SEPTEMBER 2022 • FREE SNEAKER ARTIST 47 CHENG’S RESTAURANT 53 MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHY 63 20+ NEW HOBBIES TO TRY THIS FALL—AND ALL YEAR-ROUND BEERRUNNINGFISHINGMAKING+SOMUCHMORE
BOTOX | BODY CONTOURING | FILLERS | LIPOSUCTION HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY & MUCH MORE BATON ROUGE 8485 Bluebonnet Blvd. (225) 753-1234 LAFAYETTE 5000 Ambassador Caffery Building 1, Suite 102 | (337) 484-1234 Todd Howell MD, Brittany Lipoma MPAS, PA-C Crystal Fontenot ANP-BC Samantha Mulina APRN, FNP-C TheAntiAgingClinics.com END OF SAVINGSSUMMER UNDEREYE “VOLUME LOSS” $100 off a syringe of Volbella FACIAL DISCOLORATION BBL/IPL Buy 2 get 1 FREE Eliminate browns and reds BACK TO SCHOOL TEACHER SPECIALS: $100 OFF FILLER $12.50/UNIT WRINKLE RELAXANT Specials cannot be combined. Filler specials are limited to ONE syringe. VOTED NATION’S BEST
Provides on-site athletic training services to local high school athletes. Provides evaluations and specialized any age or skill level. For an appointment, call 225.408.7875. BATON ROUGE | GONZALES | ZACHARY | WALKER | BRUSLY BRORTHO.COM World-Class Care for Local Student-Athletes SPORTS MEDICINE SPORTS MEDICINE FOUNDATION Baseline and medicineneuroscientiststechnologypost-concussiondevelopedbyandsportsspecialists. Utilized by collegiate and professional teams across the country. the regular football season from 9 to 11 PM. FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL CLINIC PROGRAMMANAGEMENTCONCUSSIONWITHC3LOGIX A walk-in clinic for orthopaedic injuries. Weeknights 5 - 10 PM, Saturday 10 AM - 8 PM, Sunday 12 - 6 PM. INJURYMUSCULOSKELETALTREATMENT AFTER HOURS CLINIC
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED | 225.757.6138 | PECBUILT.COM | LUXURY OUTDOOR DESIGN & BUILD POOLS | FENCES | MASONRY BULKHEADS | OUTDOOR SPACES RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL MENTION 225 & RECEIVE $225 OFF PHOTOGREENEMILYBYPHOTOS
To
. IT’S
No matter where or when, just one hit, one bump, or one pill could be laced with a deadly dose of fentanyl. More than 50x stronger than morphine, fentanyl has quadrupled overdose deaths in East Baton Rouge Parish. Just 2 mg (0.0004 tsp) of fentanyl will end your life. Do you know what’s in your drugs? The difference is life or death.
TO SOUND THE ALARM A BROUGHTMESSAGETOYOU BY WHAT DO THESE TWO HAVE IN COMMON?
FENTANYL KILLED THEM LAST NIGHT. learn more, volunteer, donate, or get help for someone struggling with addiction, visit whenyouarereadybr.com TIME
63 Features 19 What is creating new opportunities for people of color 22 How the past, present and future look for Visit Baton Rouge 50 Who is bringing the ‘jewelry zapping’ national trend to town 58 What recipes to make for your game-day tailgate And much more … Departments 14 What’s Up 19 Our City 24 I am 225 26 Cover story 47 Style 53 Taste 63 Culture 76 Calendar How we play THIS MONTH’S COVER story is a celebration of 23 hobbies in the Capital Region, from running to gardening to fiber arts. We interviewed locals about how and why they got into these leisurely activities—and we’ve also added info about how you can try a new hobby, too. In our front cover image, shot by staff photographer Collin Richie, Jonah Schaeffer rides the waves at Bennett’s Waterski and Wakeboard School in Zachary. Here, trainees of any level are welcome Sound intimidating? Don’t worry. There’s an orientation session, where you can shake out nerves. Turn to page 26 for our cover story. ON THE COVER FELDGABRIELLECOURTESY CONTENTS // 6 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 7
• First Place: Feature Photography / Magazines from the Green Eyeshade Awards “The new Pinspiration studio’s immersive, art-driven experiences” photos by Sean Gasser
Issue Date: August 2022 Ad proof #1 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 CALL FOR ALL OF YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS. BUYING • SELLING • PROFESSIONAL ADVICE 225.218.0888 • DELRIOREALESTATEBR.COM JERRY AND HER AGENTS ARE GAME DAY READY! EDITOR'S NOTE //
I HAD BEEN looking for it for months. I was dying to find an antique mantel, the kind that’s a centerpiece in old Louisiana houses. Ideally one made of carved stone or marble, like you see in Victorian-era homes. And then, after a long day of thrifting with my mom and finding nothing … there it was: my mantel. It was a cream-colored, faux marble vintage piece, with a carved shell motif. It was, I kid you not, identical to one I’d saved on Pinterest. It was perfect. I hauled it back to my apartment, where it’s now the pièce de résistance, adding architecture and charm to the previously bare, white wall. Later, I’d top it with an ornate wood, gilded mirror I found on Facebook Marketplace. This is my hobby. I live for antiquing and thrifting— treasure hunting for those really special finds. Decorating is my obsession, that thing I’m constantly daydreaming about. I got it from my mom, who is always borrowing design books from the library and taught me everything I know about antiques. And she got it from her antique-store-owning parents. My husband loves movies. My brother collects old video games. My uncle loves fishing and boating. What’s your hobby? How and why did you get into it?That’s what this month’s 225 is all about: finding leisure and joy in activities around Baton Rouge.
•
•
First Place: Graphics / Magazines from the Green Eyeshade Awards “Coffee Culture” cover package designed by Melinda Gonzalez
8 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
Second Place: Feature Photography / Magazines from the Green Eyeshade Awards and • Third place: Features Series or Project from Society for Features Journalism “Pizza party” cover package by Collin Richie and 225 Staff
Play time Awards for 225 225 was recently honored to receive one national and six regional awards for outstanding journalism, photography and editorial design published in 2021. Here’s a rundown of what we were awarded. And if you want a peek at our firstplace winner for photography—Sean Gasser’s brilliant images of Pinspiration, some of my favorite pictures we’ve ever printed in 225—turn to page 78. It is featured as this month’s cut-out “Framed” print. A frame-worthy photo, indeed.
Lastly, women music photographers are absolutely killing the scene now that concerts are coming back to Baton Rouge in full-force. Read about four of them in digital staff writer Olivia Deffes’ feature on page 63. Whatever you do this fall, I hope you make time for fun.To good health and good times, Jennifer Tormo Alvarez 225 Editor
• Third Place: Best Cover / Magazines from the Green Eyeshade Awards “The 2021 Best of 225 Awards” July 2021 cover by Collin Richie and 225 Staff
In a cover story conceptualized and produced by features writer Maggie Heyn Richardson, we’re telling the stories of locals who have found purpose through their passions.MicahSmith is a fiber artist and arts festival founder who says crocheting and dyeing yarn have improved her mental health. Paul Pitre started making craft beer for fun, and now he’s the president of Redstick Brewmasters and has won regional awards for his brews. Kaylin Ricard’s hobby for running has taken her from 5Ks to triathlons, and even helped introduce her to her husband. Retiree Walter Price has played disc golf in and around Baton Rouge for nearly 50 years. In 2020, he and a few friends decided to start a social league. Hobbies can be an escape. They can heal. They can bring us new friendships and connections. They can change over the course of our lives, as our priorities, interests and needs shift alongside the ever-evolving world around us. Whether you want to try fishing or birding or crafting, there are plenty of worthy pastimes to explore around Baton Rouge. Turn to page 26 for our guide to more than 20 of them. And it seems only fitting that in our hobby-themed issue, we’d also have several additional features on locals who have turned hobbies into careers. Read about Michael Anderson, whose handpainted sneakers have landed on the talented feet of some high-profile athletes, on page 47. Nathaniel Alphonse Joseph Landry is an artist whose afrofuturistic, abstract multimedia pieces have been shown in galleries all across the region (page 72). And Sydney Marrs has brought the permanent jewelry “zapping” trend to town, a la national brands like Catbird (page 50).
•
First Place: Sports Reporting / Non-Dailies from the Green Eyeshade Awards “LSU’s beach volleyball team aims for new heights” feature by Mark Clements
• Second Place: General News Writing from the Green Eyeshade Awards News writing collection by Maggie Heyn Richardson, including stories on local nonprofit STAR’s efforts in the wake of LSU’s sexual misconduct findings; a dive into the city’s efforts to address drainage in the years after the Great Flood; how CASA speaks for children in foster care; and much more
AND October 1 & 2 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Burden Museum & Gardens LSU Rural Life Museum and LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens invite you to kickoff fall with two great family events. Get tickets for both events or one event. Advance tickets required and available at bit.ly/HDXCM22 The fun continues ... Corn Maze Saturdays 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. There’s more crazy maziness October 8, 15, 22 and 29. Advance tickets required for two-hour experiences. Tickets available at bit.ly/CornMaze22 Night Maze & Bonfire October 29 | 6-9 p.m. Grab your costumes and flashlights and find your way out of the night maze. Enjoy live music, play games and more. Advance tickets required and available at bit.ly/CornMaze22 Haints, Haunts & Halloween October 30 | 2-4:30 p.m. Wrap up the Halloween season with the sights, sounds and seasons of an old-fashioned country fair. Enjoy storytelling, cake walks, games and trick-or-treating. Tickets available at the event. Join us for some fall fun! BURDEN MUSEUM & GARDENS LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens | LSU Rural Life Museum | Windrush Gardens 4560 Essen Lane | Baton Rouge | 225-763-3990 | DiscoverBurden.com Publisher: Julio Melara EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Penny Font Editor: Jennifer Tormo Alvarez Managing Editor: Laura Furr Mericas Features Writer: Maggie Heyn Richardson Digital Staff Writer: Olivia Deffes Digital Content Editor: Dillon Lowe Staff Photographer: Collin Richie Contributing Writers: Cynthea Corfah, Tracey Koch, Benjamin Leger, Caden Lim, Zane Piontek, Domenic Purdy, Marien Richardson, Poet Wolfe Contributing Photographers: Ariana Allison, Sean Gasser ADVERTISING Sales Director: Erin Pou Account Executives: Manny Fajardo, André Hellickson Savoie, Jamie Hernandez, Kaitlyn Maranto, Audrey Taunton Advertising Coordinators: Devyn MacDonald, Brittany Nieto, Cassidie Tingle STUDIO E Director: Taylor Gast Multimedia Strategy Manager: Tim Coles Editor: Lisa Tramontana Content Strategist: Allyson Guay Account Executive: Judith LaDousa MARKETING Marketing & Events Coordinator: Taylor Falgout Training & Events Coordinator: Emma Dubuc Events: Abby Hamilton ADMINISTRATION Business Manager: Tiffany Durocher Business Associate: Kirsten Milano Office Coordinator: Sara Hodge Receptionist: Cathy Varnado Brown PRODUCTION/DESIGN Production Manager: Jo Glenny Art Director: Hoa Vu Senior Graphic Designer: Melinda Gonzalez Graphic Designers: Emily Witt, Ashlee Digel AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Audience Development Director and Digital Manager: James Hume Audience Development Coordinator: Ivana Oubre Audience Development Associate: Catherine Albano A publication of Melara Enterprises, LLC Chairman: Julio Melara Executive Assistant: Brooke Motto Vice President: Penny Font Chief Operating Officer: Guy Barone Chairman Emeritus: Rolfe H. McCollister Jr. Circulation/Reprints 225.928.1700 email: circulation@225batonrouge.com ©Copyright 2022 by Melara Enterprises, LLC. All rights reserved by LBI. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Business address: 9029 Jefferson Highway, Ste. 300, 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. 9029 Jefferson Highway, Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225-214-5225 • FAX 225batonrouge.com225-926-1329 10 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
Out in Mid City? Or Little
viral social media memes parodying Roger
Are you Little
Always
Miss
Little and Mr. Men Miss Mr. Hanging Miss the Hargreaves
illustrations features 10 Baton Rouge personalities. It was one of our most-shared Instagram posts this summer, reaching nearly 12,000 accounts. PHOTOSTAFF 12 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com FEEDBACK // WHAT’S ONLINE //
Already Planning Her Outfit for the Spanish Town Parade? 225’s take on
LSU Lakes Runner? How about
Dream without boundaries Knowing you’ve got the strength of the cross, the protection of the shield and thousands of top doctors to lift you when you need it. The Right Card. The Right Care. 01MK7615 09/21 CONNECT WITH US facebook.com/225magazine twitter.com/225batonrouge instagram.com/225batonrouge youtube.com/225magazine Reader’s notes On our socialsTOP STORIES First dishesKitchenSoulshineLook:bringshomestylecooking,atmospherenearLSU10veganandvegetariantotryinBatonRouge‘Mason’sisstillhere’:AconversationwiththenewownersofMason’sGrill123PHOTOFILEALLISONARIANAALLISONARIANA @225magazine Bestof Awards 17th Annual JULY 2022 FREE NEW RESTAURANTS 23 SWIMMING LESSON 27 SUMMER RECIPES 102 71 Voted By ‘225’ Readers The most-read articles at 225batonrouge.com On this year’s Best of 225 Awards: “Love the magazine. Sad to see there was no Best Indian restaurant category .” —@megleglue “My favorite issue of the year! Love celebrating all the great businesses in Baton Rouge ” —@wheretogeaux225 Analytics and comments are from July 1-July 31, 2022. On the 225 staff’s favorite eats of July, which included the gulab jamun cheesecake at Tap 65: “That cheesecake at @tap65br is in fact incredible.” —@eatbatonrouge Baton Rouge mural tour As part of our video series on 25 things to do this summer, we created a video spotlighting the addresses and artists behind eight different murals. Head to our Instagram and TikTok to check them all out—and be sure to comment and tell us where to go next!
Stop by for ‘tapas style’ shareable dishes you can enjoy with friends and family! 4205 Perkins Road soleraBR.com225.256.4192 TUESDAY : .............................. ALL NIGHT WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY: ........ 4-6pm FRIDAY : ....................................11am-6pm Happy Hour times Join us for live music Wednesday-Saturday on the Best Patio in Baton Rouge! 10111 Perkins Rowe #160, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 225.763.2288 • bin77.com • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 13
OVER THE YEARS, scores of people have asked Louisiana photographer Amy James when she’s finally going to switch from film to digital. Her reply is always the same.
“Never,” she says, even as the infrastructure for darkroom photographers continues to diminish and the price of its equipment rises. “If I couldn’t shoot film, I’d just go back to painting.”
IndependentSeptemberlens
James has worked for more than 30 years as a portrait and fine art photographer in Baton Rouge. She specializes in black and white photographs developed by hand. She uses only natural light and often situates her subjects outdoors in richly textured settings.
“I have to squat to get the piece of paper out, then shimmy over to do the print,” James says, demonstrating through mime. “We put trays on rolling cards and use this tiny little sink. Working on bigger prints is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” As the images come to life in the darkroom, James uses her decades of experience to coax out dramatic light contrasts. She may develop an image multiple times to engineer the right result.
MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON
A former painting major at LSU, James studied under well-known art professors Michael Crespo and Robert Hausey, but it was her minor in photography, studying under Thomas Neff, that influenced her career direction. She started working as a photographer in her early 20s and hasn’t stopped since. Her work has been shown throughout Louisiana and the southeast, and she’s been hired by families, new parents, brides, dog lovers and others to document life’s important moments.Amember of the Baton Rouge Gallery since 2003, James just wrapped a gallery show in late July called “Hindsight.” It had been originally planned for 2020, James says, but a number of factors, from the pandemic to upheaval in her personal life, delayed its release and prompted her to rethink its theme.That year, she turned back to her lens and found simple, straightforward fixed points to demonstrate how beauty and resiliency can survive upheaval, she says. The show’s works included dogs (a longtime specialty and personal passion), flowers, James’ own hand gripping a just-caught fish she would later release, and other images that demonstrate her skill in manipulating light and shadow. James sets up each shot with the eye of a painter, and uses those same sensibilities in the darkroom, transferring an image from negative to photo paper, then bringing it to life through several rounds of developing.Sometimes that happens in the unlikeliest of settings, like the bathroom of her longtime family lake house near the Arkansas border. James continued working as Hurricane Laura bore down on north Louisiana after decimating Lake Charles, a final blow to the Pelican State.
14 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
“My son and I were hiding under a mattress, thinking hurricanes aren’t supposed to come this far north,” she Nowadays,says.James primarily develops in a tiny shared darkroom space in New Orleans, where she also lives half the time. Working in cramped quar ters has been tough, especially when producing a series of pieces that are larger than her usual works.
“When I’m working on something, I’m thinking about it all the time,” James says. “I’ll even dream about it.” amyjames.photography
RICHIECOLLINBYPHOTOS
Amy James is a portrait and fine art photographs.inphotographerdarkroomspecializingblackandwhite
“I
APHOTOSTOCKPHOTOSTOCKSSOCIATEDPRESS
The number of armed school resource officers to be placed in East Baton Rouge Parish middle and high schools this fall, following a decision by the EBRP School Board in July. The armed officers will be employed by the school system and will provide law enforcement in every school, on school grounds and in the areas adjacent to schools.
26
DIGITS
Olive-Cheese Nuggets ½ cup butter or margarine, softened 1 cup flour ½ pound grated cheese Salt to taste ¼ teaspoon paprika Stuffed green olives, well drained
COURTESYSECRETARYOFSTATEKYLEARDOIN WHAT’S UP // 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 15
GeauxVote Online Registration System, or in person at any Registrar of Voters office, or at locations of the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, U.S. Armed Forces recruiting offices, WIC and Medicaid offices, and some other social service locations.
Another well-preserved relic is Louisiana Tiger Bait Recipes, published in 1976 by the LSU Alumni Federation. The recipe collection was the brainchild of New Orleanian Jay Jalenak, who served as Alumni Federation president from 1971-72, and his wife, Frances. “My parents were always proud of that cookbook, not just because of its popularity, but because of what it meant to the LSU community,” says Jay Jalenak Jr., who lives in Baton Rouge. The Tiger Bait cookbook committee received 1,500 recipe submissions from LSU alumni and friends, an unexpected volume that prompted organizers to ask the LSU School of Home Economics Alumni Association for help with testing. The hundreds of recipes that made it into the volume include slice-of-life dishes undoubtedly served at Tiger tailgates and cocktail parties, from seafood jambalaya, to the “great to have in the freezer for unexpected company,” Bourbon Slush. Jalenak says he and his wife Maia still cook from a dog-eared copy strewn with handwritten notes. He says the sausage cheese balls were a family favorite served for breakfast during early tailgates. The original comb-bound publication has been replaced by a durable hard-bound version, available through the LSU Alumni Association. lsualumni.org
Classic cookbook
This year’s official “I Voted” sticker, designed by Louisiana artist Becky Fos
factorsbasicallyattributewouldittothecellphone,butthereareotheraswell.”
HAVEN’T REGISTERED TO vote yet? National Voter Register Day, on Tuesday, Sept. 20, wants to equip you with all the info necessary to do so. The annual nonpartisan event was launched in 2012 and encourages Americans of all political stripes to exercise the franchise. As many as one in four eligible U.S. citizens are not registered to vote, according to U.S. Census Data from 2020. Register to vote online through the Louisiana Secretary of State’s
Individuals who register in September will be able to vote in the midterm elections in November, when local ballots will see congressional races, constitutional amendments and more.
Shawn D. Wilson, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, in a July press conference concerning the 17% increase in highway fatalities in 2021 from the previous year. It was the biggest single year increase since the state started keeping records in the 1960s. Officials announced plans to curb factors like distracted driving in the state’s updated Strategic Highway Safety Plan in order to help bring down the rate.
Note: 225 tested this recipe, adding no salt and finding it appropriately salted, thanks to the addition of cheese and olives. We thought ¼ teaspoon paprika was the right amount. Using small pimentostuffed green olives, the recipe yielded almost three dozen
Recipenuggets.submitted to Louisiana Tiger Bait Recipes by Molly Vidos Kuntz of Charleston, S.C. Mix all ingredients except olives. Roll a small amount of cheese mixture around each olive. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven and serve warm. Olive-cheese nuggets may be refrigerated and popped into the oven at party time. Hint: Size of olive used determines number of nuggets.
And for all those voting nerds who view voting as a sacred civic ritual regardless of political proclivities, National Voter Registration Day has a podcast, 1 Reg at a Time, on voting and election news. sos.la.gov.
Sept. 20 National Voter Registration Day TRY THIS PHOTOSTAFF
WHILE RECIPE APPS and cooking blogs have stolen our modern culinary hearts, soft-back community cookbooks still have a certain allure, especially in a place like Louisiana. Think of the enduring magic of the Junior League of Baton Rouge’s River Road Recipes series and its Lafayette counterpart, Talk About Good!, collections that are windows into our past dining preferences and cooking styles.
D’s Garden Center
WHAT’S UP // 16 [225] September 2022 |
D’s Garden Center opened in late July, bringing a greenhouse and nursery full of plants to the middle of Government Street. The plant shop is part of developer Garrison Neill’s mixed-use project at the former site of Garden District Nursery. New Orleans-born Parker Barber (which opened this summer) and taco shop Barracuda (set to open in the fall) are also on-site, and there are plans underway to add more businesses. Find the brands on Facebook
HousefootThesecondBlocdowntown’sbehindCreativeislaunchingacoworkingspace.new8,400-square-CreativeBloc@TheFieldwillopenonNicholson Drive. thecreativebloc.org More for Mid City Kimble Properties, the team behind Electric Depot, is planning a mixed-use space in a centuryold building on the south side of Government Street east of South 14th Street. It will include a restaurant, lounge, event space and offices.
LANDSCAPESCHANGING
ALLISONARIANA
More developments in the works: Think outside the box
Mr. dessertsoverloadedInstagrammable,Milkshake’sALLISONARIANA 225batonrouge.com
Issue Date: Sept 2022 Ad proof #3 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 SCORE BIG BY OFSOUTHERNCALLINGAIRBATONROUGE Your system has run all summer long, it’s time to show it some love. Restrictions apply: Qualifying systems only, call for details. $69 End of Summer AC Tune up. Regularly $119 MENTION “GEAUX TIGERS” AND RECEIVE $50 OFF REPAIR backed by a 2 year parts and labor warranty. License # 67907 Certified Technicians | 100% Comfort Guarantee 30% Energy Savings Guarantee 100% Money Back Guarantee Proud To Provide Air Conditioning & Heating Services to Baton Rouge & Surrounding Areas (225) www.southernairbr.com219-8925 | Buzz feed WHAT’S NEW Compiled by Marien Richardson
The team
Blooming businesses
Shaking things up Denham Springs’ Mr. Milkshake is looking to expand. Owner Colin Odniet hopes to build a second location of his dessert restaurant in Lafayette by Christmas. He’s also eyeing St. Tammany Parish and eventually other states around the Gulf Coast. Find it on Facebook
Sustainable solutions Origin Materials plans to break ground on its Origin 2 manufacturing facility in 2023. The Geismar facility will repurpose carbon found in wood residuals from local pulp mills. The project is supported by Gov. Edwards’ Climate Action Plan. Expected to open in mid-2025, it should create over 1,000 local jobs.
HIGHEST QUALITY WITH COMPETITIVE PRICING! #AM-50-BAJ At Ducote’s Restaurant & Bar Equipment , we specialize in supplying the foodservice industry with a broad selection of the top-quality equipment and supplies you need to successfully run your operations and efficiently serve your customers. 4433 Florida Blvd • ducotesrestaurantsupply.com225-344-4240 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Issue Date: Sept 2022 Ad proof #1 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 Come See Our Showroom Issue Date: Sept 2022 Ad proof #3 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 LMP: 5430225-925-8710 www.rotobr.com Get it done right the first time Aca-scuse me? Pitch Perfect was released 10 years ago this month. The first film in the series heavily features familiar sights around LSU campus and the Mid City area and was often cited as a sign of Baton Rouge’s bustling film industry. Par for the course A sculpture by Central wood artist Burt Fleming of golf course architect Tom Bendelow can now be spotted at BREC’s Historic City Park Golf Course. Fleming used a chainsaw to carve the 6-foot sculpture out of a 100-year-old live oak tree that split during a 2021 thunderstorm. RICHIECOLLIN
DIGIT
The number of years Fleur de Lis Pizza was in business before closing this summer. The Government Street haunt was long recognized as a quintessential Baton Rouge restaurant and was regularly voted Best Pizza by 225 readers. The restaurant cited staffing issues as the reason for its closure.
Sept.201224, COURTESYUNIVERSALPICTURES Oh, honey honey September is National Honey Month. Here are a few local vendors to consider shopping: • Janway’s Honey • Basic Bee Honey • Bocage Bee and Honey Company Find the brands on Facebook WHAT’S UP // 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 17
76
Protect your castle the way he pretends he does Get peace of mind with 24/7 professionally monitored security from Cox. Call 844-347-2219 or visit cox.com/homelife Take care of the things you care about 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 &nROC 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. #53 18 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 © 2022 Cox Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. MAG108474 0024
The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce is growing— promoting community and economic success for people of color Blackexcellence INSIDE: Visit Baton Rouge looks back—and forward BY CYNTHEA CORFAH // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE Baton Rouge Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce came under new leadership this year, now guided by executive director Myra N. Richardson.
“We are entering a renaissance era in Baton Rouge,” says executive director Myra N. Richardson. “There are people under the age of 40 developing property all over town. Baton Rouge is at a moment to Richardson,pivot.”who also coaches businesses on strategic planning and marketing through her firm Red Torch Consulting, became the chamber’s executive director in January 2022. In May, the organization opened its official headquarters at the ExxonMobil Community Center on Scenic Highway. “Our office is now housed at the ExxonMobil Community Center, because they’re one of the organizations who stepped up and said they want to have a critical role in moving Black and brown businesses forward,” Richardson says. “So now we’re able to have programming, and we’re serving businesses every day.” Since she became director, the chamber has grown by the hundreds, surging from 28 to 370 members. She plans to continue widening its network as the organization celebrates its fiveyear anniversary in 2023. Even beyond membership growth, 2022 has been the organization’s most active year yet. It has hosted a community bike ride with Geaux Ride, as well as in-person and virtual workshops on taxes, financial literacy and the art of marketing for small businesses. And
The chamber, founded in 2018, provides Black professionals and people of color opportunities to build their network and community, as well as gain access to funding, professional development and financial literacy. It aims to empower business owners to be successful and sustainable.
—Baton Rouge Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce executive director Myra N. Richardson
BLACK PROFESSIONALS ARE claiming their space in the economy. In 2021, the number of Black-owned businesses in the U.S. grew 38% from pre-pandemic numbers—becoming the fastest-growing entrepreneurial group, according to Bloomberg. In Baton Rouge, the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce is seeing—and helping foster—a similar trend. All over town, Black entrepreneurs and professionals continue to open new virtual and bricks-and-mortar businesses at an increasing rate.
“We are entering a renaissance era in Baton Rouge. There are people under the age of 40 developing property all over town.”
partypants boogiejonathonlong BLUES & ROCK PARTY COVER 23sept16sept amanda shaw & the cute guys CAJUN ROCK POP ZYDECO 28oct 21oct the fostermichaelproject BRASS & FUNK PARTY THROWBACK 14oct The Mixed Nuts present: 90 s Throwback Night Chubby Carrier & The SwampBayouBand 30sept kicks off fridays at 5pm batondowntownrouge 20 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com OUR CITY //
There are many ways to get involved with the Black Chamber of Commerce. Locals can apply online for a membership as an individual, student, university, church, nonprofit or business.Members have the opportunity to be spotlighted on the organization’s website and social media, included in the online directory, get notified about upcoming local events and have their announcements broadcasted to the Black Chamber of Commerce network.
16016 Perkins Road 225 • 751 • 0009 2877 Perkins Road 225 • 344 • 2311 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 21 OUR CITY // just last month, it hosted a business market and festival at the Main Library at Goodwood, with vendors, live music and food trucks. This flurry of activity is making an impact.“Engaging, building and supporting minority-owned businesses is the key to peace, prosperity and progress in our city,” says Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, whose administration has aimed to grow small, local businesses and increase opportunities for socially and economically disadvantaged groups. “Partners, such as the Black Chamber of Commerce, are essential to thisThework.”Chamber’s online members directory is a resource for those looking to shop, support or collaborate with Black-owned businesses. It features organizationsentrepreneurs,andcompanies from all areas. It’s categorized by business type, including advertising and media, finance and insurance, legal, health care, transportation, real estate, and wellness and personal services such as beauty salons, childcare and counseling. “Even if you’re not Black, community partners can support the chamber,” Richardson says. “You can create space for opportunity. I have been counted out for so long in my life. I don’t want any young person to feel that way. In this organization, there’s a place for everybody.”
Moving forward, Richardson plans to engage with new partners, continue fundraising, and complete the chamber’s strategic plan for the future of the Black Chamber of Commerce.
