Insight on perfecting pizza at home from Red Stick Spice’s resident pizza expert Chef Alannah Moreau YOU DON’T NEED a fancy oven to make authentic pizza. All it takes are a few simple ingredients and steps, according to Chef Alannah Moreau, Red Stick Spice Co.’s kitchen manager and instructor in its new pizza-making class. Moreau should know. After earning a degree from the Louisiana Culinary Institute in 2015, she joined the team of the 900° Pizzeria food truck, a popular eatery situated in Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Market at the Silos in Waco, Texas. There, Moreau mastered kneading, punching and tossing dough with the best of them, learning to create delicate, thin-crust pies with the perfect balance of crunch and chew. “In culinary school, I focused on savory, not pastry, so I was a little nervous at first,” says Moreau about her early days on the food truck. “But it was really hands-on, and I learned all sorts of things, like how to make the dough behave in any kind of weather.” More than expensive equipment, the proper combination of ingredients can vastly improve your pizza outcomes, Moreau says. She makes a lot of pizza, not just with the groups who take her “Pizza Party!” class in Red Stick Spice Co.’s new demo kitchen, but also at home. She says her faithful use of flour, yeast, sea salt and cold (not warm) water, achieves the right dough rise, flavor and texture. As for her favorite toppings, it’s hard to beat the simplicity of sauce, fresh mozzarella and torn basil. “I love a good margherita,” she says, “but I do like to add caramelized onion.” Find her on Instagram at @that_one_pizza_lady; redstickspice.com

—MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

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SPONSORED BY

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TA ST E / /

“Tequila” is in the restaurant’s name, so don’t pass up the opportunity to try one of Modesto’s margarita and cocktail options.

Topped with plenty of fresh white onion and salty queso fresco, it was hearty, homey deliciousness. Next came dessert, and Tres Leches is one of my all-time favorites. At first glance, Modesto’s made-in-house version looked dressed for the part— and it delivered. Spongy with a downy texture, the cake held its shape under the weight of the triple milk soak. A thick top schmear of whipped cream and a pool of coffee caramel beneath it created an irresistible combination. The Dulce de Leche gelato was supremely creamy with a deep richness not found in ice cream. A dainty caramel sweetness made this ambrosial frozen treat that much more enjoyable. Tex-Mex establishments are a dime a dozen around here, though there are scatterings of genuine taquerias if you look around. This is not TexMex, nor is it an auténtica taquería. It’s more of a hybrid with much more authentic south-of-the-border flavors and just enough “Tex” choices to make it approachable for those uninitiated A simple yet divine slice of Tres Leches provides a with traditional options. A pleasant sweet end to the meal. and cozy outdoor dining space—and, of course, plenty of margarita and cocktail choices—make this place worthy of my Issue Date: March 2021 Ad proof #2 and yours. • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval ortaste minor buds revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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Visit Batonrougeballet.org for more information or call 225.766.8379

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TA ST E / /

BITES

Bread winners

A pandemic hobby blossoms into a cottage bakery for this local couple By Maggie Heyn Richardson Photos by Collin Richie

A sourdough starter helped the bakers create crunchy-chewy baguettes, boules and more.

SLIDE A BREADKNIFE across the surface of one of Tout va Bien’s artisan loaves, and the audible crunch sets the tone for what’s to come: a tender chew, an airy interior and a balanced, tangy flavor. The cottage bakery is the brainchild of French expat Hugo Thefenne and his wife, Catherine Hudson Thefenne, a Baton Rouge native and University Laboratory School elementary French teacher. The couple met in France’s northwest region, Brittany, where Catherine was completing a postgraduate program in French education through LSU. It was instant attraction, say the two, who met in a Breton bar. They were married in Baton Rouge on Valentine’s Day 2019. When the pandemic hit last spring,

