If you would no longer like to receive this free product, please email brtmc@ theadvocate.com.
Abirdhouse remindsme that life is a merrymess
When we put up our big birdhouse acouple of years ago, it looked as perfect as a church.The whitewalls and copper roof shined eachday and glowed mildly in the moonlight. Things are different now,asI’m reminded on quiet mornings whenI sip coffee and glance up at the birdhouse from my lower perch on our patio.
Straw pokes out from one of the compartments where afamily of squirrels once made their messy beds. Afew sparrows took up residence, too, bringingtheir owncasual senseofdomesticity to the mix.The scraping and rustling have taken their toll, so the once flawless finish now sports agraffitiof scratches. Ihad put up our birdhouse for purple martins and gotten these unsavory characters instead,but nature can’tbesummoned by placing an order from a catalog. At some point, I’ll lower the post of the birdhouse and cleanitout, maybe adding a fresh coat of paint in the bargain. That kind of housekeeping would upset too many otherthings in our garden right now,soI’m content for the moment to live with our birdhouse in its slightly shabby state.
It resembles one of those old barns you spot on country drives —lovely,weary buildings with sagging roofs and missing doors, yet beautiful precisely because they’ve been so deeply held in time’s embrace.
When Isee our birdhouse in these early days of autumn, I’m also moved to think about how life has away of complicating anythingittouches. The best way for me to keep this garden treasure pristine would have been to display it on an insideshelf, Iguess, safe from beaks and claws. But ahouse never lived in would be asad set of walls. Maybe, as one of the bargains we make in the quest for happiness, we should accept that when we live in the company of other lives, our own lives become messier,more complicated, more unpredictable.
Ithought about this over the summer as my wife and I, now empty nesters, hosted both of our grown children for brief visits
ä See AT RANDOM, page 3G
‘Godhadhis eyeonme’
BY JANRISHER and LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writers
Alongtimepopular Garden Districtrestaurant known for its delectable breakfast options and plate lunches has been named in “The Restaurant List 2024” from TheNew York Times Formore than 30 years, Zeeland Street owner Stephanie Phareshas fed the communitythrough her cafe. Shestarted outhosting potluck dinners, which transitioned to adeli, which finally led to heropening the restaurant in 1992. Her menuboasts breakfast and lunch options like pecan smoked brisket, blueberry pancakes, pot roast and po-boys.
Phares says she wassurprised by the news even thoughshe hadbeen interviewed afew months ago by the reporter.She’s hada lotgoing on since then. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in early July and is undergoingchemotherapyand radiation.
ButbyTuesday afternoon, she said she was feeling good, even after completing four hours of chemo and radiation theday before.
“I’m real happy,” she said. “The New York Times reporter,Brett Anderson, just calledand told me
Cashier Traci Roberts takes Tracy Benjamin’slunchorder ahead of alarge partyatZeeland Street.
that he ateinalot of restaurants, but he could see that we werein thatkitchen cooking from scratch.” Zeeland Street was recognized for those very scratch recipes and “soul-soothing staples” like smothered chicken and vegetable sides. The restaurant list is comprised of 50 establishments around the U.S., with twofromLouisiana, including Acamaya, acontemporary Mexican restaurant in New Orleans from chef Ana Castro.
Phares said her current favorite menu item is the pecan-smoked beef brisket with cornbread dressing and sweet potatoes.
“I feel my grandmother’slove when Ieat that,” Phares said. “I’m so gratefulshe took that 12-yearold girl and taught me.” For breakfast, she lovesthe resä See RESTAURANT, page 2G
BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer
thetrajectory of her life —its impact felt throughout her grad studies at the University of Texas at Austin, her subsequent career as aprofessor at UT’s McCombs School of Business and in her consulting business, KPICoaching. “It’salmost like Ican’tuntangle thetwo,” Pritchett said. “I don’t knowifIamwhere Iambecause it was so ingrained in me to be involved in student government, 20 yearslater,thisULstudent
Katie Ortego Pritchett’s passion for leadership is so intertwined with her life that she doesn’tknow where the attribute starts and stops. At Lafayette High School, she was the student council vice president, so it felt natural to pursue studentgovernment in college at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Her time in student government at UL has played amajorrole in
See PROFESSOR, page 3G
COLLEGECAREER
BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer
If John Lewis Nelson had not been born in the Webster Parish townofCotton Valley, there would have been no purple rain in Minnesota. Which only partially answers Roxanne Hare’sCurious Louisiana question about the possibility of aLouisiana connection to the late Prince. Yes, Prince, as in legendary pop androck musician, songwriter and actor whoisaffiliated with the color purple through his 1984 hit, “Purple Rain.” Landmark buildings
throughout the United States, including the then MercedesBenz SuperdomeinNew Orleans, lit their exteriors in purple upon the announcementofhis death on April 21, 2016. The Superdome’spurple lights commemorated the musician and his career,but they also could have been anod to Prince’sLouisiana lineage.