“This is the opportunity for us to stop surviving and start thriving,” Richardson says. “Everyone can have a piece of the pie.” brmbcc.org
MEDITERRANEANBEST BEST AWARDSOF2007BEST AWARDSOF2008BEST AWARDSOF2009BEST AWARDSOF2010BEST AWARDSOF2011BEST AWARDSOF2012BEST AWARDSOF2013 BEST SHWARMACHICKEN&BESTHUMMUSMEDITERRANEANBESTMEDITERRANEANBEST MEDITERRANEANBESTBEST HUMMUSMEDITERRANEANBEST MEDITERRANEANBESTMEDITERRANEANBESTMEDITERRANEANBESTMEDITERRANEANBESTMEDITERRANEANBEST MEDITERRANEANBEST MEDITERRANEANBEST WINNER2014 WINNER2015WINNER2016WINNER2017WINNER2018WINNER2019WINNER2020WINNER2021WINNER2022 MEDITERRANEANBESTMEDITERRANEANBEST albashabr.com Greek & Lebanese Restaurant Since ALBASHA1992 Thanks 225 Readers for Voting Albasha the BEST Every Year! Issue Date: Sept 2022 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 22 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com OUR CITY // Exit interview A conversation with Paul Arrigo, outgoing president and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge By Maggie Heyn Richardson WHEN HE RETIRES at the end of September, Paul Arrigo, 70, will have been the longest serving president and CEO of the Capital City’s destination marketing agency, Visit Baton Rouge. 225 sat down with Arrigo, an affable New Orleanian who has lived in Baton Rouge longer than his native Crescent City and plans to remain here after retirement. After working in the New Orleans tourism industry, Arrigo moved to Baton Rouge in 1997, and served for five years as vice president of sales and marketing for Visit Baton Rouge before being named head of the agency in 2002. He wasn’t the board of directors’ unanimous choice.“Itwas a resounding 5-4 vote,” Arrigo recalls. That served as an invitation to prove naysayers wrong, he says. “The first couple years were tough, but I kept swatting flies, and I had a great team.” Under his tenure, Baton Rouge has seen several wins in tourism and convention bookings, and has become a worthy competitor against peer cities, thanks to more downtown amenities, improved hotel capacity city-wide, broader arts offerings and a booming restaurant scene. But challenges remain. As Visit Baton Rouge focuses on attracting new visitors, it must navigate increased citywide crime and traffic. Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity. Paul Arrigo was the longest serving president and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge. COLLIN RICHIE
Visit Baton Rouge turned 50 last year. How did you mark the milestone? We celebrated with a new mural on the side of our building on Third Street. It’s a postcard-style mural, and we worked with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge to find artist Kayla Newman, who is part of a national program called Murals on the Move. It’s highly visible and has been a place where people love to take pictures and share them on social media. Tell us about the Capital Cocktail? For our anniversary, we also worked with the Bourbon Society of Baton Rouge to hold a contest for a signature cocktail. The winner, Aaron Bertrand, created an Old Fashioned-style cocktail that has lo cal molasses, honey and blackberries.
We have a lot of challenges in Baton Rouge right now, including traffic. Has that changed how Visit Baton Rouge does business? Yes, we’re now into ‘product development,’ meaning we no longer just take what we have, but try to collaborate with our partners in the city to improve it. That includes working on city issues, like homelessness and panhandling, as well as improving and upscaling facilities, like the River Center. We’re also looking at transportation logistics. They’re going to be widening the interstate—it’s going to be a zoo, and we’re going to have the bowlers in town again. We need to work with BRAC and DOTD to make sure our visitors can get around. Because if you can’t get through Baton Rouge, you can’t get to Baton Rouge. What do you plan to do in retirement? People tell me I should be a consultant—but that’s a job, and if I wanted a job, I’d keep working. The first thing I’ll do is work on some home improvement projects. We have a 27-year-old daughter in New Orleans who is a nurse practitioner, so I’d like to spend more time visiting her. We’re staying in Baton Rouge. My brother lives here. And ironically, my parents who have since passed on, wound up here, and so did part of my wife’s family after Katrina. I’m staying.
Who are our competitors, in terms of other cities? We are not going for the same tourism or convention market as New Orleans, nor should we. We are a completely different market. We stand up well against other capital cities, like Little Rock; Jackson, Mississippi; Columbia, South Carolina; and Tallahassee, which also has two major universities and is a state capital. And we look at places like Birmingham, as well as Memphis and Fort Worth, for comparisons, too. But also, we are becoming a medical destination for smaller surrounding communities. And we have done well in the convention space. Part of our strategic plan is to improve facilities like the River Center, so that we can continue to get those bookings.
The future of Visit Baton Rouge Meet Jill Kidder, the Baton Rouge travel executive who succeeds Arrigo Taking over for Arrigo is Jill Kidder, who has most recently held the post of pres ident and CEO of the Louisiana Travel Association, the Baton Rouge-based trade association for statewide travel. Kidder is a registered travel industry lobbyist and has more than 37 years of experience in hospitality, tourism, market ing, management and economic devel opment. Kidder was asked by Gov. John Bel Edwards to co-chair the Resilient Louisiana Commission’s Hospitality and Tourism Task Force, a group created to help the tourism industry respond to the impacts of the pandemic, as well as future disruptions. She also worked with other U.S. travel professionals to help secure $87.5 million in federal funding for the industry through the American Rescue Plan. “I’ve known Jill for years,” says Arrigo, who will overlap with Kidder for six weeks as he hands off the baton. “It’s going to be an excellent transition, and I think she’s going to advocate for the organization.”
COURTESYVISITBATONROUGE
GAMBLING PROBLEM? PLEASE CALL 800.522.4700. 777 L’Auberge Avenue | Baton Rouge, LA 70820 | lbatonrouge.com | 866.261.7777 Must be 21 years or older to enter Casino. Gambling problem? Call 800.522.4700. ©2022 Penn National Gaming, Inc. All rights reserved. INYEARSTHEGAMETHANKYOUBATONROUGE! Celebrating 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 23 OUR CITY // So, you grew up in New Orleans? Yeah. I’m a Y’at from Gentilly. My grandparents on my father’s side came from Sicily. My grandfather had a farm in Gentilly and built a bunch of double shotguns, of which we lived in one—my mother, father and brother and I. My daddy was a longshoreman. I get my work ethic from him, and from my mother, her sense of humor. She was all about whoopee cushions, exploding cigarettes, the whole deal. Did you bring that sense of humor to the workplace? When I first came here as vice president of sales and marketing, I told the staff: Don’t get mad about anything, and have fun. If you can’t have fun, go and find something else to do. We have an incred ible staff. Some of them who were with me in the very beginning are still here. When you look back on your tenure, what are you most proud of? You know people say, ‘You’re good at what you do.’ No, I’m lucky. I’m very fortunate. We had the Parade of Champions in 2004, the Miss Teen USA pageant in 2005, the United States Bowling Congress that year—Baton Rouge did a great job of absorbing changes and newcomers after Katrina. We’ve had the Marucci World Series, Travel South USA, youth soccer championships, the creation of the Baton Rouge Film Commission, and most recently we had Garth Brooks in Tiger Stadium, with 102,000 tickets sold in two hours and a registered earthquake at the performance.
Though the national attention has been rewarding, Yandle says he’s not doing this for fame or money. He’s trying to make a difference in the lives of his children, one note at a time. “Ultimately, I hope it’s a blueprint for them,” he says. “Whenever the day is that I’m gone, they can follow it. And maybe that’ll help them make decisions and navigate the adult world. ” bychrisyandle.com
Chris Yandle
OLIVIA DEFFESRICHIECOLLIN RICHIECOLLIN I AM 225 // 24 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
CHRIS YANDLE WILL be the first to tell you parenting doesn’t come with a handbook. But he’s written his own. Instead of sprawling pages of tips, it’s a hodgepodge of multicolored sticky notes with Sharpie scribblings of affirmations, jokes and ad vice. He sticks them in his children’s lunch boxes, backpacks and binders to brighten their days. Though this may seem like a collection of scrap paper rather than a parenting guide, Yandle has two important tips for moms and dads: Be present, and listen. The lunch notes started as a way to help Yandle’s oldest child as she navigated one of life’s most daunting challenges: middle school. Due to his career, Yandle and his family had moved from state to state before finally returning to Louisiana in 2016. With each move, Addison had to adjust to new friends and new schools. When she started struggling with anxiety, Yandle couldn’t help but feel some guilt. One day, while putting together Addison’s lunch, Yandle scribbled a thoughtful note on a Ziploc bag. “It was more or less a reminder to her that I understand what you’re going through and while people may not be nice to you, you can still be nice to them,” he says. “Honestly, I thought (the note-writing routine) was only going to be like a week or two, because I thought I was going to forget one day and it was going to be a passing fad. A couple of weeks into it, she said she liked them and wanted me to keep doing them.” This single note turned into a collection of over 900 more. That number continues to grow—and is even larger now since Yandle began writing for his son, Jackson. What started as a sweet, fatherly act turned into a heartwarming story that has been picked up by national television talk shows and news sites like The Kelly Clarkson Show, People magazine and the Today show, to name a few. He now posts all of his notes to his children on his social media in the hopes of inspiring others. He’s even taken the first few hundred of his notes to Addison and turned it into a book called Lucky Enough, available on Amazon and at retailers like Target and Barnes & Noble. Though coming up with weekly quotes to write for each child can be a challenge, Yandle says the act has strengthened his relationship with his children.“Ithink they know that I’m always going to have their back and be their biggest supporter,” he says. “I’m always going to be their number one fan, but I’m also going to tell them like it is—if you’re right, you’re right. If you’re wrong, you’re wrong. … I don’t want our kids to grow up with this rosy glass view of the world. I want them to understand how it is.”
Thank you, Baton Rouge for your patronage and support! Our Family is Celebrating 56 YEARS of serving Baton Rouge the best & most authentic Italian Food! Best Italian Previous Winning Catagories: Best Italian, Most Romantic, & Best Date Night 16-TIME WINNER 4542 Bennington Ave | 225-927-7156 | ginosrestaurant.com • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 25
Greater Baton Rouge is a region teeming with enjoyable pastimes, thanks to agreeable weather, friendly people and a culture bubbling with joie-de-vivre and creativity. No matter your interest, you’re sure to find others who share it. Oregon Counseling, Australian Department of Health, Artsy.net by Domenic Purdy by Meg Ryan and Poet Wolfe
20+ hobbies to get into this fall around the Capital Region BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE AND ARIANA ALLISON H
Sources:
HOW PLAY we Sidebars
// Additional reporting
OBBIES ARE IMPORTANT. They foster social connections. They help us learn something new, even when we think we’re done learning. They’re a big part of the “play” part of the live-work-play calculus. They can taste good (homebrewing), or feel good (knitting). They can help you make friends (disc golf and even gardening). And they can guide you to new places you’d never imagined visiting (birding).
COVER STORY 26 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
RICHIECOLLIN Jonah Schaeffer rides the waves at Bennett’s Waterski and Wakeboard School. DIGIT 75 Percent of Americans who have creative hobbies. COVER STORY 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 27
andperformanceandlowerHobbiesstress,improvesleep,workhappiness.
Bennett’s Waterski and Wakeboard School provides lessons to beginners and pros alike
STARTEDGET
You can train at any level at Bennett’s Waterski and shakewhereorientationYouIntimidated?School.Wakeboardwillhaveansession,youcanoutnerves. Shout ‘bingo!’ Attend bingo games every day of the week at Bingo Zone at the corner of Choctaw Drive and Airline Highway. bingozone. zone Hanna Straltsova at Bennett’s Waterski and Wakeboard School
BENEFITMENTALHEALTH
1
“We get everybody to relax, understand the reason they’re being here is to enjoy themselves and have fun,” Jay Establishedsays. in 1976 with the first class of students in 1977, Bennett’s Waterski and Wakeboard School began on False River in Pointe Coupee Parish. Since the Capital Region is not traditionally known as a destination for waterskiing or watersports, the couple knew they could utilize their professional backgrounds to fill a need for towed watersports coaching. At the time, the Bennetts were working and attending college, keeping the business to the summer months. It moved to its current spot at 18605 Barnett Road in Zachary, then an abandoned catfish farm, in 1980. “I and two other couples purchased the property, and we literally handbuilt the lakes ourselves. We were on a wish and a hope in the first place,” Jay says.Programs have evolved since then. The camp was originally strictly a competition training facility for all ages, Jay says. But about 15 years ago, the couple saw a big market in recreational lessons. But the Bennetts haven’t forgotten their competitive roots. The annual LA Night Jam returns each summer, with competitions for extreme distance water-ski jumping, freestyle ski jumping, slalom skiing, extreme barefooting and trick skiing. It helps the recreational and the competitive worlds“Whencollide.webring the general population out and people are being introduced to watersports for the first time,” Jay says, “that creates another avenue of business.” skibennetts.com
COVER STORY 28 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
Learn to dive. Learn to go into the depths of the ocean, or stay slightly below the surface with Underwater Adventures on Government Street. Through a series of classes costing about $300, you can get your Scuba Diver certification card and learn the science behind diving, as well as access to equipment and pools. divewithua.com Try vintage video games. Stow your PS5 or Nintendo Switch and try some classics at Gameware, a locally owned chain of video game stores offering both new and old games and hardware for the Atari 2600, Sega Dreamcast and everything in between. gameware.com
MEG RYAN
RIDING WATERON #2 #3 #4 #
FOR JAY BENNETT, teaching waterski and wakeboard enthusiasts brings his life passion full-circle. Alongside his wife, Anne, he runs Bennett’s Waterski and Wakeboard School, a 63-acre watersports complex with a large pro shop. Jay holds national and regional titles in water-skiing and has exten sive coaching and judging experience, while Anne holds titles in slalom ski ing. The pair utilize their knowledge to coach the next generation. Their school offers lessons in towed watersports 10 months per year. Participants can learn to ski, wake board or ride inflatable water toys for leisure or competition.Instruction is available at all levels and is forrecreationalcampsrangeInstructionisandcampsandon-oneParticipantsindividualized.learnone-withadriverinstructor.Duringthesummer,areavailable,single-daytrainingofferedyear-round.packagesfromweeklytoweekendinstructionadultsandkids.Tomaketheexperience immersive, accommodations in cottages and dorms are also available on-site, depending on the package purchased.
MICAH SMITH HAS been crocheting since she was 17. Now the owner of local yarn pop-up Fleur De Stitch’d, she is a purveyor of hand-dyed yarn. Her spools of yarn are saturated in hues of rich deep sangria red, peachy orange and creamy cafe au lait.
“I really want (the younger generation) to have someone in the community for them,” Smith says. “If they don’t know how to knit or crochet, I am more than happy to teach them.”
POET WOLFE
Fleur De Stitch’d started selling its hand-dyed yarns three years ago, and in that time it has already managed to make a name for itself in the fiber arts community. It hosts socials in local libraries and online classes, and launched the first-ever Baton Rouge Fiber Arts and Makers Festival this spring.
COVER STORY 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 29
A Baton Rouge native, Smith has crocheted on and off through out her life, but first felt inspired to start her own yarn social after living in Virginia Beach and Seattle, where she was exposed to various yarn stores and indie yarn-dyers.“IfI’mfeeling like it’s not the best day and I’m a little depressed, then I’m going to wrap my needles on my hook, because that’s what calms me down,” Smith says, “That’s what keeps me grounded. That’s why I love it so much.”
Stay in touch with Fleur De Stitch’d’s events and meetups at fleurdestitchd.com/events. The East Baton Rouge Parish Library branches also regularly host knitting and crocheting classes. Find them at ebrpl.com
RICHIECOLLINBYPHOTOS
Micah Smith is the owner of local yarn pop-up Fleur De Stitch’d and the founder of the Baton Rouge Fiber Arts and Makers Festival.