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Hugo had extra time to try his hand at making real French bread, a staple he missed living stateside. Lots of trial and error led to successful baguettes, which the two shared with enthusiastic friends and family. But one of the fallouts of the pandemic was a sudden dearth of dry yeast. Home bakers were buying it up in droves to ward off boredom and bread shortages, and Hugo had to find another way to make his loaves rise. “We started using a sourdough starter instead,” he says. A starter, used for centuries to proof bread dough, is a liquid or dough-like substance made from flour, water and wild yeast microorganisms. Bakers incorporate a little starter into each batch of dough to make it rise, and then regularly “feed” the batch with flour and water to keep it active. This ancient method is what gives sourdough bread its pleasantly sour flavor, while also making it easier to digest, the Thefennes say. Creating a sourdough bread company became their focus. By June 2020, they had named the venture Tout va Bien, French for the muchneeded 2020 mantra, “Everything is fine.” They also set up a website to

manage a growing number of orders. Last fall, they began participating in the Mid City Makers Market, something they’ll continue this year. Their first market pushed them to make 60 loaves over a 24-hour period, breakneck speed when you’re using a 30-inch stove in your Garden District apartment. The couple is in the process of buying a house, where they hope to eventually install a bread oven. Tout va Bien’s current menu includes an all-sourdough lineup of baguettes, round loaves (boules) and sandwich bread. Its rosemary boule was the result of adding fresh rosemary snipped from the couple’s garden. The bakery also makes an “everything bagel” loaf, as well as ones studded with olives, caramelized onion or roasted garlic. A sourdough sandwich loaf is its softest textured bread, made so by the addition of butter and milk. Hugo and Catherine dream of one day having their own bakery, but for now, a steady flow of orders sparked by social media and word of mouth keep them busy. “It’s a lot of fun,” Catherine says. “We love hearing how much people are enjoying it.” toutvabienbr.com

Hugo Thefenne and Catherine Hudson Thefenne run their cottage bakery Tout va Bien out of their home kitchen.

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DINING IN

Luck of the Irish A hearty menu for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at home

B Y T R ACE Y KO CH A N D ST E P HA N I E R I E G E L P H OTOS B Y A M Y S H UT T

ST. PATRICK’S DAY is right around the corner. And for many of us here in Baton Rouge, that conjures happy memories of a cool spring Saturday enjoying Mary Lee doughnuts and bloody marys in the morning, boiled crawfish and green beer in the afternoon, and the Wearin’ of the Green parade somewhere in between. It’s one of our favorite Baton Rouge events! Alas, thanks to the ongoing pandemic, we’ll have to forego the festivities for a second year in a row. Still, we have to make the best of it, so we decided to celebrate this holiday

by making a truly authentic Irish meal. Irish cuisine has become much more refined in recent years, and there’s plenty to like about it. What we really appreciate about this style of cooking, however, is that it is simply good, hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of food. We went totally traditional and made a soda bread and an Irish-style beef stew. For our sweet treat to top off the meal, we went with a more modern twist on Irish cooking and made a rich brownie fortified with what else but Ireland’s most famous brew: Guinness stout.

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Slow Cooker Irish Stew It’s no wonder with the cold wet climate in Ireland that stews are served yearround, though the weather was not actually the main reason it became such a popular dish. It was a one-pot dish filled with ingredients that were inexpensive and readily available, such as lamb, onions and lots of potatoes. Other root vegetables were sometimes added, like carrots or turnips, for flavor. Everything was thrown into a large pot and simmered down with a little water, broth or beer for a few hours. The result was a hearty, inexpensive meal that would keep families well fed. As Irish immigrants came to America, lamb was replaced by beef, which was more popular and readily available. We have created a delicious rendition of this dish and adapted it to work in a slow cooker. This stew gets its rich flavor from a combination of Guinness stout and beef broth. If you do not have a slow cooker, you can use a heavy Dutch oven or a large pot with a tight-fitting lid.