Does Prince’s family have rootsinLouisiana? ä See CURIOUS, page 3G
STAFFPHOTOSBYJAVIER GALLEGOS
Owner Stephanie Phares, from left, chats withcustomers Adrian Louviere,WillClemand the rest of theirtableduring lunch at Zeeland Street on Wednesday.
RESTAURANT
taurant’savocado toast with feta, adding that she’sfocusing on eating real foodevery daytohelp with her health.
“I’m grateful that Ihavethis restaurant when Idon’twant to cook. I’m gratefulthat I’m keeping my body up,” she said.
Meanwhile, she’s still at the restaurant at 6a.m., making biscuits and the rest of the menu from scratch. The restaurant still grinds its own hamburger meat.
She’sdoing her besttopass alongthose family recipes to her children,who don’tplan to be in the restaurant business, but because she wantsthem to know how to make the dishes that built their familynonetheless
She describes her neighborhood restaurant as “a small ‘mom’ business.”
“I’m just amom.There’sno pop!” she said with alaugh.
Though Phares has insurance, there was agap in her coverage for full treatment for her cancer
So many friends, supportersand patrons put together fundraisers for her to help make up thedifference. They also showered her with handmade gifts —knitted items, blankets, hats and reading material. Pharessays she is grateful for so much love and support.
Her Mardi Gras dance troupe, the Dancing Girls, who march in the Southdowns parade,made a coordinated effort to bring her special treatstobrighten the difficult days. Phares says she’s planning her costume for the 2025 parade.
She said she hopes to bring back the evening menusofher shortlived Beloved, an ambitious evening concept in the Zeeland Street restaurant.
Many who know her well are amazed at how well she’sbalancing the cancer,the cancer treatments and running the restaurant.
“It’slikeGod hadhis eyeon me,” Phares said. “You can be in aburning fire like Meshach and Abednego and not get burnt.I’m notstressed or anxious.I haven’t let the cancer go into my being.” As for thedays followingthe big news, Phares anticipates that the restaurant may be busierthan usual She plans to be there bright and early to make the biscuits.
STAFF PHOTOSBYJAVIER GALLEGOS
Patsy Perritt,right, a‘many-years loyalcustomer,’ hugs owner Stephanie Phares as shewalks into Zeeland Street on Wednesday.
Cashier Traci Roberts hands Reginald and Melissa Hawkins their plates.
Stephanie Phares chats with daughter Jennifer Waghalter and father Jimmy Dodds at Zeeland Street on Wednesday.
Hare, abig fan of the singer, knew that Prince was born Prince Rogers Nelson in Minneapolis. He continued making his home in Minnesota after he skyrocketed to fame through his music.
“But,” the BatonRouge resident writes, “I recentlyheard that his family was from Louisiana. Is this true?”
“Yes,” said Cotton Valley Police Clerk Amy Stewart, though she didn’tknow about the connection until ascavenger hunter visited the Town Hall
“Actually,one of my co-workers brought it to my attention about a yearago,” Stewartsaid. “She said someone came in saying they were on atreasure hunt, and they had a clue in the form of, ‘Where was the king born?’”
The clue was aplay on words. If Prince was aprince, his dad, John Lewis Nelson, naturally wasthe king, who was born and grew up in Cotton Valley
The townislocated 20 miles
PROFESSOR
Continued from page1G
or if being student government president gave me the foundation to develop the leadershipskills, strategic thinking and innovative mindset that have shapedmycareer. After undergrad, she earned her master’sdegree at LSUin public administration, telecommuting to work with the U.S. Department of EducationinWashington,D.C., throughout her last year of grad school. In 2009, she married Paul Pritchett, also from Lafayette. In 2010,the young couple moved to Austin,Texas, for her to earn her doctorate. They are now proud parentstoa 6-year-old son, whom they named Lincoln —inhonorofPresident Abraham Lincoln —because they wanted ason who was willingto be empathetic and speak up for what was right, even when things were difficult.
But back in the fall of 2000, when Pritchett stepped onto campus as aRagin’ Cajun,she was a first-generation college student.
parents were from Louisiana, too,” Stewart said.
Though his mother,jazz singer Mattie Della Shaw was born in Minneapolis, her mother,Lucille Bernard Shaw,was born in Lincoln Parish in 1899.
south of the Arkansas state line and 43miles northeast of Shreveport.
The community was established in the mid-19th century but wasn’t incorporated until 1944.
The town’spopulation stands at 787, according to the 2020 census, but it was more than 1,300 when John Lewis Nelson was born there on June 29, 1916. But Prince’sLouisiana connections don’tstopthere.