Make jewelry and crafts. Hosting classes in metal stamping, resin stain glass, jewelry making, pop art and more, Create Studios brings creative, unique art classes to Baton Rouge. Running two to four hours, each class starts at $35 and can be done in Create’s studio or at home. createbr.com
In 2018, Smith returned to Baton Rouge. When she noticed that the last local yarn store she knew of was shutting down, she took matters into her own hands. She taught herself how to dye yarn, and in 2019 launched her Fleur De Stitch’d yarn line. Since then, her brand has appeared at local and out-of-state pop-up shops and is now sold in four different stores in Colorado, Seattle and Baton Rouge. This past May, Fleur De Stitch’d launched the first Baton Rouge Fiber Arts and Makers Festival, two days of virtual and in-person fun at Millenial Park. Local yarn sellers, woodworkers and soap makers were just a few of the vendors featured at the festival. For the virtual edition, Smith brought together local and out-of-state yarnSmithartists.hopes to hold a virtual Baton Rouge Fiber Arts and Makers Festival monthly, and the in-person event annually. Through her efforts, she wants “to put Baton Rouge on the map” and help fiber arts reach a new generation.
IN STITCHES
Get camera-ready. Meeting monthly at the Main Library at Goodwood, the Louisiana Photographic Society gives photographers, new and old, a place to learn and showcase their work. It also offers a variety of two- to three-hour classes on Saturdays, with membership dues starting at $25. laphotosociety.com
What’s next? Smith’s goal is for Fleur De Stitch’d to have its own storefront—and along the way, she’ll bring the fiber arts and Baton Rouge communities together, making it as healthy and supportive as can be. fleurdestitchd.com
DIGIT 68 Percent of people eager to use their creativity more.
Local fiber artists are weaving their own community
GET STARTED
# 6 #7 #5
“I really started to connect with the local homebrew community,” Pitre says. “It was a lot of fun, and it helped me get exponentially better at brewing.”Homebrewing is one of the factors that helped the craft beer movement grow, Pitre says. When you support craft brews, you’re probably support ing a former homebrewer. It’s a great place for brewers to mine for ideas. Pitre has brewed scores of batches since he got his start and has met many homebrewers in Louisiana and around the country. He brews at home every other Saturday, choosing from a wide variety of styles of beer to prepare.
For the first several months, Pitre turned to online resources for tips and recipes. But eager to meet and exchange notes with fellow homebrewers, he joined Redstick Brewmasters, Baton Rouge’s oldest homebrewing club. The social group, which formed officially in 1987 (before the craft beer craze really took off), meets monthly and hosts regular events where brewers trade tips and talk about their latest beers.
• Homebrewers constantly adjust recipes, but to manage changes beyond error-prone pen and paper, they turn to software. Pitre uses BeerSmith to track each brew’s quality.
THIS ONBEER’SME 30 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com COVER STORY
GET STARTED
IT ALL STARTED five years ago when a homebrewer friend showed Paul Pitre how to make his own beer. A fan of the craft beer movement, Pitre figured he’d give it a try. “The barrier of entry for making beer is on the low end—you can do it for around $100,” Pitre says. “At first, I wasn’t making great beer, but I was having fun.”
THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST OF THE225 BEST JUST GOT BETTER! www.iverstinefarms.com | info@iverstinefarms.com | 225-349-8200 Locally Raised Custom Cut Meats House Smoked Bacon and Sausages Breakfast, Lunch, and Weekend Brunch Tailgating and Catering packages Visit our new location for: 7731 Perkins Road Baton Rouge, La 70810
ALLISONARIANABYPHOTOS #8
Homebrewing flourishes in Red Stick
• Sanitation is key. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to get started, Pitre says, but you’ll have a funky tasting batch if you don’t follow strict rules for cleanliness. LA Homebrew offers instruction for beginners.
“To me, you can approach it sort of like making a good gumbo,” Pitre says. “You put a lot of energy into making a really good base, and then you go from there.”
225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 31 COVER STORY
CORPORATE PARTNERS 5 3 3 4 7 4 9 4 WALK RESENTING PONSORS OCTOBER 15, O2022 CTOBER 15, 2022 ALZBR.OR ALZBR.ORGRegister/ Register/ Donate Donate Start Syour tart your tteam eam A C T I V I T Y & S O C I A L I Z A T I O N f o r t h o s e a f f e c t e d b y A l z h e i m e r ' s R E S P I T E & R E L I E F f o r c a r e g i v e r s
Red Stick Company’sSpicedemo kitchen will have you crafting your own meals at home in no time. With classes like Better Than Takeout and Milk Bar Cookie Workshop, there’s a little something for everyone at the Jefferson Highway kitchen. redstickspice.com
#9
Paul Pitre is the president of homebrewtheBrewmastersRedstickandisonboardofaregionalcompetition
Pitre starts by gathering ingredients from LA Homebrew, a local retailer that sells ingredients and equipment and is a favorite hangout among practitioners. He researches recipes through Mean Brews, an online aggregator that helps brewers select just the formula to try. That’s the beauty of homebrewing, after all—being able to whip up your own Munich Dunkel, cream ale or one of the more than 90 styles of beers sanctioned by the national Brewers Association out there to try.
Pitre’s involvement in the scene has come a long way. He’s the current president of Redstick Brewmasters and is on the board of a regional homebrew competition. He also founded the Boot Brew Fest, a 2-yearold event in his hometown of Eunice devoted to homebrewing. Oh, and his cream ale just won a gold medal at the 2022 Bluebonnet Brew-off in Dallas, one of the country’s largest homebrew competitions. But homebrewing, he says, shouldn’t be intimidating.
Throw down some latte art. The Barista Guild of Baton Rouge holds its Latte Art Throwdown at various coffee spots around town. The Barista Guild teaches members and interested onlookers how to draw beautiful latte art on top of the frothed milk of a cappuccino. Find them on Facebook #10
Community-based hobbies improve self-esteem issues.
skills.cookingLearn
MENTALBENEFITHEALTH
“There’sgarden.something just psychologically fulfilling about going out and planting something, watching it grow and harvesting it,” says Richard, a retired education professor. “It makes us feel a little more self-reliant.”
#12
A rented backhoe helped tame the site, on which the Fosseys installed neatly organized 5-by-5 foot garden boxes, each holding a tidy arrangement of vegetables, herbs or They’veflowers.expanded the garden over time, installing new boxes and recycling the original ones in an area behind their garage that holds flowers and seasonal vegetables. Their opportunistic plots are so productive that, every season, they leave the surplus harvest in a basket for their neighbors to take and enjoy. This Test chessyourskills. The Baton Rouge Chess Club holds weekly meetings and regular tournament games. batonrougechess@gmail.com
#11
RICHIECOLLINBYPHOTOS THIS HOBBY
• Plotting out where you’re planting to prevent crowding.
MENTALBENEFITHEALTH
GET STARTED
Louisiana’s lush climate is an ideal backdrop to try your hand at gardening
BACK IN MAY, pale green orbs had begun to form on many of the tomato plants in Kim and Richard Fossey’s College Town garden. That was ahead of schedule for most local backyard gardeners, but as usual, the two had opted for an early start on the summer growing season, planting veggies in late February to maximize the harvest before the descent of heat and pests. The ripening tomatoes, Richard’s favorite crop, would soon be followed by cucumbers, snap beans, a bevy of peppers, eggplant and, later, okra, not to mention several different herbs and flowers.
4 in 5 people find hobbies to be an effective method of managing stress. IS BLOOMING
Like many serious urban gardeners, the Fosseys have become experts at maximizing their yard’s available space, thanks to about seven years of experimenting. Frustrated with too much shade in their original patio garden, they chased full sun to a sloping side yard blanketed in weedy ground cover.
Kim and Richard Fossey in their College Town garden fall, their friends will be treated to broccoli, spinach, lettuces and Gardeningmore.iswildly popular in south Louisiana, owed in part to our nearly year-round growing season. The pandemic magnified the hobby’s allure, with 18.3 million people becoming new gardeners, according to the National Gardening Association’s 2021 National Gardening Survey. About 88% of respondents said they intended to increase or maintain their gardening habits.
“We love the idea of a kitchen garden, full of edibles, but also flowers,” says Kim Fossey, a STEM education expert. “That idea is how it started for us.”
A certain amount of planning goes into a good vegetable garden, say the Fosseys. Consult with your local nursery or the LSU AgCenter on the optimum time to put veggies in the ground.
• Learn more through the Louisiana Native Plant Society, lnps.org
•
The Fosseys expanded their garden’s scope during the pandemic, growing their boxes from five to 12, adding a border of blueberry bushes and experimenting with veggie varieties. And for the first time last year, they planted a fall garden replete with lettuce, broccoli and greens. This month, they’re installing their current fall
RICHIECOLLINBYPHOTOS COVER STORY 32 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
STARTEDGET • Jack’s Running Club meets for weekly 3.1 mile run/ walk that begins and ends at Jack’s Place in downtown Port Allen. Find it on Facebook • Sign up your daughter for Girls on the Run. therunsola.orggirlson • Happy’s Running Club hosts Tuesday runs (plus drinks). happysrunning.com. • Check out Varsity Sports’ calendar of races and meet-ups. varsityrunning.com #13
WORLDRUNNER’STHIS
COVER STORY 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 33
Leap off the pages of the Wizarding World. LSU Quidditch is one of the longest tenured teams in the International Quidditch Associa tion. Based on the sport Harry Potter plays at Hogwarts, LSU’s Quidditch team is full-contact and co-ed, available to students. Find them on Facebook
#14 #15
RICHIECOLLIN
“It’s a big part of our quality of life here,” he says “You really don’t have to look far to find the running scene.”
In short order, she was hooked. It satisfied her long-standing desire to push herself and fed her love for training for a specific challenge: road races. Since 2018, she has completed about 60 running competitions, including 5Ks, 10Ks, a couple half marathons, and, recently, triathlons.
“It’smembers.afunway to meet and be social,” Ricard says, but also to work out and motivate each other.”
Kaylin Ricard is a longtime fitness buff and passionate about running (her husband, Kenny Ricard, is even the founder of the Baton Rouge Chapter of Black Men Run).
The Ricards, who got engaged during the Crescent City Connection Bridge Run in 2019, train vigorously together. The duo routinely runs along the LSU Lakes and the Mississippi River Levee or over The Hump.Runners like the Ricards take advantage of a local running scene that has grown significantly over the last 20 years, says Pat Fellows, whose Fresh Junkie Racing owns or produces more than 30 races in Baton Rouge and around the country, including the Turkey Trot and the Louisiana Marathon. Growth in running in Baton Rouge follows a global trend that has seen race participation increase by more than 50% over the past decade, according to the 2019 State of Running report by the International Institute for Race Medicine. Moreover, several Capital Region running clubs keep runners motivated with group runs followed by social events, Fellows says.
Play paintball. Basics Paintball in Denham Springs takes safety seriously with its low-impact paintball arenas at all-inclusive prices starting around $40. For the more seasoned paintball player, Guerilla Warfare Paintball in Walker offers variety in equipment and play styles. basicspaintball.com and guerrillawarfarepaintball.com
In Louisiana, running is about so much more than competition
BATON ROUGE IS a runner’s town, and one of the sport’s most enthusiastic disciples is Kaylin Ricard.Alongtime fitness buff, Ricard got into running after meeting the man who would become her husband, Kenny Ricard, an avid runner and founder of the Baton Rouge Chapter of Black Men Run. The two got acquainted at the YMCA’s ExxonMobil branch in 2018, and it wasn’t long after meeting that Kenny invited Kaylin on a run. They ran the Harding Boulevard overpass into Southern University, a popular path among runners known as “The Hump.”“Ihad to learn how to pace myself,” Kaylin says. “I was comfortable with sprints, but I had to learn how to run longer distances.”
Saturday mornings find Ricard running with a group of friends loosely named the Saturday Sensations, while Kenny runs regularly with his fellow Black Men Run
Through patience and persistence, Patterson has spotted more than 100 different species in her backyard alone over the years, and about 700 total across the country. That number doesn’t even include birds she’s seen on international bird ing trips to Africa, Central America and other target-rich locations. For several years, she’s also taught a “Birding Basics” class at Hilltop Arboretum, in which she explains how to get started.
34 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com COVER STORY
With more than 480 species wandering above us, Louisiana is a birder’s paradise MENTALBENEFITHEALTH
Engaging in creative behavior leads to an increase in wellbeing that extends into the next day.
HappensHISTORYHere. Located at Burden Museum and Gardens 4560 Essen Lane 225-765-2437 LSU.EDU/RURALLIFE Travel back in time and experience the lifestyle and culture of Louisiana in the 18th & 19th century. See 32 buildings spread out over 25 acres with priceless artifacts from days gone by. Issue Date: July 2022 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 RICHIECOLLINBYPHOTOS THINGS ARE LOOKING UP #16
WHILE GARDENING ONE day in 2005, it occurred to Jane Patterson that it might be nice to figure out the kinds of birds perching on her feeders. It was the simplest of mental shifts, paying attention to something so ubiquitous. But it would change Patterson’s life. She dug out an outdated field guide, and identified her first species that afternoon: a house finch. Time passed, and with each subsequent identification, Patterson’s interest in birds grew, until she says she “sort of fell off the deep end.”
“It was like this Wizard of Oz moment, when everything goes from black-and-white to color,” Patterson says. “I wondered how I’d managed to live here and not really see these wonderful birds before.” Such eureka moments are common among birders, who decide one day to zero in on the avian world. Learning to spot species of birds is like accessing a new dimension, enthusiasts say. “It’s something you can work on for the rest of your life,” Patterson says. “I bird almost every day. If it’s not in my own yard, it’s somewhere else.”
“One of the wonderful things about birding is that you can take it to any level,” Patterson says. “You can stick to your backyard, or you can spend your year trying to break a certain number and get really competitive about it. There’s a wide spectrum of enjoyment.”
And, Patterson serves as president of the Baton Rouge chapter of the Audubon Society, a conservation organization.
Getting started in birding is easy, Patterson says, and it can become as serious, or as relaxed, as the birder wishes. The only required tools are decent binoculars, a field guide and, if you like, an app like eBird to record your sightings.
Local birder Jane Patterson, pictured center, has spotted more than 100 different species in her backyard.
STARTEDGET • Start small, by “finding a patch” (like your back yard) and observ ing it bird,andof•anbirding.istobeguide,to•Pattersonregularly,says.Thebesttimestudyafieldwhichcancumbersomecarryinthewild,beforeyougoDownloadapplikeeBird.Foraround-upevents,classeslocationstocheckout birdlouisiana.com.
Cockrell,
#17
RICHIECOLLIN
225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 35 COVER STORY
Louisiana is a birder’s playground, with more than 480 species within its borders, Patterson says. The state’s diverse habitats include beaches, river floodplains, wetlands, forests, swamps and more, attracting all sorts of different species. Migratory birds also travel through Louisiana in the fall as they fly south for the winter, and again in the spring as they head northward.