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WE FEATURED: ELSIE’S PLATE & PIE

Servings: 6 2 pounds beef stew meat 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon dried thyme 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, quartered 4 cloves garlic, minced 12 ounces Guinness stout 2 tablespoons tomato paste 3 cups low-sodium beef broth 1 tablespoon softened butter 1 tablespoon flour 3 to 4 raw carrots, cut into chunky pieces 3 medium potatoes, cut into quarters

1. Season the stew meat with the salt,

pepper and dried thyme. Heat a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

2. Brown the meat in a couple of batches to make sure the meat sears on all sides. Place the seared meat into your slower cooker and set it on high.

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3. Place the skillet back over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to low, and carefully pour in the Guinness. Turn the heat back up and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

On the menu • Slow Cooker Irish Stew • Soda Bread • Guinness Brownies (find this recipe at 225batonrouge.com/ recipes) Recipes by Tracey Koch

4. Stir in the tomato paste and beef broth. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer. 5. In a small bowl, cream the softened

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butter and 1 tablespoon of flour together. Whisk it into the simmering broth mixture.

6. Once the flour and butter are fully

incorporated, carefully pour this mixture into the slow cooker over the stew meat.

7. Cover the slow cooker and allow it

to simmer on high for 2 hours. Add in the carrots and potatoes, and cook for another 2 hours. Serve the stew along with the soda bread.

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Soda Bread Soda breads have been a staple in parts of northern Europe since the 1830s, when sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) was first introduced. It replaced the need for using yeast as a leavening agent in this type of bread, reacting with the acid in the buttermilk and creating bubbles that allow the bread to rise as it bakes. In Ireland, which was a poor rural country with limited access to ingredients, soda bread quickly became a household staple because it only requires flour, buttermilk, salt and baking soda. A traditional soda bread is dense and moist with an extremely hard crusty outside, making it hearty and filling. We experimented with several different recipes to create our own version. Adding butter and an egg helped enrich the bread, while making it a bit more tender and silkier. Many recipes call for sugar to help offset the bitterness of the baking soda. We added honey instead because we liked the consistency. We also incorporated a little rolled oat and milled flax seeds to bump up the bread’s hearty side.

Servings: 6

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the

flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

3. Whisk in the milled flax seeds and the

rolled oats, and set this aside. Use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.

4. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk and honey together until well blended. Pour the wet mixture into the dry. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything into a ball. 5. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and

turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough a few times to make a smooth ball. Cut the dough in half and create two smaller dough balls. This will ensure the bread will bake all the way through on the inside while preventing the outside from becoming too brown.

6. Place each dough ball onto the lined

baking sheet. Use a serrated knife to cut an “X” across the top of each to allow the inside of the soda bread to bake more evenly.

4 cups unbleached flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon milled flax seeds ¼ cup rolled oats 6 tablespoons cold butter 1 egg 1¾ cups buttermilk 1 ⁄3 cups honey

7. Place the dough into the heated oven.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the center of the bread is baked through.

8. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before serving. Serve the soda bread warm with butter and your favorite jam or preserves. This soda bread is also a great vessel to soak up the rich gravy in the Irish stew.

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Vote & Win $1,000 Cast your vote for your Best of 225 favorites on March 4th and you will be automatically entered to win $1,000 from Campus Federal Credit Union. The winner will be announced on April 12th.

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EAT OUTSIDE THE BOX

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CULTURE I N S I D E : ‘Evicted’ exhibit / Hip-hop artist Ronday / Arts and music events

Creative pursuits How Palacios House of Arts is opening the door to arts education B Y J U L IA -CL A IR E E VA N S P H OTOS B Y COLLIN R IC H I E

WALKING INTO THE Palacios family’s home, it’s not hard to see their passion for art and music. To your left, a music studio is adorned with colorful tapestries and instruments. To your right, the dining room wall is decorated with pieces of art. But the Palacios family are the ones who truly bring the home to life. Because this is also the Palacios House of Arts, where the family welcomes creatives young and old for lessons on music and art. The family opened Palacios House of Arts in 2018, but their story hardly starts there. Mario and Gloria Ruiz de Palacios, originally from Cuba, moved to Venezuela in 1998 and in 2014 to Baton Rouge, where their son, Raudol, was attending LSU. In Cuba, Gloria worked at a radio station for many years. In Venezuela, Raudol was involved in a kids’ orchestra as early as age 7.