According to thegenealogical website geni.com, Nelson’sparents Prince’smaternal grandparents —also were born in Louisiana.
“What we learned after looking into it is that Prince’smother’s
She was abletogotoschoolona Pell Grant and earn full benefits from the Taylor Opportunity Program. Despite thenatural friction that could occur for afirstgenerationstudent, Pritchettsays she’s proud of howshe navigated college
“There is amentality whereyou could have imposter syndrome,” she said. Youcould really feel like the underdog. Rather than giving into that, Ijumped into action. Iwas really given aplatform and achance to put theskills I learnedtouse.”
Asafreshman, she remembers when an orientationadviser told herthatitwas difficult to get electedasafreshman senator because there were thousands of people in herclass,and there were only four positions open.
Ijustrememberthinking, ‘Great.Ilove achallenge,’”she said.
During hertime in student government, Pritchettspent time volunteering on additionalstudent government committees and learning from past presidents. At the end of herjunior year,she set hersights onbeing president and started her campaign ticket,
Prince’sdad moved from Louisiana to Minneapolis in the mid 1940s, where he formed his jazz group, the Prince Rogers Trio. He met Mattie in 1956, theymarried in 1957 and Prince Rogers Nelson was born in 1958. Here’sanextra tidbit: Princewas named for his dad’sstage name. The couple divorced when Prince was 10. John Lewis Nelson died on Aug. 25, 2001, in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Mattie Della Shaw died on Feb. 15, 2002, in Edina, Minnesota.
But there’smore. Prince’s greataunt, Black nationalist Mittie
Maude Lena Nelson Gordon, who established the Peace Movement of Ethiopia, was born in Webster Parish on Aug. 2, 1889.
Unlike his dad, Princedidn’tlimit his music to one genre. He incorporated funk, R&B, rock, new wave, soul, synth-pop, pop, jazz, blues and hip-hop into his self-produced albums, pioneering what has become
which she titled, “Voice.”
At UL, student government ran apartysystem at thetime, which meant thateach student who wished to become president would identify his or her big three: president, vice president and treasurer Then, each respective college had apresident and varioussenators, depending on the number of students in the college. The goal for the wishful president was to slate awhole ticket of people who would run with them.
Pritchett says this required her to form intentional relationships with people in different communities from throughout her time in school. She had to encourage people who wouldn’tnormally seek opportunities in student government to join her ticket.
The title for Pritchett’sticket, “Voice,” was deliberate, as she wanted to ensure that the student body felt represented and had a voice in decision making, including international students,commuters, those who lived on campus, student athletes, honorstudentsand studentsinGreek Life. Pritchettsaid her ticket deeply cared about making studentsfeel asense of belonging and focused
known as the Minneapolis sound. He sold more than 150 million records worldwide. His long string of awards included seven Grammys, aGolden Globe and an Academy Award for best original song for the title song of his 1984 film “Purple Rain.”
Prince’sconcert tours eventually would bringhim to his dad’snative Louisiana for more than 20 performances, beginning in 1979 with the small nightclub, Ole Man River’s, in Avondale and ending as the 2014 headliner for the 20th anniversary of the Essence Festival in what is now the Caesars Superdome. In between were appearances in Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Monroe and, finally,the city physically closest to his father’shometown, Shreveport. Maybe someone who was at one of his Louisianashows remembers if he made reference to his family’s connection to Cotton Valley Do you have aquestion about something in Louisiana that’sgot you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@theadvocate. com. Include your name, phone number and the city where you live.
on how to get students more connected to the university
She raised $5,000 for her campaign and, through the process, learned budgeting, strategic planning, empathy and more.
“I look back on that, 20 years later,asa41-year-old woman, and Ithink, ‘That was incredible.’ Ireally am so proud of it,” she said.
During her time as student government president, Pritchett and her team were instrumental in developing and working with the technology department to create ULink, an online portal for students to access financial aid, grades, tuition bills, library holds and announcements. Students still use the platform at UL today
Her ticket also passed aresolution that required professors to utilize Blackboard, alearning management system where faculty members could post asyllabus and office hour availability while communicating with students online.
Early on in her tenure, Pritchett says she learned alesson that has helped her in unexpected ways later in life.
“I learned that when you step intoany form of service, some-
AT RANDOM
Continued from page1G
These reunions are grand, but they naturally upturn the quiet routines of asettledcouple. Breakfast, once asimple matter of toastand eggs, becomes a meal eaten in shifts, with guests placing special orders. Shoes multiply in hallways, like armadas gatheredfor war.Ominous piles rise in the laundry room, and the washer and dryer run all day.Water bottles and laptops litter counters and chairs, and in the bright confusion of it all, Isomehow manage to lose my car keys.
And then, suddenly,like a great sea subsiding, our children leave again, andour familiar patterns of existencereturn. Order is nice, but it isn’teverything.