SECOND TO SKIN CANCER, PROSTATE CANCER IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF CANCER IN AMERICAN MEN. MEN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER DURING HIS LIFETIME. IN To Schedule an Appointment with one of our Urologists, please call (225) 246-9240 7373 PERKINS ROAD l BATON ROUGE, LA 70808 l (225) 769-4044 BATONROUGECLINIC.COM
Porta,
Ross T. MD Wesley R. MD
Meredith Rosenzweig,M.MD Ayme V. Schmeeckle, MD Buzz about town. The Capital Area Beekeepers Association “is committed to preservation and sustainability of the honey bee as a pollinator and producer.” It welcomes anyone with interest in the honey bee. cabainfo.org
58 YEARS OF DOING WHAT WE DO BEST! 8353 Airline Highway • Baton Rouge 225-926-5977 17425 Airline Highway • Prairieville 225-673-8876 franksrestaurantla.com • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 Restaurant Scan to check out our menu here Order Catering for Breakfast from our specialty menu! Thank you for voting us BEST BREAKFAST 4 years in a row! 36 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
• Stay up-to-date with Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries laws, including fishing permits, at wlf. louisiana.gov
MEG RYAN
#19 #20
• In addition to BREC’s parks, The Waddill Wildlife Refuge at 4142 N. Flannery Road is a popular spot with two fishing ponds.
Channel your inner lumberjack. Civil Axe Throwing in Mid City has a one-hour “ax eperience” starting at $24 per person.
Kenneth LeCroy, a naturalist with BREC, fishes on the waters of Greenwood Community Park.
“The winter rainbow trout has larger fanfare, because it is an uncommon fish for the area and there is a built-in novelty to catching them. People go crazy for them,” LeCroy explains. “We also make a larger push for catching rainbow trout because it is a perfect winter weather outdoor activity that works great around the holiday season.”
GONE FISHING#18
The natural resource management group preps the grounds with native plantings, which helps the habitats in several ways. “It first highlights how to use plants native to Louisiana in wetter habitats. These plantings also support pond health by stabilizing shores to prevent erosion and maintain pond clarity, by creating areas of shade and shelter for fish in the pond, and by blocking non-native plants from impacting BREC ponds,” LeCroy says.
civilaxethrowing.com/baton-rouge Book it. Book clubs meet monthly at various East Baton Rouge Parish Library branches, from the Mystery Lovers Book Club to the Historical Society Book Club. ebrpl.com
RICHIECOLLIN
OUT IN THE waters of Greenwood Community Park, Kenneth LeCroy casts his fish ing line from an orange kayak. As a naturalist at BREC, he’s at home in the great outdoors. But, even for those new to Baton Rouge’s wilderness, LeCroy says fishing is a fun, relaxing rewarding—activityand—sometimesanyone can learn.There are a variety of locales around Baton Rouge to hook a great catch. BREC is one of the biggest fishing resources, providing 15 lakes and one bayou across East Baton Rouge Parish where locals can cast their lines, both for sport and for a delicious bite to eat. Its lakes are well-stocked and accessible—ideal for those new to fishing. But experienced fishermen get in on the fun, too, LeCroy says.The lakes are especially plentiful with fish during the warmer months, in part thanks to Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’s supplemental stocking annually in May, adding popular fish like largemouth bass and channel catfish.“It’susually a 1-year-old fish or finger ling just to kind of supplement what’s already in the ponds,” LeCroy explains. And as the weather cools down, BREC switches it up, with rainbow trout stocking typically in December and January.
Take the bait and cast a line out for this leisurely activity
COVER STORY 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 37
Closer to the water, the shores stay clear for easy fishing access. The Forest Community Park Lake, Perkins Road Community Park Lake and Zachary Community Park Lake are popular spots for bank fishing. And for kayak fishing, head to Greenwood Community Park, Blackwater Conservation Area’s large pond, and Milford Wampold Memorial Park, which provides access to the LSU Lakes. brec.org
STARTEDGET • Fish early in the morn ing or late afternoon to avoid direct sun and high temperatures.
Baton Rouge’s welcoming disc golf community is on the rise
DISC GOLF IS more than a game of throwing Frisbees into a basket. In Baton Rouge, it’s a community uniting young and old, amateur and professional, from all walks of life.
JOCKEYSDISC
“With the low entry level and the high skill ceiling, even a little 8-year-old or a 5-year-old could pick up a disc and throw it—but then you can spend years to actually get really good,” says Lance Gremillion, vice president of the Baton Rouge Disc GolfFarAssociation.fromthe“NASCAR of golf,” Gremillion jokes, disc golf is essentially golf with different objects. Players move through courses, keeping score and trying to reach the hole in the fewest number of “strokes.” But here, the end point is a metal basket with chains inside to slow down the discs. Much like golf’s variety of clubs with different purposes, disc golf has a range of plastic discs designed for different speeds, distances and shots. Players toss roundrimmed putters for closer, more accurate shots, as well as midrange and driver discs, analogous to their cousins in their sister sport.Gremillion discovered disc golf just out of college. It was the cheapest way he found to be active (starter kits cost about $40) and get outside. The pandemic was a boon to the growth of Baton Rouge’s disc golf community, as many sought out new ways to stave off boredom or stay fit. Following lockdown and an injury that prevented her from playing in her women’s soccer league,
38 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com COVER STORY
Kate GET STARTED
#21
• Head to Counterspin Discs, a local disc golf retailer that opened in March 2021. The brand even has a YouTube channel.
• Try disc golf in a more casual setting at the biweekly Putt Stuff nights at Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux. Drinks flow as teams of two compete for prizes.
DOMENIC PURDY #22 #23Try one of the sports:mostworld’spopularrugby. People of all ages can try out the sport in a variety of recreational leagues: Baton Rouge Men’s Club, Baton Rouge Women’s Club, the Baton Rouge Youth Rugby Club and LSU Men’s Club. org/index.cfm/page/rugbybrec. and facebook.com/batonrougerugby inYoung”“ForeverFeelAdult Leisure classes. This BREC program offers exercise classes, art work shops and social opportu nities in multiple parks for people 55 and older. AdultsandSeniorsorg/index.cfm/subhome/brec.
LeBeau, a digital network manager at Lamar Advertising, became hooked. “It’s like hiking, except there’s discs involved,” she says. “When I’m out there, I don’t really think about any of my personal problems or anything like that. I just play.”
The new standard in cable and hose protection for industrial traffic PATENTED ALL STEEL CONSTRUCTION CRUSH PROOF (TESTED TO 125,000LBS W/OUT FAIL) EASY SET-UP | NO MAINTENANCE NEEDED BOARDSBRAHMAN™ CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE 225.637.3700 | Triton-Industries.com Issue Date: June 2022 Ad proof #1 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 ALLISONARIANABYPHOTOS
225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 39 COVER STORY
“We don’t do this for profit,” Marhefka says. “We do this as a way to better everyone and keep the sport going.”
LeBeau regularly attends events at Highland Road Park, including weekly low-stakes tournaments that have been held on Wednesday evenings since the 1990s, when the sport first peaked in Baton Rouge. At the time, Highland Road Park was known nationally in the disc golf world for its picturesque course with trees and a series of bridges. Now, with new groups and a dedicated disc golf shop Counterspin Discs, which opened in March 2021, the community hopes to put Baton Rouge back on the map. Playing disc golf in and around the
area for nearly 50 years, retiree Walter Price returned to the sport himself during the pandemic. Along with Steven Marhefka and a few others, Price started a social league called Whiskey Discs in 2020. “A couple of guys got together and started playing regularly, really having a good time. Eventually, more people joined us, and Whiskey Discs just evolved,” Price says. Whiskey Discs is one of about three large disc golf groups in Baton Rouge, with others including Kingfish and Counterspin. And more than 1,100 players have joined the Baton Rouge Disc Golf Association’s Facebook group, which has consolidated the community into a singular entity recognized by BREC. Whiskey Discs organizes activities, such as biweekly Putt Stuff nights. Event proceeds helped fund the rental of City Park Golf Course for the first Red Stick Rumble in June, marking the first time the organization has rented a golf course for a disc golf event.
The Baton Rouge Disc Golf Association holds a disc golf tournament earlier this year at Highland Road Community Park
40 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1959 5215 PLANK ROAD, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA | 225.357.9669 | TonySeafood.com Celebrating over 60 Years and still going strong! “Tony’s Seafood would like to say thank you to the people of Baton Rouge and 225 Magazine for the years of support and recognition.” -The Pizzolato Family • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 WINNER21x BEST SEAFOOD MARKET 2012 ∙ 2014 ∙ 2015 ∙ 2016 2017 ∙ 2018 ∙ 2019 ∙ 2020 2021 ∙ 2022 BEST SEAFOOD 2015 ∙ 2017 BEST CRAWFISH & BEST MARKET FOR SEAFOOD BEST RESTAURANT FOR BOILED CRAWFISH 2020 BEST CRAWFISH 2015 ∙ 2017 ∙ 2018 ∙ 2021 2022 BEST BOILED CRAWFISH 2006 ∙ 2007 ∙ 2010 ∙ 2011
GUIDEINSIDER’STOFALLFUNTOFALLFUN SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION THE With the help of our partners, we’ve created the 225 Insider’s Guide to fall fun in the Greater Baton Rouge area and beyond. Take in what’s new and what’s tried and true in hot spots at home and across the region. Scan the QR Codes to learn more online.
DISCOVER MONROE-WEST MONROE
The Ridgeland Scarecrow Trail is open October 2nd through the 31st at the Ridgeland Wildflower Fields. Visitors can take in the autumn vibes while walking among beautiful wildflowers and scarecrows created by locals.
BEYONDBRBR
On the banks of the Ouachita River and Bayou Desiard is the perfect destination for outdoors, shopping, art and dining. Our favorite to-dos are the Landry Vineyard Concerts and Stomp Festival and the shopping events on Antique Alley.
VISITORSCONVENTIONNATCHITOCHES&BUREAU Don’t miss the 96th annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival on Saturday, December 3rd. Lights turn on November 19th and remain on through January 6th.
ST. LANDRY PARISH Travel the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Scenic Byway that pays tribute to the music of south Louisiana. Relish in St Landry’s rich history by visiting the museums, antique shops, churches, dancehalls and historic homes along the way.
IRVINGKENANBYPHOTO
42 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
VISIT RIDGELAND
BLUE ZOO BATON ROUGE
Home to the LSU Tigers and Southern Jags, in the fall Baton Rouge comes alive with football and tailgating. Enjoy a staycation by visiting the USS KIDD Veterans Museum, hop over to Elsie’s Plate and Pie for lunch and then stargaze at the Highland Road Park Observatory.
VISIT BATON ROUGE
HOUMAS HOUSE ESTATE AND GARDENS
Touch and feed stingrays, birds and reptiles and observe sharks, sea horses, clown fish and other interesting sea creatures. This is the perfect spot for a fun family outing, field trip, birthday party or any other celebration.
HOMEHOMETO
The guided mansion tour walks through the rich 250-year history. Make sure to grab cocktails at the Turtle Bar and dinner at Latil’s Landing in the original 1770’s French House.
LOUISIANA ART & SCIENCE MUSEUM
The Diamonds of History: Mighty Women by Ashley Longshore is a must-see exhibit on view September 30January 29th. The exhibition will feature pop art style portraits of 29 influential women from the past and today who have been leaders in culture, science and art.
TURN THE PAGE FOR MORE MUELLERTIMBYPHOTO LONGSHOREASHLEYCOURTESY 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 43 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
CLOSER
WATERMARKROUGEBATONHOTEL Weekend brunch at the Gregory is a local foodie’s favorite. The brunch burger is amazing, or try a classic with a twist - we love the boudin omelet.
44 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
ANDERSONSHELDONBYPHOTO
LSU MUSEUM OF ART
On view November 17 through February 2023 is the Mediterranea: American Art from the Graham D. Williford Collection. The collection features 71 works created by American artists who visited or studied in the areas included in the Grand Tour tradition in the late 19th and early 20th century.
LOUISIANA OLD STATE CAPITOL Check out the Voices & Votes traveling exhibit by the Smithsonian’s Museum on Mainstreet this fall to learn more about American democracy.
Celebrating their 77th season of community theater and arts, they have an exciting lineup this fall. This is the first time for the Addams Family, a hilarious musical centered around everyone’s favorite spooky family Novemberplaying11-20 on the Main Stage.
KADAIRDONBYPHOTO
THEATRE BATON ROUGE
RENAISSANCE BATON ROUGE HOTEL If you haven’t already tried Tallulah’s new menu, you are missing out. The lamb lollipops on the small plate menu are delectable and the cedar plank red fish is out of this world.
LSU RURAL LIFE MUSEUM Don’t miss Haints Haunts and Halloween on October 30th. Take the family to enjoy storytelling, cake walks, games, and trick or treating on the museum grounds.
Tour the local distillery to see how the finest rum in Louisiana is made from the sugarcane farm to your glass. Just two miles from prime tailgating, stop by on a Saturday to grab a drink or buy a bottle.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
OXBOW RUM DISTILLERY (formerly Three Roll Estate)
This Month@ BREC [SEPTEMBER] BREC.ORg/thismonth BREC does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, veteran status or sexual orientation in its programs and activities. See all the fun BREC has planned for you this fall! BREC.ORG/PLAYBOOK INCLUSIVE BASKETBALL SKILLS DAY Lovett Road Park Sept. 10 | 9 a.m.-noon GRANDPARENT’S DAY Forest Community Park Sept. 10 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. SATURDAY MORNING STUDIO: MONA LISA CAT Milton J. Womack Park Sept. 10 | 10:30 a.m.-noon LITTLE PICASSO’S Zachary Community Park Sept. 13 + 15 + 20 + 22 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. LOOSE ENDS Baringer Art Center Sept. 14 + 29 | 4-5 p.m. SUNSHINE SOCIAL: FIESTA TIME Jefferson Highway Park Sept. 16 | 6-9 p.m. ART UNWINED Milton J. Womack Park Sept. 16 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. END OF THE SUMMER POOL PAWTY Liberty Lagoon Sept. 17 | 10:30 a.m-5:30 p.m. DOG DAY AT THE SWAMP Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center Sept. 17 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. INSIDE OUT ARTS Zachary Community Park Sept. 24 | 10-11:30 a.m. COMMUNITY CARE DAY: BBQ IN THE PARK North Sherwood Forest Community Park Sept. 24 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. SOLAR VIEWING Highland Road Park Observatory Sept. 24 | noon-2 p.m. FALL WREATH MAKING CLASS Independence Community Park Sept. 24 | 2-4 p.m.