COLLIN RICHIE

Mother and son team Raudol and Gloria Ruiz de Palacios run Palacios House of Arts out of their family home.

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C U LT U R E / /

When Gloria and Mario arrived here, they wanted to bring their love of music and the arts to the Baton Rouge community. And so, their nonprofit Palacios House of Arts was born. The school offers a wide array of classes and programs for all ages. Take Raudol’s cello students for example; the youngest is 6 and the oldest are a couple in their 40s. “There’s no age to learn music,” Raudol says. “As long as you keep trying.” The volunteer staff at Palacios includes friends of Raudol who graduated from LSU’s School of Music with him, and some of Gloria’s friends who have art degrees. In art classes, students learn basics like art history and techniques. They are able to create their own pieces inspired by artists they are learning about that week. Through private lessons, students can also learn how to play piano, cello, guitar, violin and more. Once students reach a certain proficiency, they can be matched up with other students on their same level to create an ensemble. Students are equipped with donated instruments, free of charge. “It’s something that makes sense,” Raudol says, “because kids will grow out of these instruments. It doesn’t make sense for them to buy something they’ll quickly grow out of.” And students can start as young as 2, with a Tiny Tots program for children and their mothers. The toddlers are introduced to musical reading, percussion and the musical world. “It seems crazy,” Raudol says. “How’s a 2-year-old going to understand music? But they grasp things. They’re grasping the English language. And music is just like a different language. By the time they get to an instrument, their ear is on a different level.” Gloria teaches art techniques and art history to her young students in two classrooms in the house. Colorful prints of classic and modern pieces by artists from around the world pepper the walls, with children’s renditions alongside them. “We not only love America,” Gloria says, “we bring our own culture and make it a gift to our students. We open the door to many other cultures.” Usually, Gloria, Raudol and their team try to bring students to local art exhibitions or concerts or plan their own events for students, though the pandemic has made that difficult. During earlier phases of the pandemic, the team hosted classes online, but playing instruments over Zoom proved especially complicated,

Raudol Palacios teaches drumming to Quinn Heidelberg.

Violin teacher Randall Manning instructs student Kevin Esteban.

Art teacher Jamie Heidelberg works with students Jory and Jeffery Stampley at the school.

Raudol says, due to lag time and sound delays on computers. They have slowly made the move back to smaller in-person classes with a variety of safety and health measures in place. Now, they are looking to the future. “We have one goal,” Gloria says,

“which is to perform outside these doors. We want to make a bridge and link with other institutions to host exhibitions, concerts and recitals.” Even though classes have scaled down, Palacios House of Arts is looking for larger spaces outside the family

home to hold classes and remain safe and spread out. But even after all the curve balls the pandemic has thrown them, they’re staying positive. “For us, this is our dream,” Gloria says. Find Palacios House of Arts on Facebook 225batonrouge.com | [225] March 2021

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On notice

YASSINE EL MANSOURI / COURTESY NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM

Visiting exhibition shows the impacts of evictions—and it’s more timely than ever

The “Evicted” exhibition when it was first staged at the National Building Museum

THE ARTS COUNCIL of Greater Baton Rouge is hosting the National Building Museum’s “Evicted” exhibition starting this month. But this won’t be a typical art show. The traveling exhibit, which first debuted in 2018, aims to put a spotlight on the national eviction problem and the harsh realities many Americans face. Using large visuals, graphics and images from tenant families, the exhibit is inspired by Matthew Desmond’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. Its timing is more relevant than ever as more families face hardships due to the pandemic. “When we started working to bring this here, it was pre-COVID. And then that all got expanded by this idea that just in an instant you can have a whole population of people who could really fall into this same situation,” says Renee Chatelain, the Arts Council’s executive director and CEO. “We’ve been trying to bring in temporary art exhibits that speak to an issue in the community and provide all of us with a deeper understanding of the challenges people face.”