Or so Itellmyself as Ilook toward Thanksgiving, waiting for the kids to come back.
Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.
times your intentionsare misunderstood,” shesaid. “There was a lot of having to wrestle with anchoring in my values, understanding my values, beingtrue to my values and having them tested —at 18 to 21 years old, when your brain and identity are still forming.” Today,Pritchett specializes in strategic innovation, leadership coaching and approaches, change management and organizational effectiveness. Still, belonging and connectivity are athroughline in her life.
She says that the challenges she faced as SGA president during her undergrad years have become aspringboard for how she approaches leadership and drives change today “Belonging and connectivity are core human needs. Idon’tknow how Icame into knowing that, but Ican now say,intellectually and emotionally,there’sreal research to back that up,” Pritchett said. “Somehow,intuitively,asaleader 20 years ago, that was abig part of what Iwanted to do on campus.” Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. com.
BY JESSICAFENDER
Contributing writer
An eagle-eyed visitor toLongue VueHouse and Gardens could peer 1,942 feet down an oak-lined drive, through the home’sgrand entry hall and out abackwindow to the elegant lawn beyond.
Within its walls, the observant may note how etched glass above avanity perfectly mirrors the wallpaper around it or how the colors planted just outside thedining room window echo throughout the interior Vast, uninterrupted sightlines and exquisite attention to detail are hallmarks of the property’s largely unsung designer And now,thanks to anew federal grant, the beloved museum on the edge of New Orleans is adding another story to the historic house: that of EllenBiddle Shipman, afemale visionary whose groundbreakingcareer began before women could vote.
“She was abadass,” said Dr Stella Baty Landis, executive director of the 8-acre property.
“And it’srare for her work to be preserved at this large ascale.”
Long the friend with a“knack” for color and gardening, Shipman began as alandscape architect and interior designer around 1912 after her husband abandoned her and their three children in Cornish, New Hampshire. She went on to open an allfemale studio in Manhattan that boasted up to adozen designers and awho’swho client list that included Vanderbilts, Edisons, Fords and —thanks to afateful speaking engagementinNew Orleans —Longue Vueowners Edith and Edgar Stern. In the 1930s, the Sternshired Shipman to design asmall readinggarden, and later the entire grounds,inthe country estate
TRAVEL
style. When the makeover was complete, she pointed out thatthe couple’shouse hardly matched its updated surroundings and soon found herself designing the mansionthat stands today In total, Shipman completed about 600 gardens and eight inte-
riors, but Longue Vueisthe only place in the country where visitors can experience both.
That uniqueness, in part, led the National Park Service in August to award the property $372,250 through its Save America’sTreasures program, which will fund improvements through 2030. And the work has already begun. In adarkened upstairs bedroom, archival boxes haphazardly line shelves and rolled scrolls pile atop filing cabinets. Landis
pulls open adrawer to reveal a layout of Longue Vue’sinteriors —right down to furniture placement —penned in Shipman’s fastidious hand. Long tucked-awaydrafts, designs and personalcorrespondence between Shipman and the Sterns will soon be digitally archived via amuseum quality scanner and this spacetransformed into apublic reading room. It’sa step that will help tell the story of the Shipman-Stern friendship. In aletter to Edith Stern, for
example, Shipman ends with “My love to each and every one of you, every blade of grass included.” (An exhibit slatedto debut at the end of the three-year grant borrows its name fromthe sign-off.)
“It was more than aclient relationship, more than patron-artist,” said Landis, explaining how Longue Vuebecame Shipman’s masterpiece. “There was alot of trust andaffection.”
So muchsothat the intricate, rice-paper wall coverings Shipman installed in the Sterns’ dining room once hung in her apartment.
While Landis estimatedthat around 80% of the grounds remain true to Shipman’soriginal vision, Longue Vuefans can expect to see more of the designer’s hand emerge in the coming months —from specialty tours to garden restorations. (Fortunately,the architect notonly left notes on plantings but on backup plantings —aswell as backups for the backups.)
Perhaps the most ambitious of the grant-fundedprojects, a new Louisiana native’s garden between the Walled Gardenand Whim House will restore one of Shipman’ssignature sightlines and nod to more modern climate concerns.
The grant, along with the local support that helped secure it, are essential for the property to live up to its potential, Landis said.
On arecent Mondayafternoon, alight drizzle fell on the geometric hedges of the PorticoGarden. Landis paused mid-tour to point outaninterloper —a naughty bunny —blithely chewing away at precisely planted flowers. The sound of ariding mowercircling back for another pass at abroad lawn rumbles from elsewhere on the sprawling grounds. Maintenance alone is ceaseless.
“Without dedicated funding, it’ssohard to find the moneyto prioritize the historic preservation, especially when it comes to design,” Landis said. “Wehave an exciting opportunity here.”