INSIDE: Permanent jewelry trend arrives in BR Justkicksfor Whether he’s partnering with athletes on a pair of painted sneakers or creating a painting, everything comes back to Louisiana for Michael Anderson BY ZANE PIONTEK CUSTOMSUPBOOTCOURTESY
PAINTING IMAGES COURTESY OF LASM.ORG Funds raised by the 60th Anniversary Gala will support renovating LASM's hands-on children's areas. TICKETSPURCHASETODAY! LASM.ORG/GALA SCAN THE CODE TO LEARN MORE AT FEATURING MIGHTY WOMEN & EXTRAVAGANT GEMS BY LEE MICHAELS FINE JEWELRY LOUISIANA ART & SCIENCE MUSEUM 100 S. RIVER RD., BATON ROUGE, LA 70802 WEAR WHEN SEPTEMBER 3 0 2022, COCKTAIL OR COSTUME 7 PM - 11 PM BY ASHLEY LONGSHORE 48 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
Under that brand, Anderson has painted portraits, sneakers and cleats for an impressive— and growing—list of both collegiate and professional athletes, including the likes of Leonard Fournette, Dylan Crews and Diontae Spencer— and even a few formidable names in the rap game. His shoes are handpainted and airbrushed in vibrant shades, and each detail, from delicately painted Tiger stripes to jersey numbers to abstract shapes, tells the story of the person who will wear it.
Around the time Anderson graduated from Catholic High School in 2010, he saw one of Zumo’s portraits of the late rapper Mac Miller and fell in love with it. But with an $1,800 price tag, it was well outside his budget.
—Boot Up Customs founder Michael Anderson
“So I said, ‘Alright, then I’m gonna start doing it myself,’” Anderson says over the phone from Austin, Texas, where he now makes monthly trips from his current creative headquarters in Denver, Colorado, to work as a sales manager for a solar power company. Zumo and Anderson would go on to become friends and collaborators, but in the meantime, Anderson worked toward his first big project. In 2016, he painted a portrait of former LSU running back Leonard Fournette with his young daughter— Anderson’s first attempt at following Zumo’s example. With the help of some connections on the team, he shared the painting with Fournette via Snapchat–who ended up loving it, inviting Anderson to deliver it to his apartment in person. After that, things were pretty slow for a minute, as Anderson slogged through his rigorous engineering curriculum and entered the professional workforce. But then in 2018, two water shed projects came through that cranked the burner on his career: a portrait for rapper Russ (“one of my biggest inspirations—I consider (him) one of my heroes,” Anderson says,) and custom sneakers for former LSU basketball player Skylar Mays. The sneakers were made in honor of Mays’ late team mate Wayde Sims, whose tragic death rocked the LSU community that year. “I don’t know if anything can ever top that,” Anderson says of the Mays-Sims project. “That was really personal.”Itwasthen that “the gears started turning,” and Anderson began to believe he could make an honest, profitable go of an art endeavor that, a few years prior, would have seemed like an ungraspable pipe dream. Now, Anderson’s resume bulges with collaborations with athletes Patrick Surtain, Jaden Hill, Ja’Marr Chase and Tari Easton; rapper The Kid LAROI; Fred’s Bar & Grill in Baton Rouge; LSU Athletics; and upcoming appearances on shows like Off The Bench and The Jordy Culotta Show. But with all that success and acclaim around the nation—and yet heftier projects on the horizon, like his first mass-produced sneaker and hoodie designs, soon to be made available to the public on his website— Anderson says it’s still the projects about, for or dedicated to Louisiana— and LSU in particular—that matter most to him.
“I want to paint the entire state of Louisiana in Tiger stripes.”
The 30-year-old LSU alumnus and former oil and gas engineer is the founder and (for now) one-man fac tory behind a brand that, if you follow any branch of LSU Athletics (and par ticularly its players’ social media), you may have heard of: Boot Up Customs.
Anderson with former LSU basketball player Tari Eason, who was a first-round draft pick for the Houston Rockets
MICHAEL ANDERSON IS an odd mix of aspirational. He’s had a career that would spark inconsolable envy in two categories: aspiring artists and fashion designers for his success in painting and apparel making, and sports fans for his myriad collaborations with premier athletes.
“‘Boot Up’ is a slogan for Louisiana, because it’s the shape of a boot, and it’s also lacing up, preparing and getting ready to go into battle,” Anderson says. “It’s about attacking every day … following your passions and following your dreams.”
Ironically, it all started because he wanted a painting he couldn’t afford. Jacob Zumo is another popular artist, who grew to Baton Rouge fame from a similar hustle to Anderson’s: painting portraits of celebrities.
“I have so much pride in where I’m from, in the Louisiana community, the LSU community, so being able to represent Louisiana and LSU as I do this is amazing,” he says. “I want to paint the entire state of Louisiana in Tiger stripes.” bootupcustoms.com
Michael YearFreshmanandBaseballpicturedAndersonwithLSUplayer2021NationaloftheDylanCrews
CUSTOMSUPBOOTCOURTESYPHOTOS STYLE // 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 49
The welding technique used to make jewelry permanent. The links of the jewelry (usually bracelets or necklaces) are custom-sized to fit the wearer. The ends are then “zapped,” or fused together without a clasp.
SYDNEY MARRS IS bringing a whole new meaning to the term “timeless jewelry.”Through her blooming business Forever Lillies, she uses delicate pieces of metal chain and a welding tool to make long-lasting, element-resistant jewelry pieces with one simple zap. That “zapping” is a national trend you may have seen on social media: dainty bracelets that are fused together without clasps. Marrs quickly noticed that bigger cities like Nashville and Dallas had dozens of businesses and jewelry stores offering this service, but couldn’t find anything similar in Baton Rouge other than an occasional pop-up.Shestarted making jewelry as a hobby. But she added her own signature twist—while permanent jewelry is popular for couples to do together, Marrs thought it could cater to parents and children as well. With three little ones, including a daughter who wants everything her mom has, Marrs was surprised how hard it was to find permanent chain options for children. When she started Forever Lillies, she says she made sure to have at least three kid-friendly options, including fun add-ons like charms.“Isaw in bigger cities where you could put just the plain chain on your kid. But they weren’t offering a kid-exclusive option, so that’s where I came in,” she says. Because permanent jewelry is a brand-new trend for Baton Rouge, Marrs wondered if it would take a while to catch on. It turned out it didn’t take long at all. On the day of our interview, Marrs and her husband, Chris, have only been selling jewelry for two months. In that short time, Marrs says they have already sold more than 750 pieces of jewelry through private parties and pop-up events. Now, shoppers can catch Marrs popping up at local businesses, stocked with different styles of permanent jewelry. She says her partnerships with local Zapping
SHOP THE BRAND Find the latest Forever Lillies pop-up calendar on Instagram at @forever_lillies_jewelry. For those who can’t make it to an event, owner Sydney Marrs can also book private appointments through the brand’s Instagram page.
STYLE // 50 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
Forever Lillies offers permanent jewelry for adults and kids KEY TERM Though it may be a trend, she hopes her customers can wear their pieces for as long as they want.“Idon’t just sell you whatever I buy,” she says. “I test it. I put it on my family to test it and make sure that not only is it gonna hold up, but that it looks good, too.”
Though each new piece takes time to test, Marrs is constantly trying to find new charms, chains and additions to keep up the popularity of her business. By participating in pop-ups and private events, Marrs wants to establish herself as Baton Rouge’s go-to business for permanent jewelry creations.“I’mjust so thankful and grateful for the overwhelming response. I hope that it’s not a fad and that it’s only going to last a few years,” she says. “But I felt like while the market is hot and while the world is so into permanent jewelry, that I need to go go go and get my name out there. I don’t know whether there will be other people that pop up, so I’m just trying to make Forever Lillies at least the name in Baton Rouge.”
boutiques and shops have allowed her to grow her business in a way she never dreamed was possible. It’s why Marrs always encourages her customers to shop and support the business that hosts her pop-ups.
“I feel like it’s a good collaboration between me and a boutique, a food place or an event venue, because people come in to get permanent jewelry, but then they stay and shop or get ice cream or whatever the business offers,” she says. “It helps both of us, because I’m kind of bringing in foot traffic but then my customers are supporting that other local business. So I love that it’s like we’re supporting each other and getting more people to shopMarrslocal.”playfully warns that once you get one piece of permanent jewelry, it starts an addiction. In only two months, she has had repeat customers who are eager to keep growing their collections. Marrs wears multiple pieces from Forever Lillies herself. She says she loves how she doesn’t have to remember to put them on or worry about them turning. Chains from Forever Lillies are either sterling silver or gold-filled, and Marrs makes sure that each goes through testing to prevent signs of wear. She has worn her pieces at the pool and the beach to ensure that nothing tarnishes.
By Olivia Deffes // Photos by Collin Richie
Forever and always Permanent jewelry for the whole family has arrived in Baton Rouge, thanks to local brand Forever Lillies
Chinesetradition RICHIECOLLIN Baton Rouge lost a gem when Omi closed last year, but Cheng’s Restaurant and Bar aims to be a worthy replacement INSIDE: A tropical-themed tailgate 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 53
• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 FindNetworkofwomennow.orgusonScan here for fundraiser details. SPONSORS Network of Women (NOW) assists young girls and women by donating feminine hygiene products and basic necessities. Stay connected with NOW as we work to help end period poverty. MARK YOUR CALENDAR • Oct. 1st-11th: Supply Drive: Donation boxes will be placed around LSU campus collecting feminine hygiene products. Scan QR code to view all LSU locations and our Amazon wish list. • Oct. 11th: Panel Discussion: In honor of International Day of the Girl Child, panelists from around the world will join NOW on IG live ONLY to discuss period poverty and women’s reproductive health. 54 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
About 225’s food critic: Benjamin Leger previously served as managing editor for 225 and was the editor of its Taste section from 2012 to 2021, editing, writing and steering the direction of its food coverage in print and online. He is passionate about all things food and food journalism, and has written about the greater Baton Rouge area’s cuisine and culture for nearly two decades.
THE BASICS: Replacing Omi in late 2021, Cheng’s Restaurant and Bar gave the Essen Lane space an upgrade while offering up traditional Chinese fare that more than makes up for the loss felt by fans of the original restaurant.
Owner and chef Phillip Cheng
WHAT’S A MUST: The Mongolian Beef is a satisfying take on the classic, with tender beef strips and a mildly spicy sauce. The Spicy Garlic Eggplant has a gorgeous purple hue and amazing flavor, but take our advice and order it with a protein like chicken or shrimp to add some textural contrast. And you can’t go wrong with Pork and Vegetable Dumplings and the addictive “signature sauce” to start.
RESTAURANT REVIEW
Cheng’s Restaurant and Bar BY BENJAMIN LEGER // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE chengsrestaurant.net 7951 One Calais Ave. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 Friday-Saturday,pm.11 a.m.-10 p.m. Closed Mondays
TASTE // 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 55
THE CHINESE RESTAURANT OMI was a hidden gem of the Capital City for much of the 2010s. It was loved for an authentic menu of deeply flavored and spicy dishes as well as sushi and hibachi, all found in a sit-down restaurant setting otherwise rare in a sea of Chinese takeout options. Omi seemed to survive on loyalty and word of mouth—partially because of its location on a hard-to-reach side street off Essen Lane at I-10. Still, it was the kind of place that would lead people “in the know” to excitedly suggest dishes to try and recommendations that you must get this with a side of that The restaurant’s fans, though, couldn’t keep it from closing last sum mer after the owners retired and the building sold. Fortunately, just a few months later, new owners stepped in to launch Cheng’s Restaurant and Bar. The sushi and hibachi options are gone, with a focus now on traditional Chinese dishes and even a few entrees familiar to the building’s past (the popular ground pork and glass noodles dish Ants Climbing Trees makes an appearance).
The interior was given a fresh coat of paint, an updated lobby and bar and some new seating as well. I brought along two friends on a Tuesday night, and we were all ready to sample as much as possible. After some sake and beer, we started with the simple pleasures of pan-fried Pork and Vegetable Dumplings. Six dumplings came piping hot and with a sizable dipping bowl of “signature sauce.” It was the color and consistency of soy sauce, but sweet and savory rather than salty—a perfect counterpoint to the ample pork and veggie stuffing in the dumplings. Curious and maybe a little too influ enced by foodie accounts on TikTok, I also ordered the Scallion Pancakes. The spiraling process of making these thin-fried pancakes results in a flaky exterior and green scallions swirled throughout the chewy interior.
TASTE // 56 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
Cheng’s version provided a salty, crispy snack before our entrees arrived, though the scallions were scarce. We also ordered a bowl of Wonton Soup that was loaded with mushrooms, scallions, spinach and three plump seafood wontons. But the broth was much too salty for us to get past a few slurps. Pan-fried Pork and Vegetable Dumplings are a great way to start your meal, dipped in the accompanying “signature sauce.”
Save The Date! Middle & Upper School open hoUSe ThUrSday, noveMber 3, 2022 episcopalbr.org/admission ................................................................................. Private campus tours available on request PreK-3 through 12 th grade Open House Non-discrimination admission policy Inregister Half August 2022_2 Horizontal crops copy.indd 1 8/11/22 10:46 AM
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH An evening celebrating local food and farms with festive drinks and food pairings by local chefs LIVE MUSIC WITH: John Gray Jazz and Friends TEXT “FARMER“ TO 79230 Register and view our unique Farmers Market silent auction featuring local farm tours, culinary gift items, and exclusivewww.breada.orgexperiences! River Center Library Terrace THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: All proceeds benefit BREADA's programs. TICKETSPURCHASEAT: farmfete.org Devera and Jerry Goss | Betty Simmons | John G. Turner and Jerry G. Fischer | Susan Turner and Scott Purdin Tricia Day and Joe Simmons | Lynne Pisto and John Hollingshead Carol Anne and Sid Blitzer | Cordell and Ava Haymon | Charles and Carole Lamar | Tracey and Ty McMains | Moo and Martin Svendson |
Emergent Method LSU College of Human Sciences & Education
several friends. The thinly sliced and tender beef was paired with stir-fried onions and plated over crispy rice noodles, offering some nice crunch. The sauce was mildly spicy and a little sweet, though thankfully not as sweet as other versions I’ve had.
Second came the Five Spice Chicken, which initially looked like a mound of popcorn chicken. Hidden underneath, though, were sauteed bits of spicy green peppers and onions that had us all sniffing and wiping our noses from the lingering heat. The chicken was addictive for its small size and breaded texture, plus visible flecks of spices in the batter, but was slightly dry on its own. We all agreed some sort of sauce on the side would help, and that had us reaching for the leftover “signature sauce” from the dumplings. An ingenious fix! Last of the entrees was the Spicy Garlic Eggplant. We were all amazed at how the well-cooked slices of Japanese eggplant still retained their bright purple color. The eggplant had been sauteed in a rich, glossy, garlicky sauce to the point of caramelization, and a sprinkling of scallions added a freshWhenpunch.ordering, our server mentioned that the eggplant could be paired with a protein, such as chicken, pork or shrimp. We opted to keep this a vegetarian dish amidst the other meat entrees. In hindsight, though, it was a good suggestion. The eggplant was the tastiest entree, but it needed something else to add a contrasting texture to its softness. And that sparked an ongoing conversation we had throughout the meal: While we all thought Cheng’s offered up some of the best Chinese food we’ve had in a while, it may take more than one trip to work your way through the menu and find the dishes that truly make your tastebuds sing. If you’re planning to try Cheng’s—and you should—get some recommendations from people who have been. And then maybe you’ll develop your own favorites that you’ll pass on to friends when you tell them—and you will—how this is a must-try restaurant. From the several occupied tables of families, friends and couples we saw on what could have otherwise been a quiet Tuesday night at Cheng’s, it looks like those in the know are already becoming loyal fans of Baton Rouge’s newest hidden gem. We each ordered an entree, com plemented with a choice of steamed white rice, brown rice or fried rice. Of note was the beautiful presentation of garnishes on each plate—thin slices of radish arranged in a rose-like shape that was almost too pretty to touch. Our first entree was the Mongolian Beef, which one of my dining partners said had been recommended by Cheng’s Restaurant and Bar opened in the former Omi location on Essen Lane late last year.