Infographics on the walls and in four “houses” constructed within the gallery display information from the Eviction Lab, the first central repository for national eviction data. The data emphasizes the “rates of evictions in different markets and makes evident the depths of the problem,” according to the National Building Museum. Whether you care about high health care costs, racial inequality, children’s issues or fiscal responsibility, “Evicted” shows how all of these matters have a connection to the need for affordable housing. Chatelain says the Arts Council is exploring ways to attach local meaning during the exhibit’s run through virtual panel discussions and tours, as well as working with New Orleans artist Erin K. Wilson on a companion display. Wilson created illustrations for educational pamphlets aimed at low-income families seeking housing. “Evicted” will be on display in the Arts Council’s Firehouse Gallery March 25 through May 28. The Arts Council is at 427 Laurel St. artsbr.org

—CAROLINE HEBERT AND BENJAMIN LEGER

SURVIVAL GUIDE: PARENTING DURING A PANDEMIC

COMING APRIL 2021 74

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C U LT U R E / / Kenneth Smythe’s Synergistic Synthesis XVII chair from 2003

MUSIC BEST BETS

ARTS BEST BETS

MARCH 11-JUNE 6 Take a seat, and head to the LSU Museum of Art for its exhibition “The Art of Seating: Two Hundred Years of American Design,” showcasing the work of John Henry Belter, George Hunzinger and more. Curious to learn more about

the art? The museum hosts a virtual gallery talk via Zoom on March 14. lsumoa.org

MARCH 12-14 Theatre Baton Rouge’s Young Actors Program is putting on a virtual production of “A Breath of Fresh Air: A Journey Through Songs and Scenes,” paying homage to the upcoming spring season. theatrebr.org UNTIL MARCH 16 The Old State Capitol closes out its exhibit, “Jacob A. Riis: How the Other Half Lives,” this month. The show highlights the photography of Riis, who worked as a newspaper reporter in New York at the turn of the 20th century and documented the working poor in the city’s slums. In conjunction with the exhibit, The Old State Capitol will host a virtual program on “The Power of Photography” with photojournalist Mike DuBose March 4 at 5:30 p.m. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org

House of Representatives Chamber arm chair from 1857

MARCH 6-APRIL 3 Henry Turner Jr.s’ Listening Room Museum Foundation is hosting a five-week virtual concert series featuring Henry Turner Jr. The solo concerts will broadcast on Facebook Live from 3-4 p.m. every Saturday. Find the events on Facebook or at henryslisteningroom.com MARCH 11 Baton Rouge native Worth Powers is bringing his indie-folk and country sound to La Divina Italian Cafe. While listening to the music, you can also indulge in wines, beers and gelato. Find the event on Facebook

FILE PHOTO

MARCH 2-APRIL 1 The Baton Rouge Gallery is hosting the works of Danielle Burns, Libby Johnson, Leslie Koptcho and Matt Morris in its newest exhibition. Burns uses the Louisiana gulf coast as the backdrop for pieces using traditional print media. Johnson creates oil paintings that showcase the mysteries of nature. Koptcho creates prints that showcase visual contradictions in nature while also using different textures in digital technology and microscopy. Mixed media artist Morris uses nature as a photographic print, blurring perception and reality. batonrougegallery.org

MARCH 9 The Arts Council’s River City Jazz Masters series hosts rising jazz star and singer Jazzmeia Horn at the Shaw Center for the Arts River Terrace. manshiptheatre.org IMAGES COURTESY LSUMOA

ALL MONTH Reach for the stars by exploring Louisiana Art & Science Museum’s ongoing exhibit “Cosmos: Imagining the Universe” in its Universe Gallery. You’ll gain perspective on understanding the universe through data and mathematical principles. lasm.org

Henry Turner Jr., photographed for a 2014 issue of 225

MARCH 27 Rock out on Saturday, because Mid City Ballroom and Beauvoir Park are hosting soul rock band The Seratones in a kid-friendly concert at Beauvoir Park. Find the event on Facebook

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C U LT U R E / /

OME VOICES CAPTIVATE instantly, conveying heart, soul and emotion from the first words. When they sing sad songs, you feel low. When they belt out thrilling riffs, you can feel the melody in your body. Aaron “Ronday” Day does just that. The 22-year-old local has a soft, melodic voice that complements the bass-heavy hiphop and R&B beats he often sings over. While he is still an up-and-coming artist around town, his music is already making waves online. The video for his single “Weekend,” shot in downtown Baton Rouge, racked up more than 9,000 views on YouTube. And he is not stopping anytime soon. In January 2021, Day released his latest EP Musa Tape. The title is inspired by Mansa Musa, the tenth Mansa, or emperor, of the West African Mali Empire, who reigned from 1312 to 1337. He was known for being the wealthiest person in history. “I write about my past, like my childhood—I witnessed a lot of death—and I write about my future, like money, wealth, Black independence, ownership and love,” Day says. The seven-song EP includes upbeat dance club anthems like “Weekend,” and slow, reflective songs like “Levee.” In the song “Never Stress,” Day sings about what it’s like to live in the South, facing gun violence and avoiding altercations with the cops. The lyrics throughout the album tell the story of a Black man navigating life and love in the South and trying to make it out of poverty. In the last song on the album, “L2g,” which stands for “love to give,” he sings, “No, we ain’t free when we ride on the freeway. Police come to take your life, no stress. Barely got no money to get by, no stress.” The song conveys how Black people are expected to keep pushing despite the anxiety of systemic odds stacked against them. Though the topics of Day’s songs can be more serious and heavy, his sweet voice brings beauty to the lyrics. For as long as he can remember, music has always been in Day’s life. Growing up in a religious household, the Baton Rouge native sang in the choir at his church. As a child, he wrote gospel music and eventually started writing songs about his own life experiences. Though he left gospel behind, his smooth harmonies are reminiscent of that gospel sound. This year, Day plans to release more songs, music videos and a merchandise line that features hoodies related to tracks from Musa Tape. In addition to sharing the music he loves, he wants to focus on the business aspect of the music industry and use that success to help his community. “I want to have enough assets to help others and support other people’s vision,” Day says. Find him on Instagram @rondayofficial

UP NEXT

Love to give

By Cynthea Corfah

Meet Baton Rouge rising music artist Aaron ‘Ronday’ Day

COLLIN RICHIE

Aaron “Ronday” Day takes a break from working on music at Cedarcrest Recording Studio.

The “Up Next” feature highlights up-and-coming artists in the Baton Rouge area. Pitch ideas for this feature to editor@225batonrouge.com.

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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Co n gr a t ulat ion s W i n n e rs Overall MESH

Gabby Furniture, Art of Upholstery

Integrated Campaign BBR CREATIVE

Lafayette General Cancer Campaign

Packaging

Echo Tango

Yellow Rose 10th Anniversary

Online Interactive BBR CREATIVE

LHC “Own It” Social Media Campaign

The American Advertising Awards® is the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition, attracting tens of thousands of entries nationally each year. AAF-BR’s competition is the first tier in the three tier national competition. With the mission to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising, we are excited to share 2020’s top local entries. For the complete list of this year’s winners please visit

aafbr.org/past-winners

Student

Nnamdi Anyaele

Wanderer of Planet Parallelogram

Mosaic Award

AAFBR.ORG

Digital FX

Belief is Contagious

225batonrouge.com | [225] March 2021

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CALENDAR //

march

Where play aro to Baton R und o this monuge th C ompiled b Brittney Fo y rbes

SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS The open-air Baton Rouge Arts Market showcases local artists’ and makers’ handcrafted goods. The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s monthly market takes place at Fifth and Main streets downtown, in conjunction with the Red Stick Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-noon. artsbr.org