TASTE // 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 57
Kim and Mike Wampold
On the menu • Spiced Rum and Cranberry Cocktail • Jerk Pulled Pork and Jicama Slaw Sliders • Baked Yuca Fries (recipe at com/recipes)225batonrouge. • Lime Cooler Cookies Recipes by Tracey Koch TASTE // 58 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
2. In a small bowl, sift 1 cup of the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of the lime zest together. Set aside until you are done baking.
These lime cooler cookies are the perfect treat for your dessert tray. They are delicate and buttery with a tart kick from the lime. They are dusted in powdered sugar to give them just the right amount of sweetness. This recipe is easy to double, and the cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to a week. Make them in your spare time the week before your party—just try not to eat them all before game day.
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons fresh lime zest 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 ¼ cups flour ½ teaspoon salt
6. Once the dough is all incorporated, use a tablespoon to spoon it out. Roll each spoonful into a ball. Place on the lined baking sheet. 7. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. 8. Roll the cookies in the powdered sugar and lime zest mixture. Set them on a cooling rack. 9. Once the cookies have cooled completely, place them into an airtight container until you are ready to serve.
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
225 editor Jennifer Tormo Alvarez and 225 digital staff writer Olivia Deffes then put them to the test in their home kitchens. Wash down our punchy Jerk Pulled Pork and Jicama Slaw sandwiches with a Spiced Rum and Cranberry Cocktail. And because every tailgate needs something sweet, we’re rounding out the meal with addictive Lime Cooler Cookies. We chose these recipes because they are great to serve a crowd and are the perfect do-ahead menu items that are easy to transport to a tailgate or serve for your next football party or potluck. My thanks to Jenn and Olivia, who brought their own special twists to this month’s menu. Lime Cooler Cookies
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and remaining powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the lime juice and remaining lime zest. Mix until well combined.
TIPS (From digital staff writer Olivia Deffes) Punch up the tartness. When making this recipe, I measured out my two tablespoons of lime juice right over the bowl that I mixed my dough in so I could get all the extra juice in the process. I gave it a little taste and squeezed another lime over the bowl, which probably added an extra tablespoon of juice. If you like lime flavor and tartness, definitely do this. Play with other fruit flavors. You could swap out the lime for other citrus fruits, like lemon or orange.
TASTE // 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 59
Corporate Blvd at Jefferson • townecenteratcedarlodge.com225.925.2344 • NEW GAME DAY STYLES all season long Issue Date: Sept 2022 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 tailgateTropical Recipes to bring to your next party, potluck or pregame
Servings: Yields 2 dozen cookies
DINING IN BY TRACEY KOCH // PHOTOS BY COLLINSTAFFRICHIE
IT IS HARD TO believe it’s already September. This summer flew by, and it is time to turn our attention to fall and all of the wonderful activities that happen this time of year in Baton Rouge (not to mention hopefully cooler weather). Over the past eight and half years, I have written numerous 225 magazine recipes that are easy to prepare for tailgates, backyard parties and all-around casual dining. We dug back into the archives in search of dishes we could repurpose into a fun, tropical-themed tailgating menu.
5. In a separate bowl, sift the flour and salt together. Gently fold the flour into the butter mixture, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
FOR THE JERK PULLED PORK:
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6
1½ cups chickenlow-sodiumbroth
½ cup apple jelly
5. Place the pork along with the marinade into your slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth over the top. Stir everything around to ensure the broth gets to the bottom of the slow cooker.
1 teaspoon nutmeg
6. Cover and set the slow cooker on high. Cook the pork 6-7 hours, or until it is very tender and easy to shred.
Servings:
2. In a food processor or blender, blend the green onion, garlic, jalapeño, ginger, salt, vinegar and apple jelly until smooth.
4. Pour the wet marinade over the pork and seal the bag. With the bag sealed, rub this mixture all around to make sure it completely covers the pork. Refrigerate, marinating 3-4 hours or overnight.
1½ teaspoons dried ground ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
1. Trim the fat off the pork, and cut it into a couple of pieces that will fit into a slow cooker. Place into a large freezer bag.
3. In a small bowl, combine the remaining dry spices. Rub the dry spice mixture all over the pork to coat it completely, and put it back into the freezer bag.
3- to 4-pound boneless pork shoulder roast
TASTE // 60 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
Jerk Pulled Pork and Jicama Slaw Sliders
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ bunch green onions, tops and bottoms, coarsely chopped 4 cloves of garlic 2-3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
A sweet, spicy jerk marinade is the perfect complement to the richness and tenderness of pulled pork. The jalapeños give it heat, the red pepper flakes and fresh ginger give it a little kick, the sweet apple jelly and the tang of the cider vinegar help to balance it all out. But it’s the jerk spices—cinnamon, cloves and allspice—that elevate the flavors to the next level. This recipe is large enough to feed a crowd—or make for dinner and have leftovers.
1 teaspoon dried thyme
LakeUrgentCare.com Walk-InOnlineCheck-In Schedule a Virtual Care Visit Give us a follow InFLUencer Be an Flu shots are #trending this fall. Protect yourself and others by getting your flu vaccine! We accept most insurance plans. Flu vaccines are available while supplies lasts. Check-in online or give the clinic closest to you a call, today!
Spiced Rum and Cranberry Cocktail
ONLINE: Find the recipe for the Baked Yuka Fries at 225batonrouge.com/recipes
2. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, jicama, green onions, carrots and dried cranberries.
STAFF TIPS (From editor Jennifer Tormo Alvarez) Try it in a taco. I plated the pulled pork in brioche sandwich buns instead of slider rolls, and as soon as I took my first bite I was imagining all the other ways to serve the leftover meat and slaw. It’d be great in a taco, or even paired with eggs in a breakfast burrito. Practice ingenuity with your slaw I went to two grocery stores and couldn’t find jicama, but I did spot fresh jicama taco wraps at Trader Joe’s. It turned out to be just as easy to slice those into slaw-sized slivers. I also grabbed a bag of shredded carrots, which shaved a few minutes off my prep time.
Servings:
7. Carefully remove the pork from the slow cooker. Place onto a cutting board and gently shred with a fork. Set aside.
One 7-ounce cocktail 1 ounce dark spiced rum 2 ounces fresh orange juice 4 ounces cranberry juice Fresh orange slices to garnish
1. Fill a cocktail glass (or a pitcher, for multiple servings) with ice. 2. Pour in the rum. Add the orange and cranberry juices. 3. Stir to combine. Garnish with a fresh orange slice.
FOR THE JICAMA SLAW:
1 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Cranberry juice is tart and crisp, perfect for that inbetween September weather. The spiced rum deliciously complements the Caribbean flavors of the Jerk Pulled Pork. It’s easy to make-to-order for your party guests, or batch into a pitcher or thermos for easy pours.
1 cup grated carrots
3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables mix well.
No cash value. New customers only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Offer Code: AD50 Limited Time Offer. $50 OFF GOOD TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF YOUR FIRST CLEAN Certain trademarks used under license from The Procter & Gamble Company or its affiliates. Locally owned & operated. 225-755-8383 | MAIDS.COM Text Quote to 800-843-6243 Summer may be gone, but it left behind dirt and grime that only a team of experts can remove. When your home is due for a thorough cleaning and every little detail counts, you can always count on us. AND GET BACK TO A CLEAN ROUTINE. Book The Maids ® Call The Maids® to get your free, no-obligation estimate now.
4. Cover and let slaw chill for at least an hour before serving.
8. Using oven mitts, pour the remaining liquid out of the slow cooker through a strainer into a saucepot. Skim off the fat from the top of the liquid.
9. Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 5-6 minutes or until it begins to reduce down a bit.
1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vine gar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, salt, hot sauce, oil and cilantro, if using. Set aside.
½ cup dried cranberries or golden raisins
1 3 cup rice vinegar
½ cup vegetable oil
4 cups shredded cabbage
TASTE // 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 61
1 teaspoon fresh lime zest 2 tablespoons honey ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
10. Place the pulled pork back into the slow cooker and pour the reduced liquid back over the pork. Keep the cooker on low or warm until you are ready to serve. Serve on toasted slider rolls (or your choice of vessel) topped with the Jicama Slaw.
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups grated jicama ½ cup chopped green onions
9thAnnual Baton Rouge Mini Reduce,Re-Make!Reuse,/BRmakerfairebatonrouge.makerfaire.comCelebrate creative creations at this year’s Maker Faire! There will be all sorts of tech, crafts, art, and a special spotlight on sustainability! Our week-long hybrid event will highlight our incredible makerspaces across library branches, with a final event on Saturday featuring an outdoor market and showcase at the Main Library on Goodwood! You won’t want to miss it! October 10-14 MakerSpace Workshops at Library Branches October 15, 10am-5pm Maker Faire at Main Library at Goodwood Want to participate and be a Maker? Visit batonrouge.makerfaire.com/call-for-makers/ or scan the code here to fill out the Call For Makers Form!
Meet four photographers capturing the action from concert photo pits around Baton Rouge
Mega Bog, shot by Raegan Labat 225batonrouge.com
Passion pit
CULTURE
MUSIC
| [225] September 2022 63
INSIDE: Artist’s Perspective / Arts and music events
BY OLIVIA DEFFES AFTER THE PANDEMIC’S almost three-year disruption of live music, it’s not just bands dusting off their equipment. Photographers are breaking out their wide lenses and running around busy venues, getting action-packed shots of our favorite local and national artists. In Baton Rouge, many of these music photographers happen to be women. These leading ladies are true rockstars when it comes to their craft, calling the shots at concert venues and shooting for publications and album covers. From capturing small garage bands to taking photos at a sold-out show in Tiger Stadium, they have photographed some of the best local concerts and traveling acts in Baton Rouge. Here’s a peek at their work.
HERRINGSTONE’S BATON ROUGE Call Haley Herrington to schedule your own personal shopping experience 7474 Corporate Blvd Ste C | 225.239.5239 www.herringstonesboutique.com| Homecoming 2022 Issue Date: Sept 2022 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 Cannons Papadosio ’90s Night at Chelsea’s Live FELDGABRIELLECOURTESYPHOTOS 64 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com CULTURE //
Gabrielle Feld IF YOU FOLLOW the popular Baton Rouge music venue Chelsea’s Live on Instagram, you have seen Gabrielle Feld’s work. Feld has been creating content for bands and has been working professionally in the music industry for five years. Now, she works for Chelsea’s Live as its promotions and marketing manager. You can catch her putting together awesome graphics by day and snapping photos of bands on the Chelsea’s stage by night. You won’t always find her in the photo pit, though—she is skilled in getting beautiful shots right from the audience. Her photos make you feel like part of the crowd, whether you were at the show or not. Feld loves being a “fly on the wall” when shooting. If you’re rocking out to a show at Chelsea’s Live, she may tap you on the shoulder to see if she can get in front of you for a photo of the musical act. But don’t worry. She only needs a few moments to get an amazing shot. yagirlg.com
What is your technique when shooting a concert or musical performance? My technique is just trying to get every angle that I can and walking around to different spots so I’m able to cull down to the best shot. In the post process, I edit to make sure skin tones are right. I don’t want a person’s face to be completely blue or completely red, so I have set presets I’ve made for red lights and blue lights just to make my life a little easier. How is shooting music different from other photography you do? Well, thankfully, our lighting guys at Chelsea’s are incredible. Lighting wise, I don’t have to worry about a lot, which is different from portrait photography. What has been your favorite band or musician to photograph so far? Cannons is one of them. A really good up-and-coming artist that thankfully included Baton Rouge in their tour. I knew them before and was so excited for that booking.
Get Your Daily Dose of 225 SPONSORED BY Subscribe today at 225batonrouge.com SCAN TO GET STARTED Good news. Good vibes. Everyday! article pageviews per month 185k 225 Daily subscribers 24k+ 225 social media followers 106k+ 225 app downloads 5k+
225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 65 CULTURE //
ORIGINALLY FROM PLAQUEMINE, Ingrid Williams has lived in Baton Rouge for more than 20 years. She discovered an affinity for photography after purchasing her own camera and taking classes to learn how to useWilliamsit. is skilled in portrait photography. When taking concert photos, she loves to get a close shot of the artist’s face so she can capture emotional portraits in the moment. She has also applied these skills to shooting promotional, album-cover-style photos for local music artists like Tank and the Bangas. Though she shoots all different subjects in a variety of settings, she says she loves shooting concerts and festivals because it combines her two passions: music and photography. Williams describes herself as a “girly girl” but says she isn’t afraid to break a sweat trying to get that perfect shot. inwilliams.myportfolio.com What is your technique when shooting a concert or musical performance? I’m always looking for a moment. I consider myself a portrait photographer, so I shoot with a larger lens, where I can capture the artist’s facial expression. I’ll have two cameras, and I’ll capture the artists close up and then get the entire scene. What artist, band or festival is on your bucket list as a photographer? I would love to work with John Baptiste and maybe even PJ Morton. I would love to grow in the future and shoot a few things out of Louisiana. A dream of mine is to be called to work at the Grammys or Coachella.
WILLIAMSNACOLEINGRIDCOURTESYPHOTOS
Ingrid Nacole Williams Water Seed Lauren Daigle Tank and the Bangas
CULTURE // 66 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
rankedNationallymeans the best care for your little ones! Children’s Hospital New Orleans has been recognized as a Best Children’s Hospital for 2022-2023 by U.S. News & World Report! This first-ever U.S. News & World Report ranking reflects our unwavering commitment to provide the best possible care to all kids and only kids - right here in Louisiana. Find a provider today at chnola.org/BatonRouge. 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 67
The Verms MSPAINT PHOTOSCOURTESYRAEGANLABAT 68 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com CULTURE //
225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 69 CULTURE //
THERE WERE ALWAYS stacks of vinyl records around Raegan Labat’s house growing up. When she came to Baton Rouge for college, her father, Dana Labat, followed and opened Capital CitySoRecords.it’snoshock she has a deep love for music, particularly old music and local bands. As a teenager, Labat would race to the front rows of concerts at Jazz Fest and Voodoo Fest to snap photos on her first camera. Though she shoots a lot of her work on digital cameras, she loves the realness of shooting with analog and instant film cameras. Their warm lighting and fuzzy flashes give that vintage feeling that’s a staple of her style. raeganlabat.com
Issue Date: Sept 2022 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 Download our app and book your next reservation TOWNE CENTER : 225-228-1373 | HIGHLAND PARK: 225-228-1383 PERKINS ROWE: 225-800-3636 | LAFAYETTE: 337-446-2330 NOW OPEN! GONZALES: 225-277-7500 With confidence and smooth skin, it’s easy to feel like your best self. SMOOTHSCHOOL?FOR Yes please!