6+7

RUN RUN RUN If you were thinking twice about joining The Louisiana Marathon, you’re in luck, because the January event was rescheduled. The Louisiana Marathon team is hoping for an in-person race this month, where runners can register to be in a full marathon, half marathon, quarter marathon or a 5K. thelouisianamarathon.com

13+27

HORSING AROUND Take a guided trail ride on a horse at the Farr Park Equestrian Center. It’s open to those with or without riding experience, and it’s a great way to feel at one with nature. brec.org

ON THE ROAD NEW ORLEANS

ALL MONTH: Crescent City Farmers Market, crescentcityfarmersmarket.org

504

MARCH 24-28: Virtual Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival, tennesseewilliams.net

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CALENDAR //

ALSO THIS MONTH ALL MONTH Spooky season is always in session in Baton Rouge. Join the Baton Rouge Haunted Adventure tour, hosted by Red Stick Adventures, for haunting tales of the historic Capital City and a “ghost hunt” while using real paranormal investigation equipment. Book your tour at redstickadventures. com/haunted-tour.

HOPPING ALONG The Easter Bunny is coming soon, and that means it’s time to start prepping baskets for your little ones. Join local gift shop Le Mercantile de Louisiane for its Easter Cookie Decorating Event, where supplies for your delicious cookies will be provided. lemercantiledelouisiane.com

PHOTOS BY RAEGAN LABAT, KRISTIN SELLE AND STOCK

A CARROT A DAY Easter just got tastier. The Louisiana Culinary Institute hosts a leisure class with a lesson from Chef Jeanne Mancuso on how to make Easter Bunny Carrot Cake. lci.edu

Editor’s note: Event details are as of press time in mid-February. Please check with the events for the latest information.

LAFAYETTE

MARCH 6: Lafayette Azalea Trail Trolley Rides, azaleatrail.org

MARCH 1 Curious about the history of the Briarwood Nature Preserve? Join the Friends of LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens for its Reflections in the Garden “lunch and learn” livestream to learn from Rick Johnson, a curator at the preserve. Find the event on Facebook MARCH 6 + 7 Make the trip to the Louisiana Renaissance Festival Fairgrounds as it hosts the Shamrock Run 2021, or participate virtually here in Baton Rouge. You can choose from a 5K, 10K, 1-mile run, virtual 5K or a virtual 10K. All proceeds go toward nonprofits in the area. Find the event on Facebook MARCH 13 Think of it like Jack trading his cow for beans—but better. Head to the spring 2021 Mid City Seed and Plant Swap, where you can bring your cuttings, seedlings and seeds, and bond with fellow Baton Rouge gardeners. The event is at the Holy Cross Anglican Church. Find the event on Facebook MARCH 20 The Third Street Songwriters Festival is back as a one-day live event. Budding songwriters will showcase their talent, and there will also be sessions on how to develop songwriting skills, produce hits and more. Find the latest info at thirdstreetsongwritersfestival. com MARCH 20 Bring the whole family for a run at the Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Amazing Half Marathon. There are also kids’ mini-marathons, including a 5K and half marathon. amazinghalf.com

337 MARCH 13: Second Saturday Artwalk, Find the event on Facebook

225batonrouge.com | [225] March 2021

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GIVING OUR READERS MORE GOOD NEWS EVERY DAY.

COMMUNITY PEOPLE FOOD THINGS TO DO CULTURE FASHION Subscribe for your free DAILY dose at 225batonrouge.com/225Daily or scan here For all 225 Daily advertising opportunities, contact ERIN POU today!