Raegan Labat
How is shooting music different from other photography you do? It’s so different from standard portrait photography, which I actually would say that I struggle with more than shooting an event that’s more active and dynamic. With music, I’m sort of letting this moment unfold and capturing that.
Whereas it’s completely different from if someone’s like, ‘Hey, I want portraits of myself,’ where I sort of create and have to take the lead. That’s really fun, and sometimes, I’m really good at it if I have a vision, but it’s definitely harder, in my opinion. I feel like I really feed off of other people’s energy, and music is a really good place for that. Who or what has been your favorite band or musician to photograph so far? I definitely like the festival environment just because I get to shoot more than just one band at a concert. It’s always going to be the bands that I really enjoy listening to and get to have this moment with. I really like smaller venues. I like the more intimate-feeling things. What artist, band or festival is on your bucket list as a photographer? I wish I could time-travel to a B52s gig. But, my dream is to hop on a tour as a photographer or be a studio session photographer for any of the greats.
CULTURE // 70 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
WITH A FATHER who had a photography business on the side, Jordan Hefler grew up around cameras. In middle school, she plastered her walls in fashion magazine photos and was convinced she was going to be a designer until she realized she loved the photos more than the clothes. Today, Hefler is the one taking the magazine shots—her work has been featured in publications including Billboard, Music Felon, inRegister and, of course, 225 magazine. Hefler majored in studio art with a concentration in photography at LSU. Now, she enjoys shooting music and other subjects with vibrant hues and nostalgic vibes. She has had the chance to capture local celebrities (like Todd Graves), national icons (like Garth Brooks, shot in Tiger Stadium) and international stars (like Kiss). Though she’s photographed some big stars, she still gets excited to shoot smaller bands she followed during her days on Myspace. jordanhefler.com
Lil Wayne Phoebe Bridgers
PHOTOSCOURTESYJORDANHEFLER
What is your technique when shooting a concert or musical performance? What’s so fun but also so annoying about shooting concerts is that it’s so unpredictable and out of your control. It’s a double-edged sword. It makes it exciting, but the downside is that as a photographer or an artist or a creator you want to control everything. My technique now is being over-prepared, because you just never know. I try to bring a variety of lenses and two camera bodies. My technique also depends on the venue, the type of band performing and what music they’re playing. Do you have any cool upcoming projects you’d like to talk about? I just got a studio space that I’m sharing with another photographer. I’m so excited because my entire life has been documentary-style or lifestyle photography, which uses available light, natural light or flash. I hadn’t really gotten into lighting because everything I did was so on the go. … I spent so much time learning on the job, but I never got a chance to sit down and tinker, play with things and learn different techniques, so I’m excited to get better at my craft.
Jordan Hefler
Post Malone
WE CAN KEEP YOU HEALTHY. BUT ONLY YOU CAN TELL US WHAT KEEPS YOU YOUNG. Half of your healthcare is in the stories you share with us. Because before you’re a patient, you’re a person – and what you’re thinking, feeling, and hoping for can help us to personalize your recovery and improve your outcome. ololrmc.com/WeListenWeHeal
“THERE’S A PIECE that I’ve used on multiple occasions, and this is going to be the fourth iteration of it. It’s a profile piece of a young Black woman. I actually wrote a song about it. One of my coworkers asked me to do a commission piece of her in my style. She had a pretty cool hair style, so I took a profile photo of her and turned it into art. It was originally made in black and white. She owns the original. The piece started off as a sketch, like a blueprint. I went back and traced it on some watercolor paper, inked it with pen and ink and then I scanned it into the computer.It’sfuturistic. She has a lot of designs in her bodysuit; she’s adorned with abstract shapes that connect from her hair to her body. I’m so fascinated with character design. When I create a character of a Black woman, I always want to make her look otherworldly, like you can’t take your eyes off of her. That piece is like my Mona Lisa. Everytime you see the image, it’s done in a totally different way.”
ARTIST’S PERSPECTIVE
CULTURE // 72 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
RICHIECOLLINBYPHOTOS
Nathaniel Alphonse Joseph Landry’s
‘Cosmic Queen Evolution’
About the artist NATHANIEL ALPHONSE JOSEPH LANDRY is a Baton Rouge freelance artist who makes afrofuturistic, abstract and multimedia art. His longtime love for anime, manga and comic books is reflected in his work’s bright colors, hard lines and imaginative characters illustrated on skateboards, wooden planks and canvases. Landry has pursued art his entire life. His father was an artist, and his mother supported Landry’s passions by “pushing him into his gift.” As a child, he often went to museums, summer camps and comic book stores. He received his bachelor’s degree in fine art from Southern University and his master’s in sequential arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Once he switched his concentration to sequential arts, a form of art where the content is presented in a specific order to tell a story, he felt like he truly found his place in the art world.
—AS TOLD TO CYNTHEA CORFAH
“I took some elective classes in the comic book department and I realized that’s where I was supposed to be mentally, physically and spiritually,” he says. After he graduated, Landry returned to Baton Rouge, where he taught art classes for middle school students and at Southern University. During the pandemic, he decided to follow his dream of becoming a full-time artist and has been creating and sharing his work ever since. He has shown his work at various pop-ups and art exhibitions at galleries such as Elizabethan Gallery, Healthcare Gallery and Wellness Spa, and LSMSA Gallery in Natchitoches. Follow him on Instagram at @alphonse_jozeff.
Nathaniel Alphonse Joseph Landry in his workspace, with “Cosmic Queen Evolution” pictured on the wall.
SAMPLE 200+ CRAFT BEERS AND SUPPORT BREC’S BATON ROUGE ZOO! TO LEARN ABOUT THE V.I.P. EXPERIENCE, VISIT BRZOOBREW.ORG
MUSIC BEST BETS
Sept. 9 Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Johnny Gill is bringing all his R&B hits to the stage at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel. Though Gill has grown as an artist since being discovered at age 16, he’s sure to play all his classic songs along with some newer ones off of his latest album, from “My, My, My” to “Perfect Combination.” lbatonrouge.com
THEATREMANSHIPCOURTESY
COURTESY RAIS
SEPT. 23 Gary Allan is making a stop at the Raising Cane’s River Center. The country artist’s Ruthless tour is named after his most recent album, which tells the story of his career spanning from the ’90s until now. Along with newer songs, you’re sure to hear a few classics like “Watching Airplanes” and “Her Man,” too. garyallan.com
The talented performers at Theatre Baton Rouge are putting on John Patrick Shanley’s 2004 play Doubt: A Parable. This story follows Father Flynn as he tries to change the strict rules upheld by the rigid Sister Aloysius Beauvier at the parish school. After the young and naive Sister ARTS
John Isiah
BETS
Issue Date: Sept 2022 Ad2 proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 3145ELSIESPIES.COMGOVERNMENT ST 225.636.515 E Q MON: TUES-THURS:11AM-9PM11AM-10PMFRI:11AM-11PMSAT-SUN:10AM-11PM ALL MONTH Come out to Baton Rouge Gallery to see three new artists on display. This month’s exhibit includes pieces from Malaika Favorite, Ross Jahnke and John Isiah Walton, three different artists whose colorful works span canvas, wood, metal and silkscreen prints. Head to the First Wednesday Opening Reception on Wednesday, Sept. 7. If you can’t make it to that event, these works will be on display through Thursday, Sept. 29. batonrougegallery.org
SEPT. 23 Prepare for a night of entertainment with MidCity Artisans’ Music & Improv Show. New Orleans band Tiffany Pollack & Co. will take the stage to provide the tunes for the musical portion of the show. Then, 225 Theatre Collective will perform its improv act to complete the night. mid-cityartisans.com SEPT. 25 Folk-rock band Dawes will take the stage at Manship Theatre to give south Louisiana a taste of their southern California sound. This band has been on tour with rock band The Killers and has even had its music featured in the film I Want You Back manshiptheatre.org
BEST
Walton 74 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com CULTURE //
Malaika Favorite GALLERYROUGEBATONCOURTESY
NTER James reports that she saw Flynn meet privately with the school’s only African American student, Beauvier becomes suspicious of inappropriate behavior and begins to investigate and blackmail Flynn. This play is all about the evils of gossip and doubt, and will leave audiences wondering what side is true. theatrebr.org SEPT. 10 Mid-City Artisans holds a Kids Makers Market that showcases the work of young makers ages 6 to 17. Register your children to participate and meet other artsy friends, or bring them to the market to create in the Craft Room for $5. This market is a great introduction for children who want to showcase their creativity or sell their art or culinary work. mid-cityartisans.com SEPT. 18 The LSU Textile & Costume Museum is welcoming a very special guest for its annual meeting at the Human Ecology building. LSU alumna and New Orleans designer Yvonne LaFleur will present “Blue Jeans to Bridal Gowns,” which chronicles the iconic clothier’s 40-plusyear journey in the fashion world. LaFleur will also donate some of her pieces to the museum’s collection. lsu.edu/textilemuseum
SEPT. 9-11 + 15-18
anddesignedA(833)ololchildrens.org/symptom-checker374-HEALnew,simpleresourceforbusyparentstheirsuperactivekids. Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health has launched a new online pediatric symptom checker to help parents navigate their children’s immediate healthcare needs. When your child gets sick and you aren’t sure what type of care they need, this new tool helps you figure it out. NEW! Symptom Checker Exceptionally digital. ACCESSING CARE IS EASY PEASY: 1. Open our pediatric symptom checker 2. Check your child’s symptoms 3. Access appropriate care
SEPT. 18: New Orleans Saints versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers, caesarssuperdome.com
NEW ORLEANS
STOCK PHOTO COURTESYSOUTHERNUNIVERSITY JORDANHEFLER 76 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com CALENDAR //
SEPT. 24: Beignet Fest, beignetfest.com
Our story is YOUR History. VISIT US TODAY! 2161 Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge LA • 225-343-4955 NEW FALL MENU AND FOOTBALL SEASON SPECIALS 2904 Perkins Road | Baton Rouge | theoverpassmerchant.com Issue Date: Sept 2022 Ad proof #2 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 September Where toplay BatonaroundRougethismonth
A TRIP TO YESTERYEAR Go back a few decades at the Oldies But Goodies Fest in Port Allen. Iron your bell-bottoms and get your dancing shoes on. This festival is all about remembering the good old days through a barbecue cook-off, live music, and hula hoop and jitterbug contests. westbatonrouge.net
BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE Tiger Stadium hosts one of the most exciting games of the season, when the LSU Tigers take on the Southern University Jaguars for the first time. Come out and watch as two of Baton Rouge’s most beloved teams compete for all the bragging rights—and what’s sure to be a halftime show to remember, as LSU’s Golden Band from Tigerland and Southern’s Human Jukebox play classic tunes and fight songs. gojagsports.com and lsusports.net
504ON THE ROAD
Compiled byOlivia Deffes
10-11
10
SEPT. 20: Earth, Wind & Fire at the Saenger Theatre, saengernola.com
DAWES SEPT 25 | 7:30 PM
SEPT. 20
The Louisiana Art & Science Museum is celebrating a big birthday this month. As the museum turns 60, it’s pulling out all the stops for a gem-studded gala. During the Diamonds of History event, LASM will unveil its newest exhibit by New Orleans pop artist Ashley Longshore. The exhibit will feature pieces from Longshore’s “Mighty Women” collection, which includes colorful portraits of influential ladies like Malala Yousafzai, Maya Angelou, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks and more. lasm.org
SHOWSUPCOMING
Emerging from Southern California, Dawes carries with them a roots-rock sound that nods to the past and is a forward-thinking, boundary-pushing band for the 21st century, willing to follow inspiration wherever it leads.
A different kind of circus is coming to town. Get ready for a unique experience when Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow comes to Chelsea’s Live. This show is known for extreme tricks and performances, like fire breathing and eating, foot archery, sword swallowing and more. Hellzapoppin performers put on an unforgettable show that will make audience members face their fears. See this amazing group of wild circus performers as they take the stage at Chelsea’s. hellzapoppin.com
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
LAFAYETTE
Supported in part by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a Federal agency.
SEPT. 3 Get ready for a night of laughs at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel when Ron White (a.k.a. “Tater Salad”) takes the stage. White has entertained crowds as a stand-up comedian for over 30 years. Known as a comedic storyteller, he’s sure to share some hilarious life stories. tatersalad.com SEPT. 1 7
SEPT. 3: Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival, zydeco.org SEPT. 22-25: Louisiana Sugarcane Festival, hisugar.org 30 STEP RIGHT UP
30
Grab your furry, four-legged friend and head over to BREC’s Liberty Lagoon for the End of Summer Dog Pool Pawty. During these hot summer days, everyone deserves to cool down, including your fur babies. There will be three different swim sessions throughout the day. Each session is designated for a certain dog size and is limited to 100 dogs. Let the dogs out to splash and play one more time before summer ends. libertylagoon.com
Co-Writer (or producers) of your favorite #1 Hit Songs, Grammy Nominated Classics, CMA / ACM Songs of the Year from artists like Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Jake Owen, Matt Nathanson, Rascal Flatts, Amy Grant, and more!
ALSOMONTHTHIS
TIP JARS TO CHART TOPPERS
SEPT 15 | 7:30 PM
MORE EVENTS Subscribe to our newsletter 225 Daily for our twice-weekly roundups of events. 225batonrouge.com/225daily 337
The Carden International Circus is coming to town and stopping at the LamarDixon Expo Center. From elephants to acrobats, it will showcase spectacular tricks from both human and animal performers. Come a little early to participate in the pre-show activities, which include up-close animal interactions, face painting, bounce houses and more. spectacularcircus.com SEPT. 24 Get ready for a bright and colorful day at West Baton Rouge Parish Library’s Family Color Run. Get the family all dressed up in their best plain white T-shirts, because once the run starts, the colored dust will fly and you’ll all be covered in bright hues from head to toe. The library will also host airbrush body painting and a pre-party before the run kicks off. wbrpl.com
FOR TICKETS: MANSHIPTHEATRE.ORG • 225-344-0334
LASM CELEBRATES 60 YEARS
MARYELLENMATTHEWS/COURTESYASHLEYLONGSHORECOURTESYCHELSEA’SLIVE 225batonrouge.com | [225] September 2022 77 CALENDAR //
GET FEATURED We love spotlighting local photographers, artists and designers on this page. Shoot us an email at editor@225batonrouge.com to chat about being featured.
In every issue of 225, you’ll find a free print on this page.
PHOTO BY SEAN GASSER FOR 22 5 / seangasser.com
FRAMED // 78 [225] September 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
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.
AT SUGAR FARMS BRUNCH WITH US Live music Friday, Saturday & Sunday | Biscuits • Burritos • Beignets experience farm cool ! 5590 Bayou Paul Rd., St. Gabriel, LA 70776 | (225) 267-7553 | sugarfarmsla.com | • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • 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. 2022. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329 come lunch with us come dessert with us come sip with us