225-421-8147 • erinp@225batonrouge.com

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Issue Date: March 2021 Ad2 proof #2 WRITE ON //

Phone home restrictions loosened. We’d meet up THE PHONE GLOWED from the bar’s for walks or bike rides and talk about grimey floor. Its blue screen, flashing the craziness happening in the world. bright with incoming text messages, In the summer, she and her fiance caught my eye from 5 feet below the invited us over for dinner. We tried to sea of revelers swaying and singing eat on their porch, but it was blazing along with the music. hot, and after a few drinks we felt My husband, Adam, held it high relaxed enough to venture indoors. over the crowd. “Did anybody lose We had the most fun together that a phone?” we asked. We ended up night, even though it’d be followed bringing it to the bar’s lost-and-found. up with guilt and It was March 6, 2020. regret about our first We’d driven to Houston non-socially-distant for the weekend to attend hangout. None of us had a dance night. It was our symptoms of COVID-19, last “normal” weekend. but we self quarantined The coronavirus was for two weeks anyway, already quietly spreading nervously counting across the country, but it down each day. was still days before large In the fall, Alexis events would announce moved for a job in cancellations. A week Houston. She promised before Baton Rouge’s we’d always have a place St. Patrick’s Day parade By Jennifer Tormo to stay if we visited. would be called off. Two In the winter, she weeks before we’d all eloped and invited us to her Zoom start staying home. wedding. We dusted off our cocktail A giant beach ball bounced around attire and poured ourselves glasses of the crowd, touching hundreds of Champagne for our first celebratory hands. Sometimes it hit the floor, occasion in months. We watched her splashing in dirt and spilled drinks. say “I do” over the grainy video call. When the ball came hurtling toward I think often of that night we met me, the virus was only a tiny thought Alexis last March. Partially because it in my mind. I hit it back to the crowd. was the last relic of our old lives. But The bar announced last call, and I mostly marvel at the portrait of a soon a girl ran up to us. “I heard you friendship born in 2020. A bond that found a phone?” she asked, frantic. somehow flourished despite all the Her name was Alexis, and after socially distant odds stacked against it. we’d retrieved her phone, she hugged Last month, Adam and I attended us tightly. She was so grateful we’d reverse Mardi Gras parades. With our found her phone and wanted to take windows down, we drove through Mid us out for drinks. She asked what part City and Spanish Town, as well as New of Houston we lived in, and when we Orleans. People shouted at us from told her we were visiting from Baton porches. They cheered us on for our Rouge, she gasped. “No way. I live in sequin jackets, and we cheered them Baton Rouge,” she said. “Now I really on for their amazing house floats. have to buy you a drink.” As we passed by one home, a We met up the following night at a woman came chasing after us. She backyard bar with dozens of swings handed us her throw: a bag of handhanging from trees. We talked until made soaps, carved into pastel star closing time. We found out she was shapes. “I made them this morning,” originally from Houston and was she told us proudly. We thanked her, wrapping up her last semester of grad filled with warmth as we drove away. school at LSU. We talked about Mardi Like so many, at times I’ve felt Gras, which we’d all attended the deeply lonely the past year, far away week before. We talked about family, from family, friends and all other including her mother’s ongoing battle humans, really. But this long quaranwith cancer. We talked about a lot. It tine has taught me that sometimes, was the start of a friendship. all you really need to feel close to A couple weeks later, Alexis would someone is a few seconds of fleeting be one of the first people we’d text interaction. It’s as easy as helping a with about lockdown rumors. She stranger find their lost phone, or sharwas also one of the first people we’d ing the generous spirit of Mardi Gras. hang out with after stay-at-home

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FRAMED //

In every issue of 225, you’ll find a free print on this page. FRAMED celebrates life and art in Baton Rouge, each one featuring a local photographer, place or graphic designer. Cut it out to hang in your cubicle, or frame it for your home gallery wall. Show us where you hang them by tagging them on social media with #225prints.

PAINTING BY NANCI CHARPENTIER / nancicharpentier.com GET FEATURED We love spotlighting local photographers, artists and designers for this page! Shoot us an email at editor@225batonrouge.com to chat about being included.

[225 March 2021 | 225batonrouge.com

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• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2019. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

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